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The Press:
We want Bill! We want Bill!
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The Press:
Bill! Bill!
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Mr. Gibbs:
Hey, I'm all for it, man.
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(laughter)
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I've got a -- I've got a couple margaritas
getting warm right now anyway, so I'm happy
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to -- that's actually --
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The Press:
That's how you prep?
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The Press:
That's how you do it?
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Mr. Gibbs:
Yes, actually -- same as you guys, right?
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The Press:
What?
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(laughter)
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Mr. Gibbs:
That's just a joke, Mom. We're not doing that
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at work. All right, so, take us away. Sorry.
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The Press:
There's been some criticism from Democrats
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on the Hill, particularly Sherrod Brown, that
the President has been even less involved
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in negotiations on health care since the Massachusetts
elections. Is it true? Is that a strategy?
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Or are you taking that criticism seriously?
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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, obviously, as the President has
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said in the State of the Union and you heard
the President say yesterday, obviously the
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problem exists. It continues -- the problem
that did exist on high costs, small businesses
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struggling, that was the case before Massachusetts;
it was the case after Massachusetts. I still
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think that a process is working its way through
Capitol Hill to figure out the best way forward.
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The Press:
But has the President been less involved than
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he was even last year?
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Mr. Gibbs:
I didn't believe that the President was less
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involved last year since we wouldn't have
gotten to where we were if the President hadn't
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been involved.
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The Press:
What would be making people like Sherrod Brown
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say this then? There's got to be some reason.
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Mr. Gibbs:
That's a better question for him.
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The Press:
And is there any details you can share on
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the meeting this afternoon with Democratic
leadership?
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Mr. Gibbs:
I know the meeting was rescheduled, I think
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until 3:45 p.m. It's a meeting to go through
the legislative agenda for 2010. First and
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foremost, there will be a discussion on jobs
and the economy. Financial regulatory reform
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will also be a topic. They will talk about
energy and health care. Many of the topics
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that the President discussed in the State
of the Union will be discussed in the meeting.
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And then, as you all know, next week, next
Tuesday, will begin the President's bipartisan
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leadership meetings, also something he called
for in the State of the Union.
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The Press:
The Chinese are dismissing the President's
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comments on China about exchange rates and
trade yesterday, and I'm wondering, is the
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administration concerned that by pressuring
the Chinese, you're running the risk of disrupting
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currency markets, antagonizing a very important
creditor and thereby driving up borrowing
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costs that could hurt the U.S. economy?
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Mr. Gibbs:
No, Matt, because there's nothing -- there's
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nothing that -- I know there's been a flurry
of stories about our relationship with China,
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whether it's issues surrounding our meeting
with the Dalai Lama or issues surrounding
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currency or trade. None of these issues that
have been written or discussed about in the
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last two weeks weren't discussed face to face
between President Obama and President Hu when
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they met in Beijing. I cannot remember a time
in which the President came out of a meeting
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with President Hu and those topics hadn't
come up. So as I said here a few days ago,
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there are -- we envision this relationship
as one where we can work together on issues
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of mutual concern. We've worked together on
stabilizing the world economy. We've worked
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together on issues of proliferation, particularly
around North Korea. I think it's safe to assume
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that only through the important cooperation
that we received with the Chinese that we
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were able to get some very strict sanctions
through the United Nations Security Council
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on a unanimous vote several months ago, based
on the actions the North Koreans had taken
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late last spring. There will be issues that
we will disagree on, and we will disagree
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on them both in private and in public.
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The Press:
While the Chinese have been fulminating about
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the President's plan to meet with the Dalai
Lama and also now this pressure about exchange
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rates, they were saying today that they don't
want to talk about further sanctions on Iran,
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that that would be counterproductive. Is there
any concern that the Chinese are becoming
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obstructionist in a kind of retaliation on
other related -- on unrelated issues?
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Mr. Gibbs:
There are issues that are of mutual concern
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and then there are issues that are of great
concern to each of the individual countries.
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A nuclear Iran is not in the interest of the
American government or the Chinese government.
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An arms race in the Middle East is not a good
thing for us or for them. And a worldwide
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arms race and the destabilizing nature that
that could have throughout the world is not
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a good thing for the American government or
for the Chinese government. I think that the
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Chinese will continue to work with us on the
important next steps that we have to take
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relating to Iran because it's not just in
our interest or in other's interest, it's
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quite clearly in their interest as well.
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The Press:
Robert, a quick follow?
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Mr. Gibbs:
What's that?
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The Press:
A quick follow. Is the Dalai Lama still coming
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to meet with the President at the White House
or not?
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Mr. Gibbs:
I'm sorry?
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The Press:
If the Dalai Lama is still coming to meet
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with the President at the White House?
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Mr. Gibbs:
He will be here later this month, yes. Again,
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just let me say, again, that we told President
Hu in November in Beijing. The President told
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him that. The President discussed each of
these issues -- Iranian sanctions, larger
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proliferation, and currency.
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The Press:
Just to follow on the earlier question about
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the meeting with the Dems, is the message
or will the message also be from the President
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sort of can't we all get along, in light of
the fact that we're hearing that there's disagreement
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and discontent on some of these issues, like
health care?
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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, I think they will discuss a strategy
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moving forward to implement many of the ideas
that are of concern to Democrats in the Senate
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and the House that are also on the policy
agenda of the President of the United States.
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I also think, Dan, there's great overlap between
what those interests are and what the American
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people want to see their Congress deal with
-- first and foremost, a robust discussion
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on how to move forward on jobs and the economy.
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The Press:
The President has of late gone into the lion's
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den, taken questions from Republicans; he's
taken questions from Democrats. He hasn't
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taken questions from the press in a prime-time
forum since last summer, I believe in July.
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Why not?
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Mr. Gibbs:
Look, the President has, as you mentioned,
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taken questions from members of Congress.
He has taken questions at different press
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avails from a whole host of reporters. We've
done countless numbers --
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The Press:
One or two.
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Mr. Gibbs:
Right, one or two, several times. We have
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done countless number of interviews -- I think
more interviews in the first year than any
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President certainly in recent memory. He enjoys
the format, we just haven't done one in a
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while.
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The Press:
Anything soon?
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Mr. Gibbs:
None that I'm aware of.
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The Press:
In the supplemental document "Analytical Perspectives"
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of the President's budget, unemployment figures
that the administration is projecting are
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pretty bleak. It's 10 percent for the rest
of this year, 9.2 percent next year, 8.2 percent
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in 2012. First of all, these are pretty bleak
figures. I'm wondering if you have a response
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to these numbers. And then second of all,
is this count factoring in a jobs bill or
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not?
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Mr. Gibbs:
Let met ask specifically the second part of
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your question to OMB and CEA. Jake, they are
sad and sobering numbers felt each and every
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day by the American people. We'll get new
jobs numbers tomorrow. There will be a jobs
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revision, I'm told, tomorrow that's likely
to show additional job loss at the first part
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of the recession that started in December
2007, making the hole that -- the hole of
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job loss that we've dealt with even deeper.
We didn't -- as I've said here countless times,
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we didn't get here overnight. We won't get
out of that hole overnight. It will take a
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concerted effort by the President and Congress
working together, both parties, to strengthen
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our foundation and to create jobs moving forward
that's not predicated on risky lending or
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housing speculation or running up massive
debt on credit cards. We've got to create
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jobs in the new industries of clean energy
-- clean energy manufacturing so that we
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don't finish second place to the Chinese or
the Indians in creating those new jobs.
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The Press:
Also, the numbers don't show the unemployment
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rate over the next decade going to even where
they were in 2007 when the President announced
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he was running for this office, at all, ever.
They stop at 5.2 percent but they never get
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down to below 5 percent, which is where they
were when the President announced. Why -- I
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mean, this just seems an incredibly bleak
outlook on the unemployment problems in this
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country.
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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, Jake, we've lost -- before the
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statistic -- before any revisions tomorrow,
the recession has cost us 7 million jobs.
