Bush's Political Attacks And Incompetence Won't Get The Job Done

Today, President Bush held a press conference where he unpatriotically attacked Democrats, continued to paint an unrealistically rosy picture in Iraq, and renewed support for his failed domestic agenda.

Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney issued the following statement:

"From Iraq to the economy, President Bush offered more of the same divisiveness and distortions during his press conference today. Instead of honest talk about the War in Iraq, he offered more rosy rhetoric and a continued commitment to a failed strategy. Instead of policies that help America's working families, he continued to tout the economic policies that have led to record deficits and passed on trillions in debt to our children. Instead of trying to bring the country together, President Bush engaged in false, partisan attacks that are nothing short of un-American. Democrats want to hunt down and kill the terrorists and we want the President to have all the tools he needs to do so, but we also want him to follow the law. Democrats are committed to aggressively fighting the war on terror and ensuring America's security.

"President Bush's credibility is in tatters, his poll numbers are in the tank and Republican candidates across the country are already running away from his failed agenda. Americans want change, not more debt, divisiveness and distortions. Democrats have a bold new vision to keep America safe and secure."

President Bush's Policies Have Made Us Less Safe
Bush: Civil War In Iraq Not Going To Happen. During his press conference today, President Bush said, "Our job is to make sure [civil war] doesn't happen, but if there is sectarian violence, it's the job of the Iraqi forces with coalition help to separate those sectarian forces." He further said that, "I believe we're going to succeed. ... If I didn't believe we had a plan for victory, I wouldn't leave our people in harm's way." [President Bush, 3/21/06]

• Former Iraqi Prime Allawi: "If This Isn't Civil War, Then God Knows What Civil War Is." "It is unfortunate that we are in civil war. We are losing each day, as an average, 50 to 60 people through the country, if not more. If this is not civil war, then God knows what civil war is." [New York Times, 3/20/06]
  
  
• Americans Disapprove of Bush's Handling Of Iraq, Trust Democrats More. A CBS poll, asking whether people approve or disapprove of the way Bush is handling the situation with Iraq, 63 percent disapprove, while 31 percent approve. An NPR poll that asked whether people trusted Bush or the Democrats found that on the issue of the continuing Iraq war and violence between religious groups, 52 percent trust Democrats more, while 43 percent trust Bush more. CBS, asking whether the Republican or Democratic party was more likely to make the right decisions about Iraq found that 35 percent chose the Republican party, while 41 percent chose the Democratic party. [NPR, Conducted 3/12-14/06 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R); surveyed 800 likely voters; margin of error +/-3% (release, 3/17); CBS News, Conducted 3/9-12/06; surveyed 1,136 adults; margin of error +/-3%.]
  

GOP Congress And Bush White House Have No Agenda
Bush Has "A Positive Agenda." Today, President Bush claimed that, "we have a positive agenda. We have something to do. It's important for congress to have confidence in our ability to get things done." [President Bush, 3/21/06]

• GOP Not Unified; Have No National Vision Heading Into 2006 Election; Little Allegiance To Bush. "Republican efforts to craft a policy and political agenda to carry the party into the midterm elections have stumbled repeatedly as GOP leaders face widespread disaffection and disagreement within the ranks... While it is a Republican refrain that Democrats criticize Bush but have no positive vision, for now the governing party also has no national platform around which lawmakers are prepared to rally. Every effort so far to produce such a platform has stumbled... This year, Bush came back to Congress with a scaled-back agenda... that Blunt said 'is not as easily defined.' And in Bush's weakened state, his proposals command less allegiance." [Washington Post, 3/20/06]
  
  
• Bush Increased Debt Limit To $9 Trillion-An Increase of $3 Trillion Since He Took Office. Bush recently signed a measure to increase the debt limit to $8.965 trillion from the current $8.184 trillion. When Bush took office in January, 2001, the debt limit was $5.95 trillion, a total increase of $3 trillion. [Toledo Blade, 3/21/06]