English subtitles for clip: File:9-18-15- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

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TGIF.

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The fourth of four
consecutive briefings this

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week, which has
been a pleasure.

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I hope today's
goes well, as well.

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The Press: Week ahead?

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(laughter)

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Mr. Earnest: I do
have a week ahead.

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I'd be happy to jump right
to it, if that's where we

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wanted to go.

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Let me do a short
announcement at the top and

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then we'll take a least
a couple of questions.

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On December 17th, President
Obama announced historic

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changes to our nation's
Cuba policy, beginning the

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process of normalizing
relations between our

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two countries.

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The embargo remains in
effect, but over the past

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year the administration has
worked to enhance trade and

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commerce with Cuba, and
published regulatory changes

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to existing Cuba sanctions.

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Today, the Departments of
the Treasury and Commerce

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took additional steps to
implement the President's

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new policy direction,
announcing additional

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revisions to existing Cuba
sanctions that will further

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advance our goal of
empowering the Cuban people.

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The United States remains
committed to our enduring

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objective of promoting a
more prosperous Cuba that

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respects the human rights
and fundamental freedoms of

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all its people.

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We believe the regulatory
changes announced today will

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allow the United States to
continue to advance our

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interests and improve the
lives of ordinary Cubans.

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So for more specific
details about some of those

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technical changes, I'd refer
you to the Department of

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Treasury and the Department
of Commerce, respectively.

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But it's an important step
in advancing the policy

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changes that the President
announced at the end of

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last year.

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So with that out of the way,
Darlene, let's go to

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your questions.

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The Press: Great, thanks.

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Staying on Cuba, could you
talk a little bit about why

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the administration thinks
that now is the right time

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to do what you're doing in
Cuba in terms of easing

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travel and making it easier
for American citizens to do

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business there?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, Darlene,
this is part of the policy

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process that the President
envisioned and kicked off

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back in December
of last year.

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For more than five decades,
the policy -- the United

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States had pursued a policy
of isolation against Cuba,

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and the thinking behind the
implementation and strict

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enforcement of that policy
was that by isolating Cuba

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we could compel them to
change their habits when it

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comes to the government's
respect for basic human rights.

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And for more than five
decades, the Cuban

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government essentially
ignored the policy of the

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United States, freely
engaged with a variety of

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other countries around the
hemisphere and around the

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world, and our efforts
didn't have -- or didn't

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yield the kind of results
we were looking for.

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And after five decades, or
more than five decades of

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that policy, the President
determined that it would be

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more effective for the
United States to begin

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engaging not just the Cuban
government, but also the

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Cuban people.

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And the goal of some of
these policy changes is to

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deepen our engagement
with the Cuban people.

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I'll just cite one example.

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And this is something you
can get more detail from the

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Treasury Department on.

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But some of the policy
changes enacted today relate

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to telecommunications and
Internet-based services.

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Ensuring that the Cuban
people have greater access

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to information is one way
that we can give them

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greater opportunity,
certainly more exposure to

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the kinds of values that we
prioritize in this country.

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And we believe that will be
in the best interest of our

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goal of empowering
the Cuban people.

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The Press: What steps has
Cuba taken or has told the

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administration it will take
as part of this process of

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normalizing relations
between the two countries?

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It seems like the U.S.

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is the one that's
making all the moves.

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Mr. Earnest: Well, the U.S.

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is certainly capitalizing on
opportunities to take some

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of these steps.

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Obviously the business
community here in the United

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States is strongly
supportive of some of these

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steps that have been
announced by the

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administration, including
some of these

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regulatory changes.

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So while our principal goal
here is empowering the Cuban

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people, there's an intended
benefit for the American

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people too.

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It advances our interests
in the hemisphere, and it

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certainly opens up some
business opportunities for

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American businesses that are
interested in capitalizing

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on the markets
that exist in Cuba.

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There's also the potential
that some of these changes

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would ease travel
restrictions and make it a

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little bit easier for
individuals to travel to Cuba.

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The embargo hasn't changed;
we still want Congress to

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take action to
remove the embargo.

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But some of the regulatory
changes would enhance

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people-to-people exchanges
between the United States

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and Cuba.

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We believe that that's good
for the Cuban people, but

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there are benefits for
Americans, as well.

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And that's, again, a policy
that would not have been

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possible had we continued to
adhere to this failed policy

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of isolation that didn't
advance our interests and

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didn't yield the kinds of
changes on the island nation

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of Cuba that
we'd like to see.

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The Press: By now you've
probably seen clips on

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television of Donald Trump
in New Hampshire, and the

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question he got from someone
who said the President is a

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Muslim and is
not an American.

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Are you surprised that that
issue is still out there and

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still coming up after the
President tried to put it to

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rest a few years ago
by releasing his

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birth certificate?

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Mr. Earnest: It's funny the
way that you've phrased

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your question.

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I had the opportunity to
think through what my answer

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might be to this
kind of question.

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(laughter)

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But I think my first
observation is, is anybody

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really surprised that this
happened at a

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Donald Trump rally?

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I don't think that anybody
who's been paying attention

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to Republican politics
is at all surprised.

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The reason for that is that
the people who hold these

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offensive views are part
of Mr. Trump's base.

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And Mr. Trump himself would
be the first to tell you

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that he's got the biggest
base of any Republican

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politician these days.

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Now, it is too bad that he
wasn't able to summon the

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same kind of patriotism that
we saw from Senator McCain

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who responded much more
effectively and directly

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when one of his supporters
at one of his campaign

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events about seven years
ago raised the same kind of

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false claims.

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Now, what's also unfortunate
is that Mr. Trump isn't the

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first Republican politician
to countenance these kinds

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of views in order
to win votes.

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In fact, that's precisely
what every Republican

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presidential candidate is
doing when they declined to

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denounce Mr. Trump's cynical
strategy, because they're

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looking for
those same votes.

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Now, other Republicans have
successfully used this

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strategy as well.

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You'll recall that one
Republican congressman told

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a reporter that he was

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"David Duke without the baggage."

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That congressman was elected
by a majority of his

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colleagues in the House of
Representatives to the third

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highest-ranking
position in the House.

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Those same members of
Congress blocked

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immigration reform.

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Those same members
of Congress oppose

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reauthorization of the
Voting Rights Act.

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Those same members of
Congress couldn't support a

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simple funding bill because
they're eager to defend the

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confederate flag.

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So those are the priorities
of today's Republican Party,

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and they'll continue to
be until someone in the

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Republican Party decides to
summon the courage to stand

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up and change it.

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The Press: Should Donald
Trump apologize to

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the President?

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Mr. Earnest: I'm not really
-- I haven't seen any

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evidence to indicate that
he's interested in my advice

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about what he should do.

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Ayesha.

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The Press: Hi.

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So I wanted to ask,
Secretary Kerry said today

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in London that the U.S.

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believes that military talks
with Russia regarding Syria

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are an important next step.

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And the Pentagon today said
Secretary Carter spoke with

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the Russian
Defense Minister.

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I wanted to ask, what are
the plans for additional

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talks with Russia, and at
what level do you expect

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them to occur?

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And what specific issues
does the administration

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believe needs to be ironed
out in these talks?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, we have
hinted for a couple of days

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now that we believed there
would be some value in some

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tactical, practical
discussions with the

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Russians about how to
advance the goals of our

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counter-ISIL operation, and
to ensure the safe conduct

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of those anti-ISIL
operations.

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Secretary Carter did have
the opportunity to speak to

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his Russian
counterpart today.

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And they agreed in
the context of those

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conversations to discuss
further mechanisms for

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de-confliction in Syria,
essentially making sure that

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the actions of our
counter-ISIL coalition don't

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come into conflict with any
Russian military actions

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that they may have
planned for Syria.

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I'll repeat one point that I
think is something I've said

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before but bears repeating,
which is that Russia has

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long had a military presence
inside of Syria because they

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essentially used Syria as a
client state in the Middle

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East and they were an
important part of propping

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up the Assad regime.

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The fact is, we have seen
the Assad regime become

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isolated, lose its
legitimacy to lead that

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country, and according to
many analysts, begin to lose

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its grip on power.

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That's why we've described
doubling down on Assad as a

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losing bet for Russia.

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And we're going to continue
to encourage Russia to find

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a constructive way to
support ongoing counter-ISIL

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operations inside of Syria.

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The Press: On a separate
issue, today a Chinese

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foreign ministry spokesman
said that China is extremely

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concerned about the comments
from Admiral Harry Harris

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that the U.S.

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should challenge some of
China's claim for territory

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in the South China Sea by
patrolling close to some of

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the artificial islands.

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China urged the U.S.

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not to take risky or
provocative actions.

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What is the administration's
response to these concerns

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raised by China?

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Mr. Earnest: I didn't see
the Admiral's comments so I

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can't respond to
those directly.

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I can say as a general
matter that we have long

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encouraged China to find a
constructive, diplomatic way

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to work with other countries
that have claims in the

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South China Sea to try to
resolve the differences of

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opinion there.

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The stakes of resolving
those tensions are

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not insignificant.

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The fact is, the South China
Sea is a significant area

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when it comes to
international trade; that

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there's a lot of
international trade that

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moves through those waters.

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And it's in the interest of
all the countries in that

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region of the world and it's
in the interest of countries

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like the United States that
have an impact on the global

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economy to ensure that those
tensions don't interfere

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with the free
flow of commerce.

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So what we have steadfastly
urged the Chinese to do is

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to engage with other
countries in that region to

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find a diplomatic
resolution to some of

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these differences.

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00:11:55,047 --> 00:11:58,284
And we are strongly
supportive of the efforts of

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00:11:58,284 --> 00:12:01,287
those other countries to
find a diplomatic resolution

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00:12:01,287 --> 00:12:03,155
with the Chinese.

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00:12:03,155 --> 00:12:04,089
Jim.

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00:12:04,090 --> 00:12:07,293
The Press: I know that with
respect to Donald Trump and

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00:12:07,293 --> 00:12:08,861
what happened at that rally,
and the comments that you

256
00:12:08,861 --> 00:12:12,898
made, I know that you said
that they are a reflection

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00:12:12,898 --> 00:12:14,967
of what's going on inside
the Republican Party and

258
00:12:14,967 --> 00:12:16,836
certainly at Donald
Trump rallies.

259
00:12:16,836 --> 00:12:22,074
But I'm just curious if you
think there's a more deeply

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00:12:22,074 --> 00:12:25,210
rooted issue here, and that
this has been going on

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00:12:25,211 --> 00:12:28,614
inside this country ever
since Barack Obama was

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00:12:28,614 --> 00:12:29,849
running for President.

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00:12:29,849 --> 00:12:33,719
And what does it say about
political culture in

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00:12:33,719 --> 00:12:35,087
this country?

265
00:12:35,087 --> 00:12:37,256
And is it disappointing to
the President to hear that

266
00:12:37,256 --> 00:12:39,324
this is still going on,
months before he

267
00:12:39,325 --> 00:12:40,860
leaves office?

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00:12:40,860 --> 00:12:42,761
Mr. Earnest: Well, Jim, I
think the first thing the

269
00:12:42,761 --> 00:12:47,065
President would say is that
there is a long history

270
00:12:47,066 --> 00:12:53,506
throughout American politics
of a robust and in some

271
00:12:53,506 --> 00:12:59,278
cases quite tough rhetorical
debate on a range of

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00:12:59,278 --> 00:13:01,480
political issues.

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00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:07,153
So it's not the toughness
of the debate that the

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00:13:07,153 --> 00:13:10,556
President is
concerned about.

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00:13:10,556 --> 00:13:15,895
I think more broadly the
concern is that we've seen a

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00:13:15,895 --> 00:13:21,500
variety of leaders in the
Republican Party countenance

277
00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:25,871
offensive views just to
try to win some votes.

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00:13:25,871 --> 00:13:27,872
That's had a significant
impact on the presidential

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00:13:27,873 --> 00:13:32,178
race, but it's also had a
significant impact on the

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00:13:32,178 --> 00:13:35,814
ability of Congress to
function effectively and to

281
00:13:35,814 --> 00:13:38,016
pass legislation like
immigration reform that has

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00:13:38,017 --> 00:13:40,586
broad bipartisan support
across the country, would do

283
00:13:40,586 --> 00:13:43,822
good things for our economy,
would reduce the deficit.

284
00:13:43,822 --> 00:13:50,729
But yet it's blocked by
Republicans who countenance

285
00:13:50,729 --> 00:13:52,364
some of those views.

286
00:13:52,364 --> 00:13:56,535
And I think that's the point
here is that this is a

287
00:13:56,535 --> 00:14:03,242
cynical strategy that too
many Republican politicians

288
00:14:03,242 --> 00:14:07,146
have dabbled in because for
some of them it's proved to

289
00:14:07,146 --> 00:14:08,680
be successful.

290
00:14:08,681 --> 00:14:10,683
But there are
consequences for it.

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00:14:10,683 --> 00:14:12,918
There are consequences for
their ability to govern the

292
00:14:12,918 --> 00:14:16,755
country and there are
consequences at the ballot

293
00:14:16,755 --> 00:14:19,024
box, too, because I'm
confident that voters are

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00:14:19,024 --> 00:14:20,025
paying attention.

295
00:14:20,025 --> 00:14:22,494
The Press: And apparently
Donald Trump's campaign has

296
00:14:22,494 --> 00:14:23,796
said, well, he didn't
hear the comment.

297
00:14:23,796 --> 00:14:26,332
What do you make of that?

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00:14:26,332 --> 00:14:28,234
Mr. Earnest: That's
not what he said.

299
00:14:28,234 --> 00:14:33,939
The Press: And Hillary
Clinton apparently said at

300
00:14:33,939 --> 00:14:36,275
one of her campaign
events that if the Obama

301
00:14:36,275 --> 00:14:38,410
administration doesn't
hurry up with a decision on

302
00:14:38,410 --> 00:14:40,478
Keystone, she is going to
let her feelings be known soon.

303
00:14:40,479 --> 00:14:43,549
What did you make of that?

304
00:14:43,549 --> 00:14:46,718
Mr. Earnest: Well, listen,
in some ways these Keystone

305
00:14:46,719 --> 00:14:52,191
questions are some of the
easiest ones that I have to

306
00:14:52,191 --> 00:14:55,361
answer because, fortunately,
all of you already know the

307
00:14:55,361 --> 00:14:57,363
answer to them, which is
that there is an ongoing

308
00:14:57,363 --> 00:14:59,365
process at the State
Department, where this

309
00:14:59,365 --> 00:15:01,367
particular project is
being considered, that's

310
00:15:01,367 --> 00:15:03,602
consistent with the way
that these infrastructure

311
00:15:03,602 --> 00:15:05,603
projects have been
considered by previous

312
00:15:05,604 --> 00:15:07,906
administrations and it's why
-- and it's the way that

313
00:15:07,906 --> 00:15:10,041
this administration is
considering this project.

314
00:15:10,042 --> 00:15:12,111
I would acknowledge that
this project -- the

315
00:15:12,111 --> 00:15:14,880
consideration of this
project has taken longer

316
00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:16,282
than many previous projects.

