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American Morning

Bush Meets President of Israel, Will Host T-Ball Game on South Lawn

Aired May 31, 2001 - 10:35   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.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to go to Washington now, and to our White House correspondent Major Garrett, who's keeping tabs on events at the White House. The president has met with the new president of Israel, and there's also an announcement about another T- ball game, one of Major's favorites.

So let's go right there now -- Major.

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Stephen, in which order would you prefer to go -- international politics or T-ball on the South Lawn -- you choose.

FRAZIER: It's that kind of day, isn't it? It shows you the full range of presidential activity.

GARRETT: Absolutely, absolutely.

What's your pleasure, Stephen? What do you want first?

FRAZIER: Let's do politics first and end on a high note, then.

GARRETT: OK.

The president met with the Israeli president, Moshe Katsav, here at the White House. The Israeli president is not like the prime minister. He is a ceremonial head of state, but nevertheless, he represents some of the consensus figurehead in Israeli politics. He came to the United States to meet President Bush, to share that consensus with the president about what most Israelis think about he conditions of dealing with the Palestinians and the ongoing conflict with them in the Gaza and the West Bank.

What he said was that he expects the United States to maintain its strong allegiance with Israel and maintain its involvement. He also said he was very satisfied with this president's level of involvement between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

FRAZIER: Let's talk a little bit about what the next T-ball game will bring.

GARRETT: T-ball, the second game here at the White House, on the South Lawn, at 5:00 Eastern time. A couple of teams from the District of Columbia will be here. Three Hall of Famers will be here. Bob Feller -- anyone from Cleveland knows that Bob Feller was a dominating pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. Lou Brock, one of the greatest base stealers of all time, for the St. Louis Cardinals, will be here. And Ernie Banks, the greatest-slugging second basemen in the history of major league baseball, a famous Chicago Cub, will be here to announce the T-ball game.

There will also be a special guest, a boy from Quantico, Virginia. His father is a marine combat pilot. He flew missions during the Persian Gulf War. He is disabled -- he cannot speak, he cannot walk -- but he nevertheless does play T-ball. He hits the ball, and then he has his teammates push him around the bases in a special bicycle-type cart that allows him to play the game. He will be a special guest of the president and the first lady.

And we are told George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st president of the United States, and his wife Barbara will be here for the festivities as well -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: Marvelous. You may recall that first T-ball game was commented on by Bob Costas, doing the play-by-play. It was one of the better feeds we've had from the White House South Lawn in a long time. I hope this one is as much fun.

GARRETT: That's a very high bar for Ernie Banks to cross. We'll see if he can do it.

FRAZIER: We can't let you go without just asking -- I know that the White House has said that they're dealing with a private family matter this morning. They'd like to keep some privacy for their daughters.

GARRETT: That's exactly right, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer telling reporters that the White House had no particular problems with any of the reporting yesterday about the situation in Austin involving the two presidential daughters, Jenna and Barbara, and an investigation into whether they attempted to use false identification to purchase alcohol at restaurant in Austin.

But Mr. Fleischer made it abundantly clear to all reporters today that those facts as they have been reported are as far as this White House intends to go. It will encourage and it will take no follow-up questions about the president's conversations with his daughters, the first lady's conversations with her daughters, or any of the presidential attitudes or reflections upon this incident. Ari Fleischer said, I asked all of you reporters to think very hard about going down that road. And the White House will issue no statements on this matter, just allow the facts as they've been reported to stand as they are -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: Reflecting the challenge, there, Major, of raising a family. This is a president we've elected to the White House, but a family goes there and has to live a life as well.

GARRETT: As Ari Fleischer pointed out, the president is the president of the United States, but he's also a father trying to raise two teenage daughters. He wants to do that, if at all possible, in the utmost privacy -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: Major Garrett, at the White House, thanks so much for all those insights -- diplomacy, baseball, family life -- thank you.

GARRETT: Sure.

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