Bush seeks GOP support in war veto fight

[maddezmom]

Source: Associated Press


WASHINGTON - President Bush called all House Republicans to the White House Thursday, seeking to shore up the GOP minority in Congress for his likely veto fight with Democrats over Iraq.

With the Senate ready to wrap up work on legislation ordering combat troops home from Iraq after the House passed an even more sweeping measure, Bush planned to appear on the White House's North Portico to repeat his contention that Democrats' anti-war efforts are fruitless and would needlessly delaying funding for troops on the front line. The statement was to follow an unusual morning gathering in the East Room with House GOP lawmakers.

~snip~

The Senate was expected on Thursday to pass a $122 billion bill that would require Bush to start bringing home an unspecified number of troops within four months, with a nonbinding goal of ceasing combat operations as of March 31, 2008.

The final vote on the bill comes after the Senate agreed 50-48 to uphold the withdrawal language, and the House passed similar legislation. The House last week approved a more sweeping measure, including a mandatory withdrawal deadline for all combat troops before September 2008.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_iraq

[bdamomma]

1. oh, here we go, they are going to do some GOP arm-twisting.

[lazer47]

2. I'll probably get canned for this

But IMHO that could be best described as a "CIRCLE JERK EN-MASS". and accomplishes about as much.

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. Anyone else picturing robo-calls for this effort?

"This is your President and I need your help. We can't do it without you! Let's show the Democrat Leaders who's in charge here. I appreciate all your hard work and support."

[salin]

4. aka "Bush wants to seal the deal in taking the GOP party down for a generation"

The question is how many are really ready to go down with his ship? I guess that many are ready to dive for him. Too many years of being conditioned to go to partisan war fare (fight the otherside regardless of issue) rather than actually being concerned with public policy formulation. This is the political version of "those who live by the sword, die by the sword."

[Kolesar]

5. So, the gops in the Senate allowed a "cloture" vote (no filibuster)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/27/AR2007032700463.html

Because troop funding is at stake, Republicans have decided to forgo maneuvers that could draw out the Senate debate or block final passage, tactics the GOP had used successfully in previous Iraq war showdowns.

[gratuitous]

6. The Decider needs support?

Huh, news to me. I thought President Lone Wolf, who knows military tactics and strategy better than any of those generals or admirals, who knows economic policy better than those Harvard-educated eggheads, who knows the Bible and the heart of God better than anyone else, didn't need any support or poll numbers or focus groups to tell him what the Right Thing To Do was.

[Javaman]

7. So the radioactive president is looking for help from his group of sycophants, huh?

I wonder who's going to jump on that band wagon and get contaminated?

[redqueen]

12. I'm curious too, considering the polls

which seem to indicate most people favor setting a withdrawal date.

[maddezmom]

8. Balls in your court now: Senate OKs Iraq troop withdrawal bill

Senate OKs Iraq troop withdrawal bill By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer
1 minute ago



WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats ignored a veto threat and pushed through a bill Thursday requiring President Bush to start withdrawing troops from "the civil war in Iraq," dealing a rare, sharp rebuke to a wartime commander in chief.

In a mostly party line 51-47 vote, the Senate signed off on a bill providing $122 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also orders Bush to begin withdrawing troops within 120 days of passage while setting a nonbinding goal of ending combat operations by March 31, 2008.

The vote came shortly after Bush, in a move that his aides said was unprecedented, invited all House Republicans to the White House to appear with him in a sort of pep rally to bolster his position in the continuing war policy fight.

"We stand united in saying loud and clear that when we've got a troop in harm's way, we expect that troop to be fully funded," Bush said, surrounded by Republicans on the North Portico, "and we got commanders making tough decisions on the ground, we expect there to be no strings on our commanders."

"We expect the Congress to be wise about how they spend the people's money," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070329/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq

[momster]

9. Epidemic of Headaches Among House Repubs!

I wonder how many of them are ducking this meeting, esp. if it means having their picture taken with Wonder-Dub. "I don't wanna go, Mommeee!"

[MayorCandidate08]

10. Bush is going to help me get elected

As long as he keep pissing the people off, I look good in my small little republican strong-hold. I am going to kick ass this election and save my little city.

[redqueen]

11. Hi MayorCandiate...

Welcome to DU!

:hi: