Does anybody have any idea what he is talking about?
He is, ostensibly, previewing the SOTU. Just said he "imagines it is an interesting experience" to deliver the speech. Was he drunk for the last one? Does he not remember it?
Defending Alito now. Quoting Ed Rendell, former head of the "Democrat National Committee." Alito deserves an up-or-down vote. Blah, blah, blah, happy to take your questions.
Live-blogging now, with paraphrasing of Q & A.
First question is about Israel/Palestine. Answer is about the "power of democracy."
"The great thing about democracy" is that it gives you a look at society. A wake-up call to the leadership. The Palestinians were not happy with the status quo. They want jobs and health care. But you can't be a party of peace by advocating the destruction of Israel. Not a partner in piece.
Q: Will this affect aid to the Palestinians?Pretty standard-issue adherence to the talking points. I was struck by his continued insistence that he is not breaking the FISA law, while at the same time admitting that FISA would not allow him to conduct the controversial surveillance. He was quick to invoke the name of OBL and the spectre of future Al Qaeda attacks to defend the spying.
A: U.S. does not support parties that want to destroy Israel. Want Abbas to stay in office. Democracy can open up the world's eyes to reality by listening to people. Elections process is healthy for society. Voting expresses the needs of the people. If government is corrupt and unresponsive, then I'm not surprised by the results.
Q: Are you ruling out a relationship with Hamas?
A: Partners in peace can't hate Israel.
Q: Federal Katrina recovery ignores poor of New Orleans? Why did you reject a better plan?
A: I recognize the need to instill confidence. One way was to say we will make the levees stronger and better than before. CDBG money goes directly to families. $85 billion dollars is a lot of money. Don't need new bureaucracy.
Q: Will you resist new surveillance laws?
A: The Terrorist Surveillance Program is designed to protect America from attack. Right after 9/11 I wanted to know if we could do more to protect the people. We need to connect more dots. Wanted to make sure it's legal. Lawyers looked at it. It is legal. No doubt in my mind there are safeguards in place to make sure there's an Al Qaeda person on the phone. Program is legal, designed to protect the American people, and it's necessary. We don't want to show the enemy what we're doing. We've briefed congress. This program is so sensitive, that if information about it gets out, it will help the enemy. If writing a law helps the enemy to know what we are doing, I will resist it. And, it's legal. And we'll continue to brief congress. And we'll review it a lot.
Q: What about those Abramoff photos.
A: I had my picture taken with him, evidently. I have my picture taken with a lot of people. Having my picture taken doesn't mean I have a relationship with him. Pictures will be used for purely political purposes and have nothing to do with the investigation.
Q: What can we do about Iranian nuclear program
A: Iran can have nuclear power, but not nuclear weapons.
Q: Abramoff had meetings at White House. Why are you letting your critics taint you with guilt by association rather than open the books and clear it up.
A: There is an investigation going on.
Q: Why not say "I am not for sale and this White House is not for sale?"
A: I had my picture taken with Abramoff, but it was just a picture.
Q: Administration claims wiretapping migh have prevented 9/11 attacks. How can you say that?
A: Michael Hayden said that if we had had the ability to listen to those calls, we could have prevented those attacks.
Q: Is your claim of absolute war authority Nixonian in nature?
A: Other presidents have done it, too. There is an act passedy by congress in 2001 saying that I must have the power to conduct this war. I have statutory and constitutional authority to do this.
Q: Pentagon says Army is over-extended. Rumsfeld disagrees. Casey says it is true.
A: We're transforming the military. Trying to improve morale, retention and recruitment.
Q: Is the Army over-extended.
A: If the question is 'can we win in Iraq,' the general will have the troops they need. 'Can we win in the middle-east?' We're transforming the military, replacing troops with... we're transforming the military.
Q: Will you veto any spending bills this year? Is congress doing enough to restrain spending.
A: Yes, they are when they meet our budget targets. They have met those targets.
Q: Do you think everything is fine, no need to use the veto?
A: I'll use the veto if they overspend. We will continue to eliminate programs and eliminate the deficit by 2009 and still give people their tax relief. We don't need to raise taxes and continue to expand the government. We need earmark reform.
Q: North Korea won't talk nukes unless U.S. lifts economic sanctions. Will you consider that?
A: We're stopping North Korea from counterfeiting our money. We're working to prevent them from engaging in illicit activities. Not the same as 'sanctions.'
Q: Is the NSA spying program an assertion of greater executive power.
A: I'm not competing with congress. I understand we're at war with an enemy that want to hit us again. Osama Bin Laden says so. I believe him. I will do whatever I have to do to protect America.
Q: What is wrong with FISA, which requires you to circumvent it?
A: "Circumvent" implies I'm breaking the law. I'm not. FISA was written in 1978. It's an old law. This is 2006. Circumventing is a loaded word and I refuse to accept it.
Q: Does the treatment of terror suspects undercut U.S. authority on human rights?
A: "No American will be allowed to torture another human being anywhere in the world." The signing statement on the McCain amendment was to protect the prerogatives of the executive branch.
Q: How much will you campaign to keep the Dems from taking back congress?
A: I'll campaign. We're the party of ideas. We have to lead. Lookin' forward to talkin' about the economy. We've added a lot of jobs since April of 2003. This election is about peace and prosperity.
Q: You claim that Hurricane Katrina a top priority. Why can't White House staff testify to congress. Why not push Michael Brown to testity.
A: We have given 15,000 pages of documents. We have sent some White House staffer up there. We have started our own investigation. We're fully cooperative. I won't compromise my ability to get sound advice from my staff. If my staff have to disclose the advice they give me, then it would have a chilling effect on future advisors. We are having a "lessons learned" investigation.
Q: Never mind about the Abramoff photos, were you lobbied by Abramoff? What is the WH policy for lobbying senior staff?
A: I don't remember having my picture taken with him. I take thousands of "grip and grin" photos. I never sat down with him and had a discussion with the guy.
Q: Do you meet with lobbyists.
A: I try not to. If I say I never do, then you'll go out and find someone. I do meet with them on issues like CAFTA or tax relief.
He steadfastly refused to say anything about Abramoff except that he had his picture taken with him and that the pictures would not be released by the White House.
Maybe I am out of touch, but I have never heard anything about North Korea counterfeiting U.S. currency. Bush actually implied that there is a North Korean plot to counterfeit specific denominations ($20s) of American money.
Bush insisted that the WH is cooperating with the congressional Katrina probe while at the same time defending his refusal to make his advisors available to investigators. Named some low-level staffer that he has sent to field questions and give what are, presumably, content-free answers.
He stated unequivocally that, "no American will be allowed to torture another human being anywhere in the world." Let us make sure we hold him to that.
UPDATE
The Washington Post has the full trancript up.
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