[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/12/19/art.bushbailout.gi.jpg caption=" Bush announced new appointments for two dozen aides and supporters Christmas Eve."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - Christmas came a few hours early for two dozen White House officials and supporters Wednesday, who were appointed to three- to six-year positions on government committees and councils.
The full list released by the White House – which includes Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Karl Rove deputy Israel Hernandez – after the jump.
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Personnel Announcement
President George W. Bush today announced his intention to appoint 24 individuals to serve in his Administration.
The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, for terms of four years:
–Carol Ann Bartz, of California;
–Maria Cino, of Virginia;
–Israel Hernandez, of Texas.
The President intends to appoint Jennifer E. Sims, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Public Interest Declassification Board for the remainder of a three-year term expiring 10/03/11.
The President intends to appoint Mark Sanford, of South Carolina, (Governor), to be a Member of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, for the remainder of a four-year term expiring 06/10/09.
The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee:
–Kevin R. Johnson, of Washington;
–Kay Sears, of Virginia.
The President intends to appoint John M. Hart, of Maryland, to be a Member of the National Capital Planning Commission, for a six-year term beginning 01/02/09.
The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Commissioners of the United States Section of the United States-Russia Polar Bear Commission, for an initial term of four years:
–Geoffrey L. Haskett, of Alaska, (Federal Representative);
–Charles J. Johnson, of Alaska, (Alaska Representative).
The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, for six-year terms expiring 10/23/14:
–Sander R. Gerber, of New York, to be Vice Chair;
–Charles E. Cobb, of Florida, (Public);
–Carlos M. Gutierrez, of Michigan;
–Barry Jackson, of Ohio.
The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the Federal Service Impasses Panel, for five-year terms expiring 01/10/14:
–Barbara Bruin, of New Mexico;
–Mark A. Carter, of West Virginia;
–Grace Flores Hughes, of Virginia.
The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts:
–Nancy Goodman Brinker, of Florida, for the remainder of a six-year term expiring 09/01/14;
–Condoleezza Rice, of California, for the remainder of a six-year term expiring 09/01/14;
–Leonard Sands, of California, for the remainder of a six-year term expiring 09/01/13.
The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board:
–Jean Loretta Becker, of Texas, for a three-year term expiring 09/22/11;
–Gary R. Edson, of Illinois, for a three-year term 09/22/11;
–Anita B. McBride, of Connecticut, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring 09/22/11;
–James L. Oblinger, of North Carolina, for a three-year term expiring 09/22/11.
This is no surprise and has been reported on for several weeks.
Same thing happens at the end of every Presidency.
Bubba did the same thing, and he pardoned enough folks to get $500M donated to his library/foundation.
Did you idiots not read the story? Look at the appointment positions. They are nothing. They do not affect anything. They are just lame appointments to mundane positions. Read the whole article before you jump on the comment link and start emitting your stupidity. I feel dumber having read some of the comments that you fools posted. Merry Christmas.
Obvious examples of the need to downsize government.
You are all whiners, get a life.
Mr. Benedict Arnold sociopath Bush must have his way and set the stage for a Rublicant Comeback!!!
Wierd how you who are Obama'ed forget the role the leader of Fannie-Mae had in the Clinton administration, sucking all of us for hundreds of millions of dollars, getting rich on our economic losses. No, Clinton didn't appoint people who made Billery rich and I am sure Obama won't either. Let's see how Obama handles Israel getting attacked on Christmas day. We'll know where his loyalties lie soon.
You sound like the same idiots from a little over eight years ago that were belly aching about Bubba Clinton and his shenanigans. Grow up, get over it- move on.
HE GAVE IT US FOR 8 YEARS.
WHY NOT A GOODBYE ONE.
AFTER ALL, THESE ARE THE MORONS THAT
DID SUCH A GREAT JOB FOR US ALREADY?
WE WON'T EVEN KNOW FOR YEARS
HOW MUCH DAMAGE HE HAS DONE.
Can someone explain this to me.....weren't "midnight appointments" like this essentially made illegal with Marbury vs. Madison? How can presidents continue to do this?
Remember when "character" didn't matter? Character was a personal attribute that people tried to ensure was evident in the President. Many people said it didn't matter and people should stick to the issues. Well I would suggest we all begin to look and evaluate this trait very closely and stop saying and thinking that party lines are the basis for morality. Dems vs. Republicans. First, corruption and immoral behavior are part of the same string. Second, neither party has a lock on perfect behavior. We could write a book on Dem corruption and chapters are still being written. We could write a book on Republicans too. When we look back on one of the greatest Presidents, Lincoln, we are reminded of his honesty and leadership, not his party line.
