Here comes the veto

Posted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 2:13 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: White House, Security

From NBC's Mark Murray
The White House has just announced that it will be receiving the Iraq supplemental from Congress shortly. And when President Bush returns from Central Command later today, he'll veto the bill privately and will make a statement about it at 6:10 pm ET.

What's more, the White House is asking the TV networks and cable channels to carry Bush's statement live. In his remarks, according to the White House, Bush will outline the reasons for his veto, and make it clear he's willing to work with Congress -- beginning tomorrow -- to find a solution.

This will be just the second veto of Bush's presidency; his first struck down legislation expanding embryonic stem-cell research.

EMAIL THIS

Comments

I respect the fact that the Dems want to carry out thier 2006 mandates to pull the troops out. It is their noble cause and I respect that. But attaching 28 million in pork projects just to get it passed takes the nobility right out of it.

Chris cincinnati (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 2:22 PM)

the Iraqi Council of Representatives is planning to go on a two month recess at the end of June. And Hasan Suneid, a lawmaker and adviser to Prime Minister Maliki, was quoted as saying that “time is irrelevant.” with this approach to solving their differences in order for our troops to come home i simply can not understand why the president is against any benchmarks or time lines for moving the Iraqi governmet to do what is needed. apparently the Iraqi's do not feel any pressure. And when you consider how President Bush berated the congress for taking two weeks off when important laws needed to be passed, how can he possible tell the american people that their two month vacation is not completely wrong. at the current rate, 200 more americans will die while the Iraqi government is away.

m. willie (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 2:34 PM)

New sign behind Bush-"HELP!"-The Beatles

Still Crazy After All These Years (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 2:45 PM)

Bush is always yammering on about his willingness to work with Congress but their is no evidence he has, or will do so. He's been good at playing dressup in Navy flight suits under a banner declaring "Mission Accomplished" but when it comes to honesty, substance, democracy, ethics, morality, responsibility, and judgement, the self proclaimed emporer ("decider") has no clothes. Many continue to die daily while he fiddles...

R.Merrell, Vietnam Vet (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 2:47 PM)

GO AHEAD MAKE OUR DAY GEORGE, VETO THE BILL. WE WILL REMEMBER THIS COME NEXT ELECTION, YOUR REPUBLICAN PARTY IS GOING TO GO INTO THE TOILET..BIG TIME!

JOHNNY JUSTICE ANYWHERE USA (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 2:47 PM)

My question concerning this whole affair is that if funding the troops but placing some form of deadline is in fact the will of the american people. Why is it that in order to get many democrats to sign off on the bill, they had to add all the pork to get the support of their own party members? Shouldn't the funding and the exit status have been message enough? The only reason I see for the addition of all the non-war related spending was an effort to upset private citizens groups, (i.e farmers and farm spending) so that the democrats could blame the president for not funding their programs, in an attempt to once again blame all the american ills on the current administration. These should be stand alone types of funding bills that should have never been associated with military funding or the war. Once again, I just don't see this attempt towards bipartisan cooperation that the democrats all based their election platforms on.

Lifelong independant (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 2:48 PM)

President Bush will veto the bill but not because of the "pork" but because of the timetable to withdraw our troops from Iraq. Bush and the Republicans are willing to keep our troops in the middle of a civil war raging in a country that has cost the lives of over 3,000 of our troops. Bush will keep this going 'till he leaves office, returns to Texas to live out his life. How many of our troops will never have that opportunity. This is criminal!!!

V. Jones (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 2:56 PM)

Chris - better check out that pork - some of it just may be coming your way. It is how our legislators (if they are any good at their job) bring the bacon back to those of us who have worked all our lives and would like better roads, better schools, better healthcare, better options for farmers, better bridges - the list could go on and on. Next time you start to cross that new bridge built with government money how about you just drive your car thru the river since you are probably opposed to the pork that put it there?

Melba, Tennessee (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 2:57 PM)

V. Jones (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 2:57 PM)

I'd like to know why the French prince calls them "artificial" time tables, and how he gets away with someone calling it a day at some point in the middling future "micro management." Any managament at all chafes that punk frat boy while he tries to artificially force a way of life he obviously doesn't believe in on an innocent country at bayonette point. Nothing "artificial" about that, is there, you drooling corporate puppet? Why should the Iraqis "stand up," when they get all this money and armed security from the US for as long as President Monkey Paw is in the WH, just for not noticing the theft of their natural resources?

Lee in MV (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:02 PM)

Goofy Georges term can't be up soon enough!

Susan, Miami (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:08 PM)

I've heard them say there aren't enough votes to over ride President Bush's veto, but I would still like to see each and every member of the Senate and the House vote to either send more soldiers to their death or put and end to policing Iraq. It's not about the funding of the so called "GLOBAL WAR on TERROR" anymore it's now a matter of giving this Administration full and free reign to enter the U.S. into any conflict they deem necessary. If the "Dogs of War" win this one there is no need of any further debate or jaw jacking the President will be totally out of control. This will release them to attack Iran, Syria or anyone else because our elected officials are nothing more than puppets. The Democrats are showing their strength look at gas prices rising to all time highs just as they did under the Republicans have you heard any of them say it has to stop, I don't think so! It is definitely time to do some house cleaning, the two party system has got to go. It's time we started our own party "We the American People" and booted everyone of these candy A---- out of office.

Paw Paw, NC (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:15 PM)

Wouldn't it be nice if the networks and cable (all except Fox of course) said not to the request? What a message that would send.

Dave (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:18 PM)

Just how much "pork projects" are attached to this bill? I would like to see a listing of these projects somewhere other than Fox News.

Dave (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:20 PM)

No tv-"Sounds Of Silence"-Simon and Garfunkel

Still Crazy After All These Years (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:24 PM)

m. willie, perhaps the Iraqi's are copying after the US. Our illustrious Congress, after saying they were going to work harder decided to have a 4-day workweek and take 47 holidays in 2007. How's that for wasting time and money and not caring about getting the work done?

Florida Fox (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:34 PM)

The irony of this situation is that the timeline for removing the troops is not cast in stone. Bush is being given flexibility here. If you doubt this, find a copy of the actual provisions of the bill and read that rather than listen to the chattering heads (Bush included) who say that it is trying to impose an ironclad deadline. The other BIG irony is that if Bush is opposed to the deadline, why doesn't he simply sign the bill and then attach one of his signing statements against a pullout? He certainly knows how to add a signing statement to a bill and has done it for almost everything he has signed. The fact is the Jugeared Jackass does not want to end the war. He wants his little pile of crap to end up in the next administrations lap. So be it; Dubya will sign the death knell of the Republican Party.

Charles, Evanston IL (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:35 PM)

"Bush will outline his reasons for the veto."....Do we really care to hear "another" rerun of the meaningless phrases he has continued to use during this fiasco? "The enemy will follow us home", "Fight them over there.", "9/11,9/11,9/11", "Congress is not providing our men and women with money to fight", "Congress is micromanaging this war", "We can't tell the enemy when we are leaving"........Will there be a banner hanging behind him today, or will he be flanked by the servicemen and women he has continuously exploited at every chance? Is there really anything new he could say to make us accept his continued arrogance? I have wondered if the man really sleeps at night without nightmares of the bloodbath he has caused for no reason. I wonder what the total of deaths would be if we included the innocent Iraqi citizens who have been killed? Does bush just consider this inconsequential "collateral damage"? What about any of our troops who have died from their injuries "after" returning home? Are the numbers of our lost American troops adjusted? Justice for what bush has done in Iraq, would be to have him tied down in the middle of one of those Iraqi markets and let him sweat the fact that a sniper or bomber could any minute take his life as our soldiers lives are being taken. Would he then consider that we were fighting "over there" for a just cause? Would cheney? I am so ashamed of this administration, and frustated over the fact that we didn't do a damn thing about it before it bogged us down in this quagmire.

M.E., Albany, Ga. (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:41 PM)

V. Jones--Yes, this is criminal. But, the decision was made in 2002 and 2003, when the Bush Administration, Congress, and a large majority of the American people elected to slaughter innocent Iraqis and send our courageous military members to die in Iraq. It was not decided last week when Congress passed a spending bill. This is all political theater designed to allow politicians to distance themsevles from their past. If pork was attached to the bill to garner votes, I personally would find it very interesting to see a list of every Congressman whose vote was affected by the pork attached. Every single Congressman whose vote on funding for the Iraq War was in any way altered by the attaching of pork to the bill should be removed from office. Disgusting.

Brian, Seattle (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:43 PM)

Does anyone know how long it's been since any legislation of any type made it through Congress (House and Senate) without being loaded down with gazillions of dollars in "earmarks"? Isn't that how they've been doing business for decades?

Scott in South Texas (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:47 PM)

Its a little late to be crying about pork as there is pork in every bill nothing ever stands alone.

mikeeg,abdn,wa (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:47 PM)

Pork, as in armored vehicles, modern body armor, adequate training supplies, increased medical care and staffing for wounded vets... Yeah, I guess the REPUBLICANS would rather build another bridge and/or railroad to nowhere or give their friends another tax cut... Give me a break!!!

Iraqvet, Little Elm, Texas (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:49 PM)

GWB's comment when signing his 2nd veto in 6+ years in office : "It feels like the first time" Foreigner....

The Edge, Macon, GA (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:49 PM)

Exactly! crazy after all these years....No TV I would not listen to bush if you held a gun to my head.

h p jewett (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:59 PM)

Dave: The White House can, in fact, order PUBLIC AIRWAVES to carry the statement.

Lisa, Costa Mesa CA (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:16 PM)

A partial list: $25 million for spinach growers hurt by a 2006 E. coli outbreak $75 million for peanut storage $500 million for wildfire suppression $120 million for shrimp and Atlantic menhaden fishermen $4 billion for farmers who had suffered weather-related losses $2.9 billion for Gulf Coast hurricane recovery, including $1.3 billion for New Orleans levee repairs $260 million to dairy farmers for milk loss $100 million for citrus loss protections $40 million to Liberia for security assistance, as well as $100 million to Jordan for the same purpose $450 million for food aid to Sudan and Eastern Chad, Africa; Afghanistan, Southern Africa and the Horn of Africa. $10 million for the ongoing mitigation of pollution of the Rio Grande from U.S. and Mexican influences and flood control on the river. $50 million for asbestos removal in Washington, D.C.

Florida Fox (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:17 PM)

Pork is a part of political life. And as many people have pointed out, there are some very valuable projects that get funded because of it. For example, the legal clinic associated with my law school was a direct result of pork - it was attached to some sort of bill about aid to Iran in the 80's. Since it has built, thousands of people who cannot afford legal assistance have used the clinic to solve their legal problems. In addition, there is a center for children's rights, which I participated in, that represents kids who have been abused and neglected in trying to either reunify them with their parents or find them permanent homes. Do I think that was money well spent, pork or not? Absolutely.

Carrie, NW Iowa (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:18 PM)

"Tomorrow Tomorrow" I will begin working with congress tomorrow.

Russell in Maryland (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:28 PM)

Representative Allen (D) Maine said on the radio this morning that some of the attachments were removed from the final bill that was sent to the President.

Paula, Palmyra, ME (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:39 PM)

Thanks Florida Fox. The pork tab is equal to (guessing here) something like one week's worth of Iraq expenditures.

scott, winona mn (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:42 PM)

the only pork we need to worry about are the SWINE in the executive branch of our government. a veto today is one thing, but in 6 months when republicans are losing (even more) support from their base for backing bush, their will be a re-examination of this bill and at some point i bet it goes through. or i should say, for the sake of our men and women in uniform, i hope it goes through!

