Bush team is stirred, not shaken (nothing has changed)

Bush team is stirred, not shaken

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Ron Hutcheson and William Douglas
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS

Snip...

Like the previous personnel shifts, the latest moves are largely cosmetic and are unlikely to result in any dramatic policy changes. Bush is expected to name a replacement for McClellan within days; Rove will continue to serve as Bush’s chief political strategist, while giving up direct responsibility for domestic and foreign policy.

The reshuffling is part of an effort by installed White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten to re-energize the Bush administration and boost confidence in the president’s leadership. But the changes to date have been incremental, typically replacing one insider with another.

Bush has resisted calls for the ouster of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld or other dramatic shifts that could signal a new course at the White House.

"The person at the top matters most. You can shuffle the deck, but the president is the ace of spades, and he’s not going to change," said Paul C. Light, a professor of public service at New York University and an expert on federal personnel issues.

Even if he wanted to make big changes, Bush faces a shrinking pool of applicants.

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060420/cm_usatoday/deciderbushresponsibleforrumsfeldandthewar

Gergen: At White House, more things change, more they stay the same

WASHINGTON (AP) - There'll be some new faces in the Bush administration, but a former presidential strategist says it'll still be the same policies.

White House political mastermind Karl Rove has given up his responsibilities as chief policy coordinator. Officials say that will allow him to focus more on politics, fundraising and big-picture thinking ahead of the November congressional elections.

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But former presidential adviser David Gergen notes that Rove will still be involved in critical decisions. He also says regardless of who briefs the press, the Bush White House emphasizes secrecy and is very disciplined in the way it delivers its message.

And Gergen says just as important as who's going is who's staying. He specifically mentioned Vice President Cheney and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld


http://www.fox23news.com/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=3ED7B1C1-2549-4416-9EEA-E6D77A2E1950