Reply #5: That's your example? [View All]

[agarrett1]

You're seriously using the example of Rumsfeld? I don't think it holds up, though.

First off, let's keep in mind that it's not all of the "right wing" calling for his ouster - if it were, given that President Bush is himself right wing, Rumsfeld would already be gone. Rather, the fact is that, post-election, there are some people on the right who are calling for his ouster. Others still think he's doing a good, or at least acceptable, job.

So, the hypocricy charge is now limited to the fact that, pre-election, the people now calling for Rumsfeld to leave did not make the same call then. You might have a case for calling those people - and only those people - hypocrites if they defended Rummy at that time (being silent on the issue may or may not count in your mind.)

Even there, it isn't that hard to counter, without resorting to some claim of illogic. Trying to force out Rumsfeld before the election would, rather obviously, have hurt President Bush's chances for re-election. So, rather than saying the people now criticizing Rumsfeld are illogical, you can merely say that they prioritized.

That's never a bad lesson to learn, by the way...

Drew Garrett