Rumsfeld Relegated to Less Visible Role

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, for years the most public face of the Bush administration's war on terrorism, has suddenly become scarce.



Burdened by the Iraq (news - web sites) prisoner abuse scandal and constrained by the presidential election campaign, the Pentagon (news - web sites) chief who spearheaded the Afghanistan (news - web sites) and Iraq wars has been relegated to a less visible role.


Once seemingly in danger of being fired over the prisoner abuse, Rumsfeld appears to have survived. Yet some wonder whether the White House might still conclude he is a political liability and prefer he leave this summer.


"Donald Rumsfeld has gone from being the most popular spokesperson for the Bush administration policies to something of a pariah," said Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute, a think tank.

~snip~
more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=693&e=6&u=/ap/20040715/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/where_s_rumsfeld

Why does he still have a f'ing role?

[judge_smales]

1. No kidding!

The really have kept him under wraps of late. (Can't say I blame Rove)

[Manix]

2. like Cheney I can't see him tossed out...they'll keep him in background

till the election is over. He reminds people of Iraq and repugs want
people thinking about guns, gays, and god.

[underpants]

3. What, was it all the unnecessary deaths?

I HATE when that happens.

[Th1onein]

4. I love this line:

"'I've been very much involved,' Rumsfeld retorted dismissively. Evidently armed in advance, he rattled off statistics on the number of his speeches, interviews and congressional appearances."

Looks like this administration's best public spokesman is old "Go fuck yourself" Cheney. Not much to brag about, eh?

[MichiganVote]

5. Hold on...

I hear he is going to work for the Vatican alongside Cardinal Law.

[skypilot]

6. Where's Condi?

She's become very scarce as well after her embarrassing performance before the 9/11 Commission.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. I've been wondering about that, too...

Now, how scarce can the Dick be while campaigning? Or does he plan to spout obscenities at every opportunity?

[Jacobin]

7. Putting Dr. Death in a drawer until after the sElection?

Oh, and Condi is nowhere to be seen lately.

How odd.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. They're all laying low lately

Rummie, Condie, Cheney, even Bu$h himself.

Maybe they're all taking their August vacation in July this year and just didn't want to tell anybody?

Or maybe there is so much deep do-do coming down, that they're afraid to get too far from their hidey holes.

Funny thing, this is campaign season, you would think they would be all over the place bragging about their great victories and W's successful record from the last 4 years?

Mmm, maybe things didn't really work out like they planned? Oh well.

[louis-t]

15. shrubface was in UP in Michigan yesterday

had to go that far out to get someone to like him. first sitting president since Taft to make a campaign stop there.

[Rose Siding]

10. Maybe they'll all end up in caves somewhere

Smoke 'em out.

[DeepModem Mom]

11. No longer the admin's sex symbol? Remember those crazy days? n/t

[maddezmom]

12. his ratings were higher than the afternoon soaps

not any more :)

[BrotherBuzz]

13. He'll be back

It appears that they all spend time in the doghouse. Powell, Rice, and Rumsfeld all have had their turn. As soon as another person steps in the poop of the day, Rumsfeld will be rolled out to make his return "New and improved". Americans have short memories, don't you know.

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. something of a pariah

In my book this clown has always been a pariah. Now that the "fog" of 9/11 is finally lifting, the media jerks are finally admitting it too.

[yardwork]

16. It's our job to remind Americans of Rumsfeld!

He wasn't asked to resign. He's still in charge of the Pentagon. Things are still going very, very badly in Iraq. There are no investigations of the torture at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere.

Uh-uh. BushCo doesn't get to sweep Rumsfeld under the carpet! I demand accountability! I demand press conferences! Drag Rummy out in public and make him answer questions.

Don't let them get away with this.

[Disturbed]

18. Rumsfailed publicly admitted...

that he violated The Geneva Convetion and therefore The Constitution of the USA when he stated that he had moved a detainee from Iraq to a secret prison in Afhganistan then 4 months later moved that same detainee back to Abu Grahaib but not listing that detainee on the prison list.

