sweetnpetite
Intellectual snob
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2003
- Posts
- 9,135
WASHINGTON - Emboldened by his re-election, President Bush was back to business Thursday, holding a press conference in which he said voters had "set the direction of our nation for the next four years."
"I earned capital ... political capital," he said of his margin of victory in the popular vote, "and now I intend to spend it." Nearly complete returns gave him 51 percent of the popular vote — a contrast to 2000, when he lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College.
On the domestic front, he said, that direction includes reforming the tax code to make it simpler and reforming Social Security to allow younger workers to invest some of their contributions in the stock market.
Speaking of Western allies and Democrats at home, the president said that "together we'll protect the American people" from terrorism. He was speaking at a White House press conference that was announced only an hour earlier.
Asked if he'd reorganize his Cabinet and White House staff to bring in new faces, possibly Democratic ones, the president said changes are "inevitable" because "people do burn out," but added that "I haven't made any decisions" yet.
As for the nation's highest court and Chief Justice William Rehnquist's battle with cancer, Bush said that "there's no vacancy for the Supreme Court and I will deal with a vacancy when there is one."
The president met earlier Thursday with his Cabinet to discuss his most important domestic objectives and strategies for getting them through Congress, where Republicans strengthened their hold on Election Day.
The Cabinet meeting was the first in three months and could mark the last get-together of some the current members since it’s not unusual for some to leave before or during a second term.
Names mentioned as possibly leaving or changing positions include Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.
Senior aides to Ashcroft said he expects to resign before Bush's Jan. 20 inauguration, citing exhaustion from leading the Justice Department in fighting the domestic war on terrorism since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
After the news conference, Bush left with his family for Camp David, where they were spending a long post-election weekend.
Domestic focus in victory speech
In his victory speech Wednesday, Bush pledged to keep up the fight against terrorism and press for stable democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he then turned to a list of domestic goals, among them:
Continuing to raise accountability standards in public schools.
Upholding "our deepest values and family and faith.”
Halving the record $413 billion deficit.
Expanding health care coverage.
Seeking a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
Moving “this goodhearted nation toward a culture of life,” a reference to the abortion issue.
“Reaching these goals will require the broad support of Americans,” Bush said, as he asked Sen. John Kerry’s disappointed supporters to back him although many of his proposals are anathema to the opponents of his re-election.
“I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust,” he said. “When we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America.”
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Thursday that because the president's "arms are only so long, it’s important for others to reach back as well.”
“We expect there will be Democratic leaders that want to reach back as well,” he added.
Regardless of whether he can get the support of some Democrats, the president will benefit in Congress from expanded Republican majorities in both the Senate and the House.
Cheney sees mandate
The disputed 2000 election left Bush without a mandate, but he governed as if he had one. The White House made clear Wednesday that it believes that mandate did not elude Bush this time, when he became the first presidential candidate since 1988 to win a majority of the popular vote, 51 percent.
“President Bush ran forthrightly on a clear agenda for this nation’s future and the nation responded by giving him a mandate,” Vice President Dick Cheney said, introducing Bush.
Even before the election, aides started work on a new budget, and the administration is preparing to ask Congress for up to $75 billion more to finance the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and operations against terrorism. The figure indicates the wars’ costs, particularly to battle the intensified Iraqi insurgency, are far exceeding expectations laid out early this year.
Another sticky item could be a Supreme Court appointment, with Chief Justice William Rehnquist, 80, suffering from thyroid cancer.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6405260/?GT1=5809
"I earned capital ... political capital," he said of his margin of victory in the popular vote, "and now I intend to spend it." Nearly complete returns gave him 51 percent of the popular vote — a contrast to 2000, when he lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College.
On the domestic front, he said, that direction includes reforming the tax code to make it simpler and reforming Social Security to allow younger workers to invest some of their contributions in the stock market.
Speaking of Western allies and Democrats at home, the president said that "together we'll protect the American people" from terrorism. He was speaking at a White House press conference that was announced only an hour earlier.
Asked if he'd reorganize his Cabinet and White House staff to bring in new faces, possibly Democratic ones, the president said changes are "inevitable" because "people do burn out," but added that "I haven't made any decisions" yet.
As for the nation's highest court and Chief Justice William Rehnquist's battle with cancer, Bush said that "there's no vacancy for the Supreme Court and I will deal with a vacancy when there is one."
The president met earlier Thursday with his Cabinet to discuss his most important domestic objectives and strategies for getting them through Congress, where Republicans strengthened their hold on Election Day.
The Cabinet meeting was the first in three months and could mark the last get-together of some the current members since it’s not unusual for some to leave before or during a second term.
Names mentioned as possibly leaving or changing positions include Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.
Senior aides to Ashcroft said he expects to resign before Bush's Jan. 20 inauguration, citing exhaustion from leading the Justice Department in fighting the domestic war on terrorism since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
After the news conference, Bush left with his family for Camp David, where they were spending a long post-election weekend.
Domestic focus in victory speech
In his victory speech Wednesday, Bush pledged to keep up the fight against terrorism and press for stable democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he then turned to a list of domestic goals, among them:
Continuing to raise accountability standards in public schools.
Upholding "our deepest values and family and faith.”
Halving the record $413 billion deficit.
Expanding health care coverage.
Seeking a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
Moving “this goodhearted nation toward a culture of life,” a reference to the abortion issue.
“Reaching these goals will require the broad support of Americans,” Bush said, as he asked Sen. John Kerry’s disappointed supporters to back him although many of his proposals are anathema to the opponents of his re-election.
“I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust,” he said. “When we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America.”
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Thursday that because the president's "arms are only so long, it’s important for others to reach back as well.”
“We expect there will be Democratic leaders that want to reach back as well,” he added.
Regardless of whether he can get the support of some Democrats, the president will benefit in Congress from expanded Republican majorities in both the Senate and the House.
Cheney sees mandate
The disputed 2000 election left Bush without a mandate, but he governed as if he had one. The White House made clear Wednesday that it believes that mandate did not elude Bush this time, when he became the first presidential candidate since 1988 to win a majority of the popular vote, 51 percent.
“President Bush ran forthrightly on a clear agenda for this nation’s future and the nation responded by giving him a mandate,” Vice President Dick Cheney said, introducing Bush.
Even before the election, aides started work on a new budget, and the administration is preparing to ask Congress for up to $75 billion more to finance the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and operations against terrorism. The figure indicates the wars’ costs, particularly to battle the intensified Iraqi insurgency, are far exceeding expectations laid out early this year.
Another sticky item could be a Supreme Court appointment, with Chief Justice William Rehnquist, 80, suffering from thyroid cancer.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6405260/?GT1=5809
