...or do Bush appointees, like celebrities, exit in three's?

If so then we have two more resignations to look forward to. In today's news we learned that Karen Hughes, Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy is leaving the administration, for the second time. In 2002 Ms. Hughes resigned her role as counselor to the President to return to Texas. Presumably Texas had fewer snakes. Karen is one of the last members of the Republican posse that rode in from the Lone Star State in 2001. By the time George W. begins his lonely ride into the sunset (445 days from now but, who's counting?), he will almost certainly be riding solo. The defection rate at 1600 Pennsylvania is a bit surprising. Why bother leaving now? Having served in the Bush administration, none of his appointees has a prayer of being elected to any office higher than Postmaster or offered a job by anyone other than Blackwater. Karen Hughes is resigning from what must arguably be the most difficult job in this administration. She had the thankless task of attempting to, somehow, resurrect the image of America throughout the world. It speaks volumes about the hubris of George W. Bush that, having personally supervised the destruction of American good will throughout the world (we currently rank just ahead of the clap), he would attempt to reverse that trend using tea parties and Cal Ripken, Jr. (In a recent NY Times, Harris poll even the most primitive societies understood that: a) America is the Great Satan and, b) Brittany Spears doesn't wear underwear.) Memo to George: They don't hate us for our freedom...or our MTV or our bluejeans. They hate us because you stride the world like a colossus, demanding that everyone think like Dick Cheney and threatening Armageddon if anyone opposes us. That's not diplomacy. That's thuggery. I'm not sure what Ms. Hughes thought she could accomplish on her trips to the Middle East, especially with American boots on the ground in the region. Her crusade against breast cancer was heroic and well intentioned, but with a 500-pound gorilla in the room (that pesky invasion) it's tough to get your audience to focus . Her campaign might have played a little better if she had warmed up in front of a audience that was a bit less hostile; say Ireland or Luxembourg. Diving straight into the icy waters of Turkey or Syria was, to say the least, naive. The truly sad part of Ms. Hughes' doomed-from-the-start mission was the clueless, tone-deaf President who sent her out there. Did George W. really believe that a guest appearance from a wealthy Republican mom from Texas would soften the hearts of women who live in servitude? Think Julie, the cruise director, on a slave ship. "I'm a mother just like you". Really? And how many children have you lost to starvation? At least she didn't break out the Mary Kay cosmetics and the Tupperware. This President has no hope of rebuilding our relationships with Europe or the Middle East or anybody else. He is the reason that American foreign policy is in tatters. His ham-handed threats and go-it-alone style are why leaders like Hugo Chavez and Emo Morales can be elected so easily. Just attack America in your speeches and you're a lock. If George W. Bush wants to see America's reputation in Europe rebound overnight...resign. I can tell you first-hand that it's not Americans that Europeans hate, it's the current American President. Friendship with GWB brought down a Prime Minister as popular as Tony Blair. If that's not toxic, what is? Anyway, best of luck to Karen Hughes. You have been a good friend to a President who knows how to reward loyalty...just ask Alberto Gonzales. The juicy post of Ambassador to Iraq may be available soon so, the next time you get an offer for a good job with lots of international travel, politely decline.