White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan could not resist adding a little irony to the session where it was announced that he was being fired — er, stepping down — as the chief spinner for the Bush administration.
"You have accomplished a lot over the last several years with this team," McClellan said to President Bush.
Yes, the team has accomplished so much that it is being systematically dismantled by new White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten at breakneck speed. With public support for the president’s agenda dipping to Nixon-in-Watergate lows, and with even the Republican Congress breaking with the White House on major issues, Bolten — who replaced ousted Chief of Staff Andy Card — seems to have determined that the administration might need a new team.
In addition to McClellan’s exit Wednesday morning, Karl Rove was edged out of his position as deputy White House chief of staff for policy development. Rove’s being delegated back to his old job of managing Republican campaigns from within the White House and at taxpayer expense.
What next for old team that helped the president "accomplish" a 33 percent job approval rating?
Let’s just say that Treasury Secretary John Snow may not be launching any new projects.
Speaking the other day at the Derryfield Restaurant to members of the Greater Manchester (New Hampshire)Chamber of Commerce, Snow said he hopes to attend a signing ceremony on legislation that would lower tax rates. Snow did not say whether he expected to do so as a member of the Cabinet or a private citizen, but it is a fair bet that a treasury secretary who is making the rounds of local chamber of commerce luncheons probably ought to be polishing up his resume.
