Bush, Cheney make presence known at economic forum

Waco Tribune Herald ^ | August 14, 2002 | Jason Embry

[McLynnan]

President Bush listened first and talked later Tuesday as he moved from one friendly audience to the next at the Baylor law school.

Bush made 20-minute cameos in four of the eight discussions that kicked off his economic forum. Vice President Dick Cheney visited the other four. Each of the sessions, which ran concurrently, lasted 90 minutes.

Bush was the focus of every room he entered, but others did most of the talking. After opening remarks from two administration officials and investment executive Charles Schwab, Bush told investing and retirement panelists he was looking out for his McLennan County neighbors.

"I think about how people in Crawford look at Wall Street and the numbers," said Bush, whose ranch is about 25 miles west of Waco. "And one of the things I hope that comes out of this discussion is how do we simplify the numbers so that people can understand what they're looking at."

Panelists gave Bush first-hand accounts of the economy's health. Larry Johnston, chairman of the Albertson's grocery store chain, said he sees weakening consumer confidence when customers buy hamburger instead of steak.

Other stories were more encouraging. Dick Holthaus, president of the National Association of Investors Corporations, said the small investment clubs that make up his group received eight requests to sell for every two to buy in recent months. But he said investors have in recent weeks been buying only, which Holthaus chalked up to market factors and an emphasis on corporate responsibility.

Cabinet secretaries and other administration officials moderated the groups. They mostly called on business and civic leaders when Bush was in the room, ignoring professors from schools like Harvard, Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania.

Corporate accounting scandals were fresh in the minds of several panelists. Harry Alford, chairman of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, told Bush he was tired of seeing embattled executives plead the Fifth Amendment before Congress "as if they're Bugsy Siegel or Al Capone."

Bush told Alford that law-breakers will be held accountable. He also said business schools need to teach students the difference between right and wrong.

"They're afraid of taking a position, evidently," Bush said.

Bush walked swiftly into each room he entered, sometimes catching panelists off-guard. He got a delayed standing ovation when he entered the corporate responsibility session. In the discussion session on jobs and recovery, Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill gave panelists advance warning to stand when Bush entered.

The president took a few notes while participants talked, but he mostly looked directly at them, nodding frequently. He also worked in a few laughs.

At the session on jobs and recovery, North Carolina restaurant owner Van Eure sat between Bush and O'Neill, who has sometimes found few champions in Washington. After talking about estate taxes, Eure said it was an honor to sit next to one of her heroes, presumably meaning Bush.

"Who, O'Neill?" Bush quipped in amazement. "We found one, O'Neill."

George Luck, principal of the Waco ISD Alternative Campus and owner of Temple's Bluebonnet Cafe, sat on the health-care panel. A friend who works for Scott & White Memorial Hospital suggested Luck when White House officials asked for participants.

"I think people were very genuine throughout the entire forum," Luck said. "I don't think there was any difference when the president was there."

Luck said panelists were advised to keep comments short so everybody could speak. Salado nurse Lucinda Harman, also part of the health-care session, said the key instructions were to wear business dress and turn cell phones off.

After a wrap-up session at Baylor's Jones Concert Hall, Bush went to a participants' lunch in the Bill Daniel Student Center. They ate Southwest chicken salad and key lime pie, and Bush worked the room for handshakes and photos.

A Marine helicopter transported Bush from his Crawford ranch to Waco that morning, landing on the new intramural fields across La Salle Avenue from the Ferrell Center. He flew back to the ranch after five hours in Waco.

Even before the event began, Democrats complained the Bush forum was little more than a photo-op. In his closing-session remarks, Bush acknowledged at least some of the pageantry.

"Thanks for having us all," he told Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. "And I want you to thank all the good folks here at Baylor University for putting on a great show."

[olliemb]

Excuse me the market went up today--are you on the right day? and I believe yesterday the market went down b/c of Greenspan not lowering the rates--which by the way if you demos hold the president responsible for the economy why don't you hold Greenspan responsible for it as well--you know monetary and fiscal economic policies--lots of people blame Greenspan for overeacting a few years ago when making monetary corrections-- and demand he quit or get better ideas or maybe hold a forum and invite you guys to discuss the many ways to raise taxes. HEHEHE.

[olliemb]

Tuco it is impossible to make an intelligent response to your comments--just impossibe I say b/c your posts don't make much sense. Duh!!!

