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 A Little Bit Of Hoodwinkery - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 12/15/09 — Wednesday, December 16, 2009 —  Q Does the President understand at all those who have concerns, security concerns about up to 100 detainees at Guantanamo Bay -- (cell phone rings) -- oh, I'm sorry --MR. GIBBS: I like that you still checked it. That was -- (laughter.) Q I think it's from the White House, and it says "private number." You're the only person who -- MR. GIBBS: Somebody is trying to change -- Q It might be you -- I think you're doing a little bit of hoodwinkery. (Laughter.) So, anyway, does he understand at all the concerns that some Americans have about whether or not this puts Illinois in any sort of jeopardy security-wise, one hundred or so detainees coming to one facility? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think what we have to do, Jake, is separate what might be legitimate concern with what is nothing more than scare tactics and hyperbole that we haven't seen in quite some time, even in a glorious town like Washington. Understand that there are I think more than 350 prisoners convicted of terrorist acts currently serving in prisons in the United States. Let me get the list of -- Q They're not all in one facility, they're spread out all over. MR. GIBBS: Right. But understand that just alone in -- see if anybody recognizes these names currently housed in a supermax facility in Colorado -- I would say nobody has ever gotten out of one of these prisons -- Eric Rudolph, the Olympic bomber; Terry Nichols, the co-conspirator of Oklahoma City; Zacarias Moussaoui, the other hijacker; and Richard Reid, who tried to light his shoe on fire that contained a bomb to blow up a 767 over the Atlantic. Those are all housed in one facility. Understand also the President has great confidence in the military of this country. Those are the people that operate Guantanamo Bay. Those are the people that would operate a facility at Thomson. I think if there are concerns for security reasons, I would hope some of those people would address why they think the military can do what they're doing at Guantanamo and can't do it at Thomson. I will say this. I have seen some far crazier comments today -- comments from people like John Boehner. Here's what I would suggest for John Boehner. Call up Leon Panetta or Denny Blair at the CIA or the Director of National Intelligence. Ask them if he can come down and watch a video put out by al Qaeda senior leadership like -- the names that we recognize -- Zawahiri. Thirty-two times since 2001, and four times this year alone, senior al Qaeda leadership and recruiting videos have used the prison at Guantanamo Bay as a clarion call to bring extremists from around the world to join their effort. Closing Guantanamo Bay makes this country safer. And if he's confused about that, or if anybody is confused about that, he can ask the Secretary of Defense in the previous administration, the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from the previous administration, the commander for Afghanistan and Iraq that oversees that region of the world from the previous administration, why they support closing Guantanamo Bay and support today's decision. Q In a conference call that the White House established earlier today, senior administration officials told reporters on the call that the goal of the Obama administration is to house those detainees in that fourth category, the ones who cannot be tried and yet cannot be released, of whom there have not been any identified as of yet and signed off by the President -- that the goal would be to ultimately house them at Thomson, and the administration will work with Congress to do that. How would that be constitutional to indefinitely hold somebody in the United States without trial? MR. GIBBS: Understand that the President does not seek new authority; that under the auspices of the declaration from 2001, that would be allowable. But understand this, Jake, what we have said is -- again, that's the collective decision of Congress -- not one individual, the President -- a collective body in Congress -- that would be and can be reviewed as it is now by the judiciary, and has been -- as you know, a number of the transfers have been required by U.S. courts that have said there's no reason to continue to hold this individual. So there are certainly -- that is built into the newer regime that the President is moving forward on. Detainees | Guantanamo | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Detainees, Guantanamo, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 5:35:00 PM  This New System Of Justice - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 6/9/09 — Tuesday, June 09, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Jake.Q Two questions about developments today, one regarding Ghailani's trial, him being flown to the United States. If any of the detainees who are brought to trial through the U.S. criminal courts, or even through military commissions, if any of them are found not guilty, will the administration let them free? MR. GIBBS: Well, I'm not going to get into hypotheticals about -- Q Well, forget the military commissions -- MR. GIBBS: I'm not