English subtitles for clip: File:10-21-14- 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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I don't have any
statements at the top,

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so let's just go
straight to questions.

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Jim, would you like
to start us off?

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The Press: Thank you, Josh.

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I wondered if you could discuss
some just-now breaking news --

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reports that there's a --

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Mr. Earnest: I don't like
it when you begin your

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questions that way.

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(laughter)

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The Press: I imagine
you might be aware of it.

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But one of three detainees
has been released

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in North Korea and
apparently on his way.

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Mr. Earnest: I am, Jim, in a
position to confirm that

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Jeffrey Fowle has been
allowed to depart the DPRK

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and is on his way home
to rejoin his family.

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We certainly welcome the
decision from the DPRK

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to release him.

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While this is a positive
decision by the DPRK,

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we remain focused on
the continued detention

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of Kenneth Bae and Matthew
Miller, and again,

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calling the DPRK to
immediately release them.

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The United States government
will continue to work

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actively on their cases.

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We're appreciative of the
efforts of the government of

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Sweden for the tireless efforts
of their embassy in Pyongyang,

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which acts as the
protecting power

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of the United
States in the DPRK.

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As a condition of his release,
the DPRK authorities asked

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the United States government
to transport Mr. Fowle

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out of the country
upon his release.

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The Department of Defense was
able to provide transportation

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for Mr. Fowle in the timeframe
that was specified by the DPRK.

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And if we're in a position
to release additional

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details about his
return, we'll do that.

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But that's all I
have right now.

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The Press: Can you give
us a sense of the timing?

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When was the administration
made aware that this

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was a possibility?

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How long have you been
aware that this would

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be occurring today?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, as you know,
this is -- the release of these

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three individuals is something
that the United States

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has long advocated both
publicly and privately.

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In terms of the timeframe
of this announcement,

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I'd refer you to the
State Department;

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they may have more details
on this specific release.

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The Press: And there's
nothing on the other two?

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No indication that they
would be released --

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Mr. Earnest: Well, we
continue to believe that

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they should be released,
but I don't have any

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updates on their
status at this point.

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The Press: I wanted to ask
you on two other subjects.

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The Department of Homeland
Security just announced that any

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travelers from West Africa --
from Liberia, from Guinea,

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from Sierra Leone -- will have
to go through the five

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airports you had
designated last week

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with the enhanced
screening measures.

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And as you, I believe,
said last week,

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that covered virtually everybody
that was coming in from those

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countries but not entirely.

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Why was not this policy that's
being announced today put

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in place back then, since it
would have presumably

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100 percent coverage?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, Jim, what we
have said for some time is that

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the President stands ready to
consider additional travel

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restrictions as necessary
to further protect

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the American public.

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And this is an example of an
additional travel restriction

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that could be put in place by
our homeland security officials

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to ensure the safety and
security of the American public.

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So when the President was
asked in the Oval Office

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on Thursday evening of last
week about a travel ban,

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the President explained why he
did not believe that a travel

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ban would be in the best
interest of American public

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safety, but he did indicate an
openness to additional travel

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restrictions that could be
put in place to protect

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the American public.

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This is an example of one of
those travel restrictions.

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And it's something
that -- I mean,

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this is relatively
creative policymaking.

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This is a situation where the
Department of Homeland Security

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had to work with airlines that
are flying passengers from

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a variety of countries, from
Europe to the United States.

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It did require
some work with

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the State Department to
inform other countries.

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So there was a lot of
coordination that had

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to go into developing and
implementing this policy,

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and we're pleased to
see that that's being

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implemented starting
tomorrow, I believe.

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The Press: And what steps
has the administration taken

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in the event that any of
these travelers enter

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the U.S. over land
rather than by plane?

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Are there additional screening
protocols being put in place

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in both northern and
southern entry points?

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Mr. Earnest: It is my
understanding that DHS

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is focused as well.

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There's been a lot of
international -- well,

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there's been a lot of public
attention on the screening

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measures that are in
place for individuals who

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are arriving at airports.

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There are similar screening
protocols in place for those who

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arrive at seaports and over our
land ports of entry as well.

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For those details, I would refer
you to my colleagues at the

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Department of
Homeland Security

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who can walk you through
those details.

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The Press: And I had a
midterm campaign question.

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In an interview with
Al Sharpton yesterday,

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the President said he was
pushing for turnout on behalf

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of Democratic candidates, and
he said they are -- these

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Democratic candidates are
folks who vote with me,

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they have my agenda
in Congress.

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And as you know, many of these
Democrats are running -- are

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vulnerable Democrats running
in red states who are -- been

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trying mightily to distance
themselves from the President.

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So I'm wondering, given that
two weeks ago the President

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said that his policies were
on the ballot as well,

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what's the President
trying to communicate

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here given that distancing
from Republicans?

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Is there a strategy here
that we just don't get?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, let
me say two things

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about the
President's answer.

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The first thing is, it's
important to take a look

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at the question
that he was asked.

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And the question that
he was asked is,

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what specifically -- the
question that he was asked

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was specifically, what should
supporters -- why should

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supporters of the President
be actively engaged

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in the midterms
elections?

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Why should they
support Democrats?

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Why should supporters of the
President support Democrats?

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And the answer that the
President gave is one that

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should be familiar to you, which
is that the President remains

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committed to a set of domestic
policies that will enhance

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the financial standing of
middle-class families all across

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the country, and that there are
a range of proposals that

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would make progress against
that principal objective.

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The President is eager to work
with Democrats or Republicans

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in Congress to raise
the minimum wage,

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to pass laws that ensure equal
pay for equal work for women.

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He is eager to pass policies
that would invest in early

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childhood education or in
infrastructure -- the kinds of

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proposals that would create jobs
in the short term but also

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would be good for our
economy over the long term.

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And the fact of the matter is
that for reasons that you'd have

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to ask them about, Republicans
have blocked these

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proposals at every turn.

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These are common-sense proposals
that have traditionally earned

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bipartisan support, and the
President is eager for partners

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in Congress who will be
supportive of these kinds

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of priorities that benefit
middle-class families.

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And in the vast majority of
cases all across the country,

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we're talking about
Democratic candidates who

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are the ones who share the
belief that policies that

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benefit middle-class families
should be prioritized.

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And the President has worked
hard to support the candidacy

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of those candidates.

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The Press: But in red states,
don't the President's comments

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also act as to light a fire
under Republican voters as well?

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Does he realize that?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, again, I
think you'd have to sort of do

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an analysis state by state to
decide what sort of impact

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comments like this have.

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I think what the President is
focused on is making sure that

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Democrats in each of these
states understand the stakes

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for this election.

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And the fact of the matter is,
states -- Democrats who are

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running in red states, blue
states and in so-called purple

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states, are going to need the
strong support of those voters

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who supported the President
in his reelection campaign;

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that they're going to need the
support of young voters and

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Hispanic voters
and Asian voters,

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African American
voters, of course.

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And so helping voters in all
these states understand the

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stakes in the midterm election
is one way the President

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can help Democratic
candidates on the ballot,

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and that is part of what
the President is trying

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to communicate in his radio
interview with Mr. Sharpton

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and he'll continue to do
interviews on radio

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and with other outlets
to make this case.

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Steve.

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The Press: Josh, back on the
Jeffrey Fowle case --

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what were the circumstances
of his release?

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Was there some
sort of deal?

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Did you give them something
for him in return?

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Mr. Earnest: Steve, all
the details that I have

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about his release were
-- I read at the top.

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So I'd refer you to the State
Department who may have

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more details about this
specific situation.

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The Press: Now, the measures
that DHS announced,

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does this obviate the
need for a travel ban?

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Is this your answer to those
who are demanding a travel ban?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, our views on
the travel ban haven't changed.

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The President has reached the
conclusion -- this is consistent

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with the advice he has gotten
from scientists and other public

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health experts -- that a
travel ban would only serve

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to put the American people
at greater risk.

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The reason for that is simply
if you institute a travel ban,

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the individuals who have spent
time in West Africa would

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essentially go underground
-- they would seek to evade

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detection, they would conceal
the true nature of their travel

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history in an attempt
to enter the country.

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The vastly preferable system to
have in place would be for these

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individuals to be subjected to
intensive screening before they

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ever board an aircraft, and then
to be subjected to an additional

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round of screening upon
arrival in the United States.

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That's the way that we can
ensure the safety of the

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American public.

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The fact of the matter is,
giving individuals an incentive

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to conceal their travel history
only puts the American public

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at risk because it makes it
harder for us to determine

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which individuals need to be
subjected to the screening

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that we've described.

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The Press: So the travel
ban is off the table?

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Mr. Earnest: So the
travel ban at this point,

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the President has
concluded, again,

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on the advice of scientists
and public health experts,

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that it would put
the American people

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at greater risk,
not less.

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The travel
restrictions, however,

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that are being announced today
strengthen the measures that are

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in place to protect the American
public because it ensures that

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individuals who are traveling
on commercial airlines to the

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United States are funneled to
these five airports where there

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is personnel available to pull
them aside and ensure that they

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get proper screening before
entering this country.

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You'll recall that there
are other measures that

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are in place, too.

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They are given information about
Ebola -- what signs they

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should be on the lookout
for in terms of symptoms;

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their contact information is
also collected so that

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if there's a need to reach
them on short notice,

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that that can be
done as well.

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The Press: And last
thing -- Ron Klain not

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starting until tomorrow.

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Why was he not able to
start until Wednesday?

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Was there some -- were there
some business entanglements

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he had to get out of?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I
don't know the details.

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We can follow up
with you on that,

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but the fact of the matter
is he accepted the job

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on Friday and starting
on Wednesday.

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I think that's a pretty
quick turn-around.

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Jim.

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00:11:45,538 --> 00:11:47,773
The Press: Just to clarify
on the travel ban question,

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00:11:47,773 --> 00:11:49,608
because I think I remember
you saying last week

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that it was an option
that was on the table.

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Is it now no longer
on the table?

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Mr. Earnest: No, again,
our view of the travel

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00:11:56,082 --> 00:11:57,516
ban has not changed.

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At this point, it is the
view of the President,

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based on the advice he has
received from scientists and

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00:12:02,388 --> 00:12:08,127
public health experts, that
it strengthens our security

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measures and keeps the American
people safe to keep those

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00:12:10,830 --> 00:12:13,866
lines of travel open so that
individuals who are traveling

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from West Africa to the United
States are subjected

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to screening measures, both
before they board an aircraft

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and after they leave the
aircraft in the United States.

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That's the best way to
protect the American public,

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and that is a guiding principle
that the President will

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use as he considers the
notion of a travel ban.

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If for some reason the advice
he receives from scientists

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and public health experts is
different and he starts to get

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advice that for whatever reason
it would actually be beneficial

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to the American public and
would enhance our safety

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here at home for a travel
ban to be put in place,

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the President is
open to it.

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He's not philosophically
opposed to a travel ban.

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00:12:49,768 --> 00:12:51,770
The Press: It's still
an option, but perhaps

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00:12:51,770 --> 00:12:54,640
it's in the drawer instead
of being on the table.

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Something along
those lines?

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Mr. Earnest: I guess, to torture
that analogy a little bit,

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I guess I would --

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The Press: Pardon
my torturing,

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00:12:59,612 --> 00:13:01,079
but it has not been
completely ruled out.

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00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:02,081
Mr. Earnest: I frequently
do that myself,

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so I'm willing to
let you do that.

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What is important for people
to understand is that there

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has been, as of tomorrow, an
additional travel restriction

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00:13:09,121 --> 00:13:12,091
that has been put in place based
on the policy that was conceived

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00:13:12,091 --> 00:13:16,395
over at DHS that would funnel
travelers from West Africa

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00:13:16,395 --> 00:13:18,831
to airports where the
secondary screening measures

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are already in place.

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And the President does believe
that that will further protect

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00:13:23,936 --> 00:13:24,937
the American people.

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00:13:24,937 --> 00:13:27,773
The Press: And can I ask, just
to go back to the President's

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00:13:27,773 --> 00:13:31,310
events in Chicago and
Maryland and getting back

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00:13:31,310 --> 00:13:33,344
out on the campaign trail
for these midterms --

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00:13:33,345 --> 00:13:36,982
has he or the White House
or both of you considered

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00:13:36,982 --> 00:13:40,519
what life will be like
with a Republican Senate?

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00:13:40,519 --> 00:13:42,154
Mr. Earnest: Not really.

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00:13:42,154 --> 00:13:44,256
The fact of the matter is, the
President has spent a lot

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00:13:44,256 --> 00:13:47,059
of time over the last couple
of years trying to boost

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00:13:47,059 --> 00:13:49,461
the candidacy of
Democratic candidates,

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00:13:49,461 --> 00:13:52,097
both incumbents and challengers
all across the country.

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00:13:52,097 --> 00:13:54,600
And the President has spent
a lot of time raising money;

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00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,835
there's been a lot of
coordination between the

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00:13:56,835 --> 00:14:00,873
President's own campaign
infrastructure and the campaign

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00:14:00,873 --> 00:14:04,143
infrastructures of candidates
all across the country.

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And we do anticipate that there
will be significant benefits

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00:14:06,445 --> 00:14:10,816
that can be transferred in the
form of volunteer lists and

303
00:14:10,816 --> 00:14:12,484
other technology that was
used to turn out votes

304
00:14:12,484 --> 00:14:17,156
in 2012 that can benefit
candidates in 2014.

