Little Rock - Wes Clark criticized President Bush's proposed budget, which projects a $521 billion deficit for Fiscal Year 2005:

"Today's budget proposal makes it clear what President Bush's priorities are: tax cuts for the rich and tough luck for everyone else. Bush's new budget slashes funding for agriculture, the environment, and small businesses. And he wants to make his tax cuts for the rich permanent, creating deficits as far as the eye can see. George Bush is leaving our children to pay off his record debt increases.

"Worst of all, President Bush has resorted to cheap gimmicks to disguise the full cost of his plans. The President says we're at war, and he's right. So where is the money in this budget for Iraq and Afghanistan? He's going to wait until after the election to tell the American people what this war is really going to cost. I will bring a higher standard of leadership to America, and that means being honest with the American people about how the government spends their money."