What really happened to Karen Hughes and Ari Fleischer?

[Hamlette]

Who wouldn't kill to work in the White House in a position with as much power as each of these two had?

Do you ever wonder why they left? It was not to spend more time with their families. (Ohyeahrightsure)

My best guess now, although I didn't think it at the time, was they couldn't stand the neocons taking over everything.

Any other theories?

[mandyky]

1. Don't forget Torie Clark and Mary Matlin!!

The rats have been fleeing steadily, haven't they?

[PaDUer]

3. Matalin left to work

for * re-Selection..Hughes left to work on the redistricting to ensure another 4yrs of thievery.

[Clark Edwards]

2. I have it on good authority

that they ran away together and are now living in Cuba.

Her husband and his new bride are now living together in Georgetown.

[Lisa]

4. W threw one temper tantrum too many ...

I thought it was kind of suspicious that Hughes announced she was leaving not too long after that disasterous "Earth Day" photo-op in the mountains when Bush was stranded in an ugly little trailer by an unexpected snowfall until the press finally showed up. Apparently he used to tease Hughes quite a bit about her insistence that he cultivate a pro-environment image to appeal to the female vote. He taunted her for being "a lima-bean green". Maybe he blamed her for things going wrong, and she finally decided that she'd had enough of his whinging and self-pity. He probably changed his mind and begged and pleaded for her to come back, but she'd had enough.

And Ari -- well, Ari was getting married, and maybe Bush was jealous that the main thing on Ari's mind wouldn't be "how can I make the boss look good?" any longer.


As you say, Hamlette -- those are great jobs, and the only way someone would want to bail out early would be if a) you were asked to leave, e.g. David Frum ... or b) someone higher up than you was being a jerk. And in their cases, the only person who could give them grief was *.

[thebigidea]

5. who could forget the tragic photo ops?

[Old and In the Way]

6. Exhausted their lifetime supply of hypocrisy......

no good to ayone.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

7. Maybe they saw the handwriting on the wall

Perhaps they know what's going on that BushCo is fighting so hard to keep secret, and would just as soon not spend the rest of their lives in federal prison. I truly believe Bush* and crowd are tap-dancing as quick as they can to try to keep the whole ball of sh*t from coming apart. Fortunately (for us), there's got to be a Big Fan waiting for that ball to hit.

[GOPEC]

8. Ari resigned on same day Novak published Palme piece

probably just a coincidence.

[Yupster]

9. Press secretaries don't last long

They never have. Clinton went trough at least three of them starting with Stephanopolous.

[devinsgram]

10. Maybe

they finally devoloped some morales, although I really doubt it.

[mot78]

11. They're helping at the rw "grassroots"

* probably feels they're more useful there instead.

[AtTheEndOfTheDay]

12. It reflects a lack of faith.

They figured to get out before the entire criminal enterprise came tumbling down. Hope they bet right.

[Dems Will Win]

13. I call him "Comical Ari"

[jburton]

14. Avoiding Subpoenas?

Maybe decided to get while the gettin' was good.

Better to leave before it gets too deep.

[WoodrowFan]

15. Hughes is in Newsweek

Hughes has a little interview in the latest Newsweek. Don't read it while eating, she's praises W for being such a nice guy, then complains about the tone of politics now. :puke:

HEY BITCH!! DIVISIVE THIS!

[Simeon Salus]

16. Both of them will be working for CREEP

You can't manage a presidential re-election camapign from inside the White House.

You have to be out amonst the suckers, er, people.