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From @lex-luthor.ai.mit.edu:jcma@REAGAN.AI.MIT.EDU Thu May 20 15:20:48 1993
Date: Thu, 20 May 1993 14:43-0400
From: The White House <75300.3115@compuserve.com>
To: Clinton-News-Distribution@campaign92.org
Subject: Press Briefing by Dee Dee Myers -- May 20, 1993 (AM)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_____________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release May 20, 1993
PRESS BRIEFING
BY DEE DEE MYERS
The Briefing Room
10:16 A.M. EDT
MS. MYERS: Hello. A couple of quick announcements. As
you know, the President will sign the motor voter bill out on the
lawn at 11:00 a.m. At noon he will have lunch with the Vice
President and --
Q Do lunch?
MS. MYERS: They'll do lunch. At 5:00 p.m. he will
celebrate Cuban Independence Day in the First Lady's Garden. That
will be a pooled event -- pool press op.
Saturday the President will leave early, 7:30 a.m. in
the morning. He will give the commencement address at New Hampshire
Technical College and meet with supporters there. We probably will
not add any other events.
Q Any Sunday things besides church?
MS. MYERS: No Sunday schedule at this point. Probably
church but --
Q Radio address?
MS. MYERS: I think we'll probably pretape the radio
address.
Q You say meets with supporters -- what does that
mean? Is that a private meeting or --
MS. MYERS: Yes, it will be a reception of some kind
with the folks that supported us during the campaign last year.
Q What time are we going to be coming back?
MS. MYERS: It's unclear -- sometime in the afternoon.
Q What time is he speaking Saturday?
MS. MYERS: At 10:30 a.m.
Q WMUR says that they're working on a town meeting.
MS. MYERS: I don't think so. We considered doing that,
but I don't believe we're going to do that. We'll let you know by
the end of the day, but I don't believe that's going to happen.
Q There had been some rumbles at one point that
Clinton would get involved with this Cheers finale. Has that
happened, and if so, where did it happen?
MS. MYERS: No, it didn't happen. Unfortunately.
Q Dee Dee, what is your response to this Danforth-
Boren bipartisan approach to the budget which would eliminate the
energy tax, put in entitlement caps and other cuts? What is your
reaction and what is your analysis of how this might affect the --
MS. MYERS: Right. A couple of things. First of all,
we're going to wait to see exactly what the announcement is. I
believe Senator Boren and Senator Danforth are scheduled to have a
press conference at 11:00 a.m., and it's not entirely clear what
that's going to contain at this point. However, the President, as he
made clear on the Hill yesterday, is committed to his plan. He
believes that it has a great deal of deficit reduction in it, a great
deal of spending cuts -- over 200 specific spending cuts -- This is
just me. I don't do sound and camera. Just me. And as he said
yesterday, he believes that the Btu tax is the best way both to raise
the money needed in his plan and to promote conservation and he's
committed to that.
We will see what the Boren-Danforth plan, if that's what
it is, includes. But the President is very concerned about a couple
of things -- one, as he said yesterday, he doesn't support
entitlement caps. He believes that would amount to cost shifting,
and that those concerns about rising health costs, which he's talked
about extensively in the last year and a half, are best addressed
through comprehensive health reform which we're working on.
In terms of other spending cuts, I think he's concerned
that the budget not be balanced on the backs of the most vulnerable.
And he has a plan that he believes both achieves his objective, which
is disciplined deficit reduction and new investment, and it's done
through a combination of new revenue and very prudent spending cuts.
Q Did the White House have any warning that Senator
Boren, one of their party members and supposed allies, was meeting
with the Republicans and coming up with this plan?
MS. MYERS: We knew that was -- sure, I think everybody
knew that yesterday.
Q If you knew that, the President made a major effort
to head off trouble on the House side. Why --
MS. MYERS: We'll continue to work on the Senate side as
well. Again, we'll see what Senators Boren and Danforth propose
today. I think that the results of the President's trip to the Hill
yesterday were very positive. I think the House members feel good
about that consultation. The President believes he can get his plan
through the House. It sailed through the Ways and Means Committee.
We believe it will pass the House and we'll continue to work with the
Senate and believe we can get the plan passed.
Q Has anyone from here talked to Boren?
MS. MYERS: I'm sure there have been. I don't exactly
what -- who's talked to who. Conversations are ongoing.
Q The President hasn't talked to him?
MS. MYERS: He has not yet.
Q What about Mack?
MS. MYERS: I'm not sure.
Q They've made it clear for several days now what
they're proposing as additional spending cuts instead of the Btu tax.
MS. MYERS: Correct.
Q The President's reaction to that is, no way?
MS. MYERS: The President's reaction to that is, first
of all, we haven't seen it, and we'll take a look at what's exactly
in it. But in broad terms, as he said, he supports the Btu tax.
