Is Donald Rumsfeld a Senator, or was he ever? Or was his post as United States Secretary of Defense seperate?

Question

What I mean is:
Is he like Des Browne (MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun and Secretary of State for Defense) or is he a someone from outside the political institutions?
Rather like the difference between Mandelson and Campbell.

Answer 1

American cabinet members are not members of the legislature like British/Commonwealth ones have to be. When a senator or representative is asked to join the cabinet (like Lloyd Bentsen, Les Aspin, Dick Cheney, John Tower or whoever) they have to resign their seat in Congress. This system gives the president a greater choice in making appointments; cabinet members can be academics or businessmen.

Answer 2

The US system doesn't work like the UK, where Tony Blair is an MP and Prime Minister. The members of the US cabinet are not Senators or Representatives. They are simply what their titles imply. Secretary of Defense, Commerce, Attorney General, etc. They may or may not have been Congressmen at some point in their political careers.

As for Rumsfeld, he was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1962 and was re-elected in 1964, 1966, and 1968. He then served under Nixon and Ford.

Answer 3

Rumsfeld proved to be as incompetent as a results of fact the fool that appointed him. even though, between the few reliable issues Bush did jointly as President become finally admitting his mistake and firing Rumsfeld and appointing Robert Gates. Gates some day could finally end up being between the final Secretaries of protection we've had in cutting-facet circumstances.

Answer 4

The secretary of Defense if appointed by the president. Then he/she goes infront of congress. Where they will either confirm or deny the appointment. Usually the get confirm however there have been a few that have be denied the appointed post.

Answer 5

Donald Rumsfeld served in the House of Representatives way back in the 1960s. He was never in the Senate.

Answer 6

You don't need to get elected to be part of the executive branch of the government. In fact Ashcroft lost the 2000 election to a corpse but still got a job with Bush.

Answer 7

he has been in politics since young after he finished military service. he was a congressman and got tapped by Nixon for a cabinet post. he left after carter and got rich in business ( made $12 million in stock options for a drug company) I think reagan brought him back for awhile and he stayed on with Bush the elder. He has a lot of experience and many friends in high places. He was happily retired in New Mexico when he got the call from Bush Jr. He is fricking old and deserves a rest now.

Answer 8

I am a Democrat,but always will have respect for Donald Rumsfeld,during the attacks of the Pentagon,he refused to leave his post.and was willing to go down with the ship.
The man is not a coward and took his job seriously,and was a true American who was loyal to his employees that he worked with,and was willing to die for his country if need be to make sure that everyone in the Pentagon was safely out of the building even though people died there.
He was concerned for others ,not only of himself which a lot of people in power would only be concerned for their own well being.

Answer 9

He is a crony of the Presidents conservative hawkish bunch, the my way or the highway bunch, no he isn't a senator, I think he just hung out in conservative circles so he was appointed by the President as part of his cabinet, "To the victor goes the spoils" He's proven his lack of knowledge and foresight"

Answer 10

A changling who also worked for the Bush Senior Administration