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Monday, June 30, 2003
Descent Into Derangement (Greg Yardley, June 30, 2003, FrontPageMagazine.com)
The communist opposition to President George W. Bush has begun. On Friday, June 27th, President George W. Bush arrived in Burlingame, California for a fundraising lunch, and the communist Workers World Party was there to protest, with the help of their allies in the labor unions and on the far-left of the Democratic Party. It's a scene we'll see again and again in the next year and a half - through their anti-war International ANSWER, the Workers World Party has vowed to follow President Bush wherever he goes. Supporters of Democrat Dennis Kucinich and the leaders the Service Employees International Union and the Communication Workers of America trade unions believe that their cooperation with the Workers World Party will weaken President Bush's presidency and defeat him in 2004. After attending this latest protest, I'm convinced that the opposite is true - the protestors have been reduced to an abrasive spectacle, only harmful to their own cause. That's not to say the Workers World Party and their friends won't be able to draw large crowds in the future, but if they truly want George W. Bush out of office, they're being self-defeating.
There's no doubt that the Workers World Party has gained influence, thanks to International ANSWER's recent string of anti-war protests. The San Francisco branch of the Workers World Party won the support of much of San Francisco's Left, and their long list of backers reflects this. Friday's protest was backed by, among others, the San Francisco Labor Council, AFL-CIO; the San Francisco branch of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee; the California branch of the National Organization of Women; the San Francisco branch of Al-Awda (the Palestinian Right of Return coalition); Global Exchange; Peninsula Peace & Justice Center (a Palo Alto-centered anti-war group); the South Bay Mobilization (a San Jose-centered anti-war group); the Children's Defense Fund; and the other major anti-war coalition, the Revolutionary Communist Party-controlled Not in Our Name Project. [...]
The only thing uniting this crowd was their absolute hatred of President Bush. A large number decided to trivialize the Holocaust by comparing the President to Hitler, either by adding a Hitler moustache to his picture or drawing a swastika on the forehead. Their favorite chants, repeated endlessly over the two-hour-long event, were "George Bush - war criminal," and "Bush lied, people died." The presence of couple dozen supporters of President Bush, dressed in patriotic garb, caused many protestors to lose their reason; when one patriotic couple walked through the crowd, protestors surrounded them, drowning out their cheers with shouts of "Shame! Shame! Shame!" Several young people screamed themselves red-in-the-face, fists clenched, eyes closed, shouting with all their might. Fortunately, there was no violence. [...]
Both the crowd and the speeches were so extremist that any news coverage could only help the President. I'm beginning to suspect that this is the Secretariat of the Workers World Party's secret intention; in terms of resources, publicity, and membership, they're faring far better under the Bush administration than they did under Clinton, or would under the administration of any left-leaning Democrat. Therefore, another term for President Bush is in the Workers World Party's interests; therefore Workers World Party demonstrations against President Bush are going to be as angry and militant as possible. This allows them to recruit the truly radical while alienating the nation's undecided swing voters, giving them street credibility.
As next year's campaign heats up, and the number of television cameras at these protests grows, the speakers are going to get angrier and angrier. The Democratic Party has put itself in this unenviable situation by refusing to denounce the Stalinists in its midst, in their efforts to generate "mainsteam" opposition to President Bush. In the future, these party hacks should take note: when you cooperate with the communists, you always get
burnt.
Grading the President (Foreign Policy, July/August 2003)
Editorials worldwide denounced the U.S. president for attacking Iraq. In Britain, The Financial Times deemed the attack �hard to justify in terms of international law, or any conception of a new world order.� In Jordan, Al Dustur called it a �cheap attempt� to divert attention from the White House�s failed economic plan. In Italy, La Stampa said the president �finds himself at the center of a domestic and international debate over his personality and his capacity for decision-making, in other words, his leadership.�
Harsh words for an American president. Or more specifically, harsh words for Bill Clinton. Those editorials were published following a U.S. airstrike against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in 1993. Ten years later, the international community waxes nostalgic about Clinton, often forgetting that during the early part of his presidency they routinely derided him as inexperienced, indecisive, and obsessed with the U.S. economy at the expense of global affairs.
Will the world learn to love President George W. Bush? As he enters the second half of his term in office, FOREIGN POLICY continues our long-standing tradition of asking noted contributors to grade the president and interpret the prevailing mood in their respective corners of the globe. Together, these commentaries�from nine regions and countries�form a mosaic far more nuanced than the familiar global caricature of Bush as a shoot-from-the-hip cowboy. While Bush�s �axis of evil� speech provoked scorn in Western Europe, the president found a sympathetic audience among East Europeans still traumatized by decades of dictatorial rule. South Asians and the Arab world resent Bush�s penchant for unilateralism, yet they confess a grudging admiration for his ability to advance U.S. interests. Even as Bush�s free trade policies have raised expectations for a better life in Latin America and China, his failure to liberalize immigration has left many policy elites desolate and embittered. Africa and Southeast Asia see Bush as a throwback to the Cold War, yet Russia, the United States� former Cold War adversary, sees Bush as a pragmatic partner.
In the aftermath of the war in Iraq, Bush faces many crucial decisions about how the United States will engage the world. Judging from these essays, the world hasn�t quite made up its mind how it will engage George W. Bush.
Vacation and Guest Blog Anouncement
As some of you know, I will be traveling this week (and away from my computer -- I am not sure they have The Internet in San Francisco yet . . .) so Orrin Judd, from the always must-read "Brothers Judd" blog will be pitching in in my absence. Thanks for all of your readership and keep sending in tips to great articles!
-- Kevin
Who Is Jack Oliver?
Here is a great profile of Bush Campaign deputy finance chairman, Jack Oliver:
Oliver comes by his calling naturally. Born into a Republican family, he grew up in Rush Limbaugh's Mississippi River hometown of Cape Girardeau and became pals later in life with the conservative radio star. Oliver stretched out his time at the University of Missouri law school to work for, among others, Missouri Senator John Ashcroft, now Bush's Attorney General.
Oliver brings a military-style discipline to the task of fund raising. Nothing is left to chance. (At home, he keeps a needlepoint from his grandmother that reads, "I'm so used to being nervous I get tense when I'm calm.") In advance of a recent Washington event, fund raisers were promised a picture with the President if they hit their quota of $20,000 each. Five days out, Oliver called to lay down the law. "We're going to be tight" on the photo rule, he warned. For an additional $30,000, a fund raiser landed an invite to Bush's ranch this summer — but only if the cash was deposited by the end of June. No pledges. No checks dated at the last minute. The system was so strict that collectors were given individual tracking numbers to put on checks to make sure they got credit.
