English subtitles for clip: File:10-23-14- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

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It's nice to see you.

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I'm joined at the briefing
today by David Cohen

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from the Treasury Department.

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We spent a lot of time over the
last several weeks, even months,

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discussing the strategy that
the President has put

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in place to degrade and
ultimately destroy ISIL.

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We have, for
understandable reasons,

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spent a lot of time talking
about our strategy related

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to the military --
military airstrikes

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by our coalition partners.

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We've talked a lot about our
effort to train and supply

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local forces on the ground
to take the fight to ISIL.

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We've talked a lot about our
ongoing diplomatic efforts

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to build a broad
international coalition.

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But another core component
of this strategy is

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our efforts to shut
down ISIL's financing.

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This is David's area of
responsibility and expertise,

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and so he's here to give
you some brief remarks

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at the top and to answer
your questions about it.

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So with that, David, why
don't you get us started.

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Under Secretary
Cohen: Thanks, Josh.

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Good afternoon, everybody.

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So what I thought I would do is
briefly recap a speech that

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I delivered earlier today
describing Treasury's role

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in leading the effort to
disrupt the financing for ISIL,

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which is part of the,
as Josh mentioned,

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the overall effort
to disrupt, degrade

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and ultimately
defeat ISIL.

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So I began by sketching the
key source of ISIL's current

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revenue, and noted that ISIL
presents a somewhat different

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terrorist financing challenge
for a couple of reasons.

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One, it has obviously amassed
wealth at a pretty rapid clip.

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Much of its funding, unlike sort
of al Qaeda and al Qaeda-type

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organizations, does not come
from external donations but

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is gathered -- internally gathered
locally in the territory

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in Iraq and Syria where it
currently operates.

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But nonetheless, ISIL's
financial foundations can be

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attacked through the application
of some tried and true

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techniques that we've developed
over the past 10 years

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at the Treasury
Department, and with some

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modifications on some
of these approaches.

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So with respect to ISIL's
sources of revenue,

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obviously ISIL's sale of oil
has gotten a lot of attention.

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Our best understanding is that
ISIL, since about mid-June,

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has earned approximately
a million dollars

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a day through the
sale of smuggled oil.

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There's been some progress
recently in beating back

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ISIL's ability to earn money
from the sale of smuggled oil,

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in particular due to the
airstrikes that have been

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conducted on some of
the ISIL oil refineries.

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Second, ISIL has earned about
$20 million this year through

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kidnapping for ransom,
through receiving ransoms

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to free innocent civilians,
often journalists,

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that it has
taken hostage.

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Third, ISIL earns up to
several million dollars

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per month through its
various extortion networks

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and criminal activity in the
territory where it operates.

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And finally, as I mentioned,
external donations are not

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right now a significant
source of funding for ISIL,

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but it does maintain some really
significant links to Gulf-based

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financiers, as a spate of
Treasury designations we did

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last night -- last week, rather
-- or last month, highlights.

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So we are leading a
three-pronged effort to combat

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ISIL's financial foundation,
closely linked up with

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the other members in
the U.S. government

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of the
anti-ISIL coalition,

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as well as with
international counterparts.

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So first, we're
focused on cutting off

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ISIL's funding streams.

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With respect to oil, we are
looking very carefully at who

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the middlemen are who
are involved in the sale

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of the oil that
ISIL is smuggling.

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At some point, there is
someone in that chain

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of transactions who
is involved

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in the legitimate or
quasi-legitimate economy.

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They have a bank
account.

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Their trucks may
be insured.

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They may have licensing
on their facilities.

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There is someone who our
tools, our designation

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tools can influence.

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And so we are looking very
carefully at identifying who

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the people are that are
involved in this chain

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of transactions that we can
apply our tools against.

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Secondly, we are working to turn
the growing international

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norm against paying ransom
to terrorist organizations

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into a reality.

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This year there were two
U.N. Security Council

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resolutions that very
clearly came out and

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said that paying a ransom to
terrorist organizations

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is something that no country,
no member state should

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be involved in.

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This is something that
has been longstanding U.S.

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policy, longstanding U.K. policy, and something

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that we're trying to
get our partners around

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the world to turn
from a norm into a reality.

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Third, we are looking at these
external funding networks.

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Although it is not currently a
significant source of revenue,

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there is obviously a big
pool of money out there

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that has historically
funded extremist groups.

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Very focused on ensuring that
this does not become a more

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significant means by which
ISIL is able to fund itself.

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And finally, on the crime
and extortion networks,

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the best way to
address this, again,

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is through the military
activity and other activity

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on the ground to push ISIL
out of the territory

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where it's currently
operating.

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But it does sort of play into
our second line of activity,

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which is to prevent ISIL
from gaining access

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to the international
financial system.

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So as it has funds
at its disposal,

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it's critically important that
it does not get access to the

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financial system through the
bank branches that are

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in the territory where it's
currently operating.

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There are dozens of bank
branches in Iraq where ISIL

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is currently operating.

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We're working closely with the
Iraqis and with others around

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the world, both in the private
financial sector and in the

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public sector, to ensure that
ISIL is not able to gain

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access to the international
financial system.

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And the third line of effort
is to apply sanctions

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against the key
leaders in ISIL.

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It has a relatively
sophisticated,

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complex organizational
structure.

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We're going to look to
designate the leaders,

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designate the people who
act in CFO-like capacities,

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as well as to designate those
outside of Iraq and Syria

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who are providing
support to ISIL.

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So with that, why don't
I take a few questions?

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Mr. Earnest: Olivier,
you want to start us off?

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The Press: Please.

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Thanks, David.

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Do you have a sense of
ISIL's overall net worth?

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I realize that these
analogies are not perfect,

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but do you have a sense of where
they are in overall net worth?

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And could you maybe give us just
where they rank either in income

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or in overall wealth against
other notable extremist groups?

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Under Secretary Cohen:
There's no question that ISIL

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is among the best-financed
terrorist organizations --

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leaving aside state-sponsored
terrorist organizations --

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that we've confronted.

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I can't give you a
precise figure on what

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its current net
worth is.

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But I think an
important point, though,

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is to not confuse funding
with financial strength.

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ISIL has massed millions
of dollars in funding,

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but a terrorist organization's
financial strength turns

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on its ability to continue
to tap into funding streams,

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its ability to use
the funds that it has,

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and also its expenses, ISIL, in
its ambition to control large

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swaths of territory -- cities,
towns and millions of millions

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of people -- has a
significant expense side

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of its balance sheet.

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And as we work to cut off
its access to revenue,

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ISIL's ability to deliver even
a modicum of services to the

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people that it's attempting to
subjugate will be stressed.

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And so its ability to continue
to hold that territory against

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a population that in the
past has shown a willingness

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to push back against al
Qaeda-types is going

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to be stressed.

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The Press: And one more.

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You said that external
donations are not right

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now a significant
source of revenue.

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Again, I'm sorry, can
you put a dollar amount

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on what that means?

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How much smaller is it than
a million dollars a day from

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smuggling oil, or $20 million
this year from ransom?

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Under Secretary
Cohen: It is smaller.

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In September, we announced
designations that included

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sanctions against a Gulf-based
facilitator -- actually,

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a Syria-based facilitator
who received $2 million from

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Gulf-based donors.

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So I don't mean to suggest that
this is an insignificant source

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of financing, it's just in
comparison to their other

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revenue streams right now,
it's not as important to them.

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The Press: Which countries
are most lenient

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toward paying ransoms?

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And how do you
approach this problem?

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Under Secretary Cohen: Look, we
approach this problem by lots

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of quiet diplomacy, working
with the countries,

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and making the point -- which
I think is both logical and,

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frankly, has borne out -- which
is that the payment of ransoms

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just encourages further
hostage-taking.

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And so we all have an obligation
to protect our citizens.

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And the best way to protect
our citizens is to take away

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the incentive in the first
place for terrorist

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organizations to
take hostages.

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The U.S. policy against paying ransoms has been longstanding,

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and it applies across the
board to any hostage-taker.

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But in the context of a
terrorist organization that

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is taking hostages, this
policy has even more force,

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because we know that the funding
that comes from the ransoms

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is used by these terrorist
organizations to fund

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all of their violent
activities.

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And so the best way to
translate what is this emerging

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international norm into practice
is really to make the case

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to our partners around
the world that payment

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of ransoms ultimately
redounds to the detriment

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of all of our citizens.

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The Press: Is it mostly
European nations that are

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lenient towards paying,
or is it Gulf States?

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Or who exactly?

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Under Secretary Cohen: Look,
I'm not going to identify

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any particular countries
that are involved here.

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There are, as evidenced by the
fact that ISIL has received

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$20 million or so this year
in ransom payments,

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there are still
ransoms being paid.

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And I think it's incumbent on
everybody and the anti-ISIL

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coalition and more
broadly to adhere

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to the Security
Council resolutions

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and to not pay ransoms.

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The Press: What would be an
example of the external funding

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sources that you talked
about a minute ago?

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An example or two?

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Under Secretary Cohen: Well,
an example are these donor

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networks in the Gulf
where money is collected.

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There are bundlers, essentially,
who collect funds and move

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the funds out of the Gulf
into Iraq and Syria.

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I mean, one of the things we're
concerned about -- and again,

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we have recently designated some
individuals who are involved

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in this activity -- is
the use of social media

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to solicit funds, and the ability, frankly, to move

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beyond sort of person-to-person
fundraising and to use

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social media as a way to raise funds, bundle those funds,

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and move them out of the
Gulf into Syria and Iraq.

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And so that's something
that we're very focused on.

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The Press: You mentioned going
after the middlemen when

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it comes to dealing with the
oil revenue generated by ISIS.

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Do you know who is buying
that oil ultimately?

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Are there nations
buying it?

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Under Secretary Cohen:
I don't think it's --

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that's what we're
looking into.

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And our intelligence community
and our partners are highly

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focused on identifying exactly
who it is in these smuggling

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networks that are involved.

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These smuggling networks
didn't just pop up overnight.

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These are historic, longstanding
smuggling networks that

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have been the way by which
all sorts of commodities,

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including oil, have been
traded over the years.

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But what's different
now, frankly,

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00:13:11,657 --> 00:13:16,028
is that the oil that had
previously moved through these

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00:13:16,028 --> 00:13:20,166
smuggling networks, we now
know that that oil finds

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00:13:20,166 --> 00:13:22,301
its origin with ISIL.

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00:13:22,301 --> 00:13:27,673
And anyone involved in the
sale of this oil is, frankly,

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00:13:27,673 --> 00:13:29,708
assisting ISIL, funding ISIL.

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00:13:29,708 --> 00:13:32,911
And so, in the past, if some of
these people in these networks

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00:13:32,912 --> 00:13:36,549
were willing to sort of turn a
blind eye as to where the oil

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00:13:36,549 --> 00:13:41,120
came from, that's no longer
tenable because this oil,

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00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,523
everybody should know, is coming
from ISIL-controlled territory,

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00:13:44,523 --> 00:13:47,092
and trading in this oil
is just funding ISIL.

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00:13:47,092 --> 00:13:49,093
The Press: And do you know
how much money is coming

252
00:13:49,094 --> 00:13:50,095
from the West?

253
00:13:50,095 --> 00:13:52,064
Is there any money coming
out of the U.S.?

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00:13:52,064 --> 00:13:54,065
Under Secretary Cohen:
Obviously it's something

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00:13:54,066 --> 00:13:55,601
that my counterparts

256
00:13:55,601 --> 00:13:58,837
in law enforcement are
carefully looking at.

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I don't have any indication that
there's any funding coming out

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00:14:02,641 --> 00:14:06,078
of the West, or certainly out
of the United States for ISIL.

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00:14:06,078 --> 00:14:08,280
But it's something where
we're looking carefully.

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00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:10,281
The Press: It was a problem
during the battle against

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00:14:10,282 --> 00:14:12,084
al Qaeda during the
Bush administration,

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00:14:12,084 --> 00:14:14,520
that there were organizations
within the United States

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00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:15,954
that were targeted by
law enforcement.

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00:14:15,955 --> 00:14:17,489
Under Secretary Cohen: I
don't have anything on that.

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00:14:17,489 --> 00:14:18,958
The Press: What more
can you tell us, David,

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00:14:18,958 --> 00:14:20,925
about the expense side
of the balance sheet?

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00:14:20,926 --> 00:14:22,795
What is ISIS
spending money on?

268
00:14:22,795 --> 00:14:25,863
Under Secretary Cohen: Well,
they spend money on fighters.

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00:14:28,133 --> 00:14:31,437
They pay for their
forces to some extent.

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00:14:31,437 --> 00:14:36,842
But they also attempt
to deliver something

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00:14:36,842 --> 00:14:41,180
approximating services,
public services.

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00:14:41,180 --> 00:14:43,616
They are trying to
provide electricity.

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00:14:43,616 --> 00:14:45,617
They're trying to
provide water.

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00:14:45,618 --> 00:14:50,289
But recently, I think in Mosul,
there has been serious problems

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00:14:50,289 --> 00:14:54,660
in the delivery of electricity
and delivery of water.

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00:14:54,660 --> 00:14:59,765
But one of the things that ISIL
has tried to do, which is,

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00:14:59,765 --> 00:15:03,002
frankly, different from
terrorist organizations

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00:15:03,002 --> 00:15:09,141
of a sort of prior era, is
to act as if they were

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00:15:09,141 --> 00:15:12,144
a real state, a real government
in the area where they

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00:15:12,144 --> 00:15:15,581
are controlling; so to not
try to govern entirely

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00:15:15,581 --> 00:15:18,817
at the point of the gun, but
also through some effort

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00:15:18,817 --> 00:15:20,786
to deliver services.

283
00:15:20,786 --> 00:15:23,421
And so that is expensive.

284
00:15:23,422 --> 00:15:29,628
The Iraqi government's budget
for the provinces where ISIL

285
00:15:29,628 --> 00:15:33,632
is currently operating for this
year was well over $2 billion.

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00:15:33,632 --> 00:15:37,969
Now, I don't mean to suggest
that ISIL is intending to

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00:15:37,970 --> 00:15:40,439
deliver anything like the
services the Iraqi government

288
00:15:40,439 --> 00:15:43,242
was intending to deliver,
but that gives you an idea

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00:15:43,242 --> 00:15:49,314
of sort of the scale of
the expenses that ISIL,

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00:15:49,315 --> 00:15:52,851
if it's trying to sort of
pretend to be a government,

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00:15:52,851 --> 00:15:54,119
would be facing.

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00:15:54,119 --> 00:15:55,154
The Press: Can you
talk once more about

293
00:15:55,154 --> 00:15:57,823
the donations they're
getting on social media?

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00:15:57,823 --> 00:15:59,824
Are these small-dollar
donations, big-dollar donations?

295
00:15:59,825 --> 00:16:01,827
Under Secretary Cohen: Look, I
think it's all of the above.

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00:16:01,827 --> 00:16:07,166
You see these appeals on Twitter
in particular from well-known

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00:16:07,166 --> 00:16:10,069
terrorist financiers, ones
that we've designated,

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00:16:10,069 --> 00:16:15,074
that have been designated at
the U.N., asking for donations

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00:16:15,074 --> 00:16:17,976
to be made to -- and they're
quite explicit -- that these

300
00:16:17,976 --> 00:16:21,547
are to be made to ISIL for
their military campaign.

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00:16:21,547 --> 00:16:28,821
And that makes the efforts of
countries in the Gulf that are

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00:16:28,821 --> 00:16:32,324
quite intent on preventing
funding from going to ISIL --

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00:16:32,324 --> 00:16:34,892
the Saudis, for instance --
it makes their efforts more

304
00:16:34,893 --> 00:16:36,962
difficult, because these
are appeals that are

305
00:16:36,962 --> 00:16:41,567
made over social media
and made broadly.

306
00:16:41,567 --> 00:16:45,337
The Press: Just to go a little
deeper into the expense side

307
00:16:45,337 --> 00:16:49,007
of the balance sheet, and in
particular given what happened

308
00:16:49,007 --> 00:16:52,544
yesterday in Ottawa, can you
give us a sense of how that

309
00:16:52,544 --> 00:16:55,581
funding is used, either for the
influx of foreign fighters,

310
00:16:55,581 --> 00:17:00,219
or is there is any way in which
is supports homegrown terror?

311
00:17:00,219 --> 00:17:01,954
Under Secretary Cohen: Well, I
think that's another element

312
00:17:01,954 --> 00:17:04,889
of the expense side of
the balance sheet,

313
00:17:04,890 --> 00:17:09,228
which is to bring in foreign
fighters -- and there have been

314
00:17:09,228 --> 00:17:13,432
something like 15,000 foreign
fighters that have come into

315
00:17:13,432 --> 00:17:17,970
Syria and Iraq over the
last several years from 80

316
00:17:17,970 --> 00:17:22,107
or so countries, including
a dozen or so from the U.S.

