Big No-News Headline: “Rove’s Role Expanded”

Yesterday the wire services reported that the White House had announced that Prez Bush’s senior adviser, Karl Rove, would take on an expanded role. Rove would become WH chief of staff in charge of “coordinating policy between the White House Domestic Policy Council, National Economic Council, National Security Council and Homeland Security Council”, the announcement said. Translation: There is no change in the White House. Karl Rove is still President of the United States. Other changes were also announced. WH deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin will fill in when necessary for chief of staff Andrew Card “at meetings concerning intelligence, counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation and Defense Department and the Homeland Security Council”. And since deputy press secretary, Claire Buchan, is moving on to chief of staff to Commerce Secretary Carlos Guitierrez, she will be replaced by Dana Perino. Perino, you may remember is the toady who defends the WH indefensible policy on Environmental Quality. Those changes are of course a huge, Who cares? But there was a tidbit that is interesting. Bush’s born-again chief speech writer, Michael Gerson, will become “assistant to the president for policy and strategic planning”. Gerson will now have a lead role “in advancing Bush’s ‘compassionate agenda,’ such as his faith-based initiative”, the announcement said. In addition, Gerson will oversee the writing of Bush’s major speeches. It’s not the faith-based, compassionate agenda crappola that’s interesting. It’s that the role of Bush’s chief speech writer has been expanded. Which means, when Bush is allowed to say anything in public, more than likely it will be scripted. A good move, considering that the Prez laid an egg in Tampa FL last Friday when he couldn’t remember or articulate his Social Security privatizing plans. Okay. Karl Rove is President, Dick Cheney is Vice President and the Bushmaton will tell us whatever Rove/Cheney cook up by memorizing a speech written by born-again evangelist, Michael Gerson. Now...a thought comes to mind. Do you think it was with malice-aforethought that President Rove let the Bushmaton flounder and fumble in Tampa, FL? Are we witnessing the beginning of the WH subtly letting it be known that Bush's...um...battery pack isn’t holding a full charge? When looking at the current Bush administration...who could step down and never be missed? It sure isn't Dick Cheney.