An interesting read... :: Free Realms

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#1 Oct 02 2006 at 9:02 AM Rating: Good

__DEL__1695601009560

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18,463 posts

...if a little on the long side, by 1/2 the team that brought ya Watergate.

The most interesting this is how noncommittal Bush comes across.

Quote:

The champions of change at the Defense Department included Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser who would soon be nominated to become the new secretary of state; her replacement as national security adviser, Stephen J. Hadley; and Card himself.

Card had the names of 11 possible Rumsfeld replacements in his "hit-by-the-bus" book, among them Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.), who had been Al Gore's vice presidential running mate in 2000 and was a staunch defender of the Iraq war, and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

But Card thought the best replacement for Rumsfeld would be James A. Baker III, who had been White House chief of staff and Treasury secretary under President Ronald Reagan, then secretary of state and chief political adviser to the president's father.

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#2 Oct 02 2006 at 9:32 AM Rating: Good

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But there was another dynamic that Bush and Card discussed. Rumsfeld and Bush's father, the former president, couldn't stand each other. Bush senior didn't trust Rumsfeld and thought he was arrogant, self-important, too sure of himself and Machiavellian. Rumsfeld had also made nasty private remarks that the elder Bush was a lightweight.

I love it.

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#3 Oct 02 2006 at 9:41 AM Rating: Excellent

Jophiel

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Liberal Conspiracy

TILT

Remsfeld should start every speech and appearance with "I'm not quitting yet"

The Trib wrote:

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, facing renewed criticism about his handling of the Iraq war, has a simple yet emphatic answer for his critics: "No, no, no."

Speaking as he arrived Sunday in Nicaragua, well away from the discord in Washington, Rumsfeld said President Bush gave him his personal vote of confidence in a recent private call.

Rumsfeld also told reporters he was not surprised by reports the White House chief of staff encouraged Bush to fire him after the 2004 elections.

"It's the task of the chief of staff of the White House -- and having been one, I know that -- to raise all kinds of questions with the president and think through different ways of approaching things," Rumsfeld said. "So it wouldn't surprise me a bit if that subject had come up."

____________________________

Belkira wrote:

Wow. Regular ol' Joph fan club in here.

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#4 Oct 02 2006 at 9:50 AM Rating: Good

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You know, you hear the word "hubris" tossed around, and every so often it just really makes sense. I wonder how many people died for lack of saving while he threw this little gem of a hissy fit:

Quote:

Card's relationship with Rumsfeld was always difficult. Last year, in the days after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans with devastating effect, Bush decided more troops were needed and asked Card to relay the message to Rumsfeld.

"You know I don't report to you," Rumsfeld said.

"I know you don't report to me," Card replied. "You report to the president. But believe me, he would like you to do this."

"I'm not going to do it unless the president tells me," Rumsfeld told the chief of staff. Too many strains and obligations were being placed on the National Guard.

Card protested that he had just talked to the president, who had made an absolute decision.

"Then he's going to have to tell me," Rumsfeld said.

"Hey," the president said to Card later. "Rumsfeld called me up. I thought you were going to handle that."

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#5 Oct 02 2006 at 11:30 AM Rating: Good

__DEL__1592260045708

Sage

6,730 posts

And you thought your boss was an idiot and your co-workers a bunch of back stabbing assholes.

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