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CNN Live Today

President Bush Briefs Reporters

Aired April 19, 2002 - 14:39   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We now have to go to some tape of President Bush, who earlier was at a Secret Service training camp. And he spoke about many things and we're going to let you listen to some of that right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Parents and loved ones of the soldiers have my most heartfelt sympathy, and I wish we could bring them back. We can't.

Appreciate so very much the sacrifices that the Canadians are making in the war against terror. And again, I'm so sorry this accident took place.

QUESTION: Should there have been better communications between the American and Canadian forces?

BUSH: We'll find out what -- we'll find out what took place. It's just this terrible accident.

QUESTION: Some international groups have criticized conditions in some of the camps in Palestine as horrific.

BUSH: Well, we'll -- you know, again, I think there's -- I share a deep concern about the humanitarian plight of people who live in that region. Obviously I worry about the families whose lives have been affected by the terror.

I think it's very important for all of us, as we work toward a vision of peace, to understand that we must provide hope where there is no hope, provide an opportunity where there seems to be no opportunity; that the best way for a lasting peace is for countries in the regions to uphold their responsibilities and remember that a peaceful situation requires there to be an opportunity for the Palestinians, peace for the Israelis.

I am concerned about the living conditions of people throughout the region, and all governments have responsibilities for those living conditions. I worry about high unemployment rates in countries in the region. I worry about the fact that some young feel like they have no hope.

BUSH: And we need to work together to provide hope. A part of a lasting peace is for there to be hope in the region.

QUESTION: Mr. President, will you sign an energy bill without ANWR?

BUSH: There is an energy bill with ANWR, passed by the House; energy bill without ANWR, passed by the Senate -- or soon to be energy bill without ANWR passed by the Senate. And we'll see what happens.

I do think it is very important for the American people to understand we need more supply to offset the national security risk of importing oil from parts of the world that do not like America. And I am confident we can find more supply in an environmentally friendly way.

QUESTION: Tell us about your visit this morning. We understand you got behind the wheel.

BUSH: I did get behind the wheel.

QUESTION: How did it go?

BUSH: Have you ever done a J-turn before?

QUESTION: No, sir.

BUSH: I have.

(LAUGHTER)

First...

(CROSSTALK)

Yes, it is. At least this is the first time I'll ever admit to doing a J-turn.

QUESTION: Are you confident that you'd pull it off?

BUSH: Let me just say this: The Secret Service has got some of the best instructors in the world, and they took a -- fellow hadn't been driving much and taught me the J-turn. And it was a pretty exciting feeling.

QUESTION: Looking forward to doing it in the pickup soon?

BUSH: There will be no J-turns in Crawford.

QUESTION: Sir, some critics say that you're easing up on Israel and that your comments yesterday might have been a shift in policy.

BUSH: I think what people need to do is to read my speech in the Rose Garden, where I laid out a vision for peace and called upon all parties to uphold their responsibilities. In order for there to be peace, leaders must lead and people must be responsible. There is joint and shared responsibility for peace. Israelis have got responsibility, the Palestinian Authority has got responsibility, and the nations in the region have got responsibility.

And if there is a sincere desire for peace, as I hope there is, and I certainly have, then my job is to continue to lay out that vision and to call upon people to achieve -- to do that which is necessary to achieve the peace.

Listen, thank you all. I hope you have a great weekend.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: We've been watching tape of President Bush, tape shot earlier but just now being made available to CNN and other outlets through our media pool.

He was just departing and finishing up a day at the Secret Service training in Beltsville, Maryland. He talked about a number of things, not only about his experience given a shot at some of the training with the Secret Service, but more importantly on the Middle East as well as on ANWR.

On the Middle East he says, of course, in order for peace to ensue, you've got have leaders lead and you've got to have people who take the responsibility to pay attention to those leaders. He says he is concerned about the living conditions in the Middle East and throughout the region. But he says part of a lasting peace is for hope in the region.

And on ANWR, of course, he says we're going to have to see what happens. The House has a bill with ANWR drilling in Alaska for oil here in North America, but the Senate bill is without ANWR. And he says we need to explore the supply without having to rely on foreign outlets.

So once again, President Bush addressing reporters.

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