WASHINGTON -- President Bush yesterday stepped up his call for Congress to approve a spying law that includes lawsuit protections for communications companies who cooperate with the government, saying failure to provide legal immunity "could aid our enemies."
The intelligence community relies on private companies to provide access to communications among suspected overseas terrorists, Bush said, including when they are in contact with those on American soil. The threat of lawsuits imperils that vital cooperation, he said.
"Without the cooperation of the private sector, we cannot protect our country from terrorist attack," Bush said during his first formal news conference of 2008.
Bush and Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives are at odds over a renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, an extension of which expired this month. Democrats have raised concerns about violations of the civil liberties of Americans who have been spied on.
"I suspect they see a financial gravy train," Bush said, referring to lawyers pursuing class-action lawsuits against telephone companies who have turned over information to the government.
Bush also addressed the nation's teetering economy during his first news conference at the White House since Dec. 4. The president said the economy was not in recession but in a "slowdown." He resisted calls for additional help from Washington, saying, "Why don't we let stimulus package one, which seemed like a good idea at the time, kick in?" The tax rebate plan will begin delivering checks of between $300 and $1,200 to millions of taxpayers in May. Many families with children will receive additional money.
Bush appeared taken aback when asked about how Americans should deal with gasoline prices that could reach $4 a gallon this year, according to the projections of some analysts.
The president said he had not heard about the figure but used the question to renew a call for increased energy production from domestic sources - including building new refineries and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The president criticized recent congressional debate over withholding funds for the Iraq war, saying critics fail to acknowledge security gains achieved in the past year through the addition of thousands more troops.
"It seems that no matter what happens in Iraq, opponents of the war have one answer: retreat," Bush said.
Bush was drawn into the election debate, addressing comments by Sen. Barack Obama about the wisdom of the next president meeting with foreign leaders long shunned by the U.S..
"Sitting down at the table, having your picture taken with a tyrant, such as [Cuban leader] Raul Castro, for example, lends the status of the office and the status of our country to him," Bush said. "He gains a lot from it by saying, 'Look at me. I'm now recognized by the president of the United States.'"
david.nitkin@baltsun.com