people's voices should be heard and not suppressed. thank you guys. >> if you missed any of this joint press conference with president obama and lee, go to our website, c-span.org. from the white house rose garden to the white house briefing room, press secretary robert gibbs will answer reporters questions. live coverage expected to begin shortly. you're watching c-span2. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] you're

watching c-span2 waiting for live coverage of the white house briefing.

>> this press briefing expected to begin shortly. the senate is expected back at 2:15 eastern for more work on a bill that promotes u.s. tourism. that legislation would create a nonprofit corporation to attract foreign tourists while providing information about entry requirements. that's expected to start again, the senate back in again at 2:15 eastern here on c-span2.

>> doesn't smell like somebody just cut the grass?

[inaudible] >> president lee talked about these measures of policies that he and president obama had agreed to talk to the other members of the five party talks about new measures and policies on north korea. can you elaborate on what he meant by that and what they agreed on? >> i don't have anything additional on that in terms of what went out about the they discussed that we have a long-standing commitment in the defense of the republic of

korea, and i think obviously the steps, the important steps the security council took over the past several days we had ambassador reiss in your dues discussed at last week. demonstrate the seriousness with which the international community is addressing, what is happening with north korea. >> she was talking about this new resolution, that the united states has other measures that it is considering taking, not, you know, waiting to take the considering taking a. so if you are not willing to talk about what this might be or what's on the table, is this a threat? >> know, do because we don't discuss things publicly. >> and what about on iran, is the president prepared at some point to more forcefully denounce what is happening there with their protesters? >> well, i think the president has been quite forceful on two occasions in the past 24 hours,

discussing the universal right that people have to peaceably demonstrate. he has deplored the violence that we have seen, and underscored that the world is seeing in iran a yearning for change. i think the president is also rightly underscored that this is a vigorous debate inside of iran by iranians, about who is going to asia about the leadership in the country. and as he said this afternoon, it's not a good idea to meddle in that sovereignty. >> i just want to follow up on the president remarks about the financial. he said you would not in fact host a new regulatory agency added. does that mean they will not be any new regulatory agencies at

a? >> i think he set a host of. >> i think lawmakers would like to see a new agency to look out on behalf of consumers, could be that part of the plan? >> i will, as the president said, i would be hard-pressed to get ahead of the president saying he wasn't going to get ahead of himself. maybe if i can get a job with cbs. but no, i think the president underscored again today the strong need for regulatory reform. we have all witnessed over the past many months what happens in an environment that doesn't have the regulations and the watchdogs that are needed to insure that we don't ever again get to the precipice of where we were just a few months ago and what calls that.

>> when he talked about consolidating, does that mean that somebody agencies will be closed or merged? >> trusting, you will have plenty of opportunity to do all this tomorrow. >> the president went a lot farther today than he did yesterday saying he had concerns about the election results. what are his concerns and what are they based on? >> well, we have enumerated some of those concerns over the past, over the course of the past few days. i think you regularitie address irregularities in general. i think it's all reports, one of the candidates overwhelmingly lost their home region. but i think obviously the international community is watching with some concern.

obviously, even those in iran have noted concern with the outcome. and that's why they are also looking into this. but again, i think the international community has concerned not just about what happened in the election but what is happening in after a. >> has the president reached out to arab allies or other conduits or any other power structure in iran to talk about what happens next? >> not that i'm aware of. again, i think i would stress for you and the importance of what the president discussed, also in his comments both yesterday and today about ensuring that while we implore the violence associated with this vigorous iranian debate that we also respect their sovereignty. >> back on north korea, they

were saying there are two american journalists who have been worked illegally crossing in north korea. first can you tell us whether or not that's true, and secondly what is the administration doing to follow up on this? is there a special representative or an envoy working towards the release? >> i don't have much to add to what we have said in the past few days, that the administration is working to insure their safe release. that we strongly believe and i think the president has reiterated this today, that these two journalists should be released on humanitarian grounds. but i'm not going to get into envoys and things like that. >> on another matter the

president said he wanted to make sure tax payer dollars are spent while any stimulus package. since then, senator hobart has come out with a report saying he is taking a look at 100 different programs saying that he has found wasteful spending, including a turtle wildlife crossing that he says cost $3,000,000.8000 social security checks that were sent to people who are deceased. first, kitty kelley whether or not this report is credible and in your opinion, and if so, has the administration addressed this? >> i've seen parts of this report and i have seen parts of our response. i think there is a longer more detailed response that we would be happy to provide you, but a number of things looked to be an accurate in the quote unquote second opinion itself. there appear to be the assumption that projects are being funded using recovery money, which isn't true. i think the very first project

that outline is a decision that ultimately is made by the state, not by the feds in terms of how particular revolving fund money is used. so i think there are a number of entries throughout this report that are just up the wrong. this president has taken historic steps to insure that there is adequate transparency, and that this money is spent the way it's intended to be used. there are projects within the report that haven't been funded and have been canceled based on our own looking into this. so again, i think the report appears to be in many, many cases just flat-out wrong. >> are there any examples that were correct that the administration page. >> i have not looked to each and every one of them. i would have to look through

each and every one. >> and also is the president going toward nuclear disarmament of the whole region? >> i don't have any personal announcements about state department or the white house. i know the president has enormous confidence and has for quite some time and dennis ross. and what he brings to our foreign policy team. i think the president has stated clearly, and i think he reiterated the first question he got today the priority of ensuring the denuclearization of the korean peninsula. >> but why can't you speak on ross rexx. >> there are no personal announcements to make. >> is he here? >> i don't know where he is, but i can assure you where ever he is he is working for the administration, on behalf of the

administration. [inaudible] >> it's not right. >> what does that mean? >> it means i don't have any policy or personnel announcements regarding dennis ross. >> that doesn't necessarily mean the story is wrong. is that what you are suggesting? that i am suggesting if i had a personnel announcement to make regarding dennis ross, i think they should. [inaudible] >> i'm telling you that the president has enormous confidence, the president doesn't have any personal announcements to make. >> i have no personnel announcement to make. >> she didn't make every traction and i am not going to belabor that. >> i would be one busy man if that were the case. >> can you translate some of this, three times presently set talk about the fermentation should between south korea and

the united states when responding to a question about the north korean threat. did he ask for an assurance from the president that if there's a military strike against south korea that the u.s. will respond to that? that it's unequivocably undreamt unequivocal? >> we've had that type of relationship. >> and that's the way we should be the word firms and all that. >> absolutely. look, this is something that we have responded to. i think as we have said many times before, the increasingly -- the reactions of the north koreans in alienating themselves from their own responsibilities and isolating themselves from the rest of the world, that they are going alone down a different path. the president believes there is a different way for north korea,

and i think what he discussed today with president lee was a continuation of the strong relationship that we have with the republic of korea. and the strong international reactions and steps that have been taken to coordinate that responds it could take some extremely tough actions, all of what ambassador rice outlined just last week. i remember not long after the first launch in late march and early april, there was some vast skepticism that tough actions and steps could be agreed upon by a group of five nations, a group of 15 nations. not only would be agreed upon, but they are now being implemented in how is the president getting information regarding iran right now? is he just reacting to news reports that everybody is

saying? you guys have some intelligence on the ground that is telling you where things stand? >> i can assure you the intelligence undreamt president gets his regular intelligence briefly. >> conversation with allies about the response? >> not that i'm aware of. >> i understand that the president doesn't want to look like he is meddling in iranian elections, but at what point does the president position that he is willing to speak with the ahmadinejad government bolster the ahmadinejad regime, and is there a time when he would suspend that offer as the election results, you know, go through their contestation? >> i'm almost certain it's not,. [laughter] >> but leaving that aside for one moment. [inaudible] >> i don't know.

i'm going to do my crossword puzzle to my. i don't know. look, i would say this, the concerns that we have about iran are no different than we had last thursday or last friday. our primary concerns are obviously the state sponsorship and the spread of terror, and their efforts to secure the nuclear weapon. those interests, our interest or no different than they were before the election. the president remains committed to strong action and principled diplomacy to address our national interest. our interests haven't change regardless ultimately who the iranians back. >> what's the policy going to be on release of the names of white

house visitors? >> the policy, as you know, i think many of you know, this is involved visitor logs have been involved in some litigation dating back to sometime in 2006. the white house is reviewing that policy based on some of that litigation. >> so you're not going either way on it now. you're not refusing -- >> we are reviewing what have been the policy of the previous policy. [inaudible] >> the white house counsel's office and other people. >> what is the length of the review? >> i don't know the exact time at. >> would be more transparent than the previous administration? >> i think we ran on that. that's what's under review at. >> is that the goal? >> what's the goal?

