Bush confident of GOP win in Nov.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush Friday express confidence Republicans will retain control of Congress in November, based on the performance of the economy.

At a White House news conference, Bush said that despite the body blows the economy has taken during his presidency -- including the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and Hurricane Katrina last year -- the economy has continued to perform.

"It's been a strong economy. And I strongly believe the reason it is, is because we cut taxes and, at the same time, showed fiscal responsibility here in Washington with the people's money," Bush said. "That's why the deficit could be cut in half by 2009 or before."

Bush warned a Democratic Congress would raise taxes, hitting small businesses especially hard.

"Our answer to economic growth is to make the tax cuts permanent so there's certainty in the tax code and people have got money to spend in their pockets. And so, yeah, I've always felt the economy is a -- is a determinant issue, if not the determinant issue in campaigns," Bush said. "We've had a little history of that in our family, and you might remember -- but it's a -- I certainly hope this election's based upon economic performance."