English subtitles for clip: File:4-24-13- White House Press Briefing.webm
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1 00:00:00,166 --> 00:00:01,500 Mr. Carney: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. 2 00:00:01,500 --> 00:00:02,600 Thank you for being here. 3 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,166 Before I take your questions, I have a couple of 4 00:00:05,166 --> 00:00:06,967 announcements to make. 5 00:00:06,967 --> 00:00:10,300 First, as you know, the President had been scheduled to 6 00:00:10,300 --> 00:00:13,734 speak at the Planned Parenthood National Conference in 7 00:00:13,734 --> 00:00:15,033 Washington on Thursday evening. 8 00:00:15,033 --> 00:00:21,266 That has been rescheduled for Friday morning in order to allow 9 00:00:21,266 --> 00:00:24,767 him to spend more time with those injured and the loved ones 10 00:00:24,767 --> 00:00:27,767 of those lost in the deadly explosion in West Texas. 11 00:00:27,767 --> 00:00:32,266 As you know, he'll be at a memorial service for those who 12 00:00:32,266 --> 00:00:35,600 were lost on Thursday. 13 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,967 Separately, I'd like to read a statement from the President on 14 00:00:39,967 --> 00:00:42,800 the confirmation of Sylvia Mathews Burwell. 15 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,032 This is the President: "I am pleased that the Senate took 16 00:00:45,033 --> 00:00:48,700 "bipartisan action today to confirm Sylvia Matthews Burwell 17 00:00:48,700 --> 00:00:51,633 "as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. 18 00:00:51,633 --> 00:00:54,600 "Sylvia shares my commitment to growing our economy, 19 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:56,900 "shrinking our deficits in a balanced way, 20 00:00:56,900 --> 00:01:00,467 "and reigniting a rising, thriving middle class. 21 00:01:00,467 --> 00:01:03,266 "Sylvia has spent a career fighting for working families, 22 00:01:03,266 --> 00:01:06,367 "and she was part of an OMB team that presided over three budget 23 00:01:06,367 --> 00:01:08,367 "surpluses in a row. 24 00:01:08,367 --> 00:01:10,500 "Her experience will be especially important as we 25 00:01:10,500 --> 00:01:13,500 "continue our efforts to replace the indiscriminate budget cuts 26 00:01:13,500 --> 00:01:16,500 "that are already starting to cost jobs, hurt families, 27 00:01:16,500 --> 00:01:18,433 "and inconvenience Americans. 28 00:01:18,433 --> 00:01:21,166 "Sylvia will be a key member of my economic team, 29 00:01:21,166 --> 00:01:23,767 "and I look forward to working with her in the years ahead." 30 00:01:23,767 --> 00:01:25,967 Separately -- this is not from the President -- 31 00:01:25,967 --> 00:01:28,734 but I noted on my way out here that the Senate Finance 32 00:01:28,734 --> 00:01:31,366 Committee had moved forward unanimously on the nomination of 33 00:01:31,367 --> 00:01:34,266 Marilyn Tavenner to head the U.S. Centers for Medicare and 34 00:01:34,266 --> 00:01:35,266 Medicaid Services. 35 00:01:35,266 --> 00:01:36,300 We obviously welcome that development. 36 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:38,633 I will take your questions. 37 00:01:38,633 --> 00:01:39,633 The Press: Thank you. 38 00:01:39,633 --> 00:01:42,734 I wanted to get your assessment on some of the things we're 39 00:01:42,734 --> 00:01:45,633 starting to hear from U.S. officials about the two suspects 40 00:01:45,633 --> 00:01:46,800 of the Boston bombing. 41 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:51,633 Should the public look at this as sort of a good development 42 00:01:51,633 --> 00:01:56,833 that it appears as though these brothers didn't have any 43 00:01:56,834 --> 00:02:01,667 connection to sort of a major foreign terrorist operation? 44 00:02:01,667 --> 00:02:05,000 Or is it more troubling that they appear to be what people 45 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,467 are saying is self-radicalized? 46 00:02:08,467 --> 00:02:10,767 Mr. Carney: Well, I appreciate the question. 47 00:02:10,767 --> 00:02:14,433 As you know, because you heard it from the President, 48 00:02:14,433 --> 00:02:17,900 he believes it's essential that a complete and comprehensive 49 00:02:17,900 --> 00:02:23,533 investigation answer all the questions that we have about how 50 00:02:23,533 --> 00:02:29,299 this terrorist attack happened, what motivated the suspects whom 51 00:02:29,300 --> 00:02:32,934 we believe perpetrated the terrorist attack. 52 00:02:32,934 --> 00:02:39,033 Everything we can learn about them and what inspired them, 53 00:02:39,033 --> 00:02:46,299 and how they developed the explosive devices that were used 54 00:02:46,300 --> 00:02:50,533 -- these are all matters that are under investigation right 55 00:02:50,533 --> 00:02:54,533 now as part of the case against the second suspect, 56 00:02:54,533 --> 00:02:58,399 Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and the overall investigation into the 57 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,133 bombings themselves. 58 00:03:02,133 --> 00:03:04,066 I don't think we have all the answers yet and we won't 59 00:03:04,066 --> 00:03:05,066 for some time. 60 00:03:05,066 --> 00:03:08,100 That's why we need a comprehensive investigation. 61 00:03:08,100 --> 00:03:10,433 As the President said on Friday night, 62 00:03:10,433 --> 00:03:14,567 we need to know whether they acted alone or whether they 63 00:03:14,567 --> 00:03:17,200 had associations. 64 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:21,399 We need to know what inspired them, 65 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:27,000 how they came about possessing or developing the weapons and 66 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,734 explosive devices that they used. 67 00:03:30,734 --> 00:03:33,400 On the issue of -- separate from this case, because I think we 68 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:35,300 haven't gotten the answers to these questions; 69 00:03:35,300 --> 00:03:38,734 that's why we have a full investigation into the matter. 70 00:03:38,734 --> 00:03:40,467 On the issue of self-radicalization, 71 00:03:40,467 --> 00:03:42,500 especially online radicalization, 72 00:03:42,500 --> 00:03:44,100 and radicalization that leads to violence, 73 00:03:44,100 --> 00:03:47,466 this has been a concern and it has been an issue in the past. 74 00:03:47,467 --> 00:03:51,600 We have seen it in the past in very well-known cases. 75 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,266 And this is a problem that the President has talked about and 76 00:03:55,266 --> 00:03:57,767 leaders of his national security team have talked about. 77 00:03:57,767 --> 00:04:04,433 And as I said I think yesterday, the threat that faces us as a 78 00:04:04,433 --> 00:04:06,033 nation has evolved. 79 00:04:06,033 --> 00:04:10,433 We continue to face a threat from al Qaeda central, 80 00:04:10,433 --> 00:04:15,233 even though we have met with significant progress in the 81 00:04:15,233 --> 00:04:18,500 fight against al Qaeda central, beginning with the elimination 82 00:04:18,500 --> 00:04:19,934 of Osama bin Laden. 83 00:04:19,934 --> 00:04:23,767 We have offshoots of al Qaeda in various parts of the region and 84 00:04:23,767 --> 00:04:28,533 the world, and we have other terrorist threats and the threat 85 00:04:28,533 --> 00:04:29,533 posed by independent actors. 86 00:04:29,533 --> 00:04:37,600 We don't know yet whether the independent actor prism is the 87 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:41,300 one that will fit this particular case. 88 00:04:41,300 --> 00:04:43,600 I would refer you to the investigators, 89 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,734 but I suspect that they're focused on the case itself. 90 00:04:46,734 --> 00:04:51,066 The Press: Is there any discussion that's happening here though about how 91 00:04:51,066 --> 00:04:56,400 sort of procedures and protocols need to possibly be readjusted 92 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,166 to account for self-radicalization and not 93 00:04:59,166 --> 00:05:03,266 people who may have links to any overseas groups? 94 00:05:03,266 --> 00:05:05,200 Mr. Carney: I think the threat -- and you've heard John Brennan and others 95 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,400 talk about this -- John, when he was in his previous position -- 96 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,799 is one we assess and reassess all the time, 97 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:16,066 and that all the agencies charged with protecting the 98 00:05:16,066 --> 00:05:19,332 United States and the American people assess and reassess all 99 00:05:19,333 --> 00:05:24,533 the time, and they evaluate how best to counter the threat that 100 00:05:24,533 --> 00:05:28,300 can be posed from different corners. 101 00:05:28,300 --> 00:05:34,233 The issues related to this case and procedures and how they 102 00:05:34,233 --> 00:05:39,734 worked, what we learned in a warning from Russia, 103 00:05:39,734 --> 00:05:44,667 for example, and the action that sparked the FBI to take and to 104 00:05:44,667 --> 00:05:46,833 looking into Tamerlan Tsarnaev -- 105 00:05:46,834 --> 00:05:51,000 all of these issues are obviously under investigation. 106 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:55,567 What we do know is that the FBI took action in response to that 107 00:05:55,567 --> 00:05:58,567 notification, investigated the elder brother -- 108 00:05:58,567 --> 00:06:02,467 investigated thoroughly -- and came to the conclusion that 109 00:06:02,467 --> 00:06:04,633 there was no derogatory information, 110 00:06:04,633 --> 00:06:07,799 no indication of terrorist activity or associations either 111 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:09,266 foreign or domestic at that time. 112 00:06:09,266 --> 00:06:13,900 But this is a matter of investigation, and we will -- 113 00:06:13,900 --> 00:06:16,500 we look forward to the results of that investigation. 114 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:17,834 The Press: Quickly, on a separate topic. 115 00:06:17,834 --> 00:06:21,667 I know the White House had purposely kept the President a 116 00:06:21,667 --> 00:06:25,000 little more on the backburner on immigration while the Gang of 117 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:26,967 Eight got its draft bill together. 118 00:06:26,967 --> 00:06:28,933 Now that that draft bill is public, 119 00:06:28,934 --> 00:06:32,667 are we going to see the President taking a more public 120 00:06:32,667 --> 00:06:37,133 role on the immigration issue going forward? 121 00:06:37,133 --> 00:06:40,700 Mr. Carney: I think it's fair to say that we have made the progress we have 122 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:43,467 made as a country, or at least here in Washington, 123 00:06:43,467 --> 00:06:48,166 towards comprehensive immigration reform in no small 124 00:06:48,166 --> 00:06:49,667 measure because of the President's leadership. 125 00:06:49,667 --> 00:06:51,467 He made this an issue. 126 00:06:51,467 --> 00:06:53,032 He has supported this for a long time. 127 00:06:53,033 --> 00:06:57,200 He has had his principles available to the public now 128 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,433 for some time. 129 00:07:00,433 --> 00:07:06,599 It was his judgment that the best avenue for achieving broad, 130 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:10,800 comprehensive immigration reform that had bipartisan support and 131 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,500 could pass the Senate and the House, and meet his principles, 132 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:20,100 and be signed into law by him was to encourage a process that 133 00:07:20,100 --> 00:07:23,066 was emerging in the Senate and that has produced the bill that 134 00:07:23,066 --> 00:07:24,066 you mentioned. 135 00:07:24,066 --> 00:07:27,633 And that is welcome progress. 136 00:07:27,633 --> 00:07:29,900 And we are evaluating the legislation, 137 00:07:29,900 --> 00:07:36,032 but the bill does meet the principles that the President 138 00:07:36,033 --> 00:07:38,734 laid forward -- laid out. 139 00:07:38,734 --> 00:07:41,500 So you can expect the President to continue to speak about the 140 00:07:41,500 --> 00:07:43,166 need for comprehensive immigration reform -- 141 00:07:43,166 --> 00:07:46,834 why it's good for our economy; why it's good for our national 142 00:07:46,834 --> 00:07:51,100 security; why it's good and better for the middle class -- 143 00:07:51,100 --> 00:07:52,767 in days and weeks ahead. 144 00:07:52,767 --> 00:07:56,000 And he will continue to work with members of Congress who are 145 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,600 engaged in this bipartisan effort. 146 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,066 It is one of the topics that he frequently discusses when he has 147 00:08:03,066 --> 00:08:05,467 meetings with lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans. 148 00:08:05,467 --> 00:08:07,734 As you know, he had a meeting -- a dinner last night here at the 149 00:08:07,734 --> 00:08:13,866 White House with a bipartisan group of female U.S. senators. 150 00:08:13,867 --> 00:08:18,300 He has had meals with groups of Republican lawmakers as well as 151 00:08:18,300 --> 00:08:19,700 Democratic lawmakers. 152 00:08:19,700 --> 00:08:22,033 And those conversations will continue. 153 00:08:22,033 --> 00:08:24,800 And in every one of those conversations, 154 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:26,000 immigration reform is a topic. 155 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:27,800 Yes. 156 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:29,900 The Press: Jay, as I'm sure you're aware, and you touched on this 157 00:08:29,900 --> 00:08:33,299 yesterday, the President is accused of making the effects of 158 00:08:33,299 --> 00:08:36,567 the sequester as disruptive as possible to score political 159 00:08:36,567 --> 00:08:39,567 points, particularly with regard to the air traffic controllers. 160 00:08:39,567 --> 00:08:42,933 Is the White House doing everything it can to minimize 161 00:08:42,933 --> 00:08:43,933 these disruptions? 162 00:08:43,933 --> 00:08:48,132 Or does it feel in some way that the discomfort helps to make his 163 00:08:48,133 --> 00:08:51,333 point about the sequester? 164 00:08:51,333 --> 00:08:57,033 Mr. Carney: Let's be clear: The sequester was a law written by Congress. 165 00:08:57,033 --> 00:08:58,567 Congress wrote the law. 166 00:08:58,567 --> 00:09:00,500 Congress passed the law. 167 00:09:00,500 --> 00:09:03,333 Members of Congress should read the law. 168 00:09:03,333 --> 00:09:07,733 The law does not allow for the kind of flexibility when it 169 00:09:07,734 --> 00:09:10,667 comes to the FAA budget that some of these members -- 170 00:09:10,667 --> 00:09:14,433 Republicans, principally -- all claim it has. 171 00:09:14,433 --> 00:09:16,200 They should read the law. 172 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:17,734 They wrote it, they should know what's in it. 173 00:09:17,734 --> 00:09:19,233 They passed it, they voted for it, 174 00:09:19,233 --> 00:09:20,233 they should know what's in it. 175 00:09:20,233 --> 00:09:22,433 The fact is the FAA has initiated a series of 176 00:09:22,433 --> 00:09:25,367 cost-saving measures, both personnel and non-personnel 177 00:09:25,367 --> 00:09:29,165 related, including a hiring freeze, restrictions on travel, 178 00:09:29,166 --> 00:09:31,233 termination of certain temporary employees, 179 00:09:31,233 --> 00:09:33,733 and reductions to contracts. 180 00:09:33,734 --> 00:09:36,667 But the law specifically walls off three-quarters of the 181 00:09:36,667 --> 00:09:39,600 department's budget from sequestration and does not give 182 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,367 the department any flexibility to mitigate the impact on 183 00:09:42,367 --> 00:09:44,199 the FAA. 184 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:45,200 Why? 185 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:46,200 Because it was written to be a bad law. 186 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,700 It was written to be as onerous as possible. 187 00:09:48,700 --> 00:09:56,567 And this is a truth that applies all across the impacts of 188 00:09:56,567 --> 00:09:58,166 the sequester. 189 00:09:58,166 --> 00:10:00,700 Seventy percent, as I said, of the FAA's budget, 190 00:10:00,700 --> 00:10:02,667 operations budget, is personnel. 191 00:10:02,667 --> 00:10:06,300 So even after taking all of the measures that the FAA took to 192 00:10:06,300 --> 00:10:10,567 cut costs, they have to furlough 47,000 employees for up to 11 193 00:10:10,567 --> 00:10:13,166 days between now and the end of the fiscal year. 194 00:10:13,166 --> 00:10:15,867 Now, look, when it comes to the FAA and the travel delays that 195 00:10:15,867 --> 00:10:19,834 we have seen, we are absolutely concerned about this terrible 196 00:10:19,834 --> 00:10:21,300 effect of the sequester. 197 00:10:21,300 --> 00:10:25,367 That's why two months ago the Secretary of Transportation 198 00:10:25,367 --> 00:10:28,567 stood before you in this room and warned of these looming 199 00:10:28,567 --> 00:10:32,934 effects and called on Congress to act to avert them. 200 00:10:32,934 --> 00:10:36,199 Unfortunately, instead of acting to avert them and to delay the 201 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,000 sequester or eliminate it through the kind of broad-based, 202 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,033 bipartisan, balanced deficit reduction that the country 203 00:10:42,033 --> 00:10:46,467 supports, Republicans in Congress made a political, 204 00:10:46,467 --> 00:10:50,400 tactical decision to embrace the sequester. 205 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:51,834 They did and they declared it a victory. 206 00:10:51,834 --> 00:10:53,766 They said it's a victory for the tea party. 207 00:10:53,767 --> 00:10:57,400 It's a home run for the Republican Party. 208 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:02,165 It's slightly ironic that -- and you never hear them mention this 209 00:11:02,166 --> 00:11:04,867 -- but they should also read the budget that they passed in the 210 00:11:04,867 --> 00:11:07,266 House of Representatives. 211 00:11:07,266 --> 00:11:11,333 The Ryan budget cuts -- if the dramatic, 212 00:11:11,333 --> 00:11:16,333 non-defense discretionary cuts envisioned in that budget were 213 00:11:16,333 --> 00:11:18,300 applied across the board -- because of course they're not 214 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:21,032 identified in the Ryan budget -- but if they were just applied 215 00:11:21,033 --> 00:11:24,700 across the board, the cuts to the FAA would be three times the 216 00:11:24,700 --> 00:11:27,000 size of the sequester budget reductions. 217 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:28,000 Three times. 218 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,000 That's what they voted for. 219 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,600 That's what they want to become the law of the land. 220 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:32,633 And it's not just the FAA. 221 00:11:32,633 --> 00:11:37,867 The same dramatic, steep cuts in services for children, 222 00:11:37,867 --> 00:11:41,300 for seniors; the same kind of harm that we're seeing from the 223 00:11:41,300 --> 00:11:46,567 sequester -- eliminating children from Head Start, 224 00:11:46,567 --> 00:11:52,100 eliminating access to Meals on Wheels programs for seniors -- 225 00:11:52,100 --> 00:11:54,567 just multiplied and made worse. 226 00:11:54,567 --> 00:11:56,467 That's the budget they voted for. 227 00:11:56,467 --> 00:12:00,734 Now, when Secretary LaHood was out here warning of these 228 00:12:00,734 --> 00:12:03,867 problems, the Republicans instead in Congress were saying, 229 00:12:03,867 --> 00:12:05,333 you know what, no, the sequester is a good thing. 230 00:12:05,333 --> 00:12:06,333 We want it. 231 00:12:06,333 --> 00:12:08,300 We would rather have the sequester take effect than ask 232 00:12:08,300 --> 00:12:12,199 millionaires and billionaires to pay a little bit more to help 233 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:15,734 reduce our deficit in a balanced way. 234 00:12:15,734 --> 00:12:17,667 That was the choice they made. 235 00:12:17,667 --> 00:12:21,000 Now, we share the frustration, and we warned about these 236 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:22,467 very problems. 237 00:12:22,467 --> 00:12:27,133 And we think those members of Congress who haven't read the 238 00:12:27,133 --> 00:12:29,533 law that they voted for and passed ought to read it. 239 00:12:29,533 --> 00:12:32,433 But they also, more importantly, ought to take action to do away 240 00:12:32,433 --> 00:12:36,500 with the sequester so that we don't suffer these consequences. 241 00:12:36,500 --> 00:12:40,033 The Press: On the budget, the House Republicans say they're going to 242 00:12:40,033 --> 00:12:44,734 hold off naming conferees on a budget resolution while Ryan and 243 00:12:44,734 --> 00:12:48,166 Murray work separately to come to details. 244 00:12:48,166 --> 00:12:51,033 Is the White House content with that process? 245 00:12:51,033 --> 00:12:53,967 And is the White House aiming to involve itself? 246 00:12:53,967 --> 00:12:57,433 Is the President aiming to involve himself in the budget 247 00:12:57,433 --> 00:13:02,633 negotiations in any way to speed them up? 248 00:13:02,633 --> 00:13:04,934 Mr. Carney: Republicans called for regular order. 249 00:13:04,934 --> 00:13:08,065 They said the Senate ought to pass a budget; 250 00:13:08,066 --> 00:13:11,433 we ought to have regular order in a way that we have not had in 251 00:13:11,433 --> 00:13:12,900 previous years. 252 00:13:12,900 --> 00:13:15,100 The Senate passed a budget. 253 00:13:15,100 --> 00:13:18,300 The House passed a budget. 254 00:13:18,300 --> 00:13:21,834 The normal regular order process here would then demand 255 00:13:21,834 --> 00:13:23,666 leadership to appoint conferees. 256 00:13:23,667 --> 00:13:27,533 Senator Reid has attempted to move forward on that and has 257 00:13:27,533 --> 00:13:30,734 been blocked by Republicans in the Senate. 258 00:13:30,734 --> 00:13:35,033 We call on Republicans to adopt the regular order that they said 259 00:13:35,033 --> 00:13:38,333 they wanted, and that would require conferees to 260 00:13:38,333 --> 00:13:40,600 be appointed. 261 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:42,667 The President is broadly interested, as you know, 262 00:13:42,667 --> 00:13:44,533 in finding common ground. 263 00:13:44,533 --> 00:13:46,333 That's why he has had these meetings with Republican 264 00:13:46,333 --> 00:13:50,233 lawmakers and bipartisan groups of lawmakers to see and explore 265 00:13:50,233 --> 00:13:52,934 the possibility of finding common ground on a range of 266 00:13:52,934 --> 00:13:55,100 issues, but in particular, in many ways, 267 00:13:55,100 --> 00:13:57,967 on these budget challenges that confront us. 268 00:13:57,967 --> 00:14:00,766 Finding common ground means agreeing to the basic principle 269 00:14:00,767 --> 00:14:03,266 that we need a balanced approach to our deficit reduction. 270 00:14:03,266 --> 00:14:05,467 That's the principle that has been embraced by every 271 00:14:05,467 --> 00:14:10,133 bipartisan group that has made a proposal on deficit reduction. 272 00:14:10,133 --> 00:14:13,834 It's the principle embodied in the President's budget. 273 00:14:13,834 --> 00:14:17,900 It's the principle embodied in the Senate budget proposal. 274 00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:19,132 It's the right way to go. 275 00:14:19,133 --> 00:14:23,600 So the President is interested in speaking with any Republican 276 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,600 in Congress who is interested in trying to find common ground on 277 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:30,200 these issues, who is open to the idea of balanced 278 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:31,200 deficit reduction. 279 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:32,667 So those conversations will continue. 280 00:14:32,667 --> 00:14:36,433 Meanwhile, we certainly believe that Republicans ought to 281 00:14:36,433 --> 00:14:38,934 embrace the regular order that they demanded and move forward 282 00:14:38,934 --> 00:14:40,632 with appointing conferees. 283 00:14:40,633 --> 00:14:44,333 The Press: And lastly, Senator Baucus in announcing his retirement said 284 00:14:44,333 --> 00:14:47,533 he wanted to focus on comprehensive tax reform. 285 00:14:47,533 --> 00:14:51,633 Would the White House be open to tax reform independent of the 286 00:14:51,633 --> 00:14:53,000 grand bargain process? 287 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,700 And if so, what kinds of conditions would it 288 00:14:55,700 --> 00:14:57,500 set for that? 289 00:14:57,500 --> 00:15:01,166 Mr. Carney: We believe that tax reform is essential as part of a 290 00:15:01,166 --> 00:15:04,266 comprehensive, balanced approach to deficit reduction. 291 00:15:04,266 --> 00:15:07,433 We do not believe what the Republicans believe in their 292 00:15:07,433 --> 00:15:10,533 proposals, which we ought to reform our tax code in order to 293 00:15:10,533 --> 00:15:12,667 give more tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires. 294 00:15:12,667 --> 00:15:15,734 That's obviously not the President's approach. 295 00:15:15,734 --> 00:15:17,467 And I'm not suggesting that that's the Senator's approach; 296 00:15:17,467 --> 00:15:20,300 I'm just saying that the President has put forward a 297 00:15:20,300 --> 00:15:24,699 broad comprehensive budget that reduces our deficit 298 00:15:24,700 --> 00:15:27,400 significantly and does so in a balanced way, 299 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:31,533 and it includes within it revenue achieved through closing 300 00:15:31,533 --> 00:15:34,934 loopholes in our tax code, capping deductions for wealthy 301 00:15:34,934 --> 00:15:39,300 individuals, eliminating special interest clauses in our tax code 302 00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:43,165 that benefit industries or individuals, 303 00:15:43,166 --> 00:15:47,533 and using that money to help reduce our deficit as well as 304 00:15:47,533 --> 00:15:51,834 make key investments in our economy so that it grows and 305 00:15:51,834 --> 00:15:54,099 creates jobs. 306 00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:56,100 That overall balanced approach is the one the President 307 00:15:56,100 --> 00:15:57,133 believes we ought to take. 308 00:15:57,133 --> 00:16:00,700 The Press: But just to be clear, tax reform separate from a grand bargain 309 00:16:00,700 --> 00:16:03,400 deficit reduction package is a non-starter? 310 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:05,300 Mr. Carney: Again, the President believes -- I mean, 311 00:16:05,300 --> 00:16:06,733 you're just sort of speaking very hypothetically -- 312 00:16:06,734 --> 00:16:11,000 but the President believes that tax reform needs to be part of a 313 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,867 budget process that produces revenue so that we can reduce 314 00:16:13,867 --> 00:16:17,367 our deficit in a balanced and fair way, not -- 315 00:16:17,367 --> 00:16:21,632 again, the only proposal on the table is the House Republican 316 00:16:21,633 --> 00:16:25,633 budget, which reforms the tax code in a way to give additional 317 00:16:25,633 --> 00:16:29,100 massive tax breaks to the rich while raising taxes on the 318 00:16:29,100 --> 00:16:30,100 middle class. 319 00:16:30,100 --> 00:16:32,967 And that is wholly unacceptable, not just to the President, 320 00:16:32,967 --> 00:16:33,967 but to the American people. 321 00:16:33,967 --> 00:16:36,000 Yes, Jim. 322 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,433 The Press: It appears that Tamerlan Tsarnaev's name appears in two 323 00:16:39,433 --> 00:16:42,700 separate government databases for potential terrorists, 324 00:16:42,700 --> 00:16:46,800 and that he pinged the system when he traveled to Russia last 325 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:52,367 year, but there was no follow-up by the FBI following that. 326 00:16:52,367 --> 00:16:55,467 Is this administration fully confident that these databases 327 00:16:55,467 --> 00:16:57,333 are providing adequate protection for the 328 00:16:57,333 --> 00:16:58,467 American people? 329 00:16:58,467 --> 00:17:00,633 And what do you make of some of these concerns expressed by 330 00:17:00,633 --> 00:17:03,333 lawmakers yesterday that there perhaps is not enough 331 00:17:03,333 --> 00:17:06,165 information-sharing going on between the various agencies, 332 00:17:06,165 --> 00:17:08,233 and that kind of information-sharing should have 333 00:17:08,233 --> 00:17:11,700 been improved dramatically after September 11? 334 00:17:11,700 --> 00:17:14,333 There are concerns that that's not the case. 335 00:17:14,333 --> 00:17:15,333 Mr. Carney: Well, I'd say a couple of things. 336 00:17:15,333 --> 00:17:17,800 As Secretary Napolitano testified yesterday, 337 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:23,666 Tamerlan Tsarnaev did ping in our systems when he traveled. 338 00:17:23,666 --> 00:17:26,800 But we also know that the FBI did a thorough investigation in 339 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,133 2011 and did not find any terrorism activity, 340 00:17:30,133 --> 00:17:33,066 foreign or domestic. 341 00:17:33,066 --> 00:17:36,734 Broadly, the questions that you ask and Julie asked before you 342 00:17:36,734 --> 00:17:40,899 are ones that this investigation seeks to answer. 343 00:17:40,900 --> 00:17:47,166 And as the President made clear when he spoke before you on 344 00:17:47,166 --> 00:17:51,600 Friday night, he wants every agency involved in this to do a 345 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:56,199 broad investigation into what happened, what we knew, 346 00:17:56,200 --> 00:18:00,467 what inspired and motivated these two individuals, 347 00:18:00,467 --> 00:18:04,000 and the steps that they took that led to the terrorist 348 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,200 attacks in Boston a week ago Monday. 349 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:08,533 That process needs to take place, 350 00:18:08,533 --> 00:18:13,065 and it's being undertaken now in an investigation led by the FBI 351 00:18:13,066 --> 00:18:15,900 and a prosecution, obviously, led by the Justice Department. 352 00:18:15,900 --> 00:18:19,967 The Press: But has the administration heard anything that's developed with 353 00:18:19,967 --> 00:18:22,834 respect to whether or not there was enough sharing of 354 00:18:22,834 --> 00:18:25,700 information and data in this case -- 355 00:18:25,700 --> 00:18:29,200 I mean, that concerns the administration at this point? 356 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:33,066 Mr. Carney: Well, again, I'm not going to give assessments, day by day, 357 00:18:33,066 --> 00:18:36,266 of the little bits of information that emerge in 358 00:18:36,266 --> 00:18:38,767 reports about the investigation. 359 00:18:38,767 --> 00:18:42,166 We want to let the investigation proceed. 360 00:18:42,166 --> 00:18:44,767 What we do know, because it was publicly stated by the FBI, 361 00:18:44,767 --> 00:18:48,233 and what we can share is the actions that they took in 2011 362 00:18:48,233 --> 00:18:51,399 in response to information provided to them by a foreign 363 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,667 government, and the conclusions that they reached then and the 364 00:18:54,667 --> 00:18:58,233 nature of the investigation they conducted then. 365 00:18:58,233 --> 00:19:09,767 It is certainly the case that the FBI conducted a series of 366 00:19:09,767 --> 00:19:13,333 actions looking into Tamerlan Tsarnaev. 367 00:19:13,333 --> 00:19:18,667 They interviewed Mr. Tsarnaev and his family and reached the 368 00:19:18,667 --> 00:19:21,332 conclusions that they reached, which is they had no derogatory 369 00:19:21,333 --> 00:19:25,033 information, no associations with terrorism or terrorists, 370 00:19:25,033 --> 00:19:27,367 foreign or domestic. 371 00:19:27,367 --> 00:19:33,466 But beyond that, I think we need to let the investigation unfold 372 00:19:33,467 --> 00:19:36,400 and make assessments when we know all the facts. 373 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:37,367 The Press: And a political question. 374 00:19:37,367 --> 00:19:39,600 Yesterday, Senator Max Baucus announced that he's retiring, 375 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:41,033 he's not running for reelection. 376 00:19:41,033 --> 00:19:45,833 And given the fact that he voted against Manchin and Toomey, 377 00:19:45,834 --> 00:19:50,066 given the fact that recently he described Obamacare as a 378 00:19:50,066 --> 00:19:53,734 potential train wreck, are you glad to see him go? 379 00:19:53,734 --> 00:19:58,699 Mr. Carney: The President put out a statement in reaction to Senator 380 00:19:58,700 --> 00:20:01,967 Baucus's decision not to seek reelection. 381 00:20:01,967 --> 00:20:03,066 I would say a couple of things. 382 00:20:03,066 --> 00:20:07,633 One, he made clear his views on and his disappointment over the 383 00:20:07,633 --> 00:20:12,133 failure of the Senate to support a proposition -- 384 00:20:12,133 --> 00:20:14,367 the expansion of background checks -- 385 00:20:14,367 --> 00:20:17,133 that 90% of the American people support. 386 00:20:17,133 --> 00:20:19,800 I think he was very clear and concise in his language and how 387 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:21,265 he viewed that. 388 00:20:21,266 --> 00:20:24,333 On the other matter, I think it's important to note that the 389 00:20:24,333 --> 00:20:29,000 Senator was referring to an implementation process that has 390 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:34,200 been -- which Republicans have again and again attempted 391 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:35,633 to disrupt. 392 00:20:35,633 --> 00:20:38,567 In addition to the 30 or 40 votes they've taken to do away 393 00:20:38,567 --> 00:20:42,467 with Obamacare, you would think they would find time to do 394 00:20:42,467 --> 00:20:43,500 other, more productive work. 395 00:20:43,500 --> 00:20:45,333 But implementation proceeds apace, 396 00:20:45,333 --> 00:20:50,133 and we are on track and we will be implementing the Affordable 397 00:20:50,133 --> 00:20:51,133 Care Act. 398 00:20:51,133 --> 00:20:52,166 Yes. 399 00:20:52,166 --> 00:20:55,265 The Press: Jay, the White House has officially -- 400 00:20:55,266 --> 00:20:58,700 just a few moments ago, you didn't want to get involved in 401 00:20:58,700 --> 00:21:02,000 deciding at this point whether or not the two terrorists were 402 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:06,000 in fact foreign-inspired or if they were homegrown, 403 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:07,066 domestic terrorists. 404 00:21:07,066 --> 00:21:11,567 But the Vice President seems to have already made that decision. 405 00:21:11,567 --> 00:21:15,567 Just a few moments ago, he called the accused bombers 406 00:21:15,567 --> 00:21:19,266 "two cowardly, twisted, perverted, knockoff jihadis." 407 00:21:19,266 --> 00:21:20,934 Mr. Carney: So, I'm sorry, that's a conclusion that doesn't track -- 408 00:21:20,934 --> 00:21:24,033 I mean, that's a statement that doesn't track with what you said 409 00:21:24,033 --> 00:21:26,300 in the top of your question. 410 00:21:26,300 --> 00:21:28,066 The Press: Well, it does seem as though if he's saying they're 411 00:21:28,066 --> 00:21:29,066 "knockoff jihadis" -- 412 00:21:29,066 --> 00:21:30,066 Mr. Carney: I think the act was cowardly and it was terrorism. 413 00:21:30,066 --> 00:21:31,400 But -- 414 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:34,166 The Press: But doesn't "knockoff jihadis" seem to indicate that he doesn't 415 00:21:34,166 --> 00:21:36,934 believe they're connected to a large, foreign -- 416 00:21:36,934 --> 00:21:40,567 Mr. Carney: Seem to -- I'm sorry, you're making assessments that I'm not 417 00:21:40,567 --> 00:21:43,767 going to engage in. 418 00:21:43,767 --> 00:21:45,967 There's an investigation underway. 419 00:21:45,967 --> 00:21:46,967 We know some things. 420 00:21:46,967 --> 00:21:48,233 There's a lot more to learn. 421 00:21:48,233 --> 00:21:50,200 And that's why the investigation is taking place. 422 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:55,200 We have seen a remarkable period from the moment the bombings 423 00:21:55,200 --> 00:22:00,367 occurred through last week and Friday night when Dzhokhar 424 00:22:00,367 --> 00:22:05,500 Tsarnaev was put in custody, and now, through to this day, 425 00:22:05,500 --> 00:22:08,200 only a few days later as the investigation proceeds and he's 426 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:09,400 been charged. 427 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,467 But this is a short period of time. 428 00:22:11,467 --> 00:22:15,600 And it should be noted that federal law enforcement, 429 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:17,867 led by the FBI, working with state and local authorities, 430 00:22:17,867 --> 00:22:23,066 did a remarkable job last week from the moment of the bombings 431 00:22:23,066 --> 00:22:27,600 through to the arrest of Mr. Tsarnaev. 432 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,667 And now the process of investigation and 433 00:22:30,667 --> 00:22:32,800 prosecution moves on. 434 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:37,265 So I think we saw last week that there is some danger in making 435 00:22:37,266 --> 00:22:41,166 -- jumping to conclusions, making judgments based on new 436 00:22:41,166 --> 00:22:43,500 information that may or may not be true, 437 00:22:43,500 --> 00:22:46,800 or partial information that will be developed further as 438 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:47,899 time goes on. 439 00:22:47,900 --> 00:22:53,266 I think it's important to allow the investigation to proceed and 440 00:22:53,266 --> 00:22:58,100 for us to make assessments about all of these questions once we 441 00:22:58,100 --> 00:22:59,265 have more facts. 442 00:22:59,266 --> 00:23:01,834 The Press: But just follow up on that -- but you don't see the term 443 00:23:01,834 --> 00:23:07,467 "knockoff jihadis" as minimizing any connection to a foreign, 444 00:23:07,467 --> 00:23:09,333 larger group like al Qaeda? 445 00:23:09,333 --> 00:23:11,867 Mr. Carney: I'm saying that the question of whether or not they had any 446 00:23:11,867 --> 00:23:15,466 associations is one under investigation by the 447 00:23:15,467 --> 00:23:17,133 proper authorities. 448 00:23:17,133 --> 00:23:19,500 And we obviously have some information; 449 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:23,467 some has made its way into press reports. 450 00:23:23,467 --> 00:23:27,367 But that investigation is not complete, 451 00:23:27,367 --> 00:23:30,300 and we're not going to make any conclusions until we have 452 00:23:30,300 --> 00:23:31,300 all the facts. 453 00:23:31,300 --> 00:23:33,966 The Press: Can I just follow up on the FAA sequestration? 454 00:23:33,967 --> 00:23:36,600 It does appear as though, moving forward -- 455 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:40,699 rather than talking about what had happened and how we got here 456 00:23:40,700 --> 00:23:44,166 -- but moving forward, it does seem as though the Secretary of 457 00:23:44,166 --> 00:23:47,600 Transportation may be meeting with some senators about a new 458 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:51,533 law that would reduce the effects on the FAA. 459 00:23:51,533 --> 00:23:55,600 Does the White House support that? 460 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,466 Mr. Carney: What I think I said yesterday and what I'll say again today is 461 00:23:58,467 --> 00:24:01,200 the best way to deal with the sequester is to eliminate it 462 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,934 through broad, balanced deficit reduction along the lines that 463 00:24:04,934 --> 00:24:07,633 the President has put forward, that bipartisan panels have put 464 00:24:07,633 --> 00:24:09,233 forward, and that the American people support, 465 00:24:09,233 --> 00:24:10,433 and that the Senate passed. 466 00:24:10,433 --> 00:24:16,767 But the fact is, on dealing with the sequester, 467 00:24:16,767 --> 00:24:18,066 Congress has to act. 468 00:24:18,066 --> 00:24:21,300 The law was written in a way that prevents the kind of 469 00:24:21,300 --> 00:24:24,633 actions that could mitigate, that some outside observers and 470 00:24:24,633 --> 00:24:27,200 lawmakers suggest are available. 471 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:28,200 Congress has to act. 472 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:32,433 Now, if Congress wants to address specifically the 473 00:24:32,433 --> 00:24:35,567 problems caused by the sequester with the FAA, 474 00:24:35,567 --> 00:24:37,400 we would be open to looking at that. 475 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:39,633 But that would be a band-aid measure. 476 00:24:39,633 --> 00:24:46,433 And it would not deal with the many other negative effects of 477 00:24:46,433 --> 00:24:49,533 the sequester: the kids kicked off of Head Start; 478 00:24:49,533 --> 00:24:51,199 the seniors who aren't getting Meals on Wheels; 479 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,433 and the up to three-quarter of a million Americans who will lose 480 00:24:54,433 --> 00:24:58,333 their jobs, or will not have jobs created for them because of 481 00:24:58,333 --> 00:25:01,767 the sequester; and the reduction by a full half of a percentage 482 00:25:01,767 --> 00:25:05,800 point in GDP that will be a result of the sequester if it's 483 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:07,867 allowed to continue. 484 00:25:07,867 --> 00:25:10,800 The right thing to do would have been never to allow the 485 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:12,966 sequester to take effect at all. 486 00:25:12,967 --> 00:25:15,467 But Republicans made a choice, decided that it was good for 487 00:25:15,467 --> 00:25:19,667 their internal politics to embrace it, call it a 488 00:25:19,667 --> 00:25:22,800 "tea party victory," a "victory for the Republican Party," 489 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,233 "a homerun" -- these are all quotes -- 490 00:25:26,233 --> 00:25:29,265 rather than worry about the effects on the American people. 491 00:25:29,266 --> 00:25:32,033 And we're seeing those effects in airports and we're seeing 492 00:25:32,033 --> 00:25:37,367 those effects on the families who are not able to send their 493 00:25:37,367 --> 00:25:39,567 kids to Head Start programs. 494 00:25:39,567 --> 00:25:45,333 So we'd be open to something if they wanted to propose it, 495 00:25:45,333 --> 00:25:47,333 but it would just be a band-aid approach and we would continue 496 00:25:47,333 --> 00:25:49,700 to have these other problems that need to be addressed by 497 00:25:49,700 --> 00:25:53,934 sensible deficit reduction that's balanced and fair. 498 00:25:53,934 --> 00:25:56,800 Senator Reid has proposed a method of postponing and 499 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,834 delaying the sequester to allow time for broad-based, 500 00:26:00,834 --> 00:26:03,934 balanced deficit reduction along the lines that the President 501 00:26:03,934 --> 00:26:05,633 has proposed. 502 00:26:05,633 --> 00:26:08,467 The obstacle thus far has been Republican refusal, 503 00:26:08,467 --> 00:26:11,934 Republican intransigence to accept the basic principle that 504 00:26:11,934 --> 00:26:14,600 we should ask millionaires and billionaires to give up some 505 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,399 special-interest tax breaks, the benefits that they enjoy in our 506 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,233 tax code that others don't enjoy, 507 00:26:21,233 --> 00:26:24,000 in order to avoid all these negative impacts. 508 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:25,667 The Press: Jay, just to follow up on that thread -- 509 00:26:25,667 --> 00:26:28,132 does the White House support Senator Reid's approach? 510 00:26:28,133 --> 00:26:30,633 Because it does not include taxes, it looks to -- 511 00:26:30,633 --> 00:26:33,900 oversees contingency operations and other funding that's 512 00:26:33,900 --> 00:26:38,300 possibly available for working out this problem. 513 00:26:38,300 --> 00:26:40,367 Does the White House support that approach with this 514 00:26:40,367 --> 00:26:41,800 problem right now? 515 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:44,633 Mr. Carney: Well, Leader Reid's proposal allows for the sequester to be 516 00:26:44,633 --> 00:26:47,367 turned off for a temporary period and in a way that does 517 00:26:47,367 --> 00:26:50,066 not hurt seniors, does not hurt the middle class and does not 518 00:26:50,066 --> 00:26:51,066 hurt students. 519 00:26:51,066 --> 00:26:54,367 And we support this effort to allow both sides to find a 520 00:26:54,367 --> 00:26:56,533 longer-term solution that replaces the sequester 521 00:26:56,533 --> 00:26:59,966 permanently in a balanced way so we can stop these harmful cuts 522 00:26:59,967 --> 00:27:02,433 that are hurting our economy and middle-class families across 523 00:27:02,433 --> 00:27:03,433 the country. 524 00:27:03,433 --> 00:27:06,667 This would be a temporary solution, and we support it. 525 00:27:06,667 --> 00:27:08,734 But it does not deal -- it would not -- 526 00:27:08,734 --> 00:27:11,466 it would only deal temporarily with the bigger problem, 527 00:27:11,467 --> 00:27:13,500 which is the need for Republicans to go along with the 528 00:27:13,500 --> 00:27:15,266 principle endorsed by the public, 529 00:27:15,266 --> 00:27:19,867 endorsed by bipartisan panels that we ought to reduce our 530 00:27:19,867 --> 00:27:21,399 deficit in a balanced way. 531 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:24,500 It wasn't that many months ago that the Speaker of the House 532 00:27:24,500 --> 00:27:28,767 said that he could find a trillion dollars in revenue from 533 00:27:28,767 --> 00:27:34,200 tax reform -- revenue gained from closing loopholes and 534 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,533 capping deductions on the wealthiest Americans, 535 00:27:37,533 --> 00:27:39,367 and that he could apply that to deficit reduction. 536 00:27:39,367 --> 00:27:44,100 But suddenly, that policy is no longer relevant to the Speaker 537 00:27:44,100 --> 00:27:48,100 now; he's more focused on pointing fingers about the 538 00:27:48,100 --> 00:27:50,867 sequester that his party embraced and he said was a 539 00:27:50,867 --> 00:27:52,734 political tactic he had in his back pocket. 540 00:27:52,734 --> 00:27:57,367 The Press: Right, but for the here and now, you're willing to support -- 541 00:27:57,367 --> 00:27:58,633 Mr. Carney: Yes. 542 00:27:58,633 --> 00:28:01,233 The Press: -- an approach that does not include tax increases for the 543 00:28:01,233 --> 00:28:03,033 moment for a temporary resolution of this 544 00:28:03,033 --> 00:28:04,300 problem, correct? 545 00:28:04,300 --> 00:28:06,800 Mr. Carney: We support Senator's Reid's effort to reduce -- 546 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:11,800 to postpone the sequester temporarily to allow for time 547 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:16,367 for the Congress to adopt a balanced approach to permanently 548 00:28:16,367 --> 00:28:18,700 get rid of the sequester and reduce our deficit. 549 00:28:18,700 --> 00:28:21,100 The Press: And to the charge made by some budget analysts who have no 550 00:28:21,100 --> 00:28:23,600 partisan interest in this one way or another that using 551 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:27,567 overseas contingency operations as a means to finance this is 552 00:28:27,567 --> 00:28:30,967 kind of a gimmick, because it is accounting for savings that, 553 00:28:30,967 --> 00:28:32,767 in the case of Iraq and Afghanistan, 554 00:28:32,767 --> 00:28:35,500 wouldn't be spent in the first place? 555 00:28:35,500 --> 00:28:39,300 Mr. Carney: Those savings are the result of policy decisions made by 556 00:28:39,300 --> 00:28:40,500 President Obama. 557 00:28:40,500 --> 00:28:41,900 That is a fact. 558 00:28:41,900 --> 00:28:47,100 It was his policy promise in 2008 to end the war in Iraq and 559 00:28:47,100 --> 00:28:49,332 to wind down and end the war in Afghanistan. 560 00:28:49,333 --> 00:28:51,333 And he is fulfilling those promises, 561 00:28:51,333 --> 00:28:57,200 and there are policy results and financial savings, cost savings, 562 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,700 that flow from those policy decisions. 563 00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:03,600 The fact is previous Republican budgets have accounted for those 564 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:07,766 savings from OCO -- overseas contingency operations. 565 00:29:07,767 --> 00:29:11,934 The previous Paul Ryan budgets have contained OCO 566 00:29:11,934 --> 00:29:13,166 savings in them. 567 00:29:13,166 --> 00:29:15,533 And the CBO counts OCO savings. 568 00:29:15,533 --> 00:29:18,600 These are real policy choices that produce savings. 569 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:23,867 We believe that Senator Reid's proposal is a good one in that 570 00:29:23,867 --> 00:29:27,367 it would temporarily delay the sequester and all the negative 571 00:29:27,367 --> 00:29:30,100 effects that we're talking about now to air travelers and 572 00:29:30,100 --> 00:29:34,500 families and seniors, as well as the job loss and the drag on our 573 00:29:34,500 --> 00:29:37,433 economy, in order to allow for the discussions that the 574 00:29:37,433 --> 00:29:40,300 President is engaged in to try to find common ground with 575 00:29:40,300 --> 00:29:43,000 Republicans to bear fruit so that we can reduce our deficit 576 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,967 in a balanced way and eliminate the sequester entirely. 577 00:29:45,967 --> 00:29:46,800 The Press: On Boston real quick. 578 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,033 You have been understandably cautious from this podium about 579 00:29:49,033 --> 00:29:51,466 what is known and what is not known and advised all of us not 580 00:29:51,467 --> 00:29:52,767 to jump to conclusions. 581 00:29:52,767 --> 00:29:55,533 Earlier this morning, Secretary of State Kerry said, 582 00:29:55,533 --> 00:29:58,899 and I quote him directly here, "We [just] had a young Russian 583 00:29:58,900 --> 00:30:00,934 "person who went to Russia, Chechnya, 584 00:30:00,934 --> 00:30:02,000 "who blew people up in Boston. 585 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:03,433 "So he didn't stay where he went, 586 00:30:03,433 --> 00:30:05,734 "but he learned something where he went and he came back with 587 00:30:05,734 --> 00:30:07,699 "a willingness to kill people." 588 00:30:07,700 --> 00:30:10,367 Are those remarks consistent with the caution you've urged of 589 00:30:10,367 --> 00:30:12,466 everyone in the administration and everyone dealing with 590 00:30:12,467 --> 00:30:13,567 this story? 591 00:30:13,567 --> 00:30:16,400 Or do they reflect something that's known but not yet 592 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:17,633 disclosed by the administration? 593 00:30:17,633 --> 00:30:18,867 Mr. Carney: The answer to that second question is no. 594 00:30:18,867 --> 00:30:21,667 And the State Department has clarified that Secretary Kerry 595 00:30:21,667 --> 00:30:25,233 was not reflecting any new information or conclusion about 596 00:30:25,233 --> 00:30:26,233 the individuals involved. 597 00:30:26,233 --> 00:30:29,700 He was speaking generally about the nature of terrorism. 598 00:30:29,700 --> 00:30:31,834 But we are in the process of an investigation. 599 00:30:31,834 --> 00:30:33,600 Those comments don't reflect any new information. 600 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:35,800 The fact is there are a lot of questions that need to 601 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:37,800 be answered. 602 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:39,934 We, broadly -- the federal government, 603 00:30:39,934 --> 00:30:42,233 the FBI and the Department of Justice are investigating 604 00:30:42,233 --> 00:30:43,233 this matter. 605 00:30:43,233 --> 00:30:47,966 I think it is known that our embassy in Moscow sent a team 606 00:30:47,967 --> 00:30:52,567 down to Dagestan to interview the Tsarnaevs' parents. 607 00:30:52,567 --> 00:30:54,734 And that is part of an investigation into both the 608 00:30:54,734 --> 00:31:01,300 broad question about these two young men and what motivated 609 00:31:01,300 --> 00:31:03,567 them, and their past and their history, 610 00:31:03,567 --> 00:31:05,734 and also the specific visit that the elder brother 611 00:31:05,734 --> 00:31:07,466 made last year. 612 00:31:07,467 --> 00:31:10,266 But this investigation is proceeding apace, 613 00:31:10,266 --> 00:31:11,667 and we're still in the phase of getting questions answered. 614 00:31:11,667 --> 00:31:15,699 We're not making final assessments. 615 00:31:15,700 --> 00:31:19,000 The Press: Does this indicate the need for everyone, 616 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:23,367 including Cabinet secretaries, to be careful? 617 00:31:23,367 --> 00:31:27,133 Mr. Carney: Look, I think that in a situation like this we ought to 618 00:31:27,133 --> 00:31:32,000 let the investigators do their work and not jump to 619 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:36,467 conclusions, as the President said on Friday. 620 00:31:36,467 --> 00:31:40,700 The Press: A House committee is considering legislation that would basically 621 00:31:40,700 --> 00:31:44,066 take the decision-making about the Keystone XL pipeline out of 622 00:31:44,066 --> 00:31:47,066 the hands of the State Department and the EPA. 623 00:31:47,066 --> 00:31:48,433 What's your reaction to that? 624 00:31:48,433 --> 00:31:50,667 Mr. Carney: Well, I'm not aware of considerations in a 625 00:31:50,667 --> 00:31:51,667 House committee. 626 00:31:51,667 --> 00:31:56,533 But we have seen action taken by Republicans in Congress in the 627 00:31:56,533 --> 00:31:59,567 past of demands made to politicize this decision, 628 00:31:59,567 --> 00:32:03,367 a decision that's housed in the State Department appropriately 629 00:32:03,367 --> 00:32:06,033 as it has been through previous administrations, 630 00:32:06,033 --> 00:32:08,934 Democratic and Republican -- and that's where it ought to be. 631 00:32:08,934 --> 00:32:11,834 Rather than politicize it, which when Republicans did this the 632 00:32:11,834 --> 00:32:16,100 first time caused a delay in the consideration of the Keystone 633 00:32:16,100 --> 00:32:20,500 pipeline, they ought to let the process proceed in its 634 00:32:20,500 --> 00:32:22,734 appropriate place in an appropriate and timely manner. 635 00:32:22,734 --> 00:32:24,500 And that's what's happening now in the State Department. 636 00:32:24,500 --> 00:32:27,900 The Press: The EPA has also found the State Department's initial review to 637 00:32:27,900 --> 00:32:33,433 be insufficient, citing among other things the high-carbon 638 00:32:33,433 --> 00:32:36,900 production involved in just extracting the crude 639 00:32:36,900 --> 00:32:40,900 from oil sands. 640 00:32:40,900 --> 00:32:43,433 Does it concern you that two parts of the administration 641 00:32:43,433 --> 00:32:45,066 appear to be on different pages here? 642 00:32:45,066 --> 00:32:47,333 Mr. Carney: There is a process underway at the State Department. 643 00:32:47,333 --> 00:32:49,900 As part of that process, they ask for comment both from 644 00:32:49,900 --> 00:32:52,967 stakeholders and other agencies. 645 00:32:52,967 --> 00:32:55,033 The letter that you mentioned, the assessment that you 646 00:32:55,033 --> 00:32:58,367 mentioned from the EPA is part of that process, appropriately. 647 00:32:58,367 --> 00:32:59,734 And that process is now continuing. 648 00:32:59,734 --> 00:33:03,699 The State Department runs these assessments when you have a 649 00:33:03,700 --> 00:33:11,367 pipeline that crosses international borders. 650 00:33:11,367 --> 00:33:14,667 That has been the case now for successive administrations of 651 00:33:14,667 --> 00:33:15,899 both parties. 652 00:33:15,900 --> 00:33:20,133 It has been the case in previous consideration of pipelines in 653 00:33:20,133 --> 00:33:22,700 this administration and it's the process now. 654 00:33:22,700 --> 00:33:24,300 And they run a process, they oversee it. 655 00:33:24,300 --> 00:33:27,100 But it obviously includes input from other agencies, 656 00:33:27,100 --> 00:33:31,667 as well as the public and stakeholders. 657 00:33:31,667 --> 00:33:35,233 The Press: To press you on that, though, it's not just the pipeline 658 00:33:35,233 --> 00:33:38,700 itself, which the EPA also found some concern about the 659 00:33:38,700 --> 00:33:40,033 safety of. 660 00:33:40,033 --> 00:33:45,199 But it's the carbon footprint of the production of crude from oil 661 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:50,800 sands that they said the State Department did not 662 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:52,399 consider adequately. 663 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:57,667 Do you feel that that should be the State Department's concern, 664 00:33:57,667 --> 00:34:00,466 the carbon footprint of production of oil? 665 00:34:00,467 --> 00:34:07,300 Mr. Carney: The State Department, again, evaluates comment and 666 00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:10,300 information provided to it by agencies across the government 667 00:34:10,300 --> 00:34:15,266 with relevant interest in the pipelines that cross 668 00:34:15,266 --> 00:34:16,867 international boundaries. 669 00:34:16,867 --> 00:34:18,767 And that's the case here. 670 00:34:18,766 --> 00:34:21,165 And then it evaluates that information as it moves forward 671 00:34:21,166 --> 00:34:22,166 in the process. 672 00:34:22,166 --> 00:34:23,767 And that's what's happening. 673 00:34:23,766 --> 00:34:27,734 I'm not going to make judgments about a process that's underway 674 00:34:27,734 --> 00:34:31,000 now at the State Department that has not produced a result. 675 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:34,100 The Press: Republicans are concerned that this is, as they see it, 676 00:34:34,100 --> 00:34:37,833 another attempt to basically delay the construction of 677 00:34:37,833 --> 00:34:38,667 the pipeline. 678 00:34:38,667 --> 00:34:40,533 Mr. Carney: I was wondering where you were coming from, Wendell. 679 00:34:40,533 --> 00:34:41,500 For a minute there, I thought you were worried about 680 00:34:41,500 --> 00:34:42,300 the environment. 681 00:34:42,300 --> 00:34:45,300 (laughter) 682 00:34:45,300 --> 00:34:47,567 Look, I understand Republicans have a political 683 00:34:47,567 --> 00:34:48,600 interest in this. 684 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,000 They have demonstrated it in the past. 685 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:55,900 This is a process that needs to be allowed to proceed, 686 00:34:55,900 --> 00:35:01,100 as it historically has at the State Department -- 687 00:35:01,100 --> 00:35:05,467 a process that incorporates the information provided to the 688 00:35:05,467 --> 00:35:07,467 State Department and the assessments provided to the 689 00:35:07,467 --> 00:35:09,000 State Department by other agencies, 690 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:13,066 as well as assessments and opinions and concerns expressed 691 00:35:13,066 --> 00:35:15,366 by the public, and state and local governments. 692 00:35:15,367 --> 00:35:20,266 If you evaluate the history of this particular decision-making 693 00:35:20,266 --> 00:35:25,367 process, you'll note that all of these inputs have had an impact 694 00:35:25,367 --> 00:35:27,066 on the process. 695 00:35:27,066 --> 00:35:28,200 That's how it should be. 696 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:31,700 What it shouldn't be is politicized in the way that it 697 00:35:31,700 --> 00:35:35,734 has been periodically by Republicans in Congress. 698 00:35:35,734 --> 00:35:37,700 The Press: If I can ask you briefly about -- 699 00:35:37,700 --> 00:35:40,033 following up on the hacking of the Associated Press's tweet 700 00:35:40,033 --> 00:35:42,834 yesterday -- and they're not the only major media organization to 701 00:35:42,834 --> 00:35:45,366 have been hacked in recent days or weeks. 702 00:35:45,367 --> 00:35:48,934 What does the White House know about said Syrian 703 00:35:48,934 --> 00:35:51,600 Electronic Army? 704 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:55,433 Mr. Carney: We've seen those reports, but this is a matter that's under 705 00:35:55,433 --> 00:35:59,200 investigation by the FBI, and I would refer you to them. 706 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:02,066 I don't have anything more than that. 707 00:36:02,066 --> 00:36:03,834 The Press: Nothing more on the Syrian army in particular? 708 00:36:03,834 --> 00:36:04,834 Okay. 709 00:36:04,834 --> 00:36:06,265 Then let me ask you then -- 710 00:36:06,266 --> 00:36:08,033 Mr. Carney: I mean, let me just say, broadly -- 711 00:36:08,033 --> 00:36:11,333 not in response to that specific allegation or assessment -- 712 00:36:11,333 --> 00:36:13,433 the threats in cyberspace, as you know, 713 00:36:13,433 --> 00:36:15,266 are a serious and growing concern, 714 00:36:15,266 --> 00:36:17,367 and cyber security is a national priority. 715 00:36:17,367 --> 00:36:21,166 In this case, the misinformation was corrected very quickly, 716 00:36:21,166 --> 00:36:22,633 which was a good thing. 717 00:36:22,633 --> 00:36:26,033 But obviously, this incident is an example of why the public and 718 00:36:26,033 --> 00:36:28,734 private sector must continue to work together to promote norms 719 00:36:28,734 --> 00:36:32,133 of behavior in cyberspace and to protect ourselves against 720 00:36:32,133 --> 00:36:33,966 malicious actions. 721 00:36:33,967 --> 00:36:36,900 As I said, it's our understanding the FBI has opened 722 00:36:36,900 --> 00:36:39,166 an investigation into this matter, so we can't -- 723 00:36:39,166 --> 00:36:41,533 or I can't get into any specifics about this case. 724 00:36:41,533 --> 00:36:44,600 But as you know, the President is very concerned about 725 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:45,600 this issue. 726 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:47,500 He has called on Congress to take action on cyber security. 727 00:36:47,500 --> 00:36:50,233 He has taken executive action and will continue to look at 728 00:36:50,233 --> 00:36:52,266 ways to take executive action. 729 00:36:52,266 --> 00:36:56,700 Part of what we need to do as a nation is work together, 730 00:36:56,700 --> 00:36:58,734 both public and private sector, on this issue, 731 00:36:58,734 --> 00:37:00,799 and this administration has done that. 732 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:02,300 The Press: And there may not be a specific proposal, 733 00:37:02,300 --> 00:37:04,900 but can you explain sort of the concern that exists within this 734 00:37:04,900 --> 00:37:07,066 administration, given the fact that yesterday was perhaps the 735 00:37:07,066 --> 00:37:10,633 best example of the real consequences of even 736 00:37:10,633 --> 00:37:12,000 cyber-terror or cyber-hacking? 737 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:15,633 Yesterday more than $137 billion, I think it was, 738 00:37:15,633 --> 00:37:18,767 was lost from the DOW in a matter of moments before being 739 00:37:18,767 --> 00:37:22,133 regained because of systems that exist in place in Wall Street 740 00:37:22,133 --> 00:37:24,700 that are computerized, not done manually? 741 00:37:24,700 --> 00:37:26,433 Does that concern the administration in some way? 742 00:37:26,433 --> 00:37:27,834 Is this something that could be addressed? 743 00:37:27,834 --> 00:37:30,299 Mr. Carney: Well, again, without getting into the specifics of this 744 00:37:30,300 --> 00:37:32,367 incident, beyond saying that it's under investigation, 745 00:37:32,367 --> 00:37:36,333 appropriately, broadly speaking, cyber security is a concern and 746 00:37:36,333 --> 00:37:45,066 a growing concern, and for the reasons that you just mentioned, 747 00:37:45,066 --> 00:37:49,600 but for a variety of reasons, as we become a more digital world 748 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:53,633 and digital country and more of our systems are dependent upon 749 00:37:53,633 --> 00:37:56,332 computer systems and cyber systems. 750 00:37:56,333 --> 00:37:59,233 These are stating obvious and layman facts, 751 00:37:59,233 --> 00:38:02,867 but that is why it has received so much focus from this 752 00:38:02,867 --> 00:38:04,300 administration; why, appropriately, 753 00:38:04,300 --> 00:38:09,133 it should be receiving focus and consideration in Congress; 754 00:38:09,133 --> 00:38:12,165 and why we need to take considerate action both as a 755 00:38:12,166 --> 00:38:14,633 government but also working with the private sector to address 756 00:38:14,633 --> 00:38:15,633 cyber security. 757 00:38:15,633 --> 00:38:17,533 The Press: Under current laws right now -- on a separate topic -- 758 00:38:17,533 --> 00:38:22,133 if a background check reveals that your name is on a terror 759 00:38:22,133 --> 00:38:24,232 watchlist, is on a terrorism watchlist, 760 00:38:24,233 --> 00:38:26,633 you can still walk into a gun dealership in this country, 761 00:38:26,633 --> 00:38:28,966 purchase a gun, assuming you don't have a criminal record or 762 00:38:28,967 --> 00:38:31,600 a mental health record in some forms. 763 00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:33,900 Does the White House think that's okay? 764 00:38:33,900 --> 00:38:36,533 That there should be more done to prevent people whose names 765 00:38:36,533 --> 00:38:39,200 are on the terror watchlist, or lists? 766 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:42,366 Mr. Carney: Well, I appreciate the angle at which you're coming at this. 767 00:38:42,367 --> 00:38:45,500 But the fact is I'm not going to comment on a specific matter 768 00:38:45,500 --> 00:38:47,467 that relates to the case under investigation. 769 00:38:47,467 --> 00:38:49,900 The Press: In general -- it's not about these guys -- in general, 770 00:38:49,900 --> 00:38:51,667 it could happen today elsewhere in the country. 771 00:38:51,667 --> 00:38:55,400 Mr. Carney: We can pretend that it's not about these guys. 772 00:38:55,400 --> 00:38:58,066 The procedures that are in place with regards -- 773 00:38:58,066 --> 00:39:00,633 The Press: But you guys had already brought the gun issue up in general of 774 00:39:00,633 --> 00:39:02,567 saying, across America there could be people on a terror 775 00:39:02,567 --> 00:39:04,500 watchlist who could purchase a gun today. 776 00:39:04,500 --> 00:39:06,266 Mr. Carney: When it comes to our procedures for identifying potential 777 00:39:06,266 --> 00:39:08,834 terrorists, I would refer you to the agencies that oversee 778 00:39:08,834 --> 00:39:10,433 that process. 779 00:39:10,433 --> 00:39:14,800 And when it comes to the need for expanded background checks, 780 00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:18,767 I am more than willing to expound on why that is the 781 00:39:18,767 --> 00:39:21,033 common-sense thing to do that protects our Second Amendment 782 00:39:21,033 --> 00:39:24,500 rights, and for that reason, why the vast majority of the 783 00:39:24,500 --> 00:39:27,000 American people support that common-sense action, 784 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:31,200 and why a minority of the United States Senate rebuffed the will 785 00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:33,165 of the vast majority of the American people in their 786 00:39:33,166 --> 00:39:34,166 vote last week. 787 00:39:34,166 --> 00:39:36,433 Steve, and then April. 788 00:39:36,433 --> 00:39:41,333 The Press: I just wanted to follow up on the sequester and get a little 789 00:39:41,333 --> 00:39:46,233 bit more clarity on where the White House is as far as vetoing 790 00:39:46,233 --> 00:39:49,266 a sequester replacement that doesn't have revenue attached. 791 00:39:49,266 --> 00:39:53,800 Is that still the White House's view on a long-term plan? 792 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:56,667 Could somebody, the House Republicans for example, 793 00:39:56,667 --> 00:40:00,533 come up with a version of a sequester replacement for the 794 00:40:00,533 --> 00:40:03,734 next five months just with cuts, just like Harry Reid did, 795 00:40:03,734 --> 00:40:07,366 that could pass muster with the White House? 796 00:40:07,367 --> 00:40:09,834 Mr. Carney: I'm not going to engage in hypotheticals. 797 00:40:09,834 --> 00:40:14,466 I will say that we support the effort that Senator Reid is 798 00:40:14,467 --> 00:40:18,834 making to temporarily buy down or postpone the sequester to 799 00:40:18,834 --> 00:40:23,133 allow for time for these conversations that the President 800 00:40:23,133 --> 00:40:26,133 is engaged in and lawmakers up on the Hill are engaged in about 801 00:40:26,133 --> 00:40:29,533 can we find common ground to reduce our deficit in a balanced 802 00:40:29,533 --> 00:40:31,834 way, in a way that would eliminate the 803 00:40:31,834 --> 00:40:32,866 sequester entirely. 804 00:40:32,867 --> 00:40:38,667 If your question is would the President support the House 805 00:40:38,667 --> 00:40:42,033 Republican approach to deficit reduction, 806 00:40:42,033 --> 00:40:47,633 which is to voucherize Medicare or institute across-the-board 807 00:40:47,633 --> 00:40:51,567 dramatic cuts to programs that help children and seniors and 808 00:40:51,567 --> 00:40:55,266 middle-class families, the answer is no. 809 00:40:55,266 --> 00:40:59,467 He is very clear in his budget what he believes the right 810 00:40:59,467 --> 00:41:02,934 course of action is to take, and he has been very clear about the 811 00:41:02,934 --> 00:41:07,233 fact that -- and it is reflected it in his budget -- 812 00:41:07,233 --> 00:41:10,000 that he's willing to make tough decisions as part of a balanced 813 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:11,900 approach to deficit reduction. 814 00:41:11,900 --> 00:41:14,467 And that willingness is demonstrated in the fact that, 815 00:41:14,467 --> 00:41:15,767 when it comes to entitlement reforms, 816 00:41:15,767 --> 00:41:20,066 he has included items that were part of what Republicans said 817 00:41:20,066 --> 00:41:24,000 they would want in return for their acceptance of balanced 818 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:25,900 deficit reduction. 819 00:41:25,900 --> 00:41:27,266 So they ought to embrace that. 820 00:41:27,266 --> 00:41:29,934 That offer has been on the table since last year, 821 00:41:29,934 --> 00:41:31,767 and they ought to embrace it so we can move forward as 822 00:41:31,767 --> 00:41:32,767 a country. 823 00:41:32,767 --> 00:41:36,633 The Press: He's also been clear up until today that even on a short-term 824 00:41:36,633 --> 00:41:41,066 sequester bill he wanted revenue. 825 00:41:41,066 --> 00:41:42,165 He got some revenue in the fiscal cliff for that 826 00:41:42,166 --> 00:41:43,667 short-term, two-month period. 827 00:41:43,667 --> 00:41:47,066 The White House was very clear they sought it as a precedent. 828 00:41:47,066 --> 00:41:50,000 They wanted revenue for short-term bills as well as 829 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:51,734 long-term bills until today. 830 00:41:51,734 --> 00:41:53,600 It seems like there's now a shift. 831 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:56,533 Mr. Carney: What I'm saying is that we support Senator Reid's effort. 832 00:41:56,533 --> 00:41:59,633 Using the savings from the decisions that President Obama 833 00:41:59,633 --> 00:42:03,000 has made to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 834 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:05,066 and the savings generated from that, 835 00:42:05,066 --> 00:42:06,433 only a portion of those savings -- 836 00:42:06,433 --> 00:42:10,233 I believe less than a tenth -- to temporarily postpone the 837 00:42:10,233 --> 00:42:15,200 sequester precisely to allow for consideration of a balanced 838 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:18,667 deficit reduction approach that the President supports and can 839 00:42:18,667 --> 00:42:20,133 sign into law. 840 00:42:20,133 --> 00:42:22,700 It remains to be seen whether Republicans are willing to cross 841 00:42:22,700 --> 00:42:26,966 that threshold, which is to agree with the vast majority of 842 00:42:26,967 --> 00:42:28,033 the American people who believe we should approach this in a 843 00:42:28,033 --> 00:42:33,333 balanced way, who think it's not the right way to go to reduce 844 00:42:33,333 --> 00:42:36,800 our deficit in a way that raises taxes on the middle class; 845 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:40,533 voucherizes Medicare; and gives huge tax breaks -- 846 00:42:40,533 --> 00:42:45,066 I think $5.3 trillion, $5.7 trillion in tax breaks -- 847 00:42:45,066 --> 00:42:47,433 almost entirely to the wealthy. 848 00:42:47,433 --> 00:42:50,900 I mean, that is a proposal that is so far out of the mainstream 849 00:42:50,900 --> 00:42:54,700 that you would think it couldn't possibly be tabled and passed in 850 00:42:54,700 --> 00:43:00,933 2013, after it had been rejected several times over, 851 00:43:00,934 --> 00:43:02,333 including in the election last year. 852 00:43:02,333 --> 00:43:04,767 But that is the current proposal on the table from House 853 00:43:04,767 --> 00:43:07,265 Republicans. 854 00:43:07,266 --> 00:43:08,633 April, yes. 855 00:43:08,633 --> 00:43:12,000 The Press: Jay, could you talk to me about the White House's push on this 856 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:13,200 diversity lottery issue? 857 00:43:13,200 --> 00:43:17,299 For the last couple weeks, we've heard that White House officials 858 00:43:17,300 --> 00:43:21,667 have been calling on members of the Senate to make sure that the 859 00:43:21,667 --> 00:43:25,467 diversity lottery is back in the immigration bill, 860 00:43:25,467 --> 00:43:29,433 or maybe part of an amendment to it, 861 00:43:29,433 --> 00:43:34,567 because it was taken out in their proposal. 862 00:43:34,567 --> 00:43:38,300 Mr. Carney: As I said when we first discussed the proposal put 863 00:43:38,300 --> 00:43:43,367 forward by the Gang of Eight, it broadly reflects the principles 864 00:43:43,367 --> 00:43:47,333 that the President has long endorsed. 865 00:43:47,333 --> 00:43:50,800 It is not word for word in keeping with what the President 866 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:54,266 supports, and we obviously will work with the Congress going 867 00:43:54,266 --> 00:44:02,000 forward on this legislation to adjust it in ways that we think 868 00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:03,000 are correct. 869 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:04,266 But I want to be clear. 870 00:44:04,266 --> 00:44:08,433 This is significant progress and we commend the bipartisan Group 871 00:44:08,433 --> 00:44:11,000 of Eight for the work they have done thus far, 872 00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:13,767 and we look forward to working with the Senate as the 873 00:44:13,767 --> 00:44:16,767 legislation moves through that body. 874 00:44:16,767 --> 00:44:17,533 The Press: Okay. 875 00:44:17,533 --> 00:44:20,500 How can it be -- and this is just asking a question -- 876 00:44:20,500 --> 00:44:23,400 how can it be significant progress when you have a 877 00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:25,100 minority group, the Congressional Black Caucus, 878 00:44:25,100 --> 00:44:28,033 very, very, very upset because it's now -- 879 00:44:28,033 --> 00:44:31,633 they're looking at possibilities of a point or merit system which 880 00:44:31,633 --> 00:44:37,332 they say will not allow for the 55,000 immigrants to come 881 00:44:37,333 --> 00:44:41,266 through a year, and you're taking out the lottery that 882 00:44:41,266 --> 00:44:45,033 affects the African Diaspora to include the Caribbean and Haiti, 883 00:44:45,033 --> 00:44:47,600 but you still have in place the guest worker program for 884 00:44:47,600 --> 00:44:51,734 Mexicans as well as the skills-based program for Asians, 885 00:44:51,734 --> 00:44:56,400 and the people of -- the black people around the world are not 886 00:44:56,400 --> 00:44:58,834 taken care of in this program, in this bill? 887 00:44:58,834 --> 00:45:01,133 The Press: April, as I think I've said, this bill does not contain every 888 00:45:01,133 --> 00:45:04,066 specific element that the President has supported, 889 00:45:04,066 --> 00:45:06,734 but it does represent an important step towards the broad 890 00:45:06,734 --> 00:45:08,900 principles the President has made clear need to be part of 891 00:45:08,900 --> 00:45:10,467 common-sense immigration reform. 892 00:45:10,467 --> 00:45:13,867 We are early in the process, and this is an effort that we're 893 00:45:13,867 --> 00:45:17,800 engaged in with the Senate as it considers this legislation. 894 00:45:17,800 --> 00:45:19,900 The administration has made clear that improving our legal 895 00:45:19,900 --> 00:45:24,066 immigration system does not have to be a zero-sum game. 896 00:45:24,066 --> 00:45:26,633 And we can increase employer- and family-sponsored green card 897 00:45:26,633 --> 00:45:29,767 numbers without taking away from other categories of visas. 898 00:45:29,767 --> 00:45:32,466 Now, that's our position, and that's a position that we have 899 00:45:32,467 --> 00:45:33,834 held and will hold moving forward. 900 00:45:33,834 --> 00:45:40,066 But I'm not going to presume outcomes of deliberations that 901 00:45:40,066 --> 00:45:44,700 are underway or haven't concluded yet. 902 00:45:44,700 --> 00:45:47,700 This is a significant piece of business and a significant 903 00:45:47,700 --> 00:45:53,533 amount of progress that's been made in a bipartisan away by 904 00:45:53,533 --> 00:45:56,000 this Group of Eight that reflects the President's 905 00:45:56,000 --> 00:45:57,667 principles, and we are encouraged by it. 906 00:45:57,667 --> 00:46:01,834 But we are still in the process of hopefully making this bill 907 00:46:01,834 --> 00:46:02,834 become law. 908 00:46:02,834 --> 00:46:03,966 The Press: Well, let me rephrase my question; 909 00:46:03,967 --> 00:46:05,533 maybe I'll get an answer. 910 00:46:05,533 --> 00:46:08,600 How important is it for the President -- 911 00:46:08,600 --> 00:46:11,299 because we understand that many people in the White House are 912 00:46:11,300 --> 00:46:12,934 trying to help push this through -- 913 00:46:12,934 --> 00:46:15,300 how important is this one piece for him, 914 00:46:15,300 --> 00:46:17,100 especially since he voted for it in 2006? 915 00:46:17,100 --> 00:46:22,333 Mr. Carney: Again, April, I think -- I can say that this bill reflects the 916 00:46:22,333 --> 00:46:23,333 President's broad principles. 917 00:46:23,333 --> 00:46:27,433 It's not word for word exactly as he would have written it, 918 00:46:27,433 --> 00:46:30,433 and it does not contain every specific element at this point 919 00:46:30,433 --> 00:46:32,700 that the President has supported. 920 00:46:32,700 --> 00:46:35,299 We'll see how this process moves forward. 921 00:46:35,300 --> 00:46:39,867 But I don't have anything specific on an item within the 922 00:46:39,867 --> 00:46:42,834 piece of legislation or an omission within the legislation 923 00:46:42,834 --> 00:46:43,834 at this time. 924 00:46:43,834 --> 00:46:47,834 The Press: Jay, yesterday the White House neglected to send witnesses to a 925 00:46:47,834 --> 00:46:51,466 Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on the use of drones. 926 00:46:51,467 --> 00:46:52,467 Can you explain whether this comports with the White House 927 00:46:52,467 --> 00:46:59,033 and the President's promise in the State of the Union and at 928 00:46:59,033 --> 00:47:02,900 other times to have transparency on this issue? 929 00:47:02,900 --> 00:47:06,266 Mr. Carney: We have been in regular contact with the committee about how we 930 00:47:06,266 --> 00:47:09,266 can best provide them the information that they require. 931 00:47:09,266 --> 00:47:11,567 As the President has indicated, we will continue to engage 932 00:47:11,567 --> 00:47:14,467 Congress and to ensure that our counterterrorism efforts are not 933 00:47:14,467 --> 00:47:17,300 only consistent with our laws and system of checks and 934 00:47:17,300 --> 00:47:19,300 balances, but even more transparent to the American 935 00:47:19,300 --> 00:47:23,000 people and the world. 936 00:47:23,000 --> 00:47:25,934 The Press: Right, but I'm not talking about transparency to the committee as 937 00:47:25,934 --> 00:47:27,600 much as the American people and the world. 938 00:47:27,600 --> 00:47:31,333 How does not putting witnesses in a public forum for the world 939 00:47:31,333 --> 00:47:35,000 to see and to hear and to actually present in a 940 00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:36,834 public forum -- 941 00:47:36,834 --> 00:47:38,033 Mr. Carney: I understand the question. 942 00:47:38,033 --> 00:47:40,799 And what is the fact is that this administration, 943 00:47:40,800 --> 00:47:43,834 beginning with the President and including some of the most 944 00:47:43,834 --> 00:47:45,066 senior national security principals, 945 00:47:45,066 --> 00:47:46,866 have been enormously transparent about our 946 00:47:46,867 --> 00:47:47,867 counterterrorism efforts. 947 00:47:47,867 --> 00:47:50,533 And that process, as promised by the President, will continue. 948 00:47:50,533 --> 00:47:53,266 And it is not specific to one committee hearing. 949 00:47:53,266 --> 00:47:56,934 It is specific to a broad array of actions that the President 950 00:47:56,934 --> 00:47:58,333 and the administration have taken; 951 00:47:58,333 --> 00:48:01,333 a broad array of communications, some of them unprecedented, 952 00:48:01,333 --> 00:48:04,500 that the administration has engaged in with members of 953 00:48:04,500 --> 00:48:07,667 Congress who have an interest in this issue. 954 00:48:07,667 --> 00:48:10,266 And it will be consistent with actions that we take in the 955 00:48:10,266 --> 00:48:13,100 future to provide even more information both to the Congress 956 00:48:13,100 --> 00:48:14,100 and the public. 957 00:48:14,100 --> 00:48:15,700 The Press: But the number-two Senate democrat, 958 00:48:15,700 --> 00:48:18,100 chairman of that subcommittee, says it's not good enough. 959 00:48:18,100 --> 00:48:20,333 He says he's disappointed with the White House. 960 00:48:20,333 --> 00:48:22,767 He says that this is a frustrating thing to not have 961 00:48:22,767 --> 00:48:23,866 this public forum -- 962 00:48:23,867 --> 00:48:24,867 Mr. Carney: I understand. 963 00:48:24,867 --> 00:48:27,900 And I'm saying that the process of providing more information -- 964 00:48:27,900 --> 00:48:30,600 again, unprecedented levels thus far from the highest levels of 965 00:48:30,600 --> 00:48:33,366 government -- and the process of providing more information, 966 00:48:33,367 --> 00:48:35,266 both to Congress and to the public, 967 00:48:35,266 --> 00:48:36,600 is ongoing and will continue. 968 00:48:36,600 --> 00:48:39,266 And it's not limited to or specific to a single hearing. 969 00:48:39,266 --> 00:48:41,200 The Press: And when can that be something that we see in public? 970 00:48:41,200 --> 00:48:42,200 Mr. Carney: I don't have any updates for you. 971 00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:43,500 Yes. 972 00:48:43,500 --> 00:48:46,333 The Press: Fisker Automotive -- there are reports that the Energy 973 00:48:46,333 --> 00:48:49,800 Department was warned as early as June 2010 that the electric 974 00:48:49,800 --> 00:48:51,467 carmaker wasn't meeting its goals, 975 00:48:51,467 --> 00:48:54,033 but didn't suspend the loan until about a year later. 976 00:48:54,033 --> 00:48:55,967 Did the administration drop the ball on this? 977 00:48:55,967 --> 00:48:57,200 What happened? 978 00:48:57,200 --> 00:48:59,799 Mr. Carney: Well, I know there was a GOP document dump and I would refer 979 00:48:59,800 --> 00:49:01,967 you to the Department of Energy for more information. 980 00:49:01,967 --> 00:49:04,266 But you know from their statement that the committee's 981 00:49:04,266 --> 00:49:07,567 efforts to stoke false controversy by selectively 982 00:49:07,567 --> 00:49:10,834 leaking a few out-of-context documents just do not stand up 983 00:49:10,834 --> 00:49:11,834 to scrutiny. 984 00:49:11,834 --> 00:49:13,799 In the case that you refer to, the document shows that one 985 00:49:13,800 --> 00:49:16,500 person at a meeting discussed the possibility that Fisker 986 00:49:16,500 --> 00:49:18,367 might not meet a financial commitment, 987 00:49:18,367 --> 00:49:21,166 which had to be certified as met by the company before a 988 00:49:21,166 --> 00:49:22,300 loan disbursement. 989 00:49:22,300 --> 00:49:24,333 Absent from that document was the fact that the department 990 00:49:24,333 --> 00:49:27,467 received that certification five days later and subsequently 991 00:49:27,467 --> 00:49:28,767 disbursed on the loan. 992 00:49:28,767 --> 00:49:31,299 The Press: Is there any concern that this story, 993 00:49:31,300 --> 00:49:32,934 when combined with Solyndra, of course, 994 00:49:32,934 --> 00:49:36,500 could undermine the President's own efforts to push 995 00:49:36,500 --> 00:49:38,734 alternative energy? 996 00:49:38,734 --> 00:49:43,834 Mr. Carney: Look, I think that the necessity that we have as a nation to move 997 00:49:43,834 --> 00:49:46,966 forward on investments in alternative energy to make sure 998 00:49:46,967 --> 00:49:52,533 that we develop the industries of the future in this country 999 00:49:52,533 --> 00:49:54,900 that provide jobs of the future in this country, 1000 00:49:54,900 --> 00:49:58,767 as opposed to importing alternative energy in the manner 1001 00:49:58,767 --> 00:50:02,366 that we for so long imported fossil fuel energy is absolutely 1002 00:50:02,367 --> 00:50:03,367 the right thing to do. 1003 00:50:03,367 --> 00:50:07,467 And this President is committed to it. 1004 00:50:07,467 --> 00:50:11,567 And the program, as you know, when it was created in 2007 1005 00:50:11,567 --> 00:50:15,166 before this President took office, 1006 00:50:15,166 --> 00:50:18,200 was understood to contain risk within it. 1007 00:50:18,200 --> 00:50:21,133 But the fact is the broad array of investments have been 1008 00:50:21,133 --> 00:50:22,332 positive and necessary. 1009 00:50:22,333 --> 00:50:26,100 And the overall need to invest in alternative technologies in 1010 00:50:26,100 --> 00:50:30,000 the energy field is essential for our energy independence in 1011 00:50:30,000 --> 00:50:33,066 the future and our national security interests. 1012 00:50:33,066 --> 00:50:34,366 Last one, yes. 1013 00:50:34,367 --> 00:50:35,333 The Press: Thanks, Jay. 1014 00:50:35,333 --> 00:50:40,633 I wanted to bring up the House report yesterday on Benghazi. 1015 00:50:40,633 --> 00:50:45,966 They point to cables that reportedly had Secretary -- 1016 00:50:45,967 --> 00:50:48,233 technically then-Secretary Clinton's signature on it that 1017 00:50:48,233 --> 00:50:52,033 referenced a request for additional security and in which 1018 00:50:52,033 --> 00:50:54,165 instead cuts were made. 1019 00:50:54,166 --> 00:50:56,834 And some members are saying that this shows administration 1020 00:50:56,834 --> 00:50:59,466 culpability in the security problems there, 1021 00:50:59,467 --> 00:51:03,533 and some have gone so far as to say signs of a cover-up. 1022 00:51:03,533 --> 00:51:05,366 I just wanted to get your response on that. 1023 00:51:05,367 --> 00:51:06,300 Mr. Carney: I bet you do. 1024 00:51:06,300 --> 00:51:08,200 First of all, I would draw your attention to the letter that the 1025 00:51:08,200 --> 00:51:10,667 Democratic members of the same committee sent to Speaker 1026 00:51:10,667 --> 00:51:13,100 Boehner yesterday strongly objecting to what is an 1027 00:51:13,100 --> 00:51:15,834 obviously partisan Republican staff report. 1028 00:51:15,834 --> 00:51:17,767 Now, it seems to me that if these members of Congress were 1029 00:51:17,767 --> 00:51:19,633 genuinely interested in getting information, 1030 00:51:19,633 --> 00:51:22,734 they would not have abandoned the customary oversight process 1031 00:51:22,734 --> 00:51:25,734 and excluded Democratic members from the entire process, 1032 00:51:25,734 --> 00:51:27,433 which is what they did. 1033 00:51:27,433 --> 00:51:30,100 As these ranking members said last night, these Republicans, 1034 00:51:30,100 --> 00:51:33,000 "sacrificed accuracy in favor of partisanship," 1035 00:51:33,000 --> 00:51:36,100 unnecessarily politicizing our national security and casting 1036 00:51:36,100 --> 00:51:39,066 aside the system used by the House for generations to avoid 1037 00:51:39,066 --> 00:51:41,500 making obvious mistakes, errors, and omissions. 1038 00:51:41,500 --> 00:51:43,900 And on the issue of the signature, 1039 00:51:43,900 --> 00:51:48,266 you have to be factual and acknowledge reality here. 1040 00:51:48,266 --> 00:51:51,200 It is standard protocol that cables originating from the 1041 00:51:51,200 --> 00:51:54,066 department in Washington go out under the authority of the 1042 00:51:54,066 --> 00:51:57,799 current Secretary of State with their signature, 1043 00:51:57,800 --> 00:51:59,967 i.e. their name, typed at the bottom. 1044 00:51:59,967 --> 00:52:02,166 This practice has been in place throughout this administration 1045 00:52:02,166 --> 00:52:03,567 and across prior administrations, 1046 00:52:03,567 --> 00:52:05,600 both Democratic and Republican. 1047 00:52:05,600 --> 00:52:07,834 Additionally, all cables originating from our overseas 1048 00:52:07,834 --> 00:52:11,232 posts are similarly signed, i.e. have the name at the 1049 00:52:11,233 --> 00:52:16,100 bottom, by the ambassador and are addressed to the Secretary. 1050 00:52:16,100 --> 00:52:19,232 In this way, this Secretary -- Secretary Clinton and others 1051 00:52:19,233 --> 00:52:22,266 before her -- signed hundred of thousands of cables during their 1052 00:52:22,266 --> 00:52:23,734 tenures as Secretary. 1053 00:52:23,734 --> 00:52:25,500 And as Secretary Clinton testified, 1054 00:52:25,500 --> 00:52:28,000 the security cables related to Benghazi did not come to 1055 00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:29,000 her attention. 1056 00:52:29,000 --> 00:52:31,033 These cables were review as appropriate -- 1057 00:52:31,033 --> 00:52:32,700 were reviewed, rather, as appropriate, 1058 00:52:32,700 --> 00:52:34,633 at the Assistant Secretary level. 1059 00:52:34,633 --> 00:52:36,799 And as the chairman of the ARB explained, 1060 00:52:36,800 --> 00:52:39,867 accountability was fixed at the assistant secretary level, 1061 00:52:39,867 --> 00:52:44,000 "where the decision-making takes place, where, if you like, 1062 00:52:44,000 --> 00:52:45,600 "the rubber hit the road." 1063 00:52:45,600 --> 00:52:49,633 Now, the concerted efforts by Republicans to politicize this 1064 00:52:49,633 --> 00:52:53,100 have distracted from the real work that's been done through 1065 00:52:53,100 --> 00:52:56,866 the ARB to find out what happened and what steps need to 1066 00:52:56,867 --> 00:53:01,734 be taken to improve the security at our embassy facilities. 1067 00:53:01,734 --> 00:53:06,100 That report was very clear and very direct, 1068 00:53:06,100 --> 00:53:09,000 and went right at the issues of concern. 1069 00:53:09,000 --> 00:53:12,367 Meanwhile, the effort to find out who was responsible for 1070 00:53:12,367 --> 00:53:14,433 those attacks and who was responsible for the deaths of 1071 00:53:14,433 --> 00:53:17,200 Americans is ongoing, and that is a commitment the President 1072 00:53:17,200 --> 00:53:18,966 made, that we would find those responsible and bring them 1073 00:53:18,967 --> 00:53:19,967 to justice. 1074 00:53:19,967 --> 00:53:23,367 Efforts to politicize this have failed in the past, 1075 00:53:23,367 --> 00:53:27,266 and they are not helpful to the broad national security interest 1076 00:53:27,266 --> 00:53:29,967 that we should share together. 1077 00:53:29,967 --> 00:53:34,400 And, again, the signature thing is a perfect example of an 1078 00:53:34,400 --> 00:53:38,000 attempt to politicize something when it's wholly unnecessary. 1079 00:53:38,000 --> 00:53:40,433 The Press: And the charge of a cover-up? 1080 00:53:40,433 --> 00:53:41,567 Mr. Carney: I think I've answered that. 1081 00:53:41,567 --> 00:53:42,767 Thanks very much, guys.