English subtitles for clip: File:1-17-12- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Carney:
Talking about the movies.

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Anybody seen any
good movies lately?

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The Press:
(cross talk)

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Mr. Carney:
Golden Globes? Anybody
watch the Golden Globes?

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The Press:
Yes.

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Mr. Carney:
I have no announcements to make
-- welcome to the White House

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for your daily briefing -- so
I will go straight to questions.

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Ken.

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The Press:
The President is going
to be meeting with King

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Abdullah today.

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What is he hoping to
accomplish with this meeting?

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And, you know, at this point,
what are the expectations for

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Middle East peace?

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Mr. Carney:
Well, the President is meeting
with the King of Jordan,

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as you note.

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They will discuss a
variety of issues,

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as they always do -- regional
issues as well as King

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Abdullah's important
leadership role in the region,

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notably through his pursuit of
our shared goal of a two-state

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solution through the
Middle East peace process.

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They will also discuss Syria and
the King's courageous statements

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calling on President
Assad to step down in

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that neighboring state.

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As for our view of
the peace process,

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we commend the Jordanian King
for the role he's played in the

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talks and the renewal of talks.

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We believe that those talks
offer the parties a real

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opportunity to make meaningful
progress towards peace.

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This is a difficult issue; it
has long been a difficult issue.

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And it has its best chance of
reaching a positive result when

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the two sides are sitting
down negotiating face to face.

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That's the way to
bring about peace.

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That's the way to resolve the
issues that divide the Israelis

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and the Palestinians.

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So we support this progress,
but we obviously recognize that

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there's a long road to travel
here to get to a final result.

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The Press:
Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu said

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this morning the Palestinians
had no interest in entering

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peace talks.

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Does that perhaps put some cold
water on these discussions?

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Mr. Carney:
Look, we don't characterize
other leaders' remarks.

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We're focused on a process here
and the reality that the way to

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achieve peace is
through face-to-face,

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direct negotiations.

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The fact that there has been
some progress in that regard

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is a good thing.

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We're certainly not
going to overstate it.

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There are many thorny
issues to resolve,

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but this is the mode and
the forum by which you can

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get this done.

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Yes, Reuters.

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The Press:
Some members of the Jobs
Council would like the U.S.

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to stop taxing overseas profits.

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Does the administration
support that proposal?

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And what's the administration's
take on the proposal to open up

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federal land to more exploration
of oil, gas and coal?

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Mr. Carney:
Well, I don't have any
announcements to make on

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the specific policy
that you mentioned.

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I would note that of the 35
recommendations from the Jobs

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Council that don't require
legislative action,

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the administration has taken
action on 33 of them and

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completed implementation on 16.

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That includes, most
recently, from last week,

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the establishment of SelectUSA
-- or rather that was in June --

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but the insourcing forum that
the President had highlighting

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this very important trend in
American business where American

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companies are bringing jobs
back to the United States,

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which is a very
positive thing indeed,

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and the efforts the
President wants to

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take to increase that trend.

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The fact of the matter is,
on oil and gas production,

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we have higher oil production
in this country in -- had it in

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2010 than we've had since 2003.

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This President is committed to
an all-of-the-above approach in

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our energy development, which
means increasing production here

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at home, a focus on natural
gas and its importance for

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our energy future, as well as
investments in clean energy.

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We have some stats here on
the fact that last month,

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the Department of the Interior
held a major oil and gas lease

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sale covering more than 21
million acres in the Gulf

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of Mexico that are
currently not leased.

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Also last month, as part
of the President's effort,

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the Department of the Interior
held a lease sale that covered

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over 140,000 acres in
the National Petroleum

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Reserve in Alaska.

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And the point of this is that
we're absolutely committed to

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increasing domestic
oil and gas production,

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but to do it in a safe
and responsible way.

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We believe that's possible, and
the facts that I just laid out

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to you demonstrate that.

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Let me move around -- Bill.

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The Press:
Jay, is Newt Gingrich
correct in calling our

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President "the food
stamp President"?

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Mr. Carney:
The fact of the matter is
this country is emerging

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from the worst recession
since the Great Depression,

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the greatest economic
and financial crisis

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of our lifetimes.

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When this President took the
oath of office in January of

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2009, our economy
was in freefall.

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We were hemorrhaging jobs at the
rate of nearly 800,000 a month.

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The economy was contracting
-- or had contracted in the

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previous quarter, the last
quarter of President Bush's

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term in office, by
nearly 9 percent.

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The result of that terrible
recession was a dramatic

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increase in unemployment and
a dramatic increase -- or an

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increase, rather, in the number
of people who need assistance --

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needed assistance.

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I would simply say that
those are the facts,

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and the economic policies that
helped create that situation are

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ones that, in the case of the
candidate you just mentioned,

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he supported and they're the
kinds of policies that he

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advocates to this day.

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This President takes
a different approach.

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The Press:
But the language that
the speaker uses is that

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these are people that President
Obama put on the food stamps.

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Mr. Carney:
Well, you know as well as
I do that that's crazy.

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April.

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The Press:
Jay, on the economy
and some of the polls

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talking about -- the President
has been in office more than two

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years, and some are saying
that after two years,

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the President should take
responsibility for some

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part of the economy.

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Where does the Bush presidency
end in this presidency when it

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comes to the economy, and where
does this President pick up in

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taking responsibility
for the economy?

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Mr. Carney:
Well, the President took
responsibility on the day

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he was sworn into office,
and began a process of

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creating policies and
implementing them that

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have helped us return
to economic growth,

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have helped us have an economy
that has created more than 3.1

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million private sector jobs in
the last 22 months, I believe.

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The fact is the hole that was
dug by this recession was very

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deep, and we are still
climbing our way out of it.

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There is still much more
that needs to be done.

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And that's why the President is
focused on passing the American

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Jobs Act, for example, the need
to work with Congress to do more

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to help the economy create
jobs and grow faster.

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That's why he is so insistent
that Congress act to extend the

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payroll tax cut through the end
of the calendar year and extend

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unemployment insurance through
the end of the calendar year.

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And the President expects that
Congress will do that without

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drama, and there's certainly
been some indication that

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members of Congress
agree with that approach.

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The Press:
So -- but also there's the
issue -- you're talking

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about the hole was deep.

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Do you think that we could go
back into that hole with another

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component of the economy, the
possibility of gas prices going

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up to $5 a gallon?

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Mr. Carney:
Well, this President
remains concerned

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about oil prices and the effect
an increase in gas prices can

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have on Americans across the
country who are struggling to

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make ends meet.

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That's been the case since
the day he took office.

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It has been an issue that
we are always focused on,

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as we were when there were price
surges last year during the Arab

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Spring, and we continue
to monitor that.

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It's why the President
has the all-of-the-above,

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all-inclusive approach to energy
development and production that

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I described earlier
at this briefing.

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And again, it's why it's so
important to have domestic oil

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and gas production increase as
it has and to have our reliance

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on imports decrease as it has.

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But this is long-term
work, April, as you know.

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We need to take a multifaceted
approach to developing oil and

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gas resources here at home, to
developing clean energy sources

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as well as taking other measures
to reduce our dependence on

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foreign oil, and broadly -- not
just regarding the price of oil

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-- but helping the middle
class through the measures this

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President has put forward to
get on sounder economic footing.

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That is the number-one objective
-- domestic objective that this

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President has.

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Dan, did you have one?

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The Press:
Back to the Jobs Council
and their recommendations,

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those that will require
congressional approval.

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What are the chances that there
will be any real progress there,

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when the President himself
pointed out this morning that

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in an election year, it will be
difficult to get some of these

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things done?

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Mr. Carney:
Well, that is certainly often
the case that election years can

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create a difficult environment
for legislative action.

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However, there are notable
exceptions to that.

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Those of us who were here in
1996 remember a great deal of

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cooperation between a
Republican Congress and

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a Democratic President.

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We certainly hope that that
will be the case this year.

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There's a lot of
work to be done,

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and there's a lot of work
that can only be done through

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legislative action, through the
kind of bipartisan cooperation

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that this President has stood
for since he took office.

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And there's a great deal of
opportunity out there for that

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kind of cooperation if leaders
in Congress want to go in that

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direction, and if Republicans
in particular want to go in

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that direction.

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The President has put forward
an agenda of economic and

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job-creating initiatives that
are the kinds of initiatives

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that have traditionally
enjoyed bipartisan support,

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that have traditionally garnered
the kind of Republican support

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in the past that has ensured
that these kinds of measures

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become law -- spending on our
infrastructure, for example,

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the kinds of investments that
help our economy in the long

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term but also put people
back to work right away,

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idle construction workers who
could be working right now if

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that element of the jobs act
were passed by Congress and

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signed into law
by this President.

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Certainly the President would
endorse that and hope that --

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he hopes that happens.

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And that's true of a variety of
measures that could be acted on

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if we can get the kind of
bipartisan support that can

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be tough to find in
an election year,

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but there is certainly
precedent for it.

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The Press:
When the President views
the economy overall,

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what does he rate
it at right now?

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Where does he see it?

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Mr. Carney:
Well, I haven't discussed
it in those terms with him,

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but I know that he believes
we are on a better path.

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The economy has been
growing now for two years,

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roughly -- I forget the number
of quarters -- but after

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shrinking considerably
during the recession.

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The economy has been creating
jobs -- 3.2 million private

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sector jobs thus far.

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And that's all -- those are all
good signs of positive progress.

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But none of it is enough.

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This President is keenly aware
of the fact that there are too

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many Americans out there who are
still worried about losing their

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job or still looking for
jobs and can't find them.

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That's why he's focused on
doing everything he can,

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working with Congress and
using his executive authority,

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to address that need for
economic security and the

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need to grow the economy
further and create jobs.

