...but you can just call me Gee, or Dub, hell...you can call me anythin' you want.
Ooops...I said "hell."
'scuse me for a minute.
OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN...
There. Am I forgiven? OK. Where was I? Damn, I keep forgettin' where I left off..
UH OH....I said "damn"...
'scuse me agin...
OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN...
OK, I remember.
Lord, I know I can't fool you. If 'n, I COULD, I WOULD, but I've TRIED, and as much as I hate to ADMIT it, you seem to be SMARTER than me.
So I'm just gonna give it to you straight.
Pure, unfiltered, unadulterated "W"...you can call it "W Unplugged," but I promise you it's not "W Pranked."
I need to go mano a mano with you for a minute, Lord.
Y'see, I might be in a little over my head this time.
Oh, I know what you're gonna say..."What about Iraq, W, how well do ya think ya did with THAT?"
But you know my heart, Lord. You know I had to teach my daddy a lesson. I had to be a better president than he was. And it didn't turn out ALL bad, ya know...I got Saddam's gun! You want to see it? No? Well, any time you want to play with it, you just go right on in there and help yerseff...and I want you to know that I don't make that offer to just ANYONE. 'Cause you're the LORD! I haven't picked a nickname for you yet, like I do for all the folks who report to me, but I'm a-workin' on it.
Now, gettin' back to my prayer...could y'all take this "PResident of the United States" thing off of me, without me lookin' too much like that Nixon guy?
The two guys who kept me propped up for the last four or five years might be goin' to jail, and when you take a look at who I've got left, they don;t have one damned brain among 'em...
Aw, HELL! I said "damn" again...OH NO...I said "hell," too!
'scuse me, Lord...
"OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN..."

NOTE: This is a F.R. post from yesterday, in reaction to David Shuster's "I believe Rove will be indicted" report...and they DO link to the Truthout story (see reply #4 below) AND link back to DU...

The original F.R. post:



The Freeps respond:

1). To: rface

It's the new Fitzmas, I guess...More proof that the Dims hold on to false hope.

2 posted on 05/13/2006 7:59:36 PM PDT by rzeznikj at stout (ASCII and ye shall receive... (Computers 3:14))

2). To: rface

A side comment: since he left FOXNEWS, David Shuster has turned into the slimiest little liberal maggot on cable news. His bits on HARDBALL are slanted against the Bush administration, and he editorializes throughout his pieces. Once in a while, I'll tune in to see if Matthews is talking about something other than the Plame leak. He rarely does. Really. He was talking about the Plame leak when everybody else was focused on the NSA surveillance brouhaha.

7 posted on 05/13/2006 8:03:40 PM PDT by sinkspur ( OK. You've had your drink. Now why don't you tell your Godfather what everybody else already knows?)

3). To: samadams2000

What? That's what I say. Let's say that Rove is guilty as sin, that he had a little black book and he called everyone out there to tell them all about someone's CIA wife. Let's also say he lied to investigators. What happens? He goes to jail? Big deal. What of it? I'm sorry, but there's nothing to this story. A political gotcha doesn't make up for nearly a decade of soundly trouncing the Democrat party. There's no prize here. Are they implying that public satisfaction with the president might actually dip lower than congress? Fat chance of that. A Rove indictment makes it all that much harder for Rats to gain traction because all they have is a party of wackos waiting for camera time to chase away more voters. So indict Rove, send him to jail - it'll make the mid terms that much easier.

9 posted on 05/13/2006 8:04:48 PM PDT by kingu (Yeah, I'll vote in 2006, just as soon as a party comes along who listens.)

4). To: rface

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/051306W....

15 posted on 05/13/2006 8:43:45 PM PDT by Perdogg (entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem)

5). To: Perdogg

DU's getting their hopes up for a merry Fitzmas based on the Truthout article, FWIW. And one lefty blogger called Karl Rove's lawyer at home at 10:00PM on Saturday Night about this alleged story. Karl Rove's lawyer denied that Karl Rove has been indicted, but they still think they're getting Fitzmas after Mothers' Day.

21 posted on 05/14/2006 1:34:21 AM PDT by conservative in nyc

Peter Daou

05.14.2006

As Reporters Suck Up, Laura Bush Slaps Them Down

As reporters continue to suck up to the White House, Laura Bush slams the press and denies the polls: "First lady Laura Bush said on Sunday she does not believe opinion polls showing her husband's approval ratings at record low levels.... Mrs. Bush complained that when her husband's popularity was high, newspapers did not put that on the front page.

Now it was low, they took great delight in highlighting the fact. Asked if she thought the media had been unfair, Mrs. Bush said: "No, I don't think it's necessarily unfair. I think it's just, you know, I think they may be enjoying this a little bit."

Laura Bush's remarks are par for the course for any rightwinger. Attacking the media is second only to demonizing liberals in the rightwing playbook. Facts don't matter. Laura could refresh her memory by reading Eric Boehlert's Lapdogs or Media Matters' description of the fawning coverage of Bush's aircraft carrier photo-op.

Recently I've been writing about the dangers of being lulled by Bush's Nixonian poll numbers, arguing that those who think the media will stop brown-nosing are in for a rude awakening.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-daou/a...

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestne... ?...

Back in the main trauma room, the soldier with the torn leg hung on, fighting with every breath. He remained conscious. Steinbruner suggested putting him under anesthesia completely. "He's a sick boy. We need to put him down. He's totally with it. He said, 'Please, don't let me die.'"

"Just breathe deep -- there we go, nice and deep. ... You're a healthy guy," Steinbruner told the soldier."I'm not going to die -- am I?"

"Look, I promise -- I wouldn't lie to you," Steinbruner said. Serving as both doctor and impromptu commanding officer, Steinbruner added, "Don't you dare try to die on me. I didn't give you permission." Through a condensed face mask, the soldier wheezed and coughed, "Am I gonna lose the f------ leg?"

"I don't know," Steinbruner replied. "We'll try to save it if we can, OK? I just don't know. I can't give you an answer on that." The near dozen doctors, medics and nurses stopped the blood from pouring out of him and prepared to send him to surgery in an attempt to save his leg and hand. "Thank you, sir," Steinbruner said to the senior surgeon, Holcomb, while taking off his blood-drenched gloves and tossing them in the trash. The surgery was a success. The soldier survived and kept his leg for the time being. Once close to death, he is now being treated at a U.S. military facility in Germany.

Bush Faces Tricky Political Situation in Florida
By JIM RUTENBERG
Published: May 9, 2006



http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/09/us/09cnd...

SUN CITY CENTER, Fla., May 9 — President Bush and his brother continued their awkward dance today with Representative Katherine Harris of Florida, whose run for the Republican Senate nomination this year they have met with chilliness.

Ms. Harris was on hand this morning to meet President Bush as he stopped in Tampa en route to a Medicare event in this nearby, senior-rich town — just one day after Governor Jeb Bush said publicly that he did not believe Ms. Harris could win against the Democratic incumbent Senator here, Bill Nelson.

Jeb Bush was there, too, as Ms. Harris waited for the president to walk off Air Force One in Tampa, and the two seemed friendly as they chatted in the receiving line on the tarmac, according to a pool report.

After saying hello to his brother and straightening his tie, the president shook hands with Ms. Harris and spoke with her for roughly 30 seconds, with Ms. Harris talking far more than the president, who did not kiss her or put his arm around her — or do anything more than pat her on the back. An aide to the president said later that they were only speaking about "the weather," and a spokesman for Ms. Harris refused to divulge the details of the conversation.

Interview of the President by Kai Diekmann of BILD
The Oval Office

May 5, 2006

1:55 P.M. EDT

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/20...

THE PRESIDENT: There's a sense of optimism when you come in here. And there's a reason why. You cannot lead people unless you're optimistic about what you're doing. You've got to believe it in your very soul. One of the interesting things about the presidency is people watch me like a hawk. They're looking at my moves. And if I'm going to be ringing my hands and if I'm all worried about the decisions I make are not going to lead to a better tomorrow, they'll figure it out.

And so when you talk to me today, I just want you to know I not only strongly believe in the decisions I make, I'm optimistic that they're going to work -- very optimistic.

These are all Texas paintings. That's West Texas, those are other Texas paintings. At least if you're a Texan, it reflects a way of life and a way of thinking. The interesting thing about Washington is that they want me to change -- they being the -- and I'm not changing, you know. You can't make decisions if you don't know who you are, and you flip around with the politics. You've got to stay strong in what you believe and optimistic about that you'll get good results.

And so --the other thing I want you to know about me is that no matter how pressurized it may seem, I'm not changing what I believe. Now, I may change tactics, but I'm not going to change my core beliefs -- a belief that freedom is universal, or the belief that private markets work, a belief in ownership -- when p own something, society is better off; a belief that there's a role for government, but it's limited in nature. And I'm not changing. I don't care whether they like me at the cocktail parties, or not. I want to be able to leave this office with my integrity intact.

That's George Washington, the first President, of course. The interesting thing about him is that I read three -- three or four books about him last year. Isn't that interesting? People say, so what? Well, here's the "so what." You never know what your history is going to be like until long after you're gone. If they're still analyzing the presidency of George Washington -- (laughter.) So Presidents shouldn't worry about the history. You just can't. You do what you think is right, and if you're thinking big enough, that history will eventually prove you right or wrong. But you won't know in the short-term.

Lincoln -- this is the place on the Oval Office wall where the President puts the most -- the best President, and I put Lincoln here, and I don't think there's any question -- now, people will have their -- but I think he was the most influential President ever. And the reason why is because that in the midst of a difficult presidency, needless to say -- the Civil War, thousands of people dying, with Americans killing Americans -- he had a vision of a United States. It's conceivable this country would have ended up being two countries had he not had a clear vision, even though all around him was seemingly falling apart. He was a great President.

That's called, "A Charge To Keep," based upon a religious hymn. The hymn talks about serving God. The President's job is never to promote a religion. The great thing about America -- and Germany, for that matter -- is that you should be able to worship freely. I like to tell people, you're equally American whether you're a Jew, Muslim, Christian, or Atheist -- you're equally all Americans -- and that if we ever lose that, we begin to look like the Taliban.

I understand in parts of Europe, some scoff at my faith. It doesn't bother me. But I happen to believe, for me at least, faith is one way to make sure that my values stay intact, and that I keep life in proper perspective, which is a very important part, in my judgment, of being a good decision-maker.

Finally, the desk, where we'll have our picture taken in front of -- is nine other Presidents used it. This was given to us by Queen Victoria in the 1870s, I think it was. President Roosevelt put the door in so people would not know he was in a wheelchair. John Kennedy put his head out the door.

Q Yes, the very famous picture --

THE PRESIDENT: That's it -- the most famous picture. And then Reagan, interestingly enough, put the bottom on there. He was a big guy, he didn't want to bump his knees under the desk.

Anyway, this is the Oval Office. It's a shrine to democracy. And we treat it that way. When people walk in here, they -- they don't come in here in bathing suits and flip-flops. They come in here dressed like they'd come to a shrine. It is to be respected and honored because the office of the President is bigger than the person who occupies it. It's one of the great things about a true democracy -- is that the institutions outlast the individuals, and therefore, there's stability in the process.

Some Presidents forget that they're not bigger than the office. But all Presidents must always honor the office and remember it is a sacred trust to uphold the honor of the presidency.

Q Thank you for taking the time.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, glad to do it.

From last night's "Scarborough Country." I didn't post this last night because I couldn't believe my ears. I decided to wait for the transcript.



SCARBOROUGH: I‘m joined now by “HARDBALL‘s” Chris Matthews.

Chris, I see that the Draft Hillary movement in starting in Nashville, Tennessee, which, also, of course, happens to be in Al Gore‘s backyard. Do you think there may be a little bit of back and forth between these two people that were rivals at the beginning of the Clinton administration?

CHRIS MATTHEWS, MSNBC HOST: Well, I think it‘s very active. I think Al Gore resents Hillary Clinton‘s ascension, if you will, because—let‘s face it—it wasn‘t Al Gore who got in trouble with Monica Lewinsky, it was Bill Clinton. And he gets stuck with all the responsibility for all of that goo, politically, back in 2000 when he loss that heart-breaker. I‘m sure he blames the whole thing on Clinton and the mess he put the country in with regard to the embarrassment in the Oval Office. And I‘m sure he‘s got a grudge against Hillary Clinton, who just whizzed by it by saying “vast right-wing conspiracy,” blaming it on the political enemies of the president, then getting elected senator from New York.

