President Congratulates Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts VIDEO PODCAST

President Bush Congratulates NFL Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts FULL STREAMING VIDEO South Lawn 3:08 P.M. EDT PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. How about it? Like, the Indianapolis Colts here on the South Lawn. Congratulations. Welcome to the Super Bowl champs. (Applause.)

I want to welcome Jim Irsay and Meg, and Carlie, Casey, and Kalen. I had the honor of calling Jim after they won. I understand how hard it is to be an owner of a sports team and win. (Laughter.) I never did it. But he has, and I congratulate the organization. I congratulate Bill Polian, as well. MORE GALLERY

I want to thank all the front office personnel, the schedulers, the ticket sellers, the travel arrangers, the people who never get any credit. I appreciate you being part of a fine organization. And we're here on the South Lawn to congratulate you.

I congratulate the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungy. (Applause.) And I'm glad his wife, Lauren, is here, as well. Tony Dungy is the first African American coach to ever win a Super Bowl. (Applause.) That, in itself, is a great honor. But interestingly enough, he is a man who has used his -- a position of notoriety to behave in a quiet and strong way in the face of personal tragedy that has influenced a lot of our fellow citizens. And I want to thank you for your courage. (Applause.)

Alphonso Jackson is here with us, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Prior to today he told me he was a Cowboy fan. (Laughter.) Like, what are you doing here, A.J.? Oh, okay, you wanted to see the coach. All right, good. I thank Randy Tobias, who was an executive from Indianapolis, but ran our HIV/AIDS initiative -- by the way, helped people in Africa receive antiretroviral drugs. When we came in there was 50,000 people receiving antiretroviral drugs; now there's 850,000 people receiving antiretroviral drugs. (Applause.) Tobias, thank you for your compassion. Al Hubbard, Economic Adviser to the President is here -- Indianapolis Colt fan.

I want to thank members of the Congress who have joined us today, starting with Senator Evan Bayh and Susan. It's good to see the Bayh lads with them. Thank you all for coming. Appreciate you being here. (Applause.) Dan Burton, appreciate you coming, Dan, and Samia, I'm glad you're here. Thanks for coming, Samia. Mark Souder, Julia Carson, Mike Pence, Baron Hill, Joe Donnelly and Brad Ellsworth -- glad you all are here. (Applause.)

Some of these guys get elected for the first time, and the first thing that happens is the Indianapolis Colts win the Super Bowl. You're not taking credit, are you? (Laughter.)

I want to thank all the coaches who are here. I want to thank the families of the Colt family who have helped this organization flourish. I want to -- most of all I want to thank the players. I am proud of you, the country is proud of you, the people from Indiana have supported you, and you didn't let them down. As a matter fact, last time you won as Colts, though, was 1971. Interesting, I thought about that. Most of you weren't even born. I was, and that's when they beat our Cowboys, A.J. (Laughter.) But you've -- as Bill put it, he said, "Finally." And a lot of Indianapolis fans said, "Thank goodness." They love to support this team. And you didn't let them down.

It was a pretty tough season, though, when you think about it. It wasn't one of these runaways. It looked like it was going to be a -- Secretary Rice, if you want to come in, please, yes. (Applause.) So you're a big Dungy fan, aren't you?

SECRETARY RICE: Yes, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: That's right, that's what I thought. So the season started off good, like you won the first nine games, and then it appeared this championship team was going to fizzle; it wasn't going to make it. And so they -- you lost four out of seven. And they started to, like, write you off, right? They kind of say -- you probably -- some of these sports writers started to say, you know, well, they don't have what it takes; they can -- they can kind of do okay until it comes to the big one, and then they just don't have the character necessary to make it work. They did okay in the wild card, and you move your way to the playoffs, and then all of a sudden, the guy on Super Bowl 41 runs the kickoff back. (Laughter.) I'm sure a lot of those skeptics were saying, "Told you so, the Indianapolis Colts, good players, fine people, just don't have what it takes to win." But as the coach said, "Our guys just kept saying, 'We're going to fight -- we're not going to be denied.' That heart will take you a long way."

And so this is a victory for good hearts -- good hearts off the field and good hearts on the field. And we congratulate you. Thank you for winning. (Applause.)

So a lot of people here in the White House compound have been really looking forward to seeing Peyton Manning. They wanted to see a guy who gets more air time than I do. (Laughter.) I met Peyton Manning. He said, I'm going to be here during your presidency. We will be here having won the Super Bowl. And sure enough, he delivered. And Peyton, thank you for being a fine person and a good quarterback.

I'm sure Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne are saying thanks for being a good quarterback, thanks for getting us the ball -- after all, these two players ranked second and third in the NFL in receiving during the regular season. That's called balanced attack -- particularly when you added that LSU guy, Joseph. Where's Joseph? There he is. (Laughter and applause.) Congratulations to you.

