English subtitles for clip: File:8-22-16- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

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Long time no see.

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Hope everybody is doing well
and got a little time away

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the last couple of weeks
while the President did.

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I know that he certainly
enjoyed the opportunity he

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had to spend some
time with his family.

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And I hope all of you had
the opportunity to do the

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same even if it wasn't
quite for as long.

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I do not have any comments
at the top, so we can go

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straight to your questions.

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Kevin, do you want
to get us started?

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The Press: Sure, Josh.

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Thank you.

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Earlier this month, the
administration flatly said

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that there was no connection
between the $400 million

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payment to Iran and the
release of the four

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American prisoners.

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But last week, the
administration acknowledged

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that the payment was
contingent on the release of

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the prisoners.

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So I wanted to ask whether
there is a shift in the way

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this is being explained, and
has the administration been

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adequately forthcoming in
explaining the

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scenario adequately?

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Mr. Earnest: Kevin, we've
been quite direct since

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January, when the President
announced this deal shortly

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after consummating it,
exactly what the benefits

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would be for the
United States.

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And the benefits that we
have described have been

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verified and made public
based on what

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exactly transpired.

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So those benefits
are significant.

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Those benefits include
preventing Iran from

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obtaining a nuclear weapon,
rolling back key aspects of

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their nuclear program.

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That was the nuclear track
of negotiations that were

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completed -- that were read
and completed by Secretary

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of State John Kerry.

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That was a significant
accomplishment.

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Many of our allies around
the world had identified

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Iran obtaining a nuclear
weapon as their most

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significant foreign
policy concern.

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On a separate track, we
completed negotiations to

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resolve a three-decade-old
financial dispute between

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the United States and
Iran in a way that saves

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taxpayers potentially
billions of dollars.

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And on a separate, third
track of negotiations, the

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United States succeeded in
executing a mutual prisoner

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release that allowed four
Americans who were being

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unjustly detained in
Iran to come home.

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All of this was accomplished
without a single shot

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being fired.

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All of this was
accomplished without U.S.

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troops being deployed.

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And it's an indication
of how effective the

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President's tough diplomatic
strategy has proved to be.

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The Press: Was the President
aware that senior Justice

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Department officials at that
time were objecting to the

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sending of cash at the same
time as the four imprisoned

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Americans were
to be released?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, Kevin, I
think you won't be surprised

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to hear that I'm not going
to get into a lot

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of the discussions.

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But what I can tell you
is that the President, of

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course, discussed these
arrangements with members of

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his national security team
and there was unanimous

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agreement among his national
security team that he should

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move forward because of the
many benefits that I've just

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described in terms of
preventing them from

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obtaining a nuclear weapon,
in terms of rolling back key

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aspects of their nuclear
program, in terms of

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reaching a financial
settlement that saved

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American citizens
potentially billions of

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dollars, and in terms of
securing the release of

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Americans who had been
unjustly detained in Iran.

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And I think there is an
on-the-record statement from

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the President's Attorney
General indicating her

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strong support for
moving forward with

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this arrangement.

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The Press: In regard to the
President's trip to Baton

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Rouge, did the White House
schedule the trip in

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response to Donald
Trump's visit?

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Mr. Earnest: Of course not.

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The Press: The local paper
has said the President is

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"already late to this
crisis, but it's better late

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than never."

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Has the President been
tardy in responding more

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personally to Baton
Rouge's floods?

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Mr. Earnest: Kevin, I can
tell you what the President

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has been focused on, is the
response on the ground and

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the people whose lives in
Louisiana have been turned

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upside down by this
terrible flooding event.

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And the response that you've
seen from the federal

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government has
been effective.

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And the President and the
other members of his team

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that have operational
responsibilities have

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been effective.

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And, again, you don't just
have to take my word for it.

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I would actually refer
you to local officials in

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Louisiana who have said very
positive things about the

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federal response --
including Republicans,

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including the
highest-ranking Republican

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in Louisiana who has built
his political career as far

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as I can tell on
colorfully criticizing

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the administration.

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I'm referring, of course,
to Billy Nungesser, the

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Lieutenant Governor of the
state of Louisiana, the

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highest-ranking Republican
official in the state.

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And his response was, when
asked about this just a

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couple of days ago, he said,
"It's always nice to have

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the President visit as long
as the team here on the

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ground is working closely
with the local elected

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officials and the governor
and getting the job done.

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That's what we are
worried about."

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That's what the President
is worried about, too.

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That's why he sent his FEMA
Administrator, Craig Fugate,

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down to Louisiana last week
to see the damage firsthand.

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That's why the President
sent his Secretary of

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Homeland Security, Jeh
Johnson, down to Louisiana

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to see the damage firsthand.

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That's why the President
was on the phone with the

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Governor of Louisiana eight
days ago to talk to him

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directly about how his state
was being affected

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by the flooding.

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And that's why in that phone
call, the President informed

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the Governor that he was
prepared to issue a disaster

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declaration to ensure that
all available federal

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resources were being
mobilized to support the

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local recovery efforts.

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So I think the effectiveness
of the response thus far

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speaks for itself.

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And I think, frankly, it's
the most effective way to

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answer any of the
politically motivated

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criticism that the
President has faced.

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Ayesha.

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The Press: So a U.S.

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judge granted a nationwide
injunction against the

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administration's bathroom
policy for transgender students.

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I wanted to know, what's
your response to this ruling?

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Was it a surprise?

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What are the next steps?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I will
refer you to the Department

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of Justice about next steps.

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You will recall that this
stems from guidance that the

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Department of Education had
issued earlier this year

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that was in response to
questions that they were

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getting from community
groups and school districts

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all across the country.

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And the effort that was
undertaken by the Department

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of Education was to
collect best practices, to

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understand the experience of
other school districts and

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individual schools that
implemented policies to

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address this
particular issue.

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And this guidance was
issued, again, in response

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to these requests for
information and the request

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for advice, and the primary
goal in offering this

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guidance was to ensure a
safe educational environment

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for all students.

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That I think was the
motivation of the vast

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majority of administrators
who were seeking this

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guidance, and it certainly
was the primary goal of the

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administrators at the
Department of Education who

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were seeking to be
responsive to that request

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for information.

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It certainly was not a
mandate and was never

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described as such by
the administration.

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I know it was described that
way by some of our critics.

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But, look, I recognize that
there are people who are

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eager to play politics with
an issue like this just a

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few months before a national
election, but the focus of

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the administration
has been on practical

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problem-solving.

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And we have worked
effectively with local

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school districts across the
country to try to help them

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address this
complicated issue.

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But our goal has been from
the beginning to provide for

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the safety and security and
dignity of students all

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across the country.

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So I guess the point
is we've got a lot of

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confidence in the guidance
that was put forward.

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We certainly have confidence
in the legal basis for

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issuing that guidance.

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But obviously we're
respectful of rulings that

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are put forward by federal
judges, and I'll let my

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colleagues at the Department
of Justice speak to the next

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step in the legal process.

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The Press: Vice President
Biden is going to be

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visiting Turkey this week.

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I was wondering, what is
going to be his message to

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the Turkish government?

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And there are more and more,
I guess concerns being

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raised from Turkish
officials that the cleric is

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not extradited that
there will be a rise in

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anti-American sentiment and
that basically extradition

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is going to deal
with that in Turkey.

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Do you have any
concerns about that?

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And what will be the Vice
President's message on

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that issue?

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Mr. Earnest: First and
foremost, the Vice

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President's message will be
to indicate our continued,

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ongoing support for
our allies in Turkey.

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It's a country that
obviously is going

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through a lot.

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This is a country that was
subject to a failed coup

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attempt earlier this summer.

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That is a coup attempt that
was roundly and publicly

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condemned by the United
States government.

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And we continue to strongly
support the democratic

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government of our
allies in Turkey.

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And there's been no
ambiguity about that.

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And that is something that
Vice President Biden will

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reiterate on his
trip to Turkey.

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You certainly can also
expect to hear the Vice

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President indicate his
support for and appreciation

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for the steps that
Turkey has taken to make

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contributions to our
counter-ISIL effort.

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There are a variety of ways
in which their actions have

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benefitted the United States
and the other members of our

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coalition, including
additional efforts to secure

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the border between Turkey
and Syria, and giving the

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United States and some of
our coalition partners

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access to military
facilities inside of Turkey.

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As it relates to Mr. GĂźlen,
the individual that's in the

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United States that is
obviously the subject of

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some concern that's been
expressed by -- to put it

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mildly -- by the
Turkish government.

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Vice President Biden will,
if asked, will say to his

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counterparts what President
Obama has communicated

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directly to President
Erdogan, which is that there

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is a treaty, an extradition
treaty, that's been on the

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books between the United
States and Turkey for more

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than 30 years.

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And the United States is
committed to following the

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procedure and guidelines
that are outlined in

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that treaty.

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And you've already seen
extensive coordination

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between officials at the
Department of Justice and

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their Turkish counterparts.

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I understand that some
Department of Justice

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officials are actually
traveling to Turkey this

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week to meet with their
counterparts to review some

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of the materials that have
been produced by

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Turkish officials.

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But ultimately, this
decision about extradition

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-- it's not a
presidential decision.

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There is a process that is
codified in that treaty and

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in U.S. law that we'll follow.

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And that's why U.S.

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00:11:23,182 --> 00:11:25,182
Department of Justice
officials are involved, and

250
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they certainly are going to
do the due diligence that's

251
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required to follow that
process, to follow those

252
00:11:29,622 --> 00:11:34,892
guidelines and to
arrive at a conclusion.

253
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But it will be guided by
the evidence and it will be

254
00:11:36,062 --> 00:11:40,232
guided by the rules and
procedures that are codified

255
00:11:40,232 --> 00:11:44,502
in the extradition treaty
and in United States law.

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Toluse.

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00:11:45,638 --> 00:11:47,208
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

258
00:11:47,206 --> 00:11:49,846
On the $400 million
agreement, did the President

259
00:11:49,842 --> 00:11:54,712
know and agree that the
payment should be used as

260
00:11:54,713 --> 00:11:58,983
leverage to ensure that the
Americans would be released,

261
00:11:58,984 --> 00:12:01,954
that the money should not
be released until we had

262
00:12:01,954 --> 00:12:04,154
confirmed that the Americans
had been sent back?

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00:12:04,156 --> 00:12:07,726
Mr. Earnest: Toluse, the
approach to this from,

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00:12:07,726 --> 00:12:12,336
again, as we described this
in January, has been that

265
00:12:12,331 --> 00:12:15,231
there was an opportunity for
the United States to make

266
00:12:15,234 --> 00:12:18,134
progress on a variety of
issues that had been a

267
00:12:18,137 --> 00:12:20,137
longstanding source of
concern between the United

268
00:12:20,139 --> 00:12:22,579
States and Iran.

269
00:12:22,575 --> 00:12:27,585
And because of our success
in completing that three

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00:12:32,985 --> 00:12:35,785
different set of
negotiations, the American

271
00:12:35,788 --> 00:12:40,898
people benefitted and our
interests were advanced.

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So we do now stand here, six
months later, seven months

273
00:12:44,230 --> 00:12:47,400
later, at a place where
Iran is not able to obtain

274
00:12:47,399 --> 00:12:49,839
nuclear weapons, where
Iran has made significant

275
00:12:49,835 --> 00:12:52,005
commitments to roll back key
aspects of their nuclear

276
00:12:52,004 --> 00:12:55,874
program, where Iran has
agreed to cooperate with

277
00:12:55,875 --> 00:12:58,075
intrusive inspection
measures to verify their

278
00:12:58,077 --> 00:13:00,577
compliance with
the agreement.

279
00:13:00,579 --> 00:13:04,279
Iran did agree to settle
a longstanding financial

280
00:13:04,283 --> 00:13:07,323
dispute between our two
countries in a way that

281
00:13:07,319 --> 00:13:10,059
saved American taxpayers
potentially billions of dollars.

282
00:13:10,055 --> 00:13:14,525
And there are now four
American citizens who have

283
00:13:14,527 --> 00:13:17,297
been freed from unjust
detention in Iran.

284
00:13:17,296 --> 00:13:19,166
And that's good news.

285
00:13:19,165 --> 00:13:21,265
So that is the way that we
have described this from

286
00:13:21,267 --> 00:13:22,437
the beginning.

287
00:13:22,434 --> 00:13:27,644
And the President himself
made this announcement to

288
00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:31,980
all of you in the Roosevelt
Room *Cabinet Room

289
00:13:31,977 --> 00:13:34,517
So our story on this and the
way that we have described

290
00:13:34,513 --> 00:13:36,583
what our goals are
have not changed.

291
00:13:36,582 --> 00:13:38,922
The benefits of this
agreement have not changed.

292
00:13:38,918 --> 00:13:43,158
And look, I understand that
there are right-wingers in

293
00:13:43,155 --> 00:13:46,355
Iran and right-wingers in
the United States that would

294
00:13:46,358 --> 00:13:50,098
love to try to sully this
agreement for their own

295
00:13:50,095 --> 00:13:53,135
political motivations.

296
00:13:53,132 --> 00:13:55,272
They were doing that before
this agreement was reached.

297
00:13:55,267 --> 00:13:57,767
They were trying to prevent
the nuclear agreement from

298
00:13:57,770 --> 00:13:59,810
moving forward.

299
00:13:59,805 --> 00:14:02,005
So it's not particularly
surprising to me that

300
00:14:02,007 --> 00:14:04,307
they're now trying to
criticize all of the

301
00:14:04,310 --> 00:14:06,780
engagement between the
United States and Iran.

302
00:14:06,779 --> 00:14:08,779
They have their own
political motive -- that's

303
00:14:08,781 --> 00:14:09,781
been well identified.

304
00:14:09,782 --> 00:14:11,682
You all have
written about it.

305
00:14:11,684 --> 00:14:14,054
So the criticism to me is
not particularly surprising,

306
00:14:14,053 --> 00:14:19,193
but it also has not changed
the motivation for making

307
00:14:19,191 --> 00:14:20,191
this deal.

308
00:14:20,192 --> 00:14:22,192
It has not changed the goals
that we have laid out.

309
00:14:22,194 --> 00:14:24,934
And, frankly, it has not
changed the benefits that

310
00:14:24,930 --> 00:14:27,270
the United States has
enjoyed as a result of the

311
00:14:27,266 --> 00:14:29,966
tough diplomatic strategy
implemented by the

312
00:14:29,969 --> 00:14:30,969
Obama administration.

313
00:14:30,970 --> 00:14:34,470
The Press: Back on August
3rd, you were asked sort of

314
00:14:34,473 --> 00:14:36,873
about the coincidental
timing that all of these

315
00:14:36,875 --> 00:14:38,915
things seemed to happen all
over the same weekend -- the

316
00:14:38,911 --> 00:14:40,981
money being flown to
Iran, the prisoners

317
00:14:40,980 --> 00:14:42,620
being released.

318
00:14:42,615 --> 00:14:45,615
And you said, in part, that
it was because the Iranians

319
00:14:45,618 --> 00:14:48,188
were eager to have this
money after 35 years and of

320
00:14:48,187 --> 00:14:50,127
this dispute being settled.

321
00:14:50,122 --> 00:14:52,092
Mr. Earnest: I'm sure they
were, but let me -- what I

322
00:14:52,091 --> 00:14:54,791
also did on August 3rd was I
contested the notion that I

323
00:14:54,793 --> 00:14:56,793
ever described this
as a coincidence.

324
00:14:56,795 --> 00:14:58,035
I never did.

325
00:14:58,030 --> 00:15:01,170
So I recognize that other
people have raised

326
00:15:01,166 --> 00:15:02,166
that prospect.

327
00:15:02,167 --> 00:15:03,167
I'm not really sure why.

328
00:15:03,168 --> 00:15:05,168
I've never made the case
that this was somehow

329
00:15:05,170 --> 00:15:06,170
a coincidence.

330
00:15:06,171 --> 00:15:08,341
What we sought to do was
to try to reach these

331
00:15:08,340 --> 00:15:11,280
agreements, to get them
done, to move it across the

332
00:15:11,277 --> 00:15:12,277
finish line.

333
00:15:12,278 --> 00:15:14,478
And clearly, Iran was in the
business of signing off on

334
00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:16,880
agreements, so we were going
to go and get as much as we

335
00:15:16,882 --> 00:15:17,882
could out of the deal.

336
00:15:17,883 --> 00:15:18,883
And what did we get?

337
00:15:18,884 --> 00:15:21,254
We got Iran committing to
not getting nuclear weapons.

338
00:15:21,253 --> 00:15:22,553
We got Iran committing to
rolling back their

339
00:15:22,554 --> 00:15:23,624
nuclear program.

340
00:15:23,622 --> 00:15:27,892
We got Iran to release
Americans who were unjustly

341
00:15:27,893 --> 00:15:29,893
detained in Iran, and
we got Iran to settle a

342
00:15:29,895 --> 00:15:31,895
longstanding dispute between
our two countries that saved

343
00:15:31,897 --> 00:15:33,897
American taxpayers
potentially billions

344
00:15:33,899 --> 00:15:34,899
of dollars.

345
00:15:34,900 --> 00:15:35,900
So the benefits are clear.

346
00:15:35,901 --> 00:15:37,901
The Press: Right, but you
never acknowledged at that

347
00:15:37,903 --> 00:15:39,673
point that this money was
being used as leverage, and

348
00:15:39,672 --> 00:15:41,772
that the money would not
be sent to Iran if the

349
00:15:41,774 --> 00:15:43,544
Americans were not released.

350
00:15:43,542 --> 00:15:46,012
So I think that's what's new
that's come out since the

351
00:15:46,011 --> 00:15:47,781
last time we
spoke about this.

352
00:15:47,780 --> 00:15:50,620
So I'm wondering, did
you decide not to be as

353
00:15:50,616 --> 00:15:52,916
transparent as you could
have been when you were

354
00:15:52,918 --> 00:15:55,888
given the opportunity to
describe why these things

355
00:15:55,888 --> 00:15:57,358
happened around
the same time?

356
00:15:57,356 --> 00:16:00,256
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what I described is the

357
00:16:00,259 --> 00:16:02,259
reason they happened around
the same time is because

358
00:16:02,261 --> 00:16:05,101
Iran was in the business of
signing off on agreements

359
00:16:05,097 --> 00:16:07,367
and so we were pushing the
envelope to get as much as

360
00:16:07,366 --> 00:16:08,906
we possibly could.

361
00:16:08,901 --> 00:16:10,941
And, again, I've chronicled
several times here the

362
00:16:10,936 --> 00:16:14,206
significant benefits that
the United States enjoyed as

363
00:16:14,206 --> 00:16:16,776
a result of our tough,
principled diplomacy.

364
00:16:16,775 --> 00:16:21,015
And the fact of the matter
is those benefits are not

365
00:16:21,013 --> 00:16:23,113
in dispute.

366
00:16:23,115 --> 00:16:28,025
Even the toughest critics
of this engagement aren't

367
00:16:28,020 --> 00:16:31,190
arguing here on the merits.

368
00:16:31,190 --> 00:16:34,230
So, again -- and the other
part about this, Toluse, is

369
00:16:34,226 --> 00:16:37,366
nobody has changed
their mind.

370
00:16:37,363 --> 00:16:41,363
I'm disappointed that there
are previous critics of the

371
00:16:41,367 --> 00:16:45,607
agreement that haven't come
around to acknowledging the

372
00:16:45,604 --> 00:16:48,304
fact of these benefits, but
I understand that they're

373
00:16:48,307 --> 00:16:49,947
under some
political pressure.

374
00:16:49,942 --> 00:16:51,942
And right-wingers in
the United States and

375
00:16:51,944 --> 00:16:54,114
right-wingers in Iran
can't be in a position of

376
00:16:54,113 --> 00:16:56,213
complimenting something
that President Obama does.

377
00:16:56,215 --> 00:16:57,215
I understand that.

378
00:16:57,216 --> 00:16:59,216
They have their own
political motivations.

379
00:16:59,218 --> 00:17:01,918
But what's also true,
Toluse, is that the people

380
00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:04,720
who have supported this
engagement with Iran and the

381
00:17:04,723 --> 00:17:08,293
benefits that we have
enjoyed since have continued

382
00:17:08,293 --> 00:17:09,293
to support it.

383
00:17:09,294 --> 00:17:16,064
So our story, since January,
about what we did, why we

384
00:17:16,068 --> 00:17:19,538
did it, and what we got
out of the deal has

385
00:17:19,538 --> 00:17:21,538
been consistent.

386
00:17:25,644 --> 00:17:27,644
And there's a good
reason for that.

387
00:17:27,646 --> 00:17:29,616
Because the benefits
are significant.

388
00:17:29,615 --> 00:17:33,685
Because the benefits are
such that it's hard to

389
00:17:33,685 --> 00:17:37,355
quibble with the success of
this engagement because the

390
00:17:37,356 --> 00:17:38,456
benefits are so significant.

391
00:17:38,457 --> 00:17:41,327
And all that was achieved
without the firing of a

392
00:17:41,326 --> 00:17:43,596
single shot, without the
deployment of a single

393
00:17:43,595 --> 00:17:45,935
soldier to ensure that
we could get it done.

394
00:17:45,931 --> 00:17:47,201
The Press: One more
question about Syria.

395
00:17:47,199 --> 00:17:49,469
I'm wondering, has the
President seen those images

396
00:17:49,468 --> 00:17:51,038
of the five-year-old boy
who was pulled out

397
00:17:51,036 --> 00:17:52,106
of the rubble?

398
00:17:52,104 --> 00:17:54,404
And does he have any
reaction to those images?

399
00:17:54,406 --> 00:17:57,046
And I think today marks six
months since the signing of

400
00:17:57,042 --> 00:17:59,182
the Cessation
of Hostilities.

401
00:17:59,178 --> 00:18:02,018
Does that cessation in the
President's mind still hold

402
00:18:02,014 --> 00:18:04,184
or has it been completely
broken at this point?

403
00:18:04,183 --> 00:18:06,153
Mr. Earnest: Well, listen,
I haven't spoken to the

404
00:18:06,151 --> 00:18:11,791
President about the image of
that young boy in Syria, but

405
00:18:11,790 --> 00:18:15,590
it's difficult to spend much
time looking at that image

406
00:18:15,594 --> 00:18:20,904
without being shaken by it.

407
00:18:20,899 --> 00:18:25,039
It's an arresting image and
one that does document the

408
00:18:25,037 --> 00:18:30,007
terrible daily tragedy
of life inside of Syria.

409
00:18:30,008 --> 00:18:31,508
It's heartbreaking.

410
00:18:31,510 --> 00:18:37,780
It's difficult to imagine
what that five-year-old boy

411
00:18:37,783 --> 00:18:43,653
has seen in his short life,
but it's deeply troubling to

412
00:18:43,655 --> 00:18:46,925
anybody with a conscience.

413
00:18:46,925 --> 00:18:48,495
It's why the President and
his team have invested so

414
00:18:48,494 --> 00:18:53,164
much time and energy to
trying to bring an end to

415
00:18:53,165 --> 00:18:54,965
the violence
inside of Syria.

416
00:18:54,967 --> 00:18:58,307
And as heartbreaking as that
situation is, there's no

417
00:18:58,303 --> 00:19:00,443
military solution.

418
00:19:00,439 --> 00:19:03,709
In fact, I think that image,
in some ways, is a testament

419
00:19:03,709 --> 00:19:08,719
to the fact that continued
military action along the

420
00:19:13,185 --> 00:19:17,725
lines of the indiscriminate
bombings carried out by the

421
00:19:17,723 --> 00:19:21,723
Syrian regime and aided and
abetted by their allies like

422
00:19:21,727 --> 00:19:27,437
Syria -- I'm sorry -- like
Russia and Iran is actually

423
00:19:27,432 --> 00:19:29,432
making the situation worse.

424
00:19:32,671 --> 00:19:36,811
And that's been communicated
quite directly at very

425
00:19:36,808 --> 00:19:40,508
senior levels by American
officials to their

426
00:19:40,512 --> 00:19:42,512
Russian counterparts.

427
00:19:43,815 --> 00:19:48,725
And we were pleasantly
surprised six months ago

428
00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:50,720
when the Cessation of
Hostilities first went into

429
00:19:50,722 --> 00:19:54,722
effect that it did have a
greater-than-expected impact

430
00:19:57,796 --> 00:20:02,066
in reducing the
violence in Syria.

431
00:20:02,067 --> 00:20:04,307
But we have obviously
seen that Cessation of

432
00:20:04,303 --> 00:20:07,873
Hostilities fray
significantly in some key

433
00:20:07,873 --> 00:20:09,203
areas of the country.

434
00:20:09,207 --> 00:20:12,107
It hasn't frayed everywhere,
but in some key areas,

435
00:20:12,110 --> 00:20:14,550
including in Aleppo, we've
been deeply concerned

436
00:20:14,546 --> 00:20:16,146
about that.

437
00:20:16,148 --> 00:20:22,158
And we've made the case to
the Russians directly that

438
00:20:22,154 --> 00:20:25,694
continuing to support the
Syrian regime as they carry

439
00:20:25,691 --> 00:20:27,691
out this kind of
indiscriminate military

440
00:20:27,693 --> 00:20:32,803
activity only deepens the
chaos inside of Syria.

441
00:20:32,798 --> 00:20:36,668
It only exacerbates the
violence in that country.

442
00:20:36,668 --> 00:20:42,138
And it exacerbates the
kind of tensions that fuel

443
00:20:42,140 --> 00:20:47,680
extremists, which is why
it's just hard to believe

444
00:20:47,679 --> 00:20:50,079
that Russia has a sound
strategy for going after

445
00:20:50,082 --> 00:20:53,982
extremists when so much of
their strategy rests on

446
00:20:53,986 --> 00:20:56,626
carrying out and supporting
the kinds of activities that

447
00:20:56,622 --> 00:20:59,722
only fuel that extremism.

448
00:20:59,725 --> 00:21:02,895
So this has been an inherent
contradiction in the Russian

449
00:21:02,894 --> 00:21:04,894
approach to Syria from the
beginning and one that I

450
00:21:04,896 --> 00:21:08,036
pointed out from this
podium on many occasions.

451
00:21:08,033 --> 00:21:10,033
And we're going to continue
to make the case to the

452
00:21:10,035 --> 00:21:13,105
Russians that their
strategy needs to change.

453
00:21:13,105 --> 00:21:14,405
Michelle.

454
00:21:14,406 --> 00:21:15,536
The Press: I know you've
had a lot to say about the

455
00:21:15,540 --> 00:21:18,210
benefits of the Iran nuclear
deal and, yeah, the way

456
00:21:18,210 --> 00:21:21,910
you've described those
benefits hasn't changed.

457
00:21:21,913 --> 00:21:25,283
But when we talk about how
this was portrayed, do you

458
00:21:25,283 --> 00:21:28,023
see that we wouldn't even
be having this conversation

459
00:21:28,020 --> 00:21:31,490
still if some of the details
that have come out over the

460
00:21:31,490 --> 00:21:34,790
last few weeks had been put
out there as they were put

461
00:21:34,793 --> 00:21:37,633
out there back in January?

462
00:21:37,629 --> 00:21:41,269
And I'm still not clear on
why these details weren't

463
00:21:41,266 --> 00:21:45,506
put out then, because
it seems like if the

464
00:21:45,504 --> 00:21:49,944
administration had said,
yes, there were $400 million

465
00:21:49,941 --> 00:21:52,481
in cash on the plane at the
same time, here's why it

466
00:21:52,477 --> 00:21:54,747
came out at the same time,
here's when it was paid --

467
00:21:54,746 --> 00:21:57,446
it wasn't paid before, it
was paid exactly after,

468
00:21:57,449 --> 00:21:58,449
here's why.

469
00:21:58,450 --> 00:22:01,320
And had you used the word
"leverage" then, I mean,

470
00:22:01,319 --> 00:22:03,319
that's why we're having
this conversation.

471
00:22:03,321 --> 00:22:07,661
So can you be more clear on
why those details weren't

472
00:22:07,659 --> 00:22:09,659
put out there in
the same way now?

473
00:22:09,661 --> 00:22:12,131
Because I think it appears
to a lot of people, and not

474
00:22:12,130 --> 00:22:15,900
just right-wingers, as you
describe, that this detail

475
00:22:15,901 --> 00:22:19,201
is only being brought out
because of details that came

476
00:22:19,204 --> 00:22:20,604
out in the press.

477
00:22:20,605 --> 00:22:22,845
Mr. Earnest: I guess the
point that I would make,

478
00:22:22,841 --> 00:22:25,081
though, Michelle, is simply
that the details that you

479
00:22:25,077 --> 00:22:30,147
have referred to, while
potentially interesting to

480
00:22:30,148 --> 00:22:32,848
some, don't
change the facts.

481
00:22:32,851 --> 00:22:34,721
They don't change
the benefits.

482
00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:37,060
They don't change the
goals that President Obama

483
00:22:37,055 --> 00:22:39,555
discussed when he announced
this series of agreements

484
00:22:39,558 --> 00:22:40,558
back in January.

485
00:22:40,559 --> 00:22:42,559
The Press: Surely you would
rather not be having this

486
00:22:42,561 --> 00:22:43,561
conversation repeatedly.

487
00:22:43,562 --> 00:22:45,562
I mean, both -- you
seem annoyed by it.

488
00:22:45,564 --> 00:22:47,604
When the President was asked
about it, he seem annoyed

489
00:22:47,599 --> 00:22:48,599
that it was even coming
up, almost as if you don't

490
00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:50,140
understand why
it's coming up.

491
00:22:50,135 --> 00:22:52,935
So we're laying out exactly
why it's coming up.

492
00:22:52,938 --> 00:22:55,878
Mr. Earnest: I'm happy to
spend all the time that you

493
00:22:55,874 --> 00:22:57,844
would like talking about
the details of the

494
00:22:57,843 --> 00:22:59,243
Iran agreement.

495
00:22:59,244 --> 00:23:01,484
I think that we're quite
proud of all the benefits

496
00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:03,150
that we've enjoyed because
of the President's tough,

497
00:23:03,148 --> 00:23:04,618
principled diplomacy.

498
00:23:04,616 --> 00:23:06,186
So the fact that we're
talking about it seven

499
00:23:06,184 --> 00:23:08,924
months later
I'm happy to do.

500
00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,620
We've got a strong case to
make about what it is that

501
00:23:11,623 --> 00:23:12,623
we've done.

502
00:23:12,624 --> 00:23:15,324
The Press: But the question
is why -- as I said, we

503
00:23:15,327 --> 00:23:18,827
probably wouldn't be having
this conversation if the

504
00:23:18,830 --> 00:23:21,700
word "leverage" was used and
described as it was back

505
00:23:21,700 --> 00:23:24,700
then; if the timing and more
of the details surrounding

506
00:23:24,703 --> 00:23:26,703
the timing was
described better.

507
00:23:26,705 --> 00:23:28,775
So why not -- Mr. Earnest:
I quibble with you on the

508
00:23:28,774 --> 00:23:32,474
timing thing, because the
President made clear -- the

509
00:23:32,477 --> 00:23:35,847
President himself announced
this agreement within hours

510
00:23:35,847 --> 00:23:39,817
of it being completed and
indicated exactly what the

511
00:23:39,818 --> 00:23:43,118
terms of these series
of agreements would be.

512
00:23:43,121 --> 00:23:48,131
So back then, back in
mid-January, all of you knew

513
00:23:51,163 --> 00:23:53,163
that there were two
agreements that were

514
00:23:53,165 --> 00:23:57,105
completed roughly around the
same time that would secure

515
00:23:57,102 --> 00:24:02,872
the release of unjustly
detained Americans in Iran

516
00:24:02,874 --> 00:24:08,644
in exchange for the release
of individuals who were

517
00:24:08,647 --> 00:24:12,017
being detained here in the
United States, and you knew

518
00:24:12,017 --> 00:24:14,117
that that was taking place
around the same place,

519
00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:18,259
within the same day, as the
resolution of a financial

520
00:24:18,256 --> 00:24:20,296
settlement that potentially
saved American taxpayers

521
00:24:20,292 --> 00:24:21,562
billions of dollars.

522
00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:23,930
So I don't think I'm willing
to accept the premise of

523
00:24:23,929 --> 00:24:28,329
your question about the
timing because I think you

524
00:24:28,333 --> 00:24:31,503
were working that Sunday in
January and were aware that

525
00:24:31,503 --> 00:24:33,503
this stuff was happening
at the same time.

526
00:24:33,505 --> 00:24:35,505
The Press: I think the
details, though, put more

527
00:24:35,507 --> 00:24:37,977
interest on how
unusual it was. So --

528
00:24:37,976 --> 00:24:39,976
Mr. Earnest: Let me be
clear with you on that --

529
00:24:39,978 --> 00:24:41,048
and I'll be quick here so
we can get back to

530
00:24:41,046 --> 00:24:41,776
your question.

531
00:24:41,780 --> 00:24:43,250
But this is the thing.

532
00:24:43,248 --> 00:24:45,448
My colleagues at the State
Department have indicated

533
00:24:45,450 --> 00:24:47,520
that there's actually not
anything particularly

534
00:24:47,519 --> 00:24:52,019
unusual about the mechanism
for this transaction, that

535
00:24:52,023 --> 00:24:56,533
these kinds of transactions
between central banks are --

536
00:24:56,528 --> 00:24:58,528
I don't know if they are
common, but they're not

537
00:24:58,530 --> 00:25:01,670
unusual, at least in terms
of the movement of currency.

538
00:25:01,666 --> 00:25:07,036
And again, the reason why --
I know that some of my --

539
00:25:07,038 --> 00:25:10,578
well, some Republicans have
made irresponsible and kind

540
00:25:10,575 --> 00:25:14,575
of outlandish comments about
these, like, 500 Euro notes

541
00:25:14,579 --> 00:25:16,719
being part of the transfer.

542
00:25:16,715 --> 00:25:18,785
The reason that paper
currency was used to make

543
00:25:18,783 --> 00:25:20,783
the transfer is because
there's no banking

544
00:25:20,785 --> 00:25:22,785
relationship between the
United States and Iran.

545
00:25:22,787 --> 00:25:24,327
So it's because of our
commitment to ensuring the

546
00:25:24,322 --> 00:25:31,032
isolation of Iran that the
transaction was carried out

547
00:25:31,029 --> 00:25:32,899
in this way.

