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Swine Flu Spreads Abroad; White House Weighs Cheney Request on Torture Memos; White House Press Briefing: Questions About President's Possible Contact With Swine Flu Carrier; Outbreak of Fear: We Fear What We Do Not Know; Low-Flying Plane Sparks Panic in NYC
Aired April 27, 2009 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the West Wing and the West Coast, two views of the swine flu scare, two live news conferences coming up any moment now. This one you're seeing here, this is from - this is out in California. We're expecting the governor, the California governor to come out and give an update there. Also, the White House, you see the press secretary expected to come out a short time from now as well.
We're going to listen in to both as they get underway, but you can see the reporters standing by getting ready there and also, of course, in California, where we do have some confirmed swine flu cases, the governor going to give an update. Again, we will be keeping an eye on both of those things in this hour of the NEWSROOM.
In the meantime, let's give you the big picture of what is happening with this outbreak. Centered in Mexico, where the suspected swine flu death toll now is at 149. That number seems to continue to go up as we continue to get updates from officials there. The confirmed death toll is 20. Again, 149 suspected dead cases there but only 20 that they have confirmed so far.
You're looking at a map here of the countries around the world who have now had suspected or confirmed cases. The U.S., Canada, Spain, now Scotland have confirmed swine flu infections. France, Israel, Brazil, New Zealand as well have suspected cases. No other country besides Mexico has reported any deaths.
Now, most of the known cases in the U.S. are in New York City, at a single high school. Other cases being watched closely in Texas, Kansas, California, as well as Ohio. So we just talked about five states in the U.S. We hear that all of those sick Americans have recovered. And again, only one person we know of had to be hospitalized.
We did hear last hour from the acting director of the CDC, who said experts are puzzled as to why the virus, so far, anyway, is much worse in Mexico than anywhere else.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. RICHARD BESSER, CDC: What we need to understand is why we're seeing a different disease spectrum in Mexico than we're seeing here. I wouldn't be overly reassured by that. There are many reasons that could explain that, and as we gather information, we hope to sort that out. But I wouldn't rest on the fact that we have only seen cases in this country that are less severe. As we continue to look, I expect that we will see additional cases, and I expect that the spectrum of disease will expand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: So this from the president today, saying that this flu outbreak, this swine flu outbreak, is cause for concern but not cause for alarm. This morning, the president spoke to the National Academy of Sciences. We were expecting the headline out of there was supposed to be a huge new investment in scientific research, but then, of course, this outbreak struck.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are closely monitoring the emerging cases of swine flu in the United States. And this is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert. But it's not a cause for alarm. The Department of Health and Human Services has declared a public health emergency as a precautionary tool to ensure that we have the resources we need at our disposal to respond quickly and effectively.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And the president says the flu scare is one more example of why the U.S. can't fall behind in research.
Now let's turn back to New York and those swine flu cases there. Officials say they confirmed a total of 28. That's up from eight that we knew about yesterday.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg held a news conference a short while ago. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK: This is no way indicates a change in the size of the population affected. It just means that we have more data back confirming what we already suspected and talked about yesterday.
We believe that there were probably more than 100 cases of swine flu at the school, and lab tests are confirming what we have suspected. Cases that we suspected were swine flu have been confirmed to be swine flu, and every one of the 45 confirmed or probable cases is associated with the school. So the biggest piece of news today is that four to five days after seeing the first signs of the swine flu in Queens, we are still dealing with a single cluster of swine flu cases all associated with this one school.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And the mayor really wanted to emphasize today there's no indication of a citywide outbreak. Rather, all the cases seem to be confined to that one school, 28 students, many of them of course, who had gone to Mexico.
Let's turn also to something else that we're watching in New York today, and people were watching and couldn't believe what they were seeing.
Take a look. We've got a picture here. A huge jet flying low over lower Manhattan. Two F-16s escorting a military 747 over New York City.
It was part of a photo shoot, we're told. The FAA knew about it. NYPD knew about it. A lot of us did not know about it, and a lot of civilians there had no idea.
So hundreds of people were evacuated from their buildings, thinking something was wrong and thinking the worst, and understandably so given what that city and this country has gone through back on 9/11. We will be talking with iReporter Tom Kruk about all this at the bottom of the hour.
We return now to a story we're not going to be too far from, the swine flu. Concerns over the swine flu outbreak have caused the closing of a private school in South Carolina. Officials at the Newbury Academy took the action today as a precaution. That move after some students returned from a trip to Mexico - where else - with flu-like symptoms. Test results on the students expected shortly, so we could see the numbers of confirmed cases in the U.S. go up.
Mexico, meanwhile, where it all started. Now health officials there say the number of deaths believed to be caused by swine flu has risen sharply.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSE CORDOBA, MEXICO SECRETARY OF HEALTH (through translator): A hundred and forty-nine people have died, and we are investigating on confirmation on those cases to see if they are, in fact, swine flu cases. We are working with all sectors of the Mexican community. I would like to thank (INAUDIBLE) the public.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And all schools in Mexico have been closed until at least May 5th as a precaution.
Let's turn now back out to California, where there have been confirmed cases. The governor there giving an update on how they're handling it.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: ... in our Department of Food and Agriculture have taken several critical steps such as, we have activated the Joint Emergency Operations Center, which is a combination of the Public Health Department and also of the California Emergency Management Agency.
