Dems Reclaim House; Control of Senate Hangs on Va. Race

By DAN BALZ and DEBBI WILGOREN
Washington Post Staff Writers

Filed 11.08.06, 4:18 PM, EST

WASHINGTON - President Bush said today that as leader of the Republican Party he shoulders some of the blame for the large losses his party suffered yesterday, when Democrats easily recaptured the House and neared control of the Senate, after a bitter midterm election campaign dominated by war, scandal and questions about Bush's leadership.

"While the ballots are still being counted in the Senate, it's clear the Democrat Party had a good night last night. And I congratulate them on their victories," Bush said at a press conference at the White House. The president also announced that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was stepping down and would be replaced by former CIA director Robert Gates. Democratic leaders have called for Rumsfeld, the architect of the increasingly unpopular war in Iraq, to resign.

(Click & Read on courtsey of The Washington Post)