Mr. President we have heard from your wife
recently that you haven't been  sleeping so well,
and we've also heard that the drums, outside are
keeping you awake. My question is if you could
just share with us what kind of personal toll this
war is taking on you as far as your routine,your
needs yout emotions?
Look, my wife--normally I stick by everythinB she
says, but I'm sleeping very well. The drums have
ceased oddly enough. And there was a slight hyperbole
there because the dntms could only be heard from one
side of the White House. However, when they got up
over the 60-decibel count limit, a protest was raised by
a hotel over here because they were on wrong side and
they heard the drums. And lo, people went forth with
decibel count auditors--and they found the man got up
to--this drummer, ineessant drummers, got over 60,
and they were moved out of there, and I hope they stay
out of there because I don't want the people in the hotel
to not have a good night's sieep. I am sleeping quite
well as a matter of fact. And I say this not frivolously
because you asked a more serious question, and I can't
tell you that I don't worry a lot about our families of the
troops. I'11 tell you what was emotional for me--ar;d I
don't think I have had a press conference since then--
was this visit down to the three bases I went to, and it
was very, very moving.
 But, what I came back with was the sense of--the
sense of wonder at the way these spouses are staying
together, totally supportive of their spouses across the
way. So, I got--when I said I got lifted up--my morale
was not down, it's been good - and I am just so confi-
dent of how this thing's going to work out.
 But, it was better--my morale was better when it
was - I saw these families. And when I talked to some
who had loved ones missing or held prisoner, I just won-
dered at their strength, and I have had some other contacts with people that are in that description. One, a
most beautiful letter from a wife of a pilot who was
killed in action, and her spirit and the way she ap
proached this whole conflict over there in the face of
her own loss has been inspiring. It has been totally in-
spiring to me.
  So my--my own feeling is, I know what I've got to
 do. I've got very good people helping me do it: I really
 don't lose sleep.
  I can't tell you I don't shed a tear for--for families
 of--and for--for those that might be lost in combat. We have had very few losses, and yet I've got to tell you, I feel each one. But we are going to continue this, and we are going to prevail.
 We have had very few losses, and yet I've got to tell
 you, I feel each one. But we are going to continue this,
 and we are going to prevail.