Bush vows base closings process won’t be politicized

PORTLAND – President Bush said he understands what’s at stake in Maine during the latest round of base closings and that he’ll take a “close look” at the final list that’s presented to him by Sept. 8.

But Bush also stressed he will not let politics enter into the matter, saying, “What I’m not going to do is politicize the process. That’s important for people to understand.”

“I understand this is difficult,” Bush said during a round-table discussion at the White House with reporters from eight regional newspapers, including the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram. “I know Maine fairly well. It’s a fantastic place. It’s difficult for folks.”

The Defense Department wants to close the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery and Defense Finance and Accounting Service center in Limestone and scale back the Brunswick Naval Air Station. About 7,000 jobs would be lost if all three proposals are approved.

The Base Realignment and Closure Commission must submit a final list of closures, which Bush and Congress can either accept or reject, but not change.

Bush said that as governor of Texas, he pressed to keep open bases that were slated for closure in his state. So he said he understands why Maine Gov. John Baldacci and the state’s congressional delegation are standing up for their bases.

But at the same time, Bush said, the Cold War is over and fewer troops are needed.

“This country faces different threats,” Bush said. “We believe we can achieve the objectives of stability and security with fewer troops and different equipment alignments.”

In other issues, Bush promoted energy legislation he expects to sign next week, threatened to veto pending legislation to expand embryonic stem-cell research and praised the Medicare prescription-drug benefit.

On the war in Iraq, he insisted that progress is being made, but said that setting a timetable for withdrawing American troops would invite terrorists to wait.

“As the Iraqis stand up, we’ll stand down,” Bush said.