For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 29, 2003
Press Gaggle by Trent Duffy
Crawford Middle School
Crawford, Texas
1:53 P.M. CST
MR. DUFFY: Good afternoon. The President had his regular morning
briefings today, he's now working at the ranch. I don't have any
further updates on his schedule.
I can tell you that the administration continues to monitor the BSE
situation. The President has been receiving regular updates on the
situation, as necessary, and he did speak with Secretary Veneman
yesterday. And as you know, the Department just concluded a briefing
on BSE.
Special Presidential Envoy Baker had very productive meetings with
Chinese President Hu and Premier Wen to continue to discuss the
importance of removing the crushing burden of foreign debt on the Iraqi
people, and he also had productive meetings with Japan, as well. He
looks forward to returning to the United States on the 30th.
And with that, I will be happy to answer questions.
Q How does he update the President? Does he see the President,
personally, here in Texas, when he returns?
MR. DUFFY: I don't have anything further to say about his
schedule. We'll update that as necessary. There are currently no
plans for that.
Q -- his schedule, how does he personally update the
President? He's the President's Personal Envoy.
MR. DUFFY: They talk on the phone regularly and I know when he
returned from his first sets of meetings with European leaders he
actually did go to the White House. If there is news to update you
there, we will get that to you.
Q Do you anticipate a phone update on this Asia trip?
MR. DUFFY: I'll check on the specific manner in which the Envoy
will brief the President, but that's all I have at this point.
Q Trent, has there been an update with North Korea on the
six-party talks? What state of play are we at this morning?
MR. DUFFY: I do, if I brought it with me. Let me get that for
you, Suzanne, I don't have it with me.
Q Trent, Robert Novak writes in his column today that requests
for proposals for the reconstruction of the $18.6 billion in contacts
for reconstruction of Iraq have been delayed, that they were supposed
to be going out by February 1st. And he quotes Pentagon sources and
others as saying that that's been delayed now. Can you confirm that
there has been a delay in the reconstruction money for Iraq? And, if
so, what's the holdup?
MR. DUFFY: No, I cannot. I would refer those questions to the
Pentagon, which is overseeing all the contracting activity in the
reconstruction of Iraq.
Q But you're not aware of any holdups?
MR. DUFFY: I'm not, personally, but I can check further.
Q Does the United States share Britain's concerns about a
possible terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia pending?
MR. DUFFY: I'm sorry?
Q Does the United States share Britain's concern about a
possible terrorist attack looming in Saudi Arabia?
MR. DUFFY: I don't have any specific updates, but the United
States is, as you know, on an alerted status of orange, and the United
States remains concerned about terrorist activity here and across the
globe and is doing everything it can to protect the American people and
to work with our coalition partners in the war against terror.
Q Thanks, Trent. I guess Secretary Ridge is about to announce
a new set of directives for international air carriers, ordering them
to have armed air marshals on board those flights. Is that a matter
that the President was consulted on, did he sign off on it, and is it
in any way motivated by any frustration with how the French responded
to concerns about those flights being commandeered?
MR. DUFFY: I'm going to have to check on the specifics on the
President's involvement in that. As to the motivation, I'll have to
check on that, as well.
Q Two quick things. First of all, on the same issue, can you
tell us how or find out for us how it is that we can ask foreign
carriers to always put air marshals on every flight and, yet, not have
the same rule for domestic carriers?
Secondly, on a different topic, can you just tell us who's out at
the ranch with the President?
MR. DUFFY: The senior staff, typically, who travels with the
President; I'll see what we do, as far as names. I mean, Joe Hagin is
with him, Steve Hadley is with him.
Q Family?
MR. DUFFY: Family? Okay, I'll have to get that. Since there are
some questions about homeland security, you all know that Secretary
Ridge is having a briefing at 3:30 p.m., so I assume he will answer all
these questions in greater detail.
Q Trent, I missed your opening announcements. Did you say
whether the President has been updated on mad cow?
MR. DUFFY: I did. He has been receiving regular updates on the
situation as necessary. He did speak with Secretary Veneman
yesterday. And, as you know, Agriculture just concluded a briefing.
Q Is it accurate that the President is going to endorse new
steps or new regulations by USDA to safeguard the meat supply?
MR. DUFFY: Well, the efforts to control and prevent BSE exposure
is an ongoing priority for the federal government, it has been for
many, many years -- and we have very strong safeguards in place, as
evidenced by the fact that we've been able to deal with this current
situation. But since the discovery of BSE in Canada in May, the
administration has looked at all the options available to the federal
government to further strengthen these safeguards so that we can
continue to protect public health and the safety of the food supply.
