Bush calls his word choice on one Iraq remark "unfortunate"; clarifies what he meant in other

President Bush is backtracking on some of his statements this week about Iraq -- calling one of them an unfortunate word choice.

The president admits that he probably should not have said U-S intelligence officials were "guessing" about the possibility of civil war in Iraq. Instead, Bush says he should have described the report as an "estimate."

And, Bush is also clarifying what he meant by characterizing insurgents in Iraq as a "handful" of people.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry seized on theose words, saying Bush is living in a make-believe world.

Today, Bush says he was referring to the people who are behind things such as beheadings and bombings. Bush insists that is a relatively small group of people in Iraq.

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President Bush, in joint Rose Garden news conference with Ayad Allawi (EE'-yahd ah-LAH'-wee), Iraqi interim prime minister

Bush says the U-S must remain in Iraq to fight insurgents, who he says are part of the global terror threat.

CUT 259 (09/23/04)>> :18 "free nations"

President Bush, in joint Rose Garden news conference with Ayad Allawi (EE'-yahd ah-LAH'-wee), Iraqi interim prime minister

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

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Bush says if his top commander in Iraq asked for more troops he'd hear him out, but Bush says he's not aware of any such need.

CUT 260 (09/23/04)>> :13 "this mission"

President Bush, in joint Rose Garden news conference with Ayad Allawi (EE'-yahd ah-LAH'-wee), Iraqi interim prime minister

Bush predicts increased violence for the days ahead in Iraq as elections near.

CUT 261 (09/23/04)>> :20 "draw near"

APPHOTO WHCD111 (09/23/04)>>

A: President Bush speaks during a joint news conference with Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, in the Rose Garden of the White House Thursday, Sept. 23, 2004 in Washington.

APPHOTO WHCD109 (09/23/04)>>

A: President Bush, right, and Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi walk to the Rose Garden of the White House Thursday, Sept. 23, 2004 in Washington.