John McCain Health Care Agenda VIDEO

Remarks By John McCain On Health Care On Day Two Of The "Call To Action Tour" FULL STREAMING VIDEO ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain delivered the following remarks as prepared for delivery at the University of South Florida -- Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, in Tampa, FL, April 29, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. EDT:

Thank you. I appreciate the hospitality of the University of South Florida, and this opportunity to meet with you at the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. Speaker Moffitt, Dr. Dalton, Dean Klasko, thank you for the invitation, and for your years of dedication that have made this campus a center of hope for cancer victims everywhere. It's good to see some other friends here, including your board member and my friend and former colleague Connie Mack. And my thanks especially to the physicians, administrators, and staff of this wonderful place.

Sometimes in our political debates, America's health-care system is criticized as if it were just one more thing to argue about. Those of you involved in running a research center like this, or managing the children's hospital that I visited yesterday in Miami, might grow a little discouraged at times listening to campaigns debate health care. But I know you never lose sight of the fact that you are each involved in one of the great vocations, doing some of the greatest work there is to be done in this world. Some of the patients you meet here are in the worst hours of their lives, filled with fear and heartache. And the confident presence of a doctor, the kind and skillful attentions of a nurse, or the knowledge that researchers like you are on the case, can be all they have to hold onto. That is a gift only you can give, and you deserve our country's gratitude.

I've had a tour here this morning, and though I can't say I absorbed every detail of the research I certainly understand that you are making dramatic progress in the fight against cancer. With skill, ingenuity, and perseverance, you are turning new technologies against one of the oldest enemies of humanity. In the lives of cancer patients, you are adding decades where once there were only years, and years where once there were only months. You are closing in on the enemy, in all its forms, and one day you and others like you are going to save uncounted lives with a cure for cancer. In all of this, you are showing the medical profession at its most heroic.

In any serious discussion of health care in our nation, this should always be our starting point -- because the goal, after all, is to make the best care available to everyone. We want a system of health care in which everyone can afford and acquire the treatment and preventative care they need, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing they are covered. Health care in America should be affordable by all, not just the wealthy. It should be available to all, and not limited by where you work or how much you make. It should be fair to all; providing help where the need is greatest, and protecting Americans from corporate abuses. And for all the strengths of our health-care system, we know that right now it falls short of this ideal.

Some 47 million individuals, nearly a quarter of them children, have no health insurance at all. Roughly half of these families will receive coverage again with a mother or father's next job, but that doesn't help the other half who will remain uninsured. And it only draws attention to the basic problem that at any given moment there are tens of millions of Americans who lost their health insurance because they lost or left a job.

Another group is known to statisticians as the chronically uninsured. A better description would be that they have been locked out of our health insurance system. Some were simply denied coverage, regardless of need. Some were never offered coverage by their employer, or couldn't afford it. Some make too little on the job to pay for coverage, but too much to qualify for Medicaid or other public programs. There are many different reasons for their situation. But what they all have in common is that if they become ill, or if their condition gets worse, they will be on their own -- something that no one wants to see in this country.

Underlying the many things that trouble our health care system are the fundamental problems of cost and access. Rising costs hurt those who have insurance by making it more expensive to keep. They hurt those who don't have insurance by making it even harder to obtain. Rising health care costs hurt employers and the self-employed alike. And in the end they threaten serious and lasting harm to the entire American economy.

These rising costs are by no means always accompanied by better quality in care or coverage. In many respects the system has remained less reliable, less efficient, more disorganized and prone to error even as it becomes more expensive. It has also become less transparent, in ways we would find unacceptable in any other industry. Most physicians groups and medical providers don't publish their prices, leaving Americans to guess about the cost of care, or else to find out later when they try to make sense of an endless series of "Explanation of Benefits" forms.

There are those who are convinced that the solution is to move closer to a nationalized health care system. They urge universal coverage, with all the tax increases, new mandates, and government regulation that come along with that idea. But in the end this will accomplish one thing only. We will replace the inefficiency, irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of the current system with the inefficiency, irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of a government monopoly. We'll have all the problems, and more, of private health care -- rigid rules, long waits and lack of choices, and risk degrading its great strengths and advantages including the innovation and life-saving technology that make American medicine the most advanced in the world.

The key to real reform is to restore control over our health-care system to the patients themselves. Right now, even those with access to health care often have no assurance that it is appropriate care. Too much of the system is built on getting paid just for providing services, regardless of whether those services are necessary or produce quality care and outcomes. American families should only pay for getting the right care: care that is intended to improve and safeguard their health.

When families are informed about medical choices, they are more capable of making their own decisions, less likely to choose the most expensive and often unnecessary options, and are more satisfied with their choices. We took an important step in this direction with the creation of Health Savings Accounts, tax-preferred accounts that are used to pay insurance premiums and other health costs. These accounts put the family in charge of what they pay for. And, as president, I would seek to encourage and expand the benefits of these accounts to more American families.

Americans need new choices beyond those offered in employment-based coverage. Americans want a system built so that wherever you go and wherever you work, your health plan is goes with you. And there is a very straightforward way to achieve this.

Under current law, the federal government gives a tax benefit when employers provide health-insurance coverage to American workers and their families. This benefit doesn't cover the total cost of the health plan, and in reality each worker and family absorbs the rest of the cost in lower wages and diminished benefits. But it provides essential support for insurance coverage. Many workers are perfectly content with this arrangement, and under my reform plan they would be able to keep that coverage. Their employer-provided health plans would be largely untouched and unchanged.

But for every American who wanted it, another option would be available: Every year, they would receive a tax credit directly, with the same cash value of the credits for employees in big companies, in a small business, or self-employed. You simply choose the insurance provider that suits you best. By mail or online, you would then inform the government of your selection. And the money to help pay for your health care would be sent straight to that insurance provider. The health plan you chose would be as good as any that an employer could choose for you. It would be yours and your family's health-care plan, and yours to keep.

The value of that credit -- 2,500 dollars for individuals, 5,000 dollars for families -- would also be enhanced by the greater competition this reform would help create among insurance companies. Millions of Americans would be making their own health-care choices again. Insurance companies could no longer take your business for granted, offering narrow plans with escalating costs. It would help change the whole dynamic of the current system, putting individuals and families back in charge, and forcing companies to respond with better service at lower cost.

It would help extend the advantages of staying with doctors and providers of your choice. When Americans speak of "our doctor," it will mean something again, because they won't have to change from one doctor or one network to the next every time they change employers. They'll have a medical "home" again, dealing with doctors who know and care about them.

These reforms will take time, and critics argue that when my proposed tax credit becomes available it would encourage people to purchase health insurance on the current individual market, while significant weaknesses in the market remain. They worry that Americans with pre-existing conditions could still be denied insurance. Congress took the important step of providing some protection against the exclusion of pre-existing conditions in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in 1996. I supported that legislation, and nothing in my reforms will change the fact that if you remain employed and insured you will build protection against the cost of treating any pre-existing condition.

Even so, those without prior group coverage and those with pre-existing conditions do have the most difficulty on the individual market, and we need to make sure they get the high-quality coverage they need. I will work tirelessly to address the problem. But I won't create another entitlement program that Washington will let get out of control. Nor will I saddle states with another unfunded mandate. The states have been very active in experimenting with ways to cover the "uninsurables." The State of North Carolina, for example, has an agreement with Blue Cross to act as insurer of "last resort." Over thirty states have some form of "high-risk" pool, and over twenty states have plans that limit premiums charged to people suffering an illness and who have been denied insurance.

As President, I will meet with the governors to solicit their ideas about a best practice model that states can follow -- a Guaranteed Access Plan or GAP that would reflect the best experience of the states. I will work with Congress, the governors, and industry to make sure that it is funded adequately and has the right incentives to reduce costs such as disease management, individual case management, and health and wellness programs. These programs reach out to people who are at risk for different diseases and chronic conditions and provide them with nurse care managers to make sure they receive the proper care and avoid unnecessary treatments and emergency room visits. The details of a Guaranteed Access Plan will be worked out with the collaboration and consent of the states. But, conceptually, federal assistance could be provided to a nonprofit GAP that operated under the direction of a board that i ncluded all stakeholders groups -- legislators, insurers, business and medical community representatives, and, most importantly, patients. The board would contract with insurers to cover patients who have been denied insurance and could join with other state plans to enlarge pools and lower overhead costs. There would be reasonable limits on premiums, and assistance would be available for Americans below a certain income level.

This cooperation among states in the purchase of insurance would also be a crucial step in ridding the market of both needless and costly regulations, and the dominance in the market of only a few insurance companies. Right now, there is a different health insurance market for every state. Each one has its own rules and restrictions, and often guarantees inadequate competition among insurance companies. Often these circumstances prevent the best companies, with the best plans and lowest prices, from making their product available to any American who wants it. We need to break down these barriers to competition, innovation and excellence, with the goal of establishing a national market to make the best practices and lowest prices available to every person in every state.

Another source of needless cost and trouble in the health care system comes from the trial bar. Every patient in America must have access to legal remedies in cases of bad medical practice. But this vital principle of law and medicine is not an invitation to endless, frivolous lawsuits from trial lawyers who exploit both patients and physicians alike. We must pass medical liability reform, and those reforms should eliminate lawsuits directed at doctors who follow clinical guidelines and adhere to patient safety protocols. If Senator Obama and Senator Clinton are sincere in their conviction that health care coverage and quality is their first priority, then they will put the needs of patients before the demands of trial lawyers. They can't have it both ways.

We also know from experience that coordinated care -- providers collaborating to produce the best health outcome -- offers better quality and can cost less. We should pay a single bill for high-quality disease care, not an endless series of bills for pre-surgical tests and visits, hospitalization and surgery, and follow-up tests, drugs and office visits. Paying for coordinated care means that every single provider is now united on being responsive to the needs of a single person: the patient. Health information technology will flourish because the market will demand it.