305
00:14:17,156 --> 00:14:20,391
That all said, the reason that
we continue to be confident

306
00:14:20,392 --> 00:14:26,198
about the outcome in midterm
elections is because in each --

307
00:14:26,198 --> 00:14:30,202
and this goes to sort of what I
was talking to Jim about earlier

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00:14:30,202 --> 00:14:34,106
-- that on the issues, we see
Democratic candidates all across

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00:14:34,106 --> 00:14:37,141
the country strongly advocating
policies that benefit

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00:14:37,142 --> 00:14:39,311
middle-class families.

311
00:14:39,311 --> 00:14:41,480
That's not just the right
thing for the country,

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00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:43,482
it is the President's
view that the best way

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00:14:43,482 --> 00:14:45,483
to grow our economy is
from the middle out.

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00:14:45,484 --> 00:14:47,653
But that also happens to be
an approach that is strongly

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00:14:47,653 --> 00:14:50,322
supported by the vast
majority of Americans.

316
00:14:50,322 --> 00:14:53,158
So as long as -- the more
that we can have debates

317
00:14:53,158 --> 00:14:58,364
on the issues and discuss
the priorities of the two

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00:14:58,364 --> 00:15:01,333
candidates, that in this case
there's a pretty clear choice

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00:15:01,333 --> 00:15:03,334
between a whole slate of
Democratic candidates that are

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00:15:03,335 --> 00:15:05,371
fighting for middle-class
families and a whole slate

321
00:15:05,371 --> 00:15:08,073
of Republican candidates that
believe we should just offer

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00:15:08,073 --> 00:15:11,043
greater tax cuts and benefits
to those at the top with the

323
00:15:11,043 --> 00:15:13,879
expectation that it will
trickle down on everybody else.

324
00:15:13,879 --> 00:15:15,080
The Press: And do you mind if
I just press you a little

325
00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,249
bit more on the President's
comments to Al Sharpton,

326
00:15:17,249 --> 00:15:20,452
saying that these
candidates in these hotly

327
00:15:20,452 --> 00:15:23,756
contested races have
supported my agenda.

328
00:15:23,756 --> 00:15:26,058
Mary Landrieu does not
support the President

329
00:15:26,058 --> 00:15:28,227
on the Keystone pipeline.

330
00:15:28,227 --> 00:15:31,297
Mark Begich differs from
the President on oil

331
00:15:31,297 --> 00:15:33,465
exploration in Alaska.

332
00:15:33,465 --> 00:15:36,969
Kay Hagan and Bill Braley
differ with the President

333
00:15:36,969 --> 00:15:40,472
on how to respond to
the Ebola scare.

334
00:15:40,472 --> 00:15:43,409
So don't you think those
comments were just a little

335
00:15:43,409 --> 00:15:46,845
unhelpful in those races?

336
00:15:46,845 --> 00:15:49,515
Mr. Earnest: Well, no, I think
candidates will make their

337
00:15:49,515 --> 00:15:52,318
own case about what it is --
what their priorities are.

338
00:15:52,318 --> 00:15:55,754
I think the President was simply
making the observation that

339
00:15:55,754 --> 00:15:58,457
he is strongly supportive of
candidates that are strongly

340
00:15:58,457 --> 00:16:00,726
supportive of policies that
benefit middle-class families.

341
00:16:00,726 --> 00:16:03,529
And when you go down the line,
from raising the minimum wage

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00:16:03,529 --> 00:16:07,399
to passing laws that ensure
equal pay for equal work for

343
00:16:07,399 --> 00:16:12,604
women, or investments in early
childhood education or our

344
00:16:12,604 --> 00:16:14,573
infrastructure, that the
President is looking

345
00:16:14,573 --> 00:16:16,742
for partners that
support an agenda

346
00:16:16,742 --> 00:16:18,843
that benefits
middle-class families.

347
00:16:18,844 --> 00:16:21,013
Frankly, the President -- if
there were Republicans who were

348
00:16:21,013 --> 00:16:24,350
willing to step up to the plate
and do the same thing and

349
00:16:24,350 --> 00:16:28,053
support those kinds of policies,
we would have seen a lot more

350
00:16:28,053 --> 00:16:31,423
progress in this country over
the last couple of years.

351
00:16:31,423 --> 00:16:36,595
But the fact of the matter is
Republicans have stood

352
00:16:36,595 --> 00:16:39,098
firmly against the kind of
policies that benefit

353
00:16:39,098 --> 00:16:40,366
middle-class families.

354
00:16:40,366 --> 00:16:43,769
And the President is eager to
support Democratic candidates

355
00:16:43,769 --> 00:16:47,773
that support those
priorities that benefit

356
00:16:47,773 --> 00:16:48,807
middle-class families.

357
00:16:48,807 --> 00:16:50,576
It doesn't mean that they're
going to agree on everything,

358
00:16:50,576 --> 00:16:55,414
but it does mean the President
wants members of Congress that

359
00:16:55,414 --> 00:16:57,316
have their priorities straight.

360
00:16:57,316 --> 00:16:59,485
The Press: And you don't see
the Senate as a lost cause?

361
00:16:59,485 --> 00:17:01,487
Mr. Earnest: Absolutely not.

362
00:17:01,487 --> 00:17:03,555
Justin.

363
00:17:03,555 --> 00:17:04,623
The Press: I just wanted
to follow on that

364
00:17:04,623 --> 00:17:07,126
a little bit and try
to square something.

365
00:17:07,126 --> 00:17:10,095
So you've talked about how the
President wants to be supportive

366
00:17:10,095 --> 00:17:14,233
of lawmakers who share his
priorities and how important

367
00:17:14,233 --> 00:17:16,801
it is to energize the
Democratic base.

368
00:17:16,801 --> 00:17:18,270
But at the same time, we
haven't seen the President

369
00:17:18,270 --> 00:17:20,906
on the campaign trail once
with a Senate Democrat,

370
00:17:20,906 --> 00:17:24,275
and there's plans for him to
do one appearance with

371
00:17:24,276 --> 00:17:27,479
a Democrat that seems
relatively ahead in the polls.

372
00:17:27,479 --> 00:17:30,249
So can you just kind of
square that for me -- why,

373
00:17:30,249 --> 00:17:34,119
if it's important to support
candidates with his priorities

374
00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:36,355
and important to energize
the Democratic base,

375
00:17:36,355 --> 00:17:38,323
we're not seeing the President
out on the campaign trail

376
00:17:38,323 --> 00:17:39,992
with Senate
Democrats right now?

377
00:17:39,992 --> 00:17:41,126
Mr. Earnest: Well, what we
have talked about quite a bit,

378
00:17:41,126 --> 00:17:43,095
Justin, is that there are a
variety of ways in which the

379
00:17:43,095 --> 00:17:46,498
President and his campaign
apparatus can be beneficial

380
00:17:46,498 --> 00:17:49,101
to Democratic candidates
up and down the ballot

381
00:17:49,101 --> 00:17:51,403
all across the country in
the midterm election.

382
00:17:51,403 --> 00:17:55,174
The President himself has
observed that his name is not

383
00:17:55,174 --> 00:17:58,310
on the ballot this year, but he
is interested in supporting

384
00:17:58,310 --> 00:18:03,315
candidates that are advocates
for an agenda that benefits

385
00:18:03,315 --> 00:18:04,917
middle-class families.

386
00:18:04,917 --> 00:18:06,518
And so that's why you've
seen the President,

387
00:18:06,518 --> 00:18:09,655
starting at the
beginning of last year,

388
00:18:09,655 --> 00:18:14,158
work to raise money in support
of political committees that

389
00:18:14,159 --> 00:18:17,229
benefit Democratic candidates.

390
00:18:17,229 --> 00:18:21,366
You've also seen, again, the
President's campaign team,

391
00:18:21,366 --> 00:18:26,672
such as it exists now, working
to derive the benefits of

392
00:18:26,672 --> 00:18:30,509
technology and a volunteer
base and transfer them

393
00:18:30,509 --> 00:18:33,045
to Democratic candidates --
that there are some candidates

394
00:18:33,045 --> 00:18:35,647
running in purple states where
there is a pretty developed

395
00:18:35,647 --> 00:18:42,354
and successful Obama
campaign infrastructure.

396
00:18:42,354 --> 00:18:46,592
And by working closely
with those campaigns,

397
00:18:46,592 --> 00:18:50,996
we've attempted to transfer that
support and that organizational

398
00:18:50,996 --> 00:18:53,832
architecture to benefit
other campaigns.

399
00:18:53,832 --> 00:18:55,834
But ultimately, campaigns have
to make their own decisions

400
00:18:55,834 --> 00:18:59,338
about how they can best benefit
from the President's leadership.

401
00:18:59,338 --> 00:19:01,974
And whether that is benefitting
from money that he's raising

402
00:19:01,974 --> 00:19:05,409
to support committees that
support their campaigns,

403
00:19:05,410 --> 00:19:10,349
or whether that is benefitting
from technology or other

404
00:19:10,349 --> 00:19:13,485
organizational techniques that
benefitted the President two

405
00:19:13,485 --> 00:19:16,655
years ago that could benefit
Democrats this time,

406
00:19:16,655 --> 00:19:18,490
that there are a variety of ways
that the President can support

407
00:19:18,490 --> 00:19:21,360
them, and the President
has been eager to do that.

408
00:19:21,360 --> 00:19:23,061
The Press: There was a story in
the Times over the weekend that

409
00:19:23,061 --> 00:19:28,066
suggested basically that the
hopes for Democrats this cycle

410
00:19:28,066 --> 00:19:30,235
are coming down to African
American voters and that

411
00:19:30,235 --> 00:19:32,571
that was the last chance the
Democrats really had

412
00:19:32,571 --> 00:19:33,938
to keep the Senate.

413
00:19:33,939 --> 00:19:36,842
And so I'm wondering, since the
President has obviously been

414
00:19:36,842 --> 00:19:41,446
targeting African American
voters with I think a number

415
00:19:41,446 --> 00:19:44,483
of radio appearances, including
this Al Sharpton one,

416
00:19:44,483 --> 00:19:50,889
if this latest comment, which
seems contrary to him not going

417
00:19:50,889 --> 00:19:53,658
on the campaign trail and
not meeting Senate Democrats

418
00:19:53,659 --> 00:19:56,762
publicly -- and even Vice
President Biden said earlier

419
00:19:56,762 --> 00:19:59,130
this year, I'll campaign
for you or against you,

420
00:19:59,131 --> 00:20:01,833
whatever is most helpful -- if
this is a signal that you guys

421
00:20:01,833 --> 00:20:07,372
see the Senate as very much
in jeopardy and as this

422
00:20:07,372 --> 00:20:11,243
is kind of a last chance
to energize the base.

423
00:20:11,243 --> 00:20:13,445
Mr. Earnest: Well, I'll say
a couple things about that.

424
00:20:13,445 --> 00:20:22,220
The first is that -- I mean, at
the risk of stating the obvious,

425
00:20:22,220 --> 00:20:24,256
the fact of the matter is the
stakes in this election are

426
00:20:24,256 --> 00:20:30,095
high, and there is an important
-- this is an important

427
00:20:30,095 --> 00:20:33,599
opportunity every two years,
as exists every two years,

428
00:20:33,599 --> 00:20:37,903
for the American electorate
to make their voices heard

429
00:20:37,903 --> 00:20:41,106
and to influence the composition
of the federal government.

430
00:20:41,106 --> 00:20:43,108
They'll also influence
the composition

431
00:20:43,108 --> 00:20:45,577
of state government in a
bunch of states, too.

432
00:20:45,577 --> 00:20:47,713
So the stakes for this
election are high.

433
00:20:47,713 --> 00:20:50,248
That's why you've seen the
President be so invested in

434
00:20:50,248 --> 00:20:53,986
raising money and trying to lend
some organizational expertise

435
00:20:53,986 --> 00:20:56,288
and experience to other
Democratic candidates.

436
00:20:56,288 --> 00:20:58,724
In some cases, he's
campaigned for them.

437
00:20:58,724 --> 00:21:01,493
So the President is committed
to supporting candidates

438
00:21:01,493 --> 00:21:03,629
that support the kind of
middle-class agenda that

439
00:21:03,629 --> 00:21:06,164
he has strongly advocated.

440
00:21:06,164 --> 00:21:10,035
The second point I would make on
this is simply that the success

441
00:21:10,035 --> 00:21:13,805
of many of these Democratic
candidates will depend on their

442
00:21:13,805 --> 00:21:19,044
own success in motivating
voters that strongly supported

443
00:21:19,044 --> 00:21:21,279
the President in 2012.

444
00:21:21,279 --> 00:21:24,483
The fact of the matter is that
there has traditionally been a

445
00:21:24,483 --> 00:21:31,255
drop-off among some segments of
the Democratic Party electorate

446
00:21:31,256 --> 00:21:32,257
in midterm elections.

447
00:21:32,257 --> 00:21:34,493
That's no secret.

448
00:21:34,493 --> 00:21:39,364
The President has demonstrated
an unprecedented ability to earn

449
00:21:39,364 --> 00:21:45,237
the support of and turn out
some of those constituencies

450
00:21:45,237 --> 00:21:47,906
in support of his campaigns
in presidential years.

451
00:21:47,906 --> 00:21:51,743
And so the question is how can
the President leverage his past

452
00:21:51,743 --> 00:21:54,946
success in motivating those
communities to benefit

453
00:21:54,946 --> 00:21:56,313
Democratic candidates.

454
00:21:56,314 --> 00:21:58,316
Now, ultimately, those
Democratic candidates will

455
00:21:58,316 --> 00:22:00,852
have to develop their own
strategies in their states

456
00:22:00,852 --> 00:22:03,221
for figuring out how
exactly to do that.

