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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DuckTapeSunroof who wrote (753158)	11/3/2006 3:31:50 PM
From: Hope Praytochange	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769670

Bush Blasts Democrats During Missouri Visit By William Branigin Washington Post Staff Writer November 3, 2006; 3:14 p.m. ET President Bush, campaigning to get out the Republican vote in Tuesday's midterm elections, challenged Democrats today to produce a "plan for success" in Iraq instead of leveling only "harsh criticism." Democrats rejected the charge, pointing to draft legislation they proposed in September, the Real Security Act of 2006, which calls for beginning the "phased redeployment" of U.S. forces from Iraq before the end of the year. During a stop in Springfield, Mo., to campaign for Republican Jim Talent, who is facing a strong Democratic challenge for his Senate seat, Bush hailed today's announcement of a drop in the national unemployment rate as evidence of a "strong and growing economy" resulting from his tax-cutting policy. He again predicted that Republicans would keep control of both the House and Senate despite the prognostications of "pundits" in Washington. Saying that Democrats' economic forecasts had "turned out to be wrong," Bush told a crowd of GOP supporters, "And now they're forecasting they're going to win the elections. Well, if their election forecasts are as good as their economic forecasts, we're going to have a great day on November the 7th." Bush's appearance in Missouri was part of a 10-state swing in the closing days of the midterm election campaign, an effort that the White House hopes will help turn out core Republican supporters. All the stops are in "red states" that helped reelect Bush in 2004. Democrats say the White House is staying away from close races in states that went Democratic, fearing that Bush's presence could prove to be a political liability for GOP candidates.

To: DuckTapeSunroof who wrote (753158)	11/3/2006 3:36:48 PM
From: DuckTapeSunroof	Respond to of 769670

On the Religious Right, an Alliance Torn Asunder By Alan Cooperman and Juliet Eilperin Friday, November 3, 2006; A04 washingtonpost.com Both are Christian conservatives, and they were once stalwart allies, but Dick Armey and James Dobson are going after each other tooth and claw. Armey, the former Texas congressman and House majority leader, argued in the Outlook section of this past Sunday's Washington Post that Republicans face an "electoral rout" because they stopped being the party of limited government, allowed spending to spin "out of control," and concentrated on such issues as flag burning, Terry Schiavo and same-sex marriage. On the Web site of FreedomWorks, the organization he now heads, Armey pins much of the blame on Dobson, the founder and chairman of Focus on the Family, and other "self-appointed Christian leaders." Calling them "thugs" and "bullies" in recent interviews, Armey says that "Dobson and his gang" have split the conservative Christian movement into two camps: those who want to "practice their faith independent of heavy-handed government" and "big government sympathizers who want to impose their version of 'righteousness' on others." Dobson, in a commentary for the Web site of Fox News, responded this week that Armey is "a very bitter man" who is still smarting because "I supported my close friend and hunting buddy," Rep. Steve Largent (R-Okla.), over Armey for majority leader. Dobson denied that he supports big government and cited news media reports that Armey has been consulting for the American Civil Liberties Union. Calling the accusations "a shocker" that "came straight out of the blue," Dobson concluded with this hypothesis about Armey: "He could be trying to reposition himself as an erstwhile Republican leader by discrediting the Religious Right, hoping to step into the vacuum after the upcoming election." A Dobson ally, the Rev. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention, said in an interview that evangelicals are irate over Armey's suggestion that issues such as same-sex marriage have distracted the Republicans. In 2004, he said, a referendum to ban same-sex marriage got more votes than President Bush did in Ohio. "If it weren't for the marriage amendment in Ohio, John Kerry would be president. So shut up, Dick," Land said. Tilting Toward Windmills There's a new star in this season's campaign commercials: windmills. While tall, spindly wind turbines might not be popular among Cape Cod residents right now, politicians from Montana to New York are using them to show voters they're committed to a clean energy future. At least 17 political ads feature windmills this year, according to the advocacy group League of Conservation Voters, a phenomenon that the group's president, Gene Karpinski, said shows that his group's message has finally acquired political resonance. "Nobody's ever said, 'We're coming to Congress to change environmental policy.' That's never happened before," Karpinski said. "This election is about change, and a big part of that change is about energy security." Of course, doing a stand-up in front of a massive windmill carries risks, as well. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) is shown with her hair flying about as she declares, "This windmill farm will make America less dependent on foreign oil." And Democratic Senate hopeful Jon Tester (Mont.) just looks small compared with the wind turbines standing behind him on an open plain. But Karpinski remains undaunted. "Candidate after candidate after candidate, they're talking about it," he said.