Obviously, something is going on here. Folks don't usually leave the power and prestige of the White House with 18 months left just to join the private sector. And "spend more time with my family" is a phrase which covers a lot of sore asses.

Sore from the boot, sore from the chewing, sore from the sitting, etc.

It'll be interesting to see what develops from this, or if everyone left will keep their mouths shut. Bush's circle is getting narrower and narrower, the wagons drawn tighter and tighter.

Or, to put it another way, as Bush's ship sinks and there is less and less room above the waterline, it's getting to be tighter quarters for fewer and fewer people. And not everyone seems willing to go down with the Captain and his Admiral.

Come to think of it, that's a good analogy. Bush runs the country as a Captain runs a ship, and Cheney runs Bush the way an Admiral runs a fleet.

Arf