457
00:22:03,221 --> 00:22:06,692
And there are people running
in red states that have

458
00:22:06,692 --> 00:22:07,693
a strong track record.

459
00:22:07,693 --> 00:22:10,062
There are Democratic
candidates who have a strong

460
00:22:10,062 --> 00:22:12,063
track record of getting
elected in their states.

461
00:22:12,064 --> 00:22:13,498
So it should be
their decision.

462
00:22:13,498 --> 00:22:14,733
It's ultimately
their campaign.

463
00:22:14,733 --> 00:22:16,735
It's their name
that's on the ballot.

464
00:22:16,735 --> 00:22:18,736
And in some cases, we're
talking about candidates that

465
00:22:18,737 --> 00:22:20,839
have a strong track record
inside their own states.

466
00:22:20,839 --> 00:22:22,841
What the President has said
he will do is do whatever

467
00:22:22,841 --> 00:22:25,043
he can to help those
candidates get elected,

468
00:22:25,043 --> 00:22:28,346
but ultimately it's up to those
candidates to make the decision

469
00:22:28,346 --> 00:22:30,348
about how the President
can most be helpful.

470
00:22:30,348 --> 00:22:32,818
The Press: Just a last one to
try to decipher what you

471
00:22:32,818 --> 00:22:34,386
just said a little bit.

472
00:22:34,386 --> 00:22:35,654
(laughter)

473
00:22:35,654 --> 00:22:40,859
Do you think that basically
if Democrats lose the Senate,

474
00:22:40,859 --> 00:22:43,360
are you saying that the
individual candidates and not

475
00:22:43,361 --> 00:22:47,532
President Obama is to blame for
Democrats losing the Senate?

476
00:22:47,532 --> 00:22:49,101
Mr. Earnest: What I'm saying
is that individual candidates

477
00:22:49,101 --> 00:22:51,636
across the country are
running their own campaigns,

478
00:22:51,636 --> 00:22:53,171
as they should.

479
00:22:53,171 --> 00:22:56,241
And I'm confident that they will
get all of the credit or blame

480
00:22:56,241 --> 00:22:59,845
that they deserve for the
outcome of the election.

481
00:22:59,845 --> 00:23:03,448
I'm also confident that people
will evaluate what the President

482
00:23:03,448 --> 00:23:04,583
could do to be helpful.

483
00:23:04,583 --> 00:23:06,885
Did he do all that he could
to raise as much money for

484
00:23:06,885 --> 00:23:09,421
Democratic candidates given
the other challenges

485
00:23:09,421 --> 00:23:10,689
that are on his plate?

486
00:23:10,689 --> 00:23:12,691
And the President
has worked very hard,

487
00:23:12,691 --> 00:23:15,227
and I think those of you who
have traveled with the President

488
00:23:15,227 --> 00:23:17,596
over the last several months
can attest to the amount

489
00:23:17,596 --> 00:23:20,499
of time that he
spent trying to help

490
00:23:20,499 --> 00:23:22,501
Democratic candidates up
and down the ballot.

491
00:23:22,501 --> 00:23:24,503
So you guys will all
decide who deserves

492
00:23:24,503 --> 00:23:26,538
the credit and who
deserves the blame.

493
00:23:26,538 --> 00:23:28,573
What the President is focused
on is doing everything that

494
00:23:28,573 --> 00:23:32,577
he can to support Democratic
candidates across the country.

495
00:23:32,577 --> 00:23:33,578
Cheryl.

496
00:23:33,578 --> 00:23:34,579
The Press: Real quick.

497
00:23:34,579 --> 00:23:36,581
Just how far along is the
President in finding

498
00:23:36,581 --> 00:23:37,581
a new Attorney General?

499
00:23:37,582 --> 00:23:39,584
Mr. Earnest: I don't
have any update

500
00:23:39,584 --> 00:23:41,586
on that personnel
process at this point.

501
00:23:41,586 --> 00:23:42,854
So thank you for
asking, though.

502
00:23:42,854 --> 00:23:43,555
We'll keep you posted.

503
00:23:43,555 --> 00:23:45,190
I know there's a lot
of interest in that.

504
00:23:45,190 --> 00:23:46,024
Jon.

505
00:23:46,024 --> 00:23:48,760
The Press: Just coming back to
this question of Democratic

506
00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,196
candidates in the midterm
-- looking at it from the

507
00:23:51,196 --> 00:23:54,533
President's perspective, or from
your perspective more broadly

508
00:23:54,533 --> 00:23:58,803
here at the White House, given
that he has said that his

509
00:23:58,804 --> 00:24:02,774
policies are on the ballot,
as he did at Northwestern;

510
00:24:02,774 --> 00:24:06,110
given that he has now said that
the people that are in these

511
00:24:06,111 --> 00:24:09,080
key races are those who have
supported his policies --

512
00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:13,651
from the President's
perspective, if Democrats

513
00:24:13,652 --> 00:24:15,987
did better than expected
in this midterm election,

514
00:24:15,987 --> 00:24:17,789
is it to a degree, at least in part, a vindication of his

515
00:24:17,789 --> 00:24:23,295
policies, or a sign his
policies have broad support

516
00:24:23,295 --> 00:24:24,629
in the country?

517
00:24:24,629 --> 00:24:26,997
And, conversely, if
he gets a shellacking,

518
00:24:26,998 --> 00:24:32,571
if Democrats get beaten badly
in this midterm election,

519
00:24:32,571 --> 00:24:36,474
is that an indication that the
President's policies have been,

520
00:24:36,474 --> 00:24:39,711
at least in part, repudiated
or don't have broad support?

521
00:24:39,711 --> 00:24:41,913
Mr. Earnest: Here's a promise
that I will make -- I'll make

522
00:24:41,913 --> 00:24:43,415
you two promises on this.

523
00:24:43,415 --> 00:24:47,319
The first is, this is a
question that will be asked

524
00:24:47,319 --> 00:24:49,654
of me many, many times
when we're in this

525
00:24:49,654 --> 00:24:52,123
setting a day or two
after the election.

526
00:24:52,123 --> 00:24:54,593
And at that point, I promise you
that I will answer the question.

527
00:24:54,593 --> 00:24:56,261
The Press: Well, at
that point, I fear,

528
00:24:56,261 --> 00:24:58,263
Josh, that you may
spin a little bit.

529
00:24:58,263 --> 00:25:00,599
So now I'm asking you
-- and we don't know.

530
00:25:00,599 --> 00:25:03,534
I mean, a lot of people are
predicting that things are

531
00:25:03,535 --> 00:25:06,004
going to turn out badly for
Democrats; you're a little

532
00:25:06,004 --> 00:25:07,171
more optimistic on this.

533
00:25:07,172 --> 00:25:09,541
So I'm just asking, if
you turn out to be right,

534
00:25:09,541 --> 00:25:11,576
does that show -- I mean,
the President has said

535
00:25:11,576 --> 00:25:13,678
it's his policies that
are on the ballot.

536
00:25:13,678 --> 00:25:15,680
The President has said
that these are candidates

537
00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:17,682
that have supported
him in Congress.

538
00:25:17,682 --> 00:25:21,653
Well, if you do
better than expected,

539
00:25:21,653 --> 00:25:24,556
won't that show that
there's support for

540
00:25:24,556 --> 00:25:25,590
the President's policies?

541
00:25:25,590 --> 00:25:28,226
Mr. Earnest: Only because you
so cleverly asked this question

542
00:25:28,226 --> 00:25:31,730
will I do my best to indulge
it here a little bit.

543
00:25:31,730 --> 00:25:34,266
What I will say is this --
is I'm am confident that

544
00:25:34,266 --> 00:25:37,736
if Democrats are able to
hold on to the majority

545
00:25:37,736 --> 00:25:39,738
in the United States Senate,
that there will be plenty

546
00:25:39,738 --> 00:25:41,106
of credit to go around.

547
00:25:41,106 --> 00:25:43,108
And I think somebody
like the President,

548
00:25:43,108 --> 00:25:47,611
who has made an aggressive case
for the policies that benefit

549
00:25:47,612 --> 00:25:50,215
middle-class families that
so many Democrats support,

550
00:25:50,215 --> 00:25:53,518
I'm confident that the President
will get his fair share

551
00:25:53,518 --> 00:25:54,686
of credit for that.

552
00:25:54,686 --> 00:25:57,856
I'm also confident that if
things don't turn out the way

553
00:25:57,856 --> 00:26:00,625
that we hope and expect,
that the President will

554
00:26:00,625 --> 00:26:03,561
get at least his
share of the blame.

555
00:26:03,561 --> 00:26:06,697
Whether that's deserved or not
will have to be determined

556
00:26:06,698 --> 00:26:07,699
by someone else.

557
00:26:07,699 --> 00:26:13,638
But I think you have certainly
observed these election cycles

558
00:26:13,638 --> 00:26:15,639
more closely than I
have over the years.

559
00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:18,443
And I think we would all agree
that whoever is sitting in the

560
00:26:18,443 --> 00:26:23,348
Oval Office at the time that
these elections take place gets

561
00:26:23,348 --> 00:26:28,453
some credit for the success and
at least as much of their share

562
00:26:28,453 --> 00:26:31,790
of the blame if they don't go
the way that that person hopes.

563
00:26:31,790 --> 00:26:34,459
And that is a -- there's a long
track record of that in American

564
00:26:34,459 --> 00:26:36,461
political history, and I'm sure
it will continue this year.

565
00:26:36,461 --> 00:26:38,463
The Press: Okay, and then just
a quick question about --

566
00:26:38,463 --> 00:26:40,465
there's an interesting
note in the transcript.

567
00:26:40,465 --> 00:26:43,768
The pool report from last night
made reference to the President

568
00:26:43,768 --> 00:26:47,605
joking about getting back
home and seeing in his desk

569
00:26:47,605 --> 00:26:51,343
a bunch of junk, including
some unpaid bills.

570
00:26:51,343 --> 00:26:53,144
He said he thinks they
eventually got paid.

571
00:26:53,144 --> 00:26:55,814
But that didn't make it into
the official transcript.

572
00:26:55,814 --> 00:26:58,316
I think it was just
listed as inaudible.

573
00:26:58,316 --> 00:27:00,952
So I'm just wondering
what happened there.

574
00:27:00,952 --> 00:27:03,888
And secondly, can you tell
me what bills were not paid?

575
00:27:03,888 --> 00:27:05,523
(laughter)

576
00:27:05,523 --> 00:27:07,192
Mr. Earnest: I did
not have a chance to rummage

577
00:27:07,192 --> 00:27:09,260
through the desk of the
President while he was

578
00:27:09,260 --> 00:27:10,261
at home this week.

579
00:27:10,261 --> 00:27:12,263
I can tell you that
there was a problem

580
00:27:12,263 --> 00:27:14,264
with the recording
of the event.

581
00:27:14,265 --> 00:27:16,234
I'm sure that all of you who
have tried to take your tape

582
00:27:16,234 --> 00:27:18,370
recorder or even your more
sophisticated recording

583
00:27:18,370 --> 00:27:22,107
equipment into a presidential
event have experienced a little

584
00:27:22,107 --> 00:27:23,641
bit of a malfunction like this.

585
00:27:23,641 --> 00:27:27,379
I will take this opportunity to
remind all of you something

586
00:27:27,379 --> 00:27:28,379
that you all know.

587
00:27:28,380 --> 00:27:30,382
The only reason we're having
this discussion is because of

588
00:27:30,382 --> 00:27:33,585
the unprecedented commitment
to transparency that this

589
00:27:33,585 --> 00:27:36,221
administration has put in place
by opening up the President's

590
00:27:36,221 --> 00:27:39,724
comments at fundraisers in
private homes to press coverage.

591
00:27:39,724 --> 00:27:42,694
And so we certainly
welcome your attention,

592
00:27:42,694 --> 00:27:44,896
and so I'm glad you're so
mindful of that transcript

593
00:27:44,896 --> 00:27:46,898
that we released on this
topic yesterday.

594
00:27:46,898 --> 00:27:48,899
The Press: By the way, are
you predicting the Royals

595
00:27:48,900 --> 00:27:49,901
in four, a total sweep?

596
00:27:49,901 --> 00:27:51,536
Mr. Earnest: Well, I
don't want to get too --

597
00:27:51,536 --> 00:27:52,203
I'll get too cocky.

598
00:27:52,203 --> 00:27:54,572
I'll take the Royals in six,
just because they want to clinch

599
00:27:54,572 --> 00:27:57,908
at home this time, as they
have the last couple of times.

600
00:27:57,909 --> 00:27:58,510
Major.

601
00:27:58,510 --> 00:28:00,512
The Press: Can you state as
clearly as possible what

602
00:28:00,512 --> 00:28:04,014
the administration's point of
view is with Congress and the

603
00:28:04,015 --> 00:28:06,885
sanctions regime against Iran,
and any possible negotiated

604
00:28:06,885 --> 00:28:11,990
agreement to prohibit Iran from
obtaining a nuclear weapon?

605
00:28:11,990 --> 00:28:14,993
Mr. Earnest: Well, it's
difficult to talk in a lot

606
00:28:14,993 --> 00:28:17,062
of detail about this because
there isn't an agreement

607
00:28:17,062 --> 00:28:18,362
with Iran at this point.

608
00:28:18,363 --> 00:28:20,365
That's something that's
still being negotiated.

609
00:28:20,365 --> 00:28:27,605
So with that caveat in
place, let me say that --

610
00:28:27,605 --> 00:28:28,673
The Press: But clearly you thought through what would

611
00:28:28,673 --> 00:28:32,243
need to happen in relationship to Congress and its legally

612
00:28:32,243 --> 00:28:35,980
approved sanctions regime
if there were an agreement.

