WP: Senior White House Staff May Be Wearing Down

[kskiska]

Andrew H. Card Jr. wakes at 4:20 in the morning, shows up at the White House an hour or so later, convenes his senior staff at 7:30 and then proceeds to a blur of other meetings that do not let up until long after the sun sets. He gets home at 9 or 10 at night and sometimes fields phone calls until 11 p.m. Then he gets up and does it all over again.

Of all the reasons that President Bush is in trouble these days, not to be overlooked are inadequate REM cycles. Like chief of staff Card, many of the president's top aides have been by his side nonstop for more than five years, not including the first campaign, recount and transition. This is a White House, according to insiders, that is physically and emotionally exhausted, battered by scandal and drained by political setbacks.

"By the time you get to year six, there's never a break . . . and you get tired," said Ed Rollins, who served five years in President Ronald Reagan's White House. "There's always a crisis. It wears you down. This has been a White House that hasn't really had much change at all. There is a fatigue factor that builds up. You sometimes don't see the crisis approaching. You're not as on guard as you once were."

To Rollins, the uproar over an Arab-owned firm taking over management of some American ports represents a classic example. Bush and his staff did not know about the arrangement approved by his administration, and after congressional Republicans revolted, issued an ineffective veto threat that only exacerbated the dispute, which climaxed with the collapse of the deal last week. "This White House would not have made this mistake two years ago," Rollins said.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/12/AR2006031200821.html

[marmar]

1. Human helium balloon Scott McClellan looks...

to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I don't think even a night with Jeff Gannon/Guckert can save him.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

20. yeah, he's been hittin' the bon-bons pretty hard . . .

[acmavm]

2. Maybe the corruption factor is getting to them. I doubt that it's guilt,

maybe it's just that they're running out of new crimes to commit

[BlueEyedSon]

3. Probly would be less taxing if it wasn't all lying and making shit up

[Newsjock]

4. It's HARD WORK

to destroy such a great nation!

[MnFats]

19. "We're workin' hard! Comin' in on weekends! nt

[0007]

42. The only way Allen could relax, was to go out and steal something

or tell a big lie.

[marylanddem]

5. Maybe the flunkies would rather be in Iraq helping support the

great cause of middle eastern democratization. Hard to feel anything but contempt for any of them...

[Obamarama]

6. I hope they all get bleeding ulcers, every last one of them... eot

[zulchzulu]

7. Good news...their mistakes will increase even more...watch their undoing

It's classic pre-Nixonian cabinet behavior...soon they will start eating themselves...

Rocking good news!

[tridim]

11. It's only good news if Congress does it's job

and remedies the problem. Like they did for the lesser criminals in the Nixon administration.

[Warpy]

8. That's what happens when you're supporting a dimwit front man

who really doesn't have a clue what he's doing. It's very telling that the other man who claimed the same level of fatigue was in the White House under the last demented figurehead, Reagan.

[blue neen]

9. They're not half as tired as we are. We're physically and emotionally

exhausted by everything they have done to destroy our country.

I guess being part of a criminal element just requires that Andrew Card awake at 4:20 a.m.

My heart bleeds for them. :sarcasm:

[SeattleGirl]

31. You've got that right! There's so much going on with these

folks, it's very exhausting!

[spindrifter]

10. It is their narcissism

that keeps them at work for such ridiculous hours. It's that self-gained knowledge that no one else can do the job better than me, me, me. No one can get closer to the Prezidnent than me, me, me. Here's some advice Andy and Scotty--be like your leader and just go to bed at 9:30 p.m. And don't read any books.

[Roon]

12. Awwww! Poor babies!

I read another thread where kindasleazy rice is getting worn down also! They deserve it.

[hang a left]

13. They are playing the blame game....

this time with REM cycles.

What. Ever.

[Ilsa]

14. If only Jr. would get tired, pack up his marbles, and go

"home" to Crawford. Bullseye has been looking tired lately also.

[kskiska]

15. Didn't they start out by claiming

they weren't going to be working all night the way the Clinton White House did?

[NYC]

27. I vaguely remember that.

They were going to work 9 to 5 or 9 to 6. Something about not ordering in pizza, maybe. I think Karen Hughes said something about that.

