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Bush Defends Rumsfeld As 'A Caring Fellow'
2 hours, 51 minutes ago
By KEN GUGGENHEIM, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - Accused of being insensitive to U.S. soldiers in Iraq (news - web sites) and their families, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld received a fresh endorsement Monday from President Bush (news - web sites), who called him "a caring fellow."
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"I have heard the anguish in his voice and seen his eyes when we talk about the danger in Iraq and the fact that youngsters are over there in harm's way," Bush said at a White House news conference.
Still, a poll suggests slippage in public support for Rumsfeld.
Just over half in a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll, 52 percent, said Rumsfeld should resign, and 36 percent said he should not. Rumsfeld's job approval has been dropping, with 41 percent now approving and 50 percent disapproving. People were evenly split on Rumsfeld's performance in May, but most approved of his handling of the job about a year ago.
Congressional criticism of Rumsfeld has increased in recent weeks, with lawmakers of both parties accusing him of appearing indifferent to soldiers' pleas for more armored vehicles. Some have complained about his use of a mechanical device to sign condolence letters to military families whose loved ones have died in battle, rather than signing them himself.
"My goodness, that's the least that we could expect of the secretary of defense, is having some personal attention paid by him," Sen. Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record), R-Neb. said Sunday. Rumsfeld said last week he will personally sign letters in the future.
Bush, who personally signs condolence letters, was asked why he was willing to overlook Rumsfeld's failure to do the same.
"I know Secretary Rumsfeld's heart," Bush said. "I know how much he cares for the troops," adding that Rumsfeld and his wife visit hospitalized soldiers "all the time to provide comfort and solace."
He said beneath Rumsfeld's "rough and gruff, no-nonsense demeanor is a good human being who cares deeply about the military and deeply about the grief that war causes."
Rumsfeld's tough demeanor made him hugely popular after the Sept. 11 attacks and during the military campaigns to topple the Taliban government in Afghanistan (news - web sites) and Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s regime in Iraq.
But the substance of Rumsfeld's performance also has come in for severe criticism.
Many say false prewar assumptions about Iraq and a lack of planning for postwar operations led to the problems seen in Iraq today. As casualties mounted in Iraq, some lawmakers viewed Rumsfeld as arrogantly dismissive of their concerns that the Pentagon (news - web sites) wasn't providing enough troops to stop the growing insurgency. Some Democrats called for his resignation after revelations of the abuse of Iraqi prisoners created an international furor.
In recent weeks, several Senate Republicans have questioned whether Rumsfeld should resign. But powerful senators, including Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., say Rumsfeld should stay.
The committee's top Democrat, Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan, has declined to call for Rumsfeld's resignation, blaming Bush's war policies for problems in Iraq.
"If I thought those policies would change by changing the secretary of defense, I'd be all for it," Levin said on CNN. "But I don't see that that is the ticket to policy changes."
Asked what Rumsfeld needs to do to rebuild lawmakers' trust, Bush said the secretary will "continue to reach out to members of the Hill, explaining the decisions he's made."
"And I believe that in the new term, members of the Senate and the House will recognize what a good job he's doing," Bush said.
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On the Net:
Defense Department: http://www.dod.gov
White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov
The Senate: http://www.senate.gov
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Copyright © 2004 The Associated Press.