317
00:15:16,282 --> 00:15:19,852
There are a variety of
reasons for that, including

318
00:15:19,852 --> 00:15:25,691
that there are some --
litigation by some people

319
00:15:25,691 --> 00:15:27,693
would be affected by the
construction of the pipeline

320
00:15:27,693 --> 00:15:31,230
that has delayed the
consideration of this study

321
00:15:31,230 --> 00:15:33,899
that's being conducted
by the State Department.

322
00:15:33,899 --> 00:15:36,368
But for timing in terms of
when this review will be

323
00:15:36,368 --> 00:15:38,370
completed, I'd refer you
to the State Department.

324
00:15:38,370 --> 00:15:40,372
The Press: Shouldn't she
know that about the process

325
00:15:40,372 --> 00:15:42,373
since she was
Secretary of State?

326
00:15:42,374 --> 00:15:45,978
Mr. Earnest: I think that
she does, but I think that

327
00:15:45,978 --> 00:15:47,979
she is also articulating a
view that I've heard from

328
00:15:47,980 --> 00:15:51,483
many of you, which is that
you're eager to hear

329
00:15:51,483 --> 00:15:52,483
an answer.

330
00:15:52,484 --> 00:15:55,754
And as soon as we have
one, we'll let you know.

331
00:15:55,754 --> 00:15:56,755
Mark.

332
00:15:56,755 --> 00:15:58,757
The Press: Can I follow up
just about the

333
00:15:58,757 --> 00:15:59,691
South China Sea?

334
00:15:59,692 --> 00:16:00,092
Mr. Earnest: Sure.

335
00:16:00,092 --> 00:16:01,526
The Press: It's been -- I
believe it was 2012 the last

336
00:16:01,527 --> 00:16:02,194
time U.S.

337
00:16:02,194 --> 00:16:05,030
warships passed through some
of these disputed waters.

338
00:16:05,030 --> 00:16:08,766
And there was some
suggestion at a Capitol Hill

339
00:16:08,767 --> 00:16:10,936
hearing yesterday that it's
time for the administration

340
00:16:10,936 --> 00:16:12,371
to send some more U.S.

341
00:16:12,371 --> 00:16:14,139
warships through
those waters.

342
00:16:14,139 --> 00:16:15,441
What's the response to that?

343
00:16:15,441 --> 00:16:17,309
Is it in consideration
at least?

344
00:16:17,309 --> 00:16:20,279
Mr. Earnest: For those kinds
of operational decisions,

345
00:16:20,279 --> 00:16:22,614
Mark, I'd send you to the
Department of Defense.

346
00:16:22,614 --> 00:16:24,183
I'm not suggesting that --
The Press: For goodness

347
00:16:24,183 --> 00:16:25,417
sake, Josh, that's something
that would not happen

348
00:16:25,417 --> 00:16:27,086
without the
President's say-so.

349
00:16:27,086 --> 00:16:28,253
Mr. Earnest: I was just
going to say, I'm not

350
00:16:28,253 --> 00:16:29,621
suggesting that the
Commander-in-Chief wouldn't

351
00:16:29,621 --> 00:16:32,057
have a view on that.

352
00:16:32,057 --> 00:16:35,294
But at least for questions
about the last time that

353
00:16:35,294 --> 00:16:37,930
this occurred, I don't have
that information in front of me.

354
00:16:37,930 --> 00:16:39,931
The Department of
Defense would have that.

355
00:16:39,932 --> 00:16:45,304
But what we have indicated
is that it's important for

356
00:16:45,304 --> 00:16:49,507
these kinds of disputes to
be resolved diplomatically

357
00:16:49,508 --> 00:16:51,810
among the parties who
are directly involved.

358
00:16:51,810 --> 00:16:55,881
And the United States has a
clear stake in the peaceful

359
00:16:55,881 --> 00:16:58,384
resolution of those
disputes because there are

360
00:16:58,384 --> 00:17:00,919
significant economic
consequences for some of

361
00:17:00,919 --> 00:17:03,422
those differences of opinion
having an impact on

362
00:17:03,422 --> 00:17:04,790
global trade.

363
00:17:04,790 --> 00:17:08,860
And there are significant --
there's a significant flow

364
00:17:08,861 --> 00:17:10,396
of U.S.

365
00:17:10,396 --> 00:17:13,699
products from the United
States to markets in Asia

366
00:17:13,699 --> 00:17:15,934
and other places around the
world that traverse

367
00:17:15,934 --> 00:17:16,935
those waters.

368
00:17:16,935 --> 00:17:19,972
And we want to make sure
that that flow of commerce

369
00:17:19,972 --> 00:17:20,973
is not interrupted.

370
00:17:20,973 --> 00:17:23,175
It would have significant
consequences for the U.S.

371
00:17:23,175 --> 00:17:26,478
economy and that's the stake
that we have in resolving it.

372
00:17:26,478 --> 00:17:29,615
But I don't have a policy
position to share with you

373
00:17:29,615 --> 00:17:33,285
in terms of any upcoming
operational decisions about

374
00:17:33,285 --> 00:17:34,586
the deployment of U.S.

375
00:17:34,586 --> 00:17:36,588
warships in that
region of the world.

376
00:17:36,588 --> 00:17:38,590
The Press: You don't think
it's a policy matter the U.S.

377
00:17:38,590 --> 00:17:40,591
ought to be sending warships
through those waters to

378
00:17:40,592 --> 00:17:42,394
assert the right of
freedom of navigation?

379
00:17:42,394 --> 00:17:47,199
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, at
this point I don't have any

380
00:17:47,199 --> 00:17:50,436
additional details about
what may be in the works here.

381
00:17:50,436 --> 00:17:51,437
Victoria.

382
00:17:51,437 --> 00:17:52,437
The Press: Yes.

383
00:17:52,438 --> 00:17:54,440
You've talked about the
Trump-Muslim-Obama-non-Ameri

384
00:17:56,442 --> 00:18:00,112
can thing from a policy and
political point of view, but

385
00:18:00,112 --> 00:18:03,515
I'd like to address it more
from President Obama and how

386
00:18:03,515 --> 00:18:05,317
he feels about this
personally at this point --

387
00:18:05,317 --> 00:18:07,219
point of view.

388
00:18:07,219 --> 00:18:09,354
Does this annoy him?

389
00:18:09,354 --> 00:18:11,023
Does it irritate him?

390
00:18:11,023 --> 00:18:13,091
Does it amuse him?

391
00:18:13,091 --> 00:18:14,459
Does it flummox him?

392
00:18:14,460 --> 00:18:16,628
Is he upset about it?

393
00:18:16,628 --> 00:18:18,062
What is his response to it?

394
00:18:18,063 --> 00:18:19,465
It has gone on
for years now.

395
00:18:19,465 --> 00:18:22,801
Mr. Earnest: Yes, well, I
think that for that reason,

396
00:18:22,801 --> 00:18:26,271
because these are the kinds
of questions that all --

397
00:18:26,271 --> 00:18:28,774
many of us have had to
answer in a variety of

398
00:18:28,774 --> 00:18:32,043
different settings,
including on places like

399
00:18:32,044 --> 00:18:37,516
buses in Iowa, that I think
we're all sort of long past

400
00:18:37,516 --> 00:18:41,420
being particularly
concerned about them.

401
00:18:41,420 --> 00:18:44,456
I think that the bigger
concern, and I think,

402
00:18:44,456 --> 00:18:49,026
frankly, the most relevant
issue here is the frequency

403
00:18:49,027 --> 00:18:52,231
with which significant,
influential players in

404
00:18:52,231 --> 00:18:56,902
Republican politics continue
to countenance these views

405
00:18:56,902 --> 00:18:59,938
as they build
political support.

406
00:18:59,938 --> 00:19:01,607
And that has consequences.

407
00:19:01,607 --> 00:19:04,042
It has consequences for the
ability of a Republican

408
00:19:04,042 --> 00:19:06,745
majority in Congress to
run the country, to pass

409
00:19:06,745 --> 00:19:08,813
common-sense legislation
that has strong bipartisan

410
00:19:08,814 --> 00:19:09,882
support across the country.

411
00:19:09,882 --> 00:19:12,951
But it also has consequences
in terms of the way that

412
00:19:12,951 --> 00:19:16,054
voters across the country
view the Republican Party

413
00:19:16,054 --> 00:19:18,323
and view the candidates
that are running under the

414
00:19:18,323 --> 00:19:19,324
Republican Party banner.

415
00:19:19,324 --> 00:19:23,495
The Press: Why do you think
that the view that President

416
00:19:23,495 --> 00:19:27,533
Obama is a Muslim of 43
percent in this latest CNN

417
00:19:27,533 --> 00:19:32,737
poll among Republicans just
seems to be if not growing,

418
00:19:32,738 --> 00:19:36,208
at least staying the same,
that it just doesn't tap down.

419
00:19:36,208 --> 00:19:37,643
Why do you think that is?

420
00:19:37,643 --> 00:19:38,777
Mr. Earnest: I have no idea.

421
00:19:38,777 --> 00:19:41,213
I have no idea.

422
00:19:41,213 --> 00:19:41,980
Devon.

423
00:19:41,980 --> 00:19:43,415
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

424
00:19:43,415 --> 00:19:45,517
I wanted to ask about the
other part of the

425
00:19:45,517 --> 00:19:47,386
Trump controversy.

426
00:19:47,386 --> 00:19:50,187
His campaign, as Jim said,
says he didn't hear the

427
00:19:50,188 --> 00:19:53,492
question but also that the
questioner, who is kind of

428
00:19:53,492 --> 00:19:56,595
in the spotlight here,
mentioned Muslim terrorist

429
00:19:56,595 --> 00:20:00,699
training camps preceding his
question, so they're saying

430
00:20:00,699 --> 00:20:04,336
that Mr. Trump was referring
to wanting to get rid of

431
00:20:04,336 --> 00:20:07,406
these Muslim terrorist
training camps.

432
00:20:07,406 --> 00:20:10,042
Does the White House have
any view on these

433
00:20:10,042 --> 00:20:11,043
supposed camps?

434
00:20:11,043 --> 00:20:13,445
Are there Muslim terrorist
training camps in this

435
00:20:13,445 --> 00:20:15,981
country, in your view?

436
00:20:15,981 --> 00:20:18,150
Mr. Earnest: Well, I haven't
seen anybody produce any

437
00:20:18,150 --> 00:20:21,119
evidence to substantiate
the claim that there are.

438
00:20:23,722 --> 00:20:27,259
So I guess you could say
that I think the vast

439
00:20:27,259 --> 00:20:31,096
majority of Americans would
take a rather dim view of

440
00:20:31,096 --> 00:20:32,064
those views.

441
00:20:32,064 --> 00:20:34,066
The Press: And Hillary
Clinton today, she's

442
00:20:34,066 --> 00:20:35,434
campaigning in
New Hampshire.

443
00:20:35,434 --> 00:20:37,002
She said a couple times
talking about the economy

444
00:20:37,002 --> 00:20:40,305
that she believes the
economy is stalled and it's

445
00:20:40,305 --> 00:20:41,506
stalled domestically.

446
00:20:41,506 --> 00:20:43,642
She used that word a couple
times today for the first time.

447
00:20:43,642 --> 00:20:45,611
Is it the administration's
view that the economy

448
00:20:45,611 --> 00:20:47,346
is stalled?

449
00:20:47,346 --> 00:20:47,980
Mr. Earnest: It's not.

450
00:20:47,980 --> 00:20:50,415
I think you heard the
President talk about this at

451
00:20:50,415 --> 00:20:53,118
the Business Roundtable
earlier this week that our

452
00:20:53,118 --> 00:20:57,322
economy has made really
important progress since

453
00:20:57,322 --> 00:21:02,093
recovering from the worst
economic crisis since the

454
00:21:02,094 --> 00:21:06,932
Great Depression; that we're
in the midst of the longest,

455
00:21:06,932 --> 00:21:10,802
sustained stretch of
private-sector job growth in

456
00:21:10,802 --> 00:21:12,838
the history of the country.

457
00:21:12,838 --> 00:21:17,109
And whether you evaluate our
progress by looking at job

458
00:21:17,109 --> 00:21:20,512
creation, the unemployment
rate that's been cut nearly

459
00:21:20,512 --> 00:21:25,817
in half since its peak five
or six years ago, if you

460
00:21:25,817 --> 00:21:31,957
take a look at GDP growth,
even despite the volatility

461
00:21:31,957 --> 00:21:34,660
in the financial markets,
even the stock market has

462
00:21:34,660 --> 00:21:38,363
rebounded significantly from
the depths of the

463
00:21:38,363 --> 00:21:39,965
economic recession.

464
00:21:39,965 --> 00:21:44,468
Now, what's true is that
the President believes that

465
00:21:44,469 --> 00:21:46,905
there is a whole lot more
than can and should be done

466
00:21:46,905 --> 00:21:49,875
to advance our recovery
and make sure that more

467
00:21:49,875 --> 00:21:52,377
middle-class families
are benefitting from it.

468
00:21:52,377 --> 00:21:53,912
There's no denying that.

469
00:21:53,912 --> 00:21:55,914
In fact, that's one of our
principal arguments about

470
00:21:55,914 --> 00:21:57,916
why Republicans shouldn't
follow through with

471
00:21:57,916 --> 00:22:00,217
threatening to shut
down the government.

472
00:22:00,218 --> 00:22:03,088
But there's also no denying
the significant progress and

473
00:22:03,088 --> 00:22:06,324
momentum that our nation's
economy has built up.

474
00:22:06,324 --> 00:22:09,661
In fact, that's why our
economy right now is the

475
00:22:09,661 --> 00:22:10,662
envy of the world.

476
00:22:10,662 --> 00:22:12,664
The Press: Does it trouble
the White House, though,

477
00:22:12,664 --> 00:22:14,800
that she's out there saying
-- pushing the view that's

478
00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:16,234
so contrary to
what you just said?

479
00:22:16,234 --> 00:22:17,034
Mr. Earnest: Not
particularly.

480
00:22:17,035 --> 00:22:20,138
The Press: And real quickly,
just on her comments on the

481
00:22:20,138 --> 00:22:22,240
Keystone pipeline.

482
00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,042
Setting aside the whole
process, her question,

483
00:22:24,042 --> 00:22:26,311
wanting to put the White
House on notice so to

484
00:22:26,311 --> 00:22:29,447
suggest that it's your view,
the White House view, that

485
00:22:29,448 --> 00:22:31,750
perhaps she show deference
to the President before she

486
00:22:31,750 --> 00:22:32,784
announces her view.

487
00:22:32,784 --> 00:22:35,020
Is there any indication from
the White House that she

488
00:22:35,020 --> 00:22:38,690
should wait to say what
she thinks about this?

489
00:22:38,690 --> 00:22:41,460
Mr. Earnest: Oh, I've been,
on a number of occasions,

490
00:22:41,460 --> 00:22:43,829
been given the opportunity
to offer campaign advice to

491
00:22:43,829 --> 00:22:47,232
the Clinton campaign, and I
have a lot of good friends

492
00:22:47,232 --> 00:22:49,401
and colleagues who are
slaving away on that

493
00:22:49,401 --> 00:22:50,902
campaign and they don't
need advice from me.

