Bush's Loss Is the Cabinet's Gain

It's starting to feel a bit lonely in the White House, now that the president's closest aides from his Texas days—former spokesman Scott McClellan, lawyer Harriet Miers, communications czar Dan Bartlett, political ace Karl Rove, and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, have bailed. And as a result, top aides believe there will be a shift in influence from the West Wing staff to the sometimes ignored cabinet. "Bush can't just say, 'Karl, figure this out' anymore," says one insider. "He'll have to turn to the cabinet more, and it's a great opportunity for the cabinet to get its agenda on the president's desk instead of the other way around."