05 January 2004
White House Briefing, January 5, 2004
Afghanistan, Guatemala, Bush trip to Missouri/education/No Child Left Behind, DOJ investigation into leak of a CIA agent's name, bin Laden tape?, threat level, Bush trip to Mexico, Iraq
White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan briefed reporters on Air Force
One as they accompanied President Bush on a day trip to Missouri. Margaret
Spellings, the President's domestic policy adviser, briefed reporters on
the President's education policies.
Following is a transcript of the briefing:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary (St. Louis, Missouri)
anuary 5, 2004
PRESS GAGGLE BY SCOTT McCLELLAN
Aboard Air Force One En route St. Louis, Missouri
1:54 P.M. EST
MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon. I brought a guest gaggler back with me,
Margaret Spellings, to talk to you here in a little bit about the
President's education reforms and how we are -- this month marks the two
year anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act. And I'll turn that over
to her in a minute.
Let me start with the President's day. The President had a couple world
leader calls this morning. The President called President Karzai to
congratulate him and the members of the Loya Jirga on their success
yesterday in adoption of a new constitution. President Karzai thanked the
President and said it was a great day for Afghanistan. The two briefly
discussed the war on terrorism and the Kandahar-Kabul highway.
Then the President also called President-elect Berger of Guatemala, to
congratulate him on his electoral victory. And both leaders affirmed their
mutual interest in a strong, cooperative relationship between the United
States and Guatemala.
Then the President had his usual briefings. When we land, the President
will have a Freedom Corps greeter. His name is Jeff Tank, and he's an
active volunteer who has been involved in Big Brothers/Big Sisters of
Eastern Missouri. He is currently a mentor for an 11 year old boy. He has
been mentoring him for two years now. And he's also treasurer of
Alternatives to Living in Violent Environments -- ALIVE is the acronym.
It's a nonprofit that provides support services and short-term emergency
shelter for victims of domestic violence.
Then the President will go to Pierre Laclede Elementary School. It's a
blue ribbon school, which is the highest award a school can receive from
the federal government. There are 244 students at the school, in pre-K
through 5. It is a Title I school, 96 percent of the students are low
income, from low income families; and 99 percent of the student body is
African American. And they have made great progress in reading and math
achievement. The school has also achieved the annual yearly progress under
No Child Left Behind.
When he gets there, the President will briefly visit with some 4th grade
students in the library, and that will be pool coverage. And then the
President will participate in a conversation on the No Child Left Behind
Act with parents, teachers and school officials. And I'm going to let
Margaret continue on this.
The only other event this evening is he will make remarks at a Bush-Cheney
2004 reception in St. Louis, as well, before we return to the White House.
And with that, I'm going to turn it over to Margaret, to talk a little
more about No Child Left Behind.
MS. SPELLINGS: As Scott mentioned, this is the -- this week is the second
anniversary of No Child Left Behind, the signing of. We're going to
highlight the success of Laclede Elementary. As Scott mentioned, it's a
blue ribbon school. This year the blue ribbon award is being aligned with
the policies in No Child Left Behind, including the need to make adequate
yearly progress and more of a results orientation, as opposed to input,
number of books in the library, that sort of thing.
They are one of 234 schools in the country that has this distinction. They
have gotten these results by using regular monitoring and assessment and
modifying instruction accordingly. You'll see one of the teachers talk
about their monitoring system and how they modify the instructions so that
no child is left behind, and how they meet these great gains they've made.
The President is also going to highlight the significant federal resources
that we've invested since he came to office: 43 percent increase in K-12
funding overall; 41 percent increase in Title I funding -- this is
obviously all with OMNI -- reading funds will be nearly quadrupled.
Teachers and principles, 39 percent increase in those resources, and a 59
percent increase in special education.
As I know some of you know and it's been reported, in November we got the
new NAPE results back, where we saw very significant gains in mathematics,
in particular, up nine points for 4th graders and --
Q: Wait, wait, what is up nine points?
MS. SPELLINGS: Mathematics.
Q: For?
MS. SPELLINGS: NAPE results, national NAPE results -- the National
Assessment of Educational Progress. This was reported in November. And
then as late as late December, the urban NAPE results came out. As you
know, the National Assessment of Educational Progress was one of the parts
of No Child Left Behind, and for the first time we're beginning to use --
have results and gather this data and use the data in the year it was
gathered. So this spring these kids took these tests and now we know kind
of how the achievement looks. So much more instant feedback, if you will,
on assessment results.
