Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs is conducting his second-ever press conference right now. Below you'll find my live-blogging of the questions. I can't promise verbatim rendering of the questions, but should the Obama administration post a full transcript later on, I'll link to that as well. [see related post]
I'm watching the video via MSNBC.
13:20 ET: Unid'd female reporter: This morning this event with the bipartisan leaders that the president had... but will there come a point when the president, and democratic leaders in the congress decide to have a vote whether Republicans like it or not?
13:21 ET, same reporter asks follow-up question on bipartisan cooperation
13:22 ET, male reporter asks about economic stimulus plans
13:25: What kind of reassurances can you give on the economic package. And on Pakistan, did the president consult with the Pakistan government on the strike.
Gibbs replies that he won't address the airstrikes or other military operations.
13:25, Major Garrett, Fox News Channel: You will never speak of any military operation taken by the United States?
Gibbs replies he won't discuss those airstrikes at today's briefing
13:27, Chip Reid, NBC News: Does [Obama] need to twist Democratic arms to take bipartisan support for an economic package seriously?
13:28:, Reid: Is he applying pressure on them [Democrats] to get them into the fold?
13:29, Jake Tapper, ABC News: Not one Republican voted for the stimulus. Many economists say there are many elements that aren't stimulative... Does President Obama think that wehat passed on Wednesday was bipartisan and was stimulative?
13:31, Major Garrett, FNC: Does this administration call the war on terror the war on terror? If not, why? Garrett asks question about stimulus package, and president's appraisal of a CBO analysis of the package.
13:34, Garrett notes economist that says monetary policy, not direct govt. spending, has lifted economy out of recession. Garrett asks what he's found that makes this recession any different, where govt. spending could turn the tide.
13:35, Chuck Todd, NBC News Political director: Do you rule out another stimulus package?
13:36, Todd: What is it about not confirming if the president was consulted about the Pakistan air strikes
Gibbs: I'm not going to get into these matters
Garrett and Todd press Gibbs, Gibbs refuses to answer.
13:37, Male reporter asks Gibbs what he thinks benefits of the stimulus package will be.
13:37, male reporter asks if there will be any turnaround in economic indicators resulting from stimulus
13:38, male reporter asks what Obama plans to do to recover money spent by bailed out banks on frivolous expenditures
13:40 males reporters asks followup
13:40, female reporter asks if the stimulus passes with no Republican support, will the president view that as a failure?
13:41, Chuck Todd, NBC: Would he veto a bill if it didn't have Republican support?
13:43, male reporter: Does the president anticipate traveling, turning up the heat to pass the stimulus plan?
GIBBS: I don't know of any travel plans at this moment
13:43, Ann Compton, ABC News Radio: State of the Union Address, will he deliver one?
13:44, male reporter asks about a report today that president is withdrawing envoys from the Davos Forum. Is there a reason for that?
13:44, male reporter: 75 percent of hte money would be spend the first few months, what about the other 25 percent
13:45, male reporter asks for info from bin Laden question posed yesterday
13:46, male reporter what level of tax cuts is president willing to accept in the stimulus. Some analysis shows tax cuts will not help small business but business at large. Should the tax cuts be targeted to small business?
13:47, female reporter: did the president give his email address to any congressmen in that meeting today? Asks another question regarding personnel in AIDS office.
13:48, Major Garrett asks question Is it up and running yet? [missed what he was referring to]
13:48, Margaret (?) question about gag rule on NGOs getting money from U.S. govt that back abortion, asks if there's anything domestically that Obama plans to do.
GIBBS: Stand by for a statement from the president.
13:49, male reporter asks how many are covered by waivers in the lobbyist policy and where it's approved? Cabinet level? Counsel's office? Chief of staff?
13:50, same male reporter what limited number should we expect?
13:50, male reporter, how does the president plan to engage the muslim world, will he travel to a major Islamic forum in first 100 days?
13:52, male reporter: when does the president expect to appoint an auto czar. Do you anticipate flexibility in the March 30 deadline on auto industry reaching bailout terms?
13:52, male reporter: DoesMarch give you adequate time to judge the viability of those firms?
13:53, male reporter: Can you explain the kinds of information the president will get in his daily economic briefing?
13:55, Lynn Sweet, Chicago Sun-Times: Is there any thought to do ing any energy audit? An experimental energy savings program, to make the White House a model of energy efficiency?
13:55, female reporter: Can you give us an idea of everything to happen next week
13:56, male reporter: A rough sketch of the weekend plans
13:57, male reporter: Is the radio address happening?
13:57, male reporter: Will video of that go on YouTube or the White House site?
GIBBS: YouTube, other sites are good ways to let American people know where President is and what he's thinking.
# # # END conference # # #
