even considering the human rights record? but that the product? >> today's meeting will address the relationship between the u.s. and colombia. we hope that the meeting represents a deeper cooperation with an important ally. i think part of that cooperation -- part of that friendship -- part of that relationship is bringing ouup when you disagreen human rights. .

>>, and back to the tax pledge things, the campaign promise. is it fair to interpret that you have opened the door? he said during the campaign that you will not raise taxes on people that make more than $250,000 a year. >> i love us playing out wimbledon without the benefit of a grass court. we will let congress do its job. we will let the president do in

his job. i think you will see a reform bill come to his desk later this year, one that he will sign. >> is it fair to say that he is not allowing himself to be boxed in? >> they are watching congress do its job. >> i have a trade-related question. over the last month, wall street is looking for a strong signal from the white house. can you repeat again were capped and trade is going? >> first of all, cap and trade is something that generates

revenue through pollution credit. cap and trade and the comprehensive energy legislation that the house passed and that this president -- and the recovery plan are laying the foundation of long-term a cut -- economic growth. getting our economy back on track and creating jobs is part of bringing down that deficit. i think most people understand that in some ways to our deficit has gotten worse because the economy is worse. bringing the economy back will not fix the deficit. >> it does raise revenue.

some of that will be used for tax credits to spur those energy jobs. >> has the president considered putting on the vote in congress license plate? but then decided against it? >> i have not talked to him about that. nor have i talked to him about the car either. >> this is an issue that makes people's blood boil. them i am amazed -- you have a president who is changing the status of the district. what could be more important?

>> it is in during that you are equating this -- go ahead. >> when you say changing the status of the district, what do you mean? am i think the legislation is making its way through congress. >> on the story the other day that the administration is considering drafting an executive order to give the president authority for permanent detentions at guantanamo bay, is that happening? >> during the course of the day you saw that story migrate into something when it first appeared on the internet, they had to do it. it only change three times in a 4 hour. .

i think the president addressed the notion of the very tough issue, the administration is likely to face. we are going to have detainee's who will be hard to prosecute and too dangerous to be released. while the administration is considering a series of options -- a range of options -- there are legal theories that we have inherent authority, this will not be proceeded. >> -- against the law? >> i hope that my language did not confuse the two issues. i think there are, without

getting into specifics, classified or intelligence, they are more likely to --? as i said earlier, these are people that the great majority recognize that they may not be able to be dealt with for prosecution, but at the same time they are too dangerous to release. >> does the president have any comment on the firefighters supreme court decision? >> i have not talk specifically about it. i think one thing is clear. doubt ruling by judge sotomayor was based on the president of the second circuit. the supreme court had a new

interpretation of title 7, the civil rights act. i think some of the very concerns that members of the senate have expressed about judicial activism seemed to be at the very least, upside-down in this case. the ruling on the second circuit to those that she has expressed. >> will there be any consequences at her confirmation hearing? >> i don't think this will represent anything serious about her seat on the supreme court. i would note that one of the rulings that came down today in an important first amendment case is that the court will hear

a case on october the ninth. i think that underscores the importance of ensuring that we get a new supreme court nominee there in order to become -- in order to be an active participant, rather than a 4-4 decision. i know as we get closer to the fourth, we will have different things. we want to have her be an active participant in what the supreme court hears. >> do you know what you think

the role call will be? belmont know. the last two supreme court nominees, i don't see the vote changing because they had cases either reversed -- let me separate that, judge alito had three cases reversed by the supreme court and is now a member of the supreme court. judge roberts had a case reversed out of the supreme court as the setting chief justice of the supreme court. i think that there is little political significance to whatever the court decided today, in terms of judge sotomayor. it rendered a fairly definitive opinion that she follows

judicial president -- president. it is interesting the people that criticize her, in essence, i think you have seen a new interpretation of a piece of legislation by a court. her critics are criticizing her ruling based on judicial precedent. it is interesting to watch the gymnastics. > i think it is an interesting, new interpretation of law that has been reviewed by many judges, in many courts, judges

supported by republicans and democrats. >> on global warming, republicans have questioned about endangerment even before it was announced in april 17th. in the course of one a senior analyst said i have these findings, i would like to distribute these as part of the process. and the administration said the findings don't need to be distributed. the president pledged when he signed the stem cell executive order to use science in a non- political way out -- way, to be transparent and not prejudge

things. do you have any comment on this? >> i have not seen those females. -- e-mail's. one of the things we spoke about in this administration was coming in danger was a policy -- the result of a court case that would require action in the absence of legislative acts. this administration has always maintained that the best course of going forward wasn't through administration action, but through a process that included a use of congress. covers made an important step in that on friday in a moving forward on legislation that will, for the first time, mandate the curtailing of greenhouse gas emissions. that is the preferred method

that this administration would like to see addressed and discussed. >> will the president recommend to the senate to drop the tariff position of the house? >> he has concerns about the positions. i think the bill is likely i don't know about this provision -- but it will likely look a little different coming out of the senate. that two have to be reconciled. >> coverage today, at the gay community is divided over whether or not the present -- president has done enough. can you talk about the president's thinking about this?