MR. McCLELLAN: With that, we'll go to questions.
Q: What are the results for this particular school and for the St. Louis
school district?
MS. SPELLINGS: For Laclede, I don't know if I brought that with me, but I
have it somewhere. Laclede in particular, they are one of the top 10 most
improved schools in Missouri, I know that. Okay, here at Laclede, in '99,
7 percent of 3rd graders were reading proficiently, now over 80 percent of
the 3rd graders are reading at that level. In the past two years they've
doubled the number of students who test at grade level in mathematics. And
as I said, they're a blue ribbon school. You'll meet some of these
outstanding educators today.
Q: -- in Tennessee, the school we're going to in Knoxville?
MS. SPELLINGS: I don't have it with me, but we have -- they, too, have
made adequate yearly progress in keeping with No Child Left Behind.
MR. McCLELLAN: Any other questions for Margaret?
Q: What's going on in the St. Louis school district, more generally?
MS. SPELLINGS: I'm actually really not very apprised of that. I mean, I
know they've had some funding issues and so on, but we're here to
highlight No Child Left Behind and the great results of this school.
Q: How about Missouri schools, in general? What's going on there?
MS. SPELLINGS: Missouri schools, actually the achievement results on the
MAP test is what they call it, are beginning to show progress there. I
have that back -- I'll look that up for you, but Missouri has an annual
assessment system. Obviously, all 50 states are compliant with the
assessment requirements, and they have received a reading grant. In fact,
this coming week they will be training teachers with their reading grant
money in Missouri.
Q: Margaret, you said the President is going to emphasize federal
resources that have gone to schools, but the Democrats are saying the
budget isn't enough. Do you expect that we would see a move towards a
higher -- even more resources in the coming budget?
MS. SPELLINGS: Well, as you know, the President has been committed, since
his term, to very significant increases in resources as evidenced by these
numbers, you know, 41 percent, Title I increases, and the like. As you
know, states have -- there are about $6 billion, actually, in the Treasury
that are unspent funds that states are entitled to that have not been
drawn down yet. So it's hard to believe that there are not adequate
resources in light of additional resources that are in the bank waiting
for them to be spent.
MR. McCLELLAN: I would just add, what's most important is that we are now
insisting on results. We are providing unprecedented resources, but we're
also now insisting on results and accountability. We're setting high
standards because the President believes that every child can learn and
succeed. And that's what this is about. But as Margaret mentioned, that
this is an unprecedented amount of resources that we are providing to help
these schools meet these standards.
Q: Scott, I recall seeing some polling last year that showed many
Americans were not familiar with this signature of accomplishment of the
President's. Why this tour this week to emphasize this bill, this law?
MS. SPELLING: -- the two years that it has been in place, the anniversary,
the approval of 50 state plans, the 50 state reading grants, and so forth,
just to highlight the progress at this milestone of two years.
MR. McCLELLAN: This has always been one of the President's highest
priorities, improving public schools so that every child can learn has
always been one of his highest priorities.
Q: -- heightened awareness at the same time?
MR. McCLELLAN: We continue to highlight the important progress that we are
making and the reforms that are being implemented all across the country.
All right, thanks. We'll see you all. Anything else?
Q: Does the President have any problem on the CIA leak with members of his
staff citing these confidentiality agreements?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, I would remind you that the President
has directed the White House to cooperate fully with the career officials
who are leading this investigation. And that's exactly what he expects the
White House to continue doing. We have been and we will continue to do so.
I think also in the spirit of cooperating fully with the career officials
who are investigating this matter, it's important that we do everything we
can to preserve the integrity of the investigation and not compromise it.
And so I think it's best that if there are specific questions relating to
the investigation or what the career officials are doing, that you should
direct those questions to the career officials.
Q: I'm asking whether the President will direct his staff.
MR. McCLELLAN: I understand, and that's asking a specific question about
matters that should be directed to the career officials at the Department
of Justice. The President has made it very clear that the White House
should cooperate fully in this investigation. The President said -- has
always said that leaking classified information is a serious matter, and
certainly no one wants to get to the bottom of this more than he does, so
that we can find out the truth. And the President has said from early on
that if anybody has information, they should come forward and share it
with those who are leading this investigation.
Q: You're deflecting to DOJ, but of course, I'm asking what the President
will do, what the White House thinks about these disclosure forms.
