Andrew Hill Card Jr

Card

Andrew Hill Card Jr. (born May 10, 1947) is an American businessman and advisor and currently serves as President George W. Bush's Chief of Staff. He helps President Bush make many of his policy decisions and manages the daily operations of the White House staff. A native of Holbrook, Massachusetts, Andy and his wife Kathleene have three children and four grandchildren.

Mr. Card graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. He attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Unlike previous Chiefs of Staff, he is not a high-profile or politically controversial figure. Card helped run President Bush's presidential transition team both before and after his inauguration. Following his reelection victory in 2004, President Bush reappointed Card as White House Chief of Staff.

Card got his start in politics serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1975-1983. He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Governor of Massachusetts in 1982.

From 1988 to 1992, Card served in President Bush's administration as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff. Card served in President Ronald Reagan's administration as Special Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and subsequently as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, where he was liaison to governors, statewide elected officials, state legislators, mayors and other elected officials.

From 1992 until 1993, Card served as the 11th U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President George H. W. Bush. In August 1992, at the request of President Bush, Secretary Card coordinated the administration's disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Andrew. Later that year, Secretary Card directed President Bush's transition office during the transition from the Bush Administration to the Clinton Administration.

From 1999 until his selection as President Bush's Chief of Staff, Mr. Card was General Motors' Vice President of Government Relations. Card directed the company's international, national, state and local government affairs activities and represented GM on matters of public policy before Congress and the Administration.

From 1993 to 1998, Card was President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA), the trade association whose members were Chrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation. The AAMA dissolved in December 1998.


Andy Card informs President Bush about 9/11On September 11, 2001, it was Card who whispered in Bush's ear while the president was conducting an education event at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Fla. that terrorists had attacked the United States. People most remember Card for this action.

As White House Chief of Staff, Card was informed by then White House counsel Alberto Gonzales around 8:00 PM on September 29, 2003, that the Department of Justice was beginning an investigation of the Plame affair, and that the next morning, Gonzalez would order the White House staff to preserve all documents which may be related to the case. Gonzalez has stated that he did not send the order to the staff because of the lateness of the hour, but speculation has suggested that he notified Card in order to give him a twelve hour head start before destroying any incriminating documents would be prohibited.[1]