>> to be more transparent on these visitors log than the previous administration. >> the goals, and i think the president who underscored his commitment to transparency on his first full day in office. this is not a contest between this administration or that administration or any administration. it's to uphold the principle of open government. >> why would the president have any objection to the public knowing who is coming in here to visit? >> i think we have taken actions to let people know who are. again, peter, this dates back to litigation long before we ever showed up. >> do you think you might have to uphold precedent here? >> that's part of what's being reviewed by the council. >> will the administration provide emergency aid to california or are you rejecting that to avoid similar requests from other states wacs. >> obviously, many states throughout the country because

of the slow down in our economy find themselves with severe budgetary constraints. the president believed and addressed part of this in the recovery and reinvestment plan by ensuring the largest amount of fiscal relief that we have seen mood to state in the history of our country. it's obviously not an easy time for the state of california here we will continue to monitor the challenges that they have, but this budgetary problem unfortunately is one that they are going to have to solve. >> following up on that, is the administration comfortable with the kind of things california would have to impose specifically on its participation of medicaid and schip which the president has identified as specific priorities of his

administration, and the achievement of his administration? >> i don't know to what degree we have analyzed california's individualize cuts. obviously, we have had to make an states that had to make very difficult decisions. as it relates to our budget. and these aren't easy times for state. >> i want to follow up on john's question just to have it on the record. the president is still willing to talk to ahmadinejad about u.s. iranian issues even currently, is that correct? >> i'm sorry? >> the present is still willing to talk to ahmadinejad about the various u.s. issues and that has not been changed at all? >> the president is committed to direct engagement with the iranian government on issues of our national interests, including their pursuit of nuclear weapons and/or

sponsorship or tear. >> this disputed election does not in any way change that. >> the disputed election is something for iranians. [inaudible] >> obviously the president spoke both yesterday and today about what he thinks of his universal values. and obviously -- >> i'm sorry to. >> i think having a robust free press that covers an important source in the world, something that the president believes strongly in. >> does the administration believe internet and texting access should be restored? >> absolutely. >> they designate a spot on their website that other organizations, in light of the

fact that we don't have a diplomatic relationship is the white house monitoring to the effect of that information? >> i don't have anything specific. >> the president said in cairo that countries that elect their government are better, the governments are better, more stable, that are able to provide economic opportunities. does the united states have a national interest in the will of the iranian people be accurately reflected in this election? >> well, i think he has expressed concern as the international community has. obviously, any election if it's going -- any election should reflect the will of the people. that by definition is election. i would also mention that the president mentioned elections are important and also the decisions government make after elections are important.

that's why our interests on the iranian government hasn't changed. >> robert, are you at all concerned that his measured response of the united states so far to the iranian election could harm the americans are the president's image not only in iran but around the world? >> no, i think this administration commitment to democracy has been demonstrated in the commitment and resources that we have put forward. but at the same time, and i think it's important that i reemphasize what the president said about sovereignty. but more importantly, that i emphasize this is a debate inside of iran for iranians. >> health care.

cbo as i think you know scoring ted kennedy's bill as costing over a trillion dollars and yet it is still only going to ensure about a third of the uninsured. i realize you said that his bill and not your bills. doesn't that go for the old health care form in general. >> how so? >> if you spend that amount of money in the ballpark of the administration. >> in reading stories on this, i think it's clear that this is an old proposal, and incomplete proposal. i think what's important is what the president outlined yesterday in his speech to the doctors, that we know clearly what the cost of an action is. we know what the cost is to the federal budget. we know what it is to the state budget. we know what it is to the budgets of families and businesses, large and small.

and that an action is something we simply can't afford. the president i think has laid out strong principles that he believes should be contained in legislation so that we can see significant cost savings for families and small businesses that are struggling, but again, i think this has many twists and turns to go and you have one incomplete older proposal. i don't think it is indicative of where we are now and i will also mention this. i think the president has outlined close to $950 billion in savings that he believes could be used to ensure that a plan for health care reform is deficit neutral.

>> is it your thought that the president's proposal is going to be so dramatically different that you will ensure -- >> i think the committee that worked on that bill would tell you the bill they have now is, but as i've said, the president isn't looking to pass -- for congress to pass and for him to sign something that doesn't significantly cut the amount of costs that families and small businesses are struggling with. the president reiterated yesterday that we shouldn't be a nation that sees tens of millions of uninsured. and he has some very firm principles in mind that have to be met as part of the package. >> how does that principle work though if he promises repeatedly that americans can keep the doctors and the insurance if they like it.