Rumsfeld 'has Bush's full support'

US President George Bush has full confidence in Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, even if others dislike the Pentagon chief’s “bedside manner,” a top White House official said.

Bush counsellor Dan Bartlett yesterday did not directly respond to questions about whether the White House has considered possible replacements for Rumsfeld, as reported in Bob Woodward’s new book on the Bush administration’s Iraq war policy.