Bush looks for change and continuity in new cabinet

[chookie]

"The biggest change could be in his diplomatic team, with Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites), 67, widely tipped to leave his post.

Powell was known to have strong differences with Bush on key areas of foreign policy and was often seen as being cut out of some major decision making, having come off worse in a battle with the Pentagon (news - web sites) for influence with the president's inner circle. "
-snip-

Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, 72, is not expected to last through a second Bush administration, although observers say he may well remain at the Pentagon helm for another year in the hope of overseeing some amelioration of the situation in Iraq. One possible replacement is Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) -- a move that would make her the first woman to run the Pentagon. She has also been linked with the Secretary of State post.

Rice, 49, has indicated that she would like to give up her current job and has even hinted at leaving the administration entirely in favour of a return to university life. Her successor as national security adviser would likely be her deputy, Steve Hadley, 54, with the architect of the Iraq war, Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, another possible candidate.
-snip-

At the Justice Department (news - web sites), John Ashcroft (news - web sites), 62, appointed to please the Republican Party's right wing, is widely expected to depart.

His replacement could be Tom Ridge, 59, the Homeland Security Secretary, or Rudolph Giuliani, 60, the New York City mayor at the time of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Giuliani could also replace Ridge if he moves to the Justice Department or returns to private life. Other possible scenarios include Bush replacing Ashcroft with Marc Racicot, 56, who directed his victorious re-election campaign, or Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, 57.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041103/pl_afp/us_vote_bush_cabinet_041103185230

None of this bodes well. It bodes gravely ill.

[lil-petunia]

1. I don't care. Anytime we talk about removing ashcroft, it is a victory

even if we have to deal with 4 more years of bush.

That man is evil, anti-constitutional and dangerous to you and me.

[chookie]

4. Trouble is, so are the others

Ashcroft is just more obviously eccentric.

The others are just as vicious and unprincipled.

[booksenkatz]

2. Kinda Sleazy is not fit to run a hotdog stand.

She should have been fired on September 12, 2001.

I can't believe we're stuck with this band of criminals again.

[SeattleDem]

3. change and continuity? together? sounds like a flip-flop to me.

Gee, I thought we knew were he stands, now he's going to change around some personnel. But also have continuity? I'm so confused, maybe I'm dumb enough to be a Bush supporter after all....

(sarcasm off now)

[chookie]

9. Here's the change -- no more sanity in the Cabinet

Powell was the small lone voice of reason, who tried to apply the brakes.

They ignored him, made a joke of him. They just kept his "quaint" ideas around because he was their token Negro, and was generally popular, who they needed to display to hide their racism.

Look at the names surfacing as replacements -- Wolfowitz, for fucks sake! And Hadley -- these men are the very embodiments of the evil course the US has undertaken. No more brakes.

Regional war in the Middle east. A draft, because even the planned poor economy isn't going to provide enough cannon fodder for His Chimperial Majesty's crusades. And worldwide -- no one will shed a tear for any dead Americans, because, truly, with the results of this election, they can no longer offer Americans sympathy for having extremist foisted on them illegitimately.

Britain is eventually going to pull away from us. Then it's just going to be us and our best friend Israel -- or is there any difference between our two countries now?

[CHIMO]

16. Without Powell

The rest of the world will feel completly cut off from the US administration.
But who the heck cares.

[Jack The Tab]

5. Tossing Ashcroft????????

Wow - not that any replacement is going to mean a turn-around in the way the Justice Department handles itself, but really...thats surprising.

I guess all you Christians that helped elect the holy George are gonna get tossed over the side now that the Neo-cons are back in business and don't need you anymore.

[Richardson08]

7. his assistant is rumored to be the replacement

[chookie]

12. I disagree

It will run 100% the same -- the head will be "America's Fascist" Rudy Guiliani, " a popular moderate" -- and not a fucking bonkers Christian wacko.

At least Ashcroft could be amusing with his eccentricities. Now we are just going to have lean mean well-pressed and efficient Nazism.

One polarizing figure replaced by another polarizing figure.

[calico1]

14. I was thinking the same thing. And I think

it would kind of be hilarious if he got replaced with pro-life Giuliani.

[alvis]

15. I just had a scary thought about Ashcroft and the Supreme Court

Is it possible for him to be nominated to it?

[chookie]

21. He could

But he will not be allowed to be confirmed. Even our lily-livered Democrats will fight this one.

[alvis]

22. I really hope you're right about the Dems fighting

But I'm not too optimistic right now.

[righteous1]

25. Ashcroft?

I think you hit the nail on the head....They are going to nominate him for SCOTUS bet on it, especially since he's already been "vetted" by the Senate

[Richardson08]

6. Rudy would never take a position w/o full autonomy

[Kolesar]

8. & the Democrats gotta turn the Senate hearings into a "donnybrook"

to quote Jim Traficant. When they bring anybody up for justice or security, the first question has to be "What about Abu Ghraib?"

[Occulus]

10. Scary.

Make the people think he's cleaning house, or they're just "tired" or what not, and then stack the open slots... with whomever he wants.

Bets on Wolfowitz moving in? Perle? Feith?

Who doesn't see a scenario like this? We know these guys, but America doesn't.

[chookie]

11. Wolfowitz and Stephen Hadley

are specifically named.

You know -- the guys responsible for the fucking debacle of our time.

Let The End Times Roll.

[The_Casual_Observer]

13. Bring in the worst fuckers imaginable. The ones that advocate

Nuclear War. What the fuck difference does it make.

[Brundle_Fly]

17. dont know about you but....

I am sure looking forward to Colin's first book.

[chookie]

20. He hasn't got the guts

Instead, they will buy him off with a nice job with the Carlyse Group.

[Deja Q]

18. He can dunk his oreos in milk. I'm far more concerned with Ashcroft.

Rumsfeld is senile and had been quiet since the Abu Gharib issue. Rumsefeld's replacement, I suspect, will be a bit more secretive and sinister.

Conartist Rice and Colon Polyp are pathetic oreos and * was already hot on getting rid of Colon anyway.

But Ashcroft. He's spent far more time going after brothels and big-boobied statues than terrorists. He's an insane megalomaniac. I have yet to find a picture where he doesn't look outright sinister.

A fresh start, * says... So fresh that it reeks.

[chookie]

19. Now, he's done more than THAT!

You forgot to mention that Ashcroft is EXCELLENT when it comes to supressing investigations of wrong-doings committed by the Bush adminstration.

Remember Val Plame? Remember the spies in the Pentagon hand-delivering secret info about US foreign policy discussions to the Israelis? Remember Sproul getting caught fucking with Democratic voter registrations? The FBI was ready to move in on ALL of these cases with arrests -- but The Crisco Kid ordered them to hand over their evidence to him so he could personally review it to see if it had any merit.

I think Rudy Guiliani would be great at doing this stuff for Divine Majesty. He was NYC Most Cherish Fascist before he became America's Mayor because his city got attacked. Tom Ridge is dumb, but considering all he has to do is just sit on evidence and arrest warrants, he may be considered.

[steely]

23. Musical effin chairs.

eom

[swhisper]

24. Look for PNAC replacements

[LeftHander]

26. Cabinet is not saying what Bush and ROve want to hear....

So they are being replaced...with people who will execute the Bush agenda with no question.