Bush Attacks 'Party of Cut and Run'

Bush quoted an unnamed congresswoman -- later identified by the White House as Rep. Jane Harman (Calif.), the top-ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee -- as ridiculing Bush's frequent assertion that "we're fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them over here."

"We didn't create terrorism by fighting terrorism," Bush responded. "Iraq is not the reason why the terrorists are at war against us."

Bush also criticized many Democrats for not supporting his approach to trying terrorism suspects. Pointing to Wednesday's vote on a bill passed by the House authorizing military tribunals for the suspects, Bush reminded his audience that 160 Democrats -- "including the entire Democrat leadership" -- voted against the measure, which passed 253 to 168.

Opponents have said the measure is at odds with core American values because it would allow evidence gathered without a warrant or gained through coercion to be used against terrorism suspects. Plus, they argued, it could invite brutal treatment of U.S. troops captured abroad.

While the intelligence report painted a grim picture of the growing terrorist threat, Bush asserted that it also provided support for his administration's strategy for fighting it. The report called Iraq a pivotal battleground in the wider anti-terrorism effort -- a point Bush makes frequently. Also, the document said, extremism's lack of appeal to the vast majority of Muslims offers hope for victory.

Before coming to Birmingham, Bush visited nearby Hoover, where he was briefed on the use of corn-based ethanol to fuel that city's municipal fleet.

Later, Bush traveled to New Albany, Ohio, where he headlined a fundraiser for embattled Rep. Deborah Pryce (R). The event was at the sprawling estate of Leslie H. Wexner, chairman and chief executive officer of Limited Brands, the retailing conglomerate that includes the Limited, Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works. The event, which was closed to the press, was expected to raise $500,000 for Pryce.

Political researcher Zachary A. Goldfarb in Washington contributed to this report.