Rumsfeld Vote Probably Won't Happen

It know seems unlikely that a no confidence vote against Donald Rumsfeld will occur due to Republican efforts to block an up-or-down vote.

An effort by Senate Democrats to force a vote on whether Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld should stay on the job appeared to be fizzling out Wednesday. Republicans, calling the move a political stunt, promised to block an up-or-down vote on the measure and Democrats conceded there's not likely to be any vote whatsoever.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., on Tuesday said Democrats were drafting a nonbinding resolution "that would express a loss of confidence in the Bush administration's Iraq policy, including a loss of confidence in Secretary Rumsfeld."

But Boxer acknowledged that the Rumsfeld resolution could be struck down on a point of order since it is not germane to the pending legislation, the Pentagon spending bill. A Democratic leadership aide speaking on condition of anonymity said Democrats would not challenge the point of order. -- MSNBC