Clean

Q One other thing, Tony. Yesterday there was some — Bernanke made some comments about inflation. Does the President share his concerns about inflation?

MR. SNOW: The President knows that Ben Bernanke is head of an independent agency and has his independence and the President does not wish to question his independence and, therefore, I will have nothing to say on the topic.

Q That was a clean dodge. (Laughter.)

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How Likely

Q Can you say how likely you think it is that you can reach some kind of agreement before the election, on immigration?

MR. SNOW: No, because I don’t know. (Laughter.)

Q You know how likely you think it is. (Laughter.)

MR. SNOW: No. “Likely” means to assign a probability, which gets you into “more likely,” “less likely,” “is it 60 percent likely” — I really don’t know.

[…]

Q So is he going to be doing a lot more of these —

MR. SNOW: Is that sort of like, are we more or less likely? There will be other events. There will be other events.

Q That’s a factual question, actually. (Laughter.)

Q — yes, it’s a lot like that. (Laughter.)

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Obsession

Q Second, The New York Times has just reported, “This White House, like all White Houses, is obsessed with the press.” My question, will you admit to this alleged obsession, or is this just one more New York Times exaggeration?

MR. SNOW: It’s more a love affair than an obsession, Lester. (Laughter.)

Q Very good, Tony. Good. (Laughter.)

Q I salute you. (Laughter.)

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Just a Point of View

Q At the gaggle you suggested the media is over-hyping this issue. Conservatives like Tony Perkins are saying it was the President who brought this up a lot during the 2004 campaign. Wasn’t he hyping it then? Why now is he so passive?

MR. SNOW: I’m not going to characterize — I don’t think it’s passive. Again, the President has made clear what his views are. But this is one where — I’m trying to figure out exactly how one decides when one is active and one is passive. Here what you’re saying is, wait a minute — Helen just hit me with, he gave a radio address, he’s talking to these people, how can he spend so much time on it. You’re saying, how can he spend so little energy on it.

Q That was her question, not —

MR. SNOW: I mean, the fact is that the President is making a position clear on an issue of concern.

Q All in a point of view. (Laughter.)

Q But you were saying before, as well, you know, it depends on the public interest. On Social Security reform he gave speech after speech; he decided, this is what I’m going to do, I’m using my political capital on this. In 2004 he let conservatives believe he would use political capital on this issue. Instead, it looks like he’s going to do a radio address on Saturday, he’s going to speak today, and move on.

MR. SNOW: Well, we’ll let them draw their appropriate conclusions based on their interaction with the President.

Q But then why is he not — bottom line question, why is he not using political capital on this, then?

MR. SNOW: Why is he not using political —

Q Yes. I mean, if he’s made this a big issue in 2004, why is he not using political capital? Why is it not that important to him? Is he scared?

MR. SNOW: Again —

Q Why isn’t he doing more on this?

MR. SNOW: Why is — exactly. It’s a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t situation, Ed. (Laughter.)

Q So what are you doing here? (Laughter.)

Q It’s not up to us. As the President said over and over — the President said over and over, on Social Security —

MR. SNOW: A schwing.

Q Over and over on Social Security, the President said it’s not up to the Democrats, it’s not up to the media — it matters to me.

MR. SNOW: Right.

Q So at what point is — that’s what I’m trying to — why on gay marriage is it not that important?

MR. SNOW: You mean, why on traditional marriage?

Q On the issue of gay marriage, yes.

MR. SNOW: It’s the issue of traditional marriage. This is the Family Marriage Amendment. And the President has made clear what his views are. I think you look at the whip counts, we look at the whip counts. You’ve got to find out what you think is possible in this political environment.

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Keener

Q Would this — let me just follow up. Would this to become a constitutional amendment, what legally then happens to those 8,000-plus same-sex couples? Are their marriages annulled?

MR. SNOW: That would have to require keener legal expertise than mine. I don’t want to try to —

Q So the President doesn’t know what would happen to them?

MR. SNOW: No, the press secretary doesn’t know. (Laughter.)

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Kumbaya

Q We know that there’s no problem, everybody is in great shape, “Kumbaya”? (Laughter.)

MR. SNOW: No — do you really think it’s “Kumbaya”? You were talking —

Q That’s what I’m asking. I’m trying to figure out what it is.

MR. SNOW: No, that is — no, come on. You’re —

Q That’s the impression you’re giving from the podium.

MR. SNOW: I am not giving — when we are talking about investigations that could lead to capital prosecutions, nobody is singing “Kumbaya.” And when you have —

Q And that’s not what I referring to now, either, and you know that.

MR. SNOW: And when you have General Casey going in and trying to brief a Prime Minister, nobody is singing “Kumbaya.” You know what they’re saying? They’re saying, let’s figure out what the facts are and let’s work together to secure peace.

