Text 930, 1182 rader
Skriven 2005-05-11 23:32:56 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0505111) for Wed, 2005 May 11
====================================================
===========================================================================
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
===========================================================================

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 11, 2005

Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

Press Briefing
"); //--> view

  þ Plane incident/readout
  þ North Korea
  þ Georgia/hand grenade report
  þ Bolton nomination
      þ Reference B
  þ Nancy Reagan at the White House
  þ Governor Schwarzenegger comment on border guards
  þ Social Security
  þ Addendum Responses to Questions from Today's Briefing

1:15 P.M. EDT

MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon, everybody. I'd like to begin by updating you
on the situation that occurred here at the White House and the Capitol just
a short time ago. First of all, as you all are aware, the President was
off-site, getting in a bike ride after returning from a four-day trip
overseas. And secondly, back here at the White House -- first of all, the
top priority of the Secret Service here at the White House is the safety
and security of the people who work here every day. And they have certain
security precaution protocols that are in place, and those security
precaution protocols were followed in this instance.

Let me give you a little facts about what happened. At approximately 11:59
a.m., the threat level here at the White House was raised to yellow. There
was a Cessna plane within about 15 miles of the White House. It was north
of the White House. Shortly after that, around noon, fighter jets were
scrambled. At approximately 12:01 p.m., the threat level was raised to
orange. The plane was within 10 miles, and an evacuation and moving of
people to more secure locations began at that point.

Let me just point out that the Cessna was traveling in restricted airspace
toward the White House and Capitol. The pilot was not responding to efforts
to communicate with the plane. And then, at 12:03 p.m., the alert level was
raised to red. And at approximately 12:11 p.m., the alert level went back
down to yellow. The plane at that point was turning west and traveling away
from the White House and Capitol. And at 12:14 p.m., the all-clear was
given.

The pilot and the plane are now on the ground. It was escorted by a fighter
jet and a Blackhawk helicopter. And the Secret Service and local
authorities will be interviewing the pilot, if they are not already.

And in terms of other officials, as I said, the President was off-site at
the time. He was informed by his detail; the detail that was with the
President was notified and informed the President at that point. Mrs. Bush,
as well as Mrs. Reagan, who is in town, were here at the White House and
they were taken to a secure location. The Vice President was evacuated and
has since returned to the White House.

And with that, I think I will just go to you all's questions.

Q Were the First Ladies evacuated, too?

MR. McCLELLAN: They were taken to a secure location.

Q Can I just go back through a couple of things here? You say at 12:03 p.m.
the alert level was raised to red. So how close was the Cessna to the White
House at that point?

MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, I'm sorry, I should have mentioned that up top, but the
Cessna was within three miles of the White House before it turned west and
started traveling away from the White House.

Q And goes back to yellow at what point?

MR. McCLELLAN: It went back to yellow at 12:11 p.m.

Q When it's about --

MR. McCLELLAN: That's when the plane had turned west and was moving away,
or traveling away from the White House.

Q I'm just finishing up the time line. Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Reagan were put
in a secure location in the White House -- so the bunker, I assume?

MR. McCLELLAN: I will just leave it at that they were taken to a secure
location.

Q In the White House?

Q On the grounds?

MR. McCLELLAN: They were here at the White House and they were taken to a
secure location.

Q You can't say on the grounds or off the grounds? All right. But you're
saying that -- but the Vice President was actually evacuated --

MR. McCLELLAN: That's right.

Q -- off the grounds?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's correct.

Q That's correct. Why the distinction, given the history of this?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the Secret Service has security precaution protocols
that are in place. And as I mentioned at the beginning, those precautions
were followed. That's what they have in place. And it was consistent with
the protocols that were in place.

Q And just one final one on the color coding --

MR. McCLELLAN: And for obvious reasons, I don't think I want to get too far
into the details of what those security precautions are.

Q The color-coded levels -- I mean, these correspond to the Department of
Homeland Security, right? In other words, is this the first time red has
ever been reached, the red levels have been reached at the White House?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think you might want to double-check with the Secret
Service. I think that these are a threat level system that they have had in
place maybe for some time that preceded even the Homeland Security threat
system -- threat advisory system.

Q -- a different color-code system, though?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, it has -- I think it has the same colors. You might
want to double-check with the Secret Service.

Q But if it predates that Department of Homeland Security's color-coded
system, then it's a different --

MR. McCLELLAN: Hang on a second, James. You might want to check with the
Secret Service. I think that that's correct. I'm not sure that that's
correct, but I think that this has been a system that was in place even
before the Homeland Security advisory threat level was put in place.

Q Between noon, when the fighter jets were scrambled, and 12:11 p.m. when
the all-clear sounded, who was in a position to give the authority, if
necessary, for those fighter jets to fire on the plane?

MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, it never came to that point, I don't believe. I don't
have any more details in terms of what occurred in terms of that. But I
don't --

Q I guess I'm asking --

MR. McCLELLAN: My understanding from the briefing I received following this
situation or this incident, I did not receive any information to that
effect.

Q Who was in charge, who would have made the call if this was at threat
level red, too serious a threat to allow to continue?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the President was at an off-site location, and he was
informed, and he was informed of the situation that occurred. And
obviously, there are protocols in place for that, as well. But the
President was being kept well-informed of the situation that was going on.

Q By whom?

MR. McCLELLAN: By his security detail that was traveling with him. But I
don't want to speculate that it ever came to that. I was not informed that
it ever came to that. But there were fighter jets that were scrambled; they
were trying to get in contact with the pilot of the plane. The pilot was
not responding to their efforts to communicate with the plane. And I'm not
sure that it ever came to that point, because the plane turned west and
started traveling away from the White House when it was within that
three-mile radius of the White House.

Q And then, finally, the pictures -- more generally, these pictures of
somewhat frantic evacuations of the heart of the American government are
being broadcast all around the world. Is it fair to say that, really
without doing anything here, there's been an achievement by terrorists to
demonstrate to the world that this country and capital can be rattled by a
Cessna that --

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't agree with your characterization. Let me, first of
all, say that we are grateful for the job that the Secret Service does and
that all our homeland security officials and local authorities do to
protect the people that work at the Capitol and that work here at the White
House. They do an outstanding job. They have security protocols that are
put in place. They followed the security protocols -- at least when it
comes to the White House, I was informed that those security protocols were
followed and that the actions they took were consistent with those
protocols. So we are grateful, I think all of us in this room, for the job
that the Secret Service does, both the President's detail, as well as the
Uniformed Division here at the White House. They do a great job, and they
were doing a great job, I think, in terms of evacuating people and moving
people to more secure locations as this situation was developing. We
appreciate those efforts.

In terms of other people around the world, we have to remember that we are
a nation at war, and there are still people that seek to do harm to the
United States and seek to carry out attacks on the United States. This was
a situation that we don't know the exact details of why this plane was
traveling in the restricted airspace at this point. It's being
investigated. The pilot is being questioned, or will be questioned shortly,
and let's see what the facts are.

Q Scott, a couple questions. Do you know if the fighter jet went up -- were
they scrambled with shoot-down authority?

MR. McCLELLAN: John, I don't have the information on that. Like I said,
those fighter jets were scrambled at around the noon hour and they escorted
-- at least one of the fighter jets I know, along with the Blackhawk
helicopter escorted the plane to the ground. And I'm not aware that it came
to that point.

Q I'm just following up on Terry's question. I would assume with the plane
only three miles away from the White House, it would have had some
commander on the ground that had --

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not aware that it came to that point, because, as I
said, at some point it did turn west.

Q Yes, I'm just saying, at the time, if it was that close to the White
House, you would not have time to call the President and say, do we have
the authority to shoot it down.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there are protocols that are in place for this, as
well.

Q Second question. Who was it -- I mean, we have all these coordinated
evacuations at the Capitol, the Supreme Court, here at the White House,
elsewhere. Who raised the alarm? Was it NORAD? Was it this other office out
in Herndon?

MR. McCLELLAN: There's communication centers here at the White House; there
are communication centers outside of the White House. I think they were all
in contact with one another, and probably all of those that you mentioned
were involved in this. Because when the plane enters the restricted
airspace, there are defense officials that see that, and they start to take
steps when that occurs if the pilot is not in contact with those who are
trying to reach --

Q So do you know if it was NORAD or the FAA that first raised the alert?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'll see what else I can find out. I don't have that
information at this point.

Q What, if any, actions did the President take after he was notified?

MR. McCLELLAN: The President is on his way back to the White House right
now. He should be arriving --

Q Did he stop his --

MR. McCLELLAN: He should be arriving at any point. I'll see if I can get
you information later in the day if there's any additional information to
share.

Q You don't know if he stopped biking, or got in touch with someone, or --

MR. McCLELLAN: He was notified and informed about it by his detail, and
like I said, that's what I have at this point. He should be arriving here
at the White House at any moment, and then we'll have more information and
we'll talk about that at that point.

Q I think what we're getting at is we'd like to know whether he was on the
phone with somebody at the time that there was a red alert; whether he
could have conceivably given a shoot-down order; or whether, as John
suggested, somebody was empowered to do that. I think that's important
because this is such a short time frame, you're talking about something
that's within three miles of the White House.

MR. McCLELLAN: Right, David, I understand that, and I understand the
question. I appreciate the question that you're asking. But I -- from
everyone I've talked with, all those that were involved in this from the
White House perspective, I didn't get any indication that it came to that
point. The plane did turn away from the White House and started traveling
away from the White House. But there are protocols in place for this.
That's why the fighter jets were scrambled; that's why they did try to make
contact with the plane. But I don't want to try to suggest that it came to
that point, because I'm not informed in any way --

Q I'm assuming it doesn't get any higher than red --

MR. McCLELLAN: Hang on. I'm not informed in any way that it did come to
that.

Q But it did. If it's red alert, it can't go any higher. So, I mean, if it
gets any closer than three miles you don't have a lot of options if it
keeps coming. So I think we just want to know within the bounds of
security, what was in place.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I understand and, as I said, I appreciate the question.
We'll try to keep you updated as we learn more about this. This just
occurred a short time ago and I wanted to make sure I came out here and
gave you all the information and the facts that we knew at this point. And
if there's additional information to share with you, obviously I will get
you that information.

Q Scott, for example, we know that on September 11th --

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me keep going around the room.

Q For example, we know September 11th, it was the Vice President who gave
the authorization to shoot down, if it was necessary. So we're just
wondering who would have been in --

MR. McCLELLAN: John, let me keep going, and I'll come back to you if I can.
James, go ahead.

Q Scott, you gave us a fairly detailed, minute-by-minute countdown of
actions that were taken, the raising of the alerts. You also told us
separately that the President was informed by his detail. Can you tell us
where in that chronology the President was informed? After the code reached
a certain level, or what have you?

MR. McCLELLAN: We'll get you that information later in the day. As I said,
the President is returning to the White House. But I wanted to get you what
facts we knew at this point.

Q Scott, so when the alert went to red and the plane was three miles out,
is it safe to assume the reason why many of the persons were not evacuated
from the Old Executive Office Building and even from the West Wing is
because it was too close, there was nothing to do at that time?

MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said, there's a protocol in place for a situation
like this. Some people were evacuated, and then at some point people were
moved to a more secure location because that was the appropriate step to
take at a certain point in time.

Q Well, according to some sources, some of the people in the Old Executive
Office Building were not told, and they found out by watching the
television. So what is the protocol for that type of situation?

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know that that's the case, April. I know that I
checked with the Secret Service and people were informed about the
situation that was going on. They took appropriate steps. The Uniformed
Division -- I think you saw them around the White House complex, taking
appropriate steps, as well. And we appreciate the job that they did.

Q Scott, one quick question on this, and then another subject.

MR. McCLELLAN: Let's stay on this subject, and then I'll come back to the
other subject. This isn't a press conference where you can jump subjects
and take away from other people.

Q Right. When you -- those collection of questions you're going to come
back on, can you also find out for us, is there a standing order -- in
other words, is the authorization that we were discussing before no longer
necessary if a plane comes within a certain region around the White House?
Are pilots now authorized to make that judgment themselves once a plane is
within a certain territory?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not sure that's the case. Let me get you some additional
information. And I'll get it to you all later today. And like I said, I
don't -- I know you all are asking this question, I appreciate that you're
asking this question, but I'm not sure that in this situation it ever came
to that point. So I want to emphasize that point because I think I would
have been informed --

Q Yes, but separate and apart from that --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think I would have been informed about it. But I will look
into that and get you more information on that, as well.

Q What is that point?

Q Scott, two questions. Where was the President biking? And two, was the
plane forced to turn west, or did the plane turn west on its own?

MR. McCLELLAN: What I was told was that it turned west at some point when
it came within that three-mile radius of the White House.

Q Where was the President biking?

MR. McCLELLAN: The President was in an off-site location. I'll leave it at
that. Your colleagues were there covering it, so I think you all are aware
of where he was. But from this podium, I think I'll just leave it he was at
an off-site location.

Q Can you tell us, on the time line, when the fighter jets essentially
intercepted the plane? You said the fighter jets and a Blackhawk helicopter
escorted it to the ground.

MR. McCLELLAN: They were scrambled around noon. I know at some point after
that, they tried to make -- or there was communication that people were
trying to communicate with the plane at some point within this time frame
that I gave you, this timetable that I gave you of when everything
occurred. But, no, I don't have any more information than what I gave you
on that.

Q Scott, a follow-up -- this is a crucial point -- did the pilot have a
radio on the plane? Did he ever at any point have conversation with the
U.S.? Because the implication is it could have been a failed suicide
attempt and then he --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, like I said, there were efforts to communicate with the
pilot and the pilot was not responding to those efforts to communicate with
the plane.

Q At any point, was there a response, and was there a radio on the plane?

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I don't have those details. The pilot is going to be
questioned, if the pilot is not being questioned already. They will be
investigating this matter. The investigation is ongoing at this point, I
should say, by the Secret Service and by local authorities. I think those
are all questions that they'll be able to answer as the investigation
proceeds forward.

Q Finally, you said something about Blackhawk helicopters. We thought they
were F-16 -- were there Blackhawks?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, this was a Border and Customs helicopter.

Q Not F-16s at all?

MR. McCLELLAN: There was a -- I believe that there was a fighter jet and a
Blackhawk helicopter. There may have been additional aircraft, as well,
that escorted that plane.

Q Was that an ICE Blackhawk?

MR. McCLELLAN: My -- yes, my understanding was that it was a Border and
Customs helicopter, so it --

Q So it would be ICE, right?

MR. McCLELLAN: -- probably so, but you might want to double-check with
Homeland Security on that.

Q Scott, concerning threat levels, former Secretary Ridge yesterday
indicated there might have been some ongoing --

MR. McCLELLAN: Can we stay on this current situation, and then I'll be glad
to come back to your question? Does anybody else have any questions on this
current situation? Go ahead.

Q Scott, why did the -- why didn't the internal emergency notification
system go off here in the White House?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think that there were -- there was a notification system
that was going off.

Q No, it wasn't.

Q It's called April Ryan. (Laughter.)

Q Yes, thank you.

Q After 9/11, there was a system put in place for this voice announcement
that comes over the speaker --

MR. McCLELLAN: That's right.

Q -- if there is a certain level of emergency.

MR. McCLELLAN: My understanding from the initial conversations I had
following this situation was that protocols were followed that were in
place. And let me look into it to see if there's more. You might want to
direct those questions to the Secret Service, as well.

Q It did not go off at all.

MR. McCLELLAN: The Uniformed Division was evacuating people, as well as
moving people --

Q We did not know anything about that. We did not know anything about that
-- seriously.

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me just mention that the Uniformed Division was
evacuating people on the property, as well as moving people to a more
secure location.

Q There was a report of a flare being seen during this episode. Was that
part of the fighter jet's attempt to contact the plane --

MR. McCLELLAN: That may have been --

Q Can you give us details --

MR. McCLELLAN: It may well have been. I don't know -- I don't know on that,
but it may well have been.

Q Scott, just to close the loop on the helicopter and the fighter jet, they
scrambled from where?

MR. McCLELLAN: You might want to direct those questions to the Department
of Defense, in terms of the fighter jets. And in terms of --

Q You're going to provide additional information --

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know that I will get into all those details, but the
Department of Defense might be able to provide you with some additional
details on that. And in terms of the Blackhawk, I think you ought to direct
that to the Department of Homeland Security.

Q You're saying that for security reasons, you can't answer whether they
were already in the air, they were --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I think I'll leave it to those two agencies to get you
that information. They can probably provide you with that. I don't have
that information at this --

Q Can you --

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't have the information at this time. If I get
something else I can give you, I will. Okay.

Q Scott --

MR. McCLELLAN: Is this on this subject, Les?

Q Yes, it is.

MR. McCLELLAN: Okay, go ahead.

Q The restricted airspace, has it ever changed in the last two or three
years? And how big is it?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think it's changed since September 11th, and my --

Q How big is it now?

MR. McCLELLAN: You might want to double-check with authorities. I think
there's a 25-mile area. But, obviously, there's Reagan National Airport;
they have certain procedures that the planes departing from there follow. I
think this was a general aviation aircraft, so it was not a -- it was not a
commercial --

Q Well, 25 miles -- it's been extremely enlarged, then, to 25 miles since
9/11?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you can get those facts. I don't have those facts in
front of me right this second.

Go ahead, James.

Q Scott, could we find out your personal experience here, what you were
doing at the time, how you learned of the threat, your actions and so
forth?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes. I was notified by staff and --

Q "Staff" meaning who? Your staff?

MR. McCLELLAN: My staff, yes. I was first notified by my staff. And what
else do you want to know?

Q When were you evacuated?

Q What actions did you take? Where did you go?

MR. McCLELLAN: I moved to a secure location, I'll leave it at that.

Q Did you make any calls before you did that?

MR. McCLELLAN: No.

Q Would you just clarify, are you saying that everybody, including staff,
in the West Wing and in the EOB, to your knowledge, was either evacuated or
brought to a secure location?

MR. McCLELLAN: They were either evacuated -- what I know is that people
were either evacuated or moved to a more secure location, at least in the
White House complex. I don't have more on the Executive Office Building,
but I think they were being evacuated and moved, as well.

Q But what about those who stayed in their office and watched it on
television?

MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said, there comes a point at some point in time when
you're going -- when you have a situation like this, where it is safer to
move someone to a more secure location within the compound.

Q But, Scott, what about those who watched it on television in OEOB and
found out about it that way?

MR. McCLELLAN: April, I appreciate your concern here. Let me try and take
the questions one at a time here, though.

Q In one of the issues here, you've got eight minutes -- between 12:03 p.m.
and 12:11 p.m., where the plane is within three miles of the White House
and then, I presume in that eight-minute span the plane heads back west and
it goes back to yellow. Can you now, or at some point, give us some sense
of the sequence of --

MR. McCLELLAN: My understanding is that right about 12:11 p.m. is when the
plane turned west.

Q Right. So there was eight minutes here when things are moving pretty
rapidly here -- and then you've got an eight-minute window here where the
plane is three miles away from the White House, and then eight minutes
later it goes down to yellow because the plane is moving away. So what
happens in that eight-minute span? And I think that goes to the question,
too, about shoot-down authority. Like Terry pointed out, I mean, like, when
do you get to that point, where --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think that question has already been asked, and I
told you that I would provide you with additional detail as I can on that.

Q And as I say, the sequence in that eight-minute period of time, any more
detail there I think would be helpful.

MR. McCLELLAN: Right. Well, in terms of between 12:01 p.m. and --

Q -- 12:03 p.m. and 12:11 p.m.

MR. McCLELLAN: It was right about 12:01 p.m., that's when I think the
evacuation process began here at the White House, right around that time,
when the plane was about 10 miles north of the White House. And then it was
12:11 p.m. approximately when the plane had turned west, and then the
threat level went back down to yellow, and then the all-clear was given at
12:14 p.m.

Q But do you understand what I'm asking you -- what happens between 12:03
p.m. and 12:11 p.m., when the plane was within three miles of the White
House, and then at 12:11 p.m., it goes back to yellow -- because I think at
that point the plane is 25 miles out and heading west. So what happens in
that eight-minute span?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry -- at 12:11 p.m.?

Q At 12:11 p.m., you said that the threat level went back down to yellow,
indicating the threat is passing here. It's not gone but it's passing. And
I think at that point, the plane -- well, I know at some point the plane is
25 miles away, back heading towards west --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, at that point, my sense is that that was when -- between
the red and yellow, at approximately 12:11 p.m., is when it was still
within three miles. But that was when it turned and started traveling away
from the White House at some point within that 12:11 p.m. time period.
That's why the threat level went back down to yellow at that point.

Q But David's point is what was going on in that eight-minute period?

MR. McCLELLAN: What was going on where?

Q Between 12:03 p.m. and 12:11 p.m. That was clearly a critical period of
time, right?

MR. McCLELLAN: Right.

Q You have to decide whether you're going to shoot the thing down, or
whether it's responding --

MR. McCLELLAN: I know you're getting into this question again. I think this
question has been asked. Like I said, I have nothing to suggest that we
were at that point by any means. So I don't want to suggest that. But I
will look into that and get you all that additional information as I can.

Q The question is when you get to that point --

MR. McCLELLAN: I understand. That's what I'll get you additional
information on. But I think you can appreciate I wanted to come out here
and make sure you all had the facts --

Q Yes, we do.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- about what occurred. And as we get additional
information, I will be glad to provide that information to you.

Q Why is that -- the President was off-site, but, obviously, he's still in
the area somewhat. Why is it that there isn't a procedure that when
something like this happens, he would automatically get taken to some sort
of secure location?

MR. McCLELLAN: There are protocols in place, and I think that those are
decisions that the Secret Service makes based on those protocols that are
in place. And I think in this instance, they took the appropriate steps.

Q Just decided that the threat was not serious enough?

MR. McCLELLAN: You might want to direct those questions to the Secret
Service. But I think they took the appropriate steps, following the
protocols that were in place.

Are we still on this subject?

Q Yes.

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me go to Goyal, and I'll come back to you, John.

Q I have one more on this and then another one on --

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me stay on this subject, Goyal.

Q Yes, this one.

MR. McCLELLAN: Okay.

Q Where did the plane come from? And also are we calling this a terrorist
act now?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, this is something that's being investigated at this
point. That's the way I would describe it. There's an ongoing
investigation. I don't know the facts at this point because the plane was,
just a short time ago, escorted to the ground, and the pilot is being
interviewed by local authorities and Secret Service to determine what was
going on

Q The Secret Service did not alert people in the basement of the press room
that there was a problem. The sound system did not go off. How can you be
confident that protocols were followed, when clearly here we know they were
not? Were others -- were all staffers in the White House alerted about this
problem and evacuated by the Secret Service?

MR. McCLELLAN: Keith, a couple of things. One, that was my initial
conversations with the Secret Service that the protocols were followed. I
specifically asked about what occurred here in the press area, as well. I
know that you all -- I saw some of you all leaving when I was being moved,
as well. And then I understand from Secret Service that at one point, they
decided to move some of you that were still here and had not left the
premises to a more secure location within the complex. And I believe that
was down in the basement.

Q Are you confident that the staffers, all staffers at the White House were
told by the Secret Service that there was an imminent danger?

MR. McCLELLAN: Keith, as far as I know, in the White House, the Uniformed
Division, as well as the Presidential Detail were taking the appropriate
steps to either move people off the property or move people to a more
secure location on the property. That's the understanding that I have.
Obviously, we'll learn more as time goes and you might want to direct some
of those questions to the Secret Service.

But as I emphasized at the beginning, the number one priority for the
Secret Service when a situation like this occurs is the safety and security
of the people in this building. And we appreciate the job that they did
today. We are grateful for the job that they do every day.

Q Scott, to the best of your knowledge, is this the most serious violation
of restricted airspace since 9/11?

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know that I can characterize it at this point, John.

Q I mean, I know that there was the thing with the Kentucky governor's
plane last June, but it didn't seem to come as close as this plane did.