Matt S. Burlington, VT (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:48 PM)

M.E.,Albany - I guarantee you he'll bring up the same old lines and with military/veterans as a back drop. I wish they would ask me to stand behind him. I'd kick his behind! Paw Paw, NC - I've been thoroughly disgusted with both parties for a long time. The're the wealthy representing the wealthy, not the average citizen. I wonder why I bother to vote. But if you want a major change it will take another American Revolution! Do you think today's Americans are up for the challenge? It takes effort to make a democracy work. I've noticed over the years that more and more citizens could care less and would rather let somebody else do the work. You know, write your congressmen, vote, join the military, etc.

Eileen, Navarre, FL (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:50 PM)

Eileen, Navarre, FL, your's is the most sensible post I have seen in a long time. The average American screams for perks from the government and complains about how things are being handled or not handled but is unwilling to participate in electing or advising the politicians. Go figure!

Florida Fox (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 5:00 PM)

Per Florida Fox's list: Why is $2.9 billion for Gulf coast hurricane recovery including $1.3 billion for New Orleans levee repairs considered "pork"?

Olivia (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 5:04 PM)

I suggested to the Washington Post that at the end of every month there should be a full page - but with the rising number of dead in Iraq it will be more pages - with the pictures of the troops who died in Iraq and Afghanistan and a note of their family members (wife or husband, children). This would really bring this war home to us. We see the numbers, but not the faces of the troops and we do not know how many children are left without a parent. This war is at a distance and a few are feeling the pain and suffering - most of us are not. I remember the rationing during WWII - the thrill it was to get bubble gum - my mother using the coupons for oleo margarine that came in a bag with a coloring agent - the camouflage over Pacific Highway in San Diego. We all shared in that war - but not now. The only problem we now have seems to be the price of gas. The families of the dead and wounded have many more problems and will continue to have those problems for years to come.

Utahreb, Veyo, UT (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 5:18 PM)

I found it interesting that John McCain was one of two Republican Senators who missed the Senate vote on this bill. Is that so he will have deniability on the issue?

Jael, Downstate Illinois (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 5:53 PM)

everythng not going into repub pockets is considered pork by the right.

mikeeg,bdn,wa (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 5:56 PM)

Another topic just opened...bush vetoed the bill citing its rigidity in the pullout timetable. Another lie to the American public since the bill provides the president with flexibility and wants a timetable...not a definite commitment. Any discussion on this "breaking news" story?

Mark Y; Westlake Village, CA (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 6:22 PM)

The Iraqis are following our foot steps, the shites and sunnis are bickering like the Republicans and Democrates are doing in Washington. And, Bush is like the Iraqi leader practicing partisan politics ever chance he gets. The interest of the country is no longer important, what's important is what good for the parties. We need a statesman more than ever to tackle this country major issues that is confronting us today

Benjamin Purser, Royal Oak, MI (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 6:34 PM)

Bush in 99: "Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is." Bush today: "The bill is unacceptable because it 'subtitutes the opinions of politicians for the judgments of our military commanders.'" Bush in 99: "I think it’s also important for the president to lay out a timetable as to how long they will be involved and when they will be withdrawn." Bush today: "... It makes no sense to tell the enemy when you plan to start withdrawing." I'm not going to add any commentary and let the dichotomy speak for itself.

Roger, Oakland, CA (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 6:47 PM)

Mark Y - I'm going to venture that Bush is a congential liar with absolutely no regard for the US public, common decency, "the troops" or his office. I guess it's hard to appreciate things you steal.

Lee in MV (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 7:09 PM)

Eileen-Saw speech, and couldn't believe there were no visible military behind him. Think maybe he couldn't find any? Ya know we are running kind of low on troops here in the States now.......Is it just me, or does watching this man make anybody else physically ill? I am finding it harder and harder to find "printable" words to describe what I think of him. I have to agree with Jon Stewart and Bill Maher, there is something mentally wrong with this poor excuse for a man.

