has been marked progress in the transfer and resettlement of detainees, some of which five of the six of which are mandated by courts here in the united states. obviously, we continue to make decisions on the case-by-case basis on detainees, and, again, i think we have made progress. we brought some went to new york earlier in the week after their recent indictment for crimes that occurred more than 11 years ago. >> anyone that would be suitable with release? >> look, again, the president has said and said in his speech

that we have not made any decisions on cases that threaten the security of this country, and these are being about even on a case-by-case basis. i am not ruling it in, and i am not ruling it out. i would say the president on his most recent trip in europe was heartened to hear other allies expressto express their desire s closure, and this will be matched by their willingness to help, so i think that we have made progress. >> one question. it seems obvious that north korea will be at the top of your agenda for that meeting, but there is also the top standing free trade agreement between the two of you countries. is it possible to presidents could agree on some sort of path? >> well, -- is it possible for

the president's to agree on some sort of path -- for the presidents? >> the president talked at the g-20 about some of the concerns with the agreement that he had. i assume the conversation will continue, and i think as ambassador rice said today, the united nations has taken a very important step. any effort to move weapons or weapons of mass destruction or the material for weapons from north korea to someone else, i think today's imported and

united actions demonstrate the importance that the world takes their provocations. i will say this, and i think you heard ambassador rice say this, and you are certainly followed up. i would fully expect, as they have said, - you have certainly followed up. they have said that they will continue taking provocative, and i think in the eyes of many in the world, irrational actions, and i do not doubt that they will continue those steps. yes, sir? >> i have two questions, robert. first, how do you respond to the charge that in a hurry to muggy president's deadline of closing guantánamo within one year, some decisions are being made -- how do you respond to the charge that in a hurry to meet the president's deadline of quotas in guantanamo -- the deadline of

closing guantánamo -- >> i did not want to parse the word, but if i read most of those stores correctly, they were not pleased with the government. >> the obama administration is what we had been told. >> maybe i misread both of those stories, but maybe they were "pissed" at both of them. >> the fact you were trying to make the deadline, for that reason, there has been criticism that the decision was made to close before the was a full plan of what to do with all the detainees, and that the decisions are being made, as you

said, on the case-by-case basis, and unit said he did not know what happened to that man if he was found guilty. obviously, the british are not happy, regardless of who they are not happy with -- clearly, you are trying to do this, and decisions are being made before there is completely a plan in place for everything. >> well, i think i would, obviously, -- i do not think that is true that any of these decisions are being made in a hasty way. as i mentioned, five of the six transferees just this week or required by a federal court. the ones we have discussed, five of them are transferred in 2005 or 2006 to albania. i do not know if that was a

hasty decision. i do not think that would be considered hasty. the court ruled that of the remaining 17, one should not be labeled an enemy combatant, and the bush administration labeled after that the other 16 being held as not an enemy combatant. -- not enemy combatants. i do not think moving them was hasty, and i do not think the decisions being made are hasty. as i said earlier this week, i think bringing somebody to trial after a crime 11 years ago, indicted on all of those charges, responsible for taking part, allegedly, in the death of 20024 individuals, including 12 americans in 1998 -- in the death of 21 to 24 individuals -- 224 individuals, i do not think

that is tasty. the government is going through this process in a very methodical way, understanding that it is complex, but the benefits to our security and to our image in the world demands it. >> a question, the president's former mentor and spiritual adviser, the reverend wright, things that are preventing him from talking to the president. i was wondering if the president was aware of these comments. >> i have not talked to him about these comments. i do not have any comment on it. the last time the president spoke about reverend wright in late april 2008, i would refer to youtube -- refer you to those comments.

>> south korea, kim jong-il, the youngest son being groomed to take over. a brilliant comrade. >> he said the same thing about -- >> any reaction at all from the white house? >> no, i do not have anything specific on that, no. >> and today, when the president made some comments abound -- around smoking, i am wondering if smoking continues to be a struggle for the president? >> i think the president would likely tell you as many would that has smoked or has been addicted to smoking that is a lifelong struggle. >> is a feeling struggle for him? >> since there are days comprise

within your lifetime, i think that is covered. >> i think it was mentioned the cairo speech, and i just wondered if you wanted to make any connection between what has been happening in lebanon and the election? does he take any credit for it? >> well, i think, as we have talked about it in here, i do think that the reaction around the world to the president's speech, particularly in the muslim war, has been, i think, beneficial. -- particularly in the muslim world. we were certainly heartened by the large turnout in lebanon and what appears to be a large turnout in iraq. i have seen people said that are far more well versed in for a

policy than i am that the president's speech has had a positive impact, but i do not think it would be -- i do not want to draw too many conclusions at this point. i do think that having someone stand up, as he did, where he did, and speak passionately about choosing, taking part in elections and choosing a government has had an impact around the world. yes? >> a very high approval rating, and in india, he is so popular that i have a friend who wants to present him with a portrait.

in turkey and egypt. do you think that he will continue to have a high rating? and the muslim world, they also have a very high rating at this time. also the investment for democracy there. >> look, again, i think the president has dedicated, obviously, a significant amount of time since coming to the white house in reaching out to both the muslim world and also to be looking for peace in the middle east, and i think he believes that he would pay some of and dividends to keeping the country safe and to improving our image around the world.

>> this president -- a yoga teacher at the white house. >> where are you going with this one. declaring that yoga can be part -- >> let me cleave to the part that i have not seen the final speech. i will take it that you can put your legs behind your head and ask questions. >> and had to do with the ama.

a public plan or some variation on a public plan. >> offering the doctors a seat at the table if they take it. if they do not, is at their own peril. >> the doctors, as everybody have, have had a seat at the table. obviously, doctors are on the frontlines of almost every medical decision. i think the president will walk through the case for health care reform. i think he will touch on many topics that are important to him.

i think it will touch on a number of those topics. >> you indicate that because -- that he would push for it. >> that he would not push for a public auction? i do not think i said he would not push for a public auction. i think a fair reading of yesterday's event might denote that he pushed quite clearly for a public auction that as he said, again, yesterday provides toys for the american people and competition that is needed in a

marketplace of many different insurers, and i think the president outlined the principles that he would like to see reforms, and this is not about getting just any piece of legislation through. obviously, this has to make a difference. this has to do with many of the problems. this is not just getting something through with that sake -- for that state. or the yoga, . even i will admit that. >> he did, i believe, clearly make the case for public options. there are many different ways a public auction can be pressured, but is he saying that if it was brought to him with nothing that

even remotely resembles a public auction that he would not fund that bill? or has he not gone quite that far? >> i do not think we would drop quite that strong of a red line -- i think the president believes in the campaign and in the letter that he sent, i do not know, sometime last week, that denoted that he thought it was extremely important to have, as i have said here, increased choice and better competition. i think he believes that can be, no pun intended, a healthy part of the final plan. >> just as important? >> sorry? >> does she think other aspects -- >> i would refer you to the letter -- does he think other aspects -- the principles of which stands. >> and just one more follow-up on the question, to ask it of a more directly -- the principles

on which he stands. >> again, i would simply tell you -- to ask it a little more directly. it is a nicotine addiction that happens every day. >> a ban on cigarettes in america? >> i do not believe he does, no. >> is that a political decision? an economic decision? or a health decision? considering that yesterday, he singled out tater tots, which i took offense to. [laughter] >> mark, i am with you, man. i will tell you. i have to be honest with you. and the time allotted for me to get ready for this, i can admit that we did not cover yoga or tater tots.

frankly, i am going to talk to these guys. let me switch -- yes, i will not use the tteater tots example. i think you're the president said today that the legislation that passed -- i think you heard the president said today that it appropriately regulates in his mind tobacco, particularly as it is marketed to kids, and he strongly supports that and will sign that bill into law. i will follow up with the tater tots. >> the president mentioned yesterday in green bay extra revenue going to be needed. will there be a package coming from the white house?

