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"From what I've seen thus far, much of the reporting in the U.S. and abroad has exaggerated the situation, according to General Casey. The number of attacks on mosques, as he pointed out, had been exaggerated. The number of Iraqi deaths had been exaggerated. The behavior of the Iraqi security forces had been mischaracterized in some instances. And I guess that is to say nothing of the apparently inaccurate and harmful reports of U.S. military conduct in connection with a bus filled with passengers in Iraq. Interestingly, all of the exaggerations seem to be on one side. It isn't as...

The hefty -- and growing -- bill for the war efforts may be getting some new auditors. Over the past three years, Congress has approved $320 billion for military spending over and above the regular Department of Defense budget, which itself has risen about 40% since 2001. But "oversight was lax," contends Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, who sits on the Armed Services Committee. As Pentagon officials head to Capitol Hill next week to start defending this year's $70 billion request for Iraq and Afghanistan, there's new scrutiny of where all the cash is going. The Department of...

The President and the first lady concluded their far east tour on Saturday and returned to the White House on Saturday evening. As is there usual practise they attended church on Sunday Today the President sent to Congress line item veto legislation that is designed to rein in wasteful spending, reduce the budget deficit, and improve accountability. Click here for more details The President also participated in the Swearing-In of CEA Chairman Edward Lazear. He also participated in a drop-by meeting with the Academic Competitiveness Council in the Eisenhower Executive Building Vice President Dick Cheney spoke at a reception for...

The President and the first lady continue their far east tour, today they attended several events in India There was an article that referred to the First Lady as the "Queen of America" showing that she has the ability to win hearts all over the world. Ohio pinged me to the thread about this article earlier and also the dose ping, in case you missed the ping here is a link to that thread. 'The queen of America had come' and Laura Bush debuts on Indian telly: PICTURES The Vice President gave a speech at the National Summit on Retirement...

The President and the first lady spent the weekend in Washington attending St John's Church on Sunday. Later in the day there was a State Dinner for the nation's governors at the White House Today the President addressed the National Governors Association annual meeting in the State Dining Room of the White House. He then met Belarusian human rights activist Irina Krasovskaya and Svyatlana Zavadskaya in the Oval Office. The First Lady and the President attended a reception for the nation's governors at the National Building Museum in Washington. The Vice President is visiting Norfolk to speak at a fundraiser...

Today the President the President held a Cabinet Meeting re the Katrina Report and made comments to the media afterwards. Later in the day he attended 2 fund raisers one for Rep. Chris Chocola and the other a private event which there do not appear to be any photos released from for Sen. Mike DeWine near Indian Hill, a subrub of Cincinnati. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice continues her visit to the middle east making a surprised visit to Lebanon and then the UAE. The First Lady met with the 1966 NCAA men's basketball national championship team from Texas Western...

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld blasted UN Secretary General Kofi Annan Friday as "just flat wrong" in calling for the closure of the military-run detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. "I know Kofi Annan and there are a lot of things you can agree with him on, but he's just flat wrong," Mr Rumsfeld told an audience at the Council on Foreign Relations. "We shouldn't close Guantanamo," he said. "We have several hundred terrorists, bad people, people if they went back out on the field would try to kill Americans." "To close that place, and pretend there's no problem, just...

Today the President participated in a panel discussion on reforming health care, at the Department of Health and Human Services he also met President Alvaro Uribe of Columbia in the Oval Office. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice testifies on Capitol Hill before a Senate Budget Committee hearing on the State Department's Budget Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld appeared with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Peter Pace before the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee regarding the FY2007 budget for the Defense Department. First Lady Laura Bush visited Banyan Elementary School in Miami, FL, to support education about parks and the environment....

The President spent the weekend in Washington attending St John's on Sunday whilst the First Lady concluded her visit to Italy which has taken in an auidence with the Pope, visiting an American Air Base and the start of the Winter Olympics in Torino. Their daughter Barbra is still in Italy at the games. On Saturday the Vice President was involved in an sporting incident where he accidentally shot fellow hunter and friend Texan Lawyer Harry Wittington. Scott McClellan came under fire today at the Press Briefing regarding this incident. Press Briefing by Scott McClellan Today the President presented National...

Today the President met Poland's President Lech Kaczynski in the Oval Office. He also made remarks on the global war on terror at the National Guard Memorial Building in Washington Yesterday Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni at the State Department and she also held a news briefing to announce the release of the second annual report to Congress on the President's emergency plan for AIDS relief. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld is in Italy for a two-day NATO meeting. First Lady Laura Bush and her daughter Barbara continued their visit to Italy today...

Much of old-stream media's recent sensitivity to religion would be welcome, if the hypocrisy wasn't so rank...

The President and the First Lady spent the weekend at ranch in Crawford, Texas returning to the White House on Sunday. Today the President attended the swearing in Ceremony of the new Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke, at the Federal Reserve Bank in Washington. He also spoke at this event.President Attends Swearing-In Ceremony for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke The President's budget for 2007 was delivered to the Senate Budget Committee hearing room on Capitol Hill Link to Fact Sheet: Highlights of the President's FY2007 Budget Attorney General Alberto Gonzales defends the President's surveillance program before the Senate...

The President and the First Lady attended the National Prayer Breakfast at the Hilton Hotel in Washington. Link to the President's Remarks Later on in the day the President and the First Lady toured the 3M Company plant in Maplewood, Minnesota, and the Presdent gave a speach about American competitiveness.President Discusses American Competitiveness Agenda in Minnesota Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice met with Iceland's Foreign Minister Geir Harrde, the photos on Yahoo say Thursday but credit the date as yesterday the 1st and I can find no reference to the meeting on the US State Department's Website. Defense Secretary Donald...

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today acknowledged that the Pentagon conducts "counter-surveillance" of civilians in the United States to protect military personnel and bases. But he said the program was "no big deal", dismissing concerns that it has led to domestic spying on anti-war activists and protests by a Pentagon unit called the Counter-Intelligence Field Activity. Speaking at the National Press Club, Mr Rumsfeld said the surveillance was a "perfectly understandable thing" because the Defence Department was responsible for protecting US forces and bases in the United States. "Given the assignment to do that, they decided to establish a program...

The President held a Cabinet Meeting today and also signed a Presidential Proclamation, in honor of the fourth anniversary of the USA Freedom Corps Today is the Vice President's 65th Birthday Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended 2 press conferences in London and also spoke with PM Tony Blair and Forgein Secretary Jack Straw at Downing Street. First lady Laura Bush participates in the presentation of the National Awards from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in the East Room of the White House Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

The President George W. Bush spoke about the economy during a visit to a moving-and-storage company in Sterling, Virginia today.President Highlights Importance of Small Business in Economic Growth The President and First Lady Laura Bush attended a meeting with a charitable foundation to aid in the Gulf Coast recovery effort.President Meets with Foundations to Help Aid Gulf Coast Recovery Today the President choose Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen, who is overseeing federal recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, to be commandant of the Coast Guard he is currently chief of staff of the Coast Guard. The President...

The President visited the Gulf Region today participating in a roundtable with small business owners and community leaders while visiting New Orleans and made remarks on Gulf Coast reconstruction at St. Stanislaus College in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended a Press Conference at the State Department and also held talks with Japanese Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld accompanied by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace met with reporters at the Pentagon in Washington. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in the States she is making her first trip to the United...

A report commissioned in mid-1999 by Rep. Curt Weldon (R) looks into possible Chinese front companies in the US seeking technology for the Chinese military. Dr. Eileen Preisser and Michael Maloof are commissioned to make the report. Dr. Preisser, who runs the Information Dominance Center at the US Army's Land Information Warfare Activity (LIWA) and will later become closely tied to Able Danger, uses LIWA's data mining capabilities to search unclassified information. According to Maloof, their results show Chinese front companies in the US posing as US corporations that acquire technology from US defense contractors. When the study is completed...

The President met with present and former Secretaries of State and Defense in the Oval Office at the White House. The meeting with the bipartisan group was to discuss the war in Iraq. The President also signed in the Oval Office the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 The Presidnet also made remarks to the U.S. University Presidents Summit on International Education at the U.S. State Department as did the Secretary of State. As mentioned above Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made remarks to the U.S. University Presidents Summit on International Education at the U.S....

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld yesterday said that U.S. troop levels in Iraq will dip below a base force of 138,000, the first in what is expected to be a string of reductions as local security forces take on more counterinsurgency missions next year. Mr. Rumsfeld chose an audience of U.S. Marines and the town of Fallujah, where U.S. troops fought bloody street battles to capture the city, to make an announcement that could affect the 2006 congressional elections. "President Bush has authorized an adjustment in U.S. combat brigades in Iraq from 17 to 15," said Mr. Rumsfeld, who is...

The President departed the White House today to spend the Christmas holiday with his family at Camp David before he left he made comments on Accomplishments and Future Priorities. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in Afganistan made an unannounced trip to Iraq. British Prime Minister Tony Blair also made a visit to Iraq. Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

The President on Saturday delivered his weekly live radio address on TV from the Roosevelt Room On Sunday the President addressed the nation from the Oval Office regarding progress in Iraq and the war on terror Today the President held a new conference in which he addressed the issue regarding the interception of international communications of people with known links to al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations. Later in the day the President and first lady joined marines in helping at the "Toys for Tots" collection center at the Naval District Washington Anacostia Annex in Washington, D.C. The Vice President...

The President met with out-of-country Iraqi voters in the Oval Office today the day that Iraqi people go to the poles in record numbers where in some areas voting had to be extended because of the great numbers turning out. President George W. Bush talks about levee reconstruction during a briefing in the Oval Office of the White House. The President is joined by Secretary Michael Chertoff, left, Department of Homeland Security; Don Powell, Federal Coordinator for the Recovery and Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast; Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans, and Lt. Gen. Carl Strock, Commander and Chief of...

-- If the Bay State senators could hang an ornament on the Pentagon Christmas tree, it would be pink. A pink slip, that is, for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Democratic Senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry called for Rumsfeld's resignation last week, following a speech at John Hopkins University in which Rumsfeld defended the war in Iraq and critiqued the mainstream media's war coverage. "We've arrived at a strange time in this country where the worst about America and our military seems to so quickly be taken as truth by the press," Rumsfeld said. As an example, Rumsfeld later pointed...

NEWSMAKER: DONALD RUMSFELD December 8, 2005 JIM LEHRER: And now to our Newsmaker interview with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Mr. Secretary, welcome. DONALD RUMSFELD: Thank you very much. JIM LEHRER: First, on some of the news items of today, there was a claim today that kidnappers had killed an American contractor in Iraq. Can you confirm that? DONALD RUMSFELD: I can't. We have claims by kidnappers and terrorists and beheaders, three or four a day, and it takes - anyone can say anything they want, and it gets carried across the globe in about five minutes. But till you...

President George W Bush met Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel at the White House today. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today attended a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels and addressed the media during the meeting. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld spoke to the press alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, after a meeting with a group of Congress members on Capital Hill today to talk about the war in Iraq. Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

Yesterday evening the President and his wife along with the Vice President and his wife attended a Gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts prior to the gala a reception for those honoured at this gala was held at the White House. The annual children's holiday reception and performance was held in the East Room of the White House today, the President and the first lady attended the performance. Today the President visited John Deere-Hitachi factory in NC and gave a speech on the economy and Tax Relief he also talked about pensions and social security...

Will Sen. Joseph Lieberman be tapped next year to become Secretary of Defense as a reward for his support for the Iraq war? That's the prediction from former New Republic magazine editor Andrew Sullivan, who told NBC's "Chris Matthews Show" on Sunday: "Before the next congressional elections, Joe Lieberman will be asked to be Secretary of Defense to succeed Don Rumsfeld." "That's the back story behind Lieberman's amazing defense of the administration this week," Sullivan insisted. Asked if he thought the Connecticut Democrat would accept the appointment, Sullivan said: "I don't know - it depends on how things are going...

President Bush and first Lady Laura Bush attended and spoke at World AIDS day in Washington. The President signed a Bill authorizing a statue of civil rights leader Rosa Parks be placed in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall. The President also met Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick the Archbishop of Washington at the White House This evening the President and First Lady attended and participated in the Pageant of Peace program on The Ellipse near the White House during which the National Christmas Tree was lit. Yesterday the First Lady made a visit to the Church of the Epiphany in Washington,...