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I'll bring an update, the graph that I've
brought out here a few times that show the
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sheer depth of job loss over the many months
of the recession. Look, I think if you go
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back and look at -- there was an article I
think around the Christmas holidays that demonstrated
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that roughly there had been very little to
no job growth in the past decade. So we've
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got to figure out how to create economic growth
and ultimately create jobs in an economy that
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isn't dependent upon the examples that I used
a minute ago -- easy credit that allows housing
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speculation for people that can get but shouldn't
get loans to buy houses.
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The Press:
But these numbers are more bleak than other
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numbers you guys have put out before. I mean,
these are much more pessimistic than previous
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predictions.
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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, again, Jake, understand that when we
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walked in the beginning of the administration,
no one presumed that 741,000 would be the
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number of jobs lost in January of 2009. And
certainly if you average what happened in
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that first quarter of 2009, an average of
about 700,000 jobs -- 700,000 jobs a month
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for each of the three months of that quarter
-- understanding this, that the -- and I
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don't have the figures right in front of me,
but the economic growth for that first quarter
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was -6.4 percent. The previous quarter was
I believe -- and I'm doing this largely off
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the top of my head -- -5.5 percent. We hadn't
had consecutive quarters of such economic
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retraction since the Great Depression. So
we've got a tremendous hole to fill in. And
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I think that's why the President spent a majority
of his State of the Union speech asking that
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Congress, each party work together with the
other to move forward on creating -- helping
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to create jobs, on assuring that stronger
and new foundation. And I think that's most
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what the American people want to see out of
their government right now.
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The Press:
And just a follow-up. I've asked you guys
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a few times what the President was referring
to when he spoke to the Republican conference
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on Friday and he talked about stray cats and
dogs getting into the health care reform legislation
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that would prevent patients from being able
to choose their plan, choose their doctor,
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even though that had been a White House pledge.
Have you guys made any progress on finding
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out what he was talking about?
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Mr. Gibbs:
I don't know if Bill got that question yesterday.
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I'll have to look through it.
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The Press:
You didn't watch Bill, when he did his briefing?
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Mr. Gibbs:
I did watch most of it. I couldn't -- I noticed
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when you watch it on TV you can't always hear
the questions.
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The Press:
How did he do?
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Mr. Gibbs:
Quite well. Quite well. What did you think?
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The Press:
I'm neutral on the issue.
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(laughter)
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The Press:
That's not what you told me.
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Mr. Gibbs:
I was going to say, that's -- yes, that's
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--
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The Press:
I was actually surprised to see you -- well,
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anyway, no -- he did a good job, very good
job. Toyota -- yesterday Ray LaHood kind of
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stepped in it when he mistakenly said that
people should stop driving them and then backtracked
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a little while later, caused quite a big hubbub.
Has the President been in touch with him?
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Is the President personally involved in this
issue? And is he satisfied with the job Ray
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LaHood is doing?
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Mr. Gibbs:
Absolutely satisfied with the job Ray LaHood
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is doing, and I think it's important, understanding,
Chip, after making a misstatement, he do what's
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-- did what's not done a lot in this town
and said he made a misstatement and then corrected
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what he had said and was clear that if -- and
if you go on certain Web sites, if you go
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on NHTSA's Web site -- nhtsa.gov -- or if
you go on Toyota's Web site, you'll see which
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cars are impacted and affected by safety concerns.
And has been said, if you're driving one of
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those cars, you should go see your dealer.
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The Press:
Is the President involved in any way, or has
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this not risen to his level?
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Mr. Gibbs:
No, he's certainly seen reports and been briefed
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on what's going on, simply based on the breadth
of what we're talking about.
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The Press:
There have been a number of reports that what's
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bad for Toyota is good for GM and Ford. Any
thoughts on that?
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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, what's bad for Toyota is bad for anybody
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that's driving a Toyota. And safety and security
are the primary concerns of the National -- of
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NHTSA, the Department of Transportation, and
the President of the United States.
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The Press:
What does all this mean for GM and Ford, which
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are both still at pretty precarious moments
in their history?
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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, Ford I think last quarter reported a
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profit. I think GM is taking steps to turn
around from the bankruptcy that they went
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through earlier. But --
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The Press:
Do you expect them to aggressively try to
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take advantage of this weakness on Toyota's
part? I mean, it's a cutthroat world out there
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in the car business.
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Mr. Gibbs:
That's a good question for the men and women
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that run both of those car companies.
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The Press:
On the jobs bill, Harry Reid says he wants
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to bring it up on Monday and he is hoping
for Republican support. If they structure
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this in a certain way they could almost assure
themselves of getting some Republican support.
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Is the President going to insist on that,
that there be Republican support?
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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think the President could not have
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been clearer in the State of the Union, in
the -- in speaking to both Democrats and Republicans,
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that we have to work together to get our economy
moving again. I think there are ideas in helping
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00:16:12,100 --> 00:16:19,780
small business and cutting their taxes, in
increasing our investment in infrastructure,
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several ideas that Republicans have supported
at various points in the past and pointed
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to as ways to help the economy recover and
hopefully over the medium to long term create
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00:16:34,270 --> 00:16:42,150
jobs. So our strong hope, Chip, is that Democrats
and Republicans can and will work together
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00:16:42,150 --> 00:16:46,390
to move this important issue forward and get
something to his desk quickly.
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The Press:
But when he meets with them later today he
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could say, no ifs, ands or buts, I want this
structured in a way that you get Republican
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support on this thing or I won't sign it.
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Mr. Gibbs:
Look, Chip, he told that to Democrats and
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Republicans over the past week, that we should
work together. But, Chip, this isn't just
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a question for the Democratic leadership or
for a Democratic President. We also have to
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have, as I think you heard the President outline
when he spoke with Republicans last Friday
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in Baltimore -- and I think this is true going
back to your question -- I doubt that everybody
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00:17:22,770 --> 00:17:28,380
has liked every word of every piece of legislation
that the President has watched go through
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Congress and sign. And it's not likely that
he liked every word in every one of those
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00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:38,630
pieces of legislation. But the key is do we
have and share enough in common; are these
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ideas good ideas to get the economy moving
again, to stop playing partisan political
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games and work on behalf of the American people.
Given what the President outlined in cutting
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taxes for small businesses, in increasing
investment in infrastructure -- both things
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00:17:57,820 --> 00:18:03,290
that Republicans have talked about -- I have
no doubt that there will be plenty in each
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-- plenty in any package that can and should
garner support from the Democratic side as
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well as the Republican side. Chuck.
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The Press:
Business leaders today giving the President
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advice on what should be on job creation.
Did he take any?
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Mr. Gibbs:
I have not gotten a readout from -- I think
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the lunch started at noon. You all should
have gotten lists of who was there and we'll
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-- I'll try to glean some from the President
at the conclusion of the lunch.
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The Press:
All right, back to health care and your answer
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00:18:36,470 --> 00:18:40,380
on Sherrod Brown -- he's not alone. I mean,
there's a lot of Democrats on Capitol Hill
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who regularly say the President -- the perception
is the President hasn't pushed hard enough
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00:18:47,430 --> 00:18:52,970
on this bill publicly, whatever it is, leaned
his shoulder in more. If that's not true,
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why is that perception there?
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Mr. Gibbs:
I would just say, Chuck --
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The Press:
-- these are not -- they're not bomb-throwers.
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00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:02,300
Sherrod Brown is not a bomb-thrower.
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Mr. Gibbs:
I would just say, Chuck, we've gone over the
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question of the President's involvement in
health care for six months. I think as the
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President said last Friday, it's pretty clear
he's not doing this for sheer political gain.
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I doubt that we would be continuing to do
this if it weren't a key priority of his.
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The Press:
But it seems to be that where the message
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00:19:25,100 --> 00:19:30,240
is getting lost there, apparently, he uses
the word "hope" to get this done; that there
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00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:34,860
isn't this idea that he's there, pulling an
LBJ or something like that.
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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think there's --
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The Press:
I'm not asking him to lift Bo by the ears.
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(laughter)
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Mr. Gibbs:
I was going to say -- (laughter) -- there
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00:19:48,620 --> 00:19:50,060
were many possible answers that went through
my head with --
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The Press:
But that's what these guys are talking about.
