What Woman Would Bush Support for President?

Sept. 7, 2006 — -- Charles Gibson continued his interview with President Bush after Bush gave a speech in Atlanta, as part of his current series of talks on terrorism. The following is an excerpt from the interview:

Charles Gibson: Mr. President, all your people have said that this series of speeches that you've given over the last few days are not political in nature, but we're less than two months from an election. Can you really tell me with a straight face that this doesn't have a lot of political implications?

President Bush: Everything a president does is … has got some political implications. We're in an election year but the job of the commander in chief during a time of war is to constantly explain to the American people what's taking place and what the strategies are and that the tactics as tactics change … those tactical changes. And I'm not the first president to have to become an educator in chief during a time of war. Other presidents have constantly addressed the nation, and that's what I've been doing consistently, and so I'm sure people will try to read politics into it, but for me it's not politics. It is doing my job.

Gibson: But implicitly aren't you making the most important case as far as you're concerned? For the Republican Party in this off year election?

Bush: Well, you know, the truth of the matter is, in most years, when you're not at war, the economy is the key issue and this economy is hot, and it's strong and people are working. The unemployment rate is low.

But in a time of war, that becomes the overriding issue. And I can understand why. People are dying. We're spending money on the war. People wonder whether we can win. People understand the stakes of losing, and so … one shouldn't be surprised that the war is a dominant issue in this campaign, because it's a dominant issue of our life, in many ways.

Gibson: A flip of 15 seats gives the House to the Democrats, a flip of six gives the Senate to the Democrats. Can you say to me that in any way the security of this country would be harmed?

Bush: I'm going say to you it's not going to happen … and so therefore you're asking me to speculate something I don't think is going to happen, and since I don't think it's going to happen I haven't started worrying about that. I believe that we will continue to control the House and the Senate, because we've got a good record on the economy and we've got a good, strong position on defending this country.

Gibson: When you go through the House, seat by seat, and you look at who's leading right now, you are in jeopardy of losing the House.

Bush: I tell you what lets do -- check back in with me after the elections.

Gibson: I will, I will; I'll do that.

Bush: I don't think we're going to lose it. I don't. This campaign is, uh, just beginning. I can remember in 2002, people were speculating, "Well, you can't hold it." In 2004, they were speculating I'm not gonna win. I've heard too much political speculation in my political life … I know that our message of good economy and strong on this … and strong on defending this country, is one that ultimately will prevail.

Gibson: But I'm not asking you a hypothetical.

Bush: Yeah you are.

Gibson: Well, I'm saying, should there be concern -- in your mind -- in this country, for the security of the country, were the Democrats to carry the House?

Bush: In my mind, the Republican Party and its members are much better suited to defending this country. … And you're speculating as to whether or not the house is going to turn. Well, you may not think you are, but you are.

Campaign Trail

If you were a candidate running for the Senate or the House this year, would you appear with George Bush?

President Bush:Absolutely.

Gibson:You would?

Bush: I would.

Gibson: And what do you say to those who won't?

Bush:I don't. … I frankly haven't had that many say, "I don't want you around." Uh, now some of them are wisely saying, "I'd rather have Laura than you."

Gibson: (Laughs)

Bush: So those (inaudible) say you're a genius. (overlap)

Gibson: Well … to give you an example, tomorrow you're going to go to Missouri and Michigan, with two candidates. You'll do fundraisers for them, but they don't want any public events.

Bush: I don't know about that. I think the reasons why the events aren't public is they're in somebody's house. But look, uh …

Gibson: But the simple question, is George Bush really a liability to the Republican candidates? (overlap)

Bush: I would … you know, you better ask the candidates. You know, I don't think I am. Uh, we've raised a lot of money for the political party, and I've appeared with a lot of candidates, but that's up to each candidate to make their decision.

Gibson: How do you handicap the 2006 elections?

Bush: Think we'll hold both House and Senate, really do.

Gibson: Don't think you'll lose more than 15 seats in the House?

Bush: No, I don't.

Gibson: How about the Senate?

Bush: Feel very comfortable we'll hold the Senate. I know we're going to have to do a lot of hard work, and our candidates are going to have to go out and spell out the differences between themselves and their opponents, particularly on issues like raising taxes, we're the low-tax party. Many of the other candidates are advocating raising taxes on the Democrat side, and this war on terror, and it's, uh, and as I mentioned to you, the, you know, in a time of war the war dominates a lot of the politics. It dominates the attitude of the country.

