Grins at the White House on wiretap bill

Here at the White House this morning, they are taking their victories where they can -- and there are broad smiles.

As a matter of fact, Tony Fratto, the principal deputy White House spokesman, was grinning as he came out to talk with reporters at the morning gaggle. For one thing, he hadn't been on the intense four-day trip to Japan, from which the president returned Wednesday afternoon. But more likely it was the prospect of Bush signing the wiretap bill this afternoon that had him grinning and relaxed.

"Lots of people are happy about that," Fratto said.

For another, there's the economy. The economy? Yes.

Not that it's doing so well. Rather, there's the matter of the stimulus checks. The last of them are just going out, and Fratto said the package was having more of a positive effect than anticipated.

Citing anecdotal evidence and unspecified data, he said Americans were spending more than anticipated had there been no stimulus program.

"There's no question it has supported growth and made growth higher than it might have otherwise been," Fratto told reporters.

But there's the bigger picture: energy prices and the ripple --no, tidal wave -- effect they may be having across the economy.

Bush is planning to meet with energy and economic advisors Friday at the Energy Department to talk about food prices, transportation -- the gamut of economic sectors in which prices are being fueled by the cost of oil. But don't expect any major announcements, Fratto said.

And then: a weekend at Camp David.

-- James Gerstenzang

Photo: Ron Edmonds / Associated Press

Comments

[Jack]

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are close to a freefall, and George W. Doofus is more worried about protecting the telephone companies whose executives poured millions into his election campaigns. Well, I guess those execs got their money's worth.