Text 1519, 939 rader
Skriven 2005-10-05 23:33:08 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0510054) for Wed, 2005 Oct 5
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Press Briefing with Scott McClellan
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 5, 2005

Press Briefing with Scott McClellan
The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

Press Briefing
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12:57 P.M. EDT

MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon, everyone. Just let me update you on Harriet
Miers' courtesy visits, and then I'll want to do a quick preview of
tomorrow's remarks. And then I'll be glad to take your questions after
that.

Harriet Miers has now visited with eight members of the United States
Senate as part of her courtesy visits this week. She will be visiting with
two additional senators this afternoon, and those courtesy visits will
continue tomorrow and throughout the rest of the week and beyond. She looks
forward to continuing to visit with senators and talking to them about any
questions they may have as they move forward on her confirmation process.

Tomorrow the President will be giving a significant speech on the war on
terrorism. We recently just marked the four-year anniversary of the
terrorist attacks of September 11th. It is a reminder that we remain
engaged in a global war on terrorism, and this is a major speech that the
President will be giving on the war on terrorism. The event is being
sponsored by the National Endowment for Democracy. That will be the
audience he will be speaking to here in Washington, D.C.

I expect that the President will talk in unprecedented detail about the
nature of the enemy we face. The terrorists have a vision of the world that
is opposite of our vision of freedom. You have heard the President talk
about that. This is a sophisticated and determined enemy. They are killers
who have a hateful, murderous ideology that is based on evil beliefs and
goals. They have a clear strategy that seeks to exploit a religion to serve
their violent, oppressive vision. And the President will talk about their
strategy and their vision in greater detail than he has before.

He will also talk about our comprehensive strategy for defeating the lethal
and determined enemy we face. He'll talk about the strategy we have for
staying on the offensive and spreading freedom. He will also talk about the
stakes involved in the war on terrorism. Stakes are very high. He will talk
about the high stakes that are involved in Iraq, and put Iraq in the
context of the broader war on terrorism.

The speech is aimed at educating the American people and raising awareness
about the enemy we face and the stakes involved. I expect he'll talk about
the terrorist network of al Qaeda and associates, and how that network has
evolved since the attacks of September 11th.

The President looks forward to giving that speech tomorrow here in
Washington, D.C. And with that, I'll be glad to go to your questions.

Q Scott, if the President has never discussed with Harriet Miers her
personal views on abortion, and if he never talked to her about it as a
litmus test during their conversations about her going on the bench, how
does he know that she shares his view?

MR. McCLELLAN: Shares his view on what?

Q On abortion and whether abortion should be legal in the United States.

MR. McCLELLAN: The President doesn't have a litmus test. The President,
when he looks to nominate someone to the bench, he looks for someone who
has a conservative judicial philosophy, a philosophy that is based on
strictly interpreting our Constitution and our laws. He wants to see people
on the bench that are committed to looking at the facts and applying the
law.

I think that as Chief Justice Roberts said during his hearings, and I know
Harriet Miers is committed to the same view, as well, that it's important
to have people on the bench who are fair and open-minded, people who will
look at the facts of the case and apply the law. Personal views and
ideology and religion have no place in the decisions a judge makes. That's
what the American people want on the bench, Jessica.

Q But you and the Vice President and even the President, himself, have made
it very clear that the administration is trying to communicate to
conservatives and people who are concerned about Miers' politics that she
shares the President's views on the key issues. I mean, you've made that
very, very clear, that there's a signal --

MR. McCLELLAN: That she shares his philosophy when it comes to a judge.

Q So the White House has no idea what her position is on whether Roe versus
Wade is the settled law of the land?

MR. McCLELLAN: The President doesn't have a litmus test. Some people want
to impose a litmus test; the President does not believe there should be a
litmus test for judges. A judge should rule based on the law.

Q So conservatives have grounds to be concerned if they'd like to see that
overturned?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, let me mention a couple of things. One, I think you
need to step back, because this announcement was just made on Monday. Two,
the President said yesterday that she is someone that the broader public
may not be as familiar with, and that includes some members of the United
States Senate. That's what the confirmation process is for. I know Harriet
Miers looks forward to visiting with senators and going through the
confirmation hearings so that she can answer their questions and talk about
what's on their mind.

She has earned the respect and admiration of the legal profession. She will
earn the respect and admiration of the American people. They will see what
the President knows, which is that she will be an outstanding Supreme Court
Justice. She is someone who is exceptionally well-qualified to serve on the
Court. She has spent her life in the legal community. Her career has been
trying cases in federal and state courts. She is someone that The National
Law Journal recognized as one of the nation's top lawyers and one of the
nation's top women lawyers. She has clerked for a federal judge back in --
this was back in 1970. I don't think there were very many women clerking
for federal district judges at that point in time. She has been a
trailblazer for women in the legal profession. She is someone who, through
real-life experience, has gained deep respect for our Constitution and our
laws. And I think that's an important quality to look for when you're
nominating someone to our highest court in the land.

