President Announces Resignation of Tony Snow Names Dana Perino VIDEO PODCAST

President Bush Announces Resignation of Press Secretary Tony Snow, and Names Dana Perino as Press Secretary, James S. Brady Briefing Room 12:45 P.M. EDT. PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Good afternoon to you.

Tony Snow informed me he's leaving. And I sadly accept his desire to leave the White House, and he'll do so on September the 14th. He is -- it's been a joy to watch him spar with you. He's smart, he's capable, he's witty. He's capable of -- he's able to talk about issues in a way that the American people can understand.

And I don't know what he's going to do -- I'm not sure he does yet, either. But whatever it is, it's going to be -- two things: One, he'll battle cancer and win. And secondly, he'll be a solid contributor to society.

I do want to thank Jill and Kendall, Robbie and Kristi. They have watched a man they love take on a big job, and at the same time, fight disease -- with a lot of courage. And so I accept, I love you, and I wish you all the best.

And so I had to make a choice, who to replace Tony, and I've chosen Dana Perino. I did so because Dana is a smart, capable person who is able to spell out the issues of the day in a way that people listening on TV can understand. She can handle you all. She's capable of handling your questions.

Q She has done --

THE PRESIDENT: She has? Good. Okay. I'm glad to get a little -- I'm glad to get that choir singing. (Laughter.) So I'm not worried about her standing here at the podium. What I look for in somebody like Dana is somebody who will walk in that Oval Office and give me sound judgment and good advice. And I have found that over the course of the time I've known her she's capable of doing that. And she's also capable of running the shop that she'll be in charge of.

And so we say to the man we admire a lot: Good luck, Godspeed. And to Dana Perino: I'm looking forward to working with you and I'm looking forward to the American people to get to know you like I've gotten to know you.

Tony.

Q You've lost a lot of members in your administration --

THE PRESIDENT: Hold up. (Laughter.)

MR. SNOW: Just a couple of quick comments. First, Mr. President, thank you and thanks for the honor of serving. This job has really been a dream for me and a blast. I've had an enormous amount of fun and satisfaction, and I'm proud to be working for you, and will continue after I leave working for the White House, to speak out about issues I care about.

I'm also proud and happy that Dana will be taking over as Press Secretary. She's an enormously capable woman, as you know, and somebody who more than capably filled my shoes while I was away on surgery, and somebody who really is -- as I told her before, she's going to find out talents that she wasn't even aware of. But I think this is one of those wonderful times where somebody who works very hard in public life and has demonstrated extraordinary capability is going to have an opportunity to serve a President. And I think she'll have every bit as much fun and fulfillment in this job as I have.

Dana.

MS. PERINO: I knew I had to pull that out -- (laughter) -- so I could see over the top.

Thank you, Mr. President, and Tony. I am honored to have been asked and delighted to accept the position. It is bittersweet, of course, because we are all going to miss Tony Snow very much. And he mentions filling shoes, and I've said before, he leaves very big shoes to fill, and I only wear a size 6.

And I thank him for all he's done for us in the administration. He's given us a lot of laughter, even at 6:30 a.m. in the morning when we meet every day. And while I'm saddened to see you go, I'm very happy for your family. You are their biggest champion, and everyone that's watched you fight this cancer is inspired, and the way that you lead your life is one with optimism, and we all should follow your lead.

Over the years, since Scott McClellan hired me to be his deputy, I've gotten to know a lot of you in the room, and there's also a lot of new faces in this room. And we do have quite a bit of time left. The President has a very ambitious agenda. We are a nation at war, and the press office, the whole team, is going to be here to help support him sprint to the finish.

I have an open-door policy. I hope to see a lot of you upstairs -- would love to see more of your faces, rather than just the emails.

And, Mr. President, thank you for your guidance, and I appreciate all you've done for me and the confidence you've placed in me, and I aim to live up to your expectations.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

Q How do you feel about losing everybody?

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all.

END 12:51 P.M. EDT

For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, August 31, 2007

Technorati Tags: President Bush and White House radio or Tony Snow and Dana Perino or Press Briefing Tony Snow 08/30/07 VIDEO PODCAST and The Eiffel Tower and Side-to-side shaking of nanoresonators throws off impurities

Press Briefing Tony Snow 08/30/07 VIDEO PODCAST

Press Briefing by Tony Snow, FULL STREAMING VIDEO. file is windows media format, running time is 20:39. James S. Brady Briefing Room. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow briefs the press and answers questions. 08 30 2007: WASHINGTON, DC: 1:04 P.M. EST.PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE

MR. SNOW: Hello, everyone. A quick announcement before I take your questions. President Bush will welcome Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates to the White House on September 17, 2007, in the Prime Minister's dual role as Prime Minister and head of the European Union presidency. President Bush looks forward to discussing a broad range of issues of shared interest, including Afghanistan, the Middle East, transatlantic relations, advancing peace and security in Afghanistan and the Middle East, ending genocide in Darfur, enhancing cooperation on international trade, counterterrorism, energy security and climate change. The President welcomes the opportunity to discuss with the Prime Minister ways to build on our strong relations with the European Union under Portuguese leadership.

Questions.

Q Is the administration trying to get GAO to revise some of their assessments in their Iraq report?

MR. SNOW: No, at this point, I don't think -- you talk about revising assessments and you've got a draft report that's been making its way around -- the Pentagon has suggested that there are some factual -- it believes it has some compelling facts that may bear on some of the conclusions that have been drawn. But it's my understanding that, typically --

Q In what area?

MR. SNOW: I'll refer you back to the Pentagon on that. But the fact is that these are reports that get circulated around for comment and apparently there were some comments. I talked to Geoff Morrell about it -- I know he made some comments to the Pentagon press corps today. But they'll have to -- obviously they're going to be people providing some factual input and some input into the report.

Q The administration, or the White House is not very enthusiastic about this report -- is that correct?

MR. SNOW: No, I don't -- no. I think what we've suggested is, number one, that the standard that is set by the legislation is to assess whether a benchmark has been met. Well, look, it's no secret that many of the benchmarks have not been met. What is significant is that there's progress toward a great number of them.

Again, you're asking us -- you're asking me at this point to make detailed comment on a draft report. I'm not going to do it. Let's wait and see what GAO has to report. It clearly has been leaked by some people who want to get some of the early thinking out, but we'll get a report next Tuesday, I think, and we'll be able to --

Q But wouldn't it fair to assume that the administration has an interest in making it appear better than the negative way in which it seems in the draft?

MR. SNOW: No, I think the administration's interest is making sure that we get a full picture of what's going on in Iraq. And frankly, the people who are going to be best able to do that are the folks who live and work there every day, and that would be General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker.

There are a number of reports coming out. We have the NIE, obviously. There's the Jones Commission report. So there are a lot of reports. It's a season of reports. But we are certainly looking forward to hearing from the General who is in charge of overall operations and the Ambassador who works there every day, the folks who have a real grasp of ground truth. All these reports obviously are interesting.

Q Democrats are saying that this GAO report basically shows that President Bush's Iraq strategy is not working. How do you respond to them? Why should they not view it that way?

MR. SNOW: Well, number one, they ought to talk to the Democrats who have just come back from Iraq who said just the opposite. So, I mean, you've had Senator Durbin, Senator Levin. You had a number of key Democrats who have come back and talked about -- Senator Biden, even -- suggesting that there have been, in fact, significant changes under the surge and there have been significant progress.

