[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 41 (Monday, October 17, 2005)]
[Pages 1524-1529]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Interview With Matt Lauer of NBC's ``Today Show'' in Covington, 
Louisiana

October 11, 2005

    Mr. Lauer. Two of the volunteers this morning are the President of 
the United States and the First Lady. President Bush, good to see you 
again; Mrs. Bush, nice to have you here.
    The First Lady. Hi, Matt.

Recovery From Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

    Mr. Lauer. Eight trips to this region for you since September 2d--
six, I believe, for you, Mrs. Bush. Give me a sense of the biggest 
change you've seen over the past 6 or 7 weeks in this area.
    President Bush. I think we've seen the spirits change. I mean, the 
storm hit; it was an overwhelming moment for a lot of people. And then 
they're beginning to realize, people--the local people are beginning to 
realize there's hope; there's a chance to rebuild lives. And a lot of 
people care about them.
    I've seen some infrastructure change. The debris is being cleared, 
and roads are being rebuilt. And it's a remarkable spirit here in this 
part of the world. I mean, people say, ``Look, we're going to rebuild 
our lives,'' and they've realized a lot of people from around the 
country want to help them.

[[Page 1525]]

Schools in Flood Ravaged Areas

    Mr. Lauer. And as you see the progress, you also see how much 
remains to be done.
    The First Lady. Sure.
    Mr. Lauer. Schools still need to be reopened----
    The First Lady. That's true.
    Mr. Lauer. ----health facilities and all that sort of thing.
    The First Lady. Well, I'm worried about the schools. I'm really 
interested in that. But I'm also proud that so many people have gone to 
school, so many parents have put their kids in school wherever they are, 
if they're in Houston or Fort Worth or Baton Rouge or wherever, and I 
think that's really important.

Responsibility for Response to Hurricanes

    Mr. Lauer. So much more visibility on your part, President Bush, 
following Hurricane Rita and, as I mentioned, the eight trips to this 
region, as compared to what was seen as a slow and inefficient Federal 
response after Hurricane Katrina. Is this one of those situations where 
you're trying to get a second chance to make a first impression?
    President Bush. I do my job as best I can. One of the things that we 
do is we respond to crises. And as I told the people, if I didn't 
respond well enough, we're going to learn the lessons. If there's any 
mistakes made at the Federal level, I, of course, accept responsibility 
for them.
    On the other hand, there's a lot of good that's taken place, a lot 
of people are working hard. We had chopper drivers pulling people off 
roofs. We had, you know, people working long hours to save lives, and 
the story will unfold. I mean, the facts of the story will come out over 
time, and the important thing is for Federal, State, and local 
governments to adjust and to respond.

Plans for Rebuilding

    Mr. Lauer. I talked to a prominent Democrat in Louisiana who has 
said that this type of appearance, while it's great to see you guys 
rolling up your sleeves and grabbing a hammer and helping with this 
piece of wall here, that it's a photo op, and they want to see a plan on 
paper, your plan to rebuild this region. Do you have that kind of a 
plan?
    President Bush. Well, Matt, you see, I don't think Washington ought 
to dictate to New Orleans how to rebuild. I guess we have a different 
philosophy than whoever the prominent Democrat was you spoke to. Last 
night Laura and I had dinner with Mayor Nagin and a group of 
distinguished New Orleans citizens from all walks of life. And my 
message to them was, ``We will support the plan that you develop.''
    The point is, is that it comes from the local folks. And I recognize 
there's an attitude in Washington that says, ``We know better than the 
local people.'' That's just not the attitude I have.

Forgiveness Clause

    Mr. Lauer. There was recently a loan package approved by Congress, a 
billion dollars in emergency loans for the States hardest hit by 
hurricanes Katrina and Rita. That's the good news. Some Democrats 
complain that there was wording taken out of that loan package, a 
forgiveness clause that has traditionally been included in loan packages 
in the past. And they're wondering why these three States were singled 
out. Would you ask Congress to go back into that legislation and 
reinstate the forgiveness clause?
    President Bush. I think Congress--what Congress said was--is that 
the previous loans were limited to a relatively small amount of money. 
These loans are much greater loans, and that what Congress has said is, 
``You'll have 5 years to repay, plus an additional 5 years to repay.'' 
And so I think it's a kind of package that Congress was comfortable with 
giving, and I was happy to sign it.