317
00:17:22,107 --> 00:17:23,709
-- those foreign fighters
-- it costs money

318
00:17:23,709 --> 00:17:25,878
to bring in those
foreign fighters.

319
00:17:25,877 --> 00:17:32,351
Some of them are self-funded,
but there is a serious concern

320
00:17:32,351 --> 00:17:36,121
that ISIL can use some of the
funds it has, essentially,

321
00:17:36,121 --> 00:17:43,429
to pay for the fighters
to come into the area,

322
00:17:43,429 --> 00:17:47,232
which is one of the reasons also
that we're focused on keeping

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00:17:47,232 --> 00:17:49,868
ISIL out of the international
financial system.

324
00:17:49,868 --> 00:17:55,274
Because their ability to fund
someone who wants to travel from

325
00:17:55,274 --> 00:17:59,477
wherever into Iraq or Syria,
that's obviously made easier

326
00:17:59,478 --> 00:18:02,714
if they can send a wire
transfer, and more difficult

327
00:18:02,714 --> 00:18:04,116
if they're not able to.

328
00:18:04,116 --> 00:18:05,484
The Press: Is there any
indication that that money

329
00:18:05,484 --> 00:18:09,321
has been used with the
dozen or so Americans?

330
00:18:09,321 --> 00:18:12,090
Under Secretary Cohen: I don't
have any indication on that.

331
00:18:12,090 --> 00:18:13,725
The Press: David, in
your speech today,

332
00:18:13,725 --> 00:18:15,694
you also obviously offered
condolences to Canada but

333
00:18:15,694 --> 00:18:19,798
mentioned that we have to remain
vigilant in the face of terror.

334
00:18:19,798 --> 00:18:21,800
Were you saying specifically
the administration

335
00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,570
believes it was a terror
attack yesterday?

336
00:18:24,570 --> 00:18:25,471
Under Secretary Cohen:
I wasn't, no.

337
00:18:25,471 --> 00:18:27,105
I will defer to Josh.

338
00:18:31,310 --> 00:18:34,245
The Press: Do your efforts
against paying ransom extend

339
00:18:34,246 --> 00:18:37,449
to private companies and
families who might have

340
00:18:37,449 --> 00:18:41,019
people taken captive?

341
00:18:41,019 --> 00:18:43,121
And is that a tough
argument to make?

342
00:18:43,121 --> 00:18:47,626
Under Secretary Cohen: Look,
what we're focused on is,

343
00:18:47,626 --> 00:18:52,030
in any situation where
someone is taken hostage,

344
00:18:52,030 --> 00:18:56,101
first and foremost making
efforts to do everything

345
00:18:56,101 --> 00:18:58,570
in our power -- military,
diplomatically,

346
00:18:58,570 --> 00:19:00,973
through intelligence and
law enforcement channels --

347
00:19:00,973 --> 00:19:02,841
to free that person.

348
00:19:02,841 --> 00:19:07,044
And I think the rescue attempt
that was conducted earlier

349
00:19:07,045 --> 00:19:12,651
this summer, an effort
to free Jim Foley,

350
00:19:12,651 --> 00:19:19,124
was an indication of how
seriously this administration

351
00:19:19,124 --> 00:19:23,195
takes the obligation to
protect American citizens.

352
00:19:23,195 --> 00:19:28,399
And what we're focused on,
on the no ransoms policy,

353
00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:34,339
is making sure that we reduce
and hopefully someday eliminate

354
00:19:34,339 --> 00:19:39,077
the incentive for these
kidnappings to occur.

355
00:19:39,077 --> 00:19:45,250
And we are highly focused on who
it is that is receiving ransoms

356
00:19:45,250 --> 00:19:48,921
and who's involved in the
solicitation of ransoms.

357
00:19:48,921 --> 00:19:52,624
And those are all people who
are vulnerable to our actions.

358
00:19:52,624 --> 00:19:56,795
The Press: Do they include
families and private companies?

359
00:19:56,795 --> 00:20:00,666
Under Secretary Cohen: Look, the
bad actors here are the people

360
00:20:00,666 --> 00:20:01,934
who are taking
the hostages --

361
00:20:01,934 --> 00:20:02,634
The Press: I understand.

362
00:20:02,634 --> 00:20:04,236
Under Secretary Cohen: -- and
that's who we're focused on.

363
00:20:04,236 --> 00:20:07,205
The Press: What is the
preferred currency of ISIL?

364
00:20:09,274 --> 00:20:11,176
Under Secretary Cohen: Well, I
assume the preferred currency

365
00:20:11,176 --> 00:20:13,345
of ISIL, like the preferred
currency of everyone

366
00:20:13,345 --> 00:20:15,314
around the world,
is the U.S. dollar.

367
00:20:15,314 --> 00:20:19,885
I think mostly what they have
access to are Iraqi dinars.

368
00:20:19,885 --> 00:20:21,486
Mr. Earnest: Justin, I'll
give you the last one.

369
00:20:21,486 --> 00:20:23,121
The Press: I just wanted
to drill down on the

370
00:20:23,121 --> 00:20:25,591
million-dollar-a-day
oil revenue.

371
00:20:25,591 --> 00:20:27,192
You said, I think in
your speech earlier,

372
00:20:27,192 --> 00:20:30,429
that that was from
mid-June to today.

373
00:20:30,429 --> 00:20:32,598
But you also said that
airstrikes have started

374
00:20:32,598 --> 00:20:34,032
to degrade some of that.

375
00:20:34,032 --> 00:20:37,269
So what I'm wondering is, is
the million-dollar constant,

376
00:20:37,269 --> 00:20:40,639
which represents both ISIL,
gaining more sort of sources

377
00:20:40,639 --> 00:20:44,141
of oil revenue, but being
degraded by airstrikes?

378
00:20:44,142 --> 00:20:47,012
Or is it something like they
were maybe making $2 million

379
00:20:47,012 --> 00:20:50,014
back in June but now it's
half a million over time?

380
00:20:50,015 --> 00:20:51,083
Can you just kind
of explain --

381
00:20:51,083 --> 00:20:51,817
Under Secretary Cohen:
I would say it's

382
00:20:51,817 --> 00:20:53,418
a pre-airstrike number.

383
00:20:53,418 --> 00:20:53,851
The Press: Okay.

384
00:20:53,852 --> 00:20:56,355
So you don't have
a number for since

385
00:20:56,355 --> 00:20:57,522
the airstrikes
have started?

386
00:20:57,522 --> 00:20:59,191
Under Secretary Cohen: Right.

387
00:20:59,191 --> 00:21:00,626
Mr. Earnest: Thank you,
David, for your time.

388
00:21:00,626 --> 00:21:02,293
Under Secretary Cohen:
Thank you, everybody.

389
00:21:09,935 --> 00:21:11,669
The Press: I thought you were
going to bring Hurricane

390
00:21:11,670 --> 00:21:12,571
and Jordan in with you.

391
00:21:12,571 --> 00:21:14,238
(laughter)

392
00:21:14,740 --> 00:21:15,273
Mr. Earnest:
That would have made

393
00:21:15,273 --> 00:21:17,775
for a good photo
op, wouldn't it?

394
00:21:18,477 --> 00:21:20,612
All right, I actually don't have
any announcements at the top.

395
00:21:20,612 --> 00:21:22,547
So, Darlene, do you want to
get it started with questions?

396
00:21:22,547 --> 00:21:23,582
The Press: Sure.

397
00:21:23,582 --> 00:21:24,349
Thank you.

398
00:21:24,349 --> 00:21:26,318
On the attack in
Canada yesterday,

399
00:21:26,318 --> 00:21:28,120
the gunman there was said
to have been a recent

400
00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:30,155
convert to Islam.

401
00:21:30,155 --> 00:21:33,825
The Prime Minister described him
as "an ISIL-inspired terrorist."

402
00:21:33,825 --> 00:21:38,096
So I was wondering if this
individual had ever been

403
00:21:38,096 --> 00:21:39,197
in the U.S.

404
00:21:39,197 --> 00:21:42,367
Had any U.S. officials
been monitoring him

405
00:21:42,367 --> 00:21:43,835
or watching him?

406
00:21:43,835 --> 00:21:46,505
And is there any reason to
believe there might be some

407
00:21:46,505 --> 00:21:50,175
sort of similar attack
planned against the U.S.

408
00:21:50,175 --> 00:21:52,978
-- Washington or anyplace
else in the U.S.?

409
00:21:52,978 --> 00:21:54,346
Mr. Earnest: Darlene, let
me start by saying that

410
00:21:54,346 --> 00:21:57,349
our hearts go out to the victims
of the despicable terrorist

411
00:21:57,349 --> 00:22:00,718
attacks that occurred
in Canada this week.

412
00:22:00,719 --> 00:22:02,287
Canada is one of
our closest allies,

413
00:22:02,287 --> 00:22:04,022
partners and friends
in the world,

414
00:22:04,022 --> 00:22:05,624
and we stand
shoulder-to-shoulder with

415
00:22:05,624 --> 00:22:07,192
them in solidarity.

416
00:22:07,192 --> 00:22:09,928
We've been clear that we are
grateful to Canada for its

417
00:22:09,928 --> 00:22:11,997
steadfast commitment to
countering violent extremism

418
00:22:11,997 --> 00:22:15,367
wherever it occurs,
whether overseas or here

419
00:22:15,367 --> 00:22:16,534
in North America.

420
00:22:16,535 --> 00:22:18,537
And we're going to continue
to work closely with our

421
00:22:18,537 --> 00:22:21,773
Canadian colleagues to
combat this serious threat.

422
00:22:21,773 --> 00:22:25,444
Prime Minister Harper said
it very well yesterday.

423
00:22:25,444 --> 00:22:27,879
He said that the Canadian
people will not be intimidated.

424
00:22:27,879 --> 00:22:34,052
In fact, they will strengthen
their resolve and not allow

425
00:22:34,052 --> 00:22:39,057
a safe haven for terrorists
who seek to do harm.

426
00:22:39,057 --> 00:22:41,960
President Obama yesterday
offered Canada any assistance

427
00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,663
that's necessary in
responding to these attacks.

428
00:22:44,663 --> 00:22:46,665
And our respective national
security teams are

429
00:22:46,665 --> 00:22:50,034
coordinating very closely,
including again today.

430
00:22:50,035 --> 00:22:52,104
As the President said yesterday,
when it comes to dealing

431
00:22:52,104 --> 00:22:54,106
with terrorist activity,
it is clear that Canada

432
00:22:54,106 --> 00:22:57,175
and the United States have
to be entirely in sync.

433
00:22:57,175 --> 00:22:59,578
We have been in the past
and we will continue

434
00:22:59,578 --> 00:23:01,012
to be in the future.

435
00:23:01,012 --> 00:23:04,783
As it relates to the
threat that we face here,

436
00:23:04,783 --> 00:23:07,985
you have heard the President on
a number of occasions talk

437
00:23:07,986 --> 00:23:12,224
about the risk that
the U.S. faces from

438
00:23:12,224 --> 00:23:15,494
so-called lone wolves.

439
00:23:15,494 --> 00:23:20,064
These are, again, individuals
who, in some cases,

440
00:23:20,065 --> 00:23:22,701
can be radicalized
over the Internet.

441
00:23:22,701 --> 00:23:26,138
You've heard David discuss the
robust efforts that are underway

442
00:23:26,138 --> 00:23:32,177
by ISIL to use social media
to recruit and radicalize

443
00:23:32,177 --> 00:23:34,545
people around the world.

444
00:23:35,847 --> 00:23:37,949
I should have preceded this
aspect of my answer by saying

445
00:23:37,949 --> 00:23:40,652
that there continues to be an
ongoing investigation in Canada,

446
00:23:40,652 --> 00:23:45,423
so I'm not in a position to
discuss any details about this

447
00:23:45,423 --> 00:23:48,593
individual that is the subject
of an ongoing investigation.

448
00:23:48,593 --> 00:23:53,565
But what continues to be of
continued focus here

449
00:23:53,565 --> 00:23:56,768
in the United States are
our ongoing efforts

450
00:23:56,768 --> 00:23:59,604
to counter violent
extremism.

451
00:23:59,604 --> 00:24:04,676
It is a critical
component of our nation's

452
00:24:04,676 --> 00:24:06,812
counterterrorism strategy.

453
00:24:06,812 --> 00:24:10,415
And there was a report that
was released a couple

454
00:24:10,415 --> 00:24:12,584
of years ago by the White
House that was called,

455
00:24:12,584 --> 00:24:15,053
"Empowering Local Partners to
Prevent Violent Extremism

456
00:24:15,053 --> 00:24:18,824
in the United States," and
that was a strategy where the

457
00:24:18,824 --> 00:24:22,627
administration at the federal
level would work closely

458
00:24:22,627 --> 00:24:25,897
with partners at the local
level to ensure that we're

459
00:24:25,897 --> 00:24:28,265
doing everything necessary
to mobilize resources

460
00:24:28,266 --> 00:24:30,802
and counter violent extremism.

461
00:24:30,802 --> 00:24:33,304
That, of course,
includes the use

462
00:24:33,305 --> 00:24:34,673
of law enforcement
resources.

463
00:24:34,673 --> 00:24:38,577
But this goes beyond just
enhanced community policing.

464
00:24:38,577 --> 00:24:42,347
This includes efforts
through schools,

465
00:24:42,347 --> 00:24:47,285
through mental health
professionals to make sure that

466
00:24:47,285 --> 00:24:50,789
every instrument of government
can be used to work

467
00:24:50,789 --> 00:24:53,658
with local communities
to combat this threat.

468
00:24:53,658 --> 00:24:57,562
The administration at the
federal level and at regional

469
00:24:57,562 --> 00:25:01,666
offices across the country has
also sought to engage community

470
00:25:01,666 --> 00:25:03,235
leaders in this effort.

471
00:25:03,235 --> 00:25:06,170
There are a couple of pilot
projects that are underway right

472
00:25:06,171 --> 00:25:12,177
now in Los Angeles, Minneapolis,
and in -- I believe that it's --

473
00:25:15,747 --> 00:25:19,251
actually, it's Los Angeles,
Minneapolis and Boston,

474
00:25:19,251 --> 00:25:21,253
where there are federal
officials who are engaged

475
00:25:21,253 --> 00:25:23,254
in a pilot program
to work closely with

476
00:25:23,255 --> 00:25:25,724
local law enforcement but also with community leaders

477
00:25:25,724 --> 00:25:33,497
to make sure that the messages recruiting vulnerable youth

478
00:25:33,498 --> 00:25:38,303
to engage in violent extremism
are properly countered

479
00:25:38,303 --> 00:25:41,506
by community leaders
that have influence over

480
00:25:41,506 --> 00:25:42,974
young people in
these communities.

481
00:25:42,974 --> 00:25:47,212
So this is an effort that has
been ongoing for a number

482
00:25:47,212 --> 00:25:51,349
of years at the direction
of the President.

483
00:25:51,349 --> 00:25:55,086
The President himself has
identified the risk of a lone

484
00:25:55,086 --> 00:26:00,458
wolf terrorist as something
that is significant,

485
00:26:00,458 --> 00:26:02,460
and this is something
that the President talked

486
00:26:02,460 --> 00:26:04,529
about before this
incident in Canada.

487
00:26:04,529 --> 00:26:07,232
It's something that he
talked about before we saw

488
00:26:07,232 --> 00:26:10,135
the emergence of ISIL as
a significant threat

489
00:26:10,135 --> 00:26:11,670
to the United States.

490
00:26:11,670 --> 00:26:15,540
The President even talked about
this risk prior to the Boston

491
00:26:15,540 --> 00:26:19,344
bombing that occurred at the
finish line of the marathon

492
00:26:19,344 --> 00:26:20,712
a couple of years ago.

493
00:26:20,712 --> 00:26:23,315
So this is something that has
long attracted the attention

494
00:26:23,315 --> 00:26:25,550
of the United States and
the Obama administration.

495
00:26:25,550 --> 00:26:31,022
And the administration has
laid out a very multifaceted

496
00:26:31,022 --> 00:26:33,524
strategy for combatting it.

497
00:26:33,525 --> 00:26:35,160
The Press: So you can't
or won't say whether

498
00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:38,063
this individual was known
to U.S. authorities?

499
00:26:38,063 --> 00:26:39,698
Mr. Earnest: I'm not in a
position to talk about any

500
00:26:39,698 --> 00:26:42,434
details related to this
specific individual.