Again, I would -- if you take a look at what Congress has mandated for this report, it says, have you met these? Have you met them in full? Well, the answer is, you're going to find in a lot of cases, of course they haven't met them. Now, the real question is, do you have progress in the right direction?

The other thing I would suggest is that it would be a mistake to limit one's view of what goes on in Iraq to the benchmarks. For instance, among the benchmarks are not the fact that Sunni Iraqis have, in fact, turned against al Qaeda and have really opened up a front against al Qaeda that is of enormous significance, and also creates a possibility of greater political reconciliation in the long run, as well.

So what you're going to see from Ambassador Crocker and from General Petraeus is a view of what's going on in Iraq that's broader simply than the benchmarks. And I think if you take a look even at the original report on the benchmarks, some of those that were laid out originally -- and I don't have them all in my head right now, but you go back and read the July report -- some of them are not even appropriate right now. There's a critique of some of the benchmarks themselves.

The real question that people have is, what's going on Iraq? Are we making progress? Militarily, is the surge having an impact? The answer is yes. There's no question about it. What you've had is the number of ethnic and religious sectarian killings down by 75 percent. You have a doubling of weapons cache seizures. You have a reduction in bombing violence, in bombing killings of U.S. and coalition forces. There have been a number of -- you have kills and captures way up when it comes to those who have been fighting against the government.

Obviously there's a whole lot that still needs to be done. But on the other hand, again, there's been significant progress on a number of fronts.

Q Tony, where do you get that information that sectarian violence, you said, is down 75 percent?

MR. SNOW: I believe that was -- General Petraeus is -- 75 percent reduction in religious and ethnic killings since last year.

Q The GAO found no difference in overall violence.

MR. SNOW: Well, again, I'm going to wait to see the report. Everybody is speaking knowledgeably of a draft report. The other thing is, how one measures overall violence, it would be interesting to see what that metric is. General Petraeus clearly has a different view of that. I would defer to him on that.

Q Tony, a couple days ago, The Washington Post reported that -- you mentioned the NIE -- they reported that when the NIE went around in draft form, General Petraeus saw it and didn't like some of the findings and succeeded in basically watering down what the spy agencies had come up with. What's the process like? Are you tinkering with these reports?

MR. SNOW: No. Number one, you are saying that it's tinkering with the report when the man who's on the ground, who has the most direct experience, is, in fact, having factual input? No, this is --

Q But clearly they talked to him for factual input earlier in the -- I'm talking about the end of the process. Do you think your 16 spy agencies did this report without --

MR. SNOW: Sixteen spy agencies? You're talking about intelligence agencies.

Q Yes, intelligence agencies. Do you think that they did not -- do you think that they did not reach out to General Petraeus and other commanders earlier in the process? Are you saying that they just made it up on their own?

MR. SNOW: Are you saying that General Petraeus was trying to doctor the report?

Q Well, The Washington Post report suggested that, saying, he "succeeded in having the security judgment softened to reflect improvements in recent months."

MR. SNOW: Well, I think that's -- yes, but that is somebody having factual input into a report, Ed.

Q Is it true you're not going to ask for any more money for this war?

MR. SNOW: No.

Q What is the President going to ask for?

MR. SNOW: Well, he's going to wait until you get a report from the generals about what you think you need.

Q And $50 billion is --

MR. SNOW: No, we're not -- look, it is premature to be talking figures at this juncture. Last year we came up with an emergency supplemental, which we thought was going to be our best estimate. You continually revise those estimates based on the realities on the ground and the requirements of the forces. And we'll wait to hear what the generals on the ground have to say about it.

At this juncture, I think -- you may recall last year, for instance, there was a whole lot of speculation within a wide range of possible figures that might be put forward in a supplemental. Let's just wait until the President has had an opportunity to hear from the people responsible.

Q So you have no idea what more money is needed?

MR. SNOW: I don't know.

Q Are you worried that there's going to be an increase in attacks during September in an attempt to influence --

MR. SNOW: It has always been a concern. And the generals have made that clear for a long time, and it certainly is a concern. We hope it doesn't happen, but certainly people are aware that there is going to be an attempt to try to influence the domestic debate here in the United States, and using acts of violence is one of the means.

Q Do you see any evidence that that's been going on during the summer?

MR. SNOW: I'm not the person to ask about that.

Q Topic change. As the head of the party, is the President concerned that the events surrounding Senator Craig are harmful to Republicans?

MR. SNOW: I don't think the President is drawing any global judgment on Republicans. What we've said is that the story is certainly a disappointment, and it's something that the Senate Ethics Committee is going to be handling.

Q Does he believe he should resign?

MR. SNOW: We're not commenting beyond what I've said.

Q Tony, back to Iraq. You said that this is a season of reports. Does the President give all these reports equal weight, or does he believe that the Petraeus-Crocker report is the most important?

MR. SNOW: I think the President takes a look at all the reports that come across. But obviously, if you're going to take a look at who is the most credible to speak about it, the people who are there full time are the ones whose judgment you are going to take very seriously. But on the other hand, he's going to take a look at all the inputs.

Q Secondly, he's about to go to Australia. How will he get briefed by Petraeus and Crocker prior to their testimony? Could you just give us sort of a lay of the land somewhat?

MR. SNOW: No, I really can't. I'll try to put together the process tick-tock, but I don't know.

Q Tony, you said the GAO is obviously a draft report, but they set out to assess whether these benchmarks have been met or not. Are you asserting that that is too tough a standard?

MR. SNOW: I'm just saying -- look, if you're trying to do an overall judgment on what's going on in Iraq, the idea that somehow your standard is everything completed, or nothing completed seems to me to be a pretty high standard to meet. On the other hand, if you're trying to figure out, are you making progress toward the goals that you have set out, that's probably the proper way to look at it. This appears to be the metric -- and by the way, the GAO didn't set forth this, members of Congress did -- said, have you met the benchmarks? There are going to be a number of areas where they have not met the benchmarks, but, in fact, there is significant progress and that deserves to be noted, as well, not only in terms of the context of the public debate, but in terms of responsibly assessing what has gone on with the surge, and furthermore, what needs to go on to have success in Iraq.

Q You talked about Iran meddling inside Iraq. The President has mentioned it many times. Iraq's Foreign Minister today criticized Iran for literally bombarding the Kurdish areas in the north with artillery shipments. Do you have any response to that?

MR. SNOW: No, no -- other than we have made it clear all along that Iran is going to -- that the Iranians have said that they want to play a constructive role; well, the way you do that is to be serious about trying to guarantee security within Iraq. And that means certainly not transporting weapons in, not bringing people in who are going to be fighting against the government, not committing acts of violence against that government, but instead, trying to support the safety and security of those who work in the government and not to be supporting those who, in fact, are trying to bring it down.

Q Well, what about the shelling in the north?

MR. SNOW: Again, I'm not going to try to -- that is something, Bret, that you can bring back to your old pals over at the Pentagon. They're going to be a lot -- they're going to give you a much more sage analysis of that than I am.

Q Tony, two questions. First, we are again celebrating India -- of India. Question I have is as far as Pakistan is concerned, former Prime Minister Bhutto has agreed that General Musharraf will take off his military -- you think this political marriage will work?

MR. SNOW: Well, number one, there are a lot of stories coming out of Pakistan. We will let the Pakistanis break their own news on this. Secondly, what we have said all along is what Pakistan needs is a transparent election. We have a free and fair election conducted under transparent circumstances.