613
00:28:35,980 --> 00:28:37,782
Mr. Earnest: Yes, we have.

614
00:28:37,782 --> 00:28:40,585
But the clarity with which I can
talk about this is limited

615
00:28:40,585 --> 00:28:44,422
by the fact that there is still
a lot of negotiations that

616
00:28:44,422 --> 00:28:48,993
are ongoing with Iran and
our P5-plus-1 partners

617
00:28:48,993 --> 00:28:50,995
that are relevant to
this discussion.

618
00:28:50,995 --> 00:28:56,533
So that said, I will try
to be clear as I can.

619
00:28:56,534 --> 00:29:00,338
The scenario that
seems most -- well,

620
00:29:00,338 --> 00:29:01,773
I guess I wouldn't describe
it as likely because

621
00:29:01,773 --> 00:29:04,576
I don't want to predict the
future, but say it this way:

622
00:29:04,576 --> 00:29:10,815
That if an agreement of some
kind were reached with Iran,

623
00:29:10,815 --> 00:29:14,486
it would be a longer -- it would
take some time to implement it;

624
00:29:14,486 --> 00:29:17,055
that we would want to make
sure that Iran was taking the

625
00:29:17,055 --> 00:29:20,625
verifiable steps that they'd
committed to to implement

626
00:29:20,625 --> 00:29:22,627
the broader framework
of the agreement.

627
00:29:22,627 --> 00:29:26,764
And what that means is
that, in the first instance,

628
00:29:26,764 --> 00:29:32,536
the United States would look to
suspend sanctions, and then,

629
00:29:32,537 --> 00:29:36,641
only if and after Iran has
been determined to uphold

630
00:29:36,641 --> 00:29:39,444
its end of the agreement,
would we look to lift

631
00:29:39,444 --> 00:29:41,012
or terminate sanctions.

632
00:29:41,012 --> 00:29:44,916
And there's actually a very
common-sense reason for this,

633
00:29:44,916 --> 00:29:50,455
which is that if it became clear
that Iran was not living up to

634
00:29:50,455 --> 00:29:53,323
its end of the bargain, we would
want to have a posture where

635
00:29:53,324 --> 00:29:57,295
we could quickly snap
sanctions back into place.

636
00:29:57,295 --> 00:30:02,100
And so that's how
we'll proceed.

637
00:30:02,100 --> 00:30:08,238
Let me also just state as a
general matter that the success

638
00:30:08,239 --> 00:30:12,744
that we had in compelling
Iran to the negotiating table

639
00:30:12,744 --> 00:30:18,649
required significant
congressional involvement.

640
00:30:18,650 --> 00:30:21,352
By putting so much economic
pressure on the Iranian regime,

641
00:30:21,352 --> 00:30:23,555
we were able to compel them
to the negotiating table,

642
00:30:23,555 --> 00:30:25,990
and that economic pressure
was applied principally

643
00:30:25,990 --> 00:30:28,626
by the sanctions that
Congress passed.

644
00:30:28,626 --> 00:30:31,062
The administration signed that
bill into law, obviously,

645
00:30:31,062 --> 00:30:33,063
and worked very closely with
our international partners

646
00:30:33,064 --> 00:30:35,099
to implement that
sanctions regime.

647
00:30:35,099 --> 00:30:37,902
That means that both
the legislative branch,

648
00:30:37,902 --> 00:30:40,238
in terms of the sanctions that
were passed in legislation,

649
00:30:40,238 --> 00:30:42,473
and the administrative branch
-- or the executive branch,

650
00:30:42,473 --> 00:30:45,276
in terms of administering
those sanctions,

651
00:30:45,276 --> 00:30:49,113
has worked very closely together
in very fruitful fashion.

652
00:30:49,113 --> 00:30:51,449
So Congress has been
involved in this

653
00:30:51,449 --> 00:30:52,450
effort and they'll
continue to be.

654
00:30:52,450 --> 00:30:53,718
The Press: Undoubtedly,
we all know that.

655
00:30:53,718 --> 00:30:55,186
Let me try to get to
the crux of the matter.

656
00:30:55,186 --> 00:30:59,557
In this scenario that you just
described -- suspend sanctions

657
00:30:59,557 --> 00:31:02,126
to see if they uphold the
agreement -- do you do that by

658
00:31:02,126 --> 00:31:06,431
executive power alone, or do you
seek legislation that does that

659
00:31:06,431 --> 00:31:09,767
and then has a date certain upon
which you agree with Congress

660
00:31:09,767 --> 00:31:16,007
to judge Iran's compliance with
that agreement and then either

661
00:31:16,007 --> 00:31:19,477
put those sanctions back in
by law or remove them by law?

662
00:31:19,477 --> 00:31:22,447
Mr. Earnest: Again, this is the
kind of detailed question I

663
00:31:22,447 --> 00:31:25,515
think that's difficult to answer
in advance of an agreement

664
00:31:25,516 --> 00:31:28,519
being reached among
Iran and the P5-plus-1.

665
00:31:28,519 --> 00:31:29,554
The Press: So it's
possible that you would

666
00:31:29,554 --> 00:31:30,655
do it by executive authority
and not have Congress --

667
00:31:30,655 --> 00:31:32,690
Mr. Earnest: I would not be in
a position to prejudge any

668
00:31:32,690 --> 00:31:33,691
outcomes at this point.

669
00:31:33,691 --> 00:31:35,093
The Press: The New York Times
suggested that's exactly what

670
00:31:35,093 --> 00:31:38,029
you are thinking, and there was
a denial of that yesterday.

671
00:31:38,029 --> 00:31:40,665
I'm just trying to figure out
what the denial is about.

672
00:31:40,665 --> 00:31:44,369
Mr. Earnest: I think the denial,
based on my interpretation

673
00:31:44,369 --> 00:31:46,838
of the transcript of my
esteemed colleague here,

674
00:31:46,838 --> 00:31:50,575
is the assertion that the
administration was seeking

675
00:31:50,575 --> 00:31:54,746
to carve out Congress's role
in this whole process.

676
00:31:54,746 --> 00:31:57,849
The fact is, we've been very
committed to Congress's ongoing

677
00:31:57,849 --> 00:32:03,754
role in this process, and that
is the notion that was disputed.

678
00:32:03,755 --> 00:32:06,791
The Press: Right, but Congress
isn't part of the negotiations,

679
00:32:06,791 --> 00:32:10,595
and it has expressed a level of
concern in light of this story

680
00:32:10,595 --> 00:32:13,164
that it may be cut out of the
process in this intermediate

681
00:32:13,164 --> 00:32:15,800
step you just described
of suspending sanctions.

682
00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:18,036
Mr. Earnest: Congress has been
-- Congress -- congressional

683
00:32:18,036 --> 00:32:20,405
leaders, at least, have
been regularly updated

684
00:32:20,405 --> 00:32:22,407
on the status of
these negotiations.

685
00:32:22,407 --> 00:32:25,243
So there are congressional
leaders that are aware of this

686
00:32:25,243 --> 00:32:26,244
ongoing process.

687
00:32:26,244 --> 00:32:31,581
So Congress has continued to be
briefed and kept in the loop

688
00:32:31,582 --> 00:32:33,584
as we try to move this
process forward.

689
00:32:33,584 --> 00:32:36,721
The Press: Josh, the
President, as you said,

690
00:32:36,721 --> 00:32:39,457
bases his decision on a travel
ban on the advice he has

691
00:32:39,457 --> 00:32:42,226
received from scientists and
public health officials.

692
00:32:42,226 --> 00:32:45,396
Can you be well-informed on the
science and the public health

693
00:32:45,396 --> 00:32:48,533
implications of a travel
ban and still support it?

694
00:32:50,835 --> 00:32:52,437
Mr. Earnest: You'd probably
have to ask somebody who still

695
00:32:52,437 --> 00:32:55,505
supports the -- who supports
the travel ban about that.

696
00:32:55,506 --> 00:32:57,241
I mean, I don't know -- I
think it depends on what sort

697
00:32:57,241 --> 00:33:01,713
of explanation you have for
why you support a travel ban.

698
00:33:01,713 --> 00:33:03,981
But based on this President's
review of the facts

699
00:33:03,981 --> 00:33:05,983
and the advice that he
has gotten from experts,

700
00:33:05,983 --> 00:33:08,352
he doesn't believe that a
travel ban at this point

701
00:33:08,353 --> 00:33:10,355
is in the best interest of the
American public and our safety.

702
00:33:10,355 --> 00:33:13,257
The Press: So would he be in a
position to inform Democratic

703
00:33:13,257 --> 00:33:15,293
candidates who are running for
the Senate who have taken

704
00:33:15,293 --> 00:33:19,062
a travel ban position that they
should educate themselves more?

705
00:33:19,063 --> 00:33:21,599
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
you'd have to ask them why

706
00:33:21,599 --> 00:33:24,468
they are advocating the
benefits of a travel ban.

707
00:33:24,469 --> 00:33:26,537
It's the conclusion that
this President has reached,

708
00:33:26,537 --> 00:33:30,908
based on the scientific advice
that he has gotten from medical

709
00:33:30,908 --> 00:33:33,110
experts and public health
experts that it's not

710
00:33:33,111 --> 00:33:35,113
in the best interest of
the American public.

711
00:33:35,113 --> 00:33:37,115
The Press: And I think you were
trying to get at something

712
00:33:37,115 --> 00:33:39,384
in all the conversation
with Justin and Jon.

713
00:33:39,384 --> 00:33:43,421
Do you think there is a tactical
mistake that some Democrats --

714
00:33:43,421 --> 00:33:47,058
let's say in Georgia,
North Carolina,

715
00:33:47,058 --> 00:33:49,060
possibly elsewhere --
are making in not having

716
00:33:49,060 --> 00:33:50,061
the President come?

717
00:33:50,061 --> 00:33:53,630
Mr. Earnest: These are --
in each of those places,

718
00:33:53,631 --> 00:33:57,068
you're talking about candidates
and operatives that have

719
00:33:57,068 --> 00:33:59,370
a strong track record
of electoral success

720
00:33:59,370 --> 00:34:00,370
in those states.

721
00:34:00,371 --> 00:34:03,174
So I wouldn't, either from
the podium or anywhere else,

722
00:34:03,174 --> 00:34:06,744
second-guess the strategy
that they're pursuing.

723
00:34:06,744 --> 00:34:08,746
We're talking about
candidates that have a strong

724
00:34:08,746 --> 00:34:10,314
track record of success.

725
00:34:10,313 --> 00:34:13,150
They understand how best to
motivate -- to win over

726
00:34:13,150 --> 00:34:20,357
and motivate voters to their
cause and encourage them

727
00:34:20,358 --> 00:34:22,794
to motivate them to turn
out on Election Day.

728
00:34:22,793 --> 00:34:25,096
So I wouldn't second-guess
their strategy other than

729
00:34:25,096 --> 00:34:28,331
to say that the President
stands ready to do --

730
00:34:28,331 --> 00:34:29,433
The Press: But it sounds
like the President,

731
00:34:29,434 --> 00:34:30,768
in injecting
himself in the way he has

732
00:34:30,768 --> 00:34:32,837
in the midterm, he's sort
of saying, look,

733
00:34:32,837 --> 00:34:34,938
you've already got the
downside, why don't you

734
00:34:34,938 --> 00:34:36,908
bring me in and get
some of the upside.

735
00:34:36,908 --> 00:34:39,777
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, I
wouldn't be in a position

736
00:34:39,777 --> 00:34:45,216
of second-guessing the strategy
that is being implemented

737
00:34:45,216 --> 00:34:48,485
by candidates and their
advisors that have

738
00:34:48,485 --> 00:34:50,587
a strong track record
of electoral success

739
00:34:50,588 --> 00:34:52,023
in their states.

740
00:34:52,023 --> 00:34:53,357
The Press: Until --

741
00:34:53,357 --> 00:34:55,493
Mr. Earnest: Well,
again, as I think Jon

742
00:34:55,493 --> 00:34:58,930
sort of alluded to,
we'll see what happens.

743
00:34:58,930 --> 00:34:59,430
Ed.

744
00:34:59,430 --> 00:35:01,299
The Press: Josh, did the -- just
connecting the dots --

745
00:35:01,299 --> 00:35:03,734
did the President not paying
his bills have anything

746
00:35:03,734 --> 00:35:05,403
to do with his credit
card being declined?

747
00:35:05,403 --> 00:35:06,703
(laughter)

748
00:35:06,704 --> 00:35:08,739
Mr. Earnest:
Not that I know of.

749
00:35:09,841 --> 00:35:10,708
That was clever, though.

750
00:35:10,708 --> 00:35:11,776
(laughter)

751
00:35:11,776 --> 00:35:13,144
The Press: Okay, good.

752
00:35:14,479 --> 00:35:15,645
Mr. Earnest: But it takes
an incisive journalist

753
00:35:15,646 --> 00:35:16,981
like Ed Henry to
connect the dots.

754
00:35:16,981 --> 00:35:18,416
(laughter)

755
00:35:18,416 --> 00:35:21,219
The Press: But just
to be clear on the transcript,

756
00:35:21,219 --> 00:35:23,988
what you're saying is that
nobody at the White House tried

757
00:35:23,988 --> 00:35:27,191
to keep the President saying --
whether it was a joke or he was

758
00:35:27,191 --> 00:35:28,959
being serious -- that he
hadn't paid his bills.

759
00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:30,495
Nobody at the White House
tried to keep that out?

760
00:35:30,495 --> 00:35:31,596
That was a
transcription error?

