The Democrat National Chairman Terry McAuliffe is trying to peg President Bush with the AWOL moniker. The Washington Post reports on the question of whether Bush failed to report for duty:

White House communications director Dan Bartlett said yesterday that although no official record has been found, "obviously, you don't get an honorable discharge unless you receive the required points for annual service." He said Bush "specifically remembers" performing some of his duties in Alabama. Bartlett also provided a news clipping from 2000 quoting friends of Bush's from the Alabama Senate campaign saying they recalled Bush leaving for Guard duty on occasion.

The extent of how Democrats are going to use this issue is still in doubt:

Kerry said yesterday that he had not decided whether to make Bush's service an issue in the general election. Asked whether he has suggested that surrogates pursue this line of attack, he said: "I have not suggested to any of them that they do so, and I spoke out against the use of the word deserter, which I thought was inappropriate, wrong and over the top."   (2/3/2004)

• "We had a choice -- either take the word of a madman or take action to defend the American people. Faced with that choice I will defend America every time," said President Bush.

• "There's a live-and-let-live attitude out there," a Bush political source noted. "Strengthening marriage is great for us. But when you start talking about what you're going to do about it, your opponents will make it look like you're punishing gays, which isn't great."

• Ralph Reed, chairman of the Bush-Cheney campaign in the Southeast, said on Wednesday, "More important than labels is the fact that he has a voting record over 20 years in the U.S. Senate that is out of the mainstream, simply out of step with where the American people are, by consistently voting to weaken national defense, undercut our intelligence capability and massively raise taxes."  (2/5/2004)

Bush on defense

President Bush has begun appointing and expanding independent commissions that are investigating this nation’s actions before and during the War on Terrorism. Today Bush made another speech in which he affirmed invading Iraq was the right action to take, according to the Associated Press:

"We have not yet found the stockpiles of weapons that we thought were there," Bush said in a speech at the port of Charleston, South Carolina, in his clearest acknowledgment of problems with prewar intelligence on Iraqi weapons.

However, he said, "Knowing what I knew then and knowing what I know today, America did the right thing in Iraq."

Laura Bush has also begun a campaign to make women aware of the problem of heart disease. The disease kills more women than cancer. In undertaking the campaign, she is more visible in the media.  (2/5/2004)

Laura Bush speaks out

First Lady Laura Bush took on the eastern establishment press and their coverage of her and her husband. She is reported to have lost patience with a reporter who asked about her husband’s difficult reelection:

"I think it's looking tough to people who are interviewing each other. That's the press," the first lady quipped.

The newspaper also said the first lady's "aides say one of her frustrations is that she feels she has been miscast as a throwback first lady who has devoted most of her life to her husband's career and raising twin daughters and that her earlier work as a teacher and librarian have been marginalized by an East Coast elite who view those professions, according to Mrs. Bush, as traditional women's work."   (2/7/2004)

• "I'm working hard to unite the country.  As a matter of fact, it's the hardest part of being a president.  I was successful as the Governor of Texas for bringing people together for the common good, and I must tell you it's tough here in Washington, and frankly it's the biggest disappointment that I've had so far since coming to Washington. I'm not blaming anybody.  It's just the environment here is such that it's difficult to find common ground." -- President Bush on MSNBC's Meet the Press with Tim Russert. 

• "I strongly believe the CIA is ably led by George Tenet," Bush said in an Oval Office interview to be broadcast Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

• “We know that Saddam Hussein had the intent to arm his regime with weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussein had something else — he had a record of using weapons of mass destruction against his enemies and against his own people," said Dick Cheney.  (2/8/2004)

President Bush interviewed by Tim Russert for MSNBC's Meet the Press:

Tim Russert: This is Time magazine:  "Love him or Hate him:  Why George Bush arouses such passion and what it means for the country." … Why do you think you are perceived as such a divider?
President Bush: Gosh, I don't know, because I'm working hard to unite the country.  As a matter of fact, it's the hardest part of being a president.  I was successful as the Governor of Texas for bringing people together for the common good, and I must tell you it's tough here in Washington, and frankly it's the biggest disappointment that I've had so far since coming to Washington. I'm not blaming anybody.  It's just the environment here is such that it's difficult to find common ground.   Bush said the soldiers "needed to see me." He added: "They don't get to see me all the time. Sometimes, you know, they read things, and they got to see me, and they saw my determination and my support and respect for what they're doing." (2/8/2004)

