WAHID: Only once.

No, once. [Aide corrects him.] Oh, yes.

I did that when I became president. I keep only the general outline of government policies and the power of appointment. I do not want to give that to someone else.

May I repeat: I have given everything to her except the right to appoint, and I will not agree on anything else.

I will not give it to anyone because… there is no guarantee that someone [else] will uphold the rule of law.

There is no guarantee.

Well, my type of presidency would not be hers.

Don’t ask me that…

She’s great at certain things–taking the stock of a situation. She asks ministers the right questions. But governing [requires] more than that. [It requires] judgment as to whether to act now or later. Second, she never said she would cling to the rule of law. So I have to appoint people.

I am not worried. The majority of the members of Parliament don’t like the impeachment. If they decide to go ahead with it, the people will rise up.

I asked them and they said no. I said, “OK, then we have to find a political solution.”

Oh, yes, she knows that. That’s why [my impeachment] is not good for her.

No, I will not. As Nixon said, the silent majority is with me. You should go with me to the countryside. Lines of people wait on the roadsides to see me.

Oh, yes. The vice president is silent. In your country, this is seen as a sign of weakness. In our country, it is a virtue.

Of course, yes. Congress still prohibits the U.S. government from selling us spare parts for our military planes… I’m sure soon we will be able to settle our problems and I will be able to meet with President Bush. I plan to do that in the last week of June.

I’m not afraid of that. The economy is going well except in the value of the currency and the price of the stock [market]. The rest of the country is OK. and outside. The ordinary people are happy.

I’m proud of maintaining the territorial integrity of Indonesia and beginning the process of democratization… I announced several days ago that those who insult the president will be arrested by the police and taken to court.

It’s the law. If you say the right things, OK. But if you utter slander, you will be detained. For me, this is democracy.