Following is the complete transcript of a White House press briefing held Tuesday on President Bush's 2005 State of the Union address.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, obviously, this is a unique year when it comes to the State of the Union address, because it comes on the heels of the Inaugural address. The two speeches provide an important opportunity for the President and he's taking advantage of this opportunity to obviously articulate to the American people and to the world his domestic and foreign policy goals for the next four years.
It is -- the Inaugural address, as you know, laid out the ideal toward which America will strive and the governing principles that will guide us. The State of the Union will lay out specific goals, immediate and long-term, for how and where we'll lead America, and a blueprint for a second term. The President will speak directly, obviously, to Democrats and Republicans in Congress, calling on this generation of leaders to reform government and institutions to ensure that our country is better and stronger for our children and grandchildren.
There are big issues before the American people the President has put forth before the United States Congress. This is an opportunity for him to not only educate the American people, but obviously persuade the Congress that the direction the country is going is in the right direction, but there is more work to be done. And one obvious point would be -- obviously, we're going to be building on the economic momentum of the last couple of years, as you've heard the President talk about the fact that there's been 2.3 million jobs created in the last year.
But there is a lot more we can do to maintain America's economic leadership in the world, and he will be talking about many familiar items when he talks about legal reform, passing a comprehensive energy policy, education and job training initiatives to make sure we have a skilled workforce so they can compete with anybody in the world. And obviously talk about and put specific focus in a way that he hasn't in the past, as far as emphasis is, on fiscal discipline and the fact that we will be putting forward a budget that reflects our times. And that is, we've had to fund our country's government in a way that reflects the fact that we're a nation at war. Obviously, he felt this very strong -- and it's been borne out in the statistics -- of the fact it was one of the shortest and shallowest recessions our country has faced by giving tax relief to the American people.
The fact that we've met those priorities, it's now time also to focus on the priority of fiscal discipline. And he'll be calling on Congress -- he's listened to Congress, he's heard their calls, both from Republicans and Democrats, and he will give them a perfect opportunity to join him in a spirit of fiscal discipline. He was obviously appreciative of the budget that was passed last year, but believes we can even go further in making sure that we pay -- we spend the taxpayer dollars wisely. And he will speak directly to that.
Obviously, the big issue of the day on the domestic side will be the President's opportunity to speak directly to the American people and to the Congress about the issue of Social Security. He will offer details of how to move this -- the debate forward. This is not legislation or every aspect of how the reforms should take place, but it will advance the ball; it will move forward the debate about why we need to permanently fix the Social Security system, why it's necessary that we confront this problem today, the fact that he is willing to work in a bipartisan manner to accomplish this difficult task. And, just as importantly, why he believes personal retirement accounts are an important part of helping future generations realize a secure retirement.
So he will flesh out new details and how he views the personal retirement accounts will work. He will talk about why, as I said, it's necessary that we need to permanently fix the system. So he will spend a significant portion of his time in the domestic area on this issue of Social Security reform.
Continuing a tradition of highlighting issues that he believes requires the focus and leadership of a President during the State of the Union -- we've done this in the past on issues that he believes articulates and advances his compassionate conservative philosophy -- you can expect similar initiatives and positions being taken in this State of the Union that helps continue to promote his compassionate conservatism. And we will have, as we've done in the past, fact sheets that will go out to you on an embargoed basis tomorrow, so you have plenty of time to understand it before he actually gives the speech -- hopefully understand it, if we write it well enough -- so you have an opportunity to digest it before the speech is actually delivered.
We will probably be sticking pretty close to protocols from prior years, as far as embargoed text and fact sheets and those things. We also hope to have a more detailed briefing on Social Security tomorrow afternoon, as well, to help flush out and understand. So if you hear me not talking about specific details here, we may be able to spend some time on some of those matters tomorrow. So that's just kind of a housekeeping item for you.
This State of the Union, as the last couple have, comes at a time of war. The President will pay tribute to the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to secure our freedom, he will speak to the importance of working to advance the spread of freedom and democracy, as he outlined in the Inaugural address, he will speak directly to those individuals that are fighting for freedom around the world, both who wear the uniform of the United States military, but also those who wear -- the peoples of many countries that are fighting for their freedom.
He will speak specifically of the Middle East peace process, the fact that there is renewed hope around the world, that we have an opportunity before us with the efforts that have been made in recent weeks, in the wake of the Palestinian elections. And the President will pledge his commitment to moving that process forward. He will, obviously, reflect upon historic progress made in recent history, basically focusing on Afghanistan, the elections in Palestine, as well as the historic election that took place Sunday in Iraq, and talking about our priorities and our plans moving forward, as well as our aims and goals to help the Iraqi people secure their country and continue on the steps to democracy.
Some process stuff. The first half of the speech will be domestic, second half foreign. The length is under -- right now, under current sessions, under 40 minutes without applause, which, if I recall, is pretty similar to last year. He did his first prompter read-through on Sunday, he did two yesterday and will do two today. He's already done one this morning, will be doing one early this afternoon.
