http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/37773|top|05-20-2004::13:26|reuters.html
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush asked fellow Republicans on Capitol Hill on Thursday to "keep the faith" as he sought to ease their jitters about Iraq and his lowest approval ratings ever.
At a closed-door meeting described by some as a pep rally, Bush vowed to "stay the course" and do what is right for America, prompting lawmakers to shower him with ovations, Republicans said afterward. A top Democrat fired back by calling Bush incompetent.
"He asked us to keep the faith," Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio, a member of the Republican leadership, said as she emerged from the meeting. "We're all behind him."
At a news conference, House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said, "I believe the president's leadership in the actions taken in Iraq demonstrate he is incompetent in terms of knowledge, judgment and experience."
Bush's approval ratings have slipped to the mid-to-low 40 percent range, the lowest of his presidency. No recent president has been re-elected with such numbers this close to the November elections.
"The color code alert level has moved from yellow to orange," a senior Republican aide said. "There isn't panic, but there is considerable concern."
"We'll all be concerned until Election Day," Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, said 5 1/2 months before the nation votes. "But we remain confident. We believe in President Bush. He will win re-election."
Many Republicans offered such talk publicly this week even as some privately gave the White House advice on how Bush could best rebound -- from holding more news conferences, to coming out in support of a buyout of hard-pressed tobacco farmers, to better articulating his message on Iraq.
Bush intends to lay out in a major speech on Monday his strategy for handing sovereignty to Iraqis.
NO TALK OF POLLS
"We didn't talk about polls," Rep. David Hobson, an Ohio Republican, said after the meeting with Bush. "He believes in what he's doing and he will stay on course for his beliefs, no matter what the political cost is."
Lawmakers voiced frustration that good economic news in recent months has been drowned out by events in Iraq, from rising violence to the prisoner abuse scandal.
Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, a New York Republican, said Bush told lawmakers when they go home for the Memorial Day recess this weekend "tell your people the economy is going in the right direction."
Bush took no questions from lawmakers as he prepared them for the upcoming elections, underscored his intentions to "stay the course" in Iraq and thanked them for helping him get key bills through Congress the past 3 1/2 years.
"The overall thing he accomplished was it's clear to everybody in the room this guy is leading," said Rep. John Boehner, an Ohio Republican. "I've wanted this frankly for months, for the president to come up and talk to the troops himself."
Democrats hope a damaged Bush could undermine Republican efforts to retain control of the closely divided Senate and House of Representatives in the November elections.
Republicans argue they will prevail, noting congressional races are traditionally determined by state and local issues -- not presidential coattails.
Republicans say they are encouraged that Democratic White House challenger John Kerry is essentially running about even with Bush when voters are asked who they want to be president.
"The good thing for us is that John Kerry is not catching on," said Rep. Ray LaHood, an Illinois Republican.
House Republicans have become frustrated with some of their Republican colleagues in the Senate who they complain have failed to adequately stand up for Bush on TV talks shows.
"What's been causing a lot of heartburn is that some of these Senate Republicans who get on these talking head shows aren't 100 percent aligned with the president or his agenda," said LaHood. "We need House members on these shows."
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