On July 22, 2003, Deputy National Security Advisor Steve “Hadley drafted a statement that acknowledged the earlier cautions from CIA [about claiming Iraq tried to obtain uranium from Africa], assumed full personal responsibility for allowing the sixteen words into the [January 28, 2003] State of the Union, and then tendered his resignation. Showing the statement to President Bush, he argued that good relations with the CIA were at risk and that an act of accountability was necessary. …Hadley felt that unless he…took responsibility and resigned, [CIA Director George] Tenet might come under congressional pressure to go, and Hadley wanted to avoid this. …Bush agreed to Hadley’s making a statement taking some responsibility for the sixteen words, but rejected his resignation.”
– Karl Rove, Courage and Consequence, Pages 326-327