English subtitles for clip: File:3-12-10- White House Press Briefing.webm

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The Press:
Yay!

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The Press:
Ohhhh!

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Mr. Gibbs:
Nice to see you.

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Let me get a few
pictures over here.

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The Press:
Ohhhh!

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What was that groan for?

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Come on.

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The Press:
Show us again, come on.

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The Press:
You can't go yet, I'm not ready.

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Mr. Gibbs:
Don't worry, we'll do
a couple of non-serious

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announcements in my --

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The Press:
What position did
Gibbs play, anyway?

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Mr. Gibbs:
This is -- I am, first
of all, as you can tell,

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not in my normal attire -- though it does signify Friday

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here at the White House, casual Friday as we newly instituted.

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(laughter)

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I am making good on my aspect
of my wager with Dimitri,

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my Canadian counterpart, who is
somewhere several hundred miles

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north laughing.

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The Press:
Are you itching yet?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I am not.

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No, I'm a little warm.

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The number 39 is
for Ryan Miller,

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who of course was the United
States goalie and the tournament MVP.

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I have one official government
announcement: We've instructed

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the embassy, our embassy and our
ambassador to make arrangements

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to deliver one case of Molson
Canadian and one case of

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Yuengling lager from
Pottsville, Pennsylvania,

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America's oldest brewery, to the
Prime Minister's office today.

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I'm sure Dimitri will take most
of that home and consume it.

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Let me do the week ahead and
then we'll get back into more

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semi-serious attire for the
rest of your hockey questions.

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The Press:
No!

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The Press:
Fifteen minutes!

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Mr. Gibbs:
Fifteen minutes -- I thought
we were doing this on the

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metric scale.

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(laughter)

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The Press:
That's 30 minutes.

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(laughter)

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The Press:
Fifteen Canadian.

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(laughter)

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Mr. Gibbs:
Exactly, right.

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(laughter)

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What's the exchange rate?

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The President has no scheduled
public events this weekend.

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On Monday, as you know, the
President will travel to

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Strongsville, Ohio, where he
will deliver remarks on health

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insurance reform.

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On Tuesday the President will
attend meetings here at the White House.

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On Wednesday the President will
meet with the Taoiseach of

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Ireland, Brian Cowen,
at the White House.

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In the evening the President
and First Lady will host the

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Taoiseach and Mrs. Cowen at
the annual St. Patrick's Day

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reception held in the East Room,
and the event will be pooled press.

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On Thursday and Friday the
President will be here in

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Washington, D.C. and we'll have
a chance to talk, I'm sure,

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about the trip here
in a few moments.

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Let me get a little
bit semi-organized.

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I will say -- no offense to
my Canadian friends here --

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but we couldn't have done
this fully without --

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(applause)

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-- also -- let me put
my specs back on --

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of course this just
has 10 for 2010 on it.

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Nick and U.S.A.

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Hockey -- the happy
providers of this jersey --

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it's a little smaller in size,
which I think Nick did on

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purpose so that at the
conclusion of this I would give

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the jersey to him.

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(laughter)

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The Press:
What else are you taking off?

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(laughter)

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Mr. Gibbs:
No, that's Rahm, ma'am.

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That's the Chief of Staff.

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(laughter)

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The Press:
It's lucky you didn't
make a bet about wrestling.

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(laughter)

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The Press:
One more fashion spin, please.

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Mr. Gibbs:
You like the USA, 2010 USA.

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(applause)

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So I don't think I should take any questions wearing this,

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but -- you know what,
we'll take a couple.

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Go ahead, sir.

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The Press:
Okay.

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Now that the trip
has been delayed,

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how is the President going
to use those extra two days?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Phil, the President has met with and talked with, as you know,

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many members of Congress
over the past several days.

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I anticipate that he will talk
with the leaders and members of

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Congress in -- talking to them about the benefits of passing

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health care reform.

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So I anticipate
that that kind of --

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that kind of thing will happen.

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This came about as a result of a
conversation that the President

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had with Speaker Pelosi,
Majority Leader Reid, who --

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all three agreed that it would
be helpful to have a few extra

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days here, talking to members.

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But they also agreed that this
was an extremely important trip

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for the United States of America
for the President to go to

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Indonesia and to Australia.

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The Press:
But Congress is going to be around for a week after the

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President leaves.

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So is the 20th now the new 18th?

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I mean --

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(laughter)

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Mr. Gibbs:
I don't --

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The Press:
In terms of deadlines.

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Is now the 20th now the --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Look, I'm simply going
to say the President,

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as we announced today, will leave for the trip at 10 a.m. on

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the 21st.

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The Press:
So the President is okay with Congress continuing discussions

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of health care, even
while he's traveling,

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or does he want this all wrapped
up with a bow by the 20th?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I think -- we've been talking about this for more than a year.

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I think the President wants,
members of Congress want a vote

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as soon as possible that will
lead to improved health care for

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millions of Americans.

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The Press:
But does the President expect to leave having the House pass --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Look, I will leave
deadlines up to the Speaker.

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Yes, sir.

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The Press:
If the President fails -- if Congress fails to get this

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across the finish line or very close to it before next Sunday's

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scheduled -- rescheduled departure date for Asia,

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is there a chance that this trip
could be delayed again or even

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canceled altogether?

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Mr. Gibbs:
In speaking with Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid,

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all three agreed this was an
important trip for the President to make.

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The Asia-Pacific region of the
world is tremendously important

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to the United States
for a number of reasons.

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We will -- we're going to
visit, obviously, Indonesia,

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the world's largest
Muslim population,

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an emerging democracy.

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The President will follow up
on his speech from Cairo in a

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speech in Indonesia
-- a key partner,

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obviously in our counterterrorism efforts --

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before traveling to Australia,
obviously a very important

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trading partner and an important
ally in our efforts in Afghanistan.

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I will say that if you -- as
the President said in Tokyo,

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that for years the United
States has been absent from the

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Asia-Pacific region.

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We are -- we can't lead in this region of the world without

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strong bilateral relationships with Indonesia and Australia.

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They're key in our ability
to keep our country safe.

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They're key in our ability
to grow our economy through

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increased exports.

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And they're key to
tackling big challenges.

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Indonesia is the fourth-largest
greenhouse gas emitter in the world.

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Obviously they'll be incredibly
important to international

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agreements on climate change.

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So the President believed it was
important to give the issue of

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health care and the effort to
get votes on health care a few

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more days, but also believes, as
do those leaders in Congress,

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that it's important to keep this
trip on our schedule with two

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important partners.

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The Press:
One other issue.

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The President looks to be
homing in on his Fed nominees.

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Can you confirm that Janet
Yellen is the leading candidate

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for nominee as vice chairman,
and that Sarah Raskin and Peter

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Diamond are under consideration
for other vacancies?

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Can you give us any kind
of sense of the timing,

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whether he's going to make an
announcement before the trip,

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after the trip?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Look, we -- she is
obviously somebody who --

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a former chair of the
Council on Economic Advisers;

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somebody with great expertise
in macroeconomic issues;

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the current president of
the Fed in San Francisco.

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And she is a leading contender
for the vice chair nomination.

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As you know, we are hoping to
fill the vacancy of the vice

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chair in time for the end of the
current term, which is June.

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And I would say Sarah Raskin and
Peter Diamond are also under

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strong consideration for
additional vacancies.

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I don't have a timing
announcement, though,

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on any of those.

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The Press:
Are we speaking a
matter of weeks?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, I don't want to speculate on when the timing

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would be, except obviously
for Janet Yellen,

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who's under strong
consideration,

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I would say anybody that is
appointed to the vice chair

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would need to be done -- our hope obviously, as I said,

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is to get it done before
the current term expires.

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The Press:
And she is the
leading candidate?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I would say she is a
leading contender, yes.

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The Press:
A leading contender?

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The Press:
Has it been 15 minutes yet?

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Do you want to put
your jacket on?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Do you feel uncomfortable, Jake?

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The Press:
I feel like if I show
this to the viewers of ABC

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News, World News --

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The Press:
Then we have to explain
the whole thing.

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(laughter)

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The Press:
-- they're going to be a little confused why on a story about

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health care you're
wearing a hockey jersey.

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I'm saying --

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Mr. Gibbs:
It can't be any stranger than some of the other stuff I see on

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the news, so I don't --

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(laughter)

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-- I'm not entirely sure what -- somebody give Jake the Canadian

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one and we'll just do a
quick two-shot and we'll --

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The Press:
Faceoff.

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(laughter)

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Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

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Would you feel more
comfortable if I switched?

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The Press:
I'm just glad it was a
hockey, not a wrestling, bet.

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(laughter)

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The Press:
Or sumo wrestling.

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(laughter)

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Mr. Gibbs:
I was going to say
something, but I --

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The Press:
Say happy birthday.

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Mr. Gibbs:
True.

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The Press:
Other than talking to
members of Congress,

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what is so important that the
President needs to be here for

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those extra two days?

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I understand that the members of
Congress were asking President

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Obama to do this, that you're
not imposing his presence,

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but what can he -- what difference will it make?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, Jake, I think the President will use the time,

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as I said earlier, to speak
either individually with or in

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small groups with members that
may be at this point undecided

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on how they'll vote.

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The President I think will take
the opportunity to once again

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reiterate his case for why
this reform is so important,

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why it's important
to do this now,

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why it's important not
to stop or to start over,

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why we're dealing with dramatic
spikes in health insurance right

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now, and why we have to
deal with this problem.

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The Press:
Why do you think
so many members --

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I mean, 216 members of the House
who voted for it in November,

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voted for the House
bill, are still there --

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and that's a majority.

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Why do you think so many of them
are having second thoughts?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, Jake, I think some of them are likely waiting for finished

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CBO scoring.

