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Nation & World News White House rejects calls for Rumsfeld's resignation The secretary of defense draws criticism for secrecy surrounding allegations of abuse in Iraqi prisons By David Jackson and Richard Whittle The Dallas Morning News (KRT) WASHINGTON — The Bush ad ministration's secretive ways have landed a key player in political peril. Defense Secretary Donald Rums feld is in hot water, not because U.S. troops abused Iraqi prisoners, but because Congress learned about it the same way the rest of the world did — from news reports. "The Congress should have been notified of this situation a long time ago," said Sen. John McCain, R Ariz., echoing past congressional complaints about the administra tion's penchant for secrecy. Rumsfeld is sure to be peppered with criticism Friday when he goes before the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, where law makers are eager to hear about De fense Department investigations ini tiated earlier this year into prisoner abuse complaints. As a rising chorus of Democrats called Thursday for the defense chiefs resignation or dismissal and one suggested impeaching him, President Bush stood by his defense secretary — a day after the president himself complained to Rumsfeld about seeing the gruesome pictures of prisoner abuse for the first time in the news. "I should have known about the pictures and the (Pentagon) report," Bush said. As the defense secretary spent Thursday prepping for what could be the fieriest hearing of his long ca reer, aides said they try to keep Con gress in the loop. "We make a very concerted and CAMPUS n §§ la* l,..# Friday • University Libraries Journal Sale, Browsing Room, Knight Library, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Each item is priced at 25 cents. • Mother's Day Loving Kindness Meditation, EMU Rogue Room, noon-1 p.m. • Humanities Work-in-Progress Talk by Evlyn Gould, Romance Languages, entitled “Turning Around the Dreyfus Affair: Maurice Barres and the Problem with Cultural Identity,” Room 159, Prince Lucien Campbell Hall, noon-1 p.m. • PERS Update, EMU Fir Room, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. All employees are welcome. • “A Natural History of Destruction," discussion by Bianca Theisen from Johns Hopkins University, EMU Owyhee Room, 3:30 p.m. • Philosophy Lecture by Christopher Preston from the University of South Carolina, EMU Rogue Room, 4-6 p.m. • Belluschi Lecture by architect and educator Jo Noero entitled “The Certainty of Context,” Room 177, Lawrence Hall, 5:30 p.m. • Oregon Ballroom Dance, Room 220, Gerlinger Hall, 7:30-11:30 p.m. Saturday • Natural History Identification Day, Glenn Starlin Courtyard, Museum of Natural History, 1-4 p.m. Bring an item you wish to learn more about. • Museum of Art Open House, Museum of Art, 1-4 p.m. • Philosophy Alumni Colloquium entitled “Activism and Theory: Making an Impact on Today's Environ mental Policy,” EMU Walnut Room, 2-8 p.m. • Journalist Amy Goodman "The Exception to the Rulers" Speaking Tour, Room 150, Columbia Hall, 7 p.m. Sunday • The Gang of Four Multi-Piano Jazz Recital, Beall Concert Hall, 4 p.m. aggressive effort to keep members of Congress informed," said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman. But in Congress, lawmakers from both parties said they resented being caught by surprise about military in vestigations that began in January. "Congress is always going to be complaining about inadequate consultation and lack of information... 1 suspect if you went back to the (George) Wash ington administration it would be the same." Senior defense official House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat who is among those calling for the defense secretary's ouster, said it is unaccept able that members of Congress learned about the prison abuse by watching CBS's "60 Minutes II." Earlier this week, Rumsfeld said the allegations that warranted a criminal investigation of the guards at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad first surfaced in January and have been under examination since then. "I recognize the appetite of people for instant information and instant conclusions," Rumsfeld told re porters. "These things are complicat ed. They take some time." Rumsfeld's own relationship with Congress is complicated, and while some of his aides dismiss the resignation demands as partisan rhetoric, lawmak ers in both parties bridle at what they view as his insufficient consultation. Members of Congress, mostly Democrats, have accused the Pentagon of trying to hide the costs of the Iraq war. Amid reports that the administra tion plans to seek another $25 bil lion, Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., said Thursday that the administration is dribbling out requests for supple mental appropriations "to conceal the full costs of meeting the chal lenge in Iraq until after the election." One Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the administration believes it is better to submit a more accurate request for funds later, after the true costs of the conflict are known, rather than esti mating in advance. Pentagon officials said many of the congressional tensions are with the Bush administration itself, not the Pentagon. They also called them part of the Washington game. "Congress is always going to be complaining about inadequate con sultation and lack of information," said the senior defense official. "I suspect if you went back to the (George) Washington administra tion it would be the same." As Rumsfeld prepared for his high stakes appearances Friday, he took time for a previously scheduled breakfast Thursday with four Senate Republi cans, including John Comyn ofTexas. Cornyn dismissed the Democrats' calls for resignation as "premature." The former Texas attorney general noted that the federal investigations into the prisoner abuse cases include grand jury proceedings that are se cret by law. And Cornyn said his talk with Rumsfeld had reassured him that "this thing was responded to in a serious and appropriate way." But the way the story came to light is a problem, Cornyn added: "The last thing any member of Congress, or the president, wants is to be sur prised by something like this." (c) 2004, The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services. RESIGNS continued from page 1 move will be a blow to the universi ty system because of his efforts to help it operate more effectively. "Over the last six months, his en ergy and leadership have brought higher education to the forefront of public attention," he said. "He has articulated the critical importance of a first-rate system of higher educa tion to our state's future." Frohnmayer added that he hopes Goldschmidt will remain involved with higher education. "We hope his voice will continue to be heard even without his official role," Frohnmayer said. ASUO spokeswoman Taraneh Foster said it was too soon for ASUO officials to comment on Gold schmidt's resignation. Goldschmidt is a Eugene native and former vice president of Nike and president of Nike Canada. He also served as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation for President Jimmy Carter from 1979 to 1981. ASUO President-elect Adam Petkun said Goldschmidt's resigna tion will be a loss because the board had been moving forward with re vamping the higher education sys tem under his tutelage. "It is sad to be losing him right now," Petkun said. "His leadership will be missed." Oregon Student Association Executive Director John Wykoff said Goldschmidt's role as president af fected higher education. "I can say that they're tough shoes to fill," Wykoff said. "He brought a lot of energy to the cause of higher education that will be hard to replace." "Over the last six months, his energy and leadership have brought higher education to the forefront of public attention... He has articulated the critical importance of a first-rate system of higher education to our state's future." Dave Frohnmayer University of Oregon President Wykoff added that Goldschmidt kept an open mind about differ ences between the opinions of Uni versity officials and students, a vital ability. "Goldschmidt was able to come to it with an open mind," Wykoff said. Contact the city/state politics reporter at parkerhowell@dailyemerald.com. hREGQN DAILY FMFRAi n yonr independent student newspaper r Come and ^ learn more about ^ IsiandWood’s Graduate l Program on May 15th . ^ from 1-4 pm. A ISLANDWOOD Graduate Studies in Environmental and Community-based Education IslandWood/University of Washington Partn§rshi|> _ _ DEGREE OPTIONS •Certificate in Education for Environment & Community • Masters Degrees at UW • MIT/Teacher Certification at City University MORE INFORMATION e-mail graduateprogram@islandwood.org phone 206.855.4300 www.islandwood.org/graduateprogram PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • IslandWood faculty teach graduate courses grounded in multicultural, environmental, integrated, and experiential education. • Graduate students teach children from diverse back grounds and live in cabins on IslandWood’s 255-acre campus only 35 minutes from downtown Seattle. • Applications available online. ISLANDWOOD 4450 Blakely Avenue NE Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 THIS BAND ALWAYS GETS A STANDING OVATION ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ From jazz to rock, show tunes to symphonies-plus, of course, the world’s greatest marches-Soldiers play music in the U.S. Army every day around the world. And when they play our national anthem, we all stand and cheer. Join the band. Call SFC Stripling at 345-3877 to arrange an audition. And find out about money for college plus other Army benefits. Or talk to a Recruiter at the Eugene Recruiting Station, Santa Clara Shopping Center in Eugene, OR. Monday - Saturday, 9=00 am - 6=00 pm. goarmy.com ©2001. Paid for by the U.S. Army. All rights reserved. AN ARMY OF ONE The Black Women of Achievement present A Knight to Remember THE EBONY MAN SHOWCASE 2 0 0 4 & jnjoy a night of men of & around
