Sources: Bush pressed to bulk up staff

[sabra]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/15/bush.staffing/

Sources: Bush pressed to bulk up staff
Friends suggest changes needed to counter missteps

(CNN) -- A move is afoot among some friends and confidantes of President Bush to persuade him to bring in at least one seasoned Republican veteran to help his struggling staff, CNN has learned.

According to two sources involved in the discussions, some veteran Republicans have been quietly trying to convince White House chief of staff Andy Card to bring in at least one "adult," like a former senator or another "experienced hand," to help him reach out to congressional leaders, troubleshoot and, in the words of one source, "just be in the loop and give advice."

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity.

...

"No one is trying to get them to fire anyone. No one is trying to get them to make wholesale changes," said a second GOP source. "This is just about adding a supplemental person to add to the mix."

But Bush, who values loyalty and resists changes to his inner circle, has apparently not signed off on the idea. One source involved in the discussions joked that "the more it becomes public, the more unlikely it is that it will happen."

[DS1]

1. Get Ditka on the horn

/Viagra man

[reichstag911]

3. I'll be sure and mention it to him...

...next time I see him. :P

[sutz12]

2. Heckuva job, there, Dubya.... nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Bush and his Hamburger Hill mentality.

[AlCzervik]

5. i bet the source was Card. He wants to see Rove gone imo.

[Bucky]

12. excellent theory

You might also look at a Rumsfeld loyalist--who's that woman who replaced Rice as security advisor? She's half sane, too.

[AlCzervik]

16. yeah i know who you're talking about but i can't remember her name

but my money is still on Card, he's a Bush family loyalist, or more to the point a George HW loyalist and he thinks Rove is inflicting major damage to Jr.

[wordpix2]

6. bubbleboy doesn't notice anything is wrong & thinks staff is doing heckuva

job as is

[John Q. Citizen]

7. "...at least one "adult," .... always makes for a cleaner safer

environment.

Personally, I don't believe children should be left alone to thier own devices, unsupervised.

It can lead to increased chances of drug and alchohol use, sexual experimentation, and injury and death, especially if weapons are readily available.

[Benhurst]

8. Rove looks pretty bulked up to me. Maybe they could ask

Candy Crowley to stop pretending she's a reporter and waddle on board.

[npincus]

9. putting lipstick on a pig

bulk up, pack 'em in, populate the West Wing with gravitas.... it won't change a damned thing. The problem is the void at the top... it is a competency matter... the Leader is simply not up to the job. This country is on auto-pilot.

[saigon68]

23. Void at the top

Look at this guy

Do you see a brain? or even a hint of one?

[Norquist Nemesis]

10. Which is EXACTLY why Dems need to get on board w/Censure ASAP

Bush is going to have a fresh staff in there soon. Dems need to put this guy and the whole Republican Party on the offensive...today!!

[dave29]

11. no, he wants them to pump iron

"How much you benching, Rummy?"

[cliss]

13. Bush, with his degenerated brain,

will take the S.S. America down to the bottom of Davy Jones Locker without a second thought. The man is simply unable to change.

He's incapable of leading. He's incapable of doing anything, except stand in front of the podium and gesture, wave his hands around, swing his face to the audience in his well-trained manner.

And I hate it when they use the term 'loyalty' when in truth, it's Secrecy, Hiding, Sharing evil crimes together, Fear of getting rid of the guy because he knows too much.

Bush has the loyalty of a snake towards the other snakes in the pit.

[daleo]

14. Cheney wouldn't allow it

He doesn't want "adults" (assuming one could be located) talking to Bush. Said adult would be on the next quail hunting trip.

[shanti]

15. why on earth would * listen to this?

his staff consists of his PNAC friends/cohorts. he's not about to change this now.

[brentspeak]

17. Bush has a limited supply of cronies available

Supply has dwindled recently by having at least one of them on trial (Ken Lay), another on bond (Claude A. Allen), and one sent into exile (Mike Brown).

If this keeps up, Bush may be forced to tap brother Neil and hope no one notices.

[underpants]

18. That is EXACTLY the cause and the current situation

Other Presidents have not been so paranoid and devoted to complete loyalty so as to limit the field of the invariably needed replacements.

Hell when Condi (WINK WINK) moved to State they just promoted Hadley and I have not heard any mention of who supposedly replaced Hadley in his former position. Basically you have 2 people filling three positions (4 if you count the one just below Sate Sec.)

[onehandle]

19. Too bad Stalin is dead. He'd fit right in. nt

[no_hypocrisy]

20. He may get loyalty or he may get competency. I don't think he can get

both qualities.

[MiniMe]

21. My thoughts exactly. n/t

[MiniMe]

22. For a minute, I thought the WH was going to feed steroids n/t