DEAR MISTER PRESIDENT ELECT...

PLEASE USE YOUR POWER TO END THE REPUBLICAN CANCER
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/24/top-bush-aides-get-board-appointments/?nl=pol&emc=pola2



Top Bush Aides to Linger on High-Profile Boards
By Michael Falcone
Condoleezza Rice and Carlos M. GutierrezPresident Bush appointed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez to high-profile boards. (Photos: top, Andy Rain/European Pressphoto Agency; bottom, Josh Reynolds/Associated Press)

As President Bush settles in for his last Christmas in office, he has been busy handing out presents to some of his top aides. And they are not the kind that require wrapping paper or a bow.

The White House announced on Wednesday the appointments of key members of the president’s inner circle, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez, to high-profile boards and commissions. The Christmas Eve appointments will allow them to serve far beyond Jan. 20, the end of Mr. Bush’s term in office.

The White House said that the positions are unpaid, but appointees receive reimbursement for expenses and per diem compensation. They do not require Senate confirmation.

Ms. Rice got a spot on the John F. Kennedy Center’s board of trustees until September 2014. The position should guarantee her good seats at the performing arts venue for the next six years; she is currently an ex-officio member of the board.