That was a decision that was made, it raises a significant amount of
revenue, and it promotes conservation, and it is equally distributed
geographically. It doesn't hit one particular region of the country
harder than any other, and it has a modest impact on the middle
class. Those are all things the President is concerned about. He
doesn't believe that we ought to put more of a burden on the middle
class or on more vulnerable people in this country.
Q Do you think Democrats like David Boren are being
disloyal by exploring these other options?
MS. MYERS: I think that the legislative process is
occasionally a messy one, and certainly there's room for dissent or
different opinions. And we'll continue to work with the Senate to
get through the President's package. And he believes that things are
going well. There's great support in the House. He also believes
that the package -- as he said yesterday, that the plan is better
coming out of the Ways and Means Committee than it was going in. And
so there's been improvements to the plan, that the legislative
process certainly can make adjustments and improvements in his plan.
But he is committed to the broad outlines of that plan and believes
that we can get it through Congress.
Q The President said he was interested in hearing
Republican ideas for ways to improve the package. Has he made any
overtures?
MS. MYERS: He will. He'll have talked to Democrats and
Republicans over the course of the next week in the House as the plan
works its way through.
Q Does he have a meeting with the Republican Caucus
coming up?
MS. MYERS: I don't think there's a scheduled meeting.
I wouldn't rule it out. There's nothing on the schedule now, but he
will certainly talk to some Republicans in the House.
Q Does the President continue to rule out a gasoline
tax even if it included some kind of relief for lower income
families?
MS. MYERS: At this point he's committed to the Btu tax.
We obviously looked at a number of different things including the
gasoline tax prior to the February 17th announcement and decided that
that hit certain regions of the country disproportionately and was
not as geographically balanced or was not as well offset as the BTU
tax. So the President prefers the BTU option and is committed to
that.
Q Is that acceptable?
Q Does the White House think that Bob Dole is just
plain wrong when he says the Btu tax promotes unemployment?
MS. MYERS: Absolutely. I think the President believes
that the Btu tax is the best way to raise revenue, that we need it.
Again, it hits different areas of the country. It doesn't have a
disproportionate impact on one region and it has a very modest impact
on the middle class.
Q Does the President, or are you on his behalf,
drawing a line in the sand and saying that absolutely the Btu tax is
untouchable? It sounds that way.
MS. MYERS: No, the President is committed to it.
Q So that's untouchable, he's not willing to
negotiate?
MS. MYERS: He's committed -- as he said yesterday at
the House, he's committed to the Btu tax and we're going to push that
through. We think we can get it through the House. We feel very
good about the meeting yesterday. And we'll continue to work with
the Senate to get it through as well.
Q What does that do to you in the House if you can't
get through to the Senate? I mean, that will be the final blow.
MS. MYERS: We think -- we're going to work with the
Senate and we think we can get it through the Senate as well,
obviously. But we haven't gone up to the Hill to meet with the
Senate as we did yesterday at the House.
Q suggested replacing the Btu tax with either a
gasoline or some other form of transportation tax.
MS. MYERS: He suggested that we look at it. We've
already looked at it and ruled it out.
Q Dee Dee, The Washington Post says that Perot spoke
to freshmen Republicans -- that the President was invited and they
turned down -- the President turned down their invitation. Is that
accurate? Has he been invited by freshmen Republicans to meet with
them and are there any plans to do so?
MS. MYERS: I don't know whether there's a specific
invitation. He met with them -- with all the freshmen earlier. I
don't know that there's been a specific invitation and I don't know
that it's been turned down, but I'll get back to you on it.
Q Dee Dee, if equity is the goal on the Btu tax and
other similar things, why does the President choose to exempt some
industries, like aluminum and exemptions like that? Why has he
chosen to exempt anyone if equity is the objective?
MS. MYERS: That is the objective. I think that those
exemptions were the result of the House Ways and Means process. For
example, when you make steel I think there's -- Senator Bentsen is
much better at giving the sort of chemical outlines of how the
process works, but when you make steel or aluminum there are high
energy use processes where the fuel is not a byproduct or not -- it
becomes part of the end product. And if you want a more technical
description, I can certainly get it for you. But, again, I will
point out that that was part of the legislative process that came out
of the House Ways and Means Committee. And the President supported
the compromise that was worked out.
Q He supported as a compromise. I mean, he's not in
favor of not making aluminum users pay the fair share of the
electricity necessary to refine aluminum?
MS. MYERS: Yes, he -- again, that wasn't part of the
original proposal, but that's what the House Ways and Means Committee
came up with, and the President supported the compromise.
Q A couple questions on the President's haircut the
other day. Is it true, as reported, that he kept Air Force One
waiting 45 minutes while he got a haircut?
