Tom Ridge To Resign
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is resigning, FOX News confirmed Tuesday. He is expected to announce his decision at a 2:45 p.m. EST press conference.
In an e-mail circulated to senior Homeland Security officials, Ridge praised the department as “an extraordinary organization that each day contributes to keeping America safe and free.” He also said he was privileged to work with the department’s 180,000 employees “who go to work every day dedicated to making our company better and more secure.”
UPDATE: Michelle Malkin reacts to his press conference and offers a response to conservatives who want Rudy Guiliani to take Tom Ridge’s place.
She laments, “I’m not sad to see Secretary Ridge go. But I’m not very optimistic that his replacement will fare any better.”
I wonder who she would recommend?
12 Responses to “Tom Ridge To Resign”
Hello, my name is Matt Margolis, the founder of Blogs For Bush, one of the most successful and popular blogs in 2004, during the presidential campaign.
Blogs For Bush was launched in November 2003 and ended in November 2007. This site is no longer active, but is being kept online as a reference for those interested in the 2004 campaign, and for bloggers wishing to start their own grassroots blog.
Ridge has done a great job – starting with nothing, he’s built up an effective Federal agency for securing the homeland; the proof of this is the lack of attacks since 9/11. For all the carping, the plain fact of the matter is that if the enemy could attack us at home, they would – of course, Ridge cannot take sole credit; our military in Iraq and Afghanistan has been decisive in defeating the terrorists, and the FBI has done great work…but they must be doing something right in Ridge’s department.
Oh, and anyone think that Giuliani will be picked to replace?
Tom Ridge Resigns
This was expected eventually, if not today. Tom Ridge resigned today in a 2:45 news conference. Blogs for Bush has it from Fox News Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge (search) announced his resignation Tuesday in a surprise announcement that ends …
Mark, do you have a “read” on Frank Keating, former Republican governor of Oklahoma? He’s a conservative Catholic and very loyal to the Republican Party. I’ve been surprised that he wasn’t appointed to an office in George W’s first term. Any ideas?
Tom Ridge has been a friend of my husband’s family for many years. He had told the President that he would only stay one term. As a former Marine, and a former Governor of PA, he has done an remarkable job of building up a new department from the ground up, and preventing no less than 100 threats a day against our country and her interests abroad. I don’t see that Michelle, with whom I usually agree, has an axe to grind against this man!
As for replacements, my bet is Asa Hutchinson.
Good Riddance Tom Ridge
Yeah, he’s probably done some good in setting things up at the Department of Homeland Security. That’s all fine and good. What about 10-13 million illegal aliens running around our country and the 4000+ that run across our border everyday…
DagneyT, don’t fret about Michelle. She always has a thorn in her behind. She’s a conservative but reminds me of Helen Thomas who says she wakes up every morning asking herself, “Whom do I hate today!” However, this is how Michelle attracts attention. I don’t have the relationship or knowledge of Tom Ridge as you but he’s done a great job for Pennsylvania and America. As Ridge was quoted as saying, “We in Home Land Security have to make thousands of decisions each day. We have to be right every time, the terrorists have to be right only once.”
I agree with your bet of Asa Hutchinson. I lived in Arkansas for a time several years ago. Asa has a few skeletons but they shouldn’t hamper him.
I am really hoping for Guiliani. I think he’d be a tough Homeland secretary, but I don’t think he’ll take it. I don’t like Asa for this job. I believe a good replacement would be Lieberman, but I don’t think that’s going to happen either. What about McCain? Too “independent”? I do believe Frank Keating would be awesome, and I can’t imagine why he has not joined the administration already. An outside pick would be Tom Keating or Lee Hamilton.
Ohiorep, in my opinion, Michelle doesn’t have an axe to grind or a chip on her shoulder against Tom Ridge or anyone in particular. Nor does she have a thorn in her side or behind, or mission of each day is to hate someone. You have exaggerated your sentiment of Michelle to the degree that you have probably offended, including me, many Michelle “fans” by comparing her to Helen Thomas. Come on now, Helen Thomas? If there is a thorn somewhere in Michelle, it is the lax influx of illegal aliens constantly flowing into our borders (not just from the south), and the clear dangers that bring(in more ways than one) to our country. She is not against immagration. Legal immagration. But the inability or unwillingness of those who run the border controls, Secretary of H.S., and officials to tighten up the border for illegals frustrates her to no end. She has always been very vocal about this issue. Which I happen to agree. Aside from this issue, I think Tom Ridge has done an awesome job. Lets just hope his predecessor deals with this issue as strongly and boldly and thoroughly as Ridge has done to protect us in other ways.
My apologies to you Republican43ver and other Michelle fans. I said she reminded ME of Helen in her attitude. She is the antithesis of Helen in core beliefs, as far as I can tell.
I agree with you all regarding illegal immigration but can we realistically expect Tom Ridge to begin with brand new agency and stem a tide that has been running rampant for decades? At the same time discover and thwart the planned attacks on our Homeland?
As for her pessimism regarding Ridge’s replacement, I refer you to Matt’s post above.
My read on Michelle is that she is right on the money. Ridge, or anyone in the administration for that matter, has done precious little to get the flood of illegal aliens under control. Bush’s intention to legalize Mexican workers already in the country will never fly and the illegals will continue to flood into America even if some sort of “workers program” is established.
Before 9/11, it was more of an annoyance and drag on state and local resourses to deal with all those illegal aliens. Now, people with much more malevolent intentions are mixing in with the “workers” who infiltrate our borders at will. It must be stopped. Unfortunately, I don’t see the Bush administration doing anything about it. Either, apparently, does Michelle. This is and has been one of her sore spots and great frustrations. I agree with her.
I think Bernard Kerik would be a good replacement.