...the President is looking forward to going to India. He has a good relationship with Prime Minister Singh . We want to continue to build upon what has been an improving relationship over the course of the last few years. |
[Americans are divided in rating Bush's response. In an ABC/ Washington Post poll released Sunday, 46% approved of the job Bush had done on the hurricane, 47% disapproved. Three of four said Bush should get at least some blame for problems in the federal response; one in four said he deserved a great deal of blame. Whatever happens to his personal standing, the issues on Bush's plate have changed.] There are other priorities that we remain committed to, ... Right now our highest priority is on the response and recovery to Hurricane Katrina. |
[Amid this friction, top White House officials told Republicans the relief-and-recovery package could come in much lower than widely quoted projections of $200 billion. Some House GOP leaders also are urging colleagues to cool off, reminding them the true cost is not known.] There are tough choices that are going to have to be made, ... We're going to have to cut unnecessary spending elsewhere in the budget to offset some of the cost with Katrina. |
[At the same briefing Thursday at which McClellan challenged Roberts, he lit into Hearst columnist Helen Thomas when she asked about Iraq. After Thomas, who has repeatedly criticized Bush over the war, disputed McClellan's answer by saying that] Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, ... I'm sure you're opposed to the broader war on terrorism. |
[At the White House, workers secured items that might be blown away by the storm.] This could include flags, ... It could also include the awnings around the complex. |
[Bush and administration officials say that now is not an appropriate time to point fingers because rescue efforts are still underway.] The time for bickering and blame-gaming is later, ... The time for helping people in the region is now. |
[Bush extended an open invitation to Abbas to visit Washington] when he felt it was a good time to come, ... indicated he looked forward to coming back at some point. |
[Bush is] very much aware of the people here who have come to Washington, D.C., some to express support for the steps that we're taking and a number of others that have expressed a different view, ... It's the right of the American people to peacefully express their views. |
[Energy] Secretary [Spencer] Abraham, Secretary [of State Colin] Powell, the White House -- we are in constant discussions with producers from around the world, ... [National security adviser] Condi Rice has certainly been in touch with individuals in OPEC, and we will continue working for America's consumers to make our views known to our friends in OPEC, as well as other producers around the world |
[Even then, aides said yesterday that the president intended to elevate Roberts to chief justice whenever the job came open.] This had been something in the back of the president's mind in case such a scenario came into being, if the chief justice had retired, ... The president, when he met with [Roberts], knew he was a natural-born leader. |
[i]f anyone in this administration is involved in [the leak], they would no longer be in this administration. |
[If Iran follows through with its promises, it] would be a positive step in the right direction, ... Full compliance by Iran will now be essential. |
[Ms Barber insisted later the questions were not rehearsed. The military had been told ahead of time only about topics the president might want to talk about, not specific questions.] We just knew broad themes, ... All they were doing was talking to the troops and letting them know what to expect. |
[Noting that] some have taken this report and exploited it and used it to incite violence, ... I think Newsweek recognizes the responsibility they have. We appreciate the step that they took by retracting the story. Now we would encourage them to move forward and do all that they can to help repair the damage that has been done by this report. |
[On June 10, 2004, Bush, responded affirmatively when asked in a news conference if he would] fire anyone found ... If anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration. |