SCARBOROUGH: Isn‘t it fascinating that Al Gore was seen as this boring, technocrat in 2000 that didn‘t have heart or soul, and Hillary Clinton was the hero of the left? But if you talk to party activists, if you talk to, you know, the Hollywood-types and big money people, it seems like Al Gore is getting in fairly well with the left, while Hillary Clinton is now seen as the sellout centrist.

MATTHEWS: Well, there‘s only one issue to a lot of people: Four out of five Democrats think the war in Iraq was wrong, it was a mistake, it was worse than a blunder, because it was carried out for ideological reasons. They don‘t like this war. Hillary Clinton supports the war to this day. Al Gore—it took awhile, but he finally came out against the war, dramatically. I think that‘s the issue. That‘s the issue, the war, which defines Democratic passions right now.

SCARBOROUGH: And Al Gore actually started attacking George W. Bush before most of the Democratic Party establishment did, right?

MATTHEWS: Well, freedom is just another word for nothing else to lose, right?

(LAUGHTER)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12644624/

NOTE: The "Bush hopes for boost from economy" headline is a link on MSNBC's front page (http://www.msnbc.msn.com /). It does not appear on the article's page (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3626796 /).

President and Mrs. Bush take part in the Friday evening parade at the Marine Barracks in Washington at 8:45 pm. Bush doesn't currently have any public events scheduled before then, but his interview with CNBC's Larry Kudlow will air at 5:00 pm. The Administration stands ready to try to capitalize on a strong stock market and what they'll call a positive jobs report; per the Labor Department, unemployment held steady in April at 4.7%. Meanwhile, another poll shows Bush's job approval rating at a new low: AP/Ipsos has him at 33%. The poll also shows Congress' job approval rating at a new low and its widest advantage ever for Democrats over Republicans in terms of which party people would prefer to have in the majority on Capitol Hill.

So much attention is being paid to the two parties' prospects in the midterm elections. And so much attention -- maybe even more -- is being paid to 2008 already. Yet there hasn't been much looking at the links between the two. For all the buzz these days about apparent frontrunners McCain and Clinton, how the presidential candidates are positioned going into the 2008 race could depend a great deal on what happens in 2006.

Sen. John McCain is doing whatever he can to help Republicans win this fall. He has endorsed 50 GOP candidates from 28 different states, doled out $16,800 from his leadership PAC to some of them, and appeared at 14 fundraisers and candidate events since April. But if Republicans suffer losses in November, as political analysts expect, McCain might not lose as much sleep as some of his potential GOP rivals. Indeed, a bad 2006 for the GOP could actually boost McCain’s chances in 2008 because Republican voters might be more inclined to support a candidate who’s seen as a reformer and who isn’t directly tied to the Bush White House. “If it’s a bad day for the Republicans, what is the antidote to that?” asks nonpartisan political analyst Stuart Rothenberg. “It is two words: John McCain.”

While GOP losses in 2006 could boost McCain, or a candidate who isn't "of Washington" like former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani or a governor, losses could hurt other possible Republican candidates such as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. “It is difficult to launch a presidential campaign on the heels of losing Senate seats,” says Erik Smith, a Democratic strategist. Smith should know: He was a top aide to former House Leader Dick Gephardt, whose 2004 presidential bid failed to take off after Democrats suffered losses in the 2002 midterm elections. Although he's an outside-the-Beltway contender, Gov. Mitt Romney, who heads the Republican Governors Association, might experience a similar fate if his party loses a significant number of governorships this year; analysts currently predict they could lose as many as six.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/trey-ellis/i...

Before you start firing off rude, biting comments hoping to make me cry, just put yourself in his shoes for a minute. He's broken the United States of America. He was given the most powerful nation the world has ever known and driven it right into the ground. I mean, how would you feel? Especially if you came from a high-achieving family. Like most guys he tried to follow in the footsteps of his dad. But what if your dad was a decorated WW II fighter pilot, college baseball star, Ambassador to the U.N., C.I.A. Director and President of the United-States? You might not even try to amount to anything for, say, the first forty-seven-years of your life.

