Victory For Democrats - The End For Rumsfeld

The Democratic Party is declaring victory in its bid to take control of the Senate and with it, both chambers of Congress.

Sen. George Allen, the Virginia Republican who had his eyes on the presidency before his own campaign for reelection started unraveling with his greeting of a young man of Indian descent at a rally as "macaca,'' has not conceded defeat yet, calling for and awaiting the outcome of a canvassing of votes in the close Virginia election that apparently has handed the Senate seat to Democrat Jim Webb, with a 7000 plus lead in votes.

"It is now apparent that Democrats have captured a majority of seats in the U.S. Senate,'' N.Y. Democrat Schumer said in a statement released last night by the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. "We look forward to setting a new direction for America, in Iraq and here at home."

President Bush, acknowleding a "disappointing" defeat on Tuesday, already is starting to meet with the Democrats who will take control of the House in January. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat slated to become speaker, and a fierce campaign combatant who had described Bush as "in deinal'' and "dangerous" the day before the election, will lead the party's luncheon delegation at the White House. Bush, who explains that this campaign wasn't his first "rodeo," says he's ready for peace.

If Webb's Virginia victory holds, Bush will be having lunch with a lot more Democrats in coming days.

US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld resigned Wednesday, a day after an American electorate, frustrated with the progress of the war in Iraq, have elected a Democratic leadership in Washington (D.C.).

President George W. Bush announced Rumsfeld's resignation at a press conference Wednesday, and said he had asked Robert Gates, the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, to replace him.

"Now, after a series of thoughtful conversations, Secretary Rumsfeld and I agreed that the timing is right for new leadership at the Pentagon," Bush said. "Our military has experienced an enormous amount of change and reform during the last five years while fighting the war on terror, one of the most consequential wars in our nation's history." Asked whether his announcement signaled a new direction in the war that has claimed the lives of more than 2,800 US troops, Bush said, "Well, there's certainly going to be new leadership at the Pentagon."