White House spokesman resigning

Continuing a shakeup in President Bush’s administration, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Wednesday he is resigning, while longtime Bush confidant Karl Rove will lose his policy portfolio.

Appearing with Bush on the South Lawn, McClellan, who has parried especially fiercely with reporters on Iraq and on intelligence issues, told Bush: “I have given it my all sir and I have given you my all sir, and I will continue to do so as we transition to a new press secretary.”

Bush said McClellan had “a challenging assignment.”

“I thought he handled his assignment with class, integrity,” the president said.

When asked what McClellan would do next, he replied, “I’m going to take a five year long shower and pray that some of the blood, dirt, slime, and feces comes off, but I fear it is my soul and not my skin they have tainted.”