제목 Rumsfeld Resigns as Defense Secretary After Big Election Gains for Dem 작성자 nytimes 이메일 홈페이지 조회수 13899 등록일 2006/11/9 (7:56) Rumsfeld Resigns as Defense Secretary After Big Election Gains for Democrats                By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and JIM RUTENBERG Published: November 8, 2006 WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 ?Faced with the collapse of his Republican majority in Congress, President Bush responded today with a series of conciliatory measures, firing his secretary of defense, extending an olive branch to Democrats and vowing to strike a new tone of bi-partisanship after years of partisan rancor. Stephen Crowley/The New York Times Donald H. Rumsfeld was next to President Bush as the nominee to replace him, Robert Gates, was introduced. Rumsfeld Resigns as Defense Secretary Rumsfeld's Resignation Related Transcript: President Bush on the Election Results (November 8, 2006) Transcript: President Bush, Robert Gates and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld (November 8, 2006) < a href="http://graphics.nytimes.com/audiosrc/politics/08backstory-shanker.mp3">AUDIO: Back Story With The Times뭩 Thom Shanker (mp3) Latest Senate Results Also: House | Governors | State-by-State Analysis Doug Mills/ The New York Times Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in October With Democrats having recaptured the House and control of the Senate hinging on the outcome of an unsettled contest in Virginia, Mr. Bush said he was 뱋bviously disappointed.?Mr. Bush portrayed the results as a 뱓humpin?of Republicans and conceded that as head of the party, he bore part of the responsibility. Just days after telling reporters that he would keep Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld on with him for the rest of his term, Mr. Bush said that the two had agreed 밶fter a series of thoughtful conversations?that it was time for Mr. Rumsfeld to go. The president asked Robert M. Gates, who served as director of central intelligence under Mr. Bush뭩 father, to serve as his new defense secretary. Yesterday뭩 elections reshaped the political landscape in Washington, putting Democrats in control of the House for the first time in 12 years, and bringing them within reach of retaking the Senate. The capital has been a one-party Republican town for nearly the entire six years of the Bush presidency, but Mr. Bush signaled today that he would attempt a return to his roots as a Texas governor who had a reputation for crossing party lines and who ran for president in 2000 as a 뱔niter, not a divider.?/p> After spending weeks questioning Democratic approaches to the economy and national security as dangerous for the nation, Mr. Bush said he intended to 봶ork with the new Congress in a bipartisan way.?He invited leading Democrats to meet with him at the White House beginning Thursday. Representative Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat who is expected to become the first female speaker of the House, said Mr. Bush had invited her to lunch, calling her 뱈adam speaker-elect.?/p> In the Capitol, Ms. Pelosi vowed to use the first 100 hours of the new Congress to push through what Democrats dubbed their 뱒ix for ?6?agenda, including votes to raise the minimum wage, repeal incentives for companies to send jobs overseas, cut interest rates on student loans and give the government authority to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower prescription drug prices. But Democrats made clear that their first order of business, even before taking over in January, is pressing the Bush White House to change course in Iraq. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, called for Mr. Bush to convene a bipartisan summit on Iraq. Ms. Pelosi, apparently unaware that Mr. Rumsfeld뭩 resignation was about to be announced, called pointedly on Mr. Bush to get rid of the secretary of defense, saying it would 뱒ignal an openness to new, fresh ideas.?/p> As Democrats turned their attention to governing, Republicans grappled with their losses. Democrats picked up at least 28 new House seats yesterday, bringing a dramatic end to the long-held Republican dream of establishing a lasting majority in the Capitol. 밯e뭨e going to take a two-year hiatus,?Representative Tom Reynolds, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, told reporters at a morning press briefing. Of Ms. Pelosi, he said: 밠y goal and job will be to make sure she never sets the record that Denny Hastert set.?/p> Mr. Reynolds was referring to the current speaker, Representative J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois, who has held the job longer than any Republican in the nation뭩 history. Mr. Hastert issued a statement on Tuesday saying he will not seek the role of minority leader in the new Democratic-controlled House. Two Democrats, Representatives Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania, have said they will seek the position of majority leader. And there has been speculation that Representative Rahm Emanuel, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee who is widely viewed as an architect of Tuesday뭩 victory, would seek the position of Democratic whip, though Mr. Emanuel said Tuesday he had not made any decision. Mr. Bush introduced his new defense secretary in an afternoon appearance with with Mr. Gates and Mr. Rumsfeld. The president described Mr. Gates as 밶 man of integrity, candor and sound judgment?and said Mr. Rumsfeld would continue to serve until his successor is confirmed by the Senate. Democrats responded instantly to the departure of Mr. Rumsfeld. 밒f it were up to me, he would have been gone a long time ago,?Senator Russell D. Feingold of Wisconsin said. Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who is currently the chairman of the Armed Services Committee said this afternoon that he would press Mr. Gates to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps to relieve what he described as a strain on Reserve and National Guard units. He also said military action should be taken against the militias in Iraq and said the militant Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr, who commands the loyalty of the Mahdi Army militia, should be 뱓aken out.? Democrats had accused Mr. Rumsfeld of ignoring the warnings of some generals that imposing a peace in Iraq would be harder and bloodier than just winning the war to topple Saddam Hussein. Several retired generals have said Mr. Rumsfeld should be replaced. Mr. Bush said Mr. Gates was an ideal choice to apply a new perspective to Iraq, since he has been an adviser to several presidents. Perhaps more important, Mr. Gates is a member of the bipartisan commission that has been studying the Iraq campaign with the possibility of charting a new direction. That panel, formally the Iraq Study Group, is headed by James A. Baker III, who was secretary of state and a top adviser to the first President Bush, and Lee Hamilton, a former Democratic congressman from Indiana and co-chairman of the 9/11 commission. While there may be adjustments in Iraq, Mr. Bush said America뭩 enemies should not mistake change for retreat. As for bringing American troops home, Mr. Bush said, 밒 want them to come home with victory.?By victory, he said again that he means a country that 밽overns itself, sustains itself and defends itself.?/p> The president praised Mr. Rumsfeld as a 뱎atriot?who has served his country with 밾onor and distinction.?/p> Thom Shanker contributed reporting from Washington, and John Holusha and David Stout from New York.