Bush Inviting Dems to Meet About Iraq

[cal04]

President Bush on Tuesday invited Democrats to discuss their standoff over a war-spending bill, but he made clear he would not change his position opposing troop withdrawals. The White House bluntly said the meeting would not be a negotiation.

"It's time for them to get the job done, so I'm inviting congressional leaders from both parties — both political parties — to meet with me at the White House next week," Bush said in a speech to an American Legion audience in Fairfax, Va.

"At this meeting, the leaders in Congress can report on progress on getting an emergency spending bill to my desk," Bush said. "We can discuss the way forward on a bill that is a clean bill, a bill that funds our troops without artificial timetables for withdrawal and without handcuffing our generals on the ground. I'm hopeful we'll see some results soon from the Congress."

Democratic leaders said they're ready to sit down and talk with Bush. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that Bush must agree to "take a seat at the table of negotiation, of compromise, of direction change."

"Iraqi leaders are not willing to take the political risk of governing their own country. That must change," Reid said. "That's what Congress is demanding. That is what the American people, by a large majority, demand. And the president should be leading us in that direction, not threatening to veto funding for our troops unless we rubber stamp his flawed plan."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070410/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq_11

[babylonsister]

1. I wish they'd blow him off; he obviously doesn't listen and it's all for show. nt

[wtmusic]

4. No kidding

He's made it clear he won't negotiate; why give him a free photo op?

This is a good opportunity for Reid to show us what he's made of.

[Kikosexy2]

5. Harry...

send him the bill to veto and a yo-yo to play with...

[asjr]

2. Come into my parlor said the spider.

[whistle]

3. Just send the bill to Bush, let him veto it and then let him deal with the consequences

...in the immediate aftermath. It will be clear that he'll eventually have to accept the time-line of the March 2008 withdrawal, or having deprived the military of the necessary funding by his veto begin withdrawal immediately.

[blm]

9. I'm with you. This is EXACTLY how they should do it.

.

[Monkeyman]

6. If they go I sure would like to be a fly on the wall

[eringer]

7. "Just Say No"

Just tell him that you are too busy right now but will be happy to come over for the signing party!

[Schema Thing]

8. Do.Not.Blink, dems.