Saturday, June 28, 2008

The Cockerell Resignation from both sides

There are only two ways to look at it and either way is not good for Governor Perry. One is that Carey Cockerell was forced to resign, the other is that Cockerell did indeed decide to retire on his own, and that he was begged not to.

In the simple and most obvious analysis of the first case, someone must fall on the sword. Carey, the head of the department, ever the political loyalist discusses things with Governor Perry, one of them floats the idea of that "retirement he's been talking about" and Cockerell gets that "wrong" answer. I lost a job once and knew it was coming because I floated a trial balloon. When it was responded to with eagerness, I know something was up. Carey then "resigns" to save face, all so very oriental.

The second way of looking at it is Carey DID resign on his own, and WAS begged not to do so. Why would the begging occur? Because it would look precisely like the first case scenario and that's the way it would be taken. Fortunately for Governor Perry the sleeping Main Stream Media has continued to snooze. There was no deadly serious Brian Williams intoning ominously about the "widening scandel" in which "heads were starting to roll", on the Nightly News. That may be because the resignation was timed to come out when another big story was on the agenda, the stock market slide. Hold that resignation, hold that resignation, STOCK MARKET STORY! (slip it out boys).

If Cockerell did resign of his own will he did so KNOWING that it would look bad, as I said above. This means that he snubbed Governor Perry. That means there was a disagreement of some variety, a severe one that Carey could not resolve with the Governor. Carey gives up and resigns in protest. The only deals made over the resignation are timing and description. Carey does the "no comment" thing and gives a "B" list reason, the most cliched of "B" list reasons, that being "spending more time with his family."

In such dire circumstances as Texas is now in over the FLDS, if Cockerell had a legitimate reason to resign he would have given it. "About to be a grandfather" ISN'T it. He could certainly take a little time off for that. The grand kid wants mama more anyway at this particular cycle, Carey could have waited. If he had cancer, he would have said so. The high level political loyalist does not get to their station in life by not covering their bosses butt. They SAY "I've been diagnosed with malignant so and so therefore I wish to spend more time with my family." They issue a statement. They release their Doctor from confidentiality so as to describe the condition to everyone's satisfaction. Carey Cockerell did not do this. He was forced out, or he quit as a form of protest. Either way is not a good thing for Governor Perry. Scapegoat or man of conscience.

Sphere: Related Content

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks. Good analysis. Captains don't voluntarily abandon ship in the middle of a storm when it's taking on water. Whatever the problem, things aren't looking good for the ship.

Hugh McBryde said...

Apparently, first mates are sacrificed to the storm. Shades of Jonah.