LaHood: Bush ‘sobered’ by Iraq meeting

Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) said Thursday that President Bush was “sobered” by what he heard from centrist Republicans who went to the White House this week to voice their concerns over the war in Iraq.

“The fact is that, I don’t know if he’s gotten that kind of opinion before in such a frank and no-holds-barred way, but he was very sober about it and he listened very intently,” LaHood told CNN. “Frankly, he wasn’t defensive. I think he appreciated the fact that people were willing to really open up and give it to him.”

{mosads}LaHood was one of 11 centrists who spoke to Bush Tuesday about the war and their concerns about the need for progress.

“Members really told the president, in I think the most unvarnished way that they possibly could, that things have got to change, that we’re going to hang with him until September, but we need an honest assessment in September and that peoples’ patience is running very, very, very thin,” LaHood said.

The lawmaker stressed that public opinion could turn even more against the war if it appears that the surge is unsuccessful.

LaHood said he would reevaluate his position at the end of the summer, stating that his continuing support for the war “depends on what [Gen. David Petraeus] says.”