HOLMES: Well, it looks like we did lose that live signal of the governor there. Might try to reestablish that.
I'm told that it is back. Let's try it again, listen back in to the governor.
SCHWARZENEGGER: ... testing patients with flu-like illnesses is statewide, and we have activated our health alert network to be in touch with all the hospitals and doctors and medical centers and so on. The bottom line is we are prepared. The federal government...
HOLMES: All right. You know what? We're just going to pop out of this here. Having some issues with that signal there.
We'll try to reestablish it, at least have some of our producers and folks take a good listen in to that. And as the news comes out of that, we will bring that to you when we do get it. We do apologize for that signal.
Well, if the swine flu outbreak started in Mexico, as many believe it did, how in the world did it pop up nearly 7,000 miles away in New Zealand?
Phil Black tracing the spread for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm standing outside Rangitoto College in Auckland. Nine students and one teacher from this school have fallen ill and been diagnosed with Influenza-A after returning from a school trip to Mexico. It's suspected they are suffering from this new strain of the swine flu.
At another school near here, three others have also fallen ill after returning from Mexico. The possibility that these children have come back from a school excursion with a potentially life threatening illness has spooked much of New Zealand. Pharmacies here are reporting a run on sales of things like face masks and anti-flu drugs.
But the government here is urging people not to panic. It says it has procedures in place and these procedures are world class, designed back when, a few years ago, New Zealand feared it could fall victim to an epidemic of bird flu.
Phil Black, CNN, Auckland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Wall Street experiencing some swine flu symptoms of its own. Traders, no, are not falling victim down there on Wall Street, but stock prices are falling victim. The big worry for investors is that the flu outbreak will hit a global economy that's already severely crippled.
Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange with the details here.
And you know, when something happens, you think Wall Street might be immune. And a virus sounds like it's not something that would be bothersome down there to those guys, but this affects everybody.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Oh, yes. And it has - we're seeing a dramatic response on Wall Street not only with stock prices, but with commodity prices, T.J., because pork bellies are actively traded at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
Last time I checked, they were down. Pork belly prices down 18 percent today, and so are corn futures. Of course, that's what pigs feed on.
And even though the CDC has assured everyone that it's not food that spreads this flu, this swine flu - it is people - nonetheless, you're seeing that affect commodity prices. And also, with big pork producers like Smithfield, Hormel, we are also seeing Tyson, those stocks are all getting hit.
We do export a great deal of the pork that we produce here, about 25 percent, or about $5 billion. And you are already seeing some countries like Russia banning pork produced in certain states, and stepped-up surveillance or stepped-up investigations from others like Korea.
So yes, you're definitely seeing real fallout there. And you're also seeing it play out in the travel industry.
Just think about it - Mexico is such a big draw for tourism. We're seeing airlines like US Air, Continental, Delta, saying they're going to waive any sort of last-minute changes in your itinerary.
They're not canceling any flights yet. We're not hearing of any cruise destinations, anything like that, that's being canceled. But again, we're seeing big fallout for airline stocks, hotel stocks and cruises, all getting hit. Double-digit declines, we're seeing - T.J.
HOLMES: Yes. Not usually our initial thought. It certainly wasn't when we saw a health crisis. But it could turn into an economic crisis for a lot of folks as well.
But still, at times like this, you see some things go down, but there are always some winners when things like this happens - a health crisis. So who are the winners this time?
LISOVICZ: Well, it's very predictable, T.J., and that is in the pharmaceutical sector, because that's what we're going to need. We're already talking about ramping up production for certain flu vaccines. And that's why we're seeing - for instances, we're seeing Roche shares that trade here in the United States, as well as - we're seeing Roche and I'm trying to think of the other one - Baxter International.
Both of them make a vaccine that is something that can be used for this. We're also - there is also talk about the WHO doing a specific vaccine for this swine flu. Of course, this is months down the road, but what you are seeing in the meantime is a big rally in these niche stocks that make these kinds of vaccines.
And you know, I want to mention one other thing, T.J. You were talking about that low-flying 747 over New York City.
HOLMES: Yes.
LISOVICZ: Yes, that was something that was very much the talk on Wall Street today, too. It doesn't take much for people to be reminded of what happened in this decade, and that was something that really spooked investors for a brief time. There was talk of evacuations, and that's something that was also factored into sentiment today as well.
HOLMES: And understandably so, as we are showing some of this video here now.
And again, we understand, Susan, it was part of a photo-op. It sounds strange to hear it like that.
LISOVICZ: Nobody knew that.
HOLMES: Nobody knew that.
LISOVICZ: Nobody knew that. Another beautiful day and, you know, it's not easy for your mind to go back to that certain time.
HOLMES: All right.
Susan Lisovicz there at the New York Stock Exchange.
We appreciate you, as always.
It looks like down about 20 points. I did see the Dow. I did see that number, I do believe.
I was wrong. Down about 75 points now, the Dow. Still above that 8,000 mark, but down about 70 points. We will keep an eye on that, of course, as always.
Also, in regards to that other story about that plane there in New York, again, gave quite a scare. Some places were evacuated, and understandably so, when people saw that in New York.
It was just a photo-op, we're told. But there was an iReporter who did snap a couple of pictures for us. He's going to be coming up a little later. We'll be speaking to him live.
Meanwhile, we'll turn now to what's happening with the auto industry. And staying alive is tough to do for General Motors, at least.
