again the central theme. Bush was in a controlled rage state during his opening statement, and went
ballistic during the questioning. A questioner noted that Bush sounded "very tough" on ithe delay. Bush: nsisting on
I just sound principled. I am convinced that this debate would be counterproductive to peace. And I
owe it to the Member of Congress to say it as forcefully as I can. I've worn out of the telephone in
there and one ear, and I'm going to move to the other ear and keep on it. Because this is, peace isvital here, and we've worked too hard to have that request of mine denied. And I think the American (^)
people will support me. They know we support Israel. I've just detailed some of what we've done.
So, there should be no question about that. I am giving the Congress -- and I did it with the leaders
today, having an opportunity here, thank you, to do it here- - to give my best judgment. And I'm up
against some powerful political forces, but I owe it to the American people to tell them howstrongly I feel about the deferral.
Q: Are those powerful political forces ungrateful for what you've done so far on a peace process?
And why doesn't the peace argument sell with them?
Bush: I think it will sell, but it's taken a little time. And we're up against a very strong and effective,
sometimes, groups that go up to the Hill. I heard today there was something like a thousand
lobbyists on the Hill working the other side of the question. We've got one lonely little guy down
here doing it. However, I like this forum better too.
This last passage was suffused with apoplectic fury. In the next question, Bush was asked if a
columnist was right in commenting on Bush's stance, "It's your obsession." Bush denied it, but it
was clear to all that he was both enraged and obsessed. [52 bis]
Later Bush and his handlers concluded that he had overdone it, especially in his attack on the 1,000Zionist lobbyists, and sent a letter to the heads of several Jewish organizations repeating his demand (^)
for the delay, but also saying that he was "concerned" lest his September 10 comments might have
"caused apprehension" in the Jewish community; Bush reassured them that he "never meant to be
pejorative in any sense." In a news analysis published 8 days later, a Washington Post observer
found that Bush's "ardor is fueled by his anger," and quoted an unnamed official that for Busissue of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories was "a visceral thing." [fn 58] h the
September 18: In a demagogic photo opportunity at the Grand Canyon, Bush again threatened to
renew the bombing of Iraq. In remarks that recalled his psychotic rages against Saddam Hussein
during the Gulf crisis, Bush raved that he was "fed up" wbe testing and probing" his resolve, "but he knows better than to take on the United States ofith Saddam. Bush said that Saddam "may
America." "I think the man will see that we are very serious about this, and he will do what he
should have done in the first place: disclose and comply."
October 11: Hoping that public attention was fixed on the Senate testimony of Avetoed a bill to extend unemployment payments to more than 2 million Americans whose joblessnita Hill, Bush (^)
benefits had run out. Bush had prepared this veto with a furious outburst against such an extension.
At a $1000-a-plate Republican fundraising dinner in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Bush had lashed
out angrily at a Congress which was "doing nothing but griping -- refusing to consider the new
ideas and sending me a bunch of garbage I will not sign. I'll continue to veto the bad stuff until weget good bills." Bush's argument was that the prolonged unemployment benefits were not needed
because the recession was over anyway. He stressed his responsibility not to break the October,
1990 budget agreement, which by that time was producing a budget deficit officially admitted to be
over $1 billion per day. Later, as the existence of the depression began to penetrate the public
consciousness, Bush had to backtrack on this tirade. [fn 61]