Letter shows Rumsfeld quit a day before the elections

[Also note how the stamp says "The President Has Seen", not "The President

Has Read"]

Letter shows Rumsfeld quit a day before elections

By MICHAEL A. FLETCHER | Washington Post

August 15, 2007

CRAWFORD, Texas - Donald Rumsfeld, who came to symbolize the Bush

administration's problems in the war in Iraq, resigned as secretary of

defense one day before last fall's election, though President Bush did not

announce the move until the day after the election.

The White House confirmed Wednesday that Rumsfeld's letter of resignation

was dated Nov. 6, 2006, the day before voters - many of them furious about

the war in Iraq - evicted Republicans from the leadership of the House and

Senate.

Deputy White House press secretary Dana Perino said Bush received the letter

and accepted Rumsfeld's resignation on Election Day. The president waited

until the next day to announce he was replacing Rumsfeld with former CIA

chief Robert Gates.

Bush said the decision to oust Rumsfeld had come after a series of

conversations with his defense secretary. That revelation angered many

Republicans who thought GOP electoral losses would have been reduced if

Rumsfeld had been removed earlier.

"If Rumsfeld had been out, you bet it would have made a difference," Sen.

Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said at the time. "I'd still be chairman of the

Judiciary Committee."

Not only did Bush not telegraph his intention to replace Rumsfeld, but he

also publicly stated in the days before the election that he envisioned

Rumsfeld serving in his administration for the foreseeable future.

"I didn't want to inject a major decision about this war in the final days

of a campaign," Bush said when asked about the statement by reporters. "And

so the only way to answer that question and to get you on to another

question was to give you that answer."

In his four-paragraph resignation letter, which emerged after multiple

Freedom of Information requests by The Associated Press, Rumsfeld does not

mention the war in Iraq. The letter salutes Bush for his leadership and

praises the troops for their courage.

"I leave with great respect for you and for the leadership you have provided

during a challenging time for our country," Rumsfeld wrote to Bush.

"It is time to conclude my service," Rumsfeld wrote at the end of his

letter. "As I do so, I want you to know that you have my continuing and

heartfelt support as you enter the final two years of your presidency."

At the foot of the letter, the stamp "The President Has Seen" is visible,

along with the handwritten date "11/7/06."

Asked why the president did not announce Rumsfeld's resignation as soon as

he learned of it, Perino said Bush was wary of influencing the ongoing vote.

"I know that one of the things that the president wanted to avoid was the

appearance of trying to make this a political decision," she said. "And that

was very important to him, and I think that the American people can

appreciate not playing politics with such an important decision."

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