Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 3, 2008 2:07:32 AM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Lame Duck Bush Won't Quit

Posted May 3, 08 12:00 PM CDT in Politics 

(Newser) – With less than a year left in office, President Bush refuses to let his lame-duck status keep him quiet, the Washington Post reports. He continues to push for initiatives that are unlikely to see the light of day, including Alaska oil drilling, more nuclear plants, and a Colombia free-trade deal. As the Democratic Congress continues to shrug off his efforts, “I'm perplexed about why there's no action on big issues,” Bush said.

No president since Truman has made any sweeping change in his last year, and Bush is further hampered by record unpopularity. "They're at a moment where their concern about a legacy is much bigger than how much legislation they pass," said a former Clinton White House official. "He's defining himself as a man of principle and obviously not caring about the polls."

Source Washington Post

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Bush's Biggest Regret: Faulty Intelligence

    Dec 2, 08 4:50 AM CST
    Bush's Biggest Regret: Faulty Intelligence President Bush's biggest regret of his presidency is receiving faulty intelligence before launching the Iraq war, the president told ABC News in a wide-ranging "exit interview." Bush declined to say whether he would have ordered the invasion if he had known Saddam Hussein didn't actually possess weapons of mass destruction. "That is a do-over that I can't do," he said. "It's hard for me to speculate." More »

  • Bush Contemplates His Legacy

    Nov 29, 08 11:17 AM CST
    Bush Contemplates His Legacy President Bush wants to be remembered foremost as someone who "did not sell his soul in order to accommodate the political process." In an intimate interview conducted by his sister Doro for an oral history project of the Library of Congress, Bush lists liberating Iraqis, fighting AIDS in Africa, reforming Medicare, and No Child Left Behind among his accomplishments, reports the Houston Chronicle.
    More »

  • Assaults on Our Freedom Come From Left and Right

    Nov 13, 08 1:07 PM CST
    Those who blame the current administration for assaults on US constitutional freedoms should take a longer view, writes Alexander Cockburn in the American Conservative. “No doubt the conservatives who cheered Bush on as he abrogated ancient rights and stretched the powers of his office to unseen limits would have shrieked if a Democrat had taken such liberties,” but Bush’s actions are “acute symptoms of a chronic disease.”
    More »

  • Race Is on for Laura's Memoirs; Dubya Not So Much

    Nov 11, 08 11:29 AM CST
    Race Is on for Laura's Memoirs; Dubya Not So Much Laura Bush is likely to net millions from publishers bidding on her memoirs, the New York Post reports—not exactly the case for her lame-duck husband. “The wives of presidents generally write books that have a greater public interest,” one insider says. “Husbands usually try to rewrite history.” Adds another: “Dubya is going to have to wait about 5 years.” More »

  • Obamas Check Out White House

    Nov 10, 08 3:17 PM CST
    Obamas Check Out White House The First Couple and the First Couple-elect met at the White House this afternoon. After the Bushes greeted the Obamas, President Bush took Barack Obama to the Oval Office for a private meeting, while Laura Bush showed Michelle Obama around the residence. The meetings lasted about an hour, the Chicago Tribune reports. More »

President Bush delivers a statement about food distribution on Thursday, May 1, 2008, in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington.   (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
President Bush delivers remarks on the economy, Friday, May 2,2008, at World Wide Technology, Inc. in Maryland Heights, Mo.   (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
President Bush waves as he leaves the White House in Washington, Friday, May 2, 2008, for a trip to Missouri and then onto his ranch in Texas for the weekend.   (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 2)

Tags

George W. Bush • White House • presidency • Bush legacy


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Politics Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »