Boehner Digs In: Rumsfeld Doing ‘Marvelous Job’
Boehner Digs In: Rumsfeld Doing ‘Marvelous Job’
Yesterday, House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is the “best thing that’s happened to the Pentagon in 25 years.” He said, “Let’s not take the problems in Iraq, the tough fight that we’re in there and blame it on anyone.”
Today on MSNBC, Boehner stood by his effusive praise for Rumsfeld. Asked whether he really believes Rumsfeld is the best the military has had in 25 years, Boehner said, “I think he’s done a marvelous job.”
Watch it:
In another appearance this morning on Fox News, Boehner repeated, “Let’s not take the difficulty we see in Iraq and blame it on Rumsfeld or anyone else.”
Full transcript:
O’DONNELL: Let me ask you about how to win and what the strategy should be to win. You have a number of candidates, Sen. Mike DeWine in Ohio who says Secretary Rumsfeld should resign. You have Anne Northrup, a congresswoman, who says he should resign. Congressman Shays in Connecticut, a Republican, Congressman Steele — he isn’t a congressman, he is running for the Senate — he says Rumsfeld wouldn’t be my secretary of defense. And yesterday you said Secretary Rumsfeld is the best thing that has happened to the military in 25 years. Why?
BOEHNER: When you look at the transformation that has occured over at the Pentagon, a lighter, quicker force, it would not have happened without the leadership of Donald Rumsfeld.
O’DONNELL: What about the management of the war in iraq?
BOEHNER: The management of the war in Iraq is being handled by the generals on the ground. Gens. Casey and Abizaid are doing the best they can given the situation. You understand that the terrorists coming out of al Qaeda have made Iraq the central focus in their war with us, and they’re also out there stirring up sectarian violence. This is the central front, and to blame it on Rumsfeld —
O’DONNELL: But the best the military has had in 25 years?
BOEHNER: I think he’s done a marvelous job.
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anyone that would say this is most likely criminally involved with rummy or his masters, we know that this boner is deep in the pool with the cess.
must be fun coming if this guy endorses an idiot, twice in two days.
can’t wait. when in the course of human events……
October 30th, 2006 at 11:22 am9 days from the elections and these guys are praising Rummy ?? It’s official, they’ve lost it !!
October 30th, 2006 at 11:27 am“Let’s not take the difficulty we see in Iraq and blame it on Rumsfeld or anyone else.â€
ok so… this ‘difficulty’ just manifested it self out of thin air then?! OH I see!
October 30th, 2006 at 11:30 amreally. thanks for clearing that up Boehner. ‘Difficulties’ just pop up out of the blue… it’s no one’s fault!
/sarcasm
‘Let’s not blame anyone?’….not even the democrates?…..not even Clinton?
October 30th, 2006 at 11:31 amARE YOU AWAKE,BONE HEAD??????
“Let’s not take the difficulty we see in Iraq and blame it on Rumsfeld or anyone else.â€
Mr. Boehner needs to understand that there is a huge difference between being “to blame” for something, and being “responsible”. Whether or not Mr. Rumsfeld personally screwed up anything is irrelevant. He is responsible for what happened (or failed to happen), and so he must be removed and replaced.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:31 amDoesn’t Boehner realize things go easier when you lube up first?
These guys really have no sense of reality. They seem to be too busy covering each other’s a**es.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:32 amPLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE keep talking.
Thank you.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:33 amStill trying to shove the all Kaida thing at us… hard to believe any of it any more, as there have to be so many more similar organizations now…… I’m sure they have mostlyleft Iraq by now, knowing that the civil war amongst the Iraqis alone are enough to keep bleeding America lives and resources…
October 30th, 2006 at 11:34 amAnd, oh, if the invasion and occupation of Iraq is the central front, it is EXACTLY because Rumpsfelt put us there. Well, got to give Deadeye Dick a bit of the credit as well…maybe Wolfiewits a little, too……
“Let’s not take the problems in Iraq, the tough fight that we’re in there and blame it on anyone.â€
Of course we shouldn’t blame anyone, especially the repubs who have forced this illegal war down the throats of Americans. Let’s not hold anyone accountable for the $Billions of dollars wasted and the thousands of lives lost or forever physically damaged. This is the new republican motto, “Hey, we tried, but no one is to blame. Please vote for us and we’ll give you more of the same.”
October 30th, 2006 at 11:34 am4.
If you blame Clinto, you have to blame Bush too… He has played his part as well as Rumsfeld
October 30th, 2006 at 11:36 amMore proof not to listen to your Boner before your brain.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:37 amI still love the saying “Weapons of mass destruction”
October 30th, 2006 at 11:38 amLet’s use the tried and true conservative ideological technique of blaming the victims. The Iraqis are responsible for all the violence the U.S.’s illegal, unprovoked war causes!
October 30th, 2006 at 11:40 amIsn’t this the same man who knew about Predatorgate and did nothing about it?
October 30th, 2006 at 11:41 am“Let’s not take the problems in Iraq, the tough fight that we’re in there and blame it on anyone.â€
October 30th, 2006 at 11:41 amIs he for real?
Satire? Maybe even unintentionally?
Nearly three thousand American and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives pissed away and we shouldn’t hold these hacks accountable? WTF? AYSM?
I still don’t understand how they can justify killing so many civilians. What are they, casualties of war… They should have known off the bat that they were in for the long hall and stated it from the get-go. Now they are all to blame
October 30th, 2006 at 11:42 amCorporate Profits have never been so good for the GOP corporations.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:42 amThis guy’s clearly decided to go down with the rapidly sinking GOP ship. He’s totally out of touch making statement like these and has lost whatever shred of credibilityhe may have had. The rest of his tattered rep will go down in FoleyGate when all of the facts are revealed about what he knew and when.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:42 amf*** accountability!
October 30th, 2006 at 11:46 amsomeone mentioned the GRINCH yesterday…
October 30th, 2006 at 11:46 amit’s the eyes… boner has GRINCH EYES…
fitting…
NOTICE WE ARE LEFT WITH TWO TYPES OF CONS NOW
SHEEP - Still dining on the dung curds of a failed administration and failed foreign policy.
RATS - Jumping ship in a vain attempt to save their smarmy carcass.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:51 am#20
October 30th, 2006 at 11:51 amI think they are more like sheep or goat eyes. Evangelist Robert Tilton has them too. Scary, like an “Omen” movie or something…
caption contest; “You want me to check the oil sherrif Taylor?”
October 30th, 2006 at 11:53 amBoney has calculated that running away from the junta isn’t working so he may as well embrace it
October 30th, 2006 at 11:53 amOne wonders what kind of drugs Boehner is taking in order to make himself so delusional.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:54 amI think he has almost fatally dosed himself.
To some people with their heads up their asses, Hitler did a marvelous job, too.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:54 amSo Boehner continues to be aptly named then?
October 30th, 2006 at 11:56 amYes, let’s not blame anyone because the Republicans are not really “in charge” are they… and the GOP hasn’t any control over what’s been going on over there, and the administration doesn’t have responsibility either, so we can’t blame them, now can we? I mean, in order to be “blame-able”, they would have to be responisible for something, and I have seen no evidence for that, have you?
October 30th, 2006 at 11:58 amThis guy will be a lot less relevant very soon.
October 30th, 2006 at 12:00 pmSure, let’s not blame it on anyone. Except the Democrats or Clinton or Wolf Blitzer. . . .
October 30th, 2006 at 12:02 pmThis just proves what we were told from the time we were old enough to understand.
October 30th, 2006 at 12:14 pmA Boehner has no conscience.
They have this rat so scared that he doesn’t have the sense to abandon a sinking ship. What have they got on this guy? Must be good, the way he grovels and snivels in their servitude.
October 30th, 2006 at 12:19 pmBest thing to happen to the Pentagon in 25 years? Does he realize Cheney was Sec. Def. in that timeframe? I wonder if Cheney will ask him to go hunting after the election.
