English subtitles for clip: File:5-20-10- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Gibbs:
All right, everybody
got their recorders

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and BlackBerries going?

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Mr. Feller, fire away.

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The Press:
Thanks, Robert. I
have two questions.

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Mr. Gibbs:
I didn't mean to get yours
out, Chip, for goodness sakes.

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The Press:
I thought you were going
to do this by BlackBerry.

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Mr. Gibbs:
No, I still don't
have mine up here.

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The Press:
About the sinking of the
South Korean naval ship,

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can you tell us what steps the
White House is considering

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against North Korea, if
any, in defense of its ally?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, let me first
just talk broadly.

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We have -- we're involved
in and have carefully

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reviewed the results of the
international investigation.

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As I said in a
statement last evening,

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the report is an objective
and scientific evaluation

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of the evidence that points
overwhelmingly to the conclusion

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that the ship was sunk by
a North Korean torpedo.

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Obviously we strongly condemn
this act of aggression against

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the Republic of Korea, and
send our condolences to those

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families of the 46 sailors
that lost their lives.

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Obviously we are -- we have
and enjoy an extremely strong

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and close relationship
with the Republic of Korea,

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and we are in consultation
with them as they contemplate

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their next steps.

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The Press:
What about the White
House's next step?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, we're in
consultation directly

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with the South Koreans as they
make their next set of decisions.

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The Press:
Is it -- is the next step something that the United

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States' preference would be an
international one or something --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, I think that
-- in addition to the South

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Koreans, we've been in touch
with neighboring countries.

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We're been in touch with bodies
of the international community.

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And I would -- I'd say that
North Korea is a country that

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has, because of its actions
over the past many years,

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isolated itself even
further from the

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international community.

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That's what resulted
in a very strong set

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of sanctions last year.

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And I think these --
this act of aggression,

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this clear violation of the
armistice agreement further

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sets them back and
further isolates them.

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The Press:
Do you think it's fair
to say in some form or

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fashion that there
will be consequences?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think -- I'll
be honest with you, Ben,

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I think there are consequences
already for the North Koreans.

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Again, they're further isolated
from the international community

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based on the steps that they've
taken to isolate themselves.

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The Press:
Just one more on this.

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To put this in perspective,
North Korea is saying any

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retaliation would
mean "all-out war."

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I just want to frame
this the right way.

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Does the President have any
real concern that this could

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actually lead to war?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, I don't want
to get into a series of

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hypotheticals except to
reiterate the -- our strong

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consultation, as part of
the involvement in this

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investigation as well as in
discussions with the South

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Koreans about what's next.

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The Press:
Follow-up -- what
does isolation mean?

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The Press:
I have a follow-up, too.

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Mr. Gibbs:
What is isolation --

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The Press:
What's the definition of isolation?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, the actions that they've
taken have led them to the point

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in which they don't share a
very healthy relationship with

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virtually everybody
in their region.

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They have watched the
international community align

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against the actions that they've
taken as it relates to their

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nuclear program, ballistic
missiles, and now these actions.

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I think the quality of life of
their citizens demonstrates that

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the actions that they've
taken have isolated them

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from the world community.

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Yes, ma'am.

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The Press:
In terms of the next steps,
Japan has said it would back

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a U.N. resolution.

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Is that in the works?

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Is that something the
United States would be

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willing to take --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Again, we're in consultation
with a host of different

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entities, including the Security
Council in the U.N. and working

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closely with the South Koreans.

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The Press:
Does that mean
it's a possibility?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Look, I think there's a lot of
things that are on the table.

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The Press:
And I know you don't want
to get into hypotheticals,

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but has South Korea given the
United States any assurances

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that they won't take
military action?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I'm not going to get into the
private discussions that the two

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countries have had except to say
they're in close consultation.

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Yes, sir.

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The Press:
Can you shed some light on
the announcement -- or not

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the announcement, the direction
from the EPA to BP yesterday?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, we -- I
think first and foremost,

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we are seeing -- as a result of
the scope and the size of the

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spill in the Gulf, we have seen
a large quantity of dispersants

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used, primarily on the surface,
some underneath the sea.

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Monitoring and testing
has continued to take

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place during that.

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But as we move forward, the EPA
believed best to use the least

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toxic dispersant, again, as
we are into -- well into the

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fourth week of what has
happened in the Gulf.

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Even as we continue to monitor
air and water quality,

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we have asked and are asking
BP to be transparent about the

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measurements that it is
taking as it relates to

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air and water quality.

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And we'll be asking them
to more publicly provide,

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as I talked about last week, the
video that they may have of the

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structure on the
floor of the sea.

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This is -- again, even as EPA
continues to monitor the area.

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The Press:
But BP was telling the public
that the dispersant they were

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using was essentially soapsuds.

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My understanding is that the
dispersant is actually not used

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in several Western countries
because of its toxicity.

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Should they have been
using a different

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dispersant from the beginning?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, I think the
dispersant that they're

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using is part of a broader
list of approved dispersants.

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Our feeling and the EPA's
feeling is given the extent

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to which they are -- we are
having to continue to use them,

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that to use the least toxic
of those makes the most sense.

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The Press:
And just a follow-up on the
election victory of Joe Sestak

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the other night.

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First of all, this makes four
candidates that President Obama

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has endorsed -- Deeds,
Corzine, Coakley,

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and Specter -- that have lost.

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He's 0-4 in terms of his
campaigning for candidates.

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Is that a concern at all
of this administration,

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or the President, the
political operation?

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Mr. Gibbs:
No.

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The Press:
And Sestak --
several months ago,

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I asked you on February 23rd if
you could find out more about

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what Sestak said about the
White House making him an

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offer to not run.

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And I know that in March you
said whatever conversations have

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been had are not problematic.

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But I'm wondering since this has
become an issue in Congressman

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Sestak's campaign and will
likely be -- continue to be

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an issue, if you could -- if
you want to put it to rest

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right now, what exactly
was the conversation?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Jake, I don't have anything
to add to what I said in March.

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The Press:
But you never -- you
never really explained

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what the conversation was.

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Mr. Gibbs:
Then I don't have
anything to add today.

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The Press:
But if the White House offers
a congressman a position in the

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administration in order to
convince that congressman

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to not run for office --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Jake, I don't have
anything to add to that.

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The Press:
But you've said a number
of times that you would

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get something for us on that.

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Mr. Gibbs:
And I did. And I gave
that answer in March,

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and I don't have
anything to add to that.

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The Press:
But do you really think
the American people don't

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have a right to know about what
exactly the conversation was?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Jake, I don't have anything
to add to what I said in March.

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The Press:
Can I ask a quick
follow on that,

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because yesterday Congressman
Sestak was on CNN and said,

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in fact, that he was
offered something.

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He wouldn't say more, but
he said he was offered a job.

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Would you deny that?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Ed, I don't have -- I
wouldn't give you --

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The Press:
But that's correct?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have anything to
add to what Jake asked me.

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The Press:
So you can't rule out
that a job was offered?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have anything to
add to what I said in March.

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The Press:
Is that because the Counsel's
Office said to, Robert?

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Mr. Gibbs:
No.

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The Press:
On advice of the Counsel's Office?

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Mr. Gibbs:
No.

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The Press:
Could you seek more information?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have anything to
add to what I said in March.

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The Press:
I know you don't now, but
why can't you -- it sounds

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like you're saying you
don't -- you have no

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interest in getting information.

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Mr. Gibbs:
I will just refer you
to what I said in March.

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The Press:
But what does "problematic" mean?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Go ahead.

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The Press:
Can I ask on BP --
when you answered Jake,

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you said we are asking BP to
be more transparent about air

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quality, about how much
oil is spilling out.

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Asking is a lot different than
what the Interior Secretary said

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this morning, and you've said
before from this podium,

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that we've got the boot
on the throats of BP.

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Asking them for -- why
are you not demanding it?

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Mr. Gibbs:
It's just -- I will provide
you with the letter that will

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soon go out which, pursuant
to the Clean Water Act,

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we are asking for them
to provide the data,

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put it on a website,
update that website daily,

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provide whatever access they
have to video to both -- fully

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to the government
and to the public.

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We think that is what
the company owes, again,

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both us and the American people
as we work through our response

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and as the public has questions
about their operations.

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I will say my guess,
Ed, would be that

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they're not going to
want to hide that data,

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that they'll, based on
this letter, provide it.

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The Press:
Yet this video you've
been talking about,

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you've been asking for, the
media has been asking for days.

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They released a
small one, I think,

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but there's a lot
more that you want.

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Why does that give you --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Which is why we've asked --

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The Press:
-- why does that give
them any credibility that

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they're going to turn it over?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Ed, I think they will respond
favorably to this letter.

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The Press:
This morning a spokesman
for BP, Mark Proegler,

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said that he now believes that
it's actually spilling more than

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5,000 barrels a day, but he
couldn't say exactly how much.

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And I think this gets
back to the point -- these

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oceanographers were on the Hill
testifying yesterday saying that

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this government, the Obama
administration should be doing

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more to demand of the company
this data and how much is really

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spilling out and how four weeks
later could you not know?

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Mr. Gibbs:
That's why the letter --
that's one of the reasons the

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letter is going, is to
find out more information.

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Ed, I --

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The Press:
Do you really think a letter
is going to force the company?

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I mean, it doesn't
sound very tough.

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Mr. Gibbs:
Ed, let me -- well, do
you have a better idea?

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The Press:
You say you've got a
boot on the throat --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Maybe we could --
maybe a story on CNN?

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Ed, let me -- I think you heard
the President say in the Rose

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Garden last Friday that -- I'm
not sure it is -- I'm sure there

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are many different estimates.

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NOAA is conducting testing
through many different research

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vehicles on the degree to which
-- and we now have evidence to

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believe that likely there
is oil in the beginning of

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the loop current.

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So we're trying to find out the
degree to which more of that

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will go into the loop
current, how much.

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There's testing that's going
on to determine the size and

229
00:12:19,100 --> 00:12:22,870
scope of underwater oil.

230
00:12:22,867 --> 00:12:27,337
And there is -- we are having --
there's a group of people that

231
00:12:27,333 --> 00:12:29,403
are looking at the flow.

232
00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:31,270
It is, Ed, hard.

233
00:12:31,266 --> 00:12:35,066
It is -- you're talking
about an incident that is

234
00:12:35,066 --> 00:12:39,666
5,000 feet below the surface
of the sea for a well that

235
00:12:39,667 --> 00:12:43,437
is an additional four miles
below that one-mile surface.

236
00:12:43,433 --> 00:12:48,363
It is, as Thad Allen said, the
first response that he has had

237
00:12:48,367 --> 00:12:51,037
to deal with at this
level in 30 years.

238
00:12:51,033 --> 00:12:53,163
And I would mention this:
Thad Allen was supposed to

239
00:12:53,166 --> 00:12:55,566
retire -- he is not.

240
00:12:55,567 --> 00:12:58,897
He has agreed to stay on as the
national incident coordinator,

241
00:12:58,900 --> 00:13:01,600
even as a new head of the
Coast Guard will come and

242
00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:02,800
focus on those duties.

243
00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:06,100
But Thad Allen said that in 30
years he's never been a part of

244
00:13:06,100 --> 00:13:08,570
one of these things
that you couldn't see.

245
00:13:08,567 --> 00:13:13,537
So, look, there's -- there are
people that are trying to figure

246
00:13:13,533 --> 00:13:18,063
out the best -- to the best of
their ability the degree to

247
00:13:18,066 --> 00:13:23,166
which there's -- the flow,
the rate of the leak,

248
00:13:23,166 --> 00:13:27,666
the size of the plume, continued
air and water quality testing

249
00:13:27,667 --> 00:13:32,267
for what oil is leaking in, what
the effect of the dispersants

250
00:13:32,266 --> 00:13:35,466
are, just as the EPA has
always been testing air

251
00:13:35,467 --> 00:13:39,867
and water quality standards
around the local berms.

252
00:13:39,867 --> 00:13:42,067
First and foremost, we're
doing everything we can to

253
00:13:42,066 --> 00:13:44,136
try to stop that leak.

254
00:13:44,133 --> 00:13:47,463
The Press:
The very last thing is,
the CEO of BP, Tony Hayward,

255
00:13:47,467 --> 00:13:49,367
said at the beginning of this
he would not leave the country

256
00:13:49,367 --> 00:13:52,167
until this was fully dealt with.

257
00:13:52,166 --> 00:13:54,236
And CNN was reporting
last night that he's

258
00:13:54,233 --> 00:13:55,233
now leaving the country.

259
00:13:55,233 --> 00:13:57,003
He's planning to attend a
board meeting in Europe,

260
00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,130
and there are even allegations
he's going to some sort of a

261
00:13:59,133 --> 00:14:00,403
birthday party.

262
00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,600
Is the administration going
to stop him from leaving the

263
00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:03,700
scene of this?

264
00:14:03,700 --> 00:14:05,830
Mr. Gibbs:
I would have to -- I
would have to get some

265
00:14:05,834 --> 00:14:06,704
more information on this.

266
00:14:06,700 --> 00:14:14,230
I don't -- I can't answer
where the CEO believes,

267
00:14:14,233 --> 00:14:16,363
based on the headquarters
being in Britain,

268
00:14:16,367 --> 00:14:17,837
whether he needs to
be in Britain or not.

