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1 00:00:02,266 --> 00:00:03,666 Mr. Gibbs: Before we get started with a few questions 2 00:00:03,667 --> 00:00:08,567 here let me just make one quick scheduling announcement. The President will travel to 3 00:00:08,567 --> 00:00:14,697 Lorain County in Ohio on Friday, January 22nd, the next stop on the White House to Main Street 4 00:00:14,700 --> 00:00:19,870 tour. During the visit, President Obama will meet with Ohio workers, local CEOs, small 5 00:00:19,867 --> 00:00:26,667 business owners, and other local leaders about ideas for continuing to grow the economy and 6 00:00:26,667 --> 00:00:28,267 put Americans back to work. 7 00:00:28,266 --> 00:00:31,066 The Press: Sorry, we didn't understand the county -- 8 00:00:31,066 --> 00:00:39,636 Mr. Gibbs: Lorain County in Ohio, January 22, 2010. Mr. Feller. 9 00:00:39,633 --> 00:00:41,063 The Press: Thanks, Robert. Happy New Year. 10 00:00:41,066 --> 00:00:43,036 Mr. Gibbs: Happy New Year to you guys. 11 00:00:43,033 --> 00:00:44,663 The Press: A few questions about security and today's 12 00:00:44,667 --> 00:00:48,297 meeting. Will the President be unveiling any new steps or policies today, or would you 13 00:00:48,300 --> 00:00:52,300 characterize this as a recapping on what the government has done since the incident? 14 00:00:52,300 --> 00:00:57,700 Mr. Gibbs: Well, let me break up the meeting, which is 15 00:00:57,700 --> 00:01:01,670 scheduled for about 2:30 p.m. in the Situation Room. I think you guys have the participants. 16 00:01:01,667 --> 00:01:09,367 The meeting is scheduled now to go almost an hour and a half. At the conclusion of the 17 00:01:09,367 --> 00:01:17,037 meeting the President will make a public statement. I think -- not getting ahead of what he'll 18 00:01:17,033 --> 00:01:23,763 say, I think you'll hear the President give a candid update on where we are in the review, 19 00:01:23,767 --> 00:01:28,567 outline the specific steps that have been taken to strengthen security in our country, 20 00:01:28,567 --> 00:01:34,567 and in particular, our airports, over the past several days, and go through some timelines 21 00:01:34,567 --> 00:01:44,637 about additional security announcements that may be forthcoming. 22 00:01:44,633 --> 00:01:46,063 The Press: Will he take questions? 23 00:01:46,066 --> 00:01:46,166 Mr. Gibbs: Say again? 24 00:01:46,166 --> 00:01:46,266 The Press: Questions? 25 00:01:46,266 --> 00:01:46,466 Mr. Gibbs: No, he's just making a statement. 26 00:01:46,467 --> 00:01:47,237 The Press: So additional steps that may be forthcoming, 27 00:01:47,233 --> 00:01:48,533 but not necessarily steps to be announced today? 28 00:01:48,533 --> 00:01:49,033 Mr. Gibbs: Right. 29 00:01:49,033 --> 00:01:55,163 The Press: Will he be challenging the agency heads about, 30 00:01:55,166 --> 00:01:59,936 in their purview, what went wrong and seeking some accountability there? 31 00:01:59,934 --> 00:02:03,364 Mr. Gibbs: As you know, the President requested this 32 00:02:03,367 --> 00:02:09,497 review right after the incident that took place on Christmas Day. Many of those reports 33 00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:17,870 -- the reports have come in; some have -- one agency's came in a little bit late because 34 00:02:17,867 --> 00:02:25,137 of an incident that happened that you all are aware of. The President has had an opportunity 35 00:02:25,133 --> 00:02:32,363 to review those initial reports with Mr. Brennan in the Oval Office for about an hour yesterday, 36 00:02:32,367 --> 00:02:37,937 along with other members of his national security team here at the White House. I think you 37 00:02:37,934 --> 00:02:44,064 heard the President's statement over the break, and he's -- the President has a series of 38 00:02:44,066 --> 00:02:50,936 questions that he's asked all of us to look into. And he'll start going through those 39 00:02:50,934 --> 00:02:55,464 questions and looking for answers that are satisfactory to him and to the American people. 40 00:02:55,467 --> 00:02:59,867 The Press: Is there any talk within the White House, 41 00:02:59,867 --> 00:03:06,967 to the degree you can speak about this, about any kind of military response against suspected 42 00:03:06,967 --> 00:03:09,597 terrorist-training facilities in Yemen, for example? 43 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,530 Mr. Gibbs: I don't want to get into information like 44 00:03:13,533 --> 00:03:18,533 that. Obviously, you should pose also that question to the Pentagon. I think suffice 45 00:03:18,533 --> 00:03:23,803 to say, and you've seen this over the past several weeks, we are strongly supportive 46 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:34,330 of the efforts by the Yemeni government to take strong action and root out terrorists 47 00:03:34,333 --> 00:03:40,863 that are members of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. We'll continue to do so and continue 48 00:03:40,867 --> 00:03:41,067 to be supportive of those efforts. Yes, sir. 49 00:03:41,066 --> 00:03:41,166 The Press: The President has come back from the holiday 50 00:03:41,166 --> 00:03:42,966 with quite a bit on his plate, and now -- 51 00:03:42,967 --> 00:03:46,467 Mr. Gibbs: He left with quite a bit on his plate, so yes. 52 00:03:46,467 --> 00:03:47,437 The Press: Still there on his return. Now counterterrorism 53 00:03:47,433 --> 00:03:53,833 has shot up the list and taken greater prominence than anyone would have expected because of 54 00:03:53,834 --> 00:04:02,204 the bomb plot. The question is, is there any concern within the administration that this 55 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:07,700 may distract him from his other domestic priorities such as jobs, economic recovery, and health care? 56 00:04:07,700 --> 00:04:10,870 Mr. Gibbs: First of all, let's understand -- the President 57 00:04:10,867 --> 00:04:16,067 understands and believes wholeheartedly that keeping the American people safe and secure 58 00:04:16,066 --> 00:04:24,096 is his first job. Nobody here would ever describe that as any sort of distraction. Secondly, 59 00:04:24,100 --> 00:04:29,530 I think if you look at -- and you'll hear the President discuss this today -- the actions 60 00:04:29,533 --> 00:04:41,133 that we have supported in Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Somalia, as I just mentioned 61 00:04:41,133 --> 00:04:47,433 to Ben, in Yemen, are not things that have happened since the 25th of December; those 62 00:04:47,433 --> 00:04:51,733 things were happening -- have been happening for quite some time. So the notion that somehow 63 00:04:51,734 --> 00:04:56,164 this got put on the President's plate in the intervening 10 days I think is something 64 00:04:56,166 --> 00:05:04,796 -- given the amount of time that he's spent working on these issues, I don't think I would 65 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:11,070 agree that somehow this is something that's been put on his plate over the last few days. 66 00:05:11,066 --> 00:05:18,466 These are obviously threats, and places in the world that are supportive of terrorists 67 00:05:18,467 --> 00:05:24,367 and terrorist organizations have been something the President has been dealing with since 68 00:05:24,367 --> 00:05:26,797 the transition, before he was even sworn in. 69 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,130 The Press: But, arguably, the President would come back 70 00:05:29,133 --> 00:05:32,763 from the holidays to deal with things like job creation, economic recovery. He spent 71 00:05:32,767 --> 00:05:38,267 his first day back yesterday and a large chunk today in meetings that are very intensive 72 00:05:38,266 --> 00:05:42,396 meetings about how to fix the problems on -- 73 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,930 Mr. Gibbs: But my point would be, Matt, that I don't 74 00:05:44,934 --> 00:05:51,964 think that -- we didn't have a mindset that this problem didn't exist prior to December 75 00:05:51,967 --> 00:06:00,767 25th. The President spends, as you know, each day getting a daily intelligence update -- 76 00:06:00,767 --> 00:06:03,867 The Press: Nobody is saying that. They're saying you 77 00:06:03,867 --> 00:06:05,297 blew it. There was no coordination. 78 00:06:05,300 --> 00:06:06,800 Mr. Gibbs: Helen, let me just answer -- let me just answer 79 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:15,970 Matt's question and then we'll get to your question. The President has spent part of 80 00:06:15,967 --> 00:06:22,267 every day since he's been here working on terrorism, working on terrorist threats, working 81 00:06:22,266 --> 00:06:29,566 on dealing with extremists. We've talked about Afghanistan; we've talked about Pakistan; 82 00:06:29,567 --> 00:06:35,037 we've talked about many of these issues. I wouldn't quibble with the fact that the President 83 00:06:35,033 --> 00:06:39,903 has a full plate. I don't think that you would find that the -- the President wouldn't find 84 00:06:39,900 --> 00:06:49,570 his plate altogether a lot fuller than it was, quite honestly, just a few days ago. 85 00:06:49,567 --> 00:06:50,937 He's used to carrying around an otherwise full plate. Jake. 86 00:06:50,934 --> 00:06:54,964 The Press: Some of the measures, the reforms that the 87 00:06:54,967 --> 00:07:03,397 President and the administration are talking about, including tighter security, more stringent 88 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:11,100 safeguards on visas, people being added to the selectee and no-fly lists, and other things 89 00:07:11,100 --> 00:07:15,900 having to do with challenging intelligence assumptions -- can you look at Abdulmutallab's 90 00:07:15,900 --> 00:07:26,800 path from Yemen to Ghana, to Nigeria, to Amsterdam, to Detroit, and show us, tell us how these 91 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:30,870 new reforms would have perhaps detected him along that path? 92 00:07:30,867 --> 00:07:33,867 Mr. Gibbs: Well, let me not get into that. I think the 93 00:07:33,867 --> 00:07:41,997 President will begin to get into that some today and in the coming days as the review 94 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:47,970 continues and wraps up. I think what you'll hear, again, from the President -- part of 95 00:07:47,967 --> 00:07:58,367 what you'll hear from the President today was -- is to go into a number of steps that 96 00:07:58,367 --> 00:08:05,837 we have taken but also to walk people through the systemic failure that the President pointed 97 00:08:05,834 --> 00:08:08,904 out had happened in his remarks last week. 98 00:08:08,900 --> 00:08:12,600 The Press: He also in his remarks mentioned human failure. 99 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:18,370 And so far, as far as I know, nobody has lost their job or been reprimanded. Not to take 100 00:08:18,367 --> 00:08:24,067 on Admiral Blair, but it is the job of the Director of National Intelligence -- specifically 101 00:08:24,066 --> 00:08:33,366 that job was created to connect the dots. Is anybody at all going to lose their job over this? 102 00:08:33,367 --> 00:08:36,267 Mr. Gibbs: Well, again, Jake, the review is ongoing. 103 00:08:36,266 --> 00:08:41,236 I think you'll hear the President begin to address aspects of that review today. I think 104 00:08:41,233 --> 00:08:47,763 the President is anxious to sit down -- he's obviously spoken with a number of these individuals 105 00:08:47,767 --> 00:08:52,837 over the course of the many days and is anxious to sit down with them as a group and walk 106 00:08:52,834 --> 00:09:00,064 through this. I think the President has discussed ensuring that adequate steps are taken to 107 00:09:00,066 --> 00:09:01,336 ensure the American people's safety, and that's what he'll be discussing and working through today. 108 00:09:01,333 --> 00:09:04,533 The Press: One final question, if I may. How cooperative 109 00:09:04,533 --> 00:09:14,063 has Abdulmutallab been after he was arrested and since he got a lawyer? 110 00:09:14,066 --> 00:09:20,166 Mr. Gibbs: The subject, as you know, was taken from the 111 00:09:20,166 --> 00:09:29,736 plane in Detroit. FBI interrogators spent quite some time with him. I don't want to 112 00:09:29,734 --> 00:09:38,834 get into all the specifics, but I think they would agree and I would say that he has provided 113 00:09:38,834 --> 00:09:41,564 in those interrogations useful intelligence. 114 00:09:41,567 --> 00:09:46,137 The Press: And since he got a lawyer, anything? 115 00:09:46,133 --> 00:09:50,733 Mr. Gibbs: I'm not going to get into all of what he said, 116 00:09:50,734 --> 00:09:56,064 but again, I think the interrogators have believed that he has provided them with useful 117 00:09:56,066 --> 00:09:56,866 intelligence. Yes, sir. 118 00:09:56,867 --> 00:09:59,767 The Press: Thanks, Robert. What would the President say 119 00:09:59,767 --> 00:10:04,797 to the American people who have deep concerns that some of the same questions that are being 120 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:10,800 asked now were asked after 9/11? All these years later obviously there's been some breakdown, 121 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:12,700 communication breakdown, information-sharing, within the intelligence community. 122 00:10:12,700 --> 00:10:15,570 Mr. Gibbs: I think the President will get into some of 123 00:10:15,567 --> 00:10:23,097 that today. I think the American people will hear directly from their President today on 124 00:10:23,100 --> 00:10:34,500 some of those failures. I don't want to get too far ahead of the review itself. I think 125 00:10:34,500 --> 00:10:43,230 there are some substantive differences from what we saw in the pre-9/11 days that have, 126 00:10:43,233 --> 00:10:51,463 and were, addressed between that incident over the past eight years. There are -- 127 00:10:51,467 --> 00:10:52,667 The Press: But there is some skepticism, though -- 128 00:10:52,667 --> 00:10:54,697 Mr. Gibbs: -- hold on a second -- I think while there 129 00:10:54,700 --> 00:11:02,000 are some -- while this involves intelligence, I think some of the problems are not completely 130 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:07,870 analogous to -- you'll hear the President talk about that, I think you heard John talk 131 00:11:07,867 --> 00:11:15,867 about that over the weekend, and I think -- the President's charge in these reviews, 132 00:11:15,867 --> 00:11:21,437 both in the watch listing and in the detection capabilities review that's being done by the 133 00:11:21,433 --> 00:11:28,363 Department of Homeland Security -- the President is as frustrated as I'm sure many American 134 00:11:28,367 --> 00:11:38,267 people are. We've spent a lot of money in the intervening years. We have set up new 135 00:11:38,266 --> 00:11:46,666 positions, we've stood up new agencies, so to speak. We have to ensure, and I think the 136 00:11:46,667 --> 00:11:52,467 President will strive to do so, to reassure the American people that all that can be done 137 00:11:52,467 --> 00:11:54,197 is and will be done in order to protect them. 138 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:54,400 The Press: A question on health care. CSPAN television 139 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:54,570 is requesting leaders in Congress to open up the debate to their cameras, and I know 140 00:11:54,567 --> 00:12:02,967 this is something that the President talked about on the campaign trail. Is this something 141 00:12:02,967 --> 00:12:08,267 that he supports, will be pushing for? 142 00:12:08,266 --> 00:12:13,496 Mr. Gibbs: I have not seen that letter. I know the President 143 00:12:13,500 --> 00:12:19,200 is going to begin some discussions later today on health care in order to try to iron out 144 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:22,870 the differences that remain between the House and the Senate bill and try to get something 145 00:12:22,867 --> 00:12:26,067 hopefully to his desk quite quickly. Helen. 146 00:12:26,066 --> 00:12:30,436 The Press: I have a couple questions. Before Pearl Harbor 147 00:12:30,433 --> 00:12:34,403 the Navy didn't talk to the Army, the War Department didn't talk to -- was there a 148 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:44,000 lack of coordination on all the security information we've had? And what is the core reason you 149 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:44,730 think -- or your President thinks for terrorism? 150 00:12:44,734 --> 00:12:45,604 Mr. Gibbs: He's your President, too, Helen, so -- 151 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,770 The Press: What do I think? 152 00:12:48,767 --> 00:12:54,637 Mr. Gibbs: No, no, no, you asked me about my President. 153 00:12:54,633 --> 00:12:56,103 The Press: I thought it was our President. 