Bush Vows Quick Boost for Economy

President Bush pushed his fiscal stimulus plan with lawmakers today and vowed the bipartisan group will find "common ground," the Washington Post reports. The economic boost—which he set at $150 billion—will not kick in overnight, he warned, but said congressional leaders must reach an accord in 3 weeks. That means checks would reach taxpayers and businesses in 5 or 6 months, analysts say.

Bush stayed mum on today's market fluctuations, but said he had "a very positive feeling" and a "confidence in the long-term strength" of the US economy—despite "some uncertainty that we're going to have to deal with." Bush remained open to negotiating the size of his proposed stimulus package, but said had one "red line": no new taxes. (More economic stimulus package stories.)