New Roundup 03.28.2006

Once again, a late post. This will be kept brief as well.

Andrew Card

So, the administration does reshuffle, but stays with the promotion of internal staff.

The New York Times: "In 1st Major Shift of 2nd Term, Bush Looks to Inner Circle"

The Financial Times:

But if the White House is yearning for change, the choice of Joshua Bolten to replace Mr Card left many in Washington scratching their heads.

Mr Bolten, the director of the Office of Management and Budget since 2003, has been a trusted member of Mr Bush’s inner circle since the contentious 2000 presidential campaign, where he - a rare non-Texan in the then Governor Bush’s team - served as policy director.

“It seems to be that if you are saying ‘bring new blood in’, this doesn’t cut it,” said one business lobbyist with close ties to the White House. “If you could criticise the same team for being tired and for having vetted all their ideas, it doesn’t seem you are gaining anything. I’m not sure [the appointment] is going to help with the idea of [Mr Bush] being too insular and needing fresh ideas,” the person said.

The Financial Times: "Card exit reflects grim reality of Bush’s second term"

The Houston Chronicle (A.P.): "New chief of staff at a glance"

Iraq

The Asia Times:

NEW YORK - Last week's announcement that Iraq will now have to pay for its own reconstruction has left some observers wondering whether the country's yet-to-be-formed government will be up to the task.

The San Jose Mercury News (A.P.):

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Shiite politicians raged at the United States and halted negotiations on a new government Monday after a military assault killed at least 16 people in what Iraqis claim was a mosque.

The Philadelphia Inquirer (A.P.):

"If I were grading, I would say we probably deserve a D or a D-plus as a country as to how well we're doing in the battle of ideas that's taking place in the world today," Rumsfeld told his questioner. "I'm not going to suggest that it's easy, but we have not found the formula as a country" for countering the extremists' message.

Super-Executive

The Boston Globe:

WASHINGTON -- Two senior Democratic House members yesterday demanded that President Bush withdraw his assertion that he can ignore portions of the USA Patriot Act calling on him to provide periodic reports to Congress on how new law-enforcement tactics are being used.

Immigration and the Church

The Washington Times:

The Roman Catholic Church, dozens of grass-roots coalitions and Spanish-language radio disc jockeys have helped fuel protests nationwide against congressional efforts to tackle illegal immigration.

One protest organizer described the effort as "the beginning of an immigration civil rights movement."