In a campaign stop Friday in Milwaukee, President George W. Bush

continued to insist that weapons of mass destruction exist in

Iraq.

Citing David Kay’s interim report on the search for chemical and

biological weapons, Bush said Kay had revealed a “clandestine

network of biological laboratories” that stored and later destroyed

long-range missiles and deadly biological agents.

“These findings already make clear that Saddam Hussein actively

deceived the international community, was in clear violation of

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 and was a danger to

the world,” Bush said.

While some of the 1,800 audience members erupted in applause,

raising cowboy hats, pom poms and babies in the air, others were

unmoved.

University of Wisconsin 2002 graduate Sarah Carroll, 23, said

she agreed with recent newscasts that presented opposition to

Bush’s allegations.

“He had some stronger points, but he still has not found any

weapons,” Carroll said. “A news program I saw last night said very

much the opposite, that they never found anything.”

However, two Wisconsin Lutheran College students said they were

convinced by Bush’s arguments and said they were thrilled to listen

to his speech.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said 18-year-old

Melissa Bernhardt.

Wisconsin Lutheran College freshman Claudia Busse said she also

agreed with Bush’s argument that the tax cuts must become permanent

in order to boost the job market by the time she graduates.

Carroll disagreed, saying she thought permanent tax cuts would

provide limited help to the job market, and Bush’s plan needed to

be a “little more broad” to make a substantial impact.

Bush’s demand for permanent tax breaks was one of several direct

pleas to Congress throughout the 45-minute speech.

“My point to the Congress is that people who invest capital in

the small-business sector need certainty in the tax code,” Bush

said. “And the idea of passing tax relief which is here one day and

gone tomorrow is not good for economic recovery.”

Bush also plugged his proposals to limit the use of preventive

medicine and designate class-action lawsuits to federal courts,

both of which are “stuck in the Senate,” according to him.

Bush also pressed for developing renewable energy sources, as

well as tapping coal supplies to decrease dependence on foreign

energy sources.

After the speech, Bush spoke in a campaign luncheon that cost

about 500 participants $2,000 per seat.

The fund-raiser brought in more than $800,000 for Bush’s

re-election campaign, Wisconsin’s largest presidential-campaign

fund-raiser ever.

Bush lost Wisconsin’s electoral votes in the 2000 election by a

narrow margin and said he is confident he would carry the state in

the general election in 2004.