EPA chief Whitman resigns

With Whitman's departure as EPA administrator, Bush loses one of the most prominent women in his Cabinet -- a moderate former New Jersey governor selected by the president to help soften his image as a political conservative, particularly on environmental issues.

Whitman had a history of clashing with the White House, starting with the president's abrupt decision to withdraw from the Kyoto global warming treaty.

But in an interview on CNN today, she said, "I'm not leaving because of clashes with the administration. In fact, I haven't had any. He's (Bush) always asked me to give him my best unadultered advice and I have done that."

But

Critics said that in the name of attracting businesses, she compromised water pollution protections and cut spending for state offices that prosecute environmental abuses by industry. Whitman, an avid mountain biker and skier, insisted she retained needed protections while eliminating red tape.

When the Bush administration took office, Whitman had only the briefest honeymoon. Within the first three months, she had upset industry executives and conservationists, disappointed moderates who like her and angered conservatives who don't.

"Christie Whitman must feel like her own long national nightmare is over," said Philip Clapp, president of the National Environmental Trust, an advocacy group. "No EPA administrator has ever been so consistently and publicly humiliated by the White House."

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Yet another member of the Bush administration charged with making the irrational seem rational bails out to "spend more time with the family." Is there something going on here? Probably not, but this possible trend is worth seriously thinking about, especially because the British press secretary also announced his resignation on Monday within hours of ours, America's favorite standup comedian, Ari Fleischer.

I wonder if Bush is going to try to replace Whitman as EPA chief with another soft conservative, a Republican who doesn't seem so anti-Earth, or if his long string of high profile presidential successes will make him confident enough to replace her with someone like this.

I sure hope not.

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