English subtitles for clip: File:12-8-11- White House Press Briefing.webm

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The President:
Good morning, everybody.

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A couple of days ago I said that
we are in a make-or-break moment

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when it comes to
America's middle class.

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We either have a country where
everybody fends for themselves,

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or we create a country where
everybody does their fair share,

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everybody has got a fair chance,
and we ensure that there's fair

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play out there.

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Now, to ensure fair play, one of
the things that I talked about

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was the importance of making
sure we implement financial

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reform, Wall Street reform
that was passed last year.

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And a key component of that
was making sure that we have

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a consumer watchdog in place who
can police what mortgage brokers

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and payday lenders and other
non-bank financial entities

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are able to do when it
comes to consumers.

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This is a big deal.

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About one-in-five people use
these kinds of mechanisms to

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finance everything from buying
a house to cashing their checks.

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And we passed a law last year
that said we need this consumer

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watchdog in place to make
sure that people aren't taken

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advantage of.

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Now, we have nominated
somebody -- Richard Cordray,

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former attorney general and
treasurer of Ohio -- who

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everybody says is
highly qualified.

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The majority of
attorney generals,

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Republican and Democrat, from
across the country have said

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this is somebody who can
do the job with integrity,

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who has a tradition of being a
bipartisan individual who looks

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out for the public interest,
and is ready to go.

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And he actually helped set
up the Consumer Finance

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Protection Board.

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This morning, Senate Republicans
blocked his nomination,

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refusing to let the Senate
even go forward with an up

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or down vote on Mr. Cordray.

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This makes absolutely no sense.

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Consumers across the country
understand that part of the

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reason we got into the financial
mess that we did was because

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regulators were not
doing their jobs.

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People were not paying attention
to what was happening in the

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housing market; people weren't
paying attention to who was

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being taken advantage of.

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There were folks who were making
a lot of money taking advantage

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of American consumers.

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This individual's job is to make
sure that individual consumers

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are protected -- everybody from
seniors to young people who are

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looking for student loans, to
members of our Armed Services

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who are probably more vulnerable
than just about anybody when it

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comes to unscrupulous
financial practices.

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There is no reason why
Mr. Cordray should not be

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nominated, and should not
be confirmed by the Senate,

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and should not be doing his job
right away in order to carry out

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his mandate and his mission.

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So I just want to send a message
to the Senate: We are not giving

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up on this.

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We're going to keep
on going at it.

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We are not going to allow
politics as usual on Capitol

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Hill to stand in the way of
American consumers being

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protected by unscrupulous
financial operators.

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And we're going to keep
on pushing on this issue.

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Now, the second thing I want
to make clear about is that,

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with respect to the payroll tax
-- you guys have all seen our

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countdown clock behind us.

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This is about doing -- making
sure that everybody is doing

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their fair share and that the
middle class does not see their

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taxes go up by
$1,000 in 23 days.

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And we've heard recently some
intimations from the Senate

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Majority Leader and from the
Speaker of the House -- or the

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Senate Minority Leader and the
Speaker of the House that they

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think we should
do a payroll tax,

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but the question is what price
will they extract from the

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President in order
to get it done.

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And I just want to make
clear: This is not about me.

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They shouldn't extend the
payroll tax cut for me.

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They shouldn't extend
unemployment insurance for me.

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This is for 160 million
people who, in 23 days,

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are going to see their taxes
go up if Congress doesn't act.

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This is for 5 million
individuals who are out there

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looking for a job and can't
find a job right now in a tough

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economy who could end up not
being able to pay their bills

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or keep their house if
Congress doesn't act.

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So rather than trying to figure
out what can they extract

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politically from me in order
to get this thing done,

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what they need to do is be
focused on what's good for

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the economy, what's good for
jobs and what's good for the

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American people.

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And I made very clear I do not
expect Congress to go home

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unless the payroll tax cut is
extended and unless unemployment

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insurance is extended.

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It would be wrong for families,
but it would also be wrong for

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the economy as a whole.

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With that, I'm going to take
a couple of questions. Ben.

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The Press:
Thank you, Mr. President.

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It's a very busy time.

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If I may, I'd like to ask you
about two other important issues

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in the news.

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Republican candidates have taken
aim at your approach to foreign

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policy, particularly the
Middle East and Israel,

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and accused you of appeasement.

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I wanted to get your
reaction to that.

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And also, I'm wondering if you
personally intervened in any way

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in halting the sale of the
"morning after" pill to those

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under 17, and whether you
think politics trumps science

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in this case.

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The President:
Ask Osama bin Laden and the
22-out-of-30 top al Qaeda

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leaders who've been taken
off the field whether I

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engage in appeasement.

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Or whoever is left out
there, ask them about that.

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With respect to the Plan B,
I did not get involved in

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the process.

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This was a decision that was
made by Kathleen Sebelius,

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the Secretary of HHS.

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I will say this, as the
father of two daughters.

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I think it is important for us
to make sure that we apply some

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common sense to various
rules when it comes to

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over-the-counter medicine.

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And as I understand it, the
reason Kathleen made this

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decision was she could not be
confident that a 10-year-old or

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an 11-year-old go
into a drugstore,

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should be able -- alongside
bubble gum or batteries -- be

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able to buy a medication
that potentially,

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if not used properly, could end
up having an adverse effect.

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And I think most parents would
probably feel the same way.

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So the expectation here is --
I think it's very important

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to understand that, for
women, for those over 17,

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this continues to be something
that you can go in and purchase

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from a drugstore.

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It has been deemed
safe by the FDA.

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Nobody is challenging that.

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When it comes to
12-year-olds or 13-year-olds,

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the question is can we have
confidence that they would

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potentially use Plan B properly.

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And her judgment was that there
was not enough evidence that

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this potentially could be used
improperly in a way that had

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adverse health effects
on those young people.

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The Press:
Do you fully
support the decision?

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The President:
I do.

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The Press:
Mr. President, is a recess
appointment for Richard Cordray

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on the table, number one.

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And number two, the
Italian Prime Minister,

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the new Prime Minister indicated
today he may be coming to the

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White House next month.

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Do you think he and other
European leaders are stepping

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up in the way you've urged
them to, to sort of clear up

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the debt crisis?

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The President:
I will not take any
options off the table

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when it comes to getting Richard
Cordray in as director of the

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Consumer Finance
Protection Board.

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And I want to repeat what I said
earlier: This is a law that was

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passed by Congress that I signed
into law that is designed solely

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to protect American consumers.

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I don't think there's any
consumer out there -- I don't

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think there's any American out
there -- who thinks that the

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reason we got into the big
financial mess that we did was

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because of too much regulation
of Wall Street or the financial

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services industry.

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I take it back.

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I'm sure there are some folks in
the financial service industry

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who make that argument; although
I'm not sure that they make it

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with a straight face.

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So let's just take a very
specific example: All the

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families out there who
have now lost their home,

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after having paid their
mortgage over and over again,

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because they were told that
they could afford this home;

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they didn't understand all the
documentation that was involved

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-- this was peddled
deliberately to them,

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even though a mortgage broker
might have known that there was

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no way that they could keep up
with these payments -- and now

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they're out on the street
because nobody was making

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sure that there's fair play and
fair dealing in the mortgage

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industry on it.

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Now, why wouldn't we want to
have somebody just to make

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sure that people are
being treated fairly?

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Especially when not only
is that family affected,

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but our whole
economy is affected.

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This is part of what I
was talking about a couple

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of days ago.

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We have a Congress right now,
Republicans in Congress right

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now, who seem to have
entirely forgotten how

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we got into this mess.

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And part of the reason was
because we did not empower our

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regulators to make sure that
they were ensuring fair play.

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That's what the Consumer
Finance Protection Board

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is designed to do.

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We had Holly Petraeus,
wife of General Petraeus,

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who's been working to make
sure that our Armed Services

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personnel aren't
taken advantage of.

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They get transferred to a base,
and next thing they know they're

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taking out loans that they
think are a good deal,

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but it turns out that they're
paying 100-150-200 percent

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interest rates.

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Why wouldn't we want somebody
in place to make sure that

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doesn't happen?

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It doesn't make any sense.

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So the bottom line is --
you asked about the recess

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appointment -- we're going
to look at all our options.

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My hope and expectation is, is
that the Republicans who blocked

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this nomination come
to their senses.

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And I know that some of them
have made an argument, well,

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we just want to sort of make
some modifications in the law.

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Well, they're free to introduce
a bill and get that passed.

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But part of what's happened over
on Capitol Hill -- not just on

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this issue, but on every
issue -- is they will hold up

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nominations, well-qualified
judges aren't getting a vote --

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I've got assistant secretaries
to the Treasury who get held up

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for no reason, just because
they're trying to see if they

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can use that to reverse
some sort of law that's

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already been passed.

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And that's part of what gets the
American people so frustrated --

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because they don't feel like
this thing is on the level.

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The Press:
The European crisis, do
you have any sense --

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The President:
Oh, on the European
debt crisis -- I am

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obviously very concerned about
what's happening in Europe.

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I've expressed those concerns
repeatedly to President Sarkozy,

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Chancellor Merkel, all
the key leaders involved.

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I think they now recognize the
urgency of doing something

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serious and bold.

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The question is whether they can
muster the political will to get

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it done.

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Look, Europe is wealthy enough
that there's no reason why they

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can't solve this problem.

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It's not as if we're talking
about some impoverished country

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that doesn't have any resources,
and is being buffeted by the

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world markets, and they need to
come hat in hand and get help.

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This is Europe, with some of the
wealthiest countries on Earth;

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collectively one of the
largest markets on Earth,

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if not the largest.

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And so if they muster
the political will,

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they have the capacity
to settle markets down,

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make sure that they
are acting responsibly,

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and that governments like Italy
are able to finance their debt.

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And I think that Chancellor
Merkel has made some progress

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with other European leaders in
trying to move towards a fiscal

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compact where everybody is
playing by the same rules and

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nobody is acting irresponsibly.

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I think that's all for the good,
but there's a short-term crisis

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that has to be resolved to
make sure that markets have

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confidence that Europe
stands behind the euro.

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00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:22,900
And we're going to do everything
we can to push them in a good

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00:14:22,900 --> 00:14:25,199
direction on this, because
it has a huge impact on what

239
00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:26,433
happens here in
the United States.

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00:14:26,433 --> 00:14:28,033
They are our largest
trading partner,

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00:14:28,033 --> 00:14:34,600
and we're seeing some positive
signs in our economy,

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00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:38,934
but if we see Europe tank,
that obviously could have a

243
00:14:38,934 --> 00:14:41,867
big impact on our ability to
generate the jobs that we need

244
00:14:41,867 --> 00:14:42,867
here in the United States.

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00:14:42,867 --> 00:14:44,065
I'm going to answer
one last question.

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00:14:44,066 --> 00:14:46,600
Kristen -- Kristen Welker.

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00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:48,300
The Press:
Mr. President, thank you.

248
00:14:48,300 --> 00:14:52,333
You just called on Congress not
to leave until they resolve this

249
00:14:52,333 --> 00:14:54,766
issue over the payroll
tax cuts and unemployment

250
00:14:54,767 --> 00:14:55,867
insurance benefits.

251
00:14:55,867 --> 00:14:59,165
Can you say definitively that
you will postpone your own

252
00:14:59,166 --> 00:15:02,033
vacation until these two
matters are resolved?

253
00:15:02,033 --> 00:15:05,834
And also, on Iran, we've heard
some sharper language from

254
00:15:05,834 --> 00:15:08,867
members of your administration
about Iran recently.

255
00:15:08,867 --> 00:15:11,699
Are you intentionally trying to
ramp up the pressure on Iran?

256
00:15:11,700 --> 00:15:15,100
And given that you stated that
no options are off the table,

257
00:15:15,100 --> 00:15:17,367
should we take that to mean
that you are considering some

258
00:15:17,367 --> 00:15:20,867
other options?

259
00:15:20,867 --> 00:15:28,065
The President:
No options off the table means
I'm considering all options.

260
00:15:28,066 --> 00:15:29,834
The Press:
Can you tell us specifically
what those options might be?

261
00:15:29,834 --> 00:15:34,000
The President:
No. But what I can say
with respect to Iran,

262
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,700
I think it's very
important to remember,

263
00:15:36,700 --> 00:15:40,166
particularly given some of the
political noise out there,

264
00:15:40,166 --> 00:15:44,467
that this administration has
systematically imposed the

265
00:15:44,467 --> 00:15:48,233
toughest sanctions on
Iraq -- on Iran ever.

266
00:15:50,700 --> 00:15:54,700
When we came into office,
the world was divided;

267
00:15:54,700 --> 00:16:01,834
Iran was unified and moving
aggressively on its own agenda.

268
00:16:01,834 --> 00:16:06,199
Today, Iran is isolated, and the
world is unified in applying the

269
00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:08,500
toughest sanctions that
Iran has ever experienced.

270
00:16:08,500 --> 00:16:10,700
And it's having an
impact inside of Iran.

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00:16:10,700 --> 00:16:14,100
And that's as a consequence of
the extraordinary work that's

272
00:16:14,100 --> 00:16:17,600
been done by our
national security team.

273
00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:25,200
Now, Iran understands that they
have a choice: They can break

274
00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:31,233
that isolation by acting
responsibly and foreswearing the

275
00:16:31,233 --> 00:16:35,500
development of nuclear weapons,
which would still allow them to

276
00:16:35,500 --> 00:16:39,667
pursue peaceful nuclear power,
like every other country that's

277
00:16:39,667 --> 00:16:42,400
a member of the
Non-Proliferation Treaty,

278
00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:50,333
or they can continue to operate
in a fashion that isolates them

279
00:16:50,333 --> 00:16:52,333
from the entire world.

280
00:16:52,333 --> 00:16:56,533
And if they are pursuing
nuclear weapons,

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00:16:56,533 --> 00:17:00,734
then I have said very clearly,
that is contrary to the national

282
00:17:00,734 --> 00:17:03,333
security interests
of the United States;

283
00:17:03,333 --> 00:17:06,500
it's contrary to the national
security interests of our

284
00:17:06,500 --> 00:17:13,000
allies, including Israel; and we
are going to work with the world

285
00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,032
community to prevent that.

286
00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:25,399
With respect to my vacation,
I would not ask anybody to

287
00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,000
do something I'm not
willing to do myself.

288
00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,767
So I know some of you might have
been looking forward to a little

289
00:17:31,767 --> 00:17:35,500
sun and sand -- (laughter)
-- but the bottom line is,

290
00:17:35,500 --> 00:17:39,266
is that we are going to stay
here as long as it takes to

291
00:17:39,266 --> 00:17:41,734
make sure that the American
people's taxes don't go up on

292
00:17:41,734 --> 00:17:46,699
January 1st, and to make sure
that folks who desperately need

293
00:17:46,700 --> 00:17:50,166
unemployment insurance
get that help.

294
00:17:50,166 --> 00:17:55,734
And there's absolutely no excuse
for us not getting it done.

295
00:17:55,734 --> 00:17:58,100
Keep in mind, on
the payroll tax cut,

296
00:17:58,100 --> 00:18:02,567
this is something that Democrats
and Republicans agreed to last

297
00:18:02,567 --> 00:18:09,433
year with little fanfare, and
it was good for the economy.

