There is another reason: It will do no good if the House leadership will not go along with the Republican agenda. And why would they? Did a make a difference that they were in session last week?

Bush does not need to stand by them. He is not a part of the House of Representatives. He lifted the executive ban, now let these guys do their job and get the Congressional ban lifted.

This is just another attempt for the Congress to blame their failings on the White House. They do it all the time.

By calling Congress back into session, Bush could indeed play “Give ‘em hell” George and gain some points. Just how would this help McCain and his chances (and the party’s chances) in November?

It’s better to give McCain and other Republicans a month to hammer the Democrats and their leadership on this issue. Bush doesn’t gain any points (what would be the point of that?), but McCain certainly can if he works it right.

Come to think of it, gasoline prices spiking to about $4.75/gal nationwide would make for some interesting political ads, wouldn’t it? Any of us could write the dialog:

“The Democrat Congressional leader refused to allow an up-or-down vote on expanding domestic oil drilling and lowering gas prices–and then the Democrats went on a five-week vacation. Now gas prices are at an all-time high. You can’t afford to go in vacation this August, but they can. Is this the kind of ‘leadership’ they promised when they took control of Congress in 2006? Call your congressman today and wish him a happy vacation.”

McCotter is right on this and Bush should have stood with them.This issue has a chance to drive a serious wedge between the democrats and help wipe away the support from independents that they have.

Any positive daylight the GOP can get on issues right now combined with the success in Iraq should be supported 100%.

Bush should have stood and fought with the rest of the GOP,they have done a pretty good job of standing strong with him though the tough times of 05-07.

And now he’s using that to attack the President?

Why doesn’t he use that to go after all of the Dem’s other lunatic policies? Like welfare / social security / government expansion, etc…

It seems wasted on someone that is on his way out.

At least George will be able to say he actually won the wars he waged, even if he is blind to the fact that The People need him here now with the congressional Republicans to take this fight to the Do Nothing Dems rather than hobnobbing with the same red appartcheks Harmless Harry inadvertantly helped put into power so many years ago.

Still, fight on GOP! Take it straight to those slackers and pound ‘em into rubble! Expose them as the gutless Power For The Sake of Power authoritarian scumbags that they are!

Damn, I love this guy! McCotter for POTUS!

Dr.Cwac.Cwac on August 5, 2008 at 6:25 PM

I’m thinking the same. Imagine the press conferences.

Bush went to the Olympics, in part, because China is helping us with North Korea, and, we hope, Iran.

Bush is right in not demanding congress reassemble just to have the Dems knock down the Republicans

bnelson44 on August 5, 2008 at 6:34 PM

Now when you say “help,” do you mean doing the same thing Russia and Iran and NK have been doing to us recently, e.g. putting on a friendly face and stonewalling our efforts?

Honestly, the only difference between China and Africa is that the Chinese are too proud to beg other nations to bail them out. They both end up being tribalist paradises for the power-mad thug du jour. I gotta say, the quantum jump from feudalism to communism didn’t much change their lot in life. Unless the Chinese wake up and smell the stench of failure emanating from Marxism, they;’ll basically be the same theoretical superpowert they have always been: Purely theoretical.

Jeez what a quitter.

FIGHT, DUDE!

We are now so much in hock to China Japan thanks to so many America’s proclivity to “shop till you drop” that no American President dare say too much about China Japan least they pull the rug out from under our financial “House of Cards”.

Don’t have a real good understanding of how the bond system works, huh? Good, recruit. Now I see how you went up that hill so many times.

See: Public debt (private and government debt)

Neocon Peg on August 5, 2008 at 7:47 PM

He may be right, I’m not sure what the presidents capability to keep them there is in practice, but it seems that Truman managed it somehow. Maybe the circumstances are different.

But if it is possible for Bush to call them back and keep them their until they either vote on the issue or their vacation time has elapsed I think I would prefer that route, though I see merits to both sides of the argument.

They simply haven’t earned a vacation.

FloatingRock on August 5, 2008 at 7:27 PM

I got that from John Carter (R) Texas from CSPAN today as they were holding a press conference outside the house. One of the press or visitors (I couldn’t see as it was behind the cameras) asked that question and that was his response. He said that Pelosi has all the power. The President could call it, but it would only take Pelosi to adjourn, which, to me means that she sets the agenda. I can see why President Bush refused to do it. He didn’t want it to appear that it was his fault, playing right into Democraps hands.

Allah posted this earlier

Even as they face heat from constituents during the August break, Democrats say they aren’t going to cave in to popular pressure.

“We feel pretty comfortable with where we are,” said Rep. Michael E. Capuano (D-Mass.), who is close to the Democratic leadership. “This is a not a new issue. This just didn’t happen today. We’ve been working on this for months.”

Looks like the Dems are betting they can hold off and do whatever they want with a new big-majority Dem Congress. The President is betting that stalling on this issue will turn the election around for Republicans.

If the price of gas stays high (speculate you traders! bid it up!), the President will win.

Even if he did call a special session, all Pelosi would have to do is to adjourn immediately!

Neocon Peg on August 5, 2008 at 7:14 PM

Are you sure? What about this?
he [the president] may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper

One, big difference: Bush is not running for reelection. I agree with him, let the Dems hang themselves out to dry.

Kafir on August 5, 2008 at 6:56 PM

Exactly. Bush needs to distance himself from this. He has already done what he needed to do (lift the executive order on drilling). Even if he did call a special session, all Pelosi would have to do is to adjourn immediately! Yeah, I watched Cspan today! Bush sees the bigger picture. Let’s not turn on ourselves now that we have discovered we have a little fortitude!