That phrase sounds familiar

December 15, 2005

There’s been ample speculation of late about Donald Rumsfeld’s job security at the Pentagon and yesterday, on Fox News, the president got the chance to state his support for the embattled Defense Secretary once and for all.

Brit Hume: Secretary Rumsfeld, how does he stand with you?

Bush: Good. He’s done a heck of a job. He’s conducted two wars, and at the same time is out to transfer my military from a military that was constructed for the post-Cold War to one that is going to be constructed to fight terrorism.

Hume: Is he here to stay, as far as you’re concerned, until the end of your term?

Bush: Yes. Well, the end of my term is a long time, but I’ll tell you, he’s doing a heck of a good job. I have no intention of changing him.

There are at least two amusing angles to Bush’s comments. The first is his notion that the rest of his term “is a long time.” I don’t want to read too much into the president’s remarks, but this hardly sounded like a vote of confidence.

Second, of course, is the idea that Rumsfeld is doing a “heck of a job.” When was the last time we heard Bush use that phrase? I think it was Sept. 2 at Mobile Regional Airport….

“Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.”

Ten days later, “Brownie” was forced to resign from FEMA. For Rumsfeld, this should hardly be considered a good sign.

So are “[…]and at the same time is out to transfer my military from a military that was constructed for […]” and “I have no intention of changing him.” typo’s or did he actualy say that?

I assume he meant transform the military, right?

And does he mean he does not want to change Rummy or he does not want to replace Rummy? Option 1) I don’t want rummy to become a peace-nick or 2) I’m not replacing him.

You know for a “plain spoken,straight shooter” from Texas, it is really hard to figure out what thei guy is saying.

  • And Bush refers to it as “my army”. That’s the way he acts. Most people think of it as our army.

  • typo’s or did he actualy say that?

    According to the transcript published by Fox News, these were the president’s actual remarks.

  • As Steinbrenner once said to Bobby Murcer, “You’ll be here as long as I am.” He was traded the next week.

  • Good point Dale. I missed that. Maybe that is part of the Ownership Society. What a jackass.

    I’m sure Rummy will land on his feet at a big defense contractor or somewhere on K street. Or maybe he’ll just retire and use the time to take that giant dump he looks like he needs to let go of when he is on TV.

  • “The end of my term is a long time”

    Too damn long if you ask me.

    Or, more ominously, perhaps what W means is that, once he has created a false sense of panic in the electorate through raised terror threats and/or actual terrorist events as 2008 approaches, he will suspend elections and declare martial law which will allow his “term” to continue indefinitely…

  • I wonder what he thinks about his military spying on American citizens? Will he take responsibility for that?

    “The end of my term is a long time”

    I think this goes hand-in-hand with “it’s hard work”. He’s dreaming of the day when he can go home. Well, at least on that point he is on the same page with most Americans.

  • That “my military” thing gets me too. He did that on the NBC interview as well, talking about “his” decision to go to war, etc. That seems completely out of whack with how our government was formed, going so far back to sound like a king or something.

  • “That “my military” thing gets me too. He did that on the NBC interview as well, talking about “his” decision to go to war, etc. That seems completely out of whack with how our government was formed, going so far back to sound like a king or something.”

    Actually, he’s God’s appointed savior of America. Hadn’t you heard?

  • “The end of my term is a long time”

    Gridlock: I have no doubt that you are correct, at least to his ambitions.

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