English subtitles for clip: File:West Wing Week- 10-08-10 or "A Farewell to Rahm".webm
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1 00:00:02,961 --> 00:00:03,961 ♪♪ (Drum and Bugle Corps) ♪♪ 2 00:00:03,961 --> 00:00:05,331 Narrator: Welcome to the "West Wing Week," 3 00:00:05,328 --> 00:00:07,198 your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 4 00:00:07,194 --> 00:00:08,524 Pennsylvania Avenue. 5 00:00:08,528 --> 00:00:10,798 This week, the President focused on jobs, 6 00:00:10,795 --> 00:00:12,925 the intersection of education and our economy, 7 00:00:12,928 --> 00:00:14,198 and honoring our veterans. 8 00:00:14,194 --> 00:00:17,594 That's October 1st through the 7th, or "A Farewell to Rahm." 9 00:00:17,594 --> 00:00:20,894 President Obama: The Blue Room, so you can come here any time. 10 00:00:20,895 --> 00:00:22,995 (laughter) 11 00:00:22,994 --> 00:00:25,294 Narrator: Friday, October 1st, with Rahm Emmanuel's last day 12 00:00:25,294 --> 00:00:27,964 at the White House as the President's Chief of Staff, 13 00:00:27,961 --> 00:00:29,831 President Obama marked the occasion in the East Room 14 00:00:29,828 --> 00:00:32,028 with his Cabinet, staff, and the friends and family 15 00:00:32,027 --> 00:00:33,197 of Mr. Emmanuel. 16 00:00:33,194 --> 00:00:35,194 Military Aide: The President of the United States -- 17 00:00:35,194 --> 00:00:36,694 Narrator: Later that afternoon, the President walked around 18 00:00:36,695 --> 00:00:39,495 the South Lawn with his outgoing Chief of Staff and a final wrap-up 19 00:00:39,494 --> 00:00:42,824 with Rahm, a near daily ritual for the two since the beginning 20 00:00:42,828 --> 00:00:44,798 of the Obama presidency. 21 00:00:44,795 --> 00:00:47,025 On Monday, October 4th, with incoming Chief of Staff Pete 22 00:00:47,027 --> 00:00:49,227 Rouse working away in the West Wing, 23 00:00:49,227 --> 00:00:51,597 President Obama walked over to the State Dining Room, 24 00:00:51,594 --> 00:00:53,464 where a meeting of his Economic Recovery Advisory 25 00:00:53,461 --> 00:00:54,891 Board was taking place. 26 00:00:54,895 --> 00:01:00,725 Mr. Goolsbee: You don't have to just have dinner in the State Dining Room. 27 00:01:00,728 --> 00:01:02,728 Narrator: The President was joined by Dr. Biden, 28 00:01:02,728 --> 00:01:05,528 to announce the launch of Skills for America's Future, 29 00:01:05,528 --> 00:01:08,358 a new industry-led initiative to maximize workforce development 30 00:01:08,361 --> 00:01:11,361 strategies, job training programs, and job placement. 31 00:01:11,361 --> 00:01:13,661 He contrasted this important investment in the future of our 32 00:01:13,661 --> 00:01:16,931 economy with the Republican plan to cut education funding. 33 00:01:16,928 --> 00:01:20,458 President Obama: And that's why I disagree so strongly with the proposal from 34 00:01:20,461 --> 00:01:23,291 some on the other side of the aisle to cut education 35 00:01:23,294 --> 00:01:26,794 by 20% in next year's budget. 36 00:01:26,795 --> 00:01:29,895 It's a cut that would eliminate 200,000 children from Head Start 37 00:01:29,895 --> 00:01:34,765 programs, would reduce financial aid for 8 million college students; 38 00:01:34,761 --> 00:01:37,531 it would leave community colleges without the resources 39 00:01:37,528 --> 00:01:40,298 they need to meet the goals that we've talked about today. 40 00:01:40,294 --> 00:01:43,424 Narrator: On Tuesday, October 5th, President Obama and Dr. Biden 41 00:01:43,428 --> 00:01:46,498 reiterated this commitment to education, kicking off the first 42 00:01:46,494 --> 00:01:48,894 ever White House Community College Summit. 