MSNBC is reporting that Bush's chief speechwriter, Michael Gerson, is leaving:

Michael Gerson, Bush's chief speechwriter, who has helped craft nearly every one of Bush's speeches during his first term, is leaving his job. Gerson is expected to move into the policy arena and be replaced as head speechwriter by Wall Street Journal editorial-page writer William McGurn. Gerson's job change cements the breakup of Bush's speechwriting team that included deputies John McConnell and Matthew Scully.

That is really too bad. Though I don't know much about Gerson, I always found the Bush speeches to be quite well written. He was a darn talented man.

I don't know how this is going to affect the White House message, but my guess would be that religion won't play such an important role of the speeches (which is a welcome change to me, as I am not exactly religious). Gerson was a Christian evangelical and a theology student; though I don't know as much about McGurn, my guess is that he didn't have quite such a religious upbringing.