English subtitles for clip: File:12-9-09- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Gibbs:
All right, I'll just get slightly organized.

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The Press:
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said not too

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long ago that a signing on a START I replacement
would happen soon, and I'm wondering if you

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can flesh that out and if that might be something
that's going to be happening in conjunction

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with the President's trip to Copenhagen perhaps.

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Mr. Gibbs:
We do not have an agreement yet. As you know,
we continue to take part in negotiations with

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the Russians on a replacement START treaty.
Obviously our hope is to get one done, but

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can't plan for a signing ceremony until something
is done and we've certainly made no arrangements
for that.

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The Press:
Are you close to a signing?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think we're getting closer and making

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progress on an agreement. I know there are
still issues that have to be worked out that

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stand in the way of that ultimate agreement.
And our principals continue to meet and brief

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the President on what's happening, and that
will continue until we do get an agreement.

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We're optimistic that we can get one. Whether
or not that happens by Copenhagen at this

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point is just hard to say.

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The Press:
I'd like to ask about the jobs. Some congressional

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Democrats have said that they'd like a jobs
package but could cost up to $200 billion.

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Now, the White House has been very careful
to put no price tag on the President's initiatives,

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but is there a cost ceiling that you'd impose
on the efforts to boost jobs, given you're

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trying to cut deficits in the future?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think what the President would say

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is the ideas in the areas that he outlined
yesterday are targeted approaches to creating

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an environment where businesses can start
hiring again. I think the President believed

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he had a good meeting today with Democrats
and Republicans, and began by outlining a

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couple of the things that he talked about
yesterday -- first and foremost, how do we

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help small businesses, zero capital gains
tax for small business, incentives for hiring,

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incentives for depreciation, and things like
that. And the President mentioned, along with

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infrastructure, the second thing he talked
about, the President discussed with Democrats

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and Republicans that indeed those were initiatives
that in the past have enjoyed strong bipartisan

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support. So I think the President believes
there's a commonality to these ideas that

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he's proposed and that he's heard from Capitol
Hill that they've proposed that we think we

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can find agreement on and hopefully get some
progress on. I don't know what that ultimate

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figure is. Obviously part of what the President
wanted to discuss with leaders today was what

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might be in that package. This is not a one-way
street. I will say when it comes to the deficit,

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the President agreed with and reiterated the
fact that we have to do -- we have to have

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a plan for addressing in the medium- and long-term
fiscal responsibility. The President also

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reiterated that we are not going, though,
to solve that problem of our long-term fiscal

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health if our growth rate is where it was
in the first quarter of this year, which is

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in excess of -6 percent. Let me just, for
your -- some visual stuff that the President

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talked about. This just gives you a sense
of where we've been, right? I'm going to go

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to that in a second. Don't worry, the big
board is coming. Save the big finale. Again,

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this just gives you a sense of the average
in quarters of our jobs picture. In the first

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quarter the average was nearly negative 700,000
jobs; in the second quarter, minus 428,000;

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in the third quarter, minus 199,000. In the
previous two months we've gone from minus

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111,000 to minus 11,000. So obviously what
happened in the beginning of the year -- 

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we're seeing progress. What I talked about
a second ago, in terms of economic growth,

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the first quarter we saw our economic growth
contract in excess of 6 percent; second quarter,

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negative 0.7; and then for the first time
in a year, positive job growth -- negative

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11,000 jobs lost was, sadly, the most positive
jobs report that the country has enjoyed in

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almost two years. Now that Keith has spoiled
my big surprise. This I think gives you a

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sense -- and some of you have seen this when
we did briefings on the Recovery Act -- this

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gives you a sense of the genuine depth that
we're in in terms of employment. This number

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is employment, full employment, at the time
that each recession began. So we have 1990,

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2001, and 1981. This continuum shows the number
of months since that recession began, and

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these percentages show you where we are in
terms of employment. This gives you a sense

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of the sheer depth that we're trying to pull
ourselves out of. And it also gives you a

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sense of why the President believes we have
to take strong, targeted, but continued action

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to address joblessness.

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The Press:
So the jobs hole is very large, but is there

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a ceiling, is there a price
tag that's too high?

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Mr. Gibbs:
That's something that we'll work through Congress

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-- work with Congress on. I will say I do
think that -- I mean, even Leader Boehner

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said that he would like to be there to support
a plan for jobs. So I think that's certainly

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a positive development. We hope that there
will be bipartisan help and support for dealing

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with something that we know affects everybody.

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The Press:
Which of these charts was the one that the
President showed John Boehner?

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Mr. Gibbs:
This one. But I mean, this is what everybody

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in the meeting saw. This again is just --
this is a chart we've used before. As you

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guys know, where these lines go from solid
to dotted is where it's marked that -- by

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the dating committee that the recession ended.
So you see that the point at which the recession

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ends is -- and this is not updated, but shows
you that in the most two previous examples,

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1990 and 2001, when the "recession ended"
wasn't the bottom of the jobs picture. Again,

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it just gives you a sense of the type of problem
in employment that we have facing our country

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-- why the President believes we need to
take strong action. Plus I just wanted to

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use the board.

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The Press:
It looked really good.

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The Press:
Robert, two questions, the first one on the

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bipartisanship issue. I mean, you have the
President coming out saying that he wants

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to work together, but just moments later you
have Republican leaders coming out saying

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that the White House just wants to blame Republicans,
saying that this administration just doesn't

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get it. I mean, how do you move forward together
if that's the climate coming out of this meeting?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think you come together understanding

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this. I mean, look, the American people have
watched for decades the blame game. If the

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blame game put people to work, we'd all be
rolling in money. The blame game -- I'm glad

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some people want to continue playing the blame
game; that doesn't work. That doesn't

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get anybody a job. It doesn't cut people's
taxes. It is time -- I will say the President

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-- has the President been frustrated about
this? Absolutely. We took some extraordinary

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actions. We wish there would have been more
Republican support for taking those actions

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and pulling our economy back from an economic
cliff, falling into another Great Depression.

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Setting all that aside, we're now at a certain
point where we have got to begin to fill in

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the enormity of the hole that this economic
downturn created. The President is willing

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to work with Democrats and Republicans --
and again, I think it was important that

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the President started out the meeting by mentioning
that two of the ideas that the President had

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talked about in his speech -- two of the three
ideas were ideas that have traditionally enjoyed

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bipartisan support. We heard throughout the
recovery debate that there needed to be more

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money put into infrastructure. That's what
the President outlined. We heard in -- even

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up to as recently as the past few days, we
have to help small business get access to

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capital, cut their taxes, ensure that we're
doing all that they can to create an environment

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for them to hire more. The President agrees.
I think it's time that everybody took "yes"

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for an answer.

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The Press:
But if the attitude is that this administration

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doesn't get it, is this administration then
willing to navigate this alone?

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Mr. Gibbs:
The President will do what has to be done

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to help the American people. The President
is hopeful, through this meeting today that

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Republicans agree. But again, if the President
outlines ideas that the Republicans have previously

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supported, and then Republicans seem unwilling
to support the ideas they supported then now,

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you can leave it up to others to judge why
it is they don't want to participate in a

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solution that we all agree and we've said
in the past would put people back to work.

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The Press:
They say they can't sign on to spending more

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money. That's all -- they say
he's fiscally irresponsible.

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, rich, given the fact that the largest

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driver in our fiscal irresponsibility were
a series of programs that weren't paid for

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-- tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 that weren't
paid for; Medicare prescription drug benefit

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that wasn't paid for; wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
that weren't paid for. Again, the debate

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that we're having on health care now is partly
about how to pay for it. The second leading

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driver in our fiscal irresponsibility has
been the downturn in the economy. As I said

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earlier, we are not going to find ourselves
lifted out of our fiscal situation if our

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economy contracts at 6 or 6.5 percent a quarter.
There isn't an economist on the planet that

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you could find that would say, yes, your economy
can contract at 6.5 a quarter, 6.4 percent

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a quarter, and you'll be able to lift your
way out of a budget deficit or increasing

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debt. That's what the President believes 
-- that's why the President believes we have

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to take some further steps to ensure that
we get back to economic growth, but also that

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we get back to a medium- and long-term recipe
for fiscal responsibility. Yes, ma'am.

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The Press:
I have an unrelated question, on the military.

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At West Point last week, the President talked
about signing a letter of condolence to the

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family of each American who gives their life
in Iraq or Afghanistan. What about the families

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of military personnel who take their own lives
-- does the President believe that those

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families deserve a letter
of condolence as well?

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Mr. Gibbs:
The President believes that the previous policy

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that didn't write those letters can and
should be reviewed, and that review is ongoing.

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The Press:
How much longer -- I know it's been
under review here for some time.

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Mr. Gibbs:
I think the review was announced sometime

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in the past couple of weeks. I don't have
an update on it, but I can certainly get it.

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Obviously the President reviewed earlier in
the administration the rules surrounding photography

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at Dover, leaving -- based on the recommendation
from the Secretary of Defense -- leaving that

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decision up to the individual families of
the deceased. Some have decided and some have

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not decided to make those transfers public.
And hopefully we can conclude this review
shortly.

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The Press:
After his speech, one military family told

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CNN that the President's comments were painful
to them because their son took his own life,

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and they have yet to receive a letter
of condolence from the President.

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, that's why we're reviewing
it. I mean, that's --

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The Press:
Well, what would you say to that family?

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Mr. Gibbs:
The first thing that I would say and I'm sure

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the President would say is to thank that family
for the courageous service
that they exhibited on behalf of all of us

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in this country so that we might enjoy the
freedoms that we have. I don't -- regardless

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of what happens, nothing lessens the amazing
contribution and sacrifice that's made. I

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think that's what the President would tell
that family and would tell other families.

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The Press:
But they feel that the sacrifice has sort
of been diminished or minimized.

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, that's -- again, that's precisely why

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the President wanted to review this policy.
If the President didn't care, the policy would

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remain unchanged and unexamined. The President
cares deeply and has asked for that review

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to take place.

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The Press:
But you don't have a time
frame on when he might --

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Mr. Gibbs:
I will keep you updated
on where they are. Helen.

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The Press:
Two questions, Robert. How does the President

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feel about the dropping of the
public option in health care?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I think you all should have heard the President's

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comments at the announcement on community
health care centers where he supports the

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ideas that we've read about from the Senate
in the past few hours as good policy and a

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way to increase the choice that people have
through greater competition and in helping

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to move legislation to reform
our health care system forward.

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The Press:
The other question is does the President feel

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any embarrassment upon accepting a peace prize
when he's escalating a war, a big war?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, Helen, the President
will obviously address the notion --

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The Press:
How?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, in his speech, audibly -- the President

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will address the notion that last week he
authorized a 30,000- person increase in our

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commitment to Afghanistan, and this week accepts
a prize for peace. I will say, Helen, that

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the President understands and again will also
recognize that he doesn't belong in the same

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discussion as Mandela and Mother Theresa.
But I think what the President is proud of

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is the steps that this administration has
taken to reengage the world; that through

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that reengagement we see some of that reengagement
is to bring increased peace and stability

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to this big planet, and is -- he is proud
that the committee recognized that this nation

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has once again reemerged and engaging
the world in greater pursuits.

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The Press:
But we're going to war and he's
accepting the peace prize.

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Mr. Gibbs:
And something he will -- something he will,

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again, address directly in
the speech tomorrow. Yes, sir.

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The Press:
And a follow-up? Obviously it's a historic

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trip for the President. Has the President
shared any of the thoughts that he shared

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sentiments with the former Vice President
who also was a recipient of the same prize?

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Mr. Gibbs:
I think most of the discussion that was had

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with Vice President Gore was -- dealt with
upcoming meetings on climate change in Copenhagen.

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The Press:
Can you also give us a bit of a preview of

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the trip itself, who's traveling, what's
happening over there, when they came back --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, let me get those guys to send stuff

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around. Obviously the President and the First
Lady, as I talked to you guys earlier -- 

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or yesterday, Maya and Konrad will also travel
aboard Air Force One. And we'll get any additional

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friends or family.

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The Press:
Robert, just to follow, the President was

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saying, when he was addressing a school in
Virginia, that if he had a choice, he would

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have a dinner with Mahatma Gandhi. That means,
as far as this award is concerned, peace award,

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he is also a believer in Mahatma Gandhi's
ideas of peace and nonviolence. Is that something
fit --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Is that something --

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The Press:
Something fit with Mahatma Gandhi and his

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-- the President's thoughts and ideas?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, I think what he's -- certainly

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he's been asked if he could gather thoughts
from those that walked on this Earth before

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him, there are a number of people, including
Gandhi, that obviously he'd be interested

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in getting their thoughts on. I don't think
that's addressed specifically tomorrow.

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The Press:
Well, he has a great respect in India.

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The Press:
AIDS advocates are taking a shot at the five-year

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plan for the President's emergency program
for AIDS because it decreases the number of

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people who will receive anti-retrovirals over
the next five years -- as opposed to the number

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who received them in the last five years --
in favor of cheaper alternatives for health

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care at a lower level, something that
apparently was proposed by Dr. Emanuel.

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Mr. Gibbs:
Let me get some -- I don't have any guidance

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from OMB on that, on what their involvement
has been. Obviously the President cares deeply

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about this issue and has talked not just about
medicine but steps that have to be taken in

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terms of prevention to ensure anti-retrovirals
are not necessary. Yes, sir -- yes, ma'am.

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The Press:
Did the President -- sir, gosh -- (laughter) --

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Mr. Gibbs:
I was looking at Steve before you, so --

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The Press:
Okay, thanks.

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(laughter)

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Did the President in the meeting with Congress
tell the Republicans and Minority Leader Boehner

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that they almost seem to be
rooting against recovery?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think the President did mention, and

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I think Republicans agreed, that the room
was not without politics, and that politics

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obviously has -- I think politics has clearly
played a role in many of their statements

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00:19:18,549 --> 00:19:25,549
and votes on the Recovery Act. I don't think
that's any big secret.

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The Press:
He thinks Republicans basically want the jobless

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rate to stay above 10 percent --

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think the President would like Democrats

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and Republicans alike to prove to the American
people that we can set aside whatever narrow

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political agendas anybody has in order to
address the severity of the economic downturn

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and the joblessness that's resulted from it.
And I can think of nothing better than taking

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the President up on, again, two of the ideas
that have normally enjoyed very bipartisan

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support: increasing our investment in infrastructure,
which will create jobs; and help to hundreds

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of thousands of small businesses across the
country in terms of getting access to credit;

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tax incentives for hiring. Look, again, the
most important thing is those things in a

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nonpartisan environment would get the support
of Republicans and Democrats alike. I don't

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think that should be any different with this
President, nor would it or should it be with

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any other President. I think we have a challenge
that the American people have laid before

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us, and that is to solve the problems that
they have without getting involved in that

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blame game. And I think --

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The Press:
Isn't the President part of that blame game,

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too? I mean, he took the partisan swipe yesterday
in that speech. I mean, even here you talked

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about their failed stewardship on the deficit.
I mean, this administration doesn't miss an

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opportunity to blame the past administration.

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Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look -- well, Savannah, I appreciate

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the ability to forget what happened
every -- to forget every --

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The Press:
But my point --

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Mr. Gibbs:
No, no, but understand we've -- I appreciate

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00:21:05,019 --> 00:21:09,179
the ability to forget anything that happened
before we got here. The President didn't 

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-- the President inherited an economic downturn,
he inherited a massive budget deficit. He

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understands one thing: The American people
put him here to solve the problems that were

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created however and by whoever they were created.
That's what the President is going to do.

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He's going to make decisions that won't be
altogether wildly popular with the American

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people. But I think he believes that the American
people will understand that we're making those

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tough decisions to pull ourselves back from
falling into another Great Depression. It

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is hard to argue, Savannah, it is hard to
argue that the steps taken in the Recovery

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00:21:52,100 --> 00:21:59,100
Act didn't directly lead to the first economic
growth in a year. Don't believe me; ask John

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00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:07,190
McCain's economist who said we created jobs,
that we put ourselves on a path towards economic

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growth. That's not me. That's -- that was
our rival's chief economist in the campaign.

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I think what the President believes is we
have a unique opportunity -- setting aside

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all of that -- to move forward on behalf of
the American people; to do it in a way that

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truly addresses their problems without falling
into the convenient political back-and-forth

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and games that have always governed Washington.
We can show the American people this -- at

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00:22:36,370 --> 00:22:39,080
this time and this year that
it's possible to do that.

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The Press:
You said the President does recognize that

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00:22:41,490 --> 00:22:45,960
he's got the job now, so now it falls to him
to fix it. Is there any statute of limitations,

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00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:51,400
though, on how often he may mention what he
inherited or the mess he inherited or how

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00:22:51,399 --> 00:22:52,919
the past administration failed?

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Mr. Gibbs:
Again, it would be easy to put it all in a

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00:22:57,179 --> 00:23:02,819
box and just forget about it, but we didn't
get here overnight. We're not going to get

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00:23:02,820 --> 00:23:08,480
out of our problems overnight. It's not part
of the blame game. It's just -- it's a fact

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00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:09,310
of life. Jonathan.

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00:23:09,309 --> 00:23:11,479
The Press:
It's part of the blame game.

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00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:15,810
Mr. Gibbs:
No, I don't think it is. Again, people made

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00:23:15,809 --> 00:23:22,499
conscious decisions to support tax cuts in
2001 and 2003. People made conscious decisions

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00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:29,380
to support an increase in -- to add a benefit
to Medicare without paying for it, right?

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We know that. People made conscious decisions
to authorize wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

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and not pay for them. The President recognizes that
the era of continued free lunches is over. Jonathan.

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The Press:
Back on health care; I'm going to see if I

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00:23:48,309 --> 00:23:55,309
can get you to be a little more specific on
this Senate tentative deal. It involves two

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00:24:03,309 --> 00:24:07,139
pieces -- a new health care plan put together
by the Office of Personnel Management and

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00:24:07,139 --> 00:24:08,929
an expansion of Medicare to the near-retired,
55 to 65. Does the President want to see 

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00:24:08,929 --> 00:24:15,289
-- would the President need to see both of
those pieces as the deal moves forward, are

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00:24:15,289 --> 00:24:17,539
they dependent on each other?

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00:24:17,539 --> 00:24:20,439
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, I think a lot of the details of

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00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:27,440
this obviously are being examined currently
by CBO. I hesitate -- not having been in the

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00:24:27,710 --> 00:24:33,460
room and the administration wasn't in the
room right before they walked out and announced

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00:24:33,460 --> 00:24:40,200
this, my sense is -- I don't want to prejudge
this, but my sense is that these two pieces

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00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,010
fit together in a way that might be hard to
break apart.

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The Press:
Okay. And my other question was what role

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00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,140
did the White House play in brokering this?

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00:24:49,139 --> 00:24:50,809
Mr. Gibbs:
No different than the role we've played throughout

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00:24:50,809 --> 00:24:57,809
this process in providing technical support
and advice. Again, this was -- throughout

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00:24:58,090 --> 00:25:05,090
this process the -- obviously we were aware
of the negotiations that were ongoing, but

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00:25:06,159 --> 00:25:13,159
not in the room as this was tentatively agreed
to, as you said, and announced last evening.

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The Press:
And one thing on jobs. I understand that the

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00:25:18,360 --> 00:25:23,700
President is never going to accept this demand
that there would be no new spending for jobs.

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But the other two pieces --

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00:25:26,210 --> 00:25:29,790
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't --

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The Press:
The Republicans had three suggestions: a freeze

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00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:32,170
in federal spending, no tax increases until
unemployment declined to a certain level --

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Mr. Gibbs:
I think the President has been pretty -- 

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00:25:38,169 --> 00:25:41,349
let's be clear, the President has been pretty
clear on taxes and the President has cut taxes.

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The Press:
And then the other was no new regulations.

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00:25:45,610 --> 00:25:52,610
There are tax increases slated for when the
Bush tax cuts expire. And I'm wondering if

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he would entertain this idea that you would
create some kind of moratorium on tax increases

301
00:26:00,250 --> 00:26:00,510
until there's --

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00:26:00,510 --> 00:26:02,850
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, I don't want to get ahead of the

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00:26:02,850 --> 00:26:08,380
budget process that's ongoing. I think the
President reiterated his support for, in that

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00:26:08,380 --> 00:26:14,690
room, some certainty on taxes, and reiterating
again that he had cut taxes. Mark.

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00:26:14,690 --> 00:26:17,570
The Press:
Any clarity yet on the charity decision?

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00:26:17,570 --> 00:26:20,600
Mr. Gibbs:
No, the President is yet to make final decisions

307
00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:23,880
on that. If we have that -- as soon
as we have that we'll pass it along.

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00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:27,590
The Press:
Will it be announced before
he accepts the prize?

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00:26:27,590 --> 00:26:31,460
Mr. Gibbs:
I hope so, but I don't know
the exact answer to that.

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00:26:31,460 --> 00:26:36,700
The Press:
But for sure he's not going to
get a check with his medal, right?

311
00:26:36,700 --> 00:26:40,550
Mr. Gibbs:
I do not believe that's the case because that

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00:26:40,549 --> 00:26:45,529
then becomes -- then we fall into Jonathan's
problem about taxable income.

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00:26:45,529 --> 00:26:46,049
(laughter)

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The Press:
What charities are being considered?

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00:26:49,679 --> 00:26:52,709
Mr. Gibbs:
He's given obviously to a very broad range

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00:26:52,710 --> 00:26:59,710
of charities in the past. He has helped use
money to create micro-financing projects much

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00:27:04,610 --> 00:27:08,790
like his mother worked on in different parts
of the world, and all of those are certainly

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00:27:08,789 --> 00:27:12,789
actively under consideration.

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00:27:12,789 --> 00:27:15,769
The Press:
Robert, on climate change, the omnibus bill

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00:27:15,769 --> 00:27:19,609
has been assembled and there's $1.3 billion
in there to help developing nations meet the

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00:27:19,610 --> 00:27:22,360
standards for global warming. Is that the
figure that the President takes to Copenhagen
next week?

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00:27:22,360 --> 00:27:28,210
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me get some guidance from the climate

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00:27:28,210 --> 00:27:31,220
guys on this. I don't know whether
that's a final number or not.

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00:27:31,220 --> 00:27:36,460
The Press:
How does that sound? Does that
sound about right? Is it adequate?

325
00:27:36,460 --> 00:27:39,380
Mr. Gibbs:
I'll ask them if that sounds about right.

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00:27:39,380 --> 00:27:43,610
The Press:
Will there be any added values -- will the
U.S. be offering something else other than --

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00:27:43,610 --> 00:27:44,840
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me talk to -- and see what he has on this.

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The Press:
Can I ask one other question, different subject?

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00:27:46,950 --> 00:27:47,660
Mr. Gibbs:
Sure.

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00:27:47,659 --> 00:27:50,359
The Press:
What's the state of play with Japan and the

331
00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:57,360
negotiations over the airbase relocation?

332
00:27:57,679 --> 00:28:01,659
Mr. Gibbs:
We're continuing to engage the government

333
00:28:01,659 --> 00:28:08,659
of Japan in negotiations that will maintain
our alliance as well as reduce the impact

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00:28:10,529 --> 00:28:16,779
of our bases on local communities. We have
an agreement with the previous administration

335
00:28:16,779 --> 00:28:23,779
in Japan. We set up a working group to discuss
the implementation of that agreement and we're

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00:28:24,070 --> 00:28:25,880
anxious for those conversations to continue.

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00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:30,020
The Press:
When you say we have an agreement, is the

338
00:28:30,019 --> 00:28:32,579
U.S. still opposed then to
relocation under the new --

339
00:28:32,580 --> 00:28:35,020
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, we have an agreement, but what this

340
00:28:35,019 --> 00:28:39,589
working group is going to discuss is the
implementation of what's already been agreed
to.

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00:28:39,590 --> 00:28:41,500
The Press:
There have been reports
of a breakdown in talks.

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00:28:41,500 --> 00:28:44,480
Mr. Gibbs:
And I think the only way to make progress

343
00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:47,220
is to continue that working -- standing up
that working group and having that discussion.

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00:28:47,220 --> 00:28:47,470
The Press:
On that, Robert --

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00:28:47,350 --> 00:28:47,600
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

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00:28:47,419 --> 00:28:47,669
The Press:
-- would the President be open to meeting

347
00:28:47,649 --> 00:28:47,899
with Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama in Copenhagen?

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00:28:47,830 --> 00:28:54,830
Mr. Gibbs:
We did that like a couple of weeks ago. I

349
00:28:58,380 --> 00:29:04,270
don't know where -- again, I think this is
appropriately being handled right now with

350
00:29:04,269 --> 00:29:11,269
our ambassador there and others in terms of
making progress. I think this was discussed

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00:29:13,450 --> 00:29:18,830
just a couple of weeks ago and I think the
working group working, we would believe, is

352
00:29:18,830 --> 00:29:23,260
the best way to continue that progress.

353
00:29:23,259 --> 00:29:26,809
The Press:
So not at the top level?

354
00:29:26,809 --> 00:29:27,949
The Press:
Robert, one group that didn't like the President's

355
00:29:27,950 --> 00:29:32,350
speech on jobs yesterday was the Congressional
Black Caucus. You might say that's just a

356
00:29:32,350 --> 00:29:34,520
group, but since he's the first
African American President --

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00:29:34,519 --> 00:29:35,899
Mr. Gibbs:
I didn't say that.

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00:29:35,899 --> 00:29:36,959
The Press:
All right, correct the record --

359
00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:38,840
Mr. Gibbs:
You may say that --

360
00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:39,470
The Press:
No, no, no --

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00:29:39,470 --> 00:29:40,490
Mr. Gibbs:
Okay, all right, just -- go ahead.

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00:29:40,490 --> 00:29:43,080
The Press:
I'm just saying he's the first
African American President --

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00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:43,330
Mr. Gibbs:
Let's be fair and balanced.

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(laughter)

365
00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:50,070
The Press:
Does the -- is the President concerned that

366
00:29:50,070 --> 00:29:55,070
they are not satisfied with his jobs plan?
Does the President plan to reach out to CBC

367
00:29:55,070 --> 00:29:57,440
members? Where do things stand on that?

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00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:00,790
Mr. Gibbs:
I think the President -- Congressman Clyburn

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00:30:00,789 --> 00:30:07,789
was a member -- is a member, obviously, of
the leadership and was in the meeting today.

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I think that -- I will say, the President
said yesterday that the three ideas that he

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00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:19,920
outlined with some specificity don't represent
the totality of all of what the President

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00:30:19,919 --> 00:30:25,479
would like to see. Obviously this was discussed
in that larger meeting, that we need to extend

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00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:32,150
safety nets in terms of unemployment insurance
and COBRA extensions. Obviously the President

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00:30:32,149 --> 00:30:39,149
discussed increases in both exports as well
as continued aid to states and localities.

375
00:30:39,429 --> 00:30:45,289
And there may be other targeted ideas that
the administration works through between now

376
00:30:45,289 --> 00:30:52,289
and even the beginning of the year. I think
that dialogue will continue, discussing with

377
00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:56,160
members of Congress from both parties about
how we can best address the situation.

378
00:30:56,159 --> 00:30:58,059
The Press:
Maxine Waters says he doesn't pick up the

379
00:30:58,059 --> 00:31:01,409
phone to call members. Does
that bother the President?

380
00:31:01,409 --> 00:31:06,589
Mr. Gibbs:
Does it bother the President
why? That she said that?

381
00:31:06,590 --> 00:31:07,210
The Press:
Yes.

382
00:31:07,210 --> 00:31:09,390
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't think it's true.

383
00:31:09,389 --> 00:31:11,699
The Press:
Can I ask -- another subject?

384
00:31:11,700 --> 00:31:12,860
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

385
00:31:12,860 --> 00:31:15,240
The Press:
The EPA carbon dioxide ruling, some businesses

386
00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:18,360
have expressed concerns about what more regulations
may mean in terms of jobs. Does the White

387
00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:24,680
House believe in any way that these regulations
could have a positive benefit regarding jobs?

388
00:31:24,679 --> 00:31:26,789
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, there's no question. First of all, this

389
00:31:26,789 --> 00:31:32,339
was a process started not under this EPA but
under a previous EPA, based on a Supreme Court

390
00:31:32,340 --> 00:31:39,340
decision handed down in 2007 that required
the EPA to look into this. Secondly, I think

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00:31:41,259 --> 00:31:48,259
as the President talked about even yesterday,
we have an ability through incentivizing a

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00:31:49,820 --> 00:31:56,170
clean energy economy to create the type of
demand that's necessary to create more and

393
00:31:56,169 --> 00:32:00,089
more clean energy jobs. Somebody is going
to build, as I've said in here before, somebody

394
00:32:00,090 --> 00:32:05,740
is going to build the wind turbines that power
our homes. Somebody is going to build those

395
00:32:05,740 --> 00:32:11,070
solar panels. The only question is who is
going to do it. By locating those manufacturing

396
00:32:11,070 --> 00:32:17,170
facilities here it can be Americans that build
those, rather than having us import them from

397
00:32:17,169 --> 00:32:17,819
somewhere else. Keith.

398
00:32:17,820 --> 00:32:21,040
The Press:
Back on the Senate deal, in the past we've

399
00:32:21,039 --> 00:32:28,039
had some trouble getting you to say that the
President supports a specific policy in the

400
00:32:28,669 --> 00:32:29,139
health care debate. Is it correct that he
supports that, the policy of that deal --

401
00:32:29,139 --> 00:32:31,589
Mr. Gibbs:
In this event the President went right around

402
00:32:31,590 --> 00:32:32,080
me and said it himself.

403
00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:33,900
The Press:
Okay, but is this sort of a second-best to

404
00:32:33,899 --> 00:32:37,489
the public option? I mean, he did support
a public option. Is this something that he's

405
00:32:37,490 --> 00:32:39,740
willing to accept, or would
he rather have had --

406
00:32:39,740 --> 00:32:42,530
Mr. Gibbs:
Not only would he -- I quote the spokesperson

407
00:32:42,529 --> 00:32:49,529
who as recently as 45 seconds ago said he
supports it.

408
00:32:49,559 --> 00:32:50,469
The Press:
Would he rather have had a public option --

409
00:32:50,470 --> 00:32:51,890
Mr. Gibbs:
You know, you ask me if the President would

410
00:32:51,889 --> 00:32:55,019
rather have won the lottery. It's
an interesting hypothetical that --

411
00:32:55,019 --> 00:32:58,669
The Press:
We do hypotheticals now -- (laughter)

412
00:32:58,669 --> 00:33:02,389
Mr. Gibbs:
He'd disagree with you on that.

413
00:33:02,389 --> 00:33:05,199
The Press:
It's not hypothetical; it's in the House
bill. I mean, does he support that --

414
00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:09,050
Mr. Gibbs:
We're making progress. The President supports

415
00:33:09,049 --> 00:33:13,649
this process in terms of both good policy
and as a way of moving that process forward.

416
00:33:13,649 --> 00:33:14,839
The Press:
To follow, now that the Democratic senators

417
00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:19,800
have reached this compromise on the public
option, does the President feel that he did

418
00:33:19,799 --> 00:33:20,339
everything he could to push specifically
for a public option --

419
00:33:20,340 --> 00:33:21,690
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes.

420
00:33:21,690 --> 00:33:25,550
The Press:
-- especially since that was his preferred

421
00:33:25,549 --> 00:33:27,409
measure of choice and competition?

422
00:33:27,409 --> 00:33:33,509
Mr. Gibbs:
Yes. And he's continued to meet with senators

423
00:33:33,509 --> 00:33:35,509
in order to make progress. Absolutely.

424
00:33:35,509 --> 00:33:41,239
The Press:
I'm following up, too. I read his comments

425
00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:46,000
and heard his comments from the community
health care thing, but is he saying that he

426
00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:51,140
supports this as a vehicle to a conference
committee product, or is he saying as a final

427
00:33:51,139 --> 00:33:52,879
product that he would support this?

428
00:33:52,879 --> 00:33:55,779
Mr. Gibbs:
Look, it is hard for me to deign what is going

429
00:33:55,779 --> 00:34:01,259
to happen a week from now. I can't even tell
you what I'm going to have for dinner. So

430
00:34:01,259 --> 00:34:07,209
instead of projecting and predicting the outcome
of a conference committee, just quote the

431
00:34:07,210 --> 00:34:14,210
President on what he said in terms of supporting
both the policy and the moving forward notion

432
00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:22,000
in progress. But understand, again, sometimes
we miss it. Sometimes we focus on the twigs

433
00:34:22,620 --> 00:34:29,260
in the forest, not even the trees, to understand
that we're, again, likely one step closer

434
00:34:29,260 --> 00:34:33,570
to seeing comprehensive health care reform
that we've had Presidents talk about for 70

435
00:34:33,570 --> 00:34:35,330
years. That's important.

436
00:34:35,330 --> 00:34:35,700
The Press:
Without a public option.

437
00:34:35,700 --> 00:34:36,130
Mr. Gibbs:
With increased choice and competition.

438
00:34:36,130 --> 00:34:41,570
The Press:
But you're not saying you approve the Senate

439
00:34:41,570 --> 00:34:44,600
over the House version?

440
00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:45,290
Mr. Gibbs:
I'm sorry?

441
00:34:45,290 --> 00:34:46,550
The Press:
But you're not saying you prefer
the Senate over the House version.

442
00:34:46,550 --> 00:34:47,620
Mr. Gibbs:
I'm just trying to get the
bill through the Senate.

443
00:34:47,620 --> 00:34:47,870
(laughter)

444
00:34:47,710 --> 00:34:48,790
The Press:
Since you guys were not in the room when it

445
00:34:48,790 --> 00:34:53,840
actually came down, do you feel that -- does
the White House feel that it has a clear understanding

446
00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:55,700
of what is actually in the Senate deal?

447
00:34:55,700 --> 00:34:56,650
Mr. Gibbs:
Say again?

448
00:34:56,650 --> 00:34:59,640
The Press:
Does the White House feel that you all have

449
00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:04,350
a clear understanding of what's in this deal?
We're waiting to hear from CBO. We're not

450
00:35:04,350 --> 00:35:06,950
going to see anything on paper until CBO gets
more involved, but do you understand --

451
00:35:06,950 --> 00:35:09,370
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't think anybody is going to see a full

452
00:35:09,370 --> 00:35:14,430
set of details until -- obviously, a series
of points have gone to CBO to make some estimates

453
00:35:14,430 --> 00:35:20,080
and some predictions on a full range of things,
and we certainly will await that, as well.

454
00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:22,770
The Press:
Your general sense is it -- is what the President

455
00:35:22,770 --> 00:35:28,690
saying is he supports in concept the notion
of making available to the public something

456
00:35:28,690 --> 00:35:30,650
akin to what government
employees have an option of?

457
00:35:30,650 --> 00:35:33,500
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, the President
certainly talked about that.

458
00:35:33,500 --> 00:35:36,440
The Press:
Is that what this is? Is that what you think --

459
00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:38,140
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think that's certainly part of it.

460
00:35:38,140 --> 00:35:43,900
I mean, again, as Jonathan said, there's two
different -- as I understand it and as I think

461
00:35:43,900 --> 00:35:49,100
people here understand it, there's two different
aspects to it that would increase choice and

462
00:35:49,100 --> 00:35:55,820
competition. Obviously one part of that is
something akin to what is set up under FEHPB.

463
00:35:55,820 --> 00:36:00,010
The Press:
And is this akin to -- would this turn health

464
00:36:00,010 --> 00:36:04,540
care into something like a regulated utility?
Is that a good comparison? Is that how much
regulation --

465
00:36:04,540 --> 00:36:07,850
Mr. Gibbs:
I'd be out of my depth to discuss the -- 

466
00:36:07,850 --> 00:36:13,850
the truth is I don't know enough about the
regulation of utilities. Bill, and then I'll
come back.

467
00:36:13,850 --> 00:36:14,540
The Press:
Robert, again, we don't know all the details,

468
00:36:14,540 --> 00:36:18,530
but it seems -- not talking about the Medicare
part of it, but the other part that you were

469
00:36:18,530 --> 00:36:23,990
just discussing with Margaret -- that it offers
a choice among another whole set of private

470
00:36:23,990 --> 00:36:28,500
insurance plans. So how does that offer the
competition that the President was talking

471
00:36:28,500 --> 00:36:32,260
about if it's just more private insurance
plans on top of the 1,300 they already have?

472
00:36:32,260 --> 00:36:34,650
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, understand, Bill, that somebody is going

473
00:36:34,650 --> 00:36:41,650
to -- there's going to be 30-some-million
people that will go into -- have access to

474
00:36:44,890 --> 00:36:51,890
different plans. The person that puts together
the best plan that's the most affordable is

475
00:36:52,030 --> 00:36:59,030
what people are going to buy. That's the incentive
of a system that allows increased choice and

476
00:37:01,100 --> 00:37:08,100
competition. I think it's clear people will
have more choices than they have now; that

477
00:37:10,690 --> 00:37:17,690
that competition, as we've talked about in
here, will foster progress and costs. As I

478
00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:24,110
read I think in the morning papers, there
are even incentives -- not incentives, there's

479
00:37:24,110 --> 00:37:29,990
a mandate for the fact that a certain percentage
of money involved in health insurance has

480
00:37:29,990 --> 00:37:35,260
to be actually spent on -- can't be spent
on paperwork. That's what drives up a lot

481
00:37:35,260 --> 00:37:41,410
of these costs. Obviously that's a series
of different incentives that will improve
the system.

482
00:37:41,410 --> 00:37:41,730
The Press:
And just a quick follow-up. You mentioned

483
00:37:41,730 --> 00:37:47,630
that the President does call some members
of the Congressional Black Caucus. According

484
00:37:47,630 --> 00:37:51,370
to the Hill, John Conyers said the President
called him, concerned that he had made some

485
00:37:51,370 --> 00:37:53,100
demeaning comments about him on a certain
radio show. How would you describe the relationship

486
00:37:53,100 --> 00:37:59,330
between Congressman Conyers and the President?

487
00:37:59,330 --> 00:38:05,570
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I think the President has respect for

488
00:38:05,570 --> 00:38:10,350
Congressman Conyers. I think the President
-- I don't know the exact word the President

489
00:38:10,350 --> 00:38:17,350
used. I think the President believed the criticism
was untrue. Suffice to say he reached out

490
00:38:18,910 --> 00:38:25,630
and touched someone. Peter. Only like the
older people in the room got that joke.

491
00:38:25,630 --> 00:38:25,880
(laughter)

492
00:38:25,650 --> 00:38:29,740
And I just realized that I've suddenly dated
myself with something that a healthy number

493
00:38:29,740 --> 00:38:30,120
of people --

494
00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:31,440
The Press:
You're talking about landlines.

495
00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:33,300
Mr. Gibbs:
I know, I know.

496
00:38:33,300 --> 00:38:33,770
(laughter)

497
00:38:33,770 --> 00:38:36,130
I'm trying, you know? Peter.

498
00:38:36,130 --> 00:38:38,890
The Press:
Robert, on the issue of jobs in the African

499
00:38:38,890 --> 00:38:43,330
American community, obviously the jobless
rate among blacks is much more severe than

500
00:38:43,330 --> 00:38:49,250
among white Americans. In the President's
job bill, apart from shoring up the social

501
00:38:49,250 --> 00:38:53,590
safety net, is there anything he'd like to
see done, particularly targeted at helping

502
00:38:53,590 --> 00:38:54,520
the black community?

503
00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:56,860
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, look, I think what the President believes

504
00:38:56,860 --> 00:39:03,860
is that the plans that he outlined will help
white America, black America, Hispanic America,

505
00:39:07,570 --> 00:39:14,570
Asian America. Go through the weatherization,
the retrofitting alone, we believe that policy

506
00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:24,840
like this creates a huge incentive that will
increase jobs, that hopefully will begin to

507
00:39:26,750 --> 00:39:33,750
provide important training and the development
of a skill that is obviously desperately needed

508
00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:41,630
not simply to jumpstart an economy, but also
to meet our goals for energy efficiency and

509
00:39:41,630 --> 00:39:48,630
clean energy. So whether it is the unemployment
rate in all of America, whether it's the unemployment

510
00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:56,040
rate in black America, Hispanic America, or
whether it's the under-employment rate, the

511
00:39:56,810 --> 00:39:57,990
President believes the ideas that he outlined
are targeted and responsible in addressing
those problems.