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The Press:
One quick question --
back on Newt Gingrich,

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also out on the trail today.

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Someone in the audience was
asking him about getting tougher

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on the President and when he
was going to bloody his nose,

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and he said, "I don't
want to bloody his nose,

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I want to knock him out."

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What do you, and what does the
President, perhaps, think --

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Mr. Carney:
I hadn't heard those comments.

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But, look, the campaign trail is
filled with exuberant rhetoric

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and I'll just let that one pass.

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Jake.

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The Press:
I'm sorry if you've
answered this in the past.

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00:13:36,291 --> 00:13:38,024
I missed it.

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00:13:38,024 --> 00:13:40,258
The National Defense
Authorization Act --

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00:13:40,258 --> 00:13:42,792
the President expressed concern
about the provision that would

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00:13:42,792 --> 00:13:44,458
allow the military to
indefinitely detain an

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American citizen.

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00:13:45,725 --> 00:13:48,958
Last night at the debate --
at the Republican debate,

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not only did Ron Paul express a
concern about that provision but

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Rick Santorum, not known for
being libertarian or liberal

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00:13:56,091 --> 00:13:59,591
on these issues, said that he
thought the way the law was

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00:13:59,591 --> 00:14:02,325
before was more appropriate
than this new law.

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00:14:02,325 --> 00:14:06,991
Is President Obama doing
anything to rescind this

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00:14:06,991 --> 00:14:10,024
provision that gives the
military this new power?

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00:14:10,024 --> 00:14:11,358
Mr. Carney:
I appreciate the question.

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00:14:11,358 --> 00:14:12,925
I have talked about
it in the past.

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00:14:12,925 --> 00:14:16,425
But as you know, we had
concerns with the legislation

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00:14:16,425 --> 00:14:17,458
as it was written.

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00:14:17,458 --> 00:14:22,725
We worked with the authors of
the legislation and changes were

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00:14:22,725 --> 00:14:27,758
made that allowed the
President to sign the bill.

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And we have made clear in the
signing of the legislation and

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00:14:33,958 --> 00:14:37,158
in our discussions afterwards
that the President retains the

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00:14:37,158 --> 00:14:39,124
flexibility that he believes
is essential for the

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00:14:39,124 --> 00:14:43,591
Commander-in-Chief to make sure
that our people in the field

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have all the tools necessary to
do their job and that make sure

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that we are handling these
matters in a way that are

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consistent with our values.

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00:14:53,158 --> 00:14:58,658
So we will implement the
law in a way that makes

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00:14:58,658 --> 00:14:59,658
that achievable.

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00:14:59,658 --> 00:15:01,658
The Press:
But that's a signing
statement that says

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00:15:01,658 --> 00:15:03,124
this is how you're
interpreting the law.

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00:15:03,124 --> 00:15:06,558
But the law is the military now
has the power to indefinitely

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00:15:06,558 --> 00:15:10,491
detain an American citizen if
they suspect them of terrorism.

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00:15:10,491 --> 00:15:12,625
And I understand that the
President is going to interpret

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it his way, but he's not going
to be the President forever.

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00:15:16,091 --> 00:15:17,491
He might not even be
the President for --

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Mr. Carney:
Well, I have no updates
for you on -- since the

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00:15:19,892 --> 00:15:23,091
law was just passed and signed.

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00:15:23,091 --> 00:15:24,024
The Press:
There's no update to --

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00:15:24,024 --> 00:15:25,825
Mr. Carney:
Well, I would just say
that we made clear our

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00:15:25,825 --> 00:15:26,925
concerns about it.

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00:15:26,925 --> 00:15:30,824
We've made clear how we will
approach implementation of it.

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And how this is revisited,
if it is revisited,

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00:15:35,191 --> 00:15:36,091
remains to be seen.

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00:15:36,091 --> 00:15:38,825
But at this moment, I think the
President has been very clear

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00:15:38,825 --> 00:15:44,491
about the values he brings to it
and the method -- or rather the

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00:15:44,491 --> 00:15:46,625
approach he will take when
the law is implemented.

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00:15:46,625 --> 00:15:47,792
The Press:
Would you disagree
with the way that

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00:15:47,792 --> 00:15:50,258
the civil liberties groups
and Rick Santorum are

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00:15:50,258 --> 00:15:51,258
interpreting the law?

290
00:15:51,258 --> 00:15:52,325
I mean, is it not --

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00:15:52,325 --> 00:15:54,224
Mr. Carney:
Well, I would just refer you
to the President's statement --

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00:15:54,224 --> 00:15:55,858
signing statement about it.

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00:15:55,858 --> 00:15:58,358
The Press:
But that's not a declaration
of -- I'm not talking about

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00:15:58,358 --> 00:15:59,391
how he's going
to implement it.

295
00:15:59,391 --> 00:16:01,525
I'm just talking about the
law as it stands on the books.

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00:16:01,525 --> 00:16:03,024
Mr. Carney:
Well, I understand that,
and we've made clear what

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00:16:03,024 --> 00:16:07,391
our position is on how it
needs to be implemented in

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00:16:07,391 --> 00:16:10,491
a way that's consistent
with our values,

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00:16:10,491 --> 00:16:12,625
in a way that -- and in a
way that maintains maximum

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00:16:12,625 --> 00:16:14,858
flexibility for our
operators in the field.

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00:16:14,858 --> 00:16:16,558
The Press:
Well, let me just ask
this final question.

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00:16:16,558 --> 00:16:20,758
Are you comfortable with how
any President in the future

303
00:16:20,758 --> 00:16:23,158
might interpret that law?

304
00:16:23,158 --> 00:16:24,658
Is the President comfortable?

305
00:16:24,658 --> 00:16:26,124
Mr. Carney:
Well, again, you're --
that's a hypothetical

306
00:16:26,124 --> 00:16:28,758
about the future, and in terms
of how we will approach this

307
00:16:28,758 --> 00:16:31,558
issue in the future I
don't want to speculate.

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00:16:31,558 --> 00:16:35,925
I can just point you to the way
we have discussed it and the

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00:16:35,925 --> 00:16:37,391
signing statement,
as you mentioned,

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00:16:37,391 --> 00:16:41,290
that the President used
when he signed it into law.

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00:16:41,291 --> 00:16:42,291
Yes, Norah.

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00:16:42,291 --> 00:16:45,558
The Press:
Jay, the centerpiece of
the President's economic

313
00:16:45,558 --> 00:16:47,625
or tax policy has been
that everybody pays

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00:16:47,625 --> 00:16:49,024
their fair share.

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00:16:49,024 --> 00:16:52,692
Mitt Romney, this morning,
was asked about his tax rate.

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00:16:52,692 --> 00:16:58,558
He said that he pays closer
to the 15 percent rate.

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00:16:58,558 --> 00:17:00,525
What does the President
think of that?

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00:17:00,525 --> 00:17:04,458
Mr. Carney:
Well, I haven't discussed
that with the President.

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00:17:04,458 --> 00:17:09,625
I think you know, from what the
President has said and others in

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00:17:09,625 --> 00:17:12,290
the administration, that he
believes very strongly that --

321
00:17:12,290 --> 00:17:17,957
or he agrees, rather, with
Warren Buffett that those who

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00:17:17,958 --> 00:17:19,792
are making millions of
dollars -- millionaires and

323
00:17:19,791 --> 00:17:23,425
billionaires, say -- should not
pay a lower effective tax rate

324
00:17:23,425 --> 00:17:28,058
than middle-class Americans.

325
00:17:28,058 --> 00:17:31,124
As Warren Buffett put it, he
should not pay a much lower tax

326
00:17:31,124 --> 00:17:35,358
rate than his own administrative
assistant, his own secretary.

327
00:17:35,358 --> 00:17:37,291
The President
shares that belief.

328
00:17:37,291 --> 00:17:41,692
And I think that this only
illuminates what he believes

329
00:17:41,692 --> 00:17:46,491
is an issue, which is that
everybody who's working hard

330
00:17:46,491 --> 00:17:52,625
ought to pay their fair share,
and that includes millionaires

331
00:17:52,625 --> 00:17:57,491
who might be paying an effective
tax rate of 15 percent when

332
00:17:57,491 --> 00:18:00,224
folks making $50,000 or
$75,000 or $100,000 a year

333
00:18:00,224 --> 00:18:02,692
are paying much more.

334
00:18:02,692 --> 00:18:04,191
He thinks we ought to fix that.

335
00:18:04,191 --> 00:18:10,291
And that is an element of
the approach he takes in his

336
00:18:10,291 --> 00:18:12,091
economic proposals, as you know.

337
00:18:12,091 --> 00:18:14,123
The Press:
But Mitt Romney is just
following the law, isn't he?

338
00:18:14,124 --> 00:18:15,425
Mr. Carney:
Well, I'm not
disagreeing with that.

339
00:18:15,425 --> 00:18:16,991
The President believes that
we ought to change the law

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00:18:16,991 --> 00:18:18,725
for that reason.

341
00:18:18,725 --> 00:18:24,291
His policies about the need for
everybody to get a fair shot and

342
00:18:24,291 --> 00:18:26,390
to pay their fair share
have been quite clear.

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00:18:26,391 --> 00:18:28,925
We've had a lot of debates
about it already with Congress,

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00:18:28,925 --> 00:18:34,091
and I assume we'll have a debate
about it this year once the

345
00:18:34,091 --> 00:18:35,390
Republicans choose
their nominee.

346
00:18:35,391 --> 00:18:40,958
The President feels very
strongly that everybody needs

347
00:18:40,958 --> 00:18:43,591
to pay their fair share and
that everybody, therefore,

348
00:18:43,591 --> 00:18:48,425
gets a fair shot at
the American Dream.

