The first signs of distancing?
From the Times …
At the White House, senior staff members continued to express astonishment about the theft charges against Mr. Allen, who was described as an engaging, devout and largely powerless adviser to Mr. Bush.
Although Mr. Allen had the vaunted title of assistant to the president for domestic policy and worked from a coveted West Wing office, he did not set policy so much as carry out the decisions of Mr. Bush’s inner circle, particularly Karl Rove, the deputy chief of staff. Mr. Allen managed some of the domestic policy paper flow between the White House and government agencies.
Wasn’t he put in charge of quarterbacking the Katrina response at the White House?
Actually, maybe that does mean he was powerless…
Late Update: Sunday’s Post had this too say …
Bush named Allen his top domestic policy adviser last year. With a West Wing office and a salary of $161,000 a year, Allen was the top-ranking African American on the White House staff. His broad portfolio involved advising Bush on policy issues including health care, space exploration, housing and education.
In a White House where real power is centered in a few hands, Allen was not so much a decision maker as he was purveyor and tailor of Bush administration policy. Still, Allen was frequently at Bush’s side, accompanying him on trips around the country and briefing him and the media on the administration’s domestic policy initiatives.
Despite its prominent profile, the chief domestic policy job was only a consolation prize for Allen. Bush had named him in 2003 to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, but the nomination was scuttled by Senate Democrats who saw Allen as too conservative and too inexperienced, and blocked it from coming to a vote.