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Mr. Gibbs:
Look, again, LBJ added seniors into those
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that were assured that they would always have
the safety net of quality health care. We've
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not gotten -- we've added since LBJ different
efforts -- in the Clinton administration we
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added additional efforts through kids. That
effort was expanded under President Obama
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at the beginning of our administration. We've
gotten farther than seven Presidents who've
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worked on this issue intently. We're close,
the President remains very involved and engaged
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00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:48,590
in this, and it's our strong hope to continue
to get this done.
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The Press:
One last question. At 5:00 p.m. today you
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have 59 Democratic senators rather than 60.
Does that change your legislative agenda?
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00:20:52,020 --> 00:20:55,130
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think it changes everybody's calculus
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00:20:55,130 --> 00:21:01,550
as to taking responsibility for governing
this country.
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The Press:
But it changes your -- changes the Republicans,
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changes --
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Mr. Gibbs:
I think the President acknowledged as much
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00:21:08,190 --> 00:21:20,480
during the State of the Union. No longer can
one party alone, assuming that what is insisted
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00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:27,150
upon is 60 votes in the United States Senate
-- no longer can one party alone hold its
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00:21:27,150 --> 00:21:34,220
members and make progress on important issues
for the American people. That's why the President
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00:21:34,220 --> 00:21:38,580
has asked again that Democrats and Republicans
work together to make that progress. Yes,
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00:21:38,580 --> 00:21:39,580
ma'am.
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The Press:
On the jobs package in the Senate, it doesn't
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00:21:41,130 --> 00:21:42,660
appear to include, at least initially, a $30
billion lending --
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Mr. Gibbs:
I'm sorry, say this one more time.
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00:21:44,030 --> 00:21:45,560
The Press:
The jobs package in the Senate doesn't appear
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00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:47,540
to include initially the $30 billion lending
provision through community banks for small
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00:21:47,540 --> 00:21:49,870
businesses. How hard will the White House
press on this? It's obviously the most controversial
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00:21:49,870 --> 00:21:58,550
piece in the package as announced so far.
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00:21:58,550 --> 00:22:04,880
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I don't think loaning money through
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00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:06,570
community banks to small business is --
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00:22:06,570 --> 00:22:08,170
The Press:
Well, for the Senate it's controversial.
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00:22:08,170 --> 00:22:13,130
Mr. Gibbs:
-- is controversial. I think there are thousands
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00:22:13,130 --> 00:22:20,460
and thousands of small business people around
this country, some of whom write the President
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and say even as the stock market grows, our
access to capital to either continue our small
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00:22:29,970 --> 00:22:39,320
business, meet a payroll, or expand our small
business, is still hard to come by. The President
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00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:46,760
outlined the specifics of this proposal just
this week in New Hampshire and believes that
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00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:52,710
in order to get our country moving again and
creating jobs, the best way to do this is,
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00:22:52,710 --> 00:23:00,460
one, through cutting taxes for those that
hire additional employees and providing additional
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00:23:00,460 --> 00:23:06,220
access to capital through money that has been
given back from bigger banks through TARP,
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00:23:06,220 --> 00:23:08,540
loaned through community banks to small businesses.
That's -- this will be a priority --
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The Press:
So you're saying that lending is a vital part
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00:23:09,540 --> 00:23:10,540
of this package for this White House?
303
00:23:10,540 --> 00:23:14,420
Mr. Gibbs:
Lending is a vital part of this package and
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00:23:14,420 --> 00:23:20,480
it is a extremely vital part of any business
being successful. We have discussed --
305
00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:22,780
The Press:
Is there some flexibility on the use of TARP
306
00:23:22,780 --> 00:23:23,780
funds?
307
00:23:23,780 --> 00:23:26,570
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't want to get into a legislative negotiation
308
00:23:26,570 --> 00:23:33,140
from here. I think what's important for -- any
small businesses will tell you that access
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00:23:33,140 --> 00:23:39,020
to capital is their lifeblood. We've spent
quite a bit of time discussing the lending
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00:23:39,020 --> 00:23:45,430
practices of banks, and certainly as it relates
to economic growth the President is -- believes
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00:23:45,429 --> 00:23:47,219
this has to be a key priority.
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The Press:
Okay. One more on the debt commission, Robert.
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00:23:49,790 --> 00:23:53,180
Are you getting any Republican cooperation
on that, and when will that commission be
314
00:23:53,179 --> 00:23:54,179
named?
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00:23:54,179 --> 00:23:56,849
Mr. Gibbs:
The President is working on some of the specifics
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00:23:56,850 --> 00:24:02,850
of the executive order. I believe if the economic
team hasn't already, it was discussed this
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00:24:02,850 --> 00:24:11,300
morning making phone calls to Republican leaders
about how this will be structured. It's our
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00:24:11,299 --> 00:24:19,839
strong hope that Republicans would agree to
participate in a commission that many of their
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00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:27,750
members strongly advocate. Granted, seven
of their members had strongly advocated and
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00:24:27,750 --> 00:24:32,990
then unadvocated for the creation of that
commission when we were trying to do this
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00:24:32,990 --> 00:24:45,420
legislatively. But I have not noticed in the
intervening weeks anything less than pretty
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00:24:45,420 --> 00:24:56,790
vociferous comments about our fiscal situation.
I can't imagine that Republicans would at
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00:24:56,790 --> 00:25:03,880
one minute say this is such an important issue,
and then at the next minute say we can't participate
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00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:09,300
in a commission to help solve what I said
a minute ago was an extremely important issue.
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00:25:09,299 --> 00:25:14,599
I think the American people are smart enough
to understand that's Washington game playing;
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00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:15,600
that's not problem solving.
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The Press:
So you're thinking maybe the next week or
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00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:19,160
so?
329
00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,020
Mr. Gibbs:
I think very shortly.
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00:25:21,020 --> 00:25:27,420
The Press:
One follow-up on just a related issue, something
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00:25:27,420 --> 00:25:30,640
the President said to Republicans last week.
He repeated it when he spoke with Democratic
332
00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,470
senators, and he also repeated it when he
spoke at the town halls in Florida and New
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00:25:34,470 --> 00:25:41,940
Hampshire. He said that there were some members
of either the House or the Senate Republican
334
00:25:41,940 --> 00:25:47,360
members that voted against the economic Recovery
Act and then attended some ribbon-cutting
335
00:25:47,360 --> 00:25:51,750
ceremonies. Were there a lot of members? Do
you know which members the President was referring
336
00:25:51,750 --> 00:25:52,750
to?
337
00:25:52,750 --> 00:25:55,260
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have the stuff with me, but I'll circulate
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00:25:55,260 --> 00:25:56,260
to everybody as soon as I get out of here.
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00:25:56,260 --> 00:25:57,260
The Press:
Great, thank you.
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00:25:57,260 --> 00:25:58,260
Mr. Gibbs:
Sure, absolutely.
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00:25:58,260 --> 00:25:59,260
The Press:
On the same lines, Robert, did you look at
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00:25:59,260 --> 00:26:02,440
the Republican comments, statements, news
releases that have been made subsequent to
343
00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:10,360
the Friday meeting with the House GOP members?
Do you see more of, well, to use the President's
344
00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:16,360
formulation, more of a hand of cooperation
from them or a fist?
345
00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:17,360
Mr. Gibbs:
Based on --
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00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:22,840
The Press:
On their statements, news releases, comments
347
00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:26,610
on just the wide scope of issues -- jobs and
health care and everything else.
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00:26:26,610 --> 00:26:30,280
Mr. Gibbs:
Look, I think as the President said on Friday,
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00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:34,950
there will always be differences between the
two parties, and that's an important part
350
00:26:34,950 --> 00:26:47,610
of our process. I think that
when the rubber has to meet the road, when
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legislation comes before the Senate, hopefully
next week, that begins to cut taxes for small
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00:26:53,290 --> 00:27:00,450
business and increase our investment in infrastructure
as a way of moving our economy forward, I
353
00:27:00,450 --> 00:27:08,530
think we'll get a chance to see whether not
just the statements of any criticism but the
354
00:27:08,530 --> 00:27:16,200
statements of what this President should do
are backed up by strong action. A lot of people
355
00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:22,930
said after Massachusetts that the President
had to act in a more bipartisan way. I think
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00:27:22,929 --> 00:27:27,349
the President has been pretty clear about
wanting to ensure that the two parties work
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00:27:27,350 --> 00:27:34,130
together. We'll get a chance to see whether
working together is something that people
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00:27:34,130 --> 00:27:39,980
are serious about doing or whether it's something
that a pollster told them to say.
