I have a feeling Rumsfeld is a much nicer person than Henry K. Did you know after the Pentagon was hit on 911 he rushed outside and tried to help rescue people? I can't quite see Henry bothering with the riff-raff.
(My mother likes Rumsfeld so much she taped the CNN interview!)
I also think part of this is that for 8 years we have listened to the boring platitudes of the Clintonistas. How often have we hungered for someone to speak plainly?
It is also a large component of President Bush's popularity, and Vice President Cheney's as well. The public responds to statements like "hogwash" or "smoke 'em out of their holes." They like leaders who lead and speak everyday English. Rumsfeld is quite blunt, and it is a joy to watch the press corps fold under his attack. Ha!
He is a babe magnet to me-53yrs and to my Polish housekeeper,42yrs and to my oldest daughter 32yrs!