[Mb-civic] Bolten Signals Broad Change In Bush Staff - Washington Post

[William Swiggard]

Bolten Signals Broad Change In Bush Staff
He Invites Resignations From Longtime Aides

By Peter Baker
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 18, 2006; A04

Newly installed White House Chief of Staff Joshua B. Bolten sent a clear 
signal on his first full day on the job yesterday that a broader 
shake-up of President Bush's politically troubled operation is imminent, 
asking aides who are thinking of leaving sometime this year to submit 
their resignations right away.

Taking over a White House struggling with an increasingly unpopular war 
abroad and dwindling public support at home, Bolten cast his ascension 
as the opportunity for "a fresh start" that will involve both new faces 
and new organization of the president's team. Bolten has focused 
particularly on the administration's legislative, communications and 
economics staffs.

"This is a time to reenergize and renew our commitment to help the 
president advance his agenda," said White House press secretary Scott 
McClellan, relaying Bolten's message as his own future as the face of 
the administration appeared uncertain.

Bolten, 51, who cleaned out his office as federal budget director over 
the weekend and moved into his new West Wing suite just steps from the 
Oval Office, has been authorized to restructure the way the building 
works as he sees fit. Aides said he plans to begin changing internal 
processes within seven to 10 days. And Bolten wants to move quickly to 
bring in new people, starting with his own replacement at the Office of 
Management and Budget by the end of the week.

Bolten used his first senior staff meeting yesterday morning to indicate 
that personnel changes may be more significant than first anticipated 
when Bush named him to replace Andrew H. Card Jr. Looking around a room 
full of aides who like him have worked there since the inception of the 
Bush presidency, Bolten said that any who expected to move on by the end 
of the year should do so immediately, according to McClellan.

His assertive message was greeted with a mixture of relief and eagerness 
on Capitol Hill, where Bush's relations with congressional Republicans 
have been strained. Some senior GOP officials in Congress said they have 
been led to expect substantial change once Bolten is through. In the 
three weeks since he was tapped for the job, Bolten has met with a wide 
array of senior Republican leaders such as House Speaker J. Dennis 
Hastert (Ill.) as well as other key GOP figures.

"What most people are telling them is you need some very experienced, 
serious people, well known and liked on the Hill and other 
constituencies as well," said Charles Black, a Republican lobbyist who 
often advises the White House. At the same time, Black warned, "Adding 
or subtracting staff is not going to make the war in Iraq go swimmingly. 
Ninety percent of the president's problems and discontent among his 
friends is Iraq."

None of Bolten's changes, though, appears targeted at Bush's national 
security team. On Friday, as Card was leaving and Bolten began his 
transition, the new chief orchestrated the issuance of a statement by 
Bush expressing "strong support" for Defense Secretary Donald H. 
Rumsfeld, who has come under fire from several retired generals.

Instead, Bolten has concentrated on how the White House forms its 
economic strategy and interacts with Congress and the public. He plans 
to announce a new OMB director within days and some Republicans think a 
leading contender is U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman, who served 
in the House GOP leadership until last year. Treasury Secretary John W. 
Snow, who appeared with Bush at a roundtable on taxes yesterday, could 
go soon but administration officials said they have had trouble finding 
someone of stature to take the job.

White House advisers expect Bolten to recruit someone with more gravitas 
for congressional relations, possibly a current or former lawmaker, 
although it is not clear whether legislative affairs director Candida 
Wolff would leave or work under the new person. Among the names 
mentioned by Republicans are former representative Bill Paxon (R-N.Y.) 
and former senator Dan Coats (R-Ind.), though some associates doubt they 
would leave private business.

Bolten may also want a new face in front of the cameras. McClellan, who 
not long ago told colleagues that he planned to stay, now may be among 
those to go, according to Republican strategists. Possible replacements 
most often mentioned include former Iraq occupation spokesman Dan Senor; 
Treasury spokesman Rob Nichols; former deputy White House press 
secretary Trent Duffy; and former Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke.

Asked about his plans at yesterday's briefing, McClellan would not 
comment. "Look, I never speculate about personnel matters," he said. 
Then he added cryptically, "Two years in this position is a long time; 
I'm very mindful of that."

The president's closest advisers are expected to stay, including Deputy 
Chief of Staff Karl Rove, counselor Dan Bartlett, national security 
adviser Stephen J. Hadley and senior adviser Michael J. Gerson. But some 
other top officials had already been thinking about leaving this year, 
according to colleagues, such as communications director Nicolle 
Wallace, whose husband moved to New York, and Deputy Chief of Staff 
Joseph W. Hagin.

McClellan quoted Bolten telling the staff: "I want to make sure I have a 
team in place that is with us for a minimum the remainder of this year 
and, to some extent, beyond that" and so "if you're thinking about 
leaving sometime in the near future, now would be a good time to do it."

That would address criticism from congressional Republicans who complain 
that the trade of Bolten for Card was hardly enough. "Members on the 
Hill want to see more change," said a senior leadership aide. "They want 
to see new faces, new energy, just some new ideas coming out of the 
administration and that means new people."

"Sometimes people with fresh legs and fresh perspectives do have value," 
said former representative Robert Walker (R-Pa.). "That's certainly what 
you're hearing from Josh Bolten right now."

But some administration officials were trying to be realistic about how 
much that would really change things. "It's about criticism reduction," 
said one who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be more blunt. 
"You're not going to get anybody to sing your praises."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/17/AR2006041700406.html
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