For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 9, 2004
Press Gaggle by Scott McClellan
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Allentown, Pennsylvania
9:30 A.M. EDT
MR. McCLELLAN: All right, let me begin with the President's day.
Before we departed, he taped his radio address for tomorrow, and then
he had his usual briefings, intelligence briefings.
Q What's the radio on?
MR. McCLELLAN: Protecting the sanctity of marriage. You have the
Senate beginning debate on that issue, and he will talk about that
tomorrow.
Then when we arrive in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, the President will
participate in an "Ask President Bush." He will -- the focus of it
will be on the economy and he'll highlight some of his six-point plan
and talk about how families and small businesses have benefitted from
his tax relief. There will be some examples that he'll cite in his
remarks. I expect he'll touch on some other issues, as well, like the
war on terrorism and some other issues, but the focus of this will be
on the economy. And then he'll, obviously, take some questions from
the audience at that event, as well, similar to the way he did last
time.
Following that, then we go to Lancaster, where the President will
make remarks. And, again, the remarks will focus on the economy,
although I expect he'll touch on other issues, as well. And then this
evening -- I'm sorry, on the way to York, the President will
participate in a 20-minute roundtable interview with some regional and
print media on board the bus.
And then at --
Q Is the pool on there?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, it's just an interview by some regional
reporters.
And then this evening, the President will make remarks at a York,
Pennsylvania rally, and there I expect he will touch on some of the
issues he talks about earlier in the day, as well as talk some about
values -- I expect he'll talk some about values throughout the day, but
discuss it at greater length at that event.
And, let's see, remind me and I'll go to the week ahead after your
questions.
Q What's the values theme he's raising, and why is he raising
it?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, these are campaign events. You're
going to hear from him later today. Why is he raising it? I mean,
it's something that he's talked about throughout his time in public
service and there are certainly clear contrasts on this issue. And I
think he will talk about some of those differences.
Q Scott, the International Court of Justice is going to condemn
the Israeli fence today. What's the administration's position on
this?
MR. McCLELLAN: I've seen some reports about what they are going to
say. If you'll recall, we've always said that, you know, we do not
believe that that's the appropriate forum to resolve what is a
political issue, that this is an issue that needs to -- that should be
resolved through the process that has been put in place, specifically,
the road map.
We've also expressed our views very clearly to the government of
Israel and continue to talk to the government of Israel about these
issues. You know, we certainly recognize the need for Israel to defend
itself and protect the people of Israel. It's also important that as
they take measures to do that, that they allow for the Palestinian
people to be able to move freely within that region.
Q Is it the position of the administration that this ruling is
irrelevant because it's not the correct forum for it to be decided?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we believe that this requires a -- the
situation requires a solution, a political solution, and that the road
map is the way to get to that solution, the two-state vision that the
President outlined. The President believes very strongly in the
two-state vision and he is, as you have heard him say, the first
President to articulate a two-state vision of Palestinian and Israel
living side-by-side in peace and security. And the road map is the way
to get there. And, certainly, the parties need to work together to
follow through on what is outlined in the road map. And we have a
unique opportunity to get moving on the road map with Prime Minister
Sharon's proposal.
Q Israel has asked the United States to block any United
Nations actions coming out of this World Court ruling. Is the United
States going to do that?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, the ruling, to my knowledge, has not
come out yet, so let's let the ruling come out. But what we're going
to continue to do is urge the parties to move forward on the road map
and take advantage of this unique opportunity that was presented with
Prime Minister Sharon's proposal. And the Palestinians have a unique
opportunity to seize this opportunity and put in place the security
structure that they need to put institutions in place for a Palestinian
state to emerge.
Q Scott, why did the President turn down the speaking request
to the NAACP?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we sent a letter to the NAACP recently,
stating that the President would not be able to attend.
Q Why?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q Why wasn't he able to attend?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the letter cited scheduling commitments. I
think, in terms of -- I mean, do you have specific questions about --
Q Well, I was just wondering if that wasn't a political
mistake?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, look, if you're talking about the standpoint
from the President's outreach efforts, I mean, the President is going
to fight for every single vote and he's going to fight hard to win
support from the African American community, and he certainly has a
strong record of accomplishment on issues of importance to the African
American community.
Q It just seemed -- it struck me as different, that, you know,
we had the thing in the East Room just a week ago, on the Voting Rights
Act, was it? The '68 [sic] thing? And, yet, he turned this thing
down.
MR. McCLELLAN: Look, I think, one, you need to look at the
President's record and vision, not just one particular event. The
current leadership of the NAACP has certainly made some rather hostile
political comments about the President over the past few years. And I
think it's important to recognize what has been said by some of the
current leadership.
But the President is going to reach out to every one in the African
American community and ask for their vote, based on his record and his
vision for the country.
