Bush Shifts Tone Over Energy, Yet To See Policy Shift
BLITZER: Some second-day guessing today of President Bush's energy pitch. Some workers at a renewable energy lab in Colorado question why they are suddenly employed again. Back here in Washington the administration's past comments about oil dependency are now under some serious scrutiny. President Bush's line on energy conservation took a turn this year with five words. Quote, "America is addicted to oil." That's not the way the Bush White House used to describe the nation's gas guzzling ways. Let's bring in our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider. Bill?</s>WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Wolf, with President Bush going around the country promoting alternative energy, a lot of people are wondering, is this a Nixon goes to China type thing?</s>ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: It should be the goal of policymakers to protect the American way of life. The American way of life is a blessed one. We have a bounty of resources in this country.</s>SCHNEIDER: Vice President Dick Cheney, another oil man, said in a 2001 speech...</s>DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Conservation may be a sign of personal virtue, but it not a sufficient basis, all by itself for sound comprehensive energy policy.</s>SCHNEIDER: That's why it was a little startling to hear President Bush say in his State of the Union speech ...</s>BUSH: America is addicted to oil.</s>SCHNEIDER: ... and even more startling to hear him say this week in Milwaukee ...</s>BUSH: We have a chance to transform the way we power our economy and how we lead our lives.</s>SCHNEIDER: There's clearly been a shift in tone, but critics say they have yet to see a real shift in policy.</s>DAVID SANDALOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: He actually proposed budget increases that were less than were authorized in last year's energy bill.</s>SCHNEIDER: What about Bush's proposal to replace 75 percent of oil imports from the Middle East?</s>SANDALOW: It's only nine percent of our total oil imports. That's not very ambitious.</s>SCHNEIDER: The driving force here may be politics more than policy. President Bush needs to show he's trying to do something about high energy prices. Remember this picture of Bush strolling hand-in-hand with a Saudi prince on his Texas ranch? The White House would like you to forget it.</s>SANDALOW: One of the objectives of the White House staff this week is to put some new pictures in the public's mind when it comes to President Bush and energy policy.</s>SCHNEIDER: Now there's a furor over the Bush administration's allowing a company controlled by an Arab government to manage major U.S. ports. Better to have a picture of President Bush touring the facility that produces cutting-edge energy saving technology -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Bill Schneider reporting for us. Bill, thank you very much. Up next, more on the furor over the president's decision to allow the United Arab Emirates to control America's largest ports. Jack Cafferty has been going through your e-mail. And we'll go live to the White House. One of the president's top advisers Dan Bartlett. He'll join us live to explain the administration's decision. Stay with us.