Press Briefing by Dana Perino

Business Wire, April 9, 2008

Q One last thing. For people who are reading between the lines here that you're not being -- able to be pinned down on this, is it possible that the President could go to the Olympics but not go to the Opening Ceremonies?

MS. PERINO: I'll refer you to my first answer. (Laughter.)

Q But this is different, Dana. If we asked you this question a couple of weeks ago or a couple of months ago, you would have said he's going to the Opening Ceremonies. Does this suggest --

MS. PERINO: That's not true. Did you ask me that? Did I say that?

Q I think it's been pretty clear that he was planning on going.

MS. PERINO: No. He said he was going to the Olympics. We have not given out the President's schedule. And even before -- I've not given out any details about the President's schedule when it comes to Olympics. So it's wrong to say that I have changed my story.

Q Since this issue has become -- sort of moved to the forefront here, is there any reexamination, recalibration, or rethinking of the dynamics that would have the President at the Opening Ceremonies?

MS. PERINO: Not that I'm aware.

Q Dana, what sports -- what Olympic sports might the President be most interested in, and might his journey center around those?

MS. PERINO: I don't know. He's a sports fan, he likes it all.

Q Is it true he's going to the shot-put? (Laughter.) You won't discuss that, will you?

MS. PERINO: I don't have any details on his schedule. It's premature for me to -- Peter.

Q Back on Iraq, you mentioned earlier that the President is already at work on some issues that would pertain to the transition to his successor.

MS. PERINO: Sure.

Q Two questions. What is he doing along those lines? And will that kind of reassurance be part of the tone of the speech tomorrow?

MS. PERINO: Well, one of the things that we've been working with the Iraqis on is the overall framework agreement for our forces to be able to operate legally in Iraq. Come December, the U.N. mandate expires. And so we've been working with the Iraqis, as well as the Congress, and they've been getting updates, and they got one yesterday from Ambassador Crocker. And those negotiations are underway with the Iraqi government.

But in addition to that, we also have, through the Declaration of Principles, working with Iraqis on an agreement where we would continue to help them on the economic development, the diplomatic tracks, the cultural and scientific spheres, and several of the non-military areas as well. So the President not only is working on the legal framework, but also on how to make sure that the gains that they've made can take hold, root themselves so that there's a good base of foundation.

Now, in many ways Iraq is going to be -- is going to come back faster than Afghanistan. Afghanistan is where -- from where Afghanistan started, if you compare the two, Iraq and Afghanistan, the differences are quite stark. And Iraq is starting to spend many more -- much more money on their own reconstruction. Just yesterday I said that they had decided to pledge $350 million to three of the areas that had been beset by violence most recently, but not just to help with reconstruction, but also jobs programs and housing programs. And those are things that we can continue to help them on through the provincial reconstruction teams as well.