Q Scott, I asked the President this morning, but it would appear he didn't
hear me -- does he believe Roe v. Wade is settled law?

MR. McCLELLAN: John, he was making a statement this morning, first of all,
and second of all, that's a litmus test question. There are some out there
that want to impose a litmus test on --

Q It's not a litmus test question. Does he believe Roe v. Wade is settled
law?

MR. McCLELLAN: Do you believe I should be able to respond to your
questions?

Q Yes, but it's not a litmus test.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, let me respond to your question, and I'll be glad to
answer it, as I just was. It is a litmus test question. You're asking it in
the context of a Supreme Court nominee. There are some out there that want
to impose a litmus test on judges. The President does not believe we should
have litmus tests for judges. The American people want judges that are fair
and open-minded and that will rule based on our Constitution and our laws.
That's what Harriet Miers is committed to doing, and that's why the
President selected her to fill this vacancy.

Q I understand your comments about litmus tests and your whole position on
that, but I'm just asking what the President thinks. Does he believe it's
settled law?

MR. McCLELLAN: And he talked yesterday about his views when it comes to
issues of life, and he expressed his view. You're asking this in the
context of the Supreme Court, and I'll repeat again that that is a litmus
test question.

Q No, you're putting it in the context of the Supreme Court. It was just
something I've been thinking about for a while.

MR. McCLELLAN: And something that you're putting in the context of the
Supreme Court nomination. I guarantee you'll be working on a report tonight
for the Supreme Court. So let's not pretend that it's not a litmus test
question.

Q You know, I might take that bet. When you say that the President is going
to talk in unprecedented detail about terrorist activities and the
evolution of the al Qaeda network, you're talking about -- I mean, how much
more detail can he get that he's already been? Is he going to be talking
about --

MR. McCLELLAN: He will -- he will talk --

Q -- specific operations?

MR. McCLELLAN: He will talk in very specific detail about the strategy that
the radicals who espouse this hateful, murderous ideology want to -- want
to implement. They have a very clear strategy. This is a strategy that is
based on driving us out of the Middle East because they know democracy and
peace are the greatest weapons that we have and it's a very -- threat to
what they seek to impose on the rest of the world.

Q But isn't that obvious?

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, if you'll let me finish, I'll be glad to answer your
question. There are really two parts. He'll talk in greater detail about
the strategy that they have, and he'll talk in greater detail about the
loose network of radicals that exist. This is a network that is inspired by
a broader movement. Al Qaeda seeks to spread propaganda and inspire this
movement, but it is also a movement that is unified with a single enemy and
a shared strategy. And he will talk about that in detail. He'll talk about
how this is a group of people that have a very clear strategy for driving
us out of the Middle East, for creating a safe haven in the Middle East, a
safe haven from which they can plan and plot attacks on the rest of the
civilized world, and a safe haven from which they can seek to overthrow
moderate governments in the Middle East.

This is a enemy that has a very clear vision of the world. It is a vision
that runs counter to everything that the civilized world stands for, and
everything that we stand for in America. And we have seen in recent weeks
and months this terror offensive carried out in places like London and
Sharm el Sheikh and Bali. And the President will talk about that network
that exists. There's al Qaeda, but there are other networks, other groups
within that network that are affiliated in loose ways with that broader
movement. There are regional groups, there are local cells, and the
President will talk in great detail about the nature of that enemy, and
talk to the American people about what this enemy seeks to impose on the
rest of the world.

Q Scott, are you ready to say yet what former senator is going to be the
sherpa? And also, the Democrats have a Senate Judiciary Committee working
on a list of documents they would like from the White House that involve
Harriet Miers' work on different decisions, including Guantanamo Bay
treatment of prisoners. The President has said he wants to protect
executive privilege and let her answer questions, but are there any
documents that you would be willing to share with the Senate?

MR. McCLELLAN: A couple of things. One, on the first part of your question
regarding another sherpa, Ed Gillespie is filling the role of sherpa, as
well, for this confirmation process. I expect we will have an announcement
soon. We are not ready to do this -- do that at this time.

The second part of your question is something that came up yesterday during
the press conference and that the President talked about. We expect that
there will be a thorough confirmation process. That is the role of the
United States Senate when it comes to advice and consent. And Harriet Miers
looks forward to going through a thorough confirmation process, including
congressional -- Senate hearings where she will be asked a wide range of
questions. And she looks forward to answering those questions. That is part
of this process.

And in terms of documents, I'm not aware of any requests that have been
made at the White House -- of the White House at this time.

Q Well, the President has to invoke executive privilege. It just doesn't
automatically exist. I mean, is he prepared to invoke executive --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I mean, if you're talking about -- and I assume this
is what you're talking about -- some of our confidential deliberative
documents --

Q -- there are other documents that don't fall in that category.