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No One is Answering

Q Is he making calls to senators?

MR. SNOW: Senators aren’t in town — do you know how hard it is to find a senator this week? (Laughter.) I’m serious. Do you have any clue?

Q The President wades into this when it’s politically expedient —

MR. SNOW: Oh, David, come on.

Q He did that in 2004 — don’t “come on” me. You know just as well as I do what happened in 2004 —

MR. SNOW: This is what people have been waiting for. (Laughter.)

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Happy Birthday

Q Happy birthday.

MR. SNOW: Thank you.

(The press all sing “Happy Birthday” to Tony.)

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Bad Pointing

MR. SNOW: I’m sorry. I was looking here, and you were asking there. I’m sorry. (Laughter.) I must have bad pointing. Go ahead. (Laughter.)

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No Similarities…

Q I can certainly understand, looking at his record, why the White House would want to have him. Why do you think he wanted the job, two-and-a-half years left in an administration that’s got some political difficulty right now? Why do you think Paulson wanted the job?

MR. SNOW: I don’t know why anybody would come into an administration at this particular point — (laughter) — leave relatively more lucrative employment. (Laughter.)

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Let Him Charm You

Q Why did the President pick a man who is so contemptible of the public servants in Washington to be his Domestic Advisor — saying, “People in Washington are morally repugnant, cheating, shifty human beings”? Why would he pick such a man to be a Domestic Advisor?

MR. SNOW: You meant contemptuous, as opposed to contemptible, I think.

Q Pure contempt.

MR. SNOW: Well, I’m not sure it’s pure contempt. I know Karl Zinsmeister pretty well, and he is somebody who expresses himself with a certain amount of piquancy — you’re perhaps familiar with that, aren’t you, Helen? And so, as a consequence, from time to time he’s going to say — he’ll have some sharp elbows.

Q If this is his attitude toward public servants —

MR. SNOW: No, I don’t think it’s his attitude toward public servants — it may have been toward the press. Just kidding. No, I — look, if you look at the bulk of what Karl Zinsmeister has done at The American Enterprise and elsewhere, I think you’re going to find somebody who’s done some pretty meaty and interesting research on a variety of topics.

The reason he’s being brought in is that he’s —

Q Do you agree with his assessment of Washington?

MR. SNOW: I’m not — there’s one sentence the guy wrote, and perhaps you may recall — yes?

Q Arrogant, morally repugnant, cheating, shifty — come on.

MR. SNOW: That’s a lot in one sentence, isn’t it? He just packed it right in.

Jim.

Q So what is the attitude toward —

MR. SNOW: The attitude is we’re glad to have a guy on board who has breadth of knowledge, who has breadth of interest and of experience, and is going to bring —

Q No tolerance for other human beings.

MR. SNOW: Helen, tell you what, why don’t you get to know Karl, because I think you’re going to find out that to judge somebody —

Q Bring him on. (Laughter.)

MR. SNOW: — on the basis of one sentence is probably a little unfair.

Q How could it be unfair?

MR. SNOW: He’ll charm you.

Q I don’t want to get in the way of this. (Laughter.) Let me ask you about this morning’s statement…

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Kiss, Kiss

Q So you seem to be lowering expectations in terms of specific announcements.

MR. SNOW: I think I’m lowering your expectations. I’ve tried never to create those expectations.

Q But nobody, in your words, is going to be “kissing in Times Square tomorrow.”

MR. SNOW: Right.

Q I understand that. But if you have —

MR. SNOW: Well, there may be people kissing in Times Square for different reasons. (Laughter.)

Q If you have —

MR. SNOW: I said, “kissing,” Lester. (Laughter.)

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Secretary of State Helen Thomas

MR. SNOW: Well, if you don’t wish me to answer the question, then I’ll just move to the next questioner.

Q I want you to answer after I’ve told you what my premise is. (Laughter.)

MR. SNOW: This from Secretary of State Helen Thomas. The position has always been clear. We are not going to divide —

Q If elected I will serve. (Laughter.)

MR. SNOW: Boy, that’s going out everywhere today. (Laughter.)

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Memories

Q Tony, do you have White House reaction to the death of Senator Bentsen?

MR. SNOW: Yes, we’ll have a — obviously, we will have a formal statement coming out in a bit. But, obviously, Senator Bentsen served his country long and well and faithfully, was a much-loved character here in Washington, somebody who got off probably the best known line in the history of vice presidential debates — (laughter.) And we certainly send our condolences not only to the family of Lloyd Bentsen, but all of his many friends and admirers.

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The Table

MR. SNOW: Let me put it this way: The use of force is off the table. All right? Let me be specific. That is what the President has said. Is that not correct?

Q Is off, or is not off?

MR. SNOW: I’m sorry — is not off the table. Thank you. (Laughter.) Yes, it’s on the table.

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