For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 1, 2004
Press Gaggle with Scott McClellan
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Allentown, Pennsylvania
Presidents Schedule
Tax Relief
Debate
Reference B
Senator McCain
Israel
10:29 A.M. EDT
MR. McCLELLAN: Hello, weary-eyed gagglers. I'll get to the week
ahead in a second. I don't have a whole lot for you this morning. The
President had his usual briefings at the hotel. Then we go to
Allentown and then Manchester. He'll tape his radio address this
afternoon, as well. And that's really all I've got.
Q Topic?
MR. McCLELLAN: He'll be talking about -- and it's something I'll
announce in the week ahead -- the tax relief that just passed the
Congress, and that he will be signing on Monday.
Q Is there any theme to today's events?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think you can expect the President to talk a
little bit more about last night's debate. I expect the President will
talk about Senator Kerry's pattern of contradictions and
inconsistencies on Iraq. Last night Senator Kerry talked about how he
viewed Iraq as a mistake, and then in the very next response, he was
asked, are our troops dying for a mistake, and he said, no.
And I think you can expect the President will also talk about other
contradictions that the Senator gave, such as his voting to send our
troops into combat but then being one of four senators to vote against
funding those troops. And you know, Senator Kerry said it was a
mistake in what he said about that vote. The mistake is not how he
said it, the mistake was how he voted. It was a mistake to vote for
the authorization -- for use of force and then vote against funding our
troops.
And I think the President will talk about how last night the
American people saw clear differences in how the candidates would lead
in the war on terrorism going forward. There are fundamental
differences in this race on that critical issue that goes to the number
one responsibility of the President, which is the safety and the
security of the American people. And Senator Kerry showed a
fundamental misunderstanding of the war on terrorism when he talked
about basing his decisions about America's security on a global test.
And I think the President will talk about that in his remarks, and talk
about how Senator Kerry really had no vision to offer other than to
talk about convening a summit. And the President will touch on that,
as well.
Q Did you learn anything about his performance last night?
Did he talk about some of the things --
MR. McCLELLAN: The President felt great, because it was an
opportunity for the American people to see the fundamental differences
in this race. I think the American people saw in the President someone
who spoke clearly about what he believes and where he wants to lead the
country, and they saw someone who was speaking from the heart. He
spoke passionately about his strong convictions and his firm commitment
to completing the mission and prevailing in the war on terrorism.
This is an ideological struggle that we're in. It's a struggle to
defeat the ideology of hatred and tyranny. And the President talked
about that. I think in Senator Kerry, last night, you saw a pre-9/11
mentality. September 11th changed everything, and it was a defining
moment in this presidency. And the President knows that to win the war
on terrorism, we must stay on the offensive to defeat the terrorists,
and we must also work to advance freedom throughout the world, so that
we can defeat the ideology of hatred that has breeded -- that has been
breeding in the Middle East over the last couple of decades.
Q Has he seen some of the reviews today, what people are
saying? Is he -- MR. McCLELLAN: Not much. He's been focused on, as I
said, on some of his presidential duties this morning. So not really.
He's popped in when some of us have been watching some of the coverage,
and things like that, but he's focused on his remarks and other
duties.
Q Scott, there are some people saying that he seemed annoyed
or exasperated or disgusted at times. Did he say last night, talking
about it, that he felt annoyed, exasperated, disgusted by the things
Kerry said?
MR. McCLELLAN: Look, I've known the President a long time, and I
think last night you saw a President who speaks with clarity and
strength and shows resolve. And I think that the real issue that came
out of the debates last night was the clear differences on how we lead
in the war on terrorism. And also, Senator Kerry really needed to show
-- really needed to explain his contradictions and inconsistencies on
Iraq. Not only did he fail to do that, he made matters worse when he
talked about Iraq, and continued to show more -- it's part of a pattern
with Senator Kerry. He continued to show more contradictions and
inconsistencies.
But I think -- the campaign is going to be on the ground. You'll
have campaign officials that will be there to talk to you more about
those issues.
Q I'm not asking what he showed, I'm just asking, did he tell
you or anyone that he felt annoyed or exasperated while he was up
there?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, actually the President, last night and this
morning, felt great about the debate, I think, like I said, for the
reasons that I stated.
Q Did you learn anything new about him, style or substance,
as a debater?
MR. McCLELLAN: The President?
Q Did the President, did the White House, did the campaign
learn anything new about Senator Kerry's --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that might be a question you might want to
direct to the campaign. And like I said, there are going to some
campaign officials -- I think they'll talk to you on the ground when we
get there, and they can talk to you more about those details. But what
I was talking about, from the substantive standpoint of the differences
over the war on terrorism, and that is the number one issue facing the
American people, is how to lead in the war on terrorism to better
protect the American people. And there were clear differences shown
last night.
