The Huffington Post’ Melinda Henneberger reports today that the nation’s governors, in DC for the National Governors Association conference, spent some time at the White House yesterday, receiving briefings on a variety of policy issues. They were asked, however, not to ask administration officials about bringing troops home from Iraq — an issue that’s of great importance to governors in light of the strain on National Guard units nationwide.
Fortunately, the governors didn’t follow the White House’s instructions.
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer said he and other governors questioned Bush administration officials on issues from the Iraq war to funding for children’s health insurance during a National Governors Association conference here, but said they did not receive satisfying answers.
“President Bush gave an impassioned appeal to continue to support the war effort and in particular the surge,” Schweitzer said. “He asked us not to ask him for a plan B. He said his job is to make plan A work.”
The governors had dinner at the White House and a meeting Monday with Bush. Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also spoke to the governors about the addition of 21,000 U.S. troops to Iraq, the war’s effect on the National Guard and when the Guard would get equipment back from Iraq.
Schweitzer said there “wasn’t much of an answer” to questions about Iraq and the Guard except for the message, “Just win, baby.”
Great. The president is relying on Al Davis for wisdom.
As for the Bush gang not having “much of an answer” to questions about Iraq, it sounds like the governors got just as much substance out of the White House as everyone else has.