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 Have To Get Our Fiscal House In Order - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 11/23/09 — Monday, November 30, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Jake.Q While we're on the subject of the deficit, the President said last week, "I think it's important though to recognize that if we keep adding to the debt, even in the midst of this recovery, at some point people could lose confidence in the U.S. economy in a way that could actually lead to a double-dip recession." What steps is the President prepared to take to get us out of this hole? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, we'll broaden this just slightly. For the entirety of our administration, we've dealt with in many ways dual challenges: How do you get the economy back on track, what do you have to do to both create economic growth, which then is what you have to have in order to create job growth; as well as understanding a dramatic change in the past decade in our fiscal situation. So obviously, both of those have to be taken into account. Like I said a second ago, the biggest driver in -- the two biggest drivers were tax cuts and prescription drug benefit programs that weren't paid for. The second biggest driver is a downturn in our economy. So first and foremost, the President will focus on what can be done to get our economy moving again, what can be done to help spur the creation of jobs and continued economic growth. And like I said, I think the conversation in some ways has been changed. The discussion that's being had now, as you know, is how to pay for health care. Q I mean, that's not really any major -- I mean, so the answer to what can be done to get us out of the $12 million hole is to get the economy back in -- MR. GIBBS: Well, first and foremost that's -- yes, that's -- a downturn in the economy, caused by the recession, a change in tax receipts, is first and foremost what can be done. Obviously there are meetings that continue today in terms of putting the budget together for next year, understanding that the President believes that we are going to have to continue next year to balance what has to be done to create -- continue economic growth and create demand for jobs, as well as balancing our fiscal situation, which the President also said last week in those interviews. Q Right, but how could -- okay, understood, the economy -- getting the economy back on track, that will increase revenues. But the President said specifically, even if, when the economy bounces back and -- MR. GIBBS: Well, and you've heard the President talk quite a bit about the fact that we most assuredly have to get our fiscal house in order. Again -- Q Right, so what does he think should be done to do that? MR. GIBBS: Well, that's -- they're working on putting together the budget for next year. One of the first things he talked about was taking into account the massive amounts of money that the government spends on health care each year -- which passing health care reform, over the next 10-year period cuts about $130 billion, according to the Senate bill, out of the deficit. Q Well, that's $13 billion a year. That's not even a quarter of what we borrow from China every year. MR. GIBBS: Well, but if you don't start somewhere, Jake, you're not going to get anywhere. I think the President understands that we've got, again, very dual challenges that have to be addressed in getting our economy moving again, as well as taking into account our long-term fiscal health. Economy | Federal Deficit | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Economy, Federal Deficit, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:53:00 AM  Five Feet Separating Them - Beijing Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 11/17/09 — Thursday, November 19, 2009 —  Q Robert, can we get one question about the response of the Chinese -- the behavior of the Chinese since the President has arrived? And we've had (inaudible) did not broadcast the event yesterday; there have been some arrests of dissidents; there was a tussle with a CNN reporter over an Obama tee-shirt; the central banking regulator berated the United States and said the currency issues are actually the United States' fault because they have interest rates that are too low. And what does that say about how the message that the President is bringing is getting through to the authorities in China?MR. GIBBS: Well, I think he met with the authorities in China today. I think there was about five feet separating them throughout the morning, where the President was, as you heard from all these gentlemen here, very direct about every issue that we have in our bilateral relationship. Q -- responding? MR. GIBBS: Jonathan, I did not expect, and I can speak authoritatively for the President on this, that we thought the waters would part and everything would change over the course of our almost two and a half day trip to China. This is, I think as the Ambassador said, a relationship -- and, quite frankly, both the Presidents said this today -- a relationship that is based on mutual interest, that is strengthening, that we've made progress on. We understand there's a lot of work to do and that we'll continue to work hard at making more progress. China | International Relations | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: China, International Relations, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 1:20:00 PM The Transcript Should Include Me Laughing - Air Force One Press Gaggle by Robert Gibbs 11/10/09 — Wednesday, November 11, 2009 —  Q The stories about Afghan troop numbers -- does the President find it troubling that this kind of information, even if it's not final, is leaking out? Does it bother him, and does it make him concerned? And is he done with his decision?MR. GIBBS: I think you may have summed up my answer in your question. I will say this -- I will tell you what General Jones said and I think we said to a few of you last night: The President will have an opportunity to discuss four options with his national security team tomorrow. Anybody that tells you that the President has made a decision or -- what was the artfully used term last night, "tentatively agreed to" -- doesn't have, in all honesty, the slightest idea what they're talking about. The President has yet to make a decision. I would counsel you all to -- I got asked on Saturday about a story of approving 34,000 troops, only to be asked yesterday about a story of approving nearly 40,000 troops -- this all two weeks after being asked about whether or not we were coalescing around an entirely different option. I don't know that it's annoying as much as it is generally amusing to watch somebody or some group of people decide they know