Don't you think W has studied his fathers administration, and especially in the relationship with the opposition (and in this case I think we can describe the New York Times as the voice of the DNC).
"Read my lips", said the first President Bush, "no new taxes'.
The Democrats sweet talked him into signing into law for higher taxes, and then proceeded to beat him over the head with the phrase turning a winning statement into a national joke.
This President Bush has been very careful not to say anything that he will have to back down on. When he stood up in the Pentagon and praised Rumsfield, he was putting his job on the line and he knows it.
Rumsfield is not going anywhere (even if he wanted to quit, he couldn't now.
People you have to look beyound "now" to understand what is going on.