I'm interested in coming up with a permanent solution. I'm not interested in playing political games. I'm interested in working with members of both political parties.
QUESTION: Will you say if you're specifically supportive of an income test with the slowing of future benefits? Could that get some kind of bipartisan consensus going?
President Bush acknowledged to reporters Wednesday that Social Security is "a difficult issue" that may require a "tough vote."
(AP Photo)
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BUSH: There are some interesting ideas out there. One of the interesting ideas was by this fellow by the -- a Democrat economist named of Pozen. He came to visit the White House. He didn't see me, but came and tossed some interesting ideas out, talking about making sure the system was progressive.
We're open for ideas. And look, I can understand why people say, “Make -- force the president to either negotiate with himself or lay out his own bill. “
I want to work with members of both political parties. And I stood up in front of the Congress and said, “Bring your ideas forward. “ And I'm looking forward to people bringing their ideas forward. It's how the process works. And I'm confident we'll get something done
BUSH: See, the American people want something done. They don't like partisan politics. They don't like people saying, you know, “I'm not going to accept so-and-so's idea because it happens to come from a particular political party. “ What they want is people coming together to solve this problem.
QUESTION: Mr. President, the price of oil is at record levels: well above the $28 price point that you would prefer. The price of gasoline is projected to go above $2.50 this spring.
How concerned are you that this can start to (OFF-MIKE) the American economy? Is there more you could to do to talk with oil- producing nations to get the price at the well-head down? And is there more you could do, since part of the problem is refining capacity, to encourage oil companies who haven't built a refinery in 20 years to start increasing their capacity domestically?
BUSH: No, I am concerned about the price of energy. I'm concerned about what it means to the average American family when they see the price of gasoline going up. I'm concerned what it means to small businesses.
I'm worried about the price of natural gas, particularly given the sense that -- because a lot of utilities now rely upon natural gas to provide electricity for their consumers. And I have been worried about this since 2001, when I first showed up in Washington, D.C.
I'm concerned about the relationship between the demand for oil -- our growing economy's demand for oil, but more particularly the demand for oil from -- or energy in general -- from countries like China, fast-growing countries that are consuming a lot of raw materials and natural resources.
And it is of concern. And that's why I went to the Congress and asked them to join in a comprehensive energy plan, which they have yet to do.
BUSH: I would hope that when members go back to their districts and hear the complaints of people about the rising price of gasoline, or complaints from small-business owners about the cost of energy, that they will come back and, in the spirit of -- in a proper spirit, get a bill to my desk that encourages conservation and will continue to find alternative sources of energy.
And by the way, the modernization of the electricity grid is an important part of the energy bill.
I, frankly, don't think we need a lot of incentives for energy companies in the energy bill. The incentive is price. That's plenty of incentive for people to go out and find additional resources.
BUSH: I hope Congress passes ANWR. There's a way to get some additional reserves here at home on the books.
In terms of world supply, I think if you look at all the statistics, demand is outracing supply and supplies are getting tight. And that's why you're seeing the price reflected.
And hopefully there'll be more conservation around the world, better conservation around the world, as well as additional supplies of energy.
One thing is for certain: We've got to use our technology to, over time, evolve away from reliance upon oil and gas, and at the same time use our technologies to make sure we can use our plentiful resources, like coal, in an environmentally friendly way.
BUSH: I went to Columbus, Ohio, the other day and I talked to the person responsible for the Future Gen Plant, which is an innovative use of technology for there to be emissions-free coal- burning plants. It'll not only be helpful for the United States, it would be helpful for the world, the developing nations to be able to use this technology.
This is going to be a subject, by the way, of -- was a subject of interest in my trip to Europe. The councils of the E.U., we talked about how we can work together on technological developments to change habits and change supply of the energy mix for the world. And so it'll be a topic at the G-8 as well.
QUESTION: Could I follow up? Everybody else has had a chance...
BUSH: I know. I'm trying to break the habit.
Sorry, it's not you, Roberts. Don't take it personally.
QUESTION: I never do, sir.
BUSH: That's good. Neither do I.
QUESTION: Mr. President, can you explain why you approved of and expanded the practice -- what's called rendition -- of transferring individuals out of U.S. custody to countries where human rights groups and your own State Department say torture is common for people in custody?
BUSH: In the post-9/11 world, the United States must make sure we protect our people and our friends from attack. That was the charge we have been given.
And one way to do so is to arrest people and send them back to their country of origin with the promise that they won't be tortured.
BUSH: That's the promise we receive.
This country does not believe in torture. We do believe in protecting ourselves; we don't believe in torture.
QUESTION: As commander in chief...
(CROSSTALK)
BUSH: You're going to make Roberts feel terrible.
(CROSSTALK)
BUSH: No, no, we shouldn't make...
QUESTION: Doesn't bother me at all.
BUSH: Elizabeth?
QUESTION: As commander in chief, what is it that Uzbekistan can do in interrogating an individual that the United States can't?
BUSH: No. We seek assurances that nobody will be tortured when we render a person back to their home country.
Elizabeth?
BUSH: Paul Wolfowitz, who was a chief architect of one of the most unpopular wars in our history, is your choice to be...
BUSH: That's an interesting start.
(LAUGHTER)
QUESTION: ... is your choice to be the president of the World Bank. What kind of a signal does that send to the rest of the world?
BUSH: First of all, I think people -- I appreciate the world leaders taking my phone calls, as I explained to them why I think Paul will be a strong president of the World Bank.
I've said he was a man of good experience. He helped manage a large organization -- the World Bank's a large organization, the Pentagon's a large organization.
He's been involved in the management of that organization. He's a skilled diplomat. Worked at the State Department in high positions, ambassador to Indonesia, where he did a very good job representing our country.
And Paul is committed to development. He's a compassionate, decent man who will do a fine job in the World Bank.
BUSH: And that's why I called leaders of countries and that's why I put him up.
I was pleased to see that Jim Wolfensohn earlier today made a very strong comment about Paul's candidacy.
Jim Wolfensohn has done a fine job in leading the World Bank. He's represented the World Bank with a lot of class and a lot of dignity, and I think his comments are very important comments, for people to get to know Paul better before the vote is taken.
QUESTION: Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, has been admonished three times by the House Ethics Committee and is currently embroiled in similar controversies involving a lobbyist who happened to be a pretty big fund-raiser for your two campaigns.
QUESTION: Do you have the full confidence in Tom DeLay, his tactics and his leadership over the Republican Party?
BUSH: I have confidence in Tom DeLay's leadership and I have confidence in Tom DeLay.
And we've worked closely with Tom DeLay and the leaders in the House to get a lot done during the last four years, and I'm looking forward to working with him to get a lot done in the next four years.
We've got a big agenda. We've got to get an energy bill out of the House. We've got to get more legal reform out of the House. Got to get a Social Security reform package out of the House.
BUSH: Got to get a budget out of the House. There's a lot going on.
And Speaker Hastert and Leader DeLay and Whip Blunt are close allies and people with whom we are working to get a lot done.
QUESTION: Mr. President, you have spoken out about the need for owners, coaches and players in all sports to stop steroids. But you've also voiced reservations about government getting too involved in that. And, as you know, Congress is issuing subpoenas to Major League Baseball players during spring training.
Do you think that that's an abuse of power?