Politics and Voluntarism in Disaster Relief

    Mr. Lauer. Carolyn Maloney, who, as you know, is a Democrat from New 
York, a Congresswoman, said----
    President Bush. You're quoting a lot of Democrats today, Matt. 
That's interesting. [Laughter]
    Mr. Lauer. She said that we aren't asking the people of Iraq to pay 
back the money we're spending there. Why are we asking the people of the 
gulf coast, requiring them to

[[Page 1526]]

pay back this money? How would you respond to that?
    President Bush. Well, the people of Iraq are paying a heavy price 
for terrorism. A lot of people are dying, Matt. These people are working 
hard to establish democracy, and they're paying a serious price. Look, I 
understand there are a lot of politics. One of the things that I 
suggested was we keep the politics out of New Orleans and Mississippi as 
we all work together to rebuild these communities. And we've got people 
here who volunteered their time, from all over the country, and they 
didn't say, you know, ``I'm a Democrat, and I'm going to work here,'' 
or, ``I'm a Republican, and I'm going to come and work here.'' They 
said, ``I'm an American that wants to contribute.''
    And the reason why Laura and I are here is because we want to 
encourage other Americans to help somebody find shelter or help somebody 
find food or to continue to express the incredible compassion that the 
country saw when displaced persons moved from this part of the world and 
are scattered around the country.
    Mr. Lauer. Which is a good point. So in other words, if someone says 
to you, ``Okay, you're moving a wall today, and it's a photo op,'' but 
if that inspires someone else in another community to move a wall and 
grab a hammer, then that's mission accomplished?
    The First Lady. That's right. And also, this gives us a chance to 
thank the people who do this all the time, not just in a crisis 
situation but who volunteer with Habitat in their towns wherever they 
are across the country or volunteer in a million other ways--working in 
schools or other ways. And this is really, really important, and it's 
very American to step out and help.
    President Bush. I understand there's a lot of politics, and you keep 
talking about this politician or that politician. I think our job is to 
elevate this whole process out of normal politics. Frankly, we're 
supposed to----
    Mr. Lauer. Is that possible, though? I mean, isn't it inevitable it 
will be bogged down in politics?
    President Bush. It depends on who asks the questions, I guess. I 
think most Americans aren't interested in this kind of politics. I think 
most Americans are interested in contributing. And the amazing thing 
about Katrina and Rita is that there has been a fantastic response by 
people from all walks of life that have welcomed a neighbor and said, 
``Brother, what can I do to help you?'' Or, ``How can I show you love?'' 
And I applaud the ``Today Show'' and Habitat for Humanity and your 
partners in being a part of a larger picture of helping people rebuild 
their lives. It's a great contribution.

Associate Justice-Designate Harriet Miers

    Mr. Lauer. While I have you here and while you don't have a hammer 
in your hand, can I ask you--well, you have it in your belt--
[laughter]--about some things going on in Washington?
    President Bush. Sure.
    Mr. Lauer. A lot of criticism coming for your nominee to the Supreme 
Court, Harriet Miers, from conservatives, people like Trent Lott and Pat 
Buchanan and George Will and Bill Kristol. Were you taken off-guard a 
little bit, caught by surprise by the amount of criticism you're getting 
for Judge Miers?
    President Bush. Well, you know, I made a decision to put somebody on 
the Court who hadn't been a part of what they call the ``judicial 
monastery.'' In other words--I listened, by the way, to people in the 
Senate who suggested, ``Why don't you get somebody from the outside.'' 
And I figured that people are going to kind of question whether or not 
it made sense to bring somebody from outside the court.
    I would remind those, one, that Harriet is an extraordinary, 
accomplished woman who has done a lot. As a matter of fact, she has 
consistently ranked as one of the top 50 women lawyers in the United 
States, that she has broken the glass ceiling. She has served as a great 
example. She is a brilliant person. And that just because she hasn't 
served on the bench doesn't mean that she can't be a great Supreme Court 
Justice.
    Mr. Lauer. But you know, conservatives are worried about what's 
going to happen when she gets on the bench, and they're worried about 
what's going to happen in the future. And I get the feeling--and I'm not 
sure if this is too strong--I get the feeling some conservatives, 
President Bush, are feeling let down by you, and they're thinking 
they've

