Political Bulletin

WASHINGTON NEWS

Media Disputes Bush Claims About Iraq Spending Bill

President Bush had harsh words for congressional Democrats yesterday in the ongoing debate over the Iraq spending bill. He called them "irresponsible" and accused them of undercutting US forces, even as he pledged once again to veto the legislation. As NBC Nightly News reported, Bush also urged Congress "to come back from its Easter recess to pass a war funding bill that he likes." ABC World News noted the President said the "wrangling" in Washington "is denying the troops the equipment they need to succeed." The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, quotes him saying, "Democrat leaders in Congress seem more interested in fighting political battles in Washington than providing our troops what they need to fight the battles in Iraq." (Interestingly, Bush referred to "Democrat leaders," not "Democratic leaders," a phrase that drew complaints from Congressional leaders when he used it at the last State of the Union speech.)

Democrats were quick to respond, vowing not to back down, but a number of media reports blamed the President for escalating the fight -- and suggested he was the one looking for a political edge. The New York Times says "the White House has drawn a hard line, saying it will not legitimize a Democratic withdrawal plan of any sort by accepting it as part of legislation. Two Democrats said that Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, urged Mr. Bush to work with Democrats on the war while the two mingled in her office before a Capitol Rotunda ceremony last week; the Democrats said that Mr. Bush's reply was essentially, 'I am where I am.'" The Washington Post reports that "as he answered questions yesterday before heading off for an Easter break, Bush was confronted with...friends and voters losing faith in his leadership." In his "Washington Sketch" column, also in the Washington Post, Dana Milbank writes Bush appeared vexed by reporters' "failure to cooperate with his chosen theme: scolding Democrats for the 'political theater' -- as Bush and Vice President Cheney have put it in recent days -- of attempting to end the war in Iraq." The CBS Evening News described Bush as "angry, a president "battling Congress and public opinion on the Iraq war." Also on the CBS Evening News, "presidential historian Douglas Brinkley says Democrats believe they have nothing to lose by confronting the President." Brinkley said, "They're taking the posture that Bush is not just a lame-duck president but is irrelevant and wrong, and I think this is a very significant, historic day."

The New York Times notes that in his remarks during a press conference yesterday, Bush claimed that "if the standoff goes into mid-May...the Army would have to delay the training of active-duty units, which would affect tour schedules by prolonging the stays of personnel already in Iraq and Afghanistan." But several reports cast doubt on that and several other Bush assertions. USA Today notes Bush said: "'The Army will be forced to consider cutting back on equipment, equipment repair, and quality-of-life initiatives for our Guard and Reserve forces...to support the troops on the front lines." But "the Government Accountability Office reported in January that many of the Guard's equipment and supply problems were caused by the Pentagon's failure to plan well. Army delays, the report said, hurt the Guard's ability to buy equipment and supply local units. ... What Bush said: 'The Army also would be forced to consider curtailing some training for Guard and Reserve units here at home. This would reduce their readiness and could delay their availability to mobilize for missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.' What others say: The Congressional Research Service (CRS) reported that the Army could finance the war and its other responsibilities through much of July without the supplemental budget funds. The Army could do so by transferring money from non-war-related operations such as limiting facility maintenance or restricting travel and meetings." The Los Angeles Times and Washington Post run similar stories.

Pelosi Feted In Syria Another point of contention between Bush and the Democratic leadership is Speaker Pelosi's trip to Syria, which the President criticized again during his press conference. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reports Syria "hailed what it called the 'courageous position' taken by" Pelosi, who "arrived on Tuesday for what is the highest level visit by a US official in more than two years. She is to meet President Bashar al-Assad today as she seeks to "build some confidence" between the two countries." In an interview with the Financial Times in Damascus, "Faisal Mekdad, Syria's deputy foreign minister, said he hoped the visit would signal the start of a dialogue between Syria and 'the people of the United States.' He called the Bush government a 'blind administration' that was unwilling even to engage in dialogue." The Washington Post and Washington Times run an AP story which reports Syria "treated the visit as a diplomatic victory. State-run newspapers published news of Pelosi's trip on their front pages, with one daily publishing a photograph of Pelosi and the headline: 'Welcome Dialogue.'" The Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and New York Times run similar reports. The New York Times also notes Pelosi's delegation "includes Representatives Henry A. Waxman and Tom Lantos of California, Louise M. Slaughter of New York, Nick J. Rahall II of West Virginia and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, all Democrats, as well as David L. Hobson, Republican of Ohio." In an editorial this morning, the Los Angeles Times defends Pelosi's trip, arguing that with his criticism, Bush "only succeeded in showing his own lack of imagination when it comes to Middle East foreign policy."