Well, he is still the president (only a few more weeks, thank goodness!), and this is a job that needs to be done. We sit back and make judgements, but it's likely that some of these appointments might have been discussed with Obama. Who knows?
The comments left on this post are further evidence of the failures of our government schools. First off, look at what these appointments are for: The Kennedy Center's Board of Trustees and the US-Russia Polar Bear Commission. If we could put aside our talking points and unadulterated hatred of this man for one moment, maybe we would realize that this isn't that big of a deal. These types of appointments are common for an outgoing administration.
I guess the truth doesn't fit into the template for polarized America. "Everything the other guy does is an evil, overreach of power." I feel bad for Obama.. I wouldn't want anything to do with this electorate.
I am no Bush fan, to say the least. However, even though his administration has done serious damage to everything about our country, I think everyone needs to let him leave in dignity. It's the office of the president that should be respected in my mind – mainly for the sake of those who are currently serving in dangerous places.
Thousands have sworn to follow the orders of the person sitting in that office. We really don't want to diminish the importance of that oath. Let's restore decency to our government and our national dialogue. Let's let the man leave in dignity. Please.
U.S. Common Sense sense of history like prescott bush being censored by congress for his business dealing with A. Harriman, the financial arm of the soon nazi craze, and then king george the first bush as the cia leader, who established noriega's, hussein's, and let's not forget the Silverado S&L snafu of the younger bushs
please see both sides of the pictures and weigh the greater of evils
What's the problem? He still is the President. He can do what he want's. Doesn't matter what you libs think.
I can't believe how vitriolic and hate-filled these comments are. Please, try and have a little respect for President Bush. You may not agree with everything he's done, but he was elected by a majority of people four years ago, and he still is our President.
You don't like George W. Bush - the current President of the United States?
I hope you like what you are going to get with a new 'socialist' administration headed by an individual who does not meet the Constitutional qualifications to hold the office of the President.
I feel sorry for you who have been so brainwashed by empty rhetoric, but you voted for an ineligible candidate and you deserve exactly what you are going to get.
Don't blame me . . .
People, please do me a favor – just so I know that you know what you're even talking about, because I seriously doubt you do –
1. Tell me exactly which policies of W's that have caused you so many problems, and which one's have hurt the country. I need to know if you can even name ONE – with no googling!!! 🙂 Because, I seriously doubt it.
2. Tell me exactly which proposed policies of Obama's that are going to make you so dang happy – what exactly has he said that he's going to do that has made you into a firm believer? I haven't heard much of anything from him or his camp other than corporate branding and key words.
Please don't be "those people" that like to give your two cents if you have ZERO clue what you're talking about. If you do, my apologies. But I'm afraid that for you to be taken seriously, to be taken as more than a media zombie with a penchant for being dragged onto the coolest new bandwagon, you're going to have to prove it.
Wait until he pardens everyone in his adminastration for anything they may have have done during the last 8 years. It's coming folks
Dont worry. Nobody is going to listen to his appointees. They have had eight years of running or ruining the country. We're tired of them.
OF COURSE. OF COURSE. OFF COURSE!
"ZIMBABWE IS MINE", Robert Mugabe
Stop bashing Democrats like Clinton. We would not be in this mess
if this guy called Bush lost the elections as he did but won illegally. To me GW deserves no mercy, he should have been impeached. You idiot Republicans get a life and lay low for four years because you destroyed this county.
THAT IS A BILL OF ABOUT $3-5,000,000 THE
AMERICAN TAX PAYER HAS TO PAY FOR
INCOMPETANT MORONS MCDONALDS WOULDN'T HIRE.
The Gov of Illinois and pres. Bush have something in common: Appoint when you know that you have 2 weeks left or no moral autority. He could have done this 8 years ago! Now, these Kings of Mosul, Ambar, Bacuba and Bagdad are all over!
HE IS JUST TRYING TO ENSURE THE FAILURE OF THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION BY APPOINTING HIS AND CHENEY'S CRONIES TO TWHART ANY KIND OFAPPOINTMENTS OF DECENT, INTELLIGENT, AND PROPER PERSONS TO THESE KEY POSITIONS.
BUSH'S APPOINTMENTS ARE BLATANT ATTEMPTS TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO IN WASHINGTON TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY.