The First Change? White House Chief Of Staff Andy Card Resigns

After weeks of calls from some Republicans for changes in the White House staff, White House Chief of Staff Andy Card has resigned — although White House officials insist it is his decision, not the president’s:

White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. announced his resignation this morning after nearly 5-1/2 years as President Bush’s top aide. Bush said Card will be replaced by Joshua B. Bolten, the director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Bush made the announcement in the Oval Office at 8:30 a.m. Card will serve until April 14 to provide a transition period, but the move could presage broader staff changes as Bolten takes over an operation hobbled by political problems heading into a crucial midterm election season.

The Washington Post further notes that Card has served for a near-record time in a White House…and drops hints that the official explanation may not be what’s really at play here:

Card has held the top staff job at the White House longer than any person since Sherman Adams under President Dwight D. Eisenhower and had earned enormous respect within the building and around Washington for his calm professionalism and stamina. But his stewardship of the Bush team had come under question in recent months after a series of mishaps, including the failed Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers, the bungled federal response to Hurricane Katrina, the slow public disclosure of Vice President Cheney’s shooting accident and the unexpected Republican revolt over a plan to turn management at a half dozen ports to an Arab-owned company.

A senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid upstaging the president’s announcement, said Card approached Bush earlier this month about the possibility of stepping down and then two had several discussions about the idea. Card then went with Bush to Camp David last weekend, where they settled on a decision and timing.

This kind of explanation isn’t unusual when a top official resigns from a corporation or an administration (”…he wants to spend more time with his family…”). And it would be yet another example of an administration that does not want to ever appear to give in to criticism.

On the other hand, there have been some news stories recently about how the White House staff is worn out and exhausted. On the other OTHER hand, perhaps these stories were to lay the groundwork for Card leaving with the explanation that he asked to be alllowed to move on.

The New York Times notes, however, that this changes does not mean a substantive change in the White House since it’s not bringing in any one new — and a key figure remains very much in control of many operations:

While many of Mr. Bush’s problems are related to increasing public uneasiness over Iraq, it was Mr. Card who took the blame for the slowness of the White House staff’s response to Hurricane Katrina and to criticism of the Dubai ports deal. Republicans have also become increasingly vocal about their perception that the White House has lost its political edge.

But the move announced today leaves in place Karl Rove, the President’s top political adviser, who is a deputy chief of staff. And it does not represent an infusion of new blood, since Mr. Bolten is also a longtime adviser, and served as a deputy chief of staff before becoming budget director.

Mr. Bush last week hinted that a personnel move was in the works. Asked during a press conference if he planned to bring to the White House an experienced Washington insider who could quell concerns among Republicans in Congress, Mr. Bush replied, “Well, I’m not going to announce it right now.”

The AP has some more details about how this is being framed by sources at the White House — as well as the not uncoincidental political context:

Card plans to stay on the job until April 14, when the switch with Bolten takes place.

Associates said that Card, who was Secretary of Transportation and deputy chief of staff, had wanted to establish himself as the longest serving White House chief of staff. James Steelman, who was President Harry S. Truman’s chief of staff, had served for six years and Card’s tenure will have gone not much longer than five years.

A recent AP-Ipsos Poll found that Bush’s job approval has dipped to 37 percent, his lowest rating in that poll. Nearly 70 percent of people say the U.S. is on the wrong track, a six-point jump since February. Bush’s job approval among Republicans plummeted from 82 percent in February to 74 percent, a troubling sign for the White House in an election year.

This needs to also be viewed within the context of another major change: Bush is now quietly holding off-the-record sessions with the press, an approach that is likely to somewhat ease is his increasingly peppery relationship with the press and, at the very least, blunt some of the confrontational questions he has been getting at his televised press conferences from some reporters. Editor & Publisher:

In an apparent effort to mend his relationship with the press, President George Bush has been holding off-the-record meetings with White House reporters for the past few days, an apparent first since he took office.

Several correspondents confirmed to E&P either participating in such meetings or being invited to them, noting that at least two have been held in the past week, with one scheduled for Tuesday. Most have lasted more than an hour and at least one took place in Bush’s private residence.

“It was very pleasant, he seemed very thoughtful and frank,” said Stephan Dinan, a Washington Times reporter and one of about six reporters who took part in a session Monday afternoon. “It was on a wide range of stuff.”

Monday’s gathering also included reporters from the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, and Cox Newspapers, according to sources.

Several reporters declined to comment on the record, but said they had been called personally by Press Secretary Scott McClellan to participate in the chats, some getting invited just hours ahead of time. “It doesn’t surprise me because presidents do this,” said one reporter invited to a session on Tuesday who requested anonymity. “Clinton did it toward the end of his second term. A little bit of legacy-building, post-impeachment, post-Monica.”

Some thoughts:

• The Card resignation which just so happens to come amid continued suggestions that Bush change his staff, coupled with the change in approach to dealing with the press, indicate the White House is moving to stem political damage and try to rebuild support in some areas.

• Even if Card’s explanation is true, it’s going to appear in headlines and on broadcasts as if President Bush has started to shake up his staff. He’ll benefit from this perception among some members of the GOP that polls show have been straying from the fold.
• It’s good news for the Republicans (particularly if there are more changes, even cosmetic ones) because it will help at least halt the perception that this is an administration that refuses to make internal changes at a time when it has been shown that some new quality control might not be a bad idea.
• It’s bad news for the Democrats because it signals that the White House is a more fluid operation that it appeared — and that more changes in staffing, incremental changes in style, and perhaps some image reshaping is likely to be on tap for 2006, heading into the elections.

The next question will be: is Bush going to bring someone in from the outside, someone new in a key position? Does this suggest that in 2006 there may be some changes in some other high profile positions?

But, no matter what and why, Card’s resignation changes the political dynamics of 2006 a bit — and definitely changes the press narrative. Look for the next narrative to be “Bush on the rebound” if there are more changes and polls start going up, even incrementally.

UPDATE: Some reaction (which will be added as time permits today due to logistics):
–Michelle Malkin:”I think John Hinderaker’s reaction is just right: Yawn.”
–Macsmind:”No big news here, we were all expecting a shake up, but this really isn’t it. Card, like a lot of public servants can make a heck of lot more money on the outside (ask Newt), and being COS takes a lot of time from family.”
–UNCoRELATED:”Card controls access to the president and has undoubtedly ruffled some feathers over the years. His resignation allows for a “reconcilation” of sorts with members of Congress who may have felt annoyed at not having more face-time with the President. While Card’s long service immunize him for charges that he is being sacrificed to rehabilitate the White House image, it is nonethless represents opportunity to reset some of the dynamics the administration has with Congress and the media.”
–Scrutator:”White House Chief of Staff Andy Card just resigned. Frankly, he should have done this after the Harriet Miers fiasco.”
–Centerfield links to our post but has some interesting comments in the comments section such as:”It’s obvious from the reaction of the conservative blogs that the right really did not like Card, especially after Harriet Meiers, so this could help the President with his base, too. The perception on the right seems to be that Bolten is more in favor of fiscal restraint, and thus will help begin reining in the rampant spending.”
–The Carpetbagger Report:”Andy Card may have resigned as WH Chief of Staff today, but according to Insight magazine, he wasn’t the White House staffer Republicans on the Hill are worried about.” (You’ll have to read The Carpetbagger Report’s entire post to find out who that is but I’ll give you a sublte hint. His initials are KR and he’ll now have seemingly more power than ever…)
–I Diot’s Parade:”Doubt very much this will change anything in the Administration. I also doubt very much that Joshua Bolten will be any different. Like Senator Schumer said, little more than rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.”
–John Amato:”Is anyone surprised that President Bush chose someone close to him? It wasn’t the “outsider” that we kept hearing about.”
–Ed Morrissey:

After a flurry of stories generated by the gaggle questioned why Bush hadn’t shuffled the deck, a Card finally drops out. That should keep the reporters busy talking about something that matters little to any of the issues, a familiar position for most of them anyway. I find it amusing that the press corps can’t fathom why Bush would want stability in his senior staff, and at the same time provide shelter for Helen Thomas, who has been around the White House so long she can remember when the British burnt it.

–Andrew Sullivan:

He has been there from the beginning; he represents continuity more than change; and it appears that Card volunteered his resignation. Of course this could be a convenient fib; but for public consumption, Bush has not fired Card. Bottom line: this is better than nothing, but also merely the minimum necessary. Maybe there’s more to come. And maybe next time, it will be someone outside the cocoon.

–Ron Beasley:”As his presidency continues to circle in the whirlpool of death Bush has been under pressure to make staff changes. Well he did and he didn’t.”
–James Joyner:”Now, it may be that all sides agreed that a shakeup was needed under the circumstances. Certainly, Fred Barnes and others have suggested it. Still, as important as the Chief of Staff job is inside the White House, it is virtually invisible to the general public. Unless Bolton comes up with some bold new policy initiatives, it is unclear how this move will bolster the president’s sagging poll numbers.”