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White House Q&A; Hillary Clinton and Foreign Policy
Aired January 22, 2009 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president comes to work each and every day and understands right now that he has to work, his team has to work, and Congress has to work on passing an economic plan that gets the economy moving again.
MAJOR GARRETT, FOX NEWS: You said you need to get guidance from the NSC, on my first question. It is fair for me, then, to conclude that is an open question?
GIBBS: It's fair for you to conclude that I want to make sure that I don't make a mistake.
JULIANNA GOLDMAN, BLOOMBERG: You talked about the financial stability package. Geithner, yesterday, when he was on the Hill yesterday, he said that would come in a few weeks. Looking at the economic data, the president saw today, Microsoft slashing 5,000 jobs, can it wait a few weeks?
GIBBS: The financial stability plan? Well, I think the charge that the president has given his economic team, as well as what he said regarding Congress' activities in approving an economic recovery and reinvestment plan is that we need to work as quickly as possible. We have to do everything in our power, and Congress does, too, to get that package moving, to get that money into the economy. To begin to create those jobs, to put people back to work, to give the American people some confidence going forward in their leadership.
The president hopes that's what everybody is here to do. He expects that's what everybody's here to do. And he'll work, as he said, with Democrats and Republicans to ensure that that happens each and every day.
GOLDMAN: Mr. Geithner said yesterday that the president would lay out a comprehensive financial package in a few weeks.
GIBBS: Well, I don't want to - the president will make a decision as soon as the financial team gives him those recommendations. He believes, obviously, that we have to act expeditiously to get this economy moving again. I don't want to set artificial deadlines as it relates to that testimony. I think you can be assured, and the American people can be assured that the president is working throughout the day, every day, to ensure that a rescue plan and a financial stability package are implemented quickly.
I think many of you heard the criticism that the president had during the campaign about the previous $350 billion. And the principles that he and his team outlined for how that should change going forward. The American people understand that things are likely to get worse before they get better. But I think they can be reasonably assured that he's working hard every day to get the economy moving again as quickly as possible.
QUESTION: Following up on that, the president's team has said that this financial stability package will have three components. It will have a major housing component, that's probably at least --
GIBBS: Which I forgot to mention, it is in there.
QUESTION: $100 billion. A provision to start buying up these toxic assets. And there will probably be some more capital injections into these banks. Can you do that with $350 billion? Are you now looking at something considerably larger than that?
GIBBS: Let me not get ahead of an economic team that's going to make recommendations to the president. I know that the president, as I stated a minute ago, believes that we'll do what is necessary to ensure financial stability. That banks that get capital, or lending that capital, as you mentioned, that we addressed the home foreclosure crisis, that millions of Americans, whether they're in those homes or live near those homes, whether that impacts them every day. We're working on that. And I don't want to get in front of the recommendations that the economic team might make as it relates to that.
Helen.
HELEN THOMAS, HEARST NEWSPAPERS: Is the president against torture?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
THOMAS: So, is the goal of these executive orders against torture, which the president's successor believed in?
GIBBS: Yes, the president believes that torture is wrong. He said that throughout the campaign. We've taken steps today to make sure that those beliefs are upheld as it relates to detainees in interrogation.
THOMAS: Why not to all the prisons, that we control?
GIBBS: As Greg said, the charge that the administration -- I'm sorry, the charge that the president gave to his administration was to look at Guantanamo Bay, and that's what we've been working on today.
THOMAS: There are many, many outrages occurred in others - in Iraq and Afghanistan.
GIBBS: I think that the president -- I think that's one of the reasons the president acted was to uphold our values, while ensuring that the country is safe.
THOMAS: There's torture in Iraq and Afghanistan?
GIBBS: Well, under him, that will certainly stop as it relates to Americans.
CAREN BOHAN, REUTERS: Robert, two questions. Just following up on the TARP issue. How seriously is the president considering this idea of a so-called bad bank that would buy up these toxic assets? And then secondly, on the president has signaled an intention to engage early on the Middle East. But he hasn't said anything publicly about Iran. You mentioned during the transition period, there is only one president at a time.
He still believes that.
BOHAN: Well, yes. But can you give any indication of when he plans to start engaging Iran, and following through on the campaign promise to engage?
GIBBS: Well, let me take, as it relates to TARP. Again, I don't want to get ahead of the economic team making determinations as to the best way forward to ensure financial stability. But we are working on that, as we speak.
Let me step back for a second and address the part of your question on the Middle East. The president, as you know, started his day in the Oval Office yesterday morning, and I believe made one call on the way to the prayer service, to four Middle Eastern leaders, to reiterate his strong commitment to ensuring that his administration is actively engaged in seeking long-term peace in the Middle East.
That's something he stated throughout the campaign, and said that was something he was anxious to begin, which is why that started so quickly in the administration. The president believes that, as it relates to Iran, as he stated again in the campaign, that we're going to have to engage our friends and our enemies in order to make our country safe and secure. I don't have anything specifically on what's going on with that now. I know the president will make some announcements shortly at the State Department.
BOHAN: Are those announcements about the envoys?
GIBBS: They are.
I learned long ago not to get in the way of the principal as he's about to make news. So, I'm happy to take some questions after that. But I shouldn't get ahead of the president on what he's going to say at the State Department. Except to say this, and I think this will be reflected in his remarks. He thought it was important that the announcement today be held at the State Department. That we honor the commitment that members of the State Department and the foreign service make to ensuring the safety of our country, and advancing our diplomatic goals throughout the world. I think that was important for him to do. I know that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton believes that's important as well.
Peter?
PETER BAKER, "NEW YORK TIMES": Robert, two real quick questions. Clarification on the swearing in. did you ask the chief justice if he thought there was a problem with the original one?
GIBBS: No.
BAKER: He didn't volunteer an assessment?
GIBBS: Not that I'm aware of. He brought a robe, so I assume he thought it was the real deal.
BAKER: No, I mean, if he thought the first time was not valid, or not?
GIBBS: No. Again, it was just a discussion in the counsel's office.
BAKER: Second question. In the inaugural address the president talked about the responsibility. Who does he think needs to take responsibility, who hasn't taken it so far? What does he want Americans, regular Americans to do to take responsibility that they don't do now?
GIBBS: Well, bear with me for a little bit longer answer. I think specifically, I think two entities that he had in mind regarding responsibility were the actions of this government in acting responsibly and particularly in financial institutions in acting responsibly. And obviously one of the things that he'll do on short order is talk about some re-regulation of the financial sector, to ensure that what's happened, up until now doesn't happen to us again.
You know, to the American people, I think the president spoke often throughout the campaign about reinvigorating our democracy and understanding how powerful it is when all of them are involved. I think that's part of a renewed call to citizenship. Obviously there are things that we can do each and every day to, as he said again on the trail, to make sure our children are educated, by taking responsibility to read to them, help them with their homework.
Energy independence, specific actions that we have to do. I think what the president was demonstrating was that the American story has always been that when the American people have come together across any sort of line, to work together, that even in a country that faces challenges, problems and hardships, that working together, we can get past those hardships and pass on to the next generation a country that's stronger than the one we inherited.
(CROSS TALK)
GIBBS: Steve.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Robert, the executive order this morning is very specific about the dates when it tells the federal government to ignore any legal advice on interrogation, from September 11th of '01 right through January 20th. Do you suspect or have any reason to believe there were late orders from the previous administration on interrogation?
GIBBS: I don't. No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing necessarily that they had to ignore?
GIBBS: Not that I'm aware of.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could you tell us a little bit about how the first family is settling in?
GIBBS: Yeah. I know that the -- at the end of the first night he had to ask somebody where he was supposed to go next. It's a pretty big house. You know, I've known the president a long time. And he looked very comfortable in his surroundings yesterday. I know that the family's moved now three times in only a few weeks. But if you know them, and you know their family, they've had a routine for a long time. This is a monumental testament to Michelle.
The girls have always had a very strong routine that's kept them away from all of this, and all the political campaign. They're very much the same four people that I met five years ago when I went to work for them. Obviously, it's a little different. I do think he enjoys, to use a phrase, living above the company store. That he'll get to spend a little bit more time -- I know yesterday, between two events, he went upstairs to have dinner with them. I think that obviously means a lot to him as a father.
KEN HERMAN, COX NEWSPAPERS: Robert, why did the administration believe it was important for the American people not to know the name of the two senior administration officials who briefed us this morning on the Guantanamo issue?
(LAUGHTER)
GIBBS: I'm sorry, say that again?
HERMAN: Why did the American people not have the right to know the names of the senior administration officials who briefed this morning on the Guantanamo and related orders?
GIBBS: I hope that you all found the exercise that we did this morning helpful in further understanding the process by which the president had tasked his team. To establish policies that he thinks enhances the security of the United States. And to do so in a way that helps inform you of the decisions that he's made, and the decisions that he will make over the course of this, and do so in a way that's helpful to your job.
(CROSS TALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you know that you've used the name of one of those senior officials, first names, several times in this briefing?
GIBBS: I do, Jonathan.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are we allowed to repeat that name?
GIBBS: I'm tempted to ask you to see if you can get one person's name into the papers. So people will think he's a Brazilian soccer star.
And?
(CROSS TALK)
Did any of the commanders who spoke to the president on that video conference yesterday express any reservations or concerns about the speed with which he would like to withdraw troops from Iraq?
GIBBS: Well, let me discuss a little bit about that meeting yesterday afternoon. The president, the vice president, members of - I'm sorry, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Adviser, I'm trying to go around the room and -- our commander, our commander-in- chief for central command, I'm invariably going to leave people out - were assembled in order that the president could give them a new mission as it relates to going forward in Iraq.
