Aug 16

　　There is nothing unusual about people leaving the White House in the autumn of a two-term presidency. In recent months George Bush has lost his counsellor, Dan Bartlett, his budget director, Rob Portman, his director of strategic initiatives, Peter Wehner, and sundry lesser figures. All to be expected. But Karl Rove's decision to resign on August 31st is news of an altogether different order.

　　Mr Rove has been at Mr Bush's side for more than 30 years. He masterminded his four successful elections, two for the governorship of Texas and two for the presidency. Mr Bush is so close to him that he has given him not one but three nicknames: “Turd Blossom”, “Boy Genius” and, after the 2004 election triumph, “The Architect”. Nominally, Mr Rove is the deputy chief of staff; in practice, he is far more powerful than that.

　　The most plausible explanation for Mr Rove's departure is that he has little to gain by staying. The immigration-reform legislation that he backed has fallen apart. The Bush Team will spend the next 17 months on the back foot, blocking Democratic spending and defending past achievements rather than pushing through fresh legislation. And Mr Rove is the Democrats' equivalent of the great white whale: they want to spend the next few months harassing him over everything, from the politicization of the Justice Department to the Valerie Plame affair.