[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 11 (Monday, March 21, 2005)]
[Pages 443-455]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's News Conference

March 16, 2005

    The President. Thank you for giving me a chance to come by and say 
hello. I'm preparing for my trip out of town for Easter--the Easter 
week, and I thought I'd share some thoughts with you and answer some 
questions.
    I am looking forward to continuing my dialog with the people on 
Social Security. It's important for the American people to understand 
that I believe the Social Security system has worked well, that Franklin 
Roosevelt did a positive thing when he created the Social Security 
system, but that I am deeply concerned about the Social Security system 
for younger Americans. And I believe we're making progress on convincing 
the American people of two things: One, nothing will change for seniors, 
those who have retired or near retirement; and secondly, that we must 
work together to make sure the system works for a younger generation of 
Americans. That's progress.
    As I said--I think I told you all earlier that one of my missions in 
the Social Security debate was to set that issue before the people so 
that people fully understand why I was

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addressing it, in other words, why--I fully understand some in 
Washington are saying, ``Why would the President bring this up. It's a 
difficult issue. It may cause us to have to make a tough vote.'' I'm 
making that case to the people and will continue to do so in Florida on 
Friday, and then we'll head out west from Crawford and then back to 
Crawford for my meetings with Prime Minister Martin and President Fox.
    I urge the Members to go out and, when they go home, to talk to 
their constituents not only about the problem but about solutions. I 
urge Members to start talking about how we're going to permanently fix 
Social Security. The Members, I hope, would not talk about a bandaid 
solution, but I think it's important for them to talk about a permanent 
fix, something that will last forever. I think the voters will 
appreciate people who come up with constructive suggestions, not 
statements merely in opposition of some ideas.
    And so this is part of what I wanted to share with you, is that I'm 
actually enjoying myself on these trips. I hope you're enjoying 
traveling with me. I like to get out of Washington. I like to discuss 
big issues. I like to remind people that my job is to confront problems, 
and I will continue to talk about Social Security for the next period of 
time.
    Iraq had a meeting today of its Transitional National Assembly. It's 
a bright moment in what is a process toward the writing of a 
constitution, the ratification of the constitution, and elections. And I 
want to congratulate the Iraqis for their Assembly. And it's--we've 
always said this is a process, and today was a step in that process. And 
it's a hopeful moment, I thought.
    I am looking forward to seeing you down there in Crawford, those of 
you lucky enough to be able to travel with me. I wish you all a happy 
Easter. And I'll be glad to answer some questions.

Coalition in Iraq/Transition in Iraq

    Q. Mr. President, the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq once had 38 
countries contributing troops, and now that number has fallen to 24. And 
yesterday, Italy said that it was going to start pulling out some forces 
in September. How can you keep the coalition from crumbling? And is it 
time to think about a timetable for pulling out some U.S. troops, given 
that the Iraqi Parliament was seated today, and you're making progress 
in training some forces?
    The President. Well, actually I called Silvio Berlusconi on another 
matter, which may or may not come up during this press conference. 
It's--actually, I'll give you a hint. I called him about the World Bank, 
and--[laughter]--and discussed my nominee, and--but he brought up the 
issue of Italian troops in Iraq and said, first of all, he wanted me to 
know that there was no change in his policy, that, in fact, any 
withdrawals would be done in consultation with allies and would be done 
depending upon the ability of Iraqis to defend themselves. And I said, 
``Are you sure I can say this to the press corps that will be wanting to 
know what took place in our conversation?'' He said, ``Absolutely.''
    So I think what you're going to find is that countries will be 
willing--or anxious to get out when Iraqis have got the capacity to 
defend themselves. And that's the position of the United States. Our 
troops will come home when Iraq is capable of defending herself, and 
that's generally what I find to be the case, Terry [Terence Hunt, 
Associated Press], when I've talked to other allies on this issue.
    And we're making progress. I've--I talk to General Casey quite 
frequently, and he keeps us abreast of the progress being made. One of 
the things--one of the issues in terms of Iraqi troops being able to 
defend their country is the ability to stand up chains of command. I 
think I've shared this with you before, and it's still an issue that 
they're working on. There's officer training schools, plus the ability 
for a command to go from a civilian government through a military chain 
of command, down to the lower ranks of troops. And there's positive 
signs that have taken place in the development of the Iraqi security 
force, and there's still work to be done. Our allies understand that.
    But I say ``anxious to come home,'' and every--nobody--I mean, 
people want their troops home, but they don't want their troops home if 
it affects the mission. We've gone--we've made a lot of progress. It's 
amazing how much progress has been made, thanks

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in large part to the courage of the Iraqi people. And when I talk to 
people, most understand we need to complete the mission. And completing 
the mission means making sure the Iraqis can defend themselves.
    Q. So you don't think it's crumbling, the coalition?
    The President. No, quite to the contrary, I think the coalition is--
has been buoyed by the courage of the Iraqi people. I think they've been 
pleased and heartened by the fact that the Iraqis went to the polls and 
voted and they're now putting together a Government, and they see 
progress is being made. And I share that sense of enthusiasm about 
what's taking place in Iraq.
    Yes, Steve [Steve Holland, Reuters].

Iran

    Q. Yes, sir. The Iranians have dismissed the European incentive as 
insignificant. Should more incentives be offered? How long do they have 
until you take your case to the Security Council?
    The President. Well, I--first of all, I want to thank our European 
friends for taking the lead on this issue, telling the Iranians that 
they should permanently abandon any enrichment or reprocessing, to make 
sure that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon.
    Let me review the bidding on this, if I might, just kind of the 
history, right quick. Iran has concealed its--a nuclear program. That 
became discovered, not because of their compliance with the IAEA or NPT 
but because a dissident group pointed it out to the world, and--which 
raised suspicions about the intentions of the program. You can 
understand why. It's a nontransparent regime. They're run by a handful 
of people. And so suspicions were raised, and as a result of those 
suspicions, we came together with friends and allies to seek a guarantee 
that they wouldn't use any nuclear program to make weapons. A lot of 
people understand that if they did have a weapon, it would create 
incredible instability. It wouldn't be good for world peace.
    And so the best way to do that--and this is where we are in the 
talks--was to say to the Iranians that they must permanently abandon 
enrichment and reprocessing. And the EU-3 meant it. And now we're 
waiting for an Iranian response.
    Q. So how long do you--how long do you wait? When do you go to the 
Security Council?
    The President. The understanding is we go to the Security Council if 
they reject the offer, and I hope they don't. I hope they realize the 
world is clear about making sure that they don't end up with a nuclear 
weapon.
    David [David Gregory, NBC News].

Social Security Reform

    Q. Mr. President, you say you're making progress in the Social 
Security debate. Yet private accounts, as the centerpiece of that plan, 
something you first campaigned on 5 years ago and laid before the 
American people, remains, according to every measure we have, poll after 
poll, unpopular with a majority of Americans. So the question is, do you 
feel that this is a point in the debate where it's incumbent upon you, 
and nobody else, to lay out a plan to the American people for how you 
actually keep Social Security solvent for the long term?
    The President. First of all, Dave, let me, if I might correct you, 
be so bold as to correct you. I have not laid out a plan yet, 
intentionally. I have laid out principles. I've talked about putting all 
options on the table, because I fully understand the administration must 
work with the Congress to permanently solve Social Security. So one 
aspect of the debate is, will we be willing to work together to 
permanently solve the issue?
    Personal accounts do not solve the issue. But personal accounts will 
make sure that individual workers get a better deal with whatever 
emerges as a Social Security solution.
    And the reason why is because a personal account would enable a 
worker to, voluntarily, by the way--this is a voluntary program; you can 
choose to join or choose not to join. The Government is not making you 
do that. It's your option, and you can decide whether or not you want to 
put some of your own money aside in a conservative mix in stocks and 
bonds to earn a better rate of return than that which you would earn--
your money would earn inside the Social Security system. And over time, 
that compounds. It

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grows, and you would end up with a nest egg you could call your own.
    And so I think it's an interesting idea and one that people ought to 
discuss to make sure the system works better for an individual worker. 
But it's very important for people to understand that the permanent 
solution will require Congress and the administration working together 
on a variety of different possibilities.
    Q. But sir, but Democrats have made it pretty clear that they're not 
interested in that. They want you to lay it out, and so, what I'm asking 
is, don't----
    The President. I'm sure they do. The first bill on the Hill always 
is dead on arrival. I'm interested in coming up with a permanent 
solution. I'm not interested in playing political games. [Laughter] I'm 
interested in working with members of both political parties.
    Q. Will you say if you're specifically supportive of an income test 
for the slowing of future benefits? Could that get some kind of 
bipartisan consensus going?
    The President. David, there's some interesting ideas out there. One 
of the interesting ideas was by this fellow--by a Democrat economist, 
name of Pozen. He came to visit the White House. He didn't see me, but 
came and tossed some interesting ideas out, talking about making sure 
the system was progressive. We're open for ideas. And I--look, I can 
understand why people say, ``Make--force the President to either 
negotiate with himself or lay out his own bill.'' I want to work with 
members of both political parties. And I stood up in front of the 
Congress and said, ``Bring your ideas forward.'' And I'm looking forward 
to people bringing ideas forward. That's how the process works, and I'm 
confident we'll get something done.
    See, the American people want something done. They don't like 
partisan politics. They don't like people saying, ``I'm not going to 
accept so-and-so's idea because it happens to come from a particular 
political party.'' What they want is people coming together to solve 
this problem.
    John [John Roberts, CBS News].

Energy Prices/Energy Policy

    Q. Mr. President, the price of oil is at record levels, well above 
the $28 price point that you would prefer. The price of gasoline is 
projected to go above $2.50 this spring. How concerned are you that this 
could start to affect the American economy? Is there more you could do 
to talk with oil-producing nations to get the price at the wellhead 
down? And is there more you could do, since part of the problem is 
refining capacity, to encourage oil companies who haven't built a new 
refinery in 20 years to start increasing their capacity domestically?
    The President. No, I am concerned about the price of energy. I'm 
concerned about what it means to the average American family when they 
see the price of gasoline going up. I'm concerned what it means to small 
businesses. I'm worried about the price of natural gas, particularly 
given the sense that--because a lot of utilities now rely upon natural 
gas to provide electricity for their consumers. And I have been worried 
about this since 2001, when I first showed up in Washington, DC.
    I'm concerned about the relationship between the demand for oil--our 
growing economy's demand for oil, but more particularly, the demand for 
oil from--or energy, in general, from countries like China, fast-growing 
countries that are consuming a lot of raw materials and natural 
resources. And it is of concern, John. And that's why I went to the 
Congress and asked them to join in a comprehensive energy plan, which 
they have yet to do. I would hope that when Members go back to their 
districts and hear the complaints of people about the rising price of 
gasoline or complaints from small-business owners about the cost of 
energy, that they will come back and, in the spirit of--in a proper 
spirit, get a bill to my desk that encourages conservation and continue 
to find alternative sources of energy. The--and by the way, the 
modernization of the electricity grid is an important part of the energy 
bill.
    I, frankly, don't think we need a lot of incentives for energy 
companies in the energy bill. The incentive is price. That's plenty of 
incentive for people to go out and find additional resources. I hope 
Congress passes

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ANWR. There's a way to get some additional reserves here at home on the 
books.
    In terms of world supply, I think, if you look at all the 
statistics, demand is outracing supply, and supplies are getting tight. 
And that's why you're seeing the price reflected. And hopefully, there 
will be more conservation around the world, better conservation around 
the world as well as additional supplies of energy.
    One thing is for certain: We've got to use our technology to, over 
time, evolve away from reliance upon oil and gas and, at the same time, 
use our technologies to make sure we can use our plentiful resources 
like coal in an environmentally friendly way. I went to Columbus, Ohio, 
the other day and talked to the person responsible for the FutureGen 
plant, which is a innovative use of technology for there to be 
emissions-free coal-burning plants. That would not only be helpful for 
the United States, it would be helpful for the world, developing nations 
to be able to use this technology.
    This is going to be a subject, by the way--was a subject of interest 
in my trip to Europe. In the councils of the EU, we talked about how we 
can work together on technological developments to change habits and 
change supply of the energy mix for the world. And this will be a topic 
of--at the G-8 as well.
    Yes.
    Q. Mr. President, could I follow up? Everybody else has had a chance 
to follow up.
    The President. I know, I'm trying to break the habit. [Laughter] 
Sorry, it's not you, Roberts. Don't take it personally. [Laughter]
    Q. I never do, sir.
    The President. That's good. Neither do I.

Return of Detainees to Countries of Origin

    Q. Mr. President, can you explain why you've approved of and 
expanded the practice of what's called rendition, of transferring 
individuals out of U.S. custody to countries where human rights groups 
and your own State Department say torture is common for people in 
custody?
    The President. The post-9/11 world, the United States must make sure 
we protect our people and our friends from attack. That was the charge 
we have been given. And one way to do so is to arrest people and send 
them back to their country of origin with the promise that they won't be 
tortured. That's the promise we receive. This country does not believe 
in torture. We do believe in protecting ourselves. We don't believe in 
torture. And----
    Q. As Commander in Chief----
    The President. Sorry, let--this is going to make Roberts feel 
terrible.
    Q. That's all right.
    The President. No, no, you shouldn't make----
    Q. It doesn't bother me at all. [Laughter]
    The President. Elisabeth [Elisabeth Bumiller, New York Times].
    Q. As Commander in Chief, what is it that Uzbekistan can do in 
interrogating an individual that the United States can't?
    The President. No, we seek assurances that nobody will be tortured 
when we render a person back to their home country.
    Elisabeth.

Candidate for World Bank President

    Q. Paul Wolfowitz, who was the--a chief architect of one of the most 
unpopular wars in our history----
    The President. [Laughter] That's an interesting start. [Laughter]
    Q. ----is your choice to be the President of the World Bank. What 
kind of signal does that send to the rest of the world?
    The President. Well, first of all, I think people--I appreciate the 
world leaders taking my phone calls as I explained to them why I think 
Paul will be a strong president of the World Bank. I've said he was a 
man of good experiences. He helped manage a large organization. The 
World Bank is a large organization. The Pentagon is a large 
organization; he's been involved in the management of that organization. 
He's a skilled diplomat, worked at the State Department in high 
positions. He was the Ambassador to Indonesia, where he did a very good 
job representing our country. And Paul is committed to development. He's 
a compassionate, decent man who will do a fine job in the World Bank. 
And that's why I called leaders of countries, and that's why I put him 
up.

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    I was pleased to see that Jim Wolfensohn, earlier today, made a very 
strong comment about Paul's candidacy. Jim Wolfensohn has done a fine 
job in leading the World Bank. He's represented the World Bank with a 
lot of class and a lot of dignity, and I think his comments are very 
important comments for--for people to get to know Paul better before 
the--before the vote is taken.
    Jim [Jim VandeHei, Washington Post].

