PRES OBAMA TO ADDRESS NAVAL ACADEMY GRADUATES *

IT MARKS THE SECOND TIME PRES OBAMA HAS ATTENDED THE COMMISSIONING CEREMONY IN ANNAPOLIS, MD *

THE SPEECH COMES A DAY AFTER THE PRES DEFENDED HIS CONTROVERSIAL DRONE PROGRAM AND RENEWED HIS PUSH TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO BAY *

SECY OF STATE JOHN KERRY SAYS ISRAEL'S GOVT SHOULD PREVENT FURTHER SETTLEMENT CONSTRUCTION WHERE POSSIBLE TO HELP REVITALIZE MIDEAST PEACE TALKS *

BUT KERRY ISN'T CALLING FOR A COMPLETE SETTLEMENT FREEZE *

HE SAYS THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON RESTARTING DIRECT ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH COULD SET BORDERS FOR A TWO-STATE DEAL AND RESOLVE THE SETTLEMENT ISSUE *

KERRY MADE THE REMARKS TO REPORTERS IN ISRAEL *

SECY OF STATE JOHN KERRY BLASTS IRAN'S GUARDIAN COUNCIL FOR ELIMINATING HUNDREDS OF PRES CANDIDATES FROM THE JUNE 14 ELECTION *

KERRY SAYS VOTE CAN'T BE FREE, FAIR AND TRANSPARENT WHEN AN UNELECTED BODY CHOOSES CANDIDATES BASED "SOLELY ON WHO REPRESENTS THE REGIME'S INTERESTS" *

IRAN'S GUARDIAN COUNCIL HAS DISQUALIFIED SCORES OF CANDIDATES, INCLUDING FMR PRES AKBAR HASHEMI RAFSANJANI *

KERRY ALSO NOTED THERE ARE "TROUBLE SIGNS" THAT TEHRAN IS MEDDLING WITH IRAN'S INTERNET *

SPOX FOR NIGER'S GOVT SAYS TERRORISTS WHO ATTACKED A MILITARY INSTALLATION IN THE TOWN OF AGADEZ YESTERDAY DID NOT TAKE HOSTAGES, DESPITE EARLIER STATEMENTS *

SPOX SAYS GOVT MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THE HOMICIDE BOMBERS KIDNAPPED SOLDIERS BECAUSE ATTACKERS WHO SURVIVED THE INITIAL EXPLOSION RAN AWAY AND HID INSIDE A DORMITORY ON THE BASE *

ATTACK KILLED 20 SOLDIERS *

N KOREAN ENVOY DELIVERS A LETTER FROM LEADER KIM JONG UN TO CHINESE PRES XI JINPING, SAYING PYONGYANG WILL TAKE STEPS TO REJOIN STALLED SIX-NATION NUKE TALKS *

