White House Stands By Rumsfeld
The White House on Tuesday bluntly rejected the latest call by Democratic leaders for the firing of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
"It's not going to happen," White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said.
In an open letter to President Bush on Monday, top congressional Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader. Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, called for a change in the civilian leadership at the Defense Department.
But Snow said President Bush strongly supports the Pentagon chief, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller.
"Creating Don Rumsfeld as a bogeyman may make for good politics but would make for very lousy strategy at this time," said Snow.
Some Republicans have also spoken out against Rumsfeld. Campaigning Friday, New Jersey Senate candidate Tom Kean Jr. said that Rumsfeld "has to go." Also, Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, told the Columbus Dispatch editorial board that he doesn't support Rumsfeld and that new leadership is needed at the Department of Defense.
Rumsfeld drew heavy criticism from Democrats last week for a speech in Salt Lake City in which he likened critics of the Bush administration's war strategy to those who tried to appease the Nazis in the 1930s. Rumsfeld later said his remarks were misrepresented and that he was cautioning against a repeat of errors made in the past, not accusing the administration's critics of trying to appease the terrorists.
The political parties renewed debate over Iraq and Rumsfeld's tenure at the Defense Department as the traditional fall campaign season began on Labor Day.
In the letter released Monday, Pelosi, D-Calif., Reid, D-Nev., and 10 other congressional party leaders told the president that considering making such a change would show he recognizes the problems his policies "have created in Iraq and elsewhere."
"While a change in your Iraq policy will best advance our chances for success, we do not believe the current civilian leadership at the Department of Defense is suited to implement and oversee such a change in policy," the lawmakers wrote.
The 850-word letter criticized Mr. Bush's policies in Iraq, calling them part of a "stay the course strategy" that has failed to make the United States more secure, and it suggests several changes long called for by Democratic leaders.
Others who signed the letter were Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Carl Levin of Michigan, Joe Biden of Delaware, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and Daniel Inouye of Hawaii; and Reps. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Ike Skelton of Missouri, Tom Lantos and Jane Harman of California, and John Murtha of Pennsylvania.
In response to the Democrats' letter, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., issued a statement accusing Democrats, including national chairman Howard Dean, of calling for retreat from Iraq before the U.S. mission there was completed. U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq in March 2003 and removed dictator Saddam Hussein from power.
"The Democrat leadership finally agrees on something — unfortunately it's retreat. Whether they call it 'redeployment' or 'phased withdrawal,' the effect is the same: We would leave Americans more vulnerable and Iraqis at the mercy of al Qaeda, a terrorist group whose aim — toward Iraqis and Americans — is clear," said McConnell, the Republican whip in the Senate.