Dominic Rhodes led the NFL in rushing yards in the post-season. You had people who can catch the ball, guy who throws the ball and people who can run the ball. People held your defense as suspect -- but not when it counted. I can remember all the analysts saying, well, the defense is a little short this year; they may have the offensive firepower, but they can't play on the other side of the ball. Until it mattered. And then the defense stood up and helped this team become a Super Bowl champ.

So to the offense, congratulations on doing what people expected. To the defense, thanks for helping this team be here in the White House, as well. (Applause.)

It's good to be the presence of Adam Vinatieri -- again. (Laughter.) The man knows how to pick a winner. (Laughter.) And help contribute to a winner. You know, in 2005 he didn't make it to the White House, and I asked, why. It was a simple matter of he and his wife were having a child -- I hope the kid is doing well. We're glad you're here, Adam, thank you very much.

I appreciate what guard Ryan Lilja said. He said, "The whole team has fought hard the whole season, through ups and downs." Isn't that what life is about, isn't it really? Through the ups -- it's easy to fight hard in the ups. It's when the downs come that you've got to be a fighter. He said, "I couldn't be prouder to be a part of this football team."

And I couldn't be prouder to welcome the football team to the South Lawn of the White House. I appreciate what this team does. I appreciate the example you set. I appreciate the fact that you understand that off the field, a lot of people are looking at you to determine whether or not they want to be like you.

I thank you very much for the "Bleed Blood Blue Drive" [SIC] -- that's hard for a guy from West Texas to say -- (laughter) -- "Bleed Blood Blue Drive" [SIC] in which you've encouraged 2,000 people to donate blood. I appreciate the book drives that you've held to promote literacy in the state of Indiana. I appreciate the food drives that you've held to fight hunger in the state of Indiana. I appreciate the Colts Football Fund.

Most of all, I appreciate you all. Thanks for coming. God bless. (Applause.)

MR. IRSAY: Mr. President, we have a special gift to present to you from the Irsay family and the Colts organization. I knew that you'd love these specially made cowboy hats. We have some special dedications inside there for you, sir, and I hope you'll enjoy it.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you, sir.

MR. IRSAY: You're welcome.

THE PRESIDENT: Pretty snazzy, huh? (Laughter and applause.)

MR. DUNGY: And on behalf of the team, we got you a Bush Colts jersey. We normally go number 1, but in this case, we had to go 43.

THE PRESIDENT: That's right, thank you. (Applause.)

END 3:19 P.M. EDT, For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, April 23, 2007

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Jendayi Frazer, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs crisis in Sudan VIDEO

Jendayi Frazer, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, FULL STREAMING VIDEO, participates in a special press briefing to discuss her recent trip to Africa and the crisis in Sudan. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER: I think it's a couple of questions, right? (Laughter.

QUESTION: Well, I mean, the New York Times today talked about the diplomatic side of this really falling apart with Ethiopia -- with Eritrea pulling out of this Contact Group. How worried are you about where this is heading?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER: Well, I think it's important that we get back on to the political process. I think it's very clear that the key to solving the situation in Somalia and stabilizing it is to have this inclusive dialogue, and so trying to get the Transitional Federal Government to reach out to the various clans and sub-clans is a large part of our diplomacy.

The issue of Eritrea is one that I would say that the region needs to take some responsibility for -- the African Union, IGAD and the neighboring countries -- that Eritrea has not been playing a constructive role in Somalia because they continue to fund, arm, train and advise the insurgents, especially the al-Shabab militia. And so trying to get Isaias Afworki to work constructively I think is going to be extremely important for the region to try to achieve.

Yes.

QUESTION: Are you satisfied with the role Ethiopia is playing? I mean, they seem to be -- it's an awfully heavy-handed role, military role, that they're doing in these current battles in the capital. I mean, would you like to see that ease a bit?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER: Well, we definitely continue to urge all sides to have a ceasefire and we know that Ethiopia is very quietly working very closely with especially the Hawia clan and the Transitional Federal Government to negotiate a long-term ceasefire. So on the one hand, absolutely we're concerned about the loss of civilian life in a military conflict between the al-Shabab insurgents, the Transitional Federal Government and Ethiopian forces. No doubt about it. We're very concerned. We're pushing for the ceasefire and for those discussions to bear fruit so that they can end this violence.

QUESTION: Can I ask a Sudan question, actually? One thing I didn't -- I wanted to ask the Deputy Secretary. There were some accounts here that President Bush was ready to go forth with the sanctions package the day of the speech at the Holocaust memorial and that Ban Ki-moon came back at the last minute and said, "I need a few more weeks." Is that a true account, you know, that Bush was ready to go forward?