This is part of what GM's doing to keep bankruptcy at bay, going to be getting rid of Pontiac. Yes, no more Pontiacs being made.
Cutting 23,000 jobs in the next couple of years as well. Also restructuring a pile of debt that's $27 billion high. The deal could make Uncle Sam the majority owner of that company.
Chrysler, how are they doing? They managed to check one thing off its "to do" list. They have come to an agreement with the union on concessions. If it can just get some buy-in from Fiat and reach a deal with lenders, it may be able to get more loans from Washington as well.
Well, CNN's Stephanie Elam, she's got all this covered for us. She's going to show us the road ahead for GM and Chrysler. She's coming our way in just about a few minutes.
Well, government bailouts unpopular already. But imagine if billions of those dollars were lost to fraud, to waste. Just plain lost. The bailout's special inspector general appeared today on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING" and said worst-case scenarios could come true if every dollar is not watched.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEIL BAROFSKY, TARP INSPECTOR GENERAL: If the right protections are not put in place, I think we could lose hundreds of billions of dollars to fraud. That's the usual burn rate for fraud in a government program. And if the right protections aren't there, those things that you listed, these programs are vulnerable.
I think there can be protections, but Treasury has to be proactive, look at our recommendations, and put the right protections in. Otherwise, we could be looking at really catastrophic losses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: We did learn last week that Barofsky, as you saw there, has open 20 criminal investigations and half-dozen audits tied to TARP.
Well, here is some breaking news for you. The president and the vice president, Cheney, they agree on something. Yes, I'm talking about the current president, Obama, and the former vice president, Dick Cheney. They are agreeing on something.
What is it? It has to do with the release of torture memos that Cheney says tell the rest of the story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, as of a few hours ago, they can. And yes, they do.
Same-sex couples have been lining up since early this morning across the state of Iowa, getting the paperwork they need to get married. Earlier this month, the state Supreme Court handed down a ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. That ruling took effect today.
Now, Iowa's the third state to sign off on gays and lesbians getting married. Days later, Vermont became the fourth. Same-sex marriage also legal in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Now, we do see those lines there in Iowa. People were getting the paperwork. We do know that at least one couple, a lesbian couple, did get married today. They actually got a judge to sign off on a waiver for that three-day waiting period after getting a license to get married. So we do know at least one couple was able to tie the knot today.
Well, former Vice President Cheney wants you to hear more about interrogation methods during the Bush administration. He believes a fresh batch of memos will tell the rest of the story, if they are released. The Obama administration might grant his request, but as CNN's Jim Acosta shows us, not everybody thinks this is a good idea.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OBAMA: The OLC memos that were released reflected, in my view, us losing our moral bearings.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Two weeks before President Obama released those Bush administration memos of harsh interrogations used on suspected terrorists, Vice President Dick Cheney had already submitted a request to the National Archives calling for the release of other memos. Cheney says the requested memos will prove Bush era interrogation practices which critics have called a torture program worked.
DICK CHENEY, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I haven't talked about it, but I know specifically of reports that I read, that I saw, that lay out what we learned through the interrogation process and what the consequences were for the country. ACOSTA: The White House is signaling it may honor Cheney's request and even go further.
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I think one of the things that will have to be examined, David, is whether there are additional memos that have to be released that give a broader picture of what's going on in enhanced interrogation techniques. ACOSTA: The almost daily revelations are dividing Democrats between those calling for a full disclosure.
SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D), VERMONT: We don't just turn the page without reading it. We want to make sure what the mistakes were so that the Obama administration doesn't make these mistakes.
ACOSTA: And those urging caution.
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: All of this on the front burner before the public does harm our intelligence gathering. It does harm America's position.
ACOSTA: Across the aisle, Republicans are insisting the Justice Department drop any investigation of Bush administration officials who authorized harsh interrogations.
SEN. KIT BOND (R), MISSOURI: I think that would be a stab in the back. I think he has already demoralized the CIA, put them in a CYA (ph) mode.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Will not be prosecuting people who gave legal advice.
ACOSTA: As President Obama approaches day 100 of his administration, some in Washington caution the torture tug-of-war could be a costly distraction.
SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (I), CONNECTICUT: The reality is it will poison the water here in Washington. It will achieve nothing. It will make it harder for the president to do some of the big things he wants to do for the country.
ACOSTA (on camera): In the meantime, key U.S. allies are also making up their minds about the use of extreme interrogations. Jordan's King Abdullah now says based on accounts he's seen, he believes the U.S. used torture on suspected terrorists.
Jim Acosta, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, let me show you two live pictures here now.
On the left, you see the president. And standing behind him, the 39-0 national championship UConn women's team. On the right, you're seeing, of course, the White House briefing room.
Waiting for Robert Gibbs to come out and give his daily briefing. Certainly going be talking about the swine flu, going to give an update there.
But let's listen in to the president. Again, a lighter moment. We always know these national championship teams get to go to the White House.
Let's take a quick listen to him.
OBAMA: We are thrilled that you are going to be coaching the women's basketball team in the 2012 Olympics. You are going to do a great job.
(APPLAUSE)
Under Coach Auriemma's leadership, this Huskies program has redefined excellence again and again - six of the last 15 NCAA titles, five undefeated regular seasons, three undefeated championship seasons, two 39-0 seasons. But for this team, an undefeated season just wasn't enough. They became the first team in NCAA history, men or women's, to win every single game by double digits, which is just an unbelievable, unbelievable statistic.
