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US President George W Bush pushed out Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and top economic adviser Lawrence Lindsey on Friday, launching the first shake-up of his administration to tackle the ailing economy before the 2004 election campaign.
O'Neill's resignation, in a curt letter, closed a two-year tenure marked by ill-timed comments and criticism of the former industrialist's ability to be the chief spokesman for the world's richest economy at a time when it is struggling.
It also came as the Bush administration is preparing a package of stimulus
measures to boost activity, something the White House worried O'Neill might
not have the clout to sell to lawmakers with whom he had crossed swords in the past. A new Congress will be seated in January and the stimulus package is a top priority for the Bush White House.