Tomorrow's meeting, at least the most recent schedule that I saw a day or so ago was an additional three-hour meeting tomorrow morning, again in the...

Well, look, I hesitate to parse the words of the Commander-in-Chief. As he said in the Oval Office, we need a policy that works. And if that takes a...

No, no --

But why isn't he done yet? (Laughter.) Same question without the proposed snark? No.

Look, from the very beginning the President has wanted to analyze -- analyze this, starting with the region, focusing next on individual countries....

I read those stories. The President -- first of all, the President authorized, as you know, in his administration an additional 21,000 troops. I think...

They had been previously authorized.

Well, obviously both the outcome of the election, the type of partnership we have with the civilian government there is extremely important to the outcome...

I'm not going to characterize other than to say, as the President said today, looking for the best policy and the one that works.

Yes, sir.

Well, again, I, too, don't want to get ahead of the actual vote. I think the White House and the President are pleased that the likely outcome appears...

The President will tell anybody involved -- whether they work here or whether they're in the Senate or the House -- that we need a bill that has choice...

Well, let me go back to what I just said to Ed. The President is focused on ensuring that whatever passes, whatever reform comes to his desk have choice...

Choice and competition.

I know it's not the choice you gave me, but I'm not playing the box game. I'm telling you --

But it is.

No, no --

-- I'm following what's going on, on Capitol Hill as well as what Americans want. They want an insurance market, if they enter the private insurance...

We will evaluate as these two bills on the Senate side get merged and as other bills get merged to see if they meet the President's standard for doing...

Obviously during the -- as I said, during the merging of this we'll begin to evaluate what happens.

Well, look, I think if you look at the reports today you see that literally tens of thousands of jobs in the classroom have been saved alone by the...

Say again.

Well, again, the stimulus plan gave an unprecedented amount of money to state and local governments in order to preserve as many of those jobs as we...

I think the President believes that he will sign health care reform into law this year.

I know you are, and that's why I'm grinning and nodding my head and saying -- repeating again that the President believes he's going to sign health...

I'm sure staff has looked through -- as they have throughout this process -- looked at different proposals. I don't know in particular whether that...

Obviously he's been involved with staff from the very beginning in looking at different options that ensure choice and competition.

I don't think it the vote has happened yet.

I'd have to look into the basis for what he's talking about. Obviously the implementation of this is obviously not going to happen overnight. But I'd...

Well, look, I'm not going to get ahead of what the President may do in his time in three weeks, except to say that, Chip, this is a question that he's...

Well, obviously he's going to get a chance to take all of the recommendations and advice -- he's the Commander-in-Chief and he'll make that decision....

Well, let me --

Let me go back to the ordering of this. The first meeting was on a Sunday morning here. I was -- it was a small meeting; I was not in that meeting....

But you're right, in that one 17 people spoke.

Sure. I mean, look --

Well, I don't -- I think everybody thinks that there is a lot of people that pick different sides of the table and go back and forth at each other,...

I think a lot of this stuff is just sort of done in -- there's not time set aside for that. There's just I think a pretty wide-ranging discussion of...

Certainly there are questions that are asked throughout the meeting that people want to have a larger conversation about.

Well, that happened, but that happens as a matter of routine. There's not a Q&A period. It's not like --

Well, but -- guys, there's not -- this is larger than that. There are many pieces that all have to fit together -- as I said, militarily, civilian,...

Some time I believe last week, but I don't know the answer to that. Probably last week.

Look, the President -- I think you can be judged on what you've said you're going to do for New Orleans and for the Gulf, or you can be judged on what...

I think part of that is -- as I understand it, the reports themselves do not count a multiplier effect for jobs, which --

Right, that when we obviously know that in order to pave a road it's not the person paving the road. Somebody has got to make the pavement. Somebody...

I don't think -- I don't think what the Vice President is saying is different than what I'm saying. There are different measures for different things....

That's whatever the CEA last reported to you guys.

Everybody does, yes.

Again, because they're not reporting multiplied jobs, right? So let's say -- well, I won't use that example, that will just get me in trouble. I'll...

No, no, no, no, no --

No, no, no, no -- no, no, no, no -- (laughter.) The angel won, the devil lost.

No, no, again -- again, go back to my example. Go into the example...

We're not worried about whatever discrepancy it is you're trying to make into a much bigger story.

That time the devil won. (Laughter.)

Go ahead.

I don't have a schedule that goes that far out, or I haven't seen it. Obviously I think toward the end of that -- of the cycle, we have some days blocked...

Those are two of the races, sure.

That's the third.

Yes, ma'am.

I just had this image of the President sitting in the sand drawing lines. (Laughter.)

I don't think our public posture on this will change. I...

I anticipate we'll do some trips on this, yes.

