Dan Bartlett, Trusted Bush Aide, Resigns

Bartlett Ends "Roller Coaster" Ride As Longest-Serving Adviser To President

(AP) 
With the exception of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation last November, Bartlett's departure marks the first major turnover in Mr. Bush's senior staff since a major reshuffling a year ago to reinvigorate the administration and overcome low poll ratings. Within a period of weeks, Mr. Bush had named a new chief of staff, treasury secretary, press secretary, CIA chief, budget director, and trade representative. Despite the changes, Mr. Bush a year later still remains near record lows in the polls.

Bolten said Bartlett's resignation, effective around July 4, did not signal a new round of changes as Mr. Bush moves into the final 600 days of his presidency.

With twin, 3-year-old boys and another son born in January, Bartlett said it was time to pursue a new chapter of his life and "reacquaint myself with my family." His wife, Allyson, had joked that they should name their newborn "Exit Strategy."

Bartlett said he was open to job opportunities and had retained Washington attorney Bob Barnett to help him in the search.

It is a point of pride with Bartlett that he is Mr. Bush's longest serving staffer — longer than even political strategist Karl Rove, another Bush confidant whose tenure was interrupted by work as a political consultant. Before teaming up with Mr. Bush, Bartlett worked for Rove's Austin-based consulting firm.

Bartlett said he would not write a book about his experiences, would not seek a political career in Texas and would not align himself with any Republican candidate in the 2008 presidential election.

"It's been a roller coaster that seems always to go up," Bartlett said of his White House years. "There have been extremely proud moments to see our country rise up during a time of national challenge."

He said he had no regrets about the Iraq war and he believes Mr. Bush's low approval ratings were the result of making tough decisions.

"Sometimes when you lead the country you do difficult things, that you're going to experience periods that are going to be rocky, particularly when it has to do with war and loss of life," Bartlett said.

"It will be one of those things, when I hang up the spurs for the last time, I'll be able to look in the mirror and say, `I know this president and this White House did what they thought was right.' And at the end of the day, that's all you can do."

Bolten said Bartlett had made "a big contribution on almost everything that's important. He's one of the two or three people under 40 whose judgment, I think, rivals anybody else's judgment in government today. The president has a lot of confidence in him, and everybody else around here does, too."