WASHINGTON, May 2–And you thought he was still “the decider.”

President Bush coined a new nickname for himself — ‘’the commander guy” — on Wednesday, as he criticized Congressional Democrats in a speech to the annual gathering of the Associated General Contractors of America, a construction industry trade group.

The man who last year proclaimed “I’m the decider,’’ in response to a question about whether he would fire Donald Rumsfeld as defense secretary, came up with this latest moniker in explaining why he vetoed an Iraq war spending bill that dictated a timeline for troops to withdraw from Iraq.

“The question is, ‘Who ought to make that decision, the Congress or the commanders?,’’ Mr. Bush said. “As you know, my position is clear – I’m the commander guy.”



Mr. Bush issued the veto Tuesday; on Wednesday, the House failed to muster the two-thirds majority necessary for an override and Congressional leaders went to the White House to talk to the commander guy about a new spending measure.

Both sides said afterward they believed compromise was possible. But if Democrats try to tie his hands in prosecuting the war, Mr. Bush has vowed to exercise his veto power again.

Would that make him “veto man?”