Andrew Card

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Andrew Hill Card, Jr.
Andrew Card

In office
January 20, 2001 – April 14, 2006
President George W. Bush
Preceded by John Podesta
Succeeded by Joshua Bolten

In office
February 24, 1992 – January 20, 1993
President George H. W. Bush
Preceded by Samuel K. Skinner
Succeeded by Federico Peña

Born May 10, 1947 (1947-05-10) (age 61)
Holbrook, Massachusetts
Political party Republican
Spouse Kathleene Card

Andrew Hill "Andy" Card Jr. (born May 10, 1947) is an American politician and lobbyist, former United States Cabinet member, and head of George W. Bush's White House Iraq Group. Card served as U.S. Secretary of Transportation under George H. W. Bush and the White House Chief of Staff under his son. He announced his resignation as Chief of Staff March 28, 2006, effective April 14, 2006.

A native of Holbrook, Massachusetts, he and his wife Kathy have three children and four grandchildren. A dedicated Chief of Staff, he was once asked by his wife "Are you married to me or George W. Bush?"[1]

Contents

[edit] Early life

Card was active in the Boy Scouts of America's Old Colony Council and earned the rank of Eagle Scout.[2] Later, he graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. He also attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Card served in the United States Merchant Marine from 1966 to 1967.

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.

[edit] Private career

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.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad announced on July 27, 2006 that Card was elected to the board, increasing the board's size to 10 members.[3]

[edit] Government career

Card informs President Bush about the second WTC tower being struck on 9/11, after having privately informed him of the first strike.
Card informs President Bush about the second WTC tower being struck on 9/11, after having privately informed him of the first strike.
Card, along with George W. Bush, Laura Bush, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Condoleezza Rice pay their respects to Pope John Paul II before the pope's funeral.
Card, along with George W. Bush, Laura Bush, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Condoleezza Rice pay their respects to Pope John Paul II before the pope's funeral.

Card first served in the West Wing under President Ronald Reagan, 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 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. 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.

In 2000, Card was asked by then Governor Bush to run the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. Card was instrumental in raising the over $160 million dollars that is cost to run the convention.

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.[4] Philip Johnston, now the state Democratic chair, collaborated with Card to effect rules reform in the Massachusetts House. “I’m a very partisan, liberal Democrat, and we worked just beautifully together,” Johnston told the Washington Post last February, a sentiment that was echoed throughout the Capitol when it became clear in the final days of postelection turmoil that Card was Bush’s pick for chief of staff. [5]

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, the White House announced that Card would resign as Chief of Staff and be replaced by United States Office of Management and Budget director Joshua B. Bolten.[6] Card's resignation was effective April 14, 2006.[7] As White House Chief of Staff Card was well regarded by both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill. In an interview about Card leaving the White House with Dana Bash from CNN Senator Dick Durbin (D), then Minority Whip and now Majority Whip said, "He's one of the most reasonable, professional people in this White House, a person whose word is very good...." [8]

In his book State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III, Bob Woodward states that Card resigned because he was concerned that the war in Iraq would be seen as another Vietnam War, after twice failing to persuade the President to dismiss Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense,[9] with the support of First Lady Laura Bush on his second attempt.[10]

When Card received an honorary degree from UMass in May 2007 the audience drowned out his acceptance speech with boos and sign-waving due to his support of the war against Iraq, and the graduating students wore signs on their gowns to protest his attendance.[11]

On October 30, 2007, Card gave a brief interview to The Harvard Crimson, in which he stated that he resigned because "the president needed for me to leave, and the administration needed to have me leave," and that he did not want to leave the White House. These statements seem to contradict the official reasons given for his resignation, in that they imply that he did not take the initiative in the decision.[12]

On March 10, 2008, Card gave an interview to MSNBCs Joe Scarborough & Mika Brzezinski - which includes the outstanding Tsunami-Soybean Debate -, may as an first attempt for his new role as an TV Expert for the 2008 presidential election. [13]

[edit] References

  1. ^ washingtonpost.com: Pressure Cooker
  2. ^ Scouting Magazine - September 2001
  3. ^ Union Pacific Railroad (2006-07-27). Union Pacific Corporation Elects Andrew Card a Director. Retrieved on 2006-07-28.
  4. ^ OMB Head To Replace Card as Top Bush Aide - washingtonpost.com
  5. ^ Card Talk. Kennedy School Bulletin.
  6. ^ Associated Press (March 28, 2006). White House shake-up: Chief of staff resigns. MSNBC.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-30.
  7. ^ Andrew H. Card, Jr. White House Chief of Staff, 2000-2006. White House. Retrieved on 2006-09-30.
  8. ^ White House Shuffle. CNN.
  9. ^ William Hamilton (September 29, 2006). Card Urged Bush to Replace Rumsfeld, Woodward Says. Washington Post. Retrieved on 2006-09-30.
  10. ^ [1][dead link]
  11. ^ YouTube - UMass Protests Andy Card and War
  12. ^ Abe J. Riesman (October 30, 2007). Card Says Bush ‘Needed’ Him To Leave His Post. The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved on 2007-10-31.
  13. ^ Tricky battle against McCain. MSNBC (March 10, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-20.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Samuel K. Skinner
US Secretary of Transportation
February 24, 1992January 20, 1993
Succeeded by
Federico Peña
Preceded by
John Podesta
White House Chief of Staff
January 20, 2001April 14, 2006
Succeeded by
Joshua B. Bolten
Persondata
NAME Card, Andrew Hill Jr.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Card, Andy
SHORT DESCRIPTION U.S. Secretary of Transportation, White House Chief of Staff
DATE OF BIRTH May 10, 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH Holbrook, Massachusetts
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH