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| Obama press conference: Russia hacks, US election, China and Syria addressed – as it happened | Obama press conference: Russia hacks, US election, China and Syria addressed – as it happened |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 9.20pm GMT | 9.20pm GMT |
| 21:20 | 21:20 |
| Barack Obama’s end-of-year news conference is finished. Here’s a summary of what he said: | Barack Obama’s end-of-year news conference is finished. Here’s a summary of what he said: |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.22pm GMT | |
| 9.09pm GMT | 9.09pm GMT |
| 21:09 | 21:09 |
| Obama: 'Mele Kalikimaka' | Obama: 'Mele Kalikimaka' |
| Obama says that at the end of his last holiday photo line he took a photo with his Marine corps band. He got choked up, he says. “But it was just one small example of all the people who have contributed to our success. I’m responsible for where we screwed up. All the successes are shared... | Obama says that at the end of his last holiday photo line he took a photo with his Marine corps band. He got choked up, he says. “But it was just one small example of all the people who have contributed to our success. I’m responsible for where we screwed up. All the successes are shared... |
| On his way out, Obama is asked whether it was his last news conference. He said he’ll see. | On his way out, Obama is asked whether it was his last news conference. He said he’ll see. |
| Mele Kalikimaka, Obama says. Merry Christmas, in Hawaii. Trump had promised we’d start saying Merry Christmas again and here we’re saying Mele Kalikimaka. | Mele Kalikimaka, Obama says. Merry Christmas, in Hawaii. Trump had promised we’d start saying Merry Christmas again and here we’re saying Mele Kalikimaka. |
| 9.06pm GMT | 9.06pm GMT |
| 21:06 | 21:06 |
| Obama makes fun of fake news that says Michelle Obama’s eating initiative is “a greater threat to democracy than our government going after the press if they’re issuing a story that they don’t like. People have asked me how do you feel after the election, and i say look, this is a clarifying moment, it’s a useful reminder that voting counts, politics counts.. I think people will be able to compare and contrast and make judgments about what works for the American people.” | Obama makes fun of fake news that says Michelle Obama’s eating initiative is “a greater threat to democracy than our government going after the press if they’re issuing a story that they don’t like. People have asked me how do you feel after the election, and i say look, this is a clarifying moment, it’s a useful reminder that voting counts, politics counts.. I think people will be able to compare and contrast and make judgments about what works for the American people.” |
| Obama says he hopes that Trump’s plan works. He says his plan worked. “You can’t argue that we’re not better off. We are. And for that I thank the American people...” | Obama says he hopes that Trump’s plan works. He says his plan worked. “You can’t argue that we’re not better off. We are. And for that I thank the American people...” |
| 9.04pm GMT | 9.04pm GMT |
| 21:04 | 21:04 |
| Obama calls electoral college a 'vestige... from an earlier vision' | Obama calls electoral college a 'vestige... from an earlier vision' |
| Obama refuses a question about the electors. It’s their job to pick a successor, he says. “I’ve provided people with a lot of information about what happened during the course of the election, but more importantly the candidates themselves talked about their beliefs... the president elect, I think, has been very explicit about what he cares about, what he believes in. | Obama refuses a question about the electors. It’s their job to pick a successor, he says. “I’ve provided people with a lot of information about what happened during the course of the election, but more importantly the candidates themselves talked about their beliefs... the president elect, I think, has been very explicit about what he cares about, what he believes in. |
| The electoral college is a vestige, it’s a carryover from an earlier vision of how our federal government was going to work that put a lot of premium on states... it’s the same type of thinking that gives Wyoming 2 senators with a half million people... there are some structures in our political system.. that sometimes are going to disadvantage Democrats, but the truth of the matter is if we have a strong message,.... typically the popular vote and the electoral college vote will align... If we look for one explanation or one silver bullet or one easy fix for our politics then we’re probably going to be disappointed. There are just a lot of factors... that has made both politics and governance more challenging... I do hope that we all just take some time, take a breath,... to just reflect a little bit more about how can we get to a place where people are focused on working together based on at least some common set of facts. | The electoral college is a vestige, it’s a carryover from an earlier vision of how our federal government was going to work that put a lot of premium on states... it’s the same type of thinking that gives Wyoming 2 senators with a half million people... there are some structures in our political system.. that sometimes are going to disadvantage Democrats, but the truth of the matter is if we have a strong message,.... typically the popular vote and the electoral college vote will align... If we look for one explanation or one silver bullet or one easy fix for our politics then we’re probably going to be disappointed. There are just a lot of factors... that has made both politics and governance more challenging... I do hope that we all just take some time, take a breath,... to just reflect a little bit more about how can we get to a place where people are focused on working together based on at least some common set of facts. |
| 8.59pm GMT | 8.59pm GMT |
| 20:59 | 20:59 |
| Obama says coalition 'didn’t always turn out to be transferrable' | Obama says coalition 'didn’t always turn out to be transferrable' |
| Question for Obama: should current labor secretary Tom Perez run the DNC? | Question for Obama: should current labor secretary Tom Perez run the DNC? |
| Obama praises Perez, calling him one of the best labor secretaries in history, “tireless” and “wicked smart.” | Obama praises Perez, calling him one of the best labor secretaries in history, “tireless” and “wicked smart.” |
| “If you look at his body of work on behalf of working people, what he’s pushed for... he has been extraordinary. Now others who have declared are also my friends and are fine people as well. And the great thing is, I don’t have a vote in this. I’ve described to you earlier what I think needs to happen. Which is that the Democratic party... has to work at the grassroots level, has to be present in all 50 states... has to think about message... | “If you look at his body of work on behalf of working people, what he’s pushed for... he has been extraordinary. Now others who have declared are also my friends and are fine people as well. And the great thing is, I don’t have a vote in this. I’ve described to you earlier what I think needs to happen. Which is that the Democratic party... has to work at the grassroots level, has to be present in all 50 states... has to think about message... |
| “I will say this. I could not be prouder of the coalition that I put together in each of my campaigns. Because it was inclusive and it drew in people who normally weren’t interested in politics... I always cast a broad net... there’s more that we share than divides us, and I want to talk to everybody and get a chance to get everybody’s vote. .. outside of the realm of electoral politics, I still see people the way I saw them when I made that speech. Full of contradictions... but basically folks care about their families, they care about having meaningful work, making sure their ckids have more opportunity than they did. They want to be safe, they want to make sure things are fair... | “I will say this. I could not be prouder of the coalition that I put together in each of my campaigns. Because it was inclusive and it drew in people who normally weren’t interested in politics... I always cast a broad net... there’s more that we share than divides us, and I want to talk to everybody and get a chance to get everybody’s vote. .. outside of the realm of electoral politics, I still see people the way I saw them when I made that speech. Full of contradictions... but basically folks care about their families, they care about having meaningful work, making sure their ckids have more opportunity than they did. They want to be safe, they want to make sure things are fair... |
| “What I was able during my campaigns, I was not able to do during midterms. .. the coalition... didn’t always turn out to be transferrable.” That’s an understatement! | “What I was able during my campaigns, I was not able to do during midterms. .. the coalition... didn’t always turn out to be transferrable.” That’s an understatement! |
| 8.50pm GMT | 8.50pm GMT |
| 20:50 | 20:50 |
| Next question is about Trump’s conversation with the Taiwanese president and challenge to the One China policy. | Next question is about Trump’s conversation with the Taiwanese president and challenge to the One China policy. |
| What’s Obama think of a “fresh” China policy?Great question, he says. “I’m somewhere in between. I think all of our foreign policy should be subject to fresh eyes. I am very proud of the work I’ve done. I think I’m a better president than when I started [but] democracy benefits from some new perspectives. | What’s Obama think of a “fresh” China policy?Great question, he says. “I’m somewhere in between. I think all of our foreign policy should be subject to fresh eyes. I am very proud of the work I’ve done. I think I’m a better president than when I started [but] democracy benefits from some new perspectives. |
| “Given the importance of the relationship between the United States and China, given how much is at stake... there’s probably no bilateral relationship that carries more significance, and where there’s also the potential if that relationship breaks down... that everybody is worse off. I think it’s fine for him to take a look at it. | “Given the importance of the relationship between the United States and China, given how much is at stake... there’s probably no bilateral relationship that carries more significance, and where there’s also the potential if that relationship breaks down... that everybody is worse off. I think it’s fine for him to take a look at it. |
