For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 7, 2006
Interview of the President by Kai Diekmann of BILD
The Oval Office
May 5, 2006
1:55 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Have you ever been in the Oval Office before?
Q Once, a long time ago --
THE PRESIDENT: 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.
The second thing a President has got to do is have a strategic mind. In
order to be successful, in my judgment, as the President, you've got to
constantly think strategically. And so I said to her, you pick out the
colors, you be the tactical person, but I want it to say "optimistic
person." That's all I wanted it to say. Here is the result. Isn't it
beautiful?
Q Yes, it is very beautiful.
THE PRESIDENT: There's a sense of optimism when you come in here. And
there's a reason why. You cannot lead people unless you're optimistic
about what you're doing. You've got to believe it in your very soul. One
of the interesting things about the presidency is people watch me like a
hawk. They're looking at my moves. And if I'm going to be wringing my
hands and if I'm all worried about the decisions I make are not going to
lead to a better tomorrow, they'll figure it out.
And so when you talk to me today, I just want you to know I not only
strongly believe in the decisions I make, I'm optimistic that they're going
to work -- very optimistic.
These are all Texas paintings. That's West Texas, those are other Texas
paintings. At least if you're a Texan, it reflects a way of life and a way
of thinking. The interesting thing about Washington is that they want me
to change -- they being the -- and I'm not changing, you know. You can't
make decisions if you don't know who you are, and you flip around with the
politics. You've got to stay strong in what you believe and optimistic
about that you'll get good results.
And so --the other thing I want you to know about me is that no matter how
pressurized it may seem, I'm not changing what I believe. Now, I may
change tactics, but I'm not going to change my core beliefs -- a belief
that freedom is universal, or the belief that private markets work, a
belief in ownership -- when p own something, society is better off; a
belief that there's a role for government, but it's limited in nature. And
I'm not changing. I don't care whether they like me at the cocktail
parties, or not. I want to be able to leave this office with my integrity
intact.
That's George Washington, the first President, of course. The interesting
thing about him is that I read three -- three or four books about him last
year. Isn't that interesting? People say, so what? Well, here's the "so
what." You never know what your history is going to be like until long
after you're gone. If they're still analyzing the presidency of George
Washington -- (laughter.) So Presidents shouldn't worry about the
history. You just can't. You do what you think is right, and if you're
thinking big enough, that history will eventually prove you right or wrong.
But you won't know in the short-term.
Lincoln -- this is the place on the Oval Office wall where the President
puts the most -- the best President, and I put Lincoln here, and I don't
think there's any question -- now, people will have their -- but I think he
was the most influential President ever. And the reason why is because
that in the midst of a difficult presidency, needless to say -- the Civil
War, thousands of people dying, with Americans killing Americans -- he had
a vision of a United States. It's conceivable this country would have
ended up being two countries had he not had a clear vision, even though all
around him was seemingly falling apart. He was a great President.
That's called, "A Charge To Keep," based upon a religious hymn. The hymn
talks about serving God. The President's job is never to promote a
religion. The great thing about America -- and Germany, for that matter --
is that you should be able to worship freely. I like to tell people,
you're equally American whether you're a Jew, Muslim, Christian, or Atheist
-- you're equally all Americans -- and that if we ever lose that, we begin
to look like the Taliban.
I understand in parts of Europe, some scoff at my faith. It doesn't bother
me. But I happen to believe, for me at least, faith is one way to make
sure that my values stay intact, and that I keep life in proper
perspective, which is a very important part, in my judgment, of being a
good decision-maker.
Finally, the desk, where we'll have our picture taken in front of -- is
nine other Presidents used it. This was given to us by Queen Victoria in
the 1870s, I think it was. President Roosevelt put the door in so people
would not know he was in a wheelchair. John Kennedy put his head out the
door.
Q Yes, the very famous picture --
THE PRESIDENT: That's it -- the most famous picture. And then Reagan,
interestingly enough, put the bottom on there. He was a big guy, he didn't
want to bump his knees under the desk.
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.
Some Presidents forget that they're not bigger than the office. But all
Presidents must always honor the office and remember it is a sacred trust
to uphold the honor of the presidency.