Q The second, as far as Osama bin Laden is concerned, yesterday --

MR. SNOW: Oh, a change in topic. I'm sorry -- bin Laden --

Q -- on WTOP said that -- he was quoting a newspaper in Pakistan -- that Osama bin Laden was dead in 2005 because of kidney failure. But recent report was saying that Osama bin Laden is alive in Pakistan. Where do we stand on his well-being or death?

MR. SNOW: Look, I'm not going to tell you what we know or don't know about bin Laden, but I thank you for passing on what occurred on WTOP yesterday.

Q Is bin Laden on dialysis?

MR. SNOW: I don't know. (Laughter.) For the record, I am not. (Laughter.)

Q On the subject that Kelly had, on Senator Craig. This administration in the last couple of weeks has embraced the idea of allowing controversial figures in this administration to walk, to leave, to resign. What about --

MR. SNOW: What? (Laughter.)

Q The President accepted -- the President accepted Karl Rove's resignation; he accepted Gonzales's resignation --

MR. SNOW: But what are you --

Q -- because of controversy. But let me ask you --

MR. SNOW: No.

Q Let me ask you this: Do you think that this administration is viewing, behind the walls, that Craig should leave because it is not a good idea --

MR. SNOW: Number one, I am not going to make any further comment --

Q -- Republican Party in 2008.

MR. SNOW: Number one, I'm not going to make any further comment beyond what I have about Senator Craig's predicament. Number two, I'm not letting you get away with "accepting" Karl Rove because he's controversial. Karl is somebody who has spent 14 years working for the President, and I think it is somebody who will continue to work for the President, speak out.

Alberto Gonzales is somebody who was the object of a concerted series of personal attacks from Capitol Hill that yielded nothing in terms of, in fact, evidence of any wrongdoing on his behalf. And therefore, what I would suggest is rather than treating them as "controversial figures," these guys have mud slung at them. What they ended up doing is that they have tendered their resignations, but these are people who have served very long and very well and spent a lot of time in public service and deserve thanks for it.

Q Okay, but the similarities -- Republicans were also asking for them to step down. Now, Larry Craig, Republicans are asking for Mr. Craig to step down. Do you think he is hurtful to the Republicans in 2008?

MR. SNOW: I'm not going -- nice try. I'm not going beyond where --

Q Tony, on Senator Warner's comments a week ago, did the White House consider those comments to be a break with the White House on the direction forward in Iraq?

MR. SNOW: Senator Warner is somebody whose views, obviously, we take seriously. I'm not going to get into characterizing whether they're breaks or not breaks. I think Senator Warner has made it clear that he'd like to see success in Iraq, and so would we.

Q He talked about withdrawing -- or beginning to withdraw troops this September.

MR. SNOW: I understand. Our position on this is that let's hear what the generals have to say. What we do have is a situation in which you have real -- I think two things. Number one, it is clear that the surge is producing significant results. And that does not seem to be an object of controversy -- really a significant controversy anymore. Number one, Senator Warner believes that somehow withdrawing troops or withdrawing a brigade might have some impact on the political situation. It's pretty clear that the Iraqis have been working the political situation themselves. We had the meeting with the Prime Minister and members of the presidency council, and we're going to have to see what happens. The President certainly welcomed that meeting and welcomed their determination to work on a lot of the key issues. And we're going to have to see what happens when the parliament reconvenes in a couple of weeks.

Q It just seems pretty clear that he was disagreeing with the White House, and it doesn't seem like --

MR. SNOW: Well, again, I'll let you draw whatever conclusions you may on that.

Q Tony, back to Larry Craig. Is his predicament, as you call it, hurting Republicans?

MR. SNOW: Thank you for the question. I've already given my answer.

Q No, you didn't.

MR. SNOW: Yes, I did. Okay, I gave the answer I'm going to give.

Q Your tolerance level seems to be slipping. (Laughter.)

MR. SNOW: It's -- really? Am I getting cranky like you? (Laughter.) Wow. (Laughter.)

Q Governor Mitt Romney is quoted as describing Senator Larry Craig's behavior as "disgusting." Does the head of the Republican Party want you to suggest that he disagrees?

MR. SNOW: No, I'm suggesting that we've said that this is disappointing and it needs to be handled by the Senate Ethics Committee.

Q Okay. Reuters reports from Harvard that Fidel Castro has just described Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as "an apparently unbeatable ticket." But the Reuters report did not mention either of these two U.S. Senators repudiating this endorsement. And my question: Does the leader of the Republican Party believe that Clinton and Obama should repudiate this dictator's endorsement or not?

MR. SNOW: I think it is safe to say that Fidel Castro is not an expert on the workings of an active democracy. (Laughter.)

Q Tony, since you are in a good mood --

MR. SNOW: Not according to Plante, I'm not. (Laughter.)

Q -- you could give me a serious answer on official motorcades, which I've spoken to you about earlier. Now, in the wake of this tragic -- second tragic death of a motorcycle policemen, and in the wake of, actually, an incident that happened last week to me and lots of others on Rock Creek Park when we were nearly wiped out by Cheney's motorcade, which are the biggest, the fastest and most aggressive I've ever seen in 40 years -- why in this day and age are official motorcades necessary? Can't they avoid narrow and windy roads where you can't get to the side, like Rock Creek? And thirdly, why do they have to be so fast and so huge --

MR. SNOW: Connie, I would refer all those comments to the people that do protective details. But I think in this day and age, a protective motorcade is, in fact, a necessity.

Q Do they have to be faster, do they have to be --

MR. SNOW: Connie, I'm just not competent to comment on that. Again, I would refer you to talk to the protective services.

Q Can you tell us about when the White House was notified and what the President knows about the nerve gas that was found in the U.N.?

MR. SNOW: I don't know about the President's notification. Here's what we do know. Apparently, last Friday, UNMOVIC staff members discovered in metal and glass containers within a plastic package what turned out to be chemical agents that were brought over as a result of U.N. weapons inspections during the UNMOVIC era. These items should not have ended up, obviously, at the New York offices. Normally they would be transported to an appropriately equipped laboratory for analysis. I'm sure that there are going to be a lot red-faced people over at the U.N. trying to just figure out how they got there.

In any event, they've done some testing of the air. There is no danger to the folks involved. The agents had been at the UNMOVIC facility for more than a decade. For other analysis of this and more detail, I'd refer you to the FBI.

Q What about notification? Because there are some reports suggesting initially that it was only today that the New York Fire Department and Police Department found out that this was even going on, even though they found it on Friday.

MR. SNOW: Again, I'd refer you to the FBI, because I don't know.

I pointed to Paula; Paula gets the last question. Sorry. In fairness.

Go ahead.

Q I have a question on the S-CHIP program.

MR. SNOW: Okay.

Q While Congress was out, the administration put out new requirements for states. And one of those requirements would require parents who were privately insured to be without insurance for one year before they can enroll their children in the S-CHIP program. And I just wondered, where are families going to get insurance from --

MR. SNOW: Well, it's a very good question for which -- when you want to ask a really detailed question like that, give me some advance warning and I'll get you an answer.

Q Well, it was asked this morning.

MR. SNOW: Okay, well, I'm afraid I wasn't here this morning. I will get you an answer.

