Q Ari, can you tell us -- you said that Andy Card called the Pentagon. Can you tell us who he called regarding Captain Burlingame? And also, you said he didn't make any request. But is the administration suggesting to the Army that it reverse its decision and -- because the family is quite angry, and allow the Captain to be buried in his own grave?

MR. FLEISCHER: No, the administration has the same message for the Army as well as for the Burlingame family, and that is, we understand the deep sensitivities involved here. As I indicated yesterday, this is not the first time that there has been controversy about who has burial rights at Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting spot for a countless number of people who have served our nation with valor. And many people seek to be buried there.

Arlington is also running out of space. And so, it is one of the most difficult decisions for the Pentagon to make about who is allowed and who is not allowed. And therefore, they have promulgated and put in place a series of rules and regulations that are widely known about who can be in and who cannot. Most of those were done -- all of those were done -- in public and in lengthy, lengthy discussions with the families and people in the various branches of the Armed Services.

It always presents difficult issues anytime somebody seeks a waiver from the way procedures are. And that is why these are so difficult matters -- such difficult matters. And they involve a nation's emotions after the attack on our country and a family that is affected by it, the Burlingames.

Andy Card called the Pentagon yesterday and again today so that the White House could be informed about the status of the talks with the family, what the Pentagon was doing, and to be apprised of the family's reactions. So the talks between the Pentagon and the family continue, and the White House will continue to receive status reports.

Q A quick follow-up on that. Is the President ruling out, if there can't be a resolution here, a presidential waiver to allow the family --

MR. FLEISCHER: The President hopes that the family and the Pentagon will be able to come to an amicable agreement.

Q But he could intervene if he wanted to? He has the power to do that, doesn't he?

MR. FLEISCHER: Presidents have that authority, but the President's message is that he hopes that the family and the Department of Defense will be able to work this out amicably. He thinks that's the best route to proceed, but --

Q So he doesn't want to intervene?

MR. FLEISCHER: Again, the President hopes that it can be worked out amicably.

Q Would he support congressional legislation, some lawmakers talking about some legislation that might change the age for Reservists, or something else that would allow Captain Burlingame to be buried in his own grave?

MR. FLEISCHER: Again, the President hopes it can be worked out amicably. But the White House is going to continue to listen and to monitor and to receive status reports.

Q Ari, has the President responded in any way to the requests from Senator Allen on behalf of the Burlingame family? And what's the President's message to any Reservist who is serving now with military missions overseas on their own desires, if something happened to them, to be buried at Arlington? This rule would preclude them from having --

MR. FLEISCHER: Everybody who serves our nation knows that national cemeteries, Arlington included, have a series of regulations that have been promulgated over a considerable period of time that try to address the concerns of so many who seek to be buried at Arlington, with a recognition that it's a final resting place that's running out of space.

And so those regulations are in place. And I think the servicemen and women know those regulations and understand them. And I have nothing further to go beyond that. The President is keenly aware of the congressional interest in the matter, and of the family's sensitivities in the matter. And he's also aware that there will be other sensitivities from other families in the future, as well, that also have to be taken into consideration, as regulations are looked into.

Q So the message is no exemptions for anyone? And if you could let me know what he thought about Senator Allen's particular request.

MR. FLEISCHER: The President's reaction is that he hopes that the Pentagon and the family will be able to come to an amicable agreement. He's aware of the congressional interest.