Do we need another diary about Bush interviews with German journalists? You bet your bass we do!
Interview with Sabine Christiansen:
Bush: See, they have an advantage, "they" being the Iranians. They don't have a press like the German press and the United States press, that is constantly reporting. They don't have democracies that are holding leaders to account. They're non- transparent. So, therefore, their negotiating position is much stronger than ours in many ways.
Here's the punchline: Accountability and transparency! Ha ha ha.
Q Let's go over to Iraq. Two German hostages who were held in Iraq for months, they just returned home safely, but Iraq remains a major terrorist base. Despite more than, I think, 130,000 U.S. soldiers there, are in the country, what do you say to the many Europeans who feel the Iraq war has made the world a less safer place?
Bush: I would say that they need to look at the facts, that Saddam Hussein was a very dangerous person in the world. Saddam Hussein had used weapons of mass destruction. Obviously, we didn't find them like everybody thought we would, but we did know he had the capacity to make them. He had harbored terrorists. He had invaded his neighborhood. And the removal of Saddam Hussein was the right thing to do.
By all means, let's look at the facts. You start.
Bush: And, obviously, the Guantanamo issue is a sensitive issue for people. I very much would like to end Guantanamo; I very much would like to get people to a court. And we're waiting for our Supreme Court to give us a decision as to whether the people need to have a fair trial in a civilian court or in a military court.
Because getting a fair trial in America is something that the Supreme Court needs to decide.
Bush: And so it's -- no, listen, our country is strong on human rights and civil rights. That's why we're leading the case in funding for HIV/AIDS in Africa. That's why we're trying to rally the nation to do something about Darfur -- the genocide in Darfur. That's why we provide food for the hungry. That's why we try to liberate people when we find them in the clutches of tyranny.
When he says "we", Bush means Tom "we will protest Darfur even if we go to jail" Lantos and Cardinal Roger "we will feed the hungry even if we go to jail" Mahoney.
Bush: It's worth it. It's worth it.I wouldn't have spent it if it wasn't worth it. Any time we put a troop in harm's way, they will get support. We're not going -- I'm not going to ask a parent -- I'm not going to be able to tell a parent, nor will I tell a parent your son, who volunteered, or your daughter who volunteered is not going to get the full support of the federal government. And so long as we've got people in harm's way, this government is going to support them.
Except for taking their body armor away. It's just not safe.
Bush: No, I've always said greenhouse gasses are a problem. There is an argument there as to whether or not they're naturally made or man-made. And my attitude is, let's just get beyond that argument and do something about it. I believe that we need more nuclear power. If you're really interested in solving greenhouse gas problems, nuclear power is one of the great renewable sources of energy. I know it's controversial.
Bush's idea for a green and transparent democracy: it glows in the dark.
Bush: So I'm the kind of person that tries to establish a good personal relationship with somebody, and then we can sit down and talk and I tell them what's on my mind, and they tell me what's on his. And I have expressed our nation's concerns about -- for example, when they shut down parts of the press corps, I said, Vladimir, people are wondering why you're making the decision you're making. A free press is an indication of a healthy democracy. And he had an answer.
He had an answer. Bush reports, you decide.
Q You are. Do you think you've turned a little bit into a soccer fan? I mean, your team is doing so well at the moment and --
Bush: That's what they tell me. I do know a little bit about the World Cup because I read a very interesting article about the German coach -- and evidently he's a dynamic -- you know, he's spending some time in California. And the World Cup is such a huge event that I think most Americans like me, who weren't raised on soccer, are beginning to pay attention to it. Now, I know that sounds like heresy in Germany.
They tell him he's a soccer fan. And that's the anomaly about the U.S.--lots of soccer moms, but no soccer kids.
Interview with Kai Diekmann:
Bush: I'll give you a quick tour before our interview. So, the first thing that a President does, which I didn't realize, was pick a rug. I have no idea about rugs. And so in this job you've got to delegate. The American President is in a position where there's just unbelievable complexities to the job -- Darfur, Iran -- a whole lot of issues. So I delegated the decision about the rug to my wife.
Again with the rug! Darfur and Iran set up the punchline. Nice.
Bush: Anyway, this is the Oval Office. It's a shrine to democracy. And we treat it that way. When people walk in here, they -- they don't come in here in bathing suits and flip-flops. They come in here dressed like they'd come to a shrine. It is to be respected and honored because the office of the President is bigger than the person who occupies it. It's one of the great things about a true democracy -- is that the institutions outlast the individuals, and therefore, there's stability in the process.
Take that, you Northwestern lacrosse heathens!
Bush: Secondly, the governments of the Western world understand that in order to protect our respective peoples there must be intelligence-sharing. We must be willing to converse with each other in ways that might not have happened before. In other words, if we know something is going to happen in Germany, it's very important for the United States government to call up its counterparts and to share that information. And there's a lot of that information-sharing.
And there should be less intelligence ignoring. Very important, that.
Bush: On the other hand, I take great comfort in knowing that the true Muslim -- Islam, itself, is a peaceful religion, and those who adhere to Islam are people that respect the rights of others. And there's common values in the great religions. And what we cannot allow happen is for these totalitarians, these Islamic extremists to distort a great religion and define the nature of that religion.
Wha..? Oh, I thought you were talking about Christianity there. Sorry, wrong extremists.
Bush: I, personally, have a working relationship with Vladimir Putin and that's very important. I've got a warm relationship with him. It's a relationship where I can sit down with him and ask him direct questions as to why he's made the decisions he's made.
But not tell you his answers. Heh heh.
Bush: One of our concerns is economic nationalism, to a certain extent, where he's using his oil companies to achieve what appears to be political objectives.
Really, this one's perfect without comment.
Bush: The point now is not what went on in the past. The point now is how do we work together to achieve important goals. And one such goal is a democracy in Germany [sic].
No, he said this. Really. But check out the fish quote!
When bin Laden says we'll bring harm to the West, I take them seriously.
Because he got burned the last time they ignored bin Laden...
Q The U.S. economy is booming.
Bush: Yes, it is. Thankfully.
Q Yes, it is booming because you made big tax cuts.
Bush: True.
Excuse me, Mr. Gannon? Mr. Gannon? We're trying to have an interview here. You'll have to leave. Please sign out this time.
Q You are a practicing Christian. Does having a German Pope 60 years after World War II have a special meaning to you?
Bush: You know, it's interesting that the last two Holy Fathers were from the same neighborhood. The Holy Father who just passed away, who was a great man, came from Poland and really helped rally the spirits of the people to challenge the tyranny of communism. And the current Holy Father came from a country torn asunder by war and is witness to a renewal of a united Germany. And I think it helps the world to have that perspective in a very important position of leadership. I admire the two Popes. These are strong, capable men who challenge the concept of moral relevancy.
Of course they were on opposite sides of the Nazi fence, but why quibble about facts?
Q Three last very short questions. What was the most wonderful moment in your terms of being President so far, and what was the most awful moment?
Bush: The most awful moment was September the 11th, 2001.
Q The famous picture when somebody gave you the information?
Bush: Yes, that. I think, like all of us, it took a while for the -- it was more than a moment. It was the event and the aftermath.
It took at least seven minutes to finish My Pet Goat.
Bush: The best moment was -- you know, I've had a lot of great moments. I don't know, it's hard to characterize the great moments. They've all been busy moments, by the way. I would say the best moment was when I caught a seven-and-a-half pound large mouth bass on my lake. (Laughter.)
Q Perfect.
Indeed.