Representative Tom DeLay

    Q. Sir, Tom DeLay, the House Majority Leader, has been admonished 
three times by the House Ethics Committee, is currently embroiled in 
several controversies involving a lobbyist who happened to be a pretty 
big fundraiser for your two campaigns. Do you have the full confidence 
in Tom DeLay, his tactics, and his leadership role in the Republican 
Party?
    The President. I have confidence in Tom DeLay's leadership, and I 
have confidence in Tom DeLay. And I am--we've worked closely with Tom 
DeLay and the leaders in the House to get a lot done during the last 4 
years, and I'm looking forward to working with him to get a lot done 
during the next 4 years. We've got a big agenda. We've got to get an 
energy bill out of the House. We've got to get more legal reform out of 
the House. We've got to get a Social Security reform package out of the 
House, got to get a budget out of the House. There's a lot going on. And 
Speaker Hastert and Leader DeLay and Whip Blunt are close allies and 
people with whom we're working to get a lot done.

Congressional Hearings on Steroid Use/Major League Baseball

    Q. Mr. President, you have spoken out about the need for owners, 
coaches, and players in all sports to stop steroid use. And you've also 
voiced reservations about Government getting too involved in that. And 
as you know, Congress is issuing subpoenas to Major League Baseball 
players during spring training. Do you think that that's an abuse of 
power, or is it appropriate, in your view?
    The President. Well, Congress generally has an independent mind of 
its own. I spoke out and was pleased to see that baseball responded, and 
they've got a testing policy in place for the first time ever, a firm 
testing policy in place. And it's very important that baseball then 
follow through and implement the testing and, obviously, deal with those 
who get caught cheating in the system.
    And the hearings will go forward, I guess. I guess that's the 
current status. But I'm wise enough not to second-guess the intentions 
of the United States Congress.
    I do appreciate the public concern about the use of steroids in 
sports, whether it be baseball or anywhere else, because I understand 
that when a professional athlete uses steroids, it sends terrible 
signals to youngsters. There's--we've had some stories in my own State. 
One of the newspapers there pointed out that they thought there was 
steroid use in high schools as a result of--in order to make sure these 
kids, at least in the kid's mind, could be a better athlete. It's a bad 
signal. It's not right.
    And so I appreciate the fact that baseball is addressing this, and I 
appreciate the fact that the Congress is paying attention to the issue. 
This first started, of course, with Senator McCain, who basically said, 
``Get your house in order.'' And baseball responded, and my hope is the 
system will work.
    Q. You have no problem with the subpoenas?
    The President. No.
    Carl [Carl Cameron, Fox News]

Judicial Nominations/Senate Rules Changes

    Q. Mr. President, your judicial nominees continue to run into 
problems on Capitol Hill. Republicans are discussing the possibility of 
ending the current Democratic filibuster practice against it. And 
Democrats yesterday, led by Minority Leader Harry Reid, went to the 
steps of the Capitol to say that if that goes forward, they will halt 
your agenda straight out. What does that say about your judicial 
nominees, the tone on Capitol Hill? And which is more important, judges 
or your agenda?
    The President. Both. I believe that I have a obligation to put forth 
good, honorable people to serve on the bench and have done so. And I 
expect them to get up-or-down vote on the floor of the Senate. This 
isn't a new

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position for me, or the--I've been saying this for the last several 
years. And they ought to get a vote. They're getting voted out of 
committee, but they're not getting a vote on the floor. And I don't 
think it's fair to the candidates, and I don't think it's fair to the 
administration for this policy to go forward. And so--and hopefully, the 
Senate will be able to conduct business and also give my nominees a 
vote, an up-or-down vote on the floor of the Senate.
    Yes, sir. John [John McKinnon, Wall Street Journal].

