For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 24, 2004
Press Gaggle by Scott McClellan
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Janesville, Wisconsin
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
12:38 P.M. EDT
MR. McCLELLAN: The President had his
usual briefings this
morning. He participated in the swearing-in ceremony for our new CIA
Director, Porter Goss. Andy Card actually was the one who swore in
Porter Goss, and the President congratulated him after being sworn in,
in the Oval Office. Director Goss's family was there, as well, as well
as some friends and staff members.
Then, following that, the President prior -- well, he taped his
radio address and I think he'll reiterate some of what you heard in his
remarks yesterday in the Rose Garden with Prime Minister Allawi in his
radio address. He also met with the Ambassador of Russia and the head
of the American Red Cross and some students and teachers here locally,
who are in D.C. locally, who have been helping the Russian people
following the barbaric terrorist attack in Beslan. And you have
remarks from the President following that. The President talked about
the great compassion America is showing for the people of Russia, and
highlighted some of those efforts to assist the children in Russia who
suffered from that attack.
Then we go -- we're landing in Wisconsin, where he's got a "Focus
on Education" event first, and then remarks at a Victory 2004 rally,
and then we'll be headed to Crawford for some debate preparation and
other business.
Q Can you give us a little sense about the debate prep, who's
going to be there, how it's going to work?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, like I say, I'm not going to get too much
into reading out all the debate prep. I do expect him to participate in
some debate preparation over the weekend. You know, obviously, this is
an opportunity for him to get away from Washington, D.C. and all the --
get away from Washington, D.C. and really clear his head and focus on
the debate. He's also the President of the United States, so he has to
continue to attend to his official duties, as well. But I think this
will be an opportunity for him to crystallize his thoughts prior to the
first debate. You obviously only have a limited amount of time to get
your points across.
Q Is Judd Gregg going to be --
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I expect him to be there.
Q Will he practice both Saturday --
MR. McCLELLAN: There will be other senior staff there, as well,
from the campaign and White House.
Q -- Saturday and Sunday practice, a little bit each day?
MR. McCLELLAN: We'll try to get you more. I do expect tomorrow;
I'm not so sure about Sunday at this point.
Q -- actually practicing, a question and answer? And, if so,
who plays Kerry?
MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said -- I've said previously I wasn't going
to get into reading out too much of the debate prep, but I'll see what
we can do for you while we're here.
Q It'll be at the ranch, right, the practice?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.
Q There's no room at Baylor, for example?
Q Scott, John Kerry had a speech this
morning where he said
that the President let bin Laden slip away, underfunded homeland
security, and initially opposed the 9/11 Commission -- basically saying
the President hasn't done enough to keep America safe.
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, what Senator Kerry is now
proposing are actions that the President is already taking. So at the
same time Senator Kerry was attacking the President, he was copying the
very proposals the President is pursuing in the war on terrorism. I
remind you that Senator Kerry has repeatedly talked about Iraq and
Saddam Hussein as being part of the war on terrorism.
In terms of some of your first comments there, General Franks has
already previously rebutted such ridiculous assertions.
Q Is the President at all worried -- is he worried at all about
the legitimacy of the election that's going to be held in
January in
Iraq?
MR. MCCLELLAN: You heard from Prime Minister Allawi yesterday,
that Prime Minister Allawi talked about how most of the country could
hold elections today. There are still some ongoing security challenges
that present some real difficulties for the interim government and for
our coalition forces. The Prime Minister talked about his -- he came
here yesterday to thank America and talk about his strategy for
defeating the terrorists and defeating the Saddam loyalists who are
trying to derail that transition and trying to stop the election from
happening. That's the most -- as the President pointed out yesterday,
the most important part of the five-point plan that we're pursuing.
There's been steady progress made, but there are difficulties that
remain. But Prime Minister Allawi has said he is fully committed to
holding free and fair elections by the end of January.
Q That doesn't completely answer the question. The question
is, is the President concerned at all about the legitimacy of the
results of a January election?
MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said, everybody is confident that Iraq will
hold free and fair elections by the end of January. The Iraqi people,
every step of the way, have risen to the challenges and met the
timetables that have been set out for them. With a sovereign
government, with the national conference --
Q I'm not asking whether they're going to be held or not -- I'm
not asking whether they're going to be held or not.
MR. McCLELLAN: That's why I said there are going to be free and
fair elections, I answered your question.
Q The question is the result --
MR. McCLELLAN: It will be free and fair elections, yes.
Q Is there any question -- is there any question that the
President has about the legitimacy of the result of that election?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, he is confident that they will have free and
fair elections by the end of January.
Q Scott, what about Don Rumsfeld? Does
the President agree
with Rumsfeld's assertion that even if you only had elections in
three-quarters or four-fifths of the country it would be better than no
elections?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think, one, Secretary Rumsfeld talked about that
yesterday and he talked about it and he said it's a hypothetical.