Q Thank you for taking the time.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, glad to do it.
Q BILD has 12 million readers. It's the largest newspaper in Germany.
And there's one thing which is really special about our newspaper -- every
German who wants to work for the newspaper, he has to sign in his working
contrasts some beliefs -- and there's the belief you have to be for
reunification, you have to be against totalitarianism from riots on the
right side and the left side, and you have to be for the peace and for the
understanding with Israel, and, since September 11th, we have a new belief
-- you have to be for partnership with America. Otherwise, you can't work
for us, you can't come -- you have to sign it in your contract.
THE PRESIDENT: My kind of guy. (Laughter.)
Q Okay, so I would like to start. Mr. President, the fifth anniversary
of the terrible 9/11 attack is nearing. Has the Western world really
learned the right lessons from 9/11?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes. The Western world, by and large, understands that we
face an enemy that is cold-blooded and will kill innocent life to achieve
an objective. That killing not only took place on September 11th here in
our country, but it has taken place in other countries around the world
since then.
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.
Thirdly, we understand that money is what fuels these terror cells, and the
idea of sharing intelligence about the movement of money is necessary to
make sure we protect our people.
The degree of understanding about September the 11th varies, however. For
some people around the world, September the 11th was just a terrible
moment. For me, and a lot of other people in America, September the 11th
was a change of attitude; it was a call to arms in the sense that this is
the first -- for America -- the first battle of the war in the 21st
century.
One of the things that I hope people come to understand is that there are
two ways to defeat this enemy: One is to bring them to justice so they
don't harm people, which means we've got to be constantly on the offense,
finding them where they hide and bringing them to justice. And secondly,
is that the way to defeat their hateful ideology is by the spread of
liberty. That notion -- some understand that, and some don't. But I want
your readers to understand, I fully understand it -- that liberty will
yield peace that we all want.
And so part of our strategy is to work with countries, particularly in the
Middle East, to encourage the spread of liberty and freedom. And we're
making progress there.
Q But still we see bombs in Tel Aviv --
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q -- suicide bombers, and just a couple of days ago, even the U.S.
government delivered a warning that there could be attacks and strikes at
the World Cup in Germany.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q Do you really believe we have a chance to win the war against
terrorism?
THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely. I know this: that if we don't try to win the
war on terrorism, the world will be a lot worse off; that if we believe
these are just isolated incidents and people are maybe just temporarily
angry, it is an attitude that will ultimately lead to more catastrophe,
more danger.
This is an enemy which is has clearly stated they have ambitions. They
want to spread their ideology throughout -- starting in the Middle East.
They want to topple moderate government. They want to -- they believe
capitalists and democrats are soft -- by democrats I mean people living in
democracies are soft. They believe it's just a matter of time before the
Western world tires. They have stated clearly they want weapons of mass
destruction, and that they want safe haven from which to launch their
attacks. This is what the enemy has said. And I think those of us in
positions of responsibility must take the words of the enemy very
seriously.
They can be defeated, and they will be defeated -- so long as we don't lose
our nerve. And so the United States is committed to finding these folks
where they hide, to bringing them to justice, which we're doing, and to --
but recognizing that the world has changed from the world of the past
because of the spread of liberty. Just look at Europe. It's whole, free,
and at peace, because democracies live side-by-side in peace. That's one
of the great lessons of the 20th century. And it's a lesson that must be
applied to the 21st century.
And so, absolutely, we can win this war on terror. The victory in the war
on terror won't come with a signing ceremony. The victory in the war on
terror will come as the enemy becomes more and more marginalized. You
cannot judge defeat or victory on whether or not a suicide bomber is able
to pull off an attack. You can see progress in the war on terror as new
democracies take hold around the world and deny -- which denies an enemy a
safe haven.
And one such democracy that's now evolving and getting stronger is Iraq.
Another such new democracy is Afghanistan -- 50 million people who once
lived under the thumb of a tyrant -- or two tyrants now are free. And I
strongly believe the world is better off for it, and I know that those two
democracies are a major defeat for the terrorists.
Q We have to learn in dealing with the Muslim world. Do we learn the
right lessons? Do we have to deal in a different way with the Muslim
world?
THE PRESIDENT: There is a -- there needs to be more understanding between
the Muslim world and the Western world. There needs to be a better
understanding of the true beliefs of their respective religions. We must
understand words mean things to different people. There's got to be a
better way to communicate with ourselves. Sometimes my own messages send
signals that I don't mean to send, but stirs up anxieties in the Muslim
world.
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.
And so there's a lot of work that needs to be done between America and the
West and the Muslim world, but we can do that work without sacrificing the
need to defend ourselves and without condemning people to tyranny.
Q How important is the partnership between the United States and Europe
when it comes to the war on terror?
THE PRESIDENT: The partnership between the United States and Europe is a
vital partnership that transcends the war on terror. Part of our
relationship is working together in the war on terror. But there are many
other areas where we can and will continue to work together.
One such area is, obviously, trade. Europe and the United States benefit
from free and fair trade. Another area is to help those who are afflicted
with disease, like HIV/AIDS on the continent of Africa. Another is to deal
with suffering that we see in the world. And, hopefully, we'll be very
strong in our determination to end the genocide in Darfur of Sudan.
But when the United States and Europe cooperate, we can achieve security
for our people, and enhance the prosperity for our people, as well -- as
well as do our duty. See, I believe there's a duty to help ease the
suffering in the world. I believe in the admonition that to whom much is
given, much is required. And the United States -- the people of the United
States have been given a lot. We're a blessed nation. And same for the
people of Europe. And we have a duty to work together to help relieve the
suffering of those who are less fortunate.
Q In this context, is Russia a reliable democratic partner?
THE PRESIDENT: Russia is a country in transition. And if you really think
about where our fathers, at our age, if they had been sitting around
talking about Russia -- maybe a little younger -- they would have been
talking about an enemy, the great Soviet Union. And by the way, that enemy
at that point in time, bound the relationship between Germany and the
United States -- at least a part of Germany and the United States -- very
closely. It gave us a common front.
So Russia no longer is that enemy. And that's a major change. Secondly,
Russia is a country that has made some signals that are mixed signals,
signals that allow -- cause us to question their commitment to whether or
not they intend to become a true democracy, where there's a freedom of the
press, or freedom of religion, all the different freedoms that are inherent
in democracy.
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. It's a relationship where he
questions me about what the intentions of the United States may be. It's
one that I value, and I think it's an important relationship not only for
the United States to have, but it's an important relationship for countries
in Europe for the United States to have a relationship with Vladimir Putin.
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. And we make our concerns known when someone uses natural gas,
for example, to effect -- to send signals to government. As you might
recall, Secretary Rice was in Europe, and she spoke out loudly about the
gas contracts with Ukraine. And the reason she did that is it's -- we have
a duty to express our concerns, but in such a way that the relationship is
one that -- where, at my level, I'm able to be comfortable in discussing
concerns with Vladimir Putin.
We've got commonality when it comes to dealing with proliferation. It's
very important that the United States and Russia work closely to make sure
that nuclear materials are stored as safely as possible. We've got
commonality when it comes to fighting the war on terror. And we've now got
a new, important issue to work together on, as well as working together
with Germany and others, and that's Iran.
Q What role must Germany play in the war on terror?
THE PRESIDENT: Germany plays a vital role in the war on terror. Germany
is in the heart of Europe. Germany is -- whether it's this current
administration or the previous administration, we have had a, amongst our
intelligence services, as well as our law enforcement services, a close
coordination and a close discussion. Germany's will is important. When
the German Chancellor stands up and says the war on terror must be won, or
is a vital part of the security of our peoples, people around the world
listen. Germany plays a very important role.
Q Taking a look at the past, do the Americans feel that the Germans
abandoned them when they went to war with Saddam Hussein?
THE PRESIDENT: I've come to realize that the nature of the German people
are such that war is very abhorrent, that Germany is a country now that is
-- no matter where they sit on the political spectrum, Germans are -- just
don't like war. And I can understand that. There's a generation of people
who had their lives torn about because of a terrible war.
I felt like -- I made the decision I made based upon my full understanding
that threats must be dealt with before they come to fruition. And I fully
understood during that period of time not everybody would agree with me.
