Karl Rove to resign

[Windswept]

News item:

(I won't comment)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20242719/


" WASHINGTON - Karl Rove, President Bush’s close friend and chief political strategist, plans to leave the White House at the end of August, joining a lengthening line of senior officials heading for the exits in the final 1 1/2 years of the administration.

A longtime member of Bush’s inner circle, Rove was nicknamed “the architect” by the president for designing the strategy that twice won him the White House.

A criminal investigation put Rove under scrutiny for months during the investigation into the leak of a CIA operative’s name but he was never charged with any crime.
Bush was expected to make a statement Monday with Rove.

“Obviously it’s a big loss to us,” White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said. “He’s a great colleague, a good friend, and a brilliant mind. He will be greatly missed, but we know he wouldn’t be going if he wasn’t sure this was the right time to be giving more to his family, his wife Darby and their son. He will continue to be one of the president’s greatest friends.”

Rove decided to leave after Joshua Bolten, the White House chief of staff, told senior aides that if they remained past early September, they would be obliged to stay until the end of Bush’s second and final term in January 2009, according to the the Wall Street Journal. Rove disclosed his decision in an interview with the paper.

Since Democrats won control of Congress in November, some top administration officials have announced their resignations. Among those who have left are White House counselor Dan Bartlett, budget director Rob Portman, chief White House attorney Harriet Miers, political director Sara Taylor, deputy national security adviser J.D. Crouch and Meghan O’Sullivan, another deputy national security adviser who worked on Iraq. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was forced out immediately after the election as the unpopular war in Iraq dragged on. "

[x-y-no]

Well, this is one with strong chances to get political ... so everybody restrain yourselves please.

I'll just say I'm very surprised. I expected him to stay through the whole term.

[Janie2006]

The official forecast calls for a mixture of tongue-in-cheek humour and scattered eulogies early, followed by increasing chances of political commentary as the day wears on.

Today's political microburst risk: Medium to High.

[Brent]

I hear he's going to join a Republican Presidential candidate's campaign.

[Windswept]

I am going to duct tape my hands to the desk ......

MUST

NOT

TYPE

COMMENTS

[Tstormwatcher]

Hurray, thats all I will say.

[Stephanie]

I hear he's going to join a Republican Presidential candidate's campaign.

I was wondering if that was the reason why he was stepping down.

[angelwing]

(Oh man...nah I better not. )

Ahem....he said he wanted to spend time with his family, I guess he had enough.

[gtalum]

I hear he's going to join a Republican Presidential candidate's campaign.

Which one? I highly doubt it, because Rove is a major liability right now.

[TexasStooge]

Karl Rove went on to persue his other career.

[HarlequinBoy]