If I was a historically weak president, I’d seek to hide that weakness. If Congress was set to pass something over my objections, I’d agree to it and take credit for it. Of course, I mean this within reason. If Congress was going to pass something that I genuinely thought was immoral, I’d have to object. But Bush is way out on a limb on Medicare:
President Bush cast a futile veto on Tuesday, rejecting a bill that would protect doctors from cuts in their Medicare payments. But hours later, the House and Senate voted to override the veto, making the Medicare measure the fourth bill to become legislation over Mr. Bush’s opposition.
The president’s veto message to the House said that he objected to the bill because it was “fiscally irresponsible” and relied on “short-term budget gimmicks” that do not address the long-term fiscal soundness of the Medicare program.
But the House voted, 383 to 41, on Tuesday afternoon to override the veto. Soon afterward, the Senate voted by 70 to 26 to do so. Although the Senate vote was close enough to provide some suspense, it was still over the two-thirds needed, as a number of conservative Republicans who typically side with the president broke with him on this issue.
Bush didn’t even come close in preventing a veto-override, and it just makes him look ridiculous.
