It seems former US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is very peeved at the way he was fired by George Bush.

Sympathy for him is so strong that Rummy had a standing ovation at the American Spectator dinner last week to help heel his hurt feelings, regardless of his poor performance.

Nora Ephron describes how according to administration officials, only three or four people knew Rummy would be fired – and Rumsfeld was not one of them. His fellow presidential appointees, including some who did not applaud Rumsfeld’s performance in office, were surprised by his treatment. Norah concludes:

“Good gracious me. Donald Rumsfeld, who to the best of my knowledge has not lost a wink of sleep since he helped lead us into this sorry war, spent a whole day on the verge of tears because of the way he was fired? Because no one had the courtesy to tell him in advance? Because he believed it when Bush told the press that Rumsfeld would serve until the end of his Presidency? “

I don’t think there will be a wave of sympathy for Rumsfeld on this side of the pond. I also wondered if there was a right way, or even a right day, to be fired. Nora gets the point across:

“My favorite of these Firing Victim scenarios is the one called, “They fired me on my birthday.” You can’t imagine how many people walk around complaining that they were fired on their birthdays. “They fired me while I was in the hospital.” “They fired me a week after my mother’s funeral.” “They fired me right before Christmas.” Almost any firing can be made into a Firing Victim scenario, especially if you throw in national holidays. I recently bumped into a Very Powerful Woman who complained bitterly that she had just been fired while her partner was in labor. I mean, I’m sorry the woman was fired, but how was anyone to know that her partner was in labor? Was this common knowledge? Had the labor been going on for days? And how long would the person who fired this woman have had to wait? Until the epidural wore off? Until the baby was home from the hospital?”

(I think we have to have to draw our own conclusions about the woman whose partner was in labour).

Certainly Rumsfeld has no case to whinge, he should have gone long ago. Being fired has led to bitterness from our own sacked Ministers – the names Charles Clarke, David Blunkett and Michael Meacher immediately spring to mind. The true test of their character is how they continue to handle themselves, how to put it behind them and move forward, keeping the public on their side.

Have you heard anyone complain about how they were sacked? Do you feel Rummy has grounds to feel aggrieved?