He ought to stick with what he knows
Compassion ain't his strong suite.
Bush Tries Compassion as He Courts Ohio Voters
By Caren Bohan
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - Campaigning in the battleground state of Ohio, President Bush sought to portray his domestic agenda as compassionate and aligned himself with a welfare measure enacted under Democratic President Bill Clinton.
Speaking at a center for people with drug and alcohol addictions, Bush also highlighted an initiative that would give grants to states to pay for counseling and other services for married couples receiving government assistance.
The marriage proposal is linked to a bill that would renew the popular Welfare Reform Act, first enacted under Clinton in 1996, which is now stalled in Congress.
The original legislation overhauled welfare laws to replace a system of cash grants with requirements that recipients work or receive job training.
"Congress needs to get the welfare bill to my desk," Bush said. "It's a bill that will encourage work and it will encourage compassionate programs at the same time."
Democratic challenger John Kerry's campaign said, however, that the Bush administration itself deserved the blame for holding up the welfare bill by opposing a provision to boost funding for child-care.