The president outlined, both in the campaign, and again yesterday, the goals that he has moving forward. That we responsibly remove, in 16 months, the combat brigades that are in Iraq, that we do so in a way that protects their safety, that provides the necessary opportunity for the Iraqis to take more responsibility. And also, it started a process that the president thought was important to hear from commanders on the ground, and in the region, in addition to the military component that was at the meeting, you had former Ambassador Byrnes, who is at the State Department. Obviously Ambassador Crocker was involved in the meeting to discuss the political developments, both currently and going forward in Iraq, and what adjustments have to be done as it relates to that side of the equation.
The Status of Forces Agreement, that was -- been approved by the Iraqis, sets forth an end date for our military involvement in Iraq. What the president believes is, I want to reiterate this, it's tremendously important, is that he hears from all of those that are involved in this decision. I know participants in the meeting said that specifically. The process that will now be undertaken over the next several weeks will be to provide him access to all of those commanders in order to make a decision to responsibly remove those troops in accordance with what he said in the campaign.
QUESTION: The question is, did he learn anything yesterday? Anything he didn't already didn't know?
GIBBS: No, obviously these -- this is a group that's been assembled before in front of the president. I think there's an ongoing discussion, an ongoing planning process. We'll have some -- probably some stops in the next week or two to continue that comprehensive planning process. To ensure that those reasonable goals are met.
(CROSS TALK)
QUESTION: How is it transparent, when you control the only image of the re-swearing, there's nobody in there but four press reporters? There's no stills? There's no television? And the only recording that comes out, as I understand it, is one that a reporter made, not one that the White House supplied. And how is it transparent when it looks like play-to-pay when the president gives his only interview on inauguration night to a network which paid $2 million for the privilege of exclusive coverage of the event, the Neighborhood Ball?
GIBBS: Let me take your questions separately there.
I think that -- again, I think the procedures yesterday with which we brought in a print pool and released a photo, provide the documentation of exactly what happened yesterday afternoon here.
QUESTION: But it was your photo. Not a photo made by the journalists who covered the White House.
GIBBS: No, but I think that -- I mean, I encourage you to speak to any of the four journalists that were in there. I think the pool report accurately reflects the events and the time that was in there. I think that's what the pool is normally charged with doing.
QUESTION: No argument, but --
GIBBS: Good.
QUESTION: But we have a tradition here of covering the president.
GIBBS: We would have had to get a bigger room.
QUESTION: You could have had more than four in the pool.
(OFF MIC)
(CROSS TALK)
GIBBS: Let me - the second question, you know, the -- we've done interviews throughout the transition process. We've done -- we've answered questions from reporters. And no interview is decided on, by me or anybody else who works for the president, based on who might sponsor an activity.
(CROSS TALK)
QUESTION: When he was signing the order today banning torture, he referred to the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism. He did not refer to the war on terrorism. I want to know if this is purposeful. Has he decided to drop the war metaphor?
GIBBS: I think his language today was consistent with his inaugural address on the 20th. I'm not aware of any larger changes than that.
QUESTION: There's been no decision not to use that phrase?
GIBBS: Not that I'm aware of.
April?
QUESTION: Robert, the president asked his senior staff to take pay freezes. Now, is the president going to lead by example by returning money to the Treasury from his own salary? Or signing an executive order to cut his salary?
GIBBS: I think his salary's determined by law. And I think augmentations to his salary and to even some salaries outside of the executive office of the president, but still in the executive branch of government, would have to be augmented by a change in law approved by Congress.
QUESTION: Is he going to push for that?
GIBBS: I will certainly -- I will see.
QUESTION: He says he wants to lead by example. He is the top. Should he lead by example?
GIBBS: We'll check on that. I think the charge that he set out yesterday, and in signing that pay freeze, is part of a strong ethical guidelines, was to ensure that the American people could feel confident that some of the very same things that they're having to do, each day, are also -- you see the example of that right here at the White House.
The certain category of detainees that were discussed in the earlier briefing, that really kind of symbolizes a lot of why the Bush administration created Gitmo in the first place. If the panel finds that a lot of the 245 folks go down there, fit in that category, and they're just moved up here to the U.S. and not put into court proceedings, what will have actually changed except now they're on U.S. soil?
GIBBS: In your question you've got the phrase, if the panel decides. So that we don't start to prejudge or answer a series of hypothetical questions, I think it's best to let the panel decide. And bring recommendations back to the president, to ensure the safety and security of the American people. And that people that would seek to do this country harm are brought to justice.
I just don't want to get ahead of a process that's only a few hours old, that the president instructed members of his Cabinet and other officials to take today.
QUESTION: Robert, the economic stimulus plan, as you know, is moving through the House right now. The president had hoped for a big bipartisan vote, lots of Republicans on board. It looks like he's not going to get that. Republican have been very vocal in recent days about the spending. Is the honeymoon over already?