And so we put together a significant coalition and followed through on a
difficult decision.
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]. And I appreciate the German government's -- previous
government's support and this government's support of helping the Iraqis
rebuild their lives. Training missions are important. Debt relief was
important. Gerhard Schr der relieved the debt on Iraq. And all those
gestures are very important gestures that say that even though people
disagreed with the decision to go into Iraq, we now agree that it's
important that a democracy in Iraq succeed. And that's how I view the
relationship.
Q The dictator is on trial now, but at the same time, the violence in
Iraq is getting worse. Is it really a victory? Is the war against Iraq
really a success?
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, yes, it's going to be a success, absolutely. When 12
million people go to the polls -- listen, these people lived under a brutal
tyrant. People seem to forget, quickly forget, the nature of Saddam
Hussein. This is a man who had used weapons of mass destruction on his own
people. He had invaded his neighbors -- Kuwait. He was shooting at U.S.
aircraft. He was violating sanctions. He had -- as we now know, he had
been using the oil-for-food program to enhance his own standing inside the
country. We didn't find the weapons of mass destruction that everybody
thought he had, but we do know he still had the capacity of making weapons
of mass destruction. He had ties to terrorist groups.
Removing Saddam Hussein has made the world a safer place. We found --
particularly for Iraqis. We found graves stuffed full of Iraqi men, women
and children. This guy was a brutal, brutal tyrant.
But it is hard work to go from a tyranny to a country based upon liberty.
We've been there three years. And I think if you look at the history of --
in post-World War II, it took a long period of time to recover. And yet we
live in a world where there's supposed to be instant success. And my work,
and the work of those of us in Iraq, require patience, and the need is to
give the Iraqi people a chance. And they haven't let us down.
Just think about what happened in December: 12 million people voted.
That's a lot of people going to the polls in the face of intimidation and
threats. These are people that had no chance to express themselves at a
ballot box during Saddam Hussein -- in free elections. And yet, when given
a chance, they went to the polls. And now what you're seeing is the
formation of a unity government. You've got Shia, Sunni and Kurds, all
committed to a unity government; all willing to fight off the terrorists,
to get rid of the militias, and to form a government that the Iraqi people
can be proud of.
And no question, there's still al Qaeda, which has said they want Iraq as a
base from which to attack, willing to recruit suicide bombers. Those are
hard to stop. But slowly, but surely, the Iraqis, with American help, are
reconciling their differences politically, are marginalizing those who are
still loyal to Saddam, and are bringing the al Qaeda and the foreign
fighters to justice.
Q But Iraq, it's still a long journey to peace, and now there's a new
threat. You already mentioned it, that is Iran.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q Iran is on the way to a nuclear program. How are we going to prevent
them from making true what they threaten us, for example, in destroying
Israel?
THE PRESIDENT: You know, it's interesting, the world in which we live is
one that requires great confidence in our values and strength of purpose.
And we are challenged with the Iranian issue. And I want your readers to
know that it is my desire and my belief we can solve this diplomatically.
And the best way to solve this issue diplomatically is for there to be
common purpose amongst the nations of the world.
Any diplomatic solution requires agreement on the goal. And there is solid
agreement that the Iranians should not have a nuclear weapon, or the
knowledge and capacity how to make a nuclear weapon. That agreement --
when I say that's the agreement, it's the agreement amongst Germany,
France, Great Britain, the United States, Russia, China, and a lot of other
nations. We all agree. And that's the most important step. If we didn't
agree on the goal, it would be impossible to put together a coalition, a
group of nations anxious to say to the Iranians with one voice, you're not
going to have a weapon.
The way forward diplomatically, because of the intransigence of the Iranian
government, is to go into the United Nations Security Council. And that's
where we're headed. And we are working closely with our counterparts to
develop the tactics to move forward once in the United Nations Security
Council. Our message there is, the Iranians have defied the world, and
you're now isolated. And it's your choice to make. They must make the
choice to give up their weapons.
People have said to me, well, why aren't you at the negotiating table? We
are at the negotiating table -- in this sense: We're with our partners on
a regular basis. I think about this issue a lot. I talk to respective
leaders a lot; the United States laid down the Security Council resolution,
along with others. I speak to Angela Merkel quite frequently on this
subject. It is the number-one item on our agenda, when it comes to
international coalitions. And the thing that we've got to do is be
effective. And what the Iranians are looking forward is weakness among our
group. They want to see how firm we are. So one of my jobs is to keep
people firm in our resolve. And it's easy, by the way, with your
Chancellor. She is firm in her resolve.
Q The German Chancellor and the new head of state, Olmert of Israel,
they said the Iranian President is as dangerous as Adolf Hitler. Do you
share their view?
THE PRESIDENT: I think that it's very important for us to take his words
very seriously. When people speak, it is important that we listen
carefully to what they say and take them seriously. For example, when al
Qaeda speaks, I take their words seriously. When bin Laden says we'll
bring harm to the West, I take them seriously. When Zarqawi says it's just
a matter of time for the U.S. to get out of Iraq so we can have safe haven,
I take him seriously. Zawahiri, the number two man in al Qaeda, he's
constantly speaking about their grand designs to spread their ideology.
And when Ahmadinejad speaks, we need to take it seriously, and when he says
he wants to destroy Israel, the world needs to take that very seriously.
It's a serious threat. It's a threat to an ally of the United States and
Germany. But what he's also saying is, if he's willing to destroy one
country, he'd be willing to destroy other countries. And, therefore, this
is a threat that has got to be dealt with in a way that -- where the world
-- this is an important moment for the world to come together and deal with
this in a way that's diplomatic, so that the next person who thinks, or the
next country that thinks they can threaten, will understand that there is
an effective response.
Q Do you rule out, as a last resort a military intervention against
Iran?
THE PRESIDENT: As you know, I have said this on German soil, I've said it
on U.S. soil, that my first choice is to solve this diplomatically. I
think we can, but all options are on the table.
Q Mr. President, it seems that since Chancellor Angela Merkel took
office, the ice age between Washington and Berlin is over. Are good
personal ties really so important for the relationship between America and
Germany?
THE PRESIDENT: I've always felt like it's important to establish personal
ties with my counterpart. And the reason why is, is that the role of a
President is to be a strategic thinker, as well as to be able to understand
the tactics necessary to achieve the strategic objectives. And in order to
be able to work strategically with my counterparts, I've got to have a
personal relationship with them. I've got to be in a position such that
when they speak, I listen, and when I speak, they listen, so they know that
there is a compatibility to the point where we're comfortable sharing
ideas, as we try to work together to solve problems.
And this world is full of problems. You're in the Oval Office during this
interview -- there are -- Sudan, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Israel-Palestine
-- I mean, that's just to name a few of the problems that come to this desk
that I deal with on a regular basis. In order for us to be effective, I've
got to have a personal relationship with other leaders so that we can work
together to achieve common objectives.
Q During a state visit in 1989, your father described Germany as
"partner leadership."
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q Does this statement still apply today?
THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely. Absolutely. And it's manifesting itself on
the Iranian issue. Chancellor Merkel has been strong. It's very important
for the Iranians to know that there is a Germany committed to working with
others to send the strong message to the Iranians that their nuclear
ambitions, their nuclear weapons ambitions, will cause them isolation in
the world in which we live.
Q You will visit Germany in July. What would you -- did Angela Merkel
ask what you would like to see in Germany?
THE PRESIDENT: It's really interesting. She felt like it was important
for me to go to East Germany -- old East Germany. There is no East Germany
now. The old East Germany. And, one, I appreciated that a lot. You know,
we're all products of how we are raised and, in many ways, where we were
raised. If people want to get to know me better, they've got to know my
parents and the values my parents instilled in me, and the fact that I was
raised in West Texas, in the middle of the desert, a long way away from
anywhere, hardly. There's a certain set of values you learn in that
experience.
I was very intrigued by dealing with a very strong woman who had been
raised in a communist country and what it meant -- what it meant. I spent
some time with her upstairs in the private dining quarters here in the
White House complex, listening to her. I asked her what it was like to
grow up as a child. And the interesting thing, she first described her
mother and father, which said a lot to me about the kind of person she is.