MS. MYERS: He -- I don't know if "keep Air Force One
waiting" is exactly right. I mean, Air Force One is his plane and
flies according to his schedule. But, yes, he got a haircut in Los
Angeles.
Q While Air Force One was on the tarmac ready to take
off?
MS. MYERS: Sure.
Q How much did that cost U.S. taxpayers?
MS. MYERS: I don't believe it cost them anything.
Q It does.
Q Keeping the engines running for 45 --
MS. MYERS: I don't believe -- I don't know if the
engines were running.
Q It costs per hour.
Q An hour of ground time -- cost per hour, there is a
figure available, if you could get it for us, of what Air Force One
costs per hour.
MS. MYERS: Hour of sitting on the ground doing nothing?
Q Yes.
MS. MYERS: I'll look into it.
Q Well, it's cheaper than in the air, but --
MS. MYERS: I mean, if he'd gotten --
Q There is a cost.
MS. MYERS: I mean, it's part of his schedule. He has a
schedule on the ground when he travels. And he does different things
--
Q The haircut was scheduled?
MS. MYERS: Yes. I mean I don't think that that's --
Q Every trip has a breakdown -- time in the air, time
on the ground --
MS. MYERS: I understand that.
Q and what we're asking is what was the cost in
L.A., because each airport is different, for time on the ground.
MS. MYERS: I don't think that that's -- he's certainly
entitled to do some personal business when he travels. I think this
is something that all of us have to schedule, which is to get a
haircut, and the fact that he did it in L.A. as opposed to Washington
I think is irrelevant.
Q Washington haircuts --
MS. MYERS: I, being from L.A., I'm not going to say
that but --
Q Did he pay for it himself and did he pay Mr.
Cristophe's usual fee?
MS. MYERS: I don't know. Yes, the Clintons pay for
services and I don't know how much.
Q His normal fee is $200 for a haircut.
MS. MYERS: A lot of interest in the President's
haircut.
Q Well, I'm just trying to --
MS. MYERS: I'd be happy to investigate it extensively.
Q? there was a barbershop in the White House.
MS. MYERS: There is not a barbershop in the White House
anymore. It's been gone for some time.
Q Oh, has it?
MS. MYERS: Yes, it has.
Q Dee Dee, what has the Marine Corps told the White
House about the crash of one of the aircraft in the presidential
fleet?
MS. MYERS: It was -- I don't have the paper with me,
but it was a helicopter -- I think it's a VH-60 is the type of
helicopter. It is not the white-top that normally serves as Marine
One. However it is the helicopter that flew the President to the
Roosevelt when we visited that carrier. All four --
Q The same one?
MS. MYERS: It is the same one, correct.
Q The exact same helicopter?
MS. MYERS: The exact same helicopter. They are
investigating the cause of the crash. We don't have any additional
information on that. Obviously, the President deeply regrets the
crash and the loss of live and has sent his condolences to the
families of the crew.
Q Were they the crew when he was on that trip?
MS. MYERS: He had met the -- apparently the pilot had
flown -- or the captain had flown the President once.
Q On that trip to the Roosevelt?
MS. MYERS: I don't know. It's unclear if had been on
that.
Q Not the Major who was the pilot yesterday, but the
Captain who was the co-pilot yesterday?
MS. MYERS: It's said -- no, it said -- the report I got
just said that the pilot had flown the President once, the co-pilot
had flown the Vice President once.
Q When did the Clintons decide to put their assets in
a blind trust?
MS. MYERS: I think it was something that they had
considered for a while and have been in the process of for a while
and are nearing completion on the details.
Q Why were we told yesterday they weren't doing that?
MS. MYERS: I told you yesterday that they didn't have
it in a blind trust. I was unclear on how far along they were in
that process.
Q You said that they were not doing it in specific
response to a question.
MS. MYERS: The were not currently in a blind trust, and
I did not know how far along the process was. It soon will be a
blind trust.
Q One more question on the helicopters. Has it been
decided whether or not it's safe for the President to use any of the
Marine helicopters until a cause is determined in this crash?
MS. MYERS: Yes. First of all, the helicopter that he
normally flies is a different kind of helicopter. Second of all, I
think they've grounded a couple of this type of helicopter, the VH-
60s, pending the outcome of the investigation. But it is --
certainly, the Marine One the President flies is safe. And there's
obviously routine maintenance, and good care is taken of those
helicopters.
Q Now that there is apparently some corroborating
evidence from an independent FBI investigation into the Kuwaiti
prisoners involving the assassination attempt, what is the
administration's next step?
MS. MYERS: We're waiting for complete results of that
investigation. Obviously, we're taking it very serious, but we will
wait for complete results before we make any final determinations.
Q Is there any meetings scheduled with the
principals?
MS. MYERS: Not today.
Q When did the FBI actually start? Yesterday you
said it was likely. When did the FBI actually start investigating?
MS. MYERS: This is on Iraq. The FBI Iraqi
investigation started two weeks ago Monday.
Q How about the Travel Office, when did they start
investigating that?
MS. MYERS: I thought you guys would never get to that.
Q You can count on it.
MS. MYERS: Yes, I should have known. There was a --the
actual investigation will begin -- let me back up. The FBI
interviewed the accountants over the weekend. And so they have some
preliminary knowledge. Based on that, the decision was made that it
was prudent to go forward with an investigation. Peat, Marwick did a
review of the finances of the Travel Office. There's a draft report
based on that review which is now being looked at by the White House
Counsel. As soon as that has been reviewed and is a final, it will
be forwarded to the FBI and they will be an investigation.
Q We were told yesterday that it was not certain that
the FBI would investigate. But it was reported this morning that
they were investigating, present tense. You say that they have not
yet begun.
MS. MYERS: They have not -- what I just told you is
correct, that they have not yet -- they've had a preliminary --
they've interviewed the accountants over the weekend. So they're
familiar with some of the facts in the case. Based -- what we've
done is we will hand the report over to them when it's -- as soon as
it's final, and they will proceed from there.
Q Who asked -- at whose instigation did they
interview the accountants over the weekend, and then who made the
decision to go beyond that -- someone at the White House or the FBI?
MS. MYERS: Obviously, the White House administrative
office asked the FBI to review it.
Q David Watkins?
MS. MYERS: David Watkins' office -- I believe it was
Watkins -- it was both the Administrative Office and the White House
Counsel were involved in the decision. And the FBI -- again, as I
said, interviewed the accountants on Saturday, and based on that,
said it was prudent to go forward with --
Q The FBI said it was prudent to go forward?
MS. MYERS: Yes.
Q With what?
MS. MYERS: With an investigation.
Q One of the charter companies which complained about
not getting charter business from the White House partially owned by
or some interest in Harry Thomason, the President's friend?
MS. MYERS: I don't know who the specific companies --
Q Could you take that, please?
MS. MYERS: Sure.
Q Because we understand that. And the other question
is, why did the White House find it acceptable to turn over the
travel business to the Little Rock travel agency with which many
people on the staff have links from the campaign? Does that not
smack of the same kind of cronyism that you're --
MS. MYERS: It's an interim decision. The permanent
travel business will go out to RFP -- a government RFP. And we'll at
some point hire a permanent replacement. This is an interim move to
cover the office between now and the time we get the RFP process
completed.
Q Will you put it out through normal procurement?
MS. MYERS: Oh, absolutely.
Q What is RFP?
MS. MYERS: A request for proposal. It's the
competitive bid process set up by the government.
Q Is there any plan for the President to see Kozyrev
today?
MS. MYERS: No. He's -- I believe he's meeting with
Christopher right now.
Q There's definitely no plan for him to come over?
MS. MYERS: No.
Q And what is the White House view of the Russian
initiative which would repackage a number of separate proposals into
one resolution?
MS. MYERS: Well, we support -- certainly support
additional monitors on the Serbian Bosnian border. We support going
forward with a war crimes tribunal and we'll continue to work with
our allies and with the Russians. We obviously whole-heartedly
welcome their participation in this.
Q Safe havens?
MS. MYERS: The safe havens we have a problem with. We
believe that that is a reward of ethnic cleansing. It's something
that we're not comfortable with.
Q An unrelated question. Can we ask, what is that?
MS. MYERS: That's a camera that is now -- makes these
fabulous briefings available internally to White House staff on
Channel 30.
Q And so at any time they can watch on the inside --
MS. MYERS: It's focused on the podium. It is not
moveable, I believe. But they can watch whoever is standing at the
podium briefing. There's a lot of the offices that don't have audio
monitors. This provides a way for staff throughout the White House
and I believe the OEOB to turn their set to Channel 30 and find out
what we're saying.
Q Is it on 24 hours a day?
MS. MYERS: No, I think it's only on -- I think WHCA
turns it on -- and I'll double-check this -- WHCA turns it on when
they turn on the sound system.
Q How much did it cost?
MS. MYERS: I don't know. I'll have to take that.
Q Will you please tell us?
Q Is it still mismanagement and shoddy accounting --
MS. MYERS: Absolutely.
Q Is there anything that's turned up since you
characterized it that way?
MS. MYERS: No. I mean, there's been no change --
Q I'm talking now about the Travel Office.
MS. MYERS: Right.
Q Not the briefings. (Laughter.)
MS. MYERS: Clearly the briefings are mismanaged. No,
there's been no change from yesterday on that.
Q I want to get back to the haircut for a second.
While the President was getting his hair cut were other planes held
up from landing --
MS. MYERS: Absolutely not.
Q No delays?
MS. MYERS: No delays.
Q How many police officers, security personnel were
in the area waiting while the President was getting his hair cut?
MS. MYERS: I don't know whether the police officers
stay, or not, once the President boards the plane.
Q Would you agree that the appearance here is that
the President was indiscreet in letting this thing go on while -- in
order to get a haircut, that he was indulgent, delaying all sorts of
things?
MS. MYERS: I think that it is -- certainly the
President, as do all Americans, has personal business that he needs
to take care of; as it is for all people who are busy, difficult to
schedule. First of all, it wasn't an hour. The haircut took about
15 minutes. And I think he made good use of his time and did
something that he, like everybody else, has to do, he got his hair
cut. I don't think there's more to it than that.
Q Are there not enough good barbers in Washington?
MS. MYERS: I think he sometimes schedules it wherever
he can. He uses barbers in Washington, he occasionally uses his
barber in Little Rock, and he occasionally uses his barber in Los
Angeles, depending on his schedule.
Q What's the propriety of tying up public property,
which is to say Air Force One, and public safety people --
MS. MYERS: I think if the President had gotten his --
Q and overtime at great expense, while the
President waits to get a haircut, which could have been done in
private in his normal protective bubble either in Los Angeles in a
hotel or in the White House?
MS. MYERS: I think that Air Force One still would have
had to sit on the tarmac, the security personnel still would have had
to wait for him. I don't think it changes things one bit, whether
it's on Air Force One or in a hotel.
Q Dee Dee, I was on the pool. Air Force One sat for
an hour after the President boarded. I was on the plane.
Q Fifty-six minutes.
MS. MYERS: I don't know what the delay was.
Q And that's a ramp freeze.
MS. MYERS: It did not tie up -
Q Yes, if he's on the plane that's a ramp freeze.
MS. MYERS: It did not tie up traffic. Planes were
continuing to land and take off as per normal until Air Force One was
cleared to takeoff, which is the normal procedure.
Q Two runways were closed
Q But it still requires --
MS. MYERS: That's not true. We double-checked that
yesterday. It is absolutely not true.
Q The FAA said yesterday two runways were closed and
only two commuter jets were affected. Small commuter planes.
MS. MYERS: Two small commuter jets were affected by his
sitting on the tarmac?
Q During the 56-minute period.
MS. MYERS: So, I mean -- what we told was that the
runway -- that the airport continued normal operations until Air
Force One was cleared for takeoff, which is normal procedure.
Q It still requires, Dee Dee, this cordon of
security.
MS. MYERS: But I think if he'd been at the hotel or at
Valley College or in South Central, as long as he's in Los Angeles,
that same cordon of security will be with him. It doesn't affect the
arrangements. And, yes, it is sometime inconvenient for the
President to have to take care of personal business, but I don't
think it is out of the ordinary for him to need to get a haircut.
Q Does he want the people on those two commuter
flights to contact their representatives in Congress to pass the
economic plan? (Laughter.)
MS. MYERS: Absolutely.
Q Dee Dee, a few questions about the press charter.
One, on Saturday, when he travels to New Hampshire, will White House
press staff fly on board the White House press charter free of
charge? And, two, how is the charter being handled this weekend? Is
it going up for competitive bid for the trip Saturday?
MS. MYERS: They are in the process of securing a
charter company now, the Travel Office. I don't know what the exact
process is. But, yes, White House press staff will travel on the
press charter, as they always do. And I don't believe there's going
to be any change in the way that that's billed. If the White House
Correspondents wants to have a conversation about that, or if you
guys want to have a conversation about that, I'm happy to do that.
Q So that part of the policy will remain that the
press corps will still support the cost of moving your staff?
MS. MYERS: I think since those staff travel primarily
to support the activities of the press, that that's been an accepted
procedure. Again, if people want to raise that as unacceptable, we
can certainly discuss it. But since the whole reason that they
travel is to support the functions of the press corps, that's always
been accepted.
Q And in terms of the Tokyo summit and whatever stops
you would add after that, will you have staff people -- how will you
have transportation staff people set up the facilities for that,
since that's -- obviously the Tokyo summit's already -- the logistics
are underway.
MS. MYERS: Right. As you know, we sent several people
from the White House Press Office, along with the Travel Office on
the preadvance trip. And I think --
Q And they're doing transportation?
MS. MYERS: Oh, it will all get done through the Advance
and Travel Offices and the White House Press Office.
Q So the Advance Office will begin to take over some
of the responsibilities of --
MS. MYERS: I think in the immediate short-term, I think
that's -- yes. And I think we'll work out the longer term -- I don't
think there will be any changes in the way that you -- the operation
looks from your perspective.