G.O.P. Senate Bid May Take the Fall, for Bush's Sake (RAYMOND HERNANDEZ, 6/30/03, NY Times)
Gov. George E. Pataki and the Republican machinery he controls are determined to rally a huge voter turnout for President Bush next year, in a bid meant to bring New York Republicans the sort of national stature that has eluded them since the days of Nelson A. Rockefeller.
But in an intriguing subplot, Mr. Pataki and his advisers appear to have all but abandoned plans to seriously challenge Senator Charles E. Schumer, a popular Democrat, mindful that it would mobilize the opposition and thus undermine Mr. Bush's prospects in New York. [...]
[R]epublicans say the sudden shift in the party's priorities reflects the surprising level of support that Mr. Bush has picked up in New York, a heavily Democratic state that no Republican presidential candidate has won since Ronald Reagan swept it in 1984.
A poll recently released by Marist College, for example, showed that 58 percent of voters who were surveyed in New York rated Mr. Bush's job performance as good or excellent.
Bush, Looking to His Right, Shores Up Support for 2004 (ADAM NAGOURNEY, 6/30/03, NY Times)
A systematic effort by President Bush to enlist members of his party's conservative wing in the White House, and to champion
touchstone conservative issues, has produced a unified base of support for him from this sometimes wayward faction of the Republican Party, conservative leaders say.
Mr. Bush's standing among conservatives going into next year's election appears more than strong enough to withstand the strains that have emerged in recent weeks over some of his policies, including his support for providing prescription drug coverage under Medicare and for expanding the child tax credit.
By any measure, Mr. Bush appears to have built up enough good will with his party's right wing to provide him significant latitude as he seeks to appeal to moderate voters by taking positions that might roil conservatives. Indeed, on one potentially pivotal matter--filling a Supreme Court vacancy, should one occur--conservative leaders say the president enjoys a level of trust that would allow him to nominate a candidate without unambiguously conservative credentials, avoiding an ideological battle that could harm his re-election efforts.
Mr. Bush's position among conservatives stands in marked contrast to the troubled relations his father endured with many of them when he lost his re-election bid in 1992.
Bush Campaign Swings Through Swing State of Florida
Haunted by his near-loss here in 2000 -- a defeat that would have cost him the presidency -- Bush and his political operatives have been keeping a close watch on the state ever since.
His staff is in constant contact with Gov. Jeb Bush and the governor's top advisers. There are weekly conference calls between top strategists for both offices.
This will the president's 15th visit to Florida since taking office, and certainly not his last.
All this points to the fact that Florida's 27 electoral votes remain crucial to the president's reelection. And once again, the pressure to make sure Bush wins here will fall largely on his younger brother.
"I've got one big race I'm going to work on next year, and that is the reelection of George W. Bush," the governor told a cheering crowd of GOP contributors in Orlando last week.
Sunday, June 29, 2003
Bush Campaign Gains Momentum as Team Sharpens Message
Whether it's President Bush or Vice President Cheney doing the talking, the sales pitch at fundraisers for their re-election campaign is the same: We're winning the war on terrorism, but it's not over. We inherited a bad economy, but we're sure tax cuts will fix it. We reformed the government. We're compassionate. We need four more years to reach our goals...
The reactions of the partisan crowds hint at themes that work best. Cheney's biggest response came when he said Bush delivered "the largest tax relief since Ronald Reagan." Bush's biggest applause line in New York was an assertion that he "came to the office of the presidency to solve problems, not to pass them on to future presidents and future generations."
Bush Has Support and Trust of Conservative Base
A systematic effort by President Bush to enlist members of his party's conservative wing in the White House, and to champion touchstone conservative issues, has produced a unified base of support for him from this sometimes wayward faction of the Republican Party, conservative leaders say.
Mr. Bush's standing among conservatives going into next year's election appears more than strong enough to withstand the strains that have emerged in recent weeks over some of his policies, including his support for providing prescription drug coverage under Medicare and for expanding the child tax credit.
By any measure, Mr. Bush appears to have built up enough good will with his party's right wing to provide him significant latitude as he seeks to appeal to moderate voters by taking positions that might roil conservatives. Indeed, on one potentially pivotal matter — filling a Supreme Court vacancy, should one occur — conservative leaders say the president enjoys a level of trust that would allow him to nominate a candidate without unambiguously conservative credentials, avoiding an ideological battle that could harm his re-election efforts.
The Ever-Increasing Influence of The First Lady, Laura Bush
[T]he first lady is stepping up as one of the most effective and high-profile campaigners for the Bush-Cheney 2004 reelection effort.
After more than a year of war-dominated headlines, Laura Bush's emerging role as a focal point in the administration is adding a softer edge to the presidential campaign.
Her selection of causes and reassuring, noncontroversial style appeal to the large population of swing voters once characterized as "soccer moms," political analysts said.
Her preference for a low profile is a sharp contrast with her predecessor, Hillary Rodham Clinton, whose outspoken verve frequently drew criticism to the Clinton administration.
A Fox News Poll conducted earlier this month found Laura Bush with a 73 percent public approval rating -- even higher than her husband's 67 percent.
Saturday, June 28, 2003
Winning the War on Terror: Top Al Qaeda Memeber Reportedly In Custody
Ayman al-Zawahiri, Usama bin Laden's right-hand man, was reported last night to be in custody in Iran along with several other top Al Qaeda leaders. The Arabic news channel Al-Arabiyah said the fanatic Egyptian-born doctor is under arrest in Iran along with bin Laden's son Saad and Al Qaeda's infamous spokesman Abu Ghaith. The report said they may be sent back to their home countries.
Al-Zawahiri has been sentenced to death in Egypt for his role in the assassination of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat.
Harlem's Song: Changing the Tone of the Republican Party
On Tuesday, at a White House event entitled Harlem's Song, President Bush declared June Black Music Month and gave a speech that was a further indication of what could amount to a grand strategy. I mean a strategy that could make Democrats a bit unsure about owning the black vote, especially during presidential elections...
If this event was indeed part of a grand strategy, Bush seems well on his way to redirecting the ethnic tone of the Republican Party in a way that may not automatically make black people feel friendly toward it but that could, over time, bring issues of importance to Afro-Americans to the front and put party affiliations in the back.