| “What I’ve advised is across the board on foreign policy, you want to make sure that you’re doing at in a systematic intentional way... before he starts to have a lot of interaction with foreign governments...that he should want to have his full team in place... so that as he’s then maybe taking foreign policy in a new direction, he’s got all the information to make good decisions. | “What I’ve advised is across the board on foreign policy, you want to make sure that you’re doing at in a systematic intentional way... before he starts to have a lot of interaction with foreign governments...that he should want to have his full team in place... so that as he’s then maybe taking foreign policy in a new direction, he’s got all the information to make good decisions. |
| “With respect to China, and let’s just take the example of Taiwan, there has been a longstanding agreement between China, the US and to some degree the Taiwanese, which is not to change the status quo.” | “With respect to China, and let’s just take the example of Taiwan, there has been a longstanding agreement between China, the US and to some degree the Taiwanese, which is not to change the status quo.” |
| 8.44pm GMT | 8.44pm GMT |
| 20:44 | 20:44 |
| Obama says Trump 'is still in transition mode' | Obama says Trump 'is still in transition mode' |
| Obama is asked whether Putin personally directed the hacking. | Obama is asked whether Putin personally directed the hacking. |
| He says wait for the intelligence report. But he has “great confidence in their assessment that the Russians carried out this hack. The hack of the DNC and the hack of John Podesta. But again, this is why I want the report out, so that everybody can review it.” | He says wait for the intelligence report. But he has “great confidence in their assessment that the Russians carried out this hack. The hack of the DNC and the hack of John Podesta. But again, this is why I want the report out, so that everybody can review it.” |
| Obama says Congress has seen the reports “and I think that what you’ve already seen is the folks that have seen the evidence don’t dispute that it was the Russians who have carried it out.” | Obama says Congress has seen the reports “and I think that what you’ve already seen is the folks that have seen the evidence don’t dispute that it was the Russians who have carried it out.” |
| Obama says the larger point is, “not much happens in Russia without Vladimir Putin. This is pretty hierarchical operation. Last I checked, there’s not a lot of debate and democratic deliberation.. this happened at the highest levels of the Russian government and I will let you ... whether there are high-level Russian officials going rogue.” | Obama says the larger point is, “not much happens in Russia without Vladimir Putin. This is pretty hierarchical operation. Last I checked, there’s not a lot of debate and democratic deliberation.. this happened at the highest levels of the Russian government and I will let you ... whether there are high-level Russian officials going rogue.” |
| “Martha I’ve given you what I’m going to give you. | “Martha I’ve given you what I’m going to give you. |
| “As I’ve said before, I think that the president elect is still in transition mode, from campaign to governance... he still has campaign spokesman sort of filling in and appearing on cable shows. There’s just a whole different attitude and vibe when you’re not in power as when you’re in power. How will the president-elect operate and how will his team operate when they’ve been fully briefed?” | “As I’ve said before, I think that the president elect is still in transition mode, from campaign to governance... he still has campaign spokesman sort of filling in and appearing on cable shows. There’s just a whole different attitude and vibe when you’re not in power as when you’re in power. How will the president-elect operate and how will his team operate when they’ve been fully briefed?” |
| “The more this [hacking story] can be nonpartisan, the better-served the American people are going to be. I’m going to keep on repeating this point. Our vulnerability... is directly related to how divided, partisan, dysfunctional our political process is. That’s the thing that makes us vulnerable. If fake news is being released by some foreign government is almost identical to reports that are being issued through partisan news venues, then it’s not surprising that that foreign propaganda will have a greater effect, because it doesn’t seem so far-fetched.” | “The more this [hacking story] can be nonpartisan, the better-served the American people are going to be. I’m going to keep on repeating this point. Our vulnerability... is directly related to how divided, partisan, dysfunctional our political process is. That’s the thing that makes us vulnerable. If fake news is being released by some foreign government is almost identical to reports that are being issued through partisan news venues, then it’s not surprising that that foreign propaganda will have a greater effect, because it doesn’t seem so far-fetched.” |
| Obama warns about “domestic propagandists.” | Obama warns about “domestic propagandists.” |
| 8.38pm GMT | 8.38pm GMT |
| 20:38 | 20:38 |
| Obama: 'Reagan would roll over in his grave' on GOP support for Putin | Obama: 'Reagan would roll over in his grave' on GOP support for Putin |
| Question for Obama: Can you assure the public this was a free and fair election? Will you declassify some of the evidence on Russian hacking? Are you concerned about the Tillerson pick and some of Trump’s closeness to Putin? | Question for Obama: Can you assure the public this was a free and fair election? Will you declassify some of the evidence on Russian hacking? Are you concerned about the Tillerson pick and some of Trump’s closeness to Putin? |
| Obama: I’m getting older. These multi-part questions... | Obama: I’m getting older. These multi-part questions... |
| “I can assure the public that there was not the kind of tampering with the voting process that was a concern and will continue to be a concern. That the votes that were cast were counted, they were counted appropriately. We have not seen evidence of machines being tampered with. That assurance I can provide. | “I can assure the public that there was not the kind of tampering with the voting process that was a concern and will continue to be a concern. That the votes that were cast were counted, they were counted appropriately. We have not seen evidence of machines being tampered with. That assurance I can provide. |
| We paid a lot of attention to it, we worked with state officials, etc, but we feel confident that that didn’t occur and that the votes were cast and they were counted. | We paid a lot of attention to it, we worked with state officials, etc, but we feel confident that that didn’t occur and that the votes were cast and they were counted. |
| ON declassification: “We will provide evidence that we can safely provide, that does not compromise sources and methods, but... when you’re talking about cybersecurity, a lot is classified... if we’re going to monitor this stuff effectively going forward, we don’t want them to know that we know. | ON declassification: “We will provide evidence that we can safely provide, that does not compromise sources and methods, but... when you’re talking about cybersecurity, a lot is classified... if we’re going to monitor this stuff effectively going forward, we don’t want them to know that we know. |
| “Unless the American people genuinely think that the professionals in [the intelligence community including Republicans] are less trustworthy than the Russians, then people should pay attention to what our intelligence agencies say. We’ve got to pay attention to what’s happening to our political culture here.” | “Unless the American people genuinely think that the professionals in [the intelligence community including Republicans] are less trustworthy than the Russians, then people should pay attention to what our intelligence agencies say. We’ve got to pay attention to what’s happening to our political culture here.” |
| Obama says that Russia is smaller and weaker and can’t hurt America... except: | Obama says that Russia is smaller and weaker and can’t hurt America... except: |
| Their economy doesn’t produce anything that anybody wants to buy except oil and gas and arms. They don’t innovate. But they can impact if we lose track of who we are... if we start buying into notions that it’s OK to intimidate the press, or lock up dissidents, or discriminate against people because of their faith, or what they look like... you’re starting to see certain Republican party and voters... starting to see a government contrary to everything we stand for as being OK because that’s how much we dislike Democrats. | Their economy doesn’t produce anything that anybody wants to buy except oil and gas and arms. They don’t innovate. But they can impact if we lose track of who we are... if we start buying into notions that it’s OK to intimidate the press, or lock up dissidents, or discriminate against people because of their faith, or what they look like... you’re starting to see certain Republican party and voters... starting to see a government contrary to everything we stand for as being OK because that’s how much we dislike Democrats. |
| Some folks who had made a career about being anti-Russian didn’t say anything about it. Then after the election they say, well why didn’t you tell us that the Russians were trying to elect our candidate. Now come on.... | Some folks who had made a career about being anti-Russian didn’t say anything about it. Then after the election they say, well why didn’t you tell us that the Russians were trying to elect our candidate. Now come on.... |
| Over a third of Republican voters approve of Vladimir Putin, the former head of the KGB. Ronald Reagan would roll over in his grave. And how did that happen?... Because for too long, everything that happens in this town, everything that’s said, is through the prism of, does this help or hurt us relative to Democrats? Relative to president Obama? | Over a third of Republican voters approve of Vladimir Putin, the former head of the KGB. Ronald Reagan would roll over in his grave. And how did that happen?... Because for too long, everything that happens in this town, everything that’s said, is through the prism of, does this help or hurt us relative to Democrats? Relative to president Obama? |
| “We’ve lost track of what we’re about and what we stand for.” | “We’ve lost track of what we’re about and what we stand for.” |
| As for appointments, those are up to Trump, Obama says, and to the senate to advise and consent. | As for appointments, those are up to Trump, Obama says, and to the senate to advise and consent. |
| 8.28pm GMT | 8.28pm GMT |
| 20:28 | 20:28 |
| On safe zones, Obama says, “if you set those zones up on Syrian territory, then that requires some force that is willing to maintain that territory in the absence of consent from the Syrian government and now the Russians and the Iranians. | On safe zones, Obama says, “if you set those zones up on Syrian territory, then that requires some force that is willing to maintain that territory in the absence of consent from the Syrian government and now the Russians and the Iranians. |