Q I guess what I'm getting at is, will the political
appointees in the White House Advance Office or the White House Press
Office assume responsibilities that had been done by the Travel
Office who are not your or the Bush administration political
appointees?
MS. MYERS: I think -- certainly in the interim, some of
those duties will be handled by advance people. And that may be the
long-term result as well. I think we're still working out the
details of that.
Q Dee Dee, I'd just to follow up on a couple of
questions that you took yesterday that were not addressed in an open
briefing since then. First of all, how much money was involved?
That was a question you said you would take.
MS. MYERS: Peat, Marwick looked at a period from
January of '92 until May of '93. And I believe it was about $10
million, $11 million -- somewhere between $10 million and $11 million
that passed through the White House Travel Office during that period.
Q What are saying was mishandled, what amount?
MS. MYERS: It's not a particular amount, it's the
process that we have a problem with. There were no -- very few
receipts. Peat, Marwick went in with the intention of performing an
audit. There weren't enough documents to do an official audit, so
what they did was an accounting review. And there were very few
records of -- for example, I believe there were no contracts for a
lot of the domestic travel. There were some contracts for
international travel. There were very few receipts. There was just
not enough documentation there to even do an official audit.
Q You also said yesterday in your open briefing that
the press was overcharged.
MS. MYERS: I said I thought that the press was
overcharged.
Q No, you said --
MS. MYERS: Yes, I did. Check the transcript.
Q Read the transcript.
MS. MYERS: I did.
Q I've got it marked downstairs.
MS. MYERS: I've got it.
Q You said, we believe there were serious
overcharges.
MS. MYERS: That's right.
Q In any event, you mentioned that subject more than
once. Was the press --
MS. MYERS: No, I mentioned it once.
Q Was the press overcharged?
MS. MYERS: We -- that's one of the things that we're
going to look at. I don't know that it's possible to know for sure,
because there aren't enough records and there was no process for
reconciling estimates with actual costs. It was done on a very -- on
a guesstimate basis, so it may be impossible to determine with any
certainty exactly what the discrepancies in what you paid and what it
should have cost.
Q Are you aware that those charges include charges
for rooms, services, that is telephones, press rooms, all of that --
ground transportation?
MS. MYERS: They did -- we had an auditing firm go in
and look at this, and obviously they interviewed people in the travel
office to try to ascertain what the charges were. But there's no
records.
Q I understand that it wasn't broken down, but what
you're looking at is not just the charter --
MS. MYERS: Absolutely, they spoke to people in there
and tried to get from them an understanding of how this system works.
Q Dee Dee, another question from yesterday was who is
Chris Walton and what are his qualifications to handle the travel of
the Executive Branch.
MS. MYERS: Right. He's a staffer. I'm sorry, I didn't
get any further information. Let me make one more point just to
clarify things. There will be somebody -- a person who is not yet
named, who is a financial manager who will come in to oversee the
operation of the travel department. Katherine Cornelius will do sort
of the day-to-day contracting with charter plans and things like
that. But there will be a financial person who will oversee the
Travel Office who will be basically in charge.
Q Do you consider these people to be political
appointees, the people that are coming in to run the Travel Office?
MS. MYERS: Well, I think by definition, all the people
who are not protected by civil service are political appointees.
Q I'd like to get you to deal with two issues. One,
you said in your briefing yesterday that you all took this action
after this review that was started as part of the review of
government -- overall government, the Vice President's thing. But
some people who talked to staffers in Little Rock during the
transition indicate that you all were talking then about replacing
the Travel Office staff. How do you deal with that? Have you all
been planning to fire these guys since the beginning?
MS. MYERS: No, no. I think that we will always or for
quite awhile have planned on reviewing the management practices of a
number of offices. I think we've been very straight forward about
that. We have launched this national performance review to look at
things and we started with what they call the cash accounts -- people
that deal with large sums of money. And this was the first -- one of
the first offices we looked at with some detail. We believe that
this action was taken on the basis of what we found through that
review process and for no other reasons.
Q And the second thing that I wanted answered --there
were a number of questions that were posed to you during the briefing
yesterday regarding the specifics which you will refer to later, with
"we'll get back to you" and that sort of thing. Apparently, you and
George and, apparently, Eller as well, and the accountant from Peat,
Marwick decided to go over these specifics with a selected group of
reporters last night on background back here. Why did you all choose
to do that instead of coming out and making your accusations on the
record?
MS. MYERS: I don't think we made any accusations that
were any different than the charges of mismanagement that we made --
that I made here during the briefing yesterday. I think we thought
that given the deadlines, given what was happening, that the best way
to handle it would be to bring some people in and try to walk them
through it. I understand that some people got left out, and I
apologize for that. We did what we thought we needed to do in order
to set the record straight. And one of the reasons we brought the
wires in was so that everybody would have access to that information.
Q In that briefing a senior administration official
said that the first warning that the administration had had that
there might be something amiss in the Travel Office came from
complaints from other charter operators who alleged or conveyed
hearsay that payoffs might have been requested for charter business.
Other people have suggested that some of those charter operators were
either friends of the President or acquaintances of the President or
friends of friends and that they complained directly to him, and that
that is what triggered this long before the performance review. Can
you please take that question --
MS. MYERS: Sure.
Q and tell us who they were and what the specific
instances were which triggered this?
Q Dee Dee, one of the things you might take as well
-- when the President was asked in his photo opportunity -- and said
that, in essence, he knew nothing at all whatsoever other than some
people had told him it had to be done left some of us a little bit
curious that this would have happened completely without the
President's knowledge with a relative of his involved in it,
particularly someone who had been with him during the long haul
through the campaign.
MS. MYERS: I think that's appropriate.
Q The President would have known nothing about a
shakeup this massive that involved a relative of his?
MS. MYERS: Well, I'm not sure that seven people qualify
as a massive shakeup.
Q It's an entire White House office.
MS. MYERS: But I think, again, I don't know that that
qualifies as a massive shakeup. I think that he was told as he
indicated that there were some problems, that there had been an
investigation and that the results of that investigation led
administrative officials there to conclude the best course of action
was to dismiss the people involved. I don't think the President
makes it his business to second-guess those kinds of administrative
decisions. And so he was informed about it and allowed the judgment
of the people that work here to go forward.
Q Getting back to --
Q And he wouldn't have known that a cousin of his was
being shifted from one area of the White House into another?
MS. MYERS: No, that's not something --
Q Getting back to the use of Worldwide Travel in this
interim period, we understand this will be until bids go out. But
given the fact that they will stand to make thousands of dollars in
ticket commissions for booking travel for Executive Branch personnel
and whatever they get for arranging charters, doesn't this raise
eyebrows or questions, given Ms. Cornelius' past association with
them?
MS. MYERS: She did not work for them. I saw that a few
places. That is not accurate. She worked for the campaign.
Worldwide was the travel agency that contracted to the campaign, but
she never was employed by them.
Q Well, but given the Little Rock connection with a
Clinton outfit -- and again, they're going to be -- in this interim
they can make thousands and thousands of dollars on ticket
commissions. Why not give it to someone who is like neutral or not
involved, has no past track record with the organization, with the
Clinton organization?
MS. MYERS: I think given the fact that the decision was
made quickly and it was the judgment of the administration to move
quickly on this, that is would be prudent for us to bring in a
company that had worked with us before and one that knew how we
operated in order to facilitate the transition. It will be for a
relatively short period of time. I don't know how much -- I don't
know what the terms of their contract is, but I think in the interest
of continuity and in providing the kind of service that we think is
necessary we thought that was the best course of action.
Q One of the questions that was hanging from
yesterday was the release of the audit itself.
MS. MYERS: It's not done. It's in draft form right
now. And it is a review, not an audit because as I pointed out there
weren't enough documents to do a formal audit. And I don't know --
when the document is final we'll take a look at it.
Q Dee Dee, when the individuals were fired yesterday,
where they informed of the allegations that were made from this
podium?
MS. MYERS: I think that they knew about them. In fact,
I know they knew about them. They were interviewed during the
financial review process and knew that the management of that office
was under serious review.
Q Who actually fired them?
MS. MYERS: David Watkins talked to them.
Q Several of them claim that what they were told was
that the administration planned to restructure this office and that
since they served at the pleasure of the President their services
were being dispensed with and that was it.
MS. MYERS: I'm not sure that's entirely accurate.
Q Dee Dee, they also said that they were not aware of
any FBI involvement. Were they actually told that the FBI was going
to be involved in this?
MS. MYERS: I don't believe so.
Q Don't believe what?
MS. MYERS: That they were -- that they have not yet, as
far as I know, been interviewed by the FBI. But I will refer all
further questions about the FBI investigation to the FBI, other than
to say that I don't believe that they knew about the FBI.
Q Are you now confirming that a Little Rock travel
agency is going to start issuing tickets for all White House staff
travel and make commissions on that?
MS. MYERS: I don't know what their financial relation
-- I don't know how that's structured. Yes, Worldwide Travel, based
in Little Rock, Arkansas, will provide interim travel services for
the administration until we can get an RFP out and hire somebody on a
long-term basis.
Q And they -- and it's all right with the White House
if they keep any profits they get? As any normal travel service
works, they get payments every time they issue a ticket and they will
profit from this?