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00:27:39,980 --> 00:27:44,290
The Press:
Well, beyond, say, the National Prayer Breakfast,
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00:27:44,290 --> 00:27:48,780
have you seen any bipartisanship from the
other side at all?
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00:27:48,780 --> 00:27:52,040
Mr. Gibbs:
Look, the games of Washington, unlike the
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00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:58,930
Olympic Games, don't open and close. They
happen on a continual basis. I think the American
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00:27:58,929 --> 00:28:03,039
people will be watching what happens first
and foremost on the floor of the Senate next
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00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:06,760
week on getting our economy moving again.
365
00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:09,000
The Press:
Thank you for the Olympics plug.
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00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:10,000
(laughter)
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00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:11,000
The Press:
Not C-SPAN.
368
00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:12,000
The Press:
All the channels of NBC.
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00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:13,000
(laughter)
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00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:15,110
The Press:
Just to go back to the jobs revision stuff
371
00:28:15,110 --> 00:28:17,040
-- just avoid any confusion -- have you seen
the revisions yet, or are you basing your
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00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:19,980
assumptions on publicly available data?
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00:28:19,980 --> 00:28:24,350
Mr. Gibbs:
I read a news report, I think, on CNN.
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00:28:24,350 --> 00:28:26,980
The Press:
You have not seen the January --
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00:28:26,980 --> 00:28:30,700
Mr. Gibbs:
I should preface for my mother again, I do
376
00:28:30,701 --> 00:28:34,731
not see this data before you do.
377
00:28:34,730 --> 00:28:43,490
The Press:
And then on this -- the report that Google
378
00:28:43,493 --> 00:28:44,493
is working with the National Security Agency
on plugging any cyber-security holes -- any
379
00:28:44,493 --> 00:28:45,493
other companies have gone to the NSA on that?
380
00:28:45,493 --> 00:28:48,173
Mr. Gibbs:
I would -- let me specifically point you to
381
00:28:48,170 --> 00:28:52,640
NSA on -- what's that?
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00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:55,900
The Press:
That will do a lot of good. Gee, thanks.
383
00:28:55,900 --> 00:28:56,900
(laughter)
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00:28:56,900 --> 00:28:58,830
Mr. Gibbs:
But I would say this, that as was noted by
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00:28:58,830 --> 00:29:06,700
the President in discussing cyber-security,
that we have -- we believe that information
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00:29:06,700 --> 00:29:17,120
sharing and cooperation between the government
and the private sector is important -- ensuring
387
00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:26,100
obviously that privacy and civil liberties
are protected -- and have asked that if companies
388
00:29:26,100 --> 00:29:31,830
are dealing with what they perceive to be
cyber-security threats, that they go and work
389
00:29:31,830 --> 00:29:33,030
with the authorities on that.
390
00:29:33,030 --> 00:29:36,860
The Press:
The Dalai Lama meeting that you said will
391
00:29:36,860 --> 00:29:38,890
be here at the White House, will that be in
the Oval? Will that be in the Residence?
392
00:29:38,890 --> 00:29:40,770
Mr. Gibbs:
I do not know where the location of the meeting
393
00:29:40,770 --> 00:29:41,770
will be.
394
00:29:41,770 --> 00:29:43,130
The Press:
Will cameras be allowed in, or will the pool
395
00:29:43,130 --> 00:29:44,130
be brought in?
396
00:29:44,130 --> 00:29:47,600
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have any coverage information on that
397
00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:48,630
right now. Major.
398
00:29:48,630 --> 00:29:49,790
The Press:
Sixteenth and 17th for that?
399
00:29:49,790 --> 00:29:51,320
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have a date either.
400
00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,510
The Press:
You don't have a date? Okay. And just to go
401
00:29:53,510 --> 00:29:57,620
back to what Jake was talking about and this
revision, are you talking about historical
402
00:29:57,620 --> 00:30:01,640
data that talks about the job losses during
the course of this recession or something
403
00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:03,440
relative to the January numbers?
404
00:30:03,442 --> 00:30:06,112
Mr. Gibbs:
The story I read -- the story I read -- there
405
00:30:06,110 --> 00:30:10,220
are typical revisions to data that comes out.
406
00:30:10,220 --> 00:30:11,220
The Press:
Sure.
407
00:30:11,220 --> 00:30:15,970
Mr. Gibbs:
Take, for instance, I think GDP data is released
408
00:30:15,970 --> 00:30:22,790
and then revised at least twice. These are
last year --
409
00:30:22,790 --> 00:30:24,240
The Press:
Certain numbers were revised downward twice.
410
00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:27,220
Mr. Gibbs:
Right, right. Last year there were -- there
411
00:30:27,220 --> 00:30:34,780
was a several-decade-long revision of jobs
figures. The story, again, I read this morning
412
00:30:34,780 --> 00:30:35,780
--
413
00:30:35,780 --> 00:30:36,780
The Press:
So that's what you're talking about, not something
414
00:30:36,780 --> 00:30:37,980
relative to what we're going to read and see
tomorrow?
415
00:30:37,980 --> 00:30:42,610
Mr. Gibbs:
No, no, no, no. This dates back from governing
416
00:30:42,610 --> 00:30:46,900
months from -- again, the story said I think
April 2008 through March 2009.
417
00:30:46,900 --> 00:30:48,580
The Press:
Earlier you said 2007. Did you mean 2008?
418
00:30:48,580 --> 00:30:54,490
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, no, no, I said that this governs the
419
00:30:54,490 --> 00:31:05,680
total job loss over the period that begins
in December 2007 at the beginning of the recession.
420
00:31:05,679 --> 00:31:09,019
The Press:
So the additional job losses -- you expect
421
00:31:09,020 --> 00:31:10,020
the revision to show began 2007 not 2008.
422
00:31:10,020 --> 00:31:11,020
Mr. Gibbs:
No, no, no, no. Again, I should just send
423
00:31:11,020 --> 00:31:13,600
you the story I read. The revisions --
424
00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:14,760
The Press:
Maybe the NSA can.
425
00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:15,760
(laughter)
426
00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:17,320
Mr. Gibbs:
The revisions -- they wrote it.
427
00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:18,320
The Press:
They already did.
428
00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,160
Mr. Gibbs:
The recession began officially, as per the
429
00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:30,180
board, in December of 2007. The revisions,
in the story I read, cover April of 2008 through
430
00:31:30,180 --> 00:31:38,360
March of 2009. Those months obviously are
encompassed in what we broadly know as the
431
00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:39,720
time period during the recession.
432
00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:42,590
The Press:
You don't have to yell at me now. That's great.
433
00:31:42,590 --> 00:31:43,590
(laughter)
434
00:31:43,590 --> 00:31:44,590
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes, sir.
435
00:31:44,590 --> 00:31:46,360
The Press:
Okay, following up --
436
00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:51,060
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't know if that counts as your time or
437
00:31:51,060 --> 00:31:52,060
Hans --
438
00:31:52,060 --> 00:31:57,980
The Press:
It counts as his time. I assure you --
439
00:31:57,980 --> 00:32:00,440
The Press:
It's fine.
440
00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:01,440
(laughter)
441
00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:02,440
Mr. Gibbs:
Wow. Now he's yelling at you, Hans.
442
00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:03,440
(laughter)
443
00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:04,440
The Press:
The President often talks, and you did a minute
444
00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:06,230
ago in talking to Jake, about the boom and
bust cycles. Is one of the downsides, is one
445
00:32:06,230 --> 00:32:09,250
of the things the American public needs to
appreciate, looking at these unemployment
446
00:32:09,250 --> 00:32:13,130
numbers that you projected out, is that it's
a slower climb out when you have a scenario
447
00:32:13,130 --> 00:32:19,500
that the President wants to have, if he achieves
it, of a non-boom-type recovery. Is that something
448
00:32:19,500 --> 00:32:25,940
the American people need to either prepare
themselves for or be ready to expect, that
449
00:32:25,940 --> 00:32:28,510
this unemployment process is going to be a
very slow heal.
