English subtitles for clip: File:6-30-09- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Gibbs:
Yes, ma'am.

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Go ahead.

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Take us away.

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The Press:
Thanks, Robert.

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We want to start with Honduras.

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Has the U.S. been in contact with Honduran military leaders

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to insist on the
President's return to power?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I know that State Department officials have been in touch

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with President Zelaya.

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I do not know the extent of
their contact with military officials.

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Obviously there are -- there's
a special meeting of the OAS

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scheduled for later on this afternoon and we'll continue

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working on this situation.

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The Press:
Is there any other acceptable solution other than his return

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to power?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Not at this point that I think that people have in any way

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contemplated, no.

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The Press:
Is he meeting today with the State Department or anybody in

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the White House?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I believe if he does come, either today or tomorrow,

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that he will likely meet with
officials from the State

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Department, some of whom, as
I said, have been in contact.

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The Press:
He won't come here?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Not that I'm aware of, no.

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The Press:
That was partially my question, actually -- one of two --

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the first one being, if he
does come to Washington,

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as he says he would like to do,
will the President meet with him?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, at this point,
I think he would --

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if he comes, he was likely to
be seen by State Department officials.

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The Press:
So no plans for the
President -- all right.

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And secondly, could
you give us --

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it's not that far
off, coming up --

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a little bit of a heads up on
what the President hopes to

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achieve at the G8?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Let's do that a
little bit later.

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We're going to do a
briefing call on that.

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I think it's important to go
through the whole arc of the trip.

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We'll go through the
Russia stops, the G8,

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because there's some stuff on
the schedule that's sort of

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built around G8 but not part
of that official program,

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as well as the stop in Ghana.

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The Press:
Do you know when
that call will be?

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Mr. Gibbs:
It will I think be
tomorrow afternoon.

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That's when it's sort
of tentatively holding.

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Yes, sir.

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The Press:
Robert, we understand the President is going to talk a

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little bit about Iraq
this afternoon --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

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The Press:
-- at the beginning
of the event.

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Could you give us a kind
of an idea, a preview,

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of what he might say?

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And why does it seem like he's
downplaying it a little bit?

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I mean, he's only mentioning
it at the beginning of another event.

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He's not having an event
about this historic occasion.

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Is there some reason why he
doesn't want to talk too much

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about it?

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Or what's the calculation?

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Mr. Gibbs:
No, I don't -- I mean, I don't know why the President is going

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to speak about it, and I don't know that that minimizes in any way.

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I think you saw -- I think officials were on the --

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CNN just this weekend, speaking
in the form of Ray Odierno,

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who's, as you well know, our
commander on the ground.

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So let me -- without getting into the semantics of that part

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of it, the President will discuss that obviously this is

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an important step
forward in this process.

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We are today handing
responsibility to the Iraqis for

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their -- an increased level
of their security situation,

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as well as the responsibility
that clearly is going to come

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with needing to continue to work
on and solve their political

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reconciliation problems, as we
get closer to September of next

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year for the drawdown of
our combat troops and then

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ultimately the end of 2011 for
the later stages of the SOFA agreement.

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So, again, I think this
is an important step.

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I think the President will talk
about why it's an important

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step, but why we also have to
remain vigilant in monitoring

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the situation and,
again, working with --

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continuing for General
Odierno, Ambassador Hill,

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working with all of those
involved for political reconciliation.

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And I think, finally, Ed, he'll
discuss today the reason we're

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at this point, and that is the
courageous contributions of our

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men and women in uniform and
what that's meant for our

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ability to be meeting
this historic date.

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The Press:
Well, on that point, does the White House believe the U.S. has

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won the war in Iraq or has now been put in a position to win the war?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think -- without getting into those characterizations,

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I think this is an
important step forward.

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It is an important step forward
for the Iraqis to govern their

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own nation.

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It is an important step forward
in our ability to ultimately

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draw down our combat troops and
leave Iraq in a good situation.

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And all of that has let us
invest more of our resources in Afghanistan.

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The Press:
And has the President ruled out ever declaring victory there?

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Mr. Gibbs:
We'll keep the banner printers from doing anything crazy.

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The Press:
Robert, on that
point about security,

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you talked about the Americans,
but what about the Iraqis?

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Five Americans were killed
on the eve of the handoff.

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Are you confident in the Iraqi
security forces' ability to take

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on this task?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, more importantly, General Odierno is confident in their

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ability as we move forward.

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I think as General Odierno has
said over the course of the past

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few days, it's not surprising
that we've seen high-profile

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incidents in which extremists
seek to kill innocent civilians

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in order -- in many ways for them to try to convince their

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followers that what's happening today is a result of their actions.

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And obviously it's not.

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We will continue to monitor
the situation, as I said.

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And at this point, it looks
like these are fairly isolated

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incidents as we've seen the
level of violence as a whole

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continue to decrease
across Iraq.

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Yes, sir.

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The Press:
Treasury today froze the assets of a Hong Kong company relative

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to North Korea's missile regime.

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Is this likely to be considered
a threatening action?

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Is there concern that it might
be taken as a threatening action

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by North Korea?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I hesitate for any number of reasons to speak for the

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North Koreans and what
they may or may not find --

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The Press:
No, but you might
speak to whether such a

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consideration was --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look -- well, let me do characterize some of what North

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Korea -- North Korea has made some -- they've usually --

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they've stated a lot
of bellicose things.