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I think that's a natural thing
to wait for and I think they'll

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have time to evaluate that
scoring and to evaluate the

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legislation in full.

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But, again, I think the
President believes that he can

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make a very strong case for why
this is important to do right now.

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The Press:
And, lastly, as you know,
a lot of House Democrats are

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distrustful of the Senate
-- of Senate Democrats,

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00:11:47,467 --> 00:11:51,467
and they're worried that with the way the parliamentarian has

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00:11:51,467 --> 00:11:56,937
ruled they're going to be tricked somehow into passing the

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00:11:56,934 --> 00:11:59,764
Senate bill and then the
fixes to the Senate bill,

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00:11:59,767 --> 00:12:02,397
and the Senate won't pass the fixes and they will have been

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00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,400
tricked into passing the Senate bill that a lot of them don't

245
00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:08,370
like without those fixes.

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00:12:08,367 --> 00:12:11,097
Is President Obama
reassuring them,

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00:12:11,100 --> 00:12:14,400
telling these House Democrats
that if the reconciliation,

248
00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:19,570
if the fix doesn't pass
the Senate bill in itself,

249
00:12:19,567 --> 00:12:21,567
he won't sign that bill?

250
00:12:21,567 --> 00:12:22,537
Or --

251
00:12:22,533 --> 00:12:24,833
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, again -- and I mentioned some of this yesterday

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00:12:24,834 --> 00:12:27,664
-- I think some of this -- I don't want to wade into the

253
00:12:27,667 --> 00:12:31,097
parliamentary politics
on Capitol Hill,

254
00:12:31,100 --> 00:12:37,430
except to say this, the President is talking with --

255
00:12:37,433 --> 00:12:40,603
not just with members of the
House on the vote that they're

256
00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:45,830
going to have to make, but also
with members of the Senate to

257
00:12:45,834 --> 00:12:51,434
ensure that the corrections
that the President sees as so

258
00:12:51,433 --> 00:12:54,263
important -- not just the House, but the President sees as so

259
00:12:54,266 --> 00:12:57,066
important -- are also acted on.

260
00:12:57,066 --> 00:13:01,396
And so I don't -- this
is -- it's a dual track.

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00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:05,030
It works together, but the
President is working on both of

262
00:13:05,033 --> 00:13:06,163
those issues.

263
00:13:06,166 --> 00:13:08,536
The Press:
You think -- will
-- is it possible,

264
00:13:08,533 --> 00:13:11,103
in any way you look at it,
that one would happen --

265
00:13:11,100 --> 00:13:13,370
that the Senate bill would
pass but the fixes would not,

266
00:13:13,367 --> 00:13:15,037
and the Senate bill
would become law?

267
00:13:15,033 --> 00:13:18,363
Because that's what House
members are worried about.

268
00:13:18,367 --> 00:13:19,497
Mr. Gibbs:
They're concerned.

269
00:13:19,500 --> 00:13:22,300
I think that's why the President
is spending time also dealing

270
00:13:22,300 --> 00:13:28,800
with senators to ensure that
they are supportive of those

271
00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:33,100
legislative fixes on
their side of it, too.

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00:13:33,100 --> 00:13:34,200
The Press:
Thanks, Robert.

273
00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,030
Representative Dreier, in
referring to the President's

274
00:13:37,033 --> 00:13:41,533
delay, said today, "We know that
they are doing everything within

275
00:13:41,533 --> 00:13:44,263
their power to try and twist
arms and encourage people to

276
00:13:44,266 --> 00:13:47,566
vote for something that is
extraordinarily unpopular and I

277
00:13:47,567 --> 00:13:50,667
believe would be devastating
for our nation's economy."

278
00:13:50,667 --> 00:13:53,267
What do you say to Americans who
are still having a difficult

279
00:13:53,266 --> 00:13:55,736
time buying the
President's plan?

280
00:13:55,734 --> 00:13:57,034
Mr. Gibbs:
Like Mr. Dreier?

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00:13:57,033 --> 00:13:58,163
(laughter)

282
00:13:58,166 --> 00:13:59,296
The Press:
Well, Dreier and others.

283
00:13:59,300 --> 00:14:00,630
He's not the only one.

284
00:14:00,633 --> 00:14:05,163
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes, I would probably tell
Mr. Dreier the same thing

285
00:14:05,166 --> 00:14:07,436
Mr. Dreier from California.

286
00:14:07,433 --> 00:14:09,533
People in his state are getting
the letters that we've talked

287
00:14:09,533 --> 00:14:14,933
about here for the past several
weeks; the letters that say,

288
00:14:14,934 --> 00:14:16,104
"I know you've
paid your premiums,

289
00:14:16,100 --> 00:14:18,830
I know you haven't gotten sick,
but you're in the individual

290
00:14:18,834 --> 00:14:22,134
health insurance market, and
your health insurance rates are

291
00:14:22,133 --> 00:14:25,663
going up 39% next year."

292
00:14:25,667 --> 00:14:27,837
That's what we're dealing with.

293
00:14:27,834 --> 00:14:30,334
That's what we have to take on.

294
00:14:30,333 --> 00:14:34,503
We have to provide the ability
for a small business in the

295
00:14:34,500 --> 00:14:36,430
state of California and
throughout this country,

296
00:14:36,433 --> 00:14:39,603
or in Mr. Dreier's district, or
a family that's struggling with

297
00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:46,600
the high cost of health
care, to get them some help.

298
00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:54,430
The President is doing this
because he believes that this is

299
00:14:54,433 --> 00:14:58,263
the right thing to
do for our country --

300
00:14:58,266 --> 00:15:05,796
to have a health care and health
insurance network that works not

301
00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,670
just for health insurance
companies but works for average,

302
00:15:09,667 --> 00:15:12,067
everyday working Americans.

303
00:15:12,066 --> 00:15:13,996
That's why he continues
to pursue this,

304
00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,770
and that's why he'll
see it to passage soon.

305
00:15:17,767 --> 00:15:21,167
The Press:
Does it frustrate the President at all that he's been making

306
00:15:21,166 --> 00:15:24,596
this big push, pointing out what
the insurance industry has been

307
00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,800
doing with the premium hikes -- does it frustrate him that the

308
00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,130
message still isn't
getting through to some?

309
00:15:30,133 --> 00:15:37,103
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't think the message --
I think the President is --

310
00:15:37,100 --> 00:15:40,500
I think the President feels
some momentum on this issue.

311
00:15:40,500 --> 00:15:43,600
I think the President believes
that while many thought this

312
00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:49,400
issue was going to go away or
was dead a few weeks ago has

313
00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:54,370
gotten new life, I think largely
because we've seen insurers send

314
00:15:54,367 --> 00:15:56,437
out the letters that
I'm talking about.

315
00:15:56,433 --> 00:16:00,333
The Press:
On the AfPak meeting, can
you tell us more about that?

316
00:16:00,333 --> 00:16:03,463
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me give you a quick readout, and then we can go through a

317
00:16:03,467 --> 00:16:05,037
couple of questions.

318
00:16:05,033 --> 00:16:07,963
The President met with his
national security team as part

319
00:16:07,967 --> 00:16:12,437
of the regular updates that he
receives on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

320
00:16:12,433 --> 00:16:15,803
This was part of the monthly
video teleconferencing.

321
00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:19,930
The next one I believe is
scheduled for April 16th.

322
00:16:19,934 --> 00:16:21,804
The meeting began with
a briefing from General

323
00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,230
McChrystal, who noted a
continued progress in the Marja

324
00:16:25,233 --> 00:16:29,003
offensive and the strengthening
partnership with Afghan national

325
00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:30,730
security forces.

326
00:16:30,734 --> 00:16:32,634
The President and his team
discussed a range of issues

327
00:16:32,633 --> 00:16:35,163
related to security
and governance.

328
00:16:35,166 --> 00:16:37,396
The President also received
a briefing from Ambassador

329
00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:41,070
Patterson, our
ambassador in Islamabad,

330
00:16:41,066 --> 00:16:43,966
on our security cooperation with
Pakistan and support for the

331
00:16:43,967 --> 00:16:47,037
Pakistani people.

332
00:16:47,033 --> 00:16:52,403
Of note that General
McChrystal told the group,

333
00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:53,800
including obviously
the President,

334
00:16:53,800 --> 00:17:00,700
that we were on schedule on our
force flow in getting additional

335
00:17:00,700 --> 00:17:04,700
forces approved by the President
into Afghanistan by the end of

336
00:17:04,700 --> 00:17:07,530
the summer.

337
00:17:07,533 --> 00:17:11,503
They discussed in surrounding
Marja that we were largely

338
00:17:11,500 --> 00:17:19,030
through the clearing phase and
more rapidly moving to a phase

339
00:17:19,033 --> 00:17:24,703
of hold, which puts a premium
obviously on good governance.

340
00:17:24,700 --> 00:17:29,300
And we spent quite a bit of time
discussing the Afghan national

341
00:17:29,300 --> 00:17:34,500
security forces, the army
and the police forces,

342
00:17:34,500 --> 00:17:38,430
the training and some
adjustments that the President

343
00:17:38,433 --> 00:17:42,763
and the team have been working
on around recruitment and

344
00:17:42,767 --> 00:17:49,067
retention of police and army
forces dating back to the

345
00:17:49,066 --> 00:17:52,196
President's original meetings in
the Situation Room prior to his

346
00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:53,600
decision in December.

347
00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:54,600
The Press:
And one quick thing.

348
00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:58,970
Is the administration pleased
with the Pakistani government in

349
00:17:58,967 --> 00:18:03,397
the effort fighting terrorism,
or does Pakistan need to do more?

