As Agenda Falters, Bush Tries a More Personal Approach in Dealing With Con

[Rose Siding]

As Agenda Falters, Bush Tries a More Personal Approach in Dealing With Congress

Senator John W. Warner and his wife were at the White House for a Memorial Day photo session with veterans when they received an unexpected invitation from President Bush. "Come on," the president said suddenly. "Let's go back to the Oval Office."

What followed, said Mr. Warner, a Virginia Republican and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was a rare 15 minutes alone with the president, no aides or staff in sight.
...
Now, with Mr. Bush's poll numbers sinking and his agenda faltering, the White House needs Republicans in Congress more than ever. Without necessarily taking the advice he is seeking from Capitol Hill, Mr. Bush is adding a more personal touch to his presidency in an effort to put himself in the good graces of lawmakers.

The effort, choreographed by senior advisers to Mr. Bush, began late last year and intensified in April after Joshua B. Bolten became chief of staff, said two officials involved. So the president, a man not given to Washington schmoozing, now holds intimate cocktail parties on the Truman Balcony, overlooking the South Lawn, for lawmakers and their spouses, complete with tours of the Lincoln Bedroom led by him and the first lady.

For the first time in his presidency, Mr. Bush is also inviting lawmakers to the White House in small groups not to discuss specific issues, but simply to ask what is on their minds. These informal brainstorming sessions occur not in the Oval Office, but over iced tea and lemonade in the cozy Yellow Oval room of the private residence.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/11/washington/11bush.html?ex=1307678400&en=a72f6af845def3a5&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

[BrklynLiberal]

1. I would hope that the Congresspeople are able to see thru this desperate

ploy. What an obvious scam.

[dalaigh lllama]

2. and while they're sipping their iced tea in their exalted privacy,

Bush smirks and tells them the dirt he's got on them courtesy of the NSA...

And would someone please explain how you tour a bedroom?

[EST]

7. Ummm...

In my younger, more vapid days, I was taken on a few bedroom tours. Man, that "disneyland monorail" and the ribald roller coaster were sumpin' else!

[dalaigh lllama]

8. Oh, THAT kind of tour

:rofl:

I'll bet Bushie has his own little FantasyLand built-in. "Hey Condi, let's go wake up Sleeping Beauty (Cheney). Heh, heh, heh."

[rodeodance]

3. and the congresscritters gush!!

[meow2u3]

4. Turn on the charm, Georgy

Congress will really buy your snake oil during an election year :sarcasm:

[truthisfreedom]

5. there's nothing that can't be solved with a few Mike's Hard Lemonades

and some roofies, huh GW?

[Lindacooks]

6. Chimpy: "Let's go back to my room and play!"

What a childish maroon.

[jazzjunkysue]

9. What? Drinks with americans, not Saudi's?!!

ya think ya know someone...

[kainah]

10. interesting last sentence

"I left having a pretty good sense of what Josh hoped to do in the next couple of weeks as he stepped into his role; I talked to Candi at some length about some of the relationship issues," Mr. Sununu said. "I probably even said, 'This is really good, this is the kind of thing you need to do more of.' "

You probably, even said that, John? Does that mean you don't think or believe it?