October 17, 2007
Bush: Who You Calling Lame?
Vowing to "sprint to the finish" during his remaining 15 months in office, President Bush went before the White House press corps this morning armed with a laundry list of complaints about Congress' performance on domestic matters. Reporters, on the other hand, came armed with a flood of questions focused mainly on the president's own foreign policy agenda.
"There's little time left in the year," Bush warned in his opening statement. "And Congress has little to show for all the time that has gone by." He listed eight areas where Congress has either failed to act or compromise with the White House: health care, intelligence, the budget, education, housing, trade, veterans care and the judiciary.
Specifically, Bush urged the Democratic leadership to compromise with the White House on two contentious bills -- the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program and the authorization of a controversial wiretapping program. The former has already earned a presidential veto, and the White House issued a fresh veto threat for the latter yesterday.
The president also pressed lawmakers to expedite appropriations bills to fund the government's day-to-day operations and the Department of Veterans Affairs. "We have our differences on the appropriations bills," Bush said, "but the veterans bill is where we agree." In addition to VA funding, Bush asked Congress to approve the recommendations of the Dole-Shalala commission [PDF], which was formed to investigate problems with care for wounded soldiers in the wake of the Walter Reed scandal.
Bush also cited the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, a housing bill to help homeowners struggling with their mortgages and a slew of pending trade agreements and judicial appointments. "With all these pressing responsibilities," he said in conclusion, "one thing Congress should not be doing is sorting out the historical record of the Ottoman Empire."
The president reiterated his objection to a proposed resolution in the House that would rebuke Turkey for the 1915-17 Armenian genocide. This morning, several news outlets reported that support for the measure, which started out strong, has been waning as more lawmakers hear the concerns of U.S. security and foreign policy officials, who fear the measure will damage relations between the U.S. and one of its most critical allies in the Mideast.
The reporters gathered before the president, however, were less jazzed about discussing that resolution or any of the other bills Bush mentioned. Instead, their questions focused heavily on the day's headlines concerning Russia and Iran, Iraq and the Dalai Lama's visit to Washington.
When asked about Turkey's proposal to begin cross-border operations against Kurdish rebels in Iraq (which parliament approved as Bush was speaking) and Iran's plans to expand its nuclear program, Bush had the same answer: It's not in their interests to proceed. On Iraq, he struck a deferential tone, saying he was optimistic that a "tripartite arrangement" among Iraq, Turkey and the United States could be achieved. He expressed similar hope for next month's conference in Annapolis on finding a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. The meeting will seek a "comprehensive peace" and will be "serious and substantive," Bush said, noting Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's current visit to shore up support among the key players in the region.
Bush was also asked to comment on all the friendly photos of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gracing the front pages of today's newspapers. The president downplayed the "pretty pictures" and said he had yet to be debriefed on the summit of Caspian Sea nations, but that he was looking forward to discussing the matter with Putin, particularly his thoughts on Iran's nuclear program.
As for the Dalai Lama, Bush shrugged off China's objections to today's Congressional Medal of Honor ceremony. He said he informed Chinese President Hu Jintao of his intentions to attend the ceremony and reiterated his support for religious freedom. "I admire the Dalai Lama," Bush said, adding that it would be in China's interests to welcome the exiled Buddhist leader back into the country.
"I'm surprised I haven't been asked about SCHIP yet," Bush said toward the end of his lengthy session with reporters. He claimed that "when people hear the facts" about the Democrats' proposal to expand the program, "they begin to understand the rationale behind the veto." But he also expressed willingness to compromise and said he was disappointed that he wasn't "dialed in" to the process earlier.
Wrapping up the presser with another push on domestic issues, Bush said he intended to use the "bully pulpit" to force action from lawmakers. When asked if he had anything to do with the lack of movement and compromise on certain bills thus far, Bush took no blame. "I'm not a member of the legislative branch," he said somewhat proudly. "I'd probably make a bad legislator." But he also brushed aside one reporter's suggestion that his lame duck status has made him "irrelevant" in Washington.
"Quite to the contrary," Bush replied. "I've never felt more engaged."
Posted at 1:55 PM
Posted to:
Bush Administration, Congress, Health, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Middle East, Palestinians, President Bush, Russia, Vladimir Putin
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