350
00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:08,230
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, we have had --
we've enjoyed I think a almost

351
00:18:08,233 --> 00:18:12,003
unprecedented level of cooperation with them,

352
00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:17,730
dating back probably
almost a year now,

353
00:18:17,734 --> 00:18:26,134
to extremist movements that
threatened the Pakistanis and I

354
00:18:26,133 --> 00:18:29,903
think in many ways alerted them
to many of the concerns that we

355
00:18:29,900 --> 00:18:32,670
had long had.

356
00:18:32,667 --> 00:18:36,437
We feel like we're making
progress each and every day,

357
00:18:36,433 --> 00:18:42,503
and I think in the update that
he got from Ambassador Patterson

358
00:18:42,500 --> 00:18:44,770
that was conveyed.

359
00:18:44,767 --> 00:18:45,567
Yes, ma'am.

360
00:18:45,567 --> 00:18:48,797
The Press:
I'm sure the President is aware that it's against international

361
00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,100
law to annex occupied land.

362
00:18:52,100 --> 00:18:56,200
Why do we keep giving, as
Vice President Biden did,

363
00:18:56,200 --> 00:19:01,530
iron-clad commitments to Israel
when it violates international law?

364
00:19:01,533 --> 00:19:05,463
And the President says that our
relationship is unshakeable.

365
00:19:05,467 --> 00:19:06,967
How can that be?

366
00:19:06,967 --> 00:19:12,437
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, we enjoy a strong and important relationship with the

367
00:19:12,433 --> 00:19:14,803
country and the
people of Israel.

368
00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:15,900
And we are --

369
00:19:15,900 --> 00:19:18,400
The Press:
Even when it violates the law?

370
00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:22,970
I mean, you go into this whole thing -- why should they be --

371
00:19:22,967 --> 00:19:24,697
get this reprieve?

372
00:19:24,700 --> 00:19:27,870
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, we enjoy a strong relationship with the country

373
00:19:27,867 --> 00:19:30,597
and the people.

374
00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:36,600
We are committed to their
security in a very important and dangerous --

375
00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:37,800
The Press:
How about the
Palestinian security?

376
00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,970
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, let me finish
my answer, Helen --

377
00:19:40,967 --> 00:19:44,267
in a very important
region of the world.

378
00:19:44,266 --> 00:19:45,796
I think the Vice
President, though,

379
00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,600
could not have been clearer
on, as I said and as the Vice

380
00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,430
President said, on both the
timing and the substance of the

381
00:19:53,433 --> 00:19:56,933
announcement that was
made during his trip,

382
00:19:56,934 --> 00:20:01,104
that we have asked each side
to refrain from the type of

383
00:20:01,100 --> 00:20:07,070
announcements that would shake
the trust needed to sit down

384
00:20:07,066 --> 00:20:14,666
together and make some decisions
on moving forward on a peace process.

385
00:20:14,667 --> 00:20:18,767
So I think the Vice President
was extremely clear on his trip there.

386
00:20:18,767 --> 00:20:20,797
I know the President looks
forward to speaking with the

387
00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:22,100
Vice President.

388
00:20:22,100 --> 00:20:25,600
He's -- he'll get back very, very early tomorrow morning,

389
00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:27,870
and I anticipate that
they'll either --

390
00:20:27,867 --> 00:20:32,697
they'll likely talk either later
in the weekend or first thing on

391
00:20:32,700 --> 00:20:36,500
Monday about what the
Vice President saw,

392
00:20:36,500 --> 00:20:39,600
not just in Israel
but in the region,

393
00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,370
as we try to move
things forward.

394
00:20:42,367 --> 00:20:46,267
The Press:
We've already seen the violation on the part of one party.

395
00:20:46,266 --> 00:20:48,436
What is the U.S.
going to do about it?

396
00:20:48,433 --> 00:20:50,733
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, I think that the Vice President was extremely

397
00:20:50,734 --> 00:20:55,704
strong in condemning what the
Israeli government announced

398
00:20:55,700 --> 00:20:57,430
during his trip.

399
00:20:57,433 --> 00:20:58,503
Chip.

400
00:20:58,500 --> 00:21:00,570
The Press:
You said that the President
is feeling some momentum

401
00:21:00,567 --> 00:21:01,797
on health care.

402
00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:04,770
Congressman Weiner, who has long
been urging the President to be

403
00:21:04,767 --> 00:21:07,297
more involved, said that as a
result of the President's recent

404
00:21:07,300 --> 00:21:11,730
increased involvement, there is
now a tidal change in the last

405
00:21:11,734 --> 00:21:13,104
72 hours up there.

406
00:21:13,100 --> 00:21:16,500
Do you agree that the change
has been that great in degree?

407
00:21:16,500 --> 00:21:20,900
And if so, was it because
of the President's uptick in involvement?

408
00:21:20,900 --> 00:21:25,870
And if so, why didn't
he do it sooner?

409
00:21:25,867 --> 00:21:28,837
Mr. Gibbs:
Again, I don't -- I probably said this a thousand times,

410
00:21:28,834 --> 00:21:31,104
but I'll add another one to it.

411
00:21:31,100 --> 00:21:35,430
I doubt the President -- I doubt we'd be where we are on health

412
00:21:35,433 --> 00:21:39,563
care, after this long, if the President wasn't personally

413
00:21:39,567 --> 00:21:45,497
invested in, from the very beginning, on getting this done.

414
00:21:45,500 --> 00:21:50,170
I think, Chip, as the President
said at the State of the Union,

415
00:21:50,166 --> 00:21:51,966
it's pretty clear, by some
of the polling numbers,

416
00:21:51,967 --> 00:21:57,337
we're not doing this out of -- for sheer political benefit.

417
00:21:57,333 --> 00:22:00,863
I think there are --
you don't have to --

418
00:22:00,867 --> 00:22:05,297
you can swing a cat in this town
and hit somebody that believes

419
00:22:05,300 --> 00:22:11,370
that the President should just
give this up for political considerations.

420
00:22:11,367 --> 00:22:15,767
The President, I think, has been
pretty clear about why he's made

421
00:22:15,767 --> 00:22:18,267
decisions during his
time as President --

422
00:22:18,266 --> 00:22:22,336
not because they're easy, not
because they're in the next

423
00:22:22,333 --> 00:22:24,433
day's political interests, but
because they're the right thing

424
00:22:24,433 --> 00:22:25,563
for the country.

425
00:22:25,567 --> 00:22:29,267
So I think what has provided
health care with the most

426
00:22:29,266 --> 00:22:31,736
momentum, quite honestly,
in the past several weeks,

427
00:22:31,734 --> 00:22:35,564
are the insurance
company rate increases.

428
00:22:35,567 --> 00:22:40,767
I think they have crystallized
for many across the country what happens.

429
00:22:40,767 --> 00:22:43,897
We've seen report after report
from Wall Street about what

430
00:22:43,900 --> 00:22:46,270
happens if reform fails.

431
00:22:46,266 --> 00:22:47,736
They all agree that
insurance companies,

432
00:22:47,734 --> 00:22:51,504
like the ones that raise rates,
are likely to be the big winners

433
00:22:51,500 --> 00:22:52,570
out of this.

434
00:22:52,567 --> 00:22:56,037
The Press:
And in delaying the trip, to what degree was that because of

435
00:22:56,033 --> 00:22:58,233
pressure from
Democrats in Congress?

436
00:22:58,233 --> 00:23:02,633
And did he -- did Nancy Pelosi specifically ask him to do this?

437
00:23:02,633 --> 00:23:08,503
Mr. Gibbs:
No, the President talked to the Speaker and the Majority Leader.

438
00:23:08,500 --> 00:23:11,400
They discussed what would
be most beneficial for this

439
00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:18,500
process, and agreed together to
move the trip back a few days.

440
00:23:18,500 --> 00:23:20,470
But the President and,
as I said earlier,

441
00:23:20,467 --> 00:23:24,197
the Majority Leader and the
Speaker believe it's important

442
00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:25,870
that the President
go on this trip.

443
00:23:25,867 --> 00:23:28,867
Again, this is a very
important region of the world.

444
00:23:28,867 --> 00:23:31,137
If we don't help lead in
this region of the world,

445
00:23:31,133 --> 00:23:33,003
other people will.

446
00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:35,500
It is in our national interest
to have strong bilateral

447
00:23:35,500 --> 00:23:38,970
relationships with emerging
democracies like Indonesia and

448
00:23:38,967 --> 00:23:40,797
important partners
like Australia.

449
00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,300
I've seen some people
say, you know, well,

450
00:23:43,300 --> 00:23:45,070
why does the President
have to do this,

451
00:23:45,066 --> 00:23:49,066
because there's not some big
multilateral conference that

452
00:23:49,066 --> 00:23:52,336
he's attending, or this
-- as I said, we're at --

453
00:23:52,333 --> 00:24:00,703
we have long --
long ago have been --

454
00:24:00,700 --> 00:24:03,300
for quite some time we've
been absent from, again,

455
00:24:03,300 --> 00:24:05,600
this important
region of the world.

456
00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:09,530
We have important partnerships
that lead to increasing our

457
00:24:09,533 --> 00:24:12,763
security, increasing
our economic growth,

458
00:24:12,767 --> 00:24:14,937
and increasing the likelihood
that we deal with important

459
00:24:14,934 --> 00:24:18,304
problems in having strong
bilateral relationships with

460
00:24:18,300 --> 00:24:20,300
places like Indonesia
and Australia.

461
00:24:20,300 --> 00:24:22,500
The Press:
And the central reason that
the three of them decided that

462
00:24:22,500 --> 00:24:25,030
delaying the trip
was the thing to do?

463
00:24:25,033 --> 00:24:28,233
Mr. Gibbs:
To give a little bit more
time to get health care done.

464
00:24:28,233 --> 00:24:29,463
The Press:
One other question.