494
00:22:50,902 --> 00:22:53,438
The Press: But you're saying
the White House doesn't have

495
00:22:53,438 --> 00:22:55,440
a preference as to when
she makes her declaration?

496
00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:57,909
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what I'm saying is that she

497
00:22:57,909 --> 00:23:00,879
is entitled to make her own
decisions about what she

498
00:23:00,879 --> 00:23:03,148
says in the context
of her campaign.

499
00:23:03,148 --> 00:23:04,149
Justin.

500
00:23:04,149 --> 00:23:07,418
The Press: Your counterpart
in Moscow today said that

501
00:23:07,419 --> 00:23:09,688
Russia would be willing to
consider sending combat

502
00:23:09,688 --> 00:23:12,190
troops into Syria if they
were requested by the

503
00:23:12,190 --> 00:23:13,759
Assad regime.

504
00:23:13,759 --> 00:23:17,195
And so I'm wondering, first,
if that was an issue that

505
00:23:17,195 --> 00:23:20,298
was discussed directly in
Ash Carter's phone call today.

506
00:23:20,298 --> 00:23:25,704
And then more broadly, kind
of on this outreach effort,

507
00:23:25,704 --> 00:23:30,041
why sort of in light of what
happened in Ukraine you guys

508
00:23:30,041 --> 00:23:32,944
find this dialogue with
Russia helpful and why you

509
00:23:32,944 --> 00:23:37,949
think there is some reason
for optimism in discussing

510
00:23:37,949 --> 00:23:42,020
with President Putin these
issues and trying to get him

511
00:23:42,020 --> 00:23:44,322
to deescalate this conflict.

512
00:23:44,322 --> 00:23:47,225
Mr. Earnest: Well, I don't
have more details about

513
00:23:47,225 --> 00:23:52,630
Secretary Carter's telephone
call that I can share with you.

514
00:23:52,631 --> 00:23:57,068
I think it is notable
that the kind of

515
00:23:57,068 --> 00:24:00,004
military-to-military
cooperation that we're

516
00:24:00,005 --> 00:24:04,676
seeking to restart here is
cooperation at a practical,

517
00:24:04,676 --> 00:24:08,879
tactical level.

518
00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:11,249
That's obviously different
than the kind of

519
00:24:11,249 --> 00:24:13,251
military-to-military
cooperation between our two

520
00:24:13,251 --> 00:24:18,089
countries that was in
place prior to Russia's

521
00:24:18,089 --> 00:24:21,025
inappropriate and unjust
interference in

522
00:24:21,026 --> 00:24:22,928
eastern Ukraine.

523
00:24:22,928 --> 00:24:30,335
So our goal here is to
pursue this practical

524
00:24:30,335 --> 00:24:35,507
cooperation to try to
advance the interests of our

525
00:24:35,507 --> 00:24:39,544
anti-ISIL coalition and to
try safeguard as much as

526
00:24:39,544 --> 00:24:45,317
possible the operations that
are underway as a part of

527
00:24:45,317 --> 00:24:46,318
that mission
inside of Syria.

528
00:24:46,318 --> 00:24:49,321
The Press: Switching topics.

529
00:24:49,321 --> 00:24:53,324
French diplomats have said
that Ban Ki-moon and other U.N.

530
00:24:53,325 --> 00:24:55,527
officials are trying to
organize a conference of 40

531
00:24:55,527 --> 00:24:58,330
world leaders, including the
President, on the day before

532
00:24:58,330 --> 00:25:01,265
UNGA to talk about
climate change.

533
00:25:01,266 --> 00:25:04,035
I know that you haven't
formally the President's

534
00:25:04,035 --> 00:25:07,038
schedule, but I'm wondering
if you can talk about

535
00:25:07,038 --> 00:25:08,406
whether the President would
be attending that, and a

536
00:25:08,406 --> 00:25:10,375
little bit about if you see
that as important in the

537
00:25:10,375 --> 00:25:12,110
buildup to Paris.

538
00:25:12,110 --> 00:25:13,378
Mr. Earnest: I don't
have details about the

539
00:25:13,378 --> 00:25:15,447
President's schedule yet,
but we should have more

540
00:25:15,447 --> 00:25:19,117
details on that soon.

541
00:25:19,117 --> 00:25:23,588
What I can say is that the
United States, and certainly

542
00:25:23,588 --> 00:25:29,928
the President, does believe
that the United Nations has

543
00:25:29,928 --> 00:25:32,664
played and will continue
to play an important

544
00:25:32,664 --> 00:25:35,567
coordinating function in
trying to bring the world

545
00:25:35,567 --> 00:25:38,270
together to make some
significant commitments to

546
00:25:38,270 --> 00:25:39,170
fight climate change.

547
00:25:39,170 --> 00:25:41,273
And there are talks that are
scheduled for the end of

548
00:25:41,273 --> 00:25:47,978
this year in Paris, where
leaders or representatives

549
00:25:47,979 --> 00:25:50,815
of nations will come
hopefully ready to make some

550
00:25:50,815 --> 00:25:52,017
serious commitments.

551
00:25:52,017 --> 00:25:57,088
And the United States, in
coordination with China, has

552
00:25:57,088 --> 00:25:59,090
made some significant
commitments.

553
00:25:59,090 --> 00:26:01,091
The Chinese have made
significant commitments to

554
00:26:01,092 --> 00:26:03,261
reducing carbon pollution in
the context of those talks

555
00:26:03,261 --> 00:26:04,329
as well.

556
00:26:04,329 --> 00:26:07,732
There are other countries,
like South Korea and Mexico,

557
00:26:07,732 --> 00:26:11,770
that have also
announced steps.

558
00:26:11,770 --> 00:26:17,375
So it's the policy of this
administration that those

559
00:26:17,375 --> 00:26:21,813
talks in Paris could serve
as a very important catalyst

560
00:26:21,813 --> 00:26:24,282
for eliciting commitments
from countries around the

561
00:26:24,282 --> 00:26:26,717
world, thus making an
important contribution to

562
00:26:26,718 --> 00:26:28,453
reducing carbon pollution.

563
00:26:28,453 --> 00:26:30,455
So there clearly is an
important role for the

564
00:26:30,455 --> 00:26:33,224
United Nations to play here,
and the United States has

565
00:26:33,224 --> 00:26:36,828
been playing, as you'd
expect, a leading role in

566
00:26:36,828 --> 00:26:39,264
encouraging countries
around the world to make

567
00:26:39,264 --> 00:26:42,434
significant commitments in
the context of those talks.

568
00:26:42,434 --> 00:26:44,836
So we obviously are strongly
supportive of the process

569
00:26:44,836 --> 00:26:47,005
that's being run by
the United Nations.

570
00:26:47,005 --> 00:26:50,108
We are taking an active
role to try to ensure its

571
00:26:50,108 --> 00:26:53,144
success, but there's a lot
of important work that needs

572
00:26:53,144 --> 00:26:54,346
to get done.

573
00:26:54,346 --> 00:26:56,948
But we'll have more details
on the President's itinerary

574
00:26:56,948 --> 00:26:58,516
in New York next week.

575
00:26:58,516 --> 00:27:00,585
The Press: After attending
that after a couple of days

576
00:27:00,585 --> 00:27:04,089
-- after the meeting with
Senator Reid and Leader

577
00:27:04,089 --> 00:27:07,425
Pelosi yesterday, you guys
said that you'd back a CR.

578
00:27:07,425 --> 00:27:10,462
I'm wondering if a
requirement for that CR

579
00:27:10,462 --> 00:27:13,231
would be reauthorizing the
Ex-Im Bank, if that's sort

580
00:27:13,231 --> 00:27:16,968
of the concrete principle
that you guys are holding.

581
00:27:16,968 --> 00:27:18,536
Mr. Earnest: Well, at this
point I don't have any

582
00:27:18,536 --> 00:27:24,275
contingencies
to add on here.

583
00:27:24,275 --> 00:27:29,114
What we are seeking to do
is to find a way to get

584
00:27:29,114 --> 00:27:32,317
Republicans in Congress to
accept the invitation that's

585
00:27:32,317 --> 00:27:34,853
been on the table from
Democrats for months now to

586
00:27:34,853 --> 00:27:38,256
engage in bipartisan talks
to try to resolve the

587
00:27:38,256 --> 00:27:39,257
budget standoff.

588
00:27:39,257 --> 00:27:42,327
And we've taken what I
think is merely a realistic

589
00:27:42,327 --> 00:27:46,297
approach to acknowledging
the facts, which is that

590
00:27:46,297 --> 00:27:49,200
Republicans have put off
these talks for so long that

591
00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:51,636
it now is difficult to
imagine that they'd be able

592
00:27:51,636 --> 00:27:54,439
to reach a bipartisan
budget agreement before

593
00:27:54,439 --> 00:27:55,240
the deadline.

594
00:27:55,240 --> 00:28:02,113
So, that said, the
President's opposition to

595
00:28:02,113 --> 00:28:07,152
locking in the
sequester is steadfast.

596
00:28:07,152 --> 00:28:19,330
And that's why I would not
envision a long extension of

597
00:28:19,330 --> 00:28:23,802
funding at current levels,
but rather enough time for

598
00:28:23,802 --> 00:28:26,804
Congress to finally convene
the talks, reach an

599
00:28:26,805 --> 00:28:29,707
agreement, and implement
it, thereby avoiding a

600
00:28:29,707 --> 00:28:34,012
government shutdown but also
ensuring that our national

601
00:28:34,012 --> 00:28:36,014
security and economic
priorities are

602
00:28:36,014 --> 00:28:37,014
properly funded.

603
00:28:37,015 --> 00:28:39,050
The Press: One last quick
one on Hillary, since she

604
00:28:39,050 --> 00:28:40,318
seems to be in vogue today.

605
00:28:40,318 --> 00:28:43,488
I noticed yesterday in the
briefing you said that sort

606
00:28:43,488 --> 00:28:47,225
of what had been going on
with the Syrian -- the

607
00:28:47,225 --> 00:28:52,230
training of Syrian rebels
was an indication that those

608
00:28:52,230 --> 00:28:56,801
who had been kind of pushing
arming the Syrian rebels was

609
00:28:56,801 --> 00:28:58,870
the solution to the process
there had been wrong, and

610
00:28:58,870 --> 00:29:01,805
you said that it was time
for them to sort of admit it.

611
00:29:01,806 --> 00:29:03,608
I'm wondering if Secretary
Clinton is one of those

612
00:29:03,608 --> 00:29:06,177
people who you think should
be kind of admitting after

613
00:29:06,177 --> 00:29:08,480
this that she'd been
wrong on this issue.

614
00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:09,948
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
the point that I'm making is

615
00:29:09,948 --> 00:29:12,350
that there are some -- and
I would not put Secretary

616
00:29:12,350 --> 00:29:13,685
Clinton necessarily
in this category.

617
00:29:13,685 --> 00:29:16,287
There are some who have
suggested that this

618
00:29:16,287 --> 00:29:18,923
essentially the only
necessary part of the

619
00:29:18,923 --> 00:29:21,059
strategy for success
inside of Syria.

620
00:29:21,059 --> 00:29:26,297
And I'll let Secretary
Clinton describe her

621
00:29:26,297 --> 00:29:30,068
position, but I think that
she -- I feel confident in

622
00:29:30,068 --> 00:29:34,172
saying that she, while she
was in office and serving

623
00:29:34,172 --> 00:29:37,609
under the President, was
supportive of the kind of

624
00:29:37,609 --> 00:29:42,746
multilayered approach that
we've been pursuing inside

625
00:29:42,747 --> 00:29:43,748
of Syria.

626
00:29:43,748 --> 00:29:48,153
And that's everything from
airstrikes in support of

627
00:29:48,153 --> 00:29:54,659
operations on the ground;
some support for opposition

628
00:29:54,659 --> 00:29:58,363
groups inside of Syria that
have made important progress

629
00:29:58,363 --> 00:30:02,400
against ISIL there;
trying to prioritize the

630
00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:06,204
counter-financing operations
to essentially shut off the

631
00:30:06,204 --> 00:30:11,609
strategies that ISIL uses
to fund their activities.

632
00:30:11,609 --> 00:30:14,445
We've also been actively
working with our allies to

633
00:30:14,445 --> 00:30:17,048
-- and our partners to try
to stop the flow of foreign

634
00:30:17,048 --> 00:30:18,650
fighters to Syria.

635
00:30:18,650 --> 00:30:22,787
This is an important
multifaceted strategy that

636
00:30:22,787 --> 00:30:24,455
we're trying to
implement here.

637
00:30:24,455 --> 00:30:28,158
One aspect of that
strategy has been a

638
00:30:28,159 --> 00:30:30,161
training-and-equipping
operation.

639
00:30:30,161 --> 00:30:34,232
And as I mentioned earlier,
that is something that has

640
00:30:34,232 --> 00:30:37,435
proved to be even more
difficult than we expected,

641
00:30:37,435 --> 00:30:39,437
despite the important
cooperation that we've

642
00:30:39,437 --> 00:30:42,139
gotten from some other
countries in the region.

643
00:30:42,140 --> 00:30:45,210
So I think the reason that I
have cited this is that we

644
00:30:45,210 --> 00:30:49,747
have frequently found that
our most ardent critics when

645
00:30:49,747 --> 00:30:52,817
it comes to the situation in
Syria have very little to

646
00:30:52,817 --> 00:30:57,255
say when asked about
alternative policies that

647
00:30:57,255 --> 00:30:59,057
they think would
work better.

648
00:30:59,057 --> 00:31:02,460
And the most frequently
mentioned one is typically a

649
00:31:02,460 --> 00:31:07,465
backward-looking suggestion
that we should have at an

650
00:31:07,465 --> 00:31:11,502
earlier date been more
aggressive about providing

651
00:31:11,502 --> 00:31:15,240
arms to fighters, and
seeking to train and equip

652
00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:16,241
more of them.

653
00:31:16,241 --> 00:31:19,777
And the President's view
is that it would have been

654
00:31:19,777 --> 00:31:24,482
unwise to provide that
kind of assistance without

655
00:31:24,482 --> 00:31:27,552
thoroughly vetting and
getting to know the

656
00:31:27,552 --> 00:31:29,553
individuals who would
be receiving it.

657
00:31:32,423 --> 00:31:34,826
And there are good
historical lessons to be

658
00:31:34,826 --> 00:31:40,965
learned about the value
of being responsible when

659
00:31:40,965 --> 00:31:42,867
providing that
kind of assistance.

660
00:31:42,867 --> 00:31:43,635
Byron.

661
00:31:43,635 --> 00:31:44,402
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

662
00:31:44,402 --> 00:31:46,437
There's an independent
report out today that says

663
00:31:46,437 --> 00:31:49,907
the VA needs a
"system-wide reworking."

664
00:31:49,907 --> 00:31:52,310
The report says that the
VA has significant flaws,

665
00:31:52,310 --> 00:31:55,245
including the blow to
bureaucracy, problems with

666
00:31:55,246 --> 00:31:57,248
leadership, and a
potentially unsustainable

667
00:31:57,248 --> 00:31:58,683
capital budget.

