From the bowels of the right wing organ Insight Magazine (a Moonie Times production) comes a story about the latest people calling for Rumsfeld’s resignation: GOP Congressional Leaders . . .
Several prominent Republicans in the House and Senate have urged President Bush to replace Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as part of an administration shakeup.
GOP sources said many in the congressional leadership have warned that growing opposition against Mr. Rumsfeld could result in the loss of the Republican Party’s majority in the 2006 elections. They said Mr. Rumsfeld has become the lightning rod for the public discontent with the administration.
“The leadership wants a sacrifice to show the American people that the president is listening to them on Iraq,” a leadership source said. “The most obvious choice is Rumsfeld.”
The sources reported increasing estrangement between Mr. Rumsfeld and most of the GOP leadership. They said the defense secretary has been blamed for the rising casualties in Iraq, the huge budget deficit as well as deteriorating relations with Congress.
So, what’s got Bush’s Congressional lapdogs all in a tither? Could it have something to do with the coming election, perchance?
A leading critic of Mr. Rumsfeld has been Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John Warner, Virginia Republican. Mr. Warner has refused to come to Mr. Rumsfeld’s defense and a spokesman said it was up to Mr. Bush to decide whether the defense secretary continues in his post. […]
Sources close to the GOP leadership said Mr. Rumsfeld would certainly be a key issue in the congressional campaign. They said Democrats would cite criticism by retired generals of Mr. Rumsfeld’s handling of the Iraq war.
Duh. If I were them I’d be a tad concerned too.
So, do you think this means that Bush will finally make Rummy walk the plank? Well, think again. Bush is nothing if not blindly stubborn (or maybe he fears what Rummy may have to say if he ever becomes an outsider):
But the sources said the White House plans to hold on to Mr. Rumsfeld despite the pressure from the leadership. They said Mr. Bush feels that kicking out Mr. Rumsfeld would mean “open season” on the administration.
If only we could trust the Democrats to know how to take of advantage of the GOP’s obvious disarray. After all, we saw similar concerns back in the Spring of 2004 with the torture scandal, yet come November somehow the evil empire pulled out another elctoral victory by hook or by crook.
I’d like to believe this time will be different.
Not a chance. That petulant boy will not be moved. Don’t hold your breath waiting for george to do the right thing.
I am celebrating each display of his uselessness – the pile is growing and getting really smelly, to the point where it cannot be ignored any longer.
Bush 41 has never liked Rumsfield and probably Jr. is afraid his dad will say “I told you so” if he is forced to fire Rumsfield. As we know Jr will do anything if he thinks it will make his administration “stronger” than his father’s. He can’t go back on any decision – like his father did. No sir – no compromise at all. We never hear about Bush 41 and Barbara visiting the White House, do we?
They said Mr. Bush feels that kicking out Mr. Rumsfeld would mean “open season” on the administration.
What, like it isn’t already? Get that cover off the barrel of fish and hand us some rifles.
That is the only thing that makes sense!
Only in the mind of a republican could such a meaningless gesture save them from the onus that they have enabled everything this administration has done in partisan lockstep.
This is almost as sorry as Bolten’s 5 Step Program that Boo posted yesterday.
Hoping, let alone believing, that the d’s will finally grow a pair, after having relinquished their constitutional responsibilities for the past 5 1/2 yrs., and call them out on all their egregious duplicity is almost beyond my ability at this point in time.
Once again, it appears that the centrist d’s, with their cowardly pandering, will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Peace
OK, Rummy goes, now what? Does anyone think that this will change the policy in Iraq. This is just political theater, unless a new approach to the entire middle east is presented at the same time.
Saber rattling over Iran seems to indicate that a new policy direction is not in the cards. Leave the boat anchor around Bush’s neck.
Bush is in free fall. New CNN poll has Bush at 32%
But I doubt he’ll succumb to pressure since he only listens to one father.
Defending Rummy, Bush told a business group in Georgia how God shapes his foreign policy.
All is well, mistakes were made, troop level is hunky and tickety boo..
We are in deep doo. This guy IS such a moron, he continues to believe his own lies. Get this,
Help. Really does Bush make any sense at all? I don’t think I can take close to 3 more years of this administration.
Pass the popcorn please!
I would love to know how deep this goes in the GOP congressional leadership. Any further details available??
Thinkprogress provides a link The Senate Armed Services Committee will vote on Hillary’s call for taking testimony from the 6 Generals who called on Rummy to resign
BTW, the 8th General, Ret. Marine General Paul Van Riper is on tap.. calling for Rummy to go.
Do we have enough players for a baseball team?
Words fail.
I haven’t seen a thing re: his sharing their viewpoint or not.
The only way Bush will dump Rumsfeld is if the people he takes direction from are changed. As long as Cheney’s office controls Bush Rumsfeld will remain. If someone clever manages to get Bush to understand that Cheney & Co pose the single greatest threat to him being able to achieve the grandiose legacy he wants for himself as a great president, then he’ll stop taking orders from Cheney and Rumsfeld will be dumped in a heartbeat.
In any case, the self-serving cowards and hypocrites in congress will have nothing to do with any such changes in executive personnel, nor will they play any meaningful role in altering Bush regime policy vis a vis Iraq and the broader war agenda.