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They've threatened
to do certain things.

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A lot of times what they
threaten to do they follow up on doing.

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But this administration, whether
it is through sanctions and our

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monitoring of North
Korea moving --

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potentially moving any sort
of arms out of their country

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through proliferation -- what Ambassador Rice negotiated and

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passed through the U.N.
Security Council is part of it,

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as well as a stepped-up role in ensuring that we are cutting off

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any potentially harmful financing, as in this case.

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Again, we have I think been
fairly explicit with the North

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Koreans about what -- the responsibilities that they

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entered into that we
expect them to live up to.

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And I think today's action
demonstrates the seriousness of

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what we intend to
do to address it.

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The Press:
Right.

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The question had to do, however,
with any consideration that was

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given to the kind of
reaction this might provoke.

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Mr. Gibbs:
I can assure you that
obviously we take --

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lots of stuff is factored in,
and you can assume that we've --

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took that into account and
decided that the best thing

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going forward was -- were the actions that were taken today

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and the continued monitoring of what's going on during the situation.

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The Press:
Robert, do you have any more details on Ambassador Goldberg's

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trip, interagency trip,
on North Korean --

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Mr. Gibbs:
We have some stuff from last week that I can get you on some

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of his stops.

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The Press:
But nothing beyond the stops they're making in terms of --

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Mr. Gibbs:
No, not at this point.

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Yes, sir.

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The Press:
Rather than get
into win or loss,

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would you describe the mission
so far as a success or failure,

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what's going on in Iraq?

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I mean, it's classified.

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I mean, I know the
political reasons,

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and you mentioned the --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, but it's not --
it's less that than --

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again, I think we should -- I think the way we look at this is

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there is progress
that is being made;

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obviously the security
situation has improved.

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I think President Obama talked
about that throughout last year.

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And again, I think we're taking
important steps on two fronts:

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one, our ability to get
our own combat troops home,

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but also to give the sovereign
nation of Iraq more control and

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ultimately more responsibility.

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We continue to --
let me say this:

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The administration believes that despite whatever happens today

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in that step forward that
this situation bears constant

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monitoring because there are
-- there may be rough patches ahead.

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We understand that.

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There are important elections
that will happen over the course

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of this year and important steps
that have to be taken on the

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path toward political
reconciliation in order for the

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promise of today to
be met by all Iraqis.

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The Press:
Walk through the differences between the administration's

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decision to sort of -- to take a position in what's going on in

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Honduras and the more hands-off approach you took with Iran.

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I know they're two
different countries, but --

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Mr. Gibbs:
I think that's probably
the understatement of

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the week, that --

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The Press:
-- but from 35,000 feet,
there are people saying, hey,

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you know, this is --

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Mr. Gibbs:
I would suggest you have your plane come in a little lower and

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take a look at maybe
like 10,000 feet --

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The Press:
Can you enunciate
this difference --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think part of the reason that you saw the administration

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come out is to address any
rumors that we were in any way

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involved in this.

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I think that's important, and I
think what was important was,

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as all in the international
community and the OAS have done,

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despite whatever you -- despite whatever political disagreements

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you might have, there is a -- there are democratic norms that

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have to and should be followed.

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The Press:
Can I follow up?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

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The Press:
Robert, is there any plans by the U.S. government to recall

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your ambassador to Washington
as other major Latin American

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countries are doing?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Not at this point, because the administration believes that

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having him there
is important for --

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an important player on the
ground in seeking an ultimate

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solution to the problem
that we face now.

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April.

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The Press:
Robert, following on
Chuck and Ed's question,

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on the issue of victory
or the lack thereof in

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Iran militarily --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Iraq.

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The Press:
I mean -- excuse me,
Iraq, I'm sorry, forgive me.

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On the issue of Iraq, during the
Bush years, there was debate --

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one side of the coin said,
look, we can never win this war

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militarily; it's a
several-pronged approach,

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to include the military as
well as political issues.

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Now, is this administration
subscribing to that?

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And if so, how could this
war be won militarily?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, without getting into whatever agreements or

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disagreements were had inside
the previous administration,

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I'll leave that up to members
of the previous administration,

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which in some ways seem to be
having those arguments still.

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The President has always said,
and said this for probably the

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past at least two
and a half years,

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that there wasn't only a
military solution to this

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problem; that unless or until
there was a political solution

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to this -- obviously there
are dimensions of a political

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solution that have to happen in order for this country to move forward.

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The Press:
So once the political
solution is --

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if I'm getting this correct
from your statement --

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once the political
solution is settled,

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we could maybe claim
victory in Iraq?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, you know, I don't
know what you call it.

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We're focused on a stable and
secure Iraq that is governed by

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Iraqis and the sovereign
country of Iraq.

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00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,570
We're concerned about getting
the brave men and women who have

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00:13:36,567 --> 00:13:40,937
served tour after tour after
tour in Iraq home to their

236
00:13:40,934 --> 00:13:47,034
families, in accordance with the
time frame that the President

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00:13:47,033 --> 00:13:51,863
and the commanders have laid
out and in accordance with the

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00:13:51,867 --> 00:13:56,797
Status of Forces Agreement that
was negotiated and signed with

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00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:58,870
the sovereign nation of Iraq.

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00:13:58,867 --> 00:14:04,797
The Press:
When former President Bush took this nation to war with Iraq,

241
00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:06,600
many people realized
there would be sacrifice.

242
00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,100
Now, years later, the sacrifice,
many people are saying, is great.

243
00:14:10,100 --> 00:14:14,030
One reason why this President
was elected President is because

244
00:14:14,033 --> 00:14:16,233
he said that he would pull
the troops out of Iraq.

245
00:14:16,233 --> 00:14:20,503
People still, though, want a
period behind it to say that all

246
00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:22,000
the sacrifice is
worth something.

247
00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,370
Will there be something saying
we want victory at some point?

248
00:14:25,367 --> 00:14:31,037
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, I'm not
going to get into that,

249
00:14:31,033 --> 00:14:35,033
except to say I think the
President on any number of

250
00:14:35,033 --> 00:14:40,403
occasions throughout the
campaign was asked if the

251
00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,030
sacrifice of men and
women in uniform,

252
00:14:43,033 --> 00:14:45,433
some of whom have paid
the ultimate price,

253
00:14:45,433 --> 00:14:48,503
tens of thousands of
whom have been injured,

254
00:14:48,500 --> 00:14:49,630
whether that was worth it.

255
00:14:49,633 --> 00:14:53,103
Of course it was.

256
00:14:53,100 --> 00:14:54,130
Anybody?

257
00:14:54,133 --> 00:14:55,263
Major?

258
00:14:55,266 --> 00:14:56,266
The Press:
Just to follow up.

259
00:14:56,266 --> 00:14:57,366
Mr. Gibbs:
Everybody is getting shy today.

260
00:14:57,367 --> 00:14:58,337
(laughter)

261
00:14:58,333 --> 00:15:01,433
The Press:
To continue on Iraq, what
degree did the surge --

262
00:15:01,433 --> 00:15:04,103
does the President believe the
surge played in creating an

263
00:15:04,100 --> 00:15:06,170
atmosphere now where the
emphasis in Iraq tends to be

264
00:15:06,166 --> 00:15:09,496
more on the political than
the day-to-day security?

265
00:15:09,500 --> 00:15:13,700
Obviously day-to-day security is
an ongoing and crucial concern,

266
00:15:13,700 --> 00:15:16,730
but Ken Pollack and Michael
O'Hanlon, to name two,

267
00:15:16,734 --> 00:15:18,234
spent a lot of time
looking at Iraq,

268
00:15:18,233 --> 00:15:20,933
saying 2009-2010 is
really the year for --

269
00:15:20,934 --> 00:15:22,864
the two years for
politics in Iraq.

270
00:15:22,867 --> 00:15:25,937
To what degree did the surge -- which the President opposed --

271
00:15:25,934 --> 00:15:28,934
play in creating an atmosphere
that's better for politics to

272
00:15:28,934 --> 00:15:29,934
play itself out?

273
00:15:29,934 --> 00:15:31,464
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, let me give you, I think, the answer that he would

274
00:15:31,467 --> 00:15:34,637
probably have given to this
question as it was asked,

275
00:15:34,633 --> 00:15:37,063
probably more than a year ago.

276
00:15:37,066 --> 00:15:41,236
He I think would say obviously
increasing the number of troops

277
00:15:41,233 --> 00:15:44,533
in that country improved
the security situation,

278
00:15:44,533 --> 00:15:47,133
but understanding -- and part of this was the answer I gave to

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00:15:47,133 --> 00:15:50,833
April -- the surge
was to lessen --

280
00:15:50,834 --> 00:15:55,234
to improve the security
situation so that the political

281
00:15:55,233 --> 00:15:57,563
reconciliation could take place.

282
00:15:57,567 --> 00:16:02,397
So while the security
situation has improved,

283
00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:09,800
we still have a lot of work to
do on the political side of this equation.

284
00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,070
I don't know whether 2009 and
2010 were the original years in

285
00:16:13,066 --> 00:16:17,766
which that was contemplated.

286
00:16:17,767 --> 00:16:20,597
I do believe that, as the
President said and as I said to

287
00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:25,900
April, security and military
alone was never going to put us

288
00:16:25,900 --> 00:16:30,770
in a position of being able to
leave the country and to make progress.

289
00:16:30,767 --> 00:16:32,867
The Press:
And yesterday you said that you'd try to get back to us on

290
00:16:32,867 --> 00:16:36,037
the Vice President's
role in Iraq policy.

291
00:16:36,033 --> 00:16:37,103
Can you fill us in on that?

292
00:16:37,100 --> 00:16:38,000
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

293
00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:44,000
The Vice President will -- has been asked by the President to

294
00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:55,130
oversee the policy, and in working with General Odierno and

295
00:16:55,133 --> 00:17:02,433
Ambassador Hill in working with the Iraqis toward overcoming

296
00:17:02,433 --> 00:17:05,603
their political differences
and achieving the type of

297
00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:10,500
reconciliation that we all understand has yet to fully take

298
00:17:10,500 --> 00:17:12,200
place but needs to take place.

299
00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:15,830
The Press:
What does that mean, "oversee?"

