As Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, I welcome George Bush to North Carolina and to my home county, Cumberland County.
President Bush will be speaking at Fort Bragg Tuesday night. Maybe during this trip, North Carolinians will finally get some honest answers.

Maybe he'll tell us the real reasons we went to war and if the administration ever had a plan for winning the peace. Maybe he'll tell us how long we can expect to be in Iraq and how much we'll spend beyond the $200 billion we've already spent. Perhaps he'll tell us why Osama Bin Ladin - the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks - is still at large and never mentioned by his administration. Maybe he'll tell us why he pushed through tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans while our troops lack the armor they need to protect themselves. Maybe he'll explain why his 2006 budget slashes local impact funding -- money used by military communities across North Carolina to educate the children of our men and women in uniform. Maybe he'll finally tell us why thousands of North Carolina's veterans are on waiting lists to receive health care from the Veterans' Administration. Maybe he'll explain why he talks tough on homeland defense, yet refuses to adequately fund first responders -- the police officers, firefighters, and emegency medical providers upon whom we will rely in the event of future terrorist attacks. Maybe he'll tell us why, at a time when oil money funds so many terrorist activities, he has no plan to eliminate America's dependence on foreign oil, by working to build an economy based upon alternative, sustainable sources of energy.

While we are unwavering in our support for our men and women in harm's way, their Commander-in-Chief's leadership is lacking.

Yes, Mr. President. Welcome to North Carolina. North Carolinians are eager for honest answers.