Bush tells Pelosi he "likes people who don't give up" & children's health program veto is "certain"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Veto Is Certain, Bush Tells Pelosi



By CHARLES BABINGTON – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush insisted to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Friday that he's going ahead with his promised veto of a major expansion of a children's health program despite its overwhelming approval by Congress.

Pelosi, D-Calif., said she told Bush in a morning phone call that she was praying he would change his mind. "I think I have to pray a little harder," she told reporters moments later, at a Capitol ceremony where Democrats celebrated passage of the proposed $35 billion increase in the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

It's doubtful that any new arguments were made in what Pelosi called "a friendly, friendly conversation." She said she reminded Bush that many Republicans voted to raise tobacco taxes to fund a program expansion, and that many governors from both parties support it.

"He said he liked people who don't give up," Pelosi said, but he also made it clear he is not backing down. White House press secretary Dana Perino confirmed Pelosi's account. "The president has been very clear for months that if the bill came to him in its current form that he would veto it," Perino said.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h3-r4-QX2sJIwxAkeLfY3zUOHgQAD8RUOPJG0

[fenriswolf]

1. man, I would give my left arm

for one swing

[Ninja Jordan]

2. Isn't there already a veto-proof majority behind this legislation?

What is the story here?

[FreepFryer]

4. Bush is betting that the bill won't have all 67 votes of support when the override vote comes up

The "decider" is merely a divider.

[Ninja Jordan]

6. gotcha

[FreepFryer]

12. Ninja - my answer was incomplete, answer #8 below is more accurate. My apologies! (nt)

If the President vetos the bill, a new vote in both Houses of Congress is required, and 2/3rds majority vote is required in each House to override. If the vote counts remain the same then as they are now, the President's veto would stand - since the bill doesn't have a 2/3rd majority in the House of Representatives.

[Inuca]

8. Veto-proof in the Senate, but not in the House n/t

[Xipe Totec]

3. Easy to say, for a guy with a safety net n/t

[rodeodance]

5. I think Pelosi is too friendly with him!

[FreepFryer]

7. She has to continue a dialogue with the Executive Branch leader. The substance of that dialogue...

...is based on her judgment and is delivered in a manner and according to her professional craft. Your opinion is your own about what she should be doing and how she should be doing it, but she's the Speaker of the House and she's got the House of Representatives and her caucus to manage, on behalf of the entire population of the United States of America.

She's also a strong party loyalist (a la Sam Rayburn) and in my opinion I believe she's brought a dignity back to her office that's not been seen since Rayburn.

For my $02., I'll take Pelosi as Speaker before ever letting another Denny Hastert or Newt Gingrich play out his own personal Jabba the Hutt corruption festival in my House again. And that goes double for Harry Reid (and Trent Lott and Tom DeLay)

It's high time to end this DU trend attacking our Democratic leaders and focus on the perma-filibustering, drama-queen Republicans.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

9. When she says "I have to pray a little harder..."

...she's merely backing Junior into a "MY God is stronger than YOUR God" confrontation, and we all know that he believes he was personally anointed to become president.

The tough talk about how Bush's days of having his "blank checks" signed are over is GREAT. It will be even better as soon as we stop signing his blank checks.

[partylessinOhio]

10. You are absolutely right! Bravo for speaking truth.

There is no need for Madame Squeaker to play footsie with the Impostor. She should just let her minions send the legislation over to the WH with no cutesy phone conversations. She acts like a lovesick school girl around him.

[TankLV]

13. Ya got that right - he's all smiles while he's stabbing you in the back...

that LYING WAR CRIMINAL vilified the democrats saying that HE alone was protecting the program - when in fact the Democrats were for ENLARGING AND EXTENDING IT!!!

FUCKING LYING TRAITOR!!!

I just KNEW it was bullshit - especially when all the media whores were parroting this repuke spew...

That creature should never have been in GORE's White House in the first place...I get so mad every time I think about that...everything else springs from that one FACT alone...EVERYTHING...no matter what he does or doesn't do...

[rwheeler31]

11. The Senate has the votes the house does not..

[Flabbergasted]

14. kick