and care, and hans community and peer support. and finally, and most important in my opinion, quality research, surveillance and analysis to close our caps in understanding and to identify best practices for prevention. segment is another key threat to suicide prevention. assad

with the stress of multiple deployments and every day military life. telephone hot lines, innumerable telephone hot lines with license mental health consultants provide 24 hour a day every day a year help and there are multiple a transition programs available to help bridge the support of our service members who are between health care providers or systems. according not just support and encouragement, but also continued use of needed services. in short, as far as the department of defense is concerned there is no individual, family member, military leader were v.a. or d.o.d. or community and other community resources that can be

amended to from the suicide prevention equation. because suicide is a great concern for the department of defense, each of the individual military services have instituted significant efforts and programs to prevent suicide and. for example of the air force has inc. suicide prevention into their corps training priorities. i have also enhanced suicide risk assessment skills of their health personnel, especially at the primary care level and have trained over a thousand of the house staff at 45 installations. the army with the largest challenge has conducted it stand down training for a peer level recognition of the warning signs of suicide. including intervention stills at about a level. they also developed a total fitness program for soldiers, families and civilians to help them thrive in an era of high

opt tempo and persistent conflict. they also established a robust and integrated suicide and analysis system to identify trends and risk factors that enable their leaders and others to intervene and multiple levels to reduce the number of suicides. the marines have implemented a program involving a two hour suicide prevention training session for 100 percent of the marines. that session includes warning signs coming engagement with fellow marines, and information on how to access a variety of local and national support resources. marion commanding officers also creates personal prevention messages to help reduce stigma for it getting help. and a suicide prevention it message is incorporated into the marines mandatory martial arts training program to demonstrate the value of resilience and the

importance of seeking ways to identify and mitigate emotional stress. in addition, the marines have implemented a dedicated hot line to aid and assist those with relationship problems. the number one factor of associated with suicide among marines. the navy has established an average group of two -- suicide awareness and education. as well as implementing a comprehensive program to address psychological health needs of sailors and their families. they conducted innumerable personal readiness summits have fleet concentration areas to provide information on a range of topics including suicide prevention and operational stress. in addition to a train program, that were established at locations around the globe, they have also assisted leaders and recognizing and responded to sailors in distress.

now, many of these examples are, of course, not all inclusive but they highlight a holistic and comprehensive strategy that we are attempting to bring to bear to confront the challenge of suicide. we're doing this primarily through increasing education and awareness, a building very strong system some support to add a 360-degree level, and reducing stigma to the extent possible for those who are trying in need to get help. so implementing the strategy is this not just a commitment. it is our obligation of. it's our obligation to the men and women who sacrificed so much to keep our country strong and free and able to do what we do on a day-to-day basis. we owe them a debt of gratitude, we owe them the best we can give them, and we are committed to reducing the burden of suicide.

the communities of partnership of both the department of defense and the department of veterans affairs are absolutely dedicated to this issue. and our attention will not flag and our dedication will not falter. and part of that dedication and commitment is conferences like this one. it's designed specifically to actively engage service members and their families in suicide prevention. and to provide the resources we need and ultimately to improve if those resources and the substance that drives their success. we want to reduce the number of suicides among our veterans and in the military and hopefully what we learn who transcended into the national risk for suicide prevention as well. so i want to thank you all for coming. i know that this conference is important.

i hope that when this is over you'll be able to take away significant things that you can do back in your job to improve what we do for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsman. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentleman, please welcome back to the stage commander hawkins. >> major political, u.s. air retired is a senior vice president for the folds of honor of foundation. he attained the rank of major in the u.s. army during his 19 year military career. on may 16th, 2005 he was medically retired from the u.s.

army from injuries sustained in combat. on a 17th of august 2004 he hit in ied's otherwise known as a roadside bomb. this happened while he was serving with the coalition military assistance training team under the command of the general david petraeus. due to extensive injuries -- interest dodgers has ever take his left leg. his story occurred in sacrifice has been featured in time magazine pga magazine, cox news cnn and a national an oklahoma television stations and newspapers. since his habitation major polito has been in a staunch advocate for veterans with disabilities. specifically focusing on advocacy for prosthetic technologies with ortho care innovations come up here visiting with cavallo and btu's

at. and walter reed medical center, and developing programs to meet the needs of veterans with mental health disabilities like ptsd. during his time at. army medical center, major polito experienced what many tragically with a service member's experience in war. the the inner darkness of depression. ptsd and also suicide ideation. this wound crippled his positive spirits. major polito described the center darkness has a deep pointing at a soldiers' spirits. during this time he came to understand that as a warrior he could not walk alone in his journey. in that moment, he asked for help from a spiritual adviser, his chaplain, his family, his therapist, and their american

people. this intervention helped pull his life back on the road to recovery. it also became his building block for understanding the inner wounds of war. and for ensuring that mental-health advocates understand their responsibilities to leave no one behind on the field of battle. major polito para [applause] [applause] >> thank you all very much. when i hear that introduction i got to tell you that i get emotional and when the reason is when i got one of my blood transfusions i think i got a little female blood in may. [laughter] now i cry all the time.

while. just to hear that is incredible to me. first of all, on behalf of all of those that have served our nation i want to take this time to thank you those individuals that are here today and those individuals that are back home all over this great nation to tell you thank you for the support that you've given me and my road to recovery. i know sometimes a man out here that but you're going to hear from me. because one of the things that's so important is that as i faced those dark days at park army medical center on october 1st, 2004 when my leg was taken away how sad it was that i sat in the hospital bed when the not knowing what was happening to me. mentally, learning how to deal with the physical challenges of what was going on.

and holistic clean knowing that i needed you as a support system in my life. i remember those three weeks after birth or i thought about the facts as positively as i am and most people you talk to say if anyone can get through this its major -- major polito -- but i hit that dark place like most of our service members do and those hidden wounds were the ones above that would cripple me during the time i just didn't understand. but the key moment that i want to tell you that with so inspiring to me when i sat there in that dark place was the practice that i needed doo-wop to support me in that new attorney. with you see, as i sat ed brooke army medical center i didn't know how was going to provide for my family and that to me was the hardest thing that i

struggled with this is turning. because when they took my leg and they took so much away. but i also knew that with the help of those service members who have gone before me and those individuals that have made our country what it is a day in their service to their nation, that they would get me through those dark days and dark hours. and may be who i am today. and for that, i think all of you for what you're doing. suicide for me was something i faced death and i had to talk about it. and it was that therapist, george, and my chaplain and brooke army medical center that or the instrumental figure is giving me my life back. and so as i begin my presentation i want to near it my story to you and tell you that this is one of many stories but what i want to do is to show you how important your support is in making our lives to a

successful as we come back for more. and we become civilians and learn that our lives have changed but in a way that changed for the better. i began by talking about what has made this country what it is today. you see, for me it's about winning. it's about having the service member's being a parts of a courageous group of people in honoring our veterans and our service members every time we get an opportunity to. they're the ones that provide the freedom, their the ones to it inspire me, and they're the ones that we must really honor each and every day. and how great it is that our nation has been one of service, of giving back, and at times we have made mistakes, but one thing is clear -- in this day in

the era one thing -- and from our be in non veterans is that we will not make those same mistakes again. and this is a prime example of what it's all about. making sure that the mistakes we've made in the past we won't make in the future and together we can bring change in regards to how we take care of our servicemen and women. and i can tell you that this is such a great phonation. and i live in an era where you will remember me but she will also honor my sacrifice and held me for a recovery. and the things --. [applause] thank you. and this thing is so important is that as we serve our nation and as we understand freedom and sacrifice the reason i showed you those pictures was because it is so important fermi that as i retired from the military to

have a continued connection because what happened to me is that at times as i laid at the brooke army medical center i was thinking of going to be retired, after the military, and i'm going to be forgotten. and it was exactly the opposite. that's not what happened here, and because of the freedom and sacrifices that we have endured i began my story of what i call it a challenge, a triumph unchanged. challenge is sitting on the battlefield almost losing my life, trying to stick in the riss step after invitation, and changes living with the dark looms with the mental health wounds of war and learning that with the right support systems in place i could really have a great life. my story starts on january 27, 2,003 after serving 14 years on active and reserve status. i called up to basically train

the new iraqi army. one thing that i understood it was bad when they go into war which go as a joint force. and how great it is a devisee my fellow brothers and sisters in this round wearing that gray uniform. and knowing that as much as i miss its, i can still do my part. and whether we have the army with us, the marines, the air force, the navy, the coast guard, all of us working in that joint environmental to ensure that we have the freedoms of this great nation and that we give freedom to others all across this a great world. and the thing that's so inspiring to me is as we go to war one thing is clear -- air service members know how to stick together and know how to work together as a team and i joined in grants which you find is you may find obstacles on the battlefield, that will impede may be our progress for just a little bit, or those pictures of

foreign and what it looks like and the reason i show these to the american people is not the glorifying of this but to say that use of the physical wounds better service members come back with, these are the images that they come back with and whether it's anxiety disorder, to the depression, to the hyper vigilance -- all of these things are clear that when you see these things on the battlefield at times to bring them back home. and that was one of the things that happen to all of us. whether it is the shock and all of the mission to the tranquillity of what it looks like in baghdad to what we read able to provide for me specifically and those that have served our nation in this great room with a you been in this bitter of operations are not. one thing for me that was so satisfying is in that we gave the iraqi people their freedom.

as i embark on this mission i also understood that the people on the ground would also be our intelligence. they would also be those individuals that we would begin to develop relationships with. and at times when you saw the death and destruction of what may happen to them, those images, of course, live with each and every day. but also knowing that what we were doing was truly a valuable mission in and whether our politicians did what they are going to do for us it was about winning and making sure that we accomplish a mission on the ground. and so as we stayed away from the political climate our job was clear to provide this support to it that they can control their own country and destiny and own future. one thing for me that is a very very inspiring is that i understand the value of our

noncommissioned officer. there's a reason that i do the work they do today for the poles of on a foundation, they're the ones that saved my life on that day and i'm honored to tell you that because of their work i am successful because i know i have a goal and that is to take care of them and not leave them behind in the field of battle. it was my father who asked -- two really think about joining the military and when i got commission to the thing he said to me, vietnam era individual, of course, was two never leave anyone behind in the field of battle its mission first, people always. and that's the way that i understand are in ceos in the military. and for us is taking care of our own when they come back for more and making sure they're not forgotten. of course, on that august 17th , 2004 day to vehicles like this in the front,

two vehicles like this in the rear, for its use in the middle, my day would change forever. i hit and ied which is called a roadside bomb or improvised explosive device. what you're going to see the picture is one of our vehicles coming in the picture and what it looks like to be attacked by the enemy. that's what it looks like to get hit by an ied. and on that day i face the challenge, the challenges of bill that would change my life forever. we got ambushed. this is what it looks like. but it was so great that those noncommissioned officers on that day took charge of the situation, secure the perimeter, got me out of that situation alive and rendered the aid to me. it was interesting as i sat on the ground on the 120-degree pavement at about 1204am the ied

shattered my left leg, i had wounds all across the left side of my body, the combat medic puts me on a 128-degree pavement, puts me down and the first thing he says the 24 rural to actually i heard later i was his first casualty was you are hurt bad, if you ever taken cpr don't ever tell the patient that by the way. [laughter] but the thing about it is that for me on that particular time the only thing i can think about was my little girl, katelyn, and what i thought about was if i die on this day and never going to see her again. and all i would hope is to the american people would take care of her. and i know you wouldn't because they got me out of that situation alive, put me on the helicopter 47 minutes later, and i was headed to baghdad, arrived 17 hours in surgery, blood transfusions, woke up two days later and i got awarded the purple heart by general petraeus. but let me tell you the most important thing that happened on

that day, our leader called my family and told them i would be okay. that's what it's all about. as i am part on that mission you go from baghdad to germany, germany, walter reed, brooke army medical center and i would end up going to brooke army medical center in spending almost 40 days it in i see you, a total of 18 surgery's, 195218 pounds staph infections, and this is what i felt suicidal. and i want to show you this video because it depicts what i looked like right after this battle. >> he will spend the rest of his life lady on his wife. >> his home early for more appear in nine weeks ago in a

bomb exploded beneath the vehicles used driving through an iraqi desert. >> it is hard to talk about. i can see through my leg. >> his knee was smoking, he nearly bled to death in in the next six weeks and vaccinate most of his knees. if you want to live he had one choice,. >> i lost a leg but that is nothing compared to losing my life. >> a man who was training iraqi soldiers and 130-degree heat barely carries illustrate other restaurant unbearable he says for his wife. sometimes can still feel his missing leg, it will hurt. >> he said the lead was itching. i can leverage down on the hospital bed and said it is that better?

