Martinez Parses His Words When Talking About Bush's Budget

When President Bush submitted a budget that included significant increases in military spending, offset by significant decreases in healthcare spending, Congressional Democrats were predictably cold to the idea - but so were many Republicans.

Even Bush's handpicked chairman of the RNC, Sen. Mel Martinez, did not sound supportive of the plan. When his office sent out a press release addressing the President's budget, it was not headlined "Martinez Applauds President's Budget" or "Martinez Praises President's Plan." No, it was headlined "SENATOR MARTINEZ COMMENTS ON PRESIDENT’S BUDGET REQUEST."

Martinez comments...

Further down, the Senator was even more effusive. "This is just the beginning of the budget process," he said, "and I look forward to refining the president’s proposal..."

Now, if even the chairman of the Republican National Committee cannot be counted on to support Bush's budget, I think we can safely it's dead in the water.