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It might seem obvious that President Bush is in charge of what goes on in the White House, but it is more obvious that he has some crippling weaknesses in his management team. The negative outcry over the sale of management of six U.S. ports by a British firm to Dubai Ports World, owned by the United Arab Emirates, is the latest distraction to test the president’s leadership style, and potentially weaken his fragile political capital. Bush’s second term has already been marked by a number of public relations missteps, including federal response to Hurricane Katrina, Harriet Miers’ nomination to the Supreme Court and, though hugely overblown, the handling of Vice President Dick Cheney’s hunting accident.

The latest news on the ports deal – that the president was not made aware of the sale until other administration officials had already approved it – has empowered Bush’s political enemies and media critics who revel in labeling the administration as out of touch and secretive. It is clear that those at the top levels of the president’s administration present barriers to his ability to lead the nation and effectively communicate his policy agenda to Congress and the public. Bush must remove these barriers immediately to ensure a successful second term.
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I fully understand the difficulty of replacing loyal team members who are not getting the job done. I have done it many times in my career. A shake-up of the current administration’s management team may cause a few bruised egos within the White House, but would likely be seen as a sign of strength across the country. Installation of a new or revamped advisory team would indicate that the president knows he has internal problems, and is willing to fix them. Every president since Richard Nixon has reconfigured his closest group of advisors at least once.

Granted, the president is leading this nation amidst a storm not of his own making. He did not invite the global war on terrorism or constant threats of terrorism on our own soil, and he is essentially charged with mapping the course of foreign policy and national security for subsequent administrations. The president must realize, however, that some members of his team are failing him.
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