761
00:35:31,596 --> 00:35:32,263
Mr. Earnest: That's right.

762
00:35:32,263 --> 00:35:33,064
That's a transcription error.

763
00:35:33,064 --> 00:35:35,466
I mean -- and there was a
presidential pool that was

764
00:35:35,466 --> 00:35:36,767
in there to hear it --

765
00:35:36,767 --> 00:35:37,335
The Press: Who heard it.

766
00:35:37,335 --> 00:35:38,002
Mr. Earnest: -- and
that's the reason --

767
00:35:38,002 --> 00:35:39,604
The Press: And you don't
quarrel with what they heard?

768
00:35:39,604 --> 00:35:41,339
Mr. Earnest: No, I wasn't in
the event and I haven't --

769
00:35:41,339 --> 00:35:42,907
The Press: Nobody out here
quarrels with what they heard?

770
00:35:42,907 --> 00:35:44,108
Mr. Earnest: No, no.

771
00:35:44,108 --> 00:35:44,575
The Press: Okay.

772
00:35:44,575 --> 00:35:46,676
There's a GAO report out saying
that I think they studied over

773
00:35:46,677 --> 00:35:57,288
the course of three years
federal government employees

774
00:35:57,288 --> 00:35:59,290
and that there were about 57,000
federal employees who were

775
00:35:59,290 --> 00:36:01,292
sent home for bad behavior, doing something wrong at work,

776
00:36:01,292 --> 00:36:03,294
and they stayed home
for 30 days or more.

777
00:36:03,294 --> 00:36:05,296
And that cost taxpayers
$775 million in salary.

778
00:36:05,296 --> 00:36:07,098
Does the President think
there is a better way

779
00:36:07,098 --> 00:36:09,200
to deal with these things
in the executive branch?

780
00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:11,301
Does it sound like
government waste?

781
00:36:11,302 --> 00:36:13,304
Mr. Earnest: Well, it certainly
is possible that there's

782
00:36:13,304 --> 00:36:15,640
a better way to handle this,
these kinds of situations.

783
00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:18,576
And that's why the Office of
Personnel Management has

784
00:36:18,576 --> 00:36:22,113
taken the necessary steps
to figure that out.

785
00:36:22,113 --> 00:36:26,517
I mean, there are situations
where federal leave policies

786
00:36:26,517 --> 00:36:28,419
do make more sense.

787
00:36:28,419 --> 00:36:33,223
I mean, I would point out that
in 97 percent of the cases,

788
00:36:33,224 --> 00:36:36,627
we're talking about federal
leave that's for less than

789
00:36:36,627 --> 00:36:39,263
20 days, and these
are situations where

790
00:36:39,263 --> 00:36:41,866
the federal government is
closed because of bad weather

791
00:36:41,866 --> 00:36:45,336
or situations where you have
DOD and other personnel

792
00:36:45,336 --> 00:36:48,104
that have traveled or
even lived for a period

793
00:36:48,105 --> 00:36:50,841
of time overseas, where
they get some paid leave

794
00:36:50,841 --> 00:36:53,344
in order to move back into
their house in the U.S.

795
00:36:53,344 --> 00:36:55,546
and get their family
readjusted to life back

796
00:36:55,546 --> 00:36:56,547
in the United States.

797
00:36:56,547 --> 00:37:00,217
So there are circumstances where
it makes sense for us to have

798
00:37:00,217 --> 00:37:03,154
reasonable paid-leave
policies for federal workers.

799
00:37:03,154 --> 00:37:05,957
And I'm confident that the
Office of Personnel Management,

800
00:37:05,957 --> 00:37:09,359
once this review -- once this
report is finally issued,

801
00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:11,495
that they'll take a close look
at it and make any revisions

802
00:37:11,495 --> 00:37:12,496
that are necessary.

803
00:37:12,496 --> 00:37:13,497
The Press: Last thing.

804
00:37:13,497 --> 00:37:14,498
A couple on Ron Klain.

805
00:37:14,498 --> 00:37:16,500
There are various reports out
today suggesting that when

806
00:37:16,500 --> 00:37:19,070
he is done being Ebola czar,
Ron Klain is either in line

807
00:37:19,070 --> 00:37:21,405
to be counselor and
replace John Podesta,

808
00:37:21,405 --> 00:37:24,008
or White House Chief of Staff
and replace Denis McDonough.

809
00:37:24,008 --> 00:37:27,211
My question being, he hasn't
even taken the job yet -- why

810
00:37:27,211 --> 00:37:30,781
are people either in the White
House or around the White House

811
00:37:30,781 --> 00:37:32,817
even speculating about
Ron Klain's future?

812
00:37:32,817 --> 00:37:34,819
Shouldn't priority
number one be take

813
00:37:34,819 --> 00:37:36,988
the job and then
deal with Ebola?

814
00:37:36,988 --> 00:37:38,990
Mr. Earnest: That is the
number-one priority.

815
00:37:38,990 --> 00:37:40,991
It's certainly the number-one
priority of Mr. Klain,

816
00:37:40,992 --> 00:37:41,993
who starts tomorrow.

817
00:37:41,993 --> 00:37:44,028
I know that Mr. Podesta and
Mr. McDonough continue to be

818
00:37:44,028 --> 00:37:46,029
very focused on the important
jobs that they have

819
00:37:46,030 --> 00:37:47,031
to do around here.

820
00:37:47,031 --> 00:37:49,266
I think it's important to note
that those reports did not

821
00:37:49,266 --> 00:37:51,669
cite White House officials
in terms of speculating --

822
00:37:51,669 --> 00:37:52,370
The Press: White
House insiders.

823
00:37:52,370 --> 00:37:56,841
Mr. Earnest: Yes, did
not -- right, right.

824
00:37:56,841 --> 00:37:57,775
The Press: You've never
been a White House insider.

825
00:37:57,775 --> 00:37:58,809
(laughter)

826
00:37:58,809 --> 00:38:00,011
Mr. Earnest: A pretty
strict journalistic

827
00:38:00,011 --> 00:38:00,978
attribution
standard there.

828
00:38:00,978 --> 00:38:02,813
(laughter)

829
00:38:02,813 --> 00:38:04,015
People here at the
White House are very focused

830
00:38:04,015 --> 00:38:05,249
on the jobs that they
have in front of them,

831
00:38:05,249 --> 00:38:07,752
and I'm confident that
that includes Mr. Klain,

832
00:38:07,752 --> 00:38:09,420
Mr. McDonough, and Mr. Podesta.

833
00:38:09,420 --> 00:38:10,354
The Press: Forgive me if you
were asked this on Friday --

834
00:38:10,354 --> 00:38:11,989
I checked the transcript
but I didn't see it.

835
00:38:11,989 --> 00:38:14,358
Several years ago
-- and that was not

836
00:38:14,358 --> 00:38:15,359
a joke about transcripts.

837
00:38:15,359 --> 00:38:19,764
But back in 2004, Ron Klain -- a
long time ago -- but Ron Klain

838
00:38:19,764 --> 00:38:23,234
was a registered lobbyist,
various clients -- Fannie Mae,

839
00:38:23,234 --> 00:38:26,404
Signa, Time Warner, I
think, other clients.

840
00:38:26,404 --> 00:38:28,506
Was that reviewed at all
by the White House Counsel?

841
00:38:28,506 --> 00:38:30,508
There doesn't appear to
be anything associated

842
00:38:30,508 --> 00:38:31,509
with Ebola or bio.

843
00:38:31,509 --> 00:38:34,845
But was that reviewed by the
White House Counsel before

844
00:38:34,845 --> 00:38:37,647
he took this job, or is that
something already dealt with?

845
00:38:37,648 --> 00:38:40,418
Since the President -- because
Ron Klain has served here before

846
00:38:40,418 --> 00:38:44,255
-- the President in 2009 made
a pretty big deal about saying

847
00:38:44,255 --> 00:38:47,024
former lobbyists should not
work in this administration.

848
00:38:47,024 --> 00:38:49,560
Mr. Earnest: We can get you
some more details about

849
00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:52,196
the vetting process, but
certainly Mr. Klain and his

850
00:38:52,196 --> 00:38:54,565
background was vetted
before he took this job.

851
00:38:54,565 --> 00:38:58,135
That was true when he worked
in the White House during

852
00:38:58,135 --> 00:39:02,640
the first term and it was
true this time as well.

853
00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:05,776
Mr. Klain continues to be the
person that the President

854
00:39:05,776 --> 00:39:08,779
believes is the expert
implementer that's needed

855
00:39:08,779 --> 00:39:10,781
to ensure that our
whole-of-government approach

856
00:39:10,781 --> 00:39:13,417
to fighting Ebola is
effectively applied in this

857
00:39:13,417 --> 00:39:15,419
situation to protect
the American public.

858
00:39:15,419 --> 00:39:16,420
The Press: And the last one.

859
00:39:16,420 --> 00:39:18,422
Sometimes -- I mentioned 2004
-- sometimes people lobby in

860
00:39:18,422 --> 00:39:20,591
Washington but they technically
don't register as lobbyists

861
00:39:20,591 --> 00:39:22,593
because they don't meet
a certain threshold

862
00:39:22,593 --> 00:39:24,595
of the percentage of time
they focus on lobbying.

863
00:39:24,595 --> 00:39:27,131
My question being, has the White
House asked as to whether --

864
00:39:27,131 --> 00:39:30,134
or found out if he has done
any lobbying since 2004,

865
00:39:30,134 --> 00:39:32,670
since he left Vice President
Biden's office in the last

866
00:39:32,670 --> 00:39:35,372
couple of years, has he served,
done any kind of lobbying?

867
00:39:35,372 --> 00:39:37,374
Mr. Earnest: I don't
believe that he has,

868
00:39:37,374 --> 00:39:39,375
but we can get back to you with
some more information on that.

869
00:39:39,376 --> 00:39:40,377
Chris.

870
00:39:40,377 --> 00:39:42,379
The Press: When do you
think we'll see Ron Klain?

871
00:39:42,379 --> 00:39:44,381
And what's his first
order of business?

872
00:39:44,381 --> 00:39:46,383
Mr. Earnest: He
will start tomorrow.

873
00:39:46,383 --> 00:39:48,352
I don't know if he'll make
any public appearances

874
00:39:48,352 --> 00:39:49,353
in conjunction
with his job.

875
00:39:49,353 --> 00:39:52,289
As I pointed out on Friday when
we talked about him getting the

876
00:39:52,289 --> 00:39:54,291
job, is that the
profile that he will

877
00:39:54,291 --> 00:39:57,027
have is primarily a
behind-the-scenes one.

878
00:39:57,027 --> 00:39:59,964
He's got a responsibility
for making sure that all

879
00:39:59,964 --> 00:40:02,466
of the government agencies
that are responsible for

880
00:40:02,466 --> 00:40:06,937
responding to this effort are
coordinated and integrated

881
00:40:06,937 --> 00:40:09,740
in a way that meets the high standards the President has

882
00:40:09,740 --> 00:40:12,008
set for his team, and that
includes everybody from

883
00:40:12,009 --> 00:40:15,012
the CDC and USAID and DOD,
who are trying to stop

884
00:40:15,012 --> 00:40:18,816
the outbreak at its
source, to HHS, DHS

885
00:40:18,816 --> 00:40:20,817
and CDC personnel that are
trying to keep Americans

886
00:40:20,818 --> 00:40:22,820
safe from Ebola back
here at home.

887
00:40:22,820 --> 00:40:28,192
And as I mentioned, Mr. Klain is
somebody that has very strong

888
00:40:28,192 --> 00:40:30,194
management credentials,
both inside of government

889
00:40:30,194 --> 00:40:32,429
and in the private sector,
and it's why we believe,

890
00:40:32,429 --> 00:40:34,799
and the President believes, he
is the right person for the job.

891
00:40:34,799 --> 00:40:36,367
The Press: Speaking of
keeping Americans safe,

892
00:40:36,367 --> 00:40:39,103
you have these new regulations
coming from DHS about

893
00:40:39,103 --> 00:40:41,939
where people from African
nations can come into;

894
00:40:41,939 --> 00:40:44,975
the new guidelines from
the CDC on protocols.

895
00:40:44,975 --> 00:40:47,778
Did U.S. officials
underestimate the seriousness

896
00:40:47,778 --> 00:40:50,714
of the situation in
this regard?

897
00:40:50,714 --> 00:40:51,982
Mr. Earnest: Well, I
think as a general matter,

898
00:40:51,982 --> 00:40:56,687
the government response to
this matter has appreciated

899
00:40:56,687 --> 00:40:57,688
how serious this is.

900
00:40:57,688 --> 00:41:01,225
That's why you saw the CDC
and USAID commit significant

901
00:41:01,225 --> 00:41:03,560
resources to stopping this
outbreak at the source

902
00:41:03,561 --> 00:41:07,064
when it was first
reported back in March.

903
00:41:07,064 --> 00:41:10,500
And there has been careful
attention -- close attention

904
00:41:10,501 --> 00:41:14,104
that's been paid to this issue,
particularly in the last few

905
00:41:14,104 --> 00:41:17,107
weeks now that there were
cases -- or patients

906
00:41:17,107 --> 00:41:20,444
that were being treated
in U.S. hospitals.

907
00:41:20,444 --> 00:41:22,613
What I will say is something
that we acknowledged last week,

908
00:41:22,613 --> 00:41:24,615
which is that there have been
some shortcomings in the

909
00:41:24,615 --> 00:41:29,386
response, and the President has
been pressing on his team for

910
00:41:29,386 --> 00:41:32,857
quite some time now to ensure
that our response lives

911
00:41:32,857 --> 00:41:35,326
up to the high standards
that he has set for his

912
00:41:35,326 --> 00:41:37,328
team in service of
the American people.

