GOP officials: Rumsfeld stepping down
November 8th, 2006
MSNBC just flashed on their web site that according to the Associated Press, the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, is stepping down.
The copy reads:
Defense chief has been a prime target of war critics in midterm elections
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, a key target of Iraq war critics, is stepping down, Republican officials said on Wednesday.
And that is all that was reported – at this time…
In spite of what I wrote in The Tentacle today, “Rumsfeld must stay” – Secretary Rumsfeld, our 21st Secretary of Defense, stepping down is the right thing to do in light of the results of yesterday’s elections.
Word is that Dr. Robert Michael Gates has been recess-appointed to take Secretary Rumsfeld’s place.
It would appear that the Bush administration did their homework in anticipation to yesterday’s elections as this has all transpired less than 24 hours since the election results.
Hopefully it will be accepted as an olive branch to the Democrats who were so victorious in the mid-terms…
It is also smart politics for President George W. Bush. The president now needs to work with the Democratic majority in Congress and hanging to Secretary Rumsfeld would just be an albatross around the Bush Administration’s neck.
Given what Bush said in his press conference earlier today, it actually seems Mr. Rumsfeld's departure was arranged some time last week, but Bush didn't want to drop that on the end of the election
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