For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 1, 2003
Press Gaggle with Scott Mcclellan
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Dearborn, Michigan
10:40 A.M. EST
MR. McCLELLAN: All right, good morning, everybody. Let me run
through the President's day. The President had his usual briefings
this morning. I'm going to have a phone call to read out to you a
little bit later to a world leader.
When we arrive in Detroit, there will be a Freedom Corps greeter,
Brad Simmons. He is an employee of Ford Motor Company and has been an
active volunteer, and he was instrumental in creating the 16-Hour
Community Service Program where every employee at Ford can participate
in volunteer activities and local non-profit organizations, and use up
to 16 hours of company time to do so.
Then the President will make remarks in Dearborn at a Bush-Cheney
2004 luncheon. Following that, we will go to Dynamic Metal Treating
where the President will participate in a conversation with employers
and employees on the economy. The President will talk about the action
that we have taken to get the economy growing. And he will also
highlight his six-point plan for creating an even more robust
environment for job creation. As you have heard the President say, he
feels good about the direction the economy is moving, it continues to
grow, but there is more to do.
Following that, we depart to New Jersey where the Freedom Corps
greeter will be Patricia "Pat" Fields. She's been an active volunteer
in her community for 35 years. She is actively involved in a teen
parenting program where she helps teenage -- this program, the local
non-profit helps teenage parents graduate from high school, and also
helps those parents get their babies off to a healthy start.
Then the President will make remarks in Whippany, New Jersey, at a
Bush-Cheney 2004 reception. Oh, let me back up. On the company -- the
employees and employers, there are two companies, or two businesses
that will be represented in the conversation, one being Dynamic Metal
Treating, which is a family-owned business. They have about 26
employees. And Dynamic treats steel components and tools for the
automotive and oil industries. And then the other is Spectrum
Automation.
Q -- Spectrum --
MR. McCLELLAN: Spectrum Automation, which is a family-owned
business, too, that designs and builds parts-feeding equipment, mostly
for automotive applications. They have 20 employees. Both these
companies, after going through some difficult periods, are now growing
and able to rehire some people that they had previously laid off, and
hire some additional people, as well.
And that's the President's day.
Q -- steel decision today?
MR. McCLELLAN: The President still has not made a decision. It
remains under review. And beyond that, I don't want to speculate on
the timing of any decision.
Q You don't want to speculate on the timing of a decision, but
--
MR. McCLELLAN: He has not made a decision. It remains under
review. Again, I'm not going to speculate about any decision or the
timing of any decision, but I can tell you that the President has not
made a decision and it remains under review.
Q Do these two companies use steel?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I just mentioned Dynamic Metal, how they
treat steel that's used --
Q -- do they have to buy --
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me double-check when we get there. I'll
probably get more information for you when we get there.
Q -- has he been meeting with any representatives of the steel
industry. Has he sought -- has he had direct conversations with anyone
outside of his economic advisors?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we continue to consult with users, consumers,
and members of Congress and others --
Q But the President personally hasn't?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I'd say that the administration has --
Q -- you said consumers and --
MR. McCLELLAN: Members of Congress and others, and listened to
their -- well, we continue to listen to their views.
Q Scott, is there a concern that this recent wave of attacks on
foreign nationals in Iraq could in any way undermine the cohesiveness
of the public coalition there?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think, one, you've heard from those
coalition members themselves who have stated publicly that they intend
to stay the course, that they will not be intimidated by these
attacks. And I think the international community, including the
coalition forces, recognize that the stakes are very high in Iraq and
that it's important that we continue to stay the course, that the
coalition continues to take to offensive and go after the remnants of
the former regime, the Baathists and the foreign terrorists who are in
the country, and we continue to take the offensive and take the battle
to the enemy.
Q Aznar was certainly very forthright in his support, but
Koizumi and perhaps South Korea may be -- it may give them further
pause to delay sending troops. Is there concern --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think they stated that their commitments
remain unchanged -- what I saw from Prime Minister Koizumi and from the
Foreign Minister of South Korea. Again, I think the international
community recognizes the stakes that are involved in Iraq and recognize
the importance of staying the course and finishing the job. We all
share a goal of a free, peaceful and democratic Iraq. It's important
to a region that has been a -- a volatile region that has been breeding
ground for terrorism. It's important to bringing about more peace and
stability in the region.
Q Did the President, when he met with the Iraqi Governing
Council members, did the issue of direct elections come up, or did
anyone voice any concerns about --
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't have any additional readout beyond what you
had from the President himself after his trip. I'll see if there's any
more.
Q -- Howard Dean gave a speech. He said the President doesn't
understand defense and that he refuses to stand up to the Saudis.
MR. McCLELLAN: I know there's a Democratic primary going on and
there's a lot of comments being made by all the different candidates.
The President is continuing to focus on the priorities for the American
people and that includes what he's talking about today, getting our
economy growing even faster, and national security, protecting the
American people by making the world a safer and better place. That's
what the President will continue to do. We'll let the Democrats debate
their differences themselves.
Q Is there any reaction to President Assad's comments in The
New York Times today about -- I don't know if it would be his
willingness, but the whole issue of reviving talks between Israel and
Syria? And also, Assistant Secretary Burns, is his trip there -- I
mean, does the White House see sort of an opportunity for a new --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you might check with the State Department on
the latest there, on their discussions that they're having. But you've
heard the President's commitment to helping bring about peace and
stability in the Middle East. It's an important region in the world,
and we are working in a number of different areas to help bring about
peace and stability in the region, with Iraq being a very high priority
right now.
Q Is the President weighing the political ramifications of his
steel decision?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he'll make a decision, as he previously did,
based on what is right for the American people. The President --
you've heard him talk about why he imposed these safeguards in the
first place, and that was to help give the industry an opportunity to
restructure, consolidate, and the ITC came out with the interim report
and it's been under review. And he'll make a decision based on what he
believes is the right decision for the American people.
Q Have the tariffs had their desired effect?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you can look back at the interim
report and they'll talk about some of the restructuring that has been
underway since the President imposed the safeguards. But again, at
this point, I don't want to get too far into speculation about what any
decision may be. The President has not made a decision at this point;
it remains under review. And we continue to listen to all the parties
-- consumers, users, members of Congress and others.
All right? Thank you.
END 10:52 A.M. EST
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