Press briefings

May 20, 2008 -- MS. PERINO: Hello. I do not have anything to lead off with, so questions?

Q Any update on the housing bill?

MS. PERINO: Nothing too much more beyond what I had this morning. We've received the legislation recently, late last night, and so we're in the process of carefully reviewing it. It's very important legislation and we want to make sure that we understand how the I's were dotted and the T's were crossed in the legislation that was just -- passed out of committee. So it would be premature to say whether the President could accept this legislation until we've concluded our review.    » read more »

May 19, 2008 -- MR. STANZEL: Good afternoon, everyone; let's go right to questions.

Q Scott, when the President talked about the housing legislation, was he talking at all about the Shelby-Dodd proposed compromise, or just about other things that have been up there before?    » read more »

May 18, 2008 -- SECRETARY RICE: I thought that I might just come back and recap a little bit some of the impressions of the trip and some of what we were able to do here, what the President was able to do here, and then I'll take your questions. I'll be pretty brief.

I think first and foremost, of course, the President came to celebrate Israel's 60th. And Israel is a remarkable place. If you looked at the pictures of those Israelis arriving at the time of the partition, and you look at Israel now, you can't help but be impressed by all that's been achieved.    » read more »

May 18, 2008 -- MR. HADLEY: I think you all have a copy now of the speech the President is going to give this afternoon. Let me just say a word -- a few comments about that, and then a little bit about the conversations the President has had today and last evening.

I think you'll see from the speech that it is -- its tone is one of optimism about what is possible in the Middle East; that the transformation to freedom, democracy, open markets and prosperity that occurred in Asia and Europe in the 20th century is possible in the Middle East in the first half of the 21st century.    » read more »

White House Press Gaggle by Dana Perino and National Security Advisor Steve Hadley and Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Elliott Abrams

May 14, 2008 -- MS. PERINO: Hi, everyone. Of course we're on our way to Jerusalem. I'm going to just quickly turn it over to Steve Hadley, he will have a little bit of opening for you and then take some questions.    » read more »

May 13, 2008 -- MS. PERINO: Hi. The President had his normal briefings at 8:00 a.m. At 11:35 a.m. he will interview with Mike Allen for a Yahoo.com news interview in the Roosevelt Room. And then at 5:30 p.m. he and Mrs. Bush depart the White House on their way to the Middle East. We'll go to Jerusalem tonight.

George W. Bush waves goodbye: He departs on a five-day trip to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. White House photo by Eric Draper    » read more »

May 12, 2008 -- MS. PERINO: Hello. A couple of announcements. First of all, President Bush called Russian President Medvedev today to congratulate him on his inauguration. The two leaders underscored the importance of the U.S.-Russia relationship, and they look forward to working together, with the recent Sochi agreement being used as a basis for future cooperation.

White House press briefing: Photo by Jay Tamboli (CC)    » read more »

May 9, 2008 -- MR. JOHNDROE: Good morning. I have a few announcements to make, and then I'll be happy to take your questions.

The first on Burma. The United States welcomes the announcement that we have received approval from the Burmese government for a U.S. military C-130 cargo plane with emergency relief supplies to land in Burma on Monday. We hope this is the beginning of major U.S. assistance to the Burmese people.

We will continue to work with the government of Burma on additional access for USAID, non-governmental organizations, as well as our other international partners, to provide assistance to help the Burmese people during their time of need.    » read more »

May 7, 2008 -- MR. HADLEY: Good afternoon. On Tuesday, May 13th, the President and Mrs. Bush will travel to the Middle East. They will visit Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The trip will be an opportunity to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding and to demonstrate our nation's support for and commitment to the region.

The President will reaffirm his personal commitment to peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and encourage continuing efforts for a two-state solution, a democratic Israel and a democratic Palestine living side by side in peace and security.    » read more »

May 6, 2008 -- MS. PERINO: Hi, how is everybody? Two announcements for you. First of all, the President is pleased that the U.S.-Russian Agreement for Cooperation in the Field of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy -- also known as a 123 Agreement -- was signed today in Moscow, Russia. The conclusion of this agreement, which advances U.S.-Russia non-proliferation and civil nuclear energy cooperation goals, has been a priority for both President Bush and President Putin.

In the strategic framework declaration issued in Sochi on April 6, 2008, the two leaders made clear that this agreement will create the necessary legal basis for expanded cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. And I'll have a statement that comes out from me a little later on today.    » read more »

May 5, 2008 -- MR. STANZEL: Good afternoon. I have one brief announcement and then I'll take your questions.

Mrs. Bush will make some comments on her humanitarian assistance and the current situation in Burma at 3:00 p.m. today, from this podium. And that will be an on-the-record, on-camera statement from her. So you'll have that to look forward to at 3:00 p.m.

With that I'll take your questions.

Q Scott, speaking of Burma, the cyclone death toll is apparently now about 4,000 people. Can you talk about what response the White House has to that and whether you're facing any resistance in getting aid or workers in?    » read more »

April 28, 2008 -- MS. PERINO: A couple of announcements. As I mentioned last week, the President will travel to St. Louis, Missouri this Friday; the topic will be on the economy, and then more details to come on locations and logistics.

On the Mideast trip, the President and Mrs. Bush will travel to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt from May 13th to the 18th, 2008. In Israel, the President will meet with President Peres and Prime Minister Olmert and address the Knesset. The President will then travel to Saudi Arabia and meet with King Abdallah. In Egypt, the President will meet with President Mubarak. The President will also hold meetings in Egypt with King Abdullah II of Jordan and Palestinian Authority President Abbas, and deliver remarks at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East.    » read more »

April 25, 2008 -- MS. PERINO: Okay. We are on our way to Connecticut, and I have a special guest with me, Admiral Tim Ziemer, who I will turn over to in a second, because he heads up the President's Malaria Awareness Initiative and was with the First Lady yesterday and has an update for you. Let me do that schedule really quick and then I'll turn it over to him and then take questions at the end on other topics, if you have them.    » read more »

April 21, 2008 -- MS. PERINO: Hi. I have with me a special guest while we are on our way to New Orleans. Paul Conway is the Chief of Staff to the Gulf Coast Coordinator, who the President just announced on Friday is General O'Dell. He is on flight -- General O'Dell is also on flight with us.

Let me give you a quick update on the schedule, and I'm going to turn it over to him for brief opening comments and a few questions about the reconstruction efforts in New Orleans. Remember last Friday, Dan Fisk joined Tony Fratto at the gaggle and gave you a good preview I think of the meetings that the President is going to start having today for the Security and Prosperity Partnership -- the North American Leaders' Summit.    » read more »

April 18, 2008 -- MR. FRATTO: Sorry to make you wait on this beautiful Friday afternoon. The reason for waiting is because we were going to get this picture up here. Let's see. Now? Now? One more. "I'm going to get Pete Seat." (Laughter.) Well, technical difficulties in the White House Press Briefing Room. We'll see if we can get it working -- there we go, all right. (Applause.)

White House protesters: Photo by Ianqui Doodle (CC)    » read more »