White House to announce senior staff shake-up 'soon'
The White House will announce shortly a shake-up of several of President George W. Bush's key advisers, a spokesman said.
Spokesman Scott McClellan said the impending changes were discussed Monday by Bush's new chief of staff, Josh Bolten, at a White House meeting.
"Josh talked about how this is a time to refresh and reenergize the team and for all of us to renew our commitment as we go forward," McClellan told reporters, without tipping his hand as to which posts might be reassigned.
The planned revamping comes as speculation mounts over the future of US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, after recent calls by several prominent retired generals for his resignation.
According to recent media reports, Treasury Secretary John Snow's days may also be numbered. But for now, McClellan confined his remarks to the openings that have already been announced.
"Obviously the OMB (Office of Management and Budget) is vacant. We have been moving forward on that," he said, speaking about the post held until recently by Bolten. He replaced Bush's longtime chief of staff Andy Card.
Another post that needs to be filled is that of Bush's longtime domestic-policy adviser, Claude Allen, who resigned earlier this year after being ensnared in a felony fraud sting.
With respect to other prospective changes, "I would expect some other announcements soon," McClellan said.
The shake-up comes as the president's popularity ratings have tumbled to an all-time low, according to a poll published last week by The Washington Post newspaper.
The survey found that 60 percent of Americans disapprove of Bush's job performance, while just 38 percent gave him a favorable rating.
McClellan said, however, that a reshuffle of White House staff would give Bolten a free hand to put his own stamp on the chief of staff's office.
"Josh has been given the full authority of the president to put in place the structure and team that he thinks will best serve the president going forward," the spokesman said.
He added that Bolten has been entrusted with the task of assembling "the team that he feels will be in place to best serve the president going forward as we charge ahead".
McClellan declined to speculate whether his own departure from the administration is likely in the near future.
"Don't tempt me," he joked to reporters at the press briefing.
AFP