269
00:14:17,834 --> 00:14:19,034
The Press:
Sure, but when you say you've
got the boot on the throat,

270
00:14:19,033 --> 00:14:21,133
I know it's not
literal, but are you --

271
00:14:21,133 --> 00:14:21,903
(laughter)

272
00:14:21,900 --> 00:14:22,770
-- what are you really doing?

273
00:14:22,767 --> 00:14:23,937
Mr. Gibbs:
I mean, I got loafers on, but --

274
00:14:23,934 --> 00:14:25,204
The Press:
It seems like he's
leaving, even though --

275
00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,470
Mr. Gibbs:
Ed, I don't -- well, let's
not oversimplify the fact

276
00:14:28,467 --> 00:14:31,497
that we think that somehow the
CEO is controlling the robot

277
00:14:31,500 --> 00:14:34,400
that's going to stop -- I
mean, there's -- I'm not a

278
00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:37,270
spokesperson for BP, so if
you have a question for the

279
00:14:37,266 --> 00:14:40,436
activities of BP, there's
many well-paid spokesmen --

280
00:14:40,433 --> 00:14:41,633
The Press:
What about the
government oversight of BP?

281
00:14:41,633 --> 00:14:43,263
Mr. Gibbs:
No, no, I just don't -- Ed,

282
00:14:43,266 --> 00:14:47,836
I just think that the
notion that if -- again,

283
00:14:47,834 --> 00:14:50,434
I don't know that the CEO of BP
being on a ship somewhere in the

284
00:14:50,433 --> 00:14:54,003
Gulf is going to make a
whole lot of difference.

285
00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:54,730
Chip.

286
00:14:54,734 --> 00:14:57,864
The Press:
On the amount of oil
coming out, obviously it was,

287
00:14:57,867 --> 00:15:00,367
5,000 barrels a day -- that
was the long-term estimate.

288
00:15:00,367 --> 00:15:04,197
Now BP says they are siphoning
off 5,000 barrels a day,

289
00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:05,730
but it is still gushing out.

290
00:15:05,734 --> 00:15:08,264
What is the administration's
estimate of how much --

291
00:15:08,266 --> 00:15:09,336
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have an
updated estimate.

292
00:15:09,333 --> 00:15:13,333
I don't -- again, there are
people that are looking at that.

293
00:15:13,333 --> 00:15:16,403
I assume, quite frankly,
there may be different

294
00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:17,670
estimates at different times.

295
00:15:17,667 --> 00:15:19,667
The Press:
Do they believe it is
dramatically more than

296
00:15:19,667 --> 00:15:23,837
5,000 barrels a day?

297
00:15:23,834 --> 00:15:28,264
Mr. Gibbs:
As Thad Allen said, our
response is not predicated

298
00:15:28,266 --> 00:15:30,436
off of the flow.

299
00:15:30,433 --> 00:15:32,833
It is predicated off of
the notion that you have

300
00:15:32,834 --> 00:15:34,604
a catastrophic event.

301
00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:41,330
And that catastrophic event has
created a response on land and

302
00:15:41,333 --> 00:15:45,703
on sea to deal with
whatever we face.

303
00:15:45,700 --> 00:15:51,230
So there are certainly many
reasons to find out the degree

304
00:15:51,233 --> 00:15:55,063
to which that flow is happening.

305
00:15:55,066 --> 00:15:57,166
It has not in -- though,
in any way, Chip,

306
00:15:57,166 --> 00:16:02,396
impeded or curtailed the
response that we've deployed.

307
00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:06,500
There's not a -- hey, there's a
thousand-barrel-a-day response,

308
00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:08,300
now it's five, get this
notebook out and check.

309
00:16:08,300 --> 00:16:11,370
There's -- it's always been
a catastrophic response,

310
00:16:11,367 --> 00:16:15,037
and I think if you look at the
updated sheet that goes out each

311
00:16:15,033 --> 00:16:17,833
night about the level
of the response,

312
00:16:17,834 --> 00:16:23,004
you can see that it is meant to
deploy something of this size --

313
00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,300
understanding, Chip, we have,
to the best of my ability,

314
00:16:27,300 --> 00:16:40,100
not faced -- certainly, the
Valdez was a larger spill, but,

315
00:16:40,100 --> 00:16:41,700
again, a little bit
different because,

316
00:16:41,700 --> 00:16:44,230
one, it's a different
environment, and two,

317
00:16:44,233 --> 00:16:48,433
a different process where
there's a fixed quantity.

318
00:16:48,433 --> 00:16:51,303
This is unique and
unprecedented.

319
00:16:51,300 --> 00:16:53,870
The Press:
There are some scientists
who believe it could be 2 to

320
00:16:53,867 --> 00:16:57,067
3 million gallons a
day coming out of there.

321
00:16:57,066 --> 00:16:59,966
Is that a possibility in the
eyes of the administration?

322
00:16:59,967 --> 00:17:00,537
If so --

323
00:17:00,533 --> 00:17:01,933
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't know how many
-- well, what does that

324
00:17:01,934 --> 00:17:02,964
translate to in barrels?

325
00:17:02,967 --> 00:17:04,597
The Press:
In barrels --
darn good question.

326
00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:06,100
Anybody have a calculator?

327
00:17:06,100 --> 00:17:07,570
Mr. Gibbs:
On your BlackBerry.

328
00:17:07,567 --> 00:17:11,037
The Press:
But it would dwarf the
Valdez, if that is true.

329
00:17:11,033 --> 00:17:11,903
Mr. Gibbs:
Two to 3 million --

330
00:17:11,900 --> 00:17:13,370
The Press:
Gallons a day.

331
00:17:13,367 --> 00:17:14,967
Mr. Gibbs:
For how long? There's 11 --

332
00:17:14,967 --> 00:17:15,937
The Press:
Since the beginning --

333
00:17:15,934 --> 00:17:16,504
The Press:
Already --

334
00:17:16,500 --> 00:17:17,470
The Press:
Since the beginning, continuously.

335
00:17:17,467 --> 00:17:22,197
Mr. Gibbs:
Eleven -- I have some
figures on my desk --

336
00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:24,170
The Press:
It would be a Valdez
every two or three days.

337
00:17:24,166 --> 00:17:24,996
The Press:
Yes, exactly.

338
00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,230
Mr. Gibbs:
Is that -- okay.

339
00:17:28,233 --> 00:17:30,203
The Press:
Let's not have a roomful of
humanities majors doing math.

340
00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:31,600
(laughter)

341
00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:32,500
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes, exactly.

342
00:17:32,500 --> 00:17:35,730
Thank you for the
mathematical admonition,

343
00:17:35,734 --> 00:17:37,864
which I think is well taken.

344
00:17:37,867 --> 00:17:44,597
You know, again, Chip, I don't
have an updated estimate.

345
00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,670
I would say one of the reasons
that we continue to do

346
00:17:47,667 --> 00:17:52,267
monitoring, NOAA continues to do
monitoring of -- both at a --

347
00:17:52,266 --> 00:17:55,766
and satellite pictures that are
taken at a surface level and

348
00:17:55,767 --> 00:17:58,497
testing that's done
at a subsea level,

349
00:17:58,500 --> 00:18:04,130
is to try as best as we can to
understand just how big this is.

350
00:18:04,133 --> 00:18:08,333
An Exxon Valdez every two days
-- I'm not a scientist on this,

351
00:18:08,333 --> 00:18:11,933
but my rough belief is --

352
00:18:11,934 --> 00:18:14,534
The Press:
I hate to venture into math,
but I think it's actually every

353
00:18:14,533 --> 00:18:15,833
three to four days
because that was --

354
00:18:15,834 --> 00:18:17,764
Mr. Gibbs:
Okay. But I do think
-- again, and I'm not --

355
00:18:17,767 --> 00:18:25,337
I'm way out of my technical
depth, but my sense is that

356
00:18:25,333 --> 00:18:31,003
you would see far more of that
on the surface if that were --

357
00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,470
if we were looking at
-- I mean, as I recall,

358
00:18:33,467 --> 00:18:39,067
the Exxon Valdez was
several million barrels

359
00:18:39,066 --> 00:18:41,496
of oil in one event.

360
00:18:41,500 --> 00:18:46,370
That would be -- again, my hunch
is you'd see just a lot more of

361
00:18:46,367 --> 00:18:47,967
that on the surface
than you do right now.

362
00:18:47,967 --> 00:18:50,097
The Press:
Well, in fact, that's one
of the other issues that's

363
00:18:50,100 --> 00:18:50,730
going on here.

364
00:18:50,734 --> 00:18:54,064
Some scientists believe that the
reason BP is so big on the idea

365
00:18:54,066 --> 00:18:55,796
of using dispersants
-- well, first of all,

366
00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:59,700
they say they believe that the
oil can do just as much damage

367
00:18:59,700 --> 00:19:03,830
below the surface as it can do
above the surface after being --

368
00:19:03,834 --> 00:19:05,334
even after being dispersed.

369
00:19:05,333 --> 00:19:08,203
They say the real reason BP
wants to use dispersants is so

370
00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:10,830
the public doesn't see it, so
the TV cameras don't see it.

371
00:19:10,834 --> 00:19:13,834
Has the administration looked
into that argument or are they

372
00:19:13,834 --> 00:19:15,804
fully onboard with the
use of dispersants?

373
00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:20,900
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again -- well, we have
worked with BP in terms of,

374
00:19:20,900 --> 00:19:23,800
again, the water quality and
subsea testing of the subsea

375
00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:27,330
dispersants which, when we first
started this process, had not,

376
00:19:27,333 --> 00:19:30,563
to the degree to which
we're doing it, been tried.

377
00:19:30,567 --> 00:19:37,997
At that depth there also is --
there are natural processes that

378
00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,370
deal with some amount of oil.

379
00:19:40,367 --> 00:19:45,137
I'm not suggesting that if it
was doing -- if the rate was

380
00:19:45,133 --> 00:19:47,363
exponentially higher, that
all of that could happen.

381
00:19:47,367 --> 00:19:50,597
Obviously there's -- on the
surface there's some evaporation

382
00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:54,470
that takes place in terms
of some of that oil as well.

383
00:19:54,467 --> 00:20:04,167
So I do not believe -- again,
the response isn't just for

384
00:20:04,166 --> 00:20:09,536
surface oil, so if it were
leaking X thousand barrels of

385
00:20:09,533 --> 00:20:12,603
oil a day, but that was -- only
half of that was getting to the

386
00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:15,670
surface doesn't mean that we
don't still have a problem that

387
00:20:15,667 --> 00:20:20,067
has to be dealt with inside the
water column at a whole bunch

388
00:20:20,066 --> 00:20:20,966
of different depths.

389
00:20:20,967 --> 00:20:24,737
I'm not entirely sure that the
scenario of hiding it would

390
00:20:24,734 --> 00:20:27,304
necessarily be accomplished.

391
00:20:27,300 --> 00:20:29,570
The Press:
Barbara Boxer says there's been
a cover-up on the amount of oil

392
00:20:29,567 --> 00:20:32,567
coming out and seems to be
suggesting that government

393
00:20:32,567 --> 00:20:34,567
agencies are involved with BP --

394
00:20:34,567 --> 00:20:40,397
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, the notion of a
cover-up is ridiculous.

395
00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:42,000
The Press:
Who's in charge of this cleanup?

396
00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:45,070
Is it BP or is it the federal
government overseeing it,

397
00:20:45,066 --> 00:20:45,796
directing it --

398
00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:52,900
Mr. Gibbs:
BP is responsible for
and will be paying the

399
00:20:52,900 --> 00:20:54,930
bill for the cleanup.

400
00:20:54,934 --> 00:20:57,934
The cleanup is obviously
overseen by a whole host

401
00:20:57,934 --> 00:20:59,604
of federal agencies --

402
00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:00,670
The Press:
Well, let's unpack that --

403
00:21:00,667 --> 00:21:01,637
Mr. Gibbs:
Understand -- let
me explain this.

404
00:21:01,633 --> 00:21:02,503
The Press:
-- because I think that's --

405
00:21:02,500 --> 00:21:03,630
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, let me unpack
it a little bit.

406
00:21:03,633 --> 00:21:09,963
Remember, the drilling decisions
that are made are made by now a

407
00:21:09,967 --> 00:21:14,337
collection of bureaus that
used to comprise MMS in the

408
00:21:14,333 --> 00:21:16,063
Department of Interior.

409
00:21:16,066 --> 00:21:19,166
The Coast Guard is part of the
Department of Homeland Security,

410
00:21:19,166 --> 00:21:21,736
which is overseeing
part of that response.

411
00:21:21,734 --> 00:21:26,064
Once oil hits land the
Environmental Protection Agency

412
00:21:26,066 --> 00:21:28,796
would take over, as well as
monitoring the and water.

413
00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:29,700
The Press:
In terms of how do
we stop the leak?

414
00:21:29,700 --> 00:21:32,530
Who's in charge of
that, those ideas?

415
00:21:32,533 --> 00:21:34,803
Mr. Gibbs:
BP with our oversight.

416
00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,400
The Press:
Okay. Are you confident in
BP since you've entrusted

417
00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:38,970
this great task to it?

418
00:21:38,967 --> 00:21:42,897
Mr. Gibbs:
It's not -- the law entrusted
this great task of it, Savannah.

