Reuters
Washington, Nov 8: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, a lightning rod for Iraq war critics, resigned on Wednesday after heavy Republican election losses fueled by voter anger at President George W. Bush and his Iraq policies.
Democrats, who seized control of the House of Representatives and moved to within one seat of a majority in the Senate, applauded the move and called for "a fresh start" on a new war policy.
Bush conceded voter discontent with Iraq played a role in Tuesday's election "thumping" by Democrats. He acknowledged his Iraq policy was "not working well enough, fast enough" but refused to back down.
"I'm committed to victory," he said at a news conference.
Democrats gained about 30 seats to take control of the House and picked up five of the six Republican seats they need for a Senate majority. They narrowly led the other race, in Virginia, putting them on the brink of power in both chambers of Congress for the first time in 12 years.
A final resolution of Senate control could be delayed by a potential recount in Virginia, reviving memories of the 2000 presidential election recount battle that lasted five weeks.
Virginia Democrat James Webb led Republican Sen. George Allen by about 7,000 votes out of 2.3 million cast. The final vote count could take a week, with a winner certified on November 27 and a probable recount stretching into December.
The Allen campaign did not plan an early concession. "We'll see where the official tally stands on November 27 and we'll come back and visit with you then," Allen adviser Ed Gillespie told reporters in Richmond, Virginia.
Republican Sen. Conrad Burns also refused to concede in Montana, although Democrat Jon Tester had a narrow lead and had been projected the winner.
U.S. stocks finished higher for a third straight gain after Rumsfeld's resignation and Democratic gains fueled hopes for a change in Iraq policy and reduced government spending.
Democrats rolled up big wins across the board, gaining six Republican governors' offices to take a national majority and give themselves a possible edge in the 2008 presidential race. They also won a majority of state legislatures.
Republicans were trounced so badly they failed to take away a single Democratic seat in either the House or Senate. House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois said he would not run for minority leader in the new Congress.
Fresh Perspective
Saying a "fresh perspective" was needed, Bush nominated former CIA Director Robert Gates to replace Rumsfeld. Virginia Republican Sen. John Warner, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said the outgoing Senate would try to confirm Gates by year end.
"I hope the departure of Mr. Rumsfeld will mark a fresh start toward a new policy in Iraq, signaling a willingness on the part of the president to work with the Congress to devise a better way forward," said Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat who will become the new speaker of the house.
Rumsfeld told reporters at the Pentagon the new political environment helped fuel the decision for him to step down.
"It'll be a different Congress, a different environment, moving toward a presidential election, and a lot of partisanship, and it struck me that this would be a good thing for everybody," Rumsfeld said.
Analysts said the change at the top of the Pentagon would make it easier for Bush to change course on Iraq. Some said it was now more likely the United States would reduce troop levels in Iraq, now at 152,000.
"I think there's no question that the size of the American commitment to Iraq will be scaling back," said Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute think tank. "The only question is what the schedule of that shrinkage will be."
The split control of government and narrow majorities in Congress, especially the Senate, were almost certain to spawn more partisan gridlock and political warfare during Bush's final two years in the White House.
On the first day of shared power, both sides promised to work together. Democratic control of the House will make the liberal Pelosi the first female speaker and could slam the brakes on much of Bush's agenda
Bush telephoned congratulations to Pelosi and other Democratic leaders and invited Pelosi and the No. 2 House Democrat, Steny Hoyer of Maryland, to lunch at the White House on Thursday.
"The message yesterday was clear. The American people want their leaders in Washington to set aside partisan differences, conduct ourselves in an ethical manner, and work together to address the challenges facing our nation," Bush said.
The Democratic victory gives the party control of House legislative committees that could investigate the Bush administration's most controversial decisions on foreign, military and energy policy.
Early exit polls showed voters disapproved of the war in Iraq by a large margin, but they said corruption and ethics were more important to their vote.
Democrats hammered Republicans all year for spawning a "culture of corruption" in Washington, with four Republican House members resigning this year under an ethics cloud.
The party was hit by allegations about influence-peddling, links to convicted lobbyists and a Capitol Hill sex scandal involving Republican Rep. Mark Foley's lewd messages to teenage male congressional assistants.
Also Read: