by Mark Silva
President Bush is pressing Congress today for approval of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, and the White House says it doesn’t believe it has had any dealings on this with Democrat Mark Penn, the former chief strategist for Hillary Clinton’s campaign who has stepped down after aiding the Colombian government with the agreement.
“I’m not sure, but I’m aware of no contact’’ with Penn as the White House has pressed Congress for approval of the agreement, Tony Fratto, deputy press secretary, said this morning.
The president also will be making an address on the war later this week – on Thursday – following the Capitol Hill testimony of Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on Tuesday. Petraeus, maintaining that the president’s “surge’’ of forces has worked, is expected to recommend a pause in any further draw-downs after the roughly 21,000 surge forces are withdrawn by this summer.
“It’s hard to deny that there has been great success,’’ Fratto said today. “No one ever made the claim that the surge was going to wipe out violence 100 percent… but provide certain security so Iraqi officials could make the economic and political reforms for the lives of the Iraqis that we all want to see. … There’s no question that the surge has placed Iraq in a better place to do that.’’
Bush plans to make his Colombia Free Trade Agreement statement in the Rose Garden – though it is drizzly and overcast this morning.
“We’re going to continue to work with Congress… and try to get a vote on that this year,’’ Fratto said. “We’ve tried to work with Congress very diligently, since we completed the agreement… It’s a critically important agreement, as far as we’re concerned, and in America’s advantage.’’
The agreement will “immediately knock down barriers,’’ tariff barriers against U.S. products going into Colombia, the White House says. That’s the argument that Penn too was making to Congress – until the report of his advocacy for an agreement which Clinton has opposed in her presidential campaign put an end to his campaign work.
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Comments
How the Corrupt Tribune Washington "journalists" operate:
1. A report from the Peace Institute gets a headline that says "New Iraq Report: Grim Outlook."
Yet, the headline for this item reads: "White House: Surge's 'Great Success'"
The implication is the headlines is that the Peace Institute's assessment is given carte blanch truth whereas the White House's contention is considered faulty via the use of quote marks.
Here is truthful headline:
Study: Liberal Bias Heavy in Chicago Tribune Reporting.
Posted by: John D | April 7, 2008 11:30 AM
The Bush Administration also compared the "Great Success" of the surge to the past successes of the Edsel, New Coke, and the XFL.
Posted by: JT | April 7, 2008 11:42 AM
Considering this administration has been wrong about everything they have ever said about Iraq, we should take this with a grain of salt.
Posted by: Paul | April 7, 2008 12:51 PM
We already know, and have known, that this is a seriously, "faulty" White House! Do your homework and you too, will discover, how "faulty" this White House is and has been! Trying to shoot the messenger, again! When all else fails, blame the press. This administration has nobody to blame but themselves. Vote Democrat and get rid of this "faulty" White House, our White House!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 7, 2008 1:21 PM
John D, OK so reality has a liberal bias. When the White House can show progress on the political front, the Trib will be justified in removing the quotation marks. I guess the editors didn't consider the recent Madhi Army uprising as progress.
Posted by: Tom O | April 7, 2008 2:03 PM
"UNICAL'S EX-CROCKER, EXXON, CHEVRON, TEXACO, THE GENERAL ON THE GROUND AND BIG POPPY SPEAK"
THE SURGE IS GOING GREAT, ONLY 500 MEN AND WOMEN HAVE DIED. ONLY 2,000 HAVE BEEN MAMED.
THE SURGE IS GOING GREAT, NOT ONE BRIGADE HAS HAD ADEQUATE LEAVE OR TIME WITH WHAT WAS THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS.
THE SURGE IS "GOING GREAT" IRAQI FORCES STOOD UP, AND AMERICA "STOOD IN"
THE SURGE IS GOING GREAT, THE GOVERNMENT IN IRAQ STOOD UP AND THE AMERICAN SOLDIER HAD TO COME "STAND IN"
3.1 TRILLION DOLLARS LATER, AND NO "RETURN ON SUCCESS"
MEANS, THE SURGE IS GOING GREAT.
BUT WE WILL MARK UP AND THEN MARK DOWN FOR 100% MARK UP AND STILL NO "RETURN" or RETURN ON SUCCESS!
POPPY IS UP.