But you watch your little brother Jeb get the good grades and the praise from the 'rents. You can't just sit back and watch him rise and rise without making one last stab at success. Like two kids playing Risk, you divide up the nation. You run for governor in Texas, little Jeb takes Florida. This time you're the one who wins. Jeb has to try again.

Now everything's changed. You're on your way to showing that hardass dad of yours that he was wrong about you all these years. And by the way, he might have been a great war hero but he was only a mediocre President. You'll get to the White House and laugh last and so loud they'll hear you all the way back in Midland. No mediocre Presidency for this son. No. You're swinging for the fence.

---SNIP---

First veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas calls you the "Worst President in American History." You laugh it off. She's an old crank anyway. Then professor Sean Wilentz writes a cover story for Rolling Stone calling you, again, the worst President ever. Not only that, but 81% of his fellow history professors have already declared your reign a failure. It's finally starting to sink in that Iraq is officially a defeat, the strongest military in the world dispirited and on its way to breaking, you've run up more debt than a drunken sailor before payday, your seemingly bulletproof political party looks headed back out of favor, Latin America is slipping out of your nation's sphere of influence for the first time in over a century, North Korea has acquired The Bomb. All on your watch.

Hi, Kids. It's your old pal, B_E_B. I'd like to address these comments to the "Laura Apologists" out there...YOU know who you are. You know how you like to say things like "Bush is fair game, but the wife and kids are OFF LIMITS?" Well, Laura is campaigning for the GOP with "gusto." Don't take MY word for it...read the article. Not just campaigning, but campaigning with gusto. So you know what? She's moved from "OFF LIMITS" status to "fair game." Have a SUPER day!



Mrs. Bush Loses Her Reluctance to Campaign

By JENNIFER LOVEN
Associated Press Writer

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LAU...



WASHINGTON (AP) -- Laura Bush, a reserved former librarian who only reluctantly warmed to politicking, said often and somewhat nostalgically in 2004 that her husband's re-election bid was the couple's last campaign. So much for that idea. The first lady is back on the hustings with gusto, deploying her sky-high popularity, practiced smile and firm defense of President Bush's agenda for Republicans nationwide. GOP strategists say sending Mrs. Bush out to help candidates running in the midterm elections is a no-brainer.

Her poll ratings swamp the president's and those of other high-profile Republicans, with three-fourths of the public holding a favorable view of her. That's down a bit from her 80 percent approval ratings over a year ago, but well above the barely more than a third who like the job her husband is doing.

Squeezed between foreign trips focused on expanding opportunities for women and more traditional first lady duties, Mrs. Bush has notched 10 political appearances so far - all fundraisers. They began with a Republican National Committee event in Los Angeles last April and continued with stops for GOP Rep. Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania and several gubernatorial candidates later in 2005.

She's stepped it up lately, raising money in recent weeks for Rep. Robin Hayes, R-N.C., Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., and Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo. Later this month, Mrs. Bush is due in Connecticut to help GOP Reps. Christopher Shays and Nancy Johnson. And aides promise more, to the tune of a few events each month until November.

Wanna see how effective those speeches are? Take a look at this clip, courtesy of Crooks & Liars:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/04/10.h...



Leaker in Chief can't answer the question

In an outrageous attempt to avoid a very important question about the private military security that is running around in Iraq, President Bush-well starts panting out of desperation and then said he needed to ask Rumsfeld. How can he not know the answer to this question? Even with the Iraq government in flux-he's the President.

Video-WMP

Video-QT

transcript

Q Thank you, Mr. President. It's an honor to have you here. I'm a first-year student in South Asia studies. My question is in regards to private military contractors. Uniform Code of Military Justice does not apply to these contractors in Iraq. I asked your Secretary of Defense a couple months ago what law governs their actions.

THE PRESIDENT: I was going to ask him. Go ahead. (Laughter.) Help. (Laughter.)

Q I was hoping your answer might be a little more specific. (Laughter.) Mr. Rumsfeld answered that Iraq has its own domestic laws which he assumed applied to those private military contractors. However, Iraq is clearly not currently capable of enforcing its laws, much less against -- over our American military contractors. I would submit to you that in this case, this is one case that privatization is not a solution. And, Mr. President, how do you propose to bring private military contractors under a system of law?

