For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 7, 2003
Press Gaggle by Scott McClellan
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Winston-Salem, North Carolina
10:53 A.M. EST
MR. McCLELLAN: Good morning. Let me run through the President's
day. First of all, this morning the President made three phone calls
to world leaders. The President spoke with President Mesa of Bolivia.
The President reiterated United States support for Bolivia's
constitutional process and democratic institutions, and the President
expressed confidence that Bolivia would continue down the pathway of
democracy and greater prosperity. The two leaders discussed President
Mesa's plans to hold a national referendum on the development and
export of Bolivia's natural gas resources.
The two leaders also talked about the need to continue close
cooperation between the two countries on counternarcotic efforts.
The Presidents noted that the two governments are coordinating
bilateral efforts such as coca eradication and alternative development
strategies for farmers now producing coca.
Then the President spoke with President Aznar of Spain. The two
leaders discussed the situation in Iraq and both reiterated their
commitment to support the Iraqi people against former regime loyalists,
criminals and foreign terrorists. They also discussed the
transatlantic relations more broadly, and both stressed the importance
of transatlantic solidarity in addressing the threats of the 21st
century.
Then the President spoke with President Kwasniewski of Poland. The
President expressed condolences over the death of a Polish officer
yesterday in Iraq. And both leaders reaffirmed their determination to
maintain the fight against those terrorists in Iraq who seek to take
away the new freedoms of the Iraqi people. And both leaders said they
would stay in close consultation about the common challenges that
confront the United States, Poland, and the rest of the world.
And that's the readout from his phone calls this morning. Then the
President had his usual briefings. Following that, he taped his radio
address for tomorrow.
Q Topic on that?
MR. McCLELLAN: Economy.
Upon arrival here in a few minutes, the President will meet with a
Freedom Corps greeter, Brian Koontz. He's been an active community
volunteer for 19 years, serving as a volunteer firefighter and first
responder. Then the President will participate in the campaign
luncheon. And following that, the President will go to Forsyth
Technical Community College to have a conversation with students and
faculty at Forsyth Community College about the economy, and
particularly focusing on job training programs to help unemployed
Americans who want to get back to work, help them participate in the
growing and changing economy that we face, and be retrained in fields
such as biotechnology and health care and high-technology
manufacturing, to name a few.
Let me just mention a little bit about this, too. You all are
aware this region of North Carolina has been particularly hard hit with
some job losses, particularly the textile and manufacturing sector.
And that's why the job retraining aspects are very important to what we
are doing to get workers and families back to work in the region.
On June 9th of 2003, the Department of Labor announced an award of
just over $750,000 to the Forsyth Technical Community College as part
of its high growth training initiative. That is an initiative that the
President directed the Department of Labor to undertake. It's where
they provide funding for public-private partnerships to retrain workers
for the jobs of the new economy.
And then there's some contribution of over $150,000 from the
Community College and business partners. And these funds have gone to
the establishment of a biotechnology associate degree training program,
which is designed to give workers the necessary and sought-after skills
to move from employment in some of the industries I mentioned into a
growing biotechnology sector.
And one person that was instrumental in bringing this about was
Congressman Burr who is with us on the plane this morning, traveling
with us -- who was instrumental in this.
Q Do you know what the unemployment rate is for this area?
MR. McCLELLAN: Hang on, I'll get to questions. Then we return
this afternoon to -- the President will go to Camp David for the
weekend.
One other announcement: Secretary Chao is on Ask The White House
at 2:00 p.m. today. I expect you'll see other administration officials
out from our economic team, as well.
Q Do you feel like the economy has now turned the corner based
on the numbers today?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the economy continues to grow and jobs are
being created. Today's employment report is another positive sign for
America's workers and families. The economy is moving in the right
direction. But we cannot be complacent. The President is not
satisfied because there are still people who are looking for work who
cannot find a job. I think that he will talk some about this today
when he has his conversation with the students and faculty at the
community college.
This is an area that has been hard-hit. The President will not
rest as long as there are people who are looking for work and cannot
find a job.
I think that he will continue to talk about how there is more to
do. That's why we need to act on his six-point plan to create an even
stronger environment for job creation.
Q Do you see a decision on extending the steel tariffs?
MR. McCLELLAN: There's no update on that from yesterday, what I
said yesterday.
Q Will he make a decision before Monday, when the WTO --
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not going to speculate about the timing of any
decision or any decision itself.
Q Scott, you mentioned the President's condolences for the
officer that was killed in Iraq -- after the helicopter that was shot
down last week, and another helicopter, apparently, has gone down --
that's under investigation right now -- what's the White House policy
on commenting on the deaths of American servicemen and women?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you hear the President talk often
about how we are saddened at the loss of every life. We are saddened
at the loss of any one of our troops who pay the ultimate sacrifice
serving their nation in defending freedom. But our troops are involved
in an important cause where the stakes are high. The international
community certainly recognizes that the stakes are high in Iraq. The
foreign terrorists and the Baathists and others recognize that the
stakes are high in Iraq. And our coalition will continue to stay the
course and finish the job to achieve our shared goal of a peaceful,
free and prosperous Iraq. That is critical to our efforts to fight the
war on terrorism. And we will prevail in this central front on
terrorism.
