The results of the "Sunday Morning Massacre," which came as a total surprise to the White House, activated the anti-Communist Right behind Reagan and validated his challenge for the nomination. But more important than these ill effects was what the sacking of Schlesinger showed about Ford.

Whether or not Donald Rumsfeld was the eminence grise in pushing out Schlesinger, as has been charged and denied, it is clear that Ford deeply resented his Secretary of Defense's pugnacious advocacy of Pentagon spending against Budget Director James T. Lynn. The President was entranced by Lynn's siren song of saving $7 billion through defense cuts and gave up that notion only under pressure from Reagan. The notion of a strong push for national defense as good politics against his Democratic foe a year later never entered Ford's mind as he dispatched the annoying Mr. Schlesinger.

Source: Novak, Robert D. Fiasco '76. National Review. p. 1397. December 24, 1976.