Bush: Farm values a lesson for corporate America

President Bush says the nation’s economy has hit a “bump in the road” but he says things will straighten out soon. Bush says he understands the economy is challenged…and he says “we’d better do something about it.” Bush spoke yesterday at the Iowa State Fair, calling it a speech that focused on the “challenges that face America.” Bush criticized corporate executives who he said “should have known better” than to “cook the books” of their businesses. Bush said he “loves the priorities of our farm families: faith, family and telling the truth and being honest and upright” and he says “corporate America needs to hear that signal.” Bush said he’s optimisticabout the future because of positive signs in the economy. Bush spoke last night in Des Moines at a $250–per-person fundraiser for Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Gross, but only a handful of reporters were allowed into the event. Gore raised $1.2 MILLION from the event. Bush stayed overnight in Des Moines and leaves this morning for South Dakota, where he’ll hold another economic roundtable.