(APPLAUSE)
I want to congratulate also Maya, who's here, Maya Moore.
There you are. Raise your hand.
Naismith Award, National Player of the Year. And an equally impressive achievement, Maya was one of only five players chosen nationwide as first team academic all-American.
So give it up for Maya.
(APPLAUSE)
Renee Montgomery.
Where's Renee.
Renee holding the ball for winning the Honda Sports Award that recognizes the top women's player in the country not just for athletics, but also academics, leadership, and willingness to give back to her community, and to all the players who make a true team.
It's clear these women have a competitive streak, from what I understand. They have trouble sometimes turning off that competitive streak. I've heard that Movie Pictionary gets pretty fierce among the women here.
HOLMES: All right. Again, just listening to the president there, a lighter moment there.
All right. I'll start back up here.
You've been watching the president there on the left talking to the UConn women, undefeated national championship team. They always get that honor, those championship teams.
But on the right, some more serious business to attend to with this swine flu outbreak that everybody is keeping an eye on. You see Robert Gibbs starting up the press briefing.
Let's go ahead and listen in to him.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
QUESTION: ... would say that they didn't think that any nonessential travels to the U.S. or Mexico should be canceled. Is there any pushback coming from the White House or the administration on that?
GIBBS: I'm sorry, any...
QUESTION: Any pushback? Are you guys talking to them saying we don't think that's an appropriate thing to say?
GIBBS: I will check on the European information.
Sorry. I don't know what that was.
I have not seen that before. I did not see that before I came out here. QUESTION: It's been in all the stories all morning.
GIBBS: I would say - let me just give you a sense of what the president has done on this today, or who he's heard from.
At the end of the president's daily intelligence briefing, he got a briefing on the latest developments from John Brennan. As you know, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did a public briefing today at 1:00 p.m. Mr. Brennan, Secretary Napolitano and the State Department will brief at 3:00 p.m. today.
QUESTION: Who from State?
GIBBS: I don't know who from State, but likely that will be an increased travel advisory saying nonessential travel - warning against nonessential travel to Mexico.
Yes?
QUESTION: Can you confirm that that's what they're going to say?
GIBBS: I can't.
QUESTION: A warning against nonessential?
GIBBS: Nonessential travel to Mexico. I would point - I will point you to them in terms of the details forthcoming.
QUESTION: In terms of the EU health concern, can you just follow up with that? It used to be that if there was a question, a follow-up on the briefing, that there would be sort of an asterisk in the transcript or some way to...
GIBBS: I will...
QUESTION: ... get us the facts.
GIBBS: I'll send it to you in that pink paper that Bill has. And then...
QUESTION: That would be great.
And then just quickly, you talked about the president getting his update at the end of the intel briefing. Can you just talk about his process of keeping updated, involved, and kind of walk us through a little tick-tock?
GIBBS: Yes. We did some of this yesterday. I don't know how many briefings he ended up getting yesterday, but he's getting regular briefings from Mr. Brennan, who, as I said yesterday, is assistant to the president in charge of the Homeland Security Council here at the White House.
Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5, HSPD 5, is what denotes that Secretary Napolitano is head of the Department of Homeland Security, has primary intergovernmental authority over these types of incidents. Again, they will brief, as I understand it, CDC at 1:00, because Dr. Besser is in Atlanta. Brennan and Napolitano will be briefed at 3:00. That will happen on a daily basis to keep you all up to date on any and all developments.
Yes?
QUESTION: Following up from yesterday's briefing here, sort of what did you know and when did you know it.
The first case in Mexico was apparently either reported, or the first death was, I'm not sure, April 12th. The president was there about five days later.
Did our team learn of this during the advance or in the course of the visit?
GIBBS: I'm not aware that we learned until I think earlier last week. That's what I've been told. I will double check on this.
QUESTION: So there was no warning or caution...
GIBBS: Not prior to the trip, no.
Yes, sir?
QUESTION: There are growing concerns in the financial market about potential fallout for the global economy, and those glimmers of hope and progress that the president has pointed to. If this were to turn into a pandemic, is the administration at all concerned and taking any kind of preemptive action?
QUESTION: Well, let me split the question a couple different ways.
The National Economic Council, Council on Economic Advisors, is obviously aware of and looking into this notion. There's, I understand, a working group at the Department of Treasury to deal with this.
Obviously, what we have done and what we talked about yesterday in declaring a public health emergency in order to activate capacity and capability of this government ahead of anything was to get out ahead of any of these incidents and hopefully prevent its spread. So I think it is a little early to determine the economic impact, but obviously, NEC, CEA and Treasury are monitoring that situation and looking into it. I hesitate to get a whole lot further than that based on what may or may not happen.
QUESTION: Has the president spoken on the subject privately?
GIBBS: There was discussion about it here today, yes.
QUESTION: I know that Governor Sebelius' nomination is probably going to be voted on tomorrow in the Senate, but do you guys have just the litany of other assistant deputy secretaries at HSS, as well as the surgeon general, ready to go, to hit the ground running after she is confirmed, assuming she is?
GIBBS: Absolutely. As I mentioned earlier, the primary presidential directive for Homeland Security denotes - I know there's been some discussion about why (ph) Napolitano's role in this? That's why I mentioned the presidential directive that denotes interagency coordination goes to the Department of Homeland Security. And I mentioned this yesterday.
Our response is in no way hindered or hampered by not having a permanent secretary at HHS right now. Dr. Besser and thousands of people both at CDC and throughout HHS are responding to this.
There are professional staff over there as we speak helping to coordinate this. I'm sure many of you all have called public affairs over there and gotten your questions answered. So we feel confident with the team that is there now.
Having said that, we're certainly hopeful that secretary - soon- to-be Secretary Sebelius will join them without delay tomorrow.
QUESTION: Presumably, you would rather have...
GIBBS: Well, we would rather not have a swine flu.
Yes, sir?
QUESTION: I'm sorry. Could you just - do you have them ready to go, the surgeon general, the assistant secretary?
GIBBS: There's a whole group of people there and there will be more to follow. Some will and some won't need Senate confirmation.
QUESTION: Can I just follow on the question of economic impact that Matt asked? Specifically, there's been some chatter this morning about during the stimulus debate, there was, I think, $900 million that Democrats wanted to put in to deal with pandemic preparations.
I know we're not in a pandemic stage right now, but there have been some Democrats this morning saying the money got taken out by Republicans, they thought it was pork barrel spending.
Any concern here at the White House about that money being taken out and any talk about...
GIBBS: Well, before I get into that argument, let me - I'd have to go look at the information. I would say to this, Ed, that the preparations that Congress took in 2006 were important in providing us the ability to respond now and part of the reason - 2005 and 2006.
Part of the reason I'm up-to-date on those things is because Senator Barack Obama was deeply involved in the appropriations activities to ensure that we had antiviral drugs in the event of an avian flu outbreak.
Some of the very first governmental money that went to avian flu came through work that Senator Obama did with Senator Lugar in terms of monitoring in foreign countries that didn't have the capability to recognize or the infrastructure to test what was going on.
That is part of what he worked on '05 and 06. I'd have to look specifically to the (INAUDIBLE).
QUESTION: To follow on what Bill asked about Mexico. When the fact that the administration was not told about what had been going in Mexico when he got there, is there any concern the Mexican government was not truthful or is it that it hadn't been - the whole thing had not been formulated yet, so maybe they didn't have all the information?
GIBBS: Without speculating on what the situation might have been, it's hard for me to guess. I said this yesterday and there's certainly been no change in that, that the president's health was never in any danger.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) report card, how does the rate himself after 100 days?
GIBBS: I was asked this question a few days ago and I gave the administration a B+. I think there's always room for improvement. But I think, largely, I think the president and the administration are pleased with what has been done in the first 100 days, if you look at restarting credit flowing, increased financial stability, the passage of a recovery and reinvestment plan.
But as I've also said, I think the American people are less likely to spend a lot of time sitting around Wednesday judging what we've done in our first 100 days and are more concerned with what we're going to do each and every day going forward to continue the progress that we started in the first part of this administration.
QUESTION: Does the president think it's right for Wall Street to be given big pay raises now?
GIBBS: Well, I think the president's viewpoints on executive compensation have been well discussed in each of these first almost 100 days.
QUESTION: Two questions. A quick follow-on on Jake's question. So your response hasn't been hampered at all by not having an HHS secretary, by having an acting HHS secretary.
GIBBS: I mean, I'm happy to respond to something that you think might have hampered that response.
QUESTION: It's not a concern at all with the administration that you don't have your person there and that they don't have their (INAUDIBLE).
Second question. Do you guys feel you owe folks in New York City this morning an apology for this incident having to do with the airplane that looks like Air Force One, with two fighter jets?
There seemed to be a lot of panic...
GIBBS: I was pointing to FAA or Air Force...
QUESTION: Everybody's pointing us to the (INAUDIBLE) military office. So that's why...
GIBBS: Well, then, I would contact the White House.
QUESTION: The military won't tell us anything. They'll refer us to you.
GIBBS: Then let me go discuss with the White House - I don't - I have seen some news reports, but I...
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
GIBBS: I don't know. I have no information on this (INAUDIBLE) what I say.
QUESTION: May I just say, the way this works, I'm just saying appearance-wise, it's odd that you guys don't have a response. I mean, this is the president's aircraft or what looks like the president's aircraft.
GIBBS: I was working on other things. You might be surprised to know I don't know every movement of Air Force One or what happens to it.
But I will certainly talk to the military office.
QUESTION: New York City is very edgy about it.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
GIBBS: What's that?
QUESTION: Another question on the swine flu. This is the first test for you all on a potential major public health crisis. What are some of the things that are guiding you, in terms of your communication, on this balance between how the president put it this morning, reason for concern, but not alarm?
GIBBS: Well, I think yesterday's announcement, I think, in some ways demonstrates that. I mean, look, we - I think any time you were to utter the phrase "public health emergency," obviously, initially there would probably be a lot of concern, but understanding, as the secretary - as Secretary Napolitano denoted yesterday, it's - it's very similar to an emergency declaration that one might make in preparation for a natural disaster, like a flood or a hurricane that you know or can predict is coming.
It helps us preposition resources. It frees up parts of the law that have to be activated in order to do that. Yesterday, Mr. Brennan, Secretary Napolitano, and the CDC walked through all of the preparation that had previously been done.
Look, we want to ensure that the public understands the steps that the government has taken, the capacity and the capabilities by which the government has in order to respond to this, to let people know and to hopefully give them information if they - if they have questions.
Again, I would repeat, go to cdc.gov. There is - is something on - obviously, right there on the front home page that has frequently asked questions. There's also part of that in Spanish for people that need that.
So I think - we're trying to balance, as you said, ensuring that the public is aware and understands what's out there, but at the same time what we're - what we're doing is a precaution and not to - to alarm people.
QUESTION: What - just - just to go back to (INAUDIBLE) earlier questions about the economic impact. You said there were discussions here. On what level?
GIBBS: Well, it - it was simply raised in - in one of the meetings - I forget which one I was in - that simply a discussion that it was something that should be noted. That's why, again, there's - I will ask Treasury for more on their group, but just that the NEC and the CEA are - are monitoring.
QUESTION: Was it one of the meetings where the president was present?
GIBBS: I don't believe it was, but I - I can go back and check my notes.
QUESTION: Robert, a follow-up on that. What was - can you clear up what the president's contact was with Felipe Solis, the gentleman who died a day after? And, you know, we're hearing (INAUDIBLE)
GIBBS: Yes, I - let me balance the - let me balance exactly what Peter said. I've got no information on that.
Again, I want to repeat what I've now said any number of times, having talked to the doctors directly about this. The president's health was never in danger. The president nor anybody that I know of traveling with him in either governmental or press capacity has shown any symptoms that would denote cause for any concern.
QUESTION: Understanding that, what was his contact, though, with Felipe Solis? Can you clear that up?
GIBBS: Yes, I - I have not talked to anybody about that.
QUESTION: Did this man actually escort the president in Mexico City? No - no, seriously. It is...
(CROSSTALK)
GIBBS: I am serious. But if I didn't know the answer to the previous question, extrapolating on the follow-up is going to be hard for me to provide information based on the fact that the basis of the previous question I didn't have any information to answer. QUESTION: Was the president in the room with this gentleman...
(CROSSTALK)
GIBBS: I - I...
QUESTION: I can answer (OFF-MIKE)
GIBBS: OK, and - and I will check on it. Again, it's - it's hard for me to go three levels down when, you know - sorry. Go ahead.
QUESTION: Robert, the president (INAUDIBLE) no cause for alarm.
GIBBS: Right.
QUESTION: Was he giving the American people a snapshot? We know this is a very fast-changing situation. You know, what should be the level of concern at this moment and going forward?
GIBBS: Well, I think people should be vigilant in observing what's around them. Obviously, if they - I think yesterday they talked here yesterday, if people feel sick, to take the precautions that you need to, to stay home. I think those are important things for people to understand.
And I think it is important, as I said, that people remain vigilant, that they ensure that they're, as Mr. Brennan said, taking responsibility for themselves.
The president, again, and - and the team here wanted the American people to understand that we're taking steps in the event that what is happening now becomes more concerning.
It's enough of a concern, obviously, to take steps to begin to activate our response. And we're continuing to monitor it and hopefully, with these daily briefings - in addition to CDC, and Mr. Brennan, and Secretary Napolitano - you know, the public will have all the information they need.
Major?
QUESTION: I understand this is a fluid situation, Robert, and you may not have the answers right now, but if you could take these questions if you don't and get back, I'd appreciate it.
GIBBS: Sure.
QUESTION: Is the White House actively curious about Mr. Solis and the cause of his death? He did - he was - I...
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: He was next to the president. He was there. There's video of him on the 16th.
GIBBS: Let me check. Let me check. QUESTION: OK.
QUESTION: Can you (OFF-MIKE) back to us? I mean, because - I mean, it's a serious question. This man possibly died from swine flu.
QUESTION: Well, we don't know.
QUESTION: We don't know, but we're hearing the reports possibly, and he possibly had contact with the president the day before. That's a real question.
GIBBS: A real question that I said five minutes ago that I would try to find out. I haven't forgotten.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) to try to find out some more information about the situation?
GIBBS: I will certainly check. Again, let me - but let me - let me - hold on. But let me - I said this the other day. I'm going to try not to take it personally, that giving an answer on the seventh time has yet to break through, so let me try an eighth.
I specifically asked somebody on my staff to speak directly with the doctors of the president of the United States of America, ask them if they were at all concerned. They said no.
The president, as I mentioned yesterday and on many other previous occasions, has not exhibited any symptoms that would require that to be of concern.
So while I will check individually on your question, I think it's important to understand, for the eighth time, that there's no medical concern for the president.
QUESTION: Why wasn't there precautions...
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: Just in my defense, my question wasn't about that.
GIBBS: Well, and...
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) on the medical front?
GIBBS: Because, as I said this yesterday, we have - I think it's important for both you and for the public to understand that if you, as Mr. Brennan said yesterday, if you are exhibiting symptoms, if you feel sick to take precaution.
But at the same time, let's not crush our public health or private health infrastructure with every person just going to randomly get tested, despite the fact that there's no concern that they're exhibiting a symptom by which would denote that they have some reason to be concerned.
QUESTION: I have a second question, Robert. GIBBS: We're only up to two?
QUESTION: Yes, sir.
GIBBS: I - I like the way you count.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) because this is the second question. White House...
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: ... in previous administrations, and I assume in this one, advance trips for the president. Wherever the president is going to go, medical teams go out with specific medical questions. The personnel who are going to be on site where the president's going to be and the larger medical or air quality or any type of medical concerns where the president's going to be.
Were these teams dispatched to Mexico? Were questions asked about swine flu, do you know? And did you get any response from the Mexican officials either about what the president was likely to encounter or possibly would encounter?
GIBBS: I will ask. Without - and maybe I shouldn't do this. I'm not entirely sure that somebody would have asked about that, given the timing. But I...
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: The president arrived on the 16th. And, as Bill reported, the first case was - was documented on April 12th. So it's possible that within that environment...
(CROSSTALK)
GIBBS: But, again, I'm going to go for number nine.
QUESTION: No, but it wasn't a question...
(CROSSTALK)
GIBBS: I understand. I just think it's important...
(CROSSTALK)
GIBBS: I understand. I understand. But let's - let's - for purposes - for purposes of the previous question, I just, again, want to - boy, I'm glad I'm not a public health spokesman. Let me just try this one more time.
The doctors have informed me, based on my personal curiosity, knowing of yours, that the president's health was never in any danger, that he has not exhibited any symptoms. Neither has anybody traveling with him, neither has any of the press that traveled with him that I'm aware of exhibited any symptoms that would cause some reason for concern. QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) there's a lot of speculation that the Mexican government was withholding information...
GIBBS: I'm not - hold on. Let me - I - no, no, no. And I'm...
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: ... health is not what we're asking about.
GIBBS: No, no, I am - well, I'm trying to balance what somebody previously asked about concern and panic, OK, so I'm reiterating that answer as a larger global answer while I check on the other question.
Guys, I - my ears work fine. I will check on the questions, all right?
GIBBS: Don't tell me. Let me guess. Go ahead.
QUESTION: I am not going to ask about the president's health. This is a relatively new administration's first public health crisis. It's a - it's a new plan that stems - that came out of the SARS thing several years ago, never been put into - put into place.
Aside from the top officials, you have a lot of lower level, second and third tier people that have not been put in place yet.
Do you guys have any concerns about response, sort of the overall bureaucracy's response and being able to ramp up, and are you reaching out to anybody in prior administrations or anybody outside the government to kind of help this relatively new government deal with this situation?
GIBBS: Well, I can certainly check and see if any of our - I assume some of the people here would just naturally reach out to counterparts in past or previous administrations.
I would also point out, Michael, that a ton of this infrastructure is done at a state and local level. In dealing with cases that have been reported based on testing at the CDC, obviously, for instance, the New York Department of Public Health, their school system, their local infrastructure is also key in this.
But we have - we're not currently concerned about our infrastructure and our ability to respond to this. Again, this is something that I think it is important to understand is at the top of the president's list right now and the top of many of the staff that work here.
We have all been involved in meetings and briefings and discussions and calls well after normal working hours to stay on top of the situation.
The team will continue to evaluate whether or not there are any infrastructure demands that need to be reinforced or met a different way. Again, I think part of the - I think it's important what you mentioned, which is the response, in many ways, is about the plan that you have in place and the plans that you've taken, in many ways, whether it was SARS, whether it was avian flu, both the president's interest and knowledge on this issue, as well as the preparations that were taken, we feel confidently the government is in a strong position to respond.
QUESTION: I'll pass my second question on to Major.
QUESTION: When the president was in the Senate, he had a bill early on in the avian flu scare and both he and Senator Lieberman thought that the country was not prepared for this crisis.
Where does he think that the country is at right now on this and have there been strides made under the Bush administration to prepare for this, as your administration, or is there a great need for...
GIBBS: Well, I think - and I can - I don't know if I have these timeline here. Let me take a gander at this.
In the early part of 2005, I think the first several months of Senator Obama's tenure, he worked primarily on appropriating money for and authorizing money for the World Health Organization to begin to have greater resources that would be needed to test, to monitor, to notify the surrounding regions and the world of the increased prevalence of avian flu.
In November or by November of that year, there were increased appropriations dealing with both the planning for, as well as the response needed for antiviral medication and other response resources.
That was done with the Bush administration and members of Congress. There was a big push on that and a lot of money that was added at that point in 2005 and again in 2006 to address this.
So I think the president believes that part of that work was helpful in creating that information and that plan that is now being activated to respond.
QUESTION: As long as you're taking questions that you're going to get back to us on. On the plight of Air Force One, the aircraft this morning down along lower Manhattan at a very, very low level, Mayor Bloomberg says he is furious. It was insensitive, poor judgment, and he would go - have gone all the way to the White House to stop it if he knew it was going to happen.
Do you think it's insensitive to have a big aircraft fly low over an area that was clearly such a trigger for them?
GIBBS: Well, I'm going to find out this information based on Chuck's question. And we'll try to get back to you with whatever details we can.
Yes, sir? QUESTION: Robert, when the president this morning said of the swine flu it was cause for concern, but not alarm, and you've got like the E.U. commissioner at first saying don't travel to North America before he toned it down, saying don't travel to parts of North America, is - is there a fine line here? Is - is the world overreacting? Have we crossed a line toward panic? And is it unjustified?
GIBBS: No, I - well, yes and no. I do think there is a fine line undoubtedly. But I also think there is - and the president and his team believe - a desire for and a need for information in order for the public to have to make determinations, to understand what is - what has caused the government to take increased preparations so that they can take preparations and increase their own personal surveillance as to the surroundings that they're in.
Yes, I think it's a tricky fine line, but I think what we are doing is hedging a bit more on the notion that more public information is important so that people can take the necessary precautions.
Again, that information is out there on CDC Web site. Mr. Brennan said it yesterday, actions that individuals can take should they feel like they're - they're sick.
One of the things I would - to build off of Michael's question earlier, the - I think one of the things that gives - and Dr. Besser said this yesterday. We are at the tail end of the normal flu season, which is a good thing, in terms of the overall ability to respond as the normal course of any flu that one sees each year, where the prevalence of that decreases.
HOLMES: We have been listening in to Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, getting a lot of questions today, of course, about the swine flu outbreak.
Also, might have heard a lot of questions in there, reporters getting a little testy, trying to get some answers about this man that the president met, shook hands with, when he was in Mexico City. A man who later died or who was exhibiting some swine flu symptoms. The president - or rather, Robert Gibbs there, saying the president's health was never in any danger at all and showing no symptoms. They think he is just fine, but still some of those questions reporters were asking. Robert Gibbs saying he's going to have to get back to them on.
Also addressing the issue of that incident with the plane flying, low-flying plane as part of an exercise, as part of a photo op in New York today. The mayor there in New York calling it insensitive. The White House apparently knew about this. Robert Gibbs saying he needs to get answers on that as well.
But you're seeing video of it. Two F-16s escorting this Air Force One lookalike, essentially, low-flying over New York today. Nobody in New York knew about it, at least the citizens didn't know about it. Many of them evacuating buildings, understandably so, afraid of what it might have signaled. So, a lot coming out of the briefing today.
Meanwhile, we will continue to talk about this outbreak or is it an outbreak? Is it an epidemic? Is it pandemic? What exactly is it? We will meet the woman who literally wrote the book on diseases that spread and also spread fear.
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HOLMES: Now much of what is scaring people about swine flu right now, experts included, is just what we don't know. And that is a whole lot. So Laurie Garrett can shed some light on what we do and don't know. She's senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations. Also the author of the book, "The Coming Plague." She joins us now from New York.
Ma'am, thank you so much.
You have studied, seen and written about so many of these things. So tell us this time around with this, again, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, whatever people are calling it right now, what seems different and scary about this one so far? And it's still early.
LAURIE GARRETT, AUTHOR, "THE COMING PLAGUE": Well, we still have a huge number of unknowns. We don't know how serious this really is, how virulent the virus is and how easily transmissible it is. So those are the big black box questions and it's hard to know without knowing the answers.
What's really worrying about this is that we've never before seen Influenza pick up bits and pieces of genetic material from birds, pigs and humans and mix them all together to create a completely new virus. This, we have never seen before.
The other thing I'm worried about is that we have in circulation in North America another type of a very, very close sibling to this virus. Both types are called H1N1 viruses. The other one is completely drug-resistant, so no treatment would work. If the two ever combine together, we'd really have a mess.
HOLMES: OK, and I heard you speak earlier on a different interview about this virus, and I guess you were kind of describing it there, just being sloppy. It's kind of a mess. You can't keep up with what this thing is and what it's doing and what it's going to do.
GARRETT: Influenza is a very sloppy virus. When Influenza viruses replicate, make copies of themselves, their chromosomes literally fall to pieces. And they pick up whatever's in the environment around in the cell that they are infecting, whether it's a pig cell, a bird cell, a human cell, whatever it may be, and absorb that genetic material and then come back together again. It's a very sloppy process and it means that it's constantly mutating.
HOLMES: And finally here, Ma'am, have to draw some kind of a historical comparisons to what we have seen before. I know the 1918, I believe it was the Spanish Flu, that claimed so many lives. Do they start off like this one? I guess, if you see similarities in the way we're starting off with seeing this virus and how it's behaving and where it is and how it's spreading similar to some of those major pandemics in years past.
GARRETT: Every pandemic has its own characteristics. In 1918, they didn't have commercial air travel, so the virus was spread by troop movements in World War I from continent to continent. Today, everything goes faster. The speed of this is breathtaking. And it's because everybody's on the move and we have airplanes.
So, I don't think you can really compare the first steps of this to 1918.
HOLMES: The circumstances are just different. They are all unique.
Laurie Garrett, thank you so much for breaking some of that down about this, like you say, a sloppy virus right now. Ma'am, thank you so much for your time. So good to have you.
GARRETT: You're welcome.
HOLMES: A huge jet, flying low, escorted by fighter planes - not anything you want to see above the skies of New York City. They saw it today; what you're seeing now. We'll tell you what it was all about.
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HOLMES: All right, this is only a photo shoot, but the people in New York did not know it. The FAA knew it, the NYPD knew it. What you're seeing is a 747 with two fighter jets behind it. Lot of people started evacuating buildings there in New York, having no idea what was going on here.
iReporter Tom Kruk works across the street from ground zero. The last time he saw anything like this was on, of course, 9/11. He took this picture for us and sent that to us.
But again, a scary time today for the folks up in New York. A lot of questions still, maybe some answers to come about why this took place and why the people of New York did not know about it, including the mayor, saying this was insensitive to do. So, a lot more to come on that.
Right now, what's to come is Rick Sanchez, the 3:00 hour of NEWSROOM right now.