Thoughts on Hillary's Presidential Chances?

Gibson: How do you handicap 2008 at this point?

Bush: Can't get there. Still stuck in 2006.

Gibson: You don't have a sense? Do you think Hillary …

Bush: I don't have any idea. And if I did … (overlap)

Gibson: Do you think Hillary … (overlap)

Bush: I would … and if I did, I wouldn't share it with you, you know?

Gibson: (laughs) I can't believe that a politician hasn't looked at the 2008 … and in his own mind.

Bush: I really haven't been spending time on it. I mean … look, obviously I think about it, but I … I haven't analyzed it. The 2006 elections are very important for the country and, uh, but I fully recognize that once I give my State of the Union 2007, and good souls such as yourself will be already starting to speculate on who the next person will be.

Gibson: We're starting to speculate now … (overlap)

Bush: Well, you shouldn't. You got to get through this election. (laughs) (overlap)

Gibson: … but everything this year applies in many respects to 2008. You said you don't think you're going to lose the House …

Bush: No, I don't.

Gibson: … but in some respects, could you work with the Democrats if they controlled the House? And I'm … I'm interested, for instance, if it might be easier to get immigration reform …

Bush: Hmm.

Gibson: … fast, if the Democrats controlled the House, than the Republicans …

Bush: Yeah … (overlap)

Gibson: … given what you've said about it.

Bush: One of the things about dealing with a professional person such as yourself, who's been around a long time, you're cleverly trying to get me to ask … answer a question about a hypothetical that I … I just don't think is going to happen. And therefore, I'm looking forward to working with a Republican speaker and a Republican majority leader, and I firmly believe that's going to happen.

Now, you're … you could you know, you come back in December, or whenever we have another interview, [and say] do you remember the conversation in the limousine in Georgia? And I'll say, I can't remember a word of it. And you'll say, well, I … you know, look what happened. … the temptation is to, you know, is to say, is for me to speculate on what the House and the Senate will look like. I don't want to do that, because I don't believe they're going to change. There may be some changes in the number of seats, but I don't believe … I … I do believe I'll be working with Danny Hastert and … and the next Senate majority leader.

Goals for The Next Two Years

Gibson: Let me take you past the election. You're … you're coming to the last two years in office. Is there anything specifically that you want to focus on, use the home front advantage (inaudible) this week, like … but is there anything you really want to focus on in the last …

Bush: Yes.

Gibson: … two years, that will be a major issue?

Bush: Well, Social Security. Social Security. And Medicare. And … the two issues that really, if not addressed now that will create real problems for the future generations, and will hurt our economy, is the overhang of, uh, the unfunded liabilities inherent in Social Security and Medicare. And my hope is, is that in the final two years, people will say, look, there's not … gains to be had, let's dump politics and work together. And … on solving the problem, and they can be solved. They're hard issues, but they can be solved, and the other one's energy.

And we started a very aggressive program of enhancing technologies that will make us less dependent on foreign oil. Those two issues cause me great concern for the future. I mean, the country's going to be fine over the next two years. The question is, will we have the will to address the long-term issues inherent in dependency on oil from the Middle East, as well as, the Social Security and Medicare … (overlap)

Gibson: So what do you do in a practical sense? Social Security, you tried once.

Bush: Well, I've tried more than once.

Gibson:Right.

Bush: I campaigned on it in 2001, I campaigned on it …

Gibson: Right.

Bush: … 2004, I'll keep campaigning on it and working on it, most Americans now fully understand we have a problem … the issue's going to be, you know, am I capable, and the Secretary of Treasury Paulson, capable of convincing Democrats and Republicans that it's in our mutual interest to pass a bill? That is not a political, you know, not a political issue, it's a policy issue. And hopefully, you know, in the last two years of my presidency, people will no longer see me as a political threat and, uh, it … it's at best a challenge, the challenge is really getting the politics out of the issue, because there's a solution there to be had in Social Security in particular, and one that I described, at least an ideal on how to do it, and, so I'm very concerned about that issue.

Energy Concerns

Gibson: In the area of energy, is there something you can do that would be … or that you will do in the next two years, that will break the mold, in effect? There's a lot of people who have said that this administration is to some extent in the pocket of the oil companies.

Bush: Hmm.

Gibson: In the same way that, for instance, Nixon could go to China, you don't expect him to do that, could a Bush presidency have real effect in … in weaning us from oil, and what would you do to do it?

Bush: Well, first of all, it's not going to happen overnight. In my State of the Union I did say we've got a serious problem, we're addicted to oil.