In the same way, clinics, hospitals, doctors, medical technology producers, drug companies and every other provider of health care must be accountable to their patients and their transactions transparent. Americans should have access to information about the performance and safety records of doctors and other health care providers and the quality measures they use. Families, insurance companies, the government -- whoever is paying the bill -- must understand exactly what their care costs and the outcome they received.

Families also place a high value on quickly getting simple care, and have shown a willingness to pay cash to get it. If walk-in clinics in retail outlets are the most convenient, cost-effective way for families to safely meet simple needs, then no policies of government should stand in their way. And if the cheapest way to get high quality care is to use advances in Web technology to allow a doctor to practice across state lines, then let them.

As you know better than I do, the best treatment is early treatment. The best care is preventative care. And by far the best prescription for good health is to steer clear of high-risk behaviors. The most obvious case of all is smoking cigarettes, which still accounts for so much avoidable disease. People make their own choices in this country, but we in government have responsibilities and choices of our own. Most smokers would love to quit but find it hard to do so. We can improve lives and reduce chronic disease through smoking cessation programs. I will work with business and insurance companies to promote the availability and use of these programs.

Smoking is just one cause of chronic diseases that could be avoided or better managed, and the national resources that could be saved by a greater emphasis on preventative care. Chronic conditions -- such as cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma -- account for three-quarters of the nation's annual health-care bill. In so many cases this suffering could be averted by early testing and screening, as in the case of colon and breast cancers. Diabetes and heart disease rates are also increasing today with rise of obesity in the United States, even among children and teenagers. We need to create a "next generation" of chronic disease prevention, early intervention, new treatment models and public health infrastructure. We need to use technology to share information on "best practices" in health care so every physician is up-to-date. We need to adopt new treatment programs and fi nancial incentives to adopt "health habits" for those with the most common conditions such as diabetes and obesity that will improve their quality of life and reduce the costs of their treatment.

Watch your diet, walk thirty or so minutes a day, and take a few other simple precautions, and you won't have to worry about these afflictions. But many of us never quite get around to it, and the wake-up call doesn't come until the ambulance arrives or we're facing a tough diagnosis.

We can make tremendous improvements in the cost of treating chronic disease by using modern information technology to collect information on the practice patterns, costs and effectiveness of physicians. By simply documenting and disseminating information on best practices we can eliminate those costly practices that don't yield corresponding value. By reforming payment systems to focus on payments for best practice and quality outcomes, we will accelerate this important change.

Government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid should lead the way in health care reforms that improve quality and lower costs. Medicare reimbursement now rewards institutions and clinicians who provide more and more complex services. We need to change the way providers are paid to focus their attention more on chronic disease and managing their treatment. This is the most important care for an aging population.

There have been a variety of state-based experiments such as Cash and Counseling or The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) that are different from the inflexible approaches for delivering care to people in the home setting. Seniors are given a monthly allowance that they can use to hire workers and purchase care-related services and goods. They can get help managing their care by designating representatives, such as relatives or friends, to help make decisions. It also offers counseling and bookkeeping services to assist consumers in handling their programmatic responsibilities.

In these approaches, participants were much more likely to have their needs met and be satisfied with their care. Moreover, any concerns about consumers' safety appear misplaced. For every age group in every state, participants were no more likely to suffer care-related health problems.

Government can provide leadership to solve problems, of course. So often it comes down to personal responsibility -- the duty of every adult in America to look after themselves and to safeguard the gift of life. But wise government policy can make preventative care the standard. It can put the best practices of preventative care in action all across our health-care system. Over time that one standard alone, consistently applied in every doctor's office, hospital, and insurance company in America, will save more lives than we could ever count. And every year, it will save many billions of dollars in the health-care economy, making medical care better and medical coverage more affordable for every citizen in this country.

Good health is incentive enough to live well and avoid risks, as we're all reminded now and then when good health is lost. But if anyone ever requires further motivation, they need only visit a place like the Moffitt Center, where all the brilliance and resourcefulness of humanity are focused on the task of saving lives and relieving suffering. You're an inspiration, and not only to your patients. You're a reminder of all that's good in American health care, and we need that reminder sometimes in Washington. I thank you for your kind attention this morning, I thank you for the heroic work you have done here, and I wish you success in the even greater work that lies ahead.

Tags: John McCain and Health Care Agenda

Press Conference by the President 04/29/08 VIDEO PODCAST

President George W. Bush laughs as he takes a question from a journalist Tuesday, April 29, 2008, during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House. White House photo by Shealah Craighead

Press Conference by the President FULL STREAMING VIDEO Rose Garden 10:31 A.M. EDT. PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Good morning. This is a tough time for our economy. Across our country many Americans are understandably anxious about issues affecting their pocketbook, from gas and food prices to mortgage and tuition bills. They're looking to their elected leaders in Congress for action. Unfortunately, on many of these issues all they're getting is delay.

Americans are concerned about energy prices, and I can understand why. I think the last time I visited with you it was like -- I said it was like a tax increase on the working people. The past 18 months, gas prices have gone up by $1.40 per gallon. Electricity prices for small business and families are rising, as well.

I've repeatedly submitted proposals to help address these problems. Yet time after time, Congress chose to block them. One of the main reasons for high gas prices is that global oil production is not keeping up with growing demand. Members of Congress have been vocal about foreign governments increasing their oil production; yet Congress has been just as vocal in opposition to efforts to expand our production here at home.

They repeatedly blocked environmentally safe exploration in ANWR. The Department of Energy estimates that ANWR could allow America to produce about a million additional barrels of oil every day, which translates to about 27 millions of gallons of gasoline and diesel every day. That would be about a 20-percent increase of oil -- crude oil production over U.S. levels, and it would likely mean lower gas prices. And yet such efforts to explore in ANWR have been consistently blocked.

Another reason for high gas prices is the lack of refining capacity. It's been more than 30 years since America built its last new refinery. Yet in this area, too, Congress has repeatedly blocked efforts to expand capacity and build more refineries.

As electricity prices rise, Congress continues to block provisions needed to increase domestic electricity production by expanding the use of clean, safe nuclear power. Instead, many of the same people in Congress who complain about high energy costs support legislation that would make energy even more expensive for our consumers and small businesses.

Congress is considering bills to raise taxes on domestic energy production, impose new and costly mandates on producers, and demand dramatic emissions cuts that would shut down coal plants, and increase reliance on expensive natural gas. That would drive up prices even further. The cost of these actions would be passed on to consumers in the form of even higher prices at the pump and even bigger electric bills.

Instead of increasing costs and increasing new roadblocks to domestic energy production, Congress needs to clear away obstacles to more affordable, more reliable energy here at home.

Americans are concerned about rising food prices. Unfortunately, Congress is considering a massive, bloated farm bill that would do little to solve the problem. The bill Congress is now considering would fail to eliminate subsidy payments to multi-millionaire farmers. America's farm economy is thriving, the value of farmland is skyrocketing, and this is the right time to reform our nation's farm policies by reducing unnecessary subsidies. It's not the time to ask American families who are already paying more in the check-out line to pay more in subsidies for wealthy farmers. Congress can reform our farm programs, and should, by passing a fiscally responsible bill that treats our farmers fairly, and does not impose new burdens on American taxpayers.

Americans are concerned about making their mortgage payments and keeping their homes, and I don't blame them. Last year I called on Congress to pass legislation that would help address problems in the housing market. This includes critical legislation that would modernize the Federal Housing Administration, reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and allow state housing agencies to issue tax-free bonds to refinance sub-prime loans. Yet they failed to send a single one of these proposals to my desk. Americans should not have to wait any longer for their elected officials to pass legislation to help more families stay in their homes.

Americans are concerned about the availability of student loans. The recent credit crunch makes it uncertain that some students will be able to get the loans they need. My administration is taking action through the Department of Education's "lender of last resort" program, which works to arrange loans for students who are unable to secure one from a lender on their own. In other words, we're helping. Congress needs to do more by passing a bill that would temporarily give the federal government greater authority to buy federal student loans. This authority would safeguard student loans without permanently expanding the government's role in their financing.

In all these issues, the American people are looking to their leaders to come together and act responsibly. I don't think this is too much to ask even in an election year. My administration will reach out to Congress. We will work to find areas of agreement so that we can deal with the economic pressures that our American taxpayers and American families are feeling. I ask Congress to do its part by sending me sensible and effective bills that I can sign, instead of issuing or sending bills that simply look like political statements. We can work together. We can help Americans weather this difficult period. We can keep our country moving forward.

Now I'll be glad to take some of your questions. Jennifer.

Q Thank you, sir. You have said that we need to wait until the first stimulus has taken effect to act again. But since it was passed, gas prices have gone up, foreclosures have gone up, there have been layoffs, news just this morning that consumer confidence is down yet again. Isn't it time to think about doing more?

And on another issue, would you support a summer moratorium on the federal gas tax?

THE PRESIDENT: First of all, the money is just now making it into people's bank accounts. And I applaud the Speaker and the Leader of the Senate and minority leaders there for working together to get this done. And now, after a period of time, the money is beginning to arrive, and we'll see what the effects are.

And we'll look at any idea in terms of energy, except I will tell you this, that if Congress is truly interested in solving the problem, they can send the right signal by saying we're going to explore for oil and gas in the U.S. territories, starting with ANWR. We can do so in an environmentally friendly way. They ought to say, why don't we -- I proposed, you might remember, taking some abandoned military bases and providing regulatory relief so we can build new refineries. I mean, if we're generally interested in moving forward with an energy policy that sends a signal to the world that we're not -- we're going to try to become less reliant upon foreign oil, we can explore at home, as well as continue on with an alternative fuels program.

