05 November 2004	Friday	21 Ramazan 1425

WASHINGTON, Nov 4: President George W. Bush said on Thursday he earned 'political capital' from the 59 million people who voted for him and will use it to advance a broad agenda that includes protecting America and reforming the intelligence community, the tax code and Social Security.

"I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it," Mr Bush told a news conference a day after Democrat John Kerry conceded the election to the president and the two men talked about the need for unity.

Mr Bush captured a majority of the national popular vote, winning 51 per cent to Kerry's 48 per cent, or 3.5 million votes more than the Massachusetts senator.

The US president said spreading freedom around the world will also be a central part of his foreign policy. He said fighting terrorism was essential and he would reach out, explain his decision to foreign leaders but gave no indication of any major concessions to US critics of the Iraq war.

"Whatever our past disagreements, we share a common enemy," Mr Bush said.

He also wants an agreement on Capitol Hill on reforming intelligence after a report on the Sept 11, 2001, attacks cited widespread intelligence failures. An attempt was made to complete a deal before the election but negotiations bogged down along partisan lines.

He showed little inclination to seek a consensus candidate for any Supreme Court openings in a second term, a possibility magnified by the recent illness of Chief Justice William Rehnquist and the advanced ages of several justices.

He insisted he wanted judges who would make a strict interpretation of the US Constitution and not legislate from the bench, "someone who knows the difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of the law." Many of Mr Bush's nominees to federal judgeships are languishing in the US Congress because of Democratic opposition.

Appearing confident if not a bit tired from the gruelling campaign and all-night anguish over the fate of Ohio, Mr Bush said he would seek greater bipartisanship with members of the Democratic opposition in Congress after his first term was marred by partisan battles.

But he signalled some limits as to how far he would go, saying he would reach out to "everyone who shares our goals." Besides winning re-election in Tuesday's election, Mr Bush saw Republican majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives grow.

The top goals he outlined were reforming Social Security and the tax code, two items in which his preferred outcome clashes sharply with that of Democrats.

On Social Security, he wants to give younger workers the ability to put some of their income in a personal account that could be invested in bonds and stocks.

And Democrats fear Bush would alter the tax code's reliance on a progressive tax system to perhaps a flat tax system that would hurt the poor and middle class and favour the wealthy. Mr Bush has given few details of his tax plan, saying he will appoint a task force to study possible changes.

"I readily concede, I've laid out some very difficult issues for people to deal with," Mr Bush said and noted that one of his disappointments with Washington "is how bitter this town can become and how divisive."

But he said he believed there would be good will and that he has become seasoned to the capital's ways in his first term.

The US president said there would be changes in his cabinet, but had none to announce. Many expect Attorney General John Ashcroft to resign fairly soon, while Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld may stay on for a time.

"I'm going to Camp David this afternoon with Laura (Bush, the first lady) and I'll begin the process of thinking about the cabinet and the White House staff," he said. "We'll let you know at the appropriate time when decisions have been made."-Reuters