Why Did Rummy Resign Today?

[StrongBad]

I was getting a dose of schadenfreude by looking over FR's thread responses to Rumsfeld's resignation. The following legitimate question was brought up by many over there:

"Why did Rumsfeld resign today?"

A good question when I think about it, though I'm not surprised that Freeps were unable to analyze the situation and think for themselves.

Why did he resign today? Let us first acknowledge that the resignation was a direct response to our wins last night. It seems quite clear if one extrapolates from this premise that he truly was confident that the GOP would retain full control of Congress and thus not possibly be subjected to future investigations, etc. Otherwise, he would have resigned prior to the election to increase Republican's chances of victory, and the perfect opportunity would have came about when Bush just recently was forced to defend him yet again recently.

Was he putting his faith in voting fraud and were the margins just too high? This is a very possible speculation. I'm sure Bush & Rumsfeld are flabbergasted at our wins. Even a quote from Bush in the paper today says the thought "we'd do just fine".

In conclusion, I think we really kicked the crap out of them this election, but vote suppression tactics could have just made our gains seem moderate.

What do you think?

[bullimiami]

1. rove and bush let him down. ship sinking, rat fleeing.

[Taverner]

2. I agree

However, I don't think any of these guys fear reprisals.

As estatic as I am about the new Democratic Congress, I highly doubt there will be any hearings, trials, etc.

And if there are, Bush will pardon them.

[robinlynne]

3. absolutely. election integrity must be an immediate priority!

[many a good man]

4. Junior lost a bet with Poppy

Had to pay up.

[Bullshot]

5. He saw the writing on the wall.

With the Dems in control of Congress, he was going to be an even bigger lightning rod of attacks. He would have been called to the carpet constantly to explain himself and his failed Iraq/Afghanistan strategy.

[Anakin Skywalker]

6. He Didn't Resign. He Was Fired.

[mzteris]

7. to show how "strong" Bush is

- I don't remember if I read this or heard it on NPR - but something about how Bush fired him before the Dems could demand it or something like that.

:shrug:

Maybe just another sign of how totally f'd the White House is at this point.

[Pragmatic Pilgrim]

16. Dems don't take their seats until January. Why now? n/t

[ldf]

8. because w couldn't stand it if

tonight's news was ALL about the dem victory, and nothing about him.

it would make him realize his irrelevancy. he would not be in control.

they were planning to do it in a few months anyway (due to insistence by his own party), so they used it to show how "responsive" he was to the american people.

:puke:

[Pragmatic Pilgrim]

15. Doesn't add up, IMHO.

If they had been planning it for months, why would Bush take time out from a hectic campaign on SUNDAY to interview Rummy's replacement?

[notadmblnd]

9. Maybe it was a deal made with the admin to avoid impeachment?

just a thought.

[Pragmatic Pilgrim]

17. A deal BEFORE the elections?

Bush interviewed Rummy's replacement on Sunday, before anyone knew how the elections would go. At that point, there wasn't any "administration" to negotiate with, except his own. We won't even know for sure who's the Speaker for awhile. Naw, it was something else, and I'd sure like to figger it out!

[Pragmatic Pilgrim]

10. Hmm. See my thread "Did military media take down Rumdum?"

I can't imagine Bush would've made his statement of unequivocal support on Thursday, then interview Rumdum's replacement on Sunday. My thread analyzes it from the standpoint that the military newspapers--which called for his resignation in their Monday issues--may have stampeded him into moving faster than he would otherwise have.

In any case, it's unlikely to have been the elections. He already had his replacement on hand before the elections, and if he'd had prior signs of a potential Dem sweep, he'd have sacrificed Rummy BEFORE the election.

[bemildred]

11. It would have looked "weak" to fire him before the election.

He was gone already.

[Pragmatic Pilgrim]

12. So why not look strong until a little longer AFTER it?

And why wouldn't he spin his answer to the reporter so he wouldn't have to make such a humiliating reversal a few days later? Heck, he did exactly that today regarding Cheney: "I have faith in him," he answered to a question about whether he'd be dumping Cheney too. That's not an answer, and he could've done the same thing last Thursday.

[bemildred]

14. I'm not saying it makes sense.

It's the "never give an inch or you look weak" thing.

[DUHandle]

13. Rove's decision

and he already has the spin ready.

[AnnieBW]

18. THrown Under the Bus

He was the fall guy for the election debacle. Not *, not Cheney, not Rove.

[PassingFair]

19. My gut analysis:

Like a driver of a get-away car who sees the cops coming
and realizes that his buddies can't get out fast enough,
he's putting the pedal to the metal and zoomin'.

We're STUCK with their MESS. And WHAT A MESS.
Over HALF A MILLION INNOCENT people killed.
They have sucked profit from the blood and the
oil, now they are getting while the getting is
good, and leaving the dems to clean it up as
usual. "You want it, you got it", will be their
attitude. They will be praying for another
attack on 'murkin soil, just so they can say
that we are "soft" on defense.

They are weary of being accountable for their
greed and stupidity. They want us to take responsibility
for their *uckups.

[Lindacooks]

20. Because they were too arrogant.

Rumsfeld, Cheney, Rove - none of them would even BELIEVE they would be in the position they are. It's just absolute hubris.

Pride goeth before a fall - such a true statement.

[Zensea]

21. The wing of the party George's father represents has had enough

They wanted Rumsfeld to resign some time ago.
Either literally or metaphorically George's father slapped him down.
Said to him something like we've cut you enough slack until now and now you have to listen to us.

[grl2watch]

22. He was threatened with death?

He relished that job so much. He so loved those Pentagram news briefings.
There's no way he could just quit. Maybe his children were threatened.
Maybe Rove threantened to leak some skeleton to the press. Something is wrong.

[JDPriestly]

23. Because Bush needs someone to protect him in the upcoming

investigations of Iraqgate, etc., and Gates "handled" the Iran Contra investigation very deftly for Bush I. Gates is an expert at lies and cover-up.

A whole chapter of Walsh's Iran Contra Report concerns and is entitled "Robert Gates." Robert Gates is apparently not just a master spy. He is also a master sneak, cheat, prevaricator and traitor. Bush did the crime and Robert Gates' job is to prevent Bush from having to serve the time.

http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/walsh/chap_16.htm

[tibbiit]

24. He had to be gone

IF the Dems won the House and Senate.
He would have had to testify first Up in dem investigations. He knows where every skeleton is buried. He had to go.
I bet Cheney will be next.
If we hadnt won, he would still be there for-eva!
imo
tib

[unkachuck]

25. rope a dope....

....rummy goes, gates looks fresh, makes nice with Dems, bush walks around with an olive branch for a while but with no real give or change....

....bushco and the pukes hold on to as much as they can, maybe bush will expand the Iraq war or start a new one to box in the Dems for '08....rummys out because he doesn't look like the fake-change need for public consumption....

[Glib Acumen]

26. He was a sacrifice to block impeachment

Rummie was a scapegoat to shift blame away from Cheney, the actual mastermind.