Yes, sir.

Q Was that a "yes" on the moratorium?

THE PRESIDENT: No, I'm going to look at everything they propose. We'll take a look.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. Were you premature in saying that the U.S. economy is not in a recession, when food and energy prices are soaring so high? And what more can you do to persuade Saudi Arabia during your upcoming visit to reconsider output levels and cut prices?

THE PRESIDENT: I mean, you know, the words on how to define the economy don't reflect the anxiety the American people feel. The average person doesn't really care what we call it; the average person wants to know whether or not we know that they're paying higher gasoline prices and that they're worried about staying in their homes. And I do understand that. That's why we've been aggressively helping people refinance their homes. That's why I continue to call upon Congress to pass legislation that will enable people to stay in their homes.

These are tough times. People -- economists can argue over the terminology. And these are difficult times. And the American people know it, and they want to know whether or not Congress knows it. I think an important signal to send on energy, just like I said, is to say, okay, we're going to go find oil here at home.

We're transitioning to a new era, by the way -- a new era where we're going to have batteries in our cars that will power -- enable people to drive 40 miles on electricity. There's going to be more ethanol on the market, more alternative fuels. It would be -- our driving habits will change. But in the meantime, we need to be sending a signal to the world markets that we intend to explore here in America. We can also send a clear signal that we understand supply and demand, and then when you don't build a refinery for 30 years, it's going to be a part of restricting supply. And therefore, we ought to expand our refining capacity by permitting new refineries and getting after it quickly.

On the electricity front, as you know, I'm a big believer in nuclear power, except we keep getting mixed signals out of Congress. And the regulatory system sends mixed signals.

And so -- and then, to your question on the Saudis, look, I have made the case that the high price of oil injures economies. But I think we better understand that there's not a lot of excess capacity in this world right now. Hopefully high prices will spur more exploration to bring excess capacity on, but demand is rising faster than supply. And that's why you're seeing global energy prices rise. And that's why it's important for us to try to take the pressure off by saying we're going to start exploring here at home.

John.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to ask you about an area --

THE PRESIDENT: You're welcome.

Q -- where food prices and energy come together; that's biofuels.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

Q The World Bank says about 85 percent of the increase in corn price since 2002 is due to biofuel -- increased demand for biofuels. And your Secretary of State said that -- indicated yesterday that she thought that might be part of the problem. Do you agree with that? And what can the United States do -- what more can the United States do to help make food more affordable around the world?

THE PRESIDENT: Actually, I have a little different take: I thought it was 85 percent of the world's food prices are caused by weather, increased demand and energy prices -- just the cost of growing product -- and that 15 percent has been caused by ethanol, the arrival of ethanol.

By the way, the high price of gasoline is going to spur more investment in ethanol as an alternative to gasoline. And the truth of the matter is it's in our national interests that our farmers grow energy, as opposed to us purchasing energy from parts of the world that are unstable or may not like us.

In terms of the international situation, we are deeply concerned about food prices here at home and we're deeply concerned about people who don't have food abroad. In other words, scarcity is of concern to us. Last year we were very generous in our food donations, and this year we'll be generous as well. As a matter of fact, we just released about $200 million out of the Emerson Trust as part of a ongoing effort to address scarcity.

One thing I think that would be -- I know would be very creative policy is if we -- is if we would buy food from local farmers as a way to help deal with scarcity, but also as a way to put in place an infrastructure so that nations can be self-sustaining and self-supporting. It's a proposal I put forth that Congress hasn't responded to yet, and I sincerely hope they do.

Jim.

Q Good morning, Mr. President. Thank you. I just want to follow up on the idea of the gas tax moratorium if I may, because you're indicating that perhaps you'd be open to it. You mentioned in your opening remarks that --

THE PRESIDENT: I'm open to any ideas and we'll analyze everything that comes our way, but go ahead.

Q Well, we're talking about perhaps the most immediate relief to people who are buying gasoline every day, because it would be an 18.4 cents a gallon tax cut. Senator Clinton and Senator McCain are in favor of it; Senator Obama is not. But Americans are hearing about this every day. So could you flesh out perhaps some of your thinking about why this would be a good idea, or not; why you would agree with Senator McCain or Senator Obama?

THE PRESIDENT: I appreciate you trying to drag me in the '08 race. And this is the first attempt to do so, and I can understand why you would want to do that. I will tell you that, first of all, the American people have got to understand that here in the White House we are concerned about high gasoline prices, we're concerned about high food prices, we're concerned about people staying in their homes, and we're concerned about student loans -- just like I described. And Congress can be helpful. Congress -- they can show leadership by dealing with these issues.

And we'll consider interesting ideas. But, Jim, what I'm not going to do is jump right in the middle of a presidential campaign. We'll let the candidates argue out their ideas.

Q Well, would --

THE PRESIDENT: I just told you I'll consider the ideas. If it's a good idea, we embrace it; if not, we're analyzing the different ideas coming forward.

Wendell.

Q Mr. President, you just said there's not a lot of excess supply out there. Some energy experts think we may have already passed or be within a couple of years of passing the maximum oil-pumping capability. In other words, we may be close to tapping all we've got. Do you think that's the case? And if you do, why haven't you put more resources into renewable energy research, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: Wendell, we've put a lot into ethanol. As a matter of fact, the solution to the issue of corn-fed ethanol is cellulosic ethanol, which is a fancy word for saying we're going to make ethanol out of switchgrasses, or wood chips. And we're spending a lot of money along those lines.

But energy policy needs to be comprehensive. And we got to understand we're in a transition period. The problem is there's been a lot of focus by the Congress in the intermediate steps and in the long-term steps -- the long-term steps being hydrogen; the intermediate steps being biofuels, for example, and researching the biofuels, and battery technology -- but not enough emphasis on the here and now.

And so you ask -- you say that people think we can't -- there's not any more reserves to be found. Well, there are reserves to be found in ANWR; that's a given. I just told you that there's about 27 million gallons of diesel and gasoline that could be -- from domestically produced crude oil that's not being utilized. And not only that, we can explore in environmentally friendly ways. New technologies enables for -- to be able to drill like we've never been able to do so before -- slant hole technologies and the capacity to use a drill site, a single drill site, to be able to explore a field in a way that doesn't damage the environment. And yet this is a litmus test issue for many in Congress. Somehow if you mention ANWR it means you don't care about the environment. Well, I'm hoping now people, when they say "ANWR," means you don't care about the gasoline prices that people are paying.

Yes, sir. Rog.

Q Thank you, Mr. President, and good morning.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. (Laughter.) I like a friendly guy here in the Rose Garden.

Q Sir, 14 --

THE PRESIDENT: Would that be you, Rog, a friendly guy here in the Rose Garden? (Laughter.)

Q Thank you. Yes.

THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Sunshine, they call you. (Laughter.)

Q Fourteen senators, including your own Senator, Kay Bailey Hutchison from Texas, are calling on you to stop filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. You've been asked that several times over the past few years. I know what your answer has been. But do you think now, with the rising prices, the record high oil prices, it's time to change course?

THE PRESIDENT: In this case, I have analyzed the issue, and I don't think it would affect price, for this reason: We're buying, at the moment, about 67,000 to 68,000 barrels of oil per day, fulfilling statutory obligations to fill up the SPR. World demand is 85 million barrels a day. So the purchases for SPR account for one-tenth of one percent of global demand. And I don't think that's going to affect price when you affect one-tenth of one percent, and I do believe it is in our national interests to get the SPR filled in case there's a major disruption of crude oil around the world.

And one of the -- for example, one of the things the -- al Qaeda would like to do is blow up oil facilities, understanding we're in a global market, a attack on an oil facility in a major oil-exporting country would affect the economies of their enemy -- that would be us, and other people who can't stand what al Qaeda stands for. And therefore, the SPR is necessary, if that's the case, to be able to deal with that kind of contingency. And if I thought it would affect the price of oil positively, I'd seriously consider it. But when you're talking about one-tenth of one percent of global demand, I think the -- if you -- on a cost-benefit analysis, I don't think you get any benefits from making the decision. I do think it costs you oil in the case of a national security risk.

Martha.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to switch to Afghanistan. There was another attempt on President Karzai's life. There are operations going on there right now. Is the strategy succeeding? Are we winning in Afghanistan?

THE PRESIDENT: I think we're making progress in Afghanistan, but there's a very resilient enemy that obviously wants to kill people that stand in the way of their reimposition of a state that is -- which vision is incredibly dark. I mean, it's very important for the American people to remember what life was like in Afghanistan prior to the liberation of the country. We had a government in place that abused people's human rights, they didn't believe in women's rights, they didn't let little girls go to school, and they provided safe haven to al Qaeda. In the liberation of this country, we've achieved some very important strategic objectives: denying al Qaeda safe haven from which to plot and plan attacks, and replacing this repressive group with a young democracy.

And it's difficult in Afghanistan. If you know the history of the country, you understand it's hard to go from the kind of society in which they had been living to one in which people are now responsible for their own behavior. But I am pleased with a lot of things. One, I'm pleased with the number of roads that have been built. I'm pleased with the number of schools that have opened up. I'm pleased a lot of girls, young girls are going to school. I'm pleased health clinics are now being distributed around the country. I'm pleased with the Afghan army, that when they're in the fight they're good.

I wish we had completely eliminated the radicals who kill innocent people to achieve objectives, but that hasn't happened yet. And so I think it's very much in our interests to continue helping the young democracy. And we will.

Yes. Obviously you've got a follow-up.

Q But do you think we're winning? Do you think we're winning?

THE PRESIDENT: I do, I think we're making good progress. I do, yes.