300
00:17:15,834 --> 00:17:19,704
In what way will that change or
enlarge his interaction with the

301
00:17:19,700 --> 00:17:23,030
President, with General
Odierno, or Ambassador Hill?

302
00:17:23,033 --> 00:17:26,503
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I mean, obviously he spends a fairly decent amount of

303
00:17:26,500 --> 00:17:29,270
time with the President.

304
00:17:29,266 --> 00:17:35,166
I think the meetings that I've
been in in different parts of

305
00:17:35,166 --> 00:17:38,996
the building on Iraq the Vice
President has always been an

306
00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:40,500
active participant.

307
00:17:40,500 --> 00:17:46,970
I think given his
knowledge of the region,

308
00:17:46,967 --> 00:17:49,467
the number of times
he's been there,

309
00:17:49,467 --> 00:17:53,367
he's perfectly suited
for this type of role.

310
00:17:53,367 --> 00:17:54,967
The Press:
I guess what I'm getting
at is does it mean travel,

311
00:17:54,967 --> 00:17:57,397
does it mean briefing, does it
mean doing some of the things

312
00:17:57,400 --> 00:17:59,770
he's done more publicly, for
example, on the stimulus?

313
00:17:59,767 --> 00:18:04,697
Mr. Gibbs:
My sense is it probably
means many of those things.

314
00:18:04,700 --> 00:18:12,430
Again, I think what we want to
ensure happens is that as we

315
00:18:12,433 --> 00:18:16,063
reach these milestones
and these important dates,

316
00:18:16,066 --> 00:18:20,396
that we not forget that work has
to be done to get our troops

317
00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,530
back and to achieve that
political reconciliation.

318
00:18:24,533 --> 00:18:27,403
This is somebody who can oversee
that at the White House and

319
00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,800
ensure that we're making
continued progress toward those goals.

320
00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:32,130
The Press:
Just one more on that partition.

321
00:18:32,133 --> 00:18:35,433
Is that an item that is
a live debate within this administration?

322
00:18:35,433 --> 00:18:36,433
Mr. Gibbs:
No.

323
00:18:36,433 --> 00:18:37,433
The Press:
Okay, that's gone --

324
00:18:37,433 --> 00:18:38,433
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

325
00:18:38,433 --> 00:18:39,433
The Press:
Completely gone.

326
00:18:39,433 --> 00:18:40,433
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

327
00:18:40,433 --> 00:18:41,433
Yes, sir.

328
00:18:41,433 --> 00:18:42,433
The Press:
Are you saying that --

329
00:18:42,433 --> 00:18:43,433
Mr. Gibbs:
Go ahead, I'm sorry.

330
00:18:43,433 --> 00:18:45,433
The Press:
Are you saying that he's going to become sort of a mediator

331
00:18:45,433 --> 00:18:46,863
between the different
factions, possibly,

332
00:18:46,867 --> 00:18:48,297
or a hands-on type thing?

333
00:18:48,300 --> 00:18:58,200
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think he will be involved in working with Shia,

334
00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,900
Sunni and Kurd to achieve
political reconciliation.

335
00:19:00,900 --> 00:19:06,500
I would hesitate to use
the term "mediator."

336
00:19:06,500 --> 00:19:12,870
Somebody who I think can oversee
that we are making progress,

337
00:19:12,867 --> 00:19:18,797
that our attention and our
resources are matched by what we

338
00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:20,330
see needs to happen.

339
00:19:20,333 --> 00:19:22,433
I think that he's well
suited to do that.

340
00:19:22,433 --> 00:19:24,633
The Press:
Can you walk us through
what the President --

341
00:19:24,633 --> 00:19:29,803
did he do anything extraordinary
today to stay posted on the

342
00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,930
transition since
midnight, Iraq time?

343
00:19:32,934 --> 00:19:34,064
Mr. Gibbs:
None that I'm aware of.

344
00:19:34,066 --> 00:19:36,666
I know that -- I mean,
he has fairly regular --

345
00:19:36,667 --> 00:19:39,297
I can check and see if they
received anything special in

346
00:19:39,300 --> 00:19:41,330
intelligence briefings --

347
00:19:41,333 --> 00:19:42,633
The Press:
Any video conferencing with
the people over there --

348
00:19:42,633 --> 00:19:46,733
Mr. Gibbs:
-- or when the last time he spoke with General Odierno or

349
00:19:46,734 --> 00:19:47,604
Ambassador Hill.

350
00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,100
But they're in fairly
regular contact.

351
00:19:51,100 --> 00:19:52,370
Yes, ma'am.

352
00:19:52,367 --> 00:19:54,767
The Press:
Back on the Honduran
issue for one moment.

353
00:19:54,767 --> 00:19:56,997
You said that if the President
were to come here he would

354
00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:58,970
likely meet with the
State Department.

355
00:19:58,967 --> 00:20:00,867
Could you explain why he
wouldn't meet with any White

356
00:20:00,867 --> 00:20:02,167
House officials?

357
00:20:02,166 --> 00:20:07,166
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think right now a lot of this is being done out of the

358
00:20:07,166 --> 00:20:09,296
State Department.

359
00:20:09,300 --> 00:20:14,670
State Department officials
have been in contact with him already.

