James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
1:37 P.M. EDT
MS. PERINO: Hello. Happy Friday. Today Senator John McCain announced his
vice presidential pick, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska. The White House
is energized and excited by this choice. President Bush called Governor
Palin just before his meeting with President Kikwete of Tanzania. He
said that the McCain-Palin ticket is very strong. He wished her good
luck, told her that she will be a fantastic vice presidential candidate,
and that he is looking forward to a great victory in November.
Also, President Bush today just issued an emergency declaration for the
state of Louisiana. This declaration provides for federal aid to
supplement the state and local preparations for tropical storm -- or
soon to be hurricane Gustav. FEMA is authorized to provide resources,
equipment, and direct federal assistance. Secretary Chertoff and
Administrator Paulison have been in the Gulf Coast region meeting with
state and local officials about the preparations, and today Secretary
Chertoff will be traveling to Mississippi and will meet Governor Barbour
about Mississippi's planning for the potential landfall of the storm.
And that's all I have.
Q Dana, on the storm, does the President still plan to go to the
convention, regardless of what happens with the weather?
MS. PERINO: We have no changes to the schedule, and we'll let you know
if there are any.
Q Can you give us any indication of what he's going to be speaking about?
MS. PERINO: Sure, happy to. The President is looking forward to the
honor of speaking at the Republican Convention on Monday night. The
speech expresses gratitude. The President will thank his family, his
administration, and most of all, the friends, supporters and volunteers
in the convention hall who have supported him and the Republican agenda
for these past eight years.
The speech reviews the major issues facing the country, from terrorism
and war to the economy and the direction of our culture. Above all, the
speech reflects on the role of the presidency and the qualities that are
demanded by the job, and makes the case that John McCain is the best
qualified to be our next leader and commander-in-chief. In particular,
it highlights McCain's unique judgment, perspective, and experience to
deal with the unexpected, to stand firm on his convictions, put the
country above himself, and make hard decisions necessary to protect the
American people.
The speech rallies Republicans to have confidence in America's future
and to do everything they can to elect John McCain to the presidency.
A couple of things that the speech does not do: Do not expect this
speech to define the President's legacy. This is not an opportunity to
recap accomplishments of the past seven and a half years. It will not
serve as a farewell to the American people, and it certainly will not
attack Barack Obama.
Q Why not? I mean, this week --
MS. PERINO: Because he's got class.
Q -- the President has taken a great deal of criticism. Every speaker it
seemed at the Democratic Convention spoke about the failed policies of
the Bush presidency. Does he not want a forum in which to answer that
criticism?
MS. PERINO: But this President knows better than almost any politician
in America what it's like to face criticism. He watched his dad as vice
presidential candidate for two terms go through that, and then when his
dad ran for President, he saw it again, and then in his own campaigns,
the two national elections. He knows what it's like in high political
season, and he's not going to respond to every attack.
But some of the attacks are just out-and-out false; for example,
suggesting that the Bush administration hasn't invested in alternative
or renewable energies. Everybody in this room knows that that's not
true. So we're in high political season. We're not going to let it get
to us. We're going to focus on the big picture. And most importantly,
President Bush will be working to make sure that John McCain is the next
President of the United States.
Q Are there any other -- any other role for him planned at the
convention? I know he's going in Monday to give the speech, he goes back
out, but is he going to be doing anything else?
MS. PERINO: I think that's it. We're just going to be giving the speech,
and then in the tradition of past Presidents, he will spend the rest of
the week, we call it down, and he'll be at Camp David for the week. So
we get back from Minnesota and go straight to Camp.
Q Okay. And one other question about -- back on the hurricane. Obviously
things will be developing over the weekend. Are there plans for either
anything happening here at the White House, or for the President to do
or say anything over the weekend?
MS. PERINO: At the moment, nothing to be -- for a presidential event
that would be open to the public. But he will be getting an update in
the morning. He's gotten -- he had, I think, two today already. And when
Chertoff and Paulison have updates they pass them either through senior
staff or directly to the President. Secretary Chertoff spoke to the
President yesterday by phone.
Look, we're taking the storm very seriously. Thankfully, so are the
leaders of the states that could be impacted, and they seem to be well
prepared. We certainly applaud the state leaders for all that they've
done to get their regions organized, to provide for early evacuation for
people with special needs who might need it. So everything seems like
it's on track. But it's a very serious storm and so we are taking it
seriously.
