[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
[January 21, 2003]
[Pages 69-71]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Following a Meeting With Economists and an Exchange With 
Reporters
January 21, 2003

    The President. Let me make a couple comments about the meeting we 
just had and be glad to answer a couple questions. You can lead it off, 
Fournier [Ron Fournier, Associated Press], in a minute.

[[Page 70]]

    I want to thank some of our Nation's leading economists for coming 
today to share their thoughts with me about our economy and the strength 
of our Nation, how best to make sure people can find work.
    We had a great discussion about the plan that I laid out for the 
Congress to consider and to enact, a plan which focuses on job creation, 
a plan which recognizes that money in the consumers' pocket will help 
grow this economy, a plan that recognizes there are some long-term 
things we can do to make sure the investor feels comfortable taking 
risks in America. It is a plan that recognizes that economic growth is 
not as strong as it should be. It's a plan that's good for all 
Americans. It is a plan that addresses our needs, and it's a plan that 
Congress needs to pass.
    These economists can speak for themselves after they leave, but they 
have given good advice and sound judgment, and for that, I'm grateful.
    I'll take a couple of questions. Ron.

 Diversity in Higher Education

    Q. Sir, last week in this room, you came out against quotas, which 
have been unconstitutional for 25 years. You didn't answer the central 
question, and that is whether race can be used as a factor in 
admissions. Dr. Rice says it could be. Colin Powell says it should be. 
What is your position? Can it be used as----
    The President. Well, my position is, is that as the--as the brief 
says, that there are clearly unconstitutional means to achieve 
diversity, there are race-neutral ways to achieve diversity--which I 
have put in place as the Governor of Texas--and that we'll leave the 
Court to define the outer limits of the Constitution.
    Adam [Adam Entous, Reuters].
    Q. Yes, Mr. President----
    Q. You won't answer that question then?
    The President. I just answered it.
    Q. Whether or not you believe----
    The President. No, I answered it. The courts will make the 
definition of the outer limits of the--and as Condi Rice said, she felt very comfortable in saying on 
national TV the decision I made was the right decision.
    Adam.

Iraq

    Q. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. The French are saying they 
would block a U.N. resolution authorizing force on Iraq. Are you 
frustrated by these comments? Can you still reach a consensus?
    The President. Well, Adam, first of all, it's important for the 
American citizens and the citizens around the world to understand that 
Saddam Hussein possesses some of the world's 
deadliest weapons. He poses a serious threat to America and our friends 
and allies. The world came together, including the French, to say he 
must disarm. He's not disarming. As a matter of fact, it appears to be a 
rerun of a bad movie. He is delaying. He is deceiving. He is asking for 
time. He's playing hide-and-seek with inspectors.
    One thing is for certain, he's not disarming. So the United States 
of America, in the name of peace, will continue to insist he does 
disarm, and we will keep the pressure on Saddam Hussein. 
    Angle [Jim Angle, FOX News].
    Q. Mr. President, when do you intend to make a decision about 
whether or not the inspection process is--actually has any hope of 
really disarming Saddam?
    The President. It's clear to me now that he is not disarming. And surely, our friends have learned 
lessons from the past. Surely we have learned how this man deceives and 
delays. He's giving people the runaround. And as many of my advisers 
said on TV this week, time is running out. I believe in the name of 
peace, he must disarm. And we will lead a coalition of willing nations 
to disarm him. Make no mistake about that, he will be disarmed.

[[Page 71]]

    Q. When--how do you decide when that moment comes that you need to 
make a judgment?
    The President. I will let you know when the moment has come. 
[Laughter]
    Q. Mr. President, who is in that coalition of the willing now? Are 
France, Germany out?
    The President. You will find out who is in the coalition of the 
willing. It is very much like what happened prior to our getting a 
resolution out of the United Nations. Many of the punditry--of course, 
not you--[laughter]--but other punditry were quick to say, ``No one is 
going to follow the United States of America.'' And we got a unanimous 
resolution out of the United Nations.
    The United States has made it clear our intention, and our intention 
is to work with the world for Saddam to 
disarm. He's been given ample time to disarm. We have had ample time now 
to see that the tricks of the past--he's employing the tricks of the 
past today. He's giving people the runaround. He wants to play hide-and-
seek. He's got a vast country.
    He wants to focus the attention of the 
world on inspectors. This is not about inspectors; this is about a 
disarmed Iraq. He has weapons of mass destruction, the world's deadliest 
weapons, which pose a direct threat to the United States, our citizens, 
and our friends and allies. He has been told to disarm for 11 long 
years. He's not disarming.
    This business about, you know, more time--you know, how much time do 
we need to see clearly that he's not 
disarming? As I said, this looks like a rerun of a bad movie, and I'm 
not interested in watching it.
    All right, thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 10:35 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to President Saddam Hussein of 
Iraq. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of these remarks. A portion of these remarks could not be 
verified because the tape was incomplete.