International

Top White House official quits her job

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Karen Hughes

Washington APRIL 24. Karen Hughes, a senior adviser to the U.S. President, George W. Bush, has announced that she will be leaving her White House job as Communications Director this summer. Ms. Hughes told the media on Tuesday that she was quitting her post due to personal reasons and to be in Texas.

"...I went to the President last week and told him it would be better for me and my family to be in Texas," Ms. Hughes said. She is the first senior-level official to leave the Republican administration that came to office 15 months ago. In a town where there is much speculation over political arrivals and departures, including "internal strife", Ms. Hughes said there was nothing other than personal reasons for her leaving the high-profile position in the White House.

The "family first" emphasis of Ms. Hughes has the full backing of the President, who said he appreciated the reasons why Ms. Hughes was leaving the administration. But he was also quick to point out that he was not losing her altogether. "Karen Hughes will be changing her address, but she will still be in my inner circle. I value her judgment, and I will have her judgment. I value her advice, and I will have her advice. And I value her friendship and I will have her friendship," Mr. Bush said.

Ms. Hughes was one of a small group of trusted advisers of Mr. Bush who has been around since the time he was Governor of Texas. She was in charge of the high-profile job in the White House running the entire communications operation of the incoming Republican administration, including the "no-leaks" policy.

Though unrelated, the announcement of the departure of Ms. Hughes comes at a time when the approval rating of the President is coming down to more "normal" levels after staying at 80 per cent for months. Latest opinion polls show that approval for Mr. Bush, which stood at 90 per cent in the aftermath of September 11, is now in the mid-70s.

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