419
00:21:42,900 --> 00:21:45,730
But judged by the
implication of your question,

420
00:21:45,734 --> 00:21:51,534
there's not -- the best and
brightest minds in all of this

421
00:21:51,533 --> 00:21:59,503
government and in the scientific
community and in the world of

422
00:21:59,500 --> 00:22:02,270
commerce are focused
on this problem.

423
00:22:02,266 --> 00:22:05,196
Everything that can
be done is being done.

424
00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:13,370
We have, as I said a minute ago,
an unprecedented catastrophe.

425
00:22:13,367 --> 00:22:18,567
We have a well that is
leaking some amount of oil

426
00:22:18,567 --> 00:22:22,437
5,000 feet below the surface.

427
00:22:22,433 --> 00:22:27,863
The technical equipment to deal
with that type of activity is

428
00:22:27,867 --> 00:22:30,297
not possessed by the
federal government.

429
00:22:30,300 --> 00:22:35,530
The Department of Defense does
not have a submersible that can

430
00:22:35,533 --> 00:22:41,303
reach 5,000 feet with the
mechanical arm power to do the

431
00:22:41,300 --> 00:22:44,870
types of things that BP
and other oil companies

432
00:22:44,867 --> 00:22:46,097
buy equipment to do.

433
00:22:46,100 --> 00:22:49,030
The Press:
So you're kind of in this
arranged marriage with BP

434
00:22:49,033 --> 00:22:53,733
on the cleanup?

435
00:22:53,734 --> 00:22:55,104
Mr. Gibbs:
That's seems like
a strained analogy.

436
00:22:55,100 --> 00:22:58,900
Again, I would simply say what I
think I've said throughout this

437
00:22:58,900 --> 00:23:02,230
process: They are responsible.

438
00:23:02,233 --> 00:23:05,763
They will get the bill;
the taxpayers won't.

439
00:23:05,767 --> 00:23:09,337
And it's being overseen by -- as
I just unpacked for you -- many

440
00:23:09,333 --> 00:23:11,003
elements of the
federal government.

441
00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,670
The Press:
And last thing on
the Sestak thing,

442
00:23:13,667 --> 00:23:17,067
so what you said in March was
you knew -- you were aware of

443
00:23:17,066 --> 00:23:20,196
the facts and there was
nothing problematic there.

444
00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:23,130
So but here you won't confirm
or deny, but that statement,

445
00:23:23,133 --> 00:23:25,763
just leaving it there, seems
to tacitly acknowledge that

446
00:23:25,767 --> 00:23:27,467
something had been offered.

447
00:23:27,467 --> 00:23:30,867
Mr. Gibbs:
I'm not going to unpack
any more of that statement

448
00:23:30,867 --> 00:23:31,897
than I made in March.

449
00:23:31,900 --> 00:23:34,700
The Press:
Okay, so but the impression is
left that there was something

450
00:23:34,700 --> 00:23:36,000
and you're comfortable with that.

451
00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:37,130
You don't want to clear that up?

452
00:23:37,133 --> 00:23:39,603
Mr. Gibbs:
I would just refer to
you what I said in March.

453
00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:40,600
Yes, sir.

454
00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:43,470
The Press:
Going back to North
Korea, Robert,

455
00:23:43,467 --> 00:23:46,137
you've used this isolated
formulation before and you're

456
00:23:46,133 --> 00:23:49,563
part of a long list of
spokespeople for various

457
00:23:49,567 --> 00:23:51,637
administrations
that have used it.

458
00:23:51,633 --> 00:23:55,963
Do you really think the North
Koreans care about this?

459
00:23:55,967 --> 00:23:59,037
It's had no effect
on them for decades.

460
00:23:59,033 --> 00:24:01,733
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't think it's had --
I think to say that it's

461
00:24:01,734 --> 00:24:08,004
had no effect on them, if
you look at their people,

462
00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,570
I think that's not -- I
don't think that's the case.

463
00:24:10,567 --> 00:24:13,767
I think when you have people
that can't get enough to eat;

464
00:24:13,767 --> 00:24:16,297
it has most assuredly
affected your ability.

465
00:24:16,300 --> 00:24:18,100
The Press:
So it's our policy to
punish their people?

466
00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:23,770
Mr. Gibbs:
No, but we have sanctions,
Chip, on the North Koreans,

467
00:24:23,767 --> 00:24:26,837
which if you have rational
leadership generally lead

468
00:24:26,834 --> 00:24:27,964
to a change in --

469
00:24:27,967 --> 00:24:29,867
The Press:
But the leaders -- the
leaders who call the shots

470
00:24:29,867 --> 00:24:34,437
-- Kim -- he doesn't
care about this,

471
00:24:34,433 --> 00:24:36,303
based on the -- based
on this behavior.

472
00:24:36,300 --> 00:24:38,630
Mr. Gibbs:
I can't be a spokesperson for
or get in the mind of the leader

473
00:24:38,633 --> 00:24:40,163
of North Korea.

474
00:24:40,166 --> 00:24:41,666
The Press:
Well, based on you -- based
on what you describe as an

475
00:24:41,667 --> 00:24:44,097
unacceptable behavior, this has
been the same behavior that has

476
00:24:44,100 --> 00:24:45,500
a long track record.

477
00:24:45,500 --> 00:24:47,230
Mr. Gibbs:
It hasn't become
any more acceptable,

478
00:24:47,233 --> 00:24:49,563
I can confirm that. Yes.

479
00:24:49,567 --> 00:24:52,997
The Press:
On Korea, there's been a
suggestion that the U.S.

480
00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,300
should put North Korea
back on the list of

481
00:24:55,300 --> 00:24:57,130
countries that sponsor --

482
00:24:57,133 --> 00:25:01,363
Mr. Gibbs:
There's a process that is done
at the State Department for that,

483
00:25:01,367 --> 00:25:05,367
and I would point you over to
them on the criteria to do so.

484
00:25:05,367 --> 00:25:08,637
The Press:
Also, I'm not asking you to
comment on the day-to-day

485
00:25:08,633 --> 00:25:12,903
fluctuations of the stock
market, but there's a lot --

486
00:25:12,900 --> 00:25:15,270
Mr. Gibbs:
But what about the day-to-day
fluctuations of the stock market.

487
00:25:15,266 --> 00:25:18,336
The Press:
Well, the Dow has been down
by as much as 350 points today.

488
00:25:18,333 --> 00:25:21,533
There's a lot of uncertainty
-- the national jobless claims

489
00:25:21,533 --> 00:25:25,303
report, Europe, also reg reform.

490
00:25:25,300 --> 00:25:30,330
What can the administration
do to infuse some certainty

491
00:25:30,333 --> 00:25:32,863
into the marketplace?

492
00:25:32,867 --> 00:25:36,867
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I'm going to be
careful not to break my

493
00:25:36,867 --> 00:25:41,837
admonition of commenting on what
happens on a day-to-day basis.

494
00:25:41,834 --> 00:25:45,834
Let me take individually
-- for instance,

495
00:25:45,834 --> 00:25:53,804
we saw a weekly increase in
the number of jobless claims.

496
00:25:53,800 --> 00:26:00,400
It is -- I think it is safe to
say that those are numbers that,

497
00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:04,870
based on seasonality, have
a tendency to jump around.

498
00:26:04,867 --> 00:26:07,897
We saw an increase particularly
in claims from two states that

499
00:26:07,900 --> 00:26:12,230
had experienced
some severe weather,

500
00:26:12,233 --> 00:26:13,963
including Tennessee recently.

501
00:26:13,967 --> 00:26:19,937
I think the four-week average
for those claims was down,

502
00:26:19,934 --> 00:26:26,634
which generally is also a number
that looked at -- looked at in

503
00:26:26,633 --> 00:26:32,863
order to smooth out some of
those seasonal fluctuations.

504
00:26:32,867 --> 00:26:36,297
I think you've heard others
in the administration discuss

505
00:26:36,300 --> 00:26:42,830
continuing to take the steps
that need to be taken to put the

506
00:26:42,834 --> 00:26:44,764
economy on a firmer foundation.

507
00:26:44,767 --> 00:26:49,197
A committee passed out the
President's small business

508
00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,730
lending initiative
in order to move more

509
00:26:52,734 --> 00:26:54,964
credit to small businesses.

510
00:26:54,967 --> 00:26:58,167
Other committees have worked
through things like our

511
00:26:58,166 --> 00:26:59,496
retrofitting proposal.

512
00:26:59,500 --> 00:27:03,870
And the President still believes
those are necessary actions.

513
00:27:03,867 --> 00:27:09,537
We've got -- Europe is having
to deal with the problems within

514
00:27:09,533 --> 00:27:13,863
Europe, and we continue to
believe those are some tough

515
00:27:13,867 --> 00:27:16,167
steps that are going
to have to be taken.

516
00:27:16,166 --> 00:27:23,096
In terms of financial reform,
the President and the team here

517
00:27:23,100 --> 00:27:29,170
have a strong belief that we
have to have some very tough

518
00:27:29,166 --> 00:27:32,296
rules going forward; that the
type of activity that led to

519
00:27:32,300 --> 00:27:36,970
what happened in -- starting
in 2007 and through 2008 can't

520
00:27:36,967 --> 00:27:38,367
continue to happen.

521
00:27:38,367 --> 00:27:41,567
I actually think that
provides some certainty,

522
00:27:41,567 --> 00:27:46,497
not just to the market but to
investors and taxpayers that

523
00:27:46,500 --> 00:27:49,470
they're no longer going to
be on the hook for the risky

524
00:27:49,467 --> 00:27:53,467
decisions of a very few
at a very few large banks.

525
00:27:53,467 --> 00:27:56,467
The Press:
But as long as
there isn't movement,

526
00:27:56,467 --> 00:27:58,797
that provides uncertainty --

527
00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:02,570
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think we are
coming to the conclusion

528
00:28:02,567 --> 00:28:05,137
of the Senate process.

529
00:28:05,133 --> 00:28:08,003
And I ventured to guess earlier
in the week that we'd have

530
00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:12,570
something on the President's
desk in the very near future.

531
00:28:12,567 --> 00:28:13,367
Major.

532
00:28:13,367 --> 00:28:14,237
The Press:
A couple policy things.

533
00:28:14,233 --> 00:28:18,303
The extenders agreement that
Congressman Levin and Senator

534
00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:20,630
Baucus announced this morning,
are you familiar with it?

535
00:28:20,633 --> 00:28:22,433
Does the administration have
a position in favor of it?

536
00:28:22,433 --> 00:28:24,103
Mr. Gibbs:
I will check with
Legislative Affairs.

537
00:28:24,100 --> 00:28:27,030
I have heard some talk about
it, but not an in-depth amount.

538
00:28:27,033 --> 00:28:28,333
The Press:
You don't have a
formal position yet?

539
00:28:28,333 --> 00:28:30,003
Mr. Gibbs:
Not that I'm aware of,
but I will ask them.

540
00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:34,900
The Press:
Okay. Governor Jindal has been
appealing to the Army Corps of

541
00:28:34,900 --> 00:28:38,070
Engineers to expedite
consideration of his

542
00:28:38,066 --> 00:28:40,266
request that he be allowed --
and others be allowed to build

543
00:28:40,266 --> 00:28:42,966
these barriers or
these berms to protect.

544
00:28:42,967 --> 00:28:46,797
Can you describe to the degree
that's been briefed here where

545
00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:49,200
that process is, and is the
administration sympathetic to

546
00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:50,270
that request, think
it's a good idea?

547
00:28:50,266 --> 00:28:55,536
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, let me check specifically
with -- I don't know -- I assume

548
00:28:55,533 --> 00:28:59,663
that falls under
the purview of EPA.

549
00:28:59,667 --> 00:29:05,637
Every day, there is a call that
happens with the five Gulf state

550
00:29:05,633 --> 00:29:11,433
governors to go through what
is happening on the ground,

551
00:29:11,433 --> 00:29:15,263
the actions that we're taking to
deal with the response -- both

552
00:29:15,266 --> 00:29:19,566
from an environmental and an
economic -- both environmental

553
00:29:19,567 --> 00:29:21,537
and economic impacts.

554
00:29:21,533 --> 00:29:25,203
I know that when you say
has it been briefed here,

555
00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:28,770
I know that Governor Jindal
has mentioned that on one

556
00:29:28,767 --> 00:29:29,667
of those calls.

557
00:29:29,667 --> 00:29:31,497
I will check with
EPA on where that is.

558
00:29:31,500 --> 00:29:33,700
The Press:
Okay. The President in his
Friday comments about the

559
00:29:33,700 --> 00:29:36,630
spill talked about the
quantities of dispersants

560
00:29:36,633 --> 00:29:40,933
deployed, wasn't favorable or
negative, but he did quantify

561
00:29:40,934 --> 00:29:42,434
that as part of
the federal response.

562
00:29:42,433 --> 00:29:44,963
Has there been data that the
White House or BP has received

563
00:29:44,967 --> 00:29:48,897
in the last 24 to 48 hours that
has raised significant concerns

564
00:29:48,900 --> 00:29:50,870
about toxicity issues?

565
00:29:50,867 --> 00:29:52,837
Or is it just the amount
that they're beginning

566
00:29:52,834 --> 00:29:53,904
to wonder about?

567
00:29:53,900 --> 00:29:54,530
Mr. Gibbs:
Again, this is --

568
00:29:54,533 --> 00:29:56,063
The Press:
-- the original toxicity
of what was being applied

569
00:29:56,066 --> 00:29:58,536
in the first place?

