Bush, Democrats pledge to work together

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - After arguing during the campaign that Democrats would undermine national security, President Bush changed course Saturday and said America's enemies should not read this week's ground-shaking election results as a sign of U.S. weakness.

Four days after voters threw Republicans from power in the House and Senate, Bush used his weekly radio address to issue a call for unity.

"The message of this week's elections is clear: The American people want their leaders in Washington to set aside partisan differences, conduct ourselves in an ethical manner and work together to address the challenges facing our nation," the president said. "This is important work that will demand the hard effort and good faith of leaders from both sides of the aisle, and I pledge to do my part."

With two years remaining in his presidency, Bush is trying to keep the nation focused on the global war on terror and prevent a pullout of U.S. forces from Iraq before victory is achieved.

"The elections will bring changes to Washington," Bush said. "But one thing has not changed: America faces brutal enemies who have attacked us before and want to attack us again.

"I have a message for these enemies: Do not confuse the workings of American democracy with a lack of American will," the president said. "Our nation is committed to bringing you to justice, and we will prevail."

One day after the Democrats clobbered the Republicans at the polls, Bush announced the ouster of his crusty defense secretary, Donald H. Rumsfeld, and his replacement by Robert Gates, one-time director of the CIA.

Bush also will meet Monday with members of the Iraq Study Group, a blue-ribbon commission trying to come up with a new way forward in Iraq after a war, now in its fourth year, that has claimed the lives of at least 2,845 members of the U.S. military.

The president said he was looking to Gates to "provide a fresh outlook on our strategy in Iraq, and what we need to do to prevail."

On Friday, Bush met with the new Democratic leaders in Congress — incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and soon-to-be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California. After bitter words on both sides during the campaign, they spoke of the need to come together.

"We had good discussions," Bush said in his radio address. "I told them what I have told the men and women in my administration: We must put these elections behind us, and work together on the great issues facing America."

During the campaign, Bush had particularly harsh words about the Democrats and their commitment to winning the war on terror. For example, the president said in the closing days of the race: "The Democrat approach in Iraq comes down to this: The terrorists win and America loses. That's what's at stake in this election. The Democrat goal is to get out of Iraq. The Republican goal is to win in Iraq."