154 00:12:56,100 --> 00:12:57,630 (laughter) Mr. Gibbs: I agree. You just -- you added a "y" to "our" 155 00:12:57,633 --> 00:12:58,163 and somehow came up with "your." 156 00:12:58,166 --> 00:13:00,996 (laughter) Go ahead, I'm sorry, I interrupted your question -- 157 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:05,630 The Press: -- think there is any coordination -- don't 158 00:13:05,633 --> 00:13:10,303 they have a coordination failing on intelligence? 159 00:13:10,300 --> 00:13:15,100 Mr. Gibbs: Well, look, building on what I just talked 160 00:13:15,100 --> 00:13:24,730 about with Dan, I think the President said quite clearly there was a systemic intelligence failure. 161 00:13:24,734 --> 00:13:25,264 The Press: Breakdown. 162 00:13:25,266 --> 00:13:27,896 Mr. Gibbs: Yes. The President will discuss that more 163 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:40,300 today and what the review has preliminarily shown, and will begin to go through some of 164 00:13:40,300 --> 00:13:48,370 the things that we have done as well as -- the team will begin to work through all the 165 00:13:48,367 --> 00:13:54,267 additional steps that the team and the President believe must be taken to ensure the safety 166 00:13:54,266 --> 00:14:03,066 and security of the American people -- that, as I said to Dan, I don't think when we get 167 00:14:03,066 --> 00:14:10,296 through to the review and -- I don't think it's completely analogous to some of the walls 168 00:14:10,300 --> 00:14:22,370 that the bureaucracy had constructed prior to 9/11. I think some of that obviously has 169 00:14:22,367 --> 00:14:30,037 been knocked down and there is a greater amount of information-sharing, and there's a greater 170 00:14:30,033 --> 00:14:37,433 amount of sheer intelligence that's collected. The President wants to know where the systemic 171 00:14:37,433 --> 00:14:43,433 failure happened and what we're going to do to ensure that we can do everything in our 172 00:14:43,433 --> 00:14:45,703 power to make sure it doesn't happen again. I think you'll hear the President talk about that. 173 00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:49,000 The Press: Does he think that's possible? And also, what 174 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,170 is the core reason of why they want to blow us up? 175 00:14:53,166 --> 00:14:57,796 Mr. Gibbs: I don't know that I'm the best person to speak 176 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,870 for some of their actions. 177 00:15:00,867 --> 00:15:03,267 The Press: But you have information, you said. 178 00:15:03,266 --> 00:15:14,636 Mr. Gibbs: Well, look, again, I think that for whatever awful and murderous reason that 179 00:15:14,633 --> 00:15:20,763 people seek to get on planes and do innocent people throughout the world harm, I can't 180 00:15:20,767 --> 00:15:24,667 speak to the type of deranged mentality that leads somebody to do that. 181 00:15:24,667 --> 00:15:28,097 The Press: You don't know who is motivating all this? 182 00:15:28,100 --> 00:15:32,230 Mr. Gibbs: Well, I can certainly name a few of them. 183 00:15:32,233 --> 00:15:39,333 I think the President, though, his job is to in this instance do all that we can to 184 00:15:39,333 --> 00:15:46,833 ensure that every step is taken to prevent it from happening in our airlines. 185 00:15:46,834 --> 00:15:47,804 The Press: That isn't answering my question. 186 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:49,070 Mr. Gibbs: Maybe then I misunderstood your question. 187 00:15:49,066 --> 00:15:52,166 The Press: What is the core reason? Has the administration 188 00:15:52,166 --> 00:15:53,336 decided why these people -- 189 00:15:53,333 --> 00:15:55,733 Mr. Gibbs: Well, I think there are a number of reasons. 190 00:15:55,734 --> 00:16:05,064 And I think they have stated in various messages and videos all sorts of reasoning for why 191 00:16:05,066 --> 00:16:10,866 they seek to do what they do. I don't think any of it in any way would ever rationalize 192 00:16:10,867 --> 00:16:12,867 the actions of what we saw on Christmas Day. Chip. 193 00:16:12,867 --> 00:16:14,997 The Press: I'd like to return to her original question. 194 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:21,370 There are some people who believe that the only reason this was not a catastrophic disaster 195 00:16:21,367 --> 00:16:27,467 was luck, that Abdulmutallab screwed up in making this device work. And, as Helen said, 196 00:16:27,467 --> 00:16:31,837 a lot of people believe the President and his administration simply blew it. Would you 197 00:16:31,834 --> 00:16:32,504 agree with that? 198 00:16:32,500 --> 00:16:35,700 Mr. Gibbs: I don't think I'm going out on a limb to say 199 00:16:35,700 --> 00:16:41,730 the President has said there was a systemic intelligence failure, yes. 200 00:16:41,734 --> 00:16:44,204 The Press: How bad -- the average person would say they 201 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,130 just blew it. Is that going too far? 202 00:16:46,133 --> 00:16:48,133 Mr. Gibbs: I don't know what the substantive difference 203 00:16:48,133 --> 00:16:49,003 between the two are. 204 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,370 The Press: Okay, so it's the same thing, basically. 205 00:16:51,367 --> 00:16:58,767 Mr. Gibbs: I think the President quite clearly said that 206 00:16:58,767 --> 00:17:08,537 a failure of our intelligence service happened -- intelligence services happened in allowing 207 00:17:08,533 --> 00:17:15,733 what we saw on Christmas Day to potentially transpire. Absolutely. I think the President 208 00:17:15,734 --> 00:17:16,804 said that about a week ago. 209 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:17,700 The Press: Does the President take any personal blame 210 00:17:17,700 --> 00:17:23,500 for that? Does he believe that he did not pay enough attention to these issues in his 211 00:17:23,500 --> 00:17:25,130 first year in office? 212 00:17:25,133 --> 00:17:29,933 Mr. Gibbs: No, I don't -- I don't think that's the case, no. 213 00:17:29,934 --> 00:17:32,164 The Press: So the fact that he had this incredibly full 214 00:17:32,166 --> 00:17:33,696 plate did not, as you say, distract him from spending the time needed? 215 00:17:33,700 --> 00:17:39,530 Mr. Gibbs: We've spent an awful lot of time talking about 216 00:17:39,533 --> 00:17:45,363 -- you've asked me a lot of questions, most of which I can't answer on camera, about different 217 00:17:45,367 --> 00:17:52,067 activities, and the President -- nothing has distracted the President from keeping us safe. 218 00:17:52,066 --> 00:17:55,766 The Press: In Hawaii, a lot of people -- well, while 219 00:17:55,767 --> 00:18:00,067 he was in Hawaii a lot of people back here, critics, accused him -- his initial response 220 00:18:00,066 --> 00:18:05,066 of being slow and weak and said he should have come home from Hawaii and dealt with 221 00:18:05,066 --> 00:18:10,366 this thing on a full-time basis. What does he feel about that? 222 00:18:10,367 --> 00:18:10,567 Mr. Gibbs: You were in Hawaii, right? 223 00:18:10,567 --> 00:18:10,697 The Press: I was. 224 00:18:10,700 --> 00:18:13,770 Mr. Gibbs: I recall you guys being somewhat busy. 225 00:18:13,767 --> 00:18:15,937 The Press: We were a bit busy. 226 00:18:15,934 --> 00:18:19,064 Mr. Gibbs: The President worked on this throughout his 227 00:18:19,066 --> 00:18:25,066 time in Hawaii. He worked on it before he left and he's worked on it since he's come back. 228 00:18:25,066 --> 00:18:26,736 The Press: What about that idea, though, that it was 229 00:18:26,734 --> 00:18:29,964 -- his initial response, waiting three days, was slow; his first statement was kind of 230 00:18:29,967 --> 00:18:31,567 matter-of-fact, as people said. Is that -- 231 00:18:31,567 --> 00:18:38,097 Mr. Gibbs: It keeps pundits employed, but I don't -- 232 00:18:38,100 --> 00:18:39,470 The Press: Can I ask you one other question on privacy? 233 00:18:39,467 --> 00:18:40,997 On full-body scan, how important is privacy in all of this? Do you think -- does the President 234 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:47,070 believe the American people just have to get used to the fact that they're going to have 235 00:18:47,066 --> 00:18:48,036 to undergo these embarrassing procedures? 236 00:18:48,033 --> 00:18:50,203 Mr. Gibbs: I think the administration believes -- and 237 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:57,030 I would point you specifically to DHS on this -- that we can easily achieve a balance that 238 00:18:57,033 --> 00:19:05,963 allows us not to give up our privacy but at the same time protects us from those that 239 00:19:05,967 --> 00:19:07,067 seek to do us harm. Chuck. 