English subtitles for clip: File:11-29-16- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: If you have some opportunity to turn to

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somebody for inspiration,

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doesn't Eric Schultz immediately come to mind?

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(Laughter.)

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The Press: Eric Schultz
comes to my mind.

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Mr. Earnest: Me, too.

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Me, too.

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Nice to see you
all this afternoon.

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I do not have any
announcements at the top,

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so we can go straight
to your questions.

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Josh, do you want
to fire away?

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The Press: Sure.

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Thanks, Josh.

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Will the United States
send a delegation to the

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funeral of Fidel Castro?

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Mr. Earnest: Josh, I
can tell you that the

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President has decided not
to send a presidential

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delegation to attend the
memorial service today.

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I can tell you, however,
that Deputy National

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Security Advisor Ben
Rhodes will attend the

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service, as will
the top U.S.

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diplomat in Cuba,
Jeff DeLaurentis.

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Those of you who have
been following this story

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closely over the last
couple of years know that

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Mr. Rhodes has played a
leading role in crafting

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the normalization policy
that President Obama

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announced about
two years ago.

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He has been the principal
interlocutor with the

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Cuban government from the
White House in crafting

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this policy and
implementing

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it successfully.

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As a part of those
responsibilities, he has

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the occasion to travel
to Cuba occasionally to

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further implement
this policy.

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He actually was already
planning to travel to Cuba

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this week, so in addition
to the meetings that he

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already has on his
schedule with the Cuban

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government officials and
with officials at the U.S.

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embassy, he also will be
attending the service that

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the Cuban government has
planned for this evening.

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And as I mentioned, he'll

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be attending with the top U.S.

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diplomat on the island,
Ambassador DeLaurentis.

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The Press: So I guess it
begs the question that if

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two high-ranking U.S.

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officials -- national
security official who

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worked on Cuba, the
ambassador -- are

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attending, how is
that not a

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U.S. delegation?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, Josh,
there's a formal process

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where the President would
designate a presidential

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delegation to travel to
Cuba specifically to

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represent the United
States at a foreign event.

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Sometimes it's an
inauguration; sometimes

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it's a coronation;
sometimes it's a funeral.

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That will not be taking
place this time.

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But the United States will
be represented at the

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event by our top diplomat
on the island and by a

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senior White House
official who will be

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traveling to Cuba.

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The Press: What was the
thinking behind not

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designating a
formal delegation?

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Mr. Earnest: Obviously,
Josh, so much of the U.S.

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diplomatic relationship
with Cuba is

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quite complicated.

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There are many aspects of
the U.S.-Cuba relationship

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that were characterized
by a lot of conflict and

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turmoil not just during
the Castro regime, but we

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continue to have some
significant concerns about

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the way the Cuban
government currently

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operates, particularly
with regard to protecting

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the basic human rights
of the Cuban people.

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So we believe that this
was an appropriate way for

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the United States to show
our commitment to an

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ongoing, future-oriented
relationship with

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the Cuban people.

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And this is an appropriate
way to show respect, to

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participate in the events
that are planned for this

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evening, while also
acknowledging some of the

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differences that remain
between the two countries.

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The Press: Josh, does
the President view

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flag-burning to be a
protected act of free

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speech, and does he feel
that it

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should remain that way?

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Mr. Earnest: The freedom
that we all have to

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express ourselves in the
way that we choose to do

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so is protected by
the United

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States Constitution.

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Similar freedoms related
to the practice of

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religion, speech, the
institution of journalism

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are also enshrined in our
Constitution and

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are worth protecting.

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The need to protect those
rights is in place to

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protect speech and
expression not just when

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we agree with it but also
when we find it offensive.

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Many Americans -- the vast
majority of Americans,

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myself included -- find
the burning of

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the flag offensive.

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But we have a
responsibility as a

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country to carefully
protect our rights that

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are enshrined in
the Constitution.

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I know this is a
bipartisan sentiment.

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I know that there are
conservatives on the

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Supreme Court that share
the view that

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I just articulated.

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I know that there are
Democrats and Republicans

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in the United States
Congress that share the

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view that I've
just articulated.

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And it certainly is
consistent with the kind

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of governing agenda that
President Obama has

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pursued here in the White
House during his eight

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years in the Oval Office.

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The Press: We passed the
right to burn the flag if

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one chooses to do so as
part of a broader set

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of basic freedoms.

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You mentioned the freedom
of the press and others.

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Is it fair then to say
that the President is

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concerned, when he sees
the President-elect saying

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we need to remove
citizenship from people

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who choose to engage in
that activity, about a

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rolling back of some basic
freedoms under the

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next administration?

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Mr. Earnest: Josh, I'll
just make an observation

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that many of you have
made, which is that this

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is not the first thing
that the President-elect

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has said or tweeted that

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President Obama disagrees with.

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So I will let the
President-elect and his

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team discuss the words

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that populate his Twitter feed.

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They can explain or defend

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those positions or those views.

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What I can do is my best
to articulate to you the

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President's views and the
priority that he places on

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a smooth and
effective transition.

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And if I spend our
daily interactions here

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itemizing and criticizing
all of the things that the

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President-elect does that
are different than what

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President Obama has
done, that is going to

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materially undermine our
ability to engage in a

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smooth and effective
transition.

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And since that's the
priority right now, since

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the election was
held, I'll let the

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President-elect's team
speak to the wisdom and

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views and policy positions
that are articulated by

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the President-elect.

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The Press: Policy aside,
a number of times in the

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last week or so you've
noted that the method that

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these positions have
come out from the

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President-elect
have been Twitter.

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Are you suggesting that
maybe it would be wiser,

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given the stature of
the office, for the

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President-elect to be
tweeting less or to be

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finding another way to
sort of communicate some

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of these positions?

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Mr. Earnest: I don't
mean to do that.

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I think what I've observed
is that, since the

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election, this seems to
have been the principal

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method that the
President-elect has used

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to communicate with the
American public and to

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communicate with all of
you, with the exception of

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at least one
off-the-record meeting

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that he held with
journalists in

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New York last week.

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So I don't mean to
make that reference

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pejoratively because the
truth is President Obama

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has found Twitter to be
a useful mechanism for

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communicating with the
American public and

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providing some insight to
all of you about what

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he's thinking about.

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At the same time,
President Obama has not

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relied just on Twitter
to communicate with the

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American public and
interact with all of you.

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Over the course of the
President's foreign trip,

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for example, when he
traveled around the world,

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meeting with world
leaders, talking about

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some of our highest
national security

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priorities, the President,
over the course of that

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trip, convened three
different news conferences

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to answer your questions
and to speak to all of you

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about those meetings and
about the way that he was

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representing and advancing

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our interests around the globe.

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Interacting in that form
with the independent media

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is not just valuable, it
also is part of the job.

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And President Obama takes
that part of his job

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quite seriously.

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And it's something that
we've done extensively

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during his time
here in office.

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But obviously the
President-elect and his

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team will have to develop
a communications strategy

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that they believe is most
effective to informing the

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American public and is
also consistent with the

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expectations that the
American people have about

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transparency and
accountability for those

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in positions of authority.

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And part of that is an
individual in a position

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of authority submitting or
even subjecting themselves

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to skeptical questioning

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from an independent news media.

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That's a valuable and
critically important part

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of our democracy, and, in
fact, the success of our

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democracy depends on it. Roberta.

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The Press: The
President-elect is going

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to name -- or nominate
Congressman Price as his

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HHS Secretary, and
Congressman Price has for

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a long time been promoting

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an alternative to Obamacare.

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And I'm wondering what the
White House's assessment

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is of his ideas about the
alternatives that he has

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presented to Obamacare.

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Mr. Earnest: I don't know
if a formal announcement

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has come from the President-elect's team, but --

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The Press: There has.

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Mr. Earnest:
There has been?

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The Press: Yes.

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Mr. Earnest: Okay.

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So what is clear is that
the President-elect has

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chosen to nominate someone
to be his Secretary of

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Health and Human Services
who is an ardent opponent

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of the Affordable Care Act
and somebody who says he

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is committed to
repealing it.

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We have heard comments
from the President-elect

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and from Congressman Price
about some of the ideas

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that they say would
work if implemented.

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And I spent a little time
working with my staff

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today to develop what I
think are some metrics

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that all of you and the
American public should

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apply in evaluating some
of the proposals that may

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be put forward by
the other side.

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Here's why this
is important.

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Since the day the
President signed the

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Affordable Care Act into
law in March of 2010, he

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indicated an openness to
working with Republicans

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or Democrats to implement
ideas for further

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strengthening the law.

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So the President has
always welcomed good ideas

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either from Democrats or
Republicans to

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strengthen the law.

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The problem has been that
the only kinds of ideas

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that have been put forward
by the Republicans, to the

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extent that they have put
forward any ideas -- and

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there have not been many
-- but when they have,

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they actually have been
ideas for undermining the

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law, not strengthening it.

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And those were primarily
methods of political

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communication making a
political argument, not

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for actually
governing the country.

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But as the President
observed in the context of

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a couple of those news
conferences I referred to

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earlier, reality has a
way of intruding once you

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00:11:31,857 --> 00:11:33,927
enter the Oval Office and
you assume the awesome

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00:11:33,926 --> 00:11:35,326
responsibility of
governing the greatest

254
00:11:35,327 --> 00:11:36,627
country in the world.

255
00:11:36,629 --> 00:11:41,229
So I'll move expeditiously
here, but I can whittle it

256
00:11:41,233 --> 00:11:48,273
down to five metrics that
you can use to evaluate

257
00:11:48,274 --> 00:11:50,774
their proposal, and I
think what you should

258
00:11:50,776 --> 00:11:53,946
measure it against is the
progress that we've made

259
00:11:53,946 --> 00:11:56,946
through the Affordable
Care Act in the six years

260
00:11:56,949 --> 00:11:59,649
or so that it's
been in effect.

261
00:11:59,652 --> 00:12:00,722
So let's start.

262
00:12:00,719 --> 00:12:01,889
Number one -- this is the
one that you guys have

263
00:12:01,887 --> 00:12:03,357
written about the most.

264
00:12:03,355 --> 00:12:05,395
Since the Affordable Care
Act went into effect, 20

265
00:12:05,391 --> 00:12:08,961
million Americans have
gotten health insurance.

266
00:12:08,961 --> 00:12:16,401
And according to a recent
survey, 91.1 percent of

267
00:12:16,402 --> 00:12:18,702
Americans now has
health insurance.

268
00:12:18,704 --> 00:12:23,514
That is an insured rate
that's higher than

269
00:12:23,509 --> 00:12:26,479
it's ever been.

270
00:12:26,479 --> 00:12:28,579
So when these new ideas
come forward, it's

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00:12:28,581 --> 00:12:30,951
important to evaluate
whether or not -- what

272
00:12:30,950 --> 00:12:33,350
impact that would have
on the percentage of

273
00:12:33,352 --> 00:12:39,092
Americans that have health
insurance, because, after

274
00:12:39,091 --> 00:12:40,731
all, expanding access to
health care coverage was

275
00:12:40,726 --> 00:12:41,526
one of the principal goals

276
00:12:41,527 --> 00:12:42,597
of the Affordable Care Act.

277
00:12:42,595 --> 00:12:44,965
Number two -- another
principal goal of the

278
00:12:44,964 --> 00:12:49,604
Affordable Care Act was
holding down the rapid

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00:12:49,602 --> 00:12:52,242
growth in health
care costs.

280
00:12:52,238 --> 00:12:54,438
And this was a problem
that has bedeviled

281
00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:58,210
policymakers for at least
a generation, is that the

282
00:12:58,210 --> 00:13:06,050
growth in health care
costs was higher than the

283
00:13:06,051 --> 00:13:10,391
growth of other
aspects of our economy.

284
00:13:10,389 --> 00:13:13,659
And the Affordable Care
Act has actually had a

285
00:13:13,659 --> 00:13:16,059
positive impact in holding
down that growth in

286
00:13:16,061 --> 00:13:17,131
health care costs.

287
00:13:17,129 --> 00:13:17,799
And let me just give

288
00:13:17,796 --> 00:13:19,396
you the best metric to evaluate.

289
00:13:19,398 --> 00:13:21,598
In 2016 -- fiscal year
2016, which just ended a

290
00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,340
couple of months
ago -- the growth in

291
00:13:25,337 --> 00:13:27,177
employer-based health

292
00:13:27,173 --> 00:13:31,343
insurance premiums was 3.4 percent.

293
00:13:31,343 --> 00:13:35,483
That is much lower than it
was before the Affordable

294
00:13:35,481 --> 00:13:37,081
Care Act went into effect.

295
00:13:37,082 --> 00:13:40,322
In fact, between 2010 and
the decade before the

296
00:13:40,319 --> 00:13:42,619
Affordable Care Act went
into effect, employer

297
00:13:42,621 --> 00:13:46,221
premiums grew on average
of about 7.9 percent.

298
00:13:46,225 --> 00:13:49,495
So we've cut the growth in
health care costs

299
00:13:49,495 --> 00:13:52,335
by more than half.

300
00:13:52,331 --> 00:13:55,671
So, again, evaluating the
proposals from the other

301
00:13:55,668 --> 00:13:58,368
side should take a look at
what impact they have in

302
00:13:58,370 --> 00:14:00,340
limiting the growth
in health care costs.

303
00:14:00,339 --> 00:14:03,639
And again, in 2016, the
growth in employer-based

304
00:14:03,642 --> 00:14:07,512
insurance premiums was 3.4
percent, which is at or

305
00:14:07,513 --> 00:14:09,213
near all-time lows.

306
00:14:09,215 --> 00:14:14,425
The third thing that is
among the benefits of the

307
00:14:14,420 --> 00:14:16,960
Affordable Care Act are a
whole range of consumer

308
00:14:16,956 --> 00:14:18,386
protections, many of which
even Republicans

309
00:14:18,390 --> 00:14:20,890
say that they like.

310
00:14:20,893 --> 00:14:22,863
So the proposals put
forward by the other side

311
00:14:22,861 --> 00:14:24,901
should be evaluated based
on whether or not those

312
00:14:24,897 --> 00:14:27,537
proposals remain in place.

313
00:14:27,533 --> 00:14:30,603
Some of these include
ensuring that Americans

314
00:14:30,603 --> 00:14:31,973
can no longer be
discriminated against

315
00:14:31,971 --> 00:14:34,111
because they have
preexisting conditions.

316
00:14:34,106 --> 00:14:37,206
Before the Affordable
Care Act, women could be

317
00:14:37,209 --> 00:14:38,249
charged more by their
health insurance company

318
00:14:38,244 --> 00:14:40,114
for no other reason than

319
00:14:40,112 --> 00:14:42,882
the fact that they are women.

320
00:14:42,881 --> 00:14:45,351
Before the Affordable Care
Act went into place, many

321
00:14:45,351 --> 00:14:48,121
Americans were subject to
lifetime limits on the

322
00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:49,290
benefits they could
collect from their

323
00:14:49,288 --> 00:14:51,088
insurance company.

324
00:14:51,090 --> 00:14:53,730
The problem for a lot of
-- for many families is

325
00:14:53,726 --> 00:14:58,896
that if kids were sick at
an early age, by age 10 or

326
00:14:58,897 --> 00:15:02,237
so, they would essentially
be reaching the cap on the

327
00:15:02,234 --> 00:15:03,904
lifetime benefits that
they could collect from

328
00:15:03,902 --> 00:15:05,602
their parents' insurance
company, which basically

329
00:15:05,604 --> 00:15:06,974
meant that these kids
were going to be

330
00:15:06,972 --> 00:15:08,172
without insurance.

331
00:15:08,173 --> 00:15:09,973
Those caps were eliminated
because of the

332
00:15:09,975 --> 00:15:11,375
Affordable Care Act.

333
00:15:11,377 --> 00:15:13,677
And we'll have to evaluate
whether or not those who

334
00:15:13,679 --> 00:15:18,249
vow to repeal the
Affordable Care Act can

335
00:15:18,250 --> 00:15:20,190
protect those important
consumer protections that

336
00:15:20,185 --> 00:15:22,685
are now in place.

337
00:15:22,688 --> 00:15:23,688
The other one that's
gotten a lot of attention

338
00:15:23,689 --> 00:15:25,029
is that, thanks to the
Affordable Care Act, young

339
00:15:25,024 --> 00:15:27,364
Americans can stay on
their parents' insurance

340
00:15:27,359 --> 00:15:31,359
until age 26, and that
provides an important

341
00:15:31,363 --> 00:15:34,733
buffer for many
young Americans.

342
00:15:34,733 --> 00:15:36,003
When they get out of
college before they get

343
00:15:36,001 --> 00:15:39,241
settled in a job over the
long term, they can enjoy

344
00:15:39,238 --> 00:15:40,608
the protection of being
on their parents'

345
00:15:40,606 --> 00:15:41,806
health insurance.

346
00:15:41,807 --> 00:15:44,207
So another consumer
protection enjoyed and

347
00:15:44,209 --> 00:15:46,079
praised by Democrats
and Republicans.

348
00:15:46,078 --> 00:15:48,018
We'll see if Republicans
can do the important work

349
00:15:48,013 --> 00:15:50,783
to keep it, and their
ability to do so should be

350
00:15:50,783 --> 00:15:52,423
part of the way in which

351
00:15:52,418 --> 00:15:53,748
their proposals are evaluated.

352
00:15:53,752 --> 00:15:55,752
Just two more.

353
00:15:55,754 --> 00:15:58,154
The first is, what impact
will the law

354
00:15:58,157 --> 00:15:59,997
have on Medicare?

