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Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper

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Today's Qs for O's WH - 8/6/2009

August 06, 2009 1:24 PM

TAPPER:  Some foreign policy experts have wondered about the precedent set by President Clinton's trip to North Korea, the humanitarian mission, as you guys describe it, about whether or not it would mean that other rogue states making a similar request in a similar situation -- and it's not too hard to see a fairly close parallel with what's going on in Iran, right now -- whether that would now merit a visit from somebody of President Clinton's prestige. And I was wondering, A, if that was a concern before you guys signed off on this trip, and, B, what you response is to that criticism?

GIBBS:  Well, look, I -- I've described this, and others, as separate from the concerns that we have about North Korea -- its nuclear policy, its provocative international actions.  And I think our policy to ensure that U.N. Security Council regulations are -- are implemented is no different today than it was Monday, before President Clinton left. This was a private humanitarian mission with only the goal of bringing back two journalists to safety.

I don't -- I don't read a lot of precedent into it.  I know the president is enormously thankful and grateful for the work that President Clinton did on this and his willingness to undertake such an important mission. But that's what this was about.  I think the administration has taken very strong action relating to -- relating to and responding to the actions of the North Koreans.  I think what happened in the U.N. Security Council, the unanimous passage of those resolutions, and the impact that they have already had on ensuring that the North Koreans are unable to move weapons out of their country, quite frankly is the best response for anybody's criticism.

TAPPER:  And then Senator Cornyn sent you guys a letter expressing concern about the tips@whitehouse.gov and what that means, what exactly you were seeking in terms of disinformation. I got a statement from Linda Douglass earlier, and I assume that -- that, just from what she suggests in her response, you guys are not going to be saving the names or the I.P. addresses, anything along those lines.

GIBBS:  Nobody is collecting names.  This was -- we have seen, and as I've discussed from this podium, a lot of misinformation around health care reform.  Some of it I think spread purposely. We have used on many occasions the Web site to debunk things that are simply not true.  We ask people if they have questions about health care reform and about what they're hearing about its affects on them, to let us know and we'd provide them information to show that that wasn't true, but nobody is collecting names.

TAPPER:  Is it "misinformation" that in 2003 President Obama, then a state senator, supported a single-payer health care system?

GIBBS:  I think, again, if you look at the statements that have been put up on other Internet sites that splice a bunch of stuff together, and I think if you look at the answers that state senator, U.S. senator, and President Barack Obama has given on that, I think -- we hope to provide people with a full and accurate picture, not something that -- only the words that opponents might want to see.

- jpt

August 6, 2009 in White House Press Briefing | Permalink | Share | User Comments (11)

User Comments

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"It’s Americans these days who are restricted to “in-plan” doctors."

"in-plan" doctors....

HMO Act of 1973 signed into law by President Nixon, using federal funds and policy to promote HMOs (1)

1982
California legislation enacted allowing selective contracting for Medicaid and private insurance, paving the way for other states to enact similar laws facilitating Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)


Also, in a PPO, you can go to a specialist without a referral from a primary care doctor. Unlike in Canada where you cannot see a specialist unless your primary care gives you a referral. Hence, why some Canadians with money come down to the US and go straight to a specialist.

Posted by: KR | Aug 7, 2009 10:12:52 AM

Wonder if anybody's turned in Der Won yet, for "fishy" info on health care . . .

Search this up, kids:

"The U.S. media, legislators and even presidents have claimed that our “socialized” system doesn’t let us choose our own doctors.
In fact, Canadians have free choice of physicians. It’s Americans these days who are restricted to “in-plan” doctors.
"Unfortunately, many Americans won’t get to hear the straight goods because vested interests are promoting a caricature of the Canadian experience."

A medical diagnosis from Canada,
but will the United States listen?
By DR. MICHAEL M. RACHLIS

Posted by: Bet Noir | Aug 6, 2009 9:34:54 PM

Good question on whether Obama's unedited words from 2003 were misinformation. ATROCIOUS non-answer once again from Gibbs. A follow up to that question would have kept the heat on him, even if it came from someone else but why the WHPC does not want to go there is beyond me.

Posted by: Mike in Costa Mesa | Aug 6, 2009 6:06:50 PM

I have to say that Jake is generally even-handed, though he is trapped inside the corporate view of health care reform, is pretty one-sided on Israel, and tends to concentrate on celebrity trivia instead of policy.

All in all not bad for mainstream media.

Posted by: Flash Override | Aug 6, 2009 4:32:53 PM

I'm actually starting to respect you, Mr. Tapper.


Posted by: P Boggs

Jake Tapper has been recongized by even the most conservative sites like NewsBusters that review bias in the media.. as a very honest and straight forward journalist...He deserves his cudo's for his good work..

Posted by: stardate: 2729.6 | Aug 6, 2009 4:10:23 PM

GIBBS: "I think, again, if you look at the statements that have been put up on other Internet sites that splice a bunch of stuff together, and I think if you look at the answers that state senator, U.S. senator, and President Barack Obama has given on that, I think -- we hope to provide people with a full and accurate picture, not something that -- only the words that opponents might want to see."

Pathetic. The statement captured on video was not cut and spliced and statements like Gibbs' continue to show Americans what kind of transparency they are getting from the Obama admin.

Posted by: Jason | Aug 6, 2009 3:26:08 PM

Too bad you can't play the entire unedited version of that 2003 remark in front of Gibbs and ask "so is an unedited video of the President's remarks also considered misinformation?"

By the way, good job on trying to get legit answers from that clown. How much trouble would you get into if you said something like: "Ok...good. Now can you actually answer the question I just asked or should I just sit back down try to interpret the BS you just spit out?"

Posted by: Boo_dro | Aug 6, 2009 2:46:44 PM

Did Gibbs even answer the questions? And why is he so condesending? Its as if we are all stupid! Keep up the great work Jake...you reveal so much for us....

Posted by: shawn | Aug 6, 2009 2:21:07 PM

2 thumbs up from VA!!! : )

Posted by: paige | Aug 6, 2009 2:01:38 PM

I'm actually starting to respect you, Mr. Tapper.

Posted by: P Boggs | Aug 6, 2009 1:56:03 PM

Jake, the only mis-information that goes on everyday is the game Mr. Gibbs plays with his non-answers to serious questions. It is nice to see you and Major Harris however doing your very best to get at least some semblamce of a valid answer from this propagandist.

Posted by: Lewis | Aug 6, 2009 1:41:40 PM

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