White House Gaggle

By Lovisa Frost
White House Gaggle
December 6, 2007
Briefer: Dana Perino

President’s Schedule

President Bush had his normal briefings this morning. He is also meeting with leaders of pro-democracy political parties and national government organizations from Belarus. The meeting is a key part of the President’s freedom agenda. At 1.15 pm, The President will participate in a meeting on housing followed by a statement in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.

At 5 pm, the President and the First Lady will participate in the 2007 lighting of the National Christmas Tree.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino will brief the press at 12.15 pm today.

Note: President Umam Yar’Adua of Nigeria will visit the White House on December 13, 2007.

Omaha Shootings

The President is deeply saddened by the shootings in Omaha, Nebraska yesterday. His thoughts and prayer are with the victims and their families. The President will address this at the top of his remarks at the housing event.

Housing Meeting

The President will made remarks to address what is a voluntary private sector agreement to assist struggling homeowners. President Bush will meet with Secretaries Paulson and Jackson and members of the organization Hope Now Alliance. Following the meeting at the White House, there will be a press conference with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Secretary Alphonso Jackson of the Department of the Housing and Urban Development. The President wants to help homeowners to refinance and stay in their homes, "No one wins when a house in foreclosed upon, the homeowners lose, the lenders lose, the community and neighborhood lose, the investors and the overall economy suffers," Perino stated. She continued to say the President wanted to bring these groups together so that they can see their shared interest and find a solution.
When asked about how many people will be helped by this initiative, Tony Fratto, Deputy White House Press Secretary said that it is about a one million people that have the potential to qualify.

Letter to North Korea

When asked what prompted the President to send a letter to North Korea, Perino said that the President wrote letters Saturday to all the leaders of the Six-Party talks.
In these letters, President Bush reiterated the United State’s commitment to the talks "and stressed the need for North Korea to come forward with a full and complete declaration of the nuclear program as was called for in the September 2005 agreement."