Meanwhile, Bush is asleep by 9:30 p.m. Even on 9/11, he boasted that he was asleep by 11:30 p.m. Name one other person in New York or Washington who was asleep by 11:30 that night.

[no_hypocrisy]

16. In fairness, they work hard so * doesn't have to . . .

[TankLV]

17. Yeah - it's now the REM cycles - that's the ticket.

Not the fact that they are the greatest collection of greedy selfish lying cheating incompetant motherfucking criminal asswipes ever assembled in one place! - nawwwwww that couldn't be it - it's gotta be the REM cycles. Right.

[SeattleGirl]

32. Not getting enough REM sleep CAN mess you up. However,

I agree with what you said about them be "the greatest cllection of greedy selfish lying cheating incompetent motherfucking criminal asswipes ever assembled in one place!" If they are not getting enough REM sleep, it just makes it harder for them to keep the wolves away from the door, to keep the house of cards from falling down.

[f-bush]

36. Thank you!

I couldn't have said it better myself-Tacoma Guy!

[lovuian]

18. Interesting they brought up REM sleep and the lack of it

sometimes the unconcious dream state can be disturbing when your not true to yourself or your fellow man

sleeplessness is a result

Its hard to sleep when your unconcious is there to haunt you...

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

21. "...there's never a break . . . and you get tired..."

OH DEAR GOD, NO...FATIGUE?

Please...say it isn't SO...

I never REALIZED that Andy "gets up and does it all over again."

I'll NEVER complain about my OWN petty problems AGAIN. I PROMISE.

[SushiFan]

22. GOP arrogance goes a long way. Until it meets voters' anger! - nt

[Solly Mack]

23. Oh boo fucking hoo - the thugs are tired

try being on the receiving end of Bush' policy, his criminal actions, and his malicious neglect.

[htuttle]

24. Bullshit

This administration takes more time off than any other in history.

You can't convince me that Bush didn't know about the Dubai ports deal (especially considering how much business both Halliburton and Carlyle do in the UAE).

This article is a lame excuse.

[susu369]

46. Thank you

the bu$h* cabal is a lazy bunch.

Reminds me of an accountant who will not take a vacation. It's not that he is hardworking, he is covering up his crimes.

[NYC]

25. Ed Rollins?

I'm reminded of black bishops. Did something go on between Ed Rollins and black bishops?

[NastyRiffraff]

26. Yeah, and Bush & Condi were on vacation....

...when Katrina hit. Bush proceded to McCain's birthday party and a couple of fundraisers. Condi went shopping and saw Spamalot.

Funny how these hardworking people don't bother to interrupt their vacations when a crisis hits (like 9/11 for example)

Any working mom works as hard if not harder than a Bush staffer. REM indeed. ::snort::

[Mz Pip]

28. Bush sleeps late

takes naps, goes to bed early.

This is the Bush White House. He should be awake in it.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Mel]

29. Who cares?

I sure as hell don't care if these people are tired!
So, what! I'm tired, work damn hard, then I have to keep my eyes on these gangsters!
I also don't make any where near as much money as these whiny brats that are destroying our country.

I say, "Cry me river and play the littlest violin for these traitors" as far as I'm concerned this piece is a waste of ink, paper, and the time it took me to read it! boo! freaking hoo! :mad:

[mitchum]

30. Cry me a fucking river

[hlthe2b]

33. So, a handfull of people work 16+ hour days, while the "boss"

does little of nothing. Probably half of Card's and other's workload is cleaning up after Bush* or finding ways to keep the little Shrub busy and out of trouble.


I dare say any others that are working that "hard," are doing so for their own personal profit or to establish policy which will for decades kill the average American....

Screw them all...

[KeepItReal]

40. Yeah the "Boss" is setting records for taking vacations no matter what

Even in "wartime", he's gotta be in Crawford (instead of the White House situation room) clearin brush and having barbeques.

[stillrockin]

34. boo hoo . . .

is him seepie ?