Q Can I just add to that, a couple weeks ago --

THE PRESIDENT: No, you can't. This is the second follow-up. You usually get one follow-up, and I was nice enough to give you one. I didn't give anybody on this side a follow-up, and now you are trying to take a second follow-up.

Q They didn't try.

THE PRESIDENT: I know you try.

Yes.

Q Can I just say --

THE PRESIDENT: They just cut off your mic. You can't, no.

Q A couple weeks ago you said --

THE PRESIDENT: Now she's going to go without the mic. This is awesome. (Laughter.)

Q A couple weeks ago you said that in Iraq, in 2006, you said we were winning and the strategy was working to keep up troop morale.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

Q How can we believe that you're not doing the same thing here?

THE PRESIDENT: You tried to ask me that question before. It's a repeat. Look, I said --

Q No, I'm talking --

THE PRESIDENT: Can I finish, please? The question you asked me before at the exclusive I gave you on the ranch was: You said that we were winning in the past. I also said that there was tough fighting. Make sure you put the comments in place.

So what I'm going to tell you now is, we're making progress in Afghanistan, but there's tough fighting. I'm under no illusions that this isn't tough. I know full well we're dealing with a determined enemy. I believe it's in our interest that we defeat that enemy. And so, yes, we're making progress. But it's also a tough battle. We're facing people who are willing to strap bombs on themselves and walk into places where the innocent dwell, or the innocent shop, and kill them.

Is it in our interest to confront these people now, whether it be in Afghanistan, or Iraq, or Europe, or anywhere else? And the answer is, absolutely, it's in our interest. And the notion that somehow we can let these people just kind of have their way or, you know, let's don't stir them up, is naive or disingenuous, and it's not in our nation's interests. We are in a global struggle against thugs and killers. And the United States of America has got to continue to take the lead.

And so in Afghanistan, yes, we're making progress. Does that mean that it's over? No, it doesn't mean it's over. We're in a long struggle, as I've told you many a time, against these jihadists. You defeat them ultimately by the advance of democracy. See, this is an ideological struggle. These aren't isolated, law-enforcement moments. We're dealing with a group of ideologues who use asymmetrical warfare -- that means killing innocent people -- to try to achieve their objectives. And one objective is to drive us out of Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East, or anywhere else where we try to confront them.

And so, yes, I mean, look -- is it tough? Yes, it's tough. Is it difficult? Absolutely. Is it worth the fight? In my judgment, yes, it is.

Yes, ma'am.

Q Mr. President --

THE PRESIDENT: I can't hear you too well. Sorry, got a flawed mic. Martha, what did you do to the mic? (Laughter.) She wanted an exclusive again. Anyway. (Laughter.)

Q Mr. President, thank you, sir. Previously when asked about Israel's September bombing of the Syrian facility, you refused aggressively to discuss it. Then suddenly last week, your administration released classified photos and details of that bombing, intelligence officials claiming that it showed that this facility was a North Korean-designed nuclear facility being actually built with the help of Pyongyang. Why the turnaround, sir? What did you hope that that would accomplish? And what do you say to lawmakers of both parties on Capitol Hill who are quite concerned that indeed if this was what this facility was, that it took some eight months for you to inform them, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Let me correct the record. We briefed 22 members of Congress on what I'm about to tell you. First, we were concerned that an early disclosure would increase the risk of a confrontation in the Middle East or retaliation in the Middle East. As I mentioned to you early on, we did notify 22 members of Congress, key committee chairmen. And I was -- I'm mindful that there was going to be this kind of reaction, and of course, we wanted to include more members of Congress at a time when we felt the risk of retaliation or confrontation in the Middle East was reduced, and so that moment came upon us, and then extended the briefings.

We also wanted to advance certain policy objectives through the disclosures, and one would be to the North Koreans, to make it abundantly clear that we may know more about you than you think, and therefore, it's essential that you have a complete disclosure on not only your plutonium activities, but proliferation, as well as enrichment activities.

And then we have an interest in sending a message to Iran, and the world for that matter, about just how destabilizing a -- nuclear proliferation would be in the Middle East, and that it's essential that we work together to enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed at getting Iran to stop their enrichment programs. In other words, one of the things that this example shows is that these programs can exist and people don't know about them -- because the Syrians simply didn't declare the program; they had a hidden program.

And finally, we wanted to make it clear to Syria -- and the world -- that their intransigence in dealing with helping us in Iraq, or destabilizing Lebanon, or dealing with Hamas -- which is a destablizing force in our efforts to have a Palestinian state coexist peacefully with Israel -- that those efforts are -- gives us a chance to remind the world that we need to work together to deal with those issues. So that's why we made the decision we made.

Yes, sir.

Q Mr. President, you've expressed frustration with Congress, obviously, over the economic -- wanting them to do more on the economy. They've blocked you on Colombia. They've blocked you on the FISA issue. Are you frustrated? Are you angry? And do you have any real hope of being able to work with this Congress this year?

THE PRESIDENT: I am -- I believe that they're letting the American people down, is what I believe. On the FISA issue, it is hard to believe that it's okay to pass the Protect America Act in August of 2007, and that act -- people in Congress can't -- don't believe that act is relevant in 2008. I mean, the act was set to expire; it did; and yet this threat hasn't gone away. And I can only -- it's either lack of leadership or a lack of understanding of the issue, and either way, it's not good for the country. We need to make sure our professionals have the tools to protect the American people from attack.

The Colombia free trade agreement, this economy is -- as I mentioned to you, it's a sour time. It's tough for the American people. And yet the Colombia free trade agreement would benefit our economy. And the reason why is, is that many goods from Colombia come into our country duty-free. And yet our goods going to Colombia are taxed through tariff. And the American people expect the President and the Congress to at least insist that a foreign country treat us the way we treat them. And in this case, the benefits will be more exports, more mid-sized and small businesses exporting into Colombia. About 9,000 exporters into Colombia today; 8,000 are mid-sized and small businesses. And when you can export more, it helps the economy. And one of the bright lights of the economy has been the amount of exports going overseas.

So rather than playing politics or whatever rationale that they have made for Colombia, they ought to be saying, this is good for our economy, it's good for workers, it's good for small businesses.

And so I'm perplexed, I guess is the best way to describe it, about why there's no action, inactivity on big issues. And -- because the two issues you mentioned -- FISA, protecting America, and Colombia, protecting America's economy by encouraging growth -- are important to people whether they be Republicans, Democrats or independents.

Sheryl.

Q Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: You're welcome.

Q I'm still waiting for my exclusive at the ranch.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. (Laughter.)

Q Mr. President, today I'm -- (laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: I'm at a loss for words. If only you'd have been at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, I would have invited you. (Laughter.) Anyway, please, go ahead.

Q Well said.

THE PRESIDENT: An inside joke for everybody listening. (Laughter.)

Q Mr. President, you have spoken today about opening ANWR for drilling and also refineries. But these are clearly long-term solutions to the problem of rising gas prices. What can you tell Americans about what your administration is doing in the short term? And secondly, have you been briefed on tomorrow's GDP numbers, and are you concerned --

THE PRESIDENT: No, I haven't been.

Q Okay -- and are you concerned that they will show us to officially be in a recession?

THE PRESIDENT: I think they'll show that we're -- it's a very slow economy. I can't guess what the number will be, and I haven't been shown, truly.

And by the way, opening up ANWR is not long term, it's intermediate term. But it sends a clear signal, is what it does. It sends a clear signal to the markets that the United States is not going to restrict exploration; the United States is going to encourage exploration.

And in the meantime we have done, increasing CAFTA, for example. But the market is going to do as much for encouraging conservation as anything else is now. And so I firmly believe that -- you know, if there was a magic wand to wave, I'd be waving it, of course. I strongly believe it's in our interest that we reduce gas prices, gasoline prices. I mean, it would be like a major tax cut for people. And --

Q But what --

THE PRESIDENT: Let me finish, please, Sheryl. Strike one on the exclusive. (Laughter.) Excuse me, strike two. (Laughter.)

That -- you made me lose my train of thought, of course -- maybe that's what you were attempting to do. No, I think that if there was a magic wand, and say, okay, drop price, I'd do that. And so part of this is to make -- set the psychology right that says to the world, we're not going to become more beholden on your oil, we're going to open up and be aggressive and have an aggressive energy policy. Secondly, we're going to send the signal we're going to be building new refineries.

But there is no magic wand to wave right now. It took us a while to get to this fix. That's why I told you that if Congress had responded -- matter of fact, Congress did pass ANWR in the late 1900s -- 1990s -- and the 1900s -- (laughter) -- 1990s. But it didn't go forward. And it's my considered judgment, given the technological advances, to say this is -- we'll destroy the environment is just -- I don't think it's an accurate statement.

And so I think it's very important, Sheryl, for Congress. The other thing Congress can do, if you want to send a good signal during these uncertain times, is make the tax cuts permanent, is to let people -- send the signal that people are going to be able to keep their money. And I think that will help the psychology of the country.

Yes, Mark.

Q Mr. President, do you feel --

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, you can use a mic.

Q Do you feel your foreign policy in the Middle East has been undermined by Jimmy Carter's meeting with Hamas leaders? What harm does it do for him to have met with Hamas leaders?

THE PRESIDENT: Foreign policy and peace is undermined by Hamas in the Middle East. They're the ones who are undermining peace. They're the ones whose foreign policy objective is the destruction of Israel. They're the ones who are trying to create enough violence to stop the advance of the two-party state solution. They are a significant problem to world peace -- or Middle Eastern peace.

And that's the reason I'm not talking to them. And that's the reason why -- it's just important for people to understand that this is a -- we're in a -- we're witnessing a struggle between those who understand liberty and believe in the advance of liberty, and those who want to stop the advance of liberty. And Hamas has made their position very clear.