298
00:18:09,433 --> 00:18:14,734
And independent economists
estimate that for us to not

299
00:18:14,734 --> 00:18:18,433
extend it right now -- to
not extend payroll tax cut,

300
00:18:18,433 --> 00:18:21,033
not extend unemployment
insurance -- would have

301
00:18:21,033 --> 00:18:25,100
a significant, adverse
impact on our economy,

302
00:18:25,100 --> 00:18:26,332
right at a time when
we're supposed to be

303
00:18:26,333 --> 00:18:29,967
growing the economy.

304
00:18:29,967 --> 00:18:39,500
So when I hear the Speaker or
the Senate Republican leader

305
00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:43,633
wanting to dicker, wanting
to see what can they extract

306
00:18:43,633 --> 00:18:49,000
from us in order to get this
done, my response to them is,

307
00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:52,367
just do the right thing:
Focus on the American people,

308
00:18:52,367 --> 00:18:54,767
focus on the economy right now.

309
00:18:54,767 --> 00:18:59,533
I know the suggestion right
now is, is that somehow, well,

310
00:18:59,533 --> 00:19:03,500
this Keystone issue
will create jobs.

311
00:19:03,500 --> 00:19:06,533
That's being determined by the
State Department right now,

312
00:19:06,533 --> 00:19:08,132
and there is a process.

313
00:19:08,133 --> 00:19:14,600
But here's what I know: However
many jobs might be generated by

314
00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:18,166
a Keystone pipeline, they're
going to be a lot fewer than

315
00:19:18,166 --> 00:19:21,367
the jobs that are created by
extending the payroll tax cut

316
00:19:21,367 --> 00:19:23,000
and extending
unemployment insurance.

317
00:19:25,934 --> 00:19:27,567
Get it done.

318
00:19:27,567 --> 00:19:32,700
And if not, maybe we'll
have a white Christmas

319
00:19:32,700 --> 00:19:35,500
here in Washington.

320
00:19:35,500 --> 00:19:38,233
And I look forward to spending
a lot of time with you guys --

321
00:19:38,233 --> 00:19:40,367
(laughter)

322
00:19:40,367 --> 00:19:42,367
-- between now and the New Year.

323
00:19:42,367 --> 00:19:43,433
All right. Thank you, guys.

324
00:19:44,467 --> 00:19:55,567
Mr. Carney:
Okay. I will engage in what I
trust will be a brief briefing.

325
00:19:56,300 --> 00:19:58,200
I don't have any announcements.

326
00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:01,800
I think we put out the
trip next week, correct?

327
00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,166
To Fort Bragg.

328
00:20:04,166 --> 00:20:06,033
And the President looks
forward to that visit,

329
00:20:09,266 --> 00:20:11,333
even more than he looks forward
to spending a lot of time with

330
00:20:11,333 --> 00:20:14,400
you as we get closer
and closer to Christmas.

331
00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:15,967
(laughter)

332
00:20:15,967 --> 00:20:17,033
Questions.

333
00:20:18,867 --> 00:20:20,200
The Press:
Share the wealth.

334
00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:22,300
Mr. Carney:
Share the wealth. Reuters.

335
00:20:22,300 --> 00:20:23,667
The Press:
Can I ask about Russia?

336
00:20:23,667 --> 00:20:24,233
Mr. Carney:
Yes, please.

337
00:20:24,233 --> 00:20:27,265
The Press:
Prime Minister Putin today
was accusing the U.S. of

338
00:20:27,266 --> 00:20:28,734
interference in
Russian affairs.

339
00:20:28,734 --> 00:20:30,766
I wondered what your
response was to that,

340
00:20:30,767 --> 00:20:34,233
and where concerns about the
problems with the elections

341
00:20:34,233 --> 00:20:39,133
leave the reset of
U.S.-Russian relations.

342
00:20:39,133 --> 00:20:41,834
Mr. Carney:
Well, Secretary Clinton
spoke to this issue in

343
00:20:41,834 --> 00:20:44,066
Brussels today.

344
00:20:44,066 --> 00:20:46,367
The United States and Russia
have many common interests,

345
00:20:46,367 --> 00:20:49,633
as you've heard me discuss, and
this administration has sought

346
00:20:49,633 --> 00:20:52,300
to develop and nurture
those interests.

347
00:20:52,300 --> 00:20:53,899
Through engagement with
the Russian government,

348
00:20:53,900 --> 00:20:55,767
we have advanced several
of our top security and

349
00:20:55,767 --> 00:20:57,266
economic interests.

350
00:20:57,266 --> 00:20:59,400
We will continue to seek
opportunities for cooperation

351
00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,867
with Russia, based on
mutual respect and those

352
00:21:02,867 --> 00:21:03,600
common interests.

353
00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,899
At the same time, we have sought
to deepen our engagement with

354
00:21:06,900 --> 00:21:10,400
Russian society and to
promote universal values.

355
00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:14,767
When rights are violated in
Russia, or in any other country,

356
00:21:14,767 --> 00:21:16,367
we speak out.

357
00:21:16,367 --> 00:21:19,767
We are going to continue to
pursue both tracks of engagement

358
00:21:19,767 --> 00:21:23,767
in the promotion of our
interests and our values.

359
00:21:23,767 --> 00:21:25,800
I'll go on to say that we
are encouraged by President

360
00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:29,100
Medvedev's commitment to have
the Central Election Commission

361
00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:31,367
investigate all
election violations,

362
00:21:31,367 --> 00:21:33,367
and we welcome his
acknowledgment that the

363
00:21:33,367 --> 00:21:37,265
demonstrations in Moscow and
other cities are part of the

364
00:21:37,266 --> 00:21:40,300
democratic process.

365
00:21:40,300 --> 00:21:41,300
Yes.

366
00:21:41,300 --> 00:21:43,166
The Press:
What specifically would
the administration be

367
00:21:43,166 --> 00:21:47,867
willing to compromise on, as
it relates to the appointment?

368
00:21:47,867 --> 00:21:52,934
Mr. Carney:
Well, I don't think the
President indicated any

369
00:21:52,934 --> 00:21:55,399
efforts to compromise.

370
00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:59,000
I think he made a very
compelling case for why

371
00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:04,934
a law that was debated,
negotiated, and passed

372
00:22:04,934 --> 00:22:07,567
successfully through Congress
and was signed into law by the

373
00:22:07,567 --> 00:22:09,467
this President should be implemented.

374
00:22:09,467 --> 00:22:11,700
As I think he said in
response to Ed's question,

375
00:22:14,166 --> 00:22:17,300
if there are members of Congress
in the Senate or the House who

376
00:22:17,300 --> 00:22:20,066
have a problem with the bill
or with the law as it is,

377
00:22:20,066 --> 00:22:23,300
and want to change
it, submit a bill.

378
00:22:23,300 --> 00:22:25,367
Don't block it through
parliamentary tactics,

379
00:22:25,367 --> 00:22:27,966
the implementation of
the law of the land.

380
00:22:27,967 --> 00:22:30,400
Because who loses?

381
00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:35,233
Not the non-financial -- or
rather non-bank financial

382
00:22:35,233 --> 00:22:40,533
institutions, the oversight of
which is being held up because

383
00:22:40,533 --> 00:22:45,934
of the Senate
Republican filibuster.

384
00:22:45,934 --> 00:22:49,367
The people who lose are the
American consumers who engage

385
00:22:49,367 --> 00:22:51,899
with those non-bank financial
institutions all the time --

386
00:22:51,900 --> 00:22:54,667
payday lenders, and
mortgage service providers,

387
00:22:54,667 --> 00:22:59,265
student loan
companies -- veterans.

388
00:23:02,133 --> 00:23:07,767
So they ought to do the right
thing for American consumers.

389
00:23:07,767 --> 00:23:09,333
Don't do it for the President.

390
00:23:09,333 --> 00:23:11,333
We're not naïve enough
to believe that,

391
00:23:13,233 --> 00:23:17,966
whether it's a payroll
tax cut or a confirmation,

392
00:23:17,967 --> 00:23:19,033
they would do it
for that reason.

393
00:23:19,033 --> 00:23:20,466
But they ought to do it
because their constituents

394
00:23:20,467 --> 00:23:22,467
are demanding it.

395
00:23:22,467 --> 00:23:23,233
Brianna.

396
00:23:23,233 --> 00:23:26,800
The Press:
On Plan B, the critics
in your -- there are

397
00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:29,066
some critics in your own
party who say that science

398
00:23:29,066 --> 00:23:31,467
lost to politics.

399
00:23:31,467 --> 00:23:33,867
Did this have anything
to do with politics?

400
00:23:33,867 --> 00:23:42,433
Mr. Carney:
I think the decision was
Secretary Sebelius's decision.

401
00:23:42,433 --> 00:23:45,033
The President, as you heard,
supports that decision,

402
00:23:45,033 --> 00:23:52,867
and I think he gave pretty
compelling reasons for why

403
00:23:52,867 --> 00:23:57,667
he supports the decision, both
as President and as a father.

404
00:24:00,934 --> 00:24:03,600
And then to the question of
politics with regards to this

405
00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:07,500
or anything else, I covered
politics for a long time,

406
00:24:07,500 --> 00:24:10,700
and I'm just -- I can't figure
out what the right -- there are

407
00:24:10,700 --> 00:24:13,767
politics in every issue, and
there's an upside and a downside

408
00:24:13,767 --> 00:24:14,767
to every issue.

409
00:24:14,767 --> 00:24:17,734
And usually, it's hard to know
in advance how these things will

410
00:24:17,734 --> 00:24:21,899
play out politically, which
is just another reason why

411
00:24:21,900 --> 00:24:23,700
decisions like these ought
to be made on the merits,

412
00:24:23,700 --> 00:24:25,166
and that's what
Secretary Sebelius did.

413
00:24:25,166 --> 00:24:28,899
The Press:
But he framed it in terms
of 11- and 13-year-old girls.

414
00:24:28,900 --> 00:24:32,033
The cutoff is not 13, it's 17.

415
00:24:32,033 --> 00:24:33,000
Mr. Carney:
The current cutoff is, right.

416
00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:33,834
But the --

417
00:24:33,834 --> 00:24:35,867
The Press:
So in terms of 16-year-old,
15-year-old girls,

418
00:24:35,867 --> 00:24:38,600
who studies show many of whom
are sexually active and would

419
00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:42,632
actually have more use for the
morning-after pill -- he didn't

420
00:24:42,633 --> 00:24:44,266
talk about it in those terms.

421
00:24:44,266 --> 00:24:45,467
Mr. Carney:
No, he didn't.

422
00:24:45,467 --> 00:24:52,333
But the decision that the
Secretary made was to say yes to

423
00:24:52,333 --> 00:24:59,467
or say no to the allowing of any
girl of any age -- or younger

424
00:24:59,467 --> 00:25:01,734
girls included -- I mean,
not just 16-year-olds,

425
00:25:01,734 --> 00:25:04,433
but it was a -- it would
have resulted in allowing,

426
00:25:04,433 --> 00:25:11,934
as the President said, somebody
to buy it along with batteries

427
00:25:11,934 --> 00:25:12,934
and bubble gum.

428
00:25:12,934 --> 00:25:16,867
So -- a 9-, 10-, 11-year-old.

429
00:25:16,867 --> 00:25:21,966
That was the decision that
Secretary Sebelius faced. Bill.

430
00:25:21,967 --> 00:25:23,934
The Press:
Does the President have
any reaction to the stiff

431
00:25:23,934 --> 00:25:27,033
sentence handed down to
former governor Blagojevich?

432
00:25:27,033 --> 00:25:30,100
Mr. Carney:
I have not heard
him discuss that,

433
00:25:30,100 --> 00:25:35,899
so -- I know you -- he didn't
respond to your question,

434
00:25:35,900 --> 00:25:39,066
so I don't know if
he has a reaction.

435
00:25:39,066 --> 00:25:40,700
The Press:
Can I ask why you
think -- I mean,

436
00:25:40,700 --> 00:25:43,367
the President comes in and makes
what he believes is a compelling

437
00:25:43,367 --> 00:25:46,567
case that Republicans are
blocking this person who

438
00:25:46,567 --> 00:25:48,734
would really help
middle-class Americans.

439
00:25:48,734 --> 00:25:50,066
Mr. Carney:
You believe it,
too, Ed, come on.

440
00:25:50,066 --> 00:25:50,900
The Press:
Of course I believe it.

441
00:25:50,900 --> 00:25:52,533
(laughter)

442
00:25:52,533 --> 00:25:55,833
In all seriousness, how -- why
is it not breaking through,

443
00:25:55,834 --> 00:25:57,934
then -- let's forget about
the Republican leadership,

444
00:25:57,934 --> 00:26:00,166
people like Senator McConnell,
who have been opposed to the

445
00:26:00,166 --> 00:26:01,833
President on a lot of
things -- Susan Collins,

446
00:26:01,834 --> 00:26:05,033
you're targeting her, in a way,
by reaching out to the media in

447
00:26:05,033 --> 00:26:07,632
Maine; you've made this big PR
blitz all week where you've

448
00:26:07,633 --> 00:26:10,266
billed as, like, we're really
going to pressure people on the

449
00:26:10,266 --> 00:26:11,266
fence on this.

450
00:26:11,266 --> 00:26:13,300
And people like Susan Collins
have heard the President's case

451
00:26:13,300 --> 00:26:15,100
and they just say,
no, I don't agree.

452
00:26:15,100 --> 00:26:23,399
Mr. Carney:
Well, you make a good point,
that this club of Republicans

453
00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:29,900
in the Congress are sometimes at
odds not just with the President

454
00:26:29,900 --> 00:26:35,800
but with a overwhelming majority
of public opinion for things

455
00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:41,000
that this President
also happens to support.

456
00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:46,800
So I think that if there were
a referendum or plebiscite in

457
00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:50,166
Maine, I feel pretty
confident that Democrats,

458
00:26:50,166 --> 00:26:54,033
independents and Republicans
would support the confirmation

459
00:26:54,033 --> 00:26:57,600
of a consumer watchdog
whose job it is to look out,

460
00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,033
in Washington, for their
interests in their dealings

461
00:27:01,033 --> 00:27:03,734
with financial institutions.

462
00:27:03,734 --> 00:27:09,233
As the President said, there's
this amnesia about what happened

463
00:27:09,233 --> 00:27:10,934
just a few years ago,
and how it happened,

464
00:27:10,934 --> 00:27:14,867
and who got left
holding the bag.

465
00:27:14,867 --> 00:27:18,700
So, I mean, that's a discussion
that maybe you or your

466
00:27:18,700 --> 00:27:20,700
colleagues should have with
Senator Collins or the other

467
00:27:20,700 --> 00:27:25,367
senators who unfortunately did
not do the right thing today.

468
00:27:25,367 --> 00:27:27,633
But we hope, given
the opportunity,

469
00:27:27,633 --> 00:27:30,433
they'll do the right
thing on another day.

470
00:27:30,433 --> 00:27:31,900
The Press:
But doesn't it say something
about his use of the bully

471
00:27:31,900 --> 00:27:35,033
pulpit that he's trying
this and it's not working

472
00:27:35,033 --> 00:27:35,899
with people in the middle?

473
00:27:35,900 --> 00:27:41,633
Mr. Carney:
We live in a challenging
political environment,

474
00:27:41,633 --> 00:27:43,133
there's no question.

475
00:27:43,133 --> 00:27:49,900
But in the end, everyone
here -- the President,

476
00:27:49,900 --> 00:27:54,233
Vice President and every
member of Congress -- answers

477
00:27:54,233 --> 00:27:56,800
to their constituents.

478
00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:00,600
And on every measure of
the American Jobs Act,

479
00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:04,199
including the payroll tax
cut extension and expansion,

480
00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,967
there is overwhelming public
support -- Democratic,

481
00:28:06,967 --> 00:28:08,800
independent, Republican support.

482
00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:14,834
And referring to the
payroll tax cut extension,

483
00:28:14,834 --> 00:28:18,100
I just -- we may be
here through Christmas,

484
00:28:18,100 --> 00:28:26,500
but it would take an awful lot
of chutzpah as well as, perhaps,

485
00:28:26,500 --> 00:28:30,000
political courage to go home,
if you're a senator or a

486
00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:35,133
congressman, and
answer the question,

487
00:28:35,133 --> 00:28:42,033
"Why did you vote to raise my
taxes on January 1st?" Ben.

488
00:28:42,033 --> 00:28:42,567
You thought better --

489
00:28:42,567 --> 00:28:45,266
The Press:
I'm amending my remarks, yes,
based on what you said there.

490
00:28:45,266 --> 00:28:46,700
I was thinking about
the payroll tax.

491
00:28:46,700 --> 00:28:50,200
The President said yesterday
that if it comes to him attached

492
00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:53,400
with "extraneous" issues not
related to making sure the

493
00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,000
American people's
taxes don't go up,

494
00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,100
it's not something
he's going to accept.

495
00:28:57,100 --> 00:28:58,399
I'm just trying to
get clarity on that.

496
00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:00,166
He would accept it if it's
attached to issues like

497
00:29:00,166 --> 00:29:02,734
unemployment insurance
and the doc fix,

498
00:29:02,734 --> 00:29:04,500
right -- things you want?

499
00:29:04,500 --> 00:29:10,800
Mr. Carney:
Well, I think that "extraneous"
is something you know when you see.

500
00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:18,800
And clearly, unemployment
insurance is very much an

501
00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:23,734
element of the same kind of
proposal the payroll tax cut

502
00:29:23,734 --> 00:29:29,332
extension and expansion is,
and that it goes directly to

503
00:29:29,333 --> 00:29:32,734
assisting Americans
make ends meet,

504
00:29:32,734 --> 00:29:37,966
and it has extremely positive
impacts on the economy,

505
00:29:37,967 --> 00:29:40,734
on economic growth
and job creation.

506
00:29:40,734 --> 00:29:47,699
The Keystone project is being
reviewed in a process that was

507
00:29:47,700 --> 00:29:51,467
established through many
decades of precedent at

508
00:29:51,467 --> 00:29:54,367
the State Department.

509
00:29:54,367 --> 00:29:58,734
It is being reviewed in a way
that allows and has allowed for

510
00:29:58,734 --> 00:30:02,066
substantial public comment, as
well as input from agencies

511
00:30:02,066 --> 00:30:03,967
across the government.

512
00:30:03,967 --> 00:30:06,667
And it is being reviewed
in a way that takes into

513
00:30:06,667 --> 00:30:08,867
consideration the criteria that
you've heard the President

514
00:30:08,867 --> 00:30:13,000
himself lay out as the
most important criteria

515
00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:14,834
to be considered.

516
00:30:14,834 --> 00:30:21,033
That process needs to be
allowed to be pursued,

517
00:30:21,033 --> 00:30:24,966
and the State Department has
said that that will take a

518
00:30:24,967 --> 00:30:28,967
certain amount of time, and
that's what should happen.

519
00:30:28,967 --> 00:30:31,900
It should not be, as
the President said,

520
00:30:31,900 --> 00:30:36,867
a situation where leaders in
Congress -- Republican leaders

521
00:30:36,867 --> 00:30:42,899
in Congress should be bargaining
for political priorities in

522
00:30:42,900 --> 00:30:46,600
exchange for giving this
President the payroll tax cut.

523
00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:49,966
Whatever happened to
Republicans being for tax cuts?

524
00:30:49,967 --> 00:30:56,133
Is it because this one goes
to 160 million Americans,

525
00:30:56,133 --> 00:30:59,867
middle-class working Americans,
that they're ambivalent or

526
00:30:59,867 --> 00:31:02,300
they're willing to oppose
it if they don't get some

527
00:31:02,300 --> 00:31:03,300
political scalp?

528
00:31:03,300 --> 00:31:06,734
Is it because President
Obama supports it,

529
00:31:06,734 --> 00:31:08,132
or Democrats support it?

530
00:31:08,133 --> 00:31:10,567
It's confusing to me, and I
think it's confusing to a lot

531
00:31:10,567 --> 00:31:12,767
of people, and based on the data
I've seen it's confusing to a

532
00:31:12,767 --> 00:31:14,567
lot of Americans.

533
00:31:14,567 --> 00:31:19,433
So no extraneous attachments.

534
00:31:19,433 --> 00:31:22,333
The Press:
Would that cover, for example,
some of these environmental

535
00:31:22,333 --> 00:31:24,633
issues besides Keystone that
Republicans are pushing?

536
00:31:24,633 --> 00:31:27,467
Would that be extraneous?

537
00:31:27,467 --> 00:31:28,800
Mr. Carney:
Besides Keystone?

538
00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:31,100
Again, I think it's likely
that something like that

539
00:31:31,100 --> 00:31:31,867
would be extraneous.

540
00:31:31,867 --> 00:31:34,066
I don't want to
negotiate from here.

541
00:31:34,066 --> 00:31:36,667
Keystone is clearly
extraneous. Laura.

542
00:31:36,667 --> 00:31:38,766
The Press:
Thanks.

543
00:31:38,767 --> 00:31:42,567
You've said that it was Kathleen
Sebelius's decision on Plan B.

544
00:31:42,567 --> 00:31:45,200
We also heard the President's
views on the subject.

545
00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,300
Did he or anybody else in the
White House communicate his

546
00:31:48,300 --> 00:31:50,399
views to her before
she made the decision?

547
00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:53,467
Mr. Carney:
It is certainly
-- broadly speaking,

548
00:31:53,467 --> 00:31:55,567
I don't know with regard
to this specific issue,

549
00:31:55,567 --> 00:31:58,633
but it's broadly the case that
there is communication between

550
00:31:58,633 --> 00:32:03,567
agencies and the White House on
matters like these and decisions

551
00:32:03,567 --> 00:32:08,967
that are made at those agencies
like the Department of Health

552
00:32:08,967 --> 00:32:12,734
and Human Services
or other departments.

553
00:32:12,734 --> 00:32:15,433
But in this case, as
the President said,

554
00:32:15,433 --> 00:32:18,266
he had no involvement
in the process.

555
00:32:18,266 --> 00:32:21,934
He supports the decision,
and it was very much Kathleen

556
00:32:21,934 --> 00:32:23,266
Sebelius's decision.

557
00:32:23,266 --> 00:32:25,867
The Press:
And did anybody -- I
understand you're saying

558
00:32:25,867 --> 00:32:28,500
it was her decision, but there
are lots of ways that you can

559
00:32:28,500 --> 00:32:29,734
come to a decision --

560
00:32:29,734 --> 00:32:30,233
Mr. Carney:
Look --

561
00:32:30,233 --> 00:32:31,533
The Press:
-- if I could just
finish the question.

562
00:32:31,533 --> 00:32:32,632
Mr. Carney:
Sure.