570
00:29:58,533 --> 00:30:01,033
Mr. Gibbs:
We continue to do testing.

571
00:30:01,033 --> 00:30:08,763
I am not aware of any testing
that has shifted the focus to

572
00:30:08,767 --> 00:30:11,297
a different dispersant.

573
00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:16,230
Our viewpoint is given the sheer
magnitude of what we're facing,

574
00:30:16,233 --> 00:30:20,533
and our reliance on -- both at a
surface and a subsea level -- on

575
00:30:20,533 --> 00:30:24,003
those dispersants, that
as a matter of practice,

576
00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:28,070
at this point, using the least
toxic is the most optimal.

577
00:30:28,066 --> 00:30:32,466
The Press:
Can you in any way quantify
this event in South Korea in

578
00:30:32,467 --> 00:30:35,037
the history since the armistice?

579
00:30:35,033 --> 00:30:37,933
By my calculation, the largest
loss of South Korean life since

580
00:30:37,934 --> 00:30:41,734
the war was ended and the
armistice was agreed to.

581
00:30:41,734 --> 00:30:44,304
You said in remarks last
night that you would -- the

582
00:30:44,300 --> 00:30:46,470
administration supports the
South Koreans' attempts to

583
00:30:46,467 --> 00:30:50,097
obtain justice for the loss of
these 46 South Korean sailors.

584
00:30:50,100 --> 00:30:52,430
First of all, can you give the
American people a sense of the

585
00:30:52,433 --> 00:30:56,133
magnitude, the gravity of this
event and what you mean by

586
00:30:56,133 --> 00:30:59,363
obtaining justice for the loss
of 46 South Korean sailors?

587
00:30:59,367 --> 00:31:01,197
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, on the second part, again,

588
00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,270
we're in close consultation
with the South Koreans --

589
00:31:03,266 --> 00:31:04,466
The Press:
That can be defined
by the South Koreans.

590
00:31:04,467 --> 00:31:06,597
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, we're -- in
consultation with us.

591
00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:12,100
But this is something that --
obviously, as I said earlier,

592
00:31:12,100 --> 00:31:15,170
we have a very strong
relationship and are

593
00:31:15,166 --> 00:31:20,766
committed to their defense.

594
00:31:20,767 --> 00:31:22,837
But I believe the South
Koreans will be addressing

595
00:31:22,834 --> 00:31:24,604
the second part of that.

596
00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,630
Look, in terms of the
magnitude of this, I mean,

597
00:31:28,633 --> 00:31:31,563
I'm not a historian to go back
through Korean relations, but,

598
00:31:31,567 --> 00:31:41,397
again, I think if -- I think
the notion of a military event

599
00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:46,870
between two countries that has
caused this type of loss of life

600
00:31:46,867 --> 00:31:54,167
is extremely troubling and is a
deeply significant event in the

601
00:31:54,166 --> 00:31:56,196
history of those two countries.

602
00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:56,930
The Press:
A couple things on politics.

603
00:31:56,934 --> 00:31:58,704
Will the President raise
money for Barbara Boxer

604
00:31:58,700 --> 00:32:00,270
next week in California?

605
00:32:00,266 --> 00:32:02,066
Mr. Gibbs:
I think that is on
the schedule, yes.

606
00:32:02,066 --> 00:32:06,466
The Press:
And does the administration view
Tim Burns as a Obama Democrat,

607
00:32:06,467 --> 00:32:09,037
as somebody who, now that he'll
be in the House, can advance the

608
00:32:09,033 --> 00:32:10,663
Obama agenda? And if so, how?

609
00:32:10,667 --> 00:32:11,697
Mr. Gibbs:
Tim Burns?

610
00:32:11,700 --> 00:32:12,630
The Press:
I'm sorry, Mark Critz.

611
00:32:12,633 --> 00:32:13,463
Mr. Gibbs:
I was going to say --

612
00:32:13,467 --> 00:32:15,797
The Press:
I transposed the names. Mark Critz.

613
00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:20,100
Mr. Gibbs:
You didn't transpose
the names, you -- I mean,

614
00:32:20,100 --> 00:32:24,400
you got the -- I think --
I will say this, Major,

615
00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:28,930
about the elections that
we watched on Tuesday.

616
00:32:28,934 --> 00:32:32,464
I've said here many times that I
doubt there are many in Congress

617
00:32:32,467 --> 00:32:35,237
that agree with each
and every thing that

618
00:32:35,233 --> 00:32:38,103
the President agrees on.

619
00:32:38,100 --> 00:32:42,470
We have the luxury of enjoying
a party with a big tent.

620
00:32:42,467 --> 00:32:45,167
I think that was proven in
Pennsylvania 12 by somebody who,

621
00:32:45,166 --> 00:32:50,596
while doesn't agree with every
one of the policy decisions or

622
00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:52,900
policy proposals of
this administration,

623
00:32:52,900 --> 00:32:55,970
there are common values
that we enjoy as members

624
00:32:55,967 --> 00:32:57,637
of the same party.

625
00:32:57,633 --> 00:33:00,333
I think if you look at the
events that have transpired in

626
00:33:00,333 --> 00:33:04,863
the Republican Party over the
last -- let's go back 13 months

627
00:33:04,867 --> 00:33:06,697
-- Arlen Specter was running
a Democratic primary largely

628
00:33:06,700 --> 00:33:10,800
because he was run out
of his own party. Right?

629
00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:12,700
Charlie Crist went
from, 18 months ago,

630
00:33:12,700 --> 00:33:15,730
being on the very short list of
a Republican vice president to

631
00:33:15,734 --> 00:33:18,164
being run out of his own party.

632
00:33:18,166 --> 00:33:21,436
And a Republican senator from
Utah that was elected six years

633
00:33:21,433 --> 00:33:25,303
ago with 70 percent of
the vote finishes third,

634
00:33:25,300 --> 00:33:29,700
receiving slightly more than a
quarter of the convention vote

635
00:33:29,700 --> 00:33:31,970
to be re-nominated.

636
00:33:31,967 --> 00:33:38,337
I think if you look at the
direction that both parties are

637
00:33:38,333 --> 00:33:45,363
going, we are happy to enjoy a
large tent with common values

638
00:33:45,367 --> 00:33:47,297
but diverse viewpoints.

639
00:33:47,300 --> 00:33:55,600
I think the Republican Party is
having an internal battle with

640
00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:57,730
themselves and they're shrinking
the size of their party.

641
00:33:57,734 --> 00:33:59,434
The Press:
Can you name the most
significant issue where the

642
00:33:59,433 --> 00:34:01,803
President and Mr. Critz agree?

643
00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:04,430
Mr. Gibbs:
Strengthening the economy.

644
00:34:04,433 --> 00:34:08,163
The Press:
Hey, Robert, looks like there's
going to be another cloture vote

645
00:34:08,166 --> 00:34:12,836
tonight on financial regulation,
maybe then they could move very

646
00:34:12,834 --> 00:34:15,864
quickly if that happens
to a final passage.

647
00:34:15,867 --> 00:34:18,837
Could you talk about how
significant the administration

648
00:34:18,834 --> 00:34:20,934
-- assuming that happens, when
that happens -- how significant

649
00:34:20,934 --> 00:34:23,534
the administration sees that in
the context of your achievement?

650
00:34:23,533 --> 00:34:27,033
And obviously there's some more
-- you've got to deal with the

651
00:34:27,033 --> 00:34:29,963
House and getting them together,
but at some point do you go out

652
00:34:29,967 --> 00:34:32,797
and sell this thing to
the American public?

653
00:34:32,800 --> 00:34:34,870
It plays a big part in
the elections this fall?

654
00:34:34,867 --> 00:34:35,667
Talk a little bit about --

655
00:34:35,667 --> 00:34:40,237
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, I think it is
-- I think, as you mentioned,

656
00:34:40,233 --> 00:34:44,003
Mike, when we get --
when cloture is invoked

657
00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:49,230
we'll be past a very big
step toward final passage.

658
00:34:49,233 --> 00:34:54,163
As I said earlier, I think you
have two very good proposals on

659
00:34:54,166 --> 00:34:55,396
the House and Senate side.

660
00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:59,000
We will have to mesh
those two proposals.

661
00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:02,330
But you are going to have very
strong rules of the road.

662
00:35:02,333 --> 00:35:05,803
The Senate bill includes
bringing derivatives out of

663
00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:08,430
the shadows and regulating them.

664
00:35:08,433 --> 00:35:12,333
It includes -- both sides
include very strong consumer

665
00:35:12,333 --> 00:35:16,703
protections, which in many ways
is where middle-class families

666
00:35:16,700 --> 00:35:21,730
interact with the financial
system -- getting an auto loan,

667
00:35:21,734 --> 00:35:24,934
getting a college loan,
getting a credit card.

668
00:35:24,934 --> 00:35:29,464
So that's an enormously
significant thing;

669
00:35:29,467 --> 00:35:33,037
the Volcker Rule, which limits
the size and the scope of the

670
00:35:33,033 --> 00:35:36,633
activities that a bank
can be involved in.

671
00:35:36,633 --> 00:35:41,403
I've been asked a couple of
times whether -- why is the

672
00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:42,730
President talking about
financial reform;

673
00:35:42,734 --> 00:35:44,934
why isn't he talking
about the economy?

674
00:35:44,934 --> 00:35:51,704
Well, the lack of a set of
strong rules is a big reason

675
00:35:51,700 --> 00:35:55,900
for why we're -- why we have
experienced the economic

676
00:35:55,900 --> 00:35:59,600
downturn over the past
several years that we have.

677
00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:04,370
And putting rules in place that
prevent that type of risky

678
00:36:04,367 --> 00:36:08,097
behavior from impacting the
economy to the degree it has

679
00:36:08,100 --> 00:36:11,230
is a jobs issue and
an economics issue.

680
00:36:11,233 --> 00:36:16,263
I think it will play a very
big role in what the President

681
00:36:16,266 --> 00:36:17,896
talks about over the
next several weeks.

682
00:36:17,900 --> 00:36:20,870
And I have no doubt that voters
will have very clear decisions

683
00:36:20,867 --> 00:36:23,167
that they'll get to make in
November about whether you

684
00:36:23,166 --> 00:36:31,796
supported -- whether you
supported ensuring that the

685
00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:35,000
taxpayers never got the bill
again for the risky decisions

686
00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:37,670
of Wall Street or whether
you supported the risky

687
00:36:37,667 --> 00:36:39,597
decisions of Wall Street.

688
00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:41,100
I think those are the
votes that people will

689
00:36:41,100 --> 00:36:42,230
get a chance to make.

690
00:36:42,233 --> 00:36:44,263
The Press:
Is there any concern that
the thing is very complicated,

691
00:36:44,266 --> 00:36:46,496
just because it deals with
complicated financial --

692
00:36:46,500 --> 00:36:50,530
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't doubt that it is
enormously complicated.

693
00:36:50,533 --> 00:36:52,463
I will say, as I said a minute
ago and the reason I talked

694
00:36:52,467 --> 00:36:56,397
about the consumer financial
protection provisions, because,

695
00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,000
again, this is -- in many ways,
this is where people intersect

696
00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:05,130
with the financial system.

697
00:37:05,133 --> 00:37:10,333
I hazard to guess many of us
don't deal in derivatives.

698
00:37:10,333 --> 00:37:12,133
So -- Peter does --

699
00:37:12,133 --> 00:37:14,063
(laughter)

700
00:37:14,066 --> 00:37:16,696
-- but just a
little on the side.

701
00:37:16,700 --> 00:37:21,800
So, again, I think where you
deal with the financial system,

702
00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:26,470
with a credit card --
with a credit card,

703
00:37:26,467 --> 00:37:28,637
with a loan to buy a
car, to buy a house,

704
00:37:28,633 --> 00:37:31,403
to finance an education -- the
type of protections that are

705
00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:34,900
there, those are tremendously
significant based on the fact

706
00:37:34,900 --> 00:37:38,730
that that's that
intersection that happened.

707
00:37:38,734 --> 00:37:41,334
The Press:
Robert, I would ask you
about derivatives, but --

708
00:37:41,333 --> 00:37:42,733
(laughter)

709
00:37:42,734 --> 00:37:45,604
-- I have to be
able to define it.

710
00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:47,730
Dr. Abdullah, the former
Afghan foreign minister and

711
00:37:47,734 --> 00:37:50,564
presidential candidate, is
here in town just a week after

712
00:37:50,567 --> 00:37:52,637
President Karzai was
here, but nobody from

713
00:37:52,633 --> 00:37:54,603
the administration will see him.

714
00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:56,030
I wonder if you could tell
us a little bit about why

715
00:37:56,033 --> 00:37:57,003
that would be.

716
00:37:57,000 --> 00:37:58,630
Mr. Gibbs:
I will check with NSC on that.

717
00:37:58,633 --> 00:38:01,003
I don't know the
answer to that, Peter.

718
00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:03,270
The Press:
Well, then that leads
into my second question,

719
00:38:03,266 --> 00:38:07,136
which is that on Monday,
our last chance with you,

720
00:38:07,133 --> 00:38:09,163
there were 10 questions you
said that you would check with

721
00:38:09,166 --> 00:38:11,196
somebody on and
get back to us on,

722
00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:12,800
and I'm wondering if
you had a chance to --

723
00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:14,500
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't believe it
was 10, but I'll go --

724
00:38:14,500 --> 00:38:15,700
The Press:
I got a list.

