English subtitles for clip: File:5-22-15- White House Press Briefing.webm

1
00:00:01,301 --> 00:00:03,141
Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

2
00:00:03,136 --> 00:00:05,306
It's nice to see you all.

3
00:00:05,305 --> 00:00:07,005
I apologize for the
late start today.

4
00:00:07,006 --> 00:00:11,816
To paraphrase Chris
Tucker in a cult classic,

5
00:00:11,811 --> 00:00:14,951
it's Friday and we've got
a lot of stuff to do.

6
00:00:14,948 --> 00:00:16,518
(laughter)

7
00:00:16,516 --> 00:00:19,356
So with that, Nedra,
you want to get us started?

8
00:00:19,352 --> 00:00:20,752
The Press: Yes, I want
to get us started.

9
00:00:20,754 --> 00:00:23,254
Is the White House concerned
now that we've learned

10
00:00:23,256 --> 00:00:26,326
that Hillary Clinton sent
email on her private

11
00:00:26,326 --> 00:00:29,166
server that's been
classified, that there

12
00:00:29,162 --> 00:00:30,462
is a problem here
and that there could

13
00:00:30,463 --> 00:00:32,863
be more to come?

14
00:00:32,866 --> 00:00:36,436
Mr. Earnest: Nedra, as you
know, the State Department,

15
00:00:36,436 --> 00:00:39,936
following through on their
promise, has publicly

16
00:00:39,939 --> 00:00:43,109
released the emails that
have been previously

17
00:00:43,109 --> 00:00:46,079
submitted to Congress in
the context of their

18
00:00:46,079 --> 00:00:50,919
ongoing investigation
into the tragic events

19
00:00:50,917 --> 00:00:53,787
of September 11,
2012 in Benghazi.

20
00:00:53,787 --> 00:01:00,027
The fact is that when these
kinds of emails are reviewed

21
00:01:00,026 --> 00:01:03,826
for public release, consistent
with FOIA standards,

22
00:01:03,830 --> 00:01:09,370
it's not uncommon for
the materials included

23
00:01:09,369 --> 00:01:15,379
in the review to be classified
based on current events.

24
00:01:19,312 --> 00:01:21,312
So it's not uncommon for
information that was

25
00:01:21,314 --> 00:01:26,224
previously unclassified to,
upon later review and based

26
00:01:26,219 --> 00:01:29,219
on changing events in the
world, be deemed classified.

27
00:01:29,222 --> 00:01:31,222
This was a determination
in this case that was

28
00:01:31,224 --> 00:01:34,964
made by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.

29
00:01:34,961 --> 00:01:37,801
And for questions about
their decision to make

30
00:01:37,797 --> 00:01:42,537
this classified, I'd
refer you to them.

31
00:01:42,535 --> 00:01:44,535
What is also true, and
what we also know about

32
00:01:44,537 --> 00:01:46,737
the contents of these
materials is that they

33
00:01:46,739 --> 00:01:51,349
do not change in any way
anyone's understanding

34
00:01:51,344 --> 00:01:53,344
about the events of
that tragic evening.

35
00:01:53,346 --> 00:01:55,686
The Press: But do you
think that someone should

36
00:01:55,682 --> 00:01:57,682
have classified this
material earlier?

37
00:01:57,684 --> 00:01:59,684
Should this have been on
a classified server --

38
00:01:59,686 --> 00:02:01,686
Mr. Earnest: That's not at all
a judgment that I can make.

39
00:02:01,688 --> 00:02:05,228
This was a judgment that was
made by the FBI recently in

40
00:02:05,225 --> 00:02:08,125
light of more recent events,
even though the email

41
00:02:08,127 --> 00:02:11,097
was, as we know, nearly
three years old.

42
00:02:11,097 --> 00:02:13,667
But for why they made that
decision and what led

43
00:02:13,666 --> 00:02:15,866
them to that conclusion,
I'd refer you to them.

44
00:02:15,869 --> 00:02:17,909
The Press: This is just a
small part of the emails

45
00:02:17,904 --> 00:02:19,174
that are to come.

46
00:02:19,172 --> 00:02:22,772
So are you concerned that
there could be more classified

47
00:02:22,775 --> 00:02:25,415
material despite the
assurances that were given

48
00:02:25,411 --> 00:02:28,281
that she did not send
classified material?

49
00:02:28,281 --> 00:02:30,251
Mr. Earnest: Well,
again, that assurance

50
00:02:30,250 --> 00:02:31,480
remains true today.

51
00:02:31,484 --> 00:02:34,024
That is information that was
not classified at the time,

52
00:02:34,020 --> 00:02:37,090
that it was sent or received.

53
00:02:37,090 --> 00:02:41,060
But again, I can't speak to
the content of the emails.

54
00:02:41,060 --> 00:02:44,260
There is a rigorous process
in place to review them

55
00:02:44,264 --> 00:02:46,604
and release them as
expeditiously as possible.

56
00:02:46,599 --> 00:02:49,099
The Press: On another topic,
does the United States believe

57
00:02:49,102 --> 00:02:52,172
that a newly established Saudi
affiliate of the Islamic State

58
00:02:52,171 --> 00:02:56,341
was behind the mosque
suicide attack there?

59
00:02:56,342 --> 00:02:56,972
Mr. Earnest: It's unclear.

60
00:02:56,976 --> 00:02:59,946
This is obviously a very tragic
event that occurred overnight.

61
00:02:59,946 --> 00:03:03,086
It is indicative of some
the extremist tactics

62
00:03:03,082 --> 00:03:05,122
that we've seen.

63
00:03:05,118 --> 00:03:08,188
The fact is that when
extremists like this carry

64
00:03:08,187 --> 00:03:11,557
out these violent
attacks -- in this case,

65
00:03:11,558 --> 00:03:14,128
all of the victims
were Muslims.

66
00:03:14,127 --> 00:03:17,627
That is unfortunately
all too common.

67
00:03:17,630 --> 00:03:20,370
And so we obviously
mourn the loss of life

68
00:03:20,366 --> 00:03:22,436
and condemn this violence.

69
00:03:22,435 --> 00:03:25,375
The attribution, the
determination about who is

70
00:03:25,371 --> 00:03:29,341
responsible is something
that is still under review.

71
00:03:29,342 --> 00:03:30,342
Roberta.

72
00:03:30,343 --> 00:03:31,843
The Press: How concerned
is the President that

73
00:03:31,844 --> 00:03:36,084
the Senate won't approve
today the USA Freedom Act,

74
00:03:36,082 --> 00:03:41,292
and that the Patriot Act will
expire without any replacement?

75
00:03:41,287 --> 00:03:43,887
And will the activities
that are authorized by that

76
00:03:43,890 --> 00:03:47,390
law just stop, or is there
some kind of plan B?

77
00:03:47,393 --> 00:03:49,633
And is there a risk to
U.S. national security

78
00:03:49,629 --> 00:03:52,369
if activities do stop?

79
00:03:52,365 --> 00:03:53,665
Mr. Earnest: Roberta, the
administration continues

80
00:03:53,666 --> 00:03:55,966
to be quite concerned
about the fact that

81
00:03:55,969 --> 00:03:59,269
the United States Senate
has refused to take

82
00:03:59,272 --> 00:04:02,542
up and pass the common-sense
bipartisan compromise

83
00:04:02,542 --> 00:04:04,982
that was crafted in the
House of Representatives.

84
00:04:04,978 --> 00:04:09,918
This was a compromise proposal
that was painstakingly crafted

85
00:04:09,916 --> 00:04:14,556
with the significant input of
the intelligence community.

86
00:04:14,554 --> 00:04:19,894
And the goal of the compromise
was to write legislation that

87
00:04:19,892 --> 00:04:24,632
would give our national security
officials the authorities

88
00:04:24,631 --> 00:04:31,301
they need to keep us safe
while ensuring the privacy

89
00:04:31,304 --> 00:04:34,044
rights of the American
people are protected.

90
00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:38,140
After thousands of hours of
meetings and painstaking

91
00:04:38,144 --> 00:04:41,084
work on what everyone would
acknowledge is a very

92
00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,450
complicated policy issue,
a reasonable bipartisan

93
00:04:45,451 --> 00:04:47,121
compromise emerged.

94
00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:49,190
This was a bipartisan
compromise that earned

95
00:04:49,188 --> 00:04:53,658
the support of 338 members of
the House of Representatives.

96
00:04:53,660 --> 00:04:56,300
We've spent a lot of time
talking before about how

97
00:04:56,295 --> 00:04:59,335
difficult this Congress
in particular has found

98
00:04:59,332 --> 00:05:03,502
it to be to do even simple
things, to find common ground

99
00:05:03,503 --> 00:05:06,243
on even simple
policy proposals.

100
00:05:06,239 --> 00:05:08,979
This policy proposal was
extraordinarily complicated

101
00:05:08,975 --> 00:05:12,275
and one that has significant
consequences for the national

102
00:05:12,278 --> 00:05:14,548
security of this country and
for the basic civil liberties

103
00:05:14,547 --> 00:05:17,517
of the American people.

104
00:05:17,517 --> 00:05:23,487
The point is, the hard
work on this has been done.

105
00:05:23,489 --> 00:05:26,559
It was done in response to
a call from the President

106
00:05:26,559 --> 00:05:28,559
of the United States almost
a year and a half ago.

107
00:05:28,561 --> 00:05:30,561
You'll recall -- many of you
covered this -- the President

108
00:05:30,563 --> 00:05:32,563
gave a speech, I believe it was
at the Department of Justice,

109
00:05:32,565 --> 00:05:37,135
in January of 2014 where he
called on important reforms

110
00:05:37,136 --> 00:05:39,406
to be put in place to better
strike this balance between

111
00:05:39,405 --> 00:05:42,105
protecting civil liberties
and protecting the country.

112
00:05:42,108 --> 00:05:44,578
That work finally
has gotten done.

113
00:05:44,577 --> 00:05:51,847
And the refusal of the Senate
to consider this legislation

114
00:05:51,851 --> 00:05:57,791
in a similarly bipartisan
spirit puts at risk not just

115
00:05:57,790 --> 00:06:03,130
the bipartisan compromise, but
it puts at risk the ability

116
00:06:03,129 --> 00:06:05,929
of our national security
professionals to keep us safe.

117
00:06:05,932 --> 00:06:12,302
And that's why we continue to
call on members of the Senate,

118
00:06:12,305 --> 00:06:15,445
in this case, in both
parties to take up and pass

119
00:06:15,441 --> 00:06:17,681
the USA Freedom Act today.

120
00:06:17,677 --> 00:06:20,717
The Press: So if the timing
doesn't quite work out

121
00:06:20,713 --> 00:06:24,583
on this, is there any kind
of administrative fix that

122
00:06:24,584 --> 00:06:28,754
the White House has at its
disposal to sort of --

123
00:06:28,755 --> 00:06:29,585
Mr. Earnest: That's
a good question.

124
00:06:29,589 --> 00:06:32,159
You asked that before
and I didn't get to it,

125
00:06:32,158 --> 00:06:34,158
but I have a good
answer for you.

126
00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,160
So the first thing is
that there's no reason

127
00:06:36,162 --> 00:06:37,162
that timing should
be an issue.

128
00:06:37,163 --> 00:06:40,003
The house has already passed
a compromise proposal.

129
00:06:39,999 --> 00:06:41,999
All the Senate needs to
do is to take up and pass

130
00:06:42,001 --> 00:06:43,271
that same proposal.

131
00:06:43,269 --> 00:06:45,269
The President will
sign it immediately,

132
00:06:45,271 --> 00:06:49,341
and timing the risk of a
lapse in this program

133
00:06:49,342 --> 00:06:51,442
is eliminated, because,
frankly, there will

134
00:06:51,444 --> 00:06:52,444
be no lapse.

135
00:06:52,445 --> 00:06:54,445
This will be -- the reforms
will be implemented

136
00:06:54,447 --> 00:06:58,947
and there will be no risk
to the authorities that

137
00:06:58,951 --> 00:07:00,951
our national security
professionals need

138
00:07:00,953 --> 00:07:02,723
to keep us safe.

139
00:07:02,722 --> 00:07:04,722
The reason that that's
critically important

140
00:07:04,724 --> 00:07:06,124
is because there is
no plan B.

141
00:07:06,125 --> 00:07:12,395
These are authorities that
Congress must legislate.

142
00:07:12,398 --> 00:07:15,768
And again, we're
talking about a basic,

143
00:07:15,768 --> 00:07:18,568
functional responsibility of
the United States Congress

144
00:07:18,571 --> 00:07:20,741
to pass a piece of
legislation that

145
00:07:20,740 --> 00:07:23,680
is critically important
to ensuring that

146
00:07:23,676 --> 00:07:25,676
the basic safety and
security of the American

147
00:07:25,678 --> 00:07:29,378
people is protected, and that
the basic civil liberties

148
00:07:29,382 --> 00:07:31,722
of the American
people are protected.

149
00:07:31,717 --> 00:07:34,587
Again, other than the
budget of the United States,

150
00:07:34,587 --> 00:07:37,427
it's difficult to
conceive of a more basic,

151
00:07:37,423 --> 00:07:41,323
central responsibility that the
United States Congress has.

152
00:07:41,327 --> 00:07:44,897
In this case, we're gratified
that after thousands of hours

153
00:07:44,897 --> 00:07:46,897
of very difficult work, the
House of Representatives

154
00:07:46,899 --> 00:07:51,169
acted within the scope of
those responsibilities

155
00:07:51,170 --> 00:07:54,710
to pass a common-sense
reform proposal.

156
00:07:54,707 --> 00:07:57,507
The Senate, unfortunately,
for reasons that are unclear,

157
00:07:57,510 --> 00:07:59,850
for reasons that no one
has actually been able to

158
00:07:59,846 --> 00:08:03,486
effectively explain, hasn't
yet done the same thing.

159
00:08:03,482 --> 00:08:07,282
So given the lack of a
reasonable alternative

160
00:08:07,286 --> 00:08:11,456
explanation, I'm hopeful
that that's an indication

161
00:08:11,457 --> 00:08:14,097
that after all the posturing
is finally concluded,

162
00:08:14,093 --> 00:08:16,093
that they're going
to move forward

163
00:08:16,095 --> 00:08:17,365
on this common-sense
reform proposal.

164
00:08:17,363 --> 00:08:18,493
But we'll see.

165
00:08:18,497 --> 00:08:20,097
The Press: I want to ask
you about another vote

166
00:08:20,099 --> 00:08:23,239
that's expected today on
transportation funding.

167
00:08:23,236 --> 00:08:26,006
When the President was asked
about this at Camp David,

168
00:08:26,005 --> 00:08:28,145
he said that he was in
discussions with congressional

169
00:08:28,140 --> 00:08:30,910
leaders about it, and he
wanted to hear their ideas

170
00:08:30,910 --> 00:08:33,080
about how to fund
long-term solutions.

171
00:08:33,079 --> 00:08:34,649
I realize this is
just short term,

172
00:08:34,647 --> 00:08:37,087
but he sort of left the
impression that he was

173
00:08:37,083 --> 00:08:40,123
in talks about longer term,
that he was open to ideas

174
00:08:40,119 --> 00:08:43,889
about other sort of funding --
potential revenue sources.

