English subtitles for clip: File:1-16-13- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Carney:
Good afternoon,
ladies and gentlemen.

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Thank you for being here.

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I hope you all had a chance
to either attend or watch

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the President's event
on college opportunity.

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As you know, President Obama
has pledged that even

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as he continues to look for
areas of bipartisan cooperation,

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he will not wait for Congress
to act to get things done

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for the American people.

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The President has made clear
time and again that in the

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United States the outcomes
of your life should not be

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determined by the
circumstances of your birth.

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As we know, there's no better
ladder to economic opportunity

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than a college degree.

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But we also know there is much
more we can do to ensure

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that every child, rich or poor,
has access to a quality college

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education so they can get ahead.

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So today, the President and
First Lady are bringing together

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college and
university presidents,

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business and
philanthropic leaders,

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and other stakeholders at the
White House to announce as they

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just did over 100
new meaningful commitments

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to expand college opportunity.

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Today's commitments are the
result of a call to action

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the administration had issued
to participants in advance

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of the event to help us address
the following key areas.

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One, connecting more low-income
students to the school

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that is right for them and
ensuring more students graduate.

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Two, increasing the pool of
students preparing for college

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through early interventions.

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Three, leveling the playing
field in college advising

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and test preparation.

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And four, seeing breakthroughs
in remedial education.

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I know that the
President, the First Lady,

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and those involved in organizing
this event were extremely

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gratified by the enthusiastic
response to the call to action,

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the commitments
that have been made.

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And as a special guest today,
I have with me Nancy Zimpher;

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she is the chancellor of

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the State University
of New York system.

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She is a participant in today's
event and I'd like her to speak

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to you at the top, and then if
you have questions for her

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as somebody who is living
and breathing this every day,

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we'll do those at the top, and
then let her go and I'll remain

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for questions on other subjects.

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With that, I give you the
Chancellor of the State

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University of New York system.

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Chancellor Zimpher:
Thank you.

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Well, good afternoon, everybody.

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I am thrilled to represent
the over 80 presidents

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and chancellors who were in the
house to hear the President

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and the First Lady speak
to this ambitious agenda.

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What I liked about the crowd
is that it was filled with

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community colleges, elite
private institutions,

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land-grant institutions,
comprehensive colleges --

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both public and private --

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really making a
personal and campus

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commitment to this goal.

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What I know is that the
President has been on this

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agenda for quite a while, this
really ambitious goal by 2020

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that we will be
first in the world

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in terms of college graduates.

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Two years ago, he brought
a small group of about

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12 university presidents
and chancellors together

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to challenge us on these issues
and I was part of that.

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And happily, this August, the
President came to New York --

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to Buffalo and to Binghamton --
to announce this agenda of more

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affordability -- and he has
really pounded us on the cost of

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college; accountability -- that
we have outcomes that we can

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prove we're making
progress and innovations.

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So I was told I could say
a little bit about SUNY,

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the State University
of New York.

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And two days ago, we announced
a thing called "Open SUNY" --

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we already have 465,000
students whom we serve,

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but we will grow another 100,000
over the next three years

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because we want to increase
our access for traditional

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college-age students
and, importantly,

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adults who have no education
beyond college who are simply

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not going to make the grade if
they can't get jobs that require

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a college degree.

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So let me just say briefly
what we've been talking about

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amongst these very
enthusiastic presidents

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and the commitments
they've made.

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We're talking about access --
fundamentally reaching students

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where they live in
the early grades.

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We've been talking about early
childhood to elementary school

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to high school, a lot of
emphasis on these early college

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high schools where low-income
students from urban and rural

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areas can get all the tutoring
and advising they need,

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prepare them for the
college admissions tests.

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So that's been big in our
conversations -- not just the

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universities, but grassroots
organizations that are forming

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cohorts of students to go to
college and support each other.

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And then it's been said
over and over again,

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once you get to
college, our responsibility

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is to get you graduated.

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So completion
has been a huge issue,

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and we know that that takes a
lot of support for the killer

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courses that are hard and that
maybe students haven't taken

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enough math, they're
not ready for English,

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they're not ready for
the science courses.

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So during college,
we have to support them.

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We do a lot of online tutoring
as well and online mentoring to

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reach our students.

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And then one of the things we
do at SUNY that we like a lot

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is talk about success being
something after completion,

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which really means
you get a job,

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and we do that through
internships and co-op

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and that kind of thing.

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So let me just close by saying
the President said just in this

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speech this is a "year of
action" -- the year of action --

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his plan to spend
the next three years.

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What I think it's going to take
is these thousand points of

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light, these really thousands of
points of light where everybody

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is doing work in this direction.

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But knit it together into
a collective set of very

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data-based, evidenced,
collective impact so that we can

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see these big numbers
move through our system

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and reach our 2020 goal.

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So thank you.

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Mr. Carney:
Questions for the Chancellor?

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Christi.

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The Press:
Could you talk a little
bit about the call to action?

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How did the White House
reach out to you?

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And what are the
universities doing

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that you might not
have otherwise been doing here?

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Chancellor Zimpher:
Well, I think the call
to action sort of started

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quite a while ago when this
ambitious 2020 goal emerged.

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And as I said, there have been
several of these small group

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conferences -- conversations
where we've actually come

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to the West Wing and met
with the President,

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met with Vice President Biden.

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But this began several months
ago with individual phone calls.

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I am told that every one of
the campus presidents and

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chancellors here today had at
least a half-hour call from Gene

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Sperling, who does economic
development for the White House,

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asking us to consider coming
together and telling us

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the price of admission
was new commitments,

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adding activities that we hadn't
already heretofore engaged in.

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So that's why I mention this
massive online program at SUNY.

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I have also heard people commit
to go into the schools with

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their students to help students
in high school fill out

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the FAFSA form.

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I've heard today about
ideas around cohorts,

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that once you get to, say,
a highly selective college

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you need a cohort of support,
a posse of support.

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So that's another idea.

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We're trying to bring down
remediation by giving students

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more help as they plan their
high school curriculum

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and take more math courses.

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The College Board, ACT,
they're represented today,

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and we've heard that they are
partnering with the state of

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Delaware and with other campuses
to actually get students

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ready for these tests.

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We talked the other day at
SUNY about a universal PSAT

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in the 10th grade.

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So we have a really good
diagnostic early on

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to make a difference.

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So that and hundreds
more of the ideas.

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And the President invited --
beyond the people here today

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and the hundred commitments --

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to send more, that there be
more action in this regard.

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Mr. Carney:
Major.

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The Press:
What's, in your opinion,

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the main driver in the last 20
years in college tuition costs?

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Anyone who has any experience
with that -- and I do --

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sees sticker shock with this.

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[laughter]

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What's been driving it, and what
are the most innovative ideas

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you have seen to drive
down those costs?

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And how much is online education
teaching kids online at home as

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opposed to a structured college
campus going to play in that

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in the future?

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Chancellor Zimpher:
Well, I think, since
so much of our work --

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85 to 90 percent
of a university

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is the people who serve it.

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So the costs of employing and
managing this massive personnel

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structure has driven
costs in many respects.

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I think -- what
I've heard today,

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what I heard last night when the
presidents were together is that

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universities are embracing
a smarter business model,

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if you will; shared services;
the kind of procurement.

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And the thing I liked about it
the best -- and this is true at

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SUNY, as well -- every dollar we
save on smart-sourcing or group

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procurement or
sharing positions,

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bringing down the
administrative overhead,

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is being cranked into
student services.

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So our goal at SUNY is $100
million a year in tightening our

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belt and put that $100 million
to student services

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and more faculty supports.

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So I think that's going to make
a big difference in New York.

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We also have a five-year tuition
plan that's affordable

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and predictable, and we are
a very low-tuition state,

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so we're trying to
control tuition that way.

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Mr. Carney:
Jon-Christopher.

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The Press:
As a product of the City
University of New York,

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and as an adjunct at Georgetown,
what I think you're doing

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is extremely terrific.

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However, problem
-- I'm asking you,

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Chancellor -- you are
doing so much remedial work

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within the system.

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Where are the high schools and
where is K-12 failing so these

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students don't come to you, and
you have to basically start --

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in many cases, start
a few years back?

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Chancellor Zimpher:
Well, I am glad you mentioned.

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We've made a really frontal
attack on remediation.

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It's paying twice.

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It's unnecessary.

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You take more remedial
courses; the more you take,

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the less you chance
you will complete.

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So it's just a rabbit run
in the wrong direction.

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But we've tried really hard
not to just point the finger

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at high schools.

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I say so often, we prepare the
teachers who teach the kids who

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come to college, ready or not.

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We own this challenge
as universities,

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because we prepare 5,000
teachers a year at SUNY.

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So I think what we
need, first of all,

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is a better understanding
of what it takes to do

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good college work.

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I think the Common
Core will get us there.

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We are in conversation
with our K-12 colleagues

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to get that done.

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Secondly, we are
adopting, if you will,

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high schools called
early-college high schools --

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some are called
new-tech high schools,

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some are called P-TECH high
schools -- where we're actually

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teaching in those high schools
with the idea that students

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graduate high school
with college credit.

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And we're finding, especially
in low-income high schools,

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that if we are with them, if we
are systematically partnering

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with these high school faculty,
that we can get a student to

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college ready to take the
college-level courses.

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I have heard over and over
again, last night and today,

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university commitments to
better partnership with our K-12

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colleagues, and I think that's
going to be responded to

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in the President's agenda.

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I've already heard Secretary
Duncan tell us how we can do

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that better and
have more impact.

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So I'm very optimistic.

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Mr. Carney: Bill.

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The Press: Chancellor, what
about the connection between,

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as our economy
changes, the demands

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for the information technology?

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And are kids graduating from
college today with the skills

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00:11:43,266 --> 00:11:46,536
that companies need and
are looking for today?

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Chancellor Zimpher:
Well, my favorite answer --

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00:11:48,500 --> 00:11:50,000
and I've had a
lot of practice at this

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because I love cooperative
education and internships

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00:11:54,033 --> 00:11:56,063
that are supervised, paid for,

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00:11:56,066 --> 00:11:58,496
and lead to a successful
job placement.

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So one of the things we're
trying to do at SUNY

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is take co-op to scale, make
it accessible to every student.

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And what I mean by that is
during the course of your

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college curriculum, you
have a bona fide work-based,

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applied-learning opportunity,
hopefully a paid opportunity.

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And what we know from co-op
over the years: If you have that

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experience, it's supervised,
it's high-quality work,

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not just going to
get the coffee,

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and you are an important
asset of that company,

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00:12:27,500 --> 00:12:31,330
in all likelihood -- in fact,
the figure is 90 percent

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opportunity -- you will get
offered a job in one of those

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places where you co-op'ed.

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That's kind of supply and demand
in higher education that we can

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make work with our
business partners.