725
00:38:15,700 --> 00:38:18,200
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, what are they? What's one?

726
00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:20,770
The Press:
One was, has the President
read the Arizona law --

727
00:38:20,767 --> 00:38:21,597
you said you would find out.

728
00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:23,130
Mr. Gibbs:
No, I said he -- I said --

729
00:38:23,133 --> 00:38:24,203
The Press:
You said you'd asked
for information about it.

730
00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:26,600
Mr. Gibbs:
I said ask for
information about that.

731
00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:28,900
He did in a meeting
that we had before that,

732
00:38:28,900 --> 00:38:30,300
and he has read the law, yes.

733
00:38:30,300 --> 00:38:31,230
The Press:
He read the law, okay.

734
00:38:31,233 --> 00:38:32,303
Mr. Gibbs:
So that's nine.

735
00:38:32,300 --> 00:38:34,270
The Press:
The Glass-Steagall amendment,
you were going to --

736
00:38:34,266 --> 00:38:38,596
Mr. Gibbs:
Glass-Steagall is -- the
administration strongly

737
00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:42,970
believes that the Volcker Rule
that limits the size and the

738
00:38:42,967 --> 00:38:49,197
scope of banks fully addresses
what needs to happen in that

739
00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:50,500
area of financial reform.

740
00:38:50,500 --> 00:38:52,470
The Press:
So you don't need to
re-impose the Glass-Steagall

741
00:38:52,467 --> 00:38:53,967
because the Volcker Rule
would take care of it.

742
00:38:53,967 --> 00:38:54,567
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

743
00:38:54,567 --> 00:38:55,197
The Press:
Okay.

744
00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:56,400
The Press:
You're really going to
give him 11 questions?

745
00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:57,200
The Press:
No, I'm --

746
00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:00,070
Mr. Gibbs:
He's following
up on your behalf.

747
00:39:00,066 --> 00:39:01,036
The Press:
I was just kidding.

748
00:39:01,033 --> 00:39:03,803
The Press:
April asked a great question
the other day about who met with

749
00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:06,830
whom when it came to the civil
rights groups and Elena Kagan.

750
00:39:06,834 --> 00:39:08,764
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes, I asked Josh
to follow up on that,

751
00:39:08,767 --> 00:39:10,937
but I will follow up with Josh
on following up with you.

752
00:39:10,934 --> 00:39:11,804
The Press:
Thank you, Peter.

753
00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:13,400
(laughter)

754
00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:14,330
The Press:
There was a question about --

755
00:39:14,333 --> 00:39:15,333
The Press:
This is great. Can
you do this every day?

756
00:39:15,333 --> 00:39:16,333
(laughter)

757
00:39:16,333 --> 00:39:18,063
The Press:
-- the no-bid
Halliburton contract.

758
00:39:18,066 --> 00:39:20,296
Mr. Gibbs:
I see our friend wasn't
here to -- isn't here to

759
00:39:20,300 --> 00:39:22,300
illuminate us on the
meaning of his question,

760
00:39:22,300 --> 00:39:26,130
but since I haven't gotten the
follow-up question on what his

761
00:39:26,133 --> 00:39:29,733
original question meant, I do
not have an answer for the

762
00:39:29,734 --> 00:39:31,334
question he lacked a premise on.

763
00:39:31,333 --> 00:39:32,033
The Press:
All right.

764
00:39:32,033 --> 00:39:34,433
I think it was Wendell who asked
about the Center for Public

765
00:39:34,433 --> 00:39:38,803
Integrity report suggesting
that BP -- was it two?

766
00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:40,870
-- two BP refineries were
responsible for more than

767
00:39:40,867 --> 00:39:43,097
90 percent of the
flagrant violations.

768
00:39:43,100 --> 00:39:44,170
You said you would check on it.

769
00:39:44,166 --> 00:39:45,566
Mr. Gibbs:
That I have not checked on.

770
00:39:45,567 --> 00:39:49,337
The Press:
Sorry? You'll take
that? All right.

771
00:39:49,333 --> 00:39:51,703
The West Point speech, you were
going to look at and see if you

772
00:39:51,700 --> 00:39:53,000
could give us any more about --

773
00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:54,430
The Press:
And I was going
to ask about that.

774
00:39:54,433 --> 00:39:55,103
(laughter)

775
00:39:55,100 --> 00:39:57,330
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes, that's -- well, I
don't know if this counts

776
00:39:57,333 --> 00:39:58,263
as one of yours.

777
00:39:58,266 --> 00:40:01,836
But -- no, the President
has received -- is in the

778
00:40:01,834 --> 00:40:02,704
process of that.

779
00:40:02,700 --> 00:40:04,370
There's a draft of that,
but I don't have anything

780
00:40:04,367 --> 00:40:05,737
additional for that.

781
00:40:05,734 --> 00:40:08,134
The Press:
All right, then I'll
let it go with this one,

782
00:40:08,133 --> 00:40:11,603
but I asked on Monday about
whether Karzai had asked for

783
00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:14,830
a changed timetable on
the operations or --

784
00:40:14,834 --> 00:40:16,204
Mr. Gibbs:
Not that I'm aware of.

785
00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:19,830
I will-- again, you -- well,
I think you had started your

786
00:40:19,834 --> 00:40:22,204
question out by saying that the
-- it was your understanding

787
00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:24,430
that the operation -- the
beginning of the operation

788
00:40:24,433 --> 00:40:26,103
in that had been delayed.

789
00:40:26,100 --> 00:40:27,900
The Press:
No, no, there's a report that
says some aspect -- some of the

790
00:40:27,900 --> 00:40:30,170
military operations,
not the whole thing.

791
00:40:30,166 --> 00:40:32,236
Mr. Gibbs:
Okay, I -- did you ask if
that -- did you ask if it

792
00:40:32,233 --> 00:40:33,733
was some aspects
or the whole thing?

793
00:40:33,734 --> 00:40:34,734
The Press:
I believe I read it correctly --

794
00:40:34,734 --> 00:40:36,234
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, how about you do this
-- you go check on that,

795
00:40:36,233 --> 00:40:37,563
and I'll go check on the --

796
00:40:37,567 --> 00:40:38,567
The Press:
I've got the
transcript right here.

797
00:40:38,567 --> 00:40:39,937
Mr. Gibbs:
Do you? What's the question?

798
00:40:39,934 --> 00:40:43,064
The Press:
I have to search for it.

799
00:40:43,066 --> 00:40:44,566
The Press:
This is his iPad. Okay,
the McClatchy report --

800
00:40:44,567 --> 00:40:46,397
Mr. Gibbs:
He brought his iPad
in. Wow, that's --

801
00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:51,800
The Press:
Some of the military
operations were going

802
00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:53,030
to be postponed until the fall.

803
00:40:53,033 --> 00:40:54,863
And the question was,
was that something that

804
00:40:54,867 --> 00:40:56,397
President Karzai had requested --

805
00:40:56,400 --> 00:40:59,870
Mr. Gibbs:
Right. That was your
question, right?

806
00:40:59,867 --> 00:41:01,167
The Press:
That's the one I
get the answer to.

807
00:41:01,166 --> 00:41:03,166
Mr. Gibbs:
Yeah, that's the --
you buried the lead.

808
00:41:03,166 --> 00:41:05,866
Again, I want to
see the phrasing.

809
00:41:05,867 --> 00:41:08,937
I believe you asked the -- I
will check on whether Karzai --

810
00:41:08,934 --> 00:41:11,164
I believe -- I thought
the answer -- I thought

811
00:41:11,166 --> 00:41:14,666
the question had premised, had
the entire operation been moved,

812
00:41:14,667 --> 00:41:15,537
but maybe I misunderstood.

813
00:41:15,533 --> 00:41:16,233
The Press:
All right.

814
00:41:16,233 --> 00:41:17,403
The Press:
Can you loop me in, too?

815
00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:18,870
Our editors would be
interested in the response --

816
00:41:18,867 --> 00:41:20,837
Mr. Gibbs:
Are you now piling on
to Peter's question?

817
00:41:20,834 --> 00:41:22,964
Yes. That I think is eight,
do you have two more?

818
00:41:22,967 --> 00:41:24,637
The Press:
Well, I do, actually, you gave us --

819
00:41:24,633 --> 00:41:25,533
(laughter)

820
00:41:25,533 --> 00:41:27,833
-- information about the
MMS official who stepped

821
00:41:27,834 --> 00:41:29,104
down that you hadn't --

822
00:41:29,100 --> 00:41:30,200
The Press:
Chris Oynes.

823
00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:33,670
Mr. Gibbs:
I would -- I will be happy to
-- I think that was extensively

824
00:41:33,667 --> 00:41:34,967
covered in the newspaper.

825
00:41:34,967 --> 00:41:37,937
The Press:
No, I know, but you were going
to give us your response to

826
00:41:37,934 --> 00:41:39,534
whether or not this was --

827
00:41:39,533 --> 00:41:42,733
Mr. Gibbs:
This was a personal
personnel decision that

828
00:41:42,734 --> 00:41:44,104
I understand that he made.

829
00:41:44,100 --> 00:41:45,330
The Press:
Okay, and then the
last question --

830
00:41:45,333 --> 00:41:46,633
Mr. Gibbs:
Which, again, I think most
of you wrote about, but --

831
00:41:46,633 --> 00:41:48,403
The Press:
That doesn't help TV.

832
00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:49,900
The Press:
The Federal Reserve
Bank of New York --

833
00:41:49,900 --> 00:41:52,000
Mr. Gibbs:
I apologize.

834
00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:53,900
The Press:
The Federal Reserve Bank of
New York said the recovery

835
00:41:53,900 --> 00:41:57,070
was slowing, and you were
going to look into that.

836
00:41:57,066 --> 00:42:00,336
Mr. Gibbs:
I have not read the
Federal Reserve's New York

837
00:42:00,333 --> 00:42:04,533
report on economic slowdown, but
I'll print a copy and we can --

838
00:42:04,533 --> 00:42:05,433
we'll share that.

839
00:42:05,433 --> 00:42:07,203
The Press:
So that Peter doesn't
have to do this every day,

840
00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:09,270
is there any way we could have
like an organized system,

841
00:42:09,266 --> 00:42:11,036
where there's like a list
of the questions you say

842
00:42:11,033 --> 00:42:11,903
you'll check on --

843
00:42:11,900 --> 00:42:13,000
The Press:
No, no, no --

844
00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:15,930
Mr. Gibbs:
That seemed calmly
organized -- I love that.

845
00:42:15,934 --> 00:42:16,934
I love that.

846
00:42:16,934 --> 00:42:19,364
The Press:
Previous administrations would
actually post responses for every --

847
00:42:19,367 --> 00:42:20,467
Mr. Gibbs:
I understand. Go ahead.

848
00:42:20,467 --> 00:42:21,667
The Press:
Now, maybe -- could we do that?

849
00:42:21,667 --> 00:42:22,537
Could we request that?

850
00:42:22,533 --> 00:42:25,503
Mr. Gibbs:
We could. Go ahead.

851
00:42:25,500 --> 00:42:26,470
The Press:
He'll get back to you on that.

852
00:42:26,467 --> 00:42:27,997
(laughter)

853
00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:29,200
The Press:
What's your -- is
there any reaction to

854
00:42:29,200 --> 00:42:30,830
the Salahis being
stopped near --

855
00:42:30,834 --> 00:42:34,134
(laughter)

856
00:42:34,133 --> 00:42:36,163
The Press:
Okay, which do you prefer?

857
00:42:36,166 --> 00:42:39,666
Mr. Gibbs:
No, this one is
-- you know, look,

858
00:42:39,667 --> 00:42:49,937
I heard about this last
evening. I shook my head.

859
00:42:49,934 --> 00:42:54,164
Once again, the Salahis
were not on the guest list.

860
00:42:54,166 --> 00:43:00,096
At some point, that would
provide a hint as to the degree

861
00:43:00,100 --> 00:43:02,070
to which you should show up.

862
00:43:02,066 --> 00:43:03,766
The Press:
Were they trying to get in?

863
00:43:03,767 --> 00:43:08,637
Mr. Gibbs:
I have no information that
they were trying to get in.

864
00:43:08,633 --> 00:43:13,863
I think the Service has talked
about stopping a car that had

865
00:43:13,867 --> 00:43:17,597
been seen repeatedly
in the area.

866
00:43:17,600 --> 00:43:19,070
The Press:
But didn't the President
make them feel unwelcome

867
00:43:19,066 --> 00:43:21,136
at the Correspondents'
Association Dinner

868
00:43:21,133 --> 00:43:22,333
with his comments?

869
00:43:22,333 --> 00:43:24,003
(laughter)

870
00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:25,670
No, but I'm serious. He
made a joke about them.

871
00:43:25,667 --> 00:43:29,067
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, if every time somebody
makes a joke about somebody

872
00:43:29,066 --> 00:43:34,636
they take it that personally,
I don't think -- I don't know

873
00:43:34,633 --> 00:43:36,003
whether he made them
feel uncomfortable, April.

874
00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:38,330
He hasn't invited them to
come to the White House.

875
00:43:38,333 --> 00:43:42,303
I don't know if that's a level
of discomfort that would chagrin

876
00:43:42,300 --> 00:43:45,030
them from attempting
to come here.

