Lawrence Ari Fleischer

“ There are two entities within the United Nations that exercise their judgment in a fashion that the President thinks is unwise and not helpful to people who deserve a U.N. that speaks out strongly on behalf of the cause of human rights, and also a U.N. that is able to fight the war on drugs. ”

“ Q On the question of the nominations in California and Maryland, and the liberal Democratic senators in those states, is there the perception here that the President is going to have a problem, that these judicial nominations may be held up not merely on the basis of qualifications -- I don't think anyone is going to try to question, for example, the qualifications of the Christopher Cox -- but that these are going to be nominations that are contested on the basis of ideology alone? ”

“ The problem is drugs grown in other nations, drugs grown in America that enter the streets, enter the marketplace of America, if you will, because there is a ready and willing population that buys the drugs, and that's a treatment problem. ”

“ The President is going to continue to work with senators to allay any concerns they may have. Any future announcements will reflect the decisions that the President makes. He at all times reserves the right to name the people he thinks are most suited to serve on the bench to serve our nation. ”

“ The President will view it as unfortunate if people tried to block nominees simply because somebody from the other party is in the White House. That would not be healthy and that would not be good for the courts. The Presidents have earned and deserved latitude in their choice of making appointments to the court. The Senate has an important advice and consent role to play, which the President will be very respectful of. Q If the two Democratic senators in these states continue to basically wave blue slips and say, we don't want these nominees, will the President fail to nominate them? ”

“ One of the nominees the President is submitting today was nominated in 1991 by former President Bush. And the Democrats in the Senate at that time did not schedule any hearings. Did that make it right, then, for the Republicans who followed to say to President Clinton we're not going to schedule hearings on yours? The problem is, when both parties engage in that type of partisan rancor, the only people that lose are people who need to go to the courts to receive justice. ”

“ There is energy available in other parts of the country, but it can't be shipped to California as easily as you would hope, because of infrastructure problems. Q Why would the power companies need the federal government to step in and exercise eminent domain? Why can't they just pay fair market value? MR. FLEISCHER: There are differences in the law on the federal law that apply to such things as natural gas pipelines, for example, where the federal government is able to help communities and help states in the approval process to get pipelines built, to serve the infrastructure needs. ”

“ People lost their right to itemize their deductions; they lost a lot of their phase-ins. And the President does believe that we should not punish people because they are successful in America, and that no one should pay a rate of higher than 33 percent. ”

“ A reduction in the number of Americans who abuse drugs, and an increase in the number of Americans who are successfully treated so they no longer use drugs. It's a question also of the White House sending the right message from the bully pulpit of the White House and grants to local communities that do good work to fight drugs. Faith-based programs make a marked difference in people's lives in getting people to kick a very hard habit to kick. ”

“ I think perhaps the Governor's spokesman must not be aware of the letter that the Governor sent to the President, in which Governor Davis thanked President Bush for all the steps he's taken that responded to Governor Davis' request to help California. This administration stands ready and able to help California in all ways possible. ”

“ The New York Times, Washington Times and Washington Post all report this morning that the American Psychiatric Association Convention in New Orleans today, Columbia University psychiatric professor, Robert Spencer, who led the APA's decision in 1973 to remove homosexuality from its list of mental disorders, will present a report that homosexuals are able to alter their orientation to heterosexuality, especially with religious help. ”

“ And it's that very approach, it's that signal that he's sending that by working together to put the needs of the judiciary first and the needs of partisan politics last, we can advance the cause of people who need justice in this country. Q So you're conceding that in this specific area, that's what he's doing here? It's not just a matter of qualifications, but politics and to reach out? MR. FLEISCHER: I can only describe the fact that this is unprecedented for a President to nominate somebody to the circuit court who a previous President had nominated and that nomination was not accepted. ”

“ And the only thing that will happen if that same partisan pattern continues, is that justice will be delayed, and justice for some people will be hurt or denied. Q What specifically would you point to, to convince Democrats that, somehow, as you say and as the President will say, that he's different from all who have come before him in this arena, and that he's going to change the tone and eradicate all the partisan bickering? ”

“ Q I think you have four people here who have not been on the bench previously, who were, in fact, activists. So how would people judge whether or not they would likely be activists -- MR. FLEISCHER: Because the President's analysis, in reviewing their qualifications and in concurrence with the White House Counsel, that these people reflect the President's belief that it's important not to legislate from the bench. ”