with his staff today, as well?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the task force is meeting again today.
Secretary Card is holding a meeting of the task force again, this
morning, I believe. The President has continued to stay in touch with
Secretary Card and Dr. Rice and other members of the staff about these
reforms. But I would point out to you --
Q How close are we?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we're moving closer. We're nearing -- we are
nearing completion of the review of the 9/11 Commission's
recommendations. But I think it's important to point out that this
President has been committed to intelligence reform for quite some
time. And I think you should look at this as continuing to build upon
the reforms that we are already implementing, that this President has
worked to move forward on significant intelligence reforms over the
last three years. We have moved forward to improve intelligence
sharing between law enforcement and the intelligence community and
within the intelligence community itself. We created a Terrorist
Threat Integration Center; we created the Department of Homeland
Security; we have worked to transform the mission of the FBI.
So there are significant -- there is significant strides that we
have made already on intelligence reform. And the work of this task
force and the 9/11 Commission will help us continue to build upon those
reforms.
Q Are we looking at Monday?
MR. McCLELLAN: We will keep you posted. I don't have any update
to his schedule at this point. I've got the week ahead here for you,
though, at the end of this Q and A, and if there are any updates beyond
that week ahead to the schedule, we will let you know. But I'm not
ready to -- to announce the timing of anything at this point. We are
continuing to move forward on a fast track. And the commission -- and
the task force is making important progress.
Q Should we assume, though, that any initial progress that's
been made is going to be limited to dealing with things that could be
dealt with through executive order, as opposed to the questions of the
NIB --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think as Trent pointed out yesterday, the
task force has been preparing some directives for the President to
consider. I think, obviously, yes, there are steps that the President
could take on his own, and there are steps that you have to look at
that would require congressional action, as well. And so these are all
things that the task force is looking at. The President is deeply
involved in the work of the task force. And when we have more to say,
we will let you know.
Q But will he present all of these things as one package, even
if it requires congressional action? Or would we be looking for
multiple announcements --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, he'll talk more about all those issues
once the -- once the review is complete and the decisions have been
made.
Q But we shouldn't understand that what announcements may come
soon aren't going -- he could still throw support behind proposals that
need congressional approval? He won't just restrict himself to the
things he can do by executive order?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that's why I said, one, let's let -- let's
let the review -- I mean, these are all issues that are getting ahead
of the review right now. Let's let the review by the task force be
completed and decisions be made and then we'll have more to say at that
point. Obviously, we're -- the President made it very clear that he is
seriously looking at all the recommendations made by the 9/11
Commission because he looks at them in the context that they build upon
the reforms that we are already implementing over the past three
years. And so I don't want to jump ahead of what he may or may not say
in the near future. But again, we've already indicated that it would
be -- that he would be talking about some of these reforms in a matter
of days. And that still stands.
Q Why didn't the President watch last night?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he -- he went to sleep last night. That was
a late speech, obviously, but he did read some of the coverage of it
this morning, like I said.
Q He had checked in -- he had checked in on the TV coverage
earlier in the week off and on.
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, and whether or not he watched the actual
speech at the time, he's obviously seen some of the coverage or read
some of the coverage of the convention itself.
Q Did Karl stay up to watch it?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I believe he did. And you -- and by the way,
there are campaign officials onboard the plane. You've got Nicole, and
then you've also got Matthew Dowd, and they'll be on the ground. And
so I'm sure they'll be available to talk to you if you all need more.
Q Week ahead?
MR. McCLELLAN: Week ahead. Week ahead, on Monday, the President
will meet with his Cabinet at the White House.
On Tuesday, the President will sign the United States-Australia
Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act in the Rose Garden at the White
House. And then we will go to Dallas where the President will attend a
Victory 2004 reception, and the President will make remarks to the
122nd Annual Knights of Columbus Convention in Dallas. We will
overnight in Crawford. For those of you who missed this last week,
there's an opportunity to go back there.
And Wednesday, the President will participate in an "Ask President
Bush" event in Davenport, Iowa. And then he will make remarks on
conservation -- on Conservation Reserve in Mankato, Minnesota. Then
the President will make remarks at a Mankato, Minnesota rally following
that. We'll be back at the White House that night.
On Thursday, the President will sign the Department of Defense
Appropriations Act at the White House. And then the President will go
to Columbus, Ohio to participate in an "Ask President Bush." And then
he will make remarks at Saginaw, Michigan rally.
And on Friday, the President will make remarks to the Unity:
Journalists of Color Convention.
Q Where will he sleep that day?
MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, we're back in D.C. on Thursday. And then on
Friday morning, the President will make remarks to the Unity:
Journalists of Color Convention at the Washington Convention Center.
And then he will make remarks at a Stratham, New Hampshire picnic. And
then we will be overnighting in Kennebunkport, Maine and returning to
the White House early afternoon, I expect, on Sunday, August 8th. And
as I said, if there are any other updates to the schedule we will keep
you all posted.
Q Saturday and Sunday is the family event at Kennebunkport?
Closed?
Q He's going to a wedding.
MR. McCLELLAN: Nothing else to announce on that at this time. But
that's -- we'll be in Kennebunkport.
Q Thanks.
END 9:27 A.M. EDT