English subtitles for clip: File:10-14-14- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

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Nice to see you all.

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Hope you all had
a nice weekend.

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Let me do a quick
announcement at the top,

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Julie, and then we'll get
to your questions, okay?

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Over the past few weeks, the
President has been talking about

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our economy's progress and his
vision for continuing to build

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on that foundation by creating
good jobs and ensuring

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that every American who
works hard has a fair shot

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at getting ahead.

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On Thursday, at
Rhode Island College,

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the President will continue
this focus by talking

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about the importance of
pursuing policies that

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help women succeed.

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This is not a new focus
for us, as you know.

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Ensuring the economic strength,
the strength of our economy for

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women, has been a top priority
for the President throughout

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this administration and a key
part of his Year of Action

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agenda for 2014.

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The President will discuss these
efforts and what additional

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common-sense steps we could take
to strengthen our economy by

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expanding opportunity for
women and for all Americans.

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We'll have more on
this in the days ahead,

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but something to look
forward to on Thursday.

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Julie, do you want to start
us off with questions?

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The Press: Thanks, Josh.

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Turkey is part of this meeting
that the President is having

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today with foreign defense
chiefs on the fight against

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the Islamic State group.

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But there are media reports out
of Turkey that the Turks

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have launched strikes
against Kurdish rebels,

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rebels that are aligned
with the Kurds fighting

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the Islamic State
in Kobani.

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And I'm wondering if at this
point the administration thinks

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that Turkey is being more
unhelpful than helpful

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in this fight against
the Islamic State?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, let me say
a couple of things about that.

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I mean, obviously Turkey is a
close ally of the United States

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-- they're in NATO -- and
we coordinate with Turkey

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on a wide range of issues.

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Over the course of the last
several weeks, the President,

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the Secretary of State,
the Secretary of Defense,

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even John Allen who's
principally responsible for

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the diplomatic effort to
integrate different countries

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into the coalition, have been
in touch with senior leaders

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in Turkey about the role they
can play in this effort.

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As a result of the conversations
that General Allen had with his

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Turkish counterparts, I think --
I believe it was just the end

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of last week, Turkey did
announce their willingness

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to host a training-and-equipping
operation on Turkish soil

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as we build up the capacity
of Syrian opposition fighters

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to take the fight on the
ground to ISIL in Syria.

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We certainly welcome that
commitment and that show of

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support by the people
in the nation of Turkey.

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Previously, based on our
earlier conversations,

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Turkey had made commitments
that will be important

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in stemming the flow of
foreign fighters to Syria.

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Turkey can also play a role in
cracking down on oil smuggling.

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As you know, the sale of oil
in the black market has been

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an important way that ISIL has
financed their operations.

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So shutting down oil smuggling
is a key component of our

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strategy to shut off the
supply of financing to ISIL

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for their operations.

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And of course, Turkey has -- as
much as anyone else -- provided

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for the humanitarian
needs of those Syrians

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who are fleeing the terrible
violence in their country.

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And we've seen that there are
-- I believe that there are

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now more than a million
refugees fleeing the conflict

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in Syria who have
fled to Turkey.

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And Turkey, with the support of
the international community,

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has been trying to meet
the humanitarian needs

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of these individuals.

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So there's no doubt that Turkey
has a lot at stake in resolving

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this conflict, and we are
pleased to be working with them.

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Now, let me just also say that
there is a Department of Defense

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planning team that's on the
ground today in Turkey,

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working with them to
operationalize on their

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commitment to set up this
training-and-equipping

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operation for Syrian
fighters in Turkey.

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And I would anticipate that in
the weeks and months ahead,

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not only will we continue
to be in touch with them

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on operationalizing on the
commitments that they've already

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made, but also having ongoing
discussions with them about

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additional commitments
they could make to support

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this broad international
coalition.

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The Press: But despite
everything you said,

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there are other signs that
Turkey isn't being helpful.

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I can't imagine that you see
the strikes today against

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the Kurds as being helpful.

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And there's also confusion over
whether there actually

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is an agreement with
the U.S. and Turkey

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to use bases in Turkey
to launch attacks.

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Can you offer any
clarity on that?

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Mr. Earnest: That is an issue --
this issue of military bases

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in Turkey is an issue that
continues to be discussed

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between American officials
and Turkish officials.

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The Press: So at this point
there is no formal agreement

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on that front?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
that might be obvious

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from the public comments
from both sides.

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But this is something that we
continue to discuss with them.

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The Press: And if I could
just move on to Ebola.

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The CDC says that it has not
established the exact number

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of health workers that
were treating the patient

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in Dallas who died
from Ebola.

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And I'm just wondering
how that is possible.

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Wouldn't that have been one of
the first things you would

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have done, is had the CDC
take inventory of all

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the people who came into
contact with this man?

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Mr. Earnest: The CDC is working
on an investigation to determine

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how exactly this transmission
of Ebola occurred

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at the hospital in Texas.

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This is the result of an order
that the President gave

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in the context of the meeting
that he convened on Sunday.

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He ordered the CDC
to expedite their

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investigation of how this
specific transmission occurred.

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What the CDC is also doing is
they are also conducting

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a broader review of the
infection control procedures

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that were in place at this
Texas hospital, including

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the use of personal
protective equipment.

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And this will be part of
the ongoing investigation

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to what's happening there.

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In terms of the status
of that investigation,

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in terms of how many
people they've identified,

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I'd refer you to
the CDC on that.

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The Press: But they're saying
that they don't have this exact

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tally, and I'm just wondering --
we keep hearing from officials

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about the urgency of this and
how there's no room for error,

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and then we're told that there's
not an exact count of the number

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of health workers that were
in contact with this man,

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health workers who presumably
are treating other patients,

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who are going home to their
families and having contact

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with other people.

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How should the public feel about
when they hear on the one hand

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that there's urgency, and
then on the other hand that

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we don't exactly know how
many people came in contact

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with this patient?

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Mr. Earnest: Sure.

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I'm glad you asked
the question that way,

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because it is important
for people to understand

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the context here.

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The thing that the CDC has been
doing is they have asked the

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individuals who were in contact
with what's described as the

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"index patient" in Texas to --
they are actively monitoring

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their health conditions.

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And the reason that that's
important is -- by actively

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monitoring their health, they're
taking their temperature.

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The reason that's important is
because individuals are

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only contagious with Ebola
if they are exhibiting

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symptoms of Ebola.

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That is why we continue to be
confident that based on the

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medical infrastructure that we
have in place in this country,

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that the risk of an Ebola
outbreak in America is

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exceedingly low.

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But at the same time, it's
important for us to put in place

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the necessary protocols to
ensure that when Ebola cases

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do materialize, that health care
workers can do the brave and

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courageous work that they
already do to try to meet

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the needs of these individuals
that have been stricken

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with Ebola, without putting
themselves at great risk.

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And it is clear that more needs
to be known about what exactly

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happened in this Texas hospital,
and that's why you're seeing the

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CDC conduct this investigation
into this apparent incident,

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the transmission incident, but
also looking more broadly at

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what sort of infection control
procedures were in place to give

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additional advice to
hospitals across the country

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about dealing with
these circumstances.

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Roberta.

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The Press: I want
to ask about Kobani.

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And CENTCOM announced that
there were 21 airstrikes

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on Islamic State targets
in the past two days.

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And I'm wondering if this
represents a significant

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increase in U.S.
airpower for this city.

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Is this some kind of strategic
shift into trying to prevent

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it from falling into the
hands of Islamic State?

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Mr. Earnest: Well,
for a number of days,

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maybe even more than a week
now, there have been coalition

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airstrikes against ISIL targets
in that region of Syria.

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Bu the broader strategy that the
President has laid out has

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not changed; that our broader
goal here is to degrade

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and ultimately destroy ISIL.

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And the goal -- the reason
that goal has been laid out

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is because the President
believes it is a core principle

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that we cannot allow extremist
organizations or individuals

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access to a safe haven.

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And that essentially is what
Syria was on the verge of

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becoming for them -- that
because of the power vacuum

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that has been created by the
ongoing violence in Syria,

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there was concern about ISIL
establishing a safe haven in

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Syria and using a safe haven
like that to carry out attacks

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against the West or
even the United States.

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So you have seen the President
put in place this strategy

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for dealing with that, and that
involves marshaling this

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international coalition
of 60-some odd countries

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that are participating.

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And we're seeing airstrikes
conducted by the United States

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and our coalition
partners in Syria,

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in pursuit of that
broader goal.

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But yes, as you point out,
we've also seen airstrikes

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in this region of Syria.

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That reflects a continuation
of our broader strategy,

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not a change in it.

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The Press: So we shouldn't
read anything special

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or of significance into the
fact that there were so many

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strikes on one location in
a short period of time?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I
think there are -- I mean,

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what the Department of Defense
can give you more detail on is

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the fact that there are a large
number of strikes taking place

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across Syria in pursuit
of our broader goal.

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The Press: Is there any
indication of how badly Islamic

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State targets were hit in
this series of strikes --

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how successful the series
of strikes were?

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Mr. Earnest: I'd refer you to
the Department of Defense

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for that assessment.

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They're the ones that are
responsible for carrying

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out these strikes.

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The other thing that I
should mention, Roberta,

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that is worth remembering -- and
I've mentioned this once before,

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so I'll keep this short --
there are limitations to,

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based on the strategy
that we've laid,

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that the kind of success that we
enjoy in Iraq in avoiding -- or

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at least certain -- in Iraq, the
United States and our coalition

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partners took airstrikes in
support of Iraqi security forces

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to avoid humanitarian disasters
in places like Sinjar Mountain

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and the village of Amerli.

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These were situations -- or
these were scenarios in which

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ISIL fighters had essentially
cornered racial and ethnic

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minorities in these areas,
vowing to essentially

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carry out a genocide
against them.

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We're seeing a similar
situation in Kobani,

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where ISIL fighters are
marshaled around this one

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specific city, vowing to carry
out acts of violence against

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the citizens there.

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The difference is that there
were Iraqi security forces

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on the ground in Sinjar Mountain
-- around Sinjar Mountain

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and around the village of Amerli
that could end that siege;

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that these airstrikes were
conducted in support of ground

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operations that were executed
by Iraqi security forces.

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Those kinds of ground forces
don't exist in Syria right now.

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We don't have elements of the
moderate opposition who can take

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the fight to ISIL on the ground.

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That will necessarily limit
the kind of impact we can have

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on a situation like the one
that we're seeing in Kobani.

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Now, airstrikes
will have an impact,

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but that impact is constrained
by the fact that there aren't

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forces on the ground that
can follow up on those

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airstrikes to end
that siege.

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Roberta, did you
have anything else?

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The Press: No.

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00:11:55,581 --> 00:11:55,981
Mr. Earnest: Okay.

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We'll move around.

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Justin.

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The Press: I wanted
to ask, I guess,

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00:11:59,885 --> 00:12:04,290
more generally about Ebola and
what's going on with ISIS,

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00:12:04,290 --> 00:12:08,194
and whether you guys are at all
concerned that -- in both cases

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you've asked for more time, more
time to train ground troops in

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Syria, more time to investigate
what's going on with Ebola.

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But ahead of midterm elections,
we're seeing the President's

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approval ratings, especially
issues of confidence

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00:12:20,406 --> 00:12:22,540
in the administration
falling.

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00:12:22,541 --> 00:12:26,045
So I'm wondering if these
challenges create a -- or if

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these issues create a political
challenge for you guys

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00:12:29,515 --> 00:12:32,885
to present confidence in an
administrative ability for

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00:12:32,885 --> 00:12:35,154
the President when you
guys seem to think that

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you need more time on
both those issues.

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00:12:37,723 --> 00:12:40,092
Mr. Earnest: Well,
Justin, again,

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as somebody who is a close
observer of the political

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00:12:42,194 --> 00:12:47,466
process, I would anticipate
that you would view these

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kinds of issues
through that lens.

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That's not the way that we view
it here at the White House.

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The sense of urgency that we
feel about these individual

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circumstances is driven by the
significant stakes involved.

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Ensuring that we can deny
ISIL fighters a safe haven

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00:13:01,147 --> 00:13:04,049
in Syria is a core national
security priority.

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The strategy that we have laid
out to degrade and ultimately

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destroy ISIL is a core component
of our efforts to protect the

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American people around the
globe and here at home.

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So it shouldn't be a surprise
that's a top priority.

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And the fact that in just a
matter of a few weeks here

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the President assembled a
significant international

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00:13:24,170 --> 00:13:29,742
coalition to take the fight
to ISIL in Iraq and in Syria,

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and to carry out hundreds of --
or at least more than a hundred

283
00:13:33,479 --> 00:13:36,882
airstrikes against ISIL
targets in Iraq and in Syria,

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is an indication that the
President has moved quickly

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with the broader
international coalition,

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00:13:41,353 --> 00:13:43,521
consistent with our strategy to
protect the American people.

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I think that speaks
well of his leadership.

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I'll leave it to you to assess
the political implications

289
00:13:48,260 --> 00:13:50,262
of the President's
successful execution

290
00:13:50,262 --> 00:13:51,796
of that strategy so far.

291
00:13:51,797 --> 00:13:56,001
As it relates to Ebola, again,
I think the concern that people

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00:13:56,001 --> 00:13:59,538
have across the country about
this is understandable.

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00:13:59,538 --> 00:14:01,607
We're talking about
a deadly disease.

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But what we have seen
is we've seen the U.S.

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00:14:04,877 --> 00:14:09,048
government and our scientific
experts act quickly to ensure

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that American interests
are protected.

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00:14:11,050 --> 00:14:13,051
The President,
about a month ago,

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00:14:13,052 --> 00:14:15,154
appeared at the CDC and
announced that he was sending

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00:14:15,154 --> 00:14:18,557
a contingent of Department of
Defense personnel to leverage

300
00:14:18,557 --> 00:14:21,961
their logistical expertise to
try to confront the outbreak

301
00:14:21,961 --> 00:14:24,129
of Ebola at the source
in West Africa.

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00:14:24,129 --> 00:14:26,732
We know, based on our previous
history of dealing with these

303
00:14:26,732 --> 00:14:29,702
kinds of outbreaks over the
last four decades or so,

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00:14:29,702 --> 00:14:32,271
that the only way to
eliminate the Ebola risk

305
00:14:32,271 --> 00:14:36,375
to the American public is
to stop the outbreak

306
00:14:36,375 --> 00:14:39,011
at its source, and that's
what we're working to do.

307
00:14:39,011 --> 00:14:41,380
In addition to that, we're
obviously taking the necessary

308
00:14:41,380 --> 00:14:44,617
precautions here to contain an
outbreak in the United States.

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We continue to believe that
risk of that is exceedingly low

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because of the way that Ebola is
transmitted and of the modern

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00:14:50,522 --> 00:14:52,691
medical infrastructure that
we have in this country.

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Again, I think that reflects
a prompt response from this

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00:15:00,666 --> 00:15:02,968
administration to
dealing with this threat.