175
00:08:43,890 --> 00:08:46,930
And I guess I'm just wondering,
is he open to ideas other than

176
00:08:46,926 --> 00:08:48,426
his GROW AMERICA proposal?

177
00:08:48,427 --> 00:08:50,367
And if you can talk a
little bit about what sorts

178
00:08:50,363 --> 00:08:53,103
of things are being
looked at.

179
00:08:53,099 --> 00:08:56,239
Mr. Earnest: Roberta, the
President has routinely

180
00:08:56,235 --> 00:08:59,005
and consistently indicated a
willingness to try to find

181
00:08:59,005 --> 00:09:01,275
bipartisan common ground
about the best way

182
00:09:01,274 --> 00:09:04,544
to ensure that we're making
the necessary investments

183
00:09:04,543 --> 00:09:06,143
in our infrastructure.

184
00:09:06,145 --> 00:09:09,515
That's critically
important to preserving

185
00:09:09,515 --> 00:09:13,685
the near-term momentum of
our economic recovery.

186
00:09:13,686 --> 00:09:16,386
It's also critically important
to the long-term prospects

187
00:09:16,389 --> 00:09:19,629
of economic growth in the
United States of America.

188
00:09:19,625 --> 00:09:21,625
We put forward a proposal
that we believe makes

189
00:09:21,627 --> 00:09:25,397
the most sense, which is
closing some loopholes

190
00:09:25,398 --> 00:09:29,398
that only benefit wealthy and
well-connected corporations,

191
00:09:29,402 --> 00:09:33,642
and using the revenue
to invest in the kind

192
00:09:33,639 --> 00:09:36,909
of infrastructure that
benefits everybody.

193
00:09:36,909 --> 00:09:40,109
In our mind, that's a pretty
common-sense proposal.

194
00:09:40,112 --> 00:09:42,112
There are members of Congress
in both parties who have

195
00:09:42,114 --> 00:09:45,184
a variety of other ideas, and
we're open to consideration

196
00:09:45,184 --> 00:09:46,184
of those ideas.

197
00:09:46,185 --> 00:09:48,185
And there have been
conversations that have taken

198
00:09:48,187 --> 00:09:52,427
place between senior members of
the President's economic team,

199
00:09:52,425 --> 00:09:55,995
both here at the White House
and at the relevant Cabinet

200
00:09:55,995 --> 00:09:58,195
agencies, with Democrats
and Republicans,

201
00:09:58,197 --> 00:10:00,197
about trying to find
a way forward here.

202
00:10:00,199 --> 00:10:02,269
I don't have much progress
to report, unfortunately,

203
00:10:02,268 --> 00:10:03,268
at this point.

204
00:10:03,269 --> 00:10:07,239
That's why Congress
appears poised to pass

205
00:10:07,239 --> 00:10:10,209
a short-term extension.

206
00:10:10,209 --> 00:10:12,349
That's no way to
run a government,

207
00:10:12,345 --> 00:10:15,915
but unfortunately it
appears to be the situation

208
00:10:15,915 --> 00:10:16,915
that we're facing now.

209
00:10:16,916 --> 00:10:23,856
But if what all Congress can do
is pass a short-term extension,

210
00:10:23,856 --> 00:10:27,126
we're hopeful that members
of Congress will use that

211
00:10:27,126 --> 00:10:31,736
short-term extension to
negotiate something longer term.

212
00:10:31,731 --> 00:10:33,731
After all, you hear
regularly from Republicans

213
00:10:33,733 --> 00:10:36,933
about the benefits of
certainty -- the economic

214
00:10:36,936 --> 00:10:38,606
benefits of certainty.

215
00:10:38,604 --> 00:10:40,674
And in this case, the
economic benefits

216
00:10:40,673 --> 00:10:44,213
of certainty in terms of our
infrastructure investments

217
00:10:44,210 --> 00:10:46,910
would benefit the job
market and the economy

218
00:10:46,912 --> 00:10:49,352
in communities all
across the country.

219
00:10:49,348 --> 00:10:49,978
Jon.

220
00:10:49,982 --> 00:10:51,322
The Press: Just to follow up
-- you said you don't know

221
00:10:51,317 --> 00:10:54,617
why the Senate hasn't acted
yet on the USA Freedom Act.

222
00:10:54,620 --> 00:10:56,160
Let me try.

223
00:10:56,155 --> 00:10:59,655
They've said that they
don't believe that it does

224
00:10:59,658 --> 00:11:02,098
enough to ensure that the
metadata is preserved;

225
00:11:02,094 --> 00:11:06,234
it doesn't require the telecom
companies to keep that

226
00:11:06,232 --> 00:11:10,602
metadata and save it for
potential future searches.

227
00:11:10,603 --> 00:11:14,173
So what they're saying is
that they want to at least

228
00:11:14,173 --> 00:11:17,443
have a temporary extension
so they can have time

229
00:11:17,443 --> 00:11:19,543
to fix that in the
USA Freedom Act.

230
00:11:19,545 --> 00:11:22,785
So I just want to ask you
very directly: If they pass a

231
00:11:22,782 --> 00:11:25,322
short-term extension of a
matter of weeks or as much

232
00:11:25,317 --> 00:11:27,987
as two months, will the
President sign it so they can

233
00:11:27,987 --> 00:11:30,457
go back and address this concern
they have with the House?

234
00:11:30,456 --> 00:11:32,956
Mr. Earnest: Well, let me take
up the substantive objection

235
00:11:32,958 --> 00:11:35,698
that they've raised first.

236
00:11:35,694 --> 00:11:39,464
The fact is, we know, based
on the way that the program

237
00:11:39,465 --> 00:11:43,005
currently operates, that
the telecom companies

238
00:11:43,002 --> 00:11:45,042
do maintain this data.

239
00:11:45,037 --> 00:11:47,037
You also know, based on the
fact that you receive

240
00:11:47,039 --> 00:11:50,409
a cellphone bill every month
that lists the time, duration,

241
00:11:50,409 --> 00:11:52,409
and phone number of all the
calls that you've made over the

242
00:11:52,411 --> 00:11:55,281
course of a month -- just to
cite one example -- that telecom

243
00:11:55,281 --> 00:11:58,051
companies are saving this
data, that they do it already.

244
00:11:58,050 --> 00:12:00,120
The Press: So you're confident
that they will save all

245
00:12:00,119 --> 00:12:02,259
of the metadata -- not
just your phone call,

246
00:12:02,254 --> 00:12:04,354
but all the metadata --
and they will do that for

247
00:12:04,356 --> 00:12:07,296
a period of years, which
is what is envisioned?

248
00:12:07,293 --> 00:12:08,763
Mr. Earnest: At this point,
there is no indication

249
00:12:08,761 --> 00:12:10,361
that they won't.

250
00:12:10,362 --> 00:12:11,562
The Press: But no guarantee
that they will, though.

251
00:12:11,564 --> 00:12:13,404
Mr. Earnest: But if there were
concerns that they weren't

252
00:12:13,399 --> 00:12:17,399
going to, then I feel
confident that our

253
00:12:17,403 --> 00:12:18,803
national security
professionals would assess

254
00:12:18,804 --> 00:12:21,144
that situation and
come back to Congress

255
00:12:21,140 --> 00:12:23,140
if they felt it was
necessary for Congress to pass

256
00:12:23,142 --> 00:12:25,142
legislation that would
compel the telecom companies

257
00:12:25,144 --> 00:12:26,374
to take action.

258
00:12:26,378 --> 00:12:28,918
Right now, there's no
reason to think that

259
00:12:28,914 --> 00:12:32,654
that's necessary, based on
their long-standing practice.

260
00:12:32,651 --> 00:12:34,651
The Press: So would
the President,

261
00:12:34,653 --> 00:12:36,653
if it comes to it and
they can't pass this,

262
00:12:36,655 --> 00:12:38,625
will the President sign
a short-term extension?

263
00:12:38,624 --> 00:12:40,624
Mr. Earnest: Well, let me
raise the second substantive

264
00:12:40,626 --> 00:12:42,626
objection that was sort of
molded into the first part

265
00:12:42,628 --> 00:12:44,628
of your question, which
is this question about

266
00:12:44,630 --> 00:12:46,330
a transition period.

267
00:12:46,332 --> 00:12:48,402
That there are reforms
that are contemplated

268
00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,740
in the USA Freedom Act that
would put the government

269
00:12:51,737 --> 00:12:54,437
out of the business of
maintaining this data,

270
00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,610
and it would require
a transition period.

271
00:12:56,609 --> 00:12:58,109
I think it's described
in the legislation

272
00:12:58,110 --> 00:13:02,950
as an implementation phase
that would last for 180 days.

273
00:13:02,948 --> 00:13:05,618
So the fact is, there already
is an implementation phase.

274
00:13:05,618 --> 00:13:10,418
So if there are these
longstanding concerns that --

275
00:13:10,422 --> 00:13:12,522
well, that raises
another question.

276
00:13:12,525 --> 00:13:15,725
If this actually is a
longstanding concern from

277
00:13:15,728 --> 00:13:18,128
some Republicans in the Senate,
why are they waiting until

278
00:13:18,130 --> 00:13:19,870
the last day to raise it?

279
00:13:19,865 --> 00:13:21,835
I mean, they've had a --
we've been talking about this

280
00:13:21,834 --> 00:13:22,834
for a year and a half.

281
00:13:22,835 --> 00:13:24,835
The Press: It's all
a good question.

282
00:13:24,837 --> 00:13:26,837
But I'm just asking a simple
question: If politically

283
00:13:26,839 --> 00:13:28,839
they can't get 60 votes
for the House bill,

284
00:13:28,841 --> 00:13:30,841
will the President sign
a short-term extension?

285
00:13:30,843 --> 00:13:32,843
Mr. Earnest: Well, the fact is,
it's not clear to anyone that

286
00:13:32,845 --> 00:13:35,015
the short-term extension would
get 60 votes in the Senate.

287
00:13:35,014 --> 00:13:37,714
We have heard many people on
Capitol Hill indicate that

288
00:13:37,716 --> 00:13:40,386
they do not believe that
a short-term extension

289
00:13:40,386 --> 00:13:42,356
would pass the House
of Representatives.

290
00:13:42,354 --> 00:13:48,364
And the other thing is this --
the program lapses on midnight

291
00:13:51,530 --> 00:13:55,670
of May 31st, so essentially
the last second of May 31st.

292
00:13:55,668 --> 00:13:58,608
We know that the House of
Representatives is not

293
00:13:58,604 --> 00:14:01,574
scheduled to come back into
session until June 1st.

294
00:14:01,574 --> 00:14:06,544
So even under this strategy that
some Republicans are advocating,

295
00:14:06,545 --> 00:14:08,715
it would almost guarantee
a lapse in the program.

296
00:14:08,714 --> 00:14:10,714
The Press: How much
risk is there, I mean,

297
00:14:10,716 --> 00:14:12,056
if this program lapses?

298
00:14:12,051 --> 00:14:14,951
Mr. Earnest: Well, that's
something that's difficult

299
00:14:14,954 --> 00:14:16,254
for me to assess.

300
00:14:16,255 --> 00:14:18,225
Maybe there are national
security professionals

301
00:14:18,224 --> 00:14:20,224
who could offer that
assessment for you.

302
00:14:20,226 --> 00:14:22,966
I think what I would say
is that if they pass

303
00:14:22,962 --> 00:14:25,832
the USA Freedom Act,
there is zero risk.

304
00:14:25,831 --> 00:14:28,301
And when we're talking about
something this important,

305
00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:32,070
even only a little
risk is something that

306
00:14:32,071 --> 00:14:34,871
we don't need to
subject ourselves to.

307
00:14:34,873 --> 00:14:35,303
The Press: Okay.

308
00:14:35,307 --> 00:14:36,507
And then just one other
one on the emails --

309
00:14:36,508 --> 00:14:37,948
the Hillary
Clinton emails.

310
00:14:37,943 --> 00:14:39,413
Is there any concern at
the White House to see

311
00:14:39,411 --> 00:14:46,021
that Sidney Blumenthal was
advising Secretary Clinton

312
00:14:46,018 --> 00:14:47,318
while he was working
at the foundation?

313
00:14:47,319 --> 00:14:50,319
And of course, he had been
kind of ruled out as somebody

314
00:14:50,322 --> 00:14:52,162
the administration would have
at the State Department.

315
00:14:52,157 --> 00:14:55,227
There's concerns that it appears
that he was offering advice,

316
00:14:55,227 --> 00:14:57,997
even on -- offering his
sense of the intelligence

317
00:14:57,997 --> 00:15:01,997
on the ground in the wake of
the attack in Benghazi.

318
00:15:02,001 --> 00:15:02,601
Mr. Earnest: No.

319
00:15:02,601 --> 00:15:06,001
And there's no indication,
at least on our part,

320
00:15:06,005 --> 00:15:08,205
to indicate that that
information was somehow

321
00:15:08,207 --> 00:15:12,577
prioritized over
information that was

322
00:15:12,578 --> 00:15:14,818
collected and distributed
by the U.S. government.

323
00:15:14,813 --> 00:15:17,453
The Press: Did the White House
know -- did the President

324
00:15:17,449 --> 00:15:20,219
know that Mr. Blumenthal
was offering this advice?

325
00:15:20,219 --> 00:15:22,419
Mr. Earnest: I don't
know the answer to that.

326
00:15:22,421 --> 00:15:23,451
Jim.

327
00:15:23,455 --> 00:15:26,125
The Press: Can I go back to
the bulk collection program?

328
00:15:26,125 --> 00:15:26,755
Mr. Earnest: Sure.

329
00:15:26,759 --> 00:15:28,189
The Press: I just want to
figure out what happens

330
00:15:28,193 --> 00:15:29,733
on June 1st.

331
00:15:29,728 --> 00:15:33,868
The NSA has this data, and
on June 1st they would not

332
00:15:33,866 --> 00:15:37,166
legally be able to access
that data passed June 1st?

333
00:15:37,169 --> 00:15:38,169
Is that how it works?

334
00:15:38,170 --> 00:15:40,970
Mr. Earnest: Well, for the
technical way in which this

335
00:15:40,973 --> 00:15:44,613
program is implemented, I would
ask you to contact the NSA.

336
00:15:44,610 --> 00:15:46,610
There are a couple things
I can say about this.

337
00:15:46,612 --> 00:15:49,852
The first is that, as
I mentioned to Jon,

338
00:15:49,848 --> 00:15:52,518
the way that we can ensure
that there is no lapse in the

339
00:15:52,518 --> 00:15:55,788
program, that there is
no operational risk

340
00:15:55,788 --> 00:15:58,658
to the program, is to
pass the USA Freedom Act.

341
00:15:58,657 --> 00:16:01,427
And the fact is, there is an
implementation period that lasts

342
00:16:01,427 --> 00:16:05,767
180 days, so there would be an
opportunity for these reforms

343
00:16:05,764 --> 00:16:10,674
to be implemented in a way
that would essentially

344
00:16:10,669 --> 00:16:13,139
eliminate the risk of
any lapse or disruption.

345
00:16:13,138 --> 00:16:19,378
The 180 days period is not
a number that was picked

346
00:16:19,378 --> 00:16:21,718
out of a hat at random.

347
00:16:21,714 --> 00:16:24,784
180 days is the amount of
time that the intelligence

348
00:16:24,783 --> 00:16:28,553
community has requested
for the implementation

349
00:16:28,554 --> 00:16:30,254
of these reforms.