450
00:32:28,510 --> 00:32:31,010
Mr. Gibbs:
Major, I think many people that are dealing
451
00:32:31,010 --> 00:32:36,530
with the unemployment process have been dealing
with it for quite some time. Long-term unemployment
452
00:32:36,530 --> 00:32:40,240
is at one of its highest points ever.
453
00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:47,280
The Press:
And let me ask the question, when is the turn,
454
00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:48,280
and are you -- one of the things you're trying
to say is the turn is going to be slow?
455
00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:49,280
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, what I'm saying is that this will take
456
00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:56,830
time, but most importantly, what the President
has talked about, not just throughout the
457
00:32:56,830 --> 00:33:03,990
campaign and not just throughout his first
year in office, is we have to create a new
458
00:33:03,990 --> 00:33:11,460
foundation for job creation for the future;
that if what we do is go back to boom and
459
00:33:11,460 --> 00:33:13,460
bust economies where we're --
460
00:33:13,460 --> 00:33:14,460
The Press:
Right, I understand --
461
00:33:14,460 --> 00:33:15,460
Mr. Gibbs:
Hold on, let me --
462
00:33:15,460 --> 00:33:16,460
The Press:
What I'm asking is --
463
00:33:16,460 --> 00:33:17,520
Mr. Gibbs:
Can I reclaim some of my time? The boom and
464
00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:22,810
bust economies, what you're going to end up
with is -- again, going back to what I talked
465
00:33:22,809 --> 00:33:27,989
about as what happened in the last decade
-- you had times of job growth, you had times
466
00:33:27,990 --> 00:33:33,940
of job loss, but over the course of the decade
you were basically flat. If we're going to
467
00:33:33,940 --> 00:33:41,810
continue to make progress economically, we
have to put ourselves on a far different path.
468
00:33:41,809 --> 00:33:45,749
The Press:
Right, but as the numbers indicate, when it
469
00:33:45,750 --> 00:33:51,530
was flat, the unemployment rate was lower
when the President decided to run for this
470
00:33:51,530 --> 00:33:57,740
office than he's projecting it will be at
the end of the actuarial tables of his newest
471
00:33:57,740 --> 00:33:58,960
budget. And many Americans would agree it
may have been flat, but at least it was a
472
00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:00,510
lot lower. And what I'm getting at is, in
this process of averting a boom and bust economy,
473
00:34:00,510 --> 00:34:02,130
do you have a slower term?
474
00:34:02,130 --> 00:34:06,260
Mr. Gibbs:
Major, what we've gone through is an economic
475
00:34:06,260 --> 00:34:15,210
downturn that we haven't seen since the Great
Depression of the late 1920s and 1930s. Look,
476
00:34:15,210 --> 00:34:16,210
the American --
477
00:34:16,210 --> 00:34:17,210
The Press:
I'm not criticizing, I'm just asking you --
478
00:34:17,210 --> 00:34:18,760
Mr. Gibbs:
No, no, no, I'm saying the American people
479
00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:24,150
understand. Many of them have been out of
work for a long, long time. They understand
480
00:34:24,149 --> 00:34:32,209
that far before any board declared the beginning
of a recession that they were working longer,
481
00:34:32,210 --> 00:34:36,950
they were working harder, they were increasing
their productivity, yet at the same time their
482
00:34:36,950 --> 00:34:43,360
wages either were on that flat line or going
down. They understood that their costs got
483
00:34:43,359 --> 00:34:47,869
more expensive. The cost of energy got more
expensive. The cost of health care got more
484
00:34:47,869 --> 00:34:55,119
expensive. The cost of college got more expensive.
So, look, there's no -- that was even before
485
00:34:55,119 --> 00:35:01,669
the official recession began and certainly
before a series of excessive risk-taking by
486
00:35:01,670 --> 00:35:06,680
a few nearly dragged the economy back to a
period of a great depression.
487
00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:11,290
The Press:
Right. And all I'm asking is, do the American
488
00:35:11,290 --> 00:35:16,180
people need to appreciate, as they look at
the economic future, as charted by this administration,
489
00:35:16,180 --> 00:35:19,120
that it's going to be slower for unemployment
to come down --
490
00:35:19,119 --> 00:35:20,599
Mr. Gibbs:
Major, I think I started to say, I think the
491
00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:24,670
American people understand that because they've
been dealing with this far longer than the
492
00:35:24,670 --> 00:35:30,770
-- than this administration occupying this
White House.
493
00:35:30,770 --> 00:35:33,690
The Press:
On trade, the President has talked about it
494
00:35:33,690 --> 00:35:35,480
more aggressively lately. Gary Locke is giving
a speech right now at the National Press Club.
495
00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:36,620
In that speech I didn't find any specific
reference to a time for approving the pending
496
00:35:36,620 --> 00:35:48,070
South Korean, Colombian, or Panama trade agreements.
For those nations who are now perhaps enthusiastic
497
00:35:48,070 --> 00:35:52,900
the President is talking about trade, what
can you tell them about when the President
498
00:35:52,900 --> 00:35:57,010
and this White House is going to push those
agreements and get them through Congress?
499
00:35:57,010 --> 00:35:59,840
When I talked to the President about South
Korea in Beijing he said, "I want that done
500
00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:00,840
in 2010," either --
501
00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:03,470
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, there you go. What are you asking me
502
00:36:03,470 --> 00:36:04,470
for?
503
00:36:04,470 --> 00:36:05,470
The Press:
Well, but nothing has happened. You can't
504
00:36:05,470 --> 00:36:06,470
find any --
505
00:36:06,470 --> 00:36:07,470
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, it's only February, Major.
506
00:36:07,470 --> 00:36:08,470
The Press:
I know. But he said it was going to happen
507
00:36:08,470 --> 00:36:09,470
either early or late, which I interpreted
meaning early in 2010 or after the midterm
508
00:36:09,470 --> 00:36:10,470
elections.
509
00:36:10,470 --> 00:36:12,030
Mr. Gibbs:
Well --
510
00:36:12,030 --> 00:36:14,980
The Press:
So for those three deals --
511
00:36:14,980 --> 00:36:16,560
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me say, it would not be good for my job
512
00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:20,550
security to go out right now and contradict
the three answers you've just given me on
513
00:36:20,550 --> 00:36:23,110
behalf of your question that the President
gave you in November.
514
00:36:23,110 --> 00:36:24,510
The Press:
Even better for Bill's.
515
00:36:24,510 --> 00:36:25,510
(laughter)
516
00:36:25,510 --> 00:36:28,420
Mr. Gibbs:
I would simply say that -- look, the President
517
00:36:28,420 --> 00:36:30,730
was very clear and specific in the State of
the Union --
518
00:36:30,730 --> 00:36:32,380
The Press:
I'm not saying it's not happening. I'm trying
519
00:36:32,380 --> 00:36:34,860
to understand the explanation of him saying
he'd prefer to have it happen and nothing
520
00:36:34,859 --> 00:36:35,859
being done.
521
00:36:35,859 --> 00:36:38,179
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, Major, you just noted that a speech
522
00:36:38,180 --> 00:36:43,620
has been given where the Secretary -- where
the Secretary of Commerce -- no, hold on -- where
523
00:36:43,619 --> 00:36:49,149
the Secretary of Commerce is laying out the
President's vision for doubling exports in
524
00:36:49,150 --> 00:36:58,520
five years, okay? So though an individual
FTA may not be mentioned in that speech, the
525
00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:03,390
President obviously envisions the increase
of those exports through a whole host of things,
526
00:37:03,390 --> 00:37:08,700
including the free trade agreements that he
outlined quite specifically in the State of
527
00:37:08,700 --> 00:37:14,630
the Union. He did not outline and I don't
have to outline a specific timeline for that,
528
00:37:14,630 --> 00:37:21,180
understanding that the President has laid
out a very aggressive goal on increasing exports,
529
00:37:21,180 --> 00:37:31,490
partly through the trade agreements that you
mentioned.
