During a joint meeting with reporters traveling with the secretaries,
Rumsfeld frequently doodled with a black felt-tip pen or stared
absent-mindedly at the ceiling when Rice spoke.
Rice would occasionally cast a nervous glance at Rumsfeld as he
prepared to respond to a question.
The two secretaries recently had a widely publicized dispute over a
comment by Rice that the administration had probably made "thousands"
of "tactical errors" in Iraq.
Aides later said she had meant it figuratively, but it generated
headlines around the world.
In a radio interview, Rumsfeld dismissed it as a comment made by
someone who didn't understand warfare.
Asked about the flap here in Baghdad, Rumsfeld replied, "I wasn't
aware of what she meant." (The transcript shows that the radio
interviewer described her remarks carefully and placed them in
context.)
Rumsfeld made no effort to smooth over the issue but pointed to Rice
and said, "She's right here, and you can ask her."
Rice noted that her comment about tactical errors had been made "not
in the military sense."
Rice courted the news media, racing through five television interviews
in 17 minutes.
Rumsfeld gave no separate interviews.
At one point, he arrived early for a meeting and saw an array of
television cameras inside the room.
He shook his head at the reporters and turned on his heel.
Before the two Cabinet members left Baghdad on Thursday, Rice
dismissed any suggestions of tension.
"Secretary Rumsfeld and I have an excellent relationship," she told
Fox News.
"We're working very hard together. We're actually having a great time
here in Iraq."
From The Washington Post, 4/28/06:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/27/AR2006042700895.html?sub=AR
Rice, Rumsfeld in Separate Orbits in Baghdad
By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 28, 2006; Page A16
BAGHDAD --
A full 10 seconds of silence passed after a reporter asked Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld
what the intense secrecy and security surrounding their visit to Iraq
signified about the stability of the country three years after the
U.S.-led invasion.
Rice turned to Rumsfeld to provide the answer.
Rumsfeld glared at the reporter.
"I guess I don't think it says anything about it," he snapped.
________________________________________________________
Sounds like Rummy's gettin' ready to slug poor ole li'l ole
Kindasleazy.
Harry
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