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Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived at the Pentagon for a meeting with Japanese Minister of State for Defense Fukushiro Nukaga on April 23. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari) |
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Several prominent Republicans in the House and Senate have urged President Bush to replace Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as part of an administration shakeup.
GOP sources said many in the congressional leadership have warned that growing opposition against Mr. Rumsfeld could result in the loss of the Republican Party’s majority in the 2006 elections. They said Mr. Rumsfeld has become the lightning rod for the public discontent with the administration.
"The leadership wants a sacrifice to show the American people that the president is listening to them on Iraq," a leadership source said. "The most obvious choice is Rumsfeld."
The sources reported increasing estrangement between Mr. Rumsfeld and most of the GOP leadership. They said the defense secretary has been blamed for the rising casualties in Iraq, the huge budget deficit as well as deteriorating relations with Congress.
A leading critic of Mr. Rumsfeld has been Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John Warner, Virginia Republican. Mr. Warner has refused to come to Mr. Rumsfeld's defense and a spokesman said it was up to Mr. Bush to decide whether the defense secretary continues in his post.
Sources close to the GOP leadership said Mr. Rumsfeld would certainly be a key issue in the congressional campaign. They said Democrats would cite criticism by retired generals of Mr. Rumsfeld's handling of the Iraq war.
"Do I think someone else would do a better job, and if someone else would do a better job, does it help me?" Rep. Christopher Shays, a Connecticut Republican who has criticized the conduct of the war, asked. "Of course it would."
One scenario raised by some in the GOP leadership was that Mr. Rumsfeld and several other Cabinet ministers offer their resignations as part of the current administration shakeup. Over the past week, White House press secretary Scott McClellan has resigned and Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove has agreed to a role with reduced authority.
But the sources said the White House plans to hold on to Mr. Rumsfeld despite the pressure from the leadership. They said Mr. Bush feels that kicking out Mr. Rumsfeld would mean "open season" on the administration.
"It [Rumsfeld's resignation] would encourage demands for other members of the Cabinet or other people close to the president to resign," said Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. | 
