Democrat goes after Bush, Oberweis

A Democratic congressional candidate used President Bush's visit to Chicago Monday to criticize one of his GOP rivals for supporting the commander in chief, who recently refused to back a massive defense spending bill that included raises for service personnel.

Bill Foster, a Geneva scientist and businessman running in the Feb. 5 primary for the vacant 14th Congressional District seat, called on Jim Oberweis to join him in demanding that Bush stop trying to employ the pocket veto.

"Engaging in petty bickering at the expense of our military -- that's exactly what's wrong in Washington," Foster said. "Jim Oberweis has stood with the president on all his other Iraq policies, so people deserve an explanation about whether he supports President Bush now."

A spokesman for the Sugar Grove businessman called Foster's criticism "misdirected."

"Rather than criticize the president for vetoing legislation containing a provision that would have made it more difficult to achieve national reconciliation and a political solution in Iraq -- something which all sides should agree is the goal -- Mr. Foster should be using whatever influence he has over Nancy Pelosi and her liberal Democratic allies to fix this one provision in a 1,300-page bill, so our troops can get the support they need both on the battlefield and off," campaign spokesman Bill Pascoe said.

Congress approved the $696.3 billion 2008 Defense Authorization Act before adjourning for its holiday break last month. But Bush, who objected to a provision in the measure that he said would delay Iraq reconstruction, refused to sign it, effectively exercising his right to a pocket veto.

Bush said he couldn't veto it outright and return it to Congress because Congress is out of session. But Pelosi and others have questioned the constitutionality of the pocket veto, saying that although the House has indeed adjourned, the Senate has been holding brief sessions.

Meanwhile, military officials said the lack of a defense authorization law means troops will receive 3 percent raises in mid-January, less than the 3.5 percent originally proposed.

Chris Lauzen, the other front-runner in the Republican primary, said he agreed with Bush's assessment that the measure would delay reconstruction efforts.

"On the issue I believe that he's right," said Lauzen, a state senator from Aurora. "On the timing I do agree that it's unfortunate."

Also running on the Republican side is Michael Dilger, who did not return a request for comment.

Democrat John Laesch, a Navy veteran from Newark, criticized Foster for engaging in the very practice he rails against: partisan bickering.

Democrat Jotham Stein, , a St. Charles lawyer, said the issue is "more of the same old mess that Democrats and Republicans are causing in Washington."

Democrat Joe Serra of Geneva said members of the military should receive 5 percent raises.