I thought about all of that walking around the White House as the rehearsals were going on. Integration was everywhere. It felt good to see the military personnel and all the guests representing the many faces of the nation just as much as they did under President Bill Clinton.
Further, with Bush's emphasis on educational policy, with his appointments of Rice and Powell, with his pledge to refurbish Frederick Douglass' home, with his $15 billion relief package for black Africa and with his recent admonishment that federal law enforcement agencies should not profile any ethnic community unless the issue of terrorism is at hand, this President is changing his party.
Friday, June 27, 2003
President Bush to Celebrate Independance Day in Dayton, Ohio
The White House confirmed Friday that President George W. Bush will be in Dayton, Ohio, next week for Independence Day and a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight.
White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Bush will speak at the Inventing Flight festivities on July 4.
Wilbur and Orville Wright invented and developed the airplane in their hometown of Dayton. They made their first flight near Kitty Hawk, N.C., on Dec. 17, 2003.
Winning the War on Terror: 11 Men Indicted
Federal agents carried out raids in three states early today, rounding up 11 men who officials said belonged to an anti-American terror group and were practicing for attacks in other countries.
The suspects, who were arrested in Pennsylvania and Washington suburbs in Maryland and Virginia, were charged in a 41-count federal indictment with conspiring to "prepare for and engage in violent jihad" against targets in the Philippines, Chechnya and Kashmir, a disputed border region claimed by both India and Pakistan.
The Battle for California: California In Play?
As President Bush continues his fundraising tour in California today, the discussion has turned to whether Bush will target California as a battleground state. His popular vote loss was not bad considering he did little campaigning there and Democratic party officials are outwardly telling him it would be futile since the state is so Democratic (a clear sign of fear). But what struck me were the protestors with whom the Democrats are aligning. Check this out:
Anti-Bush forces in California planned to use Bush's fund-raising visit to voice their opposition to his administration.To find out more about the anti-semitic and Stalinistic beliefs of this group, click here or click here or click here. As the New York Times reported:
On Friday, a group called A.N.S.W.E.R., which stands for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, plans a protest in Los Angeles near where one fund-raiser was being held.
Some of the group's chief organizers are active in the Workers World Party, a radical Socialist group with roots in the Stalin-era Soviet Union. The party has taken positions that include defense of the Iraqi and North Korean governments and support for Slobodan Milosevic, the former Yugolav president being tried on war crimes charges.If the Democrats are seen as aligning with A.N.S.W.E.R., Bush may win over 60% of the popular vote...
Poiltical Strategy: Bush May Be Creating "Nightmare Scenario" for Democrats
The fund-raising drive that will bring President Bush to San Francisco and Los Angeles today could ultimately give him the largest financial advantage in recent presidential politics and provide Republicans an opportunity to reshape the map of national elections.But all that leads to the real kicker in the story:
Bush is working to raise at least $170 million for a primary campaign in which he's virtually certain to face no significant opposition. At the same time, the Democrats face the prospect of a highly competitive nomination fight that could leave their nominee strapped for cash when it is resolved, analysts in both parties say...
That advantage could threaten Democrats most dramatically just after they settle on their nominee, which likely will occur in late February or early March, following a spate of primaries.
At that point, Democrats could face a nightmare scenario: a nominee with little money left after a bruising primary fight; a Democratic National Committee weakened by the ban on the unlimited contributions known as "soft" money that previously accounted for most of its budget, and a president sitting on more cash than any White House candidate ever.
Taken together, these developments could allow Bush to spend massive sums to tar Democratic nominee and burnish his own image in key states. The Democrats, meanwhile, would be unable to come close to matching Bush's spending. This disparity could last until the 2004 Democratic convention in late July.
But the well-connected Republican said that when the Bush campaign does begin advertising, it will invest not only in the states both sides have decided are battlegrounds — such as Florida was in 2000 — but "some that weren't close" to voting for the GOP ticket in that year's contest. The source did not specify these states, but other analysts have said they could include California, New York and New Jersey...As I like to point out, Everything's In Play!
Bush's likely financial advantage over the Democratic nominee recalls Clinton's edge over Republican Bob Dole in 1996 — though on a vastly greater scale.
Dole emerged from his party's nomination fight that April allowed to spend only $1.2 million until the GOP convention in August. Clinton, meanwhile, had millions to spend.
Thursday, June 26, 2003
Former Senator Strom Thurmond Dies at 100
Update: Here is a tribute to the late Senator with loades of information on his eventful life.
President Bush's Enormous Popularity Leads to Enthusiastic Influx from Donors
President Bush expects to raise as much as $30 million this fund-raising period, a stunning figure compared to the efforts of his nine Democratic rivals.
"Thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of our supporters around the country, we expect to be able to report between $27 million and $30 million for the current filing period" which ends June 30, said Bush-Cheney campaign spokeswoman Nicolle Devenish.
By contrast, the entire nine-person Democratic field may manage to raise $30 million combined in the same filing period.
Winning the War on Terror: Saudi Bomber Arrested
A MILITANT who is suspected of masterminding the May 12 suicide bombings in the Saudi capital has been arrested, state radio reported today.
Ali Abd al-Rahman al-Faqasi al-Ghamdi "surrendered voluntarily" to police, an Interior Ministry official said, according to Radio Riyadh.
Al-Ghamdi is believed to have close links with al-Qaeda, the terror group behind the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
He is also among the 19 alleged militants wanted since Saudi police discovered a weapons cache in Riyadh early last month. The 19 are suspected of taking orders directly from al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
US officials have said al-Ghamdi is also known as Abu Bakr and has been active in al-Qaeda's operations in Saudi Arabia.
Pure Hilarity . . . compliments of The Corner and K-Lo
CHIEF JUSTICE FUNNYMAN [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
NRDC intern James Justin Wilson was hanging around the Court this morning. After the five decisions of the day were issues, Chief Justice Rehnquist paused and said (paraphrasing): I'd like to announce the retirement...[SILENCE FILLS THE CROWD] of the Court librarian.
Senate Panel Approves Budget Director, Josh Bolten
The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee approved Joshua Bolten as budget director Thursday, moving his nomination forward as an annual spending battle between the White House and Congress looms.
The Republican-run committee approved Bolten by voice vote, a day after he appeared before the panel and drew bipartisan praise from its members. His confirmation by the full Senate was expected by week's end.