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not sure that that's the case. You might want to look
back at that and check that.

Q Scott, if we can just clarify something. You said at 12:03 p.m. the alert
went to red because at that point the plane was within three miles?

MR. McCLELLAN: I understand at that point it was within three miles.

Q And it doesn't turn west for the next eight minutes, it's going at a
pretty good clip, it sounds like it got closer than three miles to the
White House.

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me double-check that, to verify that fact.

Q Scott, can you clarify whether or not this is the first time --

MR. McCLELLAN: Because it went to orange at 12:01 p.m., as I pointed out,
and that was when it was 10 miles out.

Q And then three miles, and it doesn't turn west for another eight minutes.
So it sounds like it's still coming --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, let me make that -- it went back down to yellow at
12:11 p.m. At some point before that, obviously, it had to turn west and be
traveling away from the White House. So thank you for -- no, thank you for
clarifying that, because they wouldn't go back down to yellow if it were
still traveling toward the White House.

Q Right. And I guess what I'm asking, if you can establish the closest that
the plane came to the White House.

MR. McCLELLAN: I think it was just within three-and-a-half miles. I don't
think it was too much closer than that.

Q Scott, was it red through --

Q Three, or three-and-a-half --

Q -- from 12:03 p.m. to 12:11 p.m.?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, it would have been that entire time.

Q And was this the most serious alert since 9/11?

MR. McCLELLAN: John was asking me to characterize that. To my knowledge --
I mean, I don't know of another time when we were at that level for that
period of time. But, as I said, that's what I can recall. You might want to
double-check with the Secret Service on that. I couldn't verify that for
you from this podium.

Q Actually, my question was, is this the closest that an aircraft has
gotten to the White House?

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, that -- I don't know that that's the case, either. As
you pointed out, there was the governor's plane, the governor of Kentucky's
plane -- I'm not sure how close that came.

Q You just used the figure three-and-a-half miles, within three-and-a-half
miles. What is the --

MR. McCLELLAN: Within three miles.

Q Three miles?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q Okay, very well.

MR. McCLELLAN: I hope I -- well, I didn't mean to use three-and-a-half, if
I did.

Are we still on this topic, or are we ready to move on to other topics?

Q Another one here on this.

Q One more.

MR. McCLELLAN: One more? One more, go ahead in the back.

Q -- that the Secret Service has a pecking order of who they're going to
save, the President, the First Lady and then the press would be --
(laughter) --

Q Way down. (Laughter.)

Q We might be below Barney and Ms. Beazley. (Laughter.)

MR. McCLELLAN: I think everybody is a priority for the Secret Service, and
everybody's safety and security is the priority for the Secret Service.
There are a lot of personnel that work here at the White House. Obviously,
there's a detail that is assigned to the President, there's a detail
assigned to the Vice President, as well as Mrs. Bush, and they take their
steps, as well. And then others around the White House are taking steps at
the same time. So I don't think I would characterize it that way.

Q Scott --

MR. McCLELLAN: Wait, are we jumping subjects now?

Q No, I've got one more.

MR. McCLELLAN: Ed Chen. Who's in your seat?

Q Evildoers.

Q I just want to be clear on the color --

MR. McCLELLAN: Stop the name-calling.

Q -- on the color alerts. The feeling is not as good back here. (Laughter.)
This is totally separate from the post-9/11 Homeland Security alert system,
first of all, right, the color scheme? And is it --

MR. McCLELLAN: I believe that's correct.

Q And so, how far back does it go, and how many -- how many colors?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I don't have that for you. You might want to
double-check with the Secret Service on that.

Are we ready to jump subjects now?

Q Yes.

MR. McCLELLAN: Okay, David Sanger had the first one, so I want to go back
--

Q Actually, I have one last question on this subject, if I may, please. Who
was the most senior official not evacuated from the White House, and who
remained in charge here after all these evacuations?

MR. McCLELLAN: There were senior staff that were here at the White House at
the time.

Q That were not evacuated?

MR. McCLELLAN: There was some senior staff that was taken to a more secure
location.

Q And some senior staff was not evacuated to a more secure location?

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know that.

Q Okay. So the senior staff was evacuated, is your understanding, correct?

MR. McCLELLAN: As I said, I know that there was some senior staff that was
taken to a more secure location.

Q Who was in charge? Who was giving orders here?

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me double-check all that for you.

Q Thank you.

MR. McCLELLAN: Okay.

Q Was this the first time you had seen the interior of a secure location?

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I'm not going to go beyond just being moved to a
secure location.

Q Scott, is there a bathroom in the secure location?

MR. McCLELLAN: All right, are we ready to move? Go ahead.

Q The North Koreans today --

MR. McCLELLAN: It's not the Greenbrier --

Q Right. There's no room service. The North Koreans said today that they
had pulled the rods from their reactor. There's some reason to be skeptical
of their claims. Is there any independent verification of this from the --

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I think that those are intelligence-related matters.
You know that I don't get into discussing those matters from this podium. I
will make the point that all parties to the six-party talks have concerns
about North Korea's behavior. North Korea's provocative comments and
provocative steps that they take only further isolate it from the rest of
the international community. We want to get North Korea back to the
six-party talks because we believe that is the way forward to achieving our
shared objective with all the other parties to the talks, and that is a
nuclear-free peninsula. And so that's what our focus -- that's where our
focus remains at this point.

Q When you're done answering all the questions, you have to go back on
today's incident, if you could also find out if there is an unclassified
answer to the question of, do we believe the North Koreans are telling the
truth in this particular incident.

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I don't think we're going to get into discussing
intelligence-related matters. But that's why I made the point that
provocative comments and steps by North Korea only further isolate it from
the international community. And we would hope that North Korea would agree
to return to the six-party talks soon so that we can talk in a serious way
about how to move forward on the proposal that we have on the table. And I
think all parties to the talks are urging North Korea to come back to the
six-party talk process.

Q Scott, what can you tell us about the -- what you know now about the hand
grenade in Georgia, whether one was tossed near the stage, whether you guys
believe the story?

MR. McCLELLAN: The Secret Service, along with the FBI, are looking into it.
In terms of what happened or what it was, I think there are different
reports about that. It's an ongoing investigation at this point.

Q Has anyone seen the device? As of last night, no one had even seen it.

MR. McCLELLAN: You might want to check with the Secret Service. As of this
morning, I don't believe that we had. But you also heard from the -- I
believe the Secretary of the National Security Council in Georgia making
some additional comments this morning, as well. And at this point, it's
just an ongoing investigation. You probably want to direct that question to
the Secret Service and see if there's additional detail. I have not heard
additional detail from the Secret Service, and I've been being kept
apprised of what we do know.

Q On that, Scott, is the President frustrated that Georgian authorities did
not inform U.S. officials until hours after the President left that there
was even such a device?

MR. McCLELLAN: I appreciate that question. I think that we still need to
gather the facts, let the investigation continue, and we'll see what we
learn from that. Let's let the investigation process, and then maybe we can
get more into those questions at that point.

Q On that same subject --

MR. McCLELLAN: Welcome to the White House.

Q Thanks, Scott.

Q Did they consider moving the President off the stage at any point in
time, do you know?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?

Q Was there any discussion about moving him off of the stage, out of that
area?

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I'll get you additional information as we can on
those -- oh, you're talking about Tbilisi?

Q Yes.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, in terms of -- in terms of what the Secret Service did?
I think that they've responded to that through their Public Affairs Office.
You might want to look back at what they said on that very matter. But in
terms of, if the President was ever in danger, the Secret Service obviously
would have taken steps to make sure that he was in a secure location.

Q So there was never any discussion about moving him?

MR. McCLELLAN: No.

Q Or getting him off the stage?

MR. McCLELLAN: No. Again, we didn't know about the incident until after the
event.

Q Yes, we didn't, but they might have.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, the Secret Service has publicly responded, saying that
they were not aware of the incident until we were informed by Georgian
authorities. And I think the initial contact came somewhere a couple hours
after the event, and after we had departed.

Q Do you know if -- how they determined that it was inactive, the grenade?

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know that that's been determined or not at this
point. I've heard the Georgian Secretary of the National Secretary Council
speak to that, I think. But I don't know that that's been determined from
our standpoint, because, going back to the earlier question here that was
asked whether or not we'd actually seen the device, meaning the Secret
Service or FBI, and the last I had heard, we had not. But that was earlier
this morning, and they were keeping me apprised of any new details.

Q Just one more question on that same subject -- before he ever spoke,
there were reports coming out of the region -- on our wire anyway -- that
the crowds had grown impatient and they were breaking through the police
lines. They were tired wading through security. So it was clear from the
get-go, before he ever even got there to speak, that there were quite a few
people who had been -- who had gotten through without being checked. Was
there any concern at that point?

MR. McCLELLAN: Keep in mind this was a very large crowd -- estimates
anywhere from 150,000 upwards of 250,000, 300,000. And in terms of the
security, the people, as I indicated earlier this morning, the people that
were closer in to the President had all gone through a sweep, or been
through the magnetometer. The people further out that were further back
from where the President was may not have been, but you ought to
double-check that with the Secret Service. But those that were close in to
the President were.

Q -- expressed some concerns before the speech ever even occurred that this
had happened and that maybe the President --

MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said, if the Secret Service had concerns, they would
have taken appropriate steps.

Q On a different subject, if I might move on. On the Bolton nomination,
what role did the White House play in the coordination of this briefing
that took place, involving personnel from the National Security Agency --
or, actually, it was the DNI -- Deputy DNI, General Hayden -- what role did
the White House place in the briefing, in coordinating the briefing between
the Deputy DNI and the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Senate
Intelligence Committee that took place last night?

MR. McCLELLAN: That took place last night?

Q Yes.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we were returning from our trip last night. Let me see
if I've got additional information to share on that. But if you're talking
about making sure that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has the
information they need to do their job, which is to make a decision on his
nomination, we have worked to make sure that they have the information they
need to be able to move forward on the nomination. We hope that they will
move forward tomorrow and vote his nomination out of committee. And then
his nomination can be voted on, on the floor of the United States Senate.
We believe he will be confirmed. We look forward to the Senate moving
quickly to get him in place. We want to see him at the United Nations so he
can get about doing the important work of reform. John Bolton is exactly
the kind of person we need at the United Nations.

There's an excellent piece by Ed Meese and James Baker in one of the major
papers today, talking about how uniquely qualified he was, and how he was a
person of high integrity, and that he would do a very good job as the
ambassador to the United Nations. And I think those are people that are
highly respected and people that have worked very closely with John Bolton
in the past.

Q I will not forget that you characterized that op-ed as "excellent" the
next time you say at that podium that you don't do press reviews. But my
question on the NSA --

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't think they're reporters.

Q All right. On the NSA intercepts question, had the White House been
involved at any time leading up to the briefing in terms of clearing what
material could be divulged to the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Senate
Intelligence Committee?

MR. McCLELLAN: You just asked this question a second ago. I don't have any
more information in terms of that. I know that we -- that the State
Department has worked to be very responsive to what the committee needs,
and to make sure that they have the information they need to do their job,
and they have kind of been the lead in terms of coordinating those
responses.

Q One final question on the subject, if I may. The Senate Intelligence --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think yesterday in their briefing, the State Department
referred reporters to the National Security Agency for the questions of
that nature, and what they were doing to respond to the committee, as well.

Q They've got a terrific press shop over there. My final question on it.
The Senate Intelligence Committee has, in addition to sort of acting as the
interlocutor in the receipt of this information of the NSA intercepts, has,
in addition to that, also begun conducting its own interviews of witnesses.
Some of these witnesses have already been interviewed twice by the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee. And I'm wondering if you regard it as
unwelcome that there is now a second committee that is acting as a
fact-finding body in the Bolton nomination.

MR. McCLELLAN: We respect the role of the Senate in the confirmation
process and we are here to work closely with them to get his nomination
through the confirmation process so that he can get up to the U.N. and
start doing the work that we need him to do.

Q Scott, did you say why Nancy Reagan was here? What was she doing here at
the White House?

MR. McCLELLAN: She's in town I think for a recognition ceremony for her
husband. And she's staying at the White House while she's in town.

Q Scott, the President's fellow Republican, Governor Schwarzenegger said on
network TV this weekend that groups such as the Minutemen are rising up to
guard our borders because the federal government is failing to secure the
nation and more manpower is needed on our borders. And my first question,
does the President believe Governor Schwarzenegger is wrong or right?

MR. McCLELLAN: The President believes that we need to continue taking steps
to strengthen our border security. We have taken a number of steps since
September 11th, and we will continue to take additional steps to secure our
border. And one thing that we can do that will help in that regard is to
move forward on the President's immigration reforms.

Q The President's Department of Homeland Security held a press conference
in Douglas, Arizona, from which they barred editor and publisher Chris
Simcox of the Tombstone Tumbleweed, who is one of the organizers of the
Minutemen. And my question, is the President --

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry, what event was this?

Q What?

MR. McCLELLAN: You lost me in the first couple minutes of your question.

Q Chris Simcox is an accredited Arizona editor, and he was barred from this
press conference by the Department of Homeland Security.

MR. McCLELLAN: Which press conference? I'm sorry, which press conference?

Q And he was --

MR. McCLELLAN: Les, which press conference?

Q In Douglas, Arizona. Is the President appalled by this exclusion of an
accredited newsman?

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know the facts about that. I think you ought to
direct it to --

Q But the U.S. senators -- his U.S. senators were there. Kyl and --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think you ought to talk to Homeland Security. I don't keep
up with all the press --

Q Will you check on this?

MR. McCLELLAN: -- conferences that they have across the nation. I would
refer you to the Department of Homeland Security.

Q Scott, the House Ways and Means Committee starts hearing tomorrow on
Social Security. What do you think needs to happen to end this stalemate on
private accounts, in particular?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, let me make a couple of points. The President has put
forward ideas for permanently strengthening Social Security and making it
better for our children and grandchildren. We would hope the Democrats
would now come to the table.

President Clinton just recently was interviewed by a news organization and
he said, himself, that the Democrats need to come up with a plan for
strengthening Social Security and that they should do that within the next
couple of weeks. I think this interview occurred last week. So we hope the
Democrats will start coming to the table, instead of simply saying what
they're against, or offering "no" to everything that is proposed. We
welcome people that are putting forward ideas for solving this problem that
will make it permanently sound and make it better for our children and
grandchildren.

The President's at the table, and we welcome D