360
00:20:14,667 --> 00:20:18,397
And again, I'm not even sure
it's clear that he's going to --

361
00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,800
that if he comes to this
country that a stop will be in Washington.

362
00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,230
The Press:
But is there some particular reason why it wouldn't be

363
00:20:25,233 --> 00:20:28,703
appropriate for the White House
directly to get involved?

364
00:20:28,700 --> 00:20:34,670
Mr. Gibbs:
No, I think the State Department is a pretty good extension of

365
00:20:34,667 --> 00:20:37,797
our reach on foreign policy.

366
00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:38,900
Yes, ma'am.

367
00:20:38,900 --> 00:20:41,330
The Press:
Robert, in the President's remarks last night to the

368
00:20:41,333 --> 00:20:45,503
National Finance Committee he
talked about why Americans are

369
00:20:45,500 --> 00:20:47,570
still skeptical of change.

370
00:20:47,567 --> 00:20:51,667
And he said that Americans had
been promised legislation,

371
00:20:51,667 --> 00:20:54,897
most of which has been
a bait-and-switch --

372
00:20:54,900 --> 00:20:56,370
they had been
promised one thing,

373
00:20:56,367 --> 00:20:57,667
they had gotten something else.

374
00:20:57,667 --> 00:21:01,797
So by opening the door to taxing
Americans who are earning less

375
00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:05,400
than $250,000 -- no, how is
that not a bait-and-switch?

376
00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:07,470
How is that not
what we've seen --

377
00:21:07,467 --> 00:21:09,737
Mr. Gibbs:
Because that was all about
Ed doing a story yesterday

378
00:21:09,734 --> 00:21:11,234
afternoon on the lawn
of the White House.

379
00:21:11,233 --> 00:21:12,433
(laughter)

380
00:21:12,433 --> 00:21:13,703
The Press:
Now I'm doing a story.

381
00:21:13,700 --> 00:21:14,900
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, there you go.

382
00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:16,070
(laughter)

383
00:21:16,066 --> 00:21:19,696
Look, I'll do the same song
and dance I did yesterday: I

384
00:21:19,700 --> 00:21:23,070
appreciate the opportunity to
comment on what's in the final

385
00:21:23,066 --> 00:21:25,636
product of a bill that you all
keep reminding me we don't have

386
00:21:25,633 --> 00:21:27,003
a final product for.

387
00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,930
So when we get closer
to some of that --

388
00:21:29,934 --> 00:21:31,004
The Press:
But --

389
00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,270
Mr. Gibbs:
No, look, I'll do
this part again,

390
00:21:33,266 --> 00:21:37,636
too: I think the President has
outlined the best way forward in

391
00:21:37,633 --> 00:21:38,903
paying for this.

392
00:21:38,900 --> 00:21:43,900
I've been asked -- hold on, hold on -- I've been asked this --

393
00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:46,870
maybe I'll ask somebody to find
this out at the end of this

394
00:21:46,867 --> 00:21:49,637
briefing -- over the past
10 weeks, the same question

395
00:21:49,633 --> 00:21:52,703
probably every week
for those 10 weeks.

396
00:21:52,700 --> 00:21:55,330
The President has laid out what
he believes is the best way to

397
00:21:55,333 --> 00:21:58,033
pay for health care.

398
00:21:58,033 --> 00:22:02,633
It's consistent with everything
that he said in the campaign.

399
00:22:02,633 --> 00:22:08,633
The President has also said that
we're early in this process and

400
00:22:08,633 --> 00:22:12,133
he's going to watch what
happens in Congress.

401
00:22:12,133 --> 00:22:17,503
And as I said yesterday, I think
what has marked efforts in the

402
00:22:17,500 --> 00:22:24,530
past to achieve big reform like
is necessary to bring under

403
00:22:24,533 --> 00:22:30,133
control the cost of health care
is bright lines that cause

404
00:22:30,133 --> 00:22:33,633
people to leave the table.

405
00:22:33,633 --> 00:22:35,633
Everybody is still at the table.

406
00:22:35,633 --> 00:22:40,133
Everybody is still talking to
each other in an effort to move

407
00:22:40,133 --> 00:22:44,503
health care reform forward, to
do so in a way that's consistent

408
00:22:44,500 --> 00:22:46,070
with our principles
and our values.

409
00:22:46,066 --> 00:22:50,766
And that's what the
President is most focused on.

410
00:22:50,767 --> 00:22:53,297
The Press:
Well, how does that not result in the bait-and-switch that he

411
00:22:53,300 --> 00:22:55,670
criticized last night?

412
00:22:55,667 --> 00:22:57,497
Mr. Gibbs:
How does what not result?

413
00:22:57,500 --> 00:23:00,730
The Press:
A different end result than
what he had originally promised.

414
00:23:00,734 --> 00:23:02,034
Mr. Gibbs:
And what end result is that?

415
00:23:02,033 --> 00:23:04,463
The Press:
Taxing people who earn
less than $250,000 a year.

416
00:23:04,467 --> 00:23:06,837
Mr. Gibbs:
And is that on the
President's desk to sign?

417
00:23:06,834 --> 00:23:09,204
The Press:
But the door is open to it.

418
00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:10,970
The Press:
Isn't it?

419
00:23:10,967 --> 00:23:16,637
What's the different between
a bright line and a campaign promise?

