E-mail:
“Mr. Lowry,
I’ve been reading with interest the posts about Rumsfeld on your site, and others like Galleyslaves, Professor Bainbridge, Captain’s Quarters ETC. One point I’ve not seen raised: Is it likely that George W. Bush would give Presidential freedom Medals to Tenet, Bremer and Franks and then fire Rumsfeld? Not bloody likely I’d say.
Indeed, I think he gave those medals, especially the Tenet one, as a stick in the eye to the Rumsfeld haters. He may not have anticipated how many Republicans would be in the group. But do you think that, with his reelection won, W. really gives a rat’s ass what Trent Lott or John McCain think
P.S. I thought NRO’s editorial was on the money.”
ME: It would be very odd, to say the least, for Bush to reward all those guys and then fire Rumsfeld. On the other hand, I’m not sure all of them should have been getting those medals in the first place. I thought Richard Cohen, although much too harsh, scored some points today.