350
00:16:30,255 --> 00:16:34,995
And what the President has
indicated is if for some

351
00:16:34,993 --> 00:16:39,403
unexpected reason it becomes
clear that more than 180 days

352
00:16:39,398 --> 00:16:41,538
is necessary to successfully
implement those

353
00:16:41,533 --> 00:16:44,033
reforms, the administration,
with the backing

354
00:16:44,036 --> 00:16:46,106
of the national security
infrastructure, would

355
00:16:46,105 --> 00:16:49,145
go to the Congress and
seek additional time.

356
00:16:49,141 --> 00:16:55,051
So again, the way for us to
completely eliminate the risk

357
00:16:55,047 --> 00:17:00,417
of these critically important
national security authorities

358
00:17:00,419 --> 00:17:05,129
from lapsing is to pass
the USA Freedom Act.

359
00:17:05,124 --> 00:17:07,124
The other thing -- and this is
something that the President has

360
00:17:07,126 --> 00:17:10,696
strong feelings about -- the
other way for us to ensure that

361
00:17:10,696 --> 00:17:13,496
we finally move forward on the
critically needed reforms that

362
00:17:13,499 --> 00:17:16,399
will ensure that our civil
liberties are protected

363
00:17:16,402 --> 00:17:19,202
is to pass the USA Freedom
Act so we can do both.

364
00:17:19,204 --> 00:17:23,374
And again, I haven't heard
a rational, satisfactory

365
00:17:23,375 --> 00:17:27,245
explanation for why
the vast majority

366
00:17:27,246 --> 00:17:30,386
of the United States Senate
-- Democrats and Republicans

367
00:17:30,382 --> 00:17:31,252
-- won't do that.

368
00:17:31,250 --> 00:17:33,090
The last thing that I can
tell you -- and the NSA can

369
00:17:33,085 --> 00:17:35,225
give you some more
details on this; and this

370
00:17:35,220 --> 00:17:37,260
goes to some of the details
in terms of the way

371
00:17:37,256 --> 00:17:41,696
that the program is
implemented -- the kinds

372
00:17:41,693 --> 00:17:43,833
of programs that we're
talking about here are

373
00:17:43,829 --> 00:17:45,829
not the kinds of programs
that can be started

374
00:17:45,831 --> 00:17:47,871
and stopped with the
flip of a switch.

375
00:17:47,866 --> 00:17:49,066
It requires time.

376
00:17:49,067 --> 00:17:52,167
That's part of what the
180-day implementation

377
00:17:52,171 --> 00:17:53,171
period is about.

378
00:17:53,172 --> 00:17:57,512
But what the NSA has said
publicly is that if there

379
00:17:57,509 --> 00:18:04,119
is no indication that Congress
will be able to successfully

380
00:18:04,116 --> 00:18:08,186
reauthorize these
authorities by the end

381
00:18:08,187 --> 00:18:11,127
of the day today, that the
NSA will have to begin

382
00:18:11,123 --> 00:18:13,823
taking the steps to
unwind the program.

383
00:18:13,826 --> 00:18:15,826
Because they need to be sure
that they're in compliance.

384
00:18:15,828 --> 00:18:18,628
The authorities, by
legislation, are slated

385
00:18:18,630 --> 00:18:22,070
to expire at the
end of the month.

386
00:18:22,067 --> 00:18:24,067
And again, that's not
just the flip of a switch;

387
00:18:24,069 --> 00:18:26,409
they have to begin taking steps
now to dismantle the program.

388
00:18:26,405 --> 00:18:28,375
All the more reasons it's
important -- as I mentioned

389
00:18:28,373 --> 00:18:31,543
earlier -- for the United
States Senate to vote today

390
00:18:31,543 --> 00:18:33,543
to pass the USA Freedom Act
so that the President

391
00:18:33,545 --> 00:18:35,385
can quickly sign it.

392
00:18:35,380 --> 00:18:36,320
The Press: Can I go back
to the President's

393
00:18:36,315 --> 00:18:38,715
speech earlier today?

394
00:18:38,717 --> 00:18:41,757
He was reassuring the
Jewish American community,

395
00:18:41,753 --> 00:18:46,963
and I suppose a lot of Israelis,
that America has Israel's back.

396
00:18:46,959 --> 00:18:49,399
And a big piece of that
is Iran, obviously,

397
00:18:49,394 --> 00:18:51,594
and the Iran
nuclear program.

398
00:18:51,597 --> 00:18:55,397
I guess what I'm curious
about is, with respect

399
00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,800
to what's happening in
Iraq right now and ISIS,

400
00:18:58,804 --> 00:19:01,674
it seems that you're in a
situation where you're trying

401
00:19:01,673 --> 00:19:06,283
to reassure Israel, Jewish
Americans that you're

402
00:19:06,278 --> 00:19:08,548
going to keep Iran in
check over here when

403
00:19:08,547 --> 00:19:11,787
it comes to their nuclear
program; but in Iraq,

404
00:19:11,783 --> 00:19:14,583
it sounds as if the
strategy is going to

405
00:19:14,586 --> 00:19:18,486
increasingly become reliant
somewhat more on these

406
00:19:18,490 --> 00:19:22,030
Shia-backed militias,
which most experts will

407
00:19:22,027 --> 00:19:25,427
say have some
Iranian influences.

408
00:19:25,430 --> 00:19:27,630
And so can you talk a
little bit about how

409
00:19:27,633 --> 00:19:30,273
that is a difficult
position to be in?

410
00:19:30,269 --> 00:19:33,039
Do you find that to be a
difficult position to be in

411
00:19:33,038 --> 00:19:35,738
where you will be relying
somewhat -- when it comes

412
00:19:35,741 --> 00:19:38,081
to your strategy in Iraq --
on militias that have

413
00:19:38,076 --> 00:19:41,316
some Iranian backing?

414
00:19:41,313 --> 00:19:45,413
Mr. Earnest: Well, Jim,
what's clear in --

415
00:19:45,417 --> 00:19:46,887
The Press: Feel free to attack
a piece of that premise.

416
00:19:46,885 --> 00:19:47,615
Mr. Earnest: No, no, I --

417
00:19:47,619 --> 00:19:48,919
The Press: But I
think it is fair,

418
00:19:48,921 --> 00:19:49,751
that it was laid
out logically --

419
00:19:49,755 --> 00:19:50,255
Mr. Earnest: I understand.

420
00:19:50,255 --> 00:19:51,755
I understand the spirit
of your question.

421
00:19:51,757 --> 00:19:53,297
I think there are a
couple of relevant facts.

422
00:19:53,292 --> 00:19:56,632
The first is that the
Prime Minister of Iraq

423
00:19:56,628 --> 00:19:58,628
is a Shia Muslim.

424
00:19:58,630 --> 00:20:03,270
The largest neighbor
of Iraq is Iran.

425
00:20:03,268 --> 00:20:05,638
We would expect that
Iran and Iraq would

426
00:20:05,637 --> 00:20:07,637
have a relationship.

427
00:20:07,639 --> 00:20:10,039
And we've acknowledged, and I
think the Iranians have been

428
00:20:10,042 --> 00:20:13,842
pretty clear about this -- and
it's understandable -- they

429
00:20:13,845 --> 00:20:17,515
don't have any interest in
seeing ISIL carrying out

430
00:20:17,516 --> 00:20:22,286
these terrible, heinous acts
of violence in a country

431
00:20:22,287 --> 00:20:25,887
that is on their doorstep.

432
00:20:25,891 --> 00:20:28,061
What's critically
important, though,

433
00:20:28,060 --> 00:20:32,760
is for Iran to respect
the sovereignty of their

434
00:20:32,764 --> 00:20:33,964
neighbors in Iraq.

435
00:20:33,966 --> 00:20:36,406
And that's why this
administration has gone to great

436
00:20:36,401 --> 00:20:41,971
lengths to build up and
support the central government

437
00:20:41,974 --> 00:20:45,674
of Iraq, led by Prime Minister
Abadi, primarily because

438
00:20:45,677 --> 00:20:50,347
he has indicated a commitment
to governing that country

439
00:20:50,349 --> 00:20:52,619
in a multi-sectarian way.

440
00:20:52,618 --> 00:20:56,758
And what we have said is
that the United States will

441
00:20:56,755 --> 00:21:00,895
not coordinate militarily
with the Iranians.

442
00:21:00,892 --> 00:21:05,462
But what we will do is we will
support the multi-sectarian

443
00:21:05,464 --> 00:21:11,704
force in Iraq that's fighting
ISIL as long as it is under

444
00:21:11,703 --> 00:21:14,443
the command and control of
the Iraqi central government.

445
00:21:14,439 --> 00:21:18,039
And that is the principle
that we have applied

446
00:21:18,043 --> 00:21:21,113
with some evidence
of success.

447
00:21:21,113 --> 00:21:23,413
This was exactly the formula
that we used in Tikrit.

448
00:21:23,415 --> 00:21:25,385
There was a lot of
concern about ISIL being

449
00:21:25,384 --> 00:21:27,684
dug in in Tikrit and
repelling the advances

450
00:21:27,686 --> 00:21:30,786
of some Shia
militia in Iraq.

451
00:21:30,789 --> 00:21:33,989
And the United States and
our coalition partners came

452
00:21:33,992 --> 00:21:37,192
to Prime Minister Abadi and
said, if you will mobilize

453
00:21:37,195 --> 00:21:39,165
forces that are directly
under your command

454
00:21:39,164 --> 00:21:41,164
and control, we will back
them with air power,

455
00:21:41,166 --> 00:21:43,166
and we have reason to
believe that they'll

456
00:21:43,168 --> 00:21:45,168
be more effective
on the battlefield.

457
00:21:45,170 --> 00:21:47,170
And that's exactly
what happened.

458
00:21:47,172 --> 00:21:49,812
Within a day or two, that
multi-sectarian force was

459
00:21:49,808 --> 00:21:52,948
able to drive ISIL fighters
outside of Tikrit.

460
00:21:52,944 --> 00:21:55,414
That is a formula
for success.

461
00:21:55,414 --> 00:21:57,684
Now, each situation
is different,

462
00:21:57,683 --> 00:22:00,823
and the Iraqis are working to
determine what they can do to

463
00:22:00,819 --> 00:22:04,259
build up the capacity of the
forces that they have now east

464
00:22:04,256 --> 00:22:07,856
of Ramadi, and how they can
leverage the assistance of the

465
00:22:07,859 --> 00:22:10,299
United States and the rest of
our international coalition to

466
00:22:10,295 --> 00:22:12,735
ensure that they've got
well-trained and well-equipped

467
00:22:12,731 --> 00:22:16,231
troops there, and that when
they're prepared to go and try

468
00:22:16,234 --> 00:22:18,404
to retake Ramadi that they
can do so with the full

469
00:22:18,403 --> 00:22:21,473
support of the international
coalition, including

470
00:22:21,473 --> 00:22:24,073
coalition military
airstrikes.

471
00:22:24,076 --> 00:22:25,346
The Press: And then
lastly, my third question,

472
00:22:25,343 --> 00:22:29,483
and I'll let you go, is --
you've been saying all week,

473
00:22:29,481 --> 00:22:32,151
and the President I think
indicated in the article

474
00:22:32,150 --> 00:22:35,420
with The Atlantic,
that ground forces,

475
00:22:35,420 --> 00:22:38,620
combat troops are not an option
when it comes to dealing

476
00:22:38,623 --> 00:22:39,393
with ISIS.

477
00:22:39,391 --> 00:22:41,091
Mr. Earnest: Not U.S.
ground combat troops.

478
00:22:41,093 --> 00:22:41,923
The Press: Not U.S.
ground troops.

479
00:22:41,927 --> 00:22:45,227
And just to button this
down, I'm just asking you,

480
00:22:45,230 --> 00:22:48,700
are you saying under no
circumstances will that

481
00:22:48,700 --> 00:22:51,040
ever be considered?

482
00:22:51,036 --> 00:22:55,946
There is no tipping point where
that might be considered?

483
00:22:57,843 --> 00:22:59,843
Mr. Earnest: It's
a hypothetical.

484
00:22:59,845 --> 00:23:03,345
But let me try to be as clear
about this as I possibly can.

485
00:23:03,348 --> 00:23:11,328
The President has clearly
ruled out the use of U.S.

486
00:23:11,323 --> 00:23:15,423
military personnel in a
ground combat role in Iraq.

487
00:23:15,427 --> 00:23:21,567
And the reason for that is that
we have an important lesson

488
00:23:21,566 --> 00:23:28,306
to learn from the previous
invasion of Iraq;

489
00:23:28,306 --> 00:23:30,446
that we know that it does
not serve the interests

490
00:23:30,442 --> 00:23:32,442
of the United States to
put our military into

491
00:23:32,444 --> 00:23:35,914
a situation like that.

492
00:23:35,914 --> 00:23:41,724
So, for example, we know it's
critically important and in the

493
00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:43,920
clear national security
interest of the United States

494
00:23:43,922 --> 00:23:46,492
for the Iraqi government,
the Iraqi security forces,

495
00:23:46,491 --> 00:23:50,291
and the Iraqi people to take
responsibility for the security

496
00:23:50,295 --> 00:23:52,735
situation in their own country,
and they can do so with the

497
00:23:52,731 --> 00:23:54,431
support of the United States.

498
00:23:54,432 --> 00:23:57,602
But putting the United States
military into a situation where

499
00:23:57,602 --> 00:24:00,242
they're carrying out those
efforts on their behalf,

500
00:24:00,238 --> 00:24:03,338
essentially for them, does
work in the short term.

501
00:24:03,341 --> 00:24:07,311
We saw in the previous
conflict in Iraq that U.S.

502
00:24:07,312 --> 00:24:11,152
military forces, because of the
bravery and professionalism

503
00:24:11,149 --> 00:24:13,149
of the U.S. military,
that they did have

504
00:24:13,151 --> 00:24:16,991
some short-term success
in battling extremists

505
00:24:16,988 --> 00:24:19,288
and stabilizing the country.

506
00:24:19,291 --> 00:24:21,291
But because of the failed
leadership of Prime Minister

507
00:24:21,293 --> 00:24:26,203
Maliki, that was not a
situation that Iraqi leaders

508
00:24:26,198 --> 00:24:28,198
were able to capitalize on.

509
00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:31,870
The last thing I'll say -- and
the reason that I'm unwilling

510
00:24:31,870 --> 00:24:35,410
to definitively rule out your
hypothetical is we've said

511
00:24:35,407 --> 00:24:38,907
the same thing about Syria --
that the President does not

512
00:24:38,910 --> 00:24:44,950
envision and does not plan
to consider putting U.S.

513
00:24:44,950 --> 00:24:48,920
ground forces in a
combat role in Syria.

514
00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:52,090
However, we just saw last
weekend that the President

515
00:24:52,090 --> 00:24:55,560
did order a mission that
did involve U.S. personnel

516
00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:59,100
being on the ground in a
combat role in Syria

517
00:24:59,097 --> 00:25:01,497
to take out an
ISIL leader.

518
00:25:01,499 --> 00:25:03,799
And so for exceptions like
that, I would preserve

519
00:25:03,802 --> 00:25:05,002
some wiggle room.