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And I think it's a solution.

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Like everything else
you're going to hear about,

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we can't just be a
thousand points of light.

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We have to get to scale.

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There are so many good things
happening, but it's 5,000 here,

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or a campus there.

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And I think the greatest
challenge of this campaign and

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this mobilization is how we
can collectively focus on a few

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interventions, that we have the
evidence and the data that we

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know work, and take it to scale.

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I hope that's a recipe for
success in this campaign.

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Mr. Carney: Jon.

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The Press: Thank you, Jay.

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00:13:21,467 --> 00:13:24,397
Madam Chancellor,
some years back,

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00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,470
several United States senators,
including Senator Alexander of

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00:13:28,467 --> 00:13:32,137
Tennessee, himself a former
Secretary of Education,

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00:13:32,133 --> 00:13:36,233
spoke of the need for trade
schools and that there should be

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00:13:36,233 --> 00:13:37,533
some emphasis on it.

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00:13:37,533 --> 00:13:42,033
Was there discussion or even
participation of trade schools

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at today's conference?

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00:13:43,367 --> 00:13:47,437
And what do you agree -- what
do you think of that opinion?

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00:13:47,433 --> 00:13:49,163
Chancellor Zimpher:
Well, it takes a village,

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00:13:49,166 --> 00:13:51,796
so I know this is
repetitive over time,

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00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:57,200
but I think we feel we have
to be open to all pathways.

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00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,530
So if, when we transitioned
vocational and technical

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00:14:00,533 --> 00:14:03,133
education we threw the
baby out with the bath,

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00:14:03,133 --> 00:14:05,763
we need to reexamine
what our technical

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00:14:05,767 --> 00:14:07,667
and vocational
schools are doing.

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00:14:07,667 --> 00:14:11,037
There are some technical
universities --

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00:14:11,033 --> 00:14:14,363
colleges, post-secondary
colleges in the house today,

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00:14:14,367 --> 00:14:16,437
but not the high school vo-tech.

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00:14:16,433 --> 00:14:19,533
In New York, we have an
interesting structure where

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00:14:19,533 --> 00:14:24,603
these intermediary vo-tech
services help bridge the gap.

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So I wouldn't rule anything out,
and if what we need to do is go

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back and reexamine what some
of our vocational-technical

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00:14:32,266 --> 00:14:33,666
programs did years ago --

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00:14:33,667 --> 00:14:35,767
school to work,
you remember all this --

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00:14:35,767 --> 00:14:37,837
maybe some of
that needs to come back

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00:14:37,834 --> 00:14:40,664
into our equation.

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00:14:40,667 --> 00:14:42,967
Mr. Carney:
Chancellor, thank you very much.

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00:14:42,967 --> 00:14:43,967
Chancellor Zimpher:
Thank you.

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00:14:43,967 --> 00:14:44,967
[laughter]

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00:14:44,967 --> 00:14:45,967
I'm glad to move on.

308
00:14:45,967 --> 00:14:47,497
Thank you.

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00:14:47,500 --> 00:14:50,300
Mr. Carney:
I think you'd make a great
White House Press Secretary.

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00:14:50,300 --> 00:14:51,300
[laughter]

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00:14:51,300 --> 00:14:56,670
Well, thank you all
very much, and again,

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00:14:56,667 --> 00:14:59,737
thank Dr. Zimpher for
participating today both

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00:14:59,734 --> 00:15:05,704
in the event with other college
presidents and chancellors and

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00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:08,170
philanthropies and businesses,
with the President

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00:15:08,166 --> 00:15:10,596
and First Lady, and here
today in the briefing.

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00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:12,770
I don't have any other
announcements to make

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00:15:12,767 --> 00:15:14,767
so I'll go to your questions.

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00:15:14,767 --> 00:15:15,967
The Press:
Thanks, Jay.

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00:15:15,967 --> 00:15:18,067
On tomorrow's speech, assuming
that you're not going to

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00:15:18,066 --> 00:15:21,096
disclose any more details about
what the President might say,

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00:15:21,100 --> 00:15:25,000
can you just talk more broadly
about what this speech means to

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00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:29,830
him, how important it is, and
if he sees this as a defining

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00:15:29,834 --> 00:15:33,904
moment of his presidency
and his legacy?

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00:15:33,900 --> 00:15:36,230
Mr. Carney: There's no
question that this is an issue

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00:15:36,233 --> 00:15:39,503
that the President
takes very seriously.

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00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:45,630
And you have heard him speak
about it quite a bit over the

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00:15:45,633 --> 00:15:52,063
past year, including in a major
speech prior to the beginning of

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00:15:52,066 --> 00:15:56,236
the disclosures that led to
so much focus on these issues.

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00:15:58,567 --> 00:16:01,297
And I think it's
important to note that,

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00:16:01,300 --> 00:16:04,530
as regards the disclosures --
and there's no question that,

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00:16:04,533 --> 00:16:08,063
as other assessments
have demonstrated,

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00:16:08,066 --> 00:16:11,566
they're very damaging to
our national security -- the

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00:16:11,567 --> 00:16:17,867
President has nevertheless
acknowledged all along that the

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00:16:17,867 --> 00:16:22,137
debates that those disclosures
sparked were legitimate,

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00:16:22,133 --> 00:16:28,133
that the questions that have
been asked and the ideas that

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00:16:28,133 --> 00:16:32,133
have been put forward about
ways we may need to examine and

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00:16:32,133 --> 00:16:35,603
perhaps reform our signals
intelligence collection have all

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00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:37,300
been worthwhile and legitimate.

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00:16:37,300 --> 00:16:42,730
So tomorrow, the President will
give remarks at the Department

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00:16:42,734 --> 00:16:47,004
of Justice discussing the
conclusions of the work that he

341
00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:51,300
and his team have done
in reviewing our signals

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00:16:51,300 --> 00:16:53,300
intelligence collection program.

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00:16:55,133 --> 00:17:00,703
He starts from the absolute
commitment to maintaining the

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00:17:00,700 --> 00:17:03,130
security of the American people,
the security of our nation,

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00:17:03,133 --> 00:17:06,033
of our men and women in uniform
overseas and our civilians

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00:17:06,033 --> 00:17:08,333
serving overseas, as well
as the commitments we have

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00:17:08,333 --> 00:17:10,303
to our allies.

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00:17:11,433 --> 00:17:17,433
He has also said that we can and
should take steps to make

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00:17:20,433 --> 00:17:25,363
the activities we engage in, in
order to help keep America safe

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00:17:25,367 --> 00:17:29,997
and Americans safe, more
transparent in order to give the

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00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:35,030
public more confidence about the
programs and the oversight

352
00:17:35,033 --> 00:17:36,363
of the programs.

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00:17:36,367 --> 00:17:41,797
So that's the context in which
he has deliberated over these

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00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:48,430
issues, in which he has tasked
others to dive deep in examining

355
00:17:48,433 --> 00:17:55,763
the programs and in suggesting
reforms and changes.

356
00:17:55,767 --> 00:17:59,337
And he appreciates all of the
ideas he has received and the

357
00:17:59,333 --> 00:18:01,863
good work that has been
done by the review group

358
00:18:01,867 --> 00:18:05,997
and by the PCLOB and others.

359
00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,670
So tomorrow, I think you'll
see the product of that effort,

360
00:18:09,667 --> 00:18:14,597
and you'll see for yourself
and hear for yourself how

361
00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:18,500
the President views these
issues going forward.

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00:18:18,500 --> 00:18:22,200
The Press:
I want to ask you about
one thing on the Hill.

363
00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,770
Senator Hatch was saying this
morning that Trade Promotion

364
00:18:24,767 --> 00:18:27,497
Authority is looking like
it's going to fail unless this

365
00:18:27,500 --> 00:18:30,970
administration steps up and
does more to promote it.

366
00:18:30,967 --> 00:18:33,097
There's obviously a lot of
things that the President would

367
00:18:33,100 --> 00:18:36,070
like Congress to pass these days

368
00:18:36,066 --> 00:18:37,796
that they've
been reluctant to pass.

369
00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:39,530
Where does this rank on those?

370
00:18:39,533 --> 00:18:42,733
Does he have any plans to
become more active on this?

371
00:18:42,734 --> 00:18:45,634
And can you talk about why
Ambassador Froman didn't attend

372
00:18:45,633 --> 00:18:47,503
the hearing today?

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00:18:47,500 --> 00:18:50,270
Mr. Carney:
I'll have to refer you
to USTR on Ambassador Froman.

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00:18:50,266 --> 00:18:53,336
I can tell you that Trade
Promotion Authority, TPA,

375
00:18:53,333 --> 00:18:56,803
is a key part of a comprehensive
strategy of the President's to

376
00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:00,200
increase exports and support
more American jobs at higher

377
00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:04,100
wages, including in a
stronger manufacturing sector.

378
00:19:04,100 --> 00:19:06,230
We have welcomed the
introduction of the bipartisan

379
00:19:06,233 --> 00:19:10,263
Congressional Trade Priorities
Act of 2014 as an important step

380
00:19:10,266 --> 00:19:12,336
towards Congress updating
its important role

381
00:19:12,333 --> 00:19:13,633
in trade negotiations.

382
00:19:13,633 --> 00:19:16,633
And we are actively working
with Democrats and Republicans

383
00:19:16,633 --> 00:19:20,303
in Congress throughout the
legislative process to pass TPA

384
00:19:20,300 --> 00:19:25,370
legislation with as broad
bipartisan support as possible.

385
00:19:25,367 --> 00:19:29,367
Now, the United States has the
most open markets in the world,

386
00:19:29,367 --> 00:19:33,297
but our products and services
still face barriers abroad.

387
00:19:33,300 --> 00:19:36,370
That's why we need to use every
tool we have to knock down trade

388
00:19:36,367 --> 00:19:39,267
barriers that prevent American
goods and services

389
00:19:39,266 --> 00:19:40,436
from being exported.

390
00:19:40,433 --> 00:19:42,003
If we don't seize
these opportunities,

391
00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,270
our competitors most
definitely will.

392
00:19:44,266 --> 00:19:46,936
And if we don't take the
leadership to set high standards

393
00:19:46,934 --> 00:19:50,034
around the world, we will
face a race to the bottom,

394
00:19:50,033 --> 00:19:53,533
which is not in the interest
of our workers and our firms.

395
00:19:53,533 --> 00:19:57,333
So this is a priority
of the President's.

396
00:19:57,333 --> 00:20:03,333
It's part of a broad approach to
expanding exports and creating

397
00:20:06,567 --> 00:20:09,767
more opportunities for
our businesses to grow.

398
00:20:09,767 --> 00:20:14,037
And we're going to
continue to push for it.

399
00:20:14,033 --> 00:20:15,803
I don't have a schedule
of his engagement in it.

