memeorandum: It's (Semi) Official (Matthew Yglesias)

11:00 PM ET, November 8, 2006

RELATED ITEMS:

Press Conference by the President — THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. I say, why all the glum faces? — Yesterday, the people went to the polls and they cast their vote for a new direction in the House of Representatives. And while the ballots are still being counted in the Senate …

Discussion: The Mahablog, The Reaction, The Swamp, Crooks and Liars and Shakespeare's Sister

CNN:

Rumsfeld quitting as defense secretary — WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush announced Wednesday that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is stepping down from his post. — "The timing is right for new leadership at the Pentagon," Bush said at the White House Wednesday afternoon.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, NewDonkey.com, War and Piece, Blogcritics Section, democracyarsenal.org, State of the Day, David E's Fablog, Whiskey Bar, Swords Crossed and PoliBlog (TM)

Think Progress:

VIDEO: Bush Admits He Lied About Rumsfeld For Political Purposes » — Last week, President Bush unequivocally told a group of reporters that Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and Vice President Cheney would "remain with him until the end of his presidency, extending a job guarantee …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, The Political Pit Bull, AMERICAblog, DownWithTyranny!, King of Zembla and Seeing the Forest

Fox News:

DONALD RUMSFELD RESIGNING AS DEFENSE SECRETARY — WASHINGTON — Donald H. Rumsfeld is stepping down as defense secretary and former CIA Director Robert Gates will be nominated to take his place. — Rumsfeld, President Bush's sole defense secretary in six years of leadership …

Discussion: Hot Air, Townhall.com Blog's …, Don Surber, Confederate Yankee, The Jawa Report, On Deadline, Hang Right Politics and Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler

William Branigin / Washington Post:

Rumsfeld to Step Down as Defense Secretary — Bush Taps Former CIA Director Robert Gates as Successor — President Bush today announced he is replacing Donald H. Rumsfeld as secretary of defense, saying a "fresh perspective" is needed at the Pentagon to deal with the war in Iraq.

Discussion: Unclaimed Territory, Comments From Left Field, Opinions You Should Have, Harry's Place, The Sundries Shack and Sound Politics

David Stout / New York Times:

Rumsfeld Resigns as Defense Secretary After Big Election Gains for Democrats — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the hard-driving and super-confident Pentagon boss who came to symbolize President Bush's controversial Iraq policy, is resigning, President Bush announced today.

Discussion: Political Animal, Blogcritics Section, CorrenteWire and Althouse

Associated Press:
Bush says Rumsfeld is stepping down

Discussion: American Footprints, NewsHog, protein wisdom, Truthdig, Pam's House Blend, The Road to Surfdom and Dohiyi Mir

Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
I Question The Timing, And The Sanity

Discussion: ABCNEWS and Blue Crab Boulevard

Austin Bay Blog:
Rumsfeld resigns- with analysis

Discussion: The Swamp, The Anchoress, Macsmind, neo-neocon, Ed Driscoll.com, Think Progress and TPMCafe blogs

Dan / Daniel W. Drezner:
RUMSFELD OUT, GATES IN, DREZNER HAPPY

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, Andrew Sullivan, PoliBlog (TM), JustOneMinute, The Reaction, Tammy Bruce and Donklephant

Associated Press:

Democrats take control of the Senate — WASHINGTON - Democrats wrested control of the Senate from Republicans Wednesday with an upset victory in Virginia, giving the party complete domination of Capitol Hill for the first time since 1994. — Jim Webb's squeaker win over incumbent Sen. George Allen …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, CorrenteWire, The Moderate Voice, The Democratic Daily, MyDD, No More Mister Nice Blog and Dependable Renegade

RELATED ITEMS:

David Crary / Guardian:
Losses on Ballot Measures Jolt Religious

Discussion: The Road to Surfdom

rushlimbaugh.com:

I Feel Liberated — RUSH: Just to reiterate, ladies and gentlemen: "It's going to get worse before it gets better." I'm not trying to be negative. I'm trying to prepare you here for what is coming. It is obvious from the president's press conference that his view is …

Discussion: The Huffington Post

Daniel Freedman / It Shines For All:

U.N. Celebrates Republican Loss? — From the desk of Kofi Annan's spokesman: … Why is the U.N. commenting on member state elections? We're told that this isn't normally done. So why is the Republican loss worthy? It's almost celebratory. Does the U.N. think they'll get more support now?

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Blue Crab Boulevard, Kesher Talk and Cold Fury

Matthew Yglesias:

It's (Semi) Official — Webb wins. — It's worth pointing out that this election ought to demolish the Myth of Karl Rove. From the GOP perspective, while losing five senate seats is worse than losing four, losing six is much worse than losing five. Since the 2006 climate clearly …

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns and Money and Eschaton

James Taranto / Opinion Journal:

Best of the Web — Always Look on the Bright Side of Life — This column is scrupulously nonpartisan, but we will bend the rules for a moment and acknowledge that last night's outcome was not what we were hoping for. As of now, the Democrats have picked up 28 House seats, giving them at least 228 (a majority is 218).

Discussion: Inactivist, Gay Patriot and Daimnation!