VISIT BY THE ENVOY IS PART OF N KOREA'S EFFORT TO REPAIR TIES WITH ITS ONLY ALLY *

PYONGYANG HAD ANGERED BEIJING OVER RECENT SNUBS AND ONGOING EFFORTS TO DEVELOP NUCLEAR WEAPONS *

MEANWHILE, SIX-PARTY TALKS ON N KOREA'S NUKE PROGRAM HAVE BEEN STALLED SINCE 2009 *

WA STATE OFFICIAL SAYS LAST NIGHT'S I-5 BRIDGE COLLAPSE INTO THE SKAGIT RIVER WAS CAUSED BY AN OVERSIZED TRUCK *

STATE PATROL CHIEF JOHN BATISTE SAYS THE TRUCK HIT AN OVERHEAD SPAN *

TWO OTHER VEHICLES WENT INTO THE WATER... THREE PEOPLE WERE RESCUED AND ARE RECOVERING *

FIVE CLIMBERS ARE MISSING AND FEARED DEAD ON THE WORLD'S THIRD-LARGEST MOUNTAIN *

THE FIVE DISAPPEARED MON ON NEPAL'S MOUNT KANCHENJUNGA *

BAD WEATHER HAS PREVENTED RESCUE EFFORTS *

THE CLIMBERS WERE LAST SEEN DESCENDING FROM THE SUMMIT AT AROUND 25,900 FT... KANCHENJUNGA IS 28,162 FEET HIGH *

LARGE EXPLOSION SHAKES AFGHAN CAPITAL OF KABUL *

BLAST COLLAPSED A BUILDING WALL, BUT IT'S UNCLEAR IF THERE WERE ANY CASUALTIES *

IT'S THE SECOND EXPLOSION TO HIT KABUL IN JUST OVER A WEEK *

EGYPTIAN SECURITY OFFICIAL SAYS 10 MALE RELATIVES KILLED A MOTHER AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS IN "HONOR KILLINGS" *

THE MEN SUSPECTED THE WOMEN OF HAVING AFFAIRS AND KILLED THEM TO PROTECT THE FAMILY'S HONOR *

THE THREE BODIES WERE FOUND IN THE NILE RIVER NEAR THE CITY OF LUXOR *

NJ GOV CHRIS CHRISTIE CUTS A RIBBON TO SYMBOLICALLY REOPEN THE JERSEY SHORE FOR THE SUMMER SEASON, SEVEN MONTHS AFTER IT WAS DEVASTATED BY MONSTER STORM SANDY *

CHRISTIE CUT THE FIVE MILE-LONG RIBBON IN SEASIDE HEIGHTS *

SANDY DID AN ESTIMATED $37 BIL WORTH OF DAMAGE IN NJ *

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WHITE HOUSE PRESS POOL REPORT #3

Subject: Pool report #3

 

Congressional leaders talked to reporters outside the West Wing for about five minutes. All four said the meeting was a constructive step in the right direction. Mostly they agreed on the problem and the urgency of solving it, if not on how to do it. Boehner and McConnell emphasized the need to reduce spending while Pelosi was quick to caution about cuts in “investments.” McConnell noted that no one in his caucus thinks the nation’s fiscal woes are the result of taxing too little, even though they have agreed to put revenue on the table.

(McConnell also commended Obama on his upcoming trip to Burma, and area McConnell has had a “longstanding interest” in.)

 

Here are highlights of their remarks; please check against transcripts/broadcasts.

 

BOEHNER

 

“I outlined a framework that deals with reforming our tax code and reforming our spending. I believe that the framework that I outlined our meeting today is consistent with the president’s call for a fair and balanced approach. To show our seriousness we put revenue on the table as long as it’s accompanied by significant espending cuts.”

 

“And while we’re going to continue to have revenue on the table it’s going to be incumbent on my colleagues to show the American people that we’re serious about cutting spending and solving our fiscal dilemma. I believe we can do this and avert the fiscal cliff that is right in front of us today.”

 

 

REID

 

“This is the first time we’ve deal witth these issues and feel we understand what the problem is. I felt very good about what we were able to talk about in there. We have the cornerstones of being able to work something out.”

 

“We have arrived at a point where we all know that something has to be done.”

 

PELOSI

 

It was a very constructive meeting. We had a recognition that every person in America knows – that we must reach agreement. The speaker spoke about a framework going into next year. I was focusing on how to send a message of confidence to consumers, to the markets, in the short run.”

 

“We should have a deadline. We should show some milestones of success so that confidence can build as we reach our solution. Because if we do not reach agreement not only will me miss the opportunity for doing something good for our economy and lifting the spirits and the confidence of our country. We will have an economic downturn that must be avoided. We understand our responsibility there. We understand that it has to be about cuts. It has to be about revenue. It has to be about growth. It has to be about the future.”

 

So as we cut investments and as we talk about revenue we have do to so in a way that promotes growth and supports our future. It was good.”

 

 

MCCONNELL

 

“I can only echo the observations of the other leaders that it was a constructive meeting. We all understand where we are.”

 

“We are prepared to put revenue on the table provided we fix the real problem.”

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“Most of my members I think without exeption believe that we’re in the dilemma we’re in not because we taxed too little but because we spent too much.”

 

 

 

 

 

Amy Gardner

White House reporter

The Washington Post









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