08 March 2002

White House Press Briefing Transcript

White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer briefed on Air Force One March 8 as he and the press pool accompanied President Bush on a one-day trip to Florida.

Following is the White House transcript:

Mr. Fleischer: Let me fill you in, a couple of good little nuggets for you here. One, upon arrival, the President will greet Roxanne Hunt on the tarmac as he gets off Air Force One. This is part of the President's effort to highlight the USA Freedom Corps, to encourage more Americans to sign up.

Question: Could you spell her name?

Mr. Fleischer: R-o-x-a-n-n-e, Hunt, as expected. She's a first-year police officer with the city of Pinellas Park Police Department, an alumnus of the AmeriCorps program. She's 25 years old, has lived in Tampa for much of her life. She served for one year as an AmeriCorps volunteer. She was assigned to the City of Largo Police Department, where she led environmental cleanup and child car safety programs as well as the Department's bicycle safety program, the Bicycle Rodeo.

And as the national press corps knows, we've already announced this to the local media down there. There have already been articles written about her. So it's a helpful way of, in the community, urging people to sign up. We provide the 800 number.

The President will begin his day in Florida at the -- giving remarks on the importance of corporate responsibility. He will begin with a roundtable discussion at a company called America II Electronics. This is a company that, despite last year's economic slow-down and recession, did not lay anybody off. They are one of North America's largest independent semiconductor and integrated circuit distributors. No employees were laid off, as I mentioned. And they believe that over the next three to five years, they may actually be able to hire.

Another factor of this company, when the President talks about corporate responsibility that is notable is they used to have a provision where when you joined the company it would take you a year to qualify for a pension. They have now changed that to 60 days

Something else that will take place here that you need to know about. The President will be joined here by the family of two Florida men who were among the Rangers killed this Monday in Afghanistan. Specialist Marc Anderson, who's 30, who is from Brandon, Florida.

Question: What's his name, sorry?

Mr. Fleischer: Marc Anderson, 30, from Brandon, and Sergeant Bradley Crose, who is 22, from Orange Park.

Question: What is his first name?

Mr. Fleischer: Sergeant Bradley Crose. Both served in the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, which is based at Hunter Army Air Field in Savannah, Georgia. They were both killed Monday.

Specialist Anderson's father served in Vietnam, where he earned a Purple Heart. His brother is an Army veteran. And they will attend -- the parents of both soldiers live in the area. The parents will attend the event, and brother and brother-in-law will attend -- I'm sorry, brother -- Sergeant Crose's father and mother will attend the event.

Let me give you a little more -- I've got some different information in here than in the remarks. Let me come back and clarify precisely who in the family will attend, whether the family members of these soldiers who died will attend.

Question: The brother and father's name?

Mr. Fleischer: His brother is named Steve Anderson.

Question: The father's name is David, I just did a story on it.

Mr. Fleischer: Specialist Marc Anderson died Monday. His brother, Steve Anderson, will be there, along with his wife. His parents will be there, as well. Sergeant Crose's father and mother will be there, too, along with his step-parents.

Question: Marc Anderson's wife or Marc Anderson's brother's wife?

Mr. Fleischer: Marc Anderson's parents will not be there. His brother and his sister-in-law will.

Question: Anderson's parents will not be there?

Mr. Fleischer: Correct. Marc Anderson's parents will not be there, but Marc Anderson's brother and sister-in-law will. Sergeant Crose's parents will be there. That's what it is.

Question: At the foot of the plane or at --

Mr. Fleischer: No, no, at the event. At the event. So the President will first have a roundtable, the pool will be brought in at the end of the roundtable, and then the President will give remarks to employees about corporate responsibility.

Then the President will participate in a fundraiser for the Republican Party of Florida, which is expected to raise about $500,000.

Let me give you the week ahead. I'm going to do this and then come back with Monday.

Saturday, the President and Mrs. Bush will attend the Gridiron Dinner. No public events Sunday, the President will remain at the White House. On Monday -- I will return to this topic -- the President will make remarks on the six month anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

On Tuesday, the President will travel to Philadelphia to make remarks and discuss volunteer service. Upon return, the President will meet with the Defense Minister of Russia in the Oval Office and then participate in a photo opportunity with NCAA sports champions on the South Lawn. That afternoon, the President will meet with the President of Uzbekistan in the Oval Office.

