Rumsfeld on Hardass Hardball

Chris Matthews is practically twittering with delight over his own brilliance, but Rumsfeld is dancing adroitly around him. At one point, Rummy suggested Chris get a life rather than spend all this time reading pesky little news details.

This has been an extraordinarily odd day for Bush Administration comments in an administration that is noted for same.

However, as much as I would like Mr. Rumseld not to be head of the DoD, you have to almost admire his ability to dissemble with a warm smile, dancing light years around the press corps.

Now Rummy is telling us that the chain of command in Iraq is so aggrieved about charges run on 60 Minutes II last night that the information can't be true. Well, gosh, that makes perfect sense.

Addition: Rummy also sorta said that the president really never consulted him first to ask if we should go to War in Iraq. Then he said he thought it was "kind of interesting" that he didn't ask. Now... I'll buy all of that. What I don't buy is Rummy's follow-up statement that Bush must have asked 5,000 different questions over the next year about what to do or how.

The prez works less than 40% of the time, leaving 60% of 365 days (219 days tops) which, when divided by 5000, means Bush asked Rummy an average 23 questions per day. I know Rumsfelt didn't intend to be exact, but no way in hell.....

Barry McCafferty (on MSNBC now) says he really can't believe the statement (about the non-consultation). He even used the word "dissembling".