Social Security Reform

    Q. Sir, on Social Security, what is the timeline that you want to 
see for action by Congress on a bill? When do you start to get worried 
about not getting something done this year? And also, if I can add, 
would you be willing to drop personal accounts in order to get a bill?
    The President. Personal accounts are very important for the 
individuals. It's a--you know, it's interesting--David quoted some poll. 
There's all kinds of polls. For every poll you quote, I'll quote another 
one. It's kind of the way Washington works these days. They poll 
everything. The one I read the other day said people like the idea of 
personal accounts.
    I think people like the idea of being able to take some of their own 
money--in other words, the Government says, ``You can decide,'' as 
opposed to, ``We'll decide for you''--you get to decide if this is in 
your interest. And you get to decide whether you want to set some of 
your own money aside in an account that will earn a better rate of 
return than that which will be earned in the Social Security system. 
That's an important part of making sure the system works for the 
individual.
    I repeat, personal accounts do not permanently fix the solution. 
They make the solution more attractive for the individual worker. And 
that's important for people to understand, John, and that's why it's 
very important for Congress to discuss this issue.
    In terms of timetables, as quickly as possible--whatever that means. 
No, I am going to--one of the things that I think is very important for 
people to understand is that I believe that we have a duty to work on 
big problems in Washington, DC, and so I'm going to continue working on 
this. And it's, I guess--I'm not going to go away on the issue, because 
the issue is not going to go away. The longer we wait, the more 
difficult it is to solve the problem.
    And listen, I fully understand it's a difficult issue. Otherwise, it 
would have been solved a long time ago. And I understand some Members 
don't--view this as a tough vote. In other words, ``Why did you bring it 
up? It's a tough vote.'' And--but that's just not the way I think, John. 
I think we have a duty. I truly do. This is--now is the time to get this 
solved. I remember 1983, this ``We've got a 75-year solution.'' It 
wasn't a 75-year solution that they came up with. It was a--I liked the 
spirit of people coming together from both parties to sit down and see 
if they couldn't solve the immediate problem, but it wasn't a 75-year 
solution because we're talking about it now. And at 2018, the situation 
starts to get worse because more money is coming into the system--I 
mean, more money is going out of the system than coming in.
    You know, one thing about Social Security--I'm sorry to blow on 
here, but now that you asked--a lot of people in America think there is 
a trust: Your money goes in; the Government holds it; and then the 
Government gives you your money back when you retire. That's just not 
the way it works. And it's important for the American citizens to 
understand it's a pay-as-you-go system. And right now, we're paying for 
a lot of programs other than Social Security with the payroll tax coming 
in, thereby leaving a pile of IOUs. And part of why I think a personal 
account is an attractive option for a younger worker is that there will 
be real assets in the system at this point in time.
    I also will continue reminding people, when it comes to personal 
accounts, that the system oftentimes doesn't work for a widow. You know, 
if a wage-earner dies prior to 62, there are no spousal benefits 
available until 62. If the spouse--both spouses work, the spouse that 
survives will get the higher of his or her Social Security benefits or 
the death benefits but not both. In other words, somebody's contribution 
to the system just

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goes away. And a personal account will enable somebody to leave behind 
an asset base to whomever he or she chooses. And that's an important 
concept for people to understand.
    Peter [Peter Baker, Washington Post].

Death Penalty

    Q. Mr. President, your administration recently called on the Texas 
courts to review some death cases--some death penalty cases down there.
    The President. Yes.
    Q. And during your State of the Union, you talked about the 
importance of DNA evidence, and you talked about the possibility that 
maybe there were inequities in the system and the lawyers that represent 
death row inmates. I'm wondering if this represents a change in your 
feelings about the death penalty since you were Governor of Texas. And 
if there are the possibilities--the possibilities exist of problems, why 
not call on--for a moratorium?
    The President. No, I still support the death penalty, and I think 
it's a deterrent to crime. But I want to make sure, obviously, that 
those subject to the death penalty are truly guilty. And that's why I 
talked about what I talked about and why I made the decisions I made. I 
think, regardless of your position on the issue, one of the things we've 
got to make sure is that we use, in this case, technology, DNA 
technologies, to make sure that we're absolutely certain about the 
innocence or guilt of a person accused.
    Yes.

Saint Patrick's Day/Northern Ireland Peace Process

    Q. Mr. President, are you trying to send a message to the IRA by not 
inviting Gerry Adams and the other Northern Ireland politicians 
tomorrow?
    The President. I talked to Bertie Ahern about this and--at the EU, 
and he just asked who was coming to the events, which--I said, ``You 
are, for certain.'' And we wanted to make sure that we honored those in 
civil society in Ireland who are contributing positively to the peace 
process. And that's what we'll be doing on this particular trip.
    It's very important that people understand that the parties must 
renounce violence. There's a--the Good Friday agreement laid out the way 
forward for peace in Northern Ireland, and this administration and our 
Government strongly supports those steps. But tomorrow's message will 
be, we want to thank those in civil society who are working hard to 
achieve a peaceful resolution.
    Q. By inviting the widow--the sisters, rather, of this man who was 
killed----
    The President. That's part of the statement, a very strong part of 
the statement, and I'm looking forward to meeting these very brave 
souls. They've committed themselves to a peaceful solution. And 
hopefully, their loved one will not have died in vain. I mean, out of 
this--hopefully, some good will come out of the evil perpetuated on this 
family.
    Yes, sir.

Hezbollah/Lebanon

    Q. Mr. President, yesterday you said that Hezbollah could prove it 
is not a terrorist organization by laying down arms and supporting 
peace. How willing and flexible, and under what conditions are you able 
to, as you promote democracy in the Middle East, encourage parties like 
Hezbollah to discontinue the use of terrorism as a tactic?
    The President. Yes, I think--let me make sure that you put my answer 
into full context. I first said that Hezbollah is on the terrorist list 
for a reason, because they have killed Americans in the past, and they--
they're a violent organization. And the question was about Lebanon, and 
let me take a step back, if I might, on this question, because it's 
important for the American people to understand our policy.
    Our policy is this: We want there to be a thriving democracy in 
Lebanon. We believe that there will be a thriving democracy, but only 
if--but only if--Syria withdraws not only her troops completely out of 
Lebanon but also her secret service organizations, intelligence 
organizations--not secret service--intelligence organizations. I am 
concerned and the world should be concerned that the intelligence 
organizations are embedded in a lot of Government functions in Lebanon, 
and there needs to be a complete