>> my dad is sick. >> they're going to give him a new leg. >> smiled back and make his purple heart miss a beat that gives a bold advice and. >> tells me everything will be all, right. daddy, don't cry. and i tell them i can't help it. >> san antonio, if you miss it that is where katelyn and mother are driving data for you can be fitted with a prosthetic leg. >> it's the hardest thing i've had to go through but i'm going to live through its. >> and to learn to walk again with with the two most important crutches, his groce. >> i'm very proud of him. he went to a really hard time. >> time and they were that decided to keep part of major pulido. >> wearing the uniform. >> the war centcom planning for this family.

>> i wanted to assure you that as far as that video is, that was suicidal ideation for me. i was dark, it was dark and very troublesome but it was the american people and the support of those individuals that had come before me, the service members who had been wounded critically and had given so much for our freedom. that really for the inspirational figures in getting me to that situation. and one thing that was clear was they taught me that there would be so callous for me to gain my recovery back in one of the things i did was i when snow skiing and i actually got a chance to play with a pair olympic hockey team and the cool thing about it is we lost 22 to zero with them. [laughter] but it was great to be around all these individuals that have been disabled and knowing that i was going to be retired in and what was my next up in life. and so what i want to do for a

couple minutes talk through what that meant to maine. because one thing was clear, i had my god with me, my family, by community, and a way for us to get back to those who served our nation. we decided to work and embark on a foundation to provide the spouses and children of the fallen in with the scholarships and how great it is we can honor their memory, educate those individuals that have sacrificed so much for our freedom. and understand that we cannot do it alone. government cannot do it alone. takes the give and take, and it takes everyone coming together to make a difference in their lives all those that service and by bringing these key partners, the pga, usda, and all these key

partners to bear what we're doing is changing lives, working with the v.a., d.o.d. and so many people to give these individuals out on the golf course to do the things they can be inspired to do. and how great it is because mental health recovery is possible because we are able to provide this access to them. in my time has been cut short today. but i can tell you this much, our service members have given so much. you are here to provide the support to them. and it was interesting because i must tell you when i was at the brooke army medical center it was general peter pace, former joint chiefs, who was my inspiration at moments of time when i was so dark in that hospital room. and i always remember what he said to us. he said, speaking families remember on that day you didn't lose your leg, on that they sacrifice it for your country

and for everyone in this nation to be afraid. today we are here to make sure that weather service members come back that we don't leave them behind. what will you sacrifice? will you sacrifice your time? your energy? i ask you to do that but i also ask you to continue to make a difference in the lives of those that have given had the old and a sacrifice. the last thing i will tell you is thank you, god bless this great nation, and i salute you. thank you. [applause] ..

if u-uniform servicers in the u.s. army, including two combat tours in the republic of vietnam and service as the army's chief of staff or 1999 to mike 2003. on january 21, 2009.

ladies and gentlemen, secretary of veterans affairs, eric shinseki. [applause] >> thank you all very much. thank you all very much, very kind and very warm welcome. dr., thank you or that introduction. sure it is always best. good morning everyone and i am honored to be here. secretary embury, great to see you. lori sefton i'm a great to see you as well. distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by thanking secretary gates for hosting this very important conference on suicide prevention and then for having the great generosity to allow va to partner with dod and were

honored to be part of this. i would also like to just take a moment and thank ellen embrey for all the work she has done over so many years and strengthening the military health care system. alan and i overlapped just briefly if i was finishing my time in the army early days of iraq and afghanistan and its great to see where you take in all of this, all the best to you. thank you for your leadership interservice. i appreciate this opportunity to address your conference. throughout my years in service in uniform, suicides were one of the most frustrating leadership challenges i faced. as i've often asked, mostly of myself, but also of others from time to time, why do we know so much about suicides, but so

little about how to prevent them? why do we know so much about suicides and still know so little about how to prevent them? simple question, but we continue to be challenged. and for that reason i congratulate secretary embury and general sutton as well as my folks from the va dr. katz, jan kemp and others who are here for the wisdom of this conference in for their efforts to address the serious problems related to and i'm speaking as a non-commission here, related to the loss of self-worth and self-esteem and how such fragility can lead to acts of self-destruction. of the more than 30,000 suicides in this country each year, fully 20% of them are acts by veterans. that means on average 18 veterans commit suicide each

day. five of those veteran are under our care at va. though losing five veterans who are in treatment every month and then not having a shot at the other team, who for some reason haven't come under our care means that we have a lot of work to do. who's vulnerable? everyone here it young and old, outgoing and reserves, male, female, officer, enlisted, me included. warriors suffer emotional wounds just as they suffer physical ones. and sort of preaching to the choir here. you all know this. combat actions produce both forms of entry, where you can splint and patch physical wounds as you well know. emotional injuries don't lend

themselves to such extent, but we must continuously develop equivalent accommodation. i don't know what they are. but what are those splints and patches? to help us with the emotionally and mentally conjured. we know a lot about the causes of suicide from this illogical predisposition to receipt of dear john letters. in units i used to command case study in each suicide and attempted suicide by re-creating the last 7296 hours of a soldier's life was entirely constructive. where did he or she go? whom did they engage? what was the purpose of the engagement? what was said? what did they do? the case study usually rebuild a multiplicity of signals regarding the individuals intent. company mates, friends and other unions, spouses, significant others, barkeeper's downtown,

friends and family downtown. all were gifted with a piece of the puzzle. and not until all the pieces were collect dead usually in aftermath was the signaling usually quite clear. we know that, you know that. an issue is, how do we do better at this? in this audience of health care providers, clinicians, counselors, researchers and community partners constitutes a military parliaments, i don't get to use it anymore, but in your parlance are main attack against suicides. you're the experts. you bring pro-weight to the discussion. you dispense health and hope to those who see themselves as hopeless and without hope. and i don't think any of us can do this alone. if we could, we'd be further along. and all of us here today may still not be enough.

as those case studies always informed, there are many other witnesses to the key indicators and pre-suicidal behaviors. we are in this together and i consider it a fight to help the most vulnerable of our people, ewers in uniform and the veterans who come to life. ms is true of most organized team activities it's usually better to be on offense than defense. the spirit of the offense as i used to remember it was about act, react, and counteract. and we tried never to take that first step of that team without knowing what we were going to do in the third step when counteraction was required because that's usually the way events go, act, react, counteract. we must build and maintain a strong support system, one in which everyone has a role where we collect woodley assumed ownership of the problem.

it's not someone else's problem. it's our problem. doesn't matter whether there's a uniform or not. it's our problem, we own it. i think the sense of ownership is a critical aspect of the solution, increasing the level of awareness throughout our communities. and in this regard, the military services probably has the edge in compelling ownership by virtue of their highly structured responsibility for reporting and accountability. and i used to recall that and that's what those case studies were about. everyone knew who owned the issue. it used to be that almost every suicide in many attempted suicides were case studied to pinpoint root causes. 360-degree interviews would be conducted of reporting chain superiors and subordinates.

even if buddies, family members, friends, in a matter of hours. the last hours of someone's life or re-created as i mentioned as best we could and reviewed. and all too often on the pieces to the question of why were collected, it became clear that those warning signs were there, always there, but missed or not at ballots for fear of interfering with someone's privacy. that was my experience. to counteract the tendency, training programs like operation saved urge participants to get involved and people in power to do the right wing. if they suspect someone is at risk for suicide. now speaking for my current role at va, i think we need to do a little bit of that that the military has learned so much

brown. we need to raise awareness of suicide indicators and be aware of economic and social factors that can trigger them. not just in our patients, but amongst our workforce as well. how do we foster and sustain the goodness of the buddy system that's inherent culture really and everything military? and apply it in va amongst the population of 7.5 million that is at once defused, expensive, highly individualized and spans an age bracket from eight team to a b+. i believe it can be done. maybe best in some specific subgroups. for instance, those pockets of new veterans now faster and in colleges and universities all across the country. i was just down in florida and got a chance to speak to some student veterans that are going through school under the new g.i. bill, about 20 of them. by the way at usf they pray pretty good football, but they

have 10,000 veterans registered for school. talk about a population. i got to talk to about 20 of them and we gathered in the room and while my primary interest was talking toey were on, i saio them, you know you're all carrying baggage. immediately i got this push back at the table. great to see 20-year-old react to a six-year-old comments like that. [laughter] i said yeah, you're all carrying baggage. i said, while you're carrying baggage and i'll tell you that we all do. we all did and you came from a very structured environment where there were first sergeants and company commanders and detachment supervisory people. and now you're here and you're on your own.

you're going to have to figure out how to take care of each other because you see while we're all celebrating your being here on the first day of school, i'm looking at graduation rates. if you don't graduate, there's no payoff for this program. so i'm entirely interested in your graduation rates and you are carrying baggage and you're going to have to transition through this. how many of you do your best work after midnight? or summaries any sort of come awake at about one clock in the morning and your powers of concentration seem to be better because you've been dozing the early hours? maybe one hand went up. how many of you drag your shades in your rooms with lights on at night down to the windowsill, every one of them. there is no gap of light. a couple more hands. how many of you have anger management problems?

a couple more hands. how many of you have to read the same paragraph 3 times before it he gives to stick? just about every hand went up. i said welcome to the nfl. [laughter] you are okay it's natural. it's a transition you're going to have to go through. it will be helpful if you do it together, help each other. and by the way the youngsters that's not making class, we all know what that's going to lead to. somebody figure out a way to get down the hallway, take the bet, kick them out of the sack and get them to class. graduation, that's where i'm focused. one thing is clear, the old ways of approaching mental health and counseling in suicide prevention won't work as effectively for the youngsters of the new millennium. i keep saying that i'm not sure what that means.

but i hear that enough and so i repeat it for you. and we are being attentive to that. they are different from those who came before and i can tell you that as well. most were born a decade after the last shots were fired into yet non. they've never used a dial telephone, never watched the black-and-white television. and if you give them one of those old-fashioned can openers they'd probably try reading your garden. last they've never known a world without telephones and instant messaging. they think fast on the talk fast, act fast because they grew up that way. and so we have to adjust. engaging them requires a new different model, no no more an engaging building but in coffee shops down the street or on cell phones. on the internet or through public service announcement they see on a flatscreen tv or through a blog site.

transforming our va culture to such a new, less formal, more open format demands as well greater corroboration, transparency and both are services and our service delivery. and speaking of an environment for mental health issues in general are demystified, destigmatize, accepted, and more effectively treated. first suicides are prevented because asking for help is a sign of courage. where there is meaningful outreach and ready access to high-quality care. where we identify those at highest risk and do something about it quickly. where emerging treatments and technologies coupled with new drugs advance the success of patient outcomes. it's the outcomes whereafter. where veterans are not the duty

personnel don't feel ashamed or threatened by the idea of mental or emotional problems. and where research encompasses complement alternative treatments so we may determine which of the safest and most affect their and relieving suffering and restoring health. how does all of that translate from theory into action? well, here at va we've taken to heart the two that medicines 2003 study calling suicide prevention on national imperative. that imperative drives pas overall program as well as the actions we have taken so far and the ones we will take in the future. it has had far-reaching effect for us inside the egg. we've expanded our mental health workforce in earnestly hiring more than 4000 new employees in the last three years, bringing our total mental health staff member enrollment to about

19,000. 400 of them are dedicated solely to suicide prevention. each of our 153 medical centers in the largest of our 774 community-based outpatient clinics now has a suicide prevention coordinator who ensures that out with veterans receive counseling and services as a priority. we've extended our outreach to veterans, which in itself has significant life-saving potential. part of that outreach effort can be seen in our nationwide advertising, some of you may have seen the campaign on city buses and commuter stations, raising awareness of our 24/7 suicide prevention lifeline. additionally, we've opened a mental health center of excellence at our facility at new york, nice, warm, sunny new

york. [laughter] dare we focus on developing and testing clinical and public will health interventions for suicide prevention. at our new va research center in denver, we're studying the clinical and neurobiological conditions that can lead to increased suicide risk. most notably in 2007, we dramatically improved our prevention program by launching a national suicide hotline. many of you probably know about this. but for the few who may not, let me just tell you we've partnered on this with hhs to strengthen our seamless va dod relationship. the opening message on the hotline of guns both veterans and service members to access counselors and service says. and the counselors on this hotline are mental health professionals. the demons that suicide don't discriminate between uniformed or not uniform, neither do we.

last year we further advanced our program by introducing a chat line for this younger generation, designed to appeal to them. we must continue to leverage opportunities to access and intervened to save lives of those in distress. you know, after all there is an established protocol at every hospital for a heart attack victim who comes through the doors. there's an established protocol for which you do from the moment that person walks through the door. why shouldn't potential suicide victims be similarly provided systemic and consistent portals for help? now the creator for these two forward leading initiatives this year. dr. jan camp is the brain behind these two initiatives. the partnership for public service presented jammed with its 2009 federal employee of the

year award for her first site in anticipating the emotional toll that was likely to come with all of the stress is into high risk hyper stress environment that our young combat veterans have gone through. so jan, once again, tanks to you. [applause] now we are ou a vote of thanks. but the people who owe you the biggest things are the 5600 or so folks who called in. there are many, many more who called in, but there nearly 5600 of them who were in crisis, thinking about suicide and interventions occurred and they are still with us today. so, they're the ones that really bear fruit and demonstrate what you've accomplished for us. now, there is no clear-cut -- i

mean, i've talked about all the things that were attempting. and there are others as well. you may ask how his va doing and my answer to you would be, we've only just begun. there is no clear-cut answers here. and even as the issue of self-destruction becomes more complex and changes, we have to adjust. our initiatives are new. we don't have enough hard evidence yet, but we think we're headed in the right direction. we can take heart at some of the early emerging trends and encouraging indicators. we know, for example, that since the start of oes suicide rates caused decreased and veterans who come to west or health care. despite the fact that i say five veterans a month we lose who are under our program. there are many, many more veterans were coming to to us for treatment and our suicide rate for veterans over yet oif

veterans who are under care, those rates have come down. and despite public perceptions to the contrary, we don't have any evidence for increased suicide rate amongst oes and oif veterans relative to the veteran population as well. now, where do we go from here? well in large measure of this conference will help point the way. that's why you're here. your deliberations will provide direction for strengthening our current programs and for helping us understand what new programs may be necessary. new programs that are innovative, forward leading and within the community base that we operate. the real heroes of those are the folks out there in the communities that touch our people, yours and mine every day. in conjunction with conference faculty and staff, joe give us

the benefit of your knowledge and experience confronting suicide. suicide risk and leveraging its prevention. i know too that by sharing your insight and counsel both departments, both defense and va stand to be better positioned to aid the men and women who are struggling to regain the courage to live. struggling to regain the courage to do here at and so, i'm honored to be here and privileged to share this opportunity with ellen embrey and opening today's conference you have an important ambitious agenda before you. thanks to all of you for participating. thanks for having me here. and my great respect in regards to the previous speaker for his presentation. i caught the tail end of it and in his own words, god bless each of you. god bless our men and women who serve and have served our nation

and may god continue to bless our wonderful country. thank you all very much. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

i'm always concerned about the potential unforeseen consequences of new regulations. new regulations and regulations of any kind act as a tax. and when you tax or regulate something you tend to get less of it. you tend to diminish it. >> today in "the c a national broadband plan, net neutrality, and the wireless industry. but that it are clock p.m. eastern on c-span 2.

>> american icons, three original documentaries from c-span now available on dvd. a unique journey through the iconic columns of the three branches of american government. see the exquisite detail of the supreme court. go beyond the velvet ropes of public tours at the white house, america's most famous home. and explore the history, art, and architecture of the capital. american icons, a three disc set. it's $24.95 plus shipping and handling. one of the many items available at c-span.org/store. >> kentucky governor steve beshear delivers his address. he took office a year ago and speaks about budget problems as well as an initiative to reduce smoking in this tobacco producing commonwealth. from the capitol in frankfort, kentucky, this is about 35 minutes.

>> mr. president, mr. speaker, distinguished members of the kentucky general assembly, lieutenant governor bedard, let me pass here to offer the congratulations of this whole chamber as well as jane and myself to the majority on the birth of their new daughter, kathryn allison. [applause] are other constitutional officers, honorable members of the court of justice. honored guests including kentucky's first lady and my fellow kentuckians. i stand here as your governor to report once again on the state of our commonwealth and they do

so feeling both pride and resolve. when i became governor two years ago, state government was broken. not just broke, but broke in in every sense of those two words. financially, functionally, and spiritually. kentucky's budget was a red inked disaster. rivalries and rank partisanship had poisoned the developing of political parties and even branches of government from working with each other. and across the state, kentuckians who invest tax money and trust in government have lost confidence that their elected leaders would use that investment wisely to make this a better place to live, to work, and to raise a family. in short, the people of kentucky

had concluded that the culture of state government had evolved into a culture of failure. for the last two years, i have thought to make government work again. and i've done so by adopting two strategies. first, i've established a new culture. one founded on integrity and accountability. and we have perceived day by day a leaner more efficient operation that hold sacred our families hard-earned tax dollars. and second, i have reached out to leaders of all parties and philosophies, or units together to realize that the problems we face are not republican problems or democratic problems. they are kentucky problems.

[applause] andy's approach is have created indisputable success. by cleaning up the transportation cabinet, strengthening ethics policies and creating a public website that tracks and explain spending. we've made government work again as likely. by cutting on most $900 million in spending and reducing the executive ranch by almost 1600 employees, the smallest it's been in two decades. we have made government work again efficiently. and with a mindset of cooperation, we have made government work again for the people. six times, six times the general assembly and i had six budget

shortfalls, those shortfalls inflicted upon us by a national recession, born of reckless spending in washington and corrupt practices on wall street. and we've done so in a thoughtful, strategic manner that has enabled us to protect the core mission of state government. even as other states have retreated from that mission. to speak in becky's recovery from this recession, last summer the legislature and i overhauled our economic incentives program. this improvement already is paying huge dividends. we've used it not only to recruit new businesses and jobs to kentucky, but also to help struggling kentucky companies retain jobs. i have also joined with the general assembly to protect the pensions of our teachers, our police officers, and other

public service. [applause] as well as to move forward on critical bridge projects between kentucky and indiana. and the list of accomplishments goes on. all of us, governor and legislator, democrat and republican, have played a role in these accomplishments. we haven't always agreed on many things, we still don't agree. but -- that we've developed a mutually respectful relationship, which has allowed us to put aside rank partisanship and philosophical differences to focus on what's important, the future of kentucky. tonight, in the midst of an economic recession of historic proportion, with conditions as bad as many of us have seen in our lifetimes, i pledge to

kentuckians from west to east that i'm going to continue to operate in the spirit of cooperation. and i call and every legislator in this chamber to join me in this. [applause] the respectful relationship we've developed is founded on our recognition of the difference between campaigning and governing. there is a time for political combat. the collision of ideas and personalities that occurs during campaigns is a big physics experiment that most of the time produces the best leaders and focuses them on the most pressing problems. but the american political system does not work unless after the heat of the campaign

is over people of opposing philosophical beliefs can silence the voices of division and derision and work together for the good of the people they serve. [applause] yes, i have thought hard for my candidates. as political leaders of both parties nationwide have done for center brief. and yes, come february the second, i'll be fighting for the 24th house district candidate id and will best help me move kentucky forward. but come february the third, i will put the special election aside and work with the winner, no matter what party he is from. [applause] i fully expect us all to do likewise. and folks, the people of this

state expected to. after all, somebody needing a job doesn't care whether it's a republican job or a democratic job. someone struggling to put food on the table doesn't look for a party label. someone trying to keep a roof over their families at or send his or her children to college doesn't have patience for partisan victory. in these troubled times, kentuckians need help and they need help. in the mountains, on the farms, in small towns, suburbs, and cities, kentuckians are frustrated. many are scared and desperate. some are angry and all of us, all of us want to know how and when things are going to get better. now, our immediate future holds some difficult challenges. no rhetoric, no eloquence changes that reality. in two weeks i will return to

this chamber with a proposed two-year budget with stark numbers that leave little room for maneuvering. we are facing a huge deficit will require us to make painful decisions about where we spend money. it will require sacrifice and restrained. we face this challenge even though it appears that our national economy and our state economy is beginning to slowly improve. the unfortunate reality is that tax revenues are traditionally one of the last things to recover at the end of a recession. but folks, this challenge can be overcome. and i'm confident that together we can write and pass a balanced biennial budget as we are legally required to do and that we can do so in a responsible manner. and i'm confident that at the same time we can focus on the future by addressing fundamental

problems impeding kentucky's progress. you know, i didn't become governor merely to solve ajit shortfalls. i became governor to better this state, to make sure that our children and our grandchildren do not have to confront the same problem that our grandparents and parents faced and that unfortunately many of us still face. i refuse to use this recession as an excuse not to move forward. i refuse to hunker down and hide, to just wait out this storm to passively accept the economic situation that others have created for us. kentucky is not alone. other states are facing similar revenue problems. many are in worse shape. then they have undertaken radical solutions involving cuts to core priorities, mass layoffs, broad-based tax increases. but because of fiscal restraint

and strategic thinking in the early days of this recession by all of us, kentucky is in better condition. but our work has only begun. tonight i want to discuss what we've been doing and what we will continue to do to not only pull kentucky out of this recession but also position it for future six s. the same for goals that i sat for this state when i became governor will continue to guide my decisions. one, to create and retain jobs. [applause] two, to help families survived this recession. [applause] three, to find ways to attack the fundamental problems holding this state back.

