| 00:00:275 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Welcome. Thanks for coming. A couple opening statements, and we'll answer two questions apiece. |
| 00:00:3236 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Mr. Prime Minister, we're really thrilled you're here. Laura and I love having you and Anne-Mette with us. Pretty good guests when you can have a meaningful... |
| 00:01:0825 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
I want to share with you some of the things we talked about. First of all, we talked about the war on terror and ideological struggle of the 21st century.... |
| 00:01:3350 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
I do want to thank you very much for the strong support of the NATO mission in Afghanistan. I know brave Danish soldiers have lost their lives. Our... |
| 00:02:2322 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
I also appreciate very much the Danish contributions to help the people of Iraq. I strongly believe on the policy of return on success. We're returning... |
| 00:02:4519 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
I also was able to share with you my sense of what's happening in Iraq. We're watching a young democracy grow -- much to the amazement of a lot of critics,... |
| 00:03:0435 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
We're looking forward to our summit in Bucharest. We talked about what we intend to do and how to work to have a comprehensive, strategic plan available... |
| 00:03:3911 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
We talked about the spirit of NATO's open door policy, and we jointly welcome new nations in the Alliance, so long as they meet the standards for membership. |
| 00:03:5020 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
We also talked about other global challenges. We talked about Iran, about how Iran must verifiably suspend its uranium enrichment program and come clean... |
| 00:04:1022 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
We also talked about Africa. I briefed the Prime Minister on our trip to Africa, talked about our mutual desire to help the folks suffering in Darfur.... |
| 00:04:3231 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Finally, we talked about climate change -- more than once. We talked about climate change as I showed him my ranch, and about how we're conservationists... |
| 00:05:0311 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
And -- look, it was a great visit. And I'm now looking forward to giving the man a hamburger -- (laughter) -- after answering a couple of questions.... |
| 00:05:1452 sec. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
Thank you very much, Mr. President. Let me, first of all, express my gratitude for your invitation to visit your ranch in Crawford. My wife and I are... |
| 00:06:061 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Thank you, sir. |
| 00:06:0753 sec. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
Mr. President, freedom, democracy and human rights are the core values that unite us. Freedom and dignity of the individual are universal values. It... |
| 00:07:002 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Thank you, sir. |
| 00:07:0225 sec. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
And it is no easy task. There are obstacles and opponents. But I do share your vision: Freedom is universal. And in the struggle between democracy and... |
| 00:07:2735 sec. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
That is why we are in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban. That is why we removed a brutal dictator in Iraq. That is why your leadership in the Middle... |
| 00:08:0231 sec. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
The United States and Europe are key partners in this endeavor. Through NATO and the European Union, we reach out to aspiring countries like Ukraine... |
| 00:08:3340 sec. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
Mr. President, as you mentioned, in 2009, Denmark will host the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. And it will take place in the "Land... |
| 00:09:1356 sec. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
Climate is a huge international challenge. Many countries are suffering from adverse weather conditions. We need to protect our globe. We need to reduce... |
| 00:10:0916 sec. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
Mr. President, together we have handled the challenges of the past. Now let us together meet the challenges and threats of the future. We owe that to... |
| 00:10:251 sec. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
Thank you. |
| 00:10:26 |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Thank you, sir. |
| 00:10:263 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Deb. |
| 00:10:2927 sec. |
Q, -
Mr. President, I'd like to ask you about Iraq. General Petraeus and Gates are talking about a pause in troop reductions once we get to the pre-surge... |
| 00:10:562 min. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
To the latter, look, he's a neighbor. And the message needs to be, quit sending in sophisticated equipment that's killing our citizens, and that the... |
| 00:13:022 sec. |
Q, -
Can I ask just one follow-up? |
| 00:13:042 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Maybe. (Laughter.) |
| 00:13:066 sec. |
Q, -
Are you worried about reducing U.S. troop presence before the elections in October? |
| 00:13:124 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Deb, that's what I said, that politics isn't going to play into it. |
| 00:13:162 sec. |
Q, -
You mean Iraqi politics? |
| 00:13:182 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Oh, you mean the Iraqi -- I thought you meant our -- |
| 00:13:20 |
Q, -
No, no. |
| 00:13:201 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
I didn't listen. |
| 00:13:212 sec. |
Q, -
I'm sorry. |
| 00:13:231 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
I apologize. |
| 00:13:241 sec. |
Q, -
I believe there's provincial elections coming up in -- |
| 00:13:251 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
There are. |
| 00:13:261 sec. |
Q, -
Okay. |
| 00:13:271 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
The 1st of October 2008. That's very observant. |
| 00:13:282 sec. |
Q, -
Would you be worried about -- |
| 00:13:305 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
And I was not being observant. And it must be because I'm just so relaxed on the ranch, I didn't even bother to listen to your question. (Laughter.) |
| 00:13:353 sec. |
Q, -
Would you be concerned about doing it before then? |
| 00:13:3827 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
I think our generals ought to be concerned about making sure there's enough of a presence so that the provincial elections can be carried off in such... |
| 00:14:0518 sec. |
Q, -
Thank you. Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, the war in Iraq, if we could stay on that subject for just a minute. I mean, it's been going on for almost... |
| 00:14:232 min. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
That's an interesting question. One thing I wouldn't do differently is leave Saddam Hussein in power. It was the right decision then; it's the right... |
| 00:16:373 sec. |
Q, -
Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you for bringing us to the great weather. |
| 00:16:405 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Yes, back to Texas, man. I cut his teeth in Texas. (Laughter.) |
| 00:16:4531 sec. |
Q, -
Mr. President, you've had an opportunity to meet with multiple leaders this week to talk about the war in Afghanistan. As you head into the NATO summit... |
| 00:17:162 min. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
As you know, my administration has made it abundantly clear, we expect people to carry their -- to carry a heavy burden if they're going to be in Afghanistan.... |
| 00:19:17 |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
Thank you very much. We have to make sure that our mission in Afghanistan will be a success. A lot is at stake for the Afghan people, for international... |
| 00:02:0018 min. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Final question, Anders. I'm getting hungry. (Laughter.) |
| 00:20:512 sec. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
Yes. We have a Danish gentlemen over here. |
| 00:20:531 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
Yes. |
| 00:20:5427 sec. |
Q, -
Mr. Prime Minister, you talked about climate. Did these talks make you believe that a bridge can be made so that there will be an agreement at the U.N.... |
| 00:21:2139 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
You know, that's a very clever attempt -- I'm going to let him answer the climate change thing, but it's a very clever attempt by you to drag me into... |
| 00:22:001 min. |
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
Thank you. Our talks about climate change have really been encouraging. Actually -- excuse me, Mr. President -- I think the American President is really... |
| 00:23:0115 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
I know when he says "committed environmentalist," it doesn't conform to stereotype. All I ask people is to look at the record. Thank you all very... |
| 00:23:162 sec. |
Q, -
Did you vote in the Texas primary? |
| 00:23:1837 sec. |
Bush, George W. - President, [R] United States
I did, and I'm not telling you who. (Laughter.) Thank you. |