The standard rumor at the time was that Rumsfeld, as chief of staff, had persuaded President Ford to appoint George H.W. Bush as director of Central Intelligence, assuming that that got rid of a potential competitor for the presidency.

Summary

This quote suggests that during a particular time period, there was a rumor circulating that claimed Donald Rumsfeld, who held the position of chief of staff, convinced President Ford to appoint George H.W. Bush as the director of Central Intelligence. The rumored motive behind this alleged persuasion was to eliminate a potential political rival for the presidency.

Topics