Call for censure is `needless partisanship,' Bush says

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http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/politics/14154075.htm

Call for censure is `needless partisanship,' Bush says
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

WASHINGTON - In his first public comments on the subject, President Bush on Tuesday described Sen. Russ Feingold's censure resolution as "needless partisanship" and challenged congressional Democrats to run on the issue in 2006 elections.

"I did notice that nobody from the Democratic Party has actually stood up and called for getting rid of the terrorist surveillance program," Bush said at a news conference Tuesday.

"You know, if that's what they believe, if people in the party believe that, then they ought to stand up and say it," Bush said. "They ought to stand up and say, `The tools we're using to protect the American people shouldn't be used.' They ought to take their message to the people and say, `Vote for me. I promise we're not going to have a terrorist surveillance program.'"

Feingold, D-Wis., who introduced the censure resolution last week, fired back in an interview, saying Bush's comments are "just plain dishonest."
"The president knows every Democrat supports wiretapping terrorists," said Feingold, who contends the wiretapping can and should be done with court approval. "So when the president says (we're) opposing wiretapping terrorists, he is being intentionally dishonest. It makes me feel even more strongly that he should be censured."