END 1:24 P.M. EDT

For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, August 30, 2007

Technorati Tags: President Bush and White House or Tony Snow and VIDEO, or Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates and GAO, or President Discusses Rebuilding in New Orleans VIDEO PODCAST and Statue of Liberty and Researchers Directly Deposit Gold Nanoparticles in Suspension

President Discusses Rebuilding in New Orleans VIDEO PODCAST

President Bush Discusses Rebuilding Efforts in New Orleans, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Charter School for Science and Technology, New Orleans, Louisiana. FULL STREAMING VIDEO

Fact Sheet: The Two-Year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and In Focus: Gulf Coast Rebuilding 9:40 A.M. CDT PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE and GALLERY

THE PRESIDENT: Madam Principal, thank you for having us. Laura and I are honored to be here. During the moment of reflection, it is a time to ask for the Almighty's blessings on those who suffered, those who lost a loved one, and remember that there's always a more blessed day in the future. And that's what we're here to celebrate, a more blessed day. And there's no better place to do so than in a place of hope, and that's the school. And so we're honored that you would welcome us. We love being with your teachers and your students. Thanks for being here.

Governor, thanks for coming. Governor Kathleen Blanco is an educational reformer. She has done what leaders are supposed to do -- when she sees a problem, address them head on, and pass law and budget necessary to achieve educational excellence. And you've done so, Governor. I congratulate you for your leadership.

I'm proud to be with the Congressman. Jeff, [sic] thanks for coming. You care deeply about the students of this district, and we're glad you're here.

I do want to thank Don Powell for joining us. Don is the recovery man who represents the White House and the administration here in Washington -- from -- in Louisiana from Washington. And I thank you for your service.

I appreciate the state education Superintendent Pastorek. Superintendent, thanks for coming. He's got a vision of excellence for the schools in New Orleans and for Louisiana. He shared that vision with us earlier.

I appreciate Paul Vallas, Superintendent here in New Orleans, for his willingness to take on this challenge. He doesn't view it as a problem, he views it as an opportunity. I first met Paul in Chicago, where he was an advocate then like he is today of high expectations and strong accountability to make sure every child learns.

I appreciate Hilda Young, Sister Finnerty -- she's the Superintendent of the Catholic School System here. I thank all the teachers, students and parents who've joined us.

Hurricane Katrina broke through the levees, it broke a lot of hearts, it destroyed buildings, but it didn't affect the spirit of a lot of citizens in this community. This spirit can be best reflected when you think about a principal who refused to allow a school to be destroyed by the flood, and worked hard to not only rebuild the building, but keep the spirit alive. Or it can be reflected in the fact that teachers commute. We met a 7th grade teacher today who commutes 30 miles every day to be able to impart knowledge and to share wisdom with students who will be leading New Orleans in the future.

And so it's -- my attitude is this: New Orleans, better days are ahead. It's sometimes hard for people to see progress when you live in a community all the time. Laura and I get to come -- we don't live here, we come on occasion. And it's easy to think about what it was like when we first came here after the hurricane, and what it's like today. And this town is coming back. This town is better today than it was yesterday, and it's going to be better tomorrow than it was today. And there's no better place to find that out than in the school system.

First, I do want to thank our fellow citizens for their generosity when it comes to helping New Orleans and the Gulf Coast rebuild. The citizens of this country thus far have paid out $114 billion in tax revenues -- their money -- to help the folks down here. And I appreciate the Governor. Last night we went to -- we had a nice dinner here in New Orleans -- by the way, have yet to recover. (Laughter.) Dooky Chase's. If you want to eat a lot of good food, go there. But during that dinner, the Governor expressed her appreciation to the taxpayers of America. In other words, the taxpayers and people from all around the country have got to understand the people of this part of the world really do appreciate the fact that the American citizens are supportive of the recovery effort.

Of the $114 billion spent so far -- and resources allocated so far, about 80 percent of the funds have been disbursed or available. And, of course, Don and I will try to work through the bureaucracy in Washington, just like folks down here are trying to work through the bureaucracy to make sure that there are adequate plans for the money. And so we're working through this kind of collaborative effort of federal, state and local folks working together to make sure that taxpayers' money is spent wisely on priorities.

But there's been a commitment, and a strong commitment. A lot of people down here probably wondered whether or not those of us in the federal government not from Louisiana would pay attention to Louisiana or Mississippi. In other words, it's one thing to come and give a speech in Jackson Square; it's another thing to keep paying attention to whether or not progress is being made. And I hope people understand we do, we're still paying attention. We understand.

One of Don Powell's jobs is to make sure that the federal government understands the hurdles that remain for recovery. One hurdle was the levee system. We fully understand that New Orleans can't be rebuilt until there's confidence in the levees. It's one thing to plan; it's another thing to convince people that the levees will work. And there's been a lot of effort by the Army Corps of Engineers. As a matter of fact, Don Powell announced the other day that we're going to complete work to complete storm and flood protection infrastructure to a hundred-year protection level by 2011. And that's a commitment, and it's an important commitment to make.

We're also going to fund a $1.3 billion network of interior drainage projects to ensure the area has better hurricane protection. In other words, there's federal responsibilities; the levee system is the federal responsibility, and we'll meet our responsibility. And obviously we want to work together with the state and local governments, as well. Obviously it's a collaborative effort.

One of the things that Kathleen and I have been working on a long time is wetlands restoration in order to provide more protection for the folks down here. We got a good bill out of the Congress and there's an opportunity now for Louisiana to have the cash funds necessary to begin a serious and substantive wetlands restoration program.

I appreciate the fact that Al Gonzales was down yesterday, talking about how the federal government can help on local law enforcement matters. I firmly believe local law enforcement is just that -- local. It requires a commitment by the local folks to hold people to account for crime. But the federal government can help. And so Al was down yesterday, announcing and opening a family justice center to help the victims of domestic violence. The VA is going to build a medical center in downtown New Orleans as part of the federal commitment to helping people here recover.

And so I come telling the folks in this part of the world that we still understand there's problems and we're still engaged. And Don will continue to make sure that we listen and respond when possible.

But let me talk about the school system. There is nothing more hopeful than a good school system. And I firmly believe that excellence in education is going to be the leading edge of change for New Orleans. Margaret Spellings, who is the Secretary of Education, understands this concept. The government has provided Louisiana with more than $700 million in emergency education funds to help not only the public school system, but also the parochial school system. And that's money well spent. It's money spent on construction, it's money spent on creating incentives for teachers to return, it's money incent to make sure children who went to other school districts -- those school districts got reimbursed. It was good money spent, because education needs to be the number-one priority of the state, just like Kathleen Blanco has made that the priority.

New Orleans is about to open 80 schools -- nearly 80 schools this fall. That's a remarkable achievement -- nearly half of which happen to be charter schools. I believe in freedom to manage and accountability to make sure everybody learns. And that's the essence of the charter school movement: freedom to manage, but accountability to make sure no child gets left behind.

And that's the spirit of the Superintendent -- both Superintendents here. They believe in high expectations and measuring. It's what I call challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations. If you don't believe that somebody can learn you'll set low expectations. If you believe every child can learn you'll raise the expectations and then you'll insist upon measurement to make sure that each child is tracked, that we disaggregate results. That's a fancy word for making sure that we understand whether or not each school is meeting certain standards, and then help for those that aren't, changes for those that aren't, and praise for those that are. And we're at MLK and we're here to heap praise. (Applause.)

