From 'The Decider' to 'Commander Guy' to 'Veto Man'?

By: E&P Staff Just when the press had pretty much exhausted every joking play on President Bush's self-proclaimed nickname "The Decider" he handed them another on a platter today: "The Commander Guy."

In a speech to the Associated General Contractors of America, a construction industry trade group, today in Washington, he discussed his current tussle with Congress over troop levels and funding for Iraq.
?The question is, ?Who ought to make that decision, the Congress or the commanders?,?? Bush said. ?As you know, my position is clear ? I?m the commander guy.? So he vetoed the congressional initiative in this area.

This led Sheryl Gay Stolberg on The New York Times' blog, The Caucus, to wonder if this suggested a possible new new nickname: "Veto Man."

Another exchange with the audience went like this.

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Q I'd like to know, like a lot of other people in this room, we have family members -- we have family members who are actively involved in the security of this country in various ways. From them, we've received positive information that we consider credible, who say about the success and the good things that are happening as a result of us being in Iraq. I would like to know why and what can be done about we, the American people, receiving some of that information more from the media. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: If you're trying to goad me into attacking the media, you're crazy. (Laughter.)