465
00:24:29,467 --> 00:24:31,297
You had said earlier in the
week that the President was not

466
00:24:31,300 --> 00:24:33,170
calling individual
members yet but --

467
00:24:33,166 --> 00:24:34,366
Mr. Gibbs:
He had not at that point.

468
00:24:34,367 --> 00:24:35,497
The Press:
Okay, he has now.

469
00:24:35,500 --> 00:24:38,200
Mr. Gibbs:
He has -- I mean,
obviously he's talked to --

470
00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,330
he's had meetings with.

471
00:24:40,333 --> 00:24:43,563
There have been other events
that individuals have been here for.

472
00:24:43,567 --> 00:24:50,037
I know obviously on Monday he
had talked to members who had

473
00:24:50,033 --> 00:24:53,363
visited for, like, a PAYGO
reception or things like that.

474
00:24:53,367 --> 00:24:56,337
He has made individual calls now
and I anticipate he'll continue

475
00:24:56,333 --> 00:24:57,403
to do that.

476
00:24:57,400 --> 00:24:59,270
The Press:
Is he spending most of his day or a good portion of his day

477
00:24:59,266 --> 00:25:00,396
doing that?

478
00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:01,530
Mr. Gibbs:
He's spending part of his day.

479
00:25:01,533 --> 00:25:04,833
I mean, again, he spent
-- the Afghanistan meeting,

480
00:25:04,834 --> 00:25:08,304
Afghanistan/Pakistan update was scheduled for 60 minutes and the

481
00:25:08,300 --> 00:25:10,970
meeting went 90 today.

482
00:25:10,967 --> 00:25:13,897
The Press:
Any chance we could get a
call list of who he's called?

483
00:25:13,900 --> 00:25:14,830
Mr. Gibbs:
Not likely.

484
00:25:14,834 --> 00:25:16,734
(laughter)

485
00:25:16,734 --> 00:25:19,534
The Press:
You said the President is leaving on -- 10 a.m. Sunday --

486
00:25:19,533 --> 00:25:21,003
Mr. Gibbs:
I think it's 10 a.m., yes.

487
00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,270
The Press:
-- the 21st, regardless
of whether the House has

488
00:25:23,266 --> 00:25:24,936
voted or not?

489
00:25:24,934 --> 00:25:27,464
Mr. Gibbs:
The President is going
on a trip on the 21st.

490
00:25:27,467 --> 00:25:29,937
The Press:
Regardless of whether the
House has voted or not?

491
00:25:29,934 --> 00:25:34,134
Mr. Gibbs:
The President is
going on the 21st.

492
00:25:34,133 --> 00:25:37,263
The Press:
You announced on Twitter
this morning that --

493
00:25:37,266 --> 00:25:38,996
this development and that the
First Family would not be

494
00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:40,000
joining him.

495
00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:41,030
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

496
00:25:41,033 --> 00:25:42,503
The Press:
Can you shed any light
on why that particular

497
00:25:42,500 --> 00:25:43,470
decision was made?

498
00:25:43,467 --> 00:25:48,797
Mr. Gibbs:
Scheduling-wise, the way now the trip sits in the week is not as

499
00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:53,570
good for two young girls who
have to go back to school at the

500
00:25:53,567 --> 00:25:56,537
conclusion of that trip.

501
00:25:56,533 --> 00:26:00,763
I will say this: This was --
and I should have said this

502
00:26:00,767 --> 00:26:03,667
yesterday, Chip,
to your question --

503
00:26:03,667 --> 00:26:06,197
even under the old itinerary,
the President was not scheduled

504
00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:09,130
to stop at the house that he
spent time in when he lived in

505
00:26:09,133 --> 00:26:13,033
Indonesia, nor was he scheduled
to go to the school that he attended.

506
00:26:13,033 --> 00:26:17,733
So I should have said that
yesterday in answer to your question.

507
00:26:17,734 --> 00:26:21,434
But the way now the
trip sits in the week,

508
00:26:21,433 --> 00:26:24,163
it's not as conducive
for them to go.

509
00:26:24,166 --> 00:26:26,496
And I will say when you
get your renewed itinerary,

510
00:26:26,500 --> 00:26:28,730
you'll see it's a brisk trip.

511
00:26:28,734 --> 00:26:30,664
The Press:
Members of the House who met with the President last week

512
00:26:30,667 --> 00:26:35,567
said that he told them that
success on other high-priority

513
00:26:35,567 --> 00:26:38,137
pieces of legislation is
predicated on success on health

514
00:26:38,133 --> 00:26:40,603
care -- energy, immigration.

515
00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,730
Does the President believe that
he will have a diminished chance

516
00:26:43,734 --> 00:26:48,034
of passing other items this year
if health care is not passed in Congress?

517
00:26:48,033 --> 00:26:52,433
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I've not spoken directly with the President about what

518
00:26:52,433 --> 00:26:53,803
you've heard members say.

519
00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,730
I think the President -- leaving aside what it does for any other

520
00:26:56,734 --> 00:27:01,164
issue, as I said earlier I think the President believes strongly

521
00:27:01,166 --> 00:27:09,596
in the desire to see progress on an issue that we've talked about

522
00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:14,300
for decades, to do something
positive on behalf of those that

523
00:27:14,300 --> 00:27:19,030
are struggling with high costs,
and dealing with insurance

524
00:27:19,033 --> 00:27:20,503
companies on
preexisting conditions,

525
00:27:20,500 --> 00:27:22,400
and it's important to
get something done.

526
00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:25,270
The Press:
Finally, the immigration groups, the leaders that were out in the

527
00:27:25,266 --> 00:27:27,436
driveway yesterday, said that
they pressed the President for a

528
00:27:27,433 --> 00:27:30,733
bill in the Senate
by the end of April.

529
00:27:30,734 --> 00:27:32,934
Does the President want a bill
in the Senate by the end of April?

530
00:27:32,934 --> 00:27:34,634
Does he buy into that deadline?

531
00:27:34,633 --> 00:27:36,663
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, I will say that
in addition to meeting with

532
00:27:36,667 --> 00:27:38,897
activists, in addition to
meeting with the Congressional

533
00:27:38,900 --> 00:27:41,670
Hispanic Caucus, as you know,
the President met yesterday with

534
00:27:41,667 --> 00:27:46,937
Senators Schumer and Graham,
pleased to get an update on

535
00:27:46,934 --> 00:27:52,234
their progress in forging a
proposal to fix our immigration system.

536
00:27:52,233 --> 00:27:57,463
The President -- they asked
the President and he agreed to

537
00:27:57,467 --> 00:28:03,137
review their framework, and we're in the process of doing that now.

538
00:28:03,133 --> 00:28:04,163
The Press:
Can I follow on Mike?

539
00:28:04,166 --> 00:28:05,396
Mr. Gibbs:
Sure.

540
00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:08,300
The Press:
Isn't it more important for the girls to go to this trip and

541
00:28:08,300 --> 00:28:12,100
miss a few days of school,
despite how brisk the trip is?

542
00:28:12,100 --> 00:28:14,930
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, it's a decision I
would leave to the parents,

543
00:28:14,934 --> 00:28:19,834
and I think it's --
having a six-year-old,

544
00:28:19,834 --> 00:28:24,364
I think it's important that
they also spend some time --

545
00:28:24,367 --> 00:28:25,797
Lord knows we've had
enough snow days --

546
00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:27,000
they spend some time in school.

547
00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:32,300
But again, that's way above -- that is above my pay grade by

548
00:28:32,300 --> 00:28:34,130
many, many rungs on the ladder.

549
00:28:34,133 --> 00:28:35,463
The Press:
And by the way, that
phrase "swing a cat,"

550
00:28:35,467 --> 00:28:37,767
if you swing most cats, you
get scratched, you know.

551
00:28:37,767 --> 00:28:41,097
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I may do that right
up here with the front row.

552
00:28:41,100 --> 00:28:42,230
(laughter)

553
00:28:42,233 --> 00:28:43,203
Go ahead.

554
00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:44,300
The Press:
Robert --

555
00:28:44,300 --> 00:28:45,500
Mr. Gibbs:
I'm getting a little warm so
I may change here in a second.

556
00:28:45,500 --> 00:28:46,600
Go ahead.

557
00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:48,130
The Press:
Looking ahead to this
Ohio stuff on Monday,

558
00:28:48,133 --> 00:28:50,003
is there going to be
a retooled message?

559
00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,200
Will there be a -- like, more
of a sense of urgency in the

560
00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,630
closing days?

561
00:28:54,633 --> 00:28:55,963
What can we look for there?

562
00:28:55,967 --> 00:28:58,267
Mr. Gibbs:
Look, I think you'll
hear the President --

563
00:28:58,266 --> 00:29:00,296
I think the President will spend
time hitting a lot of the themes

564
00:29:00,300 --> 00:29:06,830
that he hit on Wednesday and on
last Monday: going through why

565
00:29:06,834 --> 00:29:10,304
reform is important; going
through what it will do the

566
00:29:10,300 --> 00:29:13,800
minute he signs the legislation
on behalf of millions of

567
00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,600
Americans; discussing
what happens, again,

568
00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:19,670
if we decide now
is not the time.

569
00:29:19,667 --> 00:29:21,967
And I think he'll reiterate
again what I said earlier,

570
00:29:21,967 --> 00:29:26,667
in the fact that we're doing
this not because it's easy;

571
00:29:26,667 --> 00:29:33,767
we're doing this not because the
President is concerned about or

572
00:29:33,767 --> 00:29:38,837
looking to the next election,
but looking to the next generation.

573
00:29:38,834 --> 00:29:44,134
And I think he'll reiterate that
it's the important thing to do.

574
00:29:44,133 --> 00:29:46,933
The Press:
One housekeeping question.