The President fully recognizes that September 11th changed the
world that we live in, that there are dangerous threats out there that
we face. And he talked about his two-prong strategy and multi-front
approach to winning the war on terrorism. And Senator Kerry exhibited
a pre-9/11 mentality throughout the debate.
Q Is there any consideration being given to not participating
in any of the other two debates?
MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, no, I haven't heard anything like that. Again,
those are good questions for the campaign. But I haven't heard
anything like that. The President looks forward to the remaining
debates.
Q Senator McCain earlier told us that he thought the debate
went well for Kerry, and that, he said, it probably was his brightest
moment in six months.
Q Months or six weeks?
Q I think six weeks, I'm sorry, six weeks. What is your --
do you disagree with McCain on that?
MR. McCLELLAN: You'll have campaign officials talk. I think
Senator McCain talked about Senator Kerry's contradictions and
inconsistencies, as well. That's what I saw him talk about last
night.
Q Do you think the take on who won this, you know, there's
more positive reviews from McCain from last night and this morning --
do you think that will change, as we go on and vet some of these things
that McCain said, some of these positions he took and contradictions?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, if you look at -- and like I said, some of
these questions are going to be good to talk to the campaign about.
What I saw last night in the debate were the fundamental differences
over how to lead in the war on terrorism. The President's number one
responsibility is the safety and security of the American people. And
this President will do what it takes to defend and protect the American
people. And I think it shows that -- a very disturbing sense from
Senator Kerry, when -- I think it shows something that is very
disturbing, when Senator Kerry talks about meeting a global test to
base his decision on defending America.
Q What is a global test? Do you know what that means?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think Senator Kerry was talking about how he
would leave decisions like this to other countries. And the President
has talked about the importance of building strong coalitions, and we
have built strong coalitions to confront the threats we face in the
world. But he also recognizes that -- he's not going to let some other
country veto a decision when it comes to protecting the American
people. He'll talk a little bit more about this in his remarks. I
don't want to get too far into it yet.
Q Bob Hillman?
MR. McCLELLAN: Week ahead.
Q Just one more, actually. On Israel's incursion in the
Gaza, is Israel going too far with its incursion yesterday? What is
your message?
MR. McCLELLAN: We've spoken to this issue a number of times. We
want parties to focus on getting back to moving forward on the road
map. And Prime Minister Sharon has a bold proposal that can help us
get jump-started again on the road map. And it's an opportunity for
the Palestinians to seize this moment. There continues to be ongoing
violence. We've always said Israel has the right to defend itself, but
it's also important to keep in mind the impact of those decisions. And
it's important for all parties to refocus again on moving forward on
the road map.
Okay, week ahead. On Monday, October 4th, the President will make
remarks and sign the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004 in Des
Moines, Iowa. Then he'll participate in an "Ask President Bush" event
in Clive, Iowa.
On Tuesday, there are no public events scheduled. We have the Vice
Presidential debate in Cleveland, that night, obviously. On Wednesday,
the President will participate in a "Focus on Medical Liability with
President Bush" event in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Then he will make
remarks at an Oakland County, Michigan Victory 2004 rally in Farmington
Hills, Michigan. And on Thursday, the 7th, he will make remarks at a
Wassau, Wisconsin Victory 2004 rally. We overnight in St. Louis. Then
he'll participate in a Presidential debate on Friday in St. Louis, as
you all are aware. We overnight Friday night in St. Louis.
Then on Saturday, he'll make remarks at a Missourians for Matt
Blunt and the Missouri Republican Party Breakfast in St. Louis. Then
he'll make remarks at a Waterloo, Iowa, Victory 2004 rally. Then
remarks at a Scott County, Minnesota Victory 2004 rally. He'll
overnight at the Bush ranch.
Q That's all Saturday, right?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes. And Sunday no public events. He'll overnight
at the Bush -- at the ranch in Crawford. And we'll be traveling
through October 15th, and that will all be overnight travel. So we'll
get you more details later on those events.
Q Sunday through the 15th, you travel straight?
MR. McCLELLAN: Back on the night of the 15th.
Q No D.C. anywhere in there?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, we'll be overnighting.
Q In Crawford?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, Crawford I think Saturday and Sunday, and then
we'll be overnighting elsewhere.
Q Overnighting until the 15th.
MR. McCLELLAN: On the road.
Q Overnighting that entire time -- I'm sorry -- overnighting
different places into the 15th, is that what you're saying?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, that's what I said.
All right.
END 10:42 A.M. EDT
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