Bush says Tenet’s CIA job secure

According to AP story, President Bush met with Tim Russert of Meet the Press on Saturday and stated CIA Director George Tenet is not in danger of losing his position:

"I strongly believe the CIA is ably led by George Tenet," Bush said in an Oval Office interview to be broadcast Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Asked whether Tenet's job was in jeopardy, Bush answered: "No, not at all, not at all,"

Tenet voiced criticisms earlier this week regarding intelligence leading up to the war in Iraq. Additionally, Bush told Russert he would cooperate with the new commission as it investigates Iraq intelligence:

"I will be glad to visit with them," the president said. "I will be glad to share with them knowledge. I will be glad to make recommendations, if they ask for some."

Regarding the time frame for the commission’s work to be completed, Bush commented, "There is going to be ample time for the American people to assess whether or not I made ... good calls — whether I used good judgment, whether or not I made the right decision in removing Saddam Hussein from power," Bush said. "I look forward to that debate."  (2/8/2004)

Cheney defends War

Vice President Dick Cheney was in Rosemont, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri, yesterday doing some fundraising and told GOP backers that the U.S. was justified in going to war in Iraq, based on Hussein’s capabilities of producing WMDs:

"We know that Saddam Hussein had the intent to arm his regime with weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussein had something else — he had a record of using weapons of mass destruction against his enemies and against his own people," he said

Speaking to nearly 200 people at a $1,500-a-plate luncheon benefiting Republican U.S. House candidates, Cheney said that while inspectors have failed to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the regime did have the scientists and the technology needed to produce them.

Cheney also called on Congress to renew the Patriot Act.  (2/8/2004)

Newsweek poll

 According to DRUDGE, a Newsweek poll conducted Feb. 5-6 shows President Bush’s approval rating at 48 percent – the lowest since February 2001. Regarding Bush’s reelection, 50 percent polled said they do not favor a second term for the incumbent president, 45 percent said they do. John Kerry, the clear leader in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, showed strength over Bush with a polled 50 to 45 percent ‘win.’ Other Democratic contenders would not fare well in a Bush match up: John Edwards loses 49 to 44, Howard Dean 50 to 44 and Wesley Clark 51 to 43.

Interesting numbers showed up regarding the role of First Lady:

…almost a third (31%) of Americans say former First Lady Hillary Clinton comes closest to their image of what a first lady should be; in a three-way tie for second place are First Lady Laura Bush and former First Ladies Barbara Bush and Nancy Reagan, with 20 percent each. Almost two thirds (62%) say a first lady should be involved in politics, while 32 percent disagree; 75 percent of Democrats feel this way (21% disagree); and 50 percent of Republicans feel this way (44% disagree).

When deciding which presidential candidate to support, 67 percent say it is either very important (25%) or somewhat important (42%) for them to learn about the candidate's spouse. Seventy-two percent say the relationship between a candidate and his spouse tells voters either a lot (40%) or something (32%) about how good a president he would be; 13 percent say it tells you not much and 12 percent say it tells you nothing.

This poll is part of the February 16 issue of Newsweek (on Newsstands Monday, February 9).  (2/8/2004)

• "There are some in Washington that are going to say, 'Let's not make the tax cuts permanent.' That means he's going to raise your taxes," President Bush said today in Missouri.

• “[Tim] Russert is a master of the legitimate gotcha question. I admire his hard-nosed interviewing techniques. But he must have checked them before passing through the metal detectors at the White House.” – writes The Nation’s columnist David Corn regarding Tim Russert’s Bush interview. (full column)

• It was as if Russert wouldn't let Russert be Russert. Booking Bush was the big "get," but, alas, Russert let this "get" get away. – writes The Nation’s columnist David Corn regarding Tim Russert’s Bush interview.    (2/9/2004)

Bush says economy strong

In his official report to Congress, President Bush declares the U.S. economy is “strong and getting stronger.” Bush named specific events that caused the downward spiral, beginning in the year 2000 when the stock market tumbled. Also named is the attack on 9/11, two wars, corporate scandals and the first recession in a decade. According to an AP report, Bush said:

"Americans have responded to each challenge and now we have the results: renewed confidence, strong growth, new jobs and a mounting prosperity that will reach every corner of America," Bush wrote in the message transmitting the report to Congress.

