Lather, Reince, repeat

As the White House walls drip with mud if not blood, in steps a respected adult, retired Gen. John Kelly, with a sponge and, presumably, the mission of bringing some semblance of order to the madhouse. Long are the odds that the decorated military man turned Homeland Security secretary turned chief of staff to the President can pull off this particular mission.

That’s not because of any deficiencies in Kelly’s abilities or resume, but because the place — where impossible personalities and competing power centers exist, apparently by President Trump’s design — may be fundamentally unmanageable.

Kelly arrives as GOP political operative Reince Priebus exits, kneecapped in a borderline bonkers campaign by new communications director Anthony Scaramucci.

It was Scaramucci, bragging of his ability to fire whoever he wanted, accused Priebus of orchestrating an array of leaks and even said he sicced the FBI on his erstwhile colleague.

Before Scaramucci embarrassed himself but impressed Trump by unleashing strings of expletives about Priebus and Steve Bannon, he made clear — er, boasted — that he reported directly to the President.

So, by the way, does Dan Scavino, the White House’s director of social media.

Then there’s chief strategist Bannon, always hungry to advance his nationalist agenda, competing daily for the President’s ear.

And the President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who’s in charge of almost everything. And his daughter, Ivanka Trump, who always has his ear.

All White Houses have rivalries, and all have ambitious professionals who see the world differently from one another. None in memory have been defined by chaos. This is a sprawling organization at the top of which is a President who takes no direction, shows no discipline, demands total loyalty, gives none in return and seems to revel in the constantly spinning tornado that is his administration.

Say a prayer for John Kelly.