[tw]

Let's not forget some history here. So that Democratic staffers had difficulty getting new jobs for up to six months, the missing Ws on White House keyboards. Better to get out and get new jobs before Democrats take revenge.

Numerous reasons why so many may be leaving so early. We did not see rats leaving a sinking Clinton ship this early in these numbers. To see so many leaving, one must go back to Nixon's time.

Meanwhile, a greatest mystery is why Karl Rove is leaving. So many possible reasons makes that resignation the most interesting.

Karen Hughes, a longtime George Jr aide, left to spend more time with her family during the first administration. Karen was among the moderates who were being cut off by administration extremists. That family thing is a buzz word for "I don't need to say why". One who apparently liked Karen brought her back to Washington immediately upon taking an office where Karen could be protected from the extremists - in the Sate Department.

Tom Ridge resigned after finally saying no more Orange Alerts to rumored threats from tortured prisioners. Remember that contraversy that was openly exposed in public between Ridge verses and others in Defense and Dept of Justice. That was the final straw. Ridge was removed for the same reasons that Whitman was removed. He was not an extremist. Colin Powell was discussing this when he refered to Whitman as a wind dummy.

Same reason also caused the removal of Paul O'Neill in treasury. O'Neil told the truth. Extremsits had an agenda - the truth be damned. O'Neil was told to voluntarily resign - as were Whitman and Ridge - and eventually Powell.

Numerous reasons for so many insiders to abandon ship. But don't forget one glaring example of revenge that is fully justified - the lie about missing W's on keyboards. That lie meant many Clinton staffers could not be considered for employment for about six months while the rumor subsided. In hindsight, it was an example of how the George Jr administration would conduct business.