More Gossiness

Thinking about this more I can't get over the strange way in which the Porter Goss resignation happened. Traditionally when a high level staffer leaves (or is forced to leave) there a procedure is followed: (1) a convenient, non-controversial reason is given for the leaving ("spend time with the kids, etc.") and (2) a replacement is ready to go almost immediately. Also, there is often some preliminary leaking of the announcement in order to ease the story into the newstream consciousness.

When these things don't happen then you have to wonder if something else is going on.

Reading up on the information available here's my personal speculation: Goss saw the writing on the wall and decided to get out on his own terms instead of the terms of others. He knew the Foggo (and the unnamed "key staffer") were going to be major embarassments to him, even if he himself had nothing to do with Hookergate. He knew that there was machinations going on behind the scenes to undercut him. He knew that his importance was seriously undermined by the elevation of Negraponte as Director of Intelligence.

Now he could have just waited for the traditional process to unfold. But Goss may have just made a unilateral decision to leave and leave NOW. Thus the resulting scramble we saw at the White House today.

Remember, this is all speculation and will be disavowed by me the second contrary information becomes known.

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