420
00:23:16,633 --> 00:23:19,403
Mr. Gibbs:
We're not going to negotiate with ourselves, Major,

421
00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,270
we're going to watch
this process --

422
00:23:22,266 --> 00:23:24,736
again, I appreciate the
opportunity to comment on --

423
00:23:24,734 --> 00:23:25,704
The Press:
But, for example, the President and the Treasury Department set

424
00:23:25,700 --> 00:23:28,100
up legislation today on
financial regulation;

425
00:23:28,100 --> 00:23:31,100
it drew lines, very definitive
lines about things it does and

426
00:23:31,100 --> 00:23:35,800
doesn't want to do, and is
asking Congress to follow those bright lines.

427
00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,000
Mr. Gibbs:
I would -- I guess I would ask you to look at the legislation

428
00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,030
we've sent Congress on health care and see those bright lines.

429
00:23:41,033 --> 00:23:43,563
The Press:
Speaking of health care, tomorrow's town hall --

430
00:23:43,567 --> 00:23:45,897
can you describe it for us, how
does it differ from the previous

431
00:23:45,900 --> 00:23:47,800
town halls the
President is doing,

432
00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:49,730
and is this going to be
a continuing pattern --

433
00:23:49,734 --> 00:23:52,734
town hall per week until
they pass something?

434
00:23:52,734 --> 00:23:55,864
Mr. Gibbs:
An interesting concept.

435
00:23:55,867 --> 00:23:58,797
No, the President wanted to
continue the conversation that

436
00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:04,000
we started last week
with town halls.

437
00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:08,900
We're in Annandale, which is
primarily chosen because it's close.

438
00:24:08,900 --> 00:24:10,770
(laughter)

439
00:24:10,767 --> 00:24:13,967
We've got a lot of assets that
have been deployed to foreign

440
00:24:13,967 --> 00:24:17,637
countries in order to support
our visits in the next few --

441
00:24:17,633 --> 00:24:19,803
in the next week.

442
00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:28,570
But -- and I think they're
going to take questions off of a

443
00:24:28,567 --> 00:24:30,197
series of -- either
through video,

444
00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,130
through questions that are received through the Internet,

445
00:24:33,133 --> 00:24:37,033
as well as questions
from the audience, again,

446
00:24:37,033 --> 00:24:41,103
as a continuing conversation about how to move health care

447
00:24:41,100 --> 00:24:45,600
reform forward, how to get a bill that cuts costs for the

448
00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:50,630
American people and gives the promise of accessible and

449
00:24:50,633 --> 00:24:53,603
affordable health care to the millions of those that don't

450
00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:54,730
currently have it.

451
00:24:54,734 --> 00:24:56,434
The Press:
Robert, what legislation on health care did you send

452
00:24:56,433 --> 00:24:58,133
to the Hill?

453
00:24:58,133 --> 00:24:59,533
Mr. Gibbs:
We didn't.

454
00:24:59,533 --> 00:25:00,633
Jon.

455
00:25:00,633 --> 00:25:01,733
The Press:
That was sarcasm.

456
00:25:01,734 --> 00:25:03,234
The Press:
That would be news.

457
00:25:03,233 --> 00:25:04,403
Mr. Gibbs:
But that was --

458
00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:05,730
The Press:
Well, it didn't
feel like sarcasm.

459
00:25:05,734 --> 00:25:08,664
We think we know your sarcasm,
but you keep throwing --

460
00:25:08,667 --> 00:25:10,997
The Press:
We just like to keep current.

461
00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:12,230
Mr. Gibbs:
That was --

462
00:25:12,233 --> 00:25:13,403
The Press:
But you acknowledge --

463
00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:14,770
The Press:
And if you did send --

464
00:25:14,767 --> 00:25:16,167
The Press:
But you acknowledge what Major said, which is you did send --

465
00:25:16,166 --> 00:25:17,596
the Treasury Department sent
their own legislation --

466
00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:19,170
The Press:
-- Treasury Department on an important legislative issue.

467
00:25:19,166 --> 00:25:21,736
Mr. Gibbs:
Okay, now I have to
explain my sarcasm,

468
00:25:21,734 --> 00:25:26,034
which is I was setting up the
point that the bright lines that

469
00:25:26,033 --> 00:25:29,703
you discussed in the legislation
that was sent was not sent in this case.

470
00:25:29,700 --> 00:25:32,200
Therefore, I was a
little cute by --

471
00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:33,670
The Press:
We thought for a
moment you may have.

472
00:25:33,667 --> 00:25:35,097
The Press:
Robert, just a
follow-up on this?

473
00:25:35,100 --> 00:25:36,270
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me call on Jon for a second.

474
00:25:36,266 --> 00:25:37,366
The Press:
I'll defer to
Laura for a second.

475
00:25:37,367 --> 00:25:38,497
The Press:
Thank you.

476
00:25:38,500 --> 00:25:42,300
Is it possible that -- what you haven't said here is that, yes,

477
00:25:42,300 --> 00:25:45,030
maybe some of these things do go
against his campaign promises,

478
00:25:45,033 --> 00:25:46,833
but it's more
important to get --

479
00:25:46,834 --> 00:25:48,434
let me finish my question
before you dismiss it.

