The Washington Post says: "President Bush said Wednesday Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is stepping down and former CIA Director Robert Gates will take over at the Pentagon and in prosecuting the war in Iraq."
Blogosphere response is predictably funny:
Commenter Gary Marks on Dvorak: "I think maybe Rumsfeld misunderstood. He’s not supposed to figuratively “fall on his sword,” he’s supposed to literally fall on his freakin’ sword!"
Doc Searles has a big grin
:
Comments from MetaFilter:
"This is too much good news for one day... can't we spread it out a little?"
"But why will changing the captain on the Titanic effect the coal fire in the hold and the iceburg which has ripped a hole in the side of the ship?"
"I read that Cheney was hunting quail again yesterday. I figured this little problem was going to be taken care of quietly down by the river."
Commenters on Little Green Footballs are less than happy:
" The MSM hated Rummy; that's why I loved the guy. Our loss. Terror scores again."
" So now we become the appeasement party. Nice."
"Considering the new House majority, this seems like a clever pre-emptive move. A big fat target has just been taken away from the Dems."
What I find interesting about the whole story, is that it seems like Rumsfeld was called into the Oval Office and was given his walking papers handed in his resignation in a sudden move:
Comments from MetaFilter:
"This is too much good news for one day... can't we spread it out a little?"
"But why will changing the captain on the Titanic effect the coal fire in the hold and the iceburg which has ripped a hole in the side of the ship?"
"I read that Cheney was hunting quail again yesterday. I figured this little problem was going to be taken care of quietly down by the river."
Commenters on Little Green Footballs are less than happy:
" The MSM hated Rummy; that's why I loved the guy. Our loss. Terror scores again."" So now we become the appeasement party. Nice."
"Considering the new House majority, this seems like a clever pre-emptive move. A big fat target has just been taken away from the Dems."
What I find interesting about the whole story, is that it seems like Rumsfeld was called into the Oval Office and was given his walking papers handed in his resignation in a sudden move:
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, a key target of Iraq war critics, gave no indication Wednesday that he planned to step down in the wake of Democratic midterm election gains, his chief spokesman said.
Eric Ruff, the Pentagon press secretary, said he participated in meetings with Rumsfeld on Wednesday morning and heard no talk of changing war strategies or of Rumsfeld leaving his post.
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