Bush: Cheney, Rumsfeld will stay through '08 - November 2, 2006

[NNN0LHI]

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/01/bush.cheney.ap/

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush said Wednesday he wants Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney to remain in his administration until the end of his presidency, extending a job guarantee to two of the most-criticized members of his team.

Bush, in an interview, also said he was determined that sanctions imposed against North Korea must be applied even though Pyongyang has agreed to return to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks.

And Bush said he did not foresee a change in the immediate future in the number of U.S. troops in Iraq. He said that U.S. generals have assured him that "they've got what they can live with." (Watch how Bush is backing Cheney and Rumsfeld -- 1:20 )

The president spoke in the Oval Office, seated in a wing chair in front of a table with a bowl of roses. Six days before midterm elections, Bush steered questions away from politics beyond saying he was confident that Republicans would defy the polls and hold control of the House and Senate. "I understand that the pundits have got the race over, but I don't believe it's over until everybody votes."

He refused to even say whether he could work effectively with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi or Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid if Democrats won the House, Senate, or both. snip

Bush refused to comment on Cheney's assertion that a "dunk in water" of terrorist suspects was a "no-brainer" if it would save American lives. "We don't discuss the techniques we use," Bush said.

[The Count]

1. He just didn't want to inject "war" into elections, silly...

Shesh, how many times do they have to say: "The White House denies prior statement"

[Tatiana]

2. Don, you always have the greatest finds!

So, should we expect Cheney's resignation as well?

[AlamoDemoc]

3. Classic * flip flop