520
00:25:05,003 --> 00:25:07,003
But as a matter of
policy, the President

521
00:25:07,005 --> 00:25:09,875
has been clear that we've
learned the lessons

522
00:25:09,875 --> 00:25:12,175
of the previous Iraqi
invasion, and that U.S.

523
00:25:12,177 --> 00:25:16,947
military cannot be in a
situation where we are bearing

524
00:25:16,948 --> 00:25:20,988
the load providing for the
security of the Iraqi people.

525
00:25:20,986 --> 00:25:22,986
We can support them as they
try to do that for themselves,

526
00:25:22,988 --> 00:25:26,428
though, and that's what our
policy and our strategy is.

527
00:25:26,424 --> 00:25:27,594
Cheryl.

528
00:25:27,592 --> 00:25:28,162
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

529
00:25:28,159 --> 00:25:30,959
To go back to the
transportation bill,

530
00:25:30,962 --> 00:25:35,062
now that it's getting close
-- there's a lot of support

531
00:25:35,066 --> 00:25:37,706
for a longer-term bill; it's
just how to pay for it.

532
00:25:37,702 --> 00:25:41,502
Is the White House any more
open now to an increase

533
00:25:41,506 --> 00:25:43,376
in a gas tax?

534
00:25:43,375 --> 00:25:44,675
Mr. Earnest: Cheryl, we've
indicated previously

535
00:25:44,676 --> 00:25:49,076
that that is not a proposal
that we have offered.

536
00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,320
There are other members of
Congress in both parties

537
00:25:51,316 --> 00:25:53,886
that have made a compelling
case about the virtues

538
00:25:53,885 --> 00:25:57,055
of that strategy.

539
00:25:57,055 --> 00:25:59,295
The administration, however,
has put forward a plan

540
00:25:59,291 --> 00:26:00,291
that we think is better.

541
00:26:00,292 --> 00:26:05,232
So that is an indication that
we're going to continue to talk

542
00:26:05,230 --> 00:26:09,630
with those members of Congress,
particularly because it's an

543
00:26:09,634 --> 00:26:11,674
indication that they share
our priority that those kinds

544
00:26:11,670 --> 00:26:14,210
of investments in infrastructure
are critically important.

545
00:26:14,205 --> 00:26:17,175
So that's an indication that
there's some common ground.

546
00:26:17,175 --> 00:26:19,215
And we certainly take every
opportunity to have those kinds

547
00:26:19,210 --> 00:26:22,680
of discussions; and when we do,
we will hear them out when it

548
00:26:22,681 --> 00:26:26,751
comes to their suggestion
about the best way to pay for

549
00:26:26,751 --> 00:26:30,121
these kinds of programs,
but we also take advantage

550
00:26:30,121 --> 00:26:32,491
of the opportunity to
try to persuade them

551
00:26:32,490 --> 00:26:34,490
of the benefits of the proposal
that we've laid out as well.

552
00:26:36,661 --> 00:26:38,531
John, is that a clever
tactic for getting me

553
00:26:38,530 --> 00:26:39,500
to call on you today?

554
00:26:39,497 --> 00:26:40,227
(laughter)

555
00:26:40,231 --> 00:26:41,401
The Press:
No, no, no.

556
00:26:41,399 --> 00:26:44,399
I couldn't make it yesterday
because I was covering Senator

557
00:26:44,402 --> 00:26:47,702
Cassidy, so I'm celebrating
red-nose day belatedly,

558
00:26:47,706 --> 00:26:49,006
and that's a good cause.

559
00:26:49,007 --> 00:26:49,677
Mr. Earnest: I see.

560
00:26:49,674 --> 00:26:50,974
I was not aware that
that was a holiday,

561
00:26:50,976 --> 00:26:52,306
but maybe you can
explain it to me later.

562
00:26:52,310 --> 00:26:53,550
(laughter)

563
00:26:53,545 --> 00:26:55,085
The Press: Hey, it's Friday,
we got a lot of stuff.

564
00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:56,920
Mr. Earnest: Yes, we've
got a lot of stuff to do.

565
00:26:56,915 --> 00:26:58,355
The Press: All right.

566
00:26:58,350 --> 00:26:59,180
Two questions.

567
00:26:59,184 --> 00:27:01,784
Thank you, Josh, by the way.

568
00:27:01,786 --> 00:27:05,856
Number one, you made a strong
case for the importance

569
00:27:05,857 --> 00:27:09,727
of the USA Freedom Act and
the President's concern.

570
00:27:09,728 --> 00:27:12,698
In the week ahead,
while Congress is out,

571
00:27:12,697 --> 00:27:15,237
will he call members of the
Senate himself and personally

572
00:27:15,233 --> 00:27:17,333
lobby them for this?

573
00:27:17,335 --> 00:27:18,935
Mr. Earnest: Hopefully,
that won't be necessary.

574
00:27:18,937 --> 00:27:22,607
Hopefully, members of the Senate
recognize that there's a very

575
00:27:22,607 --> 00:27:26,447
easy solution to this problem
that will balance our civil

576
00:27:26,444 --> 00:27:28,684
liberties protections with
the need to protect

577
00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:31,620
our country, that will reflect
the bipartisan compromise

578
00:27:31,616 --> 00:27:33,616
that's already been
reached in the House.

579
00:27:33,618 --> 00:27:35,618
And that will reflect the
deadline that the NSA has

580
00:27:35,620 --> 00:27:37,990
already established,
which is to pass before

581
00:27:37,989 --> 00:27:40,259
the end of the day today the
legislation that's already

582
00:27:40,258 --> 00:27:42,528
passed with strong bipartisan
support in the House.

583
00:27:42,527 --> 00:27:45,567
If they do, the President will
sign that into law before the

584
00:27:45,563 --> 00:27:50,733
end of May 31st, and ensure that
there is zero risk associated

585
00:27:50,735 --> 00:27:55,245
with -- zero risk that the
needed authorities with lapse.

586
00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:56,140
The Press: Right.

587
00:27:56,141 --> 00:27:58,541
But it appears as though
something is needed

588
00:27:58,543 --> 00:27:59,813
to get the votes.

589
00:27:59,811 --> 00:28:03,081
Will he make the calls and
personally become involved,

590
00:28:03,081 --> 00:28:05,481
as he was in the Affordable
Care Act process?

591
00:28:05,483 --> 00:28:08,283
Mr. Earnest: The President does
believe that this is a priority,

592
00:28:08,286 --> 00:28:10,386
and there are already
senior members of his team

593
00:28:10,388 --> 00:28:12,928
who have been in regular
touch with members

594
00:28:12,924 --> 00:28:16,164
of the United States
Senate on this issue.

595
00:28:16,161 --> 00:28:20,201
But we're hopeful that those
efforts will bear fruit.

596
00:28:20,198 --> 00:28:22,938
And again, this is not
about members of the Senate

597
00:28:22,934 --> 00:28:25,674
in either party, frankly,
deciding to go along with

598
00:28:25,670 --> 00:28:27,410
the administration position.

599
00:28:27,405 --> 00:28:29,645
What they're going along
with are the recommendations

600
00:28:29,641 --> 00:28:35,451
of our senior national
security leadership,

601
00:28:35,447 --> 00:28:38,747
and going along with the
bipartisan ground that's

602
00:28:38,750 --> 00:28:41,220
already been staked out by
the Democratic and Republican

603
00:28:41,219 --> 00:28:43,219
leaders of the House of
Representatives who have

604
00:28:43,221 --> 00:28:47,261
dedicated thousands of hours
of trying to reach this

605
00:28:47,258 --> 00:28:48,398
common-sense compromise.

606
00:28:48,393 --> 00:28:52,463
And again, it effectively
balances the need to protect

607
00:28:52,464 --> 00:28:55,004
civil liberties with the
need to protect the country.

608
00:28:54,999 --> 00:29:00,609
The Press: My other question
is that the President over the

609
00:29:00,605 --> 00:29:06,715
years has come very close
to apologizing to Iran for

610
00:29:06,711 --> 00:29:10,881
the 1953 coup against Prime
Minister Mosaddegh that

611
00:29:10,882 --> 00:29:13,452
is very important to
the current government

612
00:29:13,451 --> 00:29:15,791
as a prerequisite for
better relations.

613
00:29:15,787 --> 00:29:17,487
He mentioned it in
his Cairo speech.

614
00:29:17,489 --> 00:29:22,159
He mentioned it in his
U.N. speech last year.

615
00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:25,360
Is this something the President
is eventually going to do as the

616
00:29:25,363 --> 00:29:29,703
dialogue continues with Iran,
issue a formal apology?

617
00:29:29,701 --> 00:29:34,171
Or would he, for example, prefer
a joint statement in which

618
00:29:34,172 --> 00:29:38,472
Iran and the United States
both say mistakes were made

619
00:29:38,476 --> 00:29:43,146
in 1953 and the seizure of
the hostages in 1979?

620
00:29:43,148 --> 00:29:47,588
Mr. Earnest: John, I'm not
aware of any specific plans

621
00:29:47,585 --> 00:29:49,685
for an apology.

622
00:29:49,687 --> 00:29:54,097
But I am confident that the
comments that you cited

623
00:29:54,092 --> 00:29:56,092
that the President
delivered both in Cairo

624
00:29:56,094 --> 00:29:58,734
and at the United Nations
were words that were

625
00:29:58,730 --> 00:30:00,600
very carefully chosen.

626
00:30:00,598 --> 00:30:02,598
So when it comes to the
administration and this

627
00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:05,170
President's view of
those historic events,

628
00:30:05,170 --> 00:30:08,540
I'd refer you to his
comments directly.

629
00:30:08,540 --> 00:30:09,340
The Press: Nothing new?

630
00:30:09,340 --> 00:30:10,010
Mr. Earnest: Nothing new.

631
00:30:10,008 --> 00:30:11,478
Major.

632
00:30:11,476 --> 00:30:14,916
The Press: So just to put
these items together -- this

633
00:30:14,913 --> 00:30:17,253
is a memorandum the Justice
Department sent to Congress --

634
00:30:17,015 --> 00:30:20,185
starting tonight, the
authorities begin to be wound

635
00:30:20,185 --> 00:30:25,325
down for bulk surveillance
under existing authorities.

636
00:30:25,323 --> 00:30:28,793
That process will
continue until May 31st.

637
00:30:28,793 --> 00:30:30,793
So according to
you and that memo,

638
00:30:30,795 --> 00:30:34,535
starting tonight things get
less safe in this country

639
00:30:34,532 --> 00:30:38,872
in terms of using those
authorities to detect

640
00:30:38,870 --> 00:30:43,210
and possibly prevent
a terrorist attack.

641
00:30:43,208 --> 00:30:46,048
And the blame for that falls
squarely on the Senate.

642
00:30:46,044 --> 00:30:48,214
So starting tonight, and each
and every day thereafter,

643
00:30:48,213 --> 00:30:51,283
the country is less safe
and the Senate is to blame.

644
00:30:51,282 --> 00:30:55,552
Mr. Earnest: For the
operational impact

645
00:30:55,553 --> 00:30:57,553
of the beginning of that
wind-down, I'd refer you

646
00:30:57,555 --> 00:30:58,525
to the NSA.

647
00:30:58,523 --> 00:31:01,323
I can't speak to what
impact that would have.

648
00:31:01,326 --> 00:31:04,666
All I can do is speak to the
fact that the NSA has indicated

649
00:31:04,662 --> 00:31:07,902
that if they do not have any
clear indication by the end

650
00:31:07,899 --> 00:31:12,609
of today that these
authorities will be renewed,

651
00:31:12,604 --> 00:31:14,804
that they will need to begin
taking steps to unwind the

652
00:31:14,806 --> 00:31:18,146
program to ensure that they
continue to stay in compliance

653
00:31:18,142 --> 00:31:21,442
with the congressional
authorization that was

654
00:31:21,446 --> 00:31:22,576
passed three years ago.

655
00:31:22,580 --> 00:31:26,080
The Press: And I'd like
to get your reaction

656
00:31:26,084 --> 00:31:28,084
to what Rand Paul said
on the Floor.

657
00:31:28,086 --> 00:31:30,426
He said, "If these
authorities go away,

658
00:31:30,421 --> 00:31:32,661
it's not as if the
FISA Court goes away,

659
00:31:32,657 --> 00:31:35,057
it's not as if the mechanism
by which you can obtain

660
00:31:35,059 --> 00:31:38,429
a warrant for surveillance
on FISA goes away.

661
00:31:38,429 --> 00:31:42,939
It just goes back to the system
that existed before this."

662
00:31:42,934 --> 00:31:46,834
And he believes, and asserts,
there is more than enough

663
00:31:46,838 --> 00:31:50,608
security umbrella provided
by that system to afford

664
00:31:50,608 --> 00:31:55,478
the nation the comfort and
the security it needs.

665
00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:57,080
Why do you disagree?

666
00:31:57,081 --> 00:31:58,121
Mr. Earnest: I
disagree, frankly,

667
00:31:58,116 --> 00:31:59,816
for a couple of reasons.

668
00:31:59,817 --> 00:32:03,417
The first is, I rely, and I
think the President relies -- I

669
00:32:03,421 --> 00:32:06,291
know the President relies -- on
the advice that he gets from his

670
00:32:06,291 --> 00:32:09,991
national security team and from
the intelligence professionals

671
00:32:09,994 --> 00:32:12,134
who are responsible for
using these authorities

672
00:32:12,130 --> 00:32:13,430
to keep us safe.

673
00:32:13,431 --> 00:32:16,371
And what those law enforcement
and national security

674
00:32:16,367 --> 00:32:21,707
professionals tell us is
that these authorities do,

675
00:32:21,706 --> 00:32:26,516
in a tangible way, contribute to
their ability to keep us safe.

676
00:32:26,511 --> 00:32:30,611
And what the President has
insisted upon is ensuring we

677
00:32:30,615 --> 00:32:33,885
have a policy that gives those
national security professionals

678
00:32:33,885 --> 00:32:37,785
those authorities while
also making clear that

679
00:32:37,789 --> 00:32:40,429
we're going to put in
place protections for

680
00:32:40,425 --> 00:32:43,095
the civil liberties and
privacy of the American people.

681
00:32:43,094 --> 00:32:45,094
That's exactly what's contained
in this specific piece of

682
00:32:45,096 --> 00:32:48,266
legislation -- the USA Freedom
Act -- and it's why we strongly

683
00:32:48,266 --> 00:32:50,836
believe that the vast majority
of Democrats and Republicans

684
00:32:50,835 --> 00:32:52,805
in the United States
Senate should vote for it,

685
00:32:52,804 --> 00:32:53,804
and should vote for it today.

686
00:32:53,805 --> 00:32:56,745
The Press: Let me ask Jon's
question to you in a slightly

687
00:32:56,741 --> 00:32:59,141
different way --
because, of course,

688
00:32:59,143 --> 00:33:01,483
the House Republican
leadership is not here,

689
00:33:01,479 --> 00:33:04,079
but it can conduct
a pro-forma session.

690
00:33:04,082 --> 00:33:06,352
It can, under those
pro-forma rules,

691
00:33:06,351 --> 00:33:09,191
pass a short-term
extension if it so chooses.

692
00:33:09,187 --> 00:33:11,887
So what I'm asking you is not
whether the President would sign

693
00:33:11,889 --> 00:33:14,059
that, but whether the
President supports what

694
00:33:14,058 --> 00:33:16,828
appears to be the House
Republican leadership's

695
00:33:16,828 --> 00:33:20,768
vantage point on this,
which is not to do that.

696
00:33:20,765 --> 00:33:24,405
Given the option of if a
short-term extension is

697
00:33:24,402 --> 00:33:27,442
presented, they have given
us the impression they

698
00:33:27,438 --> 00:33:30,338
will not engage in any
effort to do that.

699
00:33:30,341 --> 00:33:32,641
So as you said, well, it's
not even clear the House

700
00:33:32,643 --> 00:33:33,513
can do that.

701
00:33:33,511 --> 00:33:35,311
What I'm asking you is,
does the President support

702
00:33:35,313 --> 00:33:37,353
that approach?

703
00:33:37,348 --> 00:33:41,148
Meaning, given the choice of
nothing and the authorities

704
00:33:41,152 --> 00:33:44,022
expiring, or coming back
in a pro-forma basis

705
00:33:44,021 --> 00:33:46,191
extending them for two
weeks or two months,

706
00:33:46,190 --> 00:33:49,490
does the President support
that legislative approach?

707
00:33:49,494 --> 00:33:51,094
Mr. Earnest: Major, what's
clear -- and you've actually

708
00:33:51,095 --> 00:33:54,195
set it up very cogently.

709
00:33:54,198 --> 00:33:57,068
The fact is, we've got people
in the United States Senate

710
00:33:57,068 --> 00:34:00,208
right now who are playing
chicken with this.

711
00:34:00,204 --> 00:34:02,204
They're in a situation
where they're saying,

712
00:34:02,206 --> 00:34:08,146
we're going to try to just do
a two-week extension on --

713
00:34:08,146 --> 00:34:11,486
or a short-term extension
of these critical

714
00:34:11,482 --> 00:34:14,752
national security authorities.

715
00:34:14,752 --> 00:34:19,392
And to play chicken with that
is grossly irresponsible.

716
00:34:19,390 --> 00:34:23,900
The fact is, they have before
them a common-sense bipartisan

717
00:34:23,895 --> 00:34:28,595
reform legislation that has
the strong support of civil

718
00:34:28,599 --> 00:34:31,239
libertarians, it has the
strong support of our national

719
00:34:31,235 --> 00:34:34,405
security leaders, and it
should have the strong support

720
00:34:34,405 --> 00:34:36,705
of a bipartisan majority in
the United States Senate.

721
00:34:36,707 --> 00:34:39,907
But right now it doesn't,
because unfortunately we're

722
00:34:39,911 --> 00:34:43,551
seeing some members of the
Senate play games with

723
00:34:43,548 --> 00:34:47,188
the civil liberties and national
security of the United States

724
00:34:47,185 --> 00:34:49,185
and the American people.

725
00:34:49,187 --> 00:34:51,387
The Press: Very good.

726
00:34:51,389 --> 00:34:52,389
One last question.

727
00:34:52,390 --> 00:34:58,100
On Wednesday, the Supreme Leader
said Iran would never allow any

728
00:34:58,096 --> 00:35:01,536
inspection of its military sites
or interviews with its nuclear

729
00:35:01,532 --> 00:35:06,042
scientists under any nuclear
deal with the major powers.

730
00:35:06,037 --> 00:35:08,477
You told us yesterday the
President won't take a bad deal.

731
00:35:08,473 --> 00:35:11,343
The President said this morning
he won't take a bad deal.

732
00:35:11,342 --> 00:35:14,742
Can you square those
two perspectives?

733
00:35:14,745 --> 00:35:15,885
Mr. Earnest:
Well, what the --

734
00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:18,620
The Press: Does a bad deal
mean it can't do what

735
00:35:18,616 --> 00:35:20,086
the Supreme Leader says?

736
00:35:20,084 --> 00:35:22,284
And does a good deal mean
that the Supreme Leader

737
00:35:22,286 --> 00:35:24,386
has to eat his words?

738
00:35:24,388 --> 00:35:28,258
Mr. Earnest: We have been clear
in the context of the political

739
00:35:28,259 --> 00:35:34,299
agreement that was reached in
the first week in April about

740
00:35:34,298 --> 00:35:36,468
how we would shut down every
pathway that Iran has to a

741
00:35:36,467 --> 00:35:39,507
nuclear weapon, and how we
would -- and when I say "we,"

742
00:35:39,504 --> 00:35:41,704
I mean the international
community and international

743
00:35:41,706 --> 00:35:45,246
experts would verify their
compliance with the agreement.

744
00:35:45,243 --> 00:35:48,243
And verifying their
compliance includes

745
00:35:48,246 --> 00:35:50,516
the most intrusive set of
inspections that have ever

746
00:35:50,515 --> 00:35:53,815
been imposed on a
country's nuclear program.

747
00:35:53,818 --> 00:35:59,658
And that is what will have to
be codified in the final deal

748
00:35:59,657 --> 00:36:04,027
for the President and
the other P5+1 members

749
00:36:04,028 --> 00:36:05,368
to sign onto the agreement.

750
00:36:05,363 --> 00:36:08,933
The Press: So whatever the
Supreme Leader's stated

751
00:36:08,933 --> 00:36:12,573
preferences are, he's going
to have to accept exactly

752
00:36:12,570 --> 00:36:15,510
what he just said this
week he would not accept?

753
00:36:15,506 --> 00:36:19,916
Mr. Earnest: Well, the only
thing that the United States

754
00:36:19,911 --> 00:36:25,121
and our P5+1 partners will
accept is a final agreement

755
00:36:25,116 --> 00:36:29,256
that reflects the outlines
of the political agreement

756
00:36:29,253 --> 00:36:31,253
that was reached the
first week in April.

757
00:36:31,255 --> 00:36:35,295
And in that political agreement,
the international community,

758
00:36:35,293 --> 00:36:41,763
our P5+1 partners, and the
Iranians were clear that there

759
00:36:41,766 --> 00:36:44,566
would be imposed on Iran's
nuclear program the most

760
00:36:44,569 --> 00:36:46,839
intrusive set of
inspections that have

761
00:36:46,837 --> 00:36:49,007
ever been imposed on
anybody's nuclear program.

762
00:36:49,006 --> 00:36:51,106
The Press: Which includes
inspections and interviews?

763
00:36:51,108 --> 00:36:52,108
Yes?

764
00:36:52,109 --> 00:36:55,579
Mr. Earnest: And it will -- the
successful implementation of

765
00:36:55,580 --> 00:36:59,180
that inspections program
will be required

766
00:36:59,183 --> 00:37:01,583
before the President
signs onto the agreement.

767
00:37:01,586 --> 00:37:05,426
It will also be required before
the Iranians get the kinds of

768
00:37:05,423 --> 00:37:08,023
sanctions relief that
they're desperate to get

769
00:37:08,025 --> 00:37:09,265
their hands on.

770
00:37:09,260 --> 00:37:13,200
And that's the standard
that the President

771
00:37:13,197 --> 00:37:16,837
and our P5+1 partners will
hold the Iranians to.

772
00:37:16,834 --> 00:37:17,834
Bob.

773
00:37:17,835 --> 00:37:19,835
The Press: You're probably
going to tell me to go talk

774
00:37:19,837 --> 00:37:22,007
to every Republican
senator up on Capitol Hill

775
00:37:22,006 --> 00:37:24,676
in your initial response
to this, but --

776
00:37:24,675 --> 00:37:25,675
Mr. Earnest: I'll
try to avoid that.

777
00:37:25,676 --> 00:37:27,216
The Press: -- why are
they playing chicken?

778
00:37:27,211 --> 00:37:31,211
Why is there a disconnect
between what the overwhelming

779
00:37:31,215 --> 00:37:35,355
support of the USA Freedom Act
in the House -- bipartisan

780
00:37:35,353 --> 00:37:37,353
basis, in a sense but
Republicans as well,

781
00:37:37,355 --> 00:37:38,955
-- and Senate Republicans?

782
00:37:38,956 --> 00:37:40,096
Why do you think that is?

783
00:37:40,091 --> 00:37:42,331
Mr. Earnest: I
have no idea, Bob.

784
00:37:42,326 --> 00:37:45,666
I think it's -- and I don't
mean to take it lightly --

785
00:37:45,663 --> 00:37:46,563
The Press: -- numbers --

786
00:37:46,564 --> 00:37:48,234
Mr. Earnest: Well, I can try.

787
00:37:48,232 --> 00:37:50,332
I guess this is what I would
say: If you can get a good

788
00:37:50,334 --> 00:37:52,174
answer to that question, there
are a lot of people here

789
00:37:52,169 --> 00:37:54,109
at the White House who would
be interested to hear it.

790
00:37:54,105 --> 00:37:57,145
Because there is no --
as I mentioned to Jon,

791
00:37:57,141 --> 00:38:05,081
we haven't heard a cogent,
reasonable explanation for why

792
00:38:05,082 --> 00:38:09,052
we would see some members of the
Senate resort to these kinds

793
00:38:09,053 --> 00:38:12,653
of tactics, particularly
when there is a common-sense

794
00:38:12,657 --> 00:38:14,657
bipartisan proposal that's
already out there,

795
00:38:14,659 --> 00:38:18,629
and particularly when we're
talking about something that's

796
00:38:18,629 --> 00:38:21,269
so critical to the national
security of the United States,

797
00:38:21,265 --> 00:38:24,765
and particularly when we're
talking about the basic civil

798
00:38:24,769 --> 00:38:29,709
liberties and privacy of 300
million American citizens.

799
00:38:29,707 --> 00:38:31,707
So again, it's
difficult to explain.

800
00:38:31,709 --> 00:38:34,279
There's not a rational
explanation for why you

801
00:38:34,278 --> 00:38:42,558
would so cavalierly
handle -- or not handle,

802
00:38:42,553 --> 00:38:44,593
as the case may be -- such
a basic responsibility

803
00:38:44,588 --> 00:38:46,228
of the United
States Congress.

804
00:38:46,223 --> 00:38:47,993
The Press: Do you
smell politics in it?

805
00:38:47,992 --> 00:38:48,722
Mr. Earnest: Well, again --

806
00:38:48,726 --> 00:38:50,126
The Press: Are they
playing chicken?

807
00:38:50,127 --> 00:38:52,227
Mr. Earnest: I will say this.

808
00:38:52,229 --> 00:38:54,529
I don't think the American
people appreciate -- I don't

809
00:38:54,532 --> 00:39:01,102
know that there's a constituency
out there for Congress to not

810
00:39:01,105 --> 00:39:03,405
protect the civil liberties
of the American people,

811
00:39:03,407 --> 00:39:05,407
or for Congress not
to take the necessary

812
00:39:05,409 --> 00:39:07,679
steps to protect our
national security.

813
00:39:07,678 --> 00:39:12,188
So you know that I have not
in the past been reluctant

814
00:39:12,183 --> 00:39:15,383
to suggest that there might
be a political motive

815
00:39:15,386 --> 00:39:17,426
of one kind or another
involved in a nefarious

816
00:39:17,421 --> 00:39:21,261
tactic being employed by
somebody in Congress.

817
00:39:21,258 --> 00:39:24,398
But in this case, if there
is, I don't know what it is --

818
00:39:24,395 --> 00:39:27,665
because, again, there is
no rational explanation.

819
00:39:27,665 --> 00:39:30,205
Even if it were an explanation
with which I strenuously

820
00:39:30,201 --> 00:39:34,501
disagree, there's no rational
explanation for why we're

821
00:39:34,505 --> 00:39:37,575
seeing members of Congress who
are charged with protecting

822
00:39:37,575 --> 00:39:42,615
the United States of America
beyond the brink of failing

823
00:39:42,613 --> 00:39:44,613
to fulfill that basic
responsibility.

824
00:39:44,615 --> 00:39:45,615
Chris.

825
00:39:45,616 --> 00:39:48,116
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

826
00:39:48,119 --> 00:39:52,989
You said about the USA Freedom
Act that the President --

827
00:39:52,990 --> 00:39:55,060
or rather, that there were
senior members of his team

828
00:39:55,059 --> 00:39:58,499
who have been obviously
out there pushing for it.

829
00:39:58,496 --> 00:40:01,196
And I'm just wondering, from
now until the end of the day --

830
00:40:01,198 --> 00:40:03,798
because you say this has to be
done today -- what can you tell

831
00:40:03,801 --> 00:40:06,471
us about the strategy of the
White House, the President,

832
00:40:06,470 --> 00:40:10,470
senior staff members to try to
help push this to get done?

833
00:40:10,474 --> 00:40:14,244
Mr. Earnest: Well, there are
-- I mean, well, to be blunt,

834
00:40:14,245 --> 00:40:17,385
there are a number of
conversations between senior

835
00:40:17,381 --> 00:40:19,881
administration officials and
members of Congress about a

836
00:40:19,884 --> 00:40:22,554
variety of legislative
priorities that are currently

837
00:40:22,553 --> 00:40:23,993
sitting in the Senate today.

838
00:40:23,988 --> 00:40:26,828
And this is consistent with the
pattern that we often see in

839
00:40:26,824 --> 00:40:30,094
Congress that a lot of
critically important issues

840
00:40:30,094 --> 00:40:36,034
get piled up right before a
recess, and that's no different

841
00:40:36,033 --> 00:40:38,373
this year in advance of
the Memorial Day recess.

842
00:40:38,369 --> 00:40:40,969
And so I would anticipate
that over the course

843
00:40:40,971 --> 00:40:44,111
of the remainder of today
and, if necessary, through

844
00:40:44,108 --> 00:40:46,848
the weekend, that senior
members of the administration

845
00:40:46,844 --> 00:40:48,844
would be in touch with
members of Congress

846
00:40:48,846 --> 00:40:51,086
about a variety
of these issues.

847
00:40:51,081 --> 00:40:53,081
And the President will
be in town this weekend

848
00:40:53,083 --> 00:40:55,083
and available for phone
calls if they're necessary.

849
00:40:55,085 --> 00:40:57,655
The Press: You also said
what the State Department

850
00:40:57,655 --> 00:41:00,195
said about the Hillary
Clinton emails, that they

851
00:41:00,191 --> 00:41:04,661
don't change the essential
facts of -- or understanding

852
00:41:04,662 --> 00:41:07,002
of the events before, during
or after the attacks.

853
00:41:06,997 --> 00:41:09,097
And some Republicans
are saying, well,

854
00:41:09,099 --> 00:41:11,999
of course they don't because
these were self-selected.

855
00:41:12,002 --> 00:41:16,142
And I wondered your response
to critics who say, well,

856
00:41:16,140 --> 00:41:20,580
this is a process that has
not been fully transparent.

857
00:41:20,578 --> 00:41:21,748
Mr. Earnest: Chris, I think
the fact that we're talking

858
00:41:21,745 --> 00:41:23,845
about these emails is
an indication of how

859
00:41:23,848 --> 00:41:26,718
transparent the State
Department has been.

860
00:41:26,717 --> 00:41:28,717
The State Department had a
responsibility to provide

861
00:41:28,719 --> 00:41:30,719
these emails to the
United States Congress,

862
00:41:30,721 --> 00:41:32,161
which they did months ago.

863
00:41:32,156 --> 00:41:34,426
Today, they're actually
disclosing them to the public.

864
00:41:34,425 --> 00:41:36,425
They've taken the
extraordinary step

865
00:41:36,427 --> 00:41:37,427
of making them public.

866
00:41:37,428 --> 00:41:40,868
That's consistent with
the President's view

867
00:41:40,865 --> 00:41:41,865
of transparency.

868
00:41:41,866 --> 00:41:44,106
It's also consistent with the
call of Secretary Clinton

869
00:41:44,101 --> 00:41:46,871
that all of her emails
should be made public after

870
00:41:46,871 --> 00:41:50,171
they've gone through this
FOIA review process.

871
00:41:50,174 --> 00:41:52,974
And the State Department is
hard at work on fulfilling

872
00:41:52,977 --> 00:41:54,307
those expectations.

873
00:41:54,311 --> 00:41:55,511
The Press: So you're
100 percent confident

874
00:41:55,512 --> 00:41:57,852
in the vetting process?

875
00:41:57,848 --> 00:41:59,988
Mr. Earnest: Well, I
have no reason to not

876
00:41:59,984 --> 00:42:02,024
be confident in the
vetting process.

877
00:42:02,019 --> 00:42:04,719
But I would also
acknowledge that I'm

878
00:42:04,722 --> 00:42:06,722
not deeply involved in
the vetting process.

879
00:42:06,724 --> 00:42:08,724
That's the responsibility
of the agency, and there

880
00:42:08,726 --> 00:42:11,496
are professionals at
that agency that I think by

881
00:42:11,495 --> 00:42:13,735
virtue of the fact that
they are releasing

882
00:42:13,731 --> 00:42:15,831
several hundred pages
today, that they take those

883
00:42:15,833 --> 00:42:17,403
responsibilities seriously.

884
00:42:17,401 --> 00:42:18,301
The Press: Just a
couple quick things,

885
00:42:18,302 --> 00:42:20,102
and I know you talked about
this yesterday at the briefing,

886
00:42:20,104 --> 00:42:22,104
about the President's Twitter
account and some of the

887
00:42:22,106 --> 00:42:27,416
unfortunate things that have
been written by folks online.

888
00:42:27,411 --> 00:42:29,951
And I wonder if the President
has made any comments

889
00:42:29,947 --> 00:42:32,487
on that, if you've
spoken to him about it.

890
00:42:32,483 --> 00:42:33,753
Mr. Earnest: I have not
spoken to him about it.

891
00:42:33,751 --> 00:42:35,921
And I think you and say --
I would feel comfortable

892
00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:37,720
in saying that they're more
than just unfortunate.

893
00:42:37,721 --> 00:42:40,291
Some of them are
offensive and disgusting.

894
00:42:40,291 --> 00:42:44,361
But they're also not unique to
the President's Twitter feed.

895
00:42:44,361 --> 00:42:45,931
And we see similar
kinds of things

896
00:42:45,930 --> 00:42:49,430
directed at the White
House Twitter feed.

897
00:42:49,433 --> 00:42:52,233
I see similar things
directed at my Twitter feed.

898
00:42:52,236 --> 00:42:54,036
I suspect that all of you
have similar things

899
00:42:54,038 --> 00:42:56,738
directed as your
Twitter feeds, as well.

900
00:42:56,740 --> 00:43:01,010
So this is something
that we all deal with.

901
00:43:01,011 --> 00:43:03,251
And again, we don't
have to like it,

902
00:43:03,247 --> 00:43:05,247
but it is part of
an open society.

903
00:43:05,249 --> 00:43:08,349
And it is in the mind
of the administration

904
00:43:08,352 --> 00:43:10,352
and the mind of the
President, it's worth it.

905
00:43:10,354 --> 00:43:13,054
This is a valuable tool for
us to be able to engage the

906
00:43:13,057 --> 00:43:15,057
American public in
a legitimate debate

907
00:43:15,059 --> 00:43:17,059
and dialogue about priorities
that they care about.

908
00:43:17,061 --> 00:43:19,201
And that's why
we're doing it.

909
00:43:19,196 --> 00:43:22,836
And we're doing it in spite of
some of the disgusting things

910
00:43:22,833 --> 00:43:25,273
that people do direct at the
President's Twitter feed.

911
00:43:25,269 --> 00:43:26,499
The Press: And on
a much lighter,

912
00:43:26,503 --> 00:43:27,973
much less serious note
regarding the Twitter feed,

913
00:43:27,972 --> 00:43:30,872
is he aware of the record
that he set in acquiring

914
00:43:30,874 --> 00:43:32,674
Twitter followers?

915
00:43:32,676 --> 00:43:34,646
And has he said
anything about it?

916
00:43:34,645 --> 00:43:36,345
Mr. Earnest: He
is aware of it.

917
00:43:36,347 --> 00:43:39,447
I will say that -- there's
a decent chance it might

918
00:43:39,450 --> 00:43:42,020
have come up at yesterday's
Cabinet meeting.

919
00:43:42,019 --> 00:43:45,219
The Press: And can you tell us
anything about that exchange?

920
00:43:45,222 --> 00:43:47,792
Mr. Earnest: Not more
than I already have.

921
00:43:47,791 --> 00:43:49,291
The Press: Did he
say he's pleased?

922
00:43:49,293 --> 00:43:50,323
(laughter)

923
00:43:50,327 --> 00:43:51,867
Mr. Earnest: Yes,
the President is pleased.

924
00:43:51,862 --> 00:43:53,002
The Press: And you
didn't buy any?

925
00:43:52,997 --> 00:43:54,127
Mr. Earnest: I did not.

926
00:43:54,131 --> 00:43:56,331
I'm not sure what sort of
gift would be appropriate

927
00:43:56,333 --> 00:43:57,703
in that setting.

928
00:43:57,701 --> 00:43:59,201
The Press: No, no, I mean
buy the Twitter followers.

929
00:43:59,203 --> 00:44:00,073
Mr. Earnest: Oh,
no, we did not.

930
00:44:00,070 --> 00:44:00,970
(laughter)

931
00:44:00,971 --> 00:44:01,641
No, we did not.

932
00:44:01,638 --> 00:44:04,138
No, we did not.

933
00:44:04,141 --> 00:44:05,171
Colleen.

934
00:44:05,175 --> 00:44:05,805
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

935
00:44:05,809 --> 00:44:08,449
A couple of questions
about Islamic State.

936
00:44:08,445 --> 00:44:10,345
In his interview with
Jeffrey Goldberg,

937
00:44:10,347 --> 00:44:12,347
the President said that he
always thought the fight

938
00:44:12,349 --> 00:44:15,519
against Islamic State would
be a multi-year campaign.

939
00:44:15,519 --> 00:44:17,519
And I wondered if he
meant to say that,

940
00:44:17,521 --> 00:44:19,561
or how that squares with
some of his comments early

941
00:44:19,556 --> 00:44:25,496
on when he described this
as "limited airstrikes."

942
00:44:25,496 --> 00:44:27,366
Mr. Earnest: Colleen, the
President -- this is consistent

943
00:44:27,364 --> 00:44:30,534
with the way the President has
talked about the threat from

944
00:44:30,534 --> 00:44:36,704
ISIL since it emerged so
prominently in their advance

945
00:44:36,707 --> 00:44:38,477
across Iraq last summer.

946
00:44:38,475 --> 00:44:42,715
The President was very
candid about the fact that

947
00:44:42,713 --> 00:44:46,353
this was a problem that
-- whose solution will

948
00:44:46,350 --> 00:44:48,090
require a long-term
commitment.

949
00:44:48,085 --> 00:44:50,085
This will not be a
short-term proposition,

950
00:44:50,087 --> 00:44:52,927
I think was the phrase
that the President used.

951
00:44:52,923 --> 00:44:56,893
And the description of limited
airstrikes I believe was a

952
00:44:56,894 --> 00:45:01,594
reference to -- early on,
prior to Prime Minister Abadi

953
00:45:01,598 --> 00:45:07,838
taking office -- the President's
desire to be supportive

954
00:45:07,838 --> 00:45:10,808
of a genuinely inclusive
Iraqi central government.

955
00:45:10,808 --> 00:45:12,808
That was not the kind of
leadership that Prime Minister

956
00:45:12,810 --> 00:45:14,380
Maliki had displayed.

957
00:45:14,378 --> 00:45:17,118
And after Prime Minister
Abadi took office,

958
00:45:17,114 --> 00:45:20,784
on the wings of a commitment
to govern that country in an

959
00:45:20,784 --> 00:45:26,054
inclusive fashion, to unite
that country to face the threat

960
00:45:26,056 --> 00:45:31,226
posed by ISIL, that the
administration and the President

961
00:45:31,228 --> 00:45:34,798
indicated a desire to
offer him more support.

962
00:45:34,798 --> 00:45:38,898
And that support took the
form of a significant

963
00:45:38,902 --> 00:45:39,902
number of airstrikes.

964
00:45:39,903 --> 00:45:41,903
There are thousands of
airstrikes that have now been

965
00:45:41,905 --> 00:45:43,945
carried out by the United States
and our coalition partners in

966
00:45:43,941 --> 00:45:46,911
that time, and there has been
a significant commitment

967
00:45:46,910 --> 00:45:50,610
to training and equipping and
even offering some advice

968
00:45:50,614 --> 00:45:53,484
to Iraqi security forces.

969
00:45:53,484 --> 00:45:56,384
And the President has worked
to mobilize an international

970
00:45:56,386 --> 00:45:57,926
coalition to do all of that.

971
00:45:57,921 --> 00:45:59,921
So it's not just the United
States that's carrying

972
00:45:59,923 --> 00:46:01,923
out airstrikes; there are
other coalition partners

973
00:46:01,925 --> 00:46:02,925
who are doing the same.

974
00:46:02,926 --> 00:46:04,926
It's not just the United
States that are training

975
00:46:04,928 --> 00:46:07,128
and equipping Iraqi security
forces; there are other

976
00:46:07,131 --> 00:46:09,531
partners in our coalition who
are doing exactly that.

977
00:46:09,533 --> 00:46:13,673
The Press: And Brett McGurk
said on NPR this morning that

978
00:46:13,670 --> 00:46:17,340
the degrade phase of the fight
against the Islamic State

979
00:46:17,341 --> 00:46:20,141
would last three years, and
I wondered if that meant

980
00:46:20,144 --> 00:46:24,244
that the President thinks
that Islamic State

981
00:46:24,248 --> 00:46:26,788
will be sufficiently
degraded by 2017.

982
00:46:26,783 --> 00:46:30,183
Mr. Earnest: Well, I wouldn't
make any predictions at this

983
00:46:30,187 --> 00:46:33,827
point other than to say that
based on the current trajectory

984
00:46:33,824 --> 00:46:37,124
and based on the success -- the
areas of success that we're

985
00:46:37,127 --> 00:46:39,597
seeing when it comes to the
implementation of our current

986
00:46:39,596 --> 00:46:45,366
strategy, that we would expect
to see ISIL sustain additional

987
00:46:45,369 --> 00:46:48,739
degradation between now and
the next couple of years.

988
00:46:48,739 --> 00:46:53,239
And that's going to require
continuing to apply this

989
00:46:53,243 --> 00:46:58,113
strategy, looking for areas
where we can ramp up the

990
00:46:58,115 --> 00:47:00,685
training and assistance that
we're offering -- the continued

991
00:47:00,684 --> 00:47:02,884
use of targeted airstrikes,
the continued investment

992
00:47:02,886 --> 00:47:06,256
of our coalition
partners in this effort.

993
00:47:06,256 --> 00:47:08,256
It's going to require a
sustained commitment.

994
00:47:08,258 --> 00:47:12,158
But again, based on the progress
that we've seen so far -- it has

995
00:47:12,162 --> 00:47:14,532
been met with some setbacks --
but based on the progress that

996
00:47:14,531 --> 00:47:17,401
we have seen so far, I
would anticipate that over

997
00:47:17,401 --> 00:47:20,701
the course of the next couple
of years we will see ISIL

998
00:47:20,704 --> 00:47:22,104
sustain additional losses.

999
00:47:22,105 --> 00:47:24,805
The Press: So does that
phase end then in 2017?

1000
00:47:24,808 --> 00:47:27,448
Mr. Earnest: Well,
in 2017 there will

1001
00:47:27,444 --> 00:47:29,984
be a new Commander-in-Chief
and someone else

1002
00:47:29,980 --> 00:47:32,150
who will have a responsibility
to evaluate the situation

1003
00:47:32,149 --> 00:47:34,919
on the ground and
determine what steps are

1004
00:47:34,918 --> 00:47:40,288
necessary to continue to degrade
and ultimately destroy ISIL.

1005
00:47:40,290 --> 00:47:42,330
I think there's bipartisan
support for the notion that

1006
00:47:42,326 --> 00:47:43,826
that's what our aim should be.

1007
00:47:43,827 --> 00:47:48,767
And two years from now, the
situation on the ground may

1008
00:47:48,765 --> 00:47:54,105
have changed and it may
require some change in the way

1009
00:47:54,104 --> 00:47:55,644
that strategy is carried out.

1010
00:47:55,639 --> 00:47:59,309
But that's something that we'll
leave to the next President.

1011
00:47:59,309 --> 00:48:00,209
Kevin.

1012
00:48:00,210 --> 00:48:02,010
The Press: Josh, thanks.

1013
00:48:02,012 --> 00:48:04,682
Recognizing in advance that
you've been called worse,

1014
00:48:04,681 --> 00:48:06,421
probably here in
this room --

1015
00:48:06,416 --> 00:48:07,516
(laughter)

1016
00:48:07,517 --> 00:48:09,257
-- I want to point your
attention to something

1017
00:48:09,253 --> 00:48:13,423
Senator John McCain said
in response to your

1018
00:48:13,423 --> 00:48:15,393
"light our hair
on fire" comment.

1019
00:48:15,392 --> 00:48:17,332
He said you're an
idiot, but then

1020
00:48:17,327 --> 00:48:19,997
he backed off that,
he retracted that.

1021
00:48:19,997 --> 00:48:21,997
And I'm just curious --

1022
00:48:21,999 --> 00:48:23,599
Mr. Earnest: Senator
McCain, keeping it classy.

1023
00:48:23,600 --> 00:48:27,340
(laughter)

1024
00:48:27,337 --> 00:48:29,307
The Press:
Not going to touch that.

1025
00:48:29,306 --> 00:48:33,176
I just wondered if, given the
firestorm -- if you'll pardon

1026
00:48:33,176 --> 00:48:36,776
me for using that expression
-- that the statement caused,

1027
00:48:36,780 --> 00:48:39,850
would you like to walk it back
or would you like to recast it

1028
00:48:39,850 --> 00:48:42,920
in a way that maybe doesn't
detract from what you were

1029
00:48:42,919 --> 00:48:43,859
trying to communicate?

1030
00:48:43,854 --> 00:48:45,124
Mr. Earnest: No, I think I
was pretty crystal clear

1031
00:48:45,122 --> 00:48:46,822
in what I was trying
to communicate.

1032
00:48:46,823 --> 00:48:47,593
The Press: Okay, great.

1033
00:48:47,591 --> 00:48:49,431
Second, I want to
point out something.

1034
00:48:49,426 --> 00:48:51,426
You may have read
Eugene Robinson's piece

1035
00:48:51,428 --> 00:48:53,428
in The Washington
Post today.

1036
00:48:53,430 --> 00:48:56,570
He wrote a piece about
the Iraqi security forces

1037
00:48:56,566 --> 00:49:00,976
and the frustration that
in arming them repeatedly,

1038
00:49:00,971 --> 00:49:06,941
often they leave materials
behind when they're in retreat.

1039
00:49:06,943 --> 00:49:09,943
And this is a frustration not
just for the people on the

1040
00:49:09,946 --> 00:49:12,416
ground obviously, who are in
there trying to make things

1041
00:49:12,416 --> 00:49:14,786
happen, but it's also a
frustration, I'm imagining,

1042
00:49:14,785 --> 00:49:18,785
for the American people who
invest our money in sending

1043
00:49:18,789 --> 00:49:21,589
material over there
to help them fight.

1044
00:49:21,591 --> 00:49:25,031
He called it the "triumph
of hope over experience."

1045
00:49:25,028 --> 00:49:27,768
And I'm just curious if the
administration shares that

1046
00:49:27,764 --> 00:49:31,664
frustration that all too often
materials are simply left,

1047
00:49:31,668 --> 00:49:35,468
and then they end up helping
to arm the opposition?

1048
00:49:35,472 --> 00:49:39,872
Mr. Earnest: Kevin, I think what
Mr. Robinson was identifying is

1049
00:49:39,876 --> 00:49:42,946
the importance of the training
program that's currently

1050
00:49:42,946 --> 00:49:48,356
in place in Iraq and in
the region for moderate

1051
00:49:48,352 --> 00:49:51,352
opposition Syrian fighters.

1052
00:49:51,355 --> 00:49:54,095
We want to make sure that when
the United States and our

1053
00:49:54,091 --> 00:49:56,091
coalition partners are
providing equipment,

1054
00:49:56,093 --> 00:49:58,293
that it's going to the hands
of those individuals that

1055
00:49:58,295 --> 00:50:00,965
have been trained to use it
and use it effectively.

1056
00:50:00,964 --> 00:50:04,034
And these training
programs are programs that

1057
00:50:04,034 --> 00:50:05,774
we take very seriously.

1058
00:50:05,769 --> 00:50:09,139
There are several thousand
Iraqi security forces

1059
00:50:09,139 --> 00:50:11,579
that have undergone
this training.

1060
00:50:11,575 --> 00:50:13,875
And the President in his
interview with Mr. Goldberg

1061
00:50:13,877 --> 00:50:19,117
indicated that some of those
-- that the effectiveness

1062
00:50:19,116 --> 00:50:22,286
of those soldiers has been
proven on the battlefield.

1063
00:50:22,285 --> 00:50:26,995
And we're working with the
Iraqi central government,

1064
00:50:26,990 --> 00:50:33,000
but also with some of the Sunni
tribes and others to train up

1065
00:50:35,165 --> 00:50:39,005
more Iraqi fighters who will
be under the command

1066
00:50:39,002 --> 00:50:41,002
and control of the Iraqi
central government

1067
00:50:41,004 --> 00:50:44,074
and can take the fight to
ISIL in their own country.

1068
00:50:44,074 --> 00:50:46,074
And that's what
we're looking to do.

1069
00:50:46,076 --> 00:50:49,146
Now, I think in the mind of
Senator McCain and other people,

1070
00:50:49,146 --> 00:50:53,586
they might say,
well, couldn't a U.S.

1071
00:50:53,583 --> 00:50:56,123
servicemember do that
more effectively?

1072
00:50:56,119 --> 00:50:59,559
Wouldn't we just be better
off putting American men

1073
00:50:59,556 --> 00:51:02,456
and women on the ground there
to wage this fight for them,

1074
00:51:02,459 --> 00:51:06,329
rather than taking the time
and making the investment

1075
00:51:06,329 --> 00:51:09,929
to train and then equip
an Iraqi fighter?

1076
00:51:09,933 --> 00:51:10,933
And this, again,
is where there

1077
00:51:10,934 --> 00:51:13,774
is just a fundamental
difference of opinion.

1078
00:51:13,770 --> 00:51:16,270
The President, based on his
judgment and based on our

1079
00:51:16,273 --> 00:51:19,143
country's experience in
the last invasion of Iraq,

1080
00:51:19,142 --> 00:51:21,142
does not at all believe that
that's in the best interest of

1081
00:51:21,144 --> 00:51:24,084
the United States of America;
and that the better way for us

1082
00:51:24,080 --> 00:51:27,050
to approach this situation
is to build up the capacity

1083
00:51:27,050 --> 00:51:29,050
of the Iraqi people,
the Iraqi government,

1084
00:51:29,052 --> 00:51:31,422
and Iraqi security forces
to take the fight to ISIL

1085
00:51:31,421 --> 00:51:32,761
in their own country.

1086
00:51:32,756 --> 00:51:35,526
This is a security situation,
a security problem

1087
00:51:35,525 --> 00:51:38,325
that the United States
cannot solve for them.

1088
00:51:38,328 --> 00:51:40,328
What the United States and
what President Obama has

1089
00:51:40,330 --> 00:51:43,330
committed to do is to
assist the Iraqi people,

1090
00:51:43,333 --> 00:51:46,033
the Iraqi security forces and
the Iraqi central government

1091
00:51:46,036 --> 00:51:48,006
as they confront and try
to solve this problem.

1092
00:51:48,004 --> 00:51:52,074
The Press: One more, and
then a bit of housekeeping.

1093
00:51:52,075 --> 00:51:54,375
In the remarks today
at the synagogue,

1094
00:51:54,377 --> 00:51:57,377
the President seemed to
really stress the importance

1095
00:51:57,380 --> 00:52:00,780
of the relationship between
the United States and Israel.

1096
00:52:00,784 --> 00:52:04,784
Does he feel like -- or is it
his sense now that after his

1097
00:52:04,788 --> 00:52:08,928
comments today that he has done
enough to bridge the gap between

1098
00:52:08,925 --> 00:52:12,965
the communities, especially
given the sort of much

1099
00:52:12,963 --> 00:52:17,133
publicized separation between
the way his relationship

1100
00:52:17,133 --> 00:52:19,133
with Benjamin Netanyahu in
particular is perceived?

1101
00:52:19,135 --> 00:52:21,505
Mr. Earnest: Kevin, I think
what the President would say

1102
00:52:21,505 --> 00:52:25,445
is I think the President would
say that while his words today

1103
00:52:25,442 --> 00:52:28,542
were important, that he wants
to be judged by his record.

1104
00:52:28,545 --> 00:52:32,045
And if you take a look at the
steps that this country has

1105
00:52:32,048 --> 00:52:34,688
done under the leadership of
President Obama to demonstrate

1106
00:52:34,684 --> 00:52:37,554
our clear support for the nation
of Israel and for the people

1107
00:52:37,554 --> 00:52:40,594
of Israel, particularly when
it comes to their security,

1108
00:52:40,590 --> 00:52:43,860
there is no President who has
done more to more effectively

1109
00:52:43,860 --> 00:52:48,730
coordinate and support the
Israeli people even as they

1110
00:52:48,732 --> 00:52:50,732
go about their daily lives
in a pretty dangerous part

1111
00:52:50,734 --> 00:52:51,734
of the world.

1112
00:52:51,735 --> 00:52:53,805
And this is something that
Prime Minister Netanyahu

1113
00:52:53,803 --> 00:52:55,673
himself has observed.

1114
00:52:55,672 --> 00:52:58,712
He said that the level of
security cooperation between

1115
00:52:58,708 --> 00:53:00,708
Israel and the United
States under the leadership

1116
00:53:00,710 --> 00:53:02,710
of President Obama
is "unprecedented."

1117
00:53:02,712 --> 00:53:05,852
The Press: Lastly, on Cuba,
any update on possible

1118
00:53:05,849 --> 00:53:09,119
embassies, and/or has the
Cuban government extended

1119
00:53:09,119 --> 00:53:12,619
an invitation to President
Obama to come to Havana?

1120
00:53:12,622 --> 00:53:16,122
Mr. Earnest: I am -- I know
that there were additional

1121
00:53:16,126 --> 00:53:18,696
talks that concluded at the
State Department today.

1122
00:53:18,695 --> 00:53:21,565
I've not gotten a final readout
of those conversations.

1123
00:53:21,565 --> 00:53:24,265
I don't believe that the
State Department was planning

1124
00:53:24,267 --> 00:53:27,207
to make any major announcements
today along these lines.

1125
00:53:27,203 --> 00:53:29,203
But for an update of
those conversations,

1126
00:53:29,205 --> 00:53:31,205
I'd refer you to the
State Department.

1127
00:53:31,207 --> 00:53:33,447
I'm not aware of any formal
specific invitation that's

1128
00:53:33,443 --> 00:53:37,483
been offered to the
President by the government

1129
00:53:37,480 --> 00:53:39,720
of Cuba for a visit.

1130
00:53:39,716 --> 00:53:40,686
But we'll see.

1131
00:53:40,684 --> 00:53:42,824
Go ahead, Chris.

1132
00:53:42,819 --> 00:53:45,189
The Press: Yes, the past week
the Washington Blade had

1133
00:53:45,188 --> 00:53:48,758
a reporter in Cuba and spoke
to a number of LGBT advocates

1134
00:53:48,758 --> 00:53:51,798
in the country, including one
such transgender advocate,

1135
00:53:51,795 --> 00:53:54,765
Leodan Suarez QuiĂąones, who has
said the government seeks

1136
00:53:54,764 --> 00:53:56,104
to destroy people like her.

1137
00:53:56,099 --> 00:53:58,769
As an example, she said
the government responded

1138
00:53:58,768 --> 00:54:01,108
insufficiently to the death
of a transgender sex worker

1139
00:54:01,104 --> 00:54:02,644
who was stoned to death.

1140
00:54:02,639 --> 00:54:04,739
Yesterday, you talked about
concerns the United States has

1141
00:54:04,741 --> 00:54:06,281
in Cuba upholding human rights.

1142
00:54:06,276 --> 00:54:09,146
But to what extent does Cuba
need to commit to stepping up

1143
00:54:09,145 --> 00:54:13,555
and protecting LGBT human rights
to restore U.S.-Cuba relations?

1144
00:54:13,550 --> 00:54:16,720
Mr. Earnest: Chris, you've heard
the President say many times

1145
00:54:16,720 --> 00:54:20,720
that he doesn't believe that
people should be treated

1146
00:54:20,724 --> 00:54:22,864
differently just because
of who they love.

1147
00:54:22,859 --> 00:54:29,899
And that means that LGBT
Cuban or Americans deserve

1148
00:54:29,899 --> 00:54:34,539
the same rights and protections
that everybody else gets.

1149
00:54:34,537 --> 00:54:38,747
And that means that the
concerns that we have about

1150
00:54:38,742 --> 00:54:44,682
the way the Cuban government
has all too often trampled

1151
00:54:44,681 --> 00:54:47,051
the universal human rights
of the Cuban people,

1152
00:54:47,050 --> 00:54:49,150
we have similar concerns
with the way that the Cuban

1153
00:54:49,152 --> 00:54:51,652
government has failed
to protect the basic

1154
00:54:51,655 --> 00:54:55,855
human rights of even
LGBT Cubans as well.

1155
00:54:55,859 --> 00:54:57,859
The Press: What are the
consequences if Cuba continues

1156
00:54:57,861 --> 00:55:01,461
to look the other way
against -- the trampling

1157
00:55:01,464 --> 00:55:03,234
of LGBT human rights in Cuba?

1158
00:55:03,233 --> 00:55:05,303
Mr. Earnest: Well, Chris, the
reason that the President made

1159
00:55:05,301 --> 00:55:08,101
this change in policy that he
announced at the end of last

1160
00:55:08,104 --> 00:55:11,604
year is his view that the
previous policy of attempting

1161
00:55:11,608 --> 00:55:18,118
to isolate Cuba and
compel them to change

1162
00:55:18,114 --> 00:55:22,014
the way they treat their
people didn't work.

1163
00:55:22,018 --> 00:55:24,258
And the President is hopeful
that through greater

1164
00:55:24,254 --> 00:55:27,494
engagement, that we can open
up more economic

1165
00:55:27,490 --> 00:55:30,490
opportunities, both in Cuba
and in the United States.

1166
00:55:30,493 --> 00:55:33,763
But that through that greater
engagement -- including economic

1167
00:55:33,763 --> 00:55:38,133
engagement -- that we will
be able to apply additional

1168
00:55:38,134 --> 00:55:41,234
pressure to the Cuban government
and support the Cuban people

1169
00:55:41,237 --> 00:55:44,307
in their aspirations for a
government that reflects their

1170
00:55:44,307 --> 00:55:47,047
will, and a government
that is willing to respect,

1171
00:55:47,043 --> 00:55:49,743
and even protect, their
basic human rights.

1172
00:55:49,746 --> 00:55:54,016
That kind of support and that
kind of effort will continue.

1173
00:55:54,017 --> 00:55:56,017
And we think we'll be
more effective under

1174
00:55:56,019 --> 00:55:57,019
this policy change.

1175
00:55:57,020 --> 00:55:58,460
Steve, I'll give
you the last one.

1176
00:55:58,455 --> 00:56:02,325
The Press: I want to get
back to the Iraq situation.

1177
00:56:02,325 --> 00:56:06,395
Specifically, I know you've
ruled out the combat troops,

1178
00:56:06,396 --> 00:56:09,766
but the President has already
sent thousands of troops over

1179
00:56:09,766 --> 00:56:10,936
there in several tranches.

1180
00:56:10,934 --> 00:56:15,334
Is the President -- did he ask
the Pentagon earlier this week

1181
00:56:15,338 --> 00:56:18,478
-- has he asked them for
additional options to send

1182
00:56:18,475 --> 00:56:22,215
thousands of additional troops
for the training and equipment

1183
00:56:22,212 --> 00:56:28,252
mission that you just said the
White House wants to ramp up?

1184
00:56:28,251 --> 00:56:30,791
Mr. Earnest: Well, Steve, the
way that the process essentially

1185
00:56:30,787 --> 00:56:35,227
works is that the President is
looking for advice from his

1186
00:56:35,225 --> 00:56:38,725
national security team,
including from military leaders

1187
00:56:38,728 --> 00:56:41,398
who have the most direct
knowledge about what's happening

1188
00:56:41,397 --> 00:56:45,337
on the ground related to
the security situation.

1189
00:56:45,335 --> 00:56:51,545
And if the Department of Defense
or our military leadership

1190
00:56:51,541 --> 00:56:55,711
conclude that the strategy
that the President has ordered

1191
00:56:55,712 --> 00:57:00,882
them to implement would
be enhanced by committing

1192
00:57:00,884 --> 00:57:05,354
additional personnel, then
that is a recommendation

1193
00:57:05,355 --> 00:57:08,695
that they would make
to the President.

1194
00:57:08,691 --> 00:57:12,131
But I won't, from here, get into
any of the private conversations

1195
00:57:12,128 --> 00:57:15,598
that the President is having
with his military leaders.

1196
00:57:15,598 --> 00:57:18,798
They regularly offer him
advice; that's advice that

1197
00:57:18,802 --> 00:57:21,542
he regularly solicits and
takes very seriously,

1198
00:57:21,538 --> 00:57:23,538
in the same way that he
incorporates the advice

1199
00:57:23,540 --> 00:57:25,910
of other members of his national
security team, as well.

1200
00:57:25,909 --> 00:57:27,909
But they do all of
that, I think for

1201
00:57:27,911 --> 00:57:29,911
understandable
reasons, in private.

