Monday
Dec042006
White House Gaggle
Monday, December 4, 2006 at 3:00AM
By Victoria Jones
White House Gaggle 4 December 2006
By Victoria Jones
The President's Schedule
The President had his usual briefings. At 10.30 he will attend a children's holiday reception and performance in the East Room. At 1.15 there is a meeting with the leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution of Iraq. At 2.25 there is an interview with Brit Hume of Fox News. The President will then meet with the UN Permanent Representative John Bolton and his wife Gretchen.
Ambassador Bolton sent the President a letter saying he would like to terminate his government service upon the expiration of his recess appointment. The President has reluctantly accepted that.
The President will host British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House on 7 December.
John Bolton
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow was asked if the President had given up the idea of reappointing John Bolton. He replied that it became obvious there were not the votes. The President regrets it because this is a case where the confirmation process has broken down. Bolton has done an exemplary job. A majority of the US Senate supported him, but they were not going to get the votes out of the Foreign Relations Committee. This was Ambassador Bolton's decision.
Snow was asked if the process of finding a successor could involve reaching out to Democrats. Snow replied that he would not characterize it at this point. One of the things that deeply disappointed them is that John Bolton had difficulty for the sake of partisanship, not performance. There was a small group of senators who wanted to prevent his becoming our Representative at the United Nations. Snow said there should be comity and the ability to reward people for good work.
Iraq
Snow was asked about the US leaving Iraq and about neo-cons jumping ship. He said there are a series of ongoing reviews – Peter Pace at the Pentagon, the NSC, the State Department, Baker Hamilton. The emphasis is to figure out the best way not only to deal with the new challenges of sectarian violence, but also to help the Iraqis develop the capabilities of handling the security, economic and political situation within Iraq.
The biggest fear is that you have a vacuum that gets filled by terror organizations.
Al-Hakim
Snow was asked what ground the President would cover with the Shiite leader. He said they would discuss US Shia relations. They will also talk about political reconciliation. There will likely be discussions of relations between Iran and Iraq. The President is interested in listening to ideas of building some sort of possibility of moderates within the Shia, Sunni and Kurdish groups working together to try to build more strength within the Maliki government for a unified Iraq.
Snow was asked if the administration views speaking to Hakim as speaking to Iran. He replied "No". He said Hakim is very clear about his being representative of the Iraqi people. He sees himself as an Iraqi leader. Snow was asked if the President will speak to Hakim about being a counterweight to al-Sadr. Snow replied "No". Hakim represents a block of 128 votes in the parliament, and is a very significant leader. The President and he will be talking about ways they can work together.
Must Pass Bills
Snow was asked if there are any must pass bills they want Congress to get out this week. Snow said there a number of things, but they are working with Congress to get as much done as possible.
Iraq Study Group
Snow was asked if the President will react to the report immediately. He replied that the President will want to read it first. Snow was asked if the President has had contact with Baker this past week. Snow said that he did not think so, and that Baker has made clear he wants to maintain the independence of the Commission.
Steven Hadley Memo
Snow was asked if the memo was deliberately leaked. He replied "No, no, no, no, no." It was not intentional; it was not helpful or constructive. Asked about an investigation, Snow said that typically when you have these leaks, you try to figure out how they took place. He did not know if it was a crime to leak the memo.
Lebanon Protests
Snow said the administration strongly supports the government of Seniora. Other governments in the region have also expressed their support, he said. The US hopes other governments in the region, particularly the Syrians, work not to undermine the Seniora government.
Supreme Court Case
Snow was asked about a case in which the President has filed an amicus brief supporting white parents, where many people are now protesting. Snow said he knew nothing about the case. Snow was told that the President puts money into black colleges, but is supporting white parents. He said that he was not prepared for the question, but that the President wants everybody to have access to a first rate education.
Tony Blair
Snow was asked for more information on the visit of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He said they have wanted to get together, and this is the one window. Asked if the Iraq Study Group report (which will have been released the previous day) will form a major component in their discussions, Snow said it would form part of the discussion, but there was plenty for them to discuss.
Kofi Annan
Snow was asked about Annan's saying that Iraq had been better off under Saddam Hussein. Snow said he was wrong. It was a brutal dictatorship in which tens of thousands of people were killed. They were killed because they committed the sin of possibly disagreeing with something Saddam Hussein said or did. The levels of violence in Iraq are unacceptable. Snow was asked if life is better today than under Saddam Hussein. He said you would have to pose the question to the Iraqis. Twelve million voted. The government has maintained its coherence, the military is fighting valiantly, maintaining its discipline and structure, he said.
