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MR. DUFFY: Let me update you on the President's day. This morning he taped his radio address on the outlook for the year ahead, which includes focusing on our country's top two priorities, which are winning the war on terror and keeping the American economy growing strong and creating more and more jobs.

He then had his normal briefings, which included a briefing on both the wildfire situation in the Southwest, as well as the flooding and rainfall in the Pacific Northwest. As you know, the Agriculture Department issued a press release two days ago that outlined some of the federal government resources that are being applied in the wildfire situation.

He then did some brush clearing and just completed a bike ride before I came out. This afternoon he's scheduled to sign several pieces of legislation which several of you have been inquiring about, including the Patriot Act extension, the Labor-HHS appropriations bill, which does include the provision on the citizenship of Olympic skaters, and the Defense emergency supplemental appropriations bill, which among other things, includes additional aid for the Gulf Coast, as well as the government's preparation for pandemic flu.

Our aim is to have a photo release of him signing the Labor-HHS appropriations bill for your use, should you decide to use it. There will be some other paper coming out today, including the President's New Year's Day message, which we'll release right after the gaggle. And we'll have our normal announcements on all the bill signings that he's done, but there's going to be some paperwork -- we'll try to get it out as soon as we can. I think he'll start signing bills here within the hour. I don't know exactly, but that's kind of the target. So we'll try to get that information out to you as soon as we can.

The week ahead we'll do at the end. I think that's what I have.

Toby. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: No, as the President said, the Justice Department undertook this action on its own, which is the way it should be. The President spoke directly about how he felt about the leaking of classified information, and the White House was informed of the decision, as was the President. And you have his own words about how he feels about the leaking of classified information. I think it's plain to say that the terrorists want to strike America again and they hope to inflict even greater damage than they did on September the 11th. The leaking of classified information is a serious issue. The fact is that al Qaeda's playbook is not printed on page one, and when America's is, it has serious ramifications. You don't need to be Sun Tzu to understand that. (Laughter.)

So the country is at war against a determined, patient, and ruthless enemy, and that enemy attacked America repeatedly and wants to do so again. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: He was informed today. Yes. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Yes. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Senior staff.

All right, week ahead? Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I think the best way to describe it is he's just reflecting really on the way we've been discussing, earlier this week, been reflecting back, looking forward. Just like all of us, when you're outdoors and taking a break, you have time to think about things, and that's the process that he's going through. He has spoken, himself, about how he values his time out of Washington, because it helps him stay grounded. And that's really all I have. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Don't have anything for you on that. He hasn't had any guests that I know of. Just Mrs. Welch. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: More information on the visit to San Antonio? No. I think, for planning purposes, he may hand out some purple awards, Purple Heart awards -- pardon me. He may present some. And that's really all I have. I think we anticipated that most of the wounded soldiers, as I said earlier this week, are going to be from the Iraq theater, but we'll get more information on that. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Scott had said that the President was not going to sign an extension of the Patriot Act -- temporary extension of the Patriot Act. Were there any sort of discussions of whether or not he should so this after saying that he wasn't going to? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: We'll continue to work with the Congress as it returns next session. You know the administration's view on how important this is, and to continue to make sure that law enforcement has what it needs to do the job. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: On CAFTA? Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I don't -- see whether it's going to be implemented next year? Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: You might want to check with USTR. I'll see what I can find out, Suzanne.

Mark. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Trent, on the Patriot Act, I still don't understand why when the Senate was considering a three month extension, the White House threatened to veto, so the Senate passed a six-month extension; then when the House insisted on a five-week extension, the President is now going to accept that. ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: The lessons learned review is undergoing -- excuse me, is ongoing. And as the Homeland Security advisor mentioned at the outset of the exercise, she is planning to finalize that in coming, I'd say, weeks. It has been a very productive exercise. She's met with hundreds of officials both in and out of government, and state and local, she's traveled to the region, she has a very effective team of professionals working on this review. They are working out of the Old Executive Office Building, and they're doing an exceptional job. So I anticipate something on that in the coming weeks. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Mark asked that earlier this week, and just to be fair to Mark, I said at the time he hadn't met with anybody this week. He has back in Washington met with speechwriters at least once to begin the process of thinking about the State of the Union. So apologies to Mr. Knoller.

Week ahead?

Okay. Again, Sunday, January 1st, visit to the Brooke Army Medical Center, as was previously noted.

Monday, January 2nd, no public events.

Tuesday, January 3rd, meeting on the Patriot Act in the Roosevelt Room. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Don't know. I will put that at the end.

