111480633603876379

Q. In recognizing reporters last night, it appeared once more as if the President were following a script of pre-selected names. And my question, does the President believe that the American people really want to see questions by essentially the same old pre-selected reporters every time?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Les, some of your colleagues in this room might not like that kind of question here. (Laughter.)

Q. That’s just tough duck.

MR. McCLELLAN: But in terms of — it is good to have you back, though. In terms of your question, the President typically likes to start with some of the larger news organizations and some of the traditional media, and then open it up from there. That’s just the way he approaches it.

Q. You mean those networks that are losing — they are losing and those newspapers that are losing circulation?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think Wendell had a question.

Full Transcript

111480633603876379

Q. In recognizing reporters last night, it appeared once more as if the President were following a script of pre-selected names. And my question, does the President believe that the American people really want to see questions by essentially the same old pre-selected reporters every time?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Les, some of your colleagues in this room might not like that kind of question here. (Laughter.)

Q. That’s just tough duck.

MR. McCLELLAN: But in terms of — it is good to have you back, though. In terms of your question, the President typically likes to start with some of the larger news organizations and some of the traditional media, and then open it up from there. That’s just the way he approaches it.

Q. You mean those networks that are losing — they are losing and those newspapers that are losing circulation?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think Wendell had a question.

Full Transcript

111464722825909217

Q. Can I follow the Putin thing, Scott?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Let me do one follow-up on Putin, and then I’ll come to you. Sorry. You may. Although I don’t usually reward people who are trying to jump in, but — (laughter.) You did it in a nice way. Others take note. (Laughter.) I’m not looking at you, John. (Laughter.)

Q. In what is tantamount — address Vladimir Putin –

MR. McCLELLAN: I’m sorry, start again, Ivan. I’m sorry. See, he just did — he just did what I told him not to. It’s a side conversation here. Could you start again? I’m sorry.

Q. Three, two, one. (Laughter.) Russian President Vladimir Putin, in what is tantamount. . .

Full Transcript

111464722825909217

Q. Can I follow the Putin thing, Scott?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Let me do one follow-up on Putin, and then I’ll come to you. Sorry. You may. Although I don’t usually reward people who are trying to jump in, but — (laughter.) You did it in a nice way. Others take note. (Laughter.) I’m not looking at you, John. (Laughter.)

Q. In what is tantamount — address Vladimir Putin –

MR. McCLELLAN: I’m sorry, start again, Ivan. I’m sorry. See, he just did — he just did what I told him not to. It’s a side conversation here. Could you start again? I’m sorry.

Q. Three, two, one. (Laughter.) Russian President Vladimir Putin, in what is tantamount. . .

Full Transcript

111464715615208311

Q. The reason why there hasn’t been a refinery built since the early ’70s is because of environmental regulations. (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

111464715615208311

Q. The reason why there hasn’t been a refinery built since the early ’70s is because of environmental regulations. (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

111404274428945385

Q. Scott, getting back to Bolton for a minute. You’re obviously –

SCOTT McCLELLAN: You jumped ahead of four people who had their hands up in your row.

Q. Sorry.

MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead.

Q. I had my hand up, too. Getting back to the nomination –

MR. McCLELLAN: You stand out. (Laughter.)

Q. I’ll take that as a compliment.

Full Transcript

111404274428945385

Q. Scott, getting back to Bolton for a minute. You’re obviously –

SCOTT McCLELLAN: You jumped ahead of four people who had their hands up in your row.

Q. Sorry.

MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead.

Q. I had my hand up, too. Getting back to the nomination –

MR. McCLELLAN: You stand out. (Laughter.)

Q. I’ll take that as a compliment.

Full Transcript

111357204660481432

Q. Representative Jim Kolbe, who was in that meeting, said that he told the President that the time has come to start putting forth some ideas about how to deal with the insolvency problem, and that the President should offer his remedy. Is it time for the President to do that?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Well, those are discussions that we’re having with members of Congress. I don’t know that the discussion was quite the way you described it. There was some discussion –

Q. That’s the way he described it.

MR. McCLELLAN: I saw his comments; I didn’t see that that was the way — he talked about –

Q. He said, “The time has come where we’ve got to start to put some specifics out there about how we’re going to fix the solvency” –

MR. McCLELLAN: Right. Terry said that that was the way he described it to the President.

Q. He said he told the President that.

MR. McCLELLAN: I just wanted to correct your characterization. I think it was a little bit off. (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

111357204660481432

Q. Representative Jim Kolbe, who was in that meeting, said that he told the President that the time has come to start putting forth some ideas about how to deal with the insolvency problem, and that the President should offer his remedy. Is it time for the President to do that?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Well, those are discussions that we’re having with members of Congress. I don’t know that the discussion was quite the way you described it. There was some discussion –

Q. That’s the way he described it.

MR. McCLELLAN: I saw his comments; I didn’t see that that was the way — he talked about –

Q. He said, “The time has come where we’ve got to start to put some specifics out there about how we’re going to fix the solvency” –

MR. McCLELLAN: Right. Terry said that that was the way he described it to the President.

Q. He said he told the President that.

MR. McCLELLAN: I just wanted to correct your characterization. I think it was a little bit off. (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

111344932957891167

Q. Does he have to fill up the pickup truck, himself? (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

111344932957891167

Q. Does he have to fill up the pickup truck, himself? (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

111344929505729053

Q. Oh, thank you. On North Korea, it is reported that North Korea had requested the closure of the U.N. Humanitarian Affairs Office in Pyongyang.

SCOTT McCLELLAN: That they have requested the what? The closure –

Q. Closure of the U.N. Humanitarian Affairs Office in Pyongyang.

MR. McCLELLAN: I haven’t seen those reports.

Q. You didn’t see –

MR. McCLELLAN: Are you asking me for a reaction, or –

Q. Yes, what is your comment?

MR. McCLELLAN: I’ll take a look at those reports.

Q. It was reported by Korean Broadcasting.

MR. McCLELLAN: This morning?

Q. No, weeks ago.

MR. McCLELLAN: Okay. (Laughter.) I’ll take a look at it.

Full Transcript

111344929505729053

Q. Oh, thank you. On North Korea, it is reported that North Korea had requested the closure of the U.N. Humanitarian Affairs Office in Pyongyang.

SCOTT McCLELLAN: That they have requested the what? The closure –

Q. Closure of the U.N. Humanitarian Affairs Office in Pyongyang.

MR. McCLELLAN: I haven’t seen those reports.

Q. You didn’t see –

MR. McCLELLAN: Are you asking me for a reaction, or –

Q. Yes, what is your comment?

MR. McCLELLAN: I’ll take a look at those reports.

Q. It was reported by Korean Broadcasting.

MR. McCLELLAN: This morning?

Q. No, weeks ago.

MR. McCLELLAN: Okay. (Laughter.) I’ll take a look at it.

Full Transcript

111344921861027357

Q. And he considers Tom DeLay a friend?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Sure. I mean, I think there are different levels of friendship with anybody, so — (laughter.) Well, no, you referred to social friends and — but, no, he certainly is a friend.

Q. What level of friendship are you referring to here?

MR. McCLELLAN: A friend. The President considers him such. And we support his efforts, along with the efforts of other congressional leaders, to move forward on the agenda that the American people want us to enact.

Full Transcript