668
00:31:58,683 --> 00:32:00,852
Can I get the White House
reaction to this report?

669
00:32:00,852 --> 00:32:03,321
Mr. Earnest: Byron, I
haven't seen the report.

670
00:32:03,321 --> 00:32:06,224
I've heard, though, that
it's some 1,400 pages long.

671
00:32:06,224 --> 00:32:09,560
So I don't have a
comprehensive response to

672
00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:10,561
offer you.

673
00:32:10,561 --> 00:32:12,562
I will just say, as a
general matter, the

674
00:32:12,563 --> 00:32:16,200
President has made it a
priority to ensure that

675
00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:19,270
America's veterans are
getting the kind of health

676
00:32:19,270 --> 00:32:23,841
care and benefits that they
have so richly earned.

677
00:32:23,841 --> 00:32:26,209
And the President and
this administration have

678
00:32:26,210 --> 00:32:29,914
implemented a variety of
reforms, including the

679
00:32:29,914 --> 00:32:34,052
nomination of Bob McDonald
to the VA Secretary.

680
00:32:34,052 --> 00:32:36,521
He's somebody that had a
particular experience in the

681
00:32:36,521 --> 00:32:39,890
private sector when it comes
to customer service and

682
00:32:39,891 --> 00:32:44,228
understanding processes
and operations to try to

683
00:32:44,228 --> 00:32:47,298
streamline and reform
the processes at the VA.

684
00:32:47,298 --> 00:32:50,802
And the early metrics of the
reforms that he's put in

685
00:32:50,802 --> 00:32:53,937
place are encouraging.

686
00:32:53,938 --> 00:32:55,273
We've made
important progress.

687
00:32:55,273 --> 00:33:00,244
But the President, Secretary
McDonald and other senior

688
00:33:00,244 --> 00:33:03,313
officials at the VA are not
going to rest until we have

689
00:33:03,314 --> 00:33:05,316
accomplished our goal of
making sure that all of our

690
00:33:05,316 --> 00:33:09,921
veterans are getting the
kind of care and benefits

691
00:33:09,921 --> 00:33:12,190
that they deserve on time.

692
00:33:12,190 --> 00:33:15,593
The Press: I know you were
asked about this yesterday,

693
00:33:15,593 --> 00:33:18,096
but we reported today that
a transgender Catholic

694
00:33:18,096 --> 00:33:22,767
activist, an outspoken nun,
and a gay episcopal bishop

695
00:33:22,767 --> 00:33:24,135
will all be here at the
White House for the

696
00:33:24,135 --> 00:33:25,970
Pope's visit.

697
00:33:25,970 --> 00:33:28,439
Is the White House trying to
make a statement by inviting

698
00:33:28,439 --> 00:33:30,508
these folks?

699
00:33:30,508 --> 00:33:34,145
Is the White House planning
on raising any LGBT issues

700
00:33:34,145 --> 00:33:37,949
with the Pope
when he's here?

701
00:33:37,949 --> 00:33:43,554
Mr. Earnest: Byron, I think
the goal here is to invite

702
00:33:43,554 --> 00:33:47,291
up to 15,000 people to the
South Lawn of the White

703
00:33:47,291 --> 00:33:50,395
House and the Ellipse to
welcome the Pope to the

704
00:33:50,395 --> 00:33:51,396
White House.

705
00:33:51,396 --> 00:33:55,466
And there's been
overwhelming interest in

706
00:33:55,466 --> 00:33:57,467
attending that ceremony.

707
00:33:57,468 --> 00:34:03,141
And we've worked with
religious organizations,

708
00:34:03,141 --> 00:34:05,376
including some Catholic
organizations, to distribute

709
00:34:05,376 --> 00:34:07,578
tickets to that event.

710
00:34:07,578 --> 00:34:12,617
And we would expect a wide
variety of Americans, who

711
00:34:12,617 --> 00:34:17,155
are enthused about the
opportunity, to see the Pope.

712
00:34:17,155 --> 00:34:22,693
And I think that reflects
the Pope's stature and the

713
00:34:22,693 --> 00:34:27,165
significance of his visit,
and the way that he has

714
00:34:27,165 --> 00:34:32,603
inspired so many Americans,
including a bunch of us that

715
00:34:32,603 --> 00:34:33,938
aren't Catholic.

716
00:34:33,938 --> 00:34:38,843
So I would expect that there
would be a diverse crowd on

717
00:34:38,842 --> 00:34:42,013
the South Lawn of the White
House and on the Ellipse to

718
00:34:42,013 --> 00:34:44,014
attend that ceremony.

719
00:34:44,014 --> 00:34:46,917
And again, I think the
diversity of that crowd

720
00:34:46,918 --> 00:34:50,455
reflects the diversity of
people in this country that

721
00:34:50,455 --> 00:34:55,259
are moved by the teachings
and actions of this Pope.

722
00:34:55,259 --> 00:34:55,927
The Press: One more.

723
00:34:55,927 --> 00:34:59,764
You've said that the power
to determine oil export

724
00:34:59,764 --> 00:35:02,600
rules properly belongs at
the Commerce Department.

725
00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:03,334
Is that correct?

726
00:35:03,334 --> 00:35:04,000
Mr. Earnest:
That is correct.

727
00:35:04,001 --> 00:35:05,837
The Press: If my memory
serves, didn't the President

728
00:35:05,837 --> 00:35:07,872
propose eliminating the
Commerce Department?

729
00:35:07,872 --> 00:35:12,210
And if he still supports
that plan, what agency does

730
00:35:12,210 --> 00:35:15,913
he think that power belongs
to, or should belong to?

731
00:35:15,913 --> 00:35:17,815
And why not Congress?

732
00:35:17,815 --> 00:35:20,017
Mr. Earnest: Byron, I
believe what the President

733
00:35:20,017 --> 00:35:24,020
proposed several years ago
is merging the Commerce

734
00:35:24,021 --> 00:35:27,391
Department with a number of
other government agencies

735
00:35:27,391 --> 00:35:29,627
that have I think what you
could call

736
00:35:29,627 --> 00:35:32,864
overlapping jurisdictions.

737
00:35:32,864 --> 00:35:37,635
And this is a process that
I think got started over at

738
00:35:37,635 --> 00:35:39,804
OMB, I believe -- they
started taking a look at this.

739
00:35:39,804 --> 00:35:44,342
But ironically we've run
into some pretty stiff

740
00:35:44,342 --> 00:35:46,911
congressional opposition
to putting in place what I

741
00:35:46,911 --> 00:35:48,913
think otherwise could be
described at some pretty

742
00:35:48,913 --> 00:35:50,348
common-sense reforms.

743
00:35:50,348 --> 00:35:54,852
The goal of making those
changes is not to shirk

744
00:35:54,852 --> 00:35:58,422
basic governmental
responsibility, like

745
00:35:58,422 --> 00:36:01,225
determining the policies
about oil exports, but

746
00:36:01,225 --> 00:36:04,295
rather to make sure that
those policies are made and

747
00:36:04,295 --> 00:36:06,931
coordinated more
efficiently.

748
00:36:06,931 --> 00:36:11,335
And that was the goal of
that particular proposal,

749
00:36:11,335 --> 00:36:15,673
but it hasn't made much
progress in the face of

750
00:36:15,673 --> 00:36:18,575
stiff opposition from
Republicans in Capitol Hill.

751
00:36:18,576 --> 00:36:20,311
The Press: But under those
common-sense reforms, where

752
00:36:20,311 --> 00:36:23,948
would the power to determine
oil exports go, do you know?

753
00:36:23,948 --> 00:36:29,220
Mr. Earnest: Presumably it
would -- I haven't looked at

754
00:36:29,220 --> 00:36:31,488
specific proposals
in quite some time.

755
00:36:31,489 --> 00:36:33,524
I don't know if there was
a proposal to move it to

756
00:36:33,524 --> 00:36:37,194
another existing agency,
or if that authority would

757
00:36:37,194 --> 00:36:41,432
reside in the newly
formed agency.

758
00:36:41,432 --> 00:36:43,167
Mark.

759
00:36:43,167 --> 00:36:45,369
The Press: Josh, you
mentioned the Business

760
00:36:45,369 --> 00:36:48,406
Roundtable speech
a little while ago.

761
00:36:48,406 --> 00:36:52,076
In that speech, President
Obama stressed that the

762
00:36:52,076 --> 00:36:55,179
deficits have come down on
his watch, but he didn't

763
00:36:55,179 --> 00:36:58,883
mention the extent to which
the national debt has risen

764
00:36:58,883 --> 00:36:59,984
on his watch.

765
00:36:59,984 --> 00:37:02,086
In fact, he rarely
mentions the debt.

766
00:37:02,086 --> 00:37:06,089
Is that an oversight, or
does he not fear that is a

767
00:37:06,090 --> 00:37:08,392
heavy burden on the economy?

768
00:37:08,392 --> 00:37:13,598
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think,
Mark, what most economists

769
00:37:13,598 --> 00:37:17,435
and the President are
focused on is the

770
00:37:17,435 --> 00:37:20,605
sustainability of the debt.

771
00:37:20,605 --> 00:37:25,376
And that is why we have been
so focused on driving down

772
00:37:25,376 --> 00:37:32,650
the deficit to try to get to
a level that is sustainable

773
00:37:32,650 --> 00:37:36,053
compared to the overall
size of the economy.

774
00:37:36,053 --> 00:37:38,154
And that's the case that
we have regularly made.

775
00:37:38,155 --> 00:37:40,625
I know that case has often
fallen on deaf ears when

776
00:37:40,625 --> 00:37:42,693
talking to some
Republicans about this.

777
00:37:42,693 --> 00:37:46,964
But the fact is, the best
way for us to pursue a

778
00:37:46,964 --> 00:37:49,866
responsible budget approach
is to make smart spending

779
00:37:49,867 --> 00:37:54,705
decisions that reduces
the deficit down to a

780
00:37:54,705 --> 00:37:58,109
sustainable level without
shortchanging the kinds of

781
00:37:58,109 --> 00:38:00,277
investments that are so
critical to overall

782
00:38:00,277 --> 00:38:01,545
economic growth.

783
00:38:01,545 --> 00:38:06,917
That overall economic growth
is significant to preserving

784
00:38:06,917 --> 00:38:07,918
some fiscal stability.

785
00:38:07,918 --> 00:38:12,156
And we've made remarkable
progress over the

786
00:38:12,156 --> 00:38:15,159
President's tenure in office
in reducing the deficit by

787
00:38:15,159 --> 00:38:17,161
nearly two-thirds
at this point.

788
00:38:17,161 --> 00:38:19,730
The Press: Does President
Obama believe the debt

789
00:38:19,730 --> 00:38:20,498
is sustainable?

790
00:38:20,498 --> 00:38:24,669
Mr. Earnest: Well, at this
point, Mark, what economists

791
00:38:24,669 --> 00:38:29,540
tell us is that getting
the debt and deficit -- or

792
00:38:29,540 --> 00:38:33,277
getting the deficit down
to this level below three

793
00:38:33,277 --> 00:38:39,216
percent does sort of put us
on a sustainable trajectory,

794
00:38:39,216 --> 00:38:42,553
and will allow us to
continue to make smart

795
00:38:42,553 --> 00:38:45,321
investments that we know are
critical to economic growth

796
00:38:45,322 --> 00:38:48,592
while at the same time
ensuring that we're making

797
00:38:48,592 --> 00:38:49,960
responsible
fiscal decisions.

798
00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:52,830
The Press: On another
subject, in an interview

799
00:38:52,830 --> 00:38:57,101
this week with "60 Minutes,"
President Rouhani was asked

800
00:38:57,101 --> 00:39:00,671
about the oft used chant
by Iranians, "death to

801
00:39:00,671 --> 00:39:03,607
America," and he said it's
not aimed at the American

802
00:39:03,607 --> 00:39:05,976
people, but
American policies.

803
00:39:05,976 --> 00:39:07,178
Do you believe that?

804
00:39:07,178 --> 00:39:09,212
Does that give you any
source for comfort?

805
00:39:09,213 --> 00:39:13,184
Mr. Earnest: I haven't seen
the entire interview at this

806
00:39:13,184 --> 00:39:15,653
point, so I think I'll
withhold judgment on that

807
00:39:15,653 --> 00:39:17,754
until we get a chance
to see the interview.

808
00:39:17,755 --> 00:39:19,156
But I think it's going to
air on Sunday night, right?

809
00:39:19,156 --> 00:39:19,724
The Press: Right.

810
00:39:19,724 --> 00:39:21,625
Mr. Earnest: So
there's the free plug.

811
00:39:21,625 --> 00:39:23,728
(laughter)

812
00:39:23,728 --> 00:39:24,662
Kevin.

813
00:39:24,662 --> 00:39:28,232
The Press: Josh, thanks.

814
00:39:28,232 --> 00:39:32,536
Just a quick one on UNGA,
and you talked a little bit

815
00:39:32,536 --> 00:39:36,173
earlier about making
agreements with China on

816
00:39:36,173 --> 00:39:37,274
climate change.

817
00:39:37,274 --> 00:39:40,144
Have you made any headway
in conversations with other

818
00:39:40,144 --> 00:39:42,580
emerging economies, large
economies, like Brazil and

819
00:39:42,580 --> 00:39:45,348
India, ahead of
Paris, in particular?

820
00:39:45,349 --> 00:39:47,918
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
an update on the status of

821
00:39:47,918 --> 00:39:49,920
deliberations in
those other countries.

822
00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:51,956
I think that we've been
quite clear that when the

823
00:39:51,956 --> 00:39:54,692
President has met with the
leaders of those countries

824
00:39:54,692 --> 00:39:58,395
this is an issue that rates
highly on their agenda.

825
00:39:58,395 --> 00:40:00,865
The President traveled to
India at the beginning of

826
00:40:00,865 --> 00:40:04,435
this year and climate change
was among the topics that

827
00:40:04,435 --> 00:40:07,304
was discussed between
the two leaders.

828
00:40:07,304 --> 00:40:09,807
And you saw at the news
conference that President

829
00:40:09,807 --> 00:40:11,942
Obama convened with
President Rousseff where

830
00:40:11,942 --> 00:40:15,279
they talked about the
importance of continued

831
00:40:15,279 --> 00:40:21,152
U.S.-Brazilian cooperation
when it comes to steps that

832
00:40:21,152 --> 00:40:23,387
would address climate
change and reducing

833
00:40:23,387 --> 00:40:24,388
carbon pollution.

834
00:40:24,388 --> 00:40:27,658
So these issues are
certainly on the agenda at

835
00:40:27,658 --> 00:40:31,395
the presidential level, and
I know that there are other

836
00:40:31,395 --> 00:40:33,731
conversations between
officials in our countries

837
00:40:33,731 --> 00:40:36,033
and those countries that you
mentioned about this topic

838
00:40:36,033 --> 00:40:37,034
that are ongoing.

839
00:40:37,034 --> 00:40:39,036
The Press: I know we've also
talked a little bit in here

840
00:40:39,036 --> 00:40:44,441
about so-called manipulation
of intelligence information.

841
00:40:44,441 --> 00:40:46,442
Recently we heard from
the head of the House

842
00:40:46,443 --> 00:40:48,612
Intelligence Committee that
he believes that as far back

843
00:40:48,612 --> 00:40:52,650
as 2012, intelligence may
have been manipulated.

844
00:40:52,650 --> 00:40:54,451
Any response to that?

845
00:40:54,451 --> 00:40:57,755
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
what we are focused on is

846
00:40:57,755 --> 00:41:00,858
dealing in facts and in
evidence, and that's exactly

847
00:41:00,858 --> 00:41:03,928
what the Inspector General
is taking a look at.

848
00:41:03,928 --> 00:41:06,964
And so I'm going to withhold
judgment on that until the

849
00:41:06,964 --> 00:41:09,900
Inspector General's
work has been completed.

850
00:41:09,900 --> 00:41:11,902
I'll just restate the
principle that I've stated

851
00:41:11,902 --> 00:41:14,972
before, which is that this
President and senior members

852
00:41:14,972 --> 00:41:18,342
of his team are not
interested in cooked-up

853
00:41:18,342 --> 00:41:20,978
numbers or doctored facts;
they're actually interested

854
00:41:20,978 --> 00:41:24,682
in ground truth because that
is what will best serve the

855
00:41:24,682 --> 00:41:26,683
policymaking and
decision-making process that

856
00:41:26,684 --> 00:41:28,686
the President takes
quite seriously.

857
00:41:28,686 --> 00:41:30,654
The Press: And simply
for the record, without

858
00:41:30,654 --> 00:41:32,723
qualification, no one in
this administration exerted

859
00:41:32,723 --> 00:41:36,660
any pressure on anyone at
the intelligence level to

860
00:41:36,660 --> 00:41:39,562
shade or create an
environment that was in any

861
00:41:39,563 --> 00:41:40,564
way inaccurate?

862
00:41:40,564 --> 00:41:42,566
Mr. Earnest: Well, I'm
certainly not aware of

863
00:41:42,566 --> 00:41:43,567
anything like that.

864
00:41:43,567 --> 00:41:45,569
Certainly the President
wouldn't approve of anything

865
00:41:45,569 --> 00:41:46,570
like that.

866
00:41:46,570 --> 00:41:48,772
But again, I don't even
think that's the accusation

867
00:41:48,772 --> 00:41:50,941
that the Inspector General
is investigating at this point.

868
00:41:50,941 --> 00:41:52,877
The Inspector General, I
believe -- it the Department

869
00:41:52,877 --> 00:41:55,312
of Defense Inspector General
that is considering actions

870
00:41:55,312 --> 00:41:59,415
that may or may not have
been taken by a range of

871
00:41:59,416 --> 00:42:02,119
officials inside the
Department of Defense.

872
00:42:02,119 --> 00:42:03,787
I don't think there's any
accusations that have been

873
00:42:03,787 --> 00:42:07,491
made against White
House officials.

874
00:42:07,491 --> 00:42:08,926
The Press: And just
two more, real quick.

875
00:42:08,926 --> 00:42:12,930
H.R.3504 says it would
impose new legal

876
00:42:12,930 --> 00:42:16,533
requirements related to
the provision of abortion

877
00:42:16,533 --> 00:42:18,801
services in certain
circumstances which would

878
00:42:18,802 --> 00:42:21,939
likely have a chilling
effect, reducing access to

879
00:42:21,939 --> 00:42:24,875
care -- that was part of a
statement that you all made

880
00:42:24,875 --> 00:42:28,078
about the Born Alive
Abortion Survivors

881
00:42:28,078 --> 00:42:29,246
Protection Act.

882
00:42:29,246 --> 00:42:32,383
I just want to ask you about
your statement -- it would

883
00:42:32,383 --> 00:42:36,620
likely have a chilling
effect on access.

884
00:42:36,620 --> 00:42:39,423
Do you have any empirical
evidence to prove that?

885
00:42:39,423 --> 00:42:41,125
Or is there something
that you're pointing to

886
00:42:41,125 --> 00:42:43,694
specifically and you can
say that's what happened?

887
00:42:43,694 --> 00:42:45,729
Mr. Earnest: Well, I do
think that is the assessment

888
00:42:45,729 --> 00:42:48,698
of many public health
professionals who have taken

889
00:42:48,699 --> 00:42:51,936
a look at this, that
essentially this kind of

890
00:42:51,936 --> 00:42:55,372
legislation could serve
to put some health care

891
00:42:55,372 --> 00:42:58,107
providers out of business,
and those are health care

892
00:42:58,108 --> 00:43:02,346
providers that many families
rely on on a regular basis.

893
00:43:02,346 --> 00:43:07,985
So we can refer you to a
health care expert that may

894
00:43:07,985 --> 00:43:11,155
have more specific
explanation to describe to

895
00:43:11,155 --> 00:43:12,156
you if you would like.

896
00:43:12,156 --> 00:43:14,158
The Press: And because it's
Friday, I always like to

897
00:43:14,158 --> 00:43:16,160
throw a sports
question in there.

898
00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:17,027
You're a Kansas
City guy, right?

899
00:43:17,027 --> 00:43:17,761
Mr. Earnest: Yeah.

900
00:43:17,761 --> 00:43:19,930
The Press: So how about that
loss to the Broncos last night?

901
00:43:19,930 --> 00:43:23,667
Any words for the
down-trodden folks in Kansas

902
00:43:23,667 --> 00:43:27,304
City after suffering what
had to be a brutal loss

903
00:43:27,304 --> 00:43:27,972
last night?

904
00:43:27,972 --> 00:43:29,039
(laughter)

905
00:43:29,039 --> 00:43:30,040
Mr. Earnest: I think
"brutal" is the way to

906
00:43:30,040 --> 00:43:30,941
describe it.

907
00:43:30,941 --> 00:43:33,077
It was quite disappointing.

908
00:43:33,077 --> 00:43:36,680
I think what I would say
is that I think it's after

909
00:43:36,680 --> 00:43:38,515
tough losses like that that
character is revealed.

910
00:43:38,515 --> 00:43:41,819
And I think we're going to
learn about this team in the

911
00:43:41,819 --> 00:43:44,321
next couple of weeks, and
how they respond to it I

912
00:43:44,321 --> 00:43:47,124
think will give us a very
good indication of how

913
00:43:47,124 --> 00:43:49,792
optimistic we can be about
the rest of the year.

914
00:43:49,793 --> 00:43:51,795
So we'll be tuning in on
Monday to see how they fare

915
00:43:51,795 --> 00:43:53,564
against the Packers.

916
00:43:53,564 --> 00:43:54,565
Next Monday, of course.

917
00:43:54,565 --> 00:43:55,566
Chris.

918
00:43:55,566 --> 00:43:57,567
The Press: Well, if that's
how you measure character,

919
00:43:57,568 --> 00:43:59,103
as a lifelong Cleveland fan,
I just want to say I have a

920
00:43:59,103 --> 00:43:59,470
lot of it.

921
00:43:59,470 --> 00:44:00,504
(laughter)

922
00:44:00,504 --> 00:44:01,538
But that's neither
here nor there.

923
00:44:01,538 --> 00:44:03,607
Let me ask about the meeting
yesterday, 90 minutes of the

924
00:44:03,607 --> 00:44:05,209
leaders and the President.

925
00:44:05,209 --> 00:44:07,310
When they came out, Nancy
Pelosi suggested that she

926
00:44:07,311 --> 00:44:09,279
was still optimistic about a
budget deal, and Harry Reid

927
00:44:09,279 --> 00:44:13,417
kind of joked that he's
always on the other end of

928
00:44:13,417 --> 00:44:14,651
the spectrum.

929
00:44:14,651 --> 00:44:16,486
And I wonder where the
President is -- is he closer

930
00:44:16,487 --> 00:44:19,590
to Nancy Pelosi right now,
or Harry Reid on prospects

931
00:44:19,590 --> 00:44:21,325
for a deal?

932
00:44:21,325 --> 00:44:25,194
Mr. Earnest: Well, I would
say that I think right now

933
00:44:25,195 --> 00:44:29,666
the President is in the mode
of trying to find some cause

934
00:44:29,666 --> 00:44:30,834
for optimism.

935
00:44:30,834 --> 00:44:34,638
The Press: Successfully
trying to find --

936
00:44:34,638 --> 00:44:37,241
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
it's still a work in progress.

937
00:44:37,241 --> 00:44:41,845
The President is -- we know
-- and again, when I say

938
00:44:41,845 --> 00:44:45,281
"we," I don't just mean the
President and me; I mean

939
00:44:45,282 --> 00:44:47,284
that anybody who's been
observing these sort of

940
00:44:47,284 --> 00:44:50,454
budget battles over the
years, we know how to solve

941
00:44:50,454 --> 00:44:53,724
this problem and we know
what it takes to avoid a

942
00:44:53,724 --> 00:44:57,961
government shutdown and to
make the kind of bipartisan

943
00:44:57,961 --> 00:45:00,531
compromises that are
so clearly in the best

944
00:45:00,531 --> 00:45:03,801
interests of the
country and our economy.

945
00:45:03,801 --> 00:45:06,103
And the best way to reach
those compromises is for

946
00:45:06,103 --> 00:45:08,972
Democrats and Republicans to
sit down together in good

947
00:45:08,972 --> 00:45:11,075
faith and broker
a compromise.

948
00:45:11,075 --> 00:45:15,511
And it will yield a
compromise that I feel

949
00:45:15,512 --> 00:45:19,283
confident in predicting will
have me saying things like,

950
00:45:19,283 --> 00:45:21,285
"this piece of legislation
is not perfect, but the

951
00:45:21,285 --> 00:45:23,287
President is prepared to
sign it because he knows

952
00:45:23,287 --> 00:45:24,087
that it's good
for the economy."

953
00:45:24,088 --> 00:45:27,391
And my counterparts on the
other side of the aisle can

954
00:45:27,391 --> 00:45:29,893
certainly say
the same thing.

955
00:45:29,893 --> 00:45:32,963
That's what we're
looking for here.

956
00:45:32,963 --> 00:45:35,065
We're not looking for the perfect piece of legislation.

957
00:45:35,065 --> 00:45:37,067
We're just looking for
the kind of bipartisan

958
00:45:37,067 --> 00:45:39,703
compromise that prevents a
government shutdown, that

959
00:45:39,703 --> 00:45:41,705
adequately funds our
national security

960
00:45:41,705 --> 00:45:44,508
priorities, and makes sure
that we're not shortchanging

961
00:45:44,508 --> 00:45:46,509
the kinds of investments
that are critical to the

962
00:45:46,510 --> 00:45:48,512
success of
middle-class families.

963
00:45:48,512 --> 00:45:49,513
That's the recipe.

964
00:45:49,513 --> 00:45:50,514
That's the package.

965
00:45:50,514 --> 00:45:53,250
And it shouldn't be too hard
to find some bipartisan

966
00:45:53,250 --> 00:45:54,251
common ground on that.

967
00:45:54,251 --> 00:45:56,253
I would acknowledge that the
devil is in the details and

968
00:45:56,253 --> 00:45:58,922
we're going to have some
differences of opinion about

969
00:45:58,922 --> 00:46:01,024
how to implement
those priorities.

970
00:46:01,024 --> 00:46:03,026
But if we're guided by those
priorities and we're guided

971
00:46:03,026 --> 00:46:07,096
by the best interests of
the American people, then a

972
00:46:07,097 --> 00:46:13,537
budget agreement
should be achievable.

973
00:46:13,537 --> 00:46:15,571
So I guess that puts -- let
me say, I think that at

974
00:46:15,572 --> 00:46:17,708
least puts me in
the optimism camp.

975
00:46:17,708 --> 00:46:19,843
The Press: There are 12 days
to go, though, and a lot of

976
00:46:19,843 --> 00:46:21,345
that time they'll just have
-- the House is scheduled

977
00:46:21,345 --> 00:46:22,578
not to be in session.

978
00:46:22,579 --> 00:46:24,948
Do you have any doubt that
this is going to go down to

979
00:46:24,948 --> 00:46:26,750
the wire, to the
29th or 30th?

980
00:46:26,750 --> 00:46:29,586
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
that is typical of Congress

981
00:46:29,586 --> 00:46:32,122
that they're going to wait
until the very last minute

982
00:46:32,122 --> 00:46:33,123
before they make a decision.

983
00:46:33,123 --> 00:46:36,760
So I would not be surprised
if we're a day or two before

984
00:46:36,760 --> 00:46:39,696
the deadline and we're still
waiting on Congress to pass

985
00:46:39,696 --> 00:46:41,698
legislation to at least
prevent a shutdown.

986
00:46:41,698 --> 00:46:45,134
But what we're interested in
-- and as Leader Reid and

987
00:46:45,135 --> 00:46:50,374
Leader Pelosi indicated
yesterday, we're willing to

988
00:46:50,374 --> 00:46:57,346
go along with a short-term
CR to give members of

989
00:46:57,347 --> 00:47:01,985
Congress time to negotiate
a budget agreement, but it

990
00:47:01,985 --> 00:47:03,987
shouldn't require
that much time.

991
00:47:03,987 --> 00:47:06,356
And what it will require,
though, is a willingness on

992
00:47:06,356 --> 00:47:08,592
the part of Republicans to
actually sit down at the

993
00:47:08,592 --> 00:47:10,594
negotiating table
with Democrats.

994
00:47:10,594 --> 00:47:12,596
That's something they've
refused to do thus far.

995
00:47:12,596 --> 00:47:14,598
The Press: Just one
on another topic.

996
00:47:14,598 --> 00:47:15,632
The President tweeted a
couple days ago about the

997
00:47:15,632 --> 00:47:19,336
14-year-old Muslim boy
and said, "Cool clock."

998
00:47:19,336 --> 00:47:22,973
And you stood at the podium
and talked about people

999
00:47:22,973 --> 00:47:25,442
examining their conscience
and unreasoned prejudice.

1000
00:47:25,442 --> 00:47:30,180
And I'm wondering -- not to
overly conflate things --

1001
00:47:30,180 --> 00:47:33,917
but in refusing to make any
comment when the audience

1002
00:47:33,917 --> 00:47:37,988
member said what he said
yesterday, last night, did

1003
00:47:37,988 --> 00:47:41,091
Donald Trump show prejudice?

1004
00:47:41,091 --> 00:47:44,661
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I don't think I'm going to

1005
00:47:44,661 --> 00:47:45,829
opine on that.

1006
00:47:45,829 --> 00:47:50,133
I think what he did show is
a willingness to countenance

1007
00:47:50,133 --> 00:47:52,202
the offensive views of at
least one member of his

1008
00:47:52,202 --> 00:47:55,505
audience in order to try to
win political support for

1009
00:47:55,505 --> 00:47:56,773
his campaign.

1010
00:47:56,773 --> 00:48:00,577
And we have seen far
too many leaders in the

1011
00:48:00,577 --> 00:48:02,980
Republican Party
successfully use that

1012
00:48:02,980 --> 00:48:04,982
strategy in a
rather cynical way.

1013
00:48:04,982 --> 00:48:10,988
And pursuing that kind of
strategy has consequences.

1014
00:48:14,124 --> 00:48:16,225
And it has consequences when
it comes to trying to govern

1015
00:48:16,226 --> 00:48:21,231
the country, and it has
consequences when your name

1016
00:48:21,231 --> 00:48:24,501
is on the ballot and you're
being considered by the voters.

1017
00:48:26,536 --> 00:48:27,537
Jerome.

1018
00:48:27,537 --> 00:48:30,841
The Press: The President of
France has now officially or

1019
00:48:30,841 --> 00:48:33,676
formally invited all world
leaders for the heads of

1020
00:48:33,677 --> 00:48:35,912
state summit that will take
place at the very beginning

1021
00:48:35,912 --> 00:48:37,547
of the climate
conference in Paris.

1022
00:48:37,547 --> 00:48:39,516
Will the President attend
that summit, which is

1023
00:48:39,516 --> 00:48:41,418
scheduled for November 30th?

1024
00:48:41,418 --> 00:48:43,687
Mr. Earnest: Jerome, at this
point, I don't have travel

1025
00:48:43,687 --> 00:48:47,223
plans for the President
to announce yet.

1026
00:48:47,224 --> 00:48:50,360
Obviously you heard me
earlier when I talked about

1027
00:48:50,360 --> 00:48:53,297
important the President and
the administration believes

1028
00:48:53,297 --> 00:48:56,767
those climate talks are, but
I don't have any updates on

1029
00:48:56,767 --> 00:48:58,201
the President's travel
schedule at this point.

1030
00:48:58,201 --> 00:48:59,236
The Press: Does he have
reservations about the summit?

1031
00:48:59,236 --> 00:49:05,075
Mr. Earnest: No, I think the
President is hopeful about

1032
00:49:05,075 --> 00:49:06,375
the prospects
for the summit.

1033
00:49:06,376 --> 00:49:08,378
But it's going to require
a lot of hard work.

1034
00:49:08,378 --> 00:49:11,348
It's going to require a
serious commitment on the

1035
00:49:11,348 --> 00:49:13,984
part of countries around the
world to this effort, and

1036
00:49:13,984 --> 00:49:15,986
there's still a lot of
important work to be done.

1037
00:49:18,221 --> 00:49:20,223
But as it relates to the
President's travel, I just

1038
00:49:20,223 --> 00:49:20,791
don't have any
updates quite yet.

1039
00:49:20,791 --> 00:49:22,959
Steve.

1040
00:49:22,959 --> 00:49:23,894
The Press: Yes.

1041
00:49:23,894 --> 00:49:28,332
So Secretary of State John
Kerry was talking about not

1042
00:49:28,332 --> 00:49:32,102
having a long-term presence
of Assad as the

1043
00:49:32,102 --> 00:49:33,569
President of Syria.

1044
00:49:33,570 --> 00:49:37,341
I'm wondering if the
President -- our President

1045
00:49:37,341 --> 00:49:42,946
-- would consider that to
be anything -- if Assad is

1046
00:49:42,946 --> 00:49:45,649
still President of Syria
when the President leaves

1047
00:49:45,649 --> 00:49:49,920
office in a year and a half,
would that be long term?

1048
00:49:49,920 --> 00:49:53,190
Is there any scenario where
he could countenance Assad

1049
00:49:53,190 --> 00:49:54,424
staying in office past him?

1050
00:49:54,424 --> 00:49:59,396
Mr. Earnest: Well, Steve,
ultimately the view of our

1051
00:49:59,396 --> 00:50:03,400
policy position is simply
that President Assad has

1052
00:50:03,400 --> 00:50:06,236
lost the legitimacy
to lead that country.

1053
00:50:06,236 --> 00:50:08,971
He's lost legitimacy to lead
that country because he has

1054
00:50:08,972 --> 00:50:12,642
shown a willingness, even a
propensity, for using the

1055
00:50:12,642 --> 00:50:15,678
military might of that
country to carry out

1056
00:50:15,679 --> 00:50:18,081
terrible acts of violence
against the Syrian people.

1057
00:50:20,717 --> 00:50:24,154
The kinds of atrocities
that we've seen are

1058
00:50:24,154 --> 00:50:25,155
stomach-turning.

1059
00:50:25,155 --> 00:50:30,494
And it has led to a
whole domino effect of

1060
00:50:30,494 --> 00:50:34,297
consequences that have
greatly destabilized that

1061
00:50:34,297 --> 00:50:35,799
region of the world.

1062
00:50:35,799 --> 00:50:40,303
We've seen extremist groups,
including ISIL but not just

1063
00:50:40,303 --> 00:50:43,740
ISIL, operate much more
freely in that country.

1064
00:50:43,740 --> 00:50:47,611
We have seen millions of
Syrians flee their homes,

1065
00:50:47,611 --> 00:50:51,181
trying to escape violence.

1066
00:50:51,181 --> 00:50:53,717
Many of those Syrians are
still inside of Syria;

1067
00:50:53,717 --> 00:50:56,253
they're just
internally displaced.

1068
00:50:56,253 --> 00:50:58,255
Millions of other Syrians
have had to leave the

1069
00:50:58,255 --> 00:51:02,726
country entirely in
search of refuge.

1070
00:51:02,726 --> 00:51:05,729
All of those things, all
those terrible things are a

1071
00:51:05,729 --> 00:51:08,564
consequence of President
Assad's failed leadership.

1072
00:51:08,565 --> 00:51:10,634
And that's why, for years,
the administration position

1073
00:51:10,634 --> 00:51:14,070
has been that
he should leave.

1074
00:51:14,070 --> 00:51:16,573
That's also why the
administration has readily

1075
00:51:16,573 --> 00:51:19,276
acknowledged that, for all
of our military activities

1076
00:51:19,276 --> 00:51:23,580
inside of Syria, which are
critical to our strategy for

1077
00:51:23,580 --> 00:51:25,582
degrading and ultimately
destroying ISIL, and

1078
00:51:25,582 --> 00:51:29,986
critical to protecting the
American people, we know

1079
00:51:29,986 --> 00:51:33,423
that ultimately the solution
is a diplomatic one that

1080
00:51:33,423 --> 00:51:36,459
brings about the kind of
political transition inside

1081
00:51:36,460 --> 00:51:38,695
of Syria that's
long overdue.

1082
00:51:38,695 --> 00:51:46,069
Only by putting in place
more stable, effective and

1083
00:51:46,069 --> 00:51:49,573
legitimate leadership inside
of Syria are we going to

1084
00:51:49,573 --> 00:51:52,843
address the root cause of so
many of these problems that

1085
00:51:52,843 --> 00:51:54,344
plague the Middle
East right now.

1086
00:51:54,344 --> 00:51:58,682
The Press: Given that I've
heard similar statements

1087
00:51:58,682 --> 00:52:01,350
from the podium for three
or four years now --

1088
00:52:01,351 --> 00:52:02,219
Mr. Earnest: It's true.

1089
00:52:02,219 --> 00:52:04,921
The Press: -- and the
complete failure of the

1090
00:52:04,921 --> 00:52:09,725
train-and-equip mission and
any sign that Assad is going

1091
00:52:09,726 --> 00:52:13,497
to leave, is there anything
that gives this President or

1092
00:52:13,497 --> 00:52:17,701
this White House any
confidence that come January

1093
00:52:17,701 --> 00:52:20,470
20th, 2017, Assad is not
going to still be there,

1094
00:52:20,470 --> 00:52:24,207
still in power, propped
up by Russia, while the

1095
00:52:24,207 --> 00:52:28,612
President is off
with his library?

1096
00:52:28,612 --> 00:52:33,683
Is there anything that he
is doing, any new look at

1097
00:52:33,683 --> 00:52:37,921
revamping his strategy that
would get Assad out of power

1098
00:52:37,921 --> 00:52:40,123
before that?

1099
00:52:40,123 --> 00:52:42,893
Mr. Earnest: The President
has readily acknowledged for

1100
00:52:42,893 --> 00:52:46,730
some time that our
involvement in the anti-ISIL

1101
00:52:46,730 --> 00:52:50,233
coalition is a
long-term proposition.

1102
00:52:50,233 --> 00:52:53,703
And he is mindful of the
fact that we will make

1103
00:52:53,703 --> 00:52:55,705
progress and we have
made important progress,

1104
00:52:55,705 --> 00:52:57,707
including on the ground
inside of Syria.

1105
00:52:57,707 --> 00:53:00,243
But we've also sustained
some setbacks.

1106
00:53:00,243 --> 00:53:04,314
And what we've been focused
on is to try to take the

1107
00:53:04,314 --> 00:53:06,316
steps that we believe are
immediately necessary to

1108
00:53:06,316 --> 00:53:09,519
protect the American people,
to try to reduce the ability

1109
00:53:09,519 --> 00:53:14,323
of ISIL to project power
into Iraq and destabilize

1110
00:53:14,324 --> 00:53:15,725
that country.

1111
00:53:15,725 --> 00:53:19,328
But we've also been very
supportive of the U.N.-led

1112
00:53:19,329 --> 00:53:23,667
effort to try to facilitate
political transition inside

1113
00:53:23,667 --> 00:53:25,569
of Syria.

1114
00:53:25,569 --> 00:53:28,071
There have been a number of
starts and stops associated

1115
00:53:28,071 --> 00:53:32,107
with that diplomatic effort,
and we haven't seen it get

1116
00:53:32,108 --> 00:53:34,511
the kind of traction that
we'd like to see, but the

1117
00:53:34,511 --> 00:53:36,880
United States remains
engaged in that process and

1118
00:53:36,880 --> 00:53:38,181
strongly supportive of it.

1119
00:53:38,181 --> 00:53:42,852
The Press: I have not heard
any sort of tangible thing

1120
00:53:42,852 --> 00:53:47,390
that's different, that's
new, whether it be we

1121
00:53:47,390 --> 00:53:51,861
finally found a rebel force
that is a moderate force

1122
00:53:51,861 --> 00:53:54,931
that we can give arms that
would change the facts on

1123
00:53:54,931 --> 00:53:56,733
the ground -- or the boots
on the ground that you've

1124
00:53:56,733 --> 00:53:59,669
acknowledged that
we need in Syria.

1125
00:53:59,669 --> 00:54:02,238
I have not seen anything
that would give us clout or

1126
00:54:02,238 --> 00:54:05,375
leverage with Vladimir
Putin, who is sending troops

1127
00:54:05,375 --> 00:54:08,578
and planes to Syria today
that would get them to

1128
00:54:08,578 --> 00:54:09,980
change their calculus.

1129
00:54:09,980 --> 00:54:13,116
Is there anything tangible,
or is the President asking

1130
00:54:13,116 --> 00:54:15,852
his team for give me some
tangible thing that would

1131
00:54:15,852 --> 00:54:19,455
give us new leverage
on the ground in Syria?

1132
00:54:19,456 --> 00:54:21,658
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think,
Steve, that there have been

1133
00:54:21,658 --> 00:54:26,962
profound changes inside of
Syria in the last year.

1134
00:54:26,963 --> 00:54:29,733
Over the last -- all within
the last year, the President

1135
00:54:29,733 --> 00:54:33,370
built an anti-ISIL coalition
of more than 60 nations.

1136
00:54:33,370 --> 00:54:36,473
That included four or five
Muslim-majority nations in

1137
00:54:36,473 --> 00:54:39,375
the region that are carrying
out airstrikes alongside

1138
00:54:39,376 --> 00:54:43,680
military -- American
military pilots inside

1139
00:54:43,680 --> 00:54:45,015
of Syria.

1140
00:54:45,015 --> 00:54:48,718
We have seen effective
coordination with Syrian

1141
00:54:48,718 --> 00:54:53,589
Arabs, Syrian Turks -- I'm
sorry -- Syrian Kurds,

1142
00:54:53,590 --> 00:54:56,960
Turkomen, and other local
fighters on the ground in

1143
00:54:56,960 --> 00:55:00,597
Syria that, when supported
by the coalition, including

1144
00:55:00,597 --> 00:55:04,134
through military airstrikes,
has succeeded in moving ISIL

1145
00:55:04,134 --> 00:55:08,905
off of some 17,000 square
kilometers of area that was

1146
00:55:08,905 --> 00:55:10,940
populated that they'd
previously controlled that

1147
00:55:10,940 --> 00:55:14,344
they now can no longer
freely operate in.

1148
00:55:14,344 --> 00:55:17,280
There have been strikes that
have been carried out by the

1149
00:55:17,280 --> 00:55:21,651
U.S. military, including one
operation inside of Syria

1150
00:55:21,651 --> 00:55:25,689
that resulted in the death
of a senior ISIL official

1151
00:55:25,689 --> 00:55:30,993
and the exploitation of
large reams of information

1152
00:55:30,994 --> 00:55:33,329
that have given us more
insight into operations

1153
00:55:33,329 --> 00:55:34,698
inside of Syria.

1154
00:55:34,698 --> 00:55:37,366
So we've made a lot of
important progress in

1155
00:55:37,367 --> 00:55:39,536
building relationships
inside of Syria, by working

1156
00:55:39,536 --> 00:55:43,373
closely with those that are
operating on the ground, and

1157
00:55:43,373 --> 00:55:46,543
that has resulted in ISIL
sustaining some significant

1158
00:55:46,543 --> 00:55:48,912
losses both on the ground
and among the ranks of

1159
00:55:48,912 --> 00:55:50,379
their leadership.

1160
00:55:50,380 --> 00:55:51,948
The Press: Right, but I'm
really asking about Assad.

1161
00:55:51,948 --> 00:55:55,317
And I'm imagining that Assad
sees those reports and is

1162
00:55:55,318 --> 00:55:57,153
cheering them on, that's the
reason why he is allowing

1163
00:55:57,153 --> 00:55:59,254
our planes to go in
uncontested and he is happy

1164
00:55:59,255 --> 00:56:04,694
that we're bombing ISIL
because they hate Assad, too.

1165
00:56:04,694 --> 00:56:08,264
I mean, you said yesterday
that you're okay with Russia

1166
00:56:08,264 --> 00:56:12,602
taking on ISIL but not
propping up Assad, but isn't

1167
00:56:12,602 --> 00:56:14,971
both things reality if
they are going to join

1168
00:56:14,971 --> 00:56:17,540
the coalition?

1169
00:56:17,540 --> 00:56:19,609
If they are going to carry
out bombing missions against

1170
00:56:19,609 --> 00:56:22,879
ISIL, isn't that de facto
helping out Assad keep him

1171
00:56:22,879 --> 00:56:24,948
in power?

1172
00:56:24,948 --> 00:56:30,319
Mr. Earnest: And we've long
acknowledged that there is

1173
00:56:30,320 --> 00:56:34,491
an impact or there's a
connection between these two

1174
00:56:34,491 --> 00:56:36,493
policy goals that
we've articulated.

1175
00:56:36,493 --> 00:56:39,261
The first policy goal
is that Assad has lost

1176
00:56:39,262 --> 00:56:41,264
legitimacy leading the
country and should leave,

1177
00:56:41,264 --> 00:56:43,266
and the second policy goal
is to degrade and ultimately

1178
00:56:43,266 --> 00:56:45,001
destroy ISIL.

1179
00:56:45,001 --> 00:56:47,003
Those two things are not
unrelated, and that's

1180
00:56:47,003 --> 00:56:49,339
something that we have
readily acknowledged.

1181
00:56:49,339 --> 00:56:54,644
What is clear is that the
most significant, urgent,

1182
00:56:54,644 --> 00:56:58,046
destabilizing aspect of this
crisis situation inside of

1183
00:56:58,047 --> 00:57:04,287
Syria is the growth and
continued violence that's

1184
00:57:04,287 --> 00:57:06,489
being carried out by ISIL.

1185
00:57:06,489 --> 00:57:09,592
And that's why you've seen
such a strong focus on our

1186
00:57:09,592 --> 00:57:12,295
military actions, including
military airstrikes against

1187
00:57:12,295 --> 00:57:15,665
ISIL, coordination with
ground forces taking the

1188
00:57:15,665 --> 00:57:18,000
fight to ISIL, the efforts
to shut down their financing

1189
00:57:18,001 --> 00:57:21,371
and to stem the flow
of foreign fighters.

1190
00:57:21,371 --> 00:57:25,575
That is why that particular
priority has attracted a lot

1191
00:57:25,575 --> 00:57:26,676
of interest.

1192
00:57:26,676 --> 00:57:30,647
But it has not diminished
in any way our interest in

1193
00:57:30,647 --> 00:57:34,217
trying to bring about the
long overdue political

1194
00:57:34,217 --> 00:57:37,287
transition that's needed
inside of Syria because we

1195
00:57:37,287 --> 00:57:39,589
know our ultimate success
in degrading and ultimately

1196
00:57:39,589 --> 00:57:44,194
destroying ISIL will require
legitimate and effective

1197
00:57:44,194 --> 00:57:47,096
leadership inside of Syria
that reflects the will and

1198
00:57:47,096 --> 00:57:48,398
ambition of the
Syrian people.

1199
00:57:48,398 --> 00:57:49,732
The Press: Well, does
the President bear any

1200
00:57:49,732 --> 00:57:51,367
responsibility for the fact
that this strategy hasn't

1201
00:57:51,367 --> 00:57:53,269
worked for year after
year after year?

1202
00:57:53,269 --> 00:57:57,372
Does he have some regret,
have some sense that he

1203
00:57:57,373 --> 00:58:00,677
should have found a better
solution, something that

1204
00:58:00,677 --> 00:58:04,614
would have created a
situation where Assad would

1205
00:58:04,614 --> 00:58:05,982
have left by now?

1206
00:58:05,982 --> 00:58:07,817
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
Steve, I think that you're

1207
00:58:07,817 --> 00:58:09,586
highlighting one of the
significant challenges here

1208
00:58:09,586 --> 00:58:12,421
-- that there is this desire
on the part of a lot of

1209
00:58:12,422 --> 00:58:14,390
people, particularly the
President's critics, to

1210
00:58:14,390 --> 00:58:17,560
suggest that the mess inside
of Syria is somehow the

1211
00:58:17,560 --> 00:58:19,262
fault of the President
of the United States.

1212
00:58:19,262 --> 00:58:22,632
But they do that without
offering any sort of

1213
00:58:22,632 --> 00:58:27,070
recommendation about what
the President can or should

1214
00:58:27,070 --> 00:58:29,339
do instead of what
he's already doing.

1215
00:58:29,339 --> 00:58:31,441
The one thing that we
frequently hear from people

1216
00:58:31,441 --> 00:58:34,042
is that, well, you should
really have invested

1217
00:58:34,043 --> 00:58:36,880
significantly more in a
train-and-equip operation.

1218
00:58:36,880 --> 00:58:40,750
And, frankly, pinning
all of our hopes on a

1219
00:58:40,750 --> 00:58:44,087
train-and-equip operation
was not going to be a smart

1220
00:58:44,087 --> 00:58:47,857
strategy, and that's why the
President insisted that once

1221
00:58:47,857 --> 00:58:50,259
that strategy was pursued,
that it be effectively

1222
00:58:50,260 --> 00:58:53,663
integrated with the other
elements of our strategy.

1223
00:58:53,663 --> 00:58:56,866
And what the Department of
Defense is continuing to do

1224
00:58:56,866 --> 00:59:00,870
is to evaluate that program
and determine what sort of

1225
00:59:00,870 --> 00:59:03,873
changes could be made to the
program so that we can get

1226
00:59:03,873 --> 00:59:06,776
some better results.

1227
00:59:06,776 --> 00:59:07,277
Richard.

1228
00:59:07,277 --> 00:59:07,977
The Press: Thank you, Josh.

1229
00:59:07,977 --> 00:59:10,812
I want to go back to Ahmed
Mohamed, the teenager

1230
00:59:10,813 --> 00:59:13,082
invited to the White House.

1231
00:59:13,082 --> 00:59:17,053
There's another teenager who
was more and more popular on

1232
00:59:17,053 --> 00:59:20,290
YouTube who criticized the
President, claiming he has a

1233
00:59:20,290 --> 00:59:25,628
pro-Muslim bias, saying
when cops are killed, their

1234
00:59:25,628 --> 00:59:27,096
families are not invited
to the White House.

1235
00:59:27,096 --> 00:59:30,500
This woman in California
was presumably killed by an

1236
00:59:30,500 --> 00:59:34,804
illegal immigrant, her
family was not invited to

1237
00:59:34,804 --> 00:59:37,307
the White House, but in this
case, oh, he's a Muslim, he

1238
00:59:37,307 --> 00:59:38,942
is invited by
the White House.

1239
00:59:38,942 --> 00:59:42,245
How does the White House
react to this kind

1240
00:59:42,245 --> 00:59:43,645
of accusation?

1241
00:59:43,646 --> 00:59:44,948
Mr. Earnest: Well, I haven't
seen the video so I hesitate

1242
00:59:44,948 --> 00:59:51,154
to comment on it
in any direct way.

1243
00:59:51,154 --> 00:59:55,558
As it relates to the
families of police officers

1244
00:59:55,558 --> 00:59:57,894
who have been killed in the
line of duty, you'll recall

1245
00:59:57,894 --> 00:59:59,962
that the President did
speak at the Peace Officers

1246
00:59:59,963 --> 01:00:02,298
Memorial up at the Capitol
earlier this year and had

1247
01:00:02,298 --> 01:00:05,033
the opportunity to greet
many of the families there

1248
01:00:05,034 --> 01:00:07,003
that were honoring the
memory of their loved ones

1249
01:00:07,003 --> 01:00:09,005
who had been killed
in the line of duty.

1250
01:00:09,005 --> 01:00:11,741
The President was proud
to participate in that

1251
01:00:11,741 --> 01:00:14,177
ceremony, as he
has in years past.

1252
01:00:14,177 --> 01:00:18,414
The Press: Back to Trump's
controversy yesterday again.

1253
01:00:18,414 --> 01:00:21,184
You repeated several times
during the briefing that the

1254
01:00:21,184 --> 01:00:26,356
Republicans have
successfully -- successful,

1255
01:00:26,356 --> 01:00:29,792
that's the last word you
used, used that strategy.

1256
01:00:29,792 --> 01:00:33,395
So they're successful in
using it just in how it

1257
01:00:33,396 --> 01:00:35,498
works, that somehow
there's something right.

1258
01:00:35,498 --> 01:00:38,167
Mr. Earnest: Well, it
certainly has for Mr. Trump

1259
01:00:38,167 --> 01:00:40,169
if you take a
look at his polls.

1260
01:00:40,169 --> 01:00:42,171
Again, he'd be the first one to --

1261
01:00:42,171 --> 01:00:44,506
The Press: But the American people feel

1262
01:00:44,507 --> 01:00:45,508
there is something there.

1263
01:00:45,508 --> 01:00:48,310
I mean, the administration
hasn't been able to break

1264
01:00:48,311 --> 01:00:53,416
this impression that Muslims
are gaining in the U.S., the

1265
01:00:53,416 --> 01:00:57,453
President is Muslim,
and all this.

1266
01:00:57,453 --> 01:00:59,721
If they're successful,
as you acknowledge, it's

1267
01:00:59,722 --> 01:01:02,258
because there is something
that you haven't been able

1268
01:01:02,258 --> 01:01:03,926
to do to convince the
American people that it's

1269
01:01:03,926 --> 01:01:05,528
not there.

1270
01:01:05,528 --> 01:01:07,763
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what it is, is that we have

1271
01:01:07,764 --> 01:01:12,235
seen a variety of leaders
in the Republican Party,

1272
01:01:12,235 --> 01:01:14,303
including the third
highest-ranking Republican

1273
01:01:14,303 --> 01:01:17,306
in the House of
Representatives, engage in a

1274
01:01:17,306 --> 01:01:22,345
cynical strategy
to win votes.

1275
01:01:22,345 --> 01:01:27,517
And in many cases, by
countenancing the offensive

1276
01:01:27,517 --> 01:01:31,953
views of a minority in this
country have succeeded in

1277
01:01:31,954 --> 01:01:38,828
building large and durable
bases of political support.

1278
01:01:38,828 --> 01:01:42,899
And that's a fact.

1279
01:01:42,899 --> 01:01:48,104
The problem is, is there
are consequences for it.

1280
01:01:48,104 --> 01:01:50,705
And those consequences
take a variety of forms.

1281
01:01:52,742 --> 01:01:54,744
One of them is in the
approval rating of

1282
01:01:54,744 --> 01:01:56,479
Republicans in Congress.

1283
01:01:56,479 --> 01:01:59,749
Another is of the pieces of
common-sense legislation

1284
01:01:59,749 --> 01:02:02,584
that the vast majority of
Americans would be good for

1285
01:02:02,585 --> 01:02:05,655
the country that Republicans
are not able to pass and, in

1286
01:02:05,655 --> 01:02:09,225
some cases, actively block
-- like when it comes to

1287
01:02:09,225 --> 01:02:11,194
immigration reform.

1288
01:02:12,395 --> 01:02:16,699
And I know the truth is, the
kind of people who can speak

1289
01:02:16,699 --> 01:02:21,137
to this probably more
persuasive than I can are

1290
01:02:21,137 --> 01:02:24,373
the leaders in the
Republican Party here in

1291
01:02:24,373 --> 01:02:27,844
Washington, D.C., at least
one of whom actually

1292
01:02:27,844 --> 01:02:30,847
commissioned a report after
the last election to try to

1293
01:02:30,847 --> 01:02:32,849
figure out how to
solve these problems.

1294
01:02:32,849 --> 01:02:38,387
It may raise some questions
about what impact that

1295
01:02:38,387 --> 01:02:42,592
report has had, but the fact
is, there is an awareness

1296
01:02:42,592 --> 01:02:46,462
among some in the Republican
Party of this significant

1297
01:02:46,462 --> 01:02:50,766
problem that they have; that
this cynical strategy has

1298
01:02:50,766 --> 01:02:54,270
yielded some short-term
benefits for some individual

1299
01:02:54,270 --> 01:02:56,305
leaders in the
Republican Party.

1300
01:02:56,305 --> 01:02:58,274
But there are
consequences for it.

1301
01:02:58,274 --> 01:02:58,774
Laura.

1302
01:02:58,774 --> 01:03:00,109
The Press: Just a
follow-up on that.

1303
01:03:00,109 --> 01:03:02,178
You're saying that there's
a cynical strategy to

1304
01:03:02,178 --> 01:03:03,513
win votes.

1305
01:03:03,513 --> 01:03:05,548
Is it a strategy of hate?

1306
01:03:05,548 --> 01:03:08,950
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, I
think what it is -- it is a

1307
01:03:08,951 --> 01:03:13,156
strategy to countenance
offensive views in an effort

1308
01:03:13,156 --> 01:03:16,826
to try to curry favor with
some segment of the

1309
01:03:16,826 --> 01:03:17,894
voting population.

1310
01:03:17,894 --> 01:03:22,732
And it is clear that's
what Mr. Trump was doing.

1311
01:03:22,732 --> 01:03:26,134
But it's also clear that's
what his competitors in the

1312
01:03:26,135 --> 01:03:30,673
Republican primary are doing
when they refuse to denounce

1313
01:03:30,673 --> 01:03:32,607
his cynical strategy.

1314
01:03:32,608 --> 01:03:38,381
So, again, there is a
significant challenge that's

1315
01:03:38,381 --> 01:03:40,383
resting with the leaders of
the Republican Party right

1316
01:03:40,383 --> 01:03:42,585
now and it's clear what
their priorities are.

1317
01:03:42,585 --> 01:03:48,024
And at some point, if the
leaders of that party or the

1318
01:03:48,024 --> 01:03:50,159
members of that party are
interested in changing it,

1319
01:03:50,159 --> 01:03:52,161
it's going to require
somebody to summon some

1320
01:03:52,161 --> 01:03:54,730
courage and stand
up and speak out.

1321
01:03:54,730 --> 01:03:57,200
The Press: What's the view
of President Obama of

1322
01:03:57,200 --> 01:03:58,768
Muslims all over the world?

1323
01:03:58,768 --> 01:04:02,705
Mr. Earnest: The President I
think has spoken to this on

1324
01:04:02,705 --> 01:04:05,708
a number of occasions,
including a speech that he

1325
01:04:05,708 --> 01:04:10,046
delivered in Cairo early
on in his presidency.

1326
01:04:10,046 --> 01:04:14,884
I would note that even
President Bush over the

1327
01:04:14,884 --> 01:04:19,722
course of his presidency
went to great lengths to

1328
01:04:19,722 --> 01:04:24,193
make clear that the American
people and the West was not

1329
01:04:24,193 --> 01:04:26,996
at war with Islam.

1330
01:04:26,996 --> 01:04:31,934
And there is some evidence
that we have gathered from

1331
01:04:31,934 --> 01:04:34,403
some of the documentation
that was recovered in Osama

1332
01:04:34,403 --> 01:04:39,908
bin Laden's compound that
the successful -- that

1333
01:04:39,909 --> 01:04:43,212
successful messaging was
undermining the strategy of

1334
01:04:43,212 --> 01:04:48,184
al Qaeda; that the strategy
of al Qaeda was predicated

1335
01:04:48,184 --> 01:04:50,753
on starting a holy war
between Muslims around the

1336
01:04:50,753 --> 01:04:53,289
world and the West.

1337
01:04:53,289 --> 01:04:57,326
And so that's why President
Bush deserves credit, both

1338
01:04:57,326 --> 01:05:00,263
from a strategic
perspective, but also from a

1339
01:05:00,263 --> 01:05:04,634
perspective of the values
that the vast majority of

1340
01:05:04,634 --> 01:05:05,635
the American people share.

1341
01:05:05,635 --> 01:05:12,508
I mean, he won two national
presidential elections.

1342
01:05:12,508 --> 01:05:19,448
But it's apparent that
some of the leaders in the

1343
01:05:19,448 --> 01:05:22,952
Republican Party now are
pursuing a different strategy.

1344
01:05:22,952 --> 01:05:23,586
Fred.

1345
01:05:23,586 --> 01:05:25,821
The Press: Just
on the same topic.

1346
01:05:25,821 --> 01:05:29,325
You talked about the cynical
strategy that panders to --

1347
01:05:29,325 --> 01:05:32,828
among Republicans leaders.

