Bush Defends Rove

President Bush defended the ethics of senior White House strategist Karl Rove, whose financial interests are under scrutiny by Democrats.

"My level of confidence with Karl Rove has never been higher," Mr. Bush told reporters Monday. "He is a man who gives me sound advice. He adheres to the ethical rules of our government and he's done a great job on behalf of the American people."

Mr. Bush spoke about the subject one day after Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said Sunday he does not foresee the need to investigate Rove, the president's top political adviser, for his contacts with companies in which he owned stock.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer dismissed calls for hearings, reports CBS News Correspondent Peter Maer reports.

"The American people are sick and tired of these types of investigations," said Fleischer. "The American people want people in Congress to move beyond what has been the type of partisan politics of the past and focus on policy."

Rove owned at least $100,000 in Intel stock when he met with company executives March 12 at the White House. He has said he merely referred them to others in the administration and does not recall raising their concerns about a proposed merger and other matters with Mr. Bush.

Waxman has asked Rove to describe what he said in the Intel meeting and any other "meetings, discussions or decisions that might have had a direct impact" on his stocks.

Rove's meeting, first reported last week by The Associated Press, was with Intel's chief executive and two lobbyists as they pushed for federal approval of a corporate merger. The administration approved the deal less than two months later.

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