355
00:15:59,992 --> 00:16:04,132
The Affordable Care Act
went into effect and the

356
00:16:04,129 --> 00:16:08,839
life of Medicare was
extended by 11 years.

357
00:16:08,834 --> 00:16:11,004
There's still more work
to do to strengthen and

358
00:16:11,003 --> 00:16:14,103
extend the life of
Medicare, but you'll

359
00:16:14,106 --> 00:16:16,906
recall that when President
Obama took office, the

360
00:16:16,909 --> 00:16:19,179
prediction was that the
Medicare trust fund was

361
00:16:19,178 --> 00:16:23,118
going to run out of money
by 2017; 2017 is a month

362
00:16:23,115 --> 00:16:26,615
from now, and the life of
Medicare has been extended

363
00:16:26,618 --> 00:16:27,788
because of the Affordable
Care Act by

364
00:16:27,786 --> 00:16:29,686
more than a decade.

365
00:16:29,688 --> 00:16:31,358
So it certainly will be
important to ask questions

366
00:16:31,357 --> 00:16:33,697
if and when there is a
proposal from the other

367
00:16:33,692 --> 00:16:36,132
side what impact their
plan will have on

368
00:16:36,128 --> 00:16:38,728
strengthening Medicare.

369
00:16:38,731 --> 00:16:40,901
And the last thing -- and
I cite this only because

370
00:16:40,899 --> 00:16:44,099
this is what Republicans
most like to talk about --

371
00:16:44,103 --> 00:16:46,043
and that's the deficit --
what impact will their

372
00:16:46,038 --> 00:16:47,708
proposal have
on the deficit?

373
00:16:47,706 --> 00:16:50,506
What I can tell you that
the CBO has concluded is

374
00:16:50,509 --> 00:16:53,049
that the impact of the
Affordable Care Act on the

375
00:16:53,045 --> 00:16:58,385
deficit is to reduce the
deficit by $3 trillion in

376
00:16:58,384 --> 00:17:02,254
the next 20 years --
trillion, with a "t" -- a

377
00:17:02,254 --> 00:17:05,024
$3 trillion reduction in
the deficit over

378
00:17:05,023 --> 00:17:06,963
the next 20 years.

379
00:17:06,959 --> 00:17:09,999
So that certainly sets
a pretty high bar for

380
00:17:09,995 --> 00:17:14,735
evaluating the budget
impact of a proposal

381
00:17:14,733 --> 00:17:15,773
from the other side.

382
00:17:15,768 --> 00:17:17,268
But that is an important
metric, one that

383
00:17:17,269 --> 00:17:19,039
Republicans have
long prioritized.

384
00:17:19,037 --> 00:17:20,977
And if and when they
put forward their own

385
00:17:20,973 --> 00:17:22,613
proposal, it should be
measured against the kind

386
00:17:22,608 --> 00:17:24,448
of progress that the
country has

387
00:17:24,443 --> 00:17:26,913
made under Obamacare.

388
00:17:26,912 --> 00:17:28,212
So I appreciate you
indulging me with a long

389
00:17:28,213 --> 00:17:31,153
answer, but this is the
kind of thing that I can

390
00:17:31,150 --> 00:17:33,450
certainly understand why
this may not end up in the

391
00:17:33,452 --> 00:17:35,892
stories about Mr. Price's
-- Congressman Price's

392
00:17:35,888 --> 00:17:40,258
nomination today, but at
some point, if he makes

393
00:17:40,259 --> 00:17:43,199
good on his word, at some
point, maybe in the next

394
00:17:43,195 --> 00:17:46,065
year or so, he will be
standing at this podium,

395
00:17:46,064 --> 00:17:48,704
in this room, in front of
all of you, unveiling a

396
00:17:48,700 --> 00:17:50,840
new health care plan.

397
00:17:50,836 --> 00:17:56,406
And so I hope -- I'll be
counting on all of you to

398
00:17:56,408 --> 00:17:59,378
just take a look at my
notes and if you are -- or

399
00:17:59,378 --> 00:18:02,218
take a look at notes from
this briefing -- and maybe

400
00:18:02,214 --> 00:18:05,084
it can serve as some
questions that are worth

401
00:18:05,083 --> 00:18:07,483
asking about the
new proposal.

402
00:18:07,486 --> 00:18:09,256
The Press: So I don't
want to go on too long --

403
00:18:09,254 --> 00:18:11,694
Mr. Earnest: I already
have, which I apologize.

404
00:18:11,690 --> 00:18:14,160
The Press: But have you
evaluated Congressman

405
00:18:14,159 --> 00:18:16,429
Price's proposal
by these metrics?

406
00:18:16,428 --> 00:18:17,828
Or do you have -- does
the White House have an

407
00:18:17,830 --> 00:18:20,030
evaluation of his
proposals, which have been

408
00:18:20,032 --> 00:18:21,502
out there for a long time?

409
00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:22,870
Mr. Earnest: Well, with
all due respect to

410
00:18:22,868 --> 00:18:24,708
Congressman Price, what
he's going to learn is

411
00:18:24,703 --> 00:18:26,203
that when he's the
Secretary of Health and

412
00:18:26,205 --> 00:18:28,445
Human Services, it will be
his job to implement the

413
00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:30,480
President's plan,
not his own.

414
00:18:30,476 --> 00:18:34,876
So we'll certainly take a
close look and we'll be

415
00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:36,520
interested to see what
proposal is put forward by

416
00:18:36,515 --> 00:18:37,815
the Trump administration.

417
00:18:37,816 --> 00:18:39,916
But I certainly have laid
out for you the progress

418
00:18:39,918 --> 00:18:41,988
that we have made under
Obamacare, and we'll see

419
00:18:41,987 --> 00:18:47,827
if "Trumpcare" measures up. Michelle.

420
00:18:47,826 --> 00:18:48,796
The Press: Thanks.

421
00:18:48,794 --> 00:18:50,964
So in the past, you've
expressed optimism and the

422
00:18:50,963 --> 00:18:52,903
President himself
expressed optimism after

423
00:18:52,898 --> 00:18:55,498
the first time he met with
President-elect Trump in

424
00:18:55,501 --> 00:18:57,131
the Oval Office that
he may keep

425
00:18:57,135 --> 00:18:59,075
parts of Obamacare.

426
00:18:59,071 --> 00:19:03,571
Now, with Tom Price coming
in as the head of HHS, do

427
00:19:03,575 --> 00:19:05,275
you still have
that optimism?

428
00:19:05,277 --> 00:19:08,017
Or do you think that a lot
of this -- Republicans,

429
00:19:08,013 --> 00:19:10,483
and these people in
particular, are aware of

430
00:19:10,482 --> 00:19:15,092
the metrics that you
cited, but there's still

431
00:19:15,087 --> 00:19:18,987
that mantra of
repeal and replace.

432
00:19:18,991 --> 00:19:20,121
So do you still have that
optimism, even with this

433
00:19:20,125 --> 00:19:22,795
pick that is coming?

434
00:19:22,794 --> 00:19:24,034
Mr. Earnest: Look, I
think time will tell.

435
00:19:24,029 --> 00:19:25,969
I think what I said to
Roberta certainly applies

436
00:19:25,964 --> 00:19:27,464
-- that with all due
respect to Congressman

437
00:19:27,466 --> 00:19:29,406
Price, his responsibility
will be to implement

438
00:19:29,401 --> 00:19:33,401
President Trump's health
care plan, not Congressman

439
00:19:33,405 --> 00:19:36,345
Price's health care plan.

440
00:19:36,341 --> 00:19:37,881
And we'll see how
it measures up.

441
00:19:37,876 --> 00:19:38,846
There will be an
opportunity for us

442
00:19:38,844 --> 00:19:39,574
to evaluate it.

443
00:19:39,578 --> 00:19:41,648
And, look, Michelle, we
have said all along, as I

444
00:19:41,647 --> 00:19:43,917
mentioned from the day the
President signed this bill

445
00:19:43,916 --> 00:19:47,256
into law, the President
indicated an openness to

446
00:19:47,252 --> 00:19:51,592
good ideas, including
from Republicans, for

447
00:19:51,590 --> 00:19:52,290
strengthening our
health care system and

448
00:19:52,291 --> 00:19:54,191
strengthening the
Affordable Care Act.

449
00:19:54,192 --> 00:19:59,102
Those ideas didn't
really materialize.

450
00:19:59,097 --> 00:20:01,897
But President Trump
is taking office with

451
00:20:01,900 --> 00:20:07,340
certainly what he feels is
strong support from the

452
00:20:07,339 --> 00:20:08,209
country to make some
significant changes,

453
00:20:08,206 --> 00:20:09,246
including making changes

454
00:20:09,241 --> 00:20:11,181
to the Affordable Care Act.

455
00:20:11,176 --> 00:20:18,016
And he will -- we'll see
how his proposals measure

456
00:20:18,016 --> 00:20:20,786
up to the progress that we
have made in the United

457
00:20:20,786 --> 00:20:23,326
States, thanks to the
Affordable Care Act.

458
00:20:23,322 --> 00:20:25,392
The Press: But given what
is being said now and by

459
00:20:25,390 --> 00:20:28,130
whom, do you still
have that optimism?

460
00:20:28,126 --> 00:20:30,966
Does the administration
have an optimism that this

461
00:20:30,963 --> 00:20:33,233
is going to be a good
idea by your standards?

462
00:20:33,231 --> 00:20:34,301
Mr. Earnest: Look, I'm
reluctant to predict

463
00:20:34,299 --> 00:20:35,869
exactly what's going to
happen under the

464
00:20:35,867 --> 00:20:37,737
new administration.

465
00:20:37,736 --> 00:20:39,706
They'll have an
opportunity to put forward

466
00:20:39,705 --> 00:20:41,745
their own ideas,
and they'll have an

467
00:20:41,740 --> 00:20:44,640
opportunity to put forward
ideas that they think, for

468
00:20:44,643 --> 00:20:47,483
example, in this case,
will strengthen the health

469
00:20:47,479 --> 00:20:49,049
care system in
this country.

470
00:20:49,047 --> 00:20:52,087
And fortunately, we've had
an opportunity to try it

471
00:20:52,084 --> 00:20:55,054
the way that President
Obama advocates and we've

472
00:20:55,053 --> 00:20:57,723
got some statistics that
indicate the real progress

473
00:20:57,723 --> 00:21:00,563
that we've made, the
way the system has been

474
00:21:00,559 --> 00:21:03,199
strengthened because
of these reforms.

475
00:21:03,195 --> 00:21:06,295
We'll see if reforms
implemented by the Trump

476
00:21:06,298 --> 00:21:08,138
administration measure up.

477
00:21:08,133 --> 00:21:11,033
The Press: Often when
you're -- I mean, you keep

478
00:21:11,036 --> 00:21:15,236
being asked about the same
kinds of things and you

479
00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,980
always add reality has
a way of intruding.

480
00:21:18,977 --> 00:21:19,677
Mr. Earnest: It does.

481
00:21:19,678 --> 00:21:20,878
The Press: So it sounds
like you have a lot of

482
00:21:20,879 --> 00:21:23,149
doubt that what's being
said out there is actually

483
00:21:23,148 --> 00:21:25,348
going to come to fruition.

484
00:21:25,350 --> 00:21:28,190
And does that include this
whole flag-burning thing?

485
00:21:28,186 --> 00:21:33,426
Mr. Earnest: I think what
I'm trying to convey, and

486
00:21:33,425 --> 00:21:35,095
I think what the President
is trying to convey when

487
00:21:35,093 --> 00:21:38,763
he talks about the
intrusion of reality is

488
00:21:38,764 --> 00:21:40,864
he's talking about his
experience in the job.

489
00:21:40,866 --> 00:21:43,966
And President Obama's
experience is that the job

490
00:21:43,969 --> 00:21:47,509
is harder than it looks,
particularly even harder

491
00:21:47,506 --> 00:21:49,906
than it looks when you're
campaigning for it.

492
00:21:49,908 --> 00:21:54,008
And reality has a way of
intruding on your ability

493
00:21:54,012 --> 00:22:01,452
to do everything that
you'd like to do.

494
00:22:01,453 --> 00:22:06,163
Now, I think President
Obama's record, doing many

495
00:22:06,158 --> 00:22:07,958
of the things that he
would like to do, is quite

496
00:22:07,959 --> 00:22:10,929
good, and the Affordable
Care Act is as good an

497
00:22:10,929 --> 00:22:13,129
example of that as any.

498
00:22:13,131 --> 00:22:14,701
But you certainly can't do
everything that you

499
00:22:14,700 --> 00:22:15,270
would like to do.

500
00:22:15,267 --> 00:22:17,807
And look, that's been
the experience of all 44

501
00:22:17,803 --> 00:22:20,743
Presidents of the
United States.

502
00:22:20,739 --> 00:22:24,509
Each of them has
encountered a reality that

503
00:22:24,509 --> 00:22:26,149
they may not have
anticipated that has

504
00:22:26,144 --> 00:22:29,184
limited their ability or
checked their ability to

505
00:22:29,181 --> 00:22:30,921
do exactly what they want.

506
00:22:30,916 --> 00:22:32,016
Some of that is built
into our system.

507
00:22:32,017 --> 00:22:34,687
That's part of a
democracy and the

508
00:22:34,686 --> 00:22:35,826
need to compromise.

509
00:22:35,821 --> 00:22:39,461
In other cases, it's a
function of real-world

510
00:22:39,458 --> 00:22:42,198
events, because, after
all, nobody is

511
00:22:42,194 --> 00:22:44,734
governing in a vacuum.

512
00:22:44,730 --> 00:22:46,330
I think that contributes
to my reluctance to

513
00:22:46,331 --> 00:22:48,101
predict exactly what the
Trump administration will

514
00:22:48,100 --> 00:22:51,100
do and how President
Trump will act and what

515
00:22:51,103 --> 00:22:53,803
priorities President
Trump will pursue.

516
00:22:53,805 --> 00:22:56,575
I'll let his team
speak to that.

517
00:22:56,575 --> 00:22:59,475
And I think it's difficult
to predict primarily

518
00:22:59,478 --> 00:23:02,878
because as all 44
Presidents of the United

519
00:23:02,881 --> 00:23:06,151
States have learned,
reality has a way of

520
00:23:06,151 --> 00:23:09,151
intruding on some of the
rhetoric that sounded

521
00:23:09,154 --> 00:23:11,124
really good during
the campaign.

522
00:23:11,123 --> 00:23:14,693
The Press: When you hear
repeated defenses of

523
00:23:14,693 --> 00:23:17,033
Donald Trump statements
that people who burn flags

524
00:23:17,028 --> 00:23:21,138
should be prosecuted, is
that not much of a concern

525
00:23:21,133 --> 00:23:25,003
to the administration
right now?

526
00:23:25,003 --> 00:23:27,443
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
there is a pretty strong

527
00:23:27,439 --> 00:23:30,109
bipartisan consensus
across the country that

528
00:23:30,108 --> 00:23:32,378
the constitutional right
to freedom of expression

529
00:23:32,377 --> 00:23:33,947
is one that's
worth protecting.

530
00:23:33,945 --> 00:23:40,615
And so, again, part of
that free expression is

531
00:23:40,619 --> 00:23:44,319
being able to say whatever
you want on Twitter.

532
00:23:44,322 --> 00:23:45,922
So there's a little irony
associated with this

533
00:23:45,924 --> 00:23:48,124
particular situation.

534
00:23:48,126 --> 00:23:51,626
But freedom of expression,
freedom of religion,

535
00:23:51,630 --> 00:23:52,660
freedom of the press --
those are freedoms that

536
00:23:52,664 --> 00:23:53,734
are worth protecting.

537
00:23:53,732 --> 00:23:57,272
The Press: I guess this
bubbling up again over

538
00:23:57,269 --> 00:24:02,279
flag-burning -- it
doesn't bother you?

539
00:24:02,274 --> 00:24:03,704
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
it certainly is not

540
00:24:03,708 --> 00:24:07,078
consistent with the kind
of priority that President

541
00:24:07,078 --> 00:24:11,078
Obama has placed on
protecting constitutional

542
00:24:11,082 --> 00:24:15,052
-- our freedoms
as citizens.

543
00:24:15,053 --> 00:24:20,523
So I'm not standing here
prepared to defend or

544
00:24:20,525 --> 00:24:22,925
agree with those
statements.

545
00:24:22,928 --> 00:24:24,598
But again, this is not
the first time that the

546
00:24:24,596 --> 00:24:28,496
President-elect has said
or tweeted something that

547
00:24:28,500 --> 00:24:30,770
is quite different
than President

548
00:24:30,769 --> 00:24:33,609
Obama's approach.

549
00:24:33,605 --> 00:24:37,705
It was the hallmark of his
campaign -- he ran vowing

550
00:24:37,709 --> 00:24:40,449
to aggressively do things
differently than President

551
00:24:40,445 --> 00:24:41,985
Obama has, and we'll

552
00:24:41,980 --> 00:24:44,850
see how it works. Olivier.

553
00:24:44,850 --> 00:24:46,020
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

554
00:24:46,017 --> 00:24:47,187
Back on the Castro event.

555
00:24:47,185 --> 00:24:48,955
You're not suggesting
that Mr. Rhodes and

556
00:24:48,954 --> 00:24:50,594
Mr. DeLaurentis are
attending this in a

557
00:24:50,589 --> 00:24:51,819
private capacity, right?

558
00:24:51,823 --> 00:24:52,923
They are representing
the United States?

559
00:24:52,924 --> 00:24:53,724
Mr. Earnest:
That's correct.

560
00:24:53,725 --> 00:24:56,625
And I think if I was
unclear about that, yes,

561
00:24:56,628 --> 00:24:58,128
they will be representing
the United States at the

562
00:24:58,129 --> 00:25:01,829
memorial service
this evening.

563
00:25:01,833 --> 00:25:04,103
The Press: During this
transition period, when

564
00:25:04,102 --> 00:25:06,402
the President makes
changes to, say, the

565
00:25:06,404 --> 00:25:08,974
number of troops in Iraq
and Syria, or makes other

566
00:25:08,974 --> 00:25:12,244
significant national
security decisions, do you

567
00:25:12,244 --> 00:25:14,444
loop in the
President-elect's team?

568
00:25:14,446 --> 00:25:17,216
Is there a mechanism or a
structure for saying, hey,

569
00:25:17,215 --> 00:25:19,015
by the way -- not
submitting it for

570
00:25:19,017 --> 00:25:21,417
approval, but just to say,
hey, by the way, we're

571
00:25:21,419 --> 00:25:24,059
going to be moving "x"
number of troops from

572
00:25:24,055 --> 00:25:25,095
here to there?

573
00:25:25,090 --> 00:25:29,060
And is there a threshold
for what kinds of

574
00:25:29,060 --> 00:25:31,960
decisions get read out
to the incoming team?

575
00:25:31,963 --> 00:25:33,463
Mr. Earnest: Well,
Olivier, as you point out,

576
00:25:33,465 --> 00:25:35,665
there is one President and
one Commander-in-Chief at

577
00:25:35,667 --> 00:25:39,007
a time, and President
Obama's ability to make

578
00:25:39,004 --> 00:25:41,604
those kinds of decisions
about his view of the best

579
00:25:41,606 --> 00:25:44,376
interests of the country
remain unconstrained

580
00:25:44,376 --> 00:25:46,446
by the election.

581
00:25:46,444 --> 00:25:50,614
He is going to make his
own determination about

582
00:25:50,615 --> 00:25:52,355
what's best for the
country and he'll abide,

583
00:25:52,350 --> 00:25:53,690
of course, by all the
constitutional legal

584
00:25:53,685 --> 00:25:55,355
constraints that are in
place, as he's done for

585
00:25:55,353 --> 00:25:56,953
more than seven years now.

586
00:25:56,955 --> 00:25:58,495
But he'll be President of
the United States until

587
00:25:58,490 --> 00:26:00,130
January 20th, in which
he'll hand off that

588
00:26:00,125 --> 00:26:02,425
responsibility to
President Trump.

589
00:26:02,427 --> 00:26:04,327
One of the priorities
that this President has

590
00:26:04,329 --> 00:26:07,029
articulated is a
commitment to a smooth and

591
00:26:07,032 --> 00:26:08,202
effective transition.

592
00:26:08,199 --> 00:26:10,669
And that transition will
be more smooth and more

593
00:26:10,669 --> 00:26:13,969
effective if the
President-elect and his

594
00:26:13,972 --> 00:26:18,842
team has some insight into
the kinds of decisions

595
00:26:18,843 --> 00:26:22,213
that are being made
in real time as the

596
00:26:22,213 --> 00:26:23,783
President-elect prepares
to take office.

597
00:26:23,782 --> 00:26:27,482
So it's hard for me to
give you a lot of detail

598
00:26:27,485 --> 00:26:32,825
about what standard is
established for something

599
00:26:32,824 --> 00:26:37,064
being needed to be
communicated to the

600
00:26:37,062 --> 00:26:38,862
President-elect's team.

601
00:26:38,863 --> 00:26:41,633
But there certainly is an
interest in helping the

602
00:26:41,633 --> 00:26:45,273
President-elect's team
understand what kinds of

603
00:26:45,270 --> 00:26:48,770
decisions are being made
so that they will be

604
00:26:48,773 --> 00:26:54,613
prepared to lead the
country on January 20th.

605
00:26:54,612 --> 00:26:56,182
The Press: -- a slightly
different take --

606
00:26:56,181 --> 00:26:56,811
Mr. Earnest: Okay.

607
00:26:56,815 --> 00:26:58,085
The Press: Is there a
mechanism other than the

608
00:26:58,083 --> 00:27:00,483
PDB, the intelligence
briefings, for reading in

609
00:27:00,485 --> 00:27:02,885
the President-elect's team
on major national

610
00:27:02,887 --> 00:27:04,557
security issues?

611
00:27:04,556 --> 00:27:06,256
Mr. Earnest: Well, there
is a transition process.

612
00:27:06,257 --> 00:27:07,457
So, for example, the
President-elect has

613
00:27:07,459 --> 00:27:10,829
designated a landing team
to work closely with the

614
00:27:10,829 --> 00:27:12,569
National Security Council
and the Department of

615
00:27:12,564 --> 00:27:14,704
Defense and other national
security agencies to

616
00:27:14,699 --> 00:27:16,739
effect a smooth
transition.

617
00:27:16,735 --> 00:27:20,105
So that certainly is a
potential mechanism for

618
00:27:20,105 --> 00:27:23,245
providing insight
into those decisions.

619
00:27:23,241 --> 00:27:26,341
And then, as we've
discussed, there obviously

620
00:27:26,344 --> 00:27:29,814
is some communication that
is ongoing between the

621
00:27:29,814 --> 00:27:33,454
President and the
President-elect directly.

622
00:27:33,451 --> 00:27:35,621
I can't speak to whether
or not some of the

623
00:27:35,620 --> 00:27:37,160
national security issues
that you've alluded to

624
00:27:37,155 --> 00:27:38,925
came up in those
conversations or not, but

625
00:27:38,923 --> 00:27:40,763
that certainly would be
another mechanism for that

626
00:27:40,759 --> 00:27:42,399
information being transmitted. Ron.

627
00:27:42,394 --> 00:27:47,534
The Press: So on the
Affordable Care Act, is

628
00:27:47,532 --> 00:27:51,432
the President -- are you
saying that the President

629
00:27:51,436 --> 00:27:54,806
believes that reality
is going to hit the new

630
00:27:54,806 --> 00:27:56,476
administration and they're
going to be able to see

631
00:27:56,474 --> 00:27:59,744
that they can't
dismantle this?

632
00:27:59,744 --> 00:28:01,344
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
the point that I'm making,

633
00:28:01,346 --> 00:28:02,886
Ron, just to try to be
as direct as I can about

634
00:28:02,881 --> 00:28:09,691
this, is that it's one
thing to use rhetoric on

635
00:28:09,687 --> 00:28:13,187
the campaign trail that
may poll well among a

636
00:28:13,191 --> 00:28:16,031
certain segment of the
population, and saying at

637
00:28:16,027 --> 00:28:20,637
a rally of thousands of
conservatives who are

638
00:28:20,632 --> 00:28:24,332
ardent political opponents
of President Obama -- to

639
00:28:24,335 --> 00:28:28,445
stand at a podium like
this and say, I'm going to

640
00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:30,210
repeal Obamacare.

641
00:28:30,208 --> 00:28:35,078
It's yet another thing to
enter office and be faced

642
00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:39,020
with the reality that one
impact of the Affordable

643
00:28:39,017 --> 00:28:42,117
Care Act is that the rate
of Americans who are

644
00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:45,860
uninsured is at a
historic, all-time low; or

645
00:28:45,857 --> 00:28:50,597
to see that the growth in
employer-based premiums is

646
00:28:50,595 --> 00:28:53,295
actually lower than it's
been in quite some time;

647
00:28:53,298 --> 00:28:55,468
or that these kinds of
consumer protections are

648
00:28:55,467 --> 00:28:57,267
actually the kinds of
things that Democrats and

649
00:28:57,268 --> 00:28:58,838
Republicans alike all
across the country

650
00:28:58,837 --> 00:28:59,937
strongly support.

651
00:28:59,938 --> 00:29:03,038
So the idea of repealing
the law once you consider

652
00:29:03,041 --> 00:29:05,311
the benefits and once you
have to reckon with the

653
00:29:05,310 --> 00:29:08,410
benefits becomes
more difficult.

654
00:29:08,413 --> 00:29:10,813
The Press: How engaged is
the President in trying to

655
00:29:10,815 --> 00:29:13,955
make this argument now
on a practical matter?

656
00:29:13,952 --> 00:29:17,622
Is he in touch with -- is
he in touch with the

657
00:29:17,622 --> 00:29:18,352
new administration?

658
00:29:18,356 --> 00:29:20,426
Is he in touch with
folks on the Hill?

659
00:29:20,425 --> 00:29:23,525
What is he doing to try

660
00:29:23,528 --> 00:29:25,698
and make this case, if anything?

661
00:29:25,697 --> 00:29:28,437
Or is he just resigned
to the fact that they're

662
00:29:28,433 --> 00:29:30,173
going to change it?

663
00:29:30,168 --> 00:29:31,838
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I think as I've tried to

664
00:29:31,836 --> 00:29:35,236
lay out here, their
promise to change it I

665
00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:37,580
think is going to
be challenging.

666
00:29:37,575 --> 00:29:39,315
If they're at all
concerned about trying to

667
00:29:39,310 --> 00:29:41,910
expand health care
coverage, or save people

668
00:29:41,913 --> 00:29:43,883
money, or protect people
from insurance companies

669
00:29:43,882 --> 00:29:45,312
that may not have their
interests at heart, or to

670
00:29:45,316 --> 00:29:48,086
extend the lifetime of
Medicare, or to cut the

671
00:29:48,086 --> 00:29:50,186
deficit -- if they don't
share those priorities,

672
00:29:50,188 --> 00:29:51,758
then it will be pretty
easy to come in and just

673
00:29:51,756 --> 00:29:54,196
knock this down and
put in some other plan.

674
00:29:54,192 --> 00:29:55,732
I'm not really sure what
the benefits would be, but

675
00:29:55,727 --> 00:29:56,657
they'll have an

676
00:29:56,661 --> 00:29:57,901
opportunity to make that case.

677
00:29:57,896 --> 00:29:59,866
I think that's my point.

678
00:29:59,864 --> 00:30:01,834
With regard to the
President, he has had a

679
00:30:01,833 --> 00:30:04,473
handful of conversations
with the President-elect,

680
00:30:04,469 --> 00:30:05,669
including in
the Oval Office.

681
00:30:05,670 --> 00:30:06,910
I'm not going to speak
to the content of

682
00:30:06,905 --> 00:30:08,005
those conversations.

683
00:30:08,006 --> 00:30:12,146
There are plenty of very
strong supporters of the

684
00:30:12,143 --> 00:30:15,183
Affordable Care Act who
continue to serve in the

685
00:30:15,180 --> 00:30:16,510
United States Congress.

686
00:30:16,514 --> 00:30:18,514
And many of the kinds of
changes that are being

687
00:30:18,516 --> 00:30:21,286
discussed by some
conservatives would

688
00:30:21,286 --> 00:30:23,226
require congressional
approval, so --

689
00:30:23,221 --> 00:30:25,091
The Press: But I asked
because I think there's --

690
00:30:25,089 --> 00:30:26,259
among some of the
President's supporters,

691
00:30:26,257 --> 00:30:29,527
there's a concern that in
his effort to create a

692
00:30:29,527 --> 00:30:32,827
smooth transition he
appears to be not fighting

693
00:30:32,830 --> 00:30:36,900
back as much of his legacy
is about to be dismantled

694
00:30:36,901 --> 00:30:38,601
or certainly
severely threatened.

695
00:30:38,603 --> 00:30:40,043
Mr. Earnest: I
guess my point is --

696
00:30:40,038 --> 00:30:41,608
The Press: And on this
issue, that's why I asked

697
00:30:41,606 --> 00:30:45,906
specifically what is he
doing to protect Obamacare

698
00:30:45,910 --> 00:30:48,910
or the Affordable
Care Act?

699
00:30:48,913 --> 00:30:51,213
Is my characterization --

700
00:30:51,216 --> 00:30:52,686
Mr. Earnest: Well, I guess
the point that I'm trying

701
00:30:52,684 --> 00:30:55,784
to make is that the most
effective way for the

702
00:30:55,787 --> 00:31:09,137
Affordable Care Act to
succeed is to implement

703
00:31:09,133 --> 00:31:11,903
it effectively.

704
00:31:11,903 --> 00:31:15,073
And I think many of the
metrics here that we have

705
00:31:15,073 --> 00:31:15,943
laid out indicate how
effectively we

706
00:31:15,940 --> 00:31:16,540
have implemented it.

707
00:31:16,541 --> 00:31:19,011
There have clearly been
some highly publicized

708
00:31:19,010 --> 00:31:23,050
bumps in the road, and the
failure of the website on

709
00:31:23,047 --> 00:31:24,717
the first day of its
launch was not an

710
00:31:24,716 --> 00:31:26,756
insignificant one.

711
00:31:26,751 --> 00:31:30,221
But I think the results
speak for themselves.

712
00:31:30,221 --> 00:31:33,321
The Press: More generally,
in the final weeks, what

713
00:31:33,324 --> 00:31:34,894
are the President's
priorities?

714
00:31:34,892 --> 00:31:37,662
What does he realistically
think he can accomplish?

715
00:31:37,662 --> 00:31:39,762
And given your statement
you keep coming back to

716
00:31:39,764 --> 00:31:41,904
about how the realities
of the office set in, I

717
00:31:41,899 --> 00:31:43,939
imagine there's a lot of
reality that's setting

718
00:31:43,935 --> 00:31:44,535
in now, too --

719
00:31:44,535 --> 00:31:45,975
Mr. Earnest: Sure, sure.

720
00:31:45,970 --> 00:31:47,670
The Press: -- at the back
end of this whole thing.

721
00:31:47,672 --> 00:31:48,872
And I think when asked
about this before, you

722
00:31:48,873 --> 00:31:51,143
talked about national
security and those sort of

723
00:31:51,142 --> 00:31:54,442
ongoing important
obligations that

724
00:31:54,445 --> 00:31:55,245
the President has.

725
00:31:55,246 --> 00:31:58,286
But what else is he really
trying to accomplish in

726
00:31:58,283 --> 00:32:00,053
the final weeks?

727
00:32:00,051 --> 00:32:01,651
Mr. Earnest: Well, there
certainly are some

728
00:32:01,653 --> 00:32:03,223
legislative priorities
that we're trying to make

729
00:32:03,221 --> 00:32:04,321
some progress on.

730
00:32:04,322 --> 00:32:08,062
There are many things
that are going to be left

731
00:32:08,059 --> 00:32:10,229
undone, unfortunately --
things like immigration

732
00:32:10,228 --> 00:32:12,898
reform, probably
criminal justice reform.

733
00:32:12,897 --> 00:32:14,537
And that's more
than a little --

734
00:32:14,532 --> 00:32:16,232
The Press: So
what's realistic?

735
00:32:16,234 --> 00:32:17,674
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
first thing is we've got

736
00:32:17,669 --> 00:32:19,139
to -- Congress has got
to act on a budget.

737
00:32:19,137 --> 00:32:21,407
And if they don't act by
December 9th, we'll have a

738
00:32:21,406 --> 00:32:22,336
government shutdown.

739
00:32:22,340 --> 00:32:23,810
I don't think
anybody wants that.

740
00:32:23,808 --> 00:32:26,948
We certainly don't
want that from here.

741
00:32:26,944 --> 00:32:28,784
And more than that, we
don't just want to avoid a

742
00:32:28,780 --> 00:32:30,620
shutdown,; we also want to
make sure that our men and

743
00:32:30,615 --> 00:32:35,115
women at the Department of
Defense have the resources

744
00:32:35,119 --> 00:32:42,429
that they need, even in
this challenging time, to

745
00:32:42,427 --> 00:32:45,827
succeed in their mission
to protect the country.

746
00:32:45,830 --> 00:32:48,730
And there has been a
proposal floated by some

747
00:32:48,733 --> 00:32:51,473
on Capitol Hill that
they might consider an

748
00:32:51,469 --> 00:32:52,469
extension of the

749
00:32:52,470 --> 00:32:55,710
continuing resolution to May.

750
00:32:55,707 --> 00:32:57,907
That would be a big
problem, and the reason

751
00:32:57,909 --> 00:33:02,179
that would be a problem is
because it would hamstring

752
00:33:02,180 --> 00:33:05,250
some of the efforts that
are underway at the

753
00:33:05,249 --> 00:33:08,089
Department of Defense to
protect the country and to

754
00:33:08,086 --> 00:33:12,956
start new efforts, new
weapons systems and other

755
00:33:12,957 --> 00:33:18,727
production increases that
are required to ensure

756
00:33:18,730 --> 00:33:21,530
that our men and women in
uniform have the resources

757
00:33:21,532 --> 00:33:23,132
that they need and the
equipment that they need

758
00:33:23,134 --> 00:33:23,864
to protect the country.

759
00:33:23,868 --> 00:33:26,868
There also is an important
fight underway in Iraq

760
00:33:26,871 --> 00:33:29,471
right now against ISIL.

761
00:33:29,474 --> 00:33:32,144
And there are substantial
resources that have been

762
00:33:32,143 --> 00:33:33,913
committed to that fight.

763
00:33:33,911 --> 00:33:36,911
The United States has
a very specific role.

764
00:33:36,914 --> 00:33:41,724
It's different than the
role that our troops were

765
00:33:41,719 --> 00:33:43,319
-- or different than the
mission that our troops

766
00:33:43,321 --> 00:33:44,521
were given when
President Bush was the

767
00:33:44,522 --> 00:33:47,692
Commander-in-Chief, but it
still requires resources.

768
00:33:47,692 --> 00:33:49,932
President Obama has made a
substantial commitment to

769
00:33:49,927 --> 00:33:54,067
a European
reassurance effort.

770
00:33:54,065 --> 00:33:56,305
And these are the kinds
-- I'm listing out these

771
00:33:56,300 --> 00:33:58,170
things because these are
the kinds of things that

772
00:33:58,169 --> 00:34:01,839
would not be addressed
through a straight CR.

773
00:34:01,839 --> 00:34:05,109
And I think even the
Secretary of Defense can

774
00:34:05,109 --> 00:34:11,319
tell you how a CR through
March that essentially

775
00:34:11,315 --> 00:34:14,985
covers six months of the
fiscal year is bad enough,

776
00:34:14,986 --> 00:34:17,186
but extending the CR
through May and having a

777
00:34:17,188 --> 00:34:20,828
CR in place for
three-quarters of the year

778
00:34:20,825 --> 00:34:23,695
would have a really
negative impact on the

779
00:34:23,694 --> 00:34:26,064
Department of Defense and
would undermine some of

780
00:34:26,063 --> 00:34:27,303
the important work
that's being

781
00:34:27,298 --> 00:34:28,198
done there on a regular
basis to

782
00:34:28,199 --> 00:34:29,439
protect the country.

783
00:34:29,434 --> 00:34:33,574
So Congress has got a
responsibility here.

784
00:34:33,571 --> 00:34:35,271
We obviously prefer that
they pass a budget.

785
00:34:35,273 --> 00:34:41,043
But if they resort to just
a continuing resolution,

786
00:34:41,045 --> 00:34:44,445
we believe that that
should be made -- that

787
00:34:44,449 --> 00:34:48,649
that should be as short as
possible so that a regular

788
00:34:48,653 --> 00:34:51,653
appropriations bill can be
passed and the resources

789
00:34:51,656 --> 00:34:52,656
that our men and women

790
00:34:52,657 --> 00:34:56,697
need can be approved. Kevin.

791
00:34:56,694 --> 00:34:57,294
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

792
00:34:57,295 --> 00:34:58,425
I want to ask you about
South Korea and the

793
00:34:58,429 --> 00:34:59,869
instability that's
happening there

794
00:34:59,864 --> 00:35:00,994
politically right now.

795
00:35:00,998 --> 00:35:03,038
How does that
impact the U.S.

796
00:35:03,034 --> 00:35:04,704
relationship with what's
happening there, in

797
00:35:04,702 --> 00:35:07,472
particular as we make the
Asian pivot, as we've

798
00:35:07,472 --> 00:35:11,372
talked about at length
for quite some time?

799
00:35:11,375 --> 00:35:12,745
Mr. Earnest: Well, Kevin,
the thing I can tell you

800
00:35:12,743 --> 00:35:15,583
is that the United States
and South Korea have been

801
00:35:15,580 --> 00:35:17,720
close allies for decades.

802
00:35:17,715 --> 00:35:19,585
And the strength of that
alliance has persisted

803
00:35:19,584 --> 00:35:21,424
through Democratic and
Republican administrations

804
00:35:21,419 --> 00:35:23,619
in the United States,
and that alliance has

805
00:35:23,621 --> 00:35:25,191
persisted through
different administrations

806
00:35:25,189 --> 00:35:27,489
in the Korean
presidency as well.

807
00:35:27,492 --> 00:35:31,162
And that's an indication
that the security

808
00:35:31,162 --> 00:35:33,332
relationship between the
Republic of Korea and the

809
00:35:33,331 --> 00:35:35,931
United States is
substantial and so

810
00:35:35,933 --> 00:35:40,543
important that it
supersedes

811
00:35:40,538 --> 00:35:42,608
political relationships.

812
00:35:42,607 --> 00:35:45,307
The people-to-people ties
between our two countries

813
00:35:45,309 --> 00:35:48,379
indicate just how
important a relationship

814
00:35:48,379 --> 00:35:48,879
this is, and that
certainly

815
00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:52,580
supersedes politics.

816
00:35:52,583 --> 00:35:58,253
So the President is
committed to our alliance

817
00:35:58,256 --> 00:36:01,526
and, just as importantly,
our country is committed

818
00:36:01,526 --> 00:36:02,796
to maintaining a strong
alliance between

819
00:36:02,793 --> 00:36:06,663
our two countries.

820
00:36:06,664 --> 00:36:09,234
Investing in that alliance
advances the interests of

821
00:36:09,233 --> 00:36:10,973
both our countries and
enhances the national

822
00:36:10,968 --> 00:36:12,868
security of both
our countries.

823
00:36:12,870 --> 00:36:19,010
So obviously there is a
rather complicated, shall

824
00:36:19,010 --> 00:36:22,510
we say, domestic political
situation inside of South

825
00:36:22,513 --> 00:36:24,413
Korea right now.

826
00:36:24,415 --> 00:36:26,615
That is a situation that
the South Korean people

827
00:36:26,617 --> 00:36:28,387
will grapple with.

828
00:36:28,386 --> 00:36:32,626
But the ongoing alliance
between our two countries

829
00:36:32,623 --> 00:36:34,593
is as strong and
durable as ever.

830
00:36:34,592 --> 00:36:36,192
The Press: Has the
President been in contact

831
00:36:36,193 --> 00:36:37,463
with his
counterpart there?

832
00:36:37,461 --> 00:36:39,501
Mr. Earnest: I'm not aware
that they have had an

833
00:36:39,497 --> 00:36:41,167
opportunity to speak
since September.

834
00:36:41,165 --> 00:36:42,435
You'll recall that
President Obama had an

835
00:36:42,433 --> 00:36:45,633
opportunity to meet with
President Park in Laos

836
00:36:45,636 --> 00:36:48,136
in early September.

837
00:36:48,139 --> 00:36:52,079
They spoke shortly after
that meeting on the

838
00:36:52,076 --> 00:36:56,176
telephone in the hours
after the latest nuclear

839
00:36:56,180 --> 00:36:58,450
test from North Korea.

840
00:36:58,449 --> 00:37:02,019
I don't believe that
they've spoken since then,

841
00:37:02,019 --> 00:37:04,619
but we can keep you
updated on that situation.

842
00:37:04,622 --> 00:37:05,962
The Press: What does the
President think about

843
00:37:05,957 --> 00:37:12,427
David Petraeus and his
ability to be a Secretary

844
00:37:12,430 --> 00:37:15,000
of State if that were to
be something the Trump

845
00:37:14,999 --> 00:37:16,639
administration
would consider?

846
00:37:16,634 --> 00:37:18,374
Does the President think
he's the kind of man who

847
00:37:18,369 --> 00:37:19,299
could do that job?

848
00:37:19,303 --> 00:37:22,303
Mr. Earnest: Listen, as I
mentioned yesterday, I've

849
00:37:22,306 --> 00:37:26,006
avoided speculating
on potential

850
00:37:26,010 --> 00:37:27,650
Obama administration --

851
00:37:27,645 --> 00:37:29,385
The Press: This is someone
he knows personally.

852
00:37:29,380 --> 00:37:30,620
Mr. Earnest: Well, yes
-- but let me finish.

853
00:37:30,615 --> 00:37:31,315
I'll work on something
here for you.

854
00:37:31,315 --> 00:37:31,845
(Laughter.)

855
00:37:31,849 --> 00:37:34,789
The Press: All right.

856
00:37:34,785 --> 00:37:35,925
Mr. Earnest:
I'll try to help.

857
00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:37,420
Let me just stipulate,
though, that I'm going to

858
00:37:37,421 --> 00:37:39,691
-- I'm reluctant -- as
I've been reluctant to

859
00:37:39,690 --> 00:37:41,790
speculate on potential
Obama administration

860
00:37:41,792 --> 00:37:44,032
personnel announcements,
I'm particularly reluctant

861
00:37:44,028 --> 00:37:47,228
to speculate on any Trump
administration

862
00:37:47,231 --> 00:37:49,571
personnel announcements.

863
00:37:49,567 --> 00:37:51,667
But as you point out,
Kevin, the President does

864
00:37:51,669 --> 00:37:56,139
know General Petraeus, and
General Petraeus assumed

865
00:37:56,140 --> 00:37:57,740
some significant
responsibilities in the

866
00:37:57,742 --> 00:38:00,212
Obama administration,
including not just in the

867
00:38:00,211 --> 00:38:02,381
military but also when he
left the military to serve

868
00:38:02,380 --> 00:38:07,280
for a period of time as
the Director of the CIA.

869
00:38:07,284 --> 00:38:17,864
And President Obama has
always admired General

870
00:38:17,862 --> 00:38:22,232
Petraeus's commitment
to serving the country,

871
00:38:22,233 --> 00:38:25,503
certainly when it came to
leading our men and women

872
00:38:25,503 --> 00:38:31,773
in uniform in a hostile
situation in Iraq.

873
00:38:31,776 --> 00:38:34,316
At the same time,
obviously General Petraeus

874
00:38:34,311 --> 00:38:37,851
admitted to some
serious crimes.

875
00:38:37,848 --> 00:38:44,658
And he had to pay a price
for that, both publicly

876
00:38:44,655 --> 00:38:49,125
and in private -- and
in his private life.

877
00:38:49,126 --> 00:38:52,526
But with regard to his
potential appointment as

878
00:38:52,530 --> 00:38:55,800
Secretary of State,
we'll leave it to the

879
00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:59,600
President-elect and his
team to describe why

880
00:38:59,603 --> 00:39:01,573
General Petraeus may be a
good fit for that position

881
00:39:01,572 --> 00:39:04,912
and why he may be under
consideration for it.

882
00:39:04,909 --> 00:39:05,609
The Press: It's certainly
fair to say the President

883
00:39:05,609 --> 00:39:08,149
doesn't consider
him unfit.

884
00:39:08,145 --> 00:39:10,585
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I don't think I'd pass

885
00:39:10,581 --> 00:39:12,351
judgment one way or
another on a potential

886
00:39:12,349 --> 00:39:13,749
personnel announcement.

887
00:39:13,751 --> 00:39:15,021
As we've discussed
earlier, General Petraeus

888
00:39:15,019 --> 00:39:17,359
is somebody with extensive
experience in the Middle

889
00:39:17,354 --> 00:39:20,094
East, and he has, on
occasion, served as an

890
00:39:20,091 --> 00:39:23,291
informal outside advisor
to senior administration

891
00:39:23,294 --> 00:39:25,064
officials here who have
sought his advice and

892
00:39:25,062 --> 00:39:27,232
counsel on some of the
many difficult issues that

893
00:39:27,231 --> 00:39:31,201
our diplomats and
intelligence professionals

894
00:39:31,202 --> 00:39:32,532
and military leaders face

895
00:39:32,536 --> 00:39:36,476
in that region of the world.

896
00:39:36,474 --> 00:39:37,944
That advice was not
provided through any sort

897
00:39:37,942 --> 00:39:39,982
of formal channel or his
service on any sort of

898
00:39:39,977 --> 00:39:42,147
formal advisory board.

899
00:39:42,146 --> 00:39:44,386
But he, nonetheless,
maintains some important

900
00:39:44,381 --> 00:39:46,151
relationships with
officials here in the

901
00:39:46,150 --> 00:39:47,590
Obama administration.

902
00:39:47,585 --> 00:39:50,425
And that's an indication
that he is a professional

903
00:39:50,421 --> 00:39:54,121
who has a lot of
experience and knowledge.

904
00:39:54,125 --> 00:39:57,225
He's somebody who loves
his country and has served

905
00:39:57,228 --> 00:40:01,568
his country, and he's
somebody who, over the

906
00:40:01,565 --> 00:40:04,735
course of his career, has
provided valuable advice

907
00:40:04,735 --> 00:40:06,575
to Presidents
in both parties.

908
00:40:06,570 --> 00:40:09,910
But his fitness for this
position is something that

909
00:40:09,907 --> 00:40:12,507
I'll allow the President-elect to determine.

910
00:40:12,510 --> 00:40:14,150
The Press: Two quick ones.

911
00:40:14,145 --> 00:40:16,585
Any update on the possible
strike -- I'm not sure if

912
00:40:16,580 --> 00:40:18,680
it's actually taking
place -- up in Chicago?

913
00:40:18,682 --> 00:40:21,652
The SEIU is having a
massive strike that could

914
00:40:21,652 --> 00:40:23,222
be impacting air travel.

915
00:40:23,220 --> 00:40:24,590
Are you aware of this?

916
00:40:24,588 --> 00:40:26,188
And if so, what's
the outlook?

917
00:40:26,190 --> 00:40:27,960
Mr. Earnest: I've seen
some of the news reports

918
00:40:27,958 --> 00:40:31,328
about the potential
for a strike among some

919
00:40:31,328 --> 00:40:34,398
non-unionized
workers in Chicago.

920
00:40:34,398 --> 00:40:36,898
I'm not aware of it having
any significant impact on

921
00:40:36,901 --> 00:40:39,441
air travel at this point,
but we can certainly check

922
00:40:39,436 --> 00:40:39,906
on that for you.

923
00:40:39,904 --> 00:40:40,874
I'm also not aware of any
communication from the

924
00:40:40,871 --> 00:40:41,841
White House about this

925
00:40:41,839 --> 00:40:44,609
potential labor action. Chip.

926
00:40:44,608 --> 00:40:45,408
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

927
00:40:45,409 --> 00:40:46,979
On the Dakota pipeline
situation, how closely is

928
00:40:46,977 --> 00:40:50,317
the President now
following this?

929
00:40:50,314 --> 00:40:55,484
It really is becoming
a bit of a powder keg.

930
00:40:55,486 --> 00:40:57,656
There already has been a
fair amount of violence

931
00:40:57,655 --> 00:40:58,685
and there are some people
who believe there could be

932
00:40:58,689 --> 00:40:59,389
more with the evacuation
order from the governor

933
00:40:59,390 --> 00:41:01,290
and now a large group of
veterans saying that they

934
00:41:01,292 --> 00:41:03,432
are going to go in and
act as human shields to

935
00:41:03,427 --> 00:41:05,067
protect the protestors.

936
00:41:05,062 --> 00:41:07,932
Is the President -- there
are people calling for the

937
00:41:07,932 --> 00:41:10,402
President to get more
personally involved, for

938
00:41:10,401 --> 00:41:11,431
the administration
to get more involved.

939
00:41:11,435 --> 00:41:13,735
Will they do that?

940
00:41:13,737 --> 00:41:14,707
Mr. Earnest: Well, Chip, I
did see the statement

941
00:41:14,705 --> 00:41:15,635
from the governor.

942
00:41:15,639 --> 00:41:18,979
I think the governor at
some point hastened to add

943
00:41:18,976 --> 00:41:22,976
that he did not anticipate
forcibly removing people

944
00:41:22,980 --> 00:41:26,580
who are currently
at that site.

945
00:41:26,584 --> 00:41:28,884
The President was asked
about this a month ago and

946
00:41:28,886 --> 00:41:33,556
indicated his belief
that protestors have a

947
00:41:33,557 --> 00:41:37,867
responsibility to
protest peacefully.

948
00:41:37,862 --> 00:41:42,462
He indicated that there's
an obligation for law

949
00:41:42,466 --> 00:41:45,136
enforcement authorities
to show some restraint.

950
00:41:45,135 --> 00:41:48,175
And it's important for
everybody to do what they

951
00:41:48,172 --> 00:41:50,942
can to try to avoid a
situation where people are

952
00:41:50,941 --> 00:41:52,741
going to get hurt.

953
00:41:52,743 --> 00:41:55,313
So that obviously
is a top priority.

954
00:41:55,312 --> 00:42:04,152
The President at the time
indicated that there was

955
00:42:04,154 --> 00:42:05,324
an ongoing review at the
Army Corps of Engineers,

956
00:42:05,322 --> 00:42:09,762
considering what sort of
-- or I guess I should say

957
00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:14,630
whether additional
engagement with tribes in

958
00:42:14,632 --> 00:42:19,272
the area was necessary
before moving forward

959
00:42:19,270 --> 00:42:20,300
with the project.

960
00:42:20,304 --> 00:42:24,604
And that review determined
that it was important for

961
00:42:24,608 --> 00:42:28,348
the Army Corps of
Engineers to go back to

962
00:42:28,345 --> 00:42:31,115
the tribes and other
affected populations and

963
00:42:31,115 --> 00:42:33,755
engage in additional
conversations with them to

964
00:42:33,751 --> 00:42:35,421
try to address their
concerns about this

965
00:42:35,419 --> 00:42:38,689
particular
infrastructure project.

966
00:42:38,689 --> 00:42:40,329
So that is work that the
Army Corps of Engineers

967
00:42:40,324 --> 00:42:41,024
is engaged in.

968
00:42:41,025 --> 00:42:42,155
The President obviously
believes that it's

969
00:42:42,159 --> 00:42:45,729
important for government
agencies in a situation

970
00:42:45,729 --> 00:42:48,329
like this to carefully
consider the impact of

971
00:42:48,332 --> 00:42:50,772
these kinds of projects
on local populations.

972
00:42:50,768 --> 00:42:55,308
I know that this is
actually often a principle

973
00:42:55,306 --> 00:42:58,246
that Republicans -- or at
least conservatives would

974
00:42:58,242 --> 00:43:00,642
hold up as an important
thing for the federal

975
00:43:00,644 --> 00:43:02,214
government to do.

976
00:43:02,212 --> 00:43:03,452
And in this situation,
President Obama agrees.

977
00:43:03,447 --> 00:43:08,317
And it's important for the
concerns that are raised

978
00:43:08,319 --> 00:43:11,459
by local populations to be
taken into consideration

979
00:43:11,455 --> 00:43:13,425
when a significant
government action like

980
00:43:13,424 --> 00:43:14,654
this is being
contemplated.

981
00:43:14,658 --> 00:43:16,298
The Press: So has he
done anything to be more

982
00:43:16,293 --> 00:43:18,833
involved in this than
what he said a month ago?

983
00:43:18,829 --> 00:43:21,029
Mr. Earnest: The President
is being regularly updated

984
00:43:21,031 --> 00:43:22,431
on the situation.

985
00:43:22,433 --> 00:43:24,003
And I know that there are
officials at the White

986
00:43:24,001 --> 00:43:25,341
House that have been in
touch with the relevant

987
00:43:25,336 --> 00:43:27,606
agencies, including the
Department of Interior.

988
00:43:27,604 --> 00:43:30,644
But I'm not aware of any
specific presidential

989
00:43:30,641 --> 00:43:32,781
actions that have been
taken at this point, in

990
00:43:32,776 --> 00:43:39,946
part because the renewed
engagement of local

991
00:43:39,950 --> 00:43:44,620
populations by the Army
Corps of Engineers is

992
00:43:44,621 --> 00:43:46,591
consistent with what the
President believes is an

993
00:43:46,590 --> 00:43:48,860
appropriate next step.

994
00:43:48,859 --> 00:43:50,059
The Press: One of the
possibilities that was

995
00:43:50,060 --> 00:43:52,430
suggested a month ago was
rerouting the pipeline.

996
00:43:52,429 --> 00:43:53,799
Where does that stand?

997
00:43:53,797 --> 00:43:56,137
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I can't speak for the Army

998
00:43:56,133 --> 00:43:57,773
Corps in terms of the
discussions that they're

999
00:43:57,768 --> 00:44:02,738
having with the
tribes in the area.

1000
00:44:02,740 --> 00:44:06,110
I think the President's
hope is that both sides

1001
00:44:06,110 --> 00:44:09,410
will sit at the table in
a constructive spirit and

1002
00:44:09,413 --> 00:44:12,553
actually focus on
trying to resolve these

1003
00:44:12,549 --> 00:44:15,549
differences as
quickly as possible.

1004
00:44:15,552 --> 00:44:17,592
And I think the
President's view is that

1005
00:44:17,588 --> 00:44:20,058
it's in the interests of
both the tribe -- the

1006
00:44:20,057 --> 00:44:22,727
locally affected tribes
and the Army Corps of

1007
00:44:22,726 --> 00:44:25,426
Engineers to resolve these
differences as soon as

1008
00:44:25,429 --> 00:44:28,269
possible and let the
project go forward.

1009
00:44:28,265 --> 00:44:30,535
The Press: He has no plans
to get more personally

1010
00:44:30,534 --> 00:44:31,974
involved at this point?

1011
00:44:31,969 --> 00:44:34,309
Mr. Earnest: At this
point, I'm not aware of

1012
00:44:34,304 --> 00:44:36,504
any impending
presidential actions.

1013
00:44:36,507 --> 00:44:38,207
But if that changes
we'll let you

1014
00:44:38,208 --> 00:44:40,308
know. April.

1015
00:44:40,310 --> 00:44:42,710
The Press: Josh,
two quick questions.

1016
00:44:42,713 --> 00:44:46,213
Are there any plans for
any phone conversations or

1017
00:44:46,216 --> 00:44:49,216
any meetings, face to
face, with President Obama

1018
00:44:49,219 --> 00:44:52,289
and President-elect
Trump again?

1019
00:44:52,289 --> 00:44:53,259
Mr. Earnest: I certainly
wouldn't rule them out,

1020
00:44:53,257 --> 00:44:54,627
but there are no --
nothing is scheduled at

1021
00:44:54,625 --> 00:44:56,165
this point.

1022
00:44:56,160 --> 00:44:57,460
The Press: Nothing
is scheduled.

1023
00:44:57,461 --> 00:44:59,131
When you say you wouldn't
rule it out, could it be

1024
00:44:59,129 --> 00:45:01,429
this week, next week, and
it just happened just

1025
00:45:01,432 --> 00:45:03,002
by happenstance?

1026
00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:04,440
How is it happening?

1027
00:45:04,435 --> 00:45:05,935
Mr. Earnest: It typically
happens when the

1028
00:45:05,936 --> 00:45:07,176
President-elect telephones
the White House and says

1029
00:45:07,171 --> 00:45:08,441
that he would like to
speak to the President of

1030
00:45:08,439 --> 00:45:10,439
the United States, and the
President either gets on

1031
00:45:10,441 --> 00:45:12,941
the phone or calls
him back quickly.

1032
00:45:12,943 --> 00:45:13,543
The Press: Has
he called --

1033
00:45:13,544 --> 00:45:15,744
Mr. Earnest: I can't speak

1034
00:45:15,746 --> 00:45:17,386
to the timing of those calls.

1035
00:45:17,381 --> 00:45:18,181
The Press: Why can't you?

1036
00:45:18,182 --> 00:45:19,312
Mr. Earnest: I don't know

1037
00:45:19,316 --> 00:45:22,156
when the calls have been placed.

1038
00:45:22,152 --> 00:45:22,982
The Press: Next question.

1039
00:45:22,986 --> 00:45:24,556
But that was a
valid question.

1040
00:45:24,555 --> 00:45:27,925
Next question.

1041
00:45:27,925 --> 00:45:34,265
How do you rate or gauge
the effectiveness of a

1042
00:45:34,264 --> 00:45:37,334
presidential policy, an
initiative, particularly

1043
00:45:37,334 --> 00:45:42,044
when it is dismantled,
defunded, or taken apart

1044
00:45:42,039 --> 00:45:46,779
not like you intended or
originally placed it --

1045
00:45:46,777 --> 00:45:49,617
how do you gauge for
legacy purposes the

1046
00:45:49,613 --> 00:45:52,213
effectiveness of that
piece of policy

1047
00:45:52,216 --> 00:45:54,886
or an initiative?

1048
00:45:54,885 --> 00:45:57,655
Mr. Earnest: Well, I
think, April, what I would

1049
00:45:57,654 --> 00:45:59,124
do is I'd draw your
attention to a metaphor

1050
00:45:59,123 --> 00:46:00,693
that you've heard the
President use before that

1051
00:46:00,691 --> 00:46:05,361
he likens his service in
the Oval Office to a relay

1052
00:46:05,362 --> 00:46:08,702
run, that for eight years
he's had the baton, he's

1053
00:46:08,699 --> 00:46:10,669
had the responsibility of
advancing the interests

1054
00:46:10,667 --> 00:46:12,067
of the country.

1055
00:46:12,069 --> 00:46:13,569
He took the handoff from
President George W.

1056
00:46:13,570 --> 00:46:18,810
Bush, and he ran as far
and as fast as he could

1057
00:46:18,809 --> 00:46:21,009
over the last eight years.

1058
00:46:21,011 --> 00:46:23,951
But on January 20th, it
will be time for him to

1059
00:46:23,947 --> 00:46:27,187
hand off the baton to the
next President -- in this

1060
00:46:27,184 --> 00:46:28,724
case it will be
President Trump.

1061
00:46:28,719 --> 00:46:31,389
And there will be an
opportunity, a very clear

1062
00:46:31,388 --> 00:46:34,358
opportunity for people to
evaluate the progress that

1063
00:46:34,358 --> 00:46:37,028
the country has made
during the eight years

1064
00:46:37,027 --> 00:46:38,697
that the President was
carrying the baton.

1065
00:46:38,695 --> 00:46:40,095
And the Affordable Care
Act is a good example.

1066
00:46:40,097 --> 00:46:41,867
And I laid out some clear
benchmarks of the progress

1067
00:46:41,865 --> 00:46:44,535
that our country has made
in the eight years that

1068
00:46:44,535 --> 00:46:45,505
President Obama
was in office.

1069
00:46:45,502 --> 00:46:47,202
And what I would encourage
you to do -- and I think

1070
00:46:47,204 --> 00:46:49,704
it's common sense -- I
think this is what people

1071
00:46:49,706 --> 00:46:53,976
are likely to do, is to
compare the progress that

1072
00:46:53,977 --> 00:46:55,947
our country has enjoyed
under President Obama's

1073
00:46:55,946 --> 00:47:00,916
leadership to the progress
that our country makes

1074
00:47:00,918 --> 00:47:03,518
after President Trump
makes the changes

1075
00:47:03,520 --> 00:47:05,190
that he's recommended.

1076
00:47:05,189 --> 00:47:06,789
We've tried it the way
that President

1077
00:47:06,790 --> 00:47:07,990
Obama has advocated.

1078
00:47:07,991 --> 00:47:09,831
We certainly would have
appreciated greater

1079
00:47:09,826 --> 00:47:12,596
cooperation with
Republicans in Congress

1080
00:47:12,596 --> 00:47:14,936
because there is more that
we could have done to

1081
00:47:14,932 --> 00:47:17,502
strengthen the economy and
to improve our country,

1082
00:47:17,501 --> 00:47:21,001
and even common-sense
things like an investment

1083
00:47:21,004 --> 00:47:23,304
in infrastructure, reform
of our tax code, and

1084
00:47:23,307 --> 00:47:27,707
immigration reform, all
of which would have had

1085
00:47:27,711 --> 00:47:30,081
significant positive
economic benefits.

1086
00:47:30,080 --> 00:47:31,950
So we could
have done more.

1087
00:47:31,949 --> 00:47:33,549
But look, after eight

1088
00:47:33,550 --> 00:47:36,120
years, there's no making excuses.

1089
00:47:36,119 --> 00:47:40,329
We'll set the bar where it
is, and we'll take a look

1090
00:47:40,324 --> 00:47:41,994
at the progress that we've
made on health care.

1091
00:47:41,992 --> 00:47:43,362
We'll take a look at the
progress we've made on the

1092
00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:46,930
economy -- 73 consecutive
months of job growth, 15.5

1093
00:47:46,930 --> 00:47:48,770
million private sector

1094
00:47:48,765 --> 00:47:51,265
jobs over the last 80 months.

1095
00:47:51,268 --> 00:47:53,008
There are a variety of
metrics I think that will

1096
00:47:53,003 --> 00:47:56,003
clearly indicate what kind
of progress we've made

1097
00:47:56,006 --> 00:47:57,646
under President
Obama's leadership.

1098
00:47:57,641 --> 00:48:00,611
The American people voted
for a candidate who was

1099
00:48:00,611 --> 00:48:03,151
promising to radically
change all of that, and

1100
00:48:03,146 --> 00:48:09,156
we'll have an opportunity
to measure the wisdom of

1101
00:48:09,152 --> 00:48:10,452
making those changes.

1102
00:48:10,454 --> 00:48:11,424
The Press: And for the
sake of this conversation,

1103
00:48:11,421 --> 00:48:13,661
what was the most
significant pieces of

1104
00:48:13,657 --> 00:48:17,397
policy, executive order,
or anything, initiative,

1105
00:48:17,394 --> 00:48:18,164
that the Bush

1106
00:48:18,161 --> 00:48:19,931
administration had -- George W.

1107
00:48:19,930 --> 00:48:22,770
Bush administration had
that this administration

1108
00:48:22,766 --> 00:48:25,866
dismantled and there was a
significant change for the

1109
00:48:25,869 --> 00:48:32,639
better over these
eight years?

1110
00:48:32,643 --> 00:48:36,143
Mr. Earnest: Well, look,
we've spent a lot of time

1111
00:48:36,146 --> 00:48:37,916
talking about it, and I
think it applies here --

1112
00:48:37,914 --> 00:48:39,454
the Affordable Care Act.

1113
00:48:39,449 --> 00:48:42,749
For a hundred years,
Presidents in both parties

1114
00:48:42,753 --> 00:48:46,153
had assumed office
promising to fix the

1115
00:48:46,156 --> 00:48:49,926
health care system to
ensure that consumers were

1116
00:48:49,926 --> 00:48:51,796
better protected, to
ensure that more Americans

1117
00:48:51,795 --> 00:48:54,335
had access to health care
costs, to ensure that

1118
00:48:54,331 --> 00:48:57,571
health care costs weren't
growing so rapidly, to

1119
00:48:57,567 --> 00:49:00,407
strengthen Medicare, which
is something that a more

1120
00:49:00,404 --> 00:49:01,304
recent generation of

1121
00:49:01,305 --> 00:49:05,705
Presidents were faced with.

1122
00:49:05,709 --> 00:49:08,079
And by their own
accounting, all those

1123
00:49:08,078 --> 00:49:09,318
Presidents failed.

1124
00:49:09,313 --> 00:49:10,983
They weren't able to get
it done because of the

1125
00:49:10,981 --> 00:49:12,651
enormous legislative
barriers that stood in

1126
00:49:12,649 --> 00:49:14,919
their way and because of
the inherent complexity of

1127
00:49:14,918 --> 00:49:20,328
overhauling a sector of
the economy that comprises

1128
00:49:20,324 --> 00:49:23,694
about 20 percent of
our overall economy.

1129
00:49:23,694 --> 00:49:25,094
So it's substantial.

1130
00:49:25,095 --> 00:49:27,065
But President Obama
succeeded in doing it.

1131
00:49:27,064 --> 00:49:28,464
And the results
speak for themselves.

1132
00:49:28,465 --> 00:49:30,765
And there will be an
opportunity to evaluate

1133
00:49:30,767 --> 00:49:32,807
whether or not the kinds
of changes that President

1134
00:49:32,803 --> 00:49:34,873
Trump is recommending
actually do have a

1135
00:49:34,871 --> 00:49:38,411
positive impact on the
goals that Presidents in

1136
00:49:38,408 --> 00:49:40,378
both parties have stated.

1137
00:49:40,377 --> 00:49:43,117
So we can determine
whether or not the Trump

1138
00:49:43,113 --> 00:49:46,683
administration succeeds
in expanding access to

1139
00:49:46,683 --> 00:49:48,723
coverage and limiting the
growth in health care

1140
00:49:48,719 --> 00:49:50,419
costs, and extending
the life of *Medicaid

1141
00:49:50,420 --> 00:49:54,220
[Medicare], and protecting
consumers and in reducing

1142
00:49:54,224 --> 00:49:55,594
the deficit -- all
tangible benefits of the

1143
00:49:55,592 --> 00:49:56,662
Affordable Care Act.

1144
00:49:56,660 --> 00:49:59,930
We'll see if the changes
that they vow to implement

1145
00:49:59,930 --> 00:50:01,530
will build on that
progress and increase

1146
00:50:01,531 --> 00:50:04,071
those benefits.

1147
00:50:04,067 --> 00:50:06,737
And if so, President Obama
will be among the first to

1148
00:50:06,737 --> 00:50:09,477
give them credit
for doing so.

1149
00:50:09,473 --> 00:50:13,173
But if not, I think it
certainly will once again

1150
00:50:13,176 --> 00:50:16,076
confirm the wisdom of the
approach that President

1151
00:50:16,079 --> 00:50:16,679
Obama has pursued.

1152
00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:17,780
The Press: It
wasn't there before.

1153
00:50:17,781 --> 00:50:19,921
I'm talking like things
like education, or even

1154
00:50:19,916 --> 00:50:25,226
the military, with stem
cell -- different changes.

1155
00:50:25,222 --> 00:50:28,792
What was dismantled there
from when this President

1156
00:50:28,792 --> 00:50:31,462
came and changed for the
positive throughout his

1157
00:50:31,461 --> 00:50:32,861
eight years -- dismantled
from that

1158
00:50:32,863 --> 00:50:35,263
former administration?

1159
00:50:35,265 --> 00:50:37,965
Mr. Earnest: The former
administration certainly

1160
00:50:37,968 --> 00:50:40,938
was reluctant -- in some
cases, unwilling -- to

1161
00:50:40,937 --> 00:50:42,437
engage with the
international community to

1162
00:50:42,439 --> 00:50:44,739
fight climate change.

1163
00:50:44,741 --> 00:50:48,641
The Bush administration
famously ensured that the

1164
00:50:48,645 --> 00:50:50,285
United States remained one
of the holdouts from the

1165
00:50:50,280 --> 00:50:51,820
Kyoto Protocol.

1166
00:50:51,815 --> 00:50:53,985
That undermined that
coordinated international

1167
00:50:53,984 --> 00:50:57,384
effort to confront
climate change.

1168
00:50:57,387 --> 00:50:59,757
President Obama
reversed that strategy.

1169
00:50:59,756 --> 00:51:03,626
And as a result, we have
made progress in both

1170
00:51:03,627 --> 00:51:07,597
reducing emissions and
growing our economy.

1171
00:51:07,597 --> 00:51:12,707
And there is a lot more
important work to be done

1172
00:51:12,702 --> 00:51:14,872
on that front, and that
important work is going to

1173
00:51:14,871 --> 00:51:18,311
require the international
community to cooperate in

1174
00:51:18,308 --> 00:51:21,678
pursuit of that effort. Jordan.

1175
00:51:21,678 --> 00:51:22,348
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

1176
00:51:22,345 --> 00:51:24,215
Can you tell us how this
dinner last night with

1177
00:51:24,214 --> 00:51:26,154
President Obama and the
Vice President and Senator

1178
00:51:26,149 --> 00:51:27,989
Reid came about, and tell
us what they

1179
00:51:27,984 --> 00:51:30,554
discussed over dinner?

1180
00:51:30,554 --> 00:51:31,924
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
a detailed readout to

1181
00:51:31,922 --> 00:51:36,492
provide, primarily because
it was a social event.

1182
00:51:36,493 --> 00:51:37,723
And this was an
opportunity for the

1183
00:51:37,727 --> 00:51:39,627
President and the First
Lady to host a private

1184
00:51:39,629 --> 00:51:43,799
dinner in honor of Senator
Reid and his

1185
00:51:43,800 --> 00:51:45,540
impending retirement.

1186
00:51:45,535 --> 00:51:48,335
Over the last eight years,
the Democratic leader of

1187
00:51:48,338 --> 00:51:51,838
the Senate has been an
enormously valuable

1188
00:51:51,842 --> 00:51:56,012
partner to the President.

1189
00:51:56,012 --> 00:52:01,352
And last night was a
small, private, social

1190
00:52:01,351 --> 00:52:04,551
opportunity for the
President and First Lady

1191
00:52:04,554 --> 00:52:09,824
to offer some appreciation
to Leader Reid for his

1192
00:52:09,826 --> 00:52:11,326
friendship, for his
partnership over the

1193
00:52:11,328 --> 00:52:12,998
last eight years.

1194
00:52:12,996 --> 00:52:15,666
The Press: Was this at all
on the CR or

1195
00:52:15,665 --> 00:52:16,505
anything else like that?

1196
00:52:16,500 --> 00:52:18,540
Or was it just social?

1197
00:52:18,535 --> 00:52:20,005
Mr. Earnest: My guess is
they probably couldn't get

1198
00:52:20,003 --> 00:52:21,343
in and out of the room
without talking at least a

1199
00:52:21,338 --> 00:52:22,538
little business, but it

1200
00:52:22,539 --> 00:52:25,439
was primarily a social event.

1201
00:52:25,442 --> 00:52:26,212
The Press: One last thing

1202
00:52:26,209 --> 00:52:28,449
on the Castro funeral plans.

1203
00:52:28,445 --> 00:52:29,945
I know there's the
memorial service today,

1204
00:52:29,946 --> 00:52:32,516
but there's a lot going
on -- I know the formal

1205
00:52:32,516 --> 00:52:35,356
funeral ceremony is
taking place on Sunday.

1206
00:52:35,352 --> 00:52:38,152
Is the United States
sending anyone to that

1207
00:52:38,154 --> 00:52:42,264
ceremony,y or is this
the only event, memorial

1208
00:52:42,259 --> 00:52:43,189
event, that is being

1209
00:52:43,193 --> 00:52:44,863
attended by U.S. officials?

1210
00:52:44,861 --> 00:52:46,901
Mr. Earnest: My
understanding, at least

1211
00:52:46,897 --> 00:52:48,697
the way that it's been
described to me is this is

1212
00:52:48,698 --> 00:52:53,668
-- the event that the
Cuban government is

1213
00:52:53,670 --> 00:52:56,670
organizing for this
evening is the event where

1214
00:52:56,673 --> 00:52:59,043
the United States will be
represented by the Deputy

1215
00:52:59,042 --> 00:53:00,612
National Security Advisor
and by the

1216
00:53:00,610 --> 00:53:04,680
top diplomat in Cuba.

1217
00:53:04,681 --> 00:53:07,821
I guess I'd refer you to
the embassy in Havana for

1218
00:53:07,817 --> 00:53:09,487
greater information about
whether or not there

1219
00:53:09,486 --> 00:53:10,086
will be a U.S.

1220
00:53:10,086 --> 00:53:12,156
presence at any of
those other events.

1221
00:53:12,155 --> 00:53:15,695
Certainly no one from the
White House and no other

1222
00:53:15,692 --> 00:53:18,862
delegation will be sent to
Cuba to participate in any

1223
00:53:18,862 --> 00:53:20,032
of the other events.

1224
00:53:20,030 --> 00:53:22,130
But I don't know if there
will be other diplomats or

1225
00:53:22,132 --> 00:53:24,202
other officials who are
based at the embassy that

1226
00:53:24,200 --> 00:53:24,940
may participate in

1227
00:53:24,935 --> 00:53:27,335
some other events. Alexis.

1228
00:53:27,337 --> 00:53:28,637
The Press: Josh,
two quick questions.

1229
00:53:28,638 --> 00:53:31,538
To follow up on what
Olivier was asking, can

1230
00:53:31,541 --> 00:53:34,281
you check and see -- has
General Flynn had a chance

1231
00:53:34,277 --> 00:53:37,977
to talk with Susan Rice?

1232
00:53:37,981 --> 00:53:39,251
Mr. Earnest: I don't know
whether or not General

1233
00:53:39,249 --> 00:53:45,119
Flynn has had a
conversation with Dr. Rice

1234
00:53:45,121 --> 00:53:48,021
at this point.

1235
00:53:48,024 --> 00:53:51,324
What I can tell you is
that there obviously is

1236
00:53:51,328 --> 00:53:53,098
important work that's
being done by the

1237
00:53:53,096 --> 00:53:55,696
officials at the National
Security Council that have

1238
00:53:55,699 --> 00:53:58,869
been designated to engage
with the transition team

1239
00:53:58,868 --> 00:54:00,708
appointed by the
President-elect.

1240
00:54:00,704 --> 00:54:03,944
And I know that there
are officials who are

1241
00:54:03,940 --> 00:54:05,210
designated by the
President-elect that have

1242
00:54:05,208 --> 00:54:08,948
been focused on a smooth
and effective transition

1243
00:54:08,945 --> 00:54:10,515
at the National
Security Council.

1244
00:54:10,513 --> 00:54:12,353
That cooperation is
underway, but I don't know

1245
00:54:12,349 --> 00:54:15,589
if that cooperation has
included a phone call

1246
00:54:15,585 --> 00:54:17,585
between the National
Security Advisor and the

1247
00:54:17,587 --> 00:54:20,587
President-elect's national
security advisor.

1248
00:54:20,590 --> 00:54:21,630
The Press: A question
about the metrics.

1249
00:54:21,625 --> 00:54:24,225
Before the election, we
listened to President

1250
00:54:24,227 --> 00:54:27,827
Obama tell Americans that
his prediction was that

1251
00:54:27,831 --> 00:54:30,501
Donald Trump and a Donald
Trump administration could

1252
00:54:30,500 --> 00:54:33,840
reverse -- he described
it, everything he'd

1253
00:54:33,837 --> 00:54:34,767
done is at risk.

1254
00:54:34,771 --> 00:54:40,041
And he was quite strident
in his dire predictions.

1255
00:54:40,043 --> 00:54:43,983
Since the election and
today again, yesterday,

1256
00:54:43,980 --> 00:54:47,650
the President and your
rhetoric is that -- and he

1257
00:54:47,651 --> 00:54:49,591
even told The New Yorker
he didn't expect more than

1258
00:54:49,586 --> 00:54:55,826
20, 25 percent of his
achievements to be erased.

1259
00:54:55,825 --> 00:55:00,695
Can those two predictions
of it's going to be much

1260
00:55:00,697 --> 00:55:02,197
harder than they imagine
or they're going to take

1261
00:55:02,198 --> 00:55:05,038
away everything -- can
those be consistent?

1262
00:55:05,035 --> 00:55:06,975
Or was he
exaggerating then?

1263
00:55:06,970 --> 00:55:11,740
Or is he exaggerating
rosy eyeglasses now?

1264
00:55:11,741 --> 00:55:12,541
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think

1265
00:55:12,542 --> 00:55:13,372
that's a good question, Alexis.

1266
00:55:13,376 --> 00:55:14,816
I think the point that the
President was making on

1267
00:55:14,811 --> 00:55:17,881
the campaign trail is
that progress is at risk

1268
00:55:17,881 --> 00:55:21,121
because of the way --
because of the outcome

1269
00:55:21,117 --> 00:55:24,657
of the election.

1270
00:55:24,654 --> 00:55:26,724
You had one candidate who
was vowing to build on the

1271
00:55:26,723 --> 00:55:30,823
progress that we've made
under the Affordable Care

1272
00:55:30,827 --> 00:55:34,327
Act -- that's not the
candidate that won.

1273
00:55:34,330 --> 00:55:35,600
The candidate that won
is the candidate that's

1274
00:55:35,598 --> 00:55:39,538
vowing to repeal the
Affordable Care Act and

1275
00:55:39,536 --> 00:55:43,076
has even appointed or
somehow signaled his

1276
00:55:43,073 --> 00:55:46,643
intention to nominate a
Secretary of Health and

1277
00:55:46,643 --> 00:55:50,643
Human Services who has
been a strident critic of

1278
00:55:50,647 --> 00:55:53,947
the Affordable Care Act.

1279
00:55:53,950 --> 00:55:55,550
Elections have
consequences.

1280
00:55:55,552 --> 00:56:00,022
And as a result, the
progress that we've made

1281
00:56:00,023 --> 00:56:04,763
under the Affordable
Care Act is at risk.

1282
00:56:04,761 --> 00:56:05,361
There's just no denying
that -- and at risk in a

1283
00:56:05,361 --> 00:56:08,061
way that it would not have
been had the election

1284
00:56:08,064 --> 00:56:09,764
outcome been different.

1285
00:56:09,766 --> 00:56:13,606
That said, there will
be some limits on the

1286
00:56:13,603 --> 00:56:15,373
ambition that was
articulated by the

1287
00:56:15,371 --> 00:56:20,341
President-elect, just
based on the need to

1288
00:56:20,343 --> 00:56:24,243
confront the reality of
the progress that we've

1289
00:56:24,247 --> 00:56:25,917
made under the
Affordable Care Act.

1290
00:56:25,915 --> 00:56:27,115
And that's something that
he'll have to grapple

1291
00:56:27,117 --> 00:56:29,457
with in office.

1292
00:56:29,452 --> 00:56:35,162
But the risk facing the
millions of Americans that

1293
00:56:35,158 --> 00:56:36,858
benefitted from the
Affordable Care Act -- and

1294
00:56:36,860 --> 00:56:39,060
I don't just mean the 20
million who got health

1295
00:56:39,062 --> 00:56:40,502
insurance from the
Affordable Care Act, but I

1296
00:56:40,497 --> 00:56:45,237
also mean the 150 million
Americans who get health

1297
00:56:45,235 --> 00:56:48,505
insurance through their
employer who certainly are

1298
00:56:48,505 --> 00:56:50,575
in a position where they
could see their employer

1299
00:56:50,573 --> 00:56:53,213
premiums go up more
quickly than they have in

1300
00:56:53,209 --> 00:56:55,849
the last few years, and
they certainly are at risk

1301
00:56:55,845 --> 00:56:57,485
of seeing some of these
consumer protections that

1302
00:56:57,480 --> 00:57:01,520
they benefit from now
being stripped away.

1303
00:57:01,518 --> 00:57:06,218
But like I said, elections
have consequences.

1304
00:57:06,222 --> 00:57:08,492
And I think that is
reconcilable with the idea

1305
00:57:08,491 --> 00:57:11,231
that every President, when
they take office, does

1306
00:57:11,227 --> 00:57:14,197
have to deal with the
reality that has a

1307
00:57:14,197 --> 00:57:15,737
way of intruding.

1308
00:57:15,732 --> 00:57:16,732
The Press: I just
want to clarify.

1309
00:57:16,733 --> 00:57:19,933
The President -- and we
can imagine what the good

1310
00:57:19,936 --> 00:57:22,836
reasons were -- he did not
tell voters, don't worry,

1311
00:57:22,839 --> 00:57:25,479
if she loses, it's going
to be really hard for him

1312
00:57:25,475 --> 00:57:27,345
to do this stuff -- right?

1313
00:57:27,343 --> 00:57:29,213
Which is what
he's saying now.

1314
00:57:29,212 --> 00:57:30,552
It's going to be
really hard for this

1315
00:57:30,547 --> 00:57:33,917
administration to undo,
he's arguing, what the

1316
00:57:33,917 --> 00:57:35,687
Obama administration
achieved.

1317
00:57:35,685 --> 00:57:36,585
Mr. Earnest: The President
was making an argument

1318
00:57:36,586 --> 00:57:39,586
based on risk.

1319
00:57:39,589 --> 00:57:42,889
And he was underscoring
the risk that exists if

1320
00:57:42,892 --> 00:57:47,202
President Trump was
elected because the

1321
00:57:47,197 --> 00:57:49,967
President-elect is vowing
to roll back the progress

1322
00:57:49,966 --> 00:57:52,066
that we've made
in so many areas.

1323
00:57:52,068 --> 00:57:54,538
That risk has now
been realized.

1324
00:57:54,537 --> 00:57:56,737
That risk is present in
a way that it would not

1325
00:57:56,739 --> 00:57:58,139
otherwise have been.

1326
00:57:58,141 --> 00:58:00,111
So the President's
rhetoric has,

1327
00:58:00,109 --> 00:58:05,519
unfortunately,
come to pass.

1328
00:58:05,515 --> 00:58:06,785
And now this is a risk
that our country is

1329
00:58:06,783 --> 00:58:09,783
facing, unfortunately, a
risk that the President

1330
00:58:09,786 --> 00:58:12,886
would prefer that we not
have to pile on top of the

1331
00:58:12,889 --> 00:58:17,159
other inherent risks that
any President will

1332
00:58:17,160 --> 00:58:19,130
have to encounter.

1333
00:58:19,128 --> 00:58:22,828
But yet that is
what we face.

1334
00:58:22,832 --> 00:58:25,872
That risk is mitigated
by the fact that, yes,

1335
00:58:25,869 --> 00:58:27,969
reality has a
way of intruding.

1336
00:58:27,971 --> 00:58:34,781
But that risk is there
nonetheless, and it's one

1337
00:58:34,777 --> 00:58:35,507
that the next
administration will

1338
00:58:35,511 --> 00:58:37,451
have to deal with. Mike.

1339
00:58:37,447 --> 00:58:39,747
The Press: You were
speaking earlier about the

1340
00:58:39,749 --> 00:58:40,919
important role the U.S.

1341
00:58:40,917 --> 00:58:44,187
is taking in the fight
against ISIS in Iraq,

1342
00:58:44,187 --> 00:58:49,227
including, obviously,
the battle in Mosul.

1343
00:58:49,225 --> 00:58:52,395
There has been some
concern expressed about

1344
00:58:52,395 --> 00:58:54,995
the battle plan, the
strategy there and its

1345
00:58:54,998 --> 00:58:58,338
impact on civilian
casualties.

1346
00:58:58,334 --> 00:58:59,934
You probably have read
there have been published

1347
00:58:59,936 --> 00:59:03,836
estimates already of 600
or more Iraqi civilians

1348
00:59:03,840 --> 00:59:06,910
already being killed in
that and some controversy

1349
00:59:06,910 --> 00:59:08,540
over whether there should
be a change

1350
00:59:08,544 --> 00:59:10,044
in the approach.

1351
00:59:10,046 --> 00:59:12,686
Does the administration
see any need to alter the

1352
00:59:12,682 --> 00:59:15,052
approach to the battle of
Mosul to reduce

1353
00:59:15,051 --> 00:59:17,791
civilian casualties?

1354
00:59:17,787 --> 00:59:18,717
Mr. Earnest: Well, Mike,
I've read a

1355
00:59:18,721 --> 00:59:19,691
little bit about this.

1356
00:59:19,689 --> 00:59:24,499
In some ways -- I would
encourage you to also

1357
00:59:24,494 --> 00:59:26,134
direct your question to
the Department of Defense.

1358
00:59:26,129 --> 00:59:27,699
They can provide you
probably more tangible

1359
00:59:27,697 --> 00:59:30,437
operational assessment of
some changes that

1360
00:59:30,433 --> 00:59:32,233
may be contemplated.

1361
00:59:32,235 --> 00:59:34,535
But as a policy matter,
why don't I lay out a

1362
00:59:34,537 --> 00:59:35,737
couple of the
considerations that

1363
00:59:35,738 --> 00:59:37,938
factor into this.

1364
00:59:37,941 --> 00:59:43,911
The first is that in the
two and a half years that

1365
00:59:43,913 --> 00:59:48,523
ISIL has been in control
of Mosul, we know that any

1366
00:59:48,518 --> 00:59:54,058
number of civilians have
been killed, executed,

1367
00:59:54,057 --> 01:00:02,067
tortured, harassed,
threatened, maimed.

1368
01:00:02,065 --> 01:00:09,375
So it's not as if not
acting to retake Mosul

1369
01:00:09,372 --> 01:00:11,742
somehow enhances the
security of the civilians

1370
01:00:11,741 --> 01:00:13,141
who are already there.

1371
01:00:13,142 --> 01:00:17,552
So the question really is,
given that the status quo

1372
01:00:17,547 --> 01:00:24,017
is unacceptable, how do
you execute an operation

1373
01:00:24,020 --> 01:00:29,930
that avoids unnecessary
risk to the

1374
01:00:29,926 --> 01:00:32,926
civilian population?

1375
01:00:32,929 --> 01:00:34,969
Anytime you're talking
about the second-largest

1376
01:00:34,964 --> 01:00:37,864
city in Iraq, this is
a pretty

1377
01:00:37,867 --> 01:00:39,207
significant challenge.

1378
01:00:39,202 --> 01:00:43,602
And it is why the United
States spent months

1379
01:00:43,606 --> 01:00:47,906
working closely with Iraqi
security forces and with

1380
01:00:47,910 --> 01:00:50,410
other members of our
coalition to effectively

1381
01:00:50,413 --> 01:00:54,453
plan for the operation
to retake Mosul.

1382
01:00:54,450 --> 01:00:57,150
And what we have seen
thus far is effective

1383
01:00:57,153 --> 01:00:58,953
coordination among a
variety of fighting

1384
01:00:58,955 --> 01:01:01,495
forces, Kurdish forces,
Iraqi security forces,

1385
01:01:01,491 --> 01:01:03,861
both of which are being

1386
01:01:03,860 --> 01:01:08,100
advised and assisted by U.S.

1387
01:01:08,097 --> 01:01:10,437
Special Forces on
the ground there.

1388
01:01:10,433 --> 01:01:12,803
And we're pleased at the
kind of progress that has

1389
01:01:12,802 --> 01:01:14,672
been made thus far.

1390
01:01:14,670 --> 01:01:19,110
The other element of the
planning was actually

1391
01:01:19,108 --> 01:01:22,278
coordinated by the United
Nations to ensure that

1392
01:01:22,278 --> 01:01:28,548
there was sufficient
capacity to deal with the

1393
01:01:28,551 --> 01:01:31,491
humanitarian situation
and to deal with the

1394
01:01:31,487 --> 01:01:34,657
possibility, even the
likelihood that there

1395
01:01:34,657 --> 01:01:38,197
would be civilians fleeing
that city once parts of it

1396
01:01:38,194 --> 01:01:40,064
had been liberated.

1397
01:01:40,063 --> 01:01:43,963
And fleeing the city means
ending up in the desert

1398
01:01:43,966 --> 01:01:45,436
without any food,
water or shelter.

1399
01:01:45,435 --> 01:01:48,475
And that has meant that
the United Nations and a

1400
01:01:48,471 --> 01:01:51,871
variety of multilateral
aid organizations and some

1401
01:01:51,874 --> 01:01:54,474
countries have mobilized
resources to make sure

1402
01:01:54,477 --> 01:01:56,177
that that aid is readily
available to people

1403
01:01:56,179 --> 01:01:57,579
fleeing violence.

1404
01:01:57,580 --> 01:02:02,120
And we've seen that
planning be useful as

1405
01:02:02,118 --> 01:02:04,958
thousands of civilians
fleeing Mosul have been

1406
01:02:04,954 --> 01:02:09,924
able to benefit from the
shelter, food, water and

1407
01:02:09,926 --> 01:02:13,426
medicine that's provided
by the United Nations.

1408
01:02:13,429 --> 01:02:14,869
But there's more
work to be done.

1409
01:02:14,864 --> 01:02:16,734
There are more risks
that will be faced.

1410
01:02:16,732 --> 01:02:20,702
And certainly minimizing
the risk to the civilian

1411
01:02:20,703 --> 01:02:24,803
population is an important
priority of this

1412
01:02:24,807 --> 01:02:26,077
ongoing operation.

1413
01:02:26,075 --> 01:02:28,245
But anytime you are
mobilizing a large-scale

1414
01:02:28,244 --> 01:02:30,514
military operation in an
urban environment, there

1415
01:02:30,513 --> 01:02:31,683
are going to be risks.

1416
01:02:31,681 --> 01:02:36,621
And that risk is only
enhanced when you have an

1417
01:02:36,619 --> 01:02:40,889
organization like ISIL
that is so depraved that

1418
01:02:40,890 --> 01:02:42,760
they're willing to use
innocent men, women and

1419
01:02:42,758 --> 01:02:44,498
children as human shields.

1420
01:02:44,494 --> 01:02:50,734
So the United States and
others who are involved in

1421
01:02:50,733 --> 01:02:53,003
this operation will
certainly be working to

1422
01:02:53,002 --> 01:02:56,472
minimize the risk that
is faced by civilians.

1423
01:02:56,472 --> 01:02:58,712
But it is entirely -- it's
impossible to reduce

1424
01:02:58,708 --> 01:03:00,348
that risk to zero.

1425
01:03:00,343 --> 01:03:02,813
And as you evaluate what
sort of risk you're

1426
01:03:02,812 --> 01:03:05,912
willing to tolerate, it's
important to remember that

1427
01:03:05,915 --> 01:03:11,355
those civilians are facing
a severe risk even if the

1428
01:03:11,354 --> 01:03:13,124
status quo were in place
and even if there were not

1429
01:03:13,122 --> 01:03:16,492
an operation underway
to retake that city.

1430
01:03:16,492 --> 01:03:17,192
The Press: One
more question.

1431
01:03:17,193 --> 01:03:18,833
Most of the trade
lobbyists and people

1432
01:03:18,828 --> 01:03:21,368
around town have kind
of given up on the TPP,

1433
01:03:21,364 --> 01:03:24,204
particularly during
this administration.

1434
01:03:24,200 --> 01:03:26,440
When you've been asked
about it in the past,

1435
01:03:26,435 --> 01:03:28,135
you've been kind of
coy about whether the

1436
01:03:28,137 --> 01:03:29,577
administration is still

1437
01:03:29,572 --> 01:03:31,672
trying to do anything on it.

1438
01:03:31,674 --> 01:03:34,074
The lame duck
session is starting.

1439
01:03:34,076 --> 01:03:37,576
The President just had
dinner with the Senate

1440
01:03:37,580 --> 01:03:40,550
Democratic leader
last night.

1441
01:03:40,550 --> 01:03:42,690
Are you actually making
any press to get this

1442
01:03:42,685 --> 01:03:46,185
passed, ratified, done in
the lame duck session?

1443
01:03:46,189 --> 01:03:47,819
Or have you just
completely given up on it

1444
01:03:47,823 --> 01:03:48,923
like everyone else?

1445
01:03:48,925 --> 01:03:52,965
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
prospects are not good.

1446
01:03:52,962 --> 01:03:55,332
But I don't know to what
extent it was discussed at

1447
01:03:55,331 --> 01:03:58,271
dinner last night. Cheryl.

1448
01:03:58,267 --> 01:03:58,867
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

1449
01:03:58,868 --> 01:04:01,168
And this just came over
-- it looks like Vice

1450
01:04:01,170 --> 01:04:03,670
President Biden is going
to be traveling to Canada

1451
01:04:03,673 --> 01:04:06,973
to meet with
Trudeau and others.

1452
01:04:06,976 --> 01:04:10,076
Talking a lot about risk,
is there any -- are there

1453
01:04:10,079 --> 01:04:13,919
treaties or agreements or
issues with Canada that

1454
01:04:13,916 --> 01:04:16,516
maybe are at risk now?

1455
01:04:16,519 --> 01:04:18,659
Why is Biden
going to Canada?

1456
01:04:18,654 --> 01:04:22,354
Mr. Earnest: Well, I don't
have all the details on

1457
01:04:22,358 --> 01:04:24,228
his itinerary or all of
the items that

1458
01:04:24,227 --> 01:04:26,167
are on his agenda.

1459
01:04:26,162 --> 01:04:27,732
As you know, President
Obama had an opportunity

1460
01:04:27,730 --> 01:04:30,270
to meet with Prime
Minister Trudeau in Peru

1461
01:04:30,266 --> 01:04:37,006
just last week -- or a
week ago last Sunday, and

1462
01:04:37,006 --> 01:04:39,576
it was a valuable
opportunity for the leader

1463
01:04:39,575 --> 01:04:42,275
of the United States to
sit down with the leader

1464
01:04:42,278 --> 01:04:43,818
of Canada, who is our
closest partner

1465
01:04:43,813 --> 01:04:45,613
on so many issues.

1466
01:04:45,615 --> 01:04:49,985
So I'll refer you to the
Vice President's office

1467
01:04:49,986 --> 01:04:52,356
for a more detailed
account of what's on his

1468
01:04:52,355 --> 01:04:53,825
agenda when he
travels there.

1469
01:04:53,823 --> 01:04:55,823
But I think, like
President Obama, he

1470
01:04:55,825 --> 01:04:57,965
certainly admires the
leadership of Prime

1471
01:04:57,960 --> 01:05:03,000
Minister Trudeau and is
hopeful that the next

1472
01:05:02,999 --> 01:05:05,299
administration will build
on the strong relationship

1473
01:05:05,301 --> 01:05:07,901
that this administration
has helped to cultivate

1474
01:05:07,903 --> 01:05:08,973
with Prime Minister

1475
01:05:08,971 --> 01:05:10,371
Trudeau and the

1476
01:05:10,373 --> 01:05:13,943
Canadian people. Lana.

1477
01:05:13,943 --> 01:05:16,983
The Press: The memorial
service and the funeral

1478
01:05:16,979 --> 01:05:19,079
Sunday -- I just want to
clarify one thing on that.

1479
01:05:19,081 --> 01:05:21,621
Will the same U.S.

1480
01:05:21,617 --> 01:05:23,217
non-presidential
delegation be attending

1481
01:05:23,219 --> 01:05:25,059
the funeral?

1482
01:05:25,054 --> 01:05:28,454
Can we assume that Ben
Rhodes and ambassador --

1483
01:05:28,457 --> 01:05:30,557
or DeLaurentis will also
be in

1484
01:05:30,559 --> 01:05:31,659
attendance at the funeral?

1485
01:05:31,661 --> 01:05:33,031
Mr. Earnest: They are
only participating in the

1486
01:05:33,029 --> 01:05:34,899
memorial service that's
planned for tonight.

1487
01:05:34,897 --> 01:05:37,237
The briefing that was
provided to me is that the

1488
01:05:37,233 --> 01:05:40,273
actual funeral itself is
actually a private event.

1489
01:05:40,269 --> 01:05:45,779
But I can tell you that
this is the only event

1490
01:05:45,775 --> 01:05:46,975
that the Deputy National
Security Advisor is

1491
01:05:46,976 --> 01:05:48,516
planning to attend.

1492
01:05:48,511 --> 01:05:50,281
The Press: Ohio State
yesterday -- does the

1493
01:05:50,279 --> 01:05:52,549
President condemn that
as an act of terror?

1494
01:05:52,548 --> 01:05:54,988
Mr. Earnest: Well,
obviously, I should start

1495
01:05:54,984 --> 01:05:58,384
by saying that we owe a
deep debt of gratitude to

1496
01:05:58,387 --> 01:06:03,257
the first responders who
reacted so heroically to

1497
01:06:03,259 --> 01:06:04,489
the situation there.

1498
01:06:04,493 --> 01:06:07,693
There are indications
that the suspect was

1499
01:06:07,697 --> 01:06:10,837
neutralized within a
minute or two of beginning

1500
01:06:10,833 --> 01:06:13,633
this terrible
act of violence.

1501
01:06:13,636 --> 01:06:15,106
And that's thanks
to the bravery and

1502
01:06:15,104 --> 01:06:18,744
professionalism and
skill of some of the law

1503
01:06:18,741 --> 01:06:21,441
enforcement officers who
responded so quickly

1504
01:06:21,444 --> 01:06:21,914
to the scene.

1505
01:06:21,911 --> 01:06:24,111
So we obviously -- this is
yet another opportunity

1506
01:06:24,113 --> 01:06:29,023
for us to remember how
professionally and how

1507
01:06:29,018 --> 01:06:32,618
bravely men and women in
police officers' uniforms

1508
01:06:32,621 --> 01:06:36,391
all across the country
work to protect us so well

1509
01:06:36,392 --> 01:06:39,092
every day.

1510
01:06:39,095 --> 01:06:40,495
We also are deeply
appreciative of the

1511
01:06:40,496 --> 01:06:43,996
response that was
mobilized by EMTs and

1512
01:06:43,999 --> 01:06:46,669
doctors and nurses
in the Columbus area.

1513
01:06:46,669 --> 01:06:48,939
Again, based on the
briefing that I received

1514
01:06:48,938 --> 01:06:52,838
this morning, it's likely
that there will be no loss

1515
01:06:52,842 --> 01:06:54,312
of life in this
incident other than

1516
01:06:54,310 --> 01:06:56,210
the perpetrator.

1517
01:06:56,212 --> 01:06:59,782
And we obviously are
thinking about and praying

1518
01:06:59,782 --> 01:07:02,782
for a swift recovery for
those who were harmed

1519
01:07:02,785 --> 01:07:04,855
in this incident.

1520
01:07:04,854 --> 01:07:07,054
More generally, I can tell
you that law enforcement

1521
01:07:07,056 --> 01:07:10,826
officers, with the support
of the FBI, are conducting

1522
01:07:10,826 --> 01:07:12,866
a thorough investigation
of this situation to learn

1523
01:07:12,862 --> 01:07:14,962
as much as they can about
the potential motive of

1524
01:07:14,964 --> 01:07:17,864
this individual.

1525
01:07:17,867 --> 01:07:23,637
It's important that those
investigators uncover as

1526
01:07:23,639 --> 01:07:25,909
much as they possibly
can to learn about this

1527
01:07:25,908 --> 01:07:28,378
incident and to learn
what we can do to try to

1528
01:07:28,377 --> 01:07:31,517
prevent it from taking --
an event like this from

1529
01:07:31,514 --> 01:07:33,414
happening again.

1530
01:07:33,416 --> 01:07:34,416
There are a couple of
things, though,

1531
01:07:34,417 --> 01:07:35,717
that we know.

1532
01:07:35,718 --> 01:07:38,888
The first is that there
is plenty of available

1533
01:07:38,888 --> 01:07:40,888
evidence to indicate that
this individual may have

1534
01:07:40,890 --> 01:07:43,490
been motivated by
extremism and may have

1535
01:07:43,492 --> 01:07:46,592
been motivated by a desire
to carry out an

1536
01:07:46,595 --> 01:07:48,195
act of terrorism.

1537
01:07:48,197 --> 01:07:51,167
And we know that our law
enforcement officers have

1538
01:07:51,167 --> 01:07:53,437
a critical role to play in
preventing those acts of

1539
01:07:53,436 --> 01:07:55,066
terrorism from succeeding.

1540
01:07:55,070 --> 01:07:56,510
There are more than a
hundred joint terrorism

1541
01:07:56,505 --> 01:08:00,445
task forces that are
organized in communities

1542
01:08:00,443 --> 01:08:02,643
all across the country
that fight crime, that

1543
01:08:02,645 --> 01:08:04,685
fight extremism, that
fight terrorism

1544
01:08:04,680 --> 01:08:05,850
on a daily basis.

1545
01:08:05,848 --> 01:08:08,418
And it's important that
we give them the support,

1546
01:08:08,417 --> 01:08:09,887
financial and otherwise,

1547
01:08:09,885 --> 01:08:11,325
to do their important work.

1548
01:08:11,320 --> 01:08:12,920
It's also important for us
to make sure that we're

1549
01:08:12,922 --> 01:08:17,522
investing in programs to
counter violent extremism.

1550
01:08:17,526 --> 01:08:20,326
These interagency task
forces, some of which are

1551
01:08:20,329 --> 01:08:23,369
mobilized, are organized
at the federal level and

1552
01:08:23,365 --> 01:08:26,665
work closely with state
and local officials, law

1553
01:08:26,669 --> 01:08:30,409
enforcement and community
leaders, to fight efforts

1554
01:08:30,406 --> 01:08:33,606
to radicalize people in
this country is

1555
01:08:33,609 --> 01:08:34,739
critically important.

1556
01:08:34,743 --> 01:08:36,943
And this administration
has poured more resources

1557
01:08:36,946 --> 01:08:38,916
and devoted more time and
attention to the success

1558
01:08:38,914 --> 01:08:41,254
of these programs
than anyone else.

1559
01:08:41,250 --> 01:08:44,490
And that reflects our
desire to adapt to the

1560
01:08:44,487 --> 01:08:46,787
current threat picture.

1561
01:08:46,789 --> 01:08:49,489
What's also true and what
we also know based on some

1562
01:08:49,492 --> 01:08:52,892
of the information about
this perpetrator that has

1563
01:08:52,895 --> 01:08:59,165
been made public is that
our response to the

1564
01:08:59,168 --> 01:09:01,738
situation matters.

1565
01:09:01,737 --> 01:09:03,377
And I don't mean our
response as a government.

1566
01:09:03,372 --> 01:09:06,172
I mean our response as a
country to this

1567
01:09:06,175 --> 01:09:10,215
situation matters.

1568
01:09:10,212 --> 01:09:14,082
And if we respond to this
situation by casting

1569
01:09:14,083 --> 01:09:20,193
aspersions on millions of
people that adhere to a

1570
01:09:20,189 --> 01:09:24,529
particular religion, or if
we increase our suspicion

1571
01:09:24,527 --> 01:09:27,567
of people who
practice a particular

1572
01:09:27,563 --> 01:09:32,673
religion, we're more
likely to contribute to

1573
01:09:32,668 --> 01:09:37,678
acts of violence than
we are to prevent them.

1574
01:09:37,673 --> 01:09:41,443
So our response matters.

1575
01:09:41,443 --> 01:09:42,583
We'll let our
investigators determine

1576
01:09:42,578 --> 01:09:46,218
exactly what led to this
event, but even as we're

1577
01:09:46,215 --> 01:09:49,585
waiting for additional
information, we should be

1578
01:09:49,585 --> 01:09:52,085
mindful of that response.

1579
01:09:52,087 --> 01:09:54,187
The Press: And then, the
Southern Poverty Law

1580
01:09:54,189 --> 01:09:57,229
Center released a report
that 2,500 acts of

1581
01:09:57,226 --> 01:09:59,126
harassment and
intimidation were reported

1582
01:09:59,128 --> 01:10:01,698
by teachers, invoking
either President-elect

1583
01:10:01,697 --> 01:10:04,437
Donald Trump or his
campaign rhetoric.

1584
01:10:04,433 --> 01:10:07,573
Is this -- how concerning
is this to the President?

1585
01:10:07,570 --> 01:10:08,840
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what we've seen is that

1586
01:10:08,837 --> 01:10:13,177
the recently concluded
presidential campaign was

1587
01:10:13,175 --> 01:10:17,045
a hotly contested one and,
unfortunately, a campaign

1588
01:10:17,046 --> 01:10:17,676
that was characterized
by a lot of

1589
01:10:17,680 --> 01:10:19,920
divisive rhetoric.

1590
01:10:19,915 --> 01:10:24,355
And it was going to be
the responsibility of the

1591
01:10:24,353 --> 01:10:26,023
winner of that election,
whether it was Secretary

1592
01:10:26,021 --> 01:10:30,931
Clinton or Donald Trump,
to put at the top of his

1593
01:10:30,926 --> 01:10:35,366
or her agenda uniting the
country and healing the

1594
01:10:35,364 --> 01:10:40,134
country in the aftermath
of that election.

1595
01:10:40,135 --> 01:10:46,005
And there are a lot
of ways to measure or

1596
01:10:46,008 --> 01:10:48,178
evaluate the impact that
this recently concluded

1597
01:10:48,177 --> 01:10:52,617
election had
on our country.

1598
01:10:52,615 --> 01:10:55,085
But the President is
certainly hopeful.

1599
01:10:55,084 --> 01:10:56,184
And the President
certainly tried to do his

1600
01:10:56,185 --> 01:10:59,255
part by setting aside his
own political views and

1601
01:10:59,254 --> 01:11:02,554
focusing on a smooth and
effective transition to

1602
01:11:02,558 --> 01:11:06,228
lay the groundwork for the
next President to take

1603
01:11:06,228 --> 01:11:10,068
office and actually
succeed in beginning to

1604
01:11:10,065 --> 01:11:12,405
bring the country together
once again after a

1605
01:11:12,401 --> 01:11:15,471
divisive election.

1606
01:11:15,471 --> 01:11:16,771
And the President is
genuinely hopeful that the

1607
01:11:16,772 --> 01:11:19,342
next President will make
that a priority and that

1608
01:11:19,341 --> 01:11:20,041
he will succeed

1609
01:11:20,042 --> 01:11:21,542
in doing that. Pam.

1610
01:11:21,543 --> 01:11:24,483
The Press: Josh, thanks.

1611
01:11:24,480 --> 01:11:27,120
The President-elect has
had positive things to say

1612
01:11:27,116 --> 01:11:28,956
about his dealings with
President Obama in the

1613
01:11:28,951 --> 01:11:31,151
Oval Office meeting
and phone calls.

1614
01:11:31,153 --> 01:11:34,023
Does President Obama view
his discussions with his

1615
01:11:34,023 --> 01:11:37,623
successor as an
opportunity to maybe use

1616
01:11:37,626 --> 01:11:40,866
his powers of persuasion
to get him to back off of

1617
01:11:40,863 --> 01:11:42,503
a lot of the things he
said on the campaign in

1618
01:11:42,498 --> 01:11:45,998
terms of changing
Obama policies?

1619
01:11:46,001 --> 01:11:48,601
Mr. Earnest: I think
President Obama views

1620
01:11:48,604 --> 01:11:52,104
those conversations as an
opportunity to offer some

1621
01:11:52,107 --> 01:11:54,007
advice and to consult with
the President-elect as he

1622
01:11:54,009 --> 01:11:56,549
prepares to assume the
awesome responsibility of

1623
01:11:56,545 --> 01:11:58,845
governing the greatest
country in the world.

1624
01:11:58,847 --> 01:12:01,187
That's the nature of their
phone conversations.

1625
01:12:01,183 --> 01:12:08,753
I'm going to protect their
ability to have private

1626
01:12:08,757 --> 01:12:11,157
consultations, so I won't
be able to get into the

1627
01:12:11,160 --> 01:12:14,830
topics that are covered or
more precisely discuss the

1628
01:12:14,830 --> 01:12:16,430
nature of their
conversations.

1629
01:12:16,432 --> 01:12:20,332
But President Obama does
feel an obligation and

1630
01:12:20,335 --> 01:12:24,105
believes that it is one
of his most important

1631
01:12:24,106 --> 01:12:26,646
remaining tasks to ensure
a smooth and effective

1632
01:12:26,642 --> 01:12:28,642
transition from the Obama
administration to the

1633
01:12:28,644 --> 01:12:30,714
Trump administration.

1634
01:12:30,713 --> 01:12:34,983
And if that transition
can be facilitated by

1635
01:12:34,983 --> 01:12:38,083
telephone conversations
between the President and

1636
01:12:38,087 --> 01:12:43,597
the President-elect, then
President Obama will

1637
01:12:43,592 --> 01:12:45,632
participate in them
accordingly, and he will

1638
01:12:45,627 --> 01:12:49,497
offer the best advice that
he possibly can to the

1639
01:12:49,498 --> 01:12:52,938
incoming President. Charlie.

1640
01:12:52,935 --> 01:12:54,775
The Press: Just
a quick question.

1641
01:12:54,770 --> 01:12:57,970
Has the President had the
opportunity to speak to

1642
01:12:57,973 --> 01:12:59,573
the Ohio State police
officer that helped

1643
01:12:59,575 --> 01:13:01,915
neutralize the
attack yesterday?

1644
01:13:01,910 --> 01:13:03,210
Mr. Earnest: I don't know
that they've had a chance

1645
01:13:03,212 --> 01:13:04,612
to talk at this point, but
if a conversation like

1646
01:13:04,613 --> 01:13:07,183
that occurs, we'll
let you know.

1647
01:13:07,182 --> 01:13:08,322
And, Fred, I'll give
you the last one.

1648
01:13:08,317 --> 01:13:09,517
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

1649
01:13:09,518 --> 01:13:11,458
Yeah, just following up
on some issues about what

1650
01:13:11,453 --> 01:13:13,353
Trump might change.

1651
01:13:13,355 --> 01:13:16,255
Has the President
expressed any concern

1652
01:13:16,258 --> 01:13:19,158
about what a Trump Supreme
Court would look like and

1653
01:13:19,161 --> 01:13:24,231
how that would affect
some of the legacy?

1654
01:13:24,233 --> 01:13:29,033
Mr. Earnest: I'm not aware
that the President has

1655
01:13:29,037 --> 01:13:31,737
spoken to this, either
publicly or privately.

1656
01:13:31,740 --> 01:13:34,140
I think the President's
expectation is that

1657
01:13:34,143 --> 01:13:43,423
President Trump will fill
vacancies on the Supreme

1658
01:13:43,418 --> 01:13:45,088
Court by appointing people
who are quite different

1659
01:13:45,087 --> 01:13:45,617
than the kind of people

1660
01:13:45,621 --> 01:13:47,591
that President Obama appointed.

1661
01:13:47,589 --> 01:13:49,289
That may be one thing
that everybody across the

1662
01:13:49,291 --> 01:13:52,431
country can agree on.

1663
01:13:52,427 --> 01:13:54,897
It certainly doesn't
discount the President's

1664
01:13:54,897 --> 01:13:58,797
deep disappointment at the
way Republicans in the

1665
01:13:58,801 --> 01:14:03,401
Senate treated Chief
Judge Merrick Garland.

1666
01:14:03,405 --> 01:14:05,975
Chief Judge Garland
has been waiting for

1667
01:14:05,974 --> 01:14:12,144
consideration by this
Senate for almost a year.

1668
01:14:12,147 --> 01:14:17,117
And he is the most
experienced Supreme Court

1669
01:14:17,119 --> 01:14:19,019
nominee in American
history when you consider

1670
01:14:19,021 --> 01:14:21,461
his 19 years on
the federal bench.

1671
01:14:21,456 --> 01:14:25,566
He was somebody who served
his country in prosecuting

1672
01:14:25,561 --> 01:14:28,961
the perpetrators of one
of the worst acts of

1673
01:14:28,964 --> 01:14:32,764
terrorism on American soil
when he helped lead an

1674
01:14:32,768 --> 01:14:35,838
investigation and a
prosecution of Timothy

1675
01:14:35,838 --> 01:14:40,178
McVeigh after the
Oklahoma City bombing.

1676
01:14:40,175 --> 01:14:41,575
Chief Judge Garland
is somebody that both

1677
01:14:41,577 --> 01:14:45,817
Democrats and Republicans
have said is somebody with

1678
01:14:45,814 --> 01:14:47,654
a brilliant legal mind.

1679
01:14:47,649 --> 01:14:50,049
And even Republicans have
acknowledged that he's a

1680
01:14:50,052 --> 01:14:52,892
consensus pick.

1681
01:14:52,888 --> 01:14:56,558
And yet, Republicans in
the Senate refused to do

1682
01:14:56,558 --> 01:15:00,868
their basic job and even
give him a hearing and

1683
01:15:00,863 --> 01:15:02,093
even give him a vote.

1684
01:15:02,097 --> 01:15:03,397
And that's deeply
disappointing.

1685
01:15:03,398 --> 01:15:08,638
And, look, I don't know if
that will -- if they will

1686
01:15:08,637 --> 01:15:11,007
change course between
now and January 20th.

1687
01:15:11,006 --> 01:15:12,906
I suspect they will not.

1688
01:15:12,908 --> 01:15:16,248
And I don't know at this
point who President Trump

1689
01:15:16,245 --> 01:15:16,875
would choose.

1690
01:15:16,879 --> 01:15:19,619
He certainly would -- I
think he could in good

1691
01:15:19,615 --> 01:15:23,455
faith -- well, look,
he'll obviously have the

1692
01:15:23,452 --> 01:15:25,592
opportunity to choose
whomever he would like.

1693
01:15:25,587 --> 01:15:30,757
And we'll see how they're
treated in the Senate.

1694
01:15:30,759 --> 01:15:32,929
The Press: Two
more quick ones.

1695
01:15:32,928 --> 01:15:39,798
Would the President plan
on any executive actions

1696
01:15:39,801 --> 01:15:42,901
-- or does he just believe
that those will just be

1697
01:15:42,905 --> 01:15:48,345
instantly overturned
at this point?

1698
01:15:48,343 --> 01:15:49,543
Mr. Earnest: Can you
repeat your question?

1699
01:15:49,544 --> 01:15:52,314
There was a key word in
your question that I

1700
01:15:52,314 --> 01:15:54,254
missed and I want to make
sure I don't screw it up.

1701
01:15:54,249 --> 01:15:55,389
The Press: Does the
President plan on taking

1702
01:15:55,384 --> 01:15:58,354
any executive actions
before leaving office to

1703
01:15:58,353 --> 01:16:02,093
solidify some policies?

1704
01:16:02,090 --> 01:16:03,790
Or does he just believe
those would be instantly

1705
01:16:03,792 --> 01:16:07,162
overturned once the Trump
presidency has started?

1706
01:16:07,162 --> 01:16:08,732
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
process of acting on an

1707
01:16:08,730 --> 01:16:11,200
executive order, Fred,
as you know, is -- an

1708
01:16:11,199 --> 01:16:14,899
executive action or an
executive order is one

1709
01:16:14,903 --> 01:16:17,403
that requires a
lot of preparation.

1710
01:16:17,406 --> 01:16:20,346
And so I'm not going
to rule out additional

1711
01:16:20,342 --> 01:16:22,712
executive actions that the
administration may take

1712
01:16:22,711 --> 01:16:24,611
between now and January
20th -- after all, the

1713
01:16:24,613 --> 01:16:25,953
President of the United
States is the President of

1714
01:16:25,948 --> 01:16:29,388
the United States
until January 20th.

1715
01:16:29,384 --> 01:16:32,554
But what I can rule out
are any sort of hastily

1716
01:16:32,554 --> 01:16:36,124
added executive actions
that weren't previously

1717
01:16:36,124 --> 01:16:39,324
considered that would just
be tacked on at the end.

1718
01:16:39,328 --> 01:16:43,328
But are there some actions
that have been in the

1719
01:16:43,332 --> 01:16:46,502
pipeline for quite some
time that could be

1720
01:16:46,501 --> 01:16:48,371
announced between
now and January 20th?

1721
01:16:48,370 --> 01:16:49,870
That possibility certainly
exists, but I don't have

1722
01:16:49,871 --> 01:16:51,441
anything to preview
at this point.

1723
01:16:51,440 --> 01:16:54,080
The Press: Trump made, of
course, quite a bit of

1724
01:16:54,076 --> 01:16:55,406
news last week when he
indicated there wouldn't

1725
01:16:55,410 --> 01:16:59,720
be prosecution of
Hillary Clinton.

1726
01:16:59,715 --> 01:17:03,455
Given that, does the Obama
administration take

1727
01:17:03,452 --> 01:17:04,782
his word on that?

1728
01:17:04,786 --> 01:17:08,586
And is there no chance
of a pardon of Secretary

1729
01:17:08,590 --> 01:17:11,590
Clinton for any possible
offenses or anything that

1730
01:17:11,593 --> 01:17:14,633
the Trump administration
might go after her for?

1731
01:17:14,629 --> 01:17:18,029
Mr. Earnest: Well, Fred, I
did get asked about this

1732
01:17:18,033 --> 01:17:18,803
last week or
the week before.

1733
01:17:18,800 --> 01:17:24,470
And the point is that
there's a long tradition

1734
01:17:24,473 --> 01:17:27,473
in the United States of
ensuring that we separate

1735
01:17:27,476 --> 01:17:30,846
criminal investigations
from politics.

1736
01:17:30,846 --> 01:17:32,686
And there are a lot of
good reasons for that.

1737
01:17:32,681 --> 01:17:37,491
Primarily the reason for
it is to make sure that

1738
01:17:37,486 --> 01:17:39,486
people aren't left somehow
with the impression that

1739
01:17:39,488 --> 01:17:40,718
they'll be treated
differently in our

1740
01:17:40,722 --> 01:17:42,262
criminal justice system
based on their

1741
01:17:42,257 --> 01:17:45,257
political affiliation.

1742
01:17:45,260 --> 01:17:49,160
Our tradition in this
country is that everybody

1743
01:17:49,164 --> 01:17:51,704
is treated equally under
the law, and that's a

1744
01:17:51,700 --> 01:17:54,840
tradition that's
worth upholding.

1745
01:17:54,836 --> 01:18:01,146
And in the case of
Secretary Clinton, her use

1746
01:18:01,143 --> 01:18:03,383
of a private email
system was thoroughly

1747
01:18:03,378 --> 01:18:07,018
investigated by career
investigators at the

1748
01:18:07,015 --> 01:18:09,115
Department of
Justice and the FBI.

1749
01:18:09,117 --> 01:18:13,257
And what the FBI Director
concluded is that in the

1750
01:18:13,255 --> 01:18:15,225
context of the
investigation that no

1751
01:18:15,223 --> 01:18:17,363
reasonable prosecutor
would move forward in

1752
01:18:17,359 --> 01:18:19,199
seeking charges
against her.

1753
01:18:19,194 --> 01:18:21,164
That was a recommendation
that he forwarded to

1754
01:18:21,163 --> 01:18:22,833
officials at the
Department of Justice, and

1755
01:18:22,831 --> 01:18:24,871
officials at the
Department of Justice

1756
01:18:24,866 --> 01:18:27,636
agreed with his
recommendation.

1757
01:18:27,636 --> 01:18:32,376
So given that the FBI
Director is somebody who

1758
01:18:32,374 --> 01:18:34,874
was a registered
Republican, who served in

1759
01:18:34,876 --> 01:18:37,676
the senior Department of
Justice position in a

1760
01:18:37,679 --> 01:18:41,319
Republican administration,
somebody who was confirmed

1761
01:18:41,316 --> 01:18:44,556
with strong majorities in
the United States Senate

1762
01:18:44,553 --> 01:18:46,493
by Democrats and
Republicans, I think it's

1763
01:18:46,488 --> 01:18:50,188
an indication that
politics did not play a

1764
01:18:50,192 --> 01:18:51,962
factor into their
conclusion.

1765
01:18:51,960 --> 01:18:55,760
And that's a good thing.

1766
01:18:55,764 --> 01:18:58,404
The Press: So for what
Trump might do later if he

1767
01:18:58,400 --> 01:19:00,400
does try to launch an
investigation, or his

1768
01:19:00,402 --> 01:19:02,842
Justice Department would,
you don't think there

1769
01:19:02,838 --> 01:19:05,208
would be a need for the
President to pardon

1770
01:19:05,207 --> 01:19:06,207
her before leaving?

1771
01:19:06,208 --> 01:19:08,148
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I think I'd just refer you

1772
01:19:08,143 --> 01:19:10,043
to what the FBI Director
had to say, which is that

1773
01:19:10,045 --> 01:19:12,445
no reasonable prosecutor
would seeks

1774
01:19:12,447 --> 01:19:13,717
charges against her.

1775
01:19:13,715 --> 01:19:17,055
The Press: -- federal
help in Tennessee, Josh?

1776
01:19:17,052 --> 01:19:18,752
Mr. Earnest: Well, I
can tell you, Kevin, I

1777
01:19:18,753 --> 01:19:19,623
appreciate you asking.

1778
01:19:19,621 --> 01:19:21,791
Obviously, the folks in
Tennessee are dealing with

1779
01:19:21,790 --> 01:19:24,560
a quite serious wildfire
situation there right now.

1780
01:19:24,559 --> 01:19:27,229
I can tell you that FEMA
has already responded by

1781
01:19:27,229 --> 01:19:29,399
providing a fire
management assistance

1782
01:19:29,397 --> 01:19:31,897
grant to the state of
Tennessee to help them

1783
01:19:31,900 --> 01:19:34,100
mobilize the resources
that are necessary

1784
01:19:34,102 --> 01:19:35,402
to fight the fire.

1785
01:19:35,403 --> 01:19:37,373
The one piece of good
news that we have is that

1786
01:19:37,372 --> 01:19:39,872
meteorologists are
predicting some rain in

1787
01:19:39,875 --> 01:19:43,145
the area in the
next 24 to 48 hours.

1788
01:19:43,145 --> 01:19:45,185
That obviously would be a
welcome development and

1789
01:19:45,180 --> 01:19:47,380
would hopefully hasten

1790
01:19:47,382 --> 01:19:49,922
the extinguishing of that fire.

1791
01:19:49,918 --> 01:19:50,388
Thanks, everybody.

1792
01:19:50,385 --> 01:19:51,185
We'll see you tomorrow.