Rumsfeld the best on job: Cheney, Rice

Asked about the calls for Rumsfeld’s resignation, Rice said, ‘‘What the President expects, and what the secretary’s doing, is getting to the bottom of what’s happened. This is an awful situation.’’ She added that Rumsfeld was making changes ‘‘to fix the problem’’.

The administration’s communications offensive for the beleaguered Rumsfeld came as Democrats continued to call for his resignation, and speculation raced through Washington about whether Rumsfeld would survive in his job. Rumsfeld himself said on Friday in his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, ‘‘If I felt I could not be effective, I’d resign in a minute,’’ and that it was ‘‘possible’’ that his stepping down would lessen the damage to US’ image overseas.

Rice appeared intent on showing that Rumsfeld still had the backing of Bush. She took issue with a report in The New York Times on Saturday that quoted a person close to her as speculating that she might not be unhappy if the defence secretary resigned.

‘‘This is a shared responsibility in what’s going on in Iraq with all of us,’’ the security adviser said. ‘‘It’s a difficult time, everybody knows it’s a difficult time.’’

On Monday, Bush is to make a rare visit to the Pentagon for a briefing on Iraq, and is expected to make a strong show of support for Rumsfeld there. Asked if Bush would accept Rumsfeld’s resignation, the official replied, “It’s just not even a viable question.”

— The New York Times