English subtitles for clip: File:West Wing Week- 12-21-12 or "We Are There For Them".webm
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1 00:00:00,367 --> 00:00:02,637 Narrator: Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's 2 00:00:02,633 --> 00:00:05,333 happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 3 00:00:05,333 --> 00:00:08,063 This week, the President addressed the national tragedy 4 00:00:08,066 --> 00:00:11,266 in Newtown, Connecticut, and promised meaningful action to 5 00:00:11,266 --> 00:00:12,896 address gun violence. 6 00:00:12,900 --> 00:00:15,130 While the White House invited some of its newest Pinterest 7 00:00:15,133 --> 00:00:18,933 followers and the President spread some holiday cheer. 8 00:00:18,934 --> 00:00:21,164 That's December 14th to December 20th, 9 00:00:21,166 --> 00:00:22,966 or "We Are There For Them." 10 00:00:25,734 --> 00:00:29,004 On Friday after the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut, 11 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,200 the President delivered an emotional statement in the 12 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:32,170 White House briefing room. 13 00:00:34,900 --> 00:00:37,670 President Obama: In the hard days to come, that community needs us to be at our 14 00:00:37,667 --> 00:00:41,897 best as Americans, and I will do everything in my power as 15 00:00:41,900 --> 00:00:43,430 President to help. 16 00:00:43,433 --> 00:00:48,363 All of us can extend a hand to those in need to remind them 17 00:00:48,367 --> 00:00:54,567 that we are there for them, that we are praying for them, that 18 00:00:54,567 --> 00:00:58,597 the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in 19 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,500 their memories, but also in ours. 20 00:01:01,500 --> 00:01:04,700 Narrator: On Sunday, the President traveled to Newtown, Connecticut 21 00:01:04,700 --> 00:01:08,070 and spoke at an interfaith vigil for the victims of the shooting 22 00:01:08,066 --> 00:01:08,666 and their families. 23 00:01:08,667 --> 00:01:11,667 President Obama: We can't tolerate this anymore. 24 00:01:11,667 --> 00:01:14,437 These tragedies must end. 25 00:01:14,433 --> 00:01:16,433 And to end them, we must change. 26 00:01:17,934 --> 00:01:20,304 Charlotte. 27 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:22,770 Daniel. 28 00:01:22,767 --> 00:01:25,067 Olivia. 29 00:01:25,066 --> 00:01:27,566 Josephine. 30 00:01:27,567 --> 00:01:29,567 Anna. 31 00:01:29,567 --> 00:01:32,137 Dylan. 32 00:01:32,133 --> 00:01:34,303 Madeleine. 33 00:01:34,300 --> 00:01:36,870 Catherine. 34 00:01:36,867 --> 00:01:38,937 Chase. 35 00:01:38,934 --> 00:01:40,604 Jesse. 36 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,600 James. 37 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,100 Grace. 38 00:01:45,100 --> 00:01:47,370 Emilie. 39 00:01:47,367 --> 00:01:49,167 Jack. 40 00:01:49,166 --> 00:01:50,866 Noah. 41 00:01:50,867 --> 00:01:52,997 Caroline. 42 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,000 Jessica. 43 00:01:56,533 --> 00:02:00,503 Benjamin. 44 00:02:00,500 --> 00:02:03,500 Avielle. 45 00:02:03,500 --> 00:02:05,300 Allison. 46 00:02:05,300 --> 00:02:08,200 Narrator: On Monday, to help kick off the White House presence on 47 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,600 Pinterest, the Office of Digital Strategies hosted a White House 48 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:15,600 holiday social with some of our newest Pinterest followers where 49 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,800 the Pinterers had a chance to talk with and hear from a series 50 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,430 of White House officials, including Director of the 51 00:02:21,433 --> 00:02:24,163 Visitors Office, Ellie Schafer, the Chief of Staff to the First 52 00:02:24,166 --> 00:02:27,636 Lady, Tina Tchen, and the digital strategists, who wanted 53 00:02:27,633 --> 00:02:30,533 to strategize digitally. 54 00:02:30,533 --> 00:02:34,163 Macon Phillips: Where are the conversations about these sorts of standard 55 00:02:34,166 --> 00:02:36,096 issues that the country is grappling with happening, 56 00:02:36,100 --> 00:02:37,600 and how are they happening on Pinterest. 57 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:39,730 Narrator: On Tuesday, the President dropped by the offices of some 58 00:02:39,734 --> 00:02:43,364 of his staff who play a critical role in running the day-to-day 59 00:02:43,367 --> 00:02:46,667 functions of the White House for some holiday greetings, a whole 60 00:02:46,667 --> 00:02:50,837 lot of hugs, group photos, and some time to thank the staff for 61 00:02:50,834 --> 00:02:52,864 all their hard work over the course of the year. 62 00:02:52,867 --> 00:02:56,897 President Obama: I'm using your work product and it's helping me out. 63 00:02:56,900 --> 00:02:58,170 I'm very proud of you. 64 00:02:58,166 --> 00:03:00,636 Narrator: He even snuck in a few good old-fashioned presidential 65 00:03:00,633 --> 00:03:02,163 Q&A sessions. 66 00:03:02,166 --> 00:03:04,636 President Obama: Who wants to describe to me the process of dealing with 67 00:03:04,633 --> 00:03:06,163 40,000 emails? 68 00:03:06,166 --> 00:03:07,196 That's only just four of you. 69 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:08,570 That's a lot of letters to read. 70 00:03:08,567 --> 00:03:10,197 Speaker: It's a lot, yeah, it's like 400 a day. 71 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:11,670 President Obama: What have you guys got cooked up now? 72 00:03:11,667 --> 00:03:14,997 What's the next big thing? 73 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:16,900 Speaker: APIs for WhiteHouse.gov. 74 00:03:16,900 --> 00:03:18,830 President Obama: APIs for WhiteHouse.gov. 75 00:03:18,834 --> 00:03:20,604 What in the heck does that mean? 76 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:25,470 I'm a big believer in us using new media to reach people who 77 00:03:25,467 --> 00:03:27,237 otherwise can't be reached. 78 00:03:27,233 --> 00:03:30,963 And the more we engage them, the better our democracy works, the 79 00:03:30,967 --> 00:03:35,767 better our public policy is, the better our people do, right. 80 00:03:35,767 --> 00:03:38,797 Narrator: I've been waiting for this privilege for four years. 81 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:40,030 I've been here 20. 82 00:03:40,033 --> 00:03:42,833 President Obama: I am so grateful that you have been, and I'm so glad we had a 83 00:03:42,834 --> 00:03:43,634 chance to see each other. 84 00:03:43,633 --> 00:03:45,163 Let's take a good picture with everybody. 85 00:03:45,166 --> 00:03:46,366 (cheers) 86 00:03:46,367 --> 00:03:47,667 President Obama: We'll do all the volunteers first, 87 00:03:47,667 --> 00:03:48,537 then I'll do all the staff. 88 00:03:48,533 --> 00:03:50,733 Let go of your bag, nobody's going to steal it. 89 00:03:50,734 --> 00:03:52,864 I'm right here. 90 00:03:52,867 --> 00:03:55,067 Got the Secret Service looking after it. 91 00:03:55,066 --> 00:03:57,366 Narrator: On Wednesday, the President delivered a statement about 92 00:03:57,367 --> 00:03:59,937 the policy process the administration will pursue 93 00:03:59,934 --> 00:04:01,904 in the wake of the Newtown tragedy. 94 00:04:01,900 --> 00:04:04,500 Then he took questions from reporters about it 95 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:07,070 and his efforts to find a bipartisan compromise 96 00:04:07,066 --> 00:04:08,266 to reduce our deficit. 97 00:04:08,266 --> 00:04:14,436 President Obama: If there's one thing we should have after this week, it should 98 00:04:14,433 --> 00:04:17,503 be a sense of perspective about what's important. 99 00:04:17,500 --> 00:04:21,570 The country deserves folks to be willing to compromise on behalf 100 00:04:21,567 --> 00:04:27,037 of the greater good and not tangle themselves up in a whole 101 00:04:27,033 --> 00:04:30,463 bunch of ideological positions that don't make much sense. 102 00:04:30,467 --> 00:04:37,567 So I remain not only open to conversations, but I remain 103 00:04:37,567 --> 00:04:39,297 eager to get something done. 104 00:04:39,300 --> 00:04:41,500 Narrator: That evening, the President addressed an international 105 00:04:41,500 --> 00:04:44,330 holiday gathering at the State Department of the world's 106 00:04:44,333 --> 00:04:47,663 diplomatic corps and spoke on the importance of their work in 107 00:04:47,667 --> 00:04:49,867 light of the recent events here at home. 108 00:04:49,867 --> 00:04:53,697 President Obama: And we're reminded that whatever differences on the surface, deep 109 00:04:53,700 --> 00:04:56,770 down we're bound by a certain set of basic aspirations. 110 00:04:56,767 --> 00:05:00,537 We want our children to be safe and free from fear. 111 00:05:00,533 --> 00:05:02,663 And that, I think, is one of the ways we can honor 112 00:05:02,667 --> 00:05:10,367 all these beautiful children and incredible teachers who 113 00:05:10,367 --> 00:05:15,697 were lost this past Friday, by building a future that is equal 114 00:05:15,700 --> 00:05:20,730 to their dreams and delivers on the dreams of children all 115 00:05:20,734 --> 00:05:23,004 around the world just like them. 116 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,500 Narrator: To find out more information on any of these topics or to see 117 00:05:25,500 --> 00:05:28,970 complete videos of these events, go to WhiteHouse.gov, and thanks 118 00:05:28,967 --> 00:05:31,167 again for checking out your West Wing Week. 119 00:05:31,166 --> 00:05:34,236 Children: ♪ You better watch out, you better not cry, you better ♪ 120 00:05:34,233 --> 00:05:40,333 ♪ not pout, I'm telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town. ♪ 121 00:05:40,333 --> 00:05:43,263 (laughter) 122 00:05:43,266 --> 00:05:44,996 First Lady Michelle Obama: This is exactly what he does at home. 123 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:49,000 He tries to beat Malia and Sasha into my lap. 124 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:50,970 (laughter) 125 00:05:50,967 --> 00:05:52,397 Then he has the nerve not to be comfortable. 126 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:53,770 (laughter) 127 00:05:53,767 --> 00:05:55,397 Speaker: All right, get you a girl. 128 00:05:55,400 --> 00:06:03,000 (laughter)