Unfortunately, they're getting help; in Syria, they get help. There's rumors about Iranian help. And these countries that I just named are -- take, for example, Lebanon. I talked to Prime Minister Siniora today. Here's a struggling democracy in the heart of the Middle East that is -- whose internal politics are being influenced by Syria, Hezbollah -- as a result of Iranian influence with Hezbollah -- all aiming to destabilize the country, which should be a clear signal about the intents of -- the intentions of groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.

So when you want to talk about peace being difficult in the Middle East -- it's going to be difficult, but it's even made more difficult by entities like Hamas, who insist upon lobbing rockets into Israel, trying to provoke response and trying to destabilize -- even destabilize the region more.

And anybody can talk to who they want, but I just want the people to understand that the problem is Hamas. And until Hamas changes, or until there's a competing vision in the Middle East for President Abbas, Prime Minister Fayyad to offer to the Palestinian people, that's all the more reason to try to define a state, and that's why I'm going to the Middle East, besides going to the 60th anniversary of Israel.

Yes, Ann.

Q Thank you, sir. Did any good come out of President Carter's talks with Hamas? And did anyone in your administration ask him not to do it? And will it have any impact on your trip to the Middle East?

THE PRESIDENT: I didn't talk to him, and I don't know, I don't know what the conversations were. And I don't see Hamas changing. It's up to Hamas to change. You get these meetings with these people, and they say one thing and do another. And this is the way it's been now for seven and a half years in this administration, watching Hamas be a destabilizing influence.

And I supported the elections, by the way. And curiously enough, they won the elections against Fatah because they ran on a non-corruption campaign. The sad situation is now they've been given power, they haven't delivered for the people in Gaza.

And my mission is to, when I go to the Middle East, is to continue to work with both Israelis and President Abbas and his government on a variety of fronts: one, coming up with a vision, helping them find a common ground on the vision; but also working with the Israelis to empower the Palestinians in the West Bank to be more in charge of security, to have less obstacles with which to deal with, to help the Palestinians with economic vitality and growth. There's some very interesting initiatives that are being developed there.

I'm still hopeful we'll get an agreement by the end of my presidency. Condi is heading back out there. I've been in touch with President Abbas here in the Oval Office, and I talk to Prime Minister Olmert, and the attitude is good. People do understand the importance of getting a state defined.

But Hamas is -- look, when you're Israel and you've got people lobbing rockets into your country, you're going to take care of business. But you got to ask, why is Hamas lobbing rockets? And one reason why is because they're trying to destabilize and create chaos and confusion. And to answer whether or not people's conversation -- whether they're more effective, all we got to do is watch to see how Hamas behaves.

Richard.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. Congress is preparing to add a couple of things to your supplemental spending request for Iraq, and I'm wondering if some of these seem like things you could support -- extending unemployment benefits and, particularly, additional help for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans in terms of educational benefits. Are these things you might agree to, even though you have set a $108 billion ceiling on the package?

THE PRESIDENT: Richard, $108 is $108. And I made my position very clear to Congress and I will not accept a supplemental over $108 billion or a supplemental that micro-manages the war, ties the hands of our commanders.

We will work with Congress on these veterans' benefits. I'm a firm believer that we ought to treat our veterans with respect. In the State of the Union I talked about the idea of transferring -- a soldier being able to transfer educational benefits to a spouse or children. We've sent legislation to that effect up to Congress; we would like for them to move on it quickly. But the $108 billion is $108 billion.

Michael.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. I wonder if there's a big, urgent problem facing the country, coming down the road, that you worry your successor will neglect or postpone. That is, when the politics are done, after the war on terror, what do you think should be at the top of the list of the person who moves into that office?

THE PRESIDENT: I don't think John McCain is going to neglect the war on terror. And I do think he'll be the President. Here I am interjecting myself in the '08 campaign, just like I told you I wouldn't. That's unfair, isn't it?

He -- it's very important for the President to understand that America is still in danger of attack, and that we're dealing with an ideological struggle that can only be solved with the spread of liberty. And a concern of mine, as you've heard me say, is that the nation has had the tendency in the past to become isolationist and correspondingly protectionist. And I would hope whoever the President is, and I do believe it will be John, will be willing to resist the impulse, the temptation, to say, well, it's not worth it anymore to confront an enemy, it's not worth it to try to do the hard work of helping democracies thrive and succeed -- because not only is it worth it, we will succeed in laying the foundation for peace if we have faith in the capacity of liberty to be transformative.

I'm also concerned about protectionism. This lad right here asked me about Congress's intransigence on Colombia. I think it reflects the fact that there is a strong protectionist sentiment in the United States. People -- good people -- believe it is not in our interest to be opening up markets. You might remember the CAFTA trade vote; we won by one vote, and it was a tough vote to get. And now the Speaker pulled a unique maneuver to stop the Colombia from moving forward. And it's a sign of -- that the country is losing its confidence, to a certain extent; that protectionist policy is better than confidently trading and treating unfairness in the marketplace.

And so my worry -- not worry -- my hope is, is that whoever the President is understands that America is a force for good in the world; that in the spread of liberty we're adhering to a universal value -- not an American value, it's a universal value, the notion of liberty. You've heard me say it a lot: I do believe it's a gift from the Almighty to every man, woman and child. If you believe in that and act on that, you're really acting on a platform of peace, because ultimately liberty yields the peace you want. It's transformative and powerful. And I believe that people will be making a mistake if they say we can't compete economically, and therefore, let's throw up walls. And yet the tendencies here in America are pretty strong right now.

There's a lot of concern around the world, by the way, about America's retreat -- they're wondering whether or not America is going to remain a leader. They're wondering whether or not -- for example, will capital be welcomed back into our country. And so it's the "isms" that bother me -- isolationism and protectionism.

April.

Q Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: You're looking good in yellow.

Q Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: How's the baby?

Q She's good, thank you. You're trying to get me off, but it's okay.

THE PRESIDENT: No. Is it true you named her "Georgia"?

Q No. Is that okay with you?

THE PRESIDENT: It's your baby. (Laughter.)

Q Anyway, moving on to the subject of the day. I talked to James Clyburn before this press conference. He said, "As a man thinketh, so are we." And Americans believe we are in a recession. What will it take for you to say those words, that we are in a recession?

And also on Zimbabwe, what's the next step? And does South Africa play a part in that?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, thank you. I've answered the question on the words and terminologies. I will tell you that these are very difficult economic times -- very difficult. And we'll let the economists define it for what it is. I would hope that those who worry about recession, slowdown, whatever you want to call it, make the tax cuts permanent as a way of helping to address this issue -- because if you're somebody out there trying to plan your future and you're worried about the future and you think your taxes are going to go up, it's going to cause different behavioral patterns.

Secondly, I do want to thank the members of Congress -- and the man you talked to is a leader and did a very good job of helping shepherd through this billions of dollar package that is now beginning to hit America's pocketbooks. And we'll see how that goes. I hope it's as stimulative as we think it will be. But you can tell the good man you talked to, who is a good guy, that I fully understand that people are concerned. And they're concerned about high gasoline prices; they're worried about high food prices; worried about staying in their homes.

The new issue, of course, is student loans. The House of Representatives passed a bill, sponsored by Mr. Miller, George Miller, that is a -- that we think can do the job. I hope the Senate moves a version of it very quickly so that we can help address this issue. I mean, one of the things that government can do is either create more anxiety or less. And if you think your taxes are going to go up, that's going to make you anxious. If you think the government is going to step in with a good policy that will help your child get a student loan, that will make you less anxious.

One of the things we've done on home ownership is the HOPE NOW Alliance, which hopefully makes people less anxious; hopefully it helps -- has kind of brought some sense of not only concern, but action into the marketplace. And I was told this morning that HOPE NOW has affected about 1.4 million homeowners and helped a lot of them refinance, get refinancing, or helped a lot of them get different interest payment schedules -- all aiming for creditworthy people to be able to stay in their homes during this difficult period.

Zimbabwe. First of all, the will of the people needed to be respected in Zimbabwe. And it is clear that they voted for change, as they should have, because the -- Mr. Mugabe has failed the country. It's a country that used to be an exporter of food; it's now got terrible human conditions there.

Secondly, the violence and the intimidation is simply unacceptable. The government is intent upon -- and is -- intimidating the people there.

We support the U.N. Security Council discussions that are going on. But the truth of the matter is, April -- and you mentioned this -- it's really incumbent upon the nations in the neighborhood to step up and lead, and recognize that the will of the people must be respected, and recognize that that will came about because they're tired of failed leadership.

Thank you all for your interest. Enjoyed it.

END 11:20 A.M. EDT For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 29, 2008

Tags: President Bush and ANWR or nuclear power

John McCain It’s Time for Action Tour VIDEO

John McCain will travels to Selma, Gee’s Bend and Thomasville, AL to begin his weeklong It’s Time for Action Tour.

In Selma John McCain will visit the Edmund Pettus Bridge which in 1965 became a breakthrough in the Civil Rights Movement. He will then travel to Gee’s Bend, AL which has been isolated by the river, economic difficulties, and racial tensions over the years. He will then journey on to Thomasville, AL where he will talk about the need for education and its importance to rural development. Click here to learn more.

“There must be no forgotten places in America, whether they have been ignored for long years by the sins of indifference and injustice, or have been left behind as the world grew smaller and more economically interdependent. In America, we have always believed that if the day was a disappointment, we would win tomorrow.“

Tags: John McCain and It’s Time for Action Tour

2008 White House Correspondents' Dinner VIDEO

2008 White House Correspondents' Dinner, Washington Hilton Hotel (April 26, 2008) -FULL STREAMING VIDEO, President George W. Bush in his final appearance as President at the 94th annual White House Correspondents' Dinner. The President looked back at past correspondents' dinners. He finished by conducting the U.S. Marine Band in a medley of patriotic marches.