Today he talked -- continued to talk about the elections and he said
that the new government is determined to defeat the terrorists and to
hold elections and that every Iraqi deserves the right to vote. And he
said that -- something along the lines of how the United States and the
coalition and the Iraqi government intend to make sure that those
elections are held on time, and that every Iraqi has the right to
vote. So he has reiterated what we've all said, which is that
everybody is committed to free and fair elections for the Iraqi
people.
Q So you don't agree that elections
that were in only
three-quarters or four-fifths of the country --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, let's point out what Prime Minister Allawi
said yesterday. I believe it was 15 of 18 provinces, he said, could
hold elections today. And there continues to be steady progress in
places like Najaf, in Kufa, in Samaraa, to bring stability to those
areas. And he's working to address those other areas so there can be
free and fair elections.
Q But let me try this again, though. Do you agree with
Rumsfeld that if it were only in three-quarters or four-fifths of the
country it would still be better than no elections at all?
MR. McCLELLAN: He said yesterday he was talking about a
hypothetical situation. We're confident that there will be free and
fair elections for the Iraqi people. And that goes back to Deb's
question --
Q But you're not confident they'll be free, fair and
universal?
MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, Secretary Rumsfeld said today that -- talked
about how -- the importance of every Iraqi have the right to vote. So
--
Q You're saying the right to vote --
Q The question is not --
MR. McCLELLAN: That's a hypothetical, and you know I don't do
that.
Q The question is not whether they have the right to vote,
Scott, the question is whether they're afraid to go to the polls or
not, and if the vote at the end reflects only --
MR. McCLELLAN: That's not the question you asked. The question
you asked -- that's not the question you asked. That's why I said that
there has been steady progress to address the ongoing security
challenges. Najaf now has been addressed. Kufa has been addressed.
Samaraa has made -- they've made great progress in Samaraa. Fallujah,
and some of the other areas there, in that area, are being addressed,
too. Prime Minister Allawi talked about his strategy for addressing
the security threats and for reaching out to leaders in those areas to
bring about a resolution to the situation. So everybody is talking
about the importance of holding free and fair elections, so that all
the Iraqis have the right to vote by the end of January.
Q But are all Iraqis going to vote in January?
MR. McCLELLAN: We're confident that there will be free and fair
elections. That's what --
Q All Iraqis, everywhere?
MR. McCLELLAN: That's what Secretary Rumsfeld talked about today,
as well.
Q No, he's talking about -- it's a difference between a right
to vote and the ability to vote. Are you saying --
MR. McCLELLAN: Free and fair elections, meaning -- is referring to
that very topic you're bringing up. Everybody said there will be free
and fair elections. That's what Prime Minister Allawi talked about
yesterday.
Q In the whole of the country, right?
MR. McCLELLAN: That's what Prime Minister Allawi talked about
yesterday.
Q Scott, the RNC sent out letters to voters in two
states
saying that liberals want to ban the Bible. Does that include John
Kerry, in President Bush's view?
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know -- I haven't seen what they sent out,
so you might want to talk to the RNC.
Q It's all over the wires and in the paper.
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't seen what they sent out. I like to know
more about what it says than just going by what's in the news
accounts.
Q You haven't seen the stories?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I saw the stories, but I don't know what it
says.
Q But does he think that John Kerry wants to ban the Bible?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think you need to address questions to the RNC
about the flyers that they put out. I don't know what they put out.
Q But on principle, does the President think John Kerry wants
--
MR. McCLELLAN: That's an end around to try to talk about what the
RNC put out. I don't know exactly what they put out.
Q Could we ask you about that later in the day, after you've
had a chance to look at it?
MR. McCLELLAN: -- refer those questions to the RNC. You know what
the President's views are. He stated them very clearly.
Q Does the President think Democrats want to ban the Bible?
MR. McCLELLAN: That was an end around to talk about this RNC --
what the RNC put out.
Q It's a direct question.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, you're asking in the context of what the RNC
put out.
Q The question --
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't seen what the RNC put out. And the
President has never made such an assertion, so you know that that's not
something he has made an assertion about. You know what the
President's view are.
Q In his remarks yesterday, the President said that about
100,000 Iraqi security forces had been fully trained.
MR. McCLELLAN: That's right.
Q Can you define "fully trained," because according to --
MR. McCLELLAN: They've graduated from their training, they've
completed their training, and they are now active security forces in
helping to provide for the security of their --
Q According to the Pentagon's estimates that they provided to
the Appropriations Committee, only a fraction of them have actually
completed the eight week, required training course.
