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Newsweek: foreign political intelligence operation hacked both candidates' computer systems

2008-11-05

In case anyone's forgotten that the world's not a nice place . . . The computer systems of both the Obama and McCain campaigns were victims of a sophisticated cyberattack by an unknown "foreign entity," prompting a federal investigation, NEWSWEEK reports today. At the Obama headquarters in midsummer, technology experts detected what they initially thought was a computer virus—a case of "phishing," a form of hacking often employed to steal passwords or credit-card numbers. But by the next day, both the FBI and the Secret Service came to the campaign with an ominous warning: "You have a problem way bigger than what you understand," an agent told Obama's team. "You have been compromised, and a serious amount of files have been loaded off your system." The following day, Obama campaign chief David Plouffe heard from White House chief of staff Josh Bolten, to the same effect: "You have a real problem ... and you have to deal with it." The Feds told Obama's aides in late August that the McCain campaign's computer system had been similarly compromised. A top McCain official confirmed to NEWSWEEK that the campaign's computer system had been hacked and that the FBI had become involved. Officials at the FBI and the White House told the Obama campaign that they believed a foreign entity or organization sought to gather information on the evolution of both camps' policy positions—information that might be useful in negotiations with a future administration. The Feds assured the Obama team that it had not been hacked by its political opponents. (Obama technical experts later speculated that the hackers were Russian or Chinese.) A security firm retained by the Obama campaign took steps to secure its computer system and end the intrusion. White House and FBI officials had no comment earlier this week.

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Home Front: Politix

al Gurdian sez Biden sez "Obama might pursue criminal charges against Bush "

2008-09-04

Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden said yesterday that he and running mate Barack Obama could pursue criminal charges against the Bush administration if they are elected in November. If you really REALLY want to piss of the trunks and unify the GOP...Go ahead, Make my day! Biden's comments, first reported by ABC news, attracted little notice on a day dominated by the drama surrounding his Republican counterpart, Alaska governor Sarah Palin. of course...chrismathewwsolberman were too busy dreaming about their man crush on BO But his statements represent the Democrats' strongest vow so far this year to investigate alleged misdeeds committed during the Bush years. the donk controlled Congress is the most despised and detested Congress in modern history. And all they can fixate is on GW. Talk about a bunch o losers. "If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation, they will be pursued," Biden said during a campaign event in Deerfield Beach, Florida, according to ABC. "[N]ot out of vengeance, not out of retribution," he added, "out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no attorney general, no president -- no one is above the law." Are ya planning to go after harry Reid's corrupt family? What about Murtha and all the deals he swung to his brother? Didn't think so. Obama sounded a similar note in April, vowing that if elected, he would ask his attorney general to initiate a prompt review of Bush-era actions to distinguish between possible "genuine crimes" and "really bad policies". I say go ahead. You would have a donk Congress with a rating 3 times lower than GW's led by a Presidency with target fixation on the wrong, friggin target...prosecuting a former President while Rome burns. "[I]f crimes have been committed, they should be investigated," Obama told the Philadelphia Daily News. "You're also right that I would not want my first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of Republicans as a partisan witch hunt, because I think we've got too many problems we've got to solve." Some of which originate in a do-nothing, donk-controlled Congress. Congressional Democrats have issued a flurry of subpoenas this year to senior Bush administration aides as part of a broad inquiry into the authorisation of torturous interrogation tactics used at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp. Geez. Sarah was right. Fixated on the "rights" on combatants who are not covered by the Geneva convention while Murtha "convicts" innocent Marines in the MSM Three veterans of the Bush White House have been held in criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to respond to subpoenas: former counsel Harriet Miers, former political adviser Karl Rove, and current chief of staff Josh Bolten. The contempt battle is currently before a federal court. Convictions?

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Home Front: Politix

Rove ignores subpoena, refuses to testify

2008-07-10

WASHINGTON - Former White House adviser Karl Rove defied a congressional subpoena and refused to testify Thursday about allegations of political pressure at the Justice Department, including whether he influenced the prosecution of a former Democratic governor of Alabama. Rep. Linda Sanchez, chairman of a House subcommittee, ruled with backing from fellow Democrats on the panel that Rove was breaking the law by refusing to cooperate — perhaps the first step toward holding him in contempt of Congress. Just like 91% of the population. Lawmakers subpoenaed Rove in May in an effort to force him to talk about whether he played a role in prosecutors' decisions to pursue cases against Democrats, such as former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, or in firing federal prosecutors considered disloyal to the Bush administration. Rove had been scheduled to appear at the House Judiciary subcommittee hearing Thursday morning. A placard with his name sat in front of an empty chair at the witness table, with a handful of protesters behind it calling for Rove to be arrested. A decision on whether to pursue contempt charges now goes to the full Judiciary Committee and ultimately to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. I'm your faaaaather, Nancy... House Republicans called Thursday's proceedings a political stunt and said if Democrats truly wanted information they would take Rove up on an offer he made to discuss the matter informally. The House already has voted to hold two of President Bush's confidants in contempt for failing to cooperate with its inquiry into whether the administration fired nine federal prosecutors in 2006 for political reasons. The case, involving White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers, is in federal court and may not be resolved before Bush's term ends in January. The White House has cited executive privilege, arguing that internal administration communications are confidential and that Congress cannot compel officials to testify. Rove says he is bound to follow the White House's guidance, although he has offered to answer questions specifically on the Siegelman case — but only with no transcript taken and not under oath. Democrats have rejected the offer because the testimony would not be sworn and, they say, could create a confusing record. "Confusion"? Aw, no. Can't have that in Congress. Rove has insisted publicly that he never tried to influence Justice Department decisions and was not even aware of the Siegelman prosecution until it landed in the news. Mr. Rove, where were you when the Hindenberg blew up? I don't think I was even born y... ANSWER THE QUESTION! Siegelman — an unusually successful Democrat in a heavily Republican state — was charged with accepting and concealing a contribution to his campaign to start a state education lottery, in exchange for appointing a hospital executive to a regulatory board. He was sentenced last year to more than seven years in prison but was released in March when a federal appeals court ruled Siegelman had raised "substantial questions of fact and law" in his appeal. Hey! I'm a Democrat! They can't do that! Right you are governor. Baliff, release him! Siegelman and others have alleged the prosecution was pushed by GOP operatives — including Rove, a longtime Texas strategist who was heavily involved in Alabama politics before working at the White House. A former Republican campaign volunteer from Alabama told congressional attorneys last year that she overheard conversations suggesting that Rove pressed Justice officials in Washington to prosecute Siegelman. I've heard suggetions that Rove causes earthquakes and volcanos and shit... The career prosecutors who handled Siegelman's case have insisted that Rove had nothing to do with it, emphasizing that the former governor was convicted by a jury. Oh, so he was, like, guilty? No wonder they're pissed...

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Home Front: Politix

Peosi Ignores Spy Intercept Bill, Wants WH Aides Investigation

2008-02-28

this cretinous loser keeps beating this dead horse, but ignoring YOUR national safety in thrall to their leftist fringe and trial lawyer remoras. Keep digging, Nancy, a zero % approval's gotta be down there somewhere House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked the Justice Department on Thursday to open a grand jury investigation into whether President Bush's chief of staff and former counsel should be prosecuted for contempt of Congress. Pelosi, D-Calif., demanded that the department pursue misdemeanor charges against former White House counsel Harriet Miers for refusing to testify to Congress about the firings of federal prosecutors in 2006 and against chief of staff Josh Bolten for failing to turn over White House documents related to the dismissals. She gave Attorney General Michael Mukasey one week to respond and said refusal to take the matter to a grand jury will result in the House's filing a civil lawsuit against the Bush administration. The White House branded the request as "truly contemptible." The Justice Department had no immediate comment. The top House Republican called it "a partisan political stunt" and "a complete waste of time," according to a spokesman. The Democratic-controlled House voted two weeks ago to hold Bolten and Miers in contempt for failing to cooperate with committee investigations. "There is no authority by which persons may wholly ignore a subpoena and fail to appear as directed because a president unilaterally instructs them to do so," Pelosi wrote Mukasey. She noted that Congress subpoenaed Miers to appear before the House Judiciary Committee, which is investigating the firings. "Surely, your department would not tolerate that type of action if the witness were subpoenaed to a federal grand jury," Pelosi wrote. She added: "Short of a formal assertion of executive privilege, which cannot be made in this case, there is no authority that permits a president to advise anyone to ignore a duly issued congressional subpoena for documents." Pelosi sent an additional letter to U.S. Attorney Jeff Taylor, the chief federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia, whose office would oversee the grand jury. The letters point to sections of federal law that require the Justice Department to bring the House contempt citations before a grand jury to investigate. At the White House, spokesman Tony Fratto said House Democrats "have been trying to redefine the notion of contempt and they succeeded." contempt? I feel it Both Fratto and House GOP leader John Boehner said the House should focus on passing legislation allowing the government to more easily eavesdrop on phone calls and e-mails of suspected terrorists. "Rather than passing critical national security legislation, they continue to squander time on partisan hijinx," Fratto said. Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said "this sort of pandering to the left-wing fever swamps of loony liberal activists does nothing to make America safer." The Justice Department historically has resisted directing its prosecutors to enforce congressional subpoenas against White House officials. Fratto referred questions to the department and noted the agency "has longstanding views on this question, which they have repeated recently." The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. John Conyers, said he hoped Pelosi's demand would spur the department to "put the partisan manipulation of our system of justice behind it" and take the issue to a grand jury. "To do otherwise would turn on its head the notion that we are all equally accountable under the law," said Conyers, D-Mich. The letter was the latest chapter in a yearlong saga that began with the firings of nine federal prosecutors and led to Alberto Gonzales' resignation as attorney general last August. The House voted 223-32 this month to hold Miers and Bolten in contempt for failing to cooperate with an inquiry into whether the prosecutors' firings were politically motivated. Angry Republicans boycotted the vote and staged a walkout in an unusually bitter scene even for the fractious House. At the time, the Bush administration was no less harsh, saying the information sought by the House was off-limits under executive privilege and that Bolten and Miers were immune from prosecution. The White House said the department would not ask the U.S. attorney to pursue the House contempt charges. It was the first time in 25 years that a full chamber of Congress voted on a contempt of Congress citation. The White House pointed out that it was the first time that such action had been taken against top White House officials who had been instructed by the president to remain silent to preserve executive privilege.

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Home Front: Politix

Bush quietly advising Hillary Clinton, top Democrats, says new book

2007-09-26

Washington, D.C. (Map, News) - President Bush is quietly providing back-channel advice to Hillary Rodham Clinton, urging her to modulate her rhetoric so she can effectively prosecute the war in Iraq if elected president. In an interview for the new book “The Evangelical President,” White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten said Bush has “been urging candidates: ‘Don’t get yourself too locked in where you stand right now. If you end up sitting where I sit, things could change dramatically.’ ” Bolten said Bush wants enough continuity in his Iraq policy that “even a Democratic president would be in a position to sustain a legitimate presence there.”

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Home Front: Politix

Bush (Perhaps) Seeks Compromise on Iraq Benchmarks

2007-05-11

Perhaps, it's all WaPo spin in this article. President Bush said today he accepts the idea of including benchmarks for progress in Iraq as part of an emergency war spending bill, but he rejected what he called a "piecemeal" funding approach now under consideration in the House and vowed to veto it if it reaches his desk. In a news conference at the Pentagon after receiving a briefing from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Bush leveled sharp criticism at congressional Democrats, accusing them of seeking political gain from the war-funding bill, and he warned them not to "hamstring" U.S. commanders in the field or include "pork" projects in the supplemental appropriations bill. Yet he also expressed a desire to find "common ground" with Congress. House Democrats began working on a new formula that provides interim funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for two months. The proposal would give Bush half the money he has requested for the war effort, with a vote in July on whether to approve the rest based on the Iraqi government's progress in meeting political and economic benchmarks. A vote on the proposal is expected in the House tonight. Bush today warned lawmakers not to send him such bill, urging them to provide full funding without timetables or restrictions. "Time's running out, because the longer we wait the more strain we're going to put on the military," he said in the news conference at the Pentagon. "My message to the members of Congress is, whatever your beliefs may be, let's make sure our troops get funded," he said. "And let's make sure politicians don't tell our commanders how to conduct operations. Let's don't hamstring our people in the field. That's my message." He said that in September, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the joint chiefs plan to "make recommendations about troop levels based upon the conditions on the ground," taking into account the views of the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus. That approach, Bush said, "stands in stark contrast to members of Congress who say, we're going to determine troop levels based upon politics or the latest opinion poll or how we can get our members elected." He added, "The idea that the House of Representatives put forward is one that we will fund our troops by piecemeal." He said Gates feels strongly that this is "a bad idea" because it would delay certain procurements and military contracts. "There's a lot of uncertainty in funding when it comes to two-month cycles," Bush said. "So we reject that idea. It won't work." He also accused lawmakers of being "ready to fully fund unrelated domestic spending items and only one-half of the money requested for our troops." "They got it wrong," he said. "They ought to provide 100 percent of the money for people who wear the uniform, and leave these special pork projects out of the bill. So I'll veto the bill if it's this haphazard, piecemeal funding." However, Bush continued, "One message I have heard from people from both parties is that the idea of benchmarks makes sense. And I agree. It makes sense to have benchmarks as a part of our discussion on how to go forward. And so I've empowered Josh Bolten to find common ground on benchmarks. And he will continue to have dialogue with both Republicans and Democrats." He referred to Joshua B. Bolten, the White House chief of staff and one of his designated negotiators on a new war funding bill.

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Home Front: Politix

Bush, Democrats search for Iraq war compromise

2007-05-03

Democrats on Wednesday failed to override President George W. Bush's veto of Iraq war funding legislation that would force a troop pullout timetable, prompting the start of tense negotiations on a compromise. Bush welcomed somber Democratic leaders to the White House shortly after the veto override attempt failed in the House of Representatives and said he was confident an agreement could be found on a bitterly debated $124 billion war funding bill. "Yesterday was a day that highlighted differences," Bush said of Tuesday's veto. "Today is a day where we can work together to find common ground." Democratic leaders called the session positive but insisted their main goal is to find a way to end the four-year-old Iraq war, in which 3,300 Americans and countless Iraqis have been killed. "Whatever our differences, we owe it to the American people to find our common ground. Of course, we must stand our ground if we can't find it. But we must strive to find that common ground," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California. No easy compromise was within reach. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said he would like to see an agreement by the end of May. White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and McConnell are to meet on Thursday for some initial soundings.

