Andrew Card

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Andrew Hill Card Jr.
White House Chief of Staff
In office January 20, 2001 – April 14, 2006
Under President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	John Podesta
Succeeded by	Joshua Bolten
Born	May 10, 1947
Political party	Republican

Andrew Hill "Andy" Card Jr. is an American businessman, advisor and President George W. Bush's first Chief of Staff. He announced his resignation on March 28, 2006 and it became effective April 14, 2006. He assisted the President with many of his policy decisions and managed the daily operations of the White House staff.

Prior to his job with George W. Bush, Card served as U.S. Secretary of Transportation under the first President Bush.

A native of Holbrook, Massachusetts, Card and his wife Kathleene have three children and four grandchildren.

[edit] Early history

Card graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. He attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Card was active in the Boy Scouts of America during his youth. He was a member of the Old Colony Council, headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts.

Card got his start in politics serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1975–1983. He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Governor of Massachusetts in 1982.

From 1993 to 1998, Card was President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA), the trade association whose members were Chrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation. The AAMA dissolved in December 1998.

From 1999 until his selection as President Bush's Chief of Staff, Card was General Motors' Vice President of Government Relations. Card directed the company's international, national, state and local government affairs activities and represented GM on matters of public policy before Congress and the Administration.

[edit] Government career

Card informs President Bush about the second WTC tower being struck on 9/11 after having told Bush prior to going into the classroom about the first plane hitting the first tower.

Card with President George W. Bush on his last day as White House Chief of Staff.

From 1989 to 1992, Card served in President George H. W. Bush's administration as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy. Card served in President Ronald Reagan's administration as Special Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and subsequently as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, where he was liaison to governors, statewide elected officials, state legislators, mayors and other elected officials.

From 1992 until 1993, Card served as the 11th U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President George H. W. Bush. In August 1992, at the request of President Bush, Secretary Card coordinated the administration's disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Andrew. Later that year, Secretary Card directed President Bush's transition office during the transition from the Bush Administration to the Clinton Administration.

On November 26, 2000, Card was appointed to be chief of staff of Texas Governor and President-Elect George W. Bush upon Bush's January 20, 2001 inauguration. On September 11, 2001, it was Card who whispered in Bush's ear while the President was conducting an education event at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida that terrorists had attacked the United States. People most remember Card for this action. [1]

Card is known to have headed the White House Iraq Group (WHIG), whose members include Karl Rove, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Condoleezza Rice, Karen Hughes and Mary Matalin. This group is known for controlling public relations for the Iraq War.

On November 26, 2005, Card experienced a close call along with 12 other passengers aboard a Gulfstream twin-engine plane when smoke began pouring into the cockpit during the flight. The plane was bound for Washington, D.C., but the pilot managed to land safely at the Nashville International Airport. No injuries were reported.

On March 28, 2006, concurrent with announcing Card's resignation, the White House announced that OMB director Joshua B. Bolten was selected for the Chief of Staff position. ^[1] Card's resignation was effective April 14, 2006^[2]. In his book State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III, Bob Woodward states that Card resigned because he was concerned that Iraq would be seen as another Vietnam, after twice failing to persuade the President to dismiss Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense^[3]. The second time First Lady, Laura Bush also tried to persaude her husband to dismiss Rumsfeld[2].

[edit] Return to the private sector

On July 27, 2006, Union Pacific Railroad announced that Card was elected to the railroad's Board of Directors, increasing the board's size to 10 members.^[4]

[edit] See Also

• Wise Use Movement

[edit] References

1. ^ Associated Press (March 28, 2006). White House shake-up: Chief of staff resigns. MSNBC.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-30.
2. ^ Andrew H. Card, Jr. White House Chief of Staff, 2000-2006. White House. Retrieved on 2006-09-30.
3. ^ William Hamilton (September 29, 2006). Card Urged Bush to Replace Rumsfeld, Woodward Says. Washington Post. Retrieved on 2006-09-30.
4. ^ Union Pacific Railroad (2006-07-27). Union Pacific Corporation Elects Andrew Card a Director. Retrieved on 2006-07-28.

[edit] External links

• Official White House biography
• President Thanks Andy Card, Announces Bolten as New Chief of Staff - official transcript of Card's resignation announcement.
• Letter from Congressman Henry Waxman to Card asking if Bush knowingly signed into law a bill that didn't pass
• Washington Post feature on Andrew Card, published before the 2005 Presidential Inauguration

White House Chiefs of Staff
Steelman • Adams • Persons • Haldeman • Haig • Rumsfeld • Cheney • Jordan • Watson • J Baker • Regan • H Baker • Duberstein • Sununu • Skinner • J Baker • McLarty • Panetta • Bowles • Podesta • Card • Bolten

United States Secretaries of Transportation
Boyd • Volpe • Brinegar • Coleman • Adams • Goldschmidt • Lewis • Dole • Burnley • Skinner • Card • Peña • Slater • Mineta • Peters