Posted on 03/23/2007 5:03:12 PM PDT by silent_jonny
In response to the democrats passing their ANTI-TROOP bill, President Bush made a statement from the White House, vowing to veto it. “… [this bill] has no chance of becoming law.” Accompanying the president were members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, families of deployed service members and families of those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. (Transcript)
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice met with the Iraq Provincial Reconstruction Team at the State Department.
Press Secretary Tony Snow made an announcement about his health at the end of today’s press briefing. (Transcript)
On a lighter note, President and Mrs. Bush welcomed the family of former President Johnson to the Oval Office for the naming of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building. (Click here for more information)
President Bush was also joined in the White House today by Archbishop Demetrios for the proclamation of March 25, 2007 as National Greek Independence Day, “A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy”. (Transcript)
Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island
If you're of such a mind, please pray for our dear snugs' dad, who will be having surgery to repair his broken hip.
Bush, key senator [Orrin Hatch] still backing Gonzales
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press
44 minutes agoWASHINGTON - The White House and a key Republican senator reaffirmed support Saturday for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales even as Democrats questioned his credibility for apparently misrepresenting his role in firing eight federal prosecutors.
Critics said the latest document disclosure — more than 280 pages of e-mails, calendar notations and other documents sent to Congress late Friday — bolstered their case for Gonzales' ouster.
Yet one longtime ally who largely has kept quiet about the attorney general's fate issued a statement of support.
"He has always been straightforward and honest with me," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "So, unless there is clear evidence that the attorney general deliberately lied or misled Congress, I see no reason to call for his resignation."
Here's the big news of the day for folks who think the U.N. has any real meaning:
U.N. unanimously approves Iran sanctions
By ALEXANDRA OLSON, Associated Press
38 minutes agoUNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council unanimously voted Saturday to impose new sanctions against Iran for its refusal to stop enriching uranium — a move intended to show Tehran that defiance will leave it increasingly isolated.
The moderately tougher [cough] sanctions include banning Iranian arms exports, and freezing the assets of 28 people and organizations involved in Iran's nuclear and missile programs.
About a third of those are linked to the Revolutionary Guard, an elite military corps. "This resolution sends an unambiguous signal to the government and people of Iran ... that the path of nuclear proliferation by Iran is not one that the international community can accept," said British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry. [cough, cough]
Is "moderately tougher" sort of like being moderately pregnant? Just asking...
UF faculty to Bush: You can't be a Gator
By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER, St. Petersburg Times
March 24, 2007Former Gov. Jeb Bush prided himself on his education policies, and before leaving office set aside over $20-million to help the University of Florida attract top faculty and establish new research centers.
No matter. More than three dozen UF faculty members snubbed the Republican Party celebrity this week, killing a proposal to give him an honorary degree.
Jeb Bush denied honor at U. of Florida
Sat Mar 24, 9:20 AM ETGAINESVILLE, Fla. - University of Florida President Bernie Machen says he was "tremendously disappointed" with the school's Faculty Senate vote to deny former Gov. Jeb Bush an honorary degree.
The [faculty] senate voted 38-28 Thursday against giving the honorary degree to Bush, who left office in January.
"Jeb Bush has been a great friend of the University of Florida," Machen said Friday, adding that the Senate's action is "unheard of."
Some faculty expressed concern about Bush's record in higher education.
"I really don't feel this is a person who has been a supporter of UF," Kathleen Price, associate dean of library and technology at the school's Levin College of Law, told The Gainesville Sun after the vote.
Bush's approval of three new medical schools during his tenure has diluted resources, Price told the newspaper.
Bush has also been criticized for his "One Florida" proposal, an initiative that ended race-based admissions programs at state universities.
Machen maintains, however, that Bush has benefited the university, such as by providing the funding to attract nationally recognized faculty.
Machen also pointed to Bush's First Generation Scholarship program, modeled after a University of Florida effort to help high school students at risk of not making it to college.
University officials said they could not recall any precedent for the [faculty] senate rejecting the nominees put forth by the Faculty Senate's Honorary Degrees, Distinguished Alumnus Awards and Memorials Committee. The committee determines whether nominees deserve consideration according to standards that include "eminent distinction in scholarship or high distinction in public service."
"The committee endorsed him," Machen said. "It is unheard of that a faculty committee would look at candidates, make recommendations and then (those candidates) be overturned by the senate."
Ah, but this is the post-modern 21st Century, in which haters on both the Left and Right are unwilling to separate their politics from anything else in their lives.
In the meantime, in an effort to dilute the faculty's refusal to grant Jeb the honorary degree:
Bush granted honorary alumnus status
The Associated Press
March 24, 2007 3:58PMFormer Gov. Jeb Bush may have been denied a University of Florida honorary degree, but he has been given alumni status.
The University of Florida Alumni Association's Board of Directors passed the resolution Saturday naming the former governor an honorary alumnus.
The move comes after the school's Faculty Senate voted 38-28 Thursday to deny Bush an honorary degree.
The main difference between the awards is that the degree is given by the university and the alumni association decides who receives honorary alumni status, said Steve Orlando, a University of Florida spokesman.
"They might be in two different categories, but from the alumni perspective, we highly respect those that have been given or granted the status of honorary alumnus," said Leonard Spearman, president of the University of Florida Alumni Association.
Spearman said his group's decision had nothing to do with the Faculty Senate vote.
"What we did was in our own rights, not in our reaction to the senate," he said.
The association said Bush, who left office in January, was selected because of his support for UF research. Spearman said the organization also considered Bush's efforts to provide funding for more faculty and create a statewide scholarship program.
Ah...the wacky world of the post-modern university. And parents spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to send their kids to these places. Go figure.
Here's my reaction...
One of our guys in training for the new style of warfare mandated by Dem troop funding cuts.
The Left always claims to support our troops. Here's how...
While their fellow travelers in the limousine set vote cheap Oscars to their pet politicians and overblown causes.
Oh...they did decide what to do regarding his hip???
Yes.. for sure, prayers for snugs' Dad and for dear snugs..
I'm not sure if they decided, except that snugs said they needed clearer ex-rays to determine if a pin or complete replacement would be best.
Sleuth! I think you won the toaster!
Hi Wolfstar,
Thank you for the Dose!
I always appreciate photos of our beloved 41 and First Lady 41.
Dang....I am shocked, shocked, I tell ya!!
You did win and by a mile!
You'll have to wait for snugs to return, but hey! A win is a win! Congrats!!!
Prayers for your beloved dad and for you to be strong, dearest snugs.
Hi onyx. You're welcome. Some news, but no new pics. But like you, I enjoy photos of GHWB and Barbara.
Thanks for the thread...even if there are no "today" pictures...
I surely don't mind waiting for snugs.
Actually, I freepmailed her earlier..because she is also the one that gives out the top 3 prizes on the Sunday Talk show thread.
Like me....I am sure the "winners" will be patient.
Wow --- Condi looks absolutely DAZZLING!
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