Just heard on C-SPAN - Card has resigned as Chief of Staff.

[MoonRiver]

BREAKING. Another domino falls.

[H2O Man]

1. Interesting.

I am interested in his role in the Plame scandal. Perhaps it represents a pawn being removed from the board.

[MoonRiver]

2. Maybe those rumors of Rove "cooperating" with Fitz involve Card.

:shrug:

[H2O Man]

7. A couple of thoughts on Card:

First, he was by position superior to both Rove and Libby. The October 18, 2005 NYT's had an interesting article by Anne Kornblut ("Bush Crises Raise Criticism of Chief of Staff's Management Style") that confirms that he did not exercise that authority over either Karl or Scooter.

Card was, however, a member of the WHIG. This was the group that met at least once a week, often in the VP's office, to discuss "selling" the war to the public. Almost all of those involved in the Plame scandal were from the WHIG. Shocking, I know.

On 9-29-03, when the DoJ informed then-WH counsel Gonzales it was going to investigate the leak, he failed to comply immediately. Instead, he told Card, giving the WHIG a 12 hour window to pracice their Fawn Hall skills. This was documented on CBS on 7-24-05, and on Democracy Now and Fox News on 12-31-03.

Card was on AF1 on the infamous African trip in July 2003; this is when Dick Armitage e-mailed the file to Powell, through Condi. This is documented in numerous sources, including the 7-25-05 Newsweek and Time; Washington Post, 7-2-05; and Newsweek, 8-9-04.

The 10-5-03 NYT reported that two days into the investigation, Card set up a discussion between Bush and Tenet, about the leak. It was not scheduled to be part of their discussion that day, but Card stressed the need for the discussion.

[MoonRiver]

10. He's up to his neck in it.

:wow: Wonder if his fingerprints are on any of those recovered emails. :D

[Cooley Hurd]

3. Gonzo called Card once he found out about the WH subpoenas coming down...

...giving Card a 12+ hr head start in destroying evidence. Is his resignation related to that, perhaps?

[Lochloosa]

6. Question H2O

Just how common is for the pres COS to resign with poll numbers this bad?

[H2O Man]

8. I don't have

a good answer to that. It is possible that he is simply the first of a general shake-up that many republicans are saying is necessary. You raise an interesting point, and I hope other DUers will have an answer.

[mcscajun]

11. Don't know about the poll numbers, but most Presidents have had

more than one Chief of Staff during their term(s).

The average term of service for a White House Chief of Staff is a little under two and a half years.

H.R. Haldeman resigned at Nixon's request during the Watergate Scandal - I don't know how low Nixon's poll numbers were at that particular point in time, but you can bet they were in Bush territory.

Rumsfeld resigned as Ford's COS to be replaced by...Dick Cheney.

Reagan had four Chiefs of Staff during his two terms, Bush the Elder had three, Clinton had four.

Andy Card stuck it out for five years. That's a record.

[zulchzulu]

4. Keep Card away from guns and sharp objects

I have a funny feeling he knows the dealio is about to come down...and he's right in the thick of it...PNAC boy gone bad.

[Hobarticus]

5. My mind races back to the movie "Dick"...

When the girls run into Haldeman (or Dean? Or Colson?) in the White House hallway, and they tell him that "if you work for someone mean, then you're just as mean!" or something like that and they run off.

He stands there for a moment, staring blankly, then suddenly clasps his hands to his mouth with a look of horror, as if it's all so clear to him suddenly what a shit he's become.

Think Betsy and Arlene got to him?

[KharmaTrain]

9. Gotta Love The Timing...In Time For Hate Radio

Be assured this will be the main topic for Rushbo and Hannity and Hewitt and the other talking point parrots...an attempt to shut up the talk on immigration. Polls must be showing there's gotta be a distraction and here we go. This will knock the immigration and other bad news off the front pages and the wagging tongues for 24 hours...and these days, this is what this regime lives for.

By this evening, this will be Story #1 on the "news" shows and the Iraq war will fall off the radar...at least for a couple days.

[NicRic]

14. Any of our young people killed ....

in Iraq as well as any of the inocent civilians caught in the middle of this mess ,bush along with the help of all his henchmen created should never "fall of the radar' .There is plenty of room of the front page and in broadcast news to always bring up wants going on in Iraq ! Its up to us to not let the news media or the white house dictate what is considered news worthy ,loss of life should always be at the top of the list, it amazes me how lightly and how expected and accepted, daily loss of life over a lie continues ,and how slowly the up rising against this illegal war is taking to get legs .You would think after Viet Nam ,the U.S. invading and occupying another country would have brought swift and large opposition .I guess untill they are unloading planes full of body bages ,a death here and there is OK ,unless its your life, or your child,brother or sister,Mom or Dad ! Lets keep our eye on the prize, bush going into Iraq on false assumptions ,should renmain front page ,till charges are brought ,and all involved held responsible !

[Finder]

12. He is loosely connected to Abramoff as well. n/t

[MoonRiver]

13. How loosely? I can't remember the connections. eom

[Finder]

15. Reed, Dobson connection.

He is cc'd on the letter from Dobson's office and may be the Abramoff connection in the White House.

[Norquist Nemesis]

16. What do we know about Josh Bolton?

Bolten? (sp?) other than he's been the Budget Director. Bolton's been under the radar, at least mine so I'm not very familiar with his background and connections.

Anyone?

[in_cog_ni_to]

17. Did you catch the idiot-in-chief's *attitude* when he was spewing

his crap about Card? His *attitude* was VERY TELLING when he said Card was a "Man of ABSOLUTE INTEGRITY"....~~~~~~cocky pause, smirk, shakes head, looks PISSED~~~~~ at having to ask for Cards resignation. THAT attitude told ME that something is going on....ABRAMOFF? PLAME?

[Oilwellian]

18. Well, this is no surprise

They've been floating the idea for weeks now that Bush's staff is "tired" and it's all their fault that Bush is tanking so low in the polls. Now that Card is being replaced, I'm sure we'll see Bush's numbers climb to the point they were right after 9/11. :D