White House Gaggle With Josh Earnest

White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest was asked about a preview of the President’s upcoming bus tour next week and he said it’s an opportunity for President Barack Obama to travel to three midwest states, and get out of D.C. which he hasn’t had the opportunity to do very often over the last several weeks. He will be hearing from Americans in local community how the difficult economic recovery has impacted them and their local businesses.

When asked what the President’s expectations were for the bus tour, Earnest replied that people will be please to see the president outside of Washington D.C., out from behind the podium spending time talking to the American people about the economy as well as other issues discussed in Washington and how they are influenced by policy debate. Regardless of them being supporters of the president or not, they will appreciate the president coming to their home communities, Earnest said. He continued to say that the President anticipate that he will detect some frustration about the dysfunction in Congress and the strident position of some members of Congress to put their partisan affiliation ahead of the country.

Furthermore, there will be people who are supporters of the President and voted for the him last time, who will now have questions for him about the compromises he was willing to make in the context of the debt reduction debate. Earnest said that the President believes is an important part of leadership and an important part of resolving this problem is to move off our maximalist positions and demonstrating a willingness to compromise.

Earnest was also asked about yesterday’s speech in Michigan, and said that there is no question that the President was frustrated several time over the last month with small number of people in Congress who were willing to put their party ahead of the country. This clearly had an impact on the economy and the president described it as a self-inflicted wound. Earnest said that the President views that as something the American people are frustrated by. President Obama is hopeful, however, that after the August recess when they have
heard from their constituents, that there will be a change in tone once September comes. “The American people voted for divided government but not dysfunctional government,” Earnest stated.

There were questions regarding the President’s meeting with business leaders this afternoon, and Earnest said that names of the CEOs will be released later this afternoon. These are the kind of the meetings the president has had on a regular basis, and it’s not a reaction to the market though that topic is most likely to come up. The President wants their prospective on the economic situation and how the slow recovery has affected their business as well as the entire section. He is also open to ideas and wants a genuine dialogue.

When asked about the Iowa GOP debate last night, Earnest said that President did not get a chance to watch the debate but said that he thought the President he had read news coverage of it. Earnest was struck by GOP candidates who were willing to ask middle class families and college students to bear the burden of the economic recovery instead of millionaires who can afford it. “That basically puts these candidates in a position of not even asking corporate jet owners to assume one-tenth of the burden that we’re asking college students to bear; that middle-class families - that they would not even consider asking millionaires and billionaires to bear one-tenth of the burden that middle-class families would be asked to bear in a deficit reduction package.”

In response to what the President’s role, Earnest said that here are a number of things that people expect of their President in difficult economic times. Earnest listed things such as advocating for policies that has bipartisan support that could be beneficial for the economy right now, talking to international leaders about international impact; but also continuing being on the hunt for the kinds of ideas that create jobs.

When asked why the free trade bills were not sent over to Congress when the President wants it to be passes, Earnest said that he thought they were sent, but admitted that he wasn’t very knowledgeable in the
mechanics of it all, but stated that the importance is that there is there has been an active dialogue and a bipartisan agreements that can create jobs.

Week Ahead:

This weekend, President Obama will remain in Washington, D.C. On Monday, August 15, the President will travel to Minnesota to begin his three day bus tour in the Midwest. He will discuss ways to grow
the economy, strengthening the middle class and and accelerate the hiring in communities and towns across the nation. He will hear from Americans including, local families, small business owners,private
sector leaders, rural organizations and government officials. Earnest quoted the president who says, “ We must do everything can we can to promote economic growth, restore confidence in our national’s future,
and enhance the sense of optimist for our future generations.” The president will host a town hall event at Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Later that day,  he will also hold another town hall meeting in
Decorah, Iowa. On Tuesday, the President will hold a rural economic forum in Peosta, Iowa.
On Wednesday, President Obama will hold two additional town hall meetings in Atkinson and Alpha, Illinois. He will return to Washington later that night. On Thursday he travels to Martha’s
Vineyard with his family.