It looks like the rumors are aswirling about the next White House staffer to go. And the rumors focus on Press Secretary Scott McLellan. From CNN's Kathleen Koch:
According to both administration and GOP insiders, we're hearing here at CNN that Press Secretary Scott McClellan and Treasury Secretary John Snow could be the next ones to be shown to the door.Now, why McClellan? Several sources familiar with the thinking of new White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten say that immediately, right out of gate, he began on focusing on improving White House communications in order to regenerate the White House's - the administration's message, the performance - you know those poll numbers are really lagging right now. One White House insider says there's been "a lot of dissatisfaction with the state of communications."
At the same time, though, very important to point out that there are many who insist that McClellan is very secure because of his close personal relationship with President Bush. We are hearing that if McClellan were to leave, that one name being floated as a possible replacement is White House counselor Dan Bartlett.
What do I say to this news? Who cares?
It's ludicrous to think that Bush's poll numbers are down because Scott McLellan has been communicating with the press badly. The poll numbers are down because Bush is doing a bad job. No amount of spinning or lying by McLellan will change that.
Instead of having Scott McLellan sweating his way through his jacket while spinning for all he is worth, there will be someone else. Just like when Ari Fleischer left - did anything change? No. And I'm going to go out on a limb and say that nothing will change this time either.
Just a new person lying in front of the press.
Hat tip Atrios and ThinkProgress.
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/04/19/breaking-7/
It's been done, actually.
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If a society is willing to give freedom for temporary security, they deserve neither.
Yes it has. But you may notice that I posted this two weeks ago, so I was a bit off in my timing...but still, the writing was on the wall.
I wrote about his resignation on my blog earlier today
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There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.
This just like the Andrew Card thing, Bush is hoping these token gestures will help him, when in fact they don't. Like you said all it is going to be is a new guy lying for Bush. Although someone new may be able to lie a little better and handle the press better then what I've seen McLellan do.
So your saying Bush dosn't have a problem communicating with the Media?
I'm saying that his troubles in talking to the media aren't his biggest problems.
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There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.