| It may be that with Aleppo’s tragic situation unfolding, if we can get some of the tens of thousands that are trapped there out... find some arrangement perhaps in coordination with Turkey whereby those people will be safe... unfortunately we’re not even there yet, because right now we have Russians and Assad claiming that all the innocent civilians that were trapped in Aleppo are out... try to put pressure wherever we can to try to get them out. | It may be that with Aleppo’s tragic situation unfolding, if we can get some of the tens of thousands that are trapped there out... find some arrangement perhaps in coordination with Turkey whereby those people will be safe... unfortunately we’re not even there yet, because right now we have Russians and Assad claiming that all the innocent civilians that were trapped in Aleppo are out... try to put pressure wherever we can to try to get them out. |
| I will help president-elect Trump with any advice counsel information that we can provide. | I will help president-elect Trump with any advice counsel information that we can provide. |
| 8.26pm GMT | 8.26pm GMT |
| 20:26 | 20:26 |
| Obama on Syria: 'I cannot claim that we’ve been successful' | Obama on Syria: 'I cannot claim that we’ve been successful' |
| Obama continues. “I mean that with all sincerity. I understand the impulse to want to do something, but ultimately I’ve had to think about what can we sustain, what is realistic and what’s the right thing to do for America?” | Obama continues. “I mean that with all sincerity. I understand the impulse to want to do something, but ultimately I’ve had to think about what can we sustain, what is realistic and what’s the right thing to do for America?” |
| Obama says he provided moderate support to the opposition, tried to minimize the extremist jihadi presence and tried to pressure international partners. | Obama says he provided moderate support to the opposition, tried to minimize the extremist jihadi presence and tried to pressure international partners. |
| “I cannot claim that we’ve been successful,” he says, “but I continue to believe it was the right approach, given what realistically we could get done.” | “I cannot claim that we’ve been successful,” he says, “but I continue to believe it was the right approach, given what realistically we could get done.” |
| 8.23pm GMT | 8.23pm GMT |
| 20:23 | 20:23 |
| Obama defends Syria policy: 'unless we were all in... we were going to have problems' | Obama defends Syria policy: 'unless we were all in... we were going to have problems' |
| Question: on Aleppo, do you feel any personal moral responsibility for the carnage? And Trump wants safe zones, which you’ve opposed. Will you support him? | Question: on Aleppo, do you feel any personal moral responsibility for the carnage? And Trump wants safe zones, which you’ve opposed. Will you support him? |
| Obama: “Mike I always feel responsible. I felt responsible when kids were being shot by snipers. I felt responsible when millions of people were being displaced... for murder and slaughter that’s taking place in South Sudan that’s not being reported... | Obama: “Mike I always feel responsible. I felt responsible when kids were being shot by snipers. I felt responsible when millions of people were being displaced... for murder and slaughter that’s taking place in South Sudan that’s not being reported... |
| There’s places around the world where horrible things are happening, and because of my office I feel responsible... there’s not a moment during the course of this presidency where I haven’t felt some responsibility. That’s true by the way for our own country... | There’s places around the world where horrible things are happening, and because of my office I feel responsible... there’s not a moment during the course of this presidency where I haven’t felt some responsibility. That’s true by the way for our own country... |
| With respect to Syria, what I have consistently done is taken the best course I can to try to end the civil war while taking into account the long term national interest of the United States... | With respect to Syria, what I have consistently done is taken the best course I can to try to end the civil war while taking into account the long term national interest of the United States... |
| Obama says he went through every option in Syria in painful detail with maps, humanitarian agencies, the military... but “short of putting large numbers of US troops on the ground, uninvited, without any international law mandate, without sufficient support from Congress... just gone through a decade of war and spent trillions of dollars, when the opposition on the ground was not cohesive enough...and you had a military superpower in Russia...and a regional power in Iran... that in that circumstance, unless we were all in and we were willing to take over Syria, then we were going to have problems. And everything else sounded tempting... but it was impossible to do this on the cheap...” | Obama says he went through every option in Syria in painful detail with maps, humanitarian agencies, the military... but “short of putting large numbers of US troops on the ground, uninvited, without any international law mandate, without sufficient support from Congress... just gone through a decade of war and spent trillions of dollars, when the opposition on the ground was not cohesive enough...and you had a military superpower in Russia...and a regional power in Iran... that in that circumstance, unless we were all in and we were willing to take over Syria, then we were going to have problems. And everything else sounded tempting... but it was impossible to do this on the cheap...” |
