*EPF201 09/17/2002
Transcript: White House Daily Briefing, September 17
(President����s schedule, Education Initiative, Homeland Security, Iraq, terrorism) (2420)

White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer briefed reporters on Air Force One the morning of September 17 as they accompanied President Bush on a trip to Nashville, Tennessee.

Following is the White House transcript:

(begin transcript)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
September 17, 2002

PRESS GAGGLE BY ARI FLEISCHER

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Nashville, Tennessee

11:03 A.M. EDT

MR. FLEISCHER: Good morning. We're joined today also by John Bridgeland, who will spend a moment with us at the end, just talking about the President's events today.

As you're aware, the President's event in the Rose Garden, I won't get more into that. You already have the details on that. In Tennessee, the President will attend the luncheon to support Lamar Alexander's U.S. Senate campaign. The event is expected to raise a total of $1.1 million -- $800,000 to the Alexander campaign, $300,000 for the State Party.

Later this afternoon, the President will participate in the Pledge -- where are my notes? Oh, I must have left that behind -- the Pledge Across America Day, at 2:00 p.m. It's a simultaneous reading of the Pledge of Allegiance across the country. John can get into any additional details about that. And then the President will return to Washington.

John, do you have any words you want to just add about the President's day today, why we chose today.

MR. BRIDGELAND: Yes. Today the President marked the 215th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution by announcing three new initiatives to foster a better understanding of American history. All three branches of government were represented this morning in the Rose Garden.

He highlighted troubling gaps in students' understanding of American history and the importance of fostering a culture of active, engaged citizens, especially as we fight to protect freedom at home and abroad.

He announced "We The People," a new initiative administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities, that will provide grants to develop curricula, support summer seminars and institutes for school teachers and university faculty; sponsor an annual Heroes of History lecture series; enlist high school students in an Idea of America essay contest; and use technology to share these lessons with schools and communities nationwide.

He also announced "Our Documents," an exciting new initiative to make 100 American milestone documents from the National Archives more widely available to schools and communities, with lesson plans, competitions for teachers and students, and original documents online.

The President will hold a forum on American history civics and service early next year to discuss additional ways to improve teaching of American history and civics, make more national treasures available to more Americans, and to ensure this will be an ongoing, sustained effort.

In order to effectively defend our freedoms, democratic values and institutions of government, we must first understand them. These initiatives are designed to help do just that.

I'm happy to take any questions.

QUESTION: John, why is there this flagging interest in American history among schools and students?

MR. BRIDGELAND: What is there?

Q: Why is there this lagging interest, flagging interest?

MR. BRIDGELAND: Well, at the NAPE in 1998 and the NAPE assessment for both U.S. history and civics showed disturbing gaps among 4th, 8th and 12th graders and their knowledge of American history. And the President believes right at a time when we're trying to protect the homeland and fighting for American freedoms and ideals abroad, that we've got to make a renewed effort to educate and engage more Americans, young people in understanding their history.

Q: Are those federal grants, or is it a private sector deal?

MR. BRIDGELAND: Yes, it would actually be a significant, multi-year investment in the National Endowment for the Humanities for "We The People."

Q: And the amount?

MR. BRIDGELAND: We're not announcing the amount today, we don

't want to preview the '04 budget. But the "Our Documents" initiative is more about information dissemination, and that's going to be run by the National Archives.

Q: Is there a problem at the local level, that history isn't being stressed enough in curriculums?

MR. BRIDGELAND: That's a good question. Twenty-nine states currently require courses in history and civics, but there are problems at the local level and we need to work effectively with elementary and secondary schools to provide them the support they need. For example, teacher training to make these powerful moments in our nation's history more accessible and inspiring to young people at the local level.

MR. FLEISCHER: Before we go to questions, let me just add one other thing. As you could tell yesterday with the President's travel, and today with the President's travel, the domestic agenda is vitally important to our nation's future, and the President is going to continue to focus on it. One of the issues that is very important right now that is pending before the Senate is the creation of a Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security.

The prospects for creation of a Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security to protect the American people are becoming increasingly difficult as a result of a democratic filibuster. The President thinks it's terribly important for the Senate to act and to act quickly. The American people expect action on the creation of a department of homeland security. There are people who are trying to advance so-called compromises. I do want to indicate that one such so-called compromise by Senator Nelson is a non-starter. The President urges the members of the Senate to stop the delaying tactics and vote so that a department of homeland security can be created to better protect the American people

Q: -- compromise is Nelson's?

MR. FLEISCHER: Deals with federal labor relations, with an effort that still ties the President's hands, that gives this President, at a time where we are at war, less authority to deal with federal agencies than his predecessors have had. It doesn't make any progress, the Nelson proposal.

Q: Is it now unlikely that you'll get a department approved by Congress --

MR. FLEISCHER: Sorry?

Q: Is it now unlikely that you will get the department approved by Congress by this year?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the filibuster is troubling. I don't think the American people think homeland security is an issue that should be filibustered.

Q: What are the consequences, if they don't act before they go home, for, you know, elections?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, it makes it much harder to pull the agencies together in an effective way, to bring maximum federal power to create -- maximum federal power together to protect the country. The whole purpose of creating a new Cabinet-level agency is to take the expertise that exists in the various agencies -- which often is in the secondary role to the mission of the department -- and make it its primary mission.

The primary mission of this new department has got to be to protect the country in case of attack, and to prevent attack. And the President has come to the conclusion that the disparate pieces of each agency makes it harder to protect the country. We need to make it easier to protect the country, not harder. The filibuster is making it harder.

Q: Is this literally a filibuster, or are you just using that word for political gain?

