A Day in the Life of President Bush (photos) 2-14-07

Thwe White House; yahoo ^ | 2-14-07 | onyx

[onyx]

Welcome to Sanity Island, where only adults are allowed.

President Bush held a news conference this morning in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007.

The entire text of his remarks and the Q & A session, complete with a video link can be found here. I might add, the text is really worth reading in its entirety. I will post a couple of highlights, including the smackdown of one particularly obnoxious reporter.

After a luncheon with SoD Gates, President Bush greeted and met with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the Oval Office of the White House. The text of their remarks can be read here.

President George W. Bush greets Liberia's President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf during her visit Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007, to the White House. President Bush applauded the leader's confidence and deep concern for the people of Liberia, saying, "I thank you very much for setting such a good example for not only the people of Liberia, but for the people around the world, that new democracies have got the capability of doing the hard work necessary to rout out corruption, to improve the lives of the citizens with infrastructure projects that matter." White House photo by Shealah Craighead

[onyx]

Interview of First Lady Laura Bush by Rachael Ray New York, New York February 1, 2007

[onyx]

THE PRESIDENT: Last question, then I've got to go have lunch with Bob Gates, Secretary of the Defense.

What are you looking at? Checking the time? For the viewer out there -- you're getting a big -- timekeeper and everything. (Laughter.)

Q I don't mean to interrupt. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: I just thought he was looking at the watch because he was getting bored. I wasn't sure, you know?

Q I'm never bored.

THE PRESIDENT: Remember the debates?

Q Yes.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. (Laughter.)

Q Mr. President, Republican and Democratic Presidents before you sat down for face-to-face talks with the Soviet Union, a nation that was clearly hostile, tyrannical, and had a huge nuclear arsenal. Why do you think that face-to-face talks between yourself and the leadership of Iran would be any more compromising for you?

THE PRESIDENT: Richard, if I thought we could achieve success, I would sit down. But I don't think we can achieve success right now. And, therefore, we'll want to work with other nations. I think that we're more likely to achieve our goals when others are involved, as well. I really don't want to put the situation -- let me put it this way: I want to make sure in the Iranian issue that the whole world stays engaged, because I believe that's a more effective way of convincing the Iranians to give up their nuclear weapons ambitions. That's why.

Look, this is a world in which -- and I'm not suggesting you're this way -- but this is a world in which people say, meet -- sit down and meet. And my answer is, if it yields results; that's what I'm interested in. And so I believe the strategy that -- and by the way, I remember this during the North Korean issue, debate. People kept saying, well, all you've got to do is sit down with the guy. And I kept saying, well, I think it's going to be more effective if we have other people at the table with us saying the same thing, so that just in case he decides not to honor the agreement, there will be other people saying the same thing I'll say, which is, you said one thing, you did another. It will make it easier for us to send that message that the world is pretty well united in solving this problem peacefully.

And so that's why I made the decision I made. It sounds tempting for somebody to say, all you've got to do is sit down with the people. I'm in a little different position in that I'm trying to achieve certain objectives. And we are making progress on the Iranian issue. If you step back to early on in the process, there was doubt as to whether or not the world would come together, sometimes because of the reason John mentioned. There were conflicting interests. And I believe we are making good progress toward solving this issue peacefully.

And we'll continue to try to solve the issue peacefully. It's an important issue whether or not Iran ends up with nuclear weapons. It's one of these issues that people are going to look back and say, you know, how come they couldn't see the impending danger? What happened to them? You've heard me say that often about what would happen if we don't -- if we were to abandon our efforts in the Middle East for stability and peace, through forms of government that are more likely to defeat an extremist ideology that would like to be able to prevail.

And it's a -- at any rate, that's why I made the decision I made. Presidents have to weigh different options all the time. Look, I fully understand there are some who are -- don't agree with every decision I make. I hope the American people understand I make those decisions because I believe it's going to yield the peace that we all want.

Listen, thank you for your time. I enjoyed it very much.

[LuvyaDubya]

Thanks for tonight's Dose, onyx.

Have you seen the latest Barney Production on the White House website? It's called "My Barney Valentine."

[txrangerette]

I was trying and trying as well. My impossibly awful system totally choked. I saw onyx's thread when nobody else had yet posted. By the time I made it in, you and another poster and onyx herself had totalled multiple posts. So I limped in as a weak third place. And only THAT because I didn't even type a single word. LOL

[onyx]

Anyway, that's a long answer to a short question, and now you're trying to get to me to -- Gregory. Excuse me, David. David.

Q Thank you, sir. I'd like to follow on Iran. Critics say that you are using the same quality of intelligence about Iran that you used to make the case for war in Iraq, specifically about WMD that turned out to be wrong, and that you are doing that to make a case for war against Iran. Is that the case?

THE PRESIDENT: I can say with certainty that the Quds force, a part of the Iranian government, has provided these sophisticated IEDs that have harmed our troops. And I'd like to repeat, I do not know whether or not the Quds force was ordered from the top echelons of government. But my point is what's worse -- them ordering it and it happening, or them not ordering it and it happening? And so we will continue to protect our troops.

David, our strategy is comprehensive in order to resolve problems that will affect our own peace and the peace in the world. And the biggest problem I see is the Iranians' desire to have a nuclear weapon. As you know, we've been dealing with this issue ever since you've been covering me, and pretty much ever since I've been the President. And we've made it very clear to the Iranians that if they would like to have a dialogue with the United States, there needs to be a verifiable suspension of their program. I would hope that they would do that. I would like to be at the -- have been given a chance for us to explain that we have no desire to harm the Iranian people.

But my focus is on making sure that this weapon is dealt with, the program is dealt with in a constructive, peaceful way. And we'll continue to work toward achieving our common objective with other nations in the world in a peaceful way.

[goodnesswins]

Happy Valentines Day.....thank YOU onyx.....and...that is one COOK KITTY! who can take a kiss from Miss Beazley!!!
Read some of the comments on the SMACKDOWN er...Press Conference Thread....way to go, Mr. President!

[GretchenM]

I have a consolation prize for you when the All Clear sounds.

(You have my sincere sympathies, BTW.)

[onyx]

[onyx]

"All Clear"

[goodnesswins]

that should read COOL Kitty

[onyx]

Hiya haircutter and Happy Valentine's Day to you!!!!

[Dr. Scarpetta]

I LOVE that photo of Miss Beazley kissing Kitty!!

[GretchenM]

Thank you, thank you.

It feels sooooo good!

[onyx]

GOOD to see you HERE ! I needed a break from ANS...lol.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

[GretchenM]

(I hope onyx doesn't mind me handing out an HM award on her thread.)

[onyx]

Hi there, young lady! Yes, he was CIC today and in full charge of the enemy press.

[GretchenM]

This is sooo cute -- did you notice the design on Barney's collar?

[onyx]

That's the way to win! It's all a matter of happenstance, at least it is when I win.

[onyx]

Happy Valentine's Day!!