[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 9 (Monday, March 4, 2002)]
[Pages 289-291]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Being Presented With the World Trade Center Bullhorn and an 
Exchange With Reporters

February 25, 2002

    President Bush. Listen, I want to--I want to welcome Bob Beckwith to 
the Oval Office, and his wife, Barbara, and his two grandchildren and 
son and daughter who are here, and son-in-law.
    As you may remember, I met Bob on the heap of a burnt-out fire 
engine in New York. And he didn't know, and I didn't know that we were 
going to meet on that day, and I had--I was traveling there with George 
Pataki and Rudy Giuliani. And it was my chance, after the National 
Prayer Service, to go to New York City and tell the good people of that 
town, that city, how the Nation stood with them. I had a chance to go 
and see the firefighters and the police officers who had been giving 
every ounce of their energy to rescue their fellow citizens.
    And I was given a bullhorn, and it turned out to be one of those 
moments where I had a chance to speak to the world on behalf of the 
citizens of New York. And Bob was standing there by my side.
    I told Bob when he came in, ``You made me famous that day.'' But I 
want to thank you, Bob, for coming back, and I want to thank Colonel 
Wiese as well, who rescued the bullhorn and will let me keep the 
bullhorn for the library. There's a father-and-son exhibit that's going 
to go on at the Bush Library, ``Bush 41'' Library, at Texas A&M, and 
this will be one of the key parts of the exhibit. It's an historic--
really an historic memento. Something we didn't choose, but it's one of 
those days that I'll never forget, and I want to thank you.
    Mr. Beckwith. I'll never forget.
    President Bush. It was an amazing experience. You know, I didn't 
realize at the time that you and I walked up on the heap of a burnt-out 
fire engine. I didn't realize that--and what's interesting, as a result 
of that, some people in Louisiana saw us standing on the fire engine and 
went and raised

[[Page 290]]

money for a new fire engine for New York. So that event had a lot of 
interesting ramifications.
    Governor Pataki. Mr. President, since September 11th, you've 
provided incredible leadership and really inspired the country. There 
are many unforgettable moments. But one that Bob and I and his family 
and much of America will never forget was 3 days after that attack when 
you came to Ground Zero. And it was exactly the right time.
    As Bob can say, everybody was exhausted and worn out, and you didn't 
come for a photo op; you spent hours touring the site and shaking hands 
with the firefighters and the construction workers. And I'll never 
forget the moment when you and Bob stood on that wreck, and the 
President was talking, and one of the construction workers yelled out, 
``We can't hear you.'' And the President said, ``Well, I can hear you. 
The whole world hears you, and pretty soon those evildoers will be 
hearing from us.''
    And Mr. President, they have heard from us, and your leadership has 
been inspiring. And this is what you said those words with, and I'm 
proud to present it to you for the Presidential Library. Americans will 
never forget.

[At this point, Gov. George E. Pataki of New York presented the 
bullhorn.]

    President Bush. Thank you.

Daniel Pearl

    Q. Mr. President, are you satisfied with Pakistan's response in the 
Daniel Pearl case? And is the United States interested in pursuing or 
indicting the primary suspect that's now in custody there?
    President Bush. I am satisfied with the response of President 
Musharraf and the Pakistani Government. I got a phone call from him when 
I was flying back from China, and I could tell from the tone of his 
voice how distraught he was, how disturbed he was that this barbaric act 
had taken place in his country. He knew full well that those killers did 
not represent the vast, vast majority of the people in his own country. 
And he vowed to me on the phone that he would do everything in his power 
to chase down the killers and bring them to justice.
    And yes, we're always interested in dealing with people who have 
harmed American citizens.

Economic Stimulus Package

    Q. Mr. President, what are your thoughts on an economic stimulus 
package now? Do you think there's really an opportunity to work with the 
Democrats in the Senate, particularly given signs that, albeit slowly, 
the economy is beginning to recover?
    President Bush. Well, I've got to tell you something: It's a matter 
of will and desire. If people put their mind to something, we can get 
things done in Washington, DC. I think we need an economic stimulus 
package. I think it's important for our economy. I think any time people 
are not working who need to be working, who want to work, we've got to 
do everything we can to make sure the environment is such that they can 
work.
    Secondly, I'm going to talk to the Governors today and remind them 
that in the economic stimulus package was some emergency Medicaid money, 
as well as the national emergency grants, because it's what--emergency 
grant money to help Medicaid bills as well as grants for emergency 
situations to help people with their health care bills.
    And yes, I think we need that bill. And I hope the Senate will take 
it up and pass it.

Pentagon Office of Strategic Influence

    Q. Sir, have you told Secretary Rumsfeld to get rid of the office of 
disinformation that he's talking about?
    President Bush. I told Secretary Rumsfeld--I didn't even need to 
tell him this. He knows how I feel; I saw it reflected in his comments 
the other day--that we'll tell the American people the truth. And he was 
just as amazed as I was about reading, you know, some allegation that 
somehow our Government would never tell the American people the truth. 
And I don't--I've got confidence, having heard his statement--I heard 
him this morning talk about it--that he'll handle this in the right way.

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Superfund

    Q. There was a report over the weekend, Mr. President, that 
questioned the administration's commitment to the EPA Superfund. Are you 
committed to fully funding the Superfund, sir?
    President Bush. I'm committed to cleaning up the environment without 
enriching lawyers.
    Q. I'm sorry?
    President Bush. I think there's too much litigation when it comes to 
environmental cleanup. What I want is action and results. And so we're 
looking at ways to make sure the Superfund fulfills its mission. And you 
cannot sue your way to clean air and clean water and clean land. It's 
got to be a system that focuses on efficient, good ways to make sure we 
accomplish the mission. And I think--so yes, we're looking at ways to 
reform the system to make sure it works, make sure it actually 
accomplishes what the Congress wants it to accomplish.

Steel Decision/Hybrid Vehicles

    Q. [Inaudible]--and I was wondering if you could tell us if you're 
worried at all that your position on steel would hurt the automakers' 
ability----
    President Bush. I haven't made a decision yet on steel. I haven't 
made a decision on steel yet. I'm in the process of reviewing all--all 
the facts. But I have made a decision on the need for the use of 
technologies to clean up our air and explore for more energy and change 
the automobile fleet.
    One of these days, this little lady right here is going to be 
driving an automobile with a hybrid engine in it and a fuel cell in it. 
And it's going to work. And I hope I'm around to see it, too.

World Trade Center Bullhorn

    Q. We thought the bullhorn had been lost. How were you able to find 
it?
    President Bush. The colonel found it; it's the actual one, too.
    Q. It never was lost? It's the real one? It's the actual one?
    President Bush. Yes.

Note: The President spoke at 11:30 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to retired New York City firefighter 
Bob Beckwith and his wife, Barbara; former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of 
New York City; Col. Daniel Wiese, Assistant Deputy Superintendent, New 
York State Police and commander, New York State Police Executive 
Services Detail; and President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan. A reporter 
referred to Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl, who was 
kidnaped January 23 in Karachi, Pakistan, and later killed by his 
captors.