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withdrawal of those services in order for there to be a free election. 
And we will--this Government will work with elected leaders of a free, 
truly free Lebanon, and looking forward to it.
    I like the idea of people running for office. There's a positive 
effect when you run for office. Maybe some will run for office and say, 
``Vote for me; I look forward to blowing up America.'' I don't know; I 
don't know if that will be their platform or not. But it's--I don't 
think so. I think people who generally run for office say, ``Vote for 
me; I'm looking forward to fixing your potholes or making sure you've 
got bread on the table.'' And so--but Hezbollah is on the terrorist list 
for a reason and will remain on the terrorist list for a reason. Our 
position has not changed on Hezbollah.
    Judy [Judy Keen, USA Today].

Same-Sex Marriage

    Q. President Bush, a court ruling in California this week has 
revived debate over same-sex marriage. You support a constitutional 
amendment to ban such marriages. But it's not something you talk about 
nearly as often as Social Security and many other issues. Will you put 
some muscle behind that effort this year? Or is it something you'd 
prefer not to deal with?
    The President. No, I haven't changed my position. And as a matter of 
fact, the court rulings are verifying why I took the position I took, 
and that is, I don't believe judges ought to be deciding this issue. I 
believe this is an issue of particular importance to the American people 
and should be decided by the people. And I think the best way to do so 
is through the constitutional process. I haven't changed my mind at all. 
As a matter of fact, court rulings such as this strengthen my position, 
it seems like to me. People now understand why I laid out the position I 
did.
    Q. What can you do to promote action on that amendment?
    The President. Well, I--the courts are going to promote a lot of the 
action by their very rulings. People will understand that--the logic 
behind the decision I made. And no matter what your position is on the 
issue, this is an issue that should be decided by the people, not by 
judges. And the more the judges start deciding the issue, I'm confident 
the more the people will want to be involved in the issue. This is a 
very important issue for the country and one that obviously needs to be 
conducted with a great deal of sensitivity and concern about other 
people's feelings. But this is--it's an issue I feel strongly about.
    Yes, Stretch [Bill Sammon, Washington Times].

Democracy in the Middle East

    Q. Mr. President, you faced a lot of skepticism in the runup to the 
Iraq war and then a lot of criticism for miscalculating some of the 
challenges of postwar Iraq. Now that the Iraq elections seem to be 
triggering signs of democratization throughout the broader Middle East, 
do you feel any sense of vindication?
    The President. First of all, I fully understand that as long as I'm 
the President, I will face criticism. It's like part of the job. 
Frankly, you wouldn't be doing your job if you didn't occasionally lay 
out the gentle criticism. I welcome constructive ideas as to how we 
might do our job better, so that doesn't bother me. And therefore, since 
it doesn't bother me and I expect it, I don't then leak--seek 
vindication.
    Look, history--shall I give you my talk on history and Presidencies? 
Okay, thank you. I don't--what's interesting is George Washington is now 
getting a 2d or 3d or 5th or 10th look in history. I read the Ellis 
book, which is a really interesting book, and--``His Excellency,'' it's 
called. David McCullough is writing a book on George Washington as well. 
People are constantly evaluating somebody's standing in history, a 
President's standing in history, based upon events that took place 
during the Presidency, based upon things that happened after the 
Presidency, based upon--like in my case, hopefully, the march of freedom 
continues way after my Presidency. And so I just don't worry about 
vindication or standing.
    The other thing, it turns out, in this job you've got a lot on your 
plate on a regular basis. You don't have much time to sit around and 
kind of wander lonely in the Oval Office, kind of asking different 
portraits, ``How do you think my standing will be?'' [Laughter]

[[Page 452]]

I've got a lot to do. And I like to make decisions, and I make a lot of 
them.
    But no, you know, look, the people who deserve the credit in Iraq 
are the Iraqi citizens that defied the terrorists. Imagine what it would 
be like to try to go vote thinking that there could be a suicide bomber 
standing next to you in line, or somebody would lob a shell or a mortar 
at you. The courage of the Iraqi citizens was just overwhelming, I 
thought. It's easy for us to vote. The question is what it would be like 
to vote if you were fearful for your life. In parts of the country, 
people were getting messages that said, ``If you vote, we'll find 
somebody you love and take care of them.'' And yet they defied--defied 
these terrorists. It was a powerful moment in the history of freedom. 
People in the world got to see what it means to--for a group of people 
that have been downtrodden to rise up and say, ``I want to be free.''
    Now, there's a lot of work to be done, and I'm sure there will be 
some opinions about what takes place during the next 9 months, as the 
constitution is written, and whether or not the elections move forward 
as smoothly as some think they should. Obviously, there's concern now I 
read about, that--occasionally reading, I want you to know, in the 
second term--that--your stories, that is--that they haven't formed a 
Government yet. But I take a different look. First of all, obviously, 
there will be a Government formed, but I think it is interesting and--to 
watch the process of people negotiating and worrying about this and 
worrying about that and people seeking out positions as to their stands 
on issues that will be relevant to the future of Iraq. It's a wholesome 
process. And it's being done in a transparent way. I mean, you've got 
the press corps all over them, watching every move, which is a positive 
example for others in the region.
    And that's important. It's important for people in that region to 
see what is possible in a free society. And I firmly believe that the 
examples of Iraq and Afghanistan--I believe there will be a Palestinian 
state. I believe we'll be able to convince Syria to fully withdraw, or 
else she'll be isolated--fully withdraw from Lebanon, or else she'll be 
isolated. I believe those examples will serve as examples for others 
over time. And that will lead to more peace, and that's what we want.
    Yes, Carl [Carl Cannon, National Journal].

