Off the Record

■ House Republicans were shocked when the Bush Administration raised the white flag on minimum wage just when victory was in sight. This was the issue on which the President said he was “drawing a line in the sand.” Well, the Democrats just walked right over it.

Originally the Administration was willing to accept an increase in the minimum wage from $3.35 an hour to $4.25 an hour, phased in over three years, with a provision for a sixmonth training period where wages could be lower. Plans called for the White House to veto any Democratic counterproposal, and that was the strategy going into the fight.

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■ House Republicans were shocked when the Bush Administration raised the white flag on minimum wage just when victory was in sight. This was the issue on which the President said he was “drawing a line in the sand.” Well, the Democrats just walked right over it.

Originally the Administration was willing to accept an increase in the minimum wage from $3.35 an hour to $4.25 an hour, phased in over three years, with a provision for a sixmonth training period where wages could be lower. Plans called for the White House to veto any Democratic counterproposal, and that was the strategy going into the fight.