CAUGHT! Bush Admits Rumsfeld Lie

Last week we all shook our heads in amazement as Bush proclaimed that Rumsfeld would "stay on no matter what" for the rest of the BushCo regime.  After all, Rumsfeld has done a "fantastic job".  So said Bush last week.

Obviously, today there was a big reversal on that element of Der Decider's Stay The Course strategy - Bush announced the appointment of the legendary Iran/Contra murderer Robert Gates to the Secretary of Defense post.

Did Bush lie about Rumsfeld??  Why yes, in fact he did.  And Bush admitted it today.

What. An. Ass.

•  he's so cute when he's lying

  the shucking and fidgeting, the reluctance to make eye contact... What a leader!

  Funny, it's immeasurably easier to watch That Man today than it ever has been. And if I'm not mistaken - could be the video quality - his voice seems a little higher? Of course, that's what happens when your balls get cut off.

  by baccaruda on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:27:35 PM PDT

  •  Yes, much easier to watch.

    Maybe because we can all finally be open:  there really isn't anyone there.  No pretense needed.

    What do you think?

    by JPete on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:30:02 PM PDT

    •  he can lie all he wants now

      but he no longer has the power to make anyone swallow it.

      by baccaruda on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:37:56 PM PDT

      •  It will be interesting to see if the

        press finally tries to stand up to him.  Cutting off their access if they misbehave might not matter much to them any more.

        by JPete on Thu Nov 09, 2006 at 08:16:23 AM PDT

•  BUT, he explained it.

  He had to lie, otherwise people would know what was happening right before the election.

  <snark>

  by JPete on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:28:02 PM PDT

•  Lou Dobbs

  called Bush a Liar on his show this evening. It's been a very good day.

  by Warren Terrer on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:31:51 PM PDT

  •  he did?????????????

    how did he say it?

    by RumsfeldResign on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:40:14 PM PDT

    •  Yep

      He had Ed Rollins on the program, and Rollins was befuddled as to how W saying he'd keep Rumsfailed during the campaign, and then doing this could be considered politically smart.....He just couldn't figure it out (so much for the genius of Rove).  Rollins didn't use the word lie, but he definately said to said that W hanging the Rumsfailed albatros around R's necks for during campaign was just dumb given that he didn't really mean it.  He said that there were many defeated incumbent R's who are steaming at the moment.  That's when Dobbs said, "He lied, didn't he?"  Rollins sorta ignored the question, and Dobbs asked it again.  Rollins then clearly shrugged and nodded his head "yes", but again, refused to utter the actual word.

      by Ralphsam on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:51:20 PM PDT

      •  All of the pundits are befuddled

        Hmmm... What happened before Bush endorsed Cheney/Rumsfeld that might have challenged our cowboy president's manhood and caused him to grab his hat and six-guns?

        by isbister on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 09:51:27 PM PDT

      •  Rollins wish it were 'Rumsfailed'.

        Republicans lost because of Bush's f'ked-up foreign and domestic policies, and a rubber stamp Republican Congress. They lost becauase many of their wounds were self-inflicted. They lost because many of their people were involved in the biggest scandals this country has seen since Reagan. And if MOST CORRUPT was a prize, Delay's Congress would take first place.

        What if there were no Abramoff, Foley, Schiavo, Sheehan and Katrina? What if there were no K-Street? What if there was no 'macaca'? What if there were no Peter Goss? (Anybody seen him lately?) What if there were no Republicans getting hauled off to jail? What if there no infidelity by members of the 'Family Values' party? What if there were no rabid gay-bashing, homphobic homosexuals? What if there were no $6 per gallon gas? What if there were no attempt to use immigration as a wedge that resulted in protests in the millions? What if there were no push for creationsim in school? What if there no protecting and supporting Bush even at the cost of conservative values?  I could go on for quite some time.

        'Rumsfailed' didn't cost them Congress. Arrogant and greedy Republicans did that all by themselves. They absolutely earned and deserved defeat. Now they need to own it.

        by callmecassandra on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 10:34:29 PM PDT

    •  I don't have a transcript

      but I saw him. I think it was actually on extended election coverage, not his show per se. He was talking with a Republican pundit about this story and he said, and I paraphrase "President Bush basically lied when he said this, didn't he? He was lying." I think he used the word 'lie' or 'lying' twice. And the look on his face was great. It was a lot of fun to watch.

      Btw, great name you have there.

      by Warren Terrer on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:51:54 PM PDT

•  He meant it then, he's lying now.

  Do you seriously believe that he "didn't want to  inject a major policy change into the last few days of the campain"?  When it would have gained tens or hundreds of thousands of votes?  

  by UneasyOne on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:32:19 PM PDT

•  Bush gave Cheney the Kiss of Death:

  First, he gave Brown the Kiss of death by telling him he was doing a "heck of a job." A few weeks later, he was gone. Then, he told Rumsfeld he was doing a "heck of a job." Now, he is gone. Now, from your link, get this:

  Last week, President Bush unequivocally told a group of reporters that Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and Vice President Cheney would “remain with him until the end of his presidency, extending a job guarantee to two of the most-vilified members of his administration.” Bush said, “Both those men are doing fantastic jobs and I strongly support them.”

  The Kiss of Death -- As I have mentioned before, I suggest Bush sees Cheney as a liability and wants him gone. Unlike Rummy, he cannot fire him. But he can make it loud and clear that he is not welcome anymore by humiliating him in public, shutting him out of important meetings, and isolating him.

  by Eternal Hope on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:37:00 PM PDT

  •  It's unprecedented though,

    isn't it, for a vice president to resign over job performance reasons?

