January 4, 2007
SHAKE UP:
Bush to Nominate Khalilzad to U.N. Post (JONATHAN KARL and KIRIT RADIA, Jan. 4, 2007, ABC News)
ABC News has learned that President Bush will nominate Zalmay Khalilzad to be the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Khalilzad is currently the U.S. ambassador to Iraq. The announcement may come as soon as tomorrow. Khalilzad's departure from Baghdad will happen as soon as he is confirmed as U.N. ambassador.
Retired admiral to fill top intelligence job (CNN, January 4, 2007)
Retired Vice Adm. Mike McConnell, a veteran of more than 25 years in the intelligence field, will be named by President Bush to succeed John Negroponte as national intelligence director, a senior administration official said Thursday.Negroponte will move to the State Department to become the No. 2 to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The nominations of McConnell and Negroponte are expected to be announced by Bush on Friday.
Replacements for Generals Abizaid and Casey (Martha Raddatz, 1/04/07, ABC News)
ABC News has learned that the president intends to nominate Admiral William J. Fallon to replace General John Abizaid at Central Command. The announcement is expected next week, before the president gives his Iraq strategy speech, according to US officials.Officials also tell ABC that the replacement as MNF-I commander in Iraq (replacing Gen. George Casey) will be LTG David Petraeus. Though Casey was originally staying in position till June, he is expected to leave earlier than expected probably in the next few months.
“The president wants a clean sweep†an official told ABC News.
Miers Resigns As White House Counsel (DEB RIECHMANN, 1/04/07, Associated Press)
Harriet Miers, President Bush's failed Supreme Court nominee, has submitted her resignation as White House counsel, the White House announced Thursday.Posted by Orrin Judd at January 4, 2007 4:59 PM
The president appears invigorated by the new dynamics in DC.
Posted by: Dave W at January 4, 2007 10:17 PMTwo years too late. The President and the GOP leadership sat on their hands after winning the 2004 election. For months. And after Katrina and all the subsequent distractions, 2006 wasn't any better. Bush may have an active last two years, but he coasted through 2005/6.
Posted by: ratbert at January 5, 2007 12:50 AMKhalizid seems like a good move. We'll see about the others.
Posted by: AWW at January 5, 2007 7:57 AMCoasted? Domestically he rewrote retirement and laid the groundwork for SS privatization as soon as they have 60 Senate seats (probably 2011). Abroad he created a special relationship with India. And those are only the history book highlights.
Posted by: oj at January 5, 2007 8:06 AMIs Bush revving up to appoint a Moslem to replace Condi? What happened to her by the way?
Posted by: erp at January 5, 2007 8:10 AMI know. I wish he'd done all this shaking up before the fall; the elections might have gone just a tad differently.
Posted by: Lisa at January 5, 2007 11:20 AMHe'd have won the elections and 50 states in '04 if he'd withdrawn the troops in timely fashion.
Posted by: oj at January 5, 2007 11:42 AM