Tuesday
Jul222008
White House Gaggle
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 11:56AM
Briefer: Dana Perino
President’s Schedule
President Bush had his normal briefings at 8 am. At 1.30 pm he will make remarks in honor of Columbian Independence Day in the East Room of the White House. The President will highlight the need for Congress to pass the US-Columbian Free Trade Agreement. Secretaries Gutierrez and Schafer, members of Congress, and members of the diplomatic corps, will be in attendance along with another 220 guests. At 2.20 pm, the President will depart the White House en route to a Goddard-Georgia victory committee reception. He will return to the Washington later this evening.
White House Press Secretary Dana Perino will brief the press at 12.30 pm today.
Announcement: On July 31st, the President will make remarks at the 2008 annual meeting at the West Virginia Coal Association and then travel to Kennebunkport, Maine where he will spend the weekend.
Russia-Cuba
Perino went back to remarks from the G8 meeting where the Bush Administration repeatedly said that they seek strategic corporation with the Russians. Perino said that they want to work them to prevent missiles from rogue nations like Iran. “Our missile defense system should not be seen as a threat to Russia, “Perino said.
India
When asked about the prospects of a nuclear deal with India considering their political climate right now, Perino replied that President Bush met with Prime Minister Singh a few weeks ago and got an update from him. Politics in India have been tough to deal with, but the Prime Minister has been trying to build a consensus. It will be up to the Indian Congress to decide whether they will move forward with something that the Bush Administration considers being a very good opportunity. They are going to need a lot of energy and one of the best ways of doing that is to have clean nuclear power instead of coal fire power plants, Perino said.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Perino was asked about a reaction to Gordon Brown’s statement to withdrawal of British troops in Iraq, and she said that because the conditions on the ground in Iraq have dramatically changed, mainly attributed to the surge, not only American but also British troops can start to think about transitioning their troops in Iraq. When asked if the President was informed of the Prime Minister’s remarks before hand, Perino said that she was not sure if the President knew but the National Security Advisor was informed.
Iraq
We share the goal of the Iraqis wanting taking over their own security; that is what we have all been working on, Perino said and continued: “We also support setting a time horizon that we said we would do in this agreement.” When asked what a time horizon is, Perino replied that it is an aspirational goal looking into the future, looking at a date in the future when the Iraqis can take over their own security. Perino gave a rare hypothetic; For example, they would look for month “x” when Iraq will take over “y” province, but if the conditions were not right, they would go back and reevaluate the situation. Perino said that Anbar province is a good example of a territory where the Iraqis have been close to taking over the security control, but now it is a rolling date because conditions are not right and they are not ready yet. Whenever the agreement is finalized, the White House does expect an aspirational goal with possibly several separate dates.
Also, when asked if President Bush would like to see Iraq again before leaving office, Perino said that she did not know. In the remaining six months, the President wants to make sure that he is in contact with troops as much as possible, but there is nothing on the schedule terms of a trip to Iraq.
Presidential Candidates travel
Perino was asked if the White House thinks it is appropriate for any American presidential candidate to go to both a war zone and visit foreign capitals on a trip very much designed as a presidential trip, and she responded that it is up to the media and the candidates themselves to decide that.
North Korea
When asked about how hopeful the White House is on reaching a verification agreement with the six party talks before the August 10th, and Perino said that President Bush thinks the verification piece of the six-party talks is critically important, but “he is very skeptical of the North Koreans, and that is why we have to continue to verify, and push and we are going to be rigorous in that verification”, Perino said.
President’s Schedule
President Bush had his normal briefings at 8 am. At 1.30 pm he will make remarks in honor of Columbian Independence Day in the East Room of the White House. The President will highlight the need for Congress to pass the US-Columbian Free Trade Agreement. Secretaries Gutierrez and Schafer, members of Congress, and members of the diplomatic corps, will be in attendance along with another 220 guests. At 2.20 pm, the President will depart the White House en route to a Goddard-Georgia victory committee reception. He will return to the Washington later this evening.
White House Press Secretary Dana Perino will brief the press at 12.30 pm today.
Announcement: On July 31st, the President will make remarks at the 2008 annual meeting at the West Virginia Coal Association and then travel to Kennebunkport, Maine where he will spend the weekend.
Russia-Cuba
Perino went back to remarks from the G8 meeting where the Bush Administration repeatedly said that they seek strategic corporation with the Russians. Perino said that they want to work them to prevent missiles from rogue nations like Iran. “Our missile defense system should not be seen as a threat to Russia, “Perino said.
India
When asked about the prospects of a nuclear deal with India considering their political climate right now, Perino replied that President Bush met with Prime Minister Singh a few weeks ago and got an update from him. Politics in India have been tough to deal with, but the Prime Minister has been trying to build a consensus. It will be up to the Indian Congress to decide whether they will move forward with something that the Bush Administration considers being a very good opportunity. They are going to need a lot of energy and one of the best ways of doing that is to have clean nuclear power instead of coal fire power plants, Perino said.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Perino was asked about a reaction to Gordon Brown’s statement to withdrawal of British troops in Iraq, and she said that because the conditions on the ground in Iraq have dramatically changed, mainly attributed to the surge, not only American but also British troops can start to think about transitioning their troops in Iraq. When asked if the President was informed of the Prime Minister’s remarks before hand, Perino said that she was not sure if the President knew but the National Security Advisor was informed.
Iraq
We share the goal of the Iraqis wanting taking over their own security; that is what we have all been working on, Perino said and continued: “We also support setting a time horizon that we said we would do in this agreement.” When asked what a time horizon is, Perino replied that it is an aspirational goal looking into the future, looking at a date in the future when the Iraqis can take over their own security. Perino gave a rare hypothetic; For example, they would look for month “x” when Iraq will take over “y” province, but if the conditions were not right, they would go back and reevaluate the situation. Perino said that Anbar province is a good example of a territory where the Iraqis have been close to taking over the security control, but now it is a rolling date because conditions are not right and they are not ready yet. Whenever the agreement is finalized, the White House does expect an aspirational goal with possibly several separate dates.
Also, when asked if President Bush would like to see Iraq again before leaving office, Perino said that she did not know. In the remaining six months, the President wants to make sure that he is in contact with troops as much as possible, but there is nothing on the schedule terms of a trip to Iraq.
Presidential Candidates travel
Perino was asked if the White House thinks it is appropriate for any American presidential candidate to go to both a war zone and visit foreign capitals on a trip very much designed as a presidential trip, and she responded that it is up to the media and the candidates themselves to decide that.
North Korea
When asked about how hopeful the White House is on reaching a verification agreement with the six party talks before the August 10th, and Perino said that President Bush thinks the verification piece of the six-party talks is critically important, but “he is very skeptical of the North Koreans, and that is why we have to continue to verify, and push and we are going to be rigorous in that verification”, Perino said.
Reader Comments