Lawrence Ari Fleischer

“ The President believes that conference can be an historic opportunity for the nations of the world to get together to combat the problems that are here and now that people have to deal with involving racism. The United States intends to go to this conference. The only thing that would stop the United States from going is in the event that this conference and its organizers equate Zionism with racism in the agenda leading up to the conference, or if they look backwards at the very tangled question of reparations and slavery. ”

“ In the President's speech to the Urban League today, the President stressed that there are real problems that America faces today as a result of racial disparity. He cited education as one of the principal areas where we need to bring people together in this country; the gap between African American scores and white American reading scores is wide and it needs to be closed. The President wants to focus on the issues that will do the most to help people have a chance in life. ”

“ On the question of education, the President is very concerned about foot-dragging in the Senate or in the House on the importance of moving education forward. The conferees are meeting today on the Hill. The President has invited the House and Senate education conferees to come to the White House tomorrow, to meet with him personally, to underscore the importance of taking action to get an agreement on an education package that improves our public schools and to do so very quickly, this fall. ”

“ President Bush today is announcing his intention to nominate six individuals to serve as United States attorneys, and his intention to nominate two individuals to serve as members of the federal judiciary. ”

“ And whether it's Israel or whether it's the Palestinians who engage in the violence, the United States condemns that violence, and urges all parties to cease. Q Are you contemplating any action besides just the jawboning that you've been doing? MR. FLEISCHER: There will constantly be conversations and phone calls. But, again, it's a reminder about the long history of difficulties for achieving peace in the Middle East. And as the President has indicated, the United States will be a facilitator to help bring about the peace. ”

“ We always -- the White House always does its best to count the votes. That's not a topic I get into publicly. Q But you were about to say? MR. FLEISCHER: I was just going to reiterate that this is an important test vote tomorrow in the Senate Commerce Committee about whether this new Senate is going to pursue a path of partisanship or a path of progress. It's just hard to understand how all senators can be for Mary Gall when she's nominated by President Clinton and then be against her when she's nominated by President Bush. ”

“ The United States cannot force peace. The United States will be a party to help facilitate the peace. Q This morning, the Israeli cabinet held a security meeting, and in spite of deploring yesterday by the State Department and the White House of the targeted killing of the Palestinians, they announced this morning that they will continue this policy of assassination. ”

“ On accountability, the President was discussing the standards that should be used in accountability so that they're not at such an arbitrarily high level that all our schools fail. There is an important place to set the bar that is a reasonable standard, so that we can judge what schools are succeeding and what schools are not succeeding. ”

“ It's always possible. They have not yet spoken today, but it is possible. Q Ari, could you tick-tock what happened today so far? Have they -- who has met today? Who has spoken and has the President spoken to anybody? MR. FLEISCHER: Our negotiating team has been working with Congressman Norwood and his staff; also working with others on Capitol Hill who also share a commitment to getting an agreement. Q Okay. You said that the country is on a threshold of a patients' bill of rights. Are you on the threshold of a deal with Norwood that his allies can accept? ”

“ MR. FLEISCHER: Well, given the fact that the Senate is about to adjourn in the next two days, I think this is -- unless the Senate changes its tune this week, not something that will happen this week. Now, the President would like to see it happen this week. Right now it's being handled at the staff level, but the senators are very well aware of the President's concerns. Q On education, Ari, the President, this morning at the Urban League, he said that -- he called on the Congress, he said, we're coming down to the wire and I urge Congress to act quickly and wisely. ”

“ MR. FLEISCHER: You would think that if her votes were the issue, then those who oppose her now would have opposed her when they last had a chance to vote on her in 1999. The issues raised by the gentleman were raised -- were cast, those votes were cast prior to all the senators, including Senator Daschle, approving her nomination without objection in 1999. ”