MR. FLEISCHER: It's being talked to death. The way the Senate works these days is it's very hard to find a formal filibuster anymore.

Q: This is not a --

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, as a practical matter, Ron, the old notion of a filibuster is so hard to find anymore in the Senate, the line is blended so creatively between talking to death and an actual motion of a filibuster.

Q: What's wrong, though, on an issue of this importance, of two sides that disagree talking a matter to death, as you say? What's wrong with debate? Why is -- if somebody debates a proposal, the White House says -- you use words like "talking to death" and "filibuster." Isn't that demagoguery?

MR. FLEISCHER: Debate is entirely appropriate. But there reaches a tipping point where the Senate becomes an institution of inaction and nothing but debate, nothing but talk, as opposed to at some point, moving beyond talk and into votes. And particularly since the President showed an ability to work in a bipartisan way on the vote last week, to create a White House Office of Homeland Security, led by a director who's not appointed by the Senate. There's been a counter reaction to that, where some senators who can't have their way are creating an environment where no one will get their way, that no department will be created.

Q: How are you going to get an Iraq resolution through the U.N., with the Russians saying no and the French wavering?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, one, I urge you not to reach any conclusions about what people are indicating. The Secretary is continuing to work with each of the nations on the terms of a resolution. But, clearly, it is now more important than ever for both the United Nations and the Congress to act in a meaningful way on an effective resolution to the Iraqi situation. Saddam Hussein has shown a history of attempting to delay, to stall, which has meant that he can continue to develop his weapons of mass destruction as the stalling tactics go into effect. The President thinks it's even more important for Congress and the United States to act now.

Q: Are you saying that yesterday's announcement that they supposedly they will allow unfettered inspections, is that a delay tactic?

MR. FLEISCHER: What?

Q: Are you characterizing yesterday's statements by the Iraqis as a delaying tactic?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, we've been down this road many times before with the Iraqis where, at the 11th hour, the float a potential solution, they try to negotiate, they try to delay, they finesse, they say things that don't turn out to be true. The world has seen this before from Iraq and the results were not good.

Q: So are you refusing the Iraq offer to allow in the weapons inspectors?

MR. FLEISCHER: Now is not the time to take off the pressure on Iraq. The President thinks that now is even more so the time for the United Nations and the Congress to act, so that Saddam Hussein will know that the world is serious and that the Congress is serious. Anything less would give Saddam Hussein more room to maneuver, for the creation of weapons of mass destruction.

Q: -- answer that question directly, though, do you think that by accepting his offer for unfettered inspections, that that is something less than what the President requested? MR. FLEISCHER: The President is interested in one thing, and that's disarmament.

Q: Do you think Saddam has made any movements towards what you want, disarmament?

MR. FLEISCHER: No, I think the United States and much of the world, Lord Robertson, for example, are highly skeptical.

Q: So the idea is to pass a resolution and if he complies fully, that's great, but if he doesn't then you don't waste time, you can act --

MR. FLEISCHER: It's not just this issue. The President spoke about the 16 resolutions that Saddam Hussein has violated. It's not just the one issue that Iraq purportedly says they will now change their stripes and allow unconditional inspectors in, even though the issue is disarmament, not just inspectors. And the President spoke about a series of resolutions dealing with human rights, dealing with captive military and other personnel in Iraq.

If Saddam Hussein's word had meaning, he would have disarmed a long time ago. And this is where -- the Western world likes to accept people's word at face value. History has shown that Saddam Hussein's word cannot be taken at face value. He has a history of playing rope-a-dope with the world, all the while he develops a more powerful punch.

Q: Is he doing that now?

MR. FLEISCHER: That's why they're highly skeptical about what he said in the letter. That's why the President's central message is that it's now more important than ever for the United Nations and the Congress to act. The biggest mistake the world could make would be taking the pressure off of Saddam Hussein.

Q: Would you concede that Saddam has complicated your efforts to get a resolution by making this offer?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, I think it's important to see what actions the United Nations takes. This is still a test of the United Nations' relevance, this is still a test of the United Nations' resolve. And Secretary Powell is working diligently and productively in New York. Many of the people that he's meeting with are going to be returning to their capitals and we'll soon find out.

Q: Has the President talked to any world leaders about this or to Powell himself? MORE

MR. FLEISCHER: He did not make any phone calls this morning that anybody brought to my attention, Steve. But, you know, he works so closely with his security team, so you're going to hear the same message everywhere.

Q: I don't know if you want to do this now or later, but what are the chances we're going to hear from the President today on the Iraqi's latest move?

MR. FLEISCHER: As you know, he always in his speeches talks about the war on terrorism and he's been talking about Iraq recently. So I don't think it will be surprising if the President talks again about Iraq and the war on terrorism. I can't be more specific than that.

Q: Has he inserted a reaction to last night's events into today's speech?

MR. FLEISCHER: I can't be more specific than that.

Q: Is Bin al-Shibh in U.S. military custody on the way to Guantanamo?

MR. FLEISCHER: I don't know whose custody he's in.

Q: Is he in U.S. custody and but you don't know which one, or --

MR. FLEISCHER: I don't know. I mean, that's -- typically the law enforcement actions are DOD actions, they speak about it, and I don't know the answer.

Q: If the President spoke, and generally when the President speaks about Iraq today, you expect it to be at the Lamar event and not the latter one? What's the better forum?

MR. FLEISCHER: If you are asking again if he's going to put something specific in vis-a-vis Iraq, the President speaks extemporaneously. So he'll make those decisions.

All right.

END 11:18 A.M. EDT

(end transcript)

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