877
00:43:45,033 --> 00:43:49,403
I am reminded that it seems to
me like their 15 minutes of fame

878
00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:52,970
were up almost six months ago.

879
00:43:52,967 --> 00:43:56,037
The Press:
Some in Congress say it's
inappropriate for a foreign

880
00:43:56,033 --> 00:43:58,503
leader to come to the White
House and to the chamber of the

881
00:43:58,500 --> 00:44:02,170
U.S. House of Representatives
and criticize American law,

882
00:44:02,166 --> 00:44:04,466
American state law,
and the Second Amendment

883
00:44:04,467 --> 00:44:05,397
to the Constitution.

884
00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:08,730
Was there anything inappropriate
in what President Calder贸n

885
00:44:08,734 --> 00:44:12,804
raised yesterday about both
the Arizona law and the guns?

886
00:44:12,800 --> 00:44:15,800
Mr. Gibbs:
I can't speak for -- I
don't know -- when you say

887
00:44:15,800 --> 00:44:17,470
"some people," I don't know --

888
00:44:17,467 --> 00:44:19,597
The Press:
Several members of Congress
have issued statements today

889
00:44:19,600 --> 00:44:21,200
saying his comments
were inappropriate.

890
00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:23,470
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, he is on Capitol
Hill and I think they

891
00:44:23,467 --> 00:44:26,337
could take it up
directly with him.

892
00:44:26,333 --> 00:44:27,333
The Press:
But he said it there, too.

893
00:44:27,333 --> 00:44:28,463
That's why they
issued the statements.

894
00:44:28,467 --> 00:44:31,097
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, it seems
to have not worked.

895
00:44:31,100 --> 00:44:36,700
Ann, I would say that he
has viewpoints on issues;

896
00:44:36,700 --> 00:44:40,100
some of those, as you heard
yesterday -- related to the

897
00:44:40,100 --> 00:44:43,770
Arizona law -- are
shared by the President,

898
00:44:43,767 --> 00:44:48,867
even as we all have to be
mindful of and take steps to

899
00:44:48,867 --> 00:44:53,767
implement comprehensive
immigration reform.

900
00:44:53,767 --> 00:44:57,797
The Press:
And does the President feel
that -- did Mrs. Obama tell

901
00:44:57,800 --> 00:45:00,070
the President all about
her encounter with the

902
00:45:00,066 --> 00:45:01,996
school student yesterday?

903
00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:04,230
Mr. Gibbs:
Not that I'm -- I don't
know the answer to that,

904
00:45:04,233 --> 00:45:06,003
to be honest with you. Yes.

905
00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:07,670
The Press:
Robert, speaking of
President Calder贸n,

906
00:45:07,667 --> 00:45:09,467
this morning in his
address to Congress,

907
00:45:09,467 --> 00:45:12,997
he asked lawmakers to reinstate
the assault weapons ban,

908
00:45:13,000 --> 00:45:14,670
something the President
has supported in the past.

909
00:45:14,667 --> 00:45:17,537
Does the President still support
that and does he plan to lean on

910
00:45:17,533 --> 00:45:19,103
Congress to make progress?

911
00:45:19,100 --> 00:45:24,970
Mr. Gibbs:
I would -- because the President
largely got asked this question

912
00:45:24,967 --> 00:45:29,797
yesterday about both drugs and
weapons moving across the border,

913
00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:32,430
I'd point you to the answer
that he gave about increased

914
00:45:32,433 --> 00:45:38,763
inspections on cargo that's
moving from the north to the south.

915
00:45:38,767 --> 00:45:40,967
The Press:
And can I just really quick
just follow on -- a while ago

916
00:45:40,967 --> 00:45:42,767
I asked if he's expressed --

917
00:45:42,767 --> 00:45:43,467
(laughter)

918
00:45:43,467 --> 00:45:45,897
-- no, he took care of my other
follow-up but I have one more

919
00:45:45,900 --> 00:45:48,970
about if he's expressed any
opinion at all yet -- obviously

920
00:45:48,967 --> 00:45:52,237
the boycott is growing;
people are joining.

921
00:45:52,233 --> 00:45:53,333
Does the President
have any opinion?

922
00:45:53,333 --> 00:46:00,203
He opposes the immigration law.
Does he support the boycott?

923
00:46:00,200 --> 00:46:02,630
Mr. Gibbs:
Again, I think he's been
pretty clear about the law.

924
00:46:02,633 --> 00:46:09,133
I think he thinks that the
effects of it are potentially

925
00:46:09,133 --> 00:46:13,333
quite harmful for
many in this country.

926
00:46:13,333 --> 00:46:15,263
I've not heard him speak
specifically about that,

927
00:46:15,266 --> 00:46:24,336
except to laud during his Cinco
de Mayo remarks the Phoenix Suns

928
00:46:24,333 --> 00:46:26,933
for the jerseys that they
wore during that game.

929
00:46:26,934 --> 00:46:27,704
Christi.

930
00:46:27,700 --> 00:46:30,470
The Press:
Two things. On the proposal
from the Iranians this week,

931
00:46:30,467 --> 00:46:35,737
is it your view that this slows
up the drive toward sanctions?

932
00:46:35,734 --> 00:46:37,164
I know that you
guys are proceeding,

933
00:46:37,166 --> 00:46:40,636
but do you think there needs to
be a pause to weigh the Iranian

934
00:46:40,633 --> 00:46:42,503
proposal before going forward?

935
00:46:42,500 --> 00:46:52,470
Mr. Gibbs:
No. Again, we -- I think Susan
Rice outlined a consensus

936
00:46:52,467 --> 00:46:58,067
proposal that the P5-plus-1
have worked on for many months,

937
00:46:58,066 --> 00:47:05,836
after the agreement and proposal
that was discussed by the

938
00:47:05,834 --> 00:47:09,234
Iranians, the Turks
and the Brazilians.

939
00:47:09,233 --> 00:47:11,663
I think it's important to
understand that the proposal

940
00:47:11,667 --> 00:47:20,737
that Iran says they've entered
into now is less than what they

941
00:47:20,734 --> 00:47:23,434
agreed to eight months ago.

942
00:47:23,433 --> 00:47:30,533
They did not agree to,
as they had in October,

943
00:47:30,533 --> 00:47:34,563
sit down with the P5-plus-1
to have a broader,

944
00:47:34,567 --> 00:47:37,467
fuller discussion about
Iran's nuclear program.

945
00:47:37,467 --> 00:47:41,367
They have not agreed to provide
unfettered access to nuclear

946
00:47:41,367 --> 00:47:44,097
facilities such as Qom.

947
00:47:44,100 --> 00:47:49,470
And the proposal does not
address in any form the

948
00:47:49,467 --> 00:47:53,867
increased enrichment that Iran
said it was undertaking in order

949
00:47:53,867 --> 00:47:58,237
to provide material for
their research reactor.

950
00:47:58,233 --> 00:48:02,233
So while we acknowledge and
appreciate the efforts of the

951
00:48:02,233 --> 00:48:06,103
Turks and the Brazilians,
I think it is important to

952
00:48:06,100 --> 00:48:11,400
understand that that agreement
alone does not address -- or

953
00:48:11,400 --> 00:48:16,130
that proposal alone in its
limited form does not fully

954
00:48:16,133 --> 00:48:19,703
address all of the concerns that
the P5-plus-1 and the larger

955
00:48:19,700 --> 00:48:22,800
international community have
with Iran's nuclear program.

956
00:48:22,800 --> 00:48:27,530
And, again, I'd point to the
things that Iran agreed to

957
00:48:27,533 --> 00:48:30,663
eight months ago that are
left out of this proposal.

958
00:48:30,667 --> 00:48:34,937
The Press:
Is there an effort afoot
to get them to expand the

959
00:48:34,934 --> 00:48:36,664
parameters of their proposal?

960
00:48:36,667 --> 00:48:38,667
For instance, did that come up
in the President's conversation

961
00:48:38,667 --> 00:48:40,567
with Prime Minister Erdogan?

962
00:48:40,567 --> 00:48:45,267
Mr. Gibbs:
I have -- I will check
on whether that came up

963
00:48:45,266 --> 00:48:50,066
with Prime Minister
Erdogan or not.

964
00:48:50,066 --> 00:48:55,266
Again, there are
responsibilities that the

965
00:48:55,266 --> 00:48:58,596
Iranians have and that
they must undertake.

966
00:48:58,600 --> 00:49:05,330
While the proposal that was
outlined on Monday would be a

967
00:49:05,333 --> 00:49:08,703
step in the right direction
because of the amount of

968
00:49:08,700 --> 00:49:11,930
low-enriched uranium that
would be transferred -- again,

969
00:49:11,934 --> 00:49:15,264
assuming that the Iranians
kept up their end of the deal,

970
00:49:15,266 --> 00:49:20,766
which has not -- has almost
never been the case -- we have

971
00:49:20,767 --> 00:49:23,237
had eight months of progression.

972
00:49:23,233 --> 00:49:26,633
That progression has included
increased enrichment.

973
00:49:26,633 --> 00:49:29,803
And the proposal, again, fails
to live up to even what they

974
00:49:29,800 --> 00:49:31,330
wanted to do just
eight months ago.

975
00:49:31,333 --> 00:49:33,403
The Press:
Is there any point then
in getting the Turks and

976
00:49:33,400 --> 00:49:35,530
the Brazilians to try to
press for some changes --

977
00:49:35,533 --> 00:49:41,563
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, again, I think
the role that they -- again,

978
00:49:41,567 --> 00:49:45,067
I would again acknowledge
the role that they played

979
00:49:45,066 --> 00:49:50,336
in trying to get Iran to
live up to its obligations.

980
00:49:50,333 --> 00:49:51,663
I think the
international community,

981
00:49:51,667 --> 00:49:58,897
by releasing the consensus
of the P5-plus-1 after that,

982
00:49:58,900 --> 00:50:01,000
understands that -- the
international community

983
00:50:01,000 --> 00:50:02,530
understands that there is
more that has to be done.

984
00:50:02,533 --> 00:50:03,263
Margaret.

985
00:50:03,266 --> 00:50:07,096
The Press:
Thanks, Robert. Earlier in the
briefing in talking about the

986
00:50:07,100 --> 00:50:09,900
oil spill, you had said --
about the volume of the spill,

987
00:50:09,900 --> 00:50:11,830
you had said there are certainly
many reasons to find out the

988
00:50:11,834 --> 00:50:13,864
degree to which
that is happening.

989
00:50:13,867 --> 00:50:16,837
Could you spell out what sort
of the top, I don't know,

990
00:50:16,834 --> 00:50:19,264
three or four reasons
to want to know that is?

991
00:50:19,266 --> 00:50:21,996
And then also, is the
administration firmly

992
00:50:22,000 --> 00:50:26,170
committed to coming up once --

993
00:50:26,166 --> 00:50:27,166
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me say this, Margaret,

994
00:50:27,166 --> 00:50:29,966
and I will double-check this
because I want to make sure

995
00:50:29,967 --> 00:50:34,237
that I'm clear in understanding
a portion of the Oil Pollution

996
00:50:34,233 --> 00:50:38,463
Act of 1990, and that is that
there -- if I'm not mistaken,

997
00:50:38,467 --> 00:50:45,067
there are some penalties that
are derived from the amount.

998
00:50:45,066 --> 00:50:48,666
But I want to make sure that
that -- that what I've heard is,

999
00:50:48,667 --> 00:50:52,937
in that way, correct.

1000
00:50:52,934 --> 00:50:57,804
Again, we've got scientists
that are working on evaluating,

1001
00:50:57,800 --> 00:51:03,000
testing, and setting a whole
host of issues, from subsea oil,

1002
00:51:03,000 --> 00:51:06,330
to loop current, to flow.

1003
00:51:06,333 --> 00:51:12,233
I guess my main answer was that
our response efforts have not

1004
00:51:12,233 --> 00:51:14,463
been predicated on
a different flow --

1005
00:51:14,467 --> 00:51:15,567
The Press:
Right, but that I understand.

1006
00:51:15,567 --> 00:51:18,197
Mr. Gibbs:
-- or on a magnitude of that flow.

1007
00:51:18,200 --> 00:51:20,730
The Press:
But once -- the
priority is to stop it.

1008
00:51:20,734 --> 00:51:21,364
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

1009
00:51:21,367 --> 00:51:23,137
The Press:
And everybody agrees
that's the right priority.

1010
00:51:23,133 --> 00:51:24,733
Is the administration committed
though at the end to coming up

1011
00:51:24,734 --> 00:51:26,834
with an official
sort of final number?

1012
00:51:26,834 --> 00:51:28,034
And are you concerned
at all that --

1013
00:51:28,033 --> 00:51:31,003
Mr. Gibbs:
Margaret, again, I think that
to some degree I would ask --

1014
00:51:31,000 --> 00:51:33,170
I'll ask a scientist
whether that is --

1015
00:51:33,166 --> 00:51:35,266
whether that's obtainable.

1016
00:51:35,266 --> 00:51:36,536
I mean, I'll be
honest with you --

1017
00:51:36,533 --> 00:51:37,863
The Press:
Yes, that's my question
is once it's out,

1018
00:51:37,867 --> 00:51:40,097
can you go back and figure
out how much came out?

1019
00:51:40,100 --> 00:51:41,400
Mr. Gibbs:
I doubt it.

1020
00:51:41,400 --> 00:51:43,130
I doubt we've -- I mean, I
don't know what the margin

1021
00:51:43,133 --> 00:51:44,463
of error would be.