Bush’s report encompasses 412 pages and was compiled by the president’s Council of Economic Advisers. Predictions include a 4 percent growth in the economy and the creation of 2.6 million new jobs for 2004.  (2/9/2004)

Bush blasts Dems in Missouri

President Bush blasted his Democrat rivals during a speech today in Missouri. According to the AP article, Bush loudly defended his tax cuts and the need to make them permanent:

His voice rising to a shout, President Bush lashed out at Democratic rivals who want to roll back his tax cuts as he defended his economic priorities Monday in a presidential primary state where his record has been harshly criticized.

"There are some in Washington that are going to say, 'Let's not make the tax cuts permanent.' That means he's going to raise your taxes," Bush said at a factory. "When you hear people say, 'We're not going to make this permanent,' that means tax increase."

"Let me tell you what's going to happen when they raise them," Bush said. "They're going to say, 'Oh, we got to raise it so we can pay down the deficit. Uh-uh. They're going to raise the taxes and increase the size of the federal government, which would be bad for the United States economy."

But Missouri’s own governor, Bob Holden, was not complimentary to Bush’s economic policies. Holden said the 27,000 jobs gained there in 2003 were done “in spite of President Bush, not because of him."  (2/9/2004)

Bush numbers up, tied with Kerry

A USA Today article reports President Bush’s approval rating is up from a week ago – from 49% to 52%. The USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll was conducted over the weekend and most of it took place before Bush’s Meet the Press interview aired on Sunday.

As for a possible Kerry/Bush match up, last week showed Kerry with a possible 5-point advantage over Bush. However, the new poll shows the numbers closer: Bush 49% and Kerry 48%. Some of Kerry’s lost ground could be the cooling down of his Iowa/New Hampshire surprising wins.

"This is a very evenly divided country, and this poll reflects that a little better than the last one did," said Stuart Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Political Report, a non-partisan political newsletter.

The poll continued to show Bush’s dominance over the remaining Democrat presidential candidates in head-to-head matchups: John Edwards 50%-46%, Wesley Clark 51%-46% and Howard Dean 53%-43%.

Perhaps the biggest differential showed up in Dean’s support amongst Democrats. Last December Dean had 31% support; this latest poll shows Dean falling to just 14%. Kerry, who has snagged 50% Dem support lately, came in even higher in this poll with a 52% showing. (2/10/2004)

Bush releases military info…again

Today President Bush is releasing pay records and such in response to questions about his service in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War…. again. He also made this information available in 2000.  (2/10/2004)

Censure Bush Movement gaining

A MoveOn.org recent reports states that over 300,000 people have signed their call for a Censure of President Bush, to be presented tomorrow:

The response to our "Censure" campaign has been incredible. In just days, more than 250,000 people have joined our call on Congress to censure President Bush for misleading us in his rush to war -- a response among the strongest we've ever seen.

The response was so strong, in fact, that you may have had trouble accessing our website to sign on. We've now taken steps to ensure that you'll be able to get through.

Tomorrow, we'll present our campaign to Congress at a press conference in Washington. We'll be joined by former top intelligence officers and by parents whose children have been injured and killed while serving in the military in Iraq.

With your help, we can make our statement even more powerful -- we're aiming for 300,000 signatures on our petition by tomorrow. We can also reach a major milestone in MoveOn's history: our two-millionth U.S. member. True Majority, Working Assets, and the Win Without War coalition are also joining us in this campaign.   (2/10/2004)

Gore’s sore speech

Grab that left over Xanax and donate it to a worthy cause… rescue this mass of fried nerve endings called Al Gore. Place a pill or two in the spoon for him and sing, “Just a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down.”

That’s right – Al Gore is ranting and raving as he never has before. The fact he will not be president has become reality for him. Subsequently, he is going NUTZ-O. Somebody needs to get him a straightjacket, or send him Mary Poppins to sing some medicine down into his sore Gore soul.

The New York Times writes of a frazzled, shouting former Vice President Gore, accusing President Bush of betraying the country. His clouded judgment revealed by the accusation of Bush using 9/11 as justification for the Iraq War.

Using 9/11?