The speech was written by a familiar team, with one great addition. Michael Gerson, obviously, is still very much involved in speech writing and has in this effort. He was joined this time, obviously, by Bill McGurn, the new presidential speech writer who is learning this process. He's kind of getting thrown right into the deep end, obviously, with the Inaugural and the State of the Union, but it gives him an opportunity to see how the system works firsthand. And John McConnell, who has been at the President's side and Mike Gerson's side for many years now, is obviously, and other members of the speech writing team contributed to this effort. We hope to have a still photo from today's session that you all can use for your packages tonight, as well as for your stories.
After the State of the Union, as has been mentioned, the President will embark on a five-state tour, starting Thursday, to take his case to strengthen Social Security for future generations of the American people. He will focus on Social Security in these two days following; but also throughout the month you can expect the President, almost every week, besides when he's in Europe, to be talking about this issue in some form or fashion. But we'll also be talking about the other major initiatives and themes in the speech that I discussed, as far as building on our economic momentum. So you can expect other -- that will probably reflect the timing of things moving in the United States Congress that the President will focus on.
And then he will take -- it ends with the trip to Europe, as you all know. And the President, obviously, can articulate and continue to discuss our shared foreign policy goals with our friends in Europe, and how we can work together to build a lasting peace and prosperity throughout the world.
Mrs. Bush, obviously, will be doing some travel after the State of the Union, as well, to highlight some of the initiatives the President will be talking about tomorrow night. And the Vice President and members of the administration, including Secretary Snow, Director Bolten, additional Cabinet and sub-Cabinet members will hit the road to educate Americans and rally support behind the President's agenda. Some will obviously be focused more on Social Security than others, but expect the administration to fan out across the country in the coming days and weeks after the State of the Union to press the case of the agenda the President will articulate tomorrow night.
So, with that, I'll take your questions.
Q Democrats say the President has been pretty inflexible, and that he hasn't been willing to cooperate or compromise with them. Will he make any gesture in the State of the Union speech, asking them directly, asking Democrats to come on board and saying that he's willing to work with them?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, the President has always felt it was important to govern and to lead his party by articulating what he's for, what his party is for, what he believes is right for the American people, as opposed to highlighting what he's against. It's maybe a difference between where the two parties are right now. But he'll make it very clear, as he has in the weeks of this new term, that he will directly reach out to Democrats on issues, that he wants to work with members of both parties when it comes to solving some of the biggest issues facing our country. And he's met with a lot of Democrats in the month of January; he'll continue to do so.
And he will make a direct appeal to both Democrats and members of his own party that the issues are too important, the people we're trying to focus on -- particularly in this State of the Union, the next generation, our children and grandchildren -- what is this generation of leaders going to do to leave a better State of the Union for our next generation. And he'll make a direct appeal.
Q one of the things they're also saying is that the President should present an exit strategy for Iraq. I know he's not going to offer a timetable, but how is he going to address this issue?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I notice that there's been a lot of suggestions -- some of them conflicting -- from the Democratic Party. I think they're not so sure as a party which way they want to go on that issue. But President Bush has made very clear that artificial timetables would be the wrong prescription for the situation in Iraq; it would send the wrong signal to the Iraqi people; it would send a very dangerous signal to our enemies, as he has articulated before in the past.
And he will talk about our mission. And our mission is very clear: we will help the Iraqi people train their own security forces so they can control their own destiny. They took an enormous step forward on Sunday by demonstrating to the world and to the terrorists that it will be Iraqis who will write the future of their country; that they will take control of their own destiny. But he'll be very specific about why we're there, what the stakes are and what we will do going forward and how, in what he judges, will be the success in Iraq.
Q Will he talk about global terrorism? And also the role of the United Nations Security Council?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, he will obviously talk about global terrorism because it's critically important. As a nation at war, he will give credit to those countries who have been strong partners in the war on terror. He will discuss the fact that many countries who maybe in the past have not been, but who are now, are contributing mightily to this cause. And he will talk about the importance of alliances and the importance of working together to help solve some of the big issues before us.
And some of the most difficult ones that are before us, the President has demonstrated that this administration puts a lot of importance on diplomacy -- whether it be North Korea, whether it be Iran, whether it be other issues -- that alliance-building is a critical part of this President's foreign policy.
Q On Social Security, is the President going to directly acknowledge the need for benefit cuts in order to achieve permanent solvency? What is his message going to be to members of Congress and the nation about the painful reality of dealing with this?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, he will very much articulate to the public that the painful reality is the status quo. Right now what Americans can face in the status quo is benefit cuts or massive tax increases. And that's obviously unacceptable to this President and he believes it ought to be unacceptable to members of both parties of the United States Congress.
He will also talk about the need for a permanent fix, that this will require leadership -- not only leadership from the President, but leadership from members of Congress to make the difficult choices as we go forward to make sure there is a retirement system there for future generations.
So I think you'll see this as a very, you know, a bold step forward in this debate when it comes to the issue of Social Security, that he will -- there will be no doubt, I believe, in people's minds, by the end of this speech, that President Bush is willing to offer the political leadership necessary to get this issue done.
Q Will he say that the permanent fix is likely --
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Hold on just a second, Wendell.
Q Does that including specifically putting on the table benefit cuts?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: He will talk specifically to the Congress and to the American people that there are significant challenges we must overcome, and specific opportunities that present themselves in ways that we can find solutions to it. So, again, I will leave it at this point, that you can expect President Bush to provide the necessary political leadership on some of the most difficult issues facing Social Security.