>> i appreciate the question about mollifying the community. that is not the way the president looks at this important issue. if you go back and look at the campaign for the senate or president, he believes -- his beliefs are consistent with his values. he did not play a lot of interest-based politics in the presidential race. that was denoted by the fact that he did not get a lot of endorsements. i will not get ahead of what he will say, but i think he will address a number of issues and reaffirm commitments that he has made. >> the president has talked

about repealing don't ask don't tell. can you tell me, what specific steps has he taken to do this? what is the time line for doing it? he has not endorsed it. why not? >> the president has been involved in personally meetings on this topic with stakeholders. i don't know if he has met with members of congress on that. i can try to get a list of staff that has work on the issue.

it is a commitment that he intends to keep. >> can you talk a little bit more about the meetings he has had? how recently has he had these meetings? >> ever since january 20th. >> next week at the g-eight. can the present support this kind of discussion? >> i have not seen what they are considering. i think the president would want to look at what is being considered before rendering a judgment on that. >> what about the recount seem to wrap up very quickly after it started. then i have not talked to him about that. i know we continue to have concerns about the way this election was conducted. more importantly --

>> what about the president's continuing to worship at camp david? >> he has not made any decisions about joining a church. in the past couple of weeks he goes to camp david, he has attended services at the chapel. he enjoys the pastor there. they are not formally joining that church. there have been no formal -- formal decisions about joining a church in this area. i will say, one aspect of the article that is true, as i mentioned here was the discussion that the president continues to have about the destructive nature of this -- on

any particular sunday, in some churches are discussed in the article. obviously, he shares a strong belief, a very personal -- personal nature to ones spirituality. i think he believes that it may take away from the experience that others may get. >i think they will continue to look for a formal church home. when he is at camp david, he will continue to go to the chapel there. he has told us that he really enjoys it. >> on guantanamo, the president does not -- plan to take unilateral action to cut out

congress. that does not mean you are going in that direction of the national security force, which would be cooperative. >> there have been a number of stories about that, that has tried to advance the positions that had yet to be made here. i don't know whether those are being litigated among departments, but no final decision has been made. >you have seen over the past few weeks, progress, particularly with statements by the european union, individual countries and their desire to share the responsibility transferring detainee's.

we have seen more detainees that were ordered released by a court transfer to bermuda. others to saudi arabia. i think we are making progress on what i think everybody understood and believes is a very complicated issue. >> is this a case that -- during an inquiry to the head of state? am i think there is a vote on that. i don't think anybody -- if this was easy, we would have done it already. i think we understand that it is complicated. my larger point is, a number of stores appeared on friday and over the weekend, significantly ahead of decisions being made.

>> democrat congressman -- resolution no. 5? >> i tend to get it mixed up with the joint house resolution --. i would have to, at the conclusion of our time together here today, it is the repeal of the 22nd amendment. does he support that? steny hoyer in 2006 came out in the paper to support the spirit does he favor the repeal of the

22nd amendment or not? the i think the president is in support of an amendment that would limit his time as president to eight years. >> the armed services committee voted to restore funding for seven f-22's. are you losing this battle? >> no, there is not a lot of support for that weapons program at the pentagon. the determination they made in going forward, that is not a weapon system they believe should be a priority moving

forward. our administration set out a statement of administration policy that said that funding and funding for other aircraft were in legislation, that senior advisers at the white house would advocate a veto of that. >> five years ago, when president aristide of haiti was overthrown by the military, the previous administration recognized a new government by the chief justice. under the haitian constitution, he was an extensive section. -- next in secession. in honduras, their president is ousted.

the new president is in accordance with honduran law. >> what we saw over the course of the week and was is the fear -- was a severe this function in a democratic norms. we haven't changed the recognition of who we believe is the president of the country. >> my other question is on the calls the president has made to members of congress as to cap and trade, is the promise to it -- did he promise campaign help for people in trouble in their districts? >> i was not a participant in those calls, but i can assure

you the president's affirmed his commitment. the policy position that they were taking in helping to explain to their constituents and to the american public that this bill will create jobs and lessening our dependence on foreign oil, which is a national-security problem and an informal problem, he is a strong advocate for this. >> what is the administration's reaction to west bank settlements? have you seen reports that israel might consider a three- six month suspension of building during a peace discussion with the palestinians? is that something the president would work towards? >> i think the president has

outlined the responsibility involved, as he sees them, a process building towards long- term peace. i don't want to get ahead of very important meetings tomorrow between the parties. we are optimistic about making progress. >> in the stand there could be a snafu with the signing of the president's speech on the 13th. obama i don't know of any snafus. i will talk to scheduling.

>> they were saying that the timing, what they wanted people to come out, and it is not feasible for what the president wants. the white house is saying one time and they are saying another. >> scheduling will have all the answers. >> any reaction on the birdied madoff think? -- bernie madoff thing? >> we have appointed a special master to look into the compensation practices of banks and lending institutions that

receive assistance under the tarp program. that is in the process of beginning. the president and his id ministration are implementing wide-reaching reforms. i think the president has outlined his views on this clearly since the administration began. on the first one, i think, obviously the judge wanted to send a very strong signal to anybody that invests money on behalf of others of the responsibility that they