913
00:41:37,328 --> 00:41:41,031
And I think some of the
announcements today indicate the

914
00:41:41,031 --> 00:41:45,903
fruits of that effort, which is
that the President has pushed

915
00:41:45,903 --> 00:41:48,038
his national security team
to determine if additional

916
00:41:48,038 --> 00:41:50,374
travel restrictions could
be put in place that would

917
00:41:50,374 --> 00:41:54,544
make the American
public more safe.

918
00:41:54,545 --> 00:41:59,283
And that resulted in the DHS
announcement today whereby

919
00:41:59,283 --> 00:42:01,018
national security officials
determined that this set

920
00:42:01,018 --> 00:42:07,157
of travel restrictions
would ensure that travelers

921
00:42:07,157 --> 00:42:10,628
on commercial aircraft
are subjected to these

922
00:42:10,628 --> 00:42:12,630
secondary screening
measures by funneling

923
00:42:12,630 --> 00:42:14,732
them to the airports where
that personnel is readily

924
00:42:14,732 --> 00:42:17,835
available to conduct
those screenings.

925
00:42:17,835 --> 00:42:20,804
The updated CDC guidelines
for health care workers

926
00:42:20,804 --> 00:42:21,972
is another
example of that.

927
00:42:21,972 --> 00:42:27,144
The Director of the CDC himself
acknowledged that even one

928
00:42:27,144 --> 00:42:30,046
health care worker being
infected by the Ebola virus

929
00:42:30,047 --> 00:42:32,049
because they were
trying to treat

930
00:42:32,049 --> 00:42:34,051
an Ebola patient
is unacceptable.

931
00:42:34,051 --> 00:42:37,020
And that prompted our experts
to go back and review what

932
00:42:37,021 --> 00:42:40,291
protocols were in place before
and should be in place now

933
00:42:40,291 --> 00:42:42,493
to protect health care
workers across the country.

934
00:42:42,493 --> 00:42:44,862
And the result of that was the
guidance that was announced

935
00:42:44,862 --> 00:42:46,697
by CDC just last night.

936
00:42:46,697 --> 00:42:48,866
The Press: The fact that these
new guidelines are coming out,

937
00:42:48,866 --> 00:42:54,505
and the new DHS regulations
seven months after you said

938
00:42:54,505 --> 00:42:57,574
the March focus on this
-- it doesn't play into

939
00:42:57,574 --> 00:43:00,344
the Republican narrative
this election season

940
00:43:00,344 --> 00:43:02,346
about competence at
the White House.

941
00:43:02,346 --> 00:43:03,914
Mr. Earnest: No, it does not.

942
00:43:03,914 --> 00:43:06,984
And I think, again, what you are
seeing is you are seeing put in

943
00:43:06,984 --> 00:43:10,587
place measures that are intended
to protect the American public.

944
00:43:10,587 --> 00:43:12,589
The fact is, when it comes to
our screening measures --

945
00:43:12,589 --> 00:43:15,859
and I discussed this at length
with Olivier last week,

946
00:43:15,859 --> 00:43:18,796
who unfortunately is not here --
but we talked quite a bit

947
00:43:18,796 --> 00:43:20,897
about the success of
our screening policies.

948
00:43:20,898 --> 00:43:23,434
The fact of the matter is,
even seven, almost eight,

949
00:43:23,434 --> 00:43:26,603
months after the original
reports of an Ebola outbreak

950
00:43:26,603 --> 00:43:32,509
in West Africa, so far there are
no instances of an individual

951
00:43:32,509 --> 00:43:35,346
that's exhibiting symptoms of
Ebola having passed through the

952
00:43:35,346 --> 00:43:38,048
transportation system,
having passed through

953
00:43:38,048 --> 00:43:39,283
the screening system.

954
00:43:39,283 --> 00:43:41,418
There have been, because of
the screening regime that

955
00:43:41,418 --> 00:43:44,455
is in place in West
Africa before individuals

956
00:43:44,455 --> 00:43:46,657
board aircraft, there have
been dozens of individuals

957
00:43:46,657 --> 00:43:48,659
who have been denied
boarding because they're

958
00:43:48,659 --> 00:43:50,661
exhibiting symptoms
consistent with Ebola.

959
00:43:50,661 --> 00:43:53,464
So that's an indication that
these screening measures

960
00:43:53,464 --> 00:43:55,833
have been effective.

961
00:43:55,833 --> 00:43:58,235
And I think people can take
some confidence in that.

962
00:43:58,235 --> 00:44:00,237
The other thing that people
can take some confidence in is

963
00:44:00,237 --> 00:44:03,307
knowing that I think we're up to
six patients now that have been

964
00:44:03,307 --> 00:44:07,810
treated at a variety -- or at
least two or three different

965
00:44:07,811 --> 00:44:11,782
medical facilities in the United
States -- have been treated,

966
00:44:11,782 --> 00:44:15,853
and successfully, for Ebola;
that these are patients that

967
00:44:15,853 --> 00:44:17,855
have been able to walk
out of those facilities.

968
00:44:17,855 --> 00:44:20,724
And those individuals were
treated and recovered from

969
00:44:20,724 --> 00:44:24,294
Ebola by health care workers
who themselves were

970
00:44:24,294 --> 00:44:26,462
protected and did not
contract the disease.

971
00:44:26,463 --> 00:44:30,834
So we have demonstrated an
ability in this country to

972
00:44:30,834 --> 00:44:33,703
successfully treat Ebola
patients in a way that doesn't

973
00:44:33,704 --> 00:44:35,973
pose a significant risk
to health care workers.

974
00:44:35,973 --> 00:44:38,642
We want to make sure that health
care workers across the country

975
00:44:38,642 --> 00:44:40,644
have learned from those best
practices and are following

976
00:44:40,644 --> 00:44:41,745
those same protocols.

977
00:44:41,745 --> 00:44:43,313
The Press: Finally, has the
President expressed any

978
00:44:43,313 --> 00:44:45,849
disappointment or frustration
that Democratic Senate

979
00:44:45,849 --> 00:44:47,551
candidates are separating
themselves from him

980
00:44:47,551 --> 00:44:49,486
on a travel ban?

981
00:44:49,486 --> 00:44:52,189
Mr. Earnest: Oh, on the travel
ban issue specifically?

982
00:44:52,189 --> 00:44:52,656
The Press: Yeah.

983
00:44:52,656 --> 00:44:54,258
Mr. Earnest: No, the President
feels very good about the policy

984
00:44:54,258 --> 00:44:57,727
that we have put in place,
because he believes that based

985
00:44:57,728 --> 00:44:59,997
on the scientific advice
that he's received,

986
00:44:59,997 --> 00:45:02,566
that a travel ban is not in the
best interest of American public

987
00:45:02,566 --> 00:45:06,602
safety, so he feels very
good about this policy.

988
00:45:06,603 --> 00:45:07,738
Viqueira.

989
00:45:07,738 --> 00:45:08,205
The Press: Thank you, sir.

990
00:45:08,205 --> 00:45:10,707
Just to quickly follow
on Major -- first of all,

991
00:45:10,707 --> 00:45:12,942
how long is the interim period
by which you would judge whether

992
00:45:12,943 --> 00:45:15,145
Iran is complying with any
prospective agreement?

993
00:45:15,145 --> 00:45:17,181
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, I'm
confident that that is among

994
00:45:17,181 --> 00:45:21,085
the kinds of details that will
be discussed in the context

995
00:45:21,085 --> 00:45:22,252
of the negotiations.

996
00:45:22,252 --> 00:45:23,987
So it's hard to speculate
on that in advance

997
00:45:23,987 --> 00:45:25,489
of an agreement
being reached.

998
00:45:25,489 --> 00:45:27,357
The Press: Okay, I'd like to
switch to Kobani if I could.

999
00:45:27,357 --> 00:45:27,958
Mr. Earnest: Sure.

1000
00:45:27,958 --> 00:45:31,361
The Press: We were told several
weeks ago that it was likely --

1001
00:45:31,361 --> 00:45:33,663
the possibility that Kobani
would fall was likely,

1002
00:45:33,664 --> 00:45:38,102
that it was not a strategic
asset or a strategic location,

1003
00:45:38,102 --> 00:45:40,770
that there were other towns
across Syria and Iraq

1004
00:45:40,771 --> 00:45:45,042
that were under the same
attacks, under siege,

1005
00:45:45,042 --> 00:45:46,176
that we would
never hear about.

1006
00:45:46,176 --> 00:45:50,047
Then we were presented last
week with the view that

1007
00:45:50,047 --> 00:45:52,316
it is a military opportunity
because ISIL's targets

1008
00:45:52,316 --> 00:45:53,951
are out in the open.

1009
00:45:53,951 --> 00:45:56,620
And then yesterday, Secretary
Kerry said it's a moral

1010
00:45:56,620 --> 00:45:59,223
question, or a
humanitarian concern.

1011
00:45:59,223 --> 00:46:02,025
So I'm wondering which
of those is true.

1012
00:46:02,025 --> 00:46:04,261
And is this more or less
an effort -- because it's

1013
00:46:04,261 --> 00:46:06,964
so visible, it's happening in
real-time on television --

1014
00:46:06,964 --> 00:46:10,000
to deny ISIL a
propaganda victory?

1015
00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:12,469
Mr. Earnest: Well, I don't think
any of the things that you cited

1016
00:46:12,469 --> 00:46:15,572
there, Mike, are necessarily
mutually exclusive.

1017
00:46:15,572 --> 00:46:18,876
The United States has been
concerned for a number of years

1018
00:46:18,876 --> 00:46:22,546
now about the ongoing
humanitarian situation in Syria,

1019
00:46:22,546 --> 00:46:26,884
and as we have seen, the
humanitarian situation in Kobani

1020
00:46:26,884 --> 00:46:31,321
over the last several weeks
has been particularly bad.

1021
00:46:31,321 --> 00:46:37,694
We have seen ISIL fighters
conducting attacks in and around

1022
00:46:37,694 --> 00:46:45,269
Kobani that have killed or
injured innocent civilians.

1023
00:46:45,269 --> 00:46:49,138
So we are concerned about the
humanitarian situation there.

1024
00:46:49,139 --> 00:46:56,180
What also is true is that ISIL,
because of their focus on this

1025
00:46:56,180 --> 00:47:00,216
particular town in Syria, has
raised the stakes of this

1026
00:47:00,217 --> 00:47:04,688
conflict, and they raised
the stakes by shifting

1027
00:47:04,688 --> 00:47:07,224
additional resources to
that particular conflict.

1028
00:47:07,224 --> 00:47:09,760
But by shifting resources to
that particular conflict

1029
00:47:09,760 --> 00:47:13,630
it created an additional
set of targets

1030
00:47:13,630 --> 00:47:16,200
for our military
airstrikes to hit.

1031
00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:18,202
And I'd refer you to the
Department of Defense

1032
00:47:18,202 --> 00:47:21,672
for a detailed assessment of that, but based on what I have

1033
00:47:21,672 --> 00:47:26,376
heard them say, they feel
that the strikes that have

1034
00:47:26,376 --> 00:47:28,679
been taken against ISIL targets and against ISIL personnel

1035
00:47:28,679 --> 00:47:33,050
in and around Kobani have
had an important effect

1036
00:47:33,050 --> 00:47:35,719
on ISIL's capabilities.

1037
00:47:35,719 --> 00:47:40,557
So all that is to say
that this is a situation

1038
00:47:40,557 --> 00:47:42,926
that we continue
to watch closely.

1039
00:47:42,926 --> 00:47:49,866
Our ability to dictate the
outcome there is reduced

1040
00:47:49,866 --> 00:47:56,073
by the fact that we are limiting
our approach to airstrikes.

1041
00:47:56,073 --> 00:47:58,642
We don't have
the kind of --

1042
00:47:58,642 --> 00:48:00,176
The Press: (inaudible)
resupplying --

1043
00:48:00,177 --> 00:48:02,079
Mr. Earnest: Well, yes,
but we don't have the kind

1044
00:48:02,079 --> 00:48:04,982
of coordination that we had
with Iraqi security forces

1045
00:48:04,982 --> 00:48:07,618
when they conducted ground
operations to, for example,

1046
00:48:07,618 --> 00:48:12,956
retake the Mosul Dam, or to fend
off an ISIL advance on Erbil,

1047
00:48:12,956 --> 00:48:16,326
or to end the siege
of Sinjar Mountain,

1048
00:48:16,326 --> 00:48:18,895
or to end the siege of
the village of Amerli,

1049
00:48:18,895 --> 00:48:21,465
where there were religious and
ethnic minorities that were

1050
00:48:21,465 --> 00:48:23,900
being targeted by ISIL.

1051
00:48:23,900 --> 00:48:27,404
In those situations, the
United States military and our

1052
00:48:27,404 --> 00:48:31,308
coalition partners were working
closely in coordination with

1053
00:48:31,308 --> 00:48:36,913
Iraqi security forces to act
successfully against those

1054
00:48:36,913 --> 00:48:40,050
military targets and
ultimately accomplish that

1055
00:48:40,050 --> 00:48:42,286
very limited mission
in those locations.

1056
00:48:42,286 --> 00:48:45,756
That sort of ground force
with whom we're closely

1057
00:48:45,756 --> 00:48:48,325
coordinating doesn't
currently exist.

1058
00:48:48,325 --> 00:48:51,995
Now, there are ground
forces in Kobani and these

1059
00:48:51,995 --> 00:48:57,467
are local fighters that we
have sought to resupply.

