West Wing Week: 4/15/11 or "Open for Business"
Uploaded by whitehouse on 14.04.2011
Transcript:
♪♪ (drum and bugle corps) ♪♪
Narrator: Welcome to the "West Wing Week," your guide to everything that's
happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
This week, with the threat of a government shutdown averted,
President Obama focused on fiscal responsibility,
balancing the need to cut spending and the deficit,
while continuing to support education, clean energy,
and other investments necessary to win the future.
And the Emir of Qatar stopped by.
That's April 8th to the 14th, or "Open for Business."
President Obama: Hey.
(cheering)
Narrator: On Friday, April 8th, budget negotiations continued with
President Obama working with Congressional leadership to
avoid a government shutdown that would go into effect
Friday night at midnight.
The staffs of all concerned parties had worked through
the two previous nights.
Around 10:00 P.M. a deal was struck, and the President went
to the Blue Room to announce the compromise to the press
and the American people.
President Obama: In the final hours before our government would have been
forced to shut down, leaders in both parties reached an
agreement that will allow our small businesses to get the
loans they need, our families to get the mortgages they applied
for, and hundreds of thousands of Americans to show up at work
and take home their paychecks on time,
including our brave men and women in uniform.
(applause)
We're going to have to do more --
Mr. Lew: We have a lot more to do, but we have to start here.
President Obama: Yeah.
Narrator: On Saturday, April 9th, following the successful
resolution of the budget crisis, President Obama made a surprise
trip to greet tourists at the Lincoln Memorial,
which was only open because of the tough choices included in
the eleventh hour bipartisan agreement.
President Obama: I just wanted to say real quick that because Congress was able
to settle its differences, that's why this place is
open today and everybody's able to enjoy their visit,
and that's the kind of future cooperation I hope
we have going forward.
Because this is what America is all about.
Everybody from different places, enjoying those things that bind
us together.
And it's wonderful to spend time with you guys.
I hope you have a great time.
(cheering)
Narrator: On Monday, April 11th, the President had a battery of
meetings, including one on Libya,
to assess conditions on the ground after the change of
command from the U.S. to NATO.
The President also went outside to enjoy the warm
spring weather.
President Obama: Lovely day.
Narrator: And surprised a tour group of students that the president
mentioned in Friday night's speech.
President Obama: How's everybody doing?
Crowd: Good!
Narrator: The eighth graders from Altona Middle School in Longmont,
Colorado, had been concerned that their trip to Washington
might be canceled due to a government shutdown.
The mother of one of the students wrote President
Obama a letter.
President Obama: Not only did things work out, but we figured we'd give you
a little bonus.
Students: Thank you!
Narrator: On Tuesday, April 12th, the President and the Vice President
joined the First Lady and Dr. Biden at the launch of their
initiative called "Joining Forces to Support and Honor
American's Service Members and their Families."
Michelle Obama: You are so funny.
Where did you learn how to do that?
Narrator: The event was the first of several in the First Lady and
Dr. Biden's two-day tour around the nation to raise awareness
about the need to support military families that sacrifice
so much for this country.
Michelle Obama: Joining Forces is a challenge to every segment of American
society to take action, to make a real commitment to supporting
and engaging these families, and I want to thank all of you here
because this campaign is the result of everything that so
many of you have shared with us and taught us over
the past two years.
Narrator: On Wednesday, April 13th, the President and the Vice President
hosted a meeting with the bipartisan House and Senate
leadership in the Cabinet Room.
President Obama: Everybody have a seat, please.
Narrator: To discuss the President's budget framework based on
shared prosperity and fiscal responsibility,
and it cuts the deficit by four trillion dollars over 12 years.
The President continued on this theme during a speech at the
George Washington University, laying out a comprehensive,
balanced deficit reduction framework to cut spending and
bring down our deficit while supporting the economic recovery
and ensuring we're making the investments we need to
win the future.
President Obama: This debate over budgets and deficits is about more than
just numbers on a page.
It's about more than just cutting and spending.
It's about the kind of future that we want.
It's about the kind of country that we believe in.
Narrator: On Thursday, April 14th, the President continued to work on
America's financial future, meeting with the bipartisan
chairs of his Fiscal Commission, Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson,
in the Oval Office.
The President also welcomed the Emir of Qatar to the
White House.
Qatar is an important partner of the United States,
and works with us on a number of political and economic issues.
Recently, Qatar has played a key role as a leading Arab
contributor to the international coalition that's enforcing U.N.
Security Council Resolution 1973 in Libya.
President Obama: Thank you for your leadership on Libya,
and we look forward to working with you for many years to come.
Narrator: To find out more information on any of these topics or to
see complete videos of these events, go to WhiteHouse.gov,
and thanks again for checking out your West Wing Week.
Senator Simpson: There you are, Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles.
Speaker: Nice to see you gentlemen.
Erskine Bowles: How are you doing?
Senator Simpson: -- witness protection program.