Craig Ferguson the host of CBS' "Late Late Show." followed the Pesident. The Scottish-born Ferguson who became a U.S citizen in February, gave his perspective of the relationship between Government and the news media. Washington, DC. Running time is 42:12.

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TEXT TRANSCRIPT of the President's remarks

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Please excuse me if I'm a little sleepy -- at 3:00 a.m. this morning, the red phone rang. (Laughter.) It was the damn wedding planner. (Laughter.)

Two weeks from tonight is Jenna's wedding, so I'm a little wistful this evening. Plus this is my last White House Correspondents Dinner as President. You know, I'm not sure what I'm going to do next. After he left office, Vice President Gore won an Oscar and the Nobel Peace Prize. (Laughter.) Hey, I don't know, I might win a prize -- Publishing Clearinghouse or something. (Laughter.)

But thanks for inviting me. Our entertainment tonight is Craig Ferguson. (Applause.) You know, this is a small world. Craig was once in a punk band called "Bastards from Hell," which is what Dick and I are going to call our band. (Laughter.) Craig is Scottish by birth -- so is Barney. (Laughter.) Two months ago Craig became an American citizen. (Applause.) I'm honored to call you, "fellow American."

Ladies and gentlemen, surprisingly, I've enjoyed these dinners. So tonight I thought we'd reminisce a bit. The first couple of years I came to this dinner I was really into slide shows.

(Video is shown.)

THE PRESIDENT: Next year a new President will be standing up here. I have to say, I'm kind of surprised we don't have more presidential candidates here tonight -- like any. (Laughter.) Senator McCain is not here. He probably wanted to distance himself from me a little bit. (Laughter.) You know, he's not alone. Jenna is moving out, too. (Laughter.)

The two Democratic candidates aren't here either. Senator Clinton couldn't get into the building because of sniper fire and Senator Obama is at church. (Laughter.) But I'm sure whoever the next President is will show up at these dinners -- especially like the dinners in 2005 and 2006, when we had a couple of surprises up our sleeves.

(Video is shown.)

THE PRESIDENT: We've had a lot of fun nights over the years. Do you remember the year I mentioned Ozzy Osbourne, and he stood up on a chair and blew me a kiss? (Laughter.) So few leaders get that kind of experience. (Laughter.) You know, I love the mixed crowds here. It's an interesting crowd. You know, just think -- Pamela Anderson and Mitt Romney in the same room. (Laughter.) Isn't that one of the signs of the apocalypse? (Laughter.)

Which brings me to Dick. (Laughter.) For eight years as Vice President, Dick has ridden shotgun. That's probably not the best analogy. (Laughter.) But he is a dear friend, and he's been the greatest straight man in the history of the world. (Laughter.) Dick, I don't know what I would have done for material without you. (Laughter.)

(Video shown.)

THE PRESIDENT: What I like best about these evenings is the laughter and the chance to thank you for the work you do for the country. I also view this as a good chance to put aside our differences for a few hours.

And one thing we all share, whether we're native citizens or new citizens like Craig, is a tremendous appreciation for our people in uniform, an appreciation symbolized by the United States Marine Band, which is celebrating its 210th anniversary this year. (Applause.) I love the band, and so I'm going to say my farewell to you by doing something I've always wanted to do, and I do it in the spirit of our shared love for this country.

(President Bush conducts the United States Marine Band.) (Applause.)

END

Tags: President Bush and White House Correspondents' Dinner or Craig Ferguson

Freedom Calendar 04/26/08 - 05/03/08

April 26, 1999, Legislation authored by U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI) awarding Congressional Gold Medal to civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks is transmitted to President.

April 27, 1822, Birth of Republican President Ulysses Grant; championed and enforced Republican legislation to safeguard civil rights of African-Americans.

April 28, 1971, Rear Admiral Samuel Lee Gravely becomes first African-American to achieve Flag Rank in U.S. Navy, promoted by President Richard Nixon.

April 29, 1877, Death of Republican Gov. William Brownlow, who led fight for Tennessee’s ratification of 14th Amendment guaranteeing due process and equal protection of the laws.

April 30, 1862, African-American Republicans in New Orleans establish L’Union, first African-American newspaper in South.

May 1, 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaims first Jewish Heritage Week.

May 2, 1963, Republicans condemn Democrat sheriff of Birmingham, AL for arresting over 2,000 African-American schoolchildren marching for their civil rights.

May 3, 1876, Birth of Isaac Leevy, South Carolina African-American Republican who established Lincoln Emancipation Clubs in 1940s to enable African-Americans to vote.

“This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.”

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States

Technorati Tags: President Bush and Freedom Calendar or NAACP and Republicans or African-Americans and 13th Amendment or right to vote and Civil Rights or Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass or 40 acres and a mule or Brown v. Board of Education and Martin Luther King or Dred Scott

Presidential Podcast 04/26/08

Presidential Podcast 04/26/08 . 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.

Tags: President Bush and White House radio address or Department of Education

Bush radio address 04/26/08 full audio, text transcript

bush radio address 04/26/08 full audio, text transcript. President's Radio Address In Focus: Education and In Focus: Economy

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. As we approach graduation season, many American students are looking forward to beginning college in the fall. This new chapter of life is a time of great expectation but can also be a time of anxiety. And that anxiety is being heightened by the recent credit crunch, which has raised concerns about the potential availability of student loans.

Recently, some lenders have dropped out of the Federal program that provides college loans to students who have often little or no credit. Without an adequate response, this means that many students may approach the upcoming school year uncertain of when they will be able to get their loans or where they will come from.

A slowdown in the economy shouldn't mean a downturn in educational opportunities. So we're taking decisive action now to ensure that college is accessible and affordable for students around the country.

One way we're helping is through the Department of Education's "lender of last resort" program, which works to provide loans for students who are unable to secure one from a lender. The Department is taking steps to ensure that the agencies involved in this program are ready and able to meet their responsibilities. If necessary, the government will help fund these loans. With these actions, we will help ensure that a college education is not unnecessarily denied to those who have earned it.

These are important first steps, but more needs to be done. Congress needs to pass legislation that would give my Administration greater authority to buy Federal student loans. By doing so, we can ensure that lenders will continue to participate in the guaranteed loan program and ensure that students continue to have access to tuition assistance.

A bill that would do this has already passed the House of Representatives. It is called the "Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act." This bill provides the necessary tools for safeguarding student loans without permanently expanding the government's role in their financing. The authority the bill grants is temporary and would be used only if it became apparent there was a shortage of loans available to students.

Ensuring the stability of student loans is essential to keeping educational opportunities open to all Americans. Last year alone, Federal loans provided more than $60 billion of aid to American students. This money helped pay for tuition, textbooks, and the lifetime of opportunity that comes with holding a college degree. Members of Congress now have a chance to preserve this opportunity, and they should take it.

I urge Congress to get the "Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act" to my desk as soon as possible. A delay of even a week or two may make it impossible for this legislation to help students going to school this fall. By working together to improve and enact this legislation quickly, we can ensure that higher education remains within the reach for all those who've earned it. And we can ensure that America's college students can spend more time next fall thinking about their textbooks than their pocketbooks.

Thank you for listening.

For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 26, 2008

Tags: President Bush and White House radio address or Department of Education

Discurso Radial del Presidente a la Nación 04/26/08

forre el audio de la dirección de radio 04/26/08 por completo, transcripción del texto. (nota de los redactores: ninguna lengua española mp3 lanzó esta semana, apesadumbrada) PODCAST

Suscribir a nuestro canal de Podcast de Odeo o del podnova y recibir la dirección de radio presidencial semanal en inglés y español con informes selectos del departamento del estado. Ofreciendo transcripciones audio y con texto completo verdaderas, más fuentes contentas agregaron a menudo así que la estancia templó.

Buenos Días.

Al acercarse la temporada de graduaciones escolares, muchos estudiantes estadounidenses están mirando hacia el comienzo de la universidad en el otoño. Este nuevo capítulo de la vida es un tiempo de grandes expectativas, pero también puede ser un momento de ansiedad. Y esa ansiedad está siendo enaltecida por la reciente crisis financiera, la cual ha dado lugar a inquietudes sobre la disponibilidad potencial de préstamos estudiantiles.

Recientemente, algunos prestamistas se han retirado del programa federal que ofrece préstamos universitarios a estudiantes que suelen tener poco o ningún crédito. Sin una respuesta adecuada, esto significa que muchos alumnos podrán enfrentar el año escolar venidero inciertos sobre cuando podrán obtener sus préstamos o de donde provendrán.

Una disminución en la economía no debería significar un descenso en las oportunidades educativas. Por lo tanto estamos tomando acción decisiva ahora para asegurar que la universidad sea asequible y al alcance de estudiantes en todo el país.

Una manera en que estamos ayudando es a través del programa del Departamento de Educación llamado “prestamista de último recurso”, que se esfuerza por ofrecer préstamos a estudiantes que no pueden obtenerlos de un prestamista. El Departamento está tomando medidas para asegurar que las agencias involucradas en este programa estén listas y capaces de cumplir con sus responsabilidades. De ser necesario, el gobierno ayudará a financiar estos préstamos. Con estas acciones, ayudaremos a asegurar que una educación universitaria no sea negada innecesariamente a aquellos que la hayan merecido.

Estos son primeros pasos importantes, pero queda más por hacer. El Congreso necesita aprobar legislación que de a mi Administración mayor autoridad para comprar préstamos estudiantiles federales. Al hacer esto, podemos asegurar que los prestamistas sigan participando en el programa de préstamos garantizados y asegurar que los estudiantes sigan teniendo acceso a asistencia para la matrícula. Un proyecto de ley que haría esto ya ha sido aprobado por la Cámara de Representantes. Se llama la “Ley para Asegurar el Acceso Continuo a Préstamos Estudiantiles”. Este proyecto de ley ofrece las herramientas necesarias para proteger a los préstamos estudiantiles sin ampliar permanentemente el rol del gobierno en su financiamiento. La autoridad que el proyecto de ley concede es provisional y sería usada sólo si una escasez de préstamos disponibles para estudiantes llegara a ser aparente.

El asegurar la estabilidad de préstamos estudiantiles es esencial para mantener abiertas las oportunidades educacionales para todos los estadounidenses. Apenas el año pasado, los préstamos federales ofrecieron más de 60 mil millones de dólares en ayuda a estudiantes estadounidenses. Este dinero ayudó a pagar la matrícula… los libros de texto… y la vida llena de oportunidades que acompaña el ser acreedor a un título universitario. Los miembros del Congreso ahora tienen la oportunidad de conservar esta oportunidad… y deben tomarla.

Insto al Congreso que me haga llegar lo más pronto posible la “Ley para Asegurar el Acceso Continuo a Préstamos Estudiantiles”. Una demora de apenas una o dos semanas podría imposibilitar que esta legislación ayude a los estudiantes que van al colegio este otoño. Trabajando juntos para mejorar y sancionar esta legislación sin demora, podemos asegurar que la educación superior se mantenga al alcance de todos que la hayan merecido. Y podemos asegurar que el próximo otoño, los estudiantes universitarios de Estados Unidos puedan dedicar más tiempo a pensar en sus libros de texto que en sus billeteras.

Gracias por escuchar.

Para su publicación inmediata Oficina del Secretario de Prensa 26 de abril de 2008

Etiquetas De Technorati: Discurso Radial del Presidente a la Nación, y Presidente Bush

President Bush Discusses Economic Stimulus Rebate Checks VIDEO PODCAST

President George W. Bush delivers a statement Friday, April 25, 2008, on the South Grounds of the White House regarding the economic stimulus rebate checks. "I'm pleased that the Treasury Department has worked quickly to get the money into the hands of the American people. Starting Monday, the effects of the stimulus will begin to reach millions of households across our country." White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian

President Bush Discusses Economic Stimulus Rebate Checks FULL STREAMING VIDEO South Grounds In Focus: Economy 9:16 A.M. ED PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. It's obvious our economy is in a slowdown. Fortunately, we recognized the signs early and took action. I signed an economic growth package that will provide tax rebates to millions of American families and workers to boost consumer spending. On Monday, the Treasury Department will begin delivering the first of these tax rebates by direct deposit. During the first week alone nearly 7.7 million Americans will receive their tax rebates electronically. Then on May 9th, the IRS will begin mailing checks to millions more across America.

By this summer, the Treasury Department expects to have sent rebates to about 130 million American households. These rebates will provide eligible Americans with payments of up to $600 a person, $1,200 for couples, and $300 per child.

If you've already filed your income tax return your rebate is on the way. Even if you don't owe any income taxes you may still be eligible for a check, but you need to file a form with the IRS. And it's not too late to do so. Now, you can find out information as to how to proceed by calling your local IRS office, or go to the IRS website.

We want to make sure everyone who's eligible for a check gets one on a timely basis. This money is going to help Americans offset the high prices we're seeing at the gas pump and at the grocery store, and it will also give our economy a boost to help us pull out of this economic slowdown.

I'm pleased that the Treasury Department has worked quickly to get the money into the hands of the American people. Starting Monday, the effects of the stimulus will begin to reach millions of households across our country.

Thank you very much.

END 9:18 A.M. EDT. For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 25, 2008

Tags: President Bush and White House or Economic Stimulus Rebate Checks

White House Press Briefing by Dana Perino 04/24/08 VIDEO, PODCAST

Press Briefing by Dana Perino FULL STREAMING VIDEO, running time 18:10 min, James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, Dana M. Perino Biography, 12:40 P.M. EDT. PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE

MS. PERINO: Hello, everyone. I don't have anything to start with, so we'll go straight to questions.

Q Does the information that's being released today about North Korea and Syria help or hurt the administration's argument that North Korea is going to fully disclose its nuclear activities?

MS. PERINO: As I said this morning, there are many things I'm not going to be able to comment on in today's briefing, which I know is very frustrating, not just for you but for me, too.

Q I'm not talking about the information itself, but I'm talking about --

MS. PERINO: But commenting on -- by answering that question I would be also answering the previous question. There are Hill briefings that are ongoing right now. Out of respect for that process, and for the members of Congress to be able to hear this from administration officials first, I'm going to defer to answer specific questions on that until they have a chance. But I would refer you back to what the President said on -- just last Saturday at Camp David in regards to the North Koreans and the six-party talks and North Korea's declaration.

Q When did President Bush see the videotape of what happened in Syria?

MS. PERINO: Again, I'm going to decline to comment on specifics of whatever is being said to Capitol Hill right now and what other people -- what you all might see later today.

Q Was it shown to the South Korean President?

MS. PERINO: I'm not commenting on it. You can chase me around the podium -- (laughter.)

Q One more general question, though. The administration got it wrong on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. Why should this new information, whatever it is, be believed?

MS. PERINO: Again, Mark, I am going to -- I understand the question. I appreciate that you'd like for me to be able to answer it. I am not going to be able to answer these questions. I'm going to let the senior administration officials and intelligence officials talk to Capitol Hill. Last fall we did brief 22 members of Congress, House and Senate members, consistent with our obligations. More members are being briefed today and I'm going to let that process take place.

Q Dana, on that point, because you brought up the lawmakers, two of them who were briefed today who were among those who were briefed back in the fall came out -- Chairman Reyes and Ranking Republican Hoekstra -- and they were livid, I think to say the least. And what Hoekstra said -- and I'm quoting him -- he says, "We were used." The administration -- he said, we were told -- "We were used today by the administration, not because they felt they had to inform Congress because it was their legal obligation to do that, but because they had other agendas in mind." He says, any bond of trust between the administration and Congress has been shattered. And he says it will now be very difficult to get any agreements, in particular, anything based on the six-party talks through Congress. What do you say to that?

MS. PERINO: Obviously we would be very disappointed that he feels that way and would hope he understands our tremendous respect for members of Congress. And as I said, back in the fall we briefed 22 members of Congress, consistent with our obligations. He was one of them. There are tensions that exist between the executive branches and the legislative branches on a range of issues in regards to who should know what when. But we will continue to work with Representative Hoekstra and continue to talk with him. And he was part of the briefings this morning, and again, I'm not going to comment on anything until those briefings can be completed today.

Q He says he just doesn't feel that then, in September, eight months ago, that they got any kind of decent explanation as to why the other members of the committee shouldn't have been briefed. They asked for them to be briefed. And he said, I don't -- still don't believe we've gotten a good explanation then today for this delay. Why now?

MS. PERINO: Again, I will decline to comment. There will be more information that will hopefully answer more of these questions later today. It could be that once senior administration officials talk with Representative Hoekstra that he still won't be satisfied, and we'll have to satisfy that he got an answer that he believes is satisfactory. We'll have to accept that -- that's his opinion. But we certainly have tried to work with him and the Democrats across the board, and consistent with our obligations, briefed the appropriate members of Congress last fall.

Q Syria is saying that this is an attempt -- all it is is an attempt to put pressure on North Korea. Is the United States at this point trying to increase pressure on North Korea to comply with its nuclear declaration?

MS. PERINO: Our pressure on North Korea has been ongoing through the six-party talks, and you just heard from the President on Saturday about that. I think that by the end of the day, I think a lot of these questions will be answered for you. I'm not able to go into details here.

Bret.

Q Will one of those questions later today be why this information came out? Will we find that out later today?

MS. PERINO: I believe that you will be given more information about that later today and that -- again, will it satisfy everybody? I don't know. But let's let the briefings take place and then we can go from there.

Q What form will the information be put out later here? Is there a statement by the White House?

MS. PERINO: As I said this morning, I am working to get something that could come out from me as soon as possible. I'm having to be respectful of the congressional briefing schedule that is ongoing today, and I'm trying to push the system a little bit for not only our interest to make sure that we inform the American public, but for yours so that you get -- don't get jammed on the back-end of your day. I'm aware of deadlines and hope that we can meet them.

Q Are there other agency briefings, backgrounders or otherwise -

MS. PERINO: I'd just refer you to the intelligence community for that.

Q But you will be having a statement later today, but maybe not before 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m.?

MS. PERINO: I hesitate to put a time on it. I'm pushing as hard as I can. It probably will not be as early as I would like.

Q Is it tied to the conclusion of the briefings on the Hill?

MS. PERINO: I'm trying to work on that and trying to push the system a little bit. I'm not sure if I'll be successful.

Q Dana, just to be clear, Hoekstra did already get his briefing and he wasn't satisfied. So will you be reaching out again to him?

MS. PERINO: Of course, we'll just have to -- our senior officials and our staff talk with him and his staff on a regular basis.

Q Dana, in October the President said that any such proliferation activities would be a grave threat to the United States and that North Korea would face serious consequences. Does he stand by those statements?

MS. PERINO: Yes.

Q What should the consequences be then?

MS. PERINO: Well, let's let the briefings take place and the declaration take place, and we will move on from there.

Q And what's the international component to this? Have you talked to the other -- do the other six-party -- or four parties know the information that's being provided to Congress today?

MS. PERINO: This will not come as a surprise to any members of the six-party talks.

Q Okay. And I understand that the United States reached out to the IAEA today. Do you want inspectors to go into Syria to make sure that they're satisfied -- make sure that Syria is in compliance with the NPT?

