Only NYT Reports the Truth About Bush's 5 Minute Meeting w/ Secretaries ->

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/05/AR2006010500254.html

Bush Takes Suggestions on Iraq
By William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 5, 2006; 2:30 PM

President Bush reached out for suggestions about his Iraq policy today, inviting a bipartisan group of 13 former secretaries of state and defense to the White House for talks with him and top aides.

Bush told reporters after the meeting that the former secretaries from Republican and Democratic administrations had received a briefing "on our strategy for victory in Iraq" from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the U.S. ambassador and top military commander in Iraq.

"I've also had a chance to listen to their concerns, their suggestions about the way forward," Bush said. "Not everybody around this table agreed with my decision to go into Iraq, and I fully understand that. But these are good, solid Americans who understand that we've got to succeed now that we're there."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060106/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_21

Bush, Ex-Policymakers, Discuss Iraq
By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer Thu Jan 5, 8:24 PM ET

WASHINGTON - President Bush brought foreign policy heavyweights from yesteryear to the White House on Thursday, including Democrats who have opposed his Iraq strategy. He got support for the mission — along with a few concerns — and a right to claim he was reaching out.

Waging an unpopular war that has dragged down his approval ratings, Bush has been campaigning to win the public over to his argument that he has a successful strategy for stabilizing Iraq and bringing American troops home.

As part of that effort, Bush brought to the White House more than a dozen former secretaries of state and defense, split almost evenly between Republican and Democratic administrations, for a detailed briefing and give-and-take.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060106/pl_nm/iraq_bush_dc_9

Bush reaches beyond inner circle on Iraq policy
By Tabassum Zakaria Thu Jan 5, 9:38 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush reached beyond his tight circle of trusted aides on Thursday to solicit views on Iraq of former secretaries of state and defense, including some who have publicly criticized his policy.

The meeting, part of the president's effort to defend his policies on Iraq and the war on terrorism as he tries to recover from low opinion poll ratings, took place as insurgent violence surged anew this week in Iraq.

"Not everybody around this table agreed with my decision to go into Iraq and I fully understand that," Bush said, adding that he had listened to their concerns and suggestions. "We take to heart the advice."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/06/politics/06prexy.html



Visited by a Host of Administrations Past, Bush Hears Some Chastening Words
By DAVID E. SANGER
Published: January 6, 2006

<snip>

But if it was a bipartisan consultation, as advertised by the White House, it was a brief one. Mr. Bush allowed 5 to 10 minutes for interchange with the group - which included three veterans of the Vietnam era: Robert S. McNamara, Melvin R. Laird and James R. Schlesinger - before herding the whole group into the Oval Office for what he called a "family picture."

Those who wanted to impart more wisdom to the current occupants of the White House were sent back across the hall to meet again with Stephen J. Hadley, the national security adviser, and Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But as several of the participants noted, by that time Mr. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld had gone on to other meetings.

***

When he took the floor, Mr. Bush left no doubt that he believed his strategy to be the only path to victory, and he gave no hint, participants said, of self-doubt. "It would be a stretch to say he was really interested in many thoughts from around the table," said one former official, who asked not to be identified so that he could speak frankly about a private meeting with the president.