For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
June 9, 2004
Interview with First Lady Laura Bush by Dana Bash of CNN
June 9, 2004
INTERVIEW WITH FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH
BY DANA BASH OF CNN
Sea Island, Georgia
7:36 A.M. EDT
Q Good morning, Mrs. Bush.
MRS. BUSH: Good morning.
Q Thank you very much for joining us.
MRS. BUSH: Thanks. Glad to.
Q Before we get to issues about this summit here in Sea Island,
first I wanted to talk about what's happening back in Washington.
Today is the state funeral for President Reagan. Have you spoken with
Nancy Reagan?
MRS. BUSH: I haven't spoken to her. The President spoke to her on
Saturday from France as soon as we found out about Ronald Reagan's
death. But I haven't quit thinking about her -- she just was an
unbelievable role model for all of us.
My father died of Alzheimer's and I know how very, very difficult
the disease is and how difficult it is for the caregivers. And she was
stalwart and so devoted to him.
So we'll see her tomorrow night. As soon as we get back to
Washington, we'll pay a call on her.
Q And you had some special access, if you will, to President
Reagan, since your father-in-law was his Vice President. Tell us about
a special moment, either the first time you met him or another
memorable moment.
MRS. BUSH: Well, he was so funny. I think that's what people
really remember. He was a big man, he was a very attractive, big man.
But he had this very modest and self-deprecating sort of sense of
humor, so he really made you feel comfortable.
I know what it's like to meet the President of the United States.
And when we met him, we were very intimidated. We didn't know what to
say. But he could immediately make us feel comfortable. And I think
that's what the American people loved about him. That, and that he so
obviously believed in the American people and he was so optimistic
about our future.
Q I want to ask you about something relating to Nancy Reagan.
First of all, your mother-in-law, Barbara Bush, publicly disagreed with
her husband, President Bush, on the issue of abortion. Nancy Reagan
has come out recently and said that she supports stem cell research in
order to try to find a cure for Alzheimer's. You mentioned that your
father also had Alzheimer's.
What is your personal view on stem cell research?
MRS. BUSH: Well, everyone supports stem cell research, and so did
the President. And there are lines, embryonic lines of stem cell for
research. It's a very delicate balance between what we want to do for
science and for research and for what is ethically and morally right to
do.
There's adult stem cell research that's available for people.
There are lines of embryonic stem cells that are available for
research. And we all want a cure for Alzheimer's. And I know there
are many, many researchers who are working with stem cell but also with
other medicines and other possibilities of prevention and vaccines for
Alzheimer's.
Q Do you think the federal funding for the existing lines should
-- it should stop there, the existing lines?
MRS. BUSH: Well, I think that's -- we need to really be very
delicate about it and figure out what's the best way to do it, because
there is a moral and an ethical part of it as well.
Q On the issue of the summit, you're hosting later today a
spouses' roundtable on women's rights in the greater Middle East?
MRS. BUSH: Well, we're going to talk about women's issues in the
greater Middle East, about education and health care for women there,
and we have a woman minister from the Iraqi Governing Council and a
woman minister from the Afghan Governing Council. We have a young
woman who is an Iraqi Fulbright scholar studying in the United States
coming to talk to us.
And what we want to have is a very informal dialogue about ways the
spouses of the leaders of the G8, which are the largest economies in
the world, can help our sisters in the broader Middle East, both with
education issues and with health care issues.
Q On that issue, some say that because of other concerns in the
region, like oil, like terrorism, the administration hasn't been tough
enough to make sure that women do have rights in countries like Saudi
Arabia.
Given the fact that this broader initiative is a part of the
summit, will the President take a tougher public line on women's rights
in these countries?
MRS. BUSH: The President already has talked the whole time about
human rights, and that's what women's rights are. The whole idea of
governments treating people in their countries with respect and with
dignity is the basis of all the greater Middle East -- broader Middle
East project. Certainly we'll talk about those issues.
But we also respect the culture and the traditions of those
countries. We respect their religion and we want to work in ways that
work within their traditions and their culture.
Q Another big theme of this summit is moving forward, closing
the chapter on differences between the allies that are here over the
war in Iraq. You were right here last night, a group of the world
leaders, half of whom did not agree with your husband on the war in
Iraq. He is somebody who is known to put a lot of stock in personal
relationships. He is forgiving, but does he really forget?
MRS. BUSH: No, of course he is forgiving. Half of the world
leaders -- every one of the world leaders that were here last night
except one are part of the coalition and supported the President and
the United States and were vitally important to what happened in
Afghanistan and what happened in Iraq. And every one of them signed
the resolution yesterday that stands where the people of the world, of
the international community stand with the people of Iraq as they try
to build their democracy and build a country that respects human
rights. And I'm very excited about that. I'm very proud of it.
I was proud when we saw little girls two years ago go to school for
the first time in their lives in Afghanistan. And we and all of our
coalition partners have made a huge difference in the Middle East.
Q One final campaign question. Your daughters have said they
want to get involved in your husband's campaign. Have they decided
exactly what they want to do?
MRS. BUSH: No, we're going to let them sort of decide. I think
they'll work at the headquarters a little bit and then we'll see if
they have the confidence to go on the campaign trail.
Q Mrs. Bush, thank you very much for your time.
MRS. BUSH: Thanks a lot.
END 7:42 A.M. EDT
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