[[Page 1527]]

supported you for so long and when an issue that is so important to them 
comes up, that you let them down. How would you answer that?
    President Bush. My answer is Harriet Miers is going to be confirmed, 
and people will get to see why I put her on the bench. She is an 
extraordinary woman. She is----
    Mr. Lauer. You said she is the most qualified candidate for the 
job----
    President Bush. As I told you.
    Mr. Lauer. ----would you agree with that?
    The First Lady. Absolutely. Absolutely.
    Mr. Lauer. You had pushed for a woman to be a nominee.
    The First Lady. That's right. And I know Harriet well. I know how 
accomplished she is. I know how many times she's broken the glass 
ceiling, herself. She's a role model for young women around our country.
    Mr. Lauer. Some are suggesting----
    The First Lady. Not only that, she's very deliberate and thoughtful 
and will bring dignity to wherever she goes, but certainly to the 
Supreme Court she'll be really excellent.
    Mr. Lauer. Some are suggesting there's a little possible sexism in 
the criticism of Judge Miers. How do you feel about that?
    The First Lady. That's possible. I think that's possible. I think 
she is so accomplished, and I know--I think people are not looking at 
her accomplishments and not realizing that she was the first elected 
woman to be the head of the Texas Bar Association, for instance, and all 
the other things. She was the first woman managing partner of a major 
law firm. She was the first woman hired by a major law firm, her law 
firm.
    President Bush. My attitude, Matt, is when people get to know her, 
they'll see why I picked her.
    The First Lady. They will. In the confirmation hearings alone, 
they'll see that she--what she's like.
    Mr. Lauer. I think the Washington Times has a story this morning 
that said they had about 27 Republican Senators have serious questions 
about Judge Miers--or about Harriet Miers----
    President Bush. No, Judge Miers--well spoken.
    Mr. Lauer. I was going to say--kind of getting ahead of myself here. 
So you are convinced that she will be confirmed?
    President Bush. Absolutely. Not only am I convinced that she'll be 
confirmed; I'm convinced that she'll be a fine, great judge. And I'm 
convinced that she'll be the kind of--she won't change. I mean, the 
person I know is not the kind of person that is going to change her 
philosophy. And her philosophy is, is that she is not going to legislate 
from the bench. So I told the American people when I campaigned for 
President the type of judge I'll pick. I picked that type of person in 
John Roberts, and I picked that type of person in Harriet Miers.

Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove/CIA Employee's Identity Disclosure 
Investigation

    Mr. Lauer. Your political guru, Karl Rove, is set to--or scheduled 
to testify before a grand jury for the fourth time this coming week, it 
seems, looking into the leak of a CIA agent's name. You've said if 
someone on your staff had anything to do with that leak, you'll take 
care of that person. Has Karl Rove looked you in the eye, Mr. President, 
and said, ``I, in no way, bent or broke the rules or the law when it 
comes to this case''?
    President Bush. Matt, I've also consistently said I'm not going to 
talk about the case. It's under review, so I'm not going to talk about 
it. Thank you for asking, but--on the other hand, the special prosecutor 
has made it clear--and made it clear--that he doesn't want anybody 
speculating or talking about the case, so I'm not going to talk about 
it.
    Mr. Lauer. But does it worry you that they seem to have such an 
interest in Mr. Rove?
    President Bush. I'm not going to talk about the case. I've been 
asked this a lot; my answer is consistent. The special prosecutor is 
conducting a very serious investigation. He's doing it in a very 
dignified way, by the way, and we'll see what he says.

