A car penetrated the security perimeter around the arena where President Bush was speaking Saturday and rammed the building. Authorities swarmed the vehicle. Bush was not hurt and no shots were fired from or at the car, White House spokesman Trent Duffy said. It was not immediately clear if Bush had gotten into his limousine at the time of the incident. (11/01/2003)

Rummy Rummy how did it happen? The NY Daily News reports a big fubar: “European newspapers are white-hot over a Pentagon blunder this week, when a Russian flag was draped over a table at a Rumsfeld lunch in honor of President Ion Iliescu of Romania. "Don't they know who is with them and who is not?" snapped one diplomat from "Old Europe," a phrase Rumsfeld coined to chide Germany and France for not backing the Iraq war.” (11/01/2003)

President Bush addressed the terrorist attack in Iraq in his weekly radio address. Since the taping of the address the United States has lost more solders in an attack on a helicopter. It may be the largest loss since secession of formal military operations. The close of his radio address is haunting in its meaning and comfort toward this tragic incident: “The terrorists and the Baathists hope to weaken our will. Our will cannot be shaken. We're being tested, and America and our allies will not fail. We will honor the sacrifice of the fallen by ensuring that the cause for which they fought and died is completed. And we will make America safer by helping to transform Iraq from an exporter of violence and terror into a center of progress and peace.” (11/02/2003)

The Washington Post-ABC Poll shows the nation is once again in a partisan schism. The poll also shows Bush’s approval rating at 42 percent with 56 percent disapproving and 2 percent undecided. The bitterly fought Presidential Election of 2000 seems to be lingering in close election states according to the article: “Voter interviews suggest that Bush has made few converts among those who voted against him in 2000, while some of those who backed him say they may not do so again unless there is clear improvement in the jobs situation and stabilization of the violence in Iraq.”

There, however, seems to be no reason for Democrats to celebrate according to the Washington Post article: “Democrats, however, are virtually invisible as an effective opposition to a president who commands center stage. Even many loyal Democrats complain that their party has no strong leaders and no alternative vision to Bush on either foreign or economic policy. The nine Democratic presidential candidates have made almost no impression on voters outside the few states with early caucuses or primaries next year. Most voters cannot name more than one or two of the candidates.” (11/02/2003)

The Washington Post reports: “Democrats are divided over the direction of their party and sharply split over whether party leaders should be more willing to confront President Bush or compromise with him on the Iraq war, taxes and the budget deficit, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll. Democrat’s reaction of how to deal with President Bush is at the heart of the Democrat divide. Six in 10 liberal Democrats want the party to confront Bush on the key issues. However a large majority of conservative Democrats are critical of their leaders for not compromising enough with the president. When it comes to the question of whether their party is going in the right direction Republicans are far more positive than the Democrats about their party leadership. Only 57 percent of Democrats are positive compared to 74 percent of Republicans.” (11/02/2003)

The Associated Press indicates that the Senate Intelligence Committee and the White House may have some distance to travel regarding the turning over of documents concerning the Senate’s 9-11 investigation: “The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee expects the White House to give the panel access to all materials it sought for its inquiry into prewar information on Iraq. A spokesman for President Bush indicates he shouldn't be so sure.” (11/03/2003)

CNN is reporting on Bush visit to California: “Both Democratic Gov. Gray Davis and Republican governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger will join Bush on Tuesday as he surveys the charred region on foot and by air. Bush also will meet with area firefighters, who battled flames that swept across more than 743,000 acres, caused more than 20 deaths and destroyed more than 3,570 homes.” (11/04/2003)

The White House released an internal memo to lower expectations concerning Bush’s poll numbers once the presumptive Democrat nominee is known according to the Associated Press: “Dowd, chief strategist and poll-watcher for Bush's re-election campaign, wrote to fellow campaign chiefs, "After the Democratic nominee is all but certain in the late winter/early spring, it would not be surprising for us to fall behind a bit. First, this is just the nature of the divided and polarized electorate. Second, once the Democratic nominee is all but assured, that person will receive a deluge of positive press at least for a couple of weeks, and this will temporarily be reflected in public opinion polls." (11/04/2003)

The National Annenberg Election Survey shows that the elderly are not happy with Bush’s plan to allow adults ages 18-to-64 support the investment of Social Security funds in stocks. The survey showed that those 65 and older opposed the proposal by 55-36 percent. While, those younger than 65 favored the proposal by 58-33 percent, Voters 65 and older made up 14 percent of the electorate in 2000, according to exit polls, and leaned slightly toward Democrat Al Gore. The elderly have consistently been a decisive in elections. Democrats are currently pandering to the group offering new plans for healthcare, drugs and social security. (11/04/2003)

President Bush visited California and comforted those devastated and praised the firefighters, according to an Associated Press story:

"I saw firsthand what it means for people to draw a line in the sand and say, 'This fire's not getting any further'," the president said. From Air Force One and later from Marine One, the presidential helicopter, Bush saw the evidence of the firefighters' efforts: Mile after mile of undeveloped hills were blackened, but the flames stopped at housing developments.

