Starve.Org White Noise Usenet Archive: "Re: 45 Minutes with Bush"

> Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit

> CounterPunch - May 12, 2006
> http://www.counterpunch.org/diekmann05112006.html

> 45 Minutes with Bush

> The BILD Interview

> By KAI DIEKMANN
> May 5, 2006

> THE PRESIDENT: Have you ever been in the Oval Office before?

> Q Once, a long time ago --

> THE PRESIDENT: I'll give you a quick tour before our interview. So, the
> first thing that a President does, which I didn't realize, was pick a rug.
> I
> have no idea about rugs. And so in this job you've got to delegate. The
> American President is in a position where there's just unbelievable
> complexities to the job -- Darfur, Iran -- a whole lot of issues. So I
> delegated the decision about the rug to my wife.

> The second thing a President has got to do is have a strategic mind. In
> order to be successful, in my judgment, as the President, you've got to
> constantly think strategically. And so I said to her, you pick out the
> colors, you be the tactical person, but I want it to say "optimistic
> person." That's all I wanted it to say. Here is the result. Isn't it
> beautiful?

> Q Yes, it is very beautiful.

> THE PRESIDENT: There's a sense of optimism when you come in here. And
> there's a reason why. You cannot lead people unless you're optimistic
> about
> what you're doing. You've got to believe it in your very soul. One of the
> interesting things about the presidency is people watch me like a hawk.
> They're looking at my moves. And if I'm going to be wringing my hands and
> if
> I'm all worried about the decisions I make are not going to lead to a
> better
> tomorrow, they'll figure it out.

> And so when you talk to me today, I just want you to know I not only
> strongly believe in the decisions I make, I'm optimistic that they're
> going
> to work -- very optimistic.

> These are all Texas paintings. That's West Texas, those are other Texas
> paintings. At least if you're a Texan, it reflects a way of life and a way
> of thinking. The interesting thing about Washington is that they want me
> to
> change -- they being the -- and I'm not changing, you know. You can't make
> decisions if you don't know who you are, and you flip around with the
> politics. You've got to stay strong in what you believe and optimistic
> about
> that you'll get good results.

> And so --the other thing I want you to know about me is that no matter how
> pressurized it may seem, I'm not changing what I believe. Now, I may
> change
> tactics, but I'm not going to change my core beliefs -- a belief that
> freedom is universal, or the belief that private markets work, a belief in
> ownership -- when p own something, society is better off; a belief that
> there's a role for government, but it's limited in nature. And I'm not
> changing. I don't care whether they like me at the cocktail parties, or
> not.
> I want to be able to leave this office with my integrity intact.

> That's George Washington, the first President, of course. The interesting
> thing about him is that I read three -- three or four books about him last
> year. Isn't that interesting? People say, so what? Well, here's the "so
> what." You never know what your history is going to be like until long
> after
> you're gone. If they're still analyzing the presidency of George
> Washington
> - -- (laughter.) So Presidents shouldn't worry about the history. You just
> can't. You do what you think is right, and if you're thinking big enough,
> that history will eventually prove you right or wrong. But you won't know
> in
> the short-term.

> Lincoln -- this is the place on the Oval Office wall where the President
> puts the most -- the best President, and I put Lincoln here, and I don't
> think there's any question -- now, people will have their -- but I think
> he
> was the most influential President ever. And the reason why is because
> that
> in the midst of a difficult presidency, needless to say -- the Civil War,
> thousands of people dying, with Americans killing Americans -- he had a
> vision of a United States. It's conceivable this country would have ended
> up
> being two countries had he not had a clear vision, even though all around
> him was seemingly falling apart. He was a great President.

> That's called, "A Charge To Keep," based upon a religious hymn. The hymn
> talks about serving God. The President's job is never to promote a
> religion.
> The great thing about America -- and Germany, for that matter -- is that
> you
> should be able to worship freely. I like to tell people, you're equally
> American whether you're a Jew, Muslim, Christian, or Atheist -- you're
> equally all Americans -- and that if we ever lose that, we begin to look
> like the Taliban.

> I understand in parts of Europe, some scoff at my faith. It doesn't bother
> me. But I happen to believe, for me at least, faith is one way to make
> sure
> that my values stay intact, and that I keep life in proper perspective,
> which is a very important part, in my judgment, of being a good
> decision-maker.

> Finally, the desk, where we'll have our picture taken in front of -- is
> nine
> other Presidents used it. This was given to us by Queen Victoria in the
> 1870s, I think it was. President Roosevelt put the door in so people would
> not know he was in a wheelchair. John Kennedy put his head out the door.

> Q Yes, the very famous picture --

> THE PRESIDENT: That's it -- the most famous picture. And then Reagan,
> interestingly enough, put the bottom on there. He was a big guy, he didn't
> want to bump his knees under the desk.

> Anyway, this is the Oval Office. It's a shrine to democracy. And we treat
> it
> that way. When people walk in here, they -- they don't come in here in
> bathing suits and flip-flops. They come in here dressed like they'd come
> to
> a shrine. It is to be respected and honored because the office of the
> President is bigger than the person who occupies it. It's one of the great
> things about a true democracy -- is that the institutions outlast the
> individuals, and therefore, there's stability in the process.

> Some Presidents forget that they're not bigger than the office. But all
> Presidents must always honor the office and remember it is a sacred trust
> to
> uphold the honor of the presidency.

> Q Thank you for taking the time.

> THE PRESIDENT: Yes, glad to do it.

> Q BILD has 12 million readers. It's the largest newspaper in Germany. And
> there's one thing which is really special about our newspaper -- every
> German who wants to work for the newspaper, he has to sign in his working
> contrasts some beliefs -- and there's the belief you have to be for
> reunification, you have to be against totalitarianism from riots on the
> right side and the left side, and you have to be for the peace and for the
> understanding with Israel, and, since September 11th, we have a new belief
> - -- you have to be for partnership with America. Otherwise, you can't
> work
> for us, you can't come -- you have to sign it in your contract.

> THE PRESIDENT: My kind of guy. (Laughter.)

> Q Okay, so I would like to start. Mr. President, the fifth anniversary of
> the terrible 9/11 attack is nearing. Has the Western world really learned
> the right lessons from 9/11?

> THE PRESIDENT: Yes. The Western world, by and large, understands that we
> face an enemy that is cold-blooded and will kill innocent life to achieve
> an
> objective. That killing not only took place on September 11th here in our
> country, but it has taken place in other countries around the world since
> then.

> Secondly, the governments of the Western world understand that in order to
> protect our respective peoples there must be intelligence-sharing. We must
> be willing to converse with each other in ways that might not have
> happened
> before. In other words, if we know something is going to happen in
> Germany,
> it's very important for the United States government to call up its
> counterparts and to share that information. And there's a lot of that
> information-sharing.

> Thirdly, we understand that money is what fuels these terror cells, and
> the
> idea of sharing intelligence about the movement of money is necessary to
> make sure we protect our people.

> The degree of understanding about September the 11th varies, however. For
> some people around the world, September the 11th was just a terrible
> moment.
> For me, and a lot of other people in America, September the 11th was a
> change of attitude; it was a call to arms in the sense that this is the
> first -- for America -- the first battle of the war in the 21st century.

> One of the things that I hope people come to understand is that there are
> two ways to defeat this enemy: One is to bring them to justice so they
> don't
> harm people, which means we've got to be constantly on the offense,
> finding
> them where they hide and bringing them to justice. And secondly, is that
> the
> way to defeat their hateful ideology is by the spread of liberty. That
> notion -- some understand that, and some don't. But I want your readers to
> understand, I fully understand it -- that liberty will yield peace that we
> all want.

> And so part of our strategy is to work with countries, particularly in the
> Middle East, to encourage the spread of liberty and freedom. And we're
> making progress there.

> Q But still we see bombs in Tel Aviv --

> THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

> Q -- suicide bombers, and just a couple of days ago, even the U.S.
> government delivered a warning that there could be attacks and strikes at
> the World Cup in Germany.

> THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

> Q Do you really believe we have a chance to win the war against terrorism?

> THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely. I know this: that if we don't try to win the
> war
> on terrorism, the world will be a lot worse off; that if we believe these
> are just isolated incidents and people are maybe just temporarily angry,
> it
> is an attitude that will ultimately lead to more catastrophe, more danger.

