[chief911]

Maybe I'm wrong, but why wait until the day AFTER the election to quit? He's been under just as much pressure for the last year. If he thought it was time to go he should have gone 6 months ago when it could have at least blunted some of the Dem anti-war election effort and allowed a replacement with a GOP Senate. I agree they would have hounded him for the next 2 years, but, I think this makes him look weak and not up for the fight. It also lets the Dems use their see-I-told-you-so tone of voice. I know nothing of Gates, but just don't see him standing up to anyone like Rumsfeld did.

[tonycavanagh]

re :I know nothing of Gates, but just don't see him standing up to anyone like Rumsfeld did.

Standing up to whom, the terrorist or his own military advisors.

[saveliberty]

I need to find the link. Apparently there was a review internally, headed by Baker and Rummy was going to get beat up (because he tried to restructure the Pentagon).

Back soon

[CheyennePress]

"Maybe I'm wrong, but why wait until the day AFTER the election to quit?"

President Bush said the two reached the decision jointly some time ago. They didn't want the troops in Iraq to think that leadership would sway for political gain, so Bush kept Rumsfeld on board (likely to the detriment to the Republicans) until after the elections.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Maybe I'm wrong, but why wait until the day AFTER the election to quit?

The real question is, why wait until to the day after the election to accept a year-old offer to resign? I really doubt Rumsfeld "quit".

[gotribe]

Exactly. This is a major blunder by Bush. Instead it looks like a sacrificial peace offering to the dems. Bush is slow on the draw -- borders, granny for supreme court, energy policy....

[NonValueAdded]

when it could have at least blunted some of the Dem anti-war election effort

No, it wouldn't blunt a thing. When has an admission of a mistake or an apology EVER satisfied the libs? NEVER! The would have tripled their effort, crowing that "they were right" and that Bush was admitting failure ... it is super easy to imaging the never-ending news stories that would have come out. Then there would be the confirmation hearings for his replacement that would have turned into a show trial that dragged on for a month or so. All of the truth that came out in those hearings would not make the evening news, only the Chuckie Schumer sound bites along with the usual suspects. The Peace Mom too. We'd STILL be heating it.

Appeasement NEVER works. EVER!

[saveliberty]

Got it.

Cursor down. Gates worked with Baker on a study to make recommendations about Iraq. This gives Rummy two months to escape the criticism.

I am with the Vice President. Rummy was excellent and should have been encouraged to stay. Gates was not an inspired choice. Iran Contra is back. :-(

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,228173,00.html

[A WASP]

Maybe I'm wrong, but why wait until the day AFTER the election to quit?

I agree. It looked as though he got "taken out to the woodshed." To me, to dismiss Rummy at this time, looked like the most humiliating way to be "thrown overboard."

[RetSignman]

[I think this makes him look weak and not up for the fight]

Weak? For the love of God, he is 74 years old and already has been drawn and quartered by democrats and the press on a daily basis since he has been Secretary of Defense. He deserves to retire in peace and should be getting accolades from the nation, he has served.

[NonValueAdded]

And from the SecDef himself:

"ALR: Political Jujitsu? I'm sorry Mr. Secretary but I don't follow you.

Rummy: Nobody saw this move coming yesterday. Nobody was prepared. It was a brilliant shifting of weight. Yesterday was supposed to be the Democrats big day. They were all going to wear new suits and dresses and give speeches congratulating themselves and talking about how they were going to fix the country. Instead all the news programs spent that time speaking about my resignation and today all the print media will be talking about me and my successor. The Democrats can't even complain because they have been practically begging for my resignation. By the time this dies down - nobody will want to look at their new suits or pretty dresses and they sure won't want to hear their flowery speeches because the time would have been well past that. The bonus is that the Main Stream Media doesn't even see how they were used. Brilliant move by the President."

Ah, and to think I lost faith there for a moment.