Q On the budget outlook, you released figures in December that, even at that time, were viewed as very optimistic about the economy. I think your projection for growth was 2.6 percent for this year. And you have several major investment houses on Wall Street projecting a recession. Maybe the CBO isn't projecting that, but many people on Wall Street are betting on that. And I'm just wondering if you have any plans to revise those figures, because they're going to form the basis of your budget outlook, and I wonder if people are going to take them seriously if the underlying growth forecast is --

MS. PERINO: I don't know of any plans to renew -- redo numbers. But I'm sure that CEA Chairman Eddie Lazear is on top of things, as is Secretary Paulson. The budget is going to come out on February 4th. But I would also note that -- you've said that -- there might be many economists who are forecasting a recession; there's lots of people saying lots of different things about the economy. There's no shortage of people opining on the issue. What I mentioned is that CBO and the White House and the administration are not forecasting a recession, but we are facing economic slowdown, which is why we want to have the package that we are looking for. So if there's going to be an update in terms of the numbers, we can let you know.

seen at 13:49, 23 January in Whitehouse Press Briefings. Email this to a friend.
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