Scott McClellan Resigns As White House Press Secretary (Wizbang)

Updated

Just breaking on Fox News Channel. Scott McClellan just announced that he is resigning as press secretary. He is doing so to help bring about change in the White House. He and his wife are going to enter into the next phase of their lives together.

The AP also has the story:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Wednesday he is resigning, continuing a shakeup in President Bush's administration that has already yielded a new chief of staff and could lead to a change in the Cabinet.

Appearing with Bush on the White House South Lawn just before the president boarded a helicopter at the start a trip to Alabama, McClellan, who has parried especially fiercefully with reporters on Iraq and on intelligence issues, told Bush: "I have given it my all sir and I have given you my all sir, and I will continue to do so as we transition to a new press secretary."

The job of press secretary is a brutal one and Scott did a great job. No word about whom may take his job.

Actually, there has been some talk about who might replace McClellan. According to Fox News, Tony Snow, as well as others, is being considered for the position:

With a few personnel shifts going on in the White House, there's speculation that presidential spokesman Scott McClellan may be looking to step down.

One of the people the White House has approached as a possible replacement for McClellan is FOX News Radio host Tony Snow. The White House discussed the possibility with Snow as recently as this week.

Snow, who hosts "The Tony Snow Show," once served as a speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush.

Other people have also been approached about the position, including former Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clark and Dan Senor, the former Coalition Provisional Authority spokesman in Iraq, who served the U.S. civil administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer.

I vote for Snow.

Update: The AP via ABC News is reporting that Karl Rove is going to changing his job as Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Policy Coordination. It's going to Joel Kaplan:

WASHINGTON Apr 19, 2006 (AP)-- In another move in an ongoing shakeup of President Bush's staff, longtime confidant and adviser Karl Rove is giving up oversight of policy development to focus more on politics with the approach of the fall midterm elections, a senior administration official said Wednesday.

Just over a year ago, Rove was promoted to deputy chief of staff in charge of most White House policy coordination. That new portfolio came on top of his title as senior adviser and role of chief policy aide to Bush.

But now, the job of deputy chief of staff for policy is being given to Joel Kaplan, now the White House's deputy budget director, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the president had not yet made the announcement.

Update II: Human Events has Scott McClellan's resignation statement.

The White House issued a press release with the entire transaction between McClellan and President Bush.

Update III: The Political Pit Bull has a video montage reminding us who Scott had to deal with every day.

Update IV: Matt May offers one benefit of naming Tony Snow as WH Press Secretary:

The best part about Tony Snow as press secretary, however? Fox-obsessed Keith Olbermann's head will explode on live televison.

Update V: Gateway Pundit recommends a pit bull to deal with the vicious press corp and wonders out loud if Ann Coulter is available.

Update VI: Expose the Left has the video of Scott announcing his resignation with President Bush.

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Comments (17)

He was the worst press secr... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by mark blahut | April 19, 2006 9:58 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

mark blahut:

He was the worst press secretary of all time !
Thanks for stepping down scotty , it has been
hard to watch and listen . NOW if we can get his
boss to do the same , there may be some hope
for this country !

Posted on April 19, 2006 09:58

You were great Scott! Feed... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Rick13 | April 19, 2006 10:13 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Rick13:

You were great Scott! Feeding yourself to those Sharks everyday must have been tough. They really should get Lindsy Lohan to do it!

Posted on April 19, 2006 10:13

You have to respect anyone ... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by The Ugly American | April 19, 2006 10:27 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

The Ugly American:

You have to respect anyone who does that job but he was too weak for me.

So who wants to start a pool on who the new press secretary will be?

Posted on April 19, 2006 10:27

Sorry guys, but McClellan w... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Seixon | April 19, 2006 10:40 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Seixon:

Sorry guys, but McClellan was not a good press secretary. He bungled so many times that I have been wanting for this day to come for ages.

Posted on April 19, 2006 10:40

He did a decent job keeping... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Bunker | April 19, 2006 11:08 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Bunker:

He did a decent job keeping that pack of press hyena's at bay. A little weak, for sure.

I would love to see Rummy handling questions from the White House Press Corps. It would be a laugh riot.

Posted on April 19, 2006 11:08

This is a brutal, brutal jo... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Dave | April 19, 2006 11:09 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Dave:

This is a brutal, brutal job. McClellan was borderline competent. Not terrible... but not as strong as is needed to face the Bush-Deranged press corp. Tony Snow makes TOO MUCH SENSE, so I 'm sure the White House will disappoint with the replacement.

Posted on April 19, 2006 11:09

I nominate Gen Honore.... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by Oldspook | April 19, 2006 11:34 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Oldspook:

I nominate Gen Honore.

It woudl be worth it jsut to hear him tell Helen T "You're stuck on stupid, NEXT!"

Posted on April 19, 2006 11:34

Scott McClellan had the sam... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by kbiel | April 19, 2006 11:58 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

kbiel:

Scott McClellan had the same problem that a previous McClellan, who was fired by a previous administration, had; he was reluctant to fight.

Tony Snow, while not a drunkard, would be as good a replacement as the previous McClellan's replacement was; General U.S. Grant.

Posted on April 19, 2006 11:58

Apparently Mark Blahut want... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by McGehee | April 19, 2006 12:00 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

McGehee:

Apparently Mark Blahut wants a Cheney presidency.

Posted on April 19, 2006 12:00

I'm sorry I can't comment o... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by Scott Mcclellan | April 19, 2006 12:03 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Scott Mcclellan:

I'm sorry I can't comment on this thread. Next..

Posted on April 19, 2006 12:03

Tony Snow would be great! ... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by Cousin Dave | April 19, 2006 12:46 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Cousin Dave:

Tony Snow would be great! He's been inside the MSM machine and he knows how it works. He's a terrific speaker, and he can charm the pants off of his audience when he wants to. My only question would be that I know he's had some health issues in the last year.

Posted on April 19, 2006 12:46

I wonder what the liberal w... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by RC | April 19, 2006 1:34 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

RC:

I wonder what the liberal wing of this country will do when the radical moslem's trigger a nuclear device in the US?
Is it time for more political correctness?
Conciliatory discussions with radical extremists who have one agenda....the destruction of all peoples who do not subscribe to the Koran!
US is in store for some troubled times.

Posted on April 19, 2006 13:34

Oldspook beat me to it:... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by docjim505 | April 19, 2006 2:09 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

docjim505:

Oldspook beat me to it:

Vote for Honore!

Posted on April 19, 2006 14:09

Hahaha. Karl Rove was demo... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by viet vet | April 19, 2006 3:26 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

viet vet:

Hahaha. Karl Rove was demoted, and all you right-wing assholes can do is focus on the relatively insignificant Scott McClellan's resignation. You really are a bunch of dumb fucks, aren't you?

Posted on April 19, 2006 15:26

Viet Vet What was H... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by virgo | April 19, 2006 4:26 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

virgo:

Viet Vet
What was He demoted to ? changing Your Diaper ?

Posted on April 19, 2006 16:26

Lets pray Lindsay Lohan get... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by Gabriel Chapman | April 19, 2006 4:33 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Gabriel Chapman:

Lets pray Lindsay Lohan gets the job.

Posted on April 19, 2006 16:33

I just can't see why Tony S... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by JD | April 19, 2006 8:08 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

JD:

I just can't see why Tony Snow would want to be Dubya's official Javelin Catcher. As noted above, tho, the pure spectacle of tracking Olby's pulse rate via his eyeballs would be very much worth the effort.

Posted on April 19, 2006 20:08

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