Rumsfeld resigned before Election Day
Posted: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 12:10 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:
White House, Midterms, 2008
From NBC’s Domenico MontanaroDonald Rumsfeld resigned from his post as Secretary of Defense before Election Day 2006, but it was not announced by
President Bush until afterwards.
Reuters obtained a copy of Rumsfeld’s resignation letter, and it was dated Nov. 6, 2006 -- the day before the mid-term elections, which saw Democrats ride a wave of dissatisfaction with the Iraq war and Republican ethical scandals to take over the U.S. House and Senate.
VIDEO: President Bush announcing Donald Rumsfeld's resignation the day after Election Day.A stamp on the letter indicates President Bush saw the letter on Election Day.
The news “infuriated some Republicans, who,” according to Reuters, “said their party might have kept more seats in Congress and perhaps kept control of the Senate if Rumsfeld had left before the election.”
We will update when we hear comment from the White House.
**** UPDATE **** In response, the White House said: "One of the things the president wanted to avoid was the appearance of trying to make this a political decision. That was very important to him, and the American people can appreciate him not playing politics with such an important decision."