575
00:29:46,934 --> 00:29:49,434
As Mike mentioned, you made this
trip announcement on Twitter

576
00:29:49,433 --> 00:29:51,103
this morning.

577
00:29:51,100 --> 00:29:56,130
It still hasn't shown up on any
of our usual vehicles through

578
00:29:56,133 --> 00:29:57,833
your office officially.

579
00:29:57,834 --> 00:30:01,434
Is Twitter now going to become
your vehicle of choice to tell

580
00:30:01,433 --> 00:30:03,003
us major things --

581
00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:04,570
Mr. Gibbs:
Part of the reason -- part
of the reason I did that,

582
00:30:04,567 --> 00:30:08,437
I bet some of you got emails that I sent you several hours

583
00:30:08,433 --> 00:30:11,563
after I actually sent them to you because there were some

584
00:30:11,567 --> 00:30:14,667
email issues here at the White House and we felt like it was

585
00:30:14,667 --> 00:30:18,267
important to get a
confirmation of that out.

586
00:30:18,266 --> 00:30:27,366
I would say Twitter is a quick
medium to get information out,

587
00:30:27,367 --> 00:30:28,897
and we'll probably
use it more often.

588
00:30:28,900 --> 00:30:31,900
The Press:
You know, there are about 20
or 25 other Robert Gibbses

589
00:30:31,900 --> 00:30:33,000
on Twitter --

590
00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:34,230
(laughter)

591
00:30:34,233 --> 00:30:35,903
-- some of them who deign
to use your picture --

592
00:30:35,900 --> 00:30:36,900
I don't know why --

593
00:30:36,900 --> 00:30:38,170
(laughter)

594
00:30:38,166 --> 00:30:41,636
-- or the presidential
seal or the podium.

595
00:30:41,633 --> 00:30:45,763
Are you concerned that one of
these guys is going to hijack

596
00:30:45,767 --> 00:30:50,867
your message and, you know,
maybe burn you at some point?

597
00:30:50,867 --> 00:30:52,937
Mr. Gibbs:
No.

598
00:30:52,934 --> 00:30:55,804
I will say this, I mean,
again, I think if you go to --

599
00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:58,630
I don't know how many
Robert Gibbs there are,

600
00:30:58,633 --> 00:31:04,803
but if you go to @presssec,
you'll see that there is a

601
00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:06,600
verification for --

602
00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:07,730
The Press:
There is, indeed.

603
00:31:07,734 --> 00:31:11,134
Mr. Gibbs:
So obviously --

604
00:31:11,133 --> 00:31:14,333
The Press:
Several of them use that -- use a formulation with "presssec"

605
00:31:14,333 --> 00:31:16,103
in it, too.

606
00:31:16,100 --> 00:31:17,500
The Press:
They're very funny.

607
00:31:17,500 --> 00:31:19,430
Mr. Gibbs:
I think some of them
are quite humorous.

608
00:31:19,433 --> 00:31:22,063
I would, again, look
for the verification,

609
00:31:22,066 --> 00:31:24,766
and of course we only make big
announcements in hockey jerseys.

610
00:31:24,767 --> 00:31:27,037
So I'd say look for that.

611
00:31:27,033 --> 00:31:28,033
Yes, sir.

612
00:31:28,033 --> 00:31:29,563
The Press:
On the Fed announcements, you mentioned there are three that

613
00:31:29,567 --> 00:31:30,737
are leading contenders.

614
00:31:30,734 --> 00:31:32,404
Does that mean there
are lagging contenders?

615
00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:34,170
How big is the pool?

616
00:31:34,166 --> 00:31:35,996
Mr. Gibbs:
I wouldn't get into characterizing.

617
00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:41,670
I would just -- I put a few monikers on those names to

618
00:31:41,667 --> 00:31:43,937
describe where they
are in the process.

619
00:31:43,934 --> 00:31:46,064
The Press:
But there are other
names in the process?

620
00:31:46,066 --> 00:31:47,196
Mr. Gibbs:
There are other names, sure.

621
00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:48,600
The Press:
And what does it mean to
be a leading indicator?

622
00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:49,770
Does that mean they --

623
00:31:49,767 --> 00:31:50,837
Mr. Gibbs:
A leading contender.

624
00:31:50,834 --> 00:31:52,004
The Press:
A leading contender.

625
00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:53,300
Mr. Gibbs:
It means you've done well
in your weight class,

626
00:31:53,300 --> 00:31:55,470
you've done -- no.

627
00:31:55,467 --> 00:31:58,167
I would say -- I would put those at the top of the President's list.

628
00:31:58,166 --> 00:31:59,436
The Press:
Have they spoken
to the President?

629
00:31:59,433 --> 00:32:01,933
Has the President
offered them the job?

630
00:32:01,934 --> 00:32:03,734
Mr. Gibbs:
When we have official announcements,

631
00:32:03,734 --> 00:32:04,904
we'll put them on Twitter.

632
00:32:04,900 --> 00:32:06,970
(laughter)

633
00:32:06,967 --> 00:32:07,767
I'm joking.

634
00:32:07,767 --> 00:32:08,767
I'm joking.

635
00:32:08,767 --> 00:32:09,767
I'm joking.

636
00:32:09,767 --> 00:32:12,237
I'm joking.

637
00:32:12,233 --> 00:32:14,133
Come on, I'm wearing a hockey
jersey, for God's sake.

638
00:32:14,133 --> 00:32:15,703
(laughter)

639
00:32:15,700 --> 00:32:16,670
Go ahead.

640
00:32:16,667 --> 00:32:17,637
The Press:
Well, it makes it
funnier, I guess.

641
00:32:17,633 --> 00:32:18,733
Mr. Gibbs:
It does.

642
00:32:18,734 --> 00:32:20,534
The Press:
Is it fair to say, Robert, that next Thursday and Friday the

643
00:32:20,533 --> 00:32:23,303
President will devote almost all
of his attention to dealing with

644
00:32:23,300 --> 00:32:26,570
health care -- the votes and the pending conversations he may be

645
00:32:26,567 --> 00:32:28,067
needing to have with
House Democrats?

646
00:32:28,066 --> 00:32:32,866
Mr. Gibbs:
Major, I'm sure he'll dedicate a good -- a portion of his day --

647
00:32:32,867 --> 00:32:38,367
look, understanding that the -- there's not a shortage of things

648
00:32:38,367 --> 00:32:41,267
that we could spend time with the President on that are very pressing.

649
00:32:41,266 --> 00:32:43,636
The President starts -- generally starts each day with a

650
00:32:43,633 --> 00:32:48,603
daily intelligence briefing; almost always has an economic

651
00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:52,930
daily briefing; a series of meetings with senior advisors.

652
00:32:52,934 --> 00:32:56,734
Again, I assume he'll spend
certainly a portion of his day

653
00:32:56,734 --> 00:32:59,034
dealing with the
issues of health care,

654
00:32:59,033 --> 00:33:01,503
but I have no
doubt that we'll --

655
00:33:01,500 --> 00:33:04,330
we'll put on additional meetings
on other topics that are of

656
00:33:04,333 --> 00:33:07,233
importance, whether they're
the economy or whether they're

657
00:33:07,233 --> 00:33:08,433
national security.

658
00:33:08,433 --> 00:33:11,133
The Press:
And the meeting yesterday, Senator Graham represented

659
00:33:11,133 --> 00:33:13,703
afterwards that he told the
President face to face that if

660
00:33:13,700 --> 00:33:17,630
reconciliation is used for
health care in the Senate,

661
00:33:17,633 --> 00:33:20,863
that will kill any hope of
putting immigration on the

662
00:33:20,867 --> 00:33:24,167
agenda as a doable item for the
remainder of this legislative session.

663
00:33:24,166 --> 00:33:25,666
Does the President have
any reaction to that?

664
00:33:25,667 --> 00:33:29,267
Mr. Gibbs:
I have not talked to him directly about that statement.

665
00:33:29,266 --> 00:33:32,896
I doubt the President would
have agreed with that.

666
00:33:32,900 --> 00:33:35,600
The Press:
Why?

667
00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:40,070
Mr. Gibbs:
As we've talked about in this instance and about this issue

668
00:33:40,066 --> 00:33:46,866
before, reconciliation
is something that has --

669
00:33:46,867 --> 00:33:51,297
is a legislative tool
that's been used on many,

670
00:33:51,300 --> 00:33:56,030
many occasions, particularly as
it relates to things like health care.

671
00:33:56,033 --> 00:34:00,263
And we talked about the fact
that the Children's Health

672
00:34:00,266 --> 00:34:05,066
Insurance Program was done
through reconciliation;

673
00:34:05,066 --> 00:34:11,436
the COBRA program was done
through reconciliation.

674
00:34:11,433 --> 00:34:14,463
I don't know that Senator
Graham believed that --

675
00:34:14,467 --> 00:34:16,167
The Press:
So would it be the President's perspective that that would be

676
00:34:16,166 --> 00:34:17,336
an alarmist --

677
00:34:17,333 --> 00:34:19,163
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, hold on, let me --
I don't believe that --

678
00:34:19,166 --> 00:34:23,496
I don't believe that Senator
Graham thought that it would do

679
00:34:23,500 --> 00:34:28,800
damage to the legislative
priorities of the President when

680
00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:32,200
in 2001 and in 2003 tax cuts
went through reconciliation.

681
00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:35,330
So I wouldn't characterize
it except to say I doubt the

682
00:34:35,333 --> 00:34:36,763
President agrees with it.

683
00:34:36,767 --> 00:34:37,737
The Press:
Okay.