400
00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:16,800
He is engaged in it.

401
00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:18,370
He speaks with members about it.

402
00:20:18,367 --> 00:20:22,667
He has a team that is
engaged in this effort.

403
00:20:22,667 --> 00:20:25,567
And we're going to continue to
push for as broad a bipartisan

404
00:20:25,567 --> 00:20:27,297
support as we can get.

405
00:20:27,300 --> 00:20:28,700
Roberta.

406
00:20:28,700 --> 00:20:30,400
The Press:
Canada's Foreign
Minister, John Baird,

407
00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,800
appeared today in Washington
and he said that Canada can't

408
00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,470
continue in what he called "this
state of limbo" over Keystone.

409
00:20:37,467 --> 00:20:40,467
And he said that the country
needs a decision now,

410
00:20:40,467 --> 00:20:43,137
even if ultimately it's not the
decision that Canada wants

411
00:20:43,133 --> 00:20:44,363
on the pipeline.

412
00:20:44,367 --> 00:20:47,037
So I'm wondering if you can tell
us how much longer Canada

413
00:20:47,033 --> 00:20:49,233
has to wait for a decision,
one way or the other.

414
00:20:49,233 --> 00:20:50,833
Mr. Carney:
Roberta, I'd refer
you to the State

415
00:20:50,834 --> 00:20:55,164
Department, where that
process of review is underway,

416
00:20:55,166 --> 00:21:00,896
as has been the case on
pipelines of this nature,

417
00:21:00,900 --> 00:21:04,070
international pipelines, through
previous administrations.

418
00:21:04,066 --> 00:21:06,636
The Press: So once the State
Department finishes its review,

419
00:21:06,633 --> 00:21:11,533
which is something that
could happen in coming weeks,

420
00:21:11,533 --> 00:21:14,603
can you explain to us what
process the White House is going

421
00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:16,170
to use to make
its determination,

422
00:21:16,166 --> 00:21:17,466
final determination?

423
00:21:17,467 --> 00:21:19,537
Mr. Carney: I don't
want to get ahead of that.

424
00:21:19,533 --> 00:21:22,063
I think that once the
process is moving forward,

425
00:21:22,066 --> 00:21:25,536
we'll apprise you of that,
and when a decision is made,

426
00:21:25,533 --> 00:21:26,703
we'll announce it.

427
00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:28,070
The Press:
And lastly, on North Korea,

428
00:21:28,066 --> 00:21:31,896
it said that -- North Korea said
yesterday or early today that it

429
00:21:31,900 --> 00:21:36,830
wants South Korea and the
United States to stop the annual

430
00:21:36,834 --> 00:21:41,204
military drills in
February, March.

431
00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:43,870
But it also offered a
truce in hostilities.

432
00:21:43,867 --> 00:21:46,237
And I guess I'm just wondering
how the White House interprets

433
00:21:46,233 --> 00:21:49,103
that kind of offer.

434
00:21:49,100 --> 00:21:51,000
Mr. Carney: I haven't
seen the specific report

435
00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:52,230
that you're referring to.

436
00:21:52,233 --> 00:21:55,733
I can tell you that our
commitment to and relationship

437
00:21:55,734 --> 00:22:00,104
with South Korea
is extremely strong,

438
00:22:00,100 --> 00:22:06,000
and I have no changes to
announce in how we engage

439
00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:10,400
militarily with South Korea
in a partnership or in any

440
00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,300
of the exercises
that we engage in.

441
00:22:13,300 --> 00:22:14,300
Brianna.

442
00:22:14,300 --> 00:22:15,470
The Press: Thanks, Jay.

443
00:22:15,467 --> 00:22:17,797
A senator who attended the
meeting last night with

444
00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:21,100
President Obama and Democratic
senators said that the President

445
00:22:21,100 --> 00:22:24,600
gave an impassioned plea for
Congress not to take up

446
00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:26,000
new sanctions on Iran.

447
00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,170
Can you tell us a
little bit about that,

448
00:22:29,166 --> 00:22:32,336
and also if the President
thinks he won over

449
00:22:32,333 --> 00:22:34,433
any Senate Democrats?

450
00:22:34,433 --> 00:22:36,863
Mr. Carney: I can
tell you that the President,

451
00:22:36,867 --> 00:22:40,537
with the senators who were here,
discussed many topics and the

452
00:22:40,533 --> 00:22:42,663
President raised many topics.

453
00:22:42,667 --> 00:22:47,597
We put out a readout
last night about that.

454
00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:52,130
The issue of Iran and potential
action on sanctions by Congress

455
00:22:52,133 --> 00:22:55,033
did come up and was addressed.

456
00:22:55,033 --> 00:22:57,803
What the President said, as I
think a story reflected today,

457
00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,700
is exactly what we've
been saying publicly,

458
00:23:00,700 --> 00:23:05,170
which is that we appreciate
the enormously beneficial

459
00:23:05,166 --> 00:23:07,436
partnership we've had with
Congress in building the most

460
00:23:07,433 --> 00:23:10,003
effective sanctions
regime in history,

461
00:23:12,166 --> 00:23:17,766
but that now is not the time
to pass a new sanctions measure

462
00:23:17,767 --> 00:23:22,237
because it might have the
inadvertent consequence of

463
00:23:22,233 --> 00:23:25,833
weakening the sanctions regime
and reducing the President's

464
00:23:25,834 --> 00:23:30,064
flexibility when it comes to
pursuing a potential peaceful

465
00:23:30,066 --> 00:23:34,836
resolution to the Iranian
nuclear program and the

466
00:23:34,834 --> 00:23:36,334
challenge that presents to the
United States and our allies and

467
00:23:36,333 --> 00:23:42,733
our partners, and
obviously to the P5-plus-1.

468
00:23:42,734 --> 00:23:48,734
So that's the argument that he
is making and that we are making

469
00:23:51,300 --> 00:23:53,030
regularly on this issue.

470
00:23:53,033 --> 00:23:59,003
We absolutely agree about the
general efficacy of sanctions.

471
00:24:01,166 --> 00:24:03,836
That's why the President
pursued the strategy he pursued.

472
00:24:03,834 --> 00:24:07,564
The purpose of the sanctions
was to try to compel a change in

473
00:24:07,567 --> 00:24:13,797
Iranian behavior, and we have
some evidence that the sanctions

474
00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:19,070
regime has had that effect to
the point where we have a Joint

475
00:24:19,066 --> 00:24:22,666
Plan of Action with Iran -- the
P5-plus-1 does -- and we have a

476
00:24:22,667 --> 00:24:26,667
technical agreement for the
implementation of that Joint

477
00:24:26,667 --> 00:24:32,537
Plan of Action, allowing a
six-month period now for testing

478
00:24:32,533 --> 00:24:37,933
the even harder work of seeing
whether we can get a peaceful

479
00:24:37,934 --> 00:24:40,264
diplomatic resolution
to this challenge in a way

480
00:24:40,266 --> 00:24:45,966
that is verifiable
and transparent

481
00:24:45,967 --> 00:24:48,037
for the United States
and our partners.

482
00:24:48,033 --> 00:24:49,763
The Press: Is he hopeful
he made headway, though?

483
00:24:49,767 --> 00:24:51,697
Did he get any feedback?

484
00:24:51,700 --> 00:24:53,230
Mr. Carney: Look, I think the
President felt the meeting in

485
00:24:53,233 --> 00:24:58,063
general was excellent and he
appreciated all the discussions

486
00:24:58,066 --> 00:25:01,436
he had and all the
input he received.

487
00:25:01,433 --> 00:25:06,833
And on this topic, in terms of
the views of senators in the

488
00:25:06,834 --> 00:25:09,234
room, I think you'd have
to check in with them.

489
00:25:09,233 --> 00:25:12,403
We obviously feel very
strongly about this.

490
00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:16,970
We feel very strongly that,
should it be necessary because

491
00:25:16,967 --> 00:25:23,797
of a failure by Iran to comply
with its obligations in the

492
00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:27,870
Joint Plan of Action or a
failure by Iran to reach a

493
00:25:27,867 --> 00:25:31,697
comprehensive resolution, the
President will be very eager to

494
00:25:31,700 --> 00:25:35,730
work with Congress to see
Congress take action in response

495
00:25:35,734 --> 00:25:37,134
to that, if it were
to come to pass.

496
00:25:37,133 --> 00:25:42,903
But now we need to allow for
the current negotiations to get

497
00:25:42,900 --> 00:25:47,970
underway, and then to see
whether they can make progress.

498
00:25:47,967 --> 00:25:50,367
The Press: Can you talk about
these allegations that we're

499
00:25:50,367 --> 00:25:51,667
hearing coming
from the Air Force?

500
00:25:51,667 --> 00:25:54,737
The Air Force says it found
dozens of officers cheated on

501
00:25:54,734 --> 00:25:55,734
nuclear proficiency exams.

502
00:25:55,734 --> 00:25:57,064
They're now investigating.

503
00:25:57,066 --> 00:26:00,166
What does the President think
about these allegations that the

504
00:26:00,166 --> 00:26:02,866
very people who would be
responsible for launching

505
00:26:02,867 --> 00:26:05,567
nuclear weapons
may have cheated?

506
00:26:05,567 --> 00:26:07,467
Mr. Carney:
I haven't discussed
that with the President.

507
00:26:07,467 --> 00:26:09,267
It hasn't come up in a
conversation that I've been part

508
00:26:09,266 --> 00:26:12,936
of, so I'll have to direct you
to the Department of Defense.

509
00:26:12,934 --> 00:26:16,534
And you can come back to us,
and if we have anything on it

510
00:26:16,533 --> 00:26:18,263
we'll provide it.

511
00:26:18,266 --> 00:26:19,296
Jon.

512
00:26:19,300 --> 00:26:20,300
The Press:
Just a quick follow-up,

513
00:26:20,300 --> 00:26:21,900
first on Trade
Promotion Authority.

514
00:26:21,900 --> 00:26:24,430
You had all the Democratic
senators here last night.

515
00:26:24,433 --> 00:26:25,803
Did the issue come up?

516
00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:28,800
Did the President make the case
for Trade Promotion Authority?

517
00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,070
Mr. Carney: All right, I have
a confession to make from the

518
00:26:31,066 --> 00:26:35,696
podium, which is that
I skipped the meeting

519
00:26:35,700 --> 00:26:38,670
to go to the Wizards-Heat game.

520
00:26:38,667 --> 00:26:39,667
[laughter]

521
00:26:39,667 --> 00:26:42,867
And that was a heck of a game.

522
00:26:42,867 --> 00:26:43,997
The Press:
Pretty good excuse.

523
00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:45,000
Mr. Carney:
Wow -- the Wizards.

524
00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,500
That was astounding
and exciting.

525
00:26:47,500 --> 00:26:52,600
So the readout I have of
that meeting is secondhand --

526
00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:53,670
very quality secondhand.