what only the President knows. You know, it keeps me busy and it's in some ways fun to watch two reports that contradict each other be reported virtually simultaneously. Q Does it bother him, though? Does it bother him? MR. GIBBS: He hasn't let me know that. Q -- presented him with the four options -- is that the four options by General McChrystal or -- MR. GIBBS: The four options that his national security team, including the Pentagon and General McChrystal, that the President will discuss with the team tomorrow. Q Can you describe those just real briefly, or -- MR. GIBBS: (Laughter.) See my previous answer. And please note that the transcript should include me laughing. No, I'm not getting -- I appreciate the opportunity to get into -- Q Wanted to give you every opportunity. MR. GIBBS: You know, and I -- Bloomberg is always fair like that. Q Well, just to follow up on that, in all seriousness, from your perspective, so you want us to know that he's considering four options, but don't want us to know what they are? What's the White House -- MR. GIBBS: With all due respect, you guys reported last night with some degree of certainty that the decision had already been made. Am I sensing from your follow-up question that you don't think the story that you wrote last night on the AP wire was accurate? Q I have every reason to think it is. I'm trying to -- MR. GIBBS: Maybe we should ask you questions. (Laughter.) Q I'm trying to figure out what the White House thinking is about saying there's four options -- MR. GIBBS: -- I said yesterday, I'll say what I said last night after, with some certainty, AP and CBS reported a decision had been made, and I'll tell it to you now: The President hasn’t made a decision. Now, I don't expect that will change the AP wire; it didn’t this morning. Q I understand your point. I'm trying to move on, which is why -- MR. GIBBS: I am -- Q I have no personal animus with you -- MR. GIBBS: I don't either. You have to understand my somewhat -- my surprise that you'd ask a follow-up based on what you reported. Q I'm following up on your specific point of telling us tomorrow in this council meeting they'll discuss four options. I'm asking, why are you telling us that fact and not others? MR. GIBBS: Because, honestly, Ben, we've been -- I think we've been very transparent throughout this process. We've let you all know when these meetings are; we've let you know who's in these meetings; we've put out pictures of these meetings. The President is doing this in a very purposeful and deliberate way to get the best decision. And I promise you that when he makes that decision we'll let you know. And as I've said before, the President will take the time to explain that decision and its reasoning to the American people. Q That's still weeks away? You would still say weeks? Weeks or -- Q Any more decision about how he would do that? MR. GIBBS: No, not yet. Afghanistan | Air Force One | Haha | Military | President Obama | Press Gaggle | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Afghanistan, Air Force One, Haha, Military, President Obama, Press Gaggle, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 8:14:00 PM He Could Not Be More Pleased - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 11/9/09 — Monday, November 09, 2009 —  Q What was the President's reaction to the more than 2,000-page health care bill which so few congressmen read being passed by only five votes and costing more than a trillion dollars, on which 39 Democrats voted no?MR. GIBBS: He could not be more pleased. (Laughter.) Health Care |Legislation | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Health Care, Legislation, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 5:27:00 PM Just Passing In The Night - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 11/3/09 — Wednesday, November 04, 2009 —  Q If Creigh Deeds or Jon Corzine or Bill Owens were to win today, the President doesn't want any credit, and if they lose he doesn't want any blame?MR. GIBBS: No, I don't -- unclear if I've had an opportunity to intone either of those. Q Please take it now. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: I simply said -- and I find it -- I'm always amused by the fact that the motives for which I say these things are always imparted -- this is just what I believe. I don't think the two gubernatorial races -- I don't think looking at the two gubernatorial races, you can draw with any great insight what's going to happen a year from now any more than if Jake's team wins tomorrow night I can tell who's going to win next year's World Series. Q Not really what I was asking. (Laughter.) If the three candidates that the President has campaigned for and wants to win and are seen as the three key races this year, if they win, will the White House view it as support for the President's views or -- MR. GIBBS: Again, we don't look at either of these gubernatorial races or the congressional race as something that portends a lot for our legislative efforts going forward or political prospects in 2010. Q You still didn’t hit it on the nail, you know that? Is it deliberate, or is it -- MR. GIBBS: I don't -- maybe we're just passing in the night, Mark. I don't know whether that's -- maybe with less sound, but it's -- yes, go ahead. Democrats | Elections | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Democrats, Elections, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 8:38:00 AM What Do You Tell Generic Democratic Congressman X - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 11/2/09 — Monday, November 02, 2009 —  Q On tomorrow's elections, what do you tell generic Democratic Congressman X not to read into the results in New Jersey or Virginia?MR. GIBBS: Well, I would -- well, I think, one, I'd wait for the results to talk to Congressman X, without -- like I said, I don't want to play pundit in Afghanistan or certainly don't want to pre-play pundit here. Obviously, as we talked about -- Q Are you guys going to take a lot of credit if Corzine wins, but then -- MR. GIBBS: No, I would point you to the answer I gave on Friday, which is I don't think that these elections will portend a lot for what happens in 2010 any more than the 2001 elections seemed to denote relative electoral legislative strength for President Bush in 2002. It's just -- Q But are you concerned that some Democratic incumbents in Congress might suddenly be tougher -- MR. GIBBS: -- the results based on the pundits on cable TV? That and corporate governance -- or corruption in governance are at the top of my list today. Democrats | Elections | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Democrats, Elections, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 7:28:00 PM
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