Administration Beleaguered By String Of Bad News The US News Political Bulletin has learned White House strategists are increasingly resigned to a long, miserable spring because of bad news on so many fronts. "You just get to the point where you hate to go out to your stoop and pick up your paper in the morning and see what today's lead story is," an adviser to President Bush tells the Political Bulletin, "the news always seems to be bad and we can't catch a break." Only improvement on the ground in Iraq will lift the president's fortunes, and that will take many weeks if it happens at all, Bush allies concede. "It's still 'our' war and if it doesn't get better we're in big trouble," the GOP adviser says. "President Bush's legacy is tied to Iraq, and what happens there will make all the difference for Republicans." But the remarkable parade of bad news hasn't let up for weeks -- the loss of Congress to the Democrats; the conviction of Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, in the CIA leak case; the Walter Reed medical center fiasco, the ongoing troubles of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales; White House Press Secretary Tony Snow's recurrence of cancer; and yesterday's loss for the administration in the Supreme Court over the government's responsibility to fight global warming. Bush is clearly aware of his PR problems. That's one reason he lashed out so strongly against anti-war Democrats in his Rose Garden statement this morning. He's attempting to regain the offensive on Iraq in domestic political terms. Among his goals are to make the case that Democrats aren't adequately supporting the troops and that they aren't giving his "surge" of forces a chance to succeed.

Congress Steps Up Pressure On Gonzalez

The AP reports Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse have written a letter to Attorney General Gonzales asking him "to say how he plans to deal with" Monica Goodling, DOJ's former liaison to the White House who has said she will plead the Fifth Amendment rather than testify regarding the dismissals of eight US Attorneys. Leahy and Whitehouse contend her refusal to testify "means [Gonzales] can't fulfill his pledge to make Justice employees available for questioning under oath." Leahy and Whitehouse went on to inquire as to whether Gonzales "plans to name a special counsel or set up some other 'appropriate firewalls so that a non-conflicted person with appropriate knowledge and authority' can discuss Goodling's testimony." The Politico's John Bresnahan writes that Leahy and Whitehouse "raise some other good questions about whether Goodling is cooperating with an internal Justice Department probe over the firings, and suggest she may not be able to remain a DOJ employee i[f ] she doesn't."

Meanwhile, the New York Times is reporting that in a letter to Goodling, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Rep. John Conyers asks for a private interview in order "to evaluate the legality of her refusal to testify." Goodling's lawyer, John Dowd, "issued a statement suggesting that he regarded the House letter as a threat and a possible violation of legal ethics." The Los Angeles Times runs a similar article on Goodling.

According to The Hill Sen. Charles Schumer "ignored a plea from the Bush administration by demanding that Kyle Sampson name other U.S. attorneys the Justice Department had been planning to fire" even though DOJ "already gave him access to the answer." The Hill contends that Schumer's conduct "shows that managing publicity has become as much a part of congressional investigation as gathering facts. Because he is also chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Schumer's media focus has opened him to criticism that he is seeking political gain from the controversy." Another article from The Hill notes Sampson's testimony is "placing additional pressure on" Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson, as well as Gonzales, Karl Rove and ex-White House counsel Harriet Miers, "to explain what roles, if any, they played in the firing of U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, according to legal experts."

More signs of trouble for Gonzales: The Washington Times runs an article quoting several of the House's leading Republican immigration restrictionists, including presidential candidate Rep. Tom Tancredo and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, saying they are skeptical that Gonzales is "telling the truth about why the attorneys were dismissed." House Republicans are "scoffing at Justice Department assertions that a principal reason for several of the dismissals was that the lawyers were not aggressively prosecuting immigration violations." Rohrabacher: "It stretches anybody's credibility to suggest that this administration would have retaliated against U.S. attorneys for not enforcing immigration laws. ... This administration itself is so lax in its attitude towards immigration laws and controlling the border." Rep. Tancredo "said he didn't think immigration cases had 'a single thing to do with' the firings." The Times adds that an aide to the House Republican leadership "agreed that the Justice Department's explanation for the firings is hard to believe."

Bush "Concerned" About US Attorneys The Washington Post reports that during his White House Rose Garden press conference yesterday, President Bush said he is "genuinely concerned" about the reputations of the former US Attorneys after DOJ officials erroneously claimed they had been fired for "performance-related reasons." However, Bush continued to maintain there is "no credible evidence of any wrongdoing" on the part of his administration. In reference to Bush's steadfast support for Gonzales, the Washington Post's Ruth Marcus claims "there is something in the 'loyal Bushies' mind-set of this administration and its fundamental scorn for government that contributes to this arrogant misbehavior."

