op-ed
Christian Grantham was a student activist in the late 90s and later was a consultant to domestic policy forums for the Clinton Administration as well as events for HRC and GLAAD.
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November 04, 2004

Less than 24 hours from his victory speech, President Bush expressed freedom to spend the capital he's earned on his own agenda. Notice the items Bush pledges to spend capital on exclude the threat of "gay marriage" sold to his Christian conservative base as the most important election year issue.

QUESTION: Do you feel more free?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Oh, in terms of feeling free. Well, I don't think you'll let me be too free. There is -- there's accountability and there are constraints on the presidency, as there should be in any system.

I feel -- I feel -- I feel it is necessary to move an agenda that I told the American people I would move. Something refreshing about coming off an election, even more refreshing since we all got some sleep last night. But there's -- you -- you -- you go out and you make your case and you tell the people, "This is what I intend to do." And after hundreds of speeches and three debates and interviews and the whole process, where you keep basically saying the same thing over and over again, that when -- when that -- when you win, there is a -- a feeling that the people have spoken and embraced your point of view. And that's what I intend to tell the Congress, that I made it clear what I intend to do as the president; now let's work -- and the people made it clear what they wanted -- now let's work together. And it's one of the wonderful -- it's one of the -- it's like earning capital.

You ask, do I feel free? Let me put it to you this way. I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it. It is my style. That's what happened in -- after the 2000 election. I earned some capital. I've earned capital in this election, and I'm going to spend it for -- for what -- what I told the people I'd spend it on, which is -- you've heard the agenda -- Social Security and tax reform, moving this economy forward, education, fighting and winning the war on terror.

We have an obligation in this country to -- to continue to work with nations to help alleve poverty and disease. We will -- we will continue to push forward on the HIV/AIDS initiative, the Millennium Challenge Account. We will continue to do our duty to help feed the hungry. And I'm looking forward to it, I really am.
[President's Post-Election Press Conference - LA Times Transcript - 11-04-04]