[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16998]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I was at the White House today with the 
President discussing all aspects of this present crisis. In the course 
of the conversations, he specifically referred to the fact that America 
must be understanding of those of Arab dissent, especially those who 
are American citizens, and indeed others who are here for various 
reasons. This terrible crisis should not reflect across the board on 
that culture. For it, I think, will eventually be seen as a very small 
fraction. I commend the President for our meeting today.
  I have for over 40 years had the privilege and the opportunity to be 
in the Oval Office. I started with President Eisenhower as a young 
person in the White House. I have been in that office with every 
successive President on a variety of matters. Our President, in the 
brief meeting of about 20 minutes or so with the two Senators from New 
York, my colleague, George Allen, myself, Condoleeza Rice, and Andrew 
Card, his chief, was absolutely calm. He was comfortable. He was 
knowledgeable. You got the feeling that he is a President who knew 
precisely what was going on and what has to be done. He was resolute 
and spoke with clarity about how he will take certain steps to right 
the criminal wrongs that have been done against our country in due 
course. He is going to do it on his own timetable--nobody will pressure 
him--when he has the facts in hand to hold those accountable for these 
crimes against our country.
  I am very proud of our President. Indeed, he said that this is going 
to take time. It might not be one; it might be two; who knows how many 
actions we will have to take. But let there be no doubt that this 
country is resolute in its determination, and that our citizens will be 
proud of the manner in which men and women of the Armed Forces and all 
other portions of our Government will respond to this crisis and do 
whatever we can to see that it doesn't happen again.
  I thank the Chair. I yield the floor.

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