[niyad]

35. hmm.guilty consciences perhaps? on the other hand, if they weren't

f******* up so badly, maybe they wouldn't have to work so hard.

personally, I hope that the sounds of the wounded and dying are screaming in their ears, populating their nightmares, and haunting them all through their waking hours, too.

[BrotherBuzz]

37. Think there is any Ambien abuse in that crowd?

"Yes. Well, I wouldn't call them that," Powell said. "They're a wonderful medication — not medication. How would you call it? They're called Ambien, which is very good. You don't use Ambien? Everybody here uses Ambien."

[NYC]

38. Related comments on Con Rice looking awful lately.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x642617

...she's looked really bad the last few months. Must be all the stress or something.

[rodeodance]

39. and i hope they get very very tired.

[wakeme2008]

41. Card - Control Freak

that is the only reason you work thoses hours...

[Hippo_Tron]

52. Many Chiefs of Staff will work that hard

However in most cases it is because they want to get things done. In Card's case, it is because he has to spend a lot of time making sure that the bullshit coming out of this administration doesn't leave a trail.

[Nostradammit]

43. "WP: Senior White House Staff May Be Wearing Down"

Maybe someone needs to grease them.

[salin]

44. Wasn't the buzz in the fall that Card was going to go

due to the president's bumbles per Katrina (he was blamed per the poor public response by bush, because Rove was 'distracted' while awaiting possible indictment in the L'Affaire Plame.)

If there is an exodus of senior staffers - will it be because they are jumping from a sinking ship? or perhaps will it be that an increasingly peevish president looks for close scape-goats rather than dare look in the mirror and take responsibility for his miserable leadership?

[OKNancy]

45. Gave this a "recommend" - also

this article was moved because it is not breaking news. It is a feature/analysis article ( other article)

[shrike]

47. Oh, so that's why: his staff isn't getting enough sleep

Can't be the fact that his policies have FUBARed the country up, down, sideways and every which way. Oh, no.

[Kber]

48. Can't help that their boss

is in his own beddy-bye by 9 and spends the first few hours of the day working out.

Not the mention the months and months of vacations that need to be worked around.

[yurbud]

49. Is this the new version of "spend more time with their family"?

So the GOP likes unlimited overtime for the rest of us, but not the poor babies in the White House?

[Captain Hilts]

50. He's running out of friendsflunkies to work for him. nt

[Hippo_Tron]

51. Clinton went through 3 press secretaries and 3 chiefs of staff

There is no question that it is hard work, and usually people resign half way through because they simply can't take it anymore (one point that the West Wing misses).

Of course in shurb's case, it's hard to find people who he can trust to lie for him. Card, McClellan, Bartlet, and Rove are the only people that he can seem to trust.

[holboz]

53. "Climaxed with the collapse of the port deal" ????

From the article:

To Rollins, the uproar over an Arab-owned firm taking over management of some American ports represents a classic example. Bush and his staff did not know about the arrangement approved by his administration, and after congressional Republicans revolted, issued an ineffective veto threat that only exacerbated the dispute, which climaxed with the collapse of the deal last week. "This White House would not have made this mistake two years ago," Rollins said.

Um, the Dubai Ports Deal DIDN'T collapse though, did it? My impression is that it just shape-shifted a wee little bit. I heard that the DPW would hand off operations to a US company but I imagine they'll be looking for a company with Dubai's shared interests. Wouldn't it be a surprise if it was...oh I don't know....let me just pull a name out of the air...HALLIBURTON?

(Sorry, comment was slightly off topic to the original jest of the article, but I couldn't ignore that paragraph. The press seems to be trying to just sweep this whole diabcle under the rug so we can get to the next Prezidentual Mess.)

[katty]

54. They're "wearing down"??! How about the citizens?! enough

of the "let them eat cake!!" cabal!

[Lisa]

55. Bush has something to perk them up -- a nice long run!

Around Crawford, in blistering heat, if possible ... while he encourages them from the air-conditioned cab of his truck. Those who faint from sunstroke will be ridiculed, while the survivors receive a "Hundred Degree Club" T-shirt from the hands of the Dear Leader himself.

Unfortunately, this is not far from the truth ... that's exactly how he treats his staff.

[Skittles]

56. f***ing America is hard work

bastards