Nothing has been done about that!!!!

Ex. CIA Dir. Tenet is the person that requested that his be done. He is also guilty.

Nothing has been done about that!!!!

Both men say that they are fully responsible for their actions yet no accountablity has been exacted.

Does the US Govt. and Congress no longer hold anyone accountable for violations of The Constitution of the USA?

[cliss]

21. Agreed. Remember that bizarre scene

when Bush puts his arm around RumsFailed outside the Pentagon, and raves about what a "splendid job" he did, right after the Abu Ghraib scandal exploded. Even after world leaders and newspapers around the world demanded his ouster. But - like a leech that's hard to kill, he's still there.

One of my biggest peeves is that Donald RumsFool is a CIVILIAN. And he's in charge of the military. He's been a corporate career man. And we've certainly seen where his loyalties lie: with Titan, CACI, BlackWater and many other PRIVATE mercenary and corporate war profiteers. He doesn't give a rat's ass about the military. He's short-changed them time and time again.

That's why they need to get rid of him.

[SoCalDem]

17. He's been sent to the showers.... He's an embarrassment to them

and a constant reminder of that "unpleasantness" known as Iraq.. We should all just forget that it ever happened.. The little girls have pencils, and Iraq is "sovereign", so what's the big deal :eyes:..


Maybe Rummy is in the basement with Rove & the vampire (Wolfowitz) planning the overthrow of Syria & Iran.. If junior manages to stay in power, the sky's the limit :(...who's to stop them??

[Ivan Zero]

19. Out of sight, out of (his) mind

Well, gosh, he just hasn't had anything notable to announce lately.

I think I see part of the strategy - we've shifted the blame for the ongoing chaos - oops - we've "restored sovereignty" to the Iraqis, and the sight of Rummy knocks that little illusion out of focus.

He's a reminder of The Mess, and any reminder of The Mess impedes the steady slip of Iraq from the front pages into Afghanistan-esque oblivion.

Time's a wastin', and every second the short-attention span public spends on "Where's Donald?" is a second they're not spending on Whoopi Goldberg's potty mouth and why John Kerry didn't rush the stage to tackle her.

It's Rummy's turn in the Undisclosed Location, and it's up to us to drag him kicking and screaming back into the harsh glare of daylight.

[Disturbed]

20. It's stunning!!!

That a public official admitts to violating the Geneve Convention, thereby also a violation of the Constitution of the USA and not a ripple in the pond. No reaction from anyone!!!

We are indeed living in a Right Wing Dictatorship!!!!!!!!!!

[kskiska]

23. Exactly. They want to create a perception that everything

is in the hands of the Iraqis now. It's all over. Forget about the soldiers still there in 120 degree heat, still getting killed. Now it's time to focus on the election. Having Rummy out in public would only remind the masses of all that untidiness over there.

[MrTriumph]

22. Another thought on Rummy

FWIW, when Rummy puts pen to paper to write his account of the W years, there is a good chance that he will produce the most scathing story of all.

Even though he has made his share of blunders and worse, he has at times taken a perspective that belies these shortcomings. For example, of all Bush's minions, Rummy alone among those currently serving the president had the guts to question our progress in the war on terror.

[Disturbed]

24. Rumsfailed is a War Criminal

He may be blunt and not an ass kisser of Bush but he has violated the Geneva Convention, thus The Constitution of the USA. He should be fired and charged with his crimes. Yeah, I know he will not be. Goddamit that really pissed me off!!!!!!!!

[dusty64]

25. Visible, not visible.

Who gives a shit, the fact remains that he HAS gotten away with unbelievable war crimes.

[BiggJawn]

26. The magic porion must have worn off. Now he has to stay in his coffin.

I could never figure out why Rumsferatu was able to abide the rays of the sun.

Yeah, he's "not visible" but he's still Secretary of War.