English subtitles for clip: File:3-19-13- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Carney:
Top of the morning to everyone.

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I have to thank Cody Keenan,
my fellow Irish American,

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for loaning me his tie.

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(laughter)

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Because I was a
little thrown off --

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I had corned beef and
cabbage on Sunday,

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and I forgot that today is the
day that we are officially

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celebrating Saint Patrick's
Day here in Washington.

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As you know, the President has
a bilateral meeting with the

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Taoiseach, Enda
Kenny of Ireland,

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a meeting with the Northern
Ireland delegation.

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He is attending also the Friends
of Ireland luncheon on Capitol

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Hill, and there is a Saint
Patrick's Day reception in the

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East Room later today.

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I also want to note that,
because of those remarks,

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we need to have a hard
stop at 12:00 noon today.

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With that, I'll go to
the Associated Press.

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The Press:
Thanks, Jay.

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There are reports out of
Damascus by state-run media that

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rebels have mounted a chemical
attack that killed 25 people.

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The Russian Foreign Ministry
is backing up those claims,

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saying that there also
-- I'm wondering if --

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what the administration
has on that report.

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Mr. Carney:
Jim, as you know, we have been
very clear about our concern

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that as the Assad regime is
increasingly beleaguered and

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finds its escalation of violence
through conventional means

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inadequate, including the
barbaric use of Scud missiles

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against population centers, that
it will consider the use of

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chemical weapons against
the Syrian people.

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This is a serious concern.

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I am not going to
discuss intelligence,

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but it is important that as
fighting in Syria intensifies

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and the regime becomes
more desperate,

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that the United States and the
international community make

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absolutely clear to Assad that
the use of chemical weapons

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would be totally unacceptable.

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The President was clear when he
said that if Assad and those

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under his command make the
mistake of using chemical

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weapons or fail to meet their
obligations to secure them,

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then there will be
consequences and they will be

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held accountable.

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The international community is
united on this issue and the

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message to the Assad
regime has been very clear.

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The Press:
Does that mean that you have
confirmation that there was

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indeed a chemical attack,
no matter who it came from?

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Mr. Carney:
We are looking carefully at
the information as it comes in.

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I'm not going to discuss
intelligence processes.

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All I can tell you is that this
is an issue that has been made

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very clear by the President
to be of great concern to us.

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The Press:
There were some initial
reports that this may have

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been propaganda.

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You're not saying that that
is propaganda on the part of

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the Assad.

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Mr. Carney:
Again, I can tell you that we're
looking carefully at allegations

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of CW use, chemical weapons use.

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We're evaluating them, but I
have no further assessment to

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provide to you from here.

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The Press:
On the point that -- it does
raise the question, however,

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about how secure chemical
weapons stockpiles are.

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Secretary Kerry warned recently
about the ability of extremists

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getting access to those weapons.

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I was wondering if
the administration,

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if the President is starting
to think that arming rebels,

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like the French and the
British are doing --

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arming friendly rebels, whether
that would help our ability to

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make sure that those
stockpiles remain secure.

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Mr. Carney:
Well, I wouldn't -- I would
separate those two issues,

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first, to say that the issue
of the possibility of chemical

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weapons use remains
a grave concern.

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You heard the President,
from this podium,

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express his position
when he said,

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"The use of chemical weapons
is and would be totally

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"unacceptable," and his warning
to the Syrian regime that,

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"There will be consequences and
you will be held accountable,"

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if the regime were to
use chemical weapons.

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That's the first point.

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The second point is we are
constantly assessing our

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programs of assistance to
the Syrian people and to the

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Syrian opposition.

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And we evaluate them and the
options available based on what

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we think will best
serve our policy,

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and that is to help bring about
a future where Syria is rid of

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Assad and that Syrians have the
opportunity to build a country

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that is more democratic,
more prosperous,

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and a stable country
within the region.

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And that process continues.

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Our position is and
remains that we will not --

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or we are not supplying lethal
assistance to the opposition,

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but we are of course,
as you would expect,

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constantly evaluating and
assessing our various

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assistance programs.

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Yes.

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The Press:
If it's opposition or rebel
groups that have used chemical

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weapons, as the Russian -- as
Russia has said -- alleged --

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how will -- I mean, but how --
you've just said that the United

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States wants to hold Assad
accountable for this.

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And what --

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Mr. Carney:
I appreciate it, and I should
have made clear in my answer to

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Jim that on that specific
allegation we have no evidence

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to substantiate the charge
that the opposition has used

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chemical weapons.

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We are deeply skeptical of
a regime that has lost all

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credibility, and we would also
warn the regime against making

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these kinds of charges as any
kind of pretext or cover for its

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use of chemical weapons.

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The Press:
So just so I'm clear,
you don't think that --

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the United States does not
think it's the opposition?

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Mr. Carney:
Again, we are evaluating the
charges that are being made and

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the allegations, consulting
closely with our partners in the

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region and in the
international community.

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But we have no evidence to
substantiate that charge,

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that the opposition has
used chemical weapons.

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The Press:
And this is coming as the
President is heading to the

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Middle East.

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How much of his time during
talks with leaders there do you

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expect will be devoted to
this threat specifically?

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Mr. Carney:
Well, there's no question that
the President will discuss,

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with the leaders of the
region on this trip, Syria.

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It is a high priority for the
region and for the United States

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and our allies around the world.

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So that was always
going to be, I think,

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a significant topic
of conversation.

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I have no doubt that Prime
Minister Netanyahu and the

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President will discuss it,
President Shimon Peres and the

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President will discuss it as
well, and it will be a topic,

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I'm sure, in discussions
with other leaders --

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the King of Jordan, as well
as the Palestinian leader,

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at least probably so.

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It's hard to assess, in light of
these reports and allegations,

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at this point, how that will
affect the breakdown of

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conversations in coming days,
but it was already going to be

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a topic.

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Yes.

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The Press:
Staying on Syria quickly, you
talk about consequences if the

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Assad government is found to
be using chemical weapons.

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What kind of
consequences do you mean?

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Sanctions, or some other
kind of escalation?

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Mr. Carney:
Well, I wouldn't care
to speculate about what

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consequences would take place
if it were to be found that the

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regime had used
chemical weapons.

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I would simply point you to what
the President said from this

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podium about this issue --
language that I just quoted.

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This is a very serious matter.

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And with regards
to today's reports,

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I want to stress that we are
evaluating them and consulting

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with our allies about them.

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But on the general principle,
the President made very clear

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that the use of chemical
weapons -- and I quote --

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"is and would be entirely
--" or "totally,"

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rather, "unacceptable."

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And he warned the Syrian
regime, in particular, that,

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"There will be consequences, and
you will be held accountable."

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The Press:
Separate topic.

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When can we expect to see
the President's March

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Madness bracket?

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(laughter)

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Mr. Carney:
Well, I appreciate the question.

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The President, as you know, has
traditionally filled one out,

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and I don't expect this
year will be any different.

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But as would be
the case if, say,

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CNN were having an interview
with the President,

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I wouldn't preview it
for your colleagues here,

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so I won't do that for any
other news organization.

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The Press:
And last thing, on
the Easter Egg Roll.

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You said earlier this month that
the plan is for that event to go

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on, go forward as planned,
but we know that the ticket

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confirmations have a disclaimer
that it could be canceled.

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Where do things stand now?

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Which is it going to be?

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What do you expect?

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Mr. Carney:
Well, I appreciate the question,
and I've noted just substantial

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interest; it must be the very
top news story among the

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Washington press corps
today just based on the

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incoming inquiries.

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And I just want to be clear that
we are currently planning to

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proceed with the
Easter Egg Roll.

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Because we distributed tickets
to the Easter Egg Roll far in

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advance of the actual event, we
alerted all ticket holders that

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this event is subject to
cancellation due to funding

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uncertainty, including
the possibility of a

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government shutdown.

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Again, the language that got
attention on the Hill and was

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reported duly by the press
was prepared well in advance,

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and it had to do with the
potential for at least the

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possibility of a government
shutdown should there not be a

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resolution on the
continuing resolution.

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It was not about
sequester principally.

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So having said that, I want
to be clear that because it

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certainly looks like there
is progress being made,

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and nobody expects a
government shutdown,

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that we have every expectation
that the Easter Egg Roll will

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proceed as planned.

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I hope that settles the matter.

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The Press:
And lastly, on brackets, you
won't tell us whether we should

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expect it before the President
leaves tonight or --

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Mr. Carney:
Again, I don't think it's -- it
certainly won't be two months

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from now -- if he
does it at all.

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But I don't want to scoop
another news outlet.

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Yes.

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The Press:
Was the President briefed
on the Marine accident?

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Mr. Carney:
Yes, he was.

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The Press:
And what can we learn from that?

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Mr. Carney:
Well, the President's thoughts
and prayers go to the families

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of those who were lost and
to those who are injured.

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We're obviously in the
early stages of assessing

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the incident.

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It's a tragedy, clearly.

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And the President was
briefed immediately on --

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and made aware of it
immediately and briefed on it,

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and we're monitoring
the situation.

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The Press:
Jay, on Syria.

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Two questions, if
I may, on Syria.

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Your answers to the opening
round of questions came in

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somewhat piecemeal fashion,
and so I want to make sure I'm

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clear on this.

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You have told us that --

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Mr. Carney:
Is that theater criticism?

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(laughter)

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Or is it a --

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The Press:
It is a matter of craft, yes.

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You have told us that you have
no evidence to believe that it

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was any elements among
the rebels that used

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chemical weapons --

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Mr. Carney:
Right.

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The Press:
-- but that you are still
looking into the allegations.

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Mr. Carney:
Correct.

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The Press:
What is it that prohibits you
from telling us that you have no

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evidence that it was the
government that used

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these weapons?

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Mr. Carney:
Because we're still looking
into the reports of the use of

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chemical weapons.

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The Press:
If that's so, how can you
eliminate so quickly the idea

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that it wasn't the rebels?

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Mr. Carney:
I'm saying that at this time, we
have no evidence to substantiate

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that charge, and that we
are skeptical -- deeply --

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of a regime that might
make that charge,

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given that the regime has lost
all credibility in the eyes of

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the Syrian people and the world.

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00:11:28,734 --> 00:11:32,867
Having said that, we are
obviously assessing the reports.

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And without getting into
intelligence matters and

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00:11:36,934 --> 00:11:41,033
methods, I can tell you that
we're making evaluations about

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00:11:41,033 --> 00:11:42,100
the reports.

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00:11:42,100 --> 00:11:46,700
The Press:
It would not, it seems to me,
betray any intelligence methods

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00:11:46,700 --> 00:11:50,600
or sources for you to tell us
whether in fact you even know

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00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:53,100
whether chemical
weapons were used.

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00:11:53,100 --> 00:11:54,600
Mr. Carney:
Again, I appreciate
the question.

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00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:59,934
And I can tell you that we are
assessing the reports about the

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00:11:59,934 --> 00:12:01,533
possible use of
chemical weapons,

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00:12:01,533 --> 00:12:06,400
as well as the reports about the
origins of the possible use of

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00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:08,400
chemical weapons in Syria.

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00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:12,600
And I have no further assessment
to provide to you at this time

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00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:14,533
about our judgments on that.

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00:12:14,533 --> 00:12:17,900
I can tell you that
we're evaluating them.

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00:12:17,900 --> 00:12:21,132
And I can tell you, obviously,
about our disposition towards

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00:12:21,133 --> 00:12:24,633
the potential for the
use of chemical weapons.

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00:12:24,633 --> 00:12:26,300
But at this time,
we're simply --

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00:12:26,300 --> 00:12:30,199
as a matter of intelligence, I
can't give you more information

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00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:31,567
about the assessments
we're making.

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00:12:31,567 --> 00:12:35,166
The Press:
And you said repeatedly at the
podium today that the President

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00:12:35,166 --> 00:12:40,700
has been clear on this point;
that the use of such weapons

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00:12:40,700 --> 00:12:44,333
would constitute a red
line for the United States,

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00:12:44,333 --> 00:12:47,433
but I wonder how clear the
administration's position on

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00:12:47,433 --> 00:12:48,433
this has been.

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00:12:48,433 --> 00:12:51,300
You quoted from the President's
remarks to the National War

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00:12:51,300 --> 00:12:55,266
College in December, in which he
said that the use of chemical

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00:12:55,266 --> 00:12:58,233
weapons is and would be
totally unacceptable.

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00:12:58,233 --> 00:13:01,900
But about three months prior to
that, from this very podium,

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00:13:01,900 --> 00:13:05,632
on August 20, the President
said -- and I'm quoting now --

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00:13:05,633 --> 00:13:09,200
"a red line for us is we start
seeing a whole bunch of chemical

270
00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:12,533
"weapons moving around
or being utilized."

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00:13:12,533 --> 00:13:14,266
So what is the red
line for the President?

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00:13:14,266 --> 00:13:15,266
Is it moving around?

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00:13:15,266 --> 00:13:16,266
Mr. Carney:
Well, as we explained
many times --

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00:13:16,266 --> 00:13:17,266
and I know you're
not here often --

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00:13:17,266 --> 00:13:19,165
the President was
talking about that --

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00:13:19,166 --> 00:13:21,166
moving around in terms
of the proliferation,

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00:13:21,166 --> 00:13:24,200
which is a very serious issue,
the proliferation by the regime

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00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:30,200
to -- potential proliferation
to the regime to other actors in

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00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,166
the region potentially
of chemical weapons.

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00:13:33,166 --> 00:13:36,300
So it's a fair question, but
that was the distinction he

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00:13:36,300 --> 00:13:37,300
was making.

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00:13:37,300 --> 00:13:40,233
The utilization by the regime
potentially of chemical weapons,

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00:13:40,233 --> 00:13:43,934
we made very clear in our
warnings how we would view that.

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00:13:43,934 --> 00:13:48,233
We also consider a red line
the proliferation of chemical

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00:13:48,233 --> 00:13:50,934
weapons to other
actors by the regime.

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00:13:50,934 --> 00:13:53,567
The Press:
Does either of those things
appear to have happened today?

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00:13:53,567 --> 00:13:56,600
Mr. Carney:
Again, I have no -- the reports
today are about the possible use

288
00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:57,600
of chemical weapons.

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00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:59,533
We are making assessments
about those reports.

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00:13:59,533 --> 00:14:02,567
I don't have any more
information to provide you on

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00:14:02,567 --> 00:14:05,967
those efforts, and I can't
get into intelligence

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00:14:05,967 --> 00:14:07,100
matters from here.

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00:14:07,100 --> 00:14:11,800
But we are obviously treating
this as a serious issue and

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00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:13,532
evaluating it accordingly.

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00:14:13,533 --> 00:14:14,533
Yes, Kristen.

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00:14:14,533 --> 00:14:17,767
The Press:
Jay, as you evaluate, is the
President also considering

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00:14:17,767 --> 00:14:23,200
changing his policy towards
Syria at this point?

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00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:24,200
Are those discussions underway?

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00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:29,033
Mr. Carney:
As is always the case, we
are evaluating our assistance

300
00:14:29,033 --> 00:14:30,800
programs to both the
Syrian people and the

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00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:32,400
Syrian opposition.

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00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,132
We have stepped up our
assistance programs in

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00:14:35,133 --> 00:14:36,500
both cases.

