Democracy for Vancouver

This AP piece - which reads like it was written by an eighth-grader - seems like a press release contrived to counter any speculation of the whys, what and when of Rove’s departure:

Bush turns to executive action to get some of his agenda done
His strength is sapped by an unpopular war, Democrats are running Congress, and the 2008 presidential election is in full roar, distracting attention from the president’s priorities. With dwindling options, Bush has decided he might get more done in his final months by going it alone.

Outgoing presidents often unleash a flurry of executive orders and regulations in a last-minute attempt to leave their mark on U.S. policy. Frustrated by Congress’ inability or unwillingness to pass the president’s agenda, the administration already is taking steps to do it through executive action…

So stop calling him a lame duck, already!

…Rove said there was unfinished business on energy, education and health care that the president would continue to pursue - with or without Congress’ help. Rove said the administration might end up doing things by executive action.

“We have No Child Left Behind, which we can either do by law or regulation; we want to do it by law,” Rove said. “The energy, 20-in-10 we can do both by legislation and regulation.”

The Democratic Congress is going to be challenging Bush every step of the way - on his agenda, the budget and particularly the war in Iraq - as he runs out of time and influence and 2008 elections overshadow him.

John Podesta, former White House chief of staff for President Clinton, said Bush is “running into a brick wall in Congress” and will be forced to use executive action to further his domestic policy desires.

“Hardly a bill goes by that he doesn’t issue a veto threat,” Podesta said. “The places where he could find common ground, he’s in a `just say no mode.’ I find that kind of surprising given the place he’s at in his presidency.”

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