Text: Bush and Howard News Conference

President Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard, left, participate in a joint press availability in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, May 16, 2006. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Gerald Herbert - AP)

And that, of course, lies very much at the heart of much of what our two societies do, Mr. President.

Thank you very, very much for the honor you've done me and the courtesy and friendship that you've extended to me and all of the traveling party. We appreciate it very, very deeply, indeed. Thank you.

BUSH: Two questions a side.

Q: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, you've said that the government is not trolling through the lives of innocent Americans, but why shouldn't ordinary people feel that their privacy is invaded by the NSA compiling a list of their telephone calls?

BUSH: What I've told the American people is we'll protect them against an al-Qaida attack. And we'll do so within the law. I've been very clear about the principles and guidelines of any program that has been designed to protect the American people.

I've also been clear about the fact that we do not listen to domestic phone calls without court approval and that this government will continue to guard the privacy of the American people.

BUSH: But if al-Qaida is calling into the United States, we want to know, and we want to know why.

For the Australian press friends here, we got accused of not connecting dots prior to September the 11th, and we're going to connect dots to protect the American people within the law.

The program he's asking about is one that has been fully briefed to members of the United States Congress in both political parties. They're very aware of what is taking place.

The American people expect their government to protect them within the laws of this country, and I'm going to continue to do just that.

Q: Your relationship with Mr. Howard is obviously very close personally. I was wondering, first, could you just expand a little on that chemistry? And secondly, sir, do you think you'll be able to work effectively with a future Australian leader, be it either a successor of Mr. Howard from his own party or from our opposition?

BUSH: Well, I suspect he's going to outlast me, so that is a moot point. It's probably a question you ought to ask him. Somebody said, you and John Howard appear to be so close; don't you have any differences? And I said, yes, he doesn't have any hair. (LAUGHTER)