Bush promised no money in the meetings with both Governor Gray Davis and Governor- elect Arnold Schwarzenegger . (11/05/2003)

The employment numbers are to be released Friday, and they expect to show rising employment. However, Democrats continue to bet on running against Bush job loss of 2.6 million. Republicans see the possibility of gaining back 2 million of those jobs before the election. Associated press reveals most economist see that the jobs and economy will not be the issue they hoped for:

"The most likely scenario is we'll get enough jobs so it won't be the issue Democrats need to oust the president," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Economy.com said. About 100,000 new jobs per month is likely later next year, he said.

Hoover aside, Bush may well be running on a Ronald Reagan economy instead of his father's, said Sung Won Sohn, chief economist at Wells Fargo in Minneapolis. (11/05/2003)

President Bush will give a speech to the National Endowment for Democracy in which he will outline that America’s interest in the Middle East is for democratic gains that are not incompatible with the region’s religions. National security adviser Condoleezza Rice, briefing the press, reported Bush will tell those suspicious of U.S. motives in countries like Iraq that the political and economic freedoms America wants to see in the region are not synonymous with Westernization. According to Associated Press Rice stated, "If you look at democratic development in the world, it makes its peace with local traditions and local and religious and ideological views," she said. "It's not a one-size-fits-all approach."  (11/6/2003)

President Bush is heading to N. Carolina, the home of “My Daddy was a mill worker” Sen. John Edwards. The bigger problem is the lost jobs in those textile mills. The state has lost a fifth of its manufacturing jobs in the last three years and has 6.4 percent unemployment. While Republican Presidential candidates have won N. Carolina since 1976, currently Republicans in the state are not happy about the lack of attention paid to the loss of textile jobs to places like China. An Associated Press story highlights the business executives discomfort with the Bush administration:

John Emrich, chief executive of Guilford Mills in Greensboro, N.C., said textile companies may not have a lot of money to lobby in Washington, but they have another potent weapon… "We do have a lot of people who vote," said Emrich, who plans voter registration drives at his plants.

The administration has recently begun to address the unfair trade practices of China. Secretary of Commerce Lane Evans recently visited China. Bush can be expected to point to tax cuts and new job figures out today to bolster his appeal. Bush will also focus on job training, according to the Associated Press story:

In a speech at a local community college, the president was expected to focus on ways his administration is trying to level the playing field globally for American workers and their products, more effectively train workers for jobs in a changing economy, and invest in community college programs, a senior administration official said on condition of anonymity. Bush has proposed $3,000 re-employment accounts to help the unemployed with job-search expenses. He also wants to transform what he views as bureaucratic, ineffective job-training programs into targeted flexible funding to meet communities' and employers' specific needs. (11/7/2003)

President Bush signaled a new approach to Islam in his speech marking the 20th anniversary of the National Endowment for Democracy. For years, America has held to the principle of Islamic exceptionalism that holds democracy incompatible with political reform and modernity. Bush change was supported by his argument for the necessity of action.

"Sixty years of Western nations excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in the Middle East did nothing to make us safe, because in the long run stability cannot be purchased at the expense of liberty. As long as the Middle East remains a place where freedom does not flourish, it will remain a place of stagnation, resentment and violence ready for export. And with the spread of weapons that can bring catastrophic harm to our country and to our friends, it would be reckless to accept the status quo," Bush said.

The speech also marked a departure from the policy of not naming allies and pushing for the need to democratize their countries when Bush named Egypt and Saudi Arabia. (11/7/2003)

If it’s the weekend, it is time for more fund-raisers for the Bush/Cheney reelection committee. While Bush is in N. Carolina he is expected to pick-up another $1 million. Vice President Dick Cheney is going to Austin and Houston, Texas. (11/7/2003)

President Bush used his radio address to highlight the growing economy and job creation. Bush tapped his comments from Camp David, Md. Bush stressed the overall recovery of the economy:

 “The economy has created nearly 300,000 new jobs in the past three months after a half-year drought, pushing the unemployment rate down to 6 percent in October and leaving little doubt that the jobs market is bouncing back,” said President Bush.

