Rove Gives Up Authority?

Same AP article as above... Didn't finish reading it before I posted.

Also, a senior administration official revealed another move in the ongoing shakeup of Bush's staff, saying that 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.

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.

The move signals a possibly broad effort to rearrange and reinvigorate Bush's staff by new chief of staff Joshua Bolten. Bolten moved into his position last week; Kaplan was his No. 2 person at the Office of Management and Budget.

At least for the time being, the promotion of Kaplan would leave Bush with three deputy chiefs of staff: Rove, Kaplan and Joe Hagin, who oversees administrative matters, intelligence and other national security issues.

While I don't truly believe that Rove's influence is decreasing, his stated authority may be taking a hit. That said, I still think all this 'shake-up' business is crap. They've replaced a lot of people with their understudies. They haven't brought in fresh ideas, just promoted from within. The overlap of authority in the White House isn't going to help either. And while getting rid of a Press Secretary should get Don Rumsfeld off the hook for a little while, the War in Iraq isn't going away.

No amount of shuffling people within the administration is going to change anything. The most important aspect is whether this will be seen as a sign of weakness, an attempt at atonement, or political slight of hand.

Karl Rove Joel Kaplan Josh Bolten White House Staff George W. Bush