548
00:25:32,898 --> 00:25:36,098
So, again, there are other
people who are much better

549
00:25:36,101 --> 00:25:38,101
experts on the way these
kinds of transactions have

550
00:25:38,103 --> 00:25:40,103
taken place in the past, but
my understanding is that

551
00:25:40,105 --> 00:25:42,105
this is not
particularly unusual.

552
00:25:42,107 --> 00:25:44,107
The Press: To avoid the
scrutiny that's come out now

553
00:25:44,109 --> 00:25:46,949
twice since January,
wouldn't it have been better

554
00:25:46,945 --> 00:25:50,285
to lay out the details that
you've now since laid out

555
00:25:50,282 --> 00:25:52,682
back then, and why didn't
you, including the use of

556
00:25:52,684 --> 00:25:54,024
the word "leverage"?

557
00:25:54,019 --> 00:25:56,489
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
the President spoke publicly

558
00:25:56,488 --> 00:25:58,558
on live national television
laying out the terms of

559
00:25:58,556 --> 00:25:59,996
this agreement.

560
00:25:59,991 --> 00:26:02,531
And there are any number of
conversations that all of

561
00:26:02,527 --> 00:26:04,567
you had on the record and
on background with senior

562
00:26:04,562 --> 00:26:07,002
administration officials
describing what had happened.

563
00:26:06,998 --> 00:26:10,298
Here's the other thing that
I would --

564
00:26:10,302 --> 00:26:11,472
The Press: But we never heard the word

565
00:26:11,469 --> 00:26:12,039
"leverage" until a few days ago.

566
00:26:12,037 --> 00:26:13,777
Mr. Earnest: There are so
many details that were

567
00:26:13,772 --> 00:26:15,542
included in what we're
extraordinarily

568
00:26:15,540 --> 00:26:18,310
complex agreements.

569
00:26:18,310 --> 00:26:20,280
That all of the questions
that all of you were raising

570
00:26:20,278 --> 00:26:23,548
back on the long holiday
weekend in January were

571
00:26:23,548 --> 00:26:26,588
questions about how the Iran
nuclear program was going to

572
00:26:26,584 --> 00:26:29,624
be monitored, what specific
steps and how we knew what

573
00:26:29,621 --> 00:26:32,861
steps Iran was going to take
to roll back key aspects of

574
00:26:32,857 --> 00:26:34,497
their nuclear program.

575
00:26:34,492 --> 00:26:37,592
All of you were asking about
the condition of the U.S.

576
00:26:37,595 --> 00:26:39,595
citizens that were being
unjustly detained and what

577
00:26:39,597 --> 00:26:42,097
exactly were the mechanisms
for returning them to the

578
00:26:42,100 --> 00:26:43,100
United States.

579
00:26:43,101 --> 00:26:45,101
Those were all good
questions, all of which

580
00:26:45,103 --> 00:26:46,503
were answered. So I --

581
00:26:46,504 --> 00:26:49,174
The Press: The fact
that the money needed to be

582
00:26:49,174 --> 00:26:54,484
-- that it was seen as
available to be used as

583
00:26:54,479 --> 00:26:58,479
leverage to make sure that
the prisoners were returned

584
00:26:58,483 --> 00:27:01,623
-- why was that never
described then until just a

585
00:27:01,619 --> 00:27:02,619
few days ago?

586
00:27:02,620 --> 00:27:05,320
Mr. Earnest: Again,
Michelle, I can't go back

587
00:27:05,323 --> 00:27:07,723
through all of the questions
that all of you have asked,

588
00:27:07,726 --> 00:27:10,726
but, again, the President
was very clear about what

589
00:27:10,729 --> 00:27:13,299
exactly had been agreed to.

590
00:27:13,298 --> 00:27:15,668
And I did briefings
subsequent to the

591
00:27:15,667 --> 00:27:17,837
President's announcement and
was quite clear about what

592
00:27:17,836 --> 00:27:20,276
exactly had been agreed to.

593
00:27:20,271 --> 00:27:22,271
And we spent a lot of
time talking about the

594
00:27:22,273 --> 00:27:26,343
significant benefits that
the United States enjoyed as

595
00:27:26,344 --> 00:27:28,084
a result of this
tough diplomacy.

596
00:27:28,079 --> 00:27:32,989
The Press: Russia having
used Iranian airbases, or at

597
00:27:32,984 --> 00:27:36,454
least one Iranian airbase,
and now stopping it --

598
00:27:36,454 --> 00:27:38,254
what's the administration's
reaction to that?

599
00:27:38,256 --> 00:27:41,726
And how does that affect the
potential of working with

600
00:27:41,726 --> 00:27:44,496
Russia against
Al-Nusra down the road?

601
00:27:44,496 --> 00:27:47,266
Mr. Earnest: Well, I did
note that there was a

602
00:27:47,265 --> 00:27:49,935
statement from a senior
Iranian official indicating

603
00:27:49,934 --> 00:27:54,804
that the Russian use of
Iranian military facilities

604
00:27:54,806 --> 00:27:57,876
was not likely to -- or had
at least stopped for now.

605
00:27:57,876 --> 00:28:02,546
But, look, Michelle, you
guys have reported on a

606
00:28:02,547 --> 00:28:07,487
variety of occasions that
both Russia and Iran are

607
00:28:07,485 --> 00:28:09,625
propping up the
Assad regime.

608
00:28:09,621 --> 00:28:15,661
And for years, at this
point, the President, the

609
00:28:15,660 --> 00:28:17,660
Secretary of State,
other senior U.S.

610
00:28:17,662 --> 00:28:21,702
officials, even me in the
setting of this briefing,

611
00:28:21,699 --> 00:28:26,709
have made the point that
Russia deepening itself,

612
00:28:30,475 --> 00:28:32,875
deepening its involvement in
the sectarian conflict in

613
00:28:32,877 --> 00:28:37,817
Syria is counterproductive
because it only deepens the

614
00:28:37,816 --> 00:28:42,156
chaos inside of Syria, it
sets a much needed political

615
00:28:42,153 --> 00:28:46,093
settlement further away.

616
00:28:46,091 --> 00:28:48,091
This is a political
settlement, a political

617
00:28:48,093 --> 00:28:50,663
transition that the Russians
themselves acknowledge is

618
00:28:50,662 --> 00:28:55,332
necessary to resolve the
situation inside of Syria.

619
00:28:55,333 --> 00:29:00,343
It also only fuels the
extremism that's taken root

620
00:29:02,407 --> 00:29:04,407
inside of Syria.

621
00:29:05,443 --> 00:29:12,283
So the revelation that --
and I use that term somewhat

622
00:29:12,283 --> 00:29:16,453
derisively -- should not be
particularly surprising to

623
00:29:16,454 --> 00:29:18,424
those who have been
following the situation

624
00:29:18,423 --> 00:29:24,163
closely because we very long
described our concerns with

625
00:29:24,162 --> 00:29:29,272
the actions of the Russians
and the Iranians working

626
00:29:29,267 --> 00:29:31,507
together to prop up
the Assad regime.

627
00:29:31,503 --> 00:29:32,603
It's counterproductive.

628
00:29:32,604 --> 00:29:34,704
It's counterproductive for
the goals of the Russians,

629
00:29:34,706 --> 00:29:37,106
it's counterproductive for
the goals of the United

630
00:29:37,108 --> 00:29:39,108
States, and it's
counterproductive for the

631
00:29:39,110 --> 00:29:42,410
goals of the world that
is feeling the negative

632
00:29:42,413 --> 00:29:44,413
consequences of the
chaos inside of Syria.

633
00:29:44,415 --> 00:29:47,355
Mike.

634
00:29:47,352 --> 00:29:48,852
The Press: If we can go
back to the flooding

635
00:29:48,853 --> 00:29:49,623
in Louisiana.

636
00:29:49,621 --> 00:29:54,631
I believe the height of
Katrina took place a week

637
00:29:54,626 --> 00:29:56,896
from today 11 years ago.

638
00:29:56,895 --> 00:30:01,065
So Louisiana is deeply
fraught when it comes to

639
00:30:01,065 --> 00:30:03,605
Presidents and disasters.

640
00:30:03,601 --> 00:30:04,971
I'm wondering if the
President and his team

641
00:30:04,969 --> 00:30:09,639
talked at all about any
special considerations for

642
00:30:09,641 --> 00:30:12,511
how he and the
administration should

643
00:30:12,510 --> 00:30:15,250
approach the flooding in
Baton Rouge given the

644
00:30:15,246 --> 00:30:22,016
history in Louisiana with
flooding, and whether any

645
00:30:22,020 --> 00:30:25,490
decisions were made
differently or whether,

646
00:30:25,490 --> 00:30:30,400
going forward, there's any
special attention that the

647
00:30:30,395 --> 00:30:33,865
President believes the
United States government

648
00:30:33,865 --> 00:30:35,535
owes to that state
given the history.

649
00:30:35,533 --> 00:30:39,833
And any differences that you
see between -- similarities

650
00:30:39,837 --> 00:30:44,507
or differences between this
incident and the response

651
00:30:44,509 --> 00:30:46,379
to Katrina.

652
00:30:46,377 --> 00:30:50,947
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
the first thing that is true

653
00:30:50,949 --> 00:30:52,949
-- and this is something
that Louisiana officials in

654
00:30:52,951 --> 00:30:56,091
both parties have observed
-- is that the federal

655
00:30:56,087 --> 00:31:01,097
response to this flooding
has been much more effective

656
00:31:06,965 --> 00:31:10,935
and much more impactful than
the initial FEMA response to

657
00:31:10,935 --> 00:31:12,905
Hurricane Katrina.

658
00:31:14,038 --> 00:31:16,038
And I think that is a
testament to the efforts of

659
00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:19,210
people like Craig Fugate,
President Obama's FEMA

660
00:31:19,210 --> 00:31:23,880
Administrator, to
professionalize that agency.

661
00:31:23,881 --> 00:31:28,851
And Director Fugate has
brought his expertise and

662
00:31:31,756 --> 00:31:34,726
extensive skills to that job
in a way that's transformed

663
00:31:34,726 --> 00:31:38,966
the agency and learned from
the painful lessons

664
00:31:38,963 --> 00:31:41,203
of Katrina.

665
00:31:41,199 --> 00:31:43,239
And I think you have seen a
federal response that's much

666
00:31:43,234 --> 00:31:44,974
more effective as a result.

667
00:31:44,969 --> 00:31:49,609
What's also true is that
the relationship between

668
00:31:49,607 --> 00:31:52,847
emergency response officials
in Louisiana and federal

669
00:31:52,844 --> 00:31:57,614
officials is quite strong,
and in some ways, that is a

670
00:31:57,615 --> 00:32:02,255
vestige of Hurricane
Katrina, but certainly one

671
00:32:02,253 --> 00:32:04,253
that the people of
Louisiana benefit from.

672
00:32:08,526 --> 00:32:12,566
I can also tell you that
that's the lesson I think

673
00:32:12,563 --> 00:32:17,503
most people take away from
Katrina -- is a focus on the

674
00:32:17,502 --> 00:32:24,172
results and to focus on what
steps the federal government

675
00:32:24,175 --> 00:32:27,615
can take to support the
state and local officials

676
00:32:27,612 --> 00:32:29,612
who have the primary
responsibility for

677
00:32:29,614 --> 00:32:33,954
responding to disastrous
situations like this.

678
00:32:33,951 --> 00:32:40,321
And there's all too common
temptation to focus on the

679
00:32:40,325 --> 00:32:42,425
politics and to
focus on the optics.

680
00:32:46,431 --> 00:32:48,431
But the survivors of the
flooding in Louisiana are

681
00:32:48,433 --> 00:32:51,973
not well served by a
political discussion.

682
00:32:51,969 --> 00:32:54,569
They're well served by
a competent, effective,

683
00:32:54,572 --> 00:32:59,612
strong, coordinated
government response.

684
00:32:59,610 --> 00:33:01,880
And the federal government
has certainly done our part

685
00:33:01,879 --> 00:33:05,379
in the first eight to 10
days after this disaster,

686
00:33:05,383 --> 00:33:08,083
but there's a long road
ahead, and I know that

687
00:33:08,086 --> 00:33:10,386
Director Fugate and
Secretary Johnson and

688
00:33:10,388 --> 00:33:14,428
certainly President Obama
understands that the

689
00:33:14,425 --> 00:33:19,365
response and recovery effort
is something that's going to

690
00:33:19,364 --> 00:33:20,794
extend well into the future
-- particularly in the

691
00:33:20,798 --> 00:33:25,468
aftermath of an event
this widespread.

692
00:33:25,470 --> 00:33:27,470
So that's part of the
message that President Obama

693
00:33:27,472 --> 00:33:30,042
will take to Louisiana,
which is, after the

694
00:33:30,041 --> 00:33:32,041
political discussions have
died down and after the

695
00:33:32,043 --> 00:33:35,183
television cameras have
left, the United States

696
00:33:35,179 --> 00:33:36,119
government and the American
people are going to be

697
00:33:36,114 --> 00:33:38,854
standing with the people of
Baton Rouge as they rebuild

698
00:33:38,850 --> 00:33:41,590
their community, as they
rebuild their city, and come

699
00:33:41,586 --> 00:33:43,156
back stronger than ever.

700
00:33:43,154 --> 00:33:44,724
Stephanie.

701
00:33:44,722 --> 00:33:49,262
The Press: In the wake of
the recent shootings in --

702
00:33:49,260 --> 00:33:52,900
shooting incidents in
Chicago over the weekend,

703
00:33:52,897 --> 00:33:54,967
how much of an interest does
President Obama take in the

704
00:33:54,966 --> 00:33:56,296
shooting in his hometown?

705
00:33:56,300 --> 00:33:59,200
Has he been in touch with
Mayor Emanuel this month?

706
00:33:59,203 --> 00:34:02,203
And does he plan on speaking
out about the gun

707
00:34:02,206 --> 00:34:03,446
violence there?

708
00:34:03,441 --> 00:34:05,811
Mr. Earnest: I'm not
aware of any specific

709
00:34:05,810 --> 00:34:07,780
conversations between
President Obama and Mayor

710
00:34:07,779 --> 00:34:10,419
Emanuel about the recent
gun violence in Chicago.

711
00:34:10,415 --> 00:34:15,085
But I think on the
unfortunately many occasions

712
00:34:15,086 --> 00:34:17,586
that you've heard President
Obama talk about the problem

713
00:34:17,588 --> 00:34:22,498
of gun violence in the
United States, the President

714
00:34:22,493 --> 00:34:26,163
has noted the tendency to
focus on mass shooting

715
00:34:26,164 --> 00:34:28,734
events, and for good reason.

716
00:34:28,733 --> 00:34:31,073
The loss of life that we've
seen in places like Baton

717
00:34:31,068 --> 00:34:36,078
Rouge and Orlando quickly
captures people's attention.

718
00:34:41,112 --> 00:34:43,112
But it's important not
to overlook the kind of

719
00:34:43,114 --> 00:34:47,354
violence that,
unfortunately, we see every

720
00:34:47,351 --> 00:34:51,251
day and every night in
cities like Chicago.

721
00:34:51,255 --> 00:34:53,355
And the President often
cites the experience of his

722
00:34:53,357 --> 00:34:55,797
hometown in making those
kinds of comments -- that

723
00:34:55,793 --> 00:34:58,463
the steps that we can take
to prevent gun violence --

724
00:34:58,463 --> 00:35:01,533
common-sense steps that
don't undermine the

725
00:35:01,532 --> 00:35:05,102
constitutional rights of
law-abiding Americans --

726
00:35:05,102 --> 00:35:11,472
wouldn't just make mass
shooting incidents less

727
00:35:11,476 --> 00:35:16,316
likely, they might also have
a positive impact on our

728
00:35:16,314 --> 00:35:20,054
efforts to fight more common
spates of gun violence, like

729
00:35:20,051 --> 00:35:22,351
the shootings in Chicago
that you referred to over

730
00:35:22,353 --> 00:35:23,653
the weekend.

731
00:35:23,654 --> 00:35:28,264
The Press: And we've heard
from Colin Powell, how he

732
00:35:28,259 --> 00:35:30,759
denies inspiring Hillary
Clinton's private email

733
00:35:30,761 --> 00:35:32,061
server use.

734
00:35:32,063 --> 00:35:35,503
Does President Obama think
it's fair for him to say

735
00:35:35,500 --> 00:35:38,340
Hillary Clinton's "people"
are trying to pin her

736
00:35:38,336 --> 00:35:41,176
reliance on a private
email server on him?

737
00:35:41,172 --> 00:35:44,142
Mr. Earnest: Look, like the
President, I don't have any

738
00:35:44,141 --> 00:35:46,481
insight into any sort of
conversations that may have

739
00:35:46,477 --> 00:35:47,777
taken place between
Secretary Clinton and

740
00:35:47,778 --> 00:35:52,318
General Powell, so I'm
afraid I can't shed much

741
00:35:52,316 --> 00:35:53,916
light on that for you.

742
00:35:53,918 --> 00:35:55,188
Mark.

743
00:35:55,186 --> 00:35:58,926
The Press: Josh, when
you say the criticism of

744
00:35:58,923 --> 00:36:02,963
President Obama's response
to Baton Rouge has been

745
00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:06,330
politically motivated,
might the same be said of

746
00:36:06,330 --> 00:36:11,240
candidate Obama's criticism
of President Bush in 2008

747
00:36:11,235 --> 00:36:15,275
when he was critical of
President Bush flying over

748
00:36:15,273 --> 00:36:18,273
New Orleans after cutting
short his vacation?

749
00:36:18,276 --> 00:36:21,276
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think,
Mark, you've presented a

750
00:36:21,279 --> 00:36:25,379
very apt illustration of
a focus on optics over response.

751
00:36:25,383 --> 00:36:30,323
And I think certainly that
infamous photo underscored

752
00:36:30,321 --> 00:36:33,121
the risks with that
kind of approach.

753
00:36:33,124 --> 00:36:35,694
I think what's notable about
Hurricane Katrina, Mark, is

754
00:36:35,693 --> 00:36:38,493
that there were Democrats
and Republicans in Louisiana

755
00:36:38,496 --> 00:36:40,496
who were critical of the
federal government's

756
00:36:40,498 --> 00:36:42,798
response in the immediate
aftermath of the storm.

757
00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:45,240
And I think the failures
of that response have

758
00:36:45,236 --> 00:36:46,676
been well-documented.

759
00:36:46,671 --> 00:36:48,811
What's notable about this
situation, what's different

760
00:36:48,806 --> 00:36:53,716
about this situation is that
in response to this flood,

761
00:36:53,711 --> 00:36:56,011
you've got Democrats and
Republicans in Louisiana

762
00:36:56,013 --> 00:36:57,353
praising the
federal response.

763
00:36:57,348 --> 00:37:00,448
And I think that's the most
significant difference.

764
00:37:00,451 --> 00:37:04,691
The Press: But President
Bush was criticized by

765
00:37:04,689 --> 00:37:09,489
candidate Obama for flying
over -- for not being on the

766
00:37:09,493 --> 00:37:13,393
ground quicker in New
Orleans when he actually was

767
00:37:13,397 --> 00:37:17,267
on the ground within five
days, which is faster than

768
00:37:17,268 --> 00:37:19,868
President Obama's
response or visit.

769
00:37:19,870 --> 00:37:25,010
Mr. Earnest: Well, again, I
guess what I would say is --

770
00:37:25,009 --> 00:37:27,349
I can't speak to the
comments that President --

771
00:37:27,345 --> 00:37:30,145
or then candidate Obama
may have made in 2008.

772
00:37:30,147 --> 00:37:32,947
What President Obama has
demonstrated as President of

773
00:37:32,950 --> 00:37:35,290
the United States is a
commitment to focusing on

774
00:37:35,286 --> 00:37:38,456
results and focusing on the
response and focusing on the

775
00:37:38,456 --> 00:37:42,756
competence and
professionalism at FEMA.

776
00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:45,500
That has been his priority.

777
00:37:45,496 --> 00:37:48,096
And, again, I recognize that
there are some who are going

778
00:37:48,099 --> 00:37:51,469
to criticize the optics of
the President making that

779
00:37:51,469 --> 00:37:52,669
the priority.

780
00:37:52,670 --> 00:37:55,440
The President is willing to
assume that criticism as

781
00:37:55,439 --> 00:37:58,039
long as the federal
response is up to par.

782
00:37:58,042 --> 00:38:02,042
And we've been pleased that,
thus far, that's

783
00:38:02,046 --> 00:38:03,276
what's happened.

784
00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:05,280
But that didn't
happen by accident.

785
00:38:05,282 --> 00:38:07,282
That only happens because
there are patriotic

786
00:38:07,284 --> 00:38:10,524
Americans serving at FEMA
who are working around the

787
00:38:10,521 --> 00:38:16,131
clock to try and meet the
needs of Americans in Baton

788
00:38:16,127 --> 00:38:18,767
Rouge who are facing the
worst day or week

789
00:38:18,763 --> 00:38:19,763
of their lives.

790
00:38:19,764 --> 00:38:23,404
And it only happens because
you have leading officials

791
00:38:23,401 --> 00:38:24,401
in the U.S. government,

792
00:38:24,402 --> 00:38:26,402
including the
President of the United

793
00:38:26,404 --> 00:38:28,844
States, that have made clear
that effective emergency

794
00:38:28,839 --> 00:38:31,579
management and emergency
response is going to be a

795
00:38:31,575 --> 00:38:32,645
top priority.

796
00:38:32,643 --> 00:38:35,143
And that's why he installed
an expert like Craig Fugate

797
00:38:35,146 --> 00:38:36,146
to run that agency.

798
00:38:36,147 --> 00:38:41,217
And, look, Director Fugate
deserves an enormous amount

799
00:38:41,218 --> 00:38:44,918
of credit for retooling that
agency, for overhauling it,

800
00:38:44,922 --> 00:38:48,422
and strengthening the
relationship between FEMA

801
00:38:48,426 --> 00:38:50,426
and state and local
officials all across

802
00:38:50,428 --> 00:38:51,428
the country.

803
00:38:51,429 --> 00:38:55,599
And, again, Mr. Fugate is
not somebody who gets a lot

804
00:38:55,599 --> 00:38:58,999
of TV time other
than in disasters.

805
00:38:59,003 --> 00:39:01,573
And the fact that he is
somebody who is so closely

806
00:39:01,572 --> 00:39:06,782
associated with effective
management and effective

807
00:39:06,777 --> 00:39:09,277
emergency response I think
is a testament to his

808
00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:12,050
prodigious skill.

809
00:39:12,049 --> 00:39:13,389
The Press: It sounds like
you're saying, "heck of a

810
00:39:13,384 --> 00:39:14,884
job, Craig Fugate."

811
00:39:14,885 --> 00:39:18,055
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I think it sounds like

812
00:39:18,055 --> 00:39:21,325
Lieutenant Governor Billy
Nungesser -- a colorful,

813
00:39:21,325 --> 00:39:24,265
noted Obama critic, and the
highest-ranking Republican

814
00:39:24,261 --> 00:39:27,161
official in Louisiana --
is saying that FEMA and

815
00:39:27,164 --> 00:39:29,534
Administrator Fugate have
done an excellent job in

816
00:39:29,533 --> 00:39:31,803
supporting the people of
Louisiana in their time of need.

817
00:39:31,802 --> 00:39:35,802
The Press: On one other
issue, in the transfer of

818
00:39:35,806 --> 00:39:40,176
detainees last week from
Gitmo, did President Obama

819
00:39:40,177 --> 00:39:44,547
play any role in requesting
the UAE to accept

820
00:39:44,548 --> 00:39:46,488
those detainees?

821
00:39:46,484 --> 00:39:49,284
Mr. Earnest: Well, what I
can tell you, Mark, is that

822
00:39:49,286 --> 00:39:55,856
the diplomatic agreements
that are reached with other

823
00:39:55,860 --> 00:40:00,870
countries who agree to
take Gitmo detainees is

824
00:40:06,737 --> 00:40:07,737
work-intensive.

825
00:40:07,738 --> 00:40:12,378
I think it's pretty obvious
that there's not a lot of

826
00:40:12,376 --> 00:40:17,386
immediate upside to agreeing
to bear responsibility for

827
00:40:20,151 --> 00:40:23,291
these individuals, if for no
other reason than just the

828
00:40:23,287 --> 00:40:25,487
stigma associated with them.

829
00:40:25,489 --> 00:40:31,359
So I can't speak to any
specific conversations that

830
00:40:31,362 --> 00:40:36,372
President Obama had with
senior officials in the UAE,

831
00:40:39,003 --> 00:40:41,773
but I can tell you that in
other discussions with world

832
00:40:41,772 --> 00:40:45,712
leaders, the President has
talked about how much the

833
00:40:45,709 --> 00:40:49,819
United States appreciates
the support and friendship

834
00:40:49,814 --> 00:40:52,284
we've received from other
countries who have agreed to

835
00:40:52,283 --> 00:40:54,953
bear this responsibility so
that we could make progress

836
00:40:54,952 --> 00:40:56,952
in closing the prison
at Guantanamo Bay.

837
00:40:56,954 --> 00:41:02,694
The Press: Is it still his
intention to empty out Gitmo

838
00:41:02,693 --> 00:41:05,233
before the end of his term?

839
00:41:05,229 --> 00:41:06,529
Mr. Earnest: The President
is still aiming to close the

840
00:41:06,530 --> 00:41:08,330
prison at Guantanamo Bay
by the end of his term.

841
00:41:08,332 --> 00:41:09,672
Bill.

842
00:41:09,667 --> 00:41:12,637
The Press: Since you're
speaking of optics, was any

843
00:41:12,636 --> 00:41:15,606
consideration given to
suggesting that the

844
00:41:15,606 --> 00:41:17,706
President perhaps not play
golf on the same day that

845
00:41:17,708 --> 00:41:21,178
the Republican candidate
was going to Louisiana?

846
00:41:21,178 --> 00:41:22,318
Mr. Earnest: Not
that I'm aware of.

847
00:41:22,313 --> 00:41:24,613
The Press: Why not?

848
00:41:24,615 --> 00:41:25,415
Mr. Earnest: Again, because
the President was focused on

849
00:41:25,416 --> 00:41:26,316
the federal response.

850
00:41:26,317 --> 00:41:34,327
And that's why, just days
after this flooding started,

851
00:41:34,325 --> 00:41:36,525
the President was on the
phone with the Governor of

852
00:41:36,527 --> 00:41:39,927
Louisiana to talk to him
about what support the U.S.

853
00:41:39,930 --> 00:41:41,500
government could provide.

854
00:41:41,498 --> 00:41:43,498
And that's why the President
informed him in that phone

855
00:41:43,500 --> 00:41:45,940
call that he was prepared
to issue a disaster declaration.

856
00:41:45,936 --> 00:41:48,506
And that's why days later,
the President sent his FEMA

857
00:41:48,505 --> 00:41:50,505
Administrator, Craig Fugate,
down to see the damage

858
00:41:50,507 --> 00:41:52,647
firsthand, and just a day
or two after that, the

859
00:41:52,643 --> 00:41:55,243
President sent his DHS
Secretary down to Louisiana

860
00:41:55,246 --> 00:41:57,386
to see the damage firsthand.

861
00:41:57,381 --> 00:41:59,381
And after each of those
visits, the President got a

862
00:41:59,383 --> 00:42:01,983
phone call from each of
them reporting back to him

863
00:42:01,986 --> 00:42:04,986
directly, firsthand,
exactly what they had seen.

864
00:42:04,989 --> 00:42:09,959
So the President has been
focused on the response and

865
00:42:09,960 --> 00:42:12,560
not, frankly, as concerned
with the optics, as all of

866
00:42:12,563 --> 00:42:13,093
you appear to be.

867
00:42:13,097 --> 00:42:15,137
The Press: But you seemed to
acknowledge earlier that the

868
00:42:15,132 --> 00:42:17,732
optics do have a
-- they matter.

869
00:42:17,735 --> 00:42:20,635
Mr. Earnest: Well, they
matter in as much as there

870
00:42:20,638 --> 00:42:24,008
are plenty of critics of the
Obama administration that

871
00:42:24,008 --> 00:42:26,008
seize on those optics
because they can't, frankly,

872
00:42:26,010 --> 00:42:29,180
criticize the response,
so they've got to find

873
00:42:29,179 --> 00:42:31,649
something to criticize
the President about.

874
00:42:31,649 --> 00:42:33,649
The Press: What will the
President see when he goes

875
00:42:33,651 --> 00:42:34,651
down there tomorrow?

876
00:42:34,652 --> 00:42:35,652
Where is he going?

877
00:42:35,653 --> 00:42:37,653
Mr. Earnest: Well, we'll
have more details.

878
00:42:37,655 --> 00:42:39,655
This is obviously
still coming together.

879
00:42:39,657 --> 00:42:41,997
As we noted on Friday -- as
I noted in the statement on

880
00:42:41,992 --> 00:42:44,592
Friday, the President is
seeking to organize this

881
00:42:44,595 --> 00:42:49,935
visit in a way that doesn't
have an impact on the

882
00:42:49,934 --> 00:42:53,974
significant response and
recovery efforts that are

883
00:42:53,971 --> 00:42:55,101
underway there in Louisiana.

884
00:42:55,105 --> 00:42:57,745
So I would anticipate the
President will have an

885
00:42:57,741 --> 00:43:03,111
opportunity to see some
of the damage firsthand.

886
00:43:03,113 --> 00:43:05,113
I would anticipate that the
President will have the

887
00:43:05,115 --> 00:43:08,915
opportunity to speak to
officials in Louisiana who

888
00:43:08,919 --> 00:43:13,019
have been managing the
response effort, including

889
00:43:13,023 --> 00:43:15,023
the Governor and
Lieutenant Governor.

890
00:43:15,025 --> 00:43:18,925
I would expect the President
will have an opportunity to

891
00:43:18,929 --> 00:43:23,939
meet with and offer some
comfort to citizens whose

892
00:43:23,934 --> 00:43:26,274
lives have been thrown into
chaos as a result of

893
00:43:26,270 --> 00:43:27,270
this event.

894
00:43:27,271 --> 00:43:29,441
And I'm confident the
President will take

895
00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:34,040
advantage of the opportunity
to thank some of those who

896
00:43:34,044 --> 00:43:37,984
were responsible for saving
lives at the height of

897
00:43:37,982 --> 00:43:40,052
this event.

898
00:43:40,050 --> 00:43:41,050
Doug.

899
00:43:41,051 --> 00:43:43,621
The Press: Are you equating
these two storms -- Katrina

900
00:43:43,620 --> 00:43:46,220
and the rainfall in
Baton Rouge right now?

901
00:43:46,223 --> 00:43:49,563
Because one was of a scale
much, much grander than

902
00:43:49,560 --> 00:43:50,790
anything we've seen here.

903
00:43:50,794 --> 00:43:53,194
One is caused by days and
days of steady rain; the

904
00:43:53,197 --> 00:43:55,537
other was caused by a
hurricane which devastated

905
00:43:55,532 --> 00:43:57,802
the entire Southeast United
States, affecting millions

906
00:43:57,801 --> 00:44:00,271
and millions of people.

907
00:44:00,270 --> 00:44:02,470
Yet you said the federal
government did a much more

908
00:44:02,473 --> 00:44:05,343
effective job with this most
recent storm, which is fully

909
00:44:05,342 --> 00:44:07,742
understandable,
given its scale.

910
00:44:07,745 --> 00:44:09,745
Mr. Earnest: I think what
I'm saying is that it's

911
00:44:09,747 --> 00:44:12,047
Louisiana officials, both
Democrats and Republicans,

912
00:44:12,049 --> 00:44:14,419
who are saying that the
federal response to these

913
00:44:14,418 --> 00:44:16,958
floods in Baton Rouge have
been much more effective

914
00:44:16,954 --> 00:44:20,354
than the federal response to
Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

915
00:44:20,357 --> 00:44:22,357
So I was citing
their experience.

916
00:44:22,359 --> 00:44:24,359
And I think it's some of
your colleagues who are

917
00:44:24,361 --> 00:44:26,531
noting that it's about the
same time of year that these

918
00:44:26,530 --> 00:44:28,000
two events occurred.

919
00:44:27,998 --> 00:44:32,908
Just as a matter of science,
I've seen some reporting on

920
00:44:32,903 --> 00:44:35,243
this that actually indicates
that there was substantially

921
00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:39,079
more rainfall associated
with this flooding event

922
00:44:39,076 --> 00:44:42,246
than was actually even
part of Hurricane Katrina.

923
00:44:42,246 --> 00:44:46,216
Now, what was also included
in Hurricane Katrina was a

924
00:44:46,216 --> 00:44:50,486
storm surge and wind damage
that wreaked havoc on a

925
00:44:50,487 --> 00:44:51,557
large American city.

926
00:44:51,555 --> 00:44:54,325
But I think it's --

927
00:44:54,324 --> 00:44:55,164
The Press: The broken levees was the primary cause.

928
00:44:55,159 --> 00:44:59,159
Mr. Earnest: Yes, but I
think it is -- I don't think

929
00:44:59,163 --> 00:45:02,333
it's fair to downplay
the significance of this

930
00:45:02,332 --> 00:45:04,902
historic flooding event
that's affecting not just

931
00:45:04,902 --> 00:45:07,872
Baton Rouge but other parts
of southern and

932
00:45:07,871 --> 00:45:08,871
central Louisiana.

933
00:45:08,872 --> 00:45:12,412
The Press: And then back to
the $400 million payment.

934
00:45:12,409 --> 00:45:15,109
The rest of that money,
the $1.3 billion that's

935
00:45:15,112 --> 00:45:17,112
remaining, has been paid --
is that my understanding?

936
00:45:17,114 --> 00:45:18,384
Mr. Earnest: That's
my understanding.

937
00:45:18,382 --> 00:45:20,322
The Press: And what was
the form of the payment?

938
00:45:20,317 --> 00:45:22,587
Mr. Earnest: My
understanding is that this

939
00:45:22,586 --> 00:45:27,456
interest payment -- so just
to go back, the $400 million

940
00:45:27,458 --> 00:45:30,258
payment was actually
the principal.

941
00:45:30,260 --> 00:45:32,130
This was Iran's money.

942
00:45:32,129 --> 00:45:35,929
Back in 1979, they had
deposited money into a U.S.

943
00:45:35,933 --> 00:45:38,933
account because they were
hoping to buy

944
00:45:38,936 --> 00:45:40,366
military equipment.

945
00:45:40,370 --> 00:45:43,070
Of course, that military
equipment was not provided

946
00:45:43,073 --> 00:45:45,873
to the Iranian regime
because we'd just seen the

947
00:45:45,876 --> 00:45:47,916
government be
overthrown there.

948
00:45:47,911 --> 00:45:52,151
So this is money, Iranian
money that had been held in

949
00:45:52,149 --> 00:45:56,119
a U.S. account for 35 years.

950
00:45:56,120 --> 00:45:58,920
And so the $400 million was
actually the return of

951
00:45:58,922 --> 00:46:00,222
that principal.

952
00:46:00,224 --> 00:46:03,424
And the financial dispute
was rooted in how much

953
00:46:03,427 --> 00:46:05,597
interest we were
going to have to pay.

954
00:46:05,596 --> 00:46:10,236
And the resolution of that
dispute, by getting Iran to

955
00:46:10,234 --> 00:46:14,404
accept a $1.3 billion
interest payment, in the

956
00:46:14,404 --> 00:46:20,674
eyes of experts,
potentially saved U.S.

957
00:46:20,677 --> 00:46:22,347
taxpayers billions
of dollars.

958
00:46:22,346 --> 00:46:27,756
So that's the argument for
why we made this settlement.

959
00:46:27,751 --> 00:46:31,451
But as it relates to the
mechanics here, what I can

960
00:46:31,455 --> 00:46:35,825
tell you is that the $1.3
billion payment has been made.

961
00:46:35,826 --> 00:46:40,836
It was made through a
transaction involving

962
00:46:43,066 --> 00:46:45,906
central banks, but
obviously not the U.S.

963
00:46:45,903 --> 00:46:49,003
central bank because there
are extensive restrictions

964
00:46:49,006 --> 00:46:51,276
on the financial
relationship between the

965
00:46:51,275 --> 00:46:52,275
United States and Iran.

966
00:46:52,276 --> 00:46:55,076
So we had to work with
partners, and out of respect

967
00:46:55,078 --> 00:46:57,178
for those partners, we're
not going to disclose which

968
00:46:57,181 --> 00:46:58,781
partner it was.

969
00:46:58,782 --> 00:47:02,952
But this is the kind of
central bank transaction

970
00:47:02,953 --> 00:47:08,263
that is, while probably not
routine, not

971
00:47:08,258 --> 00:47:09,258
particularly uncommon.

972
00:47:09,259 --> 00:47:11,259
The Press: And that raises
my next question, because if

973
00:47:11,261 --> 00:47:14,201
you used central banks
to make this most recent

974
00:47:14,198 --> 00:47:16,838
transaction, why did you
not use them in the

975
00:47:16,833 --> 00:47:17,833
first transaction?

976
00:47:17,834 --> 00:47:20,534
And why did you not wire the
money to a third party which

977
00:47:20,537 --> 00:47:24,947
did have a banking
relationship with Iran?

978
00:47:24,942 --> 00:47:26,942
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
transfer of the $400 million

979
00:47:26,944 --> 00:47:28,944
was actually a central bank
to central bank transaction.

980
00:47:32,216 --> 00:47:35,116
So that's why I went back at
Michelle on the suggestion

981
00:47:35,118 --> 00:47:37,618
that somehow this
was rather unusual.

982
00:47:37,621 --> 00:47:39,621
Again, I don't think
it's common given the

983
00:47:39,623 --> 00:47:42,223
extraordinary circumstances
here, but the mechanism for

984
00:47:42,226 --> 00:47:44,366
this transfer was also
conducted from central bank

985
00:47:44,361 --> 00:47:45,761
to central bank.

986
00:47:45,762 --> 00:47:49,302
There are significant
limitations on our ability

987
00:47:49,299 --> 00:47:51,399
to engage in financial
transactions with Iran

988
00:47:51,401 --> 00:47:53,401
because of all of the
sanctions that the United

989
00:47:53,403 --> 00:47:54,573
States has put in place.

990
00:47:54,571 --> 00:47:56,571
Now, some of those sanctions
have been rolled back

991
00:47:56,573 --> 00:48:00,073
because that was part of
the nuclear agreement.

992
00:48:00,077 --> 00:48:03,117
So there is more flexibility
in executing these kinds of

993
00:48:03,113 --> 00:48:05,913
transactions than existed
when the $400 million

994
00:48:05,916 --> 00:48:10,586
payment was made.

995
00:48:10,587 --> 00:48:13,587
But the fact is, it's
difficult to engage in any

996
00:48:13,590 --> 00:48:15,590
of these sort of financial
transactions because of the

997
00:48:15,592 --> 00:48:20,132
remaining sanctions that are
in place because of Iran's

998
00:48:20,130 --> 00:48:22,130
violation of human rights
and support for terrorism

999
00:48:22,132 --> 00:48:23,732
and other things.

1000
00:48:23,734 --> 00:48:24,134
The Press: And you're
aware that many of your

1001
00:48:24,134 --> 00:48:26,534
congressional critics,
right-wingers say that this

1002
00:48:26,536 --> 00:48:30,646
form of payment, cash in
Euros and Swiss Francs and

1003
00:48:30,641 --> 00:48:34,041
other denominations, is
precisely how Iran pays many

1004
00:48:34,044 --> 00:48:35,174
of its terrorist proxies?

1005
00:48:35,178 --> 00:48:37,618
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I'd be surprised if they had

1006
00:48:37,614 --> 00:48:40,614
much insight into how
exactly Iran engages in

1007
00:48:40,617 --> 00:48:43,057
these financial transactions
with their proxies.

1008
00:48:43,053 --> 00:48:45,053
If they do, maybe some of
our intel analysts would

1009
00:48:45,055 --> 00:48:46,795
like to talk to them.

1010
00:48:46,790 --> 00:48:54,200
But what I can assure you
of is that the financial

1011
00:48:54,197 --> 00:48:57,537
agreement that we
reached saved U.S.

1012
00:48:57,534 --> 00:48:59,634
taxpayers potentially
billions of dollars, and

1013
00:48:59,636 --> 00:49:01,636
that's exactly why we
reached this agreement.

1014
00:49:01,638 --> 00:49:05,038
The Press: Last question.

1015
00:49:05,042 --> 00:49:08,442
You talked about
the right-wingers.

1016
00:49:08,445 --> 00:49:10,115
Admiral Kirby is
no right-winger.

1017
00:49:10,113 --> 00:49:12,283
He has offered a
fundamentally different

1018
00:49:12,282 --> 00:49:15,152
interpretation of this
transaction, that it was

1019
00:49:15,152 --> 00:49:18,752
connected to the release
of these hostages.

1020
00:49:18,755 --> 00:49:20,825
The President, in his last
press conference before

1021
00:49:20,824 --> 00:49:23,264
departing on his vacation,
said the United States does

1022
00:49:23,260 --> 00:49:25,100
not pay ransom.

1023
00:49:25,095 --> 00:49:29,365
You've talked about the
benefits of this exchange,

1024
00:49:29,366 --> 00:49:30,466
but you have not talked
about the detriments.

1025
00:49:30,467 --> 00:49:32,237
And many of your critics say
the detriment is that there

1026
00:49:32,235 --> 00:49:34,205
is a bounty hanging
over the heads of U.S.

1027
00:49:34,204 --> 00:49:36,304
citizens who are being
held by terrorists now.

1028
00:49:36,306 --> 00:49:38,006
Mr. Earnest: Well, anybody
who thinks that there is a

1029
00:49:38,008 --> 00:49:39,008
bounty over U.S.

1030
00:49:39,009 --> 00:49:41,009
citizens is being foolish
in thinking so because the

1031
00:49:41,011 --> 00:49:43,011
United States does
not pay ransom.

1032
00:49:43,013 --> 00:49:45,013
And the President said
as much quite directly.

1033
00:49:45,015 --> 00:49:47,015
That's been the policy of
this administration; that

1034
00:49:47,017 --> 00:49:49,287
was the policy of previous
administrations, Democrats

1035
00:49:49,286 --> 00:49:50,456
and Republicans.

1036
00:49:50,454 --> 00:49:53,994
That is the policy that has
come under some criticism by

1037
00:49:53,990 --> 00:49:56,690
some who do think the United
States should pay ransom

1038
00:49:56,693 --> 00:50:00,233
because of the value that
we place on human life.

1039
00:50:00,230 --> 00:50:02,570
The President has reached
the conclusion -- again, the

1040
00:50:02,566 --> 00:50:04,566
same conclusion that was
reached by Democratic and

1041
00:50:04,568 --> 00:50:08,608
Republican predecessors of
his -- that to pay a ransom

1042
00:50:08,605 --> 00:50:09,605
only puts U.S.

1043
00:50:09,606 --> 00:50:10,876
citizens in more danger.

1044
00:50:10,874 --> 00:50:14,844
And that's why the United
States won't pay a ransom

1045
00:50:14,845 --> 00:50:16,845
even for Americans that are
being unjustly

1046
00:50:16,847 --> 00:50:18,317
detained overseas.

1047
00:50:18,315 --> 00:50:21,285
I would point out that we do
actually have a quite strong

1048
00:50:21,284 --> 00:50:25,254
record of securing the
release of Americans who

1049
00:50:25,255 --> 00:50:29,595
have been unjustly detained
overseas -- not just in

1050
00:50:29,593 --> 00:50:31,933
Iran, but in other
places around the world.

1051
00:50:31,928 --> 00:50:34,368
And that is a process that
this administration has

1052
00:50:34,364 --> 00:50:36,504
overhauled to make even more
effective, particularly as

1053
00:50:36,500 --> 00:50:38,970
it relates to communicating
with the families of those

1054
00:50:38,969 --> 00:50:40,469
who are being held hostage.

1055
00:50:40,470 --> 00:50:44,370
But this is something that
-- this issue and securing

1056
00:50:44,374 --> 00:50:46,374
the safe rescue
and return of U.S.

1057
00:50:46,376 --> 00:50:48,716
citizens being held against
their will overseas is

1058
00:50:48,712 --> 00:50:51,082
something that the President
has made a priority, and

1059
00:50:51,081 --> 00:50:53,781
we've made significant
progress in improving

1060
00:50:53,784 --> 00:50:54,514
that process.

1061
00:50:54,518 --> 00:50:55,488
The Press: One
more question.

1062
00:50:55,485 --> 00:50:56,155
Mr. Earnest: Sure.

1063
00:50:56,153 --> 00:51:00,793
The Press: It's widely
interpreted that this is the

1064
00:51:00,791 --> 00:51:02,121
homestretch for President
Obama, between now and

1065
00:51:02,125 --> 00:51:03,265
Election Day.

1066
00:51:03,260 --> 00:51:06,500
What does he hope to
accomplish over the course

1067
00:51:06,496 --> 00:51:08,896
of the next three
months or so?

1068
00:51:08,899 --> 00:51:11,439
And given the impasse that
he has with congressional

1069
00:51:11,435 --> 00:51:13,065
Republicans, what
alternatives does he have to

1070
00:51:13,069 --> 00:51:14,909
exercise those options?

1071
00:51:14,905 --> 00:51:18,375
Mr. Earnest: Well, listen,
the fact that Congress

1072
00:51:18,375 --> 00:51:21,045
hasn't done a whole lot
during the first eight

1073
00:51:21,044 --> 00:51:22,844
months of the year doesn't
give us a lot of hope that

1074
00:51:22,846 --> 00:51:25,946
they're going to get a lot
done over the next two and a

1075
00:51:25,949 --> 00:51:27,149
half months or so.

1076
00:51:27,150 --> 00:51:29,050
And that's been a source
of disappointment.

1077
00:51:29,052 --> 00:51:32,892
In particular, it's been
disappointing that while

1078
00:51:32,889 --> 00:51:37,399
Congress is in the midst of
a seven-week break, that

1079
00:51:37,394 --> 00:51:38,934
there are Americans in some
communities across the

1080
00:51:38,929 --> 00:51:42,899
country that are dealing
with the Zika virus being

1081
00:51:42,899 --> 00:51:45,199
actively spread in
their communities.

1082
00:51:45,202 --> 00:51:48,702
And it's unfortunate that
Congress skipped town for a

1083
00:51:48,705 --> 00:51:52,905
seven-week recess without
being focused on providing

1084
00:51:52,909 --> 00:51:56,809
the resources that our
public health professionals

1085
00:51:56,813 --> 00:51:58,613
say are necessary to do
everything possible to fight

1086
00:51:58,615 --> 00:51:59,955
that virus.

1087
00:51:59,950 --> 00:52:06,760
So when members of Congress
get back to work, we're

1088
00:52:06,756 --> 00:52:11,926
hopeful that they'll make
providing Zika-fighting

1089
00:52:11,928 --> 00:52:15,428
resources available to
public health professionals

1090
00:52:15,432 --> 00:52:16,302
a top priority.

1091
00:52:16,299 --> 00:52:17,869
They should have done that
six months ago when the

1092
00:52:17,868 --> 00:52:19,708
President and public health
professionals first asked

1093
00:52:19,703 --> 00:52:21,133
for the resources.

1094
00:52:21,137 --> 00:52:25,407
And hopefully, they'll get
to work when they get back.

1095
00:52:25,408 --> 00:52:28,448
But, look, it's Republicans
who have blocked the

1096
00:52:28,445 --> 00:52:29,315
President's request.

1097
00:52:29,312 --> 00:52:31,652
The Press: And they say
you're the ones who have

1098
00:52:31,648 --> 00:52:32,948
blocked their request.

1099
00:52:32,949 --> 00:52:35,449
They passed a bill with full
funding for Zika treatment.

1100
00:52:35,452 --> 00:52:37,752
Mr. Earnest: Well, actually
what happened is that there

1101
00:52:37,754 --> 00:52:39,994
was bipartisan support --
there were some Republicans

1102
00:52:39,990 --> 00:52:44,660
that did come on board with
the Senate bill that did get

1103
00:52:44,661 --> 00:52:47,201
consideration that did
include full funding.

1104
00:52:47,197 --> 00:52:49,437
There was a compromise
measure that some

1105
00:52:49,432 --> 00:52:52,532
Republicans were able to
pass through the House.

1106
00:52:52,536 --> 00:52:54,506
A different version was
passed through the Senate.

1107
00:52:54,504 --> 00:52:57,244
But both of them were laden
with a bunch of politically

1108
00:52:57,240 --> 00:52:59,980
motivated riders that made
clear that they weren't

1109
00:52:59,976 --> 00:53:01,976
actually interested in
passing funding to fight

1110
00:53:01,978 --> 00:53:03,978
Zika, they were actually
trying to make progress on

1111
00:53:03,980 --> 00:53:05,180
an ideological agenda.

1112
00:53:05,181 --> 00:53:09,021
And the fact that they would
hold hostage Zika funding

1113
00:53:09,019 --> 00:53:11,019
just so that they could
limit funding Planned

1114
00:53:11,021 --> 00:53:14,761
Parenthood, for example, is,
frankly, embarrassing for

1115
00:53:14,758 --> 00:53:16,798
Republicans who
can't do their job.

1116
00:53:16,793 --> 00:53:18,793
Let me add one
more thing to this.

1117
00:53:18,795 --> 00:53:21,165
I think the other thing
that's been appalling is not

1118
00:53:21,164 --> 00:53:23,234
just that Republicans went
on a seven-week vacation

1119
00:53:23,233 --> 00:53:25,533
without doing their job,
they've actually spent their

1120
00:53:25,535 --> 00:53:28,675
seven-week vacation bragging
about not doing their job.

1121
00:53:28,672 --> 00:53:31,042
So I don't know if all of
you saw these comments from

1122
00:53:31,041 --> 00:53:32,111
Leader McConnell.

1123
00:53:32,108 --> 00:53:34,108
This is the highest-ranking
Republican in the United

1124
00:53:34,110 --> 00:53:37,180
States Senate who said, "One
of my proudest moments was

1125
00:53:37,180 --> 00:53:39,380
when I looked Barack Obama
in the eye and I said, 'Mr.

1126
00:53:39,382 --> 00:53:43,082
President, you will not fill
the Supreme Court vacancy.'"

1127
00:53:43,086 --> 00:53:49,796
It takes a lot of nerve to
take a seven-week vacation

1128
00:53:49,793 --> 00:53:51,863
when you haven't
been doing your job.

1129
00:53:51,861 --> 00:53:55,361
But it takes an
extra-special dose of nerve

1130
00:53:55,365 --> 00:53:58,565
to brag about not doing your
job during your

1131
00:53:58,568 --> 00:53:59,908
seven-week vacation.

1132
00:53:59,903 --> 00:54:04,073
I think we now have a pretty
good illustration of why

1133
00:54:04,074 --> 00:54:05,814
congressional Republicans
are polling so low.

1134
00:54:05,809 --> 00:54:07,209
The Press: Last question.

1135
00:54:07,210 --> 00:54:09,110
Do you know if the Zika
funding -- is there enough

1136
00:54:09,112 --> 00:54:12,952
money for funding the
threat, which has diminished

1137
00:54:12,949 --> 00:54:15,789
greatly since the height of that --

1138
00:54:15,785 --> 00:54:17,855
Mr. Earnest: Well, there has been money that has

1139
00:54:17,854 --> 00:54:18,854
been transferred, but that

1140
00:54:18,855 --> 00:54:20,855
money has been
transferred from Ebola

1141
00:54:20,857 --> 00:54:22,857
accounts because Congress
hasn't provided sufficient

1142
00:54:22,859 --> 00:54:24,859
funding so that
we can fight Zika.

1143
00:54:24,861 --> 00:54:26,861
And it does mean that even
if there is a small risk

1144
00:54:26,863 --> 00:54:29,663
from Ebola, why would
we take that chance?

1145
00:54:29,666 --> 00:54:32,266
Why would we be diverting
our attention and resources

1146
00:54:32,268 --> 00:54:35,168
that we know are needed for
Ebola so that we can fight

1147
00:54:35,171 --> 00:54:36,171
the Zika virus?

1148
00:54:36,172 --> 00:54:38,342
The only reason that we
have to do that is because

1149
00:54:38,341 --> 00:54:41,611
Congress has utterly failed
to do what's responsible and

1150
00:54:41,611 --> 00:54:44,381
necessary to ensure that our
public health professionals

1151
00:54:44,381 --> 00:54:46,651
have everything that they
need to do everything

1152
00:54:46,650 --> 00:54:48,650
possible to fight
the Zika virus.

1153
00:54:48,652 --> 00:54:51,252
And so it is a source of
significant disappointment

1154
00:54:51,254 --> 00:54:53,254
that Congress hasn't
acted responsibly.

1155
00:54:53,256 --> 00:54:55,256
The truth is there are
plenty of Republican

1156
00:54:55,258 --> 00:54:57,298
representatives in Congress
from states that are at risk

1157
00:54:57,293 --> 00:54:59,793
from the Zika virus, and
hopefully one of them is

1158
00:54:59,796 --> 00:55:01,796
going to demonstrate some
leadership and actually have

1159
00:55:01,798 --> 00:55:04,238
some influence with the
Republican leadership in the

1160
00:55:04,234 --> 00:55:06,404
United States Congress and
actually get this done.

1161
00:55:06,403 --> 00:55:08,543
But right now, there's
a special onus on these

1162
00:55:08,538 --> 00:55:11,308
Republican members of
Congress from states like

1163
00:55:11,307 --> 00:55:14,007
Florida and Georgia and
Louisiana -- these are

1164
00:55:14,010 --> 00:55:16,280
states where we know that
the Zika virus is likely to

1165
00:55:16,279 --> 00:55:19,049
spread -- Texas is among
them, as well -- and those

1166
00:55:19,049 --> 00:55:23,949
all have representatives in
the Senate and the House who

1167
00:55:23,953 --> 00:55:25,553
are Republicans.

1168
00:55:25,555 --> 00:55:28,295
And I think the only way
this is going to get done is

1169
00:55:28,291 --> 00:55:30,291
them figuring out how
they're going to be able to

1170
00:55:30,293 --> 00:55:33,563
persuade the Republican
leadership to let this through.

1171
00:55:33,563 --> 00:55:36,563
And thus far, those
Republican representatives

1172
00:55:36,566 --> 00:55:39,106
from Florida and Georgia and
Texas and other places

1173
00:55:39,102 --> 00:55:40,202
have failed.

1174
00:55:40,203 --> 00:55:42,203
And it's their citizens
that they were elected to

1175
00:55:42,205 --> 00:55:43,645
represent who are going to
have to bear the cost of it.

1176
00:55:43,640 --> 00:55:45,840
Anita.

1177
00:55:45,842 --> 00:55:50,482
The Press: In the last few
weeks, President Obama is

1178
00:55:50,480 --> 00:55:52,650
starting fundraising for
Hillary Clinton's campaign,

1179
00:55:52,649 --> 00:55:56,389
and as their practice, the
White House press corps is

1180
00:55:56,386 --> 00:55:59,756
able to come -- at least the
pools, they were coming to

1181
00:55:59,756 --> 00:56:01,426
hear his remarks.

1182
00:56:01,424 --> 00:56:04,424
Hillary Clinton has not done
that with her fundraisers,

1183
00:56:04,427 --> 00:56:06,127
and I'm wondering if the
President has a

1184
00:56:06,129 --> 00:56:06,899
problem with that.

1185
00:56:06,896 --> 00:56:09,136
I mean, at some point,
they will probably appear

1186
00:56:09,132 --> 00:56:10,362
together at a fundraiser.

1187
00:56:10,366 --> 00:56:11,266
I don't think that
has happened yet.

1188
00:56:11,267 --> 00:56:14,967
Does the White House think
that she should allow the

1189
00:56:14,971 --> 00:56:17,771
press corps into hear
what she's saying?

1190
00:56:17,774 --> 00:56:19,514
Mr. Earnest: Well, as you've
heard me say many times over

1191
00:56:19,509 --> 00:56:21,579
the last year or so from the
podium, I'm going to let the

1192
00:56:21,578 --> 00:56:23,948
campaigns make their own
decisions about the best way

1193
00:56:23,947 --> 00:56:24,917
to run their campaigns.

1194
00:56:24,914 --> 00:56:29,754
None of them need any advice
from me, and few of them

1195
00:56:29,753 --> 00:56:31,523
would take any advice
from me, frankly.

1196
00:56:31,521 --> 00:56:33,161
The Press: -- a problem that
the White House press corps

1197
00:56:33,156 --> 00:56:35,896
might be able to come into
something and he might be

1198
00:56:35,892 --> 00:56:38,032
saying something that the
Hillary Clinton press corps

1199
00:56:38,027 --> 00:56:39,727
can't come into
the same event?

1200
00:56:39,729 --> 00:56:41,299
Mr. Earnest: Well, I'm not
sure there's ever been a

1201
00:56:41,297 --> 00:56:46,107
situation where something
like that has happened, and

1202
00:56:46,102 --> 00:56:47,172
I'm not sure that it will.

1203
00:56:47,170 --> 00:56:49,940
The Press: -- at fundraisers
for the next three months?

1204
00:56:49,939 --> 00:56:53,339
Mr. Earnest: Well, I guess
-- again, the Clinton

1205
00:56:53,343 --> 00:56:55,243
campaign will make
their own decisions.

1206
00:56:55,245 --> 00:57:01,215
What I will just observe is
the President doesn't have

1207
00:57:01,217 --> 00:57:03,087
any trouble attracting
people to attend

1208
00:57:03,086 --> 00:57:04,086
his fundraisers.

1209
00:57:04,087 --> 00:57:06,287
Secretary Clinton
doesn't either.

1210
00:57:06,289 --> 00:57:10,529
So, again, maybe there will
be a need at some point in

1211
00:57:10,527 --> 00:57:12,167
the future for the two of
them to appear together, but

1212
00:57:12,162 --> 00:57:14,862
it's not one that I
anticipate at this point.

1213
00:57:14,864 --> 00:57:17,034
But I can assure you that if
President Obama is making

1214
00:57:17,033 --> 00:57:21,973
formal public remarks at a
fundraiser that we'll find a

1215
00:57:21,971 --> 00:57:24,471
way to make sure that the
pool has access

1216
00:57:24,474 --> 00:57:25,604
to those remarks.

1217
00:57:25,608 --> 00:57:27,078
The Press: Let me ask you a
similar question -- but in

1218
00:57:27,076 --> 00:57:32,786
general, both candidates
running for President are

1219
00:57:32,782 --> 00:57:35,082
far less transparent than
President Obama is right

1220
00:57:35,084 --> 00:57:38,024
now, or was as a
candidate, either time.

1221
00:57:38,021 --> 00:57:41,461
And I'm just wondering --

1222
00:57:41,457 --> 00:57:41,787
Mr. Earnest: I welcome you

1223
00:57:41,791 --> 00:57:42,931
asking this question anytime in the next --

1224
00:57:42,926 --> 00:57:44,156
The Press: You've made a point of this all the

1225
00:57:44,160 --> 00:57:45,230
time that it's the

1226
00:57:45,228 --> 00:57:46,698
most transparent
administration.

1227
00:57:46,696 --> 00:57:49,996
Clearly, if Donald Trump
or Hillary Clinton wins,

1228
00:57:49,999 --> 00:57:53,469
clearly, if they're doing
what they're doing now, it

1229
00:57:53,469 --> 00:57:55,109
will be less transparent.

1230
00:57:55,104 --> 00:57:56,644
Does that not bother
this White House?

1231
00:57:56,639 --> 00:58:01,549
Mr. Earnest: Well, listen,
I'm just not going to --

1232
00:58:01,544 --> 00:58:02,644
The Press: -- for one candidate.

1233
00:58:02,645 --> 00:58:05,385
Mr. Earnest: For a variety
of reasons --

1234
00:58:05,381 --> 00:58:07,481
The Press: -- the question right now.

1235
00:58:07,483 --> 00:58:08,683
Mr. Earnest: For a variety
of reasons, I'm just not

1236
00:58:08,685 --> 00:58:11,225
going to be in a position to
offer campaign advice from

1237
00:58:11,221 --> 00:58:13,591
the podium here.

1238
00:58:13,590 --> 00:58:15,190
We're focused on the
people's business.

1239
00:58:15,191 --> 00:58:19,831
And at some point if there
are questions about -- well,

1240
00:58:19,829 --> 00:58:24,129
let me just say it this way.

1241
00:58:24,133 --> 00:58:25,603
Each of the candidates is
allowed to make their own

1242
00:58:25,602 --> 00:58:27,542
case about what kind
of value they place on

1243
00:58:27,537 --> 00:58:29,737
transparency and what steps
they're prepared to take to

1244
00:58:29,739 --> 00:58:31,639
be transparent.

1245
00:58:31,641 --> 00:58:36,511
And I certainly -- well, I'm
just going to stop there.

1246
00:58:36,512 --> 00:58:38,512
(laughter)

1247
00:58:38,514 --> 00:58:40,314
The
Press: I guess I would just

1248
00:58:40,316 --> 00:58:42,816
say is the President of
the United States has an

1249
00:58:42,819 --> 00:58:48,689
influence with the
party's nominee.

1250
00:58:48,691 --> 00:58:50,731
He could use that influence,
is all I'm saying.

1251
00:58:50,727 --> 00:58:51,857
I don't expect an
answer to that.

1252
00:58:51,861 --> 00:58:53,231
But you have a
question before you.

1253
00:58:53,229 --> 00:58:55,329
Mr. Earnest: All I'm saying
is each of the individual

1254
00:58:55,331 --> 00:58:58,071
campaigns -- I'm quite
limited in what I can say in

1255
00:58:58,067 --> 00:59:00,567
this context about the
individual campaigns.

1256
00:59:00,570 --> 00:59:02,640
But I'm confident that if
you contacted one of my

1257
00:59:02,639 --> 00:59:05,539
colleagues at the Clinton
campaign they would have a

1258
00:59:05,541 --> 00:59:10,181
very strong, fact-based case
to make about how much more

1259
00:59:10,179 --> 00:59:14,389
transparent they are being
than their opponent,

1260
00:59:14,384 --> 00:59:16,024
particularly with
regard to tax returns.

1261
00:59:16,019 --> 00:59:17,219
But that is a case that
I'll let them make.

1262
00:59:17,220 --> 00:59:18,220
(laughter)

1263
00:59:18,221 --> 00:59:21,591
What I will
do is I will make an

1264
00:59:21,591 --> 00:59:25,831
affirmative case about what
President Obama has done to

1265
00:59:25,828 --> 00:59:26,968
try to bring more
transparency into

1266
00:59:26,963 --> 00:59:28,433
the administration.

1267
00:59:28,431 --> 00:59:31,031
And, yes, we have made the
case repeatedly, in the face

1268
00:59:31,034 --> 00:59:34,174
of some pretty withering
criticism, about how -- I'm

1269
00:59:34,170 --> 00:59:38,510
looking at you, Mark
-- about how the Obama

1270
00:59:38,508 --> 00:59:40,178
administration is the most
transparent administration

1271
00:59:40,176 --> 00:59:41,146
in history.

1272
00:59:41,144 --> 00:59:42,574
It's also the job of all
of you, including your

1273
00:59:42,578 --> 00:59:46,518
colleague, Mark, here, to
contest that notion and to

1274
00:59:46,516 --> 00:59:48,156
press us for more access
and to say that that's

1275
00:59:48,151 --> 00:59:49,281
not enough.

1276
00:59:49,285 --> 00:59:51,855
But President Obama has
clearly made this a priority

1277
00:59:51,854 --> 00:59:54,824
and he hopes that subsequent
Presidents will, as well.

1278
00:59:54,824 --> 00:59:55,594
The Press: Okay.

1279
00:59:55,591 --> 00:59:57,761
So the second question on
a separate topic -- in the

1280
00:59:57,760 --> 01:00:02,030
last few weeks, including
today, emails have been

1281
01:00:02,031 --> 01:00:06,401
released from a variety of
places showing -- these are

1282
01:00:06,402 --> 01:00:08,402
either Hillary Clinton
emails or aides' emails --

1283
01:00:08,404 --> 01:00:12,104
showing that the Clinton
Foundation executive

1284
01:00:12,108 --> 01:00:17,148
director officials sought
and in some cases received

1285
01:00:17,146 --> 01:00:21,616
special access at
the State Department.

1286
01:00:21,617 --> 01:00:25,987
And I'm wondering, if this
-- because of the agreement

1287
01:00:25,989 --> 01:00:28,289
that the White House struck
with the Clinton State

1288
01:00:28,291 --> 01:00:30,831
Department, if you all
have problems with that.

1289
01:00:30,827 --> 01:00:33,127
If it didn't violate
the actual lines of the

1290
01:00:33,129 --> 01:00:35,669
agreement, many people have
said it violates the spirit

1291
01:00:35,665 --> 01:00:36,595
of the agreement.

1292
01:00:36,599 --> 01:00:38,239
And I'm wondering what
your thoughts are.

1293
01:00:38,234 --> 01:00:39,434
Mr. Earnest: Well, listen,
I'm actually not going to

1294
01:00:39,435 --> 01:00:40,305
get into that.

1295
01:00:40,303 --> 01:00:44,173
There is an agreement that
was in place while Secretary

1296
01:00:44,173 --> 01:00:47,613
Clinton was at the State
Department that did go above

1297
01:00:47,610 --> 01:00:51,550
and beyond standard ethics
requirements, including as

1298
01:00:51,547 --> 01:00:55,387
it relates to the Clinton
family foundation.

1299
01:00:55,385 --> 01:00:58,985
But for emails that were
exchanged between State

1300
01:00:58,988 --> 01:01:00,758
Department officials
and individuals at

1301
01:01:00,757 --> 01:01:01,487
the foundation --

1302
01:01:01,491 --> 01:01:02,621
The Press: It's your State Department, though.

1303
01:01:02,625 --> 01:01:03,965
Mr. Earnest: I
understand that.

1304
01:01:03,960 --> 01:01:06,900
But the responsibility
for enforcing the ethical

1305
01:01:06,896 --> 01:01:08,536
guidelines that are included
in the memorandum of

1306
01:01:08,531 --> 01:01:12,271
understanding falls with
ethics attorneys at the

1307
01:01:12,268 --> 01:01:13,198
State Department.

1308
01:01:13,202 --> 01:01:14,602
This is how it works
at every agency.

1309
01:01:14,604 --> 01:01:17,644
So I'm going to let State
Department officials talk

1310
01:01:17,640 --> 01:01:19,410
about emails from
the State Department.

1311
01:01:19,409 --> 01:01:23,249
I'll let officials at the
foundation talk about emails

1312
01:01:23,246 --> 01:01:24,376
that their officials sent.

1313
01:01:24,380 --> 01:01:26,520
Go ahead, Hans.

1314
01:01:26,516 --> 01:01:28,116
The Press: Earlier, you kind
of suggested we weren't

1315
01:01:28,117 --> 01:01:29,887
asking precise enough
questions seven months ago

1316
01:01:29,886 --> 01:01:32,456
on Iran and that's why some
of the lack of clarity

1317
01:01:32,455 --> 01:01:33,185
is here.

1318
01:01:33,189 --> 01:01:35,689
So for the sake of clarity,
could you describe for me

1319
01:01:35,691 --> 01:01:38,161
and for the record the White
House's understanding and

1320
01:01:38,161 --> 01:01:41,301
the delineation between
leverage and ransom?

1321
01:01:41,297 --> 01:01:44,497
Mr. Earnest: Well, Hans, I
will be very clear about this.

1322
01:01:44,500 --> 01:01:46,900
I was not trying to imply
any sort of lack of effort

1323
01:01:46,903 --> 01:01:51,043
or expertise on the part
of the reporters who were

1324
01:01:51,040 --> 01:01:51,840
asking questions.

1325
01:01:51,841 --> 01:01:54,181
The observation that I'm
making is that there are a

1326
01:01:54,177 --> 01:01:57,447
whole lot of details
related to this series

1327
01:01:57,447 --> 01:01:58,417
of agreements.

1328
01:01:58,414 --> 01:02:01,214
And the truth is the
questions that you guys were

1329
01:02:01,217 --> 01:02:03,657
asking about the safety
and security of American

1330
01:02:03,653 --> 01:02:06,423
citizens who were being
released, about how we could

1331
01:02:06,422 --> 01:02:09,762
verify the commitments that
Iran was making with regard

1332
01:02:09,759 --> 01:02:15,869
to their nuclear program,
about the mechanism for

1333
01:02:15,865 --> 01:02:22,605
releasing these American
citizens and what prisoners

1334
01:02:22,605 --> 01:02:24,945
were released in the United
States in exchange for them

1335
01:02:24,941 --> 01:02:26,441
-- all those were
legitimate questions.

1336
01:02:26,442 --> 01:02:29,982
And all those were answered
in detail, including in some

1337
01:02:29,979 --> 01:02:33,349
cases, on the record in the
President's remarks to all

1338
01:02:33,349 --> 01:02:35,919
of you; in other cases,
particularly as it relates

1339
01:02:35,918 --> 01:02:38,218
to the prisoners who were
released, there were

1340
01:02:38,221 --> 01:02:40,991
statements issued and
information provided by the

1341
01:02:40,990 --> 01:02:42,630
Department of Justice.

1342
01:02:42,625 --> 01:02:44,825
So I guess the point that
I'm making here, Hans, is

1343
01:02:44,827 --> 01:02:46,597
not just that there was a
failure on the part of the

1344
01:02:46,596 --> 01:02:48,896
press corps, just the
observation that this was

1345
01:02:48,898 --> 01:02:51,738
extraordinarily complex and
there are lots of details

1346
01:02:51,734 --> 01:02:53,704
that people were
justifiably interested in.

1347
01:02:53,703 --> 01:02:57,973
And I think understanding
the details, the kinds of

1348
01:02:57,974 --> 01:03:01,574
details that I just outlined
I think would have an impact

1349
01:03:01,577 --> 01:03:05,477
on people's appraisal of the
benefits of the approach

1350
01:03:05,481 --> 01:03:06,551
that we have pursued.

1351
01:03:06,549 --> 01:03:08,289
The point that I'm making is
the kinds of details that

1352
01:03:08,284 --> 01:03:11,924
we're talking about now,
while might be interesting

1353
01:03:11,921 --> 01:03:17,091
fodder for a read in a spy
novel on the beach, don't

1354
01:03:17,093 --> 01:03:22,633
change our assessment about
what exactly was concluded

1355
01:03:22,632 --> 01:03:24,672
and how the United States
benefitted from the

1356
01:03:24,667 --> 01:03:27,207
conclusion of this
series of agreements.

1357
01:03:27,203 --> 01:03:28,433
The Press: I'll concede
this is all very complex.

1358
01:03:28,437 --> 01:03:30,637
But my simple question
is, what's the difference

1359
01:03:30,640 --> 01:03:32,110
between a ransom
and leverage?

1360
01:03:32,108 --> 01:03:34,348
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
the point is simply this:

1361
01:03:34,343 --> 01:03:40,013
The United States was
pursuing three different

1362
01:03:40,016 --> 01:03:43,886
agreements, trying to
resolve three different

1363
01:03:43,886 --> 01:03:45,586
issues with the Iranians.

1364
01:03:45,588 --> 01:03:50,058
And the nuclear agreement
was one that Secretary Kerry

1365
01:03:50,059 --> 01:03:53,329
and others -- Ambassador
Wendy Sherman among them --

1366
01:03:53,329 --> 01:03:58,399
spent years, many sleepless
nights, trying to negotiate

1367
01:03:58,401 --> 01:04:00,241
with the Iranians.

1368
01:04:00,236 --> 01:04:01,976
And we completed
that agreement.

1369
01:04:01,971 --> 01:04:04,511
And that actually went into
effect, Implementation Day

1370
01:04:04,507 --> 01:04:07,907
was actually the day before
the release of the American

1371
01:04:07,910 --> 01:04:09,850
citizens, and the day before
the completion of the

1372
01:04:09,845 --> 01:04:12,315
financial settlement.

1373
01:04:12,315 --> 01:04:22,325
What we have made clear is
that the American citizens

1374
01:04:22,325 --> 01:04:26,565
in Iran who were unjustly
detained were released in

1375
01:04:26,562 --> 01:04:30,802
exchange for the United
States releasing some

1376
01:04:30,800 --> 01:04:33,000
prisoners who
were held here.

1377
01:04:33,002 --> 01:04:37,202
These were individuals who
were convicted of crimes

1378
01:04:37,206 --> 01:04:38,036
like trying to circumvent
sanctions that were in place

1379
01:04:38,040 --> 01:04:38,610
against Iran --

1380
01:04:38,608 --> 01:04:39,838
The Press: -- the $400 million was the leverage.

1381
01:04:39,842 --> 01:04:41,782
Mr. Earnest: The $400
million was a

1382
01:04:41,777 --> 01:04:43,017
separate settlement.

1383
01:04:43,012 --> 01:04:46,712
The Press: Where does the
timing in the leverage come in?

1384
01:04:46,716 --> 01:04:48,386
Because the State Department
has used the word, "leverage."

1385
01:04:48,384 --> 01:04:50,154
The President has used
the word, "ransom."

1386
01:04:50,152 --> 01:04:51,422
And I'm just
trying to square.

1387
01:04:51,420 --> 01:04:54,060
Mr. Earnest: And I guess
what I'm saying is that what

1388
01:04:54,056 --> 01:05:01,226
we made clear to the
Iranians is that we expected

1389
01:05:01,230 --> 01:05:08,470
them to navigate the
complexities of all of this.

1390
01:05:08,471 --> 01:05:14,581
We were doing our part to
release the seven prisoners.

1391
01:05:14,577 --> 01:05:17,517
There are also 14 other
individuals who had red

1392
01:05:17,513 --> 01:05:19,983
notices against
them dropped.

1393
01:05:19,982 --> 01:05:21,882
They were part of this
agreement to secure the

1394
01:05:21,884 --> 01:05:25,954
release of the unjustly
detained Americans.

1395
01:05:25,955 --> 01:05:30,125
But this is a complicated
arrangement, and we expected

1396
01:05:30,126 --> 01:05:32,566
them to keep their
commitments.

1397
01:05:32,561 --> 01:05:33,401
The Press: -- ask
another simple question.

1398
01:05:33,396 --> 01:05:35,236
Is there a difference
between a ransom

1399
01:05:35,231 --> 01:05:36,601
and leverage?

1400
01:05:36,599 --> 01:05:39,839
Mr. Earnest: Well, listen,
Hans, I guess I quibble with

1401
01:05:39,835 --> 01:05:41,835
this because --

1402
01:05:41,837 --> 01:05:44,977
The Press:
Every time -- we've been

1403
01:05:44,974 --> 01:05:47,874
sort of dinged for not
asking precise questions.

1404
01:05:47,877 --> 01:05:50,047
We're trying to ask them,
and then we don't get

1405
01:05:50,046 --> 01:05:50,916
direct answers.

1406
01:05:50,913 --> 01:05:54,253
I mean, is this -- the
President said no ransoms.

1407
01:05:54,250 --> 01:05:56,650
The State Department
said leverage was paid.

1408
01:05:56,652 --> 01:05:58,392
So just how do we bring
those two together?

1409
01:05:58,387 --> 01:05:59,627
I mean, if there's no
distinction, there's

1410
01:05:59,622 --> 01:06:00,392
no distinction.

1411
01:06:00,389 --> 01:06:02,189
But we're giving you a
chance right now to say is

1412
01:06:02,191 --> 01:06:05,091
there a distinction between
ransom and leverage, and

1413
01:06:05,094 --> 01:06:07,194
your quibbling with the
question, which seems like a

1414
01:06:07,196 --> 01:06:08,496
pretty basic question.

1415
01:06:08,497 --> 01:06:10,337
Mr. Earnest: Well, again --
well, first of all, I'm not

1416
01:06:10,333 --> 01:06:12,673
dinging the press corps, and
I certainly didn't mean to

1417
01:06:12,668 --> 01:06:14,368
ding you or anybody else
for not asking

1418
01:06:14,370 --> 01:06:15,710
precise questions.

1419
01:06:15,705 --> 01:06:17,545
As I mentioned earlier,
the fact is this is

1420
01:06:17,540 --> 01:06:19,940
extraordinarily complex.

1421
01:06:19,942 --> 01:06:23,782
The notion of a ransom I
think I often perceived as

1422
01:06:23,779 --> 01:06:29,819
paying money in exchange
of the release of unjustly

1423
01:06:29,819 --> 01:06:31,689
detained individuals.

1424
01:06:31,687 --> 01:06:32,827
That's not what
occurred here.

1425
01:06:32,822 --> 01:06:35,592
What occurred here was a
mutual prisoner release.

1426
01:06:35,591 --> 01:06:38,361
Iran released four American
citizens who were being

1427
01:06:38,361 --> 01:06:42,431
unjustly detained in Iran,
and we brought them home.

1428
01:06:42,431 --> 01:06:46,371
The United States released
seven individuals who had

1429
01:06:46,369 --> 01:06:48,809
been convicted of crimes and
were being held here in the

1430
01:06:48,804 --> 01:06:50,304
United States.

1431
01:06:50,306 --> 01:06:52,046
You've got to check on the
details with the

1432
01:06:52,041 --> 01:06:52,911
Justice Department.

1433
01:06:52,908 --> 01:06:55,148
I don't know if all of them
had been convicted, but at

1434
01:06:55,144 --> 01:06:57,344
least several of them were
being held here in U.S.

1435
01:06:57,346 --> 01:07:03,186
prisons because they were
either convicted of or

1436
01:07:03,185 --> 01:07:04,385
accused of a crime.

1437
01:07:04,387 --> 01:07:05,757
So that is the --

1438
01:07:05,755 --> 01:07:06,955
The Press: I heard the definition of ransom.

1439
01:07:06,956 --> 01:07:08,726
The definition
of leverage is?

1440
01:07:08,724 --> 01:07:10,224
Mr. Earnest: Well, it's not
a word that I'd use, I guess

1441
01:07:10,226 --> 01:07:11,966
is what I would point out.

1442
01:07:11,961 --> 01:07:14,531
So you can ask somebody
else about that.

1443
01:07:14,530 --> 01:07:16,870
But we've been quite clear
exactly about what led to

1444
01:07:16,866 --> 01:07:18,036
all of this.

1445
01:07:18,033 --> 01:07:19,203
The Press: Earlier you were
quite clear that you were

1446
01:07:19,201 --> 01:07:21,041
very proud of the
entire agreement.

1447
01:07:21,036 --> 01:07:23,476
Were you proud that
leverage was used?

1448
01:07:23,472 --> 01:07:27,472
Mr. Earnest: Again, that's a
word that I have not used.

1449
01:07:27,476 --> 01:07:31,016
And the point is we are
quite proud of the benefits

1450
01:07:31,013 --> 01:07:33,783
that have been enjoyed by
the American people, and we

1451
01:07:33,783 --> 01:07:37,883
are quite proud of the way
that we have prevented Iran

1452
01:07:37,887 --> 01:07:40,187
from obtaining a nuclear
weapon, convinced Iran to

1453
01:07:40,189 --> 01:07:42,159
roll back key aspects of
their nuclear program,

1454
01:07:42,158 --> 01:07:44,758
cooperate with intrusive
inspections of their nuclear

1455
01:07:44,760 --> 01:07:47,130
facilities, secure the
release of four unjustly

1456
01:07:47,129 --> 01:07:49,199
detained Americans, and
saved the American taxpayers

1457
01:07:49,198 --> 01:07:50,568
potentially
billions of dollars.

1458
01:07:50,566 --> 01:07:52,736
And we've done all of that
without firing a single

1459
01:07:52,735 --> 01:07:54,475
bullet or deploying
a single troop.

1460
01:07:54,470 --> 01:07:55,670
The Press: If "leverage"
isn't the word you're

1461
01:07:55,671 --> 01:07:58,241
comfortable using, how would
you describe the delay in

1462
01:07:58,240 --> 01:07:59,240
the timing?

1463
01:07:59,241 --> 01:08:01,081
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what is clear is that the --

1464
01:08:01,076 --> 01:08:03,116
The Press: Just one word.

1465
01:08:03,112 --> 01:08:05,452
If leverage doesn't work,
ransom doesn't work, what works?

1466
01:08:05,448 --> 01:08:08,818
Mr. Earnest: What works is
that Iran released four

1467
01:08:08,818 --> 01:08:10,858
American citizens who were
being unjustly detained in

1468
01:08:10,853 --> 01:08:14,953
exchange for seven
individuals being released

1469
01:08:14,957 --> 01:08:15,687
in the United States.

1470
01:08:15,691 --> 01:08:17,191
That was the exchange.

1471
01:08:17,193 --> 01:08:20,163
That's the direct
exchange that occurred.

1472
01:08:20,162 --> 01:08:21,662
This was a mutual
prisoner release.

1473
01:08:21,664 --> 01:08:23,704
The Press: The mechanisms
that were used, your words

1474
01:08:23,699 --> 01:08:25,939
-- the arrangements -- how
would you describe

1475
01:08:25,935 --> 01:08:26,635
that arrangement?

1476
01:08:26,635 --> 01:08:28,235
Mr. Earnest: Well,
I think I just did.

1477
01:08:28,237 --> 01:08:30,037
They released four people
that were being unjustly

1478
01:08:30,039 --> 01:08:31,579
detained in Iran and
we brought them home.

1479
01:08:31,574 --> 01:08:33,314
There were seven individuals
that were being held in the

1480
01:08:33,309 --> 01:08:34,709
United States and
we released them.

1481
01:08:34,710 --> 01:08:37,150
That's the mutual
prisoner release.

1482
01:08:37,146 --> 01:08:38,846
I think people have
described this as a

1483
01:08:38,848 --> 01:08:39,948
quid pro quo.

1484
01:08:39,949 --> 01:08:42,249
That's the quid pro quo.

1485
01:08:42,251 --> 01:08:44,651
They released four;
we released seven.

1486
01:08:44,653 --> 01:08:45,823
The Press: One final --
you're not using the

1487
01:08:45,821 --> 01:08:47,121
term, "leverage."

1488
01:08:47,122 --> 01:08:50,162
Do you disavow, do you want
to walk back that leverage?

1489
01:08:50,159 --> 01:08:50,889
Since leverage is not
something you're comfortable

1490
01:08:50,893 --> 01:08:53,993
coming from the White House.

1491
01:08:53,996 --> 01:08:56,296
Mr. Earnest: What is clear,
Hans, is this -- is that the

1492
01:08:56,298 --> 01:09:00,438
United States was much more
concerned about completing

1493
01:09:00,436 --> 01:09:03,576
the agreement to bring our
four unjustly detained

1494
01:09:03,572 --> 01:09:06,572
American citizens home than
we were in reaching the

1495
01:09:06,575 --> 01:09:07,915
financial settlement.

1496
01:09:07,910 --> 01:09:09,310
The Iranians might have
had a different set

1497
01:09:09,311 --> 01:09:10,311
of priorities.

1498
01:09:10,312 --> 01:09:13,812
They may have valued
that money more.

1499
01:09:13,816 --> 01:09:14,646
You'd have to ask them.

1500
01:09:14,650 --> 01:09:18,420
So it's clear what our
priority was in this

1501
01:09:18,420 --> 01:09:20,620
instance when it came to
those two transactions that

1502
01:09:20,623 --> 01:09:22,093
were completed
on the same day.

1503
01:09:22,091 --> 01:09:25,191
But, again, the reason that
we quibble with this notion

1504
01:09:25,194 --> 01:09:30,134
of a ransom is pretty
straightforward.

1505
01:09:30,132 --> 01:09:33,402
The quid pro quo here
was the release of four

1506
01:09:33,402 --> 01:09:35,642
Americans by Iran in
exchange for the release of

1507
01:09:35,638 --> 01:09:37,238
seven prisoners in
the United States.

1508
01:09:37,239 --> 01:09:40,379
Alexis.

1509
01:09:40,376 --> 01:09:42,576
The Press: Josh, can we just
add one question on top of

1510
01:09:42,578 --> 01:09:44,878
what Hans was asking, and
everybody was asking?

1511
01:09:44,880 --> 01:09:48,880
Going forward, is the
President concerned now that

1512
01:09:48,884 --> 01:09:51,654
there is enough confusion
about what you described as

1513
01:09:51,654 --> 01:09:55,124
very complex that the
perception in the United

1514
01:09:55,124 --> 01:09:59,934
States and around the world
is that the United States

1515
01:09:59,929 --> 01:10:03,729
has a different policy in
not paying ransoms and that

1516
01:10:03,732 --> 01:10:08,572
this confusion might put
Americans in harm's way in

1517
01:10:08,571 --> 01:10:11,141
terms of making them
susceptible to being

1518
01:10:11,140 --> 01:10:14,610
detained, imprisoned, taken
hostage in the future?

1519
01:10:14,610 --> 01:10:16,810
Mr. Earnest: I would
acknowledge and I have

1520
01:10:16,812 --> 01:10:18,552
acknowledged -- I think
we've all acknowledged that

1521
01:10:18,547 --> 01:10:20,487
the situation is complex,
but there should be

1522
01:10:20,482 --> 01:10:21,582
no confusion.

1523
01:10:21,584 --> 01:10:24,624
The President has been clear
from the beginning of his

1524
01:10:24,620 --> 01:10:26,160
presidency that the United
States does not pay ransoms.

1525
01:10:26,155 --> 01:10:29,295
And the President said as
much a couple of weeks ago.

1526
01:10:29,291 --> 01:10:32,291
He said it directly in
response to a question.

1527
01:10:32,294 --> 01:10:34,394
He said it live
on television.

1528
01:10:34,396 --> 01:10:37,466
And he said it straight --
you heard it straight from

1529
01:10:37,466 --> 01:10:38,906
the President's mouth.

1530
01:10:38,901 --> 01:10:40,271
That is the policy
of the United States.

1531
01:10:40,269 --> 01:10:41,939
That is the policy for which
the United States has been

1532
01:10:41,937 --> 01:10:43,307
criticized on occasion.

1533
01:10:43,305 --> 01:10:46,405
That is the policy that was
in place and followed by

1534
01:10:46,408 --> 01:10:49,348
previous Presidents
in both parties.

1535
01:10:49,345 --> 01:10:52,115
But it's the policy that's
been in place here in the

1536
01:10:52,114 --> 01:10:53,244
United States.

1537
01:10:53,248 --> 01:10:55,088
As it relates to those
individuals who were

1538
01:10:55,084 --> 01:10:59,024
intentionally trying to sow
confusion, it's unfortunate

1539
01:10:59,021 --> 01:11:01,121
that they are seeking to do
so, but I understand that

1540
01:11:01,123 --> 01:11:02,763
they have a political
motive for doing so.

1541
01:11:02,758 --> 01:11:07,828
And I'm referring to
political motives of

1542
01:11:07,830 --> 01:11:09,400
right-wingers in Iran and
right-wingers in the

1543
01:11:09,398 --> 01:11:10,368
United States.

1544
01:11:10,366 --> 01:11:13,336
As the President himself,
again, about a year or so

1545
01:11:13,335 --> 01:11:17,435
ago, made the observation
that right-wingers in Iran

1546
01:11:17,439 --> 01:11:19,809
were making common cause
with Republicans here in the

1547
01:11:19,808 --> 01:11:21,248
United States.

1548
01:11:21,243 --> 01:11:24,443
So this is not a
new phenomenon.

1549
01:11:24,446 --> 01:11:29,986
It's not different that the
right-wingers in Iran are

1550
01:11:29,985 --> 01:11:32,385
making basically the same
argument as Republicans here

1551
01:11:32,388 --> 01:11:33,588
in the United States.

1552
01:11:33,589 --> 01:11:34,919
That's not new.

1553
01:11:34,923 --> 01:11:37,193
But it's also not new that
the President has been

1554
01:11:37,192 --> 01:11:40,132
unambiguous about the policy
that we've pursued in this

1555
01:11:40,129 --> 01:11:42,469
administration
not to pay ransom.

1556
01:11:42,464 --> 01:11:44,264
The Press: Can I ask
a Louisiana question?

1557
01:11:44,266 --> 01:11:44,866
Mr. Earnest: Sure.

1558
01:11:44,867 --> 01:11:47,067
The Press: Is it too early
to suggest that there might

1559
01:11:47,069 --> 01:11:50,639
be a request for additional
federal assistance that the

1560
01:11:50,639 --> 01:11:53,579
President would need to
work with Congress on?

1561
01:11:53,575 --> 01:11:55,445
Has there been discussion
inside the administration

1562
01:11:55,444 --> 01:11:58,384
because of the high price
tag that deals with schools,

1563
01:11:58,380 --> 01:12:01,980
Education Department,
Agriculture, obviously homes

1564
01:12:01,984 --> 01:12:05,484
-- I was just wondering if
it's too early to say that

1565
01:12:05,487 --> 01:12:08,657
that might be a
discussion here.

1566
01:12:08,657 --> 01:12:10,157
Mr. Earnest: Well, I'm
certainly not aware of any

1567
01:12:10,159 --> 01:12:12,529
discussions like that that
have taken place thus far.

1568
01:12:12,528 --> 01:12:15,098
But obviously the President
is going to have an

1569
01:12:15,097 --> 01:12:17,637
opportunity to go hear
firsthand from officials in

1570
01:12:17,633 --> 01:12:19,503
Louisiana when he
visits there tomorrow.

1571
01:12:19,501 --> 01:12:27,841
And certainly as we make
more progress in the

1572
01:12:27,843 --> 01:12:30,013
response and recovery it
will become clearer what

1573
01:12:30,012 --> 01:12:34,682
exactly the price tag is
and clearer what sort of

1574
01:12:34,683 --> 01:12:37,383
additional support the
people of Louisiana and the

1575
01:12:37,386 --> 01:12:39,286
state of Louisiana may need.

1576
01:12:39,288 --> 01:12:44,258
So the administration is
committed to standing with

1577
01:12:44,259 --> 01:12:45,699
Louisiana and the people of
Louisiana in this

1578
01:12:45,694 --> 01:12:46,734
difficult time.

1579
01:12:46,729 --> 01:12:49,799
And, again, if the past is
any guide, after several

1580
01:12:49,798 --> 01:12:56,938
days here, the attention
will trickle away, but this

1581
01:12:56,939 --> 01:13:01,039
administration is going to
be focused on standing with

1582
01:13:01,043 --> 01:13:03,043
the people of Louisiana even
after the television cameras

1583
01:13:03,045 --> 01:13:04,115
have left.

1584
01:13:04,113 --> 01:13:08,153
And that is a commitment
that the President will make

1585
01:13:08,150 --> 01:13:09,820
when he travels
there tomorrow.

1586
01:13:09,818 --> 01:13:11,758
The Press: One other
follow-up on Doug's question

1587
01:13:11,754 --> 01:13:14,524
about the President's
agenda moving forward.

1588
01:13:14,523 --> 01:13:17,823
You mentioned Senator
McConnell not being helpful

1589
01:13:17,826 --> 01:13:20,396
on the Supreme Court.

1590
01:13:20,395 --> 01:13:24,395
But Senator McConnell
is in favor of trade.

1591
01:13:24,399 --> 01:13:27,499
On TPP and the effort that
the administration was

1592
01:13:27,503 --> 01:13:32,273
making during the summer
break to try to I guess gin

1593
01:13:32,274 --> 01:13:36,114
up support for getting
TPP ratification, is the

1594
01:13:36,111 --> 01:13:38,851
President still of a mind
that that is possible in a

1595
01:13:38,847 --> 01:13:40,147
lame duck?

1596
01:13:40,149 --> 01:13:42,089
Mr. Earnest: The President
certainly continues to

1597
01:13:42,084 --> 01:13:44,184
believe that the Congress
should support the

1598
01:13:44,186 --> 01:13:45,856
Trans-Pacific Partnership.

1599
01:13:45,854 --> 01:13:48,554
The President and his team
have negotiated a very

1600
01:13:48,557 --> 01:13:51,857
effective deal, and this is
an agreement that has been

1601
01:13:51,860 --> 01:13:54,430
posted publicly for months
that people around the world

1602
01:13:54,429 --> 01:13:57,169
and the United States
Congress have been

1603
01:13:57,166 --> 01:13:57,836
able to read.

1604
01:13:57,833 --> 01:14:02,433
And that agreement includes
18,000 tax cuts on American

1605
01:14:02,437 --> 01:14:04,277
goods that other
countries impose.

1606
01:14:04,273 --> 01:14:07,043
It includes provisions that
allow the United States to

1607
01:14:07,042 --> 01:14:10,282
enforce higher labor
standards and higher

1608
01:14:10,279 --> 01:14:13,019
environmental standards, and
even higher human rights

1609
01:14:13,015 --> 01:14:15,455
standards in a
variety of countries.

1610
01:14:15,450 --> 01:14:19,220
And it also gives the United
States and businesses here

1611
01:14:19,221 --> 01:14:21,021
the opportunity to compete
on a more level playing

1612
01:14:21,023 --> 01:14:22,923
field in countries around
the world, including some

1613
01:14:22,925 --> 01:14:24,895
countries that are home
to the fastest-growing

1614
01:14:24,893 --> 01:14:26,763
economies in the world.

1615
01:14:26,762 --> 01:14:29,062
And the President is
concerned that if the United

1616
01:14:29,064 --> 01:14:31,934
States doesn't engage in
this way, that we're only

1617
01:14:31,934 --> 01:14:34,204
leaving a vacuum
for China to fill.

1618
01:14:34,203 --> 01:14:36,743
We know that China is
actually in touch with other

1619
01:14:36,738 --> 01:14:38,978
countries who have signed
on to the Trans-Pacific

1620
01:14:38,974 --> 01:14:40,474
Partnership, trying to
negotiate their own trade

1621
01:14:40,475 --> 01:14:41,475
deals with them.

1622
01:14:41,476 --> 01:14:43,976
There is a very real risk
that the United States gets

1623
01:14:43,979 --> 01:14:45,449
cut out of the deal.

1624
01:14:45,447 --> 01:14:46,747
And the reason for
that is simple.

1625
01:14:46,748 --> 01:14:48,818
China is not looking for
a higher standard when it

1626
01:14:48,817 --> 01:14:53,787
comes to workers' rights
or the environment or

1627
01:14:53,789 --> 01:14:56,229
protecting
intellectual property.

1628
01:14:56,225 --> 01:14:57,825
If anything, they're looking
to lower those standards

1629
01:14:57,826 --> 01:14:59,226
that will only put the
United States and our

1630
01:14:59,228 --> 01:15:01,268
businesses and our economy
and our workers at a

1631
01:15:01,263 --> 01:15:03,633
bigger disadvantage.

1632
01:15:03,632 --> 01:15:06,932
So that's the challenge
here and that's the case,

1633
01:15:06,935 --> 01:15:08,905
frankly, that the President
will be making to

1634
01:15:08,904 --> 01:15:10,074
members of Congress.

1635
01:15:10,072 --> 01:15:11,542
And he certainly will
continue to be making that

1636
01:15:11,540 --> 01:15:14,640
case until it gets done.

1637
01:15:14,643 --> 01:15:16,613
And the President is
certainly hopeful that it

1638
01:15:16,612 --> 01:15:18,852
will get done before
he leaves office.

1639
01:15:18,847 --> 01:15:20,887
The Press: Is there anything
on his domestic schedule

1640
01:15:20,883 --> 01:15:22,723
that will be related just
specifically to that

1641
01:15:22,718 --> 01:15:24,788
argument, to trade?

1642
01:15:24,786 --> 01:15:26,486
Mr. Earnest: Nothing on his
domestic schedule in terms

1643
01:15:26,488 --> 01:15:28,988
of travel at this point to
talk about, but we'll keep

1644
01:15:28,991 --> 01:15:30,891
you posted.

1645
01:15:30,893 --> 01:15:31,763
Andrew, I'll give
you the last one.

1646
01:15:31,760 --> 01:15:32,930
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

1647
01:15:32,928 --> 01:15:37,398
Turkey has reportedly taken
artillery strikes against

1648
01:15:37,399 --> 01:15:41,069
Islamic State and Kurdish
targets in Northern Syria.

1649
01:15:41,069 --> 01:15:43,969
And my first question on the
strikes against the Islamic

1650
01:15:43,972 --> 01:15:47,212
State group -- is Turkey
doing this alone?

1651
01:15:47,209 --> 01:15:48,239
Were you told about it?

1652
01:15:48,243 --> 01:15:50,813
Is this something that's
part of a coordinated effort

1653
01:15:50,812 --> 01:15:53,112
within Operation
Inherent Resolve?

1654
01:15:53,115 --> 01:15:56,585
And secondly, there have
been strikes against the

1655
01:15:56,585 --> 01:15:58,685
PYD, which is linked
to a U.S.-backed group.

1656
01:15:58,687 --> 01:16:00,987
Is the White House -- does
the White House have a

1657
01:16:00,989 --> 01:16:03,329
problem with Turkey
bombing your allies?

1658
01:16:03,325 --> 01:16:04,795
Mr. Earnest: Well, Andrew,
I can tell you that I don't

1659
01:16:04,793 --> 01:16:07,793
have any specific military
operations to talk to you about.

1660
01:16:07,796 --> 01:16:11,466
Let me say it this way --
I don't have any specific

1661
01:16:11,466 --> 01:16:13,866
Turkish military operations
to talk to you about.

1662
01:16:13,869 --> 01:16:19,179
Our policy has been that we
certainly stand with our

1663
01:16:19,174 --> 01:16:22,914
allies, our NATO allies in
Turkey as they

1664
01:16:22,911 --> 01:16:24,711
confront terrorism.

1665
01:16:24,713 --> 01:16:27,183
And they face terrorism
from a variety of sources,

1666
01:16:27,182 --> 01:16:30,252
including most recently and
tragically, just over the

1667
01:16:30,252 --> 01:16:33,692
weekend, where there was a
bombing at a wedding, of all

1668
01:16:33,689 --> 01:16:38,389
places, where dozens of
innocent people were killed.

1669
01:16:38,393 --> 01:16:42,263
So the threat that Turkey
faces from extremism and

1670
01:16:42,264 --> 01:16:44,604
from terrorists
is very real.

1671
01:16:44,599 --> 01:16:46,939
And there are a variety of
steps that the United States

1672
01:16:46,935 --> 01:16:49,835
has taken to support our
Turkish allies, and we've

1673
01:16:49,838 --> 01:16:53,938
certainly offered additional
support as they deal with

1674
01:16:53,942 --> 01:16:56,212
specific incidents like the
attack that we saw over

1675
01:16:56,211 --> 01:16:57,481
the weekend.

1676
01:16:57,479 --> 01:16:59,219
And that will be part of the
message that Vice President

1677
01:16:59,214 --> 01:17:02,984
Biden will convey when he
travels to Turkey

1678
01:17:02,985 --> 01:17:04,285
later this week.

1679
01:17:04,286 --> 01:17:06,326
The Press: Will the Vice
President also warn Turkey

1680
01:17:06,321 --> 01:17:08,761
to stop hitting U.S. allies?

1681
01:17:08,757 --> 01:17:12,757
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
there are no details of

1682
01:17:12,761 --> 01:17:16,661
Turkish military operations
that I'm going to talk about

1683
01:17:16,665 --> 01:17:17,395
from here.

1684
01:17:17,399 --> 01:17:20,799
Obviously there are concerns
that the Turks have raised

1685
01:17:20,802 --> 01:17:27,772
about Kurdish activities,
and we've discussed the way

1686
01:17:27,776 --> 01:17:30,346
in which the United States
and other members of our

1687
01:17:30,345 --> 01:17:32,985
Counter-ISIL coalition
have been able to work

1688
01:17:32,981 --> 01:17:36,451
effectively with the Syrian
Arab coalition against ISIL

1689
01:17:36,451 --> 01:17:37,921
elements inside of Syria.

1690
01:17:37,919 --> 01:17:41,059
So this is another
extraordinarily complex

1691
01:17:41,056 --> 01:17:45,996
situation, but we've made
clear that everyone who is

1692
01:17:45,994 --> 01:17:50,094
involved, including Turkey,
should make going after ISIL

1693
01:17:50,098 --> 01:17:52,598
the top priority.

1694
01:17:52,601 --> 01:17:56,941
And Turkey, to their credit,
has made clear their

1695
01:17:56,938 --> 01:17:58,838
commitment to doing that in
a variety of ways, including

1696
01:17:58,840 --> 01:18:02,940
giving the United States
and our coalition partners

1697
01:18:02,944 --> 01:18:04,814
access to certainly military
facilities inside of Turkey

1698
01:18:04,813 --> 01:18:07,983
that allow us to take
strikes efficiently against

1699
01:18:07,983 --> 01:18:08,913
ISIL targets.

1700
01:18:08,917 --> 01:18:11,787
So we've made that case
directly to the Turks on a

1701
01:18:11,787 --> 01:18:13,857
variety of occasions and
we're certainly going to

1702
01:18:13,855 --> 01:18:18,825
continue to do that, even as
we're mindful of the terror

1703
01:18:18,827 --> 01:18:21,667
risk for Turkey that
emanates from other

1704
01:18:21,663 --> 01:18:22,763
places, too.

1705
01:18:22,764 --> 01:18:23,804
The Press: And
final question.

1706
01:18:23,799 --> 01:18:29,509
The Turks are reportedly
moving Hummers and tanks

1707
01:18:29,504 --> 01:18:30,474
towards the border.

1708
01:18:30,472 --> 01:18:33,172
Does the White House think
that the Turkish incursion

1709
01:18:33,175 --> 01:18:34,405
in Northern Syria
would be useful?

1710
01:18:34,409 --> 01:18:36,879
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I'm not going to talk about

1711
01:18:36,878 --> 01:18:38,218
any Turkish
military movements.

1712
01:18:38,213 --> 01:18:41,083
We've made clear all along
that one of our priorities

1713
01:18:41,083 --> 01:18:48,593
has been getting the Turks
to make more consistent

1714
01:18:48,590 --> 01:18:52,290
progress in securing the
Turkey-Syria border.

1715
01:18:52,294 --> 01:18:55,434
And they made a lot of
progress on that front over

1716
01:18:55,430 --> 01:18:57,600
the last six or nine months,
and we've been gratified to

1717
01:18:57,599 --> 01:18:58,899
see that.

1718
01:18:58,900 --> 01:19:00,800
But there certainly is more
that they could do, and we

1719
01:19:00,802 --> 01:19:03,302
would welcome
them doing that.

1720
01:19:03,305 --> 01:19:06,505
But Turkey is a NATO ally
and making a valuable

1721
01:19:06,508 --> 01:19:11,318
contribution to our
Counter-ISIL coalition, and

1722
01:19:11,313 --> 01:19:14,453
we're going to continue to
coordinate with them closely

1723
01:19:14,449 --> 01:19:15,589
as they do that.

1724
01:19:15,584 --> 01:19:19,024
And that will certainly be
an important part of Vice

1725
01:19:19,020 --> 01:19:21,520
President Biden's visit to
that country later this week.

1726
01:19:21,523 --> 01:19:22,793
Thanks a lot, everybody.