Rough notes (emailed to me by FNC’s Kelly Chernenkoff) – I have highlighted in red the parts that caught my attention:
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Highlights from Carney briefing including Libya, debate reaction (including explanation of Biden facial expressions), and explanation of Biden talking about “millionaires” vs. those making “over 250,000 dollars a year”. First, the week ahead…
Obama week ahead:
Monday: Remains in Williamsburg, VA
Tuesday: Hofstra University Debate (first lady attends). Returns to DC in evening
Wednesday: Travels to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Athens, Ohio for campaign events. Returns to DC in evening
Thursday: Travels to Manchester, NH for campaign event and to NYC for remarks at 67th Annual Alfred. E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York City. Returns to DC in evening
Friday: Travels to Camp David and remains overnight
Biden was speaking for himself/President on Libya
Carney was asked why the VP said last night that no requests for additional security were made in Libya, when testimony on the Hill contradicts that. Carney said Biden was referring to requests for security that would have made it up the chain to himself, the president and the White House. He also ripped Ryan for supporting cutting funding for embassy security.
Carney
11:44:22 he was speaking directly for himself, and the president… in over 4 hrs of testimony, no one who testified suggested requests for security were made to president and white house. These are issues handled by security professionals at state.
11:47:47 Going back to debate, lack of understanding on how this works might explain why ryan supported budgets that slash security. Clearly effort to politicize something that should not be politicized
11:58:38 requests for individual personnel at thousands of locations are not adjudicated at WH…
11:59:12 certainly not case that assignments of diplomatic security personnel made at WH
11:59:35 I find it rich charges made over concerns about dip security by those who slash funding for dip security.
11:59:55 What is obvious to anybody who understands how this works. Requests not made to WH, made to State
Q: VP’s comments widely interpreted that admin absolved– VP said “we” weren’t told
12:00:26 VP was speaking about himself the president and the WH…Obviously he wasn’t talking about the administration writ large
Q were they even aware of request?
12:04:45 VP spoke to that that when it comes to security personnel, those req are made to State.
12:07:03 There obviously were requests made to indiv at State where they are reviewed. Nowhere in testimony is there suggestion that requests were sent to WH.
Ed Henry/Carney back and forth on Libya
Q on libya, the buck stops w state dept? not at wh?
11:50:32 made for tv phrasing.
Q up to state dept? president doesn’t make assessments?
11:50:46 thousands of personnel, facilities around world. when comes to number of personnel in place at consulates, those decisions are appropriately made at state by security personnel. 11:51:07 when comes to funding, this president fights to make sure embassy security is adequately funded. makes sure funding restored when efforts on hill are made, incl ryan, to slash it. 11:51:31 you bet. that’s president’s responsibility.
Ed Q: the pres and VP never been briefed about additional security?
Carney
11:51:51 i’m saying matters of security personnel appropriately discussed and decided upon by officials at state
Q: said we weren’t told. He was never briefed more security was needed?
Carney
11:52:37 There was 4 1/2 hour briefing where this was discussed. Unless u were listening to another…
Q: Never in PDB or anything like that?
11:52:57 i’m not going to talk to you about detail. i’m saying matters of personnel assigned to facilities are decided at state
11:53:34 no actionable intelligence suggested there would be an attack at benghazi facility…
Q: he was not told day before 9/11–
11:53:54 anniversary, in advance of which, this administration took action to prepare for potential acts against US
11:54:14 there was no actionable intel indicating there would be an attack at Benghazi facil
Q: “Actionable” intel i understand. but not told about benghazi being targeted, wanting more secy – was not told?
11:54:44 can’t get into classified briefing
Q: VP said was not told
11:54:54 there was no actionable intel
11:55:09 i understand effort to politicize. Pres from minute it happened focused on finding those responsible
Q: When u dismiss as politics, 4 americans killed. mother of sean smith says i wanna know what happened to my son
11:56:09 and nobody wants to know more than pres of US. This pres made sure that FBI investigating what happened
11:57:07 efforts to turn into partisan fight and that’s a shame
Carney says tax cut threshold hasn’t changed
Q: (VP referred to getting rid of tax cuts for those making over 1 million dollars, not the 250k threshold previously touted)
Is president moving the goal posts?
Carney
12:10:16 Absolutely not and i appreciate the question
12:10:29 The president’s position has not changed….(want cuts on rich to expire) that’s goal VP reiterated throughout the debate. senate passed bill that would do that and call on house to do same. Repubs need to stop blocking...
12:10:57 when VP talking about people making million or more, he was explaining the #s… 97% of american businesses do not have taxable income above 250k .. that’s threshold pres used when ran for office.
12:11:36 over 80 percent of cut goes to households making over 1 mill
Carney on Biden’s performance in debate
11:42:33 setting aside assessments of winners/losers, as someone who worked with VP, took extreme pleasure in watching debate b/c he demonstrated passion, wisdom and joy brings to the job… and of wkg with this president to bring about change
11:43:14 Presented remarkably strong case for policies of this president.
11:43:26 Capped off extraordinary day b/c brought son to Nats game for birthday.
Q: A lot of people saw VP performance as aggressive
12:08:12 he made passionate case for why we can’t stick middle class with bill for getting fiscal house in order for 5 trill tax cut, voucherization of medicare. yeah, was forceful, but spoke with remarkable degree of precision… how deeply he understands policies of this admin and cap hill.
12:09:04 he demonstrated his vast experience on matters of nat’l secy foreign policy. He’s deeply rooted in own background, neighborhoods. has never lost touch with fundamental rational behind his public service- here to work for middle class, etc
Carney on Obama reaction to debate
12:01:36 Pres watched debate, thought VP did excellent job presenting this admin’s case for why we need to continue to move fwd…why we have taken actions we have…
12:02:14 pres watched debate on AF1 with # of staff. Spoke to reporters afterwards and made clear was very pleased with VP’s presentation
Carney: Biden was demonstrating passion w/expressions
Q: Lot of chatter about demonstrative reaction of Biden. Condescending?
Carney
12:16:23 it’s for american ppl to decide. Person i saw is one who is absolutely passionate… committed to nat’l secy agenda of this president, who comes to his job this many years in w/enormous amount of passion and joy
12:16:56 when u talk about him smiling. When Ryan starts attacking admin over recov act and split shows him smiling, i know why- because of how hypocritical that was
12:17:22 Guess what, the recovery act prevented great depression- or helped to
12:17:37 Extremely hypocritical to on one hand attack that and on the other be asking for money from it b/c you know it will help your state.