Under Secretary of State-Designate Karen Hughes

    Q. Mr. President, do you also think it will lead to America's 
reputation being restored? Earlier this week you brought Karen Hughes 
back at Ambassador rank to address the question of antipathy to America 
around the world----
    The President. Yes.
    Q. ----particularly the Muslim world. What does that entail?
    The President. Well, it entails a couple of things, Carl. It entails 
people understanding why we do things we do. You know, for example, 
there was--I think we had the image of wanting to fight Muslims--the 
United States stood squarely against a religion as opposed to a society 
which welcomes all religions. And in fact, we're fighting a handful of 
people, relative to the Muslim population, that wanted to--I used to say 
``hijack the religion.''
    People need to understand we're a compassionate nation, and we care 
deeply about suffering, regardless of where people live. And the--you 
know, President Clinton and President Bush 41 did a fine job of helping 
the world see the great compassion of America when they went on their 
trips in the areas ravaged by the tsunamis.
    It is very important for us to have a message that counteracts some 
of the messages coming out of some of the Arab media--some of it coming 
out partly because of our strong and unwavering friendship with Israel. 
You know, Israel is an easy target for some of the media in the Middle 
East, and if you're a friend of Israel, you become a target. And since 
we're not going to abandon our alliance with Israel, there's a--there 
was some churning in the press, and there was some unhelpful things 
being said. And so part of that is to make sure people understand the 
truth. And that is, in this particular issue, you bet we're going to 
stand by Israel. But we also believe the Palestinians have the 
capability of self-governance in a truly democratic state that will live 
side by side with the Israelis in peace.

[[Page 453]]

    And so Karen is going--one, I want to thank her for coming back from 
Austin. It's very hard, if you're a Texan, to abandon Austin for 
anywhere else, and--or Texas for anywhere else. Secondly, I applaud 
Secretary Rice's decision to include Karen in the process. I thought 
that was very wise of her to call upon Karen's talents. And Dina Powell 
from my office, an Egyptian American, is also going over, leaving the 
White House compound to work with Karen, because she believes deeply in 
the American experience, in American values and wants to share those 
values with people around the world.
    And you know, I think when people also see, Carl, that we do what we 
say we're going to do, for example, that we helped feed the hungry and 
that we believe all folks should be free and that women should have an 
equal say in society--I think when people see we actually mean that--and 
then when it comes to fruition, it will help people around the world 
better understand our good hearts and good nature.
    Yes, Ken [Ken Herman, Cox News]

Federal Government News Videos

    Q. Mr. President, earlier this year, you told us you wanted your 
administration to cease and desist on payments to journalists to promote 
your agenda. You cited the need for ethical concerns and the need for a 
bright line between the press and the Government. Your administration 
continues to make the use of video news releases, which is prepackaged 
news stories sent to television stations, fully aware that some--or many 
of these stations will air them without any disclaimer that they are 
produced by the Government. The Comptroller General of the United States 
this week said that raises ethical questions. Does it raise ethical 
questions about the use of Government money to produce stories about the 
Government that wind up being aired with no disclosure that they were 
produced by the Government?
    The President. There is a Justice Department opinion that says these 
pieces are within the law, so long as they're based upon facts, not 
advocacy. And I expect our agencies to adhere to that ruling, to that 
Justice Department opinion. This has been a longstanding practice of the 
Federal Government, to use these types of videos. The Agricultural 
Department, as I understand it, has been using these videos for a long 
period of time. The Defense Department, other Departments have been 
doing so. It's important that they be based upon the guidelines set out 
by the Justice Department.
    Now, I also--I think it would be helpful if local stations then 
disclosed to their viewers that that's--that this was based upon a 
factual report, and they chose to use it. But evidently, in some cases, 
that's not the case. So, anyway.
    Q. The administration could guarantee that's happening by including 
that language in the prepackaged report.
    The President. Yes, I don't--oh, you mean a disclosure, ``I'm George 
W. Bush, and I''----
    Q. Well, some way to make sure it couldn't air without the 
disclosure that you believe is so vital.
    The President. You know, Ken, there's a procedure that we're going 
to follow, and the local stations ought to, if there's a deep concern 
about that, ought to tell their viewers what they're watching.

