For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 10, 2001
Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer
The James S. Brady Briefing Room
Listen to the Briefing
12:50 P.M. EST
MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. I want to give
you a summary of the President's day and give you a preview of some of
the important events that are going to take place tomorrow morning to
commemorate the exact moment, three months ago tomorrow morning, when
the attack on our country took place.
The President this morning had an intelligence briefing from the
CIA, then he participated and received a briefing from the
FBI. He later convened a meeting of the National Security
Council.
Later this afternoon, in one of the ceremonial joys that comes with
the job, the President will take part in a photo opportunity with the
University of Minnesota 2001 NCAA Championship Men's Wrestling Team.
Q That's one of the great joys of this
job? (Laughter.)
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes.
Q One of the others is meeting with the
winners of the World Series, I understand. (Laughter.)
MR. FLEISCHER: Speaking of wrestling, questions come
later, Helen.
This evening, the President will take part in the lighting of the
Menorah here at the White House, which will be the first time -- we are
advised -- in presidential history that a President will have a
lighting of a Menorah as an event in the Residence of the White
House. And then will have a Hanukkah reception later today.
Tomorrow, the President, as you know, has asked countries from
around the world to take part in a commemoration at exactly 8:46 a.m.
tomorrow morning, eastern time, to mark the three month anniversary of
the attack against our country. The worldwide reaction to
the President's request has been very strong.
Here at the White House, the President will have an event in the
East Room, where the National Anthem will be played. And
more than 70 nations around the world will also be participating in
this event, and this is spread far and wide around the world, including
Muslim nations, including Mideast nations. And around the
United States there will be similar events.
The President will launch the initiative, as I indicated, at 8:46
a.m. in the East Room. There will also be events at the
Pentagon, at Ground Zero in New York, the billboard at Times Square
will have a patriotic message at 8:46 a.m. tomorrow morning; there will
be other, a long list of states and communities across the country that
are participating -- including NASA will hold a special event in space,
where the United States and Russia will play the National Anthems of
our two nations to commemorate the attack. And it's a real
sign of how the world stands united against the terrorists who have
done this to freedom-loving people everywhere.
Q Will the President make remarks?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President will have remarks tomorrow
morning, as well, to commemorate the attack. And then the
President will depart for the Citadel, where he'll have different type
of remarks, talking about the future of America's military and the
future threats that lie ahead.
Q Did you say the American Anthem will be
played in the other countries, too?
MR. FLEISCHER: Different countries will play their
anthems, but you can anticipate events at American embassies around the
world, where our anthem will be played around the
world. And, basically, it's one of these times where, as you
know, people say, I remember exactly what I was doing the moment I
heard.
Well, of course, that's 8:46 a.m. eastern time, that would be 5:46
a.m., California time; it will be 1:46 p.m. in the afternoon, in
certain non-nations, et cetera. So around the world, at the
moment that people first heard, the President has asked these nations
to do that, to stand as one world against terror.
Q Ari, can you give us the latest on the
release of this bin Laden tape? Can you tell us more about
the tape, and what the nature of the debate is inside the
administration?
MR. FLEISCHER: There is no update from what I indicated
this morning. No decision has been made at this moment about the
release of the tape. What I indicated this morning is there are, in
the President's opinion, many good reasons why the tape should be made
public. There are also reasons that are being reflected on
about why it should not be made public. The good reasons include the
President's desire to be forthright, to share information publicly with
the country, so people can see things in their own eyes and form their
own conclusions. People will be able to see Osama bin Laden
speak in Arabic and, as I indicated, form their own judgments about the
things that he has said on this tape.
On the other hand, there is also always the issue about
intelligence information and always a care not to compromise any
intelligence information. This administration previously has
said that we don't have an interest in giving Osama bin Laden air
time. Although, as I indicated earlier today as well, this
tape is of a different nature from the pre-packaged propaganda that
came out earlier. This really is a different type of tape.
Q Ari, if I can just follow on
that. Besides the desire to share information, doesn't the
President believe that, in fact, this tape makes it abundantly clear
that Osama bin Laden was behind the attacks, and that was the most
compelling reason for the nation and the world to see it?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, as Secretary Wolfowitz said
yesterday, and as Vice President Cheney said yesterday, there's no
question that the tapes backup what you all know and have heard
repeatedly for months now, and what the world knows, which is that
Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda network were behind this attack, and
the tape clearly shows that.