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not aware of any requests that have been made for other
documents at this point. But remember, the President's Records Act was
created by Congress back in the late '70s, and Congress recognized that
those confidential deliberative documents should only be released after a
certain period of time, years later. This is -- this goes to an important
principle within the executive branch. The President ought to be able to
receive candid, sound advice from his advisors. And it would be
unprecedented to release the confidential deliberative documents that you
may be talking about for a sitting President.

Q But you talk about a thorough confirmation process. If you have hearings
where Harriet Miers follows the lead of John Roberts and doesn't really
answer any specific questions about her legal philosophy and decisions that
she might make and what she believes in legally, and if you have a
situation where virtually her entire professional record is covered by one
privilege or another, how can it possibly be a thorough --

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me disagree with you, first of all. I think you're
talking about questions relating to cases that may have come before the
Court, not about his --

Q -- it goes further than that --

MR. McCLELLAN: -- not about his legal philosophy and views. I disagree with
that.

Q It goes further than that. Well, okay.

MR. McCLELLAN: He answered a lot of questions. Now, there is a precedent
that has been set over time, and certainly in recent history, where people
that are going to be serving on the bench are not expected to, and should
not, talk about cases that may eventually come before the Court. They
should approach those cases in a fair and open way. And you shouldn't
prejudge the outcome of those cases.

Q But if you have --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, that's the issue here, I think that you're bringing up.

Q Well, no, it's one of the issues I'm bringing up. The second part of it
is, is the almost total absence of a paper trail because of a variety of
privileges? She has been a lawyer all her professional life, which means
that virtually all of her documents will be covered by lawyer-client
privilege. And of course, you assert -- or suggest that the White House is
going to assert whatever privilege is necessary to shield those documents.
What possibly will the senators have to work with?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's what confirmation hearings are for, Bob, is the
opportunity --

Q They're for people to go through information --

MR. McCLELLAN: -- the opportunity for senators to ask questions and an
opportunity for the nominee to answer those questions.

Q -- or not answer those questions.

MR. McCLELLAN: She looks forward to answering those questions. Well, again,
let's be specific about what you're talking about. You're talking about
questions about cases that may come before the Court. And there has been a
precedent set. That precedent was shown during the confirmation hearings
for Justice Ginsburg and Justice Breyer. Those are individuals that many in
the Senate may have disagreed with some of their philosophy or views, but
they recognized they were highly qualified to serve on our highest court in
the land, and they received very broad support.

Justice -- or Chief Justice Roberts received very broad support. It was
still interesting to note that some 22 Democrats voted against him after he
clearly demonstrated to the American people that he was exceptionally
well-qualified to serve on the bench. The American people want judges that
are going to look at the law and apply the law, that are going to be fair
and open-minded. And that's the type of people that this President has
appointed, people that are not going to legislate from the bench.

Q But won't you be taking -- asking the senators to take it on faith that
that's what they're going to get with Harriet Miers?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's what a confirmation process is for, so that they can
get to know the nominee and get to hear her views.

Q Scott, the relationship between Harriet Miers and the President predates
his time in office. Will the President be willing to waive any of the
privilege for work she did with him when he was governor, or in his
personal life?

MR. McCLELLAN: Are you talking about attorney-client privilege? Let me back
up. There haven't been any requests made of us at this point. Let's let the
requests be made, first of all. I don't want to speculate about requests
that haven't been made. There is a process in place, but I think people
across the country recognize the importance of attorney-client privilege,
and they recognize the importance of the separation of powers issues that I
talked about earlier.

Q The President was referring to executive privilege and the need to
protect the presidency as an individual citizen --

MR. McCLELLAN: That's a separation of powers issue.

Q Do you believe he would be willing to waive his own privilege on work he
did --

MR. McCLELLAN: You're asking me to speculate about requests that haven't
even been made. And I think that he has talked about some of that in the
past, but I'm not going to try to jump into speculative questions at this
point.

Q The President said today that we are making progress when it comes to
training Iraqis to take the fight to the enemy. I wonder where he sees
progress in what General Abizaid says is a reduction in the number of
battalions able to take the lead, from three to one.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, that is incorrect. The President talked about it in his
press conference yesterday. He talked about how, a year ago, there were
less than 50 Iraqi battalions in various states of readiness. Today there
are some 88 army battalions fighting alongside coalition forces in Iraq,
and more than 30 of those are taking the lead in the fight -- the term that
you used. So there is significant progress that is being made to train and
equip Iraqi security forces. All you have to do is go back and look at
where we were a year ago, look at where we were a few months ago, and look
at where we are today in terms of training and equipping those Iraqi
security forces.

Not only that, but today Iraqi forces are in the lead in cities like
Karbala and Najef, and even parts of Baghdad. We've gone in, secured those
areas, and Iraqi forces now have control over Karbala and Najef. They have
full control over those --

Q Did General Abizaid misspeak last week, or did we misunderstand?

MR. McCLELLAN: -- they have full control over those cities. Well, you heard
him talk this weekend, and you heard General Casey speak, as well, and
General Casey and Secretary Rumsfeld participated in a briefing. And the
way you characterized it is just not accurate. You ought to go back and
look at their briefings.

Q Let me ask one other question. Why does the President oppose Senator
McCain's legislation to establish standards for interrogation of
terrorists?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there are already laws on the books, and so I think
part of this, if you go back and look at the statement of administration
policy that we put out, it would be unnecessary and duplicative. And it
would limit the President's ability as Commander-in-Chief to effectively
carry out the war on terrorism.

Q And will the President veto Senator McCain's legislation?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we put out the statement of administration policy,
which stated our concerns about that and stated -- let me specifically
refer you to it -- our views when it came to if those amendments were part
of the final legislation. It said, if it's presented, then there would be a
recommendation of a veto, I believe.

Q One final thing. I did misspeak about Abizaid. He said that the number of
Iraqi battalions able to fight on their own -- not take the lead. So given
that, how does the President see progress?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's what General Casey talked about in the briefing last
week. There's a very high standard for level one, but there is -- the
differences between levels one and two are not something that we should be
focused on right now because those -- all those battalions in levels one
and two are in the lead when it comes to fighting the terrorists in Iraq.
And so you have to look at the overall progress that's being made. This is
not -- I think General Casey talked about that -- he received an update
from General Petreaus earlier today; General Petreaus is the one who was
overseeing for the past year, essentially, the training and equipping of
Iraq security forces, and you heard the President come out after that
meeting and talk about some of the progress that's being made. I just
highlighted some of the progress. You have to look at the facts, and the
facts show that Iraqi security forces are assuming more and more
responsibility and doing more to take the fight to the enemy themselves.

And we will continue to work to strengthen the command and control
structure, and as we stand up those forces, we will stand down American
forces.

Q Scott, how crucial is it to the progress that you talk about in Iraq that
Iraqis ratify the draft constitution? And how much of a setback would it be
to that progress if the Sunnis --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, what's important is that the Iraqi people are more and
more -- I'd say what's important is that more and more Iraqis are
participating in the political process, and that the political process is
moving forward. It's important to keep that political process moving
forward. It's up to the Iraqi people to decide. But they are moving forward
on holding a referendum to vote on whether or not they support or oppose
the constitution.

We think that the constitution that has been drafted is a strong
constitution. If you look at it and compare it to the Afghan constitution,
it is very similar in many ways, and other ways it's actually stronger than
that constitution. And that was a constitution that was widely heralded by
the international community. And the Iraqi people now have a say in their
future. And they showed in January they are determined to build a free and
democratic and peaceful nation, and they are moving forward on the
political process. The process calls for holding the constitutional
referendum, and then there will be elections later this year. And it's
important to encourage as broad a participation as possible in the
political process, and to keep that political process moving forward.

Q But many Sunnis don't like the draft, and if there were enough opposition
from them, then it could be rejected. How much of a setback would that be
for the U.S. in Iraq if that were to happen?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's why I said it's important that the political process
continue to move forward. And it's important that we continue to move
forward on training the Iraqi security forces. That's two parts of our
strategy. And one thing that we're seeing with the progress with Iraqi
security forces, too, that I forgot to mention in Wendell's question, is
that now you have more and more areas where we're able to go in and defeat
the terrorists and drive them out, and then the Iraqi forces are able to
come into those areas and provide for the security in those regions. That
enables coalition forces to continue taking the fight to the terrorists
elsewhere in the country, as well, alongside -- with Iraqi forces.

But it's important that the political process continue to move forward, and
it is moving forward. The Iraqi people have shown that they are determined
to defy the terrorists and those who seek to stop the process from moving
forward. The terrorists want to prevent democracy from taking hold. They
will do everything they can to try and disrupt the election -- the
referendum and the elections from moving forward, and the democratic
process from moving forward. But the Iraqi people have shown time and time
again that they are determined to build a free and democratic future.

Q Scott, recently you gave a definition of the Republican Party as a party
moving forward with ideas to help the American people. That creates a large
umbrella for your hard-liners versus your moderates. Could you give me a
definition of a hard-liner versus a moderate, as the President views them?

MR. McCLELLAN: Can you give me a definition of a hard-liner versus a
moderate in the Democrat Party?

Q I'm asking the Republican Party, the President --

MR. McCLELLAN: The Republican Party is united behind a very clear agenda.
It is an agenda that is hopeful and optimistic. We are the party of ideas,
and the party of solutions. The President is leading with a very detailed
agenda. It's an agenda that is based on winning the war on terrorism
abroad, and strengthening the economy and opportunity here at home. And we
have made significant progress. The President talked about that yesterday.
And this is a party that is united behind those ideas.

