Rumsfeld steps down
 

According to AP

Republican officials said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is stepping down. Word came a day after the Democratic gains in the election, in which Rumsfeld was a focus of much of the criticism of the Iraq war.

Earlier today, a spokesman for Rumsfeld said he'd given no indication that he would step down in the wake of Democratic election gains. The spokesman said Rumsfeld would work with Congress on Iraq but added that the focus on stabilizing the country will remain the same.

In the days leading up to the election, President Bush said he wanted Rumsfeld to stay on as defense chief until the end of Bush's second term.

Hmm, I haven't read or heard any details yet, just bare bones:

http://www.dailyillini.com/media/sto...ailyillini.com

Does he want to spend more time with his family? Or has a previously unknown health problem cropped up?

Bush is giving a news conference right now and has confirmed that Rumsfeld is stepping down as defense secretary. CIA Director Robert Gates will take over. Bush says he and Rumsfeld agreed "the timing is right for new leadership" at the Pentagon.

Wow - I mean, not a huge surprise, but the fact that it's actually happening...just wow.

I'm watching the press conference... is Bush drunk? Perhaps he hasn't sobered up after last night. I'm not even being smart here.

Punch-drunk, most likely. I'm really surprised he made this announcement today. Don't you think it would have been a better strategy for the Republicans to announce it BEFORE the elections?

I'd like to quote a song:

"Nah nah. Nah nah nah nah. Hey hey hey! Goodbye!"

Well, would you be in a good frame of mind knowing your cabinet is falling out from under you and you are losing the House and Senate to a bunch of liberal democrats?

Addressing the country while drunk though? Or being so emotionally distressed that you sound drunk? Inappropriate. Delay the speech if you can't handle it.

AMEN.
Maybe if he had been in a frame of mind, any frame of mind, from the get-go he wouldn't have to recognize these facts. But he couldn't seem to get down from his ivory tower, or out of Cheney and Rummy's ass long enough recognize that the overwhelming majority of Americans are dissatisfied with his leadership.
And AMEN.

He didn't seem or sound drunk to me.

If last night's election results are like eating a big ass bowl of ice cream... Rumsfeld resigning this morning is like getting to lick that ice cream off of a hawt nekkid guy!!

Me neither - and I don't think the appropriateness question even is remotely relevant (and I don't get what was inappropriate about it).

It would be more "inappropriate" to not address the country on the subject, in my opinion. Then, you'd get the "Where is Bush on this why isn't he speaking OMGWTF?!?!"

I'm totally going based on someone else's description. It's not a let down to the country if the President doesn't address them immediately. How many people actually watched anyway?

I think if the Defense Secretary resigns, and you don't hear from the President right away, the public won't be very happy. That may just be my read on it though.