going to get into hypotheticals about the court cases, either. Q Well, this is an important part of the -- you're talking about a credible justice system, bringing these people to justice. You've spoken at great length about this, the President has. If they are found not guilty, will they be found -- MR. GIBBS: Well, let's discuss that if it ever comes to fruition. Q But isn't that what is underlying a credible justice system, the idea that if you're found not guilty you'll be free? MR. GIBBS: Sure. Q So -- MR. GIBBS: But I'm not going to get into hypotheticals about how certain cases may or may not play out. Q So you're not willing to commit to freeing people if they're found not guilty? MR. GIBBS: I'm not willing to get into playing hypothetical games. Q It's not a game, Robert. It's a question about the credibility of the justice system. Q It's the principle of it -- MR. GIBBS: No, it's -- I'm not debating legal principles. I'm just not getting into the hypothetical back-and-forth of what happens on a case. Q Okay. So the Obama administration is refusing to say that if somebody is found not guilty they will be set free? MR. GIBBS: Jake, I'm not going to get into hypotheticals about specific outcomes of cases. Q I'm not asking you to talk about a specific case. I'm talking about in general -- Q And for all the detainees brought into this system of justice, which the administration said can and has in the past handled adequately -- more than adequately, according to your talking points this morning -- the terrorism cases brought before it in whatever venue -- if that justice system, which the administration says should be trusted, renders a verdict of not guilty, is that person released? MR. GIBBS: We will talk about what happens about a verdict when a verdict comes. Q Well, then how is the world supposed to have any confidence that this new system of justice that you guys are ensuring is going to be the case with the detainees is actually credible? MR. GIBBS: We think the Southern District of New York has a very good record as it relates to trying and convicting terror suspects. Q I believe what you're -- the fact sheet said this morning was that it has a 90-percent success rate. MR. GIBBS: I think 90 is pretty good. Q I'm not questioning whether 90 is pretty good; I'm asking about the 10 percent. MR. GIBBS: And I'm, in this specific case, not going to get into those hypotheticals. Al Qaeda | Guantanamo | Judicial System | Obama Administration | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Al Qaeda, Guantanamo, Judicial System, Obama Administration, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 6:55:00 PM Gosh, I Don't Finger-Point - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 5/21/09 — Thursday, May 21, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Chip.Q He said at one point in the speech, no time for finger-pointing, which he often says. But then at 12 different -- 12 or 15, depending on how you interpret them -- points in the speech he pointed the finger directly at the Bush administration. And of course he's going to do that because he's changing their policies, but why even talk about stopping the finger-pointing when he does so much of it in the speech? MR. GIBBS: Well, Chip, I think part of this was for an understanding about -- I don't think we can talk about where we're going without establishing how we got to this point. You can't set up the decision to close, the decision to go through the cases, making the decisions about bringing people to justice or transfer, without setting the stage on how you got there. I also think -- Q Why kind of hold himself up as, gosh, I don't finger-point; Washington has this culture of finger-pointing, I wouldn't do something like that -- MR. GIBBS: You can read me the reference that he's -- I don't have it off the top of my head, but is it in the latter part of -- Q I understand that "It's no secret there is a tendency in Washington to spend our time pointing fingers at one another. And our media culture feeds the impulses that lead to a good fight." (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: Aiding and abetting is the likely charge. (Laughter.) Well, look, is that I think in the -- is that in the section of the speech where we're discussing whether or not we should look backwards and have a commission? Q Exactly. MR. GIBBS: I think he lays out the argument fairly cogently in that section about why looking back -- leaving the media culture aside -- why looking back he doesn't think would be that beneficial in using that commission to make some of those determinations. But I do think it is important -- I mean, I think he sets up in many parts in the speech, again, the same thing that I had talked about the last few days, is we've talked about this as a decision solely as one that the administration or this President made via the executive order on January 22, 2009, right? He talked in the speech today, though, about the fact that there are detainees that American courts ruled, not since the 20th or the 22nd, but in previous years, that we don't have the evidence -- we don't have enough evidence to hold individuals that are currently detained. We talked -- again, I'll use the example I used yesterday that Jake asked me about last week. On Friday there was an individual transferred to France, a detainee that a George W. Bush federal judge had ruled the administration didn't have -- this government didn't have the evidence to back up a charge and ordered that person to be transferred. I think there are obviously a confluence of events that led us to the decision first to close Guantanamo Bay, but also a confluence of events obviously that were had over the course of the past few years and a discussion about changing the way our country looks at our policies even as the President discusses the first and foremost job that he has each day in protecting the security and safety of the American people. And I think that's -- that's the way he looked at the speech today, and I think that's what he laid out. Guantanamo | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Guantanamo, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 7:12:00 PM Good Lord, Large Fly - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 5/20/09 — Wednesday, May 20, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Ms. Loven.Q Does the White House agree with the FBI director that there are risks associated with bringing any Guantanamo detainees to the United States? MR. GIBBS: Well, Jennifer, let me talk broadly about Guantanamo. Obviously this is a topic that, as you know, the President will discuss tomorrow. There are -- he will go through some of the decisions that we have to make regarding how to close down Guantanamo, something that Democrats and Republicans alike agree on, because it is -- it's hurting and has hurt our image in the world and our reputation, and has hurt our national security. Q How much detail will he go into? MR. GIBBS: Well, I don't expect that he's going to hand out a 100-page plan that will have every decision made. I think, as I said here yesterday, that before -- we share Congress's belief that before resources are given for a project that they need and deserve a more detailed plan. The President will lay out the framework on many of those decisions and some of the work that has to be done between now and then to make progress in closing Guantanamo Bay. Jennifer, as you know, that a number of these decisions the administration -- any administration is going to have to make based on legal cases that are coming its way. I would also mention that the President will discuss in some -- in part of the speech discuss the state secrets privilege, some discussion about transparency and national security. So those are a basket of the topics that he'll discuss. But to go back to some of these legal cases, again, there are -- there are orders that are pending and binding that order the transfer of detainees that courts here have ruled can no longer be held at Guantanamo. Jake asked -- good lord, large fly. Jake asked yesterday about a case where a former detainee was transferred on Friday to France. That was a case that had been pending where a judge appointed by the previous administration had ordered that a detainee -- there wasn't sufficient evidence to hold the detainee. That was a ruling that was passed down in 2008, and he's been transferred. Q Can you respond directly to the FBI director, please? MR. GIBBS: I can respond to anybody, including everybody in America, to say that the President understands that his most important job is to keep the American people safe, and that he is not going to make any decision or any judgment that imperils the safety of the American people. Q So you think there aren't risks -- there aren't any risks with bringing -- MR. GIBBS: No, no. I said that the President isn't going to make any decisions or judgments -- Q But he's already decided to close Guantanamo. MR. GIBBS: He has. Q So he's apparently made the decision that there aren't risks in doing so, in bringing some of the detainees to the United States. MR. GIBBS: No, because I haven't said that the -- the President hasn't decided where some of the detainees will be transferred. Again, those are decisions that the task forces are working on and that the President will begin to lay out and discuss tomorrow. Guantanamo | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Guantanamo, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 11:54:00 PM A Vote Of No Confidence - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 5/19/09  Q Robert, back on Guantanamo. Are you saying that you have a plan that will satisfy the concerns of Congress and that -- but that hasn't been shared with them yet? The President has a plan --MR. GIBBS: I don't remember that -- I appreciate that, but I don't remember making any remark like that. Q So do you believe that the plan that the President will outline or discuss on Thursday will be enough to satisfy the concerns of lawmakers, such that they will put the money back in the bill? MR. GIBBS: Well, let me try to say what I said earlier. The President and Congress will work together on a timeline for a renewed request for whatever resources are needed. The President still believes it in our national interest to close Guantanamo Bay; that's why he signed the executive order. And Thursday he'll outline his thoughts on detainee and detention issues, as well as the other issues like photos and memos that