Despite the fact some in the Bush White House say peddling “White House Fatigue” stories as a rationale for poor staff performance is disloyal, or flat wrong, consider the lede in Peter Baker’s Washington Post story today:
Andrew H. Card Jr. wakes at 4:20 in the morning, shows up at the White House an hour or so later, convenes his senior staff at 7:30 and then proceeds to a blur of other meetings that do not let up until long after the sun sets. He gets home at 9 or 10 at night and sometimes fields phone calls until 11 p.m. Then he gets up and does it all over again.
No friggin’ way a human being can stay on top of their game on a schedule like this… for six years no less. One can only try to survive under this regimen, not lead effectively. Andy Card is a loyal, talented guy, but he needs to move on simply for his own physical and mental well being.
Give John Snow the boot at Treasury and stick Card in there.