Hours after word went out in official in Washington Sunday night that Kellyanne Conway would soon leave her position as White House counselor, pundits and politicians scrambled to find a precedent.
The first woman to manage a winning presidential campaign and easily one of President Donald Trump’s closest advisors — and spirited defenders — Conway announced that she was leaving the administration to devote more time to her four children.
There would now be “less drama and more Mama” in their lives, went her brief statement.
It is difficult in modern history to find someone so close to a president leave so suddenly on the eve of his renomination by the party’s national convention.
“The closest thing I can think of is [Clinton advisor] Dick Morris, who as the [1996 Democratic National] convention began let a prostitute listen in on his calls with President [Bill] Clinton from the Jefferson Hotel,” said Chris Whipple, author of the much-acclaimed book “The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency.”
“Kellyanne may think she’s got drama, but not that much,” he added.
Conway’s exodus came as a complete surprise to White House reporters, who noted her fighting tone and anticipation of the Republican National Convention during a briefing in the White House's driveway on Friday.
Conway is scheduled to speak at the convention, but now that is uncertain.
The “drama” she mentioned almost certainly refers to her husband, attorney George Conway, who has been a vigorous critic of Trump while Kellyanne was defending him. George announced Friday he was taking a leave from the anti-Trump independent expenditure known as the Lincoln Project.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.