Pelosi: 'We Came in the Spirit of Hope That the President Would Take Yes for an Answer'

WASHINGTON, April 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi
spoke during a press stakeout this afternoon at the White House with other
House and Senate Democratic leaders after their meeting with President
Bush. Below are her opening remarks:

"I concur with the view of the distinguished Senate Majority Leader
that this was a productive meeting with the president. He took the time to
hear our views and shared his with us. We came here in a spirit of hope,
recognizing that this is an historic opportunity for the president and the
Congress to work together to wind down this war and to ensure the security
of our country and the stability of the region.

"We came in the spirit of hope that the president would take yes for an
answer. The legislation that we will send to his desk certainly supports
the troops. It gives the President everything he asks for as the Senate
Majority Leader said, and more. So it supports the troops, it honors our
commitments to our veterans, which of course these commitments have been
unfulfilled. And it holds the Iraqi government accountable. It does so in a
way that also strengthens our military, which is essential to the security
of our country.

"I believe we were able to tell the president some things about our
legislation that he may or may not have been aware of. That this is about a
change in mission, from combat to training, to protecting our diplomats
there, to fighting terrorism in the region, and to staying there to protect
our interests wherever they may be threatened in the region.

"It's about accountability. It gives the president all of the
benchmarks that he himself proposed, and all the benchmarks regarding the
Iraqi government that he has endorsed. It does so, though, with an element
of accountability. We cannot give the president a blank check, but we're
willing to work with him to come to agreement.

"We look forward to continuing the conversation with the president. It
is our plan to pass legislation next week, so the president can take it up
at his earliest time. And hopefully give some hope to the American people
that we understand that they want us to work together to wind down this war
and to bring our troops home."

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/04-18-2007/0004568823&EDATE=WED+Apr+18+2007,+06:41+PM


http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bigtree

That's not in the cards. If they are really pushing for this, the thing is going to end in a stalemate.
Bush isn't going to walk away from those oil fields.

Neither are the Dems. This Bill does not call for all US Troops to withdraw from Iraq. At least 40% of the US Troops and thousands of Mercs will stay well beyond March '08. The US Corp Media and the Busholini Admin. have not told the truth about this Bill.

Is not going to fly this time. And when the goniffs at the White House trot it out again, they'll diminish themselves even more.

consequence ,and he'll blame all of you and Barb ,before he does himself.

But even happier she's not my Mom or Grandma. I'll bet she's a real hardass : )

and when you do that you never have to be a hardass, my experience anyway. just saying.

and to staying there to protect our interests

or get rid of him and so far.....:shrug:

That's oil , benchmarks , what is to say that if they are not met bush has any intention of pulling out ever ?

I guess I'm just not as hopeful as many others .