White House Tense As Many Wait, Impatiently, For Card Exit
Rove, Hadley, Cheney Watching Clock For Timing; Have Smear and Blame Programs To Launch Against Former Chief
Sources close to the White House say that the tension is so thick in the West Wing, over the changing of the Chief of Staff position that virtually nothing is getting done, beyond waiting for outgoing Andy Card to leave on April 14th.
“Boy, it’s rough in there,” said a government staffer, “This is worse then the time they were waiting to see what [former Secretary of State] Powell was going to say at the U.N. for the Iraq War build-up.”
Yesterday, President Bush announced that longtime friend, and Chief of Staff since he took office, offered his resignation, effective April 14th, and will be replaced by Office of Management and Budget Director, and former Deputy White House Chief of Staff, Joshua B. Bolten.
Smear and
The build of tension, many are saying behind closed doors, has less to do with the change in the Bush Administration, or others that may come, but more towards the over-two-week lag before Card leaves the White House.
“The people that are really pacing the floor, tapping their fingers are Karl Rove, Stephen Hadley and Vice President Cheney f,” said David Aaronson, editor of 'What Color Is My Coat Today?', the Capital Hill Newsletter that tracks politicians who turn on their own party.
“They were privy early on that Card would be leaving and they’ve put together an entire program of smears and blame that they will lay off on Card – once he’s out of the office.”
‘The only thing missing in this picture,” added Aaronson, “is President Bush saying “You’ve done a heck of a job Andy.”
According to Aaronson, as well as other sources, Rove will handle the smears. Plans call for the White House to release more of the behind-the-scene notes and communications from the days following Hurricane Katrina, to which the President, and White House was heavily criticized for the lack of response to the victims in New Orleans and Gulf Region.
‘Rove’s design a clear trail, complete with emails, voicemails, everything, that will put the fiasco at Card’s feet.”
There may also be an effort to place the Dubai Ports World failure on Card as well.
Card is already being blamed for the snafu in announcing his resignation.
Though the White House has yet to explain what happened, early yesterday morning, U.N. Ambassador John Bolton misunderstood the announcement of Card’s resignation and the naming of Joshua Bolten to replace him.
Ambassador Bolton headed to the airport, giving an impromptu press conference along the way, boasting he has glad that the President was pulling him out of “this hellhole” and telling reporters he told President Bush to dump Card two-years ago.
“He had the White House in coma during the Hurricane last year,” said Bolton.
While waiting for his shuttle flight to
“
National Security Advisor Hadley, and Vice President Cheney will likely build the case against Card for the troubles the White House has experienced in getting their message out over the War In Iraq.
“Both Hadley and Cheney have the notes from the WHIG meetings, so that won’t be much of a stretch for them.”
Card, ironically, set up WHIG (The White House Iraq Group) to help “market” the Iraqi War. Members included Hadley, Cheney, Rove, as well as Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes , Special Councilor to Vice President Mary Matalin, Deputy National Security Advisor for Communications James R. Wilkinson, Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, Nicholas E. Calio, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Vice President Chief of Staff I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby.
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” said another State Department staff person, “to see them put “Mission Accomplished ” and “The insurgency in its’ final throes” on Card.”
The White House is waiting, impatiently, for Andy Card to leave, so they can launch a major "smear and blame" campaign against the former Chief of Staff
No comments:
Post a Comment