Josh Bolten began his first day as White House chief of staff Monday by calling for the immediate resignations of all staffers who plan to leave over the next eight months.
“If you’re thinking about leaving sometime in the near future, now would be a good time to do it,” Bolten told aides, according to White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan.
“He wanted to make sure he had the team in place that is going to be here for a minimum of the remainder of the year,” McClellan said.
McClellan declined to say whether he would continue serving as the president’s spokesman, but noted that “two years in this position is a very long time. I’m very mindful of that.”
During Monday’s meeting, Bolten stopped short of asking for resignationsfrom specific staffers, though he now has the power to fire virtually whomever he chooses. When he asked for resignations from those who are planning to leave by the end of the year, no one stepped forward.
Bolten told staffers there would be “some changes and adjustments” to the war-weary White House team, which has stumbled in recent months.
“Josh talked to us and talked about how he is assuming his new position and responsibilities during a challenging time period,” McClellan said. “We remain engaged in an ongoing global war on terrorism, and that is of course our highest priority.”
He added: “Josh talked about how this will refresh and re-energize the team and for all of us to renew our commitment as we go forward.”
Bolten has already begun a series of one-on-one meetings with staffers that will continue through next week. But before he eases anyone out the door, he is faced with the task of filling several key vacancies.
Those include the opening that was created when Bolten left his previous post as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Also open is the position of domestic policy adviser.
Bolten replaced Andy Card, who was Bush’s chief of staff for more than five years. The move set the stage for further changes to a White House staff that has had unusually low turnover.
“Any time you have a new chief of staff coming in, you can expect that there will be some changes in some of the structure and personnel,” McClellan said.
