President’s Reaction: Go West, Stung Man

On day one of a new political reality, President Bush traveled Thursday to Ohio to promote his faith-based initiative, briefly leaving behind a soon-to-be-divided government that now threatens to derail the rest of his agenda.

But the dawning of that new era, with Democrats about to take control of the Senate, clearly weighed on the president’s mind.

Opening a speech here to social workers, Bush said that he strongly disagreed with the decision by Sen. James M. Jeffords of Vermont to leave the Republican Party and become an independent. But the president also vowed to continue working with Democrats to fashion bipartisan solutions to the nation’s problems.

“I respect Sen. Jeffords. But I respectfully--but respectfully--I couldn’t disagree more,” Bush said as he addressed several hundred social workers at the St. Augustine Parish here.

The president went on to tout his agenda, which he said “represents the hopes and dreams of Main Street America,” and cited the recent congressional votes on education and tax cuts as proof of his ability to garner some Democratic support for his proposals.

“I was elected to get things done on behalf of the American people, and to work with both Republicans and Democrats, and we’re doing just that,” Bush said.

On tax cuts, Bush called on Congress “not to recess” for the Memorial Day weekend “until they have finished the job and provided tax relief for the American people.”

Air Force One took off Thursday morning from Andrews Air Force Base just outside of Washington almost at the precise moment that Jeffords was holding his news conference in Vermont.

Donning earphones, many passengers, including the four members of Congress from Ohio who flew with Bush, monitored the audio portion of Jeffords’ remarks as broadcast by CNN.

But Bush chose not to listen, according to Scott McClellan, deputy press secretary. He said the president got his information Tuesday directly from Jeffords. The men met Tuesday afternoon for a half-hour in the Oval Office.

Bush “knew what he was going to say,” said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

Among Bush’s guests on Air Force One was Rep. Tony P. Hall (D-Ohio), a longtime activist for increased funding to combat hunger.

Before speaking to the social workers, Bush toured a food bank at the parish, where he mingled with staff and clients. He ignored a reporter’s question about Jeffords and continued greeting people.

Bush spoke publicly for just 13 minutes, then left moments later to return to Washington.

In his remarks to the social workers, Bush offered a reprise of his Sunday commencement address at the University of Notre Dame, in which he touted his faith-based initiative as the next step in the war on poverty.

Bush also renewed his defense of the notion of allowing religious organizations to compete on an equal footing with other social service groups for government funds to provide help to the needy.

“In order to make sure the promise of America is full and whole for every citizen, we should not discriminate against faith-based programs that simply exist and solely exist to help people who hurt and people in need,” Bush said.

And pressing further his theme of bipartisanship, the president said that he does not even know the political party affiliation of the man who heads the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, John J. DiIulio Jr. “A really interesting guy. I haven’t checked his party affiliation. But I suspect it’s not the same as mine.”

DiIulio is a Democrat.