English subtitles for clip: File:1-27-14- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Carney: Welcome to
the White House

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on the day before the State of
the Union address.

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I have no announcements to
make, so I'll go straight

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to your questions.

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>> The Press: Let's
start with Syria.

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The talks in Geneva do
not seem to be going

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particularly well and now
the Syrian regime says

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they won't even discuss
Assad leaving,

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which has been non-negotiable

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for the U.S. So if the regime is
not even willing

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to discuss Assad leaving then
what really

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is the purpose of the talks?

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>> Mr. Carney: Well,
first of all,

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the issue of President Assad not
being a part of a transitional

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governing authority is not

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one for the United States to decide.

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The reason why it's
non-negotiable

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is not because the United States
says that,

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it's because the people of Syria
have said that,

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and the opposition has said that.

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And so the transitional
governing authority has to

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be one that is reached in
accordance and by mutual

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consent, and that's why
Assad cannot

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be part of the future of Syria
or part

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of this transitional authority.

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Now, I'm not in a position
to judge

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on a daily basis or give a play-by-play

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of the negotiations.

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The process, as you know,
is being run by the Joint

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Special Representative Brahimi

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and the United Nations.

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And as you will have seen
from his public comments

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over the past few days,
Mr. Brahimi has been

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keeping the press apprised
of developments each day,

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so he and his office are
the place

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to go for those kinds of evaluations.

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What's important is that
the two parties have sat

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in the same room over
the past several days to

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discuss critical issues,
and this process is

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ongoing and I would expect
quite a few ups and downs

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along the way.

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This was, as I said last
week and others,

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including the President, have
made clear,

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always going to be difficult,
but it is the only way

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to end the conflict in Syria.

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It has to be ended through

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a negotiated political settlement.

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So negotiations like this
are by their nature long

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and complicated, but the
aim is to find consensus,

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and that's what Mr.
Brahimi

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is focusing on.

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And he certainly has our
support in that effort.

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>> The Press: Is there
anything that you have

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seen on the ground in the
talks so far that gives

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you any confidence that
there is something that

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can be accomplished here?

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>> Mr. Carney: Of course
there's something that

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can be accomplished here,
and that

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is eventually to reach consensus.

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That's the purpose
of the negotiations.

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The fact is it took some
time to get there, but the

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parties are meeting and
the Geneva Communiqué

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is the foundational document

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around which they're meeting.

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And we are realistic about
how difficult this

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is going to be, but we are
completely convinced

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that this is the only way
forward for Syria,

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and that's through
negotiations.

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>> The Press: To talk
about the State

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of the Union a little bit, the
details that came --

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that the White House discussed
over the weekend indicated

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that the President is
going to focus

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a lot on executive action that
he can take himself

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if Congress does not want
to cooperate

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on certain issues.

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But as you've
acknowledged,

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there are limits to what the
President

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can do without Congress.

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So does this State of
the Union reflect

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a scaled-back agenda for
the President for 2014?

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>> Mr. Carney: I think
restoring security

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and economic vitality to the
middle class

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is a very ambitious goal.

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Restoring opportunity
for all and expanding

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opportunity for all, those
are very ambitious goals.

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And those are the
goals

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the President has identified.

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Those are the goals that
the President will work

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all year toward achieving.

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And he will -- in
conducting that work,

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he will use every means
available to him to move

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forward towards
achievement of those

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goals, and that includes
working with Congress

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and passing legislation and
signing it where Congress

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will work with him.

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But he simply won't stop
there, because,

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mindful of Congress's reluctance
to be cooperative at times,

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the President is going to
exercise his authority.

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He's going to use his pen
and his phone to advance

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an agenda that is focused
squarely on expanding

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opportunity; making sure
that in America,

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hard work and responsibility
are rewarded and that

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opportunity is expanded.

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So that's what
he's going to do.

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And I don't think there's
any way to describe

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that except as ambitious.

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And it would be the wrong
thing to do for this

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President or any President
to judge the progress

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we make as a nation, in
Washington --

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both in Washington and beyond,
only by the number

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of bills we get passed
through Congress, because

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the opportunity for
advancing the agenda that

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the President has through
other means

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is broad and deep, and he'll
explore it.

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>> The Press: Jay, on
Egypt,

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apparently General Al-Sisi is on
the brink of announcing his

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candidacy for the presidency.

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I'm wondering what you
make of this

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in light of his willingness to
use force against opposition

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in Egypt and the process
of Egyptian democracy

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that seems again to be leading
to a military leader.

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>> Mr. Carney: Well,
let me take apart that

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question and say a
couple of things.

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First of all, we recognize
the important

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decision that Egyptians made
regarding their

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constitution, and we
now look to the Egyptian

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government to implement
the rights protected

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and guaranteed under the
new constitution.

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And while the constitution
affords some improved

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protections for human
rights, we remain

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concerned about provisions
within

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it allowing civilians to be
tried in military courts.

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Checks and balances
between the military, the

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civilian government and
the judiciary

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will also be important.

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The Egyptian government
and the Egyptian people

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are navigating this
transition process

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in a security environment that
has been challenging and

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harmful for everyone.

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It is the responsibility
of any government

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to exercise restraint and to
do its utmost

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to safeguard human rights and
civil liberties,

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even when confronted with violence.

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If Egypt's leaders want
to ensure

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a political transition to
democracy that ultimately

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improves the stability and
economic prospects

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of their country and is
respected by the Egyptian

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people, they must unequivocally
ensure an environment

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that is free of intimidation
and retribution.

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Only the people of Egypt
can take the next steps

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in their transition, whether
it is determining that

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presidential elections
will take place before

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parliamentary ones, or
that Al-Sisi will

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be able to run.

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As they make these
decisions for themselves,

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we will continue to urge
them

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to do so in keeping with
the spirit of their revolution

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and in line with the commitments

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the interim government has made

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Any others?

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>> The Press: On the
Affordable Care Act --

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>> Mr. Carney: Yes.

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>> The Press: -- several
senators -- Burr, Coburn

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and Hatch -- have
apparently proposed not

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only repealing Obamacare,
but replacing it with

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legislation that would
provide

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their vision of health care.

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Can you comment on that?

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>> Mr. Carney: Well, we
haven't obviously

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seen a proposal.

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What I have seen in press
reports suggests

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that this looks very much like
just another repeal proposal,

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another attempt to raise
taxes on the middle class,

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to keep uninsured
Americans with preexisting

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conditions locked out of
the market,

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to raise costs on seniors, and
to take away Medicaid from

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the millions of Americans who
stand to gain coverage

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thanks to the expansion
that was part

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of the Affordable Care Act.

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It also raises questions
about what the impact

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could be on
employer-sponsored

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coverage, which could
potentially cause millions

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to lose the employer
plans they have today.

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Now, we haven't seen
further details,

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and yet we know, because we've
seen it time and again,

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that Republican energy
on this issue has been

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focused on repeal; focused
on, again and again

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and again, an ideological
pursuit that would result

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in depriving millions of
Americans

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of what are core benefits.

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It would result in
restoring in the health

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care and health insurance
equation in America

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the primacy of insurance
companies over

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individuals, giving back
to insurance companies the

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power to deny an American
coverage because

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he or she has a preexisting
condition or to charge

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women twice what they
charge

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men because they're women.

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We strongly believe
that's

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the wrong course of action.

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And as I said over the
weekend, embracing repeal

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as a legislative or
political strategy

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will not be successful in my
view for the Republicans.

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>> The Press: Finally,
can you comment?

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Republicans are meeting
this week

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to sort of map out their
strategy for the coming year.

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With regard to the debt
limit, raising the debt

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limit, there is reporting
that they may seek

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to attach provisions that
would make changes

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to the Affordable Care Act as
part of their conditions

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for increasing
the debt limit.

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You've been pretty
unequivocal in your

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position on that, but
can you comment

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on those efforts?

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>> Mr. Carney: On
the efforts

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you just described?

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>> The Press: Yes.

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>> Mr. Carney: Our view is
and our position

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is what it has always been: the
American people cannot,

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and the President will
not on their behalf,

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pay a ransom, an ideological
ransom just so that

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Congress will do its job
and pay

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the bills that Congress has racked up.

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That's just irresponsible.

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It would be, again, to
inflict serious damage

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on the economy and the middle
class at a time when the

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economy is poised to grow
further

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and to create even more jobs.

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So we're not going to pay
a ransom when it comes

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to ensuring that the United
States doesn't default

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for the first time
in its history.

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We saw this movie before.

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And a lot of Republicans,
including senior

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Republican leaders on
Capitol Hill,

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said after the shutdown and
after that disastrous

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ideological effort that
they would

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not go down that road again.

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So we certainly hope
that that's the case.

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Let me move around.

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Laura.

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>> The Press: There are
a lot of reactions

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and statements about the
security during

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the Olympic Games.

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What's the White House
reaction to that?

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>> Mr. Carney: Laura, as
I and we discussed

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last week, we are in regular
conversation

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with Russia about security
issues surrounding

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the Olympic Games.

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We will provide, as we
have in the past and with

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the cooperation of Russian
authorities,

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diplomatic security agents and
FBI agents who will assist

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Americans and the security
of Americans in Sochi.

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And I think it's important
to note that while there

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00:12:48,735 --> 00:12:52,305
is and has been an uptick
in threat reporting around

255
00:12:52,305 --> 00:12:54,239
the Games, that is both
a concern,

256
00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:55,875
but it is also something you
would expect.

257
00:12:55,875 --> 00:12:59,045
In an international event
of this nature

258
00:12:59,045 --> 00:13:02,147
with this much attention, there
are in the world

259
00:13:02,148 --> 00:13:05,518
we live in today frequently
circumstances where

260
00:13:05,518 --> 00:13:07,487
we see increased threats

261
00:13:07,487 --> 00:13:08,555
and increased threat reporting.

262
00:13:08,555 --> 00:13:10,656
So Lisa Monaco,
the President's

263
00:13:10,657 --> 00:13:12,559
Counterterrorism Advisor
and Homeland Security

264
00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:17,664
Advisor, is leading a
working group on this

265
00:13:17,664 --> 00:13:23,269
issue, and we will
continue to apprise the

266
00:13:23,269 --> 00:13:24,537
American people and
those Americans

267
00:13:24,537 --> 00:13:27,140
who are traveling to Sochi of
any information that

268
00:13:27,140 --> 00:13:31,343
we may have in order
to assist them.

269
00:13:31,344 --> 00:13:33,980
The State Department has
issued a travel alert,

270
00:13:33,980 --> 00:13:37,050
which is not to say that
Americans shouldn't

271
00:13:37,050 --> 00:13:41,087
go -- not at all -- but to
advise Americans of the

272
00:13:41,087 --> 00:13:43,156
precautions they should
take if they are going

273
00:13:43,156 --> 00:13:46,325
to Sochi, and to ensure that
they're registered

274
00:13:46,326 --> 00:13:48,328
or to recommend that they
register with

275
00:13:48,328 --> 00:13:52,932
the State Department so they can
receive information

276
00:13:52,932 --> 00:13:58,538
quickly should it be put
out for their purposes.

277
00:13:58,538 --> 00:14:01,508
So this is something we're
going to constantly focus

278
00:14:01,508 --> 00:14:06,112
on in the coming days and
weeks, and we will provide

279
00:14:06,112 --> 00:14:07,213
the American people with
additional

280
00:14:07,213 --> 00:14:08,548
information as we get it.

281
00:14:09,382 --> 00:14:10,449
>> The Press: And I
have a second question.

