Cheney's Total Impunity

"On torture policy, the administration appears no more willing to comply with Conyers' requests for testimony and information."

At one point in the dispute now in federal court, the White House made a similar assertion of complete immunity from oversight -- for former presidential adviser Karl Rove.

Don't Blame Me

At a press conference this morning, Bush tried to shift the blame for the tanking economy and higher gas prices onto the Democratic congress.

"Across our country, many Americans are understandably anxious about issues affecting their pocketbook, from gas and food prices to mortgage and tuition bills," Bush said. "They're looking to their elected leaders in Congress for action. Unfortunately, on many of these issues, all they're getting is delay."

Some 70 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Bush is doing handling the economy according to the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll. His refusal to acknowledge the severity of the situation is subjecting him to a new wave of accusations that he is disconnected from reality.

But Bush suggested it's not him who's out of touch: "These are tough times. People -- economists can argue over the terminology. And these are difficult times. And the American people know it and they want to know whether or not Congress knows it," he said.

Bush used the issue of high gas prices to argue in favor of one of his longtime priorities: Drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. "Somehow if you mention ANWR it means you don't care about the environment. Well, I'm hoping now people, when they say ANWR, it means you don't care about the gasoline prices that people are paying," he said.

A decision to drill, though, wouldn't directly effect prices for many years.

And to turn around the economy, he argued in favor of making the tax cuts permanent -- a move he said would "help the psychology of the country."

Congress is working on a second economic stimulus package, but Bush said the rebates that started going out this week -- and that many economists anticipate will have limited impact -- should be given a chance to work.

Responding to a softball question from Politico's Mike Allen -- about what issue he is most worried his successor will neglect -- Bush came out firing against the Democratic candidates. "I don't think John McCain is going to neglect the war on terror," he said of the Republican candidate, casting the Democrats as believing, by contrast, that "it's not worth it to confront the enemy."

He also solemnly said that he hopes that "whoever the president is understands that America is a force for good in the world."