Bush Gets Real

Lib media outlets are framing President Bush's session with the press this morning as a slap at Democrats.

I don't see it that way. I see his assessment as realistic.

The Dems are behaving irresponsibly.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Tuesday called Democrats in Congress irresponsible for approving war bills that order U.S. troops to leave Iraq by certain dates. He said such efforts will backfire, keeping some troops in battle even longer.

"In a time of war, it's irresponsible for the Democratic leadership in Congress to delay for months on end while our troops in combat are waiting for the funds," Bush said in a Rose Garden news conference.

"The bottom line is this: Congress' failure to fund our troops on the front lines will mean that some of our military families could wait longer for their loved ones to return from the front lines," Bush said. "Others could see their loved ones heading back to the war sooner than they need to."

Bush's comments underscored his standoff with Congress. Democrats won power in November, fueled in large part by national anti-war sentiment. They are intent on using their power over money to force Iraq to take more responsibility, and prod Bush to wind down the war.

The president renewed veto threats on both a Senate-passed bill calling for most U.S. combat troops to be out of Iraq by March 31, 2008, and an even stronger House-passed bill demanding a September 2008 withdrawal. He said both bills "undercut the troops."

Bush bluntly said that Congress could not override such a veto.

Anne Flaherty, author of this AP report, seems shocked that President Bush is acting like he's the president.

She seems to be saying, "But, but, but the Dems are in control of Congress. How dare you threaten to veto their plans!"

Flaherty doesn't seem to understand the Constitution.

It's not "blunt" of Bush to say Congress can't override his veto. It's true.

The president's remarks come one day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced he would try to eliminate money for the war if Bush rejects Congress' proposal to set a deadline to end combat.

"It's interesting that Harry Reid, leader Reid, spoke out with a different option," Bush said. "Whatever option they choose, we hope they get home, get a bill, and get it to my desk," Bush said. "And if it has artificial timetables for withdrawal, or cuts off funding for our troops, or tells our generals how to run a war, I'll veto it."

Reid's comments were in connection to his support for Russ Feingold's latest plan for defeat in Iraq.

Why doesn't Flaherty say that Reid is threatening President Bush? Why doesn't she say that he's being blunt?

Bias? What bias?

Bush handled the press extremely well.

Although the Dems' allies in the lib media did their best to point out to Bush that he's weak, the President wouldn't buy it. He didn't act weak because he's not.

Their frustration is palpable.

They tried to portray him as isolated.

Read this exchange.

Q Mr. President, the conservative newspaper columnist, Robert Novak, recently wrote that in 50 years of covering Washington, he's never seen a President more isolated than you are right now. What do you say to critics like Novak who say that you are more isolated now than Richard Nixon was during Watergate?

THE PRESIDENT: How did he define "isolated"?

Q He said you're isolated primarily from your own party, that Republican leaders on the Hill were privately telling him that, on the Gonzales matter in particular, you're very isolated.

THE PRESIDENT: I think you're going to find that the White House and the Hill are going to work in close collaboration, starting with this supplemental. When I announced that I will veto a bill with -- that withdrew our troops, that set artificial timetables for withdrawal, or micro-managed the war, the Republicans strongly supported that message. I think you'll find us working together on energy. They know what I know, that dependence on oil will affect the long-term national security of the country. We'll work together on No Child Left Behind. We'll work together on immigration reform. We'll work together, most importantly, on budget, to make sure this budget gets balanced without raising taxes.

The other day, the Democrats submitted budgets that raised taxes on the working people, in order to increase the amount of money they have available for spending. That is a place where the Republicans and this President are going to work very closely together. I adamantly oppose tax increases, and so do the majority of members in the United States Congress.

Note Novak was cited as a conservative columnist, in an attempt to illustrate just how bad things are for the President, that things are worse for him than they were for Nixon during Watergate.

Clearly, Bush showed that's a media construct.

It's not true.

President Bush has not lost his resolve.

Back in 2000 when he first ran for the presidency, he said he wouldn't govern by polls.

He has lived up to that promise.

President is doing what's right. What's right isn't always what's easy or what's popular.

The Dems and the lib media want him to act as if he's a beaten man. They want him to capitulate to them the way they want to capitulate to our enemies.

President Bush isn't about to surrender.