282
00:14:10,450 --> 00:14:13,153
Do you have any reaction
to the news that the

283
00:14:13,153 --> 00:14:15,522
French President is single
due to the fact he's

284
00:14:15,522 --> 00:14:17,824
coming for a state visit?

285
00:14:17,824 --> 00:14:19,391
Was it a problem for the
White House

286
00:14:19,392 --> 00:14:21,895
in terms of organization?

287
00:14:24,798 --> 00:14:25,932
>> Mr. Carney:
The answer is no.

288
00:14:25,932 --> 00:14:29,602
And to the second part
of the question,

289
00:14:29,602 --> 00:14:31,938
the President and everyone
here looks very much

290
00:14:31,938 --> 00:14:34,607
forward to the visit of
the French President

291
00:14:34,607 --> 00:14:39,312
for a state dinner and state
visit,

292
00:14:39,312 --> 00:14:40,313
and that remains the case.

293
00:14:40,313 --> 00:14:41,314
Ann.

294
00:14:42,248 --> 00:14:43,750
>> The Press:
Thank you, Jay.

295
00:14:43,750 --> 00:14:46,086
On the Olympics, has
Russia accepted

296
00:14:46,086 --> 00:14:50,023
any of the help that President
Obama has offered?

297
00:14:50,023 --> 00:14:51,024
And does the President

298
00:14:51,024 --> 00:14:52,025
have any concerns,

299
00:14:52,025 --> 00:14:53,760
the U.S. have any concerns that
the situation

300
00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:59,299
in Ukraine might be so unsettled
that Russia might

301
00:14:59,299 --> 00:15:02,401
try to take some action there to
avoid any spillover

302
00:15:02,402 --> 00:15:03,937
or problems during the Olympics?

303
00:15:04,604 --> 00:15:07,340
>> Mr. Carney: On the
first part,

304
00:15:07,340 --> 00:15:10,910
we are in regular conversations
with Russian authorities.

305
00:15:10,910 --> 00:15:11,978
We are always seeking more
information

306
00:15:11,978 --> 00:15:19,886
and we have offered any help
that the Russians might need.

307
00:15:19,886 --> 00:15:24,223
We strongly believe that
Russia believes

308
00:15:24,224 --> 00:15:29,496
it is in Russia's interest to
take every measure

309
00:15:29,496 --> 00:15:32,999
to ensure a safe and secure
Olympic Games --

310
00:15:32,999 --> 00:15:34,401
I think that's self-evident.

311
00:15:34,401 --> 00:15:41,107
And we are obviously in
a situation -- not as the

312
00:15:41,107 --> 00:15:45,145
host country, but as a
visiting participant --

313
00:15:45,145 --> 00:15:47,947
not in security lead but
we are able to do what

314
00:15:47,947 --> 00:15:51,084
we can to take precautions.

315
00:15:51,084 --> 00:15:52,584
The Department of Defense
has talked about

316
00:15:52,585 --> 00:15:54,354
some of those precautions.

317
00:15:54,354 --> 00:15:57,390
I don't have a readout of
conversations

318
00:15:57,390 --> 00:16:03,496
in terms of what we have offered
and what the Russian response

319
00:16:03,496 --> 00:16:06,866
has been, but we are
simply always eager

320
00:16:06,866 --> 00:16:08,935
to get as much information as we
can in a situation

321
00:16:08,935 --> 00:16:11,103
like this and working with the
Russians

322
00:16:11,104 --> 00:16:13,940
in that regard and, of course,
making clear to them that we're

323
00:16:13,940 --> 00:16:16,710
ready to provide whatever
assistance we can

324
00:16:16,710 --> 00:16:19,612
to help make the games as
secure as possible.

325
00:16:19,913 --> 00:16:20,914
>> The Press: Will the
President talk about

326
00:16:20,914 --> 00:16:21,915
the Games at all during

327
00:16:21,915 --> 00:16:22,982
the State of the Union address?

328
00:16:22,982 --> 00:16:25,418
Can you give us any sense
of whether this address

329
00:16:25,418 --> 00:16:27,020
will look like past ones
in terms

330
00:16:27,020 --> 00:16:28,722
of length and structure?

331
00:16:30,657 --> 00:16:32,759
>> Mr. Carney: I have no
further details

332
00:16:32,759 --> 00:16:34,361
to provide on the State of
the Union address.

333
00:16:34,361 --> 00:16:37,230
I very much want it to be
exciting and surprising

334
00:16:37,230 --> 00:16:39,032
when you hear it
tomorrow night.

335
00:16:39,032 --> 00:16:42,002
I think that it's fair to
say an address

336
00:16:42,002 --> 00:16:47,306
like this covers a lot of
territory, as it always has

337
00:16:47,307 --> 00:16:51,711
in the past, so I wouldn't be
surprised if that were

338
00:16:51,711 --> 00:16:52,712
the case tomorrow night.

339
00:16:52,712 --> 00:16:56,282
The President is
continuing to work

340
00:16:56,282 --> 00:16:59,886
on the speech with his team,
led

341
00:16:59,886 --> 00:17:04,790
by Director of Speechwriting
Cody Keenan, and he very much

342
00:17:04,790 --> 00:17:07,027
looks forward to the opportunity
to deliver

343
00:17:07,027 --> 00:17:08,728
the address tomorrow night, 9:00 p.m. Eastern Standard.

344
00:17:13,199 --> 00:17:15,368
>> The Press: Getting back to
the executive actions

345
00:17:15,367 --> 00:17:18,704
the President will be talking
about tomorrow night,

346
00:17:18,704 --> 00:17:20,406
if this is the right course

347
00:17:20,406 --> 00:17:23,643
of action for the coming year,
why has he not taken it already?

348
00:17:24,644 --> 00:17:26,279
>> Mr. Carney: Well,
Jim, two points.

349
00:17:26,279 --> 00:17:31,284
One, the President has
embraced the idea

350
00:17:31,284 --> 00:17:36,723
in the past that he can use his
authority as President

351
00:17:36,723 --> 00:17:41,628
and the powers available to
the President to advance

352
00:17:41,628 --> 00:17:45,764
his agenda on behalf
of the American people.

353
00:17:45,765 --> 00:17:49,235
What we have said is that
he views 2014 as a year

354
00:17:49,235 --> 00:17:53,572
of action and that he has
tasked his team

355
00:17:53,573 --> 00:17:59,813
to come up with new ways in
which we can -- he can --

356
00:17:59,813 --> 00:18:00,814
advance that agenda.

357
00:18:00,814 --> 00:18:03,216
And that includes
legislative proposals and

358
00:18:03,216 --> 00:18:06,953
advances, as well as
ways that we can move

359
00:18:06,953 --> 00:18:10,290
the country forward and expand
opportunity and reward

360
00:18:10,290 --> 00:18:14,961
hard work through either
executive action,

361
00:18:14,961 --> 00:18:19,432
signing executive orders, or
through using the bully

362
00:18:19,432 --> 00:18:21,901
pulpit -- or the modern
bully pulpit,

363
00:18:21,901 --> 00:18:25,572
the phone -- by bringing people
together around an issue

364
00:18:25,572 --> 00:18:29,575
so that it gets the focus
that a White House

365
00:18:29,576 --> 00:18:33,413
event or endorsement
can give you.

366
00:18:33,413 --> 00:18:37,283
You saw that recently when
we had college presidents

367
00:18:37,283 --> 00:18:41,487
from across the country
here and that was very

368
00:18:41,488 --> 00:18:45,525
much an example of what
the White House

369
00:18:45,525 --> 00:18:49,329
can do in advancing an agenda
not

370
00:18:49,329 --> 00:18:50,864
necessarily through Congress.

371
00:18:50,864 --> 00:18:52,766
You've seen it with the
Promise Zones and the

372
00:18:52,766 --> 00:18:55,101
manufacturing hubs
that

373
00:18:55,101 --> 00:18:57,137
the President has highlighted.

374
00:18:57,137 --> 00:18:59,472
And I expect you'll see
him take action

375
00:18:59,472 --> 00:19:01,941
in other areas.

376
00:19:01,941 --> 00:19:05,712
The President's view is
that he should use every

377
00:19:05,712 --> 00:19:11,885
tool available to him to
move the country forward

378
00:19:11,885 --> 00:19:17,624
and to rally communities,
businesses around

379
00:19:17,624 --> 00:19:22,696
the country as well as elected
officials and others --

380
00:19:22,696 --> 00:19:26,032
even journalists, among
those at least

381
00:19:26,032 --> 00:19:31,370
who aren't jaded -- to the idea
that -- it's just a joke --

382
00:19:31,371 --> 00:19:33,306
that we can move this
country forward together.

383
00:19:35,275 --> 00:19:37,577
And "together" doesn't
just mean with Congress.

384
00:19:37,577 --> 00:19:41,581
It means all of us
together, and it means not

385
00:19:41,581 --> 00:19:42,716
just folks in Washington.

386
00:19:42,716 --> 00:19:44,883
So I think that's a theme
that you've heard the

387
00:19:44,884 --> 00:19:47,153
President discuss before,
and you can expect

388
00:19:47,153 --> 00:19:50,423
he'll discuss soon and
in the future.

389
00:19:53,893 --> 00:19:55,695
>> The Press: On that subject,
you used

390
00:19:55,695 --> 00:19:56,696
the worded "jaded" there.

391
00:19:57,430 --> 00:19:58,565
>> Mr. Carney: Only
talking about journalists.

392
00:19:58,865 --> 00:20:00,066
>> The Press: Yes.

393
00:20:00,066 --> 00:20:01,234
Is the President
frustrated?

394
00:20:01,234 --> 00:20:02,802
Is he flustered?

395
00:20:02,802 --> 00:20:04,303
Is he feeling feisty?

396
00:20:05,171 --> 00:20:05,605
>> Mr. Carney: There's
a lot

397
00:20:05,605 --> 00:20:06,373
of alliteration happening here.

398
00:20:06,373 --> 00:20:07,374
[Laughter]

399
00:20:08,041 --> 00:20:08,575
>> The Press: What is the state --

400
00:20:09,075 --> 00:20:09,542
>> The Press: Only "f" words.

401
00:20:09,542 --> 00:20:11,811
[Laughter]

402
00:20:11,811 --> 00:20:12,245
>> The Press: I'll stop there, but --

403
00:20:12,245 --> 00:20:16,149
[laughter] -- what's his state of mind?

404
00:20:17,650 --> 00:20:21,087
>> Mr. Carney: He is
fantastically enthused and

405
00:20:21,087 --> 00:20:24,190
enthusiastic about
all of the --

406
00:20:24,190 --> 00:20:25,458
>> The Press: He sounds like
he's frustrated with Congress.

407
00:20:25,458 --> 00:20:28,061
It sounds like he's
frustrated and maybe

408
00:20:28,061 --> 00:20:28,762
a little bit flustered.

409
00:20:28,962 --> 00:20:29,796
>> Mr. Carney: Well, he's
an American citizen,

410
00:20:29,796 --> 00:20:33,500
and it stands to reason that
he might be frustrated

411
00:20:33,500 --> 00:20:37,570
with Congress since most
American citizens are.

412
00:20:37,570 --> 00:20:39,438
That doesn't mean that we
can't get things

413
00:20:39,439 --> 00:20:40,440
done with Congress.

414
00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,575
He's also very optimistic.

415
00:20:42,575 --> 00:20:45,145
And while, for good
reason,

416
00:20:45,145 --> 00:20:49,014
most Americans may not have
noted the passage of the budget

417
00:20:49,015 --> 00:20:51,751
deal or the passage of the
omnibus legislation,

418
00:20:51,751 --> 00:20:54,988
we in this room know and a lot
of people in Washington

419
00:20:54,988 --> 00:20:58,024
understand that that
was a pretty big deal.

420
00:20:58,024 --> 00:21:02,896
That was a break from the
path that Congress

421
00:21:02,896 --> 00:21:07,801
had been traveling in dealing
with these issues.

422
00:21:07,801 --> 00:21:12,272
It was an example of what
can happen when Democrats

423
00:21:12,272 --> 00:21:14,240
and Republicans get
together,

424
00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,277
acknowledge their sincere
differences but find common

425
00:21:17,277 --> 00:21:18,645
ground and move the country forward.

426
00:21:19,846 --> 00:21:23,683
And just doing that
relatively modest deal

427
00:21:23,683 --> 00:21:26,920
means that a substantial
portion of those harmful

428
00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:30,423
across-the-board cuts
called the sequester

429
00:21:30,423 --> 00:21:32,492
are eliminated -- is
eliminated --

430
00:21:32,492 --> 00:21:37,430
and that investments in
education and manufacturing

431
00:21:37,430 --> 00:21:38,431
will go forward.

432
00:21:38,431 --> 00:21:43,770
And we won't have at least
-- setting aside the debt

433
00:21:43,770 --> 00:21:47,639
ceiling and the question I
took earlier from Mark,

434
00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:51,578
at least on the issue of
the budget, we won't see

435
00:21:51,578 --> 00:21:57,050
Congress deliberately
inflicting a wound

436
00:21:57,050 --> 00:21:58,251
on the American economy.

437
00:21:58,251 --> 00:22:01,120
Simply by restoring
regular order,

438
00:22:01,121 --> 00:22:04,791
they have created the
possibility that the economy

439
00:22:04,791 --> 00:22:08,695
can grow and create jobs quicker
and faster

440
00:22:08,695 --> 00:22:10,562
and better than it has in the past.

441
00:22:10,997 --> 00:22:12,399
>> The Press: But if you're
seeing some cooperation from

442
00:22:12,399 --> 00:22:13,899
Congress -- they passed
a budget,

443
00:22:13,900 --> 00:22:16,336
the Speaker has talked about
immigration,

444
00:22:16,336 --> 00:22:19,439
breaking it up into pieces, the
President sounds amendable

445
00:22:19,439 --> 00:22:21,241
to that -- if you're getting
some cooperation,

446
00:22:21,241 --> 00:22:24,610
why send this running shot down
Pennsylvania Avenue that

447
00:22:24,611 --> 00:22:25,578
you're going to go
over their heads?

448
00:22:25,578 --> 00:22:26,579
>> Mr. Carney: I think
you're misinterpreting

449
00:22:26,579 --> 00:22:27,580
what we're saying here.

450
00:22:27,580 --> 00:22:28,581
We're not saying --
this

451
00:22:28,581 --> 00:22:30,015
is not an either-or proposition.

452
00:22:30,016 --> 00:22:31,651
It's a both-and.

453
00:22:31,651 --> 00:22:36,923
It's reaching out to
Congress and looking

454
00:22:36,923 --> 00:22:38,925
forward to the possibility
of further bipartisan

455
00:22:38,925 --> 00:22:44,831
cooperation on big,
medium and small issues.

456
00:22:44,831 --> 00:22:47,000
And that includes a really
big one --

457
00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,169
comprehensive immigration reform.

458
00:22:49,169 --> 00:22:51,871
There is opportunity for
bipartisan

459
00:22:51,871 --> 00:22:53,873
cooperation in Congress.

460
00:22:53,873 --> 00:22:55,709
Obviously we don't
control that entirely.

461
00:22:55,709 --> 00:22:59,679
It is up to the decisions
made by Republican leaders

462
00:22:59,679 --> 00:23:03,483
whether or not they want
to reach across the aisle

463
00:23:03,483 --> 00:23:06,152
or whether they want to
come to an agreement

464
00:23:06,152 --> 00:23:08,021
with the President
and Democrats.

465
00:23:08,021 --> 00:23:09,522
But if they do, if
they see it as in their

466
00:23:09,522 --> 00:23:10,756
interest as well as
hopefully

467
00:23:10,757 --> 00:23:14,694
the American people's interest,
we can get some business done.

468
00:23:14,694 --> 00:23:15,962
And we'll pursue that.

469
00:23:15,962 --> 00:23:18,932
But we're not going
to pursue only that.

470
00:23:18,932 --> 00:23:20,667
That would be folly.

471
00:23:20,667 --> 00:23:22,735
We should absolutely --
and the President should

472
00:23:22,736 --> 00:23:25,005
absolutely -- use the
powers available

473
00:23:25,005 --> 00:23:29,342
to him and the unique authority
that the office provides

474
00:23:29,342 --> 00:23:32,245
to move forward on
expanding opportunity,

475
00:23:32,245 --> 00:23:33,746
on job creation, on
manufacturing,

476
00:23:33,747 --> 00:23:35,815
on education, and he's
going to do that.

477
00:23:36,349 --> 00:23:38,051
>> The Press: And just very
quickly on Sochi, just to follow

478
00:23:38,051 --> 00:23:41,321
up, because last week
Secretary Hagel said that

479
00:23:41,321 --> 00:23:43,156
the Russians have
essentially agreed

480
00:23:43,156 --> 00:23:45,725
if the United States feels like
it needs to go in and

481
00:23:45,725 --> 00:23:46,926
extract athletes, extract
Americans,

482
00:23:46,926 --> 00:23:49,529
that the United States will be
able to do that.

483
00:23:49,529 --> 00:23:51,698
Is that the President's
understanding

484
00:23:51,698 --> 00:23:54,467
of how President Putin feels,
that that will be allowed?

485
00:23:55,835 --> 00:23:57,237
>> Mr. Carney: Well,
Secretary Hagel

486
00:23:57,237 --> 00:24:00,573
would know far more than I about
the specifics

487
00:24:00,573 --> 00:24:01,841
of those conversations
with the Russians.

488
00:24:01,841 --> 00:24:04,777
We do, as the Department
of Defense announced some

489
00:24:04,778 --> 00:24:09,182
time ago now, have two
ships in the Black Sea

490
00:24:09,182 --> 00:24:10,316
prepared for that
contingency

491
00:24:10,316 --> 00:24:11,317
if it should arrive.

492
00:24:11,317 --> 00:24:14,654
That's precautionary;
that's not in anticipation

493
00:24:14,654 --> 00:24:17,824
of something happening.

494
00:24:17,824 --> 00:24:19,426
But certainly the Defense
Department made

495
00:24:19,426 --> 00:24:23,629
clear that that is one reason why the

496
00:24:23,630 --> 00:24:26,566
ships are there -- would be there.

497
00:24:26,566 --> 00:24:27,734
So for more details I'd
refer

498
00:24:27,734 --> 00:24:28,735
you to the Defense Department.

499
00:24:28,735 --> 00:24:31,971
I certainly defer to
Secretary Hagel on that.

500
00:24:31,971 --> 00:24:32,972
April.

501
00:24:33,873 --> 00:24:34,874
>> The Press: Jay, I want
to follow up on some words

502
00:24:34,874 --> 00:24:35,942
you said to Ann Compton.

503
00:24:35,942 --> 00:24:38,144
You said "exciting"
and "surprising."

504
00:24:38,144 --> 00:24:41,748
What would be exciting
and surprising about

505
00:24:41,748 --> 00:24:43,783
this State of the
Union address?

506
00:24:43,983 --> 00:24:44,918
>> Mr. Carney: Well, it
wouldn't be exciting

507
00:24:44,918 --> 00:24:46,619
or surprising if I
told you today.

508
00:24:47,821 --> 00:24:48,620
>> The Press: But just
give us the exciting part.

509
00:24:48,621 --> 00:24:49,155
[Laughter]

510
00:24:49,856 --> 00:24:50,457
>> The Press: Will
there be fireworks?

511
00:24:50,623 --> 00:24:51,591
>> Mr. Carney: I'll tell
you what's exciting.

512
00:24:51,591 --> 00:24:55,061
At least since I've been
working on this side

513
00:24:55,061 --> 00:24:58,231
of the podium -- and that
includes my two years

514
00:24:58,231 --> 00:25:00,600
prior to becoming Press
Secretary --

515
00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:04,803
we have not had an opportunity
like we see this year when

516
00:25:04,804 --> 00:25:08,408
it comes to the state of our
economy and the potential

517
00:25:08,408 --> 00:25:14,214
for it to grow and create
jobs without either

518
00:25:14,214 --> 00:25:17,751
the enormous headwinds of the
worst recession since

519
00:25:17,751 --> 00:25:22,055
the Great Depression or the
Eurozone crisis,

520
00:25:22,055 --> 00:25:28,294
or, beginning in 2011, the
ideological roadblocks

521
00:25:28,294 --> 00:25:31,064
that were thrown up by
Republicans in Congress.

522
00:25:31,064 --> 00:25:33,433
Now, of course, the last
part remains to be seen --

523
00:25:33,433 --> 00:25:35,468
there's opportunity
for that kind

524
00:25:35,468 --> 00:25:41,241
of problem-causing
by Republicans.

525
00:25:41,241 --> 00:25:42,475
But as I was noting
earlier,

526
00:25:42,475 --> 00:25:46,879
the budget deal and the omnibus
passage has created

527
00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,183
an opportunity here, and we
hope to seize it.

528
00:25:50,183 --> 00:25:52,919
So that's only to say that
it's very exciting

529
00:25:52,919 --> 00:25:58,925
to be here and confronted with
the opportunity

530
00:26:01,695 --> 00:26:04,731
to take action that the
President sees before him,

531
00:26:04,731 --> 00:26:06,900
and that means working with
Congress where Congress

532
00:26:06,900 --> 00:26:08,335
will work with us, and it
means moving

533
00:26:08,335 --> 00:26:10,837
forward using his authority
where Congress

534
00:26:10,837 --> 00:26:12,305
won't work with us.

535
00:26:12,305 --> 00:26:14,941
And that's what I think
the American people expect

536
00:26:14,941 --> 00:26:17,811
of him and of the others
they sent

537
00:26:17,811 --> 00:26:18,812
to Washington, to Congress.

538
00:26:19,779 --> 00:26:20,880
>> The Press: And I want
to ask you a question

539
00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:21,815
on the State of the Union.

540
00:26:21,815 --> 00:26:24,250
Last year, at the very end
of the State of the Union,

541
00:26:24,250 --> 00:26:26,586
the President made it
clear that

542
00:26:26,586 --> 00:26:27,587
he was pushing for gun control.

543
00:26:27,587 --> 00:26:31,324
And the State of the Union
comes, tomorrow,

544
00:26:31,324 --> 00:26:34,260
at a time when we're seeing
increased gun violence,

545
00:26:34,260 --> 00:26:36,696
increased gun fatalities
-- the most recent

546
00:26:36,696 --> 00:26:40,766
publicized gun shooting --
Columbia, Maryland,

547
00:26:40,767 --> 00:26:41,968
down the road from here.

548
00:26:41,968 --> 00:26:44,571
Should we expect to
hear the President

549
00:26:44,571 --> 00:26:47,540
say something about gun
control, be it states

550
00:26:47,540 --> 00:26:49,843
versus some kind of
federal effort

551
00:26:49,843 --> 00:26:52,345
for gun control, or pushing it
to the states --

552
00:26:52,345 --> 00:26:55,949
each state to do something that
might not create uniformity

553
00:26:55,949 --> 00:26:56,549
throughout the nation?

