Phil Taylor's papers
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BACK TO : The Bush Doctrine - Key Speeches & Analysis
Pres. Bush's first press conference after re-election 
By Associated Press November 4, 2004, 1:18 PM EST QUESTION: (off mike) BUSH: Oh, in terms of feeling free, well, I don't think you'll let me be too free. There's accountability and there are constraints on the presidency, as there should be in any system. I feel it is necessary to move an agenda that I told the American people I would move. There is something refreshing about coming off an election -- even more refreshing since we all got some sleep last night -- but you go out and you make your case, and you tell the people this is what I intend to do. And after hundreds of speeches and three debates and interviews and the whole process, where you keep basically saying the same thing over and over again, when you win there is a feeling that people have spoken and embraced your point of view. And that's what I intend to tell the Congress, that I made it clear what I intend to do as the president and the people made it clear what they wanted, now let's work together. And it's like earning capital. You asked do I feel free. Let me put it to you this way: I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it. It is my style. That's what happened after the 2000 election, I earned some capital. I've earned capital in this election and I'm going to spend it for what I've told the people I'd spend it on, which is -- you've heard the agenda: Social Security and tax reform, moving this economy forward, education, fighting and winning the war on terror. We have an obligation in this country to continue to work with nations to help alleve poverty and disease. We will continue to press forward on the HIV/AIDS initiative, the Millennium Challenge Account. We'll continue to do our duty to help feed the hungry. And I'm looking forward to it, I really am. It's a been a fantastic experience, campaigning the country. You've seen it from one perspective; I've seen it from another. I saw you standing there at the last, final rally in Texas, to my right over there. I was observing you observe, and you saw the energy. And there was just something uplifting about people showing up at 11 o'clock at night, expressing their support and their prayers and their friendship. It's a marvelous experience to campaign across the country. Mike? ALLEN: Thank you, Mr. President. Do you plan to reshape your Cabinet for the second term, or will any changes come at the instigation of individuals? And as part of the same question, I'm going to ask you what you've learned about Cabinet government, what works, what doesn't work. And do you mind also addressing the same question about the White House staff? BUSH: The post-election euphoria did not last very long here at the press corps. Let me talk about the people that have worked with me. I had a Cabinet meeting today, and I thanked them for their service to the country and reminded them we've got a job to do, and I expected them to do the job. I have made no decisions on my Cabinet and/or White House staff. I'm mindful that working in the White House is really -- it is exhausting work. The people who you try to get to leak to you spend hours away from their families. And the word burnout is oftentimes used in Washington, and it's used for a reason, because people do burn out. And so, obviously, in terms of those who want to stay on and who want to stay on, I've got to make sure that it's right for their families and that they're comfortable. Because when they come to work here in the White House, I expect them to work as hard as they possibly can on behalf of the American people. In the Cabinet, there will be some changes. I don't know who they will be. It's inevitable there will be changes. It happens in every administration. To a person, I am proud of the work they have done. And I fully understand we're about to head into the period of intense speculation as to who is going to stay and who's not going to stay. And I assured them that today -- I warned them of the speculative period. It's a great Washington sport to be talking about who's going to leave and who the replacements may be and handicapping, you know, my way of thinking. I'll just give you a -- but let me just help you out with the speculation right now: I haven't thought about it. I'm going to start thinking about it. I'm going to Camp David this afternoon with Laura, and I'll begin the process of thinking about the Cabinet and the White House staff. And we'll let you know at the appropriate time when decisions have been made. Nice try, Mike. Ed and then... QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) BUSH: Learn and not learn about the Cabinet? QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) BUSH: Yes. Well, first I've learned that I put together a really good Cabinet. I'm very proud of the people that have served this government. And they, to a man and woman, worked their hearts out for the American people. And I've learned that you've got to continue to surround yourself with good people. This is a job that requires crisp decision-making, and therefore, in order for me to make decisions, I've got to have people who bring, you know, their point of view into the Oval Office and are willing to say it. I always jest to people: The Oval Office is the kind of place where people stand outside, they're getting ready to come in and tell me what-for, and they walk in and get overwhelmed by the atmosphere and they say, Man, you're looking pretty. Therefore, you need people to walk in on those days when you're not looking so good and saying, You're not looking so good, Mr. President. And I've got -- those are the kind of people that served our country. We've had vigorous debates, which you all, in the last four years, to great delight in reporting -- differences of opinion. But that's what you want if you're the commander in chief and a decision-maker. You want people to walk in and say, I don't agree with this, or I do agree with that, and here's what my recommendation is. But the president also has to learn to decide. You taking -- you know, there's ample time for the debate to take place and then decide and make up your mind and leave. That's what the job's all about. And so, I have learned how important it is to be -- to have a really fine group of people that think through issues, and that are not intimidated by the process, and they walk in and tell me what's on their mind. Ed? Ed Stevenson? |