Bush vs. Obama

At his press conference, Bush noted what he called "a very interesting moment in Iraqi constitutional history, when part of the -- a member of the presidency council utilized his constitutional right to veto one of the three pieces of legislation recently passed. I understand the use of the veto, intend to continue to use it, but I thought it was a healthy sign that people are thinking through the legislation that's passed, and they're worrying about making sure that laws are constitutional. And I feel pretty good about the fact that they're, of course, going to continue to work to make sure that their stated objective of getting provincial elections done by October of 2008 will happen."

Bush on FISA

In his comments to reporters, Bush expressed sympathy for the phone companies that are being accused in civil suits of having broken the law when they let the government spy on their customers without warrants after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Bush's insistence on giving those companies retroactive immunity is the primary sticking point in the current fight over surveillance legislation.

"Allowing these lawsuits to proceed would be unfair," Bush said, adding: "You cannot expect phone companies to participate if they feel like they're going to be sued. I mean, it is -- these people are responsible for shareholders. They're private companies. . . .

"The government said to those who have alleged to have helped us that it is in our national interests and it's legal. It's in our national interest because we want to know who's calling who from overseas into America. We need to know in order to protect the people.

"It was legal. And now all of a sudden plaintiffs attorneys, class-action plaintiffs attorneys, you know -- I don't want to try to get inside their head; I suspect they see, you know, a financial gravy train -- are trying to sue these companies. It's unfair. It is patently unfair.

"And, secondly, these lawsuits create doubts amongst those who will -- whose help we need.

"I guess you could be relaxed about all this if you didn't think there was a true threat to the country."

Although not one to eschew hyperbole on this issue, Bush did, however, reject a bizarre, right-wing scenario put forth -- apparently quite seriously -- by Fox News White House correspondent Mike Emanuel.

Emanuel: "Mr. President, on FISA, do you worry that perhaps some House Democratic leaders are playing a high-stakes game of wait-and-see in terms of if we get attacked, we all lose, if we don't get attacked, then maybe that makes the case that you don't need all the powers in FISA?"

Bush: "No, I don't think so. I mean, I think that's -- that would be ascribing, you know, motives that are just -- I just don't think they're the motives of the House leaders to do that."

He then went back to his key point: "I just can't tell you how important it is to not alienate or not discourage these phone companies. How can you listen to the enemy if the phone companies aren't going to participate with you? And they're not going to participate if they get sued. Let me rephrase it: less likely to participate.