Wednesday, January 4th, he will make a statement on the global war on terror at the Pentagon.

On Thursday, January 5th, he will be meeting with the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, former Secretaries of State and former Secretaries of Defense in the Roosevelt Room. And that will be to discuss the war on terror and our challenges in Iraq and winning the war in Iraq. Then he will have a photo opportunity with the 2005 Little League Softball World Series Champions in the Oval Office. And he will later make remarks to the U.S. University Presidents Summit on International Education -- that's at the State Department.

And on Friday, the 6th, the President will travel to Chicago and participate in a tour of the Chicago Board of Trade, and make remarks on the economy at the Hilton Chicago.

Thank you, and happy New Year. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Federal holiday. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Saturday. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I just updated you on the President's schedule. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Correct. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Good morning. One update to the President's schedule to inform you about. The President, on Sunday, January 1st, will visit the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, where he will visit with wounded soldiers. We anticipate that most will be from Iraq. There may be others, and we'll update you on that at a future point.

The President had his normal intelligence and daily briefings this morning, and was out clearing brush. And that's what I have on his schedule. And that's what I have. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: No updates on bill signings. We'll let you know when he's doing any of that. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Nothing to announce at this point, Roger. If there are, we'll let you know. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: What other White House staff are coming down later in the week. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Jessica, I think Attorney General Gonzales and General Hayden did a very thorough briefing about the legal underpinnings that the administration is basing this program on. I don't have anything to add to that. And we decline to comment on any pending cases, but I don't think it should serve as any surprise that defense attorneys are looking at ways to represent their clients; that's what defense attorneys do. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: The last I recall, the President's attorney was working to have that postponed until some later date. And I can see if there's any update on that. But I think it was -- I think they were looking for a postponement after a period of months, and perhaps years. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q That same New York Times article says, there's consideration of filing criminal charges against President Bush, himself. Is he prepared to face any possible charges, and what kind of -- the White House must have some sort of reaction to the concern that this could bring this NSA issue into the court and open it up to all sorts of inquiries. ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I don't know how to answer that question. So I won't. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Dana, you're asking in the context of pending cases, and we're just prohibited from commenting on that. So speculating on pending cases is something we can't do. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I would refer you to the Justice Department for any questions like that. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: The President discussed what he felt comfortable discussing in the news conference, and this is a highly classified, or was a highly classified program and he felt it necessary to discuss that since it was reported. And that's the decision that he made and the administration made. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q How long does the intelligence briefing take in the morning, roughly? And once that's done, is his presidential work done for the day? Is he taking calls of any kind? Is he still doing official reading, or is he on his own reading list, and is it on to pleasure reading after that briefing is over? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q The President had, obviously, a bad couple of months. And I'm wondering how a vacation like this kind of plays into that? Is a vacation like this a time to reflect on the bad stuff that has happened in the administration? What function does a vacation have after just the spate of bad news, be it polls or just a whole variety of things? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Does the President have any plans at all to address any of the folks who are protesting outside the ranch? And also, what would be his reaction, or is there any White House reaction, to their calling on him to reflect on his Christian faith in dealings in Iraq and in efforts to bring troops home? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I think the President has spoken directly and publicly to the American people about why he made the decisions that he did, why it's the right thing for us to finish the job in Iraq, and why it would be a terrible, terrible thing to retreat in the face of terrorism, because it would essentially provide great relief and a victory for the terrorists.

Jessica, number three. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: What's that? Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I'll let you know. I don't know. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I will see. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: That's correct. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Well, as you know, typically, it takes some paperwork and getting the actual bills down here for him to actually sign. So it's just a matter of logistics. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I haven't seen those comments. I think that the administration's views on Iran having a nuclear weapon are very well-known. We, along with the international community, believe that it is a terrible thing for Iran to develop a nuclear capability, and the United States is working with the international community to ensure that that does not happen. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I think, so far, the views on the elections in Iraq have been very positive, both by the United Nations, as well as other observers. And so, at this point, I don't think anybody is suggesting that -- I don't think most are suggesting that there needs to be a rerun because it is the belief that the elections were fair. And that is our view, as well. We welcome the process underway to build a permanent government in Iraq, because that is part of the President's vision on the tracks that he laid out in the past few months, which is that Iraq needs to develop the durable, lasting institutions that will ensure its democracy. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: We'll let you know.

Okay, given that it's -- I'm sorry, Caren. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: Well I made an announcement about the President's activity on Sunday, so we don't have anything else to announce at this point. But I don't anticipate anything like that. We'll let you know if the schedule changes. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. DUFFY: I'm personally not. I think that's probably something the State Department will be equipped to comment on at some point, but I'm not aware of that.

Thank you. One programming note: I will -- I'm not planning to gaggle tomorrow, so we'll see you back here on Friday. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon, everyone. I want to begin with talking about matters going on with the Congress right now, particularly the Senate.

The President, as you heard last night, applauds the House for its work to meet key national priorities. The House has moved forward to make sure that our troops have the resources they need to fight and win the war on terrorism. They moved forward to make sure that a vital law was reauthorized for preventing attacks at home -- that is the Patriot Act. They moved forward on making sure that people in the Gulf Coast region who were affected by the hurricanes are getting the help they need. They moved forward on more steps to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy. The House also moved forward on making sure that we have what we need to prepare for the threat of pandemic flu, and they also made sure that we're moving forward in a way that spends our taxpayer dollars wisely by passing the deficit reduction package.

The Senate is now finishing up its work, and we urge the Senate to move forward and complete its work on these important priorities. One piece of legislation that I mentioned, the Patriot Act, provides key tools for our law enforcement and intelligence community to disrupt plots and prevent attacks from happening. That law has helped tear down the legal and bureaucratic wall between law enforcement and intelligence officials. It has provided them the same kind of tools they use in pursuing other criminals. The Patriot Act is a vital tool that has helped us break up terror cells here in America.

And a minority of senators continue to filibuster this effort. The Democratic Leader even boasted to political supporters that Senate Democrats had "killed the Patriot Act." A minority of senators need to stop their delaying tactics and stop standing in the way of providing our law enforcement and intelligence community with the tools they need to protect us here at home. We cannot afford to be without this vital law for a single moment in the war on terrorism. It is set to expire, but the terrorist threat will not expire. And it has accomplished exactly what it was set out to do, which is to protect our liberties and save lives. And we urge the Senate to move forward and get this legislation done.

And with that, I will be glad to go to your questions. Terry Hunt. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Scott, the Vice President said today that Vietnam and Watergate had eroded presidential powers, and that he thinks that the world we live in demands strong, robust executive authority. Where would the President like to see his authority expanded? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: There are three branches of government, they all have an important role to play: the congressional -- the legislative, and the judicial, and then the executive. And we've talked about these issues before. I don't know of anything to add to what the Vice President said. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Last year the President lauded the Patriot Act for giving him tools to track terrorists that he never had before, including roving wiretaps and other such tools. If the President has what he needed in the Patriot Act, why the need for this NSA program that he authorized? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I just pointed out one of the problem areas that we're trying to fix. And so those -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Those are important tools, as well, and we use those tools. In fact, those tools have helped us address threats, too. But this authorization is an additional tool that we believe is needed for the reason I stated. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, absolutely, we need this authority, for the reasons I stated. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: The President made a commitment to the American people that he was going to use every constitutional and congressional authority needed to fight and win this war on terrorism. This tool has been very successful in helping us to detect and prevent attacks from happening -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, for the reasons that we stated. It is very necessary. And remember, there are important safeguards and oversight measures that are in place for this program. The President talked about those just the other day. Every 45 days or so it is carefully reviewed; it must have the approval of top legal officials from the Attorney General to the White House Counsel. The activities that are conducted under this authorization are thoroughly reviewed by the Department of Justice and by the National Security Agency legal officials, including the General Counsel and the Inspector General. There is intense oversight of it, as General Hayden, the Deputy Director of National Intelligence, talked about. And the decisions that are made under this authorization, which is very limited, again, are made by career intelligence officials at NSA. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think the President talked about this issue a little bit yesterday. This is still a highly classified program, and there are details that it's important not be disclosed. This program -- the disclosure of this program has damaged our national security and put us at greater risk because the enemy wants to know what we're doing, and by talking about this program it gives the enemy a sense of what we are doing to try to disrupt plots and prevent attacks. And the enemy is sophisticated, it is lethal, it uses new technology to adapt and adjust. And we've got to be able to move quickly, with speed and agility. And that's why this authorization is so important. Technology has advanced a lot and the enemy is making use of it; so must we here at home.