> This is an enemy which is has clearly stated they have ambitions. They
> want
> to spread their ideology throughout -- starting in the Middle East. They
> want to topple moderate government. They want to -- they believe
> capitalists
> and democrats are soft -- by democrats I mean people living in democracies
> are soft. They believe it's just a matter of time before the Western world
> tires. They have stated clearly they want weapons of mass destruction, and
> that they want safe haven from which to launch their attacks. This is what
> the enemy has said. And I think those of us in positions of responsibility
> must take the words of the enemy very seriously.

> They can be defeated, and they will be defeated -- so long as we don't
> lose
> our nerve. And so the United States is committed to finding these folks
> where they hide, to bringing them to justice, which we're doing, and to --
> but recognizing that the world has changed from the world of the past
> because of the spread of liberty. Just look at Europe. It's whole, free,
> and
> at peace, because democracies live side-by-side in peace. That's one of
> the
> great lessons of the 20th century. And it's a lesson that must be applied
> to
> the 21st century.

> And so, absolutely, we can win this war on terror. The victory in the war
> on
> terror won't come with a signing ceremony. The victory in the war on
> terror
> will come as the enemy becomes more and more marginalized. You cannot
> judge
> defeat or victory on whether or not a suicide bomber is able to pull off
> an
> attack. You can see progress in the war on terror as new democracies take
> hold around the world and deny -- which denies an enemy a safe haven.

> And one such democracy that's now evolving and getting stronger is Iraq.
> Another such new democracy is Afghanistan -- 50 million people who once
> lived under the thumb of a tyrant
> - -- or two tyrants now are free. And I strongly believe the world is
> better
> off for it, and I know that those two democracies are a major defeat for
> the
> terrorists.

> Q We have to learn in dealing with the Muslim world. Do we learn the right
> lessons? Do we have to deal in a different way with the Muslim world?

> THE PRESIDENT: There is a -- there needs to be more understanding between
> the Muslim world and the Western world. There needs to be a better
> understanding of the true beliefs of their respective religions. We must
> understand words mean things to different people. There's got to be a
> better
> way to communicate with ourselves. Sometimes my own messages send signals
> that I don't mean to send, but stirs up anxieties in the Muslim world.

> On the other hand, I take great comfort in knowing that the true Muslim --
> Islam, itself, is a peaceful religion, and those who adhere to Islam are
> people that respect the rights of others. And there's common values in the
> great religions. And what we cannot allow happen is for these
> totalitarians,
> these Islamic extremists to distort a great religion and define the nature
> of that religion.

> And so there's a lot of work that needs to be done between America and the
> West and the Muslim world, but we can do that work without sacrificing the
> need to defend ourselves and without condemning people to tyranny.

> Q How important is the partnership between the United States and Europe
> when
> it comes to the war on terror?

> THE PRESIDENT: The partnership between the United States and Europe is a
> vital partnership that transcends the war on terror. Part of our
> relationship is working together in the war on terror. But there are many
> other areas where we can and will continue to work together.

> One such area is, obviously, trade. Europe and the United States benefit
> from free and fair trade. Another area is to help those who are afflicted
> with disease, like HIV/AIDS on the continent of Africa. Another is to deal
> with suffering that we see in the world. And, hopefully, we'll be very
> strong in our determination to end the genocide in Darfur of Sudan.

> But when the United States and Europe cooperate, we can achieve security
> for
> our people, and enhance the prosperity for our people, as well -- as well
> as
> do our duty. See, I believe there's a duty to help ease the suffering in
> the
> world. I believe in the admonition that to whom much is given, much is
> required. And the United States -- the people of the United States have
> been
> given a lot. We're a blessed nation. And same for the people of Europe.
> And
> we have a duty to work together to help relieve the suffering of those who
> are less fortunate.

> Q In this context, is Russia a reliable democratic partner?

> THE PRESIDENT: Russia is a country in transition. And if you really think
> about where our fathers, at our age, if they had been sitting around
> talking
> about Russia -- maybe a little younger -- they would have been talking
> about
> an enemy, the great Soviet Union. And by the way, that enemy at that point
> in time, bound the relationship between Germany and the United States --
> at
> least a part of Germany and the United States -- very closely. It gave us
> a
> common front.

