Subject: RE: WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING 05-18-16
From: "Debose, Levi" <[email-masked]>
To: Comm_D <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 18 May 2016 11:42:40 -0700

Flagging more DNC and Primary questions, Trump SCOTUS question, and RNC GITMO fundraising comment. Transcript provided for DNC/Unity questions.

WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING

Topper: Senate Democrats reviewing Chief Judge Garland questionnaire

*         Judge Lewis got confirmed by a Democratic Controlled Senate 3 weeks before election

GITMO

Sen. Roberts said that there was a quid pro quo from him and the defense department. Is the language that Roberts brought up correct?

*         I don't have any insight to share

*         DoD has explained what happened in discussion

*         Nothing about GITMO has changed

*         Prison closure should be a priority

Lifting restrictions would only provide 3 months before the prison is closed. Does POTUS think that GITMO will be achieved?

*         Dispute can be solved through Senate

How do you respond from request from House GOP on GITMO?

*         We have outlined out plan for a long time

*         Individual cases will be taken into consideration

*         Meticulous process, but successful

*         Would be more successful if Congress didn't try and stop us

*         Petraeus, Graham, Powell, Collins, and McCain all want to close GITMO

*         RNC is playing politics by wanting to run ads on Dems who support closing GITMO

2016 Election

Sen. Sanders delivered ultimatum about how the Democratic Party works. Does the WH agree with this description of how the Democratic Party has been under the leadership of POTUS?

*         If you looked at the coverage at this time in 2007 you would see the same thing that you see now

*         The passion and commitment of candidacies are verified

*         The Democratic Party will be focused on a different question

*         Ample time over the next few months for candidates to make their case

*         American people will be motivated and POTUS will make that case

Primaries are hard-fought. There seems to be a different flavor. There is violence, disenfranchisement, and one of the campaigns aren't addressing that. IS POTUS trying to mediate or resolve or will he wait until the candidates fight it out amongst themselves?

JE: The part of the primaries typically are, especially one that is as passionate as this one is. One of the lessons of the 2008 election is to not confuse the passion in the primary for disinterest in the general election. I think if anything the reason why people are so passionate about the current primary process is because they understand the stakes in the general election. That was true in 2008 and we will see if it is true in 2016. I am confident that POTUS's engagement in the general would be useful in sharpening up that case. He looks forward to the opportunity to do it. He also benefitted personally in the 2007 primary. Yes, things are different (like the debate process), but things are as intense as they were from 2008. Good story to write about what was happening eight years ago.

Trump wanted to talk to NK. What has the Obama administration done in order to calm resolve this? What about the Paris Climate Agreement?

*         We are ramping up pressure against NK

*         We have talked to NK and told them the way to get out of the sanctions

*         With Paris Climate Agreement there were 190 countries that signed on to this agreement and every country made commitments

*         GOP talking point was that China wouldn't do it, but they did

*         This will have a positive impact on the economy and climate

Is the WH concerned that allies will run away from deal?

*         No we are not

POTUS said that he would talk to NK. Did he start this?

*         Not going to comment on that

*         We are ramping up pressure on NK and we have made a plan to deal with their nuclear build up

Sen. Feinstein compared this election to the 1968 convention?

*         WH not concerned about that right now

*         At this point no I am not concerned

*         Democrats will come together in the election

*         We are near the end of a  very competitive process

Are you concerned about violence, like the riots there were in 1968?

JE: No, that is not a concern.

You said earlier that there is a lot of passion in any process, but it seems to me that we are beyond that. A lot of Sanders supporters believe that the primary process is rigged against him and the integrity of the process is being question. The Nevada situation aside, does POTUS believe that the primary process is being followed and is fair?

JE: I haven't closely looked at the rules and I can say that the WH believes in the integrity of the DNC and their commitment to the fair implementation of the rules. I know that they are working with state parties all across the nation to ensure that the delegate selection plans are fair and transparent, so that state delegates can be chosen to the national convention. The other thing that you asked that occurs to me that helps put in stark relief, the intensity of the campaign in 2008 and the impact that that could have had on the election in 2008, there were not an insignificant number of Democrats in May of 2008 that were saying publically that they were prepared to organized and raise money in support of the GOP presidential nominee. There were questions that there could be Democrats for McCain movement that could tip the scale of the election. For all of the passion and furiosity and competitiveness of the democratic primary in 2016 I haven't read any public account of that happening in this general election.

Trump released his SCOTUS nominees. Do any of these names sound familiar?

*         "I would be surprised if there are any Democrats that would describe any of these picks as a consensus nominee."

*         GOP Senators have called Garland a consensus nominee

What do you think a Trump SCOTUS would look like?

*         I will leave that to others to speculate about

Over-Time Rule

VP has announced Overtime rules. Are you confident that it will stand with the legal questions and if a GOP president gets elected?

*         Yes

*         No new laws were created, just redefined

*         POTUS believes that they should be paid fairly

*         Americans wages should increase by 12 million dollars

*         Updated rule with new standards

Good for business in what way?

*         Companies want to pay their workers fairly

*         Better middle class and stronger middle class is good

*         Good economy is good for business

Did you rush this rule in order because of Trump?

*         We have worked on this rule for two years

*         It is not due to Trump

*         Due to the need to help middle class workers

*         Sen. Brown wanted this and he's not on the ballot yet

Zika

Senate passed the 1.1 billion package and not the POTUS one. What is the WH response?

*         We will see what hits the WH desk

*         We are pleased that the WH package got a large amount of bipartisan support

*         Rubio said that even though it came from the WH that it was the request of scientists, not Obama

*         Senate proposal is better than House GOP proposal

What will you veto?

*         We will advocate for 1.9 billion

*         House proposal is very weak and hurts safety nationwide

Is the administration willing to compromise?

*         Compromise contemplates that we won't give health professionals what they need

*         We won't compromise on the health of America

Reality is that there is little compromise. Why don't you compromise?

*         Because this is what our health care professionals need

*         "That is a dumb approach."

*         Gutting funding from Ebola to help with Zika?

*         That isn't a logical solution. We can pay for Zika.

*         This has nothing to do with compromise. We can compromise on almost every single other issue and the political process.

*         When it comes to the public health and safety of America there should be no compromise

Raids on Immigration Proceeding

Immigration allies think that it is hurting children and families, what is your comment?

*         DHS are a continuation of prior operations

*         Conducted with enforcement priorities (only convicted criminals and recent border crossings)

*         Only conducted to enforce orders from immigration courts

*         Will ensure that operations occur after due process

*         DHS won't do this in sensitive areas

*         This is a nation of laws

*         Would be better if we had comprehensive immigration reform

Does POTUS think that these are migrants or refugees?

*         Intent is to enforce the law

*         Human traffickers are bad

From: Debose, Levi
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2016 1:42 PM
To: Comm_D
Subject: WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING 05-18-16

Flagging question on violence in primary. Transcript below

Primaries are hard-fought. There seems to be a different flavor. There is violence, disenfranchisement, and one of the campaigns aren't addressing that. IS POTUS trying to mediate or resolve or will he wait until the candidates fight it out amongst themselves?

JE: The part of the primaries typically are, especially one that is as passionate as this one is. One of the lessons of the 2008 election is to not confuse the passion in the primary for disinterest in the general election. I think if anything the reason why people are so passionate about the current primary process is because they understand the stakes in the general election. That was true in 2008 and we will see if it is true in 2016. I am confident that POTUS's engagement in the general would be useful in sharpening up that case. He looks forward to the opportunity to do it. He also benefitted personally in the 2007 primary. Yes, things are different (like the debate process), but things are as intense form 2008. Good story to write about what was happening eight years ago.