The Political Chase

Sheriff Bush Returns to Washington

I am thrilled to see that the Decider has returned from his photo-op trip to California as a strong Leader, disciplinarian — as evidence by the tongue-lashing he gave Congress — and void of the incompetence he was laden with before he left.

In a televised statement from the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Bush said that upon his return from a visit to wildfire-ravaged Southern California last night, "I was disappointed by what Congress had been doing and even more disappointed by what they had not been doing."

Specifically, he complained about House passage of a new children’s health insurance bill that he vowed to veto for a second time, a tax package under consideration in the House and a water resources bill that he called "fiscally irresponsible." Bush also lamented Congress’s failure to send him any of the dozen annual appropriations bills for fiscal 2008, an emergency war-funding bill or legislation to extend an Internet tax moratorium.

…snip…

Bush said, "With only a few weeks left on the legislative calendar, Congress needs to keep their promise to stop wasting time and get essential work done on behalf of the American people." He did not answer reporters’ questions after his statement.

Of course he didn’t respond to questions. For example, the Decider noted Congress’s inaction on his emergency war-funding bill, but he failed to mention when he sent his request for more blood money to Congress. Rep. David Obey, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, appearing on Hardball Wednesday said President Bush did not send his request until two days before the broadcast, and had delayed sending it for five months. Furthermore, Obey made it clear he has a few demands of his own.

But I have made quite clear—since the president has made clear he‘s sending down a $200 billion supplemental request for Iraq, I have made quite clear that, as chairman of the committee, I have no intention whatsoever of reporting one dime of that supplemental for the remainder of this year.

The president just sent down his proposal two days ago. And he—he took over five months to send it down. I think the Congress has an obligation to scrub it. And what I have said is, I would be happy to give him every dollar he‘s asking for if he would change his policy, so that—so that we would have as a national policy a target of getting out of combat in Iraq by January of 2009.

Obviously needing to further demonstrate that he is still relevant, Mr. Bush "expressed annoyance that his nomination of Michael B. Mukasey to be attorney general has not yet moved out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, ‘even as members complain about the lack of leadership at the Department of Justice.’ " Apparently the president did not recall Patrick Leahy’s position that Mukasey would not be confirmed until the White House released information about its illegal spying, which it just agreed to do yesterday, and Mukasey must clarify his statements regarding torture, which has not been done (to my knowledge).

Yep, the Decider is feeling his Wheaties since he just returned from his trip to San Diego. Sadly enough, it took more than a thousand people dying in New Orleans for him to recognize (extremely limited I might add) that he works for the people.