563
00:32:32,633 --> 00:32:34,100
The Press:
You can come to a
decision, for instance,

564
00:32:34,100 --> 00:32:36,632
after speaking with somebody
at the White House who advises

565
00:32:36,633 --> 00:32:41,033
that, for any number of reasons,
this is something that the White

566
00:32:41,033 --> 00:32:42,132
House would prefer.

567
00:32:42,133 --> 00:32:44,433
And putting the
President himself aside,

568
00:32:44,433 --> 00:32:45,667
did anybody on the --

569
00:32:45,667 --> 00:32:46,466
Mr. Carney:
The implication in your --

570
00:32:46,467 --> 00:32:48,266
The Press:
-- in the White House
communicate that to --

571
00:32:48,266 --> 00:32:49,166
Mr. Carney:
I get where you're headed.

572
00:32:49,166 --> 00:32:51,300
The implication in your question
is that Kathleen Sebelius

573
00:32:51,300 --> 00:32:52,966
doesn't support this decision.

574
00:32:52,967 --> 00:32:54,900
I think you ought to ask
her, because she does and

575
00:32:54,900 --> 00:32:55,033
she made it.

576
00:32:55,033 --> 00:33:00,433
So there is communication
between the White House and

577
00:33:00,433 --> 00:33:03,266
agencies in a decision-making
process like this,

578
00:33:03,266 --> 00:33:06,800
but the decision is made by
the Secretary in this case,

579
00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:09,066
and it was made by
Secretary Sebelius.

580
00:33:09,066 --> 00:33:15,300
The President had no involvement
in that, as he just said,

581
00:33:15,300 --> 00:33:19,934
and this was her decision,
and I think she put out a

582
00:33:19,934 --> 00:33:21,667
statement explaining it.

583
00:33:21,667 --> 00:33:22,800
The President supports it.

584
00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:24,265
The Press:
But I've seen -- been
in Washington a while,

585
00:33:24,266 --> 00:33:27,533
long enough to see Cabinet
secretaries make decisions

586
00:33:27,533 --> 00:33:29,399
that they don't
personally agree with.

587
00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:32,767
I don't know what is in the
mind of Kathleen Sebelius.

588
00:33:32,767 --> 00:33:38,400
I'm just asking whether there
was any influence on the part

589
00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:42,500
of the White House staff in
her coming to that conclusion.

590
00:33:42,500 --> 00:33:45,834
Mr. Carney:
No, again, there
was communication.

591
00:33:45,834 --> 00:33:49,066
But the implication of your
question is that influence to

592
00:33:49,066 --> 00:33:51,834
get her to change her mind
-- this was her decision.

593
00:33:51,834 --> 00:33:53,567
She made it and she
clearly supports it,

594
00:33:53,567 --> 00:33:56,400
as articulated in her statement.

595
00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:58,533
Yes, Peter.

596
00:33:58,533 --> 00:34:00,600
The Press:
Jay, the chairman of the
House Judiciary Committee

597
00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:04,399
this morning said he wants to
see work product from Elena

598
00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:07,300
Kagan before -- in a period
before it became clear that she

599
00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:09,967
was under consideration
for the Supreme Court.

600
00:34:09,967 --> 00:34:12,700
Does the President support -- is
there any reason the President

601
00:34:12,699 --> 00:34:14,833
feels that those documents
should not be turned over in

602
00:34:14,833 --> 00:34:16,332
that two-month timeframe?

603
00:34:16,333 --> 00:34:18,800
And does he feel that she
retains her impartiality in

604
00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:20,633
the health care case?

605
00:34:20,632 --> 00:34:24,299
Mr. Carney:
Justice Kagan was confirmed
with bipartisan support to

606
00:34:24,300 --> 00:34:31,767
the Supreme Court; went
through the usual thorough

607
00:34:31,766 --> 00:34:33,366
confirmation process.

608
00:34:35,533 --> 00:34:38,734
I would point you to the
statement by President Bush's

609
00:34:38,734 --> 00:34:41,500
former attorney
general on this matter,

610
00:34:41,500 --> 00:34:43,934
and his views on whether or
not there's an issue here.

611
00:34:43,934 --> 00:34:45,967
We agree with him.

612
00:34:45,967 --> 00:34:47,467
Yes, Jon-Christopher.

613
00:34:47,467 --> 00:34:51,400
The Press:
I have another Plan B question,
but this is a fiscal follow-up

614
00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:53,767
on what the President said
earlier regarding the eurozone.

615
00:34:53,766 --> 00:34:56,632
Does the administration
have a plan B to protect

616
00:34:56,632 --> 00:34:58,033
the U.S. economy --

617
00:34:58,033 --> 00:34:59,033
(laughter)

618
00:34:59,033 --> 00:35:03,400
-- if its European leaders do
not reach an agreement -- a debt

619
00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:07,467
agreement tomorrow in Brussels,
especially now that S&P is

620
00:35:07,467 --> 00:35:11,133
threatening to
downgrade all of Europe?

621
00:35:11,133 --> 00:35:16,165
Mr. Carney:
He's focused on his plan A,
which is passage of the payroll

622
00:35:16,166 --> 00:35:19,467
tax cut extension and
expansion, passage of

623
00:35:19,467 --> 00:35:25,367
extension of unemployment
insurance, passage -- if members

624
00:35:25,367 --> 00:35:26,667
of Congress come
to their senses --

625
00:35:26,667 --> 00:35:28,667
of the other elements of
the American Jobs Act.

626
00:35:28,667 --> 00:35:34,066
He will not relent just because
there is political opposition.

627
00:35:34,066 --> 00:35:39,667
And as he made clear here, he
will stay as long as it takes

628
00:35:39,667 --> 00:35:45,533
in Washington to make sure
that Congress doesn't allow

629
00:35:45,533 --> 00:35:49,200
160 million Americans to
experience a tax cut next year.

630
00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:51,133
The Press:
And that will have a
positive effect on what's

631
00:35:51,133 --> 00:35:53,433
going on in Europe
tomorrow during this --

632
00:35:53,433 --> 00:35:56,033
Mr. Carney:
Well, you asked what
his plan B was for the

633
00:35:56,033 --> 00:35:57,133
American economy.

634
00:35:57,133 --> 00:35:59,933
And as I've said, and
he has said in the past,

635
00:35:59,934 --> 00:36:01,734
and Secretary Geithner, is
he's focused on the things

636
00:36:01,734 --> 00:36:02,967
you can control.

637
00:36:02,967 --> 00:36:05,900
You obviously engage on the
issues that are not entirely

638
00:36:05,900 --> 00:36:07,467
in our control, like Europe.

639
00:36:07,467 --> 00:36:09,567
That's why Secretary Geithner
is in Europe this week;

640
00:36:09,567 --> 00:36:13,433
why President Obama is in
frequent communication with

641
00:36:13,433 --> 00:36:16,400
his counterparts in Europe,
especially Chancellor Merkel

642
00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:19,367
and President Sarkozy,
as he mentioned today.

643
00:36:19,367 --> 00:36:25,000
But you need to buy that
insurance, if you will,

644
00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:27,233
for your own economy,
for the American economy,

645
00:36:27,233 --> 00:36:31,000
by taking the decisive
action that you can take,

646
00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:33,066
through Congress and
outside of Congress,

647
00:36:33,066 --> 00:36:37,700
that can help buffer the
American economy and protect it

648
00:36:37,700 --> 00:36:42,533
from the kinds of shocks that
happen inevitably in the global

649
00:36:42,533 --> 00:36:45,133
economy -- whether it's
the situation in Europe,

650
00:36:45,133 --> 00:36:48,366
or earthquake and
tsunami in Japan,

651
00:36:48,367 --> 00:36:53,033
or unrest in the Middle East
that affects oil prices.

652
00:36:53,033 --> 00:36:55,600
Those are the kinds of things
that are not entirely in our

653
00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:59,567
control, and that we
need to ensure against.

654
00:36:59,567 --> 00:37:02,100
That's why it is so essential
that we take the measures we can

655
00:37:02,100 --> 00:37:06,533
take to ensure that we continue
to recover from the worst

656
00:37:06,533 --> 00:37:08,667
recession since the
Great Depression.

657
00:37:08,667 --> 00:37:12,467
It's why we need to put $1,550
in the pockets of the average

658
00:37:12,467 --> 00:37:15,467
American family next year, and
why we need to make sure that

659
00:37:15,467 --> 00:37:18,333
those 5 million folks who are
looking for work continue to get

660
00:37:18,333 --> 00:37:20,233
the kind of
assistance they need.

661
00:37:20,233 --> 00:37:22,400
All the way in back. Yes.

662
00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:25,900
The Press:
The leaders in Pakistan
have been talking about

663
00:37:25,900 --> 00:37:28,433
new talks of engagement
with the U.S.

664
00:37:28,433 --> 00:37:30,567
Have they given you any
indication of what these

665
00:37:30,567 --> 00:37:33,233
new talks of engagement
with the U.S. is going to be,

666
00:37:33,233 --> 00:37:34,734
and how is it going to
be different from the

667
00:37:34,734 --> 00:37:35,866
present one?

668
00:37:35,867 --> 00:37:38,400
Mr. Carney:
Not that I'm aware
of, but, as you know,

669
00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:43,400
we have regular contacts with
the Pakistani government.

670
00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:45,934
But I don't have any
new information on

671
00:37:45,934 --> 00:37:49,967
those consultations. Kate.

672
00:37:49,967 --> 00:37:53,233
The Press:
The Senate Democrats' plan
would charge higher fees to

673
00:37:53,233 --> 00:37:55,934
lenders by Fannie and Freddie,
which would eventually lead to

674
00:37:55,934 --> 00:37:57,934
higher interest
rates for borrowers.

675
00:37:57,934 --> 00:38:01,300
So wouldn't that eventually come
down to hurting the middle class

676
00:38:01,300 --> 00:38:02,000
in the end?

677
00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:05,166
And then also, I wondered if you
had any reaction to Governor

678
00:38:05,166 --> 00:38:10,934
Perry's ad vowing to end
Obama's war on religion.

679
00:38:13,900 --> 00:38:20,900
Mr. Carney:
I don't have any reaction
on what sounds like -- well,

680
00:38:20,900 --> 00:38:21,633
I don't have any reaction.

681
00:38:21,633 --> 00:38:24,700
(laughter)

682
00:38:24,700 --> 00:38:25,600
The Press:
That's quite a reaction.

683
00:38:29,333 --> 00:38:33,867
Mr. Carney:
As for the Senate Democratic
bill, you mean the new --

684
00:38:33,867 --> 00:38:36,734
The Press:
Yes.

685
00:38:36,734 --> 00:38:38,433
Mr. Carney:
-- payroll tax cut bill?

686
00:38:38,433 --> 00:38:39,200
We support it.

687
00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:42,500
The President has put forward
his preferred pay-fors;

688
00:38:42,500 --> 00:38:44,467
the Senate Democrats have
come forward with alternative

689
00:38:44,467 --> 00:38:48,333
pay-fors now, twice, and
we support those measures.

690
00:38:48,333 --> 00:38:50,800
I don't have anything
specific for you on that.

691
00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:54,467
I mean, this administration has
made clear its views on winding

692
00:38:54,467 --> 00:38:56,600
down, or -- is that
the correct language?

693
00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:59,900
-- on reforming Fannie
Mae and Freddie Mac.

694
00:38:59,900 --> 00:39:02,667
So I just don't have a lot of
specifics with regards to that

695
00:39:02,667 --> 00:39:03,734
provision for you.

696
00:39:03,734 --> 00:39:05,033
The Press:
Because it would end up
eventually hitting the

697
00:39:05,033 --> 00:39:05,767
middle class --

698
00:39:05,767 --> 00:39:09,066
Mr. Carney:
Well, again, I think that
that's in a vacuum perhaps.

699
00:39:09,066 --> 00:39:12,200
But there are a lot of other
moving pieces with regards to

700
00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:14,734
those institutions. Yes.

701
00:39:14,734 --> 00:39:16,033
The Press:
Do you have any reaction --

702
00:39:16,033 --> 00:39:17,266
Mr. Carney:
And then Scott. Go ahead.

703
00:39:17,266 --> 00:39:18,400
No, no, you first. Sorry.

704
00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:19,400
The Press:
Okay.

705
00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:22,834
Do you have any reaction to Mitt
Romney specifically calling out

706
00:39:22,834 --> 00:39:29,200
the President's vacation as
evidence of his lack of hands-on

707
00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:31,966
-- that the only thing he's
hands-on with is his golf club

708
00:39:31,967 --> 00:39:35,700
-- and that if he were President
he would take a much shorter

709
00:39:35,700 --> 00:39:39,866
vacation, which seems to kind
of be what's likely to happen

710
00:39:39,867 --> 00:39:41,533
considering what's
happening on the Hill.

711
00:39:41,533 --> 00:39:46,967
But still, this attack
coming from Mitt Romney.

712
00:39:46,967 --> 00:39:48,533
Mr. Carney:
I would just refer you
to what the President

713
00:39:48,533 --> 00:39:55,033
said about the possibility of
the holiday vacation for him,

714
00:39:55,033 --> 00:39:59,232
and the, I guess, increasing
likelihood that it will be

715
00:39:59,233 --> 00:40:02,533
shorter than anticipated because
he is absolutely committed to

716
00:40:03,967 --> 00:40:07,834
working with Congress as well as
perhaps forcing Congress to stay

717
00:40:07,834 --> 00:40:11,533
here to get the absolutely
necessary work it needs to

718
00:40:11,533 --> 00:40:13,567
get done, done.

719
00:40:18,233 --> 00:40:21,633
I have to say -- because this
is obviously criticism to the

720
00:40:21,633 --> 00:40:25,165
President for whom I work --
that I don't remember Governor

721
00:40:25,166 --> 00:40:29,667
Romney having a hard time
or complaining about this

722
00:40:29,667 --> 00:40:33,767
President's predecessor taking
his family on vacation,

723
00:40:33,767 --> 00:40:36,399
spending, I believe, far
more time on vacation than

724
00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:40,834
this President.

725
00:40:40,834 --> 00:40:42,066
But you never know what
he might have said,

726
00:40:42,066 --> 00:40:43,533
so you might want
to go check it.

727
00:40:43,533 --> 00:40:45,165
(laughter)

728
00:40:45,166 --> 00:40:47,533
Andrei Sitov.

729
00:40:47,533 --> 00:40:48,200
The Press:
Thank you, Jay.

730
00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:53,265
And thank you for your comment
on this Russian situation.

731
00:40:53,266 --> 00:40:54,367
Mr. Carney:
Nye za shto.

732
00:40:54,367 --> 00:40:59,533
The Press:
I must say that the
actual comments from my

733
00:40:59,533 --> 00:41:04,066
country's leaders are also much
more balanced than they are

734
00:41:04,066 --> 00:41:06,667
depicted, and in the U.S. --

735
00:41:06,667 --> 00:41:09,100
Mr. Carney:
I think we just -- I
just -- we just commended

736
00:41:09,100 --> 00:41:11,333
President Medvedev for
the statements he made.

737
00:41:11,333 --> 00:41:13,967
The Press:
Well, when you actually
read what they said,

738
00:41:13,967 --> 00:41:15,934
other than what's reported.

739
00:41:15,934 --> 00:41:19,967
But he did make an interesting
observation -- I mean Putin in

740
00:41:19,967 --> 00:41:23,100
this case -- when he was
talking to his supporters.

