112957680259064360

Q. During the consultations over Judge Roberts, did his name specifically come up during the consultations –

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q. — with any Democratic senators?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q. And has the next nominee’s name come up during consultations with any Democratic senators?

Q. Good, I like it.

MR. McCLELLAN: Very good question. (Laughter.) But that doesn’t mean you’re getting an answer to it.

Q. Or the names on the short list? Is there a short list?

MR. McCLELLAN: Very good question.

Q. Answer it.

MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead.

Q. We want the answer.

MR. McCLELLAN: I know you do, but I’m not going to get into the nomination process. As I said, the list — people are added to it, taken off of it, and I think you can expect that it is not that long at this point.

Q. How long –

Q. How do you get on it?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I’m not getting into that, because, as I said, it can change. Go ahead. Are you interested?

Q. No, but, I mean, how does one get on it?

MR. McCLELLAN: You’ve got some experience in the courts, covering the courts.

Q. How does one get on the list?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, do you want me to pass on your name? Okay. (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

112957680259064360

Q. During the consultations over Judge Roberts, did his name specifically come up during the consultations –

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q. — with any Democratic senators?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q. And has the next nominee’s name come up during consultations with any Democratic senators?

Q. Good, I like it.

MR. McCLELLAN: Very good question. (Laughter.) But that doesn’t mean you’re getting an answer to it.

Q. Or the names on the short list? Is there a short list?

MR. McCLELLAN: Very good question.

Q. Answer it.

MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead.

Q. We want the answer.

MR. McCLELLAN: I know you do, but I’m not going to get into the nomination process. As I said, the list — people are added to it, taken off of it, and I think you can expect that it is not that long at this point.

Q. How long –

Q. How do you get on it?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I’m not getting into that, because, as I said, it can change. Go ahead. Are you interested?

Q. No, but, I mean, how does one get on it?

MR. McCLELLAN: You’ve got some experience in the courts, covering the courts.

Q. How does one get on the list?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, do you want me to pass on your name? Okay. (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

112957667324475688

Q. Looking ahead, what are the political considerations the President is taking into consideration as he looks at his potential nominee to replace Sandra Day O’Connor?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Well, I think, first, we ought to step back and recognize what an historic day this is –

Q. Okay, done. (Laughter.)

MR. McCLELLAN: — and celebrate the swearing-in of the 17th Chief Justice of the United States. . .

Full Transcript

112957667324475688

Q. Looking ahead, what are the political considerations the President is taking into consideration as he looks at his potential nominee to replace Sandra Day O’Connor?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Well, I think, first, we ought to step back and recognize what an historic day this is –

Q. Okay, done. (Laughter.)

MR. McCLELLAN: — and celebrate the swearing-in of the 17th Chief Justice of the United States. . .

Full Transcript

112957689733264156

Q. The Weekly Standard reports that Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan has always enforced that graduate school’s ban on cooperating with recruiters from any employers who exclude homosexuals, except for the Department of Defense, which, if so banned, would, under the Solomon Amendment, cost Harvard at least $400 million a year in research grants.

And my question, since the President graduated from Harvard’s Graduate Business School, he is surely appalled by Dean Kagan’s cash-influenced inconsistency, isn’t he?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Les, I’m sorry, you kind of lost me on part of that question. (laughter.) I’m not sure exactly where you were going with that.

Q. They banned — they banned any discrimination against homosexuals, except by the Department of Defense. And if that’s banned, if they ban the Department of Defense they’d lose $400 million.

MR. McCLELLAN: I’m sorry, I don’t know that — I’m not sure the link you’re making there. I guess I’m missing something.

Full Transcript

112957689733264156

Q. The Weekly Standard reports that Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan has always enforced that graduate school’s ban on cooperating with recruiters from any employers who exclude homosexuals, except for the Department of Defense, which, if so banned, would, under the Solomon Amendment, cost Harvard at least $400 million a year in research grants.

And my question, since the President graduated from Harvard’s Graduate Business School, he is surely appalled by Dean Kagan’s cash-influenced inconsistency, isn’t he?