1022
00:51:44,467 --> 00:51:46,997
I mean, again, one of the
reasons that we know -- one

1023
00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:49,100
of the reasons that you can
predicate a question on the

1024
00:51:49,100 --> 00:51:54,900
degree to which, or on the
amount of oil that the Valdez

1025
00:51:54,900 --> 00:51:59,170
spilled was because you
had in a container in a

1026
00:51:59,166 --> 00:52:03,036
ship a defined amount.

1027
00:52:03,033 --> 00:52:15,533
You have, again, several leaks
coming from a structure and

1028
00:52:15,533 --> 00:52:18,403
a pipe 5,000 feet
below the surface.

1029
00:52:18,400 --> 00:52:20,470
And as I think Thad
Allen has said, again,

1030
00:52:20,467 --> 00:52:25,697
even the video that we
see is two-dimensional.

1031
00:52:25,700 --> 00:52:30,130
There's not -- when you're
seeing it on the screen,

1032
00:52:30,133 --> 00:52:33,233
there's a depth that you
would need, I assume,

1033
00:52:33,233 --> 00:52:35,903
to make that measurement
that is not completely

1034
00:52:35,900 --> 00:52:37,900
apparent at first blush.

1035
00:52:37,900 --> 00:52:39,870
The Press:
I'm sorry to keep going,
but even though it's not

1036
00:52:39,867 --> 00:52:43,267
the priority, it seems like
it is increasingly a priority.

1037
00:52:43,266 --> 00:52:44,136
What are the --
what's changing --

1038
00:52:44,133 --> 00:52:46,133
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think at some point
you'll have -- again -- no, no.

1039
00:52:46,133 --> 00:52:47,263
I don't think
anything is changing.

1040
00:52:47,266 --> 00:52:50,336
I think this is part
of the response.

1041
00:52:50,333 --> 00:52:57,003
Again, I just -- without having
the scientific background,

1042
00:52:57,000 --> 00:52:59,800
again, I just don't know whether
-- I don't know the degree to

1043
00:52:59,800 --> 00:53:07,830
which and with what accuracy
you could come up with what

1044
00:53:07,834 --> 00:53:08,464
that number is.

1045
00:53:08,467 --> 00:53:13,797
I mean, in all honesty, I think
if you go back and look at over

1046
00:53:13,800 --> 00:53:17,230
a several-week period since
the spill has happened,

1047
00:53:17,233 --> 00:53:21,763
I've seen estimates -- and I
think largely from reporting --

1048
00:53:21,767 --> 00:53:28,197
that have ranged each day by
tens of thousands of barrels.

1049
00:53:28,200 --> 00:53:31,730
So, again, I think part of it
would be the degree to which

1050
00:53:31,734 --> 00:53:36,634
-- how accurate and how
specific can you get,

1051
00:53:36,633 --> 00:53:37,863
and I just don't know
the answer to that.

1052
00:53:37,867 --> 00:53:38,537
The Press:
Robert.

1053
00:53:38,533 --> 00:53:39,533
Mr. Gibbs:
April.

1054
00:53:39,533 --> 00:53:43,733
The Press:
On the BP oil spill, and
going to this last question,

1055
00:53:43,734 --> 00:53:47,804
the sentiment out in the public
is if this thing was built,

1056
00:53:47,800 --> 00:53:49,130
why can't it be repaired,
and what can't -- in an

1057
00:53:49,133 --> 00:53:52,463
expeditious manner?

1058
00:53:52,467 --> 00:53:55,697
And why isn't the government
acting in an expeditious manner

1059
00:53:55,700 --> 00:53:57,800
to even go into the
private sector to help

1060
00:53:57,800 --> 00:53:59,270
rectify this issue?

1061
00:53:59,266 --> 00:54:03,096
Mr. Gibbs:
No, no, no. April, the
private sector is -- again,

1062
00:54:03,100 --> 00:54:07,670
BP is an active member of the
private sector and is working

1063
00:54:07,667 --> 00:54:09,837
in conjunction, as I
understand it, with

1064
00:54:09,834 --> 00:54:11,264
many different oil companies.

1065
00:54:11,266 --> 00:54:13,496
The Press:
That's what I mean -- the
people that I'm talking --

1066
00:54:13,500 --> 00:54:14,570
I'm not just talking
about just BP,

1067
00:54:14,567 --> 00:54:16,867
not the people who are involved,
but the people beyond them --

1068
00:54:16,867 --> 00:54:21,837
there are other
ocean-type persons,

1069
00:54:21,834 --> 00:54:23,034
marine-type persons, whatever --

1070
00:54:23,033 --> 00:54:23,903
(laughter)

1071
00:54:23,900 --> 00:54:25,370
-- oceanographic,
I guess, whatever,

1072
00:54:25,367 --> 00:54:26,897
okay -- okay, whatever.

1073
00:54:26,900 --> 00:54:31,870
(laughter)

1074
00:54:31,867 --> 00:54:34,637
Mr. Gibbs:
The decision I'm contemplating
in my head is to ask you, again,

1075
00:54:34,633 --> 00:54:37,563
to be more specific as to
said "oceanographic" people,

1076
00:54:37,567 --> 00:54:39,567
because I don't -- I'm
not trying to be flip,

1077
00:54:39,567 --> 00:54:41,437
I'm just trying to
figure out -- I mean,

1078
00:54:41,433 --> 00:54:43,863
are you talking -- there's
a scientific element to --

1079
00:54:43,867 --> 00:54:45,067
The Press:
That's the point they'll make.

1080
00:54:45,066 --> 00:54:48,236
People who have mechanisms to
go down to be able to repair

1081
00:54:48,233 --> 00:54:49,933
equipment, machinery --

1082
00:54:49,934 --> 00:54:51,064
Mr. Gibbs:
No, no, let's be clear.

1083
00:54:51,066 --> 00:54:53,996
The Press:
I am being very clear --
with machinery as well as

1084
00:54:54,000 --> 00:54:55,670
pods that you can go
down in, robots --

1085
00:54:55,667 --> 00:54:57,297
Mr. Gibbs:
April, are you asking me
or are you telling me that

1086
00:54:57,300 --> 00:55:01,400
there is a -- there are a
series of machines that -- no,

1087
00:55:01,400 --> 00:55:02,570
I'm not trying to be flip here.

1088
00:55:02,567 --> 00:55:05,097
But the predicate of your
question is that there is --

1089
00:55:05,100 --> 00:55:09,370
hold on -- that there are a
series of machines that exist

1090
00:55:09,367 --> 00:55:13,537
that have not been deployed
in order to deal with what's

1091
00:55:13,533 --> 00:55:14,603
happening 5,000 feet below.

1092
00:55:14,600 --> 00:55:16,000
The Press:
This is the question
that's out there.

1093
00:55:16,000 --> 00:55:17,400
This is the question
that's out there.

1094
00:55:17,400 --> 00:55:20,130
People want to -- if this thing
could have been built that far

1095
00:55:20,133 --> 00:55:22,033
down, it was built
some kind of way,

1096
00:55:22,033 --> 00:55:24,503
and there are machines
and equipment --

1097
00:55:24,500 --> 00:55:26,800
Mr. Gibbs:
And it's failed in
a catastrophic way.

1098
00:55:26,800 --> 00:55:28,230
The Press:
Right, but there are
machines out there

1099
00:55:28,233 --> 00:55:30,833
and other marine technology --

1100
00:55:30,834 --> 00:55:32,034
Mr. Gibbs:
I just -- I don't --

1101
00:55:32,033 --> 00:55:33,663
The Press:
-- private sector
organizations that could

1102
00:55:33,667 --> 00:55:34,967
be tapped by the
federal government.

1103
00:55:34,967 --> 00:55:36,097
Mr. Gibbs:
I want to be careful here, April.

1104
00:55:36,100 --> 00:55:37,470
I want to be careful because
-- can I just, for a second?

1105
00:55:37,467 --> 00:55:38,397
The Press:
Okay.

1106
00:55:38,400 --> 00:55:42,700
Mr. Gibbs:
Again, I want to ask --
you're predicating your

1107
00:55:42,700 --> 00:55:46,530
question on -- and I'm happy to
look at whatever you have --

1108
00:55:46,533 --> 00:55:52,563
about the notion that there are
a series of people or machines

1109
00:55:52,567 --> 00:55:56,497
that could solve this that
are somehow not being asked

1110
00:55:56,500 --> 00:55:57,830
or used to solve this.

1111
00:55:57,834 --> 00:56:00,504
The Press:
That's my question that I'm
asking that we are getting,

1112
00:56:00,500 --> 00:56:02,400
that people are saying,
if this was built,

1113
00:56:02,400 --> 00:56:05,730
if this could be built, and you
could have siphoning of oil out

1114
00:56:05,734 --> 00:56:08,134
of a well, as you're
saying, four miles down,

1115
00:56:08,133 --> 00:56:10,703
and then the actual
equipment is a mile down,

1116
00:56:10,700 --> 00:56:16,700
why not -- how can you not tap
other resources out there --

1117
00:56:16,700 --> 00:56:19,700
marine technology
resources -- to possibly

1118
00:56:19,700 --> 00:56:20,900
help fix the problem?

1119
00:56:20,900 --> 00:56:23,130
Not just deal with BP
and Halliburton group,

1120
00:56:23,133 --> 00:56:25,633
deal with other people,
tap other organizations.

1121
00:56:25,633 --> 00:56:28,803
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me -- I'd point you
to BP to get you a list

1122
00:56:28,800 --> 00:56:34,300
of the people and entities that
they're working in conjunction

1123
00:56:34,300 --> 00:56:39,930
with in order to plug the hole.

1124
00:56:39,934 --> 00:56:41,164
But understand that --

1125
00:56:41,166 --> 00:56:43,036
The Press:
But that's where everybody
is coming -- do you

1126
00:56:43,033 --> 00:56:45,003
actually trust BP?

1127
00:56:45,000 --> 00:56:46,900
You're talking about --
you go to BP, go to BP.

1128
00:56:46,900 --> 00:56:48,400
Why not do something
--going to BP.

1129
00:56:48,400 --> 00:56:49,330
Why not do something
independent --

1130
00:56:49,333 --> 00:56:50,563
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't think they have
-- I do not think it is

1131
00:56:50,567 --> 00:56:51,697
in their business model to
continue to have the leak

1132
00:56:51,700 --> 00:56:53,030
that they're having in the Gulf.

1133
00:56:53,033 --> 00:56:56,763
I think that -- I'm under the
strong impression that they have

1134
00:56:56,767 --> 00:57:02,937
asked companies throughout the
world that deal with these type

1135
00:57:02,934 --> 00:57:09,104
of situations for technological
and brainpower expertise in

1136
00:57:09,100 --> 00:57:11,470
order to deal with
this, because -- I mean,

1137
00:57:11,467 --> 00:57:13,737
I think -- the larger
point that I'd make, April,

1138
00:57:13,734 --> 00:57:18,904
is the equipment that is -- the
equipment that's used to look

1139
00:57:18,900 --> 00:57:24,700
at and deal with what is going
on a mile beneath the surface,

1140
00:57:24,700 --> 00:57:28,930
that's equipment that is owned
and possessed by those companies

1141
00:57:28,934 --> 00:57:30,604
that have an expertise in that.

1142
00:57:30,600 --> 00:57:36,370
There's not a federal government
division of -- that has,

1143
00:57:36,367 --> 00:57:39,567
as I said earlier, a
submersible at 5,000 feet

1144
00:57:39,567 --> 00:57:44,767
with the mechanical ability
to lift many tons of --

1145
00:57:44,767 --> 00:57:47,167
The Press:
But, again, you just
tapped on in your answer

1146
00:57:47,166 --> 00:57:50,766
basically the issue
of trust with BP.

1147
00:57:50,767 --> 00:57:53,137
They're not giving out
information on the video.

1148
00:57:53,133 --> 00:57:58,703
Why totally rely on them instead
of going out to some other

1149
00:57:58,700 --> 00:58:01,830
private sector organizations
to possibly get some help?

1150
00:58:01,834 --> 00:58:03,664
Mr. Gibbs:
We're going in a
circle here, April.

1151
00:58:03,667 --> 00:58:06,337
But I got to say -- hold on one
second, let me just finish this.

1152
00:58:06,333 --> 00:58:14,333
I do not believe that there is
an entity in this country or,

1153
00:58:14,333 --> 00:58:19,633
quite frankly, outside of this
country that hasn't been looked

1154
00:58:19,633 --> 00:58:24,833
at or tapped into in order to
try to make progress on this.

1155
00:58:24,834 --> 00:58:30,734
It just -- there is nobody that
believes that what is going on,

1156
00:58:30,734 --> 00:58:34,434
continuing to happen, is in
anybody's best interest.

1157
00:58:34,433 --> 00:58:39,603
Therefore, everybody is
trying to seek a solution.

1158
00:58:39,600 --> 00:58:44,500
The Press:
What about the Woods Hole
Center that found the Titanic?

1159
00:58:44,500 --> 00:58:49,630
Mr. Gibbs:
Again, April, I'm way out
of my proverbial depth.

1160
00:58:49,633 --> 00:58:54,563
Locating a ship resting on the
floor of the ocean for many

1161
00:58:54,567 --> 00:59:00,997
decades is somewhat different
than finding a submersible to

1162
00:59:01,000 --> 00:59:05,730
get to that depth and plugging
many leaks in a riser pipe and

1163
00:59:05,734 --> 00:59:07,004
in a blowout preventer.

