English subtitles for clip: File:6-30-16- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

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Apologize for being a
little more tardy than

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usual today.

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I do not have any
announcements at the top,

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so we can go straight
to questions.

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Kathleen, do
you want start?

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The Press: I just wanted
to follow up a little on

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the news out of Andrews.

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Do you have any more
detail on exactly what

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happened there
this morning?

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Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any additional information

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about what happened there.

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I'd refer you to the
Department of Defense.

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Obviously, the President
is always quite concerned

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about the safety of our
men and women in uniform,

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and it certainly is
important that they

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undertake drills to
prepare for a wide range

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of scenarios.

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But for exactly what
transpired today at JBA,

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I'd refer you to the
Department of Defense.

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The Press: Do you think
that this sort of false

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alarm will become the
kind of thing that's more

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common as people get a
little more anxious or

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worried about these
kinds of attacks?

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Mr. Earnest: Again, the
President certainly

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believes in vigilance, and
he believes that we should

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be vigilant about
protecting our men and

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women in uniform.

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So I think there's
always a risk of that.

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And it's important for
there to be procedures in

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place so that authorities
can communicate clearly

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with the community and
with the public about

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what's transpiring.

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But what's inherent in
these kinds of situations

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is that they're
always chaotic.

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But again, it's hard
for me to speak to this

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particular incident just
because I don't know much

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about what exactly
transpired.

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The Press: Okay.

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And then I just want to
follow up on something he

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said yesterday at the
press conference when he

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was asked about Brexit,
and he was talking -- the

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President was talking
about that he has genuine

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concerns about global
concerns "if, in fact,

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Brexit goes through"
and that freezes the

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possibility of
investment in the UK.

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Does he thinks there's the
possibility that Brexit

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won't happen?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I think others have asked

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about this because
somebody else on our team

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flagged this for me.

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I think this may be
an issue of

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sentence construction.

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I think the President was
talking about the combined

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effects of Brexit and the
negative impact it has on

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the possibility of
investment from the UK

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into Europe, and then the
potential impact that that

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could have on the
global economy.

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I think that's the point
that the President was

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trying to make.

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And this is why it is
important for officials in

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the UK and officials
in the EU to set up a

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transparent and orderly
process for Brexit to

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prevent the unnecessary
complications of companies

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that are trying to
maintain their business

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relationships through
Europe and the UK, even as

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the governments of these
locations are negotiating

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a withdrawal.

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So the point is, the
President reiterated in

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the context of the news
conference why he believes

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it's so important for
officials in the UK and

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the EU to establish an
orderly, transparent

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process for Brexit.

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And there obviously will
continue to be an enduring

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economic relationship
between the UK and the EU.

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And the President
doesn't want to see that

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relationship be any more
disrupted than it already

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will by the process of the
Brexit, because doing so

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would have an even more
substantial impact on the

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global economy.

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And that's what the
President is hoping that

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UK and EU officials will
takes steps to protect again.

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The Press: Does the White
House have any reaction to

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Boris Johnson's
announcement this morning?

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Mr. Earnest: I don't.

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I had difficulty keeping
up with the candidates for

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President of the
United States.

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My ability to keep track
of the candidates for

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prime minister in the UK
is even more limited.

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So I'll let him
speak for himself.

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He seems to have no
trouble doing that.

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Jeff.

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The Press: Josh, I just
want to follow up on

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Kathleen's question.

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The President did use the
word "if" twice in his

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response to the Brexit
question yesterday.

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Does that -- just to be
very clear, does he think

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there's a possibility
that Brexit will not go through?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I think the President's

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expectation is that UK
officials have the best

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sense of what's happening,
and UK officials have been

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pretty definitive about
the finality of this decision.

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We've heard people
like the current prime minister.

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We've heard the ambassador
from the UK to the United

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States indicates that this
was a decision that was

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made by the
British people.

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And look, there's a lot
invested in this election.

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It's not as if people
didn't know that this

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election was occurring.

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There was a lot of
attention and there was a

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healthy debate around it.

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So ultimately it will be
the responsibility of

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officials in the UK and
officials in the EU to

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work together to determine
what kind of economic

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relationship will exist
between those two entities

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in the future.

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But that will be part of
the negotiation of the UK

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leaving the EU.

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It's not going to
end their economic relationship.

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As the President pointed
out yesterday, I think

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it's about half of all
of UK exports go

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to EU countries.

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So there's going to
be a robust economic

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relationship there.

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It's just going to be
different because the UK

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won't have the same kind
of access to the common

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market that they have
previously enjoyed.

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But establishing that
transition period and

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determining what the
post-Brexit economic

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relationship looks like
between the UK and the EU

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is important.

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And answering those
questions as quickly as

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possible, but in a way
that is orderly and

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transparent and
predictable, will be

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critical to minimizing the
negative impact on the

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global economy
over the long term.

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And I think that's the
other sort of key part of

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the President's answer
here, is that he

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acknowledged that there's
been obviously this

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volatility in
the short term.

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But how this plays out
over the long term will

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have an impact on the
long-term prospects for

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the global economy.

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The Press: And the
President doesn't believe

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that it's possible to
roll back that vote?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, look,
I think the President

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believes that it's UK
officials who should speak

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to this, and that's
exactly what UK officials

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have said.

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The Press: Does the White
House have a reaction to

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Attorney General Lynch
meeting with Bill Clinton

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at a time when DOJ is
overseeing the probe into

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Secretary Clinton's
email usage?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, Jeff,
I've obviously seen the

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reports about this, and
the reports are driven by

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the answer that Attorney
General Lynch herself gave

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to this question.

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Look, I think the bottom
line is simply that both

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the President and
the Attorney General

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understand how important
it is for the Department

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of Justice to conduct
investigations that are

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free of political
interference.

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And that's been a bedrock
principle of our criminal

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justice system in this
country since our founding.

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The rule of law
is paramount.

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And every American citizen
should be held accountable

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to that rule of regardless
of their political

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affiliation, regardless
of who supports them

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politically, regardless of
what their poll numbers say.

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And that is a principle
the President believes is

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one that's worth
protecting.

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The reason that that's so
important is it prevents

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erosion in the public
confidence in our

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justice system.

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And this is a principle
that Attorney General

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Lynch has dedicated her
three decades in law

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enforcement to.

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She served as the U.S.

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attorney in the Eastern
District of New York.

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She has her own firsthand
experience in conducting

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public corruption cases.

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She did that -- she
protected the public trust

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by prosecuting individuals
in both parties where

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there was evidence to
indicate that they may

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have violated
the public trust.

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This was what earned her
strong bipartisan support

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when she was
nominated for the job.

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And she has continued
that work in the Attorney

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General's office in a
variety of ways, including

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a recent announcement
about Medicaid fraud, and

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obviously her efforts to
root out corruption in one

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of the most influential
international athletic

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organizations
in the world.

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So she certainly
understands that

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investigations should
be conducted free of

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political interference and
consistent with the facts.

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Investigators should be
guided by the facts

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and by evidence.

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And that's ultimately
what should support

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their conclusions.

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And she's made clear that
that's the expectation

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that she has for the way
that this investigation

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should be conducted.

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The President has made
clear that that certainly

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is consistent with his
expectation about how this

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should be handled.

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And so I also think that's
consistent with the

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American public's
expectation about how this

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should be handled.

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The Press: But given that,
Josh, is the White House

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concerned about even
just the appearance of

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political influence
because of that meeting?

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Mr. Earnest: Well,
listen, I'm not going to

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second-guess the way that
this investigation should

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move forward or
should be handled.

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Again --

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The Press: I'm not asking
about the investigation.

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I'm asking about the
meeting between Attorney

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General Lynch
and Bill Clinton.

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Mr. Earnest: Yes, well,
I wasn't there for the

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meeting, but the
Attorney General was.

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She was asked a direct
question about it, and she

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answered it.

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So again, I think
that's consistent with

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everybody's expectations.

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The Press: My question is
about the appearance that

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that meeting created.

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I guess
what I'm suggesting is

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that she was asked about
it directly, and she

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answered the question
directly about what

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exactly transpired.

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And so she's
spoken to this.

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I don't have any insight
into that meeting.

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I also don't have
any insight into

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the investigation.

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But the President's
view is that this is an

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investigation that should
be conducted free of any

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sort of political
interference.

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And the Attorney General
has indicated that that's

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exactly her
expectation, as well.

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Michelle.

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The Press: Thanks, Josh.

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Are you saying that the
White House feels that

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it's fine that she had
this meeting with Clinton?

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There's no
problem with it?

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Mr. Earnest: I think what
I'm saying is that the

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President believes
that this principle of

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protecting any
investigation from any

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sort of political
interference is

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critically important.

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The rule of law
is paramount.

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And people should be
judged by the rule of law

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00:11:40,266 --> 00:11:42,406
without regard to their
partisan affiliation or

254
00:11:42,401 --> 00:11:43,871
their political standing.

255
00:11:43,869 --> 00:11:46,339
And that is a principle
that's worth protecting.

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00:11:46,338 --> 00:11:49,608
It's a principle that both
the President and the

257
00:11:49,608 --> 00:11:51,608
Attorney General
are committed to.

258
00:11:51,610 --> 00:11:53,610
The Press: So you said
that she answered

259
00:11:53,612 --> 00:11:54,752
questions about it.

260
00:11:54,747 --> 00:11:58,187
I don't know -- if
there's any question of

261
00:11:58,184 --> 00:12:03,224
impropriety, who would
stop at just asking the

262
00:12:03,222 --> 00:12:05,192
person who was involved in
that, or if a mistake was made?

263
00:12:05,191 --> 00:12:08,831
So does the President have
a question for her about

264
00:12:08,828 --> 00:12:10,258
this meeting?

265
00:12:10,262 --> 00:12:12,302
Mr. Earnest: Well, I
haven't spoken to the

266
00:12:12,298 --> 00:12:14,298
President about this
particular matter.

267
00:12:14,300 --> 00:12:16,300
But again, the President's
expectation is that this

268
00:12:16,302 --> 00:12:18,302
is an investigation that
will be guided by the

269
00:12:18,304 --> 00:12:19,304
facts, not by politics.

270
00:12:19,305 --> 00:12:25,645
And we've been gratified
to see other senior

271
00:12:25,644 --> 00:12:27,644
officials at the
Department of Justice,

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00:12:27,646 --> 00:12:29,646
including the Attorney
General and the FBI

273
00:12:29,648 --> 00:12:31,648
Director, indicate that
that's a priority for

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00:12:31,650 --> 00:12:32,650
them, as well.

275
00:12:32,651 --> 00:12:34,651
The Press: You just talked
about how important it is

276
00:12:34,653 --> 00:12:37,123
for people to see things
being handled properly so

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00:12:37,123 --> 00:12:40,523
that there is no erosion
in public confidence.

278
00:12:40,526 --> 00:12:43,866
But Democrats today --
some -- are also saying

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00:12:43,863 --> 00:12:46,803
that just the optics of
this, that they should

280
00:12:46,799 --> 00:12:48,639
have known better.

281
00:12:48,634 --> 00:12:50,304
You're talking about that
potential of erosion

282
00:12:50,302 --> 00:12:51,702
in confidence.

283
00:12:51,704 --> 00:12:54,374
Doesn't this have the
potential to do that, as well?

284
00:12:54,373 --> 00:12:58,613
Mr. Earnest: Well, listen,
I think -- again, I think

285
00:12:58,611 --> 00:13:02,081
what should give people
confidence is the 30-year

286
00:13:02,081 --> 00:13:04,421
career that Attorney
General Lynch has in

287
00:13:04,416 --> 00:13:07,316
keeping the public's
trust, and making sure

288
00:13:07,319 --> 00:13:11,689
that she continues to be
an effective advocate for

289
00:13:11,690 --> 00:13:15,060
the rule of law and for
the fair administration

290
00:13:15,060 --> 00:13:16,430
of justice.

291
00:13:16,428 --> 00:13:18,428
She's done that
throughout her career.

292
00:13:18,430 --> 00:13:20,430
She's done that in the
Office of the Attorney General.

293
00:13:22,835 --> 00:13:26,835
And again, when it comes
to appearances, she was

294
00:13:26,839 --> 00:13:29,639
asked very directly
about the meeting.

295
00:13:29,642 --> 00:13:31,642
And she answered the
question very directly.

296
00:13:34,146 --> 00:13:36,146
So for what impact
that may have on the

297
00:13:36,148 --> 00:13:38,148
investigation, I'm just
not going to comment on

298
00:13:38,150 --> 00:13:41,550
that because I don't want
to be in a position of

299
00:13:41,554 --> 00:13:43,554
second-guessing an
investigation that, quite

300
00:13:43,556 --> 00:13:45,556
frankly, I haven't
been briefed on.

301
00:13:45,558 --> 00:13:48,528
The Press: But we're
not talking about the

302
00:13:48,527 --> 00:13:50,267
investigation itself.

303
00:13:50,262 --> 00:13:51,302
We're talking about --

304
00:13:51,297 --> 00:13:52,227
Mr. Earnest: I think
that's the question that

305
00:13:52,231 --> 00:13:53,261
you're raising, is what
potential impact does this

306
00:13:53,265 --> 00:13:53,895
optic have on the
investigation.

307
00:13:53,899 --> 00:13:54,939
And again, I'm just --

308
00:13:54,934 --> 00:13:55,564
The Press: Well,
you raised --

309
00:13:55,568 --> 00:13:56,298
Mr. Earnest: I'm not
going to talk about it.

310
00:13:56,302 --> 00:13:58,742
The Press: You raise the
appearance which could

311
00:13:58,737 --> 00:14:01,707
lead to an erosion of
public confidence in

312
00:14:01,707 --> 00:14:03,777
that process.

313
00:14:03,776 --> 00:14:06,716
That doesn't mean the
process itself is tainted.

314
00:14:06,712 --> 00:14:09,552
But you spoke to the
erosion of public confidence.

315
00:14:09,548 --> 00:14:13,988
So if you seem satisfied
with what the Attorney

316
00:14:13,986 --> 00:14:16,686
General said about the
meeting, why will you not

317
00:14:16,689 --> 00:14:19,329
say that you're okay that
that meeting happened,

318
00:14:19,325 --> 00:14:20,695
that you don't have
a problem with that?

319
00:14:20,693 --> 00:14:22,893
Mr. Earnest: Well, what
I'm saying is simply --

320
00:14:22,895 --> 00:14:25,095
when I was talking about
the erosion of the public

321
00:14:25,097 --> 00:14:27,737
trust, what I said is
public trust would be

322
00:14:27,733 --> 00:14:31,733
eroded if it were -- if
people were not making an

323
00:14:31,737 --> 00:14:36,347
effort to make clear that
these investigations

324
00:14:36,342 --> 00:14:38,442
should not be
influenced by politics.

325
00:14:38,444 --> 00:14:41,914
And the Attorney General,
the Director of the FBI,

326
00:14:41,914 --> 00:14:44,014
other senior officials at
the Department of Justice

327
00:14:44,016 --> 00:14:46,016
and the President of the
United States have all

328
00:14:46,018 --> 00:14:48,088
indicated that the rule
of law is paramount, that

329
00:14:48,087 --> 00:14:51,057
people should be subject
to the rule of law without

330
00:14:51,056 --> 00:14:53,056
regard to their political
standing or their

331
00:14:53,058 --> 00:14:56,628
political party or
their poll numbers.

332
00:14:56,629 --> 00:15:01,029
That is a principle that
we should all subscribe to.

333
00:15:01,033 --> 00:15:03,033
And the President, and the
Attorney General, and the

334
00:15:03,035 --> 00:15:04,405
Director of
the FBI all do.

335
00:15:04,403 --> 00:15:07,273
The Press: But just to be
clear, you're not saying

336
00:15:07,273 --> 00:15:09,173
then that the President
and the White House is

337
00:15:09,174 --> 00:15:12,344
fine with this meeting
having happened the way it did.

338
00:15:12,344 --> 00:15:14,884
Mr. Earnest: Again, I did
not attend the meeting.

339
00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:17,820
But Attorney General Lynch
did, and she's spoken

340
00:15:17,816 --> 00:15:21,616
directly to how the
meeting came about and

341
00:15:21,620 --> 00:15:24,160
what was discussed.

342
00:15:24,156 --> 00:15:25,256
The Press: We are talking
optics here, though, not

343
00:15:25,257 --> 00:15:26,897
the content of
that meeting.

344
00:15:26,892 --> 00:15:30,392
Just the optics
themselves.

345
00:15:30,396 --> 00:15:30,866
I hate that word, but
that's what everybody is

346
00:15:30,863 --> 00:15:31,193
talking about.

347
00:15:31,196 --> 00:15:31,666
Mr. Earnest: Yes.

348
00:15:31,664 --> 00:15:33,034
The Press: So the
appearance, you're okay

349
00:15:33,032 --> 00:15:36,972
with the fact that this
meeting has raised

350
00:15:36,969 --> 00:15:38,669
that question?

351
00:15:38,671 --> 00:15:41,671
Are you concerned that
that appearance has --

352
00:15:41,674 --> 00:15:43,674
Mr. Earnest: I'll let the
Attorney General speak to

353
00:15:43,676 --> 00:15:46,146
her meetings.

354
00:15:46,145 --> 00:15:49,685
But what is paramount in
the mind of the President

355
00:15:49,682 --> 00:15:51,682
is a commitment to
the rule of law and a

356
00:15:51,684 --> 00:15:53,684
commitment to ensuring
that justice is

357
00:15:53,686 --> 00:15:56,426
administered without
regard to political

358
00:15:56,422 --> 00:15:58,762
affiliation or
political standing.

359
00:15:58,757 --> 00:15:59,757
Justin.

360
00:15:59,758 --> 00:16:01,758
The Press: I'm wondering
after some of the

361
00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:03,760
information that's come
out in the last 24 hours

362
00:16:03,762 --> 00:16:05,302
if you guys are any closer
to making a determination

363
00:16:05,297 --> 00:16:08,737
on who's responsible for
the terror attack in

364
00:16:08,734 --> 00:16:11,834
Turkey yesterday
-- or two days ago.

365
00:16:11,837 --> 00:16:15,477
Mr. Earnest: Yes, listen,
this is something that the

366
00:16:15,474 --> 00:16:17,914
CIA Director has
talked about.

367
00:16:17,910 --> 00:16:20,750
I don't have any new
information to share or an

368
00:16:20,746 --> 00:16:24,416
additional updated
intelligence assessment to

369
00:16:24,416 --> 00:16:25,416
offer from here.

370
00:16:25,417 --> 00:16:27,987
But when Director Brennan
was talking about this

371
00:16:27,986 --> 00:16:30,786
yesterday, he indicated
that this attack "bears

372
00:16:30,789 --> 00:16:33,059
the hallmarks of
ISIL's depravity."

373
00:16:33,058 --> 00:16:36,358
I think that's an
indication of what the

374
00:16:36,362 --> 00:16:39,202
intelligence community
has assessed thus far.

375
00:16:39,198 --> 00:16:44,238
But I don't think that is
-- obviously, that is not

376
00:16:44,236 --> 00:16:48,946
a definitive analysis.

377
00:16:48,941 --> 00:16:51,341
U.S. officials are certainly
using all of the

378
00:16:51,343 --> 00:16:53,343
information and all the
tools at our disposal to

379
00:16:53,345 --> 00:16:55,345
learn as much as we can
about this particular

380
00:16:55,347 --> 00:16:57,347
situation -- useful
information we will

381
00:16:57,349 --> 00:16:59,349
readily share with our
NATO allies, the Turks, as

382
00:16:59,351 --> 00:17:02,421
they conduct this
investigation.

383
00:17:02,421 --> 00:17:04,421
So I don't mean to leave
you with the impression

384
00:17:04,423 --> 00:17:06,423
that we're not
interested in it.

385
00:17:06,425 --> 00:17:08,725
We are quite keenly
interested in

386
00:17:08,727 --> 00:17:10,727
understanding exactly
what happened.

387
00:17:10,729 --> 00:17:13,269
But this is an
investigation that's being

388
00:17:13,265 --> 00:17:15,265
led by the Turks.

389
00:17:17,035 --> 00:17:20,235
And we stand with them
as they conduct this

390
00:17:20,239 --> 00:17:22,239
investigation and take the
steps that are necessary

391
00:17:22,241 --> 00:17:24,241
to safeguard their country
and their citizens.

392
00:17:24,243 --> 00:17:26,543
The Press: Given that, and
given that the Turks I

393
00:17:26,545 --> 00:17:28,315
think have leaned
even harder into the

394
00:17:28,313 --> 00:17:31,953
possibility that ISIS is
responsible for this, I'm

395
00:17:31,950 --> 00:17:33,950
wondering if in the
conversation between

396
00:17:33,952 --> 00:17:36,822
Presidents Obama and
Erdogan, if there was any

397
00:17:36,822 --> 00:17:38,762
signal from the Turks
that they were going to

398
00:17:38,757 --> 00:17:41,027
intensify their
efforts against ISIS.

399
00:17:41,026 --> 00:17:44,696
It's obviously been a
point of some tension

400
00:17:44,696 --> 00:17:45,896
between the two
Presidents.

401
00:17:45,898 --> 00:17:49,298
So I'm wondering if
you're expecting sort of

402
00:17:49,301 --> 00:17:51,101
additional
actions by Turkey.

403
00:17:51,103 --> 00:17:52,743
Mr. Earnest: Well, I
don't have any additional

404
00:17:52,738 --> 00:17:54,738
actions to preview or
additional details from

405
00:17:54,740 --> 00:17:55,740
the call to share.

406
00:17:55,741 --> 00:18:00,241
What I will just reiterate
is how important a role

407
00:18:00,245 --> 00:18:02,385
the Turks have played
in our counter-ISIL coalition.

408
00:18:02,381 --> 00:18:06,151
And that is everything
from taking steps to more

409
00:18:06,151 --> 00:18:09,151
effectively close their
border with Syria, to

410
00:18:09,154 --> 00:18:11,754
giving U.S.

411
00:18:11,757 --> 00:18:17,727
and coalition military
pilots access to military

412
00:18:17,729 --> 00:18:20,069
installations inside of
Turkey that makes our

413
00:18:20,065 --> 00:18:22,535
military operations
against ISIL in Syria more

414
00:18:22,534 --> 00:18:24,104
efficient and
more effective.

415
00:18:24,102 --> 00:18:26,172
So Turkey has played
an important role.

416
00:18:26,171 --> 00:18:28,311
They're a valuable member
of our counter-ISIL coalition.

417
00:18:28,307 --> 00:18:30,907
You'll recall that it
wasn't that long ago that

418
00:18:30,909 --> 00:18:33,709
all of you were asking me
rather pointed questions

419
00:18:33,712 --> 00:18:37,152
about why Turkey wasn't
more involved in our

420
00:18:37,149 --> 00:18:40,089
efforts against ISIL, and
since that time we have

421
00:18:40,085 --> 00:18:45,095
seen the Turks become more
active, more cooperative,

422
00:18:45,090 --> 00:18:47,230
and more effective in
supporting our efforts to

423
00:18:47,226 --> 00:18:49,226
degrade and ultimately
destroy ISIL.

424
00:18:49,228 --> 00:18:52,268
The Press: If I could turn
to the campaign, obviously

425
00:18:52,264 --> 00:18:53,234
we heard the announcement
yesterday that the

426
00:18:53,232 --> 00:18:55,702
President is going
down to North Carolina.

427
00:18:55,701 --> 00:18:58,771
I wonder if you could talk
a little bit about the

428
00:18:58,770 --> 00:19:00,570
significance of North
Carolina as the first

429
00:19:00,572 --> 00:19:04,272
stop, and specifically,
I guess, if it's an

430
00:19:04,276 --> 00:19:07,016
indication that the
President, Hillary

431
00:19:07,012 --> 00:19:10,382
Clinton, and Democrats
are now kind of playing

432
00:19:10,382 --> 00:19:11,952
offense instead
of defense.

433
00:19:11,950 --> 00:19:13,720
She's going to a state
that he won once but is

434
00:19:13,719 --> 00:19:16,889
traditionally a Republican
state, versus Wisconsin,

435
00:19:16,889 --> 00:19:20,059
which is kind of a
Democratic stronghold.

436
00:19:20,058 --> 00:19:22,928
Mr. Earnest: Well, listen,
for the electoral strategy

437
00:19:22,928 --> 00:19:24,328
of the campaign, I'd
refer you to the

438
00:19:24,329 --> 00:19:25,829
Clinton operation.

439
00:19:25,831 --> 00:19:28,531
They can obviously speak
to this in much more

440
00:19:28,534 --> 00:19:29,804
detail than I can.

441
00:19:29,801 --> 00:19:31,801
I think there are some
relevant facts that I'm

442
00:19:31,803 --> 00:19:33,803
happy to point out, which
is that the President in

443
00:19:33,805 --> 00:19:35,805
2008 did win the state
of North Carolina.

444
00:19:35,807 --> 00:19:37,807
He was the first Democrat
in some time to do so.

445
00:19:39,945 --> 00:19:41,945
Obviously, the President
decided to hold the

446
00:19:41,947 --> 00:19:43,947
Democratic Convention in
Charlotte, North Carolina

447
00:19:43,949 --> 00:19:46,819
in 2012 when he was
running for reelection.

448
00:19:46,818 --> 00:19:49,618
And it was an indication
of the kind of political

449
00:19:49,621 --> 00:19:51,691
support that the President
retains in that state.

450
00:19:51,690 --> 00:19:56,700
So he obviously is proud
of all that support.

451
00:19:56,695 --> 00:20:03,735
But how this factors
into Secretary Clinton's

452
00:20:03,735 --> 00:20:08,275
campaign strategy,
I'd refer you to her operation.

453
00:20:08,273 --> 00:20:10,413
The Press: And I just
wanted to parse one more

454
00:20:10,409 --> 00:20:12,579
bit of the President's
remarks yesterday when he

455
00:20:12,578 --> 00:20:17,318
was talking about
politicians, it was during

456
00:20:17,316 --> 00:20:19,586
this sort of
sermon on populism.

457
00:20:19,585 --> 00:20:21,985
Mr. Earnest: The
self-described rant.

458
00:20:21,987 --> 00:20:22,987
The Press: Yes.

459
00:20:22,988 --> 00:20:27,758
And he said some of the
policies or positions that

460
00:20:27,759 --> 00:20:29,859
have been forwarded,
presumably by Donald

461
00:20:29,861 --> 00:20:34,171
Trump, or Republicans,
weren't nativism or xenophobia.

462
00:20:34,166 --> 00:20:37,236
He said, it wasn't
populism but nativism,

463
00:20:37,235 --> 00:20:38,935
xenophobia or worse.

464
00:20:38,937 --> 00:20:42,177
And I'm wondering
what that worse is?

465
00:20:42,174 --> 00:20:45,414
I think pretty
obviously it is racism.

466
00:20:45,410 --> 00:20:47,310
And so if the President
believes that these

467
00:20:47,312 --> 00:20:50,712
policies are racist, why
he won't just say that, or

468
00:20:50,716 --> 00:20:53,556
if he will say that he
believes Donald Trump's

469
00:20:53,552 --> 00:20:54,822
policies are racist.

470
00:20:54,820 --> 00:21:00,060
Mr. Earnest: Well, look,
I think the President's

471
00:21:00,058 --> 00:21:02,458
words speak pretty
clearly for themselves.

472
00:21:02,461 --> 00:21:04,461
So I don't think I'll
elaborate on them at

473
00:21:04,463 --> 00:21:05,463
great length.

474
00:21:05,464 --> 00:21:11,004
The President also noted
that this kind of rhetoric

475
00:21:11,003 --> 00:21:13,603
was rather cynical.

476
00:21:13,605 --> 00:21:18,575
And the reason he used
that word is that the

477
00:21:21,446 --> 00:21:23,446
President believes that
the policies that are

478
00:21:23,448 --> 00:21:26,018
being pursued by this
administration are the

479
00:21:26,018 --> 00:21:29,918
ones that are most
effective in advancing the

480
00:21:29,921 --> 00:21:31,361
interests of middle-class
families across the country.

481
00:21:31,356 --> 00:21:34,096
And the President spoke at
this at some length, as

482
00:21:34,092 --> 00:21:40,302
well, in terms of our
efforts to regulate Wall

483
00:21:40,298 --> 00:21:44,338
Street, to reform the
health care system to

484
00:21:44,336 --> 00:21:46,336
ensure that more Americans
would have access to

485
00:21:46,338 --> 00:21:49,138
quality, affordable
health insurance.

486
00:21:49,141 --> 00:21:51,241
These are all policy
decisions that the

487
00:21:51,243 --> 00:21:56,853
President made with
middle-class families and

488
00:21:56,848 --> 00:21:58,848
those families that are
trying to get into the

489
00:21:58,850 --> 00:21:59,850
middle class in mind.

490
00:21:59,851 --> 00:22:01,851
He made these decisions
and set these as

491
00:22:01,853 --> 00:22:05,523
priorities with the
American people in mind,

492
00:22:05,524 --> 00:22:10,224
even though those kinds of
steps have been regarded

493
00:22:10,228 --> 00:22:15,838
with some controversy by
those at the top, by those

494
00:22:15,834 --> 00:22:18,274
with the most influence in
Washington, D.C., by those

495
00:22:18,270 --> 00:22:20,270
with the most influence
on Wall Street.

496
00:22:20,272 --> 00:22:22,272
You might even call
them the elite.

497
00:22:25,677 --> 00:22:28,877
That's why the President
believes it's cynical to

498
00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:34,520
suggest that opposing
those kinds of policies is

499
00:22:34,519 --> 00:22:36,659
somehow in the best
interest of the American people.

500
00:22:36,655 --> 00:22:38,755
It's not.

501
00:22:38,757 --> 00:22:43,767
And so for somebody who
ran on a campaign platform

502
00:22:50,802 --> 00:22:56,912
that was rooted in hope,
labeling something cynical

503
00:22:56,908 --> 00:23:02,048
I think should be viewed
as a pretty harsh criticism.

504
00:23:02,047 --> 00:23:02,917
The Press: Sure.

505
00:23:02,914 --> 00:23:05,084
Is the implication here
that they're cynical for

506
00:23:05,083 --> 00:23:10,023
forwarding policies
that would help elites?

507
00:23:10,021 --> 00:23:13,521
Or is what you're really
saying, the use of racist

508
00:23:13,525 --> 00:23:16,495
language, the President
believes -- the President

509
00:23:16,495 --> 00:23:18,095
believes that Donald Trump
is using racist language

510
00:23:18,096 --> 00:23:23,936
cynically for electoral
gain, but is not perhaps

511
00:23:23,935 --> 00:23:24,935
actually racist?

512
00:23:24,936 --> 00:23:25,806
I'm trying to --

513
00:23:25,804 --> 00:23:28,574
Mr. Earnest: The cynicism
-- what I'm trying to say

514
00:23:28,573 --> 00:23:32,883
is the cynicism is rooted
in the idea that there are

515
00:23:32,878 --> 00:23:37,018
people who have opposed
for political reasons

516
00:23:37,015 --> 00:23:39,015
policies that this
administration has put

517
00:23:39,017 --> 00:23:41,017
forward that have
obviously benefitted the

518
00:23:41,019 --> 00:23:42,859
American people.

519
00:23:42,854 --> 00:23:46,724
Twenty million Americans
-- 20 million more

520
00:23:46,725 --> 00:23:48,695
Americans have gotten
access to health insurance

521
00:23:48,693 --> 00:23:50,693
coverage after the
Affordable Care Act went

522
00:23:50,695 --> 00:23:52,695
into effect.

523
00:23:54,633 --> 00:23:58,873
Our economy has grown
significantly and become

524
00:23:58,870 --> 00:24:04,440
more stable after Wall
Street reform went into effect.

525
00:24:04,442 --> 00:24:06,012
These are just
two examples.

526
00:24:06,011 --> 00:24:07,111
There are many others.

527
00:24:07,112 --> 00:24:09,882
The President cited the
auto industry yesterday as

528
00:24:09,881 --> 00:24:11,381
another example of this.

529
00:24:11,383 --> 00:24:15,323
Again, these are all
policies that were opposed

530
00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:21,590
for partisan reason by
Republicans even though

531
00:24:21,593 --> 00:24:24,763
they've had significant
and well-documented

532
00:24:24,763 --> 00:24:28,233
benefits for the
American people.

533
00:24:28,233 --> 00:24:35,773
So for partisan reasons to
oppose those policies and

534
00:24:35,774 --> 00:24:38,744
put forward alternatives
-- Republicans haven't

535
00:24:38,743 --> 00:24:40,683
really put forward
alternatives -- but to say

536
00:24:40,679 --> 00:24:42,349
that they're opposed to
those policies because

537
00:24:42,347 --> 00:24:45,047
they're populist
is cynical.

538
00:24:45,050 --> 00:24:46,750
It's also just not true.

539
00:24:46,751 --> 00:24:48,991
And I think that is the
point that the President

540
00:24:48,987 --> 00:24:50,087
is making.

541
00:24:50,088 --> 00:24:51,428
There are plenty of other
people who have raised

542
00:24:51,423 --> 00:24:59,063
concerns about what
potentially -- what others

543
00:24:59,064 --> 00:25:05,004
have described as racially
tinged remarks on the

544
00:25:05,003 --> 00:25:08,803
campaign trail.

545
00:25:08,807 --> 00:25:11,047
Those are other
people's words.

546
00:25:11,042 --> 00:25:12,742
That's not a word that
the President chose.

547
00:25:12,744 --> 00:25:14,084
So I think the President
chose his words, as you

548
00:25:14,079 --> 00:25:16,419
noted, quite carefully.

549
00:25:16,414 --> 00:25:17,144
Jordan.

550
00:25:17,148 --> 00:25:19,348
The Press: One more on
the President's rant yesterday.

551
00:25:19,351 --> 00:25:22,591
He named himself
as a populist.

552
00:25:22,587 --> 00:25:25,157
He named Bernie
Sanders as a populist.

553
00:25:25,156 --> 00:25:28,396
He did not name Secretary
Clinton as a populist.

554
00:25:28,393 --> 00:25:30,263
Does he believe that
Secretary Clinton is a populist?

555
00:25:30,262 --> 00:25:32,932
And I'm wondering why
her name was left out of there.

556
00:25:32,931 --> 00:25:34,931
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
the point is -- I think

557
00:25:34,933 --> 00:25:37,733
the reason -- the point
that the President was

558
00:25:37,736 --> 00:25:41,876
trying to make is, again,
when it comes to a fair

559
00:25:41,873 --> 00:25:44,813
evaluation of the policies
championed by this

560
00:25:44,809 --> 00:25:46,879
administration and the
impact they've had on the

561
00:25:46,878 --> 00:25:51,718
American people, I
think the President is

562
00:25:51,716 --> 00:25:54,216
suggesting that people who
are looking to apply the

563
00:25:54,219 --> 00:25:56,759
populism label could
fairly apply it to the

564
00:25:56,755 --> 00:25:59,325
administration based
on the fact these are

565
00:25:59,324 --> 00:26:01,794
policies that benefit
the American people even

566
00:26:01,793 --> 00:26:03,793
though they were harshly
criticized by the elite.

567
00:26:06,064 --> 00:26:09,034
That's a pretty fair
analysis of what's

568
00:26:09,034 --> 00:26:11,474
been happening.

569
00:26:11,469 --> 00:26:17,179
And the point is, the
reason that the President

570
00:26:17,175 --> 00:26:22,145
cited Senator Sanders
is there are several

571
00:26:25,650 --> 00:26:31,320
instances or policy areas
where Senator Sanders

572
00:26:31,323 --> 00:26:33,323
recommends going
even farther.

573
00:26:39,164 --> 00:26:44,404
That is different than the
arguments that are made by

574
00:26:44,402 --> 00:26:49,372
some Republicans to go in
the opposite direction.

575
00:26:52,243 --> 00:26:54,683
That's why the President
believes it's cynical for

576
00:26:54,679 --> 00:26:56,679
those who want to go in
the opposite direction to

577
00:26:56,681 --> 00:26:58,851
describe themselves as
populist, or to have

578
00:26:58,850 --> 00:27:01,950
impartial arbiters use
a shorthand for their

579
00:27:01,953 --> 00:27:05,223
criticism of the President
as populist criticism.

580
00:27:05,223 --> 00:27:06,223
It's just inaccurate.

581
00:27:06,224 --> 00:27:09,164
And I think that is
the broader point.

582
00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:11,230
When it comes to Secretary
Clinton, I'll let her

583
00:27:11,229 --> 00:27:14,469
speak for herself
to describe her own philosophy.

584
00:27:14,466 --> 00:27:19,476
But again, my guess is,
given the fact that she

585
00:27:23,875 --> 00:27:28,645
has been an outspoken
advocate for building on

586
00:27:28,646 --> 00:27:31,746
the progress that our
country has enjoyed under

587
00:27:31,750 --> 00:27:36,760
President Obama's
leadership, that you could

588
00:27:40,258 --> 00:27:42,298
probably fairly apply
that label to her, too.

589
00:27:42,293 --> 00:27:46,263
But that's something that
her team should speak to.

590
00:27:46,264 --> 00:27:47,194
Mark.

591
00:27:47,198 --> 00:27:49,368
The Press: Josh, was that
rant -- self-described

592
00:27:49,367 --> 00:27:52,407
rant -- totally
spontaneous?

593
00:27:52,404 --> 00:27:57,474
Or has he been waiting for
an opportunity to vent on

594
00:27:57,475 --> 00:27:58,945
the issue of populism?

595
00:27:58,943 --> 00:28:01,943
Mr. Earnest: Well, Mark,
I'll just tell you what I

596
00:28:01,946 --> 00:28:04,186
noticed when I was there
yesterday, is I noticed at

597
00:28:04,182 --> 00:28:06,322
one point during the news
conference, the President

598
00:28:06,317 --> 00:28:08,317
did take out his pen and
start making some notes to

599
00:28:08,319 --> 00:28:10,319
himself while the other
leaders were talking.

600
00:28:10,321 --> 00:28:13,161
And I assume that's where
he was -- something had

601
00:28:13,158 --> 00:28:15,158
prompted him to
think about this.

602
00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:19,760
And so, yes, this was
something that the

603
00:28:19,764 --> 00:28:21,764
President delivered
extemporaneously.

604
00:28:21,766 --> 00:28:23,766
I don't think this is the
first time the President

605
00:28:23,768 --> 00:28:26,068
had thought about it, but
something in the context

606
00:28:26,071 --> 00:28:29,971
of the discussion at
the news conference had

607
00:28:29,974 --> 00:28:31,574
returned him to
this thinking.

608
00:28:31,576 --> 00:28:33,576
And he clearly had jotted
down some notes in his

609
00:28:33,578 --> 00:28:35,678
book and took advantage of
the opportunity at the end

610
00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:37,680
of the news conference
to share his thoughts.

611
00:28:37,682 --> 00:28:39,752
The Press: Do you believe
there might be more rants

612
00:28:39,751 --> 00:28:40,281
in the pipeline?

613
00:28:40,285 --> 00:28:41,855
(laughter)

614
00:28:41,853 --> 00:28:45,793
Mr. Earnest: Considering
we've got another six and

615
00:28:45,790 --> 00:28:47,790
a half months to go before
the end of the presidency,

616
00:28:47,792 --> 00:28:51,492
I think it's likely we're
all going to get to enjoy

617
00:28:51,496 --> 00:28:52,496
at least one more.

618
00:28:52,497 --> 00:28:55,537
The Press: He indicated
that he feels liberated at

619
00:28:55,533 --> 00:28:58,333
this point in his
presidency to say things

620
00:28:58,336 --> 00:29:01,306
that he might not have
been willing to say four

621
00:29:01,306 --> 00:29:02,306
years earlier.

622
00:29:02,307 --> 00:29:03,307
Is that right?

623
00:29:03,308 --> 00:29:07,108
Mr. Earnest: Well, look, I
think there is a certain

624
00:29:07,112 --> 00:29:09,982
amount of freedom that
politicians enjoy when

625
00:29:09,981 --> 00:29:10,981
they're not on the ballot.

626
00:29:10,982 --> 00:29:14,622
But look, I also think
that what's true is the

627
00:29:14,619 --> 00:29:17,319
President has a
well-earned reputation for

628
00:29:17,322 --> 00:29:21,462
being pretty blunt and
candid and speaking his mind.

629
00:29:21,459 --> 00:29:24,559
And he's got his own
style for doing so that's

630
00:29:24,562 --> 00:29:27,402
dismissed by some of his
critics as professorial.

631
00:29:27,398 --> 00:29:30,568
But I think there are a
lot of other people who

632
00:29:30,568 --> 00:29:33,468
actually find that kind
of argument to be pretty

633
00:29:33,471 --> 00:29:35,741
compelling and persuasive.

634
00:29:35,740 --> 00:29:37,740
But that's something
the President has done

635
00:29:37,742 --> 00:29:38,742
throughout his presidency.

636
00:29:38,743 --> 00:29:42,113
And as somebody who
chronicles the metrics of

637
00:29:42,113 --> 00:29:46,483
the presidency as
carefully as you, my guess

638
00:29:46,484 --> 00:29:48,484
is there are probably a
number of things -- a

639
00:29:48,486 --> 00:29:50,486
number of ticks in the
spreadsheet under the rant

640
00:29:50,488 --> 00:29:52,158
column, if you
decided to create one.

641
00:29:52,157 --> 00:29:53,257
The Press: He'll have
to start his new log.

642
00:29:53,258 --> 00:29:55,928
(laughter)

643
00:29:55,927 --> 00:29:58,727
What can you tell us about
plans for signing the

644
00:29:58,730 --> 00:30:00,500
Puerto Rico bill?

645
00:30:00,498 --> 00:30:02,798
Will there be a signing
ceremony when you get it?

646
00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:06,000
Mr. Earnest: As you saw
from the statement that we

647
00:30:06,004 --> 00:30:08,644
put out last night, we're
obviously pleased that the

648
00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:13,040
Senate has finally
completed the bipartisan

649
00:30:13,044 --> 00:30:16,084
effort to give Puerto
Rican officials the

650
00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:20,690
authority to deal with
their significant

651
00:30:20,685 --> 00:30:21,685
financial problems.

652
00:30:21,686 --> 00:30:23,656
This is important because
this is going to have a

653
00:30:23,655 --> 00:30:25,655
direct impact on the
livelihood of the more

654
00:30:25,657 --> 00:30:27,957
than 3 million Americans
who live in Puerto Rico.

655
00:30:27,959 --> 00:30:30,529
There is a looming
deadline tomorrow, so I

656
00:30:30,528 --> 00:30:34,898
would anticipate that the
President will sign this

657
00:30:34,899 --> 00:30:37,339
piece of legislation into
law shortly after we

658
00:30:37,335 --> 00:30:39,135
receive it.

659
00:30:39,137 --> 00:30:43,947
I don't know if that will
allow us time to organize

660
00:30:43,942 --> 00:30:45,942
a signing ceremony.

661
00:30:45,944 --> 00:30:47,944
But we'll keep you posted,
and we'll let you know as

662
00:30:47,946 --> 00:30:49,946
soon as the President
has signed it.

663
00:30:49,948 --> 00:30:51,148
The Press: What is he
doing all day today?

664
00:30:51,149 --> 00:30:51,819
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
President has got a number

665
00:30:51,816 --> 00:30:53,886
of internal
meetings today.

666
00:30:53,885 --> 00:30:57,955
His schedule is a little
lighter today because his

667
00:30:57,956 --> 00:30:59,956
schedule yesterday,
frankly, was so

668
00:30:59,958 --> 00:31:00,958
jam-packed.

669
00:31:00,959 --> 00:31:02,959
The Press: What do you
think of the chants of

670
00:31:02,961 --> 00:31:04,961
"four more years" in
a foreign parliament?

671
00:31:04,963 --> 00:31:07,333
Mr. Earnest: Yes, I
noticed that, too.

672
00:31:07,332 --> 00:31:08,932
The Press: Did he notice?

673
00:31:08,933 --> 00:31:11,903
Mr. Earnest: Yes,
I'm sure that he did.

674
00:31:15,940 --> 00:31:19,080
From the floor, I was
unable to see his reaction.

675
00:31:19,077 --> 00:31:23,117
I didn't talk to him about
it last night on the way back.

676
00:31:23,114 --> 00:31:27,214
But I'm not aware of any
plans the President has to

677
00:31:27,218 --> 00:31:29,218
run for Prime
Minister of Canada.

678
00:31:29,220 --> 00:31:30,220
The Press: Or
retire there?

679
00:31:30,221 --> 00:31:31,221
Mr. Earnest: Or
retire there.

680
00:31:31,222 --> 00:31:34,762
I think he probably would
-- as lovely as Ottawa was

681
00:31:34,759 --> 00:31:36,759
yesterday, I think the
President would prefer a

682
00:31:36,761 --> 00:31:37,391
warmer climate.

683
00:31:37,395 --> 00:31:38,995
Alex.

684
00:31:38,997 --> 00:31:40,867
The Press: Yesterday, the
President pushed back when

685
00:31:40,865 --> 00:31:44,135
reporters asked him to
weigh in on politics, and

686
00:31:44,135 --> 00:31:48,745
asked President Nieto and
Prime Minister Trudeau.

687
00:31:48,740 --> 00:31:51,380
And he said that it wasn't
-- when he's abroad, it's

688
00:31:51,376 --> 00:31:53,746
not his job to weigh in
on domestic politics.

689
00:31:53,745 --> 00:31:56,885
But the President himself
gave what you said was

690
00:31:56,881 --> 00:31:58,921
that self-described rant,
and then during his

691
00:31:58,916 --> 00:32:01,086
parliament -- speech to
parliament, he talked

692
00:32:01,085 --> 00:32:03,655
about the need not
to rebuild walls.

693
00:32:03,655 --> 00:32:06,625
Didn't the President
himself bring American

694
00:32:06,624 --> 00:32:09,924
politics into the
fore in Canada?

695
00:32:09,927 --> 00:32:12,927
Mr. Earnest: Look, I think
-- the context in which a

696
00:32:12,930 --> 00:32:15,700
lot of these questions
were asked yesterday were

697
00:32:15,700 --> 00:32:21,810
about a broader question
about the sentiment of the

698
00:32:21,806 --> 00:32:23,806
electorate -- not in just
the United States, but

699
00:32:23,808 --> 00:32:26,078
around the world.

700
00:32:26,077 --> 00:32:29,847
And I think there are
questions that have been

701
00:32:29,847 --> 00:32:34,157
raised about what does the
electoral climate in the

702
00:32:34,152 --> 00:32:39,862
UK around the Brexit
vote say about popular

703
00:32:39,857 --> 00:32:41,857
sentiment in the United
States, and voter

704
00:32:41,859 --> 00:32:43,459
sentiment in the
United States.

705
00:32:43,461 --> 00:32:45,561
That's an entirely
legitimate question.

706
00:32:45,563 --> 00:32:50,573
Yes, it has an impact on
the 2016 election, but it

707
00:32:52,970 --> 00:32:56,110
also has a direct impact
on American values and the

708
00:32:56,107 --> 00:32:58,107
kinds of things that
the President has been

709
00:32:58,109 --> 00:33:00,549
fighting for, for the last
seven and a half years

710
00:33:00,545 --> 00:33:02,545
that he's been in
the White House.

711
00:33:02,547 --> 00:33:06,617
So, again, I think it's
impossible to separate the

712
00:33:06,617 --> 00:33:07,657
two, I guess is my point.

713
00:33:07,652 --> 00:33:13,722
So while there might be
some who would say, well,

714
00:33:13,725 --> 00:33:16,895
geez, the President was
taking on the arguments of

715
00:33:16,894 --> 00:33:21,604
the 2016 election, but
what's also true is the

716
00:33:21,599 --> 00:33:25,499
President was taking on
arguments that have been

717
00:33:25,503 --> 00:33:28,643
raised about the core
American values that this

718
00:33:28,639 --> 00:33:29,879
President deeply
believes in.

719
00:33:29,874 --> 00:33:32,314
The Press: And I don't
think that the President

720
00:33:32,310 --> 00:33:33,680
got a chance to answer
Ms. Rampton's question

721
00:33:33,678 --> 00:33:35,978
yesterday about will the
President next week, when

722
00:33:35,980 --> 00:33:38,080
he's campaigning, or along
the cycle with Secretary

723
00:33:38,082 --> 00:33:41,082
Clinton -- will he offer a
full-throated endorsement

724
00:33:41,085 --> 00:33:42,955
of TPP to her supporters.

725
00:33:42,954 --> 00:33:46,224
Is there any chance that
he's willing to pitch the

726
00:33:46,224 --> 00:33:50,194
TPP directly to Secretary
Clinton's supporters?

727
00:33:50,194 --> 00:33:53,934
Mr. Earnest: Look, I don't
have an update on the

728
00:33:53,931 --> 00:33:59,541
remarks at this point, and
I certainly wouldn't rule

729
00:33:59,537 --> 00:34:03,807
out that the President
will make a forceful case

730
00:34:03,808 --> 00:34:07,148
for the shared economic
vision that's advocated

731
00:34:07,145 --> 00:34:10,615
not just by President
Obama but by Democrats

732
00:34:10,615 --> 00:34:12,585
across the country,
including Secretary Clinton.

733
00:34:12,583 --> 00:34:16,453
I don't think the
President is going to make

734
00:34:16,454 --> 00:34:20,224
the case that Secretary
Clinton and he agree on

735
00:34:20,224 --> 00:34:24,324
every single issue, but
I do think he'll make a

736
00:34:24,328 --> 00:34:28,638
pretty persuasive case
about how they have spent

737
00:34:28,633 --> 00:34:30,703
their careers fighting for
the same values and the

738
00:34:30,701 --> 00:34:31,701
same priorities.

739
00:34:31,702 --> 00:34:34,242
The President has always
put those American

740
00:34:34,238 --> 00:34:36,808
families that are in the
middle class and fighting

741
00:34:36,808 --> 00:34:40,378
to get in the middle class
at the center of his

742
00:34:40,378 --> 00:34:43,418
domestic policymaking
agenda, and Secretary

743
00:34:43,414 --> 00:34:44,984
Clinton does
the same thing.

744
00:34:44,982 --> 00:34:46,982
It doesn't mean they
agree on every issue.

745
00:34:46,984 --> 00:34:49,484
But when it comes to their
values and priorities that

746
00:34:49,487 --> 00:34:52,327
are deeply held, they've
got a lot in common.

747
00:34:52,323 --> 00:34:54,323
And I think that will be
the focal point of the

748
00:34:54,325 --> 00:34:55,325
President's
remarks next week.

749
00:34:55,326 --> 00:34:57,196
The Press: The TPP is
emerging as a pretty big

750
00:34:57,195 --> 00:35:00,035
division in the Democratic
Party between President

751
00:35:00,031 --> 00:35:03,431
Obama, and a big brunt
of especially Senator Sanders.

752
00:35:03,434 --> 00:35:06,134
And I'm wondering, will
the President -- if the

753
00:35:06,137 --> 00:35:09,437
Democratic platform is
passed with language

754
00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:12,880
explicitly opposing TPP,
would that change the

755
00:35:12,877 --> 00:35:16,017
President's plans at all
and his attendance at the

756
00:35:16,013 --> 00:35:19,913
convention or his
plans to speak there?

757
00:35:19,917 --> 00:35:21,387
Mr. Earnest: Well, you're
asking a hypothetical

758
00:35:21,385 --> 00:35:23,355
because the platform
hasn't been finalized yet.

759
00:35:23,354 --> 00:35:26,424
But I don't anticipate at
this point any changes to

760
00:35:26,424 --> 00:35:28,424
the President's plan
to participate in the

761
00:35:28,426 --> 00:35:30,626
Democratic convention.

762
00:35:30,628 --> 00:35:31,628
Ron.

763
00:35:31,629 --> 00:35:37,099
The Press: On the attack
in Istanbul, you said the U.S.

764
00:35:37,101 --> 00:35:38,871
isn't sure whether
this was ISIS or not.

765
00:35:38,870 --> 00:35:41,070
Where is the ambiguity and
the uncertainty about that

766
00:35:41,072 --> 00:35:42,612
at this point?

767
00:35:42,607 --> 00:35:45,347
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what I'm relaying, Ron, is

768
00:35:45,343 --> 00:35:47,343
just that there's an
intelligence assessment

769
00:35:47,345 --> 00:35:48,615
that's still
being conducted.

770
00:35:48,613 --> 00:35:50,783
We're trying to learn as
much as we can about what

771
00:35:50,781 --> 00:35:52,781
exactly happened and the
individuals who were

772
00:35:52,783 --> 00:35:55,723
responsible for this
terrible terrorist incident.

773
00:35:55,720 --> 00:35:57,720
I just don't have a lot
of insight to share about

774
00:35:57,722 --> 00:35:58,722
what we know so far.

775
00:35:58,723 --> 00:36:00,723
The Press: And in the
interim, where there's

776
00:36:00,725 --> 00:36:03,095
this uncertainty, is it
safe to say that there's

777
00:36:03,094 --> 00:36:04,994
not been an
American -- U.S.

778
00:36:04,996 --> 00:36:10,136
response to what's
happened directed at ISIS?

779
00:36:10,134 --> 00:36:12,574
Nothing has changed on the
battlefield, if you will,

780
00:36:12,570 --> 00:36:13,570
out there?

781
00:36:13,571 --> 00:36:16,041
Or has something changed
on the battlefield out there?

782
00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:18,040
Mr. Earnest: Well, I guess
that does provide a pretty

783
00:36:18,042 --> 00:36:20,042
good opportunity to start
talking about what is

784
00:36:20,044 --> 00:36:20,944
happening on the
battlefield.

785
00:36:20,945 --> 00:36:21,975
The Press: No, no, I mean,
just in the last 48 hours

786
00:36:21,979 --> 00:36:24,379
or so since this
attack happened.

787
00:36:24,382 --> 00:36:28,322
Again, if you're in this
process of still trying to

788
00:36:28,319 --> 00:36:30,659
evaluate what happened,
has there been something

789
00:36:30,655 --> 00:36:32,995
that has -- has there
been a response or not?

790
00:36:32,990 --> 00:36:35,330
Mr. Earnest: I think we
have seen tremendous

791
00:36:35,326 --> 00:36:37,666
progress that the United
States and our coalition

792
00:36:37,662 --> 00:36:40,562
partners are making
against ISIL in Iraq and

793
00:36:40,565 --> 00:36:41,935
in Syria.

794
00:36:41,933 --> 00:36:43,933
And there was the
announcement earlier this

795
00:36:43,935 --> 00:36:45,905
week by the Iraqi central
government that they had

796
00:36:45,903 --> 00:36:49,303
succeeded in driving ISIL
fighters out of Fallujah.

797
00:36:49,307 --> 00:36:54,277
This was a large priority
of the coalition, in part

798
00:36:54,278 --> 00:36:57,148
because of its
proximity to Baghdad.

799
00:36:57,148 --> 00:37:00,148
And this is an operation
that was more successful

800
00:37:00,151 --> 00:37:02,691
and went more swiftly than
I think most experts

801
00:37:02,687 --> 00:37:03,857
had predicted.

802
00:37:03,854 --> 00:37:06,824
The Press: But all
that is pre-Istanbul.

803
00:37:06,824 --> 00:37:09,624
Mr. Earnest: Again, this
has been a long -- is a

804
00:37:09,627 --> 00:37:12,227
long-planned effort, and
the success was announced

805
00:37:12,229 --> 00:37:14,069
on Monday.

806
00:37:14,065 --> 00:37:16,905
And then there were --
the other thing that has

807
00:37:16,901 --> 00:37:20,301
happened as Iraqi security
forces were working to

808
00:37:20,304 --> 00:37:24,744
clear Fallujah, the United
States and our coalition

809
00:37:24,742 --> 00:37:27,382
partners identified a
large convoy of ISIL

810
00:37:27,378 --> 00:37:32,518
vehicles in Anbar who
appeared to have recently

811
00:37:32,516 --> 00:37:35,486
left Fallujah, and allowed
the United States and our

812
00:37:35,486 --> 00:37:38,486
coalition partners to
carry out strikes against

813
00:37:38,489 --> 00:37:40,489
those vehicles that
resulted in -- we're

814
00:37:40,491 --> 00:37:42,931
talking about two
different convoys, but a

815
00:37:42,927 --> 00:37:46,227
total of more than 150
vehicles being destroyed.

816
00:37:46,230 --> 00:37:47,800
So that, I think, is
a pretty substantial

817
00:37:47,798 --> 00:37:52,738
indication of the kind
of pressure that ISIL is

818
00:37:52,737 --> 00:37:55,607
under, and the success
that we're having in

819
00:37:55,606 --> 00:37:57,876
developing targets and
acting against them in

820
00:37:57,875 --> 00:38:00,075
short order in a way that
is having a material

821
00:38:00,077 --> 00:38:02,317
positive impact on the
fight against ISIL on

822
00:38:02,313 --> 00:38:02,743
the battlefield.

823
00:38:02,747 --> 00:38:03,917
The Press: What about the
reports that the United

824
00:38:03,914 --> 00:38:05,984
States and the Russians
are going to cooperate

825
00:38:05,983 --> 00:38:08,583
more deeply, militarily
in Syria, specifically?

826
00:38:08,586 --> 00:38:10,156
Is that true?

827
00:38:10,154 --> 00:38:12,494
Mr. Earnest: I think what
has been true for a long

828
00:38:12,490 --> 00:38:14,790
time, Ron -- and this was
actually even true before

829
00:38:14,792 --> 00:38:18,592
the Russian military
buildup in Syria last fall

830
00:38:18,596 --> 00:38:21,766
-- is that we talked a lot
about how there was an

831
00:38:21,766 --> 00:38:26,206
opportunity for Russia to
more effectively work with

832
00:38:26,203 --> 00:38:29,143
the United States and our
65 coalition partners to

833
00:38:29,140 --> 00:38:32,710
go after ISIL and to go
after extremists in Syria.

834
00:38:32,710 --> 00:38:34,710
That's been true from
the very beginning.

835
00:38:34,712 --> 00:38:40,052
The reason that that
opportunity has not been

836
00:38:40,051 --> 00:38:42,751
capitalized on is that
Russia has been far more

837
00:38:42,753 --> 00:38:44,893
focused on using their
military might to prop up

838
00:38:44,889 --> 00:38:47,089
Assad than to actually
go after extremists.

839
00:38:47,091 --> 00:38:50,261
And we've said all along
that there is an internal

840
00:38:50,261 --> 00:38:52,461
contradiction in the
Russian strategy.

841
00:38:52,463 --> 00:38:56,403
They say, they claim that
they're quite concerned

842
00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:58,970
about extremists inside of
Syria, but the steps that

843
00:38:58,969 --> 00:39:01,409
they're taking to prop up
the Assad regime and make

844
00:39:01,405 --> 00:39:05,275
a political transition
more difficult makes it

845
00:39:05,276 --> 00:39:07,616
harder for us to deal
with the extremist threat

846
00:39:07,611 --> 00:39:08,581
inside of Syria.

847
00:39:08,579 --> 00:39:10,149
The Press: So is there now
-- is something different now?

848
00:39:10,147 --> 00:39:13,917
Is there an agreement
between the United States

849
00:39:13,918 --> 00:39:18,418
and Russia to cooperate
militarily in Syria?

850
00:39:18,422 --> 00:39:21,522
Mr. Earnest: We have not
seen the Russians -- and

851
00:39:21,525 --> 00:39:23,525
again, I've been saying
this for more than a year,

852
00:39:23,527 --> 00:39:25,997
too -- we have not seen
the Russians demonstrate a

853
00:39:25,996 --> 00:39:30,666
commitment to using their
military might against ISIL.

854
00:39:30,668 --> 00:39:34,338
Instead, they've been much
more focused on propping

855
00:39:34,338 --> 00:39:35,338
up the Assad regime.

856
00:39:35,339 --> 00:39:37,339
And that is a problem
for a variety of reasons

857
00:39:37,341 --> 00:39:40,111
mostly because continuing
to prop up the Assad

858
00:39:40,111 --> 00:39:42,951
regime makes it more
difficult for the world to

859
00:39:42,947 --> 00:39:45,717
address the root cause of
this extremist problem.

860
00:39:45,716 --> 00:39:47,856
So they've got this
internal contradiction in

861
00:39:47,852 --> 00:39:50,252
their strategy that they
have been unable to

862
00:39:50,254 --> 00:39:53,494
explain or resolve for
almost a year now.

863
00:39:53,491 --> 00:39:54,721
The Press: So
nothing has changed.

864
00:39:54,725 --> 00:39:56,665
I understand
the background.

865
00:39:56,660 --> 00:39:58,930
But you're familiar with
these reports that there's

866
00:39:58,929 --> 00:40:01,529
some sort of agreement
that's been reached.

867
00:40:01,532 --> 00:40:03,672
You're familiar with that?

868
00:40:03,667 --> 00:40:06,067
Mr. Earnest: Well, I've
seen -- I saw one report

869
00:40:06,070 --> 00:40:09,170
in the Post this morning
that alluded to all of this.

870
00:40:09,173 --> 00:40:14,913
And what I'm saying is
that I don't have details

871
00:40:14,912 --> 00:40:18,512
about sort of the
behind-the-scenes

872
00:40:18,516 --> 00:40:22,516
diplomacy that is part
of our open line of

873
00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:24,520
communication
with the Russians.

874
00:40:24,522 --> 00:40:28,692
But what hasn't changed is
our basic approach to this

875
00:40:28,692 --> 00:40:32,232
situation, which is we
would welcome a Russian

876
00:40:32,229 --> 00:40:35,969
commitment to working more
closely with the coalition

877
00:40:35,966 --> 00:40:37,966
to degrade and
ultimately destroy ISIL.

878
00:40:37,968 --> 00:40:41,738
I think the 65 members of
our counter-ISIL coalition

879
00:40:41,739 --> 00:40:43,609
would welcome that kind
of participation as well.

880
00:40:43,607 --> 00:40:45,777
The problem has been
that Russia is much more

881
00:40:45,776 --> 00:40:47,776
interested in propping up
Assad than they are in

882
00:40:47,778 --> 00:40:48,778
going after ISIL.

883
00:40:48,779 --> 00:40:53,349
And until that changes,
we've said it's hard to

884
00:40:53,350 --> 00:40:55,350
imagine coordinating
out military efforts.

885
00:40:55,352 --> 00:40:57,352
Now, what we have been
doing thus far is we have

886
00:40:57,354 --> 00:41:00,694
been de-conflicting our
efforts to provide for the

887
00:41:00,691 --> 00:41:04,961
safety of our military
pilots primarily operating

888
00:41:04,962 --> 00:41:07,262
over Syria.

889
00:41:07,264 --> 00:41:10,064
But what has prevented us
from being able to more

890
00:41:10,067 --> 00:41:13,707
effectively coordinate
militarily is that what

891
00:41:13,704 --> 00:41:16,444
the Russians have been
militarily doing is

892
00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,110
propping up Assad and
not going after ISIL.

893
00:41:18,108 --> 00:41:19,848
The Press: There was
a Navy investigation

894
00:41:19,844 --> 00:41:21,544
released on the report
involving the Iranian

895
00:41:21,545 --> 00:41:23,845
military and the
Navy sailors.

896
00:41:23,848 --> 00:41:26,788
It seemed to be -- well,
it was critical of the

897
00:41:26,784 --> 00:41:29,284
Americans, and some saying
they weren't prepared,

898
00:41:29,286 --> 00:41:30,926
there were a litany of
errors, there were a

899
00:41:30,921 --> 00:41:32,761
number of officers and
others disciplined.

900
00:41:32,756 --> 00:41:34,526
What's the White House
reaction to that?

901
00:41:34,525 --> 00:41:37,895
The narrative coming out
of that at the time seemed

902
00:41:37,895 --> 00:41:42,765
much more positive and
supportive of the actions

903
00:41:42,766 --> 00:41:43,566
of the U.S.

904
00:41:43,567 --> 00:41:44,907
military in that context.

905
00:41:44,902 --> 00:41:49,572
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
the immediate aftermath of

906
00:41:49,573 --> 00:41:54,183
this incident was the
relief that we expressed

907
00:41:54,178 --> 00:41:57,818
about the safe return
of our sailors.

908
00:42:01,785 --> 00:42:04,755
But what the Navy has said
since that day back in

909
00:42:04,755 --> 00:42:07,825
January is that they
were going to conduct an

910
00:42:07,825 --> 00:42:10,095
investigation to determine
what exactly had happened.

911
00:42:10,094 --> 00:42:12,864
They briefed the results
of that investigation

912
00:42:12,863 --> 00:42:15,903
earlier today, and I think
there were a number of

913
00:42:15,900 --> 00:42:20,910
Navy personnel who were
reprimanded for the way

914
00:42:23,841 --> 00:42:29,051
that they -- for their
role in the incident.

915
00:42:29,046 --> 00:42:31,046
But for the details of all
that, I'd refer you to the Navy.

916
00:42:31,048 --> 00:42:33,048
I haven't look carefully
at the investigation myself.

917
00:42:33,050 --> 00:42:35,050
The Press: I guess one of
the concerns of it, it

918
00:42:35,052 --> 00:42:36,822
seemed -- the
investigation -- as I read

919
00:42:36,820 --> 00:42:38,490
it quickly before we all
gathered here -- was that

920
00:42:38,489 --> 00:42:40,759
it seemed to suggest that
they were not prepared,

921
00:42:40,758 --> 00:42:44,098
that there was something
systemic that wasn't as it

922
00:42:44,094 --> 00:42:48,764
should be for them to deal
with the situation like

923
00:42:48,766 --> 00:42:51,436
that when they found
themselves in it.

924
00:42:51,435 --> 00:42:56,075
It would suggest training,
leadership, those sort of

925
00:42:56,073 --> 00:42:58,243
structural things, not
necessarily what these

926
00:42:58,242 --> 00:42:59,742
individuals may or
may not have done.

927
00:42:59,743 --> 00:43:01,713
Mr. Earnest: Look, for any
recommendations that the

928
00:43:01,712 --> 00:43:03,712
Navy has, I'm sure that
they will be carefully

929
00:43:03,714 --> 00:43:05,714
considered by policymakers
at the Department of

930
00:43:05,716 --> 00:43:07,716
Defense to make sure
that something like this

931
00:43:07,718 --> 00:43:08,718
doesn't happen again.

932
00:43:08,719 --> 00:43:10,719
But I'm just not aware
of the substance of any

933
00:43:10,721 --> 00:43:11,891
recommendations
they may have made.

934
00:43:11,889 --> 00:43:12,619
Kevin.

935
00:43:12,623 --> 00:43:13,293
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

936
00:43:13,290 --> 00:43:16,390
Can you just give a little
bit more information about

937
00:43:16,393 --> 00:43:18,793
the Iraqi -- the
airstrikes that knocked

938
00:43:18,796 --> 00:43:22,166
out a number of
foreign fighters?

939
00:43:22,166 --> 00:43:24,136
A big number.

940
00:43:24,134 --> 00:43:26,304
And I'm just curious
what you know about it.

941
00:43:26,303 --> 00:43:28,743
Did the President order
that particular strike?

942
00:43:28,739 --> 00:43:30,409
And how soon
was he advised?

943
00:43:30,407 --> 00:43:32,207
Mr. Earnest: Well, Kevin,
this is what I was

944
00:43:32,209 --> 00:43:33,379
alluding to with Ron.

945
00:43:33,377 --> 00:43:36,347
My understanding about the
way this worked is that

946
00:43:36,347 --> 00:43:39,147
ISIL -- I'm sorry, Iraqi
security forces have been

947
00:43:39,149 --> 00:43:41,149
working over the
last several days to

948
00:43:41,151 --> 00:43:43,951
definitively
clear Fallujah.

949
00:43:43,954 --> 00:43:45,954
The Iraqis announced on
Monday that they had

950
00:43:45,956 --> 00:43:48,756
retaken the city, and
there was just an effort

951
00:43:48,759 --> 00:43:54,229
to complete the -- to
essentially assure that

952
00:43:54,231 --> 00:43:58,431
all ISIL elements had been
rooted out of that city.

953
00:43:58,435 --> 00:44:04,705
And what occurred last
night is that coalition

954
00:44:04,708 --> 00:44:10,918
military pilots detected
the movement of two

955
00:44:10,914 --> 00:44:14,284
unusually large convoys
moving away from the

956
00:44:14,284 --> 00:44:19,294
general direction of
Fallujah through the

957
00:44:19,289 --> 00:44:22,129
desert of Anbar Province.

958
00:44:22,126 --> 00:44:26,926
And we've talked before
about how early on in this

959
00:44:26,930 --> 00:44:31,600
campaign we recognized
that ISIL had changed tactics.

960
00:44:31,602 --> 00:44:35,502
ISIL had originally been
showing -- we saw footage

961
00:44:35,506 --> 00:44:39,806
of ISIL moving in large
convoys across Iraq as

962
00:44:39,810 --> 00:44:41,810
they were taking large
territory there back in

963
00:44:41,812 --> 00:44:43,452
the summer of 2014.

964
00:44:43,447 --> 00:44:44,447
As soon as U.S.

965
00:44:44,448 --> 00:44:47,288
military pilots got
involved, they were taking

966
00:44:47,284 --> 00:44:50,284
opportunistic strikes
against those convoys.

967
00:44:50,287 --> 00:44:54,897
ISIL, in response, changed
their tactics and started

968
00:44:54,892 --> 00:44:59,192
moving in much smaller
numbers to present less of

969
00:44:59,196 --> 00:45:04,106
a target to coalition
military pilots.

970
00:45:06,203 --> 00:45:10,143
What happened last
night is that U.S.

971
00:45:10,140 --> 00:45:16,110
coalition pilots spotted
two large convoys, and

972
00:45:16,113 --> 00:45:17,913
they took strikes
against them.

973
00:45:17,915 --> 00:45:20,655
And those strikes
resulted, in the case of

974
00:45:20,651 --> 00:45:23,921
one convoy, of the
destruction of more than

975
00:45:23,921 --> 00:45:25,891
100 vehicles.

976
00:45:25,889 --> 00:45:28,229
In the other convoy that
was identified, more than

977
00:45:28,225 --> 00:45:31,925
50 vehicles
were destroyed.

978
00:45:31,929 --> 00:45:38,439
And I think what this
underscores is the success

979
00:45:38,435 --> 00:45:39,675
that the United States and
our coalition partners are

980
00:45:39,670 --> 00:45:46,980
having in integrating
our intelligence and our

981
00:45:46,977 --> 00:45:48,377
military capabilities.

982
00:45:48,378 --> 00:45:51,348
Being able to quickly spot
these targets, identify

983
00:45:51,348 --> 00:45:55,388
them, and take action
against them is, frankly,

984
00:45:55,385 --> 00:45:57,285
harder than I just
made it sound.

985
00:45:57,287 --> 00:46:00,357
But it's something that
now is clearly happening

986
00:46:00,357 --> 00:46:04,057
quite effectively in
a way that is having a

987
00:46:04,061 --> 00:46:05,131
significant
impact on ISIL.

988
00:46:05,129 --> 00:46:08,829
I think the other thing
that's true is that ISIL

989
00:46:08,832 --> 00:46:10,832
is certainly feeling
under more pressure.

990
00:46:10,834 --> 00:46:12,834
And that has been an
important part of our

991
00:46:12,836 --> 00:46:15,376
strategy, which is to
apply pressure to ISIL

992
00:46:15,372 --> 00:46:18,042
elements in a variety
of different

993
00:46:18,041 --> 00:46:20,011
places simultaneously.

994
00:46:20,010 --> 00:46:23,480
And that's making it
harder for ISIL to

995
00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:24,480
defend themselves.

996
00:46:24,481 --> 00:46:29,451
And this is an example of
why our efforts to expand

997
00:46:33,857 --> 00:46:36,327
the capacity of Iraqi
security forces to make

998
00:46:36,326 --> 00:46:38,696
sure that they're well
integrated with coalition

999
00:46:38,695 --> 00:46:40,695
military pilots, that we
can apply -- we want to

1000
00:46:40,697 --> 00:46:43,637
make sure we can apply
maximum pressure against

1001
00:46:43,634 --> 00:46:44,634
ISIL targets.

1002
00:46:44,635 --> 00:46:46,675
And we saw the benefits to
that approach last night

1003
00:46:46,670 --> 00:46:48,670
in a way that has a
tangible, negative impact

1004
00:46:48,672 --> 00:46:51,442
on ISIL's ability to
continue to fight this fight.

1005
00:46:51,441 --> 00:46:54,381
The Press: For the success
against ISIL, the Taliban

1006
00:46:54,378 --> 00:46:56,648
seems to be enjoying
a bit of a resurgence.

1007
00:46:56,647 --> 00:46:59,817
Can you tell me about the
attack on the cadets in

1008
00:46:59,816 --> 00:47:03,256
Afghanistan there, what
you know about that?

1009
00:47:03,253 --> 00:47:05,723
Mr. Earnest: I got a
briefing on that earlier today.

1010
00:47:05,722 --> 00:47:09,262
My understanding is that
extremists in Afghanistan

1011
00:47:09,259 --> 00:47:14,269
did target some cadets
from the Afghan security forces.

1012
00:47:17,834 --> 00:47:19,834
There were significant
casualties associated with

1013
00:47:19,836 --> 00:47:21,136
that -- dozens
of casualties.

1014
00:47:21,138 --> 00:47:23,138
I'd refer you to the
Afghans for a more

1015
00:47:23,140 --> 00:47:25,340
specific assessment.

1016
00:47:25,342 --> 00:47:27,842
And, look, this is I think
an indication of something

1017
00:47:27,844 --> 00:47:29,814
that we have long
acknowledged, which is

1018
00:47:29,813 --> 00:47:31,813
that security situation
in Afghanistan is quite

1019
00:47:31,815 --> 00:47:33,815
difficult, particularly
in the fighting season.

1020
00:47:37,287 --> 00:47:39,827
But what is true, and what
continues to be true, is

1021
00:47:39,823 --> 00:47:42,993
that the Afghan forces
are showing great

1022
00:47:42,993 --> 00:47:45,193
determination and
resilience, even in the

1023
00:47:45,195 --> 00:47:47,165
face of some setbacks,
like the one that you

1024
00:47:47,164 --> 00:47:49,134
just described.

1025
00:47:49,132 --> 00:47:54,002
And what is important is
the continued commitment

1026
00:47:54,004 --> 00:47:56,474
of the United States
and NATO and other

1027
00:47:56,473 --> 00:47:59,513
international contributors
to the Afghan government

1028
00:47:59,509 --> 00:48:01,049
and the Afghan
security forces.

1029
00:48:01,044 --> 00:48:07,284
The United States and our
coalition partners have

1030
00:48:07,284 --> 00:48:09,454
good partners in the
Afghan government.

1031
00:48:09,453 --> 00:48:11,993
And it's important that we
continue to support them

1032
00:48:11,989 --> 00:48:15,029
both militarily and
economically as they seek

1033
00:48:15,025 --> 00:48:17,025
to both rebuild the
institutions of that

1034
00:48:17,027 --> 00:48:20,627
country but also
strengthen the security

1035
00:48:20,631 --> 00:48:21,601
forces in that country.

1036
00:48:21,598 --> 00:48:23,038
The Press: A bit
of housekeeping.

1037
00:48:23,033 --> 00:48:28,373
The DNI review of the 9/11
Commission's 28 pages, we

1038
00:48:28,372 --> 00:48:30,872
were understanding that
maybe by the end of June

1039
00:48:30,874 --> 00:48:33,144
they would finally have
something that the

1040
00:48:33,143 --> 00:48:34,983
American people
can take a look at.

1041
00:48:34,978 --> 00:48:37,278
Have you gotten an update
on what's happening with that?

1042
00:48:37,281 --> 00:48:39,981
And has the President, as
yet -- because the last

1043
00:48:39,983 --> 00:48:42,123
time you and I spoke, you
said you didn't believe he

1044
00:48:42,119 --> 00:48:44,289
had had a chance to
read those 28 pages.

1045
00:48:44,288 --> 00:48:45,388
Has that changed at all?

1046
00:48:45,389 --> 00:48:46,419
And can you give
me an update?

1047
00:48:46,423 --> 00:48:48,463
Mr. Earnest: Well, this
is a timely reminder.

1048
00:48:48,458 --> 00:48:49,758
It is June
30th, after all.

1049
00:48:49,760 --> 00:48:52,400
And the Director of the
DNI did indicate that he

1050
00:48:52,396 --> 00:48:55,696
expected that they would
have the results of this

1051
00:48:55,699 --> 00:48:58,339
review concluded
by the end of June.

1052
00:48:58,335 --> 00:49:00,335
I haven't gotten an
updated assessment about

1053
00:49:00,337 --> 00:49:02,337
the timeline, so you might
check with his office to

1054
00:49:02,339 --> 00:49:04,179
see where things stand.

1055
00:49:04,174 --> 00:49:08,274
And I don't know that the
President has been briefed

1056
00:49:08,278 --> 00:49:11,278
at this point on the final
conclusions of the DNI.

1057
00:49:11,281 --> 00:49:15,481
But the President, while
not having read the 28

1058
00:49:15,485 --> 00:49:17,485
pages, is aware of their
contents and he has been

1059
00:49:17,487 --> 00:49:19,487
briefed on the contents
of those pages.

1060
00:49:19,489 --> 00:49:21,489
I don't know that he's
necessarily been briefed

1061
00:49:21,491 --> 00:49:24,691
about what the DNI has
concluded is appropriate

1062
00:49:24,695 --> 00:49:25,165
for release.

1063
00:49:25,162 --> 00:49:28,702
The Press: Last, I wanted
to follow up on pretty

1064
00:49:28,699 --> 00:49:31,169
much everybody's
question about optics.

1065
00:49:31,168 --> 00:49:33,738
Would you at least
acknowledge that if you

1066
00:49:33,737 --> 00:49:37,737
have on the one hand
a candidate, a former

1067
00:49:37,741 --> 00:49:40,641
colleague whom you've
endorsed -- we're talking

1068
00:49:40,644 --> 00:49:43,014
about Secretary Clinton;
the President has endorsed

1069
00:49:43,013 --> 00:49:47,353
her -- and his appointed
Attorney General who is

1070
00:49:47,351 --> 00:49:50,021
having social calls
with her husband, the

1071
00:49:50,020 --> 00:49:52,760
President, can you
understand where people

1072
00:49:52,756 --> 00:49:56,056
might feel like not only
does it not look good, it

1073
00:49:56,059 --> 00:49:59,799
makes them worried about
the fact that this is

1074
00:49:59,796 --> 00:50:02,736
going to be an open,
transparent and impartial

1075
00:50:02,733 --> 00:50:05,503
process as the
investigations continue

1076
00:50:05,502 --> 00:50:09,702
into her conduct
regarding the server?

1077
00:50:09,706 --> 00:50:12,776
Mr. Earnest: Well, Kevin,
let me try to answer your

1078
00:50:12,776 --> 00:50:14,476
question this way.

1079
00:50:14,478 --> 00:50:16,478
I think the question
you're asking is entirely

1080
00:50:16,480 --> 00:50:18,480
legitimate, and I think
the question that was

1081
00:50:18,482 --> 00:50:21,122
asked of Attorney General
Lynch was entirely legitimate.

1082
00:50:21,118 --> 00:50:23,118
That's why I think it was
appropriate for her to

1083
00:50:23,120 --> 00:50:25,120
give the direct
answer that she did.

1084
00:50:25,122 --> 00:50:30,092
And I think it was also
important for her to

1085
00:50:30,093 --> 00:50:33,793
continue to demonstrate
her commitment to a

1086
00:50:33,797 --> 00:50:36,997
principle that she has
stood up for in her three

1087
00:50:37,000 --> 00:50:42,010
decades in public service,
and that is the primacy of

1088
00:50:44,374 --> 00:50:45,374
the rule of law.

1089
00:50:45,375 --> 00:50:47,375
The rule of law
is most important.

1090
00:50:47,377 --> 00:50:49,377
We're all subject to it
in the same way, without

1091
00:50:49,379 --> 00:50:51,379
regard to our political
affiliation or our

1092
00:50:51,381 --> 00:50:54,151
partisan affiliation,
without regard to who

1093
00:50:54,151 --> 00:50:56,151
supports us politically
or who opposes us

1094
00:50:56,153 --> 00:50:57,153
politically.

1095
00:50:57,154 --> 00:50:59,154
We're all subject to the
rule of law in the same way.

1096
00:50:59,156 --> 00:51:01,156
And it's important that
investigations are

1097
00:51:01,158 --> 00:51:04,398
conducted consistent with
that principle in mind.

1098
00:51:04,394 --> 00:51:06,394
These kinds of
investigations should be

1099
00:51:06,396 --> 00:51:09,866
conducted in a way that
investigators simply

1100
00:51:09,866 --> 00:51:12,636
follow the facts, they
follow the evidence, and

1101
00:51:12,636 --> 00:51:14,936
they use that to
form conclusions.

1102
00:51:14,938 --> 00:51:18,508
And I guess the one part
of your question that I

1103
00:51:18,508 --> 00:51:20,748
might quibble with a
little bit is, I don't

1104
00:51:20,744 --> 00:51:22,744
think anybody is making
the case that this kind of

1105
00:51:22,746 --> 00:51:26,116
investigation is
transparent right now, but

1106
00:51:26,116 --> 00:51:28,656
what investigators do have
a responsibility to do is,

1107
00:51:28,652 --> 00:51:32,192
once they have conducted
an investigation and

1108
00:51:32,189 --> 00:51:36,929
reached a conclusion, that
there is some explanation

1109
00:51:36,927 --> 00:51:39,927
required in terms of
how they reached

1110
00:51:39,930 --> 00:51:40,930
that conclusion.

1111
00:51:40,931 --> 00:51:42,931
But it's important that
that conclusion not be

1112
00:51:42,933 --> 00:51:45,503
rooted in political
preference, but just be

1113
00:51:45,502 --> 00:51:48,142
rooted in the facts and
the evidence and what the

1114
00:51:48,138 --> 00:51:49,478
law requires.

1115
00:51:49,473 --> 00:51:52,443
That's the way to ensure
the fair administration

1116
00:51:52,442 --> 00:51:53,712
of justice.

1117
00:51:53,710 --> 00:51:55,710
That's something that the
Attorney General has been

1118
00:51:55,712 --> 00:51:59,112
committed to as a career
prosecutor throughout

1119
00:51:59,115 --> 00:52:00,115
her career.

1120
00:52:00,116 --> 00:52:02,116
That's something that
she's been committed to as

1121
00:52:02,118 --> 00:52:03,118
the Attorney General.

1122
00:52:03,119 --> 00:52:05,519
I know it's something that
the FBI Director and all

1123
00:52:05,522 --> 00:52:09,492
those who report to
Director Comey and

1124
00:52:09,493 --> 00:52:11,533
Attorney General Lynch
are committed to.

1125
00:52:11,528 --> 00:52:13,528
That's certainly
consistent with the

1126
00:52:13,530 --> 00:52:15,700
President's expectations
about how this would be handled.

1127
00:52:15,699 --> 00:52:17,699
It's also consistent with
the expectations of the

1128
00:52:17,701 --> 00:52:20,471
American people in terms
of how this should be handled.

1129
00:52:20,470 --> 00:52:23,210
The Press: So we shouldn't
read into the sort of

1130
00:52:23,206 --> 00:52:26,106
social hanging out, if you
will, between the Attorney

1131
00:52:26,109 --> 00:52:28,209
General and the former
President that there's

1132
00:52:28,211 --> 00:52:32,551
nothing there and that
there's nothing to worry about?

1133
00:52:32,549 --> 00:52:35,489
Should we read that
much into this sort

1134
00:52:35,485 --> 00:52:36,925
of gathering?

1135
00:52:36,920 --> 00:52:38,960
Mr. Earnest: I think it is
entirely appropriate for

1136
00:52:38,955 --> 00:52:42,055
journalists like you to
ask the Attorney General

1137
00:52:42,058 --> 00:52:43,728
what she talked about.

1138
00:52:43,727 --> 00:52:46,267
And she answered that
question directly, on the

1139
00:52:46,263 --> 00:52:48,163
record, as soon
as it was asked.

1140
00:52:48,164 --> 00:52:49,204
The Press: Grandkids.

1141
00:52:49,199 --> 00:52:51,969
Mr. Earnest: Yes,
and whatever else.

1142
00:52:51,968 --> 00:52:54,468
So, look, I think that's
an appropriate question to

1143
00:52:54,471 --> 00:52:56,841
ask, and I think it was
appropriate for the

1144
00:52:56,840 --> 00:52:59,310
Attorney General
to answer it.

1145
00:52:59,309 --> 00:53:03,449
But what is clear is the
President's view is that

1146
00:53:03,446 --> 00:53:07,786
no one is above the law,
and everybody should be

1147
00:53:07,784 --> 00:53:11,354
subject to the law in the
same way without regard to

1148
00:53:11,354 --> 00:53:14,694
their political
affiliation or who's

1149
00:53:14,691 --> 00:53:15,261
happened to endorse them.

1150
00:53:15,258 --> 00:53:16,998
The Press: Library
update, by chance?

1151
00:53:16,993 --> 00:53:19,233
There was some reporting
that there might be a

1152
00:53:19,229 --> 00:53:21,729
library announcement on
location specifics today.

1153
00:53:21,731 --> 00:53:24,301
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any of those details.

1154
00:53:24,301 --> 00:53:28,971
The foundation that the
President and First Lady

1155
00:53:28,972 --> 00:53:31,312
have created will handle
any announcements that

1156
00:53:31,308 --> 00:53:32,478
they have to make
on that matter.

1157
00:53:32,475 --> 00:53:33,675
Pam.

1158
00:53:33,677 --> 00:53:34,777
The Press: Thanks.

1159
00:53:34,778 --> 00:53:36,978
Could I just ask something
about Andrews again?

1160
00:53:36,980 --> 00:53:38,680
You mentioned the
importance of training and

1161
00:53:38,682 --> 00:53:41,282
vigilance on
military bases.

1162
00:53:41,284 --> 00:53:45,124
But does it make any sense
to hold an active shooter

1163
00:53:45,121 --> 00:53:48,261
drill so soon after a
major terrorist attack

1164
00:53:48,258 --> 00:53:50,858
when people might be on
edge anyway, and when the

1165
00:53:50,860 --> 00:53:54,160
Vice President is
scheduled to be on the base?

1166
00:53:54,164 --> 00:53:57,404
Mr. Earnest: Pam, I just
don't know the details of

1167
00:53:57,400 --> 00:54:03,210
the way that these kinds
of drills are scheduled,

1168
00:54:03,206 --> 00:54:05,846
so I'd refer you to the
Department of Defense for that.

1169
00:54:05,842 --> 00:54:10,582
But, look, the President
believes that it's

1170
00:54:10,580 --> 00:54:12,580
important to conduct
drills and to do training

1171
00:54:12,582 --> 00:54:15,952
that ensures the safety
of our men and women in uniform.

1172
00:54:15,952 --> 00:54:19,152
The Press: And on gun
control, Speaker Ryan says

1173
00:54:19,155 --> 00:54:22,595
that he's going to hold a
vote on a bill to prevent

1174
00:54:22,592 --> 00:54:24,692
suspected terrorists
from buying guns.

1175
00:54:24,694 --> 00:54:26,464
Does that give you hope
that something like that

1176
00:54:26,463 --> 00:54:29,463
might be able to pass?

1177
00:54:29,466 --> 00:54:32,266
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
the details here are

1178
00:54:32,268 --> 00:54:33,938
rather important.

1179
00:54:33,937 --> 00:54:37,137
We saw claims from people
like Senator Cornyn that

1180
00:54:37,140 --> 00:54:41,240
the legislation that he
had put forward would

1181
00:54:41,244 --> 00:54:44,284
address the questions that
many Americans have raised

1182
00:54:44,280 --> 00:54:46,280
about the wisdom of
allowing people who are on

1183
00:54:46,282 --> 00:54:51,852
the no-fly list
to buy a gun.

1184
00:54:51,855 --> 00:54:55,255
So I think I'd want to
see the details before I

1185
00:54:55,258 --> 00:54:55,888
commented on it.

1186
00:54:55,892 --> 00:55:02,402
But, look, the President
has made this a priority.

1187
00:55:02,399 --> 00:55:04,399
We've certainly
been pleased to see

1188
00:55:04,401 --> 00:55:06,641
congressional Democrats
make it a priority.

1189
00:55:06,636 --> 00:55:08,936
The President's view is a
simple one: If it's too

1190
00:55:08,938 --> 00:55:10,938
dangerous for you to board
a plane, it should be too

1191
00:55:10,940 --> 00:55:12,940
dangerous for
you to buy a gun.

1192
00:55:13,943 --> 00:55:15,943
And that, I think, is a
pretty common-sense notion

1193
00:55:15,945 --> 00:55:20,855
and is something that we
believe shouldn't just get

1194
00:55:20,850 --> 00:55:23,090
a vote, it should pass and
be sent to the President's

1195
00:55:23,086 --> 00:55:24,386
desk so that he can
sign it into law.

1196
00:55:24,387 --> 00:55:26,027
The Press: Do you think
public pressure is now

1197
00:55:26,022 --> 00:55:29,062
kind of moving in that
direction on members

1198
00:55:29,059 --> 00:55:29,689
of Congress?

1199
00:55:29,693 --> 00:55:32,793
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I hope so.

1200
00:55:32,796 --> 00:55:36,236
There's ample public
evidence to indicate that

1201
00:55:36,232 --> 00:55:38,472
a strong majority of
Americans supports these

1202
00:55:38,468 --> 00:55:40,168
kinds of
common-sense steps.

1203
00:55:40,170 --> 00:55:42,170
They support these
common-sense steps because

1204
00:55:42,172 --> 00:55:44,172
they believe that it's
likely to make the country

1205
00:55:44,174 --> 00:55:46,174
a little bit safer and
it doesn't undermine the

1206
00:55:46,176 --> 00:55:48,146
constitutional rights of
law-abiding Americans.

1207
00:55:48,144 --> 00:55:50,214
So it's a pretty
common-sense proposition.

1208
00:55:50,213 --> 00:55:53,413
I'm not surprised to see
that it's got strong

1209
00:55:53,416 --> 00:55:55,416
public support
across the country.

1210
00:55:55,418 --> 00:55:57,418
Not just a majority of
Democrats, but according

1211
00:55:57,420 --> 00:55:59,420
to some polls, even a
majority of Republicans

1212
00:55:59,422 --> 00:56:01,422
and a majority of gun
owners support that kind

1213
00:56:01,424 --> 00:56:04,794
of common-sense approach
to making our communities

1214
00:56:04,794 --> 00:56:07,464
a little safer
from gun violence.

1215
00:56:07,464 --> 00:56:11,034
So, again, we'll see the
details of what the House

1216
00:56:11,034 --> 00:56:14,104
of Representatives is
willing to consider, but

1217
00:56:14,104 --> 00:56:16,104
this is a pretty
common-sense notion and

1218
00:56:16,106 --> 00:56:19,606
it's something that
Congress should act on soon.

1219
00:56:19,609 --> 00:56:20,579
Gregory.

1220
00:56:20,577 --> 00:56:21,177
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

1221
00:56:21,177 --> 00:56:24,647
Back in March, Lisa Monaco
promised a report on

1222
00:56:24,647 --> 00:56:27,187
civilian
casualties by U.S.

1223
00:56:27,183 --> 00:56:29,283
airstrikes in
the coming weeks.

1224
00:56:29,285 --> 00:56:31,555
That was more
than 16 weeks ago.

1225
00:56:31,554 --> 00:56:33,524
Can you give us any
transparency on what's

1226
00:56:33,523 --> 00:56:34,723
holding up that
transparency?

1227
00:56:34,724 --> 00:56:36,064
(laughter)

1228
00:56:36,059 --> 00:56:41,469
Mr. Earnest: Well,
obviously what the

1229
00:56:41,464 --> 00:56:44,434
national security team and
the intelligence community

1230
00:56:44,434 --> 00:56:49,404
is attempting to do is to
break some old habits, and

1231
00:56:55,044 --> 00:57:00,054
bringing transparency
to this element of our

1232
00:57:02,919 --> 00:57:06,189
national security strategy
and our counterterrorism

1233
00:57:06,189 --> 00:57:10,489
strategy is difficult.

1234
00:57:10,493 --> 00:57:14,433
But I can tell you that
that work is ongoing and

1235
00:57:14,430 --> 00:57:19,470
has been ever since --
frankly, even before --

1236
00:57:19,469 --> 00:57:22,339
Ms. Monaco gave the speech
that you're referring to.

1237
00:57:22,338 --> 00:57:26,308
That work is ongoing, and
I would anticipate that

1238
00:57:26,309 --> 00:57:29,949
we'll have some additional
information about that

1239
00:57:29,946 --> 00:57:30,916
pretty soon.

1240
00:57:30,914 --> 00:57:33,484
The Press: Will there
be just a report on

1241
00:57:33,483 --> 00:57:35,583
casualties, or do you
expect the President to

1242
00:57:35,585 --> 00:57:38,485
issue any executive
orders, presidential

1243
00:57:38,488 --> 00:57:39,928
policy directives, and
sort of executive action

1244
00:57:39,923 --> 00:57:42,023
clarifying the rules of
engagement that limits

1245
00:57:42,025 --> 00:57:42,855
civilian casualties?

1246
00:57:42,859 --> 00:57:44,659
Mr. Earnest: I don't
have any previews of the

1247
00:57:44,661 --> 00:57:47,761
announcement at this
point, but stay tuned.

1248
00:57:47,764 --> 00:57:50,704
The Press: Is it fair to
say both on this report

1249
00:57:50,700 --> 00:57:52,070
but also with any
potential executive

1250
00:57:52,068 --> 00:57:55,108
orders, that the President
is in these last few

1251
00:57:55,104 --> 00:57:57,074
months of his -- the
President has been trying

1252
00:57:57,073 --> 00:58:00,643
to lock in the default
policy choices for

1253
00:58:00,643 --> 00:58:02,683
his successor?

1254
00:58:02,679 --> 00:58:05,749
For a Democrat, that means
maybe making some tough

1255
00:58:05,748 --> 00:58:07,688
choices and getting them
off of her plate before

1256
00:58:07,684 --> 00:58:09,754
she comes in.

1257
00:58:09,752 --> 00:58:12,452
Or for a Republican, to
sort of lock in a policy

1258
00:58:12,455 --> 00:58:14,595
that a Republican
President would have to

1259
00:58:14,591 --> 00:58:18,491
very conspicuously and
deliberately rescind.

1260
00:58:18,494 --> 00:58:20,064
And I'm thinking
specifically if there was

1261
00:58:20,063 --> 00:58:22,063
an atrocities executive
order, a Global

1262
00:58:22,065 --> 00:58:23,495
Entrepreneurship executive
order, all of which are

1263
00:58:23,499 --> 00:58:26,769
things that this President
has been doing all along.

1264
00:58:26,769 --> 00:58:30,839
But issuing these kinds of
things, executive actions,

1265
00:58:30,840 --> 00:58:33,810
so late in his presidency
-- are they an attempt to

1266
00:58:33,810 --> 00:58:35,810
sort of set the plate
for the next President?

1267
00:58:35,812 --> 00:58:38,152
Mr. Earnest: Well, look, I
think it's hard to paint

1268
00:58:38,147 --> 00:58:39,987
with that broad
of a brush.

1269
00:58:39,983 --> 00:58:43,153
When it comes to our Cuba
policy, for example, we've

1270
00:58:43,152 --> 00:58:45,152
made no bones about the
fact that we are seeking

1271
00:58:45,154 --> 00:58:48,454
to lock in that change
in approach toward Cuba.

1272
00:58:48,458 --> 00:58:52,198
And so I think the
description that you have

1273
00:58:52,195 --> 00:58:59,165
applied would fit with
what we're trying to do in Cuba.

1274
00:58:59,168 --> 00:59:01,168
In other situations,
though, the situations

1275
00:59:01,170 --> 00:59:03,170
that you're describing are
just the culmination of

1276
00:59:03,172 --> 00:59:06,812
years of work and --

1277
00:59:06,809 --> 00:59:11,379
The Press: But going
back to the atrocities

1278
00:59:11,381 --> 00:59:13,851
executive order, the
President already issued

1279
00:59:13,850 --> 00:59:16,320
less formal guidance and
has been operating under

1280
00:59:16,319 --> 00:59:20,119
that system since the
early days of his presidency.

1281
00:59:20,123 --> 00:59:22,623
Why formalize that as an
executive order unless

1282
00:59:22,625 --> 00:59:26,165
it's to bind
his successor?

1283
00:59:26,162 --> 00:59:28,662
Mr. Earnest: Well, listen,
again, I also think it's

1284
00:59:28,665 --> 00:59:29,665
possible to do both.

1285
00:59:29,666 --> 00:59:34,676
And I haven't read up
lately on the executive

1286
00:59:37,006 --> 00:59:41,946
actions around the
atrocities report.

1287
00:59:41,945 --> 00:59:45,815
But obviously the
President has made that

1288
00:59:45,815 --> 00:59:48,715
kind of work a priority
throughout his tenure

1289
00:59:48,718 --> 00:59:50,718
as President.

1290
00:59:52,155 --> 00:59:55,325
And if there is an
opportunity for us to

1291
00:59:55,325 --> 00:59:57,565
routinize that approach
to dealing with these

1292
00:59:57,560 --> 00:59:59,930
complicated issues, the
President believes the

1293
00:59:59,929 --> 01:00:02,069
country would
benefit from that.

1294
01:00:02,065 --> 01:00:05,335
After all, because that
routinized approach didn't

1295
01:00:05,335 --> 01:00:08,005
exist when President Obama
took office, it required a

1296
01:00:08,004 --> 01:00:11,474
lot of work to figure out
how to most effectively

1297
01:00:11,474 --> 01:00:13,474
deal with this policy
challenge and be

1298
01:00:13,476 --> 01:00:14,476
transparent about it.

1299
01:00:14,477 --> 01:00:17,577
And so by establishing a
procedure and a clearly

1300
01:00:17,580 --> 01:00:22,450
delineated routine for
implementing the strategy,

1301
01:00:22,452 --> 01:00:24,452
yeah, I do think it makes
it harder for somebody to

1302
01:00:24,454 --> 01:00:28,524
undo, but it also means
that kind of work

1303
01:00:28,524 --> 01:00:30,894
continues to get the
regular attention that the

1304
01:00:30,893 --> 01:00:34,663
President believes
that it deserves.

1305
01:00:34,664 --> 01:00:39,974
But I think ultimately
that's the goal that we

1306
01:00:39,969 --> 01:00:43,409
have in mind in trying to
complete this important

1307
01:00:43,406 --> 01:00:45,476
work before the
President leaves office.

1308
01:00:45,475 --> 01:00:48,245
George.

1309
01:00:48,244 --> 01:00:50,244
Twelve wins in a row for
your Indians, George.

1310
01:00:50,246 --> 01:00:52,246
Don't think I haven't
been paying attention.

1311
01:00:52,248 --> 01:00:53,448
(Laughter.) Much
to my dismay.

1312
01:00:53,449 --> 01:00:55,449
The Press: They haven't
lost since the Cavaliers won.

1313
01:00:55,451 --> 01:00:57,451
Mr. Earnest: That's
what I keep hearing.

1314
01:00:57,453 --> 01:00:58,053
The Press: Did I notice
that Cleveland had

1315
01:00:58,054 --> 01:01:00,754
won -- anyway -

1316
01:01:00,757 --> 01:01:01,687
(laughter)

1317
01:01:01,691 --> 01:01:04,591
-- I want to follow on
your answer earlier about trade.

1318
01:01:04,594 --> 01:01:07,594
The President gave a very
vigorous defense of trade

1319
01:01:07,597 --> 01:01:09,267
agreements in Ottawa.

1320
01:01:09,265 --> 01:01:13,435
But with TPP and NAFTA and
all trade agreements so

1321
01:01:13,436 --> 01:01:15,436
under assault, are we
going to be hearing a lot

1322
01:01:15,438 --> 01:01:17,938
more of this from him
in the coming weeks?

1323
01:01:17,940 --> 01:01:21,510
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what you will continue to

1324
01:01:21,511 --> 01:01:27,681
hear from the President is
a commitment to a set of

1325
01:01:27,683 --> 01:01:32,693
policies that embraces the
opportunities that lie

1326
01:01:34,690 --> 01:01:36,830
ahead for the
United States.

1327
01:01:36,826 --> 01:01:39,996
And the President believes
that that future is

1328
01:01:39,996 --> 01:01:43,836
enhanced when we more
effectively engage with

1329
01:01:43,833 --> 01:01:45,703
the international
community.

1330
01:01:45,701 --> 01:01:47,701
That certainly is true
when it comes to

1331
01:01:47,703 --> 01:01:48,703
trade agreements.

1332
01:01:48,704 --> 01:01:50,704
And the President
described that rather

1333
01:01:50,706 --> 01:01:52,906
colorfully yesterday in
terms of the impact that

1334
01:01:52,909 --> 01:01:54,909
shutting off all trade
would have on our

1335
01:01:54,911 --> 01:01:55,911
country's economy.

1336
01:01:55,912 --> 01:01:58,212
The President talked about
the decimating impact that

1337
01:01:58,214 --> 01:02:00,814
would have on the auto
industry, for example.

1338
01:02:00,817 --> 01:02:02,987
That's essentially a
global supply chain.

1339
01:02:02,985 --> 01:02:04,985
And to shut off the United
States from the global

1340
01:02:04,987 --> 01:02:07,087
supply chain would have
devastating economic

1341
01:02:07,090 --> 01:02:09,560
consequences for
the United States.

1342
01:02:09,559 --> 01:02:13,459
But I think, George, it
doesn't just apply to

1343
01:02:13,463 --> 01:02:15,063
trade policy.

1344
01:02:15,064 --> 01:02:19,364
There's a lot of work that
we can achieve when we're

1345
01:02:19,368 --> 01:02:21,808
willing to coordinate
with other countries.

1346
01:02:21,804 --> 01:02:23,904
I think some of the
climate announcements that

1347
01:02:23,906 --> 01:02:26,146
were made in the context
of yesterday's summit are

1348
01:02:26,142 --> 01:02:27,172
a very good
example of that.

1349
01:02:27,176 --> 01:02:29,946
The United States cannot
solve the problem of

1350
01:02:29,946 --> 01:02:31,616
climate change alone.

1351
01:02:31,614 --> 01:02:33,614
And in fact, this was
actually the principal

1352
01:02:33,616 --> 01:02:36,886
line of criticism from
those who were most

1353
01:02:36,886 --> 01:02:40,486
skeptical of our approach
to climate change.

1354
01:02:40,490 --> 01:02:41,490
Right?

1355
01:02:41,491 --> 01:02:43,491
Remember there was this
sense that why would the

1356
01:02:43,493 --> 01:02:46,063
United States take all
these steps to pursue a

1357
01:02:48,264 --> 01:02:52,004
low-carbon economy if a
country like China that's

1358
01:02:52,001 --> 01:02:54,341
the largest emitter is not
going to make the same

1359
01:02:54,337 --> 01:02:56,207
kind of commitments?

1360
01:02:56,205 --> 01:03:00,045
So it's only by engaging
China and seeking common

1361
01:03:00,042 --> 01:03:02,412
ground with them, and
reaching those kinds of

1362
01:03:02,411 --> 01:03:04,981
commitments in concert
with them can we

1363
01:03:04,981 --> 01:03:10,721
collectively address
a challenge that has

1364
01:03:10,720 --> 01:03:13,220
significant consequences
for the planet.

1365
01:03:13,222 --> 01:03:15,222
I think the same is true
-- let me just give you

1366
01:03:15,224 --> 01:03:17,194
one example, and I'll keep
it quick -- which is just

1367
01:03:17,193 --> 01:03:20,163
the effort to prevent Iran
from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

1368
01:03:20,163 --> 01:03:22,363
That effort would not have
been successful had the

1369
01:03:22,365 --> 01:03:24,665
United States not been
able to effectively work

1370
01:03:24,667 --> 01:03:27,037
not just with our P5+1
partners, but with

1371
01:03:27,036 --> 01:03:29,936
countries around the world
-- like Japan and South

1372
01:03:29,939 --> 01:03:31,939
Korea and India -- to
help us implement

1373
01:03:31,941 --> 01:03:32,941
those sanctions.

1374
01:03:32,942 --> 01:03:34,942
By implementing those
sanctions against Iran we

1375
01:03:34,944 --> 01:03:37,714
applied substantial
pressure to their economy

1376
01:03:37,713 --> 01:03:39,713
in a way that compelled
them to come to the

1377
01:03:39,715 --> 01:03:42,685
negotiating table and make
specific commitments about

1378
01:03:42,685 --> 01:03:45,155
not pursuing nuclear
weapons that we can now

1379
01:03:45,154 --> 01:03:48,524
verify, and essentially
the United States and the

1380
01:03:48,524 --> 01:03:51,924
rest of the world is safer
because we now know that

1381
01:03:51,928 --> 01:03:54,468
Iran will not be able to
acquire nuclear weapons.

1382
01:03:54,463 --> 01:03:58,463
That was work that was
only successful because of

1383
01:03:58,467 --> 01:04:00,467
our ability to work
effectively with the rest

1384
01:04:00,469 --> 01:04:01,469
of the international
community.

1385
01:04:01,470 --> 01:04:04,270
And if we were trying to
shut ourselves off from

1386
01:04:04,273 --> 01:04:06,273
the international
community we would not

1387
01:04:06,275 --> 01:04:06,805
have enjoyed that success.

1388
01:04:06,809 --> 01:04:08,349
The Press: If I could
stick with trade for a second.

1389
01:04:08,344 --> 01:04:08,874
Mr. Earnest: Okay.

1390
01:04:08,878 --> 01:04:11,148
The Press: On trade
agreements -- does he feel

1391
01:04:11,147 --> 01:04:13,687
lonely out there arguing
for trade agreements?

1392
01:04:13,683 --> 01:04:15,883
There aren't many voices
being raised domestically

1393
01:04:15,885 --> 01:04:16,985
on his side.

1394
01:04:16,986 --> 01:04:21,186
Mr. Earnest: Well, listen,
I think some of that is a

1395
01:04:21,190 --> 01:04:23,190
consequence of the current
political climate.

1396
01:04:23,192 --> 01:04:27,602
But I don't think the
President has shied away

1397
01:04:27,597 --> 01:04:30,637
at all from any
opportunity that he has to

1398
01:04:30,633 --> 01:04:33,233
make the case about how
important it is for the

1399
01:04:33,236 --> 01:04:35,806
United States, both in
terms of our economy but

1400
01:04:35,805 --> 01:04:38,305
also in terms of our
national security team,

1401
01:04:38,307 --> 01:04:40,307
when it comes to pursuing
an agreement like the

1402
01:04:40,309 --> 01:04:41,479
Trans-Pacific Partnership.

1403
01:04:41,477 --> 01:04:46,487
So I'm not going to stand
up here and make any

1404
01:04:49,986 --> 01:04:51,216
character judgments.

1405
01:04:51,220 --> 01:04:53,220
I'm just saying that the
President has the courage

1406
01:04:53,222 --> 01:04:55,862
of his convictions when it
comes to articulating a

1407
01:04:55,858 --> 01:04:59,398
coherent strategy for
making sure the United

1408
01:04:59,395 --> 01:05:02,235
States can leverage our
advantages in a way that

1409
01:05:02,231 --> 01:05:05,801
benefits not just this
generation of middle-class

1410
01:05:05,801 --> 01:05:08,301
Americans, but future
generations of

1411
01:05:08,304 --> 01:05:09,504
working Americans.

1412
01:05:09,505 --> 01:05:11,505
We've got a lot of
built-in advantages in

1413
01:05:11,507 --> 01:05:12,507
this country.

1414
01:05:12,508 --> 01:05:14,508
We've got the best
colleges and universities.

1415
01:05:14,510 --> 01:05:18,080
We've got the most --
we've got a climate that

1416
01:05:18,080 --> 01:05:21,780
rewards innovation
and new ideas.

1417
01:05:21,784 --> 01:05:27,724
We've got a society where
good ideas can rise to the top.

1418
01:05:27,723 --> 01:05:30,123
And that gives us a
competitive advantage over

1419
01:05:30,126 --> 01:05:32,126
just about the
rest of the world.

1420
01:05:32,128 --> 01:05:37,198
We've also got a healthy,
well-developed market for

1421
01:05:37,199 --> 01:05:39,299
those products here
in the United States.

1422
01:05:39,302 --> 01:05:41,972
All of that combines to
the give the United States

1423
01:05:41,971 --> 01:05:43,971
a significant
competitive advantage.

1424
01:05:43,973 --> 01:05:45,973
Why wouldn't we try to
press that advantage by

1425
01:05:45,975 --> 01:05:47,945
entering into agreements
with other countries to

1426
01:05:47,943 --> 01:05:49,943
get them to raise their
environmental standards,

1427
01:05:49,945 --> 01:05:52,045
raise their labor
standards, protect

1428
01:05:52,048 --> 01:05:54,748
intellectual property, and
give the United States

1429
01:05:54,750 --> 01:05:57,150
better access to the
markets in other countries

1430
01:05:57,153 --> 01:05:59,923
so that we can actually
have a chance to compete

1431
01:05:59,922 --> 01:06:02,062
on a more level
playing field.

1432
01:06:02,058 --> 01:06:05,798
Right now you hear people
who are opponents of the

1433
01:06:05,795 --> 01:06:08,695
TPP say that globalization
has had a terrible impact

1434
01:06:08,698 --> 01:06:11,998
on workers across America.

1435
01:06:12,001 --> 01:06:14,241
The President is willing
to acknowledge, and has on

1436
01:06:14,236 --> 01:06:16,836
many occasions, that there
are Americans -- even

1437
01:06:16,839 --> 01:06:18,479
American communities --
that have been negatively

1438
01:06:18,474 --> 01:06:20,214
affected by globalization.

1439
01:06:20,209 --> 01:06:21,109
That's not the question.

1440
01:06:21,110 --> 01:06:23,310
The question is: What are
you going to do about it?

1441
01:06:23,312 --> 01:06:25,312
The President is the one
who has put forward a

1442
01:06:25,314 --> 01:06:27,314
coherent strategy that
makes sense, that

1443
01:06:27,316 --> 01:06:30,786
leverages our advantages,
maximizes our benefits,

1444
01:06:30,786 --> 01:06:33,526
and creates additional
opportunities for American

1445
01:06:33,522 --> 01:06:36,792
businesses and American
workers to succeed.

1446
01:06:36,792 --> 01:06:39,462
Opponents of these
trade deals haven't.

1447
01:06:39,462 --> 01:06:41,462
They haven't put forward
a coherent strategy.

1448
01:06:41,464 --> 01:06:43,464
And to the extent that
they have, that coherent

1449
01:06:43,466 --> 01:06:45,706
strategy is one that would
only promise economic ruin

1450
01:06:45,701 --> 01:06:47,701
in the United States by
attempting to sever the

1451
01:06:47,703 --> 01:06:48,703
global supply chain.

1452
01:06:48,704 --> 01:06:50,504
The Press: Last question.

1453
01:06:50,506 --> 01:06:54,206
Is it fair to say that the
President has evolved or

1454
01:06:54,210 --> 01:06:57,750
grown on this issue since
the 2007 debate where he

1455
01:06:57,747 --> 01:06:59,387
called for
reopening NAFTA?

1456
01:06:59,382 --> 01:07:01,252
Mr. Earnest: Actually,
George, I would say that

1457
01:07:01,250 --> 01:07:03,250
the President is making
good on that promise.

1458
01:07:03,252 --> 01:07:05,252
That's exactly what the
TPP does -- that Canada

1459
01:07:05,254 --> 01:07:06,994
and Mexico are
part of the TPP.

1460
01:07:06,989 --> 01:07:11,159
And what the TPP does is
that it raises labor and

1461
01:07:11,160 --> 01:07:13,760
environmental standards
and makes them enforceable

1462
01:07:13,763 --> 01:07:15,763
in a way that they were
not enforceable in NAFTA.

1463
01:07:15,765 --> 01:07:18,165
So I don't think the
President has evolved on

1464
01:07:18,167 --> 01:07:20,167
this promise; the
President has made good on

1465
01:07:20,169 --> 01:07:22,839
this promise, and in some
ways has succeeded even

1466
01:07:22,838 --> 01:07:25,108
more than he thought
he would be able to.

1467
01:07:25,107 --> 01:07:26,947
Christi.

1468
01:07:26,942 --> 01:07:27,942
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

1469
01:07:27,943 --> 01:07:30,613
The Pentagon is lifting
its ban on allowing

1470
01:07:30,613 --> 01:07:33,753
transgender men and women
to serve openly in the military.

1471
01:07:33,749 --> 01:07:37,719
Did the President weigh
in on that decision?

1472
01:07:37,720 --> 01:07:40,490
Can you enlighten us a
little bit about how he

1473
01:07:40,489 --> 01:07:42,229
participates in
conversations like that?

1474
01:07:42,224 --> 01:07:44,294
Mr. Earnest: Well,
Christi, this is something

1475
01:07:44,293 --> 01:07:46,293
that the Department of
Defense is supposed to

1476
01:07:46,295 --> 01:07:47,295
announce this afternoon.

1477
01:07:47,296 --> 01:07:48,166
So I don't know if they've
done that while I'm up here.

1478
01:07:48,164 --> 01:07:51,034
Presumably they have if
you're discussing it.

1479
01:07:51,033 --> 01:07:57,203
What I can say about this
is that what Secretary

1480
01:07:57,206 --> 01:07:59,806
Carter announced today was
the result of a review

1481
01:07:59,809 --> 01:08:03,109
that was conducted at the
Department of Defense.

1482
01:08:03,112 --> 01:08:06,552
In announcing that review,
Secretary Carter indicated

1483
01:08:06,549 --> 01:08:11,319
his belief that every
American who is

1484
01:08:11,320 --> 01:08:14,790
appropriately qualified to
do so should be able to

1485
01:08:14,790 --> 01:08:17,330
serve their country in
the military, and that by

1486
01:08:17,326 --> 01:08:21,726
having that kind of
approach, our country is

1487
01:08:21,730 --> 01:08:25,370
safer and our
military is stronger.

1488
01:08:25,367 --> 01:08:32,077
The President agrees with
that general approach.

1489
01:08:32,074 --> 01:08:34,074
As it relates to the
specific policy that was

1490
01:08:34,076 --> 01:08:37,546
announced today, again,
that's a policy that was

1491
01:08:37,546 --> 01:08:39,546
formulated by the
Department of Defense.

1492
01:08:39,548 --> 01:08:41,318
So I haven't seen it yet.

1493
01:08:41,317 --> 01:08:44,057
But I'll get a chance to
take a look at it before

1494
01:08:44,053 --> 01:08:45,053
the end of the day today.

1495
01:08:45,054 --> 01:08:47,254
And we can either discuss
at the end of today or in

1496
01:08:47,256 --> 01:08:48,226
tomorrow's briefing.

1497
01:08:48,224 --> 01:08:50,424
The Press: Could you
also update us on the

1498
01:08:50,426 --> 01:08:52,096
President's deliberations
about troop levels

1499
01:08:52,094 --> 01:08:53,194
in Afghanistan?

1500
01:08:53,195 --> 01:08:55,965
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
an update at this point.

1501
01:08:55,965 --> 01:08:58,805
The Department of Defense,
including the President's

1502
01:08:58,801 --> 01:09:00,801
-- including our military
commanders on the ground

1503
01:09:00,803 --> 01:09:04,843
in Afghanistan have been
conducting a review.

1504
01:09:04,840 --> 01:09:09,550
And the last I heard,
which is I guess a week or

1505
01:09:09,545 --> 01:09:13,145
so ago, is that the
conclusions of that review

1506
01:09:13,148 --> 01:09:15,148
have not been presented
to the President at this point.

1507
01:09:15,150 --> 01:09:20,960
But the President will
carefully consider not

1508
01:09:20,956 --> 01:09:22,956
just the judgement of his
military commanders on the

1509
01:09:22,958 --> 01:09:24,958
ground, but also the other
members of his national

1510
01:09:24,960 --> 01:09:29,570
security as he continues
to evaluate our strategy

1511
01:09:29,565 --> 01:09:29,965
in Afghanistan.

1512
01:09:29,965 --> 01:09:31,465
The Press: Do you think
that's something that he

1513
01:09:31,467 --> 01:09:33,737
might reach a conclusion
on or make a public

1514
01:09:33,736 --> 01:09:36,606
announcement about before
he meets with NATO leaders?

1515
01:09:36,605 --> 01:09:39,605
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any announcements to

1516
01:09:39,608 --> 01:09:45,918
foreshadow at this point,
but if there is a policy

1517
01:09:45,915 --> 01:09:48,015
change to announce, we'll
make sure that all of you

1518
01:09:48,017 --> 01:09:50,087
are in the loop.

1519
01:09:50,085 --> 01:09:51,085
John Bennett.

1520
01:09:51,086 --> 01:09:53,126
The Press: Senators Reid
and Schumer mentioned a

1521
01:09:53,122 --> 01:09:55,992
meeting today with Denis
McDonough, Secretary

1522
01:09:55,991 --> 01:09:59,231
Burwell and
Donovan from OMB.

1523
01:09:59,228 --> 01:10:01,098
Do you have anything
on that meeting?

1524
01:10:01,096 --> 01:10:03,836
And was Zika on
the agenda today?

1525
01:10:03,832 --> 01:10:06,572
Mr. Earnest: I'm not aware
of the details of that

1526
01:10:06,569 --> 01:10:09,039
meeting, but let me go ask
about it and see if I can

1527
01:10:09,038 --> 01:10:09,438
get you an answer.

1528
01:10:09,438 --> 01:10:10,978
The Press: Okay.

1529
01:10:10,973 --> 01:10:12,203
Back to trade.

1530
01:10:12,207 --> 01:10:13,907
Have you heard the
President express any

1531
01:10:13,909 --> 01:10:17,279
concerns that him talking
about it as regularly as

1532
01:10:17,279 --> 01:10:21,619
he has recently could
be politically -- could

1533
01:10:21,617 --> 01:10:23,987
politically hinder
Secretary Clinton and

1534
01:10:23,986 --> 01:10:25,826
other Democratic
candidates?

1535
01:10:25,821 --> 01:10:27,561
Mr. Earnest: No, I don't
think the President is

1536
01:10:27,556 --> 01:10:28,556
worried about that.

1537
01:10:28,557 --> 01:10:30,797
Obviously, he's got a
different position on this

1538
01:10:30,793 --> 01:10:32,893
issue than the
Democratic nominee.

1539
01:10:32,895 --> 01:10:36,935
I think we've all been
pretty blunt about that.

1540
01:10:40,002 --> 01:10:42,242
But look, the reason the
President was talking

1541
01:10:42,237 --> 01:10:44,237
about it yesterday is two
of our most important

1542
01:10:44,239 --> 01:10:47,779
trading partners were
attending the summit

1543
01:10:47,776 --> 01:10:51,576
alongside the President
of the United States.

1544
01:10:51,580 --> 01:10:53,620
So that's why he was
discussing it yesterday.

1545
01:10:53,616 --> 01:10:58,016
And I think it served
as a useful backdrop for

1546
01:10:58,020 --> 01:11:00,490
illustrating how important
it is to our country's

1547
01:11:00,489 --> 01:11:04,229
economy and to our
country's national security.

1548
01:11:04,226 --> 01:11:04,956
Fred, I'll give
you the last one.

1549
01:11:04,960 --> 01:11:06,260
The Press:
Thank you, Josh.

1550
01:11:06,261 --> 01:11:11,171
A separate matter
regarding transgender issues.

1551
01:11:11,166 --> 01:11:16,806
The National Park Service
has said that restrooms on

1552
01:11:16,805 --> 01:11:20,905
public lands will be open
based on gender identity.

1553
01:11:20,909 --> 01:11:24,349
And I wanted to see --
will that also be the

1554
01:11:24,346 --> 01:11:27,986
policy for restrooms in
all federal buildings?

1555
01:11:27,983 --> 01:11:29,883
Will that be sort of
consistent with the

1556
01:11:29,885 --> 01:11:33,125
directive to the public
schools that was issued in May?

1557
01:11:33,122 --> 01:11:36,522
Mr. Earnest: Fred, I have
to admit that I can't

1558
01:11:36,525 --> 01:11:38,295
speak to the bathroom
policy of the

1559
01:11:38,293 --> 01:11:39,733
federal government.

1560
01:11:39,728 --> 01:11:42,828
But I think you should
check with individual agencies.

1561
01:11:42,831 --> 01:11:44,601
I can confirm for you that
that's the policy here at

1562
01:11:44,600 --> 01:11:45,630
the White House.

1563
01:11:45,634 --> 01:11:46,704
The Press: It
is the policy?

1564
01:11:46,702 --> 01:11:47,272
Mr. Earnest: Yes.

1565
01:11:47,269 --> 01:11:48,069
Thanks, everybody.

1566
01:11:48,070 --> 01:11:49,140
We'll see you tomorrow.