THE PRESIDENT: I appreciate that very much. I wasn't kidding -- (laughter.) I was going to -- I pick up the phone and say, Mr. Secretary, I've got an interesting question. (Laughter.) This is what delegation -- I don't mean to be dodging the question, although it's kind of convenient in this case, but never -- (laughter.) I really will -- I'm going to call the Secretary and say you brought up a very valid question, and what are we doing about it? That's how I work. I'm -- thanks. (Laughter.)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Colum...

Zoe Williams
Saturday April 8, 2006
The Guardian

The silent birth is a detail so freakish that it almost sounds as if the Scientologists concocted it with the sole aim of giving themselves a USP. ("Yes, I know we're weird, Scientology brother, but how do we distinguish ourselves from the weird Mennonites?") Their theory is that babies pick up, like, negative energy, and this is likely to come from the mother, especially if she's swearing at the moment of their arrival. I thought it must be one of those commandments to which religious people allude but take no notice of - such as the Jewish one where if you want to have a milky coffee and a steak, you have to drink the coffee first, despite the fact that civilised society clearly states the coffee has to come after, and to reverse this would be mortally wrong.

It turns out, though, that serious adherents to the Church of Scientology do, indeed, like their womenfolk to stay silent through birth. We know this because Tom Cruise has been having signs delivered to the house he shares with Katie Holmes. They say things like "Maintain a peaceful silence", and everyone feels a bit sick, for all the reasons you'd imagine would attach to this horrid little fanatic, observing his wifelet at the farthest reaches of physical endurance and then taking the opportunity to bully her and deny her drugs. In the normal run of things, I would take this chance to get into a feminist stew about it, apart from the fact that a) we can't assume that Holmes is entirely the creature of Cruise - to make that assumption would be misogynistic in itself; and b) before we even get on to the sexism, do you have any idea how racist this religion is?

Honestly, it isn't racist in an oblique way that only the over-sensitive would notice. Ron Hubbard's Scientology: The Fundamentals Of Thought clearly states: "Unlike yellow and brown people, the white does not usually believe he can get attention from matter or objects. The yellow and brown believe for the most part that rocks, trees, walls, etc, can give them attention. The white saves people, prevents famine, floods, disease and revolution ... the yellow and brown races are not very progressive." And when you ask a Scientologist about this - which I did, although I couldn't find any of the famous ones, so had to make do with an eerie, pasty lady on Tottenham Court Road - they don't even have the grace to refute this bilge. They kind of simper at you, and say, "Well, people are a lot more spiritual in the far east." Ha! There you are, you browns and yellows - you might not be very progressive, you very rarely prevent famine and flood, but you are a lot more spiritual. I bet that gives you a nice warm feeling.

With their silent births and vitamin injections, Scientologists - and there are tonnes of them, not just Squeaky and his missus - mask aspects of their belief that are openly vile. Before we give any consideration to the logistics of not screaming during childbirth, we should be boycotting their cinematic endeavours and pelting them with eggs.

President Bush Discusses America's Strong and Growing Economy
The Diplomatic Reception Room

9:32 A.M. EDT

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/20...



THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This morning's economic report shows that America's growing economy added 211,000 jobs in the month of March. The American economy has now added jobs for 31 months in a row, created more than 5.1 million new jobs for American workers. The unemployment rate is now down to 4.7 percent -- that's below the average rate of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

These millions of new jobs are evidence of an economic resurgence that is strong, broad and benefiting all Americans. Real after-tax income has grown by more than 8 percent per person since I took office. That means, on average, Americans have an income that is $2,100 higher this year than it was in 2001, after adjusting for inflation.

More Americans own their homes than at any time in history. Minority home ownership has reached record levels. Consumer confidence is at its highest point in nearly 40 years, productivity is high, inflation is contained, manufacturing activity is growing and the small business sector is thriving.

The economy has expanded for 17 straight quarters. And last year the American economy grew at a healthy rate of 3.5 percent. That's the fastest rate of any major industrialized economy.

