Bush Vows Free Trade Push

President Bush believes many Americans have lost confidence that they can compete in the world economy and he plans to champion his free trade agenda in the final months of his presidency, he told the Wall Street Journal. Bush also criticized excessive executive compensation, saying some salaries "send a signal of unfairness" and add to worries about the economy.

"We have lost sight of what it means to be a nation willing to be aggressive in the world," he said. "We have lost our confidence in the ability to compete internationally."  Bush's acknowledgment of economic imbalances is seen as part of new tactic to win congressional approval for trade deals with Colombia, Panama, Peru and South Korea, and to help revive the Doha global trade talks. (More free trade stories.)