Q Ari, if this tape was found in a private
residence in Jalalabad, what are the implications for compromising
intelligence methods and sources? And is it not more of a
political decision -- you're making a calculation of would this play in
your favor, or could it be viewed in the Arab world as White House
propaganda?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, in terms of the finding of it, you
state accurately where it was found. But that doesn't
indicate every step along the way. And so there are still
things that are sensitive that will just be assessed. And
that's part of what is going on. There's going to be an
assessment made to make certain that if it can be released, it's going
to be released in a way that can serve both the public needs and the
needs of intelligence and the needs of defense and others to make
certain that nothing is being done in any way to compromise anything.
Q And what about those political concerns,
though, that this could be seen in some areas of the world as just an
attempt at White House spin, that they might think that the tape was
doctored, not authentic. Are you concerned about that?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, if the decision is made to release
it, the tape will speak for itself and people will come to the
conclusions they come to. We can't control every conclusion people
reach; but the President's approach is wherever it does not compromise
security, it's best to share information with the country and with the
world.
But, again, this is all being carefully reviewed.
Q You said the world stands together on the
war in Afghanistan. And that's true, the President had been on the
phone since September 12th, lining up allies and
friends. This would not be true if he decides, as some of
his advisors want, to go into Iraq, Somalia, every other country
they've named on their target list. Would the United States
still move unilaterally if it did not have U.N. and key ally backing?
MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, I'm just not going to speculate
about anything hypothetical of that nature.
Q Well, I think it's very
valid. It's a very valid question, because the U.N. has come
out -- the U.N. Secretary General has come out and said he would not
support it, and France and Britain, apparently, are not
supporting. I think we ought to know whether we'd have
allies --
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, it's a hypothetical and I
don't think anybody is in a position to tell you who will do what for
something that is not defined.
Q It's not so hypothetical with all your
advisors calling for widening the war every day.
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not sure our advisors are calling for
widening the war every day.
Q Ari, just to follow on John's
point. Since bin Laden knows, because we're telling him,
that this tape come from a private home in Jalalabad, and yet you're
saying there are still security concerns. Does that mean
it's a copy, or concern about al Qaeda being able to trace who might
have copied it?
MR. FLEISCHER: One, I would not necessarily draw any
conclusions that bin Laden knows because we're telling him -- I'm not
sure how good the reception is in his caves these
days. (Laughter.)
But it just -- any time there is information that comes from a
battle region, that is obtained, there are just issues involving
protecting people who were there, who have knowledge about how it was
obtained. It's just an eye toward making certain that things
are done -- as I indicated, this is a classic issue of striking the
right balance between sharing information as much as possible with the
public, and protecting intelligence concerns. That's always a bit of a
balancing and that's what you're watching right now, in the
government. That balancing is taking place.
Q Does that mean that the government is sort
of torn between security officials and political officials?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I don't think it's quite fair to say
"torn," no. I think what you're watching is T's getting crossed, I's
being dotted, to make certain that there are no security issues that
could be at stake. And once that is determined, then I think
there is a desire to be forthright.
Q Ari, there are reports that the President
is opposed to releasing the tape. Is that
correct? And is there a time table for making the decision?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President's position is just as
I indicated. He understands that there is this balance. The
President wants to share as much as possible with the country, to be as
forthright as possible, and to let people come to their own judgments
by seeing things for themselves.
The President also wants to make certain that the ability to see
things in the future is in no way impaired as a result of sharing
something now. So this is -- just as I said, the President
understands that balance and his security people are taking a look,
crossing T's and dotting I's to make certain that if it were released
there would be no security implications.
Q Is there a time table? Did they
discuss it at the NSC meeting this morning?
MR. FLEISCHER: I don't think it's going to take a whole
lot of time. I can't guarantee you it's going to be today, but I
really don't think this is going to be with us for days. I
think this is something that people are taking a careful look at and
once those conclusions are reached, the appropriate people wherever
will tell you nay or yea, it will be released, or it will not be
released.
Q This was discussed this morning at the NSC
meeting?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes, it was.
Q Ari, could you just give us a little more
on when it was found, when it came into your possession?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm going to hesitate to do that until a
few more of the items are being reviewed. And then I think
if the decision is made to release it, you'll get a lot of the
background information, as much as possible, at the time of the
release.
Q One of the things that happened at the
beginning, many countries and many governments said they wanted to see
concrete proof. If this tape is not made public, let's say
for the whole world to watch, will it be shown to individual
governments, so whoever has a doubt can verify for themselves?
MR. FLEISCHER: I have not heard anything on that
topic. I would say that, although on the premise of your
question, that appears to be an old issue that was dealt with quite
some time ago. I don't really know of any people left in the
world who question whether or not Osama bin Laden or al Qaeda were
responsible for this.
Q Well, can you tell us, Ari, obviously it's
a sensitive issue. How many people, in your understanding, have
watched the tape in the administration, and did they do that as a group
-- outside of intelligence analysts who might be going over it and over
it and over it -- when it comes to Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz, the
President, did they watch that as a group, in a National Security
Council meeting? Are there copies floating
around? Have you personally seen it? At what
level did the transcripts of it get distributed?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not going to discuss what was done in
a literal sense at National Security Council meetings. I
think it's fair to say that it's been seen by a small number of
people. And I've read the transcript of it.
Q And in the decision making process, is
there a recommendation sitting on the President's desk, or is he
awaiting a recommendation from the National Security Council?
MR. FLEISCHER: It's exactly as I indicated to
Randy. The President understands that on an issue like this
there is a balance. I think I've indicated to you the
President's overall approach is to share information with the
country. He wants to make certain that this balance is
proper. And some of the people who are focused on that are doing their
work as we speak. And that's why I indicate that as soon as
we have something to report, we'll report it. And I can't
give you any guarantees of what the timing of that will
be. But once the timing is known, we will share it.
Q Can you tell us a little more about the
President's meeting with the Jewish leaders this
afternoon? Who might they be? And also something
about what is happening with General Zinni over in Israel?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President this afternoon will be
meeting with a bipartisan group of leaders of several of the major
Jewish organizations across the country. They are here, of
course, with the Hanukkah celebration underway. And then
they will join the President this evening. So he'll have some meetings
with them, and then they'll be there for the lighting of the Menorah
and for a reception later.
Q The nature of the meetings, and also about
Zinni?
MR. FLEISCHER: Oh, I think they're going to discuss the
situation in the Middle East, the peace efforts in the Middle
East. That typically is what occupies most of the time at
meetings like this.
And with General Zinni, General Zinni remains in the
region. I know there was a report earlier, that I do not
believe is accurate, about General Zinni leaving the
region. He remains in the region, dedicated to finding a way
to bring the parties together to achieve some type of security
discussions.
Q Ari, you said -- getting back to the
video, you said that this was different from the pre-packaged
propaganda from before. So does that leave us to believe
that there is no coding in this, and there is no suspicion of
coding? The White House feels it's okay, at least if you do
give it to the public?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think, April, reading between the
lines, you can infer that that's something that the people who are paid
professionals to make those judgments will review and are
reviewing. And that's part of the final
assessment. If the decision is made to provide the tape, I
think that will answer that question for itself, to the best it can be
answered.
Q Ari, a follow-up then. If it's
not the prepackaged propaganda from before, that was deemed to have
coding in it. If this one is not like that, how can it not
be pre-packaged propaganda?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, first I don't know that anybody
deemed it to have coding in it before. It was a clear worry
that it may have had coding before. But the difference is --
if this was the same pre-packaged propaganda it already had been
provided by the people who did it to outlets in the Middle East,
probably al Jazeera, where it would have already been played.
And so this is just a different nature tape. This is not
-- this is a more spontaneous conversation by all
appearances. It's not Osama bin Laden speaking with his wall
to the back of a cave, getting a message to his followers, for
example.
Q Wearing military garb and things of that
nature?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I read the transcript, so I don't
really know what he was wearing in it. But --
Q -- Someone here has seen the tape?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes.
Q He was not wearing military --
MR. FLEISCHER: Again, I think if the tape is released,
you'll see that with your own eyes.
Q The Social Security commission is
reporting tomorrow, and it seems pretty clear that Congress doesn't
want to take up that issue next year. Is that okay with the
President if they wait until after the election year?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President has said on that that
he would very much like to see a debate this year on Social
Security. The President thinks it serves the nation well for
politicians in both parties to talk this year about personal accounts
and what contribution they can make to Social Security.
The exact timing of when Congress may be able to move Social
Security legislation is clearly up in the air. There are
many in Congress who do not think it can happen before the
election. Obviously, with the Senate not yet even taking
action on energy or on the stimulus, on trade promotion authority, on
faith-based legislation, the armies of compassion initiative -- there
are many things the Senate has yet to do. This will be one
more item to put on the Senate's plate.
The President will welcome the debate -- also given the fact that
we now have a recession and a war, that also could change the calendar
for Social Security.
Q What was your reaction when you read this
transcript?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think that, again, this validates
and verifies everything that has been said all along about who was
responsible for the attack. And Secretary Wolfowitz, on a
show, I think he used the word "disgusting" to see a person be pleased
with the taking of innocent lives, is a real sign of what the President
calls "evil," can be personified in this one person. And we
feel that what we are doing is absolutely the right thing to do to
bring justice to people who would do this to our country and smile
about it.
Q Ari, was there any discussion of follow-up
attacks on this tape? You say he takes credit or brags about September
11th and shows that he had prior knowledge of the events of September
11th. Is there any discussion at all about follow-up
attacks?
MR. FLEISCHER: I don't believe so, John.
Q Ari, getting back to the -- you touched
briefly on the speech the President is going to give
tomorrow. Getting back on that, is that more of a conceptual
speech about where he sees the military going, is there going to be
some new policy on the present situation?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President's speech tomorrow at the
Citadel will be an interesting follow-up to a speech that he gave there
in the fall of 1999. The speech also, of course, coincides
with the three-month anniversary of the attack on our country.
We are distributing this afternoon the exact text of a speech from
1999, and in it you will see that his '99 remarks contain many of the
seeds of the actions he has taken today to defend our
country. In those 1999 remarks he talked about that if any
nation sponsors terrorism, the reaction of the United States to that
nation that harbors or sponsors terrorism will be devastating.
And, if you recall, on September 11th of this year, when the
President returned to the Oval Office and gave the speech to the
nation, he said for the first time as President that nations that
harbor terrorists will receive the same fate as the
terrorists. And the seeds of that were contained in the
Citadel address.
The President also in that address talked the need to move beyond
the ABM treaty, the need to unilaterally reduce the number of offensive
weapons. What you see is a series of promises made as a
candidate that have been promises kept as a President.
In his remarks tomorrow, the President will flesh out a little more
detail about the role of the military in 21st century wars and what it
means to fight terrorism and how it's important to have a military
ready, able to do so.
Q Any policy or --
MR. FLEISCHER: I would leave it as I left it with
you. I think you'll all want to be there, but I'm not going
that far on it.
Q On the economic stimulus package, over the
weekend, Senator Lott indicated that this week pretty much could be the
make or break week for that. I wondered if the White House
agrees with his assessment on that, as well as the fact that if it
doesn't happen this year, he suggests revisiting it next year.
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, Senator Lott gave a real indication
that he thinks the time has come for the Senate to complete its
work. And he does so with good reason. It was 48
days ago that the House of Representatives passed the stimulus
legislation. The Senate has yet to act on it. It
was 132 days ago that the House of Representatives passed legislation
to make America less energy dependent on foreign
nations. It's been 149 days since the House of
Representatives passed legislation to help lower-income Americans,
people who are suffering in poverty, to have more help and more
resources through what the President calls his armies of compassion
initiative.
On all these measures, the Senate has yet to act. So I
can understand why Senator Lott said that. This is a test of
the Senate. This is a test of the Senate leadership and a
real test of whether or not they are able to govern the Senate.
Q -- in terms of the regular process in the
Senate that hasn't been working, so another group of negotiators have
formed to try to work this through. On Friday, the lead
negotiator, House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas ended -- or just
walked out abruptly from having meetings on Friday or
Saturday. Does the White House at all consider this
obstructionist?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think Congressman Thomas returned to
California, as members often do over the weekend. And that
followed a statement by Senator Daschle in which he indicated that in
order to pass a stimulus he would create a relatively new procedure in
where they'd have to have two-thirds of the votes of all the Democrats
in the Senate to pass a stimulus. And I think that is a
formula for gridlock, for partisanship and for inaction. And
I think Congressman Thomas is known for trying to create action and for
trying to get results. And so I think that when they return
this week, it's an important test to see whether or not members of
Congress can work together to get it done.
Q Ari, let me follow on Ron's question for a
second. You said that given the fact that we're at war and
recession, that might change the schedule for Social
Security. Can you say why the President is concerned about
each of those, separately, delaying action on Social Security in the
near future?
MR. FLEISCHER: Clearly, when you take a look at the
backlog that's building up in the Senate, it does suggest that there
could be calendar problems. Now, if the Congress were able
to proceed on the legislation, that would change
everything. But there are other events that have intervened,
but as I indicated, the President would welcome a debate all year long
on Social Security.
The President believes very much that one of the reasons he won the
presidency was because he took a bold position on Social
Security. And he sent America a signal that he knew that
Social Security would not be there for younger workers unless
politicians faced up to the music and took action to protect
a system that's going broke.
Q If I could follow, what about the
recession? Is he concerned that there be less support for
his privatization ideas, given the current state of the economy?
MR. FLEISCHER: Clearly, at a time when Congress can't
even pass a stimulus to get us out of a recession, it does raise
questions about whether Congress -- if Congress, particularly the
Senate, cannot solve a problem that's here with us today, it does make
you wonder if the Senate is able to solve a problem that really won't
be with us in a direct way until some 20, 30 years from now, when young
people want to retire.
Ann, did you have a question before?
Q Before we --
MR. FLEISCHER: Your name is not Ann. Ann, you
had a follow-up earlier.
Q I did. Tomorrow's travel
schedule makes it impossible to cover the Citadel and the morning
event. If you could look into that.
MR. FLEISCHER: Okay. We'll work with you on
that and see what we can do.
Q Back on the tape for a
second. A couple administration officials said yesterday
that the tape suggests some of these hijackers didn't know they were
going to die. Information was pretty fuzzy; can you
elaborate on that at all?
MR. FLEISCHER: Let me withhold on
that. Again, there is information that is on those tapes
that, again, shows the world just how evil Osama bin Laden is, and how
he claims piety while leading people to deaths that they very well were
not aware of.
Q Does he mock the hijackers?
Q Do you assume that the tape that was put
out, that we know about so far, was leaked?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, Helen --
Q And was it leaked by the
government? And so then why are you so upset -- what is the
big deliberation
MR. FLEISCHER: If you can provide me a list of who leaks
in this government, I'd be very grateful to you.
Q What is the deliberation about putting it
out officially when you know it's out and you're quite happy?
MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, I can't tell you who is behind
some of those things. I can assure you, as you know, working
with this White House, that is not the manner in which the White House
does its business.
We have to face the reality when something is in the papers like
that --
Q Are you upset that it's
out? Are you upset it was leaked?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think that's always the preference of
White Houses, particularly this White House, to allow a deliberative
process to take place quietly, so that if the President and the
National Security Council decide to release a tape, it could have been
released. Things of this nature, obviously, suggest that
people want to talk about it before this question of balance has been
addressed, on how to protect intelligence information --
Q So it was not put out by the government,
itself?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I can't speak for the entire
government. It certainly was not put out by the White
House. And the White House was not pleased about that.
Q Can I follow on a related
point? Ari, are you and the President not concerned about
the perception that the White House is getting a little heavy-handed
with regard to the flow of information? After all, the
National Security Advisor cautioned the major broadcast networks and
cable networks about airing al Jazeera tapes of bin
Laden. Now, here's a new tape that the government is all too
happy to talk about and you're characterizing it here in a way that is
consistent -- but the truth is, you're telling it to us in terms of
what's on the tape and, yet, there's a lot of deliberation and we're
not getting the tape.
I mean, are you not worried about that perception?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes, we are. I think that's a
legitimate point. And that's why I said that people are
reviewing the tape and assessing it. And I think you can
safely assume that if the decision is made to release it, that the
assessment will have been that this is such a different nature tape
from the pre-packaged tapes that we earlier discussed, that releasing
it will not present the same issues that were presented in the other
tapes that Dr. Rice called the networks about.
So, yes, people are concerned about that, and that's part of the
assessment.
Q Was there a question about the
authenticity of this tape and how did the administration address that?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm going to withhold on some of this
until a decision is made about whether or not it will be
released. And then I think you can get a lot more answers to
those type questions. But until then, I think it's best just
to allow the people who are doing their work to do their work.
Q On Social Security, you said that there --
the President believes there should be discussion over the next year
about this issue? Or were you -- because that's what you
said at the beginning of this year, as well.
MR. FLEISCHER: That's correct. The President
welcomes the debate on Social Security. The President
believes very strongly in the fact that Social Security must be there
for our current seniors with no changes whatsoever. For
people who are nearing retirement, the Social Security system should
not be changed whatsoever. It works very well for people who
are retired and who are nearing retirement and they've made commitments
and planes based on the existing system, which will still be solvent
for their lifetime. No changes should be made.
But for younger workers, they're in a totally different
boat. They are paying a lifetime of high taxes for a system
that is unlikely to be there when they retire. And the
President thinks that the sooner the politicians are able to face up to
it and deal with the seriousness of Social Security's impending
bankruptcy, the better.
Having said that, the President understands also that there is a
real issue about the time when it can proceed in the
Congress. He'll listen to members of Congress on this and
see what the exact timing will be.
Q What I'm wondering is -- I know the
position, but I'm wondering why, given that we're now running up debt
again and will be for the next few years, according to the President's
own advisors, why isn't he insisting on action next year? Is
it possibly because you think the issue will hurt Republicans in the
fall?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, as I indicated, the President very
much believes that the reason he won the White House is because he took
a strong stand on Social Security.
Q Ari, the Saudi Interior Minister today
made a statement saying he didn't really believe that Osama bin Laden
was fully in control of al Qaeda, but rather that probably independent
groups, that what happened September 11th may have been focused on an
apparatus here within the United States, that was where the real danger
really lies. What does the White House think about this?
And, secondly, regarding the tape, why do we believe Osama bin
Laden, even if he does take credit for this? Wouldn't he
take credit for this, given his profile, even though he had no fore
knowledge of that at all? Why the difference now?
MR. FLEISCHER: On the second point, again, I don't think
there are very many people left in the world who don't accept the fact
that Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda organization were behind this.
On your first point, on the statements made by the Saudis, you
know, I think, frankly, that underscores -- regardless of what his role
is, we have a very strong sense of what his role is as the head of al
Qaeda. But regardless of what any title that anybody around
the world puts on it, the United States has always said this is about
much more than Osama bin Laden. This is about the entire al Qaeda
network, all his top lieutenants, the Taliban harboring him and others
that practice terrorism around the world.
Q The New York times reports, "The White
House was out-maneuvered by Chairwoman Berry." And the
Washington Post reports this was "a clear defiance of Bush
administration officials." And my first part of a two-part
questions, whose idea was it to have attorney Peter Kirsanow sworn-in
Thursday afternoon and sent over to be so utterly humiliated that he
said, I am disappointed and chagrinned. That surely wasn't
your idea, was it, Ari?
MR. FLEISCHER: Les, I think that when you follow the
rule of the law, there is no humiliation in following the
law. The law must be observed and obeyed, and that's what
this administration is committed to, particularly on an issue as
important as civil rights.
The Department of Justice has filed a suit in this
matter. That was done on Friday. And this will
most likely end up in court. And the administration is
confident that its position will prevail.
Q If this incredible chairwomen so defies
and insults the executive branch, why won't the President send U.S.
Marshals to the next meeting, since there is no reason to believe she
won't defy the judicial branch as she has defied the executive, with
Johnny Cochran as her lawyer, to spread it out forever?
MR. FLEISCHER: Again, this is an important
matter. This is an issue in which the administration is
going to proceed seriously and diligently, because it involves
important issues, beyond the Civil Rights Commission, about when terms
expire. And no one, for any political reasons or motives,
should be able to say, I will put somebody in place of a presidential
appointment beyond this expiration date because my cause tells me
to. We are a nation of laws, and that is why this matter is
now going to a court, as the Department of Justice has proceeded.
Q The Supreme Court apparently won't
overturn a lower court ruling about voluntary prayer in
school. Is the administration comfortable with the level of
voluntary prayer in school? And are you still pressing for
your faith-based initiative?
MR. FLEISCHER: Connie, as you know, there's a practice
the President does not comment on each and every court
decision. But it has been the President's longstanding
policy to support the voluntary right of students to pray in school.
On the faith-based initiative, yes, the administration is
continuing to proceed, and continuing to have discussions with the
Senate. As I mentioned, the House of Representatives, with
its very small margin in the House, was able to -- in a nice bipartisan
vote -- actually pass it 149 days ago. The Senate has not
been able to take action. But there are some individual
senators, Senator Lieberman and others, who are working very
productively to try to make that happen.
I think this also will be another question of whether the Senate
leadership has an interest in allowing legislation to proceed, or
whether they would prefer to block legislation, even legislation that
has support from important Democrats.
Q Which Jewish organizations are going to be
represented at the Menorah --
MR. FLEISCHER: Let me see if we can't have a
list. I didn't bring it with me.
Q You mentioned the backlog in the Senate a
couple of times today. In his weekly congressional meetings with the
leaders from the Hill, does the President look Senator Tom Daschle in
the eye and mention each of these items? And, if so, what
does Daschle tell the President in response?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think Senator Daschle clearly
understands the President's message. Senator Daschle has a
difficult job. The Senate has very small margins, and it's
not easy to be the Majority Leader. Nevertheless, it is the job of the
leadership, at the end of the day, to bring people together and get
agreements reached. Senator Dole was a real master of
it. Senator Lott excelled at it.
But at the end of the day, after all the shouting was done, the
leaders were able to say to the senators, you've had your say and now
it's time to serve your people and forge agreements. And
that's a real test of Senate leadership. The time has come
now to see whether the Senate is capable of getting that done, because
that is why the country sent people to this town -- because at the end
of the day, after the arguing is done, to reach compromises and make
agreements. The President is helping that.
Q Does the President still have a good
working relationship with Senator Daschle?
MR. FLEISCHER: He does.
Q Would you go to Wendell? I'd be
very interested in his question, I really would. Ari, please
go to Wendell, will you? (Laughter.)
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not aware that Wendell has a
spokesman, Les.
Q I just think it would be nice to hear
him.
MR. FLEISCHER: Dick, and then Wendell, by popular
demand.
Q Is there any concerning in revealing the
videotape that releasing it might compromise any potential criminal
activity or trial of bin Laden, or anybody connected with al Qaeda?
MR. FLEISCHER: I have not heard that.
Q Newsweek reports that the government has
foiled an attack by an al Qaeda sleeper cell after the September 11th
attacks. the President has said that government actions have
prevented additional attacks. Are these one and the same?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm aware of the report. I
cannot offer you definitive confirmation of it. But it would
not surprise me if that was the case. As we talked about on
numerous occasions, particularly at a time when the government issues a
general alert to law enforcement agencies, sometimes there's no way of
knowing whether or not, as a result of that, somebody who was going to
launch an attack pulled back at the last minute and did not attack as a
result of the fact that they believed they could no longer get away
with it or that their attack would not have been successful.
So that is entirely possible. That's one of the reasons
that the Attorney General has worked so diligently to take the actions
he's taken, and that we're grateful to the Congress for passing the
anti-terrorist legislation they have, which has given the law
enforcement community the tools they need to conduct this war against
terror.
Q What's the President done personally to
advance the nominations, to secure the confirmations of Otto Reich and
Eugene Scalia?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, that is something that the
President has talked about with Senate leaders, about the need to allow
him to put his team in place. I'd have to look back and see
which precise meeting, Wendell, I don't know if that took place at last
week's meeting or one of the previous meetings. And as a
result of the messages that have been carried to the Senate leaders
from the Congressional Relations Office, the Senate clearly understands
the importance of passing out the President's nominees.
Q Ari, you reiterated Secretary Wolfowitz's
reaction to the videotape. Can you tell us on a similar
level what the President's reaction to it was, upon viewing it?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think the President's reaction was this
-- shows everything that we've always known, that Osama bin Laden was
behind attacks against our country and what an evil man anybody could
be to be satisfied and find joy in the killing of thousands of
innocents.
Q Was he similarly disgusted, as Secretary
Wolfowitz was?
MR. FLEISCHER: I don't know anybody who didn't share
that view.
Q Ari, Marine sources at Camp Rhino have
indicated that they'd like to get Mr. Walker out of that camp as soon
as possible. Have plans been -- has he either been moved, or
have plans been made to move him?
MR. FLEISCHER: Anything involving movement of Mr. Walker
would be a question for DOD.
Q Is DOD the decision-maker on what to do
with him? Or who will be?
MR. FLEISCHER: What to do with him? Well, I
think it's fair to say that DOD and others are ascertaining what the
facts are and the circumstances of his case.
Q Who is going to decide whether he goes --
MR. FLEISCHER: To what location where he'll be --
Q No, whether he's going to be tried for
treason, or is this a Justice Department issue at this point?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think right now it's still is in the
fact-gathering process. And then I think that will be a
determination made probably by DOD and DOJ. I couldn't --
I'd have to do a little more digging on the legalities of
it. That's also a matter for lawyers, but that's the likely
place.
Q The President, as the Commander in Chief
of the Armed Forces, does he have an opinion -- is he leaning -- you
say how he's leaning on the tape; how is he leaning on the Walker
case?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I'm not going to give you any
indications --
Q Thank you.
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P.M. EST
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