English subtitles for clip: File:3-9-16- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

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I do not have any
announcements at the top, so

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we can go straight
to questions.

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Darlene, would
you like to start?

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The Press: Yes, thanks.

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Do you have anything to
add to reports that United

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States Special Forces are
questioning the head of the

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Islamic faith group unit
that's trying to develop

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nuclear weapons?

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Mr. Earnest:
Unfortunately, I do not.

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I've seen those reports.

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At this point, I'm still
constrained by some

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operational security
considerations from

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commenting directly on the
reports or even being in a

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position to confirm them.

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You do know, however,
that there are U.S.

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military forces that are on
the ground in Iraq that are

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part of these forces that
are dedicated to carrying

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out raids, collecting
intelligence, and where

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possible, getting access
to high-value targets.

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But as it relates to any
specific operation, I just

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don't have any information
for you about that.

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Any individual that does
come from those kinds of

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operations will be
distributed by the

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Department of Defense.

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The Press: Next question.

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Was the President surprised
by Hillary Clinton's upset

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last night in Michigan?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I haven't
talked to him about the

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results of
yesterday's election.

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But I think many people have
expressed surprise that the

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outcome of the election was
different than the outcome

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that was predicted by the
pre-election polls, so I

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know there's been a lot of
analysis that's been devoted

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to figuring out why
the polls were wrong.

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I think what's more
important is for us to

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acknowledge that there's
a spirited debate on the

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Democratic side.

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I think it's a really
good thing for the party.

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I think we saw two
candidates on the Democratic

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side yesterday that have
a demonstrated ability to

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energize and inspire
passionate Democratic voters.

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And we're talking about a
state that sometimes is a

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swing state -- that's an
important characteristic to

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have in your candidate, and
on the Democratic side,

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we're fortunate to
have two of them.

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The Press: Lastly, I wanted
to follow up on the question

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you got I think it was last
week that's about some

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legislation on the Hill, and
the White House hadn't seen

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the bill.

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The Senate today finally
passed the bill that will

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require the White House to
set up teams for transition.

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Do you have any update on
whether the White House has

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a position on that?

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Or do you even think
legislation to ensure the

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smooth transition is
necessary at all?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I can
tell you, even absent any

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legislation, this
administration is committed

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to making sure that
President Obama's successor

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has the full cooperation
of his staff in ensuring a

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smooth transition.

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We've talked before about
how President George W.

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Bush directed senior members
of his team to ensure that

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proper planning was in place
to allow President Obama to

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transition into office
as smoothly as possible.

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That, of course, is the
responsibility of the

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incumbent President, but in
the case of President Bush,

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it demonstrated a commitment
to the smooth and effective

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operation of the government
even when it means

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cooperating with somebody
who is in a different

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political party.

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And President Obama
certainly hopes and expects

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to be succeeded
by a Democrat.

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But either way, the incoming
President can certainly

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count on the full
cooperation of this

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administration in ensuring
that the next administration

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can get off to
a running start.

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The Press: And on the
question about the bill itself?

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Mr. Earnest: On the bill
itself, I don't have an

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answer for you in terms of
whether or not we believe it

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is necessary.

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But at this point, I do
not anticipate that the

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President will veto the
bill; I would anticipate

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that he will sign it.

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Nice to see you today.

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The Press: Thank you.

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Nice to be here.

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On ISIL and chemical
weapons, how concerned is

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the administration that
they're getting closer to

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developing more dangerous
nerve gases, and how far

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away might they be?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, at this
point, there has been some

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evidence and some discussion
and even some reports about

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potential use of chemical
weapons by ISIL.

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We're reviewing
those reports.

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And obviously, the use of
chemical weapons by anybody

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is an atrocity and one that
the international community

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will not stand for.

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However, if those reports
are correct, it would not be

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an outlier in terms of the
tactics that we know that

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ISIL uses.

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We know that ISIL is an
extremist organization that

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seeks to achieve their aims
by terrorizing innocent people.

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And so their use of chemical
weapons, if true, would be

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consistent with those
kinds of tactics.

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It's certainly something
that the United States and

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our international partners
take quite seriously.

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So I think I'd
leave it there.

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The Press: What can the U.S.

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do to prevent the
development of nerve gases?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, certainly
one of the things that we

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have done already is we
worked effectively with the

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Russians a couple years ago
to ensure that the declared

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chemical weapons stockpile
of the Assad regime was

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faithfully rounded
up and destroyed.

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That was important not
just because it took one

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dangerous weapon out of the
arsenal of the Assad regime

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-- that was important
because the Assad regime was

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using that arsenal to attack
innocent people -- it also

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made it less likely --
basically, at this point,

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impossible -- that that
declared chemical weapons

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stockpile could fall into
the hands of terrorists

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like ISIL.

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So eliminating that
proliferation threat was

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another key benefit of our
success in destroying the

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Assad regime's declared
chemical weapons stockpile.

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So that certainly is one
thing that we have done.

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Obviously there are a whole
host of efforts that we've

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undertaken as a part of the
international community to

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limit that kind of
proliferation, and we're

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mindful of how important
that is when it comes to the

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kind of chaos that we're
seeing in Iraq and in Syria.

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The Press: Turning to Iran.

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IRGC fired second
day of missile tests.

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Does it look like the White
House will raise it at the

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U.N. Security Council?

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When and what are the kinds
of things that might be an

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appropriate response?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, we are
aware of reports about

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additional missile
launches today in Iran.

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We're going to take a close
look at those launches in

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the same way that we're
continuing to review the

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details around the launches
that were carried out by

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Iran earlier this week.

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Unfortunately, Iran's
insistence on developing a

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ballistic missile program
outside of widely recognized

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international standards is
a longstanding concern not

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just of the United States
but of the

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international community.

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It is, in fact, one of the
reasons that the United

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States led the way to
develop, negotiate, and

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implement successfully a
diplomatic agreement to

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prevent Iran from
obtaining nuclear weapons.

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The reason that was
significant is we know that

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Iran is working aggressively
to try to enhance their

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ballistic missile
capability, and preventing

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them from being able to
nuclearize their missiles is

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obviously important to our
national security here in

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the United States.

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It's also important to the
national security of our

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allies and partners
in the region.

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So we are pleased that we've
been able to successfully

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implement that diplomatic
agreement to prevent them

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from obtaining a nuclear
weapon -- that makes our

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country and the
region safer.

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But we will continue to
redouble our efforts with

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our allies and partners in
the region to try to limit

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Iran's ability to continue
to develop their missile

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program outside of
international conventions.

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And there is more that we
can do to enforce sanctions

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that are in place.

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There are also a set of
restrictions about what kind

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of equipment and materials
can be shipped to Iran.

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And there's more that we can
do to work with our partners

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to interdict those kinds of
shipments that may include

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some of those
illicit products.

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So this is something that
we've been mindful of for

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quite some time.

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It's the reason that we
pursued the international

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agreement to prevent them
from obtaining a

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nuclear weapon.

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And as we learn more
information about what

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exactly they have done,
we'll determine an

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appropriate response.

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The other thing that I will
point out is that we know

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that Iran is in a season of
carrying out a number of

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military activities.

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And so it certainly would
not be a surprise if there

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are additional launches over
the next several days that

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are similar to the launches
that we've seen already a

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couple of times this week.

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The Press: And lastly, on
the primary yesterday.

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In Michigan, Senator Sanders
came through with a

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surprise win.

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Should that be interpreted
that the Obama

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administration is out of
step with a large chunk of

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the Democratic
base on trade?

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And is this a sign that the
White House should delay a

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push in Congress for
TTP -- TPP approval?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, let me
take that in a couple of

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different steps.

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I think we've acknowledged
that there are a lot of

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Democrats who have a
reflexive opposition to any

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discussion of expanding
international trade and that

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does make the politics
of this particular

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issue complicated.

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But it doesn't in any way
undermine the case that we

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make on the merits about
how agreements like the

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Trans-Pacific Partnership
that have stronger-than-ever

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standards that relate to
the environment, to labor

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rights, and to human rights.

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Those kinds of agreements
are good for the U.S. economy.

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The reason that they are a
net positive for the U.S.

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economy is that it begins to
level the playing field, and

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it gives American workers
and American businesses more

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of an opportunity to compete
on that level playing field.

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And the President is
confident that when American

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businesses and American
innovators and American

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workers are given a fair
playing field that Americans

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are going to win
more often than not.

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So there is this concern
that is legitimate that is

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articulated by many leaders
in the Democratic Party

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about the impact that
the broader forces of

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globalization are having on
middle-class families and

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middle-class workers
across the country.

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Those concerns are
entirely legitimate.

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We have seen that there
are certain sectors of our

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economy and even certain
communities that have been

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more negatively affected by
the forces of globalization.

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And so the question that the
President has and that he

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asks himself, as the leader
of the country, what could

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we do about it; as the
leader of the United States,

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I have a responsibility to
look out for the economy of

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this country and to look out
for every community in this

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country, so what are we
going to do about those

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forces of globalization?

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We haven't heard opponents
of the Trans-Pacific

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Partnership articulate
really a legitimate or

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realistic strategy
for doing so.

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The President, on the other
hand, has laid out a very

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clear strategy for making
sure that the United States

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does more to engage with
those countries, including

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some countries in Southeast
Asia that have some of the

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most dynamic economies in
the world, and that by

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leveling the playing field,
we can make sure that U.S.

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businesses are not at a
disadvantage when they are

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00:11:55,181 --> 00:11:58,681
competing with those
businesses in Southeast Asia.

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The other thing that we're
doing is we're also making

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00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:04,220
sure that those growing
economies are going to --

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00:12:04,223 --> 00:12:11,393
that we can do away with
the 18,000 taxes that are

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00:12:11,397 --> 00:12:15,667
currently imposed on goods
that are stamped, "Made in

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00:12:15,668 --> 00:12:19,708
the USA," and that by
cutting those taxes, we can

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00:12:19,705 --> 00:12:21,705
actually make it
easier for U.S.

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00:12:21,707 --> 00:12:23,707
businesses to do
business overseas.

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00:12:23,709 --> 00:12:26,649
That is going to only expand
economic opportunity, expand

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00:12:26,645 --> 00:12:29,115
economic growth, and expand
job creation right here in

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the United States.

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00:12:30,216 --> 00:12:33,116
The other thing that we know
from economists is that jobs

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00:12:33,119 --> 00:12:37,819
that are directly connected
to international trade on

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00:12:37,823 --> 00:12:41,023
average pay more than
jobs that aren't.

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00:12:41,026 --> 00:12:43,066
So if we're looking to
create good jobs in the

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00:12:43,062 --> 00:12:45,362
United States, including
good-paying jobs, then we

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00:12:45,364 --> 00:12:48,464
need to look for ways that
we can open up more markets

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00:12:48,467 --> 00:12:50,337
to U.S. goods and services.

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00:12:50,336 --> 00:12:53,436
So all of that is a good
thing, and that is the

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00:12:53,439 --> 00:12:56,079
strategy that the President
has for confronting this

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00:12:56,075 --> 00:12:57,715
significant challenge.

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00:12:57,710 --> 00:13:00,580
I recognize that this is
not going to immediately

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00:13:00,579 --> 00:13:06,589
overcome the decades of
Democratic Party orthodoxy

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00:13:10,389 --> 00:13:13,389
when it comes to
opposing trade.

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00:13:13,392 --> 00:13:17,192
But for people who are
willing to consider this

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00:13:17,196 --> 00:13:21,136
specific trade agreement
on the merits, there's no

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00:13:21,133 --> 00:13:24,203
mystery why the President
and at least some Democrats

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00:13:24,203 --> 00:13:26,573
in Congress are
supportive of it.

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00:13:26,572 --> 00:13:29,642
And we're going to continue
to make that case across

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00:13:29,642 --> 00:13:31,142
the country.

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00:13:31,143 --> 00:13:32,143
Mary.

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00:13:32,144 --> 00:13:34,144
The Press: On Robert
Levinson, of course, today

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00:13:34,146 --> 00:13:36,186
is the 9th anniversary
of his disappearance.

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00:13:36,182 --> 00:13:38,852
And back in January, the
Iranians agreed to help with

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00:13:38,851 --> 00:13:40,321
this case.

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00:13:40,319 --> 00:13:42,219
But since then, there
doesn't seem to have been

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00:13:42,221 --> 00:13:44,191
any changes or strides made.

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00:13:44,190 --> 00:13:47,590
Has Iran provided any useful
information or leads?

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00:13:47,593 --> 00:13:49,533
Are they cooperating at all?

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00:13:49,528 --> 00:13:52,268
Mr. Earnest: Well, you saw
that the White House issued

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00:13:52,264 --> 00:13:55,934
a statement on paper from me
earlier today, marking the

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00:13:55,935 --> 00:13:58,135
anniversary of Mr.
Levinson's disappearance

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00:13:58,137 --> 00:14:02,777
and noting our continued
efforts to determine

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00:14:02,775 --> 00:14:04,975
his whereabouts.

291
00:14:04,977 --> 00:14:08,017
As a part of securing the
release of a handful of

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00:14:08,013 --> 00:14:12,283
Americans that we know were
unjustly detained in Iran,

293
00:14:12,284 --> 00:14:16,224
we secured a commitment from
the Iranians to cooperate

294
00:14:16,222 --> 00:14:18,262
with the United States in
our efforts to determine

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00:14:18,257 --> 00:14:19,327
his whereabouts.

296
00:14:19,325 --> 00:14:21,395
The reason their cooperation
is important is, the last

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00:14:21,393 --> 00:14:25,393
time that Mr. Levinson
was seen, he was in Iran.

298
00:14:25,397 --> 00:14:28,137
And so we've got some pretty
pointed questions that we're

299
00:14:28,133 --> 00:14:32,003
asking the Iranians about
what they may know about his

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00:14:32,004 --> 00:14:34,374
current whereabouts.

301
00:14:34,373 --> 00:14:36,373
I don't have a lot of
information to share about

302
00:14:36,375 --> 00:14:37,715
those discussions.

303
00:14:37,710 --> 00:14:39,380
I can tell you that those
discussions are ongoing.

304
00:14:39,378 --> 00:14:45,788
And I can tell you that we
take quite seriously the

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00:14:45,784 --> 00:14:48,684
U.S. government's responsibility
to try to find Mr. Levinson,

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00:14:48,687 --> 00:14:54,157
but we also are going to
take seriously Iran's

307
00:14:54,159 --> 00:14:56,159
commitment -- and we're
going to hold them to that

308
00:14:56,161 --> 00:14:58,161
commitment -- to work
with us to determine

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00:14:58,163 --> 00:14:59,163
his whereabouts.

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00:14:59,164 --> 00:15:00,834
The Press: And following up
on a discussion we had in

311
00:15:00,833 --> 00:15:02,933
here yesterday, the Attorney
General has taken her name

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00:15:02,935 --> 00:15:06,405
out of the running to be the
President's Supreme Court

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00:15:06,405 --> 00:15:07,235
pick.

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00:15:07,239 --> 00:15:08,639
And in doing so, she
suggested that the

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00:15:08,641 --> 00:15:11,911
nomination process
would be too cumbersome.

316
00:15:11,910 --> 00:15:14,080
Does it figure into the
President's calculus that

317
00:15:14,079 --> 00:15:16,079
whomever he nominates has to
be willing to essentially

318
00:15:16,081 --> 00:15:18,751
get kicked around by
Republicans for a couple of

319
00:15:18,751 --> 00:15:20,081
months, and ultimately may
not ultimately go through

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00:15:20,085 --> 00:15:22,525
the confirmation process?

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00:15:22,521 --> 00:15:24,661
Mr. Earnest: Well, let me
answer that question two

322
00:15:24,657 --> 00:15:25,657
different ways.

323
00:15:25,658 --> 00:15:28,098
The first is, I think the
reference to the cumbersome

324
00:15:28,093 --> 00:15:29,833
nature of the nomination
process is the fact that

325
00:15:29,828 --> 00:15:35,698
Ms. Lynch has quite an
important job already, and

326
00:15:35,701 --> 00:15:39,841
to put her through that
nomination process would

327
00:15:39,838 --> 00:15:42,278
prevent her from doing the
important work that she is

328
00:15:42,274 --> 00:15:44,374
currently tasked with at
the Department of Justice.

