Congress backs Bush
By David Espo
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Congress is expressing solidarity with President Bush on his call to press the war on terrorism on new fronts, even if it means ultimately confronting the states Bush named as the “axis of evil.”

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said Wednesday that Democrats are inclined to endorse whatever military action Bush might deem necessary against Iraq, Iran or North Korea as long as he works with Congress.

“If it takes pre-emptive strikes, if it takes pre-emptive action, I think the Congress is prepared to support it,” the South Dakota Democrat said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” when asked about targeting those three states.

“But obviously we want more details, we want to be included, we want to be consulted and we want to work with the administration.”

House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt was supportive as well, if guarded. “Ultimately you might have to use military action,” he said on NBC’s “Today” show. Right now, he said, that would be premature.

Bush summoned Congress in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night to fight the “grave and growing danger” of terrorism. Democrats joined Republicans in rallying behind that call while parting ways on the economy.

Since Sept. 11, “there has been no daylight between us in this war on terrorism,” Gephardt said in his party’s response to Bush’s speech.

When it comes to joblessness, the Missouri Democrat said, “Our values call for helping the unemployed, not just large corporations and the most fortunate.”

And when it comes to health care, he added, “our values call for helping patients and older Americans, not just big HMOs and pharmaceutical companies.”

Both sides set out to dramatize their own priorities on the morning after the president’s speech before a joint session of Congress and a nationwide television audience counted in the millions.

Bush was embarking on a two-day tour to three Southern states to promote his proposals, including economic stimulus legislation.

Democrats arranged a meeting in the Capitol with former Enron Corp. employees.

Bush got a welcome fit for a hero Tuesday night as he entered a packed House chamber to deliver his speech. Amid the applause, lawmakers gravitated to the center aisle to shake his hand as he made his way to the podium.

“Our nation is at war, our economy is in recession, and the civilized world faces unprecedented dangers,” he said. Then, making a fist and tapping lightly on the podium for emphasis, he quickly added — “Yet the state of our union has never been stronger.”

Moments later, to more applause, he added, “We will prevail in the war, and we will defeat this recession.”

Daschle gave the address a good review. “The president is very popular and he probably got more popular last night,” he said.

The president used his speech to recount accomplishments since terrorists struck on Sept. 11 and to sketch the challenge ahead in combating terrorism abroad and the recession at home.

“Our war on terror is well begun, but it is only begun,” he said. “We cannot stop short.”

He said all nations should work to “eliminate the terrorist parasites who threaten their countries, and our own.” And yet, he added, “some governments will be timid in the face of terror. And make no mistake: If they do not act, America will.”

He listed three nations in particular, North Korea, Iran and Iraq, as members of an “axis of evil. ... By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger,” he said.

Public opinion surveys show support for Bush in the 80 percent range, and his stewardship of the economy gets high marks, as well.

And few Democrats seemed eager to speak dismissively of the president. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., was one, declaring, “basically, he’s played the war for whatever it’s worth.”

Others challenged him directly on the economy. “We need a recovery package that is a real stimulus, not just another round of irresponsible tax breaks for special interests and the wealthy,” said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.

Gephardt’s tempered remarks set the tone for most members of his party.

Daschle pledged the “same cooperative, bipartisan spirit to addressing our domestic needs,” at the same time he outlined elements of a Democratic agenda.

“We need to move forward with help for unemployed workers, affordable prescription drugs for our seniors, greater protections against employer mismanagement of employee pensions,” and more, he said.

While Bush had made a reference to the need for more accountable behavior by corporate leaders, Gephardt mentioned Enron by name and called for Bush to sign legislation curtailing the role of money in political campaigns.

Republicans chorused approval for Bush’s speech. “I look forward to working with him to carry out his common sense agenda,” said Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., the president’s close ally in Congress.

Bush said he was asking Congress for the largest increase in defense spending in two decades, and requesting that spending be nearly doubled on key areas of domestic security. These include bioterrorism, emergency response, airport and border security and improved intelligence.

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