240 00:19:07,066 --> 00:19:07,666 The Press: A few follow-ups just on everything. First 241 00:19:07,667 --> 00:19:08,597 on the -- a follow-up to Ben's question about ruling out -- ruling in or out military -- 242 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:09,500 U.S. military intervention in Yemen. Is it fair to say that the President's position 243 00:19:09,500 --> 00:19:15,300 during the campaign -- for instance, on Pakistan, which was, if they don't act, we will -- 244 00:19:15,300 --> 00:19:27,870 that's his position when it comes to all things al Qaeda? And so that could be regardless 245 00:19:27,867 --> 00:19:31,967 of country, regardless of border? Is it fair to assume that the President's position is the same? 246 00:19:31,967 --> 00:19:34,667 Mr. Gibbs: I don't want to draw blanket -- I don't want 247 00:19:34,667 --> 00:19:46,137 to parse your question, but at the same time -- suffice to say this government and this 248 00:19:46,133 --> 00:19:51,103 administration makes use of actionable intelligence. How about that? 249 00:19:51,100 --> 00:19:52,730 The Press: And so when it comes to al Qaeda and Pakistan, 250 00:19:52,734 --> 00:19:57,264 there's no reason to think that Yemen -- I know you don't want to -- there's no reason 251 00:19:57,266 --> 00:19:57,796 to think -- 252 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:03,000 Mr. Gibbs: Chuck, I think I answered Ben's question. 253 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:07,370 You understand that I'm not going to get into what we do with actionable intelligence. 254 00:20:07,367 --> 00:20:10,697 The Press: Fair enough. A follow-up on Jake's question 255 00:20:10,700 --> 00:20:16,170 about Abdulmutallab lawyering up. It's been reported that he has not -- he's clammed up 256 00:20:16,166 --> 00:20:23,966 over the last few days. Does the President believe that if he were an enemy combatant 257 00:20:23,967 --> 00:20:28,837 that they'd still be able to get intelligence out of him? 258 00:20:28,834 --> 00:20:31,934 Mr. Gibbs: Abdulmutallab spent a number of hours with 259 00:20:31,934 --> 00:20:44,104 FBI investigators in which we gleaned useable actionable intelligence. A decision was made in this case similar to 260 00:20:44,100 --> 00:20:51,970 previous decisions that have been made with Richard Reid, with Zacarias Moussaoui, with 261 00:20:51,967 --> 00:21:01,437 Jose Padilla. The FBI investigators believed they got useful information from this terrorist, 262 00:21:01,433 --> 00:21:10,733 and I don't see, despite what you hear otherwise, I don't see -- I honestly don't see the point 263 00:21:10,734 --> 00:21:19,534 that is being made when you look at past decisions that were made by other administrations. 264 00:21:19,533 --> 00:21:19,663 The Press: You said that the FBI got actionable intelligence. So -- 265 00:21:19,667 --> 00:21:26,967 Mr. Gibbs: And you know I'm not going to go into talking about what -- 266 00:21:26,967 --> 00:21:29,637 The Press: I understand. Well, can you at least say, 267 00:21:29,633 --> 00:21:40,403 without saying what it is, can you say have there been plans implemented since you received 268 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:40,870 this intelligence? 269 00:21:40,867 --> 00:21:45,667 Mr. Gibbs: I'm not going to get into -- I think it would 270 00:21:45,667 --> 00:21:48,297 be a bad precedent for me to set to begin to discuss that intelligence from here. 271 00:21:48,300 --> 00:21:49,270 The Press: And finally on the meeting today, is the President 272 00:21:49,266 --> 00:21:50,596 going to be issuing to the intelligence folks in particular -- I mean, I understand this 273 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:56,600 is sort of two parts here, the security -- homeland security aspect of this and the 274 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:01,500 intelligence-gathering aspect -- is he going to, after receiving these reviews, at least 275 00:22:01,500 --> 00:22:07,500 to all of them -- how is he going to make sure that the review process continues, I 276 00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:11,600 guess? I mean, is he setting benchmarks that he's going to, like, be saying, look, I want 277 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:12,430 to know that this is happening now -- 278 00:22:12,433 --> 00:22:15,033 Mr. Gibbs: I don't think the review will end today. I 279 00:22:15,033 --> 00:22:22,563 think we'll have more on this in the next few days. Let me -- one part of your question 280 00:22:22,567 --> 00:22:25,637 -- I don't think the President -- I think what we have to do is make sure that we're 281 00:22:25,633 --> 00:22:29,333 not in the mindset of looking at homeland security and intelligence as two different 282 00:22:29,333 --> 00:22:34,563 silos. I think what Dan and what Helen have said is -- and what this review the President 283 00:22:34,567 --> 00:22:38,937 has asked us to concentrate on -- is to ensure that that information can move across, that 284 00:22:38,934 --> 00:22:46,864 it -- I think the problems that were gotten into pre-9/11, 2001 were information that 285 00:22:46,867 --> 00:22:58,237 were in silos and couldn't be -- couldn't go across, and I think clearly that's one 286 00:22:58,233 --> 00:23:00,203 of the things the President is going to delve into. 287 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,500 The Press: But it does seem as if -- that you believe 288 00:23:02,500 --> 00:23:03,500 there -- that the systemic failure and human failures happened more on the intelligence 289 00:23:03,500 --> 00:23:04,130 side, more so than on the security side of things. Is that fair? 290 00:23:04,133 --> 00:23:06,363 Mr. Gibbs: Yes, yes. Though I will say this: Again, one 291 00:23:06,367 --> 00:23:11,337 of the things -- again, you know the President has two reviews. One of those reviews is a 292 00:23:11,333 --> 00:23:20,263 detections capability review based on substances and this individual getting on this plane 293 00:23:20,266 --> 00:23:21,896 with what he had. Jonathan. 294 00:23:21,900 --> 00:23:25,500 The Press: A couple of things. First, the British government 295 00:23:25,500 --> 00:23:29,170 yesterday and today said that they have passed on the information about Abdulmutallab and 296 00:23:29,166 --> 00:23:36,536 his time in Britain to U.S. intelligence. Do you have any comment on that? And do you 297 00:23:36,533 --> 00:23:39,803 have any description of the nature of that? 298 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,470 Mr. Gibbs: Like I said to Chuck, I'm not going to get 299 00:23:43,467 --> 00:23:49,367 into intelligence matters as in the review -- as well as discussing that aspect of the 300 00:23:49,367 --> 00:23:49,667 ongoing review. 301 00:23:49,667 --> 00:23:51,067 The Press: Okay. And second, we know from these agencies 302 00:23:51,066 --> 00:23:59,866 already that a lot of these reports were them saying they weren't to blame, somebody else 303 00:23:59,867 --> 00:24:01,167 was to blame. 304 00:24:01,166 --> 00:24:03,436 Mr. Gibbs: I'm sorry, this is based on? 305 00:24:03,433 --> 00:24:06,063 The Press: Based on people from those agencies saying, 306 00:24:06,066 --> 00:24:09,266 well, our report basically says that we are -- and Secretary Clinton yesterday said -- 307 00:24:09,266 --> 00:24:13,936 Mr. Gibbs: Let me say this. Let me short-circuit your 308 00:24:13,934 --> 00:24:20,664 question. A week ago, the President went out and said we had a systemic failure. When the 309 00:24:20,667 --> 00:24:26,567 President did that, the President -- we're going to move beyond agency finger-pointing. 310 00:24:26,567 --> 00:24:31,437 We're going to break down whatever silos exist from information being collected and shared. 311 00:24:31,433 --> 00:24:37,903 That came from the President. I don't think anybody should misunderstand how that should 312 00:24:37,900 --> 00:24:44,170 flow to each and every agency. This is a far more serious game than trying to figure out 313 00:24:44,166 --> 00:24:50,636 which agency can blame which other agency. That's not the point. The point in this is 314 00:24:50,633 --> 00:24:57,663 to take every conceivable and knowable action to ensure that what we collect is processed 315 00:24:57,667 --> 00:25:03,167 -- that as it's gathered, it's processed, and that it's used to prevent something like 316 00:25:03,166 --> 00:25:08,266 this from happening. The President will ensure, and I can assure you today, that the President 317 00:25:08,266 --> 00:25:14,136 will discuss this in the Situation Room. The President will not find acceptable a response 318 00:25:14,133 --> 00:25:27,263 where everybody gets in a circle and points at somebody else. The American people won't accept that. 319 00:25:27,266 --> 00:25:32,896 The Press: Can you give us a little bit on what the President 320 00:25:32,900 --> 00:25:33,800 intends to talk about with Democratic leaders this afternoon? Is this going to be an actual 321 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:34,400 negotiation? Are they just trying to set up a process for considering the health bills? 322 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:34,470 What's the -- 323 00:25:34,467 --> 00:25:35,467 Mr. Gibbs: Let me -- we'll have a few sentences of a 324 00:25:35,467 --> 00:25:43,597 readout afterwards. Obviously they will talk about -- look, I think in terms of talking 325 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:53,930 about health care, they'll talk about the great vast majority of the two bills that 326 00:25:53,934 --> 00:26:00,504 coincide, and we will I think begin to talk through how we work out what limited number 327 00:26:00,500 --> 00:26:04,030 of differences there are. 328 00:26:04,033 --> 00:26:05,833 The Press: Okay. And there's been some talk of not having 329 00:26:05,834 --> 00:26:14,834 a formal conference committee on Capitol Hill, to just sort of do this informally, probably 330 00:26:14,834 --> 00:26:16,764 behind closed doors. Does the President have a view about whether this should be an actual 331 00:26:16,767 --> 00:26:18,767 conference committee or just be negotiated out? 332 00:26:18,767 --> 00:26:19,997 Mr. Gibbs: I think the President is anxious to get the 333 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:25,200 differences worked out and get a bill to both houses and passed out of them. I think you 334 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:37,030 can go back and look through the past many years and see where situations -- where they 335 00:26:37,033 --> 00:26:40,803 work out the differences between two bills -- it happens very similarly to what the 336 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:40,930 President is engaged in now. 337 00:26:40,934 --> 00:26:43,464 The Press: Okay, just lastly, why can't you answer the 338 00:26:43,467 --> 00:26:44,467 C-SPAN question -- 339 00:26:44,467 --> 00:26:46,397 Mr. Gibbs: I did. 340 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:46,930 The Press: Well, you didn't, because you said -- 341 00:26:46,934 --> 00:26:48,064 Mr. Gibbs: I said I hadn't seen the letter, which I haven't -- 342 00:26:48,066 --> 00:26:48,596 The Press: Why do you need to see a letter? I mean, this 343 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:49,200 is something the President said during the campaign and he talked about he wants everything 344 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:49,800 open on C-SPAN -- 345 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:54,370 Mr. Gibbs: Dan asked me about the letter and I haven't 346 00:26:54,367 --> 00:26:54,837 read the letter. 347 00:26:54,834 --> 00:26:57,534 The Press: Well, I'll just ask you about having it on C-SPAN -- 348 00:26:57,533 --> 00:27:03,203 Mr. Gibbs: I answered Dan's question and I answered this 349 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:08,100 before we left for the break, Keith. The President's number-one priority is getting the differences 350 00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:13,730 worked out, getting a bill to the House and the Senate. We've filled your newspaper and 351 00:27:13,734 --> 00:27:21,064 many others with the back-and-forth and the details of what's in these bills. I don't 352 00:27:21,066 --> 00:27:25,996 want to keep that from continuing to happen. I don't think there's anybody that would say 353 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:35,870 that we haven't had a thorough, robust, now spanning two calendar years' debate on health care. 354 00:27:35,867 --> 00:27:41,997 The Press: There are a lot of reasons not to do it on 355 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:42,930 C-SPAN -- people could showboat. Does he regret making that statement during the campaign? 356 00:27:42,934 --> 00:27:43,404 Mr. Gibbs: No. Julianna. 357 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:44,330 The Press: You talked about the agencies finger-pointing, 358 00:27:44,333 --> 00:27:46,063 but does the President feel like, yet, that he can conclude which agencies dropped the 359 00:27:46,066 --> 00:27:51,066 ball more than others? And can we expect to hear that later today? 360 00:27:51,066 --> 00:27:56,196 Mr. Gibbs: I think the President will be candid about 361 00:27:56,200 --> 00:28:07,670 what we've found. And I think in the coming days we'll have more on what happened and why. 362 00:28:07,667 --> 00:28:12,597 The Press: And does he still -- going back to Jake's 363 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:12,670 question, does he still have full confidence in Blair and Panetta? 364 00:28:12,667 --> 00:28:15,437 Mr. Gibbs: He does. And the President will -- and those 365 00:28:15,433 --> 00:28:20,563 agencies will continue to take part in this review process and we'll continue to find 366 00:28:20,567 --> 00:28:20,997 out what happened. 367 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:21,400 The Press: And one last question. Friday is the next 368 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:31,070 jobs report. I'm not going to ask you to guess what's going to happen, but -- 369 00:28:31,066 --> 00:28:32,766 Mr. Gibbs: The last time I did that, the market went haywire. 370 00:28:32,767 --> 00:28:32,797 (laughter) 371 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:33,030 The Press: But does the President have -- 372 00:28:33,033 --> 00:28:34,863 The Press: -- I need a short-stock -- 373 00:28:34,867 --> 00:28:38,237 Mr. Gibbs: Just write down what I say, not what you thought I'd say. 374 00:28:38,233 --> 00:28:38,463 (laughter) 375 00:28:38,467 --> 00:28:40,697 The Press: Over the past few months, though, around the 376 00:28:40,700 --> 00:28:44,070 jobs report, the President has had events, either the jobs summit or the Allentown event. 377 00:28:44,066 --> 00:28:45,866 Is there anything planned this week around that? 378 00:28:45,867 --> 00:28:50,097 Mr. Gibbs: I don't think that there's a specific -- 379 00:28:50,100 --> 00:28:57,630 the President will make comments about the report. I have not looked through the block 380 00:28:57,633 --> 00:29:03,403 schedule, but I don't -- there's no travel that's planned for that day. 381 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:04,770 The Press: Or anything here, any sort of -- 382 00:29:04,767 --> 00:29:06,767 Mr. Gibbs: No. Like I said, he will do a statement and 383 00:29:06,767 --> 00:29:15,837 respond to the jobs report. Yes, sir. 384 00:29:15,834 --> 00:29:17,464 The Press: The President said he would hold people accountable. 385 00:29:17,467 --> 00:29:19,037 Can you define what that will be and how the American people will know it's happened? 386 00:29:19,033 --> 00:29:23,133 Mr. Gibbs: Major, I think I discussed this earlier. This 387 00:29:23,133 --> 00:29:28,963 is -- accountability is part of the ongoing review. You'll hear the President talk about 388 00:29:28,967 --> 00:29:32,697 where we are in that review process as that review continues. 389 00:29:32,700 --> 00:29:34,270 The Press: Does accountability necessarily mean someone 390 00:29:34,266 --> 00:29:35,366 needs to lose their job? 391 00:29:35,367 --> 00:29:39,697 Mr. Gibbs: I don't want to get ahead of the end of the review. 392 00:29:39,700 --> 00:29:42,170 The Press: So it's possible that accountability would 393 00:29:42,166 --> 00:29:46,736 not include someone losing -- that doesn't have to be a necessary measure of it. Is that correct? 394 00:29:46,734 --> 00:29:48,704 Mr. Gibbs: I'm going to wait for the review to take 395 00:29:48,700 --> 00:29:52,130 -- to finish and announcements to come after that. 396 00:29:52,133 --> 00:29:56,063 The Press: The President also said that there were pieces 397 00:29:56,066 --> 00:30:00,136 of information that had they have been put together would have prevented the suspect 398 00:30:00,133 --> 00:30:05,503 from getting on the plane. John Brennan said Sunday a couple of times that there was no 399 00:30:05,500 --> 00:30:09,430 smoking gun. Can you help the American people understand that, those two statements? 400 00:30:09,433 --> 00:30:11,763 Mr. Gibbs: I think what you heard the President say and 401 00:30:11,767 --> 00:30:19,897 what you heard John say are the same in that -- and you'll hear more of this from the 402 00:30:19,900 --> 00:30:28,470 President and as this review transpires -- information in different places collected 403 00:30:28,467 --> 00:30:39,097 but not analyzed and shared as it should have been added up could have, as the President 404 00:30:39,100 --> 00:30:46,700 said he believes, prevented this individual from getting on an airplane. Was there -- 405 00:30:46,700 --> 00:30:54,630 I think what John was saying, was there one piece of all of this in one location in two 406 00:30:54,633 --> 00:31:00,503 or three sentences? I think what John said, the answer to that is no. 407 00:31:00,500 --> 00:31:02,600 The Press: So this is not a matter of inept gathering, 408 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:06,700 it was the speed with which it was -- it should have been shared, is that fair? 409 00:31:06,700 --> 00:31:10,570 Mr. Gibbs: I think the President will address this directly today. 410 00:31:10,567 --> 00:31:15,267 The Press: On health care, I just want to round out this 411 00:31:15,266 --> 00:31:20,996 conversation. Does the President believe that the standard that he set during the campaign 412 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:25,900 -- and it was more than once, you and I heard it several times -- 413 00:31:25,900 --> 00:31:27,800 Mr. Gibbs: Three, I think. 414 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:28,000 The Press: It got favorable crowd reaction every time. 415 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:32,070 Does he believe the standard that he set during the campaign of an open dialogue in which 416 00:31:32,066 --> 00:31:35,066 the American public can evaluate around any kind of table or with any kind of cameras 417 00:31:35,066 --> 00:31:40,096 present dialoging back and forth on health care has been met -- 418 00:31:40,100 --> 00:31:41,570 Mr. Gibbs: I think that -- 419 00:31:41,567 --> 00:31:41,997 The Press: -- therefore, there is no need to go down this road? 420 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,500 Mr. Gibbs: I don't think the American people have -- 421 00:31:44,500 --> 00:31:51,030 I do not believe the American people have lacked for information on what's in these 422 00:31:51,033 --> 00:31:56,663 bills, the political and policy arguments around different people's position. I think 423 00:31:56,667 --> 00:32:00,067 that's been well documented. 424 00:32:00,066 --> 00:32:01,096 The Press: Okay, let me put it this way. What's going 425 00:32:01,100 --> 00:32:06,100 to be determined in these negotiations is the final product; not what one body of the 426 00:32:06,100 --> 00:32:10,500 legislature believes is necessary and the other disagrees with, but what the final implication 427 00:32:10,500 --> 00:32:11,870 will be for the American public. 428 00:32:11,867 --> 00:32:14,737 Mr. Gibbs: And that final implication of that product 429 00:32:14,734 --> 00:32:20,634 will then go to the House, where 435 sworn members will debate and discuss and ultimately 430 00:32:20,633 --> 00:32:26,033 vote on. Then that final implication of the product will go to the Senate, where 100 equally 431 00:32:26,033 --> 00:32:30,903 sworn members will debate and discuss that topic. And then hopefully it will come to 432 00:32:30,900 --> 00:32:35,530 the White House in an intervening time period where I assume that product will be debated 433 00:32:35,533 --> 00:32:37,703 and discussed before the President signs it into law. 434 00:32:37,700 --> 00:32:40,470 The Press: But before reaching the House and Senate floors 435 00:32:40,467 --> 00:32:42,237 the public doesn't need, in the White House opinion, to see it? 436 00:32:42,233 --> 00:32:45,363 Mr. Gibbs: I think you can get a sense of where -- you 437 00:32:45,367 --> 00:32:50,867 have at least the property lines of what we're talking about because one set is in the House 438 00:32:50,867 --> 00:32:55,637 bill, one set is in the Senate bill, and it's different policy proposals that we've been 439 00:32:55,633 --> 00:33:00,063 talking about since it was a lot warmer outside than it is now. 440 00:33:00,066 --> 00:33:01,066 The Press: Last question -- 441 00:33:01,066 --> 00:33:02,936 Mr. Gibbs: I think we started back when it was cold, 442 00:33:02,934 --> 00:33:04,804 and then it got warm and now it's cold again. 443 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:08,070 The Press: Back to Flight 253. You said this was an intelligence 444 00:33:08,066 --> 00:33:13,736 agency -- intelligence agencies failed. Did the State Department fail in any way? Yesterday 445 00:33:13,734 --> 00:33:18,634 Secretary Clinton said, "We met all the interagency requirements." Is the President satisfied 446 00:33:18,633 --> 00:33:22,833 with a response like that, that interagency requirements were met, therefore everything is okay? 447 00:33:22,834 --> 00:33:26,464 Mr. Gibbs: Let me do this -- I don't want to single out 448 00:33:26,467 --> 00:33:32,067 -- you'll hear the President speak about this review later. I'm not -- I think when 449 00:33:32,066 --> 00:33:40,136 the President talked about systemic failure he does not absolve any agency in this process 450 00:33:40,133 --> 00:33:47,563 as our review looks through what happened. I think, again, if -- 451 00:33:47,567 --> 00:33:49,997 The Press: Should an agency know that if they say, we 452 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:51,800 followed all our necessary procedures and this still happened, that's good enough? 453 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:54,200 Mr. Gibbs: Let me just say this, let me say -- if everybody 454 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:57,000 had done everything that they could, I think you'll hear the President -- you've heard 455 00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:01,930 him say and I think you'll hear him say again, that we wouldn't be discussing Flight 253 456 00:34:01,934 --> 00:34:08,834 on Christmas Day. And until -- unless or until we can be convinced that we're doing everything 457 00:34:08,834 --> 00:34:15,434 in our power to ensure that we're taking those steps, the President will not stop asking questions. 458 00:34:15,433 --> 00:34:20,633 The Press: If I could just follow up on that. Isn't one 459 00:34:20,633 --> 00:34:24,003 of the problems the fact that some people were abiding by protocols and those protocols are inadequate? 460 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,000 Mr. Gibbs: There's no question, and I think one of the 461 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:33,300 things that -- I mean, we talked about this in the initial days afterwards. We have -- 462 00:34:33,300 --> 00:34:38,870 one of the reasons why the President has asked for John specifically to go through 463 00:34:38,867 --> 00:34:47,437 this watch listing, there are -- there's a TIDES database -- there is a terrorist screening 464 00:34:47,433 --> 00:34:55,063 database from which TIDES is a larger pool that is drawn into this terrorism screening 465 00:34:55,066 --> 00:35:00,336 database; from the terrorism screening database, a subset of that makes up the selectee and 466 00:35:00,333 --> 00:35:05,333 ultimately the no-fly list. We have to ensure that protocols that have been in place and 467 00:35:05,333 --> 00:35:15,703 developed since -- for many, many years, don't prevent either information-gathering or information-sharing 468 00:35:15,700 --> 00:35:20,770 so that somebody that's on the TIDES list can't go to the screening -- the database 469 00:35:20,767 --> 00:35:25,467 screening list and ultimately to selectee and no-fly. I think you'll hear the President 470 00:35:25,467 --> 00:35:34,637 talk about -- had all this information that is gathered and collected been fully analyzed, 471 00:35:34,633 --> 00:35:40,933 I think the President -- you heard him say and he'll reiterate that what somebody -- 472 00:35:40,934 --> 00:35:47,934 what started in the TIDES database, which is a sort of global record system of individuals 473 00:35:47,934 --> 00:35:53,264 of concern, doesn't get birthed up into something like the selectee and the no-fly list. There 474 00:35:53,266 --> 00:36:00,836 are no doubt that we have to examine the existing protocols as the tactics and techniques of 475 00:36:00,834 --> 00:36:05,034 terrorists change to ensure that we are staying ahead of what they're planning. 