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And Then There Was One |
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Two months ago I wrote about the Bushtanic. In talking about ways to measure Bush’s failures, I said:
But for me, one of the most telling illustrations of Bush’s failure is the story of his most loyal aides, the ones he brought up from Texas, dropping like flies.
When he was elected, George Bush brought a large number of long serving and trusted confidants who he worked with as Governor up to the capitol to help him run the country.
[snip]
In the cabinet, Bush appointed seven Texas Republicans. He also kept on Karl Rove as top political adviser and Harriet Miers as White House Counsel. With today’s resignation of Alberto Gonzales, only two remain, and 4 resignations have occurred after last year’s midterm defeat.
Today, one of the remaining two Bush loyalists, Karen Hughes, resigned. And so, our chart of fallen Bushies gets one more red RESIGNED mark, leaving only Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, still in office:
Karen Hughes, one of Bush’s longest serving advisers, has stepped down from her role as the State Department’s Under Secretary of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. As MSNBC reports, via Think Progress, Hughes’ tenure has been just as much of a failure as the rest of the Bush administration:
President Bush had asked Karen Hughes to go to the State Department and help sell America’s ideas about democracy and the war on terror around the world. Polls show that there has been no improvement in the way the world views the United States since Hughes took over. Now it appears she’s resigning.
It’s not surprising that Hughes is returning to Texas without making a measurable impact. Bush squandered his political capital with a failed war and lackluster domestic policies. He’s the lamest of lame ducks, and everyone, including his closest political allies, realizes it.
Really, the only thing that continues to surprise me about the failures of the Bush administration is why the leading Republican candidates for President don’t distance themselves further.
Anyone want to take bets on when Alphonso Jackson will resign?
You are wrong!!!
Margaret Spellings-ED-ducation
Clay Johnson-OMB
Condi Rice-State Department
Josh Bolten-Chief Of Staff
I’m focusing on cabinet level positions filled by those Bush brought up from Texas. Those you mention, though loyal Bushies, weren’t part of that original Texas crew. I could be wrong though.
I’ll bet he resigns after he is indicted.
Margaret LaMontagne Spellings was Bush’s domestic advisor when Bush was Governor. She is a member of the Cabinet, Secretary of Education.
Gumby don’t be so sure that Jackson will be indicted and don’t beleive everything you read or hear. Where’s the noose!
TEL, I agree. Spellings deserves to be on this list, as a Bush crony from Texas who came up to Bush’s cabinet. My original list (http://www.theseminal.com/2007/08/27/the-bushtanic/) was limited to Texas Republican cronies who Bush appointed in his first term, the original cabinet as it were. Spellings was appointed in 2004, for his 2nd terms. However, as I said above, she deserves to be in such “famous” company. Thanks!
I’ve seen a number of clips of Karen Hughes interviews, and I find it telling that, in rebuttal to the charge that she didn’t do much to change international opinion, she claims that “we know there’s a lot of work to do on this, and we mounted an aggressive campaign to counter some of the anti-American sentiment.”
Yeah. I guess “aggressive” would be the word for it.
I wish George would die or resign cuz hes ruining Earth’s Ecosystem with his failed wars. i’d rather Al Gore even though i doubt he will make a big change…
Well hey, it took a minute, but today’s the day.
Don’t look now, but : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/31/AR2008 033100871.html?nav=rss_email/components