Posted on 01/09/2005 10:15:43 PM PST by Former Military Chick
Defense officials say that the Donald H. Rumsfeld-John McCain relationship, never the closest or friendliest, really soured at a private meeting the two had last summer.
The strong-willed defense secretary and the equally hard-nosed Republican senator from Arizona, both ex-Navy pilots and hawks on Iraq, were supposed to make peace over two nagging issues.
Mr. McCain did not believe Mr. Rumsfeld was adequately paying attention to, or disclosing information about, the Boeing tanker lease scandal; Mr. Rumsfeld wanted Mr. McCain to lift his opposition to several Pentagon nominations bogged down in the Senate.
Rather than serving as a peacemaker, the meeting turned into a frank exchange of views that left both men bitter toward the other, according to two defense sources who were briefed later.
"It went very badly," said one source. "Rumsfeld brought over McCain to schmooze him. It didn't work."
The sources differed on the exact wording, but they agreed that when Mr. Rumsfeld was unable to persuade the Arizona Republican to let the nominees go forward, he suggested the senator, a prisoner of war in Vietnam, was hurting the war effort.
"This is when McCain just about climbed over the table," one source said.
A spokeswoman for the senator did not return phone messages.
The two men, who share a penchant for blunt talk, had not gotten along well before the meetings. But defense and congressional aides say the relationship worsened afterward, with the senator dug in even harder on blocking the nominees.
The Bush administration and the Pentagon are becoming increasingly concerned about avoiding a repeat of what they dub the "McCain effect" in 2005, because Mr. Rumsfeld plans this year to restock his senior offices and needs the approval of the Senate -- thus Mr. McCain.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
I do love Rummy! How many others would have the guts to say that to General McCain's face?
Temper Temper Temper
Oh and nice of McCain to block appointments .. NOT!
Putting this on a personal level, if that is what this has become, serves no good purpose for anyone, especially the country and the Services. Get your acts together boys, your bigger than this, do your duty!!
*L* Yep
I would have loved to seen the exchange of words they had :0)
Disgusting.
I am not! I was just reading the articles.
LOL!
Hey you!
Happy New Year, Tex.
Would somebody please put some tranquilizers in McCain's water? I'm beginning to think that guys ego has way overrun his love for this country. Blocking nomination to the Pentagon are so far out of line I can hardly believe it.
Back at ya. LOL
Senator John McEgo (R-AZ)
I worked for him for a very short while and my impression of him was of an empty suit.
Really?! But even empty suits have egos...
I don't know how that guy keeps from busting a blood vessel in his brain.
Of course McCain is hurting the war effort .. he's siding with the dems who are against the war. I know he usually votes very conservative, but these actions and smarmy comments about Bush and Rumsfeld are uncalled for.
McCain should have backed down. He strikes me as the most expendable man in this equation.
Why isn't anyone praising Rumsfeld's reforms for the ability of the US military to respond so fast to the Tsunami victims?
It won't be long, before we all learn what it is that torments McInsane..
The Senator was far too friendly with his Communist former tormentors during Senate hearings into Vietnam's record on revealing all they knew about our MIAs/POWs -- and far too dismissive of the families whose loved ones have not yet been accounted for...
I have long suspected that McInsane has much to hide -- and that there must be a reason he is close to the other phoney: Kerry, the traitor..
Semper Fi
I think it's time for the McCain recall to be revived.
He needs to be kept so busy hanging onto his senate seat that he doesn't have time to interfere with people who have real work to do.
All the more reason to dump McCain. Any jackass who puts his personal grudges ahead of doing his job needs to get fired pretty damned pronto.
And people actually want this RINO dope to run for President? Lord have mercy!
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