April 2006

Texan gets mention in president's Q&A

Bush speaks at NNA conference

Texas publisher Bonnie Mullens was in the national spotlight March 10 and she didn’t even know it.

Mullens was surprised when her phone started ringing after her newspaper the McGregor Mirror & Crawford Sun was mentioned on national television during the question and answer portion of President Bush’s speech at the National Newspaper Association’s Government Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C.

Mullens co-publishes the Mirror & Sun in Bush’s adopted hometown of Crawford. NNA postal guru Max Heath used her as a lead-in to probe Bush’s stance on postal reform.

The following transcript details the exchange:

Heath: “Mr. President …  Postal delivery rates are very important to community newspapers, much as you might know, I believe, Bonnie Mullens, of the McGregor Mirror & Crawford Sun down in your area.  And we are …”

President Bush: “She didn’t call you to go after a subscriber, did she?”

Heath: “No, we just did a little research.”

President Bush: “Okay, good.  Smart man. That’s called due diligence.”

Heath: “Postal reform, which has been going on in Congress for about 10 years, was really pushed forward by a commission that you appointed, and it was passed overwhelmingly by both Houses.

“And we have this bill going to conference in April or May. There’s some concern that the administration may want to oppose this bill or veto it if it’s

so-called not favorable to the federal budget. But there are things in that bill that are very important to the newspaper industry, and part of that is the funding that keeps rates fair — because of some overpayment of military pensions — that we don’t think should be put on the taxpayers, the rate payers.

“So we’d ask your support on behalf of us, and Bonnie Mullens … to support that bill as it’s in the Congress, if it comes to your desk, sir.”

PRESIDENT BUSH: “As you know, we do support postal reform. And as you accurately noted, we’ve got the process started, and we look forward to working with Congress on an acceptable bill.

“Frankly, this issue hasn’t made it to my desk prior to me arriving at this meeting. I’m mindful of the bill. I need to know more about the particulars before I make you a commitment one way or the other.”