by Mark Silva
On his way to Camp David today for the weekend, President Bush left the Rose Garden of the White House with a parting shot at Congress for debating a withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
"It is time to rise above partisanship, stand behind our troops in the field and give them everything they need to succeed,'' Bush said on the garden steps outside the Oval Office, where he had met with 10 representatives of military support organizations.
Congress could have been acting on his request for an increase in military pay this week, the president suggested. "Instead, Democratic leaders chose to have a political debate on the precipitous (withdrawal) of troops from Iraq.''
When Congress returns, the president said, it "still has a chance to do right'' by men and women in uniform and approve the pay raise.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had this response: "Democrats and a majority of Americans believe that supporting the troops means rebuilding our overburdened military and redeploying our troops from an Iraqi civil war. It is the height of hypocrisy for a President whose Administration has sent our brave men and women into combat without the proper equipment, recuperation time, training or strategy for success to lecture Congress about supporting the troops. ''
The Rose Garden appearance served as a forum for Bush to, again, seek patience with the "surge'' in military forces that he has deployed in Iraq -- with the president citing "the importance of giving the military the time they need'' to let the strategy show results.
"A free and stable Iraq still is in reach,'' Bush said on this overcast, mild and breezy day in the Rose Garden.
As he turned to leave, however, he ignored a television reporter's question about the White House "moving the goal post'' with a general's suggestion that it will take until November to get a good picture of the surge's success. The White House said today that it is not moving the goal post, that it will report in on progress in the war in mid-September as required.
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Comments
Dubya. . . what a jokester!
Posted by: Janstress | July 20, 2007 11:07 AM
"The White House said today that it is not moving the goal post,"
And just why we should believe this???
Posted by: lochnessmonster | July 20, 2007 11:08 AM
Oh...now he wants to rise above it. The uniter, decider, improviser has spoken.
Posted by: bill r. | July 20, 2007 11:08 AM
So Bush wants us to, "Stand behind our troops?" That is funny.
Bush HIDES behind the troops. He justifies the war with the warrior. It is redicules.
What the troops need is longer roatations out of feild, better VA benefits, raltional leadership. Bush and the GOP cowards voted against a raise in troop pay. They don't care one little bit about the troops, they just care about the next election. To Bush the troops are nothing but a photo op.
Posted by: nisleib | July 20, 2007 11:18 AM
For once, I agree with Bush. It is time to rise above partisanship.
While the Democratic Congress was trying to save American lives, Bush is still trying to figure out a way to save face, and not own up to one of the biggest debacles in American History. All the while, 3,700 + have died--and for what exactly? Oh, so they won't hit us here. Sorry. Their own report disputes that. Oh I know,it's still early. Just run out the clock, and let the next guy, or more likely, gal deal with it. Then turn around and blame them.
They are absolutely shameless. Let draft dodgers Bush, Dick, Gates and the whole gang go to Iraq, and fight for months and months. They woundn't last a day.
Posted by: Gibster | July 20, 2007 11:23 AM
The Bush definition of non-partisanship-
Never question the decisions of the Decider.
Do whatever the Commander Guy requests immediately and fully, no matter how wrong you may think it to be.
Posted by: Tony | July 20, 2007 11:33 AM
Another weekend out of town!?
Posted by: jethro | July 20, 2007 11:37 AM
What a crock! This from the guy who has turned every agency of government into a political branch of the Republican party! Including the judiciary.
If he cared anything about the troops, we would never have invaded Iraq.
Posted by: athena | July 20, 2007 11:39 AM
Dick "Shotgun" Cheney's arrogance knows no bounds. (Most Americans just don't get it - they continue to rail at Bush when he is merely Cheney's stage prop.)
If you saw this morning's Washington Post, you saw the Cheney Administation's latest justification for not responding to, and not cooperating with, Congress's subpoenae - the hubris is simply breathtaking:
The executive branch is responsible for enforcing the federal laws of this country. However, if the Executive (Dick "Shotgun" Cheney - through President Chimpy McFlightsuit) determines that a matter is one of "executive privilege", then the enforcement arm of the Executive Branch - the Justice Department - is PROHIBITED from investigating/enforcing those laws against those whom the Executive (Cheney) deems to be subject to that privilege.
