Despite Cabinet shuffle, neocon ideology remains by Peter S. Canellos

Boston.com / News / Politics / Presidential candidates / George W. Bush / Despite Cabinet shuffle, neocon ideology remains

Donald Rumsfeld will continue as defense secretary, and as long as he stays the neoconservatives who dominated the first term will hold sway over foreign policy.

Whither the neocons was the great question of the Bush campaign. And it was, perhaps, the most important question of the entire 2004 election, because it would define Bush's doctrine of preemption. But it was not answered until last weekend, when Rumsfeld confirmed that he was keeping his job.