And in terms of Congress, we have briefed members of Congress over a dozen times -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the American people need -- I think it's important for them to hear about this, so I want to point that out. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Well, that's why I mentioned it before I asked the question. So are you saying to members of Congress, it wouldn't be a good idea to hold these hearings? Or are you saying, if you hold these hearings, there's not much we're going to tell you? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, maybe you missed some of his recent speeches and his remarks, but the President said it was the right decision to remove Saddam Hussein and his regime from power -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't think he said that. He said that Saddam Hussein was a destabilizing force in a dangerous region of the world -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: It is true. He was a threat. And the threat has been removed. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Let's talk about why it's so important, what we're working to accomplish in Iraq -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: We are liberating people and freeing people to live in a democracy. And why we're still there -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: I reject your characterizations wholly. I reject your characterizations wholly. The United States is helping to advance freedom in a dangerous region of the world. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: For too long we thought we had stability by ignoring freedom in the Middle East. Well, we showed -- we saw on September 11th -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Helen, we can have a debate, or you can let me respond to your questions. I think this is an important subject for the American people to talk about. By advancing freedom and democracy in the Middle East we're helping to protect our own security. It's a dangerous region -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I reject that. We're liberating and freeing people and we're targeting the enemy. We're killing the terrorists and we're going after the Saddam loyalists. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: And you know who is responsible for most of that? It's the terrorists and the Saddam loyalists who want to turn back to the past. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Our military goes out of the way to minimize civilian casualties. They target the enemy -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we've got a lot of technology that we can use to target the enemy without going after -- without collateral damage of civilians. And that's what our military does. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, I'm going to stand up for our military. Our military goes out of the way to protect civilians. In fact -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: We freed some 25 million people in Iraq that were living under a brutal regime.

Go ahead. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Congress defines oversight as "the authority to conduct inquiries or investigations, to have access to records or materials, or to issue subpoenas or testimony from the executive." Which of these powers were members of Congress granted with regard to the NSA surveillance program? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Congress is an independent branch of government. That's what I just pointed out, Jessica. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: They have an oversight role, that's

right. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: That's why we thought it was important to brief members of Congress about this vital tool that we're using to save lives and to protect the American people, and why we talked to them about how it is limited in nature and limited in scope. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: They're an independent branch of government. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: They were briefed. And we believe it's important to brief members of Congress, the relevant leaders -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: They're an independent branch of government. Yes, they have -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, they have oversight roles to play. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: You should ask members of Congress that question. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Given that the program, to whatever extent we now understand it, has been public for several days now, would the administration support legislation that would more explicitly give the President the kind of authority he has been using under this -- ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the Attorney General talked about this yesterday. He talked about how we were briefing additional members of Congress. We've already briefed the leadership and the leaders of the relevant committees, and the Attorney General is going back, talking to additional members about this so that they do have a better understanding of this authorization and what it's designed to do and how it is narrowly tailored and limited in how it's used. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Given that FISA has the retroactive power, the President didn't specifically answer that yesterday, why he didn't elect to use that. And the comments in the earlier briefing, it sort of gives the impression that the administration didn't want the paperwork hassle involved in filing these things retroactively. Is that a fair -- ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: The President has made it very clear, that as long as he is President, he is going to continue using every lawful tool within his power to prevent attacks from happening, and save lives and protect the American people. And that's exactly what we're doing.

Goyal, go ahead. And then Wendell. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Two questions. One, the Vice President's trip to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan -- is he carrying a specific message not only for the newly -- two democracies of Afghanistan and Iraq, but also for the terrorists in those areas -- what you think the President would say -- ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry -- that it has made it as far as? Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: In terms of the legal issues? We've talked about the legal analysis, and the Attorney General talked about other rulings that would relate to this that have been upheld by the United States Supreme Court in opinions written by Justice O'Connor. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not going to try to play lawyer from the podium. I'm not a lawyer. But I do know that this President is deeply committed to protecting the American people, and he'll do what it takes to save lives and prevent attacks from happening. He made that commitment when he took office; he renewed that commitment after the attacks of September 11th; and he will do so within our Constitution and our laws. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not going to get into talking about more than what we've said publicly. That's getting into more than what we've talked about publicly, so I'm not in a position to confirm or deny the numbers that you threw out there. And we don't want to go into greater detail because it's important that the enemy not have a sense of what we're working to do, because they can change and adapt. They can -- and they do. They're constantly changing and adapting. This is a sophisticated and deadly enemy that is constantly trying to change and adapt, and that moves with great speed when they need to. We must move -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: We must move with great speed to stay ahead of them. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I think, again, the Attorney General and General Hayden talked a little bit about this yesterday, but I talked about the nature of this authorization and the scope of it, and I talked about the safeguards and oversight that are in place. This is very carefully reviewed every 45 days and it -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, no, but this goes to your question. It is limited to people who have -- one of the parties to the communication have a clear connection to al Qaeda or terrorist organizations, and one of the parties is operating outside of the United States. I think that's important for people to know, because there's been some suggestions that it's spying inside the U.S. That's not the case. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I'm not confirming or denying those numbers. I don't think anyone has done that publicly, so I'm not going to get into a discussion of that nature. But what I will reiterate is that this is very limited and targeted, and that you have to have a clear connection to al Qaeda or a related terrorist organization. And it's the career intelligence officials at the NSA who are making these decisions. These people receive extensive training in acting consistent with what the authorization provides. And that's important for the American people to know. It's important for them to know the parameters of this is very limited in nature. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the American people understand that we are in a different kind of war, and understand that we face a new kind of threat from an enemy that changes and adapts, and that getting into talking about some of these operational details endangers their national security, puts us at greater risk.