    My quick research indicates only 2 VPs have ever resigned: John C. Calhoun resigned so that he could go into the Senate, and Spiro Agnew resigned because he was facing indictment for tax evasion. To me that suggests getting rid of Cheney will be tough. Typically the President just ignores a VP he doesn't much like, iirc.

    But if he does resign my guess is it will be for 'health reasons'. We all know about his heart trouble, so that would be a plausible way to cover up the rift.

    by Warren Terrer on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:47:25 PM PDT

    •  True.

      The wingnut Washington Times speculated this to be the case.

      Cheney is a control freak, and for him to be completely shut out of the discussions would be a signal to him that he is not wanted. I think he might take the hint and cash in on his massive Halliburton profits.

      by Eternal Hope on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:52:15 PM PDT

      •  Well

        It's a very interesting thesis. I read Bob Woodward's book recently and his take on Cheney is that he has basically withdrawn into a bubble to which only his wife and daughter have access, and are required constantly to tell him that invading Iraq was the right thing to do. Based on that it sounds very possible that Bush hasn't much use for him any more and has pushed him aside.

        by Warren Terrer on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:55:39 PM PDT

    •  Vice Presidents

      generally don't have a  real job to do, except to hang out in undisclosed locations pending the unexpected death of the President.    Hence, how do you measure their job performance?

      Cheney should have been made to peel potatoes in the White House mess for the last six years.  Then he wouldn't have had so much time on his hands to make trouble.

      by MadScientist on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 09:04:11 PM PDT

  •  The problem for Jr. on Cheney

    is that Cheney really knows where all of the bodies are buried - more so than Rummie.  I wouldn't put it past Dark Vader to hold that over Jr's head for the next 2 years.

    by Ralphsam on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:53:26 PM PDT

    •  Problem is:

      Gates is one of Daddy's people. He openly advocated engagement with Iran. And Daddy knows where even more bodies are buried and will not hesitate to plant stuff -- maybe through Skowcroft. Or some former Bush syncophat could conveniently "see the light" and turn on the Bush administration and do a Kitty Kelly tell-all that would be true.

      Given that Daddy is a CIA man, I would not put it past him to stab his own son in the back.

      It seems to me there is a huge brawl taking place between Daddy and Cheney -- and Bush II is merely a pawn in their game. Whoever wins, the end result will not be good for Bush II. No wonder he is turning to the Democrats and acting so contrite towards them.

      by Eternal Hope on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 09:01:17 PM PDT

•  To have cut loose...

  ...of dumbsfeld, before the election, would have been an admission of fault and weakness.

  ...now... it's obvious to the entire world
  (and that includes la-la-laura & barney)
  BWWaaHhh-hahh-haHH-ahhah

  What a doofus

  by Orj ozeppi on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:38:37 PM PDT

•  The problem for Bush isn't that there was

  a "big reversal" in Rumsfeld's fortunes in a short time. The problem is that Bush just told a roomful of reporters that he was lying a couple days ago when he said that Rumsfeld would stay through his administration. You'll notice that shortly thereafter, he tried to do that thing where he laughs nervously and expects the press pool to laugh nervously along with him. Today he was surprised when they bit off two of his fucking fingers.

  by steve davis on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:44:16 PM PDT

  •  You're right

    Bush hasn't just been caught in a lie. He has come right out and basically said "I lied".

    by Warren Terrer on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:49:34 PM PDT

•  Thanks for linking in ...

  Will any major newspaper or broadcast station run with this as a lead:  

  "Bush directly lies to reporters for political reasons ..."

  What a ...

  by besieged by bush on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:53:24 PM PDT

•  It's perfectly clear

  Bush had to lie about Rumsfeld tenure in office because there was a big election coming up and the truth may  
  have given the voters another reason to vote Democratic.  As in, even Bush concedes that Iraq is a disaster and that Rummy is a fool.  Bush's hands were tied, so he only did what he had to.  Perfectly understandable.

  The above is actually the most favorable interpretation of events and essentially the one that Bush gives himself.  

  The other possibility is that Rumsfeld's fate actually hinged on the results of the election--a Democratic majority meant that Bush and Rummy had to face reality.

  A Republican majority would have meant that Bush could keep hiding  from the truth for another two years, long enuf to run out his term, while more and more folks get killed or blown apart in Iraq.    

  by MadScientist on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 08:59:27 PM PDT

  •  I think the second possibility

    is the real one. If they had held on to Congress I think Rumsfeld would have held on to his job as well.

    by Warren Terrer on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 09:11:13 PM PDT

    •  I'm sure you're right.

      As disgusting as it is, its the only thing that makes sense.  

      Repubs, conservatives, even military people have been begging Bush to dump Rummy for months.  Just to show that there's movement in the approach to Iraq, if for no other reason.

      by MadScientist on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 09:22:36 PM PDT

•  If a reporter had some cojones

  he/she would have asked Dubya, "Why should we believe you now?  How do we know you're not telling us things just to 'get past the question' with anything you say?"

  by david78209 on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 09:04:57 PM PDT

•  If Rummy can quote Churchill in his exit

  interview, who will Tony Blair quote in his exit interview? O. Henry?

  by jfdunphy on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 09:09:12 PM PDT

  •  HA!

    'Exit interview', good one.

    by Warren Terrer on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 09:12:45 PM PDT

•  I don't think Bush lied.

  He said Dick & Rummy would remain until the end of his presidency. That was yesterday. We have now entered the period of the Bush Defense.

  by doorguy on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 09:50:18 PM PDT