314
00:15:02,968 --> 00:15:05,103
But again, I'll leave it to all
of you to assess what sort of

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00:15:05,104 --> 00:15:07,106
impact that will have on an
election that's still

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00:15:07,106 --> 00:15:08,107
three or four weeks away.

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00:15:08,107 --> 00:15:09,108
The Press: Sure.

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00:15:09,108 --> 00:15:11,042
But, I guess, the question is
that there's frustration that,

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00:15:11,043 --> 00:15:13,979
I guess, despite those efforts
or despite the plan that you

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00:15:13,979 --> 00:15:17,216
guys have laid out maybe to us,
that that doesn't seem to be

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00:15:17,216 --> 00:15:19,852
helping the President on either
of those issues politically.

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00:15:19,852 --> 00:15:23,956
And I also wonder if that at
all is leading you guys

323
00:15:23,956 --> 00:15:26,859
to reconsider your strategy
towards the President's

324
00:15:26,859 --> 00:15:28,160
campaign-related activities.

325
00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:31,195
We've seen him only once or
twice now get on stage with

326
00:15:31,196 --> 00:15:33,365
a candidate; I know there's
a couple more this week.

327
00:15:33,365 --> 00:15:37,269
But unlike 2010, when the
President was with vulnerable

328
00:15:37,269 --> 00:15:40,072
Democrats in swing districts, we
haven't seen the President go

329
00:15:40,072 --> 00:15:44,143
out and make either the case for
his policies or the case for why

330
00:15:44,143 --> 00:15:47,112
vulnerable Democrats in key
races should be reelected.

331
00:15:47,112 --> 00:15:49,481
So I'm wondering kind of your
reaction to both of those.

332
00:15:49,481 --> 00:15:52,284
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, the
thing that we're focused

333
00:15:52,284 --> 00:15:54,520
on are our core national
security priorities

334
00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:56,521
and the health and safety of
the American people.

335
00:15:56,522 --> 00:15:58,624
And those things I think we
would all agree are far more

336
00:15:58,624 --> 00:16:01,560
important than politics -- even
when we're talking about

337
00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:03,628
an important election like
the one that's coming up.

338
00:16:03,629 --> 00:16:06,732
So that really is where
we're focused right now.

339
00:16:06,732 --> 00:16:09,334
As time allows, the President
will take advantage of the

340
00:16:09,335 --> 00:16:14,139
opportunity to make the case in
support of those candidates,

341
00:16:14,139 --> 00:16:17,776
particularly Democrats, who
are supportive of policies

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00:16:17,776 --> 00:16:19,777
that benefit middle-class
families across the country.

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00:16:19,778 --> 00:16:21,780
Those are where the
President's priorities lie,

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00:16:21,780 --> 00:16:24,516
and to the extent that the
President can be helpful to

345
00:16:24,516 --> 00:16:26,151
candidates who share
those priorities,

346
00:16:26,151 --> 00:16:30,723
the President will look forward
to an opportunity to do so.

347
00:16:30,723 --> 00:16:32,223
Major.

348
00:16:32,224 --> 00:16:34,893
The Press: So at Andrews, is the
meeting with the defense

349
00:16:34,893 --> 00:16:37,663
chiefs to develop a new
strategy, or streamline

350
00:16:37,663 --> 00:16:39,431
the one you
currently have?

351
00:16:39,431 --> 00:16:43,068
Mr. Earnest: The meeting that is
being convened at Andrews Air

352
00:16:43,068 --> 00:16:48,340
Force Base later today is with
about 21 of the U.S.'s partners

353
00:16:48,340 --> 00:16:51,210
in this broader international
coalition against ISIL.

354
00:16:51,210 --> 00:16:54,146
Those who are participating
in the meeting

355
00:16:54,146 --> 00:16:56,281
are at the
chief-of-defense level.

356
00:16:56,281 --> 00:16:57,248
This is something I've only
learned in the last

357
00:16:57,249 --> 00:16:58,250
couple of days.

358
00:16:58,250 --> 00:17:00,252
These are, essentially, the
international counterparts

359
00:17:00,252 --> 00:17:02,253
to the Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff.

360
00:17:02,254 --> 00:17:07,659
So again, these are the military
leaders of the militaries

361
00:17:07,659 --> 00:17:10,262
who are participating in this
broader international coalition.

362
00:17:10,262 --> 00:17:12,297
This is a meeting that
Chairman Dempsey convened

363
00:17:12,297 --> 00:17:13,665
here in this country.

364
00:17:13,665 --> 00:17:14,599
It will last for
a couple of days.

365
00:17:14,599 --> 00:17:17,636
The President will participate
in one meeting of this broader

366
00:17:17,636 --> 00:17:19,271
series of meetings.

367
00:17:19,271 --> 00:17:23,008
And this is all part of the
effort to continue to integrate

368
00:17:23,008 --> 00:17:26,311
our broader strategy and to
ensure that the military

369
00:17:26,310 --> 00:17:29,048
capabilities or our
partners is integrated

370
00:17:29,048 --> 00:17:32,651
and effectuated in pursuit
of this operation.

371
00:17:32,651 --> 00:17:33,786
The Press: Integrated
and effectuated.

372
00:17:33,786 --> 00:17:35,421
Are you sticking with
the same strategy?

373
00:17:35,421 --> 00:17:37,389
You believe it's working?

374
00:17:37,389 --> 00:17:37,656
Mr. Earnest: Yes.

375
00:17:37,656 --> 00:17:39,825
And we're in the early days of
the execution of that strategy,

376
00:17:39,825 --> 00:17:42,528
but certainly the early
evidence indicates that

377
00:17:42,528 --> 00:17:43,662
this strategy is succeeding.

378
00:17:43,662 --> 00:17:47,166
The Press: Because there are --
and I don't need to tell you

379
00:17:47,166 --> 00:17:49,835
this -- several analysts who
look at Kobani, if it falls,

380
00:17:49,835 --> 00:17:53,238
it will be the third city on the
Syrian-Turkish border to do so.

381
00:17:53,238 --> 00:17:55,707
Anbar is now 80 percent
controlled by ISIS.

382
00:17:55,707 --> 00:17:57,509
They are 15 miles
away from Baghdad.

383
00:17:57,509 --> 00:18:00,946
If you take that outer perimeter
from Baghdad and go east,

384
00:18:00,946 --> 00:18:04,283
it's an area of control
of about 350 miles.

385
00:18:04,283 --> 00:18:09,221
That doesn't read to many
analysts like success.

386
00:18:09,221 --> 00:18:11,356
Why does it look like success
to this administration?

387
00:18:11,356 --> 00:18:14,993
Mr. Earnest: Well, I can cite --
we've gone to this a few times

388
00:18:14,993 --> 00:18:18,864
before, that there are specific
episodes where the use of

389
00:18:18,864 --> 00:18:22,401
military force has succeeded in
beating back an ISIL advance,

390
00:18:22,401 --> 00:18:27,406
or stopping the siege of a
vulnerable humanitarian target.

391
00:18:27,406 --> 00:18:32,377
We have seen that our strikes
have had an impact on targets

392
00:18:32,377 --> 00:18:38,750
in Syria, that the ability of
ISIL to command and control

393
00:18:38,750 --> 00:18:41,620
their forces has been
affected by the airstrikes.

394
00:18:41,620 --> 00:18:45,323
At the same time, I don't think
anybody has sought to leave

395
00:18:45,324 --> 00:18:47,626
you or anyone else with the
impression that these

396
00:18:47,626 --> 00:18:50,362
kinds of airstrikes were
going to dramatically reverse

397
00:18:50,362 --> 00:18:52,498
the situation on the
battlefield overnight.

398
00:18:52,498 --> 00:18:53,499
They won't.

399
00:18:53,499 --> 00:18:55,501
We've been pretty candid
about the fact that this

400
00:18:55,501 --> 00:18:57,636
is a longer-term proposition,
and it's predicated

401
00:18:57,636 --> 00:18:59,638
on something that necessarily
does take a long time,

402
00:18:59,638 --> 00:19:03,274
which is building up the
capacity and capability of

403
00:19:03,275 --> 00:19:05,777
forces on the ground to
take the fight to ISIL.

404
00:19:05,777 --> 00:19:08,213
The President has made a
strategic decision that there

405
00:19:08,213 --> 00:19:10,649
will not be American boots on
the ground, in a combat role,

406
00:19:10,649 --> 00:19:12,383
taking the fight to ISIL.

407
00:19:12,384 --> 00:19:14,853
But what we can do is we can
build up the capacity of Iraq

408
00:19:14,853 --> 00:19:17,055
security forces, and we
can build up the capacity

409
00:19:17,055 --> 00:19:20,726
of Syrian opposition fighters
to take the fight to ISIL.

410
00:19:20,726 --> 00:19:22,728
That is a core component
of this strategy.

411
00:19:22,728 --> 00:19:26,498
And until that aspect of
the strategy is ramped up,

412
00:19:30,135 --> 00:19:32,804
that is a necessary component of
the strategy that will allow

413
00:19:32,804 --> 00:19:36,074
us to see more significant
results on the battlefield.

414
00:19:36,074 --> 00:19:39,411
But the aspects of the strategy
that have been implemented

415
00:19:39,411 --> 00:19:44,883
so far have been characterized
by having an impact on ISIL

416
00:19:44,883 --> 00:19:46,251
in a negative way for them.

417
00:19:46,251 --> 00:19:47,886
The Press: To follow up
on Roberta's question,

418
00:19:47,886 --> 00:19:50,289
does the President regard Kobani
as strategically significant

419
00:19:50,289 --> 00:19:51,890
and worthy of defense?

420
00:19:51,890 --> 00:19:57,129
Mr. Earnest: Well, in terms
of our broader strategy,

421
00:19:57,129 --> 00:20:00,331
our broader strategy is to
ensure that ISIL cannot

422
00:20:00,332 --> 00:20:02,334
operate in a virtual safe
haven in Syria.

423
00:20:04,436 --> 00:20:08,740
And so to the extent that
ISIL is trying to carve out

424
00:20:08,740 --> 00:20:10,909
a safe haven in Syria in the
midst of all this violence,

425
00:20:10,909 --> 00:20:13,845
we want to take airstrikes that
can degrade their ability

426
00:20:13,845 --> 00:20:15,180
to do exactly that.

427
00:20:15,180 --> 00:20:17,382
That, ultimately, at some
point, is going to require

428
00:20:17,382 --> 00:20:22,521
some forces on the ground who
can take the fight to them.

429
00:20:22,521 --> 00:20:25,190
More broadly, we have
sought, where possible,

430
00:20:25,190 --> 00:20:32,598
to try to avoid humanitarian --
terrible humanitarian

431
00:20:32,598 --> 00:20:33,599
situations from occurring.

432
00:20:33,599 --> 00:20:35,934
So I talked about the
situations at Sinjar Mountain

433
00:20:35,934 --> 00:20:37,668
and Amerli in Iraq.

434
00:20:37,669 --> 00:20:40,606
Our capability to do that in
Syria is limited by the fact

435
00:20:40,606 --> 00:20:43,675
that we don't have ground
forces that can follow

436
00:20:43,675 --> 00:20:45,777
up on coalition
airstrikes, So --

437
00:20:45,777 --> 00:20:47,279
The Press: But what
Roberta is getting at is that

438
00:20:47,279 --> 00:20:51,350
we should not interpret the
increased volume of airstrikes

439
00:20:51,350 --> 00:20:54,151
in and around Kobani as a
strategic decision on behalf

440
00:20:54,152 --> 00:20:56,955
of this government and its
coalition to protect it at all

441
00:20:56,955 --> 00:21:00,225
costs; that it is so
strategically important that

442
00:21:00,225 --> 00:21:02,628
you don't want it to fall,
and therefore that is why

443
00:21:02,628 --> 00:21:05,563
the airstrikes have stepped
up in number and ferocity.

444
00:21:05,564 --> 00:21:09,868
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
of course we don't want

445
00:21:09,868 --> 00:21:10,869
the town to fall.

446
00:21:10,869 --> 00:21:15,774
We are very concerned,
as we've said many times,

447
00:21:15,774 --> 00:21:18,610
about the citizens who live
there and the citizens who

448
00:21:18,610 --> 00:21:20,745
are threatened by ISIL.

449
00:21:20,746 --> 00:21:24,950
Again, the fact that they are
encroaching on this city and

450
00:21:24,950 --> 00:21:28,787
seeking to take it over is just
further evidence that ISIL is an

451
00:21:28,787 --> 00:21:31,556
extremist organization that is
willing to perpetrate terrible

452
00:21:31,556 --> 00:21:35,661
acts of violence that are
worthy of global condemnation.

453
00:21:35,661 --> 00:21:39,031
So we certainly do not
want the town to fall.

454
00:21:39,031 --> 00:21:41,899
At the same time, our capacity
to prevent that town from

455
00:21:41,900 --> 00:21:45,937
falling is limited by the
fact that airstrikes can

456
00:21:45,937 --> 00:21:47,039
only do so much.

457
00:21:47,039 --> 00:21:50,008
Airstrikes can have an
effect and have an impact,

458
00:21:50,008 --> 00:21:56,682
and they already have, but they
are made more effective when

459
00:21:56,682 --> 00:22:02,287
there is a ground force that
can take the fight to ISIL

460
00:22:02,287 --> 00:22:04,289
in the aftermath of those
kinds of airstrikes.

461
00:22:04,289 --> 00:22:06,525
That ground force
doesn't yet exist,

462
00:22:06,525 --> 00:22:09,861
but is a ground force that we
are actively working to ramp up

463
00:22:09,861 --> 00:22:12,898
our assistance to and setting
up training-and-equipping

464
00:22:12,898 --> 00:22:16,001
operations in Saudi
Arabia and Turkey,

465
00:22:16,001 --> 00:22:20,004
where we can provide additional
training and expand the capacity

466
00:22:20,005 --> 00:22:23,108
of Syrian opposition fighters
so that after they're trained

467
00:22:23,108 --> 00:22:27,713
and after they're equipped,
they can be used -- or they

468
00:22:27,713 --> 00:22:31,082
can go and fight ISIL in their
own country, and they can

469
00:22:31,083 --> 00:22:34,186
do so with the strong backing
of coalition airstrikes

470
00:22:34,186 --> 00:22:36,221
in a way that will make them,
we think, more effective.

471
00:22:36,221 --> 00:22:38,523
The Press: On Ebola,
in this briefing room,

472
00:22:38,523 --> 00:22:41,892
on October the 3rd,
Lisa Monaco said,

473
00:22:41,893 --> 00:22:45,030
"I want to emphasize that the
United States is prepared

474
00:22:45,030 --> 00:22:48,166
to deal with this crisis both
at home and in the region.

475
00:22:48,166 --> 00:22:51,470
Every Ebola outbreak over the
past 40 years has been stopped.

