Thursday, November 09, 2006

Oh, George


Democrats have seized control of the US Senate and with it complete domination of Congress, as US President George W Bush licked his wounds and let his defence chief fall on his sword.
In sharp contrast to his buoyant, confident demeanour in the lead up to yesterday's election, a contrite George W Bush faced reporters today, describing the defeat of his Republicans as "thumping''.
And that was before consensus emerged that the Democrats had taken the sixth and final Republican Senate seat they needed to control the chamber.Bush now faces the toughest two years of his presidency, with Democrats controlling both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and promising voters sweeping change, especially where the Iraq war is concerned.
After telling reporters he must shoulder "a large part of the responsibility'' for the Republican drubbing, Bush stood beside Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as he announced his resignation.
Just a week ago the president was defending Rumsfeld, but today -- after an election defeat that reflected deep public anger over the war in Iraq -- he said it was time for change.
"Secretary Rumsfeld and I agreed that sometimes it's necessary to have a fresh perspective,'' Bush said in the abrupt announcement during his post-election press conference.
The president said Robert M Gates, who was CIA director under George Bush Snr father, had been nominated to run the Pentagon.
The White House hopes that replacing Rumsfeld with Gates will help refresh US policy on the deeply unpopular war and perhaps establish a stronger rapport with the new Democrat-dominated Congress.
In a later appearance at the White House with Rumsfeld and Gates at his side, Bush praised both men, thanked Rumsfeld for his service and predicted that Gates would bring fresh ideas.
"The secretary of defence must be a man of vision who can see threats still over the horizon and prepare our nation to meet them. Bob Gates is the right man to meet both of these critical challenges,'' Bush said.
In brief remarks, Rumsfeld described the Iraq conflict as a "little understood, unfamiliar war'' that is ``complex for people to comprehend''.
Asked whether Rumsfeld's departure signalled a new direction in a war that has claimed the lives of more than 2,800 US troops and an unknown number of Iraqis and has cost more than $US300 billion ($A390 billion), Bush said: "Well, there's certainly going to be new leadership at the Pentagon.''

Democrats were jubilant today on forecasts that both chambers had fallen under their control.
Jim Webb's tight win over Republican Senator George Allen in Virginia assured Democrats of 51 seats when the Senate convenes in January.
"The days of the do-nothing Congress are over,'' declared Nevada Democratic Senator Harry Reid, in line to become majority leader.
Americans had spoken "clearly and decisively in favour of Democrats leading this country in a new direction,'' he added.
A day after weathering what was arguably the worst defeat of his political life, Bush was subdued.
"I thought we were going to do fine yesterday. Shows what I know. But I thought we were going to be fine in the election,'' he shrugged.
"If you look at (it) race by race, it was close. The cumulative effect, however, was not too close. It was a thumping.
"I'm obviously disappointed with the outcome of the election and, as the head of the Republican Party, I share a large part of the responsibility.''
He pledged to work with the Democrats, who during the campaign called him incompetent and dangerous. Bush shot back with accusations that Democrats were content to let terrorists attack the United States.
"This isn't my first rodeo,'' Bush said today. "I understand when campaigns end and I know when governing begins, and I'm going to work with people of both parties.''
"People say unfortunate things at times. But if you hold grudges in this line of work, you're never going to get anything done. And my intention is to get some things done.
"They (Democrats) care about the security of this country like I do.''
Democrats, meanwhile, spent today telling Americans they had been heard.
"This new Democratic majority has heard the voices of the American people,'' said Nancy Pelosi, the liberal California Democrat all but certain to become the first female speaker of the House of Representatives.
"We will honour that trust. We will not disappoint.'' Pelosi, who just weeks earlier had railed against Bush, also struck a conciliatory tone and said any effort to impeach Bush ``is off the table''.
The Senate had teetered at 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans for most of today, with Virginia hanging in the balance.
A count by The Associated Press finally showed Webb had won the seat by just 7,236 votes.
Allen is yet to conceded, but Webb moved swiftly to establish himself as the winner.
"The vote's been counted and Jim won,'' said campaign spokeswoman Kristian Denny Todd.
Some absentee ballots remained to be counted, she said, but Webb considered that "a formality more than anything else''.
In the House count, Democrats won 229 seats and were leading in three, putting them on track for a 30-seat gain if trends held in remaining unsettled races. Party standings in that event would be 232-203.
Without losing any seats of their own, Democrats captured 28 Republican-held seats.
The party won in every region of the country and hoped to strengthen their majority by besting Republican incumbents in eight races that were too close to call.
With the Republicans booted from power in both chambers of Congress, departing Speaker Dennis Hastert announced he would not run for his party's leadership in the House, instead saying he intended to devote his time to representing his Illinois constituents.
AP/AFP

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