1202
00:57:29,913 --> 00:57:31,983
The Press: Is there anything
that you can give us as far as

1203
00:57:31,981 --> 00:57:37,251
insight into his thinking as
far as things that would give

1204
00:57:37,253 --> 00:57:40,353
him caution before
adding 3,000 or 4,000

1205
00:57:40,356 --> 00:57:42,256
or 5,000
additional troops?

1206
00:57:42,258 --> 00:57:44,328
Would he need to see
something from the Iraqi

1207
00:57:44,327 --> 00:57:49,467
government before committing
major additional American help?

1208
00:57:49,465 --> 00:57:50,765
Does he want to
see, I don't know,

1209
00:57:50,767 --> 00:57:54,207
a new status of forces agreement
-- anything in particular from

1210
00:57:54,204 --> 00:57:58,304
the Iraqis, et cetera, before
he'd commit more boots on the

1211
00:57:58,308 --> 00:58:00,348
ground in that scenario?

1212
00:58:00,343 --> 00:58:03,013
Mr. Earnest: Well, that's a
hypothetical because it assumes

1213
00:58:03,012 --> 00:58:05,752
that the President is
considering adding additional

1214
00:58:05,748 --> 00:58:07,748
military personnel or has
received a recommendation

1215
00:58:07,750 --> 00:58:08,820
from the military to do so.

1216
00:58:08,818 --> 00:58:11,158
So it's hard to sort of
contemplate exactly what

1217
00:58:11,154 --> 00:58:15,554
scenario would make that
hypothetical come true.

1218
00:58:15,558 --> 00:58:17,558
What I'll just say
as a general matter

1219
00:58:17,560 --> 00:58:19,560
is the President
takes very seriously

1220
00:58:19,562 --> 00:58:21,562
the recommendations and
advice that he gets from

1221
00:58:21,564 --> 00:58:23,564
every member of his
national security team,

1222
00:58:23,566 --> 00:58:24,706
including those members
of the military.

1223
00:58:24,701 --> 00:58:27,501
And the President continues
to carefully evaluate

1224
00:58:27,503 --> 00:58:31,203
the situation on the
ground, and ISIL, to take

1225
00:58:31,207 --> 00:58:34,477
stock of the areas of
progress that we're seeing

1226
00:58:34,477 --> 00:58:37,147
but also the setbacks
that we're seeing;

1227
00:58:37,146 --> 00:58:41,916
and is pressing his team to make
sure that they are maximizing

1228
00:58:41,918 --> 00:58:45,188
the opportunities created by the
implementation of this strategy

1229
00:58:45,188 --> 00:58:48,488
to advance our goals and our
national security interests.

1230
00:58:48,491 --> 00:58:50,491
And this is something
that the President spends

1231
00:58:50,493 --> 00:58:51,493
a lot of time on.

1232
00:58:51,494 --> 00:58:53,494
It's obviously
something that his

1233
00:58:53,496 --> 00:58:55,466
national security team
is very focused on.

1234
00:58:55,465 --> 00:58:56,695
And that will continue
to be true in the weeks

1235
00:58:56,699 --> 00:58:58,069
and months ahead.

1236
00:58:58,067 --> 00:58:59,337
The Press: And one last
thought on the NSA.

1237
00:58:59,335 --> 00:59:01,405
One of the things that's been
floating around the Hill

1238
00:59:01,404 --> 00:59:06,544
today is going from a six-
month transition under

1239
00:59:06,542 --> 00:59:10,952
the USA Freedom Act to
a two-year transition.

1240
00:59:10,947 --> 00:59:14,547
Mitch McConnell has been
concerned that that's not

1241
00:59:14,550 --> 00:59:18,190
enough time, and he wants to
make sure that if there

1242
00:59:18,187 --> 00:59:21,557
is another attack, that we
will be able to very quickly

1243
00:59:21,557 --> 00:59:23,297
utilize these capabilities.

1244
00:59:23,293 --> 00:59:26,233
Is that something the White
House would be opposed to,

1245
00:59:26,229 --> 00:59:28,529
is concerned about,
would strongly urge them

1246
00:59:28,531 --> 00:59:31,671
not to go down that
road today, et cetera?

1247
00:59:31,668 --> 00:59:32,568
Mr. Earnest: We would
strongly urge them

1248
00:59:32,568 --> 00:59:35,268
not to go down that road
today, to borrow a phrase.

1249
00:59:35,271 --> 00:59:37,241
And there are two
reasons for that.

1250
00:59:37,240 --> 00:59:40,940
The first is that doing so
means that they have altered

1251
00:59:40,944 --> 00:59:44,314
the bipartisan compromise that
was painstakingly reached

1252
00:59:44,314 --> 00:59:47,754
in the House, and would
therefore open up the

1253
00:59:47,750 --> 00:59:51,790
risk that there would be a
lapse in the authorities that

1254
00:59:51,788 --> 00:59:54,628
we know that those members of
Congress care deeply about.

1255
00:59:54,624 --> 00:59:56,624
Because, again, the
authorities are scheduled

1256
00:59:56,626 --> 00:59:57,596
to expire May 31st.

1257
00:59:57,593 --> 00:59:59,593
The House of Representatives
doesn't come back

1258
00:59:59,595 --> 01:00:00,595
until June 1st.

1259
01:00:00,596 --> 01:00:02,596
Is there a chance that the
House could rejigger their

1260
01:00:02,598 --> 01:00:03,968
schedule to come back?

1261
01:00:03,967 --> 01:00:05,967
Maybe there's a chance
that they'll do that,

1262
01:00:05,969 --> 01:00:07,969
but there's also a chance
that they wouldn't.

1263
01:00:07,971 --> 01:00:09,971
And subjecting those
critically important

1264
01:00:09,973 --> 01:00:15,643
authorities to that kind of
risk is not just unnecessary,

1265
01:00:15,645 --> 01:00:17,615
it's irresponsible.

1266
01:00:17,613 --> 01:00:19,453
Let me explain to you why;
I think it's evident

1267
01:00:19,449 --> 01:00:20,819
why it's irresponsible.

1268
01:00:20,817 --> 01:00:23,087
Let me explain to you
why it's unnecessary.

1269
01:00:23,086 --> 01:00:26,656
There currently is 180-day
implementation phase

1270
01:00:26,656 --> 01:00:28,356
in the USA Freedom Act.

1271
01:00:28,358 --> 01:00:31,028
So essentially, the
program will continue onto

1272
01:00:31,027 --> 01:00:34,067
the authorities in this
180-day period while

1273
01:00:34,063 --> 01:00:36,363
the national security
team and our intelligence

1274
01:00:36,366 --> 01:00:40,836
professionals implement
the needed reforms.

1275
01:00:40,837 --> 01:00:43,577
And again, that 180-day period
was not something that was

1276
01:00:43,573 --> 01:00:47,043
randomly picked out of a
hat; it was the time period

1277
01:00:47,043 --> 01:00:51,183
that the intelligence
community said would

1278
01:00:51,180 --> 01:00:53,680
be required to
implement the reforms.

1279
01:00:53,683 --> 01:00:57,453
Now, I suppose there is a
chance that they could end

1280
01:00:57,453 --> 01:00:59,623
up being wrong about that.

1281
01:00:59,622 --> 01:01:02,122
If they are, and if it
is going to take longer

1282
01:01:02,125 --> 01:01:05,025
than 180 days, then
the administration,

1283
01:01:05,028 --> 01:01:07,698
with the full backing
of our national security

1284
01:01:07,697 --> 01:01:10,637
professionals, will come to
the Congress and say,

1285
01:01:10,633 --> 01:01:12,633
"We thought 180 days
was going to be enough;

1286
01:01:12,635 --> 01:01:14,605
turns out it's not;
we're going to need

1287
01:01:14,604 --> 01:01:15,604
some additional time.

1288
01:01:15,605 --> 01:01:16,605
Here's what we need."

1289
01:01:16,606 --> 01:01:19,106
And based on the comments that
we've seen from Democrats

1290
01:01:19,108 --> 01:01:21,848
and Republicans in the
Congress, there is no reason

1291
01:01:21,844 --> 01:01:23,844
to think that Congress
wouldn't act quickly

1292
01:01:23,846 --> 01:01:24,846
to pass it.

1293
01:01:24,847 --> 01:01:27,087
So that's why it's
unnecessary for them

1294
01:01:27,083 --> 01:01:29,083
to tinker with the
implementation phase.

1295
01:01:29,085 --> 01:01:31,925
We believe we have an
implementation phase of

1296
01:01:31,921 --> 01:01:33,091
sufficient length.

1297
01:01:33,089 --> 01:01:35,229
And if it turns out that
it's not, then we'll come

1298
01:01:35,224 --> 01:01:38,564
back to Congress and ask
for additional time.

1299
01:01:38,561 --> 01:01:43,101
The Press: Would the President
veto a two-year transition phase

1300
01:01:43,099 --> 01:01:45,899
that essentially kicks this to
the next President who could

1301
01:01:45,902 --> 01:01:50,242
have a very different view
about changing these programs?

1302
01:01:50,239 --> 01:01:52,979
Mr. Earnest: Well,
the President would,

1303
01:01:52,975 --> 01:01:55,345
for a variety of reasons:
because it would subject our

1304
01:01:55,344 --> 01:01:59,784
country to unnecessary risk;
because it is an unnecessary

1305
01:01:59,782 --> 01:02:00,782
change in the law.

1306
01:02:00,783 --> 01:02:02,783
There's already an
implementation period

1307
01:02:02,785 --> 01:02:05,455
that is of sufficient
length, according to our

1308
01:02:05,455 --> 01:02:07,725
national security
professionals.

1309
01:02:07,723 --> 01:02:09,363
And there's no indication
that that is actually

1310
01:02:09,358 --> 01:02:11,458
a piece of legislation
that would pass the Senate

1311
01:02:11,461 --> 01:02:14,361
or the House, let alone in
a timely fashion.

1312
01:02:14,363 --> 01:02:18,573
So, again, there's no good
explanation that anybody can

1313
01:02:18,568 --> 01:02:20,808
offer up about why that is
worthy of anybody's time.

1314
01:02:20,803 --> 01:02:26,413
What's worthy of
everyone's time is careful

1315
01:02:26,409 --> 01:02:28,609
consideration of the
bipartisan compromise that was

1316
01:02:28,611 --> 01:02:31,051
reached in the House with the
close consultation of our

1317
01:02:31,047 --> 01:02:33,717
national security team
that actually reflects

1318
01:02:33,716 --> 01:02:37,056
the need to balance
our national security

1319
01:02:37,053 --> 01:02:39,823
with the civil liberties
of the American people.

1320
01:02:39,822 --> 01:02:42,922
And again, there's no reason
for members of Congress

1321
01:02:42,925 --> 01:02:45,695
not to vote -- members
of the Senate not

1322
01:02:45,695 --> 01:02:48,895
to vote on this and
vote on it today.

1323
01:02:48,898 --> 01:02:51,338
The Press: Josh, real quick.

1324
01:02:51,334 --> 01:02:52,564
You said it was
a hypothetical.

1325
01:02:52,568 --> 01:02:54,368
The President is not
considering sending any

1326
01:02:54,370 --> 01:02:56,440
more trainers, advisors,
or anything, and there's

1327
01:02:56,439 --> 01:02:58,779
no formal recommendation
to do so?

1328
01:02:58,774 --> 01:03:00,714
Mr. Earnest: What I'm
saying is that those kinds

1329
01:03:00,710 --> 01:03:02,110
of conversations are
conversations that

1330
01:03:02,111 --> 01:03:04,011
the President will have
in private with his

1331
01:03:04,013 --> 01:03:05,213
national security team.

1332
01:03:05,214 --> 01:03:06,414
The Press: So he's
open to sending more

1333
01:03:06,415 --> 01:03:09,885
of the kind of forces he
has already sent to Iraq?

1334
01:03:09,886 --> 01:03:12,726
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, I
can't speak to the nature

1335
01:03:12,722 --> 01:03:14,292
of the conversations
that they're having.

1336
01:03:14,290 --> 01:03:17,790
It's unclear to me that
our military leadership

1337
01:03:17,793 --> 01:03:20,033
believes that that's even
necessary at this point.

1338
01:03:20,029 --> 01:03:22,169
But the President is going
to continue to have

1339
01:03:22,165 --> 01:03:24,965
conversations with his team
to implement this strategy.

1340
01:03:24,967 --> 01:03:28,137
It's a strategy that has already
enjoyed success in some areas;

1341
01:03:28,137 --> 01:03:30,137
we've experienced some
setbacks in others.

1342
01:03:30,139 --> 01:03:32,139
And we're going to look to try
to draw lessons that we've

1343
01:03:32,141 --> 01:03:35,711
learned from both situations
and apply them in a way that

1344
01:03:35,711 --> 01:03:38,581
will better advance our
national security interests.

1345
01:03:38,581 --> 01:03:40,181
The Press: He hasn't
asked for the Pentagon

1346
01:03:40,183 --> 01:03:42,123
to research
that question?

1347
01:03:42,118 --> 01:03:43,618
Mr. Earnest: Again, if he
has, that's something that

1348
01:03:43,619 --> 01:03:45,319
he would do in private.

1349
01:03:45,321 --> 01:03:47,461
I don't have a
formal week ahead.

1350
01:03:47,456 --> 01:03:50,096
There is one element of the
President's schedule next week

1351
01:03:50,092 --> 01:03:52,492
that I do want to make sure
that you're aware of, however.

1352
01:03:52,495 --> 01:03:54,765
Next Wednesday, the
President is traveling

1353
01:03:54,764 --> 01:03:57,004
to Miami, Florida.

1354
01:03:56,999 --> 01:03:58,999
He will spend the night
there on Wednesday night.

1355
01:03:59,001 --> 01:04:01,271
I believe that there is a
Democratic National Committee

1356
01:04:01,270 --> 01:04:03,270
event that's scheduled
for that evening.

1357
01:04:03,272 --> 01:04:06,372
On Thursday morning, the
President will travel to the

1358
01:04:06,375 --> 01:04:09,515
National Hurricane Center and
receive his annual briefing

1359
01:04:09,512 --> 01:04:13,882
on the upcoming hurricane
season that starts on June 1st.

1360
01:04:13,883 --> 01:04:16,383
In the context of those
briefings, the President

1361
01:04:16,385 --> 01:04:18,485
hears from meteorologists
about the weather

1362
01:04:18,487 --> 01:04:21,987
forecast, but also gets
detailed updates from members

1363
01:04:21,991 --> 01:04:25,391
of his national security team,
including Florida native,

1364
01:04:25,394 --> 01:04:29,134
Craig Fugate, who's
the FEMA Administrator,

1365
01:04:29,131 --> 01:04:32,071
about efforts that the federal
government and state and local

1366
01:04:32,068 --> 01:04:34,268
governments across the
United States have taken

1367
01:04:34,270 --> 01:04:36,270
to prepare for the
upcoming hurricane season.

1368
01:04:36,272 --> 01:04:39,472
So this is an important annual
event and it's something that

1369
01:04:39,475 --> 01:04:43,945
the President will do in Florida
for the first time this year.

1370
01:04:43,946 --> 01:04:44,446
Thanks, everybody.

1371
01:04:44,447 --> 01:04:45,077
Have a good weekend.