HBO's 2000 Recount Movie Helmed By Dems

The Hill's "Under the Dome" column reports HBO is making what it calls an "unbiased film," called "Recount" about the 2000 presidential election. However, according to The Hill, "that could be difficult, if not impossible, to pull off, because the director, executive producer, and writer of the movie are all Democrats. Oh, and Colin Callender, the president of HBO Films, is also a D."

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CAMPAIGN NEWS

In Wake Of Lackluster Fundraising, McCain Revamps Campaign Finance Operation

The New York Times reports, "Lagging in fund-raising and under fire for his support of the Iraq war," Sen. John McCain "is overhauling his campaign finance operation and delaying the official announcement of his candidacy, his aides said Tuesday. They said he would adopt the kind of big-donor fund-raising program pioneered by President Bush and give a speech explaining his support for the administration's troop buildup in Iraq." Aides to McCain "said that to deal with his fund-raising problems, he would adopt what had been a centerpiece of Mr. Bush's fund-raising technique, and one that has been embraced by most major presidential candidates: creating an honorary campaign designation to reward the campaign's top money raisers." Bush "called his Rangers and Pioneers" while McCain "will call his the McCain 100's, for supporters who collect $100,000 for the campaign, and the McCain 200's, who collect $200,000." USA Today reports the McCain campaign "'saw this coming' and restructured, chief strategist John Weaver says. He says the pace set in March - 27 events - will continue." Weaver said "McCain's total of 60,000 donors is evidence that 'there was no political problem. It was a structural problem.'"

Giuliani Woos Iowa Conservatives

Rudy Giuliani made his first campaign trip to Iowa yesterday, and the AP reports Giuliani, "the consummate New Yorker, sought on Tuesday to convince conservative Iowa Republicans he has plenty in common with them. 'We're all much more similar than we think, whether you're in Iowa or you're in New York, or California or somewhere else, you've got the same issues,' the former New York mayor said on his first visit to the important early-voting state as a candidate." Fox News' Special Report noted that, given his stance on social issues, Giuliani "does not appear to represent the typical candidate who would attract Iowa Republicans." The Des Moines Register also reports on Giuliani's "Iowa debut," which "began as a mob scene at a Hy-Vee grocery store in a once-blighted neighborhood on the city's southeast side." The Register adds that while "some Iowa conservatives," have "voiced concern about Giuliani's support for abortion rights, gay rights and gun control," Giuliani "projected himself as the strongest fiscal conservative in this race."

Romney Uses Cash Advantage To Go On The Air

The AP reports that in an effort to jumpstart his campaign following the release of quarterly fundraising figures, Mitt Romney will resume ads in New Hampshire and Iowa. The ad, "following up on a round Romney aired immediately after announcing his candidacy in mid-February, targets fiscal conservatives by focusing on his pledge to cap discretionary federal spending other than that dedicated to the U.S. military. Romney estimates that would save $300 billion over 10 years."

McCain Camp Challenges Kerry's Claim Regarding '04 VP Overture

The Hill reports Sen. John Kerry "fanned the flames of speculation" about Sen. John McCain's flirtation with leaving the Republican Party, "telling a liberal blog that the Arizonan's camp approached him about a Kerry-McCain presidential ticket in 2004. Asked about The Hill's report last week that McCain discussed quitting the Republicans in 2001 with several senior Democrats, Kerry told MyDD.com, 'It doesn't surprise me completely, because his people similarly approached me to engage in a discussion about his potentially being on the ticket as vice president.'" McCain's camp, however, vehemently denies this is the case. In a post at the conservative Townhall.com, McCain aide Mark Salter said, "The idea that McCain approached Kerry is a fantasy" and described "the situation in reverse, with Kerry repeatedly importuning McCain to become his running mate." The Politico's Mike Allen adds that McCain aides "consider the charge a bid for attention by Kerry. They contend that Kerry pursued the maverick McCain repeatedly but was rebuffed decisively on each approach."

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POLITICAL HUMOR

The Latest From Late Night Comedians

Jay Leno: "You know what you call people wearing yarmulkes during Passover? You know what you call them? Presidential candidates.

Jay Leno: "Hey, you hear about this? Police in Connecticut arrested a man for speeding, who identified himself as Vice President Dick Cheney. They took the guy to the hospital. Obviously, the guy has mental problems. I mean, these days, what sane person would try to pass himself off as Dick Cheney? Even Dick Cheney doesn't like to tell people he's Dick Cheney."

Conan O'Brien: "During a press conference today, this is interesting, President Bush was asked if he knew the current price of a gallon of gasoline and Bush's answer was within a few pennies. He did well, yeah, which isn't surprising, because Bush spends most of the day watching 'The Price Is Right.'"

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