Unbelievable from the NYTimes. Bush has ceded authority to Bolten.

[Zen Democrat]

According to this, Bolten is going to name his own successor to the Office of Management & Budget, as well as domestic policy advisor (replacing Klepto Claude). OMB is a Cabinet position. A position that is a presidential appointment, not a chief of staff appointment. Chief Domestic Advisor also is a position that reports directly to the president, not to the chief of staff.

I heard David Gergen talk about this tonight on Anderson Cooper and he said it was bizarre that Bolten would be given authority that is invested in the president. Presidents alone make cabinet appointments. And, as far as the talk about Bolten shaking up the Communications office at the WH, that too is a department that does not report to the chief of staff, but directly to the president.

Cooper even said, "President Bolten" at one point. Here's a link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/18/washington/18bush.html?hp&ex=1145332800&en=76eb8b644b5ba6ac&ei=5094&partner=homepage

"The president has given him the full authority to do what he needs to do, and what he believes is in the best interest of this White House and this president," Mr. McClellan said. "This is a time for a little bit of a fresh start with a new chief of staff in place."

Mr. McClellan said there were obvious places for Mr. Bolten to get started, like naming a successor to himself at the Office of Management and Budget. Several Republican officials close to the White House, who were granted anonymity to speak freely about personnel decisions, said Mr. Bolten would also quickly turn his attention to two areas that are widely considered to be pressing problems: the White House's frayed relationships with Republicans on Capitol Hill and the troubles it has had communicating its message to the public.

Mr. Bolten has some other jobs to fill, including that of domestic policy adviser, which was vacated last month by Claude A. Allen after he was arrested on charges of stealing from retailers. Filling that position could give him an opportunity to rethink the White House's domestic and economic policy operations, which have had trouble pushing Mr. Bush's agenda forward and have been criticized by some Congressional Republicans as not putting forward enough new initiatives.

[alfredo]

1. He's gaming the system. If Bolten does it, maybe

it will bypass the congressional approval process.

[Pirate Smile]

2. I saw Gergen too. He was as shocked and dismayed as I've ever seen him.

[SeattleGirl]

5. I noticed that too.

He really couldn't believe this was going on (though why anything this White House does is surprising to anyone anymore is beyond me).

[paul_fromatlanta]

23. Gergan may be shocked and dismayed he is not being brought in...

[Media_Lies_Daily]

31. Yeah, right.

[KharmaTrain]

36. Give Gergen Some Slack

I'm as critical of Repugnican astroturfers, enablers and appologists as anyone, but Gergen has been not only a fair critic of this regime but is one of the few "pundits" whose remained consistant over the years...a man who can read the tea leaves and pretty much calls it as it is.

Boooosh would love to have someone like Gergen on board right now...he'd shut up a lot of the grumbling of the Lou Dobbs Repugnicans...the east coast "establishment" who were thrown under the bus after the last election when boooosh decided to spend his political capital on the fundies and they are now seeing the world in similar eyes that we do. Better late than never and these are the moderates who either will be voting with us in November or staying home in enough numbers to tip some very close races.

[bunkerbuster1]

32. It's hard out here for a moderate-conservative pimp

We are all cray-zee lefties now, David!

[Bushies gotta go]

3. Maybe by giving him Carte Blanche

in the first few hours, Bushie can get him to get rid of a few other problems... like Rummy... and Bush will save face by being able to say "That was his decision".

Or maybe he's Bushies new brain with Rove heading for prison (we can hope, ey?)

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Not that easily

If Bush really thinks he can get away with that (and I'm not saying he doesn't), then its one more reason why he never should have been allowed close enough to the White House to take a guided tour.

When Bush sends a nomination to the Senate, he has to sign the papers. Bolton may be making the decisions, but Bush is still putatively the President and, no matter what, it is his responsibility.

[nashville_brook]

4. so, Bolten is a heartbeat away from the presidency now

[IChing]

6. "Hee, hee, that's what I do, I delegate, I'm a delegator"

That is why he has delegated being president to Cheney.

For instance:
After thanking Bolton for his services, Vice President-elect Cheney was asked
what job Bolton would get in the new administration.
“People ask what John should get,” Cheney said, “My answer is, anything he wants.”

reference from here
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/972

[tularetom]

8. I think the dickster was referring to the one who looks like

Captain Kangaroo that went to the UN. This is a different Bolton - to me he actually resembled a younger healthier Cheney.

[Atman]

9. When is everyone going to realize that Bush is a brainless frontman

He is INCAPABLE of making "presidential" decisions. Everything is written for him to speechify. He is an utter moron.

[Beam Me Up]

15. Puting Bush in Office was the most cynical thing that has EVER been done

to our country. The very fact that he is there is proof, to me, that we have long hence gone far down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass of anything resembling a genuine Republic. I don't know who is really orchestrating this but clearly Bush was chosen to keep everyone's attention focused on him. Love him or hate him, they couldn't care less; just don't look at or get suspicious about anything else.

