Rove's Loss

Minimal Change for Rove

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John D. McKinnon writes in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required): "The shift of Mr. Rove out of his second-term role as deputy chief of staff for policy could help address a separate problem: concern that White House policies too often are perceived as partisan and divisive. . . .

"But Republican allies said privately that Mr. Rove's real function never changed that much and isn't likely to now. They suggested that he took the deputy chief of staff title at the beginning of the second term only to prevent former chief of staff Andrew Card from filling the job with one of his own loyalists, after he rejected giving the job to Mr. Rove's choice, Jay Lefkowitz."

Ron Fournier writes for the Associated Press that "a growing number of Republicans, including Rove's allies inside the White House, had concluded that the strategist had stretched himself too thin. There was talk that Rove had taken his eye off the ball while Democrats crept closer to gaining control of Congress in the fall. . . .

"Technically, it is a demotion. But in terms of real power and influence, Rove remains virtually unmatched at the White House."

McClellan's Departure

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Julie Hirschfeld Davis writes in the Baltimore Sun: "McClellan, the public face of the president's struggle to answer questions about his leadership, especially on the war in Iraq, will leave the White House in a few weeks. . . .

"The resignation came at a time of deep frustration, voiced privately by some party strategists, over the administration's apparent inability to counter Bush's critics and burnish his image. It capped a difficult period for McClellan, whose credibility has been tarnished by his handling of questions about prewar intelligence and the CIA leak investigation."

Davis writes that the Bush "team had, until recently, excelled at promoting a carefully honed message with a united voice. That often forced McClellan to go before reporters armed with talking points that bore little relation to reporters' questions and sometimes to provide answers that turned out to be inaccurate."

Just Won't Fly

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Ken Herman writes for Cox News Service: "The South Lawn symbolism was unintentionally right on target moments after White House spokesman Scott McClellan announced his resignation Wednesday: Marine One, with President Bush and his top staff on board, never got off the ground because of problems with its on-board communications."

The McClellan Obituaries

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Howard Kurtz writes in The Washington Post: "He was painful to watch at times, gamely repeating the same stock phrases under a barrage of hostile media fire, grasping for new ways to deliver the same non-answers. . . .

"The administration kept McClellan 'on a short string,' said ABC's Sam Donaldson, a longtime White House correspondent, 'and it was reflected in his inability to tame the press corps and keep them in bounds. Scott didn't have that ability. He was probably ill-cast to be a press secretary.' . . .

"Some past presidential spokesmen -- Jody Powell, Marlin Fitzwater and Mike McCurry among them -- have used wit and whispers to find ways to be helpful to reporters even while furthering the boss's goals. But McClellan did not wink, nod or freelance, sticking closely to the day's script."

Dana Milbank writes for The Washington Post: "McClellan had lost much of his credibility with the press when he vigorously asserted that neither Rove nor vice presidential aide I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby was involved in the CIA leak scandal -- and then refused to talk about it when his assertions were disproved. It put selfless loyalty to Bush above McClellan's own reputation. His reward: becoming the victim of a staff shakeup."