Chicago – President Bush said today he is determined to rally world support in confronting North Korea over its missile tests to speak “loud and clear.” At the same time, Bush told reporters, “You know, the problem with diplomacy is it takes a while to get something done” while “acting alone, you can move quickly.”
In a rare out-of-town news conference, Bush said it was important to bring the issue of North Korea’s missile tests before the U.N. Security Council.
He said he wanted to make clear to Kim “with more than one voice” that the world condemned the test firing this week of seven missiles, including a long-range missile that failed.
When the United States led the 2003 invasion of Iraq, it did so without obtaining Security Council approval in advance.
Bush said that the United States had “a reasonable chance” of shooting down the long-range missile, if it had not failed.
But he also said, “Our anti-ballistic systems are modest, they are new.” The setting for Bush’s rare out-of-town news conference was the rotunda of Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. He stood in front of a large photograph of Chicago skyscrapers. The setting underscored the lengths the White House went to to pose the president outside of Washington.
Bush gave a rambling 15 minute opening statement in which he talked about Chicago’s vibrant economy, the war on terrorism and the war in Iraq.
Bush is spending more time on the road this summer – and less time vacationing on his Texas ranch – as part of a public-relations effort aimed at boosting his low standing in polls and GOP chances in this fall’s midterm elections.
“It might do me some good,” Bush said.
Following a government report showing unemployment holding steady at 4.6 percent in June, Bush also praised the U.S. economy.
“Productivity is high, people are better off, people are working,” he said.
Bush said immigration was one of the top issues in this midterm election year. “The system we have now isn’t working,” he said.
Bush was asked why he was committed to going before the Security Council in an effort to restrict North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs while he ignored the council’s opposition to going to war in Iraq in 2003.
“I have always said it is important for an American president to exhaust all diplomatic avenues before use of force,” Bush said.
As to Iraq, “all diplomatic options were exhausted as far as I was concerned.”