530
00:37:31,490 --> 00:37:33,350
The Press:
One last -- one question on security -- one
531
00:37:33,350 --> 00:37:34,950
question, it's important. Senator Bond wrote
a letter to the President today about a conversation
532
00:37:34,950 --> 00:37:39,250
that we had here in the briefing room yesterday
and Bill gave a couple of answers -- many
533
00:37:39,250 --> 00:37:46,450
answers, really -- on there was no political
nature to the White House explanation of the
534
00:37:46,450 --> 00:37:48,680
dealing with Abdulmutallab. What Bond says
in his letter is that the senators on the
535
00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:53,900
Intelligence Committee were briefed specifically
earlier this week that the disclosure of Abdulmutallab's
536
00:37:53,900 --> 00:38:01,770
cooperation should not be revealed because
it was -- he says in this letter -- "Doing
537
00:38:01,770 --> 00:38:10,860
so would threaten ongoing efforts to stop
operations the intelligence community thought
538
00:38:10,859 --> 00:38:14,779
were possibly happening against the United
States." He writes in this letter, "Distortion
539
00:38:14,780 --> 00:38:19,110
of the congressional notification process
suggests that other considerations are taking
540
00:38:19,109 --> 00:38:23,239
precedence over keeping timely and sensitive
information away from our enemies" -- I know
541
00:38:23,240 --> 00:38:26,480
a charge you would fundamentally reject, but
I want to get your response to that.
542
00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:29,940
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, first and foremost, I don't want to
543
00:38:29,940 --> 00:38:38,140
speak for Senator Bond, who, if the timeline
you outlined -- a Monday briefing for a Tuesday
544
00:38:38,140 --> 00:38:47,360
hearing -- why he would in his Tuesday hearing
use the statement that the subject refused
545
00:38:47,359 --> 00:38:55,849
to cooperate after he was Mirandized. So I
don't want to speak for the senator who didn't
546
00:38:55,850 --> 00:39:00,090
certainly use any of that information to correct
what he said in public in a hearing that happens
547
00:39:00,090 --> 00:39:12,410
a day after. I would say this, having read
the letter. During a hearing on Tuesday, information
548
00:39:12,410 --> 00:39:24,180
was released that clearly showed that Mr.
Abdulmutallab was indeed talking again to
549
00:39:24,180 --> 00:39:31,600
interrogators. For those of you that participated
in the background briefing, you know that
550
00:39:31,599 --> 00:39:37,819
was not something that was timed purposefully.
551
00:39:37,820 --> 00:39:42,790
The Press:
Were they not supposed to reveal it?
552
00:39:42,790 --> 00:39:46,820
Mr. Gibbs:
It was not timed purposefully. Soon after
553
00:39:46,820 --> 00:39:55,950
that -- soon after that, media reported -- we
felt it important to contextualize, because
554
00:39:55,950 --> 00:40:04,030
many of you were e-mailing us, what this testimony
meant. I would say, again, having read the
555
00:40:04,030 --> 00:40:11,750
letter, no briefing is done here or anywhere
in this administration where classified information
556
00:40:11,750 --> 00:40:17,410
is used in a place where it shouldn't be.
And I would suggest that somebody that alleges
557
00:40:17,410 --> 00:40:25,090
that when they know it doesn't happen owe
people an apology. Any briefing that's done
558
00:40:25,089 --> 00:40:34,069
here in order to ensure that the information
that's in the public is correct is done in
559
00:40:34,070 --> 00:40:42,990
conjunction with many agencies and done so
so that information that is classified and
560
00:40:42,990 --> 00:40:48,640
shouldn't be released isn't released. And
in this case obviously it was not.
561
00:40:48,640 --> 00:40:52,470
The Press:
So Bond owes you an apology? Bond owes the
562
00:40:52,470 --> 00:40:53,520
President an apology?
563
00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:56,490
Mr. Gibbs:
No, I don't think Bond is alleging that the
564
00:40:56,491 --> 00:40:58,101
President was in the briefing.
565
00:40:58,099 --> 00:40:59,499
The Press:
On the -- on the -- two questions.
566
00:40:59,500 --> 00:41:01,220
Mr. Gibbs:
Hold on, hold on -- just hold on, just -- this
567
00:41:01,220 --> 00:41:02,430
is an important question, Lester.
568
00:41:02,430 --> 00:41:04,620
The Press:
Oh, sure, okay.
569
00:41:04,619 --> 00:41:09,349
Mr. Gibbs:
The notion that somehow the White House, in
570
00:41:09,350 --> 00:41:14,740
conjunction with agencies involved in this
interrogation, gave out classified information
571
00:41:14,740 --> 00:41:23,620
-- yes, I think an apology on that is owed
because it's not true. And I think anybody
572
00:41:23,620 --> 00:41:30,110
that was involved in knowing in the Senate
Intelligence Committee what was briefed and
573
00:41:30,109 --> 00:41:36,109
what was reported would know that that wasn't
violated. Again, Major, I don't want to speak
574
00:41:36,109 --> 00:41:42,799
for Senator Bond in why, if he was briefed
on Monday, why on Tuesday, why does he say
575
00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:50,370
that Abdulmutallab -- the result of his refusal
to cooperate after he was Mirandized? Why
576
00:41:50,370 --> 00:42:00,830
does Senator Bond continue to knowingly not
have information curb what he's saying, or
577
00:42:00,830 --> 00:42:02,340
is this a bunch of politics?
578
00:42:02,339 --> 00:42:03,939
The Press:
So he owes an apology to whom?
579
00:42:03,940 --> 00:42:06,420
Mr. Gibbs:
I think he owes an apology to the professionals
580
00:42:06,420 --> 00:42:12,140
in the law enforcement community and those
that work in this building, not for Democrats
581
00:42:12,140 --> 00:42:16,760
and Republicans, but who work each and every
day to keep the American people safe and would
582
00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:25,260
never, ever, ever knowingly release -- or
unknowingly release -- classified information
583
00:42:25,260 --> 00:42:31,900
that could endanger an operation or an interrogation.
Again, I think that the reason that charge
584
00:42:31,900 --> 00:42:38,490
is made is only to play politics. I actually
don't believe that that -- that he thinks
585
00:42:38,490 --> 00:42:45,050
that's a serious allegation. I think that
is -- I think if you look at the letter, it's
586
00:42:45,050 --> 00:42:49,950
clearly -- this is about politics. Michael.
587
00:42:49,950 --> 00:42:51,910
The Press:
What message does the President plan to deliver
588
00:42:51,910 --> 00:42:53,220
tonight at the two DNC fundraisers?
589
00:42:53,220 --> 00:42:58,780
Mr. Gibbs:
I think he'll continue to talk about some
590
00:42:58,780 --> 00:43:02,390
of what he's talking to the leaders today,
some of what he's talking to -- he's talked
591
00:43:02,390 --> 00:43:09,030
to Democrats and Republicans about: the need
to continue to push forward on an agenda to
592
00:43:09,030 --> 00:43:15,310
get our economy moving again, to make our
country safer. He will also take some questions
593
00:43:15,310 --> 00:43:19,010
at one of these events from folks from Organizing
For America.
594
00:43:19,010 --> 00:43:21,740
The Press:
Is he going to suggest a best way forward
595
00:43:21,740 --> 00:43:24,460
on his agenda or just talk about the need
for it?
596
00:43:24,460 --> 00:43:26,730
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, the best way forward is to get it through
597
00:43:26,730 --> 00:43:31,030
the House and the Senate. Jeff.
598
00:43:31,030 --> 00:43:36,870
The Press:
Robert, do you know if the President has submitted
599
00:43:36,870 --> 00:43:39,520
a statement on behalf of his aunt, who's in
a deportation hearing for the second time
600
00:43:39,520 --> 00:43:40,520
today in a Boston courtroom?
601
00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:44,260
Mr. Gibbs:
The President learned of this information,
602
00:43:44,260 --> 00:43:50,320
as you probably know, on the campaign trail
I think in early November of 2008 when it
603
00:43:50,320 --> 00:44:00,290
came out. We said then and we would continue
to say that everybody in this country should
604
00:44:00,290 --> 00:44:07,310
and must follow the law. We have not been
involved at all in that hearing, and we'll
605
00:44:07,310 --> 00:44:13,900
let the law play out as it should. And I would
refer you to ICE for any other comments on
606
00:44:13,900 --> 00:44:16,920
what happens with the hearing.