304
00:14:36,500 --> 00:14:40,333
Substantial amounts of
humanitarian assistance has been

305
00:14:40,333 --> 00:14:42,666
provided by the United States
and will continue to be provided

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00:14:42,667 --> 00:14:45,266
by the United States
to the Syrian people.

307
00:14:45,266 --> 00:14:49,000
Substantial assistance has been
and will continue to be provided

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00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:50,367
to the Syrian opposition.

309
00:14:50,367 --> 00:14:55,900
That assistance remains
non-lethal with regards to the

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00:14:55,900 --> 00:15:01,800
opposition, but we are
evaluating our policies and

311
00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:06,233
programs of assistance regularly
to assess their effectiveness

312
00:15:06,233 --> 00:15:10,532
and to make judgments about what
would best help bring about the

313
00:15:10,533 --> 00:15:14,500
policy objectives that we have
and that we share with the

314
00:15:14,500 --> 00:15:16,867
Syrian people as well as
our international partners.

315
00:15:16,867 --> 00:15:23,300
And that evaluation has
been ongoing prior to the

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00:15:23,300 --> 00:15:24,300
reports today.

317
00:15:24,300 --> 00:15:27,132
And I think I've answered
questions about this similarly

318
00:15:27,133 --> 00:15:31,567
in the past when you and your
colleagues have asked about

319
00:15:31,567 --> 00:15:35,400
whether we're considering
changing our approach on lethal

320
00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:37,433
versus non-lethal
assistance, for example,

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00:15:37,433 --> 00:15:40,467
and I've made the point that
our position is that we are

322
00:15:40,467 --> 00:15:42,567
providing only non-lethal
assistance but we are,

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00:15:42,567 --> 00:15:46,500
obviously, constantly evaluating
that aspect of our assistance as

324
00:15:46,500 --> 00:15:48,066
well as others.

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00:15:48,066 --> 00:15:49,767
The Press:
And going back to
the CR for a moment,

326
00:15:49,767 --> 00:15:53,066
it sounds like you're confident
that there will not be a

327
00:15:53,066 --> 00:15:54,066
government shutdown.

328
00:15:54,066 --> 00:15:57,400
Are you 100% confident
that that won't happen?

329
00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:01,066
Mr. Carney:
Well, the process continues
in Congress towards funding the

330
00:16:01,066 --> 00:16:06,266
government and avoiding another
unnecessary self-inflicted wound

331
00:16:06,266 --> 00:16:07,632
on the economy.

332
00:16:07,633 --> 00:16:12,367
We take heart in the indications
that we've had from both sides

333
00:16:12,367 --> 00:16:15,834
of the aisle and from the
leaders in the Republican Party

334
00:16:15,834 --> 00:16:18,967
that it is their intent to move
forward with passage of a CR.

335
00:16:18,967 --> 00:16:23,967
The President has made clear
that he believes that we need to

336
00:16:23,967 --> 00:16:29,400
avoid another manufactured
crisis and that we should move

337
00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:34,000
forward with a continuing
resolution that continues to

338
00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,600
fund the government and does not
allow for a government shutdown.

339
00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,834
So the Easter Egg Roll is
entirely likely to continue

340
00:16:40,834 --> 00:16:42,300
and proceed.

341
00:16:42,300 --> 00:16:46,199
The Press:
It doesn't appear as though the
CR discussions include stopping

342
00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,767
the sequester or really
mitigating it in a serious way.

343
00:16:49,767 --> 00:16:52,934
Should we assume at this point
that the sequester will be in

344
00:16:52,934 --> 00:16:55,699
effect for several months
if not for the duration --

345
00:16:55,700 --> 00:17:01,767
Mr. Carney:
Well, it's a great question,
and I've talked about how the

346
00:17:01,767 --> 00:17:04,667
President has approached his
engagement with lawmakers,

347
00:17:04,666 --> 00:17:07,032
for example --
Republican lawmakers --

348
00:17:07,032 --> 00:17:10,233
within the context of the fact
that a decision was made,

349
00:17:10,233 --> 00:17:12,633
regrettably, about
imposition of the sequester;

350
00:17:12,633 --> 00:17:15,333
a decision was made by
Republicans not to entertain the

351
00:17:15,333 --> 00:17:19,900
idea of a temporary delay in the
sequester deadline that would

352
00:17:19,900 --> 00:17:24,033
have been purchased with a
balanced plan much as had been

353
00:17:24,032 --> 00:17:27,132
at the end of 2012.

354
00:17:27,133 --> 00:17:28,767
That decision was made.

355
00:17:28,767 --> 00:17:31,133
We would obviously welcome a
change of heart by Republicans,

356
00:17:31,133 --> 00:17:34,100
but there's no indication from
Republicans that such a change

357
00:17:34,100 --> 00:17:36,699
of heart is forthcoming.

358
00:17:36,700 --> 00:17:39,934
Therefore, we are engaged
in conversations about the

359
00:17:39,934 --> 00:17:44,200
possibility of moving forward on
broader deficit reduction in a

360
00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:49,200
balanced way that would both
eliminate the sequester --

361
00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,834
if achieved -- but
also, beyond that,

362
00:17:51,834 --> 00:17:56,133
further reduce our deficit and
bring us past the $4 trillion

363
00:17:56,133 --> 00:18:02,066
over 10 years goal that so many
have identified as what we need

364
00:18:02,066 --> 00:18:03,166
to achieve.

365
00:18:03,166 --> 00:18:07,200
And that's what the current
discussions are about.

366
00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,500
Now, the timeline
for that, obviously,

367
00:18:09,500 --> 00:18:13,233
is a little prolonged because it
involves regular order and the

368
00:18:13,233 --> 00:18:14,800
budget process underway
in the Congress,

369
00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:15,800
in both the House
and the Senate,

370
00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:20,466
as well as the conversations and
meetings that the President has

371
00:18:20,467 --> 00:18:22,767
been having with lawmakers, and
that lawmakers have been having

372
00:18:22,767 --> 00:18:24,400
among themselves.

373
00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:29,066
So it certainly looks as though
the sequester will remain

374
00:18:29,066 --> 00:18:33,700
imposed for some time unless
Republicans have a change of

375
00:18:33,700 --> 00:18:36,633
heart about the
decision to impose it.

376
00:18:36,633 --> 00:18:39,300
The Press:
It doesn't seem like there was
a lot of urgency to prevent it

377
00:18:39,300 --> 00:18:42,433
from going into effect, and it
feels like there's less now.

378
00:18:42,433 --> 00:18:45,333
It doesn't feel
like there are --

379
00:18:45,333 --> 00:18:53,033
Mr. Carney:
I think we made clear that we
firmly oppose the imposition of

380
00:18:53,033 --> 00:18:54,000
the sequester.

381
00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:59,600
We tried to warn about the
real-world effects that

382
00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:04,000
imposition of the sequester
would have on middle-class

383
00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,834
Americans across the country, on
our defense industries and on

384
00:19:07,834 --> 00:19:14,600
our military posture,
national security readiness.

385
00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:18,466
And those effects
are being felt.

386
00:19:18,467 --> 00:19:25,900
And we obviously implored
Republicans to consider the

387
00:19:25,900 --> 00:19:28,667
option of doing what they had
done just two months before,

388
00:19:28,667 --> 00:19:34,367
which was to pass a short-term
delay of the sequester that was

389
00:19:34,367 --> 00:19:37,200
balanced, that asked everyone
to chip in, if you will --

390
00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:39,467
not just seniors and
middle-class Americans,

391
00:19:39,467 --> 00:19:42,300
but the well-off
and well-connected.

392
00:19:42,300 --> 00:19:44,066
There was adamant
refusal to do that.

393
00:19:44,066 --> 00:19:48,333
The sequester was imposed, and
we're now seeing the effects --

394
00:19:48,333 --> 00:19:52,166
including, I think, a story that
I found particularly striking

395
00:19:52,166 --> 00:19:56,934
out of Indianapolis, an
Associated Press story about one

396
00:19:56,934 --> 00:20:00,133
school district where a lottery
had to be imposed on Head Start

397
00:20:00,133 --> 00:20:03,233
families, and if you
lost the lottery,

398
00:20:03,233 --> 00:20:07,033
your child was withdrawn from
the Head Start program almost

399
00:20:07,033 --> 00:20:11,132
immediately because
of sequester.

400
00:20:11,133 --> 00:20:13,000
Roger.

401
00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:14,400
The Press:
Back to the CR for a moment.

402
00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,533
Is there, as it stands today,
and I know the process is not

403
00:20:17,533 --> 00:20:21,199
complete -- but does the White
House see any objections to the

404
00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,100
CR as it stands right now?

405
00:20:24,100 --> 00:20:25,800
Mr. Carney:
We're monitoring it.

406
00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:27,332
We're encouraged
by the progress.

407
00:20:27,333 --> 00:20:31,266
I don't want to prejudge
the final outcome.

408
00:20:31,266 --> 00:20:40,767
We believe that both sides seem
inclined to avoid a shutdown,

409
00:20:40,767 --> 00:20:46,100
and that is a good thing, and to
avoid using the CR to provoke a

410
00:20:46,100 --> 00:20:48,233
confrontation that could
lead to a shutdown.

411
00:20:48,233 --> 00:20:54,500
But the work is not done, and
so I will not make a final

412
00:20:54,500 --> 00:20:55,500
assessment about it.

413
00:20:55,500 --> 00:21:01,934
But we remain hopeful that
members and leaders of Congress

414
00:21:01,934 --> 00:21:04,700
agree with the President,
or are like-minded,

415
00:21:04,700 --> 00:21:07,300
in that they do not believe that
this is a place where we should

416
00:21:07,300 --> 00:21:10,734
have another manufactured crisis
that negatively affects our

417
00:21:10,734 --> 00:21:12,600
economy and the middle class.

418
00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:13,632
The Press:
And one other one.

419
00:21:13,633 --> 00:21:15,700
The leaders, in the
pool spray this morning,

420
00:21:15,700 --> 00:21:19,333
both made a reference to the
proposed U.S. transatlantic

421
00:21:19,333 --> 00:21:22,734
trade and cap negotiations.

422
00:21:22,734 --> 00:21:27,800
Does the White House have to
notify Congress of its intent to

423
00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:29,734
start such negotiations?

424
00:21:29,734 --> 00:21:33,600
And if I have my memory,
have you done that yet?

425
00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:34,800
Mr. Carney:
I will have to check, Roger.

426
00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,033
I confess I do not know the
answer to that question and will

427
00:21:38,033 --> 00:21:39,600
not venture to guess.

428
00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:40,833
Ari, how are you?

429
00:21:40,834 --> 00:21:42,200
The Press:
Fine, thanks.

430
00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:44,233
Any reflections from the White
House on the 10th anniversary of

431
00:21:44,233 --> 00:21:46,867
the Iraq invasion?

432
00:21:46,867 --> 00:21:53,533
Mr. Carney:
I would simply note that
over the past 10 years,

433
00:21:53,533 --> 00:21:57,466
or certainly leading up to the
final withdrawal of U.S. troops

434
00:21:57,467 --> 00:22:01,333
from Iraq, our men
and women in uniform,

435
00:22:01,333 --> 00:22:05,266
as well as our
civilian personnel,

436
00:22:05,266 --> 00:22:11,700
sacrificed on our behalf
enormously and fulfilled every

437
00:22:11,700 --> 00:22:16,200
mission that was assigned to
them bravely and courageously --

438
00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:17,800
well, bravely and heroically.

439
00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:23,466
And the President is enormously
appreciative of the service of

440
00:22:23,467 --> 00:22:30,266
those who went to Iraq, the
heroism that they demonstrated,

441
00:22:30,266 --> 00:22:36,934
and the sacrifice
that they made.

442
00:22:36,934 --> 00:22:38,700
It's not a mystery, obviously,
that the President,

443
00:22:38,700 --> 00:22:40,834
as a Senate candidate
and then a Senator,

444
00:22:40,834 --> 00:22:44,500
opposed the invasion of
Iraq, opposed the Iraq war,

445
00:22:44,500 --> 00:22:47,967
and as a candidate in 2008
promised to end the Iraq war.

446
00:22:47,967 --> 00:22:51,200
And he has fulfilled
that promise.

447
00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:58,900
And he fulfilled that promise in
a way that allowed Iraq to have

448
00:22:58,900 --> 00:23:03,533
the best possible chance to --
provided to them by the service

449
00:23:03,533 --> 00:23:09,000
and sacrifice of Americans in
uniform as well as civilians,

450
00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:10,066
for a better future.

451
00:23:10,066 --> 00:23:14,433
And the situation in Iraq
continues to be a challenge,

452
00:23:14,433 --> 00:23:17,767
but there is an
elected government,

453
00:23:17,767 --> 00:23:23,567
there is a growing economy, and
there is certainly the potential

454
00:23:23,567 --> 00:23:26,800
and prospect for Iraq to have
a much better future than its

455
00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:32,934
past, and that is due to,
in significant measure,

456
00:23:32,934 --> 00:23:35,700
the sacrifice and
service of Americans.

457
00:23:35,700 --> 00:23:37,000
Peter.

458
00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,300
The Press:
Jay, on that subject, I mean,
is the President planning to do

459
00:23:39,300 --> 00:23:41,100
anything to mark the occasion?

460
00:23:41,100 --> 00:23:42,399
He put out a statement the
other day on the Anfal,

461
00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:44,967
the anniversary of
the Anfal massacre.

462
00:23:44,967 --> 00:23:46,033
Is he going to put
out a statement?

463
00:23:46,033 --> 00:23:47,433
Is he -- is this --

464
00:23:47,433 --> 00:23:48,600
Mr. Carney:
I think we will have
a statement, Peter,

465
00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:51,632
but I wouldn't expect
more than that.

466
00:23:51,633 --> 00:23:54,033
The Press:
Does he have reflections on the
lessons that people should be

467
00:23:54,033 --> 00:23:55,899
thinking about 10 years later?

468
00:23:55,900 --> 00:23:58,400
Mr. Carney:
I haven't discussed
this with him recently.

469
00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:00,100
I think that -- well, you know
the President's position as a

470
00:24:00,100 --> 00:24:05,734
candidate for the Senate and
a candidate for this office,

471
00:24:05,734 --> 00:24:12,966
about this particular
military policy.

472
00:24:12,967 --> 00:24:16,266
And I think he said at the time,
as a candidate for the Senate,

473
00:24:16,266 --> 00:24:22,734
that war is necessary sometimes,
but not all wars are necessary,

474
00:24:22,734 --> 00:24:27,100
to paraphrase, and that this
one in his view was not.

475
00:24:27,100 --> 00:24:32,966
But that in no way should take
away from his extremely strongly

476
00:24:32,967 --> 00:24:39,400
held view that the Americans who
were sent over to serve their

477
00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:45,800
country in Iraq performed
heroically and at a level of

478
00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,433
professionalism that has
never been seen before.

479
00:24:48,433 --> 00:24:52,266
And it is because of their
service that Iraq has the

480
00:24:52,266 --> 00:24:54,567
chance, and the Iraqi
people have the chance,

481
00:24:54,567 --> 00:24:57,000
for a better future.

482
00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,800
And he's enormously
grateful for that service.

483
00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:01,934
The Press:
Last question on this.

484
00:25:01,934 --> 00:25:04,899
Do you think the administration
is doing enough right now to

485
00:25:04,900 --> 00:25:06,100
ensure that future?

486
00:25:06,100 --> 00:25:10,399
A lot of people in Iraq feel
like America has abandoned them

487
00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,867
or not paid attention, or not
been active enough in the

488
00:25:13,867 --> 00:25:14,899
last two years.

489
00:25:14,900 --> 00:25:16,367
Mr. Carney:
Well, President Obama,
as he promised,

490
00:25:16,367 --> 00:25:18,767
ended the war in Iraq and
we have withdrawn all U.S.

491
00:25:18,767 --> 00:25:20,867
military personnel from Iraq.

492
00:25:20,867 --> 00:25:22,834
We still have an enormously
important relationship

493
00:25:22,834 --> 00:25:24,633
with Iraq.

494
00:25:24,633 --> 00:25:28,300
We have an extremely large
diplomatic presence in Iraq,

495
00:25:28,300 --> 00:25:35,200
and connections on issues at all
levels with the Iraqi government

496
00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,900
and the Iraqi people,
both economic, cultural,

497
00:25:37,900 --> 00:25:39,133
geopolitical, regional.

498
00:25:39,133 --> 00:25:44,333
So this is a relationship that
we consider very important,

499
00:25:44,333 --> 00:25:48,066
and we continue to work with
the Iraqis on a whole host of

500
00:25:48,066 --> 00:25:52,600
issues, and continue to assist
the Iraqi people and the Iraqi

501
00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,433
government in their efforts
to build on the progress

502
00:25:55,433 --> 00:25:56,834
they have made.

503
00:25:56,834 --> 00:25:59,967
But there is no question that
the President made a commitment

504
00:25:59,967 --> 00:26:02,033
to end that war,
and he ended it.

505
00:26:02,033 --> 00:26:03,667
The Press:
Do you mind a follow-up
on this subject?

506
00:26:03,667 --> 00:26:04,500
Mr. Carney:
David.

507
00:26:04,500 --> 00:26:05,400
I'll come back to
you in a second.

508
00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:06,300
The Press:
I've got a couple.

509
00:26:06,300 --> 00:26:08,166
First, on Iraq.

510
00:26:08,166 --> 00:26:10,966
A decade later, is
Iraq better off?

511
00:26:10,967 --> 00:26:12,867
Mr. Carney:
I think historians have
to make the judgment.

512
00:26:12,867 --> 00:26:17,600
I think that ridding the world
of Saddam Hussein was a welcome

513
00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:21,632
development for the world
and for Iraq, but again,

514
00:26:21,633 --> 00:26:24,967
the President opposed the
policy, as a candidate,

515
00:26:24,967 --> 00:26:32,000
of invading Iraq, and as a
candidate for President as well.

516
00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,400
But he made a commitment,
as a candidate,

517
00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:42,567
to end that war in a manner more
responsible than the manner in

518
00:26:42,567 --> 00:26:43,567
which we entered it.

519
00:26:43,567 --> 00:26:48,667
And he has fulfilled
that promise.

520
00:26:48,667 --> 00:26:52,199
The Iraqi people are a
proud and capable people,

521
00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:58,100
and they have an enormous
potential for building a future

522
00:26:58,100 --> 00:27:01,600
for that country with the
assistance of friends and

523
00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:06,433
partners in the international
community that is far brighter,

524
00:27:06,433 --> 00:27:08,033
not just in the past,
but even the present.

525
00:27:08,033 --> 00:27:11,000
And we remain committed to that
relationship and to assisting

526
00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:12,934
Iraq in that effort.

527
00:27:12,934 --> 00:27:16,834
But it was entirely the right
thing to do to wind down and

528
00:27:16,834 --> 00:27:18,734
end that war.

529
00:27:18,734 --> 00:27:20,132
The Press:
A money question.

530
00:27:20,133 --> 00:27:24,033
GAO recently issued a report
about federal buildings that are

531
00:27:24,033 --> 00:27:29,166
unused or underused -- 77,000
of the buildings that they

532
00:27:29,166 --> 00:27:30,433
actually track.

533
00:27:30,433 --> 00:27:33,967
And it costs taxpayers more than
a billion and a half dollars

534
00:27:33,967 --> 00:27:36,900
every year just to
operate these buildings.

535
00:27:36,900 --> 00:27:39,300
Why are we spending a billion
and a half to operate buildings

536
00:27:39,300 --> 00:27:40,332
we don't need?

537
00:27:40,333 --> 00:27:42,600
Mr. Carney:
It's an excellent question,
which is why in 2010,

538
00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:46,065
President Obama set up -- set
an ambitious goal for his

539
00:27:46,066 --> 00:27:49,767
administration, and that was
to eliminate $8 billion in real

540
00:27:49,767 --> 00:27:53,867
estate costs by 2012, and
federal agencies have beaten

541
00:27:53,867 --> 00:27:56,000
both of these goals.

542
00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,066
In other words, they eliminated
more than $8 billion prior to

543
00:27:59,066 --> 00:28:00,867
the completion of 2012.

544
00:28:00,867 --> 00:28:03,966
The administration has also put
forward an aggressive proposal

545
00:28:03,967 --> 00:28:06,500
that would further these efforts
by expediting the process to

546
00:28:06,500 --> 00:28:09,633
dispose of additional
high-value assets.

547
00:28:09,633 --> 00:28:12,967
And OMB has done a lot of work
on this and I would refer you to

548
00:28:12,967 --> 00:28:13,967
them for more details.

549
00:28:13,967 --> 00:28:14,967
But it's an excellent question.

550
00:28:14,967 --> 00:28:19,967
And we have aggressively
approached this challenge of

551
00:28:19,967 --> 00:28:24,333
disposing of unused federal
property because the cost of

552
00:28:24,333 --> 00:28:27,066
maintaining it are
unnecessary and we have --

553
00:28:27,066 --> 00:28:28,066
The Press:
But we're still spending --

554
00:28:28,066 --> 00:28:31,367
Mr. Carney:
Well, the project is not done,
but we have made extreme --

555
00:28:31,367 --> 00:28:34,433
exceptional amount of progress
since the President set that

556
00:28:34,433 --> 00:28:38,934
goal, and we continue
to work on it.

557
00:28:38,934 --> 00:28:41,266
And we need to be as
efficient as we can,

558
00:28:41,266 --> 00:28:44,433
and this is one of the reasons
why the President set that goal.

559
00:28:44,433 --> 00:28:47,200
It's one of the reasons the
Office of Management and Budget

560
00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,166
has continued to work on it.

561
00:28:49,166 --> 00:28:50,734
It's not an issue that
gets a lot of attention,

562
00:28:50,734 --> 00:28:54,833
and I appreciate the question
because it's a worthwhile effort

563
00:28:54,834 --> 00:28:57,567
as part of the President's
overall approach to making

564
00:28:57,567 --> 00:29:00,834
government more efficient and
finding savings where he can.

565
00:29:00,834 --> 00:29:03,233
Jon-Christopher -- and sorry,
James, I did say I'd come

566
00:29:03,233 --> 00:29:04,200
back to you.

567
00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:05,400
Did you have something?

568
00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:06,400
The Press:
Yes.

569
00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,166
Just to follow up on the
discussion of the Iraq war,

570
00:29:08,166 --> 00:29:11,567
none of us wants to plunge
ourselves into counterfactual

571
00:29:11,567 --> 00:29:13,367
histories about what if.

572
00:29:13,367 --> 00:29:16,834
And so all we have is the
record of what did occur.

573
00:29:16,834 --> 00:29:20,133
And when you stand here and tell
us that Iraq today now has the

574
00:29:20,133 --> 00:29:26,400
option for a chance for a much
better future than her past,

575
00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:28,533
that is, as a matter
of factual history,

576
00:29:28,533 --> 00:29:32,833
only possible because President
Bush decided to launch this war

577
00:29:32,834 --> 00:29:36,300
and send all these heroic
servicemen and women into

578
00:29:36,300 --> 00:29:37,433
this mission.

579
00:29:37,433 --> 00:29:40,567
And so if credit is due to
those servicemen and women,

580
00:29:40,567 --> 00:29:43,967
it seems to me a matter of logic
that some credit would also be

581
00:29:43,967 --> 00:29:46,033
due to President Bush
and his advisors.

582
00:29:46,033 --> 00:29:49,699
And that on this occasion,
do you not see it that way?

583
00:29:49,700 --> 00:29:53,033
Mr. Carney:
James, I would simply take
up your first proposition that

584
00:29:53,033 --> 00:29:55,934
engaging in counterfactuals
about what might have happened

585
00:29:55,934 --> 00:29:59,300
had we not gone to war in search
of weapons of mass destruction

586
00:29:59,300 --> 00:30:02,700
that didn't exist, what
would have happened.

587
00:30:02,700 --> 00:30:05,800
There is no question, as I
made clear in several answers,

588
00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:10,466
that the President believes that
Iraq has the potential for a

589
00:30:10,467 --> 00:30:14,066
better future today because of
the remarkable sacrifice and

590
00:30:14,066 --> 00:30:17,066
service of American men and
women in uniform as well as

591
00:30:17,066 --> 00:30:21,133
civilian American men and
women who served in Iraq.

592
00:30:21,133 --> 00:30:23,633
And that is without
question and without doubt.

593
00:30:23,633 --> 00:30:25,900
It is impossible
to know, obviously,

594
00:30:25,900 --> 00:30:30,367
what course would have occurred
in Iraq had the inspections

595
00:30:30,367 --> 00:30:33,133
regime continued, had
different choices been made.

596
00:30:33,133 --> 00:30:36,734
That was not obviously the world
that the President inherited

597
00:30:36,734 --> 00:30:39,699
when he took office
in January of 2009.

598
00:30:39,700 --> 00:30:44,367
The world he inherited was one
that included America at war in

599
00:30:44,367 --> 00:30:48,332
two places, in two
countries, with, I believe,

600
00:30:48,333 --> 00:30:53,533
an excess of 130,000
troops in combination --

601
00:30:53,533 --> 00:30:55,399
Iraq and Afghanistan.

602
00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:59,700
And he set in motion policy
objectives that included winding

603
00:30:59,700 --> 00:31:02,433
down responsibly
the war in Iraq;

604
00:31:02,433 --> 00:31:06,066
refocusing our attention on
the war in Afghanistan, which,

605
00:31:06,066 --> 00:31:09,433
after all, was the war that
we launched because we were

606
00:31:09,433 --> 00:31:14,800
attacked on September 11, 2001.

607
00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:15,800
He did both.

608
00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:18,800
And he is now, having
ended the war in Iraq,

609
00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,567
winding down the
war in Afghanistan.

610
00:31:21,567 --> 00:31:24,633
So it really is -- all these
questions are very interesting,

611
00:31:24,633 --> 00:31:26,867
and I think the anniversary is
an appropriate time to begin

612
00:31:26,867 --> 00:31:27,800
asking them.

613
00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:31,667
But I think historians will make
the assessments about the policy

614
00:31:31,667 --> 00:31:33,533
judgments made by the
administration that was in power

615
00:31:33,533 --> 00:31:35,466
at the time.

616
00:31:35,467 --> 00:31:39,000
The President had very clearly
stated views as a candidate for

617
00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:41,834
Senate and very clearly stated
views as a candidate for

618
00:31:41,834 --> 00:31:44,066
President that were judged
and evaluated by the

619
00:31:44,066 --> 00:31:45,300
American people.

620
00:31:45,300 --> 00:31:50,265
He had very clear policy
positions that he promised to

621
00:31:50,266 --> 00:31:53,467
implement if he were
elected, and he has done so.

622
00:31:53,467 --> 00:31:56,734
The Press:
But it sounds to me listening to
you that for what you call the

623
00:31:56,734 --> 00:32:00,399
"welcome development" of
Saddam Hussein being gone,

624
00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:03,934
you are unwilling to accord
President George W. Bush even a

625
00:32:03,934 --> 00:32:06,033
single iota of credit
for that development.

626
00:32:06,033 --> 00:32:08,699
Mr. Carney:
Well, I'm happy
to do that, James.

627
00:32:08,700 --> 00:32:14,467
I think the focus on doing that
is unique here in this briefing.

628
00:32:14,467 --> 00:32:18,033
But there is no question that
Saddam Hussein was removed from

629
00:32:18,033 --> 00:32:21,632
power thanks to the military
efforts of U.S. armed forces,

630
00:32:21,633 --> 00:32:23,834
and they were sent to
Iraq by President Bush.

631
00:32:23,834 --> 00:32:25,867
So, obviously, there is
a causal relationship.

632
00:32:25,867 --> 00:32:27,966
And to the extent
that credit is due,

633
00:32:27,967 --> 00:32:30,166
credit is due to him for that.

634
00:32:30,166 --> 00:32:33,833
That does not change, I think,
assessments made by this

635
00:32:33,834 --> 00:32:37,500
President as a candidate or
by many others on this day,

636
00:32:37,500 --> 00:32:43,834
10 years after, about the
judgments made to go to war in

637
00:32:43,834 --> 00:32:46,200
Iraq and to invade the country.

638
00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:49,100
And Americans obviously will
continue to have different views

639
00:32:49,100 --> 00:32:51,433
on this, appropriately so.

640
00:32:51,433 --> 00:32:55,834
And this will be a matter of
discussion and debate for a long

641
00:32:55,834 --> 00:33:02,367
time, I expect, in Washington
as well as in classrooms and

642
00:33:02,367 --> 00:33:06,399
among historians.

643
00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:08,767
But the President's views as a
candidate and as President are

644
00:33:08,767 --> 00:33:10,033
very clear.

645
00:33:10,033 --> 00:33:12,000
His commitments, when
it comes to policy,

646
00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:16,266
have been very clear and they
have been followed through on.

647
00:33:16,266 --> 00:33:21,700
And he believes that when he
promised the American people to

648
00:33:21,700 --> 00:33:30,834
end the war in Iraq, he owed
them to fulfill that promise,

649
00:33:30,834 --> 00:33:31,867
and he has.

650
00:33:31,867 --> 00:33:33,265
Yes, April.

651
00:33:33,266 --> 00:33:37,033
The Press:
Jay, the most recent recession
is blamed in part on the

652
00:33:37,033 --> 00:33:39,265
financing of the war in Iraq.

653
00:33:39,266 --> 00:33:43,767
Is there any tentacle from the
financing of the Iraq war that

654
00:33:43,767 --> 00:33:46,800
affects this current
economic situation that this

655
00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:48,767
country was in?

656
00:33:48,767 --> 00:33:50,467
Mr. Carney:
Well, I'm not sure.

657
00:33:50,467 --> 00:33:53,300
Just to be clear, I
think the deficits --

658
00:33:53,300 --> 00:33:55,899
the record deficits that
President Obama inherited were

659
00:33:55,900 --> 00:33:59,867
in part due to the unpaid-for
wars that he inherited.

660
00:33:59,867 --> 00:34:02,233
I'm not sure that the
recession itself --

661
00:34:02,233 --> 00:34:03,734
economists would have
a better assessment --

662
00:34:03,734 --> 00:34:07,833
was caused by the
spending on those wars.

663
00:34:07,834 --> 00:34:14,066
There is no question that the --
to go back to my first point --

664
00:34:14,065 --> 00:34:16,799
that the record deficits that
President Obama inherited when

665
00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:19,100
he took office in the midst
of a financial collapse,

666
00:34:19,100 --> 00:34:23,667
and what would become the Great
Recession and threaten to become

667
00:34:23,667 --> 00:34:29,199
a depression, contribute to
our fiscal challenges today --

668
00:34:29,199 --> 00:34:32,100
no question.

669
00:34:32,100 --> 00:34:35,500
And the President said back in
his campaign in 2008 and many

670
00:34:35,500 --> 00:34:40,833
times I'm sure since,
that that put us --

671
00:34:40,833 --> 00:34:43,466
tax cuts, two massive tax
cuts that were unpaid for,

672
00:34:43,467 --> 00:34:46,467
two wars that were unpaid for --
everything put on a credit card

673
00:34:46,467 --> 00:34:54,066
-- led to a situation where
the United States had a --

674
00:34:54,065 --> 00:34:57,533
a country that had a budget
surplus and surpluses as far as

675
00:34:57,533 --> 00:35:02,933
the eye could see in January of
2001, just eight years later,

676
00:35:02,934 --> 00:35:07,100
was a country that had the
largest deficits in its history.

677
00:35:07,100 --> 00:35:12,567
So again, much as an
answer to James's question,

678
00:35:12,567 --> 00:35:17,166
the President took office and
these were the facts that he had

679
00:35:17,166 --> 00:35:19,567
to deal with both in terms
of the financial crisis,

680
00:35:19,567 --> 00:35:23,166
the deficits he inherited, and
the wars that were ongoing when

681
00:35:23,166 --> 00:35:24,166
he took office.

682
00:35:24,166 --> 00:35:28,900
And he applied his best
judgments in dealing with all of

683
00:35:28,900 --> 00:35:31,166
the challenges that
this country faced.

684
00:35:31,166 --> 00:35:35,133
And the American people
obviously will and have made

685
00:35:35,133 --> 00:35:36,899
their assessments
about those decisions,

686
00:35:36,900 --> 00:35:39,200
and historians will make
assessments into the future,

687
00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:40,265
as will journalists.

688
00:35:40,266 --> 00:35:40,967
The Press:
Right.

689
00:35:40,967 --> 00:35:42,700
So let me clarify, because I'm
hearing things but I'm not

690
00:35:42,700 --> 00:35:43,600
getting an answer.

691
00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:44,834
I'm sorry.

692
00:35:44,834 --> 00:35:45,966
(laughter)

693
00:35:45,967 --> 00:35:46,834
Mr. Carney:
Really?

694
00:35:46,834 --> 00:35:47,899
The Press:
I'm sorry.

695
00:35:47,900 --> 00:35:50,166
Mr. Carney:
I thought it was
pretty good, right?

696
00:35:50,166 --> 00:35:51,166
The Press:
It was pretty good for you.

697
00:35:51,166 --> 00:35:52,100
The Press:
That's a matter of craft.

698
00:35:52,100 --> 00:35:53,165
Mr. Carney:
That's -- craft.

699
00:35:53,166 --> 00:35:54,166
It was clearer than the
Syria answer, right?

700
00:35:54,166 --> 00:35:55,133
(laughter)

701
00:35:55,133 --> 00:35:56,433
The Press:
Oh, so you recognize that
you were just giving --

702
00:35:56,433 --> 00:35:57,567
Mr. Carney:
No, no, I'm just
having some fun here.

703
00:35:57,567 --> 00:35:58,800
(laughter)

704
00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:00,300
The Press:
All right.

705
00:36:00,300 --> 00:36:04,066
So you're saying indirectly that
the President is dealing with

706
00:36:04,066 --> 00:36:05,332
deficits now --

707
00:36:05,333 --> 00:36:06,500
Mr. Carney:
I'm simply -- I apologize.

708
00:36:06,500 --> 00:36:09,066
I just wanted to make
clear that the --

709
00:36:09,066 --> 00:36:11,667
I'm not sure economists would
agree that the recession was

710
00:36:11,667 --> 00:36:13,633
caused by the profligate
spending in the

711
00:36:13,633 --> 00:36:14,567
previous administration --

712
00:36:14,567 --> 00:36:15,300
The Press:
I said in part, though.

713
00:36:15,300 --> 00:36:16,133
I said in part.

714
00:36:16,133 --> 00:36:18,500
Mr. Carney:
Well, again, that would be
for economists to decide.

715
00:36:18,500 --> 00:36:20,367
There is no question that
the deficits the President

716
00:36:20,367 --> 00:36:22,700
inherited, which have
exacerbated the fiscal

717
00:36:22,700 --> 00:36:26,799
challenges that we face,
were due to, in part,

718
00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:30,333
the unpaid-for spending on the
war in Iraq as well as the war

719
00:36:30,333 --> 00:36:31,166
in Afghanistan.

720
00:36:31,166 --> 00:36:33,133
The Press:
So I'm talking about now --
so you're that the deficits --

721
00:36:33,133 --> 00:36:33,966
Mr. Carney:
No question.

722
00:36:33,967 --> 00:36:34,867
The Press:
Okay, thank you.

723
00:36:34,867 --> 00:36:37,333
Mr. Carney:
Donovan and then
Jon-Christopher.

724
00:36:37,333 --> 00:36:38,266
Yes.

725
00:36:38,266 --> 00:36:39,166
The Press:
Thanks, Jay.

726
00:36:39,166 --> 00:36:40,200
Two quick things.

727
00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:42,033
Another clarification,
if I could on Iraq.

728
00:36:42,033 --> 00:36:46,200
Are you saying that Iraq is
better off now thanks to the

729
00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:48,533
war, but you're going to leave
the judgment about whether it

730
00:36:48,533 --> 00:36:52,333
was a good idea to make them
better off to historians?

731
00:36:52,333 --> 00:36:58,333
Mr. Carney:
Well, the President -- no,
that's a slightly altered way of

732
00:36:58,333 --> 00:36:59,333
explaining what I said.

733
00:36:59,333 --> 00:37:02,100
The President's position on
whether or not the United States

734
00:37:02,100 --> 00:37:07,266
made a wise decision to invade
Iraq 10 years ago was clear and

735
00:37:07,266 --> 00:37:10,033
remains clear.

736
00:37:10,033 --> 00:37:12,400
He does not believe that
was the right choice.

737
00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:16,667
Did not believe then, and
his position has changed.

738
00:37:16,667 --> 00:37:20,967
What is absolutely the case
is that our men and women in

739
00:37:20,967 --> 00:37:24,066
uniform, the most professional
military the world has ever

740
00:37:24,066 --> 00:37:27,866
known, when given
an assignment --

741
00:37:27,867 --> 00:37:30,500
regardless of whether the
assignment was the right policy

742
00:37:30,500 --> 00:37:34,633
choice or not -- fulfill their
mission and do it heroically

743
00:37:34,633 --> 00:37:35,633
and professionally.

744
00:37:35,633 --> 00:37:38,667
And that is the case
with regards to Iraq,

745
00:37:38,667 --> 00:37:40,933
and it is certainly the case
with regards to Afghanistan.

746
00:37:40,934 --> 00:37:42,033
That is the point
that I'm making.

747
00:37:42,033 --> 00:37:45,333
So the fact that
Iraq is in a place,

748
00:37:45,333 --> 00:37:48,033
as difficult as its
challenges remain,

749
00:37:48,033 --> 00:37:52,667
where it has the potential for a
better future is due in no small

750
00:37:52,667 --> 00:37:55,900
measure to the sacrifice
and service of American men

751
00:37:55,900 --> 00:37:56,900
and women.

752
00:37:56,900 --> 00:37:59,800
It is also obviously due to the
courage and perseverance of the

753
00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:03,333
Iraqi people, and
we should note that.

754
00:38:03,333 --> 00:38:09,600
But my point was the President
has made his judgments clear

755
00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:12,933
about the invasion.

756
00:38:12,934 --> 00:38:15,900
Historians will and the American
people will, over the years,

757
00:38:15,900 --> 00:38:18,967
make their own judgments.

758
00:38:18,967 --> 00:38:22,934
As President, he entered office
when there was still an enormous

759
00:38:22,934 --> 00:38:27,333
number of troops in Iraq, and
he set about ensuring that we

760
00:38:27,333 --> 00:38:29,734
gradually wound down
our presence there,

761
00:38:29,734 --> 00:38:37,066
our military presence in a way
that made the sacrifice that had

762
00:38:37,066 --> 00:38:43,066
been given there -- that that
sacrifice was honored by the way

763
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:49,734
that we wound down the war and
the position that we left Iraq

764
00:38:49,734 --> 00:38:53,100
in to make its own future -- to
make its own future without our

765
00:38:53,100 --> 00:38:57,299
military assistance, but
obviously with our continued

766
00:38:57,300 --> 00:39:00,633
civilian presence and the
assistance of the United States

767
00:39:00,633 --> 00:39:02,533
and international
partners moving forward.

768
00:39:02,533 --> 00:39:03,333
The Press:
Thanks.

769
00:39:03,333 --> 00:39:06,000
And finally, on Sylvia
Matthews Burwell.

770
00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:09,200
The President has asked
Jeffrey Zients -- Zients?

771
00:39:09,200 --> 00:39:10,700
Mr. Carney:
Jeff Zients.

772
00:39:10,700 --> 00:39:13,033
The Press:
-- to stay on until
she's confirmed.

773
00:39:13,033 --> 00:39:15,200
And she was nominated
a few weeks ago.

774
00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:18,033
Does he anticipate any issues
with her confirmation?

775
00:39:18,033 --> 00:39:20,299
Or does the White House --

776
00:39:20,300 --> 00:39:21,367
Mr. Carney:
No, we don't.

777
00:39:21,367 --> 00:39:26,767
We believe that Sylvia Burwell
is enormously qualified and will

778
00:39:26,767 --> 00:39:30,633
be confirmed by the
Senate without a problem,

779
00:39:30,633 --> 00:39:32,433
although that's what we believe.

780
00:39:32,433 --> 00:39:35,934
It's the Senate to decide,
and I defer to the Senate.

781
00:39:35,934 --> 00:39:38,900
But it is the case that
confirmations take a certain

782
00:39:38,900 --> 00:39:40,400
amount of time, even
when they're smooth.

783
00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:43,266
And this is an enormously
important agency,

784
00:39:43,266 --> 00:39:44,900
especially at this time.

785
00:39:44,900 --> 00:39:49,266
And the President has asked Jeff
Zients to continue as Acting

786
00:39:49,266 --> 00:39:50,567
Director of OMB.

787
00:39:50,567 --> 00:39:55,900
He has been just an enormously
valuable player on the

788
00:39:55,900 --> 00:39:58,100
President's economic team.

789
00:39:58,100 --> 00:40:01,700
He has served twice as
Acting Director of OMB.

790
00:40:01,700 --> 00:40:03,100
He has served as
deputy director,

791
00:40:03,100 --> 00:40:06,333
and his first job in the
administration was as chief

792
00:40:06,333 --> 00:40:08,200
performance officer.

793
00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:13,200
He brings a unique set of
talents and wisdom to this job,

794
00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:15,899
and the President appreciates
his service and his willingness

795
00:40:15,900 --> 00:40:19,500
to continue as acting
director very much indeed.

796
00:40:19,500 --> 00:40:20,266
The Press:
Thanks, Jay.

797
00:40:20,266 --> 00:40:21,066
Mr. Carney:
Jon-Christopher.

798
00:40:21,066 --> 00:40:23,000
I owe Jon-Christopher,
and then we've got --

799
00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:24,934
The Press:
It's kind of a 10th
anniversary-sequester

800
00:40:24,934 --> 00:40:26,867
combo question.

801
00:40:26,867 --> 00:40:27,734
How concerned is --

802
00:40:27,734 --> 00:40:28,567
Mr. Carney:
Combination platter.

803
00:40:28,567 --> 00:40:29,500
The Press:
Yes, combination.

804
00:40:29,500 --> 00:40:32,834
How concerned is the President
that 600,000 Iraqi and Afghan

805
00:40:32,834 --> 00:40:36,399
War vets have been waiting
more than 25 days for their

806
00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:38,166
backlog benefits?

807
00:40:38,166 --> 00:40:41,934
Mr. Carney:
This issue is of enormous
concern to the President.

808
00:40:41,934 --> 00:40:46,734
He has made clear to Secretary
Shinseki that he wants this

809
00:40:46,734 --> 00:40:48,165
problem addressed.

810
00:40:48,166 --> 00:40:51,633
I think it's important to step
back and look at the issue of

811
00:40:51,633 --> 00:40:55,033
the backlog and acknowledge
that one of the --

812
00:40:55,033 --> 00:40:58,000
there are a number of
contributing factors to it.

813
00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:01,266
The ending of two wars has
increased our veteran population

814
00:41:01,266 --> 00:41:04,700
and increased the population of
those who depend on VA services.

815
00:41:04,700 --> 00:41:08,933
The President obviously believes
that ending these two wars is

816
00:41:08,934 --> 00:41:09,934
the right policy.

817
00:41:09,934 --> 00:41:13,367
It is also true that decisions
made by this administration to

818
00:41:13,367 --> 00:41:19,133
expand the universe of people
whose afflictions are covered by

819
00:41:19,133 --> 00:41:22,133
VA services was absolutely
the right thing to do for our

820
00:41:22,133 --> 00:41:25,799
veterans, and that includes Gulf
War syndrome and exposure to

821
00:41:25,800 --> 00:41:29,734
Agent Orange, as well as
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

822
00:41:29,734 --> 00:41:38,834
And the fact that in expanding
the realm of services and the

823
00:41:38,834 --> 00:41:42,734
number of people for whom those
services are available --

824
00:41:42,734 --> 00:41:44,834
that fact has obviously
contributed to the backlog.

825
00:41:44,834 --> 00:41:46,933
However, it is absolutely the
President's position that we

826
00:41:46,934 --> 00:41:50,767
need to aggressively
address this problem,

827
00:41:50,767 --> 00:41:55,232
and he has made clear to
Secretary Shinseki that he wants

828
00:41:55,233 --> 00:41:56,233
this addressed.

829
00:41:56,233 --> 00:42:00,800
He is getting weekly updates on
the backlog and progress made on

830
00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:06,166
the backlog because he
believes it is absolutely our

831
00:42:06,166 --> 00:42:09,467
responsibility as a nation to
make sure that we're doing right

832
00:42:09,467 --> 00:42:10,633
by our veterans.

833
00:42:10,633 --> 00:42:12,000
The Press:
Jay, one more before you go?

834
00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:12,734
Mr. Carney:
I got to run.

835
00:42:12,734 --> 00:42:13,799
It's 12:00 p.m.

836
00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:14,667
The Press:
Thanks, Jay.

837
00:42:14,667 --> 00:42:16,767
Mr. Carney:
Thank you, guys.

838
00:42:16,767 --> 00:42:19,767
Those who are traveling with
us, we'll see you there.

839
00:42:19,767 --> 00:42:20,767
Thanks.