GIBBS: I should ask that of you.
No. Again, I think we've got a legislative process that's continuing to happen on Capitol Hill. The president before coming here was a senator, and he understands the role that the legislative branch dutifully plays in our government.
I don't think it makes a lot of sense to prejudge now what the final outcome of the legislative proposal might be. The president has sought the ideas of both Democrats and Republicans. Yesterday a group of Republicans sent a letter to the White House asking for the ability to talk to the president about the economic recovery and reinvestment plan that a bipartisan, bicameral group of leaders will come to the White House tomorrow to discuss the progress that we've made on a plan to put millions of people back to work.
The president believes that we can change the way Washington works. The president believes that we can reach across party lines and share ideas, and that all of that is as part of a process, will lead to what he hopes Congress will pass and he will sign, by president's day, a successful plan to get this economy moving forward again.
(OFF MIC)
GIBBS: No, he's not disappointed by what he's heard so far. I would look at some votes that have happened on Capitol Hill. We had a pretty strong bipartisan vote on legislation to increase the number of children that are covered by health insurance. We've had -- we had a pretty strong vote yesterday to approve Senator Clinton to be the next secretary of State. We've had -- we had a very strong vote this morning to send Tim Geithner from the Finance Committee to the floor with a strong bipartisan vote.
I think throughout the nominations process, throughout the legislative process, I think you can -- you can find a lot of quotes from Republicans that show they're anxious to work with this president. And most of all, I think the American people are anxious to watch a president and a Congress, and members of both parties, work together to get this economy moving again. They understand that we're in a period of real economic crisis, one that we haven't seen in quite some time. And the only way for Washington to adequately respond to the crisis that the American people face is to work together.
I think that's what's going to happen in this process. And I think as we get closer to that final passage, and ultimately the president's signature, that that will be demonstrated.
(CROSS TALK)
Let me take this. Almost as exciting as the presidential dog. The president has a BlackBerry. Oh, everybody's stirring -- look at that. Let's make sure the pen still works. Why did I wait?
(OFF MIC)
(LAUGHTER)
GIBBS: Hold on. Yeah. Good question.
The president has a BlackBerry. Through a compromise that allows him to stay in touch with senior staff and a small group of (AUDIO GAP), in a way that use will be limited, and that the security is enhanced to ensure his ability to communicate, but to do so effectively. And to do so in a way that is protected.
(CROSS TALK)
QUESTION: Will the records be kept?
GIBBS: The presumption regarding those e-mails are that they're all subject to the Presidential Records Act. There are, as you know, some narrow exemptions in the Presidential Records Act to afford for strictly personal communications. But again, the presumption from the counsel's office is that they will be subject to the Presidential Records Act.
QUESTION: (OFF MIC) He's already at work.
GIBBS: That's why I didn't give the e-mail address.
Let me -- nobody can do that. I think he believes that ---he believes it's a way to keep in touch with folks; a way of doing it outside of getting stuck in a bubble. You know, I've gotten e-mails from him, not recently, or not in a few days, I should say, that go anywhere from something that's very strictly business to, why did my football team perform so miserably on any given Saturday or any given Sunday. I think he finds it is an important way to continue to communicate. There's a process by which people that have access to the e-mail will be briefed before anything like that can happen.
QUESTION: How specifically will this be allowed to be used? Will all members of the senior staff be able to e-mail him? How would you keep a proper chain of command and chain of communication with him? Who can e-mail him and who can't?
GIBBS: I'm not going to get into all those specifics, for obvious reasons. But a limited group of senior staffers and some personal friends; it's a pretty small group of people.
QUESTION: Do you know the number?
GIBBS: Let me get some guidance from the counsel's office before I do something like that so that hackers that (UNINTELLIBLE) won't start.
Sir?
(CROSS TALK)
QUESTION: Robert, a number of Democratic chairman were miffed at not given a heads-up on Cabinet posts. These are chairmen who have jurisdiction over these members, and they spoke up, they were miffed about that. Does that suggest how you're going to share information going forward with The Hill?
GIBBS: I think the president is greatly encouraged by the strong bipartisan reaction that his Cabinet members have gotten thus far, in moving out of committee, and many through the Senate, to be confirmed.
Obviously, and you have well documented them, some failings on our part to keep appropriately apprised some members of the House and the Senate. But we are working closely with members of the House and Senate on anything from nominations, to an economic recovery and reinvestment plan that will get our economy moving again. Again, the president's most previous job experience before coming here was as a member of the Senate. He understands the importance of consulting with and keeping apprised of Congress.
Thanks, guys. See you tomorrow.
(END LIVE FEED)
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: All right. You just saw it, and heard it first. The first White House news briefing of the new administration. The brief was the new White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, an unfamiliar face now. But just wait. I know you're familiar with these faces, though, our Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry. He was right there in the briefing room. He joins me now in the newsroom.
