Obama vows to review Bush’s executive orders

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama told House members Tuesday that, if he wins the presidency, one of his first acts will be to review every executive order signed by President Bush.

It was one of the few specifics the Illinois senator offered to the House Democratic Caucus in a policy and politics pep rally Tuesday night intended to fire up fellow Democrats for the convention and the fall campaign.

{mosads}Speaking in the Cannon Caucus Room, Obama stuck with the party’s position on energy that the country “can’t drill [its] way out” of high gasoline prices, and promised a commitment to fiscal responsibility. The response from fellow Democrats was overwhelmingly positive.

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said Obama also touched on the economy, the Iraq war, the Middle East and healthcare.

“I think he was very honest in saying this is going to be hard work, and that he’s going to need our help. And that is what we needed to hear,” Grijalva said.

The broad theme was restoring the country’s place in the world, said Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.). Cooper said he had a “deft touch” with his audience of House members, needling the Senate at the start and saying “Y’all know how to have fun over here.”

He got serious on the inter-chamber rivalry, urging them to help elect more senators so House legislation is less likely to be blocked by Republican senators.

“The Senate shouldn’t be a place where good legislation goes to die,” he told the group.

He also asked members in safe districts to travel and stump for him in battleground states and even Republican states.

“He said if you’re in a solid blue state, go to a red state or a purple state,” said Rep. Shelley Berkeley (D-Nev.).

Obama addressed the microphones afterward, talking of Democratic desires to expand the party’s majority in Congress.

“Every member of Congress understands what an extraordinary challenge and opportunity this election is,” Obama said.

Inside the caucus room, there was also lot of discussion about how to get the economy out of its slump. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said Obama talked of how the Midwest is being “battered” and stressed the need to work with the auto industry on more fuel efficient cars.

“He talked a lot about infrastructure as a means to put people to work,” said Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.)

Obama discussed reviewing the executive orders in response to a question from Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) on how Vice President Dick Cheney has dealt with civil liberties.

In response to a question from House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman

(D-Calif.) on Iran, he said that if Iranians are waiting for the next president expecting things to get easier, they’re mistaken.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) asked whether he would keep on Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Cooper said Obama said he would consider it.

“That was pretty bipartisan for this group,” said Cooper, a senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. “And it’s the right answer.”

Pressed on more details about an Obama administration, the candidate said he was “superstitious” and didn’t want to “jinx” himself.

Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) asked the question on the minds of a lot of Blue Dogs – what he would do to rein in the deficit.

Obama acknowledged the record deficit he could inherit, as well as how that may prove a significant hurdle to his policy agenda.

“He understands the magnitude of the problem and the significance of governance,” Cooper said. “He nailed it.”