MR. McCLELLAN: I think they're probably referring to others. My
understanding is that there are some 600 to 800 that are graduating
from training a week, Iraqi security forces, that is. But I think you
can check with the Pentagon, where the number came from. There are
nearly 100,000 Iraqi security forces -- that includes the armed forces
and national guard and police and border patrol --
Q That have been fully trained?
MR. McCLELLAN: -- that have been trained. Yes, they've completed
their training.
Q No additional training --
MR. McCLELLAN: That's what he said. That's exactly what we got
from the Pentagon.
Q The Pentagon has given different numbers to people on the
Hill.
MR. McCLELLAN: You might want to check with the Pentagon.
Q Let me try this one more time. Is the President confident
that the people of Iraqi will view the election in January as a
legitimate election?
MR. McCLELLAN: Deb, yes. I said -- I don't know how many times I
can answer your question. You've asked it five times. You said, does
he think that they -- what was your first time, and I said no, and I
said he believes there will be free and fair elections. Yes, he
believes there will be -- he's confident that there will be free and
fair elections. I answered it, like, five times for you.
Q But is a partial election a legitimate election?
Q That's the question.
MR. McCLELLAN: That's not -- no, it will be --
Q That's my question.
MR. McCLELLAN: But that's not what anybody is talking about.
They're talking about free and fair elections for the Iraqi people.
Q But three provinces short of a full deck is still three
provinces short of a full deck.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, no, you're getting into hypotheticals now.
That's not what Prime Minister Allawi said. He said that, already
today, that many provinces could hold elections; most of Iraq could
hold elections today. He talked about his strategy for continuing to
address the other areas where they need to improve the security
situation so that there could be free and fair elections for all the
Iraqi people.
Q Let me ask you about something else. Does the President have
any concerns about Mr. Allawi vis--vis the way
that he's been acting
since the interim government has been in place? The New York Times
reporting today that some American officials are very uncomfortable
with the way that he's acting, that he's too high-handed.
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not sure what you're specifically referring
to. He is a strong leader who is bravely risking his life to bring
freedom to Iraq. And I did find it interesting -- in fact you may hear
more from the President on this -- yesterday that Senator Kerry
criticized Prime Minister Allawi as he came here to America to thank
America for the sacrifices we have made to spread freedom to the people
of Iraq.
Q How did he criticize Kerry -- how
did he criticize Allawi?
He said that he --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you're talking about reading the papers,
Anne, and you might want to read the papers this morning. They all
characterized it as criticizing. He said that he contradicted himself
-- Senator Kerry questioned Prime Minister Allawi's integrity, a brave
leader who is risking his life to bring freedom to the Iraqi people.
This is part of a pattern by Senator Kerry of showing contempt for our
closest friends and allies. This is not the first time he's said --
he's talked about how -- the coalition of the coerced and bribed. He's
talked about how they are window dressing. And this on a day that
Prime Minister Allawi was in the United States to thank our troops, to
thank America, to thank the families of the troops for the sacrifices
they have made for the Iraqi people.
Q Does Bush think that Kerry should apologize?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q Does the President think Kerry should apologize?
MR. McCLELLAN: He doesn't think that that's a way -- denigrating
our allies is an interesting way to build coalitions. Denigrating our
allies is not the way to strengthen our coalition to fight the war on
terrorism.
Q Has Allawi endorsed Bush for
President, or expressed his
desire for Bush to win the election?
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't heard him get involved in the election at
all, Anne. I think he talked about that this morning. Questions came
up, and he said, I'm not going to get involved in the American
political system.
Q Do you have a week ahead?
MR. McCLELLAN: Week ahead.
Monday the President will participate in a "Focus on Education with
President Bush" in Springfield, Ohio.
Q Do you have a time on that?
MR. McCLELLAN: You know we put all that out later in the day. No,
I don't have a time on that. Then he'll make remarks at a Butler
County, Ohio Victory 2004 Rally. We'll be back at the ranch that
night. Then on Tuesday no public events. On Wednesday, to be
announced events, and we'll overnight in Miami. Then on Thursday -- I
think everybody knows what's on Thursday --
Q Right.
MR. McCLELLAN: -- and we'll overnight in Miami.
Q Judd Gregg -- (laughter.)
MR. McCLELLAN: Then on Friday, the 1st, the President will make
remarks at a Fort Meyers, Florida rally, Victory 2004 Rally, then a
St. Petersburg Victory 2004 Rally. We'll be back in D.C. that night.
On Saturday, the 2nd, he will be in -- make remarks to the National
Association of Home Builders in Columbus, Ohio, participate in a Focus
Event with President Bush in Mansfield, Ohio, and then make remarks at
an Akron, Ohio, Victory 2004 Rally. And then we overnight -- we're
back in D.C. that night. Matt's getting a little seasick here.
(Laughter.)
Thanks.
END 12:53 P.M. EDT
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