Posted Friday, Oct. 15 6:53 p.m.
Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer spoke about the presidential campaign, working in the White House, and the weapons of mass destruction controversy Thursday night in the Kay Spiritual Life Center.
Fleischer's speech, co-sponsored by the Kennedy Political Union and the College Republicans, was given to a standing room-only crowd of mainly students.
Fleischer, who turned 44 Oct. 13, began his speech, after posing for a picture with audience members, by saying "I was raised a liberal Democrat." Commenting on this, he said his father told him he would rather Ari be a Republican than a drug dealer. Fleischer became a Republican because he felt the Republicans had a better approach to helping the poor.
In 1999, then Governor George W. Bush called Fleischer and asked him to be the press secretary for the presidential campaign. Fleischer said he was in awe of being asked to do a job of this caliber. When Bush was declared the winner of the presidency, Bush again called on Fleischer to be his press secretary. Fleischer expressed the happiness for the opportunity he was being offered.
In driving by the White House before the Supreme Court's presidential decision, Fleischer was awestruck. "I literally averted my gaze," Fleischer said in speaking of trying to avoid jinxing his chance to work at the White House.
When Fleischer arrived on Jan. 20, 2001 for his first day as press secretary, he was somewhat shaken.
"My heart was beating," Fleischer said.
Prior to becoming White House press secretary, Fleischer had nearly 20 years of government experience, including working on now Sen. Elizabeth Dole's 2000 presidential campaign and serving as Sen. Pete Dominici's press secretary from 1989-1994, according to CNN.com.
Reflecting on his two and a half years in Bush's White House, Fleischer said it was the most intellectually stimulating job he has ever had, and he loved it. He spoke of his travels to the Kremlin in Russia and standing with the president on the Great Wall of China.
Fleischer, also detailed his average day as press secretary.
He said he would begin his day at 5 a.m. and read The Washington Post and The New York Times to familiarize himself with whatever the White House Press Corps might want to ask him. The press corps was smart and always one step ahead of everybody else, Fleischer said.
Fleischer would arrive at the White House at 7 a.m. and hold a staff meeting to present people with whatever may be a media issue for the day. After this meeting, he would spend between two and four hours with President Bush in order to understand the agenda the administration wanted to promote to the media. Fleischer would attend every policy meeting, except for national security meetings.
Some students enjoyed Fleischer's speech.
"He related his experiences very well," said Vice President of the College Republicans Alan Griffith, regarding Fleischer's information about his time in the White House.
Griffith also said Fleischer did a good job of illuminating differences between Bush and Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.)
Fleischer said the Democratic Party is organized, but that attacking and defeating an incumbent president is difficult. He said the Democrats have to give voters a reason to like them instead of just disliking the President.
Due to the presidential debates, Fleischer said he feels the undecided voters now a clear picture of both candidates, whereas before he felt that Kerry had been having difficulty defining his positions.
On the issue of the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Fleischer said the president was not lying when he said that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. He cited sources that also said Saddam Hussein retained such weapons. However, in addressing the current controversy, Fleischer said the government was wrong about Saddam possessing weapons, but not about his intentions of using them or building them in the future.
Fleischer received a standing ovation from the audience upon finishing his speech, followed by questions from the audience.
In addressing a perceived liberal bias in the media, Fleischer said that journalists have a major bias towards finding a conflict in every issue in order to create a sensational story. He also said there is a slight liberal bias in the media.
Fleischer also spoke about being a wartime press secretary. In March 2003, Fleischer said the mood was tense, especially when he came out in front of the press and said Operation Iraqi Freedom had began.
Fleischer said he left the White House after more than two years of service because he began to feel burnt out and wanted to spend more time with his new wife and his family.
After the speech, the College Republicans and the KPU hosted a small reception for Fleischer at the University Club. Fleischer posed for pictures and signed autographs for students as well as chatted with students about various subjects. He told The Eagle that he thinks one thing the public misses is President Bush's "thought process"
