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 A Bill To His Desk As Quickly As Possible - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 1/6/10 — Wednesday, January 06, 2010 — MR. GIBBS:Chip. Q Following up on Dan's question, during the campaign the President on numerous occasions said words to the effect of -- quoting one -- "all of this will be done on C-SPAN in front of the public." Do you agree that the President is breaking an explicit campaign promise? MR. GIBBS: Chip, we covered this yesterday and I would refer you to yesterday's transcript. Q But today is today and -- MR. GIBBS: And the answer that I would give today is similar to the one -- Q But there was an intervening meeting in which it's been reported that the President pressed the leaders in Congress to take the fast-track approach, to skip the conference committee. Did he do that? MR. GIBBS: The President wants to get a bill to his desk as quickly as possible. Q In spite of the fact that he promised to do this on C-SPAN? MR. GIBBS: I would refer you to what we talked about in this room yesterday. Q But the President in this meeting yesterday -- MR. GIBBS: And I addressed that -- Q -- pressed for something that's in direct violation of a promise he made during the campaign. MR. GIBBS: And I addressed that yesterday. Mike. Q Well, does the President think it would be more helpful if this process were more transparent, that the American people could see -- MR. GIBBS: Mike, how many stories do you think NBC has done on this? Q Speaking for myself -- MR. GIBBS: Just a guess. Q That's not the issue. The issue is whether he broke an explicit campaign promise. MR. GIBBS: So the answer is -- Q I deal with the information that -- MR. GIBBS: So the answer is hundreds, is that correct? Q Right, but that's got nothing to do with it. I deal with the information, however much or little of it, there is. I'm saying would people benefit by having more information? MR. GIBBS: Have you lacked information in those hundred stories? Do you think you've reported stuff that was inaccurate based on the lack of information? Q Democrats ran against the very sort of process that is being employed in this health care -- MR. GIBBS: We had this discussion yesterday. I answered this yesterday. Is there anything -- Q But the President met with members of Congress in the meantime -- MR. GIBBS: And he'll do so today. Q -- and pressed them to -- MR. GIBBS: Do you have another question? Q -- short-circuit the process. C-SPAN | Health Care | Open Government | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: C-SPAN, Health Care, Open Government, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 4:03:00 PM  Why Can't You Answer The C-SPAN Question - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 1/5/10  Q A question on health care. C-SPAN television is requesting leaders in Congress to open up the debate to their cameras, and I know this is something that the President talked about on the campaign trail. Is this something that he supports, will be pushing for?MR. GIBBS: I have not seen that letter. I know the President is going to begin some discussions later today on health care in order to try to iron out the differences that remain between the House and the Senate bill and try to get something hopefully to his desk quite quickly. [...] Q Okay, just lastly, why can't you answer the C-SPAN question -- MR. GIBBS: I did. Q Well, you didn't, because you said -- MR. GIBBS: I said I hadn't seen the letter, which I haven't -- Q Why do you need to see a letter? I mean, this is something the President said during the campaign and he talked about he wants everything open on C-SPAN -- MR. GIBBS: Dan asked me about the letter and I haven't read the letter. Q Well, I'll just ask you about having it on C-SPAN -- MR. GIBBS: I answered Dan's question and I answered this before we left for the break, Keith. The President's number-one priority is getting the differences worked out, getting a bill to the House and the Senate. We've filled your newspaper and many others with the back-and-forth and the details of what's in these bills. I don't want to keep that from continuing to happen. I don't think there's anybody that would say that we haven't had a thorough, robust, now spanning two calendar years' debate on health care. Q There are a lot of reasons not to do it on C-SPAN -- people could showboat. Does he regret making that statement during the campaign? MR. GIBBS: No. C-SPAN | Health Care | Open Government | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: C-SPAN, Health Care, Open Government, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 1:31:00 PM The President Has Been Involved The Whole Time - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 12/14/09 — Monday, December 14, 2009 —  Q The Senate has now said that it would like to expand access to Medicare of those aged 55 and above. That is an alternative approach that the House is taking. Which does the President think is better?MR. GIBBS: I'm sorry, say it one more time. Q The Senate bill on health care wants to provide access to those on Medicare down to age 55. That is a different -- different approach to expanding coverage under the rubric of public option than the House has taken. Which of these two approaches does the President believe is better? MR. GIBBS: I'm -- Q Does he have an opinion? If not, why not? MR. GIBBS: What the President wants to do is see the process through the Senate, continue to make progress, and that's what the administration is working toward. Q But I mean, that's a rather large systemic change to Medicare, and many budget analysts who are not opposed to health care reform as principle, have said this is -- MR. GIBBS: Well, let me interrupt -- Q -- a potentially large financial -- MR. GIBBS: -- because I don't want to get ahead of the CBO, because I know the CBO is working on just that, just as the CBO had told you all before that legislation bends the cost curve, that legislation would slow the growth rate in health care spending, that health care legislation wouldn’t add to the deficit, but it would in fact help our fiscal situation. And you've seen the CBO talk about the extended life to the Medicare trust fund that legislation that the Senate is currently debating would have in terms of the specific policy. Again, that's what the CBO is evaluating, and I think many on Capitol Hill await what they have to say. Q Is the White House agnostic on which approach to a public option is better? MR. GIBBS: The President is not agnostic to continue to making progress on health care reform and we're trying to get it through the Senate. [...] Q Robert, has the President picked up the phone and called Joe Lieberman about health care reform? MR. GIBBS: Not that I'm aware of, no. Q Would he consider that? Is the report true that's published on Politico that the White House is encouraging Senator Reid to sit down and make a deal with Lieberman and give up on the Medicare expansion? MR. GIBBS: I can only say this, Ann: The President is anxious to see progress and will continue to work with Democrats and Republicans -- Q And independents. MR. GIBBS: -- and independents, and everyone in between to make that progress, to take those steps. Q Is this a serious problem with Senator Lieberman? Would the President get involved? MR. GIBBS: Well, Ann, the President has been involved. We wouldn't be -- we wouldn't be sitting here, the 14th of December, when you'd much rather be Christmas shopping, discussing the Senate being in on the weekends if the President wasn't involved. The President has been involved the whole time. Health Care | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Senate | Senator Joe Lieberman | White House Press Corps Labels: Health Care, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Senate, Senator Joe Lieberman, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 10:23:00 PM Isn't The President Part Of That Blame Game? - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 12/9/09  Q Did the President in the meeting with Congress tell the Republicans and Minority Leader Boehner that they almost seem to be rooting against recovery?MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the President did mention, and I think Republicans agreed, that the room was not without politics, and that politics obviously has -- I think politics has clearly played a role in many of their statements and votes on the Recovery Act. I don't think that's any big secret. Q He thinks Republicans basically want the jobless rate to stay above 10 percent -- MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the President would like Democrats and Republicans alike to prove to the American people that we can set aside whatever narrow political agendas anybody has in order to address the severity of the economic downturn and the joblessness that's resulted from it. And I can think of nothing better than taking the President up on, again, two of the ideas that have normally enjoyed very bipartisan support: increasing our investment in infrastructure, which will create jobs; and help to hundreds of thousands of small businesses across the country in terms of getting access to credit; tax incentives for hiring. Look, again, the most important thing is those things in a nonpartisan environment would get the support of Republicans and Democrats alike. I don't think that should be any different with this President, nor would it or should it be with any other President. I think we have a challenge that the American people have laid before us, and that is to solve the problems that they have without getting involved in that blame game. And I think -- Q Isn't the President part of that blame game, too? I mean, he took the partisan swipe yesterday in that speech. I mean, even here you talked about their failed stewardship on the deficit. I mean, this administration doesn't miss an opportunity to blame the past administration. MR. GIBBS: Well, look -- well, Savannah, I appreciate the ability to forget what happened every -- to forget every -- Q But my point -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, but understand we've -- I appreciate the ability to forget anything that happened before we got here. The President didn't -- the President inherited an economic downturn, he inherited a massive budget deficit. He understands one thing: The American people put him here to solve the problems that were created however and by whoever they were created. That's what the President is going to do. He's going to make decisions that won't be altogether wildly popular with the American people. But I think he believes that the American people will understand that we're making those tough decisions to pull ourselves back from falling into another Great Depression. It is hard to argue, Savannah, it is hard to argue that the steps taken in the Recovery Act didn't directly lead to the first economic growth in a year. Don't believe me; ask John McCain's economist who said we created jobs, that we put ourselves on a path towards economic growth. That's not me. That's -- that was our rival's chief economist in the campaign. I think what the President believes is we have a unique opportunity -- setting aside all of that -- to move forward on behalf of the American people; to do it in a way that truly addresses their problems without falling into the convenient political back-and-forth and games that have always governed Washington. We can show the American people this -- at this time and this year that it's possible to do that. Q You said the President does recognize that he's got the job now, so now it falls to him to fix it. Is there any statute of limitations, though, on how often he may mention what he inherited or the mess he inherited or how the past administration failed? MR. GIBBS: Again, it would be easy to put it all in a box and just forget about it, but we didn't get here overnight. We're not going to get out of our problems overnight. It's not part of the blame game. It's just -- it's a fact of life. Bush Administration | Economy | President Obama | Press Briefing | Republicans | Robert Gibbs | Unemployment | White House Press Corps Labels: Bush Administration, Economy, President Obama, Press Briefing, Republicans, Robert Gibbs, Unemployment, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 10:05:00 PM President Obama's West Point Speech on Afghanistan, or There And Back Again 12/1/09 — Wednesday, December 02, 2009 —  THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. To the United States Corps of Cadets, to the men and women of our Armed Services, and to my fellow Americans: I want to speak to you tonight about our effort in Afghanistan -- the nature of our commitment there, the scope of our interests, and the strategy that my administration will pursue to bring this war to a successful conclusion. It's an extraordinary honor for me to do so here at West Point -- where so many men and women have prepared to stand up for our security, and to represent what is finest about our country. To address these important issues, it's important to recall why America and our allies were compelled to fight a war in Afghanistan in the first place. We did not ask for this fight. On September 11, 2001, 19 men hijacked four airplanes and used them to murder nearly 3,000 people. They struck at our military and economic nerve centers. They took the lives of innocent men, women, and children without regard to their faith or race or station. Were it not for the heroic actions of passengers onboard one of those flights, they could have also struck at one of the great symbols of our democracy in Washington, and killed many more. As we know, these men belonged to al Qaeda -- a group of extremists who have distorted and defiled Islam, one of the world’s great religions, to justify the slaughter of innocents. Al Qaeda’s base of operations was in Afghanistan, where they were harbored by the Taliban -- a ruthless, repressive and radical movement that seized control of that country after it was ravaged by years of Soviet occupation and civil war, and after the attention of America and our friends had turned elsewhere. Just days after 9/11, Congress authorized the use of force against al Qaeda and those who harbored them -- an authorization that continues to this day. The vote in the Senate was 98 to nothing. The vote in the House was 420 to 1. For the first time in its history, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization invoked Article 5 -- the commitment that says an attack on one member nation is an attack on all. And the United Nations Security Council endorsed the use of all necessary steps to respond to the 9/11 attacks. America, our allies and the world were acting as one to destroy al Qaeda’s terrorist network and to protect our common security. Under the banner of this domestic unity and international legitimacy -- and only after the Taliban refused to turn over Osama bin Laden -- we sent our troops into Afghanistan. Within a matter of months, al Qaeda was scattered and many of its operatives were killed. The Taliban was driven from power and pushed back on its heels. A place that had known decades of fear now had reason to hope. At a conference convened by the U.N., a provisional government was established under President Hamid Karzai. And an International Security Assistance Force was established to help bring a lasting peace to a war-torn country. Then, in early 2003, the decision was made to wage a second war, in Iraq. The wrenching debate over the Iraq war is well-known and need not be repeated here. It's enough to say that for the next six years, the Iraq war drew the dominant share of our troops, our resources, our diplomacy, and our national attention -- and that the decision to go into Iraq caused substantial rifts between America and much of the world. Today, after extraordinary costs, we are bringing the Iraq war to a responsible end. We will remove our combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next summer, and all of our troops by the end of 2011. That we are doing so is a testament to the character of the men and women in uniform. (Applause.) Thanks to their courage, grit and perseverance, we have given Iraqis a chance to shape their future, and we are successfully leaving Iraq to its people. But while we've achieved hard-earned milestones in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated. After escaping across the border into Pakistan in 2001 and 2002, al Qaeda’s leadership established a safe haven there. Although a legitimate government was elected by the Afghan people, it's been hampered by corruption, the drug trade, an under-developed economy, and insufficient security forces. Over the last several years, the Taliban has maintained common cause with al Qaeda, as they both seek an overthrow of the Afghan government. Gradually, the Taliban has begun to control additional swaths of territory in Afghanistan, while engaging in increasingly brazen and devastating attacks of terrorism against the Pakistani people. Now, throughout this period, our troop levels in Afghanistan remained a fraction of what they were in Iraq. When I took office, we had just over 32,000 Americans serving in Afghanistan, compared to 160,000 in Iraq at the peak of the war. Commanders in Afghanistan repeatedly asked for support to deal with the reemergence of the Taliban, but these reinforcements did not arrive. And that's why, shortly after taking office, I approved a longstanding request for more troops. After consultations with our allies, I then announced a strategy recognizing the fundamental connection between our war effort in Afghanistan and the extremist safe havens in Pakistan. I set a goal that was narrowly defined as disrupting, dismantling, and defeating al Qaeda and its extremist allies, and pledged to better coordinate our military and civilian efforts. Since then, we've made progress on some important objectives. High-ranking al Qaeda and Taliban leaders have been killed, and we've stepped up the pressure on al Qaeda worldwide. In Pakistan, that nation's army has gone on its largest offensive in years. In Afghanistan, we and our allies prevented the Taliban from stopping a presidential election, and -- although it was marred by fraud -- that election produced a government that is consistent with Afghanistan's laws and constitution. Yet huge challenges remain. Afghanistan is not lost, but for several years it has moved backwards. There's no imminent threat of the government being overthrown, but the Taliban has gained momentum. Al Qaeda has not reemerged in Afghanistan in the same numbers as before 9/11, but they retain their safe havens along the border. And our forces lack the full support they need to effectively train and partner with Afghan security forces and better secure the population. Our new commander in Afghanistan -- General McChrystal -- has reported that the security situation is more serious than he anticipated. In short: The status quo is not sustainable. As cadets, you volunteered for service during this time of danger. Some of you fought in Afghanistan. Some of you will deploy there. As your Commander-in-Chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined, and worthy of your service. And that's why, after the Afghan voting was completed, I insisted on a thorough review of our strategy. Now, let me be clear: There has never been an option before me that called for troop deployments before 2010, so there has been no delay or denial of resources necessary for the conduct of the war during this review period. Instead, the review has allowed me to ask the hard questions, and to explore all the different options, along with my national security team, our military and civilian leadership in Afghanistan, and our key partners. And given the stakes involved, I owed the American people -- and our troops -- no less. This review is now complete. And as Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan. I do not make this decision lightly. I opposed the war in Iraq precisely because I believe that we must exercise restraint in the use of military force, and always consider the long-term consequences of our actions. We have been at war now for eight years, at enormous cost in lives and resources. Years of debate over Iraq and terrorism have left our unity on national security issues in tatters, and created a highly polarized and partisan backdrop for this effort. And having just experienced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the American people are understandably focused on rebuilding our economy and putting people to work here at home. Most of all, I know that this decision asks even more of you -- a military that, along with your families, has already borne the heaviest of all burdens. As President, I have signed a letter of condolence to the family of each American who gives their life in these wars. I have read the letters from the parents and spouses of those who deployed. I visited our courageous wounded warriors at Walter Reed. I've traveled to Dover to meet the flag-draped caskets of 18 Americans returning home to their final resting place. I see firsthand the terrible wages of war. If I did not think that the security of the United States and the safety of the American people were at stake in Afghanistan, I would gladly order every single one of our troops home tomorrow. So, no, I do not make this decision lightly. I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is the epicenter of violent extremism practiced by al Qaeda. It is from here that we were attacked on 9/11, and it is from here that new attacks are being plotted as I speak. This is no idle danger; no hypothetical threat. In the last few months alone, we have apprehended extremists within our borders who were sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror. And this danger will only grow if the region slides backwards, and al Qaeda can operate with impunity. We must keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and to do that, we must increase the stability and capacity of our partners in the region. Of course, this burden is not ours alone to bear. This is not just America's war. Since 9/11, al Qaeda’s safe havens have been the source of attacks against London and Amman and Bali. The people and governments of both Afghanistan and Pakistan are endangered. And the stakes are even higher within a nuclear-armed Pakistan, because we know that al Qaeda and other extremists seek nuclear weapons, and we have every reason to believe that they would use them. These facts compel us to act along with our friends and allies. Our overarching goal remains the same: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to prevent its capacity to threaten America and our allies in the future. To meet that goal, we will pursue the following objectives within Afghanistan. We must deny al Qaeda a safe haven. We must reverse the Taliban's momentum and deny it the ability to overthrow the government. And we must strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan's security forces and government so that they can take lead responsibility for Afghanistan's future. We will meet these objectives in three ways. First, we will pursue a military strategy that will break the Taliban's momentum and increase Afghanistan's capacity over the next 18 months. The 30,000 additional troops that I'm announcing tonight will deploy in the first part of 2010 -- the fastest possible pace -- so that they can target the insurgency and secure key population centers. They'll increase our ability to train competent Afghan security forces, and to partner with them so that more Afghans can get into the fight. And they will help create the conditions for the United States to transfer responsibility to the Afghans. Because this is an international effort, I've asked that our commitment be joined by contributions from our allies. Some have already provided additional troops, and we're confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead. Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. And now, we must come together to end this war successfully. For what's at stake is not simply a test of NATO's credibility -- what's at stake is the security of our allies, and the common security of the world. But taken together, these additional American and international troops will allow us to accelerate handing over responsibility to Afghan forces, and allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011. Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground. We'll continue to advise and assist Afghanistan's security forces to ensure that they can succeed over the long haul. But it will be clear to the Afghan government -- and, more importantly, to the Afghan people -- that they will ultimately be responsible for their own country. Second, we will work with our partners, the United Nations, and the Afghan people to pursue a more effective civilian strategy, so that the government can take advantage of improved security. This effort must be based on performance. The days of providing a blank check are over. President Karzai's inauguration speech sent the right message about moving in a new direction. And going forward, we will be clear about what we expect from those who receive our assistance. We'll support Afghan ministries, governors, and local leaders that combat corruption and deliver for the people. We expect those who are ineffective or corrupt to be held accountable. And we will also focus our assistance in areas -- such as agriculture -- that can make an immediate impact in the lives of the Afghan people. The people of Afghanistan have endured violence for decades. They've been confronted with occupation -- by the Soviet Union, and then by foreign al Qaeda fighters who used Afghan land for their own purposes. So tonight, I want the Afghan people to understand -- America seeks an end to this era of war and suffering. We have no interest in occupying your country. We will support efforts by the Afghan government to open the door to those Taliban who abandon violence and respect the human rights of their fellow citizens. And we will seek a partnership with Afghanistan grounded in mutual respect -- to isolate those who destroy; to strengthen those who build; to hasten the day when our troops will leave; and to forge a lasting friendship in which America is your partner, and never your patron. Third, we will act with the full recognition that our success in Afghanistan is inextricably linked to our partnership with Pakistan. We're in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country. But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan. That's why we need a strategy that works on both sides of the border. In the past, there have been those in Pakistan who've argued that the struggle against extremism is not their fight, and that Pakistan is better off doing little or seeking accommodation with those who use violence. But in recent years, as innocents have been killed from Karachi to Islamabad, it has become clear that it is the Pakistani people who are the most endangered by extremism. Public opinion has turned. The Pakistani army has waged an offensive in Swat and South Waziristan. And there is no doubt that the United States and Pakistan share a common enemy. In the past, we too often defined our relationship with Pakistan narrowly. Those days are over. Moving forward, we are committed to a partnership with Pakistan that is built on a foundation of mutual interest, mutual respect, and mutual trust. We will strengthen Pakistan’s capacity to target those groups that threaten our countries, and have made it clear that we cannot tolerate a safe haven for terrorists whose location is known and whose intentions are clear. America is also providing substantial resources to support Pakistan’s democracy and development. We are the largest international supporter for those Pakistanis displaced by the fighting. And going forward, the Pakistan people must know America will remain a strong supporter of Pakistan’s security and prosperity long after the guns have fallen silent, so that the great potential of its people can be unleashed. These are the three core elements of our strategy: a military effort to create the conditions for a transition; a civilian surge that reinforces positive action; and an effective partnership with Pakistan. I recognize there are a range of concerns about our approach. So let me briefly address a few of the more prominent arguments that I've heard, and which I take very seriously. First, there are those who suggest that Afghanistan is another Vietnam. They argue that it cannot be stabilized, and we're better off cutting our losses and rapidly withdrawing. I believe this argument depends on a false reading of history. Unlike Vietnam, we are joined by a broad coalition of 43 nations that recognizes the legitimacy of our action. Unlike Vietnam, we are not facing a broad-based popular insurgency. And most importantly, unlike Vietnam, the American people were viciously attacked from Afghanistan, and remain a target for those same extremists who are plotting along its border. To abandon this area now -- and to rely only on efforts against al Qaeda from a distance -- would significantly hamper our ability to keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and create an unacceptable risk of additional attacks on our homeland and our allies. Second, there are those who acknowledge that we can't leave Afghanistan in its current state, but suggest that we go forward with the troops that we already have. But this would simply maintain a status quo in which we muddle through, and permit a slow deterioration of conditions there. It would ultimately prove more costly and prolong our stay in Afghanistan, because we would never be able to generate the conditions needed to train Afghan security forces and give them the space to take over. Finally, there are those who oppose identifying a time frame for our transition to Afghan responsibility. Indeed, some call for a more dramatic and open-ended escalation of our war effort -- one that would commit us to a nation-building project of up to a decade. I reject this course because it sets goals that are beyond what can be achieved at a reasonable cost, and what we need to achieve to secure our interests. Furthermore, the absence of a time frame for transition would deny us any sense of urgency in working with the Afghan government. It must be clear that Afghans will have to take responsibility for their security, and that America has no interest in fighting an endless war in Afghanistan. As President, I refuse to set goals that go beyond our responsibility, our means, or our interests. And I must weigh all of the challenges that our nation faces. I don't have the luxury of committing to just one. Indeed, I'm mindful of the words of President Eisenhower, who -- in discussing our national security -- said, "Each proposal must be weighed in the light of a broader consideration: the need to maintain balance in and among national programs." Over the past several years, we have lost that balance. We've failed to appreciate the connection between our national security and our economy. In the wake of an economic crisis, too many of our neighbors and friends are out of work and struggle to pay the bills. Too many Americans are worried about the future facing our children. Meanwhile, competition within the global economy has grown more fierce. So we can't simply afford to ignore the price of these wars. All told, by the time I took office the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan approached a trillion dollars. Going forward, I am committed to addressing these costs openly and honestly. Our new approach in Afghanistan is likely to cost us roughly $30 billion for the military this year, and I'll work closely with Congress to address these costs as we work to bring down our deficit. But as we end the war in Iraq and transition to Afghan responsibility, we must rebuild our strength here at home. Our prosperity provides a foundation for our power. It pays for our military. It underwrites our diplomacy. It taps the potential of our people, and allows investment in new industry. And it will allow us to compete in this century as successfully as we did in the last. That's why our troop commitment in Afghanistan cannot be open-ended -- because the nation that I'm most interested in building is our own. Now, let me be clear: None of this will be easy. The struggle against violent extremism will not be finished quickly, and it extends well beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan. It will be an enduring test of our free society, and our leadership in the world. And unlike the great power conflicts and clear lines of division that defined the 20th century, our effort will involve disorderly regions, failed states, diffuse enemies. So as a result, America will have to show our strength in the way that we end wars and prevent conflict -- not just how we wage wars. We'll have to be nimble and precise in our use of military power. Where al Qaeda and its allies attempt to establish a foothold -- whether in Somalia or Yemen or elsewhere -- they must be confronted by growing pressure and strong partnerships. And we can't count on military might alone. We have to invest in our homeland security, because we can't capture or kill every violent extremist abroad. We have to improve and better coordinate our intelligence, so that we stay one step ahead of shadowy networks. We will have to take away the tools of mass destruction. And that's why I've made it a central pillar of my foreign policy to secure loose nuclear materials from terrorists, to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, and to pursue the goal of a world without them -- because every nation must understand that true security will never come from an endless race for ever more destructive weapons; true security will come for those who reject them. We'll have to use diplomacy, because no one nation can meet the challenges of an interconnected world acting alone. I've spent this year renewing our alliances and forging new partnerships. And we have forged a new beginning between America and the Muslim world -- one that recognizes our mutual interest in breaking a cycle of conflict, and that promises a future in which those who kill innocents are isolated by those who stand up for peace and prosperity and human dignity. And finally, we must draw on the strength of our values -- for the challenges that we face may have changed, but the things that we believe in must not. That's why we must promote our values by living them at home -- which is why I have prohibited torture and will close the prison at Guantanamo Bay. And we must make it clear to every man, woman and child around the world who lives under the dark cloud of tyranny that America will speak out on behalf of their human rights, and tend to the light of freedom and justice and opportunity and respect for the dignity of all peoples. That is who we are. That is the source, the moral source, of America’s authority. Since the days of Franklin Roosevelt, and the service and sacrifice of our grandparents and great-grandparents, our country has borne a special burden in global affairs. We have spilled American blood in many countries on multiple continents. We have spent our revenue to help others rebuild from rubble and develop their own economies. We have joined with others to develop an architecture of institutions -- from the United Nations to NATO to the World Bank -- that provide for the common security and prosperity of human beings. We have not always been thanked for these efforts, and we have at times made mistakes. But more than any other nation, the United States of America has underwritten global security for over six decades -- a time that, for all its problems, has seen walls come down, and markets open, and billions lifted from poverty, unparalleled scientific progress and advancing frontiers of human liberty. For unlike the great powers of old, we have not sought world domination. Our union was founded in resistance to oppression. We do not seek to occupy other nations. We will not claim another nation’s resources or target other peoples because their faith or ethnicity is different from ours. What we have fought for -- what we continue to fight for -- is a better future for our children and grandchildren. And we believe that their lives will be better if other peoples’ children and grandchildren can live in freedom and access opportunity. (Applause.) As a country, we're not as young -- and perhaps not as innocent -- as we were when Roosevelt was President. Yet we are still heirs to a noble struggle for freedom. And now we must summon all of our might and moral suasion to meet the challenges of a new age. In the end, our security and leadership does not come solely from the strength of our arms. It derives from our people -- from the workers and businesses who will rebuild our economy; from the entrepreneurs and researchers who will pioneer new industries; from the teachers that will educate our children, and the service of those who work in our communities at home; from the diplomats and Peace Corps volunteers who spread hope abroad; and from the men and women in uniform who are part of an unbroken line of sacrifice that has made government of the people, by the people, and for the people a reality on this Earth. (Applause.) This vast and diverse citizenry will not always agree on every issue -- nor should we. But I also know that we, as a country, cannot sustain our leadership, nor navigate the momentous challenges of our time, if we allow ourselves to be split asunder by the same rancor and cynicism and partisanship that has in recent times poisoned our national discourse. It's easy to forget that when this war began, we were united -- bound together by the fresh memory of a horrific attack, and by the determination to defend our homeland and the values we hold dear. I refuse to accept the notion that we cannot summon that unity again. (Applause.) I believe with every fiber of my being that we -- as Americans -- can still come together behind a common purpose. For our values are not simply words written into parchment -- they are a creed that calls us together, and that has carried us through the darkest of storms as one nation, as one people. America -- we are passing through a time of great trial. And the message that we send in the midst of these storms must be clear: that our cause is just, our resolve unwavering. We will go forward with the confidence that right makes might, and with the commitment to forge an America that is safer, a world that is more secure, and a future that represents not the deepest of fears but the highest of hopes. (Applause.) Thank you. God bless you. May God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.) Afghanistan | Al Qaeda | Military | Pakistan | President Obama | Speech | War on Terror Labels: Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Military, Pakistan, President Obama, Speech, War on Terror >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 5:03:00 PM Under Pressure To Do More Sooner - Press Briefing by Senior Administration Officials on the President's West Point Speech on Afghanistan 12/1/09 — Tuesday, December 01, 2009 —  Q Thank you very much. Two quick questions, related. One, on the issue of the timetable, I know you want to make sure this is not misinterpreted, but even the July 2011 timeframe there have been arguments that setting up any date just encourages the Taliban, the insurgents to lay low and to wait people out. Can you address that criticism? And point two, the ability to get to 30,000 into theater by the summer -- there's been some noise already out of the Pentagon this morning that that may be logistically impossible. Can you address that? Is it actually doable to get that many troops into an infrastructure-free country that quickly?SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Let me, again, take them in reverse sequence. As for the deployment timeline, first of all, this is, as you know, an imprecise science in terms of exactly which units flow when based on the infrastructure available and so forth. So I think the best -- as precise as we wish to get here, and we refer you to the Pentagon for greater precision, is that the 30,000 troop surge is due to arrive in Afghanistan in the summer of 2010. For additional precision you'll have to go to the experts in the Pentagon. I'm sorry, the first point had to do with? SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The Taliban -- SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Oh, yes. Well, remember what July 2011 represents. It represents the beginning of a process which will be conditions-based. So if the Taliban thinks they can wait us out, I think that they're misjudging the President's approach. On the other hand there's a value in setting a date like this as a sort of strategic inflection point because it does put everyone on pressure -- under pressure to do more sooner. And that pressure of the timeline begins with the U.S. government itself, but also extends to our allies and our Afghan and Pakistani partners. So, you know, it may be misinterpreted, but the Taliban will do that at its own risk. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Let me add to each of those just real quickly, again in reverse order. Let me simply say what I think you've seen administration officials say today. The force option that the President has chosen gets more troops into Afghanistan faster than any option that was previously presented to him. That's point number one. By the way, that's more U.S. troops faster and more NATO troops faster than any other option presented. Secondly, the logic of the Taliban waiting anybody out would subscribe to the logic that we will all be there forever. And the President's viewpoint on that is, as you've heard my colleague say, this is not an open-ended commitment on behalf of the President. Afghanistan | Military | President Obama | Press Briefing | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Afghanistan, Military, President Obama, Press Briefing, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 5:36:00 PM Some New Wrinkles - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 11/30/09  MR. GIBBS: We'll go to Chuck, and maybe somebody will -- Q Let me start with Afghanistan. This is what in the March 27th speech -- some of this -- some of the things he said in the March 27th speech sound like what you're previewing now. He said, "On benchmarks for Afghanistan, we cannot turn a blind eye to the corruption that causes Afghans to lose faith in their own leaders. We will seek a new compact with the Afghan government that cracks down on corrupt behavior, sets clear benchmarks, clear metrics for international assistance." He said, "Going forward, we will not blindly stay the course, instead we will set clear methods to measure progress and hold ourselves accountable." How much -- how much is that March 27th speech going to end up being very applicable to what we hear tomorrow? MR. GIBBS: Well, look, we were asked in the lead up to a security forces decision in March about whether there would be benchmarks. That answer then was yes, and the answer now is yes. Obviously, as it relates to -- Q The benchmarks are changing, essentially, or did we not finish setting the benchmarks? MR. GIBBS: No, no, we finished setting the benchmarks. But, again, we're -- again, not to get ahead of what the President announces, but I think there will be some new wrinkles to what we're doing. Q There have been benchmarks this whole time? MR. GIBBS: Yes, as reported to Congress, absolutely. In terms of the corruption and the governance, obviously when you mention -- Q This is a free election, I understand that. MR. GIBBS: Right, and obviously -- Q It's the same government, though. MR. GIBBS: Well, somewhat up in the air, as of the middle of August, right. Q But I guess the thing is that how -- what is going to be different about what he says than from what he said on March 27th? It's just, like you just said, "new wrinkles" to some of this stuff? MR. GIBBS: Well, I'm going to let the President outline what the mission is going forward and discuss in depth the benchmarks that will go along with it. Q And can you get into the -- I mean, is the President going to try to simultaneously assure folks that we're going to withdraw troops in a timely fashion and let allies know we're there for the long haul? I mean, is -- how do you -- I mean, is that a balance he's going to try to strike? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think nobody should underestimate the commitment of a President that has thus far doubled the number of American men and women on the ground in Afghanistan. I don't think anybody could look at themselves in a mirror with a straight face and say that this President hasn't in any way been anything but resolved to doing what has to happen in Afghanistan to make this country safe. Afghanistan | Military | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Afghanistan, Military, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 11:39:00 AM 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 The Beginning Of A Process For Making Some Eventual Determinations - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 9/28/09 — Monday, September 28, 2009 —  Q Robert, a couple of topics, first Afghanistan. Tomorrow you guys are having a meeting -- the President is meeting with the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, General Petraeus obviously on Afghanistan. Is that where he's going to at least lay out a timetable for making his strategy review decision, sort of saying --MR. GIBBS: No, I think I'll leave it at it's a number of weeks. Q Can you lay out a little bit of -- is tomorrow's agenda just hearing ideas? Is the President going to be talking? I mean, what is -- can you give a little more description? MR. GIBBS: We're not going to have a meeting to set a meeting agenda. We're going through the process of assessing where we are, what's changed, what needs to happen, where we need to go. This isn't going to be finished in one meeting, it's not going to be finished in several meetings; it's not going to be finished in several meetings. But this is the beginning of a process for making some eventual determinations -- understanding that, as we've said before, the President came into office, he asked that our policy be reviewed; in late March, in the lead up to elections the President requested 21,000 additional troops be sent to Afghanistan. The end of that number is beginning to get to Afghanistan now. But I think, again, as you heard Secretary Gates say over the weekend, in that time period we've had an election that has thus far been inconclusive and the United States does not pre-determine who that winner might be. And secondly, Secretary Gates said that the assessment of conditions on the ground were worse than previously assumed. Q So citing the -- the President cited the election, the uncertainty surrounding the election, can you do -- can you fully carry out or at least roll out a new strategy before there's certainty? MR. GIBBS: Well, that's one of the things that's going to be discussed over the course of the next several weeks. Q Is this a change you might wait to see -- MR. GIBBS: I'm not going to get into hypotheticals about what may or may not. I think that's what the meetings are for. Afghanistan | Defense Secretary Robert Gates | Military | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Military, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 7:39:00 PM A Wholesale Reassessment Of The Strategy - Waldorf Astoria New York, New York Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 9/23/09 — Friday, September 25, 2009 —  Q Can I follow up on Afghanistan? In March, the President laid out a comprehensive strategy that was in part based on a civilian surge and new money for training. Is that now being reevaluated?MR. GIBBS: The President said in that speech that we would constantly assess and evaluate where we were in achieving the defined goal that he laid out in that speech in March. That's -- I think we've all, in the past several years, watched conflicts that we didn’t assess where we were and how we were getting there and where we were trying to go. In many ways, that's why we find ourselves where we are in Afghanistan. The President is determined not to repeat that, and instead, to assess constantly where we are. I think the President understands that decisions like this put our men and women in harm's way. And I think he owes it -- as he said over the weekend, he owes it to the parents of the men and women that we put in harm's way to constantly assess and evaluate where we are. I would point out a few things. The effort in Afghanistan continues robustly. The very last portion of the additional resources that the President okayed in March are beginning to arrive in Afghanistan. I think obviously this administration has taken our efforts against al Qaeda and extremist allies -- has taken the fight to them on many fronts, be it in South Asia, be it in the Indian Ocean area, be it in addressing threats with state and local authorities in the United States. So I sometimes get the feeling or the notion that because of this discussion and this assessment that somehow everything is on hold, and I think obviously that's not the case. Q If I could just follow up, I mean, it's one thing to reassess tactics, but this sounds like it's a wholesale reassessment of the strategy -- MR. GIBBS: Well, no, no -- Q -- the military thought they were -- understood what it was, European allies thought they understood what it was. MR. GIBBS: Well, again -- well, first of all, understand this is also being done in conjunction with European allies. Right? I mean, NATO is briefed on and working through the McChrystal assessment just as the national security team in the United States are. So the notion that somehow this isn't being done in conjunction with all of those that have equities or troops in the area I think is inaccurate. The President has, and continues to have, a defined goal for our mission in this region, and that is to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy al Qaeda and its extremist allies. There is an evaluation and assessment of the best tactics -- the best way tactically to achieve that, again, taking into account the assessment of where we are on the ground with a new commander, as well as different things like, as we mentioned, the outcome of recent elections -- all of which -- again, I think the President believes strongly we have to take into account moving forward and assess where we are, rather than simply continue in many ways as we did to get us where we are today. Afghanistan | NATO | Military | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Afghanistan, Military, NATO, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 5:46:00 AM Fuzzy And Unclear - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 9/18/09 Q Is he throwing in the towel on the government plan? MR. GIBBS: We went over this I think this time yesterday, Helen, and nothing has changed in the -- Q I know, but you never answer very clearly. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: Well, I -- then don't take -- Q You're the first one from that podium to be like that. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: Then don't take my word for it, Helen -- can somebody go print me a copy of the President's speech and we'll give a highlighted version to Helen where -- Q No, no, the speech -- he's never pushed for the plan. MR. GIBBS: We're doing this all over again, Helen. There's been no intervening event that would change the rather fuzzy and unclear answer I gave yesterday. Labels: Health Care, Helen, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 4:58:00 AM The Conduct That You See On Those Tapes Is Completely Unacceptable - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 9/16/09 — Wednesday, September 16, 2009 —  Q Okay. And I just wanted to get the White House reaction to a couple items in the news. One is former President Jimmy Carter saying that he believes an overwhelming majority of the intensely demonstrated animosity towards the President is because he's black and those voters can't accept the fact that a black man is President. And also an organization the President a long time ago did file that motor voter law for, ACORN --MR. GIBBS: A larger group of legal entities -- Q Along with them, ACORN, a group the President has had some ties with over the years. The Census Bureau eliminated their relationship with that group for the 2010 census and the Senate overwhelmingly voted to cut off housing funding. And I was just wondering the White House reaction to either of those. MR. GIBBS: Well, let's take a look at what former President Carter said. The answer that I'm going to give is the same answer that I gave on Sunday, when I was asked this question. The President does not believe that that criticism comes based on the color of his skin. We understand that people have disagreements with some of the decisions that we've made and some of the extraordinary actions that had to be undertaken by both this administration and previous administrations to stabilize our financial system, to ensure viability of our domestic auto industry. I don't think that -- like I said, the President does not believe that it's based on the color of his skin. You know, Jake, as it relates to ACORN, obviously the conduct that you see on those tapes is completely unacceptable. I think everyone would agree with that. The administration takes accountability extremely seriously. I think the Census Bureau evaluated and determined that this group could not meet the bureau's goal of achieving a fair and accurate count in 2010. And I assume others are evaluating to ensure, as we always are, that any grantee, whether that grant was let in this administration or in previous administrations -- there's housing counseling grants that were let in previous administrations; FEMA grants that were let in previous administrations -- that we constantly evaluate to ensure that any grantee is living up to what has to happen in order to fulfill that grant application. ACORN | Jimmy Carter | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: ACORN, Jimmy Carter, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 6:52:00 PM I Think There Was Just A Reference To The Larger Number - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 9/10/09 — Thursday, September 10, 2009 —  Q A couple of "specifics" questions. I noticed last night the President said 30 million or more than 30 million American citizens lack insurance and I was struck by that figure, commonly used figure -- the one the Census Bureau used today was 46 million people without insurance.MR. GIBBS: Forty-six point three, right. Q Right. So why did the President limit it to 36 million -- or 30 million citizens? Was this a way to draw a distinction between American citizens and those who are illegal immigrants and the subject of contention, or what -- MR. GIBBS: Obviously this has been a point of some contention during the speech, as I recall. Q Right. So -- MR. GIBBS: The legislation -- the proposal that the President outlined covers American citizens. I think he was clear for almost everyone that the legislation does not cover -- his plan would not cover illegal immigrants. If you subtract a rough estimate from that 46.3 million, you get a number that's somewhat unknown but in the 30s that represents American citizens, as the President pointed out. I would go one step further to point out that last night was not the first time that the President has talked about the fact that illegal immigrants aren't covered -- or would not be covered as part of his plan. He said that most recently in the interview -- radio interview that was done here, and said that also in the campaign in 2008. Q So in effect he's saying that a quarter or more of the people who currently lack insurance will still lack insurance once the plan is passed, is that correct? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I don't know -- Q -- many uninsured people in this country presumably driving up health care costs. Is that correct? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the President would look at -- because he's -- would look at how many American citizens are covered under our proposal, rather than looking at different numbers that don't include American citizens. Q What I'm asking, though, is it then his vision that there could still be at the end of the day as many as, say, 16 million people living in this country without health insurance who -- MR. GIBBS: Again, I don't think it's -- the President outlined a plan that doesn't cover illegal immigrants. The number that the President seeks to cover is to provide universal access to coverage for American citizens. I think you heard the President even discuss last night that there are going to be some American citizens who decide they don't want or don't need health insurance that are also going to be living here. Q Robert, what's the reasoning behind that? Obviously some concerns among conservative Republicans about this have to do with that you're not legislating the negative here, you're not adding -- you know, passing this amendment, I guess, that they want to triple-check that there's no way illegal -- I mean, why not go along with that if that assuages -- MR. GIBBS: Well, Chuck, I think -- Q What is the legal reason -- MR. GIBBS: Let me just give you this example. I got how many questions for how many weeks about why the President hasn't offered his views on the legislation, right? How come he hasn't introduced his plan? We did that last night. The President said in his plan it wouldn't cover illegal immigrants. Q So if it takes throwing an amendment on this, you guys are okay with that? MR. GIBBS: The President -- the legislation that the President will sign won't cover illegal immigrants. Q But in the past he has used the larger number, so then they were including illegal immigrants? MR. GIBBS: I think there was just a reference to the larger number. Q But you knew that included a very large number, millions of illegal immigrants. So isn't it logical for people to assume that for a long time you were including illegal immigrants in people you want to get health insurance? MR. GIBBS: No, no more than I would assume the logic of them having listened to what he said in the campaign where it's not going to happen. Q Well, Robert, Joe Wilson this morning said -- defended his outburst by saying that illegal immigrants could still buy money on the federal exchange. MR. GIBBS: Again, Jonathan, let me -- let me use the example -- Q Can you -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, no. Let me -- because I stood up here and caught a lot of spears for a lot of days about where the President's plan was. It was delivered last night -- 10 minutes after 8:00 p.m., zip code 20015, the President outlined and reiterated his belief, as enunciated in the campaign in 2008, that his plan wouldn't cover illegal immigrants. Q So are you saying -- MR. GIBBS: I'm not going to get into -- I'm not a member of the House. Q Right, but his -- look, in his plan, would he say that an illegal immigrant could not take money out of his pocket, go on the federal exchange, and buy an insurance policy with his money? MR. GIBBS: The policy would not cover -- the plan would not cover illegal immigrants, period. Q I think the question is the House bill, for instance, 3200, explicitly says that none of the subsidies can go to people who are in this country illegally. MR. GIBBS: Right. Q Right, but some -- what some of the criticisms, and what the Congressional Research Service analysis says of it, is that people who are illegal, as John points out, are able to buy insurance, as they already do -- MR. GIBBS: I can't speak for somebody that's here illegally. But I would think it would be somewhat of a bad course of events, if you're here illegally, to alert people that you are here illegally and sign up for a government program. Q Just to put the dot on that, I mean, there are illegal immigrants who are covered by emergency Medicaid all the time -- millions. MR. GIBBS: As a result of I think a 1986 law that was signed by President Reagan. Q Right. But the House bill -- MR. GIBBS: The last time Congress took up immigration reform, in 1986. Q The House bill would expand Medicaid, and that could lead to expansion of emergency Medicaid that would cover, possibly -- MR. GIBBS: Again, the proposal -- Q This is what I'm asking -- so when you say that illegal immigrants will not be covered, does that mean they can't be covered by any expansion in emergency Medicaid; they can't buy into the health exchange? MR. GIBBS: Again, again, let me check with the health care guys on how this would affect the 1986 law. But they would not be covered under the health care exchange in the proposal -- Q And they can't -- right, they can't -- they would be prohibited from buying insurance through the exchange? MR. GIBBS: As I understand that, yes. Health Care | Illegal Immigration | Legislation | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Health Care, Illegal Immigration, Legislation, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 7:50:00 PM The Problem Is Obama Isn't Listening Enough - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 9/8/09 — Tuesday, September 08, 2009 —  Q Robert, there's a story on Politico, based on a speech that Steve Hildebrand, one of the President's former campaign advisors, delivered a couple of weeks ago over the recess, in which he expressed some concern on health care and other issues. And among other things he said that he believes the President needs to be "more bold in his leadership," that he's frustrated with the lack of performance in Washington in general, not just at the White House but Congress, as well. And specifically he said, "The problem is Obama isn't listening enough." How do you react to that kind of criticism from somebody who was a campaign insider?MR. GIBBS: Well, look, we all know and love Steve Hildebrand. He was there for longer than the campaign. He was involved in the President's decision-making on whether to run. I think Steve said in that article, and it's true, because he's talked to a lot of us, there's nothing in there that we haven’t all heard from him. But, look, I think Steve's frustration is the frustration of people not only in this town, but a lot of people outside of this town, and that is Washington's inability to address its big problems and get something done. That's what led the President to run for President and that's what led him to fight for reforming health care. Q But he's specifically saying the President is not being bold enough. MR. GIBBS: Well, I'll e-mail Steve and tell him which affiliate in Sioux Falls will be covering the speech so he can listen to the President. But, look, Ed, nothing that we haven’t gotten personally from Steve on our e-mail before. 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 @ 9:46:00 PM The Temperature Of Health Care Reform - Martha's Vineyard Press Briefing by Bill Burton 8/27/09 — Wednesday, September 02, 2009 —  Q Obviously lawmakers are not actively engaged in the debate over health care because they're out -- MR. BURTON: Can you speak just a little louder -- I can barely hear you. Q I said lawmakers have not been actively involved in the debate over health care reform since they're away from Washington. But has the President been able to test the temperature of health care reform? And if so, how does he view it? MR. BURTON: Well, I can say that this week Secretary Sebelius and Nancy-Ann DeParle have been very busy working with both members of Congress, their staff, and different groups who have a stake in this. So the President's view is that we're continuing to make progress on health care reform. The American people are still foursquare behind making some progress on health care reform. He still believes that we'll be able to get a bipartisan bill through the House and the Senate. And that's the end that we're working towards. So I would say that the temperature right now is that the American people want and need health care reform, and the President is committed to getting that by the end of the year. Q What is his reaction when he hears news reports that health care reform has been derailed, or major roadblocks for health care reform? MR. BURTON: Well, health care reform is obviously a very difficult thing. Over the course of the last 60 years, a lot of different Presidents have tried to bring about comprehensive health care reform, and the reason that they haven't been able to get it done is that it's not just a series of easy and politically popular decisions. But we've been able to make more progress than has been made before by getting the doctors and the nurses and the hospitals on board; the AARP is supporting health care reform. It's been passed through four of the five committees that need to pass it out. Because costs have gotten to a point where if we don't do something not only is health care going to be in crisis, but the deficit will -- we just will not be on a fiscally sustainable path as it relates to the deficit. So the President's view is we've made a lot of progress already; we continue to make progress; we're going to be able to -- he's working towards getting a bipartisan result and he'll continue to work towards that end until we get health care reform for the American people. Bill Burton | Congress | Health Care | President Obama | Press Briefing | White House Press Corps Labels: Bill Burton, Congress, Health Care, President Obama, Press Briefing, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 4:16:00 PM The American People Are Foursquare Behind Getting Something Done - Martha's Vineyard Press Briefing by Bill Burton 8/24/09  Q Senator Lieberman said over the weekend it might be worthwhile -- the White House's while to start over on health care. What's your reaction to that?MR. BURTON: I think a lot of folks have a lot of different opinions. We're dealing with 535 members of Congress, some of which this weekend, like John McCain, said that there is great agreement. Kent Conrad said there also is great agreement. We think that the reason we've been able to make more progress on health care than any other President in the last 60 years is because the American people are foursquare behind getting something done. Costs have gotten to a point where they're completely out of control. And the President's view is that until we get costs under control, until we get health care reform passed in this country, we're not going to be able to get everybody covered, we're not going to be able to get in place the kind of insurance reforms that the American people need, like not losing your health insurance just because you get sick, not being able to be stopped by getting health insurance because you have a preexisting condition. And so the President feels like the process we've got moving forward is a good one. We've already gotten the support of doctors and nurses, hospitals. AARP has said that they are for health care reform. The President feels good about the progress that we've been able to make, and we're going to continue to move towards getting a bill done and getting health care reform passed this year. Bill Burton | Health Care | President Obama | Press Briefing | White House Press Corps Labels: Bill Burton, Health Care, President Obama, Press Briefing, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 3:44:00 PM What The President Always Maintained - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 8/19/09 — Wednesday, August 19, 2009 —  Q There are others inside and outside your base who think you've lost control of the argument and who wonder if the President has the political muscle to see this through.MR. GIBBS: Stay tuned. Q Well, I mean, would you -- how do you respond to the suggestion that you’ve lost control of the argument? MR. GIBBS: This is -- the argument is not over. The discussion is not over, the debate is not over, the legislative process isn’t over. Q You didn’t expect to have this back-and-forth within the party about the public option. MR. GIBBS: Again, contrived almost entirely by you guys. Q Why, why do you say that? MR. GIBBS: Again, because I said this this morning -- that this notion of changing the position on the public health care plan, or the public option, was -- Q Is absolutely wrong? MR. GIBBS: -- was not something that any of you all picked up on Saturday when the President said it. We did this this morning. None of you did that story. Q Why don't you say it flatly right now so we'll all write it? MR. GIBBS: Do you have your pen ready? Q Yes. Q What do you mean, what do you mean no one did that story on Saturday -- MR. GIBBS: "The President" -- Q Right here. Q -- when the President for the first time in public said -- or not -- MR. GIBBS: I missed yours. Q There was a lot of people that did this story. MR. GIBBS: I'll be happy to look that up. Nobody volunteered that this morning. Q So he's not going to cave at all? MR. GIBBS: No, I'm going to reiterate what the President has said all along, Helen. The President believes we have to have choice and competition. In a private insurance market where people are entering, they have to have the ability to choose among insurers that will drive down their costs and improve their quality. His preference is for a public option. If there are others that have ideas about how we can institute choice and competition, he's happy to look at those. Q Will he fight for the public option? MR. GIBBS: We will fight for whatever is best that brings about that choice and competition. That's what the President always maintained and that's what we've continued to say. 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 @ 5:37:00 PM The Information Or Disinformation Scale - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 8/12/09 — Wednesday, August 12, 2009 — Q Yesterday the President said AARP endorsed the plan. As you're aware, yesterday AARP said it hasn't endorsed a plan. Where on the information or disinformation scale would the President's remark fall? MR. GIBBS: Well, the President said -- well, AARP has said they are certainly supportive and have been for years on comprehensive health reform. I don't think the President meant to imply anything untoward. I think he discussed the notion that AARP is supportive of -- or, I'm sorry, an agreement that would fund filling the doughnut hole for seniors as part of Medicare Part D, as well as additional savings for comprehensive health care reform. Q The President is doubtless aware AARP hasn't even endorsed the House pending committee legislation or the Senate legislation. MR. GIBBS: Which is what I just said. Q Right. So he's aware of that. So he wasn't trying to mislead anyone -- MR. GIBBS: No, no. Q He just misspoke. MR. GIBBS: Right. Q Is that something that can happen in this debate? MR. GIBBS: That people can misspeak? Q Right, without intentionally meaning to mislead. MR. GIBBS: Sure. I don't know if it's happened on certain subjects, but yes. Q Okay, so is -- within the range of this whole discussion, something can be wrong but not necessarily intentional misinformation is what I'm getting at. MR. GIBBS: Yes. I think most of what the President has addressed, though, has been in many ways intentional misinformation. Q That he's been trying to correct; understood. MR. GIBBS: Right. Q Senator Isakson put out a statement yesterday, also taking issue with what the President describes as his position and his involvement in the end-of-life legislation in the House. Do you want to amend or correct anything the President said, or you said about that? Because Mr. Isakson has a completely different interpretation than the President used and you used yesterday. He didn't have -- he had no role in the House legislation. He opposes the language in the House -- MR. GIBBS: Well, I didn't say -- let's take what I've talked about on the back of the plane. Let me just read what -- let me just read the question, a series of questions and answers from Senator Isakson: "How did this become a question of euthanasia?" Senator Isakson: "I have no idea. I understand, and you have to check this out, I just had a phone call where someone said Sarah Palin's Web site had talked about the House bill having death panels on it where people would be euthanized. How someone could take an end-of-life directive, or a living will as that is nuts. You're putting the authority in the individual rather than the government. I don't know how that got so mixed up." Question two: "You're saying this is not a question of government, it's for individuals?" Senator Isakson: "It empowers you to be able to make decisions at a difficult time, rather than having the government make them for you." Question three: "The policy here, as I understand it, is that Medicare would cover a counseling session with your doctor on end-of-life options." Senator Isakson: "Correct. And it's a voluntary deal." Q I believe those are answers in response to his amendment in the HELP bill, not the longer and more defined involvement of these end-of-life panels that's in the House bill. That's how it's been explained to me by his people, so I'm just wondering if -- MR. GIBBS: Well, I would ask them, those people to interpret: "I just had a phone call where someone said Sarah Palin's Web site had talked about the House bill having death panels on it, where people would be euthanized. How someone could take an end-of-life directive or a living will as that is nuts." Not my words. His. Q Right, I understand. But what the President talked about yesterday was saying that Senator Isakson had some role in helping to craft or developed the House legislation -- MR. GIBBS: I think what the President mentioned -- Q -- implying that he supported it. And I'm just saying that Senator Isakson denies that he had any role and he doesn’t support it. MR. GIBBS: Again, I don't think that's what the President was implying. I think the President mentioned that Mr. Isakson had been in the House -- that may have been some of the confusion. He was a member of -- did, obviously, represent Atlanta suburbs before becoming a U.S. senator from Georgia. I think, again, what the President was trying to say was, in a question about some of the misinformation, asked specifically about euthanasia and death panels, and I think -- and I said this also in the back of the plane yesterday -- I think what Senator Isakson says in addressing that misinformation could not be more clear, that for someone to take, as he says, talked about the House bill -- his words, not mine -- "having death panels on it where people would be euthanized, how somebody could come up with that" -- and roughly paraphrasing -- in that sense is nuts. Q Right. And I'm not trying to beat this into the ground, but he doesn't support the language in the House bill. You can have differences over -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, I understand. What I'm saying is I think there may be some confusion -- Q -- of end-of-life counseling is and be clear to understand that neither of them calls for anything approaching euthanasia -- MR. GIBBS: I think the one thing that -- Q Setting that aside for a second -- MR. GIBBS: I mean, again, one thing that -- Q -- he doesn't back the House language, had no role in it, and believes that yesterday there was comments from the President that indicated that -- MR. GIBBS: I certainly didn't read it that way and I don't think my comments -- Q Should be interpreted that way. MR. GIBBS: Well, I didn't say that, to interpret it that way would be nuts. But -- Q He's too sensitive about this? MR. GIBBS: Again, I read what he said in an interview that was posted on WashingtonPost.com yesterday. I think if you go back and look at some amendments that he's offered and cosponsored -- Q He -- (inaudible) -- MR. GIBBS: Right, but this -- he's offered and cosponsored other amendments with Senator Rockefeller in dealing with this. I think -- whether this is uncomfortable or not, I think he and the President agree. Health Care | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Townhall Meetings | White House Press Corps Labels: Health Care, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Townhall Meetings, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:11:00 PM Ferociousness And The Contention - Air Force One Press Gaggle by Bill Burton 8/10/09 — Monday, August 10, 2009 —  Q What did the President think of Pelosi and Hoyer's comment in the op/ed about the disruptions being un-American?MR. BURTON: Well, I think there's actually a pretty long tradition of people shouting at politicians in America. The President thinks that if people want to come and have a spirited debate about health care, a real vigorous conversation about it, that's a part of the American tradition and he encourages that, because people do have questions and concerns about -- Q Does he encourage the disruptions? MR. BURTON: Well, one second. And so if people want to come and have their concerns and their questions answered, the President thinks that's important. Now, if you just want to come to a town hall so that you can disrupt and so that you can scream over another person, he doesn’t think that that's productive. And as a country, we've been able to make progress when people actually talk out what our problems are, not try to shout each other down. So he thinks that we're going to be able to have a constructive conversation tomorrow and he'll continue to do that at the town hall later in the week and throughout this effort. Q The advance people heard nothing about what the audience is likely to be tomorrow, no expectation about whether there is going to be any voices raised? MR. BURTON: Well, at all these events you get a different kind of crowd, and certainly there have been events with the President where some people are livelier than at others. So the President is looking forward to going to New Hampshire tomorrow. Q What is the President's reaction been to the town halls in the last week? I mean, is he surprised by the sort of ferociousness and the contention? Is he -- what's his -- MR. BURTON: Well, there's obviously a lot of passion on one side of this, and that's why people are showing up and screaming. And again he doesn't think that that's constructive. But, you know, there's passion on the other side, too -- the people who want health care reform and who think that it's wrong that health insurance companies can stop you from getting coverage just because you have a preexisting condition, or drop you from coverage just because you get sick. So the President's reaction has been that there's more questions to be asked, but there's -- the American people are foursquare behind getting some kind of health care reform so that we can change the way that it's delivered in this country, and he's going to continue to work towards that effort. Q Does he think people are being put up to it? MR. BURTON: Well, I think less important than the motivations or the organizations or who's putting it together is that there's a lot of energy out there on this issue, on either side. And the President views his role as getting health care reform done for the American people and in order to do that, that means going out there and being prepared to have a robust and vigorous discussion. Air Force One | Bill Burton | Health Care | President Obama | Press Gaggle | Town Hall Meetings | White House Press Corps Labels: Air Force One, Bill Burton, Health Care, President Obama, Press Gaggle, Town Hall Meetings, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 7:25:00 PM The President Made A Commitment - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 8/3/09 — Monday, August 03, 2009 —  Q Thanks, Robert. The President has been pretty clear he wants to cut the deficit in half within a decade; he wants a health care overhaul that's deficit-neutral; and during the campaign he promised no tax increase on the middle class. Is there a point where you just say two out of three of these ain't bad? And can you get everything done, all three of these done?MR. GIBBS: The President is committed to doing those things. The President was clear in the campaign about that. I think in some ways those goals overlap. We're not going to make progress on the deficit without dealing with health care. So some of those goals actually work in tandem. I don't think we're going to get the deficit under -- begin to get the deficit under better control until we get the economy moving again. In order to get -- lay that new foundation, the President strongly believes that health care reform is important. The President was clear during the campaign about his commitment on not raising taxes on middle-class families. And I don't think any economist would believe that in the environment that we're in raising taxes on middle-class families would make any sense, and the President agrees. Q Then why didn't Secretary Geithner and Dr. Summers say that they would not raise taxes on those families? MR. GIBBS: Well, having -- I did not watch the shows; I read some of the transcripts -- I think they allowed themselves to get into a little bit of a hypothetical back and forth. I will say this, and I think this is important for all of us to understand, and we've talked about this issue throughout the team that we've been here: We do have big, structural deficits that are going to have to be dealt with in order to meet the President's commitment of cutting this deficit in half and getting us back on a path toward fiscal responsibility. That there's no question about. And I think what they both talked about was, one, we're not going to have -- we're not going to be able to sustain any sort of economic recovery unless or until we do have a path toward fiscal responsibility. But they also said that that shouldn't be done in a -- as a way of burdening middle-class families. So I think the President's commitment on this is clear. We have a lot of big challenges. We're already looking at ways to cut wasteful spending. As part of health care reform, the President has identified half a trillion dollars in spending that he thinks can be cut. We've worked just in the past two weeks on a bipartisan basis to look at a program like the F-22 and cut some of that wasteful spending out of the budget as well. [...] Q Robert, in terms of what Geithner and Summers had to say yesterday, it really wasn't too much of a hypothetical back and forth. It was about the -- do they think it's possible to do deficit reduction. But that's not a -- that's -- MR. GIBBS: Well, we can quibble about whether the word "possible" -- Q No, that's not what the word "hypothetical" -- is it possible to do everything the President wants to do without increasing revenues from the middle class? MR. GIBBS: Right, and I want to just state again clearly here that the President has made a very clear commitment to not raise taxes on middle-class families, period. Q But if economists, including the President's own economists, don't necessarily think that it's possible to do so without raising taxes on the middle class, how is that dealing candidly with the American people? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, Jake, there are a series of things that have to be done. I think you'll actually hear an announcement from Treasury later this afternoon about how much money has to be borrowed versus what they thought was going to have to be borrowed and what will have to be borrowed as a result of financial stabilization. In terms of cutting the amount of money that's needed, again, I think the President has been clear on this. The first thing that we can do -- the most important thing that we can do right now is get our economy growing again. We know that the deficit -- part of the reason that the deficit is up right now is that the economy has slowed down so much that tax revenues -- because it's what happens in an economic slowdown -- have regressed a lot. I think the President -- obviously we're going to have to make some decisions down the road on some of the President's legislative priorities and some of the things that Congress wants to do to evaluate how we move back towards -- on a path toward fiscal sustainability. Q So did Geithner and Summers go off script or were they sort of testing the temperature out there of what something like this would -- MR. GIBBS: I don't know. I know the President has been clear about his commitment on it. Q So there is no -- there's no real scenario there, as the administration sees it, where middle-class taxpayers might be hit with a hike? There's no scenario right now -- MR. GIBBS: The President has been clear, very clear. Q Could I make that even a little more precise? The President, as you well know, is -- not just middle class, but he's been very precise about it: no family -- MR. GIBBS: Let me be precise. Q Go ahead. MR. GIBBS: Let me be precise: The President's clear commitment is not to raise taxes on those making less than $250,000 a year. Q So any implication anybody drew from Geithner and Summers yesterday to the contrary is flatly wrong? MR. GIBBS: I think the President has been clear. I think you heard him reiterate it not that long ago right outside this room in the Rose Garden. Q But you can understand why people took what they said yesterday as Geithner and Summers trying to open the door a little bit? MR. GIBBS: Well, I hope you'll take my reiteration of his clear commitment as an update. Q So they were not -- the door is closed? They did not open the door at all? MR. GIBBS: I am reiterating the President's clear commitment in the clearest terms possible, that he's not raising taxes on those who make less than $250,000 a year. Q Did he speak to them about the fact that they did raise this little bit of a -- MR. GIBBS: We talked about a number of economic issues this morning in the Oval Office as part of the daily briefing. Q So is everybody going to be on message now, that absolutely no tax cuts [sic] for families -- MR. GIBBS: Promising that everybody is going to be on message may be a bar that's too high for me to leap over. Q But that's the goal -- everybody is on -- MR. GIBBS: The goal is to get the economy moving again. The goal is to get our government back on -- Q Without any tax cut [sic] for any family making less than $250,000 -- MR. GIBBS: Our goal is to get our government back on a path toward fiscal sustainability; to lay the long-term foundation for economic growth. And let's also -- one point that I forget that I think is important in this: Within the very first month of the President taking office, 95 percent of Americans received a tax cut. That's everybody in the middle class. The President ran because for eight long years the middle class had borne the brunt of bad economic policies. Even when jobs were being created, even when you saw positive economic growth, for the very first time in our history you actually saw wages for the middle class decline. That's one of the reasons that led the President of the United States to want to run for President of the United States: to protect the middle class, to cut their taxes -- which he did -- and to make sure that their voices were heard in the economic policymaking of this country. Q The door is not open even a millimeter on raising taxes? MR. GIBBS: I hope you'll take seriously what I said. [...] Q Just to clarify, is this confusion on the tax thing -- this is something that Summers and Geithner maybe got caught up in hypothetical questions? Or is this a media interpretation? I mean, who is -- MR. GIBBS: I think a confluence of some of that stuff, sure. [...] Q Were you in the morning meeting on the economic topics you talked about a moment ago? MR. GIBBS: Yes. Q Who else was there? Was Mr. Geithner and Mr. Summers there, I guess? MR. GIBBS: They were there; Peter Orszag, Rahm Emanuel, Anita Dunn. Q Did the President bring up what was discussed in the Sunday talk shows, or did Mr. Summers and Mr. Geithner volunteer -- MR. GIBBS: I don't believe -- Q -- did either one of them volunteer the hypothetical back-and-forth characterization -- MR. GIBBS: I'm sorry, what? Q Did either one of them explain -- MR. GIBBS: No, I made that up all by myself. Q That's how you interpreted it, as a hypothetical back and forth? MR. GIBBS: Well, I read the transcript a few times. And I do think that -- yes, I think there was some -- Q Did the President seek an explanation from either Mr. Summers or Mr. Geithner about what they were trying to do? MR. GIBBS: We talked about it as an issue, but we didn't -- it wasn't sort of -- this wasn't a, you know, like "school is in" type of thing. Q Or a woodshed type of thing? MR. GIBBS: Right. No. [...] Q Robert, not to belabor the tax thing, but when the President was talking to the team this morning, did he say to Geithner and Summers: You guys should not have left this open, it should have been clearer? MR. GIBBS: No. We talked about this going forward. And there were -- Dr. Romer talked about the recent numbers on international manufacturing. Q But did the President reiterate his position on middle-class taxes? MR. GIBBS: Yes. Q In that -- Q In that meeting -- to them? MR. GIBBS: To all of them. Q To make sure there was no confusion? MR. GIBBS: Yes. [...] Q Just to close a loop on taxes, is there any time -- MR. GIBBS: I was pretty sure I did that by at least the end of the second row, but -- (laughter.) Q I want to take one last crack at you. MR. GIBBS: Okay. Q Is there any time limit to -- because one of the things you said to the front row -- MR. GIBBS: This is the hypothetical game I'm not -- again the President -- Q No, but you said in this -- in this environment -- MR. GIBBS: I'm going to say this. I'm going to deal with this and I'll do this one more time. The President was clear; he made a commitment in the campaign; that commitment stands. Q And he will never raise taxes on -- MR. GIBBS: That commitment stands. Q But commitment doesn't mean he'll do it, Robert. I mean, I can be committed to losing -- MR. GIBBS: What else are you going ask then? You asked if the President is going to make his commitment. I'm saying he's made a commitment. Q But that's not completely shutting the door. You can say I'm committed to doing something, but you may not do it. MR. GIBBS: Fine. Ignore everything I've said in the last 45 minutes. Bill. Q Robert, back on health care, yesterday -- MR. GIBBS: If you don't trust what I'm going to tell you, then I don't know why we do this. Q Well, you keep using that "commitment" word -- if someone says yes or no -- is he closing -- MR. GIBBS: The President made a commitment in the campaign. The President made a commitment in the campaign, he's clear about that commitment, and he's going to keep it. I don't know much more clear about the commitment I can be. Q Then why didn't Geithner and Summers say it? MR. GIBBS: They left it to me. (Laughter.) Bill. Elections | Health Care | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Taxes | Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner | White House Press Corps Labels: Elections, Health Care, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Taxes, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 11:53:00 PM We Don't Poll - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 7/30/09  Q Okay, now for my real question. On health care, I think we all can acknowledge the President has really vamped up his publicity efforts, trying to get this message out. And yet in our most recent poll, it shows that support for health care has dropped 10 percent just in the last month, essentially coinciding with that public relations effort. And I wonder what you make of that and how you reconcile those two things, especially when I'm sure you feel that he's your most effective advocate.MR. GIBBS: Well, I think he is, and I think yesterday was a pretty good example. I think the President gave strong lift to things that I think in all honesty probably haven't gotten a lot of coverage -- insurance reforms, not allowing insurance companies to discriminate based on preexisting conditions, not allowing insurance companies to drop their coverage if somebody gets too sick. Q But he just started emphasizing that yesterday. MR. GIBBS: Well, but -- but that's been in the bill the whole time, right? So, you know, look, I do think the President is an able communicator, to say the least. I think there has been a lot of misinformation about the legislation, I think some of it unintentional; some of it, as we've talked about in this room, I think somewhat intentional. We talked about those examples. Look, the President doesn't spend a whole lot of time focused on polling. Q I was going to ask you, how often do you guys poll? MR. GIBBS: We don't poll. I think the DNC polls. The President isn't fixated on the ups and downs in polling. If we were, we'd have quit two years ago this summer, if ever even run for President. Q Does it cause any -- to the extent you do pay attention to it, is there any sort of soul searching? In other words, are you thinking maybe our message isn't effective, or is there any sense that maybe what we're trying to sell is not resonating and not -- MR. GIBBS: No, because I think in your -- I think in your poll, if you -- you know, in your polling, if you read the plan, what's one the numbers -- 56/38, right? Q I don't have the exact numbers here -- (laughter.) Q I thought you guys don't follow the polls. (Laughter.) Q Yes, exactly. MR. GIBBS: Once again, a series of teachable moments. Well, I watch NBC for God's sakes, Chip. (Laughter.) Chip missed the opportunity to ask me about his poll. Q Forty-two percent now say the President's plan is -- MR. GIBBS: Yes. I think if you read the full poll, it's different than the executive summary. Q I did kind of give you that one. MR. GIBBS: Yes, I sort of took it. But I think -- a couple things, and I talked a little bit about this this morning. Obviously we've been having a series of these debates for decades. I think many of the same lines of attack that you see in some cases being used today are the same that were used as we debated the creation of Medicare, you know, big government-run health care program; doctors won't be able to make decisions. So we understand that -- and you can go back 16 years ago, you can go back 40 years ago -- you know, there's a series of fairly tried and true phrases that are currently being employed by either people that don't want to see the American people get health care reform or special interests that have a vested political or monetary interest in the status quo that are using their megaphones, as well. The President will continue to push on this because he knows it's the right thing to do for the American people. And I think whether it is explaining, as he did in the news conference, that doing nothing means thousands more without insurance, families are guaranteed to pay more money in premiums, continued discrimination on the basis of preexisting conditions; whether it's emphasizing in the bill insurance -- for insurance reforms for people that are lucky enough to have insurance that they like that's already affordable to them. So I think the President will continue to do this and I think he believes he'll be successful. Health Care | Legislation | Polls | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Health Care, Legislation, Polls, President Obama, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 11:19:00 PM A Series of Principles - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 7/28/09  MR. GIBBS: Bill.Q Robert, there seems to be a big shift from the President being full bore for a public plan option -- back to health care -- full bore for a public plan option as the way to give consumers more choice and to give private insurance more competition, to, as you said yesterday in response to Chuck's question, that he does not have any preference that you know of between the public plan option and the co-op. Would you acknowledge that's a big shift on the part of the White House? MR. GIBBS: No, again, as I said again today, we've laid down goals and principles of increasing choice and competition. I don't know that we've -- as I said today, there's -- I don't know that there's been an evaluation of legislative language that we have or haven't seen on co-ops. Q But co-ops are run by -- would be run by insurance companies. They are not a public plan. So they're entirely different. MR. GIBBS: Well, again, without having seen the Finance Committee bill, it's hard for the -- hard for us to come down and fully evaluate. I think that's obviously something we'll do as part of this process. Q Is he still for a public plan option? MR. GIBBS: The President said that in a series of principles. And, again, what we want to do is provide, as I've said before, choice and competition in order to give those in the insurance market greater access through that choice and competition to a plan that works best for them. Margaret. Q Does the President believe that a public plan option necessarily means something that's run by the government, or does it just mean the government guaranteeing the coverage of people who are uninsured? And I also have a Philippines question. MR. GIBBS: Say that one more time. Q Does the President believe that a public plan option necessarily means that the government is providing or managing the coverage of people, or does he simply believe that it means the government is guaranteeing that people will get coverage somehow? MR. GIBBS: I believe it's the former. But certainly, I'll double-check just to make sure. Health Care | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Health Care, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 10:33:00 PM Did You Hear Him Make An Apology? - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 7/24/09 — Sunday, July 26, 2009 — Q Robert, from listening to him it sure sounded like he had made an apology to the officer. Wouldn't it be fair to characterize it as that? MR. GIBBS: I think he -- Steve, I think he understood that, as he told you all, that his words contributed to this being ratcheted up. I mean, I think there's a reason that the news media is on the Sergeant's lawn. I think -- and he wanted to make sure that -- to let him know that that word choice was not one that he thought was probably, in hindsight, the best choice. Q Were you in the room during the call? MR. GIBBS: Yes. Q Did you hear him issue an apology? MR. GIBBS: I'm -- Q We're not asking -- Q Don't make us parse this -- [Cross-talk.] MR. GIBBS: You don't have to parse it, you can quote me and you can quote him. You don't have to parse -- Q But we're not asking you to characterize his remarks -- MR. GIBBS: No, I understand. Q -- we're asking what you heard. MR. GIBBS: I feel comfortable with the answer I just gave Steve. Q But did you hear him make an apology? MR. GIBBS: I'm not going to get -- if the President doesn't want to characterize it in a conversation he's having with you all, I'm not going to get ahead of him. [...] MR. GIBBS: Lester. Q Robert, just for clarification, the President has actually apologized to that Cambridge police sergeant, hasn't he? MR. GIBBS: Lester, I think I answered this three times for -- Q Can you just tell us yes or no? MR. GIBBS: I feel comfortable with -- I feel comfortable with my answer. Gaffes | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Gaffes, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 10:42:00 PM I Think The President Was Clear - Air Force One Press Gaggle by Robert Gibbs 7/23/09  MR. GIBBS: All right, is everybody done with their strawberry pie? Fire away.Q Robert, some people thought it was a little unusual that the President waded into the matter between Professor Gates and the Cambridge police -- a little uncharacteristic of him -- when the facts are in dispute. You know, this is the sort of thing he might ordinarily say, I don't -- you know, I don't know all the facts. Why do you -- MR. GIBBS: Well, he did -- let's go through what he did say, because he did say, one, Professor Gates was a friend of his. He did say he didn't have all the facts. I think we've all read in the newspaper at least a baseline of fact that the President outlined first by saying you have an unidentified individual who jimmies open a door of a house; the police are called based on that; the police respond -- which you would expect a series of those events to transpire like that. I think what the President ultimately talked about was, obviously there was a point at which, inside of the house, both parties involved, probably recognizing that the situation originally responded to wasn't what was actually happening, in terms of a crime being committed, and at that point -- at that point cooler heads on all sides should have prevailed. I think that's what the President was denoting in the ultimate arrest and the since dropping of those charges. Q Why do you think he wanted to weigh in on this, though? He obviously -- MR. GIBBS: I appreciate your -- I appreciate the ability at nationally televised news conferences to pass on questions like it was a game show. But I haven't been afforded that -- I don't think the President has been afforded those possibilities before. But I will certainly pass along your suggestion. Q But he did go so far as to say that the police behaved "stupidly." MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I think -- again, as I just said, I think there's a point in this where it becomes clear that the situation as it was originally called in is not the current situation, right? At some point it becomes clear that the individual in the house owns the house. And I think that's -- at that point, cooler heads likely should have prevailed on both sides. [...] Q And when you say that cooler heads should have prevailed on all sides, you're saying Professor Gates should have also handled it differently? MR. GIBBS: Well, look, again, I wasn't there, the President wasn't there. I think at some point, again, you have a situation that is not as it -- as not as it was called in. I think when somebody -- I think being arrested in your own home for being in your home -- I think the fact that those charges have been dropped denote that there clearly was a point at which this got far out of -- far out of control. Q But does he regret his use of language in saying "acting stupidly," because online polls show lots of people of Massachusetts were disappointed that he used those words while acknowledging that he wasn't in full possession of the facts. MR. GIBBS: Again, I think if you look at the fact that a situation got as far out of control at a certain point as it did underscores the fact that things were going in a direction that neither wanted it to go in. [...] Q Robert, just to be clear, the President doesn't regret the language or his statement last night? MR. GIBBS: No, I think the President -- again, I think the President was clear in, again, denoting that at a certain point -- let me be clear. He was not calling the officers stupid, okay? He was ensuring -- I think, again, denoting that at a certain point the situation got far out of hand, and I think all sides understand that. Air Force One | President Obama | Presidential Press Conference |Press Gaggle | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Air Force One, President Obama, Presidential Press Conference, Press Gaggle, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 10:30:00 PM Expeditious Timetable - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 7/20/09 — Tuesday, July 21, 2009 —  Q Continuing on the issue of delay, the President's poll numbers have slipped on the issue of health care reform, and Senator Snowe has said that there's no reason to rush through an unfinished package. So what is the big deal about just taking a few more weeks to iron things out and get a deal done properly?MR. GIBBS: Well, I don't think one -- I don't think necessarily doing something on the timetable that the President has laid out is doing some improperly. Again, this is not a debate that started last month or even last year. Many of the issues that we're talking about are 40 years in the making -- maybe some longer than that. I think the President strongly believes that we can continue to make progress, that it's important to do that, and that delay is what opponents and special interests want to do to slow the process down, but American families and small business can't afford it. I think we're working through this on an expeditious timetable that can see reform happen this year. Q Is the President actually ruling out agreeing to any kind of delay beyond -- that would take us beyond the August recess? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I think that you heard the President say on Friday here that looking at what had happened over the course of the week -- nurses supporting health care reform; doctors supporting health care reform; for the first time ever three committees introducing the same bill in the House, two of them getting that bill out of committee -- that we're continuing to make progress, and the President hopes that continues. Q But is he ruling out -- agreeing to any delay beyond the August recess? MR. GIBBS: Well, we think we're doing just fine right where we are making progress. 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 @ 2:37:00 PM A Tendency To Keep The Final Score - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 7/15/09 — Thursday, July 16, 2009 — MR. GIBBS: Follow-up, Mara?Q Just a question on health care, and then also about tomorrow. Today the President said something that was a little confusing. He said that the 160 Republican amendments that were adopted in the HELP committee bill was a hopeful sign of bipartisan support for the final product. The final bill got zero Republican votes. Why is that a hopeful sign? I mean, there's not a single Republican who voted for the HELP bill. MR. GIBBS: Well, but, how many -- I wish I knew how many times I've been asked to -- the number of times that Republican ideas were ultimately incorporated in a legislative vehicle that's moving its way through the process -- 160 would be the answer today. Q And they were incorporated in the stimulus, too, and it didn't get you any final votes. MR. GIBBS: Well, I'm happy that you acknowledge the efforts in the stimulus -- Q I'm just wondering why it makes him hopeful. MR. GIBBS: Well, Mara, this is a process. I mean, again, I know that there's a tendency to keep the final score at the -- even, hell, in the midpoint of every day; let's not wait until the end. Let's wait and see what the final product is before we declare that all of the good work of many people is dead. I think the President is encouraged that a process is working; 160 amendments that encompass the ideas of Republicans are now part of a piece of legislation that's making its way through Congress. Q And on one idea that I think you were open to, the idea of taxing sugary soft drinks -- that's one of the ideas that he's open to, is that correct? MR. GIBBS: Again, I don't think we've -- I drank a Diet Coke earlier, I didn't put a deposit down, so maybe that wouldn't count. Again, I think we're watching this process. Q So you haven't made an opinion on that? I'm just wondering how that squares with the pledge -- the promise that he restated on Monday not to raise taxes on people under $250,000 -- because that certainly would. MR. GIBBS: Well, maybe that's why we didn't have him come out foursquare for that. Q All right, thank you. That's actually helpful. (Laughter.) Can you just talk a little bit about -- MR. GIBBS: I'm glad for the minute-by-minute update on my utility at the podium. (Laughter.) Bipartisanship | Congress | Health Care | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Bipartisanship, Congress, Health Care, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 3:01:00 PM There's No Doubt - Air Force One Press Gaggle by Robert Gibbs 7/14/09 — Tuesday, July 14, 2009 — Q Robert, can you describe what the President's mood is coming to Michigan, given the unemployment numbers here and the, sort of, mood?MR. GIBBS: Look, obviously this is -- I think as he said this afternoon in the Oval -- or this morning in the Oval Office, obviously you've got a state that the unemployment rate is the greatest in the nation and obviously is a state that has dealt with economic transformation, the loss of auto and manufacturing jobs well before the recession hit. So obviously this is probably as hard-hit an area as there is in the entire country. I think one of the things that is important about today's stop is one aspect of putting people back to work and laying that long-term foundation for economic growth is increasing the number of people that we have in this country that get a post-high school education, that get the job training and placement help necessary for the jobs of the future. And that's the program -- the new initiative that the President will highlight today that he talked originally about in the joint session of Congress. But obviously, look, there are lots and lots of people that are hurting all throughout Michigan and the Midwest as a result, again, of not just the downturn in the economy but things that they've struggled with economically for quite some time. Q Do you feel like you guys are moving money fast enough into Michigan -- stimulus money fast enough into Michigan? MR. GIBBS: The recovery plan is ahead of the pace that was originally set -- Q (Inaudible.) MR. GIBBS: Well, in Michigan and throughout the country. I think Michigan is one of the -- one of the top 10 state recipients for money. Look, I think you can talk to people in Michigan that have watched recovery money go in. There's no doubt that there are fewer teachers that have been laid off because of money that has come in to help education funding. There's no doubt that people have been hired because road construction projects are starting here and in the Detroit area and throughout the state that have put people back to work. Obviously, we've got a lot of work to do in the Midwest and in Michigan and throughout the country. Money has moved quickly. It has moved ahead of pace. And it has prevented an even sharper economic downturn from occurring. Q Do you know how many jobs have been created so far in Michigan? MR. GIBBS: I don't have an exact Michigan figure, no. Air Force One | Economy | President Obama | Press Gaggle | Robert Gibbs | Stimulus Package | White House Press Corps Labels: Air Force One, Economy, President Obama, Press Gaggle, Robert Gibbs, Stimulus Package, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 10:53:00 PM Wipe Away All The Dark Clouds - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 7/13/09 — Monday, July 13, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Lester.Q Thank you very much. Just two questions. MR. GIBBS: It was probably only one when I passed over you the first time. (Laughter.) Q Six or seven. MR. GIBBS: All right, all right, easy on the first two rows. Les, you can't sit in the second row and complain about all the questions in the second row. You got to go like way back and -- I'm kidding, go ahead. Q I appreciate it. While you and the President were overseas on July the 7th, there was on the Internet a copy of a letter on White House letterhead dated January the 24th, 2009, with the signature "Barack Obama," which stated "The place of my birth was Honolulu's Kapi'olani Medical Center." And my question is, can you verify this letter? Or if not, would you tell us which Hawaiian hospital he was born in, since Kapi'olani, which used to publicize this, now refuses to confirm? MR. GIBBS: Goodness gracious. I'm going to be, like, in year four describing where it is the President was born. I don't have the letter at my fingertips, obviously, and I don't know the name of the exact hospital. Q Can you check on this? MR. GIBBS: I will seek to interview whoever brought the President into this world. But can we just -- I want to do this once and for all, Lester. Let's just do this once and for all. You can go on this -- I hope you'll take the time not just to Google "President, January 24, Hawaii hospital, birth" and come up with this letter, but go on the Internet and get the birth certificate, Lester, and put -- Q It's not a birth certificate. MR. GIBBS: I know. (Laughter.) Just a document from the state of Hawaii denoting the fact that the President was indeed born in the state of Hawaii. Q But it doesn't say where he was born or who the doctor was. MR. GIBBS: You know, Lester, I -- I want to stay on this for a second, Lester, I want to stay on this for a second, because you're a smart man, right? Q Hypothetical. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: All right, all right, settle down in here. Only I get to make jokes like that. No, Lester, let's finish this one. Do all of your listeners and the listeners throughout this country the service to which any journalist owes those listeners, and that is the pursuit of the noble truth. And the noble truth is that the President was born in Hawaii, a state of the United States of America. And all of this incredible back-and-forth -- I get e-mails today from people who inexplicably can figure out very easily the White House e-mail address, and want proof of where the President was born. Lester, the next time you ask me a question I'm going to ask you what reporting you've done to demonstrate to your listeners the truth, the certificate, the state, so that they can look to you for that momentous search for the truth, and you can wipe away all the dark clouds and provide them with the knowing clarity that comes with that certainty. Q Another question. (Laughter.) The Washington Times and gawker.com report that of the 60 or more reporters who regularly cover these briefings, only 30 were invited to the White House to watch the July 4th fireworks, and they were ordered not to report this. And my question, why does the President believe it is fair to exclude so many, including even Helen Thomas, who was invited -- (laughter) -- by so many previous Presidents to this event? MR. GIBBS: Please note for the official record that Helen almost fell out of her chair laughing. I just wanted to note -- that's all -- Q This information was confirmed to me, she was not invited, Bob. Why? MR. GIBBS: You know, I -- ohhh. Les, we were -- I haven't the slightest idea what the invitation system is for the July 4th fireworks. I'll do this. I'll figure that out. You figure out the Hawaii birth certificate. We'll meet here sometime next week and we can discuss it all over again. How about that, Lester? Les | Obama Administration | Open Government | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Les, Open Government, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 8:40:00 PM The Iranians Seem Preoccupied - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 6/26/09 — Sunday, June 28, 2009 — MR. GIBBS: No, I think -- again, I think what the President did today was largely reiterate what he'd said earlier in the week, that we're going to -- there obviously are a series of events that have yet to play out in Iran, and we'll watch those events play out. I think our long-term interest, as it relates to Iran and the danger in the region remain, quite honestly, no different than they remained the day before the election. We've all witnessed the images since the days of that election, and that's I think foremost on the minds of not only this President and this administration, but people throughout the world. Q But you still believe in engagement as a policy? MR. GIBBS: He does, understanding right now that the Iranians seem preoccupied. Yes, sir. Q Chancellor Merkel today spoke directly to the election results in Iran when she said that there should be a re-vote, some kind of recount. I haven't heard President Obama say anything like that. Does he agree with Chancellor Merkel on that? MR. GIBBS: That's a decision that Iranians are going to have to make about their own leadership. Q So are you saying that Chancellor Merkel was going to go further than -- went further than President Obama was prepared to? MR. GIBBS: I'm not going to -- I've not been hired to characterize Chancellor Merkel's statements. Q But he said they spoke with one voice. MR. GIBBS: In condemning the violence. I think you all have heard everything that the President said on this. Democracy | Germany | Iran | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Democracy, Germany, Iran, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 3:03:00 AM They Do Care About This, Jake - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 6/24/09 — Thursday, June 25, 2009 — Q All right. I've got a procedural question about yesterday's news conference. What led to your decision to plant a designated hitter right here to ask the President a question? And what kind of a message do you think that sends to the American people and to the world about the kind of free-flow and pure questioning that's been expected at presidential news conferences? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think it did nothing more than underscore that free-flow. Peter, that was a question from an Iranian in Iran, using the same type of manner and method to get that information as, I guess, many of you and virtually every one of your outlets has done, because in this country we enjoy the freedom of the press. In Iran, as many of you know, your colleagues have been dismissed. They've been kicked out. Some of them have been rounded up. There aren't journalists that can speak for the Iranian people. What the President did was take a question from an Iranian. That's, I think, the very powerful message that that sent just yesterday. Q Couldn't he have accomplished that without you guys escorting someone through here and planting him the room? MR. GIBBS: Did you get a question yesterday from an Iranian that you had hoped to asked the President? Q No, I did not. MR. GIBBS: Well, then I guess the answer to that would have been, no. Q Is this going to become a regular feature of President Obama's news conference, that you all are going to bring people in here that you select to ask questions? MR. GIBBS: Well, let's understand -- let's be clear, Peter. I think you understand this, so -- but I'll repeat it for your benefit. There was no guarantee that the questioner would be picked. There was no idea of what the exact question would be. I'll let you down easily: A number of questions that we went though in prep you all asked. Iran dominated the news conference, not surprisingly. But Peter, I think it was important and the President thought it was important to take a question using the very same methods, again, that many of you all are using to report information on the ground. I don't have any -- I won't make any apologies for that. Q Can I follow that one up, please? MR. GIBBS: Sure. Q Thank you. MR. GIBBS: Get the mic ready. Q Aren't you -- you and the President aware that this cast suspicion that all of such questions may be presidentially planted? MR. GIBBS: Well, you know what? Instead, Lester, of giving you an answer from here, I'll ask that you ask Chuck, Jennifer, Chip, Jake -- Q I'm not throwing suspicion on them; you are. MR. GIBBS: No, no -- Q I mean, no, no -- MR. GIBBS: I'm sorry. I was -- can I give you 30 seconds to get your question straight? Q Yes, of course. MR. GIBBS: Major and others that asked questions yesterday, ask them right now if they knew they were getting a question yesterday -- go ahead, ask one of them. Go ahead. Q Well, he makes a good point, because -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, I make -- Q -- there are a lot of people out there -- MR. GIBBS: Let me make -- hold on, Chip. Q -- who incorrectly believe that we ask questions that are preapproved. And doesn't this add -- MR. GIBBS: Do you? Do you? Q Of course not. MR. GIBBS: Okay, so how did they get that misperception -- Q But doesn't this add to that perception -- MR. GIBBS: No. Q -- and doesn't this allow -- MR. GIBBS: Chip, I feel like you have -- Q -- (inaudible) do what we do? MR. GIBBS: I feel -- hold on, hold on. Q So you don't know -- MR. GIBBS: Well, let me -- Q You don't know -- MR. GIBBS: Since I'm not a journalist and I play the spokesman on TV, let me answer one of the questions, okay? (Laughter.) One of the things I love, Lester, is you move the microphone toward your mouth when you laugh as if the sound might not pick that up. (Laughter.) All right. Leaving that aside for a second, leaving that aside for a second -- Q I have one follow-up. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: No, no, I can -- I can't in my wildest dreams believe it's only one, but just hold on -- Q It's only one. MR. GIBBS: No, no, I know, but let me -- Chip and Chuck have questions that I think are important to answer. I don't know how that perception comes out there, but I feel confident that if you feel that perception is out there, that you could deal with it. CBS has gotten a question on all four of the news conferences. I don't know if it's been you on all four. Have you ever told us what your question is? Q Certainly not. MR. GIBBS: Have you? Q Of course not. MR. GIBBS: Have you? Q Nope. MR. GIBBS: You've only gotten one, so -- have you? (Laughter.) Peter, have you? Q Certainly not. MR. GIBBS: Did Mark know? Did Mark tell us? Q Certainly not, and neither would I. MR. GIBBS: Major? Q No. MR. GIBBS: Jake? Q I don't think he would have called on me. MR. GIBBS: Michael? Q We didn't get one. We didn't get one. MR. GIBBS: But did you give us a heads up on your question last time? Q What do you think? (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: There you go. Good answer. I like that. That's actually -- you might get one next time because that was a keen answer. Ann, did you let us know? Q I think these are rhetorical -- MR. GIBBS: Okay. They are rhetorical questions because they're easily answered. Q Robert, in a third-world country -- in a third-world country, and we've seen a press conference with -- Q A planted question. Q -- a planted question, the perception -- MR. GIBBS: The question wasn't planted. That question wasn't planted. Q Questioner, planted questioner -- the perception, you know, it's something that would have colored the entire -- MR. GIBBS: Chuck, is Richard Engel reporting from Tehran using Twitter? Q We have a reporter -- MR. GIBBS: Is he? Q We have a reporter in Tehran. MR. GIBBS: So Richard is not. Q Richard is not, no. But have a reporter in Tehran. MR. GIBBS: But Richard is not using Twitter? Richard is not using information he got from people -- Q Of course, we're using information all over the place, but we usually have live bodies on the ground -- Q But, Robert, as many of us who were on the campaign trail remember, in Iowa, when there were two episodes where candidate Obama's chief rival, Hillary Clinton, was accused of having planted questioners in town halls -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no -- Q -- it became a question of her authenticity -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, no. Q -- or her ability to handle town halls. MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, no. Let's be clear. Not that I knew I should call on Major, right? I don't know what -- forget the Iowa outlet -- call on Major, because the question he's going to ask is X, okay? You're saying -- and I will be definitive -- nobody at any outlet has ever told me that they were going to ask a certain question, including the fact that I was going to pick or the President might pick somebody from the Huffington Post to ask a question by an Iranian, but didn't know what the question was. Q That's a big difference. Q Why not use a seating chart and just let the President call on who he is, rather than go to specific -- MR. GIBBS: Well, you know -- Q Robert, what are the rules to be followed by the President at the press conference? MR. GIBBS: What are the rules? Q Yes. MR. GIBBS: They're not written. I'm happy -- look, I'm happy to have you guys yell. I'm cool with that. Q Okay. MR. GIBBS: You want to do that? Q Just one more. MR. GIBBS: No, no. Let's -- you know what? I'll forget where I've gone, right? I'm going to --go ahead, yell a little bit louder so I can almost hardly hear you. Yes, ma'am. Q The perception is though, however -- MR. GIBBS: Well -- Q Let me finish, please. MR. GIBBS: No, no. I'm not even going to let you finish. On the first day in political science class, the teacher says, there's perception, and there's reality. Q Well, the reality is -- MR. GIBBS: Every one of you all has talked about the reality -- Q -- printed out this -- MR. GIBBS: -- so I'm not going to deal with the perception. Q Robert, allow me -- please allow me to finish, okay? MR. GIBBS: We live in America. Speak. Q Thank you. MR. GIBBS: There you go. Q The perception is this is scripted, from the day -- MR. GIBBS: Well, it's wrong. Q Okay. MR. GIBBS: It's wrong. Q But from the day this administration walked in the door, there was a perception that you were calling people, telling them, you will be picked. And that was the perception, and it's out there. And then to put this person from the Huffington Post, it was awkward -- MR. GIBBS: April, you got picked. Did you get told you were going to get picked? Q I got picked, it was my first White House press conference pick. No, I was not told. I was surprised -- MR. GIBBS: Were you -- did you know what -- did I ask you what question? Q I don't think you know what I'm going to ask you when I ask questions. MR. GIBBS: That is more than a safe bet. Q But how do you decide on that list of people that you're going to say, the President has a list, I'm going to go through that? MR. GIBBS: It's just a series of educated guesses. Q Can anyone ask about something that the American people actually care about? Q They do care about this, Jake. They want to make sure that we are out there being accountable for them. They do want to know. Iran | President Obama | Presidential Press Conference | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Iran, President Obama, Presidential Press Conference, Press Briefing, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 12:24:00 AM We've Been Entirely Consistent - Press Conference by the President 6/23/09 — Tuesday, June 23, 2009 — Like the rest of the world, we were impressed by the vigorous debate and enthusiasm that this election generated, particularly among young Iranians. We continue to monitor the entire situation closely, including reports of irregularities. THE PRESIDENT: All right? Major Garrett. Where's Major?June 13, 2009 Statement by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs on the Iranian Election Q Right here, sir. In your opening remarks, sir, you were -- you said about Iran that you were appalled and outraged. What took you so long to say those words? THE PRESIDENT: I don't think that's accurate. Track what I've been saying. Right after the election, I said that we had profound concerns about the nature of the election, but that it was not up to us to determine what the outcome was. As soon as violence broke out -- in fact, in anticipation of potential violence -- we were very clear in saying that violence was unacceptable, that that was not how governments operate with respect to their people. So we've been entirely consistent, Major, in terms of how we've approached this. My role has been to say the United States is not going to be a foil for the Iranian government to try to blame what's happening on the streets of Tehran on the CIA or on the White House; that this is an issue that is led by and given voice to the frustrations of the Iranian people. And so we've been very consistent the first day, and we're going to continue to be consistent in saying this is not an issue about the United States; this is about an issue of the Iranian people. What we've also been consistent about is saying that there are some universal principles, including freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, making sure that governments are not using coercion and violence and repression in terms of how they interact with peaceful demonstrators. And we have been speaking out very clearly about that fact. Q Are Iranian diplomats still welcome at the embassy on the Fourth of July, sir? THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think as you're aware, Major, we don't have formal diplomatic relations with -- we don't have formal diplomatic relations with Iran. I think that we have said that if Iran chooses a path that abides by international norms and principles, then we are interested in healing some of the wounds of 30 years, in terms of U.S.-Iranian relations. But that is a choice that the Iranians are going to have to make. Q But the offer still stands? THE PRESIDENT: That's a choice the Iranians are going to have to make. International Relations | Iran | President Obama | Presidential Press Conference | White House Press Corps Labels: International Relations, Iran, President Obama, Presidential Press Conference, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 11:44:00 PM This "Debate" That's Happening Within Iran - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 6/22/09 — Monday, June 22, 2009 — MR. GIBBS: Yes. Q Can I ask you, is he correct, though -- there is a perception out there that the President has ratcheted up -- you said earlier that his statements have been crystal clear and consistent, but there's a perception out there, I believe, among a lot of the pundits and others that -- I know, pundits, whoever -- that there's a perception out there that he has gradually ratcheted -- MR. GIBBS: Far be it for me to conduct our foreign policy based on pundits that we see on television -- Q And members of Congress. MR. GIBBS: -- where's that gotten us? (Laughter.) Q Wait, we're asking the questions here. (Laughter.) But that's the perception -- MR. GIBBS: I think I'm answering them fairly well today. (Laughter.) Q Glad you're so confident. MR. GIBBS: Sure, why not. I'm a pundit. I'm doing great. No, but let me tell you, Chip -- Q But there's a perception out there -- (laughter.) Q Well, let him finish the question. MR. GIBBS: Well, I knew the answer almost before you asked it. (Laughter.) Like I said, I'm a pundit, I'm grading myself pretty well today. Chip, this isn't about -- I think you've heard the President say this isn't about a foreign policy that makes us feel good; this isn't about statements that might make us feel good or sound good on television. This is -- Q But I'm not asking that. I'm asking has he ratcheted up -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, I understand, but this is -- Q -- has he increased the pressure a little bit with his statement? MR. GIBBS: I think obviously you've seen events -- I think anybody would say events on the ground have changed over the course of the last week. The President last Monday warned against the potential for violence -- and we've seen that escalate throughout the week. But, again, Chip, this is about ensuring -- as the President said, that he is speaking out for universal principles. He said that last week. But, Chip, there are many in Iran that would love us to be the story, as the President said and as I have said. They would love to take this debate that's happening within Iran, by Iranians, about the direction of their leadership and the direction of their country -- and instead take that out and put us in. The President has said he recognizes that, he understands that's not helpful and, I think quite honestly, Chip, many of the experts that -- many people in this room, their organizations have talked to, many Republicans have denoted that -- or have noted that the President has struck the right response here. That's what's important. Democracy | International Relations | Iran | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Democracy, International Relations, Iran, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 10:01:00 PM We Can Quibble On This - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 6/19/09 — Saturday, June 20, 2009 — MR. GIBBS: Ms. Loven. Q The House resolution, it asks for a direct condemnation of the government in Iran's use of violence against protestors. And that kind of direct condemnation has not come from the White House this week. Can you comment on the resolution? MR. GIBBS: Well, obviously, we welcome the resolution and we believe despite the question that it echoes the words of President Obama throughout the week. I think he -- Q But you've been saying that you hope they don't use violence and directly -- it may be a small difference, but it's a big difference to some people. MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the President was pretty clear on Monday in the avail with Berlusconi. Q He said he was troubled by violence. He didn't say they shouldn't do it or directly criticize them for doing it. MR. GIBBS: That's not the way I read it. I think when the -- Q I have the -- MR. GIBBS: I have the same transcript right here. I think when the President sits in the Oval Office and says he's: deeply troubled by what I've seen on television, and the American people are rightly troubled by that; I think when the President discusses as he did with President Lee that something has happened in Iran, where there's a questioning of the kinds of antagonistic postures toward the international community that have taken place in the past, and there are people who want to see greater openness, greater debate, and want to see greater democracy -- I stand strongly with the universal principle that people's voices should be heard and not be suppressed. I think the language in the resolution is very consistent with the language that the President has used. Q It makes direct criticism of the government, which he has not done. MR. GIBBS: We can quibble on this. I think the President has been clear in standing up for the universal principles and deploring violence. Q So comment on the resolution? MR. GIBBS: As I said earlier, we welcome it. It's consistent with what the President has said. Yes, sir. Q Robert, continuing on that theme, what is the White House and the President's reaction to the supreme leader of Iran warning to protestors to stop protesting and calling on -- saying that leaders will be held responsible for bloodshed? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the President addressed that also on Monday, that he believes, as we have said throughout the week and as I've said throughout the week, those who wish to have their voices heard should be able to do that -- to do that without fear of violence; that that is an important universal principle that should be upheld. And I think he strongly supports that. Q So would he criticize or condemn this particular statement from the supreme leader? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the President has been clear on what he believes: that he believes strongly that people should have their voices heard, that clearly there is, as he said on Tuesday, a ferment in Iran that is bringing about change. I will say, as the President has said, we're not going to be used as political foils and political footballs in a debate that's happening by Iranians in Iran. There are many people in the leadership that would love us to get involved. Q The leadership of Iran? MR. GIBBS: Yes. And would love to trot out the same old foils they have for many years. That's not what we're going to do. Democracy | Iran | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Democracy, Iran, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 4:35:00 AM Unnecessarily Personal And Accusatory - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 6/17/09 — Thursday, June 18, 2009 —  Q Okay, and just one other question. Senator Claire McCaskill yesterday expressed concern about the way in which President Obama fired the Inspector General of the Corporation for National and Community Service, saying that it did not abide by the law that McCaskill wrote and President Obama, as a senator, co-sponsored, in terms of giving Congress 30 days notice.Do you think that the White House handled the firing of Inspector General Walpin appropriately and according to that law? And if so, why is the author of the law incorrect? MR. GIBBS: Well, I would direct you, Jake, to the letter that Senator McCaskill received last night addressed to Senators Lieberman and Collins, which outline exactly the reasoning for the board's -- the bipartisan board's request to change Inspector Generals. Q Right, I've seen the letter. The law that McCaskill wrote -- MR. GIBBS: I'm not familiar with that part of what she's saying. But again, I'd point you to the letter. Q Okay, well, the law says that the President needs to give 30 days notice to Congress before an Inspector General is terminated. So that letter came, whatever, five or six days after he was terminated. MR. GIBBS: Again, I'll check into that. I mean, again, the board's action was precipitated by a meeting that happened on May the 20th. [...] MR. GIBBS: Major. Q Robert, just to follow up on Jake, was the White House unaware that it needed to inform Congress 30 days in advance about Mr. Walpin's intended firing? MR. GIBBS: I need to look at what Ms. McCaskill said regarding that. I just don't have that with me. Q But it's -- number one, it's the law of the land, and number two, Senator Obama voted for it. I'm just wondering if the White House was aware of that -- regardless of what Senator McCaskill said. MR. GIBBS: Well, since the question came based on what Senator McCaskill said -- and I haven't seen that part of it -- let me, as I just stated twice, check on that. Q Okay. The letter that was sent out last night was regarded by Mr. Walpin as "a total lie." And -- that's what he told us -- and he said it was unnecessarily personal and accusatory. And I wonder if you felt there was anything the White House wanted to say about that letter and the contents thereof in response to that? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I think this was -- let me read the first sentence of the second paragraph. "Mr. Walpin was removed after a review was unanimously requested by the bipartisan board of the Corporation." These were views that were held by many people as part of that board, and certainly the administration stands behind what's in the letter. Q Following up on that, why not leave it at that and why did the White House feel it necessary to say he was disoriented and confused? MR. GIBBS: Well, I have occasion to watch FOX every now and again, and I think there have been commentators that surmised that maybe we needed to be more specific about the reasons. I think members of Congress have asked for that, and I think it's detailed in the letter. Congress | Inspectors General | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Congress, Inspectors General, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:18:00 AM Something For Iranians To Work Out - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 6/16/09 — Tuesday, June 16, 2009 — MR. GIBBS: I'm sorry? Q The President is still willing to talk to Ahmadinejad about the various U.S. issues, and that's not been changed at all by the -- MR. GIBBS: The President is committed to -- Q -- status of this election? MR. GIBBS: The President is committed to direct engagement with the Iranian government on issues of our national interest, including their pursuit of a nuclear weapon and their sponsorship for terror. Q And the disputed election does not in any way change that? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, the disputed election is something for Iranians to work out. Q Does the administration have an opinion as to whether or not foreign journalists should be allowed to cover that story and remain inside Iran? MR. GIBBS: Obviously the President spoke both yesterday and today about what he thinks of his universal values, and obviously -- Q He spoke about people in the streets and Iranians -- MR. GIBBS: Let me -- Q I'm sorry. MR. GIBBS: I think having a robust free press that covers an important story for the world is something that the President believes strongly in. Q Does the administration believe the Internet and texting access should be restored? MR. GIBBS: Absolutely. Yes, sir. Q A follow-up? Sky News has designated a spot on their Web site, as other organizations have, for people who are tweeting, who are sending SMS's, et cetera. In light of the fact that we don't have a diplomatic relationship, is the White House monitoring these various Web sites for that information? MR. GIBBS: I can check with somebody at NSC, but I don't have anything specific. Q The President said in Cairo that countries that elect their governments are better -- the governments are better, more stable, better able to provide economic opportunities. Does the United States have a national interest in the will of the Iranian people being accurately reflected in this election? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think that he's expressed concern, as the international community has. Obviously any election, if it's going to -- any election should reflect the will of the people. That, by definition, is an election. I would also mention, Scott, that the President said that it's important -- elections are important, but also the decisions that governments make after elections are important. That's why our interests as they relate to the Iranian government are unchanged. Q Robert, are you at all concerned that the measured response of the United States so far to the Iranian elections could harm America or the President's image among democracy advocates not only in Iran but around the world? MR. GIBBS: No, I think this administration's commitment to democracy has been demonstrated in the commitment in resources that we've put forward. But at the same time, I think it's important that I reemphasize what the President said about sovereignty, but more importantly, that I emphasize that this is a debate inside of Iran for Iranians. Ahmadinejad | Democracy | Elections | Iran | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Ahmadinejad, Democracy, Elections, Iran, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 5:38:00 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 The President Has Been Consistent - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 5/15/09 — Friday, May 15, 2009 —  Q One of the reasons that human rights groups are upset about the announcement today is many of them believed, based on a couple statements the President had made, that the President was looking -- then-senator, now President -- was looking forward to a system where detainees would be tried either through the Uniform Code of Military Justice, or through U.S. courts.And there are a couple statements the President made. I’m wondering if you could just reconcile it. He said in August ‘07: "I have faith in America’s courts. I have faith in our JAGs. As President, I’ll close Guantanamo, reject the Military Commissions Act, adhere to the Geneva Conventions. Our Constitution and our Uniform Code of Military Justice provide a framework for dealing with the terrorists." And then in August, the campaign issued a statement responding to the Hamdan conviction. The key line being: "It’s time to better protect the American people and our values by bringing swift and sure justice to terrorists through our courts and through our Uniform Code of Military Justice" -- no mention of military commissions. Now, I understand he supported McCain-Graham-Warner back in ‘08. But how do you reconcile these statements with the military commissions? They make no mention of them. MR. GIBBS: Well, look, Jake, the underlying issues in each of those statements affording -- first affording for swift and certain justice, as well as sufficient detainee protection that the Supreme Court has now rendered have to be a part of any military commission is embedded in the exact suggestions that the President is filing today with the Court, ensuring that -- the Court ruled last year that significant protection had to be afforded for the first time to detainees in order for something like this to be constitutional, and those are the changes that the President sought. Again, I think if you go back and look at his statements and understand the role that military commissions have played in the history of the United States, the President believes that, in dealing with certain detainees at Guantanamo Bay, that this is an appropriate avenue. Obviously we will also use, in some instances, Article III courts in order to ensure the certainty of justice that the President spoke about. Q I’m sorry, just to follow up. I mean, are these just two statements where, if you could go back, you would just add the term "military commission"? They were just -- they were just vague? Because -- MR. GIBBS: No, I think that the -- I think if you look back at all these statements, Jake, the President has been consistent in his views on this issue and been consistent on what was lacking in order to ensure justice, in order to ensure protection, and most of all to ensure that this process goes forward with -- and doesn’t see repeated legal stalls in going through the court system. And again, the notion of military commissions in a larger sense is something that’s been with us now for almost eight years. I think some 242 detainees resided at Guantanamo when the President took office, obviously at certain points there have been even more, and exactly three cases have gone through this system in those almost intervening eight years. I don’t think this is a system that works in any way, shape, or form for the American people. Q But if I can just follow on that, when you say the President has been consistent, the quote that Jake read from 2007 where the President flatly said, I would reject -- using the word "reject" -- the Military Commissions Act. He’s not rejecting it today. He’s embracing the Bush law -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, no -- Q -- with tweaks. He’s embracing that law but saying, "I want to tweak it." MR. GIBBS: "I’m buying a car except I’m changing the engine and painting it a different color and calling it a different" -- Q Well, he’s not rejecting this law. There’s not a new law coming. He’s not rejecting this. He’s saying, "We’re going to live with this law with tweaks." MR. GIBBS: No. The law, as you talk about it, the Military Commissions Act of 2006, passed in late September of 2006 and signed by this President, was ruled in 2007, Section 7, to be unconstitutional, okay. That law doesn’t work, okay. The President will seek a continuance in the nine cases that are currently part of the military commissions, setting those cases aside for 120 days in order to institute these changes. These cases won’t go forward under these rules. Therefore, the system that was set up by Congress and signed by then-President Bush won’t be the course under which these cases will ultimately be heard. Your characterization is just simply wrong. Q So then why is the ACLU saying you’re just building on a flawed system, a system that is unconstitutional, as you just pointed out? You’re just building on that flawed system. MR. GIBBS: Well, you know, Jake -- I’m sorry, not Jake, Ed, you -- sorry -- (laughter) -- you know, I think you started out on Monday wondering why -- in questioning why we were being so much like -- so opposite of George Bush in all these questions. And on Friday I’m answering questions about why are we so much like George Bush on all these questions. I’ll let you guys discern what inflection point -- what period of day that all changed. But this notion that somehow the law is the same under the protections that the President is entering into, I would simply point to you the opinion that Justice Kennedy wrote in a Supreme Court case in 2007, denoting that without the protections that the President is enumerating to the court today, those trials can’t go forward. This notion is the same -- the notion that this is the same vehicle is simply -- it’s simply not true. The protections -- Q So if you want to take issue with the characterization of the relation to Bush -- MR. GIBBS: I think you should take issue with those -- Q -- former President Bush -- MR. GIBBS: I don’t think I would. I think you should. I think the protections that are afforded -- that the President will ask the court or will note that he’s going to send to Congress to amend represent a far different system. Again, in 2006, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Carl Levin and John Warner all supported a piece of legislation similar to what the President is enumerating today. Have you asked each of them why they’re -- Q You just said three Republicans, right? Warner, Graham, McCain -- MR. GIBBS: Four. I’m sorry, and Susan Collins. Four Republicans joined 11 Democrats in a 15-9 vote for a very different set of rules governing military commissions. Q When you mentioned President Bush -- MR. GIBBS: That which got politicized, a different proposal got into the mix, and the law that ultimately came from that was very different than what was proposed in the Senate Armed Services Committee. Q But when the ACLU and other critics say -- what they complain about, in part, is they look at the executives orders that were signed on week one of this administration, and there seemed to be a signal that was being sent that you were turning the page on the Bush years, there was going to be a sharp break. Now you’re looking at what you did on the photos Wednesday, what you’re doing here today -- they’re getting the sense that you’re moving closer to President Bush. And again, you’re quoting what Republicans were saying, like John Warner, John McCain. And they see John McCain cheering this decision today and they say this is not what we voted for. MR. GIBBS: But, Ed, first of all -- let me give you two answers. First of all, go back and talk to those that voted for S. 3901 in 2006. The reason that bill didn’t get a majority was, that’s not what the Bush administration wanted, okay? And secondly -- and I would say this to somebody who criticizes us from the left and criticizes us from the right -- one thing that we’re not having a debate about is whether or not these tactics exist, whether they can currently be used by this administration, because this President took, with one stroke of a pen, the swift action to ensure that these enhanced interrogation techniques aren’t used by this administration. I think, if I understand the former Vice President of the United States correctly, I’m to understand that he doesn’t necessarily agree with that, marking somewhat of a change from the previous administration’s discourse of justice. Q I didn’t mention the former Vice President in my question. MR. GIBBS: I did. Q Okay. MR. GIBBS: I did. 