Why now?

It looks like he's being scapegoated for the election results; amateurish and stupid if true.

If he was going to be fired anyway, why not throw the Repansycans a bone and do it before the elections, you morons?

This should put an end to all that Karl Rove, Evil Genius talk.

The Old Gray Whore: Rumsfeld Resigns as Defense Secretary After Big Election Gains for Democrats
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the hard-driving and super-confident Pentagon boss who came to symbolize President Bush?s controversial Iraq policy, is resigning, President Bush announced today. The president said he would nominate Robert Gates, former head of the C.I.A., to replace Mr. Rumsfeld.