Here’s Gore’s choice of words, according to the NY Times:

"He betrayed this country!" Mr. Gore shouted into the microphone at a rally of Tennessee Democrats here in a stuffy hotel ballroom. "He played on our fears. He took America on an ill-conceived foreign adventure dangerous to our troops, an adventure preordained and planned before 9/11 ever took place."

Gore’s sore speech repeated “politics of fear” like a crazed parrot  -- politics-of-fear, politics-of-fear … polly-wants-a-cracker. He recanted past sores, like his father’s loss to Richard Nixon due to the politics-of-fear Nixon had used. He likened the Bush administration to the same (uh-huh) politics-of-fear tactics.

Sound obsessive? Well, according to the Times article, Gore says it’s the Bush administration that’s obsessive. Gore claims they are obsessed with re-election.

Talk about transference of issues!

Politics-of-fear, politics-of-fear… Anybody got Mary Poppin’s phone number?  (2/10/2004)

• “His [President Bush] hold on the country is eroding," says presidential historian Robert Dallek. "He's lost credibility . . . I think he's in real trouble."  (2/10/2004)

Presidents may testify

In what may be an unprecedented event, a current president and former president may give testimony before an investigatory commission into the events leading up to and involving 9/11.

Bill Clinton, Al Gore, George W. Bush & Dick Cheney have all been asked to testify before the 9/11 Commission. Former congressman Lee Hamilton, Democrat/Indiana, co-chair of the commission, said, “No one has said no, and contacts are favorable so far with all involved.”   (2/11/2004)

Democrats playing race card

Democrat National Committee sent an email entitled "Take Action To Stop Bush," the DNC is asking African-Americans to sign a petition in protest of an alleged reversal in policies that have previously benefited black Americans.

One of the main reasons Blacks are to oppose Bush is because America has been attacked and the War on Terrorism, coupled with corporate scandals started during the Clinton administration have plunged the nation into a recession and Blacks are living in poverty and unemployed. Oh, the DNC left off the part about the War on Terrorism and Clinton’s administration responsibility for the corporate scandal. Imagine that?  (2/11/2004)

Bush, “Marriage between men & women”

The Washington post reports that:

Bush plans to endorse language introduced by Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) that backers contend would ban gay marriage but not prevent state legislatures from allowing the kind of civil unions and same-sex partnership arrangements that exist in Vermont and California.

Kerry’s position is, that he opposes gay marriage but does not support a constitutional amendment, his campaign said yesterday. "I believe and have fought for the principle that we should protect the fundamental rights of gay and lesbian couples, from inheritance to health benefits," he said in a statement. "I believe the right answer is civil unions. I oppose gay marriage and disagree with the Massachusetts Court's decision."  (2/11/2004)

Bush – energy policy to be issue

The LA Times reports on how Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico plans to challenge the Bush administrations energy plan in his state. It also points out how it will affect the campaign:

Richardson's decision to champion the protection of Otero Mesa is a sign that the Bush energy policy could emerge as a campaign issue in the Mountain West as Democrats rail against Republican special interests.

The companies that stand to benefit most from drilling at Otero Mesa have close ties to members of the Bush administration, including Vice President Dick Cheney and top officials of the Department of the Interior. That has led opponents to argue that cronyism, rather than sound energy policy, is behind the Otero Mesa drilling plan.   (2/11/2004)

Bush’s National Guard Service

The Bush administration released pay stubs and many in the Guard stated that the President had adequately fulfilled his Guard obligations and deserved to be honorably discharged despite several months gaps in pay and potential reporting for duties.

However, the Democrat Party was quick to respond, "There is still no evidence that George W. Bush showed up for duty as ordered while in Alabama." It noted an evaluation report from superiors in Texas said Bush had not been "observed" from April 1972 to May 1973.   (2/11/2004)

Bush-Cheney new web video pulled

The Bush-Cheney campaign's new web video, called "Responsibility" and heavy on unauthorized clips of Bush on Meet the Press from Sunday, lived on the campaign website for five hours before it was pulled by the campaign following objections from NBC. It carried the theme "Steady leadership in times of change."   (2/11/2004)

• "There are still some people looking for work because jobs have gone overseas… We need to act to make sure there are more jobs at home," President Bush said.

• "We have a president for whom English is a second language," actor Robin Williams said. "He's like 'We have to get rid of dictators,' but he's pretty much one himself."