554
00:26:58,151 --> 00:26:59,552
>> Mr. Carney: April, as
I've said in answer

555
00:26:59,552 --> 00:27:02,688
to other questions about what
specifically might

556
00:27:02,689 --> 00:27:06,459
be in the State of the Union,
I'm going

557
00:27:06,459 --> 00:27:08,294
to
ask you to bear with us and wait

558
00:27:08,294 --> 00:27:09,696
to see what the President says.

559
00:27:09,696 --> 00:27:14,533
The President's commitment
to taking common-sense

560
00:27:14,534 --> 00:27:17,537
steps to reduce gun
violence

561
00:27:17,537 --> 00:27:18,805
remains very strong.

562
00:27:18,805 --> 00:27:24,678
He, as I said over the
weekend and frequently,

563
00:27:24,678 --> 00:27:27,514
was very disappointed by
Congress's failure

564
00:27:27,514 --> 00:27:29,748
to heed the will of the
overwhelming majority

565
00:27:29,749 --> 00:27:31,384
of the American people --
in blue states,

566
00:27:31,384 --> 00:27:34,020
in red states, in purple states

567
00:27:34,020 --> 00:27:37,389
-- to expand background checks.

568
00:27:37,390 --> 00:27:42,562
But he committed and
remains --

569
00:27:42,562 --> 00:27:43,562
he committed then and he remains
committed

570
00:27:43,563 --> 00:27:47,200
now to taking action where he
can to reduce gun violence,

571
00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:48,201
and he'll do that.

572
00:27:48,201 --> 00:27:50,770
And you've seen that
in the action that

573
00:27:50,770 --> 00:27:54,240
the administration has taken
in fulfilling

574
00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:56,509
the 23 executive actions that
were laid out

575
00:27:56,509 --> 00:27:59,746
in the plan to reduce gun
violence, the President's plan

576
00:27:59,746 --> 00:28:02,048
to reduce gun violence, and
in his commitment

577
00:28:02,048 --> 00:28:04,684
to take action where he sees
he's able

578
00:28:04,684 --> 00:28:05,685
to do it in the future.

579
00:28:05,685 --> 00:28:07,787
But beyond that, I'm just
not going to get

580
00:28:07,787 --> 00:28:09,422
into specifics that he -- will
he or won't he talk about,

581
00:28:09,422 --> 00:28:10,590
or how much will he or
won't

582
00:28:10,590 --> 00:28:13,927
he talk about any issue.

583
00:28:14,828 --> 00:28:15,795
>> The Press: What if he does
not say anything

584
00:28:15,795 --> 00:28:16,529
about gun control?

585
00:28:16,996 --> 00:28:17,397
>> Mr. Carney: Well,
that's another way

586
00:28:17,397 --> 00:28:18,231
of asking me what he's --

587
00:28:18,431 --> 00:28:19,366
>> The Press: Well, that's
right, that's why I'm asking.

588
00:28:20,266 --> 00:28:22,102
>> Mr. Carney: I think
you should just --

589
00:28:22,102 --> 00:28:24,838
and we should all wait to see
what he says

590
00:28:24,838 --> 00:28:26,306
in the speech on all these issues.

591
00:28:29,142 --> 00:28:30,510
>> The Press:
Jay, is the President --

592
00:28:30,510 --> 00:28:32,946
we've been told it's going

593
00:28:32,946 --> 00:28:34,014
to be an
optimistic speech.

594
00:28:34,014 --> 00:28:35,548
Does he believe the
country

595
00:28:35,548 --> 00:28:36,316
is headed in the right direction?

596
00:28:37,350 --> 00:28:38,885
>> Mr. Carney: He believes
the country

597
00:28:38,885 --> 00:28:44,456
is poised to grow stronger, to
create more jobs,

598
00:28:44,457 --> 00:28:47,494
and in doing so, to create more
opportunity

599
00:28:47,494 --> 00:28:51,231
for middle-class Americans
who have been squeezed

600
00:28:51,231 --> 00:28:54,100
fiercely for a
long time now.

601
00:28:54,100 --> 00:28:58,471
They were already feeling
very squeezed,

602
00:28:58,471 --> 00:29:00,040
and then they got hit with the
worst recession

603
00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,976
since the Great Depression, and
they got hit hard.

604
00:29:02,976 --> 00:29:05,912
And we as a country, and
thanks to the grit and

605
00:29:05,912 --> 00:29:07,981
determination of the
American people,

606
00:29:07,981 --> 00:29:10,316
have been pulling ourselves out
of that hole

607
00:29:10,316 --> 00:29:12,519
and we have been growing and creating jobs.

608
00:29:12,519 --> 00:29:13,553
But there's a lot of
work to do,

609
00:29:13,553 --> 00:29:17,290
and this year creates -- or
presents an opportunity

610
00:29:17,290 --> 00:29:20,159
to accomplish a lot of that work.

611
00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:22,095
We can do it in
cooperation with Congress,

612
00:29:22,095 --> 00:29:24,597
and where Congress will
not cooperate

613
00:29:24,597 --> 00:29:29,002
we can and will do it engaging
with Americans across the

614
00:29:29,002 --> 00:29:30,904
country and utilizing the
authorities

615
00:29:30,904 --> 00:29:31,871
the President has.

616
00:29:31,871 --> 00:29:35,241
So, yes, he feels very
optimistic about that.

617
00:29:35,408 --> 00:29:36,309
>> The Press: He does feel the
country is headed

618
00:29:36,309 --> 00:29:37,811
in the right direction, period,
or only

619
00:29:37,811 --> 00:29:41,081
if he can implement a majority of his agenda?

620
00:29:42,282 --> 00:29:43,116
>> Mr. Carney: The
President believes that

621
00:29:43,116 --> 00:29:46,152
the country is continuing
to grow out of the

622
00:29:46,152 --> 00:29:50,724
recovery and continuing to
create jobs,

623
00:29:50,724 --> 00:29:51,758
but we can do much more.

624
00:29:51,758 --> 00:29:52,759
And our --

625
00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:54,427
>> The Press: But why is the
country, then, so pessimistic?

626
00:29:54,427 --> 00:29:55,928
Why is he more optimistic
than the country?

627
00:29:56,262 --> 00:29:56,863
>> Mr. Carney: Because we
are still not --

628
00:29:56,863 --> 00:30:01,034
well, I get the frame you're
trying to place

629
00:30:01,034 --> 00:30:02,402
on what I'm saying.

630
00:30:02,402 --> 00:30:04,004
He is optimistic
about this country.

631
00:30:04,004 --> 00:30:05,004
He always has been.

632
00:30:05,005 --> 00:30:07,173
Even in the depths of the
recession,

633
00:30:07,173 --> 00:30:10,643
he has been fiercely optimistic
about the potential

634
00:30:10,643 --> 00:30:18,084
of America and his absolute
faith that America's

635
00:30:18,084 --> 00:30:20,320
best days remain ahead of it.

636
00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:22,187
But it requires --

637
00:30:22,589 --> 00:30:23,656
>> The Press: That sounds
like a TV campaign --

638
00:30:23,857 --> 00:30:24,456
>> Mr. Carney: No, but it
requires --

639
00:30:24,457 --> 00:30:25,825
but that's who he is constitutionally.

640
00:30:26,059 --> 00:30:26,826
>> The Press: I
understand that, but --

641
00:30:26,993 --> 00:30:27,527
>> Mr. Carney: Now, how do
we get --

642
00:30:27,527 --> 00:30:30,830
how do we lock that in?

643
00:30:30,830 --> 00:30:36,569
We do it by, A, in
Washington, not throwing

644
00:30:36,569 --> 00:30:38,738
a wrench into the work
through threatening

645
00:30:38,738 --> 00:30:42,976
default again, or
going down the road

646
00:30:42,976 --> 00:30:47,080
of re-litigating old fights,
or pursuing partisan

647
00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:49,049
ideological agendas that
serve

648
00:30:49,049 --> 00:30:51,051
no one's interests
out in the country

649
00:30:51,051 --> 00:30:52,118
but serve a lot of special

650
00:30:52,118 --> 00:30:53,620
interests here
in Washington?

651
00:30:53,620 --> 00:30:55,822
So we all do that.

652
00:30:55,822 --> 00:30:59,024
That's at least resisting
the urge that is sometimes

653
00:30:59,025 --> 00:31:01,394
felt in some quarters in
Washington to do harm.

654
00:31:01,394 --> 00:31:02,796
Then there's the
possibility of actually

655
00:31:02,796 --> 00:31:06,700
doing good, and that means
passing legislation like

656
00:31:06,700 --> 00:31:08,034
comprehensive immigration
reform that

657
00:31:08,034 --> 00:31:11,137
can do enormous good to the
economy,

658
00:31:11,137 --> 00:31:13,740
provide enormous benefits to our
businesses, provide

659
00:31:13,740 --> 00:31:16,042
enormous added security
to our borders,

660
00:31:16,042 --> 00:31:20,213
provide enormous security for
the middle class and benefits

661
00:31:20,213 --> 00:31:21,748
for the middle class.

662
00:31:21,748 --> 00:31:22,749
We ought to do that.

663
00:31:22,749 --> 00:31:23,750
And there are other
things that

664
00:31:23,750 --> 00:31:25,418
we can do with Congress.

665
00:31:25,418 --> 00:31:26,753
But that's not all.

666
00:31:26,753 --> 00:31:28,754
We can do more, and the
President looks forward

667
00:31:28,755 --> 00:31:30,623
to doing more using
the authority

668
00:31:30,623 --> 00:31:31,624
of the presidency.

669
00:31:32,192 --> 00:31:32,726
>> The Press: Are you
concerned that the country

670
00:31:32,726 --> 00:31:36,363
has tuned out
Washington in general?

671
00:31:36,363 --> 00:31:37,664
Not just the President
but,

672
00:31:37,664 --> 00:31:39,232
I mean, all of Washington, all of us?

673
00:31:39,532 --> 00:31:46,172
>> Mr. Carney: I am fairly
confident that Americans

674
00:31:46,172 --> 00:31:50,076
around the country, by
and large,

675
00:31:50,076 --> 00:31:52,178
are focused on their own lives.

676
00:31:52,178 --> 00:31:53,179
They're focused on
what's happening

677
00:31:53,179 --> 00:31:54,347
in their communities.

678
00:31:54,347 --> 00:31:55,615
They're focused on what's
happening

679
00:31:55,615 --> 00:31:59,285
in their work lives, their
families, their kids.

680
00:32:03,223 --> 00:32:04,324
To the extent they're
focused on what's

681
00:32:04,324 --> 00:32:05,892
happening in Washington,
they are hoping that

682
00:32:05,892 --> 00:32:10,497
Washington is not causing
them problems,

683
00:32:10,497 --> 00:32:13,933
at the very least, and is
potentially helping their cause.

684
00:32:13,933 --> 00:32:16,169
And that's what the
President believes we can

685
00:32:16,169 --> 00:32:18,638
do here and that
he can do here.

686
00:32:18,638 --> 00:32:21,140
The skepticism that the
American people

687
00:32:21,141 --> 00:32:22,976
have about Washington is
well-founded,

688
00:32:22,976 --> 00:32:27,280
based on what we saw in October
when Republicans decided

689
00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:31,484
to shut the government
down out of pique and

690
00:32:31,484 --> 00:32:33,620
frustration and
ideological fervor,

691
00:32:33,620 --> 00:32:37,724
that did a lot of harm to
the middle class

692
00:32:37,724 --> 00:32:39,458
for no reason.

