Bush veto pen gathering dust

WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- Only one U.S. president -- and that was 200 years ago -- has led the country longer than George Bush without vetoing a bill from the U.S. Congress.

Bush, as of Thursday, has been in office 1,889 days and has signed all 1,091 bills sent him by Congress, USA Today said. Only Thomas Jefferson, who never vetoed a bill from 1801-09, went longer without wielding the veto pen.

Bush this week passed President James Monroe, who was in office 1,888 days before his first veto, the newspaper said.

USA Today pointed out that Bush has threatened to veto bills. Most recently, he said he would stop a congressional attempt to halt the planned purchase of management rights to several U.S. ports by a United Arab Emirates company. The company changed its plans before that showdown advanced very far.

While Democrats claim the reason for no vetoes is no more than the Republican-led Congress serving as a Bush administration rubber stamp, Syracuse University political scientist Robert McClure said of Bush: "He's a CEO kind of guy. He gives orders, delegates the negotiating to others and is willing to live with the outcome."