MR. McCLELLAN: And why I'm saying that you should direct those questions
to the Department of Justice is because there is an ongoing investigation
underway, and we want to do everything we can to help that investigation
move forward. The sooner they get to the bottom of this, the better.
That's our view. And I've said this in response to other questions about
specific matters that career officials may be working on, as well, that
you should direct those questions to the career officials at the
Department of Justice who are leading the investigation. But the President
has made it very clear that he expects the White House to cooperate fully
in that --
Q: -- in the position of writing in our stories that you decline to say
what the President --
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that what I am saying is that the President --
well, one, that the President has made it very clear that we should
cooperate fully with the investigation, that the White House should
cooperate fully in the investigation, and that because this is an ongoing
investigation, I think that those questions need to be directed to the
career officials at the Justice Department. If there is information that
they believe they can share publicly without compromising the ongoing
investigation, then I imagine that they will share that information with
you. And that's why I'm saying that you should direct those questions to
the career officials.
Q: Just one last thing on this, have any waiver requests hit White House
staff desks?
MR. McCLELLAN: See, that's asking specific questions about an ongoing
investigation, and there -- if there are specific questions being asked of
White House officials, we wouldn't necessarily know about that. That's why
you should direct those questions to the career officials. And, as I said,
I imagine if they want to share that information publicly and they believe
that they can do so in a way that won't compromise an ongoing
investigation, then they will do it.
Q: Scott, are you willing to say that the President thinks that his aides
should sign these forms if they're asked to by the FBI?
MR. McCLELLAN: But that's getting into specific questions that I'm not
aware that the career officials at the FBI or the Justice Department have
discussed publicly at this point. That's why I think you should step back
from this and look at what the President said. The President made it very
clear that he expects the White House to cooperate fully in this
investigation, because it's important that we do everything we can to help
the career officials get to the bottom of this, and the sooner, the
better.
Q: But Scott, does full cooperation that he's asking for mean that if the
DOJ ask for anything -- forget the specific question about the waivers --
that his staff should feel obligated to cooperate with that request?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President has made it very clear. He expects
the White House to cooperate fully. That's what --
Q: Any DOJ request?
MR. McCLELLAN: -- he has said repeatedly, he wants the White House to
cooperate fully, he wants anyone who has information that can help in this
investigation to come forward with that information and provide it to
those who are leading this investigation.
And now, you all are trying to get into specific questions. Again, we're
asking about specific -- previously have we -- have specific people been
interviewed by the career officials? Those are questions that you need to
ask the people who are leading this investigation, because it is an
ongoing investigation. But make no mistake about it, the President was
very clear in stating that everybody -- that the White House should
cooperate fully in this investigation.
Q: Has the President heard the purported bin Laden tape at all? Or do you
have anything on that, any bin Laden audio tape?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, our intelligence team has analyzed it for -- to
determine whether it is authentic or not. And they have determined that it
is likely that the voice on the tape is bin Laden's. And I think that
obviously we will continue to carefully review the contents of the tape.
Q: Do you think it's possible that with all the scrutiny and the orange
alert last week, and the last two weeks, that the U.S. has actually
disrupted a planned attack? And have there been any indications that there
might be time to step down?
MR. McCLELLAN: That there might -- well, one, in terms of the threat
level, I think Secretary Ridge has addressed that earlier -- or addressed
that earlier today. We are always looking at the threat level to determine
at what level it should. But I think that it was made very clear that the
reason we raised the threat level to high risk of terrorist attack, or to
orange, was because of information that we were receiving that indicated
that there could be a probability of terrorist attacks during the holiday
season and beyond.
And so it's something that is constantly reviewed, and it's reviewed on a
daily basis. And it's based on the consensus judgment, the determination
of where that threat level should be. And right now it remains at high.
Q: My question is, though, is there any feeling in the administration that
the way that the U.S. responded in the last couple of weeks may have
disrupted an imminent attack?
MR. McCLELLAN: Whether the intelligence has disrupted -- well, one, we do
-- when we receive actionable intelligence, we act on it. I think that
people have seen that the Department of Homeland Security is working hard,
24 hours a day, seven days a week, and that they are continuing to stay on
top of all such matters. And I think that it's difficult to tell,
sometimes, maybe at this early stage, what may or may not have been
disrupted. But we do know that when we see increased chatter, and we
elevate the -- based on some credible information, and we elevate the
threat level, that it has served as a deterrent to terrorist attacks. And
that information has come from people that have been captured.
