In what is being termed a "major shake-up," White House Counsel Greg Craig has been canned. He will be replaced by Mao-loving Anita Dunn's husband, Democratic insider Bob Bauer.
The reason? It seems our Chicago-style president needed a fall guy for his total failure to come up with a policy regarding what to do about the terrorists being held at Guantanamo prison camp. As with any royalty, you can't punish the prince. Hence, Craig is toast.
CNN's Political Ticker has some details:
Bauer is the husband of Anita Dunn, the outgoing White House communications director. Dunn, who recently led a so-called "war" on Fox News, announced earlier this week that she is leaving her White House post, a long-anticipated move that was not connected to the media battle.Democratic officials said Craig was ousted because of frustration among senior White House aides over his handling of the plans to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay. As the White House's top lawyer, Craig was pivotal in advising Obama to sign an executive order during his first week in office promising to shut the prison by the end of January 2010.
In a politically embarrassing move that has frustrated some of the president's liberal supporters, White House aides have since backed off that deadline, citing complex legal issues surrounding what to do with the approximately 200 terror suspects still detained at Guantanamo.
Some administration officials privately believe Craig should have better anticipated the pitfalls. However, his supporters believe he is being used as a scapegoat and note he was not the only top official who supported the ironclad executive order.
One of the Democratic officials acknowledged Craig's tenure had been a "little choppy," but downplayed the exit as part of the normal turnover in any administration after nearly one year in office.
Isn't this just like Obama? His Gitmo policy was incoherent, contradictory, and was rejected even by members of his own party in Congress. But it can't be that Obama is a naive fool. Gotta be the help. So out goes Craig and in comes long time Democratic lawyer Bauer.
Any bets on whose neck is on the block when it becomes even more obvious that Obama's economic policies are even worse than his Gitmo decision? My money is on Larry Summers, his chief economic advisor, but it could be anyone considering how much of an epic fail they have on their hands.
Hat Tip: Ed Lasky
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