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Iraq

Cheney says Dem's Iraq plan al Qaeda-approved--Pelosi freaks

2007-02-22

God Bless Dick Cheney! Pelosi called Bush to "tell" on Cheney, but W "wasn't available". No apologies are forthcoming. This post needs a baby photo for sure. WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney on Wednesday harshly criticized Democrats' attempts to thwart President Bush's troop buildup in Iraq, saying their approach would "validate the al-Qaida strategy." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) fired back that Cheney was questioning critics' patriotism. "I hope the president will repudiate and distance himself from the vice president's remarks," Pelosi said. She said she tried to complain about Cheney to President Bush but could not reach him. The quarrel began in Tokyo, where Cheney used an interview to criticize Pelosi and Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., over their plan to place restrictions on Bush's request for an additional $93 billion for the Iraq war to make it difficult or impossible to send 21,500 extra troops to Iraq. "I think if we were to do what Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Murtha are suggesting, all we will do is validate the al-Qaida strategy," the vice president told ABC News. "The al-Qaida strategy is to break the will of the American people ... try to persuade us to throw in the towel and come home, and then they win because we quit." bingo Pelosi, at a news conference in San Francisco, said Cheney's criticism of Democrats was "beneath the dignity of the debate we're engaged in and a disservice to our men and women in uniform, whom we all support." who's we, bitch? "And you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to call the president and tell him I disapprove of what the vice president said," Pelosi said. "It has no place in our debate." Bush had previously urged her to call him when a member of his administration stepped over the line by questioning Democrats' patriotism, she said. Is she like 7 years old? Later, Pelosi said she had tried to reach the president but was only able to get through to White House chief of staff Josh Bolten. Bolten said he was certain no one was questioning her patriotism or commitment to national security, she told reporters. just your sanity, courage, intelligence... "I said to him perhaps when he saw what the vice president said he might have another comment," Pelosi said. NOPE White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said Cheney "was not questioning anyone's patriotism." But she said Bush and Cheney believe that Pelosi and Murtha's "position to immediately pull out our troops would be harmful to our national security and that it is the wrong strategy to pursue."

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Home Front: Politix

Bush Picks a Replacement for Harriet Miers

2007-01-08

In a signal that he could be open to working more closely with congressional Democrats rather than stonewalling, President Bush plans to name the widely respected Republican lawyer Fred F. Fielding as White House counsel this week, party sources tell TIME. Fielding, who held the same position under President Ronald Reagan, will succeed the President's friend Harriet Miers, who last week announced her resignation, effective Jan. 31. An official who has been briefed on the impending announcement, which could come as soon as Tuesday, called Fielding "the ultimate Washington lawyer-insider — he's the man to see." Since Vernon Jordan is apparently still busy babysitting Bill Clinton. "He's the guy who helps you defend your position, stick to your principles, but tries to work out a reasonable compromise," the official said. "He's highly partisan, but he's highly regarded by everyone." Which is politico-speak for he's not *that* highly partisan. The idea came from Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, and Administration officials said they regarded it as a savvy choice. The selection of Fielding, a member of the 9/11 commission from 2002 to 2004, comes as the White House is gearing up for a multitude of investigations — and likely subpoenas — from Democrats, who took control of both chambers of Congress last week with a vow to pursue aggressive oversight and deny the White House blank checks for Iraq or anything else. Fielding was persuaded to leave his lucrative position as a senior partner in the Washington law firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding with "an appeal to patriotism" and an assurance that he would not just be the President's lawyer but would be deeply involved in Congressional strategy and negotiations, the official said. Fielding was Counsel to President Reagan from 1981 to 1986, deputy White House counsel from 1972 to 1974 and associate White House counsel from 1970 to 1972. He was Clearance Counsel for the Bush-Cheney Presidential Transition in 2000 and 2001, and has degrees from Gettysburg College and University of Virginia School of Law. "The key for the Administration is going to be drawing the lines on these boundaries of executive privilege and access to documents and congressional oversight — drawing the lines around the really important issues and trying to be a little more flexible on the others," said a former colleague of Fielding. "They're not going to fold, because Fielding is a very serious, hard-nosed person, and he's a tough negotiator. But they're also going not to take a totally stonewall position. That doesn't mean they're going to cave in. What it means is they're going to negotiate and focus on the things that they're truly protecting and that are truly important." David Gergen, who was White House adviser to four Presidents and now is a professor of public service at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, lauded Fielding last May during the commencement address at Duke University Law School, calling him an example of how a lawyer can make his children proud. Fielding was John Dean's deputy counsel, but was, as Gergen noted, "completely clean" on Watergate." Gergen said that in the Reagan White House Field would generally phrase his advice as: “You know, David, it would be technically okay for you to take the following course of action ... But can I advise you as a friend and as someone who wants to be respected that there’s a much wiser way to proceed? You won’t find it as convenient and you may not achieve everything you want, but at the end of the day, you can sleep at night and your honor will be intact.” Now, Fielding will have the chance to offer that advice to a new client.