Bolten, 48, is Bush's deputy chief of staff. As director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, he would be an administration point man on spending legislation, oversee the management of the government's huge bureaucracy and be largely responsible for developing the 2005 budget Bush will send to Congress next year.
Minnesota Revisited: A Look Back at Last Week's Visit
Before the president took the stage and podium June 19 in front of approximately 2,500 people at Micro Control Co., a manufacturer of computer-chip testing devices, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty told the audience of a conversation he’d shared with Bush as they rode to Fridley from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Pawlenty reportedly asked Bush to name what he liked the most about Minnesota.
“‘Tim, I love eating Spam,’” said Bush, as quoted during Pawlenty’s introduction.
Despite any differing tastes in lunchmeat, those who heard President Bush’s speech appeared to believe in what he was saying, supportive of his ideas for improving the nation’s economy — particularly for small businesses, those in meat processing, computer-chip technology and all other industries.
Bush broke from his attention on small businesses to focus on people.
“When you’ve got an economic issue, you’ve got a people issue,” Bush said. “When we are talking about money, we’re not talking about the government’s money, we’re talking about the people’s money.”
Placing more money into Americans’ pockets helps citizens and entrepreneurs to “better realize their dreams,” Bush stated.
Part of the $350 billion tax cut package he signed in May allows incentives for businesses which invest in capital equipment. That will eventually allow and inspire companies to expand their payrolls, Bush contended. “The tax bill we passed is really good for the economy, and will make it more likely somebody’s going to find a job,” he said.
New York Voters See Bush Winning in 2004
A majority of New Yorkers think President Bush will win a second term in 2004, but a nearly similar percentage predict that his Democratic challenger will capture the state, according to a statewide poll released Thursday.So we have our work cut out for us in New York!!!
The president's approval rating among New Yorkers was at 52 percent in the Quinnipiac University poll, down from 58 percent in April. The survey also found that Bush leads all his potential Democratic opponents, but 57 percent of New Yorkers say a Democrat will win New York in November.
Asked if Bush will be re-elected, 59 percent of the New York voters surveyed said yes.
"New Yorkers split on how they intend to vote and how they think their neighbors will vote,'' said Maurice Carroll, director of the Hamden, Conn.-based Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
Patience Is A Virtue Reactionaries Simply Do Not Possess
U.S. OFFICIALS said the discoveries were not proof that Iraq had managed to build or obtain banned weapons of mass destruction, as President Bush asserted before the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March. But they said the materials, some of which dated back to the first Gulf War, were compelling proof that Saddam was trying actively to acquire such weapons in defiance of the United Nations.Patience is one of the main things the President asked for when all of this began shortly after September 11th and, as usual, his vision seems quite prescient. So when do we begin to hear apologies from John Kerry, Howard Dean and the rest of the Keystone
NBC News has learned of several recent discoveries, some within the past week, one related to nuclear weapons and the others to chemical, biological and banned conventional weapons.
Three U.S. officials told NBC’s Andrea Mitchell that an Iraqi scientist who was part of what Saddam called his “nuclear mujahadeen” had led intelligence officials to a barrel in the back yard of his home in Baghdad, where they found plans for a gas centrifuge and components of a uranium enrichment system.
A Good Laugh:
Jay Leno: "Last night in New York, President Bush raised a record $4 million in one night at a fundraising dinner. That's the most money a presidential candidate has picked up at one dinner, well, since John Kerry proposed to Teresa Heinz."
Jay Leno: "And the 17-year-old son of presidential candidate Howard Dean arrested -- arrested for stealing a dozen cases of beer from a Vermont country club. And as a Democrat, you think Dean would've taught his children, there are legal ways to steal from the rich. You don't have to rob country clubs."
Jay Leno: "According to the LA Daily News, California students rank just about dead last -- I think we're tied with Mississippi, tied with Mississippi, in national reading test scores. We are the lowest. Isn't that amazing? And you know who's thrilled about this? Governor Gray Davis. He's actually happy. He's saying, 'Great, people can't read the recall notice now.'"
Jay Leno: "On CNN yesterday, Governor Davis said he will not resign, he will not step down. Well, of course not. With the California economy, he's not gonna find another job."
Jay Leno: "Since California's $38 billion in debt, Governor Davis has tripled the vehicle license fee. But that's only gonna raise $4 billion. You know, if he wants to solve the $38 billion deficit, don't tax cars. Tax marijuana and botox. That's where the money is."
Jay Leno: "Oh, some gossip. According to the New York Daily News, last week, Bill Clinton was spotted talking to Kim Cattrall. How about that, huh? The star of 'Sex and the City' getting together with Kim Cattrall."
David Letterman: "The CIA is using the DNA testing to determine if Saddam Hussein is dead or alive. Yeah. Coincidentally it's the same method the Democrats used on Al Gore."
David Letterman: "Apparently the US military obtained samples of Saddam Hussein's DNA from a Ba'ath Party intern."
First Lady Laura Bush in Cincinatti
The library at Oyler Elementary School has probably never been as quiet as it was Wednesday when Laura Bush sat down to read to 26 second- and third-graders.
The squirming stopped, lips were zipped and 52 wide eyes focused at the head of the class when the first lady launched into an animated reading of A. Lincoln and Me by Cincinnati-area author Louise Borden.
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Political Strategy: Karl Rove in Dallas
Offering a sneak peek at President Bush's re-election strategy, White House political adviser Karl Rove called on supporters Wednesday to help raise enough money to keep their rivals off balance and lock up states for Republicans early next year so the GOP can make inroads into Democratic territory.
"Our object is not to defend our own turf. Our goal is to get the other side to defend their turf," Mr. Rove said at a private meeting of more than 80 partisans at the downtown Fort Worth Club.
He exhorted the Bush backers, many of them longtime GOP donors and elected officials, to overwhelm Democrats when the president and his political foes report their latest fund-raising tallies at the end of this month.
"June 30 is the first battle," he said, a reference to predictions by other Republicans that the Bush camp wants to prove its financial mettle by raising at least $20 million by the end of the month...
President Bush Heads to California
President Bush will spend just over nine hours in California on Friday, collecting $6 million or more for his campaign, but he plans to dodge the hottest question in state politics: whether Gov. Gray Davis (D) should be recalled.
Administration officials said Bush does not plan to take a position on the recall drive. The Republican-led drive has gathered roughly 40 percent of the valid signatures needed to put a measure on the ballot to evict Davis, whose approval rating plummeted to 21 percent among likely voters in a poll released June 12 by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.
White House spokeswoman Ashley Snee delivered the party line to be used during Bush's visit: "The White House is not involved in the effort. It is a matter for the people of California."
War on Terror Update: Conflicting Reports Over 3-Month Truce in Middle East
Palestinian militant groups Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad today denied reports that they had signed a three-month cease-fire agreement along with Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction...
Earlier today, The Associated Press reported that the three militant factions had signed an agreement to halt attacks on Israelis, as called for in the beleaguered U.S. "road map" to peace in the Middle East.
But ABCNEWS has confirmed from Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad that the groups have not accepted any cease-fire deal.
And speaking at a press briefing in Washington today, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said he had no confirmation of the reports.
Democrats Want to Raise Trillions of Dollars in Taxes
Twenty years after they last tried it, Democrats are seizing the tax issue to attack a popular president, a risky strategy aimed at turning a long-standing liability into a political asset.The rest of the write-up discusses how miserably this strategy failed in 1984--an election I have predicted 2004 will more closely parallel rather than the pseudo-intellects who think themself clever by trying to call November 2004 simply Bush 41 redux.
The effort by the party's presidential candidates — who favor repealing all or part of President Bush's tax cuts — turns years of political experience on its head. Republicans have long championed lower taxes, and Democrats have largely shrunk from the fight, fearing the dreaded tax-and-spend label. But now, Democrats are attempting to move off the defensive and recast the tax debate as a matter of choices.
Protecting Our Backyard: House Passes Homeland Security Bill
The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to approve the first bill to finance the new Homeland Security Department and shower $29.4 billion on local emergency workers, airport screeners and a new drive against bioterrorism...Overall, this bill would provide $4.4 billion for local firefighters, law enforcement and other emergency responders, nearly $900 million more than Bush proposed. Included was $1.9 billion distributed by formula among state and local governments, $894 million over this year's total.
The measure would finance the 22 agencies — and more than 170,000 workers — merged into a new Cabinet-level department by legislation enacted last November.
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO LOOK AT INTELLIGENCE DOCUMENTS YET STILL ACCUSE BUSH OF LYING
A congressional Republican says Democrats who are demanding more intelligence information on Iraqi weapons should be spending more time looking at classified material made available a week ago.So let me get this straight, these congressional Democrats have failed to look at ONE intelligence report yet they spout the most scandalous accusations at the White House. Someone need to call these accusers to account. They are derelict in their reviewing available information and are playing politics with national security. This is unacceptable. ONLY 2 MEMBERS IN CONGRESS HAVE LOOKED AT THE INTELLIGENCE DOCUMENTS!
Rep. Rob Simmons, R-Conn., spent about two hours reviewing more than 1,000 pages of documents late last week and said others should do the same because it could answer some of their concerns.
"I get frustrated when members of Congress make statements about intelligence information and yet either don't serve on the committee or don't access the information that's available," said Simmons, a former CIA intelligence officer. If they did, he said Tuesday, "certain very obvious things would become apparent."...
Last Tuesday, House Intelligence Chairman Porter Goss, R-Fla., announced that House members who aren't on his panel would be able to review classified documents relating to Iraq's weapons program and its prewar ties to terrorist groups.
Lawmakers who want to read the material must sign a confidentiality agreement that prohibits them from disclosing the information. Intelligence committee members have access to the documents.
So far, Simmons and one other unidentified House member have signed the agreement.
Hoeffel plans to review the committee documents, his spokesman Frank Custer said, "to see what he can glean." But other Democrats say they won't bother.
"I refuse to go there," said Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass., who has asked for an independent commission to review the intelligence gathering.
Here is a Transcript of Vice-President Cheney's Remarks from Lat Night's Stop in Richmond
Well, I want to thank you for that welcome. It's good to be back here in the capital of Virginia. With your help, the Bush-Cheney ticket in 2000 won big, and we're going to carry Virginia once again in 2004...BWwwahahahahahahhaha! That is great material! Go Dick Cheney!
This is an impressive turnout for the number two man on the ticket. But like I always say, nothing draws a crowd like raw charisma.
Winning the War on Terror: Jordan's King Abdullah Warns Hammas to Stop Attacks on Israel
Jordan's King Abdullah II warned Tuesday that Islamic radical group Hamas will face serious trouble if it does not agree to stop its attacks on Israel.Clearly President's Bush's efforts are greatly affecting the "tone" of the Middle East.
"The agreement must be concluded and Hamas will face problems if a deal is not reached," the Jordanian monarch told the Saudi-owned daily Al-Hayat.
Americans Endorse Use of Military Against Iran
Most Americans would support the United States taking military action to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons despite growing public concern about the mounting number of U.S. military casualties in the aftermath of the war with Iraq, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.Majority of Americans Continue Support of War in Iraq
President Bush last week said the rest of the world should join the United States in declaring that it "will not tolerate" nuclear weapons in Iran -- a vow that most Americans appear willing to back with force. By 56 percent to 38 percent, the public endorsed the use of the military to block Iran from developing nuclear arms.
Support for a military solution in Iran came despite rising concern about the growing number of casualties among U.S. military personnel in neighboring Iraq. About half said the current level of U.S. dead and wounded is "acceptable"...
The survey also found that support for the war with Iraq as well as for the way Bush is handling the situation in that country remains strong...
Two in three -- 67 percent -- of those interviewed said they approve of the way Bush is dealing with Iraq... Nearly as many -- 64 percent -- said the benefits of the war outweighed its cost...
Keeping Vigilant in the War on Terror: Bush to Meet with Musharraf
President Bush will thank Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf for valuable help in the war on terror but will press him to try to ease nuclear tensions with his neighbor India, U.S. officials say...
Bush and Musharraf probably will talk about "the growing efforts between Pakistan and India to reach a mutual understanding and peaceful resolutions of their disputes," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.
Fleischer said Bush views Musharraf as "a strong leader who is aggressively fighting terror."
Pakistani police have recently been rounding up Islamic militants. On Monday, Pakistani officials announced the arrests of five suspected members of an outlawed militant group blamed for killing Shiite Muslims and the kidnap-slaying of American Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl...
Musharraf is the first leader from South Asia to be invited to the presidential mountaintop retreat.