Wednesday morning, the President will participate in the Shamrock Ceremony in the Roosevelt Room. The President will then participate in a photo opportunity with Northern Ireland leaders in the Oval Office and will attend a White House reception with Irish-American leaders in the East Room.

Thursday, the President will meet with the Prime Minister of Canada in the Oval Office. Friday, there will be travel to be announced later.

Monday, March 11th, there are four events that the administration is commemorating to mark the six month anniversary of the attack. Let me begin, New York City. New York City, New York leaders will have an event to commemorate the attacks. Governor Whitman will be the administration's representative in New York.

At the Pentagon on Monday, Secretary Rumsfeld will welcome to Washington military leaders who are based in CENTCOM, represent all the coalition allies who are fighting with the United States in the war on terrorism. He'll have an event at the River Steps to thank the coalition countries. Then he will take the coalition military leaders on a tour of the reconstructed area of the Pentagon and will have a working lunch with these coalition leaders.

Today at the Pentagon they are opening up the reconstruction area to the press for a tour. So that's all being handled by the Pentagon.

In London on Monday the Vice President will join with Prime Minister Blair at 10 Downing Street to commemorate the attack on the United States and to remember the lives of people from other nations who were lost.

At the White House on Monday there will be a major event on the South Lawn. Approximately 1,300 people will join the President, along with members of the Congress, the House and the Senate, along with ambassadors from around the world, more than 150 ambassadors who are currently in Washington have been invited to join the President -- more than 150 have been invited to join the President on the South Lawn, along with approximately 300 family members who have relatives who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, aboard Flight 93 and at the Pentagon.

The President will also welcome to the South Lawn military representatives of our allied coalition leaders who are based at CENTCOM in Florida.

Question: What time is that?

Mr. Fleischer: I don't have the exact time, it's mid-morning, a mid-morning event. The President will give a major speech at this event, where the President will commemorate what took place, express the nation's sorrow and sympathy to the families, speak to the nation about the importance of the cause and discuss the future of the missions that lie ahead in protecting the world from terrorism.

On the Sunday shows, Secretary Powell, General Franks, Governor Ridge, Secretary Rumsfeld -- missing one other figure -- oh, Dr. Rice, will all be on the Sunday shows.

Question: Will he talk about Iraq and the Philippines and some of these other places, beyond Afghanistan?

Mr. Fleischer: The President will discuss the challenge that lies ahead, the importance of the mission and winning the war on terrorism.

Question: Will he discuss specific countries?

Mr. Fleischer: Just wait for the speech.

Question: He's been -- for the last six months he has had a policy about not talking about what's going to be coming next, our enemies will see it when it happens. Is he going to break that policy on Monday, or will he continue --

Mr. Fleischer: Well, I think -- you should not expect -- let me tell you what you should expect. You can expect the President to share with the nation the importance of the mission that lies ahead. As he has always said, that mission is a multiple-front mission involving diplomacy, involving the war on finance, involving training, involving stopping the terrorists wherever they are.

Question: How specific will he be?

Mr. Fleischer: As always, the President -- do not expect him to get into military issues, military details, if that's what you're looking for.

Question: (Inaudible.)

Mr. Fleischer: I'm not indicating.

Question: Is there any sense that Americans' interest in this is flagging?

Mr. Fleischer: Let me -- don't hype that angle up. What you're I think hinting at, he's not going to go as far as I think you're hinting at.

Question: Any indication that Americans' interest in this is flagging and their patience is wearing thin?

Mr. Fleischer: The President sees just the opposite, Steve. The President sees a patient American people who are determined to do what it takes, for as long as it takes, to win the war against terrorists that still pose a threat to our country and to our friends. That's been the truth of our nation from September 11th forward.

Question: Ari, if the country is fully behind the President, understands what he wants to do -- and given the fact he's articulated his doctrine, in every speech he articulates it, what then should we look for that's new in what he says Monday?

Mr. Fleischer: First of all, this is a fitting moment in time. This is six months after a devastating attack on our country. It's a perfect moment to commemorate what took place and to discuss what the implications are for our country in the future.