Gibson: (Inaudible), right.

Bush: And I meant that. Because I'm the guy who sits in the Oval Office and, you know, sees reports of instability in countries that … that provide oil. I also recognize that the globalization of the world means that if the demand for oil goes up in China, it's going to affect our gasoline prices here. Uh, the … the answer is to … diversification is … is a strong investment … in technologies, new technologies. … we're advancing the ethanol industry significantly, through tax credit, as well as investment.

I believe there's going to be a … you know, a new battery that will enable you to drive a car for the first 40 miles on electricity, and … and, you know, the car won't have to look like a golf cart. I'm a big believer in nuclear power, I think it's necessary to protect the environment, and make us less dependent on fossil fuels. I know that we're going to have to continue to invest in ways to reduce the amount of waste involved with civilian nuclear power. We … we're investing in a … international consortium to do just that, to come up with … breeder reactors that will burn then reprocessed fuels.

In other words, there's a series of initiatives we're taking that will take a while to come to fruition. Now on the consumer side, I have told people I am willing to work to change CAFE, based upon, you know, the size of each unit, I look forward to working with the Democrats and Republicans to continue the initiatives we've got in place.

Pick a Woman for President

Gibson: You won't handicap 2008, I understand why. Give me four women that you think could be President of the United States.

Bush: Hmm, in 2008?

Gibson: Yeah. Or … (overlap)

Bush: We're trying to get me …

(overlapping voices) / (laughter)

Gibson: … or afterward.

Bush: You know, I'm not going to speculate on names. I will tell you … about the campaign, because you'll then manage to segue that into 2008 campaign, I going to … violated a pledge to you that I'm not going to talk about 2008.

I … I … there are plenty of powerful women in the country who are very capable. And, uh, you know, one of them I work with every single day, and that's Condoleezza Rice. I don't know whether she's going to run for office or not. She says she … (pverlap)

Gibson: Would you encourage her?

Bush: She says she's not going to run, so I … I'm going to support her wishes. That's what she has said. But I will tell you, she's a very competent, strong woman, I'm glad to have her around.

Margaret Spellings, the secretary of education, is doing a fantastic job. I just named a very strong and good woman named Mary Peters to run the Transportation Department. Sue Schwab, our chief trade negotiator. I don't think any of those folks have a desire to run for president, though, if that's where you're trying to get me to go.

Gibson: Well, (inaudible) anybody on the Democratic side who might be qualified to be president as well. (laughs)

Bush: (laughs) Look, I … you're giving me a good warm up for what's going to happen in '07 and '08.

(laughter)

Bush: … the important thing for people that work with me, and for the Congress to understand that even though there'll be a presidential race that a lot of people will be talking about, we're going to complete this administration at a full sprint. That I feel fortunate to be the president. I enjoy this work, there is a lot to be done, and I'm going to sprint out of office. And … and I want the people working with me to understand that as well.

Gibson:If you came out without Social Security reform, and as you point out, you've gone at this … you've attacked this a number of times, if you go out would you feel yourself a failure?

Bush: Of course not. We will have done a lot, uh, domestically and internationally. I will have taken some consolation at having raised the awareness of the issue. … this is an issue that is, uh, difficult for many members of the Congress to deal with, because a lot of times legislative bodies don't respond until the crisis is absolutely upon them. My point I make is if you look at the numbers and look at the demographics, the numbers … deficiency of the unfunded liabilities are growing, and now's the time to take care of it.

I remember when I ran, … when I was governor, I tried to work on, you know, property tax reform for schools, 1997. Well, … they got the bill passed here a couple of years ago, and it's just a lesson that sometimes, you know, a person sets up an issue to be solved. I'm trying to set up the issue to solve it when I'm the president, and the task is to work with both Republicans and Democrats, to say, look, let's … let's get all the politics behind us on this key issue, and solve this, now.

I think we got a very good shot at doing it. But you know, we'll have to see how the elections come out in … in November of '06, and … but it's the priority, yes, it was one of my priorities, and it's one of my priorities.

Gibson: Well, Mr. President, it's been good, very enjoyable to ride in your car and to fly in your plane, and if this is coach class, I'm really curious to see what first class is like. (overlap)

Bush: First class.

(laughter)

Bush: Charles, thank you for your time. Appreciate your service to the country.

Gibson: I appreciate it. Thank you, you're very kind to say that. And it looks to me like you got some Little Leaguers up here.

Bush: Yeah.