501
00:26:43,168 --> 00:26:45,536
The Press: On the fence-jumping
incident last night,

502
00:26:45,537 --> 00:26:48,039
Congressman Chaffetz said today
that there may be some changes

503
00:26:48,039 --> 00:26:52,010
needed to maximize the pain
of climbing over the fence.

504
00:26:52,010 --> 00:26:55,714
Is that something the President
or the White House would agree

505
00:26:55,714 --> 00:26:58,883
to if it were a recommendation
from one of the reviews

506
00:26:58,883 --> 00:27:01,953
that are currently underway
of the Secret Service?

507
00:27:01,953 --> 00:27:04,089
It seems like a
simple solution.

508
00:27:04,089 --> 00:27:06,024
Mr. Earnest: I guess it
brings to mind a variety

509
00:27:06,024 --> 00:27:07,225
of colorful images --

510
00:27:07,225 --> 00:27:07,891
(laughter)

511
00:27:07,892 --> 00:27:09,561
-- to pursue an
approach along the

512
00:27:09,561 --> 00:27:11,529
lines of what Congressman
Chaffetz recommends.

513
00:27:11,529 --> 00:27:12,330
The Press: Well,
a higher fence.

514
00:27:12,330 --> 00:27:13,398
Mr. Earnest: Well,
fortunately --

515
00:27:13,398 --> 00:27:15,800
The Press: Not necessarily
a painful one, but higher.

516
00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:16,401
Mr. Earnest: I see.

517
00:27:16,401 --> 00:27:20,205
Fortunately, the Deputy
Secretary of Homeland Security

518
00:27:20,205 --> 00:27:22,639
is working closely with
the General Counsel at the

519
00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:25,610
Department of Homeland Security
to conduct a review about

520
00:27:25,610 --> 00:27:28,646
the security posture
around the White House.

521
00:27:28,646 --> 00:27:30,648
They're considering a
wide range of things,

522
00:27:30,648 --> 00:27:32,649
including the
deployment of personnel,

523
00:27:32,650 --> 00:27:37,155
the deployment of technology
and even physical obstacles,

524
00:27:37,155 --> 00:27:40,792
like a fence, that are critical
to protecting the First Family,

525
00:27:40,792 --> 00:27:44,262
the White House, and
those of us who work here.

526
00:27:44,262 --> 00:27:46,965
That is a review that
we anticipate will

527
00:27:46,965 --> 00:27:49,167
be completed in the
next couple of weeks.

528
00:27:49,167 --> 00:27:51,269
That review will then be
considered by an independent

529
00:27:51,269 --> 00:27:53,772
panel of experts that's been
assembled by the Department of

530
00:27:53,772 --> 00:27:57,542
Homeland Security to ultimately
make some recommendations to the

531
00:27:57,542 --> 00:27:59,543
Secretary of Homeland Security
and to the leadership

532
00:27:59,544 --> 00:28:01,946
of the Secret Service about
what steps are necessary

533
00:28:01,946 --> 00:28:06,818
to strike the proper balance
between the top priority,

534
00:28:06,818 --> 00:28:09,320
which is safeguarding the
President and his family

535
00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:12,256
and the White House complex, while also preserving

536
00:28:12,257 --> 00:28:17,862
the White House's status
as the People's House,

537
00:28:17,862 --> 00:28:21,566
as a tourist destination
where thousands of Americans

538
00:28:21,566 --> 00:28:24,102
a day can come through
the White House,

539
00:28:24,102 --> 00:28:27,906
tour the seat of the executive
branch of government,

540
00:28:27,906 --> 00:28:29,573
and walk out the
front door.

541
00:28:29,574 --> 00:28:33,545
That is a very unique -- that
is part of what makes the White

542
00:28:33,545 --> 00:28:36,347
House such a unique building,
but it also makes for a very

543
00:28:36,347 --> 00:28:39,283
unique challenge to the
agencies and professionals

544
00:28:39,284 --> 00:28:43,588
who are responsible
for protecting.

545
00:28:43,588 --> 00:28:44,489
The Press: Last question.

546
00:28:44,489 --> 00:28:47,358
Is the answer still no
on Ron Klain testifying

547
00:28:47,358 --> 00:28:49,594
at Congressman Issa's
Ebola hearing tomorrow?

548
00:28:49,594 --> 00:28:50,495
Mr. Earnest: Yes.

549
00:28:50,495 --> 00:28:52,863
And the reason for that
is, obviously yesterday

550
00:28:52,864 --> 00:28:56,134
was his first day on the
job, so he's very

551
00:28:56,134 --> 00:28:58,503
focused on the task
in front of him.

552
00:28:58,503 --> 00:29:05,743
And we have heard expressions
of concern from Democrats

553
00:29:05,743 --> 00:29:09,714
and Republicans in
Congress about the need for

554
00:29:09,714 --> 00:29:12,015
the federal government and the international community

555
00:29:12,016 --> 00:29:15,053
to deal with the very
serious threat of Ebola,

556
00:29:15,053 --> 00:29:17,055
and we certainly
would welcome expressions

557
00:29:17,055 --> 00:29:19,057
of bipartisan
support for ongoing

558
00:29:19,057 --> 00:29:20,859
efforts to do
exactly that.

559
00:29:20,859 --> 00:29:21,860
Mr. Holland.

560
00:29:21,860 --> 00:29:23,861
The Press: What was the
President's reaction

561
00:29:23,862 --> 00:29:24,863
to this latest
fence-jumper?

562
00:29:24,863 --> 00:29:28,366
Mr. Earnest: I did not have the
opportunity to speak to him.

563
00:29:28,366 --> 00:29:30,835
I'll share with you my own
observations, however,

564
00:29:30,835 --> 00:29:31,936
if you're interested.

565
00:29:31,936 --> 00:29:38,243
What I took note of is the way
in which yesterday's incident

566
00:29:38,243 --> 00:29:42,847
underscores the professionalism
of the men and women

567
00:29:42,847 --> 00:29:44,382
of the Secret Service.

568
00:29:44,382 --> 00:29:48,153
These are individuals who
literally at a moment's notice

569
00:29:48,153 --> 00:29:50,889
are prepared to spring
into action to protect

570
00:29:50,889 --> 00:29:52,956
the White House, to protect
the First Family,

571
00:29:52,957 --> 00:29:55,460
and to protect those of us
who work here every day.

572
00:29:55,460 --> 00:29:57,462
And that is not [sic]
a difficult task.

573
00:29:57,462 --> 00:30:00,598
There is obviously
no margin for error.

574
00:30:00,598 --> 00:30:03,967
It is a task that
they approach with

575
00:30:03,968 --> 00:30:06,204
seriousness and
professionalism.

576
00:30:06,204 --> 00:30:08,639
And again, because I'm
speaking for myself but I know

577
00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:10,842
it's a sentiment that is
shared by the First Family,

578
00:30:10,842 --> 00:30:13,011
we're very appreciative
of their efforts.

579
00:30:13,011 --> 00:30:15,613
The Press: Back on Canada, when
the President said there should

580
00:30:15,613 --> 00:30:19,484
be renewed vigilance, what
exactly was he talking about?

581
00:30:19,484 --> 00:30:21,852
And if you could say,
what assistance are

582
00:30:21,853 --> 00:30:23,855
we providing
the Canadians?

583
00:30:23,855 --> 00:30:25,957
Have they asked
for anything yet?

584
00:30:25,957 --> 00:30:29,761
Mr. Earnest: Steve, the
communications between the

585
00:30:29,761 --> 00:30:32,163
federal government here in the
United States and Canada have

586
00:30:32,163 --> 00:30:35,366
principally been led by
the State Department.

587
00:30:35,366 --> 00:30:37,702
Obviously there is
a significant U.S.

588
00:30:37,702 --> 00:30:41,039
diplomatic presence in Ottawa
that I understand is not that

589
00:30:41,039 --> 00:30:44,209
far from where the violence
occurred yesterday.

590
00:30:44,209 --> 00:30:48,213
So there is a robust structure
in place to lead those

591
00:30:48,213 --> 00:30:51,282
communications and ensure
that offers of assistance

592
00:30:51,282 --> 00:30:53,784
reach their destination.

593
00:30:53,785 --> 00:30:57,755
But based on the fact that
the Canadian officials have

594
00:30:57,755 --> 00:31:00,725
determined that this is
a terrorist incident,

595
00:31:00,725 --> 00:31:04,361
you can expect -- you
should expect that U.S.

596
00:31:04,362 --> 00:31:07,732
officials who are responsible
for our counterterrorism efforts

597
00:31:07,732 --> 00:31:10,033
have also been in touch with
their counterparts in Canada

598
00:31:10,034 --> 00:31:13,371
to offer assistance and to
coordinate both in the

599
00:31:13,371 --> 00:31:17,508
investigation and in
any needed response.

600
00:31:17,508 --> 00:31:18,643
The Press: So
"renewed vigilance,"

601
00:31:18,643 --> 00:31:20,411
what did the President mean?

602
00:31:20,411 --> 00:31:22,146
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
he meant a couple of things.

603
00:31:22,146 --> 00:31:25,316
The first is, as he mentioned
and as I mentioned today,

604
00:31:25,316 --> 00:31:30,288
there continues to be extremely
strong counterterrorism

605
00:31:30,288 --> 00:31:32,490
coordination between the
United States and Canada.

606
00:31:32,490 --> 00:31:34,592
We value that strong
working relationship.

607
00:31:34,592 --> 00:31:36,861
That strong working relationship
enhances the security

608
00:31:36,861 --> 00:31:39,964
of the American people
and the Canadian people.

609
00:31:39,964 --> 00:31:47,504
And there is a high priority
that's placed on ensuring

610
00:31:47,505 --> 00:31:50,074
that that relationship
continues to be strong,

611
00:31:50,074 --> 00:31:53,044
and we're going to
continue to reinforce our

612
00:31:53,044 --> 00:31:55,246
efforts to ensure
that that's the case.

613
00:31:55,246 --> 00:31:57,849
The second thing -- and I think
this may be more directly about

614
00:31:57,849 --> 00:32:00,752
what the President was referring
to -- are our ongoing efforts to

615
00:32:00,752 --> 00:32:05,023
counter violent extremism; that
the risk that is posed by a lone

616
00:32:05,023 --> 00:32:09,427
wolf terrorist is something that
has been of significant

617
00:32:09,427 --> 00:32:11,696
concern to the President
for many years now,

618
00:32:11,696 --> 00:32:15,600
and there's a strategy that we
have put in place that goes

619
00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:18,436
beyond just enhanced
community policing,

620
00:32:18,436 --> 00:32:20,638
but that efforts can be made
at the grassroots level in

621
00:32:20,638 --> 00:32:23,507
communities across the country
to counter the violent messages

622
00:32:23,508 --> 00:32:27,145
that are being sent by ISIL
and other ideological

623
00:32:27,145 --> 00:32:32,650
extremists to try to
recruit vulnerable youth.

624
00:32:32,650 --> 00:32:36,954
And there is a very important
role for the mainstream Muslim

625
00:32:36,954 --> 00:32:40,692
community in this country and
around the world to play in this

626
00:32:40,692 --> 00:32:44,162
effort as well, that there are
respected religious figures

627
00:32:44,162 --> 00:32:49,534
who can effectively counter the
extremist messages that are

628
00:32:49,534 --> 00:32:52,904
being widely distributed in
an effort to appeal

629
00:32:52,904 --> 00:32:54,906
to the youth in some
communities both in this

630
00:32:54,906 --> 00:32:56,874
country but in countries
around the world.

631
00:32:56,874 --> 00:33:02,413
And the Obama administration has
made it a priority to engage

632
00:33:02,413 --> 00:33:06,017
these local leaders and
mobilize them in this effort.

633
00:33:06,017 --> 00:33:09,153
We're pleased with the kind of
strong partnership that's been

634
00:33:09,153 --> 00:33:11,356
established in a number of
communities across the country.

635
00:33:11,356 --> 00:33:15,960
But it's important for us to
continue to be vigilant both

636
00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:19,664
about the threat, but also
about our ongoing efforts

637
00:33:19,664 --> 00:33:21,299
to counter it.

638
00:33:21,299 --> 00:33:22,700
Jim.

639
00:33:22,700 --> 00:33:25,336
The Press: Speaking of the
social media aspect of this,

640
00:33:25,336 --> 00:33:27,638
is there anything more that
the administration can do?

641
00:33:27,638 --> 00:33:31,175
Obviously you want to respect
First Amendment rights,

642
00:33:31,175 --> 00:33:34,812
but is there anything more you
can do to crack down on these

643
00:33:34,812 --> 00:33:39,917
social media efforts that
ISIS is using to recruit

644
00:33:39,917 --> 00:33:41,953
people in the West?

645
00:33:41,953 --> 00:33:46,991
Mr. Earnest: Well, the question
that you raise does raise some

646
00:33:46,991 --> 00:33:48,126
constitutional questions.

647
00:33:48,126 --> 00:33:50,428
And so I'd refer you to the
Department of Justice that may

648
00:33:50,428 --> 00:33:55,833
have some more insight into what
that -- how best to counter

649
00:33:55,833 --> 00:33:59,437
those messages while also
protecting the First Amendment

650
00:33:59,437 --> 00:34:01,004
rights of Americans.

651
00:34:01,005 --> 00:34:02,507
But as a general matter,
there are a couple of things

652
00:34:02,507 --> 00:34:03,708
I can say about that.

653
00:34:03,708 --> 00:34:09,547
It's not -- it doesn't have to
be solely about essentially

654
00:34:09,547 --> 00:34:15,119
shutting off the message that's
coming from another country.

655
00:34:15,119 --> 00:34:25,530
What also is effective is
lifting up the message of,

656
00:34:25,530 --> 00:34:28,599
in this case, mainstream Muslims
that have an interpretation

657
00:34:28,599 --> 00:34:35,239
of Islam that is much more in
line with the vast majority

658
00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:37,574
of those who practice
that religion.

659
00:34:37,574 --> 00:34:43,947
And that is part of why -- an
important part of why we have

660
00:34:43,947 --> 00:34:48,485
worked so hard to engage
community leaders in cities

661
00:34:48,485 --> 00:34:51,121
across the country, particularly
in the Muslim community,

662
00:34:51,121 --> 00:34:55,259
and that there are Muslim
religious leaders that share

663
00:34:55,259 --> 00:35:01,766
the administration's concern
about youths in their community

664
00:35:01,766 --> 00:35:05,403
being targeted and recruited
by violent extremism.

665
00:35:05,403 --> 00:35:08,506
And there is a natural overlap
where we can work closely with

666
00:35:08,506 --> 00:35:12,944
them to make sure that they have
the resources and opportunity

667
00:35:12,944 --> 00:35:15,012
to make sure that their
voice is heard in this

668
00:35:15,012 --> 00:35:16,447
situation as well.

669
00:35:16,447 --> 00:35:19,951
Because I think that many of
these youths will find those

670
00:35:19,951 --> 00:35:23,354
voices and those messages
similarly persuasive.

671
00:35:23,354 --> 00:35:26,189
The Press: Are leaders in
the Muslim-American

672
00:35:26,190 --> 00:35:27,725
community doing enough?

673
00:35:27,725 --> 00:35:30,060
Does the President want
to see them do more

674
00:35:30,061 --> 00:35:32,063
to make sure that
message gets across?

675
00:35:32,063 --> 00:35:33,464
Mr. Earnest: I think there's
an opportunity for everybody

676
00:35:33,464 --> 00:35:37,034
to do more to ensure that we
are succeeding in this effort.

677
00:35:37,034 --> 00:35:40,104
And that said, we have been
very gratified by the kind of

678
00:35:40,104 --> 00:35:43,707
response that we have seen from
mainstream Muslim religious

679
00:35:43,708 --> 00:35:46,711
leaders across the country.

680
00:35:46,711 --> 00:35:52,984
Again, these are leaders of
communities who understand that

681
00:35:52,984 --> 00:35:55,386
there are youths in their
communities who are being

682
00:35:55,386 --> 00:35:58,256
targeted by extremists
around the world,

683
00:35:58,256 --> 00:36:00,958
and they are concerned about the
wellbeing of the people

684
00:36:00,958 --> 00:36:04,695
in their community, particularly
children and young adults.

685
00:36:04,695 --> 00:36:07,565
The Press: It sounds like this
gunman in Canada tried to leave

686
00:36:07,565 --> 00:36:11,269
the country or maybe wanted
to leave the country,

687
00:36:11,269 --> 00:36:13,270
but his passport was
pulled at one point.

