wow never thought that would happen 
CNN has confirmed that at 1 p.m. ET, Bush will announce Rumsfeld's resignation.
CNN has confirmed that at 1 p.m. ET, Bush will announce Rumsfeld's resignation.
Rumsfeld steps down...
- Thread starter shapeshifter
- Start date
GOP officials: Rumsfeld stepping down
POSTED: 1:06 p.m. EST, November 8, 2006
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, architect of an unpopular war in Iraq, intends to resign after six stormy years at the Pentagon, Republican officials said Wednesday.
Officials said Robert Gates, former head of the CIA, would replace Rumsfeld.
The development occurred one day after congressional elections that cost Republicans control of the House of Representatives, and possibly the Senate as well. Surveys of voters at polling places said opposition to the war was a significant contributor to the Democratic Party's victory.
President George W. Bush was expected to announce Rumsfeld's departure and Gates' nomination at a news conference. Administration officials notified congressional officials in advance.
POSTED: 1:06 p.m. EST, November 8, 2006
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, architect of an unpopular war in Iraq, intends to resign after six stormy years at the Pentagon, Republican officials said Wednesday.
Officials said Robert Gates, former head of the CIA, would replace Rumsfeld.
The development occurred one day after congressional elections that cost Republicans control of the House of Representatives, and possibly the Senate as well. Surveys of voters at polling places said opposition to the war was a significant contributor to the Democratic Party's victory.
President George W. Bush was expected to announce Rumsfeld's departure and Gates' nomination at a news conference. Administration officials notified congressional officials in advance.
He also announced Rummy's replacement today, so the obvious conclusion is he planned this for a while.
I am puzzled by the strategy. If 2 weeks ago W said, don't take your anger at me out on the congressmen and senators, it is me you are mad at and Rummy has resigned, the election may have turned out differently.
Mostly voters were against the GOP, the Iraq war specifically. They did not vote in favor of the DEMS the DEMS don't stand for anything. It was a message to the GOP to change their ways.
I am puzzled by the strategy. If 2 weeks ago W said, don't take your anger at me out on the congressmen and senators, it is me you are mad at and Rummy has resigned, the election may have turned out differently.
Mostly voters were against the GOP, the Iraq war specifically. They did not vote in favor of the DEMS the DEMS don't stand for anything. It was a message to the GOP to change their ways.
luckydog71 said:
I totally agree.
I think if Bush had done this weeks ago it might have made a difference, a lot of people were becoming more and more frustrated with Rumsfeld's handling of Iraq and Bush seemed to be stubbornly supporting him even though he was doing a lousy job.
To me this just confirms that Bush knew damn well that Rumsfeld needed to go but he would rather be stubborn and bull headed than bite the bullet and do the right thing.
I do believe Stompin' Tom Connors has the most suitable words for the departure of Rumsfeld, "goodbye rubberhead, so long boob, blow it out your inner tube."shapeshifter said:wow never thought that would happen
CNN has confirmed that at 1 p.m. ET, Bush will announce Rumsfeld's resignation.
yah i like how bush says its mostly his fault they lost the election. its ALL his fault they lost.
Bush is gone in two years anyway, so it's politic that he try to take the heat for the loss, and the reasons for that loss, away from his party to himself. In this way, the 2008 Republican Presidential candidate can put some distance away from Bush, and the Republican party can do the same... all to make a better run in the next election.planetsmurf said:
luckydog71 said:
GWBush is very loyal to those around him, that is just his style. If there is no reason to rock the boat, he will not. It is why he held onto Rumsfeld as long as he did. He fired him to save his political neck because he has 2 more years to go in his own party. It was the first series of gestures he is going to make to help increase his stature among fellow Republicans.
It is true what you say about the DEMS not standing for anything. They've had 5 years since 9/11 to create a vision, but have nothing. They are nothing and they will do nothing. All they will do is try to win the next election by bullshitting about who they are.
It's been long overdue canning Rumsfeld's ass.georgebushmoron said:
But for dubya, it is a day late and a dollar short.
Given the choice of voting Democrat or Republican this past Tuesday, I choose and vote for the lesser of the two evils, which is Democrat. Even if they don't do nothing, that is still better than being warmongers that want to invade other countries and establish so-called "democracies".georgebushmoron said:
DEMS don't do nothing? They raise taxes, cut the defense budget (see Clinton), increase welfare for the "bums", try to ban firearms ownership, get into "sex" scandals. Yep. DEMS are planning on doing something and they are gonna do something.
georgebushmoron said:
According to the White House spin doctor, Tony whatshisnamefromFox, this move apparently was planned weeks ago. He said no matter what the outcome of the elections on Tuesday, Rumsfeld was out. Of the boy reaches back to his daddy's era for another crony. Anyhow the damage is done, over 3,000 US troops are dead, +20,000 have been wounded, tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians are dead, and Iraq is subjected to a civil war. Getting rid of a miserable, conceited bastard the likes of Rummy won't change much. Anyhow the REAL goal should be impeaching Bush.