I talked about earlier. Q The main concern on the Hill seems to be that detainees will be released from Guantanamo either inside the United States or will be even held in prisons inside the United States, which some find objectionable, or that they'll be sent to other countries and released there. So will the President address these concerns in his speech on Thursday? MR. GIBBS: Yes. Yes. Q And does he have some plan that -- for doing something else with these detainees, other than -- MR. GIBBS: Well, let's not get -- I'm not going to give the President's Thursday speech here on Tuesday. Q You'd probably do a good job of it. MR. GIBBS: Well, I'm not quite as tall. But I think the President will outline in greater detail his thoughts and thinking on this. He'll outline the reasoning of why he strongly believes, and many in both parties believe, that closing Guantanamo Bay is in our best national security and foreign policy interest. And he will go through a number of the decisions related to that and other issues that we've discussed in the last few weeks that all relate to it. Q Isn't this, though, kind of a vote of no confidence, this withholding of the money that he has asked for? MR. GIBBS: No, I don't agree with that at all. Congress | Guantanamo | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Congress, Guantanamo, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 11:37:00 PM His Own Lovely Tones - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 5/18/09  MR. GIBBS: Sheryl.Q Robert, does the President still expect to close Guantanamo Bay one year after his announcement, which would be I guess January 20, 2010? And is -- MR. GIBBS: I think it's the 21st or 22nd, but, yes. Q Twenty-first, thank you. And is he still planning on issuing a detailed map, if you will, of how to get there in another two months from now? MR. GIBBS: I don't understand the second part. Q Did he not say on January 22nd that within six months he would sort of issue -- the administration would issue plans for how it intended to close Guantanamo? MR. GIBBS: I'd have to go back and look. I mean, obviously, Sheryl, the President remains committed to closing Guantanamo. Q On January 22nd? MR. GIBBS: On whatever date he previously intoned in the executive order. Q And he's still confident that he can do that? MR. GIBBS: He is. There are multiple task forces that are -- have been stood up, and are meeting to deal with the issues surrounding that closure. Q And what will we hear from him Thursday in his speech? Will he address how he plans to get there? And also, will he talk about the military commissions decision? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think he talked about the military commissions decision in a statement Friday. And I took a few questions, as well. Q He talked in a written statement, not in his own lovely tones. MR. GIBBS: I think I saw that statement appear in your newspaper, if I'm not mistaken. Q Sure, it was brief. MR. GIBBS: I think the President will discuss in some detail issues surrounding detainees in detention on Thursday. And we'll have more on that as we get a little bit later into the week. Guantanamo | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Guantanamo, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 11:23:00 PM Family Showdown - White House Press Briefing by Tony Fratto 1/13/09 — Tuesday, January 13, 2009 —  MR. FRATTO: Yes, Mark. Q Tony, the President-elect's decision, impending decision, to close Guantanamo -- the Vice President has just given an interview in which he says, "I think it's a bad decision." He says it's a first-rate facility, it's a good facility, there's a reason why it's there. I thought President Bush wanted to close Guantanamo. MR. FRATTO: When you say -- first, when you say "close Guantanamo," Guantanamo is a base. You're talking about the detention facility? It's obviously our position, you've heard the President say this many times, that over time it's a goal to close the Guantanamo facility also. I didn't see the interview that you're referring to. But I think what everyone has realized -- I've seen it in a lot of the reporting, some of it today and in recent weeks -- is the incredible complexity of actually closing Guantanamo, the legal and national security concerns that people are noticing now. It's complicated. And it would take a great deal of time to do it, and you do have the problem of what do you do with known and hardened and experienced terrorists. Where do you put them? I would agree with the Vice President that, for now, Guantanamo is the place to keep them until we can find other solutions. Q The President doesn't think it's a bad decision to close Guantanamo. He wants to do that. MR. FRATTO: Well, like I said, I don't know the context of Vice President's reaction with the -- whether it was referencing a time frame or something else. Dick Cheney | Guantanamo | President Bush | President-Elect Obama | Press Briefing | Tony Fratto | Vice President | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Dick Cheney, Guantanamo, President Bush, President-Elect Obama, Press Briefing, Tony Fratto, Vice President, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 5:49:00 PM
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