"NATURAL GAS IS UP"
"OIL IS UP"
BUT NO RETURN ON SUCCESS!
JUST SAME GAME, SAME PLAME BLAME, SAME, SAME, SAME.
Posted by: Roger morris | April 7, 2008 2:37 PM
"UNICAL'S EX-CROCKER, EXXON, CHEVRON, TEXACO, THE GENERAL ON THE GROUND AND BIG POPPY SPEAK"
THE SURGE IS GOING GREAT, ONLY 500 MEN AND WOMEN HAVE DIED. ONLY 2,000 HAVE BEEN MAMED.
THE SURGE IS GOING GREAT, NOT ONE BRIGADE HAS HAD ADEQUATE LEAVE OR TIME WITH WHAT WAS THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS.
THE SURGE IS "GOING GREAT" IRAQI FORCES STOOD UP, AND AMERICA "STOOD IN"
THE SURGE IS GOING GREAT, THE GOVERNMENT IN IRAQ STOOD UP AND THE AMERICAN SOLDIER HAD TO COME "STAND IN"
3.1 TRILLION DOLLARS LATER, AND NO "RETURN ON SUCCESS"
MEANS, THE SURGE IS GOING GREAT.
BUT WE WILL MARK UP AND THEN MARK DOWN FOR 100% MARK UP AND STILL NO "RETURN" or RETURN ON SUCCESS!
POPPY IS UP.
"NATURAL GAS IS UP"
"OIL IS UP"
BUT NO RETURN ON SUCCESS!
JUST SAME GAME, SAME PLAME BLAME, SAME, SAME, SAME.
Posted by: Roger morris | April 7, 2008 2:38 PM
Here is truthful headline:
Study: Liberal Bias Heavy in Chicago Tribune Reporting.
Posted by: John D | April 7, 2008 11:30 AM
Here's another headline. John D: The Brainwashing is complete!!!
Apart from its tragic human toll, the Iraq War will be staggeringly expensive in financial terms. This sobering study by Nobel Prize winner Joseph E. Stiglitz and Harvard professor Linda J. Bilmes casts a spotlight on expense items that have been hidden from the U.S. taxpayer, including not only big-ticket items like replacing military equipment (being used up at six times the peacetime rate) but also the cost of caring for thousands of wounded veterans—for the rest of their lives. Shifting to a global focus, the authors investigate the cost in lives and economic damage within Iraq and the region. Finally, with the chilling precision of an actuary, the authors measure what the U.S. taxpayer's money would have produced if instead it had been invested in the further growth of the U.S. economy. Written in language as simple as the details are disturbing, this book will forever change the way we think about the war.
About the Author
Winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics, Joseph E. Stiglitz of Columbia University is the author of Making Globalization Work and Globalization and Its Discontents. Linda J. Bilmes, a professor of public finance at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, is a former assistant secretary for management and budget in the U.S. Department of Commerce.
http://www.amazon.com/Three-Trillion-Dollar-War-Conflict/dp/0393067017
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | April 7, 2008 3:13 PM
The surge is a success. Great, now we can bring our troops home. What a FIASCO!
http://www.amazon.com/Fiasco-American-Military-Adventure-Iraq/dp/0143038915/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207596010&sr=1-1
Posted by: Bush Family Value$ | April 7, 2008 3:20 PM
To placate John D, here are some headlines the Swamp can use:
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Iraq Outlook: Peace in our lifetime! Really!
No Dead Today: Mission Accomplished! Again!
Halliburton stock on 5-year upswing: Economy Solid!
Bush to Veto Healthcare: Saves Country Million$ that can be better spent in Iraq.
Trade Pact sent to Congress: Will Create Jobs for American Emigrants.
Oil Profits Rise: Free Market Success Story
80,000 Workers Laid Off: New Opportunities Await!
Female Soldiers in Iraq Raped by Fellow Marines: Troop Morale Up!
Posted by: Bruce Y | April 7, 2008 4:05 PM
I think the nation must begin to discuss, seriously, the impeachment of President Bush! He has committed " high crimes and misdemeanors" against our great nation and laughing all the way to the bank!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 7, 2008 4:48 PM
Crazy talk. McBush is going to drag us down a path that has no end.
Posted by: McBush Family Value$ | April 7, 2008 9:40 PM