I love to see that. It can be a possibility with Majority Democrat congress.dirtydan said:
Shit... them 'publicans did the same shit to Clinton for banging Monica. So, it will be a great justice to give Dubya the same treatment for Iraq.
Like GBM said, DEMS are gonna do nothing.
Loyalty to one's friends is admirable, but his responsibility is to the nation. By choosing loyalty to his friend over the best interest of his country Bush dishonoured his nation and the men and women who put their lives in dangergeorgebushmoron said:
Their whole platform is "We aren't Bush". They have to do better than that.
Voters who supported the Dems were voting against Bush, not for the Dems.
Presumably having a significant role in sending thousands of American soldiers to their deaths, refusing to admit the current "strategy" (such as it is) needed some major revamping and pretty much implying that anyone who disagreed with him was a traitor do not qualify as reasons to rock the boat. Mind you, since Bush and Cheney were in lockstep with Rumsfeld on all three counts, I guess Bush's misguided sense of loyalty isn't surprising.georgebushmoron said:
He didn't fire Rumsfeld to save his political neck. After Tuesday's election results, he couldn't NOT fire Rumsfeld. He's a lame duck president who will spend the next two years vetoing legislation passed by the Democratic House and Senate. His political "currency" has all been spent and there's no political neck to save.
As to increasing his stature among fellow Republicans, I don't believe for a moment that he gives a rat's ass about that. When he's finished his term, he'll be on the lecture circuit within days of the new president being sworn in. He has never demonstrated a talent at any business endeavour he's attempted up to this point and you can be damn sure it won't even cross his mind to do something altruistic like devote some of his time to working for Habitat For Humanity (a la Jimmy Carter) or get involved in calling attention to the plight of the less fortunate (like his father and Bill Clinton). After that useless twit Gerald Ford left office, he was never seen doing much beyond golfing and putting in well paid appearances on the lecture circuit. That is precisely the path George Walker Bush will follow when his time in the White House is done. His "legacy" will be to be regarded as one of the three or four worst presidents in American history.
Do you really think he would be popular on the lecture circuit? Unlike, say Bill Clinton, he doesn't have any verbal skills.
As to his place in history, he stated long ago that he didn't care. I don't imagine he has a concept of history -- obtaining one would require books and education and such.
As to his place in history, he stated long ago that he didn't care. I don't imagine he has a concept of history -- obtaining one would require books and education and such.
As astonishing as the concept seems to me, some people will actually pay good money just to be in a room with a former U.S. president. I agree that GWB is totally lacking in verbal skills but if a venue has a teleprompter and he's working from a prepared speech that he will give over and over and over, he probably could make a decent living on the lecture circuit. He just has to make sure the audience is not permitted to pose questions. That would force him to be spontaneous (in other words, come across as sub-literate). If he starts practicing right now, he might even be able to pronounce "nuclear" correctly by the time January, 2009 rolls around.HankQuinlan said:
History? He don't need no stinking history!! He talks directly to the almighty, don't forget.
Clinton got impeached in the House because he lied about some chick sucking his cock. He was so stupid to let Monica seduce him but impeacement for that, WTF!
Now Bush has fucked the entire world with his messy little war in Iraq, chasing after Saddam instead of finishing off Osama in Afganistan. So now the American boys are in a shooting gallery and civil war is all but completely broken out. And the world is safer for all of this? The Muslim extremists couldn't be happier... they are on the news every night, the 'net is full of stuff on them, and nut-case recruits from all over the planet just keep on coming to their 'cause'.
Then there's the torture stuff, detention without cause, illegal taps, and the list is much longer than that... and this is America!
It would have been so much better if it were only that some broad sucked his cock and all this other shit never happened!
Impeach Bush and prosecute him along with Cheney, Rumsfeld and Ashcroft.
Now Bush has fucked the entire world with his messy little war in Iraq, chasing after Saddam instead of finishing off Osama in Afganistan. So now the American boys are in a shooting gallery and civil war is all but completely broken out. And the world is safer for all of this? The Muslim extremists couldn't be happier... they are on the news every night, the 'net is full of stuff on them, and nut-case recruits from all over the planet just keep on coming to their 'cause'.
Then there's the torture stuff, detention without cause, illegal taps, and the list is much longer than that... and this is America!
It would have been so much better if it were only that some broad sucked his cock and all this other shit never happened!
Impeach Bush and prosecute him along with Cheney, Rumsfeld and Ashcroft.
