Editor’s note: Each week, WorldNetDaily White House correspondent Les Kinsolving asks the tough questions no one else will ask. And each week, WorldNetDaily brings you the transcripts of those dialogues with the president and his spokesman. If you’d like to suggest a question for the White House, submit it to WorldNetDaily’s exclusive interactive forum MR. PRESIDENT!
At today’s White House news briefing, WND asked presidential press secretary Ari Fleischer about this week’s Supreme Court decision on racial preferences in view of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous plea, as well as asking a question about Israel’s fight against Palestinian terrorism.
WND: The president had a positive reaction to both of the Supreme Court decisions on the University of Michigan racial admissions policy. But the 5-4 law-school decision allowed the continuation of skin shade as one criterion of admission. And my question: Does the president care about the historic plea that “someday, my children will be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin”?
FLEISCHER: Of course he does. And this is why the president issued a statement applauding the Supreme Court’s finding that diversity is an important goal on college campuses. That’s exactly what the president believes in. That’s what he did as governor. And he believes that it can be done without quotas. And this is what he supported in this case, and the president viewed the case as a careful balance.
WND: We’ve seen the photographs of Israeli soldiers dismantling settler outposts and of the Sharon-released Arab terrorists who blew up Zion Square on July 4th as one of the 100 prisoners that Israel released. But we have not seen even one thing done by the Palestinian Authority as required by the road map, last month or this month. And my question: Why, when the president has sent our troops halfway around the world to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq, does he and Secretary Powell try to persuade Israel not to fight terrorists right in their own backyard?
FLEISCHER: I think the president is focusing on the best way to fight terrorism, which is by Israel and the Palestinian Authority working together, as they are increasingly doing, to fight terror.
WND: But they haven’t worked together in dismantling terrorism, Ari.
FLEISCHER: And isn’t that the point, that they have not previously worked together to dismantle terrorism when Yasser Arafat was in charge –
WND: And they won’t, Ari.
FLEISCHER: Well, Lester, you’re free to do differently.
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