Karen Hughes to step down!

[rs79bm]

White House Secretary Karen Hughes is set to resign today!

More as it comes!

[RepubMommy]

Sure. A career politician that decided a seat next to the most powerful man in world wasn't nearly as important as living in Austin, Texas. Sorry Howlin, I'm having trouble with it.

She's been with him since 1994. I am sure it will be impressive on her resume whether she said on the extra 2.5 years or not. Perhaps she just decided enough was enough and needed to reprioritize her life

[Exit148]

"That special on the Whitehouse a few months ago showed her going to work about 6:30 AM and leaving after 8: PM. Do this for a 18 months with family and see how you last !"

With those hours, you have to get out of bed about 5AM, and not getting to bed until 9 or 10 PM. With all the crisises going on, I'm sure her beeper was going off during her home time, also.

[GUIDO]

I am one that will miss her greatly, but I applaud her decision. She has had the honor of working hard for an honorable man for many many years. She gained the respect of an honorable man many years ago, and know that she will always be called upon when needed. I can't blame her for her decision. I also have a teenager and her job understandably takes too much of her time from her child and husband.

After Brad Messer announced this on a local talk show here today someone called in and said that the word was out that she was moving back to Austin and would be helping Govenor Rick Perry with his campaign for Govenor race against Demo Tony Sanchez. it is a wait and see kind of thing i guess.

[blackbart1]

I'm going to miss her too. W had to talk her into going to the Capitol in the first place. She didn't want to move or leave her child. I can understand her reasoning but she will certainly be missed.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Is he perceived to be on the right or on the left?

That is a matter of much dispute here at FR. Rove is primarily a Bush loyalist, but he has intervened in favor of RINOs in California and Tennessee, among others. The news media consider him a conservative.

[VoodooEconomist]

>>I imagine this was her choice,
>>not some power play by Rove & Co.

It was her decision. But, I believe we will eventually discover that the decision was based on criteria that included what Rove & Co. were (or were not) doing.

[VoodooEconomist]

>>Before joining President Bush, Mr. Bartlett
>>worked for Karl Rove and Associates

History will not be kind to Mr. Rove. Reagan also had advisors that turned out to be obstacles to the implementation of conservative ideas. Read Nofzinger's book on Reagan. It will get you steaming mad about the way certain selfish people on Reagan's staff torpedo'd the Gipper's conservative agenda for their own self-promotion purposes. I believe we will eventually learn that Rove did likewise during Bush, Jr. administration. Of course, this is one of the pitfalls of delegation, especially if you don't monitor your delegatees.

[VoodooEconomist]

>>Why worry about the Dem spin? Seems that a number of 
>>the conservatives already are creating their own wild 
>>conspiracies (er speculations).

Some of us still refuse to be coolaid drinkers for the Bush administration. A healthy dose of skepticism will always serve you well. BTW, there is nothing conspiratorial about it. You obviously don't (or can't) understand the way power politics works. If you believe Rove & Co. had nothing to do with Karen Hughes departure, you may already be too far gone. BTW, this isn't necessarily a condemnation of Bush or Hughes. But, you can be darn sure it's a condemnation of Rove & Co.

[Howlin]

Dave, you're beginning to really scare me. I've seen a lot of your posts lately that I actually AGREE with. :-)

[VoodooEconomist]

>>Do you ever believe anything they say?

Do you ever not believe what people tell you?

It's not like there isn't a history of power politics in Washington. Is it possible that Hughes is leaving for the reasons she stated? Yes. But, based on how Washington operates (in Dem and GOP admins), not bloody likely.

Just say NO to being a Coolaid drinker.

[Howlin]

Do you ever not believe what people tell you?

I love it because the only way you can explain your own posts is to accuse ME of being a Kool Aid drinker!

I'm perfectly capable of reading things, comprehending them, and deciding for myself.

However, I don't start off with the premise that every word anybody in the government says is a lie.

[dalebert]

Karen was not too keen on the idea of going to DC in the first place and did make a statement that she would be there for the transition. I think that is all she ever committed to. She is certainly good at her job. One of the best.

[Dave S]

You obviously don't (or can't) understand the way power politics works. If you believe Rove & Co. had nothing to do with Karen Hughes departure, you may already be too far gone.

Mr Voodoo, you apparently have no appreciation for what several years of constant campaigning plus a year and a half in the White House at 24x7 will do to your family life and your life in general. Few people can live that kind of life for an extended period. Even fewer moms with kids of school age.

Sure there is infighting among White House personnel but that doesnt mean this departure is any more than what Karen Hughes says it is. You know, sometimes the reasons people give for leaving are really the reasons they left.

[Dave S]

That is a matter of much dispute here at FR. Rove is primarily a Bush loyalist, but he has intervened in favor of RINOs in California and Tennessee, among others. The news media consider him a conservative.

Rove will appear on the West Wing tomorrow night, talking about life in the real Bush West Wing. He will appear with ex Presidents Ford, Carter, and Clinton. Bush Sr. declined.

[Redbob]

I recall seeing her in that TV special (Dan Blather?) about a day in the Bush White House.
I remember her saying how much she really REALLY hated getting up long before dawn to drive to work, and thinking, "I sympathize!"

[Irish Eyes]

She has family and a son to raise.

[StarFan]

I say she's back in D.C. as soon as her son graduates from high school.

From your lips to God's ears however it seems hubby is also homesick so she's torn between her service to our country and her family. I believe her son is 15, so she has 2 to 3 years to convince hubby to return, although from the sounds of it she will still be an active advisor -- even via long distance. Britt Hume reported that when President Bush held the prayer service after 9/11, the consensus was to have the choir sing Amazing Grace but she felt The Battle Hymn of the Republic would be more fitting. She was right, as usual!

[solzhenitsyn]

I appreciate Ms. Hughes' hard work, and all she's sacrificed for her country.

[leilani]

So many of the people who have posted here this evening are CLUELESS! (They want to read some paranoid Karl Rove conspiracy into it, of course). The fact of the matter is that she is a MOM: believe it or not, some women, unlike Hilary Clinton, DON'T want to raise their kids at vulnerable ages in the polluted goldfish bowl that is Washington. More power to her, & why she isn't getting more support from the "family values" crowd is beyond me. I have lived in both cities (DC & Austin) & I can, without qualification, tell you that the quality of life for families is light years better in Austin, even the go-go Austin of 2002. She put her husband & kids ahead of her job. Good for her,even better for her kids. So, live with it.

[SBeck]

I think Microsoft Word should come with a government job resignation template that looks like this:

Dear __________, I regret to inform you that as of ____________ I am resigning my position as _____________ so that I can spend more time with my family. It was an honor to serve the Administration. Best Wishes. Sincerely,

_____________

Of course, in earlier versions of Word, "Clippy" that annoying little paper clip that is a font of useless information would appear and 'say', "It appears you are writing a resignation letter. Would you like some help?"