Slog - Comments on The all Important Dates

Comment by Cascadian

Cascadian — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:38:24 -0800

An election eve or election day resignation would have looked desperate, and might even had made things worse for the Republicans.

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:44:34 -0800

Agreed. Resignation is an admission of failure. Yet another electoral manipulation by the White House.

Comment by arduous

arduous — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:23:00 -0800

But surely if he resigned on Election Eve, there must have been discussions about it in the weeks leading up to the elections. A resignation a couple weeks before the elections could have resulted in a very different outcome for the Republicans. I seriously doubt Webb would have taken Virginia if it weren't for the fact that he could beat a drum about Iraq 24/7 for the weeks before the election.

Comment by torrentprime

torrentprime — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:44:29 -0800

Hmmm.
I don't think it would have made much of a difference. Those people who didn't like the war wouldn't have made much of a SecDef resigning when his resignation letter didn't even mention the Iraq war, and Bush, etc. were still in the "the war's being run just fine" defense.
If the head guy leaves but no one says that he did anything wrong, would that really have caused a swing voter to say, "Ok, I'm back with Bush?"

Comment by brandon

brandon — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:47:39 -0800

doubtful it would have made a difference either way. who waits until the day of an election to decide who they're voting for? people's opinions on iraq are pretty passionate and deep-felt; doubtful they could be so easily swayed in such a short time span. and those beliefs have to do with things other than just rumsfeld's incompetence, whose resignation came WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too late to make a difference anyway. seems rather inconsequential when the announcement was made.

Comment by matthew fisher wilder

matthew fisher wilder — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:12:16 -0800

brandon@5: you'll be very surprised about the Not Into Politics silent majority that is the true arbitor of elections in this country. Elections to these people are like laundry. It's something they know they have to do, but really think it's boring and doesn't make a difference.

I don't think anyone who posts on Slog fits into this large group of people, but that group definitely exists, and had Rummy resigned at least two weeks before Election 2006, the Republicans could have very well (albeit barely) clinged to the Senate.

And what that would have done? Not sure, but I'm glad we don't have to find out anymore.

Comment by Gitai

Gitai — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:15:30 -0800

I totally think it would have helped the GOP. Good thing W and Rove are such stupid fucks.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:37:43 -0800

When first you practice to deceive ...

Comment by Orv

Orv — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:49:59 -0800

Yet more evidence that Rove isn't a genius.

Comment by KENTUCKY KERNEL OF TRUTH

KENTUCKY KERNEL OF TRUTH — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:55:45 -0800

After having just seen "No End In Sight" - a must-see documentary for anyone who cares about understanding how fatal the path this country has been led down - I hope to live to see the day when Rumsfeld and Bush's cadre of self-serving, delusionally arrogant miscreants and morons are tried as war criminals.

Comment by midwaypete

midwaypete — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:24:24 -0800

What may have helped turn some Virginia voters against the president/toward Webb was Bush's statement a week or two before the election that he supported Rumsfeld and expected him to serve the rest of his term.