October 30th, 2006 at 12:24 pmAsked whether he really believes Rumsfeld is the best the military has had in 25 years, Boehner said, “I think he’s done a marvelous job.â€
I guess The Boner is judging Rummy’s performance based on his own extensive war-time military experience. You see, during the Vietnam War, he enlisted in the Navy. He was honorably discharged after eight weeks of training because of a bad back.
But of course, that’s about eight weeks more than most of the Bush Warhawks have.
October 30th, 2006 at 12:32 pmI believe Foley has a boner for boehner.
October 30th, 2006 at 12:34 pmBetter check with Hasturd, John, he knows all of Foley’s
tricks, right?
I think he forgot to finish his full sentance. “best thing that’s happened to the Pentagon in 25 years for Halliburton shareholders.”
October 30th, 2006 at 12:36 pmIt is very clear that Rumsfeld is not responsible. Nor is anyone else in the Bush Administration responsible. The whole works of those silly asses are totally irresponsible.
October 30th, 2006 at 1:16 pmHeavens no. Nobody is to blame for the total mess in Iraq. Doing that would be to hold somebody accountable. And we can’t do this with the no accountibility administration.
Look, it’s silly season. Politicians are prone to say silly and stupid things during this silly season. Too bad Ohio voters don’t take this into consideration on November 7th and hold him accountable for not just being stupid but for covering up for the pedophile Foley.
October 30th, 2006 at 1:28 pm…“best thing that’s happened to the Pentagon in 25 years for Halliburton shareholders.â€
Comment by CpnJustice — October 30, 2006 @ 12:36 pm
there ya go… a perfect addendum to many a statement made by these criminals and their cult followers…
October 30th, 2006 at 1:58 pmHere’s the “behind the lines” reading I had of Boehner’s comment:
BOEHNER: The management of the war in Iraq is being handled by the generals on the ground. So, it’s their fault. Yes, I know that Gens. Casey and Abizaid are doing the best they can given the situation that the White House and Congress have given them. We just can’t say it’s the Republican Neocon politicians’ fault. We understand that because the U.S. is there the terrorists are coming into Iraq to make that the central focus in their war with us, and we haven’t a clue about how to handle the sectarian violence. This is the central front in our campaign, and to blame it on Rumsfeld — means you also have to blame Bush and Cheney - whose coattails are the only ones we neocons have to ride in this election. We’re toast on anything but terrorism, and maybe even that. So, we have to try to divert any blaming or holding anyone responsible.
October 30th, 2006 at 2:13 pmSuddenly it’s clear! The SecDef 25 years ago was Cap Weinberger, he of the infamous Star Wars failure. He and Rummy are pretty much complimentary failures.
October 30th, 2006 at 2:22 pmNote, however, we have had lots of capable DefSecs in the intervening 25 years, you just need to go back 25 years to find one as incompetent as Rummy. Except for Cheney of course
In another appearance this morning on Fox News, Boehner repeated, “Let’s not take the difficulty we see in Iraq and blame it on Rumsfeld or anyone else.â€
Except on Bill Clinton, right?
October 30th, 2006 at 3:05 pmBoehner Digs In
You guys are gross.
October 30th, 2006 at 3:06 pmSec Rumsfeld is a superb Secretary of Defence and is doing a marvelous job, unless you consider the occupation of Iraq.
Ted Bundy was a handsome, charming young man as well as likeable in every other way unless, of course, you consider the 30-something women he killed.
It is remarkable the perspective one can gain by ignoring a few inconvenient facts.
October 30th, 2006 at 3:27 pmYer doin a boner of a job, Rummy!
October 30th, 2006 at 3:35 pmSure, he’s doing a great job at failing. Failure is the biggest product the Rethugs have to sell. And when they fail at war, what happens to our army, … ??? It takes a year to pull out an army. Just wondering what mechanism they have put in place for pulling our troops out of there in an emergency, such as the country sinks into civil war? What spin can they use to mask missing American battalions, “Heckova job, Rummy”?