693
00:32:39,459 --> 00:32:42,562
And what we've seen
since then

694
00:32:42,562 --> 00:32:51,771
is at least an improvement
in the approach taken

695
00:32:51,771 --> 00:32:54,640
by Republicans reflected in
the budget deal

696
00:32:54,641 --> 00:32:58,311
and the passage of the omnibus,
and in some

697
00:32:58,311 --> 00:33:01,481
of what we've been hearing about
an interest in moving forward

698
00:33:01,481 --> 00:33:03,450
on immigration reform,
and in some other

699
00:33:03,450 --> 00:33:05,685
areas as well -- which is not to
say that suddenly

700
00:33:05,685 --> 00:33:06,852
we're all in harmony.

701
00:33:06,853 --> 00:33:07,854
We're not.

702
00:33:07,854 --> 00:33:08,855
>> The Press: I was just
going to say you guys

703
00:33:08,855 --> 00:33:10,990
basically had a goose egg
for the 2013 State

704
00:33:10,990 --> 00:33:12,826
of the Union, and you're still
waiting on immigration

705
00:33:12,826 --> 00:33:14,127
reform, still trying to
get some of this stuff

706
00:33:14,127 --> 00:33:15,662
done, and I know some of
it's going to be in --

707
00:33:15,662 --> 00:33:20,333
how do you prevent -- how do
you make the 2014 agenda

708
00:33:20,333 --> 00:33:23,003
have essentially more
successes

709
00:33:23,003 --> 00:33:24,404
than what you got last time?

710
00:33:24,537 --> 00:33:25,372
>> Mr. Carney: Well, look,
I think, again --

711
00:33:25,372 --> 00:33:28,174
I'll take a couple of
whacks at this.

712
00:33:28,174 --> 00:33:33,812
First, it is certainly
not how we view it,

713
00:33:33,813 --> 00:33:37,183
and I would suggest should not
be how you view it,

714
00:33:37,183 --> 00:33:41,654
that -- success in Washington
of a President

715
00:33:43,823 --> 00:33:45,558
of any party should not be
measured alone

716
00:33:45,558 --> 00:33:49,529
by how many bills Congress passes.

717
00:33:49,529 --> 00:33:53,533
And honestly, given what
this President

718
00:33:53,533 --> 00:33:56,069
has signed into law over
the course of his presidency,

719
00:33:56,069 --> 00:34:00,072
I can say that from a position
of pretty solid assurance

720
00:34:00,073 --> 00:34:02,809
that history will judge
the legislation

721
00:34:02,809 --> 00:34:04,711
this President has gotten
passed

722
00:34:04,711 --> 00:34:08,181
as huge and important.

723
00:34:08,181 --> 00:34:10,116
But there is more and
there is more potential

724
00:34:10,116 --> 00:34:11,117
out there -- there's more

725
00:34:11,117 --> 00:34:13,219
to do and there's more potential.

726
00:34:13,219 --> 00:34:17,524
What is also true is that
you lay out goals

727
00:34:17,524 --> 00:34:20,592
at the beginning of the year
that aren't limited

728
00:34:20,592 --> 00:34:22,261
to a one-year evaluation --
comprehensive immigration

729
00:34:22,262 --> 00:34:29,302
reform; there's no
question we would have

730
00:34:29,302 --> 00:34:31,204
liked to have seen it
passed

731
00:34:31,204 --> 00:34:36,976
by both houses and signed
into law before the end of 2013.

732
00:34:36,976 --> 00:34:40,347
But we'll absolutely be
glad and the country

733
00:34:40,347 --> 00:34:44,417
will benefit if the House moves
and follows the path

734
00:34:44,417 --> 00:34:47,020
the Senate laid by passing
comprehensive immigration

735
00:34:47,020 --> 00:34:48,655
reform and the President
gets to sign

736
00:34:48,655 --> 00:34:50,290
it into law this year.

737
00:34:50,290 --> 00:34:52,192
That would be a huge
accomplishment for

738
00:34:52,192 --> 00:34:54,627
Congress and for the
American people

739
00:34:54,627 --> 00:34:55,628
and the economy.

740
00:34:55,628 --> 00:35:00,000
So that potential
is there.

741
00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:05,071
And I also would say that
you always aim high,

742
00:35:05,071 --> 00:35:06,072
and the President will
continue

743
00:35:06,072 --> 00:35:10,510
to aim high because that's who we are.

744
00:35:10,510 --> 00:35:13,880
We don't just throw out a
couple of things that

745
00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:16,649
we know we can get done and
then declare a victory

746
00:35:16,649 --> 00:35:17,784
and go home, because that's
not what

747
00:35:17,784 --> 00:35:19,052
the American people want us to do.

748
00:35:19,052 --> 00:35:21,054
They're not going to
be satisfied with that.

749
00:35:21,054 --> 00:35:22,055
Ed.

750
00:35:23,356 --> 00:35:24,924
>> The Press: On executive
action,

751
00:35:24,924 --> 00:35:27,994
if the President wants to
move quickly to create jobs,

752
00:35:27,994 --> 00:35:31,464
why not take that pen today and
approve the Keystone pipeline?

753
00:35:33,333 --> 00:35:35,935
>> Mr. Carney: Ed, as has
been the practice

754
00:35:35,935 --> 00:35:38,971
for many years now of
administrations

755
00:35:38,972 --> 00:35:41,274
of both parties, the reviews
involved

756
00:35:41,274 --> 00:35:46,379
in an international pipeline
like this, a pipeline that

757
00:35:46,379 --> 00:35:49,516
crosses an international
boundary are done

758
00:35:49,516 --> 00:35:50,984
or run by the State Department.

759
00:35:50,984 --> 00:35:52,619
And that process continues
at the State Department.

760
00:35:52,786 --> 00:35:53,286
>> The Press: The
President

761
00:35:53,286 --> 00:35:54,888
has always said he would
be involved in this decision.

762
00:35:54,888 --> 00:35:56,089
The State Department
handles it,

763
00:35:56,089 --> 00:35:57,357
but they've had it on their desk

764
00:35:57,357 --> 00:35:58,291
for what, two years?

765
00:35:58,291 --> 00:35:59,359
>> Mr. Carney: Well, what
the President

766
00:35:59,359 --> 00:36:03,663
is doing
is what his predecessors did,

767
00:36:03,663 --> 00:36:05,732
predecessors of both parties, which is allowing

768
00:36:05,732 --> 00:36:11,304
the State Department to oversee
a process where this pipeline

769
00:36:11,304 --> 00:36:13,106
is evaluated, and when that
process

770
00:36:13,106 --> 00:36:17,744
is done I'm sure we will be made
aware of it.

771
00:36:17,744 --> 00:36:19,979
But what the President
believes

772
00:36:19,979 --> 00:36:22,147
is
that it's important to maintain

773
00:36:22,148 --> 00:36:24,384
a process that was devised, again, and utilized

774
00:36:24,384 --> 00:36:29,089
by White Houses of both parties in order to ensure

775
00:36:29,089 --> 00:36:30,190
that the right decision is made.

776
00:36:30,590 --> 00:36:32,692
>> The Press: In general, are
there not limits

777
00:36:32,692 --> 00:36:33,727
to the executive power?

778
00:36:33,727 --> 00:36:35,962
Obviously, any President
-- Republicans have taken

779
00:36:35,962 --> 00:36:37,697
executive actions before
and found

780
00:36:37,697 --> 00:36:39,933
out that
without the weight of Congress,

781
00:36:39,933 --> 00:36:40,934
there are limits to it;

782
00:36:40,934 --> 00:36:43,536
for example, the idea of
making sure that companies

783
00:36:43,536 --> 00:36:45,472
say they're not going to
discriminate

784
00:36:45,472 --> 00:36:47,907
against the long-term unemployed.

785
00:36:47,907 --> 00:36:49,209
If it's an executive
action,

786
00:36:49,209 --> 00:36:51,477
then you don't really
have the force of law behind it.

787
00:36:51,478 --> 00:36:53,179
How do you actually
enforce it?

788
00:36:54,781 --> 00:36:57,384
>> Mr. Carney: Well, I'm
confused by the long-term

789
00:36:57,384 --> 00:36:58,618
unemployed aspect of this.

790
00:36:58,618 --> 00:37:00,787
The fact of the
matter is --

791
00:37:00,954 --> 00:37:01,921
>> The Press: It's one of the
actions that is --

792
00:37:02,055 --> 00:37:02,721
>> Mr. Carney: Sure.

793
00:37:03,490 --> 00:37:05,058
>> The Press: -- being reported
on is that you've

794
00:37:05,058 --> 00:37:06,026
got commitments from
corporations --

795
00:37:07,060 --> 00:37:07,494
>> Mr. Carney: Right, and
I think that's

796
00:37:07,494 --> 00:37:11,531
a perfect example of what the
President

797
00:37:11,531 --> 00:37:17,537
can do, which is convene stakeholders

798
00:37:17,537 --> 00:37:21,741
and highlight one of the most

799
00:37:21,741 --> 00:37:25,178
important steps we can
take, and that is to help

800
00:37:25,178 --> 00:37:27,513
find more jobs for the
long-term unemployed

801
00:37:27,514 --> 00:37:28,982
by ensuring that they get a
fair shot

802
00:37:28,982 --> 00:37:31,685
at applying for jobs they're
qualified for.

803
00:37:31,685 --> 00:37:37,290
And the commitments that
major employers make

804
00:37:37,290 --> 00:37:40,994
in this regard will, if
fulfilled,

805
00:37:40,994 --> 00:37:44,130
be enormously helpful to this
significant challenge.

806
00:37:44,130 --> 00:37:46,266
Now, you've seen the
overall unemployment rate

807
00:37:46,266 --> 00:37:48,935
come down significant --
still too high,

808
00:37:48,935 --> 00:37:50,470
but it's come down significantly.

809
00:37:50,470 --> 00:37:53,506
Interestingly, if you look
at the economic data,

810
00:37:53,506 --> 00:37:58,345
the percentage of unemployed
who are unemployed

811
00:37:58,345 --> 00:38:02,214
for 26 weeks or less is now a
little below

812
00:38:02,215 --> 00:38:03,783
the average over the past 10 years.

813
00:38:03,783 --> 00:38:08,688
So the problem, the
biggest part

814
00:38:08,688 --> 00:38:10,857
of the problem that remains
with our unemployment is

815
00:38:10,857 --> 00:38:15,195
long-term unemployment
compared to the average.

816
00:38:15,195 --> 00:38:18,865
And we need to do
everything we can,

817
00:38:18,865 --> 00:38:21,868
both through legislation
like extending emergency

818
00:38:21,868 --> 00:38:23,370
unemployment insurance
benefits --

819
00:38:23,370 --> 00:38:27,040
which we
certainly hope Republicans

820
00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:31,644
but also by bringing employers
and others here,

821
00:38:31,644 --> 00:38:37,417
major corporations here to focus
on the problem and see

822
00:38:37,417 --> 00:38:39,185
them commit to helping
try to solve it.

823
00:38:39,185 --> 00:38:41,621
That's the kind of
broad approach

824
00:38:41,621 --> 00:38:45,025
that the President believes can
help us make

825
00:38:45,025 --> 00:38:46,059
some progress on this issue.

826
00:38:46,659 --> 00:38:47,894
>> The Press: Two other quick things.

827
00:38:47,894 --> 00:38:50,629
Democrat Jim Moran did a
radio interview

828
00:38:50,630 --> 00:38:53,333
with WAMU here in Washington, an
NPR station,

829
00:38:53,333 --> 00:38:55,502
and basically said, "I don't think we're

830
00:38:55,502 --> 00:38:57,604
going to get enough young people signing

831
00:38:57,604 --> 00:39:00,106
up to make this bill" -- he was talking

832
00:39:01,207 --> 00:39:04,077
He was suggesting that not
enough young people

833
00:39:04,077 --> 00:39:06,312
are signing up, not enough
people are paying in,

834
00:39:06,312 --> 00:39:08,348
and that it's not going
to work financially.

835
00:39:08,348 --> 00:39:11,284
When a Democrat -- he's
retiring,

836
00:39:11,284 --> 00:39:13,853
may be free to speak his mind
-- when a Democrat is saying

837
00:39:13,853 --> 00:39:15,355
that the day before the State
of the Union,

838
00:39:15,355 --> 00:39:15,922
how
does the President

839
00:39:15,922 --> 00:39:17,057
go in tomorrow night

840
00:39:17,057 --> 00:39:19,158
and explain
to his fellow Democrats how

841
00:39:19,159 --> 00:39:21,094
he thinks it's going to work?

842
00:39:21,094 --> 00:39:22,896
>> Mr. Carney: Well, Ed, I
didn't see that interview,

843
00:39:22,896 --> 00:39:26,132
but I would point you to
the data that has been

844
00:39:26,132 --> 00:39:29,002
released that demonstrate
we're -- in spite

845
00:39:29,002 --> 00:39:30,437
of the problems caused

846
00:39:30,437 --> 00:39:36,076
<u>by the shaky rollout of healthcare.gov
</u>

847
00:39:36,076 --> 00:39:39,879
that we are seeing a
significant surge

848
00:39:39,879 --> 00:39:41,413
in enrollment and signups.

849
00:39:41,414 --> 00:39:43,016
We are seeing, and we saw
in December,

850
00:39:43,016 --> 00:39:45,352
a significant
surge in the percentage

851
00:39:45,352 --> 00:39:48,321
of young Americans under

852
00:39:48,321 --> 00:39:51,725
35 enrolling, and that those
numbers

853
00:39:51,725 --> 00:39:54,127
are consistent with what we saw
in Massachusetts.

854
00:39:54,127 --> 00:39:59,499
And if you ask
the Republicans

855
00:39:59,499 --> 00:40:02,035
in Massachusetts who
supported,

856
00:40:02,035 --> 00:40:05,270
and in one case signed into
law, the health insurance reform

857
00:40:05,271 --> 00:40:07,173
which is the closest
thing to a model

858
00:40:07,173 --> 00:40:10,642
for the President's Affordable
Care Act,

859
00:40:10,643 --> 00:40:13,413
they would say that that worked
and that the percentage

860
00:40:13,413 --> 00:40:17,117
of young people who enrolled
was adequate.

861
00:40:17,117 --> 00:40:18,985
So we believe
we're on track.

862
00:40:18,985 --> 00:40:22,322
We have a lot of work to
do, and we continue

863
00:40:22,322 --> 00:40:26,459
to be very focused on making
sure that the website

864
00:40:26,459 --> 00:40:29,229
functions effectively for
the American people

865
00:40:29,229 --> 00:40:31,798
who want to use it to
obtain insurance.

866
00:40:31,798 --> 00:40:32,999
And we're certainly
encouraged

867
00:40:32,999 --> 00:40:37,803
by the data that we've seen of
late that suggests the website

868
00:40:37,804 --> 00:40:41,541
is functioning effectively
and that the interest

869
00:40:41,541 --> 00:40:44,611
in and desire for affordable,
quality health insurance

870
00:40:44,611 --> 00:40:47,881
remains enormously strong.

871
00:40:47,881 --> 00:40:49,214
As I think we mentioned
last week,

872
00:40:49,215 --> 00:40:54,020
we're now at 3 million and probably more

873
00:40:54,020 --> 00:40:57,257
in terms of sign-ups on the marketplace.

874
00:40:57,257 --> 00:41:00,427
So we're going to keep
monitoring this,

875
00:41:00,427 --> 00:41:03,463
but we believe we're moving
in the right direction.

876
00:41:03,463 --> 00:41:04,464
Bill.

877
00:41:05,365 --> 00:41:07,232
>> The Press: Will the
President offer specific

878
00:41:07,233 --> 00:41:10,203
examples of the actions he
hopes to be able

879
00:41:10,203 --> 00:41:12,205
to take using his executive
authority?

880
00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:15,607
>> Mr. Carney:
Wait and see.

881
00:41:16,176 --> 00:41:17,477
>> The Press: Well, I mean
you've been saying

882
00:41:17,477 --> 00:41:18,178
you don't want to
get specific --

883
00:41:18,345 --> 00:41:18,845
>> Mr. Carney: I'm not
going to --

884
00:41:18,845 --> 00:41:19,312
I'm not --

885
00:41:19,312 --> 00:41:19,813
>> The Press: -- but
will there

886
00:41:19,813 --> 00:41:21,314
be specific examples?

887
00:41:21,481 --> 00:41:22,148
>> Mr. Carney: Well, but
I'm not going --

888
00:41:22,148 --> 00:41:25,719
that's a description of the
speech that I'm not going

889
00:41:25,719 --> 00:41:26,586
to get into at this point.

890
00:41:26,586 --> 00:41:32,792
The speech remains
unfinished.

891
00:41:32,792 --> 00:41:36,596
It's in the last stages,
obviously, on Monday here.

892
00:41:36,596 --> 00:41:43,303
But I urge CBS and
everyone else here

893
00:41:43,303 --> 00:41:45,005
to cover the speech and
evaluate it through

894
00:41:45,005 --> 00:41:46,006
that prism and others.

895
00:41:46,539 --> 00:41:48,008
>> The Press: You've been
talking for days --

896
00:41:48,008 --> 00:41:51,243
the White House has -- about,
generally, what the

897
00:41:51,244 --> 00:41:54,247
President will do,
presumably in an effort

898
00:41:54,247 --> 00:41:56,082
to build the audience, which
has declined

899
00:41:56,082 --> 00:41:56,950
year over year.

900
00:41:56,950 --> 00:41:58,118
[Laughter]

901
00:41:59,119 --> 00:42:01,554
>> Mr. Carney: Well, that
may be a statement

902
00:42:01,554 --> 00:42:04,724
about -- well, the media, but --

903
00:42:04,991 --> 00:42:06,493
>> The Press: Ooooh --

904
00:42:07,193 --> 00:42:07,961
>> Mr. Carney: Bill,
I would say that

905
00:42:07,961 --> 00:42:09,129
we're obviously hopefully --

906
00:42:12,499 --> 00:42:13,466
>> The Press: It's an
aggregate number --

907
00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:14,868
>> Mr. Carney: No, I
understand, and I also

908
00:42:14,868 --> 00:42:17,937
think it's consistent
with past presidencies.

909
00:42:17,937 --> 00:42:19,272
What is absolutely the
case is that

910
00:42:19,272 --> 00:42:22,808
the State of the Union address
for any President in any year

911
00:42:22,809 --> 00:42:26,413
of his or her presidency is
an enormous opportunity

912
00:42:26,413 --> 00:42:31,184
to speak to legislators in
Congress,

913
00:42:31,184 --> 00:42:35,455
but even more importantly,
to the millions of America --

914
00:42:35,455 --> 00:42:38,825
millions of Americans
-- who tune in.

915
00:42:38,825 --> 00:42:42,696
And the President looks
forward to that

916
00:42:42,696 --> 00:42:50,303
and will offer in his address
his vision and his agenda

917
00:42:50,303 --> 00:42:52,806
for moving the country
forward, and the steps

918
00:42:52,806 --> 00:42:56,242
that we can take to
expand opportunity

919
00:42:56,242 --> 00:43:02,315
for all Americans, and the
things we can do here

920
00:43:02,315 --> 00:43:07,220
to make sure that in America
hard work is rewarded,

921
00:43:07,220 --> 00:43:10,357
responsibility is
rewarded, and that

922
00:43:12,625 --> 00:43:14,794
everyone gets a shot at
the opportunity

923
00:43:14,794 --> 00:43:17,830
that this country offers.

924
00:43:17,831 --> 00:43:19,933
That's his focus and
you'll see that reflected

925
00:43:19,933 --> 00:43:21,134
in what he says
tomorrow night.

926
00:43:21,134 --> 00:43:22,135
Carol.

927
00:43:22,736 --> 00:43:24,136
>> The Press: You guys
have previewed pretty

928
00:43:24,137 --> 00:43:28,375
extensively the broad
focus and areas

929
00:43:28,375 --> 00:43:31,978
of policy that the President
will touch on domestically

930
00:43:31,978 --> 00:43:34,147
in the State of the Union.

931
00:43:34,147 --> 00:43:37,750
Can you give a similar
flavor for how he's going

932
00:43:37,751 --> 00:43:40,286
to address some of the
major foreign

933
00:43:40,286 --> 00:43:43,523
policy issues that have happened
over the last year?

934
00:43:44,791 --> 00:43:46,126
>> Mr. Carney: Carol, I
would simply say that

935
00:43:46,126 --> 00:43:50,230
it would not be unreasonable
to expect that in keeping

936
00:43:50,230 --> 00:43:54,134
with past tradition, the
President will discuss

937
00:43:54,134 --> 00:43:55,335
matters of foreign policy.

938
00:43:55,335 --> 00:43:57,470
But beyond that, I'm just
not going

939
00:43:57,470 --> 00:43:59,038
to get into any specifics.

940
00:43:59,639 --> 00:44:00,640
>> The Press: I'm
not asking specifics.

941
00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:02,942
I'm asking for a similar
to the way that

942
00:44:02,942 --> 00:44:04,678
you've talked about his
domestic agenda.

943
00:44:04,678 --> 00:44:07,681
I mean, you have
Afghanistan, major changes

944
00:44:07,681 --> 00:44:09,015
in Iran, Syria, Egypt.

945
00:44:09,015 --> 00:44:11,317
Can you give us any sense
of how --

946
00:44:11,317 --> 00:44:14,521
is there a certain approach he
plans to take

947
00:44:14,521 --> 00:44:16,156
in terms of addressing these issues?

948
00:44:16,322 --> 00:44:20,126
Mr. Carney: Well, again,
I would set aside the

949
00:44:20,126 --> 00:44:21,294
language of the speech
and simply

950
00:44:21,294 --> 00:44:24,531
say that the President's
approach on these matters

951
00:44:24,531 --> 00:44:26,466
has been guided by his
determination

952
00:44:26,466 --> 00:44:28,835
to do everything he can
as President

953
00:44:28,835 --> 00:44:30,837
and Commander-in-Chief
to ensure that

954
00:44:30,837 --> 00:44:35,508
we are protecting the country,
protecting Americans

955
00:44:35,508 --> 00:44:38,578
in uniform abroad as well as
American civilians abroad

956
00:44:41,314 --> 00:44:46,853
and our allies, and that
we are being as effective

957
00:44:46,853 --> 00:44:51,624
as we can in how we
carry out the enormous

958
00:44:51,624 --> 00:44:54,560
responsibilities that our
military, our intelligence

959
00:44:54,561 --> 00:44:59,332
services, our diplomatic
corps bear

960
00:44:59,332 --> 00:45:01,067
in the fulfillment of their jobs.

961
00:45:01,768 --> 00:45:03,770
>> The Press: Is it fair
to say -- the big NSA

962
00:45:03,770 --> 00:45:05,305
speech -- is that
something that

963
00:45:05,305 --> 00:45:06,638
he'll be addressing tomorrow night?

964
00:45:06,940 --> 00:45:07,741
>> Mr. Carney: I just
don't have any more

965
00:45:07,741 --> 00:45:10,610
details on subsections
of the speech.

966
00:45:10,610 --> 00:45:11,611
Chris.

967
00:45:11,611 --> 00:45:12,612
>> The Press: Thanks, Jay.

968
00:45:12,612 --> 00:45:13,613
Does the President believe
the lack

969
00:45:13,613 --> 00:45:15,714
of federal nondiscrimination
protections for LGBT

970
00:45:15,715 --> 00:45:17,584
workers contributes
to inequality

971
00:45:17,584 --> 00:45:18,218
in this country?

972
00:45:21,488 --> 00:45:22,821
>> Mr. Carney: Chris, the
President believes

973
00:45:22,822 --> 00:45:27,894
that we ought to pass
an Employment

974
00:45:27,894 --> 00:45:30,062
Non-Discrimination Act
because it's the right

975
00:45:30,063 --> 00:45:34,000
thing to do for LGBT
Americans

976
00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:40,006
and it's the right thing to
do for our economy, full stop.

977
00:45:40,273 --> 00:45:40,874
So I don't have a
particular analysis behind

978
00:45:40,874 --> 00:45:46,879
that because the
sentiment is pretty clear.

979
00:45:49,215 --> 00:45:50,750
>> The Press: Is there a
possibility that ENDA

980
00:45:50,750 --> 00:45:53,353
or a federal executive
order barring LGBT

981
00:45:53,353 --> 00:45:55,188
discrimination will come
up tomorrow in the speech?

982
00:45:56,389 --> 00:45:59,025
>> Mr. Carney: I really
have no more details

983
00:45:59,025 --> 00:46:01,895
to provide on the content
of the

984
00:46:01,895 --> 00:46:03,663
State of the Union address.

985
00:46:03,663 --> 00:46:04,064
Anita.

986
00:46:05,165 --> 00:46:06,299
>> The Press: I was going
to say "or any content" --

987
00:46:06,299 --> 00:46:07,667
have you given
us any content?

988
00:46:07,667 --> 00:46:11,671
Could you talk -- you have
been asked this question.

989
00:46:11,671 --> 00:46:14,274
I didn't hear an actual
yes or no on this.

990
00:46:14,274 --> 00:46:16,875
Has the President
expressed whether

991
00:46:16,876 --> 00:46:20,613
he feels he is the authority to
raise the minimum wage,

992
00:46:20,613 --> 00:46:22,381
as some groups are asking

993
00:46:22,382 --> 00:46:25,218
him to do, through contracting?

994
00:46:25,218 --> 00:46:26,685
So just for those that
contract

995
00:46:26,686 --> 00:46:28,488
with the federal government?

996
00:46:29,089 --> 00:46:30,090
>> Mr. Carney: I don't
think I've been

997
00:46:30,090 --> 00:46:31,091
asked that question.

998
00:46:31,091 --> 00:46:32,092
I don't have an
answer for it.

999
00:46:32,092 --> 00:46:33,626
I can simply say that
the President

1000
00:46:33,626 --> 00:46:37,397
believes Congress ought to
act to raise the minimum wage.

1001
00:46:38,531 --> 00:46:40,567
>> The Press: But going
with the pen and the phone

1002
00:46:40,567 --> 00:46:44,170
analogy here -- I mean,
so there have been studies

1003
00:46:44,170 --> 00:46:47,073
written and some groups,
progressive groups

1004
00:46:47,073 --> 00:46:49,576
calling for him just on
that one piece.

1005
00:46:49,576 --> 00:46:51,444
So not nationwide,
obviously,

1006
00:46:51,444 --> 00:46:54,413
just workers who work for
companies that contract

1007
00:46:54,414 --> 00:46:55,582
with the federal government.

1008
00:46:56,449 --> 00:46:58,084
>> Mr. Carney: I've seen
some of the reporting

1009
00:46:58,084 --> 00:47:01,287
on that, I've seen some of
the reporting around that,

1010
00:47:01,287 --> 00:47:02,721
and I think I did take
a question

1011
00:47:02,722 --> 00:47:06,860
not from that angle on this and
simply said that we have

1012
00:47:06,860 --> 00:47:08,828
obviously received in this
process as part

1013
00:47:08,828 --> 00:47:11,498
of what began right after
Thanksgiving

1014
00:47:11,498 --> 00:47:15,135
in the solicitation of ideas
and proposals

1015
00:47:15,135 --> 00:47:17,704
a lot of interesting ideas
from a lot of people

1016
00:47:17,704 --> 00:47:23,343
in a lot of areas,
both legislative and executive.

1017
00:47:23,343 --> 00:47:26,413
But I don't have a reading
to give to you

1018
00:47:26,413 --> 00:47:29,949
on each of those ideas.

1019
00:47:29,949 --> 00:47:33,620
What the President decides
and acts on will

1020
00:47:33,620 --> 00:47:34,854
be I think reflected in
the

1021
00:47:34,854 --> 00:47:36,189
State of the Union address.

1022
00:47:36,189 --> 00:47:37,524
Cheryl.

1023
00:47:38,258 --> 00:47:40,560
>> The Press: Jay, on Friday,
the President appointed

1024
00:47:40,560 --> 00:47:42,729
two new people to his
legislative affairs

1025
00:47:42,729 --> 00:47:44,830
office; there's a new
director there as well.

1026
00:47:44,831 --> 00:47:46,800
Does that signal any new
approach

1027
00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:49,836
to his dealings with Capitol Hill?

1028
00:47:50,837 --> 00:47:54,674
>> Mr. Carney: We, and the
President in particular,

1029
00:47:54,674 --> 00:47:57,944
remain committed to
working with lawmakers

1030
00:47:57,944 --> 00:48:01,114
of both parties to try
to find common-sense

1031
00:48:01,114 --> 00:48:02,782
solutions to the
challenges that the

1032
00:48:02,782 --> 00:48:06,386
country faces, and that
focuses principally

1033
00:48:06,386 --> 00:48:08,488
on economic challenges that
we face --

1034
00:48:08,488 --> 00:48:13,259
the need to expand opportunity,
to reward hard work,

1035
00:48:13,259 --> 00:48:16,963
to continue economic
growth and job creation.

1036
00:48:16,963 --> 00:48:18,932
But it extends into
other areas, obviously.

1037
00:48:19,366 --> 00:48:24,671
So when it comes to the
staff that he hires

1038
00:48:24,671 --> 00:48:31,310
to help him achieve that,
he's very pleased with

1039
00:48:31,311 --> 00:48:34,414
Katie Beirne Fallon being
his OLA director and

1040
00:48:34,414 --> 00:48:36,516
the hires that she has made.

1041
00:48:36,516 --> 00:48:40,186
And we're going to
collectively keep working

1042
00:48:40,186 --> 00:48:41,187
towards this goal.

1043
00:48:41,187 --> 00:48:46,426
Look, in the end, it's
about putting forward

1044
00:48:46,426 --> 00:48:49,929
common-sense ideas,
working with members

1045
00:48:49,929 --> 00:48:52,032
of Congress of both parties
to see if we can find

1046
00:48:52,032 --> 00:48:57,671
common ground, and then
those members deciding

1047
00:48:57,671 --> 00:49:01,341
if they want to join us
in making the necessary

1048
00:49:01,341 --> 00:49:03,375
compromises that can move
this country forward,

1049
00:49:03,376 --> 00:49:09,182
or if they want to not join
us, not come together

1050
00:49:09,182 --> 00:49:10,850
and cooperate in a bipartisan
way,

1051
00:49:10,850 --> 00:49:14,054
but to pursue a different direction.

1052
00:49:14,054 --> 00:49:17,357
Sometimes that's because
of a sincere policy

1053
00:49:17,357 --> 00:49:18,925
difference; sometimes it's

1054
00:49:18,925 --> 00:49:22,595
an ideologically driven difference.

1055
00:49:22,595 --> 00:49:25,598
But we're always going to
keep pressing to see where

1056
00:49:25,598 --> 00:49:28,535
we can find areas of
common ground

1057
00:49:28,535 --> 00:49:30,069
so that we can move the
country forward.

1058
00:49:31,438 --> 00:49:31,771
Victoria.

1059
00:49:32,472 --> 00:49:34,507
>> The
Press: Jay, the NSA is lurking

1060
00:49:34,507 --> 00:49:35,809
in the background in your

1061
00:49:35,809 --> 00:49:39,746
game of Angry Birds,
waiting to scoop

1062
00:49:39,746 --> 00:49:43,216
up all your personal data as you
lob hapless

1063
00:49:43,216 --> 00:49:44,384
creatures into the air.

1064
00:49:44,384 --> 00:49:44,517
[laughter]

1065
00:49:44,517 --> 00:49:47,520
I mean, it
seems like this is --

1066
00:49:47,520 --> 00:49:49,823
the last bastion of American
freedom has been breached.

1067
00:49:50,023 --> 00:49:50,423
>> Mr. Carney: Think
that's going

1068
00:49:50,423 --> 00:49:51,357
to be on the radio, that question?

1069
00:49:52,492 --> 00:49:54,094
>> The Press: I mean, there seems

1070
00:49:54,094 --> 00:49:57,130
to be something particularly

1071
00:49:57,130 --> 00:49:59,632
egregious about going
off the leaky apps.

1072
00:50:00,233 --> 00:50:02,602
>> Mr. Carney: Well, I
think that you need

1073
00:50:02,602 --> 00:50:04,971
to understand that, of
course,

1074
00:50:04,971 --> 00:50:06,339
I'm not in a position to discuss

1075
00:50:06,339 --> 00:50:08,674
specifics of intelligence collection.

1076
00:50:08,675 --> 00:50:11,044
But to be clear, as the
President said

1077
00:50:11,044 --> 00:50:13,645
in his January 17th speech,
to the extent data

1078
00:50:13,646 --> 00:50:17,951
is collected by the NSA
through whatever means,

1079
00:50:17,951 --> 00:50:20,920
we are not interested in the
communications of people

1080
00:50:20,920 --> 00:50:23,790
who are not valid foreign
intelligence targets.

1081
00:50:23,790 --> 00:50:26,526
And we are not after the
information of ordinary

1082
00:50:26,526 --> 00:50:29,828
Americans, which
presumably contradicts

1083
00:50:29,829 --> 00:50:30,830
the premise of your question.

1084
00:50:31,631 --> 00:50:33,700
>> The Press: But then why are
they taking it?

1085
00:50:34,968 --> 00:50:36,469
>> Mr. Carney: Again,
Victoria, I can't discuss

1086
00:50:36,469 --> 00:50:39,739
specific means of
data collection.

1087
00:50:39,739 --> 00:50:42,175
But to the extent that the
NSA collects information,

1088
00:50:42,175 --> 00:50:46,312
it is focused on valid
foreign intelligence

1089
00:50:46,312 --> 00:50:48,815
targets and not the
information

1090
00:50:48,815 --> 00:50:50,984
of ordinary Americans.

1091
00:50:50,984 --> 00:50:53,853
Look, I mean, terrorists,
proliferators,

1092
00:50:53,853 --> 00:50:55,855
other bad actors use the same
communication

1093
00:50:55,855 --> 00:50:58,958
tools that others use.

1094
00:51:00,226 --> 00:51:01,227
>> The Press: Angry Birds?

1095
00:51:02,328 --> 00:51:03,663
>> Mr. Carney: They use
the same communication

1096
00:51:03,663 --> 00:51:06,499
tools -- are you saying
that if a terrorist

1097
00:51:06,499 --> 00:51:08,868
uses an app -- I mean, I'm not
even sure

1098
00:51:08,868 --> 00:51:12,138
what protection you're seeking
there for a potential terrorist.

1099
00:51:13,406 --> 00:51:14,174
>> The Press: Are
you suggesting that I'm seeking

1100
00:51:14,174 --> 00:51:14,607
protection for terrorists?

1101
00:51:14,774 --> 00:51:16,442
>> Mr. Carney: No, but I
mean, what I'm saying

1102
00:51:16,443 --> 00:51:20,580
is that the NSA in its
collection is focused

1103
00:51:20,580 --> 00:51:24,217
on the communication of
people

1104
00:51:24,217 --> 00:51:26,720
who are valid
foreign intelligence targets.

1105
00:51:26,720 --> 00:51:28,922
They are not focused
on the information

1106
00:51:28,922 --> 00:51:29,923
of ordinary Americans.

1107
00:51:29,923 --> 00:51:34,394
And that's the case in
answer to questions about

1108
00:51:34,394 --> 00:51:38,298
the variety of revelations
that have been

1109
00:51:38,298 --> 00:51:39,732
made in the press.

1110
00:51:40,066 --> 00:51:41,267
>> The Press: Can I follow on that?

1111
00:51:41,501 --> 00:51:42,202
>> Mr. Carney: Yes.

1112
00:51:42,702 --> 00:51:45,572
>> The Press: A Ukraine question
and a follow-up on Egypt.

1113
00:51:45,572 --> 00:51:47,240
On Ukraine, is the
administration considering

1114
00:51:47,240 --> 00:51:50,977
a set of sanctions against
President Yanukovych's

1115
00:51:50,977 --> 00:51:52,745
government, including
revoking visas

1116
00:51:52,746 --> 00:51:53,613
on senior officials?

1117
00:51:55,415 --> 00:51:58,651
>> Mr. Carney: On the
question of Ukraine,

1118
00:51:58,651 --> 00:52:00,819
we strongly support dialogue
between the government

1119
00:52:00,820 --> 00:52:03,456
and opposition and we urge
both sides to continue

1120
00:52:03,456 --> 00:52:05,558
negotiating, as a
political settlement

1121
00:52:05,558 --> 00:52:07,494
is the only way out.

1122
00:52:07,494 --> 00:52:10,296
We also urge both sides
to refrain from violence.

1123
00:52:10,296 --> 00:52:12,064
Only the government
can ensure a peaceful

1124
00:52:12,065 --> 00:52:14,634
resolution to the crisis,
and it should take

1125
00:52:14,634 --> 00:52:16,936
immediate steps to reduce
tensions such

1126
00:52:16,936 --> 00:52:19,472
as by releasing detained
protesters and withdrawing

1127
00:52:19,472 --> 00:52:22,442
the riot policy
from downtown Kiev.

1128
00:52:22,442 --> 00:52:24,344
The extraordinary session
of parliament tomorrow

1129
00:52:24,344 --> 00:52:26,046
offers an opportunity for
the government

1130
00:52:26,046 --> 00:52:28,515
to take concrete steps to
resolve the crisis.

1131
00:52:28,515 --> 00:52:30,850
It is crucial that the
government seize

1132
00:52:30,850 --> 00:52:33,553
this opportunity and repeal
the anti-democratic

1133
00:52:33,553 --> 00:52:36,022
legislation it passed
on January 16th.

1134
00:52:36,022 --> 00:52:37,824
The lack of trust between
the protesters and the

1135
00:52:37,824 --> 00:52:39,492
government shows how
urgent

1136
00:52:39,492 --> 00:52:41,695
it is for the government to take
immediate steps

1137
00:52:41,695 --> 00:52:43,830
to de-escalate the situation.

1138
00:52:43,830 --> 00:52:48,168
Now, in specific reference
to actions that we've

1139
00:52:48,168 --> 00:52:50,036
taken or can take, the
State Department

1140
00:52:50,036 --> 00:52:52,105
has already revoked the
visas

1141
00:52:52,105 --> 00:52:55,208
of several people
responsible for the violence.

1142
00:52:55,208 --> 00:52:57,310
And we'll continue to
consider additional steps

1143
00:52:57,310 --> 00:53:00,714
in response to the use of
violence by any actors.

1144
00:53:00,714 --> 00:53:03,016
For more information on
that,

1145
00:53:03,016 --> 00:53:04,384
I refer you to the State Department.

1146
00:53:04,651 --> 00:53:05,452
>> The Press: Just to
follow up on Egypt,

1147
00:53:05,452 --> 00:53:08,121
were there any prior
consultation between

1148
00:53:08,121 --> 00:53:10,090
you and the Egyptian
government about

1149
00:53:10,090 --> 00:53:13,126
the nomination of General
Al-Sisi to stand

1150
00:53:13,126 --> 00:53:14,894
in the election, considering
the opposition --

1151
00:53:15,295 --> 00:53:16,396
>> Mr. Carney: I think I
said earlier that

1152
00:53:16,396 --> 00:53:18,498
that's something for the
Egyptian people to decide,

1153
00:53:18,498 --> 00:53:24,104
so that's something for the
Egyptian people to decide.

1154
00:53:24,504 --> 00:53:25,605
>> The Press: But don't
you think that having

1155
00:53:25,605 --> 00:53:27,774
a military man standing in
an election

1156
00:53:27,774 --> 00:53:30,310
sets a bad precedent for
the region and the Arab Spring?

1157
00:53:30,543 --> 00:53:31,878
>> Mr. Carney: I think,
as I said earlier

1158
00:53:31,878 --> 00:53:37,584
in a statement that I'll spare
others from repeating,

1159
00:53:37,584 --> 00:53:41,221
we continue to be concerned
about some of the

1160
00:53:41,221 --> 00:53:43,790
provisions within the
constitution --

1161
00:53:43,790 --> 00:53:46,659
for example, the capacity for
civilians to be tried

1162
00:53:46,659 --> 00:53:51,765
in military courts -- and the
importance, in our view,

1163
00:53:54,200 --> 00:54:01,207
of a balance between the
military and the civilian

1164
00:54:01,207 --> 00:54:04,310
government and the
judiciary

1165
00:54:04,310 --> 00:54:06,712
is always a concern.

1166
00:54:06,713 --> 00:54:08,181
So that's something we
will watch very closely.

1167
00:54:09,315 --> 00:54:11,284
>> The Press: Thanks, Jay.

1168
00:54:11,751 --> 00:54:12,852
>> Mr. Carney: Jared,
you get the last one.

1169
00:54:13,787 --> 00:54:14,520
>> The Press: Jay,
something that's

1170
00:54:14,521 --> 00:54:16,089
not usually in the State
of the Union

1171
00:54:16,089 --> 00:54:19,625
is overt political posturing.

1172
00:54:19,626 --> 00:54:22,529
So how much of a priority
for the President

1173
00:54:22,529 --> 00:54:25,965
is getting Democrats elected
and maintaining

1174
00:54:25,965 --> 00:54:27,967
the Senate and
getting a Democratic majority

1175
00:54:27,967 --> 00:54:29,402
in the House in 2014?

1176
00:54:29,402 --> 00:54:32,572
Where does that fall on
his list of priorities?

1177
00:54:34,874 --> 00:54:40,080
>> Mr. Carney: I think
the President will support

1178
00:54:40,080 --> 00:54:42,848
Senate Democrats, House
Democrats,

1179
00:54:42,849 --> 00:54:44,084
as you would expect.

1180
00:54:44,084 --> 00:54:48,587
And you're right that in
the context of the State

1181
00:54:48,588 --> 00:54:52,359
of the Union address,
that's something that,

1182
00:54:52,359 --> 00:54:54,327
without getting into
details,

1183
00:54:54,327 --> 00:54:57,731
I wouldn't expect to be highlighted.

1184
00:54:57,731 --> 00:54:59,265
But the President will,
of course,

1185
00:54:59,265 --> 00:55:02,969
as you've seen already, support
Senate Democrats and House

1186
00:55:02,969 --> 00:55:04,270
Democrats and those
running

1187
00:55:04,270 --> 00:55:06,006
for those offices in 2014.

1188
00:55:06,439 --> 00:55:07,173
>> The Press: Jay,
is there any way --

1189
00:55:07,374 --> 00:55:09,241
>> The Press: On Somalia
-- I'm sorry,

1190
00:55:09,242 --> 00:55:10,310
I don't think anyone
asked about it.

1191
00:55:10,310 --> 00:55:11,945
There were reports over
the weekend about

1192
00:55:11,945 --> 00:55:13,480
a U.S. airstrike in Somalia.

1193
00:55:13,480 --> 00:55:15,749
I just wonder, for the
record -- I realize there

1194
00:55:15,749 --> 00:55:18,218
may be sensitive details,
but broadly

1195
00:55:18,218 --> 00:55:19,285
can you comment on whether --

1196
00:55:19,519 --> 00:55:20,520
>> Mr. Carney: Yes, all I
can tell you

1197
00:55:20,520 --> 00:55:22,589
is that
U.S. forces yesterday conducted

1198
00:55:22,589 --> 00:55:23,990
a coordinated operation

1199
00:55:23,990 --> 00:55:25,524
against a senior
al-Shabaab

1200
00:55:25,525 --> 00:55:27,193
leader in Somalia.

1201
00:55:27,193 --> 00:55:28,628
For more details,
I'd refer you to the

1202
00:55:28,628 --> 00:55:29,629
Department of Defense.

1203
00:55:31,131 --> 00:55:32,265
>> The Press: Jay, will
the President be --

1204
00:55:32,265 --> 00:55:37,871
is it fair to say that the
President would

1205
00:55:37,871 --> 00:55:40,240
be focusing on legislation
and not executive action

1206
00:55:40,240 --> 00:55:42,174
if he didn't have divided
government right now?

1207
00:55:43,710 --> 00:55:45,178
>> Mr. Carney: No, I think
that would be a mistake.

1208
00:55:45,178 --> 00:55:46,779
I think the President
would be focused on both,

1209
00:55:46,780 --> 00:55:49,249
because any President who
doesn't take advantage

1210
00:55:49,249 --> 00:55:52,118
of the unique powers of the
presidency to move the

1211
00:55:52,118 --> 00:55:54,953
country forward would
be depriving himself

1212
00:55:54,954 --> 00:55:58,258
or herself of the capacity to
move it more forward and

1213
00:55:58,258 --> 00:56:00,326
to grow the economy
further

1214
00:56:00,326 --> 00:56:01,394
and to create more jobs.

1215
00:56:01,394 --> 00:56:05,899
So the President will --
I think there's a desire

1216
00:56:05,899 --> 00:56:09,868
here to see this as an
either-or proposition, and

1217
00:56:09,869 --> 00:56:10,937
it's not that.

1218
00:56:10,937 --> 00:56:13,073
But you can be sure
that the President fully

1219
00:56:13,073 --> 00:56:16,375
intends to use his
executive authority

1220
00:56:16,376 --> 00:56:23,249
to use the unique powers of the
office to make progress

1221
00:56:23,249 --> 00:56:26,185
on economic opportunity, to
make progress in the areas

1222
00:56:26,186 --> 00:56:29,422
that he believes are
so important to further

1223
00:56:29,422 --> 00:56:33,893
economic growth and
further job creation.

1224
00:56:33,893 --> 00:56:37,163
And that is in addition
to calling on Congress to

1225
00:56:37,163 --> 00:56:40,300
work with him, and work
in a bipartisan way

1226
00:56:40,300 --> 00:56:42,635
to advance these
objectives as well.

1227
00:56:42,635 --> 00:56:43,770
Thanks very much.