MS. MYERS: I don't think that's a problem. I will
review what the financial setup is with the White House, but it is
our belief that they provided a good service during the campaign and
they have offered to come in on an interim basis and to serve our
needs on very short notice.
Q But they haven't come in -- offered to come in pro
bono or anything. They're still going to make money on it.
MS. MYERS: I don't believe so but I will double-check.
Q How do you respond to Billy Dale's allegation that
he tried -- he requested meetings with you and George from the
beginning of the administration to find out what their status was and
what you wanted them to do and he was refused?
MS. MYERS: I can't speak for George, but I know Billy
Dale never ever asked me for a meeting. I would have been happy to
meet with him.
Q Have they been treated fairly, Dee Dee?
MS. MYERS: I believe they have given the -- this is not
pleasant for anyone; I want to make that point. This isn't something
we sought to do. It isn't something that any us have enjoyed. I
think it's an unpleasant, unfortunate experience for everyone
involved. But the point is we began a review as part of an overall
administrative review. That turned up information that we thought
forced us to take very direct action, and we did so. It's too bad.
Q Dee Dee, is there any way to specifically assess
for us how long this has been going on -- the shoddy mismanagement?
MS. MYERS: Oh, I have no idea. I don't. I can't speak
to that.
Q Dee Dee, refresh my memory. Is David Watkins also
from Little Rock?
MS. MYERS: Yes. He was the Deputy Campaign Manager for
Administration and runs the administrative office.
Q And what was he job in Little Rock?
MS. MYERS: He the administrative person. He was sort
of like the CFO of the campaign.
Q No, I mean before the campaign.
MS. MYERS: He's a businessman.
Q Which businesses?
MS. MYERS: A variety of different businesses. I can
get you a bio on him, if you'd like.
Q Did he have any association with this Worldwide
Travel?
MS. MYERS: I don't believe so.
Q Did anybody in the campaign?
MS. MYERS: I don't know how they first came to us.
Obviously, somebody in the campaign brought them in. They're a
LIttle Rock-based company, which is something -- we used a lot of
Little Rock based vendors. It was something that we thought was a
good thing for the community since we ran our campaign from there.
Q You don't think it shows evidence of favoritism in
this instance?
MS. MYERS: No, I think that given the short-term nature
of the contract and our immediate needs, that it's natural that we
would turn to somebody that we had worked with before that understood
us and knew some of the folks here.
Q I believe you said in the public briefing yesterday
that several charter agency -- several other airlines had wanted to
bid for a White House travel and had not been able to. And I believe
the Correspondents Association was involved during the period that
the former charter, Pan Am, went under, and the Travel Office had to
search for and find people to do the White House charter. Would you
provide to us the names or the contacts of any of the charter
agencies that were denied the ability to bid on White House travel?
MS. MYERS: I took that question.
Q That's a different question.
MS. MYERS: Slightly different variation. But you want
to know what --
Q I wasn't asking particularly about ownership of it,
and it was not based on a background. I'm asking about your public
comments yesterday that others had asked to bid and had been denied.
Q Can you go get us the names -- the principals in
Worldwide Travel who now stand to profit? And I'm curious, since
there have been a lot of complaints from people who traveled during
the campaign about Worldwide's operation, have you thought of perhaps
auditing the travel campaign to see whether there was similar
mismanagement by Worldwide?
MS. MYERS: I believe -- Worldwide is a private
business. It's not our business to audit or not to audit. We
believe we got good service from them. It is our responsibility to
audit money managed by the White House and that's why we chose to
take that course of action. I think we have found Worldwide has
provided us good service. They're a reputable company. I'd be happy
to get you more information about Worldwide.
Q The principals and the -- also, on the haircut, is
it not correct that the President had another haircut in New Mexico
the day before that?
MS. MYERS: That is not correct.
Q The stories about the President being made up and
shaved and so on at this guy's place in New Mexico on Monday are not
true?
MS. MYERS: What guy's place -- made up --
Q There was an AP wire story on it yesterday.
Q What kind of make-up? (Laughter.)
MS. MYERS: I believe I was with the President all day
in New Mexico and did not see him -- I'm quite sure he did not get a
haircut.
Q Sounds like you're splitting hairs. (Laughter.)
Q Dee Dee, one last thing on the very same subject.
Can you confirm that a couple of weeks ago when the President came
back from a trip at Andrews that they sat on the runway while he had
dinner on Air Force One? Is that correct?
MS. MYERS: This is the first I've heard of that.
Q For another hour or 45 minutes.
MS. MYERS: I'll be happy to take it. I never heard
that.
Q When you come back with answers for a number of
these questions that you've taken here today --
MS. MYERS: I'll do so in a public forum.
Q Thank you.
Q That would be nice.
Q Thank you.
END 10:55 A.m. EDT