New York's Top Dignitaries Heap Praise on President Bush
"He will be one of our great presidents, because of the way he led this country through the worst attack in the history of the United States," said Mr. Giuliani, who with his wife, Judith, greeted Mr. Bush at the steps of Marine One, the presidential helicopter, after it landed on the edge of the East River in Lower Manhattan.And the President's popularity has crossed over to formerly Democratic fundraisers:
The fund-raiser's organizing committee, which consisted of more than a dozen general chairmen who pledged to collect $200,000 each, drew from Wall Street, the city's real estate industry and Mr. Pataki's extensive fund-raising network. The chairmen included Henry M. Paulson Jr., the chairman and chief executive of Goldman Sachs, and John J. Mack, the chief executive of Credit Suisse First Boston.And here is Mike Allen in the Washington Post with his rundown on the night's festivities and the observation that New York is part of the GOP electoral puzzle in 2004:
Some organizers, like the event's general chairman, Richard S. Fuld Jr., the chairman of Lehman Brothers, has been a generous fund-raiser in the past for Democrats, including Senators Joseph I. Lieberman and Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut.
President Bush collected $4 million tonight in a state that voted Democratic in the past four national elections but will be contested by Republicans next year.
The visit was a prelude to the 2004 Republican National Convention, the first to be held in New York City. Bush expects to be nominated for reelection just before the third anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center.
Monday, June 23, 2003
Bush Supporters Show Great Strength at NYC Event
The raucous crowd of New Yorkers, most wearing dark suits, responded to Bush with calls of ``We love you, Mr. President!'' and ``Four more years!''Update: Here are the President's complete remarks from tonight's reception in New York City.
Political Strategy: White House Goes on the Offensive Regarding Tax Cuts
With the numerous candidates for the Democratic nomination for President carping about repealing the Bush tax cuts, an analysis of the cost of such bluster was done and the results are quite staggering:
The seven-page analysis, by the Treasury Department's Office of Tax Analysis, asserts that repealing the tax cuts enacted in 2001 and last month would mean a tax hike of $1,933 for a married couple with two children and an income of $40,000. Their taxes would go from $45 to $1,978, for an increase of 4,296 percent, the study said.
"If you are advocating repealing the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, you are advocating a significant tax increase on the American people," said Rob Nichols, the Treasury Department's chief spokesman. "You're talking about raising taxes on roughly 100 million households."
Bush All Set to Take a Bite Out of The Big Apple
President George Bush will take a huge bite of the Big Apple today, filling his re-election coffers with $4-$5 million at a Midtown fundraiser.If anyone would like to send me an invite, e-mail me at kevin@kevinpatrick.net!
New Yorkers can expect huge traffic delays and tight security as the Bush-Cheney 2004 juggernaut rolls into town at about 3 p.m.
The state's Republican elite, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gov. George Pataki, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former Senator Alphonse D'Amato are among those expected to fork over $2,000 for the privilege of attending the 5 p.m. event at the Sheraton Hotel, at Seventh Avenue and 53rd Street.
A reception is set for 6:50 p.m.
President Bush Hails Supreme Court's Decisions on Affirmative Action
Here is the complete text:
I applaud the Supreme Court for recognizing the value of diversity on our Nation's campuses. Diversity is one of America's greatest strengths. Today's decisions seek a careful balance between the goal of campus diversity and the fundamental principle of equal treatment under the law.As some of you know, Affirmative Action is one of the few topics where my views tend toward the liberal side of the spectrum. I think today the Supremes got this one mostly right and I am heartened that by the President's remarks it would appear he agrees.
My Administration will continue to promote policies that expand educational opportunities for Americans from all racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. There are innovative and proven ways for colleges and universities to reflect our diversity without using racial quotas. The Court has made clear that colleges and universities must engage in a serious, good faith consideration of workable race-neutral alternatives. I agree that we must look first to these race-neutral approaches to make campuses more welcoming for all students.
Race is a reality in American life. Yet like the Court, I look forward to the day when America will truly be a color-blind society. My Administration will continue to work toward this important goal.
The Supremes Split on Michigan Affirmative Action Cases
A closely divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that racial preferences can be used in university admission decisions, its first ruling on the important civil rights issue in 25 years.I will have the official comments from the White House when they are available.
The nation's highest court upheld the University of Michigan's affirmative action policy that favors minorities who apply to its law school, but struck down the program for its undergraduate college because it went too far in providing an advantage to minorities.
President Bush Pushing for Medicare Reform
President Bush pursued his re-election bid on two fronts on Monday: prodding Congress to move quickly on Medicare prescription drug legislation and preparing to rake in about $4 million at a New York City fund-raiser.
Bush was scheduled to address the 10th annual Biotechnology Industry Organization conference in Washington. Some 15,000 people from 50 countries were scheduled to attend the conference.
Bush's speech was aimed at pressing Congress to add the GOP-favored approach to drug benefits to Medicare. He wants a bill on his desk before the start of lawmakers' July 4 recess, scheduled to begin at the end of this week. Despite those urgings, it appears top lawmakers will spend July trying to fashion a compromise.
The Bush Tour to Swing Through California
Although Democrats won the governorship, both houses of the Legislature and all of the California statewide constitutional offices last November, polls suggest that Bush's popularity has risen considerably since the 2000 campaign.
A Field Poll conducted in April that pitted Bush against a generic Democratic challenger found the Republican president ahead by 5 points. Other polls have found Bush comfortably ahead of the leading Democratic opponents.
"It does appear to put California in play in the general election," said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll...
[Upcoming Schedule of Appearances]:
-- New York -- June 23
-- San Francisco -- June 27
-- Los Angeles -- June 27
-- Miami -- June 30
-- Tampa -- June 30
Vice President Dick Cheney also has scheduled campaign fund-raisers in Boston and Richmond, Va., on June 24 and Grand Rapids, Mich., and Akron, Ohio, on June 30. . Source: Bush-Cheney campaign
Dr. Condolezza Rice to Travel to the Middle East
Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security adviser, will travel to the Mideast this weekend to help maintain momentum for a U.S.-backed peace initiative, the White House announced Monday.
Rice will meet with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders while in the region, said White House press secretary Ari Fleischer.
Her visit follows one by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was returning to Washington on Monday after spending three days in the region. "Both are working together on an important priority for the president."
President Bush to Visit Africa
President Bush will make his first trip to Africa next month, visiting five countries with an agenda expected to include the fight against AIDS, counter-terrorism and economic development.
The White House on Friday announced the trip. Bush will visit Senegal, South Africa, Botswana, Uganda and Nigeria from July 7-12. The trip had been postponed from January amid the run-up to the war against Iraq.
"This visit highlights the Bush Administration's commitment to working toward a free, prosperous and peaceful Africa," the White House said.