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Les, I’m sorry, you kind of lost me on part of that question. (laughter.) I’m not sure exactly where you were going with that.

Q. They banned — they banned any discrimination against homosexuals, except by the Department of Defense. And if that’s banned, if they ban the Department of Defense they’d lose $400 million.

MR. McCLELLAN: I’m sorry, I don’t know that — I’m not sure the link you’re making there. I guess I’m missing something.

Full Transcript

112957654632347566

Q. Who makes up the list of reporters that [the president] is allowed to call on?

Q. Yes, where’s Bianca? (Laughter.)

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Who makes up the list? It depends on the reporters that show up. I don’t think she had a question. But the President –

Q. Who is Bianca, anyway?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President had his most recent press conference this afternoon just a short time before I was out here, took questions from I think everyone who was there.

Q. — you count that as a press conference?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think it was a 30-minute briefing and several questions taken. I think I would call it a press conference.

Q. Does anyone know who she is?

Full Transcript

112957654632347566

Q. Who makes up the list of reporters that [the president] is allowed to call on?

Q. Yes, where’s Bianca? (Laughter.)

SCOTT McCLELLAN: Who makes up the list? It depends on the reporters that show up. I don’t think she had a question. But the President –

Q. Who is Bianca, anyway?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President had his most recent press conference this afternoon just a short time before I was out here, took questions from I think everyone who was there.

Q. — you count that as a press conference?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think it was a 30-minute briefing and several questions taken. I think I would call it a press conference.

Q. Does anyone know who she is?

Full Transcript

112957636134380984

SCOTT McCLELLAN: There you go with the “what if” game again. And we can play “what ifs” all day long. What we’re doing is working in partnership and in close cooperation with the state and local officials. The President made it very clear that that’s what we would do going forward.

Q. Scott, what if — I’m just kidding. (Laughter.) . . .

Q. The early part of the answer sounded like a yes, that he would veto bills if they did not contain significant cuts. Is that correct?

MR. McCLELLAN: That’s a “what if.” (Laughter.)

Q. That’s not a “what if.”

Q. Thank you.

Full Transcript

112957636134380984

SCOTT McCLELLAN: There you go with the “what if” game again. And we can play “what ifs” all day long. What we’re doing is working in partnership and in close cooperation with the state and local officials. The President made it very clear that that’s what we would do going forward.

Q. Scott, what if — I’m just kidding. (Laughter.) . . .

Q. The early part of the answer sounded like a yes, that he would veto bills if they did not contain significant cuts. Is that correct?

MR. McCLELLAN: That’s a “what if.” (Laughter.)

Q. That’s not a “what if.”

Q. Thank you.

Full Transcript

112654650693952972

SCOTT McCLELLAN: You’ve been first every day this week.

Q. Oh, wow. (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

112654650693952972

SCOTT McCLELLAN: You’ve been first every day this week.

Q. Oh, wow. (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

112654682266985994

Q. And can I ask just one last –

SCOTT McCLELLAN: No.

Q. One last one? These guys in the front get seven questions.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, no.

Q. I didn’t get my seven questions today.

Q. I didn’t get seven questions.

MR. McCLELLAN: You noticed he said “today.” (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

112654682266985994

Q. And can I ask just one last –

SCOTT McCLELLAN: No.

Q. One last one? These guys in the front get seven questions.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, no.

Q. I didn’t get my seven questions today.

Q. I didn’t get seven questions.

MR. McCLELLAN: You noticed he said “today.” (Laughter.)

Full Transcript

112654671117060198

Q. Scott, the President has said FEMA Director Mike Brown is doing “a heck of a job” on disaster relief, yet calls for his ouster seem enormously widespread. Does the President still think Brown is doing “a heck of a job?” And I have one follow-up.

SCOTT McCLELLAN: I actually went through this yesterday — David and I. David can probably fill you in on it. (Laughter.)

Q. Wait, wait, wait. Give it a crack today, though.

Full Transcript