476
00:22:51,470 --> 00:22:54,439
We know how to do this,
and we will do it again.

477
00:22:54,439 --> 00:22:56,775
With America's leadership,
I am confident,

478
00:22:56,775 --> 00:22:58,210
and President
Obama is confident,

479
00:22:58,210 --> 00:23:01,113
[that] this epidemic
will also be stopped."

480
00:23:01,113 --> 00:23:03,281
Do you believe that was
-- considering what has

481
00:23:03,281 --> 00:23:06,084
happened since October 3rd
-- a regrettable bit

482
00:23:06,084 --> 00:23:07,686
of over-confidence?

483
00:23:07,686 --> 00:23:08,386
Mr. Earnest: Not at all.

484
00:23:08,386 --> 00:23:10,055
That continues to
be true to this day.

485
00:23:10,055 --> 00:23:11,523
The Press: Everything that's
happened since then is

486
00:23:11,523 --> 00:23:14,458
consistent with the United
States being able to handle

487
00:23:14,459 --> 00:23:15,360
and deal with this --

488
00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:15,827
Mr. Earnest: Absolutely.

489
00:23:15,827 --> 00:23:17,195
The Press: -- in a way that
reassures the American public?

490
00:23:17,195 --> 00:23:18,029
Mr. Earnest: Absolutely.

491
00:23:18,029 --> 00:23:22,000
What the CDC is doing is
that they are working,

492
00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,803
consistent with the advice
of our medical experts,

493
00:23:24,803 --> 00:23:27,806
to investigate exactly
what happened in terms

494
00:23:27,806 --> 00:23:31,977
of the transmission of Ebola
at that Dallas hospital.

495
00:23:31,977 --> 00:23:33,979
They're reviewing infection
control procedures,

496
00:23:33,979 --> 00:23:36,882
including the use of personal
protection equipment.

497
00:23:36,882 --> 00:23:40,786
They are ensuring that hospitals
and health care workers all

498
00:23:40,786 --> 00:23:44,222
across the country know and are
actually following the protocols

499
00:23:44,222 --> 00:23:45,557
that are in place.

500
00:23:45,557 --> 00:23:49,361
And the President has directed
the CDC to examine what more

501
00:23:49,361 --> 00:23:52,531
the CDC and their experts can
do to support hospitals

502
00:23:52,531 --> 00:23:56,768
who are currently treating
Ebola patients.

503
00:23:56,768 --> 00:24:00,071
That's one of the reasons that
this additional team of experts

504
00:24:00,071 --> 00:24:03,641
from the CDC went to the Dallas
hospital over the weekend,

505
00:24:03,642 --> 00:24:07,212
is to assist -- to ramp up
their assistance to the doctors

506
00:24:07,212 --> 00:24:09,447
who are treating this health
care worker who did

507
00:24:09,447 --> 00:24:10,916
contract the virus.

508
00:24:10,916 --> 00:24:13,385
But again, because of all
of this -- because of the

509
00:24:13,385 --> 00:24:17,789
leveraging of these assets,
we continue to believe that

510
00:24:17,789 --> 00:24:21,158
the risk of an Ebola outbreak
here in the United States

511
00:24:21,159 --> 00:24:22,561
is exceedingly low.

512
00:24:22,561 --> 00:24:24,396
The Press: Does the President
need an Ebola czar?

513
00:24:24,396 --> 00:24:29,868
Mr. Earnest: At this point,
we have a structure in place

514
00:24:29,868 --> 00:24:34,673
in which the CDC and HHS are
responsible for the efforts

515
00:24:34,673 --> 00:24:39,010
to contain Ebola here
in this country.

516
00:24:39,010 --> 00:24:41,746
They're working closely with
health care professionals all

517
00:24:41,746 --> 00:24:45,784
across the country to ensure
that protocols are in place and

518
00:24:45,784 --> 00:24:48,553
they're properly educated about
what to do in the unlikely

519
00:24:48,553 --> 00:24:50,689
event that they're presented
with an Ebola case.

520
00:24:50,689 --> 00:24:53,859
We've got DOD and USAID and
even CDC personnel that are

521
00:24:53,859 --> 00:24:57,428
on the ground in West Africa to
try to attack this outbreak

522
00:24:57,429 --> 00:24:58,430
at the source.

523
00:24:58,430 --> 00:25:00,432
They're all performing
different functions,

524
00:25:00,432 --> 00:25:01,967
but they're all critical to
the success of attacking this

525
00:25:01,967 --> 00:25:04,236
outbreak in West Africa.

526
00:25:04,236 --> 00:25:06,738
That is the only way that we'll
entirely eliminate the risk

527
00:25:06,738 --> 00:25:09,908
to the American people, is
by stopping this outbreak

528
00:25:09,908 --> 00:25:10,908
at the source.

529
00:25:10,909 --> 00:25:13,078
And then you've also seen the
Department of Homeland Security

530
00:25:13,078 --> 00:25:15,312
and their work with their
partners to put in place

531
00:25:15,313 --> 00:25:18,516
these screening measures
both in West Africa,

532
00:25:18,516 --> 00:25:20,518
in the midst of a
transportation system,

533
00:25:20,518 --> 00:25:23,421
and five airports
in this country,

534
00:25:23,421 --> 00:25:26,024
to also protect the
American public.

535
00:25:26,024 --> 00:25:28,525
So there are a lot of
agencies that are involved.

536
00:25:28,526 --> 00:25:30,996
Lisa Monaco is the President's
Homeland Security Advisor,

537
00:25:30,996 --> 00:25:33,531
and she is the one that from
here at the White House

538
00:25:33,531 --> 00:25:37,601
continues to play the role of
coordinating the efforts

539
00:25:37,602 --> 00:25:39,104
of all of those agencies.

540
00:25:39,104 --> 00:25:41,273
But ultimately, each of those
agencies understands exactly

541
00:25:41,273 --> 00:25:44,576
what they're responsible for,
and they have experts in this

542
00:25:44,576 --> 00:25:47,412
field that can ensure that the
American people remain safe.

543
00:25:47,412 --> 00:25:48,613
The Press: So the President
does not need one?

544
00:25:48,613 --> 00:25:50,382
Mr. Earnest: At this point,
we have a very clear line

545
00:25:50,382 --> 00:25:58,924
of responsibility, and that's
what we've been using so far.

546
00:25:58,924 --> 00:25:59,557
Viqueira.

547
00:25:59,557 --> 00:26:00,325
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

548
00:26:00,325 --> 00:26:04,162
You've repeatedly said -- in
Mount Sinjar, the Mosul Dam,

549
00:26:04,162 --> 00:26:07,866
the fight for Amerli -- that
there are individual battles

550
00:26:07,866 --> 00:26:10,368
in the service of a
larger cause of a goal,

551
00:26:10,368 --> 00:26:13,638
strategic goal to
degrade and destroy ISIL.

552
00:26:13,638 --> 00:26:16,140
But there doesn't seem
to be a lot of evidence

553
00:26:16,141 --> 00:26:20,245
on the battlefield that ISIL is
being degraded or destroyed.

554
00:26:20,245 --> 00:26:22,347
What evidence can you provided
that the campaign is effective?

555
00:26:22,347 --> 00:26:24,316
Mr. Earnest: Well, what
I'd do is I'd refer

556
00:26:24,316 --> 00:26:26,318
you to the Department
of Defense.

557
00:26:26,318 --> 00:26:28,753
They're conducting battle damage
assessments of the airstrikes,

558
00:26:28,753 --> 00:26:31,222
and they have periodically
conducted briefings to talk

559
00:26:31,222 --> 00:26:33,124
about the results
of those airstrikes.

560
00:26:33,124 --> 00:26:35,126
The Press: I mean, they're
sweeping through Anbar Province.

561
00:26:35,126 --> 00:26:37,595
They're miles from
the Baghdad airport,

562
00:26:37,595 --> 00:26:39,531
not to mention what's
going on in Syria.

563
00:26:39,531 --> 00:26:41,533
Aside from the individual
number of airstrikes --

564
00:26:41,533 --> 00:26:45,469
we're dazzled by 700 sorties
and numbers like that --

565
00:26:45,470 --> 00:26:47,706
but what hard evidence can
you provide that people

566
00:26:47,706 --> 00:26:49,274
can see that the
strategy is effective?

567
00:26:49,274 --> 00:26:54,379
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, for
a tactical assessment of the

568
00:26:54,379 --> 00:26:57,115
airstrikes, I'd refer you to
the Department of Defense.

569
00:26:57,115 --> 00:26:59,084
They're the ones that -- again,
they've conducted briefings

570
00:26:59,084 --> 00:27:01,653
a couple of times with maps,
walking through exactly what

571
00:27:01,653 --> 00:27:04,122
the targets were and what
impact the strikes had

572
00:27:04,122 --> 00:27:05,390
on those specific targets.

573
00:27:05,390 --> 00:27:07,392
So they can give you
that broader assessment.

574
00:27:07,392 --> 00:27:09,461
The thing that I'll tell you in
terms of our broader strategy

575
00:27:09,461 --> 00:27:12,597
is that the President has been
candid from the outset that this

576
00:27:12,597 --> 00:27:16,668
is a longer-term proposition
and that it's going to require,

577
00:27:16,668 --> 00:27:20,905
ultimately, an effective
fighting force on the ground.

578
00:27:20,905 --> 00:27:22,974
And the President has determined
that it's not in the best

579
00:27:22,974 --> 00:27:25,510
interest of the United States
for us to send American troops

580
00:27:25,510 --> 00:27:27,746
in a combat role on the
ground in these countries.

581
00:27:27,746 --> 00:27:30,648
So we're going to build up the
capacity of local fighters

582
00:27:30,648 --> 00:27:33,251
to take the fight to ISIL on the
ground in their own countries,

583
00:27:33,251 --> 00:27:35,253
and that's the proper
role for us to play.

584
00:27:35,253 --> 00:27:37,956
The Press: On that point, you've
mentioned there's a difference

585
00:27:37,956 --> 00:27:39,157
between Syria and
Iraq in that regard;

586
00:27:39,157 --> 00:27:41,559
there's no force on the ground
in Syria, at least not yet.

587
00:27:41,559 --> 00:27:42,994
Yet there is a force
on the ground in Iraq

588
00:27:42,994 --> 00:27:45,030
and they're losing.

589
00:27:45,030 --> 00:27:48,099
Can you trust the Iraqi army
to take this fight to ISIL?

590
00:27:48,099 --> 00:27:50,502
That is a pillar
of the strategy.

591
00:27:50,502 --> 00:27:52,971
Mr. Earnest: Well, we certainly
do believe that the Iraqi

592
00:27:52,971 --> 00:27:56,374
security forces, by working
closely with the United States

593
00:27:56,374 --> 00:27:58,243
through our joint
operation centers,

594
00:27:58,243 --> 00:28:00,477
by working closely with
Kurdish security forces,

595
00:28:00,478 --> 00:28:02,480
which they have on a
number of occasions,

596
00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:04,616
can be an effective
fighting force.

597
00:28:07,252 --> 00:28:08,787
We certainly do anticipate that
they will continue to be more

598
00:28:08,787 --> 00:28:12,223
effective as they have a central
government in Baghdad that

599
00:28:12,223 --> 00:28:14,225
reflects the will of all the
people that essentially

600
00:28:14,225 --> 00:28:17,094
is uniting the country
politically to confront

601
00:28:17,095 --> 00:28:19,064
the threat that's
posed by ISIL.

602
00:28:19,064 --> 00:28:23,201
That will ultimately steel the
will of Iraqi security forces

603
00:28:23,201 --> 00:28:24,869
to fight ISIL.

604
00:28:24,869 --> 00:28:26,337
But there's no doubt that
there's more that needs

605
00:28:26,337 --> 00:28:26,905
to be done.

606
00:28:26,905 --> 00:28:29,974
One of the things the United
States has done in the last few

607
00:28:29,974 --> 00:28:33,645
months is ramp up our assistance
to Iraqi security force as well,

608
00:28:33,645 --> 00:28:35,013
to make sure they have the
equipment and training

609
00:28:35,013 --> 00:28:36,781
that they need.

610
00:28:36,781 --> 00:28:39,184
And yes, there is more
work that needs to be done.

611
00:28:39,184 --> 00:28:41,786
And we are confident
though that over time,

612
00:28:41,786 --> 00:28:44,556
that as we improve the capacity
and capability of Iraq security

613
00:28:44,556 --> 00:28:47,792
forces, and as we back them
up with coalition airstrikes,

614
00:28:47,792 --> 00:28:49,726
that they will be more
effective on the battlefield.

615
00:28:49,727 --> 00:28:51,863
The Press: Finally, as ISIL
gets closer to Baghdad,

616
00:28:51,863 --> 00:28:54,966
is there a risk of inflamed
sectarian tensions,

617
00:28:54,966 --> 00:28:58,436
and in further involvement from
Iran in backing Shia militias

618
00:28:58,436 --> 00:29:01,371
to defend what is a
majority Shia city?

619
00:29:01,372 --> 00:29:03,608
Mr. Earnest: Well, in this
region of the world I think that

620
00:29:03,608 --> 00:29:07,579
we're always concerned about the
risk of sectarian tensions and

621
00:29:07,579 --> 00:29:12,716
what impact that could have on
a broader political equation.

622
00:29:12,717 --> 00:29:16,354
But in this case, we continue
to have confidence in the

623
00:29:16,354 --> 00:29:19,257
leadership of Prime Minister
Abadi who has demonstrated

624
00:29:19,257 --> 00:29:24,796
a commitment to governing in a
way that reflects the unity

625
00:29:24,796 --> 00:29:27,699
of the nation of Iraq,
that he has succeeded --

626
00:29:27,699 --> 00:29:31,269
at least in the early days
of his tenure -- in uniting

627
00:29:31,269 --> 00:29:33,271
the country of Iraq,
and particularly

628
00:29:33,271 --> 00:29:36,541
the diverse populations
of that nation.

629
00:29:36,541 --> 00:29:41,446
But that is a track record
that you build up over time.

630
00:29:41,446 --> 00:29:45,850
And we have been pleased by
the initial indications

631
00:29:45,850 --> 00:29:47,284
and by the initial
decisions and comments that

632
00:29:47,285 --> 00:29:50,221
he had made, but that is
a track record, again,

633
00:29:50,221 --> 00:29:52,223
that he'll have to
establish over some time.

634
00:29:52,223 --> 00:29:57,395
And that political effort
will be very important

635
00:29:57,395 --> 00:30:01,166
to ensuring that in the midst
of this turmoil and chaos,

636
00:30:01,166 --> 00:30:03,134
that Iraq doesn't
fall apart once again

637
00:30:03,134 --> 00:30:05,136
along sectarian lines.

638
00:30:05,136 --> 00:30:05,870
Ed.

639
00:30:05,870 --> 00:30:08,805
The Press: On Mike's question,
when we were told that this

640
00:30:08,806 --> 00:30:13,044
Iraqi base was taken
over yesterday by ISIS,

641
00:30:13,044 --> 00:30:15,914
there were about 400 Iraqi
security forces there and they

642
00:30:15,914 --> 00:30:18,016
were told to go into retreat.

643
00:30:18,016 --> 00:30:22,954
So how can you suggest you have
confidence in the Iraqi military

644
00:30:22,954 --> 00:30:25,056
if they're in retreat
in a key battle?

645
00:30:25,056 --> 00:30:27,592
Mr. Earnest: Because there are a
number of places where we have

646
00:30:27,592 --> 00:30:29,928
successfully partnered with
Iraqi security forces

647
00:30:29,928 --> 00:30:31,996
to take the fight to ISIL.

648
00:30:31,996 --> 00:30:33,431
The Press: This is in
the last 24 hours --

649
00:30:33,431 --> 00:30:34,232
they went into retreat.

650
00:30:34,232 --> 00:30:36,801
Mr. Earnest: Well, I recognize
that you're choosing one example

651
00:30:36,801 --> 00:30:38,803
-- and it's a relevant one --
but there are also relevant

652
00:30:38,803 --> 00:30:40,805
examples from earlier this
summer to indicate that Iraq

653
00:30:40,805 --> 00:30:42,774
security forces, by partnering
with the United States,

654
00:30:42,774 --> 00:30:45,109
was successful in countering
the threat from ISIL.

655
00:30:45,109 --> 00:30:48,079
So again, this is going to be
a longer-term proposition --

656
00:30:48,079 --> 00:30:49,280
there's no doubt
about that.

657
00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,183
And we're going to continue to
work closely with Iraqi security

658
00:30:52,183 --> 00:30:54,619
forces to build up their
capability so that they can do

659
00:30:54,619 --> 00:30:57,487
a better job on the battlefield
against ISIL fighters.

660
00:30:57,488 --> 00:30:58,122
The Press: Are we winning?

661
00:30:58,122 --> 00:30:58,590
Mr. Earnest: I'm sorry?

662
00:30:58,590 --> 00:30:59,857
The Press: Are we winning?

663
00:30:59,857 --> 00:31:01,859
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, we're
talking about a coalition

664
00:31:01,859 --> 00:31:03,860
of 60 nations that are
working closely with

665
00:31:03,861 --> 00:31:05,863
Iraqi security forces
and working to build

666
00:31:05,863 --> 00:31:07,865
up Syrian opposition
fighters, and there

667
00:31:07,865 --> 00:31:09,834
is no doubt that we can
point to the success

668
00:31:09,834 --> 00:31:11,636
in the early days
of this strategy.

669
00:31:11,636 --> 00:31:13,004
The Press: So we're winning?

670
00:31:13,004 --> 00:31:14,738
Mr. Earnest: I mean, when
you say "we" we're talking

671
00:31:14,739 --> 00:31:16,274
about a coalition
of 60 nations --

672
00:31:16,274 --> 00:31:17,074
The Press: That's why
I said "we."

673
00:31:17,075 --> 00:31:18,743
Mr. Earnest: -- working
closely with Iraq

674
00:31:18,743 --> 00:31:20,678
to successfully implement.

675
00:31:20,678 --> 00:31:21,179
The Press: So we're winning?

676
00:31:21,179 --> 00:31:22,280
Mr. Earnest: And yes, we are
succeeding in this effort.

677
00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:22,914
The Press: Okay.

678
00:31:22,914 --> 00:31:26,551
Because Eugene Robinson in The
Washington Post today had

679
00:31:26,551 --> 00:31:28,553
a column saying, "It's not too
soon to state the obvious:

680
00:31:28,553 --> 00:31:30,555
At this point, the war
against the Islamic State

681
00:31:30,555 --> 00:31:32,023
can be seen only
as failing."

682
00:31:32,023 --> 00:31:34,559
He went on to say, "I'm not sure
whether the President and his

683
00:31:34,559 --> 00:31:38,763
aides are guilty of
optimism or self-delusion."

684
00:31:38,763 --> 00:31:40,098
How do you react to that?

685
00:31:40,098 --> 00:31:46,671
Mr. Earnest: Well, I can
understand the sense of urgency

686
00:31:46,671 --> 00:31:50,141
that Mr. Robinson and others
may have about dealing

687
00:31:50,141 --> 00:31:51,175
with this threat.

688
00:31:51,175 --> 00:31:53,444
I assure you that it's a sense
of urgency that the President

689
00:31:53,444 --> 00:31:56,247
himself feels, and I think it's
one that he's conveyed at this

690
00:31:56,247 --> 00:31:58,950
podium and in other settings
over the last several months.

691
00:31:58,950 --> 00:32:01,219
That's why you've seen the
administration move out quickly

692
00:32:01,219 --> 00:32:03,554
to build this broad
international coalition

693
00:32:03,554 --> 00:32:06,958
and to move aggressively
in carrying out airstrikes

694
00:32:06,958 --> 00:32:08,893
that have had an effect
against ISIL targets both

695
00:32:08,893 --> 00:32:11,195
in Iraq and in Syria.

696
00:32:11,195 --> 00:32:12,129
The Press: The last one
on this and I want

697
00:32:12,130 --> 00:32:13,097
to go to another topic.

698
00:32:13,097 --> 00:32:15,533
But if the President
feels the same urgency,

699
00:32:15,533 --> 00:32:19,937
to Major's earlier question,
why -- it didn't seem like

700
00:32:19,937 --> 00:32:22,106
you suggested there was going
to be a change in strategy.

701
00:32:22,106 --> 00:32:26,377
Why is today's meeting not about
at least adjusting the strategy?

702
00:32:26,377 --> 00:32:29,414
Mr. Earnest: Well, we're
always refining the strategy.

703
00:32:29,414 --> 00:32:31,849
But the fact is, the broader
strategy that we have put

704
00:32:31,849 --> 00:32:35,218
in place for degrading and
ultimately destroying

705
00:32:35,219 --> 00:32:37,221
ISIL is making important
progress.

706
00:32:37,221 --> 00:32:39,223
There's a whole lot
more work to be done.

707
00:32:39,223 --> 00:32:41,225
This is a longer-term
proposition,

708
00:32:41,225 --> 00:32:43,293
as the President has been
saying for several weeks now.

709
00:32:43,294 --> 00:32:49,334
And the President is determined
to ensure that we're pursuing

710
00:32:49,334 --> 00:32:52,570
the kind of strategy that will
protect the American people

711
00:32:52,570 --> 00:32:54,105
and our interests around the
globe, and that's exactly

712
00:32:54,105 --> 00:32:54,839
what we're doing.

713
00:32:54,839 --> 00:32:56,206
The Press: On the midterms,
what does it say that

714
00:32:56,207 --> 00:32:58,976
a Democratic Senate candidate,
like Alison Grimes,

715
00:32:58,976 --> 00:33:01,813
won't say whether or not she
even voted for the President?

716
00:33:01,813 --> 00:33:03,815
Mr. Earnest: Well,
I don't know.

717
00:33:03,815 --> 00:33:06,751
I've seen some of the news
reports about her campaign,

718
00:33:06,751 --> 00:33:08,386
but I don't know.

719
00:33:08,386 --> 00:33:12,090
I mean, I'll tell you that
I voted for the President.

720
00:33:12,090 --> 00:33:13,091
(laughter)

721
00:33:13,091 --> 00:33:16,127
The Press: W wouldn't a
Senate candidate say,

722
00:33:16,127 --> 00:33:17,161
I voted for him?

723
00:33:17,161 --> 00:33:19,163
A Democrat -- why
wouldn't a Democrat?

724
00:33:19,163 --> 00:33:21,165
Mr. Earnest: Again, you'd have
to ask her and her campaign.

725
00:33:21,165 --> 00:33:22,133
The Press: And last one.

726
00:33:22,133 --> 00:33:24,535
I know Mark Knoller and others
have asked you about this,

727
00:33:24,535 --> 00:33:27,271
and I wasn't sure if you were
going to add it as an addendum

728
00:33:27,271 --> 00:33:29,741
-- it was asked last week
here at the briefing.

729
00:33:29,741 --> 00:33:32,009
You said you were going to look
into what the costs are for the

730
00:33:32,009 --> 00:33:35,980
President in terms of taxpayers
-- how much it costs taxpayers

731
00:33:35,980 --> 00:33:38,249
when the President uses Air
Force One and other resources

732
00:33:38,249 --> 00:33:40,418
to do campaign fundraising?

733
00:33:40,418 --> 00:33:41,852
Do you have any idea
what those costs are?

734
00:33:41,853 --> 00:33:42,754
And can you get them?

735
00:33:42,754 --> 00:33:44,088
Mr. Earnest: I can
look into that.

736
00:33:44,088 --> 00:33:46,391
What I can certainly do is
give you a sense of what

737
00:33:46,391 --> 00:33:48,926
our policies are and how and
whether they're consistent

738
00:33:48,926 --> 00:33:49,761
with previous
administrations.

739
00:33:49,761 --> 00:33:51,596
The Press: Well, we know
that the cost was split.

740
00:33:51,596 --> 00:33:53,097
But I guess, what is it it?

741
00:33:53,097 --> 00:33:53,898
A million dollars?

742
00:33:53,898 --> 00:33:55,233
It is $10 million?

743
00:33:55,233 --> 00:33:58,202
It is a hundred -- I understand
it was a 50/50 split with the

744
00:33:58,202 --> 00:34:00,938
DNC, the procedures, if
there's some official business

745
00:34:00,938 --> 00:34:01,939
or a campaign.

746
00:34:01,939 --> 00:34:05,109
But that doesn't really tell
the American people how much

747
00:34:05,109 --> 00:34:06,110
does it cost them.

748
00:34:06,110 --> 00:34:08,112
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
we'll look into this

749
00:34:08,112 --> 00:34:09,313
and see if we can provide
some information.

750
00:34:09,313 --> 00:34:10,782
The Press: Do you
have a timeframe?

751
00:34:10,782 --> 00:34:11,916
Because midterms
are coming up.

752
00:34:11,916 --> 00:34:13,451
(laughter)

753
00:34:13,451 --> 00:34:14,385
The Press: Sometime
in the next three weeks?

754
00:34:14,385 --> 00:34:15,019
Mr. Earnest: Yeah, exactly.

755
00:34:15,018 --> 00:34:16,053
(laughter)

756
00:34:16,053 --> 00:34:17,388
Look, I don't --

757
00:34:18,222 --> 00:34:19,524
The Press: It's a serious
question, though.

758
00:34:19,524 --> 00:34:21,525
I understand that you
think we're pressing you,

759
00:34:21,525 --> 00:34:23,226
but how much does it cost?

760
00:34:23,226 --> 00:34:24,094
It's a simple --

761
00:34:24,094 --> 00:34:25,462
Mr. Earnest: Okay, well, I
don't have the information

762
00:34:25,463 --> 00:34:26,130
in front of me.

763
00:34:26,130 --> 00:34:27,331
I'll get back to you.

764
00:34:27,331 --> 00:34:27,999
Chris.

765
00:34:27,998 --> 00:34:29,266
The Press: Well, to
follow up on that,

766
00:34:29,266 --> 00:34:30,500
we know that the President
is going to be with

767
00:34:30,501 --> 00:34:33,571
Governor Malloy, but is there
a sense at this point

768
00:34:33,571 --> 00:34:35,273
with the clock ticking
about how much more

769
00:34:35,273 --> 00:34:37,208
we'll see him
with candidates,

770
00:34:37,208 --> 00:34:39,911
particularly Democratic
gubernatorial and Senate

771
00:34:39,911 --> 00:34:43,214
candidates in these
closing weeks?

772
00:34:43,214 --> 00:34:45,216
Mr. Earnest: I do anticipate
that the President will make

773
00:34:45,216 --> 00:34:47,217
some additional campaign
appearances beyond the event

774
00:34:47,217 --> 00:34:49,219
that's been announced for later
this week -- I believe

775
00:34:49,219 --> 00:34:54,091
it's Wednesday or Thursday
-- Wednesday, tomorrow.

776
00:34:54,091 --> 00:34:57,962
We'll have some campaign events
in which the President will

777
00:34:57,962 --> 00:34:59,797
be speaking, in addition to
the one that is already

778
00:34:59,797 --> 00:35:00,898
taking place tomorrow.

779
00:35:00,898 --> 00:35:01,999
The Press: It's not
just Alison Grimes

780
00:35:01,999 --> 00:35:03,433
who is distancing
herself.

781
00:35:03,434 --> 00:35:06,504
There are campaign ads from
Natalie Tennant, Mark Begich,

782
00:35:06,504 --> 00:35:12,009
Mark Pryor, Joe Garcia have
all distanced themselves

783
00:35:12,009 --> 00:35:13,911
from the President.

784
00:35:13,911 --> 00:35:15,847
Is this disappointing to him?

785
00:35:15,847 --> 00:35:18,716
Mr. Earnest: No, the President
is pleased on the record that

786
00:35:18,716 --> 00:35:24,654
he has amassed in his six years
-- almost six years in office.

787
00:35:24,655 --> 00:35:28,159
That from ensuring that we could
recover from the worst economic

788
00:35:28,159 --> 00:35:30,995
downturn since the Great
Depression to putting in place

789
00:35:30,995 --> 00:35:33,631
the policies that were critical
to the success and rebuilding

790
00:35:33,631 --> 00:35:36,100
and renaissance of the
American auto industry,

791
00:35:36,100 --> 00:35:40,337
the President shepherded over
the process that reformed our

792
00:35:40,338 --> 00:35:42,373
health care system in a way
that is paying dividends

793
00:35:42,373 --> 00:35:44,375
for small businesses and
middle-class families

794
00:35:44,375 --> 00:35:45,576
all across the country.

795
00:35:45,576 --> 00:35:48,779
On the President's watch, we've
seen the greatest reform of our

796
00:35:48,779 --> 00:35:51,415
financial system since the
Great Depression in a way that

797
00:35:51,415 --> 00:35:54,719
has significantly enhanced
protections for consumers.

798
00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:57,121
So if you take a look at
the President's record,

799
00:35:57,121 --> 00:36:01,259
the President is pleased with
the success that he has had

800
00:36:01,259 --> 00:36:03,227
on behalf of the American
people and pursuing the kinds

801
00:36:03,227 --> 00:36:04,028
of values that he wants.

802
00:36:04,028 --> 00:36:04,995
The Press: So since he
has a strong case to make,

803
00:36:04,996 --> 00:36:07,431
is he disappointed he
is not out there more?

804
00:36:07,431 --> 00:36:10,001
Mr. Earnest: Well, the President
obviously has got a few things

805
00:36:10,001 --> 00:36:12,336
on his plate these days, but
the President is looking

806
00:36:12,336 --> 00:36:14,372
forward to the opportunity
to campaign with

807
00:36:14,372 --> 00:36:16,440
other candidates in
advance of the midterms.