Intelligence is vital to winning the war on terrorism. Intelligence is vital to winning any war. And this is signals intelligence that we're talking about. It is critical that we have that information to be able to stop attacks from happening before it's too late. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Scott, in April of 2004, President Bush delivered remarks on the Patriot Act, and he said at that time, "any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it require -- a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so." Was the President being completely forthcoming when he made that statement? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: I would have to look back at the remarks there, but you're clearly talking about it in the context, as you pointed out, of the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act is another vital tool. That's why the Senate needs to move forward and get that reauthorized now. We cannot let that expire -- not for a single moment, because the terrorist threat is not going to expire. Those tools have helped us disrupt plots and prevent attacks and break up terrorist cells. We need those tools for our law enforcement and intelligence community. And we urge the Senate to stop the delaying tactics by the minority of senators, to stop their delaying tactics, to stop filibustering, stop blocking this legislation and get it passed. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: You're asking me to look back at something that is in relation to the Patriot Act. And it's in relation to the Patriot Act -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- and I'll be glad to take a look at his comments. I think you're taking them out -- I think the suggestion that you're making, I reject that suggestion. And I'll be glad to take a look at those comments. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we weren't a party to the case, so -- and we're not going to comment about the specific legal decision. But I think that the President has made his views very clear. The President has said that such decisions should be made by local school districts. He's long held that belief and he's long stated that belief. The President has also said that he believes students ought to be exposed to different theories and ideas so that they can fully understand what the debate is about. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q And then, on Iran, on a follow-up to some of the President's questions yesterday. In light of the statements and the actions by the Iranian President regarding Israel, and also regarding his own people now, does the White House think the Iranian people should try to overthrow their President? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Scott, on your statement a moment ago about applauding House action on the budget reconciliation bill and the ANWR provision of the defense authorization bill, opponents of the House action say that it would actually impose higher costs on the poor and senior citizens -- with respect to your deficit reduction measure -- that it would cost college students considerably more to pay back their student loans. And with respect to attaching a non-germane provision to the defense authorization bill, Senator McCain called that "disgusting," and other opponents of the non-germane provision said it's a cynical ploy in a time of war. And I'd like to know your response. ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Is that what you're talking about? Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: My response is the President believes that Congress must move forward and meet our national priorities, and also must spend taxpayer dollars wisely. We are doing both. Congress has been moving forward in a way to meet our priorities and exercise responsible spending restraint. The entitlement programs are areas where we can find savings -- and, again, these are savings, it's not reductions that you're talking about that's slowing some of the growth of these programs.

The President outlined a number of steps that Congress could take to find substantial savings for the American taxpayer, while making sure that we're meeting our priorities. And we're going to make sure that the people who need those programs are getting the help that they need. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: We need to make sure -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: Our troops must have the resources they need to fight and win the war on terrorism. We must make sure that there's no interruption or disruption of the resources that they need to be able to carry out their efforts that are aimed at protecting America and making us more secure.

We also must meet an important economic need here at home, and that is reducing our dependence on foreign sources of energy. Our economy is growing strong because of the policies we have put in place and the tax relief we put in place. High energy prices are still a concern for Americans. We passed the energy plan earlier this year, which will help reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy. The ANWR provision is another important provision that needs to be passed so that we can reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy, as well. So we support both these provisions, and Congress -- the Senate, specifically -- needs to move forward and get this done, get these priorities done. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: That's correct. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: This is an important piece of legislation, the defense spending bill, to make sure our troops have what they need. And Congress needs to act on it; the Senate needs to get it passed. We also believe it's important to get the ANWR provision passed, and that is vital to our efforts to address high energy prices, as well. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. McCLELLAN: No sneak preview, but we're very close to releasing that report. Read more Comment (0), Email this.