What exactly did Bush "chastise" Rumsfeld for anyway? The stories seem to suggest that it was only for failing to allow for the White House to sufficiently cover its ass. It was not, in other words, for the issue at hand -- the rampant abuses in the prison system that Rumsfeld oversaw.
In a way it makes sense, since it seems the only thing that could possibly stir Bush to outrage would be one of his subordinates publicly making him look like a jackass, which is exactly what the Donald did by failing to notify Bush of the pix in advance.
Of course, it is entirely possible that Bush did know and chooses to say he didn't because admitting otherwise would demonstrate some serious foot-dragging or, even worse, a coverup. It wouldn't be the first time the White House has opted for "We didn't know" rather than "We knew but were unconcerned."
And the presence of the "chastisement" on the front pages of our newspapers gives it a surreal meta-chastisement feel anyway. In other words, Bush probably didn't chastise Rumsfeld, but brought him in and said something to the effect of "We need this story on the front page, so you're going to have to take this bullet. But don't worry. You will keep your job and I won't go after you on the big stuff."
But it seems lost on the media that Bush has only questioned Rumsfeld's performance in the p.r. counteroffensive and not in the actual issue at hand.