> So Russia no longer is that enemy. And that's a major change. Secondly,
> Russia is a country that has made some signals that are mixed signals,
> signals that allow -- cause us to question their commitment to whether or
> not they intend to become a true democracy, where there's a freedom of the
> press, or freedom of religion, all the different freedoms that are
> inherent
> in democracy.

> I, personally, have a working relationship with Vladimir Putin and that's
> very important. I've got a warm relationship with him. It's a relationship
> where I can sit down with him and ask him direct questions as to why he's
> made the decisions he's made. It's a relationship where he questions me
> about what the intentions of the United States may be. It's one that I
> value, and I think it's an important relationship not only for the United
> States to have, but it's an important relationship for countries in Europe
> for the United States to have a relationship with Vladimir Putin.

> One of our concerns is economic nationalism, to a certain extent, where
> he's
> using his oil companies to achieve what appears to be political
> objectives.
> And we make our concerns known when someone uses natural gas, for example,
> to effect -- to send signals to government. As you might recall, Secretary
> Rice was in Europe, and she spoke out loudly about the gas contracts with
> Ukraine. And the reason she did that is it's -- we have a duty to express
> our concerns, but in such a way that the relationship is one that --
> where,
> at my level, I'm able to be comfortable in discussing concerns with
> Vladimir
> Putin.

> We've got commonality when it comes to dealing with proliferation. It's
> very
> important that the United States and Russia work closely to make sure that
> nuclear materials are stored as safely as possible. We've got commonality
> when it comes to fighting the war on terror. And we've now got a new,
> important issue to work together on, as well as working together with
> Germany and others, and that's Iran.

> Q What role must Germany play in the war on terror?

> THE PRESIDENT: Germany plays a vital role in the war on terror. Germany is
> in the heart of Europe. Germany is -- whether it's this current
> administration or the previous administration, we have had a, amongst our
> intelligence services, as well as our law enforcement services, a close
> coordination and a close discussion. Germany's will is important. When the
> German Chancellor stands up and says the war on terror must be won, or is
> a
> vital part of the security of our peoples, people around the world listen.
> Germany plays a very important role.

> Q Taking a look at the past, do the Americans feel that the Germans
> abandoned them when they went to war with Saddam Hussein?

> THE PRESIDENT: I've come to realize that the nature of the German people
> are
> such that war is very abhorrent, that Germany is a country now that is --
> no
> matter where they sit on the political spectrum, Germans are -- just don't
> like war. And I can understand that. There's a generation of people who
> had
> their lives torn about because of a terrible war.

> I felt like -- I made the decision I made based upon my full understanding
> that threats must be dealt with before they come to fruition. And I fully
> understood during that period of time not everybody would agree with me.
> And
> so we put together a significant coalition and followed through on a
> difficult decision.

> The point now is not what went on in the past. The point now is how do we
> work together to achieve important goals. And one such goal is a democracy
> in Germany [sic]. And I appreciate the German government's -- previous
> government's support and this government's support of helping the Iraqis
> rebuild their lives. Training missions are important. Debt relief was
> important. Gerhard Schr der relieved the debt on Iraq. And all those
> gestures are very important gestures that say that even though people
> disagreed with the decision to go into Iraq, we now agree that it's
> important that a democracy in Iraq succeed. And that's how I view the
> relationship.

> Q The dictator is on trial now, but at the same time, the violence in Iraq
> is getting worse. Is it really a victory? Is the war against Iraq really a
> success?

> THE PRESIDENT: Oh, yes, it's going to be a success, absolutely. When 12
> million people go to the polls -- listen, these people lived under a
> brutal
> tyrant. People seem to forget, quickly forget, the nature of Saddam
> Hussein.
> This is a man who had used weapons of mass destruction on his own people.
> He
> had invaded his neighbors -- Kuwait. He was shooting at U.S. aircraft. He
> was violating sanctions. He had -- as we now know, he had been using the
> oil-for-food program to enhance his own standing inside the country. We
> didn't find the weapons of mass destruction that everybody thought he had,
> but we do know he still had the capacity of making weapons of mass
> destruction. He had ties to terrorist groups.

> Removing Saddam Hussein has made the world a safer place. We found --
> particularly for Iraqis. We found graves stuffed full of Iraqi men, women
> and children. This guy was a brutal, brutal tyrant.

> But it is hard work to go from a tyranny to a country based upon liberty.
> We've been there three years. And I think if you look at the history of --
> in post-World War II, it took a long period of time to recover. And yet we
> live in a world where there's supposed to be instant success. And my work,
> and the work of those of us in Iraq, require patience, and the need is to
> give the Iraqi people a chance. And they haven't let us down.

> Just think about what happened in December: 12 million people voted.
> That's
> a lot of people going to the polls in the face of intimidation and
> threats.
> These are people that had no chance to express themselves at a ballot box
> during Saddam Hussein -- in free elections. And yet, when given a chance,
> they went to the polls. And now what you're seeing is the formation of a
> unity government. You've got Shia, Sunni and Kurds, all committed to a
> unity
> government; all willing to fight off the terrorists, to get rid of the
> militias, and to form a government that the Iraqi people can be proud of.

> And no question, there's still al Qaeda, which has said they want Iraq as
> a
> base from which to attack, willing to recruit suicide bombers. Those are
> hard to stop. But slowly, but surely, the Iraqis, with American help, are
> reconciling their differences politically, are marginalizing those who are
> still loyal to Saddam, and are bringing the al Qaeda and the foreign
> fighters to justice.

> Q But Iraq, it's still a long journey to peace, and now there's a new
> threat. You already mentioned it, that is Iran.

> THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

> Q Iran is on the way to a nuclear program. How are we going to prevent
> them
> from making true what they threaten us, for example, in destroying Israel?

> THE PRESIDENT: You know, it's interesting, the world in which we live is
> one
> that requires great confidence in our values and strength of purpose. And
> we
> are challenged with the Iranian issue. And I want your readers to know
> that
> it is my desire and my belief we can solve this diplomatically. And the
> best
> way to solve this issue diplomatically is for there to be common purpose
> amongst the nations of the world.

> Any diplomatic solution requires agreement on the goal. And there is solid
> agreement that the Iranians should not have a nuclear weapon, or the
> knowledge and capacity how to make a nuclear weapon. That agreement --
> when
> I say that's the agreement, it's the agreement amongst Germany, France,
> Great Britain, the United States, Russia, China, and a lot of other
> nations.
> We all agree. And that's the most important step. If we didn't agree on
> the
> goal, it would be impossible to put together a coalition, a group of
> nations
> anxious to say to the Iranians with one voice, you're not going to have a
> weapon.

> The way forward diplomatically, because of the intransigence of the
> Iranian
> government, is to go into the United Nations Security Council. And that's
> where we're headed. And we are working closely with our counterparts to
> develop the tactics to move forward once in the United Nations Security
> Council. Our message there is, the Iranians have defied the world, and
> you're now isolated. And it's your choice to make. They must make the
> choice
> to give up their weapons.

> People have said to me, well, why aren't you at the negotiating table? We
> are at the negotiating table -- in this sense: We're with our partners on
> a
> regular basis. I think about this issue a lot. I talk to respective
> leaders
> a lot; the United States laid down the Security Council resolution, along
> with others. I speak to Angela Merkel quite frequently on this subject. It
> is the number-one item on our agenda, when it comes to international
> coalitions. And the thing that we've got to do is be effective. And what
> the
> Iranians are looking forward is weakness among our group. They want to see
> how firm we are. So one of my jobs is to keep people firm in our resolve.
> And it's easy, by the way, with your Chancellor. She is firm in her
> resolve.

> Q The German Chancellor and the new head of state, Olmert of Israel, they
> said the Iranian President is as dangerous as Adolf Hitler. Do you share
> their view?

> THE PRESIDENT: I think that it's very important for us to take his words
> very seriously. When people speak, it is important that we listen
> carefully
> to what they say and take them seriously. For example, when al Qaeda
> speaks,
> I take their words seriously. When bin Laden says we'll bring harm to the
> West, I take them seriously. When Zarqawi says it's just a matter of time
> for the U.S. to get out of Iraq so we can have safe haven, I take him
> seriously. Zawahiri, the number two man in al Qaeda, he's constantly
> speaking about their grand designs to spread their ideology.

> And when Ahmadinejad speaks, we need to take it seriously, and when he
> says
> he wants to destroy Israel, the world needs to take that very seriously.
> It's a serious threat. It's a threat to an ally of the United States and
> Germany. But what he's also saying is, if he's willing to destroy one
> country, he'd be willing to destroy other countries. And, therefore, this
> is
> a threat that has got to be dealt with in a way that -- where the world
> - -- this is an important moment for the world to come together and deal
> with
> this in a way that's diplomatic, so that the next person who thinks, or
> the
> next country that thinks they can threaten, will understand that there is
> an
> effective response.

> Q Do you rule out, as a last resort a military intervention against Iran?

> THE PRESIDENT: As you know, I have said this on German soil, I've said it
> on
> U.S. soil, that my first choice is to solve this diplomatically. I think
> we
> can, but all options are on the table.

> Q Mr. President, it seems that since Chancellor Angela Merkel took office,
> the ice age between Washington and Berlin is over. Are good personal ties
> really so important for the relationship between America and Germany?

> THE PRESIDENT: I've always felt like it's important to establish personal
> ties with my counterpart. And the reason why is, is that the role of a
> President is to be a strategic thinker, as well as to be able to
> understand
> the tactics necessary to achieve the strategic objectives. And in order to
> be able to work strategically with my counterparts, I've got to have a
> personal relationship with them. I've got to be in a position such that
> when
> they speak, I listen, and when I speak, they listen, so they know that
> there
> is a compatibility to the point where we're comfortable sharing ideas, as
> we
> try to work together to solve problems.

> And this world is full of problems. You're in the Oval Office during this
> interview -- there are -- Sudan, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Israel-Palestine
> - -- I mean, that's just to name a few of the problems that come to this
> desk
> that I deal with on a regular basis. In order for us to be effective, I've
> got to have a personal relationship with other leaders so that we can work
> together to achieve common objectives.

> Q During a state visit in 1989, your father described Germany as "partner
> leadership."

> THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

> Q Does this statement still apply today?

> THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely. Absolutely. And it's manifesting itself on the
> Iranian issue. Chancellor Merkel has been strong. It's very important for
> the Iranians to know that there is a Germany committed to working with
> others to send the strong message to the Iranians that their nuclear
> ambitions, their nuclear weapons ambitions, will cause them isolation in
> the
> world in which we live.

> Q You will visit Germany in July. What would you -- did Angela Merkel ask
> what you would like to see in Germany?

> THE PRESIDENT: It's really interesting. She felt like it was important for
> me to go to East Germany -- old East Germany. There is no East Germany
> now.
> The old East Germany. And, one, I appreciated that a lot. You know, we're
> all products of how we are raised and, in many ways, where we were raised.
> If people want to get to know me better, they've got to know my parents
> and
> the values my parents instilled in me, and the fact that I was raised in
> West Texas, in the middle of the desert, a long way away from anywhere,
> hardly. There's a certain set of values you learn in that experience.

> I was very intrigued by dealing with a very strong woman who had been
> raised
> in a communist country and what it meant -- what it meant. I spent some
> time
> with her upstairs in the private dining quarters here in the White House
> complex, listening to her. I asked her what it was like to grow up as a
> child. And the interesting thing, she first described her mother and
> father,
> which said a lot to me about the kind of person she is. I thought that was
> really insightful. She talked about her dad, the pastor, and her mom. She
> talked about going to school in a communist system. And she told me she
> wanted me to come to her home, which, in my part of the world, at least
> where I'm from, inviting somebody to your home is a gesture of generosity.
> It's hospitality that is very gracious.

> And so I'm really looking forward to going. I'll let her plan my itinerary
> once I get there. And it's going to be a very fascinating moment for me.
> And
> I thank her very much for her invitation.

> Q Are there things that bother you about the Germans? And are there things
> that you envy about the Germans?

> THE PRESIDENT: I am -- look, I mean, Germans have always been incredibly
> efficient, capable businesspeople, and when they make a product, it is
> always of the highest of quality. The only thing that interests me about
> Germany is -- it's not bothersome, but it's just a challenge for
> Germany --
> is the absorption of East and West, and the difficult assignment it is to
> really help the Eastern Germany develop an economy that will be able to
> give
> people hope. But, again, I have great respect for Germany.

> Q What kind of role does Germany play in the world?