[applause] and four, to make government as lean as efficient and as open as possible. [applause] now let me elaborate on those goals. number one, jobs. nothing, nothing is more important to our economic recovery than creating and saving jobs in kentucky. for families, a job is the foundation for financial security. for the state, jobs are the foundation for funding programs and services needed by our people. two tools out and helped us tremendously through strategic use of federal stimulus funds we've created or saved some 4200 jobs that otherwise would've been lost in this state. this includes teachers and other school professionals,

construction workers, correctional officers, childcare providers, carpenters, truck drivers. we will continue to use those funds wisely. the other two was the bipartisan overhaul of kentucky's tax incentive programs, which i proposed and you help me get past this last summer. the new program streamlined and modernized existing business development tools. it added flexibility. it updated in finance and improved our ability to nurture existing kentucky businesses and reach out to smaller business. and my friends, the payoff has been dramatic. between july and december of justice last year, 66 projects were approved under the revised incentive programs. forty-four of them were for an industry trade the december agenda of the kentucky economic finance authority with 29

project was one of the largest agenda in recent history. those projects could create more than 1135 new jobs, save another 1450 jobs that we are to have an result in a capital investment of almost $130 million. in the last six months, general electric announced rants to bring for the first time in 25 years, not one, but three new products to louisville appliance park, creating 830 new jobs. [applause] in addition, we have announced 22 new jobs at summit biosciences in lexington. 160 jobs at kentucky copper in butler county, 100 new jobs that defend her direct in newport, 35 new jobs and 182 new state jobs

at mesa foods in louisville, 20 new jobs that price solutions in greenock county, 460 jobs saved at very plastics in simpson county, 89 new jobs at as a rock north america distilleries in owensboro and frankfurt, 150 new jobs a safe transit stands in crittenden county, 100 new jobs at dq tee in pikeville, 200 new jobs at presidium inc. in pulaski county, 203 jobs retained a national office furniture in ohio county. folks, the list as you can see goes on and on and it is growing by the day. tomorrow i will be in marion county to announce that we have been able to work with curtis mary sue america to retain 416 jobs and lebanon. [applause] this company is making an

11 million-dollar investment in our state and investment we helped enlisted the help of our new incentive program. together, these job announcements are tangible signs that the economic recovery has begun. and they are the kinds of successes, folks, that we can have when we are aggressive and when we put aside differences to work together. we also made kentucky history this past year by attracting a national research facility that will put this state at the forefront of the push for a domestic supply of advanced battery technologies. finding ways to more efficiently power the cars of the future will help secure u.s. energy independence, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen national economy. i also sought to build on or automotive strength ties to asia by again taking an economic development trip to japan and

china. just like last year, this trip had an immediate payoff with hitachi automotive products decision to invest more than $20 million in ad 100 new jobs in mercer county. also this year, we awarded a fourth round of funding to match federal grants that attract and support technology-based small businesses. even while we're strengthening our manufacturing ann arbor cultural communities, we must foster growing efforts to push what i call the eye words, ingenuity, imagination, innovation, invention, intellect. this match has helped us do just that. also this year, 2009, we begin $100 million of transportation and infrastructure projects in hardin and meade counties to help accommodate growth expected from the realignment at fort

knox. known as brac, it will eventually create 5000 new military and civilian jobs, many of them high-tech, upper-level upper level professional and management positions. already, the realignment has created close to 1000 construction jobs. now more than ever, we must have a modern military to keep this country safe at home and abroad. [applause] kentuckians are a key part of that mission, not only with our military bases but through the kentucky national guard. we have 400 members of the guard right now overseas in places like iraq, afghanistan, and kosovo. since september 11th, 2001, more than 12,000 kentucky national guard soldiers and

airmen have deployed in the defense of this country. [applause] [applause] seventeen of these men and women have died. our troops have been in the thick of the fight. the 201st engineer battalion, which returned last march, tip are in 467 and gauge meant with enemy forces. and our guard has done this in a year in which i had to order up the largest call up in history in response to last january's devastating ice storm.

ladies and gentlemen, their courage and their commitment demand our gratitude. [applause] [applause] my second priority is to help beleaguered kentucky families survived this economic upheaval with immediate safety net health. our approach has been multidimensional, with help from the federal stimulus, we closed the deficit in our medicaid program, allowing us to fully provide all benefits to the increasing number of kentuckians who through no fault of their own, qualify for needed medical

care are in this recession. to help those who can't find a job, and we have aggressively supported the repeated extension of unemployment insurance benefits. and we have created a task force to return solvency to a program that, like those in most other states, has required us to borrow from the federal government. my friends, that task force, composed of representatives of both business and labor, as well as members of the house and the senate, recently came forward with unanimous recommendations that i hope we can pass this session. to link families with assistance, we created a website detailing where to go for help. because prescription drugs are so expensive, we helped seniors and ed kentucky and secure, so far, over $17 million worth of free and reduced cost prescription drug. we begin a $2.9 million overhaul

of our food stamp program to get aid to families quicker. and to help families avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes, the general assembly and i created the homeownership protection center. the bottom line, for the last two years, i've been fighting for kentucky's families and by golly i'm going to continue to do so. [applause] at the same time, i have been and will continue to find ways to invest in the future. to increase kentucky's competitive capacity and to make ryegrass on fundamental problems holding our state back. after all, when we emerge from this recession, kentucky must emerge, not shellshocked and shattered but ambitious and able.

and that is my third priority. i've already discussed the substantial progress we're making in creating and maintaining jobs. i also have been working diligently to make sure that our children, all of our children, regardless of where they live begin their early years better prepared for a life of promise. through my kchip initiative, we have brought health care coverage to more than 35,000 previously uninsured kentucky children. [applause] this is a fundamental change that will pay off in a myriad of ways for a better school performance to fewer chronic medical conditions. we've done this not by expanding eligibility, but by aggressively searching for eligible children and making it easier for them to sign up. to make our efforts even more

fact that, i will be pushing for us to remove the requirement that our poorest families pay a premium to participate. over 700 children a month was kchip insurance because their families can't pay even a small premium. at a minimal cost, and i emphasize minimal cost to the states, we can remove that requirement and increased accessibility for our kids. can't [applause] we've also begun a 2 million-dollar initiative to improve dental care for children in our poorest counties. we've created in early childhood development and education task force to streamline and tie together our existing programs. taking care of our children is not only a moral obligation but it's a long-term investment in the intellectual capital that

kentucky must have to compete. another long-standing and costly problem for kentucky continues to be our smoking rate. among the highest in the nation indirectly responsible for $1.5 billion in health care costs. the negative impact of our smoking rates among adults, teens, and pregnant women has been tremendous. through various efforts, we shown improvement. our smoking rate is now 25% instead of 28%. but we can do more. we must do more. many smokers want to quit the need the help to do so. so i will be proposing to use medicaid funds for smoking cessation programs. [applause]

we believe, we believe the long-term payoffs and reduce health care costs, fewer chronic problems for children, increase worker productivity and a better image for this state will be substantial. one of the biggest and most important investments in our future has been our, yours and mine, steadfast resolve to this financial crisis to protect education funding for our children. despite $900 million in cuts, we have maintained support for our teachers and students through the sikh formula and we must continue to do so. [applause] similarly, i have begun a new effort to re-energize our schools, and gauge whether they're prepared for 21st century challenges.

the transforming education in kentucky initiative comes 20 years after our landmark reform effort and will weave together efforts to improve curriculum, dropout rates, graduation rates and teacher retention, including the requirement of senate no one passed by this body last year. we need a cohesive strategy for our schools. as part of this effort, i will be supporting legislation in this session to raise the dropout age in kentucky. [applause] letting our children leave school early in a world where education where more education, not less is what is needed denies them a chance forthright and rewarding future. without education, many of our drops out are doomed to mediocrity or worse. let us commit ourselves to their

success instead of enabling their failure. [applause] we also need to continue pursuing a more affordable, more accessible and more efficient system of higher education. i worked hard to hold down tuition increases this past year in an attempt to maintain our promising ten year trends and undergraduate enrollment in degrees awarded. but incremental improvement is not enough. other states are not standing still. our momentum must accelerate. and one thing we need to do is to make the transition between all of our institutions, our community and technical colleges, as was there for your more seamless. [applause]

i will be supporting legislation that will pursue more formal cooperation, including the transfer of course credit for fruit areas from kctcs to our four-year public schools and among our four year institutions. [applause] one of the best ways to improve graduation rates and lower the cost of attending college is to help our kids move through this is done as efficiently as possible. my friend, the time for delays and red tape is over on this issue. it is time to act right now. [applause] a year and a half ago, i declared kentucky's intention to become the energy capital of this nation. and i unveiled a comprehensive seven-point strategy to move us in that direction.

since then, we've together have created an array of initiatives to further that goal. including conservation and efficiency measures and the potential for a viable alternative energy industry that relies on biomass and biofuels. as part of our efforts, my agricultural policy team has developed numerous opportunities for kentucky farmers to participate in accra energy products. folks, farms have long been a cornerstone of kentucky's economy. and they are going to continue to have an important place in our future. i will also continue to vigorously support the production of kentucky coal to fuel this nation's industrial might. [applause] coal is critical to the security

of our country and it can be mined and it will be mined in kentucky in an environmentally acceptable and safe manner. [applause] the safety of our citizen is also a paramount importance. last year, i saved funding for a new state police class that put more troopers on the roads and in our communities. by the way, for the first time since night t. know six, not one sworn police officer was killed in the line of duty in kentucky in 2009. [applause] i'm very proud of that and we hope and we pray that we can say the same thing at the end of

2010. also this session, we should look to strengthen the laws related to domestic violence. [applause] the tragic death of amanda ross, a state employee has highlighted the need to look at the protections we offer but dems of domestic abuse. we must do better to protect all kentuckians. [applause] these goals, education, health care, public safety, and employment opportunity represent our core mission. my fourth priority is to continue efforts to run a leaner, more efficient and more ethical state government. families across the commonwealth are lowering the thermostat for

going a vacation, taking the best, packing leftovers for lunch, suffering through an illness rather than going to the doctor. in ways big and small, they're cutting expenses and they're stretching their dollars. in state government has been doing the same. firm restructuring bond to cutting travel expenses to reducing mail costs by reducing online documents, we've been operating more efficiently.

yes, we're living in historic times in this recession has shaken the confidence of many. but my fellow kentuckians, out of adversity can come opportunity and that opportunity is ours to cease and i know that we can seize it. [applause] when i came before this last year, much of kentucky was digging out from a huge snow and ice storm, one of the worst natural disasters in our

history. in my remarks and then i shared stories of resiliency, fierce spirits and compassion for neighbors, stories that i gathered all visiting struggling kentucky communities. well, let me tell you, the economic -- economic turmoil facing us today has been no less devastating, but at the same time the resiliency i have seen in my fellow kentuckians has been no less of inspiring. yes, these are hard times, but the strength of this kentuckians is what makes us a special people. and because of fact, we not only can survive this economic turmoil, we will survive it and we can and we will emerge stronger than before. [applause] thank you. thank you and good night. [applause]

the u.s. house returns to capitol hill tomorrow. ç

topics at today state department briefing include north korea talks, relations with yemen and i've been a nuclear program talks. spokesman crowley spoke with reporters for about 45 minutes. >> good afternoon and welcome to the department of state. does before coming down i checked whether.com and noted

the him that where we are in the nation's capital is roughly 31 degrees and secretaries short time and lo left washington for honolulu where it is 68 degrees so i suppose the operative question is why the rest of us blind to warmer climates. but the secretary has departed washington for hertling feature to the asia-pacific region. her first job is in honolulu where she will give an important speech on the asian pacific security architecture and will also meet with japanese foreign minister tomorrow. we have a number of key leaders at the department traveling this week. deputy secretary jim steinberg departs washington this afternoon for columbia and peru. he will meet i believe tomorrow

with the colombian president as a first up in that trip. undersecretary bill burns will travel to moscow this week on the 13th and 14th to discuss our bilateral relationship and focus on the ongoing bilateral presidential commission work that is being done, but also will talk about arms control in iran, north korea and economic cooperation. he will then travel on and the -- he will travel from meetings on the 15th with his youth political counterparts and will also meet with foreign minister martinez while in madrid. today ambassador robert king, our special envoy for number three in human rights, met with the korean foreign minister,

national security adviser, and minister for unification special relative -- how special representative ambassador. and ambassador at large for human rights ambassador. he also met with north korean experts in north korean defector leaders. he emphasizes a strong u.s. caribbean coordination is needed on all aspects of north korean policy especially given rights. he will be in tokyo later this week. i think as you know we have a strong commitment for science diplomacy because of the role that science and technology can play in improving lives around the world. a key part of expanding our capacity for science diplomacy is the establishment of a

science envoy program which president obama now is doing his speech in cairo. secretary clinton announced the first of these science on voice in november and they have began their travel abroad. yesterday nobel prize-winning chemist began a trip to the middle east. he is in egypt now and will be traveling to jordan, lebanon and turkey. dr. bruce alberts, former president of the national academy of sciences will be traveling to indonesia shortly and former nih director will be headed for north africa in february. over time we will need additional signs on voice from various disciplines to visit different parts of the world who come science on was will seek to deepen existing and develop the relationships and gather input on here is a potential collaboration aimed at addressing common global challenges and realizing shared goals although the convoys are

private citizens, they will share with a learned how on these trips with the u.s. government and relationships they build. to reaffirm our commitment to global engagement. finally before taking questions, george mitchell of arrived in paris today, had a meeting with foreign minister there and very shortly will leave paris for brussels for meetings with the quartet at the envoy level. >> can you go back on the quartet meeting or individual meetings? >> it is a quartet meeting at the envoy level. >> going back to bill burns travel, moscow and then we're on the 15th? >> madrid. >> that is for e.u. a what's? >> e.u. political director. >> about y? >> staff. >> can you be more specific than stuff? >> it will be --

>> iran focus meeting? >> i would be certain that iran is among the issues that will be discussed but there'll be several months. >> i would not call it and iran meeting. >> is that the primary issue? >> there are a number of important issues. >> and wine, typically discussions of iran who by the political director a per -- occur in plus wine and so clearly the russians and the chinese are not going to be here because he's only been with the european political directors and why not? why not include the partners from russia and china? >> without announcing something from here on the meetings will be announced by the un. the e.u. special representative, i wouldn't say these are exclusive and there may well be a plus five meeting coming up in the near future as well.

>> mr.? >> to be part of this trip. >> the subject would, indeed, be iran? >> yes, one so we will continue dialogue. it is a disadvantage. there will be -- what i am not calling the meeting in i randy and iran meeting. you call the image in meeting. >> i didn't. >> and iran meeting. >> i said was it going to be the primary subject of the meeting. >> i will just say there will be a plus one a meeting in the coming days and with the information on that from the e.u. >> so -- >> madrid. >> here's my question and that meeting regardless of what are the number of topics we discussed which included discussion of iran. >> i would expect if we got together, we are casting in that broadly in terms of our consultations ahead with a number of countries and iran.

it's a very importance subject of urgent time so if it will come up in our dialogue with a number of countries. alan expected to be a part of this. >> the chinese have dropped their resistance of the meeting? >> i'm saying you should await formal announcements of the meeting with our counterparts in the e.u. >> on iran there obviously offers somewhat that for the next couple of months it was stopping rich men's and there is another who barely overture. what is the state of play on that? >> it is unclear to what exactly they announced. we have put forward with our proposal in good faith on the table on a research reactor and thus for they have either unwilling or unable of to respond to that. but on the latest rounds for today we are being very cautious and understanding exactly what

they were saying before we respond. >> so you're asking for clarification? >> i think we are seeking to try to determine exactly any announcement came at seven tehran. as far as i know there is no change on the ground. >> on north korea -- by the military broadcast this morning they attended six party talks in new with united states wants north what is the position? >> i think if you go back to the discussion last month that ambassador stephen wadsworth and ambassador studentcam had in the john gone and both sides reaffirmed who the september september 2005 with a joint statement but if you go down the

joint statement during number of elements outlined their. talks about the establishment of peace regime, normalization of relations among all of the parties concerned, an economic and energy cooperation. we've made clear is that we are -- if north korea says yes and comes back to the six party process, it makes a firm step toward normalization, then a wide range of other opportunities open up, but the first key here is that north korea has to come back to us, say yes and come back to the six preprocessor, start working on -- its obligations under the join communication statements and then when we're perfectly willing to have other talks. >> before the sixth party talks,

what is the u.s. position? >> our position is we want to see north korea come back to the six party process. remember, if you want to have a negotiation regarding an armistice was, we are not the only party. two that perspective negotiation. so that is expressly why we think having a multilateral forum when the six party process is important so right now and the issue before his number three of is saying yes and coming back to the six preprocessor and then we can begin to march down the list of issues that we have beginning with the nuclear issue. >> on north korea, the statement also says they want the u.s. to drop all sanctions or the international community to drop sanctions before they will come back to six party talks so i am wondering is there any possibility of that? >> we've made clear going back

several months we are not going to pay north. coming back for the six party process. >> you are not going to drop sanctions so do you see anything -- before the comeback is what i mean? and you see anything different in the statement of the then at the town, they say politely or whatever the word was that there are respectfully asking for this so the town seems much more polite. >> we appreciate the fact that we had constructive a conversation with north korea last month, but the issue in front of number three and going on. >> the reaction -- >> p.j., they said several times before her but the u.s. position has always been since 2005 that any discussion on a peace treaty comes fairly late in the game. there are several things the north koreans need to do before

so this is phase three and we have barely been at the end of phase one and haven't rollback -- we were in phase one and then things happened since then. my point is, this was another administration came. so is it still the u.s. position and that a peace treaty cannot be discussed until the north koreans have, indeed, ended their program? >> just outlined the sequins here. we want them back in the six party process, we want to see them take affirmative steps toward equalization but once they're back with in the process, once we have confidence there renew their obligations, then a wide range of of blair possible discussions. >> so the point is north korea comes back to the six party talks, any issues to discuss that's the place?

>> yes. >> another actually on ambassador king's comments today. he is saying things like how awful the number three is in a terrible place is a. i recall john bolden was saying the same things a few years ago and he got hammered for potentially on being an impediment to negotiations. do you do talk like this, that he engaged in saw today as potentially perhaps detrimental to anything that diplomacy might try to do? >> not at all. it's expressly why we have a the human rights envoy. this is not our situation. we want to see denuclearization in north korea. we want to see north korea moved down a different path than integrate itself into the region, become more constructive

player but we also want to see north korea improve its dreadful human rights record and that is expressly the reason why we have an on voigt in the region, making it clear to north korea that we have placed great attention on this human rights agenda and will continue to press them to keep prove their occurrence. >> how many other human rights on voice we have for other countries? >> i have no idea. >> is interesting there is one specifically for north korea. >> it is why we -- >> so that has existed for a long time? >> it has for some time and i don't think he's the first person to occupy the position. >> in fact, the last person to occupy with some pretty strong statements in basically the futility of the six party process. [laughter] >> i don't think that robert

king shares that view. >> so are you still going to have bilateral talks with north korea to resume the six party talks are are you just waiting for them to say okay we're coming back? >> we want to see them say yes and then -- >> you want to say why do we have more bilateral talks? >> i think when we left p'yongyang last month i think it is our view him that the ball is in north korea court, we would like to see them say yes and we like to see six party meetings take place. i want to predict at this point, there are a number of voice. >> have you talked to the swedes? >> not yet. >> [inaudible]

>> well, the human rights issues -- and we're not the only ones who have human rights concerns appear in the south. does, japan does, so in any kind of relationship that north korea is going to have hot either with its neighbors or with the united states human rights is going to be significant parts of that agenda and to the extent that at some point in time once north korea has taken the steps we have outlined, if there is serious discussion about normalization with united states we would expect that north korea human rights would continue to be part of that discussion and i would not be surprised if other countries share our view. >> they would bring the human rights issues to the six party talks? >> anyone having discussion with

north korea will have a human rights on that agenda. of and not -- obviously human rights is a significant part of any discussion we're going to have with north korea. >> [inaudible] the statement that the u.s. came toward a supporting in guarantees to israel, the finance minister has said that we don't need to use these guarantees and you're doing fine. two have a reaction to that? >> i think -- i know that senator mitchell's interview with charlie rose last week caused some anniston various quarters perhaps in israel. just to clarify this, he wasn't signaling any particular course of action in. he was simply asked a question and within historical context.

are there steps that are available? and i think he mentioned the steps the united states has taken in the past and was in saying this is something we're forecasting the future. but it is obviously something that we have in our toolbox, now that we're out here building that particular tool at this particular time. so our focus and the reason why senator mitchell is in the region, in europe this week and he will meet with israeli officials while in europe, have other meetings as we go forward expressly to continue to push with the parties and all who are supporting this process to get the negotiations restarted as quickly as possible, as he outlined in the charlie rose interview and in other cases. put all the issues on the table and see if we can move toward comprehensive peace in the middle east and this was simply george mitchell, contained on a matter of history.

>> any reaction to the plan to build a wall in the gaza egypt border? israel's announcement they will build a wall? >> i'm not familiar with eds. >> and venezuela. i believe there was a meeting between the u.s. officials working at the u.s. embassy in caracas and venezuelan foreign ministry. out like to hear some comments on that. in. >> i think that's probably a very good question to ask our embassy in caracas. the. >> a follow-up. you didn't mention in the treatment of it let america right now in chile. >> i was not aware of that, he wasn't in the staff meeting this morning so if we can outline his agenda itinerary we will do so. >> doesn't have to do with the elections? >> we have some details on this travel and will put those out. >> comments about honduras and

the visit of kelly. >> he was there last week. >> the comments were from so i have been nothing officially from the u.s. >> that's not true. we talked in detail last week about his trip to honduras and continues to work with all sides. >> what is the reaction and saying that the u.s. is moving in a direction of the congress is still maintaining the position he will continue to be in power. is there any update on matt? >> , gwen to do a back and forth from the podium. pride kelly was in tegucigalpa last week. he continued to work with all sides to consult with all sides. they had a meeting with everyone and we just mentioned. and we continue to encourage efforts to promote national reconciliation and to remain

focused on steps that can be taken between now and january january 27th. >> [inaudible] and international law experts and class a composer is a candidate of the opposition of the social democratic party and he made the fight against corruption the centerpiece of his campaign. could he expect u.s. support in this effort in condemnation of reforms to our operation and membership? >> first of all, the offer our congratulations to croatia on having selected their third president since independence in free and fair elections yesterday. we look forward to working with the president-elect on issues of common interest. as croatia has into the final

stage have succession to the european union. and in that dialogue with croatia and the e.u., obviously effective governance is an import element, fighting corruption, cooperating with the international tribunal before yugoslavia, but we look forward to developing relationship with them. >> follow-up. could he expect more support from the u.s. as a person because despite excellent relations between the u.s. and croatia, the actual president never received an invitation to visit the united states in 10 years? >> well, we don't necessarily personalize our relationships. we have a relationship with croatia because it's vitally important, in nato ally. we met with the foreign minister of croatia last month at the state department and will continue our dialogue with

croatia but we well, this results. >> thank you. >> a blackwater. do you know what the responsibility would be a blackwater in afghanistan if they bid on contracts to their and a secondary question, do you know when the temporary -- >> i don't understand your first question. >> blackwater is bidding on a role in afghanistan right now. after the controversy of what happened in iraq. do you have any response to that are what's responsibilities would be if they were to assume a role in afghanistan? >> i don't know what contract is up for bid at blackwater/services bidding on a. there is a contract to process

and companies that are qualified to provide those particular services are free to do so and i just don't know whether they are bidding on a particular contract. if you have something more specific you can ask. >> temporary contract was expended in their contract and iraq, do you know that ending of a temporary contract? >> on aviation services? i will take that question of whether they are assuming that responsibility still pending. >> this is not on senator grassley, i don't know you see he sent a letter to secretary clinton asking for information about lisa security units and we talked about this a little bit last week about that to dhs only has a certain amount of an visas security. >> 14 small countries. >> he is charging that the reason that there aren't more

visas security units is these have been due to each sections and road blocks from the state department, specifically that the ambassador is inhibiting the ability of dhs to carry out its mission in cities like london, nairobi and kuwait city even though dhs has identified as needing them so my question is, has the state department blocked the expansion of the program and needs to or is it due to a lack of capability on dhs part to actually man the post? ..

>> also he raises the issue about how many other foreign nationals are classified as possible terrorists as opposed to actual i guess card-carrying terrorists, so that they are, you know, perhaps if you were an actual terrorist for visa would be revoked and this is what we talked about that he was in the national classified terrorist but a possible terrorist, and what kind of steps are you

taking to ensure possible terrorists visas are watched more closely than people who are not possible terrorists? >> i would only say that in her light of what happened in december 25 as the president has said and secretary has said and others, we are looking throughout this process to see how we can improve, and obviously we are cooperating and we will implement any systemic changes that come about. i can't exactly go through that from here. >> a set of questions for afghanistan if you have any reaction to the latest poll numbers on the ground that show public criticism of the united states presence remains highly.

>> public support of the international presence in afghanistan i think is still significant. i haven't seen the latest numbers per say but i suppose a couple of things to know if we are in the ninth year of presence there in a country that is, that has a particular point of view hysterically about the presence of foreign elements within its borders. we have afghan people have been remarkably patient. i think they still welcome the support that they are receiving from the united states and the international community on this mission and the importance of the international assistance to actually make governments at all levels national, regional, local

more effective so that that government is serving the needs of the afghan people. but it's also important that whatever the up and down of public polling regarding the international presence including the united states was also sycophant is that if any kind of adjustment in the poll numbers does not translate into support for the telegram again what we have seen in terms of looking at public opinion polling and afghanistan is that the taliban remains in the single digits. no one wants to see the taliban restored to power in afghanistan, our challenge is to continue to communicate to the afghan people what we are doing on their behalf and certainly international support for the electoral process. it was a sickness can step.

we are now watching closely as the karzai yet patrician and parliament put together the key ministers of the national government. we are going to continue our efforts in afghanistan but we also recognize, as the president outlined, we need to continue to move as rapidly as possible because clearly we want as i am sure the afghan people want to be able to see this transition where functions that may well be done today by the national community that we are building up the capacity for the government to be able to assume these responsibilities over the next couple of years. >> i have a question about a related country, and i would be human. haleh tomb are you to be anti-american, anti-western or antiforeign sentiment in yemen and do you have any concerns that those feelings would hinder

or hurt your attempt to to help the yemenis government? >> well, i think we continue to look for ways in which we can support the yemeni government on military bases, civilian basis and economic basis and we are encouraged by the recent comments by the president that he is determined himeno will stand up to the challenge posed by al qaeda, and we are prepared to help yemen in that process, but obviously we continue to be focused on -- we are not firm and its popularity contest per se but clearly attitude toward the united states in specific countries is important in almost all countries of the world during 2009 we were encouraged

by the fact the polling numbers of the united states improved significantly since the inauguration of president obama. >> in yemen? >> i will take that question. >> i'm wondering -- i don't know the answer to that question. >> i think broadly speaking the trajectory was quite constructive, now it is an important i mention of the partnerships we are trying to build with any number of countries, yemen included. >> specifically about yemen it would be interesting to know if the polling data did show that but do you have a concern is the strong feelings about the foreign intervention and foreign presence in yemen is going to hurt the fight against extremism? >> we will continue to act in the national interest. jim and will continue to act in its national interest. we think the partnership is

important to both countries in terms of combating extremist elements inside yemen that pose a danger to that country, pose a danger to the region, and as we saw it poses a danger to the united states. clearly your ability to sustain a relationship in support over time has to be founded in a popular opinions, so it is important and we will continue to work with the government of yemen and explain what we are doing and what we are not doing. it ultimately, house whether it is afghanistan, pakistan, yemen this is a shared fight, shared responsibility. but ultimately it is the country itself that has to step up and address those extremist elements within its own borders. >> to follow-up on the positive trajectory around the world, are you citing that because of the

president's speech in cairo? >> i think if you look at the polling that we have done, some of the other entities have done the fact is that from where we were a couple of years ago the trajectory is positive. >> do you think he will be able to sustain a loss to implement the promises obama made during the speech? >> the president pledged, he outlined a vision for the region and the world. he committed the united states to work constructively with the region and the world and we think we are living up to both a letter, the spirit and the intent of his speech. but you're right, this is something we have to do and have to sustain over time and where the people of the world see a country that is a willing partner working constructively with government around the world, making sure that as we

act we are doing so taking into account what the government wants to do. that is one of the reasons why we have a doubt that our program and a country like pakistan for example so that we are making sure that we are, what we are trying to do on behalf pakistan actually addresses something as important to the pakistani people and we will continue to try to work as constructively as we can with countries of the world including pakistan, including afghanistan and including yemen. >> i have a question on saddam. the special envoys said this morning if the international community doesn't act there's an urgent need of action in that country otherwise they feared massive violence could return. i was wondering if the united states was committed to helping saddam if they had a plan of action for the next months. >> i would go back to friday when the secretary of state made a detailed announcement on the anniversary of the sighting of

the comprehensive peace agreement. in that statement she made clear we are committed along with the national committee to support the cpa process but there are fundamental things the parties inside sudan need to do. we have a plan of action working constructively and collectively with countries in the region and with sudan. all the parties directly with sudan. there is a plan of action that gets them to the election in april and the referendum next january. time is of the essence. we remain concerned about violence that has on rest that has happened in sudan, and we want to make sure there are no obstacles to making sure what happens in april, what happens next january reflects the will of the sudanese people, all of the sudanese people.

>> another question on the family who had been under charges for torture the afghan a quited over the weekend i think do you have any rationale? i remember when the charges first came about they had strong [inaudible] >> the case of sheik was handled by the members. we recognize all members of this society must stand equal and remain concerned for the victim of this horrible crime. we welcome a careful review of the judge's decision and assessment of all legal options to insure the demand of the justice are fully met in this case and we will continue to closely monitor. >> this sounds like you don't think the actual legal procedures were followed in this case. >> i did and say that. >> a sum secure sing everybody needs to be treated equally and you were implying this was not the case this time. >> i'm not implying that at all.

>> if you're not in plan that lets just ask you do you think this gentleman was treated as equally as any other citizen in and of the dhabi court would have been? >> ultimately this has to be something that is resolved inside of for the benefit of all the citizens. we will continue to watch the case carefully and as i said we would welcome careful review of the judge's decision. >> you think the demands of justice were met? >> i think there's still questions raised by this case. i think it's important those questions be resolved not so much to satisfy the divided states has to satisfy the citizens [inaudible] >> what questions -- >> i'm not going to add

adjudicate -- >> i'm not asking you to. >> i've gone as far as i'm going to go. >> has anyone brought this up with the government over there? >> i can't say whether we talked to them about the judgment in the case. we have talked about this. >> have you been able to get visas for officials and contractors for pakistan and if so -- have you been able to get visas for the contractors for pakistan? >> i think it remains an issue of concern that we are continuing to talk to the government of pakistan about that. >> is this going to affect at all the implementation of the u.s. you a 123 deal because that was raised before. >> no. >> american and international media outlets supported that the al qaeda and mog rett announced they're going to execute one of the french detainees.

what is the american position concerned in this case and also the overall assessment of the united states of the threat of al qaeda in the region and also old efforts made to curb their proliferation? >> i.t. we remain concerned about and focused on any group that chooses to align itself with the al qaeda network. it is seemingly part of the al qaeda strategy and probably part of the diffusion of the threat we see from violent extremism around the world. we are focused on al qaeda and monrad and focused on al qaeda and the arab peninsula working closely with government in both locations to try to minimize this threat both to individual countries but also to the region

as a whole, and this is a shared threat, shared responsibility. it is an outrage that these groups hold people hostage and it's an outrage at times they execute than for their political purposes. and we think over time this is expressly why support for al qaeda globally and locally has diminished since the past few years and we are determined to work constructively with all countries in the interest of justice and peace and stability are around the world.

[inaudible conversations] i'm always concerned about the potential unforeseen consequences, unintended consequences of the new regulations. regulations of any kind act as a tax and when you tax or regulate something you tend to get less of it and diminishes.

at today's white house briefing reporters ask press secretary robert gibbs about the president's support for proposed tax on health insurance plans and remarks by sen and majority leader harry reid on the president's race among other issues. press secretary gibbs speaks with reporters for about 40 minutes. [inaudible conversations] >> one quick announcement before we get going. tomorrow the president and first lady will truffle to wilmington delaware to attend the funeral jeanne biden. we will have details on the press access for tomorrows traveled a little bit later in the day. i just wanted to mention that. >> on health care with the president sign a bill but did not include the tax on the so-called cadillac health care plan or is that a mandatory revenue --

>> weld, ben, the president will meet with some of the organized labour communities this afternoon to discuss health care and presumably to get into that topic and we will have more of a readout when we get done with that. >> how would you characterize his stance at this point? >> he supported the bill and that provision was in that bill for what it does in terms of changing the directional health care costs. -- what is his message to the constituency represented by the labor leaders today that clearly is opposed to this? >> the will be happening in the meeting and when that is over we will have a chance to talk about we will tell you about that after the meeting as well. >> there are reports out today that the administration is considering fee on banks and i was wondering if you can talk about and thinking of in that regard.

i don't have specifics to talk about what will be in the budget. certainly later in the month as we get to the budget. i would simply say, karen, the president has talked on a number of occasions about insuring ensuring the the money taxpayers of up to my rescue the financial system is paid back in full. that's been the president's position. i think that is the least taxpayers are owed and we will have more details on budget kristopher as we get closer to the budget being released. >> will we see something in the budget that insures the tax payers are paid back in full? >> that's the president's goal, yes. >> to follow up on that we've got a lot of questions last week that secretary espy and one of the criticisms is he's too close to wall street and the administration is too close to wall street and i was wondering what your response to that is.

>> the president made a series of decisions with his economic team on what had to be done to stabilize our economic situation upon taking office, and the economic situation beard quite honestly, not simply the worst recession since the great persian but an economy that quite frankly teetered on the edge of larger collapse. the president has made a series of decisions to take steps to get our economy jumpstart it on a path toward recovery. i think if you look at what people on wall street say about some of our other economic decisions or rhetoric, i think that alone disproofs that this is all about wall street. >> in the middle of december, the omb put out a memo to all federal agencies about how to calculate the stimulus, how to calculate jobs created and saved

saying that among other things would be quarterly instead of updated more frequently and also if somebody were paid, to employees of a library who were already working there are paid with stimulus dollars, those two individuals should count as jobs created by or staged by the stimulus even if they existed already. do you have any further explanation about why? >> i haven't seen the memo but i'm happy to talk to them and put you in touch with them. i haven't seen the memo, don't know the details are. >> to follow on the question i asked last week that the freeing of khazaali, you have any more on that? >> no, i don't.

>> and then -- all right, that's it i'm done. [laughter] >> the president put out a statement over the weekend accepting his apology and i'm wondering why the president didn't talk in the policy or in the conversations i guess with him about unfortunate language was used -- no mention of of that at all. >> i'm sorry? >> with the president put up a statement or you but the statement on behalf of the president, this conversation that he had with senator reid, there was no mention at all about the unfortunate language that was used. >> no, i think the phrase was in the statement about the fact that -- the unfortunate choice of words by senator reid. >> well, it didn't seem like he went into sort of anything more than just, i accept his apology and we move on from here. is their anything more than the president -- >> will, no, i mean i don't have the statement in front of me but i think the president's statement said that senator reid had called him about these

comments the president called on fortunate; that he's worked with senator reid, he knows senator reid, the type of values that he has, the agenda that he pushed in the u.s. senate and didn't take offense at them. >> as the president said in a more about that in light of just that what we've been hearing, it's been dominating the various shows over the weekend and this morning? >> no, it wasn't something i heard the president talk more about today. >> in light of what happened with terrorism threat, is their anything at all that the administration has planned to do, may be a second-tier priority that has been put on the back burner now because there's been some ramped up efforts with terrorism and so much of the air sucked out with terrorism at the end of the year. >> nope. cumene an agenda item the president would be focusing on that he is not because of -- >> right, exactly, is their anything else the president is planning -- >> this questions order comes in

different forms throughout different times -- >> it's not you're juggling were yelling too much question that it's just -- listen, we were spending so much time focusing on terrorism at the beginning of the year. now we have to -- there's other things, other priorities that might have to be put on the back burner. >> i don't understand. that's not juggling questions? >> i'm not saying -- >> i'm not trying to be sarcastic. i'm just trying to get -- on lost with the premise of the question. >> i'm not seeing -- are you juggling too much -- it is just realize, hey, you know, you have to focus so much on terrorism; let's put something else back a bit, let's move something off the front burner. >> i think that is the troubling question -- >> it is a balancing question. [laughter] >> thanks for the crystal clear clarity on that. >> it's not the typical question that says you guys -- >> i don't know how i didn't get that. [laughter] >> i'm not saying are you guys

juggling too much. that's not the question. the other question is just have you decided to -- >> dressing are we not doing something else because we are doing something in lieu of that? >> but my question was are you juggling too much. i'm just asking you is their anything you decided to put off for now because there are these other issues you were not planning on spending so much time on? >> maybe i should just add know and have gotten out. the answer is no. [laughter] >> why did he say that in first place? >> welcome i did, and then i sought to understand the premise of the -- never mind. i would say this, the notion that -- well, let me say this i think the inherent in your question is somehow that the president is having to spend so much more time on something like terrorism that he was at -- that there was spending time prior to that -- >> i & use -- >> right. and i would just say in the president's pdt goes over the security situation and threats. the president has spent quite a deal of time dealing with this.

so there's no issue that has not been discussed or worked on because of that. >> anything going on behind the scenes on immigration reform at all? >> i can't remember if the president has had any meetings of this recently but i can certainly come back and look at the schedule. yes, ma'am. >> when is the president going to hold a news conference? not that you are not adequate. >> well, i appreciate that. [laughter] chip asked this question on friday -- >> yes, but she will get an answer. [laughter] >> welcome she is nicer than you. [laughter] >> i mean, she's gone and obscenely long time, not holding one. >> but again, not the were inadequate. [laughter] i don't see one on the schedule at least in the short term cash which is precisely what i said -- >> izzie avoiding us? >> nope. again, the last time we had this conversation here about the president's media strategy i was informed by many of you that the president was overexposed. >> one person in this durham

said he was overexposed. >> we had a whole lot of questioning on that. >> let's take a vote. >> okay, who at some point -- >> raise your hand if you do not believe he's overexposed. [laughter] >> okay, so that's one. that is quite well phrased, and one person -- >> [inaudible conversations] >> who wants a news conference? [laughter] >> who wants to win the lottery? okay. [inaudible conversations] >> scratch and win, maj. scratch and win. chip? >> seriously, one person in this room said he was overexposed, just one. >> that's not true. >> just name one person who said he was overexpose. >> i will go back and look at the transcript -- >> well, we have a question about condoms. but we are not abundance, we are reporters. there are pond and sofer who were singing -- >> do you have a question or opinion? >> i actually do. going back to wall street firms, three firms, goldman, morgan, chase had set aside 47 billion,

i believe the numbers, on bonuses. does the president think that's appropriate and is their anything that he has talked about, or hopes to do, to do something about that? >> well, if you heard dr. romer this weekend and i think you've heard the president for what the past year about the continued divergence from, and always, really what's going on on main street and some of the firms on wall street. there are folks that just continue not to get it. >> is hitting anything about it? >> welcome the president has discussed ways of -- well, we can -- we have done stuff relating to banks that have received extraordinary assistance from the federal government. there is a lot less, as you know, that we can do with somebody that's not tie it in terms of a direct correlation between money that's given three t.a.r.p.. the president has repeatedly pushed, and the house passed as

part of the financial reform a say on pay. we have greatly encourage anybody that's getting out bonuses and executive compensation to talk yet not too short term risk-taking but to the long-term health of the company, as most stalkers and taxpayers would prefer; and that is, give that compensation in stock, have it vest over a series of years so that the health of the firm is first and foremost, not short-term risks that might have people making different actions. >> but despite everything the president said and everything that he's proposed and everything that's been done, this may be the biggest year yet for the money falling from the sky for these guys. >> chip, there's just -- like i said, there is a limit to what the president can do for firms that don't receive assistance from the american government. >> use the bully pulpit more effectively, just get out there? i mean, he could pick up the phone and call these guys.

>> well, i can assure you the meeting that we had not recently -- not to recently with the bankers in the roosevelt room included a discussion about executive compensation. i think they know where we are on this issue. >> is it fair to say they are just not listening to him? >> i think they aren't listening to the american people, chip. i think -- like i said, think there is a divergence and reality as to what's going on in this economy if you talk to somebody that is in line for a huge cash bonus at a wall street firm and a small business on main street that's trying to get a loan, that's trying to get some help on and trying to get their business and this economy back on track, absolutely. >> when the president talks about this, does he still get visibly angry about it? >> absolutely. i mean, i don't -- the truth is, i think the story that you are referring to was the one in sunday's paper. i don't know anybody, save for a

few that work for those banks, that don't get visibly angry and in reading those stories, absolutely. >> do you think these banks have been forthcoming in their assets? why did they need these big bailouts, and did they pay them back almost immediately? >> well, i don't have any reason to question the financial straits that they were and at the time and which they received t.a.r.p. recovery money. i will say this, helen, and the president strongly believes this, that was in many ways of their own doing, which i think is what gets people that much more exercised about this. and i think what the president has discussed and the reason why the president has pushed financial reform is to ensure that we have rules on the road that doesn't let any type of activity that caused this to happen to ever happen again, forcing the american taxpayers to have to make decisions about the financial system collapsing or providing t.a.r.p. money for these guys.

>> but on the $47 billion, is to basically throwing in the towel and say in this nothing i can do? >> well, no, no. i mean, again, there's little we can do legislatively. i think you will -- the president will continue to talk about this both in public and in private with these bankers. yes, ma'am. >> real quick on mrs. biden's funeral. will the president speak at the funeral? >> i don't believe that's the case, but i think that he and the first lady are just going. but i think they are working on logistics. >> okay. on the meeting with labor leaders today, is the president's message to them essentially tough look we are going to tax the cadillac plans? or can he be persuaded? >> i mean, i think the point of the meeting is to have this discussion. we will have more to say about the discussion at the conclusion of the meeting. >> so his position could move? >> i think the president -- obviously the president has a position, and i think we will talk to them about why he sees this as something that's important in the bill.

>> okay. i think last week some senior aide said we should expect more of a focus on the economy this week, and i wondered how we might expect that to manifest itself. >> welcome i think on wednesday we will have an event in the local area to talk about some jobs ideas and some economic numbers. i don't have the rest of the week's schedule in front of me, but i think over the course of the next several weeks you will see a number of economic evens on your plate. >> how involved are you guys, then, in shaping the jobs bill that's happening in the senate? >> well, i think -- we've certainly been in communications with the house and the senate about different jobs packages and the president outlined in december here in washington psp and robert, just to follow on the bank fee issue. is in the bank fee being considered as part of the budget? isn't this something -- a way to sort of address this question on bonuses? and i have a question on calibration, given that there are 8,500 banks in the country and a large majority of them would come in for a fee that

would be levied on banks. how would you square this -- >> i'm not going to get into the details and specifics on a budget that would be released at a net earlier date -- later date. >> is it at the printers? >> when it comes back from kinkos we will be able to talk about it. it's not really at kinkos though. [laughter] >> what is the assessment of the situation in yemen now, terrorist ha bet if you welcome a source of the kind of plots we saw on christmas especially country the comments that have come out of their the past couple of days, the president and the cleric they're talking about the foreign intervention and what it would bring? >> well, look, as you well know, this has been on the president and on a national security teams radar for quite some time to read the security situation

there obviously remains quite perilous. there are vast areas of largely on government space that have attracted al qaeda in the arabian peninsula and other extremist allies and yemen and throughout the region. i think the president and his team have been and still are acutely aware of the threats that could be emanating and are emanating from that region. >> do you think this is for the domestic consumption, these comments are about -- wing nut comments about foreign intervention, and why did the president find it necessary to say what he did in the magazine interview about the prospect for u.s. -- >> i think whether it was general petraeus or president obama, i think discussing whether or not american boots on the ground was something else --

something the administration was planning i think is something the president simply put to rest is not happening. >> can i follow up on this one, on yemen, please? >> yes. >> the president also said that he's willing to talk to al qaeda member, if they free print -- president of yemen. his national security advisers said that yemen is not a haven for extremists. does this undermine the administration and the president's effort to combat terrorism especially in yemen? >> no, and our position on disrupting, dismantling in defeating al qaeda is not any different today than it was several days ago. we have worked closely with the yemeni government to address threats that have come out of yemen, the security situation there, and we will continue to do so. >> but he wants to talk to them. >> welcome our posture is as it relates to al qaeda has not changed. >> let me make another pass at

the banking one, but in the context of the deficit we've heard a lot from the president on the course of reducing the deficit. are you guys rolling out any sort of transaction tax, or bank a fee as a way to lower the deficit? >> i'm not going to add more in specificity to what i have to get to add to the previous four people that have asked. to people. >> yes, too. >> so you're not ruling out? >> i'm not ruling it out or for linen dan, how about that? >> this is like a new jobs bill. [laughter] on a start, where are you guys on that? are you guys getting closer? farby -- >> we continue to work with our russian counterparts on trying to find an agreement that, quite frankly, that works for both sides. i need to go back and look at some notes about whether it was this friday or the previous friday that we have a negotiating team that had it to -- headed over to make some headway on that. but nothing as of yet to report.