These gains are the result of the energy and the effort of American workers, small business owners and entrepreneurs. They are also the result of pro-growth economic policies. The tax cuts I signed left $880 billion with our nation's workers, small business owners and families. They've used that money to fuel our economic resurgence.

Not everyone in Washington agreed with the decision to let people keep more of their own money. On the day that Republicans in the House and Senate were finalizing the 2003 tax cuts, one Democratic leader said these cuts would "do nothing to create jobs." Facts have proven the critics wrong 5.1 million times over.

Tax relief has done exactly what it was designed to do -- it's created jobs and growth for the American people. Yet some are now proposing that we raise taxes, either by repealing the tax cuts or letting them expire. These are the same politicians that told us that letting Americans -- letting America's working families keep more of their own money would be irresponsible, reckless and shameful. They were wrong then, and they are wrong now. Our economy grows when the American people make the decisions about how to save spend and invest their money. To keep our economy creating jobs and opportunity, Congress needs to show its trust in the American people and make the tax relief permanent.

Congress also needs to restrain spending so we can stay on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009. And if necessary, I will enforce spending restraint through the exercise of the veto. The American people expect their leaders to address other key leaders that directly affect their family budgets and bottom line, especially health care and energy.

When the cost of energy and health care rise, families are squeezed and small businesses suffer. I proposed practical reforms that would make health care more available and affordable. I put forward an energy initiative that will make our dependence on Middle Eastern oil a thing of the past. I've also laid out a plan to make America more competitive by increasing our investment in scientific research, encouraging research and development in the private sector, and improving math and science education.

I urge the Congress to move forward on all these important priorities so we can keep America the economic leader of the world and allow more families and small businesses to realize the American Dream.

Thank you for your time.

END 9:36 A.M. EDT

Republican: 'Economy is rocking and rolling like never before'

RAW STORY
Published: Friday April 7, 2006



In a statement released today, Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA), vice chairman of the Republican Conference, announced that "The economy is rocking and rolling like never before."

Kingston points to a Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) employment report that indicated 211,000 new jobs were created in last month. In the last 12 months, 2 million jobs have been added to the U.S. economy. Democrats are unconvinced.

Stating that President Bush, hit by yesterday's allegation that he ordered the release of classified information, would attempt to boast of economic improvement, Democrats released a pre-emptive "fact check."

The document cites a widening gap between the rich and poor, declining wages when adjusted for inflation, a 70% rise in health care premiums and a 57% rise in college tuition since Bush took office. It cites high-income tax cuts and the record U.S. deficit as contributing factors.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Republic...

http://kingston.house.gov/

The President as Average Joe
Trying to Boost Support, Bush Brings Banter to the People

By Peter Baker
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 2, 2006; A04

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...



As he takes to the road to salvage his presidency, Bush is letting down his guard and playing up his anti-intellectual, regular-guy image. Where he spent last year in rehearsed forums with select supporters, these days he is more frequently throwing aside the script and opening himself to questions from audiences that are not prescreened. These sessions have put a sometimes playful, sometimes awkward side back on display after years of trying to keep it under control to appear more presidential.

Call it the let-Bush-be-Bush strategy. The result is a looser president, less serious at times, even at times when humor might seem out of place. Aides used to dread such settings, worried about gaffes or the way Bush might come across in spontaneous exchanges. But with his poll numbers somewhere south of the border, they concluded that Bush handles back-and-forth better than he once did -- and that they have little left to lose. "It shows the range of his personality, the humor," said White House counselor Dan Bartlett. He said the White House has worked to put Bush out in public more, noting that he has had news conferences twice as often in his second term as in his first. "In a couple different ways, we've expanded his exposure," Bartlett said.

The press serves as a convenient foil. While talking about Iraq before Cleveland's City Club, Bush stumbled over how many U.N. Security Council resolutions condemned Saddam Hussein. "I think 16," Bush said, then turned toward the media area and spotted Bloomberg's Richard Keil. "Is that right, Stretch? Sixteen?" Keil, hunched over his laptop, looked up in surprise. Bush played it for the crowd. "I'm asking a member of the press corps," he explained. "I like to, like, reverse roles sometimes. Really checking to see if they're paying attention, you know. Halfway through, they kind of start dozing off."

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