527
00:26:53,667 --> 00:26:56,837
But I don't have
every topic discussed.

528
00:26:56,834 --> 00:26:59,834
It was wide-ranging,
and I'm sure you can find out

529
00:26:59,834 --> 00:27:03,134
from members and we can
help you on it.

530
00:27:03,133 --> 00:27:05,363
But beyond what we put out last
night and what we just talked

531
00:27:05,367 --> 00:27:06,737
about, I don't have
any more details.

532
00:27:06,734 --> 00:27:09,664
The Press: Speaking of
basketball, Magic Johnson,

533
00:27:09,667 --> 00:27:13,467
Alonzo Mourning have both been
tapped for these ads encouraging

534
00:27:13,467 --> 00:27:16,197
young people to sign
up for Obamacare.

535
00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,700
What's the idea
behind these ads?

536
00:27:19,700 --> 00:27:22,300
Mr. Carney:
To reach young people;

537
00:27:22,300 --> 00:27:29,170
to convey the message about
the value of getting insured,

538
00:27:29,166 --> 00:27:31,636
getting covered, the
wisdom behind it.

539
00:27:31,633 --> 00:27:38,963
And having sports icons
participate in this effort is,

540
00:27:38,967 --> 00:27:40,097
in our view, enormously helpful.

541
00:27:40,100 --> 00:27:44,470
We're trying to get the
attention of people

542
00:27:44,467 --> 00:27:45,837
across the country.

543
00:27:45,834 --> 00:27:49,004
And in every effort like this,
you try to get folks where they

544
00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:52,400
live, where they will hear and
receive the message -- which is

545
00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:56,470
a very straightforward one, as I
think Magic Johnson has said --

546
00:27:56,467 --> 00:27:58,367
that when you're young
and you're a star athlete,

547
00:27:58,367 --> 00:27:59,637
you think you're invincible.

548
00:27:59,633 --> 00:28:06,433
And when you're young and
you're not even a star athlete,

549
00:28:06,433 --> 00:28:09,163
you often think
you're invincible.

550
00:28:09,166 --> 00:28:12,096
You're healthy, you're
probably not going to get sick;

551
00:28:12,100 --> 00:28:13,270
if you do, it will
be much later.

552
00:28:13,266 --> 00:28:19,196
But things happen, and
that's what insurance is for.

553
00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:21,300
And you can get
injured as a player,

554
00:28:21,300 --> 00:28:24,330
you can get injured as
a recreational athlete,

555
00:28:24,333 --> 00:28:25,533
or you can get sick.

556
00:28:25,533 --> 00:28:28,633
And it's vital to
have health insurance.

557
00:28:28,633 --> 00:28:32,663
So this is part of a broad
effort to make sure that young

558
00:28:32,667 --> 00:28:35,397
Americans around the country are
aware of the options available

559
00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:40,970
to them, and are hearing about
the wisdom behind getting

560
00:28:40,967 --> 00:28:44,837
covered -- because it's so
important for their health,

561
00:28:44,834 --> 00:28:49,004
for the general
health of the nation.

562
00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,630
The Press: So far, only
24 percent of people who have

563
00:28:51,633 --> 00:28:53,333
enrolled are 18 to 34.

564
00:28:53,333 --> 00:28:56,963
How concerned is the White House
that you're so short of the goal

565
00:28:56,967 --> 00:28:59,867
that most of the outside
analysts have set to keeping

566
00:28:59,867 --> 00:29:01,297
health premiums low?

567
00:29:01,300 --> 00:29:02,970
This is far
short of the 39 percent

568
00:29:02,967 --> 00:29:04,837
that we've heard is a goal.

569
00:29:04,834 --> 00:29:06,564
Mr. Carney: Well, that's an
excellent -- Jon, thank you.

570
00:29:06,567 --> 00:29:07,797
I appreciate the question.

571
00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:12,370
And I think as some folks
covering this issue reported,

572
00:29:12,367 --> 00:29:15,537
this is actually
very solid news,

573
00:29:15,533 --> 00:29:19,003
and tracks very closely
with what you saw happen

574
00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:21,300
in Massachusetts.

575
00:29:21,300 --> 00:29:27,330
And it is a simple, I think,
statement of observed fact and

576
00:29:27,333 --> 00:29:31,333
experienced fact for everyone in
this room who was ever young --

577
00:29:31,333 --> 00:29:35,333
which I think is everyone, and
is still current for some of you

578
00:29:35,333 --> 00:29:41,903
-- that young people are last to
the party when it comes to --

579
00:29:41,900 --> 00:29:43,170
The Press:
Young people are
last to the party?

580
00:29:43,166 --> 00:29:44,436
Mr. Carney:
-- motivated by deadlines.

581
00:29:44,433 --> 00:29:45,703
They're motivated by deadlines.

582
00:29:45,700 --> 00:29:48,900
When you have -- if you have
an uninsured young adult --

583
00:29:48,900 --> 00:29:52,100
it depends on the party
you're talking about.

584
00:29:52,100 --> 00:29:53,370
[laughter]

585
00:29:53,367 --> 00:29:55,767
But if you have an uninsured
young adult who didn't have

586
00:29:55,767 --> 00:29:58,597
insurance, didn't think
he or she needed it,

587
00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:02,670
they weren't necessarily
compelled to act by the end of

588
00:30:02,667 --> 00:30:06,697
the year deadline, but they will
be by the March 31st deadline.

589
00:30:06,700 --> 00:30:10,070
And I think if you look at
the Massachusetts experience,

590
00:30:10,066 --> 00:30:13,736
where in the first three months
of enrollment there young adults

591
00:30:13,734 --> 00:30:16,404
made up 15, 23 and 23 percent,

592
00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:20,530
we are very
much in that bandwidth.

593
00:30:20,533 --> 00:30:23,903
And I think you've seen a lot of
quality reporting about

594
00:30:23,900 --> 00:30:28,470
why the surge in enrollments
that we saw generally,

595
00:30:28,467 --> 00:30:31,137
and the even greater surge in
youth enrollment that we saw

596
00:30:31,133 --> 00:30:34,603
in December, are important
trends that we hope

597
00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:36,070
and expect to continue.

598
00:30:36,066 --> 00:30:38,396
The Press: There's one
more question on this.

599
00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,700
There are some -- as you know,
there are some anti-Obamacare

600
00:30:41,700 --> 00:30:44,630
groups that are running
marketing efforts to encourage

601
00:30:44,633 --> 00:30:47,963
young people not to enroll
in health insurance.

602
00:30:47,967 --> 00:30:51,897
What do you make of that effort?

603
00:30:51,900 --> 00:30:54,800
Mr. Carney: Well, I hope
they're offering to cover the

604
00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:58,270
hospital bills and the doctors'
bills that some of these young

605
00:30:58,266 --> 00:31:01,496
people will incur
without insurance,

606
00:31:01,500 --> 00:31:03,870
because that's -- I mean, that's
not very helpful advice, is it?

607
00:31:03,867 --> 00:31:08,437
This is a benefit that's out
there for everyone who is

608
00:31:08,433 --> 00:31:10,063
uninsured to take advantage of.

609
00:31:10,066 --> 00:31:17,166
And it doesn't seem like
a very nice thing to do,

610
00:31:17,166 --> 00:31:21,696
to urge people not to get health
insurance when I think anybody

611
00:31:21,700 --> 00:31:26,400
who spends more than five
minutes contemplating this

612
00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:29,130
choice understands the
wisdom of being insured,

613
00:31:29,133 --> 00:31:33,863
because no one can predict when
they might fall ill and might

614
00:31:33,867 --> 00:31:35,337
very much need health insurance.

615
00:31:35,333 --> 00:31:41,103
So I'm not aware of any specific
advertising campaign along those

616
00:31:41,100 --> 00:31:44,770
lines, but if they exist, it
seems a little shortsighted

617
00:31:44,767 --> 00:31:46,397
when it comes to
the individuals themselves

618
00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:48,170
and the nation's health.

619
00:31:48,166 --> 00:31:49,166
Chris.

620
00:31:49,166 --> 00:31:50,436
The Press: Thanks, Jay.

621
00:31:50,433 --> 00:31:52,603
Does the President's threat to
use his pen to take action

622
00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:56,130
if Congress fails to act extend
to issue an executive order

623
00:31:56,133 --> 00:31:59,433
to protect LGBT workers
against discrimination?

624
00:31:59,433 --> 00:32:02,463
Mr. Carney: Chris, I don't
have any update on our views

625
00:32:02,467 --> 00:32:03,697
on that matter.

626
00:32:03,700 --> 00:32:07,100
As you know, the Senate in
a bipartisan way passed the

627
00:32:07,100 --> 00:32:09,400
Employment Non-Discrimination
Act and we welcomed that.

628
00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:13,530
And that represented
significant progress,

629
00:32:13,533 --> 00:32:15,733
progress that a lot of folks
did not predict would happen.

630
00:32:15,734 --> 00:32:21,534
So our view has always been that
the best way to address this

631
00:32:21,533 --> 00:32:23,633
important matter
is through broad,

632
00:32:23,633 --> 00:32:27,063
comprehensive employment
non-discrimination legislation.

633
00:32:27,066 --> 00:32:31,836
And we support action on that
legislation in the House so that

634
00:32:31,834 --> 00:32:33,534
the President can sign it.

635
00:32:33,533 --> 00:32:40,133
So this is one of those issues
where anybody with a little

636
00:32:40,133 --> 00:32:42,763
sense of history -- and its
movement and its momentum --

637
00:32:42,767 --> 00:32:49,597
understands that being against
equal rights in this matter,

638
00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:54,970
being against measures that
would ensure non-discrimination

639
00:32:54,967 --> 00:32:57,267
places you on the
wrong side of history.

640
00:32:57,266 --> 00:33:01,736
This train is moving and it's
time for Congress to get on --

641
00:33:01,734 --> 00:33:03,064
get on board the train.

642
00:33:03,066 --> 00:33:09,266
Because we are seeing great
advances when it comes to basic

643
00:33:09,266 --> 00:33:12,336
equal rights for
LGBT Americans and we ought

644
00:33:12,333 --> 00:33:13,333
to keep making progress.

645
00:33:13,333 --> 00:33:15,533
And Congress ought
to be part of that.

646
00:33:15,533 --> 00:33:17,333
The Press:
But the President
is going to use his pen

647
00:33:17,333 --> 00:33:18,533
to protect the livelihood
of Americans.

648
00:33:18,533 --> 00:33:20,963
Why would he exclude LGBT
Americans from that vision?

649
00:33:20,967 --> 00:33:22,137
Mr. Carney: Again, the
President believes that,

650
00:33:22,133 --> 00:33:23,963
as he did with the repeal
of "don't ask, don't tell,

651
00:33:23,967 --> 00:33:28,697
" that the way to do
this is through broad,

652
00:33:28,700 --> 00:33:32,070
bipartisan legislation
that has passed the Senate.