MS. PERINO: I don't know who reached out, if they did. So I'm not aware of that. I don't know who it would have been. But I think when I have my statement today that you'll have later this afternoon, that that question will be at least partially answered.

Q Okay.

Q Another issue?

MS. PERINO: Is everyone okay with that? Okay.

Q I'd like to ask you about a couple of comments from Democrats about the oil price situation.

MS. PERINO: Okay.

Q Some Senate Democrats are threatening to block arms deals if the Saudis, the Kuwaitis and other Arab countries don't pump more oil. And there's also a call on the House Democratic side once again to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

MS. PERINO: Okay, I'll go in order then, taking the first question first. I think once again the Democrats are barking up the wrong tree. The last thing that we want to do is increase our dependence on foreign sources of energy. For years they have been in the lead to block efforts to have environmentally responsible exploration and production in our own country. Arms deals are not favors that we do for friends; they are in our national strategic interests and something that we work closely with Congress on.

And therefore, what would be most productive on Capitol Hill right now is to take measures into their own hands and work to make sure that we are increasing production and exploration here in our own country, so that we can reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy in ways where we know how to do it, without harming the environment -- or with minimal impact on the environment, while we work to transition our economy to one where we would be able to operate on less traditional sources of energy -- alternatives and renewables.

I would remind you that it was just in his 2007 State of the Union address that an additional plan the President put forward was to reduce traditional oil and gas use by 20 percent in 10 years. We were able to get that bill passed. It doesn't go as far and as fast as we would like, but just this week, on Tuesday, Secretary Peters of the Transportation agency, said that on the mileage-per-gallon standards that were supposed to be increased at 4 percent a year, that we think that we can do better and we can do it faster, and so we're going to do it at 4.5 percent a year.

So we're trying to push the technology and push the system. But the suggestion that they made today is not one that we could support, for the reasons I said.

Q What about the Petroleum Reserve?

MS. PERINO: So to that point, the purpose of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is to provide the United States with oil in the event of a severe disruption of supply. It has been ineffective when it has been used to manipulate the price in the past. And the administration continues to fill the reserve at a very modest rate, and we don't believe the fill rates have a meaningful impact on oil supplies, as this oil equates to less than one-tenth of 1 percent of daily world consumption.

Q Can I just get your reaction to something that Senator Schumer said on the same thing? He said that the Saudis and the oil companies are in cahoots and the administration is coddling them.

MS. PERINO: You know, I think that Senator -- that those types of -- that those remarks are ones that again continue to ignore the root cause of this issue. And continuing to blame other countries, when in fact, those countries -- and the one that he mentioned, especially in regards to Saudi Arabia just this week talked about how they have spent billions of dollars to explore for more oil in their own country. There are limits to supply and there is a huge amount of demand.

We can encourage them, and we have asked them, to increase production. But we are not going to be able to do so in a way that waves a magic wand and immediately reduces gas prices. And I would say this about that particular Senator that you mentioned: For the very same people that are clamoring for lower gasoline prices, they are the same ones that are hailing policies in the United States Senate that would expressly increase gas prices or electricity prices. And I could point to the Warner-Lieberman bill as one that across the board economists have forecasted would increase gas prices.

Q On the same topic -- you called on them to take measures to increase production. Can you just be specific?

MS. PERINO: Sure, there's ANWR, which we've been talking about for years. And I think that the issue -- there are so many facts on the ground now when it comes to that, that it's disingenuous to suggest that it would harm the environment, because we know how to do it in the best possible way, with the newest and best technologies on Earth that could help us produce that; plus, not to mention, all of the jobs that it would create up in that part of our country.

In addition, there is offshore oil that we could pursue in ways that don't hurt viewscapes, as has been a concern, but also ones that take into account the way to do offshore oil in a way that will not harm the environment.

Q And just a quick question -- in the letter that Speaker Pelosi sent to the President, she mentioned -- she called on him to get the FTC to crack down on price manipulators. Is that something under --

MS. PERINO: We absolutely agree. We absolutely agree that there are -- if there are any cases of price gouging, that they should be fully investigated. But I think that, again, to bark up the wrong tree and suggest that there is an easy fix to this -- they are -- it's not fair to the American people and it's absolutely misleading. And what Congress should be focused on is how do we start addressing the root causes of these problems in a way that we can reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy in ways that we can produce more here at home?

Bret.

Q Two quick issues. Senate John McCain was touring a Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans today. He said, "Never again will a disaster be handled in this terrible and disgraceful way." He was asked specifically to talk about President Bush and how he failed in his Katrina conduct, and he said, "I think everybody knows how it was a failure." There were unqualified people in charge. There was a total misreading of the dimensions of the disaster. There was a failure of communications on the part of the way -- the common spectrum to used by many first responders. He said, "It's been well chronicled. I don't think anybody in America, hardly, is unaware of the many failings that took place." What your reaction to that?

MS. PERINO: Well, I didn't see the comments, but from what I know, having been here during the time, President Bush absolutely took responsibility for any failing on the part of the federal government. But at the same time there were problems at the federal, state and -- I'm sorry, at the state and local levels, as well, which they have admitted to. One thing I would point to is that -- it was the largest hurricane to hit us. It hit us hard and it hit us in a spot where we were the most vulnerable; where we had citizens who were living in a place that was really in a bowl, and they suffered the consequences of a terrible flooding.

That said, one of the things that the President asked then Homeland Security Director Fran Townsend to do was an after-action report, of which we did, and the recommendations have all been taken into account and they are being addressed. And we can get you an update, but I think that almost all of the recommendations were accepted and have been addressed by -- across the board, across the federal government.

Q One quick one to finish up. Is there any update on the stolen Blackberries in New Orleans? What is the story with this?

MS. PERINO: There was an incident in New Orleans at the leaders' summit in -- where an individual from the Mexican delegation, or a staff member was involved in these Blackberries -- the disappearance of a couple of Blackberries. I don't know how many it was. The matter is under investigation by law enforcement officials and they haven't decided yet what exactly happened, but they're working on it.

Q Was there sensitive material on the Blackberries?

MS. PERINO: I don't know. I'm going to let the investigation take place before I comment on it.

Q Whose were they?

Q Yes, whose Blackberries? Were they White House staff Blackberries?

DANA: I don't -- I'm not --

Q U.S.?

DANA: U.S., yes.

Q White House officials?

DANA: I don't know if they were -- I'm not quite sure whose they were, so I don't want to say that, but they were certainly U.S. delegation.

Q Dana, there seems to be some concern in the Palestinian community that the President does not have any meetings on his schedule when he goes to Israel with Palestinian leaders. What, if anything, will the President do while he's there to reach out either to Palestinian leaders or ordinary Palestinians to commemorate in a way the flip side of Israel's birthday, which is the loss of Palestinian homes and their expulsion?

DANA: Well, the first thing he's going to do is he'll be meeting in just 20 minutes with President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. So we'll be there, and then there's pool at the bottom of their meeting and I think you'll hear from him that he plans to be able to see President Abbas in Sharm el-Sheikh when he's there.

Q But what about when he's in Israel, will he reach out in any way to the Palestinian community?

MS. PERINO: Well, we haven't released the schedule yet so let's wait and see. But the expressed purpose of the trip is to go to the 60th anniversary of the celebration of the start of Israel. And beyond that, let's wait for their meeting to take place. We're still finalizing the schedule; it's not set in stone.

Q Does he view that, though, as an insult in a way to Palestinians, to go to -- you know, is he siding himself too closely with Israel?

MS. PERINO: Since the President met yesterday with King Abdullah and he's meeting today with President Abbas and plans to see him in a couple of weeks, no, I don't think that that's a fair characterization.

Q The President in August, saying that time is running out -- do you still believe that the peace process is on track?

MS. PERINO: Well, we certainly think it's had much more halting progress than we would have liked and it's not moving fast enough. But one of the things the President is doing today is listening to President Abbas as he continues to find the spots where we can continue to push. I mean, a lot of this is up to the Palestinians and the Israelis, who committed to trying to work something out by the end of the year. And we are hopeful that we can continue on that path, but we also know we have a heck of a lot of work to do.

Q But since Annapolis, it's been six months until now. Can you point out any achievement that happened between now and then, in nine months until the President is --

MS. PERINO: Well, I think you have to look at this in terms of a package. And while they have had good conversations early on in the process, then they backtrack a little bit. And we have a very complex situation on the ground and it's going to take a little while. But I wouldn't say that you're going to get this in a piecemeal fashion. I think that you're going to have to take a look at it in total, once we get to a resolution, if we can get one.

Q Thank you.

Q Dana.

MS. PERINO: Can I just do Goyal -- sorry.

Q Thank you.

MS. PERINO: Go ahead, Goyal. Kathleen must have a lunch date. (Laughter.)

Q Two quick ones. One is that Iran is saying now that they are opening for the inspections for IAEA and because their nuclear program is now for peaceful, which they have denied in the past. How does it look -- President believes Iran now that they are ready to open various facilities?

MS. PERINO: We'll see. Actions speak louder than words, and we haven't seen a lot of action on their side, but a lot of words.

Q And second quick one. Yesterday Attorney General was speaking at CSIS and he gave a review of the -- what do you call the international --

MS. PERINO: The terrorist program?

Q What I'm saying is my question, quick, does President believe what he set out as far as international criminals are concerned they are also connected with terrorism and terrorists? And what steps President --

MS. PERINO: Yes, the President believes that and that's something we've been working on and something Judge Mukasey -- I should say Attorney General Mukasey is continuing to work on.

Okay, thank you.

END 1:01 P.M. EDT. For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 24, 2008

Tags: President Bush and White House or Dana Perino and North Korea