Fox: The drumbeat has grown louder for the secretary of defense to resign

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,141887,00.html

WASHINGTON — Only two weeks after President Bush asked Donald Rumsfeld (search) to stay on for his second term, the drumbeat has grown louder for the secretary of defense to resign.

Calls for Rumsfeld's head increased after a national guardsman asked him during a trip to Kuwait why some soldiers in Iraq were still traveling in unarmored vehicles and sometimes had to scrounge for scrap metal and glass to protect their trucks and Humvees (search).

Rumsfeld's controversial response was: "You go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you might want or wish to have."

Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md., on Friday cited the allegations of Iraqi prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib (search) prison and the vehicle armor issue as two reasons Rumsfeld should exit the Pentagon. "I trust that our bipartisan voices will now be heard by President Bush and the Republican leadership, and Mr. Rumsfeld will make the right decision to leave his post. This is too critical a time in American history for further colossal mistakes to be made that put the future of our country at risk," Cummings said in a statement.

[Arkana]

1. Well if Fox said it, it MUST be true!

[Maat]

3. What is up with this?

Why are they going after their own all of a sudden? Why didn't this happen before the election? Why is he being attacked most loudly now - by Rethuglicans?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

6. Yes, that was the reason I posted it...

...obviously, calls for Rumsfeld's resignation don't constitute "news" at this point, but Fox dishing it up, especially with such a melodramatic headline...THAT'S news.

[Sequoia]

8. ...and it's Friday evening.

He will silently slither away. He always reminded me of a Thanksgiving type grandpa that the grandkids would torment.

[blackangrydem]

9. The repugs did a good job of keeping the infighting to a minimum

during the election.

Now, it appears, all bets are off.

[cestpaspossible]

2. The very picture of evil.

[Deja Q]

5. Maybe true, bit he's got a GREAT taste in neckties.

that blue is sweet.

[Verve]

4. Fox isn't backing the White House? Ohhhh are they in trouble!

Chimpy's going to come after them now!:spank:

[CatholicEdHead]

14. No

He will leave with a hero's fanfare after the "successful elections" next month. Give him a medal and on to a lobby firm. Bring on Wolfy for the 2nd term for Likud/PNAC intrests in Syria and Iran since the "elections" mean "mission accomplished" in Iraq.

[MatrixEscape]

7. And yet: the ...

White House still stands by Rumsfeld
http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?ID=35123

Now let's see, in a battle between the truth, or the demands of the People, or what is right and most practical, who usually wins these days? Odds are stacked in favor of Grand Court of the White House Ministry of Truth, dis-honerable Judge Dubya' presiding.

It is getting to be almost laughable to expect anything to get by Gorgo these days. Whatever Gorgo wants, Gorgo usually gets. And that is still keeping his titular status in mind. I imply that Gorgo's will has a chain-of-command and pre-set objectives behind it.

[zbdent]

10. The only reason I can see is that the Admin has been embarassed

(which it really doesn't like - read Kerik) and they need to sacrifice the one who embarassed them.

But to take Rumsfeld out of the Iraq war would be like taking Gene Roddenberry out of the Star Trek franchise - the originator of the vision and one of the key driving forces would be gone and it could fall apart messily.

The only way I see DR "leaving" would be to drop behind the scenes in an "unofficial capacity" . . .

[Verve]

16. How could the war in Iraq get worse if Rumi leaves?

"one of the key driving forces would be gone and it could fall apart messily."

Anybody but Rumi could do a better job.

[zbdent]

20. Not that it would get worse (at least in our eyes)

but that one of the main authors of the war would be taken out of the picture - thereby being a huge problem for BUSH.

It would be a problem for them.

[Dimsdale]

11. When do we have the drum beat for Chimpy?

Do I hear an outcry for the Smirking Head of the Giggling Psycho?

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[goclark]

13. Go Congressman Cummings!

Speak the truth about this war criminal.
He needs to be put in leg irons immediately.

[Disturbed]

15. Bandwagon scapegoating

The Rethugs and Dems are merely attempting to keep the stink off of themsleves. The face re-elections. The Chimp in charge does not. To let Rummy go would be tantamount to saying that the Iraq policy and illegal invasion was wrong. After the Iraq elections that the U.S. Puppet Govt. will win the Occupation will be declared over. The 14 Military bases will be functional and the U.S. Military will be the defenders of the Democratic State of Iraq. Rummy will resign and be given a medal of Freedom and hailed as a hero.

[kamqute]

17. Rumsfeld leaving would maybe be bad

You know they won't put in anyone any better, and this guy may just be an appeasement to the public. On the other hand, if he gets pissed he might set Bechtel off against Halliburton, and wouldn't that be fun to watch :)

[Skittles]

18. that bastard should be in JAIL

nt

[lawdave]

19. Apparently FOX is still following the White House's lead...

Josh Marshall has some interesting stuff from this morning (Friday):

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_12_12.php#004262

In essence, the White House is encouraging the critical editorials but then denying it publicly. So it would definitely follow the FOXnews playbook to continue towing the (unstated) party line. They also stand to benefit from the perception that they are somehow independent of the White House.

This could very well turn out to be Fox's new talking point. Much like the Fox affiliate covering Bush's DWI before the 2000 election being turned into "proof" that Fox is non-partisan, covering criticism of Rumsfeld could provide them with new "proof" for the next few years.

Now, the interesting thing will be whether FOX's talking heads pick up the ball and run with it. Reporting that the calls for resignation are growing is one thing; it will be another if they join the growing calls. Of course, this is never obvious. Even if Hannity or O'Reilly doesn't flatly go out and say something, fox has so much commentary mixed in with their "news" coverage that it should be apparent how the network is expecting their anchors to act.