Leading off in the “It’s about time” division…At a morning press conference, Bush announced that Donald Rumsfeld stepped aside as Secretary of Defense on Wednesday.
Asked whether his announcement signaled a new direction in the war that has claimed the lives of more than 2,800 U.S. troops, Bush said, “Well, there’s certainly going to be new leadership at the Pentagon.”
You think we might need that? What tipped you off?
Former CIA director Robert Gates has been tabbed for the position.
1
By PHS
Ding Dong the Wicked Witch is Dead!
He’s Gone Where the ol’ D.O.D. goblins go…
Below, below, below…
November 9, 2006 @ 3:41 am | Comment
2
By Keir
Wonderful news to wake up to….
November 9, 2006 @ 6:11 am | Comment
3
By Fergus
Beaudiful news!
Everything hinging on Virginia now…
November 9, 2006 @ 6:37 am | Comment
4
By the Admiral
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!
November 9, 2006 @ 8:10 am | Comment
5
By Ivan
Now if only he would take that other War-Crime-Cheerleader, Thomas Friedman, with him.
November 9, 2006 @ 8:41 am | Comment
6
By Shanghai Slim
I bet this morning, in the Rumsfeld residence, the usual “fiddle-dee-dee”, “my goodness gracious” and “gee willikers” have been replaced with “Mother f*ckers!”.
Too much shock and awe, Rumsfeld cut and ran. Maybe now he can spend some time at Arlington Cemetary tending fresh graves.
Arrogant b*stard. See ya, Rummy!
November 9, 2006 @ 10:15 am | Comment
7
By davesgonechina
I think Virginia is going to be Democrat. According to the NYT, Virginia recounts rarely yield a different result, the electronic voting machines can only reprint what they already have, and one of Allen’s advisors says he’ll likely concede.
It’d be a smart move; Allen would regain some statesman points, avoid looking like a recount pest, distance himself from Bush and possibly resuscitate his chances at an ’08 run. Why waste depleted political capital saving the last presidents butt when you can pull yourself out of the macaca muck a little to have a shot at being the next president? It starts him on the right foot for two years of reinvention.
November 9, 2006 @ 10:42 am | Comment
8
By otherlisa
AP and NBC News have called it for Allen. Apparently Allen is not inclined to seek a recount if the auditing shows the vote gap anywhere close to what it is now (some 7000 votes).
November 9, 2006 @ 10:43 am | Comment
9
By davesgonechina
@Otherlisa: called it for Webb, you mean. It’s the only smart move for him.
The other thing that will come out of this, funny enough, is a Republican push for action on crappy electronic voting machines. I expect we’ll see Congress address this in its first session. Hopefully they won’t be stupid about it, but I’m holding my breath.
Oh, and if you go to Michelle Malkin, she’s weeping about a minimum wage hike. The horrors!
November 9, 2006 @ 11:00 am | Comment
10
By davesgonechina
By the way, Shenzhen is beautiful today… if anybody is around to hang out, drop me a line at my handle @ yahoo.
November 9, 2006 @ 11:02 am | Comment
11
By OtherLisa
Yes – EEK – Webb! Not Allen! Typing before engaging brain = bad.
November 9, 2006 @ 2:33 pm | Comment
12
By Raj
Aww, I like Rumsfeld. Not for his politics, but because you could call the SoS for Defence “Rummy”.
On a serious note, the guy deserved to go. Went into Iraq without a real plan – what a fool!
November 9, 2006 @ 7:39 pm | Comment
13
By Ames Tiedeman
Change can be good. This is a good change..
November 10, 2006 @ 8:46 am | Comment