512
00:39:57,990 --> 00:40:04,860
The Press:
Just a quick follow-up. Does he have any 

513
00:40:04,860 --> 00:40:09,530
-- as the first African American President,
the President received strong support from

514
00:40:09,530 --> 00:40:13,300
the black community. Does he feel any special
sense that the black community unemployment

515
00:40:13,300 --> 00:40:16,600
rate is something that he
wants to make a special focus?

516
00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:19,760
Mr. Gibbs:
Look, Peter, I don't think the President believes

517
00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:26,360
that we should address only one part of the
unemployment rate. I think this is a graph

518
00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:33,360
that impacts us all. As you mentioned, there's
a greater number of unemployment African Americans

519
00:40:35,750 --> 00:40:41,130
than the national rate. There's a greater
number of unemployed Hispanic Americans than

520
00:40:41,130 --> 00:40:47,140
the national rate. The President believes
that the plans that he outlined have the ability

521
00:40:47,140 --> 00:40:52,890
to address both the national as well as
the black and the Hispanic community.

522
00:40:52,890 --> 00:40:55,620
The Press:
Robert, a follow-up on that.

523
00:40:55,620 --> 00:40:58,120
Mr. Gibbs:
I'll get back to you in a second.

524
00:40:58,120 --> 00:40:58,370
The Press:
Earlier this year, the President didn't seem

525
00:40:58,300 --> 00:40:59,950
too thrilled when he had to sign the omnibus
for fiscal 2009. Is he at all upset now that

526
00:40:59,950 --> 00:41:06,040
the Congress is poised to pass another and
has only gone through, I think, five of the

527
00:41:06,040 --> 00:41:08,010
12 individual bills, despite being
under total Democratic control?

528
00:41:08,010 --> 00:41:10,890
Mr. Gibbs:
I don't know that we have -- I don't know

529
00:41:10,890 --> 00:41:16,940
the degree to which the omnibus as it is presently
constituted -- let me get some guidance from

530
00:41:16,940 --> 00:41:23,510
Legislative Affairs on sort of where we are.
Obviously the President believed and was hopeful

531
00:41:23,510 --> 00:41:29,670
that we could get a budget and a series of
appropriations bills on time, and believes

532
00:41:29,670 --> 00:41:35,730
we should continue to do that. I think that
anybody would say that the process of either

533
00:41:35,730 --> 00:41:41,660
omnibus legislation or continuing resolutions
that fund the government are not the ideal

534
00:41:41,660 --> 00:41:45,630
way to go about doing this.

535
00:41:45,630 --> 00:41:47,390
The Press:
But he will sign --

536
00:41:47,390 --> 00:41:48,500
Mr. Gibbs:
Let me get some guidance from
Legislative Affairs. April.

537
00:41:48,500 --> 00:41:49,430
The Press:
Robert, back on the issue of jobs and the

538
00:41:49,430 --> 00:41:55,820
black and brown community -- there's some
advocacy groups that are wondering if this

539
00:41:55,820 --> 00:42:01,160
administration will be working with SBA, because
there seems to be a problem -- the federal

540
00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:06,680
government is not meeting its goal of minority
set-aside procurement contracts. And with

541
00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:11,540
that, they say if the federal government
were to do that, that would create jobs.

542
00:42:11,540 --> 00:42:15,680
Mr. Gibbs:
I'm happy to look at what those statements

543
00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:19,960
are and get an answer from
folks at SBA on the exact --

544
00:42:19,960 --> 00:42:24,280
The Press:
A follow-up. Again, on the issue of jobs in

545
00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:30,060
the black and brown community -- and the numbers
are much higher than the average -- there

546
00:42:30,060 --> 00:42:33,580
are unique circumstances to be detailed. Is
the White House trying to push more of a green

547
00:42:33,580 --> 00:42:39,060
economy -- caulking for cash, and things of
that nature? Black and browns are not jumping

548
00:42:39,060 --> 00:42:44,460
for these green jobs. They're not rushing
to get training for this. How is the administration

549
00:42:44,460 --> 00:42:47,820
going to afford that, as they're trying to
balance out unemployment rate in those communities

550
00:42:47,820 --> 00:42:48,670
and push this project?

551
00:42:48,670 --> 00:42:51,610
Mr. Gibbs:
Well, I'll tell you what he has told people

552
00:42:51,610 --> 00:42:58,560
that have asked him this specifically in regards
to the African American unemployment rate

553
00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:03,490
is what I said in here earlier. Somebody is
going to build these wind turbines. Somebody

554
00:43:03,490 --> 00:43:10,440
is going to build these solar panels. Somebody
is going to be involved in the skills necessary

555
00:43:10,440 --> 00:43:17,440
to retrofit individual houses, apartment buildings,
businesses, and what have you, in order to

556
00:43:17,720 --> 00:43:24,550
make them more efficient. We have to decide
as a country that we're going to do that 

557
00:43:24,550 --> 00:43:31,550
-- not import wind turbines, not import solar
panels, and not seek somebody else to do the

558
00:43:33,350 --> 00:43:39,350
type of skilled retrofitting that's necessary
to meet our clean energy goals, to save individuals

559
00:43:39,350 --> 00:43:44,960
and businesses money on their heating and
cooling bills, as well as creating jobs. I

560
00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:49,500
think the President believes that that is
a special challenge that we have and a special

561
00:43:49,500 --> 00:43:52,170
challenge that all of us
must meet. Thanks, guys.