1348
01:05:32,828 --> 01:05:35,096
And you mentioned
specifically Donald Trump

1349
01:05:35,097 --> 01:05:36,532
and Steve Scalise.

1350
01:05:36,532 --> 01:05:40,369
If it's part of the party --
who are some of the others

1351
01:05:40,369 --> 01:05:42,905
that have engaged
in this strategy?

1352
01:05:42,905 --> 01:05:45,841
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, I
would ascribe some blame to

1353
01:05:45,841 --> 01:05:48,377
Mr. Trump's competitors.

1354
01:05:48,377 --> 01:05:51,447
The Press: The entire
GOP presidential field?

1355
01:05:51,447 --> 01:05:54,950
Mr. Earnest: Well, at least
those that have refused to

1356
01:05:54,950 --> 01:05:59,020
-- or declined to denounce
his cynical strategy.

1357
01:05:59,021 --> 01:06:01,123
And the reason for that --
they're doing it for the

1358
01:06:01,123 --> 01:06:03,125
same reason that he is,
which is they're trying to

1359
01:06:03,125 --> 01:06:03,993
win votes.

1360
01:06:03,993 --> 01:06:08,397
So that's -- as I mentioned
earlier, that stands in

1361
01:06:08,397 --> 01:06:11,901
pretty stark contrast to the
patriotism of somebody like

1362
01:06:11,901 --> 01:06:15,805
Senator McCain, faced with
a similar situation in the

1363
01:06:15,805 --> 01:06:18,441
middle of a presidential
campaign, in a town hall

1364
01:06:18,441 --> 01:06:22,544
meeting, there was somebody
that popped up and started

1365
01:06:22,545 --> 01:06:25,014
saying to him the same
things that Donald Trump

1366
01:06:25,014 --> 01:06:27,383
heard last night, and you'll
recall Senator McCain had

1367
01:06:27,383 --> 01:06:28,651
the microphone taken
away from that person.

1368
01:06:28,651 --> 01:06:32,388
And I think that's -- again,
I think it's a testament to

1369
01:06:32,388 --> 01:06:35,257
Senator McCain's character,
but I think it's also a

1370
01:06:35,257 --> 01:06:37,793
testament to the kinds of
questions that are facing

1371
01:06:37,793 --> 01:06:39,028
Republican
leaders right now.

1372
01:06:39,028 --> 01:06:41,029
JC, I'll give you the last
one and then we'll do the

1373
01:06:41,030 --> 01:06:42,031
week ahead.

1374
01:06:42,031 --> 01:06:42,732
The Press: Thank you,
Josh, I appreciate it.

1375
01:06:42,732 --> 01:06:43,766
Josh, how concerned is
the President and this

1376
01:06:43,766 --> 01:06:47,970
administration that among
the massive refugee

1377
01:06:47,970 --> 01:06:50,740
population that is now
making headway through

1378
01:06:50,740 --> 01:06:53,808
Europe, that there could
be, in fact, members of

1379
01:06:53,809 --> 01:06:58,881
al Qaeda, ISIL, or those who
could be trained by those

1380
01:06:58,881 --> 01:07:01,884
organizations whose main
objective is to get a

1381
01:07:01,884 --> 01:07:04,186
stronghold in Europe and
do significant damage?

1382
01:07:04,186 --> 01:07:05,821
And I have a
follow-up question.

1383
01:07:05,821 --> 01:07:08,290
Mr. Earnest: It's difficult
for me to offer a specific

1384
01:07:08,290 --> 01:07:09,625
assessment from here.

1385
01:07:09,625 --> 01:07:13,129
I think our intelligence
officials could give you a

1386
01:07:13,129 --> 01:07:17,500
better sense of how
significant that risk would be.

1387
01:07:17,500 --> 01:07:20,936
I've made quite clear that
in terms of the refugee

1388
01:07:20,936 --> 01:07:23,139
resettlement process that
the administration -- or

1389
01:07:23,139 --> 01:07:29,211
that this country has long
followed, it includes

1390
01:07:29,211 --> 01:07:32,247
thorough vetting of the
background of these

1391
01:07:32,248 --> 01:07:38,220
individuals to ensure that
the safety and security of

1392
01:07:38,220 --> 01:07:41,323
the American people is not
put at undue risk by the

1393
01:07:41,323 --> 01:07:42,758
resettlement of
these refugees.

1394
01:07:42,758 --> 01:07:44,859
The Press: May I follow up?

1395
01:07:44,860 --> 01:07:46,495
Mr. Earnest: Sure.

1396
01:07:46,495 --> 01:07:48,763
The Press: Significant sort
of coming off the same topic.

1397
01:07:48,764 --> 01:07:51,767
There is some thought in
Europe that the EU, the

1398
01:07:51,767 --> 01:07:54,803
European Union, because of
what we talk about, the

1399
01:07:54,804 --> 01:07:58,808
basic premise of their
existence is open borders

1400
01:07:58,808 --> 01:08:01,410
and open trade where people
can go freely through one

1401
01:08:01,410 --> 01:08:03,946
country to another.

1402
01:08:03,946 --> 01:08:07,982
There's concern that that
basic premise will no longer

1403
01:08:07,983 --> 01:08:11,220
hold and that the EU, in
fact, its very existence,

1404
01:08:11,220 --> 01:08:13,756
could be in jeopardy,
which could cause enormous

1405
01:08:13,756 --> 01:08:16,724
ramifications for the
U.S., including trade.

1406
01:08:16,725 --> 01:08:21,797
Mr. Earnest: Well, JC, I've
merely observed that the

1407
01:08:21,796 --> 01:08:24,966
scale of this challenge in
terms of the hundreds of

1408
01:08:24,966 --> 01:08:28,737
thousands of people that
we're talking about here is

1409
01:08:28,737 --> 01:08:30,973
not something that can be
solved by just one country

1410
01:08:30,973 --> 01:08:34,743
in Europe; that we're --
in order to successfully

1411
01:08:34,743 --> 01:08:37,346
confront this challenge, the
nations of Europe will have

1412
01:08:37,345 --> 01:08:39,915
to do what they've done
in the past, which is to

1413
01:08:39,915 --> 01:08:42,618
effectively cooperate in
terms of implementing

1414
01:08:42,618 --> 01:08:46,355
policies to ensure that they
can deal with this

1415
01:08:46,354 --> 01:08:47,423
difficult challenge.

1416
01:08:47,423 --> 01:08:48,691
Hopefully they'll do that.

1417
01:08:48,691 --> 01:08:50,091
Julie, I saw your hand up.

1418
01:08:50,091 --> 01:08:51,326
The Press: I just wanted
to go back to Cuba for a moment.

1419
01:08:51,327 --> 01:08:55,130
It seems like a lot of the
regulations that have been

1420
01:08:55,130 --> 01:08:57,366
announced today will only
have their desired effect if

1421
01:08:57,366 --> 01:08:59,435
Cuba actually takes a
corresponding action to

1422
01:08:59,435 --> 01:09:02,271
reform its economy and, in
fact, Secretary Pritzker

1423
01:09:02,270 --> 01:09:06,341
said today that economic
reforms there are overdue.

1424
01:09:06,341 --> 01:09:07,843
So I wonder if the
administration is going to

1425
01:09:07,843 --> 01:09:10,345
take the opportunity of
issuing these new rules to

1426
01:09:10,345 --> 01:09:12,447
call on Cuba to do that now.

1427
01:09:12,448 --> 01:09:15,351
Given that you've said that
engagement is more effective

1428
01:09:15,350 --> 01:09:17,920
than isolation, are you
going to use that leverage here?

1429
01:09:17,920 --> 01:09:21,056
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
the -- I can answer that in

1430
01:09:21,055 --> 01:09:22,057
a couple of ways.

1431
01:09:22,057 --> 01:09:24,059
First of all, it sounds like
that's what the Secretary of

1432
01:09:24,059 --> 01:09:26,061
Commerce did, and
she should do that.

1433
01:09:26,060 --> 01:09:29,163
The second thing is that it
is now clear that the Cuban

1434
01:09:29,163 --> 01:09:32,001
government and the Cuban
people now have an incentive

1435
01:09:32,001 --> 01:09:34,436
that they didn't have before
to start implementing those

1436
01:09:34,435 --> 01:09:36,804
reforms so that they can
take advantage of the

1437
01:09:36,805 --> 01:09:40,175
opportunity that the United
States has extended to them.

1438
01:09:40,175 --> 01:09:42,344
Now, this is not an
opportunity that comes at

1439
01:09:42,344 --> 01:09:44,346
the expense of the American
people; it's actually an

1440
01:09:44,345 --> 01:09:46,348
opportunity that the
American people can benefit

1441
01:09:46,348 --> 01:09:47,783
from as well.

1442
01:09:47,783 --> 01:09:51,287
And so the United States
government, through a

1443
01:09:51,287 --> 01:09:53,289
variety of officials,
including the Secretary of

1444
01:09:53,288 --> 01:09:56,692
Commerce, will continue to
press the Cuban government

1445
01:09:56,692 --> 01:09:59,795
to implement the kinds of
reforms that we believe are

1446
01:09:59,795 --> 01:10:01,897
long overdue.

1447
01:10:01,897 --> 01:10:02,798
The Press: And what's your
assessment now of what the

1448
01:10:02,798 --> 01:10:04,433
prospects are for Congress
actually lifting the

1449
01:10:04,433 --> 01:10:07,102
embargo, which would
obviously go a lot farther

1450
01:10:07,102 --> 01:10:08,971
than these rules today.

1451
01:10:08,971 --> 01:10:10,371
Mr. Earnest: Unfortunately,
I don't think we've seen a

1452
01:10:10,372 --> 01:10:13,342
whole lot of evidence
to indicate that those

1453
01:10:13,342 --> 01:10:17,879
prospects have
significantly improved.

1454
01:10:17,880 --> 01:10:20,849
We continue to believe that
Congress should lift the

1455
01:10:20,849 --> 01:10:23,886
embargo, but there are a
range of policy changes

1456
01:10:23,886 --> 01:10:26,555
that, short of lifting
the embargo, that the

1457
01:10:26,555 --> 01:10:30,192
administration can pursue
that would make progress in

1458
01:10:30,192 --> 01:10:32,194
normalizing relations
between our two countries,

1459
01:10:34,229 --> 01:10:38,267
enhancing engagement between
our two governments and

1460
01:10:38,267 --> 01:10:40,269
between the people of the
United States and Cuba.

1461
01:10:40,269 --> 01:10:44,506
Let me do a week ahead, and
then I will let you get

1462
01:10:44,506 --> 01:10:46,408
started on your weekend.

1463
01:10:46,408 --> 01:10:48,911
On Monday, the President
will attend meetings at the

1464
01:10:48,911 --> 01:10:49,912
White House.

1465
01:10:49,912 --> 01:10:51,914
On Tuesday, the President,
the First Lady, the Vice

1466
01:10:51,914 --> 01:10:54,583
President, and Dr. Biden
will greet His Holiness Pope

1467
01:10:54,583 --> 01:10:58,553
Frances upon his arrival at
Joint Base Andrews here in

1468
01:10:58,554 --> 01:11:00,322
the United States.

1469
01:11:00,322 --> 01:11:02,324
On Wednesday, the President
and the First Lady will

1470
01:11:02,324 --> 01:11:04,360
welcome Pope Francis
to the White House.

1471
01:11:04,360 --> 01:11:06,362
During the visit, the
President and the Pope will

1472
01:11:06,362 --> 01:11:08,564
continue the dialogue which
they began during the

1473
01:11:08,564 --> 01:11:12,201
President's visit to the
Vatican in March, 2014, on

1474
01:11:12,201 --> 01:11:15,137
their shared values and
commitments on a wide range

1475
01:11:15,137 --> 01:11:16,304
of issues.

1476
01:11:16,305 --> 01:11:18,741
These issues include caring
for the marginalized and the

1477
01:11:18,741 --> 01:11:21,977
poor, advancing economic
opportunity for all, serving

1478
01:11:21,977 --> 01:11:24,246
as good stewards of the
environment, protecting

1479
01:11:24,246 --> 01:11:26,315
religious minorities and
promoting religious freedom

1480
01:11:26,315 --> 01:11:28,450
around the world, and
welcoming and integrating

1481
01:11:28,450 --> 01:11:30,818
immigrants and refugees
into our communities.

1482
01:11:30,819 --> 01:11:32,821
The President looks
forward to continuing his

1483
01:11:32,821 --> 01:11:34,823
conversation with the Holy
Father during his first

1484
01:11:34,823 --> 01:11:37,326
visit to the United
States as Pope.

1485
01:11:37,326 --> 01:11:39,395
On Thursday, the President
will host a private dinner

1486
01:11:39,395 --> 01:11:41,597
for Xi Jinping, the
President of the People's

1487
01:11:41,597 --> 01:11:43,264
Republican of China.

1488
01:11:43,265 --> 01:11:45,801
On Friday, the President and
the First Lady will welcome

1489
01:11:45,801 --> 01:11:48,103
President Xi and Madam Peng
to the White House for an

1490
01:11:48,103 --> 01:11:49,638
official state visit.

1491
01:11:49,638 --> 01:11:52,908
This reciprocates President
Obama's state visit to China

1492
01:11:52,908 --> 01:11:54,643
in November, 2014.

1493
01:11:54,643 --> 01:11:56,812
President Xi's visit will
present an opportunity to

1494
01:11:56,812 --> 01:11:59,048
expand U.S.-China
cooperation on a range of

1495
01:11:59,048 --> 01:12:02,017
global, regional and
bilateral issues of mutual

1496
01:12:02,017 --> 01:12:04,620
interest while also enabling
President Obama and

1497
01:12:04,620 --> 01:12:06,789
President Xi to address
areas of

1498
01:12:06,789 --> 01:12:09,491
disagreement constructively.

1499
01:12:09,491 --> 01:12:11,493
At the end of that long
week, the President will

1500
01:12:11,493 --> 01:12:13,495
take Saturday off but then
on Sunday, the President

1501
01:12:13,495 --> 01:12:16,465
will travel to New York City
to begin participating in

1502
01:12:16,465 --> 01:12:18,834
the United Nations
General Assembly.

1503
01:12:18,834 --> 01:12:20,335
So we'll have more
information about his

1504
01:12:20,335 --> 01:12:25,307
schedule on Sunday and that
next week at some point in

1505
01:12:25,307 --> 01:12:26,308
the next few days.

1506
01:12:26,308 --> 01:12:27,810
The Press: Press
conference with Xi?

1507
01:12:27,810 --> 01:12:30,079
Mr. Earnest: That
is the plan, yes.

1508
01:12:30,079 --> 01:12:31,580
There is a plan for a news
conference here at the White

1509
01:12:31,580 --> 01:12:33,082
House with President Xi.

1510
01:12:33,082 --> 01:12:35,484
We'll have more details
about timing and format.

1511
01:12:35,484 --> 01:12:36,685
The Press: Friday, right?

1512
01:12:36,685 --> 01:12:38,087
Mr. Earnest: Yes, on Friday.

1513
01:12:38,087 --> 01:12:40,956
Have a good
weekend, everybody.