653
00:33:32,066 --> 00:33:37,096
And that legislation would be
much more broad and sweeping

654
00:33:37,100 --> 00:33:40,630
than the kind of
action you talk about.

655
00:33:40,633 --> 00:33:41,703
But I just don't have --

656
00:33:41,700 --> 00:33:43,270
in terms of our
disposition on this matter,

657
00:33:43,266 --> 00:33:45,566
I don't have any change
or update to give to you.

658
00:33:45,567 --> 00:33:47,737
But it's certainly
I think preferable,

659
00:33:47,734 --> 00:33:48,864
and it's going to happen.

660
00:33:48,867 --> 00:33:50,997
It's just a matter of when.

661
00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:54,200
And it's just a matter of when
members in the House and leaders

662
00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:59,500
in the House decide they want to
be on the right side of history.

663
00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:01,070
Major.

664
00:34:01,066 --> 00:34:03,966
The Press: Jay, you never
shied away from describing

665
00:34:03,967 --> 00:34:07,467
certain questions raised about
Benghazi as being partisan

666
00:34:07,467 --> 00:34:08,697
in their motivation.

667
00:34:08,700 --> 00:34:12,100
I'd like to get your broad
evaluation of the bipartisan

668
00:34:12,100 --> 00:34:14,600
Senate Intelligence Committee
report on the attack,

669
00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:16,500
and specifically two
conclusions --

670
00:34:16,500 --> 00:34:18,770
one, that the attack was
preventable; and number two,

671
00:34:18,767 --> 00:34:22,567
that it was not coordinated
but it was opportunistic

672
00:34:22,567 --> 00:34:26,437
in its execution.

673
00:34:26,433 --> 00:34:28,233
Mr. Carney:
First of all, as I said
yesterday in the gaggle

674
00:34:28,233 --> 00:34:32,163
on Air Force One, the report
largely reaffirms the findings

675
00:34:32,166 --> 00:34:34,396
reached by the independent
Benghazi Accountability

676
00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:35,900
Review Board.

677
00:34:35,900 --> 00:34:38,430
And a number of the
recommendations in the report

678
00:34:38,433 --> 00:34:41,263
are consistent with the work
that the State Department

679
00:34:41,266 --> 00:34:43,766
has done to improve
diplomatic security,

680
00:34:43,767 --> 00:34:45,267
including upgrading
security cameras,

681
00:34:45,266 --> 00:34:48,036
improving fire-protective
equipment and increasing Marine

682
00:34:48,033 --> 00:34:49,833
security guard presence.

683
00:34:49,834 --> 00:34:55,164
Now, on the issue of could
it have been prevented,

684
00:34:55,166 --> 00:35:00,466
I think there's no question that
there was not adequate security.

685
00:35:00,467 --> 00:35:03,297
There's no other conclusion you
can reach when you have four

686
00:35:03,300 --> 00:35:08,200
Americans killed,
as they were in Benghazi.

687
00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:09,570
And we've been quite
clear about that.

688
00:35:09,567 --> 00:35:12,167
The Accountability Review
Board's assessment

689
00:35:12,166 --> 00:35:13,566
was quite clear on that.

690
00:35:13,567 --> 00:35:17,037
And we have no disagreement
with that conclusion.

691
00:35:17,033 --> 00:35:21,563
And that when it
comes to the analysis

692
00:35:21,567 --> 00:35:26,467
of the genesis of the attack --

693
00:35:26,467 --> 00:35:28,237
there's been a lot
of reporting on that --

694
00:35:28,233 --> 00:35:30,003
I certainly would
point you to the IC,

695
00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:31,000
the intelligence community,

696
00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:32,270
and what they've said about it.

697
00:35:32,266 --> 00:35:38,666
But I don't see anything in this
that significantly changes

698
00:35:38,667 --> 00:35:41,437
the view that I've seen
out there for some time.

699
00:35:41,433 --> 00:35:47,633
There has been obviously a very
politicized effort on this that

700
00:35:47,633 --> 00:35:51,403
has seen a lot of
conspiracy theories floated,

701
00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:55,570
reported on as fact,
and then debunked.

702
00:35:55,567 --> 00:35:59,567
Our interest is in getting
those who are responsible,

703
00:35:59,567 --> 00:36:02,267
bringing them to justice, and
taking the steps necessary to

704
00:36:02,266 --> 00:36:06,436
ensure that this kind of thing
can't happen again or is far

705
00:36:06,433 --> 00:36:07,933
less likely to happen again.

706
00:36:07,934 --> 00:36:10,904
There's no question that our
civilians serving overseas

707
00:36:10,900 --> 00:36:12,900
are often serving,
or in some cases are serving

708
00:36:12,900 --> 00:36:14,200
in dangerous circumstances.

709
00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:18,030
But we need to take all the
steps we can to protect them.

710
00:36:18,033 --> 00:36:23,463
And there's no question that
there was inadequate security

711
00:36:23,467 --> 00:36:25,997
here, because four
individuals lost their lives,

712
00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:28,700
including our ambassador.

713
00:36:28,700 --> 00:36:30,500
The Press: And the report
raises questions about decisions

714
00:36:30,500 --> 00:36:32,570
both made and not made
by Ambassador Stevens.

715
00:36:32,567 --> 00:36:34,937
Do you agree with the
conclusions or the questions

716
00:36:34,934 --> 00:36:37,504
raised about his decisions as
far as requests for security

717
00:36:37,500 --> 00:36:40,500
and, in some cases, turning
down offers of security

718
00:36:40,500 --> 00:36:42,730
for the mission or the compound?

719
00:36:42,734 --> 00:36:45,364
Mr. Carney:
I don't have a view
on that aspect of it.

720
00:36:45,367 --> 00:36:47,567
I think the State Department
might be the best place

721
00:36:47,567 --> 00:36:48,767
to go for that.

722
00:36:48,767 --> 00:36:51,197
I think --

723
00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:54,470
The Press:
And it's your -- there's
a Republican annex

724
00:36:54,467 --> 00:36:56,897
that blames the
Secretary of State.

725
00:36:56,900 --> 00:37:01,030
You might want to work on --

726
00:37:01,033 --> 00:37:02,133
Mr. Carney:
Shocking.

727
00:37:02,133 --> 00:37:04,403
What I think all of these
serious investigations

728
00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:07,170
have demonstrated is that it
was a very chaotic situation,

729
00:37:07,166 --> 00:37:09,336
and it was --
a lot of things happened

730
00:37:09,333 --> 00:37:10,863
that led to a tragic outcome.

731
00:37:10,867 --> 00:37:16,837
And decisions were made that led
to the events that occurred that

732
00:37:21,033 --> 00:37:24,663
night and that included
obviously the decision

733
00:37:24,667 --> 00:37:25,697
to be in Benghazi.

734
00:37:25,700 --> 00:37:29,570
But I would point
to the report itself.

735
00:37:29,567 --> 00:37:33,437
I would point to the
Accountability Review Board.

736
00:37:33,433 --> 00:37:39,133
I don't have an opinion on that
beyond our deep condolences to

737
00:37:39,133 --> 00:37:44,663
the members of the families of
all those four who were lost.

738
00:37:44,667 --> 00:37:46,367
The Press: I had a chance to
talk to some of the senators as

739
00:37:46,367 --> 00:37:48,597
they were leaving last night,
and a couple who are certainly

740
00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:53,430
on the side of seeking deeper
reforms to the NSA surveillance

741
00:37:53,433 --> 00:37:57,303
matrix have the feeling that
what they're going to hear

742
00:37:57,300 --> 00:38:01,300
tomorrow from the President is
a defense of the status quo,

743
00:38:01,300 --> 00:38:04,200
some small changes at the
margins meant largely

744
00:38:04,200 --> 00:38:07,400
to increase public confidence
but not fundamentally change

745
00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:09,530
the existing methods
of surveillance,

746
00:38:09,533 --> 00:38:13,503
storage of that data, and the
continued collection of metadata

747
00:38:13,500 --> 00:38:16,170
in pursuit of counterterrorism
investigations.

748
00:38:16,166 --> 00:38:18,796
Are they wrong?

749
00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:23,670
Mr. Carney: I think the
best thing to do for us and for

750
00:38:23,667 --> 00:38:28,297
lawmakers is to wait and see
what the President says --

751
00:38:28,300 --> 00:38:29,300
what he has to say tomorrow

752
00:38:29,300 --> 00:38:31,570
about the reviews
that have been conducted

753
00:38:31,567 --> 00:38:33,597
and about the recommendations
he has analyzed,

754
00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:38,770
and the changes and
reforms he wants to --

755
00:38:38,767 --> 00:38:40,037
The Press:
Are you suggesting they're
unduly pessimistic?

756
00:38:40,033 --> 00:38:41,703
That they might be surprised?

757
00:38:41,700 --> 00:38:44,930
Mr. Carney:
I think we wouldn't want to hint
one way or the other or any way

758
00:38:44,934 --> 00:38:49,904
about the news that's the
President's to make tomorrow.

759
00:38:49,900 --> 00:38:55,630
And I know there's a lot of
speculation about what decisions

760
00:38:55,633 --> 00:38:59,363
he has made, and in some cases
there's been assertions of fact

761
00:38:59,367 --> 00:39:02,567
about decisions he has made that
I know for a fact he had not yet

762
00:39:02,567 --> 00:39:04,897
made when those assertions of
fact were made in the press.

763
00:39:04,900 --> 00:39:06,930
So we'll see tomorrow.

764
00:39:06,934 --> 00:39:09,234
Ed.

765
00:39:09,233 --> 00:39:10,403
The Press:
Jay, on health care,

766
00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:12,770
were you recruiting LeBron
for any ads last night?

767
00:39:12,767 --> 00:39:14,267
[laughter]

768
00:39:14,266 --> 00:39:20,436
Mr. Carney: Well, I'm a
Wizards fan so -- I have to say

769
00:39:20,433 --> 00:39:24,633
we were greatly appreciative of
the time that LeBron James and

770
00:39:24,633 --> 00:39:29,133
others took the other
day at the White House.

771
00:39:29,133 --> 00:39:30,963
That was a heck of a game.

772
00:39:30,967 --> 00:39:35,267
But let's just face facts:
The Wizards are still below 500

773
00:39:35,266 --> 00:39:37,396
and the Miami Heat won two
consecutive championships.

774
00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:38,770
The Press:
A couple of topics.

