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"If Bush knew that it was not going to ever cross his desk, then why say anything at all about his willingness to sign it?"

Because it removed the issue from the debate, which is a W/Rove gambit that has been played many times. The first time I saw it was early in the campaign for election when ALGore brought up global warming and started in on W. W's reply was " I agree that there is global warming", and the issue never came up again in the contest for the Presidency. It was a brilliant strategy and they continue to use it as we see here.

One of te reasons that AlGore's fascination with the "alpha male" protrayal was so intense is that Rove and W took away many of the issues that AlGore had planned on using. Between Naomi Wolfe, steroids and growth hormone (anyone who has lifted weights knows that AlGore couldn't have bulked up as quickly as he did without some help from the Chemistry Department, especially at his age.), a large wardrobe from Land's End and airbrushed crotches, he almost pulled it off. His campaign appeared to be more of a fashion show than a serious camppaign.

My question was rhetorical. I had already answered it in my post. You said the dems will say, "Well, it was killed in committee. What could we do?" Bush's tactic appears to be the exact same thing. Why? Because he is pandering to the very same liberal groups.

Also, I do not see how this issue has been removed from the debate. In fact, the debate (within his base) began as soon as Bush said that he would sign it. I do not think that it is a brilliant strategy to alienate a large faction of the base. If Bush knew that it was not going to ever cross his desk, then a good strategy would have been not to say anything at all. But then he wouldn't be able to have it both ways.

Furthermore, Bush said that he would sign the renewal BEFORE the Republicans ever had control of both the house and the senate.

If it were to reach his desk, then Bush would sign it. That alone is a matter of concern, whether it reaches his desk or not. Whether it reaches his desk or not, he is on record as saying that he supports it as a good thing.