Also, Wolf Blitzer, he's watching. He, of course, was our White House correspondent back in the '90s. We're going to talk to him in just a second.
But, Ed, let's start with you. It was a busy day in the West Wing even before that briefing. You got right to it. And, of course, I had a feeling you were going to ask about Gitmo.
ED HENRY, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I think clearly that's the issue of the day. Trying to find out exactly how this executive order is going to work. The bottom line is that it's one thing to say you're going to close down the prison camp, but exactly how are you going to do it? As you say, and you can say many times, again and again, the devil will be in the details in exactly how it will be done.
And they clearly do not yet have a plan about how to actually close it, what to do, more importantly, with the some 245 detainees, which, remember, these are terror suspects. We're going to get a lot of tough questions, especially from Republicans, on the Hill about that.
I think, also, in talking about the economy, he was suggesting maybe the stimulus package may be larger than what we've been hearing, about $925 billion. That's something interesting. He mentioned that the president has now instituted a national economic brief of information about what's going on with the economy similar to the daily briefing he gets on intelligence and national security.
But then the maybe more frivolous details will get a lot of attention, such as the president now does have a BlackBerry. You heard that near the end. That's a question a lot of people have been asking. Sort of a fun question, but also a serious question because there is, as he mentioned, the Presidential Records Act. And some, at least some or most of those BlackBerry communications, those e-mail messages between he and his senior staff, some of his close friends from back in Chicago or around the country, could be subject to the Presidential records Act.
And some day down the road, not anytime soon, but down the road, historians could be looking at those messages and figure out what Barack Obama was thinking and saying in real time on some of the great issues of the day. So that's going to be fascinating moving forward. And I suspect the pop culture aspect of that is going to get a lot of attention -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Wolf, definitely there was no discussion of BlackBerrys in the early '90s there, when you were covering the White House. What did you pay attention to today? What stood out to you?
BLITZER: Well, I think there's no doubt, Kyra, that it's a tough job. And it's clearly evident that Robert Gibbs is going to have his hands full, not only like previous press secretaries, but, you know, the first few days coming into this kind of assignment is by no means easy.
And the White House press corps, through any administration, Democrat or Republican, is always going to be seeking answers to difficult questions. That's their job, to ask these kinds of questions. And the press secretary's going to have to try to walk through them.
On some of the questions, he did, I thought, pretty well. On some of the other questions, he was dodging, avoiding a direct answer. For example, why did they not let the TV cameras come in last night when the chief justice, John Roberts, once again had to do the swearing-in ceremony for President Obama? They should have.
It was an important, historic moment. Even though they did it on an abundance of caution, they should have just let print reporters, a small little pool of print reporters, come in and get one still picture, something that the American public deserves to see, has a right to see. And he tried to dance around that. Didn't necessarily come out explaining it all that well.
I think in a situation like this, the White House press secretary should just say, you know what? We may have made a mistake. We screwed up. We should have let the TV cameras in, just to record it for the American public to see in a proper, appropriate way for this kind of solemn occasion.
But so far they have a reluctance to do that. All press secretaries have a reluctance to say they made a mistake. Not necessarily Robert Gibbs, but the Obama White House. And that's just something that comes with the territory. But at some point, the American people will understand if you make a mistake, you say you made a mistake, you move on, and that's fine.
On the substantive issues like Guantanamo Bay and enhanced interrogation techniques and all that, I thought he did rather well. I thought he came in very well briefed.
He clearly is close to the president of the United States. He's going to speak with authority. He did throughout the presidential campaign.
I think reporters will come to rely on him and have confidence in him and trust him. But it's by no means an easy assignment, working with the media on the one hand and, of course, representing the interests of the Obama administration on the other. PHILLIPS: Ed, your sense as you listened to the questions? You were there in the room, you felt the vibe.
There's been a lot of talk about, OK, are journalists going to be tough enough on this administration? Because there's been so much buzz, so much excitement about the first African-American president, and all the differences we're seeing already in the way America is viewing this new administration.
Do you think that everybody was asked enough hard questions? I didn't hear a lot of light questions. We heard one about how was the move and how were the kids doing, but really, it didn't seem too soft today.
HENRY: No. I felt -- you know, you can't judge it just on one briefing. But clearly, there were some tough questions, ranging from the economy to the national security.
As Wolf mentioned, on the question, for example, of, "Would you still use the Army Field Manual on bin Laden?" there was a dodge there. You know, it's something that he's not prepared to answer, so he's not going to answer it. And we're going to continue to press on questions like that.
I asked Robert Gibbs the question about the form edefense lobbyist who has now been named -- nominated to be the deputy defense secretary. That seems to fly in the face of exactly what the president said yesterday about closing the revolving door of former lobbyists who are now in senior positions in the administration.
He said he wasn't going to do that. And meanwhile, this man, William Lynn, who was nominated a few weeks ago to a very sensitive post, number two at the Defense Department at a time of war, and still, Robert Gibbs said essentially this is going to be the most open, transparent administration, we're cracking down on lobbying. But some of their actions are not really following through on that, and we will continue to press them on those questions -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Ed Henry, Wolf Blitzer, guys, thanks so much.
Well, think globally, act presidentially. A focus on the world on day three of the Obama administration.
You just heard the new White House press secretary field a world of questions in his first daily briefing. Earlier, the president signed executive orders closing the detention camp at Gitmo within a year. He also put an end to detainee interrogations that violate the Geneva Conventions or the U.S. Army Field Manual, as you heard Ed mention there. And then later this hour, he's going to visit the State Department and America's new top diplomat, Hillary Clinton.
Still, there's no ignoring the economy. Mr. Obama met this morning with some of his top economic advisers amid reports of still more layoffs and record-low housing starts and permits. We've since learned that his economic briefing will be a daily eevent now. And don't forget, you're going to see and hear the president and secretary of state as soon as they come before the cameras. That will be at the State Department. It's expected to start about 2:40 Eastern Time. That's about four minutes away. We'll take it live as soon as it happens.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, a lopsided vote, a low-key swearing in, and a former first lady and former U.S. senator becomes the nation's 67th secretary of state. Hillary Clinton enjoyed a hero's welcome at her new post, and that isn't even the high point of her day. As we speak, she's hosting the president. And we expect to see and hear from them both live any minute. We'll take it of course for you.
And here's what the secretary told exuberant staffers this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: There isn't anything that I can get done from the seventh floor, or the president can get done from the Oval Office, unless we make clear we are all on the American team. We are not any longer going to tolerate the kind of divisiveness that has paralyzed and undermined our ability to get things done for America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, ,CNN Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jill Dougherty joining me now.
Jill, aside from the president, of course, will Secretary Clinton actually call the shots in U.S. foreign policy?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: She won't necessarily call the shots. I mean, those are going to come out of the White House. The policy will be set by the president.
But you do have a team of a lot of different people who will be putting some very heavy input into the president's ear. And that would be his defense secretary, national security adviser, Vice President Joe Biden himself. And, of course, Hillary Clinton.
And what we expect to hear today will be these new special envoys that the Obama administration, President Obama will be naming for different regions. And that would be George Mitchell -- you remember him -- former senator. He will be, we understand, the Mideast special envoy. And that's of course number one on the subject that everybody has been talking about over here today. It's the first thing out of the box that they have to deal with.
And then, also, you will probably hear -- and we understand he is here -- Dick Holbrooke. Remember him from Yugoslavia, the Dayton Accords, et cetera. Both heavy hitters in foreign policy. And they will be putting their two cents in, into foreign policy for the new president. PHILLIPS: Well, and it's interesting when you mention all three of those names. Gosh, how do you gauge the international star power? Because they all have the experience. You tend to wonder, who will Obama listen to the most?
DOUGHERTY: It depends on who he trusts, who has the experience. After all, these two, the special envoys, are people who have been to the region for a long time. They know the players, but they have a more specific portfolio.
They are the people who will be representing the president, going to these areas, trying to figure out ways of bringing about, let's say, in the Mideast, peace, ultimately. Or maybe just the cessation of hostilities.
With the other people, Joe Biden himself has been involved in foreign policy for a long time. He's made it clear that he wants to have a voice. He wants to be there in the decision-making.
And Hillary Clinton is no shrinking violet either. She does have a fair amount of experience, certainly knowing leaders of different countries, traveling around the world, dealing with issues, women's issues, et cetera.
And also, if you listen to what she said in that hearing last week, when she was being confirmed, she is a very quick study, a very thorough study. And she was -- in fact, everyone, Democrat or Republican, was quite impressed by the breadth of her knowledge. She was able to answer all of the questions that were asked.
So you have a very strong team. What's going to be interesting, Kyra, is to see them all working together and pushing together, telling the president what they think, as I say, a team of rivals.
PHILLIPS: And we're watching the live picture right alongside with you there, Jill, waiting for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to step up to the mike there with President Barack Obama. We're hoping to hear from them any minute now.
And let me ask you, Jill, you know, Obama and Clinton, they have had famous foreign policy differences. We saw it during the campaign. So you tend to wonder, OK, how long will the honeymoon last?
DOUGHERTY: Well, that certainly depends on how long Hillary Clinton sticks with the foreign policy that is enunciated by the president, because in this area, she definitely has to say what the party line is, what will be set by the president. There can't be any daylight, otherwise there could be real chaos in foreign policy.
And Kyra, also, to give you a little flavor, we have producer Elise Labott, who is inside that room. And she says there are about 500 people, it's packed.
Jim Steinberg, who is the deputy secretary, he will be one of the two deputies to Hillary Clinton. He is in that room. A lot of foreign policy heavyweights. Five hundred people, civil, civilian and foreign policy staff, in that room waiting for the president.
This morning was really Hillary Clinton talking personally to the State Department staff, because they have been through a very difficult period. And one of the difficulties of that period has been that the responsibilities that traditionally fell to the State Department, civilian, reconstruction, things like that, a lot of them were taken over by the Defense Department.
A good example, in Iraq, you can see in Iraq you had soldiers, members of the military, walking around with money for civilian projects, cash, giving it out for civilian projects in Iraq. Traditionally, those are things that would be done by the State Department. So Hillary Clinton is going to be pulling that back into the State Department.
And luckily, in this case, the defense secretary, Gates, is a proponent of doing that. He believes that the military have actually been overextended in what they should do, and that the State Department, who really are the experts in this, should be the ones who are dealing with civilian interests in places like Iraq.
Don't forget the next challenge will be Afghanistan. And nobody wants to repeat the mistakes that were made in Iraq on that score.
PHILLIPS: So -- also, I want to mention, too, Barack Obama's right- hand man, his main adviser there, Rahm Emanuel, also there in the room, Jill. He's up there against the wall if Elise hasn't had a chance to see him up there. I'm sure she has.
But, you know, you mentioned George Mitchell, his background. You mentioned Richard Holbrooke, his background. You think of how they've played tremendous roles when it comes to negotiating, especially when it comes to peace deals.
So, Hillary Clinton, will her role be that of a negotiator, or more of a diplomatic liaison?
DOUGHERTY: Well, she is really the big, powerful penalty and position who will come into play when it's necessary. I don't think you're going to see Hillary Clinton jumping on a plane next week and going off to negotiate necessarily.
There are people now that we will hear presumably in a few minutes who will be delegated to do precisely that. And a lot of this has to be done behind the scenes, quietly, and also working with the United States' allies and people in the region, countries that are dealing with that region.
Let's take the Mideast, for example. France and Egypt, both countries that are leading negotiations. All of that has to be done behind the scenes.
Hillary Clinton, if she were to come in right now, without an overall cohesive plan, and it failed, it could be disastrous. So she will come in at the appropriate moment, apparently, when things are ripe and she can clinch the deal, use her influence, et cetera. But initially, you're going to see the experts, the people who are these negotiators with long experience, going in there and really laying the groundwork.
PHILLIPS: As you've covered a number of international beats, Russia, Iraq -- I mean, I could name a number of assignments you've done for CNN -- now you've taken on this new role, and will be following everything there at the State Department for us. From your time that you've been able to spend with those within the State Department to this point, Elise, also, our producer there, is anybody talking about differences, similarities between Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton?
DOUGHERTY: Well, you'd have to say even though the welcome today was very warm for Hillary Clinton, there's a certain amount -- I kind of hate to talk about the cosmetic part of it, but it is important. Hillary Clinton really is, as they say, a rock star. And when she came in this morning, you could see it -- cameras flashing, people really very excited to see her.
And there is that rock star quality that could be very useful in a public diplomacy type of way. People know her internationally. She has a well-known name, et cetera.
I think here we go.
PHILLIPS: All right. And we see Hillary Clinton stepping up to the mike. The president of the United States there by her side.
Let's go ahead and listen in.
(APPLAUSE)
CLINTON: Thank you. Thank you very much. And welcome to the State Department.
Please be seated.
We are delighted to be joined this afternoon by President Obama and Vice President Biden for this very important announcement. But it is also absolutely a delight to have the president and president vice president here with us today. It is an indication of the president's commitment to a foreign policy that protects our national security and advances our interests, and is in keeping with our values.
So we, Mr. President, take great heart from the confidence that you have placed in us.
Today we start the hard work to restore our standing and enable our country to meet the vexing new challenges of the 21st century, but also to seize the opportunities that await us. The president is committed to making diplomacy and development the partners in our foreign policy, along with defense. And we must be smarter about how we exercise our power, but as I said this morning, upon entering the building, the heart of smart power are smart people.
And Mr. President, we have them in abundance here in the State Department, USAID, and our related agencies.
Today you will see an example of the kind of robust diplomacy that the president intends to pursue, and that I'm honored to help him fulfill. Nowhere is there a need for a vigorous diplomatic approach more apparent than in the two regions that epitomize the nuance and complexity of our interconnected world.
Many of you in this building, many of your foreign service and civil service and foreign national colleagues, have been engaged on behalf of issues related to the Middle East and to Afghanistan and Pakistan for years. Sometimes, as we know, at great peril and personal sacrifice.
That work has been invaluable. And it will continue to be the underpinning of everything our government does to achieve peace and stability in these regions.
At the same time, we know that anything short of relentless diplomatic efforts will fail to produce a lasting, sustainable peace in either place. That is why the president and I have decided to name a special envoy for Middle East peace and a special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Given the magnitude of the issues confronting us, we will bolster the excellent work that is done daily here, as well as in our embassies and outposts around the world, and particularly in these two regions, by an intensive push undertaken through the efforts of these two seasoned diplomats.
