Excerpts from the Press Gaggle by Scott McClellan, April 2, 2004 (Full Transcript)

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, look, this President remains focused on making sure that we are doing everything we can to create as robust an environment as possible for job creation. That's what he will continue to do. Today's numbers are a powerful confirmation that our economy is growing stronger. The tax relief that we passed is working.

However, we are in a changing economy. There are a number of high-growth sectors in our economy. And as the President talked about today, we need to make sure that our workers have the skills to fill these high-paying, high-skilled jobs. And that's what the President will continue working to do. There is more that we can do to create an even more robust environment for job creation.

QUESTION: Did the President get a heads-up on the numbers last night?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think he -- I think the standard process is that he is informed through a memo right before the numbers are made public.*

QUESTION: But the White House has access on the night before. The CEA -- but you don't know --

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, there's a standard process in place where -- and everybody that's involved in that understands the importance of respecting the confidentiality of those numbers until they are released.

* the night before the numbers are made public.

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