688
00:36:13,271 --> 00:36:18,109
It sounds as if this concern
about foreign fighters may

689
00:36:18,109 --> 00:36:20,745
not come into play in every
case, in every scenario,

690
00:36:20,745 --> 00:36:24,382
because you don't
necessarily have to travel

691
00:36:24,382 --> 00:36:25,550
in all of these cases.

692
00:36:25,550 --> 00:36:26,984
Some of these folks
can be radicalized

693
00:36:26,984 --> 00:36:28,319
in their own communities.

694
00:36:28,319 --> 00:36:30,788
Mr. Earnest: Well, the details
about this individual are still

695
00:36:30,788 --> 00:36:34,692
under investigation, so I'm not
in a position to confirm some

696
00:36:34,692 --> 00:36:37,695
of reports that I also have seen
about his attempts to travel --

697
00:36:37,695 --> 00:36:38,663
The Press: Passport --

698
00:36:38,663 --> 00:36:40,731
Mr. Earnest: -- or his
passport, or whatever.

699
00:36:40,731 --> 00:36:44,468
But you're right that based
on what has been reported,

700
00:36:44,468 --> 00:36:48,372
this individual would be
in a different category

701
00:36:48,372 --> 00:36:50,040
than a foreign
fighter, right?

702
00:36:50,041 --> 00:36:52,343
The foreign fighter threat
that we have identified are

703
00:36:52,343 --> 00:36:54,345
individuals who have already
traveled to the region

704
00:36:54,345 --> 00:36:57,314
and could return home to
carry out acts of violence.

705
00:36:57,315 --> 00:37:01,085
But there has been, long before
even ISIL emerged on the

706
00:37:01,085 --> 00:37:05,222
international scene, a concern
about the risk that's posed

707
00:37:05,222 --> 00:37:10,361
by individuals who live in
communities in the West,

708
00:37:10,361 --> 00:37:13,531
become radicalized or even
self-radicalized through

709
00:37:13,531 --> 00:37:16,100
social media, and carry
out acts of violence.

710
00:37:16,100 --> 00:37:19,937
And again, this is a scourge
that has struck this

711
00:37:19,937 --> 00:37:20,938
country as well.

712
00:37:20,938 --> 00:37:23,107
The Boston bombing I think
is a recent high-profile

713
00:37:23,107 --> 00:37:24,408
example of that.

714
00:37:24,408 --> 00:37:28,779
And this is a threat that is
very difficult to counter,

715
00:37:28,779 --> 00:37:31,916
because we're talking about
individuals that are inherently

716
00:37:31,916 --> 00:37:37,855
cut off from some of the
other connections to society

717
00:37:37,855 --> 00:37:41,325
that the rest of us I
think take for granted.

718
00:37:41,325 --> 00:37:44,261
That's why we're working so hard
to work closely with the leaders

719
00:37:44,261 --> 00:37:47,298
in these communities to try and
spot these problems on the front

720
00:37:47,298 --> 00:37:49,399
end -- because, again, it's in
the interest of the government

721
00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:51,402
as well as the leaders
of these communities

722
00:37:51,402 --> 00:37:53,971
to try to protect
at-risk youth.

723
00:37:53,971 --> 00:37:55,406
The Press: And there's been
some talk about having

724
00:37:55,406 --> 00:37:59,143
a CVE summit here
at the White House.

725
00:37:59,143 --> 00:38:01,512
Has any progress been
made towards scheduling

726
00:38:01,512 --> 00:38:03,014
that or having that?

727
00:38:03,014 --> 00:38:05,216
Mr. Earnest: This is something
that has been a subject

728
00:38:05,216 --> 00:38:07,551
of extensive discussion
here at the White House.

729
00:38:07,551 --> 00:38:11,389
I don't have any announcements
to make in terms of the status

730
00:38:11,389 --> 00:38:13,524
of our ongoing planning on
that, but I hope to have

731
00:38:13,524 --> 00:38:14,525
an update on that soon.

732
00:38:14,525 --> 00:38:16,527
The Press: And I'm sorry,
I'm taking too much time,

733
00:38:16,527 --> 00:38:20,264
but getting back to the
fence-jumper -- do you agree,

734
00:38:20,264 --> 00:38:22,266
though, that what
happened last night,

735
00:38:22,266 --> 00:38:24,268
not only the good work
of the men and women

736
00:38:24,268 --> 00:38:25,770
of the Secret Service
but of the dogs,

737
00:38:25,770 --> 00:38:27,271
the canine units of
the Secret Service --

738
00:38:27,271 --> 00:38:28,572
Mr. Earnest: I do.

739
00:38:28,572 --> 00:38:31,409
The Press: -- that this was an
example of lessons that

740
00:38:31,409 --> 00:38:34,445
were learned from the previous
incident in September,

741
00:38:34,445 --> 00:38:36,947
and you saw an improvement
in the performance

742
00:38:36,947 --> 00:38:39,350
of the Secret
Service last night?

743
00:38:39,350 --> 00:38:41,085
Is that a fair
assessment?

744
00:38:41,085 --> 00:38:43,087
You may not want to say
"improvement" because

745
00:38:43,087 --> 00:38:45,690
they may not want to
hear it that way.

746
00:38:45,690 --> 00:38:47,692
Mr. Earnest: Well, I
think what I would say is,

747
00:38:47,692 --> 00:38:52,563
for -- it's difficult for me
to talk about this without

748
00:38:52,563 --> 00:38:54,799
talking about the security
posture that's in place.

749
00:38:54,799 --> 00:38:58,469
And there still is an
investigation about what exactly

750
00:38:58,469 --> 00:39:02,606
transpired last night, but I
do think it would be fair for

751
00:39:02,606 --> 00:39:08,112
anyone to conclude that the
results of last night's

752
00:39:08,112 --> 00:39:13,084
efforts were better than
the results that related

753
00:39:13,084 --> 00:39:15,720
to the incident that
occurred last month here.

754
00:39:15,720 --> 00:39:17,120
Let's move around.

755
00:39:17,121 --> 00:39:18,122
Go ahead, Bill.

756
00:39:18,122 --> 00:39:20,223
The Press: How can you
say that when you put

757
00:39:20,224 --> 00:39:22,893
up an extra perimeter of
security after what happened

758
00:39:22,893 --> 00:39:25,830
last month and the
guy still gets over?

759
00:39:25,830 --> 00:39:28,532
He was unarmed, but he could
have certainly been armed,

760
00:39:28,532 --> 00:39:31,702
he could have been much
more dangerous than he was.

761
00:39:31,702 --> 00:39:34,105
So why are we all
happy about that?

762
00:39:34,105 --> 00:39:36,107
It's good that they
got him, I guess,

763
00:39:36,107 --> 00:39:39,143
but isn't anybody concerned that
he got over in the first place?

764
00:39:39,143 --> 00:39:41,145
Mr. Earnest: Bill, I
share your assessment

765
00:39:41,145 --> 00:39:42,012
that it's good
that we got him.

766
00:39:42,012 --> 00:39:43,681
(laughter)

767
00:39:44,882 --> 00:39:45,883
The Press: That's a
courageous stand.

768
00:39:45,883 --> 00:39:46,984
(laughter)

769
00:39:46,984 --> 00:39:47,618
Mr. Earnest: It is.

770
00:39:47,618 --> 00:39:48,252
It is.

771
00:39:48,252 --> 00:39:50,454
It's a cold-hearted, clear-eyed
assessment of the situation,

772
00:39:50,454 --> 00:39:55,593
and it's one I'm prepared
to deliver from here.

773
00:39:55,593 --> 00:39:59,062
But look, there is an ongoing
review of the security posture

774
00:39:59,063 --> 00:40:02,399
at the White House, and if there
are additional steps that can

775
00:40:02,399 --> 00:40:06,036
be taken to improve the security
posture at the White House,

776
00:40:06,036 --> 00:40:14,879
to more effectively repel
individuals who might be seeking

777
00:40:14,879 --> 00:40:17,413
to jump the fence, then
that's certainly something

778
00:40:17,414 --> 00:40:19,850
that will be considered as
a part of that review.

779
00:40:19,850 --> 00:40:21,986
The Press: Another
row of bicycle racks?

780
00:40:21,986 --> 00:40:26,857
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, I'm
not going to make any -- unlike

781
00:40:26,857 --> 00:40:29,593
Congressman Chaffetz, I don't
have any -- I'll leave the

782
00:40:29,593 --> 00:40:32,328
security posture to the experts
who will make their own

783
00:40:32,329 --> 00:40:35,566
determination about what would
be an appropriate measure to

784
00:40:35,566 --> 00:40:38,702
safeguard the White House while
at the same time balancing that

785
00:40:38,702 --> 00:40:41,338
with the need to ensure
that people understand that

786
00:40:41,338 --> 00:40:44,642
the White House is something
that is accessible

787
00:40:44,642 --> 00:40:46,042
to the public.

788
00:40:46,043 --> 00:40:49,547
It's a place that thousands of
tourists visit on a daily basis,

789
00:40:49,547 --> 00:40:53,584
that there is a free-speech zone
that can be a pretty colorful

790
00:40:53,584 --> 00:40:56,520
place right out in front of
the White House, most days.

791
00:40:56,520 --> 00:40:57,655
The Press: It's still
accessible, clearly.

792
00:40:57,655 --> 00:41:00,291
Mr. Earnest: Well, and
it's still a place that

793
00:41:00,291 --> 00:41:03,093
hundreds of us show up
to work at every day.

794
00:41:03,093 --> 00:41:06,029
And there are a number
of precautions that

795
00:41:06,030 --> 00:41:08,666
the Secret Service takes
both to ensure our safety

796
00:41:08,666 --> 00:41:11,202
but also to ensure that
we can get in and out

797
00:41:11,202 --> 00:41:14,205
of the complex in a
relatively efficient manner.

798
00:41:14,205 --> 00:41:16,373
So there are a lot of
competing priorities here.

799
00:41:16,373 --> 00:41:18,375
The number-one
priority, however,

800
00:41:18,375 --> 00:41:20,711
is ensuring the safety and
wellbeing of the First Family

801
00:41:20,711 --> 00:41:23,446
and the broader complex,
and I think those --

802
00:41:23,447 --> 00:41:26,784
that will continue
to be the priority

803
00:41:26,784 --> 00:41:28,185
of the Secret Service
moving forward.

804
00:41:28,185 --> 00:41:31,555
The Press: But isn't anybody
surprised that last night's

805
00:41:31,555 --> 00:41:33,957
jumper was able to make
it over the fence

806
00:41:33,958 --> 00:41:36,827
despite the extra
precautions taken?

807
00:41:36,827 --> 00:41:40,731
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, in
terms of the security posture

808
00:41:40,731 --> 00:41:43,000
that's in place and the risk
that this individual may have

809
00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:46,237
posed to the complex, I'd refer
you to the Secret Service.

810
00:41:46,237 --> 00:41:46,804
Ed.

811
00:41:46,804 --> 00:41:48,372
The Press: Josh, on security, I
just want to talk about Canada.

812
00:41:48,372 --> 00:41:49,874
Obviously there's a lot
of debate in Congress,

813
00:41:49,874 --> 00:41:52,276
there's a lot of conversation
within the administration

814
00:41:52,276 --> 00:41:55,346
about the southern
border, and rightly so.

815
00:41:55,346 --> 00:41:58,749
But what does the administration
think about -- and are there any

816
00:41:58,749 --> 00:42:01,819
steps you're taking to make sure
the northern border is secure,

817
00:42:01,819 --> 00:42:04,087
especially in light of
what happened yesterday?

818
00:42:04,088 --> 00:42:06,457
Mr. Earnest: Well, Ed, we
do have a very important

819
00:42:06,457 --> 00:42:08,993
counterterrorism partnership
with the Canadians,

820
00:42:08,993 --> 00:42:11,528
and we work very closely with
them to ensure the safety

821
00:42:11,528 --> 00:42:13,230
and security of our
two populations.

822
00:42:13,230 --> 00:42:16,467
And that includes making
sure that the border between

823
00:42:16,467 --> 00:42:19,970
our two countries is properly
monitored, and in a way

824
00:42:19,970 --> 00:42:21,971
that protects the citizens
on both sides of it.

825
00:42:21,972 --> 00:42:24,541
The Press: On immigration, last
year the administration freed

826
00:42:24,541 --> 00:42:27,144
about 2,200 people from
immigration jails.

827
00:42:27,144 --> 00:42:30,513
And at the time, we were told by
Jay Carney and other officials

828
00:42:30,514 --> 00:42:33,651
that the reason we were going to
save a lot of money and that

829
00:42:33,651 --> 00:42:37,788
the people who were freed did
not have major criminal records.

830
00:42:37,788 --> 00:42:40,324
And USA Today has now gotten
some of those records and

831
00:42:40,324 --> 00:42:43,460
published a story saying that
most of the people that were

832
00:42:43,460 --> 00:42:45,362
released did not have criminal
records -- that's true -- but

833
00:42:45,362 --> 00:42:49,600
some of them had very, very
serious criminal records --

834
00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:51,735
charges of kidnapping,
sexual assault,

835
00:42:51,735 --> 00:42:53,003
drug trafficking,
homicide.

836
00:42:53,003 --> 00:42:56,340
Does the administration have
any regrets about telling the

837
00:42:56,340 --> 00:42:59,276
Congress, telling the public
that we're not releasing people

838
00:42:59,276 --> 00:43:02,046
with serious criminal records,
and it turns out some of those

839
00:43:02,046 --> 00:43:04,714
people were charged with sexual
assault and very serious crimes?

840
00:43:04,715 --> 00:43:06,583
Mr. Earnest: Ed, I can't
speak to the individual cases

841
00:43:06,583 --> 00:43:09,386
of those who were
mentioned in that report.

842
00:43:09,386 --> 00:43:11,555
But what I can tell you is that
the administration continues

843
00:43:11,555 --> 00:43:14,792
to place a priority
in ensuring that

844
00:43:14,792 --> 00:43:17,328
the American public is
protected and is safe.

845
00:43:17,328 --> 00:43:20,364
And that has been a top priority
of the immigration reform policy

846
00:43:20,364 --> 00:43:22,132
that this administration
has pursued,

847
00:43:22,132 --> 00:43:22,833
that strengthening --

848
00:43:22,833 --> 00:43:23,968
The Press: But how can
the public trust you

849
00:43:23,968 --> 00:43:27,171
saying that when several
months ago Jay Carney said,

850
00:43:27,171 --> 00:43:29,339
don't worry about it,
we're not releasing

851
00:43:29,340 --> 00:43:30,407
anybody who's dangerous?

852
00:43:30,407 --> 00:43:31,141
Mr. Earnest: Time
and time again,

853
00:43:31,141 --> 00:43:33,377
we've talked about why we
believe it's important

854
00:43:33,377 --> 00:43:36,113
for us to increase security
resources at the border

855
00:43:36,113 --> 00:43:37,481
to protect the border.

856
00:43:37,481 --> 00:43:39,783
We've talked a lot about how we
believe that the deportation

857
00:43:39,783 --> 00:43:41,819
policy in this country
should be focused on those

858
00:43:41,819 --> 00:43:44,721
individuals that pose a risk
to the community.

859
00:43:44,722 --> 00:43:46,924
And that will continue to be
the focal point of our efforts.

860
00:43:46,924 --> 00:43:48,926
Again, I'm not in a
position to discuss

861
00:43:48,926 --> 00:43:50,661
individual cases, however.

862
00:43:50,661 --> 00:43:52,229
The Press: A couple short
ones on midterms, to wrap up.

863
00:43:52,229 --> 00:43:54,798
In Atlanta, the President --
among the African American radio

864
00:43:54,798 --> 00:43:57,401
stations that you have mentioned
the President would be talking

865
00:43:57,401 --> 00:44:00,069
to ahead of the midterms, he did
an interview with an Atlanta

866
00:44:00,070 --> 00:44:03,507
station where he said if
Michelle Nunn wins that race,

867
00:44:03,507 --> 00:44:05,743
the Democrats are going
to keep the Senate.

868
00:44:05,743 --> 00:44:07,945
And I'm wondering, usually
the President doesn't

869
00:44:07,945 --> 00:44:09,646
make it that specific.

870
00:44:09,646 --> 00:44:13,250
I mean, he's pushing for votes
in important -- but I guess I'm

871
00:44:13,250 --> 00:44:16,253
trying to get at, is that just
a device to turn people

872
00:44:16,253 --> 00:44:18,789
out in that particular
race, or does the President

873
00:44:18,789 --> 00:44:20,891
really believe that that
is the pivotal race?

874
00:44:20,891 --> 00:44:23,460
That if the Democrats
win that seat,

875
00:44:23,460 --> 00:44:25,062
they keep control
of the Senate?

876
00:44:25,062 --> 00:44:27,931
Mr. Earnest: I think the
President is mindful of the

877
00:44:27,931 --> 00:44:32,836
electoral map and understands
what will be required to elect

878
00:44:32,836 --> 00:44:36,740
enough Democratic senators,
reelect enough Democratic

879
00:44:36,740 --> 00:44:38,741
senators or to elect enough
Democratic candidates --

880
00:44:38,742 --> 00:44:40,010
The Press: There are a whole
series of these races

881
00:44:40,010 --> 00:44:40,577
that are very pivotal --

882
00:44:40,577 --> 00:44:41,011
Mr. Earnest:
That's correct.

883
00:44:41,011 --> 00:44:44,081
The Press: And he's saying, if
we win this one we keep it.

884
00:44:44,081 --> 00:44:45,082
So I'm just trying
to understand,

885
00:44:45,082 --> 00:44:48,752
is that just kind of an
election-year, hey, let's win?

886
00:44:48,752 --> 00:44:50,754
Or does the White House really
believe that's the one?

887
00:44:50,754 --> 00:44:52,756
Mr. Earnest: I think the message
that the President was trying

888
00:44:52,756 --> 00:44:59,328
to deliver, Ed, is that
the challenge facing

889
00:44:59,329 --> 00:45:01,331
Democratic candidates in
a state like Georgia,

890
00:45:01,331 --> 00:45:05,536
where Democrats on the statewide
ticket at least in Georgia have

891
00:45:05,536 --> 00:45:09,740
faced a pretty difficult
electoral environment over the

892
00:45:09,740 --> 00:45:15,212
last generation or so, that what
he -- the observation that

893
00:45:15,212 --> 00:45:18,115
he's making is that even in a
difficult environment like

894
00:45:18,115 --> 00:45:21,718
Georgia that a Democratic
candidate can prevail,

895
00:45:21,718 --> 00:45:25,254
that that might be an indication
that Democratic candidates

896
00:45:25,255 --> 00:45:28,358
in other races are
faring well, too,

897
00:45:28,358 --> 00:45:31,628
in environments where there
is a stronger track record,

898
00:45:31,628 --> 00:45:33,897
at least recently, of
electing more Democrats

899
00:45:33,897 --> 00:45:34,898
to statewide offices.

900
00:45:34,898 --> 00:45:35,899
The Press: Last one.

901
00:45:35,899 --> 00:45:37,167
A state right near there where
there is another important

902
00:45:37,167 --> 00:45:38,067
race is North Carolina.

903
00:45:38,068 --> 00:45:39,503
The Democratic
senator, Kay Hagan,

904
00:45:39,503 --> 00:45:41,905
was asked in an interview about
the President's leadership,

905
00:45:41,905 --> 00:45:43,674
and she said that he's
been late to the game

906
00:45:43,674 --> 00:45:44,641
on a whole range
of issues.

907
00:45:44,641 --> 00:45:47,578
She mentioned Ebola and the CDC,
and was pressed -- you know,

908
00:45:47,578 --> 00:45:51,215
are you saying he hasn't shown
leadership on some of these

909
00:45:51,215 --> 00:45:53,684
issues -- a strong
leadership -- and she said,

910
00:45:53,684 --> 00:45:57,121
certainly there are issues
that I think certainly not,

911
00:45:57,121 --> 00:45:58,755
that he has not shown
strong leadership.

912
00:45:58,755 --> 00:46:00,023
I know that there
have been candidates,

913
00:46:00,023 --> 00:46:02,426
it's old news that they've
been distancing themselves,

914
00:46:02,426 --> 00:46:05,761
but for a Democratic senator to
say a Democratic President has

915
00:46:05,762 --> 00:46:08,265
not shown strong leadership
-- how do you react to that?

916
00:46:08,265 --> 00:46:10,901
Mr. Earnest: Well, I react to
that I think by saying that

917
00:46:10,901 --> 00:46:13,837
Senator Hagan is somebody
that has a track record and

918
00:46:13,837 --> 00:46:17,541
credentials for getting results
for the people of North

919
00:46:17,541 --> 00:46:19,877
Carolina, even if it means
criticizing members of her own

920
00:46:19,877 --> 00:46:23,380
party, even it means criticizing
the leader of her own party.

921
00:46:23,380 --> 00:46:25,516
I think that's a testament to
her character and leadership

922
00:46:25,516 --> 00:46:27,518
and her commitment to
serving the people

923
00:46:27,518 --> 00:46:28,519
of North Carolina.

924
00:46:28,519 --> 00:46:30,654
It doesn't mean I necessarily
agree with her assessment.

925
00:46:30,654 --> 00:46:31,788
The Press: That may be
what it says about Hagan.

926
00:46:31,788 --> 00:46:33,824
What does it say about the
President's leadership?

927
00:46:33,824 --> 00:46:36,627
Mr. Earnest: Well, I
think it says about

928
00:46:36,627 --> 00:46:38,629
the President's leadership
is that he takes

929
00:46:38,629 --> 00:46:40,631
all these responsibilities
very seriously.

930
00:46:40,631 --> 00:46:42,633
And I think if you look at the
situation related to responding

931
00:46:42,633 --> 00:46:44,634
to Ebola, to putting in place
measures that are driven

932
00:46:44,635 --> 00:46:47,070
by his administration to
counter violent extremism,

933
00:46:47,070 --> 00:46:49,139
that there are a whole range of
threats that the President takes

934
00:46:49,139 --> 00:46:52,309
very seriously, has worked
assiduously to protect

935
00:46:52,309 --> 00:46:54,378
the American people.

936
00:46:54,378 --> 00:46:55,379
Steven.

937
00:46:55,379 --> 00:46:56,747
The Press: Josh, is there any
concern here at the White House

938
00:46:56,747 --> 00:46:59,683
that the two attacks in Canada
this week will in any way weaken

939
00:46:59,683 --> 00:47:01,852
the resolve of the Canadians
in the fight against

940
00:47:01,852 --> 00:47:03,453
ISIS or al Qaeda?

941
00:47:03,453 --> 00:47:04,955
Mr. Earnest: I think I would
take Prime Minister Harper

942
00:47:04,955 --> 00:47:06,857
at his word when he says
that the Canadian people

943
00:47:06,857 --> 00:47:08,292
will not be intimidated.

944
00:47:08,292 --> 00:47:12,162
And I think he delivered that
message pretty forcefully.

945
00:47:12,162 --> 00:47:14,997
And we certainly have valued the
contribution that the Canadians

946
00:47:14,998 --> 00:47:17,834
have made to our broader
international coalition,

947
00:47:17,834 --> 00:47:20,303
and that was a message that
was very well received

948
00:47:20,304 --> 00:47:23,106
by the President and by
the American people.

949
00:47:23,106 --> 00:47:25,642
And it is indicative of the
kind of strong relationship

950
00:47:25,642 --> 00:47:28,078
that endures between the
United States and Canada,

951
00:47:28,078 --> 00:47:32,449
and it will certainly be on
full display as our friends

952
00:47:32,449 --> 00:47:34,451
and allies in Canada
are going through this

953
00:47:34,451 --> 00:47:35,352
very difficult time.

954
00:47:35,352 --> 00:47:36,819
The Press: I want to ask
another question about

955
00:47:36,820 --> 00:47:38,956
the midterms and about
Georgia, specifically.

956
00:47:38,956 --> 00:47:39,990
The state Democratic --

957
00:47:39,990 --> 00:47:40,890
Mr. Earnest: A lot of
interest in that race.

958
00:47:40,891 --> 00:47:42,859
The Press: Well -- the state
Democratic Party there this week

959
00:47:42,859 --> 00:47:46,129
apparently sent out mailers with
pictures of preschool-aged

960
00:47:46,129 --> 00:47:48,832
kids with signs that
read: "Don't Shoot."

961
00:47:48,832 --> 00:47:53,036
These mailers I guess
are meant to ramp up,

962
00:47:53,036 --> 00:47:55,038
turnout of African
American voters.

963
00:47:55,038 --> 00:47:57,040
On the backs it says,
"If you want to prevent

964
00:47:57,040 --> 00:47:59,276
another Ferguson in
their future, vote."

965
00:47:59,276 --> 00:48:02,511
Does the White House agree that
if African Americans don't

966
00:48:02,512 --> 00:48:04,615
come out in large numbers
this fall that there will

967
00:48:04,615 --> 00:48:06,216
be more Fergusons?

968
00:48:06,216 --> 00:48:07,851
Mr. Earnest: Steven, I haven't
seen the specific mailer

969
00:48:07,851 --> 00:48:12,055
in question and I'm not
sure what was motivating

970
00:48:12,055 --> 00:48:13,757
the individual who may
have put it together,

971
00:48:13,757 --> 00:48:16,860
so I'm going to
withhold comment on it.

972
00:48:16,860 --> 00:48:17,494
April.

973
00:48:17,494 --> 00:48:19,363
The Press: Josh, I have
three subjects I want

974
00:48:19,363 --> 00:48:20,731
to hit you with fast.

975
00:48:20,731 --> 00:48:21,598
Mr. Earnest: Okay.

976
00:48:21,598 --> 00:48:23,100
The Press: On the
jumper last night,

977
00:48:23,100 --> 00:48:25,202
aesthetically -- you
talked about there

978
00:48:25,202 --> 00:48:26,270
could be some changes.

979
00:48:26,270 --> 00:48:28,939
Aesthetically, should we
expect to see some changes?

980
00:48:28,939 --> 00:48:33,143
I.e., the fence that surrounds
the White House has been

981
00:48:33,143 --> 00:48:35,879
in question ever since we've
been hearing most recently

982
00:48:35,879 --> 00:48:37,080
with these jumpers.

983
00:48:37,080 --> 00:48:39,516
Could we indeed see something
aesthetically change

984
00:48:39,516 --> 00:48:42,319
once this review
is complete?

985
00:48:42,319 --> 00:48:43,253
Mr. Earnest: It's possible.

986
00:48:43,253 --> 00:48:44,988
It's the subject of
this ongoing review

987
00:48:44,988 --> 00:48:46,990
by the Department of
Homeland Security.

988
00:48:46,990 --> 00:48:50,327
I will just say that
these officials,

989
00:48:50,327 --> 00:48:52,663
as they conduct this review,
are mindful of the need

990
00:48:52,663 --> 00:48:54,965
to balance what is
obviously the top priority,

991
00:48:54,965 --> 00:48:56,967
which is the safety and
security of the First Family

992
00:48:56,967 --> 00:49:00,570
and the White House complex,
with the need to preserve

993
00:49:00,570 --> 00:49:02,839
public access to the White
House because it is the seat

994
00:49:02,839 --> 00:49:05,142
of the executive branch of the
United States of America.

995
00:49:05,142 --> 00:49:11,515
So I think the point is, it
certainly would be possible to

996
00:49:11,515 --> 00:49:17,120
build a multi-story, bomb-proof
wall around the 18-acre complex

997
00:49:17,120 --> 00:49:20,257
of the White House, but
that I don't think would

998
00:49:20,257 --> 00:49:22,959
be striking the
appropriate balance that

999
00:49:22,959 --> 00:49:23,993
I described earlier.

1000
00:49:23,994 --> 00:49:26,229
So this is the subject
of an ongoing review,

1001
00:49:26,229 --> 00:49:29,299
and we'll have the professionals
determine both what is necessary

1002
00:49:29,299 --> 00:49:31,535
to protect the First Family,
but also what is necessary

1003
00:49:31,535 --> 00:49:33,537
to balance these other
important priorities.

1004
00:49:33,537 --> 00:49:37,640
The Press: So the balance
could be a fence with a curve,

1005
00:49:37,641 --> 00:49:39,643
or it could be higher,
something like that?

1006
00:49:39,643 --> 00:49:41,645
Mr. Earnest: I wouldn't prejudge
the outcome of the review.

1007
00:49:41,645 --> 00:49:43,647
We'll let the
experts focus on it.

1008
00:49:43,647 --> 00:49:45,915
And after the review is issued
and after the independent

1009
00:49:45,916 --> 00:49:48,685
panel of experts has had an
opportunity to consider it,

1010
00:49:48,685 --> 00:49:50,187
then we can talk about
it a little bit more.

1011
00:49:50,187 --> 00:49:50,587
The Press: All right.

1012
00:49:50,587 --> 00:49:51,221
Other two subjects.

1013
00:49:51,221 --> 00:49:54,358
On Ferguson -- we understand
that the Attorney General

1014
00:49:54,358 --> 00:49:58,195
is "disappointed about the
leaks from the grand jury,"

1015
00:49:58,195 --> 00:49:59,963
and he finds it
irresponsible.

1016
00:49:59,963 --> 00:50:01,164
What are your
thoughts about that,

1017
00:50:01,164 --> 00:50:05,369
as it kind of signals to some
that the police officer,

1018
00:50:05,369 --> 00:50:07,604
Darren Wilson, is
going to get off?

1019
00:50:07,604 --> 00:50:10,107
Mr. Earnest: April, I've seen
the reports and I've seen

1020
00:50:10,107 --> 00:50:12,242
the reports about the
leaked documents.

1021
00:50:12,242 --> 00:50:15,679
But this is the subject of an
ongoing investigation and it's

1022
00:50:15,679 --> 00:50:18,115
not something that I'm going
to comment on from here.

1023
00:50:18,115 --> 00:50:20,283
The Press: Even though
your Attorney General

1024
00:50:20,283 --> 00:50:22,285
is saying that
he's disappointed?

1025
00:50:22,285 --> 00:50:24,453
Mr. Earnest: April, I believe
that the report that you're

1026
00:50:24,454 --> 00:50:27,624
citing is citing an anonymous
official with knowledge of the

1027
00:50:27,624 --> 00:50:29,625
-- The Press: I talked
to someone from Justice,

1028
00:50:29,626 --> 00:50:31,962
so I'm telling you what they
told me -- disappointed.

1029
00:50:31,962 --> 00:50:32,229
Mr. Earnest: Okay.

1030
00:50:32,229 --> 00:50:36,031
So someone anonymously
characterized to you the

1031
00:50:36,032 --> 00:50:37,200
Attorney General's views.

1032
00:50:37,200 --> 00:50:41,303
I'm not questioning the veracity
of that person's comments

1033
00:50:41,304 --> 00:50:45,375
to you, but I am pointing out
that I'm talking in a much

1034
00:50:45,375 --> 00:50:47,544
more public setting and
I'm not going to do that

1035
00:50:47,544 --> 00:50:49,779
because there is an ongoing
investigation right now.

1036
00:50:49,780 --> 00:50:50,881
The Press: And
the last question.

1037
00:50:50,881 --> 00:50:54,683
With the frustrations and
concerns in this nation about

1038
00:50:54,684 --> 00:50:58,688
Ebola, I'm thinking back a
couple months ago when the

1039
00:50:58,688 --> 00:51:02,325
President made this big push
for people to invest in Africa.

1040
00:51:02,325 --> 00:51:06,129
Has this Ebola scare kind
of tapped down some

1041
00:51:06,129 --> 00:51:08,131
of the excitement about
businesses going

1042
00:51:08,131 --> 00:51:11,701
to sub-Saharan Africa
and investing in Africa?

1043
00:51:11,701 --> 00:51:16,840
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think the
first thing I would observe is

1044
00:51:16,840 --> 00:51:20,510
that we were -- that this Africa
summit that the President

1045
00:51:20,510 --> 00:51:25,715
convened here in Washington,
D.C. in August occurred right

1046
00:51:25,715 --> 00:51:29,486
sort of at the beginning of
public attention focusing

1047
00:51:29,486 --> 00:51:33,123
on this Ebola outbreak
in West Africa.

1048
00:51:33,123 --> 00:51:36,760
And I think in the context of
that summit we saw a lot

1049
00:51:36,760 --> 00:51:40,130
of excitement and interest about
the opportunity that exists

1050
00:51:40,130 --> 00:51:42,799
for Africa -- not just for
the African people,

1051
00:51:42,799 --> 00:51:46,002
but also for American businesses
who are interested

1052
00:51:46,002 --> 00:51:48,538
in new markets.

1053
00:51:48,538 --> 00:51:51,975
So there continue to be very
exciting opportunities

1054
00:51:51,975 --> 00:51:52,976
in Africa.