684
00:34:37,734 --> 00:34:39,434
One issue that's come
up for Luis Gutierrez,

685
00:34:39,433 --> 00:34:41,363
who I believe attended the
meeting with the President

686
00:34:41,367 --> 00:34:43,767
yesterday with the Congressional
Hispanic Caucus --

687
00:34:43,767 --> 00:34:46,567
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have a list of
the -- we had a list of --

688
00:34:46,567 --> 00:34:48,337
I think we put out
a list of invitees.

689
00:34:48,333 --> 00:34:50,433
I do not know who was there.

690
00:34:50,433 --> 00:34:53,463
I can certainly check and see
if Representative Gutierrez was there.

691
00:34:53,467 --> 00:34:54,867
The Press:
Okay.

692
00:34:54,867 --> 00:34:56,467
One issue he raised today
-- he still remains concerned,

693
00:34:56,467 --> 00:34:58,767
and he was when he voted
for the House bill,

694
00:34:58,767 --> 00:35:01,297
about restrictions
in the Senate bill,

695
00:35:01,300 --> 00:35:03,300
which of course is the underlying legislation,

696
00:35:03,300 --> 00:35:06,000
and there are no known fixes being proposed on immigration

697
00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,600
that I'm aware of -- please
tell me if I'm wrong --

698
00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:10,930
that the Senate language is
simply too restrictive and it

699
00:35:10,934 --> 00:35:12,764
doesn't allow
undocumented workers,

700
00:35:12,767 --> 00:35:15,467
even with their own money, to
purchase in the health exchange

701
00:35:15,467 --> 00:35:19,297
system, and would keep them -- prevent them from doing that for five years.

702
00:35:19,300 --> 00:35:22,100
He now says publicly
he will vote no.

703
00:35:22,100 --> 00:35:25,230
Is that a concern
to the White House?

704
00:35:25,233 --> 00:35:27,003
Is there something that the
White House is open to in

705
00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:30,200
dealing with that issue in
fixing the legislation?

706
00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:31,700
Or is that something
that needs to --

707
00:35:31,700 --> 00:35:33,100
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me check with
Legislative Affairs.

708
00:35:33,100 --> 00:35:36,900
I know that -- I don't know
the degree to which --

709
00:35:36,900 --> 00:35:40,670
I was not in yesterday's meeting
so I can certainly try to check on that.

710
00:35:40,667 --> 00:35:43,297
The Press:
Robert, yesterday you said
some of the President's big

711
00:35:43,300 --> 00:35:49,170
priorities after health care are
financial regulatory reform and

712
00:35:49,166 --> 00:35:50,766
the Citizens United case.

713
00:35:50,767 --> 00:35:52,997
What did you mean by that?

714
00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,770
In other words, what can you do
specifically about that ruling?

715
00:35:56,767 --> 00:35:59,597
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, the legislation right
now with Senator Schumer and

716
00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:06,070
Congressman Van Hollen that
would address some of the things

717
00:36:06,066 --> 00:36:09,866
that were opened up as a result
of that Supreme Court ruling.

718
00:36:09,867 --> 00:36:11,567
We've certainly looked
at that legislation,

719
00:36:11,567 --> 00:36:16,497
and I think counsel and others
are evaluating that and other

720
00:36:16,500 --> 00:36:24,370
vehicles in order to address
-- to address what the Supreme

721
00:36:24,367 --> 00:36:26,197
Court opened up in their ruling.

722
00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:30,470
The Press:
One more question while you
have the USA sweater on there.

723
00:36:30,467 --> 00:36:35,137
I draw your attention to a website that's posted a letter

724
00:36:35,133 --> 00:36:39,063
to "Barack the Red" -- not
what you think it means.

725
00:36:39,066 --> 00:36:40,366
Mr. Gibbs:
Do I need to get my
Canadian jersey back?

726
00:36:40,367 --> 00:36:41,337
The Press:
No.

727
00:36:41,333 --> 00:36:42,163
(laughter)

728
00:36:42,166 --> 00:36:43,866
They write, "These
are trying times.

729
00:36:43,867 --> 00:36:46,837
Unemployment is in double
digits ... Audacity?

730
00:36:46,834 --> 00:36:49,004
Check out number eight,
Alexander Ovechkin.

731
00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:50,030
Hope?

732
00:36:50,033 --> 00:36:51,663
This season has found the
Capitals with better postseason

733
00:36:51,667 --> 00:36:53,337
prospects than any other year."

734
00:36:53,333 --> 00:36:56,463
They plaintively
write at the end here,

735
00:36:56,467 --> 00:36:58,297
"The Capitals bandwagon
is filling up quickly,

736
00:36:58,300 --> 00:37:00,070
but we need a leader."

737
00:37:00,066 --> 00:37:01,436
(laughter)

738
00:37:01,433 --> 00:37:02,833
Will the President commit to
going to a Washington Capitals

739
00:37:02,834 --> 00:37:04,804
game this season?

740
00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:06,070
Mr. Gibbs:
I can't say --

741
00:37:06,066 --> 00:37:07,396
The Press:
It would be his first
hockey game ever, right?

742
00:37:07,400 --> 00:37:09,500
Mr. Gibbs:
I can't say -- no, I
think he's been to --

743
00:37:09,500 --> 00:37:12,970
I'll check and see if he's been
to a game in Chicago or not --

744
00:37:12,967 --> 00:37:15,737
less so in Hawaii.

745
00:37:15,734 --> 00:37:18,864
I will check on whether
he's been to a game before.

746
00:37:18,867 --> 00:37:22,997
I don't know whether he'll do
that before March 18th, but --

747
00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:25,300
The Press:
He's got a couple
extra days now.

748
00:37:25,300 --> 00:37:26,270
(laughter)

749
00:37:26,266 --> 00:37:27,336
Mr. Gibbs:
Come on, guys.

750
00:37:27,333 --> 00:37:28,433
It's Friday, for God's sakes.

751
00:37:28,433 --> 00:37:29,563
(laughter)

752
00:37:29,567 --> 00:37:31,667
Look, I think he would
very much enjoy going.

753
00:37:31,667 --> 00:37:35,067
Obviously the last time he
ventured out to a sporting

754
00:37:35,066 --> 00:37:39,536
event, Georgetown looked
like they did yesterday,

755
00:37:39,533 --> 00:37:42,033
not like they did in the
previous several weeks.

756
00:37:42,033 --> 00:37:43,903
So, look, I know he
enjoys going out there.

757
00:37:43,900 --> 00:37:46,500
I know that -- I think we've gotten invitations from the

758
00:37:46,500 --> 00:37:48,270
owner to go.

759
00:37:48,266 --> 00:37:50,866
And I know he'd be -- he
can borrow my jersey.

760
00:37:50,867 --> 00:37:52,597
Yes, ma'am.

761
00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:54,500
The Press:
Robert, I wanted to ask
you about the Afghanistan

762
00:37:54,500 --> 00:37:56,130
meeting today.

763
00:37:56,133 --> 00:37:58,603
Did the issue of reconciliation -- not health care --

764
00:37:58,600 --> 00:37:59,870
(laughter)

765
00:37:59,867 --> 00:38:02,267
-- but the reconciliation
with the Taliban come up?

766
00:38:02,266 --> 00:38:04,566
Officials have said in the past
that they think that the U.S.

767
00:38:04,567 --> 00:38:06,697
should only do that from
a position of strength.

768
00:38:06,700 --> 00:38:11,100
Mr. Gibbs:
I will say, Helene, I left with about two or three minutes to go

769
00:38:11,100 --> 00:38:12,230
in the meeting.

770
00:38:12,233 --> 00:38:15,033
They were just getting to --
or I should I say I left when I

771
00:38:15,033 --> 00:38:16,603
thought two or three minutes were left in the meeting.

772
00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:19,170
I will find out if there were
additional conversations.

773
00:38:19,166 --> 00:38:21,666
This was something the President
was bringing up as I left the

774
00:38:21,667 --> 00:38:23,997
meeting after about
an hour and a half.

775
00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:29,070
So let me see if there's any
additional information on that.

776
00:38:29,066 --> 00:38:30,166
Yes, sir.

777
00:38:30,166 --> 00:38:31,366
The Press:
Thank you, Robert.

778
00:38:31,367 --> 00:38:33,297
Two questions on Pennsylvania.

779
00:38:33,300 --> 00:38:38,000
First, last week both major
parties chose candidates for the

780
00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:42,500
western Pennsylvania seat
of the late John Murtha.

781
00:38:42,500 --> 00:38:45,630
The President campaigned for
Bill Owens in New York last year

782
00:38:45,633 --> 00:38:48,433
and for Ms. Coakley
in Massachusetts.

783
00:38:48,433 --> 00:38:50,933
Does he plan to
campaign for Mr. Critz?

784
00:38:50,934 --> 00:38:52,464
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have any scheduling information on that,

785
00:38:52,467 --> 00:38:54,767
and I can certainly check
with Political Affairs.

786
00:38:54,767 --> 00:38:58,597
The Press:
And the other thing: Do you
have an answer yet on Mr.

787
00:38:58,600 --> 00:38:59,970
Sestak's charge?

788
00:38:59,967 --> 00:39:01,597
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have any more information on that.

789
00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:02,670
Peter.

790
00:39:02,667 --> 00:39:03,837
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm
sorry -- go ahead.

791
00:39:03,834 --> 00:39:05,404
The Press:
Robert -- thank you, Robert.

792
00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:08,770
When all is said and done, isn't
it really more for image that

793
00:39:08,767 --> 00:39:10,837
the President -- are you
going to take off your --

794
00:39:10,834 --> 00:39:12,904
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes, it's getting a little warm in here, and it's not just me.

795
00:39:12,900 --> 00:39:14,100
The Press:
Looks pretty good.

796
00:39:14,100 --> 00:39:15,530
Mr. Gibbs:
Go ahead, I'm listening.