Edit to add: They want us to believe he is a President! :rofl:

But what is really scary is that most people actually do.

[Atman]

16. God, what a GREAT analysis! That really is what's going on.

I never really even looked at it in the way you phrased it, but you're right. Bush is more than even a puppet. He's a PUPPET SHOW. He's entertainment, a distraction. Good post.

[Beam Me Up]

21. Well, this is hardly the first time. Remember Reagan?

Now Reagan was, compared to *, a relatively intelligent man. He was a paranoid old coot who embedded Cheney and Rumsfeld in an extra-constitutional chain of secession and command in case the "Evil Empire" were to strike us with their nukes. His vice president did not run this country, although he certainly had his 'field of influence' so to speak. Reagan had his, too, such as it was. I remember watching some television special, the Statue of Liberty had just been refurbished or some silliness and they were having a special 'unveiling' replete with fireworks -- and there, superimposed and watching it all was Ronnie and Pat. They were just SMILING and SMILING and they looked utterly foolish and unconvincing--like things made out of wax. And I thought to myself, OMFG!, that is the most powerful human being that has ever existed on the face of this earth!

The next thing I knew I was literally :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: The whole illusion was utterly blown.

[LuckyLib]

22. Ever see the moving "Being There"? Chauncy Gardner? Make any sense now?

[niallmac]

29. I notice, like Reagon, the folksy smarmy country boy image

seems to just put our clueless blue collar republican voters in a swoon. And it IS just an image. Reagon was an actor and dubya is an east coast phony, certainly the
all hat and no cattle poster boy.

And please god, give me the wisdom one day to understand how a blue collar republican ever came to be.

[formercia]

34. Blue Collar Republicans

are clueless idiots that vote against their own interests.

[Nevernose]

26. That was a big Republican meme in 2000

"His gift of leadership is not what he does personally, but in his ability to appoint the right people to his team."

"We're not voting for Bush, we're voting for his team."

[LouisianaLiberal]

10. They're in effect admitting Bush has no clue.

The most pressing problems are "the White House's frayed relationships with Republicans on Capitol Hill and the troubles it has had communicating its message to the public"? Amazing

[Inland]

11. Bush is busy, in the basement of WH moving pieces on map of Iran.

You know, the fun stuff. He's working on his legacy of The War President.

[young_at_heart]

12. What exactly does Bush do, as president?

I see him flying around the country, reading his prepared speeches to mostly military audiences....what else?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

13. WHY the hell would he not simply let Bolten make the choice, and claim

it as his own?

Are they going out of their WAY to point out that the rules don't apply to them?

[mirandapriestly]

14. That's how it seems to me.nt

[troubleinwinter]

17. Recall that Cheney selected the Vice Presidential running mate.

[Jigarotta]

18. Bolten? or Bolton?

fill me in, this isn't the mustachioed walrus at the UN right?

what designation does this Bolten have? who'd he replace.
argh>?!

==
repeat now on CNN. Bolten the new chief of staff.
replacing Libby, right?

oiy.=>>?!

[mcscajun]

27. Today's entry in the Who's Who at BushCo

All positions subject to change.

Joshua Bolten, Former Director of the Office of Management and Budget(OMB) now White House Chief of Staff.

John Bolton, Former Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, present US Ambassador to the United Nations, and mustachioed walrus (with apologies to mustache wearers and walruses the world over.)

[Swamp Rat]

19. Bolton is going to the Hague

Yep. He and the other neocons WILL be tried for war crimes.

Mark my word.

[katinmn]

30. Funny all this power is given to Bolton when he had to be

specially appointed during a congressional recess to his UN post. Junior knew the Senate wouldn't approve him.

Will Congress speak up NOW???

[peacebird]

37. from your lips to Gods ears....

May it be so.

[linazelle]

20. Ceded my ass. Bolten is just another layer of insulation. n/t

[gristy]

24. This approach sounds familiar

Like when Bush is supposedly "deferring" to his commanders on the ground in Iraq. He was attempting to absolve himself of responsibility then, and he's attempting to absolve himself of responsibility now.

[lonestarnot]

25. What's little bushitler up to another fucking vacation? Delegate all work

to anyone in line?

[The Backlash Cometh]

28. The hands off President Bush.

Why, oh why, did anybody think this guy, who had no real business success, who had no foreign policy experience, who never showed any real ability for public office, would make a good president? WHY?????

Can we now put to rest that a degree from Harvard or Yale means absolutely nothing when you're there due to your family connections?

[0007]

33. Bolton gonna get down and dirty and get rid that whinny

sniveling piece of snot, Scot McClellan, and replace him with that chick, Mary Matalin, that can knock Helen Thomas was her rusty dusty.

Bolton is gonna get a person that defends junior and this wonderful of freedom.

[Jose Diablo]

35. I'd say behind all the smoke and mirrors

Junior has popped his cork. He has descended into a mindless swirl of confusion. We have a medically incapacitated Captain thats being taken to medical. So who is the Officer on Deck?