43 00:01:48,895 --> 00:01:50,365 President Obama: Jill, you've got to be in the middle here. 44 00:01:50,361 --> 00:01:50,991 Speaker: Exactly. 45 00:01:53,828 --> 00:01:55,458 President Obama: Here we go. 46 00:01:55,461 --> 00:01:57,731 Narrator: President Obama asked Dr. Biden to chair this event 47 00:01:57,728 --> 00:02:00,198 to highlight the critical role that community colleges play in 48 00:02:00,194 --> 00:02:01,924 developing America's workforce and reaching 49 00:02:01,928 --> 00:02:03,728 our educational goals. 50 00:02:03,728 --> 00:02:05,928 President Obama: These are places where young people can continue 51 00:02:05,928 --> 00:02:09,058 their education without taking on a lot of debt. 52 00:02:09,061 --> 00:02:12,061 These are places where workers can gain new skills, 53 00:02:12,061 --> 00:02:15,191 to move up in their careers. 54 00:02:15,194 --> 00:02:17,894 These are places where anyone with a desire to learn and to 55 00:02:17,895 --> 00:02:20,995 grow can take a chance on a brighter future for themselves 56 00:02:20,994 --> 00:02:24,364 and their families, whether that's a single mom or a 57 00:02:24,361 --> 00:02:28,131 returning soldier, or an aspiring entrepreneur. 58 00:02:28,127 --> 00:02:30,727 Narrator: On Tuesday, the President also signed the Gold Medal Bill into 59 00:02:30,728 --> 00:02:33,228 law, legislation that recognized the contributions 60 00:02:33,227 --> 00:02:36,727 of Japanese-Americans during World War II in the Army's 100th 61 00:02:36,728 --> 00:02:41,058 Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 62 00:02:41,061 --> 00:02:44,331 including Hawaii's own Senator Daniel Inouye. 63 00:02:44,328 --> 00:02:46,028 President Obama: Is that right? Was he really? 64 00:02:46,027 --> 00:02:47,097 Speaker: He saved my life. 65 00:02:47,094 --> 00:02:48,064 President Obama: That's unbelievable. 66 00:02:48,061 --> 00:02:49,291 It's great to see you. 67 00:02:49,294 --> 00:02:52,424 Narrator: On Wednesday, October 6th, the President honored another veteran, 68 00:02:52,428 --> 00:02:55,098 posthumously awarding Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller 69 00:02:55,094 --> 00:02:57,624 of the United States Army the Medal of Honor 70 00:02:57,628 --> 00:03:00,628 for conspicuous gallantry in Afghanistan on January 25th, 71 00:03:00,628 --> 00:03:04,058 2008, the highest award a service member can receive. 72 00:03:04,061 --> 00:03:08,631 President Obama: Rob seemed to disappear into clouds of dust and debris, 73 00:03:08,628 --> 00:03:10,898 but his team could hear him on the radio still 74 00:03:10,895 --> 00:03:14,565 calling out the enemy's position and they could hear his weapon 75 00:03:14,561 --> 00:03:19,361 still firing as he provided cover for his men. 76 00:03:19,361 --> 00:03:23,531 Then over the radio, they heard his voice. 77 00:03:23,528 --> 00:03:26,098 He had been hit. 78 00:03:26,094 --> 00:03:29,364 But still he kept calling out enemy positions, 79 00:03:29,361 --> 00:03:34,691 still he kept firing, still he kept throwing his grenades. 80 00:03:34,695 --> 00:03:36,265 And then they heard it. 81 00:03:36,261 --> 00:03:39,061 Rob's weapon fell silent. 82 00:03:39,061 --> 00:03:40,991 Narrator: To find out more information on any of these topics or to 83 00:03:40,994 --> 00:03:43,964 see complete videos of these events, go to WhiteHouse.gov 84 00:03:43,961 --> 00:03:48,161 and thanks again for checking out your "West Wing Week." 85 00:03:48,161 --> 00:03:53,291 President Obama: I pointed out that Rahm when he was a kid had lost part of his 86 00:03:53,294 --> 00:03:56,324 finger in an accident, and it was his middle finger, 87 00:03:56,328 --> 00:03:58,228 so it rendered him mute for a while. 88 00:03:58,227 --> 00:03:58,827 (laughter)