797
00:39:15,533 --> 00:39:18,303
(laughter)

798
00:39:18,300 --> 00:39:20,170
I can do two things
at once, guys.

799
00:39:20,166 --> 00:39:21,496
The Press:
Absolutely.

800
00:39:21,500 --> 00:39:23,530
When all is said and done, isn't
it really a good argument that

801
00:39:23,533 --> 00:39:25,633
the President is
going to go to --

802
00:39:25,633 --> 00:39:29,263
going to postpone his trip
really for image and not really

803
00:39:29,266 --> 00:39:30,366
for substance?

804
00:39:30,367 --> 00:39:32,267
You said before that he
does have a telephone --

805
00:39:32,266 --> 00:39:35,566
a cell phone on the plane;
he's in touch with everybody;

806
00:39:35,567 --> 00:39:36,897
he could do it here.

807
00:39:36,900 --> 00:39:39,170
But, frankly, there's a lot of
heat I think being generated

808
00:39:39,166 --> 00:39:42,596
that he's away from maybe some
people think he should be here.

809
00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:45,300
So how do you respond to
those kinds of concerns?

810
00:39:45,300 --> 00:39:48,470
Mr. Gibbs:
Look, the President
shouldn't go at all?

811
00:39:48,467 --> 00:39:50,897
The Press:
No, not that -- yes, you've
made the point it's a good trip.

812
00:39:50,900 --> 00:39:52,030
But --

813
00:39:52,033 --> 00:39:54,433
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, no, it's an
important trip; right.

814
00:39:54,433 --> 00:39:57,233
The Press:
An important trip.

815
00:39:57,233 --> 00:39:59,703
Mr. Gibbs:
Maybe I don't -- I'm
failing to understand --

816
00:39:59,700 --> 00:40:02,400
give me the first
part of your question.

817
00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:05,770
The Press:
The President is now not going -- now postponing his trip.

818
00:40:05,767 --> 00:40:08,837
Couldn't the argument be made
that it's more for image,

819
00:40:08,834 --> 00:40:10,204
that he really
can do everything,

820
00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:13,230
as you've said before, on the
trip that he can do here,

821
00:40:13,233 --> 00:40:14,833
and now he's reversing course?

822
00:40:14,834 --> 00:40:20,004
Mr. Gibbs:
No, I -- look, I -- as I said, certainly the plane comes,

823
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:26,230
in many ways regrettably, with all that equipment that would

824
00:40:26,233 --> 00:40:28,403
allow him to be in touch.

825
00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:33,370
I think everybody believed
that him being here was more important.

826
00:40:33,367 --> 00:40:37,567
The trip -- we didn't postpone the trip for any image sake.

827
00:40:37,567 --> 00:40:40,397
I think the -- in the discussion that the President had with the

828
00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:43,200
Speaker and the Majority
Leader in the Senate,

829
00:40:43,200 --> 00:40:47,000
it was agreed upon that,
quite frankly, we could do --

830
00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:51,730
we could give a few extra days
here to what they needed as well

831
00:40:51,734 --> 00:40:56,164
as keep -- and I will say our scheduling guys have done a

832
00:40:56,166 --> 00:41:02,366
heroic job of keeping the trip intact in an important region of the world.

833
00:41:02,367 --> 00:41:06,197
So this is not done for anything
other than a few extra days to

834
00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:10,270
work on getting health care
reform through the process,

835
00:41:10,266 --> 00:41:12,466
as well as keeping
that important trip.

836
00:41:12,467 --> 00:41:14,937
The Press:
Has he got a few people that he's specifically earmarking to

837
00:41:14,934 --> 00:41:17,564
talk to that he thinks might
be able to change their minds,

838
00:41:17,567 --> 00:41:19,797
those who voted for and
now might vote against,

839
00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:21,670
or people he thinks
he might be able to --

840
00:41:21,667 --> 00:41:23,537
Mr. Gibbs:
Look, without getting
into a lot of names,

841
00:41:23,533 --> 00:41:29,263
I think we've all seen folks
that have said they want to take

842
00:41:29,266 --> 00:41:31,066
a look at what the
new legislation is.

843
00:41:31,066 --> 00:41:34,566
Again, I think people are
rightly waiting for an

844
00:41:34,567 --> 00:41:40,997
evaluation from CBO as a way of
answering some of the questions

845
00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:42,070
that they have.

846
00:41:42,066 --> 00:41:45,836
I think the President certainly
will talk to people about,

847
00:41:45,834 --> 00:41:48,434
again, why he thinks the bill is
important and why he thinks it

848
00:41:48,433 --> 00:41:54,333
does so many good things on
cost and things like that.

849
00:41:54,333 --> 00:41:55,133
Peter.

850
00:41:55,133 --> 00:41:56,133
The Press:
Thanks, Robert.

851
00:41:56,133 --> 00:42:00,163
On immigration reform, will the
President work to round up more

852
00:42:00,166 --> 00:42:03,596
Republican co-sponsors for the
bill that Schumer and Graham are

853
00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:05,530
working on?

854
00:42:05,533 --> 00:42:07,803
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me not get ahead of the President's evaluation process

855
00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:12,770
of the framework that they
walked him through some yesterday.

856
00:42:12,767 --> 00:42:15,297
The Press:
And also, do you expect that
the President may give a public

857
00:42:15,300 --> 00:42:17,700
statement or a speech of
any kind on immigration,

858
00:42:17,700 --> 00:42:21,230
maybe before the rally in
Washington on the 21st?

859
00:42:21,233 --> 00:42:22,563
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me check with scheduling.

860
00:42:22,567 --> 00:42:23,897
I know the -- look,
I will say this,

861
00:42:23,900 --> 00:42:28,630
I know the President committed to Senators Schumer and Graham,

862
00:42:28,633 --> 00:42:32,203
to the Hispanic Caucus,
and to activists,

863
00:42:32,200 --> 00:42:34,300
as I think you read in
his statement yesterday,

864
00:42:34,300 --> 00:42:39,100
the importance of and his strong
belief in getting comprehensive

865
00:42:39,100 --> 00:42:41,130
reform done.

866
00:42:41,133 --> 00:42:45,403
He's a supporter of that, and
obviously it is our strong hope

867
00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:47,670
that we can make
progress on this.

868
00:42:47,667 --> 00:42:49,697
The Press:
Robert, there's talk on the Hill about putting the President's

869
00:42:49,700 --> 00:42:53,200
student loan proposal
into the health care bill.

870
00:42:53,200 --> 00:42:54,930
What does that have to
do with health care,

871
00:42:54,934 --> 00:42:57,804
and why would that go in there?

872
00:42:57,800 --> 00:43:00,700
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't think any final decisions have been made.

873
00:43:00,700 --> 00:43:06,830
Obviously one way of getting
important reforms through the

874
00:43:06,834 --> 00:43:09,564
legislative process
would be in this vehicle.

875
00:43:09,567 --> 00:43:12,737
I think this is -- these are reforms that are good for

876
00:43:12,734 --> 00:43:16,664
students; they're really
good for taxpayers;

877
00:43:16,667 --> 00:43:18,767
they're bad for
special interests.

878
00:43:18,767 --> 00:43:20,497
I don't think -- again, I don't think any final decisions have

879
00:43:20,500 --> 00:43:21,800
been made on Capitol Hill.

880
00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:23,770
I would point you up there.

881
00:43:23,767 --> 00:43:28,537
I know the President is a strong
believer in a reform system that

882
00:43:28,533 --> 00:43:36,703
would cut out the middleman on
borrowing money for millions of

883
00:43:36,700 --> 00:43:38,230
kids to go to college.

884
00:43:38,233 --> 00:43:40,403
The Press:
Is it because -- I mean, but
it also would save money.

885
00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:42,900
Is it because it would bring
down the overall cost of the

886
00:43:42,900 --> 00:43:45,770
package, including
the health care part?

887
00:43:45,767 --> 00:43:48,437
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have anything on that.

888
00:43:48,433 --> 00:43:51,503
Again, I know this is an
important reform for the President.

889
00:43:51,500 --> 00:43:52,430
Yes, sir.

890
00:43:52,433 --> 00:43:53,533
The Press:
Thank you, Robert.

891
00:43:53,533 --> 00:43:55,863
On Afghanistan and the
meeting this morning,

892
00:43:55,867 --> 00:44:00,697
as General McChrystal -- is
he satisfied with the NATO

893
00:44:00,700 --> 00:44:02,500
involvement in the
Marja offensive --

894
00:44:02,500 --> 00:44:04,670
the British and the
Canadians were involved.

895
00:44:04,667 --> 00:44:08,867
And knowing that NATO hasn't
been able yet to reach the goal

896
00:44:08,867 --> 00:44:13,737
of several thousand NATO
soldiers on the ground,

897
00:44:13,734 --> 00:44:19,234
has the President or does the
President intend to reach to

898
00:44:19,233 --> 00:44:21,833
NATO leaders, and the Canadian
Prime Minister in particular,

899
00:44:21,834 --> 00:44:25,904
on this topic?

900
00:44:25,900 --> 00:44:29,770
Mr. Gibbs:
NATO came up in the sense of discussing their contributions

901
00:44:29,767 --> 00:44:35,037
and in walking through the
commitment that we need,

902
00:44:35,033 --> 00:44:36,903
quite honestly, from
all of our partners,

903
00:44:36,900 --> 00:44:39,930
particularly in the
realm of training.

904
00:44:39,934 --> 00:44:43,504
We did not discuss in the
meeting any additional steps

905
00:44:43,500 --> 00:44:47,670
that the President might take.

906
00:44:47,667 --> 00:44:51,567
Again, the President and many
on the team understand the

907
00:44:51,567 --> 00:44:57,197
importance of what
we have to do in --

908
00:44:57,200 --> 00:44:59,030
not just in force contributions.

