Today’s Q for O’s WH – 2/11/2009
EmailPlease note: background on some of the issues addressed in my question at White House press secretary Robert Gibbs’ press briefing today can be read HERE.
TAPPER: The president this morning, Robert, talked about the fact that the CEO of Caterpillar had praised the idea of a stimulus package and how the company had recently announced 20,000 layoffs and if the stimulus package passes, he’ll be able to rehire some of those people. And the CEO, according to local press in Peoria, is going to deliver that message to the president tomorrow, although I guess the president already got it somehow.
GIBBS: Text. (Laughter and press room chatter)
TAPPER: Caterpillar has also opposed the "Buy American" provisions in the stimulus package. Recently, a spokesman for Caterpillar said that they were like "snake oil." And I know that the final package is still being finalized, but I’m wondering, that and the fact that Caterpillar, probably one of the companies that most supports the Colombia Free Trade Agreement and says that the stalling of that on Capitol Hill — and I believe the president also has expressed concern about that free trade agreement — that that stalling is basically sending a message to businesses in Colombia, "Please buy Canadian products, not American."
Does Caterpillar’s support for the Colombian Free Trade Agreement and opposition to the Buy America provisions under the same idea of what’s good for their workers is good business, would that have any effect on the president’s thinking?
GIBBS: On those two issues?
TAPPER: Yes, Colombia and "Buy American."
GIBBS: I’ll talk to the president about that. I think his concerns with the Colombian Free Trade Agreement and — as it relates to labor and environmental standards being a core part of those agreements, I think, have been laid out extensively in the campaign. Obviously, you heard the president speak about a week ago about ensuring that while we have strong buy-America laws on our books that — that should be heeded as the law, there are also — they also have to be done in a way in this bill — the provision has to be done in a way so as not to spark a larger trade disagreement at a time of economic peril. And I think that’s why the provisions that were in, I believe, the Senate legislation ultimately included those — a strong provision to buy American but also to do that in a way that didn’t violate existing trade agreements.
The president believed that that was a necessary and positive compromise that allowed those provisions to be in the bill. And I presume that without speaking director for Caterpillar, they found that to be a positive development, as well. They did communicate to the White House a reevaluation of their employment situation based on what they see as a big investment that could be coming shortly to put Americans back to work and to put particularly those workers in Peoria and downstate Illinois area, in particular, back to work. We’re encouraged by that development. And you saw the president today at an infrastructure project in Northern Virginia that with the right kind of plan, presumably, is something that can — phases three and four of that project can begin work and put people back to work.
I think in many ways we are hopeful that businesses across this country, in particular, will evaluate the positive impacts of a recovery and reinvestment plan and, hopefully, plan their businesses accordingly. We’ve certainly seen alternative energy companies, wind developers that have taken positively to what potentially could be a final agreement. We hope that, that’s also true for construction companies, like, Caterpillar. And it’s why we believe that with the right plan, we can get this economy moving again by putting people back to work quickly.
TAPPER: Just a follow-up, I’m sorry. Wouldn’t the Colombian Free Trade Agreement — since that’s not like — unlike some other past trade agreements — that’s not one that American workers are necessarily worried about costing American jobs. Opposition to it has more to do with human rights in Colombia and environmental concerns. Wouldn’t re-thinking that free trade agreement — given the state of this economy — also be a logical step?
GIBBS: Well, what I don’t want to do is conflate the reinvestment and recovery plan directly with the president’s thinking on an individual trade agreement. I think the concerns that he and others have are still valid around that trade agreement. And certainly don’t want discussions on that to get in the way of a recovery and reinvestment plan moving ahead quickly.
- jpt
Rick Santorum Sweeps 3 States 
Pentagon to Open Additional Jobs to Women
jpt quotes GIBBS:
“Well, what I don’t want to do is conflate the reinvestment and recovery plan directly with the president’s thinking on an individual trade agreement. I think the concerns that he and others have are still valid around that trade agreement. And certainly don’t want discussions on that to get in the way of a recovery and reinvestment plan moving ahead quickly.”
Oh. Kind of like Daschle’s advice to hide that medical-info-grab in a “budget bill”. (If anybody needs a plaintiff to contest THIS bit of fascist nonsense, use ME.)
Got it: Damn the Constitution, full speed ahead.
Gibbs and Obama ARE the Two Pinocchios.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 11, 2009, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
Jake,
This was some great “Gotcha” journalism. Like most of the American Public cares about Caterpillars opinion on the Columbia Trade Agreement. We are just hopeful that they start hiring again.
You journalist are clueless about real Americans care about.
Posted by: JD | February 11, 2009, 4:22 pm 4:22 pm
“Kind of like Daschle’s advice to hide that medical-info-grab in a “budget bill”. ”
ROFLMAO…..supposed left winger out to protect the people adopts wholesale right wing free market talking points that have been passed around!
Posted by: Ryan C | February 11, 2009, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
“This was some great “Gotcha” journalism.”
I happen to think Jake asks excellent questions and follow ups.
I will not always agree with those questions or feel comfortable if they make Gibbs squirm but the questions themselves are not gotcha journalism.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 11, 2009, 4:27 pm 4:27 pm
“And certainly don’t want discussions on that to get in the way of a recovery and reinvestment plan moving ahead quickly.”
No, we wouldn’t want any DISCUSSIONS (of any type – ask the Republicans in Congress who were shut out of negotiations in House-Senate “compromise” on joint bill) to get in the way of a massive, ideologically based SPENDING BILL.
Posted by: tjp612 | February 11, 2009, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm
As a follow-up to Human Intel’s post at 4:16, there is a good article in Monday’s WSJ giving us a preview of what we are in for regarding nationalized heatlth coverage (search “‘Too Old’ for Hip Surgery”, WSJ). Article gives insight into Canada’s experience with nationalized healthcare.
Everyone will have coverage under nationalized health insurance, but only the rich (and Congress and Obama) will have access to quality care in a timely manner.
Posted by: tjp612 | February 11, 2009, 4:45 pm 4:45 pm
“This was some great “Gotcha” journalism.”
**************************************************
Yes, Jake Tapper engages in that, but this time with Gibbs, he wasn’t. He seemed toned down a bit this afternoon.
Posted by: kathy | February 11, 2009, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm
“he’ll be able to rehire some of those people.”
How many?
Posted by: drjohn | February 11, 2009, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm
“This was some great “Gotcha” journalism.”
That shoe hurts on the other foot, eh? Start looking for bunions and toughen up, cupcake.
Posted by: drjohn | February 11, 2009, 5:05 pm 5:05 pm
“You journalist are clueless about real Americans care about.”
Yeah, like what’s in this stimulus for you.
Posted by: drjohn | February 11, 2009, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
“Everyone will have coverage under nationalized health insurance, but only the rich (and Congress and Obama) will have access to quality care in a timely manner … ”
Don’t worry about THAT (there ain’t gonna be any “nationalized health insurance”, unless it’s to provide painless-suicide chambers, on the cheap, to un-rich people over 50): worry about the fairly-fascist federales attempting to glom onto private medical records by stealth.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 11, 2009, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
Several mainline churches were advocating a boycot against Caterpillar for how their products were being used in the Middle East. It was a human rights issue because some Americans care about the treatment of all people
Caterpillar agreed to get statements from the companies that the equipment would not be used to harm innocent people. The agreement seems worthless.
Posted by: Julie | February 11, 2009, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
From Red State:
“Or it was unknown, until President Obama bragged to the AP today that Owens allegedly promised to rehire “some” laid off Caterpillar workers if the “stimulus” bill Obama so desperately wants is passed into law.
Convenient, isn’t it, that a member of Obama’s own economic board — though the AP is not identifying him as such (surprise!) — is allegedly endorsing his spending plan.”
Posted by: drjohn | February 11, 2009, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm
Julie @ 5:12PM
***************************************************
I think Julie is referring to the Caterpillar bulldozers that were sold to Israeli Military Defense to demolish Palestinian homes. I think both American and Palestinian peace activists have been run over by them. Caterpillar said they would no longer sell their bulldozers to the Israeli military several years ago, but then reneged.
Incidentally, when Patrick Leahy yesterday about forming a “Truth Commission” to investigate Bush administration abuses, he brought up the government spying on churches. I’m assuming because, as Julie mentions, they tend to take on human rights issues.
Posted by: kathy | February 11, 2009, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm
Incidentally, when Patrick Leahy yesterday about forming a “Truth Commission” to investigate Bush administration abuses,
***************************************
Correction: Incidentally, when Patrick Leahy SPOKE yesterday about . . . .
I might add that there’s a growing momentum to investigate the various Bush abuses of the last eight years.
Posted by: kathy | February 11, 2009, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
@ Human Intelligence
I hear ya. If the Libs had their way we would be turned into a society akin to “Logan’s Run”
Little by little we’re getting there…
Posted by: tjp612 | February 11, 2009, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm
Gibbs said: a big investment that could be coming shortly to put Americans back to work and to put particularly those workers in Peoria and downstate Illinois area, in particular, back to work. We’re encouraged by that development.
========
Why would Obama be particularly encouraged they’re putting particularly the Illinois workers back to work?
What about the workers in North Caroline who have been laid off? What about people in Mississippi who may get laid off by CAT?
And yes, when Owen’s praise of Obama’s plan is mentioned, he should be identified as a member of Obama’s newly created Economic Advisory Panel.
Posted by: MayBee | February 11, 2009, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm
“Why would Obama be particularly encouraged they’re putting particularly the Illinois workers back to work?
What about the workers in North Caroline who have been laid off? What about people in Mississippi who may get laid off by CAT?”
Because the recent plant shut down with subsequent layoffs were in Peoria and Decatur?
Posted by: Ryan C | February 11, 2009, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm
Because the recent plant shut down with subsequent layoffs were in Peoria and Decatur?
====
As I said, Ryan C, people in other places were laid off too.
Posted by: MayBee | February 11, 2009, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm
JPT:
” Opposition to it has more to do with human rights in Colombia and environmental concerns.”
Whoa. I love ya, Jake, but you need to do some more homework on this one.
Opposition has come in the form of direct union pressure on Pelosi, and, one presumes on Obama as well. The idea that Colombia has been remiss in protecting labor leaders is an entirely counterfactual smokescreen, and one which completely obscures a far more consequential issue. Colombia is a critically important ally in South America, one which is becoming ever more valuable as the whole Chavez/Morales/Correa gang progresses (and is embracing Iran as we speak).
The Uribe government has made extraordinary progress; refusing to include Colombia in on NAFTA is an incredible, gratuitous, slap in the face of one of our few geniune friends in the dangerous region in our own backyard. Opening that door will work as much to our advantage as it does to theirs. Talk to Alan Goolsbee — there are sound reasons he was trying to back away from Obama’s campaign rhetoric on NAFTA. The careless pander on “rethinking” treaties has seriously rattled our partners.
It seems clear that asking Robert Gibbs about anything is a waste of your valuable time. When a Press Secretary has to refer you to “concerns” laid out “extensively in the campaign,” it’s an international embarrassment. Gibbs doesn’t want to get ahead of the President. The President doesn’t want to get ahead of his Treasury Secretary. Geithner steps up to the plate and refuses to divulge a thing.
You guys are asking great questions — and getting virtually the same answer to everyone of them. Alas, the only difference between the stonewalling in this Administration and the last, is that I don’t think this one actually has any plans to hide, outside of getting the domestic agenda driven stimulus bill passed. Obama once claimed he could walk and chew gum. Another campaign promise bites the dust! You have my sympathies; it’s tough to be a reporter when there’s no there there to report.