Sergeant Clay: Afghanistan Vet and Adopt-A-Soldier Adoptee in the UK November 22, 2005: A Fourth Hour Phone Call Download Windows Media PlayerListen to Rush Conduct Broadcast Excellence BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: This is Sergeant Clay calling from the UK, the United Kingdom. Welcome, sergeant, to the program. It's an honor to have you with us. CALLER: Oh, my gosh! Hey, Rush. Professor Limbaugh, mega-mega-megadittos if ever such a thing there could be. We owe it all to you, brother. I just wanted to call and to let you know I've been listening to you since 1989, and I've been a...

President Bush and first lady Laura Bush conclude their far eastern tour by visiting Mongolia being the first serving President to visit that country. After visiting Mongolia they flew back the USA. The Vice President gave a speech on the War on Terror at the American Enterprise Insitute in Washington. Last Friday Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld concluded his Australian visit and on his return to the US did the rounds of Sunday talk shows. Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

President Bush and first lady Laura Bush continue their far eastern visit today they are in Korea. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is also in Korea. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is in Australia. Vice President Dick Cheney to spoke yesterday at the Third Annual Ronald Reagan Award which honored Sen. Malcolm Wallop (retf) Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

President Bush and first lady Laura Bush departed today for an eight-day trip to Asia to attend the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in South Korea they will also be visiting Japan and China. The President spoke about the war on terror during a stop at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska, enroute to Japan where he will begin his four country Asia tour. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice continued her visit in the middle east Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld met with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi. Pentagon officials did not allow TV or photo coverage of...

Over the weekend the President and the First Lady continued their visit to South America visiting Argentina and Brazil and travelling to Panama on Sunday evening. Today the President and First Lady attended various sites and events in Panama. British Defence Secretary John Reid visited with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon. Today Dennis Hastert, speaker of the House of Representatives, spoke at the Bank of America Program on Volunteerism Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld has recently done a whirlwind world tour from China to Lithuania stopping along the way in South Korea and Mongolia. See the following link for more details of trip Travels with Rumsfeld The following is a pictorial record of his travels, there are also some more photos at the above link

The President and the first lady spent the weekend at Camp David returning to the White House on Sunday. Today the President held a Cabinet Meeting and gave an update on Hurricane Wilma and the war on terror to the press. Later in the day the President announced his nomination of Ben Bernanke to replace Alan Greenspan as Chairman of the Federal Reserve when Greenspan's term expires in January 2006 The President also met with the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ronald Neumann and a delegation from Russia on trade The Vice President attended the Cabinet meeting and is due to...

The President travelled to California yesterday attending a fund raiser in the evening and today the Opening Ceremony for Air Force One Pavilion a the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Yesterday and today the Governor of Florida Jeb Bush contends with yet another hurricane Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw answer questions after speaking to students at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld continues his tour of the far east at present he is in South Korea Today is Trafalgar Day in Britain For further information on this see Battle of...

Rep. Kirt Weldon is on Michael Savage's radio program, and he is implying Rumsfeld is the one blocking further investigation into Able Danger. Weldon is fuming; says he personally (in a committee hearing) asked Rumsfeld about the investigation being blocked. Rumsfeld replied that he would 'get back to Weldon with a response.' Weldon says he still has gotten nothing from Rumsfeld. Weldon to give a speech in a few moments this evening on the floor of the House. It should be aired on CSPAN this evening.

The President and Mrs Bush spent part of the weekend at Camp David. Upon his arrival back at the White House on Sunday the President spoke with members of the media congratulating the Iraqis for successfully completing voting on the constitutional referendum, calling it a very positive day. Yesterday former U.S. President George Bush and his wife Barbara Bush watched the Houston Astros against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals in Houston, Texas Today The President Discusses Harriet Miers Nomination with Former Texas Supreme Court Justices The President also met with...

WASHINGTON (AFP) -US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld departs on a trip to China for talks on military relations as Beijing pursues an arms buildup that worries Washington. Rumsfeld also will visit South Korea, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Lithuania in the weeklong round-the-world trip. The China visit -- Rumsfeld's first since taking office nearly five years ago -- will bring military ties full circle from a low in 2001 following the mid-air collision of a US Navy EP-3 surveillance plane and a Chinese fighter jet, officials said. It comes amid growing US concerns over a military buildup by China that the Pentagon...

