Huckabee Tells Ross To `Be Nice` To Bush

Governor Huckabee says U-S Representative Mike Ross may have done more harm than good in an effort to regain funding for the region`s Ouachita-Black River navigation system. Ross, a Democrat, sent a letter to President Bush criticizing cuts to funding for the system. Huckabee says because of the letter, he was reduced to damage control when Bush visited El Dorado yesterday. The governor told listeners to his statewide radio call-in show that it was not helpful that Ross, instead of welcoming the president to southern Arkansas, was "highly critical in condemning the president." Ross shrugged off the governor`s comments, saying Huckabee possibly did had not read the letter. Ross has been critical of the president`s proposed budget cuts for the Ouachita-Black river navigation system. He wrote to Bush on Monday about his concerns and called upon the president to announce during his El Dorado visit that he would change his proposal and restore the funding. Bush did not mention the project during his visit to south Arkansas. Posted by Mike Hellgren