Time Mag: White House Reshuffle: McClellan did not want to go

[cal04]

The sudden announcement by Scott McClellan that he is resigning as White House Press Secretary reflected the conclusion by President Bush’s inner circle that visible, dramatic change—something this President has long resisted—is crucial to relaunching the second term and making productive use of his last two and a half years in office.

McClellan’s predecessor, Ari Fleischer, told TIME the departure was a selfless recognition by McClellan of the importance of change. “The American people are going to give the President a second look here in his sixth year because he’s engineering these changes,” Fleischer said. “That’s helpful. He needs the country to give him a second look.”

Other changes are likely to be announced soon, including a replacement for Treasury Secretary John Snow. Joshua B. Bolten, who took over last Friday afternoon as Bush’s second chief of staff, also plans to strengthen the Cabinet liaison and legislative affairs shops. Bush plans to promote Ruben Barrales, the Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

McClellan, who began working for Bush in the Texas Governor’s office in 1999, was one of the few people left in the West Wing known as “family”—put in his job because he was beloved by the President and because longtime confident Karen Hughes wanted him there. Like Bolten’s predecessor, Andrew H. Card Jr., McClellan did not want to go. Although he had talked to colleagues sporadically about departing as long as a year ago, he had planned to stay until after the midterm election. Friends said he had gotten the internal signal and wanted to get it over with, to short-circuit the craziness of having to refuse to speculate about himself from the podium.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1185015,00.html

[phoebe]

1. "beloved" because he present at the 2000 coup aka "recount protest"

and that is the only reason..

http://www.ciponline.org/cuba/cubainthenews/newsarticles/mh071402rosenberg.htm

snip

Mamo, a former Capitol Hill press secretary who now earns $62,760, was among those who came to Florida for the recount. Already with the Bush-Cheney campaign, she worked as part of the GOP's media team. Other GOP press aides who went from the Florida recount to the White House include Nicolle Devenish, Tucker Eskew, Ken Lisaius and Scott McClellan.

[ThoughtCriminal]

2. They think it's just a PR problem

because propaganda is the only thing they're really good at. When you're a boot every problem looks like an ass.

[CatWoman]

3. well, explain this then

McClellan Departure Not 'Forced,' White House Scribes Say

http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002382690

[DancingBear]

4. Simple

A cut and dried example of "Truth be demand!", dammit.

:) :hi:

[CatWoman]

8. ooooooooooo

*SNAP*

:hi:

:rofl:

[marbuc]

5. I think McClellan did a fine job under the circumstances

He returned to the press room day after day to defend indefensable policy and propaganda, only to have administration officials contradict him after the fact. It must have been a nightmare for him.

[Neecy]

6. Really?

“The American people are going to give the President a second look here in his sixth year because he’s engineering these changes,” Fleischer said. “That’s helpful. He needs the country to give him a second look.”

Did Scotty personally fuck up Iraq and Afghanistan? Is he personally responsible for the huge deficit? Did he personally try to destroy Social Security? Did he hand the keys to our country to huge corporations?

Scotty may be a boor and a liar, but he didn't create the disasterous policies that are tanking Bush - very few outside of political junkies even know who he is, so I doubt anyone will give Bush a 'second look' for this reason or any other. These Republicans are grasping at straws here, aren't they?

[Cha]

11. mike allen, who wrote

this piece, must think the American People are as stupid as the bushit suckups.

[Jack from Charlotte]

13. You're right. That's Bull sh*t. The AWOL/moron will not get any 2nd...

look from the American people until Iraq is cleaned up. That little puke will wear that albatross around his neck for life. But unlike Lyndon Johnson, he doesn't have any Civil Rights record that people can look back to with pride. Moron will just be a little, loser, moron.

[JohnyCanuck]

7. What would be really helpful.....

Fleischer said. “That’s helpful. He needs the country to give him a second look.” :eyes:

More like he needs the country to give him a swift boot in the ass right out the White House door before we're all glowing in the dark.

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. ROFL! "Re-launching" a second term 16 months after

inauguration! :rofl:

[lavenderdiva]

10. [i]He needs the country to give him a second look[/i]

yep, he hit the nail on the proverbial head. Just not in the way HE thinks. The country does need to take a second look at *'s whole administration and record to date, and see just how f'd up the whole country is now, and boot him out. Impeach the twit.

[Hubert Flottz]

12. Plenty of work to do in Iraq Scott...

The army needs folks bad enough to be chasing school kids Scott...How about going over and Really defending that flag, that you've been wrapped up in every day on TV. Bush needs warm bodies to fight for that "Noble Cause" of his. You'll make a great private Scott.

[WillyT]

14. K & R !!!

:kick: