Bush Says Budget Summit Is Wide Open but Won’t Show His Hand Yet

President Bush said today he is willing to discuss everything at next week’s budget summit but declared “I’m not going to show you my hand” in advance on new taxes.

Bush, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way from Washington to Texas, insisted that nothing is off the bargaining table, despite comments from a senior aide suggesting he might rule out any proposed tax increase.

“Why don’t you just listen to what I say and see what we do,” Bush said. “There are no conditions and that’s the way it is, that’s the way it’s going to be and that’s the way it must be.”

It was the first time Bush himself has spoken out on the subject since he appeared to open the door to a possible tax increase last Sunday by proposing a no-preconditions budget summit with Congress.

The first negotiations will take place next Tuesday at the White House.

Bush’s comments came as Administration and congressional leaders struggled to impose a verbal cease-fire on Democrats and Republicans who are bickering over whether next week’s budget summit will consider new taxes.

Top Democrats criticized White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu for saying that Bush would never accept tax increases as part of a $1.2-trillion budget for fiscal 1991, which begins Oct. 1.

Asked if Sununu is in trouble for his remarks, Bush said: “That’s silly--so stupid.”

And, in a reference to members of Congress who have joined in the fray, Bush said: “None of these congressmen are in trouble, either.”

However, the President conceded that House Speaker Thomas S. Foley of Washington was concerned over Sununu’s remarks. Bush called Foley on Thursday to assure him that he has no preconditions for the budget summit talks.

“Yes, he did express concern,” Bush said. “But I think he sees the need to go forward on the basis I have called for and I respect him for that.”

Pressed on whether he would consider tax increases if they are put on the table, Bush said: “You can come at me all day long. It would not be dealing in good faith if I started going into these details. I’m not going to do it.”

“I’m not going to show you my hand and I haven’t seen a lot of hands being laid down up on the Hill,” Bush said. “But that’s the way it ought to be. There are some tough decisions out there and we’ve got to do something.”

Still, Bush declined to characterize the widening deficit gap as a crisis. “No, we’re not dealing in a crisis mentality,” he said. “But, we’ve got a major deficit problem. . . . We need cooperation because it isn’t going to be easy; it’s going to be very difficult.”

Could the budget be balanced without some form of tax hike? “See what happens,” the President said. “We just go there and discuss everything. . . . That’s the only way you can get strong-willed people to the table--in good faith, the way it will be.”

Bush spoke on his way to Texas A&I; University at Kingsville, where he delivered a commencement address.

In his address, he set a timetable of 30 years for sending astronauts to Mars. Bush had previously announced he would send a manned mission to Mars, but the commencement speech marked the first time he gave a time goal. No mention was made of how to fund the exploration.