READING BETWEEN THE GAS LINES

April 29, 2008

Press Conference by the President
Rose Garden

[In abbreviated form]

THE PRESIDENT:

Thank you. Good morning. This is a tough time for our economy. Across our country many Americans are understandably anxious about issues affecting their pocketbook, from gas and food prices to mortgage and tuition bills.

[To taxes that are without representation]

They're looking to their elected leaders in Congress for action.

[And for money…so you’ve been mailed a check this month]

Unfortunately, on many of these issues all they're getting is delay.

[Not Tom Delay…he’s out of the picture]

Americans are concerned about energy prices, and I can understand why. I think the last time I visited with you it was like -- I said it was like a tax increase on the working people.

[And an increase in profits for all of my buddies in the oil business]

The past 18 months, gas prices have gone up by $1.40 per gallon. Electricity prices for small business and families are rising, as well.

[Get used to it. Prices won’t go down any time soon while I’m president]

Americans are concerned about making their mortgage payments and keeping their homes, and I don't blame them.

[Just whine and blame it on my war in Iraq]

Q:

Were you premature in saying that the U.S. economy is not in a recession, when food and energy prices are soaring so high?

THE PRESIDENT:

I mean, you know, the words on how to define the economy don't reflect the anxiety the American people feel. The average person doesn't really care what we call it; the average person wants to know whether or not we know that they're paying higher gasoline prices and that they're worried about staying in their homes. And I do understand that.

[Speechwriters, this sounds awkward. This might be better:

The average person really wants to know what we are going to do about the economy. And people are not worried about staying in their homes; they’re worried about having to stay out of them. But I’ll soon be leaving my house here in Washington, and go to Crawford and wait for my pension checks]

These are tough times. People – economists

[They’re people, too]

can argue over the terminology. And these are difficult times.

[And the worst of times]

And the American people know it, and they want to know whether or not Congress knows it.

[And whether I know it, and whether I know that they know it]

I think an important signal to send on energy, just like I said, is to say, okay, we're going to go find oil here at home.

[Just like we were going to find WMDs in Iraq]

We're transitioning [If that’s the correct verb] to a new era, by the way -- a new era where we're going to have batteries in our cars [Aren’t there batteries in cars now?] that will power -- enable people to drive 40 miles on electricity.

[Only 40 miles?]

There's going to be more ethanol on the market [But less and less food on the table], more alternative fuels

[That have been promised for decades].

It would be -- our driving habits will change.

[Maybe we’ll start driving on the left side instead of the right side]

But in the meantime, we need to be sending a signal to the world markets that we intend to explore here in America.

[You know, just like Columbus]

Q:

A couple weeks ago you said that in Iraq, in 2006, you said we were winning and the strategy was working to keep up troop morale.

THE PRESIDENT:

Yes.

Q: How can we believe that you're not doing the same thing here?

THE PRESIDENT:

You tried to ask me that question before. It's a repeat. Look, I said --

Q: No, I'm talking --

THE PRESIDENT: Can I finish, please?

[I’m the Decider. Why am I asking anyone’s permission to do anything?]

The question you asked me before at the exclusive I gave you on the ranch was: You said that we were winning in the past. I also said that there was tough fighting. Make sure you put the comments in place.

So what I'm going to tell you now is, we're making progress in Afghanistan, but there's tough fighting. I'm under no illusions that this isn't tough.

[Just under self-delusions]

I know full well we're dealing with a determined enemy. I believe it's in our interest that we defeat that enemy. And so, yes, we're making progress. But it's also a tough battle.

Is it in our interest to confront these people now, whether it be in Afghanistan, or Iraq, or Europe, or anywhere else? And the answer is, absolutely, it's in our interest. And the notion that somehow we can let these people just kind of have their way or, you know, let's don't stir them up [Like I did when I unnecessarily and pre-emptively bombed Iraq], is naive or disingenuous, and it's not in our nation's interests. We are in a global struggle against thugs and killers. And the United States of America has got to continue to take the lead.

[Take the lead…as thugs and killers?]

And so in Afghanistan, yes, we're making progress. Does that mean that it's over? No, it doesn't mean it's over.

[Perpetual war is never over]

We're in a long struggle, as I've told you many a time, against these jihadists. These aren't isolated, law-enforcement moments. We're dealing with a group of ideologues who use asymmetrical warfare -- that means killing innocent people---[I got a C- in geometry, but this is what they wrote for me to say]--- to try to achieve their objectives. And one objective is to drive us out of Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East, or anywhere else where we try to confront them.

[Including the United States]

And so, yes, I mean, look -- is it tough? Yes, it's tough. Is it difficult? Absolutely.

[Am I repeating myself? Absolutely.]

Thank you all for your interest.

Enjoyed it.

IT'S THE OIL STUPID!