Q Hey, Scott, has he spoken to the NAACP since 2000? I
remember he gave a pretty strong speech that year.
MR. McCLELLAN: That was the last time he spoke to the NAACP.
Q Why is Jenna on the plane? I mean, what is her role today?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you remember that the President and
Mrs. Bush have pointed out that they were interested in getting more
involved in the campaign. And so I think that's what you're starting
to see.
Q What's she going to do today?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you'll be here to cover it. You'll be here
to cover it.
Q Is this the first time she's done this?
MR. McCLELLAN: First time she's done what?
Q Come on a campaign trip with Bush from this campaign?
MR. McCLELLAN: She's been at campaign events in the past, but --
Q With Bush?
Q Obviously, she graduated --
MR. McCLELLAN: Recently, yes. This is the first one recently.
Q Since they've announced that she's going to be involved?
Q In the '04 campaign, this is the first?
MR. McCLELLAN: The President is pleased to have her traveling with
him today.
Q Is the release of the Senate Intelligence Committee report
today going to put any pressure on the President to sort of speed up
the decision on a new CIA director?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, one, we need to let the report come out. We
look forward to seeing the report. Certainly, I imagine that the
committee report will talk about the importance of intelligence
reform. And in that respect, the committee agrees with what we have
said, which is that we need to take steps to continue strengthening and
reforming our intelligence capabilities, so that we are prepared to
meet the threats -- the new threats that we face in this day and age,
namely the threats from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
And the President has acted on a number of fronts to strengthen our
intelligence capabilities. We have been transforming and revamping the
FBI to make sure terrorism is its number one -- counterterrorism is its
number one priority. We created the Terrorist Threat Integration
Center so that we could better share intelligence information and
improve the gathering of that information, so that our law enforcement
and intelligence officials will have the tools they need -- or have the
information they need to combat terrorism. And then we passed the
Patriot Act, which provided -- broke down the wall between intelligence
and law enforcement, so that they would have the tools -- so that we
would have tools needed to better protect the homeland, as well.
But we will continue acting to pursue reforms that will improve our
intelligence capabilities and our counterterrorism capabilities. And
so we look forward to seeing what the report has to say. I would
remind you that there is also the 9/11 Commission. We want to see what
they have to say, as well. And we want to see what the Commission on
Intelligence Capabilities relating to weapons of mass destruction has
to say, as well, on these matters.
Q It seemed critical of the intelligence community, though.
Do you think of it as a pretty big blow? Is this going to be more than
--
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, the President stands strongly
behind our men and women in the intelligence community who have
dedicated themselves to protecting the American people. He stands
strongly behind what they are doing. But that's why I talked about the
importance of intelligence reform, and there is certainly some areas
that we need to look at specifically within intelligence reform. We
need to continue to improve the quantity and quality of human
intelligence. We need to continue to look at the new technologies that
we can use, so that our technical intelligence capabilities stay ahead
of our enemies and their capabilities. And we need to continue to
improve the coordination and gathering of intelligence, so that we have
-- so it's as effective as possible. But that's why you've got all
those -- you've got the committees and you've also got the commissions
looking at a number of these issues.
Q Week ahead?
MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, week ahead, have to go quick. You want me to
just read it to Ellen?
Q Yes.
MR. McCLELLAN: We'll put it in the transcript, so I'll just read
it to Ellen.
Sunday, July 11th, we already announced that the President will
attend the White House tee ball game. Monday, July 12th, the President
will make remarks on the war on terrorism at Oakridge, Tennessee. The
President will do a tour of the Oakridge facility, where the Libya
weapons of mass destruction materials were relocated to. And then he
will make remarks and talk about the broader war on terrorism and our
efforts to defeat the terrorists and stop the spread of weapons of mass
destruction. And then the President will return to the White House,
where he'll meet with the President of El Salvador, which we've already
announced.
On Tuesday, July 13th, he will sign the African Growth and
Opportunity Acceleration Act of 2004, in Room 350 over in the Executive
Office Building.
Then, as we announced, he has the bus tour on Tuesday and
Wednesday, where he'll make remarks in Marquette, Michigan, on Tuesday,
then remarks at a Duluth, Minnesota rally, and overnight in Milwaukee.
And then on Wednesday, he'll participate in an "Ask President Bush"
event in Waukesha, Wisconsin; make remarks in Fon du Lac, Wisconsin;
make remarks at an Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin rally.
And then on Thursday, July 15th, at the White House, he'll sign the
Identity Theft Penalty Enforcement Act in the Roosevelt Room. And on
Friday, July 16th, he'll make remarks at the National Training
Conference on Human Trafficking, in Tampa, Florida, and make remarks at
a Beckley, West Virginia rally. And that is the week ahead.
Thank you.
END 9:43 A.M. EDT
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