Q You often make those statements generally about the troops
and the sacrifice that they're making. Is there a reason that the
President and the White House doesn't address actual incidents --
MR. McCLELLAN: I think you heard the President was asked about the
downing of the Chinook earlier this week, and he talked about -- he
responded to that. He said that our men and women who are serving and
sacrificing in the military are serving in an important cause. We are
saddened any time any one of our men and women in the military pay the
ultimate sacrifice in the defense of freedom. The cause that they are
involved in is an important one. It is making the world a safer and
better place. It is making America more secure.
September 11th taught us the importance of confronting the
dangerous new threats that we face. That's exactly what we're doing.
We are forever grateful to our men and women in the military who are
serving and sacrificing on behalf of this important cause.
Q Was he specifically told in his briefings this morning about
the latest chopper crash that killed six people?
MR. McCLELLAN: He is aware of the reports, and we don't have
really more information than you have at this point, which is that it
was a Black Hawk helicopter that went down. And our military leaders
in the region are continuing to look into that incident. That's the
latest reports that I have, which is what you have seen. We will
continue to monitor that situation --
Q That's what he was told?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.
Q Scott, I didn't hear what you said about textiles. There's a
lot of frustration here that the administration hasn't acted on what
the industry sees is unfair trade practices. Is he going to have
anything to say about that --
MR. McCLELLAN: Secretary Evans has just been in the region ahead
of us -- I've just been told we've got two minutes before landing --
talking about that. We are continuing to work and fight to make sure
that there is a level playing field for America's workers and
families. And we will not hesitate to seek trade remedies when there
is unfair competition. We'll continue to fight in the interest of
America's families and America's workers.
Q Is that a suggestion that you're ready to do something?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that is something Secretary Evans has talked
about the -- November 17th -- in terms of specifically regarding
textiles. But we continue to -- and Secretary Evans has been in China
and is reiterating what the President has said with Chinese leaders, as
well, the importance of making sure that we have free trade and a level
playing field for America's workers.
It's also important that we take action here at home to help those
who have lost their jobs in the textile and manufacturing sectors --
sectors that have been particularly hard-hit over the course of the
tough times we went through, the inherited recession. That's why the
President has acted to get the economy growing again. It continues to
move in the right direction, but there's more to do. There are also
important steps that we can take on the job retraining front to help
these workers who were displaced find employment, particularly in
sectors that are growing fast with this changing economy that we are in
-- the biotechnology sector, the health care sector, high-tech
manufacturing sector. That's what the President will talk some about
today in his conversation with some of these students that have lost
their jobs and are being retrained to meet the demands of our growing
and changing economy.
Q Several more federal judges have stayed the partial birth
abortion order. Is there any disappointment in the White House that
this is happening?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think we have made it very clear that we intend
to vigorously defend this law. Congress worked to address the legal
issues and ensure its constitutionality, and we will vigorously defend
it in the courts.
Q Thank you.
END 11:05 A.M. EST
* * *
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me go through the week ahead. On Monday,
November 10th, the President will participate in a Bush-Cheney 2004
luncheon in Little Rock, Arkansas, which was previously announced.
Then he will participate in a conversation on the economy with
employers and employees in Greer, South Carolina. Then he attends a
Bush-Cheney reception in Greenville, South Carolina.
On Tuesday, November 11th, he participates in a wreath-laying
ceremony at Arlington, Virginia. Then he'll make remarks on Veterans
Day in Arlington, Virginia, to pay tribute to our veterans who have
served and sacrificed in defense of freedom --to all our veterans who
have served and sacrificed in the defense of freedom. Then he will
make remarks at the Heritage Foundation President's Club luncheon at
the Ronald Reagan Building International Trade Center.
On Wednesday, November 12th, the President participates in a photo
opportunity with the new Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
in the Oval Office. That will be stills. Then the President will
present the Medal of Freedom to NATO Secretary General George Robertson
in the Roosevelt Room. And then later in the day he will participate
in a presentation of the National Medal of Arts Awards in the Oval
Office.
Thursday, November 13th, he attends a Bush-Cheney 2004 luncheon in
Buena Vista, Florida. Then he'll make remarks on Medicare in Florida.
Then he attends a Bush-Cheney 2004 reception in Fort Myers, Florida.
On Friday, November 14th, he participates in the National
Humanities Medal Awards in the Oval, and he signs a proclamation in
honor of the National Employer's Support of the Guard and Reserve Week
in the East Room.
And then he departs for Camp David, where he will remain until
Sunday.
Thank you.
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