> THE PRESIDENT: Germany is vital for the European Union's vitality. And
> Germany -- and that's important for the United States. Listen, we want our
> trading partners to be strong. If you -- if we have trade between one
> another, it really helps when there's economic vitality with your partner.
> You want your partner doing well. Trade is not a zero-sum game. Trade is
> an
> opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship. And, therefore, we
> want
> the European Union's economy as a whole to be doing well. And Germany has
> a
> great -- when Germany's economy is vibrant, it has a chance to really help
> all the countries around her to grow well.

> Q The U.S. economy is booming.

> THE PRESIDENT: Yes, it is. Thankfully.

> Q Yes, it is booming because you made big tax cuts.

> THE PRESIDENT: True.

> Q What do you think about the Germans -- are you they acting correctly if
> they increase taxes now?

> THE PRESIDENT: We have -- our economy is booming for several reasons. One
> is
> no question the tax cuts help, and I intend to keep our taxes low.
> Secondly,
> our work rules are very flexible, and so is our economy.

> We've got some issues that put us at a competitive disadvantage, and one
> is
> we've got too many lawsuits. And we're trying to do something about that.
> I
> am smart enough, however, to allow each country to make its own fiscal
> decisions as suits the needs of their constituents and the people.

> Q You are a practicing Christian. Does having a German Pope 60 years after
> World War II have a special meaning to you?

> THE PRESIDENT: You know, it's interesting that the last two Holy Fathers
> were from the same neighborhood. The Holy Father who just passed away, who
> was a great man, came from Poland and really helped rally the spirits of
> the
> people to challenge the tyranny of communism. And the current Holy Father
> came from a country torn asunder by war and is witness to a renewal of a
> united Germany. And I think it helps the world to have that perspective in
> a
> very important position of leadership. I admire the two Popes. These are
> strong, capable men who challenge the concept of moral relevancy.

> Q Three last very short questions. What was the most wonderful moment in
> your terms of being President so far, and what was the most awful moment?

> THE PRESIDENT: The most awful moment was September the 11th, 2001.

> Q The famous picture when somebody gave you the information?

> THE PRESIDENT: Yes, that. I think, like all of us, it took a while for the
> - -- it was more than a moment. It was the event and the aftermath. On a
> situation like that, it takes a period to understand exactly what was
> going
> on. When somebody says, America is under attack, and -- you've got to
> fully
> understand what that meant. And the information coming was haphazard at
> best
> for a while. We weren't sure if the State Department got hit. I'd heard
> the
> White House had got attacked. Of course, I was worried that -- my family
> was
> here.

> And so I would say the toughest moment of all was after the whole reality
> sunk in and I was trying to help the nation understand what was going on,
> and at the same time, be empathetic for those who had lost lives.

> The best moment was -- you know, I've had a lot of great moments. I don't
> know, it's hard to characterize the great moments. They've all been busy
> moments, by the way. I would say the best moment was when I caught a
> seven-and-a-half pound large mouth bass on my lake. (Laughter.)

> Q Perfect.

> Q Very last question -- you're a great sports fan.

> THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I am.

> Q How important is the international World Cup in Germany? And what is
> your
> personal take on who will be at the end, the world champion?

> THE PRESIDENT: Listen, the World Cup is a -- first of all, most Americans,
> up until recently, didn't understand how big the World Cup is. And we're
> beginning to understand. And the reason why is, a lot of us grew up not
> knowing anything about soccer, like me. I never saw soccer as a young boy.
> We didn't play it where I was from. It just didn't exist. I can't even--
> I'm
> thinking about all the -- between age six, when I can remember sports, and
> 12 or 13, I just never saw soccer being played.

> And so there's a generation of us that really weren't fanatic. There's a
> new
> generation of Americans that did grow up on soccer. And there's obviously
> a
> huge interest amongst that crowd in the World Cup. And some of us older
> guys
> are now beginning to understand the significance of the World Cup around
> the
> world. It is the major sporting event worldwide. And it's got to be a
> great
> honor for Germany to host the event. And I'm confident that the German
> people will do a magnificent job of welcoming people from around the
> world.

> And, of course, my team is the U.S. team. They tell me we've got a good
> team. Now, whether it's good enough to win it all, who knows? But I know
> they'll try their hardest.

> Q Mr. President, thank you very much.

> [Kai Diekmann writes for the German daily, BILD.]

> *
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