1055
00:51:52,976 --> 00:51:59,483
And I have not detected any
reduction in the interest and,

1056
00:51:59,483 --> 00:52:02,986
in some cases, even passion for
strengthening the ties between

1057
00:52:02,986 --> 00:52:07,723
the United States and Africa,
and capitalizing on those

1058
00:52:07,724 --> 00:52:10,193
connections to benefit both
the African people but

1059
00:52:10,193 --> 00:52:12,796
also the American people
back here at home.

1060
00:52:12,796 --> 00:52:13,797
Jared.

1061
00:52:13,797 --> 00:52:14,998
The Press: Josh, talking
about the midterms,

1062
00:52:14,998 --> 00:52:18,134
what's the President's reaction
to Senator Begich calling

1063
00:52:18,134 --> 00:52:19,135
him not relevant?

1064
00:52:19,135 --> 00:52:23,874
Mr. Earnest: I didn't actually
-- I didn't see those comments.

1065
00:52:23,874 --> 00:52:26,276
He certainly -- again, Senator
Begich is certainly entitled to

1066
00:52:26,276 --> 00:52:29,479
his opinion, but I think the
vast majority of Americans would

1067
00:52:29,479 --> 00:52:32,649
agree that whoever the sitting
President of the United States

1068
00:52:32,649 --> 00:52:37,053
happens to be is relevant
in a lot of important ways.

1069
00:52:37,053 --> 00:52:37,386
The Press: Sure.

1070
00:52:37,387 --> 00:52:40,023
This is the flipside, though,
of the comment that a lot

1071
00:52:40,023 --> 00:52:42,292
of the President's supporters
-- including Bill Clinton --

1072
00:52:42,292 --> 00:52:45,362
have said, that it's not about
what's two years from now;

1073
00:52:45,362 --> 00:52:47,063
this is a six-year proposition.

1074
00:52:47,063 --> 00:52:51,001
So it's a sentiment that
exists in both a positive

1075
00:52:51,001 --> 00:52:52,903
and a negative connotation.

1076
00:52:52,903 --> 00:52:57,006
These are senators running for
a longer term, saying that,

1077
00:52:57,007 --> 00:52:58,308
please elect me for
this longer term.

1078
00:52:58,308 --> 00:53:02,212
Does the President at least
agree that there's a sentiment

1079
00:53:02,212 --> 00:53:04,614
there -- does he agree
with the sentiment, rather,

1080
00:53:04,614 --> 00:53:08,018
that these are people who are
running for a longer term

1081
00:53:08,018 --> 00:53:11,154
and that he's not going to be
here for the entirety of it?

1082
00:53:11,154 --> 00:53:14,691
Mr. Earnest: Well that's a
basic fact of arithmetic,

1083
00:53:14,691 --> 00:53:15,792
so I would concede that.

1084
00:53:15,792 --> 00:53:20,230
But at the same time, these
individuals -- as the President

1085
00:53:20,230 --> 00:53:22,465
himself has said -- these
are individuals that

1086
00:53:22,465 --> 00:53:24,467
have their own names
on the ballot.

1087
00:53:24,467 --> 00:53:28,071
And that is what
voters will evaluate.

1088
00:53:28,071 --> 00:53:30,073
And the President is interested
in doing everything that

1089
00:53:30,073 --> 00:53:33,209
he can to support
those candidates who

1090
00:53:33,209 --> 00:53:36,513
are passionate about prioritizing an agenda that

1091
00:53:36,513 --> 00:53:38,515
benefits middle-class families,
because the President

1092
00:53:38,515 --> 00:53:41,984
believes that policies
that support middle-class

1093
00:53:41,985 --> 00:53:44,321
families are in the
best interest of the country.

1094
00:53:44,321 --> 00:53:46,323
Our economy grows
from the middle out,

1095
00:53:46,323 --> 00:53:48,325
so the more that we can invest
and support middle-class

1096
00:53:48,325 --> 00:53:51,493
families the better off
our economy will be.

1097
00:53:51,494 --> 00:53:54,998
And so the President is
passionate about that,

1098
00:53:54,998 --> 00:53:57,400
and the President will continue
to passionately advocate for

1099
00:53:57,400 --> 00:54:00,470
the election of candidates who
share that point of view.

1100
00:54:00,470 --> 00:54:01,471
Olivier.

1101
00:54:01,471 --> 00:54:03,473
The Press: A couple for
you on different topics.

1102
00:54:03,473 --> 00:54:06,176
You talked about striking the
right balance between security

1103
00:54:06,176 --> 00:54:08,278
and the traditional
role of the White House

1104
00:54:08,278 --> 00:54:10,413
as a tourist destination.

1105
00:54:10,413 --> 00:54:13,883
Is there -- will there be
-- one person whose job

1106
00:54:13,883 --> 00:54:15,884
it is to be, like,
a public advocate?

1107
00:54:15,885 --> 00:54:18,254
The person who says to
the security people,

1108
00:54:18,254 --> 00:54:20,457
that's fine but we need
to do X, we can't do this,

1109
00:54:20,457 --> 00:54:22,459
we can't put up
that 18-foot wall,

1110
00:54:22,459 --> 00:54:25,395
the moat with the
alligators -- no way.

1111
00:54:25,395 --> 00:54:26,329
(laughter)

1112
00:54:26,329 --> 00:54:27,330
Is there one person
whose jobs it is,

1113
00:54:27,330 --> 00:54:30,266
sort of like a devil's advocate
or a public advocate --

1114
00:54:30,266 --> 00:54:32,035
is there one person
whose job that is?

1115
00:54:32,035 --> 00:54:35,504
Mr. Earnest: Let me
clarify one thing.

1116
00:54:35,505 --> 00:54:39,342
It's not just that the White
House is a tourist destination.

1117
00:54:39,342 --> 00:54:42,746
So certainly it is and it's one
that's enjoyed by I believe

1118
00:54:42,746 --> 00:54:45,415
it's thousands of tourists
on a daily basis.

1119
00:54:45,415 --> 00:54:47,484
It's the fact that the White
House stands as an important

1120
00:54:47,484 --> 00:54:49,953
symbol of our democracy, that
it is a place -- that it's

1121
00:54:49,953 --> 00:54:53,089
the People's House, that it's a
place that is so accessible

1122
00:54:53,089 --> 00:54:55,158
that thousands of people can
tour it on a daily basis.

1123
00:54:55,158 --> 00:54:58,428
And so it's not just protecting
a popular tourist destination;

1124
00:54:58,428 --> 00:55:03,500
it's about protecting the
symbolism of that popular

1125
00:55:03,500 --> 00:55:05,835
tourist destination
continuing to be accessible

1126
00:55:05,835 --> 00:55:08,271
to the American public and to
the individuals who are

1127
00:55:08,271 --> 00:55:10,974
responsible for electing
the person who lives there.

1128
00:55:13,543 --> 00:55:16,079
So I did want to
clarify that.

1129
00:55:16,079 --> 00:55:18,748
That said, you'd have to check
with the Secret Service to be

1130
00:55:18,748 --> 00:55:21,217
sure, but I think even they
would tell you that they're

1131
00:55:21,217 --> 00:55:25,355
mindful of this need to
protect the President,

1132
00:55:25,355 --> 00:55:29,726
protect the White House, but
also to protect the symbolism

1133
00:55:29,726 --> 00:55:32,195
of the White House as
the People's House.

1134
00:55:32,195 --> 00:55:36,232
I think even they would convey
to you that that is a priority

1135
00:55:36,232 --> 00:55:37,767
that they share.

1136
00:55:37,767 --> 00:55:40,636
And I'm confident that it will
be taken into account

1137
00:55:40,637 --> 00:55:43,840
as the ongoing security
review is conducted.

1138
00:55:43,840 --> 00:55:47,077
The Press: Okay, so there's
not one person whose

1139
00:55:47,077 --> 00:55:48,445
job it is to make
this argument?

1140
00:55:48,445 --> 00:55:49,746
Mr. Earnest: No, I don't
think that there is sort

1141
00:55:49,746 --> 00:55:52,649
of an ombudsman, if you
will, in this matter.

1142
00:55:52,649 --> 00:55:53,316
The Press: A czar.

1143
00:55:53,316 --> 00:55:56,218
(laughter)

1144
00:55:56,219 --> 00:55:57,687
Mr. Earnest: That seems to
be a popular word choice.

1145
00:55:57,687 --> 00:56:00,022
It would be a little ironic
to have a White House czar,

1146
00:56:00,023 --> 00:56:00,757
though, wouldn't it?

1147
00:56:00,757 --> 00:56:01,791
(laughter)

1148
00:56:01,791 --> 00:56:05,295
So I can definitely
rule out the creation

1149
00:56:05,295 --> 00:56:06,796
of a White House czar.

1150
00:56:06,796 --> 00:56:08,765
The Press: I appreciate that.

1151
00:56:08,765 --> 00:56:09,299
The Press: Moat master.

1152
00:56:09,299 --> 00:56:10,867
(laughter)

1153
00:56:12,569 --> 00:56:13,837
The Press:
That's better, actually.

1154
00:56:13,837 --> 00:56:19,576
And David raised the issue of
countries that are -- where

1155
00:56:19,576 --> 00:56:25,949
people are open to paying ransom
for people abducted by ISIL.

1156
00:56:25,949 --> 00:56:28,885
Has the President ever raised
that issue with another

1157
00:56:28,885 --> 00:56:32,555
world leader directly in
his many phone calls?

1158
00:56:32,555 --> 00:56:35,091
Has he ever said, by the way,
I also need you to maybe

1159
00:56:35,091 --> 00:56:38,228
do something about the
fact that your businesses

1160
00:56:38,228 --> 00:56:41,231
or your government
is paying ransoms?

1161
00:56:41,231 --> 00:56:43,366
Mr. Earnest: That is putting me
on the hook to account for

1162
00:56:43,366 --> 00:56:46,569
a large number of phone calls,
some of which aren't even

1163
00:56:46,569 --> 00:56:49,606
public, most of which
haven't been read out

1164
00:56:49,606 --> 00:56:51,908
in a lot of detail.

1165
00:56:51,908 --> 00:56:53,509
But I will say as a general
matter -- and I do think that

1166
00:56:53,510 --> 00:56:56,312
we've probably said this before
-- that the President has

1167
00:56:56,312 --> 00:57:00,583
on a number of occasions made
the case to other world leaders

1168
00:57:00,583 --> 00:57:02,819
about the benefits of the
position that's taken

1169
00:57:02,819 --> 00:57:04,020
by the United States.

1170
00:57:04,020 --> 00:57:08,091
And that is specifically that
no one should pay ransom

1171
00:57:08,091 --> 00:57:10,393
to extremist organizations
or terrorists who

1172
00:57:10,393 --> 00:57:12,195
are holding hostages.

1173
00:57:12,195 --> 00:57:15,765
And as painful as that
policy decision is,

1174
00:57:15,765 --> 00:57:17,299
it is clearly in
the best interest

1175
00:57:17,300 --> 00:57:21,337
of the global community for
that policy to be in place.

1176
00:57:21,337 --> 00:57:23,206
The Press: Do you have a sense
of when the last time he would

1177
00:57:23,206 --> 00:57:26,976
have done that is, either to
a group or to an individual?

1178
00:57:26,976 --> 00:57:30,246
Mr. Earnest: I'm trying to
think about the last time

1179
00:57:30,246 --> 00:57:32,248
that might have occurred
and I'm just not sure.

1180
00:57:32,248 --> 00:57:33,850
Justin.

1181
00:57:33,850 --> 00:57:35,618
The Press: Your guys' old
friend, David Axelrod,

1182
00:57:35,618 --> 00:57:39,589
was quoted in Bloomberg
Business Week today.

1183
00:57:39,589 --> 00:57:44,327
The story is kind of about the
President's reluctance to maybe

1184
00:57:44,327 --> 00:57:47,330
embrace the optics or the
politics of situations,

1185
00:57:47,330 --> 00:57:49,899
and Axelrod said there's no
doubt that there's a theatrical

1186
00:57:49,899 --> 00:57:54,037
nature to the presidency that
he, the President, resists;

1187
00:57:54,037 --> 00:57:57,106
sometimes he can be a little
negligent in the symbolism.

1188
00:57:57,106 --> 00:57:59,809
And so I'm wondering what
your reaction to that is,

1189
00:57:59,809 --> 00:58:03,346
and if you would concede that
the President's reluctance

1190
00:58:03,346 --> 00:58:06,216
on that front has sort of
hurt him politically

1191
00:58:06,216 --> 00:58:09,586
and Democrats headed into
the midterm elections.

1192
00:58:09,586 --> 00:58:12,221
Mr. Earnest: Well, I would
say that the President did an

1193
00:58:12,222 --> 00:58:18,294
interview with Chuck Todd on the
first airing of "Meet the Press"

1194
00:58:18,294 --> 00:58:20,296
when he was the host
and the President said

1195
00:58:20,296 --> 00:58:23,265
almost exactly this
thing word for word.

1196
00:58:23,266 --> 00:58:27,837
So this is an assessment that
the President has acknowledged

1197
00:58:27,837 --> 00:58:32,876
before in terms of his
occasional inattention

1198
00:58:32,876 --> 00:58:38,915
to some of the optical
aspects of his role.

1199
00:58:38,915 --> 00:58:41,317
At the same time, I do think
it's a bit of a stretch to

1200
00:58:41,317 --> 00:58:44,354
suggest that there is any
direct political consequence

1201
00:58:44,354 --> 00:58:46,856
for this, either in the
upcoming elections or,

1202
00:58:46,856 --> 00:58:48,892
frankly, in any
elections at this point.

1203
00:58:48,892 --> 00:58:54,663
But, again, I know that this is
for the benefit of your reader,

1204
00:58:54,664 --> 00:58:57,267
something that you consider
very carefully and you've

1205
00:58:57,267 --> 00:59:00,270
certainly considered it
more carefully than I have.

1206
00:59:00,270 --> 00:59:09,512
But the general view about the
President's attention to those

1207
00:59:09,512 --> 00:59:11,347
aspects of his job is something
that the President himself

1208
00:59:11,347 --> 00:59:13,249
has discussed before.

1209
00:59:13,249 --> 00:59:16,852
The Press: Is there any
effort to address that?

1210
00:59:16,853 --> 00:59:17,854
I mean, it's something the
President mentioned then,

1211
00:59:17,854 --> 00:59:20,455
but also in his "60 Minutes"
interview about golfing

1212
00:59:20,456 --> 00:59:24,627
after sort of -- after I
think the death

1213
00:59:24,627 --> 00:59:26,195
of James Foley
being announced.

1214
00:59:26,195 --> 00:59:30,733
Are there any steps that you
guys are undertaking to maybe

1215
00:59:30,733 --> 00:59:33,569
play more politics, since it
seems to be something that

1216
00:59:33,569 --> 00:59:35,471
is kind of a constant
criticism and something

1217
00:59:35,471 --> 00:59:37,607
that the President has
acknowledged himself?

1218
00:59:37,607 --> 00:59:39,809
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think the
President is -- I don't think

1219
00:59:39,809 --> 00:59:42,078
I would characterize it as
politics and I don't think I

1220
00:59:42,078 --> 00:59:45,915
would characterize the decision
about the President's activities

1221
00:59:45,915 --> 00:59:50,486
after discussing the tragic
death of Mr. Foley as politics.

1222
00:59:50,486 --> 00:59:53,890
I think it's something
slightly different than that.

1223
00:59:53,890 --> 00:59:55,491
But I do think that
the President, again,

1224
00:59:55,491 --> 00:59:58,027
in the context of that "Meet the
Press" interview did discuss

1225
00:59:58,027 --> 01:00:01,564
his own desire to try to
be more attentive to those

1226
01:00:01,564 --> 01:00:03,399
aspects of the job.

1227
01:00:03,399 --> 01:00:06,134
The Press: Is there a
frustration among I guess you

1228
01:00:06,135 --> 01:00:09,405
guys -- I think maybe we hear it
privately -- but a frustration

1229
01:00:09,405 --> 01:00:13,409
that there's these sort of shiny
ball objects that come up again

1230
01:00:13,409 --> 01:00:17,814
and again that perpetuate
this sort of criticism?

1231
01:00:17,814 --> 01:00:21,417
Another point in this piece is
that lots of these crises seem

1232
01:00:21,417 --> 01:00:25,355
to eventually be resolved --
HealthCare.gov is an example.

1233
01:00:25,355 --> 01:00:28,691
A huge media criticism,
but then a success

1234
01:00:28,691 --> 01:00:30,326
that maybe didn't get
covered as much.

1235
01:00:30,326 --> 01:00:33,696
Is that something that you guys
feel is unfair and has maybe

1236
01:00:33,696 --> 01:00:36,899
contributed to the President's
declining approval ratings?