Posted by: JM Hanes | February 11, 2009, 6:52 pm 6:52 pm
“It seems clear that asking Robert Gibbs about anything is a waste of your valuable time. When a Press Secretary has to refer you to “concerns” laid out “extensively in the campaign,” it’s an international embarrassment …
Obama once claimed he could walk and chew gum. Another campaign promise bites the dust! … ”
Much MORE of this secretive crap — combined with commandeering air-time, instead, for “Obama”-centric propaganda served up in campaign-style junkets — and it’ll be time for a Truth Commission for Obama, and for the craven, captive, collapsing Congress.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 11, 2009, 7:18 pm 7:18 pm
“The history in Columbia right now is that labor leaders have been targeted for assassination on a fairly consistant basis, and there have not been prosecutions.”
– Barack Obama, during the debates.
This is how American workers lose their jobs. We give our hard earned tax dollars to regimes like Columbia. Our own money is used to drive our wages ever downward because we have to compete with people who will be shot when they try to stand up for their rights.
Posted by: Flash Override | February 11, 2009, 7:45 pm 7:45 pm
Flash Override:
Oddly enough, Obama left out the part about just how steeply those attacks have declined and how much the Uribe government has put into bringing that change about. Obama consistently tosses in conveniently vague qualifiers like “fairly” consistent which could mean just about anything. He also leaves out the part about how inclusion in NAFTA would result in Colombia buying more goods from the U.S. which, contra your talking points, means money flowing into U.S. pockets. Colombia is just a chip in the domestic game being played in Washington.
Posted by: JM Hanes | February 11, 2009, 10:04 pm 10:04 pm
“worry about the fairly-fascist federales attempting to glom onto private medical records by stealth.”
ROTFLMAO The self-same folks who all got their knickers in a twist over the Patriot Act want every sniffle or sneeze you ever had, not to mention some things you’d REALLY prefer would wither away into oblivion, permanently preserved FOREVER and electronically accessible by God only knows who.
Posted by: Bridget | February 11, 2009, 10:30 pm 10:30 pm
I think American consumers and business ought to make a conscious effort to “Buy American”. This Republican has always supported the American automobile industry (and the labor union Democrats) by buying American cars, knowing full well that they are perceived as inferior products, with consequent reduction in resale value. This Republican thinks Obama ought to make judicious use of his bully pulpit with his latte drinking beamer driving coastal Democrats to give up the imports and get a Ford.
But, you never, ever, never make a federal law out of it, scare the hell out of the rest of the world and start a friggin trade war while we’re heading into another Great Depression.
Posted by: Bridget | February 11, 2009, 10:47 pm 10:47 pm
I will never buy a UAW produced vehicle or a vehicle from the Big 3 (with notable exception being Ford since they have not taken bail-out money). I’ve worked in union shops as a manager and can tell you first-hand unions are directly responsible for the destruction of good-paying jobs. I support American workers, but I do not support American unions. The only union winners are the union officials – the union workers lose in the dues they pay and the jobs they lose due to outdated union rules and work practices.
“Buy America” is a bad idea – In addition to sparking potential trade wars, it also ensures American taxpayers will pay more for the products purchased.
Bring on the Patriot Act, I have nothing to hide. I have no problem with my doctor and insurance company having my health records. I have a BIG problem with the U.S. government having access to my health records.
Posted by: tjp612 | February 11, 2009, 11:05 pm 11:05 pm
tjp612, agreed, from now on it’s Fords for me too. I’ve been wobbling on foreign brands made in America, but definitely no imports.
Posted by: Bridget | February 11, 2009, 11:48 pm 11:48 pm
Good questions. Thank you Jake Tapper.
Posted by: dz | February 12, 2009, 2:50 am 2:50 am
Over 40% of Caterpillars sales are international. How can they possibly support “Buy American” legislation? Aren’t they afraid of retribution from other countries?
I’m also having a hard time understanding why there would be “buy American” built into the bill when they killed the provision to use e-verify make sure only people legally in the country will be hired to do the jobs. “Buy American” but hire illegal is fine, I guess.
Posted by: MayBee | February 12, 2009, 10:50 am 10:50 am
“Bring on the Patriot Act, I have nothing to hide”
Just how the Founders envisioned it, a country full of people considered guilty until proven otherwise.
Along with family values we can add defenders of freedom to the list of empty rhetoric offered by the right wing.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 12, 2009, 4:29 pm 4:29 pm