Speaker: If you all will take a seat I'll let everyone
know that you're here.
Narrator: Welcome to the "West Wing Week," your guide to everything that's
happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
This week, with the threat of a government shutdown averted,
President Obama focused on fiscal responsibility,
balancing the need to cut spending and the deficit,
while continuing to support education, clean energy,
and other investments necessary to win the future.
And the Emir of Qatar stopped by.
That's April 8th to the 14th, or "Open for Business."
President Obama: Hey.
(cheering)
Narrator: On Friday, April 8th, budget negotiations continued with
President Obama working with Congressional leadership to
avoid a government shutdown that would go into effect
Friday night at midnight.
The staffs of all concerned parties had worked through
the two previous nights.
Around 10:00 P.M. a deal was struck, and the President went
to the Blue Room to announce the compromise to the press
and the American people.
President Obama: In the final hours before our government would have been
forced to shut down, leaders in both parties reached an
agreement that will allow our small businesses to get the
loans they need, our families to get the mortgages they applied
for, and hundreds of thousands of Americans to show up at work
and take home their paychecks on time,
including our brave men and women in uniform.
(applause)
We're going to have to do more --
Mr. Lew: We have a lot more to do, but we have to start here.
President Obama: Yeah.
Narrator: On Saturday, April 9th, following the successful
resolution of the budget crisis, President Obama made a surprise
trip to greet tourists at the Lincoln Memorial,
which was only open because of the tough choices included in
the eleventh hour bipartisan agreement.
President Obama: I just wanted to say real quick that because Congress was able
to settle its differences, that's why this place is
open today and everybody's able to enjoy their visit,
and that's the kind of future cooperation I hope
we have going forward.
Because this is what America is all about.
Everybody from different places, enjoying those things that bind
us together.
And it's wonderful to spend time with you guys.
I hope you have a great time.
(cheering)
Narrator: On Monday, April 11th, the President had a battery of
meetings, including one on Libya,
to assess conditions on the ground after the change of
command from the U.S. to NATO.
The President also went outside to enjoy the warm
spring weather.
President Obama: Lovely day.
Narrator: And surprised a tour group of students that the president
mentioned in Friday night's speech.
President Obama: How's everybody doing?
Crowd: Good!
Narrator: The eighth graders from Altona Middle School in Longmont,
Colorado, had been concerned that their trip to Washington
might be canceled due to a government shutdown.
The mother of one of the students wrote President
Obama a letter.
President Obama: Not only did things work out, but we figured we'd give you
a little bonus.
Students: Thank you!
Narrator: On Tuesday, April 12th, the President and the Vice President
joined the First Lady and Dr. Biden at the launch of their
initiative called "Joining Forces to Support and Honor
American's Service Members and their Families."
Michelle Obama: You are so funny.
Where did you learn how to do that?
Narrator: The event was the first of several in the First Lady and
Dr. Biden's two-day tour around the nation to raise awareness
about the need to support military families that sacrifice
so much for this country.
Michelle Obama: Joining Forces is a challenge to every segment of American
society to take action, to make a real commitment to supporting
and engaging these families, and I want to thank all of you here
because this campaign is the result of everything that so
many of you have shared with us and taught us over
the past two years.
Narrator: On Wednesday, April 13th, the President and the Vice President
hosted a meeting with the bipartisan House and Senate
leadership in the Cabinet Room.
President Obama: Everybody have a seat, please.
Narrator: To discuss the President's budget framework based on
shared prosperity and fiscal responsibility,
and it cuts the deficit by four trillion dollars over 12 years.
The President continued on this theme during a speech at the
George Washington University, laying out a comprehensive,
balanced deficit reduction framework to cut spending and
bring down our deficit while supporting the economic recovery
and ensuring we're making the investments we need to
win the future.
President Obama: This debate over budgets and deficits is about more than
just numbers on a page.
It's about more than just cutting and spending.
It's about the kind of future that we want.
It's about the kind of country that we believe in.
Narrator: On Thursday, April 14th, the President continued to work on
America's financial future, meeting with the bipartisan
chairs of his Fiscal Commission, Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson,
in the Oval Office.
The President also welcomed the Emir of Qatar to the
White House.
Qatar is an important partner of the United States,
and works with us on a number of political and economic issues.
Recently, Qatar has played a key role as a leading Arab
contributor to the international coalition that's enforcing U.N.
Security Council Resolution 1973 in Libya.
President Obama: Thank you for your leadership on Libya,
and we look forward to working with you for many years to come.
Narrator: To find out more information on any of these topics or to
see complete videos of these events, go to WhiteHouse.gov,
and thanks again for checking out your West Wing Week.
Senator Simpson: There you are, Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles.
Speaker: Nice to see you gentlemen.
Erskine Bowles: How are you doing?
Senator Simpson: -- witness protection program.
Speaker: If you all will take a seat I'll let everyone
know that you're here.