1060
00:48:57,467 --> 00:48:59,469
The Turks announced
yesterday, I believe,

1061
00:48:59,469 --> 00:49:03,707
that they would allow Iraqi
Kurds to fight inside

1062
00:49:03,707 --> 00:49:05,709
Kobani alongside those
local fighters, again,

1063
00:49:05,709 --> 00:49:09,078
to try to fight off
an ISIL advance.

1064
00:49:09,079 --> 00:49:13,350
But the nature of the
coordination is materially

1065
00:49:13,350 --> 00:49:16,687
different, and that will have
an impact on the ability

1066
00:49:16,687 --> 00:49:18,955
of the United States and our
coalition partners strictly

1067
00:49:18,955 --> 00:49:22,092
through airstrikes to
dictate the outcome.

1068
00:49:22,092 --> 00:49:24,728
The Press: And finally, a
lot has been made about

1069
00:49:24,728 --> 00:49:27,564
arming the moderate
vetted opposition.

1070
00:49:27,564 --> 00:49:28,832
In the back and forth,
the President finally

1071
00:49:28,832 --> 00:49:30,567
has decided to go
ahead with that.

1072
00:49:30,567 --> 00:49:32,135
The program is not
up and running.

1073
00:49:32,135 --> 00:49:35,105
And yet here we are,
we're dropping weapons --

1074
00:49:35,105 --> 00:49:39,309
sophisticated weapons through
air drops to a group that's

1075
00:49:39,309 --> 00:49:42,346
affiliated with the PKK, a
group that is recognized

1076
00:49:42,346 --> 00:49:44,815
by the United States as a
terrorist group.

1077
00:49:44,815 --> 00:49:46,016
And so how do
you square that?

1078
00:49:46,016 --> 00:49:48,051
Mr. Earnest: I do that in a
couple of different ways.

1079
00:49:48,051 --> 00:49:52,522
The first is that we
have worked to build up

1080
00:49:52,522 --> 00:49:57,127
the capacity of local fighters
in Iraq and in Syria.

1081
00:49:57,127 --> 00:50:00,464
And what we did is we are
supporting the efforts of the

1082
00:50:00,464 --> 00:50:04,234
Kurds in Iraq to resupply
local fighters in Syria.

1083
00:50:04,234 --> 00:50:07,471
And that means that we were
able to use American military

1084
00:50:07,471 --> 00:50:12,142
capability to conduct these
airdrops and to ensure that

1085
00:50:12,142 --> 00:50:15,979
weapons and materiel supplied
by the Kurds in Iraq could

1086
00:50:15,979 --> 00:50:18,915
be transported and delivered
successfully to fighters

1087
00:50:18,915 --> 00:50:21,418
on the ground in
and around Kobani.

1088
00:50:21,418 --> 00:50:23,587
So this is part of our strategy
to build up the capacity

1089
00:50:23,587 --> 00:50:25,489
of local fighters.

1090
00:50:25,489 --> 00:50:26,857
The Press: But they
haven't been vetted.

1091
00:50:26,857 --> 00:50:27,657
Mr. Earnest: Well,
what I'm talking about

1092
00:50:27,657 --> 00:50:30,494
is the local
fighters in Iraq.

1093
00:50:30,494 --> 00:50:34,631
Separately, the fact is there
are a lot of different

1094
00:50:34,631 --> 00:50:37,401
groups that are
operating in Kobani.

1095
00:50:37,401 --> 00:50:40,036
We do have, as you point
out, limited insight

1096
00:50:40,036 --> 00:50:42,806
into those particular
local fighters.

1097
00:50:42,806 --> 00:50:47,344
But the fact is, at this
point, they are working hard

1098
00:50:47,344 --> 00:50:49,746
to defeat ISIL forces that
right now are concentrated

1099
00:50:49,746 --> 00:50:52,082
on this specific community.

1100
00:50:52,082 --> 00:50:54,384
So we're going to evaluate
each of these circumstances

1101
00:50:54,384 --> 00:50:59,322
as they come along to look
for opportunities to support

1102
00:50:59,322 --> 00:51:01,124
local fighters
against ISIL.

1103
00:51:01,124 --> 00:51:04,560
And this is an example of the
kind of opportunistic approach

1104
00:51:04,561 --> 00:51:09,633
that this administration and our
broader coalition is pursuing.

1105
00:51:09,633 --> 00:51:10,299
Carol.

1106
00:51:10,300 --> 00:51:11,668
The Press: When did
the President sign off

1107
00:51:11,668 --> 00:51:13,770
on the new travel
restrictions?

1108
00:51:13,770 --> 00:51:14,971
Was that something that
was proposed to him

1109
00:51:14,971 --> 00:51:17,040
in the meetings he had
over the weekend?

1110
00:51:17,040 --> 00:51:19,176
Mr. Earnest: This is something
that has been discussed

1111
00:51:19,176 --> 00:51:22,679
in the last couple of meetings
as DHS is working through

1112
00:51:22,679 --> 00:51:24,181
this policy process.

1113
00:51:24,181 --> 00:51:26,516
I don't know that these
specific travel restrictions,

1114
00:51:26,516 --> 00:51:28,785
however, required
presidential sign-off.

1115
00:51:28,785 --> 00:51:30,654
We can look into
that for you, though.

1116
00:51:30,654 --> 00:51:31,788
The Press: And then
quickly on Iran,

1117
00:51:31,788 --> 00:51:33,457
I just want to make sure
that it's the White House's

1118
00:51:33,457 --> 00:51:38,261
expectation that if a
comprehensive deal is reached,

1119
00:51:38,261 --> 00:51:42,365
that at least initially in a
to-be-determined time frame

1120
00:51:42,365 --> 00:51:45,702
the President can use executive
authority to suspend

1121
00:51:45,702 --> 00:51:50,106
sanctions, and then at a
certain point, however,

1122
00:51:50,106 --> 00:51:53,443
he will need to seek
congressional authorization

1123
00:51:53,443 --> 00:51:57,013
to lift the sanctions if Iran
abides by the agreement,

1124
00:51:57,013 --> 00:51:58,281
is that correct?

1125
00:51:58,281 --> 00:52:01,718
Mr. Earnest: Well, what I
would say is that --

1126
00:52:06,823 --> 00:52:09,091
I'm hesitant to speculate
about sort of what

1127
00:52:09,092 --> 00:52:11,228
would be required to
deal with specific

1128
00:52:11,228 --> 00:52:13,730
sanctions because the
agreement itself has not been

1129
00:52:13,730 --> 00:52:16,533
reached; that talking about
what sort of sanctions

1130
00:52:16,533 --> 00:52:21,304
would be removed or lifted
or suspended based

1131
00:52:21,304 --> 00:52:26,343
on a commitment from Iran to
do X, Y, or Z is something

1132
00:52:26,343 --> 00:52:28,345
I don't want to speculate
on at this point

1133
00:52:28,345 --> 00:52:30,346
because the negotiations
are ongoing.

1134
00:52:30,347 --> 00:52:32,349
So I would hesitate
to speculate on that.

1135
00:52:32,349 --> 00:52:35,352
The Press: I'm just basically
condensing what you said

1136
00:52:35,352 --> 00:52:36,953
earlier, which sounded
like you were drawing

1137
00:52:36,953 --> 00:52:39,923
a distinction between suspending
and lifting sanctions,

1138
00:52:39,923 --> 00:52:43,526
and that suspending did not
require congressional authority,

1139
00:52:43,527 --> 00:52:45,862
and lifting would require
congressional authority.

1140
00:52:45,862 --> 00:52:46,830
Mr. Earnest: And
what I'm saying is,

1141
00:52:46,830 --> 00:52:49,165
in some ways it depends
on what the sanctions are.

1142
00:52:49,165 --> 00:52:51,334
And I don't want to speculate
about what those sanctions --

1143
00:52:51,334 --> 00:52:54,270
what sanctions might
be lifted or suspended,

1144
00:52:54,271 --> 00:52:57,474
because that's the subject
of ongoing discussions with

1145
00:52:57,474 --> 00:53:01,444
our P5-plus-1 partners and
the Iranians right now.

1146
00:53:01,444 --> 00:53:03,013
Jared.

1147
00:53:04,247 --> 00:53:05,248
We'll do Jared in the
back, and then we'll

1148
00:53:05,248 --> 00:53:07,918
move up one to
the other Jared.

1149
00:53:07,918 --> 00:53:09,719
The Press: Thanks.

1150
00:53:09,719 --> 00:53:12,789
The President has not missed
out on many opportunities

1151
00:53:12,789 --> 00:53:15,158
to criticize other countries
around the world for not doing

1152
00:53:15,158 --> 00:53:18,328
enough to stop the spread
of Ebola in West Africa.

1153
00:53:18,328 --> 00:53:20,330
Does the President
agree with former U.N.

1154
00:53:20,330 --> 00:53:23,098
Secretary General Kofi
Annan that countries have

1155
00:53:23,099 --> 00:53:26,236
ignored this because
it's an African problem?

1156
00:53:26,236 --> 00:53:30,140
Mr. Earnest: I haven't seen
those comments from Mr. Annan.

1157
00:53:30,140 --> 00:53:34,477
I will say that the United
States has been very focused

1158
00:53:34,477 --> 00:53:38,882
on marshaling international
support to this response.

1159
00:53:38,882 --> 00:53:42,452
The President himself, as
you all reported last week,

1160
00:53:42,452 --> 00:53:44,788
made a number of calls to
world leaders last week

1161
00:53:44,788 --> 00:53:47,023
to encourage them to ramp
up their response.

1162
00:53:47,023 --> 00:53:49,025
We've seen significant
commitments from those

1163
00:53:49,025 --> 00:53:51,761
countries, on the order of
about $300 million in financial

1164
00:53:51,761 --> 00:53:56,066
commitments from those countries
to this ongoing response effort.

1165
00:53:56,066 --> 00:53:58,435
There are additional commitments
that have been made in the form

1166
00:53:58,435 --> 00:54:01,304
of personnel and supplies
that will also be beneficial

1167
00:54:01,304 --> 00:54:02,539
to this effort.

1168
00:54:02,539 --> 00:54:05,342
And one of the reasons the
President made the decision to

1169
00:54:05,342 --> 00:54:08,511
commit significant DOD
logistical resources to this

1170
00:54:08,511 --> 00:54:12,849
problem -- or to this response
-- is that it would galvanize

1171
00:54:12,849 --> 00:54:15,652
the international community,
that nongovernmental

1172
00:54:15,652 --> 00:54:18,655
organizations and other
governments would have greater

1173
00:54:18,655 --> 00:54:23,393
confidence in the capacity
of this response knowing

1174
00:54:23,393 --> 00:54:26,329
that the Department of Defense
logistical infrastructure

1175
00:54:26,329 --> 00:54:28,965
was in place to
support the response.

1176
00:54:28,965 --> 00:54:32,268
So there are a number of things
that the President and this

1177
00:54:32,268 --> 00:54:35,138
administration have done to
galvanize the international

1178
00:54:35,138 --> 00:54:39,342
community in this effort, and
that is work that is ongoing.

1179
00:54:39,342 --> 00:54:41,544
The Press: Earlier,
to Jim's question,

1180
00:54:41,544 --> 00:54:44,247
you -- he was asking about,
has the President gamed out

1181
00:54:44,247 --> 00:54:46,783
scenarios for a possible
Republican Senate.

1182
00:54:46,783 --> 00:54:47,616
You said, not really.

1183
00:54:47,617 --> 00:54:48,985
Why not?

1184
00:54:48,985 --> 00:54:50,654
Mr. Earnest: Because it's our
expectation that Democrats will

1185
00:54:50,654 --> 00:54:54,824
continue to be in the majority
in the next session of Congress.

1186
00:54:54,824 --> 00:54:55,825
Jared.

1187
00:54:55,825 --> 00:54:58,361
The Press: To follow up on the
international effort on Ebola,

1188
00:54:58,361 --> 00:55:01,196
I know that the President last
week talked about part of the

1189
00:55:01,197 --> 00:55:04,234
trouble with a travel ban is the
notion of this broken travel,

1190
00:55:04,234 --> 00:55:06,436
and since there are no direct
flights between these three

1191
00:55:06,436 --> 00:55:08,438
West African countries
and the United States,

1192
00:55:08,438 --> 00:55:09,305
there are almost
always traveling

1193
00:55:09,305 --> 00:55:10,473
I guess through Europe.

1194
00:55:10,473 --> 00:55:13,442
Has the President spoken with
these European counterparts

1195
00:55:13,443 --> 00:55:16,813
to prevent them or encourage
them not to put in place any

1196
00:55:16,813 --> 00:55:19,215
sort of travel ban that would
thus make it that much more

1197
00:55:19,215 --> 00:55:22,152
difficult for travelers to
reach the United States?

1198
00:55:22,152 --> 00:55:22,819
Mr. Earnest: That's
a good question.

1199
00:55:22,819 --> 00:55:24,654
The President has had a
number of conversations

1200
00:55:24,654 --> 00:55:28,324
with his European
counterparts, the leaders

1201
00:55:28,324 --> 00:55:30,293
of these other countries.

1202
00:55:30,293 --> 00:55:33,296
I know that the topic about
travel restrictions that could

1203
00:55:33,296 --> 00:55:36,799
be put in place to greater
protect the populations

1204
00:55:36,800 --> 00:55:39,502
of Europe and the United
States have been discussed.

