Rumsfeld Says He Will Not Resign

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 5/07/04 | Melanie Hunter

[kattracks]

(CNSnews.com) - Despite calls for his resignation and word that some are drafting an article of impeachment against him even as he testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee Friday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had a clear message for his critics: he will not resign. "I've got my own view about people who want to call for your resignation before you speak, but I'll leave that to myself," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Rumsfeld. Lindsey asked the defense secretary whether he believes he's able to carry out his duties in a bipartisan manner and also what he would say to those who are calling for his resignation. "It's a fair question," Rumsfeld said, admitting that it's a question he's given a lot of thought to ever since "this firestorm has been raging." The defense secretary said tough tasks lie ahead for the U.S. military and "if I felt I could not be effective, I'd resign in a minute." But, he said, "I would not resign simply because people try to make a political issue out of it."

[lilylangtree]

YYYYYeeeesssss!

[Brasil]

Is there a live thread for this outrageous grilling that's on now?

[rintense]

Another beeeeyach slap by Rummy.

[sarasota]

Did anyone here really think for one moment that he would do otherwise? This guy has a set.

[b4its2late]

He knows this is a witch hunt by a bunch of witches. Good for him and the President. They will be much stronger after all of this BS is over, and it will backfire on the dems and RINOS.

[tiamat]

Looks like you're right!

[Plumrodimus]

I'm stuck watching CBS because I don't have cable and I'm pretty outraged at Dan Rather's spin a few minutes ago. He and one of his correspondents have virtually declared that Rumsfeld is going to resign, wholely based on Rummy's somewhat angry response when asked a second time if his resignation would improve the situation.

Rumsfeld sharply replied "it might..." as he gave the Senator a disgusted look.

Now CBS is declaring that Rumsfeld is on the way out.

I'm disgusted.

[Christian4Bush]

Good for Mr. Rumsfeld. Personally I wouldn't want anyone in his position who didn't "have a pair".

I'm interested in seeing a transcript of some of the more positive comments made today...though I will likely have to read the whole thing.

Also Kudos to Mr. Lieberman. What he would not, of course, say is that x42 did not apologize for spending more time with a woman who was not his wife, than he did with his CIA Director, and in prosecuting the WOT.

[Plumrodimus]

Addendum: Actually he said it might or it's possible...something along those lines. I'm still disgusted.

[RightWhale]

He is like fingernails on a blackboard. I don't care if he stays or not. I wouldn't kick him out, but if he leaves, no loss.

[patriciamary]

Ii is truly sickening how a bunch of people could overblow an incident,put our country and President in a negative light,put our troops and their mission in danger for political gain,Everyone on this panel should resign even the republicans for letting this garbage happen,because it is clearly evidence their concerns are not for the goal and mission,but only for their own political gains.

[demlosers]

Has Gore-Lick resigned from the committee yet?

I don't think so.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

The way a true leader takes responsibility is not to fall on his sword, but rather to accurately and fairly find out what happened, find out why it happened, and take the necessary measures to make sure it won't happen again.

Rumsfeld is acting like a true leader here, and Bush's confidence in him is not misplaced.

[RetiredArmy]

From an old Vietnam Vet to you all.

More and more each passing day, these matters start reminding me of Vietnam, the 1960s & early 1970s all over again. A partisan, liberal/leftist press attacks the president, military and secretary of defense; the democrats and politicians at home attack the president and military; the enemy dances in the streets, happy that our own country is attacking itself within and they are gaining on us; the enemy knows that America will fold in the heat of eating our own; we will eventually cut and run and leave them to victory; the press hates the military; the press hates the president and his entire administration; the press hates America all over again. Once again, I see the 1960s again. It started this way. It ended in defeat. I cannot help but have these feelings. I have seen it once before. It is happening all over again.

[hershey]

The RATS on the committee aren't fit to hold Rummy's coat. Not one of the pursued the matter when the defense dept. memo came out in Jan. The press had it on an inside page, but the RATS were too busy trying to head Howard Dean off at the pass during the primaries to pay attention to allegations of prisoner abuse. This is all baloney. That RATS are searching desperately for something to shore up Botoxboy's inept campaign. This isn't going to work, either.

[ohioWfan]

LIVE THREAD

[hershey]

I heard a bit on the radio on the way home and Rummy said he would definitely not resign, esp. if it was a partisan political witch hunt.

[ohioWfan]

BIG DIFFERENCE................THE PRESIDENT