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Iraq

US 'open to Iran talks on Iraq'

2006-11-12

The White House has indicated it will consider talking to Iran and Syria about the future of Iraq. Chief-of-staff Josh Bolten told the ABC network that President George W Bush would look at all the options when he meets a panel of advisers on Monday. The Iraq Study Group panel, due to give its recommendations by the end of the year, is believed to favour renewing contacts with Tehran and Damascus. In a speech on Monday, UK PM Tony Blair will call for them to be more involved. Iraq was a key factor in the Republican defeat in mid-term polls and US defence chief Donald Rumsfeld's resignation. Senior Democrats have urged the preparation for a phased pullout of US troops. Blair's speech Speaking on ABC's This Week programme, Mr Bolten - who as White House chief-of-staff is Mr Bush's closest aide - said "a fresh approach" was clearly needed on Iraq. Asked if he favoured the idea of including Iraq's neighbours, Iran and Syria, in discussions, Mr Bolten said all options would be considered. According to the office of Mr Blair, the UK prime minister will call for their greater involvement during a keynote speech in London's financial centre on Monday. An aide said Mr Blair would "make clear to Syria and Iran the basis on which they can help the peaceful development of the Middle East rather than hinder it; and the consequences of not doing so". Phased withdrawal The Iraq Study group, the bipartisan US task force asked by Congress to examine the effectiveness of policy in Iraq, is to meet Mr Bush at the White House on Monday. The panel, which is led by former US Secretary of State James Baker, reportedly thinks that "staying the course" is an untenable long-term strategy. It is said to have been looking at two options, both of which would amount to a reversal of the Bush administration's stance. One is the phased withdrawal of US troops, and the other is to increase contact with Syria and Iran to help stop the fighting. In his interview, Mr Bolten dismissed calls for a fixed timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. The US military confirmed that three US soldiers had been killed in fighting in Iraq's Anbar province on Saturday. More than 2,800 US troops have died in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003. Meanwhile four British servicemen have been killed following a bomb attack on a patrol boat in southern Iraq. Another three suffered serious injuries in the incident, which took place during a routine patrol along the Shatt al-Arab waterway in Basra.