775
00:39:38,767 --> 00:39:41,137
On health care, there's a
moderate House Democrat named

776
00:39:41,133 --> 00:39:44,333
Kurt Schrader of Oregon who
told Buzzfeed that he was in

777
00:39:44,333 --> 00:39:46,463
a meeting with the White House
Chief of Staff Denis McDonough

778
00:39:46,467 --> 00:39:49,597
this week and pressed the Chief
of Staff on the idea that health

779
00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:51,370
insurance premiums are going up.

780
00:39:51,367 --> 00:39:53,237
He claims that Denis
McDonough cut him off,

781
00:39:53,233 --> 00:39:56,263
and this congressman's reaction
was, "I'm sure he knows best.

782
00:39:56,266 --> 00:39:58,696
I'm just a little country
veterinarian from a small town

783
00:39:58,700 --> 00:39:59,970
in the great state of Oregon.

784
00:39:59,967 --> 00:40:01,167
What do I know?

785
00:40:01,166 --> 00:40:02,966
I'm from a marginal district
that they need to have,

786
00:40:02,967 --> 00:40:05,037
that talks to people
on a regular basis.

787
00:40:05,033 --> 00:40:06,333
Whatever."

788
00:40:06,333 --> 00:40:08,363
I wonder since the President
held up that phone this week and

789
00:40:08,367 --> 00:40:09,937
said he can reach
out to Congress,

790
00:40:09,934 --> 00:40:12,264
is this really how fellow
Democrats are being treated on

791
00:40:12,266 --> 00:40:13,266
the Hill?

792
00:40:13,266 --> 00:40:14,536
Mr. Carney:
Well, first of all,

793
00:40:14,533 --> 00:40:16,033
I think Denis has had a series
of excellent meetings with

794
00:40:16,033 --> 00:40:20,133
members on these matters, and we
are extremely solicitous of the

795
00:40:20,133 --> 00:40:23,603
views of members when it comes
to what they're hearing and

796
00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:27,430
seeing in their districts,
or of senators in their states,

797
00:40:27,433 --> 00:40:30,163
on implementation of
the Affordable Care Act

798
00:40:30,166 --> 00:40:31,496
and other matters.

799
00:40:31,500 --> 00:40:35,130
So I think that, as you saw last
night in the meeting that the

800
00:40:35,133 --> 00:40:41,403
President headlined, and as I
think you've seen by and large

801
00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:46,670
in the reports about our
engagement with Congress at

802
00:40:46,667 --> 00:40:51,367
every level, that we are having
very fruitful and positive

803
00:40:51,367 --> 00:40:53,297
meetings on this
subject and many others.

804
00:40:53,300 --> 00:40:54,530
The Press:
Two other quick ones.

805
00:40:54,533 --> 00:40:57,963
On Iran, congressional sources
are telling us that the

806
00:40:57,967 --> 00:41:03,097
administration has now delivered
the text of the interim nuclear

807
00:41:03,100 --> 00:41:04,600
agreement to Capitol Hill.

808
00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:07,600
It's unclassified, but it has
certain restrictions on it so

809
00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:10,330
that it can't be distributed
around, it's in a secure room,

810
00:41:10,333 --> 00:41:11,633
people can look at it.

811
00:41:11,633 --> 00:41:14,103
My question would be -- that's
obviously an attempt to keep

812
00:41:14,100 --> 00:41:17,830
down leaks, et cetera, but
why not be transparent with

813
00:41:17,834 --> 00:41:19,604
not just the Congress,
but the American people,

814
00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:22,030
so we can actually
see the report?

815
00:41:22,033 --> 00:41:24,463
Mr. Carney: It's correct that
today we provided Congress with

816
00:41:24,467 --> 00:41:27,237
the document containing the
technical understandings related

817
00:41:27,233 --> 00:41:29,103
to the implementation of
the Joint Plan of Action.

818
00:41:29,100 --> 00:41:31,000
That's the agreement
that was just reached,

819
00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:33,900
the technical understandings
that are essentially

820
00:41:33,900 --> 00:41:38,330
instructions to the
IAEA for how they carry out

821
00:41:38,333 --> 00:41:39,963
the Joint Plan of Action.

822
00:41:39,967 --> 00:41:42,597
Now, these types of documents
are not always made public.

823
00:41:42,600 --> 00:41:45,770
In this instance, it is the
preference of the IAEA that

824
00:41:45,767 --> 00:41:49,297
certain technical aspects of the
technical understandings

825
00:41:49,300 --> 00:41:50,630
remain confidential.

826
00:41:50,633 --> 00:41:53,663
However, in fulfillment of our
commitment to release as much of

827
00:41:53,667 --> 00:41:56,697
the information in the text as
possible to the public --

828
00:41:56,700 --> 00:42:00,470
so in addition to providing
the full text to the Congress,

829
00:42:00,467 --> 00:42:02,167
we will release
a detailed summary

830
00:42:02,166 --> 00:42:04,666
of the text publicly today.

831
00:42:04,667 --> 00:42:06,097
The Press:
Thank you. Last one.

832
00:42:06,100 --> 00:42:08,830
On Benghazi, when you were
talking to Major about that,

833
00:42:08,834 --> 00:42:12,434
you kind of dismissed the idea
that Republicans had blamed

834
00:42:12,433 --> 00:42:13,563
Secretary of State Clinton.

835
00:42:13,567 --> 00:42:16,037
You said, shockingly
that she was blamed.

836
00:42:16,033 --> 00:42:19,063
My question on that would be:
When you have a bipartisan

837
00:42:19,066 --> 00:42:21,636
report -- putting aside
the Republican assertions --

838
00:42:21,633 --> 00:42:23,633
but a bipartisan report
chaired by a Democrat,

839
00:42:23,633 --> 00:42:24,903
Dianne Feinstein,

840
00:42:24,900 --> 00:42:27,670
suggesting that the State
Department could have prevented

841
00:42:27,667 --> 00:42:31,167
these attacks, why shouldn't the
head of that State Department be

842
00:42:31,166 --> 00:42:32,166
held accountable?

843
00:42:32,166 --> 00:42:33,666
Not attack her,
but why shouldn't

844
00:42:33,667 --> 00:42:35,867
she be held accountable?

845
00:42:35,867 --> 00:42:38,067
Mr. Carney:
I think Secretary
of State Clinton --

846
00:42:38,066 --> 00:42:39,936
former Secretary
of State Clinton addressed

847
00:42:39,934 --> 00:42:42,734
these issues very forthrightly
when she was in office

848
00:42:42,734 --> 00:42:45,234
and after she left
as Secretary of State.

849
00:42:45,233 --> 00:42:47,433
I think that the
Accountability Review Board,

850
00:42:47,433 --> 00:42:51,033
which was unsparing in its
assessments about shortcomings

851
00:42:51,033 --> 00:42:54,403
when it came to security,
was adopted in full

852
00:42:54,400 --> 00:42:55,970
by Secretary Clinton.

853
00:42:55,967 --> 00:42:59,697
And I think that demonstrates
a great deal of accountability.

854
00:42:59,700 --> 00:43:01,600
My point, and I'm not
the only one making it,

855
00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:04,470
is that there's a certain amount
of politics involved in trying

856
00:43:04,467 --> 00:43:07,337
to make her the story here.

857
00:43:07,333 --> 00:43:10,703
I think there's no question,
as the ARB demonstrated,

858
00:43:10,700 --> 00:43:15,030
as this report demonstrated, as
other fair-minded investigations

859
00:43:15,033 --> 00:43:20,433
have demonstrated, that there
were shortcomings when it came

860
00:43:20,433 --> 00:43:23,933
to security, that four
Americans lost their lives,

861
00:43:23,934 --> 00:43:29,404
and that we needed to take
action and changes to ensure

862
00:43:29,400 --> 00:43:34,130
that this kind of thing
couldn't happen again.

863
00:43:34,133 --> 00:43:37,863
And I forget the number now of
recommendations that the ARB

864
00:43:37,867 --> 00:43:42,437
report contained, but Secretary
Clinton and the State Department

865
00:43:42,433 --> 00:43:45,503
adopted them all and
acted on them all.

866
00:43:45,500 --> 00:43:46,730
The Press: Beyond those
recommendations, Senator Graham,

867
00:43:46,734 --> 00:43:48,704
a Republican obviously,
was on the floor today,

868
00:43:48,700 --> 00:43:52,230
and he compared the Benghazi
situation to Chris Christie's

869
00:43:52,233 --> 00:43:56,233
situation, and said, look, he
owned up to it, he fired people.

870
00:43:56,233 --> 00:43:59,733
And he specifically said, why
hasn't one person at the White

871
00:43:59,734 --> 00:44:01,264
House, the State Department
been fired over that?

872
00:44:01,266 --> 00:44:02,636
How do you answer that?

873
00:44:02,633 --> 00:44:04,263
Mr. Carney: Well, all
I can tell you is, again,

874
00:44:04,266 --> 00:44:08,196
this has been exhaustively
investigated by both Congress

875
00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:12,030
and the ARB and others.

876
00:44:12,033 --> 00:44:17,633
Very sort of stark
assessments have been made.

877
00:44:17,633 --> 00:44:20,633
Recommendations have been put
forward, including on personnel,

878
00:44:20,633 --> 00:44:22,663
and the State Department
adopted those.

879
00:44:22,667 --> 00:44:30,167
It strikes me as a little
bizarre to try to compare what's

880
00:44:30,166 --> 00:44:31,536
happening in New Jersey to that.

881
00:44:31,533 --> 00:44:38,633
But in terms of the State
Department's actions,

882
00:44:38,633 --> 00:44:41,403
the intelligence
community's actions,

883
00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:45,270
the administration's actions
in response to recommendations

884
00:44:45,266 --> 00:44:50,096
about what needed to be done in
the aftermath and in response to

885
00:44:50,100 --> 00:44:54,100
the events in Benghazi, I think
that there's a long record of

886
00:44:54,100 --> 00:44:57,870
accepting responsibility and
acting on those recommendations.

887
00:44:57,867 --> 00:45:00,197
Yes, Kristen.

888
00:45:00,200 --> 00:45:01,530
The Press: Jay, thanks.

889
00:45:01,533 --> 00:45:04,163
The President yesterday again
called on Congress to pass an

890
00:45:04,166 --> 00:45:05,596
extension of unemployment
insurance benefits.

891
00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:08,470
It seems like the talks
are stalled at this point.

892
00:45:08,467 --> 00:45:09,837
Is that your assessment?

893
00:45:09,834 --> 00:45:12,634
And what is the President going
to do to revive the efforts to

894
00:45:12,633 --> 00:45:14,133
get this legislation passed?