1205
00:55:39,502 --> 00:55:41,805
But in terms of the specifics
of those conversations

1206
00:55:41,805 --> 00:55:44,007
and whether or not the
President made a specific ask,

1207
00:55:44,007 --> 00:55:46,009
I'm just not prepared to
read out the discussions

1208
00:55:46,009 --> 00:55:47,711
in that great of detail.

1209
00:55:47,711 --> 00:55:49,879
The Press: But if a country
were considering that,

1210
00:55:49,879 --> 00:55:52,515
the President would disagree
with that assessment

1211
00:55:52,515 --> 00:55:53,750
from that world leader.

1212
00:55:53,750 --> 00:55:56,052
Mr. Earnest: Well, I wouldn't
put myself in a position to --

1213
00:55:56,052 --> 00:55:57,754
and I don't think the President
would put himself in a position

1214
00:55:57,754 --> 00:56:01,591
to where he's second-guessing
other world leaders about

1215
00:56:01,591 --> 00:56:03,827
what they need to do to
protect their own people.

1216
00:56:03,827 --> 00:56:06,796
So the President has been very
clear about the scientific

1217
00:56:06,796 --> 00:56:09,799
advice that he's received, that
it is in the best interest

1218
00:56:09,799 --> 00:56:11,801
of the American people and
the public health of this

1219
00:56:11,801 --> 00:56:17,540
country for the travel
lanes to remain open.

1220
00:56:17,540 --> 00:56:18,541
The Press: Some of the
countries already have

1221
00:56:18,541 --> 00:56:21,778
much more restrictive
travel situations already.

1222
00:56:21,778 --> 00:56:23,779
So that's -- just to
throw it into the mix.

1223
00:56:23,780 --> 00:56:27,784
My question is about the
authority of Mr. Klain.

1224
00:56:27,784 --> 00:56:30,920
Unlike the CDC, which really
does not operate with that kind

1225
00:56:30,920 --> 00:56:35,558
of authority, will Mr. Klain
have the authority to require

1226
00:56:35,558 --> 00:56:38,928
all the hospitals across the
United States to comport with

1227
00:56:38,928 --> 00:56:42,531
the new protocols that have just
been put in place when dealing

1228
00:56:42,532 --> 00:56:46,636
with Ebola patients,
whether they're diagnosed

1229
00:56:46,636 --> 00:56:49,471
or suspected of Ebola?

1230
00:56:49,472 --> 00:56:51,508
Mr. Earnest: The principal point
of contact for hospitals across

1231
00:56:51,508 --> 00:56:56,044
the country will continue to be
officials at HHS and at CDC.

1232
00:56:56,045 --> 00:56:58,281
Those are the public
health professionals,

1233
00:56:58,281 --> 00:57:02,118
the scientific experts that
can provide the best advice to

1234
00:57:02,118 --> 00:57:05,154
medical facilities and health
care workers across the country.

1235
00:57:05,155 --> 00:57:07,657
That will continue to be the
principal point of cooperation.

1236
00:57:07,657 --> 00:57:10,760
Now, what I will say
about that are two things.

1237
00:57:10,760 --> 00:57:13,897
One is, it obviously is in
the interest of hospital

1238
00:57:13,897 --> 00:57:17,299
administrators and doctors and
nurses to take the necessary

1239
00:57:17,300 --> 00:57:20,503
precautions that are based on
the lessons learned at those

1240
00:57:20,503 --> 00:57:23,273
facilities that have
successfully treated Ebola

1241
00:57:23,273 --> 00:57:25,141
patients in a safe way.

1242
00:57:25,141 --> 00:57:30,013
And the President wants
his team to focus on what

1243
00:57:30,013 --> 00:57:33,616
the federal government can do
to support local hospitals

1244
00:57:33,616 --> 00:57:36,686
and local public health
professionals to detect,

1245
00:57:36,686 --> 00:57:40,657
isolate and treat Ebola patients
should they materialize.

1246
00:57:40,657 --> 00:57:43,493
And that's what we
continue to be focused on.

1247
00:57:43,493 --> 00:57:46,895
Let me also say that the other
thing that the President has

1248
00:57:46,896 --> 00:57:53,837
urged the CDC to do is to be
more assertive in offering this

1249
00:57:53,837 --> 00:57:56,706
guidance to public health
professionals and to health care

1250
00:57:56,706 --> 00:57:58,708
workers and to hospitals
across the country,

1251
00:57:58,708 --> 00:58:04,080
that typically there is a pretty
-- I guess I would describe it

1252
00:58:04,080 --> 00:58:08,151
as a more advisory role that
CDC will play in terms of

1253
00:58:08,151 --> 00:58:11,120
communicating with hospitals
and doctors and nurses

1254
00:58:11,120 --> 00:58:12,455
across the country.

1255
00:58:12,455 --> 00:58:18,261
The President has asked the
CDC to be more assertive in

1256
00:58:18,261 --> 00:58:21,497
conveying information about
the protocols that should

1257
00:58:21,497 --> 00:58:23,832
be in place to protect
health care workers as they

1258
00:58:23,833 --> 00:58:25,435
do this important work.

1259
00:58:25,435 --> 00:58:27,170
The Press: At the risk
of belaboring this,

1260
00:58:27,170 --> 00:58:30,473
CDC never was set up to have
that kind of an authority.

1261
00:58:30,473 --> 00:58:33,176
Would it be then the Secretary
of HHS or Mr. Klain that

1262
00:58:33,176 --> 00:58:36,112
has the authority to actually
require those hospitals

1263
00:58:36,112 --> 00:58:37,280
to follow those procedures?

1264
00:58:37,280 --> 00:58:38,147
Mr. Earnest: It would
not be Mr. Klain,

1265
00:58:38,147 --> 00:58:40,616
but in terms of the nature of
the relationship between HHS,

1266
00:58:40,617 --> 00:58:43,753
CDC and hospitals, I'd
refer to HHS for that.

1267
00:58:43,753 --> 00:58:44,454
The Press: Thank you.

1268
00:58:44,454 --> 00:58:44,988
Mr. Earnest: Katie.

1269
00:58:44,988 --> 00:58:45,355
The Press: Hi, Josh.

1270
00:58:45,355 --> 00:58:46,990
The President told Reverend
Sharpton last night that

1271
00:58:46,990 --> 00:58:49,325
he told candidates in tight
races that you do what you

1272
00:58:49,325 --> 00:58:50,359
need to do to win.

1273
00:58:50,360 --> 00:58:52,161
In some cases, that means
distancing themselves

1274
00:58:52,161 --> 00:58:53,463
from the President.

1275
00:58:53,463 --> 00:58:55,398
And you just said you wouldn't
second-guess the strategy

1276
00:58:55,398 --> 00:58:57,901
of Democrats who aren't inviting
the President to campaign.

1277
00:58:57,901 --> 00:59:00,636
So were these vulnerable
Democrats given a heads-up that

1278
00:59:00,637 --> 00:59:03,106
the President would call them
strong allies and supporters,

1279
00:59:03,106 --> 00:59:05,909
which is kind of an
attack-ad-ready sound bite?

1280
00:59:05,909 --> 00:59:07,610
And how does the President
think this will help

1281
00:59:07,610 --> 00:59:09,445
those vulnerable Democrats?

1282
00:59:09,445 --> 00:59:11,447
Mr. Earnest: Well, I will
say that the ratings for

1283
00:59:11,447 --> 00:59:13,316
the Al Sharpton Show yesterday
must have been, like,

1284
00:59:13,316 --> 00:59:15,518
through the roof.

1285
00:59:15,518 --> 00:59:17,453
So I'm confident he'll
be asking the President

1286
00:59:17,453 --> 00:59:22,191
to participate in his
show once again.

1287
00:59:22,191 --> 00:59:25,662
I don't know that any other
candidates were given a heads-up

1288
00:59:25,662 --> 00:59:28,731
that the President was prepared
to appear on the Sharpton show.

1289
00:59:28,731 --> 00:59:34,904
The fact is that the President
has been very clear about

1290
00:59:34,904 --> 00:59:37,740
his support for candidates
that are strong advocates

1291
00:59:37,740 --> 00:59:41,144
of an agenda that benefit
middle-class families.

1292
00:59:41,144 --> 00:59:47,783
And that approach is one that
this administration will

1293
00:59:47,784 --> 00:59:50,620
continue to pursue as we
support Democratic candidates

1294
00:59:50,620 --> 00:59:53,690
up and down the ballot in
races all across the country.

1295
00:59:53,690 --> 00:59:54,223
Mark.

1296
00:59:54,223 --> 00:59:55,925
The Press: Josh, can I just have
a general idea of what

1297
00:59:55,925 --> 00:59:58,194
the rest of the President's
week is going to look like?

1298
00:59:58,194 --> 01:00:00,930
We've talked about the fact
that he's not out campaigning,

1299
01:00:00,930 --> 01:00:03,598
that much of the schedule
was cleared because

1300
01:00:03,599 --> 01:00:04,867
of the Ebola fears.

1301
01:00:04,867 --> 01:00:07,270
While we haven't had any
additional infections,

1302
01:00:07,270 --> 01:00:09,839
what does he think of
the state of play there?

1303
01:00:09,839 --> 01:00:11,207
The Press: Knock on wood.

1304
01:00:11,207 --> 01:00:12,107
The Press: Yes, knock
on wood, exactly.

1305
01:00:12,108 --> 01:00:13,810
What does he think of
the state of play there?

1306
01:00:13,810 --> 01:00:16,846
And what's he going to be
doing the balance of the week?

1307
01:00:16,846 --> 01:00:18,348
Mr. Earnest: Well, we'll
have more details about

1308
01:00:18,348 --> 01:00:20,883
the President's schedule for
tomorrow later on today.

1309
01:00:20,883 --> 01:00:25,020
And it is fair for you to assume
that the President continues

1310
01:00:25,021 --> 01:00:28,858
to get detailed briefings from
members of his staff about our

1311
01:00:28,858 --> 01:00:31,494
Ebola response, and it's clear
that there's quite a bit

1312
01:00:31,494 --> 01:00:34,530
that's happening from Mr.
Klain starting tomorrow,

1313
01:00:34,530 --> 01:00:36,899
to the significant financial
commitments that we've gotten

1314
01:00:36,899 --> 01:00:40,169
from countries around the world,
to the strengthened guidance

1315
01:00:40,169 --> 01:00:43,205
from the CDC about protocols
that health care workers should

1316
01:00:43,206 --> 01:00:45,775
implement, to even the new
travel restrictions that

1317
01:00:45,775 --> 01:00:48,411
were announced today by the
Department of Homeland Security.

1318
01:00:48,411 --> 01:00:52,448
So there's a lot of work that is
being put into this by a wide

1319
01:00:52,448 --> 01:00:55,250
range of government agencies,
and the President continues

1320
01:00:55,251 --> 01:00:57,286
to monitor those
developments very closely.

1321
01:00:57,286 --> 01:00:59,255
The Press: So is the
President going to reschedule

1322
01:00:59,255 --> 01:01:02,325
any of the things that he
canceled last week?

1323
01:01:02,325 --> 01:01:06,428
Is he going to continue to do
these phone-ins to specific

1324
01:01:06,429 --> 01:01:10,466
Democratic interest groups
during the rest of this week,

1325
01:01:10,466 --> 01:01:12,435
with the balance of time?

1326
01:01:12,435 --> 01:01:15,337
Mr. Earnest: Well, I will say
that I do anticipate that

1327
01:01:15,338 --> 01:01:17,073
at least some of the travel
that had to get canceled

1328
01:01:17,073 --> 01:01:18,941
last week will be rescheduled.

1329
01:01:18,941 --> 01:01:20,810
In fact, I think that we
have already announced

1330
01:01:20,810 --> 01:01:24,013
that the trip to Connecticut
is back on the books

1331
01:01:24,013 --> 01:01:27,049
for some time before
the election.

1332
01:01:27,050 --> 01:01:29,886
I'm not sure which day, but we
can follow up with you on that.

1333
01:01:29,886 --> 01:01:32,422
And I do anticipate that the
President will be engaged

1334
01:01:32,422 --> 01:01:34,390
in some other political
activities as well,

1335
01:01:34,390 --> 01:01:37,593
additional radio interviews
and other things, too.

1336
01:01:37,593 --> 01:01:40,328
In the back, I'll
give you the last one.

1337
01:01:40,329 --> 01:01:42,432
Yes, you.

1338
01:01:42,432 --> 01:01:43,265
What's your name?

1339
01:01:43,266 --> 01:01:44,033
The Press: Charlie.

1340
01:01:44,033 --> 01:01:44,500
Mr. Earnest: Charlie?

1341
01:01:44,500 --> 01:01:44,934
The Press: Yes.

1342
01:01:44,934 --> 01:01:45,768
Mr. Earnest: Who are
you with, Charlie?

1343
01:01:45,768 --> 01:01:46,569
The Press:
Breitbart News.

1344
01:01:46,569 --> 01:01:47,770
Mr. Earnest: Okay.

1345
01:01:47,770 --> 01:01:50,807
The Press: The recent story
on the USCIS preparing for

1346
01:01:50,807 --> 01:01:54,776
a surge of government IDs, do
you have a response to that?

1347
01:01:54,777 --> 01:01:55,411
Mr. Earnest: I don't.

1348
01:01:55,411 --> 01:01:58,014
I'd refer you to
UCIS on that.

1349
01:01:58,014 --> 01:01:59,882
I don't have any
information about that.

1350
01:01:59,882 --> 01:02:00,216
The Press: Okay.

1351
01:02:00,216 --> 01:02:00,650
Mr. Earnest: Okay.

1352
01:02:00,650 --> 01:02:01,084
Thanks, everybody.