Today President Bush participated in a video teleconference with troops from the 42nd Infantry Division on duty in Tikrit, Iraq Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice continues her tour of Asia Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld attended and spoke at the U.S. & Central America Ministers Conference on Security and Economic opportunity in Key Biscayne, Florida Also today in England a great conservative and friend of the US Mrs (Baroness) Thatcher's celebrates her 80th birthday. There was a party tonight in London in her honour. Guests included political adversary and current UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. The outgoing Tory Leader who...

President Bush met with departing Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski at the White House. Secretary of State Rice visited with Pakistani and Afghani leaders and then arrived at Chaklala Air Base in Rawalpindi. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld is attending the U.S. and Central America Ministers Conference on Security and Economic Opportunity in Key Biscayne, Florida. Welcome to Sanity Island!

Yesterday President George W. Bush and and his wife Laura visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. Yesterday Laura Bush met with a group of Afghan teachers who are training at the University of Nebraska in Omaha on an educational exchange sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council Yesterday The Justice Department said that it is expanding its investigation into whether a naturalized U.S. citizen from the Philippines stole classified documents while he worked in the office of Vice President Dick Cheney Today the President made remarks...

Today The Senete Confirmed The President's pick for Chief Justice of the United States Judge John Roberts. The Senate voted 78-22 to confirm Roberts. Later in the day he was sworn in by Justice Stevens in the East Room of the White House. John Roberts watched the vote with the President and had luncheon with the President at the White House prior to the swearing in ceromonies. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld attended a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill Yesterday Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke at a dinner of the Global Business Coalition on HIV-AIDS in...

Today President George W. Bush met with his national security team at the Pentagon to review US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan Later in the day the President met with King Abdullah of Jordan in the Oval Office The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-5 to send Judge John Roberts nomination as Chief Justice of the United States to the Senate floor where a final vote is expected next week Former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush were at the Opening ceremonies for the 2005 Presidents Cup Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005, at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in...

There were no public appearances over the weekend for the President or Vice President. The President and first lady spent the majority of the weekend at Camp David returning to the White House on Sunday. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice addressed the United Nations General Assembly, on Saturday and also had a meetings with Libyan Foreign Minister Abd al-Rahman Shalgan and South Korean Foreign Minster Ban Ki-moon in New York Today President Bush and Vice President Cheney participated in a Homeland Security Council meeting in the Cabinet room of the White House Later in the day the President had a...

The President made no public appearances on Saturday but on Sunday he and the Vice President and their wives participated in a moment of silence in remembrance to the fourth anniversary of 9/11 on the lawn of the White House As usual the President and the First Lady attended church and later in the day he travelled to the Gulf Region for an overnight trip to the disaster area The Vice President on Saturday visited Texas Houston to see for himself the great work that the Texans are doing in caring and putting together the lives of those made homeless...

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld is scheduled to deliver these remarks Sunday during a wreath-laying ceremony in observance of Sept. 11, 2001, at Arlington National Cemetery. Chaplain James May. Families and friends of those we are here to honor. We gather here, in this place of remembrance, to reflect on a day when terrorists--extremists--struck at the heart of a free people. A day when Americans lost mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters and friends and colleagues. They came from different cultures, different races and different backgrounds. But what united them all was that they had hopes...

Over the weekend the President and other members of the Administration made visits connected with Hurricane Katrina In additon to tragic human disaster of Katrina there was also the sad news of the passing on Saturday of the Chief Justice of the United States William Rehnquist The President visited the Red Cross Center in Washington DC with the First Lady on Sunday and also made a Statement honouring the life and work of the Chief Justice Rehnquist Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Bayou La Batre, Alabama (her home State) on Sunday to see first hand the relief work going...

PRESIDENTIAL NEWS OF THE DAY: President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush attended church this morning before visiting the Red Cross Headquarters in Washington. The President also made a statement about the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Mr. Chief Justice Rehnquist spent more than 50 years of service to the nation, 33 of which were at the Supreme Court. During his tenure, William Rehnquist was among the most influential Chief Justices in history. His death creates a rare double opening on the U.S. Supreme Court, giving President Bush the chance to make a significant mark on the federal judiciary....