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Bush: Bad Troops Shouldn't Sully Military

Posted on: Thursday, 13 May 2004, 06:00 CDT

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. - President Bush said Thursday he felt "disgraced" by the images of U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners but reminded West Virginia voters that the actions of a handful of Americans should not sully the nation's military.

Campaigning in a swing state, the Republican incumbent briefly interrupted his weeklong theme of education to reiterate that he will not yield in the fight against terrorism and to acknowledge the ongoing scandal over the prisoner abuses.

"I want to say one other thing about our troops," Bush said. "Like you, I have been disgraced ... by what I've seen on TV, what took place in the prison. But the actions of a few do not reflect on the fantastic character of the over 200,000 men and women who have served our nation" in Iraq.

The several hundred who packed a gymnasium at Parkersburg South High School gave Bush a standing ovation after he introduced Marine Lance Cpl. Stephen Ferguson of Parkersburg, who returned from Iraq about two weeks ago after he was shot in the legs.

The president, speaking to area educators, said high schools, with federal help, must get back to basics by ensuring that students have mastered essential skills to prepare them for college or the job market. The country's high schools need to "raise the bar" with the goal of educating children so they can succeed in the jobs of the future.

Nationally, 68 of 100 ninth-graders graduate from high school on time, and only 38 percent directly enter college, he said. Bush outlined federal grants that help middle and high school students who fall behind in reading and noted increased funding for programs that help students do better in math and science.

"There needs to be a rigorous focus on English and math and science," Bush said before a banner that read, "Better Education, Better Jobs."

Phil Singer, a spokesman for Democrat John Kerry, said Bush is failing to enforce provisions of his own education law aimed at increasing high school graduation rates.

"The president needs to implement the law he is taking credit for by rolling up his sleeves and doing the work needed to ensure that no child is left behind," he said. "When it comes to our children's schools, misleading photo-ops won't cut it."

In response, the Bush administration pegged its total education spending at $216 billion, an increase from the $141 billion for a comparable period in the final years of the Clinton administration. The Bush administration figure also included the pending budget request for fiscal 2005. Teachers unions argue that the president is taking credit for actions by Congress, which increased funding levels above what the president requested the past few years.

It was the president's third education event this week. On Tuesday, Bush visited a junior high school in Arkansas, and on Wednesday, he spoke at an event promoting reading in Maryland.

Bush won West Virginia by 6 percentage points in 2000, becoming only the fourth Republican to do so since 1932. This year, the most recent state poll shows Bush with 47 percent, Kerry with 43 percent, independent candidate Ralph Nader with 2 percent, and 8 percent undecided. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent.

Recent polls show Bush and Kerry, who has proposed plans to reduce dropout rates and get more teachers in schools, are virtually tied on the question of who would do a better job on education.

While it pales in comparison to the economy and terrorism - two issues that have dominated voters' concerns all through the past year - it's an issue Republicans want to dominate. Bush has been competitive on education since the 2000 campaign, when his focus on the issue helped him gain the support of women voters.

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Bush-Cheney campaign: http:/www.georgewbush.com

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