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Changing of the guardWhile it's unlikely that Rumsfeld has any inclination to step down--nor would it be a simple task to find a replacement--recent weeks have been filled with significant staffing changes within the White House. Most notably, Chief of Staff Andy Card stepped down after spending five years as "The Chief" for President George W. Bush. A longtime Washington insider, Card served as Secretary of Transportation under President George Bush, as Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan and head of government relations for General Motors. Prior to that, he served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Card's departure seemed natural, but also marked the beginning of what is expected to be a wave of senior-level staff changes. Shortly after Card's resignation, the President announced that Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director, Josh Bolten, would assume the role as Chief during the waning years of the Bush administration. Known for working seven days a week and for outrageous hours pouring over the meticulous detail of the country's budget, Bolten seems to be fit for the challenge of heading up the top office in the nation. But it also marks a change of direction for staff. As expected, Bolten's presence has already spurred personnel changes--such as the departure of White House spokesman Scott McClellan. Without question the common assumption is that McClellan was asked to step down in order to provide a changing of the guard and improve the image of the President, who faces ever-declining approval ratings. Shortly thereafter, there was brief mention that jack of all trades aid, Karl Rove, would relinquish his duties as White House policy director and will focus on political activity. By keeping him in the political realm, the hope seems to be to disconnect Rover from having too much influence on White House policy. Rove, still under federal investigation with his ties to a leak of a CIA agents name, is viewed by many as a sore-spot for the President. And to add mystery to mayhem, the President recently appointed U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman the new director of the Office of Management and Budget. Portman has been the lead negotiator and U.S. representative in our negotiations within the World Trade Organization (WTO) since he left Congress to take the job last year. While he was widely commended for his work in trade negotiations, some are concerned that his departure is a signal from the White House regarding their expectations for an agreement in this round of WTO negotiations. Specifically, it is entirely possible that having someone else pick up mid-way through the negotiation process could stifle any potential progress. The change at USTR will likely have the most immediate impact regarding policy--but watch closely for further changes as the White House, under new management, tries to rebuild the Bush presidency and improve public approval for the President. Date: 4/19/06
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