607
00:44:16,920 --> 00:44:17,920
The Press:
On that question, though, he did not submit
608
00:44:17,920 --> 00:44:18,920
a statement to --
609
00:44:18,920 --> 00:44:23,680
Mr. Gibbs:
No, no. He has not -- this information came
610
00:44:23,680 --> 00:44:27,220
to light, again, I believe -- I don't have
the exact date -- early November of 2008 -- he
611
00:44:27,220 --> 00:44:29,770
has not spoken with her.
612
00:44:29,770 --> 00:44:32,950
The Press:
Did he help at all with the -- with her legal
613
00:44:32,950 --> 00:44:34,290
representation or did anyone in his family
help with --
614
00:44:34,290 --> 00:44:35,290
Mr. Gibbs:
He did not.
615
00:44:35,290 --> 00:44:36,290
The Press:
Mrs. Obama or --
616
00:44:36,290 --> 00:44:40,220
Mr. Gibbs:
He has -- he has not, the family has not.
617
00:44:40,220 --> 00:44:47,850
This is an issue -- this is a legal issue
and the President strongly believes that the
618
00:44:47,849 --> 00:44:50,909
law must be followed by everyone.
619
00:44:50,910 --> 00:44:53,980
The Press:
Two real quick ones, Robert. Are we going
620
00:44:53,980 --> 00:44:55,000
to hear from the President tomorrow about
jobs?
621
00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:56,000
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes. I think I was supposed to announce that
622
00:44:56,000 --> 00:45:03,610
we are -- around noon tomorrow will travel
to a small business in Maryland to talk about
623
00:45:03,609 --> 00:45:08,429
some of the issues that we've talked about
relating to small business -- tax cuts, increased
624
00:45:08,430 --> 00:45:11,980
lending, getting our economy moving again
-- and he'll make remarks there.
625
00:45:11,980 --> 00:45:13,240
The Press:
Robert, a question on jobs --
626
00:45:13,240 --> 00:45:14,360
The Press:
I'm sorry, can I --
627
00:45:14,359 --> 00:45:15,359
Mr. Gibbs:
I'll get there, don't worry. I'm going to
628
00:45:15,359 --> 00:45:16,359
go twice as long as Bill.
629
00:45:16,359 --> 00:45:17,359
(laughter)
630
00:45:17,359 --> 00:45:19,759
The Press:
I want to come back to the Abdulmutallab issue.
631
00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:27,410
You spoke of the inadvertent release of the
fact that the suspect was now cooperating.
632
00:45:27,410 --> 00:45:30,260
Is the President upset that that happened?
633
00:45:30,260 --> 00:45:35,680
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't want to characterize information that
634
00:45:35,680 --> 00:45:36,680
--
635
00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:50,390
The Press:
Has he had any words with the people who were
636
00:45:50,390 --> 00:45:51,390
responsible for it having been disclosed?
637
00:45:51,390 --> 00:45:53,390
Mr. Gibbs:
Not that I'm aware of, but I can check. Ann.
638
00:45:53,390 --> 00:45:55,720
The Press:
The Dalai Lama is not a leader of a foreign
639
00:45:55,720 --> 00:45:56,720
power. What is the nature of his invitation
here? Is he invited in as a personal guest?
640
00:45:56,720 --> 00:45:57,870
Mr. Gibbs:
I can check with NSC. I don't -- the President
641
00:45:57,869 --> 00:46:03,509
meets with folks in the White House all the
time that aren't foreign leaders.
642
00:46:03,510 --> 00:46:05,660
The Press:
-- whether it's an Oval Office visit or whether
643
00:46:05,660 --> 00:46:06,660
he stops --
644
00:46:06,660 --> 00:46:09,760
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes, and I honestly -- I don't have any information
645
00:46:09,760 --> 00:46:10,850
on where the meeting will take place. Mara.
646
00:46:10,850 --> 00:46:14,780
The Press:
I have a question about OFA. One of the striking
647
00:46:14,780 --> 00:46:24,320
features of all of the off-year elections
we've had so far is the absence of the -- what
648
00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:27,070
you might call the Obama voters or emergent
voters, all those people that he brought into
649
00:46:27,070 --> 00:46:30,000
the electorate in 2008 and that OFA was going
to try to keep energized and active. I'm wondering
650
00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:31,600
what his message is going to be to them tonight.
651
00:46:31,599 --> 00:46:33,549
Mr. Gibbs:
Look, I think he will talk about what we have
652
00:46:33,550 --> 00:46:39,190
at stake, what we -- the important progress
that we have made in the first year and the
653
00:46:39,190 --> 00:46:44,650
steps that we must continue to take on a whole
host of issues that he campaigned on for more
654
00:46:44,650 --> 00:46:50,620
than two years. In terms of specifics for
OFA I'd point you over to the DNC. Lester,
655
00:46:50,620 --> 00:46:55,780
let's take a crack.
656
00:46:55,780 --> 00:46:58,550
The Press:
Thank you so much. In his commendable concern
657
00:46:58,550 --> 00:47:07,320
for the unemployed, the President would be
gratified if Katie Couric would share 14.5
658
00:47:07,320 --> 00:47:14,790
of her widely reported $15 million salary
to rescue those hundreds of CBS employees
659
00:47:14,790 --> 00:47:20,230
laid off, so she would still have an income
similar to the President's, wouldn't he?
660
00:47:20,230 --> 00:47:21,490
Mr. Gibbs:
Chip --
661
00:47:21,490 --> 00:47:22,490
The Press:
Oooh!
662
00:47:22,490 --> 00:47:23,490
(laughter)
663
00:47:23,490 --> 00:47:30,730
Mr. Gibbs:
Chip is -- no. Look, Lester, Lester, I'm -- Lester,
664
00:47:30,730 --> 00:47:34,380
I'm happy to answer questions on policies
that the government --
665
00:47:34,380 --> 00:47:39,010
The Press:
This is unemployment. This is unemployment.
666
00:47:39,010 --> 00:47:44,270
Mr. Gibbs:
Lester, I don't think it's appropriate for
667
00:47:44,270 --> 00:47:51,500
me to get into the compensation of a network
any more than it is for me to get into your
668
00:47:51,500 --> 00:47:53,320
compensation.
669
00:47:53,320 --> 00:47:56,280
The Press:
In this time of such financial problems, though,
670
00:47:56,280 --> 00:48:01,810
why does the President believe that all taxpayers
should have to pay $420 million a year, or
671
00:48:01,810 --> 00:48:10,240
more than $8 million a week, to subsidize
public broadcasting, whether or not they watch
672
00:48:10,240 --> 00:48:11,300
or listen?
673
00:48:11,300 --> 00:48:15,420
Mr. Gibbs:
Public broadcasting provides a great service
674
00:48:15,420 --> 00:48:24,020
to people who, in times of economic downturn,
don't listen to the radio or can't buy cable
675
00:48:24,020 --> 00:48:25,020
TV in order --
676
00:48:25,020 --> 00:48:26,050
The Press:
They all listen to the radio.
677
00:48:26,050 --> 00:48:30,470
Mr. Gibbs:
I know you think that. Yes, go ahead.
678
00:48:30,470 --> 00:48:37,090
The Press:
Just a clarification on the Abdulmutallab
679
00:48:37,089 --> 00:48:41,349
issue. Did the President know in advance Abdulmutallab
would be Mirandized?
680
00:48:41,349 --> 00:48:42,609
Mr. Gibbs:
I'm sorry?
681
00:48:42,609 --> 00:48:44,029
The Press:
Did the President know in advance that Abdulmutallab
682
00:48:44,030 --> 00:48:45,030
would be Mirandized?
683
00:48:45,030 --> 00:48:52,380
Mr. Gibbs:
I'll go back and look at the timeline. Those
684
00:48:52,380 --> 00:48:58,340
decisions were made, as you know, by the Attorney
General, by the FBI, and done so in conjunction
685
00:48:58,339 --> 00:49:02,079
and in accordance with agencies throughout
the government.