This is the first public school to open in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is a tribute to volunteers, concerned parents and citizens who care about education. It is a tribute to the fact that there's teachers who taught in makeshift classrooms during renovations -- in other words, they care about the buildings, but they care more about education and were willing to teach no matter what the circumstances may be. And it's a tribute to a principal who had a clear vision. (Applause.) So we're here to herald excellence and to thank the good folks in this community for supporting this school, with the understanding that this school is one of the great beacons for hope.

I want to thank the educational entrepreneurs who've joined us, those who are in the process of helping find new teachers. Teachers -- there was a great concern, obviously, when the schools were reopening, whether or not there would be enough teachers. And people responded. People responded to the call to help provide at a grassroots level the support necessary to encourage people to teach. Teach NOLA is such an example. If you're interested in being a teacher from around the country, get on the Internet on Teach NOLA and you'll find opportunities to come here to New Orleans to teach.

We've got somebody from Washington who came down to help rally support for the school system. Teach For America is active in this community. The charter school system, by the way, spawns all kinds of different opportunities for people to be involved with schools. I think of KIPP McDonogh 15 School. It's a high standard school. It is a school that says, if there are rules that prevent us from teaching we'll try to figure out how to get around them, because what matters more than anything is teaching the child.

I was impressed that when they got in the school system, when they first got going in this particular school, they extended the school day with class every other Saturday. They said, what does it take to catch up? What do we need to do to meet standards? And the principal -- the former principal put it this way: "It took a hurricane to speed up and really jump-start the reform efforts in New Orleans." In other words, the hurricane was disastrous for many reasons, but it also gave a great opportunity for a new way forward, seized by the Governor and the Superintendents and the principals, by the way.

Laura and I care a lot about the libraries. That's why we're dedicating books. We're proud to be a part of the rebuilding of this library. Laura has got a foundation and has established the Gulf Coast Library Recovery Initiative, all aiming to make sure that these libraries are stocked with books. You ought to apply to her foundation, by the way. (Laughter and applause.) I think you'll have a good opportunity. I'll try to work it for you. (Laughter.)

I'll never forget, one time when I was governor of Texas, a woman looked at me and she said, "Reading is the new civil right." It had a profound impact on the policies that we have pursued since I've been in public office, and Laura has pursued as a lifelong reader. And that person was right. We've got to start making sure those youngsters can read at grade level and stay reading at grade level. No better way to send the message that that is a commitment, by making sure the libraries are stocked.

I want to share a story with you about a woman named Rebecca Jeanfreau, who's here. Where are you, Rebecca? There you go, thanks for coming. She was a Boston architect. She studied to become an architect and was in a firm. But she is from New Orleans. And she started thinking about the community she loved. And so she said, "I need to act and I'm ready to act." And she came back to be a teacher. She left a promising career as an architect to come back to a community that is dear to her heart.

It's that spirit, by the way, that is going to allow me to predict with certainty New Orleans' better days are ahead for the New Orleans people. I mean, this is -- and there are stories like Rebecca all over this community, people who have heard a call to come back and help. No better way to help, by the way, than to teach.

But there are all kinds of different ways people can help the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast recover. You can contribute to the NGOs or the local organizations that are still helping heal hearts. You can help with sending books to schools. You can get on websites to determine where the needs are. If you're a citizen of this country who cares about making sure this part of the region fully recovers, please participate. Please find a way to help and continue to do so.

So, Governor, I'm honored you're here. Laura and I are thrilled to be in this school. We're really pleased that MLK School has given us an opportunity to herald excellence. We care deeply about the folks in this part of the world. We ask for God's blessings on the families who still hurt and suffer. And we thank God for the recovery efforts that thus far have taken place.

Thank you for your time. (Applause.)

END 9:55 A.M. CDT For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, August 29, 2007

Technorati Tags: President Bush and White House or New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina or Resignation of Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales VIDEO and The Taj Mahal and Physicist Opens New Window on Glass Puzzle

Resignation of Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales VIDEO

Dept. of Justice Press Briefing on Resignation of Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales - Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales holds a news conference announcing his resignations as the 80th Attorney General of the United States. 8/27/2007: WASHINGTON, DC: 2:05 min.

President Bush Discusses Resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, TSTC Airport, Waco, Texas 10:50 A.M. CDT. THE PRESIDENT: This morning, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced that he will leave the Department of Justice,

after two and a half years of service to the department. Al Gonzales is a man of integrity, decency and principle. And I have reluctantly accepted his resignation, with great appreciation for the service that he has provided for our country.

As Attorney General and before that, as White House counsel, Al Gonzales has played a role in shaping our policies in the war on terror, and has worked tirelessly to make this country safer. The Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act and other important laws bear his imprint. Under his leadership, the Justice Department has made a priority of protecting children from Internet predators, and made enforcement of civil rights laws a top priority. He aggressively and successfully pursued public corruption and effectively combated gang violence.

As Attorney General he played an important role in helping to confirm two fine jurists in Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito. He did an outstanding job as White House Counsel, identifying and recommending the best nominees to fill critically important federal court vacancies.

Alberto Gonzales's tenure as Attorney General and White House Counsel is only part of a long history of distinguished public service that began as a young man when, after high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. When I became governor of Texas in 1995, I recruited him from one of Texas's most prestigious law firms to be my general counsel. He went on to become Texas's 100th secretary of state and to serve on our state's supreme court. In the long course of our work together this trusted advisor became a close friend.

These various positions have required sacrifice from Al, his wife Becky, their sons Jared, Graham and Gabriel, and I thank them for their service to the country.

After months of unfair treatment that has created a harmful distraction at the Justice Department, Judge Gonzales decided to resign his position, and I accept his decision. It's sad that we live in a time when a talented and honorable person like Alberto Gonzales is impeded from doing important work because his good name was dragged through the mud for political reasons.

I've asked Solicitor General Paul Clement to serve as Acting Attorney General upon Alberto Gonzales's departure and until a nominee has been confirmed by the Senate. He's agreed to do so. Paul is one of the finest lawyers in America. As Solicitor General, Paul has developed a reputation for excellence and fairness, and earned the respect and confidence of the entire Justice Department.

Thank you.

END 10:54 A.M. CDT

Technorati Tags: Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales or President Bush and Fred Thompson Republican Conference VIDEO and Althea Gibson and FSU researchers developing diagnostic 'lab on a chip'

Fred Thompson Republican Conference VIDEO

UPDATE: 09.05.07 Fred Thompson I'm In Campaign Ad

Senator Fred Thompson delivers the keynote address at the Midwest Republican Leadership Conference. The Heartland Republican Dinner was held in the Indiana Convention Center. File is real media format running time is 34:44 Copyright © 2007, National Cable Satellite Corporation.

The response below from imwithfred.com the official website for Senator Thompson

Fred Speaks Before Midwest Republican Leadership Conference Posted on August 26th, 2007 By Sean in Entitlements and Military

Saturday, Fred bounded into Indianapolis for the Midwest Republican Leadership Conference. Keynoting the evening dinner he spoke with sincerity on the pressing issues that will challenge America for years to come:

“I believe on the present course we’re going to be a weaker, less prosperous, more divided nation than what we are today,” Thompson said, arguing that only reliance on the bedrock principles of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence would prevent that slide.

National security in light of the radical Islam threat, unsustainable entitlement spending, and dispair and cynicism with government were all concerns Fred told a riveted audience of Republican activists:

“Our country is in danger and it’s going to be in danger for a long time to come,” he said. “We have got to be more united and more committed than ever before.”

He said government spending was out of control, and people had little faith in government solving problems in areas such as energy, education and health care.

“We probably have more cynicism toward our leadership than in a long time,” he said. “How do people follow when people don’t have any confidence in what is said and who is saying it?”

The audience approved of Fred’s message. The Associated Press reports:

He received a more rousing reception when he was introduced to speak than Romney and Huckabee got, with many in the crowd of 500 or so whooping and hollering and shouting, “Fred, Fred, Fred.”

Unlike the stiff character he plays on TV, Thompson was casual as he spoke. He warmed up the crowd with a few jokes, saying that while he was a senator he could recall that every once and awhile, a member of Congress would slip up by “actually spending their own money.”

Earlier in the day Fred talked with Karen Hensel of Indianapolis television station WISH about his possible political prospects and the war in Iraq:

He got serious about his new role as a possible president immediately.

Karen: You are used to auditions, now you are auditioning for the career of a lifetime. How do you prepare for that?

Fred: I don’t prepare for it as such. I think it has to do with how you relate to the people. You’ve got to be yourself. You’ve got to speak what’s on your mind and in your heart and see whether or not you’re a man for the times. It’s just that simple.

Karen: At a time some people are calling for troop withdrawal in Iraq, if you were President today what would be your message?

Fred: It is presumptuous to say exactly what you would do when you’re not President and you don’t have access to all the information he has. But it certainly seems to be like announcing a troop withdrawal date or withdrawing troops too rapidly would be a big mistake for our country.

Karen: What’s the advantage to showing up in the polls as well as you do, showing up at events and you haven’t event declared your candidacy?

Fred: This is not a part of some strategy of mine. It’s just that I haven’t been deciding I wanted to run for president since I was high school prom king, and I never was incidentally. Usually people don’t announce until later than this but this year everybody wanted to get out there earlier and start spending large huge amounts of money that much earlier. I just refuse to play that game.

Technorati Tags: Fred Thompson or Midwest Republican Leadership Conference and Tracking the elusive shipping container and Smithsonian Institution Building the Castle and Nanoparticle Technique Could Lead to Improved Semiconductors

Tracking the elusive shipping container

Out beyond the horizon, Tracking the elusive shipping container

The world is a very different place out beyond the horizon. Even as you read this, there are some 40,000 large cargo ships plying the world’s waterways and oceans,

not to mention innumerable smaller merchant craft, all pulling in and out of ports, loading, unloading, changing out crews and cargos, and steaming from one location to the next.

In what can be a very murky world of shadowy ship registry offices, lengthy manifests, and dockhands who change out faster than Barbosa’s crew, how all these ships come by their cargo, how that cargo is loaded, by what polyglot seamen and in what untamed ports, can be an amazingly scrambled and trackless story rivaling the Pirates of the Caribbean.

Scenario: A single ship starts out in Singapore with containers filled with electronics, passes through Indonesia where it picks up spices, sails to Calcutta to load cotton, Port Said where it boards an Egyptian crew, Piraeus where it stops for fuel, Tangier where it picks up leathers, Scotland where it packs in woolen sweaters, and finally sets sail for Newark, New Jersey. Eleven million containers packed with such goods reach U.S. ports every year.

At any point in a merchant ship’s journey, pry open container XYZ mid-ocean, and what might you find" When you can’t be sure, that spells danger. The possibility that a single container has gone purposefully astray and might now be packed with explosives, or loaded with a virulent biologic destined for our shores, is not a fictional scenario. (In 1988, it was an Al Qaeda merchant ship that delivered the materials needed to bomb U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. That same ship was never seen again.)

Given lots of time, customs agents could find all contraband. But, in the world of maritime shipping, time is the enemy. Try delaying a delivery, and you may face some rough characters down at the docks (think On the Waterfront). What's more, anything that hinders the swift transit of goods around the world can have a rippling effect on the world’s economy.

MATTS – DHS S&T’s Marine Asset Tag Tracking System – is a miniature sensor, data logging computer, radio transceiver, and GPS tracking system integrated into a compact and inexpensive black box, about the size of a deck of cards. Affixed to a shipping container, MATTS can use its on-board GPS chip to estimate its location if the GPS signal is lost.

And, in the final version of the system, containers outfitted with MATTS tags will be able to transmit through shipboard communications systems, even if they are placed deep below deck. The tag’s signal will “jump” from container to container until it finds a path it can use. Better yet, this black box stores its location history and reports it back when in range (up to 1 km) of an Internet equipped ship, container terminal, or a cell phone tower. At any point in a container’s journey, its history can be examined, and if anything has gone amiss, authorities know instantly to scrutinize that particular container.

Ultimately, MATTS will be integrated with S&T’s Advanced Container Security Device. The ACSD sends an alert through MATTS when a container has been opened or tampered with on any side, providing even more security.

“MATTS will globally communicate in-transit alerts to Customs and Border Protection, and this capability satisfies a high-priority CBP requirement,” says Bob Knetl, Program Manager for the MATTS research within S&T’s Borders and Maritime Division.

In late April 2007, one hundred MATTS-equipped containers started out in the Port of Yokohama, Japan, and are now making their trans-Pacific crossing to the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach, where they will then continue by rail to the Rochelle, Illinois, Rail Terminal and be unloaded and trucked to their final destination. This test, ending in August, will demonstrate that the communications can be used internationally (in this case, by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation) and that transitioning to domestic drayage once portside in Long Beach also runs smoothly.

MATTS was developed under a DHS S&T Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by iControl Incorporated, a small Santa Clara, CA-based company.

“A serious threat is posed by the cargo that containers may hold,” says Vinny Schaper, SBIR Program manager. “We have to view the ocean with grave concern, and realize that a maritime attack is not beyond the realm of possibility and if it comes, it will probably involve the use of merchant ships. Eleven million containers a year are brought onto our docks. Interrupt this with a terrorist attack, and the backup would reach around the world.” ###

Contact: Gail Cleere gail.cleere@dhs.gov 202-255-4070 US Department of Homeland Security - Science and Technology

Technorati Tags: US Department of Homeland Security or shipping container and Marine Asset Tag Tracking System and Advanced Container Security Device or cargo ships and GPS tracking system or Presidential Podcast 08/25/07 and Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France and Beyond batteries: Storing power in a sheet of paper VIDEO

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Right Pundits, Blog at MoreWhat.com

, Perri Nelson's Website, The Virtuous Republic, Committees of Correspondence, Rosemary's Thoughts, The Random Yak, Big Dog's Weblog, Right Truth, DragonLady's World, Webloggin, The Bullwinkle Blog, Cao's Blog, Leaning Straight Up, Conservative Cat, Allie Is Wired, third world county, Right Celebrity, Faultline USA, Wake Up America, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Pirate's Cove, Blue Star Chronicles, The Pink Flamingo, High Desert Wanderer, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Trackback URL: http://haloscan.com/tb/sookietex/3101321188345501403

31 Trackbacks to this Post

South Korean Guests of Taliban to be Released; Unt Excerpt: According to The Korea Herald:"The Taliban will set free all 19 South Koreans taken hostage in Afghanistan since ... Weblog: DeMediacratic Nation Tracked: 08.28.07 - 5:45 am

The Clinton China Connection - Paw Family Donates Excerpt: "William Paw, the 64-year-old head of the household, is a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service who earns about $49,000 a year, Weblog: DeMediacratic Nation Tracked: 08.28.07 - 7:02 am

Nuristan PRT celebrates Afghan Independence Day Excerpt: FOB KALAGUSH, Afghanistan - Just like the people of the U.S., the people of Afghanistan are very proud of their independence, which means Aug. 19 is a date marked by celebration. When the people of Nuristan province were invited to celebrate the U.S.... Weblog: Rosemary's Thoughts Tracked: 08.28.07 - 7:30 am

Ahmadinejad is right, so what will the US do? Excerpt: A power vacuum is imminent in Iraq and Iran is ready to help fill the gap, says Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. No kidding. Isn't this what he has been working toward for the past year, by sending in his military, Weblog: Right Truth Tracked: 08.28.07 - 7:33 am

Finding a New World Order of Peaceful Coexistence: Excerpt: President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the leader of that bastion of humane treatment told a press conference recently:&l ... Weblog: DeMediacratic Nation Tracked: 08.28.07 - 8:10 am

CommonSenseAmerica Man Wanted for Rape of 4-Year-Old May Be Headed Back to Mexico… Oklahoma: BRYAN COUNTY, Okla. — Durant Police are looking for 25-year-old Jose Retana, a man they say raped a four-year-old girl. Police responded to the call late Tuesday night after the child was taken by her parents to the Medical Center of S… 08.28.07 Today 08:31am

CommonSenseAmerica Mother and Son Stop Man Raping 5-year-old Girl… Indiana: INDIANAPOLIS — Police said a woman interrupted a 19-year-old man’s rape of her 5-year-old daughter and, with the help of her son, held him in her home until officers arrived early Friday morning. According to police, Jesus Valenzue 08.29.07 08:42am

DeMediacratic Nation South Korean Guests of Taliban to be Released; Unt… According to The Korea Herald:”The Taliban will set free all 19 South Koreans taken hostage in Afghanistan since …… 08.28.07 09:45am

Round-up of Michael Yon's articles Excerpt: For those of you who do not who Michael Yon is, he is a citizen journalist who has been in Iraq and Afghanistan for most of the war with the only support coming from you and me. He is giving us the news that most 'journalists' are afraid to go fo ...... Weblog: Rosemary's Thoughts Tracked: 08.28.07 - 9:52 am

Conservative Thoughts WaPo, Other MSM Won’t Run ‘Opus’ Cartoon Mocking Radical Islam… More censorship of cartoons by the MSM because it might offend radical Islamists. From Foxnews The Washington Post and several other newspapers around the country did not run Sunday’s installment of Berkeley Breathed’s “Opus,” i… 08.28.07 10:12am

The AFLAC Scam Excerpt: While the three younger ones, all appearing sweet and innocent, divert their "mark" (or intended target) with a show of friendliness , the fourth -- the eldest -- sneaks in from behind the person's back to expertly rifle through his or her pockets a... Weblog: Planck's Constant Tracked: 08.28.07 - 1:02 pm

CommonSenseAmerica Missouri Governor: “We cannot wait for Washington to stop unlawful immigration”… In a press release yesterday, Missouri Republican Governor Matt Blunt introduced his new strategy for Missouri: Gov. Blunt Announces New Directives to Fight Illegal Immigration Blunt: “We cannot wait for Washington to stop unlawful immigration... 8 08.28.07 2:43 pm

CAIR: Media Cowers in Face of Islamist Threat Excerpt: An Anti-CAIR Blogburst. On August 24th, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), issued a “News Release” trumpeting the role CAIR played in getting the Christian TV program “Live Prayer with Bill Keller” off the air in Tampa, Florida. ... Weblog: The Amboy Times Tracked: 08.28.07 - 6:25 pm

Pirate's Cove PETA Smacked For Smacking Vick… Don’t think that this is saying what Vick did is in any part OK. He did horrible things, he is a horrible person, and he should spend some good time in jail. At least 2-3. It is amazing to me, as a sidebar, that he could get anywhere from a year … 08.28.07 7:04 pm

"Mahmoud Ahmedinejad: Domesticated Male" It's good to see Ahmedinejad wearing an apron! Just imagine the diplomatic coup he and Bush could score if they put everything aside long enough to make a joint meal: Texas barbecue and Persian cuisine on the same table Diary of the Mad Pigeon trackbacked at 08.28.07 8:38 pm

Ask Andrea Summer’s End Edition of the Carnival of Christian Advice… The kids who didn’t go back to the books last week (or earlier) will be heading back tomorrow and the corn is vanishing from the fields as the harvest comes upon us. And we’re celebrating by getting back into the swing of things again, too … 08.28.07 10:05 pm

Adam's Blog Mr. Indispensable… No one’s indispensable, and that includes a well-accomplished 3 term US Senator. Larry Craig (R-ID) rightly described his actions as bringing a cloud over Idaho. With the Republican Leadership in the Senate including Minority Leader Mitch McConne… 08.28.07 12:03 am

Leaning Straight Up The Clinton Campaign offers us a lesson on how to launder campaign donations… Is this coincidence or is this a scheme to ‘launder’ campaign donations? I believe it is a carefully arranged way to direct money to campaigns, bypassing campaign donation limits, and not a coincidence. And likely, perfectly legal 08.29.07 02:37 am.

Leaning Straight Up MSNBC and CNBC: No pro war ads allowed… Via Powerline: MSNBC, CNBC Refuse to Run Pro-War Ads We wrote here about the television commercials that Freedom’s Watch has produced, featuring veterans and their families, that urge Congress and the public to continue supporting t… 08.29.07 02:51 am.

Conservative Cat The Mathematics of Being Soft on Crime… The government of the Netherlands is starting a $38 million government program to combat extremism. Extremism in this case is defined as either right-wing nationalism and Islamic fundamentalism. The new program is designed to combat the root causes of … 08.29.07 03:41 am

Leaning Straight Up Breaking news: Top Clinton donor wanted on swindling charges… His name should be familiar. I just blogged about his nifty donation laundereing scheme. Is this coincidence or is this a scheme to ‘launder’ campaign donations? I believe it is a carefully arranged way to direct money to c… 08.29.07 05:38 am.

"Illegal Aliens Flee Arizona Ahead of New Enforcement Law" Which clearly proves that enforcement works! Even the thought of impending enforcement works. It isn’t rocket science for goodness sake and we can only hope - and demand - that our elected officials take note and have the will and the courage t... CommonSenseAmerica trackbacked at 08.29.07 7:38 am

Right Voices “If the Iranian missiles strike Israel, by Allah, I will go to Trafalgar Square and dance with delight.”… If things don’t work out, I bet this guy could get a job at CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, CNBS, MSNBC, NYT’s, WaPo, Boston Globe, LA Times, or USA Today 08.29.07 11:22 am

Big Dogs Weblog John Edwards and MY SUV… John Edwards, the queen of hypocrisy, today announced that he wants Americans to give up their SUVs and he thinks that this sacrifice is one Americans are willing to make…… 08.29.07 1:20 pm

A Few Shiny Pebbles Battlefields: the Good and the True—Part I… (I have been posting infrequently during the past few weeks because of family needs that had to be met. I’ll be posting more regularly now.) We are bombarded from every side with warnings and even threats about Global Warming. I’ll…… 08.29.07 6:06 pm

Blog at morewhat.com Hillary Rodham Clinton: Public Opinions… …commentary from the public on Hillary Rodham Clinton. Feel free to submit your own. …… 08.29.07 7:44 pm

