Bush Stands By Cheney, Rumsfeld

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

WASHINGTON — President Bush said yesterday he wants Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and Vice President Mr. Cheney to be in his administration until the end of his presidency, extending a job guarantee to two of the most-criticized members of his team.

Mr. Bush, in an interview, also said he was determined that sanctions imposed against North Korea must be applied even though Pyongyang has agreed to return to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks.

And Mr. Bush said he did not foresee a change in the immediate future in the number of American troops in Iraq. He said that U.S. generals have assured him that “they’ve got what they can live with.”

The president spoke in the Oval Office, seated in a wing chair in front of a table with a bowl of roses. Six days before midterm elections, Mr. Bush steered questions away from politics beyond saying he was confident that Republicans would defy the polls and hold control of the House and Senate. “I understand that the pundits have got the race over, but I don’t believe it’s over until everybody votes.”

He refused to even say whether he could work effectively with the House minority leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, or the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, if Democrats won either the House or Senate, or both.

Mr. Bush took the opportunity to take another poke at Senator Kerry, in political hot water for a remark that has been criticized as a slam on troops in Iraq. Mr. Kerry said it was a botched joke about Mr. Bush, not the troops.

“It didn’t sound like a joke to me,” the president said. “More importantly, it didn’t sound like a joke to the troops.”

Democrats and Republicans alike have called for Mr. Rumsfeld’s resignation, arguing he has mishandled the war in Iraq where more than 2,800 members of the American military have died since the American-led invasion in March 2003. Mr. Cheney has faced sharp criticism for his hard-line views and is viewed favorably by only about a third of Americans in polls. Mr. Bush said, “Both those men are doing fantastic jobs, and I strongly support them.”

He said he valued Mr. Cheney’s advice and judgment. “The good thing about Vice President Mr. Cheney’s advice is, you don’t read about it in the newspaper after he gives it,” the president said.

Mr. Bush credited Mr. Rumsfeld with overseeing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan while overhauling the military. “I’m pleased with the progress we’re making,” the president said. He replied in the affirmative when asked if he wanted Messrs. Rumsfeld and Cheney to stay with him until the end.

Mr. Bush opened the interview by saying he was pleased that North Korea was returning to stalled nuclear talks. Although North Korea has a history of breaking promises and walking away from negotiations, Mr. Bush did not express doubts about the intentions of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Il.

“It’s his choice,” Mr. Bush said. “I would hope he is sincere.” He said any deal with North Korea would have to be verifiable.


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