1164
00:59:07,000 --> 00:59:11,300
If it was just about pictures,
if it was just about taking

1165
00:59:11,300 --> 00:59:14,030
pictures, we've done that.

1166
00:59:14,033 --> 00:59:18,003
This is -- I hate to --
well, I'm not simplifying

1167
00:59:18,000 --> 00:59:19,630
it because I'm not --

1168
00:59:19,633 --> 00:59:20,933
The Press:
And lastly in follow up,

1169
00:59:20,934 --> 00:59:23,504
I asked you something a couple
of times on the issue --

1170
00:59:23,500 --> 00:59:24,530
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

1171
00:59:24,533 --> 00:59:27,163
The Press:
-- on the cost --
the cost of jobs.

1172
00:59:27,166 --> 00:59:31,796
Has the President been working
with people about the jobs that

1173
00:59:31,800 --> 00:59:34,300
are lost down there, the
fisheries that are affected?

1174
00:59:34,300 --> 00:59:38,870
Also on the cost of gasoline,
as well as on the --

1175
00:59:38,867 --> 00:59:42,937
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, this is
-- as I've said before,

1176
00:59:42,934 --> 00:59:45,904
this was not production oil.

1177
00:59:45,900 --> 00:59:48,900
This was exploratory drilling.

1178
00:59:48,900 --> 00:59:53,500
So the oil lost is not
lost in a marketplace

1179
00:59:53,500 --> 00:59:58,830
that expected a certain amount
of deliverable oil on a schedule.

1180
00:59:58,834 --> 01:00:04,564
So, look, I think gas prices go
up normally at this time of year

1181
01:00:04,567 --> 01:00:08,537
as there's blend switching and
increased demand for driving.

1182
01:00:08,533 --> 01:00:13,763
So in terms of jobs, SBA has
been on the ground for now at

1183
01:00:13,767 --> 01:00:20,097
least a couple of weeks, as NOAA
first closed a portion of the

1184
01:00:20,100 --> 01:00:23,270
Gulf and has now expanded the
closing of the portion of the

1185
01:00:23,266 --> 01:00:26,436
Gulf to commercial fishermen.

1186
01:00:26,433 --> 01:00:30,703
And that I think expands
throughout the Gulf in order

1187
01:00:30,700 --> 01:00:36,470
to deal with legitimate claims
for economic loss or damage.

1188
01:00:36,467 --> 01:00:36,897
The Press:
Thank you, Robert.

1189
01:00:36,900 --> 01:00:37,570
Mr. Gibbs:
Glenn.

1190
01:00:37,567 --> 01:00:38,867
The Press:
Robert, just two quick questions.

1191
01:00:38,867 --> 01:00:40,867
Does the President still
support Blanche Lincoln

1192
01:00:40,867 --> 01:00:42,037
in her runoff against Halter?

1193
01:00:42,033 --> 01:00:43,003
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

1194
01:00:43,000 --> 01:00:46,370
The Press:
Does he plan on doing in terms
of fundraising or cutting ads?

1195
01:00:46,367 --> 01:00:48,297
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't know that we've
been asked to do anything

1196
01:00:48,300 --> 01:00:49,170
by the campaign.

1197
01:00:49,166 --> 01:00:52,596
The Press:
And the lesson of -- a lot
of people have speculated

1198
01:00:52,600 --> 01:00:55,170
on the lessons of
the Specter loss.

1199
01:00:55,166 --> 01:00:59,136
Do you think that's a signal to
the President that he might in

1200
01:00:59,133 --> 01:01:01,803
the future want to support a
candidate who more closely

1201
01:01:01,800 --> 01:01:03,800
represents the base of
the party like Sestak,

1202
01:01:03,800 --> 01:01:07,070
rather than a candidate
-- an alliance with --

1203
01:01:07,066 --> 01:01:14,596
Mr. Gibbs:
Again, Glenn, we -- Senator
Specter was -- Senator Specter

1204
01:01:14,600 --> 01:01:21,670
made a series of important and
courageous votes on economic

1205
01:01:21,667 --> 01:01:24,737
recovery and on health
care that the President was

1206
01:01:24,734 --> 01:01:26,204
enormously thankful for.

1207
01:01:26,200 --> 01:01:30,700
He was, because of his switch,
a member of -- an incumbent

1208
01:01:30,700 --> 01:01:34,630
senator and a member of the
Democratic Party and he

1209
01:01:34,633 --> 01:01:36,503
enjoyed our support.

1210
01:01:36,500 --> 01:01:39,270
The President traveled there
and raised money for him.

1211
01:01:39,266 --> 01:01:43,936
Vice President Biden traveled
there a number of times as well.

1212
01:01:43,934 --> 01:01:45,504
The Press:
Has he spoken to Specter?

1213
01:01:45,500 --> 01:01:46,300
Mr. Gibbs:
He has.

1214
01:01:46,300 --> 01:01:47,430
The Press:
And could you just sort of --

1215
01:01:47,433 --> 01:01:51,903
Mr. Gibbs:
I think it was -- he left
him a message I believe

1216
01:01:51,900 --> 01:01:52,670
on election night.

1217
01:01:52,667 --> 01:01:56,037
I think they connected today.

1218
01:01:56,033 --> 01:01:57,703
I will try to get
a readout of that.

1219
01:01:57,700 --> 01:02:00,930
I think it happened not
long before I came out here.

1220
01:02:00,934 --> 01:02:03,704
But, again, Glenn, I don't think
I'm going out -- way out on a

1221
01:02:03,700 --> 01:02:06,970
limb to say this is a -- this
is an anti-incumbent year,

1222
01:02:06,967 --> 01:02:11,037
and Senator Specter had spent 29
years in one party and switched

1223
01:02:11,033 --> 01:02:16,903
parties and was running in the
Democratic Party in an extremely

1224
01:02:16,900 --> 01:02:19,630
tough year for any incumbent.

1225
01:02:19,633 --> 01:02:23,663
I will say this,
as I said earlier,

1226
01:02:23,667 --> 01:02:29,167
I think the -- what happened
with -- what has happened with

1227
01:02:29,166 --> 01:02:31,996
the Republican Party, and is the
evidence you see in somebody

1228
01:02:32,000 --> 01:02:35,230
like Arlen Specter, they are not
even welcome in the party in

1229
01:02:35,233 --> 01:02:37,763
which they've been
serving for 29 years.

1230
01:02:37,767 --> 01:02:38,567
I missed you over here.

1231
01:02:38,567 --> 01:02:39,067
Yes, sir.

1232
01:02:39,066 --> 01:02:42,436
The Press:
Can you please elaborate a
little bit on what John Brennan

1233
01:02:42,433 --> 01:02:46,503
said about Hezbollah of Lebanon,
that the administration is

1234
01:02:46,500 --> 01:02:50,300
trying to -- some
moderate elements

1235
01:02:50,300 --> 01:02:51,670
within the party that was --

1236
01:02:51,667 --> 01:02:53,997
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me get -- let me get
something from John on that.

1237
01:02:54,000 --> 01:02:56,200
And not -- George, I think it's
your birthday, so let me --

1238
01:02:56,200 --> 01:03:01,470
(laughter)

1239
01:03:01,467 --> 01:03:02,697
The Press:
Well, I have 12 questions.

1240
01:03:02,700 --> 01:03:04,670
(laughter)

1241
01:03:04,667 --> 01:03:05,897
Mr. Gibbs:
Who do you think you
are, Peter Baker?

1242
01:03:05,900 --> 01:03:07,830
(laughter)

1243
01:03:07,834 --> 01:03:10,634
I'm joking. I will say this,
can I just point out for the

1244
01:03:10,633 --> 01:03:13,033
record that since Peter
asked his 12 questions,

1245
01:03:13,033 --> 01:03:15,763
he and Mike have been playing
with that iPod virtually

1246
01:03:15,767 --> 01:03:17,797
continuously since that point.

1247
01:03:17,800 --> 01:03:18,900
(laughter)

1248
01:03:18,900 --> 01:03:21,300
So I hate to bust them
like that -- yes, the --

1249
01:03:21,300 --> 01:03:22,330
The Press:
We're looking up --

1250
01:03:22,333 --> 01:03:24,963
The Press:
They're organizing a system
for you to get back to us.

1251
01:03:24,967 --> 01:03:27,697
Mr. Gibbs:
I'm happy to Google
that when I get back.

1252
01:03:27,700 --> 01:03:28,570
Go ahead, George.

1253
01:03:28,567 --> 01:03:31,637
The Press:
Mexican officials are
privately very frustrated

1254
01:03:31,633 --> 01:03:35,403
that no matter how many times
they bring up the trucking issue

1255
01:03:35,400 --> 01:03:38,430
with President Obama, they
don't see any movement toward

1256
01:03:38,433 --> 01:03:41,033
the United States honoring
its treaty obligations there.

1257
01:03:41,033 --> 01:03:44,333
Is that frustration
understandable?

1258
01:03:44,333 --> 01:03:46,033
And was any progress made --

1259
01:03:46,033 --> 01:03:52,333
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me get NEC -- I will get
NEC to get something on that.

1260
01:03:52,333 --> 01:03:57,263
I know obviously that it came up
as part of the two delegations

1261
01:03:57,266 --> 01:03:59,196
in the Oval Office.

1262
01:03:59,200 --> 01:04:02,200
I know that it's been something
that's been discussed around

1263
01:04:02,200 --> 01:04:04,500
here, so let me get some
greater clarity on that.

1264
01:04:04,500 --> 01:04:07,400
I'll go with Mike, and
then I'll go back to work.

1265
01:04:07,400 --> 01:04:09,570
The Press:
The President made very
clear yesterday that he

1266
01:04:09,567 --> 01:04:11,897
supports President
Calder贸n's efforts

1267
01:04:11,900 --> 01:04:14,270
in the war against
narcotraffickers.

1268
01:04:14,266 --> 01:04:15,696
When it comes to Afghanistan,
he's talked a lot about

1269
01:04:15,700 --> 01:04:20,670
revaluating things as time
goes on, looking at metrics,

1270
01:04:20,667 --> 01:04:21,867
re-looking at strategies.

1271
01:04:21,867 --> 01:04:24,397
The metrics in Mexico
are not very good,

1272
01:04:24,400 --> 01:04:25,900
and they haven't been
very good for a while.

1273
01:04:25,900 --> 01:04:27,830
Is this something that's
sort of set in stone,

1274
01:04:27,834 --> 01:04:29,404
or is there an active
process at all,

1275
01:04:29,400 --> 01:04:30,870
looking at whether
their strategy --

1276
01:04:30,867 --> 01:04:31,937
Mr. Gibbs:
Our support or whether --

1277
01:04:31,934 --> 01:04:35,104
The Press:
Whether we support
their strategy or whether

1278
01:04:35,100 --> 01:04:37,170
there's possibly a better
strategy or another strategy

1279
01:04:37,166 --> 01:04:38,736
to deal with these issues?

1280
01:04:38,734 --> 01:04:41,304
Mr. Gibbs:
I do not believe
-- and, again,

1281
01:04:41,300 --> 01:04:49,600
I'll check with our Mexico guys
whether or not a discussion of

1282
01:04:49,600 --> 01:04:53,600
changing that strategy was
part of these discussions.

1283
01:04:53,600 --> 01:04:57,930
Obviously, as you heard
the President say,

1284
01:04:57,934 --> 01:05:02,904
what President Calder贸n has done
has been courageous and at the

1285
01:05:02,900 --> 01:05:10,970
risk of safety and his own
political standing has not

1286
01:05:10,967 --> 01:05:15,667
been easy to undertake.

1287
01:05:15,667 --> 01:05:17,597
Let me talk to them and see if
there's anything that came up

1288
01:05:17,600 --> 01:05:18,530
throughout those discussions.

1289
01:05:18,533 --> 01:05:19,033
The Press:
Thank you, Robert.

1290
01:05:19,033 --> 01:05:19,603
Mr. Gibbs:
Thanks, guys.

1291
01:05:19,600 --> 01:05:21,230
The Press:
Robert, quick thing on
the Rand Paul -- does the

1292
01:05:21,233 --> 01:05:23,933
White House have any comment or
any position on his position on

1293
01:05:23,934 --> 01:05:26,634
the civil rights act?

1294
01:05:26,633 --> 01:05:29,503
Mr. Gibbs:
I have not -- I saw
clips of the interview;

1295
01:05:29,500 --> 01:05:34,300
I've not watched
the whole thing.

1296
01:05:34,300 --> 01:05:36,570
I think I would go back to the
answer I gave a little bit ago

1297
01:05:36,567 --> 01:05:40,667
in terms of the narrowness of
or the expansiveness of which

1298
01:05:40,667 --> 01:05:41,797
-- of the party.

1299
01:05:41,800 --> 01:05:52,700
I think the issues that many
fought for in the '50s and the

1300
01:05:52,700 --> 01:05:59,200
'60s were settled a long time
ago in landmark legislation.

1301
01:05:59,200 --> 01:06:04,270
And a discussion about whether
or not you support those I don't

1302
01:06:04,266 --> 01:06:07,396
think has a real -- shouldn't
have a place in our political

1303
01:06:07,400 --> 01:06:10,570
dialogue in 2010. Thanks.