I thought that was really insightful. She talked about her dad, the
pastor, and her mom. She talked about going to school in a communist
system. And she told me she wanted me to come to her home, which, in my
part of the world, at least where I'm from, inviting somebody to your home
is a gesture of generosity. It's hospitality that is very gracious.
And so I'm really looking forward to going. I'll let her plan my itinerary
once I get there. And it's going to be a very fascinating moment for me.
And I thank her very much for her invitation.
Q Are there things that bother you about the Germans? And are there
things that you envy about the Germans?
THE PRESIDENT: I am -- look, I mean, Germans have always been incredibly
efficient, capable businesspeople, and when they make a product, it is
always of the highest of quality. The only thing that interests me about
Germany is -- it's not bothersome, but it's just a challenge for Germany --
is the absorption of East and West, and the difficult assignment it is to
really help the Eastern Germany develop an economy that will be able to
give people hope. But, again, I have great respect for Germany.
Q What kind of role does Germany play in the world?
THE PRESIDENT: Germany is vital for the European Union's vitality. And
Germany -- and that's important for the United States. Listen, we want our
trading partners to be strong. If you -- if we have trade between one
another, it really helps when there's economic vitality with your partner.
You want your partner doing well. Trade is not a zero-sum game. Trade is
an opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship. And, therefore, we
want the European Union's economy as a whole to be doing well. And Germany
has a great -- when Germany's economy is vibrant, it has a chance to really
help all the countries around her to grow well.
Q The U.S. economy is booming.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, it is. Thankfully.
Q Yes, it is booming because you made big tax cuts.
THE PRESIDENT: True.
Q What do you think about the Germans -- are you they acting correctly
if they increase taxes now?
THE PRESIDENT: We have -- our economy is booming for several reasons. One
is no question the tax cuts help, and I intend to keep our taxes low.
Secondly, our work rules are very flexible, and so is our economy.
We've got some issues that put us at a competitive disadvantage, and one is
we've got too many lawsuits. And we're trying to do something about that.
I am smart enough, however, to allow each country to make its own fiscal
decisions as suits the needs of their constituents and the people.
Q You are a practicing Christian. Does having a German Pope 60 years
after World War II have a special meaning to you?
THE PRESIDENT: 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.
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?
THE PRESIDENT: The most awful moment was September the 11th, 2001.
Q The famous picture when somebody gave you the information?
THE PRESIDENT: 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. On
a situation like that, it takes a period to understand exactly what was
going on. When somebody says, America is under attack, and -- you've got
to fully understand what that meant. And the information coming was
haphazard at best for a while. We weren't sure if the State Department got
hit. I'd heard the White House had got attacked. Of course, I was worried
that -- my family was here.
And so I would say the toughest moment of all was after the whole reality
sunk in and I was trying to help the nation understand what was going on,
and at the same time, be empathetic for those who had lost lives.
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.
Q Very last question -- you're a great sports fan.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I am.
Q How important is the international World Cup in Germany? And what is
your personal take on who will be at the end, the world champion?
THE PRESIDENT: Listen, the World Cup is a -- first of all, most Americans,
up until recently, didn't understand how big the World Cup is. And we're
beginning to understand. And the reason why is, a lot of us grew up not
knowing anything about soccer, like me. I never saw soccer as a young boy.
We didn't play it where I was from. It just didn't exist. I can't even
-- I'm thinking about all the -- between age six, when I can remember
sports, and 12 or 13, I just never saw soccer being played.
And so there's a generation of us that really weren't fanatic. There's a
new generation of Americans that did grow up on soccer. And there's
obviously a huge interest amongst that crowd in the World Cup. And some of
us older guys are now beginning to understand the significance of the World
Cup around the world. It is the major sporting event worldwide. And it's
got to be a great honor for Germany to host the event. And I'm confident
that the German people will do a magnificent job of welcoming people from
around the world.
And, of course, my team is the U.S. team. They tell me we've got a good
team. Now, whether it's good enough to win it all, who knows? But I know
they'll try their hardest.
Q Mr. President, thank you very much.
END 2:40 P.M. EDT
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