Q Does that mean these steps are in the pipeline?
MR. DUFFY: It's safe to say the administration is looking at
options to further strengthen the safeguards for BSE.
Q Does the administration have a comment about Japan refusing
to ease the ban on beef imports because of a lack of tighter
regulations that they're asking for? And what about the 10 percent
drop in the value of cattle futures since the announcement?
MR. DUFFY: I'd refer you to the Agriculture Department for answers
to those questions.
Q Do you not have even a comment on the 10 percent --
MR. DUFFY: I'll see what I can get, Roger. I don't know if
there's going to be anything from us on that.
Q How concerned is the President about the economic fallout
from mad cow?
MR. DUFFY: Well, the economy is one of the President's top
domestic priorities. So from the extent that anything would impact our
economy, the President is concerned. But the fact is, is that we need
to do the appropriate things to deal with the situation so that our
longer-term and shorter-term economy is not harmed.
But the President is always concerned about the economy, about job
creation, about making sure that the recovery that's taking place
really takes root and sustains itself into the future. So it's a point
of concern for any time something might impact the economy.
Q Has the President spoken to Musharraf since these two
assassination attempts?
MR. DUFFY: I don't have anything to update you on phone calls with
foreign leaders at this point.
Q Is that a "no"?
MR. DUFFY: I don't have any update from what's been said
previously. I don't know what the latest was on that. I'll check.
Q If you could check, that would be great.
MR. DUFFY: I'll be happy to check, sure.
Q Trent, should we expect the President to make a traditional
cheese burger stop on New Year's Eve at the Coffee Station, as he has
in years past?
MR. DUFFY: I have no updates to the President's schedule. But
borrowing a line from past gaggles, if we have something to announce,
we'll announce it. (Laughter.) I've been waiting all my whole career
to say that. (Laughter.)
Q Any updates to his diet?
Q On the Iran aid. Despite the fact that this is a calamity, a
catastrophe, is there any opportunity here to increase dialogue with
Iran as a result of the aid and the contacts with Iranian officials?
MR. DUFFY: Well, I think the United States stands ready to help
the Iranian people with humanitarian assistance as they deal with this
terrible tragedy and suffering. The United States' primary focus right
now is assisting the Iranian people with what they need. And according
to their officials, the things they need most are medicines, medical
care, shelter and blankets. And so our assistance is targeted towards
those four areas.
As far as specific questions, as to the status of USAID, State
Department, or other areas where you can look, as far as what we're
doing on that score.
Q Anybody coming out to the ranch you expect this week? And
what's he doing out there, other than chopping cedar? And is he
working on the State of the Union?
MR. DUFFY: Well, I think it's safe to assume that since the State
of the Union is fast approaching, he's been thinking about it and
preparing. It is approaching. I don't know -- we'll update you on any
specific activities that he's doing at the ranch at this point, but
mostly he's just enjoying some time with his family -- and working out
there. I mean, he had his regular briefings today. I was out there.
Q Anything specific that he's doing that you can tell us?
Fishing -- (laughter) -- any sort of --
MR. DUFFY: He is working at the ranch, doing the typical cedar
clearing and cutting, I believe, today. I saw him toss a few
horseshoes to Barney.
Q At Barney? (Laughter.)
MR. DUFFY: Barney is a pretty good horseshoe player.
Suzanne, I did get a North Korea update. The U.S. stands ready to
resume the six-party talks at an early date, and without
preconditions. And we are working with others to do so. Our goal in
the talks is the complete, verifiable and irreversible elimination of
North Korea's nuclear programs.
Anything else?
Q You all have gone to great pains to sort of play down what
you hope to get out of Iran. This is a strictly humanitarian mission
at this point. But is the administration at all encouraged by the fact
you now have the U.S. military warplane that landed supplies there
yesterday, the first time in 20 years you've had such a U.S. presence
in that country? Is there a hope on the administration's part that
this could lead to a greater level of cooperation with the Iranians?
MR. DUFFY: The U.S. policy on Iran remains the same. The
President issued a statement some months ago that I can get for you,
but that has not changed in the least. But, again, we do stand ready
to help them with humanitarian assistance.
Q Is there hope that this disaster may provide an opportunity
for greater cooperation?
MR. DUFFY: I think that would fall into the speculation category,
of which I will not participate.
Thank you.
END 2:05 P.M. CST
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