Bush Says He's Confident UN Will Pass Resolution on Iraq

President Bush expressed confidence today that the United Nations Security Council would pass a resolution on Friday to "bring the civilized world together to disarm Saddam Hussein."

Mr. Bush, appearing in public for the first time since the Republicans recaptured the Senate and strengthened their hold on the House of Representatives in Tuesday's elections, said he was optimistic that the resolution on Iraq would gain the crucial support of France.

The president spoke of "when the resolution passes," not if it would. The United Nations resolution was revised to draw the support of France, which has a veto power as one of the Security Council's permanent members.

Mr. Bush was by turns cheerful and somber and took care not to bask publicly in the victory glow emanating from the White House and other Republican circles since Tuesday. He offered general congratulations to the election victors, Republicans and Democrats alike, and pledged to work with both parties in the new Congress.

He also prodded the lawmakers who will reconvene next Tuesday in the lame-duck Congress, saying that creation of a homeland security department is "the single most important item of unfinished business on Capitol Hill."

The president wants a homeland security bill that would give him broad hiring-and-firing powers, a concept that the Republican-controlled House has endorsed in principle but that the Senate, which has been in Democratic hands, has resisted.

The prospects for Mr. Bush's homeland security vision will improve in the new Congress, when Republicans take over the Senate leadership, but the president insisted that a bill should be passed before then.

"I want it done," Mr. Bush said, raising his voice slightly. "It's a priority."

While sounding conciliatory toward Democrats, Mr. Bush signaled that he intended to use his strengthened position on Capitol Hill to advance the causes he holds dear — the appointment of conservatives to the federal judiciary, for instance, and Republican tax-cutting policies, which he described as "being wise with the people's money."

Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, who has been in the Senate for 40 years to the day, delivered a Democratic response to the president's 45-minute news conference. The senator praised Mr. Bush's "positive tone" and said there was plenty of room for the White House and Congressional Democrats to work together. But Mr. Kennedy warned of Democratic resistance if the White House nominated "right-wing ideologues" for judgeships.

Iraq dominated Mr. Bush's news conference, and he reiterated time and again that he intended to see Iraqi regime of Mr. Hussein disarmed — peacefully, if possible, but disarmed regardless.

"If he's not going to disarm, we'll disarm him," the president said. "The risk of inaction is not a choice as far as I'm concerned."

"War is not my first choice," Mr. Bush said at another point. "It's the last choice." But he added pointedly, "It's an option."

Congress has already passed a resolution of support for Mr. Bush in dealing with Iraq, so in that sense the president has all the legislative backing he needs. But the election results have, by general agreement in the capital, made Mr. Bush a stronger president nonetheless.

"The debate on whether we're going to deal with Saddam Hussein is over," Mr. Bush declared. A moment earlier, he had accused Mr. Hussein of "dealing with Al Qaeda." Mr. Bush has never accused the Iraqi leader of having a role in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and he did not do that today.

But the president has made it clear that he thinks Mr. Hussein and Al Qaeda followers are of the same ilk. Yet Mr. Bush has also said he holds no anger for the Iraqis under Mr. Hussein's rule. Today, he said he dreams of "freedom for the Iraqi people."

Mr. Bush jousted good-naturedly with his questioners, as when he was asked if he would "take fewer cues from conservatives" in an attempt to claim a broader swath of the political center for his Republican Party.

"I don't take cues from anybody," he said. "I just do what I think is right. I won't change my political philosophy. I am who I am."