What this argument boils down to is this - the Justice Department is to enforce the laws against everyone except against those whom the Executive deems to be subject to "Executive privilege" - Cheney, Libby, Rove, Meirs, and Chimpy McFlightsuit himself.
Wake up America! Don't you realize what the Cheney Administration is doing to our Constitution?
Posted by: Buster | July 20, 2007 11:44 AM
"It is time to rise above partisanship, stand BEHIND our troops in the field."
G.W. Bush "Commander Guy"
"If we ever get into real heavy combat, I'll be right BEHIND you guys, evry step of the way."
Russel Ziskey "Stripes"
Posted by: Steve34 | July 20, 2007 11:52 AM
I agree with Bush, Congress needs to support the troops and give them what they need. They should start at the top of the list and get them a rational, thinking, non-partisan commander-in chief.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 20, 2007 12:03 PM
I wouldn't believe a word this moron says. He resides over a corrupt and criminal administration. He himself is an illegitimate coward who has done nothing but lie to and deceive the American people since he took office.
Posted by: Doug R. | July 20, 2007 12:11 PM
F*** You Shrub!
Posted by: Raving Loon | July 20, 2007 12:11 PM
Partisanship? Remember when the Senate tried to pass a spending bill with dates for withdrawal AND included a pay raise? THEN, Bush said it was "too much of an increase!" Who's playing politics and being partisan?
Posted by: Dave Davis | July 20, 2007 12:14 PM
Partisanship? Remember when the Senate tried to pass a spending bill with dates for withdrawal AND included a pay raise? THEN, Bush said it was "too much of an increase!" Who's playing politics and being partisan?
Posted by: Dave Davis | July 20, 2007 12:15 PM
Lovely sentiment.
You go first, Mr. President. Listen to what people are telling you. Agree to compromises where you actually have to give something up. Make information about your administration available readily to Congress when they ask for it, and assure that your staff is made similarly available to answer questions. Rein in your Vice-President as a part of the Executive branch and assure that he operates in an accountable manner, subject to the will of the people. Stop stonewalling and start acting.
Otherwise, what's obvious is that by saying "let's stop the partisanship," what Bush really means is "You do what I tell you, agree automatically with every pearl that drops from my mouth and stop asking questions I don't want to answer." At least that's what it's meant all the other times he's said it, and we have no reason to think it means anything else this time.
Posted by: Op109 | July 20, 2007 12:22 PM
Republican Dictionary:
Rise above partisanship - 1. Surrender to the GOP
2. Stop criticizing our incompetence and corruption
3. Refrain from commenting on our infidelities and divorces as we defend the "sanctity of marriage"
Posted by: Tom O | July 20, 2007 12:29 PM
Prez Chimpy want's everyone to rise above partisanship?
This translates into: I'm going to get my way no matter what anyone says.
Stick It Where The Sun Don't Shine, Chimpy!
Posted by: John E | July 20, 2007 12:53 PM
Calling this a rope-a-dope is an insult to The Greatest and would infer a sense of strategy. I'll just call him a dope.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | July 20, 2007 1:14 PM
Mark, is that partisanHIP or partisanSHIP? Just thought I would ask!
Beverly Hillbilly Jethro, ooooh, Bush is going to be at Camp David, the White House retreat over the WEEKEND!!!! Better count those two days as being on "vacation" from the White House!!
And, oh no, Bush will be out of commission for part of Saturday while getting a colonoscopy. Damn that Chimpy McFlightsuit for sleeping on the job!
Posted by: John D | July 20, 2007 1:15 PM
It's time to rise above partisanship! And oh by the way, everything that has gone wrong is the fault of Democrats.
republicrites. sigh.
Posted by: snitramc | July 20, 2007 4:08 PM
Bush has no shame!!!
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | July 20, 2007 10:56 PM
Bush has no cred here. The last time the country rose above partisanship, post 9/11, Bush used the occasion to consolidate power and divide the country. Bush is the biggest loser of a Pres. this country has ever known:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/17/AR2007071701456.html?nav=rss_opinions/outlook?nav=slate
Posted by: dt | July 21, 2007 3:47 AM