English subtitles for clip: File:West Wing Week- 4-15-11 or "Open for Business".webm

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♪♪ (drum and bugle corps) ♪♪

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Narrator:
Welcome to the "West Wing Week,"
your guide to everything that's

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happening at 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue.

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This week, with the threat of
a government shutdown averted,

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President Obama focused
on fiscal responsibility,

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balancing the need to cut
spending and the deficit,

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while continuing to support
education, clean energy,

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and other investments
necessary to win the future.

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And the Emir of
Qatar stopped by.

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That's April 8th to the
14th, or "Open for Business."

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President Obama:
Hey.

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(cheering)

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Narrator:
On Friday, April 8th, budget
negotiations continued with

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President Obama working with
Congressional leadership to

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avoid a government shutdown
that would go into effect

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Friday night at midnight.

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The staffs of all concerned
parties had worked through

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the two previous nights.

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Around 10:00 P.M. a deal was
struck, and the President went

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to the Blue Room to announce
the compromise to the press

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and the American people.

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President Obama:
In the final hours before our
government would have been

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forced to shut down, leaders
in both parties reached an

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agreement that will allow our
small businesses to get the

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loans they need, our families to
get the mortgages they applied

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for, and hundreds of thousands
of Americans to show up at work

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and take home their
paychecks on time,

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including our brave men
and women in uniform.

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(applause)

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We're going to
have to do more --

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Mr. Lew:
We have a lot more to do,
but we have to start here.

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President Obama:
Yeah.

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Narrator:
On Saturday, April 9th,
following the successful

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resolution of the budget crisis,
President Obama made a surprise

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trip to greet tourists
at the Lincoln Memorial,

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which was only open because of
the tough choices included in

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the eleventh hour
bipartisan agreement.

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President Obama:
I just wanted to say real quick
that because Congress was able

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to settle its differences,
that's why this place is

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open today and everybody's
able to enjoy their visit,

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and that's the kind of
future cooperation I hope

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we have going forward.

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Because this is what
America is all about.

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Everybody from different places,
enjoying those things that bind

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us together.

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And it's wonderful to
spend time with you guys.

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I hope you have a great time.

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(cheering)

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Narrator:
On Monday, April 11th, the
President had a battery of

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meetings, including
one on Libya,

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to assess conditions on the
ground after the change of

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command from the U.S. to NATO.

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The President also went
outside to enjoy the warm

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spring weather.

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President Obama:
Lovely day.

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Narrator:
And surprised a tour group of
students that the president

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mentioned in Friday
night's speech.

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President Obama:
How's everybody doing?

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Crowd:
Good!

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Narrator:
The eighth graders from Altona
Middle School in Longmont,

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Colorado, had been concerned
that their trip to Washington

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might be canceled due to
a government shutdown.

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The mother of one of the
students wrote President

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Obama a letter.

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President Obama:
Not only did things work out,
but we figured we'd give you

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a little bonus.

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Students:
Thank you!

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Narrator:
On Tuesday, April 12th, the
President and the Vice President

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joined the First Lady and Dr.
Biden at the launch of their

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initiative called "Joining
Forces to Support and Honor

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American's Service Members
and their Families."

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Michelle Obama:
You are so funny.

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Where did you learn
how to do that?

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Narrator:
The event was the first of
several in the First Lady and

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Dr. Biden's two-day tour around
the nation to raise awareness

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about the need to support
military families that sacrifice

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so much for this country.

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Michelle Obama:
Joining Forces is a challenge
to every segment of American

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society to take action, to make
a real commitment to supporting

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and engaging these families, and
I want to thank all of you here

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because this campaign is the
result of everything that so

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many of you have shared
with us and taught us over

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the past two years.

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Narrator:
On Wednesday, April 13th, the
President and the Vice President

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hosted a meeting with the
bipartisan House and Senate

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leadership in the Cabinet Room.

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President Obama:
Everybody have a seat, please.

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Narrator:
To discuss the President's
budget framework based on

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shared prosperity and
fiscal responsibility,

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and it cuts the deficit by four
trillion dollars over 12 years.

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The President continued on this
theme during a speech at the

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George Washington University,
laying out a comprehensive,

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balanced deficit reduction
framework to cut spending and

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bring down our deficit while
supporting the economic recovery

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and ensuring we're making
the investments we need to

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win the future.

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President Obama:
This debate over budgets and
deficits is about more than

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just numbers on a page.

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It's about more than just
cutting and spending.

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It's about the kind of
future that we want.

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It's about the kind of
country that we believe in.

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Narrator:
On Thursday, April 14th, the
President continued to work on

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America's financial future,
meeting with the bipartisan

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chairs of his Fiscal Commission,
Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson,

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in the Oval Office.

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The President also welcomed
the Emir of Qatar to the

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White House.

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Qatar is an important
partner of the United States,

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and works with us on a number of
political and economic issues.

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Recently, Qatar has played
a key role as a leading Arab

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contributor to the international
coalition that's enforcing U.N.

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Security Council
Resolution 1973 in Libya.

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President Obama:
Thank you for your
leadership on Libya,

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and we look forward to working
with you for many years to come.

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Narrator:
To find out more information
on any of these topics or to

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see complete videos of these
events, go to WhiteHouse.gov,

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and thanks again for checking
out your West Wing Week.

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Senator Simpson:
There you are, Alan
Simpson and Erskine Bowles.

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Speaker:
Nice to see you gentlemen.

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Erskine Bowles:
How are you doing?

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Senator Simpson:
-- witness protection program.

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Speaker:
If you all will take a
seat I'll let everyone

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know that you're here.