Do they smell blood?

Political opponents always pretend to like each other--smoothes the way in general and helps with public good will. But when someone looks weakened, the knives come out.

Donald Rumsfeld has undoubtedly rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. Fighting the war in Iraq made him a lightning rod for Democrats, while undiplomatic statements and army modernization has caught him trouble with his own party.

But it's not easy to attack a man who has the soldiers on his side. So how they must have loved it when a soldier blindsided the Defense Secretary with a question about vehicle armor and received a flat-footed response. Now it was okay to stick it to him.

Suddenly, Trent Lott and John McCain were a lot freer with their negative assessments. Now comes the story of how Rumsfeld has not personally signed letters of condolence, and people like Chuck Hagel are up in arms. Even though this has little to do with his fitness to plan the war in Iraq, it nevertheless is the sort of thing that hits home with the public, thus allowing politicians to play the self-righteous card.

In Hollywood, when your last few films have flopped, you gotta blame someone, so you fire your agent. But Bush just won reelection, and has always liked Rumsfeld, so I'm guessing that's enough. His enemies will try to pile on for a while, but when the see the President won't budge, they'll back off. But I've been wrong before.

Those who want him gone, by the way, should ask if the new guy is likely to be better. The reply "he can't be worse" is invariably mistaken.

Pajama Guy responds: Bush backs Rummy today. I think he will keep Rumsfeld for reasons set out by Frum.