Bush says censure call "needless partisanship"

WASHINGTON — In his first public comments on the subject, President Bush on Tuesday described Sen. Russell Feingold's censure resolution as "needless partisanship" and challenged congressional Democrats to run on the issue in 2006 elections.

"I did notice that nobody from the Democratic Party has actually stood up and called for getting rid of the terrorist- surveillance program," Bush said at a news conference Tuesday.

"You know, if that's what they believe, if people in the party believe that, then they ought to stand up and say it," Bush said. "They ought to stand up and say, 'The tools we're using to protect the American people shouldn't be used.' They ought to take their message to the people and say, 'Vote for me. I promise we're not going to have a terrorist- surveillance program.' "

Feingold, D-Wis., who introduced the censure resolution last week, fired back in an interview, saying Bush's comments are "just plain dishonest."

"The president knows every Democrat supports wiretapping terrorists," said Feingold, who contends the wiretapping can and should be done with court approval. "So when the president says [we're] opposing wiretapping terrorists, he is being intentionally dishonest. It makes me feel even more strongly that he should be censured."

Feingold also said he "welcomed" radio ads by the Republican National Committee that have begun airing in Milwaukee and Madison, attacking his censure proposal.

"I welcome the discussion. I welcome the ads. The more they say this, the more people are reminded the president must be held accountable. The more Republicans fume about it, the more it's clear they have something to hide."

Bush was asked about the censure resolution during a news conference dominated by discussion of the Iraq war.

"I think during these difficult times — and they are difficult when we are at war — the American people expect there to be an honest and open debate without needless partisanship," the president said.

Feingold wants to censure Bush for what he says is "illegal wiretapping" and misleading the public about the program. He says the surveillance should be done within the confines of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which requires a warrant from a judge for domestic wiretapping. He and other critics of the program say the eavesdropping violates that law.

The Bush administration says it's not practical to seek warrants for its surveillance and that a president's inherent constitutional powers in wartime give him the legal standing to monitor some electronic communications in the United States without a warrant.

The surveillance program targets communications between the U.S. and a foreign country, involving people with suspected ties to al-Qaida.