476 00:36:05,033 --> 00:36:07,563 The Press: Is one of the goals to make that a real-time 477 00:36:07,567 --> 00:36:11,597 procedure, meaning -- let's say you're not on the no-fly list but you're maybe in TIDE, 478 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:17,270 and there is something about your presentation at the airport -- cash, one-way, no luggage 479 00:36:17,266 --> 00:36:20,066 -- that instantly pushes you up the system -- 480 00:36:20,066 --> 00:36:21,936 Mr. Gibbs: I don't want to get ahead of -- 481 00:36:21,934 --> 00:36:23,204 The Press: But is that the theoretical goal -- 482 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:24,270 Mr. Gibbs: I think what -- 483 00:36:24,266 --> 00:36:26,136 The Press: -- something that has a real time component to it? 484 00:36:26,133 --> 00:36:31,503 Mr. Gibbs: -- what John Brennan will do is look through 485 00:36:31,500 --> 00:36:38,070 the different protocols, the different ways that information is gathered, and how we move 486 00:36:38,066 --> 00:36:43,636 people from TIDES to screening, ultimately to selectee and no-fly. Look, some of the 487 00:36:43,633 --> 00:36:51,363 reasons -- I think you heard John say, cash that's used in Africa to buy a plane ticket 488 00:36:51,367 --> 00:36:52,297 may not altogether -- 489 00:36:52,300 --> 00:36:52,970 The Press: -- not necessarily -- 490 00:36:52,967 --> 00:36:54,567 Mr. Gibbs: Right -- isn't necessarily going to be something 491 00:36:54,567 --> 00:37:01,297 where somebody says, oh, wait a minute, that individual should -- now, that plus a series 492 00:37:01,300 --> 00:37:08,870 of other things all analyzed together could, and should, take somebody from a larger pool 493 00:37:08,867 --> 00:37:12,597 into a selectee or a no-fly. There's no doubt about that. 494 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:15,070 The Press: Robert, can you describe how the attempted 495 00:37:15,066 --> 00:37:20,366 bombing is affecting the administration's thinking about Guantanamo Bay and closing the facility? 496 00:37:20,367 --> 00:37:25,237 Mr. Gibbs: Well, look, first and foremost, we have undergone 497 00:37:25,233 --> 00:37:33,333 a rigorous process to analyze all that were at Guantanamo Bay. Some have been transferred 498 00:37:33,333 --> 00:37:45,133 to their home countries, some to other countries either because they -- the task force determined 499 00:37:45,133 --> 00:37:53,463 that it was okay to do so, or in some cases judges have ruled in habeas cases that the 500 00:37:53,467 --> 00:38:03,237 government no longer has an acceptable reason for keeping that individual. Again, the task 501 00:38:03,233 --> 00:38:08,463 force will look through those. We've obviously worked through legislation to reform military 502 00:38:08,467 --> 00:38:15,167 commissions. We've indicted individuals in Article III courts, and some of those trials 503 00:38:15,166 --> 00:38:24,696 will begin soon. And I think you heard John say this over the weekend, that one of the 504 00:38:24,700 --> 00:38:30,430 very first things that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula used as a recruiting tool was the 505 00:38:30,433 --> 00:38:37,563 existence of Guantanamo Bay. John has stated clearly that we are not going to make decisions 506 00:38:37,567 --> 00:38:48,367 about transfers that -- to a country like Yemen that would -- that they're not capable 507 00:38:48,367 --> 00:38:56,437 of handling. And I think that while we remain committed to closing the facility, the determination 508 00:38:56,433 --> 00:39:05,603 has been made that right now any additional transfers to Yemen is not a good idea. 509 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:11,570 The Press: Can I just follow on that -- 510 00:39:11,567 --> 00:39:11,637 Mr. Gibbs: Sure. 511 00:39:11,633 --> 00:39:11,863 The Press: -- because that potentially moves up the number 512 00:39:11,867 --> 00:39:12,167 of people that might be sent to the Thomson prison. Can you -- 513 00:39:12,166 --> 00:39:16,966 Mr. Gibbs: I can't quantify -- again, what I just said 514 00:39:16,967 --> 00:39:23,937 to Michael -- obviously we're not -- we would not move additional people into Yemen right now. 515 00:39:23,934 --> 00:39:27,464 The Press: You will not? 516 00:39:27,467 --> 00:39:29,597 Mr. Gibbs: Not. 517 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:32,130 The Press: Robert, you said the -- if the protocols were 518 00:39:32,133 --> 00:39:35,163 inadequate and these things are being reviewed, should Americans be fearful of flying, either 519 00:39:35,166 --> 00:39:37,066 domestically or internationally? 520 00:39:37,066 --> 00:39:39,666 Mr. Gibbs: I do not believe so. 521 00:39:39,667 --> 00:39:41,297 The Press: Why? 522 00:39:41,300 --> 00:39:47,970 Mr. Gibbs: Because -- well, I believe that the system 523 00:39:47,967 --> 00:39:55,497 that we have right now, the enhanced security procedures that have been implemented, provide 524 00:39:55,500 --> 00:40:04,470 a measure of safety and security for travelers either going domestically or traveling to 525 00:40:04,467 --> 00:40:14,537 and from this country overseas. You'll hear the President discuss today what has been 526 00:40:14,533 --> 00:40:23,663 done through DHS and TSA for additional screening activities and different security protocols 527 00:40:23,667 --> 00:40:28,337 to ensure that safety. 528 00:40:28,333 --> 00:40:30,833 The Press: On a separate matter, on the Fort Hood review, 529 00:40:30,834 --> 00:40:34,664 does the President plan to make a statement on his assessment of the review that was presented 530 00:40:34,667 --> 00:40:37,237 to him in Hawaii? And will that review ever become public? 531 00:40:37,233 --> 00:40:39,703 Mr. Gibbs: I will check on that. I know that the President 532 00:40:39,700 --> 00:40:48,470 received from John, on the 23rd, prior to leaving, some -- a preliminary investigation 533 00:40:48,467 --> 00:40:56,537 into that. I know they discussed some of that while he was there and have discussed that 534 00:40:56,533 --> 00:41:03,833 since coming back, and I know at some point we will finish that review and make it public. 535 00:41:03,834 --> 00:41:06,034 The Press: At some point will he make a statement on 536 00:41:06,033 --> 00:41:07,233 that, though, on his assessment or -- 537 00:41:07,233 --> 00:41:12,033 Mr. Gibbs: I think so. First and foremost, we're focused 538 00:41:12,033 --> 00:41:15,403 on the meeting and the assessment today. Yes, sir. 539 00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:19,100 The Press: A couple questions on the third uninvited 540 00:41:19,100 --> 00:41:24,900 state dinner guest. What was the President's reaction to learning that there was yet another one? 541 00:41:24,900 --> 00:41:27,200 Mr. Gibbs: You know, I'm not going to get into this 542 00:41:27,200 --> 00:41:34,100 -- yesterday we directed, and we will do so today, based on a criminal investigation, 543 00:41:34,100 --> 00:41:35,200 direct you to the Secret Service. 544 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:37,130 The Press: How does that affect the criminal investigation? 545 00:41:37,133 --> 00:41:41,003 Mr. Gibbs: Just -- because I've talked to the lawyers 546 00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:46,470 and that's the recommendation that was given to me. Is that both your questions? 547 00:41:46,467 --> 00:41:50,297 The Press: Well, there were a couple of others that are 548 00:41:50,300 --> 00:41:54,330 not part of a criminal investigation -- 549 00:41:54,333 --> 00:42:00,163 Mr. Gibbs: Well, if it's that incident, then I'll -- 550 00:42:00,166 --> 00:42:02,096 The Press: May I just follow on this one, please? 551 00:42:02,100 --> 00:42:03,270 Mr. Gibbs: Go ahead. 552 00:42:03,266 --> 00:42:07,336 The Press: Thank you, Robert. On North Korea, does the 553 00:42:07,333 --> 00:42:08,133 President make any decision to delist North Korea as terrorist country? 554 00:42:08,133 --> 00:42:12,303 Mr. Gibbs: Say that one more time. 555 00:42:12,300 --> 00:42:16,070 The Press: Does the President make any decision to delist 556 00:42:16,066 --> 00:42:16,096 North Korea as terrorist country? The Press: Delist. 557 00:42:16,100 --> 00:42:18,070 Mr. Gibbs: Has the President made a decision? 