Leaning Straight Up More Democratic campaign donation $candal$… So why so much focus just on Democratic scandals? Because they annoy me pointing the finger at the corruption in the Republican party when their house is just as dirty. They claim to be the party of the working class and accuse the Repu… 08.30.07 05:08 am

Leaning Straight Up Clinton to ditch Hsu’s money… My initial reaction was to laugh. Damage control. But a part of me has to wonder why. Afterall, the money he raised was legal right? So why act as though it was tainted? Clinton Donor Under a Cloud in Fraud Case Senator Hi… 08.30.07 05:33 am

The World According To Carl Says...Godly Wisdom — August 30, 2007… Control What You Say And When You Say It …… 08.30.07 12:45 pm

A Few Shiny Pebbles Decisions on Energy Usage… Thinking about unintended consequences yesterday in my post, reminded me about something I read in the early 90s. I think this article, Road to Nowhere, makes several crucial points about the unintended consequences of ignoring information that is alre… 08.31.07 02:16 am

Leaning Straight Up Finger pointing and excuses begin in the VA tech probe… Let the excuses begin. The School and the Government are going to vigorously defend themselves and blame the other. I am going to deconstruct this dreck in detail. At the bottom, I will note the real solution which the panel… 08.31.07 04:27 am

Freedom Calendar 08/25/07 - 09/01/07

August 25, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln authorizes enlistment of African-American soldiers in U.S. Army.

August 26, 1820, Birth of Republican anti-slavery activist James Harlan, U.S. Senator from Iowa, whose statue is in U.S. Capitol.

August 27, 1809, Birth of Hannibal Hamlin (R-ME), first Republican elected Vice President of the United States; instrumental in passage of anti-slavery Wilmot Proviso.

August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King delivers “I Have a Dream” speech in front of memorial dedicated to Republican President Abraham Lincoln.

August 29, 1989, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) becomes first Hispanic woman and first Cuban-American in Congress.

August 30, 1890, Republican President Benjamin Harrison signs legislation by U.S. Senator Justin Morrill (R-VT) making African-Americans eligible for land-grant colleges in the South.

August 31, 1823, Birth of Speaker of the House Galusha Grow (R-PA); secured passage of Homestead Act, providing free land to settlers and ending plans of Democrats to open western lands to slave plantations.

September 1, 1975, Gen. Daniel James receives fourth star from Republican President Gerald Ford; first African-American to hold that rank in U.S. Air Force.

"For 150 years, Republicans have worked to secure the civil rights of African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, and every individual from every background and walk of life. We believe that every person contributes to America's rich cultural heritage. Americans of all races and creeds share the Republican commitment to creating job opportunities for all, giving children equal access to a quality education, and strengthening families and faith. This is the Republican agenda; this is the American agenda"

U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) Speaker of the House

Technorati Tags: President Bush and Freedom Calendar or Dwight Eisenhower and Republicans or African-Americans and Ronald Reagan or Ronald Reagan and Civil Rights or Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass or 40 acres and a mule or Martin Luther King and Voting Rights Act of 1965 or Dred Scott or National Intelligence Estimate Prospects for Iraq’s Stability FULL TEXT and The Leaning Tower, Pisa, Italy and Scientists train nano-'building blocks' to take on new shapes

Presidential Podcast 08/25/07

Presidential Podcast 08/25/07 . Subscribe to Our Podcast feed or online podnova Podcast Channel and receive the weekly Presidential Radio Address in English and Spanish with select State Department Briefings. Featuring full audio and text transcripts, More content Sources added often so stay tuned.

Technorati Tags: President Bush and White House radio address or American Legion and Middle East or National Intelligence Estimate Prospects for Iraq’s Stability FULL TEXT and The Leaning Tower, Pisa, Italy and Scientists train nano-'building blocks' to take on new shapes

Bush radio address 08/25/07 full audio, text transcript

bush radio address 08/25/07 full audio, text transcript. President's Radio Address . In Focus: Iraq

Subscribe to Our Podcast feed or online podnova Podcast Channel and receive the weekly Presidential Radio Address in English and Spanish with select State Department Briefings. Featuring real audio and full text transcripts, More content Sources added often so stay tuned.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week I traveled to Kansas City to address the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. I spoke about the ideological struggle that our Nation faces in the 21st century, and the lessons we can draw from the advance of freedom in Asia in the 20th century. America's enduring presence and perseverance on that continent aided the rise of democracy, helped transform American enemies into American allies, and made our country safer.

Next week I will address the members of the American Legion at their annual convention in Reno. In that speech, I will focus on the Middle East and why the rise of a free and democratic Iraq is critical to the future of this vital region and to our Nation's security.

I will also provide an update on the developments we are seeing from our new strategy in Iraq. Every month since January, U.S. forces have killed or captured an average of more than 1,500 al Qaeda terrorists and other extremists. And in June our troops launched a surge of operations that is helping bring former Sunni insurgents into the fight against al Qaeda, clear the terrorists out of population centers, and give families in liberated Iraqi cities a safer and more normal life.
As security improves, more Iraqis are stepping forward to defend their democracy. Young Iraqi men are signing up for the army. Iraqi police are now patrolling the streets. Coalition and Iraqi forces have doubled the number of joint operations. As the Iraqi people feel more secure, they are also forming neighborhood watch groups. They're volunteering important information about the terrorists and extremists hiding in their midst. And the increase in tips helps account for the marked reduction in sectarian murders.

By driving out the terrorists from cities and neighborhoods, we're creating the conditions for reconciliation -- especially at the local level. In communities across Iraq, citizens are seeing their local and provincial governments return to operation. Despite continuing violence, leaders in places like Anbar, Najaf, and Ninewah are now working through local provincial councils to approve funds to finance the rebuilding of homes and neighborhoods, to fight corruption, and to create new jobs.

Here at home, it can be easy to overlook the bravery shown by Iraqi troops and Iraqi civilians who are in the fight for freedom. But our troops on the ground see it every day. Last week, a team of American soldiers was meeting with an Iraqi citizens group near Baghdad. Suddenly, a suicide bomber came running around a corner and headed straight for our soldiers and the Iraqi civilians.

One Iraqi man saw what was happening and ran to intercept the bomber. As he pushed the terrorist away, the bomb detonated -- killing both men, but sparing four American soldiers and eight Iraqi civilians. Army Staff Sergeant Sean Kane is one of those who says he owes his life to this brave Iraqi. Sergeant Kane says, "He could have run behind us or away from us, but he made the decision to sacrifice himself to protect everyone." Sergeant Kane spoke to the Iraqi man's father, who said that even if his son had known the outcome beforehand, he "[would not] have acted differently."

The story does not end there. Later that same night, the citizens group contacted the local director of the National Police and told him the location of the al Qaeda cell believed to be responsible for the attack. The National Police immediately conducted a raid that resulted in four arrests.

We are still in the early stages of our new operations. But the success of the past couple of months have shown that conditions on the ground can change -- and they are changing. We cannot expect the new strategy we are carrying out to bring success overnight. But by standing with the Iraqi people as they build their democracy, we will deliver a devastating blow to al Qaeda, we will help provide new hope for millions of people throughout the Middle East, we will gain a friend and ally in the war on terror, and we will make the American people safer.

Thank you for listening.

For Immediate Release August 25, 2007

Technorati Tags: President Bush and White House radio address or American Legion and Middle East or National Intelligence Estimate Prospects for Iraq’s Stability FULL TEXT and The Leaning Tower, Pisa, Italy and Scientists train nano-'building blocks' to take on new shapes