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The Veeckster (NO NOT THAT KIND! LMAO!)
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Date Posted: 01:52:11 06/29/02 Sat
Author Host/IP: 67.24.58.168
Sen. Daschle takes the gloves off
Senate leader speaks on Bush administration shortcomings
By Jim VandeHei
THE WASHINGTON POST
June 29 — Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) yesterday offered an unusually pointed critique of President Bush for his handling of the economy and other domestic concerns and accused him of being perhaps the most political chief executive in history.
“ALMOST ON EVERY one of the issues involving domestic policy, he has been a source of great disappointment,” Daschle said yesterday during a lunch with Washington Post reporters and editors. “I think his record on the economy is a disaster. I think his record on fiscal policy is a disaster. I think his position on education has fallen far short of expectations.”
Daschle said Bush has failed to fulfill some of his major campaign promises — most notably to bring civility and bipartisanship to Washington. Daschle cited a campaign by a conservative group that compared him to John Walker Lindh. “He promised to change the tone in Washington, and I think he has: It’s every bit as confrontational as it was,” Daschle said.
Daschle said Bush has spent as much time, if not more, making political decisions and fundraising as former president Bill Clinton did. “We already know he made more trips to states on behalf of candidates than President Clinton did by far.”
SEEINGS SIGNS OF WEAKNESS
Daschle’s more sharply focused attack comes as many Democrats see mounting signs of weakness in one of the most consistently popular modern presidents. While polls show that more than 70 percent of the public approves of Bush’s presidency, Democrats see the unfolding corporate scandals and sputtering economy eroding his rock-solid support as the elections draw near.
Daschle, a potential challenger to Bush in 2004, praised the president’s overall handling of the war on terrorism, which has been the source of much of Bush’s popularity. But he faulted Bush for raising expectations too high by vowing to get bin Laden “dead or alive” and for failing to “capture the ringleaders of al Qaeda.”
“We have not been as successful as we hoped we could be,” said Daschle. He said Bush needs to do a better job “articulating” his war strategy here and abroad. Daschle did not, however, offer a different strategy for accomplishing any of these goals.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer dismissed the criticism as nothing more than political posturing. “The president is proud of his record on the economy, the environment, foreign policy and education, and the country seems to like what the president is doing. There’s a lot of intra-Democratic Party politics going on, and we all understand that.”
SOME COMMON GROUND
It was clear that Daschle is wary of speaking too critically of Bush on foreign policy, although he did chastise the administration for “unilateralism.” He said the president’s policy of demanding that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat be replaced would continue to have widespread backing inside Congress. Daschle went out of his way to commend Bush for his proposal to create a Department of Homeland Defense and indicated that there is still enough goodwill between the men to strike legislative compromises this year.
Daschle and Bush have enjoyed an up-and-down, but mostly amiable, relationship over the past 18 months, especially after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The two famously hugged each other after Bush delivered his rousing speech before Congress declaring a global war on terrorism. They have worked well together on issues of defending the homeland and combating terrorism, although they have been at loggerheads on most domestic issues.
Daschle said negotiations to vote on Bush’s judicial nominees, a sore spot between the men for months, have stalled again. The White House and congressional leaders have been close to a deal for weeks to fill more than a dozen judicial vacancies and several top government jobs.
Under the proposed agreement, the Senate would vote on at least 12 judicial nominees, including five to the circuit courts, that have cleared the Judiciary Committee, and possibly hold committee hearings on some of Bush’s more controversial judicial picks.
QUID PRO QUO
In return, the White House and Republicans would allow votes on Daschle’s picks for the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Election Commission. Daschle is also demanding that Bush allow him to fill positions on boards and in agencies that are typically reserved for Democratic appointees.
Still, Daschle spoke optimistically of striking a compromise this year on judicial nominees and energy and prescription drug legislation.
After a conversation with W.J. “Billy” Tauzin (R-La.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Daschle said a deal will be reached soon on a bill designed to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign oil by providing incentives for alternative energy sources. “I think there is great deal of desire on both sides to get a deal. It really is serious,” Daschle said.
Daschle indicated that Bush’s Homeland Defense agency will be approved by the Senate before the August recess with only minor modifications. He said he objects to the administration’s proposal not to make the Cabinet-level agency part of the civil service, which would give its employees more protections. “This is an ideological argument, it has nothing to do with homeland defense. I think it’s uncalled-for and unnecessary and I will oppose it.”
Daschle said he will continue to press for an independent investigation into why the FBI, the CIA and the National Security Agency failed to detect advance signs of the Sept. 11 attacks. Though he has objected to creating a committee to oversee the homeland defense department, Daschle said he will consider the idea after the department is established.
Staff writers Mike Allen and Helen Dewar contributed to this report.
© 2002 The Washington Post Company
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Senator Daschle Takes the Gloves off! Speaks of Shrub'S , uh, "Short" comings!