My understanding is that everyone always got a letter signed with an autopen.
Monica Crowley mentioned on her radio show this am that it is standard practice to use an autopen. She mentioned that this has been done for years and is nothing new. Of course if one doesn't know it's been standard practice, it looks like Rumsfeld is "insensitive" . It's more piling on.
Media is going to take stuff out of context now and try to get the Repubs to eat their own since the Dems are out of power.
Monica Crowley should know because?
That is how all "routine" official correspondence is signed. The Secretary's or President's personal signature is reserved for those things that he personally drafts and signs himself. Personnel matters are not generally among those things.