• “Democratic strategists feel John Kerry's war record means he can beat Bush. They say when it comes down to it voters will always vote for a war hero over someone who tried to get out of the war. I'll be sure to mention that to Bob Dole when I see him," said Jay Leno.  (2/13/2004)

MoveOn.org pushing new ad

Here is a new email from MoveOn:

Dear MoveOn member,

Today we're launching the Bush in 30 Seconds video, which includes all of the contest finalists and thirty other great ads. We've also included the Bush in 30 Seconds Live awards show featuring Al Franken, Janeane Garofalo, Moby, Rufus Wainwright, Michael Moore, Julia Stiles, John Sayles, Chuck D, and others. If you donate $30 or more to the Voter Fund today, we'll send you a copy in DVD or VHS format, and every cent of your donation will help get the ads on TV.

As you know, we've had some trouble getting Child's Pay, the winning Bush in 30 Seconds ad, on the air. Now, thanks to your efforts, it's airing in states across the country. And Polygraph, one of the runners-up, will follow, delivering a succinct and devastating message about the gap between what President Bush told us and the truth. We hope to continue airing ads from the contest over the next few months, highlighting the democratic way they came to us while also revealing the real effects of President Bush's policies.

But we don't have to rely solely on advertising to get these ads out there. The Bush in 30 Seconds video allows us to show the ads directly to the public. We've received hundreds of requests for copies of the ads, from the U.S. Senate to a TV station in Australia. Film festivals are asking to show them in between movies. Folks want to hold house parties and watch them. The video makes that easy.

President Bush is raising hundreds of millions of dollars in order to saturate the air waves with negative and misleading ads. We'll never raise as much –- there simply aren't as many folks who can afford to write us $2,000 checks. But there are two things that we have that he does not: creativity, and the truth. And the Bush in 30 Seconds video contains a lot of both. Help support our Voter Fund effort to get out the truth in swing states by picking up a copy today.   (2/13/2004)

Bush losing credibility

A new Washington Post/ABC News Poll shows President Bush is losing credibility:

Barely half -- 52 percent -- now believe Bush is "honest and trustworthy," down 7 percentage points since late October and his worst showing since the question was first asked, in March 1999. At his best, in the summer of 2002, Bush was viewed as honest by 71 percent. The survey found that nearly seven in 10 think Bush "honestly believed" Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Even so, 54 percent thought Bush exaggerated or lied about prewar intelligence.

Bush seems to becoming vulnerable to charges being made by Sen. John Kerry that Bush has a credibility gap. The current Time magazine cover story asks: "Believe him or not -- does Bush have a credibility gap?" The Post reports that:

Three in four Democrats said Bush either lied or exaggerated about what was known about Iraq's weapons, while an equally large majority of Republicans said the president did neither. Slightly more than half of all independents believed Bush had misled the public about Iraq's weapons cache.  (2/13/2004)

Bush’s traffic tickets

In the continuing saga of those who cannot believe that Bush was honorably in the Air National Guard, the White House has released the fact that Bush received … speeding tickets. The release is the response of sorts to USA Today’s printing Bush’s application to join the Guard with blacked out portions of the application.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan showed a small group of reporters a copy of Bush's application to be an officer, with nothing blacked out, after USA TODAY published a picture of the blacked-out document Thursday. The accompanying report said that Guard officials in Texas had been concerned about embarrassing information in Bush's military records before the files were released to the public beginning in 1999, according to two former Guard officials. Bush aides denied there was any effort to suppress any potentially embarrassing information.

The information in the documents showed that President Bush had been arrested once for a college prank and was cited for two automobile accidents and two speeding tickets before he enlisted in the National Guard.  (2/13/2004)

Bush campaign ad

President Bush’s campaign sent out the following email to their supporters:

John Kerry often says that, if elected, he'll show the "special interests" the door. But a review of his record reveals that the only door he's shown special interests is the front door of his office.

For more details, please go here and see a new Web video:

http://www.GeorgeWBush.com/Unprincipled/   (2/13/2004)

• "Instead of attacking America's problems, George Bush has decided to play attack politics," Kerry said in the prepared text for the Democratic Party dinner on Saturday night.