[olliemb]

Did you listen to all the summit conferences? If you would have you would have heard what people were saying. If the press was there taking pics then that's there fault not the president--no one forces the press to take pics unless they want to.

As for your derogatory comments about the economic forum---it seems that when there is criticism there should be constructive advice. Ok, Be, how would you and the democrats improve the economy. Gephardt didn't have an answer to that question when asked at Iowa State Fair and Gepardt suggested having an economic forum. Duh!!!I wonder whom he would invite to his forum--you know a true congressman who was worried about his country would be coming out with his own forum or with his own ideas--but NADA, Zip, no plans from the demos but boy, can you all complain.

Must have had razor blade soup for breakfast.

[olliemb]

Share with us those links--it appears to me that if you had info that was bad for Bush you would be spouting that info right now and "dancing in the streets" with that bit of news.

[olliemb]

Most economists agree this is a business cycle as well--but the young ones get quite nervous when they hear recession, deficits, and they go crazy complaining but it is apparent that they know and have no better ideas except to raise taxes and have government grow and take care of the people. The chubby dude from the AFLCIO was on TV yesterday and that was what he advocated--cut the 1% of the rich people tax cuts and give more tax cuts to the middle class and let government grow the jobs.

[olliemb]

At the forum were teamsters and union people (not known for their republican support) and of course there were Clinton administrative office holders there too. So the demos are full of hot air and we are getting most of it now here in this thread.

[olliemb]

Oh you know how the democrats are--the links and facts are made up and hearing McAuliffe lately I would think he would be the source of the info.

Let me see--Harken , do you remember, is it out of business? did it ever go bankrupt? I don't think so. Did you know that the Harken business first owned by Bush before he sold it--the employees said that when Bush sold it he made sure that all his employees had jobs and would not be left unemployed.

How nice of him--so much like the Tycos guy, or McAuliffe when he left with his 180 million bonus from 100,000 dollar initial investment.

[olliemb]

But did you not hear the teamster or Phyliis Slater speak or the hispanic representative? B/c I did--and I think he had it well covered with different opinions. If someone disagreed with him they did--like the lady married who complained about the execs walking off with all the money and a common person if caught with drug would lose their car and maybe their house--sounds like a complaint to me.

How about the complaints about too much government intervention including the new laws just set forth and signed by Bush. I heard that, did you not?

[olliemb]

Lets ask Daschle to tell us who wrote his energy plan? Lets ask Daschle to release his and his wife's tax returns. Lets ask Hillary about her $1000 investment. Lets ask Toricelli to ask the ethics committee to release the committee's findings. Let's ask Clinton for the info re: what he sold to China. Let's ask Rubin why he called the white house for special favors for Enron. Lets ask Lieberman why he did not recuse himself after receiving 60000 from Citigroup who financed Enron.

Yep, Stevie, there are lots of questions to be asked. But to ask about something that happened 12 years ago and was investigated by Ann Richards, Clinton, Gore and the DNC and yet nothing was found. To bring it up and then to spread the gossip that since he has not asked SEC to release that it implies he has something to hide is pure rubbish and pure lies. And just like the democrats you will spread lies and rumors and innuendos b/c you know that if you repeat something enough times there will be those who will believe b/c they will not look up the facts.

Too bad for you,--the group here won't fall for that. Too bad for you.

[olliemb]

Tuco,

you ran out of your own words and now you have to borrow from Ohio? Come on --get a thesauraus.

[olliemb]

I suppose Sequet never had to thank a soul for their hard work--probably feels entitled to all that hard work and no need to thank.

You are right-in Texas that is how we speak. Sequet must come from the school of literal speaking.

[Tuco-bad]

you ran out of your own words and now you have to borrow from Ohio? Come on --get a thesauraus.

The point I was making in my post #48, is what Ohio wrote was so "boiler plate" that one could use the same statements with a one or two word change, for either side of the debate.

[olliemb]

But in making your point you lost the debate--what measure of discussion was there than for tit for tat comments. You sound like a school yard kid, trying to come up with stingers. Stick with the facts and have a decent discussion on this thread is all that I ask. No emotion, no hyperbole and of course no lies and exaggerations.

[Tuco-bad]

Stick with the facts and have a decent discussion on this thread is all that I ask

I posted facts that are easily verifiable, but are ignored on this thread because it refutes various poster's positions.