For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 31, 2004
Press Gaggle by
Scott Mcclellan
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Nashville, Tennessee
9:45 A.M. EDT
MR. MCCLELLAN: All right. The President had his usual briefings
this morning at the hotel. He will be making remarks at the 86th
Annual American Legion National Convention in Tennessee. Then this
afternoon when we get to Des Moines, the President is going to
participate in a radio interview, via phone, with Rush Limbaugh -- that
will be about 10 minutes. And following that, in Iowa, he will make
remarks at the 2004 Farm Progress Show. This is an annual farm
machinery and equipment show that began -- I think it begins today and
runs through September 2nd.
Then the President will, this evening in Pennsylvania, attend a
family-style picnic and softball game. I think the softball game is, I
believe, between the Pennsylvania Young Republicans and Pennsylvania
College Republicans.
Q Is he playing?
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't think he's playing; I don't think he's
participating in it.
Q Does he have money on the game? Is he betting on the game at
all? (Laughter.)
MR. McCLELLAN: Next question. That was Ken Herman. I think they
can figure it out, who -- (laughter.)
Q Is Rush Limbaugh live? Is Rush live?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I believe so. Yes.
Q Do you know what time it airs? Do you know what time he
talks to Rush?
MR. McCLELLAN: It is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Q East coast time?
MR. McCLELLAN: It's in Iowa, yes. No, no, I'm sorry, that's
Central. Iowa, yes. That's Iowa time.
Q The interview is at 2:05 p.m. live, so --
MR. McCLELLAN: So I guess 3:05 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.*
Q Are you going to move a transcript of that?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I mean, it will air, so you can get the
transcript from the show.
Q Is Mrs. Bush flying directly to New York from there? Flying
directly to New York?
MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, she doesn't have a stop on the way. Yes, she
went straight to New York. Yes, leaving that last site.
Q Is Mr. McCain on board?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, he will meet us -- thank you for bringing that
up. Senator McCain will be traveling with us all day. He will meet us
in Nashville, when we get there.
Q Last night on the floor of the convention some delegates were
wearing Purple Heart band-aids that the Kerry campaign said is a show
of disrespect for Purple Heart winners. What does the President think
of behavior like that?
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know anything about it. I don't think he's
seen -- I don't think he knows anything about it.
Q Would you think that's appropriate behavior on a convention
floor?
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know anything about it. I'm sure it's not
something condoned by the convention or the campaign.
Q Speech preparation, is that a daily exercise for the
President?
MR. McCLELLAN: He continues to work on it. I expect he'll do some
more preparation tomorrow, back at the White House -- teleprompter
practice.
Q American Legion speech, something new we haven't heard before?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think some of his remarks will be similar to what
you have -- what you heard at the Veterans of Foreign Wars. I expect
there will be some new language in the remarks and some contrasts. I
also expect the President will talk about winning the war on
terrorism. We are winning the war on terrorism and we will win the war
on terrorism. The President will make that crystal clear in his
remarks, as he has many times before. And that the way -- you know, we
will win the war on terrorism by continuing to take the fight to the
enemy, and we will win the war on terrorism by continuing to spread
freedom. And I expect he'll make that crystal clear in his remarks.
Q Do you feel like his remarks yesterday to NBC got blown out
of proportion, or why does he feel the need to make it crystal clear?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he's done it many times before. There are
some out there that are intent on trying to create a false perception.
Q Are these remarks, then, a response to that?
THE PRESIDENT: I think that it's the President making it crystal
clear that not only are we winning it, but we will win it. And if you
look at the progress we've made, you hear him talk about it. You hear
him talk about how we have liberated 50 million people in Afghanistan
and Iraq; Afghanistan is no longer a safe haven for terrorists; and
Iraq -- a brutal regime has been removed from power in Iraq. You've
seen Libya change its behavior and turn from its past. Pakistan is now
fighting with us in the war on terrorism. Saudi Arabia is now cracking
down on terrorists within their own country.
So we're winning the war on terrorism, we're dismantling the al
Qaeda network, and we will win it.
Q How much of last night's convention session did the President
watch?
MR. McCLELLAN: He watched -- the President and Mrs. Bush watched
Senator McCain's remarks, and then this morning, I believe -- the
President had his usual briefings, and he also was working out this
morning in his room and he caught some of the coverage of the remarks
last night. So he was able to catch some of the replay of Senator
McCain's remarks and Mayor Giuliani's remarks. But last night he
watched Senator McCain's remarks.
Q He went to sleep before Giuliani?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.
Q He saw a replay of those this morning?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, he saw some replay of those remarks this
morning.
Q Is it true the President thinks the American --
MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President really appreciates Senator
McCain's and Mayor Giuliani's strong words of support for his
leadership in the war on terrorism. These are two individuals who
have, in an up-close and personal way, seen the President's steady
leadership in challenging times.
Q Is the President going to lay out a plan for the next four
years on the war on terrorism?
MR. McCLELLAN: You're talking about his convention remarks?
Q Convention remarks.
MR. McCLELLAN: I think you will hear the President talk about his
robust agenda for the future. And that includes talking about winning
the war on terrorism and strengthening our economy and extending
prosperity here at home.
Q Is he going to address an exit strategy for Iraq?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the President will continue to talk about the
importance of what we are working to achieve in Iraq. I think you
heard from Senator McCain last night, talk about how it was necessary,
achievable and noble. We have an important mission to complete in
Iraq. That mission is -- not only in Iraq, but Afghanistan, we're
still working to complete both those missions. A free and
self-governing and peaceful Afghanistan in Iraq will help transform the
world for the better. It will help make the world a safer place and
make America more secure. And I expect he will talk about the
importance of what we are working to achieve.
Q Is it true the President thinks the American Legion is the
one with the designated hitter? (Laughter.)
MR. McCLELLAN: Ken Herman again.
Q Thank you very much.
MR. McCLELLAN: Thank you.
Q Do we expect anything --
MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, he was briefed, too, on the suicide bombings in
Israel this morning. There were some bus bombings in Israel this
morning. We condemn these kinds of terrorist attacks in the strongest
possible terms. There is simply no justification for the killing of
innocent civilians.
Q Do we expect anything -- any sort of attacks tailored to Iowa
listeners or Pennsylvania listeners later -- ethanol, perhaps, in
Iowa?
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me see what I can do for you later. I'll try
to keep you posted.
END 9:52 A.M. EDT
*The interview will take place at approximately 1:45 P.M. EDT.
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