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--> --> The White House spokesman speaks, Pt. II By Roger Simon Editor's note: The following is the second of two parts WASHINGTON -- A few days ago, Ari Fleischer, the White House press secretary, and I sat in his West Wing office and talked about the war, the president, politics and the future. Q: President Bush said recently in his radio address that "now is not the time for partisan politics." But aside from being president and commander in chief, he is the de facto leader of the Republican Party. Has he put that totally in abeyance, or does he feel he has certain responsibilities to the party? Fleischer: No, it's not totally in abeyance. He does understand he has responsibilities to the party. He just named a new party chairman. But it's a question of when his gut tells him it's time to personally go out and campaign. Q: In October, he was supposed to appear at a big fund-raiser, but instead he cancelled and sent the vice president. Bush hasn't done any fund-raisers or partisan political appearances since Sept. 11. How did he come to that decision? Fleischer: It was his gut, his gut. It was just him saying he didn't think it would be right for him to engage in overt politics at that moment. The staff was split. (If he had done the fund-raiser,) I think people probably would have accepted it. Part of a democracy is the fact we have elections. And you have to campaign in elections, and people get endorsed in elections. But what it came down to was that he just made a personal judgment call that he wouldn't do it until he felt comfortable and ready, and he didn't feel comfortable and ready. Q: Will he use his State of the Union message in January to become more partisan? Fleischer: (long pause) I don't want to guess what he's going to do in the State of the Union, and frankly a lot depends on events. But most of the State of the Union is going to be a call to the nation for higher purposes. Q: At the memorial service following Sept. 11, he said one of the responsibilities of America was to "rid the world of evil." So when does this war end? Fleischer: That's very hard to say, because the president has said he will use this as an opportunity to do something for the next generation and the generation after that, so we really can rid the world of terrorism. Think about it: Do we want the world to live with more Lockerbies? More Berlin discos? Do we want people in our embassies to live behind forts? Margaret Tutwiler became ambassador to Morocco and went to a training session for a week, and she reported back that most of it was training in counter-terrorism. Is that the way we should introduce our diplomats to the world? So the president really sees this as an opportunity to do something fundamental for the world and our children, and Phase Two is already engaged on the financial front and the arrest front around the world. If the question is whether there will be a military Phase Two, the president has not answered that question yet. Q: So "ridding the world of evil" is not necessarily meant to prepare the American people for an endless military campaign? Fleischer: I don't know about endless, but while I can't state with certainty that (Phase Two) will be military, it very well might. But it certainly will continue on the financial side and diplomatic side, and that is very significant. I read somewhere the other day we had $60 million in assets frozen around the world. That's not small change. Q: Do you think the job has aged him? Fleischer: No question his hair is grayer. Definitely. On the other hand, he is running faster times (when jogging) than before the war. He reflects on that and says his mind has never been so focused, so sharp -- he's never been so clear-headed, and I think that really does come out in exercise. Q: Do you think he has grown in the job? Do you think he has risen to the occasion? Fleischer: (long pause) The reason I hesitate is that, again, it gets into the whole issue of "Is he different?" I think the nation received a severe challenge and confrontation, and our enemy has met more than their match because President Bush is our commander in chief. Yeah, risen to the occasion is a fair way to put it in that context. Thank God most presidents don't get tested this way. Roger Simon is a syndicated columnist with the Baltimore Sun Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing