Democrats A Danger, Bush Tells GOP Donors
Democrats a danger, Bush tells GOP donors
Attacks set stage for tense election fight
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...610060466/1009
October 6, 2006
STOCKTON, Calif. -- With control of Congress up for grabs in November and Republicans mired in a sex scandal, President George W. Bush is ripping into Democrats as never before. His message: They're dangerous to America.
Bush unveiled the line of attack this week during a fund-raising tour that set the tone for what's sure to be a bruising run-up to the elections.
"There's certainly tension in the air in this congressional election," said Russell Armstrong, a mortgage broker who drove five hours to see Bush at a congressional fund-raiser. "There's always risk in politics because there are always wild cards that you don't expect."
Bush never mentioned the Mark Foley scandal during appearances before Republican donors, focusing instead on Democrats. At times, he took liberties to make his case that the opposition party is soft on terrorism.
At a stop in Scottsdale, Ariz., he said Democrats who voted against warrantless eavesdropping "don't think we ought to be listening to the conversations of terrorists."
"If the people of the United States don't think we ought to be listening in on the conversations of people who could do harm to the United States, then go ahead and vote for the Democrats," he added. "If you want to make sure those on the front line of protecting you have the tools necessary to do so, you vote Republican, for the safety of the United States."
Many lawmakers of both parties who oppose Bush's program say, however, that they agree on the need to eavesdrop on suspected terrorists. They just don't like the idea of doing it with little or no court oversight.
Democrats offered alternative legislation that would permit warrantless eavesdropping for up to a week, with court approval required after that.
"All of us support strong tools to intercept the communications of terrorists, track their whereabouts and disrupt their plots. All of us," Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., said during a House debate last month.
After listening to Bush in Stockton, Republican donor Clinton Hutchinson acknowledged that the president might have gone a bit far. But he was impressed by Bush's ability to draw clear distinctions.
"A lot of politicians I've watched talk at you. President Bush talks to you," he said.
Bush said his three-day Western trip was the start of an effort to help Republicans keep control of Congress.
"I like campaigns," he said in Scottsdale. "It's a good chance to explain the philosophy of the two parties."
