Lawrence Ari Fleischer

“ Is the White House concerned about more defections from the Republican Party, if not actually leaving the party, but departing with the party on key votes in the House and Senate? MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, the President believes that the votes that took place in the Senate and the House yesterday speak louder than any other events. And in that 12 Democrats joined with President Bush in a healthy showing of support for the President's agenda on a matter that -- it's hard to imagine anything that counts more than a vote on the tax cut, it's one of the centerpieces of the President's agenda. ”

“ Good ideas attract bipartisan support, which is why almost 25 percent of the Democrats defected from their party leadership to support the President's tax cut proposal. That's why the President has attracted so much support to his education plans. And that's a pattern that the President sees continuing. Q Ari, is there anything in the wake of this that you all in the White House think you need to do or think about any differently, in terms of your relations with Congress and with the Senate, in particular? ”

“ Education, a couple hundred Democrats -- or more than a hundred Democrats voted with the President. Q Is he worried about defections by moderate Republicans from the party, in votes after Senator Jeffords becomes an independent, you know, after this tax cut situation is over with? MR. FLEISCHER: The President's focus is on those Democrats who support his agenda and will work with the President and vote for it. That's what the President is focused on, which is a sign of where he thinks the future lies. ”