895
00:45:14,133 --> 00:45:15,703
Mr. Carney: We are going to
continue to work with members of

896
00:45:15,700 --> 00:45:19,770
Congress, with leaders of
Congress to urge them to act,

897
00:45:19,767 --> 00:45:23,767
because the now more than 1.3
million Americans and their

898
00:45:23,767 --> 00:45:27,897
families have been cut off
from emergency unemployment

899
00:45:27,900 --> 00:45:32,070
assistance -- the kind of
assistance they received --

900
00:45:32,066 --> 00:45:34,596
these Americans who
are looking for work,

901
00:45:34,600 --> 00:45:38,830
that they received in the past
during times of heightened

902
00:45:38,834 --> 00:45:42,064
unemployment, and including
five times in the previous

903
00:45:42,066 --> 00:45:45,366
administration when the
unemployment rate was lower

904
00:45:45,367 --> 00:45:46,767
than it is today.

905
00:45:46,767 --> 00:45:51,567
So there's no question, as I
said yesterday and maybe the day

906
00:45:51,567 --> 00:45:58,797
before, that we are disappointed
by the refusal at this point

907
00:45:58,800 --> 00:46:02,830
of Republicans to take
action on this,

908
00:46:02,834 --> 00:46:05,504
but we're not at all giving up.

909
00:46:05,500 --> 00:46:07,830
We're going to keep working and
we're going to keep pressing,

910
00:46:07,834 --> 00:46:10,164
and I know that Senator
Reid is doing the same.

911
00:46:10,166 --> 00:46:11,966
The Press: The House
goes on recess next week,

912
00:46:11,967 --> 00:46:15,197
so I guess the question is, how
long are people going to have to

913
00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:17,800
wait for this to happen?

914
00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:19,100
Mr. Carney: It's
an excellent question.

915
00:46:19,100 --> 00:46:22,970
And one wonders -- when members
of Congress go back to their

916
00:46:22,967 --> 00:46:27,097
districts and states and are
asked by a constituent who was

917
00:46:27,100 --> 00:46:32,200
cut off, who's trying to find
work -- why Congress didn't take

918
00:46:32,200 --> 00:46:35,630
action as it has in a bipartisan
way so many times in the past,

919
00:46:35,633 --> 00:46:38,263
what the answer is going to be
if that member is somebody who's

920
00:46:38,266 --> 00:46:40,466
been actively working
against passage of extension

921
00:46:40,467 --> 00:46:41,567
as opposed to for it.

922
00:46:41,567 --> 00:46:43,367
The Press: Jay, how much
responsibility, though,

923
00:46:43,367 --> 00:46:45,097
does the President bear?

924
00:46:45,100 --> 00:46:47,930
I mean, he referenced it
yesterday in his speech,

925
00:46:47,934 --> 00:46:51,404
but I've seen him in past
fights over payroll tax cuts,

926
00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:54,870
for example, hold regular events
when he wants to see something

927
00:46:54,867 --> 00:46:56,437
get accomplished.

928
00:46:56,433 --> 00:46:57,863
Mr. Carney: Kristen,
I don't think there's one --

929
00:46:57,867 --> 00:46:59,937
there's a single subject
on which the President

930
00:46:59,934 --> 00:47:02,164
has spoken more, cajoled more,

931
00:47:02,166 --> 00:47:04,666
acted more in
the past eight weeks,

932
00:47:04,667 --> 00:47:08,067
or two months -- from November
through now -- than this issue.

933
00:47:08,066 --> 00:47:13,836
So we're definitely
disappointed and frustrated,

934
00:47:13,834 --> 00:47:15,264
and we want action.

935
00:47:15,266 --> 00:47:16,936
The Press: When was the
last time he spoke with Speaker

936
00:47:16,934 --> 00:47:18,264
Boehner about this?

937
00:47:18,266 --> 00:47:19,836
Mr. Carney: I don't have any
updates on those conversations,

938
00:47:19,834 --> 00:47:20,964
but I don't think
Speaker Boehner requires

939
00:47:20,967 --> 00:47:23,897
a phone call from
the President to know

940
00:47:23,900 --> 00:47:27,630
that it's the
right thing to do or to --

941
00:47:27,633 --> 00:47:31,103
he's been asked about
why he won't act on it,

942
00:47:31,100 --> 00:47:33,170
and I think he should
continue to be asked

943
00:47:33,166 --> 00:47:34,366
why he won't act on it.

944
00:47:34,367 --> 00:47:36,937
In the Senate, there's been
an effort to accommodate,

945
00:47:36,934 --> 00:47:41,404
by Senator Reid, Republican
concerns when it came to

946
00:47:41,400 --> 00:47:45,500
pay-fors for the long-term
extension or allowing

947
00:47:45,500 --> 00:47:50,900
amendments, and those
overtures have been rebuffed.

948
00:47:50,900 --> 00:47:53,800
Again, what's lost in this
is that there are more than

949
00:47:53,800 --> 00:48:01,230
a million Americans and their
families who are left hanging

950
00:48:01,233 --> 00:48:05,763
and twisting in the wind
while these debates continue.

951
00:48:05,767 --> 00:48:09,937
It would just be far more
appropriate for Congress to come

952
00:48:09,934 --> 00:48:13,304
together, pass this
extension in the manner

953
00:48:13,300 --> 00:48:14,830
that it has in the past.

954
00:48:14,834 --> 00:48:16,164
The Press:
And so just to be clear,

955
00:48:16,166 --> 00:48:18,666
does he think lawmakers should
cancel their recess next week?

956
00:48:18,667 --> 00:48:21,097
Mr. Carney:
Lawmakers should pass
it as soon as they can.

957
00:48:21,100 --> 00:48:22,430
The Press:
All right.

958
00:48:22,433 --> 00:48:25,263
And just quickly on Afghanistan,
where do the talks stand over

959
00:48:25,266 --> 00:48:27,396
getting Karzai to sign BSA?

960
00:48:27,400 --> 00:48:29,900
Has he shown
any more willingness

961
00:48:29,900 --> 00:48:33,800
in recent days to sign it?

962
00:48:33,800 --> 00:48:35,600
Mr. Carney: Our position
continues to be that if we

963
00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:40,700
cannot conclude a Bilateral
Security Agreement promptly with

964
00:48:40,700 --> 00:48:42,700
the Afghan government, then we
will initiate planning

965
00:48:42,700 --> 00:48:46,670
for a post-2014 future in which
there would be no U.S.

966
00:48:46,667 --> 00:48:50,497
and no NATO troop
presence in Afghanistan.

967
00:48:50,500 --> 00:48:52,230
That's not the
future we're seeking,

968
00:48:52,233 --> 00:48:56,503
and we do not believe that it
is in Afghanistan's interests to

969
00:48:56,500 --> 00:48:58,730
pursue that future either.

970
00:48:58,734 --> 00:49:04,804
So we are, through our
representation in Kabul and our

971
00:49:07,300 --> 00:49:09,770
engagement with the
Afghan government,

972
00:49:09,767 --> 00:49:12,667
making our views
clear on this matter.

973
00:49:12,667 --> 00:49:18,237
But it remains true that the
delay in signing negatively

974
00:49:18,233 --> 00:49:21,333
affects confidence in the region
as well as our and our allies'

975
00:49:21,333 --> 00:49:24,433
ability to plan a potential
follow-on mission.

976
00:49:24,433 --> 00:49:26,733
And with the drawdown
already ongoing,

977
00:49:26,734 --> 00:49:30,464
decisions have to be made
soon about issues such as base

978
00:49:30,467 --> 00:49:32,097
closures and force levels.

979
00:49:32,100 --> 00:49:35,700
So without a BSA, near-term
decisions about those issues

980
00:49:35,700 --> 00:49:37,770
would have to be
made accordingly.

981
00:49:37,767 --> 00:49:42,167
And as you know, we've said that
absent a BSA we can't maintain

982
00:49:42,166 --> 00:49:45,996
any kind of troop presence
in Afghanistan beyond 2014.

983
00:49:46,000 --> 00:49:47,230
The Press: And you
used the term "soon."

984
00:49:47,233 --> 00:49:50,163
Would the White House be willing
to wait beyond the end of

985
00:49:50,166 --> 00:49:54,366
January to have Karzai sign the
BSA or does he have to make a

986
00:49:54,367 --> 00:49:57,367
decision before the
end of the month?

987
00:49:57,367 --> 00:50:00,397
Mr. Carney: We have said that
we don't have any deadlines to

988
00:50:00,400 --> 00:50:04,300
announce, but this has to be a
matter of weeks and not months.

989
00:50:04,300 --> 00:50:07,230
And it's a simple equation when
you're talking about the kind of

990
00:50:07,233 --> 00:50:11,563
planning that has to go into
structuring a troop presence and

991
00:50:11,567 --> 00:50:16,237
a mission for post-2014
in Afghanistan,

992
00:50:16,233 --> 00:50:19,533
a mission that would be focused
on two things: counterterrorism,

993
00:50:19,533 --> 00:50:25,163
and aiding and supporting
and training Afghan troops.

994
00:50:25,166 --> 00:50:26,496
As all these things are for
the Department of Defense,

995
00:50:26,500 --> 00:50:32,030
that's a complicated piece of
business that requires a serious

996
00:50:32,033 --> 00:50:35,503
amount of training --
I mean, of planning, rather,

997
00:50:35,500 --> 00:50:40,400
for U.S. forces and with
our NATO partners.

998
00:50:40,400 --> 00:50:46,570
So this is not something that
can drag on for very long.

999
00:50:46,567 --> 00:50:48,267
Yes, ma'am.

1000
00:50:48,266 --> 00:50:49,266
The Press:
Thank you, Jay.

1001
00:50:49,266 --> 00:50:51,096
Finally, I got --

1002
00:50:51,100 --> 00:50:54,070
Mr. Carney:
Oh, no, I've called
on you before.

1003
00:50:54,066 --> 00:50:55,566
The Press:
Yes, on North Korea,

1004
00:50:55,567 --> 00:50:58,197
does President Obama
have any new policy

1005
00:50:58,200 --> 00:51:01,300
towards North Korea this year?

1006
00:51:01,300 --> 00:51:03,170
Mr. Carney:
Any new?

1007
00:51:03,166 --> 00:51:05,966
The Press:
New policy toward --

1008
00:51:05,967 --> 00:51:07,337
Mr. Carney:
Oh, policy.

1009
00:51:07,333 --> 00:51:11,303
Our policy towards North Korea
has not changed and our view is

1010
00:51:11,300 --> 00:51:16,770
that North Korea needs to avail
itself of the opportunity to end

1011
00:51:16,767 --> 00:51:21,767
its isolation in the world by
coming into compliance with its

1012
00:51:21,767 --> 00:51:25,737
international obligations by
ceasing to violate a series of

1013
00:51:25,734 --> 00:51:30,004
UN Security Council resolutions,

1014
00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:32,770
and our posture
remains the same.

1015
00:51:32,767 --> 00:51:36,537
The Press:
So he will be approaching
more aggressively

1016
00:51:36,533 --> 00:51:40,133
to North Korea?

1017
00:51:40,133 --> 00:51:43,563
Mr. Carney: I don't have
a new approach to announce.