741
00:41:23,100 --> 00:41:28,366
He was responding to questions,
and many of those questions were

742
00:41:28,367 --> 00:41:33,166
about, see, the Americans keep
trying to influence our internal

743
00:41:33,166 --> 00:41:36,033
politics, keep spending
money on it -- which is true,

744
00:41:36,033 --> 00:41:38,400
because I asked Mark
Toner the other day

745
00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:39,300
at the State Department.

746
00:41:39,300 --> 00:41:43,533
He gave me a figure of $9
million that the U.S. spent

747
00:41:43,533 --> 00:41:45,366
on supporting the process
of elections in Russia.

748
00:41:45,367 --> 00:41:46,800
Mr. Carney:
We support democracy.

749
00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:51,133
The Press:
Right. And then Putin actually
said that it's much higher than

750
00:41:51,133 --> 00:41:52,767
that; it's hundreds of millions.

751
00:41:52,767 --> 00:41:54,500
So I don't know where
he gets that figure,

752
00:41:54,500 --> 00:41:58,233
but it doesn't strike me
as impossible, either.

753
00:41:58,233 --> 00:41:59,166
Mr. Carney:
Is there a question?

754
00:41:59,166 --> 00:42:08,600
The Press:
Yes. The question is, is it
sort of -- is it worth it?

755
00:42:08,600 --> 00:42:13,200
Why do we want to do this, if
this provokes this sort of

756
00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:14,866
reaction throughout the world?

757
00:42:14,867 --> 00:42:16,900
And I mean -- you
are speaking out.

758
00:42:16,900 --> 00:42:18,533
That's understandable.

759
00:42:18,533 --> 00:42:20,200
But actually spending
money on this?

760
00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:22,000
Like I asked you
yesterday about this --

761
00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:25,066
Mr. Carney:
Again, I'm not -- I'm
going to find a question

762
00:42:25,066 --> 00:42:26,033
in there and respond to it.

763
00:42:26,033 --> 00:42:28,533
(laughter)

764
00:42:28,533 --> 00:42:33,567
The State Department has a long
history of engagement with

765
00:42:33,567 --> 00:42:35,834
countries around the world
and the democratic process.

766
00:42:35,834 --> 00:42:38,700
It should not come as a
surprise to anyone that we,

767
00:42:38,700 --> 00:42:43,834
the United States of America,
support democracy for everyone

768
00:42:43,834 --> 00:42:51,834
around the world -- and that we
have made clear in our improved

769
00:42:51,834 --> 00:42:54,299
relationship with Russia the
importance of our common

770
00:42:54,300 --> 00:42:57,934
interests, the successes that
I know you've reported on and

771
00:42:57,934 --> 00:43:01,266
everyone here has reported on,
that we have had working with

772
00:43:01,266 --> 00:43:03,633
Russia on a number
of important issues.

773
00:43:03,633 --> 00:43:07,100
But we also have sought to
deepen our engagement with

774
00:43:07,100 --> 00:43:09,400
Russian society and
promote universal values.

775
00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:12,500
And we will continue to do that.

776
00:43:12,500 --> 00:43:19,767
And I think that is -- that both
of those pursuits can proceed

777
00:43:19,767 --> 00:43:20,966
and be complementary.

778
00:43:20,967 --> 00:43:23,500
The Press:
What's closer to the truth,
the $9 million or the hundreds

779
00:43:23,500 --> 00:43:23,934
of millions?

780
00:43:23,934 --> 00:43:27,433
Mr. Carney:
Again, I would take the State
Department's word for it.

781
00:43:27,433 --> 00:43:27,967
The Press:
Thank you, Jay.

782
00:43:27,967 --> 00:43:30,300
Mr. Carney:
Yes. And then I said Scott.

783
00:43:30,300 --> 00:43:33,600
But, yes, you're
next and then Scott.

784
00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:35,100
The Press:
Take a shot on the Middle
East again because the

785
00:43:35,100 --> 00:43:36,567
President was asked
about appeasement,

786
00:43:36,567 --> 00:43:39,066
which is sure to make headlines
in terms of his response,

787
00:43:39,066 --> 00:43:42,033
and he had that -- he took some
heat from Republicans yesterday

788
00:43:42,033 --> 00:43:44,366
on Israel.

789
00:43:44,367 --> 00:43:49,300
Secretary Panetta's remark last
week about Israel just needing

790
00:43:49,300 --> 00:43:51,734
to get back -- "get
to the damn table,"

791
00:43:51,734 --> 00:43:53,266
does that pretty
much sum up --

792
00:43:53,266 --> 00:43:56,100
Mr. Carney:
Well, again, first of all, I
will say that was a reported

793
00:43:56,100 --> 00:43:59,967
remark from a private
meeting, as I understand it.

794
00:43:59,967 --> 00:44:04,000
And if you're asking
me in general,

795
00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:08,166
is our view that both sides
need to get to the table,

796
00:44:08,166 --> 00:44:09,100
the answer is, yes.

797
00:44:09,100 --> 00:44:11,967
We support direct negotiations
between the Palestinians and

798
00:44:11,967 --> 00:44:12,667
the Israelis.

799
00:44:12,667 --> 00:44:14,000
We've made that
abundantly clear.

800
00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:17,400
We support steps taken by both
sides that make that more

801
00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:22,233
likely, and we oppose steps
taken by either side that make

802
00:44:22,233 --> 00:44:24,800
it less likely, that make
it harder to accomplish.

803
00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:26,200
The Press:
Is that more kind of over the --

804
00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:27,399
Mr. Carney:
Again, I'm not going to
comment on a remark --

805
00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:29,333
I wasn't there, I'm not
sure it's true as reported.

806
00:44:29,333 --> 00:44:32,633
So -- but broadly speaking,
do we want Palestinians and

807
00:44:32,633 --> 00:44:38,366
Israelis to engage in
negotiations and to reach a

808
00:44:38,367 --> 00:44:42,633
lasting peace deal that ensures
Palestinian sovereignty and

809
00:44:42,633 --> 00:44:44,966
Israeli security?

810
00:44:44,967 --> 00:44:46,834
We do. We do. Thanks very much.

811
00:44:46,834 --> 00:44:47,633
The Press:
Jay --

812
00:44:47,633 --> 00:44:50,533
Mr. Carney:
Oh, Scott, sorry.

813
00:44:50,533 --> 00:44:51,333
I have short-term memory lapse.

814
00:44:51,333 --> 00:44:53,567
The Press:
Both you and the President
talked about how the FDA

815
00:44:53,567 --> 00:44:56,367
recommendation would have
put Plan B on the -- made

816
00:44:56,367 --> 00:44:58,567
it as accessible as bubble gum.

817
00:44:58,567 --> 00:45:04,033
So Tylenol and cold medicine are
also sold alongside bubble gum.

818
00:45:04,033 --> 00:45:06,967
Does the administration believe
that emergency contraceptive,

819
00:45:06,967 --> 00:45:11,066
because of its function, is in
a different category than those

820
00:45:11,066 --> 00:45:12,366
other OTC medicines?

821
00:45:12,367 --> 00:45:15,000
Mr. Carney:
Well, I think -- I'm not
going to elaborate on what

822
00:45:15,000 --> 00:45:15,633
the President said.

823
00:45:15,633 --> 00:45:16,734
I think he was fairly clear.

824
00:45:16,734 --> 00:45:22,467
And on the more specific
evaluations of this,

825
00:45:22,467 --> 00:45:26,633
I would point you to
Secretary Sebelius's letter.

826
00:45:26,633 --> 00:45:29,466
So I don't have any more
guidance for you than that.

827
00:45:29,467 --> 00:45:30,233
Thanks.