Iran

    Q. Mr. President, do you think there should be regime change in 
Iran? And if so, what are you prepared to do to see that happen?
    The President. Richard [Richard Wolffe, Newsweek], I believe that 
the Iranian people ought to be allowed to freely discuss opinions, read 
a free press, have free votes, be able to choose amongst political 
parties. I believe Iran should adopt democracy. That's what I believe.
    Q. Mr. President----
    The President. Yes, ma'am.

Religious Displays

    Q. Thank you, sir. Do you believe that nativity scenes and the Ten 
Commandments should continue to be displayed on Federal property or in 
schools?
    The President. We had a display of the Ten Commandments on the 
statehouse grounds in Texas, and I supported that display.

[[Page 454]]

Social Security Reform

    Q. Mr. President, back to Social Security, if I may.
    The President. Yes----
    Q. You said right at the top today that you urged Members of 
Congress to go out and talk about the problem with their constituents.
    The President. About solutions to the problem.
    Q. But also to talk about solutions, and it's that part of it I want 
to ask about. Aren't you asking them to do something that you really 
haven't been willing to do yet?
    The President. No, I'm interested in--first of all, I have laid out, 
in the State of the Union Address--I haven't looked at all previous 
State of the Union Addresses, but I think I'm the first President ever 
to say, ``All options are on the table,'' and named a series of options. 
I think. Now, maybe if somebody could go back and find out--if you've 
got some idle time on your hand, you might want to go read previous 
State of the Union Addresses and see if that's true.
    I don't believe Members should go write a bill, but I do believe a 
Member should start discussing ideas with constituencies about how to 
solve the problem, as opposed to blocking ideas--to say, ``Here are some 
ideas,'' and come back and present them. That's what's happening, by the 
way. There's a lot of Members are talking about different concepts. I've 
called a lot of them into the White House compound; I've listened to 
them. There's a variety of ideas, and that's positive. I view that as a 
positive sign that Members of Congress, one, take the problem 
seriously--I thought it was helpful yesterday when the United States 
Senate said that Social Security is a serious problem that requires a 
permanent solution.
    And now it's time for people, when they get back from Easter, having 
talked to different constituency groups, to come back and sit down and 
start sharing ideas about how to move the process forward. And my pledge 
is that I will not take somebody's idea and use it as a political weapon 
against them. That's what's changed in this debate. In other words, the 
Social Security--they used to call it the third rail of American 
politics, because when you talked about it, you got singed, at the 
minimum. And it's now time to talk about it in a serious way, to come up 
with a permanent solution.
    Yes, Jackson [David Jackson, Dallas Morning News].
    Q. Mr. President, you talked earlier about going----
    The President. I can't call on Herman and not on Jackson. [Laughter]

Iran

    Q. Thank you. You talked about going to the Security Council if Iran 
turns down this EU-3 deal. Iran says they're not making nuclear weapons. 
Are we looking at a potential military confrontation with Iran?
    The President. You know that we've got a lot of diplomacy, you know. 
I mean, there's a lot of diplomacy in this issue. And that's why I was 
so pleased to be able to participate with our friends France and Great 
Britain and Germany to say to the Iranians, ``We speak with common 
voice, and we share suspicions because of your past behavior. And the 
best way to ensure that you do not develop a nuclear weapon is for you 
to have no enrichment of plutonium--have no highly enriched uranium 
program or plutonium program that could lead to a weapon.'' That's what 
we've said.
    And we've just started the process. We just had the discussion. How 
long ago was I in Europe? Maybe 10 days or so, 2 weeks? About 2 weeks? I 
mean, it takes a while for things to happen in the world, David. I mean, 
I know there's a certain impatience with a never-ending news cycle. But 
things don't happen on--necessarily overnight the way some would like 
them, you know. They just--solve this issue, and we go to the next 
issue. There's a certain patience required in order to achieve a 
diplomatic objective. And our diplomatic objective is to continue 
working with our friends to make it clear to Iran we speak with a single 
voice.
    Listen, whoever thought about modernizing this room deserves a lot 
of credit. [Laughter] Like, there's very little oxygen in here anymore. 
[Laughter] And so, for the sake of a health press corps and a healthy 
President, I'm going to end the press conference. But I want to thank 
you for giving me a chance to come by and visit. I wish

[[Page 455]]

you all--genuinely wish you all a happy Easter holiday with you and your 
family.
    Thank you.
    Q. Can I get that follow-up now?
    The President. What?
    Q. Can I get that follow-up now? [Laughter]

Note: The President's news conference began at 10:15 a.m. in the James 
S. Brady Briefing Room at the White House. In his remarks, he referred 
to Prime Minister Paul Martin of Canada; President Vicente Fox of 
Mexico; Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy; Robert C. Pozen, 
chairman, MFS Investment Management; Gen. George W. Casey, Jr., USA, 
commanding general, Multi-National Force--Iraq; Prime Minister Bertie 
Ahern of Ireland; Paula, Catherine, Donna, Claire, and Gemma McCartney, 
and Bridgeen Hagans, sisters and fiancee of Robert McCartney, who was 
murdered in Belfast, Ireland, on January 30; and authors Joseph J. Ellis 
and David McCullough. A reporter referred to Sinn Fein leader Gerry 
Adams.