>> you said in answer to the mac's question about the cadillac plans the president supports the senate bill. well, the president also supports the house bill to which he put all statements on both and they are divergent points of view on this question to read is the white house open to any way reshaping the levels at which the surtax and the bill would apply to the cadillac so-called health benefits? is that something that is negotiable? >> the president looks forward to speaking with leaders today about their ideas and about their concerns, and i certainly think the level as one of the topics that will come up. we will have more to say about the meeting after the meeting. >> i'm trying to find out of the line is open. >> we are open to having the discussion. >> but not adjusting unnecessarily? >> i don't think we would be having the discussion if we were not interested in hearing their

viewpoint. >> on senator reid's comments he said it was a poor choice of words. i'm wondering if you can tell us what what has been a better way to express what harry reid was actually saying? [laughter] >> i appreciate the opportunity to not just speak for an elected official but speak as the senator from nevada to digest think that would be a weird place for me to go. i would be up here doing impersonations all day. >> i guess what i'm getting at is there's nothing the president found objectionable or on tour about what he was saying, just the way he said it? >> the president didn't take offense personally but believes has the statement said this was an unfortunate choice of words. i think that is what the statement said. he knows -- >> the observation about his particular political strengths coming into the campaign. >> again, i think senator reid -- i haven't read the book.

later in the book she makes the point that not only does he not think race is going to detract from that will be a positive for the campaign. so obviously it isn't very poor choice, very unfortunate choice of words. the president got that apology from senator reid, didn't take offense to it and has moved on. >> do you want to react to any republican who calls for him to step down or asserting that there is the double standard here in the troubled situation? >> well i think you need to go back and -- i think it's helpful to go back and see what was said in a previous instance. i don't -- i appreciate that some are drawing a direct analogy. i don't understand exactly how one drawls the analogy to a former majority leader expressing his support for the defeat of harry truman in 1948 so that the strong from and what

the president running on a state's house rights to get. i don't see how that's analogous to what senator reid was saying. i don't -- i mean, i understand what people have to say on tv or to get themselves on tv. i would suggest they spend about 20 seconds reading a little history and figuring out that to draw the analogy strains any intellectual enterprise or any real reality in all sense of the word. >> on politics, there are indications that massachusetts senate race is tightening up. the dnc said -- top staff or there today. does the president have any intention of giving that to massachusetts to campaign on behalf of martha coakley? >> the president doesn't have any travel plans to campaign in massachusetts. >> robert, given a meeting with the labor leaders later today, do you think the president has done right by a movement that was so much a part of his victory in november, the labor

much that? is he -- has he done right by then? has the advance their agenda in the way that he should? >> i think the president has represented working men and women in this country and everything that he's worked on, whether it was making a decision to seek to companies from going bankrupt, whether it was pushing a recovery plan, i think a whole host obviously of legislative initiatives that have benefited working men and women in this country, absolutely. >> robert, just one quick question about a timetable iran sanctions. you said last year that we are looking, once the end of the year came, would be looking at a decision. do you have -- when do you hope to have a coalition together to move forward on security council? >> well, we continue to work with our partners in the p5 plus

one. as you heard the presidency last year in putting together the next steps moving forward. i don't think there's some magic day in which that all happens at the u.n.. at least i don't have that day. but we continue to -- we will continue to hold iran responsible for living up to its intentional obligations -- international obligations. >> so you don't have a deadline in mind? the administration -- >> welcome the administration is working with internally on ideas that it could do, as well as working with vp five plus one in a broader series that would have the support of the international community. >> a couple of quick bookkeeping -- are scheduling issues. is the president going to be bowing to the democratic issues retreat this week? >> i got that last week here; i will look at -- that's thursday and friday or so? let me find that out, scheduling-why.

>> any closer to a state of the union date? >> not that i'm aware of. >> any of the substance if i may -- fourth triet assertion today that the united states and it should settle on a treaty by the end of this year to finally -- the peace treaty that would finally end the korean conflict, and how that is important in terms of selling the nuclear issue as well. >> welcome of the north koreans are well aware of what they need to do to come back to talks with -- to the six-party talks in dealing with this issue, and that is give up the idea of a nuclear state on the peninsula, just as it is a great to do several years ago if they are willing to live up to those obligations, then we will make progress in those talks. but this is -- this isn't a step for us to take, this is a step for the north koreans to take in living up to -- living up to those obligations.

>> your position is six-party talks and solving the nuclear issue first, then we will talk about a peace treaty? >> i think the way to have the most constructive talks is for them to come back to the table living up to the obligations that they agreed to and then walked away from, absolutely. >> robert, a question on the labour meeting -- are you going to put out a list of the attendees in advance of the meeting? >> i can get that -- we will send that out to you as soon as we have done it here. >> when you keep on singing you're going to have a readout or you will tell us later, in what form are you going to tell us what ever? >> just a little e-mail. >> just a little -- okay. and a question about the meeting itself. and a lot of labor leaders have been saying recently that it's going to be very hard for them to motivate their members and their kind of mid level leaders to do the kind of foot-sold during the democratic candidates are really going to depend on in the fall if they don't see

progress in the power of the cadillac plans for employees free choice act, other things very important to them. there's a kind of disillusionment in their ranks. well with the presidency to change their mind? >> again, the president looks forward to having this discussion today. i don't -- i think working men and women in this country will be plenty motivated in 2010 but the choices that they have in front of them. i don't -- >> can i have a quick follow-up? >> let me finish the answer and i will -- i don't think working men and women -- >> how many working men and women are meeting with the labor leaders? i mean, they are part of the space infrastructure -- >> i understand. we are talking about the same crowd of people, yes. >> negative you're sitting there will be plenty of defeated because -- if you could finish that last -- >> because i think when one looks with the president's agenda is, and one looks at the lack of an agenda on the other side in dealing with any problem that somebody in -- a problem to the kuhl working person in the middle class deals with, i don't think it will be a hard decision

to make when one looks at the agenda on the president's side. what we've done to get our economy restarted, to make college more affordable, to bring health care to those that don't have it and to correct insurance and balances for those that do verses, i mean, i hesitate to discuss what's on the other side, because i haven't heard anybody on the other side discuss it except for a series of decisions that wanted to take us back to the same place we were in before the 2008 election. i think working men and women will ask themselves who is on the side of insurance companies and who is on the side of talking to the eckert taking insurance companies on. i think there will be an argument that will be front and center, and i think working men and women will make that decision. who had a follow-up on that? >> i did. >> to search. >> robert, i think the question that some labor leaders are asking is that during the

campaign, candidate obama at joost candidates john mccain of wanting to tax cadillac health plans. he said mccain of will and i won't, so why the change in position? >> understand -- no, no, understand, bill, because i know you paid attention extensively during the campaign. understand -- remember when john mccann wanted to do, right? any plan was a cadillac plan, because we were taking the tax deductibility of health care out, away. and that was going to be met -- that would be fulfilling your health care needs attending you a $2,000 voucher if he were an individual or a $5,000 vouchers you were a family. now, we've had a long discussion about health care in this country over the past eight or nine months. we're not talking about 2,000-dollar insurance plans. we're not talking about 5,000-dollar insurance plans for families of four. there's a difference between what the president has supported, which is a 23,000-dollar level, taxing an

insurance company that offers a plan in excess of that amount, versus what john mccain proposed, which was to end the tax deductibility completely for health care that's provided in this country. i think they are fundamentally different -- well, i don't think it -- they are fundamentally different ideas. >> he said "what if you're one of the steelworkers who are working," this is obama -- if you are one of the steelworkers who are working right here in newport news and you've given up wage increases in exchange for a better health care? >> i've read that on your blog, too. the point i just made of the bill is the same. there's a difference between -- -- it's not inconsistent? >> it's not inconsistent because what he was talking about our two fundamentally different things. removing the tax deductibility of any part of your health care and capping -- taxing insurance companies to offer a health care plan in excess of 23,000-dollar limit -- they are not in the same ballpark, they are not even

in the same state. >> but you don't dispute with the -- about here and now point that unions may cut one in four of their rank-and-file workers could be affected by the tax structure in the senate bill and negatively. you don't dispute that, do you? >> and that's something i'm sure will come up in the president's meeting today. >> so that's an implication of the senate bill. >> if you will acknowledge that the president has talked about and supports and making the point that somehow that's analogous to what he opposed with senator mccain's proposal isn't all close to being a reality, crux cat scan at sure, amine -- but i've never -- i've not gone down that road. i'm just asking -- >> no, but in that the event you were to travel down that road. [laughter] >> he doesn't answer hypothetical st [laughter] >> right, he doesn't do hypothetical. the spokesperson's 81 that one. >> you're saying the president would abide by basically what he said in the campaign, which is those workers who did negotiate

so that they had better health care instead of wage increases, that they would not be impacted? >> that's something they are going to discuss today. go to christi and then i will come back. >> two different topics if i can. first as the white couch as chief of staff signal to the president he's entertaining the idea to run any office or do anything else? democratic that he addressed this on savanna new cable show seen daily at 9 a.m.. [laughter] know, i think that he committed to savannah to be here through 2010. >> she did. and that's msnbc. [laughter] >> are there any other high-level personnel changes coming -- [laughter] >> none that i'm aware of, no pity is to get back to the yen and transfers or the guantanamo transfers for just a minute. are you still going forward as before with repatriations to other countries? >> we are continuing the process, whereby the task force

evaluates all that are there for the status of their case and to understand how inclosing guantanamo bay they will be dealt with. >> so there's no other kind of pulled on the country? >> nope. >> are people going into rehabilitation programs and in any country at all? is that still under -- >> we have, this is like the third -- we just are not going to get into the specifics of the agreements that are ultimately made in terms of transfer. >> okay. but can you say are you reviewing the saudi we have a program right now? >> again, we are making determinations about -- making determinations about each case at guantanamo bay. >> and is any one of those determinations that you are suspending possible transfer into their rehab program in saudi arabia? >> i'm sure they continue to evaluate but there have not been any pronouncements on that. yes, ma'am. >> robert, last week governor schwarzenegger urged his

congressional delegation either to make sure california got samet katyusha as nebraska or else vote against the health care bill. does the white house support extending nebraska payment system nationwide? >> i would say this, that the president obviously understands greatly the fiscal situation the governors find themselves in. i think a pretty good understanding of how should the president feels is a big chunk of the recovery act was for fmap medicaid funding to go to help the states out of their fiscal situation. and the president wants to work with governors and understanding in tough economic times and in taught budget times taking on new challenges. so we are going to continue to work with governors. >> so what should be open to the idea? >> i think that's certainly part of the discussion. yes, sir. >> back to yemen, the fact that the president of yemen is even talking about talking to al qaeda seems to sort of have thrown quite a large conflict

with the administration's's policy. is the white house confident that the president of yemen is -- can be relied on to help combat extremism? >> yes, as evidence of the steps that he's taken over there the last many months to deal with it, absolutely. and we believe -- we believe that the president is taking the necessary steps, and we continue to support his efforts to combat extremism. yes, sir. >> i have two questions, robert. on friday, you asked rudy giuliani's comments that there were no domestic attacks under bush. and since he revised his statements to say that he meant to say no domestic ducks under american soil by islamic terrorists since 9/11. >> i think that's accurate. >> and my second question -- sprick i mean, you know -- >> okay. that was fast. >> welcome no, no, i mean, i think what was missing was --

>> well, i mean -- right. >> what was missing from -- >> there are several examples those that don't fit so i wanted to see -- >> i would say this, i can go through vast numbers of examples. my point was the mayor of new york had forgotten about an attack that happened in new york during that last administration, and i was caught off guard by the fact, as i think anybody that might have been watching was sort of caught off guard by what he was saying and what he meant to say. >> are you satisfied with the clarification in that -- >> i'd have to look at what other instances he has -- again, my point of contention was september 11th, which i thought was weird that he had forgotten. >> into the second question. there is a story on the front page of the daily collar today, saying to the koza something like -- >> what's that? [laughter] >> werries john? that joke is no good if he's not here. sorry, go ahead. >> the story had line is something to the effect the

christmas donner was singing like a canary until the obama administration read him his rights. i remember there was a briefing last weekend, and john brennan said something like i don't know if he put this fine point on it, but is it true that the fbi satisfied that they've gotten all the information that they could out of the suspect before he lawyer gup? i thought i heard something like that. >> i think what i have said and what john said is the fbi questioned the terrorist suspect after the incident, and were satisfied with what they -- the usable information they got, absolutely. >> there's no feeling they left something out of the field there? >> or on the table. >> robert, why isn't the president going to campaign for martha coakley? is a tight race, very important to his agenda potential. >> it's just not on the schedule to go to next week. >> has he been asked by the coakley campaign to come? dak not that i'm aware of.

>> has he been asked to stay away? >> not that i'm aware of. [laughter] >> is to conserve -- it just doesn't make any sense -- is concerned that his current popularity ratings -- if he goes up that might hurt her campaign? >> nope. >> so it's -- it's just not on the schedule. it's the schedulers, actually, who has decided not to send him? [laughter] >> no, i didn't say it was -- you didn't ask me that. we just -- it's not on the schedule as a trip the president is going to make. >> thanks, robert. >> robert, it looks like harold ford is very serious about jumping into the senate race in new york. what is the white house's position of having a candidate like harold ford room for the senate seat? >> look, i think the white house is quite happy with the leadership and the representation of senator jalabert and in new york, and as many or in the