1237
01:00:39,302 --> 01:00:41,771
Mr. Earnest: I think
the short answer is no.

1238
01:00:41,771 --> 01:00:45,108
But it has not escaped the
attention of those

1239
01:00:45,108 --> 01:00:47,110
of us at the White House,
that what the President

1240
01:00:47,110 --> 01:00:50,146
is focused on can, on
occasion, be different

1241
01:00:50,146 --> 01:00:52,915
than what others
might be focused on.

1242
01:00:52,915 --> 01:00:54,951
The President is the one
that's focused on results

1243
01:00:54,951 --> 01:00:58,988
and the one that's focused
on solving problems.

1244
01:00:58,988 --> 01:01:02,158
And there's an important role
for the news media and for

1245
01:01:02,158 --> 01:01:07,596
advocates and for even other
politicians to play in shining

1246
01:01:07,597 --> 01:01:10,633
a light on problems that
need to be solved.

1247
01:01:10,633 --> 01:01:14,669
And there is -- this is probably
even a core aspect of human

1248
01:01:14,670 --> 01:01:17,874
nature, that there is
less attention focused

1249
01:01:17,874 --> 01:01:26,848
on the solutions, and some
people observe that that

1250
01:01:26,849 --> 01:01:29,886
makes the news a little
depressing sometimes.

1251
01:01:29,886 --> 01:01:34,557
But at the same time, there's
also I think a pretty legitimate

1252
01:01:34,557 --> 01:01:36,825
reason for that, which is
we should be focused on the

1253
01:01:36,826 --> 01:01:40,663
problems because we have a
government and leadership

1254
01:01:40,663 --> 01:01:43,132
in this country that's
focused on solving them.

1255
01:01:43,132 --> 01:01:46,836
So I think the attention to
those is understandable,

1256
01:01:46,836 --> 01:01:49,205
but it is where there can
sometimes be a slight

1257
01:01:49,205 --> 01:01:51,874
misalignment between our
approach to these challenges

1258
01:01:51,874 --> 01:01:54,743
and the approach that's, again,
taken by the news media

1259
01:01:54,744 --> 01:01:57,280
or by pundits or even other
politicians who would rather

1260
01:01:57,280 --> 01:02:01,984
spend more time talking about
the problems when we're actually

1261
01:02:01,984 --> 01:02:04,953
focused on taking those problems
and turning them into solutions.

1262
01:02:04,954 --> 01:02:06,956
And I think the President's
track record when it comes

1263
01:02:06,956 --> 01:02:11,861
to things like the issue of
unaccompanied minors at the

1264
01:02:11,861 --> 01:02:15,163
border is a pretty good example
of that -- that there was,

1265
01:02:15,164 --> 01:02:18,634
understandably, a lot of
attention around this problem --

1266
01:02:18,634 --> 01:02:20,736
but because of the efforts of
this administration to work

1267
01:02:20,736 --> 01:02:23,106
diplomatically with
countries in Central America

1268
01:02:23,106 --> 01:02:27,076
but also to focus our
resources at the border,

1269
01:02:27,076 --> 01:02:30,079
that this is a problem that
has not been entirely solved,

1270
01:02:30,079 --> 01:02:31,547
of course, because
Congress has --

1271
01:02:31,547 --> 01:02:34,417
congressional Republicans
have been resistant

1272
01:02:34,417 --> 01:02:36,853
to passing comprehensive
immigration reform.

1273
01:02:36,853 --> 01:02:41,357
But the situation at the border
is now better than it has been

1274
01:02:41,357 --> 01:02:45,094
in a couple of years when
measured by the number

1275
01:02:45,094 --> 01:02:47,096
of unaccompanied minors who
are attempting to cross

1276
01:02:47,096 --> 01:02:48,064
into the country.

1277
01:02:48,064 --> 01:02:50,066
And then that's just sort of
one example of where

1278
01:02:50,066 --> 01:02:52,901
there's persistent focus
on the problem.

1279
01:02:52,902 --> 01:02:54,070
The President and his
administration at the direction

1280
01:02:54,070 --> 01:02:59,041
of the President comes in and,
through a lot of hard work,

1281
01:02:59,041 --> 01:03:00,943
puts in place a solution.

1282
01:03:00,943 --> 01:03:03,112
But by the time that
solution is put in place,

1283
01:03:03,112 --> 01:03:05,715
everybody has sort of
moved on to something else.

1284
01:03:05,715 --> 01:03:08,651
So that is, again, I think
that's probably --

1285
01:03:08,651 --> 01:03:11,087
there's an aspect of human
nature that's involved here,

1286
01:03:11,087 --> 01:03:14,857
but it does account for the
different perspectives that

1287
01:03:14,857 --> 01:03:17,793
are sometimes on full
display in this room,

1288
01:03:17,793 --> 01:03:19,395
at least.

1289
01:03:19,395 --> 01:03:20,730
Juliet.

1290
01:03:20,730 --> 01:03:21,531
The Press: A couple
questions related

1291
01:03:21,531 --> 01:03:22,598
to last night's incident.

1292
01:03:22,598 --> 01:03:24,467
I know you said that you haven't
discussed it with the President.

1293
01:03:24,467 --> 01:03:26,836
Do you know if he has been
briefed, and by whom?

1294
01:03:26,836 --> 01:03:30,640
And regarding the dogs, who you
omitted mentioning earlier but

1295
01:03:30,640 --> 01:03:34,743
then gave due credit to, are
these animals something that

1296
01:03:34,744 --> 01:03:37,346
you and other White House
staffers interact with?

1297
01:03:37,346 --> 01:03:41,284
Do you know -- are they
integrated into the fabric

1298
01:03:41,284 --> 01:03:44,453
of White House life or are they
largely -- they're doing

1299
01:03:44,453 --> 01:03:47,089
something else and you don't
actually see them often because

1300
01:03:47,089 --> 01:03:49,825
they're really only deployed
in these situations?

1301
01:03:49,825 --> 01:03:50,826
Mr. Earnest: In terms of
the President's briefing,

1302
01:03:50,826 --> 01:03:53,262
I don't know the degree to which
he has been briefed on this,

1303
01:03:53,262 --> 01:03:56,899
but we'll take a look at getting
an answer to that question and

1304
01:03:56,899 --> 01:03:59,301
maybe we'll just append it to
the briefing transcript when

1305
01:03:59,302 --> 01:04:01,637
we get it out tonight to make
sure that everybody gets it.

1306
01:04:01,637 --> 01:04:03,139
So we'll get you
an answer on that.

1307
01:04:03,139 --> 01:04:09,545
** As it relates to the K-9
Unit of the Secret Service,

1308
01:04:09,545 --> 01:04:16,986
the animals that performed so
bravely last night are not

1309
01:04:16,986 --> 01:04:18,988
something that we come into
regular contact with here.

1310
01:04:18,988 --> 01:04:21,890
I think that there is
probably a good reason

1311
01:04:21,891 --> 01:04:25,394
why these animals are
kept at some remove --

1312
01:04:25,394 --> 01:04:26,562
(laughter)

1313
01:04:26,562 --> 01:04:31,200
-- from employees and others
who frequent the grounds

1314
01:04:31,200 --> 01:04:32,033
of the White House.

1315
01:04:32,034 --> 01:04:33,236
The Press: Is that a reflection
on them or you, Josh?

1316
01:04:33,236 --> 01:04:33,836
(laughter)

1317
01:04:33,836 --> 01:04:34,636
Mr. Earnest:
Maybe both.

1318
01:04:34,637 --> 01:04:35,137
Maybe both.

1319
01:04:35,137 --> 01:04:39,208
But I think the individual
last night probably saw

1320
01:04:39,208 --> 01:04:41,477
pretty vividly why we
all keep our distance.

1321
01:04:41,477 --> 01:04:42,578
(laughter)

1322
01:04:42,578 --> 01:04:43,346
The Press: And
then just briefly,

1323
01:04:43,346 --> 01:04:46,349
I know you can't comment in
great detail -- you obviously

1324
01:04:46,349 --> 01:04:48,351
compared the handling
of the incidents.

1325
01:04:48,351 --> 01:04:51,287
Can you say broadly whether
there has been a change

1326
01:04:51,287 --> 01:04:54,089
in procedure in terms of
handling potential jumpers

1327
01:04:54,090 --> 01:04:56,359
as a result of what
happened in September?

1328
01:04:56,359 --> 01:04:57,860
Mr. Earnest: For a detailed
accounting of that,

1329
01:04:57,860 --> 01:05:00,162
I'd refer you to the Secret
Service and they may be able

1330
01:05:00,162 --> 01:05:02,798
to be in a position to give
you a better update on that.

1331
01:05:02,798 --> 01:05:09,272
I do recall from earlier
discussions about the security

1332
01:05:09,272 --> 01:05:12,408
posture at the White House that
in the aftermath of the incident

1333
01:05:12,408 --> 01:05:14,410
from a month or so ago, there
were some changes that

1334
01:05:14,410 --> 01:05:18,714
were immediately put in
place to strengthen

1335
01:05:18,714 --> 01:05:22,718
the security around the
White House complex.

1336
01:05:22,718 --> 01:05:27,323
Jim noted earlier the bike
rack that is in place --

1337
01:05:27,323 --> 01:05:29,325
or maybe it was Bill that
noted that -- in front

1338
01:05:29,325 --> 01:05:33,229
of the North Lawn
of the White House.

1339
01:05:33,229 --> 01:05:35,131
So there are some measures
that have been taken,

1340
01:05:35,131 --> 01:05:37,767
some of which are plainly
visible to those of you

1341
01:05:37,767 --> 01:05:39,368
who frequent the White
House, some of which

1342
01:05:39,368 --> 01:05:42,104
may not be readily
apparent.

1343
01:05:42,104 --> 01:05:43,839
But for a detailed
account of any of those,

1344
01:05:43,839 --> 01:05:44,807
I'd refer you to
the Secret Service,

1345
01:05:44,807 --> 01:05:47,209
who may be able to share more
information with you about that.

1346
01:05:47,209 --> 01:05:47,877
Alexis.

1347
01:05:47,877 --> 01:05:49,245
The Press: Josh, just to
follow up on Juliet

1348
01:05:49,245 --> 01:05:50,546
and then a
separate question.

1349
01:05:50,546 --> 01:05:53,015
As you know,
members of Congress,

1350
01:05:53,015 --> 01:05:56,886
when this first happened a
month ago, whatever it was,

1351
01:05:56,886 --> 01:05:59,355
their concern was not a single
jumper but what would happen

1352
01:05:59,355 --> 01:06:02,625
if there were multiple jumpers
who were in coordination.

1353
01:06:02,625 --> 01:06:08,230
So in a serious way, can you
respond whether there are

1354
01:06:08,230 --> 01:06:12,668
now procedures in place where
if that were to occur,

1355
01:06:12,668 --> 01:06:15,638
that what we saw last night
would happen multiple

1356
01:06:15,638 --> 01:06:17,640
times along the fence?

1357
01:06:17,640 --> 01:06:19,508
Mr. Earnest: That's a pretty
detailed question about our

1358
01:06:19,508 --> 01:06:21,210
security posture and I'd refer
you to the Secret Service

1359
01:06:21,210 --> 01:06:25,014
in terms of what resources
and strategies they

1360
01:06:25,014 --> 01:06:26,849
put in place to
try to counter it.

1361
01:06:26,849 --> 01:06:28,651
I'm not sure that they're going
to be in a position to talk

1362
01:06:28,651 --> 01:06:30,286
about that publicly I
think for obvious reasons

1363
01:06:30,286 --> 01:06:33,322
but you should try.

1364
01:06:33,322 --> 01:06:35,725
The overall security posture of
the White House is certainly

1365
01:06:35,725 --> 01:06:37,860
part of the review and I
think that would certainly

1366
01:06:37,860 --> 01:06:40,296
be a threat that they
would have to consider.

1367
01:06:40,296 --> 01:06:42,665
The Press: Secondly,
on Ron Klain,

1368
01:06:42,665 --> 01:06:46,168
can you tell us whether the
President is encouraging him

1369
01:06:46,168 --> 01:06:50,272
to talk to members of Congress
as the new coordinator,

1370
01:06:50,272 --> 01:06:53,509
separate and apart from whether
he can testify tomorrow,

1371
01:06:53,509 --> 01:06:56,479
to reach out to lawmakers,
to talk to them about

1372
01:06:56,479 --> 01:07:00,316
the procedures in place,
to discuss their ideas?

1373
01:07:00,316 --> 01:07:01,716
Mr. Earnest: I don't
know if he's had any

1374
01:07:01,717 --> 01:07:03,986
conversations with members
of Congress so far.

1375
01:07:03,986 --> 01:07:06,422
This is, of course -- he's
a day and a half into

1376
01:07:06,422 --> 01:07:08,157
the new gig here, so --

1377
01:07:08,157 --> 01:07:09,458
The Press: (inaudible)

1378
01:07:09,458 --> 01:07:12,828
Mr. Earnest: Well, there obviously is a pretty

1379
01:07:12,828 --> 01:07:16,999
robust staff in place to
maintain our relationships

1380
01:07:16,999 --> 01:07:18,834
with members of Congress.

1381
01:07:18,834 --> 01:07:21,803
So we have a Leg Affairs
department, At the NSC,

1382
01:07:21,804 --> 01:07:25,408
there are a contingent of folks
that are responsible for talking

1383
01:07:25,408 --> 01:07:28,377
to members of Congress about
national security issues.

1384
01:07:28,377 --> 01:07:30,379
So there are people
who are principally

1385
01:07:30,379 --> 01:07:31,380
responsible for that.

1386
01:07:31,380 --> 01:07:33,883
At the same time, I wouldn't
rule out the occasional

1387
01:07:33,883 --> 01:07:38,287
conversation between Ron
and a member of Congress.

1388
01:07:38,287 --> 01:07:40,221
He, obviously, is somebody
who brings with him

1389
01:07:40,222 --> 01:07:42,558
to the job some
well-established relationships

1390
01:07:42,558 --> 01:07:44,827
with Democrats and
Republicans on Capitol Hill.

1391
01:07:44,827 --> 01:07:48,898
So I wouldn't rule out that he
may put those relationships

1392
01:07:48,898 --> 01:07:53,035
to use over the course
of this assignment.

1393
01:07:53,035 --> 01:07:54,403
The Press: Can you fill in any
of the blanks about where he's

1394
01:07:54,403 --> 01:07:57,640
working, does he have a staff
and what he's compensated?

1395
01:07:57,640 --> 01:08:01,477
Mr. Earnest: I don't know
where his office is right now.

1396
01:08:01,477 --> 01:08:02,812
I've been in several
meetings with him,

1397
01:08:02,812 --> 01:08:08,317
but he's not been in my office
and I haven't been in his.

1398
01:08:08,317 --> 01:08:11,353
At this point, he's being
paid as a consultant

1399
01:08:11,353 --> 01:08:13,355
to the White House, because,
as I mentioned earlier,

1400
01:08:13,355 --> 01:08:16,625
this is a relatively short-term
assignment that he's currently

1401
01:08:16,625 --> 01:08:19,595
focused on, on the order
of five or six months.

1402
01:08:19,595 --> 01:08:22,765
So he's being paid as a
consultant at a salary that's

1403
01:08:22,765 --> 01:08:26,435
in line with the salary that's
paid to other assistants

1404
01:08:26,435 --> 01:08:28,170
to the President.

1405
01:08:28,170 --> 01:08:30,172
In terms of the
size of his staff,

1406
01:08:30,171 --> 01:08:32,174
I don't know that he
has anybody onboard yet,

1407
01:08:32,174 --> 01:08:34,609
but I assume that at some point
he'll have at least an assistant

1408
01:08:34,609 --> 01:08:37,078
to help him take on
this important role.

1409
01:08:37,078 --> 01:08:40,014
The other thing is that he
obviously is stepping into

1410
01:08:40,015 --> 01:08:45,821
a role that is already at the
hub of a pretty extensive

1411
01:08:45,821 --> 01:08:50,425
infrastructure; that as he
works with other members of the

1412
01:08:50,426 --> 01:08:54,163
National Security Council and
other folks at CDC and HHS,

1413
01:08:54,162 --> 01:08:56,531
there's a pretty robust
infrastructure already in place.

1414
01:08:56,532 --> 01:08:58,534
So it's easy to
plug him in there.

1415
01:08:58,533 --> 01:09:00,536
I would not anticipate
that he'll need a large

1416
01:09:00,536 --> 01:09:04,106
contingent of staffers
to help him do his job.

1417
01:09:04,106 --> 01:09:06,975
But we'll see.

