Bush Outreach: Words But Not Deeds
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By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Monday, February 5, 2007
President Bush was self-deprecating but unapologetic during his Friday visit to a gathering of House Democrats -- a delicate combination, even for him, and the latest example of his willingness to reach out to Democrats in words, but not in deeds.
Michael Abramowitz and Paul Kane write in The Washington Post: "Visiting the Democrats' annual retreat for the first time since 2001, the president told lawmakers there are 'big things' they could accomplish by working together and sought to defuse any bad blood with self-deprecating humor. He opened his public remarks with an allusion to his tendency to mispronounce the name of the rival party by calling it the Democrat Party, seen by many party activists as a calculated insult.
"'I appreciate you inviting the head of the Republic Party,' Bush said to laughter. He drew scattered applause a few moments later when he used the correct name in calling on the 'Democratic Party' to work with him to address the mounting future liabilities of Social Security and Medicare."
But when it came to substance, Bush "defended his plan to send an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq, saying that they would operate under new rules of engagement and that they could clear and hold troublesome areas."
And on the domestic issues, where Bush has embraced some elements of Democratic rhetoric -- speaking of the uninsured and global climate change, for instance -- Bush continued to push for solutions that are a far cry from the Democratic approach.
On his health proposal, which calls for changes in the tax code to encourage individuals to purchase health insurance, Bush had this to say: "I ask you to carefully consider the idea that we have put out. I've already heard from some members who thought it was a lousy idea, I understand that. But please look at it in depth as a way to address an issue that concerns us all, and that is, not enough people having health insurance."
But that proposal contains a poison pill for Democrats; it would undermine employer-sponsored health insurance programs.
Noam N. Levey writes in the Los Angeles Times that "even the meticulous planning that went into the encounter could not conceal the deep divisions between the White House and the Democratic majority on Capitol Hill. Pelosi introduced the president from a lectern bearing the slogan 'Governing for a New Direction,' but he spoke from his own lectern, emblazoned with the presidential seal, a few feet away."
Richard Wolf and David Jackson write in USA Today: "Bush's immediate predecessors reached deals across the aisle. President Clinton worked with Republicans to overhaul welfare. The first President Bush raised taxes to get a major deficit reduction agreement with Democrats. President Reagan worked with Democrats to revamp the tax code. . . .
"Republican John Kasich, who as House Budget Committee chairman helped craft a 1997 deficit reduction package with Clinton, said Bush lacks leverage. 'People are not afraid of George Bush,' he said.
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