President Bush has praised U.S. troops this Christmas season and given special thanks to military families for making sacrifices in the name of freedom.
In his weekly radio address Saturday, Mr. Bush said U.S. servicemen and women have stepped forward to defend freedom and protect the United States.
He spoke of how military families serve the country as well by supporting the troops, even after losing a loved one during combat. He said many service members will be spending the holidays far from their homes and loved ones.
In the Democrats' radio address, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid expressed frustration over the direction the United States seems to be headed. He said American troops remain in Iraq without what he said was a "clear mission or endgame."
But the Nevada lawmaker praised fellow Democrats for a number of legislative accomplishments this year, including tax cuts for middle-class Americans and increasing the minimum wage.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
