31 Years Ago In Time

Even at the start of DONALD RUMSFELD's first stint as U.S. Secretary of Defense, under President Gerald Ford, he was known for his brusque manner, and he inspired doubts among top Pentagon officials

He projects an air of aloofness; he also creates the impression that he is too clever by half, that he coolly evaluates everyone he sees. "Each time you meet him, it's for the first time," says a White House aide. Yet Rumsfeld's intense, controlled style is a nice counterbalance to Ford's fondness for relaxed good fellowship. The two men get along well ... The Pentagon's top officers are waiting with some anxiety for Rumsfeld to take on his sixth Administration job in six years. He has not yet shown the necessary breadth of intellect to handle an assignment as complex and demanding as running the nation's defenses. Even his admirers tend to describe him in terms of his political acumen and talent for infighting; only after they pause for breath do they add that he is also smart and able. TIME, Nov. 17, 1975

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