Q: Is there any danger in -- it seems like every time we have a holiday
season, the threat level goes up. Is there any danger -- the reason I'm
asking is if you've managed to disrupt anything, or if you think you may
have disrupted anything, is there any danger that you get into a situation
where the American people just think you're crying wolf?
MR. McCLELLAN: No. One, whenever there is specific and credible
information, we share it appropriately. I think Secretary Ridge made it
very clear when he announced that we were raising the threat level that we
share information with states and local officials; we share it with the
private sector. We also share that information with foreign governments,
as well, so that we can make decisions and act on that intelligence.
And that's exactly what we've been doing. I think the American people
understand that we are living in a post-9/11 world, and when we have
specific and credible information, we will share that information and we
will act on that information in order to make sure we are doing everything
we can to protect the American people. And that's what we have been doing.
There has been some specific and credible information that we have shared
with others.
Q: Should we expect any new immigration measures this week as the
President gets ready to go to Mexico?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think -- one, the President indicated that he would
be talking more about that soon at his news conference before the
holidays. The President has long talked about the importance of having an
immigration policy that matches willing workers with willing employers.
America is a -- it's important for America to be a welcoming society. We
are a nation of immigrants, and we're better for it.
And so in that respect -- and I would point out, too, that in the
post-September 11th time frame we have gone to extraordinary steps to
strengthen our border security and make America more secure. And I think
that the President will have more to say soon on his approach to matching
willing workers with willing employers. There is certainly an economic
need that exists.
Q: Is he going to meet with the new Canadian Prime Minister, do you know,
in Mexico? Will he meet with the new Canadian Prime Minister --
MR. McCLELLAN: Are you asking about next week in Mexico? I don't have the
schedule details for next week yet, right now.
Q: Scott, in addition to the usual briefings and the two foreign leader
calls, is there anything else the President did this morning that you're
able to share with us?
MR. McCLELLAN: It's a typical day -- policy briefings and his usual
intelligence briefings in the morning.
Q: There are reports that the administration is going to allow Iraqi Kurds
to form a semi-autonomous state within Iraq. Number one, is that the case?
And number two, does that in any way contradict the President's pledge to
have a one sovereign Iraqi state?
MR. McCLELLAN: The Coalition Provisional Authority -- well, one, we have
always said it is important to maintain the territorial integrity of Iraq.
And we are strongly committed to that. But there was a November 15th
agreement reached with -- reached between the Coalition Provisional
Authority and the Iraqi Governing Council. And so that's the framework
that the Iraqis are moving forward on. And we're -- the Coalition
Provisional Authority is working with them to help them implement that
agreement. And we are assisting the Iraqis as they move forward on that
agreement.
And I think in terms of -- it outlined a framework for moving forward, and
that the Iraqi people will be the ones who will make the decisions within
that framework as they move forward. But no, we are strongly committed to
the territorial integrity of Iraq.
Q: Within the territorial integrity of Iraq, if the Kurds were to form
some sort of semi-autonomous territory within that framework, is that
something the administration can endorse?
MR. McCLELLAN: As I said, there is a framework. You need to look at the
November 15th agreement. That's the framework for moving forward on
transferring sovereignty to the Iraqi people. And we are making some good
progress already in moving forward on that agreement. And as Iraqis are
ready to assume more and more responsibility, we are transferring that
responsibility to the Iraqi people. But I think that you have to look at
the framework, and that the Iraqi people will work within that framework
and we'll assist them along the way, to make the determinations on the
specifics within that framework. I think you're asking a question that
would --
Q: -- framework, if they're okay, the Iraqi people want that, you're okay
if they're okay with it?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, we're committed to moving forward and assisting the
Iraqi Governing Council and the Iraqi people on implementing the November
15th agreement. That's what you need to look at. That's the foundation for
moving forward to transfer sovereignty. There will be issues under that,
related to federalism, that the Iraqi people will decide within that
framework.
Q: What's he doing this afternoon?
MR. McCLELLAN: I wouldn't read one thing -- anything into that, one way or
the other.
Q: Anything special going on this afternoon between the last education
event and the fundraiser?
MR. McCLELLAN: No.
Q: Meetings, anything --
MR. McCLELLAN: No, nothing to update you on at this point.
Q: Any opinion on Pete Rose admitting he bet on baseball?
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't asked him about it. Haven't asked him about it.
All right, thanks.
END 2:16 P.M. EST
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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