Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Tampa Tribune
May 1, 2007
By William March and Billy House, The Tampa Tribune
TAMPA - President Bush will defend the war in Iraq in an appearance at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa today on the fourth anniversary of his "Mission Accomplished" declaration.
Bush's appearance comes the same day he is expected to receive legislation intended to bring the war to an end. He has vowed to veto the bill, but that likely will happen after he leaves Tampa.
The $124 billion Iraq spending bill passed by Congress includes deadlines for beginning a withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Bush has said he considers a mandatory timetable unacceptable and will veto the bill as soon as he receives it.
The Tampa events come four years to the day after Bush donned a military flight suit and landed on the deck of aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, parked off the California coast near San Diego.
He declared victory in Iraq that day, saying "major combat operations in Iraq have ended" and that "the battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror." Behind him, a banner on the ship's superstructure read, "Mission Accomplished."
Democrats deny they purposely chose to deliver the legislation to the White House on the anniversary of that event, which has been used to criticize Bush.
The House passed the bill Wednesday, and the Senate passed it Thursday.
Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said preparation of the bill for transmission to the president was not handled any differently from any other bill. Hammill noted that no legislative business was done Monday, as many Congress members attended the funeral of Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-Calif.
Nevertheless, White House spokesman Tony Snow suggested Democrats were taking advantage of the calendar.
"It's now been passed for five days," Snow told reporters Monday. "We're not quite sure why it's been so difficult to convey it one mile up Pennsylvania Avenue."
Hammill said the White House probably won't get the bill until after Bush leaves for Florida, meaning any veto won't occur until he returns to Washington.
The Iraq supplemental spending bill orders President Bush to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq no later than this fall.
After the veto, House and Senate Democratic leaders are expected to begin negotiating with the White House on what to include in a bill to provide continued spending to support U.S. troops in Iraq.
To war opponents, the anniversary is resonant.
"His speech several years ago was not true - another false claim," said Chrystal Hutchison, of Florida Consumer Action Network, a group organizing a protest of Bush's visit. The protest will be at Gandy Boulevard and Dale Mabry Highway.
"The mission is not accomplished. We have not achieved what we set out to do, and it's time to wrap it up and bring a responsible end," she said.
Pasco County Democratic Party Chairman Alison Morano sent an e-mail to party members urging them to participate in the demonstration, noting that the bill Bush is expected to veto includes a minimum wage increase.
While he's here, Bush will confer the President's Volunteer Service Award on Daniel Middaugh, 16, of Riverview, an East Bay High School sophomore who has done extensive volunteer work for charitable agencies.
Bush then will participate in a briefing by officers of Central Command, which has its headquarters at the base.
After the briefing, he will speak to a gathering of military officers of the nations involved in the military coalition fighting in Iraq.
Bush has no other announced activities, but when he visits military bases, he typically spends at least some time meeting with military families of casualties in the Iraq war.
The speech is open to the media, but Bush is not expected to participate in any activities open to the public or to take questions from reporters during the visit.
May 1, 2007
By William March and Billy House, The Tampa Tribune
TAMPA - President Bush will defend the war in Iraq in an appearance at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa today on the fourth anniversary of his "Mission Accomplished" declaration.
Bush's appearance comes the same day he is expected to receive legislation intended to bring the war to an end. He has vowed to veto the bill, but that likely will happen after he leaves Tampa.
The $124 billion Iraq spending bill passed by Congress includes deadlines for beginning a withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Bush has said he considers a mandatory timetable unacceptable and will veto the bill as soon as he receives it.
The Tampa events come four years to the day after Bush donned a military flight suit and landed on the deck of aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, parked off the California coast near San Diego.
He declared victory in Iraq that day, saying "major combat operations in Iraq have ended" and that "the battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror." Behind him, a banner on the ship's superstructure read, "Mission Accomplished."
Democrats deny they purposely chose to deliver the legislation to the White House on the anniversary of that event, which has been used to criticize Bush.
The House passed the bill Wednesday, and the Senate passed it Thursday.
Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said preparation of the bill for transmission to the president was not handled any differently from any other bill. Hammill noted that no legislative business was done Monday, as many Congress members attended the funeral of Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-Calif.
Nevertheless, White House spokesman Tony Snow suggested Democrats were taking advantage of the calendar.
"It's now been passed for five days," Snow told reporters Monday. "We're not quite sure why it's been so difficult to convey it one mile up Pennsylvania Avenue."
Hammill said the White House probably won't get the bill until after Bush leaves for Florida, meaning any veto won't occur until he returns to Washington.
The Iraq supplemental spending bill orders President Bush to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq no later than this fall.
After the veto, House and Senate Democratic leaders are expected to begin negotiating with the White House on what to include in a bill to provide continued spending to support U.S. troops in Iraq.
To war opponents, the anniversary is resonant.
"His speech several years ago was not true - another false claim," said Chrystal Hutchison, of Florida Consumer Action Network, a group organizing a protest of Bush's visit. The protest will be at Gandy Boulevard and Dale Mabry Highway.
"The mission is not accomplished. We have not achieved what we set out to do, and it's time to wrap it up and bring a responsible end," she said.
Pasco County Democratic Party Chairman Alison Morano sent an e-mail to party members urging them to participate in the demonstration, noting that the bill Bush is expected to veto includes a minimum wage increase.
While he's here, Bush will confer the President's Volunteer Service Award on Daniel Middaugh, 16, of Riverview, an East Bay High School sophomore who has done extensive volunteer work for charitable agencies.
Bush then will participate in a briefing by officers of Central Command, which has its headquarters at the base.
After the briefing, he will speak to a gathering of military officers of the nations involved in the military coalition fighting in Iraq.
Bush has no other announced activities, but when he visits military bases, he typically spends at least some time meeting with military families of casualties in the Iraq war.
The speech is open to the media, but Bush is not expected to participate in any activities open to the public or to take questions from reporters during the visit.