1418
01:09:06,975 --> 01:09:09,077
The Press: And will you
continue to speak for him,

1419
01:09:09,078 --> 01:09:11,780
brief us, or will
he do that himself?

1420
01:09:11,779 --> 01:09:14,282
Mr. Earnest: As I have
mentioned earlier, I do not,

1421
01:09:14,283 --> 01:09:19,088
and Mr. Klain does not envision
the role that he has now as

1422
01:09:19,087 --> 01:09:25,294
being one that is what you would
describe as a public face.

1423
01:09:25,294 --> 01:09:26,929
I wouldn't rule out
the occasional, again,

1424
01:09:26,929 --> 01:09:29,565
the occasional conversation
with a reporter,

1425
01:09:29,564 --> 01:09:33,001
possibly a briefing here,
but that is pretty low

1426
01:09:33,002 --> 01:09:34,470
on his to-do list.

1427
01:09:34,470 --> 01:09:36,305
He's got a lot of other things
that he's focused on right

1428
01:09:36,305 --> 01:09:39,542
now to ensure that the
whole-of-government approach

1429
01:09:39,542 --> 01:09:42,778
that the President has pursued
to dealing with this Ebola

1430
01:09:42,778 --> 01:09:46,749
situation is up to the standards
that the President has set.

1431
01:09:46,749 --> 01:09:48,117
The Press: And he's is going to
visit the CDC next week, right?

1432
01:09:48,117 --> 01:09:50,119
Mr. Earnest: I have
heard that, yes,

1433
01:09:50,118 --> 01:09:52,121
that he's planning to travel
down to Atlanta next week

1434
01:09:52,121 --> 01:09:54,156
and to meet with some of the
officials at the CDC that have

1435
01:09:54,156 --> 01:09:57,860
been working on the situation
for quite some time now.

1436
01:09:57,860 --> 01:09:58,861
Jared.

1437
01:09:58,861 --> 01:09:59,894
The Press: Two clarifications.

1438
01:09:59,895 --> 01:10:00,796
I think they're
going to be quick.

1439
01:10:00,796 --> 01:10:01,697
(laughter)

1440
01:10:01,697 --> 01:10:02,631
Mr. Earnest: I'll try.

1441
01:10:02,631 --> 01:10:04,800
The Press: First on the White
House fence-jumper issue.

1442
01:10:04,800 --> 01:10:06,769
So there's this
investigation --

1443
01:10:06,769 --> 01:10:07,503
Mr. Earnest: First
on the what?

1444
01:10:07,503 --> 01:10:08,637
The Press: The
fence-jumper issue.

1445
01:10:08,637 --> 01:10:09,438
Mr. Earnest: Oh, yes.

1446
01:10:09,438 --> 01:10:12,408
The Press: So I know there's
this independent panel

1447
01:10:12,408 --> 01:10:14,176
that's sort of looking
at best practices,

1448
01:10:14,176 --> 01:10:16,178
and then that goes
as recommendations

1449
01:10:16,178 --> 01:10:20,082
to the Department of
Homeland Security?

1450
01:10:20,082 --> 01:10:22,084
Mr. Earnest: The
way that this works

1451
01:10:22,084 --> 01:10:24,086
is the review is currently
being conducted by the

1452
01:10:24,086 --> 01:10:27,489
Deputy Secretary of Homeland
Security, Ale Mayorkas.

1453
01:10:27,489 --> 01:10:29,692
Typically, the Deputy Secretary
at a Cabinet agency

1454
01:10:29,692 --> 01:10:32,761
is responsible for the
functioning of the various

1455
01:10:32,761 --> 01:10:35,164
components of that agency.

1456
01:10:35,164 --> 01:10:37,766
Secret Service is obviously a
component of the Department of

1457
01:10:37,766 --> 01:10:41,904
Homeland Security, so he has the
responsibility for ensuring

1458
01:10:41,904 --> 01:10:43,906
that that component is
functioning properly.

1459
01:10:43,906 --> 01:10:45,874
So he's going to
conduct the review.

1460
01:10:45,874 --> 01:10:47,876
He's going to work
closely with the general counsel

1461
01:10:47,876 --> 01:10:49,111
at DHS to conduct
that review.

1462
01:10:49,111 --> 01:10:51,280
Once that review is completed,
which should be the first week

1463
01:10:51,280 --> 01:10:53,816
in November, I believe, he
will then turn over that

1464
01:10:53,816 --> 01:10:57,385
review to a panel of
independent experts that

1465
01:10:57,386 --> 01:10:59,755
the Secretary of Homeland
Security has named.

1466
01:10:59,755 --> 01:11:04,660
They will review his report
and put forward a series of

1467
01:11:04,660 --> 01:11:06,962
recommendations to the Secretary
of Homeland Security and to the

1468
01:11:06,962 --> 01:11:13,402
leadership of the Secret Service
about specific measures that

1469
01:11:13,402 --> 01:11:16,405
should be taken to strengthen
security at the White House.

1470
01:11:16,405 --> 01:11:19,608
They will offer up some
recommendations about what

1471
01:11:19,608 --> 01:11:22,444
the permanent leadership of the
Secret Service should look like,

1472
01:11:22,444 --> 01:11:26,248
and they will also make
recommendations, if necessary,

1473
01:11:26,248 --> 01:11:30,085
about additional areas for
review at the Secret Service.

1474
01:11:30,085 --> 01:11:31,754
The Press: So here's my question
-- in sort of this effort

1475
01:11:31,754 --> 01:11:34,623
to strike the balance, if these
recommendations come in,

1476
01:11:34,623 --> 01:11:36,724
and the President doesn't feel
that it strikes the right

1477
01:11:36,725 --> 01:11:39,128
balance -- it goes
too far one way,

1478
01:11:39,128 --> 01:11:41,563
they want to keep people on the
other side of Lafayette Park,

1479
01:11:41,563 --> 01:11:43,966
whatever it is, would
the President say,

1480
01:11:43,966 --> 01:11:45,968
you got to go back
to the drawing board,

1481
01:11:45,968 --> 01:11:49,004
or is this a decision that would
be made totally independent,

1482
01:11:49,004 --> 01:11:52,074
free of any influence
or decision-making

1483
01:11:52,074 --> 01:11:53,075
from the Oval Office?

1484
01:11:53,075 --> 01:11:55,778
Mr. Earnest: No, I feel
confident that as decisions

1485
01:11:55,778 --> 01:11:57,813
are made about how to implement
these additional security

1486
01:11:57,813 --> 01:11:59,915
measures, that the White
House will be consulted

1487
01:11:59,915 --> 01:12:01,216
and in the loop on that.

1488
01:12:01,216 --> 01:12:03,852
But this will be something
that is driven, however,

1489
01:12:03,852 --> 01:12:08,157
by those with the most security
expertise at the Secret Service.

1490
01:12:08,157 --> 01:12:11,427
The Press: And secondly, on
these efforts to get at ISIS

1491
01:12:11,427 --> 01:12:16,264
financing, these sanctions that
are potentially being plotted,

1492
01:12:16,265 --> 01:12:18,834
one of the criticism of
the sanctions on Russian,

1493
01:12:18,834 --> 01:12:21,437
for instance, has been a lot of
these individuals don't have

1494
01:12:21,437 --> 01:12:23,672
a great deal of assets
in the United States.

1495
01:12:23,672 --> 01:12:25,674
There's only so
much that the U.S.

1496
01:12:25,674 --> 01:12:27,676
Treasury is able
to do on its own.

1497
01:12:27,676 --> 01:12:32,114
Is that a fair criticism in
these types of potential

1498
01:12:32,114 --> 01:12:33,115
sanctions, as well?

1499
01:12:33,115 --> 01:12:35,751
How many of these ISIS
financiers have assets

1500
01:12:35,751 --> 01:12:36,752
in the United States?

1501
01:12:36,752 --> 01:12:40,055
What can the Treasury really do
on its down to try and limit

1502
01:12:40,055 --> 01:12:41,123
the flow of revenue?

1503
01:12:41,123 --> 01:12:43,157
Mr. Earnest: This is
an excellent question.

1504
01:12:43,158 --> 01:12:45,160
I regret that David is
not here to answer it.

1505
01:12:45,160 --> 01:12:46,295
The Press: I tried earlier.

1506
01:12:46,295 --> 01:12:47,262
Mr. Earnest: No, no, I know.

1507
01:12:47,262 --> 01:12:48,097
I'm not blaming you.

1508
01:12:48,097 --> 01:12:50,165
I'm not blaming
you, to be clear.

1509
01:12:50,165 --> 01:12:52,234
But let me give you my
understanding of it.

1510
01:12:52,234 --> 01:12:53,569
You may be able to get somebody
at the Treasury Department

1511
01:12:53,569 --> 01:12:56,972
to give you a more
cogent explanation.

1512
01:12:56,972 --> 01:13:04,413
What we have done to deal with
the situation in Ukraine,

1513
01:13:04,413 --> 01:13:06,615
in terms of applying
sanctions to Russia,

1514
01:13:06,615 --> 01:13:09,818
is that we've worked very hard
to coordinate the application

1515
01:13:09,818 --> 01:13:13,021
of that sanctions regime with
our partners in Western Europe.

1516
01:13:13,021 --> 01:13:17,058
And those partners in Western
Europe are economies where some

1517
01:13:17,059 --> 01:13:21,463
of the targets of these
sanctions do have some exposure.

1518
01:13:21,463 --> 01:13:24,133
And by working closely with our
partners in Western Europe,

1519
01:13:24,133 --> 01:13:28,837
we have been able to impose a
substantial economic cost

1520
01:13:28,837 --> 01:13:31,840
on the Russian economy and
on senior members of that

1521
01:13:31,840 --> 01:13:34,476
government because we've been
able to work in coordination

1522
01:13:34,476 --> 01:13:37,513
to maximize the impact of
the sanctions.

1523
01:13:37,513 --> 01:13:39,615
A similar strategy
is being employed

1524
01:13:39,615 --> 01:13:41,650
in this situation,
as well.

1525
01:13:41,650 --> 01:13:44,018
David did make reference to the
fact that we are working closely

1526
01:13:44,019 --> 01:13:46,388
with the other 60 members
of this broad international

1527
01:13:46,388 --> 01:13:48,824
coalition to pursue
this strategy.

1528
01:13:48,824 --> 01:13:51,360
And shutting down the
financing of ISIL is part

1529
01:13:51,360 --> 01:13:52,393
of this strategy.

1530
01:13:52,394 --> 01:13:55,898
And he's working very closely
with other members of our

1531
01:13:55,898 --> 01:14:00,068
coalition to apply sanctions in
a way that will maximize the

1532
01:14:00,068 --> 01:14:02,971
financial impact of the regime.

1533
01:14:02,971 --> 01:14:05,107
And that is why -- he made
reference to the fact that

1534
01:14:05,107 --> 01:14:10,312
he travels fairly frequently to
the region of the world where

1535
01:14:10,312 --> 01:14:13,415
you would anticipate that
individuals who are closely

1536
01:14:13,415 --> 01:14:17,452
aligned with ISIL would
have significant exposure.

1537
01:14:17,452 --> 01:14:20,522
And so we are working very
closely with our partners

1538
01:14:20,522 --> 01:14:23,192
in this international
coalition to coordinate

1539
01:14:23,192 --> 01:14:25,794
and maximize the impact
of this sanctions regime.

1540
01:14:25,794 --> 01:14:28,497
The Press: And you're confident
that they'll go along with it?

1541
01:14:28,497 --> 01:14:30,499
Mr. Earnest: Well,
that's something that

1542
01:14:30,499 --> 01:14:32,501
is obviously the subject
of regular discussion.

1543
01:14:32,501 --> 01:14:34,503
I think that we have been
quite pleased -- and again,

1544
01:14:34,503 --> 01:14:38,907
David would have a more
tangible assessment --

1545
01:14:38,907 --> 01:14:41,977
but it's my understanding that
we've been very pleased with

1546
01:14:41,977 --> 01:14:44,346
the cooperation that
we've gotten from members

1547
01:14:44,346 --> 01:14:46,348
of the coalition because
they understand that this

1548
01:14:46,348 --> 01:14:48,350
is an important part
of the strategy.

1549
01:14:48,350 --> 01:14:50,352
Tamara, I'm going to
give you the last one.

1550
01:14:50,352 --> 01:14:52,354
The Press: And
it's really quick.

1551
01:14:52,354 --> 01:14:54,356
When that Homeland Security
review of the fence-jumping

1552
01:14:54,356 --> 01:14:56,358
incident comes out, or is
completed, will it come out?

1553
01:14:56,358 --> 01:14:57,492
Will we get it?

1554
01:14:57,492 --> 01:14:59,795
Will there be some amount
of it that is released

1555
01:14:59,795 --> 01:15:01,763
to the public or not?

1556
01:15:01,763 --> 01:15:03,098
Mr. Earnest: Yes, I would
anticipate that there will

1557
01:15:03,098 --> 01:15:05,567
be some aspects of the review
that will not be made public.

1558
01:15:05,567 --> 01:15:08,570
They would relate to basic
facts about the security

1559
01:15:08,570 --> 01:15:10,572
of the White House that we
would understandably need

1560
01:15:10,572 --> 01:15:13,008
to keep private.

1561
01:15:13,008 --> 01:15:15,010
That said, I would
anticipate that some

1562
01:15:15,010 --> 01:15:17,012
aspects of the review will
be made public.

1563
01:15:17,012 --> 01:15:19,014
And that's something
that we'll have to work

1564
01:15:19,014 --> 01:15:21,016
through once the review
has been completed.

1565
01:15:21,016 --> 01:15:23,018
So, Chris, I recognize
that I skipped over you.

1566
01:15:23,018 --> 01:15:24,720
I don't know if you
had something that --

1567
01:15:24,720 --> 01:15:25,721
The Press: Well, yes, let me
just ask you really quickly --

1568
01:15:25,721 --> 01:15:26,821
Mr. Earnest: There was
no slight intended.

1569
01:15:26,822 --> 01:15:27,456
Okay.

1570
01:15:27,456 --> 01:15:28,457
The Press: -- because of
something the President said

1571
01:15:28,457 --> 01:15:31,560
last night, which is that
the facts weren't known

1572
01:15:31,560 --> 01:15:34,329
fully about Ottawa, but
that it was something that

1573
01:15:34,329 --> 01:15:36,031
we have to factor in.

1574
01:15:36,031 --> 01:15:37,266
He said, in the ongoing
efforts we have

1575
01:15:37,266 --> 01:15:39,867
to counter terrorist
attacks in our country.

1576
01:15:39,868 --> 01:15:43,438
Is there, beyond that,
always ongoing review,

1577
01:15:43,438 --> 01:15:47,175
any new meetings, any new
strategies that they're looking

1578
01:15:47,175 --> 01:15:50,212
at as a result of what
was seen yesterday?

1579
01:15:50,212 --> 01:15:52,180
Mr. Earnest: I think it's too
early at this point to say --

1580
01:15:52,180 --> 01:15:54,182
after all these attacks
have only occurred

1581
01:15:54,182 --> 01:15:55,817
in the last
couple of days.

1582
01:15:55,817 --> 01:15:58,453
But I'm confident that our
counterterrorism professionals

1583
01:15:58,453 --> 01:16:04,927
are very mindful of this risk
that has existed for some time.

1584
01:16:04,927 --> 01:16:08,931
And I think this -- these
latest incidents only

1585
01:16:08,931 --> 01:16:11,833
underscore the high
stakes of the success

1586
01:16:11,833 --> 01:16:13,535
of the strategies that
we've put in place.

1587
01:16:13,535 --> 01:16:17,439
And so if there is a need to
refine or update or strengthen

1588
01:16:17,439 --> 01:16:20,876
that strategy, I'm confident
that these -- that our

1589
01:16:20,876 --> 01:16:22,611
counterterrorism professionals
have all the authority

1590
01:16:22,611 --> 01:16:24,913
that they need to
do exactly that.

1591
01:16:24,913 --> 01:16:25,981
The Press: Kind of
a subset of that,

1592
01:16:25,981 --> 01:16:28,250
is there a review
ongoing now of security

1593
01:16:28,250 --> 01:16:30,619
at government buildings?

1594
01:16:30,619 --> 01:16:32,920
Mr. Earnest: There's not one
that I'm aware of beyond

1595
01:16:32,921 --> 01:16:35,791
sort of the regular
assessment and reassessment

1596
01:16:35,791 --> 01:16:38,160
that is done on
an ongoing basis.

1597
01:16:38,160 --> 01:16:39,061
Thanks a lot, everybody.

1598
01:16:39,061 --> 01:16:39,594
Have a good afternoon.