Lawrence Ari Fleischer

“ Tom, the President continues to be concerned about the strength of the economy and the slowness in the economy. He believes that the best way to protect the economy and get it moving again is for Congress to take prompt action to pass the budget and to put his tax cut into place, especially in a retroactive fashion. What I'm referring to specifically, there have been a series of private sector studies about GDP rate for the first quarter that have indicated that they believe growth may be lower than 2 percent points. ”

“ Having said that about the United Nations, as I mentioned a couple times now, as for this particular commission, a commission that purports to speak out on behalf of human rights, that now has Sudan and Libya as members, and doesn't have the United States as members, I think may not be perceived as the most powerful advocate of human rights in the world. ”

“ And that's a reflection of the powerful bipartisan ideas that the President presented to Congress that earned those votes. It's also a reflection of the manner in which the President works with Democrats who are willing to work with him. So he'll continue in that effort. The education bill is another example of a powerful act of bipartisanship that's moving forward. The President also recognizes there are going to be times when some Democrats just choose not to vote for his policies. That is always their right, and he will be respectful of them. ”

“ But throughout this process, what you will see emerging are bipartisan majorities that are formed in various numbers on different issues, all of which add up to a Washington, D.C. culture that is getting things done. And the President will be pleased to work with people who form those bipartisan majorities and respect the rights of those who vote outside those bipartisan majorities. Q If those votes come from a few moderate or conservative Democrats, and the President stiffs the Democratic leadership, does that count as bipartisanship? ”

“ Q Ari, Senator Grassley today said there are not enough votes in the Finance Committee to support the 33 percent top rate in the tax cut the President wants. Is the White House at all flexible on the top rate, particularly since it doesn't look like you have the votes? ”

“ He will respect them; that is their right. But it is the power of his ideas that are attracting so much powerful support. Q But he's had to change those ideas in each case. They weren't so powerful that he could get them through just as they were. So I guess what I'm wondering is, I mean, would it be more important to him to maybe shave $100 billion off his tax cut and get a large vote in Congress, or to keep that and just win by one vote? MR. FLEISCHER: I think you'll just watch different issues, issue by issue. ”

“ So the President's approach is to continue to work constructively with all people who are dedicated to cutting taxes, and to have a package emerge from the Senate that is as close as possible to the President's original proposal. ”

“ Q Ari, on the North Korea missile test hold, anything today on that? North Korea is extending its missile test ban -- MR. FLEISCHER: Well, and that would be a constructive step if that is, indeed, the policy that is carried about by North Korea. The United States would view that as constructive. Q Ari, Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill seem to growing increasingly strong in their criticism of what they call a lack of true partisanship at the White House. I was wondering -- MR. FLEISCHER: Lack of true partisanship? Q True bipartisanship. ”

“ He's a good athlete, himself. And I think in that he finds a camaraderie with hundreds of millions of Americans. He does enjoy watching Baseball Tonight. He's been known to go back to the Residence and turn that on and get the latest scores, especially for the Rangers. ”

“ The President believes that the law needs to be followed within all the bounds of a free enterprise system. Q Ari, what is the White House reaction to The Washington Times report today -- some fear Ashcroft adrift from conservative base, and The Times publishing of Ward Connerly's notation that racial preferences are enormously unpopular among most voters in California and Washington State, but Republican candidates in 1998 ran away from this issue. ”

“ No, that was $30 billion ahead of last year's collections, given the weakness in the economy. But you may want to check with Treasury on the daily fluctuations. There's a daily report that comes out of Treasury, or a weekly report, I think. There's a daily report that's summarized and a monthly report that's available from Treasury. Q Ari, missile defense recently, and Kyoto before that, has some U.S. allies worried that this is an "our way or no way administration" with a unilateralist foreign policy. ”

“ Q But would the President support such a review? MR. FLEISCHER: The President, as part of the national security team's recommendation to him, which he's accepted, was to have State, DOD take a look, case-by-case, at the China policies. ”