The President's news conference with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, June 21, 2004

Yes, Stretch [Richard Keil, Bloomberg News]. And then you next.

2004 Election

Q. Mr. President, thank you. Just to follow up on John's question, in Afghanistan, things are improving, as you've mentioned. In Iraq, we're about to transfer sovereignty. And even domestically, the economy is booming. Why is it that you're having trouble pulling ahead of your opponent, John Kerry? I know you don't pay attention to the polls, but we are 4 1/2 months from election day.

President Bush. Yes.

Q. What can you do to improve your political standing as the campaign moves forward?

President Bush. You see, I think you answered your own question. We are 4 1/2 months from election day. In other words, there's a long time before the election. I'm just going to do my job, Stretch. My job is to continue to lead. My job is to say to the American people, "Follow me. The world is going to be better. The world will be more free. The world will be more peaceful. The world will be--America will be a stronger country because our economy will improve. America will be a better country because we're calling upon the compassion of our fellow citizens to help a neighbor in need."

Iraqi Security

Q. Mr. President, I want to follow up on this issue of Iraqi security because I'm detecting some reservation that you may have about the Iraqis' ability to really head up their own security after June the 30th, because you seem to signal that there are concerns about their ability to even continue to detain Saddam Hussein. So what will happen between now and June 30th that would help you overcome that concern? And just related to that, there was a report from Baghdad yesterday indicating that after the deadly bombing, car bombing, that Iraqi police, as crowds gathered against the United States, just stood around and didn't do anything. Why is that happening?

President Bush. Which question do you want me to answer?

Q. Well, I think they're related; both-

President Bush. No, they're not. [Laughter]

Q. Please, I'll say, please.

President Bush. Look, it's very hot out here. We've got a President from a--a respectful President here. Why don't you just ask one question, if you don't mind? I don't mean to be telling you how to do your business. All right, I'll answer both. [Laughter]

First, I just want to make sure that as--when sovereignty is transferred, Saddam Hussein is--stays in jail. That's just a matter of discussion and understanding the procedures. That's all we're saying. I'm confident that when it's all said and done, he will stay in jail. I just want to be assured.

Listen, we've got--we're over there for a reason. We're over there to make our country more secure, and one way to do so was to make sure Saddam Hussein was not in power. Secondly, we're there to help the Afghan--I mean, the Iraqi people. We want to make sure that he doesn't come back to power. And so, therefore, it's a legitimate question to ask of the interim government, "How are you going to make sure he stays in jail?" And that's the question I'm asking. And when we get the right answer, which I'm confident we will, we will work with them to do so. Then we'll all be satisfied.