349
00:18:48,425 --> 00:18:51,892
And that would apply
to somebody paying

350
00:18:51,892 --> 00:18:54,558
15 percent -- an effective tax
rate of 15 percent on millions

351
00:18:54,558 --> 00:18:56,291
of dollars of income.

352
00:18:56,291 --> 00:18:58,591
The Press:
We don't know exactly the
rate that Mitt Romney is

353
00:18:58,591 --> 00:19:02,390
paying because he has not
released his tax returns.

354
00:19:02,391 --> 00:19:06,425
He says that he hadn't -- he
said last night in the debate

355
00:19:06,425 --> 00:19:10,124
that he hadn't planned on
releasing his tax records but

356
00:19:10,124 --> 00:19:17,058
that most likely he's going to
get asked to do it in April.

357
00:19:17,058 --> 00:19:18,825
Mr. Carney:
Well -- what's the question?

358
00:19:18,825 --> 00:19:19,358
Sorry.

359
00:19:19,358 --> 00:19:21,358
(laughter)

360
00:19:21,358 --> 00:19:22,591
The Press:
Yes. Chomping at the bit.

361
00:19:22,591 --> 00:19:23,257
(laughter)

362
00:19:23,258 --> 00:19:24,725
Mr. Carney:
I was anticipating.
But go ahead.

363
00:19:24,725 --> 00:19:28,324
(laughter)

364
00:19:28,325 --> 00:19:30,925
The Press:
Why should he have to
release his tax records?

365
00:19:30,925 --> 00:19:34,124
Mr. Carney:
Well, it's not for us
to call on someone to

366
00:19:34,124 --> 00:19:38,591
release his tax records, but it
is an established tradition for

367
00:19:38,591 --> 00:19:42,123
presidential candidates to
release their tax records.

368
00:19:42,124 --> 00:19:45,425
Then-Senator Obama did release
multiple years of his tax

369
00:19:45,425 --> 00:19:48,191
records, and obviously has
released his tax records,

370
00:19:48,191 --> 00:19:50,892
as tradition dictates,
since he's been President.

371
00:19:50,892 --> 00:19:55,591
And the President is not
unique in that regard.

372
00:19:55,591 --> 00:19:59,058
President George W.
Bush, President Clinton,

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00:19:59,058 --> 00:20:02,124
nominees for each party for
years and years and years --

374
00:20:02,124 --> 00:20:03,925
I think going back to
1976, this has been a

375
00:20:03,925 --> 00:20:04,925
very standard tradition.

376
00:20:04,925 --> 00:20:08,425
And obviously we think
it's a good tradition.

377
00:20:08,425 --> 00:20:12,191
And that's why then-Senator
Obama released his tax records

378
00:20:12,191 --> 00:20:15,725
going back I think six or seven
years when he was a candidate

379
00:20:15,725 --> 00:20:19,257
for President in the
2008 election cycle.

380
00:20:19,258 --> 00:20:23,124
And I believe -- I think it was
a tradition that was initiated

381
00:20:23,124 --> 00:20:27,291
by then-presidential candidate
George Romney, back in 1968,

382
00:20:27,291 --> 00:20:30,291
who released 12 years
of tax records in '68,

383
00:20:30,291 --> 00:20:31,792
as I understand it.

384
00:20:31,792 --> 00:20:34,091
The Press:
Can I just follow on
Bill's question about --

385
00:20:34,091 --> 00:20:34,957
The Press:
Just happened to know that?

386
00:20:34,958 --> 00:20:39,525
(laughter)

387
00:20:39,525 --> 00:20:40,991
The Press:
I just want to follow
on Bill's question about

388
00:20:40,991 --> 00:20:42,458
Gingrich last night
saying that --

389
00:20:42,458 --> 00:20:43,991
Mr. Carney:
I'm a student of
presidential politics.

390
00:20:43,991 --> 00:20:44,892
Yes.

391
00:20:44,892 --> 00:20:48,425
The Press:
-- more people have been put
on food stamps by Barack Obama

392
00:20:48,425 --> 00:20:50,625
than any President in history.

393
00:20:50,625 --> 00:20:54,058
It is true that since Barack
Obama has been President it's

394
00:20:54,058 --> 00:20:57,458
gone up 45 percent -- the
number of people on food stamps.

395
00:20:57,458 --> 00:21:00,124
So what is inaccurate about
what Speaker Gingrich said?

396
00:21:00,124 --> 00:21:02,158
Mr. Carney:
Well, I answered this
question already, Norah.

397
00:21:02,158 --> 00:21:07,957
I think everyone understands
that this economy took a body

398
00:21:07,958 --> 00:21:11,625
blow in 2007, 2008, from
which we are still recovering,

399
00:21:11,625 --> 00:21:17,358
and that that resulted in an
economy that was contracting,

400
00:21:17,358 --> 00:21:20,991
that was shrinking at an
historic pace, an economy --

401
00:21:20,991 --> 00:21:23,625
The Press:
-- 2131 that the number of
people has gone up more than

402
00:21:23,625 --> 00:21:24,391
any other President.

403
00:21:24,391 --> 00:21:25,858
You're just saying it's
not the President's fault?

404
00:21:25,858 --> 00:21:29,191
Mr. Carney:
Well, I'm saying that it
was the result of the worst

405
00:21:29,191 --> 00:21:31,758
recession since the Great
Depression that was brought

406
00:21:31,758 --> 00:21:35,792
on by economic policies
that certainly predate

407
00:21:35,792 --> 00:21:39,491
this President, and that this
President has been working

408
00:21:39,491 --> 00:21:41,091
very hard with his
team to try to fix,

409
00:21:41,091 --> 00:21:43,024
and working with Congress
to try to fix and correct,

410
00:21:43,024 --> 00:21:47,625
so that we can grow, as we
have been growing on his watch,

411
00:21:47,625 --> 00:21:50,725
so that we can create
private sector jobs,

412
00:21:50,725 --> 00:21:55,190
as we have been doing -- 3.2
million private sector jobs

413
00:21:55,191 --> 00:21:57,058
in the last many months.

414
00:21:57,058 --> 00:22:00,091
And that's the direction
that we need to be going in.

415
00:22:00,091 --> 00:22:04,324
Not the direction that we were
headed into when he took office

416
00:22:04,325 --> 00:22:07,725
three years ago
almost to the day,

417
00:22:07,725 --> 00:22:09,925
when the economy
was in freefall,

418
00:22:09,925 --> 00:22:12,191
when there was talk of
another Great Depression,

419
00:22:12,191 --> 00:22:18,091
there was talk of unemployment as
high as 25 percent potentially.

420
00:22:18,091 --> 00:22:20,123
Because of the actions that
this President took working with

421
00:22:20,124 --> 00:22:24,458
Congress, we averted
that absolute calamity.

422
00:22:24,458 --> 00:22:28,325
But the impact of the
recession has been severe,

423
00:22:28,325 --> 00:22:31,024
and it's been severe on the
most vulnerable Americans,

424
00:22:31,024 --> 00:22:33,224
and it's been severe on
middle-class Americans who

425
00:22:33,224 --> 00:22:38,058
have had to struggle to make
ends meet as a result of it.

426
00:22:38,058 --> 00:22:41,358
And that's why this President's
focus is so keenly on helping

427
00:22:41,358 --> 00:22:44,425
those Americans deal
with this economy,

428
00:22:44,425 --> 00:22:47,024
emerge from the recession
on sounder economic footing,

429
00:22:47,024 --> 00:22:51,224
and why he believes that the
folks who benefitted the most

430
00:22:51,224 --> 00:22:57,091
from the previous 10 years, who
saw their share of the nation's

431
00:22:57,091 --> 00:23:00,091
wealth increase dramatically
while middle-class Americans

432
00:23:00,091 --> 00:23:03,324
saw their incomes
shrink or stagnate,

433
00:23:03,325 --> 00:23:05,825
that they need to pay their fair
share -- which goes back to the

434
00:23:05,825 --> 00:23:08,491
Buffett rule, and the idea
that someone making millions of

435
00:23:08,491 --> 00:23:12,958
dollars should not pay a lower
effective tax rate than somebody

436
00:23:12,958 --> 00:23:16,158
making 50 grand or 75 grand.

437
00:23:16,158 --> 00:23:17,158
Ari.

438
00:23:17,158 --> 00:23:19,891
The Press:
Thanks. Over the weekend, the
White House expressed opposition

439
00:23:19,892 --> 00:23:21,958
to the current form of
the Online Privacy Act.

440
00:23:21,958 --> 00:23:24,958
And I wonder whether it's fair
to describe this as the White

441
00:23:24,958 --> 00:23:27,224
House siding with Silicon
Valley over Hollywood?

442
00:23:27,224 --> 00:23:29,124
And how important is it to the
White House that some version

443
00:23:29,124 --> 00:23:30,792
of this bill pass?

444
00:23:30,792 --> 00:23:34,024
Mr. Carney:
I don't believe that that's
an accurate way to describe it.

445
00:23:34,024 --> 00:23:37,658
I think what you saw in
the exposition of the

446
00:23:37,658 --> 00:23:42,792
administration's position over
the weekend was a keen focus

447
00:23:42,792 --> 00:23:47,257
on the need to do something
serious about online piracy,

448
00:23:47,258 --> 00:23:49,725
especially by foreign websites.

449
00:23:49,725 --> 00:23:51,957
It's a serious problem
that requires serious

450
00:23:51,958 --> 00:23:54,491
legislative responses.

451
00:23:54,491 --> 00:23:56,558
But we will not support
legislation that reduces

452
00:23:56,558 --> 00:23:59,892
freedom of expression,
increases cyber security risk,

453
00:23:59,892 --> 00:24:03,258
or undermines the dynamic,
innovative, global Internet.

454
00:24:03,258 --> 00:24:06,991
And that's the approach and the
balance that we think needs to

455
00:24:06,991 --> 00:24:11,758
be taken as we work through
this issue in Congress,

456
00:24:11,758 --> 00:24:17,358
and as the stakeholders who have
a lot of important contributions

457
00:24:17,358 --> 00:24:20,024
to make to the debate
engage with Congress as

458
00:24:20,024 --> 00:24:22,024
this legislation moves forward.

459
00:24:22,024 --> 00:24:26,324
So we made very clear over the
weekend our opposition to what's

460
00:24:26,325 --> 00:24:29,525
called the DNS filter because
we believe it creates a cyber

461
00:24:29,525 --> 00:24:31,391
security risk.

462
00:24:31,391 --> 00:24:37,024
And that's something that we
are a direct player in because

463
00:24:37,024 --> 00:24:39,291
obviously national security and
cyber security are something

464
00:24:39,291 --> 00:24:41,491
that we are engaged in directly.

465
00:24:41,491 --> 00:24:48,124
As far as the interests of
private sector actors, I mean,

466
00:24:48,124 --> 00:24:51,792
there are legitimate concerns
on both sides and those need

467
00:24:51,792 --> 00:24:52,792
to be addressed.

468
00:24:52,792 --> 00:24:54,024
That's why we need to
maintain Internet freedom;

469
00:24:54,024 --> 00:24:57,190
that's why we need to do
something serious about online

470
00:24:57,191 --> 00:24:59,525
piracy from foreign websites.

471
00:24:59,525 --> 00:25:03,925
But our position on this, the
approach that we believe is the

472
00:25:03,925 --> 00:25:06,991
best approach to take we did
spell out over the weekend as

473
00:25:06,991 --> 00:25:11,024
a result of the "We
the People" petition.

474
00:25:11,024 --> 00:25:12,123
Yes, Ed.

475
00:25:12,124 --> 00:25:14,825
The Press:
Jay, you've said before from
the podium the President spends

476
00:25:14,825 --> 00:25:16,858
I think about 10 percent
of his time or some small

477
00:25:16,858 --> 00:25:18,725
number like that on the
presidential campaign.

478
00:25:18,725 --> 00:25:21,491
So how did you know about
George Romney's 12 years

479
00:25:21,491 --> 00:25:22,158
of tax returns?

480
00:25:22,158 --> 00:25:23,091
Mr. Carney:
I said that he spends.

481
00:25:23,091 --> 00:25:24,358
I do a lot of reading, Ed.

482
00:25:24,358 --> 00:25:25,191
(laughter)

483
00:25:25,191 --> 00:25:26,591
He didn't tell me about that.

484
00:25:26,591 --> 00:25:28,725
The Press:
So your percentage is
what, 30 or 40 percent?

485
00:25:28,725 --> 00:25:31,658
Mr. Carney:
No, no, no, I just read that in
probably an article that one of

486
00:25:31,658 --> 00:25:32,824
your colleagues wrote.

487
00:25:32,825 --> 00:25:37,991
The Press:
Okay. Now, I don't know how many
years -- maybe you do -- George

488
00:25:37,991 --> 00:25:40,024
Romney released of his
college transcripts,

489
00:25:40,024 --> 00:25:42,991
but Republicans like to complain
the President has not released

490
00:25:42,991 --> 00:25:43,925
his college transcripts.

491
00:25:43,925 --> 00:25:45,792
What is the stated
reason for that?

492
00:25:45,792 --> 00:25:47,558
Mr. Carney:
I'd refer you to the campaign.

493
00:25:47,558 --> 00:25:48,191
I mean, I think --

494
00:25:48,191 --> 00:25:49,692
The Press:
Is it a question
you could take --

495
00:25:49,692 --> 00:25:52,124
Mr. Carney:
Sure. I think we've
answered this a bunch.

496
00:25:52,124 --> 00:25:57,291
I think that the tradition of
releasing income tax records

497
00:25:57,291 --> 00:26:01,390
for presidential candidates,
for serious potential nominees

498
00:26:01,391 --> 00:26:05,158
and nominees of the two
parties is well established.

499
00:26:05,158 --> 00:26:08,257
It's not a law, but
it's well established.

500
00:26:08,258 --> 00:26:13,224
And it's one that this
President abided by when

501
00:26:13,224 --> 00:26:15,625
he was a candidate as senator.

502
00:26:15,625 --> 00:26:17,925
It's one that numerous
Republicans and Democrats

503
00:26:17,925 --> 00:26:19,925
have abided by, and we just
think it's a good idea.

504
00:26:19,925 --> 00:26:20,925
The Press:
I want to go back
to the Jobs Council,

505
00:26:20,925 --> 00:26:23,457
because it seems like the whole
point has been -- the narrative

506
00:26:23,458 --> 00:26:26,391
has been the President is acting
on jobs and other things as part

507
00:26:26,391 --> 00:26:28,224
of the whole "We
Can't Wait" campaign.

508
00:26:28,224 --> 00:26:30,925
Republicans, as you can imagine,
are very excited this morning to

509
00:26:30,925 --> 00:26:33,625
read the report, and
it has a whole section,

510
00:26:33,625 --> 00:26:36,058
the President's own Jobs
Council saying that,

511
00:26:36,058 --> 00:26:37,625
as was talked about
a little bit before,

512
00:26:37,625 --> 00:26:43,458
more oil and energy production
-- and his own Jobs Council says

513
00:26:43,458 --> 00:26:45,925
that this could create
hundreds of thousands of jobs,

514
00:26:45,925 --> 00:26:47,892
which has really been a
Republican talking point on

515
00:26:47,892 --> 00:26:51,191
Keystone, that it could create
if not hundreds maybe tens of

516
00:26:51,191 --> 00:26:52,658
thousands of jobs,
something you disagree --

517
00:26:52,658 --> 00:26:53,858
Mr. Carney:
Or maybe six or seven.

518
00:26:53,858 --> 00:26:55,457
I mean, some jobs, that's right.

519
00:26:55,458 --> 00:26:57,191
The Press:
Well, okay. So the President's
own Jobs Council now, though,

520
00:26:57,191 --> 00:26:59,391
seems to be agreeing with the
Republicans that at least --

521
00:26:59,391 --> 00:27:00,858
they don't specifically
mention Keystone,

522
00:27:00,858 --> 00:27:03,491
but a lot of jobs
could be created.

523
00:27:03,491 --> 00:27:04,925
Regardless of the number, a lot.

524
00:27:04,925 --> 00:27:07,825
So why hasn't the President
signed the certification yet?

525
00:27:07,825 --> 00:27:10,591
Mr. Carney:
Well, first of all, the Jobs
Council wasn't talking about

526
00:27:10,591 --> 00:27:11,858
Keystone specifically.

527
00:27:11,858 --> 00:27:14,091
The Jobs Council was talking
about the importance of

528
00:27:14,091 --> 00:27:16,957
expanding domestic oil
and gas production,

529
00:27:16,958 --> 00:27:22,024
a goal this President shares and
has expounded upon at length,

530
00:27:22,024 --> 00:27:25,358
and has taken action as a
policy matter to demonstrate

531
00:27:25,358 --> 00:27:26,558
his commitment to, which --

532
00:27:26,558 --> 00:27:27,825
The Press:
Right, but the certification is
sitting on his desk right now.

533
00:27:27,825 --> 00:27:29,124
So you say he's taking action --

534
00:27:29,124 --> 00:27:29,758
Mr. Carney:
No, no, no, no, no.

535
00:27:29,758 --> 00:27:30,858
The Press:
-- it's ready to
act on right now.

536
00:27:30,858 --> 00:27:31,957
Mr. Carney:
What certification?

537
00:27:31,958 --> 00:27:32,858
You mean the --

538
00:27:32,858 --> 00:27:36,358
The Press:
The 60-day clock started running
on the President signing --

539
00:27:36,358 --> 00:27:38,692
Mr. Carney:
You're talking about the
congressional -- the political

540
00:27:38,692 --> 00:27:42,558
ideological action by Congress to
try to short-circuit a process

541
00:27:42,558 --> 00:27:45,591
that is long established --

542
00:27:45,591 --> 00:27:47,158
The Press:
Excuse me, but the President
signed that into law,

543
00:27:47,158 --> 00:27:48,658
correct, even though you
say it's ideological?

544
00:27:48,658 --> 00:27:49,358
Mr. Carney:
And you --

545
00:27:49,358 --> 00:27:51,524
The Press:
He signed it into
law, though, right?

546
00:27:51,525 --> 00:27:52,692
Did he?

547
00:27:52,692 --> 00:27:54,925
Mr. Carney:
You apparently know that
there is no alternate

548
00:27:54,925 --> 00:27:56,658
route yet in Nebraska, right?

549
00:27:56,658 --> 00:27:58,291
The Press:
Sure, but he signed this
into law that he had 60

550
00:27:58,291 --> 00:27:59,358
days to decide.

551
00:27:59,358 --> 00:28:00,191
It's on his desk.

552
00:28:00,191 --> 00:28:01,658
You're saying he's
acting on this.

553
00:28:01,658 --> 00:28:03,558
Why hasn't he acted on Keystone?

554
00:28:03,558 --> 00:28:06,258
Mr. Carney:
Ed, the State Department
runs this process,

555
00:28:06,258 --> 00:28:09,291
as you know, which is a
precedent that long predates

556
00:28:09,291 --> 00:28:10,858
this administration.

557
00:28:10,858 --> 00:28:18,358
The delay in the review was a
result of concerns in Nebraska

558
00:28:18,358 --> 00:28:24,692
about the route by which the
pipeline was meant to take --

559
00:28:24,692 --> 00:28:27,325
the route the pipeline was meant
to take through Nebraska and how

560
00:28:27,325 --> 00:28:29,892
it would affect the aquifer
there -- concerns that were

561
00:28:29,892 --> 00:28:32,425
expressed by a number
of stakeholders there,

562
00:28:32,425 --> 00:28:36,325
including the Republican
governor of Nebraska.

563
00:28:36,325 --> 00:28:38,658
When the State Department
decided that those concerns

564
00:28:38,658 --> 00:28:41,257
were legitimate and there
needed to be an alternate route,

565
00:28:41,258 --> 00:28:44,124
that began another process,
and this process requires

566
00:28:44,124 --> 00:28:47,758
the careful weighing of
a variety of criteria,

567
00:28:47,758 --> 00:28:50,358
and that has always
been the case.

568
00:28:50,358 --> 00:28:53,892
Everyone -- a lot of people, and
certainly we made clear back in

569
00:28:53,892 --> 00:29:00,024
December that a political effort
to short-circuit that process

570
00:29:00,024 --> 00:29:06,658
for ideological reasons would
be counterproductive because a

571
00:29:06,658 --> 00:29:10,692
proper review that weighed all
the important issues in this

572
00:29:10,692 --> 00:29:14,825
case could not be achieved in 60
days -- according to the State

573
00:29:14,825 --> 00:29:19,191
Department, which, again,
runs this review process.

574
00:29:19,191 --> 00:29:21,291
I don't have any
updates for you.

575
00:29:21,291 --> 00:29:23,625
I refer you to the State
Department on where that stands

576
00:29:23,625 --> 00:29:26,525
now that the legislation
has been signed into law.

577
00:29:26,525 --> 00:29:34,058
But it is a fallacy to suggest
that the President should sign

578
00:29:34,058 --> 00:29:36,725
into law something when there
isn't even an alternate route

579
00:29:36,725 --> 00:29:41,725
identified in Nebraska and when
the review process is -- there

580
00:29:41,725 --> 00:29:45,858
was an attempt to short-circuit
the review process in a way that

581
00:29:45,858 --> 00:29:48,224
does not allow the kind of
careful consideration of all

582
00:29:48,224 --> 00:29:50,390
the competing criteria here
that needs to be done.

583
00:29:50,391 --> 00:29:52,491
The Press:
So shouldn't the council
report say we could create

584
00:29:52,491 --> 00:29:54,425
hundreds of thousands of jobs
if we wait three or four years?

585
00:29:54,425 --> 00:29:55,291
Mr. Carney:
I understand that you're
trying to conflate --

586
00:29:55,291 --> 00:29:56,658
The Press:
But there's an expectation
that you're creating jobs.

587
00:29:56,658 --> 00:29:58,658
Mr. Carney:
You're trying to conflate
something here that the

588
00:29:58,658 --> 00:29:59,658
Jobs Council didn't say.

589
00:29:59,658 --> 00:30:03,123
The Jobs Council supports
increased oil and gas

590
00:30:03,124 --> 00:30:05,792
production, which the President
supports and, in fact,

591
00:30:05,792 --> 00:30:09,291
as I read out earlier,
has taken action on.

592
00:30:09,291 --> 00:30:10,625
The President
believes, for example,

593
00:30:10,625 --> 00:30:14,658
that natural gas is an important
component of our energy future

594
00:30:14,658 --> 00:30:19,123
and he is very supportive of
exploiting that resource in

595
00:30:19,124 --> 00:30:24,391
this country in a safe and
responsible manner going

596
00:30:24,391 --> 00:30:27,958
forward, as he is -- and as he
has shown he is with regards to

597
00:30:27,958 --> 00:30:29,758
oil production here
in the United States.

598
00:30:29,758 --> 00:30:31,858
He also is committed to an
all-of-the-above approach,

599
00:30:31,858 --> 00:30:34,457
including the development of
clean energy resources here in

600
00:30:34,458 --> 00:30:37,325
the United States, all with the
aim of reducing our dependence

601
00:30:37,325 --> 00:30:39,391
on foreign oil.

602
00:30:39,391 --> 00:30:43,725
And the fact of the matter is
domestic production is up and

603
00:30:43,725 --> 00:30:46,425
imports are down.

604
00:30:46,425 --> 00:30:49,892
We will continue to pursue
this all-of-the-above approach

605
00:30:49,892 --> 00:30:51,858
because it's the right
thing for the United States,

606
00:30:51,858 --> 00:30:54,390
it's the right thing for our
national security and it's

607
00:30:54,391 --> 00:30:58,425
the right thing for our
economic security.

608
00:30:58,425 --> 00:30:59,258
Yes, Jerry.

609
00:30:59,258 --> 00:31:01,358
The Press:
Just a couple things
from the campaign trail.

610
00:31:01,358 --> 00:31:04,124
Does the President have any
reaction to the departure of

611
00:31:04,124 --> 00:31:06,658
his former ambassador to
China from the Republican

612
00:31:06,658 --> 00:31:08,457
nomination process?

613
00:31:08,458 --> 00:31:10,158
Mr. Carney:
I don't have any for you.

614
00:31:10,158 --> 00:31:12,757
No, I haven't -- much to the
chagrin of a lot of people,

615
00:31:12,758 --> 00:31:15,224
I haven't talked
politics with him today.

616
00:31:15,224 --> 00:31:18,658
The Press:
Does the President have any
reaction -- I know this is

617
00:31:18,658 --> 00:31:20,390
probably another no -- but
does the President have any

618
00:31:20,391 --> 00:31:23,625
reaction to the entry of
Stephen Colbert into the --

619
00:31:23,625 --> 00:31:24,825
(laughter)

620
00:31:24,825 --> 00:31:26,491
-- Republican process?

621
00:31:26,491 --> 00:31:27,558
Mr. Carney:
I have none to report.

622
00:31:27,558 --> 00:31:30,525
The Press:
Does he think that there's
a point to be made about

623
00:31:30,525 --> 00:31:32,391
super PACs?

624
00:31:32,391 --> 00:31:35,358
Mr. Carney:
Again, I just haven't
had the -- I haven't

625
00:31:35,358 --> 00:31:37,358
spent my valuable time
with him today talking

626
00:31:37,358 --> 00:31:38,991
about these issues.

627
00:31:38,991 --> 00:31:42,358
The Press:
And lastly, if I
could go 0-for-4,

628
00:31:42,358 --> 00:31:43,325
does the President have --

629
00:31:43,325 --> 00:31:44,858
Mr. Carney:
You could try one
that I can answer.

630
00:31:44,858 --> 00:31:45,658
(laughter)

631
00:31:45,658 --> 00:31:47,091
The Press:
-- any concern -- let
everyone else do that.

632
00:31:47,091 --> 00:31:49,957
(laughter)

633
00:31:49,958 --> 00:31:52,825
Does the President have any
concerns about moving his

634
00:31:52,825 --> 00:31:54,558
acceptance speech of the
Democratic nomination to

635
00:31:54,558 --> 00:31:56,491
the Bank of America stadium?

636
00:31:56,491 --> 00:31:58,625
Mr. Carney:
The President --
well, first of all,

637
00:31:58,625 --> 00:32:00,758
I would refer you for more
information about this to

638
00:32:00,758 --> 00:32:01,425
the campaign.

639
00:32:01,425 --> 00:32:03,390
But the President looks forward
to delivering his acceptance

640
00:32:03,391 --> 00:32:06,391
speech in a stadium
with a large capacity,

641
00:32:06,391 --> 00:32:09,391
much as he did in
Denver in 2008.

642
00:32:09,391 --> 00:32:13,692
That allows for greater
participation by Americans

643
00:32:13,692 --> 00:32:15,991
from all walks of life.

644
00:32:15,991 --> 00:32:20,058
That's the reason why he did
it in 2008 at Invesco Field,

645
00:32:20,058 --> 00:32:24,391
and that's why he'll do it
later this year in Charlotte.

646
00:32:24,391 --> 00:32:30,058
That's the biggest venue, and
he looks forward to holding that

647
00:32:30,058 --> 00:32:33,091
event and delivering his
acceptance speech before

648
00:32:33,091 --> 00:32:37,024
tens of thousands of Americans
in person, as well as,

649
00:32:37,024 --> 00:32:39,190
we certainly hope, many
millions of Americans

650
00:32:39,191 --> 00:32:40,391
watching on television.

651
00:32:40,391 --> 00:32:42,758
The Press:
So the choice was made based
on the size of the venue?

652
00:32:42,758 --> 00:32:45,325
Mr. Carney:
Yes. He wants as many Americans
as possible -- as was the case

653
00:32:45,325 --> 00:32:47,758
in 2008 -- to be
able to participate.

654
00:32:47,758 --> 00:32:48,525
Ann.

655
00:32:48,525 --> 00:32:52,058
The Press:
Want to move the State of
the Union to a stadium?

656
00:32:52,058 --> 00:32:53,425
(laughter)

657
00:32:53,425 --> 00:32:54,692
Mr. Carney:
That is a great idea.

658
00:32:54,692 --> 00:32:56,325
(laughter)

659
00:32:56,325 --> 00:32:58,425
The Press:
Where does the State
of the Union stand?

660
00:32:58,425 --> 00:32:59,758
How far has he
gotten along with it?

661
00:32:59,758 --> 00:33:04,024
Will he be able to incorporate
any of the long-range jobs

662
00:33:04,024 --> 00:33:06,425
proposals, particularly
something like significant

663
00:33:06,425 --> 00:33:07,390
tax reform?

664
00:33:07,391 --> 00:33:11,258
And is this speech this year,
because it's a reelection year,

665
00:33:11,258 --> 00:33:16,091
a far more political approach
than he would have last year?

666
00:33:18,425 --> 00:33:20,224
Mr. Carney:
I don't want to
preview any specifics.

667
00:33:20,224 --> 00:33:25,591
I can say that he's obviously
engaged in the process of

668
00:33:25,591 --> 00:33:29,524
deciding what he wants to say in
the State of the Union address,

669
00:33:29,525 --> 00:33:32,391
the issues he wants to address,
the policy proposals that he

670
00:33:32,391 --> 00:33:33,391
wants to include.

671
00:33:33,391 --> 00:33:39,758
I think that it will
be, as is tradition,

672
00:33:39,758 --> 00:33:44,692
something that is
very substantive,

673
00:33:44,692 --> 00:33:49,191
a speech that will contain
a lot of policy substance.

674
00:33:49,191 --> 00:33:54,058
And I think that he looks
forward to the opportunity

675
00:33:54,058 --> 00:33:59,291
to describe his vision going
forward to the American people

676
00:33:59,291 --> 00:34:01,524
about the kinds of things that
he can do and that he can do

677
00:34:01,525 --> 00:34:06,124
with Congress to help the
American economy grow and to

678
00:34:06,124 --> 00:34:09,725
help middle-class Americans
feel more economically secure.

679
00:34:09,725 --> 00:34:12,792
Look, there are going to
be a lot of opportunities,

680
00:34:12,792 --> 00:34:15,357
including in Charlotte,
for the President to

681
00:34:15,358 --> 00:34:17,325
give political speeches.

682
00:34:17,324 --> 00:34:19,357
This will be heavy on substance.

683
00:34:19,358 --> 00:34:22,224
The Press:
Well, but you talked a moment
ago about this being a difficult

684
00:34:22,224 --> 00:34:24,991
environment in an election
year for legislation.

685
00:34:24,991 --> 00:34:27,625
Will he be more
along the track of,

686
00:34:27,625 --> 00:34:31,425
I'm going to do things my way
without the help of Congress?

687
00:34:31,425 --> 00:34:34,191
Mr. Carney:
I think he will echo the
themes that we've been

688
00:34:34,190 --> 00:34:35,524
talking about, he's
been talking about,

689
00:34:35,525 --> 00:34:38,291
for a long time now -- I
mean, broadly speaking,

690
00:34:38,291 --> 00:34:41,692
that he's been talking about
since he began running for this

691
00:34:41,692 --> 00:34:45,891
office back in 2007, which is
the need to help the middle

692
00:34:45,891 --> 00:34:49,024
class, which even prior to the
beginning of the recession had

693
00:34:49,024 --> 00:34:51,658
been under a great
deal of stress.

694
00:34:51,658 --> 00:34:54,625
That will be a theme that you'll
hear certainly at the State of

695
00:34:54,625 --> 00:34:55,725
the Union address.

696
00:34:55,725 --> 00:34:58,924
And he'll talk about the
need to do everything he

697
00:34:58,925 --> 00:35:02,124
can legislatively,
working with Congress,

698
00:35:02,124 --> 00:35:06,390
as well as the imperative that
he do everything he can using

699
00:35:06,391 --> 00:35:08,792
his executive authority to
help the American people,

700
00:35:08,792 --> 00:35:12,325
to protect them, to give them
greater economic security.

701
00:35:12,325 --> 00:35:15,524
Those are themes
that you'll hear.

702
00:35:15,525 --> 00:35:17,391
But they are also themes
that you have heard from him,

703
00:35:17,391 --> 00:35:19,558
and there will be a great
deal of consistency in that.

704
00:35:19,558 --> 00:35:21,158
The Press:
Sounds pretty familiar.

705
00:35:21,158 --> 00:35:24,024
Mr. Carney:
Well, no, I -- again,
there will be,

706
00:35:24,024 --> 00:35:29,458
I think -- there will be plenty
of things within the speech that

707
00:35:29,458 --> 00:35:33,191
you will consider
new and newsworthy.

708
00:35:33,191 --> 00:35:34,758
The Press:
Just a quick follow on
that and, in fact, a theme.

709
00:35:34,758 --> 00:35:37,758
Will we hear the phrase, "win
the future," or is that a line

710
00:35:37,758 --> 00:35:38,325
of the past?

711
00:35:38,325 --> 00:35:41,325
Mr. Carney:
I'm not going to preview
specific elements of the

712
00:35:41,325 --> 00:35:43,825
State of the Union
address from here today.

713
00:35:43,825 --> 00:35:44,792
Kristen.

714
00:35:44,792 --> 00:35:45,658
The Press:
Thanks, Jay.

715
00:35:46,925 --> 00:35:49,958
During the Jobs Council meeting,
the President talked about the

716
00:35:49,958 --> 00:35:52,525
consolidation authority proposal
that he's going to be sending to

717
00:35:52,525 --> 00:35:53,325
the Hill.

718
00:35:53,325 --> 00:35:55,892
Is that legislative
language complete,

719
00:35:55,892 --> 00:35:58,390
and is the goal to send that
to the Hill before the State

720
00:35:58,391 --> 00:35:59,625
of the Union?

721
00:35:59,625 --> 00:36:01,858
Mr. Carney:
I'll have to get an
update for you on that.

722
00:36:01,858 --> 00:36:05,058
I know that we will be
sending proposed legislation

723
00:36:05,058 --> 00:36:06,124
to the Hill.

724
00:36:06,124 --> 00:36:07,692
I don't have a
specific day for you.

725
00:36:09,925 --> 00:36:11,991
The Press:
Do you know if there
have been any phone calls,

726
00:36:11,991 --> 00:36:15,325
letters written, sort of ahead
of sending the legislation?

727
00:36:15,325 --> 00:36:18,625
Mr. Carney:
I expect there has been
communication at least

728
00:36:18,625 --> 00:36:20,758
at a staff level,
but also, I'm sure,

729
00:36:20,758 --> 00:36:23,290
with some members about it
-- those members who take

730
00:36:23,291 --> 00:36:26,425
a specific interest in it.

731
00:36:26,425 --> 00:36:31,091
The President looks forward to
Congress taking action on this.

732
00:36:31,091 --> 00:36:32,991
This goes back to some of the
questions that I had earlier

733
00:36:32,991 --> 00:36:38,591
about whether or not there's
the potential for bipartisan

734
00:36:38,591 --> 00:36:42,158
cooperation in this
election year, if you will.

735
00:36:42,158 --> 00:36:46,325
And I think this is a perfect
indication of an opportunity --

736
00:36:46,325 --> 00:36:48,924
consolidating government,
streamlining it,

737
00:36:48,925 --> 00:36:52,725
making it more efficient, and
writing into law through the

738
00:36:52,725 --> 00:36:57,491
consolidation authority the
requirement that the President

739
00:36:57,491 --> 00:37:01,625
who receives that authority use
it in a way that reduces costs

740
00:37:01,625 --> 00:37:04,725
I think is something that
every American should support

741
00:37:04,725 --> 00:37:10,258
and certainly that Republicans
would normally be supportive of.

742
00:37:10,258 --> 00:37:15,825
So with any luck, Republicans as
well as Democrats will support

743
00:37:15,825 --> 00:37:17,692
granting the President
consolidation authority.

744
00:37:17,692 --> 00:37:21,058
And then he can move on
the first initiative,

745
00:37:21,058 --> 00:37:23,825
which Jeff Zients described
for you last week,

746
00:37:23,825 --> 00:37:30,692
which is to bring under one roof
the six agencies that deal with

747
00:37:30,692 --> 00:37:34,525
promoting American business
and our competitiveness abroad.

748
00:37:34,525 --> 00:37:37,858
The Press:
And, Jay, on Iran, the
OPEC governor there said

749
00:37:37,858 --> 00:37:41,325
on Tuesday that a European
embargo on Iranian oil would

750
00:37:41,325 --> 00:37:44,524
be "economic suicide for Europe."

751
00:37:44,525 --> 00:37:47,658
Does the administration still
view the tone that's coming out

752
00:37:47,658 --> 00:37:50,924
of Iran to be suggestive of the
fact that their currency is in a

753
00:37:50,925 --> 00:37:52,124
downward spiral?

754
00:37:52,124 --> 00:37:54,658
Or is there a real concern
that we could, in fact,

755
00:37:54,658 --> 00:37:58,391
be nearing some sort of a
military engagement with them?

756
00:38:00,291 --> 00:38:04,758
Mr. Carney:
I think there is no doubt
that the concerted effort

757
00:38:04,758 --> 00:38:07,792
of this administration,
working with our international

758
00:38:07,792 --> 00:38:13,024
partners and allies, to
implement the most stringent

759
00:38:13,024 --> 00:38:17,391
sanctions against Iran in
history have had a significant

760
00:38:17,391 --> 00:38:20,591
impact on Iran, on
the Iranian economy,

761
00:38:20,591 --> 00:38:25,825
and have contributed to the
fissures within the Iranian

762
00:38:25,825 --> 00:38:31,692
leadership that many of your
colleagues have reported on.

763
00:38:31,692 --> 00:38:35,191
They are also probably a
precipitating factor in the kind

764
00:38:35,191 --> 00:38:39,957
of provocative statements and
diversionary tactics that the

765
00:38:39,958 --> 00:38:44,358
Iranians have used to try to
change the subject from the fact

766
00:38:44,358 --> 00:38:46,725
that they will not abide by
their international obligations,

767
00:38:46,725 --> 00:38:50,625
and that is why they are the
subject of this kind of pressure

768
00:38:50,625 --> 00:38:52,625
and this kind of isolation.

769
00:38:53,792 --> 00:38:56,792
We will keep up that pressure,
and we will keep up the effort

770
00:38:56,792 --> 00:38:59,758
to work with our allies and
partners to further isolate

771
00:38:59,758 --> 00:39:04,725
Iran, even as we make clear
that there is a solution here,

772
00:39:04,725 --> 00:39:08,191
and that is for Iran to get
right with the international

773
00:39:08,191 --> 00:39:14,357
community; that is for Iran
to abandon efforts to pursue

774
00:39:14,358 --> 00:39:20,224
nuclear weapons and to abide by
its international commitments.

775
00:39:20,224 --> 00:39:23,091
That's the path
forward for Iran.

776
00:39:23,091 --> 00:39:26,223
We will continue the effort
to isolate and pressure Iran,

777
00:39:26,224 --> 00:39:29,325
working with our international
partners going forward.

778
00:39:29,325 --> 00:39:32,625
We think it's been effective.

779
00:39:32,625 --> 00:39:39,858
And we hope that the Iranian
leadership will choose the

780
00:39:39,858 --> 00:39:44,325
path of working with the
international community to

781
00:39:44,325 --> 00:39:45,857
abide by its obligations.

782
00:39:45,858 --> 00:39:46,491
The Press:
Jay.

783
00:39:46,491 --> 00:39:47,158
Mr. Carney:
Steve.

784
00:39:47,158 --> 00:39:50,525
The Press:
Just to follow up on that,
that view of the sanctions

785
00:39:50,525 --> 00:39:53,625
doesn't seem to be shared
by Prime Minister Netanyahu,

786
00:39:53,625 --> 00:39:56,758
who said yesterday that they
would only be real and effective

787
00:39:56,758 --> 00:39:58,792
if they included
petroleum sanctions,

788
00:39:58,792 --> 00:40:00,325
sanctions on the central bank.

789
00:40:02,358 --> 00:40:05,558
And there were reports also that
the administration had asked

790
00:40:05,558 --> 00:40:08,958
Israel not to take a unilateral
early strike against Iran.

791
00:40:08,958 --> 00:40:13,591
Is it fair to say that the U.S.
and Israel are not on the same

792
00:40:13,591 --> 00:40:16,525
page on the speed and
method of deterring Iran?

793
00:40:16,525 --> 00:40:18,991
Mr. Carney:
Well, the remarks that
I believe the Prime

794
00:40:18,991 --> 00:40:22,158
Minister made to The Australian
actually were of a different

795
00:40:22,158 --> 00:40:25,124
nature, where he talked about
the effectiveness of the

796
00:40:25,124 --> 00:40:27,158
sanctions regime.

797
00:40:27,158 --> 00:40:29,491
And we certainly
share that view.

798
00:40:32,258 --> 00:40:34,357
Israel is a key
ally and partner,

799
00:40:34,358 --> 00:40:41,625
and Israel has a profound
interest in the effort to

800
00:40:41,625 --> 00:40:44,825
pressure Iran into abiding by
its international obligations,

801
00:40:44,825 --> 00:40:48,258
as do many nations in
the region and the world.

802
00:40:48,258 --> 00:40:50,725
We believe, as I was just
describing to Kristen,

803
00:40:50,725 --> 00:40:53,525
that that effort is
unprecedented -- I mean,

804
00:40:53,525 --> 00:40:56,458
it is a demonstrable fact that
it is unprecedented that we have

805
00:40:56,458 --> 00:40:59,258
the kind of
international consensus,

806
00:40:59,258 --> 00:41:02,290
the likes of which we have not
seen in the past -- certainly,

807
00:41:02,291 --> 00:41:04,892
the kind of consensus that
did not exist prior to this

808
00:41:04,892 --> 00:41:10,491
President taking office -- and
that that has made the fact of

809
00:41:10,491 --> 00:41:12,525
Iran's noncompliance
all the clearer to

810
00:41:12,525 --> 00:41:13,991
the international community.

811
00:41:13,991 --> 00:41:17,491
And it has contributed to the
kind of international -- or

812
00:41:17,491 --> 00:41:21,558
internal, rather, tension
that you've seen within Iran,

813
00:41:21,558 --> 00:41:24,625
and it's certainly had a
dramatic impact -- a significant

814
00:41:24,625 --> 00:41:26,224
impact on the Iranian economy.

815
00:41:26,224 --> 00:41:29,258
The Press:
So you take the Israeli
position to be what was

816
00:41:29,258 --> 00:41:31,158
expressed in the interview
with The Australian,

817
00:41:31,158 --> 00:41:32,424
and not what
Netanyahu has said --

818
00:41:32,425 --> 00:41:34,091
Mr. Carney:
No, I'm simply saying
that you can cherry-pick

819
00:41:34,091 --> 00:41:35,091
some of the quotes.

820
00:41:35,091 --> 00:41:39,091
We have worked very closely
with the Israeli government,

821
00:41:39,091 --> 00:41:43,191
with the Prime Minister, as
we do on a number of issues,

822
00:41:43,191 --> 00:41:50,457
and we believe that the
approach we've taken has put

823
00:41:50,458 --> 00:41:53,658
unprecedented pressure on
Iran to change its behavior.

824
00:41:53,658 --> 00:41:59,258
It has isolated Iran far more
effectively than past efforts.

825
00:41:59,258 --> 00:42:04,524
And we certainly hope that --
and we will continue to ratchet

826
00:42:04,525 --> 00:42:06,024
up the pressure
and the isolation,

827
00:42:06,024 --> 00:42:11,424
working with our allies, until
Iran abides by its international

828
00:42:11,425 --> 00:42:15,658
obligations and works with the
international community in a way

829
00:42:15,658 --> 00:42:24,191
that assures all of us that it
is not and will not pursue a

830
00:42:24,191 --> 00:42:29,457
nuclear weapon. Ken.

831
00:42:29,458 --> 00:42:31,925
The Press:
When the President
meets with the King,

832
00:42:31,925 --> 00:42:37,491
King Abdullah, shortly, how
important will the effort to

833
00:42:37,491 --> 00:42:42,792
talk Israel out of a
military strike on Iran be?

834
00:42:42,792 --> 00:42:45,458
Mr. Carney:
Well, I don't have any
specifics to provide to

835
00:42:45,458 --> 00:42:48,892
you about a conversation
that has not yet taken place.

836
00:42:48,892 --> 00:42:53,524
There are a variety of issues
that the King and the President

837
00:42:53,525 --> 00:42:55,692
will discuss, including the
Middle East peace process,

838
00:42:55,692 --> 00:43:02,425
including Syria, including the
King's efforts towards reform

839
00:43:02,425 --> 00:43:04,758
in Jordan, which we support.

840
00:43:07,158 --> 00:43:13,158
I would note with regard to
Syria that one of the signs of

841
00:43:19,124 --> 00:43:24,223
desperation that we've seen in
the Assad regime is the fact

842
00:43:24,224 --> 00:43:28,525
that they -- that the head
of the Quds Force, Soleimani,

843
00:43:28,525 --> 00:43:33,591
visited Damascus, and the
fact that Assad is relying

844
00:43:33,591 --> 00:43:37,857
on essentially his last friend
for support in his repression

845
00:43:37,858 --> 00:43:41,692
against his own people I think
makes all the clearer that his

846
00:43:41,692 --> 00:43:42,692
time has come.

847
00:43:42,692 --> 00:43:43,224
He must go.

848
00:43:43,224 --> 00:43:44,325
He must step down.

849
00:43:44,325 --> 00:43:45,491
The Press:
The Italian cruise ship?

850
00:43:45,491 --> 00:43:46,558
The Italian ship?

851
00:43:46,558 --> 00:43:47,358
Mr. Carney:
Yes, Connie.

852
00:43:47,358 --> 00:43:48,191
The Press:
Thank you.

853
00:43:48,191 --> 00:43:50,024
Have you been in touch
with the Prime Minister

854
00:43:50,024 --> 00:43:51,325
or Italian authorities?

855
00:43:51,325 --> 00:43:52,158
Do you have any comments?

856
00:43:52,158 --> 00:43:56,091
And does this disaster make any
statements on Americans taking

857
00:43:56,091 --> 00:43:57,825
ships that might be
under foreign control,

858
00:43:57,825 --> 00:43:59,924
that they're in danger perhaps?

859
00:43:59,925 --> 00:44:02,124
Mr. Carney:
Connie, I would refer you to
the State Department where I

860
00:44:02,124 --> 00:44:05,058
think they've been handling
questions about Americans aboard

861
00:44:05,058 --> 00:44:05,925
the cruise ship.

862
00:44:05,925 --> 00:44:07,892
But this is obviously
a terrible tragedy.

863
00:44:07,892 --> 00:44:15,223
We've all seen the horrific
images and our hearts go out to

864
00:44:15,224 --> 00:44:19,224
the families of the victims
-- both American and from

865
00:44:19,224 --> 00:44:20,658
everywhere else.

866
00:44:20,658 --> 00:44:23,692
But in terms of the other
questions you had about it,

867
00:44:23,692 --> 00:44:25,291
I would refer you to
the State Department.

868
00:44:25,291 --> 00:44:27,391
The Press:
Is President Obama going
to call the Italian --

869
00:44:27,391 --> 00:44:30,758
Mr. Carney:
I don't have any updates
on foreign leader calls.

870
00:44:30,758 --> 00:44:32,792
The Press:
Needless to say that the
State of the Union will be

871
00:44:32,792 --> 00:44:35,024
focusing on domestic issues,
the economy, et cetera.

872
00:44:35,024 --> 00:44:37,857
How much of this State of the
Union will be focused on an

873
00:44:37,858 --> 00:44:40,658
international audience,
especially in terms of what

874
00:44:40,658 --> 00:44:44,158
my colleagues just mentioned,
as well as the euro and the

875
00:44:44,158 --> 00:44:48,091
European countries
being downgraded by S&P?

876
00:44:48,091 --> 00:44:52,223
Mr. Carney:
I will ask you to listen
and read the speech.

877
00:44:52,224 --> 00:44:54,558
I'm not going to
preview it for you here.

878
00:44:58,058 --> 00:44:59,758
As part of the tradition of
the State of the Union address,

879
00:44:59,758 --> 00:45:05,325
I think it will be broadly cast,
but I don't want to get into

880
00:45:05,325 --> 00:45:09,758
percentages about how
much on domestic issues,

881
00:45:09,758 --> 00:45:14,258
how much on international,
which ones have more attention.

882
00:45:14,258 --> 00:45:17,024
We'll let you guys judge
that after he speaks.

883
00:45:17,024 --> 00:45:17,857
Chris.

884
00:45:17,858 --> 00:45:19,825
The Press:
Jay, I want to ask you about
a settlement that the Equal

885
00:45:19,825 --> 00:45:22,058
Employment Opportunity
Commission reached early

886
00:45:22,058 --> 00:45:24,792
this month with a military
contractor called Dyncorp.

887
00:45:24,792 --> 00:45:27,558
A straight employee there was
allegedly harassed based on his

888
00:45:27,558 --> 00:45:29,892
perceived sexual orientation,
and when he complained the

889
00:45:29,892 --> 00:45:31,024
company did nothing.

890
00:45:31,024 --> 00:45:34,290
He was awarded $155,000, but the
company isn't required to change

891
00:45:34,291 --> 00:45:36,658
its non-discrimination policy
to include protections based on

892
00:45:36,658 --> 00:45:38,191
sexual orientation.

893
00:45:38,191 --> 00:45:40,725
Dyncorp receives more than 96
percent of its revenue from

894
00:45:40,725 --> 00:45:43,290
federal contracts that amount
to $2 billion each year,

895
00:45:43,291 --> 00:45:46,091
making it the 32nd largest
federal contractor.

896
00:45:46,091 --> 00:45:47,692
Does the White House have a
problem with companies having

897
00:45:47,692 --> 00:45:50,058
policies allowing this kind
of anti-gay harassment if they

898
00:45:50,058 --> 00:45:51,858
receive this amount
of federal money?

899
00:45:51,858 --> 00:45:55,224
Mr. Carney:
Chris, why don't I take
that question because I

900
00:45:55,224 --> 00:45:57,224
know none of the details
that you just described,

901
00:45:57,224 --> 00:46:00,258
so I wouldn't -- I don't want to
make a general statement about

902
00:46:00,258 --> 00:46:03,924
it since I know nothing
about the specifics.

903
00:46:03,925 --> 00:46:04,792
But I'll take the question.

904
00:46:04,792 --> 00:46:05,525
The Press:
-- very misleading --

905
00:46:05,525 --> 00:46:07,558
Mr. Carney:
Again, I don't want to
do -- you just listed

906
00:46:07,558 --> 00:46:10,625
a number of details about a
case that I don't have any

907
00:46:10,625 --> 00:46:12,525
information on, so why don't we
take that question and I'll get

908
00:46:12,525 --> 00:46:13,391
back to you.

909
00:46:13,391 --> 00:46:15,525
Yes, Washington Times.

910
00:46:15,525 --> 00:46:17,692
The Press:
Jay, back on food
stamps for a second.

911
00:46:17,692 --> 00:46:22,325
What policies did Newt Gingrich
advocate as speaker 15 years ago

912
00:46:22,325 --> 00:46:24,258
that now are resulting
in more people --

913
00:46:24,258 --> 00:46:26,792
Mr. Carney:
No, I said that the
economic policies

914
00:46:26,792 --> 00:46:32,223
that contributed to the great
recession were supported by and

915
00:46:32,224 --> 00:46:37,124
are being proposed by I believe
all of the leading contenders

916
00:46:37,124 --> 00:46:38,825
for the Republican nomination.

917
00:46:38,825 --> 00:46:42,725
I mean that's a fact, so --

918
00:46:42,725 --> 00:46:45,223
The Press:
What specific policies --

919
00:46:45,224 --> 00:46:47,991
Mr. Carney:
Well, are you contesting
that the economic policy --

920
00:46:47,991 --> 00:46:50,391
that economic policy had
nothing to do with -- I mean

921
00:46:50,391 --> 00:46:53,892
the approach, say, to regulating
Wall Street that was taken by --

922
00:46:53,892 --> 00:46:55,991
in the lead-up to the worst
financial crisis since the

923
00:46:55,991 --> 00:46:59,091
Great Depression, that's not an
approach this President shares.

924
00:46:59,091 --> 00:47:02,625
And yet we've heard from every
major Republican candidate that

925
00:47:02,625 --> 00:47:06,425
they would abolish Dodd-Frank,
the reforms -- the Wall Street

926
00:47:06,425 --> 00:47:08,024
reforms that this
President signed into law.

927
00:47:08,024 --> 00:47:12,725
We are -- astoundingly you hear
from some folks who are out

928
00:47:12,725 --> 00:47:16,258
running for office that they
would not only either water down

929
00:47:16,258 --> 00:47:19,223
or abolish those important
Wall Street reforms,

930
00:47:19,224 --> 00:47:24,158
but they would further reduce
regulation of the very financial

931
00:47:24,158 --> 00:47:26,558
sector that contributed so
mightily to the economic

932
00:47:26,558 --> 00:47:29,625
hardship of so many millions
and millions of Americans.

933
00:47:29,625 --> 00:47:30,925
That's just an approach
we disagree with,

934
00:47:30,925 --> 00:47:35,525
and we look forward to the
debate with whomever emerges

935
00:47:35,525 --> 00:47:39,024
from the primary process.

936
00:47:39,024 --> 00:47:41,258
Yes, and then all
the way in the back.

937
00:47:41,258 --> 00:47:43,091
The Press:
Thank you, Jay.

938
00:47:43,091 --> 00:47:45,725
Some supporters of the Occupy
movement on the Hill this

939
00:47:45,725 --> 00:47:49,591
morning had a huge banner
saying, "Liberals admit it,

940
00:47:49,591 --> 00:47:51,357
Obama let you down."

941
00:47:51,358 --> 00:47:55,124
How worried is the President
that the most liberal of his

942
00:47:55,124 --> 00:47:57,223
supporters won't show
up on Election Day?

943
00:47:58,458 --> 00:48:01,692
Mr. Carney:
These are questions I would
direct to the campaign.

944
00:48:01,692 --> 00:48:05,525
This President is focused on the
job he needs to do as President

945
00:48:05,525 --> 00:48:09,758
of the United States, and
he is focused primarily,

946
00:48:09,758 --> 00:48:11,191
when it comes to
domestic policy,

947
00:48:11,191 --> 00:48:18,591
on continuing the
recovery, improving growth,

948
00:48:18,591 --> 00:48:20,591
improving job creation.

949
00:48:22,258 --> 00:48:26,825
We have had some positive
signs in the economic picture,

950
00:48:26,825 --> 00:48:28,792
but we have a lot
more work to do.

951
00:48:28,792 --> 00:48:33,458
We have over the last many
months seen the creation of 3.2

952
00:48:33,458 --> 00:48:36,291
million private sector jobs, but
we have a lot more that need to

953
00:48:36,291 --> 00:48:39,391
be created in this country so
that we can get to the point

954
00:48:39,391 --> 00:48:42,725
where every American who wants a
job and is looking for a job can

955
00:48:42,725 --> 00:48:43,725
find a job.

956
00:48:43,725 --> 00:48:46,191
So that's what this
President is focused on.

957
00:48:46,191 --> 00:48:51,491
I think that he looks forward
to the debate about who has the

958
00:48:51,491 --> 00:48:55,625
better economic plan, who has
the best blueprint for our

959
00:48:55,625 --> 00:48:58,024
economic future.

960
00:48:58,024 --> 00:49:00,325
But that time hasn't come.

961
00:49:00,325 --> 00:49:03,091
He's now focused on the work
that he can do as President of

962
00:49:03,091 --> 00:49:05,625
the United States,
working with Congress,

963
00:49:05,625 --> 00:49:09,558
working with his -- working
through his executive authority,

964
00:49:09,558 --> 00:49:16,291
working with the private sector,
to do what he can do improve the

965
00:49:16,291 --> 00:49:20,625
American economy and improve
the job picture, as well as,

966
00:49:20,625 --> 00:49:23,291
obviously, our
national security.

967
00:49:23,291 --> 00:49:25,991
The Press:
But he understands that
they're -- some of them

968
00:49:25,991 --> 00:49:28,224
are very disappointed
with the type of --

969
00:49:28,224 --> 00:49:34,425
Mr. Carney:
I think this President
is very focused on the

970
00:49:34,425 --> 00:49:35,925
job he needs to do.

971
00:49:35,925 --> 00:49:45,591
The fact is that Americans of
every persuasion support the

972
00:49:45,591 --> 00:49:48,558
idea that we need to take
action to help the economy grow,

973
00:49:48,558 --> 00:49:51,658
support the idea that we need to
do the kinds of things that can

974
00:49:51,658 --> 00:49:53,658
put more Americans back to work.

975
00:49:55,925 --> 00:50:00,458
That message that the President
brought when he put forward the

976
00:50:00,458 --> 00:50:05,692
American Jobs Act was supported
by a broad majority of the

977
00:50:05,692 --> 00:50:09,058
American people,
including progressives,

978
00:50:09,058 --> 00:50:11,224
as well as independents
and even conservatives.

979
00:50:11,224 --> 00:50:14,692
So he's going to keep
pushing that agenda,

980
00:50:14,692 --> 00:50:18,158
keep pushing that approach, and
he'll let the politics of this

981
00:50:18,158 --> 00:50:19,158
take care of itself.

982
00:50:19,158 --> 00:50:19,857
The Press:
Thanks.

983
00:50:19,858 --> 00:50:21,024
Mr. Carney:
Thank you very much.