480
00:25:48,433 --> 00:25:49,303
Mr. Gibbs:
Okay.

481
00:25:49,300 --> 00:25:51,270
The Press:
It's more important to get a bill that has most of what you

482
00:25:51,266 --> 00:25:53,196
want and you're willing
to compromise on things,

483
00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,200
even things that you
promised in the campaign.

484
00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:56,670
Is that what's going on?

485
00:25:56,667 --> 00:25:59,737
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I will -- the President
is going to watch the process,

486
00:25:59,734 --> 00:26:03,134
it's going to be flexible, and
we'll evaluate it as we go along.

487
00:26:03,133 --> 00:26:04,763
The Press:
Is what I said an accurate depiction of the --

488
00:26:04,767 --> 00:26:06,897
Mr. Gibbs:
I would prefer
that you quote me.

489
00:26:06,900 --> 00:26:07,800
Go ahead.

490
00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:08,930
The Press:
Thank you.

491
00:26:08,934 --> 00:26:12,934
CBO scores on the HELP and the
Finance Committee bill has got a

492
00:26:12,934 --> 00:26:16,034
lot of -- stirred up a lot
of controversy in Washington.

493
00:26:16,033 --> 00:26:19,433
And then when the President
last week commented on CBO,

494
00:26:19,433 --> 00:26:21,963
that got a lot of attention.

495
00:26:21,967 --> 00:26:26,267
Do you feel like the President's
remarks on CBO were blown out of

496
00:26:26,266 --> 00:26:29,396
proportion in any way, in the
sense that he was complaining

497
00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:34,600
about their lack of willingness
to make concessions to his plans

498
00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:35,770
for saving --

499
00:26:35,767 --> 00:26:36,967
Mr. Gibbs:
No, no.

500
00:26:36,967 --> 00:26:39,637
I think -- and I think we
got this question, I think,

501
00:26:39,633 --> 00:26:41,433
after the meeting.

502
00:26:41,433 --> 00:26:43,963
What the President
was expressing was --

503
00:26:43,967 --> 00:26:49,337
look, we're going to follow,
obviously follow what CBO --

504
00:26:49,333 --> 00:26:52,363
how CBO scores health
care legislation.

505
00:26:52,367 --> 00:26:57,037
I think the frustration is less
with how they score the bills

506
00:26:57,033 --> 00:27:01,963
than just simply the notion that
the mission and the job that CBO

507
00:27:01,967 --> 00:27:08,337
has in this instance is simply
to look at and evaluate some of

508
00:27:08,333 --> 00:27:12,633
that -- what that legislation does, rather than some of the

509
00:27:12,633 --> 00:27:18,503
game-changers in terms of
going forward costs, right?

510
00:27:18,500 --> 00:27:20,730
Some of this stuff
is not, obviously,

511
00:27:20,734 --> 00:27:26,104
taking into broader account what
it can do to help families lower

512
00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:28,000
health care costs.

513
00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:29,700
I think -- that's
all he was expressing,

514
00:27:29,700 --> 00:27:35,300
was simply just that there's a broadness to what we're trying

515
00:27:35,300 --> 00:27:41,830
to do on health care policy
that is not scored by CBO,

516
00:27:41,834 --> 00:27:47,264
because that's, in all
honesty, not what CBO does.

517
00:27:47,266 --> 00:27:56,796
Rather, there's that focus here
on just what each individual

518
00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,200
report said, even though I think
there was some frustration that

519
00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:04,370
you're looking at earlier
incomplete pieces of legislation.

520
00:28:04,367 --> 00:28:06,867
The Press:
Is there a concern, though,
like when you come to the $600

521
00:28:06,867 --> 00:28:10,197
billion in Medicare savings that
the President has proposed,

522
00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:12,170
is there a concern that his
comments are being interpreted

523
00:28:12,166 --> 00:28:15,336
as applying to -- that he's
saying CBO's not scoring that?

524
00:28:15,333 --> 00:28:16,233
Because that --

525
00:28:16,233 --> 00:28:19,563
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't think that's what -- I don't think that's what he said

526
00:28:19,567 --> 00:28:20,497
or what he intended.

527
00:28:20,500 --> 00:28:21,570
The Press:
It wasn't what he was
saying, but do you --

528
00:28:21,567 --> 00:28:22,967
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes, I don't think
that's what he --

529
00:28:22,967 --> 00:28:25,167
I hope nobody took that as
what he intended to say,

530
00:28:25,166 --> 00:28:29,966
because that's not the
direction that he was moving.

531
00:28:29,967 --> 00:28:31,037
Yes, ma'am.

532
00:28:31,033 --> 00:28:32,933
The Press:
Yes, going back to
Honduras and Iran,

533
00:28:32,934 --> 00:28:35,164
your different approach on them,
you said that you approached

534
00:28:35,166 --> 00:28:38,336
Honduras that way because you
wanted to address rumors that we

535
00:28:38,333 --> 00:28:39,933
were not involved.

536
00:28:39,934 --> 00:28:42,004
But that's exactly
the situation in Iran,

537
00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:43,930
because you wanted to address
the rumors you were not involved.

538
00:28:43,934 --> 00:28:47,164
And on Honduras you've taken
a very strong position.

539
00:28:47,166 --> 00:28:50,896
On Iran you took a
very weak position.

