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Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld recently declined to answer whether he will support Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for president.
McCain, the GOP presidential standard-bearer, has been one of Rumsfeld’s harshest critics. McCain has said that Rumsfeld will “go down as one of the worst secretaries of defense in history.”
The Hill talked to Rumsfeld earlier this month near his downtown D.C. office.
Rumsfeld told The Hill that he has not followed the presidential elections, but instead has been focused on work for his private foundation.
Asked whether that meant he wasn’t going to support McCain, Rumsfeld answered: “I have not been involved at all.”
Rumsfeld declined to comment any further. He also declined a follow-up request for comment on the issue to his personal office.
“He has focused his energy on the Rumsfeld Foundation,” said his aide, Keith Urbahn. One of the foundation’s goals is to encourage young people to participate in public service.
Rumsfeld, a staunch Republican and defense secretary under Bush and President Ford, may find himself in a hard place come Election Day.
Rumsfeld, a former four-term congressman from Illinois and a mentor to Vice President Cheney, has not completely stayed out of politics this year.
“Mr. Rumsfeld is a Republican. He has been helping Republican candidates for decades and he continues to do so this year,” said Urbahn.
According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, Rumsfeld and his wife Joyce contributed about $80,000 to GOP candidates in the 2008 election cycle. Of that amount, the Rumsfelds contributed $40,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Joyce Rumsfeld contributed $4,600 to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s (R) presidential campaign.
According to FEC records, the Rumsfelds have contributed to about 100 Republican lawmakers or candidates since 1997. None of those contributions went to McCain.
Among the lawmakers who received money from Rumsfeld are Republican Sens. James Inhofe (Okla.), Saxby Chambliss (Ga.), Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and John Cornyn (Texas.)
Some of McCain’s colleagues in the Senate said they believe Rumsfeld will eventually support the GOP candidate.
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