and north korea will pay a price for its actions. it is obviously the case that they have behaved irresponsibly in the past and i would not be surprised to see them behave irresponsibly in the future. will be focused on the full and effective implementation of this regime. we believe its full implementation will have a substantial impact on north korea. we're working with china, russia, south korea, japan, other neighboring states -- states that have a great stake as we do. they went along with these measures because they also believe that a strong signal needed to be sent to north korea and we fully expect them to implement this cooperative lee with us and others. . .

and more broadly in the northeast asian region. we're working together for that and. the message to north korea is that it does not benefit from taking further steps to destabilize the peninsula, or the larger region. it pays a price for that action. >> what was the reason you gave [inaudible] >> no symbolic message at all. we have worked extremely hard over the course -- that is another question. we have worked extremely hard over the last two and a half

plus weeks with colleagues to get to where we got to today. we were confident that we were going to get a unanimous vote. and a strong set of statements by members of the council, we have that and with that i was comfortable with being here today. >> if there is a change in government, [inaudible] >> american policy with respect to iran and its nuclear program is not dependent on which administration is governing iran. our view is that iran -- the lives -- is a limit republic of iran ought to not pursue its nuclear program. its nuclear weapons program and that will not change depending on the outcome of the election. the president has very clear that all states have the ability to pursue peaceful uses of

nuclear power. >> one more and we will let her get back to work. >> last tuesday, [inaudible] north korea said they would consider any sanctions as a declaration of war and it would use atomic weapons. do you take that seriously or do you think [inaudible] and what would you do in case they do what they said? >> i do not want to speculate as to what north korea might do or to get into predicting our response to a hypothetical. the point is that north korea's actions have been dangerous and destabilizing. they have been met with a clear and strong response from the international community. the message that north korea should take from that is it will not succeed and we will not rewarded by pursuing actions that are illegal, dangerous, and

are destabilizing. >> thank you. >> >> [inaudible] >> thank you, april. that was very kind of you. we have as i think you know, we have said we are taking the steps we deem appropriate to secure the swift and unconditional release of the journalists. it is not productive to elaborate what those are. suffice it to say that the president and administration is concerned about these two young women. one has a 4-year-old child at home and we think as a matter of

humanitarian gesture as well as a requirement that it would -- the right thing for north korea to do is to release these women immediately and unconditionally. we're working hard towards that end. >> do you know about the condition -- their condition? >> i do not. >> does the administration? >> we have had a third party visitation and from those visitations, they seem to be in good health. that is where i am not sure -- >> [inaudible] >> i do not know the answer to that. thank you very much. >> just a little taller than the

ambassador. we will do the week ahead and i will take some questions. the president will spend a week in washington with no scheduled public events. monday morning at 9:30 a.m., the president will deliver a speech at the annual meeting of the american medical association alliance -- chicago. that is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. central time. he will return at 3:45 p.m. eastern time and will meet with italian prime minister in the oval office. on tuesday he will meet with willlee south korea and wednesday, he will attend meetings and an event at the white house. the same scheduled for thursday, thursday evening he will attend a fund-raiser for the dscc and dcc events and that evening will

attend the radio and tv correspondents association dinner in washington. wednesday, just meetings and an event in the white house. >> i wanted to ask where the white house and administration skills, you stand now towards moving or closing down. >> this week has been marked progress in the transfer and resettlement of detainees, some of which, five of the six of which were mandated by courts in the united states. we continue to make decisions on a case by case basis on detainees as those cases come. again, i think we have made

progress. we have brought someone to new york early in the week after their recent indictment in order to stand trial for the crimes that he has been indicted for that occurred more than 11 years ago. >> there's there's a chance that -- is there a chance that [inaudible] >> the president said in his speech we are not going to make any decisions about the transfer or release. these cases are being evaluated as they come on a case by case basis. i am not ruling it in or out. i would say also the president on his most recent trip to europe was heartened to hear allies express support for the closure of guantanamo and in confident the strength of their enthusiasm for the closure will

be matched by their willingness to help. i think we have made progress this week. >> one question related to president lee. north korea will be at the top of the agenda for that meeting but there is that outstanding free trade agreement between the countries. will that be part of the agenda? is it possible the presidents can agree? >> i assume they will continue the conversations that the presidents started at the g-20. the president talked about the concern to had with the agreement. i assume that conversation will continue. i think as you said, the primary topic will be that of north korea. as ambassador rice said today,

the united nations, the world together has taken very important steps. the real threat to to north korea, the most forward leaning threat from north korea is it would be any effort to move weapons or weapons of mass destruction or material for weapons for north korea anywhere else. united actions demonstrate the seriousness with which the world takes their provocations. i would say this and i think you heard ambassador rice say this and you followed up and asked about it. i would expect as they have said, a leading up to the vote in the un, just as they said for many months that they will continue taking provocative and

i think the eyes of many of world -- the world, irrational actions. i do not doubt they will continue on those steps. >> how do you respond to the charge that in a hurry to make the president's deadline of closing guantanamo within one year, some decisions are being made without proper consultation and a senior state department official said yesterday the british government was "pissed" there were not consulted. >> if i am not mistaken and i do not want to parse the word "pissed." they were not pleased with the governor of bermuda. >> they were "pissed" at

president obama. >> there may be a lot of them. i think that -- the issue of the fact that you are trying to make this deadline. for that reason, there has been criticism that the decision was made to close and there was a plan with what to do with the detainees. the decisions are made on a case by case basis. there the day you could not or what -- would not say what would happen to ghilani if he is or is not guilty. the british government is not happy. clearly, you are trying to make this deadline. decisions are being made before there is completely a plan in place for everything. >> i think i would obviously take -- i do not think that is true.

that any of these decisions are being made in a hasty way. let's take for instance, as i have mentioned, five of six transferees this week were required by a federal court. the uighurs that we discussed, five of them will transfer in 2005 -- were transferred in 2005 or 2006 to albania. they have no record of acting violent since that transfer. i do not -- the court ruled that of the remaining 17, one should not be labeled an enemy combatant. the bush administration labeled the other 16 being held as not enemy combatants. they have been waiting for a

location for resettlement. i do not think moving them was hasty. i do not think the decisions that are being made are hasty. as i said earlier, i think bringing somebody to trial after committing a crime 11 years ago, indicted on 286 charges, responsible for taking part allegedly in the death of 224 individuals including 12 americans in 1998, since it is 2009, i do not think many people would think that is tasty. the president and his team are 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 demand it. >> the president's former mentor and spiritual advanadviser had e

words to say about "them jews" and was wondering if the president was aware of these comments. >> i have not talked to the president. i do not have a comment except to refer you to the last time the president spoke about reverend wright in late april of 2008. i refer you to those comments. >> any reaction to the newspaper reports in south korea that kim jong il's is son is being groomed to take over, but the title we have been given is brilliant comrade. any reaction from the white house? >> i do not have anything specific on that.

>> when the president made some comments around the smoking and tobacco act, i noticed the president did not refer back to his personal experiences with smoking and struggles. i wonder of smoking continues to be a struggle for the president. >> the president would likely tell you as anybody would that has smoked or been addicted to smoking that it is a lifelong struggle. >> is it a daily struggle? >> his days -- i think that is covered. >> he mentioned the cairo speech and the lebanese elections. i wondered if you made the connection between his speech and what has happened in lebanon and iran in terms of the election. did he take credit for what is going on? >> i think as we have talked about in here, i do think that the reaction around the world to the president's speech,

particularly in the muslim world has been i think beneficial. to our efforts at recasting ourselves in the world. i think we were certainly heartened by a the large turnout in lebanon and what appears to be a large turnout in iran. >> [inaudible] >> i have seen people say who are more well versed in foreign policy than i am that the president's speech has had a positive impact. 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 in choosing a government has had an impact around the world. >> [unintelligible] and in india he is so popular that [unintelligible] my question is that, since he was in the muslim world in turkey and egypt, do you think that he will continue to have a high rating in those parts of the world in the muslim world because they also have a high rating at this time. his message to the muslim world, do you think this is [unintelligible] and an investment for the

future in democracies? >> the president has dedicated a significant amount of his time since coming to the white house in reaching out to the muslim world and becoming engaged in the search for long-term peace in the middle east. i think he believes it will pay significant dividends to keeping our country say. as i said earlier, to improving our image throughout the world. >> he will be speaking to the american medical association on monday. since he believes in your gut and had a a good teacher, a friend of mine says -- >> where are you going with this one? >> yoga can treat people at no

cost and can save billions of dollars. do you think he is ready to declare that yoga could be part of -- >> let me cleave to the fact that i have not seen the final draft of the speech. i do not know the amount that yoga -- i will take your follow- up and you can -- when you can put your legs behind her head and ask the question. -- behind your head and ask the question. [laughter] >> [inaudible] >> i think the ama mr. they put out a statement clarifying where -- yesterday put out a statement clarifying. people involved in the debate

are flexible to what goes through congress. >> [unintelligible] >> the doctors have had a seat at the table for quite awhile. doctors are on the front lines of almost every medical decision. the president will walk through the case for health care reform. he will touch on many topics that are important to them that are going to be made in this process about not simply -- about both how medicine is delivered and how that efficiency can be improved. i think he will touch on a number of those topics in his speech. >> does he always [unintelligible] when there is opposition? >> i am confused about what you are referring to. >> because he does not have

boats, -- votes [unintelligible] >> that he would not push for public auction -- a public auction? yesterday's event my did note that he pushed quite clearly for a public auction that as he said again yesterday, provides tours for the american people and competition that is needed in the marketplace of many different insurers. i think the president has outlined the principles he would like to see in reform and this is not about getting any piece of legislation through. this is -- has to make a difference. this has to cut costs for families and small business. this has to do with many of the problems that we struggle with for a long time. this is not just getting

something through for that site. >> following up on that, -- he did clearly make a place for the public auction yesterday. my question is and there is many ways a public auction could be structured. isn't he saying that if a bill came to him with nothing that resembles a public auction, that he would not sign that bill? has he not gone quite that far? >> i do not think we would draw quite that strong a red line. i think the president believes both in the campaign and in the letter that he sent some time last week but d noted that he thought it was extremely important to have as i have said

here increase trace and better competition. i think he believes that can be a healthy part of a final plan. >> does he think that other elements of his plan, for instance, employer responsibility are just as important? >> i would refer you to the letter i think that al lines fairly clearly the principles of where he stands at this point. >> to follow-up, it does president obama still sometimes smoke? >> i think it is -- struggling with the nicotine addiction is something that happens every day. >> does the president advocate a ban on cigarettes in america? >> i do not believe he does. >> is that a political decision, in economic decision, or health decision?

considering that yesterday he singled out tater tots that i took offense at. >> i am with you. [laughter] i have to tell you. i will be honest with you. in the time allotted for me to get ready for this, i will admit we did not cover yoga or tater tots and i will talk to these guys. little did i know that -- let me switch. i will not use the tater tots example. i think the president believes and i think you heard him say today the legislation that passed and is going his way appropriately regulates in his

mind tobacco, particularly as it is marketed to kids and strongly supports that and will sign the bill into law. i will follow-up with him on the tater tots. >> on the health care and chicago next monday. the president mentioned yesterday that extra revenue will be needed. will there be a package coming from the white house at some point [unintelligible] and the as the white house have to wait for a score or does he have some figure in mind? >> i would say this. in the original budget that the white house submitted was a significant down payment toward health care reform. over $600 billion in a 10-year

period. 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 are -- pay private insurers extra money to do what they already should be doing in the form of a middle man payment. i think the president will in short order out line additional ways that efficiency can be brought to the system in

achievable and score will savings -- scorable savings that will enhance the robust downpayment he has outlined. >> what is the shortfall? >> i do not know that -- obviously, some of that scoring will be dependent on the parameters of what plan is adopted. you heard the president talking about the fact that there should be some basic elements in health care -- a health care plan. it is hard to figure the final scoring number out. the president in short order will be even more specific than he has been. as you mentioned, $600 billion in achievable savings, this will even more enhance the down

payment. >> when is he going to do that? you talked about that yesterday. when is he going to do that? >> i am waiting for this saturday radio address. >> did i do that in the week ahead? >> one more on smoking during the campaign. he regularly chewed the correct. is he still doing that? >> i assume so. >> that would close out the range. >> a yoga and tater tots  question. >> i