909
00:44:59,033 --> 00:45:03,533
As I mentioned, General
McChrystal believed that the

910
00:45:03,533 --> 00:45:09,403
pace of force flow from what the
President had asked for was on schedule.

911
00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:12,730
But we have critical
improvements that have to be

912
00:45:12,734 --> 00:45:20,234
made as it relates to an Afghan
national army and critical

913
00:45:20,233 --> 00:45:23,433
improvements that have to be
made in an Afghan national

914
00:45:23,433 --> 00:45:31,363
police and the importance of
getting additional trainers from

915
00:45:31,367 --> 00:45:35,737
NATO countries to Afghanistan
as quickly as possible.

916
00:45:35,734 --> 00:45:43,064
We are -- in these meetings, the President has gone through and

917
00:45:43,066 --> 00:45:51,266
looked at monthly recruitment and retention goals because at

918
00:45:51,266 --> 00:45:55,666
some point we're going -- we're not going to be there forever.

919
00:45:55,667 --> 00:46:02,737
And the Afghan national army -- and in many districts not only

920
00:46:02,734 --> 00:46:04,634
are we going to need improved governance but we're going to

921
00:46:04,633 --> 00:46:09,863
need a police force
that can keep the peace.

922
00:46:09,867 --> 00:46:13,137
So that came up,
but there were no --

923
00:46:13,133 --> 00:46:16,233
there was no discussion of
additional calls by the President.

924
00:46:16,233 --> 00:46:17,563
Yes, sir.

925
00:46:17,567 --> 00:46:18,937
Oh, Stephen, you didn't have
-- I thought you had some.

926
00:46:18,934 --> 00:46:23,634
The Press:
Actually, just on that subject, will the President perhaps make

927
00:46:23,633 --> 00:46:27,563
a new request to Australia
during his trip for more help in

928
00:46:27,567 --> 00:46:31,867
Afghanistan for perhaps trainers
rather than combat troops?

929
00:46:31,867 --> 00:46:33,237
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me check with NSC on that.

930
00:46:33,233 --> 00:46:35,033
That was not discussed.

931
00:46:35,033 --> 00:46:36,163
Yes, ma'am.

932
00:46:36,166 --> 00:46:38,696
The Press:
Robert, back on the issue
of the public option,

933
00:46:38,700 --> 00:46:41,730
now that it's off of life
support and it's now one of the

934
00:46:41,734 --> 00:46:45,664
casualties of the fight
for health care reform,

935
00:46:45,667 --> 00:46:48,837
is the President looking at
passage and then possibly going

936
00:46:48,834 --> 00:46:50,964
back after the
passage to tweak it?

937
00:46:50,967 --> 00:46:53,167
And the reason why I ask
that -- some members of the

938
00:46:53,166 --> 00:46:57,236
Congressional Black Caucus who were for the public option and

939
00:46:57,233 --> 00:47:01,563
now are saying, okay, there have problems before when we passed

940
00:47:01,567 --> 00:47:05,067
something and we've come back
to tweak it, like on Medicare,

941
00:47:05,066 --> 00:47:06,136
Social Security.

942
00:47:06,133 --> 00:47:08,063
Is that the President's
mindset as well,

943
00:47:08,066 --> 00:47:10,166
and did he talk to
them about that?

944
00:47:10,166 --> 00:47:12,096
Did they have that kind
of discussion yesterday?

945
00:47:12,100 --> 00:47:14,900
Mr. Gibbs:
I will check with folks that
-- I was not in that meeting

946
00:47:14,900 --> 00:47:17,230
because that was taking
place during my briefing.

947
00:47:17,233 --> 00:47:19,703
I don't know whether that was
something that was discussed.

948
00:47:19,700 --> 00:47:23,530
I know that the -- again, the President is focused on the

949
00:47:23,533 --> 00:47:27,163
legislation that we have at
hand and in trying to get that

950
00:47:27,166 --> 00:47:30,396
through and I think
that's what, again --

951
00:47:30,400 --> 00:47:32,230
The Press:
So he's not looking down
at the road at re-tweaks.

952
00:47:32,233 --> 00:47:33,503
He's just looking --

953
00:47:33,500 --> 00:47:36,000
Mr. Gibbs:
Right now we're focused on -- we can't re-tweak anything that we

954
00:47:36,000 --> 00:47:42,070
can't get passed, and that's what our focus is at the moment.

955
00:47:42,066 --> 00:47:46,236
The Press:
Robert, as you know, you had a little bit of a hiccup there at

956
00:47:46,233 --> 00:47:50,403
the end with the confirmation
of Ben Bernanke at the Fed.

957
00:47:50,400 --> 00:47:52,370
Neither one of these three
potential appointees seem to

958
00:47:52,367 --> 00:47:54,537
have a lot of small
business experience;

959
00:47:54,533 --> 00:47:57,263
they're fairly mainstream folks
from the financial world.

960
00:47:57,266 --> 00:48:01,036
Five senators have just put
out a letter to the President

961
00:48:01,033 --> 00:48:04,733
requesting that these three
appointees have real-world

962
00:48:04,734 --> 00:48:09,364
experience, experience with the
middle class and small business owners.

963
00:48:09,367 --> 00:48:11,497
Do these three folks have
that kind of experience,

964
00:48:11,500 --> 00:48:14,100
and how do you respond
to those concerns?

965
00:48:14,100 --> 00:48:15,770
Mr. Gibbs:
I'm happy to look at the letter.

966
00:48:15,767 --> 00:48:22,667
I think that these
are strong contenders.

967
00:48:22,667 --> 00:48:28,267
They have strong credentials.

968
00:48:28,266 --> 00:48:30,166
They have good experience.

969
00:48:30,166 --> 00:48:32,166
I'm happy to look at the letter
and maybe have a better comment

970
00:48:32,166 --> 00:48:33,436
on it then.

971
00:48:33,433 --> 00:48:34,633
George.

972
00:48:34,633 --> 00:48:38,263
The Press:
Boehner and McConnell have
put out their names for the

973
00:48:38,266 --> 00:48:40,866
deficit commission.

974
00:48:40,867 --> 00:48:42,737
Do you have any
reaction to those names?

975
00:48:42,734 --> 00:48:47,364
And when do you hope that
commission gets up and working?

976
00:48:47,367 --> 00:48:51,237
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, I think it's a positive development for the

977
00:48:51,233 --> 00:48:55,563
commission that while there
was some concern about whether

978
00:48:55,567 --> 00:48:58,337
Republicans would put
forward names they now have,

979
00:48:58,333 --> 00:49:05,303
and I think that's an important
and a positive development,

980
00:49:05,300 --> 00:49:09,370
we think and hope that the rest
of those names will be coming

981
00:49:09,367 --> 00:49:12,967
forward soon.

982
00:49:12,967 --> 00:49:20,197
Look, I think the President
believes that this is an

983
00:49:20,200 --> 00:49:24,730
important -- an important commission to look at all of the

984
00:49:24,734 --> 00:49:30,064
aspects of what this government spends money on and to evaluate

985
00:49:30,066 --> 00:49:34,366
its sustainability
in the future.

986
00:49:34,367 --> 00:49:38,497
Obviously you've got many -- many of those choices have put

987
00:49:38,500 --> 00:49:41,900
forward, in the case of Congressman Ryan or in others,

988
00:49:41,900 --> 00:49:47,270
their own plans in the past,
and I'm sure that will --

989
00:49:47,266 --> 00:49:49,866
that will govern many of the
recommendations and advice that

990
00:49:49,867 --> 00:49:52,267
some of those members have.

991
00:49:52,266 --> 00:49:56,096
Again, our strong hope is
that in the next few weeks,

992
00:49:56,100 --> 00:49:59,430
not only will the commission be
filled out but we'll have staff

993
00:49:59,433 --> 00:50:02,733
in place and that the commission
can meet soon in order to

994
00:50:02,734 --> 00:50:05,704
generate recommendations,
hopefully that Congress can act

995
00:50:05,700 --> 00:50:09,170
on quickly.

996
00:50:09,166 --> 00:50:10,396
Ken.

997
00:50:10,400 --> 00:50:13,430
The Press:
Robert, my understanding is that they're going to start marking

998
00:50:13,433 --> 00:50:16,163
up the reconciliation bill at
the same time that we're going

999
00:50:16,166 --> 00:50:19,966
to be dealing with trying to
get the Senate bill passed.

1000
00:50:19,967 --> 00:50:22,237
What's the White
House role in that?

1001
00:50:22,233 --> 00:50:25,263
And also, won't that be a little
bit confusing to be working on

1002
00:50:25,266 --> 00:50:28,066
sort of two tracks of
health care at once?

1003
00:50:28,066 --> 00:50:38,966
Mr. Gibbs:
No, no, look, I think the -- obviously the House will take up

1004
00:50:38,967 --> 00:50:40,367
the measure.

1005
00:50:40,367 --> 00:50:44,067
The Budget Committee has to take
up in the House reconciliation,

1006
00:50:44,066 --> 00:50:46,066
begin that process.

1007
00:50:46,066 --> 00:50:48,636
I think the Speaker has said
that that will be posted on the

1008
00:50:48,633 --> 00:50:53,203
Internet for some
period of time.

1009
00:50:53,200 --> 00:50:56,330
I don't think it will be
confusing because I do think

1010
00:50:56,333 --> 00:51:01,603
that, at this point, people
understand that this is a --

1011
00:51:01,600 --> 00:51:06,770
this is a two-step process that
has to get done before we can

1012
00:51:06,767 --> 00:51:08,367
wrap health care up altogether.

1013
00:51:08,367 --> 00:51:09,167
Thanks, guys.

1014
00:51:09,166 --> 00:51:10,396
Have a good weekend.