Lame Duck Bush Won't Quit

With less than a year left in office, President Bush refuses to let his lame-duck status keep him quiet, the Washington Post reports. He continues to push for initiatives that are unlikely to see the light of day, including Alaska oil drilling, more nuclear plants, and a Colombia free-trade deal. As the Democratic Congress continues to shrug off his efforts, “I'm perplexed about why there's no action on big issues,” Bush said.

No president since Truman has made any sweeping change in his last year, and Bush is further hampered by record unpopularity. "They're at a moment where their concern about a legacy is much bigger than how much legislation they pass," said a former Clinton White House official. "He's defining himself as a man of principle and obviously not caring about the polls." (More George W. Bush stories.)