Bush on the Record

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Q. A year ago, various Democratic heavyweights opted out of the race because you were so far ahead in the polls.

A. Hard to remember those days.

Q. And now you're headed for a convention that many of us, and you also probably, thought would be a kind of coronation. What happened?

A. The economy.

Q. That's the only thing?

A. I think so. If this economy were growing at 5%, we wouldn't have these problems. There'd still be enormous problems facing the country, but in terms of standing, we wouldn't be in this shape. I'm absolutely convinced of it.

Q. Do you find that the American people don't seem grateful enough for what you have accomplished?

A. No, I think they may be unaware of what we've accomplished, but I couldn't put it in terms of lack of gratitude.

Q. Do you think that in some kind of weird way Desert Storm hurt? You were perceived as doing so well over there that the nation expected you to handle domestic affairs equally well.

A. I think people don't recognize the difference in how you handle a foreign policy issue, where you can just take action on your own, and how you handle a domestic issue, where in almost every instance you have to get help from what has proved to be a very recalcitrant Congress.

Q. That would account for the assessments of people who aren't plugged in, but you've got a lot of Republican supporters who've said some really harsh things.

A. Well, they've said harsh things in terms of feeling pressure on the economy. I come back to the economy as the main problem -- not the only one, but the main problem.

Q. Vin Weber, co-chairman of your campaign, was quoted the other day as saying, "The President doesn't like the idea of doing battle with Congress and doesn't like the idea of mobilizing the country to get Congress to change."

A. Well, if that's his view, that's fixing to change real fast.

Q. How so?

A. Because I'm going to take the case to the American people about the new Congress. And there will be a new Congress anyway because of the numbers of seats ((being vacated)). I want it to be a newer than new Congress. So that | will be joined, much as Truman joined it in 1948. We want to move this country forward to solve the problems of health care, solve the problems of education, solve the problems of crime in the neighborhoods. And the way to do it is to give me a new Congress with which I can work.

I think the people know that I've held out my hand to Congress and it's been a very frustrating experience. One of the reasons that I think we're in perceived difficulty is that I kept trying to work with this Congress all year, when I've been getting bashed by the candidates on the other side, joined by a lot of editorial critique. I've left the field of combat to the opposition. That is going to change. Not only as it affects the man I'll be running against, but as it affects the Congress itself.

Q. Quayle has gone a little beyond what you have said about giving you a Republican Congress to say, "End divided government; either give Congress a Democratic President or give us a Republican Congress." Are things so stuck that you would second that view?