White House Gaggle

By Lovisa Frost
White House Gaggle
November 14, 2007
Briefer: Dana Perino

President’s Schedule

President Bush had his normal briefings this morning. At 10 am, he travels to the US Department of Justice for the swearing-in ceremony for the new Attorney General. At 1.45 pm the President will do an interview that is part of a profile of Mrs. Bush done by Glamour Magazine. At 3pm, the President and Mrs. Bush participate in a photo opportunity with the crew members of the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS–116), Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-117), Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS- 118), and International Space Station Expeditions 14 and 15. At 3.30 pm, President Bush has another photo opportunity with the National Troopers’ Coalition.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino will brief the press at 12.30 pm today.

The President will welcome the First Minister of Northern Ireland Dr. Ian Paisley, and Martin McGuinness, the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland on December 7, 2007.

President’s Schedule

Pakistan

Perino said that the situation in Pakistan changes almost by the hour, and there has been no date set for when the state of emergency will be lifted by President Musharraf. The US government has been calling on him to do so immediately as that would be in the best interest of the Pakistani people. Perino also said that in order to have free and fair elections the emergency rule must be lifted. When asked for a comment about Musharraf’s request for more support from the United States in terms of cooperative counter terrorism efforts, Perino referred to DOD. Perino did say that she had not heard of any increase though the Unites States continue to work with Pakistan because it is vital to the our national interest as well as to the Pakistanis to make sure that we are fighting terrorism. When asked about cutting off aid to Pakistan, Perino said that Secretary Rice and Secretary Gates are leading the review of the aid package. She also said that Americans need to remember the some of the aid is going to the people of Pakistan to help with education, healthcare and efforts to eliminate poverty. Perino was also asked if there are any other plans for the President to call President Musharraf again, and if he has tried calling President Bush, and she replied that she does not have any information on that.
In answer to the question if anyone in the Administration is in touch with former Prime Minister Bhutto, and Perino said that there is on-going communication with many different people in Pakistani government as well as others from the opposition parties.

Spending

The President has said that Congress needs to do, what they said they would do. "The Democratic leaders said that they would send him Appropriations bills on time, one at a time, and in a clean fashion, and they have not made good on that promise so far . . . " Perino continued, "I think there are 13 more Appropriations bills to go, and time is running out . . . "