Mr. President, by coming here to the State Department, and through your announcement today of these two positions, you are through word and deed sending a loud and clear signal that diplomacy is a top priority of your presidency, and that our nation is once again capable of demonstrating global leadership in pursuit of progress and peace.
We are honored to have you join us on only the second day in office. We are grateful to you for highlighting these urgent issues and the collaboration needed to address two of the biggest foreign policy challenges of our time. I know that everyone here at State and in our various embassies and consulates and other outposts throughout the world, look forward to working closely with these two exceptional public servants, as we strive to protect and advance America's interests and find a path to peace and greater harmony in these vital areas of the world.
I am pleased now to introduce someone who is no stranger to this department, who has been a friend and partner as a senator, as the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and now as our vice president. There are few people who have been so devoted to promoting diplomacy and development as our guest, Vice President Joe Biden.
(APPLAUSE)
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you very much. Mr. President, Madame Secretary, let me begin by saying congratulations. It was a bright day for the whole department in the foreign service when you walked through that door And so congratulations to you.
Mr. President, your choice of our colleague, Senator Clinton, is absolutely the right person, in my view, at the right moment in American history.
We've come here today to the State Department to send a very clear message, a clear message at home as well as abroad, that we are going to reinvigorate America's commitment to diplomacy. This effort will be led by Secretary Clinton.
I believe, and as I know you do, Mr. President, because you chose her, that she has the knowledge, the skill, the experience, as well as that sort of intangible commodity of having personal relationships with many of these world leaders, which makes her uniquely, in my view, uniquely qualified to put diplomacy back in the forefront of America's foreign policy.
For too long we've put the bulk of the burden, in my view, on our military. That's a view not only shared by me, but by your secretary of defense as well. And our military is absolutely, to state the obvious, is absolutely necessary, but not sufficient. Not sufficient to secure the interest of this great nation.
In a moment, Mr. President, you're going to announce two new powerful weapons in our -- I guess the secretary is going to announce two very powerful weapons in our diplomatic arsenal. They faced and helped resolved equally challenging issues as the ones they face today throughout their careers from the Balkans to northern Ireland. And both -- both are outstanding public servants, and both are very, with all full disclosure, Mr. President, very old and close friends.
Mr. President, if you'll permit me, I'd like to thank them. I'd like to thank them for their willingness to come back into government to take on two of the most vexing international dilemmas that we face and requires their incredible capacity.
And so I compliment the secretary on her recommendations and your choices. And I look forward to -- with following you, Mr. President, to reinvigorate diplomacy in the world. It is the key, ultimately, to our security.
I thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
CLINTON: The president and I feel very grateful for the willingness of both of these extraordinary Americans to serve. And it is also fitting to thank their families.
Both Mrs. Mitchell and Heather (ph) is here. And Katia (ph), Richard Holbrooke's wife, is here, along with other family members. These are very difficult assignments. They are disruptive of settled and successful lives. And we thank them for taking on these responsibilities.
It's my great honor to introduce the man who the president and I have asked to be the special envoy for Middle East peace. He will lead our efforts to reinvigorate the process for achieving peace between Israel and its neighbors. He will help us to develop an integrated strategy that defends the security of Israel, works to bring an end to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict that will result in two states living side by side in peace and security, and to achieve further agreements, to promote peace and security between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Senator Mitchell will also work to support the objectives that the president and I believe are critical and pressing in Gaza, to develop a program for humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction, working with the Palestinian Authority and Israel on behalf of those objectives.
It is a great personal pleasure to introduce George Mitchell, a man who is well known inside this department and across Washington and America, who has been willing to accept this important assignment.
(APPLAUSE)
GEORGE MITCHELL, SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE MIDDLE EAST: Thank you.
Mr. President, Madame Secretary, I'm grateful to you for your kind words, and for the confidence that you show in me and in Ambassador Holbrooke. It's a great honor for me to be able to serve our country again, and especially to do so with my friend and distinguished colleague, Richard Holbrooke.
I don't underestimate the difficulty of this assignment. The situation in the Middle East is volatile, complex, and dangerous. But the president and the secretary of state have made it clear that danger and difficulty cannot cause the United States to turn away.
To the contrary, they recognize and have said that peace and stability in the Middle East are in our national interest. They are, of course, also in the interest of Israelis and Palestinians, of others in the region, and people throughout the world.
The secretary mentioned northern Ireland. There, recently, longtime enemies came together to form a power-sharing government to bring to an end the ancient conflict known as the troubles. This was almost 800 years after Britain began its domination of Ireland, 86 years after the petition of Ireland, 38 years after the British army formally began its most recent mission in Ireland, 11 years after the peace talks began, and nine years after a peace agreement was signed.
In the negotiations which led to that agreement, we had 700 days of failure and one day of success.
