WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2008
Bush Rallies Conservative Base
President Urges Conference Of Conservatives To Back GOP Nominee
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President Bush addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference, Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, in Washington. (AP)
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"The stakes in November are high. This is an important election. Prosperity and peace are in the balance," Mr. Bush told about 2,000 people attending the Conservative Political Action Conference. "So with confidence in our vision and faith in our values, let us go forward, fight for victory and keep the White House in 2008."
Mr. Bush spoke to a boisterous crowd shortly after 7 a.m. EST. The ballroom erupted in cheers when someone shouted "Are there conservatives in the house?" When the president walked on stage, they clapped and chanted "Four more years! Four more years!" They cheered his comments on tax relief, the military buildup in Iraq, the Reagan years and his opposition to abortion. They booed when Mr. Bush said his critics want to expand the size and scope of the federal government.
Conservatives are resigned to seeing McCain lead the Republican ticket in November, but they are concerned that he has a long history of disputes over economic and social issues with the party's right flank. And it remains unclear how many conservative voters will stay at home in November or try to influence McCain's positions - and his choice of a running mate.
Mr. Bush is not ready to weigh in formally on the election, even though Mitt Romney announced on Thursday that he was suspending his campaign, virtually sealing the nomination for McCain. The president is, however, priming the GOP's conservative base to get ready to back McCain.
"We have had good debates and soon we will have a nominee who will carry a conservative banner into this election and beyond," Mr. Bush said.
"I'm absolutely confident that with your help, we will elect a person who shares our principles," the president said.
McCain claims he is a true conservative and has lined up the endorsements of many conservative political leaders. But James Dobson, one of the nation's most prominent evangelical Christian leaders, backed Mike Huckabee's presidential bid Thursday night. Dobson reiterated his declaration on Super Tuesday that he could not in good conscience vote for McCain because of concerns over the Arizona senator's conservative credentials.
Mr. Bush used his speech to the conservative gathering as a venue for comparing and contrasting Republican philosophies with those of GOP critics.
He defended his record on the economy, saying tax cuts contributed to a record 52 months of job creation, which just ended. Mr. Bush backed his decision to twice veto legislation to pave the way for taxpayer-funded embryo research, and he lauded medical advances in stem cell research that would yield good results without destroying embryos.
On Iraq, the president defended his decision to send thousands more U.S. troops there.
"Our critics had a different view," he said. "They looked at rising violence in Iraq and declared the war was lost. Some concluded the surge had failed before it had even fully begun. ... We stood our ground and we are seeing the results. ... I recognize that the progress in Iraq is fragile and there are tough days ahead, yet even the enemy recognizes that they are on the wrong side of events."
Mr. Bush said his administration stayed on the offense against extremists in Afghanistan because it recognized that the threat was not just a matter of law enforcement. "One commentator said most Afghans would oppose an American invasion and fight the foreign occupiers," he said.
Instead, Mr. Bush said, the hardline Taliban regime was ousted, the Afghan people elected a new president and parliament, roads and hospitals are being built and girls are now going to school. While Afghanistan has a long recovery ahead, he said, the United States, NATO and other allies are working to secure the country.
Last year was the bloodiest year in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led toppling of the Taliban in 2001.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered 2,200 Marines to go to southern Afghanistan this spring. And on Thursday in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her British counterpart, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, made a renewed push to portray the war as winnable and worthy of international support despite a so-far-unsuccessful struggle to get more allies to commit frontline forces.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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See all 26 Commentsyou are.
Posted by easeltine at 01:31 PM : Feb 08, 2008
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What is sad is Bush has gotten everything he has wanted to combat the terrorists that hit us on 9/11/01 and what has HE done with it and what has HE accomplished...it is HIS administration.
Bush is absolutely correct. The only way that we will get Peace and Prosperity back is by sacking this miserable Piece of Sxxx, his war mongering, spend 1000 times more money than I have on my buddies policies and any successor that would continue such stupidity.
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I think when an article refers to the "conservative base" they mean criminals. How many laws does one man have to break before his base breaks from him.
Um...yes. Anyone who is a member of a small demographic is technically a "minority." That shouldn''t be news to the literate among us. It was also NOT the point I was making, but your response shouldn''t surprise anyone who has watched the Neocons twist every discussion into "you hate America" vomit.
I was referring to the fact that panicky, shrieking idiots cannot be expected to understand the difference between a Muslim and a religious extremist of any type. So blinded by fear and hate.
Cry.
Cry. Seriously, have yourself a good cry. The boogeymen are coming for you, and there is nothing you can do to protect yourself, so you''d better hide under your bed and pray to Bush.
It''s fortunate not everyone lives in constant fear of minorities like you do. Brave, strong Americans will be the ones to protect this nation from attack, while your kind is busy peeing yourselves in the attic.
Who can blame us after the last decade of dishonest nonsense!
Over and over again! For 7 whole minutes.
He''s the guy that was in charge and let TERRORISTS strike this country. Peace and posterity???? He''s gotta be hitting the sauce again!
I say again: HE LET TERORISTS STRIKE THIS COUNTRY! Let that sink in and never gorget it. A REPUBLICAN LET TERORISTS STRIKE THIS COUNTRY!!!!!
Bushit just put all that debt on a big credit card for future generations to pay.
Truth is, the Rush ******** / Anne Cunter crowd that loves the Darth Bushit admin could care less about anybody except themselves. Huge debt for the future?--too bad! As long as the jerkoffs can fuel their Republican Road Hippos at 6 mpg and swagger around with ribbon magnets attached.
These are the real traitors to America.
That says it all. What a bunch of morons.
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