Richard Viguerie Admits: 'I WAS WRONG!'

MANASSAS, Va., July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Richard A. Viguerie,
Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, issued the following statement regarding the
projected federal budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2009:

"My July 29 news release, Bush White House Hides True Scope of Federal
Deficit, had a serious error that I must correct.

"The real budget deficit, which I accused the Bush White House of understating
by $307 Billion, is even worse than I said!

"President Bush's team left out of their 2009 budget shortfall projection the
additional $36.6 Billionfrom the Housing Boondoggle, er, Bill, which was
passed just last weekend.

"This reminds us all, Congress is still in session, so the budget deficit
could still increase and taxpayers' wallets may be picked even more.

"Here are the numbers:
Bush's 2009 budget projection -- $482 Billion Deficit

My July 29 correction of Bush's budget -- $789 Billion ($80 Billion war cost +
$227 Billion borrowed from the Social Security Trust Fund)

My July 31 correction -- $825 Billion ($36 Billion Housing Bill)

"Therefore, the actual deficit is about 73% greater than Bush's very
misleading number.

"Americans feel that politicians regularly lie and mislead them. However,
it's sad and dangerous for the country when the President of the United States
starts acting like another politician - parsing, dissembling, misleading -
even lying.

"President Bush owes the American people an apology for deliberately giving
them wrong deficit numbers.

"With most of our country's major institutions facing major scandals and loss
of respect by Americans--9% approve of Congress--President Bush should set an
example and tell us the truth regardless of how it reflects on his
Administration."

Richard Viguerie's July 29 statement is online at
http://ultimatejohnmccain.com/blog_post/show/51

NOTE TO EDITORS:Richard A. Viguerie pioneered political direct mail and has
been called "one of the creators of the modern conservative movement" (The
Nation magazine) and one of the "conservatives of the century" (The Washington
Times). His latest book is Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and
Other Big-Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause (Bonus
Books).

Contact Bob Sturm, (703) 396-6974
After 6 PM Eastern time or weekends
Vi Shields, (703) 906-6542 or
Bob Sturm, (703) 307-8176

SOURCE ConservativeHQ.com

Bob Sturm, +1-703-396-6974; After 6 PM Eastern time or weekends: Vi Shields,
+1-703-906-6542, Bob Sturm, +1-703-307-8176, all of ConservativeHQ.com