"Only Rumsfeld will make Rumsfeld leave."

Having accomplished his goal of transforming the military, seems Rumsfeld may be on the way out.

A source close to the White House said Rumsfeld wanted out a year ago, after Bush's reelection, but neither he nor President Bush wanted his departure to appear to have been forced.

"They didn't want to give the critics the satisfaction that their piling on was what got rid of him," a Bush adviser said.

Bush has told friends that Rumsfeld is a political liability, but the President has a history of sticking with his personnel baggage until an opportune moment.

"Only Rumsfeld will make Rumsfeld leave," a White House source said.

Rumors that Lieberman could replace Rumsfeld started flying early this week, and Bush and Vice President Cheney fanned the flames by quoting the former Democratic veep candidate's pro-war statements.

The mention of Lieberman's name prompted some Democrats to whisper that he is lobbying for the job.

"Lieberman seems to be coordinating his statements on the war with the White House," a Senate Democratic source said.

The source pointed to a news conference this week where Lieberman urged his party not to undermine Bush. The timing of Lieberman's pitch, also this week, to form a bipartisan "war cabinet" to aid Bush was cited as well.

Here's Digby on Lieberman's convenient call for Democrats to go easy on preznit.