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Posted by White House Press Corps @ 6:12:00 PM Likely To Impact Our Legislative Agenda (Cell Phone Rings) - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 5/13/09 — Wednesday, May 13, 2009 —  Q Robert, regarding the photos of detainees in Afghanistan and Iraq, you took several questions on this on April 24. You said that it was that DOJ decided it was hopeless to appeal and the administration had entered into an agreement to release the photos. You got a question about whether the President was concerned about if the release might do harm to our troops, and you said his decision was consistent with his goal of keeping the nation and the troops safe. And you said that this is among the many actions that are out of our control. So my question is what has changed to make you think that you have more control, and what has changed about the concerns about the harm to the troops? MR. GIBBS: Well, Chuck, as I said yesterday, the President was concerned about harm to the troops. I think part of my answer in that briefing also was a question about whether or not this was likely to impact our legislative agenda. The President, as you all know, met with his legal team last week because he did not feel comfortable with the release of the photos; primarily believes that -- and I'll go through some of the dates in the court that I did yesterday. This all stems from a FOIA -- first from detainee abuse investigations that were concluded by the end of 2004. There was a FOIA case that started -- the first ruling was in September of 2008. That ruling was appealed I believe in December of 2008. On March 11th, the Second Circuit declined to have the full circuit review the three-judge ruling appealing the decision that was made. The President does not believe that the strongest case regarding the release of these photos was presented to the court, and that was a case based on his concern of what the release of these would do to our national security. He believes that the release of these photos could pose a threat to the men and women we have in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan, and doesn't believe that we made -- doesn't believe that the government made the strongest case possible to the court and asked the legal team to go make that case. Q But what changed to -- you're just stating now that he is concerned that it would do harm, but -- MR. GIBBS: I'm not stating that now. I believe I've always stated that and I stated it as well yesterday. Q On the 24th you stated the opposite, that he had come to the conclusion that this would not cause harm to the troops. MR. GIBBS: I will go back and -- I looked at part of that a few days ago. I have not seen the full -- but I'll be happy to take a look at it. Q The question is, are you concerned that it would cause a backlash against our troops in harm's way? You said that the President has done a lot of back-and-forth in his mind over the course of several weeks about ensuring that this protected those who keep us safe, that it protected our national security. The President came to a determination that the decision that he made was consistent with all those criteria. MR. GIBBS: Well, the President reflected on this case and believes that they have the potential to pose harm to our troops. Q Was he pressured by the military? MR. GIBBS: No. In fact, this was brought up -- his decision was brought up with General Odierno yesterday at the end of their meeting, the meeting that General Odierno and Ambassador Hill had with the President. The President brought this up at the end of the meeting to inform General Odierno of his decision. Obviously, there has been concern. There was certainly concern throughout the process by folks that -- the harm that could be caused by the release. Q Did they make it known to him? MR. GIBBS: I think they have. But I would also say the President believes a couple of other things. Understand that the existence of these investigations are -- and I don't know the exact address, but they're on the DOD website. The President believes that the release of these photos will also provide a disincentive for detainee abuse investigation. The photos don't denote the existence of the investigations -- they're simply part of the potential evidence in the cases that have been finished since 2004. But if in each of these instances somebody looking into detainee abuse takes evidentiary photos in a case that's eventually concluded, this could provide a tremendous disincentive to take those photos and investigate that abuse. I would also add, lastly -- Q Wait, try that once again. I don't follow you. Where's the disincentive? MR. GIBBS: The disincentive is in the notion that every time one of these photos is taken, that it's going to be released. Nothing is added by the release of the photo, right? The existence of the investigation is not increased because of the release of the photo; it's just to provide, in some ways, a sensationalistic portion of that investigation. These are all investigations that were undertaken by the Pentagon and have been concluded. I think if every time somebody took a picture of detainee abuse, if every time that -- if any time any of those pictures were mandatorily going to be necessarily released, despite the fact that they were being investigated, I think that would provide a disincentive to take those pictures and investigate. Q How do you square this -- you use the term "sensationalistic." But how do you square that with your frequent comments about greater transparency? That seems completely at odds. MR. GIBBS: No, Chuck, again, the existence of the detainee abuse cases is not denoted by the photos. They're evidence contained -- or evidence as part of those investigations. The existence of the cases are on the websites, they're on the DOD website. Okay? So the notion that somehow you don't know about these investigations because you haven't seen the photos doesn't make any sense. Q Right, but you agree that you should allow photos, for example, of the troops that were killed in action coming back to Dover Air Force Base. MR. GIBBS: No, again, let's be precise. The President and the Secretary left it up to those involved in those cases for families to determine whether or not they wanted to make the ceremony open to the press or not. Q The point I'm trying to make is that you have -- you're saying -- you have acknowledged that the existence of photographs can be a compelling component of understanding what's going on in any given situation, and in the name of transparency it seems like it would apply here. MR. GIBBS: The President doesn't believe that the release of these photos adds in any way to that. It only adds to pose harm. Q Robert, can you go over the sequence of events that led to his thought process? Because on April 24th, when the Pentagon was explaining its decision to release the photos, it said that -- the spokesman said that there was a feeling that the case has pretty much run its course. And now you're saying that the President feels that there's a strong argument to be made -- MR. GIBBS: Because the argument that the President has asked his legal team to make is not an argument that the previous legal team made in that case. They argued a couple of different things including a law enforcement exception, and a judge ruled that to seek a law enforcement exception you have to disclose the name of the person that would be -- that harm would be derived for in seeking that exception. This is a different argument that the President thinks is compelling. Q When did you decide that it was important to make that argument? Did one of the lawyers come to him and say -- MR. GIBBS: No, he came to the lawyers. Q And when did all of that take place? MR. GIBBS: That was a meeting that was held last week in the Oval Office. Q Robert, if that was such a compelling case why was that not weighed in April then? Because it seems like -- was there a failure here at the White House in the first go-round in April to fully weigh the national security implications? MR. GIBBS: The argument that the President seeks to make is one that hasn't been made before. I'm not going to get into blame for this or that, understanding that there was significant legal momentum in these cases prior to the President entering into office. We are now at a point where it is likely that some stay will be asked to prevent the release of these photos. And I believe the date, that we have until June 8th to appeal -- to seek review of the decision by the Second Circuit. Q Well, on April 24th, you also said, the Department of Justice decided based on the ruling, the court ruling, that it was "hopeless to appeal." Now you're saying it's not hopeless. MR. GIBBS: Well, based on the argument that -- yes, I said that it was hopeless based on the argument that was made during the course of the original FOIA lawsuit, the appeal, the three-judge ruling and the decision to decline the full circuit to make that -- to make those determinations. The President isn't -- what I'm saying to you, Ed, is the President isn't going back to remake the argument that has been made. The President is going -- has asked his legal team to go back and make a new argument based on national security. Q This new argument -- if you're saying basically that this could put troops in further harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan -- former Vice President Cheney, General Hayden, others have made the same argument about releasing the so-called torture memos. Do you have any regrets about putting those memos out -- MR. GIBBS: No -- Q They've made the same argument about them. MR. GIBBS: Well, I'll use the example I've used on this before, Ed. You didn't begin to report on enhanced interrogation techniques at the release of the OLC memos, did you? Q No. MR. GIBBS: Okay. I'm sensing -- Q But you all are saying -- MR. GIBBS: Hold on. I'm also sensing that the graphic that CNN uses to denote what happens when somebody gets waterboarded wasn't likely developed based on reading memos that were released three weeks ago. The existence of enhanced interrogation techniques were noted by the former administration in speeches that they gave. You read about the enhanced interrogation techniques in autobiographies written by members of that former administration. The notion that -- Q So by that argument, our graphics would not also be based on any prisoner photos you might release because we already know that people we're abused in prisons. So why not put them out there -- MR. GIBBS: I'm not sure that you'd do a graphic of a photo. Q Well, a graphic of someone being abused. We all have seen the Abu Ghraib photos. And you were saying about the photos back in April, look, it's already exhausted and essentially these photos are going to come out anyway. MR. GIBBS: Based on the previous legal argument, yes. The previous legal argument denoted that the case had been lost. There's a new legal argument that's being made. But my sense is, Ed, why do you do a graphic on CNN? Q We're trying to show people what -- explain to people what -- MR. GIBBS: Okay. The President believes that the existence of the photos themselves doesn't actually add to the understanding that detainee abuse happened, was investigated, that actions were taken by those that did indeed or might have undertaken potential abuse of detainees, and that those cases were all dating back to finishing in 2004. The President doesn't believe the release of photos surrounding that investigation does anything to illuminate the existence of that investigation, only to provide some portion of sensationalism. Q But, Robert, is that really his role to decide whether or not it illuminates? That's not the President of the United States' role to decide, well, this information will illuminate for the people and this information isn't -- MR. GIBBS: No, the role of the President in this situation is as Commander-in-Chief, and if he determines that through the release of these photos that they pose a threat to those that serve to protect our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan through the illumination of whatever, he can make a determination to ask his legal team to go back to court and make a legal argument that he doesn't believe was made and provides the most salient case and most important points for not releasing these photos. Those determinations are indeed made by this President and are being made. (Cell phone rings.) Just put in on vibrate, man, we did this before. (Laughter.) Q I'm sorry. MR. GIBBS: That's all right. It's all right. Q -- time it happened. MR. GIBBS: Third, actually. It happened twice that one day. Go ahead. Q The Bush administration has obviously made the argument that releasing these specific photographs will endanger troops and they did so in a way that he described with -- while seeking the FOIA exemption for law enforcement personnel. The Second Circuit Court ruled against that, saying that it's not -- that exemption is not intended "as an all-purpose damper on global controversy." What is this new argument that the President wants his team to present? MR. GIBBS: That not seeking an exemption for law enforcement -- (cell phone rings.) Give me the phone. (Laughter.) All right. This is -- come here. Let me see this. (Laughter and applause.) This is enhanced interrogation technique. (Laughter.) Q He threw your phone. MR. GIBBS: No, no, somebody caught it, no worries. (Laughter.) I made the determination that -- (laughter) -- the illumination of the sound was distracting to the briefing as the Press Secretary to the President of the United States. Q Here's that mallet you wanted. (Laughter.) (Cell phone rings.) (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: You, too? You want to do this, too? Here, come on. (Laughter.) Q Gibbs wants to take my phone, but I don't think it's a good idea. (Laughter.) Q No favoritism. Q I'll explain later. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: I assume it's your banker, with a suit like that. (Laughter.) Sorry. This is -- cotton candy down the street, it's a circus. The President believes that the specific case surrounding the damage that would be done to our troops and our national security has not fully been developed and put in front of the court to make. That's the case that the legal team will now make. The Department of Justice will seek to look for different avenues; as I said earlier, likely seek a stay. Q With the Supreme Court? MR. GIBBS: Well, you could seek a stay with an additional judge. The June 8 deadline also is for an appeal to the Supreme Court, and that's likely the next -- (cell phone rings.) Golly, guys. Just put them on vibrate. Yes, go ahead. Q The specific avenue that your legal team is going to go, you're not sure if it's going to be going back to the District Court? MR. GIBBS: I don't know. I'll check with -- we'll check with those guys specifically. I think in some ways they're looking at whether it is to go to a lower court, or to go to the Supreme Court. Q And then just to follow up on the new argument. So are there specific -- is there specific case law arguments that the President knows that exist that were not used? Because I find it hard to believe that the Bush administration didn't turn under every rock to try and find an argument -- MR. GIBBS: Well, the President doesn't believe that was the case. And the President, after reviewing the case, believes that we have a compelling argument. Q Could you let us know what those new arguments are? MR. GIBBS: Yes. Q Thank you. Q Is part of his concern here, though, that this would open the flood gates for new calls for an investigation? And what does this mean for his stance on whether more memos should be released and that type of thing? MR. GIBBS: Well, I'm not sure that this case is necessarily analogous and I wouldn't want to draw broad conclusions not based on some specificity. Q What is his current stance on whether there should be an investigation? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think we covered that a few weeks ago. Q We covered it, but -- MR. GIBBS: Well, I should say that it hasn't changed since we last covered it. Q He's sort of gone back and forth on that issue. I mean, he sort of left the door open to it, but then you've signaled -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, no. We'll do this again. The President believes that the determination about whether or not anybody broke the law should be made by those who determine whether or not anybody broke the law, and that, in this case, would be the Department of Justice. Q But should there be any kind of congressional panel looking into this? At one stage, you raised the idea of a 9/11 type of -- MR. GIBBS: Yes, I think the President -- and I have said this before -- the President believes a lot of this is being investigated by the Senate Intelligence Committee; that that's an avenue and a venue that possesses, because of clearances and such, a broad ability to conduct an investigation, and he thinks that an appropriate place for it to be. Yes, sir. Q On the argument that this would -- that release of the photos would be a disincentive into investigations, wouldn't it also be a disincentive into detainee abuse? And on those investigations, we don't -- if they're administrative rather than judicial, we don't know the outcome of a lot of those investigations. MR. GIBBS: On the first part -- I can certainly check with Pentagon on part two. Look, I think you could certainly argue that it hasn't always been the case, because obviously there continue to be cases, regrettably, of detainee abuse. But at the same time, if each and every photo that is taken, regardless of whether that -- regardless of the fact that it doesn't actually add to the notion that these cases are being looked into, the President believes provides that disincentive. On behalf of CBS, Mark. You're now the sole representative for the -- Q Let me get my cell phone out. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: Yes, exactly. You want to phone it in? (Laughter.) Q How was this decision on the photos consistent with what he said on his second day in office: "I will hold myself, as President, to a new standard of openness. Information will not be withheld just because I say so." MR. GIBBS: Look at that. I got a "hmm." Because, Mark, the President has, in this case -- welcome back. Q What did I miss? (Laughter.) Q There was a call for you. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: Will somebody brief Bill on the new Supreme Court nominee. (Laughter.) Because, again, the President -- as I said to Jake's question, the President made this determination as the Commander-in-Chief; made this determination as somebody who is charged with protecting our men and women in harm's way. That's why this determination was made. That's why he's asked the legal team to go back to court. Q And his statement is for civilian matters, and not for national security matters? MR. GIBBS: No. I think, again, Mark, as I said, I don't think the -- the existence of the photos doesn't denote -- isn't the only thing that denotes the existence of an investigation. The website includes documentation that underscores the potential abuse that was being investigated through the year 2004. The President doesn't believe that the existence publically of the photos adds to that. Q I want to change topics for just I'm sure what will be a brief moment. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: Thirty seconds to respond. No, I'm kidding. Q Former SEC Chairman Arthur Levitt today said that when it comes to the government imposing executive compensation restrictions across all -- the whole financial services industry, that it can't work, it won't work, and that the government shouldn't be micromanaging in this way. Why does the President think that it will work now and why is he okay with such micromanaging? MR. GIBBS: Well, I don't necessarily want to buy into the premise of Mr. Levitt in this case. I think the President has talked about -- repeatedly, in previous years as well as this year -- and set up a standard for what makes sense in terms of executive compensation, certainly related to companies or financial institutions receiving extraordinary assistance from the government. Q These are firms that don't receive extraordinary -- MR. GIBBS: I think the President has outlined his thinking on the notion that -- and I don't have the exact figures in front of me, but I think you can see over a several year period, if you go back, executive compensation as it related to the average worker in a business, that has ballooned in only a short period of time; that there is an important interest in ensuring some fairness in this and in giving, as the President has talked about, giving shareholders some say in ultimately the type of compensation that their executives receive. Q Even at hedge funds, private equity firms? MR. GIBBS: Well, I would point you to Treasury for the notion of what they're looking at. Obviously, the say-on-pay provisions that the President has supported are not legally binding, but through the court of public opinion might have an impact on some of that. Yes, sir. Q A couple on the photos, and then on a separate topic. The President has been Commander-in-Chief throughout his presidency, since January 20th. What is it about his role as Commander-in-Chief that occurred to him differently after the White House announced and the Pentagon said it was going to, the Justice Department reaffirmed the decision to release these photos? Are you telling us there was an inadequate weighing of the national security implications before, and there's now been a more intensive one recently? MR. GIBBS: I don't know the exacting of that, except to say that the President has spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the specific instance recently. That's why the meeting was had last week in the Oval Office with his legal team. Q What instigated that more intensive or -- whatever how you describe it -- MR. GIBBS: That's what I seek to check. Q And did the President come up with this idea of a national security argument, or did someone bring it to him and did he say that's a path I want to go down? MR. GIBBS: As I understand it, the President, in reviewing this, didn't believe that the case that was being made was the most effective on the grounds of national security. Q He was the originator of the idea to take this case back and make the national security argument? MR. GIBBS: The meeting, specifically, was had to bring the legal team in to inform them and others of a change in the way this case would be handled, and the President discussed directly with them the notion that they'd be making a different argument than one that he believed had previously been made. Q The argument being made is his? Okay. Separate topic. The National Rifle Association is going to meet this weekend. And they tout that their membership has increased 30 percent since the President was inaugurated. And they say that's because there is some palpable anxiety, legitimate or otherwise, that people have about their gun rights. I'd like you to address that generally. What does the White House think about that? What's erroneous or misguided about that particular impression out there? And more specifically, Senator Feinstein has committed publicly to bringing the assault weapons ban to the floor of the Senate and pursuing that legislatively this year. If that were to pass through Congress, would the President sign or veto that? MR. GIBBS: I think the President's views on the support of an assault weapons ban, as he said in the campaign, are known. As we've been reminded repeatedly in this room, there's a lot of stuff on the docket, and I think the President, certainly in the recent trip to Mexico, covered his thinking on that. In terms of increased membership at the NRA, I don't -- obviously, I'm not privy to their statistics. I think if you go back and look at the most previous presidential elections, I think the very same people that you might be talking to argued that stances cost Democratic nominees the change of being President of the United States. And I think this President articulated the viewpoint that he was a believer in the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms, and I don't think -- I don't believe that his actions have denoted anything that would give the NRA members cause for concern. Q Just to follow up on the assault weapons ban, you said yesterday you need a legislative vehicle to engage more directly in the question of "don't ask, don't tell." There's going to be a legislative vehicle on the assault weapons ban. If it gets there, what's going to happen? MR. GIBBS: When you change the word "if" to "is," then we'll get into the hypothetica. Q Robert, first, when did the President see these pictures? MR. GIBBS: I know he has seen them. I don't know the first day he saw them. Q Do you know if they're qualitatively different, the content, than what we've seen so far? MR. GIBBS: You mean, as far as the Abu Ghraib -- I personally have not seen the pictures. I can certainly seek to find somebody who has or seek to find -- seek to see the pictures myself. Q One more quick thing. What does the President think that the release of the OLC memos -- what new light did that shed on the debate about which books have been written about? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think any number of things. Obviously that was -- and we're talking about -- in talking about legal scenarios, obviously those avenues and the arguments that could be made, the President and the team believe were exhausted. The President also believed that, as you've heard him say, the most important thing relating to these techniques, in his opinion, was the executive order banning their use. At the same time, I don't think that helped the legal argument. So the President I don't think believed that the release of the memos did -- had an analogous impact that these photos would have. Jeff. Q As you know, during the presidential campaign, then-Senator Obama talked a lot about -- his campaign was based on the idea of improving America's image around the world. How does he believe that that's possible without showing these photographs and sort of cleansing that idea? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the President would believe that the -- making the -- that what's important in dealing with the potential detainee abuse is to investigate that abuse and act accordingly on that investigation, right? I think you could draw an analogy to a murder case. If somebody is involved in that case, is it more important to show the crime -- the picture of the crime scene or deal with the potential that somebody might have killed somebody? I think the President doesn't believe that the release of the photos in and of itself add to the notion that you discussed; that instead what's important for our values and for our image around the world was to understand that if this was taking place, that it be looked into and that it be dealt with. That, in this case, has happened, and it was done without the release of the photos. Q And how will he explain this, whenever he decides to speak on this, if it's at the commencement address, which I doubt, or in the coming days? How do you plan to have him address this personally? Because there obviously is a lot of concern about this from some of his supporters on the left. MR. GIBBS: Well, I doubt that he would do this this evening at Arizona State. I haven't talked about that with him. There may be occasion to take questions in the next few days. We'll have a town hall meeting tomorrow and certainly the topic could come up there. Afghanistan | Interrogation | Iraq | Legislation | Obama Administration | Photos | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Afghanistan, Interrogation, Iraq, Legislation, Photos, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:31:00 PM The President Has Great Concern - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 5/12/09 — Tuesday, May 12, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Major.Q Robert, Senators Graham and Lieberman have written the President a letter about pending release of the photographs of the treatment of detainees, and they would like the President to consider reversing that decision made by the Justice Department and the Department of Defense. And in their letter, they say the release of these old photographs of past behavior -- MR. GIBBS: Well, let me -- the decision made by the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice relating to a series of court cases dating back to September of 2008, as well as an appeals case dating back to March 11. Go ahead. Q That's the legal foundation, yes. And in their letter, they say this will "serve no public good" -- I'm quoting now -- "but will empower al Qaeda propaganda operations, hurt our country's image, and endanger our men and women in uniform." Is this something that is being considered by the President for reversal or is this a policy that will go forward? And does he have any anxiety about the potential consequences of the release of these photographs? MR. GIBBS: Well, obviously the President has great concern about any impact that pictures of detainee -- potential detainee abuse in the past could have on the present-day service members that are protecting our freedom either in Iraq, Afghanistan, or throughout the world. That's something the President is very cognizant of, and we are working to -- we are working currently to figure out what the process is moving forward. Q Does this mean -- does that mean the decision could be reversed? MR. GIBBS: I don't want to get into that right now. Q So you can't commit either way? MR. GIBBS: I'm not going to add much to that right now. Al Qaeda | Department of Justice | Photos | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Al Qaeda, Department of Justice, Photos, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 5:58:00 PM An Impartial or Empathic Judiciary? - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs (Interrupted by President Obama) 5/1/09 — Friday, May 01, 2009 — Q It's a mutated form of the virus, as the President said for the first time, I believe. MR. GIBBS: Yes. And -- THE PRESIDENT: Hey. I'm sorry, but Gibbs is screwing this thing up. You know, there's a job to do -- please, everybody, have a seat. There's a job to do, you got to do it yourself. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: See you guys later. Have a good weekend. (Laughter.) THE PRESIDENT: This is kind of cool. MR. GIBBS: It's way cooler than it seems. (Laughter.) THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Absolutely. The reason I'm interrupting Robert is not because he's not doing a good job -- he's doing an unbelievable job. But it's because I just got off the telephone with Justice Souter. And so I would like to say a few words about his decision to retire from the Supreme Court. Throughout his two decades on the Supreme Court, Justice Souter has shown what it means to be a fair-minded and independent judge. He came to the bench with no particular ideology. He never sought to promote a political agenda. And he consistently defied labels and rejected absolutes, focusing instead on just one task -- reaching a just result in the case that was before him. He approached judging as he approaches life, with a feverish work ethic and a good sense of humor, with integrity, equanimity and compassion -- the hallmark of not just being a good judge, but of being a good person. I am incredibly grateful for his dedicated service. I told him as much when we spoke. I spoke on behalf of the American people thanking him for his service. And I wish him safe travels on his journey home to his beloved New Hampshire and on the road ahead. Now, the process of selecting someone to replace Justice Souter is among my most serious responsibilities as President. So I will seek somebody with a sharp and independent mind and a record of excellence and integrity. I will seek someone who understands that justice isn't about some abstract legal theory or footnote in a case book; it is also about how our laws affect the daily realities of people's lives -- whether they can make a living and care for their families; whether they feel safe in their homes and welcome in their own nation. I view that quality of empathy, of understanding and identifying with people's hopes and struggles, as an essential ingredient for arriving as just decisions and outcomes. I will seek somebody who is dedicated to the rule of law, who honors our constitutional traditions, who respects the integrity of the judicial process and the appropriate limits of the judicial role. I will seek somebody who shares my respect for constitutional values on which this nation was founded and who brings a thoughtful understanding of how to apply them in our time. As I make this decision, I intend to consult with members of both parties across the political spectrum. And it is my hope that we can swear in our new Supreme Court Justice in time for him or her to be seated by the first Monday in October when the court's new term begins. And with that, I would like you to give Robert a tough time again. (Laughter.) Q Mr. President, when did you learn -- Q -- Supreme Court practices when you were a Senator? Q On that -- Q Will you -- Q I guess he wasn't in the mess today. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: I have an announcement to make. (Laughter.) I've been notified that Judge Souter is stepping down from the Supreme Court. (Laughter.) I have this from the very highest levels in our government. (Laughter.) Do you see that the guy -- you know, he read the statement and he left the questions to me. Okay, well, where were we? Q Did you know he was coming? MR. GIBBS: Did I know he was coming? No, I didn't know he was coming. No, we would have put a fancy seal up and everything. Q No offense, but you're kind of a let-down now. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: Well, you guys are, too. (Laughter.) So it's -- we're kind of fair. Where were we before we were so rudely interrupted? Q Robert, the President said, empathy in looking at the way the law intersects with average, ordinary people -- you said it before. There are some critics who say the courts should not be about that; that it should be about interpreting the work of legislatures, whether they be federal or state, and the Constitution; and within that construct, law must be made and that you err if you're a Justice when you try to find this empathetic approach outside of what legislatures, duly elected, have decided or what legal precedents established. What's the response to that line of criticism? MR. GIBBS: Well, I would have those critics listen quite carefully to the words of the President just a few moments ago. He's looking for somebody who understands and respects constitutional values, who understands and respects the rule of law, as well as somebody who understands and respects the importance of what they're deciding and how that impacts millions of Americans in their daily lives. Judiciary | Justice David Souter | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Supreme Court | White House Press Corps Labels: Judiciary, Justice David Souter, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Supreme Court, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 8:10:00 PM Obama's 100 Days Presidential Press Conference Coverage — Wednesday, April 29, 2009 — Obama Administration | President Obama | Presidential Press Conference | Twitter | Video | White House Press Corps Labels: Obama Administration, President Obama, Presidential Press Conference, Twitter, Video, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 5:33:00 PM Thrilled To Have Him - Air Force One Press Gaggle by Robert Gibbs 4/29/09  Q Robert, it's fairly unusual for a sitting President to basically endorse a candidate in a party primary. Can we expect President Obama to be doing more of the same in the next election cycle?MR. GIBBS: I don't think it's at all irregular for a President to endorse an incumbent member of his own party even if it's a new member. I think you can go back and find a lot of examples of that. The President is, as I said and he said yesterday, happy to have Senator Specter as a member of the Democratic Party, thrilled to have him, support him fully. He's made a decision of how to best represent the people he represents in Pennsylvania and we're happy that he did so. Q Robert, to follow up on Ed's question, it was -- I think, seven minutes lapsed before the President was on the phone with Senator Specter saying he would support him in the primary -- MR. GIBBS: Seven minutes after he called him, yes. Q Well, could you on that point say when did he have an inkling before that -- he thought it through? How did he arrive at the decision to offer that support, and did he consider supporting maybe a candidate who had been backed by the unions? MR. GIBBS: No, he supported a -- he supported the, albeit new, member -- incumbent member of his party. There wasn’t any meeting about it. The President offered his support to Senator Specter and it's a commitment he'll keep. Q Did he decide in that seven-minute span? I think he said no. MR. GIBBS: My sense is it probably took him less than about seven seconds, so he might have had some extra time to think about other stuff. Air Force One | Democrats | Elections | President Obama | Press Gaggle | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Air Force One, Democrats, Elections, President Obama, Press Gaggle, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 3:10:00 PM Grading On A Curve - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 4/28/09  Q At the 100-days mark, what kind of a grade would you give the President on bipartisanship? Certainly his idea of bipartisanship isn't to have people change parties. How would you grade him on working with --MR. GIBBS: Well, but I don't think we're sending anybody back, if that's your -- (laughter.) Look, I think on each and every issue the President has reached out to members of the other party. Q And how has he done MR. GIBBS: I think he has -- I think at every turn he's asked for their help and their support and asked for their ideas. On some issues we've seen big bipartisan votes; on others we've seen more partisan votes. I said here yesterday I'd let the Republicans delineate for you the thinking behind their strategy of the first 100 days. I think if you look at both what the President and the team have achieved in the first almost hundred days it's something we're proud of, understanding that there's a lot of work going forward and that -- my sense is that whatever hundred-day mark we're at, 100, 200, 300, or so forth, that the next hundred days will be equally or more important than the previous. The President takes the long view on all this, as he did during the campaign. He thinks the American people are focused on what our efforts are doing to produce jobs and stabilize the economy, not just on the 99th, or 101st, or 100th day, but each and every day. Q Is he dissatisfied with his achievement on bipartisan so far? MR. GIBBS: No, I think he'll continue to work on it. I think he'll continue to have members of Congress down here to discuss the issues. I think he'll continue to reach out to the bipartisan leadership and see how we can work together to move things forward. I will tell you, Ann, our goal is to get First Lady-type approval numbers. (Laughter.) Bipartisanship | Congress | Legislation | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Bipartisanship, Congress, Legislation, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 2:58:00 PM One-on-One with Mr. Chavez - Mexico City Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 4/16/09 — Friday, April 17, 2009 —  Q This weekend with the Summit of the Americas, number one, are you ruling out a one-on-one meeting with Hugo Chavez? And also I know you guys keep -- keep this secret, I guess -- are you having any one-on-one meetings with any leaders now?MR. GIBBS: We will get you a list of the highly secret meetings that we're having in Trinidad. How careless of me to -- having included you all on such a secret trip -- (laughter.) We'll get you a list. There's no one-on-one meeting with Mr. Chavez on the schedule. I believe he is among several leaders that are in a multilateral meeting. We will get you a list tonight of what meetings we're doing. There are a couple of bilateral meetings, but most of them are multilateral meetings. Q Would he at all -- if Chavez pulled him aside to say, let's have a conversation -- would President Obama -- MR. GIBBS: Every time I pull the President aside to have a conversation we've had that conversation, so I assume he would do the same. Hugo Chavez | International Relations | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Hugo Chavez, International Relations, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 8:35:00 PM Handing Out Tea - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 4/15/09  Q Robert, on taxes, the President can say with justification that he hasn’t raised taxes on anyone making less than $200,000 --MR. GIBBS: No, the President can say with much justification that he’s cut taxes for the largest number of -- Q Not only not raised them, he’s cut them, okay. Okay. MR. GIBBS: Let’s not -- I don’t know if you are handing out tea, but I just want to -- (laughter.) Q My question is that -- is that pledge to not raise taxes on the 95 percent of working families, is that a kind of "read my lips" pledge going forwards? Because the reason I ask this is that the tea party people say it’s no so much they feel that he’s taxing them now, but they’re worried in the future to pay for all these programs he’s simply going to have to raise taxes on the vast majority of people. And even the tax hikes that he sent up on the wealthy to Congress -- to pay for health care, for instance -- had been rejected. So the question is, you know, where else are you going to get the money. I'm wondering if this is a kind of "read my lips" pledge going forward that he will never raise taxes to pay for any program on the 95 percent of working families. MR. GIBBS: Well, whether this is a "read my lips" or however -- it’s a statement and a promise that the President has made. Q But not just up until this point, but going forward -- MR. GIBBS: He didn’t say, I make this promise at or until April 15th of 2009. I think you can assure people across the street that that's not the case. Q Okay, but you're saying that he will not -- MR. GIBBS: I would restate what he said in the campaign, and that is he won’t raise taxes on people that make above $250,000 a year. Q Below. MR. GIBBS: I’m sorry, below. See? (Laughter.) You've even confused me. (Laughter.) Now I'm all flummoxed. Again, I can’t speak to what you said in terms of this notion that people are more concerned about -- they’re not actually concerned about what’s happened now, but they’re concerned about what could happen in the future. Again, I would encourage you to go out there and ask them about the tax cuts that they’ve already gotten. Q Well, I'm not disputing that. I'm talking about -- and I'm not talking about just the tea party people. But when people see Congress saying, okay, we don’t want to eliminate the tax deductions for the wealthy to pay for health care, the question is where else is this money going to come from. MR. GIBBS: I don’t know how much polling NPR has done; I've certainly seen it from other organizations that denote even this week healthy support among the American people for those that make above $250,000 a year to pay more in taxes. Q But that's not my question. I'm talking about is he confident that he can stick to his pledge -- MR. GIBBS: He is. Q -- and not raise taxes. Okay. MR. GIBBS: He is. President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Taxes | White House Press Corps Labels: President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Taxes, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 2:29:00 PM Making Work Pay Government - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 4/14/09 — Wednesday, April 15, 2009 —  Q Thanks, Robert. Tomorrow is tax day and a number of conservative groups are organizing these so called "tea parties" across the country; there are going to be grassroots uprising revolts against the administration's policies so far. Is the President aware that these are going on and do you have any reaction to this?MR. GIBBS: I don't know if the President is aware of the events. I think the President will use tomorrow as a day to have an event here at the White House to signal the important steps in the economic recovery and reinvestment plan that cut taxes for 95 percent of working families in America, just as the President proposed doing; cuts in taxes and tax credits for the creation of clean energy jobs. We'll use tomorrow to highlight individual and instances in families that have seen their taxes cut and I think America can be -- Americans will see more money in their pockets as a direct result of the Making Work Pay tax cut that the President both campaigned on and passed through Congress. Q Is anyone monitoring these or kind of paying attention to what's coming out? MR. GIBBS: I've neither monitored them nor spoken with the Spanish about them. (Laughter.) Democracy | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Taxes | White House Press Corps Labels: Democracy, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Taxes, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 6:46:00 PM Ungoverned Spaces - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 4/13/09 — Monday, April 13, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Do you have one more follow-up on this?Q No, I’m thinking about pirates. MR. GIBBS: All right. Well, thank you. MR. RESTREPO: Thank you, sir. Q So, pirates. MR. GIBBS: Yes, what's next? Q Well, the President talked, both in his statement yesterday and in his remarks today about addressing the bigger picture here, the increasingly problematic situation off the Horn of Africa. In his briefing over at the Pentagon, the Defense Secretary said, you know, some language, something like we're going to have to figure out what in the world to do, which implies that there really isn't much -- a plan or a strategy yet to figure out how to attack this problem. Can you talk about what's going on here? MR. GIBBS: When you say that, you mean the -- do you mean specifically maritime or do you mean -- I mean, obviously, you've got -- look, I think you've got a number of problems. Q Well, I mean, the maritime piracy problem, which I think is what the President was referring to when he said -- MR. GIBBS: Right. Well, I think also -- you know, the President has spoken about this before, and I'm sure will continue to speak about and work on the issue also of ungoverned spaces. And I don't think that can be in any way really minimized here. That's something that -- that trip when -- when he went to Africa in 2006, we spent some time in this region of the world and -- (Cell phone interruption.) MR. GIBBS: At least it's a normal ring. (Laughter.) We spent some time in this region of the world, and you quickly understand some of the challenges that lay before you. I think some of the things that we can -- that we have done and can continue to do to ensure maritime safety is to work for sustained international cooperation in order to coordinate security. Q Does that mean more military power on the part of the U.S.? MR. GIBBS: I think that is certainly -- operationally, I would point you over to the Pentagon, but I know in terms of the increased risk that we had over the past few days, you saw more resources and assets. Obviously this is a -- it's also a very huge expanse of space that has to be patrolled. I think also what has to happen is we do have to evaluate and be prepared to take stronger action interdicting acts of piracy. And I think another thing is to encourage greater efforts to bring individuals and groups suspected of these type of acts, to bring those to justice. We have seen an increase in this type of violence and I know the President is concerned about the safety and security of men and women that are in that area. Africa | Military | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Africa, Military, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 8:41:00 PM Did He Bow Or Didn't He - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 4/9/09 — Thursday, April 09, 2009 — Q And then one unrelated question. When the President met with King Abdullah, there was something that took place that I believe the White House explained as just the President being taller than the King. We took a look at the video, and it does appear that the President actually bowed to King Abdullah. Did he bow or didn't he? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think he bent over with both -- to shake with both hands to shake his hand. So I don't -- Q It appears to show one hand, that he was just -- MR. GIBBS: Well, I -- Q Did he bow or didn't he? MR. GIBBS: No. But I think this meeting was like a week ago, right? Q That's right, but this is something that a lot of people are still talking about today. MR. GIBBS: I can only imagine it is of great cause and concern for many people struggling with the economy. (Laughter.) G20 | International Relations | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Video | White House Press Corps Labels: G20, International Relations, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Video, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:34:00 PM Around Here - Al Faw Palace Press Gaggle by Robert Gibbs 4/7/09 — Wednesday, April 08, 2009 — MR. GIBBS: There are updates on the schedule even as we speak, so I’ll come back out and do that again. Q Okay. Q I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear that part. MR. GIBBS: There are updates to the schedule, and I’ll come out there -- Q So he may have a face-to-face with Talabani? MR. GIBBS: Yes, yes. Q But still here? Everything here? MR. GIBBS: Somewhere in Camp Victory, yes. Q He’s not going to the Green Zone, right? MR. GIBBS: Right. It will be somewhere -- I don't -- Q Around here. MR. GIBBS: It's not likely to be in that office, but it will be nearby. International Relations | Iraq | President Obama | Press Gaggle | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: International Relations, Iraq, President Obama, Press Gaggle, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 12:20:00 AM Trying To Test Him - Prague Press Gaggle by Robert Gibbs 4/5/09 — Tuesday, April 07, 2009 —  Q I didn’t read this, but does it include whether different phases, different stages of the missile worked and others failed?MR. GIBBS: It says just, "Stage one of the missile fell into the Sea of Japan, the remaining stages, along with the payload itself, landed in the Pacific Ocean." Q So nothing got into space? MR. GIBBS: "No object entered orbit and no debris fell on Japan." Q But it got over Japan and into the Pacific. MR. GIBBS: Yes. Q Robert, the broader timing of this, though, even if you don’t think it was necessarily timed for the speech, the broader timing of it is it comes very early in your administration. Do you think the North Koreans are trying to test him? And trying to get his attention? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think that -- I’m trying to be careful -- I think that the North Koreans have disregarded their responsibilities and international resolutions for many, many years now, going back at least to the last two presidencies. So I don’t think this has anything to do with President Obama; I think it has to do with the disregard of the North Koreans, the steps backwards that they are continuing to take and that the President supports the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Q Will you have any more six-party talks now that this has happened, in good faith? MR. GIBBS: Let me get a better answer on that. North Korea | President Obama | Press Gaggle | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: North Korea, President Obama, Press Gaggle, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 11:48:00 AM The Gravest Security Danger - Prague Press Gaggle by Robert Gibbs 4/5/09  Q So the President has not yet been told whether this was in fact a satellite launch, or a missile test, or something in between?MR. GIBBS: I won't get into that during this briefing. I will say this: The President has -- the launch today was not a surprise by any means. The President has been involved in several meetings about this situation over the course of the past three to four weeks. So this was something that had long been planned for. And had at any moment we determined that this launched posed a threat to the United States of America, we would have taken whatever steps were necessary to ensure the safety and security of the American people. Q At any time were America's defenses placed on alert? MR. GIBBS: I think it is safe to say that defenses were monitoring the situation. Q Has the President reached out yet to -- directly to any allies -- Japan or South Korea? MR. GIBBS: The President hasn't spoken yet with Aso or with Lee. Not yet. Q So just to back up, he was woken up? MR. GIBBS: Yes. Q Who woke him up? MR. GIBBS: I did. Q What was his first reaction? MR. GIBBS: Again, it wasn't completely unexpected. He asked me for a rundown of the situation. Obviously at that point there wasn't a ton of detail, and not long after we went back and gave him more up-to-date information about what to -- what defense came back with. Q Did he stay up then to -- get on the phone from that point on? MR. GIBBS: He was up at that point, yes. Q Obviously this makes a big impact on the speech, it ties into the speech, but it overshadows it in some ways. What is he going to say -- MR. GIBBS: I don't think -- I don't think it overshadows it, because I don't think -- I think it makes even more urgent, as the President said, the agenda and the policies that he'll lay out today: The spread of this technology, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and the threat of -- the threat that those weapons pose are the most -- are the gravest security danger our country faces. And I think what the President will outline today is a robust agenda to deal with the problems and the security threats that they pose. North Korea | President Obama | Press Gaggle | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: North Korea, President Obama, Press Gaggle, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:35:00 AM The State Dictating Salaries - London Press Conference by the President 4/2/09 — Thursday, April 02, 2009 —  PRESIDENT OBAMA: All right, let me sprinkle in another -- it's got to be an international person. All right, this young lady right there. Q Mr. President, Emma Alberici from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. At the moment, in the U.S., the U.K., and in Australia, executive salaries and bonuses are decided in the boardrooms of major publicly listed companies. Who will be making those decisions on salaries and bonuses as a result of the agreement you've made here today? And if it is still the boards, will they be guided by principles or legislation? PRESIDENT OBAMA: The principles that we outlined I think put in place or move us in the direction of what I consider to be best practices, which is that there is some accountability with respect to executive compensation. Now, theoretically, that should be the shareholders. But the way that too many corporations have operated for too long is that you have a CEO who basically selects his board; the board, in a fairly cozy relationship oftentimes with the executive, hires a executive compensation firm, which, surprisingly, tends to think that it's necessary to retain the best talent to pay people $20 or $30 million a year; and we get into the kinds of habits and practices that I think have not been -- have not served shareholders well, I think ultimately distort the decision-making of many CEOs. When I was in the United States Senate, I actually worked on a piece of legislation that would -- made the simple proposition that executive compensation should be subject to a shareholder vote, even if it was nonbinding, so that there was transparency and accountability and perhaps a shame function that would take place. And that principle, I think, is reflected in these guidelines. What it says is, is that if you get shareholders involved and those shareholders are given a set of principles and best practices by which they can judge executive compensation, then you can still have outsized rewards and success for successful business people, but it will be based on not short-term performance, not three-month performance, not your ability to flip quick profits off products like derivatives that don't turn out to be particularly productive to the company, but based on sustained, effective growth. And that's what's embodied in these documents, and I think that you're going to see a lot of countries try to encourage that kind of transparency and accountability. It doesn't mean the state micromanaging -- ( sneezes) -- excuse me -- I've been fighting this all week -- it doesn't mean that we want the state dictating salaries; we don't. We -- I strongly believe in a free-market system, and as I -- as I think people understand in America, at least, people don't resent the rich; they want to be rich. And that's good. But we want to make sure that there's mechanisms in place that holds people accountable and produces results. Okay? Economy | G20 | International Relations | President Obama | Presidential Press Conference | White House Press Corps Labels: Economy, G20, International Relations, President Obama, Presidential Press Conference, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:01:00 PM General And Somewhat Nonspecific - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 3/30/09 — Monday, March 30, 2009 —  Q Thank you. I'd just like to follow up on some of the -- that has been out there here. You've been asked a couple times whether the actions regarding these auto companies should be viewed as something that the banks should pay attention to because a similar approach may come their way. And you said, no, we should look at these as individual cases. So are you essentially --MR. GIBBS: I guess what I'm trying to do is, I'm just trying to -- again, the example I just used with Chuck, I mean, the pathway for two auto companies is, based on the President's decision today, different. So I think to take any series of other entities and put them on that same scale, those paths may also be different. That's all I'm -- Q There's certain principles that underlie all of these decisions, though, obviously, and there is a certain willingness or unwillingness of the administration to dictate certain terms as a condition of receiving federal money. And so are you saying, by saying these are individual cases, are you trying to communicate that these banks really -- don't worry about this, this isn't coming your way? MR. GIBBS: No, I -- Q I think it's a fair question. MR. GIBBS: It is. It's a little general -- general and somewhat nonspecific. And again, what I'm -- I guess what I'm asking is, instead of looking at every entity as the same entity, I think that's -- I don't think that's hypothetically productive. Q Well, do you want me to ask the question that way by inserting all the names of all the banks that have received aid and ask if it would apply to that? I mean, would that be more helpful? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, understanding that some of the circumstances are different. Q But why Rick Wagoner and not Ken Lewis? MR. GIBBS: Again, some of these things are -- I don't have anything specific on Bank of America. But again, I just don't want to be generalistic across the board. Q So, in other words, you really don't want people reading anything more into this? MR. GIBBS: I hope people read into it exactly what I said rather than reading into it what they want to read into it. Q It's our job to help people -- to explain to people what it is that you're saying, and so I'm trying to make sure I understand it. MR. GIBBS: Okay. (Laughter.) Q It sounds like what you're saying is, no, you don't want us to interpret this as a sign of things to come for others -- MR. GIBBS: My hesitancy -- Q -- and if that's the case, why don't you just say -- MR. GIBBS: My hesitancy -- no, no, my hesitancy is just to look at every entity the same way, because, again, the circumstances by which any entity is at any certain point may well be different, even though it's the same type of entity, right? Again, I want to go back to GM and Chrysler. On the face, both are auto companies, right? Both have found themselves at a point where they're seeking additional government assistance, adding in to the additional loans that they got to put them on a path toward viability. But again, the examples by which we're using -- or that the President has made a determination about which direction they're going to go is different even though they're both auto industry. Q Of course, and I'm not suggesting the exact same remedy would apply to any one of these things, but, again, if you look at the general case, you have, say, generically, contracts that at AIG were unbreakable because they're legal contracts but for the UAW, those are contracts that you fully expect them to modify if they're going to get federal assistance. MR. GIBBS: Well, I think this -- I think many people have made -- I think many people have made sacrifices, but, again, without looking through the individual instances of other entities, it's hard to make that generalization. Automobile Industry | Banking | Economy | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Treasury Department | White House Press Corps Labels: Automobile Industry, Banking, Economy, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Treasury Department, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:32:00 PM Dammit, You Guys - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 3/26/09 — Thursday, March 26, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Mark.Q Robert, in the online town meeting, when the President said he doesn't think legalizing marijuana would give the economy a boost, was he giving a political answer or an economic answer? Does he have economic numbers to back that up? MR. GIBBS: I'm unaware of a CEA analysis -- (laughter) -- regarding that. I think the -- Q Will you let us know if there is one? (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: I think you've heard the President talk about getting us on a path toward sustained economic growth. I don't think he believes that that is a part of that plan. Q What about medicinal marijuana? MR. GIBBS: I think the -- I'd point you to the Justice Department on developments on that. The President asked people to ask their questions. Obviously interests aligned with certain viewpoints did so, and the President wanted to answer the question that, no, it was not -- he did not think a good economic strategy. Q Did that question get the most votes of any? MR. GIBBS: I will ask Macon and those guys. It is interesting when -- I think several of those topics were in things like financial stability or -- Q Green jobs. MR. GIBBS: Green jobs, right. (Laughter.) It's unclear what leap of faith one has to make to ask that question in some of the -- some of those -- right, some of those -- some of those topics. Q Why did he even bring it up? Why did he even bring it up? I mean, no one asked it online and no one asked it -- MR. GIBBS: No, people -- people asked it online – Q I mean, no, I know they voted for it, they voted for it. But he brought it up on his own. This is what I'm saying. Why did he even bring -- MR. GIBBS: April, the concept of the virtual town hall meeting was to have people -- Q Transparency? MR. GIBBS: No, no, let me -- you can ask and I'll answer -- (laughter) -- that the President asked people to go to the web site, ask questions of the administration, vote on which questions they wanted to have the President answer, and that he would do so. And as I said and as Ann said and -- maybe we should have said "clean-energy jobs" -- that would have -- Q You said "green." MR. GIBBS: Yes, I know. That in some topics -- you know, this is not the first time that an interest group gets on a web site and votes many times for their question to be answered, and the President thought he should answer it and I think he did. Q But, Robert, he didn't take on the serious issue. He made a joke out of it. I mean, there were a lot of questions about legalization of marijuana, not as a job creation program, but just as a serious policy issue. And with what's happening in Mexico -- MR. GIBBS: It poses the legal -- I'll do this for the President -- I didn't -- I neither emailed my question in, nor voted for it, but the President opposes the legalization of marijuana, and I'd -- I'll say I did that without even the slightest hint of laughter. Q Can you say why? Q Robert, while you're on this same subject can we follow up? MR. GIBBS: Hold on one sec. Hold on. Q What did the President learn in this? A lot of the questions were things he talks about all the time. Q Annie, there was a question pending on why -- why he feels that way about legalizing marijuana. MR. GIBBS: He does not think that that is -- he opposes it. He doesn't think that's the right plan for America. Q But a follow-up on the process, on the -- MR. GIBBS: Hold on, let me -- I've lost control. (Laughter.) Hold on, what are you -- dammit, you guys don't get to Google this stuff and send in your questions. Hold on, hold on, hold on, let me -- Democracy | Economy | Open Government | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | War on Drugs | White House Press Corps Labels: Democracy, Economy, Open Government, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, War on Drugs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 7:50:00 PM Looking Beyond Our Self-Interest - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 3/25/09  MR. GIBBS: Sheryl.Q Robert, the President talked last night about urging Americans to look beyond their self-interest. Tonight he's going to two political fundraisers, one of them $30,000 a couple. Is that an example of looking beyond our self-interest? And are you worried about the tone that that sets in a time when Americans are struggling? MR. GIBBS: No, I think you -- I think when you -- though I hope he's not placid and unsmiling -- I think you'll see in the remarks he makes tonight and I think you can be rest assured in the remarks he's made yesterday that he fully understands the hardships and the troubles that the American people are undergoing in their lives each day. But I think it's also safe to assume that the President wants to see a strong party system in this country. And I would mention that in that, the -- we haven't seen politics by either party stop in this period, though I think the President fully understands the situation the American people face. Q Will he urge some of those donors to contribute to charity or use his remarks in some other way to -- MR. GIBBS: Well, I -- look, I -- Q note the broader situation as -- MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the -- I think the situation will -- I think the remarks will denote the situation. I think the remarks will denote the actions that he's taking to change the situation in this country. I think the President has been focused every day on how to make the situation for average Americans better. He always encourages people to get involved, to knock on doors, to give to charity, and to do whatever they can to help out their neighbors. Charity | DNC | Political Campaigns | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Charity, DNC, Political Campaigns, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 3:33:00 PM Charity Begins With Higher Taxes - Press Conference by the President 3/24/09 — Wednesday, March 25, 2009 —  THE PRESIDENT: Mike Allen, Politico. Hi, Mike.Q Thank you, Mr. President. Are you reconsidering your plan to cut the interest rate deduction for mortgages and for charities? And do you regret having proposed that in the first place? THE PRESIDENT: No, I think it's -- I think it's the right thing to do, where we've got to make some difficult choices. Here's what we did with respect to tax policy. What we said was, that over the last decade, the average worker, the average family have seen their wages and incomes flat. Even at times where supposedly we were in the middle of an economic boom, as a practical matter, their incomes didn't go up. And so what we said, let's give them a tax cut, let's give them some relief, some help -- 95 percent of American families. Now, for the top 5 percent, they're the ones who typically saw huge gains in their income. I fall in that category. And what we've said is for those folks, let's not renew the Bush tax cuts, so let's go back to the rates that existed back in -- during the Clinton era when wealthy people were still wealthy and doing just fine; and let's look at the level in which people can itemize their deductions. And what we've said is let's go back to the rate that existed under Ronald Reagan. People are still going to be able to make charitable contributions. It just means, if you give $100 and you're in this tax bracket, at a certain point, instead of being able write off 36 or 39 percent, you're writing off 28 percent. Now, if it's really a charitable contribution, I'm assuming that that shouldn't be a determining factor as to whether you're given that $100 to the homeless shelter down the street. And so this provision would affect about 1 percent of the American people. They would still get deductions. It's just that they wouldn't be able to write off 39 percent. In that sense, what it would do is it would equalize -- when I give $100, I'd get the same amount of deduction as when some -- a bus driver, who's making $50,000 a year, or $40,000 a year gives that same $100. Right now he gets 28 percent -- he gets to write off 28 percent; I get to write off 39 percent. I don't think that's fair. So I think this was a good idea. I think it is a realistic way for us to raise some revenue from people who benefited enormously over the last several years. It's not going to cripple them; they'll still be well-to-do. And ultimately, if we're going to tackle the serious problems that we've got, then in some cases those who are more fortunate are going to have to pay a little bit more. Q But it's not the well-to-do people, it's the charities. Given what you just said, are you confident the charities are wrong when they contend that this would discourage giving? THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I am. I mean, if you look at the evidence, there's very little evidence that this has a significant impact on charitable giving. I'll tell you what has a significant impact on charitable giving, is a financial crisis in an economy that's contracting. And so the most important thing that I can do for charitable giving is to fix the economy; to get banks lending again, to get businesses opening their doors again, and to get people back to work again. Then I think charities will do just fine. Charity | President Obama | Presidential Press Conference | Taxes | White House Press Corps Labels: Charity, President Obama, Presidential Press Conference, Taxes, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 1:21:00 PM Geithner's Bank Plan - Air Force One Press Gaggle by Bill Burton 03/19/09 — Friday, March 20, 2009 —  MR. BURTON: Good afternoon. The President made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics. He thinks that the Special Olympics are a wonderful program that gives an opportunity to shine to people with disabilities from around the world.All right. Do you guys need anything? You've got the guidance, you've got -- Q Do you when we're going to get Geithner's bank plan out -- any plan on the banks? MR. BURTON: Soon, but I don't have a date for you? Q Soon? Like a week soon, or next week soon? MR. BURTON: Soon, but I don't have a date. I'll keep you posted, though. You'll be the first person I tell. Air Force One | Bill Burton | President Obama | Press Gaggle | Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner | White House Press Corps Labels: Air Force One, Bill Burton, President Obama, Press Gaggle, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 3:00:00 PM Taking Responsibility - Air Force One Press Gaggle by Bill Burton 03/18/09  Q So why did it take two days for the Treasury Secretary to tell the White House and, subsequently the President, to be informed about the -- what were then the impending bonuses?MR. BURTON: Well, I'm going to refer you to what the President had to say before Marine One took off from the White House. But he, of course, is taking responsibility for what we do here, and what he's making sure is that we get the tools that we need to make sure that this does not happen again. As for, you know, timelines and different things like that, we've been through this for the past couple of days, and Gibbs and others and folks at the Treasury have answered these questions. And for any more specifics on that, I'd refer you to some of the information that they shared with folks yesterday. Q Well, I mean, up until now, Robert -- until the timeline was released last night, we didn't exactly know what the sequence was. So, I mean, is there any concern that it took two days for the Treasury Secretary to tell the White House about it? MR. BURTON: As the President said, he's very confident in how Secretary Geithner is doing. And, you know, one of the things that we're going to talk about today in California -- because I imagine people are going to have questions about AIG, these bonuses, things that are happening in the economy. The President, as he has said, shares the profound anger of the American people about these bonuses, about the folks who are getting them. And we're doing everything we can to make sure that this doesn't happen again and to make sure that taxpayers are made whole on the money that's been paid out. Q Do you anticipate any change in the internal communication system, though, so that it will flow more smoothly, more quickly? MR. BURTON: As I said, the President feels good about how Secretary Geithner is doing, and we're looking forward at what we can do to make sure that we don't see these sort of egregious problems ever again. Q The bonuses that have already been paid at AIG, there's really nothing that can be done about that, at least from the executive branch -- is that the thinking? MR. BURTON: Well, the good news is some progress has actually been made on this, in the sense that -- and Liddy talked about this in his testimony today -- some folks at AIG have already paid back their bonuses. Other people are being encouraged to do the exact same thing. So some progress is getting made on that. Secretary Geithner outlined how taxpayers would be made whole in his letter to Congress last night, and I can get that to you if you don't, by chance, have it. And, you know, so we're going to be working with AIG to see what we can do here to make sure that taxpayers are getting exactly what they deserve from the investments that we're making in order to stabilize that company. AIG | Air Force One | Bill Burton | Legislation | President Obama | Press Gaggle | Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner | White House Press Corps Labels: AIG, Air Force One, Bill Burton, Legislation, President Obama, Press Gaggle, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 2:17:00 PM Making a Hash of the Details - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 3/17/09 — Tuesday, March 17, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Jonathan.Q Last night, administration officials said that after carefully reviewing the situation they concluded that under current law these contracts could not be broken without actually costing the taxpayers more money in legal fees than would have been recouped. A few hours -- MR. GIBBS: To break the -- Q To break the contracts. That under current law, to break those contracts would actually cost the taxpayers more money than to let the money go out. About four hours before that, the President of the United States walked before the cameras and said that to block -- he promised to pursue every legal avenue to block these bonuses and make the American taxpayers whole. Did the President, when he went before the camera, did he know at that time that the legal review had already concluded that actually to block those bonuses would be pretty much legally unfeasible? MR. GIBBS: Yes, and he asked us to look again. That's what he announced at the remarks in which you point -- happened four hours earlier, and that's why the review of provisions in existing law, including the Dodd compensation requirements as contained in the Recovery and Reinvestment Act, are one of the avenues with which the administration continues to look. Again, let's point out that that's a piece of legislation that Congress has passed but rules have yet to be promulgated on, which provides an interesting case because the legislation contains provisions dealing with TARP money and preexisting contracts. Q So when the administration officials came back four hours later and said, you know what, we can't really break these contracts, did that mean that the second review that the President was asking for was over and that -- MR. GIBBS: No, I just -- I'm not announcing the end of the review. I'm bringing you up to date on the existing review that takes place, including the provisions that I just read out. Q And, I'm sorry, one more, then. And when Larry Summers went on television on Sunday morning and said, laws are laws, contracts are contracts; we have to respect them -- MR. GIBBS: Again, you're -- now you're asking me about something that happened Sunday. I've now brought you up to speed on what probably happened at around 4:00 p.m. on Monday. So I think you can assume that what I've said about 4:00 p.m. on Monday brings you most up to date on a timeline that you're asking me about sometime on Sunday morning. Q But how much consultation with the economic team and the political team had been done before Mr. Summers, Dr. Summers's appearance on the Sunday shows? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, the legal deadline for the bonuses had passed. There was a review and there's an existing review, as the President ordered yesterday. Yes, sir. Q Robert, we understand from your answers here that you don't have knowledge of the exact timeline, but would it be accurate to say that you were blind-sided, that the President was blind-sided by this? MR. GIBBS: No. And I will certainly seek better timeline answers to enumerate the negative answer I just gave you. Q Why wouldn't it be accurate to say that? MR. GIBBS: Because the Secretary obviously took steps last week to lessen the blow of what was both contractually obligated and what had been promised but was not part of a contract that lessened the amount of money that was paid out. Again, the Secretary of Treasury did good work in changing what was potentially out there, and I think obviously he did so in order to protect the American taxpayers. And that's why I think -- that's the basis for me answering that question. AIG | Economy | Legislation | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | TARP | Treasury Department | White House Press Corps . Labels: AIG, Economy, Legislation, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, TARP, Treasury Department, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 7:43:00 PM You Should Be Working on the Economy - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 3/13/09 — Friday, March 13, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Jake. Q The White House has been critical in the last day or so of -- President Obama yesterday, and Larry Summers today -- of trends of bubble and bust, bubble and bust. When do you guys see this having started? Did this start with the dot.com bubble in the '90s? MR. GIBBS: I think, obviously, the tech bubble would certainly be part of that -- would be part of that model. But I think if you look more recently, with both housing and credit cards, what you saw was statistical economic growth. You saw big growth in the stock market, but at the same time the broad number -- a broad swath of the American public, their incomes actually decreased for the very first time in history during a "economic expansion." That's why the President believes that it's important to make investments in health care, energy independence and education in order to provide a foundation to grow our economy long term in a stable -- with a stable foundation, in a way that doesn't depend on the boom and the bust. Q Just as a quick follow-up, you guys have obviously started a campaign of trying to build more confidence in the economy and in the decisions that you guys have made. Can you just walk us through a little bit how this decision was made -- for the President's new language and Larry Summers' new language, talking about the economy and the investments you guys are making? MR. GIBBS: I think it's important -- the President wanted to, as he I think has done in the beginning of his tenure here and certainly in the campaign, to explain to the American people the choices that we have and the decisions that are being made, where we've started, the challenges that we've gone through to get to the point we're at now, the very complicated and tough decisions that we have to make in order to create jobs, stabilize our financial system, prevent further erosion in the housing market and spread of the home foreclosure crisis. Q Right, but only in the last days has he said things aren't as bad -- things weren't as good as we thought they were a few years ago, and they're not as bad now as we think they are -- you know, which is kind of a change in tone from when he was warning of an economic catastrophe if the stimulus bill didn't pass. MR. GIBBS: Well, I think we've seen some glimmers of hope in terms, as I spoke yesterday, of retail sales. And I think Dr. Summers spoke of the notion that through the recovery we might see progress in terms of consumer spending -- the Recovery Act, I'm sorry. Look, as you note, the President is a -- is a very optimistic person by nature. Q I don't think I noted that. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: Well, I will note in your absence -- (laughter) -- that he's a very optimistic person. I think he would tell you that there are many situations that probably -- where things might not always be as bad as they seem or not as good as they may seem. But I think that's why he's decided to make tough decisions, and that's why the argument that he's made over the last few days and Dr. Summers made -- the importance of making these investments. Many people have asked, you know, well, why are you dealing with health care and energy when you should be working on the economy? And I think the President, through this argument, can very clearly demonstrate for people how dealing with many of these problems, including getting us back on that path toward fiscal sustainability, are important not just in the short-term recovery, but laying that foundation for long-term growth. Economy | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Economy, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 7:45:00 PM Outlawing Bubbles - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 3/12/09 — Thursday, March 12, 2009 — |
