White House Gaggle

By Ellen Ratner
May 20, 2005

President’s Schedule

The President taped his radio address and had his usual briefings. Today the President will make remarks at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast followed by a meeting with the Prime Minister of Denmark. He will also meet with leaders from the Cuban-American community. Later this afternoon, the President will meet with the Prime Minister of Greece. Tomorrow the President will give the commencement address at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Payroll Tax Funded Personal Accounts

Deputy Press Secretary Trent Duffy was asked if the President intends to drop his plan to use a portion of workers’ taxes to pay for individual investment accounts as suggested by Robert Pozen, a former member of President Bush’s advisory commission on Social Security. Duffy responded that the President is fully committed to payroll tax funded accounts as a way to give low-income workers the ability to do long-term investing while not affecting their take-home pay. Duffy went on to say that the President is committed to personal accounts that are voluntary.

Stem Cell Research

Duffy was asked if the President will use a veto or the threat of a veto against Delaware Congressman Mike Castle’s bill to lift the President’s ban on stem cell research using federal dollars for research on any new embryonic stem cell lines. Duffy answered that the President is committed to human embryonic stem cell research and he pointed out that President Bush is the first President to fund this type of research. However, Duffy replied that, "the President would veto a bill that breaks the principle that human life not be created for the sole purpose of destroying it".

First Lady’s Comments on the Secret Service

Duffy was questioned about Laura Bush’s comments on the Secret Service not informing the President about the airplane that was flying toward the White House on May 11th and which caused the evacuation of the White House and U.S. Capitol. Duffy stated that the President and Mrs. Bush both have full confidence in the Secret Service and that all protocols were followed with respect to the issue.

Photos of Saddam Hussein

Duffy said that the President has been briefed by senior staff about the published photos of Saddam Hussein in his underwear. The President believes that the photos were taken in clear violation of Department of Defense guidelines and possibly the Geneva Convention for treatment of prisoners. The White House does not yet know who took the pictures.

The President’s Week Ahead

On Monday the President will meet with the President of Afghanistan in the Oval Office and attend the official swearing-in ceremony for the EPA Administrator. The President will travel to Rochester, New York on Tuesday to speak about Social Security. On Wednesday, the President will meet with the President of Indonesia followed by a meeting with the President of the Palestinian Authority on Thursday. The President will speak at the commencement exercises for the Naval Academy on Friday.