Now that he's leaving, Don Rumsfeld finally sheds the talking points:

I don't think I would have called it the war on terror. I don't mean to be critical of those who have. Certainly, I have used the phrase frequently. Why do I say that? Because the word 'war' conjures up World War II more than it does the Cold War. It creates a level of expectation of victory and an ending within 30 or 60 minutes of a soap opera. It isn't going to happen that way. Furthermore, it is not a 'war on terror.' Terror is a weapon of choice for extremists who are trying to destabilize regimes and (through) a small group of clerics, impose their dark vision on all the people they can control. So 'war on terror' is a problem for me.

So the Big Don is leaving. Don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.

I was surprised to hear this news, but it took about four seconds to figure out why. Reading Bob Woodward's new book, it was clear that Bush considered ditching Rumsfeld, but Karl Rove kept talking him out of it because a resignation would trigger hearings for his replacement that might bring to light a boatload of mistakes they don't want to talk about.

Of course, with the Dems in charge of the House, and probably the Senate, hearings are going to happen, and Rumsfeld would be the first witness. Time to ditch him now and try to push through a new secretary before the Dems take over.

Since they had Rummy's replacement already picked, this has been in the works for a few weeks, at least. So, that whole thing that Bush said last week about Rumsfeld staying on was all a lie.

If Bush really wants to work with Democrats, he better start by telling the truth.

When Donald Rumsfeld talks about appeasers, he really knows the subject.

Paul Begala on CNN (via Atrios):

"...there are four or five different strains of venereal diseases more popular than Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld."

Ouch.

Keith Olbermann fires off a great speech on Donald Rumsfeld:

The man who sees absolutes, where all other men see nuances and shades of meaning, is either a prophet, or a quack.

Donald S. Rumsfeld is not a prophet.

Read the whole thing and watch the video here.

Don Rumsfeld visited our neck of the woods the other day and left this bit of wisdom behind:

"Any moral or intellectual confusion about who and what is right or wrong can weaken the ability of free societies to persevere."

As Ana Marie Cox notes:

In other words, if you have to ask whether we should torture terrorists, the terrorists have already won.

It' amazing how far we have fallen down the moral ladder. Might makes right, don't question your leaders or else you are the enemy. Rumsfeld would have been a perfect fit as the Defense Minsiter under Joe Stalin.