For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 30, 2003
President Discusses Job Creation With Business Leaders
President to the Travel Pool After Meeting with Business People
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
2:10 P.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Mayor, thank you. I want to thank the business
leaders here from the Chicago area for sharing with me their concerns
about our economy. I think it's safe to say most people share the
sense of optimism I do, but recognize there's still work to be done,
particularly when it comes to job creation.
We talked about good legal policy. We talked about the need for an
energy plan. We talked about fair trade for American manufacturers.
We talked about the need for China to make sure that China's got a
monetary policy which is fair. And I assured the leaders here that I
would work to -- I'd represent the manufacturing sector and the -- all
sectors of our economy when it comes to world trade.
The thing I'm concerned about is people being able to find a job.
We put the conditions in place for good job creation, but I recognize
there's still people who want to work that can't find a job. And we're
dedicated to hearing the voices of those folks and working hard to
expand our economy.
And so I want to thank you all for taking time. Mr. Mayor, I wish
the Cubs all the best. (Laughter.) I made a significant contribution
to the Cubs, as you might recall --
PARTICIPANT: Sammy.
THE PRESIDENT: -- when I was a -- yes, Sammy Sosa. I'll take
great delight when they win.
PARTICIPANT: Thank you for Sammy.
THE PRESIDENT: Thanks for coming.
Let me answer a couple of questions, then we've got to go to
Cincinnati. Deb.
Q Do you think that the Justice Department can conduct an
impartial investigation, considering the political ramifications of the
CIA leak, and why wouldn't a special counsel be better?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Let me just say something about leaks in
Washington. There are too many leaks of classified information in
Washington. There's leaks at the executive branch; there's leaks in
the legislative branch. There's just too many leaks. And if there is
a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is. And if the
person has violated law, the person will be taken care of.
And so I welcome the investigation. I -- I'm absolutely confident
that the Justice Department will do a very good job. There's a special
division of career Justice Department officials who are tasked with
doing this kind of work; they have done this kind of work before in
Washington this year. I have told our administration, people in my
administration to be fully cooperative.
I want to know the truth. If anybody has got any information
inside our administration or outside our administration, it would be
helpful if they came forward with the information so we can find out
whether or not these allegations are true and get on about the
business.
Yes, let's see, Kemper -- he's from Chicago. Where are you? Are
you a Cubs or White Sox fan? (Laughter.) Wait a minute. That doesn't
seem fair, does it? (Laughter.)
Q Yesterday we were told that Karl Rove had no role in it --
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q -- have you talked to Karl and do you have confidence in him
--
THE PRESIDENT: Listen, I know of nobody -- I don't know of anybody
in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody
did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take
the appropriate action. And this investigation is a good thing.
And again I repeat, you know, Washington is a town where there's
all kinds of allegations. You've heard much of the allegations. And
if people have got solid information, please come forward with it. And
that would be people inside the information who are the so-called
anonymous sources, or people outside the information -- outside the
administration. And we can clarify this thing very quickly if people
who have got solid evidence would come forward and speak out. And I
would hope they would.
And then we'll get to the bottom of this and move on. But I want
to tell you something -- leaks of classified information are a bad
thing. And we've had them -- there's too much leaking in Washington.
That's just the way it is. And we've had leaks out of the
administrative branch, had leaks out of the legislative branch, and out
of the executive branch and the legislative branch, and I've spoken out
consistently against them and I want to know who the leakers are.
Thank you.
END 2:15 P.M. CDT
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