[PzLdr]

I'm not sure. Firing Rumsfeld last year - maybe. But Aug. or Sep. would have been seen as an admission the Dems were right, or as a panic move. what he SHOULDN'T have done was fire him within two weeks of saying he wanted him on for the long haul. Ran up the white flag [although he'd already done that when he put James "Metternich" Baker, the 'pragmatist" weenie of Bush 41 fame in charge of his Iraq recommendation committee].

[gogogodzilla]

Why do you care what the Democrats would have thought of a Rumsfield resignation in August or September?

Do you think that they really were planning to vote Republican and that the resignation would jeopardize that?

You have to motivate those who actually might vote your way, not those who never will.

And having Rumsfield resign 5-6 months ago would have motivated those more concerned with the WOT.