White House Gaggle 4 December 2006
By Victoria Jones
The President's Schedule
The President had his usual briefings. At 10.30 he will attend a children's holiday reception and performance in the East Room. At 1.15 there is a meeting with the leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution of Iraq. At 2.25 there is an interview with Brit Hume of Fox News. The President will then meet with the UN Permanent Representative John Bolton and his wife Gretchen.
Ambassador Bolton sent the President a letter saying he would like to terminate his government service upon the expiration of his recess appointment. The President has reluctantly accepted that.
The President will host British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House on 7 December.
John Bolton
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow was asked if the President had given up the idea of reappointing John Bolton. He replied that it became obvious there were not the votes. The President regrets it because this is a case where the confirmation process has broken down. Bolton has done an exemplary job. A majority of the US Senate supported him, but they were not going to get the votes out of the Foreign Relations Committee. This was Ambassador Bolton's decision.
Snow was asked if the process of finding a successor could involve reaching out to Democrats. Snow replied that he would not characterize it at this point. One of the things that deeply disappointed them is that John Bolton had difficulty for the sake of partisanship, not performance. There was a small group of senators who wanted to prevent his becoming our Representative at the United Nations. Snow said there should be comity and the ability to reward people for good work.
Iraq
Snow was asked about the US leaving Iraq and about neo-cons jumping ship. He said there are a series of ongoing reviews – Peter Pace at the Pentagon, the NSC, the State Department, Baker Hamilton. The emphasis is to figure out the best way not only to deal with the new challenges of sectarian violence, but also to help the Iraqis develop the capabilities of handling the security, economic and political situation within Iraq.
The biggest fear is that you have a vacuum that gets filled by terror organizations.
Al-Hakim
Snow was asked what ground the President would cover with the Shiite leader. He said they would discuss US Shia relations. They will also talk about political reconciliation. There will likely be discussions of relations between Iran and Iraq. The President is interested in listening to ideas of building some sort of possibility of moderates within the Shia, Sunni and Kurdish groups working together to try to build more strength within the Maliki government for a unified Iraq.
Snow was asked if the administration views speaking to Hakim as speaking to Iran. He replied "No". He said Hakim is very clear about his being representative of the Iraqi people. He sees himself as an Iraqi leader. Snow was asked if the President will speak to Hakim about being a counterweight to al-Sadr. Snow replied "No". Hakim represents a block of 128 votes in the parliament, and is a very significant leader. The President and he will be talking about ways they can work together.
Must Pass Bills
Snow was asked if there are any must pass bills they want Congress to get out this week. Snow said there a number of things, but they are working with Congress to get as much done as possible.
Iraq Study Group
Snow was asked if the President will react to the report immediately. He replied that the President will want to read it first. Snow was asked if the President has had contact with Baker this past week. Snow said that he did not think so, and that Baker has made clear he wants to maintain the independence of the Commission.
Steven Hadley Memo
Snow was asked if the memo was deliberately leaked. He replied "No, no, no, no, no." It was not intentional; it was not helpful or constructive. Asked about an investigation, Snow said that typically when you have these leaks, you try to figure out how they took place. He did not know if it was a crime to leak the memo.
Lebanon Protests
Snow said the administration strongly supports the government of Seniora. Other governments in the region have also expressed their support, he said. The US hopes other governments in the region, particularly the Syrians, work not to undermine the Seniora government.
Supreme Court Case
Snow was asked about a case in which the President has filed an amicus brief supporting white parents, where many people are now protesting. Snow said he knew nothing about the case. Snow was told that the President puts money into black colleges, but is supporting white parents. He said that he was not prepared for the question, but that the President wants everybody to have access to a first rate education.
Tony Blair
Snow was asked for more information on the visit of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He said they have wanted to get together, and this is the one window. Asked if the Iraq Study Group report (which will have been released the previous day) will form a major component in their discussions, Snow said it would form part of the discussion, but there was plenty for them to discuss.
Kofi Annan
Snow was asked about Annan's saying that Iraq had been better off under Saddam Hussein. Snow said he was wrong. It was a brutal dictatorship in which tens of thousands of people were killed. They were killed because they committed the sin of possibly disagreeing with something Saddam Hussein said or did. The levels of violence in Iraq are unacceptable. Snow was asked if life is better today than under Saddam Hussein. He said you would have to pose the question to the Iraqis. Twelve million voted. The government has maintained its coherence, the military is fighting valiantly, maintaining its discipline and structure, he said.
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