Donald Rumsfeld has fired back at former President George H.W. Bush’s critique of the former secretary of defense’s role in the administration of his son, George W. Bush.
“Bush 41 is getting up in years and misjudges Bush 43, who I found made his own decisions,” Mr. Rumsfeld, 83, told NBC News Thursday. “There are hundreds of memos on www.rumsfeld.com that represent advice [the Department of Defense] gave the president.”
Mr. Rumsfeld’s comments were in response to remarks made by the former president, 91, in a biography set to be released next week, “Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush.”
In the book, authored by Pulitzer winner Jon Meacham, the elder Bush describes Mr. Rumsfeld as “an arrogant fellow” who lacks humility and hurt the administration of his son, the 43rd president of the United States.
“I think he served the president badly,” he said of Mr. Rumsfeld, the New York Times first reported. “I’ve never been that close to him anyway. … There’s a lack of humility, a lack of seeing what the other guy thinks. He’s more kick ass and take names, take numbers. I think he paid a price for that.”
Mr. Bush also called his son’s vice president, Dick Cheney, an “iron-ass” who “had his own empire and marched to his own drummer.”
“The big mistake that was made was letting Cheney bring in kind of his own State Department,” he said in the book. “But it’s not Cheney’s fault. It’s the president’s fault. … The buck stops there.”
George W. Bush issued a statement Thursday in response to his father’s remarks, saying he is “proud to have served” with both Mr. Rumsfeld and Mr. Cheney.
“Dick Cheney did a superb job as vice president, and I was fortunate to have him by my side throughout my presidency,” he said. “Don Rumsfeld ably led the Pentagon and was an effective secretary of defense. I am grateful to both men for their good advice, selfless service to our country, and friendship.”
Mr. Meacham’s book is scheduled to be released on Nov. 10 by Random House.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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