Q Since you say you're united on those ideas, it seems like there is a
problem, there's a split on Harriet Miers. Where does she stand under this
umbrella --

MR. McCLELLAN: I disagree with you. There are a lot of people that have
spoken out who know her very well and recognize what the President
recognizes, which is that she will make an outstanding Supreme Court
justice. She is someone who has the qualifications and the experience and
the judgment needed for our nation's highest court. And the more people get
to know her that don't know her, the more they will recognize that she is
exactly the kind of person we need on the United States Supreme Court. She
will make Americans very proud.

Q -- call her a moderate now?

MR. McCLELLAN: She is someone who has a conservative judicial philosophy.
She is someone who is committed to strictly interpreting our constitutional
laws. Ideology and politics don't have a role to play when it comes to
making decisions on our nation's highest court. The decision should be
based on the law. The decision should be based on looking at the facts of
the case and then looking at the law and applying the law.

Q -- Sandra Day O'Connor?

MR. McCLELLAN: She is her own unique person with her own real life
experiences that will be a welcome addition to our nation's highest court.

Go ahead, Paula.

Q On Medicaid, I know the administration is taking a state-by-state
approach. But one of the papers in Louisiana said that more than 50 percent
of the hurricane victims in Louisiana who were seeking Medicaid assistance
had been rejected because of the state's tight eligibility rules. I know
your argument has also been that if you loosen the rules, that people will
-- states will get help that don't even have victims in them. But as you
know, Louisiana is directly impacted by this hurricane. So why does the
administration not think there should be a waiver for all hurricane
victims, at least temporarily?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we've been over this issue numerous times, Paula, and
I'm glad to go back through some of that. In terms of Medicaid, we are
making sure that states are being compensated for those that they have
helped and taken in. We're also making sure that people who depend on
government benefits are getting those benefits and getting them quickly. We
have, actually, provide a -- provided a waiver to compensate some of those
who weren't covered. And I'll be glad to get you some more information on
that.

Go ahead, Keith.

Q The President said yesterday that Social Security, there seems to be a
diminished appetite in the short-term. Does that mean that he's accepting
that it's off the agenda for this year?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think he said yesterday that it is never off the agenda
when it comes to his leadership. He is going to continue to talk about the
importance of saving and strengthening Social Security. It is only a -- it
is a problem that only gets worse with time. It will cost an additional
$600 billion a year the longer we wait. And that's why the President
believes very strongly that we need to save and strengthen Social Security.
We need to strengthen it for tomorrow's generation. It's headed on an
unsustainable course.

He has achieved a great bit by reaching out to the American people. The
American people recognize that it is a serious problem that needs to be
addressed. And the President believes that leaders are elected to come and
solve problems, and so that's why he's going to continue to press ahead on
the importance of strengthening Social Security.

Now, in terms of a congressional timetable, he recognizes that there is a
diminished appetite, and we'll continue to work with Congress on the way
forward. But it is -- it is a priority that he believes very strongly in,
and that's why he is leading to solve the problems facing Social Security.

Go ahead, Sarah.

Q Thank you. Scott, investigators from the Department of Homeland Security
have arrested three persons who were teaching Arabic at the highly
sensitive special operations school at Fort Bragg. It appears they used
fake documents and lied to get employment at the school. Special operations
has the -- in the war against terror. Is the President concerned about this
lack of security that enabled possible terrorists to be that close to some
of our --

MR. McCLELLAN: I'll have to look at the facts of the specific case you're
referencing, but I think it shows that we have people who are on top of
things and they were able to catch these individuals. I don't know the
specifics about it, though. I'll have to refer you to the Department of
Homeland Security.

Q Scott, on Monday, a number of administration voices -- Vice President
Cheney, Karl Rove, Ed Gillespie, Ken Mehlman -- reached out to conservative
interest groups to express an argument, the White House argument for
Harriet Miers' nomination. And they said that she has a conservative
judicial philosophy. Specifically, Vice President Cheney went on the
conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh's program, calling in from Camp
Lejeune, and said, "Rush, you will be very happy with her." Specifically,
what did he mean by that? And was there any conversation in the course of
those talks about her views on abortion rights, privacy rights, school
prayer, or any other issues --

MR. McCLELLAN: You can see the transcript; we made it available to you, or
you can see the full transcript of the remarks.

Q I've seen the transcript, but what about these other conversations?

MR. McCLELLAN: What he's referring to is that she is someone who has a
conservative judicial philosophy. She's someone who believes in
interpreting our Constitution -- strictly interpreting our Constitution and
our laws. That's what he talked about in that interview.

Now, let me point out for you, too, that the Vice President went on those
programs right after the President announced his selection of Judge Roberts
to fill the vacancy that existed on the Supreme Court. This is a very
similar strategy that we had in place for the first vacancy. And we are
reaching out to everyone when it comes to moving forward on her
confirmation process. She is someone who has, the President said yesterday,
not sought out the spotlight. She has quietly accomplished a great deal in
her lifetime. She has a career of distinguished service, and a long record
of accomplishment.

And it's important for the American people to come to know that record of
accomplishment and see the type of person that Harriet Miers is. The
President knows that she is someone who, 20 years from now, will be the
same person that she is today -- someone who is committed to looking at the
law and applying the law, and someone who is committed to fairness. I think
you can see from those who know her well that they will talk about how she
is someone who believes in fairness and believes --

Q But, Scott, isn't that kind of a --

MR. McCLELLAN: -- believes in the law and our Constitution.

Q Isn't there a little bit of code being used by the administration, when
the Vice President goes on Rush Limbaugh's talk show, and says, "Rush,
you're going to be happy with her conservative philosophy"? What does he
mean by that?

MR. McCLELLAN: What I just said -- maybe you didn't hear me -- but that she
is someone who has a philosophy that is based on strictly interpreting our
Constitution and our laws. That's what the American people want in a
Supreme Court justice.

Q Scott, how does the President know she's not going to change in 20 years?
I mean, justices evolve on the Court, they all do. She's not going to be
influenced by her colleagues? I mean, how can you possibly say that she's
not going to change in 20 years? No one stays the same.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you're taking it broader than exactly what he
said, but he knows her strength of character, he knows her convictions and
her beliefs. She is someone who is deeply committed to our Constitution and
our laws. She is someone who is firmly committed to the same kind of
judicial philosophy that the President believes in. That is a philosophy
that is based on strictly interpreting our Constitution and our laws.

Q Can I come back to the speech tomorrow? I guess I'm interested in trying
to determine the motivation and the thrust of it, and why the President
feels compelled now to offer more detail about the strategy of the
terrorists, et cetera. Is he concerned that Americans are losing heart in
the war against terror, or is he concerned that they're losing interest in
fighting the war on terror in Iraq?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, let's go back to after September 11th. Remember, after
September 11th, the President made a decision that our policy was going to
change, that we were now going to take the fight to the enemy. He
recognized we were engaged in a global, ideological struggle, and he said
it's going to be a long and difficult struggle, but that he was going to
see it through; he would not falter, he would not tire, and that he will
continue to take the fight to the enemy.

This is one of our highest, if not highest priority. It goes directly to
the safety and security of the American people. This is something the
President has continued to talk about, and this is a good time to talk to
the American people about the nature of the enemy we face, and talk about
how we are proceeding forward in the war on terror. We have seen recent
terrorist attacks take place in cities like London and Sharm el-Sheikh and
Bali. This is a global network of radicals that seeks to spread their
vision and their ideology throughout the world.

Q Does he think the American people don't know that, or disagree with him
on that, or is this more a, please, let's keep the focus on Iraq, because
that's a central front in the war on terror?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, he said after September 11th, Mark, and I think you
should go back and look, that he was going to continue to take the fight to
the enemy, and continue to work to support the spread of freedom, because
freedom is the best weapon we have to defeat the ideology of the terrorists
who seek to drive us out of the Middle East and dominate that part of the
world, and spread a hateful and murderous ideology. This is a matter of
will. We have to have the will to see it through. The terrorists became
accustomed to a United States that did not respond to their attacks, that
let the Middle East become a breeding ground for terrorism. They saw
throughout previous decades that they could carry out their attacks and --
indiscriminately.

The President recognized that this is a war that we are engaged in; it's a
war that is unlike any we have seen before, it's an enemy unlike any we
have seen before, but it is also an enemy that seeks to, or has very
similar ambitions that evil ideologies of the past have, like communism.
And I think the President will talk about that in his remarks, as well.

Q Scott, with all due respect, much of this talk about progress in the war
in Iraq seems to be so much spin on the part of the administration. You
talk to military professionals outside of the chain of command, with
intelligence background, with long terms in Baghdad, even before the Iraq
war, and they will tell you that that insurgency is growing, it's growing
stronger, and that U.S. forces there are in a more difficult situation
today than they were six months ago or a year ago. One person commenting
that if the U.S. would want to withdraw from Iraq, they'd probably have to
fight their way out. And it seems to me, even the Green Zone is not safe at
all. And to talk about progress in that kind of a situation, it seems
totally ridiculous. We have a fight -- you can talk as much as you want --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think your characterization is a little bit ridiculous, as
well, because you're not talking about exactly what the President has been
saying. He's going to be talking about Iraq and how this is part of the
broader war on terrorism tomorrow in his remarks. He is going to be
directly taking on some of those who argue that we should withdraw from the
Middle East, and those who suggest that taking the fight to the enemy only
causes these radicals to launch attacks. These are terrorists that were
carrying out attacks well before we went into Iraq. And the President will
take on some of those arguments head on in his remarks tomorrow.

But make no mistake about it, the terrorists recognize how high the stakes
are in Iraq. They recognize that a free Iraq will be a major blow to their
ambitions. They want to create a safe haven in Iraq from which they could
plan and plot attacks against governments in the Middle East and against
the civilized world. That is why it is so important that we succeed in
Iraq.

And we are making important progress. Our troops know that they are making
important progress. And we appreciate all that our men and women in uniform
are doing to help the Iraqi people build a free and peaceful future. The
Iraqi people, time and time again, have defied the terrorists. Now, the
terrorists are determined, and they recognize the stakes involved, and they
are going to continue to carry out their violent attacks because they
recognize what a free Iraq will mean for that part of the world.

Q Scott, the problem isn't the loose network of terrorists, it's really the
larger group of people there who are looking to the United States trying to
figure out what is the -- what are they -- what are their intentions. The
battle is the minds and hearts of the Iraqi people, and it seems to me that
we aren't winning that battle at all at this point. And you can send Karen
Hughes wherever you want, to the Arab capitals of the world. That's not
going to change that situation. And somehow, we've got to do things
differently to instill confidence in the people that America does not have
hostile intentions against them, especially with regard to the Sunnis in
Iraq.

MR. McCLELLAN: You've made some very broad statements there that I disagree
with fully.

Q Scott, does the President ask tough, challenging questions of the
military generals who come to brief him?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q And can you account then -- why is it that --

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me back up. Because the military leaders, our commanders
on the ground in Iraq, are the best ones to talk about the progress that's
being made, the progress that's being made to train and equip Iraqi
security forces so that they can provide for their own security, and the
progress being made by the Iraqi people on the political front, as well.

And I think -- I would encourage you to go back and look at what our
commanders on the ground in Iraq are saying, and what our men and women in
uniform are saying. They understand the importance of the mission that they
have been given, and they understand how this fits into the broader war on
terrorism and how this will help lay the foundation of peace for
generations to come.

Q What's the difference, then, when the President gets briefed, like he was
last week by General Abizaid and General Casey, today, again, with General
Petreaus, he comes out very encouraged; yet, when those generals go to
Capitol Hill and brief lawmakers, the lawmakers seem almost -- Republicans
and Democrats alike -- Susan Collins, Senator McCain -- so what's the
difference? Are they getting different information on the Hill?

MR. McCLELLAN: The President is optimistic because the Iraqi people have
shown they are determined to build a free and peaceful future. And he knows
that we are making important progress on the ground to train and equip
Iraqi security forces.

Now, he stated in his remarks in the Rose Garden earlier today what he has
said repeatedly, that the terrorists recognize how high the stakes are.
They are going to do everything they can to try to disrupt the advance of
democracy in Iraq, because they know what a serious blow that will be to
their ambitions. This is what taking the fight to the enemy is about. We're
taking the fight to the enemy, and we're fighting them there so that we
don't have to fight them here. We no longer are ignoring the Middle East or
letting it become a breeding ground for terrorism. The way to ultimately
defeat this ideology is to continue to spread freedom and democracy. And
that's why what we are working to achieve in Iraq is so important to the
broader war on terrorism.

Q Scott, two things on the speech tomorrow. You said he'll speak in
unprecedented detail and as an effort to educate the public. Does he expect
to change minds tomorrow, that people will hear something and say, now I
get it, who didn't get it before?

MR. McCLELLAN: He expects to continue to talk to the American people about
the nature of the enemy that we face and the war that we're engaged in.
Again, go back to what I said earlier and what the President has said
repeatedly and consistently. This is a long struggle that we are engaged
in. This is a determined enemy that we face. This is a lethal enemy that
seeks to spread a hateful and murderous ideology. They have no regard for
innocent human life. And it's important for the President, as
Commander-in-Chief of the American people, to continue talking to the
American people about what's involved and the importance of continuing to
see this through. Remember, he said after September 11th that some would
tend to forget as time passed. He will not. He is going to see this
through.

Q In talking about previous administrations and strategies that may have
allowed terrorism to prosper in the Middle East, does the President hold
his father responsible for anything like that?

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, Ken, go back and look at what the President has said
previously. Of course not.

Q How high on the priority list is capturing Osama bin Laden at this point?

MR. McCLELLAN: We continue to pursue bin Laden. We will bring him to
justice. He is someone who has been on the run. We have made great success
in dismantling and disrupting the leadership of al Qaeda. And some
three-quarters of the top leadership of al Qaeda has been brought to
justice in one way or another. But this is a broader movement than any one
person. We continue to pursue Zarqawi in Iraq. Look at some of the comments
that Zarqawi makes. I expect the President will talk about some of those in
his remarks, and what they seek to impose on the rest of the world.

Go ahead in back.

Q Thanks very much, Scott. I want to go to the avian flu. The President
talked about it yesterday, wanting the Congress to take a look at the idea
of empowering the Army or the Armed Forces to ensure quarantines. Is that
part of a larger plan that the President wants to see in the case of a
pandemic? Would he go so far as to shut down the borders?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, this is something that the President feels very
strongly needs to be discussed. I've talked about this recently, he's
talked about it recently. The military is the one organization that has the
capability to come in quickly and help stabilize the situation in the event
of a severe, catastrophic event -- in the event of a major terrorist
attack, in the event of a ultra natural disaster like a Hurricane Katrina,
or in the event of a disease pandemic. And we should not limit our options
when it comes to protecting the American people. He thinks this is
something that should be on the table. We need to look at ways, the best
ways to minimize the spread of -- the potential for a deadly disease like
this to spread, and to save lives.

And that's what the President has talked about. The threat is serious, and
that's why the President, for some time now, has been focused on this. And
we're moving forward on a comprehensive strategy. Secretary Leavitt is very
involved in overseeing the implementation of that strategy. The President
has numerous meetings with his health experts. It is a global threat that
requires a coordinated approach, and that's why, at the U.N., the President
talked about the international partnership. We need to make sure that we're
prepared with partners around the world to be able to quickly -- to
identify a potential outbreak from this disease, so in the best case
scenario we're able to go in there and contain it at the spot. But we also
need to be prepared for -- in the event that there is an outbreak and it
spreads to the United States. And the President believes this is an
important option that we ought to have on the table, and that we ought to
discuss.

Q Thank you. Can the White House help the families of the soldiers who have
expended their own money for vests and military equipment? They were
supposed to have been reimbursed last year.

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the Department of Defense can address that, and I
think they've talked about it recently.

Q Is the President concerned about sectarian divisions in Iraq, and what
seems to be a growing influence of Iran in Iraq?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, let's talk about -- that's an issue that for some time
now people have been talking about, yet it has not happened, if you're
talking about the idea that civil war could break out. The Iraqi people
have shown that they are committed to a free and democratic future. This is
a country that is determined to build a brighter future, based on
democracy. And we are there, along with the international community, to
support the Iraqi people as they move forward on the political process and
as they move forward on building a brighter future.

Q Saudi Arabia has warned against the influence of Iran in Iraq.

MR. McCLELLAN: We do have concerns about some of Iraq's neighbors, like
Iran and Syria, and we've expressed those concerns. They need to be -- they
are moving in the wrong direction from the rest of the Middle East. They
are out of step with the rest of the Middle East. They need to become a
positive influence in the Middle East region and help to support the Iraqi
people and the aspirations of the Iraqi people.

Go ahead, John.

Q I'm just trying to fully understand the urgency of the President's major
address tomorrow. How would you characterize the current threat of
terrorism emanating potentially out of Iraq? Is it at historic levels?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?

Q I said how would you describe the current threat of terrorism in and
potentially emanating out --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think our commanders have described that over the last few
days. I would encourage you to go back and look at their comments.

Q But what would the White House say? Is it at historic levels?

MR. McCLELLAN: This is a speech -- this is not a speech on Iraq. This is a
speech on the broader war on terrorism. But he will talk about Iraq in the
context of the broader war on terrorism. So I think the way you're looking
at it is a little misguided.

Q Well, I'm just wondering -- I'm wondering, though, about the potential
threat. If you're talking about them trying to kick us out of the Middle
East and all of that, what's the potential threat --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he's talking about their strategy. That's part of
their strategy.

Q Right. But what's the potential threat of terrorism coming out of Iraq?

MR. McCLELLAN: They think -- they think they can shake our will. They
cannot shake the will of this President and the American people.

Go ahead.

Q Back to the avian flu. The President talks about the possible involvement
of the military. Public health officials, as you know, believe that
probably the greatest hope of containing this is this promising vaccine and
an adequate supply of it, that last part being the problem. Does the
President's option -- do the President's options include recruiting the
pharmaceutical companies that have been reluctant to stay in the flu
vaccine business -- recruiting or coercing some of them --

MR. McCLELLAN: One thing you need that's very important is real-time
reporting, particularly from the region where an outbreak could occur. And
that's something the President has talked about at length.

Another thing you need is to make sure that we are moving forward on
developing vaccines against the H5N1 virus. The President talked about that
yesterday. We're working to do that. We're working to expand our stockpile
for antiviral medications like Tamiflu, which he referenced yesterday, as
well.

Q But public health officials will say that a big part of the problem is
the withdrawal of the pharmaceutical companies from the business of mak