New White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten arrives for his predecessor Andrew Card's farewell party in Washington earlier this month.
WASHINGTON (AP):
SIGNALLING A possible shake-up among United States President George W. Bush's senior advisers, the new White House chief of staff told top presidential aides yesterday to expect changes that "refresh and re-energise the team." He invited anyone who is thinking of leaving before year's end to do so now.
Joshua Bolten, who took over the top staff job late Friday, did not ask for anyone's resignation in his first Monday morning staff meeting with the president's senior aides, presidential spokes-man Scott McClellan said. No one stepped forward to say they would leave, either, McClellan said.
But Bolten has Bush's full authority to make changes to the president's staff, which has had a low turnover rate, with many aides serving him for years. Bolten already has had closed door meetings with some top advisers and plans more in the coming days, McClellan said.