558 00:42:18,066 --> 00:42:18,166 The Press: Yes. 559 00:42:18,166 --> 00:42:22,736 Mr. Gibbs: No. Our posture on that has not changed. Yes, sir. 560 00:42:22,734 --> 00:42:28,504 The Press: Today marks one year exactly since the President 561 00:42:28,500 --> 00:42:32,900 nominated Dawn Johnsen to lead the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department. 562 00:42:32,900 --> 00:42:37,200 Does he plan to renominate her and the others? And more broadly speaking, how does he respond 563 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:41,370 to criticisms from liberal organizations that he hasn't put enough muscle behind getting 564 00:42:41,367 --> 00:42:43,737 his judicial and executive branch nominees confirmed? 565 00:42:43,734 --> 00:42:46,664 Mr. Gibbs: I don't know what decisions have been made 566 00:42:46,667 --> 00:43:01,197 about nominees that have, as a result of being -- having passed a year, need to be renominated. 567 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:06,270 I can certainly check on that. I would say that we are proud of our record of getting 568 00:43:06,266 --> 00:43:14,436 individuals into government, though disappointed at the pace in the Senate in working through 569 00:43:14,433 --> 00:43:18,633 both executive branch and judicial nominations. Yes, sir. 570 00:43:18,633 --> 00:43:22,903 The Press: Thank you, Robert. You said earlier that the 571 00:43:22,900 --> 00:43:30,470 President had full confident in Admiral Blair and Director Panetta, correct? Does he have 572 00:43:30,467 --> 00:43:31,637 the same confident in Secretary Napolitano? 573 00:43:31,633 --> 00:43:32,163 Mr. Gibbs: He does. 574 00:43:32,166 --> 00:43:33,836 The Press: And there has been no sounding out of people 575 00:43:33,834 --> 00:43:38,664 outside the administration to wait in the wings for a possible shakeup? 576 00:43:38,667 --> 00:43:39,467 Mr. Gibbs: No. 577 00:43:39,467 --> 00:43:42,537 The Press: The other thing I wanted to ask was, do the 578 00:43:42,533 --> 00:43:47,563 intelligence chiefs who were -- who have been meeting with the President, do they feel the 579 00:43:47,567 --> 00:43:52,437 interrogators had enough time with Abdulmutallab before the lawyers came in? 580 00:43:52,433 --> 00:43:55,633 Mr. Gibbs: It's my understanding the FBI does believe so, yes. 581 00:43:55,633 --> 00:43:57,663 The Press: And the CIA and NSA -- 582 00:43:57,667 --> 00:44:02,737 Mr. Gibbs: I have not talked directly to them. I can 583 00:44:02,734 --> 00:44:12,004 certainly look into that. But again, if you look at decisions that were made about Richard 584 00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:21,470 Reid, if you -- Richard Reid, after I think less than three days, had already been indicted, 585 00:44:21,467 --> 00:44:27,037 which puts him in the criminal justice here. He was tried in Boston and is now at a maximum 586 00:44:27,033 --> 00:44:34,433 security facility in Florence, Colorado. The same is true for Zacarias Moussaoui. He entered 587 00:44:34,433 --> 00:44:42,563 the U.S. criminal justice system, and convicted not far from here and sent to Colorado, as well. Steve. 588 00:44:42,567 --> 00:44:45,897 The Press: Robert, was the President, before December 589 00:44:45,900 --> 00:44:51,570 25th, was the President ever briefed by things like the TIDES list and how that works, or 590 00:44:51,567 --> 00:44:57,037 airport security, or did he ever ask? Was he assured that all this worked ever before this? 591 00:44:57,033 --> 00:45:01,163 Mr. Gibbs: I don't know the full answer to the degree 592 00:45:01,166 --> 00:45:08,766 to which they had gotten into the TIDES database or that. I can certainly see if -- obviously 593 00:45:08,767 --> 00:45:13,667 the President spends a lot of time learning about and discussing potential threats. Yes, ma'am. 594 00:45:13,667 --> 00:45:14,337 The Press: Does the administration have any response 595 00:45:14,333 --> 00:45:15,633 to the effigy that was found in Georgia? And are there any concerns about increased demonstrations 596 00:45:15,633 --> 00:45:16,103 like these happening against the President? 597 00:45:16,100 --> 00:45:28,630 Mr. Gibbs: I'd point you to the Secret Service on that. 598 00:45:28,633 --> 00:45:38,133 I don't have anything on that. Yes, sir. 599 00:45:38,133 --> 00:45:38,703 The Press: Thanks, Robert. Thirteen state attorney generals 600 00:45:38,700 --> 00:45:40,830 sent a letter to congressional leaders saying that if a Nebraska clause isn't in the final 601 00:45:40,834 --> 00:45:47,534 health care bill that they would bring legal action, based on equal protection clause and 602 00:45:47,533 --> 00:45:50,963 arbitrary spending. Does the President believe the Nebraska clause is constitutional if it 603 00:45:50,967 --> 00:45:51,367 meets the -- 604 00:45:51,367 --> 00:45:55,197 Mr. Gibbs: I have not talked to the President specifically 605 00:45:55,200 --> 00:46:02,770 about the letter from the attorney generals. I do not believe that -- I do not believe 606 00:46:02,767 --> 00:46:10,167 that anybody has legitimate constitutional concerns about the legislation. 607 00:46:10,166 --> 00:46:12,466 The Press: Is he supportive of the Nebraska language then -- 608 00:46:12,467 --> 00:46:14,897 Mr. Gibbs: He's supportive of the Senate bill, so I don't 609 00:46:14,900 --> 00:46:19,630 know what that leads you to conclude. Yes, sir. 610 00:46:19,633 --> 00:46:22,033 The Press: Since the Christmas Day incident involving 611 00:46:22,033 --> 00:46:28,363 Flight 253 there's been increase scrutiny upon people flying into this country from 612 00:46:28,367 --> 00:46:35,167 14 mostly Muslim countries. I'm curious -- I've heard this from many people -- why did 613 00:46:35,166 --> 00:46:39,396 it take eight-plus years post-9/11 to get to this point as far as increased scrutiny 614 00:46:39,400 --> 00:46:43,330 on those individuals flying into those countries? And also, will this continue for the foreseeable future? 615 00:46:43,333 --> 00:46:48,703 Mr. Gibbs: Well, DHS and TSA have put into place for 616 00:46:48,700 --> 00:46:57,230 that foreseeable future enhanced security. They're not chosen by -- they're chosen by 617 00:46:57,233 --> 00:47:08,503 what have been determined as state sponsors of terrorism. That's how that list currently 618 00:47:08,500 --> 00:47:11,570 has been and in other ways has been devised in the past. 619 00:47:11,567 --> 00:47:13,737 The Press: Should this have happened, like, a lot earlier 620 00:47:13,734 --> 00:47:20,164 -- I mean, post-9/11 -- just to get to this point where we are right now? 621 00:47:20,166 --> 00:47:25,266 The Press: Not all 14, Robert. 622 00:47:25,266 --> 00:47:28,966 The Press: Only four -- 623 00:47:28,967 --> 00:47:34,637 Mr. Gibbs: I will double-check on this. Deb. 624 00:47:34,633 --> 00:47:35,263 The Press: Did the President play any role in John Cherry's 625 00:47:35,266 --> 00:47:36,196 decision not to run for governor of Michigan? And is the White House playing any role now 626 00:47:36,200 --> 00:47:36,600 in talking to Democratic candidates about running? 627 00:47:36,600 --> 00:47:39,770 Mr. Gibbs: I can check with -- none that I'm aware of 628 00:47:39,767 --> 00:47:48,737 in the decision by the lieutenant governor today. And I can check with Political Affairs 629 00:47:48,734 --> 00:47:50,564 about something ongoing. Ken. 630 00:47:50,567 --> 00:47:55,237 The Press: Thank you, Robert. Robert, Chairman Charlie 631 00:47:55,233 --> 00:48:04,703 Rangel of Ways and Means suggests that the conference will be just this side of a rubber 632 00:48:04,700 --> 00:48:07,930 stamp. Is there anything specific that the President would like to see be included at 633 00:48:07,934 --> 00:48:12,864 this point in a final conference bill? And does the President accept that at this point 634 00:48:12,867 --> 00:48:17,067 this will just be pretty much a quick run-through? 635 00:48:17,066 --> 00:48:23,066 Mr. Gibbs: No, look, we've discussed in here over the 636 00:48:23,066 --> 00:48:31,266 course of many months what will ultimately be or what is ultimately part of the few differences 637 00:48:31,266 --> 00:48:37,966 in each one of those bills. That's what the President will, and leaders on both the House 638 00:48:37,967 --> 00:48:46,137 and Senate side, will go through. Again, we hope this is a process that because of the 639 00:48:46,133 --> 00:48:53,303 sheer nature of how much in these bills are -- these bills have in common, that this 640 00:48:53,300 --> 00:49:00,370 is a process that we can conclude and ultimately get a bill quickly to the President's desk. 641 00:49:00,367 --> 00:49:00,667 Thanks, guys.