• “With George Bush's bad record -- with his lack of vision -- he has no choice but to resort to attack politics," John Kerry said. "Maybe we can't blame him, but come November, we can replace him."   (2/14/2004)

9/11 testimony

9-11 Commission Chairman Kean and Vice Chaimanr Hamilton today requested a private meeting with President Bush to discuss information relevant to the Commission's work. The President has agreed to the request. While the Chair and Vice Chair have suggested the possibility of a public session at a later time, we believe the President can provide all the requested information in the private meeting, and there is no need for any additional testimony.  (2/14/2004)

The Guard flap

Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie sent out the following regarding the Alabama Guard wishful slander against President Bush:

For the last 10 months, day after day, spending over $40 million in campaign ads supported by $7 million from third parties, Democrats have attacked the President and his policies using some of the most vitriolic rhetoric in the history of presidential politics.

We highlight policies and note Senator John Kerry's long record. They, in turn, accuse the President of desertion -- a military crime punishable by death -- as the Clark campaign did; or accuse the President of being AWOL, a felony punishable by imprisonment, as DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe has done. Terry McAuliffe has become the John Wilkes Booth of Presidential character assassination.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but they are not entitled to their own facts. On Tuesday, new documents proved again that the President served honorably in the National Guard:

·        The Washington Times published a letter from Col. William Campenni who says he was a lieutenant with President Bush in the 111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.

·        The White House released military records that show the President fulfilled requirements necessary for an honorable discharge from the Texas Air National Guard in 1973.

·        The documents include pay and accreditation records stored on microfilm in a U.S. government military archives in Colorado.

·        On Thursday the military released records of one Lt. George W. Bush's visit to an Air Force dentist while on guard duty in Alabama.

The media was probably ready to follow up with, "Well, that only proves his teeth were there, but do you have any proof of the rest of his body being there?"

Until today, when John B. "Bill" Calhoun, an officer in the Alabama Air National Guard, said he remembered President Bush sitting in his office in Montgomery during 1972:

"He'd sit on my couch and read training manuals and accident reports and stuff like that," Calhoun told The Washington Post. "The pilots would read those so they would see what other guys did wrong. . . . He never complained about coming."

It's only February and they have made clear they intend to run the dirtiest campaign in modern presidential politics. This is because they don't want a debate on the issues, and they don't want to run on Sen. Kerry's record. I guess I can't blame them for that. We as a party cannot sink to their level. We must stick to the truth in this race.  (2/14/2004)

Number one racing fan

President Bush will be attending the Daytona 500 and the drivers are glad according to the Washington Post:

"He's just a great American," said Terry Labonte, a Bush supporter and fellow Texan. "In times like this, I'm glad we've got someone like him in office."

The Democrats hope to make inroads with NASCAR dads who normally cast ballots for the Republicans in national elections but might be growing disenchanted with Bush's handling of the economy, stagnant job prospects, Iraq and the ballooning budget deficit.   (2/14/2004)

CBS has fewer friends

CBS has pulled the Medicare ad that Congress demanded the Department of Health and Human Services produce to inform the public about the changes in the Medicare law that will provide for prescription drugs and a discount buyers card soon.

John Feehery, spokesman for House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, Illinois Republican, said CBS executive Martin Franks, who is in charge of standards and practices for CBS, is a "partisan Democrat" who gave $59,000 to Democrats over the past 14 years, and has also given money to Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.

VIACOM executives who own CBS only recently were testifying before Congress about the Janet Jackson debacle. They last year pulled a docudrama on the life of Ronald Reagan from airing on CBS and put it on one of their cable channels. The FCC has threatened loss of license if networks don’t improve their content.

Democrats have called on the General Accounting Office to investigate the commercial to determine if it is a political campaign ad for President Bush’s reelection.  (2/14/2004)

Democrats jump on outsourcing

The Democrat National Committee has jumped on the President’s economic advisor’s statement that outsourcing of jobs is another type of international trade. The quote is being used to raise funds and insight activists to campaign against the President. Here is the quote:

"Outsourcing is just a new way of doing international trade. We're very used to goods being produced abroad and being shipped here on ships or planes. What we're not used to is services being produced abroad and being sent here over the Internet or telephone wires. The economics is basically the same. More things are tradable than were tradable in the past and that's a good thing."

N. Gregory Mankiw, Chairman of Bush's Council of Economic Advisers

Mankiw has since apologized for the statement.  (2/14/2004)

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