Winning in Their Own Backyards
Although President Bush does not know who he will meet in next November's general election, recent polls pitting identified potential nominees of the Democrats' against the President has shown the public is very much supportive of the President, even in the Democrat's own home state:
U.S. Sen. Bob Graham leads his rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination in Florida, but he trails President Bush in a potential general-election showdown, a new poll indicates.
Questioned about a race between Graham and Bush, the 600 voters surveyed -- Democrats, Republicans and independents -- put the president ahead of Graham 53 percent to 40 percent, with 7 percent undecided.
Sunday, June 22, 2003
The Battle For New York
When Rudy Giuliani visited President Bush in the Oval Office last year to pitch the idea of holding the Republican convention in New York, he made what seemed like a far-fetched argument: that Bush had a shot at winning the overwhelmingly liberal state in 2004, if only he tried...
Even some Republicans concede that winning New York is a long shot. Still, a confluence of factors has given Republicans reason to assert a potential shift in political winds. And any serious investment they make in New York could force the Democrats to spend critical resources on a state they have traditionally been able to take for granted at presidential election time.
Apart from Bush's dramatic appearance after Sept. 11 with firefighters at ground zero, he has also made appeals to Jewish voters (there are nearly 1 million Jews in New York City alone) with his strong support for Israel and his hawkish approach to Iraq.
He has made appeals among Catholic voters -- there are more than 7 million in the state -- with his faith-based initiatives and meetings with church groups, part of a broader national effort to chip away at that religious bloc.
Another target audience for Bush's campaign, Hispanic voters, has grown rapidly throughout New York in recent years (to as much as 8 percent of the overall state population).
At the same time, upstate New York is more conservative than the suburbs and New York City, giving Bush a potential edge with about 45 percent of the state's electorate, according to several Republican strategists. Bush also has time and money on his side: His party's convention, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 of next year, comes much later than the Democratic National Convention, and is likely to be fresher in voters' minds come Election Day. His fund-raisers have brought in almost the entire $60 million needed for the event, which strategists say will boost the local economy and GOP morale.
Who is Mercer Reynolds?
The New york Times writes-up a profile of Mercer Reynolds III, President Bush's re-election campaign national finance chairman:
Mercer Reynolds III, a wealthy executive from Cincinnati, has always been willing to roll up his sleeves to raise money for causes he believes in. A few Christmases ago, an acquaintance was startled to find Mr. Reynolds ringing the Salvation Army bell outside a Kroger supermarket near his home, soliciting dimes and quarters. "People were occasionally giving me a few bucks," Mr. Reynolds said when asked about the story the other day. "You get a lot of satisfaction out of that."
GOP 2004: Everything's In Play
Many critics like to accuse the Republican stratagists of being overconfident, but as usual that is just a canard as Dan Balz points out in his 'must-read' analysis of the GOP's grand hopes for 2004:
There are good reasons for Bush strategists to anticipate a close election. Given the unsettled state of the world and the still-weak economy, a second Bush term is far from assured -- let alone the goal of making Republicans the country's majority party.Despite the legitimate concerns the GOP has, they are not afraid to "think big" and use everything in their arsenal to achieve great things in the coming year:
Early polls show Bush receiving the support of less than 50 percent of the public when matched against a generic Democratic nominee. That is far below his approval rating, suggesting a wait-and-see attitude on the part of many voters.
The Bush team's plan to create a governing majority includes calculated efforts to lure swing voters and elements of the Democratic coalition -- Latinos, married women, white union workers, Jews and what GOP officials call the growing "investor" class -- to the Republican Party, according to interviews with many Republicans familiar with the planning.Non-sequiter: I absolutely love political strategy.
Alongside this strategy, the Republican National Committee (RNC) has launched the most organized effort yet to build and reshape the party at the grass roots, by recruiting candidates who share Bush's agenda and style, registering voters and winning the turnout battle in November 2004.
Marc Racicot, who will move from chairmanship of the RNC to chairmanship of Bush's reelection committee in mid-July, said the party has set a goal of registering 3 million new Republicans by the end of this year.
Saturday, June 21, 2003
Iraq Secret Documents Found, May Contain Clues to WMDs
U.S. forces acting on an intelligence tip raided an abandoned Baghdad community hall early Saturday and seized documents that may contain information about Iraq's suspected weapons of mass destruction.
The documents, bearing the seal of Saddam Hussein's secret service, were being handed over to senior intelligence analysts. Some papers referred to Iraq's nuclear program.
Bush Reachs Out to Fans in Georgia
President Bush pulled over his fast-moving motorcade to speak to adoring spectators in this east Georgia town in a rare detour from the schedule that foreshadowed the campaign to come.
"How are you? How you doing?" Bush asked as he shook hands and talked with about two dozen people, many of them children.
One young woman told him, "I'm very proud of my president." Another woman said, "We love you to death, we're very proud of you." A little girl shaking his hand burst out in tears.
Who is Scott McClellan?
Scott McClellan, the new press secretary for President Bush, is a 35-year-old Texan known as an affable but tough spokesman. So far, he has succeeded in maintaining the trust of both his boss and the press corps.
For the past two years McClellan has been the No. 2 White House spokesman, watching Ari Fleischer's daily briefings from the sidelines and occasionally filling in. Easygoing in front of television cameras, McClellan will take over next month as the public face of the administration.
Friday, June 20, 2003
Winning The Peace in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Successes You Won't Read in the Papers
Victor David Hanson writes up what is the reality of the Middle East and the US's presence over there:
The bitter truth is that the Middle East wants the West far more than the West the Middle East...With a nod to Glenn Reynolds over at Instapundit.
[F]or all the doom and gloom we are making amazing progress. If on the evening of September 11th, an outside observer had predicted that the following would transpire in two years, he would have been considered unhinged: Saddam Hussein gone with the wind; democratic birth pangs in Iraq; the Taliban finished and Mr. Karzai attempting to create constitutional government; Yasser Arafat ostracized by the American government and lord of a dilapidated compound; bin Laden either dead or leading a troglodyte existence; all troops slated to leave Saudi Arabia — and by our own volition, not theirs; Iran and Syria apprehensive rather than boastful about their own promotion of terror; and the Middle East worried that the United States is both unpredictable in its righteous anger and masterful in its use of arms, rather than customarily irresolute and reactive.