What we'd like to see?

Passage of a bill. (Laughter.)

Yes. I mean, you know, obviously -- I don't know how long Congress is going to be here this year, but we expect before they go home, we're hopeful to...

The President is happy that it's -- when it's voted out, as we hope it will be, we think it's an important step in the process. Obviously there are...

Don't worry, that happens all the time.

At the risk of giving you the same answer for a third time.

Well, look -- I mean, look, I think we're -- obviously some of this is going to get merged and we'll have a chance to evaluate it then. I don't want...

No, I think we're doing just fine.

I think you just showed your age by saying Sheila E. (Laughter.)

Sheila E. I'm with you, but --

Pakistan.

Right. Well, look, I think the President continues to believe, as do the Secretary of State, as do the members that crafted the legislation, believe...

Well, I think these -- I'd have to go back and look at different aid for Pakistan in particular. I know a number of countries have conditional aid based...

No, no, no, I think I just mentioned those were the three primary races. I don't have a schedule in front of me so I don't have particulars, except...

I'm not going to get into private discussions beyond what you heard the two leaders talk about in the Oval Office.

I believe there were transfers just last week.

I still don't have a schedule in front of me so I don't --

I haven't seen what he's said, and I will go -- to follow up your question to follow up Ann's question to follow up Mark's question, I'll follow up...

No, I think --

No, I think the President -- the President sat next to Medvedev. The parties at the G20 agreed as well to a similar statement, including Mr. Medvedev....

I know you asked this question twice last week, so we're on like --

I'm sure it is.

I have not seen what Congressman Stupak said most recently. I would refer you to the answers I gave you on this question just twice last week.

I don't believe that -- I don't believe he made -- I don't believe he talked to her directly in the last day or so. I don't know if others here at the...

Well, yes. I think by many accounts you've got legislation that does many of the things the President had hoped it would do, and quite frankly as I...

Sure.

Yes, sir.

I have not seen the piece. And I don't -- I don't know what -- I don't know what they're basing that off of.

Right, but I mean, I don't -- I don't know what their opinion is based off of, in terms of seeing intelligence or understanding what our goals are....

No. I think that -- I think the motives of violent extremists that would detonate a bomb in a market is the type of cowardly act that one could only...

I admittedly don't have anything on that. But I will -- Bill is going on that trip, and I will get Bill to get some information and give it to you.

Obviously, the President looks forward to participating with former President George H.W. Bush in talking about service. And we'll have more on that...

I said last week -- well, I'm pretty sure the whole world got a cue when we stood up in front of Congress and spoke for an hour. Maybe that was -- maybe...

Well, no, but you also make it sound like, we've been just like, whoo, look, we woke up and, wow, we're in the fifth committee, isn't this cool.

I...

Well, I appreciate -- my guess is there are no shortage of opinions in all of this as we move forward, and I will -- we will be involved very much in...

I thought it was "whiners."

I haven't cried yet. (Laughter.)

Go ahead.

Twenty-one thousand.

No, no, no, no, no. Thirteen thousand -- there are -- there were previous authorizations --

The former administration -- to add troops to Afghanistan. They may not have physically gone during --

-- that previous administration. The additional number of troops that the President has authorized into the theater are 21,000 through this process.

I think the President was clear in what he said. And I think, based on your question, you understand the answer too.

Yes, sir.

We get questions throughout the day, seven days a week, about policies here at the White House, questions that you guys want answered. And our goal...

I have watched many stories on that network that I've found not to be true. I think everybody in this room has been likely on the other end of a phone...

Actually, your third question, but go ahead.

See, it's all about the facts. (Laughter.)

Can I just say this, we've been doing this question for what, 10 weeks?

Longer, I'm informed, longer. But go ahead, take -- let's make it 11, or longer.

No, I think we had today a bipartisan bill, so we seem to have checked both boxes.

Go ahead.

Again, there may be additional ways -- there may be a number of ways to ensure that when you enter the private insurance market -- or if you were on...

It has to ensure choice and competition.

Christina.

He mentioned specifically to me on Friday that the money would be donated to charity. There will be a process to evaluate that from his perspective....

I have not talked to him about that, but I can.

And a lifetime subscription to CongressDaily. (Laughter.)

I think they will talk, obviously, about health care, as well as the economy and foreign policy. We'll try to have some readout afterwards.

Karen,...

Let me ask. I meant to do this last week, and I'll find out that answer today.

I don't. Let me get a better answer. I should have done this last week. I'll reiterate again, the President obviously, as he said on Saturday, believes...

I have not been told otherwise, but I will double check with them.

Sam.

Well, the President -- going back to the answer I gave a second ago on "don't ask, don't tell," the President supported closing tax loopholes when he...

Thanks, guys.