The President understands that in a democracy it's always vital to discuss directly with the country the cause and the mission. The President in his remarks on September 20th asked for patience. The nation has given the President and the military both patience and powerful support. The President knows at all times in our democracy it's important to keep talking to the country.

Question: Will this be more of a reaffirmation, or will it be breaking new ground in any way?

Mr. Fleischer: I'll leave that to others to judge when they hear his remarks.

Question: He has commemorated the attacks before in different ways. If we go back and look at how he commemorated it at three months, the speeches and events he's had before to mark anniversaries, would that be a good guide for the kind of tenor we're going to get?

Mr. Fleischer: As much as I've said this is a major speech -- which I have -- and as much as I've indicated it is a fit moment in time, the President has been straight and consistent on this all along. No one should expect any departures from what the President has always told the nation. This is an opportunity, a real shining moment to again speak to our democracy and underscore the importance of the mission. It's the job of the President. He understands that and it's something the nation wants to hear, as they look to the President through what's been powerful, powerful support from everybody in the nation -- Democrats and Republicans are wonderfully united.

Question: Thanks.

Question: Can I ask another question -- Congress adjourns, and I know you wanted to get this done or you need to get this done by the end of March. So how --

Mr. Fleischer: What's "this"?

Question: The debt ceiling, raising the debt ceiling.

Mr. Fleischer: Oh, I didn't hear you --

Question: So how do you see this coming about? Separate legislation or you attach something to the supplemental?

Mr. Fleischer: Well, the President has made it clear that the forum, he's open to the forum so long as there's no game-playing or giving -- this is one of those issues where the price of failure is just too high. The consequences of failing to pass a debt limit, particularly at a time of war, are too severe.

Question: How do you see this -- I mean, there must be a plan or something --

Mr. Fleischer: Congress has to find either a clean way to send it to him or attach it to the appropriate vehicle so that it doesn't become a partisan exercise and so that games aren't played and our nation's bond rating isn't risked.

Question: Are you willing to scale back the total increase amount that you're looking for?

Mr. Fleischer: The President has requested a level and he calls on Congress to pass the level.

Question: But you're not willing to scale that back, to try to make it a little bit more --

Mr. Fleischer: The President's request stands.

I don't know if you guys heard it, by the way, just because we're up in the air, unemployment actually went down today one-tenth of one percent.

Question: Do you agree with Greenspan that the recession is over?

Mr. Fleischer: The President addressed that yesterday.

Question: But do you have a reaction to the unemployment?

Mr. Fleischer: The President's reaction is that there are encouraging signs from a statistical point of view, but he remains concerned about people getting jobs and people keeping their jobs. And that's why he's pleased that the House has passed and the Senate looks like they will shortly pass an economic program that helps unemployment workers, but also includes some vital proponents of tax relief.

When you look at today's data, what you'll see in there is actually -- even with these numbers -- a generally flat, although somewhat up increase in the level of employment. But it also indicates weakness in manufacturing and weakness in business investment. Unemployment numbers have a lot of sub-components in them and the business investment sector and the manufacturing sector show no signs of strength in these numbers. But growth is in other areas -- and the growth is small, even though there's a drop.

So the President looks at what the House actually passed, which includes depreciations, acceleration and net operating loss carry backs, which are fancy ways of saying that they have found a very targeted and effective way to reach the sectors of the economy that are still weak. And that's the key part about what they passed in this bill. It's actually very well targeted and very well timed.

Question: What do your economists say about -- because normally the manufacturing sector, you have a lag on unemployment in that sector after rebound. So wouldn't you expect some pick-up in that sector anyway, or do your economists figure --

Mr. Fleischer: -- over time. Over time. That's why our economists believe that what's in the economic recovery package is perfectly timed and perfectly targeted. And it's substantial. It's not as big as the President sought, but what is in there is smaller dollars at a more targeted community -- the manufacturing and the business investment community, and it's a big dose of stimulus to them, which helps create jobs and addresses the weakness in today's unemployment numbers.

Question: What did you think about that little argument between Orrin Hatch and Pat Leahy yesterday over Judge Pickering?

Mr. Fleischer: My mute button worked on my TV, so when I saw that report I muted it. I don't have more for you on it.

Thanks, everybody.

9:57 A.M. EST