686
00:49:02,079 --> 00:49:03,439
The Press:
I understand he was notified before they indicted
687
00:49:03,440 --> 00:49:06,380
him, but before the Mirandizing on Christmas
Day was --
688
00:49:06,380 --> 00:49:10,410
Mr. Gibbs:
The answer that I have is -- I don't have
689
00:49:10,410 --> 00:49:15,420
the timeline with me. April.
690
00:49:15,420 --> 00:49:17,580
The Press:
Robert, on an issue that's been since --
691
00:49:17,580 --> 00:49:20,200
Mr. Gibbs:
Don't worry, we're far afield on issues today.
692
00:49:20,200 --> 00:49:21,500
So fire away, my friend.
693
00:49:21,500 --> 00:49:22,500
(laughter)
694
00:49:22,500 --> 00:49:30,000
The Press:
On an issue from way back in the Clinton administration,
695
00:49:30,000 --> 00:49:32,600
the black farmers, President Obama put in
for a settlement of $1.2 billion. We understand
696
00:49:32,600 --> 00:49:37,140
today that the White House has been informed
that a settlement is very close for the black
697
00:49:37,140 --> 00:49:40,400
farmers, and the Justice Department is working
it out. Does this end the whole dispute after
698
00:49:40,400 --> 00:49:43,330
all these years if this is approved?
699
00:49:43,330 --> 00:49:46,490
Mr. Gibbs:
April, let me get information on where the
700
00:49:46,490 --> 00:49:53,150
settlement is before I talk on it.
701
00:49:53,150 --> 00:49:54,150
The Press:
But wait a minute, I want to ask one thing,
702
00:49:54,150 --> 00:49:58,580
though. The President did propose this for
the 2010 budget. How important is this for
703
00:49:58,579 --> 00:50:00,689
this President to rectify this situation?
704
00:50:00,690 --> 00:50:10,000
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, obviously -- clearly, April, it's
705
00:50:10,000 --> 00:50:15,260
something that's important to him. It's been
an issue that, as you mentioned, has been
706
00:50:15,260 --> 00:50:20,020
worked on by the federal government now in
several different administrations and dating
707
00:50:20,020 --> 00:50:30,040
back many years. Obviously ensuring that justice
is done is important in this situation. Bill.
708
00:50:30,040 --> 00:50:32,030
The Press:
Robert, following the loss of three American
709
00:50:32,030 --> 00:50:39,240
soldiers in Pakistan, can you tell us how
many American troops are on the ground in
710
00:50:39,240 --> 00:50:40,240
Pakistan and what their mission is?
711
00:50:40,240 --> 00:50:41,240
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, obviously there were those that were
712
00:50:41,240 --> 00:50:49,900
-- had been invited by the Pakistanis that,
along with schoolchildren, were cowardly killed
713
00:50:49,900 --> 00:50:58,110
by terrorists in Pakistan.
714
00:50:58,109 --> 00:50:59,739
The Press:
Do you know the extent or the number of troops?
715
00:50:59,740 --> 00:51:05,220
And I guess if you add the increased drone
flights and the American troops on the ground,
716
00:51:05,220 --> 00:51:09,250
is there a third war? Are we at war in Pakistan?
If not, what do you call it?
717
00:51:09,250 --> 00:51:15,840
Mr. Gibbs:
We provide assistance to the Pakistanis as
718
00:51:15,840 --> 00:51:25,030
they increase their efforts in regions of
their country along the Afghanistan border
719
00:51:25,030 --> 00:51:31,410
that harbor those that seek to do ill to Pakistanis,
Afghans, and Americans. Sam.
720
00:51:31,410 --> 00:51:34,890
The Press:
Going back to Chuck's question, you said you
721
00:51:34,890 --> 00:51:40,380
were talking about a change in calculus because
of the seating of Scott Brown. Can you expand
722
00:51:40,380 --> 00:51:46,220
on that? And particularly, can you address
two nominees -- Craig Becker to the National
723
00:51:46,220 --> 00:51:52,250
Labor Relations Board, and Dawn Johnson to
OLC -- who now seem to lack the 60 votes needed
724
00:51:52,250 --> 00:51:55,060
to cut off cloture? How do you see this playing
out?
725
00:51:55,060 --> 00:51:57,660
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't have specific information on each
726
00:51:57,660 --> 00:52:03,620
of those two nominees. I would simply point
you to what the President said in the State
727
00:52:03,619 --> 00:52:08,429
of the Union about the change in number requiring
that Democrats and Republicans work together.
728
00:52:08,430 --> 00:52:15,160
I think you've got nominees that have passed
out of committee that deserve -- that deserve
729
00:52:15,160 --> 00:52:19,470
support. I think the Senate, if they haven't
already, are going to vote on the head of
730
00:52:19,470 --> 00:52:27,270
the GSA, which has been held up since June,
since she cleared the committee in June. The
731
00:52:27,270 --> 00:52:39,720
head of the GSA -- I mean, a completely non-controversial
appointment held up for months because of
732
00:52:39,720 --> 00:52:45,110
the type of partisan political games that
the American people continue to be tired of.
733
00:52:45,109 --> 00:52:48,849
The Press:
Well, do you want to see actual filibusters
734
00:52:48,850 --> 00:52:53,400
from the Republican Party, force them to actually
talk through these filibusters that they're
735
00:52:53,400 --> 00:52:54,400
launching?
736
00:52:54,400 --> 00:52:57,700
Mr. Gibbs:
What I'd like to see is that whether you agree
737
00:52:57,700 --> 00:53:04,730
or disagree with the nominee, that they receive
an up or down vote so that they can begin
738
00:53:04,730 --> 00:53:11,070
to do the work of the American people on important
jobs that can and should be done and filled
739
00:53:11,070 --> 00:53:12,070
quickly.
740
00:53:12,070 --> 00:53:15,480
The Press:
Regarding reports out of Romania today, that
741
00:53:15,480 --> 00:53:22,670
elements of an American defense shield might
be placed there, what is your reaction to
742
00:53:22,670 --> 00:53:30,120
that? And also, there might be the inevitable
negative reaction by Russia and other countries
743
00:53:30,120 --> 00:53:32,600
in that region regarding the presence of an
American defense shield in Romania.
744
00:53:32,597 --> 00:53:35,007
Mr. Gibbs:
The President outlined in September a new
745
00:53:35,010 --> 00:53:41,450
approach on missile defense that provided
greater coverage to threats for Europe and
746
00:53:41,450 --> 00:53:51,500
for this country. We're pleased that Romania
has agreed to participate in that defense
747
00:53:51,500 --> 00:53:58,860
shield that, again, will provide greater security
for those that could be threatened there or
748
00:53:58,859 --> 00:54:08,649
here. What the President outlined was something
that would -- that would work better, work
749
00:54:08,650 --> 00:54:16,920
faster, and provide greater levels of protection,
and that's what we've seen in Romania's agreement
750
00:54:16,920 --> 00:54:19,490
today, and we're quite thankful. Thanks, guys.
751
00:54:19,490 --> 00:54:21,530
The Press:
Could you correct your statement about public
752
00:54:21,530 --> 00:54:25,020
broadcasting? I'm sure you didn't mean to
say it's for people who don't listen to the
753
00:54:25,020 --> 00:54:26,020
radio.
754
00:54:26,020 --> 00:54:27,020
(laughter)
755
00:54:27,020 --> 00:54:28,910
Mr. Gibbs:
No, no, no, I think I might be taking -- I
756
00:54:28,910 --> 00:54:31,440
said for people that might not listen to the
radio --
757
00:54:31,440 --> 00:54:33,270
The Press:
Public broadcasting is on the radio.
758
00:54:33,270 --> 00:54:35,860
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, right. I think -- right, okay.
759
00:54:35,859 --> 00:54:38,969
The Press:
It's paid for by the government.
760
00:54:38,970 --> 00:54:41,580
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me say, if you listen to NPR on the radio,
761
00:54:41,579 --> 00:54:47,559
like my mother does, like I do, you could
listen to that, you could watch public television
762
00:54:47,559 --> 00:54:48,559
--
763
00:54:48,559 --> 00:54:51,189
The Press:
Well, Lester needs a job.
764
00:54:51,190 --> 00:54:53,190
Mr. Gibbs:
Thanks, guys.