White House Gaggle

By Lovisa Frost
White House Gaggle
April 10, 2007
By Lovisa Frost

President's Schedule

President Bush had his normal briefings at 8 am. This morning he also
called to congratulate the President-Elect Abdallahi of Mauritania on


his election victory. At 10.25 am, the President will make remarks on
the Iraq War Supplemental Bill at the American Legion Post 177, in
Fairfax, Virginia.

Deputy White House Press Secretary Dana Perino will brief the press at
12.30 pm.

The War Supplemental Bill

Dana Perino said that the President always appreciates the
opportunities where he can speak and meet with the people who have
fought for our country. In his remarks the President will mention that
the Department of Defense will send up to Congress a reprogramming
bill in which they will be announcing a transfer $ 1.6 Billion from
other military accounts to cover the shortfall caused by the delay in
the funding for the troops.
The President will also invite congressional leaders from both parties
to discuss how they can bring a clean bill to him that he can sign.
"This is not a negotiation", Perino said, and continued; " But this
is a chance for the Democrats who have had some different comments
come out from different part of their party, on whether or not they
will either cut off funds completely, or try arbitrary time-tables or
other types of mechanisms to try to micromanage the war in Iraq."
There is no date set, but hopefully they will accept his invitation to
meet, Perino said.
When asked why it is not a negotiation, Perino replied that the
President has said very clearly what he will sign. When asked if this
is an invitation to come down to agree with him, Perino said,
"hopefully so."
A reporter also asked why the Democrats would come to see the
President if they know that they are not going to get anything out of
it; Perino said that this is a path to getting done what they want to
do, which is that they want to fund the troops but they don't have the
votes to override the President's veto, and this is a chance to
discuss with the President a way forward to doing that. "They have
said that they would like to continue to work with the President on
matters of importance to this country, and the President is extending
a hand," Perino said.
Perino was asked, "You don't really think that the democratic leaders
don't understand where the President stands on this; and she replied
that she would hope not. She feels that the President has been very
clear, but said that the Democrats are the ones not being very clear
on where they stand. "If it is negotiation by confusion, they might
succeed with themselves . . . but before negotiate with them, we need to
know who we are negotiating with, and what the actual stand of the
Democratic Party is."

Stem Cell Bills

When asked if the President supports any of the two bills that are in
front of Senate this week, Perino said that the White House strongly
supports the Coleman-Isakson bill. But President does not support the
Reid bill, and would veto it as he did before.

North Korea and Nuclear Ambition

When asked about what we know about Iran's claim of nuclear
advancements, Perino referred the press to intelligence community. She
did say that the United States stand strong with the international
community, who has spoken with one voice saying that Iran should
suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and get
back to the talks.