Bush WH: Economy sending mixed signals

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. economy presents a "very mixed picture right now," but is strong enough to overcome the latest crisis, a White House spokeswoman said Wednesday.

"From what I understand from the experts," Press Secretary Dana Perino said, "our economy has the strength to deal with these shots."

Bush's economic advisers did not guarantee that the multibillion dollar loan to insurance giant AIG would be the last bailout, she said.

When asked why the federal government would assist "any company" struggling financially, Perino said the decision to help AIG came after much discussion.

"(We) are dealing with very challenging times and (Federal Reserve) Chairman Ben Bernanke and the president's economic adviser had determined that ... some of these companies were so big that to allow them to fail would have caused even greater harm and damage to the economy."

Perino was challenged about the administration's maintaining that the economic fundamentals are strong. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson "looks at our country and compares it with other countries, that we are in a position of strength to be able to deal with this crisis, and it's going to take us a while to work through it." she said.

Asked several about whether the fundamentals of the U.S. economy were sound and then told she wasn't answering the question, Perino said, "I did answer it the way that I was going to."