329
00:15:44,376 --> 00:15:47,946
And that is the circumstance
that we are seeking to

330
00:15:47,946 --> 00:15:49,086
avoid.

331
00:15:49,081 --> 00:15:51,681
It's a circumstance that
she's seeking to avoid.

332
00:15:51,684 --> 00:15:55,054
And that's why she's taken
herself -- she has made

333
00:15:55,054 --> 00:15:56,484
clear that she did not
want to be considered.

334
00:15:56,488 --> 00:15:59,288
More generally, though, I do
think that this is something

335
00:15:59,291 --> 00:16:01,791
that we discussed a little
bit yesterday, that we see a

336
00:16:01,794 --> 00:16:04,294
leading Republican in
the United States Senate

337
00:16:04,296 --> 00:16:08,736
indicate that Republicans
would treat the President's

338
00:16:08,734 --> 00:16:09,834
nominee as a pi単ata.

339
00:16:09,835 --> 00:16:14,175
Now, he offers up this
rather colorful description

340
00:16:14,173 --> 00:16:16,173
despite the fact he doesn't
know who the President's

341
00:16:16,175 --> 00:16:17,175
nominee is.

342
00:16:17,176 --> 00:16:19,146
I think that is a clear
indication that Republicans

343
00:16:19,144 --> 00:16:22,114
in the United States Senate
have no intention of being

344
00:16:22,114 --> 00:16:24,114
fair to the
President's nominee.

345
00:16:24,116 --> 00:16:27,356
And I don't think that fits
with anybody's description

346
00:16:27,353 --> 00:16:29,353
of what the Senate's
constitutional

347
00:16:29,355 --> 00:16:30,355
responsibility is.

348
00:16:30,356 --> 00:16:32,326
It certainly doesn't fit
with Senator Cornyn's

349
00:16:32,324 --> 00:16:35,064
description of that
responsibility, because I'll

350
00:16:35,060 --> 00:16:37,760
note that Senator Corynyn
used similarly colorful

351
00:16:37,763 --> 00:16:41,503
language back in 2006 when
talking about the Senate's

352
00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:46,410
treatment of President
Bush's nominees to the Court.

353
00:16:46,405 --> 00:16:52,215
Let me quote once again from
Senator Cornyn, who said,

354
00:16:52,211 --> 00:16:54,711
"The current regime treats
Supreme Court nominees more

355
00:16:54,713 --> 00:16:57,653
like pi単atas than
human beings."

356
00:16:57,649 --> 00:16:59,889
This is from 2006.

357
00:16:59,885 --> 00:17:02,155
"And that's something that
none of us should be willing

358
00:17:02,154 --> 00:17:04,494
to tolerate," Senator
Cornyn continued.

359
00:17:04,490 --> 00:17:07,530
Let me just point out
Senator Cornyn was actually

360
00:17:07,526 --> 00:17:11,426
referring to a nominee from
President Bush, Justice

361
00:17:11,430 --> 00:17:15,970
Alito, who received courtesy
visits from Democratic

362
00:17:15,968 --> 00:17:17,668
senators on Capitol Hill.

363
00:17:17,669 --> 00:17:19,669
Judge Alito, when he was
nominated for the Supreme

364
00:17:19,671 --> 00:17:21,671
Court, received
a timely hearing.

365
00:17:21,673 --> 00:17:25,843
He got an up or down vote in
the United States Senate,

366
00:17:25,844 --> 00:17:28,444
and he was confirmed
to the Supreme Court.

367
00:17:28,447 --> 00:17:33,987
So if Senator Cornyn
believes that Judge Alito

368
00:17:33,986 --> 00:17:38,796
was unfairly treated like a
pi単ata, what he is vowing to

369
00:17:38,791 --> 00:17:44,031
do to President Obama's
as-yet-unnamed nominee is

370
00:17:44,029 --> 00:17:45,599
far, far worse.

371
00:17:45,597 --> 00:17:47,897
And that's why we make
a strong case that what

372
00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:51,570
Republicans are proposing to
do and have been doing in

373
00:17:51,570 --> 00:17:55,010
this process thus far
is an unprecedented, an

374
00:17:55,007 --> 00:18:01,177
unwarranted escalation of
partisan politics when it

375
00:18:01,180 --> 00:18:03,180
comes to the one branch of
government that's supposed

376
00:18:03,182 --> 00:18:06,022
to be insulated from it, and
that's the Supreme Court.

377
00:18:06,018 --> 00:18:12,188
So obviously, Republicans
are going to have a

378
00:18:12,191 --> 00:18:15,391
difficult time, I think,
trying to defend both the

379
00:18:15,394 --> 00:18:18,364
way that they have handled
this thus far, and I think

380
00:18:18,363 --> 00:18:20,363
they're going to have
a tough time defending

381
00:18:20,365 --> 00:18:22,435
following through on their
threats to treat the

382
00:18:22,434 --> 00:18:24,434
President's nominee
as a pi単ata.

383
00:18:24,436 --> 00:18:27,976
The Press: As you try to
sway Senate Republicans to

384
00:18:27,973 --> 00:18:31,343
consider the President's
Supreme Court nominee, how

385
00:18:31,343 --> 00:18:35,313
much is the state of the
presidential race -- what

386
00:18:35,314 --> 00:18:37,314
role is that playing
in your argument?

387
00:18:37,316 --> 00:18:40,086
I mean, are you suggesting
or arguing that Republicans

388
00:18:40,085 --> 00:18:42,155
may have a better chance
trying their luck with the

389
00:18:42,154 --> 00:18:45,354
President's pick as opposed
to, say, waiting down the

390
00:18:45,357 --> 00:18:47,527
road for anyone who's
nominated by, say, a Clinton

391
00:18:47,526 --> 00:18:48,826
administration?

392
00:18:48,827 --> 00:18:51,167
Mr. Earnest: Well, I do
think that Republicans are

393
00:18:51,163 --> 00:18:57,133
in a bit of a curious
position, primarily because

394
00:18:59,371 --> 00:19:01,841
President Obama has had an
opportunity over the course

395
00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,940
of his presidency to
nominate two individuals to

396
00:19:04,943 --> 00:19:06,043
fill Supreme
Court vacancies.

397
00:19:06,044 --> 00:19:09,984
Both of those individuals
have received

398
00:19:09,982 --> 00:19:10,982
bipartisan support.

399
00:19:10,983 --> 00:19:14,653
And I would note that that
was bipartisan support they

400
00:19:14,653 --> 00:19:17,293
received even though
Democrats had a healthy

401
00:19:17,289 --> 00:19:19,289
majority in the
United States Senate.

402
00:19:19,291 --> 00:19:21,591
So even though he wasn't
necessarily required to seek

403
00:19:21,593 --> 00:19:25,333
someone who had the kind of
credentials and temperament

404
00:19:25,330 --> 00:19:28,300
and judgment that would earn
bipartisan support, the

405
00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:30,300
President felt that was an
important part of the job

406
00:19:30,302 --> 00:19:32,302
description, that's
what's required by the

407
00:19:32,304 --> 00:19:34,304
Constitution, and that's
what the President did even

408
00:19:34,306 --> 00:19:36,706
though Democrats were in
charge of the Senate.

409
00:19:36,708 --> 00:19:41,578
What Senate Republicans now
are in the position of doing

410
00:19:41,580 --> 00:19:45,020
is saying that they're going
to oppose President Obama's

411
00:19:45,017 --> 00:19:47,417
nominee, no matter who it
is, regardless of who he

412
00:19:47,419 --> 00:19:52,389
chooses, because they're
going to let the next

413
00:19:52,391 --> 00:19:53,791
President decide.

414
00:19:53,792 --> 00:19:55,792
The reason this is a curious
position is each of those

415
00:19:55,794 --> 00:19:58,834
members of the Senate didn't
run for five-year terms --

416
00:19:58,830 --> 00:20:00,300
they ran for six-year terms.

417
00:20:00,299 --> 00:20:02,299
They've got a responsibility
in their final year in

418
00:20:02,301 --> 00:20:04,301
office, in the same way
that President Obama has a

419
00:20:04,303 --> 00:20:06,403
responsibility in his
final year in office.

420
00:20:06,405 --> 00:20:08,405
He didn't run for a
three-year term when he was

421
00:20:08,407 --> 00:20:09,907
running for
reelection in 2012.

422
00:20:09,908 --> 00:20:12,208
He was elected to
a four-year term.

423
00:20:12,210 --> 00:20:13,510
And he is fulfilling his
constitutional duty, as

424
00:20:13,512 --> 00:20:16,782
described in the
Constitution, that the

425
00:20:16,782 --> 00:20:20,822
President is given, which is
that the President -- where

426
00:20:20,819 --> 00:20:23,819
the Constitution says that
the President shall appoint

427
00:20:23,822 --> 00:20:26,862
a nominee to fill a vacancy
in the Supreme Court.

428
00:20:26,858 --> 00:20:28,698
That's what the
President is going to do.

429
00:20:28,694 --> 00:20:31,664
And the Senate has a
responsibility to give that

430
00:20:31,663 --> 00:20:36,933
person timely consideration
in the context of a hearing

431
00:20:36,935 --> 00:20:40,275
and a yes or no vote.

432
00:20:40,272 --> 00:20:41,272
Let's move around.

433
00:20:41,273 --> 00:20:42,273
Mark.

434
00:20:42,274 --> 00:20:44,274
The Press: Josh, does the
White House regard Robert

435
00:20:44,276 --> 00:20:45,546
Levinson as a hostage?

436
00:20:45,544 --> 00:20:49,314
Mr. Earnest: Mark, right now
the White House does not

437
00:20:49,314 --> 00:20:53,484
know the whereabouts
of Mr. Levinson.

438
00:20:53,485 --> 00:20:55,985
The last time we knew of his
whereabouts was nine years

439
00:20:55,988 --> 00:20:58,988
ago today, and
he was in Iran.

440
00:20:58,991 --> 00:21:03,661
And that is why we have
compelled the Iranians, in

441
00:21:03,662 --> 00:21:05,662
the context of the agreement
that was reached earlier

442
00:21:05,664 --> 00:21:08,404
this year, to work with us
to determine exactly where

443
00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:09,400
Mr. Levinson is.

444
00:21:09,401 --> 00:21:13,841
The Press: The FBI issued a
statement today referring to

445
00:21:13,839 --> 00:21:16,479
Robert Levinson as the
longest-held American

446
00:21:16,475 --> 00:21:18,115
hostage ever.

447
00:21:18,110 --> 00:21:22,180
Is that not part of policy
with the White House?

448
00:21:22,180 --> 00:21:25,020
Mr. Earnest: Well, I haven't
seen the FBI statement.

449
00:21:25,017 --> 00:21:28,887
I can tell you what the
White House view of this is,

450
00:21:28,887 --> 00:21:31,757
and it's simply that we'd
like to know

451
00:21:31,757 --> 00:21:33,127
Mr. Levinson's whereabouts.

452
00:21:33,125 --> 00:21:36,825
We are legitimately
concerned about his

453
00:21:36,828 --> 00:21:38,828
well-being, based on the
fact that we don't know

454
00:21:38,830 --> 00:21:39,930
his whereabouts.

455
00:21:39,931 --> 00:21:43,931
And we are working with the
Iranians, who have agreed to

456
00:21:43,935 --> 00:21:47,175
provide us information about
his location, and we're

457
00:21:47,172 --> 00:21:51,542
working with them to try and
determine exactly where he is.

458
00:21:51,543 --> 00:21:54,483
The Press: And on the
Supreme Court nomination,

459
00:21:54,479 --> 00:21:56,979
has the President started
meeting with

460
00:21:56,982 --> 00:21:58,352
prospective nominees?

461
00:21:58,350 --> 00:22:02,620
Mr. Earnest: I will not be
in a position -- I do not

462
00:22:02,621 --> 00:22:05,561
anticipate being in a
position to confirm any

463
00:22:05,557 --> 00:22:07,557
individual meetings or
conversations that the

464
00:22:07,559 --> 00:22:09,659
President has.

465
00:22:09,661 --> 00:22:12,261
I can tell you that the
process is ongoing.

466
00:22:12,264 --> 00:22:15,434
The President does continue
to meet with members of his

467
00:22:15,434 --> 00:22:19,004
team to discuss this
issue and to discuss this

468
00:22:19,004 --> 00:22:21,904
important decision, but I
don't have any updates for

469
00:22:21,907 --> 00:22:23,977
you in terms of whether or
not he has talked to any of

470
00:22:23,975 --> 00:22:24,975
the potential nominees.

471
00:22:24,976 --> 00:22:28,116
The Press: Can you wave us
off an announcement today?

472
00:22:28,113 --> 00:22:32,823
Mr. Earnest: I would not
anticipate any significant

473
00:22:32,818 --> 00:22:34,818
Supreme Court news from
the White House today.

474
00:22:34,820 --> 00:22:35,820
The Press: Or tomorrow?

475
00:22:35,821 --> 00:22:36,821
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any guidance for tomorrow.

476
00:22:36,822 --> 00:22:37,422
The Press: Okay.

477
00:22:37,422 --> 00:22:37,992
Mr. Earnest: Okay.

478
00:22:37,989 --> 00:22:38,859
Byron.

479
00:22:38,857 --> 00:22:39,657
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

480
00:22:39,658 --> 00:22:42,158
I saw reports that the
President had endorsed in an

481
00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,430
Illinois state legislative
race this week.

482
00:22:44,429 --> 00:22:47,629
Last week he endorsed
in two Senate primaries.

483
00:22:47,632 --> 00:22:50,772
You've said that the
President wants to give

484
00:22:50,769 --> 00:22:53,209
Democratic voters a chance
to weigh in, in the

485
00:22:53,205 --> 00:22:54,535
presidential race.

486
00:22:54,539 --> 00:22:56,279
What's the difference here?

487
00:22:56,274 --> 00:22:59,114
Mr. Earnest: Well, each
of them is a little

488
00:22:59,111 --> 00:23:00,711
bit different.

489
00:23:00,712 --> 00:23:03,182
I can take the Illinois one
first -- and it's sort of

490
00:23:03,181 --> 00:23:05,121
relevant to the question
that you asked me about the

491
00:23:05,117 --> 00:23:07,057
Ohio Senate race.

492
00:23:07,052 --> 00:23:11,392
One of the reasons that the
President weighed in on the

493
00:23:11,389 --> 00:23:13,729
Illinois Statehouse race is
the incumbent Democrat was

494
00:23:13,725 --> 00:23:17,065
somebody who had not
demonstrated a commitment to

495
00:23:17,062 --> 00:23:21,262
pursuing common-sense gun
safety legislation, and the

496
00:23:21,266 --> 00:23:25,236
President made a promise
earlier this year that he

497
00:23:25,237 --> 00:23:31,207
would ensure that his name
would not be associated with

498
00:23:31,209 --> 00:23:34,249
and he certainly would not
support or advocate for the

499
00:23:34,246 --> 00:23:39,286
election of Democrats who
don't support common-sense

500
00:23:39,284 --> 00:23:41,054
gun safety legislation.

501
00:23:41,052 --> 00:23:43,692
And this is an example of
the President following through.

502
00:23:43,688 --> 00:23:46,128
Now, what's also true -- and
I'll acknowledge this on the

503
00:23:46,124 --> 00:23:48,294
front end -- is that we're
not going to scrub the

504
00:23:48,293 --> 00:23:50,293
records and the campaign
statements of every single

505
00:23:50,295 --> 00:23:52,495
Democrat at every single
level of the ballot all

506
00:23:52,497 --> 00:23:53,497
across the country.

507
00:23:53,498 --> 00:23:56,438
But obviously the
President's home state of

508
00:23:56,434 --> 00:24:02,144
Illinois is a place that he
knows well and he knows some

509
00:24:02,140 --> 00:24:06,210
of the individuals well, and
so the President felt like

510
00:24:06,211 --> 00:24:09,711
it was an important race
for him to weigh in on.

511
00:24:09,714 --> 00:24:13,824
As it relates to Mr. Murphy
and Governor Strickland --

512
00:24:13,819 --> 00:24:16,659
Congressman Murphy and
Governor Strickland -- the

513
00:24:16,655 --> 00:24:21,595
President is interested in
doing as much as he can to

514
00:24:21,593 --> 00:24:23,833
support Democrats in their
effort to retake the

515
00:24:23,829 --> 00:24:27,229
majority in the United
States Senate and he

516
00:24:27,232 --> 00:24:33,142
certainly has put his
endorsement alongside who he

517
00:24:33,138 --> 00:24:35,138
believes are the strongest
candidates in those two

518
00:24:35,140 --> 00:24:36,140
key states.

519
00:24:36,141 --> 00:24:38,141
The Press: But
philosophically, what's the

520
00:24:38,143 --> 00:24:39,043
difference between
intervening in a Senate

521
00:24:39,044 --> 00:24:42,144
primary and endorsing in
the presidential race?

522
00:24:42,147 --> 00:24:44,987
Mr. Earnest: Well, at this
point, I haven't ruled out

523
00:24:44,983 --> 00:24:46,983
endorsing in the
presidential race.

524
00:24:46,985 --> 00:24:48,985
The President hasn't
either, at this point.

525
00:24:48,987 --> 00:24:49,757
However, we do not plan to.

526
00:24:49,754 --> 00:24:53,994
And look, I think the
dynamics of each race are

527
00:24:53,992 --> 00:24:57,992
different, and I think some
of it also has to do with

528
00:24:57,996 --> 00:25:01,736
the President's view
that particularly at the

529
00:25:01,733 --> 00:25:07,703
presidential level, the
Democratic candidates are

530
00:25:07,706 --> 00:25:09,746
likely to benefit
from having a

531
00:25:09,741 --> 00:25:11,341
longer-than-expected
campaign.

532
00:25:11,343 --> 00:25:14,083
That certainly was true
when he ran in 2008.

533
00:25:14,079 --> 00:25:17,549
We were remarking earlier
today that after the

534
00:25:17,549 --> 00:25:19,619
election -- after the
outcome in Michigan, that

535
00:25:19,618 --> 00:25:23,358
many people are observing
once again that the

536
00:25:23,355 --> 00:25:25,855
Democratic contest is likely
to last a little bit longer

537
00:25:25,857 --> 00:25:27,557
than most people expected.

538
00:25:27,559 --> 00:25:29,559
People were observing the
same thing eight

539
00:25:29,561 --> 00:25:30,561
years ago today.

540
00:25:30,562 --> 00:25:34,462
We were about a week out of
the Texas and Ohio contests

541
00:25:34,466 --> 00:25:37,806
in 2008.

542
00:25:37,802 --> 00:25:41,442
Of course, Secretary Clinton
won in Ohio, and she very

543
00:25:41,439 --> 00:25:45,279
narrowly won the primary in
Texas but lost the caucus.

544
00:25:45,277 --> 00:25:47,347
They have a rather peculiar
system in Texas for choosing

545
00:25:47,345 --> 00:25:48,315
their delegates.

546
00:25:48,313 --> 00:25:52,953
And the thinking had been if
then Senator Obama had won

547
00:25:52,951 --> 00:25:56,151
one of those two states that
he might be able to seal the

548
00:25:56,154 --> 00:25:59,194
nomination, but because
Secretary Clinton -- or then

549
00:25:59,190 --> 00:26:01,190
Senator Clinton emerged
victorious that this was

550
00:26:01,192 --> 00:26:03,192
going to be a
protracted campaign.

551
00:26:03,194 --> 00:26:05,864
And there are many people
who worried about the impact

552
00:26:05,864 --> 00:26:08,234
this would have on
Democrats' prospects in the

553
00:26:08,233 --> 00:26:09,563
generational election.

554
00:26:09,567 --> 00:26:11,437
But as you've heard me
observe on a number of

555
00:26:11,436 --> 00:26:14,436
occasions, both Democratic
candidates, particularly the

556
00:26:14,439 --> 00:26:17,739
-- eventually the Democratic
nominee benefitted

557
00:26:17,742 --> 00:26:19,742
significantly from that
longer-than-expected

558
00:26:19,744 --> 00:26:22,484
campaign, that it gave
him and the party the

559
00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,450
opportunity to build a
campaign apparatus in states

560
00:26:25,450 --> 00:26:28,050
where Democrats had not
previously had an aggressive

561
00:26:28,053 --> 00:26:29,453
general election effort.

562
00:26:29,454 --> 00:26:32,324
I singled out Indiana as
probably the best example of

563
00:26:32,324 --> 00:26:35,994
that kind of state because
Barack Obama won Indiana in

564
00:26:35,994 --> 00:26:37,894
2008, and that was a place
that Democrats hadn't even

565
00:26:37,896 --> 00:26:41,736
competed in quite some time.

566
00:26:41,733 --> 00:26:45,803
So those who are concerned
that the presidential

567
00:26:45,804 --> 00:26:49,174
election -- or at least the
Democratic contest in 2016

568
00:26:52,544 --> 00:26:54,614
looks like it's going
to last longer than was

569
00:26:54,612 --> 00:26:57,012
anticipated, that's not
necessarily bad news.

570
00:26:57,015 --> 00:26:59,615
And I think that would also
be part of the explanation

571
00:26:59,617 --> 00:27:02,357
for the President not
weighing in, in that race.

572
00:27:02,354 --> 00:27:03,084
The Press: One more topic.

573
00:27:03,088 --> 00:27:05,858
Congress is in the final
stages of passing a bill

574
00:27:05,857 --> 00:27:08,597
that would deal with
the opioid crisis.

575
00:27:08,593 --> 00:27:11,363
I know the White House has a
statement of administration

576
00:27:11,363 --> 00:27:15,303
policy related to asking for
additional funding in the

577
00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:18,270
bill, but is the White House
prepared to sign the bill in

578
00:27:18,269 --> 00:27:21,109
its current form if it
came before the President?

579
00:27:21,106 --> 00:27:22,506
Mr. Earnest: Well, my
understanding is this is

580
00:27:22,507 --> 00:27:24,747
something that's still being
negotiated up on

581
00:27:24,743 --> 00:27:27,943
Capitol Hill.

582
00:27:27,946 --> 00:27:32,346
At this point, our view is
that we welcome recognition

583
00:27:32,350 --> 00:27:35,350
on the part of both
Democrats and Republicans

584
00:27:35,353 --> 00:27:39,723
that opioid abuse is a
significant problem in too

585
00:27:39,724 --> 00:27:41,724
many communities
across the country.

586
00:27:41,726 --> 00:27:43,726
The problem with this bill
is that it doesn't include

587
00:27:43,728 --> 00:27:46,398
nearly enough resources
to begin to address

588
00:27:46,398 --> 00:27:47,998
that problem.

589
00:27:47,999 --> 00:27:50,699
So what we'd like to see the
Congress do is do more than

590
00:27:50,702 --> 00:27:53,242
just pay lip service to the
problem and actually put

591
00:27:53,238 --> 00:27:57,638
forward some specific ideas
with funding to address it.

592
00:27:57,642 --> 00:28:01,542
The President in his budget
proposal laid out about a

593
00:28:01,546 --> 00:28:04,246
billion dollars in resources
that he believed could be

594
00:28:04,249 --> 00:28:10,089
used to effectively combat
this scourge in communities,

595
00:28:10,088 --> 00:28:12,088
large and small, all
across the country.

596
00:28:12,090 --> 00:28:17,600
And Congress should consider
legislation that includes

597
00:28:17,595 --> 00:28:20,665
the necessary resources
rather than just passing a

598
00:28:20,665 --> 00:28:23,605
bill that observes
there's a problem.

599
00:28:23,601 --> 00:28:25,141
The Press: If this came
to your desk -- or the

600
00:28:25,136 --> 00:28:26,706
President's desk,
would he sign it?

601
00:28:26,704 --> 00:28:28,074
Would he support
it as a first step?

602
00:28:28,073 --> 00:28:30,273
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
we'll take a look at the

603
00:28:30,275 --> 00:28:31,475
bill as it works its way
through the legislative

604
00:28:31,476 --> 00:28:35,876
process, but our view
is that Congress should

605
00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,580
actually pass some
legislation that has the

606
00:28:38,583 --> 00:28:41,153
necessary resources to begin
to confront this issue.

607
00:28:41,152 --> 00:28:43,152
And if they're wondering
about what sort of good

608
00:28:43,154 --> 00:28:47,254
ideas are out there in terms
of programs that deserve

609
00:28:47,258 --> 00:28:50,398
funding, well, we've
included them in our budget,

610
00:28:50,395 --> 00:28:54,635
and I suppose if the
Republicans on the Budget

611
00:28:54,632 --> 00:28:57,772
Committee hadn't canceled
the budget hearings before

612
00:28:57,769 --> 00:28:59,769
the President even released
his budget, we would have

613
00:28:59,771 --> 00:29:01,241
had more of an opportunity
to talk about those ideas.

614
00:29:01,239 --> 00:29:02,639
Ron.

615
00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:05,310
The Press: Back to the trade
issue and the Michigan vote,

616
00:29:05,310 --> 00:29:10,080
and this whole idea of you
kept saying how the TPP

617
00:29:10,081 --> 00:29:12,321
levels the playing field.

618
00:29:12,317 --> 00:29:14,087
One of the arguments that
Bernie Sanders makes and

619
00:29:14,085 --> 00:29:16,955
that his voters apparently
agree with is that there

620
00:29:16,955 --> 00:29:20,625
can't be fair trade when
workers in Vietnam earn 56

621
00:29:20,625 --> 00:29:23,595
cents an hour minimum wage
versus what American workers

622
00:29:23,595 --> 00:29:25,795
make, which is much more.

623
00:29:25,797 --> 00:29:27,937
So to that specific point,
how do you get a level

624
00:29:27,932 --> 00:29:31,472
playing field in a trade
deal when workers someplace

625
00:29:31,469 --> 00:29:34,109
make 56 cents an hour, and
that's the cost of -- versus

626
00:29:34,105 --> 00:29:37,775
American workers making --
at a time when wages are

627
00:29:37,775 --> 00:29:41,885
flat or not increasing
significantly, it's one of

628
00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:45,020
the weaknesses in the
economy -- how do you get a

629
00:29:45,016 --> 00:29:47,356
level playing field
in that paradigm?

630
00:29:47,352 --> 00:29:49,422
Mr. Earnest: Well, I'll tell
you what doesn't level the

631
00:29:49,420 --> 00:29:52,560
playing field at all,
Ron -- doing nothing.

632
00:29:52,557 --> 00:29:53,957
Complaining about it.

633
00:29:53,958 --> 00:29:56,928
That's not going to have any
impact on policy in Vietnam

634
00:29:56,928 --> 00:29:58,768
-- none.

635
00:29:58,763 --> 00:30:01,703
What will have an impact on
policy in Vietnam is telling

636
00:30:01,699 --> 00:30:03,839
the Vietnamese government
that if they want to have

637
00:30:03,835 --> 00:30:05,505
more access to the U.S.

638
00:30:05,503 --> 00:30:08,203
market, which we know they
would like, that we're going

639
00:30:08,206 --> 00:30:10,206
to tell them, you need to
do something about labor

640
00:30:10,208 --> 00:30:11,208
standards in your country.

641
00:30:11,209 --> 00:30:13,209
You're going to
have to raise them.

642
00:30:13,211 --> 00:30:15,211
And if you don't, you won't
have access to our markets.

643
00:30:15,213 --> 00:30:17,213
And we're going to go back
to them and we're going to

644
00:30:17,215 --> 00:30:18,915
say, you need to start
observing legitimate

645
00:30:18,917 --> 00:30:21,217
environmental standards
in your country.

646
00:30:21,219 --> 00:30:23,219
And if you don't, then you
won't have access to

647
00:30:23,221 --> 00:30:24,221
U.S. markets.

648
00:30:24,222 --> 00:30:26,222
You need to start protecting
human rights in your country.

649
00:30:26,224 --> 00:30:28,224
And if you don't, then
you're not going to have

650
00:30:28,226 --> 00:30:29,296
access to U.S. markets.

651
00:30:29,294 --> 00:30:30,194
The Press: Well, how is any
of that going to raise a

652
00:30:30,195 --> 00:30:33,295
56-cents-an-hour wage for
a worker, to get anywhere

653
00:30:33,298 --> 00:30:35,938
comparable to what an
American worker makes?

654
00:30:35,934 --> 00:30:37,904
And again, the basic
argument that Senator

655
00:30:37,902 --> 00:30:41,142
Sanders and others are
making is that with that

656
00:30:41,139 --> 00:30:43,709
kind of disparity, which is
pretty striking, you can't

657
00:30:43,708 --> 00:30:46,948
have what you say is
a level playing field.

658
00:30:46,945 --> 00:30:49,815
Mr. Earnest: But my retort
to that, Ron, is what are

659
00:30:49,814 --> 00:30:50,814
they doing?

660
00:30:50,815 --> 00:30:52,315
What do they propose?

661
00:30:52,317 --> 00:30:54,657
There's no strategy that's
being laid out by the

662
00:30:54,652 --> 00:30:58,552
anti-TPP forces about what
exactly they would do to

663
00:30:58,556 --> 00:31:01,156
counter the forces of
globalization and actually

664
00:31:01,159 --> 00:31:03,159
stand up for middle-class
workers in this country.

665
00:31:03,161 --> 00:31:05,201
And we have laid out a clear
strategy for how we're going

666
00:31:05,196 --> 00:31:06,196
to do that.

667
00:31:06,197 --> 00:31:08,197
We're going to impose
enforceable standards

668
00:31:08,199 --> 00:31:09,199
on Vietnam.

669
00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:11,200
If they want to have access
to this country they're

670
00:31:11,202 --> 00:31:13,202
going to have to put in
place higher standards when

671
00:31:13,204 --> 00:31:15,204
it comes to labor
rights, when it comes to

672
00:31:15,206 --> 00:31:17,476
environmental rights, and
when it comes to human rights.

673
00:31:17,475 --> 00:31:19,445
The other thing that they're
going to have to do is

674
00:31:19,444 --> 00:31:21,444
they're actually going
to have to treat U.S.

675
00:31:21,446 --> 00:31:23,516
goods fairly when we want
to do business in

676
00:31:23,514 --> 00:31:24,514
their country.

677
00:31:24,515 --> 00:31:27,855
That's significant because
Vietnam has a rapidly

678
00:31:27,852 --> 00:31:29,852
growing middle class and
we are actually seeing

679
00:31:29,854 --> 00:31:31,924
significant economic
growth rates in Vietnam.

680
00:31:31,923 --> 00:31:34,793
That is a tremendous
opportunity for U.S.

681
00:31:34,792 --> 00:31:37,392
businesses to invest in
Vietnam, do business in

682
00:31:37,395 --> 00:31:40,565
Vietnam in a way that will
yield economic growth, job

683
00:31:40,565 --> 00:31:43,435
creation and higher wages
back here in the United States.

684
00:31:43,434 --> 00:31:46,634
We're going to cut taxes on
18,000 American goods that

685
00:31:46,638 --> 00:31:48,638
are imposed by other
countries as a result of the

686
00:31:48,640 --> 00:31:49,870
Trans-Pacific Partnership.

687
00:31:49,874 --> 00:31:55,014
That is a coherent strategy
for countering the forces of

688
00:31:55,013 --> 00:31:58,753
globalization, increasing
wages, expanding economic

689
00:31:58,750 --> 00:32:01,690
opportunity and creating
jobs here in the United

690
00:32:01,686 --> 00:32:02,686
States of America.

691
00:32:02,687 --> 00:32:03,687
That's what we should do.

692
00:32:03,688 --> 00:32:07,128
And it's not just that I
disagree with the argument

693
00:32:07,125 --> 00:32:09,125
that's being made
by the other side.

694
00:32:09,127 --> 00:32:11,127
There is no
counter-proposal, there's no

695
00:32:11,129 --> 00:32:13,129
argument that's being
made by the other side.

696
00:32:13,131 --> 00:32:16,571
So we all share concerns
about the impact

697
00:32:16,567 --> 00:32:17,567
of globalization.

698
00:32:17,568 --> 00:32:19,838
There are communities in
this country that are

699
00:32:19,837 --> 00:32:21,107
hurting as a result.

700
00:32:21,105 --> 00:32:23,105
But the question really is
not whether or not that's

701
00:32:23,107 --> 00:32:25,107
occurring; the question is,
what are we going to do

702
00:32:25,109 --> 00:32:26,109
about it?

703
00:32:26,110 --> 00:32:28,150
And President Obama has laid
out a clear strategy for how

704
00:32:28,146 --> 00:32:29,946
we can tackle
this challenge.

705
00:32:29,947 --> 00:32:34,117
The Press: And on the
official state visit

706
00:32:34,118 --> 00:32:37,418
tomorrow, what is the
criteria that gets a visit

707
00:32:37,422 --> 00:32:38,222
to that level?

708
00:32:38,222 --> 00:32:40,392
I believe this is the 12th
-- will be the 12th during

709
00:32:40,391 --> 00:32:41,591
the presidency.

710
00:32:41,592 --> 00:32:47,632
And is it -- do the Prime
Minister's comments about

711
00:32:47,632 --> 00:32:52,502
Donald Trump and him being
anti-Trump, as you've read,

712
00:32:52,503 --> 00:32:54,943
have anything to do with the
fact that he is visiting the

713
00:32:54,939 --> 00:32:56,279
White House at this time?

714
00:32:56,274 --> 00:32:57,174
Mr. Earnest: No.

715
00:32:57,175 --> 00:32:58,875
The reason that Prime
Minister Trudeau is visiting

716
00:32:58,876 --> 00:33:02,476
the White House is that he
was invited by President

717
00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:06,420
Obama back in November to do
so, and he is the leader of

718
00:33:06,417 --> 00:33:11,157
America's closest economic
partner, and he is the

719
00:33:11,155 --> 00:33:15,195
leader of a country that
does some really important

720
00:33:15,193 --> 00:33:17,193
work that's critical to the
national security of the

721
00:33:17,195 --> 00:33:18,195
United States.

722
00:33:18,196 --> 00:33:20,666
The United States of America
has a strong interest in

723
00:33:20,665 --> 00:33:24,135
cultivating strong ties with
the nation of Canada, the

724
00:33:24,135 --> 00:33:26,875
people of Canada, and the
new Prime Minister of Canada.

725
00:33:26,871 --> 00:33:30,571
And we're looking forward
to his visit here tomorrow.

726
00:33:30,575 --> 00:33:31,975
The Press: That has been
the case for many years and

727
00:33:31,976 --> 00:33:35,346
there hasn't been a visit
for 20 years until now.

728
00:33:35,346 --> 00:33:39,316
The timing just seems
perhaps political.

729
00:33:39,317 --> 00:33:40,587
Mr. Earnest: No, I think the
timing is that it coincides

730
00:33:40,585 --> 00:33:43,055
with the election of a new
Prime Minister in Canada.

731
00:33:43,054 --> 00:33:44,554
I think it's pretty
straightforward.

732
00:33:44,555 --> 00:33:46,355
The Press: And anything
about the guest list or

733
00:33:46,357 --> 00:33:47,657
anything else?

734
00:33:47,658 --> 00:33:49,998
I know there's a preview
of sorts this afternoon.

735
00:33:49,994 --> 00:33:50,594
Mr. Earnest: Yes.

736
00:33:50,595 --> 00:33:52,535
We'll have more information
on the guest list tomorrow.

737
00:33:52,530 --> 00:33:54,730
We'll release the guest
list, as we usually do.

738
00:33:54,732 --> 00:33:55,872
April.

739
00:33:55,867 --> 00:33:56,567
The Press: Hi, Josh.

740
00:33:56,567 --> 00:33:58,267
Two subjects.

741
00:33:58,269 --> 00:34:01,069
So Wednesday afternoon
quarterbacking on Michigan

742
00:34:01,072 --> 00:34:01,972
last night.

743
00:34:01,973 --> 00:34:05,343
How did the auto industry
bailout factor into the

744
00:34:05,343 --> 00:34:07,413
Michigan vote last night?

745
00:34:07,412 --> 00:34:09,452
What do you think about that
-- especially as Hillary

746
00:34:09,447 --> 00:34:12,547
Clinton ties herself so
closely to this President?

747
00:34:12,550 --> 00:34:15,590
Mr. Earnest: Well, look, all
of your news organizations

748
00:34:15,586 --> 00:34:18,756
have hundreds of people on
the payrolls who are doing

749
00:34:18,756 --> 00:34:21,796
post-election analysis.

750
00:34:21,793 --> 00:34:23,833
It seems like pretty good
work if you can get it.

751
00:34:23,828 --> 00:34:28,098
Maybe someday I
will, but not today.

752
00:34:28,099 --> 00:34:32,739
So, look, the President made
a very strong case about the

753
00:34:32,737 --> 00:34:37,677
positive impact that his
policies that he put in

754
00:34:37,675 --> 00:34:41,175
place had on the auto
industry in Michigan.

755
00:34:41,179 --> 00:34:44,619
That industry, this great
American industry was on the

756
00:34:44,615 --> 00:34:47,285
verge of collapsing.

757
00:34:47,285 --> 00:34:49,285
And because of very
difficult and in some cases

758
00:34:49,287 --> 00:34:51,287
politically unpopular
decisions that this

759
00:34:51,289 --> 00:34:54,559
President made very early
on in his presidency, we've

760
00:34:54,559 --> 00:34:58,259
seen the American auto
industry come roaring back.

761
00:34:58,262 --> 00:35:02,302
That is thanks primarily to
the grit and determination

762
00:35:02,300 --> 00:35:06,170
of American workers, but it
wouldn't have been possible

763
00:35:06,170 --> 00:35:10,370
without the policy decisions
that this President made and

764
00:35:10,374 --> 00:35:12,514
that this administration
implemented.

765
00:35:12,510 --> 00:35:16,180
And I don't know what impact
that had on the primary.

766
00:35:16,180 --> 00:35:18,620
I can tell you it had a
pretty significant impact in

767
00:35:18,616 --> 00:35:22,156
the general election in
2012 when this came up.

768
00:35:22,153 --> 00:35:25,253
You had a pretty stark
contrast between President

769
00:35:25,256 --> 00:35:29,596
Obama's record of trying to
support the American auto

770
00:35:29,594 --> 00:35:33,564
industry and a Republican
candidate who famously wrote

771
00:35:33,564 --> 00:35:35,864
an op-ed suggesting that we
should just let Detroit

772
00:35:35,867 --> 00:35:37,467
go bankrupt.

773
00:35:37,468 --> 00:35:40,168
When faced with that stark
choice, even the Republican

774
00:35:40,171 --> 00:35:42,711
nominee's close ties to
that state didn't make it

775
00:35:42,707 --> 00:35:44,377
particularly competitive.

776
00:35:44,375 --> 00:35:47,475
So I think that's the latest
available evidence that we

777
00:35:47,478 --> 00:35:49,548
have in terms of a
referendum on that

778
00:35:49,547 --> 00:35:52,347
policy decision.

779
00:35:52,350 --> 00:35:55,490
We'll have to see how things
shake out in 2016, but I

780
00:35:55,486 --> 00:35:58,556
wouldn't be surprised if we
are faced with a general

781
00:35:58,556 --> 00:36:02,156
election choice between a
Democratic candidate who

782
00:36:02,159 --> 00:36:06,099
believes strongly in the
value of having invested in

783
00:36:06,097 --> 00:36:09,597
American manufacturing and
Republican candidates -- or

784
00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:13,670
a Republican candidate --
who don't recognize why that

785
00:36:13,671 --> 00:36:15,211
should be a priority.

786
00:36:15,206 --> 00:36:16,336
The Press: And looking at
communities in Michigan that

787
00:36:16,340 --> 00:36:20,850
are touched or impacted by
the auto industry, how does

788
00:36:20,845 --> 00:36:24,145
this administration look at
that community economically?

789
00:36:24,148 --> 00:36:25,548
Where do they stand
economically?

790
00:36:25,550 --> 00:36:27,890
Mr. Earnest: Well, there's
no denying the tremendous

791
00:36:27,885 --> 00:36:31,525
progress that the state of
Michigan has made in digging

792
00:36:31,522 --> 00:36:36,832
out of the hole created
by the Great Recession.

793
00:36:36,827 --> 00:36:41,467
In many ways, the state of
Michigan was hurt as badly

794
00:36:41,465 --> 00:36:46,505
as any other state because
of how closely tied their

795
00:36:46,504 --> 00:36:49,104
broader economy is to the
American manufacturing

796
00:36:49,106 --> 00:36:50,806
sector, to the auto
industry, in particular.

797
00:36:50,808 --> 00:36:56,448
And, look, you can go back
and look at the news reports

798
00:36:56,447 --> 00:37:01,517
at the time, the American
auto industry was weeks or

799
00:37:01,519 --> 00:37:04,359
even days away from
totally collapsing.

800
00:37:04,355 --> 00:37:07,825
And that just wouldn't have
affected the Big Three U.S.

801
00:37:07,825 --> 00:37:10,395
automakers, it would have
had an impact up and down

802
00:37:10,394 --> 00:37:13,064
their supply chain --
more than a million jobs

803
00:37:13,064 --> 00:37:16,234
potentially at stake here.

804
00:37:16,233 --> 00:37:19,173
And that's why the President
believed that bold action

805
00:37:19,170 --> 00:37:22,640
was required to go and
support that industry and

806
00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:26,640
make the recovery that
we see today possible.

807
00:37:26,644 --> 00:37:30,014
And the reason that the
Michigan economy is doing

808
00:37:30,014 --> 00:37:33,184
quite well now is that we do
see that the American auto

809
00:37:33,184 --> 00:37:36,624
industry is performing
at unseen levels.

810
00:37:36,621 --> 00:37:39,021
Their profits are higher,
they're making more cars and

811
00:37:39,023 --> 00:37:41,293
they're selling more
cars than ever before.

812
00:37:41,292 --> 00:37:43,732
And that's a really good
thing for the Michigan

813
00:37:43,728 --> 00:37:44,728
economy.

814
00:37:44,729 --> 00:37:46,729
It also happens to be a
pretty darn good thing for

815
00:37:46,731 --> 00:37:47,731
the U.S.

816
00:37:47,732 --> 00:37:48,332
economy, too.

817
00:37:48,332 --> 00:37:50,132
The Press: And lastly, on
the Supreme Court nominees,

818
00:37:50,134 --> 00:37:53,374
could you talk to us about
these letters that the White

819
00:37:53,371 --> 00:37:56,011
House has been getting
from organizations?

820
00:37:56,007 --> 00:37:58,407
There are reports that the
Black Women's Roundtable

821
00:37:58,409 --> 00:38:02,579
gave a list of names, and
other organizations -- and

822
00:38:02,580 --> 00:38:04,520
this is something
that's happened before.

823
00:38:04,515 --> 00:38:05,585
Can you talk
about the process?

824
00:38:05,583 --> 00:38:08,653
Once you get the names, do
you compare them to the list

825
00:38:08,653 --> 00:38:11,153
that you already have, the
binder of nine or the open

826
00:38:11,155 --> 00:38:14,155
binder that continues
to get new names?

827
00:38:14,158 --> 00:38:16,158
Or are you adding new names
because of -- could you talk

828
00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:18,460
about the process, how
those letters are handled?

829
00:38:18,462 --> 00:38:22,702
Mr. Earnest: Well, obviously
the process of filling a

830
00:38:22,700 --> 00:38:24,770
vacancy on the Supreme Court
is something that a lot of

831
00:38:24,769 --> 00:38:27,409
people are quite
interested in.

832
00:38:27,405 --> 00:38:31,105
It's understandable when you
consider the broad impact

833
00:38:31,108 --> 00:38:33,548
that the Supreme Court
has in policymaking.

834
00:38:37,348 --> 00:38:39,988
We've seen that some of
the policies that this

835
00:38:39,984 --> 00:38:46,824
administration prioritize
were at risk until the

836
00:38:46,824 --> 00:38:49,494
Supreme Court made
a final ruling.

837
00:38:51,495 --> 00:38:53,495
And I have in mind some of
the Affordable Care Act

838
00:38:53,497 --> 00:38:56,637
rulings that would have
significantly changed our

839
00:38:56,634 --> 00:39:00,574
ability to implement that
law had the Supreme Court

840
00:39:00,571 --> 00:39:01,971
ruled in a different way.

841
00:39:01,972 --> 00:39:03,612
So the stakes are high.

842
00:39:03,607 --> 00:39:07,207
And obviously there are a
lot of organizations that

843
00:39:07,211 --> 00:39:10,411
exist here in D.C. that are
trying to influence policy

844
00:39:10,414 --> 00:39:12,384
that have some ideas about
who should serve on the

845
00:39:12,383 --> 00:39:13,383
Supreme Court.

846
00:39:13,384 --> 00:39:15,384
And what you've seen the
administration do is

847
00:39:15,386 --> 00:39:18,086
something that we do on a
range of issues, which is to

848
00:39:18,089 --> 00:39:22,789
engage with people outside
of this building, to have a

849
00:39:22,793 --> 00:39:25,863
conversation with them
about their views.

850
00:39:25,863 --> 00:39:28,503
And that's part of the
reason that the President

851
00:39:28,499 --> 00:39:30,499
has consulted with so many
members of the United States

852
00:39:30,501 --> 00:39:31,501
Senate.

853
00:39:31,502 --> 00:39:33,642
I can tell you that
there are Democrats and

854
00:39:33,637 --> 00:39:36,677
Republicans across
Washington and across the

855
00:39:36,674 --> 00:39:38,944
country that have been
consulted by the White House

856
00:39:38,943 --> 00:39:41,743
on this specific decision
that the President has to

857
00:39:41,746 --> 00:39:42,746
make.

858
00:39:42,747 --> 00:39:48,157
And all of that is fed into
the process that's being run

859
00:39:48,152 --> 00:39:51,022
by senior members of the
President's team to present

860
00:39:51,021 --> 00:39:53,021
him with the information
that he needs to make a

861
00:39:53,023 --> 00:39:54,023
decision.

862
00:39:54,024 --> 00:39:57,894
And this kind of
consultation and outreach is

863
00:39:57,895 --> 00:39:59,895
part and parcel of what we
do here every day at the

864
00:39:59,897 --> 00:40:00,497
White House.

865
00:40:00,498 --> 00:40:01,768
The Press: You just said
that these groups in

866
00:40:01,766 --> 00:40:04,536
D.C. are trying to
influence, and then you just

867
00:40:04,535 --> 00:40:07,135
said that it's fed into the
process, so you're saying to

868
00:40:07,138 --> 00:40:10,538
me they have some level of
influence on the process?

869
00:40:10,541 --> 00:40:12,141
Or is that too strong?

870
00:40:12,143 --> 00:40:13,913
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what I'm saying is that

871
00:40:13,911 --> 00:40:18,921
there has been a concerted
effort on the part of White

872
00:40:18,916 --> 00:40:21,486
House officials to reach out
beyond the White House to

873
00:40:21,485 --> 00:40:23,725
consult with interested
parties on this decision.

874
00:40:23,721 --> 00:40:29,161
And we obviously take that
feedback seriously, and we

875
00:40:29,160 --> 00:40:32,560
welcome the kind of input
that we've received out of

876
00:40:32,563 --> 00:40:35,603
the many conversations that
have occurred thus far.

877
00:40:35,599 --> 00:40:38,039
The Press: Do you take
seriously in feedback from

878
00:40:38,035 --> 00:40:39,835
the Congressional Black
Caucus, the Black Women's

879
00:40:39,837 --> 00:40:42,507
Roundtable, and even the
NAACP and some other groups

880
00:40:42,506 --> 00:40:45,746
that say Loretta Lynch
should be your nominee?

881
00:40:45,743 --> 00:40:46,873
You take that seriously?

882
00:40:46,877 --> 00:40:47,677
Mr. Earnest: Absolutely.

883
00:40:47,678 --> 00:40:49,548
Absolutely.

884
00:40:49,547 --> 00:40:52,847
Now, Ms. Lynch has also
indicated that she does not

885
00:40:52,850 --> 00:40:54,790
want to be considered for
the appointment because

886
00:40:54,785 --> 00:40:56,255
she's got a lot of important
work to do at the Department

887
00:40:56,253 --> 00:40:57,083
of Justice.

888
00:40:57,087 --> 00:41:00,387
That certainly is an
understandable position

889
00:41:00,391 --> 00:41:02,391
because she does have a lot
of important work to do at

890
00:41:02,393 --> 00:41:04,393
the Department of Justice,
and serving as the nominee

891
00:41:04,395 --> 00:41:06,365
of the Supreme Court would
interfere with her ability

892
00:41:06,363 --> 00:41:08,103
to get all that done.

893
00:41:08,098 --> 00:41:08,898
The Press: Have you
taken her off the list?

894
00:41:08,899 --> 00:41:11,399
Mr. Earnest: She has
indicated that she does not

895
00:41:11,402 --> 00:41:12,472
wish to be considered, and
we've granted that request.

896
00:41:12,469 --> 00:41:13,139
The Press: She's
off the list?

897
00:41:13,137 --> 00:41:13,737
Mr. Earnest: Yes.

898
00:41:13,737 --> 00:41:16,437
The Press: Can you tell a
little bit more abuut the

899
00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,010
incident that happened
yesterday, the arrest of

900
00:41:18,008 --> 00:41:21,348
Kyle Andrew Odom here at
the White House who was

901
00:41:21,345 --> 00:41:25,855
suspected of shooting the
pastor in Idaho -- whether

902
00:41:25,850 --> 00:41:29,190
or not the White House was a
target, the President, and

903
00:41:29,186 --> 00:41:31,626
the list -- there was a
manifesto regarding the

904
00:41:31,622 --> 00:41:35,262
pastor's name, members of
the Senate as well as the

905
00:41:35,259 --> 00:41:38,859
House, and Israeli officials
that he was targeting in

906
00:41:38,863 --> 00:41:39,893
some way.

907
00:41:39,897 --> 00:41:41,097
What can you tell
us about that?

908
00:41:41,098 --> 00:41:42,638
Mr. Earnest: Susanne, I
don't have much of an update

909
00:41:42,633 --> 00:41:43,633
on the case.

910
00:41:43,634 --> 00:41:46,804
You saw that the Secret
Service put out a statement

911
00:41:46,804 --> 00:41:50,574
yesterday -- or maybe it was
earlier today -- detailing

912
00:41:50,574 --> 00:41:52,314
what exactly happened.

913
00:41:52,309 --> 00:41:56,879
This individual was
apprehended by United States

914
00:41:56,881 --> 00:42:02,221
Secret Service personnel
after he threw some material

915
00:42:02,219 --> 00:42:05,889
offer the South fence
line of the White House.

916
00:42:05,890 --> 00:42:09,460
And once he was detained and
questioned, they ran this

917
00:42:09,460 --> 00:42:11,460
information to the database
and learned that he was

918
00:42:11,462 --> 00:42:16,102
wanted in connection with an
attempted murder in Idaho.

919
00:42:16,100 --> 00:42:20,500
Those are obviously serious
charges, and I'll defer to

920
00:42:20,504 --> 00:42:23,104
the local officials in
Idaho for their ongoing

921
00:42:23,107 --> 00:42:24,577
investigation.

922
00:42:24,575 --> 00:42:31,045
But obviously, given
where this individual was

923
00:42:31,048 --> 00:42:33,888
detained, the Secret Service
has some questions for him,

924
00:42:33,884 --> 00:42:34,884
as well.

925
00:42:34,885 --> 00:42:36,025
But I don't have any update
for you in terms of their

926
00:42:36,020 --> 00:42:37,890
investigation.

927
00:42:37,888 --> 00:42:40,628
The Press: Is there any
concern that in light of the

928
00:42:40,624 --> 00:42:43,524
fact that local officials
did put him on that database

929
00:42:43,527 --> 00:42:45,527
right after they had
surveillance videos showing

930
00:42:45,529 --> 00:42:48,069
the incident -- the shooting
of the pastor -- that he was

931
00:42:48,065 --> 00:42:51,735
able to board a plane in
Boise and get to Washington,

932
00:42:51,735 --> 00:42:53,875
D.C.? Are the discussions
happening between the White

933
00:42:53,871 --> 00:42:55,671
House and the TSA
involving that?

934
00:42:55,673 --> 00:42:58,013
Mr. Earnest: I'm not aware
of any discussions along

935
00:42:58,008 --> 00:43:00,208
those lines right now.

936
00:43:00,210 --> 00:43:04,010
I think that's more a matter
for local law enforcement.

937
00:43:04,014 --> 00:43:06,214
The Press: On
another matter.

938
00:43:06,216 --> 00:43:10,626
The Vice President yesterday
condemned the Palestinian

939
00:43:10,621 --> 00:43:13,791
leaders for not coming out
aggressively and strongly,

940
00:43:13,791 --> 00:43:16,691
saying that this terrorist
attack in Tel Aviv was

941
00:43:16,694 --> 00:43:19,494
something that shouldn't
have happened.

942
00:43:19,496 --> 00:43:21,596
He's meeting with
Mahmoud Abbas today.

943
00:43:21,598 --> 00:43:23,298
Is that something that you
anticipate is going to be

944
00:43:23,300 --> 00:43:25,870
front and center of
their conversations?

945
00:43:25,869 --> 00:43:30,479
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
reports of this particular

946
00:43:30,474 --> 00:43:35,914
incident were just emerging
prior to my briefing

947
00:43:35,913 --> 00:43:38,983
yesterday, and at that
point, I've heard strong

948
00:43:38,983 --> 00:43:41,253
condemnation, as we
routinely do, when these

949
00:43:41,251 --> 00:43:43,651
kinds of terrorist
incidents occur.

950
00:43:43,654 --> 00:43:46,954
At the time, we weren't
aware yet that an American

951
00:43:46,957 --> 00:43:48,957
citizen was the victim.

952
00:43:52,463 --> 00:43:55,403
This kind of attack would be
outrageous even if it didn't

953
00:43:55,399 --> 00:43:57,199
involve an American.

954
00:43:57,201 --> 00:43:58,801
But clearly it does.

955
00:43:58,802 --> 00:44:01,772
And that's why the thoughts
and prayers from everybody

956
00:44:01,772 --> 00:44:03,072
here at the White House are
with the family of the young

957
00:44:03,073 --> 00:44:06,713
man who was
killed yesterday.

958
00:44:06,710 --> 00:44:09,610
The Vice President spoke
to this when he had an

959
00:44:09,613 --> 00:44:12,383
opportunity to do so at this
public appearance with Prime

960
00:44:12,383 --> 00:44:14,783
Minister Netanyahu.

961
00:44:14,785 --> 00:44:18,055
And it does seem hard to
imagine that this issue

962
00:44:18,055 --> 00:44:20,255
would not come up when the
Vice President meets with

963
00:44:20,257 --> 00:44:21,257
President Abbas.

964
00:44:21,258 --> 00:44:25,428
The Press: Is t
expectation he would

965
00:44:25,429 --> 00:44:27,799
publicly condemn this attack
-- that that is what is

966
00:44:27,798 --> 00:44:29,898
required from Abbas?

967
00:44:29,900 --> 00:44:35,310
Mr. Earnest: Well, our
expectation would be that

968
00:44:35,305 --> 00:44:37,305
public officials, and
particularly those who are

969
00:44:37,307 --> 00:44:41,107
in a position of leadership,
would condemn any act of

970
00:44:41,111 --> 00:44:45,081
terrorism and would condemn
any effort to carry out an

971
00:44:45,082 --> 00:44:47,082
act of violence against
innocent civilians.

972
00:44:47,084 --> 00:44:50,324
That that is worthy of
condemnation not just on the

973
00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:54,590
part of the United States
and Israel, but by countries

974
00:44:54,591 --> 00:44:57,261
around the world, and
including by the leader of

975
00:44:57,261 --> 00:44:58,261
the Palestinian people.

976
00:44:58,262 --> 00:45:00,762
The Press: And finally,
following up on April's

977
00:45:00,764 --> 00:45:03,304
question, is there a concern
from the White House that

978
00:45:03,300 --> 00:45:06,500
you've now seen Attorney
General Lynch decide that

979
00:45:06,503 --> 00:45:09,303
she doesn't want her name in
the nomination process --

980
00:45:09,306 --> 00:45:11,776
you've also heard from
Governor Sandoval, and now

981
00:45:11,775 --> 00:45:15,875
today Judge Jordan -- that
you are losing, potentially,

982
00:45:15,879 --> 00:45:18,219
good candidates, good
nominees to the Supreme

983
00:45:18,215 --> 00:45:21,315
Court before the process
even begins because of the

984
00:45:21,318 --> 00:45:24,158
contentious nature and the
fight that's looking forward

985
00:45:24,154 --> 00:45:25,424
with Republicans?

986
00:45:25,422 --> 00:45:27,362
Mr. Earnest: No, I'm not
worried about that at all.

987
00:45:27,357 --> 00:45:29,597
And simply, I think what I
would do is I'd just refer

988
00:45:29,593 --> 00:45:31,763
you to the public statements
that have been made by each

989
00:45:31,762 --> 00:45:34,262
of those individuals, and
none of them have indicated

990
00:45:34,264 --> 00:45:37,434
that they were concerned
about the contentious nature

991
00:45:37,434 --> 00:45:38,434
of a potential hearing.

992
00:45:38,435 --> 00:45:41,005
They had their own
individual reasons for

993
00:45:41,004 --> 00:45:42,974
choosing not to be a
part of the process.

994
00:45:42,973 --> 00:45:46,073
But I continue to be
confident that the President

995
00:45:46,076 --> 00:45:49,476
will choose the very best
person in America for this

996
00:45:49,480 --> 00:45:50,480
job.

997
00:45:50,481 --> 00:45:53,521
Margaret.

998
00:45:53,517 --> 00:45:55,687
The Press: Josh, can we
expect outreach by the White

999
00:45:55,686 --> 00:45:57,286
House to the
family of this U.S.

1000
00:45:57,287 --> 00:45:59,387
Army vet, Taylor Force,
who was killed in Israel

1001
00:45:59,389 --> 00:46:00,489
yesterday?

1002
00:46:00,491 --> 00:46:02,831
Mr. Earnest: I don't know if
there has been any contact

1003
00:46:02,826 --> 00:46:04,796
with his family at this
point, but we'll try to keep

1004
00:46:04,795 --> 00:46:05,765
you posted on that.

1005
00:46:05,762 --> 00:46:07,862
The Press: And I want to
come back -- when you were

1006
00:46:07,865 --> 00:46:09,605
talking about Robert
Levinson, you made the point

1007
00:46:09,600 --> 00:46:11,800
I think twice at least that
the last time he was seen

1008
00:46:11,802 --> 00:46:13,242
was in Iran.

1009
00:46:13,237 --> 00:46:15,937
Are you speaking about the
proof-of-life video of him

1010
00:46:15,939 --> 00:46:18,079
in an orange jumpsuit that
was released a few years

1011
00:46:18,075 --> 00:46:18,945
ago?

1012
00:46:18,942 --> 00:46:20,482
Because around that time,
Hillary Clinton said he was

1013
00:46:20,477 --> 00:46:22,117
in Southwest Asia.

1014
00:46:22,112 --> 00:46:25,752
Are you differing from that?

1015
00:46:25,749 --> 00:46:27,749
Is there a change in view?

1016
00:46:27,751 --> 00:46:30,421
Mr. Earnest: No, I think our
view is that the last time

1017
00:46:30,420 --> 00:46:32,920
that we knew definitively
where he was, was in Iran.

1018
00:46:32,923 --> 00:46:37,263
And that was nine years
ago today, unfortunately.

1019
00:46:37,261 --> 00:46:39,331
There has been other
evidence that's been put

1020
00:46:39,329 --> 00:46:44,399
forward that don't make it
precisely clear exactly

1021
00:46:44,401 --> 00:46:44,931
where he is.

1022
00:46:44,935 --> 00:46:47,405
And that's what we're
working with the Iranians to

1023
00:46:47,404 --> 00:46:51,744
determine, is to try to
find out exactly what his

1024
00:46:51,742 --> 00:46:54,642
location is and to
determine his whereabouts.

1025
00:46:54,645 --> 00:46:56,285
The Iranians have committed
to do that and we've held

1026
00:46:56,280 --> 00:46:58,680
them to that commitment.

1027
00:46:58,682 --> 00:47:01,422
The Press: So it wasn't that
the then Secretary of State

1028
00:47:01,418 --> 00:47:05,658
was being intentionally
imprecise, it's that you are

1029
00:47:05,656 --> 00:47:09,926
opening the door to him
being outside of Iran now?

1030
00:47:09,927 --> 00:47:15,137
Mr. Earnest: I think what
I'm doing is I'm explaining

1031
00:47:15,132 --> 00:47:18,402
why we believe that Iran has
an obligation to assist the

1032
00:47:18,402 --> 00:47:20,702
United States in determining
his whereabouts.

1033
00:47:20,704 --> 00:47:22,704
The reason for that is the
last time that we knew

1034
00:47:22,706 --> 00:47:25,306
definitively where he
was, he was in Iran.

1035
00:47:25,309 --> 00:47:28,509
And we believe that places
upon the Iranian government

1036
00:47:28,512 --> 00:47:32,212
an obligation to work with
us to try to find him and to

1037
00:47:32,216 --> 00:47:34,856
determine his whereabouts,
to determine his location.

1038
00:47:34,851 --> 00:47:36,851
And that's what
we're seeking to do.

1039
00:47:36,853 --> 00:47:38,853
The Iranians have agreed to
do that in the context of

1040
00:47:38,855 --> 00:47:42,525
this agreement that was
reached earlier this year,

1041
00:47:42,526 --> 00:47:44,526
and we're holding them
to that commitment.

1042
00:47:44,528 --> 00:47:46,528
The Press: You said you
hadn't seen the FBI

1043
00:47:46,530 --> 00:47:47,760
statement that used
the word "hostage."

1044
00:47:47,764 --> 00:47:52,004
That statement, that phrase
was not in the State

1045
00:47:52,002 --> 00:47:54,942
Department print statement;
it was not in the White

1046
00:47:54,938 --> 00:47:56,208
House statement.

1047
00:47:56,206 --> 00:48:00,616
Are you saying though beyond
the PR statements that the

1048
00:48:00,611 --> 00:48:03,851
White House does not
view him as a hostage?

1049
00:48:03,847 --> 00:48:07,847
Mr. Earnest: What I'm saying
is that it's difficult to

1050
00:48:07,851 --> 00:48:15,221
reach a conclusive statement
like that when we don't know

1051
00:48:15,225 --> 00:48:16,665
where he is.

1052
00:48:16,660 --> 00:48:18,660
And that's why we're working
so hard to determine his

1053
00:48:18,662 --> 00:48:19,662
whereabouts.

1054
00:48:19,663 --> 00:48:25,033
And, again, the Iranians
have made a commitment to

1055
00:48:25,035 --> 00:48:28,735
help us determine his
location, and we're holding

1056
00:48:28,739 --> 00:48:29,939
them to that commitment.

1057
00:48:29,940 --> 00:48:32,580
We continue to engage in
conversations with them.

1058
00:48:32,576 --> 00:48:34,576
Obviously, this is a very
difficult time for the

1059
00:48:34,578 --> 00:48:37,748
Levinson family, and as the
statement that I issued

1060
00:48:37,748 --> 00:48:41,788
earlier today indicates, our
thoughts are with them as

1061
00:48:41,785 --> 00:48:46,825
they go through what is
an unthinkable situation.

1062
00:48:46,823 --> 00:48:52,463
And obviously that is a very
difficult thing for any

1063
00:48:52,462 --> 00:48:53,402
family to go through.

1064
00:48:53,397 --> 00:48:55,767
They are concerned about
their loved one, they're

1065
00:48:55,766 --> 00:48:58,566
missing their loved one, and
it's why the United States

1066
00:48:58,568 --> 00:49:01,308
is going to great lengths
to try to determine the

1067
00:49:01,305 --> 00:49:03,975
whereabouts of this American
citizen so that we can bring

1068
00:49:03,974 --> 00:49:04,974
him home.

1069
00:49:04,975 --> 00:49:07,215
The Press: So it's been
widely reported that there's

1070
00:49:07,210 --> 00:49:08,650
a difference in view between
law enforcement and the

1071
00:49:08,645 --> 00:49:12,215
White House and some of
the administration as to

1072
00:49:12,215 --> 00:49:14,615
Mr. Levinson's status.

1073
00:49:14,618 --> 00:49:17,518
Do you dispute that?

1074
00:49:17,521 --> 00:49:19,321
Mr. Earnest: Well, I don't
know what the latest law

1075
00:49:19,323 --> 00:49:20,553
enforcement assessment is.

1076
00:49:20,557 --> 00:49:21,257
You can go talk to
them about that.

1077
00:49:21,258 --> 00:49:21,928
The Press: As a hostage.

1078
00:49:21,925 --> 00:49:22,725
That's what the FBI says.

1079
00:49:22,726 --> 00:49:23,356
Mr. Earnest: Okay.

1080
00:49:23,360 --> 00:49:28,000
And what I'm saying is that
our policy from here is to

1081
00:49:27,998 --> 00:49:30,738
hold the Iranians
accountable for helping us

1082
00:49:30,734 --> 00:49:32,434
determine his location.

1083
00:49:32,436 --> 00:49:34,936
And the reason that we hold
the Iranians accountable is

1084
00:49:34,938 --> 00:49:37,308
that the last time that we
knew definitively where he

1085
00:49:37,307 --> 00:49:40,577
was, he was in Iran, and
that places an obligation on

1086
00:49:40,577 --> 00:49:43,017
the Iranian government to
assist us in that effort.

1087
00:49:43,013 --> 00:49:45,013
Fortunately, they've
committed to cooperating

1088
00:49:45,015 --> 00:49:48,885
with us, and we're going
to, as I mentioned, as was

1089
00:49:48,885 --> 00:49:50,885
included in the statement,
we're going to spare no

1090
00:49:50,887 --> 00:49:53,557
effort to try to
secure his return.

1091
00:49:53,557 --> 00:49:55,557
The Press: So he could be a
hostage, but you just don't

1092
00:49:55,559 --> 00:49:56,559
know, definitively?

1093
00:49:56,560 --> 00:49:58,930
Mr. Earnest: We don't know
definitively where he is,

1094
00:49:58,929 --> 00:50:01,269
and that's what makes it
hard for us to determine

1095
00:50:01,264 --> 00:50:03,634
exactly what his status is.

1096
00:50:03,633 --> 00:50:05,873
Obviously, we're very
concerned about his safety.

1097
00:50:05,869 --> 00:50:08,139
Obviously, we're quite
interested in learning his

1098
00:50:08,138 --> 00:50:09,138
whereabouts.

1099
00:50:09,139 --> 00:50:11,379
Obviously, the Levinson
family has gone through a

1100
00:50:11,375 --> 00:50:13,915
great deal of
turmoil and pain.

1101
00:50:13,910 --> 00:50:20,920
And that's why we have
placed such a priority on

1102
00:50:20,917 --> 00:50:22,917
finding him and
bringing him home.

1103
00:50:22,919 --> 00:50:24,919
The Press: Different
topic -- Cuba.

1104
00:50:24,921 --> 00:50:27,161
There was an op-ed in a
Communist Party paper --

1105
00:50:27,157 --> 00:50:29,497
editorial, I should say --
with Cuba demanding and

1106
00:50:29,493 --> 00:50:32,793
making clear that they're
not going to change their

1107
00:50:32,796 --> 00:50:34,566
policies for the U.S.

1108
00:50:34,564 --> 00:50:37,304
and saying that President
Obama could do more.

1109
00:50:37,300 --> 00:50:40,740
Are you disappointed
at this?

1110
00:50:40,737 --> 00:50:43,007
Does it set a negative tone
for the President's upcoming

1111
00:50:43,006 --> 00:50:43,976
visit?

1112
00:50:43,974 --> 00:50:45,644
Mr. Earnest: No, I'm not
particularly concerned about

1113
00:50:45,642 --> 00:50:46,312
it.

1114
00:50:46,309 --> 00:50:49,449
We've obviously got a
pretty long agenda for the

1115
00:50:49,446 --> 00:50:53,386
President's trip to Cuba,
and that long agenda

1116
00:50:53,383 --> 00:50:58,853
includes visiting with
political opponents of the

1117
00:50:58,855 --> 00:51:02,055
Cuban government and
standing up for, in a very

1118
00:51:02,058 --> 00:51:05,298
tangible way, the universal
human rights of the Cuban

1119
00:51:05,295 --> 00:51:06,835
people.

1120
00:51:06,830 --> 00:51:11,400
And that, after all, is our
priority here -- is that by

1121
00:51:11,401 --> 00:51:14,541
more deeply engaging the
Cuban government, the Cuban

1122
00:51:14,538 --> 00:51:18,208
economy, and the Cuban
people, we can more

1123
00:51:18,208 --> 00:51:20,208
effectively advance the
interests of the Cuban

1124
00:51:20,210 --> 00:51:21,210
people.

1125
00:51:21,211 --> 00:51:23,211
That certainly has positive
economic benefits for the

1126
00:51:23,213 --> 00:51:25,213
United States, as my friends
at the Chamber of Commerce

1127
00:51:25,215 --> 00:51:27,215
and the American Farm Bureau
and other places would tell

1128
00:51:27,217 --> 00:51:28,217
you.

1129
00:51:28,218 --> 00:51:32,058
But this also is an
opportunity for us to use

1130
00:51:32,055 --> 00:51:38,225
the moral influence of the
United States to advocate

1131
00:51:38,228 --> 00:51:41,228
for greater freedoms
for the Cuban people.

1132
00:51:41,231 --> 00:51:43,231
That's something that the
United States does around

1133
00:51:43,233 --> 00:51:45,233
the world, and it certainly
makes sense that we'd be

1134
00:51:45,235 --> 00:51:46,705
doing that in a country just
90 miles off our shore.

1135
00:51:46,703 --> 00:51:48,243
Kevin.

1136
00:51:48,238 --> 00:51:49,338
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

1137
00:51:49,339 --> 00:51:51,879
Back on Attorney
General Lynch.

1138
00:51:51,875 --> 00:51:53,845
Would you agree it's
possible the President

1139
00:51:53,844 --> 00:51:56,744
informed her before she made
that statement yesterday

1140
00:51:56,746 --> 00:51:59,686
that she simply was not
going to be the nominee and

1141
00:51:59,683 --> 00:52:03,053
allowed her the dignity of
issuing a statement on her

1142
00:52:03,053 --> 00:52:04,053
own?

1143
00:52:04,054 --> 00:52:06,054
Mr. Earnest: I'm not aware
of the President having done

1144
00:52:06,056 --> 00:52:07,056
that.

1145
00:52:07,057 --> 00:52:09,497
My understanding is that she
contacted the White House to

1146
00:52:09,493 --> 00:52:13,633
make clear that she has a
lot of important work to do

1147
00:52:13,630 --> 00:52:16,170
at the Department of
Justice, and for that

1148
00:52:16,166 --> 00:52:18,166
reason, asked not to
be considered for an

1149
00:52:18,168 --> 00:52:19,168
appointment to a new job.

1150
00:52:19,169 --> 00:52:21,269
The Press: It's curious
because when I asked you

1151
00:52:21,271 --> 00:52:24,941
back on February 19th about
the same topic, you used

1152
00:52:24,941 --> 00:52:28,211
Solicitor General Kagan as
an example of someone who

1153
00:52:28,211 --> 00:52:30,581
had lieutenants who could
certainly do the job, and

1154
00:52:30,580 --> 00:52:33,680
that would not interfere
with her ability to go

1155
00:52:33,683 --> 00:52:36,123
through the process while
still conducting the

1156
00:52:36,119 --> 00:52:38,159
business of the people
of the United States.

1157
00:52:38,154 --> 00:52:40,154
So I'm just curious --
what's different here?

1158
00:52:40,156 --> 00:52:42,156
Mr. Earnest: I think what's
different here is that the

1159
00:52:42,158 --> 00:52:44,158
scope of responsibilities
for the Attorney General of

1160
00:52:44,160 --> 00:52:46,560
the United States are much
broader than the scope of

1161
00:52:46,563 --> 00:52:48,563
responsibilities for
the Solicitor General.

1162
00:52:48,565 --> 00:52:51,305
The Press: You used that as
an example when I asked you

1163
00:52:51,301 --> 00:52:52,571
to say that --

1164
00:52:52,569 --> 00:52:54,569
Mr. Earnest: Because I think
it's a relevant example.

1165
00:52:54,571 --> 00:52:57,541
Obviously, Ms. Kagan served
in the Justice Department.

1166
00:52:57,541 --> 00:52:59,941
Obviously, that's where the
Solicitor General is, and

1167
00:52:59,943 --> 00:53:02,583
she is somebody who has
turned out to be an

1168
00:53:02,579 --> 00:53:05,649
excellent Supreme
Court justice.

1169
00:53:05,649 --> 00:53:08,319
So in that situation, we
were able to design a

1170
00:53:08,318 --> 00:53:12,288
solution that allowed Ms.
Kagan's deputy to assume

1171
00:53:12,289 --> 00:53:14,289
some responsibilities while
she went through this

1172
00:53:14,291 --> 00:53:15,291
process.

1173
00:53:15,292 --> 00:53:17,292
But when you consider the
scope of responsibilities,

1174
00:53:17,294 --> 00:53:19,734
particularly some of the
more challenging things that

1175
00:53:19,729 --> 00:53:21,729
are being dealt with over at
the Department of Justice

1176
00:53:21,731 --> 00:53:24,271
right now -- and things like
fighting ISIL; there are a

1177
00:53:24,267 --> 00:53:28,037
number of prosecutions,
including the FIFA

1178
00:53:28,038 --> 00:53:32,038
prosecution that are ongoing
-- and to remove Ms. Lynch

1179
00:53:32,042 --> 00:53:35,742
from the equation would be
unnecessarily disruptive.

1180
00:53:35,745 --> 00:53:39,445
And that's why she made an
affirmative request to not

1181
00:53:39,449 --> 00:53:42,349
be considered for the
appointment to the Supreme

1182
00:53:42,352 --> 00:53:45,252
Court, and the President
granted that request.

1183
00:53:45,255 --> 00:53:47,425
The Press: I want to follow
up also on her comments

1184
00:53:47,424 --> 00:53:49,424
about the ongoing
investigation into the

1185
00:53:49,426 --> 00:53:50,256
Clinton email scandal.

1186
00:53:50,260 --> 00:53:54,300
She made a recent comment
suggesting that under no

1187
00:53:54,297 --> 00:53:56,197
circumstances did they
confer with the White House,

1188
00:53:56,199 --> 00:53:58,199
there was no sort
of back-and-forth.

1189
00:53:58,201 --> 00:54:00,941
Can you just sort of
again reiterate from the

1190
00:54:00,937 --> 00:54:03,007
administration's
perspective, has there been

1191
00:54:03,006 --> 00:54:07,976
any conversations during
this investigation at all?

1192
00:54:07,978 --> 00:54:10,218
Has there been any
updating done by the DOJ?

1193
00:54:10,213 --> 00:54:11,813
Are you aware of anything?

1194
00:54:11,815 --> 00:54:13,815
Have you seen any sort
of back-and-forth?

1195
00:54:13,817 --> 00:54:15,817
Mr. Earnest: Well
obviously, I have not been a

1196
00:54:15,819 --> 00:54:17,819
part of any of those
conversations, and the

1197
00:54:17,821 --> 00:54:19,821
Attorney General who leads
that department says that

1198
00:54:19,823 --> 00:54:23,093
they did not occur, so I
wouldn't have any reason to

1199
00:54:23,093 --> 00:54:26,833
disagree with her or to
think that she's not correct

1200
00:54:26,830 --> 00:54:28,830
when she says that the
Department of Justice has

1201
00:54:28,832 --> 00:54:30,872
not been communicating
extensively with the White

1202
00:54:30,867 --> 00:54:31,397
House about this.

1203
00:54:31,401 --> 00:54:34,401
The Press: But you haven't
had any conversations with

1204
00:54:34,404 --> 00:54:36,404
anyone, and no one has
given you any guidance?

1205
00:54:36,406 --> 00:54:36,806
Mr. Earnest: Of course not.

1206
00:54:36,806 --> 00:54:37,506
The Press: Okay.

1207
00:54:37,507 --> 00:54:40,407
Lastly, I want to also ask
you about -- and this is

1208
00:54:40,410 --> 00:54:43,810
sort of a broad sweep --
Judges Sri Srinivasan,

1209
00:54:43,813 --> 00:54:49,823
Merrick -- just going down
the list here -- Kelly,

1210
00:54:52,255 --> 00:54:55,495
Watford -- broad brush --
what do they have in common?

1211
00:54:55,492 --> 00:54:58,862
What makes them interesting,
possible nominees?

1212
00:54:58,862 --> 00:55:02,002
Mr. Earnest: Well, at least
a couple of the names that

1213
00:55:01,998 --> 00:55:05,438
you mentioned there are
individuals who were

1214
00:55:05,435 --> 00:55:08,735
appointed by President
Obama to the federal bench.

1215
00:55:08,738 --> 00:55:11,338
And in most cases, these
were individuals who were

1216
00:55:11,341 --> 00:55:13,911
confirmed with bipartisan
support by the United States

1217
00:55:13,910 --> 00:55:16,610
Senate to serve on
the federal bench.

1218
00:55:16,613 --> 00:55:19,513
I would be the first to
acknowledge, as I have on

1219
00:55:19,516 --> 00:55:22,356
previous occasions, that an
appointment to the Supreme

1220
00:55:22,352 --> 00:55:25,252
Court is certainly
a unique case.

1221
00:55:25,255 --> 00:55:28,625
That's why we would expect
for the Senate to undergo a

1222
00:55:28,625 --> 00:55:33,565
process of interviewing
these individuals or

1223
00:55:33,563 --> 00:55:36,663
interviewing the nominee and
giving them a hearing, and

1224
00:55:36,666 --> 00:55:39,836
giving them -- subjecting
them to tough questioning

1225
00:55:39,836 --> 00:55:42,276
and scrutiny of their
background for this

1226
00:55:42,272 --> 00:55:43,572
position.

1227
00:55:43,573 --> 00:55:47,213
But I think the observation
that I would have is that

1228
00:55:47,210 --> 00:55:50,550
these are all individuals
who have already served the

1229
00:55:50,547 --> 00:55:58,117
country in the judicial
branch with distinction, and

1230
00:55:58,121 --> 00:56:00,361
having that kind of
background I think certainly

1231
00:56:00,356 --> 00:56:05,166
does give us an indication
that they could be good

1232
00:56:05,161 --> 00:56:08,261
Supreme Court nominees.

1233
00:56:08,264 --> 00:56:10,864
But at this point, I'm not
in a position to confirm

1234
00:56:10,867 --> 00:56:12,967
that anybody is actually
under consideration by the

1235
00:56:12,969 --> 00:56:15,939
White House, so I don't want
to lead you astray there.

1236
00:56:15,939 --> 00:56:18,779
But certainly the three
individuals you named are

1237
00:56:18,775 --> 00:56:20,775
people that the President
was proud to have appointed

1238
00:56:20,777 --> 00:56:21,777
to the federal bench.

1239
00:56:21,778 --> 00:56:23,778
The Press: And last
one, if I could follow.

1240
00:56:23,780 --> 00:56:26,220
Have any of the
conversations that you can't

1241
00:56:26,216 --> 00:56:30,656
talk about, we are not privy
to, is there any possible

1242
00:56:30,653 --> 00:56:33,723
way that we can get more
than I can't confirm or I

1243
00:56:33,723 --> 00:56:35,793
can't deny, I can't say
they have, they haven't?

1244
00:56:35,792 --> 00:56:38,862
Because the American people
want to know where are we in

1245
00:56:38,862 --> 00:56:39,992
this process.

1246
00:56:39,996 --> 00:56:43,166
I'm glad Mark asked about
today because each day we're

1247
00:56:43,166 --> 00:56:45,166
on pins and needles trying
to figure out where we are

1248
00:56:45,168 --> 00:56:46,168
in this process.

1249
00:56:46,169 --> 00:56:48,169
Mr. Earnest: It's
exciting, isn't it?

1250
00:56:48,171 --> 00:56:49,171
(laughter)

1251
00:56:49,172 --> 00:56:50,172
The Press: Well, yes.

1252
00:56:50,173 --> 00:56:51,173
So we want to know.

1253
00:56:51,174 --> 00:56:53,174
Can you give us more than I
can't say, I'd love to help

1254
00:56:53,176 --> 00:56:54,176
you out.

1255
00:56:54,177 --> 00:56:55,847
I mean, where are
we in the process?

1256
00:56:55,845 --> 00:56:57,145
Mr. Earnest: Unfortunately,
at this point, I don't have

1257
00:56:57,147 --> 00:56:57,677
additional information
that I can share.

1258
00:56:57,680 --> 00:56:58,250
The Press: I knew
you'd say that.

1259
00:56:58,248 --> 00:57:01,148
Mr. Earnest: But what I can
tell you is that once the

1260
00:57:01,151 --> 00:57:03,591
President has made a
decision, I do think that we

1261
00:57:03,586 --> 00:57:06,086
will be able to provide you
at least a little bit more

1262
00:57:06,089 --> 00:57:09,429
insight into what went into
his making that decision,

1263
00:57:09,425 --> 00:57:11,065
what are the kinds of things
that he has been thinking

1264
00:57:11,060 --> 00:57:13,530
about over the last
several weeks here.

1265
00:57:13,530 --> 00:57:17,430
And I think that will also
be something more easy to

1266
00:57:17,433 --> 00:57:19,433
illustrate once the
President has made a

1267
00:57:19,435 --> 00:57:20,435
decision.

1268
00:57:20,436 --> 00:57:23,436
And we can certainly have a
conversation about that, and

1269
00:57:23,439 --> 00:57:24,379
I anticipate we'll
have more than one.

1270
00:57:24,374 --> 00:57:26,274
The Press: Is he
closer to a decision?

1271
00:57:26,276 --> 00:57:27,876
Mr. Earnest: The President
has made some progress.

1272
00:57:27,877 --> 00:57:29,077
Toluse.

1273
00:57:29,078 --> 00:57:31,148
The Press: So I wanted
to ask you about trade.

1274
00:57:31,147 --> 00:57:33,917
You laid out the
administration's policy and

1275
00:57:33,917 --> 00:57:37,287
your argument, but it seems
like in terms of just a PR

1276
00:57:37,287 --> 00:57:40,387
strategy, it seems like
folks like Bernie Sanders,

1277
00:57:40,390 --> 00:57:44,790
who have accused the TPP
deal of being something

1278
00:57:44,794 --> 00:57:45,964
that's going to kill jobs,
it seems like he has won

1279
00:57:45,962 --> 00:57:48,232
that argument pretty
handily, especially if you

1280
00:57:48,231 --> 00:57:49,801
look at the results
in Michigan.

1281
00:57:49,799 --> 00:57:53,139
So does the President, does
the White House need to do more?

1282
00:57:53,136 --> 00:57:56,836
Especially since this TPP
deal hasn't been voted on

1283
00:57:56,840 --> 00:57:59,540
and it seems to be in limbo
at this point, do you need

1284
00:57:59,542 --> 00:58:03,852
to do more to win the PR
deal, the PR battle before

1285
00:58:03,847 --> 00:58:04,947
we get to the general
election where it becomes

1286
00:58:04,948 --> 00:58:07,448
even a hotter and more
contentious problem?

1287
00:58:07,450 --> 00:58:09,920
Mr. Earnest: Well, with all
due respect, Toluse, there's

1288
00:58:09,919 --> 00:58:12,489
one aspect of your argument
that I would quibble with

1289
00:58:12,488 --> 00:58:15,958
just a little bit, which is
that Senator Sanders was

1290
00:58:15,959 --> 00:58:19,899
appealing to Democratic
voters in a Democratic

1291
00:58:19,896 --> 00:58:24,396
primary that have a long
known institutional

1292
00:58:24,400 --> 00:58:30,010
reflexive negative reaction
to discussions about

1293
00:58:30,006 --> 00:58:31,906
expanding
international trade.

1294
00:58:31,908 --> 00:58:37,318
So it's not surprising that
Senator Sanders has adopted

1295
00:58:37,313 --> 00:58:41,653
this rhetoric and has used
it successfully to appeal to

1296
00:58:41,651 --> 00:58:43,651
at least some of the
voters in Michigan.

1297
00:58:45,722 --> 00:58:49,322
I think what I would point
out is that we had an

1298
00:58:49,325 --> 00:58:51,695
opportunity to test this
last summer when the

1299
00:58:51,694 --> 00:58:53,694
President was working
aggressively to build a

1300
00:58:53,696 --> 00:58:56,596
bipartisan coalition in the
United States Congress in

1301
00:58:56,599 --> 00:58:58,599
support of Trade Promotion
Authority that would

1302
00:58:58,601 --> 00:59:00,741
essentially allow the
President to complete the

1303
00:59:00,737 --> 00:59:03,537
Trans-Pacific Partnership
negotiations.

1304
00:59:03,539 --> 00:59:06,839
And there was a lot of hue
and cry about how candidates

1305
00:59:06,843 --> 00:59:09,783
on the campaign trail even
back in May and June and

1306
00:59:09,779 --> 00:59:13,119
July were getting a lot of
attention, that they had

1307
00:59:13,116 --> 00:59:16,556
opposed it -- including
Secretary Clinton, who at

1308
00:59:16,552 --> 00:59:22,192
the time and continues to
lead in the national polls.

1309
00:59:22,191 --> 00:59:26,191
And there was concern among
some in Washington that this

1310
00:59:26,195 --> 00:59:30,465
would be the final nail in
the coffin of our efforts to

1311
00:59:30,466 --> 00:59:33,906
secure Trade Promotion
Authority legislation, when,

1312
00:59:33,903 --> 00:59:37,243
in fact, we actually
succeeded in building that

1313
00:59:37,240 --> 00:59:39,280
bipartisan majority.

1314
00:59:39,275 --> 00:59:41,245
And there were twists
and turns along the way.

1315
00:59:43,379 --> 00:59:45,619
The death of that
legislative effort was

1316
00:59:45,615 --> 00:59:48,155
predicted more than once.

1317
00:59:48,151 --> 00:59:51,721
We encountered a few snafus,
but we were able to

1318
00:59:51,721 --> 00:59:53,361
overcome them.

1319
00:59:53,356 --> 00:59:55,356
And that's why I would
encourage you to not be

1320
00:59:55,358 --> 00:59:59,198
distracted by the debate on
the campaign trail when it

1321
00:59:59,195 --> 01:00:03,295
comes to evaluating the
prospects for our

1322
01:00:03,299 --> 01:00:05,369
trade legislation.

1323
01:00:05,368 --> 01:00:08,308
I would also make the point
that the argument that we

1324
01:00:08,304 --> 01:00:10,304
have to make to Congress
now is actually much more

1325
01:00:10,306 --> 01:00:12,776
powerful than the argument
that we could make around

1326
01:00:12,775 --> 01:00:14,175
Trade Promotion Authority.

1327
01:00:14,177 --> 01:00:17,217
At the time, Trade Promotion
Authority was essentially

1328
01:00:17,213 --> 01:00:19,753
asking a bunch of
Republicans in Congress to

1329
01:00:19,749 --> 01:00:21,749
give the Democratic
President the authority

1330
01:00:21,751 --> 01:00:25,691
necessary to negotiate
this agreement.

1331
01:00:25,688 --> 01:00:27,888
Now we're in a position
where we actually have

1332
01:00:27,890 --> 01:00:30,430
tangible benefits of an
agreement to present to

1333
01:00:30,426 --> 01:00:32,426
individual members of
Congress and make a

1334
01:00:32,428 --> 01:00:36,068
persuasive case to them
about how the country and

1335
01:00:36,065 --> 01:00:38,935
their constituents will
benefit from the

1336
01:00:38,935 --> 01:00:40,035
trade agreement.

1337
01:00:40,036 --> 01:00:42,476
And it may be time to bring
those slides back out again,

1338
01:00:42,472 --> 01:00:45,572
but we can document how
products in every single

1339
01:00:45,575 --> 01:00:52,145
state of the country will
see the taxes that are

1340
01:00:52,148 --> 01:00:55,288
imposed on them by other
countries cut as a result of

1341
01:00:55,284 --> 01:00:56,654
this agreement.

1342
01:00:56,652 --> 01:00:58,652
That's a good thing
for our economy.

1343
01:00:58,654 --> 01:01:00,654
That is a good thing for the
companies that are in the

1344
01:01:00,656 --> 01:01:03,996
business of exporting
those products overseas.

1345
01:01:03,993 --> 01:01:05,993
That will expand economic
growth in America.

1346
01:01:05,995 --> 01:01:07,995
It will expand economic
opportunity in America.

1347
01:01:07,997 --> 01:01:09,337
It was create
jobs in America.

1348
01:01:09,332 --> 01:01:12,232
And it will even put upward
pressure on wages, according

1349
01:01:12,235 --> 01:01:13,235
to some studies.

1350
01:01:13,236 --> 01:01:14,776
Those are all good things.

1351
01:01:14,771 --> 01:01:18,011
And that is all part and
parcel of the President's

1352
01:01:18,007 --> 01:01:21,947
strategy for countering the
forces of globalization that

1353
01:01:21,944 --> 01:01:24,214
have had a negative impact
on some communities across

1354
01:01:24,213 --> 01:01:25,213
the country.

1355
01:01:25,214 --> 01:01:27,814
And rather than just
complain about it, rather

1356
01:01:27,817 --> 01:01:30,787
than just wring his hands
about it, the leader of the

1357
01:01:30,787 --> 01:01:32,827
free world has stood up and
said this is the strategy

1358
01:01:32,822 --> 01:01:34,822
that we're going to
implement to look out for

1359
01:01:34,824 --> 01:01:36,824
middle-class
families in America.

1360
01:01:36,826 --> 01:01:38,826
That's a persuasive case
that we'll take to the

1361
01:01:38,828 --> 01:01:41,898
United States Senate and the
United States House to get

1362
01:01:41,898 --> 01:01:43,698
them to support
this agreement.

1363
01:01:43,699 --> 01:01:46,069
The last thing I'll say is
because we were able to

1364
01:01:46,069 --> 01:01:49,009
reach Trade Promotion --
because we were able to pass

1365
01:01:49,005 --> 01:01:52,305
Trade Promotion Authority, a
vote that required 60 votes

1366
01:01:52,308 --> 01:01:54,908
in the United States Senate
-- in order to ratify this

1367
01:01:54,911 --> 01:01:56,011
agreement, it only requires
50 votes in the United

1368
01:01:56,012 --> 01:01:57,112
States Senate.

1369
01:01:57,113 --> 01:02:02,753
So not only is our argument
stronger, the hurdle that we

1370
01:02:02,752 --> 01:02:07,692
need to climb is
a little lower.

1371
01:02:07,690 --> 01:02:09,860
The Press: And you mentioned
this was the Democratic

1372
01:02:09,859 --> 01:02:12,099
primary, but it seems like
on the Republican side,

1373
01:02:12,095 --> 01:02:15,065
Donald Trump was making sort
of a similar argument --

1374
01:02:15,064 --> 01:02:17,264
that the President's trade
deals haven't been good, we

1375
01:02:17,266 --> 01:02:20,666
haven't been a good deal
maker, and they haven't

1376
01:02:20,670 --> 01:02:21,670
helped jobs.

1377
01:02:21,671 --> 01:02:23,471
So he does seem to be --
and he won Michigan pretty

1378
01:02:23,473 --> 01:02:24,643
handily as well.

1379
01:02:24,640 --> 01:02:26,210
So it does seem to have some
bipartisan support,

1380
01:02:26,209 --> 01:02:27,879
this argument.

1381
01:02:27,877 --> 01:02:29,447
So I'm wondering --

1382
01:02:29,445 --> 01:02:32,585
Mr. Earnest: The Freedom
Caucus, my friends who hang

1383
01:02:32,582 --> 01:02:35,122
out at Tortilla Coast, they
opposed Trade Promotion

1384
01:02:35,118 --> 01:02:37,118
Authority legislation, too.

1385
01:02:37,120 --> 01:02:40,890
And, again, that didn't
prevent us from building the

1386
01:02:40,890 --> 01:02:43,190
bipartisan majority that
was needed to get Trade

1387
01:02:43,192 --> 01:02:45,192
Promotion Authority
legislation.

1388
01:02:45,194 --> 01:02:47,634
And as I observed, this time
around, we've got a stronger

1389
01:02:47,630 --> 01:02:53,070
argument and we've got less
of an obstacle to overcome

1390
01:02:53,069 --> 01:02:54,399
in terms of
getting it passed.

1391
01:02:54,403 --> 01:02:57,873
So there's no denying that
there is opposition in some

1392
01:02:57,874 --> 01:03:01,974
quarters of the electorate
to trade deals.

1393
01:03:01,978 --> 01:03:04,878
But Mr. Trump certainly
hasn't articulated a

1394
01:03:04,881 --> 01:03:07,321
specific proposal for how
to counter the forces of

1395
01:03:07,316 --> 01:03:10,016
globalization and ensure
that middle-class families

1396
01:03:10,019 --> 01:03:12,389
in America can compete and
win in a 21st century

1397
01:03:12,388 --> 01:03:13,628
global economy.

1398
01:03:13,623 --> 01:03:15,623
President Obama, on the
other hand, has put out a

1399
01:03:15,625 --> 01:03:16,695
specific strategy.

1400
01:03:16,692 --> 01:03:19,532
And he isn't just making
empty proposals, he actually

1401
01:03:19,529 --> 01:03:22,229
is going out and engaging
in the world and using the

1402
01:03:22,231 --> 01:03:26,071
influence of the United
States of America to reach

1403
01:03:26,068 --> 01:03:27,068
these agreements.

1404
01:03:27,069 --> 01:03:29,809
And now we need -- we're
getting close to a situation

1405
01:03:29,805 --> 01:03:33,105
where we will be asking
the Congress to pass it.

1406
01:03:33,109 --> 01:03:36,879
The Press: So the results in
Michigan last night don't

1407
01:03:36,879 --> 01:03:38,979
change your strategy at all
for how you're going to roll

1408
01:03:38,981 --> 01:03:42,251
out your plan to get
a vote on TPP for --

1409
01:03:42,251 --> 01:03:44,251
Mr. Earnest: No, I just
don't think that the results

1410
01:03:44,253 --> 01:03:46,253
in Michigan tell us
something that we didn't

1411
01:03:46,255 --> 01:03:48,755
already know about the
public's view of this,

1412
01:03:48,758 --> 01:03:49,858
particularly in the
state of Michigan.

1413
01:03:49,859 --> 01:03:51,759
The Press: And then there's
one more question, following

1414
01:03:51,761 --> 01:03:53,231
up on my colleague's
question yesterday about

1415
01:03:53,229 --> 01:03:54,459
President Erdogan.

1416
01:03:54,463 --> 01:03:56,603
Do you have any information
about whether or not he's

1417
01:03:56,599 --> 01:03:57,799
going to come to the U.S.

1418
01:03:57,800 --> 01:03:59,940
for the Nuclear
Security Summit?

1419
01:03:59,936 --> 01:04:03,176
His office apparently
said that he's coming.

1420
01:04:03,172 --> 01:04:04,412
Have you look
at that at all?

1421
01:04:04,407 --> 01:04:06,307
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any way to independently

1422
01:04:06,309 --> 01:04:07,539
confirm his travel plans.

1423
01:04:07,543 --> 01:04:10,183
I can just tell you in
general that we expect a

1424
01:04:10,179 --> 01:04:12,219
number of world leaders to
travel to the United States

1425
01:04:12,215 --> 01:04:15,615
to discuss this important
national security priority.

1426
01:04:15,618 --> 01:04:16,518
The President is looking
forward to hosting a number

1427
01:04:16,519 --> 01:04:19,689
of those leaders.

1428
01:04:19,689 --> 01:04:21,959
But we'll have some
information later this month

1429
01:04:21,958 --> 01:04:25,558
about who precisely
we expect to attend.

1430
01:04:25,561 --> 01:04:26,131
Jared.

1431
01:04:26,128 --> 01:04:28,128
The Press: Josh, you've said
that it isn't appropriate or

1432
01:04:28,130 --> 01:04:31,030
constitutional for Senate
Republicans to block a

1433
01:04:31,033 --> 01:04:33,633
potential and forthcoming
Supreme Court nominee.

1434
01:04:33,636 --> 01:04:36,736
Isn't there a political
upside for Democrats?

1435
01:04:36,739 --> 01:04:38,739
Mr. Earnest: Well,
I don't know.

1436
01:04:38,741 --> 01:04:41,441
I guess Democrats themselves
will have to decide that.

1437
01:04:41,444 --> 01:04:45,014
I suspect that a member of
the United States Senate who

1438
01:04:45,014 --> 01:04:49,284
is willing to make the case
that they're going to abide

1439
01:04:49,285 --> 01:04:54,025
by their constitutional duty
is likely to fare better

1440
01:04:54,023 --> 01:04:58,293
than a member of the United
States Senate who is

1441
01:04:58,294 --> 01:05:00,794
publicly refusing to fulfill
their constitutional duty.

1442
01:05:00,796 --> 01:05:04,566
But maybe that's a little
more election analysis than

1443
01:05:04,567 --> 01:05:05,437
I should do.

1444
01:05:05,434 --> 01:05:08,534
But there will be an
opportunity for all of you

1445
01:05:08,537 --> 01:05:11,977
to take a look
at that question.

1446
01:05:11,974 --> 01:05:13,274
The Press: Shouldn't
Democrats around the country

1447
01:05:13,276 --> 01:05:16,716
take this as another reason
to get out to the polls in

1448
01:05:16,712 --> 01:05:19,582
the fall?

1449
01:05:19,582 --> 01:05:26,322
Mr. Earnest: Again, I do
think that there is a

1450
01:05:26,322 --> 01:05:29,192
challenge that Republicans
who are on the ballot in the

1451
01:05:29,191 --> 01:05:32,591
fall will face about having
to try to defend the record

1452
01:05:32,595 --> 01:05:39,605
of a United States Senate
that certainly in the first

1453
01:05:39,602 --> 01:05:46,442
few months of this year has
routinely not just opposed

1454
01:05:46,442 --> 01:05:50,642
the President's proposals,
but rejected their basic

1455
01:05:50,646 --> 01:05:52,686
responsibility to govern.

1456
01:05:52,682 --> 01:05:55,922
And setting aside the
Supreme Court, that is true

1457
01:05:55,918 --> 01:05:58,918
of Republicans' refusal to
even consider the plan that

1458
01:05:58,921 --> 01:06:02,221
we put forward to close
Gitmo, to refuse to even

1459
01:06:02,224 --> 01:06:05,824
consider a hearing on the
President's budget -- they

1460
01:06:05,828 --> 01:06:09,228
cancelled that hearing
before the President even

1461
01:06:09,231 --> 01:06:11,431
put his proposal out --
to say nothing of their

1462
01:06:11,434 --> 01:06:15,004
longstanding promise to
offer up an alternative to

1463
01:06:15,004 --> 01:06:17,674
Obamacare, something that
they have failed to do even

1464
01:06:17,673 --> 01:06:21,113
though they've now voted 60
or so times to repeal it.

1465
01:06:21,110 --> 01:06:23,110
The same applies to
immigration reform or

1466
01:06:23,112 --> 01:06:24,452
gun control.

1467
01:06:24,447 --> 01:06:27,987
On so many of the important
issues facing the country,

1468
01:06:27,983 --> 01:06:30,183
it's not that Republicans
are just saying no, it's

1469
01:06:30,186 --> 01:06:32,486
that Republicans are
refusing to do their job.

1470
01:06:32,488 --> 01:06:34,628
And that's particularly
problematic when I think

1471
01:06:34,623 --> 01:06:38,863
most Americans understand
that once you assume the

1472
01:06:38,861 --> 01:06:41,731
majority in one of the
legislative bodies of

1473
01:06:41,731 --> 01:06:43,801
Congress -- in this case,
Republicans have a majority

1474
01:06:43,799 --> 01:06:46,039
in both legislative bodies
in Congress -- that means

1475
01:06:46,035 --> 01:06:48,035
they have a
responsibility to govern.

1476
01:06:48,037 --> 01:06:50,037
Ostensibly, that's the
reason they ran for the job

1477
01:06:50,039 --> 01:06:52,039
in the first place, is
because they wanted to have

1478
01:06:52,041 --> 01:06:54,041
some influence over
running the country.

1479
01:06:54,043 --> 01:06:57,443
But they have totally
abdicated that responsibility.

1480
01:06:57,446 --> 01:06:59,446
And that's a reputation I
think that's going to be

1481
01:06:59,448 --> 01:07:01,448
hard for many
Republicans to shake.

1482
01:07:01,450 --> 01:07:03,450
The Press: You said earlier
that you're not worried

1483
01:07:03,452 --> 01:07:05,452
about losing good candidates
for the Supreme Court.

1484
01:07:05,454 --> 01:07:08,324
So you don't think the
Senate is having a chilling

1485
01:07:08,324 --> 01:07:09,324
effect on this process?

1486
01:07:09,325 --> 01:07:10,765
Mr. Earnest: No, I do not.

1487
01:07:10,760 --> 01:07:12,960
At least not on the
President's ability to

1488
01:07:12,962 --> 01:07:14,962
choose the right
person for the job.

1489
01:07:14,964 --> 01:07:16,964
The Press: So if there's no
tangible ill-effect, I guess

1490
01:07:16,966 --> 01:07:21,336
no harm, in legal parlance,
what is actually wrong with

1491
01:07:21,337 --> 01:07:22,337
what the Senate is doing?

1492
01:07:22,338 --> 01:07:25,078
I mean, they're essentially
just taking a political

1493
01:07:25,074 --> 01:07:28,414
posture, which you can't
really fault them for.

1494
01:07:28,411 --> 01:07:31,151
And since they're not having
an ill-effect and they're

1495
01:07:31,147 --> 01:07:33,787
not having a -- I mean,
there's no nominee that's

1496
01:07:33,783 --> 01:07:36,383
actually out there -- what
have they actually done that

1497
01:07:36,385 --> 01:07:38,385
the White House
thinks is wrong?

1498
01:07:38,387 --> 01:07:40,987
Mr. Earnest: Jared, I think
the administration, and,

1499
01:07:40,990 --> 01:07:42,990
more importantly, I think
the American people fault

1500
01:07:42,992 --> 01:07:45,032
the Republicans in Congress
for putting their political

1501
01:07:45,027 --> 01:07:47,527
considerations, as you've
described them, ahead of

1502
01:07:47,530 --> 01:07:48,930
their constitutional duty.

1503
01:07:48,931 --> 01:07:51,131
That's really the --
that's the problem.

1504
01:07:51,133 --> 01:07:53,933
And I think that's something
that even some of the polls

1505
01:07:53,936 --> 01:07:57,636
that your organizations
have conducted are further

1506
01:07:57,640 --> 01:08:03,710
eroding the already meager
support that the Congress

1507
01:08:03,712 --> 01:08:05,712
has when it comes to
evaluating their standing

1508
01:08:05,714 --> 01:08:06,714
with the public.

1509
01:08:06,715 --> 01:08:09,215
The Press: You've been asked
a lot today about the result

1510
01:08:09,218 --> 01:08:10,658
of Michigan last night.

1511
01:08:10,653 --> 01:08:13,353
You've cited reflexive and
institutional reasons why

1512
01:08:13,355 --> 01:08:15,155
Democratic voters might be
against the

1513
01:08:15,157 --> 01:08:17,357
Trans-Pacific Partnership.

1514
01:08:17,359 --> 01:08:19,799
Does the White House see any
difference between Senator

1515
01:08:19,795 --> 01:08:21,635
Sanders's position and the
one held by Hillary Clinton

1516
01:08:21,630 --> 01:08:23,700
on TPP?

1517
01:08:23,699 --> 01:08:25,699
Mr. Earnest: Well, I'll let
the candidates describe

1518
01:08:25,701 --> 01:08:26,701
their individual positions.

1519
01:08:26,702 --> 01:08:27,632
The Press: You don't have a
-- there's no White House

1520
01:08:27,636 --> 01:08:29,176
stance on whether or not
there's any substantive

1521
01:08:29,171 --> 01:08:32,341
difference between their
mutual opposition to the deal?

1522
01:08:32,341 --> 01:08:33,481
Mr. Earnest: No, I'd
refer you to their

1523
01:08:33,476 --> 01:08:34,606
public comments.

1524
01:08:34,610 --> 01:08:35,980
Yes, ma'am.

1525
01:08:35,978 --> 01:08:37,218
The Press: Thank you, Josh.

1526
01:08:37,213 --> 01:08:42,113
On North Korea -- President
Obama executive order for

1527
01:08:42,117 --> 01:08:46,357
new sanctions against the
North Korea, do you know

1528
01:08:46,355 --> 01:08:50,755
when the administrative
order released?

1529
01:08:50,759 --> 01:08:54,329
Or sooner or later --
President released these

1530
01:08:54,330 --> 01:08:59,130
executive orders, so do you
know when -- or how you will

1531
01:08:59,134 --> 01:09:02,504
take these actions
to North Korea?

1532
01:09:02,505 --> 01:09:05,745
Mr. Earnest: I can tell you
that within the last couple

1533
01:09:05,741 --> 01:09:07,741
of weeks, the Treasury
Department has announced a

1534
01:09:07,743 --> 01:09:13,013
number of actions against
the North Korean government.

1535
01:09:13,015 --> 01:09:16,185
And so I'd refer you to the
Treasury Department for

1536
01:09:16,185 --> 01:09:19,225
information about
those actions.

1537
01:09:19,221 --> 01:09:22,721
In some ways, what's
important, and some ways

1538
01:09:22,725 --> 01:09:25,395
even more important, is the
kind of response we've seen

1539
01:09:25,394 --> 01:09:26,564
from the international
community.

1540
01:09:26,562 --> 01:09:31,432
We have seen Russia, China,
South Korea and Japan come

1541
01:09:31,433 --> 01:09:36,203
together in support of
sanctions that go farther

1542
01:09:36,205 --> 01:09:40,775
than ever in isolating the
North Korean government.

1543
01:09:40,776 --> 01:09:44,076
These are sanctions that are
intended to make it harder

1544
01:09:44,079 --> 01:09:46,079
for the North Korean
government to collect

1545
01:09:46,081 --> 01:09:48,081
revenue that could be
dedicated to advancing

1546
01:09:48,083 --> 01:09:50,883
either their nuclear or
their missile program.

1547
01:09:50,886 --> 01:09:52,886
We also know that some of
these sanctions that are put

1548
01:09:52,888 --> 01:09:56,428
in place could have an
impact on the extravagant

1549
01:09:56,425 --> 01:09:59,195
lifestyle that's enjoyed by
some members of the North

1550
01:09:59,194 --> 01:10:00,594
Korean elite.

1551
01:10:00,596 --> 01:10:03,036
That's significant because
right now, it's the

1552
01:10:03,032 --> 01:10:05,032
decisions that are being
made by the North Korean

1553
01:10:05,034 --> 01:10:07,074
government that are
condemning millions of

1554
01:10:07,069 --> 01:10:10,839
innocent North Koreans
to a life of poverty

1555
01:10:10,839 --> 01:10:12,109
and hardship.

1556
01:10:12,107 --> 01:10:17,147
And that's immoral, and it
certainly is inconsistent

1557
01:10:17,146 --> 01:10:21,116
with the responsibilities
that come with leadership.

1558
01:10:21,116 --> 01:10:23,116
And the international
community has spoken out

1559
01:10:23,118 --> 01:10:25,358
strongly against this, and
we're going to continue to

1560
01:10:25,354 --> 01:10:29,594
apply pressure to the North
Korean government until such

1561
01:10:29,592 --> 01:10:36,162
time as they give up their
nuclear program and begin to

1562
01:10:36,165 --> 01:10:39,335
abide by the kinds
of broadly accepted

1563
01:10:39,335 --> 01:10:41,875
international standards that
every other country abides by.

1564
01:10:41,870 --> 01:10:46,640
The Press: So when will take
this action to North Korea

1565
01:10:46,642 --> 01:10:51,282
-- immediately after the
President gives this order?

1566
01:10:51,280 --> 01:10:54,580
Mr. Earnest: Well, for
information on timing, I'd

1567
01:10:54,583 --> 01:10:56,583
refer you to my colleagues
at the Treasury Department.

1568
01:10:56,585 --> 01:10:57,585
They can speak to that.

1569
01:10:57,586 --> 01:10:59,286
Chris, I'll give
you the last one.

1570
01:10:59,288 --> 01:11:00,358
The Press: Great.

1571
01:11:00,356 --> 01:11:04,326
After 39 hours of filibuster
from Democrats, the Missouri

1572
01:11:04,326 --> 01:11:08,096
Senate earlier today
approved a measure seen as

1573
01:11:08,097 --> 01:11:10,237
discriminating against LGBT
people in the state by

1574
01:11:10,232 --> 01:11:12,202
allowing religious
organizations, individuals,

1575
01:11:12,201 --> 01:11:14,101
to refuse services
to same-sex couples.

1576
01:11:14,103 --> 01:11:17,673
Hillary Clinton and Bernie
Sanders have come out in

1577
01:11:17,673 --> 01:11:19,743
support of that filibuster
and oppose the measure.

1578
01:11:19,742 --> 01:11:22,182
Will the President
do the same?

1579
01:11:22,177 --> 01:11:24,677
Mr. Earnest: Chris, I have
to admit that I have not

1580
01:11:24,680 --> 01:11:26,780
seen the particulars of the
legislation, but the way

1581
01:11:26,782 --> 01:11:32,052
that you have described it,
it certainly sounds as if

1582
01:11:32,054 --> 01:11:35,724
that particular bill would
be inconsistent with the

1583
01:11:35,724 --> 01:11:43,064
values of justice and
fairness and equality that

1584
01:11:43,065 --> 01:11:45,235
this administration
has long pursued.

1585
01:11:45,234 --> 01:11:50,744
And again, if we have a more
specific response to the

1586
01:11:50,739 --> 01:11:53,539
actual bill, I'll
let you know.

1587
01:11:53,542 --> 01:11:56,082
But the President is quite
proud of how, over the last

1588
01:11:56,078 --> 01:12:00,018
seven years, we have sought
to advance equality in

1589
01:12:00,015 --> 01:12:01,655
this country.

1590
01:12:01,650 --> 01:12:08,190
And it would be a shame if a
bill like the one that you

1591
01:12:08,190 --> 01:12:11,030
described were to
deal that a setback.

1592
01:12:11,026 --> 01:12:13,026
The Press: As a Missouri
native, would you be

1593
01:12:13,028 --> 01:12:15,368
personally offended if your
home state passed a measure

1594
01:12:15,364 --> 01:12:17,334
that would allow LGBT
discrimination in the name

1595
01:12:17,332 --> 01:12:18,402
of religious freedom?

1596
01:12:18,400 --> 01:12:21,840
Mr. Earnest: It certainly
would not be -- I'll say it

1597
01:12:21,837 --> 01:12:25,377
certainly would not be the
first thing that I'd be

1598
01:12:25,374 --> 01:12:28,744
bragging about if that were
something that my home state

1599
01:12:28,744 --> 01:12:30,314
were to choose to do.

1600
01:12:30,312 --> 01:12:32,282
Thanks, everybody.