1018
00:51:43,567 --> 00:51:47,097
We approach this
issue as we have.

1019
00:51:47,100 --> 00:51:48,400
The Press:
I have another one.

1020
00:51:48,400 --> 00:51:53,400
It is reported that Iran and
North Korea call for development

1021
00:51:53,400 --> 00:51:58,000
of a super ICBM,

1022
00:51:58,000 --> 00:52:01,670
intercontinental
ballistic missiles.

1023
00:52:01,667 --> 00:52:03,497
Do you have anything on that?

1024
00:52:03,500 --> 00:52:04,870
Mr. Carney:
I haven't seen that report.

1025
00:52:04,867 --> 00:52:10,737
We have very clear policies and
views with regards to both North

1026
00:52:12,934 --> 00:52:16,204
Korea's missile
program and Iran's,

1027
00:52:16,200 --> 00:52:17,570
so I would point
you to what we've said

1028
00:52:17,567 --> 00:52:18,567
in the past about that.

1029
00:52:18,567 --> 00:52:19,737
Yes.

1030
00:52:19,734 --> 00:52:22,504
The Press: Jay, back on
the NSA speech tomorrow,

1031
00:52:22,500 --> 00:52:26,870
will the President provide some
clarity to what so far has been

1032
00:52:26,867 --> 00:52:30,337
a really nebulous answer to the
question of whether or not the

1033
00:52:30,333 --> 00:52:35,633
mass collection of metadata has
stopped even one terror plot?

1034
00:52:35,633 --> 00:52:38,263
Mr. Carney:
I would urge you
to wait 24 more hours

1035
00:52:38,266 --> 00:52:41,666
and learn the answer.

1036
00:52:41,667 --> 00:52:45,137
The Press:
So that answer will
be in the speech?

1037
00:52:45,133 --> 00:52:47,233
Mr. Carney:
Well, the answer to whether
he is going to address it

1038
00:52:47,233 --> 00:52:48,363
will be in the speech.

1039
00:52:48,367 --> 00:52:51,267
The Press: Jay, answering
Chris's question earlier,

1040
00:52:51,266 --> 00:52:54,296
you talked about how LGBT
Americans -- that the President

1041
00:52:54,300 --> 00:52:57,300
wants to see action
on ENDA but he wants

1042
00:52:57,300 --> 00:52:58,970
to see it through Congress.

1043
00:52:58,967 --> 00:53:03,137
Why does the LGBT group have
to wait when the President is

1044
00:53:03,133 --> 00:53:06,033
willing to sign executive
actions on things like the

1045
00:53:06,033 --> 00:53:07,803
economy, on education,
on gun violence?

1046
00:53:07,800 --> 00:53:10,130
What makes these
issues dissimilar?

1047
00:53:10,133 --> 00:53:12,763
Mr.
Carney: Well, I think, Jared,
we've addressed this many times.

1048
00:53:12,767 --> 00:53:17,667
It is our belief that the best
way to deal with employment

1049
00:53:17,667 --> 00:53:19,767
discrimination practices
is to pass the Employment

1050
00:53:19,767 --> 00:53:24,867
Non-Discrimination Act, which
is a broad piece of legislation

1051
00:53:24,867 --> 00:53:26,337
that would apply broadly.

1052
00:53:26,333 --> 00:53:28,033
And that is where we
have put our energy.

1053
00:53:28,033 --> 00:53:32,663
And I just don't have any new
information to convey to you

1054
00:53:32,667 --> 00:53:35,897
with regards to questions about
executive orders on this matter.

1055
00:53:35,900 --> 00:53:40,470
We are very focused on the
potential for further action in

1056
00:53:40,467 --> 00:53:45,997
the Congress -- for the progress
that we've seen around the

1057
00:53:46,000 --> 00:53:49,200
country and in Congress in
recognizing that these

1058
00:53:49,200 --> 00:53:54,530
are fundamental rights that
ought to be recognized.

1059
00:53:54,533 --> 00:54:02,463
And we expect that
Congress will, as I said,

1060
00:54:02,467 --> 00:54:08,997
get on the road towards progress
that so many in this country

1061
00:54:09,000 --> 00:54:11,230
have been traveling
on these issues.

1062
00:54:11,233 --> 00:54:15,163
So that's where our energy is.

1063
00:54:15,166 --> 00:54:17,366
And we're going to keep pushing
Congress to take action,

1064
00:54:17,367 --> 00:54:18,667
keep pushing the
House to take action.

1065
00:54:18,667 --> 00:54:19,737
In the far back.

1066
00:54:19,734 --> 00:54:20,734
Yes.

1067
00:54:20,734 --> 00:54:22,104
The Press:
Just to follow up here, Jay.

1068
00:54:22,100 --> 00:54:24,000
Then on the flip side of that,
then why are all of these other

1069
00:54:24,000 --> 00:54:27,530
areas only able to get executive
action if the President is

1070
00:54:27,533 --> 00:54:30,033
using, as you're describing,
as he's describing,

1071
00:54:30,033 --> 00:54:31,803
the power of the phone
to rally support?

1072
00:54:31,800 --> 00:54:32,930
Mr. Carney:
Well, here's what we're doing,

1073
00:54:32,934 --> 00:54:35,164
Jared -- I think he said, is
that we have not --

1074
00:54:35,166 --> 00:54:38,796
we will continue to press
forward for legislation,

1075
00:54:38,800 --> 00:54:42,470
for cooperation and
positive work with Congress

1076
00:54:42,467 --> 00:54:44,037
everywhere we can.

1077
00:54:44,033 --> 00:54:47,303
And we saw, against the
predictions of a lot of folks,

1078
00:54:47,300 --> 00:54:49,170
passage in a bipartisan
way of the Employment

1079
00:54:49,166 --> 00:54:52,066
Non-Discrimination Act
through the Senate,

1080
00:54:52,066 --> 00:54:57,596
and just like we saw
on immigration reform.

1081
00:54:57,600 --> 00:55:01,500
We're going to keep pressing
for legislative progress,

1082
00:55:01,500 --> 00:55:06,100
but we're not going
to put all of our effort

1083
00:55:06,100 --> 00:55:09,730
only into that pursuit.

1084
00:55:09,734 --> 00:55:11,464
We're going to, the
President is going to,

1085
00:55:11,467 --> 00:55:15,067
as he has said frequently, use
-- in addition to his capacity

1086
00:55:15,066 --> 00:55:18,896
to work with Congress to try to
pass legislation -- the power of

1087
00:55:18,900 --> 00:55:24,100
his office through his pen and
his phone to advance an agenda

1088
00:55:24,100 --> 00:55:27,670
that benefits the middle class,
benefits the American economy,

1089
00:55:27,667 --> 00:55:29,597
leads to further job creation

1090
00:55:29,600 --> 00:55:32,570
and to economic
opportunity and mobility.

1091
00:55:32,567 --> 00:55:34,467
So this is not an
either/or proposition,

1092
00:55:34,467 --> 00:55:36,337
it's a both/and proposition.

1093
00:55:36,333 --> 00:55:37,703
The Press:
But if it's a both/and,

1094
00:55:37,700 --> 00:55:40,930
then when it comes to ENDA, when
it comes to immigration reform,

1095
00:55:40,934 --> 00:55:42,834
when it comes to
extension of UI,

1096
00:55:42,834 --> 00:55:45,704
the pen and the phone
are both coming up short.

1097
00:55:45,700 --> 00:55:47,500
Mr. Carney: You can make
the judgments you like.

1098
00:55:47,500 --> 00:55:49,770
We are pressing on all fronts.

1099
00:55:49,767 --> 00:55:50,767
Yes, ma'am.

1100
00:55:50,767 --> 00:55:51,997
In the back.

1101
00:55:52,000 --> 00:55:53,670
The Press: Jay, per the
President's proclamation on this

1102
00:55:53,667 --> 00:55:57,237
Religious Freedom Day, can you
give us some examples of how

1103
00:55:57,233 --> 00:55:59,533
the Obama administration is
promoting religious freedom

1104
00:55:59,533 --> 00:56:00,663
across the globe?

1105
00:56:00,667 --> 00:56:04,667
And also, can you assure
Americans that the Obama

1106
00:56:04,667 --> 00:56:07,797
administration is doing
everything it can to appeal

1107
00:56:07,800 --> 00:56:11,430
for the Americans
being held in Iran

1108
00:56:11,433 --> 00:56:15,563
because of
their Christian faith?

1109
00:56:15,567 --> 00:56:18,637
Mr. Carney: Absolutely, we
are appealing to the Iranian

1110
00:56:18,633 --> 00:56:20,963
government when it comes to
those who are being held,

1111
00:56:20,967 --> 00:56:24,437
and we have -- and I have raised
it frequently from this podium.

1112
00:56:24,433 --> 00:56:26,633
And we continue to do that.

1113
00:56:26,633 --> 00:56:30,233
Broadly, we aggressively support
religious freedom around the

1114
00:56:30,233 --> 00:56:34,903
world and make clear our
opposition to policies

1115
00:56:34,900 --> 00:56:39,030
in countries that restrict
religious freedom.

1116
00:56:39,033 --> 00:56:41,703
And that's a broad,
comprehensive effort.

1117
00:56:44,133 --> 00:56:49,133
But specifically on the issue
of those being held in Iran on

1118
00:56:49,133 --> 00:56:53,733
these related matters, as you've
heard me, if you've been here,

1119
00:56:53,734 --> 00:56:56,304
raise this in the past --
and we've noted that we bring

1120
00:56:56,300 --> 00:57:00,500
these issues up all the time
and press Iran on them --

1121
00:57:00,500 --> 00:57:01,830
we're going to
continue to do that.

1122
00:57:01,834 --> 00:57:06,204
As I've noted I think frequently
over the past days and weeks,

1123
00:57:06,200 --> 00:57:11,000
our pursuit of negotiations
through the P5-plus-1 with Iran

1124
00:57:11,000 --> 00:57:16,500
over its nuclear program
and over our stated policy

1125
00:57:16,500 --> 00:57:20,030
imperative of making sure that
Iran does not develop or obtain

1126
00:57:20,033 --> 00:57:25,063
a nuclear weapon, does not
affect our posture when it comes

1127
00:57:25,066 --> 00:57:30,096
to human rights abuses, when it
comes to sponsoring terrorism

1128
00:57:30,100 --> 00:57:31,670
or terrorist organizations.

1129
00:57:31,667 --> 00:57:33,367
And I think you've seen the
actions that we've taken

1130
00:57:33,367 --> 00:57:36,267
with regards to some of these
other matters even as we have

1131
00:57:36,266 --> 00:57:39,666
concurrently pursued
negotiations with the P5-plus-1.

1132
00:57:39,667 --> 00:57:41,667
Thanks.