christy parson from "the l.a. times" asked about a decision by the administration to not release the names of health industry executives who have gone to the white house to consult on health care reform. in "the l.a. times" today it was reported the administration explanation or argument was quite literally the same argument dick cheney had made in 2001 about not releasing the names of executives who had visited the energy task force he was running at the time. the president said something tonight about a letter having been sent about this with those executives' names. can you explain that? >> yes. we released the names of the executives that have been at the white house to talk to the president about health care. i'll be happy to e-mail that pdf of that letter to you. what is referred to in "the l.a. times" is there is continuing ongoing litigation involving white house records and the energy task force that the vice president chaired in 2001 that you just mentioned. that's litigation that continues in the courts

christy parson from "the l.a. times" asked about a decision by the administration to not release the names of health industry executives who have gone to the white house to consult on health care reform. in "the l.a. times" today it was reported the administration explanation or argument was quite literally the same argument dick cheney had made in 2001 about not releasing the names of executives who had visited the energy task force he was running at the time. the president said something tonight about a letter having been sent about this with those executives' names. can you explain that? >> yes. we released the names of the executives that have been at the white house to talk to the president about health care. i'll be happy to e-mail that pdf of that letter to you. what is referred to in "the l.a. times" is there is continuing ongoing litigation involving white house records and the energy task force that the vice president chaired in 2001 that you just mentioned. that's litigation that continues in the courts

christie parson. >> you promised health care negotiations would take place on c-span and that has not happened. nord ministries and recently turned down a request from a watchdog group seeking a list of health care executives who visited the white us to talk about health care reform. also, the t.a.r.p. inspector general recently said your white house of withhold and to much information on the bank bailout so my question for you is are you fulfilling a promise of transparency and the white house? >> on the list of health care executives who visited us, most of the time you guys have been in there taking pictures though it has not been a secret and my understanding is we sent a letter out providing a full list of all the executives, but frankly these have mostly been at least photos phrase for you could see who was participating. with respect to while the negotiations not being on c-span, you will recall in this very room that our kickoff event was here on c-span, and at a certain point, you know you start getting into all kinds of different meetings, the senate finance is having a meet

christy parson. >> in your campaign you promised health care negotiations would take place on c-span. that hasn't happened. your administration recently turned down a request from a watchdog group seeking a list of health care executives who visited the white house to talk about health care reform. also the t.a.r.p. inspector general recently said your white house is with holding too much information on the bank bailout. my question for you is are you fulfilling your promise of transparency in the white house? >> well, on the list of health care executives who have visited us, most of the time, you guys have been in there taking pictures, so it hasn't been a secret. my understanding is we just sent a letter out providing a full list of all the executives. frankly, these have mostly been at least photos where you could see who was participating. with respect to all the negotiations not being on c-span, you will recall in this very room that our kick-off event was here, on c-span. and at a certain point, you start getting into all kinds of different meetings, senate finance is having a

christie parsons. is year round? i'm disappointed. do have any members of the foreign press here? christy's spot for this. >> thank you very much. what i cannot hear you though. can somebody make sure the mike is working? >> you been talking about the state sovereignty. how you reconcile that with the responsibility to protect, which used to be the cornerstone? >> i am sorry. how they reconcile that with the responsibility to protect it? >> which used to be the cornerstone of hope for a lot of people in post-war context. >> define a standard question correctly, on the one hand we think that respecting the sovereignties of nations is important. we do not want traditions bullying weaker nations. on the other hand, where you have nations that oppressing their people -- isn't there an international responsibility to intervene? it is one of the most difficult questions in international affairs. i do not think that there is a clean formula. what i would say is in general it is important for the sovereignty of nations to be respected and to resolve conflicts between nations diplomacy in

christy parson, the hometown gal. >> christy is not here. >> i'm disappointing.very much. >> can somebody make sure the mike's working. >> it's on? >> yes. >> on this trip you've been talking about the state's sovereignty as cornerstone of international order. how do you reconcile that with the concept of responsibility to protect which used to be the cornerstone? >> how do i reconcile that with the responsibility to protect which used to be what? >> the cornerstone of hope for lots of people in post war context? >> if i understand your question correctly, on the one hand we think that respecting the sovereignties of nation states is important. we don't want stronger nations bullying weaker nations. on the other hand where you have nations that are oppressing their people, isn't there an international responsibility to intervene? it is one of the most difficult questions in international affairs, and i don't think that there is a clean formula. what i would say is that in general it's important for the sovereignty of nations to be respected and to resolve conflic

christy parsons, hometown girl is chris around? >> she's not here. >> hristy's not here? nted. you know, do we have any membe of the foreign pre here? yeah, i'll use christy's sp for -- just so that you guy have a chance to a a question. thank you very much. >> i'morry, i can't hear you, though. can somedy make sure the ke's working? >> reporter: it's on? >> yeah. >>eporter: on this treaty you've been talkingbout the state svereignty as international oer. how you reconle that with the ccept of responsibility protect whichused to be the cornerstone for a lot of victims. >> i'm sorry, how do ireconcile at with the responsibility to prect? >> reporter: yeah. >> which used to be what? reporter: the rnerstone of hopeor a lot of people in post-war. >> if understand your question correctly,n the one hand, we thk that respecng the sovereignties of nation states is important. we don' want stroer nations llyi weaker nations. on the other hand, where you haveations that are oppressing their people, isn't there an international responsibility to inrvene? it is one of the most difficul

christie parson. >> you promised health care negotiations would take place on c-span and that has not happened. nord ministries and recently turned down a request from a watchdog group seeking a list of health care executives who visited the white us to talk about health care reform. also, the t.a.r.p. inspector general recently said your white house of withhold and to much information on the bank bailout so my question for you is are you fulfilling a promise of transparency and the white house? >> on the list of health care executives who visited us, most of the time you guys have been in there taking pictures though it has not been a secret and my understanding is we sent a letter out providing a full list of all the executives, but frankly these have mostly been at least photos phrase for you could see who was participating. with respect to while the negotiations not being on c-span, you will recall in this very room that our kickoff event was here on c-span, and at a certain point, you know you start getting into all kinds of different meetings, the senate finance is having a meet