540
00:28:50,900 --> 00:28:53,400
Mr. Gibbs:
I appreciate the characterization,

541
00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:57,870
as opinionated as it may be.

542
00:28:57,867 --> 00:29:04,097
I don't think what the President
has done on Iran is weak.

543
00:29:04,100 --> 00:29:07,400
Maybe Henry Kissinger and
others can address that.

544
00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:08,970
The Press:
When it came to
-- in terms of --

545
00:29:08,967 --> 00:29:12,367
with Honduras, you flat out said
that the position is that Zelaya

546
00:29:12,367 --> 00:29:13,737
is President.

547
00:29:13,734 --> 00:29:17,904
But when it came to Iran, you
will not take a position on the election.

548
00:29:17,900 --> 00:29:24,000
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, we're not the -- I think that everybody recognizes the

549
00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:31,270
democratic process that is
-- has happened in Honduras.

550
00:29:31,266 --> 00:29:36,266
I don't think anybody disputes,
or at least disputed a week ago

551
00:29:36,266 --> 00:29:39,266
that he was the President.

552
00:29:39,266 --> 00:29:43,136
In terms of elections
in Iran, that's --

553
00:29:43,133 --> 00:29:45,333
who won an election --
as the President said,

554
00:29:45,333 --> 00:29:48,163
we don't have
observers on the ground.

555
00:29:48,166 --> 00:29:52,566
This is for Iranians to settle,
and I think obviously if you

556
00:29:52,567 --> 00:29:54,637
look at what has gone
on in that country,

557
00:29:54,633 --> 00:29:57,663
there are still a significant
number of Iranians who don't

558
00:29:57,667 --> 00:30:01,737
have confidence in the
result that's been reported.

559
00:30:01,734 --> 00:30:03,134
Yes, go ahead.

560
00:30:03,133 --> 00:30:04,903
The Press:
Thank you, Robert.

561
00:30:04,900 --> 00:30:07,500
So yesterday in the
-- at the reception,

562
00:30:07,500 --> 00:30:11,500
President Obama said that he
had asked Secretary Gates and

563
00:30:11,500 --> 00:30:15,700
Admiral Mike Mullen for some type of plan on how to implement

564
00:30:15,700 --> 00:30:17,730
a change in the "don't
ask, don't tell" policy.

565
00:30:17,734 --> 00:30:20,604
Do we have any sense of what the
time frame would be on when that

566
00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:22,700
plan would come forth from them?

567
00:30:22,700 --> 00:30:24,870
Did the President ask for
any sort of time frame?

568
00:30:24,867 --> 00:30:26,267
Mr. Gibbs:
No, not that I know of.

569
00:30:26,266 --> 00:30:27,296
Not that I know of.

570
00:30:27,300 --> 00:30:29,530
But again, I think consistent
with what we've talked about in

571
00:30:29,533 --> 00:30:33,533
terms of working with the
Pentagon to ensure that durable solution.

572
00:30:33,533 --> 00:30:35,803
The Press:
On health care,
back on health care,

573
00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:39,330
yesterday both Tom Daschle and
John Podesta said that they

574
00:30:39,333 --> 00:30:41,833
would not hesitate to use
reconciliation to get a bill

575
00:30:41,834 --> 00:30:44,834
passed, saying that the price
Senate Republicans are demanding

576
00:30:44,834 --> 00:30:46,804
may be too high.

577
00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:49,600
Do you believe that that
parliamentary move should be

578
00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:53,270
deployed if the price from
Senate Republicans is too high?

579
00:30:53,266 --> 00:30:56,796
Mr. Gibbs:
Again, I think that gets a great deal ahead of where we are in

580
00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:58,130
the process.

581
00:30:58,133 --> 00:31:00,663
The Press:
But as part of the broader
thing of a bipartisan bill?

582
00:31:00,667 --> 00:31:04,897
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, but I think the President has confidence in the system

583
00:31:04,900 --> 00:31:07,630
working, the system
moving forward,

584
00:31:07,633 --> 00:31:13,263
the steps that the many
committees are taking to work

585
00:31:13,266 --> 00:31:18,636
amongst themselves to find
a legislative solution.

586
00:31:18,633 --> 00:31:24,403
Obviously I think
having the ability --

587
00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:32,200
having lots of different avenues
to take gives I think Congress

588
00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:34,600
an understanding of how
serious the problem is,

589
00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:41,130
and the fact that we want to go
through Congress and work with

590
00:31:41,133 --> 00:31:44,833
them in a constructive way to
get comprehensive health care

591
00:31:44,834 --> 00:31:46,264
reform enacted this year.

592
00:31:46,266 --> 00:31:48,266
The Press:
Are Republican demands
too high at this juncture?

593
00:31:48,266 --> 00:31:52,136
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, I'm not going
to draw bright lines here.

594
00:31:52,133 --> 00:31:55,503
I think the process continues.

595
00:31:55,500 --> 00:31:58,770
The President and the
administration feel good about

596
00:31:58,767 --> 00:32:03,297
the progress that's being made,
and we'll continue to work in

597
00:32:03,300 --> 00:32:07,470
that system to find a
solution to this problem.

598
00:32:07,467 --> 00:32:08,467
Thanks, guys.