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speechlesstx · Aug 16, 2007, 08:01 AM

It's now come out that Bush withheld Rumsfeld's resignation until the day after the election last year:

The White House confirmed on Wednesday that Rumsfeld's letter of resignation was dated Nov. 6, 2006, the day before voters -- many of them furious about the war in Iraq -- evicted Republicans from the leadership of the House and Senate.

Specter seems to think it would made the difference had he announced this on election day, "If Rumsfeld had been out, you bet it would have made a difference," Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) said at the time. "I'd still be chairman of the Judiciary Committee."

Maybe, maybe not. Bush's reasoning he said was, "I didn't want to inject a major decision about this war in the final days of a campaign." Imagine that, he didn't want to play politics on the day of the election. I can respect that and I believe it speaks highly of the man he really is, not the man he is portrayed to be. Would it have been enough to make the difference though?

And speaking of the resignation, this little AP blurb was in my paper today exactly as shown:

The word "Iraq" doesn't appear in former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation letter. Neither does the word "war." In fact, the deadly and much-criticized conflict that eventually drummed him out of office, comes up only in vague references, such as "a critical time in our history" and "challenging time for our country," in the four-paragraph, 148-word letter he wrote to President Bush a day before the Nov. 7, 2006 election.

Why is that significant? Besides the AP, Katie Couric sure seemed to think it was significant. Geez, you'd think the left would just be thrilled Rumsfeld was gone, should he now be crucified again for not writing his resignation properly? Did he leave without sufficient self-flagellation, wailing and gnashing of teeth over his sins?

tomder55 · Aug 16, 2007, 08:31 AM

I for one was critical of the move. Rummy was such a controversial figure that if he was going to quit anyway it should've been the October Surprise. I recall being angry over the issue. In fact ;I posted this on AW

Question Details Asked Of Asked On
Government/Politics
Goodby Rummy
Public Board 11/08/06
it's a little too late to fall on your sword but I for one wish to thank him for a lifetime of service to the country .I think the military should continue his transformation program.

Now Bush nominated Robert Gates for SECDEF another one of daddy's boys. What should be interesting is how the Dems conduct the confirmation hearing . This is a guy who decided not to take the DCI job because his nomination hearing would've become a circus because of his role in Iran/Contra . Independent Counsel Lawrence E. Walsh determined that Gates' Iran/contra activities and testimony did not warrant prosecution.

He has been serving as President of Texas A&M .

Yes indeed ;two years of endless investigations and hearings.. It will be better than reality TV.

GoldieMae · Aug 16, 2007, 08:38 AM

Specter just has sour grapes. He's not much of a Republican anyway. I care very little for the speculation of the Network Cheerleader or the AP.

I don't think announcing Rumsfeld's resignation would have changed the outcome of the elections last year. Specter is just looking for someone to blame, and Rummy makes an easy target.

tomder55 · Aug 16, 2007, 08:46 AM

Specter is just looking for someone to blame

True . I bet the President is just thrilled he went out of his way to campaign for him in the Penn. Republican primaries. But stranger was his support for Lincoln Chafee .

speechlesstx · Aug 16, 2007, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by tomder55

I for one was critical of the move. Rummy was such a controversial figure that if he was going to quit anyway it should've been the October Suprise. I recall being angry over the issue. In fact ;I posted this on AW

I agree with you there, he should have done so sooner if he was going to quit. Whether it would have made the difference I don't know. Seems I recall the GOP candidates had already distanced themselves from Bush and I bet the Dems would have made a bigger case out of him quitting than staying.

Dark_crow · Aug 16, 2007, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by speechlesstx

It's now come out that Bush withheld Rumsfeld's resignation until the day after the election last year:

It is presumptuous to believe that Bush read the letter the same day it was dated. That said, it would be naïve to believe that the two had not discussed this at least once, and more likely on more than one occasion.

Whatever the reason, I feel confident that the whole thing was staged for whatever reason they undoubtedly agreed on.