Bush aide quits as approval rating plummets
Bush aide quits as approval rating plummets
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Tuesday, 28, Mar 2006 03:18
One of US president George W Bush's top aides, Andy Card, has announced his retirement from the White House.
Mr Card, who has worked as the president's chief of staff since the Texan came to office in 2000, is one of Mr Bush's closest professional allies and has played an instrumental role in policymaking throughout his tenure at the White House.
He had hinted in recent months that he was considering moving on and last week approached the president to inform him of his desire to resign, a request Mr Bush today granted.
However, despite press speculation suggesting Mr Card had been eased out in a bid to halt the president's declining approval rating domestically, the White House stressed today that Mr Card's resignation had no link to outside policy and was a purely personal decision.
Announcing Mr Card's retirement in Washington today, Mr Bush paid tribute to a man he described as a "close friend".
"Andy Card has served me and our country through terrible times," the president said.
"In all challenges, I have relied on Andy's wise counsel, his calm in crisis, his absolute integrity and his commitment to public service."
"He was always the first one to arrive in the West Wing in the morning and among the last to leave at night."
He added: "He is leaving the White House but he will always be my friend."
Mr Card also emphasised his close personal relationship with the US president, calling him a "good man" who has achieved "great things".
He expressed his satisfaction with what had been achieved during his time at the White House, but insisted that the "season had changed" and that it was time for a new face to take his place.
President Bush announced that Mr Card would be succeeded as chief of staff by Josh Bolten, who is currently the budget director.
He will take up the post after the Easter weekend, with Mr Card staying on for a fortnight to ease the transition.
The upheaval in the West Wing comes at a difficult time for Mr Bush, with an AP-Ipsos opinion poll conducted earlier this month showing his approval rating at an all-time low of 37 per cent.
Mr Card's talk of a change of season, therefore, will fuel speculation among political analysts that the Bush administration is moving into the winter of its rule.