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Home Front: Politix

Democrats say will push for Iraq withdrawal

2006-11-12

Hat Tip: Drudge; From al-Rooters Democrats say will push for Iraq withdrawal Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:08pm ET136 By Tabassum Zakaria WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats, who won control of the U.S. Congress, said on Sunday they will push for a phased withdrawal of American troops from Iraq to begin in four to six months, but the White House cautioned against fixing timetables. "First order of business is to change the direction of Iraq policy," said Sen. Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat who is expected to be chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee in the new Congress. Democrats will press President George W. Bush's administration to tell the Iraqi government that U.S. presence was "not open-ended, and that, as a matter of fact, we need to begin a phased redeployment of forces from Iraq in four to six months," Levin said on ABC's "This Week" program. Bush has insisted that U.S. troops would not leave until Iraqis were able to take over security for their country, and has repeatedly rejected setting a timetable for withdrawal because, he says, that would only embolden the insurgents. The White House said, however, that Bush is open to new ideas. Bush will meet on Monday with the bipartisan Iraq Study Group that is expected to recommend alternative policies in its final report. A suicide bomber killed 35 people at a police recruiting center in Iraq on Sunday in the bloodiest attack in months against recruits. More than 2,800 American troops have been killed in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and the unpopular war was a key factor in last week's elections in which Bush's Republican Party lost majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives. White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten said it was important that any action be taken in a way to ensure that Iraq can succeed and have a democratic government that can sustain and defend itself. 'OPEN TO FRESH IDEAS' "It's hard for me to see how that can be done on a fixed timetable," Bolten said on ABC's "This Week" program. "But the president's open to fresh ideas here. Everybody's reviewing the situation." Bush has asked Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the military Joint Chiefs of Staff, to conduct a review at the Pentagon of Iraq strategy, and other national security agencies to do similar reviews, Bolten said. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada said "we need to redeploy," but that the decision should be made by military officers in Iraq. He said on "Face The Nation" program on CBS that he would not insist on a specific date for drawing down troops, but that a withdrawal should start within the next few months. The White House says Bush is not to receive final recommendations from the Iraq Study Group -- led by James Baker, a former secretary of state with close ties to the Bush family -- in the Monday meeting. Bush chose a member of that panel, former CIA Director Robert Gates, to replace Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, whose resignation was announced the day after elections gave control of Congress to Democrats for the first time since 1994. Sen. Joseph Biden, a Delaware Democrat who is expected to head the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he was inclined to support Gates, whose nomination requires Senate approval. "I know some of his views on Iraq. I know he wasn't of the Rumsfeld school. And to put it very, very bluntly, as long as he's not there, Rumsfeld is there," Biden said on ABC. Biden called for an international conference on Iraq, that would include Iran, Syria and Turkey. (Additional reporting by Missy Ryan) © Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

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Home Front: Politix

GOP Furious Over Timing of Rumsfeld Resignation

2006-11-10

Donald Rumsfeld's abrupt resignation from the Pentagon the day after Republicans lost both chambers of Congress has infuriated some GOP officials on and off Capitol Hill. Members and staff still reeling from Tuesday's rout are furious about the administration's decision to dump the controversial defense secretary one day after their historic loss, they said in a series of interviews about the election results. President Bush announced Rumsfeld's resignation on Wednesday and named Bob Gates, a former CIA chief and president of Texas A&M University, as his replacement. "The White House said keeping the majority was a priority, but they failed to do the one thing that could have made a difference," one House GOP leadership aide said Thursday. "For them to toss Rumsfeld one day after the election was a slap in the face to everyone who worked hard to protect the majority." Exit polling suggested that an overwhelming majority of voters disapproved of the administration's handling of the war in Iraq, and members and aides were frustrated with the timing of the announcement because an earlier resignation could have given them a boost on the campaign trail, they believe. "They did this to protect themselves, but they couldn't protect us?" another Republican aide said yesterday. White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten called outgoing House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) on Wednesday morning to notify him of the move, Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean said Thursday. A spokesman for House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the White House also notified the House leader before the news was announced. Citing the various scandals that have roiled the Republican Congress, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow Thursday downplayed the impact of the war in Iraq on Tuesday's election. "The voters said, 'You know what, we expect you to come to Washington and do the people's business,'" Snow said during his regular press briefing Thursday. "And when people lose sight of that, voters tend to remind them of the priorities. That's 10 seats right there." The working relationship between Bush and congressional Republicans will be an interesting subplot for the next Congress as the GOP adjusts to its new role in the minority. Relations between the president and Republicans on the Hill have frayed dramatically since he began his second term, with GOP lawmakers placing increased blame on the administration for its perceived inability to reach to members and staff on legislation, personnel moves and its interpretation of the legal code in the detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists. Republicans cite the fumbled rollout of Social Security reform, the administration's continued support of comprehensive immigration reform and the president's insistence to defend American involvement in Iraq on the campaign trail. There were also very public spats between Hastert and the administration over an FBI raid on Rep. William Jefferson's (D-La.) congressional office and a major split over the near acquisition of port operations in six major cities by a firm based in Dubai.

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