| Obama pauses as someone passes out or faints. Obama says go get a doctor. | Obama pauses as someone passes out or faints. Obama says go get a doctor. |
| Obama resumes. “It may be that... | Obama resumes. “It may be that... |
| Nope, they need a doctor. A woman appears to have fallen down. She has been picked up. Now they are helping her from the room. They’re going for a doctor. | Nope, they need a doctor. A woman appears to have fallen down. She has been picked up. Now they are helping her from the room. They’re going for a doctor. |
| 8.16pm GMT | 8.16pm GMT |
| 20:16 | 20:16 |
| Questions for Obama: what about Clinton’s contention that Comey’s letter about emails on Abedin/Weiner’s computer affected the outcome of the election? | Questions for Obama: what about Clinton’s contention that Comey’s letter about emails on Abedin/Weiner’s computer affected the outcome of the election? |
| Also, what’s risk of Trump ignoring Russian hack? | Also, what’s risk of Trump ignoring Russian hack? |
| Obama takes second question first: “The transition from election season to governance season is not always smooth. You know it’s bumpy.” | Obama takes second question first: “The transition from election season to governance season is not always smooth. You know it’s bumpy.” |
| “When Donald Trump takes the oath of office and is sworn in, he’s got a different set of responsibilities and considerations.” | “When Donald Trump takes the oath of office and is sworn in, he’s got a different set of responsibilities and considerations.” |
| On his conversations with Trump: | On his conversations with Trump: |
| “They have been cordial, and in some cases have involved me making some pretty specific suggestions about how to be sure...a bout maintaining the effectiveness, integrity, cohesion of the office, our various democratic institutions. And he has listened. I can’t say that he will end up implementing...and I will always make myself available to him.” | “They have been cordial, and in some cases have involved me making some pretty specific suggestions about how to be sure...a bout maintaining the effectiveness, integrity, cohesion of the office, our various democratic institutions. And he has listened. I can’t say that he will end up implementing...and I will always make myself available to him.” |
| On the FBI: | On the FBI: |
| “I’ve had a chance to know a lot of FBI agents... they take their job seriously. They work really hard. They help keep us safe and save a lot of lives... | “I’ve had a chance to know a lot of FBI agents... they take their job seriously. They work really hard. They help keep us safe and save a lot of lives... |
| “Sometimes that involves investigations that touch on politics. In this hyperpartisan environment everything is suspect... one thing I have done...is not wading into investigation decisions... to be strict in my own behaviour about preserving the independence of law enforcement.... I don’t know why it would stop now. | “Sometimes that involves investigations that touch on politics. In this hyperpartisan environment everything is suspect... one thing I have done...is not wading into investigation decisions... to be strict in my own behaviour about preserving the independence of law enforcement.... I don’t know why it would stop now. |
| 8.10pm GMT | 8.10pm GMT |
| 20:10 | 20:10 |
| Obama won't say whether Clinton loss owed to hacking | Obama won't say whether Clinton loss owed to hacking |
| “The reason I’m going on here is because I know you guys have a lot of questions about this. | “The reason I’m going on here is because I know you guys have a lot of questions about this. |
| “With respect to response, my principle goal... was making sure that the election itself went off without a hitch, that it was not tarnish, and that it did not feed any sense in the public that tampering had taken place in the actual process of voting. | “With respect to response, my principle goal... was making sure that the election itself went off without a hitch, that it was not tarnish, and that it did not feed any sense in the public that tampering had taken place in the actual process of voting. |
| “Our goal continues to be to send a clear message to Russia and others not to do this to us, because we can do stuff to you... some of it we can do publicly, some of it we will do in a way that they know it, but not everybody will.” | “Our goal continues to be to send a clear message to Russia and others not to do this to us, because we can do stuff to you... some of it we can do publicly, some of it we will do in a way that they know it, but not everybody will.” |
| “We already have enormous numbers of sanctions on the Russians... how we approach an appropriate response that increases costs for them... but does not creat ea problem for us is something that’s worth taking time to figure out. | “We already have enormous numbers of sanctions on the Russians... how we approach an appropriate response that increases costs for them... but does not creat ea problem for us is something that’s worth taking time to figure out. |
| “There are times where the message will be directly received by the Russians and not publicized.” | “There are times where the message will be directly received by the Russians and not publicized.” |
| “I should point out that part of the reason the Russians have been effective is they’re not going around the world saying look at what we did!” | “I should point out that part of the reason the Russians have been effective is they’re not going around the world saying look at what we did!” |
| Obama is asked whether Clinton lost because of the Russians: | Obama is asked whether Clinton lost because of the Russians: |
| I’m going to let all the political pundits in this town have a long discussion about what happened... it was a fascinating election... I’ve said what is important for the Democratic party... rather than trying to parse every aspect of the election... I don’t think she was treated fairly during the election... I think the coverage of her and the issues was troubling. But having said that, what I’m most focused on... I can maybe give some counsel and advice to the Democratic party, and the thing we have to spend the most time on is, how do we make sure that we’re showing up in places where I think Democratic policies are needed...but people feel like they’re not being heard... We have to be in those communities. | I’m going to let all the political pundits in this town have a long discussion about what happened... it was a fascinating election... I’ve said what is important for the Democratic party... rather than trying to parse every aspect of the election... I don’t think she was treated fairly during the election... I think the coverage of her and the issues was troubling. But having said that, what I’m most focused on... I can maybe give some counsel and advice to the Democratic party, and the thing we have to spend the most time on is, how do we make sure that we’re showing up in places where I think Democratic policies are needed...but people feel like they’re not being heard... We have to be in those communities. |
| 8.02pm GMT | 8.02pm GMT |
| 20:02 | 20:02 |
| Obama says media had 'obsession' with hacked Clinton emails | Obama says media had 'obsession' with hacked Clinton emails |
| Obama: | Obama: |
| I’m finding it a little curious that everybody’s acting surprised that this would have undermined the election of Hillary Clinton because you guys wrote about it every day ... this was an obsession that dominated the news coverage. I do think it’s [important to ask how such a momentous election] came to be dominated by these leaks. | I’m finding it a little curious that everybody’s acting surprised that this would have undermined the election of Hillary Clinton because you guys wrote about it every day ... this was an obsession that dominated the news coverage. I do think it’s [important to ask how such a momentous election] came to be dominated by these leaks. |
| “This was not some elaborate, complicated espionage scheme. They hacked into some Democratic party emails that contained fairly routine stuff. Some of it embarrassing or controversial ... And then it just took off. And that concerns me, and it should concern all of us. But the truth of the matter is that everybody had the information. | “This was not some elaborate, complicated espionage scheme. They hacked into some Democratic party emails that contained fairly routine stuff. Some of it embarrassing or controversial ... And then it just took off. And that concerns me, and it should concern all of us. But the truth of the matter is that everybody had the information. |
| “Moving forward, I think there are a couple issues that this raises. Number one, the constant challenges that we are going to have with cybersecurity ... this particular concern around Russian hacking is part of a broader set of concerns about how do we deal with cybersecurity.” | “Moving forward, I think there are a couple issues that this raises. Number one, the constant challenges that we are going to have with cybersecurity ... this particular concern around Russian hacking is part of a broader set of concerns about how do we deal with cybersecurity.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.08pm GMT | at 8.08pm GMT |
| 7.57pm GMT | 7.57pm GMT |
| 19:57 | 19:57 |
| Obama points out that Trump was raising questions about the integrity of the election. He says that the White House undermining that integrity further would not have been good. | Obama points out that Trump was raising questions about the integrity of the election. He says that the White House undermining that integrity further would not have been good. |
| “In early September when I saw President Putin in China, I felt that the most effective way ... was to talk to him directly, and to tell him to cut it out and there would be consequences if they didn’t.” | “In early September when I saw President Putin in China, I felt that the most effective way ... was to talk to him directly, and to tell him to cut it out and there would be consequences if they didn’t.” |
| “We did not see further tampering of the election process, but the leaks from Wikileaks were already out there.” | “We did not see further tampering of the election process, but the leaks from Wikileaks were already out there.” |
| “I think we handled it the way it should have been handled,” he says. | “I think we handled it the way it should have been handled,” he says. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.08pm GMT | at 8.08pm GMT |