“American companies are investing. Americans are buying homes at a record pace, and home ownership is near-record levels. Stock market values have risen, adding about $2 trillion in wealth for investors since the beginning of the year, he said, crediting the gains to "the effects of tax relief on the American economy," he said. (11/8/2003)

President Bush called Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah, Sunday Saudi Arabia time, to offer condolences to the people of Saudi Arabia for the terrorist attack that reportedly killed 11 and wounded 122 Saudis. The President also expressed America’s solidarity in the war on terrorism. (11/9/2003)

The President and First Lady are on the hustle Monday. President Bush is heading south to Arkansas and S. Carolina. Laura Bush is traveling to Maine. Both will give policy speeches and attend fund-raisers. Mrs. Bush will read a book to elementary school children at Shortlidge Academy in downtown Wilmington and attend a fund-raiser in the city. She will also give a speech on preserving the nation's cultural and historic sites before attending a Bush/Cheney fund-raiser. (11/10/2003)

One of the world’s richest men, George Soros, has targeted President Bush for defeat. The Washington Post story displays the deep extent to which Soros is tackling this latest project:

"It is the central focus of my life," Soros said, his blue eyes settled on an unseen target. The 2004 presidential race, he said in an interview, is "a matter of life and death."

The story relates how Soros sees visions of Hitler and Communist dictators in Bush’s style. However, Republican’s see ownership of the Democrats in Soros:

"It's incredibly ironic that George Soros is trying to create a more open society by using an unregulated, under-the-radar-screen, shadowy, soft-money group to do it," Republican National Committee spokeswoman Christine Iverson said. "George Soros has purchased the Democratic Party." (11/11/2003)

Fear of Dean could be a prime motivation for unexpected large amounts of money to flow into the Bush campaign. A similar event occurred when Richard Nixon faced the ultra liberal campaign of George McGovern. Dean, like McGovern, is promising everything to everyone and promising to raise taxes to do it. The Washington Post has a story on the possible effects of Dean’s foregoing campaign spending limits:

"As Dean consolidates as the front-runner, you have a whole new motivation for people to give beyond just affection for the president," a senior campaign adviser said. "Our people will see we're running against a Bush-hating ultra-liberal and they'll say, 'I've got to raise another 20K for the guy.' " (11/11/2003)

While President Bush was visiting the BMW manufacturing plant in Arkansas the subject of beer drinking came up. The NY times carries coverage of the event:

"We're the only American beer keg manufacturer in North America," [Steve Thies, the president and chief executive of the Spartanburg Steel Products Inc] boasted to the president, in front of a few hundred employees of BMW and Spartanburg Steel.

"I quit drinking in '86," Mr. Bush shot back, to laughter. Then looking out over the audience of workers and reporters, he said, "I bet some of the people out here use the product. I'm not going to point out which ones."

Mr. Thies could not resist a quick one-liner. "Well," he told the president, "we did notice a dip in demand at that point in time." After an initial gasp, the crowd roared. "But probably no relationship," Mr. Thies added. (11/11/2003)

President Bush will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony Tuesday morning at Arlington National Cemetery in observance of Veterans Day, reflecting on sacrifices being made by U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and honoring soldiers of wars past. (11/11/2003)

Doro Bush Koch, sister of President George W. Bush, will be in the Granite State on Thursday to file paperwork entering the President into the New Hampshire Presidential primary. (11/11/2003)

The Washington Times’ Inside the Beltway offers a vignette for Laura Bush:

First lady Laura Bush recalls one overnight visit with her husband to the home of his parents, the former president and Mrs. Bush…

"And George woke up at 6 a.m. as usual and went downstairs to get a cup of coffee," Mrs. Bush says. "And he sat down on the sofa with his parents and put his feet up. And all of a sudden, Barbara Bush yelled, 'Put your feet down!'

"George's dad replied, 'For goodness' sake, Barbara, he's the president of the United States.'

"And Barbara said, 'I don't care. I don't want his feet on my table.'"

The president promptly did as he was told, for as Mrs. Bush observes: "Even presidents have to listen to their mothers." (11/12/2003)

President Bush is on his 17th visit to Florida since taking office. He will push Medicare reform and pick up some cash in his brother’s state. When President Bush speaks at a $2,000-a-ticket luncheon at the Disney Grand Floridian Resort the Bush/Cheney campaign will be close to raising $100 million.

Democrats in the Senate are not favorable to the latest deal worked out to add prescription drugs to Medicare. They are opposing that Medicare would have to compete with private industry.

''The president feels we have a real and historic opportunity to improve Medicare for American seniors,'' said White House spokesman Taylor Gross. ``Medicare needs to be modernized. It is an important system to provide healthcare for America's seniors, but it was created in 1965 to address healthcare in that time period.'' (11/13/2003)

Fox News is reporting that the Muslim community wants more than photo-ops:

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