I heard it on NPR at 1:00 PM CST. Goss resigned this morning as CIA Director with no warning. When I got home it was confirmed by Josh Marshall at his TPM. The announcement from the White House was given in a surprise press announcement at 12:45 PM CST.
There was no warning, no reason given, and no successor planned. So what's up?
Josh Marshall points out that Justin Rood over at TPM Muckraker has been writing about the possible links between Goss and the Cunningham scandal may have something to do with Goss' resignation.
Two earlier stories in TPM Muckraker that may shed light (or not) are here and here.
Georgia10 contributes her view on the Goss resignation. Essentially she says he has resigned because the investigations into the bribery scandals are getting close. While I think that is speculation on her part, the suddeness of his resignation adds credibility to that supposition.
Next, Jennifer Loven at the Associated Press presents her take on the story at about 2:05 PM CST. She points out some of the problems that Goss has had with the agency, especially his very poor relations with the clandestine services, and with leaks from the CIA. She also adds the fact that the White House began a shakeup by replacing Andy Card at Presidential Chief of Staff with Joshua Bolten, Replacing McClellan with Tony Snow as Presidential Spokesman and removing the domestic policy responsibilities from Karl Rove.
She states that Goss' resignation is another move in the White House series of personnel changes as part of the shakeup. Considering how it was done [No warning, no replacement ready], I would be surprised if it really is a planned part of the shakeup. I think there is something that was going to bring Goss down, and he resigned to beat it.
The Bush administration and the Republican Party are living in interesting times. And they did it to themselves.
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