And also, one question he didn't answer was what does Ban Ki-moon think he can get done in the next couple of weeks. Are his intentions -- are Bashir's intentions -- does Ban Ki-moon see his intentions differently?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER: Well, I think that -- well, we were on the road, of course, when the discussions were taking place here, but it's clear that Ban Ki-moon asked for more time for his diplomacy to progress and that I think that it's -- the belief is that Ban Ki-moon is hoping that due to the negotiation process that he's had with the Government of Sudan, the AU and the UN that this heavy support package that was agreed to will actually be implemented. Now the next step, as the Deputy Secretary said, is to get the Government of Sudan to quickly also agree to the hybrid force itself.

And so that's where we are in the negotiation process and I think that's probably what Ban Ki-moon is trying to work out right now.

QUESTION: Do you think Ban Ki-moon sees the intentions of President Bashir differently than the United States?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER: No, I think that we all are in a situation where you've got to test the agreements that they make. I don't think that he sees the intentions differently. I think that he's in the position as the head of the UN to try to negotiate. He's one of the implementing partners; the UN, the AU need to negotiate with President Bashir.

QUESTION: What do you think the international community should be doing to resolve the situation in Somalia and to push the process along and to encourage reconciliation? And why do you think the conflict in Somalia has not attracted, for example, the same kind of attention as Darfur and other areas? What's behind that lack of action?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER: Well, there's not a lack of action on Somalia. I think that it's very clear what needs to happen to try to stabilize Somalia. First and foremost, as I said, there needs to be a political process in place and we're trying to get the Transitional Federal Government to reach out to the various clans and to have this national reconciliation congress that will lead to greater legitimacy within the Transitional Federal Government. As you know, the Transitional Federal Government was established in a 4.5 formula in Nairobi. There were all clans represented in the Transitional Federal Government, but there may need to be some greater process that through the congress, the dialogue, to have representatives that are now even more legitimate from their communities. And so that's clearly necessary.

At the same time that you have this political process, you have to stabilize the security front. And that's where trying to deploy African forces or UN forces is going to be essential, trying to get in some forces that could help stabilize. The challenge there is that there are these insurgents, these al-Shabab militia that are trying to undermine both the political dialogue as well as the security situation. They include -- that includes targeting Hawia leadership that are trying to reach out. They're actually trying to spoil this process of political dialogue and reconciliation.

And then finally, it's very clear that there is a humanitarian crisis coming out of the conflict that's taking place in Mogadishu and trying to get assistance to the people of Somalia as soon as possible, and we're working both with the Transitional Federal Government, with UN agencies and with the Ethiopians and the Ugandans who are there to try to make -- to facilitate access to get that assistance to the people.

QUESTION: Do you think that that humanitarian crisis is rising to a similar level as, say, the one in the mid-1990s? Are you concerned that you may be going down that road?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER: I'm concerned that we need to get the political process on track and that that is the key. And until you can stabilize the security situation, it's very difficult to have this national dialogue. I think that most of the people who move out of the city I understand are on the outskirts of the city so can move home fairly quickly. So I think that it's a situation that's containable but there are committed spoilers who have to be dealt with so that those who are more moderate and are seeking dialogue will be able to come to the fore.

QUESTION: Can I just ask one brief thing about Eritrea? Is it your -- have you come to any conclusion about what Isaias' calculation is here? Is he just doing this to, you know -- I don't know the right word -- just to bother the Ethiopians, or is there something more nefarious at hand here? Have the Eritreans decided to become a supporter of extremism -- extremist Muslim groups?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER: I haven't actually spoken to Eritrean officials and so I think that I can only assume what Eritrea's calculation is. It's not through direct dialogue with the Eritreans themselves. But very clearly, Eritrea has played a game of trying to oppose Ethiopia everywhere in the region and that probably fundamentally goes back to addressing the issue of the border. I do not believe that Eritrea has taken a position of supporting extremists as a sort of ideological orientation or a common interest with extremist elements across the region. I think that they're also supporting rebels in Darfur for the same reason, which is to try to block any Ethiopian action in Ethiopia rapprochement with the Government of Sudan. So I think it's about balancing Ethiopia's interests. But that said, that's an analysis not based on direct dialogue with the Eritreans.

QUESTION: Has any one suggested to them that this might -- while it may be they may see it in their short term, medium term interest as a buffer to Ethiopia that long term this is really going to get them in a whole lot of trouble or have you been completely blocked out from any talks with the senior Eritrean leadership?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER: Everybody has suggested it to them. Many of the countries that are in a regular dialogue with the Eritreans have definitely suggested it to them.

QUESTION: Who, the Sudanese?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER: I'm not so sure about the Sudanese, but many of the neighboring countries have done so.

QUESTION: Thank you.

2007/317, Released on April 23, 2007

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