President Is Given Regular Checkup at Naval Hospital (YOUR TURN HILLARY)

President Bush has purposely lost eight pounds since his last medical checkup, in December, and his doctors said after his annual physical examination yesterday that he was in "excellent health."

Mr. Bush, 59, remains in the "superior" fitness category for a man his age, the doctors said. They also said Mr. Bush, who exercises six times a week, was "fit for duty" and expected to remain so for the rest of his term.

No significant new health problem was detected, and findings from the physical examination and the standard laboratory tests were within the normal range, according to a statement from the team of nine specialists who examined Mr. Bush.

Mr. Bush said he was "feeling pretty good" after the three-hour checkup at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. It was his fifth annual physical since taking office.

He also spent an hour visiting 14 marines wounded in the Iraq war and their families, and awarded seven Purple Hearts at the hospital before returning to the White House. A girl about 5 asked Mr. Bush what a Purple Heart was, and he replied: "That's an award for your dad. He's a brave man."

Mr. Bush, who stands nearly 6 feet, usually has his annual checkups in the summer, but last summer's was postponed until Dec. 11 because of the campaign. In December, he weighed 199.6 pounds, 8 more than the 191.6 recorded yesterday.

Mr. Bush's weight has fluctuated since he moved into the White House. He weighed 194.5 pounds in June 2000, before he became president, then dropped to 189 in 2001 and 2002. From Aug. 4, 2002 to Dec. 11, 2004, he gained 10.6 pounds, some of which his doctors attributed to increased muscle mass from exercise......

Contact: Josh Earnest of the Democratic National Committee Staff, 202-863-8148

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following is a fact sheet released today by the Democratic National Committee:

The White House this weekend announced that President Bush received good news during his annual physical. Doctors pronounced the President to be in "superior" physical condition, which media reports attributed to his rigorous, six day a week exercise routine. While President Bush has made physical fitness a personal priority, his cuts to education funding have forced schools to roll back physical education classes and his Administration's efforts to undermine Title IX sports programs have threatened thousands of women's college sports programs.

"President Bush's has dropped the ball when it comes to fully funding physical education in public schools and women's athletic programs at the college level," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Josh Earnest. "His personal habits indicate that physical fitness is not just fun and games for him. Don't our kids deserve the same opportunities to be physically fit? President Bush should stop running from his responsibility and make sure that all American children have access to physical fitness programs."

BUSH IN SUPERIOR HEALTH, BUT AMERICA'S YOUTH NOT

Doctors gave President Bush a clean bill of health in his annual checkup this weekend and White House spokesperson Dana Perino proclaimed him to be "in superior health." However, America's youth are not so lucky. While obesity has been declared an epidemic in this country, Bush's education policy is putting children at risk with cuts in physical education and school athletic programs.

BUSH CUTTING PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Bush's 2006 Budget Cut Physical Education By 25 Percent. Bush's 2006 budget request cut physical education funding for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade by $18.4 million. The 2006 cut is the "first year of a 2-year phase out of the program in order to redirect resources to higher-priority activities" according to the Department of Education. (U.S. Department of Education)

School Systems Nationwide Forced To Implement Pay-To-Play Athletic Programs. USA Today surveyed state high school sports associations and found 34 states in which associations say at least some school districts are charging students to play sports. Pay-to-play fees have cropped up or ballooned at schools in Alaska, Ohio, Massachusetts, Michigan, Kansas and other states. The fees grew from $75 to $250 in one Massachusetts school district two years ago. (Indianapolis Star, 5/2/05; USA Today, 7/30/04)

BUSH ROLLING BACK ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN

Bush Weakened Title IX Rules. The Bush Administration's Education Department quietly issued a new clarification of the regulations interpreting Title IX. The new rules allow colleges to demonstrate that they are satisfying the demand for women's sports with an online survey showing that female students have no unmet sports interests. Even if the non-response rate is high in the survey, non-response is to be interpreted as a lack of interest according to the Education Department. (New York Times, 3/23/05)

NCAA President Says Rules Could "Reverse the Progress Made Over the Last Three Decades." "NCAA President Myles Brand joined in condemning the guidelines, saying they could 'reverse the progress made over the last three decades.' He added his disappointment that officials issued the clarification 'without benefit of public discussion and input.'" (Los Angeles Times, 3/23/05)

Bush Recommended Undermining Title IX Rules In 2002 As Well. In June 2002, Bush's Education Secretary Roderick Paige created the Commission on Opportunity in Athletics to review Title IX, the federal law that has expanded athletic opportunities for women and girls for 30 years by barring sexual discrimination. This January the commission came back with recommendations that would ease the regulations of Title IX. A statement by the National Women's Law Center opposed the Bush Commission's proposals, "Some have characterized the Commission's long list of proposed changes as minor and moderate. Nothing could be further from the truth. Make no mistake about it. If accepted by the Bush Administration, the Commission's proposals would dramatically reduce the sports participation opportunities and scholarships to which women and girls are entitled under the law." (Washington Post, 6/27/02; New York Times, 1/31/03; NWLC Statement, 2/5/03, http://www.nwlc.org)

CHILDHOOD OBESITY SKYROCKETING

The Rate Of Childhood Obesity Has Skyrocketed In Recent Years. The rate of childhood obesity has skyrocketed in recent years, and more than 9 million children over age 6 are now considered overweight. The rapid rise has alarmed public health experts, because overweight children are far more likely to develop health problems. Currently, the U.S. government estimates that 30 percent of the nation's kids are overweight or on their way to being too heavy. Nearly twice as many children and three times as many teens are overweight now compared to two decades ago. (Washington Post, 10/1/04; USA Today, 6/4/04; Greensboro News & Record, 3/21/04)

http://www.usnewswire.com/

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.