M.E., Albany, Ga. (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 7:35 PM)

Thank you, Roger, Oakland, CA. It is pretty hard for anyone to dispute past statements. BTW Lisa, Costa Mesa, CA the networks can refuse to allocate time to the president. It has never been done but the president (just like any other citizen of the United States) has to request air time. Normally the request is a formality but I predict the time will come when some network will refuse to preempt their programming for spur of the moment president talks such as this. The networks could actually bill the White House for their air time.

Dave (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 9:48 PM)

My God, he makes me completely sick to my stomach. The piece of garbage vetoed the Iraq Accountability Bill today. We need to get off of our a$$es and veto HIM or this occupation that is killing and maiming our soldiers and the Iraqis is never going to end! Please everyone call your Reps and Senators, Pelosi, Reid, Kucinich, Dean...EVERYONE to veto this SOB!! And just when I thought he couldn’t disgust me any more than he does, I just read that the Minimum Wage Increase and Katrina Relief were attached to the Iraq bill. So he vetoed them too. I’m sure he sleeps like a baby monster. Google video: 9/11 Press for Truth

911truthdotorg (Sent Wednesday, May 02, 2007 12:32 AM)

When are this president, his administration and the rest of the Republican Party going to wake up and get a clue? Adding more troops is not going to end this war. Insurgents are taught from birth to hate America and the West. Military war is not going to end this way of thinking. I guess you can kill everybody in the Middle East. I find it offensive as an American that this President and his party would turn this bill into political bs!! Are we to believe that Democrats want our troops to die because they are against the war in Iraq? Democrats are not going cut off funding for this war. But America wants its troops home from Iraq. It was you, Mr. President that put the fear in Americans waking up to a mushroom cloud. It was you Mr. President, who made a case for the Iraq war by using intelligence that you knew was not credible. NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, NO AL-QAIDA-SADDAM LINK, NO SADDAM-SEPTEMBER 11TH LINK, NO EVIDENCE SADDAM WAS TRYING TO ACQUIRE MATERALS TO BUILD WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, NO EVIDENCE SADDAM AND HIS REGIME WAS A DIRECT IMMINENT THREAT TO AMERICA. You should be impeached and held responsible for the deaths from this war. The blood of these victims is on your hands!!

Dominic Scurry Tampa, FL (Sent Wednesday, May 02, 2007 4:26 AM)

Two of our local channels, on CBS and ABC did not carry the President. I cheered.

Paula Palmyra, ME (Sent Wednesday, May 02, 2007 6:48 AM)

Mark Y, I heard the same thing on Today show this a.m. Why is the withdrawal date not being described as flexible? And as others have mentioned, he could sign the bill and ignore the date or even add one of his signing statements re: ignoring the date. I too wish for the full truth to be reported.

Lisa Fort Worth TX (Sent Wednesday, May 02, 2007 8:55 AM)

When our so called president stated last night that "It makes no sense to tell the enemy when you plan to start to withdrawl" he made it perfectly clear to me that we will NEVER be able to leave Iraq until he is out of office. I can't wait till November 2008 so this madness can end.

Ron, St. Louis, Mo. (Sent Wednesday, May 02, 2007 9:02 AM)

Local news on CBS and ABC affiliates in Maine did not broadcast him. I think we would be better off if we all turned him off and ignored him. We can't believe a word he says anyway.

Paula Palmyra, ME (Sent Wednesday, May 02, 2007 9:08 AM)

M.E.- You've got a stronger stomach than I have! I'll be honest, I never could stomach the man. That's why I never voted for him. My sixth sense kept telling me there was something wrong. Florida Fox - thank you for the compliment! Utahreb -that was a good idea about posting the soldier's picture with a note about the family. I don't know why it was never done. I guess it goes back to what I've said before; the few are carrying the load and the majority are armchair warriors. There is no vested interest.

Eileen, Navarre, FL (Sent Wednesday, May 02, 2007 9:55 AM)

Next >>

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=177069