does the white house have to wait for a cbo, or is there a figure in mind? >> well, i would say this, a couple of things. obviously, in the original budget that the white house submitted was a significant down payment toward health-care reform. i think over $600 billion. it is a 10-year period that included changes for the taxation of charitable contributions for those at the very top of the income scale as well as the president outlining what we have talked about here, which is restructuring aspects of medicare and medicaid that are inefficient in the system, particularly, i think, the biggest example was medicare

plans that pay private insurers extra money to do what they already should be doing in the form of sort of a middle man payment. i think the president will in very short order outlining additional ways -- outline additional ways in which efficiency can be brought to the system with achievable savings and even in a greater way enhance the already robust down payment. >> any idea of what it would be? what is the shortfall? >> obviously, some of that scoring will largely be dependent on the parameters, the parameters of what plan is adopted. i think you have heard the president talk about that there should be some basic elements in

a health-care plan, and so, it is sort of hard to figure the final score number out. i think the president in short order will be even more is specific than he has already been. it was mentioned essex and dollars billion in scordatura and achievable savings -- it was already mentioned $600 billion in scorableeable and achievable savings. i am waiting for the saturday radio address. so write that down. did i do that in the week ahead? yes. >> during the campaign, the

president chose nicorette. is he doing that quite regularly? >> i assume so, yes. i was going to say. a yoga question? tater tots? >> on health care, is coverage for every person and imperative -- an imperative? >> i think the president has spoken about his great desire to see both, and i think that more imperative includes many things. one, as he talked about in the campaign, ensuring that we have to do something for families and small businesses that are fortunate enough to have health insurance as well as

finding a way to bring more people into the system to insure that they have -- ensure that they have a basic plan for health care, and that come in itself, will drive down health care costs, because they will not be going to be emergency room for primary health care. >> there was an advertisement that said that hillary would force everyone to buy insurance even if you could not afford it. there was a title on the screen. one of the things you've indicated to us, that we should consider relevant, is what he said during the campaign. does the president still look at a government structure to garnish wages or some other way to obtain revenue for individual american citizens to pay for health insurance so they come under the umbrella of a new reform system? >> well, let me again not get

ahead of where congress is, because i think you could have -- right. well, again -- you have heard the president discussed the notion of covering millions more americans, but in terms of what specific trigger mechanism might ultimately be in the piece of legislation, i am going to see how congress does it. >> can i ask you, does he agree with what he said during the campaign, that is a bad idea to garnish wages to force people to pay for health insurance. -- for health insurance? >> yes, that is what he said in the campaign. i have not looked at the specific trigger mechanisms that were in some of these other pieces. >> this is a subset of a mechanism which is garnishing wages, -- >>

>> any larger enforcement for an individual or an employer. >> there is a debate this week about general jones. can you describe the confidence he has in general jones as a security advisor, and what about his effectiveness? >> the president has great confidence in general terms, that he is doing a terrific job as a national security adviser. , that he is the leader of what the president considers to be a strong team here at the white house. and i think universal accolades for a team throughout this administration, whether it is those in the intelligence committee, which it community,

those at the pentagon, i think the president believes he has a great team. >> the health care coopt option. does he like it? is in a possible solution? >> i have not talked to him specifically about that. >> there was a discussion with the senators the other day. >> i was entertaining you are and was not in that meeting. i will take one more. margaret? i appreciate that. i will follow up with yoga, tatetr totr tots and -- yes. >> one on the supplemental, and one on iran. there was a point during the speech, he made a point not to say it directly by name, but over the point of last week, not to get involved in the early

election process. i am wondering about that. did president obama feel that the bush administration erred? >> let me not comment on the previous administration except to say that we are certainly watching what is going on in that region of the world, watching the results of this election, but you're not going to see or hear as advocate with specificity for a certain candidate. a desire not for somebody else to pick who is going to govern a different country. >> there is an account in the huffington post in which a freshman democrat -- voting with the president on the supplemental, and i am wondering, is this report accurate? >> what is the basis for the

report? is she saying that about freshmen, because she is not a freshman? i have not read the blog. a freshman, basically as a vote of conscience -- are they still in good standing with the white house? >> we have had meetings with and dealt with members of both parties. i'on some votes, they have been with us. with others, no. there are those that provide the necessary funding that our troops need for both iraq and afghanistan, important money that relates to our ongoing diplomatic efforts in an important country like pakistan,

and there are a lot of other important things in that bill, it something that every health professional knows that has to be undertaken between now and what is expected to be another outbreak of h1n1 in the fall -- there is important funding in their for medical treatment that i think everybody believes is going to be necessary next fall, and we think if people take a look at making sure that our troops have what they need, the diplomatic efforts, that we can match the rhetoric with follow- through, as relates to pakistan, and the very important preparations that are needed to keep our country safe, i think that is the case that