October 30th, 2006 at 3:55 pmBoehner is entirely mistaken in when he claims that the generals in Iraq are running the show. This war, from conception to prosecution is Rumsfeld’s and Rumsfeld’s alone. He systematically emasculated the officer corp. He listens only to his own voice and the voices in his head. He is by far not only the poorest Sec. of Def. that we have had, but by all accounts he is the most dangerous as he leads our military to its lowest capabilities since WWII. He is not cut loose because he is a surrogate father to Bush.
October 30th, 2006 at 5:09 pmIs there anyone more sick of dead-eyed white uber-corporate guys than me?
Just a show of hands.
October 30th, 2006 at 5:13 pmBoehner: long time bootlicker.
October 30th, 2006 at 5:37 pmAnyone who would say Rumsfeld has done a marvelous job is as stupid and partisan as the cic - his opinion is worthless, based on nothing, and indicates how bereft they are of anything positive.
i find it extremely ironic that a person, rummy, is sending american troops to die in iraq while he has never donned a uniform to defend america.
October 30th, 2006 at 6:15 pmthis is what the republicans are all about.
I thought Afganistan was the main front on terrorism so it must have been
October 30th, 2006 at 9:48 pmthe Generals idea to shift the focus and invade Iraq since it sounds like
they’re the ones making all the descisions and all the guys in charge like
the commander in chief and all his cronies are just glorified cheerleaders. If
this is the leadership we are getting from these guys then that should be
more proof that they should be voted out of office. The other talking point
they seem to be repeating a lot lately is the buck stops here. The only
problem with that is they don’t want to take any responsibility for the buck
stopping with them except to say its the generals fault. If Rumsfeld is the
best thing to happen in 25 years then why have there been a record
amount of generals resigning and speaking out against him. Doesn’t sound
like the guys who have to work with him day in and out have the same
sentiment as bonehead does.
#48 You aren’t kidding about being deadeyed. Nosferatu would be jealous.
October 30th, 2006 at 9:51 pmJohn Boehner: next to Mitch McConnel in the Senate, the administration’s lieutenants of loyal, unflinching ass-kissing.
When the W.H. says “pucker up”, they say “our lips couldn’t be more ready”.
October 30th, 2006 at 10:34 pm[…] Here is U.S. House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH): “Let’s not take the problems in Iraq, the tough fight that we’re in there and blame it on anyone.†[…]
October 31st, 2006 at 11:00 amrummy will give the iraq’s american style democracy, even if it kills them.
October 31st, 2006 at 12:56 pmHey it looks like you have the same problems with your politicians as we do in Australia. our foriegn minister Alexander Downer has been saying in the House of Representatives today how swimmingly the Iraq war is going (1/Nov/2006). What is it about liberal conservatives that they are born so stupid! Secondly: like your current administration our Liberal Government does not have one member who contributed to the armed forces. In fact when the draft came up for the Vietnam war they all hid in their bedrooms - including our Australian Prime Minister Mr John Howard!!! Makes you wonder about these neo-cons and their propensity to send someone else’s sons and daughters to war to do their dirty work. If they would like to lead the troops I would be right behind them but only if they lead the troops.
November 1st, 2006 at 12:56 am[…] Is Boehner smoking crack? If Rumsfeld is the best thing to happen to the Pentagon in 25 years, the minx is the best thing to happen to Reno’s vodka suppliers ever. Okay, maybe that’s true, but you get my point. […]
November 1st, 2006 at 1:11 amSuch a nonchalant attitude “the problems we have in Iraq”…no big deal…don’t worry…Rumsfeld had nothing to do with it…AMAZING!!!
November 1st, 2006 at 1:59 pmRumsfeld has everything to do with the debacle in Iraq. There is a great documentary on PBS called THE LOST YEAR IN IRAQ and it shows just how much influence he has.
If Rummy were doing such a fabulous job, he’d be personally be able to justify it every step of the way. Instead he just tells those citizens to ‘back off’.
The unbridled arrogance of this administration, coupled with the nazi-like domestic stategy they practice is simply beyond the pale.
I guess I’m just a simple naysayer.
November 2nd, 2006 at 2:12 pmRUMMY PART OF THE “BUSH CRIME FAMILY” BELONGS IN JAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 3rd, 2006 at 11:33 am