Thursday
May012008
White House Gaggle
Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 11:57AM
Briefer: Tony Fratto
President’s Schedule
At 10.15 am President Bush makes remarks on the 57th National Day of Prayer in the East Room of the White House. This afternoon, at 2:50 pm he will also make remarks at the celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Tony Fratto will brief the press at 12.30 pm today.
Economy
Fratto was asked if the GDP numbers this week were better than the Administration expected, and Fratto said that they had anticipated that the quarter numbers were going to be relatively flat. We had modestly encouraging news about .6% GDP, where the economy slightly expanded when there was a lot of expectation that it would contracting.
US air strike on Somalia
When asked for a confirmation on a US air strike in Somalia that is believe to have killed the head of a terrorist organization, Fratto said that he was aware of the report but referred to the Pentagon for further information.
Resignation
Fratto was asked if there are any more resignations following that of General Services Administration Lurita Doan, and he responded that he was not aware of any.
Whales
When asked for a comment on Rep. Harry Waxman’s concerns about a report that came out yesterday looking at White House involvement on protecting the whales. Fratto said that they were in the middle of the rule making process and he said that, “It is a robust and thorough process and we are going to listen to all the voices involves and come to a decision that is in the best interest of everybody involved… and making sure that we are protecting this very endangered species.” Every office is involved in review of decisions, which is why it is not at all unusual for the Vice President’s office to be involved, Fratto said.
Russia and Georgia
When asked if the President has spoken to Russian President Putin in the last 24 hours, Fratto said no. When asked about developments regarding Georgia and NATO involvement, Fratto said that they were concerned about reports coming out of the region and the US State Department is expressing their concerns through their appropriate channels. Fratto had nothing else specific to tell in terms of specific contact between Russia and Georgia. When asked who President Bush would call, Mr. Medvedev or Mr. Putin, Fratto replied that President Putin is the head of state of Russia.
Mission Accomplished
Fratto was asked if there will be any public notice of the anniversary of the “Mission Accomplished”, and he stated, “We know that all of you have it, since you have been asking about it for three days. We have been through this a number of times, and I don’t think I have anything to add.”
Food prices
Referring to the discussion on food prices on Capitol Hill, Fratto was asked if it was too early to push the panic button for ethanol, and he said that they take a strong look at how all of these policies affect food prices in the country. In regards to biofuels, there might “have been too much attention to bio fuel and not enough attention to all the other factors that affect food prices, especially in this county where it is a tiny slice of the increased prices for food in the United States,” Fratto said. Two years ago the price increased by 3.3% and last year by 4.5 %. “A very small portion of that price increase is attributed to biofuels, and there are lots of other factors; energy prices and the cost of transporting food, that has had a greater impact on that price increase than biofuel.”
President’s Schedule
At 10.15 am President Bush makes remarks on the 57th National Day of Prayer in the East Room of the White House. This afternoon, at 2:50 pm he will also make remarks at the celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Tony Fratto will brief the press at 12.30 pm today.
Economy
Fratto was asked if the GDP numbers this week were better than the Administration expected, and Fratto said that they had anticipated that the quarter numbers were going to be relatively flat. We had modestly encouraging news about .6% GDP, where the economy slightly expanded when there was a lot of expectation that it would contracting.
US air strike on Somalia
When asked for a confirmation on a US air strike in Somalia that is believe to have killed the head of a terrorist organization, Fratto said that he was aware of the report but referred to the Pentagon for further information.
Resignation
Fratto was asked if there are any more resignations following that of General Services Administration Lurita Doan, and he responded that he was not aware of any.
Whales
When asked for a comment on Rep. Harry Waxman’s concerns about a report that came out yesterday looking at White House involvement on protecting the whales. Fratto said that they were in the middle of the rule making process and he said that, “It is a robust and thorough process and we are going to listen to all the voices involves and come to a decision that is in the best interest of everybody involved… and making sure that we are protecting this very endangered species.” Every office is involved in review of decisions, which is why it is not at all unusual for the Vice President’s office to be involved, Fratto said.
Russia and Georgia
When asked if the President has spoken to Russian President Putin in the last 24 hours, Fratto said no. When asked about developments regarding Georgia and NATO involvement, Fratto said that they were concerned about reports coming out of the region and the US State Department is expressing their concerns through their appropriate channels. Fratto had nothing else specific to tell in terms of specific contact between Russia and Georgia. When asked who President Bush would call, Mr. Medvedev or Mr. Putin, Fratto replied that President Putin is the head of state of Russia.
Mission Accomplished
Fratto was asked if there will be any public notice of the anniversary of the “Mission Accomplished”, and he stated, “We know that all of you have it, since you have been asking about it for three days. We have been through this a number of times, and I don’t think I have anything to add.”
Food prices
Referring to the discussion on food prices on Capitol Hill, Fratto was asked if it was too early to push the panic button for ethanol, and he said that they take a strong look at how all of these policies affect food prices in the country. In regards to biofuels, there might “have been too much attention to bio fuel and not enough attention to all the other factors that affect food prices, especially in this county where it is a tiny slice of the increased prices for food in the United States,” Fratto said. Two years ago the price increased by 3.3% and last year by 4.5 %. “A very small portion of that price increase is attributed to biofuels, and there are lots of other factors; energy prices and the cost of transporting food, that has had a greater impact on that price increase than biofuel.”
GOP Senator Calls For Do-Over On Health Care Reform
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) believes that congressional Democrats have taken the wrong approach to health care reform and suggests hitting the proverbial reset button.
"My advice would be that we start over," Alexander said during a pen and pad session with reporters. "The main focus should be on the cost of health care for the 250 million Americans who already have it and on the cost of their government once we get through this legislation."
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), who also attended, took issue with the optimistic language the Obama administration has been using to describe the effects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"It's becoming increasingly apparent to the American people that this administration and House Democrats are out of touch with this economy," Pence argued. "The President on July 1st actually said that the stimulus bill had 'done its job'."
Alexander agreed, comparing the statement to a much derided misstep from the previous administration.
"I think his comment...sounds an awful lot to me like 'Mission Accomplished', and President Bush was held accountable for that and I think President Obama should be held accountable for this," Alexander said, referencing former President Bush's 2003 appearance in front of a banner marked "Mission Accomplished" prior to the worst days of the Iraqi insurgency.