Without naming names, DeLay pointed the finger at "all these naysayers" who he said "constantly criticize and call everything a mistake."

The repeated attacks on Rumsfeld are only emboldening terrorists and their allies, the Texas conservative said.

"Their only hope for survival, their only hope of winning, is to undermine the will of the American people to finish this war and win this war on terrorism."

In contrast to Rumsfeld's critics, the top Republican said he backed the defense chief to the hilt.

"I have the utmost confidence in Rumsfeld. Secretary Rumsfeld has done an unbelievable job, particularly in the last three years," he told North.

Those who disagree should have contacted the defense chief privately, DeLay said, rather than air their differences in a way that could damage the war effort.

"There's a way you do it," he said. "The way that I do it is that when I have a question about something, I call them up and I get an answer to the question."

DeLay complained that "most of those who are criticizing [Rumsfeld], starting with the national media, never wanted us in the war to begin with. And then you have a lot of these Democrats who voted against the war. They're the appeasers. They want to go back to the days of Clinton when we appeased these terrorists."

Editor's note: