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Skriven 2005-03-10 23:33:22 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0503102) for Thu, 2005 Mar 10
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Press Gaggle with Scott McClellan
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 10, 2005

Press Gaggle with Scott McClellan
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Louisville, Kentucky


  þ President's Schedule
  þ President's Speech
      þ Reference B
  þ Hezbollah
      þ Reference B
  þ Senate budget resolution
  þ Guests aboard AF1


11:20 A.M. EST

MR. McCLELLAN: All right, the President had his usual briefings, and then
he met with some Republican members from the House to talk about the
importance of strengthening Social Security and making it permanently
sound. They had a good discussion.

When we land in Louisville -- both these events today, both these
conversations on Social Security -- conversations on strengthening Social
Security today focus on really two generations. The theme is "seniors and
seniors," so at the conversations you're going to have grandparents with
their grandkids, who are seniors in college.

Some of the new language that you might hear and some of the points the
President makes will focus on -- one, we continue to educate the American
people about the problems facing Social Security. We're also making sure
seniors understand that nothing changes for them.

And so one of the things the President will talk about is, is just that,
that there have been a lot of scare tactics out there suggesting that those
who are now retired or near retirement -- that it will affect them, and it
won't. And as he talks about that, he will talk about the importance of how
-- that seniors understand the importance of a secure retirement, and how
they want to help their children and grandchildren have the opportunity to
realize something they were not able to do, and that is the ability to have
control over their own retirement, or over a part of their own retirement,
and be able to pass that on to their grandchildren, if they -- be able to
pass that on to their grandchildren. So that's talking about personal
accounts, and helping them realize a greater rater of return on their own
retirement savings.

And the second aspect that the President, I think, will spend some time
focusing on, is talking about the importance of how American -- talking
about how Americans want us to solve problems, and not pass them on, and
that means that we need to permanently fix Social Security. We need
solutions, not band-aids. And one thing that we saw in 1983 was that people
were able to come together in Congress and, "fix the system," and that was
supposed to be a 75-year fix. The only problem with that was that two years
later Social Security was again headed on an unsustainable course. And now
here we are a couple of decades later, having to address this very issue.
So he'll talk about the importance of making Social Security permanently
sound.

And you'll have two grandfathers and their granddaughters at the first
event, along with a Social Security expert, in Louisville. They are seniors
from the University of Louisville, the granddaughters. And then you will
have two seniors from Auburn University and their grandfathers and a Social
Security expert at the second event.

And then we will overnight in Memphis this evening. And I think that's what
I've got to bring to your attention for today.

Q Can you talk about this -- these conversations with France and others
about allowing Hezbollah into the --

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know what you're talking about. I mean, our view on
Hezbollah has not changed. What our goal is, which is shared by the
international community, is to see Syria get out of Lebanon, which is
called for in Security Council Resolution 1559. We want to see free and
fair elections, without outside intimidation and outside interference. And
we want all Lebanese people, from all walks of life, to participate in
those elections. And I think that experience shows that when people are
able to choose their leaders, they choose people who are committed to
improving their lives, not terrorists. And I think experience has shown
that.

But our view on Hezbollah has not changed. Our focus remains on working
with the international community to make sure that Syria gets out of
Lebanon, so that the parliamentary elections in May can proceed forward in
a free and fair way.

Q Let me try it a different way. Is it just reality -- the administration
realizes that if you have free and open elections, that Hezbollah, in
addition to being what you consider it to be, also has significant
political standing and organizational strength within Lebanon, and would be
a factor in those elections.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, this is not about Hezbollah, this is about
ensuring that the Lebanese people have free and fair elections. And in
terms of 1559, it also calls for the disarming of militias. I mean, that's
spelled out in 1559. But that's why free and fair elections are so
important, because when you have free and fair elections, you see the power
of democracy. People will step forward and choose leaders committed to
improving their lives. And experience shows us that. We see that in
elections all across the world.

Q Is the President satisfied with $70 billion in tax cuts over five years
in the Senate budget resolution?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there's a House budget resolution, too. And the two
chambers will come together and reconcile their resolutions and come up
with one. We appreciate Congress moving forward on a budget resolution that
meets our priorities and holds the line on spending elsewhere. And we're
continuing to work with Congress. There's still work to be done to complete
that budget -- the budget resolution process. And we'll continue working
closely with members of Congress. But we appreciate the work of the leaders
on -- in both chambers.

Q That sounds like an endorsement -- or at least somewhat an endorsement.

MR. McCLELLAN: We'll continue working with both chambers to pass a budget
resolution that reflects a commitment to fund our priorities -- our highest
priorities, and holds the line on spending, as well.

Q With the focus today on seniors, why do you think it is that --

MR. McCLELLAN: And what I was pointing out to you is that the process is
still ongoing at this point.

Q Why do you think it is that so far, the President has been so uneffective
at getting through to seniors with his message?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not sure that's the case. It's interesting, this
morning, some of the members who attended the meeting talked about their
town hall meetings, and some of them pointed out that seniors are starting
to realize that this would have no impact on them. So the President -- the
President is still very early in his educational efforts and his outreach
efforts to the American people. And when we go into communities and talk
about it, I think seniors -- once seniors realize that it doesn't affect
them, they believe it's also important to act to help their children and
grandchildren. They recognize that Social Security is an important safety
net, but it has a hole in it. And we need to make sure that safety net is
there for their children and grandchildren.

Q The polls seem to -- the polls seem to suggest that most seniors are
still really worried about it.

MR. McCLELLAN: I think a lot of seniors are concerned for their children
and grandchildren, and they want to make sure that they have a secure
retirement. And that's one of the things the President will talk about. But
we're going to continue assuring seniors that nothing changes for them,
because some -- there are some people -- there are scare ads that are out
there trying to suggest to seniors that this is going to affect them. And I
don't think, in the end, seniors are going to be moved by such scare
tactics.

Q On the Hezbollah story, are you basically denying the report in The New
York Times about --

MR. McCLELLAN: The report suggests that our view has changed on Hezbollah,
and it has not. Yes -- that's what I'm --

Q So you're denying it?

MR. McCLELLAN: It's wrong -- yes.

Anything else?

Q Who's on board? Northup?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q We have -- we have members from both states on board? How many members
are on board?

MR. McCLELLAN: One.

Q Just one?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q Who is on board?

MR. McCLELLAN: Northup.

Anything else?

Q You seem like you want to tell us something.

MR. McCLELLAN: The main point that -- I think the point the President has
made is that the future of Lebanon belongs to the Lebanese people. He wants
the Lebanese people to determine their future, and that's where our focus
is going to remain.

Q It was all Republicans this morning, right?

MR. McCLELLAN: What?

Q Meeting at the White House, the members?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Okay.

END 11:29 P.M. EST

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