808
00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:19,310
The Press: And, again, tying
this into what else is going on

809
00:36:19,310 --> 00:36:22,246
and the questions raised by
people like Gene Robinson about

810
00:36:22,246 --> 00:36:26,684
the effectiveness about ISIS,
questions that are being

811
00:36:26,684 --> 00:36:29,820
raised about the response
to Ebola, I mean,

812
00:36:29,820 --> 00:36:32,790
repeated assurances that
American hospitals can safely

813
00:36:32,790 --> 00:36:34,792
treat Ebola and, of
course, we know a nurse

814
00:36:34,792 --> 00:36:36,360
in Dallas was infected.

815
00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:39,764
There's a large set of examples
in the New York Times today

816
00:36:39,764 --> 00:36:43,034
about Emory University and some
of the problems that they

817
00:36:43,034 --> 00:36:45,336
have had in Atlanta.

818
00:36:45,336 --> 00:36:47,504
Does this raise -- do
these raise questions

819
00:36:47,505 --> 00:36:49,373
of competency in government?

820
00:36:49,373 --> 00:36:51,242
Mr. Earnest: I'm surprised that
you raised the Emory example,

821
00:36:51,242 --> 00:36:54,178
because this is an example of a
medical facility that did safely

822
00:36:54,178 --> 00:36:58,382
treat and help at least two
patients recover from Ebola.

823
00:36:58,382 --> 00:37:01,452
So I think that's actually a
pretty good indication that

824
00:37:01,452 --> 00:37:03,087
the American people
can have confidence --

825
00:37:03,087 --> 00:37:04,055
The Press: They faced a
series of problems that

826
00:37:04,055 --> 00:37:05,156
were unanticipated,
including --

827
00:37:05,156 --> 00:37:05,990
Mr. Earnest:
Unanticipated.

828
00:37:05,990 --> 00:37:07,024
But yet, Chris, this
is the thing --

829
00:37:07,024 --> 00:37:07,258
we've got to be focused
on the results.

830
00:37:07,258 --> 00:37:10,294
The fact that problems occur
when we're dealing with

831
00:37:10,294 --> 00:37:12,629
a deadly disease shouldn't
be a surprise to anybody.

832
00:37:12,630 --> 00:37:14,665
The question is how do
you respond to them.

833
00:37:14,665 --> 00:37:16,933
And what you saw at Emory was
you saw that two patients

834
00:37:16,934 --> 00:37:19,337
recovered from Ebola, thanks to
the life-saving treatment

835
00:37:19,337 --> 00:37:21,472
they got from American
doctors with the support

836
00:37:21,472 --> 00:37:23,040
of the federal government.

837
00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:25,476
And what you're seeing is a
response in Dallas to ensure

838
00:37:25,476 --> 00:37:27,812
that the safety of this one
health care worker who put

839
00:37:27,812 --> 00:37:30,915
her life on the line to try
to treat one Ebola patient --

840
00:37:30,915 --> 00:37:33,951
that is what makes
America, America.

841
00:37:33,951 --> 00:37:37,221
There's no other country in the
world that is taking the kind of

842
00:37:37,221 --> 00:37:40,391
efforts that we are to confront
this outbreak at the source.

843
00:37:40,391 --> 00:37:43,394
But yet, what you are seeing is
that our involvement in that

844
00:37:43,394 --> 00:37:45,395
effort is galvanizing the
international community

845
00:37:45,396 --> 00:37:48,666
to contribute more assets
to dealing with that.

846
00:37:48,666 --> 00:37:50,901
And all of that is in pursuit
of -- I mean, as I said,

847
00:37:50,901 --> 00:37:53,104
I started out this briefing
by saying that the risks

848
00:37:53,104 --> 00:37:55,740
of an outbreak -- of an Ebola
outbreak in the United States

849
00:37:55,740 --> 00:37:57,341
is exceedingly low.

850
00:37:57,341 --> 00:38:00,444
But the fact is, we are ensuring
that the United States

851
00:38:00,444 --> 00:38:02,647
continues to be a force
for good in the world,

852
00:38:02,647 --> 00:38:04,882
so you're seeing the significant
commitment of resources

853
00:38:04,882 --> 00:38:05,883
in West Africa.

854
00:38:05,883 --> 00:38:07,884
You're also seeing a commitment
on behalf of the United States,

855
00:38:07,885 --> 00:38:09,987
on behalf of this
President, to ensure that

856
00:38:09,987 --> 00:38:13,190
we drive down the risk of
an Ebola outbreak to zero.

857
00:38:13,190 --> 00:38:15,526
And the only way we can do
that is to attack this

858
00:38:15,526 --> 00:38:16,493
outbreak at its source.

859
00:38:16,494 --> 00:38:17,828
And that's why you're seeing
the United States make

860
00:38:17,828 --> 00:38:19,930
the most significant
commitment to that.

861
00:38:19,930 --> 00:38:21,432
This is something
that, by the way,

862
00:38:21,432 --> 00:38:22,799
the United States
government has been focused

863
00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:24,869
on since this outbreak
occurred back in March.

864
00:38:24,869 --> 00:38:26,704
So we're not driven
by the headlines here.

865
00:38:26,704 --> 00:38:28,239
We're not driven by
the midterm elections.

866
00:38:28,239 --> 00:38:29,707
What we're driven
by are results,

867
00:38:29,707 --> 00:38:30,908
and that's what
we're focused on.

868
00:38:30,908 --> 00:38:34,345
The Press: Well, where are those
results -- the WHO figures today

869
00:38:34,345 --> 00:38:37,848
that 70 percent is now the
mortality rate and that

870
00:38:37,848 --> 00:38:40,151
the number of new cases
could reach 10,000 per

871
00:38:40,151 --> 00:38:40,917
week by December?

872
00:38:40,918 --> 00:38:41,352
Mr. Earnest: That's
true, Chris.

873
00:38:41,352 --> 00:38:42,420
You're citing the
problems again.

874
00:38:42,420 --> 00:38:43,854
And these are
significant problems.

875
00:38:43,854 --> 00:38:45,990
And that's what the
administration is focused on.

876
00:38:45,990 --> 00:38:46,790
The Press: But you're
saying results,

877
00:38:46,791 --> 00:38:49,026
and you're saying the importance
is what happens at the source.

878
00:38:49,026 --> 00:38:50,828
What's happening at
the source is that

879
00:38:50,828 --> 00:38:52,530
there's a 70 percent
mortality rate.

880
00:38:52,530 --> 00:38:54,231
Mr. Earnest: What's happening
at the source is that there's

881
00:38:54,231 --> 00:38:56,400
a significant problem, and
the United States of America

882
00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:59,804
is doing more than anybody
else to confront it.

883
00:38:59,804 --> 00:39:00,971
J.C.

884
00:39:00,971 --> 00:39:02,173
The Press: I want to
follow up a little bit

885
00:39:02,173 --> 00:39:04,542
on that in terms of
the global aspect.

886
00:39:04,542 --> 00:39:07,511
Unfortunately, Mr. Duncan
was the first to succumb

887
00:39:07,511 --> 00:39:10,548
to the Ebola virus here in
the United States.

888
00:39:10,548 --> 00:39:13,450
A little bit of geography: He
got on a plane in Monrovia,

889
00:39:13,451 --> 00:39:17,054
in Liberia; he flew to Brussels,
got on a plane to Brussels and

890
00:39:17,054 --> 00:39:21,325
flew to Dulles, right, close by
across the river in Virginia.

891
00:39:21,325 --> 00:39:24,962
It is, to some, very comforting
that the President was

892
00:39:24,962 --> 00:39:28,399
on the phone yesterday with
President Hollande of France.

893
00:39:28,399 --> 00:39:31,335
In Europe, there are many
gateway cities that take

894
00:39:31,335 --> 00:39:34,238
individuals from the
continent of Africa,

895
00:39:34,238 --> 00:39:36,040
they go through Belgium,
they go through

896
00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:38,442
the Netherlands, France,
U.K. and Germany.

897
00:39:38,442 --> 00:39:40,945
Each of those leaders in those
countries have a specific

898
00:39:40,945 --> 00:39:44,315
protocol -- some less stringent,
some more stringent than others.

899
00:39:44,315 --> 00:39:47,251
Will the President
be consulting with,

900
00:39:47,251 --> 00:39:50,621
discussing with other leaders
-- as he has with President

901
00:39:50,621 --> 00:39:54,458
Hollande, including Chancellor
Merkel who has put more strict

902
00:39:54,458 --> 00:39:57,495
protocols in place, and Prime
Minister Cameron -- as to a

903
00:39:57,495 --> 00:40:00,531
coordinated effort as to the
screening process of individuals

904
00:40:00,531 --> 00:40:03,901
who go through those gateways
cities in Europe and come to the

905
00:40:03,901 --> 00:40:07,270
United States, and who are
not so easily detected when

906
00:40:07,271 --> 00:40:09,140
they go through that
particular process?

907
00:40:09,140 --> 00:40:11,241
Mr. Earnest: Well, let me say a
couple things about that, J.C.

908
00:40:11,242 --> 00:40:15,646
The first is, all indications
are that the index patient,

909
00:40:15,646 --> 00:40:18,816
the one who unfortunately did
succumb to this disease last

910
00:40:18,816 --> 00:40:21,685
week, was asymptomatic
when he was traveling.

911
00:40:21,685 --> 00:40:23,988
So this is somebody who would
not have been contagious,

912
00:40:23,988 --> 00:40:25,022
even though he had Ebola.

913
00:40:25,022 --> 00:40:27,024
He would not have been
contagious and did not pose

914
00:40:27,024 --> 00:40:29,026
a risk to the broader
traveling public.

915
00:40:29,026 --> 00:40:30,027
That's the first thing.

916
00:40:30,027 --> 00:40:32,630
The second thing is there are
screening measures in place

917
00:40:32,630 --> 00:40:36,133
to protect cities around the
world that start in West Africa.

918
00:40:36,133 --> 00:40:39,270
That there is a training regimen
that Mr. Shear's colleague,

919
00:40:39,270 --> 00:40:41,472
Helene Cooper, wrote
about over the weekend.

920
00:40:41,472 --> 00:40:43,974
She talked about how many times
her temperature was taken on the

921
00:40:43,974 --> 00:40:46,744
ground in West Africa before
she was allowed to leave.

922
00:40:46,744 --> 00:40:48,979
And that is indicative of the
protocols that are currently

923
00:40:48,979 --> 00:40:51,982
in place under the supervision
of international experts,

924
00:40:51,982 --> 00:40:55,219
including the CDC, to ensure
the safety of the traveling

925
00:40:55,219 --> 00:40:58,389
public and to ensure that
-- or at least minimize

926
00:40:58,389 --> 00:41:01,392
the risk of Ebola spreading.

927
00:41:01,392 --> 00:41:02,692
So that's the second thing.

928
00:41:02,693 --> 00:41:05,896
The third thing is it's the
responsibility of all of these

929
00:41:05,896 --> 00:41:08,966
European leaders to decide
for themselves what sort of

930
00:41:08,966 --> 00:41:13,002
protocols they want to have upon
arrival in their countries.

931
00:41:13,003 --> 00:41:16,574
But, fourth, there is a protocol
for travelers who are arriving

932
00:41:16,574 --> 00:41:19,677
in this country -- that those
individuals are screened once

933
00:41:19,677 --> 00:41:22,213
again, and we just announced
at the end of last week some

934
00:41:22,213 --> 00:41:26,817
additional screening protocols
that would be in place for those

935
00:41:26,817 --> 00:41:31,155
travelers who did originate or
recently travel from countries

936
00:41:31,155 --> 00:41:33,424
in West Africa where there
is an Ebola outbreak.

937
00:41:33,424 --> 00:41:34,258
The Press: May I
just follow up?

938
00:41:34,258 --> 00:41:36,160
Mr. Earnest: Sure.

939
00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:38,095
The Press: And I don't mean
to -- well, I do actually

940
00:41:38,095 --> 00:41:39,062
mean it, so I'm
going to say it.

941
00:41:39,063 --> 00:41:39,897
(laughter)

942
00:41:39,897 --> 00:41:40,898
Mr. Earnest: You
can belabor it, it's fine.

943
00:41:40,898 --> 00:41:41,966
The Press: Just a tiny bit.

944
00:41:41,966 --> 00:41:44,702
It is also a known fact
that many individuals

945
00:41:44,702 --> 00:41:46,403
have dual passports.

946
00:41:46,403 --> 00:41:49,339
Many individuals who come from
Europe and may stay in those key

947
00:41:49,340 --> 00:41:53,744
cities for a length of time may
not have particular instances

948
00:41:53,744 --> 00:41:56,714
where they have -- they're
presenting with a fever.

949
00:41:56,714 --> 00:42:00,884
Others can take ibuprofen or
other anti-inflammatories

950
00:42:00,885 --> 00:42:02,920
and lower the fever,
get on the plane,

951
00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:05,356
and get to America
where some, possibly,

952
00:42:05,356 --> 00:42:07,424
may think they're
going to get help.

953
00:42:07,424 --> 00:42:09,759
So that's just something
else that is out there

954
00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:11,161
and in the discussion.

955
00:42:11,161 --> 00:42:12,496
Mr. Earnest: Well,
again, I can't speak

956
00:42:12,496 --> 00:42:16,834
to the medical veracity of
what you're describing,

957
00:42:16,834 --> 00:42:19,002
but the fact is we've had an
outbreak for seven or eight

958
00:42:19,003 --> 00:42:22,473
months now, and the number of
travelers who have gone through

959
00:42:22,473 --> 00:42:25,875
the system is obviously very
small in terms of who made

960
00:42:25,876 --> 00:42:26,977
it to the United States.

961
00:42:26,977 --> 00:42:29,113
That's because of the protocols
that are already in place

962
00:42:29,113 --> 00:42:33,017
on the ground in West Africa
and on the ground here

963
00:42:33,017 --> 00:42:33,884
in the United States.

964
00:42:33,884 --> 00:42:35,052
So we've got
protocols in place.

965
00:42:35,052 --> 00:42:37,087
I mean, the other statistic that
I've seen is that there are

966
00:42:37,087 --> 00:42:39,957
dozens of people who have been
denied boarding an aircraft

967
00:42:39,957 --> 00:42:41,959
in West Africa because
they had a fever.

968
00:42:41,959 --> 00:42:44,995
So that is an indication that
these screening measures

969
00:42:44,995 --> 00:42:47,397
that take place before
anybody gets on an airplane

970
00:42:47,398 --> 00:42:49,266
are having an effect.

971
00:42:49,266 --> 00:42:50,334
Jon.

972
00:42:50,334 --> 00:42:51,368
The Press: Josh, a
couple quick ones.

973
00:42:51,368 --> 00:42:54,605
One on Ebola.

974
00:42:54,605 --> 00:42:56,974
Your statement on the
President's meeting yesterday

975
00:42:56,974 --> 00:43:00,544
referred to a "surge
in personnel and other

976
00:43:00,544 --> 00:43:02,513
resources to Dallas."

977
00:43:02,513 --> 00:43:06,817
How many people are going to
Dallas as a part of that surge?

978
00:43:06,817 --> 00:43:08,986
Mr. Earnest: I believe that so
far there's been a commitment

979
00:43:08,986 --> 00:43:10,554
of a team of
individuals from CDC.

980
00:43:10,554 --> 00:43:14,591
I'd refer you to CDC in terms
of the number of individuals.

981
00:43:14,591 --> 00:43:15,292
The Press: Because
my understanding

982
00:43:15,292 --> 00:43:16,026
is it was nine people.

983
00:43:16,026 --> 00:43:17,461
Is that what you
consider a surge?

984
00:43:17,461 --> 00:43:18,962
I'm just trying to get
our terminology down.

985
00:43:18,963 --> 00:43:20,698
Mr. Earnest: Well, what we
are focused on is ensuring

986
00:43:20,698 --> 00:43:23,567
that we have the necessary
experts in place.

987
00:43:23,567 --> 00:43:25,936
And that builds on the
experts who are already

988
00:43:25,936 --> 00:43:28,372
on the ground in Dallas.

989
00:43:28,372 --> 00:43:31,542
And one of the things the
President did ask the CDC

990
00:43:31,542 --> 00:43:35,846
to focus on is to examine what
additional resources and

991
00:43:35,846 --> 00:43:39,216
additional personnel they
can mobilize to support

992
00:43:39,216 --> 00:43:42,219
hospitals that are
treating Ebola patients.

993
00:43:42,219 --> 00:43:43,253
The Press: Okay.

994
00:43:43,253 --> 00:43:50,961
And on another issue, the
enrollment period for Obamacare

995
00:43:50,961 --> 00:43:53,696
is going to be the
beginning of November 15th.

996
00:43:53,697 --> 00:43:56,667
That's when people will
find out how much

997
00:43:56,667 --> 00:43:59,837
of a premium
increase they face.

998
00:43:59,837 --> 00:44:00,237
Mr. Earnest: Or decrease.

999
00:44:00,237 --> 00:44:01,305
The Press: Or decrease.

1000
00:44:01,305 --> 00:44:06,442
Why is it that last year
October 1st was the date,

1001
00:44:06,443 --> 00:44:07,644
now it's November 15th?

1002
00:44:07,644 --> 00:44:10,546
Why is it that people have to
wait until after the election

1003
00:44:10,547 --> 00:44:13,250
to find out how much
of a premium increase

1004
00:44:13,250 --> 00:44:14,752
or decrease or whatever?

1005
00:44:14,752 --> 00:44:17,788
Mr. Earnest: Again, I know that
you are a very keen observer

1006
00:44:17,788 --> 00:44:20,591
of the political process in
this country, as you should be,

1007
00:44:20,591 --> 00:44:23,894
particularly when we have such
an important election coming up.

1008
00:44:23,894 --> 00:44:26,029
But so many of the important
policy decisions that are made

1009
00:44:26,030 --> 00:44:28,599
in this administration and
in this White House are

1010
00:44:28,599 --> 00:44:30,868
driven by something
other than politics.

1011
00:44:30,868 --> 00:44:34,203
And so I'd refer you to the
Department of Health and Human

1012
00:44:34,204 --> 00:44:35,205
Services for deadlines
they're establishing.

1013
00:44:35,205 --> 00:44:36,573
The Press: But doesn't this
look like something -- I mean,

1014
00:44:36,573 --> 00:44:38,408
could people be forgiven
for thinking this looks

1015
00:44:38,409 --> 00:44:39,543
like a political move?

1016
00:44:39,543 --> 00:44:42,746
I mean, people will not find
out how much they're going

1017
00:44:42,746 --> 00:44:45,215
to have to pay for their health
insurance until after the

1018
00:44:45,215 --> 00:44:48,819
election, whereas last year
they found out on October 1st.

1019
00:44:48,819 --> 00:44:51,654
I mean, doesn't it seem a little
bit convenient that now

1020
00:44:51,655 --> 00:44:54,058
people will have to wait
until about 10, 11 days

1021
00:44:54,058 --> 00:44:56,060
after the election
to find out how much their

1022
00:44:56,060 --> 00:44:57,061
insurance is going to cost?

1023
00:44:57,061 --> 00:44:59,063
Mr. Earnest: Again, Jon,
this date for the beginning

1024
00:44:59,063 --> 00:45:01,065
of the enrollment
period was something

1025
00:45:01,065 --> 00:45:03,033
that was determined months
if not years ago.

1026
00:45:03,033 --> 00:45:04,735
The Press: Well, we knew exactly
when this election was going to

1027
00:45:04,735 --> 00:45:05,469
be a long time ago as well.

1028
00:45:05,469 --> 00:45:06,136
(laughter)

1029
00:45:06,136 --> 00:45:06,870
Mr. Earnest: It clearly
had been circled

1030
00:45:06,870 --> 00:45:07,703
on your calendar for --

1031
00:45:07,704 --> 00:45:08,972
The Press: November
4th, right.

1032
00:45:08,972 --> 00:45:12,076
Mr. Earnest: It was not circled
on the calendar of the experts

1033
00:45:12,076 --> 00:45:14,545
at the Department of
Health and Human Services

1034
00:45:14,545 --> 00:45:16,747
who are working on
this rollout.

1035
00:45:16,747 --> 00:45:17,381
The Press: Okay.

1036
00:45:17,381 --> 00:45:18,147
And then just one last one.

1037
00:45:18,148 --> 00:45:20,918
Coming back very briefly to
the Democratic candidate

1038
00:45:20,918 --> 00:45:22,920
for Senate in Kentucky.

1039
00:45:22,920 --> 00:45:26,023
This is the Democratic Party's
top hope for knocking off

1040
00:45:26,023 --> 00:45:29,760
an incumbent Republican
-- Alison Grimes.

1041
00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:31,462
Mr. Earnest: Well, my guess
is there are probably some

1042
00:45:31,462 --> 00:45:32,996
Democratic candidates out
there who would quibble

1043
00:45:32,996 --> 00:45:34,398
with that distinction.

1044
00:45:34,398 --> 00:45:35,165
The Press: I'm not
sure about that.

1045
00:45:35,165 --> 00:45:36,233
But, Josh --

1046
00:45:36,233 --> 00:45:37,167
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I will.

1047
00:45:37,167 --> 00:45:38,502
(laughter)

1048
00:45:38,502 --> 00:45:39,837
The Press: You
boldly said you voted

1049
00:45:39,837 --> 00:45:40,804
for the President.

1050
00:45:40,804 --> 00:45:44,708
Now, I assume that
was in 2008 and 2012?

1051
00:45:44,708 --> 00:45:45,542
Twice?

1052
00:45:45,542 --> 00:45:47,277
Mr. Earnest: I've been
a longtime supporter.

1053
00:45:47,277 --> 00:45:48,645
(laughter)

1054
00:45:48,645 --> 00:45:49,646
The Press: Do you
believe you have violated the

1055
00:45:49,646 --> 00:45:53,217
sanctity of the ballot box by
telling us who you voted for?

1056
00:45:53,217 --> 00:45:54,451
(laughter)

1057
00:45:54,451 --> 00:45:56,653
Have you broken
any constitutional privilege?

1058
00:45:56,653 --> 00:45:58,955
Mr. Earnest: I'll leave
that for you guys to decide.

1059
00:45:58,956 --> 00:46:00,257
Jim.

1060
00:46:00,257 --> 00:46:01,892
The Press: You were saying that
the key decisions made

1061
00:46:01,892 --> 00:46:04,627
by this administration are
not driven by politics,

1062
00:46:04,628 --> 00:46:08,332
but you are delaying the
nomination of a new Attorney

1063
00:46:08,332 --> 00:46:10,933
General until after the
midterms for political reasons,

1064
00:46:10,934 --> 00:46:11,935
isn't that true?

1065
00:46:11,935 --> 00:46:13,904
Mr. Earnest: Well, I don't' have
any personnel announcements

1066
00:46:13,904 --> 00:46:14,905
to make at this time.

1067
00:46:14,905 --> 00:46:19,076
There is an ongoing personnel --
there is an ongoing process here

1068
00:46:19,076 --> 00:46:23,013
at the White House to determine
who the right person is to lead

1069
00:46:23,013 --> 00:46:26,683
the Department of Justice over
the next two years or so with

1070
00:46:26,683 --> 00:46:29,853
the remainder of the
President's tenure in office.

1071
00:46:29,853 --> 00:46:32,089
The Press: But that was delayed
for political reasons primarily?

1072
00:46:32,089 --> 00:46:32,589
Mr. Earnest: I'm sorry?

1073
00:46:32,589 --> 00:46:33,624
The Press: That was
delayed primarily

1074
00:46:33,624 --> 00:46:34,390
for political decisions.

1075
00:46:34,391 --> 00:46:35,459
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, I
don't have any announcements

1076
00:46:35,459 --> 00:46:37,327
to make for you in
terms of the timing.

1077
00:46:37,327 --> 00:46:40,164
I would anticipate that it will
take a little bit of time

1078
00:46:40,164 --> 00:46:45,469
for the work to be done to
determine who the right person

1079
00:46:45,469 --> 00:46:47,471
is for that important task.

1080
00:46:47,471 --> 00:46:51,775
I also would anticipate that
the Senate will act quickly

1081
00:46:51,775 --> 00:46:53,844
and in bipartisan fashion
to confirm that person.

1082
00:46:53,844 --> 00:46:57,314
The Press: And on
getting back to Ebola.

1083
00:46:57,314 --> 00:47:00,450
What is the President's
preference: that people who

1084
00:47:00,450 --> 00:47:04,654
contract Ebola just go to
their neighborhood hospital,

1085
00:47:04,655 --> 00:47:06,823
or should these people
ultimately be treated

1086
00:47:06,823 --> 00:47:08,759
at biocontainment
centers, the CDC's

1087
00:47:08,759 --> 00:47:11,461
specialized
biocontainment centers?

1088
00:47:11,461 --> 00:47:13,663
Should people with Ebola just
be treated at any hospital

1089
00:47:13,664 --> 00:47:16,533
in the U.S. when you might
have hospitals with varying

1090
00:47:16,533 --> 00:47:18,235
standards around the U.S.?

1091
00:47:18,235 --> 00:47:19,536
Mr. Earnest: Well Jim, what
I'd do is I would refer

1092
00:47:19,536 --> 00:47:21,205
you to the Centers
for Disease Control,

1093
00:47:21,205 --> 00:47:25,275
who can give you the best
sort of assessment medically

1094
00:47:25,275 --> 00:47:28,278
of what kind of treatment
individuals can get.

1095
00:47:28,278 --> 00:47:30,981
What I have heard our medical
experts indicate is that they

1096
00:47:30,981 --> 00:47:33,884
do have confidence that many
hospitals across the country,

1097
00:47:33,884 --> 00:47:36,753
if not all of them, do have
the modern infrastructure

1098
00:47:36,753 --> 00:47:42,526
in place to diagnose
and isolate individuals

1099
00:47:42,526 --> 00:47:44,895
that they suspect may
have Ebola.

1100
00:47:44,895 --> 00:47:49,633
And what they have -- what the
President has asked the CDC

1101
00:47:49,633 --> 00:47:53,803
to do is to figure out what more
they can do to support hospitals

1102
00:47:53,804 --> 00:47:55,806
who find themselves
in that situation.

1103
00:47:55,806 --> 00:47:59,009
Now, fortunately, at this
point, we've only found

1104
00:47:59,009 --> 00:48:01,011
one hospital that's been
in that situation.

1105
00:48:01,011 --> 00:48:06,149
But there certainly is the
chance, even the likelihood,

1106
00:48:06,149 --> 00:48:08,752
that there may be
additional cases.

1107
00:48:08,752 --> 00:48:11,054
And we want to make sure that we
have the protocols in place --

1108
00:48:11,054 --> 00:48:14,458
that those protocols have been
accurately communicated

1109
00:48:14,458 --> 00:48:16,760
to hospitals across the
country, and that hospitals

1110
00:48:16,760 --> 00:48:18,762
are actually following
those protocols.

1111
00:48:18,762 --> 00:48:19,796
That's a priority.

1112
00:48:19,796 --> 00:48:22,566
But, again, what the President
has also asked the CDC to do is

1113
00:48:22,566 --> 00:48:25,067
to figure out what more they
can do to support hospitals

1114
00:48:25,068 --> 00:48:26,737
that find themselves in
a situation like that.

1115
00:48:26,737 --> 00:48:29,072
The Press: And I know you said
that the campaign against

1116
00:48:29,072 --> 00:48:31,074
ISIS is in its early days
but that you feel like

1117
00:48:31,074 --> 00:48:32,075
the strategy is working.

1118
00:48:32,075 --> 00:48:35,745
If the President sees that
perhaps he's not getting

1119
00:48:35,746 --> 00:48:38,415
the desired results out
of this air campaign,

1120
00:48:38,415 --> 00:48:42,719
is he willing to escalate the
air campaign against ISIS?

1121
00:48:42,719 --> 00:48:45,555
Mr. Earnest: Well, that would be
the kind of recommendation

1122
00:48:45,555 --> 00:48:48,357
that I think would come
from his military planners

1123
00:48:48,358 --> 00:48:50,027
at the Department
of Defense.

1124
00:48:50,027 --> 00:48:52,029
So the President meets
with them regularly,

1125
00:48:52,029 --> 00:48:56,867
he regularly gets updates on the
status of the ongoing campaign,

1126
00:48:56,867 --> 00:48:59,670
and I'm confident that
the President would want

1127
00:48:59,670 --> 00:49:03,006
to reserve that
option for himself.

1128
00:49:03,006 --> 00:49:05,008
But, again, that would be
contingent on the kind of advice

1129
00:49:05,008 --> 00:49:07,210
that he gets from our military
planners and something that

1130
00:49:07,210 --> 00:49:10,180
he would consult with our
partners in the coalition

1131
00:49:10,180 --> 00:49:11,315
on as well.

1132
00:49:11,315 --> 00:49:12,716
The Press: And just
finally on the midterms.

1133
00:49:12,716 --> 00:49:16,953
Can you just answer the
general question that seems

1134
00:49:16,953 --> 00:49:19,656
to be lingering out there that
the White House is hiding the

1135
00:49:19,656 --> 00:49:24,928
President from the campaign
trail during this midterm cycle?

1136
00:49:24,928 --> 00:49:29,266
He only has a select few events
that have been announced so far.

1137
00:49:29,266 --> 00:49:31,902
I know you've heard
that assessment.

1138
00:49:31,902 --> 00:49:33,904
What do you make
of that assessment?

1139
00:49:33,904 --> 00:49:35,906
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think the
first thing that I would observe

1140
00:49:35,906 --> 00:49:37,874
is the President has been
focused on some pretty core

1141
00:49:37,874 --> 00:49:40,042
national security priorities
in the last several weeks.

1142
00:49:40,043 --> 00:49:42,045
And that is always going to
come first when you're the

1143
00:49:42,045 --> 00:49:44,014
Commander-in-Chief of the
United States -- at least

1144
00:49:44,014 --> 00:49:46,016
it always comes first for
this Commander-in-Chief.

1145
00:49:46,016 --> 00:49:48,018
I'll let other
Commanders-in-Chief decide --

1146
00:49:48,018 --> 00:49:50,020
make their own
assessments about that,

1147
00:49:50,020 --> 00:49:52,022
but this President certainly
believes that national security

1148
00:49:52,022 --> 00:49:53,090
priorities come first.

1149
00:49:53,090 --> 00:49:55,192
But the President has also
demonstrated an ability on many

1150
00:49:55,192 --> 00:49:59,696
occasions to do -- to handle
more than one priority

1151
00:49:59,696 --> 00:50:00,697
at a time.

1152
00:50:00,697 --> 00:50:03,033
And that's why I would
anticipate that in the weeks

1153
00:50:03,033 --> 00:50:06,236
ahead you will see the President
out doing what he can to support

1154
00:50:06,236 --> 00:50:08,904
Democratic candidates up and
down the ballot in states

1155
00:50:08,905 --> 00:50:10,073
all across the country.

1156
00:50:10,073 --> 00:50:11,908
The Press: Will he appear with
a Senate candidate between

1157
00:50:11,908 --> 00:50:13,043
now and Election Day?

1158
00:50:13,043 --> 00:50:15,178
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, I
don't have any scheduling

1159
00:50:15,178 --> 00:50:15,812
announcements to make.

1160
00:50:15,812 --> 00:50:17,247
There are a number of Senate
candidates who have

1161
00:50:17,247 --> 00:50:19,383
already appeared publicly
with the President

1162
00:50:19,383 --> 00:50:21,084
in a variety of settings.

1163
00:50:21,084 --> 00:50:24,053
But in terms of our schedule
and the weeks ahead

1164
00:50:24,054 --> 00:50:27,290
in advance of the
election, stay tuned.

1165
00:50:27,290 --> 00:50:28,191
Mike.

1166
00:50:28,191 --> 00:50:30,259
The Press: So back to
Ebola and Dr. Frieden.

1167
00:50:30,260 --> 00:50:35,599
Given the events of the last few
days and the perception among

1168
00:50:35,599 --> 00:50:41,171
some that the CDC has been kind
of racing to catch up to events

1169
00:50:41,171 --> 00:50:46,576
on the ground in Dallas and at
the airports with the additional

1170
00:50:46,576 --> 00:50:49,279
screening, does the President
and the White House continue to

1171
00:50:49,279 --> 00:50:53,216
have confidence that Dr. Frieden
is both the right person to lead

1172
00:50:53,216 --> 00:50:55,618
the CDC at this time but also
the right person to be the

1173
00:50:55,619 --> 00:51:00,757
public face of the response
for the administration?

1174
00:51:00,757 --> 00:51:02,159
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think that
there are a lot of people who

1175
00:51:02,159 --> 00:51:05,095
have been involved in this
effort to respond to the Ebola

1176
00:51:05,095 --> 00:51:07,096
outbreak in West
Africa and to respond

1177
00:51:07,097 --> 00:51:10,333
to the isolated cases that
we've seen in this country.

1178
00:51:10,333 --> 00:51:12,469
The Press: He's doing the daily
briefings every single day.

1179
00:51:12,469 --> 00:51:13,336
He's the principal.

1180
00:51:13,336 --> 00:51:14,104
Mr. Earnest: He's
doing a lot of that.

1181
00:51:14,104 --> 00:51:16,006
I've seen Dr. Fauci from
the NIH participate

1182
00:51:16,006 --> 00:51:18,174
in a lot of briefings.

1183
00:51:18,175 --> 00:51:20,877
Lisa Monaco convened a briefing
here at the White House.

1184
00:51:20,877 --> 00:51:22,746
This obviously is a
prominent setting,

1185
00:51:22,746 --> 00:51:24,214
as all of you can attest.

1186
00:51:24,214 --> 00:51:27,150
We've seen the Department of
Defense talk publicly

1187
00:51:27,150 --> 00:51:28,552
about their role.

1188
00:51:28,552 --> 00:51:31,054
Administrator Raj Shah has
talked frequently in public

1189
00:51:31,054 --> 00:51:33,056
about the role that
they're playing.

1190
00:51:33,056 --> 00:51:37,627
So I think what I would describe
as the -- in the context of this

1191
00:51:37,627 --> 00:51:40,197
response are the many faces of
members of the administration

1192
00:51:40,197 --> 00:51:43,266
who are mobilizing
assets in support

1193
00:51:43,266 --> 00:51:46,703
of this important
priority.

1194
00:51:46,703 --> 00:51:49,072
What we're going to do is we're
going to be guided by the best

1195
00:51:49,072 --> 00:51:52,175
scientific advice that we have,
and we certainly are going

1196
00:51:52,175 --> 00:51:55,412
to work closely with experts
in other countries.

1197
00:51:55,412 --> 00:51:58,515
There are non-governmental
organizations,

1198
00:51:58,515 --> 00:52:00,517
like Doctors Without
Borders, that have some

1199
00:52:00,517 --> 00:52:01,518
expertise in this.

1200
00:52:01,518 --> 00:52:03,920
We're going to continue to work
closely with them as we design

1201
00:52:03,920 --> 00:52:08,959
a response that both addresses
the need to confront this

1202
00:52:08,959 --> 00:52:12,895
outbreak at the source while
also ensuring that protocols

1203
00:52:12,896 --> 00:52:15,665
here in the United States are
in place to keep the American

1204
00:52:15,665 --> 00:52:16,600
people safe and healthy.

1205
00:52:16,600 --> 00:52:17,667
The Press: But can you
specifically talk about

1206
00:52:17,667 --> 00:52:18,401
Dr. Frieden?

1207
00:52:18,401 --> 00:52:22,305
Does he retain the
President's confidence

1208
00:52:22,305 --> 00:52:23,540
and is he the
right person?

1209
00:52:23,540 --> 00:52:26,509
Mr. Earnest: He does, and
Dr. Frieden is a preeminent

1210
00:52:26,510 --> 00:52:29,279
physician, somebody that has a
lot of experience not just

1211
00:52:29,279 --> 00:52:31,281
in the medical profession
but also in the field

1212
00:52:31,281 --> 00:52:32,282
of public health.

1213
00:52:32,282 --> 00:52:35,986
And he is somebody who in the
last few months here has been

1214
00:52:35,986 --> 00:52:40,991
working almost around the clock
to ensure that our response

1215
00:52:40,991 --> 00:52:42,826
is commensurate with the
challenge that is posed here.

1216
00:52:42,826 --> 00:52:46,129
And the challenge that's
posed is significant,

1217
00:52:46,129 --> 00:52:49,266
as Chris was walking
through the outbreak

1218
00:52:49,266 --> 00:52:53,670
in Africa is distressing.

1219
00:52:53,670 --> 00:52:56,706
And the lack of a medical
infrastructure in that country

1220
00:52:56,706 --> 00:52:59,876
means that there are thousands
of people who have died

1221
00:52:59,876 --> 00:53:01,878
and thousands more
who are suffering.

1222
00:53:01,878 --> 00:53:05,415
And that is tragic, it's sad,
but it's also something that

1223
00:53:05,415 --> 00:53:08,118
we are concerned about
because of the more broader,

1224
00:53:08,118 --> 00:53:11,154
destabilizing impact it could
have on the region and because

1225
00:53:11,154 --> 00:53:14,724
of the risk -- although
it's quite minimal --

1226
00:53:14,724 --> 00:53:17,727
that this poses to
Americans around the globe.

1227
00:53:17,727 --> 00:53:20,797
So the United States is going
to play the role that we have

1228
00:53:20,797 --> 00:53:23,567
played many times, which is
leading the international

1229
00:53:23,567 --> 00:53:27,037
community to respond to an
urgent international incident,

1230
00:53:27,037 --> 00:53:30,272
and Dr. Frieden is playing a
very important role in all that.

1231
00:53:30,273 --> 00:53:31,908
The Press: And just
one last clarification.

1232
00:53:31,908 --> 00:53:34,544
You had talked I think maybe in
answer to Major about -- when

1233
00:53:34,544 --> 00:53:37,279
you said that government
doesn't need a czar because

1234
00:53:37,280 --> 00:53:39,282
there are clear lines
of responsibility.

1235
00:53:39,282 --> 00:53:41,851
Mr. Earnest: Well, I don't think
I used exactly those words,

1236
00:53:41,851 --> 00:53:44,788
but I did indicate that
there are specific lines

1237
00:53:44,788 --> 00:53:45,855
of responsibility in terms
of who's responsible

1238
00:53:45,855 --> 00:53:47,857
for carrying out specific
objectives in this.

1239
00:53:47,857 --> 00:53:48,858
The Press: Right.

1240
00:53:48,858 --> 00:53:50,594
So who's in charge?

1241
00:53:50,594 --> 00:53:54,464
Like, who does -- you listed all
those people -- Raj Shah and the

1242
00:53:54,464 --> 00:54:00,770
military and the CDC and the NSC
and all the different pieces.

1243
00:54:00,770 --> 00:54:04,608
Who ultimately do you see in
this who is leading the effort

1244
00:54:04,608 --> 00:54:06,710
and who's responsible for making
sure that all the different

1245
00:54:06,710 --> 00:54:09,279
pieces are doing what
they should be doing?

1246
00:54:09,279 --> 00:54:11,281
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
interagency coordination effort

1247
00:54:11,281 --> 00:54:13,549
is something that is being
monitored and run --

1248
00:54:13,550 --> 00:54:16,252
very capably, I might add --
by Lisa Monaco, who is --

1249
00:54:16,252 --> 00:54:16,753
The Press: So she's --

1250
00:54:16,753 --> 00:54:18,755
Mr. Earnest: She's
the President's

1251
00:54:18,755 --> 00:54:19,756
Homeland Security Advisor.

1252
00:54:19,756 --> 00:54:21,758
But again -- The Press: So
you would consider her

1253
00:54:21,758 --> 00:54:23,759
to be the person
that's responsible for

1254
00:54:23,760 --> 00:54:24,761
the effort globally?

1255
00:54:24,761 --> 00:54:26,763
Mr. Earnest: She is the one that
is responsible for coordinating

1256
00:54:26,763 --> 00:54:28,765
among the varied -- the
multifaceted effort that

1257
00:54:28,765 --> 00:54:30,767
is currently underway by
this administration;

1258
00:54:30,767 --> 00:54:33,303
that we've got CDC,
Department of Defense,

1259
00:54:33,303 --> 00:54:36,573
and USAID playing their own very
specific structured roles --

1260
00:54:36,573 --> 00:54:37,674
The Press: And they all
report to her, too?

1261
00:54:37,674 --> 00:54:40,577
Mr. Earnest: Well, but again,
they're all playing their very

1262
00:54:40,577 --> 00:54:42,579
specific structured roles on
the ground in West Africa.

1263
00:54:42,579 --> 00:54:45,615
You have the CDC and HHS, and
even some components of DHS who

1264
00:54:45,615 --> 00:54:48,884
are responsible for various
lines of effort here

1265
00:54:48,885 --> 00:54:49,919
in this country.

1266
00:54:49,919 --> 00:54:51,988
And so they are all
principally responsible for

1267
00:54:51,988 --> 00:54:55,191
fulfilling their own task.

1268
00:54:55,191 --> 00:54:57,459
Ensuring that all of their
efforts are integrated and

1269
00:54:57,460 --> 00:54:59,462
coordinated is the
responsibility of the

1270
00:54:59,462 --> 00:55:02,232
President's Homeland Security
Advisor, Lisa Monaco.

1271
00:55:02,232 --> 00:55:03,233
Scott.

1272
00:55:03,233 --> 00:55:04,167
The Press: Josh,
just to clarify that.

1273
00:55:04,167 --> 00:55:07,604
When we got briefed last week,
it was explained that CDC

1274
00:55:07,604 --> 00:55:11,741
and NIH work as advisors, but
they're still going through

1275
00:55:11,741 --> 00:55:14,177
the state and local public
health officials, right?

1276
00:55:14,177 --> 00:55:15,645
You have not nationalized
this response?

1277
00:55:15,645 --> 00:55:17,647
Mr. Earnest: Well,
that's correct,

1278
00:55:17,647 --> 00:55:19,716
that there is still a very
important role for state and

1279
00:55:19,716 --> 00:55:23,586
local health authorities
to play in all of this.

1280
00:55:23,586 --> 00:55:27,557
There obviously is an important
role for medical professionals

1281
00:55:27,557 --> 00:55:29,725
in communities all across the
country and in hospitals across

1282
00:55:29,726 --> 00:55:32,595
the country to play in all of
this to ensure that protocols

1283
00:55:32,595 --> 00:55:34,163
are updated and followed.

1284
00:55:34,164 --> 00:55:37,100
So again, this is a multifaceted
effort that's underway

1285
00:55:37,100 --> 00:55:39,402
to ensure the safety and
health of the American people.

1286
00:55:39,402 --> 00:55:42,038
And this is a
difficult challenge,

1287
00:55:42,038 --> 00:55:47,577
but one that our experts are
guiding and are dedicated

1288
00:55:47,577 --> 00:55:50,680
to succeeding in.

1289
00:55:50,680 --> 00:55:51,681
April.

1290
00:55:51,681 --> 00:55:54,851
The Press: Josh, since the
latest case of Ebola in Texas

1291
00:55:54,851 --> 00:55:58,154
was discovered, is there 100
percent certainty that you're

1292
00:55:58,154 --> 00:56:00,657
getting still to the White
House from health officials

1293
00:56:00,657 --> 00:56:04,494
to include the CDC, as to
how this disease is spread?

1294
00:56:04,494 --> 00:56:06,930
Mr. Earnest: Well, are
you talking about this

1295
00:56:06,930 --> 00:56:09,132
in this one specific
case in Dallas?

1296
00:56:09,132 --> 00:56:11,067
The Press: I mean, but this one
specific case in Dallas

1297
00:56:11,067 --> 00:56:13,870
could basically translate
into other cases, as well.

1298
00:56:13,870 --> 00:56:17,440
Is there still a certainty as
to how this disease is spread?

1299
00:56:17,440 --> 00:56:19,809
Because people were saying that
you couldn't -- after a certain

1300
00:56:19,809 --> 00:56:22,812
period of time, you couldn't
live and what have you.

1301
00:56:22,812 --> 00:56:24,948
And they're still trying
to figure out how she

1302
00:56:24,948 --> 00:56:25,949
contracted this disease.

1303
00:56:25,949 --> 00:56:26,483
Mr. Earnest: Yes.

1304
00:56:26,483 --> 00:56:28,485
I think it's important
not to conflate the two,

1305
00:56:28,485 --> 00:56:30,487
so let me separate
these two things out.

1306
00:56:30,487 --> 00:56:32,489
The first is, the CDC is
conducting an investigation to

1307
00:56:32,489 --> 00:56:38,495
determine how the transmission
occurred -- how was the virus

1308
00:56:38,495 --> 00:56:44,134
transmitted from this Ebola
patient into the system of this

1309
00:56:44,134 --> 00:56:46,803
one health care worker who was
working heroically to try

1310
00:56:46,803 --> 00:56:48,304
to save his life.

1311
00:56:48,304 --> 00:56:51,407
And that is something that
the CDC is still trying

1312
00:56:51,407 --> 00:56:52,142
to figure out.

1313
00:56:52,142 --> 00:56:54,444
And what they're going to do is
they're going to interview her,

1314
00:56:54,444 --> 00:56:58,548
the patient; they're going to
interview the -- when I say the

1315
00:56:58,548 --> 00:57:00,649
patient, I mean the health care
worker who is now a patient --

1316
00:57:00,650 --> 00:57:02,819
they're going to interview her
colleagues and her coworkers

1317
00:57:02,819 --> 00:57:04,821
who are also treating
this individual.

1318
00:57:04,821 --> 00:57:06,823
They're going to review all
the protocols that were

1319
00:57:06,823 --> 00:57:08,258
going to -- in place --
that were in place.

1320
00:57:08,258 --> 00:57:10,794
They're going to review how all
the protocols were implemented,

1321
00:57:10,794 --> 00:57:14,998
and they're going to try to
determine how this individual,

1322
00:57:14,998 --> 00:57:18,268
this health care worker
contracted the disease.

1323
00:57:18,268 --> 00:57:22,005
Now, separate from that,
it is very clear how

1324
00:57:22,005 --> 00:57:25,074
the Ebola virus
is spread.

1325
00:57:25,074 --> 00:57:27,677
It's not spread
through the air.

1326
00:57:27,677 --> 00:57:30,380
It's not spread through
the food and water here

1327
00:57:30,380 --> 00:57:31,714
in the United States.

1328
00:57:31,714 --> 00:57:37,053
It is spread through close
contact with the bodily fluids

1329
00:57:37,053 --> 00:57:40,824
of an individual that is
-- has symptoms of Ebola.

1330
00:57:40,824 --> 00:57:44,527
That is why we see so many cases
involving health care workers,

1331
00:57:44,527 --> 00:57:46,830
because it's obvious that
it's health care workers

1332
00:57:46,830 --> 00:57:50,834
who are, again, because of
their courageous service,

1333
00:57:50,834 --> 00:57:53,669
that they've put themselves in a
position in which they're coming

1334
00:57:53,670 --> 00:57:55,905
into close contact with the
bodily fluids of an individual

1335
00:57:55,905 --> 00:57:56,940
that they know is sick.

1336
00:57:56,940 --> 00:57:59,776
They know they're handling
hazardous materials,

1337
00:57:59,776 --> 00:58:02,044
but yet they put themselves at
risk to try to meet the needs

1338
00:58:02,045 --> 00:58:03,046
of this individual.

1339
00:58:03,046 --> 00:58:07,783
And I think that is -- it's
laudable, it's heroic.

1340
00:58:07,784 --> 00:58:11,487
We want to make sure that health
care workers -- nurses and

1341
00:58:11,487 --> 00:58:16,492
doctors -- can do that in a way
that doesn't put themselves

1342
00:58:16,492 --> 00:58:17,961
at significant risk.

1343
00:58:17,961 --> 00:58:18,928
The Press: And two
other questions.

1344
00:58:18,928 --> 00:58:20,263
And as you were saying,
the President has a lot

1345
00:58:20,263 --> 00:58:22,098
on his plate.

1346
00:58:22,098 --> 00:58:24,067
The White House put
out some papers,

1347
00:58:24,067 --> 00:58:26,736
emails about what they're
doing when it comes

1348
00:58:26,736 --> 00:58:28,805
to the Nigerian girls.

1349
00:58:28,805 --> 00:58:31,540
What has been the problem, as
this administration is trying

1350
00:58:31,541 --> 00:58:34,577
to help, in the global effort
to find the Nigerian girls?

1351
00:58:34,577 --> 00:58:36,913
Is it corruption in the
Nigerian government,

1352
00:58:36,913 --> 00:58:40,850
as many throughout Washington
would like to say,

1353
00:58:40,850 --> 00:58:42,418
or have been saying?

1354
00:58:42,418 --> 00:58:43,786
Mr. Earnest: Well,
April, the United States,

1355
00:58:43,786 --> 00:58:46,856
since the month of April, has
assisted the Nigerian government

1356
00:58:46,856 --> 00:58:49,525
in its efforts to locate
the abducted girls,

1357
00:58:49,525 --> 00:58:51,527
and our broader
partnership to confront

1358
00:58:51,527 --> 00:58:53,863
Boko Haram is longstanding.

1359
00:58:53,863 --> 00:58:57,100
As we mark the solemn six-month
anniversary of the girls'

1360
00:58:57,100 --> 00:58:59,802
abduction, we continue
to undertake concerted,

1361
00:58:59,802 --> 00:59:02,805
effective and responsible
actions to ensure the safe

1362
00:59:02,805 --> 00:59:05,308
return of those
kidnapped by Boko Haram,

1363
00:59:05,308 --> 00:59:07,744
including through on-the-ground
technical assistance,

1364
00:59:07,744 --> 00:59:11,114
expanded intelligence sharing,
the effective use of sanctions,

1365
00:59:11,114 --> 00:59:13,850
and broader engagement
with the group.

1366
00:59:13,850 --> 00:59:15,852
In May, the United
States, as you know,

1367
00:59:15,852 --> 00:59:18,988
dispatched a multidisciplinary
team to Abuja to advise the

1368
00:59:18,988 --> 00:59:22,158
Nigerians on how to secure the
safe return of those kidnapped,

1369
00:59:22,158 --> 00:59:25,528
encourage a comprehensive
approach to address insecurity,

1370
00:59:25,528 --> 00:59:28,363
and establish a capacity to
respond more effectively

1371
00:59:28,364 --> 00:59:29,766
in the future.

1372
00:59:29,766 --> 00:59:32,135
These officials provided
guidance to the Nigerian

1373
00:59:32,135 --> 00:59:34,203
government on conducting
a comprehensive response

1374
00:59:34,203 --> 00:59:37,540
to Boko Haram that protects
civilian populations

1375
00:59:37,540 --> 00:59:38,708
and respects human rights.

1376
00:59:38,708 --> 00:59:40,710
Let me add one
more thing to that,

1377
00:59:40,710 --> 00:59:42,712
which is that the team that's
on the ground includes

1378
00:59:42,712 --> 00:59:45,648
civilian humanitarian experts,
U.S. military personnel,

1379
00:59:45,648 --> 00:59:47,984
law enforcement advisors
and investigators,

1380
00:59:47,984 --> 00:59:50,553
as well as experts in
hostage negotiations,

1381
00:59:50,553 --> 00:59:52,955
strategic communications,
civilian security

1382
00:59:52,956 --> 00:59:54,223
and intelligence.

1383
00:59:54,223 --> 00:59:56,659
The reason I went through that
is because I wanted to make sure

1384
00:59:56,659 --> 01:00:00,830
that people understood the kind
of commitment that the United

1385
01:00:00,830 --> 01:00:03,266
States had made to assist
the Nigerian government

1386
01:00:03,266 --> 01:00:04,801
as they try to
find these girls.

1387
01:00:04,801 --> 01:00:06,269
The Press: Is Nigerian
corruption some of the problem

1388
01:00:06,269 --> 01:00:09,738
as to why these girls
cannot been found?

1389
01:00:09,739 --> 01:00:10,873
Mr. Earnest: Again, you probably
have to talk to somebody

1390
01:00:10,873 --> 01:00:13,810
who is a better analyst of
the Nigerian government

1391
01:00:13,810 --> 01:00:14,744
to draw that assessment.

1392
01:00:14,744 --> 01:00:15,244
The Press: All right.

1393
01:00:15,244 --> 01:00:16,779
And lastly, on Ferguson --
Ferguson has expanded

1394
01:00:16,779 --> 01:00:19,282
to a certain extent
into St. Louis.

1395
01:00:19,282 --> 01:00:20,550
What is the White
House doing?

1396
01:00:20,550 --> 01:00:22,518
How are they watching
the situation?

1397
01:00:22,518 --> 01:00:26,356
What are they doing as it
relates to this powder keg

1398
01:00:26,356 --> 01:00:31,194
resulting from the young -- the
18-year-old boy being shot

1399
01:00:31,194 --> 01:00:34,096
to death by a police officer
who has yet to be charged

1400
01:00:34,097 --> 01:00:35,098
in this incident?

1401
01:00:35,098 --> 01:00:37,667
Mr. Earnest: Well, I know that
there is -- you're talking

1402
01:00:37,667 --> 01:00:39,902
about the most recent
incident, I assume?

1403
01:00:39,902 --> 01:00:41,137
The Press: Yes, St.
Louis, which is different,

1404
01:00:41,137 --> 01:00:44,173
but it's still kind of
extending into that.

1405
01:00:44,173 --> 01:00:44,741
Mr. Earnest: It is.

1406
01:00:44,741 --> 01:00:47,509
And I'm hesitant to talk in much
detail about that because there

1407
01:00:47,510 --> 01:00:49,712
is an ongoing law enforcement
investigation into

1408
01:00:49,712 --> 01:00:51,247
that specific incident.

1409
01:00:51,247 --> 01:00:55,118
But this is something that
is on the radar screen

1410
01:00:55,118 --> 01:00:56,519
of the White House.

1411
01:00:56,519 --> 01:01:00,055
The Department of Justice, in
the context of the earlier

1412
01:01:00,056 --> 01:01:03,659
incident earlier this summer has
been working closely with

1413
01:01:03,659 --> 01:01:07,830
state and local officials to
respond to the concerns

1414
01:01:07,830 --> 01:01:09,365
that have been raised
in the community.

1415
01:01:09,365 --> 01:01:12,067
And those efforts
continue.

1416
01:01:14,837 --> 01:01:16,639
The Press: Does the White House
believe that either the lack

1417
01:01:16,639 --> 01:01:22,578
of a Surgeon General in place
or budget cuts at the NIH

1418
01:01:22,578 --> 01:01:25,715
and CDC have hurt the
government's response,

1419
01:01:25,715 --> 01:01:30,820
or in any way
materially impacted it?

1420
01:01:30,820 --> 01:01:34,657
Mr. Earnest: Yes, I mean, as it
relates to the Surgeon General,

1421
01:01:34,657 --> 01:01:37,493
the President did nominate a
highly qualified individual

1422
01:01:37,493 --> 01:01:39,996
to that post quite some
time ago, and we do believe

1423
01:01:39,996 --> 01:01:42,331
that that person should
be confirmed.

1424
01:01:42,331 --> 01:01:45,001
In terms of what role the
Surgeon General would play

1425
01:01:45,001 --> 01:01:46,335
in this specific response, I
guess what I would say about

1426
01:01:46,335 --> 01:01:51,641
that is it's hard to
imagine it would hurt,

1427
01:01:51,641 --> 01:01:54,710
and that we would only benefit
from a scenario where we had

1428
01:01:54,710 --> 01:01:59,849
a dedicated public health
professional who was involved

1429
01:01:59,849 --> 01:02:01,884
in helping us communicate
with hospitals and medical

1430
01:02:01,884 --> 01:02:05,421
professionals all across the
country to ensure that these

1431
01:02:05,421 --> 01:02:08,357
protocols -- the proper
protocols were in place

1432
01:02:08,357 --> 01:02:09,959
and closely followed.

1433
01:02:09,959 --> 01:02:13,395
As it relates to funding,
we've talked many times about

1434
01:02:13,396 --> 01:02:17,266
the impact that sequestration
and other tight budget caps

1435
01:02:17,266 --> 01:02:21,471
have had on a range of
critical health care programs.

1436
01:02:21,471 --> 01:02:24,273
That said, this administration
continues to be focused

1437
01:02:24,273 --> 01:02:26,943
on ensuring a focused and
coordinated Ebola response

1438
01:02:26,943 --> 01:02:30,746
both in West Africa and here
in the United States.

1439
01:02:30,746 --> 01:02:33,082
There are some more statistics
I can give you that relate

1440
01:02:33,082 --> 01:02:36,519
to the efforts of this
administration to try to ramp

1441
01:02:36,519 --> 01:02:39,287
up funding, as we have
for a number of years,

1442
01:02:39,288 --> 01:02:41,958
to those programs
within the CDC that are

1443
01:02:41,958 --> 01:02:45,061
related to prevention
and public health.

1444
01:02:45,061 --> 01:02:47,029
The Press: So you're saying that
-- are you not -- it doesn't

1445
01:02:47,029 --> 01:02:50,066
sound like you're saying whether
it would have helped or hurt.

1446
01:02:50,066 --> 01:02:54,937
Lots of money has been cut; it's
becoming an issue where even

1447
01:02:54,937 --> 01:02:57,940
Democrats are using it in
ads against Republicans.

1448
01:02:57,940 --> 01:03:01,811
Does the White House think it
would have had a different --

1449
01:03:01,811 --> 01:03:05,148
or would have benefitted if
that money had not been cut?

1450
01:03:05,148 --> 01:03:06,949
Mr. Earnest: Well, let me say it
this way: I think that what we

1451
01:03:06,949 --> 01:03:12,555
can all agree is that the role
that the CDC plays in preventing

1452
01:03:12,555 --> 01:03:15,892
the outbreak of disease
is critically important

1453
01:03:15,892 --> 01:03:20,529
to the country, to our citizens,
and to our broader economy.

1454
01:03:20,530 --> 01:03:22,598
And those are programs and
those are efforts that

1455
01:03:22,598 --> 01:03:23,866
are worth investing in.

1456
01:03:23,866 --> 01:03:28,604
And it certainly is
disappointing that Republicans,

1457
01:03:28,604 --> 01:03:31,406
at least to this point, haven't
shared that commitment

1458
01:03:31,407 --> 01:03:35,678
to investing in those kinds of
critically important programs.

1459
01:03:35,678 --> 01:03:37,513
The Press: -- on
funding, please?

1460
01:03:38,548 --> 01:03:39,582
Mr. Earnest: Yes,
we'll move it around.

1461
01:03:39,582 --> 01:03:42,785
The Press: --
Ebola and Malaria.

1462
01:03:43,352 --> 01:03:45,421
Mr. Earnest: We'll
get you something.

1463
01:03:45,421 --> 01:03:45,955
Thanks, everybody.

1464
01:03:45,955 --> 01:03:46,822
Have a good day.