Bush heading for ranch after assessing term so far

The fate of many of Bush's top legislative initiatives may be decided when Congress returns in the fall.

By Greg Botelho
CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. President George W. Bush is beginning a monthlong break on Saturday, a day after a Rose Garden speech in which he said civility and integrity had returned to Washington since he took office.

In anticipation of his vacation, the president started to undergo a six-hour annual medical checkup at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. The doctor's appointment is set to end around 2 p.m.

On Friday, flanked by his Cabinet and halfway through his first year in office, Bush said he had fulfilled his pledge made on the campaign trail to bring a "new tone" to Washington.

"Together with Congress, we're proving that a new tone, a clear agenda and active leadership can bring significant progress to the nation's capital," Bush said. "We're ending deadlock and drift and making our system work on behalf of the American people."

VIDEO Bush congratulates his Cabinet and recaps his first six months in office. Watch the news conference. (August 3) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MORE STORIES White House details 'successes' over first six months     RESOURCES MESSAGE BOARD: The political spectrum

After Saturday's checkup, Bush is expected to board Air Force One on his way to Texas. The president plans to spend most of his vacation at his ranch in Crawford, but will also make speeches around the country.

In his Rose Garden speech, Bush detailed what he called accomplishments of the last six months: movement on education legislation, aid for the homeless, a patients' bill of rights and "the first major tax cut in a generation."

Except for the tax cut, most of the White House's top initiatives remain unfinished, with many likely to resurface when Congress re-adjourns in September after its monthlong hiatus.

Busht said that in the fall, he would work to assist the disadvantaged, control spending and "protect Medicare, Social Security and our armed forces … and the American taxpayers."

"When we all come back in September, so many accomplishments are within our reach, and I look forward to the work ahead," he said.

However, many Democrats -- spearheaded by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt -- have accused Bush of dividing Washington with his partisan stances on various issues, including the budget, environment and health care.