Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

By Wendy Wang
This morning the President spoke to Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin, to discuss a number of issues. The President thanked Prime Minister Martin and the Canadian people for their show of support during the relief efforts following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. They went on to discuss trade matters, and the President urged the two countries to return to negotiations on lumber. They discussed NAFTA, energy, Summit of the Americas, war in the Gulf and Haiti. The meeting lasted about 20 minutes.

The President then had his usual briefing before participating in a photo opportunity with recipients of the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. At 10:30, he will make a trip to the Embassy of Pakistan to participate in a Signing of Condolences Book and he will discuss US participation in the disaster relief efforts to the earthquake affected regions. McClellan will hold a press briefing at 1pm.

Harriet Miers Nomination
Press Secretary Scott McClellan informed the press that the White House is staying in touch with a number of people, as they did during John Robert's confirmation, to discuss Miers' upcoming confirmation to be a justice on the Supreme Court.

McClellan refused to address why various conservatives spoke out against Miers' nomination to the Supreme Court. McClellan directed the press back to what he had said previously: The White House is focused on the confirmation process that is expected to take place in November. He informed the media that Miers is in the process of answering the questionnaire presented to her by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will be completed by next week and will then meet with a number of Senators, as John Roberts had done. But the press refused to relent and pressed him for examples of her qualifications. McClellan encouraged everyone to look at her record, as it shows that she is as qualified as many previously confirmation Supreme Court justices, and that her years in the White House in an advisory role proved that she will strictly interpret the Constitution and the law of the land. But why, the press wanted to know, are the critics so avidly opposed to her nomination. McClellan responded: "Ask them."

McClellan was then asked to provide evidence of her views on the Constitution. McClellan refused to answer the demand for records to prove her qualifications, especially records that displays her judicial philosophy, and asked the press to wait for the evidences to be presented during the confirmation hearings.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia
McClellan was then asked about a January 30, 2003 telephone conversation between Bush and Tony Blair, Bush expressed his concern over the spread of weapons of mass destruction not just in Iraq but in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The details of this conversation appear in a book based on notes taken by a former Blair adviser. McClellan states that the President views both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as allied in the war on terrorism, and that more could be done on all parts to prevent the proliferations of weapons of mass destruction.

When reporters' asked if McClellan read the to which McClellan retorted that he does not do book reviews.

Rove
Asked if the White House has been distracted by Karl Rove's fourth appearance before a grand jury, McClellan said there was a lot of things the White House was working on to accomplish, including the rebuilding efforts after the hurricanes Katrina and Rita, limiting unnecessary Congressional spending, the Patriot Act and avian flu preparedness and a number of other issues. Asked again if Rove's involvement in the CIA leak probe was a distraction to the White House, McClellan answered: "We are aware of a lot of things."

Iraqi Referendum
Asked about the security for tomorrow's Iraqi vote on their national referendum, in light of the steady increase in violence, McClellan quoted military leaders on the ground that security preparation for the referendum was "going well."

Week Ahead
The President meets with the President of Bulgaria on Monday in the Oval Office, then with former Supreme Court justices from the state of Texas to discuss Harriet Miers upcoming confirmation hearings. On Tuesday he meets with the President of The European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, after which he sign the Homeland Security Appropriations Act. He travels to Los Angeles, CA on Thursday to attend a RNC event, and a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday at the Ronald Reagan Library.