White House Management

By 930's class Wednesday, we had heard Scott McClellan was stepping down as White House Press Secretary. Also Wednesday, Karl Rove stepped aside as policy director; the move was portrayed as an opportunity to focus on the Fall 06 congressional elections. All of this is in the wake of last week's replacement of Andy Card with Josh Bolten as Chief of Staff.

The Press, and other analysts, are reading Wenesday's news differently:
1. The Official Line, in the New York Times: Rove Is Giving Up Daily Policy Post to Focus on Vote

USA Today plays it pretty neutrally in the headline: White House 'transition' continues , although the hotlink includes the phrase "whitehouseshakeup" and transition is in scare quotes.

Two other nationals provide more political explanations:

3. LA Times: Rove's Role Reduced, McClellan Resigns in White House Shakeup

WASHINGTON -- Moving to reinvigorate his presidency and recover from low public approval ratings, President Bush on Wednesday reduced the official role that Karl Rove, his chief political strategist, will play in setting policy and accepted the resignation of spokesman Scott McClellan.

The latest moves were part of an effort by Bush's new chief of staff, Joshua B. Bolten, to energize an administration that has faced bad news from Iraq and seen a number of second-term initiatives stall. The difficulties have left Republicans nervous about losing control of Congress....
A former White House official who had talked recently with Bolten said Wednesday's moves resulted from Bolten's view that he needed to address three serious problems facing Bush: deteriorating press coverage, souring relations with Congress, and increasing tensions between the White House and GOP candidates. The former official asked not to be identified because of concern the White House might not appreciate his comments during a difficult time.

4. Washington Post: White House Shifts Into Survival Mode

In a White House known for both defiance and optimism, yesterday's senior staff changes represent a frank acknowledgment of the trouble in which President Bush now finds himself. They are also a signal of how starkly Bush's second-term ambitions have shifted after a year of persistent problems at home and abroad.

5. I could not find a static link on Foxnews.com -- many many links about immigration, "Americans fleeing to the suburbs, and Cynthia mcKinney, but nothing about the administration's switcheroo. Odd. there is video content, but I disable java and often use dial-up, so that's not very helpful.