Iraq

    Mr. Lauer. Got a big date coming up in Iraq this coming week, on the 
15th, a vote on the referendum on the constitution there. What do you 
expecting to happen there? And

[[Page 1528]]

what are you expecting to happen in the days leading up to that vote?
    President Bush. I expect violence, because there's a group of 
terrorists and killers who want to try to stop the advance of democracy 
in Iraq. I also expect people to vote, which is a remarkable 
achievement. We had a remarkable achievement last January when millions 
of people voted. They now have a chance to vote on a constitution that 
will help unify the country. And then they'll have a chance to vote, if 
the constitution passes, on a permanent government.
    And so what you're seeing is the unfolding of a dual-track strategy. 
On the one hand, democracy is advancing, much to the amazement of a lot 
of people, particularly people in the region. And on the other hand, 
we're working to train Iraqi troops so they can provide the security for 
a democracy to move forward.

Avian Flu

    Mr. Lauer. I'm going to let you get back to work in a second. I'm 
just curious about one other subject, and you've spoken about this 
recently, this whole issue of a possible worldwide pandemic, this avian 
flu. You know, 60 people have died in Asia so far. They're worried that 
if this comes here there are, by some estimates, this could claim 
millions of lives around the world.
    After Hurricane Katrina, there are some people in this country who 
are worried. They're not sure who's in charge, who do I turn to, who's 
going to handle a major catastrophe in this country? Are you confident 
that this administration has a plan in place to handle something like 
that?
    President Bush. I'm confident that we're working to identify the 
possible outbreak of avian flu, contain it to where the outbreak takes 
place, and strategize how to deal with it if it ever were to come to the 
United States.
    Mr. Lauer. Who would take the lead in that? Would it be a military 
situation? Would it be homeland security?
    President Bush. It's a really interesting question, and it's one 
that I raised that has created a little bit of consternation among some. 
I have said that there may be a catastrophic event such that the Federal 
Government has got the--it's only the Federal Government that has got 
the capacity to move in quickly with a lot of resources, which would 
require law changes. For example, the military cannot become police 
without a special proclamation.
    And so we're planning all this out. We're in the midst of, one, 
identifying that there may be a problem, and, two, what to do about it. 
When I have a plan that I'm comfortable with, of course I will talk to 
the American people about it.
    Mr. Lauer. Your husband has been through an awful lot----
    The First Lady. Our country has been through an awful lot.
    Mr. Lauer. What toll have you seen this take, personally, on him? 
Not only--you know, we had 9/11 in the first term, and now we've got 
Iraq, and we've got Katrina, and we've got Rita. What toll have you seen 
this take?
    The First Lady. Well----
    President Bush. He can barely stand. He's about to drop on the spot. 
[Laughter]
    The First Lady. He's doing great. He's got big, broad shoulders. 
There's a lot, but there's a lot on the American people too. And their 
response has been so terrific. You know, we can face challenges, and 
they're tough, and this is very tough down here. The number of people, 
the huge number of people that are displaced, that have lost everything, 
but you know, people are rebuilding their lives, and other people want 
to help them, and that's what I see.
    President Bush. You know, I'm the kind of guy who gets inspired by 
the decency of others, and as I travel the country and see this 
incredible spirit, it's so uplifting. It makes me understand how blessed 
we are to be an American. These folks right here--I never met them 
before, but they're from all over the country. They're here for one 
reason, to love a neighbor. And that's a remarkable expression. And 
Laura and I want to thank them, and we want to encourage others around 
the country to do--to follow their lead and follow their example.
    Mr. Lauer. Well, this is going to be the home of the Collins family, 
and we're going to talk to the Collins family in a little while.
    The First Lady. That's great.

[[Page 1529]]

    Mr. Lauer. Mrs. Bush, President Bush, thanks so much for your time 
this morning.
    President Bush. Thanks, Matt, appreciate it.
    The First Lady. Thanks, Matt.
    Mr. Lauer. Grab your hammers, and go back to work. [Laughter]

Note: The interview was taped at 6:07 a.m. at the Habitat for Humanity 
site for later broadcast. In his remarks, the President referred to 
Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New Orleans, LA; and Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S. 
Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.