Josh White | Washington, DC | April 6

Washington Post - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said he did not know what Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was talking about when she said last week that the United States had made thousands of "tactical errors" in handling the war in Iraq, a statement she later said was meant figuratively.

Two thoughts emerge from this article. One, it's nice to know that Rummy has developed a sense of flexibility and the capacity to admit his errors. No, really! For so long he was rigid, condescending and domineering. Now? Well, he's just a pudd-tat, eh?

Two, on a more serious note, last week we reported on speculation that Bolten (not Bolton) might fire Rummy. Clearly that is not the case. It looks from here that Rummy is still calling the shots in the Bush Administration, through his patron, Dick Cheney. The saddest thing about this row? Rummy's made Rice look like the totally ineffective Secretary of State she is. That bodes ill for our foreign policy. Counterproductive and wholly unnecessary.