Press Briefing by Amy Weiss

Palmetto Dunes Resort

Hilton Head, South Carolina

12:28 P.M. EST

MS. WEISS: Do you want me start with the week ahead or do you want to ask any questions you may have?

Q: Is the President going to go to any of the sessions at Renaissance?

MS. WEISS: It hasn't been determined yet. He's been, as you know, golfing this morning. He's going to golf -- he'll probably be on the course until at least 3:00 p.m. And he's expected to then go to the dinner tonight around 7:30 p.m.

Q: And that's inside, so he's not leaving?

MS. WEISS: He's not supposed to. I mean, right now there's no plans to.

Q: I want a definitive on this. (Laughter.) What time are we leaving tomorrow?

MS. WEISS: It hasn't been determined.

Q: Are we leaving tomorrow? (Laughter.)

MS. WEISS: Yes.

Q: Can we suggest a time? (Laughter.)

MS. WEISS: No, he is leaving tomorrow. I can do the week ahead, if you want.

Q: There was a suggestion that he might stay until Saturday. Do you know about that?

MS. WEISS: I've heard rumors, but my understanding is we're leaving tomorrow and he's going to spend the rest of the weekend at the White House.

Q: Hold him to it. We're counting on you.

Q: Okay. Go ahead and do the week ahead.

MS. WEISS: The President will return to the White House Friday, and will remain there all weekend. Other than his weekly radio address, the President will have no public schedule for Saturday or Sunday.

On Monday the President will participate in a health care event, Monday morning. The event will be held in the foyer of the State Floor, pool press. Tuesday, he'll meet with King Hussein in the morning, which is stills only. And we're likely to add a message event to Tuesday's schedule and I'll have more for you, hopefully, tomorrow.

Wednesday, January 6th, the President will participate in an anti-crime event, location and coverage TBD. Thursday, the President will participate in an anti-crime event again. And Friday, as previously announced, the President will travel to Detroit, Michigan, to address the Detroit Economic Club. It is a day trip and further details will be available early next week.

Q: I'm sorry, what was Monday, again?

MS. WEISS: Monday is a health care event, in the morning, in the foyer of the State Floor.

Q: Why there?

MS. WEISS: Someplace different.

Q: Do you have anything on what he's doing here, Amy?

MS. WEISS: What he's doing today?

Q: Yes.

MS. WEISS: He's golfing.

Q: Other than that. Any list of any of the seminars?

MS. WEISS: No, at this point he's still on the golf course. As I said earlier, he's expected to be on the golf course until around 3:00 p.m. or so. And then he'll go to the dinner tonight. Beyond that, nothing else is planned.

Q: Is this a restaurant dinner or --

MS. WEISS: No, it's at the Hyatt. It's the annual New Year's Eve dinner at the Hyatt.

Q: When you say nothing else is planned, do you mean he hasn't made his plans known to you?

MS. WEISS: Right. No decisions have been made yet as to what he's going to do for the rest of the day.

Q: He will attend some of the seminars, he just hasn't told --

MS. WEISS: He's likely to, but it's obviously at his discretion.

Q: Amy, how come we can't get just a list of some of the seminar topics? I mean, in the past we always have and this year, for some reason, it's like top secret.

MS. WEISS: You should talk to Linda Lader about that, this is her event and the Renaissance people control the agenda.

Q: Any chance he would speak at the dinner?

MS. WEISS: He's not on the schedule to speak.

Q: Linda says he will do the Q: and A session on New Year's Eve now, that the President and First Lady will do the Q: and A session. Can you talk to us a little bit about how that came about? She said that she had not talked to the President and First Lady yesterday when she announced that he would not be doing it. Obviously, between then and now she has talked to them. Do you know any more on that?

MS. WEISS: I know the President has seen Mrs. Lader and I assume that they made that decision and I can let you know later what sort of read out I'll give you.

Q: Could you get us some idea of the dynamics of what happened, whether he said, oh, of course, I'd like to do it.

MS. WEISS: I just don't have that information.

Q: How about the First Lady and Chelsea, do they plan to be going to any of these sessions?

MS. WEISS: You need to talk to Marsha Berry about Mrs. Clinton.

Q: Where is she?

MS. WEISS: Marsha? She's around, I saw her.

Q: What about books, Amy? Tell us about books.

MS. WEISS: Gee, you know, I've had some requests for what the President has been reading this weekend. He brought two books with him, two books for pleasure reading. The first book he brought with him is entitled, "Acheson: The Secretary Of State Who Created The American World," by James Chace. And the second book is entitled, "The Dream Palace Of The Arabs: A Generation's Odyssey," by Fouad Ajami.

Q: Can you spell the author's name?

MS. WEISS: Sure. His name is spelled F-o-u-a-d, last name, A-j-a-m-i.

Q: Has there been, or will there be any business, any telephone calls, any routine business of any kind?

MS. WEISS: Well, as I mentioned yesterday, he brought an outline of his State of the Union speech with him. He's also been looking over the budget. He brought some other paperwork with him. But as far as I know, he hasn't made any official phone calls.

Q: Did he spend time with friends last night? Did friends come over to the house?

MS. WEISS: He went to a dinner last night.

Q: Can you tell us with who?

MS. WEISS: I can get you that list. Anything else?

Q: Anything on Iraq?

MS. WEISS: Nothing new from yesterday.

Q: Thank you.

END 12:34 P.M. EST