For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 20, 2003

Press Gaggle to the Pool by Ari Fleischer
First Baptist Church of Glenarden
Landover, Maryland

10:42 A.M. EST

MR. FLEISCHER: Let's do it real quick. This is the gaggle.

Just one announcement for you, in terms of events this week. In addition to the three principals who were out on the Sunday shows yesterday on the topic of Iraq, I just want to draw your attention to two noteworthy speeches that will be given this week. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage tomorrow will give remarks dealing with the deceptive ways of Iraq. He will discuss the nature of the regime. And on Thursday, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz will give remarks in a speech about what disarmament actually looks like. There is a body of evidence and history of other nations that have showed the world that they disarmed -- principally South Africa, Kazakhstan --

Q Where are these speeches?

MR. FLEISCHER: The speech tomorrow will be at the Institute of Peace. You may want to check with State for the exact time -- I was not able to get it before we came out here today. Check with State for the exact time and check with Defense for exact time and place of Thursday's remarks.

Q Wolfowitz, as far as you know, is in town?

MR. FLEISCHER: That's correct, they're both in town.

Q And what's your reaction to the Iraqi statement or agreement last night that they'll turn over scientists?

MR. FLEISCHER: We're only interested in actions. After 11 and 12 years of watching Saddam Hussein give his word and not keep it, his word is not as meaningful as his actions.

Anything else?

Q Ari, is the church in line to get a lot of faith-based money, do you know? Or are they applying for it?

MR. FLEISCHER: I don't know. Don't know.

If nothing else, they're walking out. Anything else, quickly?

Q Just for the record, just another example -- if we could see this roundtable, it would probably be something very interesting to be able to show the public, how he interacts with groups like this. We can't report it if we don't see it.

MR. FLEISCHER: I'm cognizant.

Q Thank you.

MR. FLEISCHER: You know when I'm trying.

Q You know what I'm doing.

MR. FLEISCHER: Cognizant. Okay.

Q -- during the roundtable?

MR. FLEISCHER: No, no. It was mostly --

Q It was not brought up at all?

MR. FLEISCHER: It was mostly really about social services, faith-based, ministry programs, mentoring of children, children of prisoners, things of that nature.

END 10:44 A.M. EST

Printer-Friendly Version

Email this page to a friend