While the White House has been busy shaking up the president’s top staff this week, the Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, has survived calls for his resignation by six retired military generals. Rumsfeld left the domestic spotlight behind this week heading for Iraq, where he made an unannounced visit with the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Last week, President Bush was resolute that he had no intention of ridding the administration of his top man on defense. "I listen to all voices, but mine is the final decision…and Don Rumsfeld is doing a fine job … I have strong confidence in Don Rumsfeld," he said. Rumsfeld, for his part, said he is not considering giving up his job, "The president knows that I serve at his pleasure and that's that," he said.

This week, David Brancaccio sat down with Hendrik Hertzberg, Senior Editor of The New Yorker. They spoke about Rumsfeld, changes at the White House and what Hertzberg calls the political decline of the administration.

"If they had started getting rid of Donald Rumsfeld, that would have shown an understanding of what is the real diagnosis here," Hertzberg told NOW.

"Rummyache", Hertzberg’s commentary on Rumsfeld in The New Yorker, is available for viewing here.