On TPM: Why Bush does not want to get rid of Rumsfeld.

[LittleApple81]

May 06, 2004 -- 01:41 PM EDT
There's a rush of new articles out this afternoon which, at first blush, make me think Don Rumsfeld is finished.

snip...

Let's say Rumsfeld resigns on Friday. The election is still six months away. And the nation is at war. So a new Defense Secretary would be needed more or less immediately. That would open up a very uncomfortable prospect for the administration.

Confirmation hearings for a new Sec Def would, I think, inevitably turn into a national forum for discussing the management of the Pentagon, the planning for the war and the lack of planning for the occupation. The new nominee would be drawn into all sorts of uncomfortble public second-guessing of what's happened up until this point. Sure, that's stuff under Rumsfeld. But, really, it's stuff under Bush -- the civilian head of the United States military.

That, I have to imagine, is something the White House would like to avoid at any cost.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/

[gmoney]

1. A client of mine knows a guy who knows a guy...

who says that if Rummy is pushed out, he'll spill SO much dirt on the Administration that it'll make Richard Clarke sound like Karen Hughes.

[yardwork]

3. Oh please oh please oh please oh please......

Sooner or later these rats will turn on one another, and what a spate of tell-all books that is going to be!

[Nlighten1]

8. I doubt it.

If he spills he goes down with the ship. If he keeps quiet EVERYTHING will blow over just like Iran-Contra did.

[PaDUer]

9. Who will be the replacement?

Armittage??!!

[frank frankly]

2. I think it will depend on the next week and, ugh, the media...

If anybody reports about Operation Manhunter or the fact Bush knew about this for months, then they will have to throw away Rummy.

I agree that with TPM completely, though. It will be a disaster for BushCo to have to find some sucker to be in charge of DOD.

[PATRICK]

4. Inflexible reflex

in imitation of Reagan perhaps and desperate not to violate yet another of his few principles.

But hypocrisy and self preservation will always win. It will be despicably too late were not the media ready to forgive him anything.

[mn9driver]

5. Rummy is an integral part of the "team".

There is no way Bush will cut him loose. A tragic car crash or heart attack is more likely (only half kidding here). Make no mistake though, there WILL be scapegoats hung for this--just not on the "team".

[Stirling Newberry]

6. This is exactly

why we want to put pressure on him to resign. Not because he will, but because people will realize that the Donald is a dead duck.

[Failure]

7. Not the Bush M.O. they protect their own...if you toe the line (nt)