NYT: President Uses a Quiet Vacation To Prepare an Ambitious Agenda

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/01/politics/01bush.html?hp&ex=1136091600&en=fc34e780576ac7cd&ei=5094&partner=homepage

For six days, President Bush has stayed in nearly complete isolation on his ranch here - just mountain-biking and brush-clearing, the White House insisted daily, with only one houseguest, his mother-in-law, Jenna Welch. He never even ventured into this little town of about 700, not even to the cheeseburger joint that he often used as a political stage to show that he is in touch with his Texas neighbors.

But on New Year's Day, after a brief stop at an Army hospital in San Antonio to visit wounded soldiers, Mr. Bush is scheduled to return to the White House earlier than usual from his break and start a campaign to set the tone for 2006 and, perhaps, the remainder of his presidency.

As part of an ambitious strategy the White House has mapped out for the next four weeks, Mr. Bush has scheduled two major speeches - one on the economy on Friday in Chicago, another on Iraq - ahead of the State of the Union address, which is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 31. By the time he appears before Congress, Mr. Bush's aides are hoping, two of the immediate challenges the president faces, the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. and the permanent renewal of the Patriot Act, will be behind him.

And on Thursday at the White House, he will meet with previous secretaries of state and defense to try to make the case that after the recent raucous debate over Iraq, there are fewer differences than meet the eye on what to do there next. It is a theme that his national security adviser, Stephen J. Hadley, struck in a little-noted speech on Dec. 20 in which he described the "common ground" that has emerged on training Iraqi forces and building a cohesive government there.

[VegasWolf]

1. "quiet time" = getting plastered where no one can see. nt

[WildClarySage]

2. "earlier than usual"

what the hell does that mean? He's not spending 3 months on this vacation?

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. Something must be up

Even Katrina could barely make him cut his vacation short. Maybe Rove's getting indicted?

[formercia]

22. It took longer to set up 9/11

it's a lot easier the second time around.

[thereismore]

3. "to start a campaign" - yeah, that's all he knows to do. nt

[Maggie_May]

4. I hope our Dems

are locked and loaded for 2006 I know I am!

[Beausoir]

5. What a hand job of an article! Again with the "brush clearing"?

And what? No Condi? What kind of a holiday was it without his other wife?

[RamboLiberal]

9. The WP had a full out BJ on the Brush Clearing

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/30/AR2005123001326.html

Down on the Ranch, President Wages War on the Underbrush
Bush Conscripts Aides in Tireless Pursuit of Clearing Ground

By Lisa Rein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, December 31, 2005; Page A03

CRAWFORD, Tex., Dec. 30 -- On most of the 365 days he has enjoyed at his secluded ranch here, President Bush's idea of paradise is to hop in his white Ford pickup truck in jeans and work boots, drive to a stand of cedars, and whack the trees to the ground.

If the soil is moist enough, he will light a match and burn the wood. If it is parched, as it is across Texas now, the wood will sit in piles scattered over the 1,600-acre spread until it is safe for a ranch hand to torch -- or until the president can come home and do the honors himself.

Sometimes this activity is the only official news to come out of what aides call the Western White House. For five straight days since Monday, when Bush retreated to the ranch for his Christmas sojourn, a spokesman has announced that the president, in between intelligence briefings, calls to advisers and bicycling, has spent much of his day clearing brush.

This might strike many Washingtonians as a curious pastime. It does burn a lot of calories. But brush clearing is dusty, it is exhausting (the president goes at it in 100 degree-plus heat), and it is earsplitting, requiring earplugs to dull the chain saw's buzz.

[Maven]

18. It's almost comical

I think you can tell by the tone of the article ("the White House insisted") that the reporter was taking the medicine with squinted eyes, so to speak.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

6. He missed his CHEESEBURGER? OH, DEAR GOD, NO!!!

Can't wait to hear the speech on how great the economy is doing. If today's radio address is any indication, it'll be a real knee-slapper.

:grr:

[CoffeeCat]

7. I love it that he'll be in Chicago. I hope the protests are unprecedented.

I wish I could be in Chicago--to stand peacefully (with a very creative sign, of course!) against
this despicable, shameful pResident.

I hope to God that many are planning massive protests.

Interesting...Because Junior usually doesn't reveal where he will be, or when--until a few
days before he arrives.

Next Friday--January 6th. We have the date, so hey Chicagoans--let yourselves be heard and seen!

[riderinthestorm]

15. I'll be there

He will be speaking at the Chicago Hilton & Towers, 720 S. Michigan Avenue, on Friday, January 6th. Some of us are planning on protesting there beginning @ 11 AM.

In typically cowardly fashion, Bush will be speaking once again before a hand-picked audience -- only members of the elite Economic Club of Chicago and selected guests will be allowed the "privilege" of paying $125 to hear W in the Hilton's International Ballroom.

Members of the Club are being told to show up at 10 am, presumably for security clearance. Doors of the Ballroom open at 11 am, with a luncheon at noon.


11 AM
Friday, January 6th
Chicago Hilton & Towers
720 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago

Be there! Even if you can only join us for a few minutes during your lunch break.

[Cha]

21. That's cause he's their

president(sic)..not ours. bush isn't a man of the people of the USA..he's a corporatewhore.

[Cha]

19. Your post reminded me of

this thread last night and it seems like a good place to make sure some of today's people see it..speaking of "very creative"!



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2340533

Thanks to you .. BEB! :toast:

[HockeyMom]

8. Ecomony?

More Paris Hilton Tax Cuts I presume.

[William Bloode]

10. "Just mountain-biking, and brush-clearing"

According to what was said the other day, he was supposed to be soooo occupied reading?

So which is it? Is he just biking, and brush clearing, or is he reading. Or, is somebody telling a fib (gasp!)?

[spindrifter]

11. Did someone insist on an intervention?

[cliss]

12. I'll translate this article =

Bush is going to isolate himself for the next week because he's exhausted. Not from working; but from the stress. He needs time to think; to decide how to save his sorry ass.

The magpies are starting to get louder. They're becoming more bold, showing less respect for him as he gets out there and tries to sell his agenda.

Nothing is working out for Bush. His whole presidency is getting attacked. Tightening the thumscrews won't work because there are too many of them. Iraq is a dismal hell-hole. Afghanistan is right behind. The treasury is tanking; soon we won't have enough money to finance George and Dick's Excellent Adventure.

When it comes down to it, George knows his rise to power was built on the backs of the dead people at the World Trade Center.

[DeadManInc]

13. Hiding because the drunk fuck

probably crashed his bike again!

[Frustratedlady]

14. Really?

Mr. Bush has scheduled two major speeches - one on the economy on Friday in Chicago, another on Iraq - ahead of the State of the Union address, which is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 31.

Is he going to serve a rubber turkey again? Naw, he IS the turkey!

[Earth_First]

17. "brush-clearing" -it's hard work

What I'm more amazed with is the amount of around-the-clock brush MAKING there must be going on in Crawford for this bozo to "clear".

[kskiska]

20. In Reagan's later days

he enjoyed raking leaves. He liked it so much that when he had finished, the Secret Service secretly dumped the leaves back on the ground so he could rake some more. Maybe they perform this service for *, too.

[EST]

23. 'Til he fell out of the tree.

[Orangepeel]

24. that's ambitious?

make (bad) stuff we did before permanent and confirm an appointment?

[lovuian]

25. Ya like Starting WWIII

this just is so disheartening to see our country under control by this horrible regime...

[Alpharetta]

26. Can you imagine a "listening tour" from this prick?

Can you imagine him actually tracking the recovery efforts in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama?

Can you imagine him visiting Houston or Atlanta and finding out what it would take to get the remaining refugees out of hotels and into housing?

Can you imagine him getting to the bottom of the Medicaid drug program mess?

Can you imagine him cleaning up our penal code so we're not housing drug offenders while violent criminals get early release?

Can you imagine him dropping the stupid test burden from "No Child Left Behind" so we can concentrate on improving our education system?

Me neither.

It's too bad his ambition doesn't start with listening. The arrogant bastard.

[pfitz59]

27. Stories like this make me nauseaous....

suggesting that its "real" news! This belongs on entertainment tonight or some other celebrity channel as it says NOTHING! Its a press release from "White House, Inc." masquerading as news. Shame on the times.....

[xultar]

28. Rove gave Dim Son a TIME OUT!

:rofl:

[MichiganVote]

29. Since when is saving one's ass a presidential duty?

[donkeyotay]

30. My, but this IS ambitious! " a campaign to set the tone for 2006"

We've gone from catapulting the propaganda and being a war criminal to setting a tone and being a war criminal.

The only thing I want to hear in 2006 is the sound of all those trials grinding these criminals down to fine rubble. And take their mob boss with them.

Saw a bumper sticker that said "Bush Belongs Behind Bars." Sounds right to me.

[Demeter]

31. Sounds Like It's 15 Minutes to Panic Time

If I were Bush, my priorities would be:

WHo to replace Cheney and how to get him to leave.

Where to hide money, wife and self.

How to cop a plea for peaceful retirement.