Finally, do not expect to read headlines like "85% of Baghdad's Power Restored," "Afghan Women Enroll in Schools by the Millions," or "Americans Put an End to Secret Police and Arbitrary Executions in Iraq." It is not the nature of the present generation of our elites — so unlike our own forefathers in postwar Japan or Germany — to express confidence in our culture, much less in the moral nature of our struggle to end the conditions that caused this war.
Calf Injury Won't Slow President From Working For American People
President Bush is suffering from a minor muscle tear in his right calf that has forced him to give up his 7-minute-mile runs, at least temporarily, the White House said Friday.
Bush also has aching knees that he attributes to age, said spokesman Scott McClellan.
The president, who turns 57 on July 6, initially ignored the pain that began in late April and ``tried to run through'' it, McClellan said. When the pain continued, he decided to quit running for a while.
The injury won't require surgery, and the running pause is not expected to be permanent. Just last week, Bush went for a slow run as he gradually tries to work back to his old regimen, McClellan said.
Keeping The Search for Weapons of Mass Destruction in Perspective
Still, no matter what the trailers turn out to be, the failure so far to find weapons of mass destruction in no way invalidates the prewar intelligence data indicating that Iraq had the clandestine capacity to build them. There has long been an extremely strong case — based on evidence that largely predates the Bush administration — that Iraq maintained programs in weapons of mass destruction. It was this evidence, along with reports showing the clear failure of United Nations efforts to impede Iraq's progress, that led the Clinton administration to declare a policy of "regime change" for Iraq in 1998.
At no point before the war did the French, the Russians, the Chinese or any other country with an intelligence operation capable of collecting information in Iraq say it doubted that Baghdad was maintaining a clandestine weapons capability. All that these countries ever disagreed with the United States on was what to do about it.
The Rising Tide Puts Their Money Where Their President Is
(from The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire)
TOP THIS: Bush advisers try to stanch talk he'll beat an already jaw-dropping $20 million fund-raising goal for June. But besides the president's own events, others starring his wife and Cheney lift expectations further. "These guys are rocking and rolling," a Republican in the know says. Next week's Bush gala in New York alone could raise $5 million; financial-industry money-raisers include Lehman Brothers and Credit Suisse First Boston executives.
Bush Administration Continues Support for Students in Iran
"[W]hen Iran strives to get weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons, the international community must take decisive action and make clear that this is unacceptable.''
''...We have to make clear to the Tehran government that we cannot tolerate al Qaeda activists going in and out of Iran."
THE LATEST FROM THE OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN!
President Bush Urges Action on His Plan to Aid Unemployed Workers
This week, President Bush outlined his initiatives to assist unemployed workers find quality jobs and receive the training needed to advance their careers. While his jobs and growth law is already helping to create opportunity, his initiatives to offer personal re-employment accounts would empower unemployed workers with the resources and flexibility they need for high quality, well-paying jobs. The President's plan includes:
»Empowering Workers with Re-employment Accounts: The President's Personal Re-employment Accounts offers unemployed workers up to $3,000 for training, child care, job relocation or more.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
»Training Workers for Today's Jobs: The High-Growth Job Training Initiative helps train workers in industries such as health care and high technology which are looking for well-trained employees.
»Direct Aid for Education: Since taking office, President Bush has increased funding for Pell Grants by 45%, helping people pay for education and training.
» Read President Bush's remarks on job training initiatives.
President Bush Working for Bipartisan Majority on Medicare Reform
President Bush met with a bipartisan group of lawmakers this week to urge them to pass a health care and prescription drug plan that will modernize Medicare. The President is working to provide a prescription drug benefit for seniors that gives Medicare recipients more choices. Before meeting with this bipartisan group of Senators, the President pledged to do everything in his power to ensure these valuable reforms are enacted: "We're committed to reforming the Medicare system so America's seniors get the health care they need. These Senators around the table have got to work together to see that we get a good plan. And I asked them to come so I can figure out ways that our Administration can continue to help the process move forward."
» Read the President's statement on modernizing Medicare.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President Heralds Benefits of Jobs and Growth Act for Small Businesses
Traveling to New Jersey on Monday, President Bush highlighted how his new jobs and growth law helps small businesses create jobs. The new law is already spurring job creation and investment opportunities for small business owners. In his talk, the President focused on the values embodied by small businesses and his vision for encouraging ownership in America: "Part of being a land of opportunity means that we must continue to foster what I call the ownership society, to encourage value and honor ... people owning their own business or owning their own home, maybe someday owning their own pension plan in the Social Security system, having the right to make choices in the health care sector. The things that make America strong and unique is not only that are we a hopeful land, and a diverse land, but we're a land that honors ownership."
» Read President Bush's remarks.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
» Learn more about the President's jobs and growth law.
Excerpts from President Bush's Remarks to Supporters at the Bush-Cheney '04 Reception June 17, 2003
"I want to thank you for your help tonight. I want to thank you for what you're going to do, as well. I want to thank you for helping to invigorate the grass-roots all across this country. I want to thank you for the phone calls you'll make, for the signs you'll put up in the yard, and for helping spread the positive message of this administration."
"The political season will come in its own time. Right now, this administration is focused on the people's business. We've got a lot on the agenda. We will continue to earn the confidence of the American people by keeping this nation prosperous, strong and secure."
"You know, in the last two and a half years, our great nation has faced some great challenges. And we have acted decisively to confront them."
"I came to this office to solve problems, not to pass them on to other Presidents and other generations. I came to seize opportunities, and not let them slip away. We are meeting the tests of our time."
"In these challenging times, the world has seen America's resolve and courage. And I have been privileged to see the compassion and the character of the American people. All the tests of the last two-and-a-half years have come to the right nation. We're a strong country and we will use that strength to defend the peace."
"We're an optimistic country. We're confident in ourselves and we're confident in ideals bigger than ourselves. We seek to lift whole nations by spreading freedom. And at home, we seek to lift up lives by spreading opportunity to every corner, to every person of this great country. "
"This is the work that history has set before us. We welcome it, and we know that for our country better days lie ahead."
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Thursday, June 19, 2003
How The War Was Won: General Tommy Franks Talks About the War Planning and Execution
The war plan that was executed in March evolved after a year of study, four or five visits by Franks to Bush, and frequent phone conferences among his headquarters, the Pentagon and the White House.
The general said that in creating the war plan everyone involved examined a long list of what-ifs: urban warfare, use of weapons of mass destruction, burning the oil fields, launching Scuds.
"There was never any doubt in my mind that the quality of people, command an