Obama press conference

Iguimar F. (Brazil)
Transcript: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/11/14/remarks-president-news-conference
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words only definitions & notes
  1. besmirch
    smear so as to make dirty or stained
    Ambassador, who had nothing to do with Benghazi, and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence that she had received, and to besmirch her reputation is outrageous.
  2. disgorge
    eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth
    And we’ve got a full-blown investigation, and all that information will be disgorged to Congress.
  3. Benghazi
    port in northern Libya on the Gulf of Sidra
    Senator John McCain and Senator Lindsey Graham both said today that they want to have Watergate-style hearings on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, and said that if you nominate Susan Rice to be Secretary of State, they will do everythi
  4. progressivity
    advancement toward better conditions or policies or methods
    If Republican counterparts or some Democrats have a great idea for us to raise revenue, maintain progressivity, make sure the middle class isn’t getting hit, reduces our deficit, encourages growth, I’m not going to just slam the door in their face.
  5. chemical weapon
    chemical substances that can be delivered using munitions and dispersal devices to cause death or severe harm to people and animals and plants
    We are in very close contact with countries like Turkey and Jordan that immediately border Syria and have an impact -- and obviously Israel, which is having already grave concerns, as we do, about, for example, movements of chemical weapons that mi
  6. security measure
    an electrical device that sets off an alarm when someone tries to break in
    I think it should include a continuation of the strong border security measures that we’ve taken because we have to secure our borders.
  7. 9/11
    the day in 2001 when Arab suicide bombers hijacked United States airliners and used them as bombs
    On 9/11, as Commander-in-Chief, did you issue any orders to try to protect their lives?
  8. grit
    small coarse bits of stone, sand, or gravel
    When you travel around the country, you are inspired by the grit and resilience and hard work and decency of the American people.
  9. solvable
    capable of being solved
    THE PRESIDENT:  Look, I believe this is solvable.
  10. ice cap
    a mass of ice and snow that permanently covers a large area of land (e.g., the polar regions or a mountain peak)
    We do know that the Arctic ice cap is melting faster than was predicted even five years ago.
  11. hindsight
    understanding the nature of an event after it has happened
    Do you think in hindsight --

    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I mean, Chuck, what I’ll say is, is that if -- it is also possible that had we been told, then you’d be sitting here asking a question about why were you interfering in a criminal investigation.
  12. reelect
    elect again
    On the other hand, I didn’t get reelected just to bask in reelection.
  13. tax hike
    the amount by which taxes are increased
    The other option is to pass a law right now that would prevent any tax hike whatsoever on the first $250,000 of everybody’s income.
  14. civic leader
    a leader in municipal affairs
    Yesterday, I had a chance to meet with labor and civic leaders for their input.
  15. tax cut
    the act of reducing taxation
    And by the way, that means every American, including the wealthiest Americans, get a tax cut.
  16. middle-class
    occupying a socioeconomic position intermediate between those of the lower classes and the wealthy
    Certainly no middle-class family can afford that right now.
  17. tax rate
    rate used to calculate tax liability
    And then the follow-up to Jessica’s question -- tax rates.
  18. cooperatively
    in close cooperation
    The more engaged we are, the more we'll be in a position to make sure that we are encouraging the most moderate, thoughtful elements of the opposition that are committed to inclusion, observance of human rights, and working cooperatively with us ov
  19. administratively
    by or for an administrator
    Obviously, making sure that we put into law what the first step that we’ve taken administratively dealing with the DREAM Act kids is very important as well.
  20. follow up on
    carry further or advance
    Do you want to follow up on that one, too?
  21. impinge on
    hit against; come into sudden contact with
    And it will not impinge on business investment.
  22. loophole
    an ambiguity that makes it possible to evade an obligation
    We can eliminate loopholes and deductions that have a distorting effect on our economy.
  23. nuclear weapon
    a weapon of mass destruction whose explosive power derives from a nuclear reaction
    I was very clear before the campaign, I was clear during the campaign, and I’m now clear after the campaign -- we’re not going to let Iran get a nuclear weapon.
  24. interest group
    people uniting around a specific issue to meet a common goal
    “My hope,” he wrote, “is that we can make progress in light of personal and party principles, special interest groups, and years of business as usual.
  25. entitlement
    right granted by law or contract
    I believe that we have to continue to take a serious look at how we reform our entitlements, because health care costs continue to be the biggest driver of our deficits.
  26. Latino
    a native of Latin America
    And also, what lessons, if any, did Democrats learn from this last election and the Latino vote?
  27. elected official
    official who won the office in a free election
    So what I'm going to be doing over the next several weeks, next several months, is having a conversation, a wide-ranging conversation with scientists, engineers, and elected officials to find out what can -- what more can we do to make a short-term
  28. prejudge
    judge beforehand, especially without sufficient evidence
    So I’m not either prejudging what he’s interested in doing, nor am I suggesting I’ve got some specific assignment.
  29. legal status
    a status defined by law
    And I do think that there should be a pathway for legal status for those who are living in this country, are not engaged in criminal activity, are here simply to work.
  30. make sure
    make a point of doing something
    That’s traditionally been how we view things, in part because people are innocent until proven guilty, and we want to make sure that we don’t pre-judge these kinds of situations.
  31. undocumented
    lacking written authorization
    I think it should contain serious penalties for companies that are purposely hiring undocumented workers and taking advantage of them.
  32. red line
    a line that is colored red and that bisects an ice hockey rink
    Q    -- red line.
  33. envision
    imagine, conceive of, or see in one's mind
    And exactly what do you envision is broad immigration reform?
  34. one-on-one
    directly between two individuals
    And on Iran, are you preparing a final diplomatic push here to resolve the nuclear program issue, and are we headed toward one-on-one talks?
  35. human right
    any basic freedom to which all people are entitled
    The more engaged we are, the more we'll be in a position to make sure that we are encouraging the most moderate, thoughtful elements of the opposition that are committed to inclusion, observance of human rights, and working cooperatively with us ov
  36. basic principle
    principles from which other truths can be derived
    And I think it’s important to establish a basic principle that was debated extensively during the course of this campaign.
  37. follow-up
    a piece of work that exploits or builds on earlier work
    And then the follow-up to Jessica’s question -- tax rates.
  38. PhD
    a doctorate usually based on at least 3 years graduate study
    The business community continues to be concerned about getting enough high-skill workers, and I am a believer that if you’ve got a PhD in physics or computer science who wants to stay here and start a business here, we shouldn’t make it harder for
  39. disable
    injure permanently
    And the reason I won't do that is because I don’t want to find ourselves in a position six months from now or a year from now where, lo and behold, the only way to close the deficit is to sock it to middle-class families, or to burden families that have <
  40. middle class
    a socioeconomic group that is neither wealthy nor poor
    We’ve got to build on the progress that we’ve made, because this nation succeeds when we’ve got a growing, thriving middle class.
  41. climate change
    a shift in the world's average weather and temperature
    In his endorsement of you a few weeks ago, Mayor Bloomberg said he was motivated by the belief that you would do more to confront the threat of climate change than your opponent.
  42. impinge
    infringe upon
    And it will not impinge on business investment.
  43. empowerment
    the act of giving authority or legality to
    You're starting to see a sense of empowerment and civic participation that I think is going to be powerful and good for the country.
  44. tax
    a charge that a citizen pays to support government programs
    Now, on this last item, we face a very clear deadline that requires us to make some big decisions on jobs, taxes and deficits by the end of the year.
  45. holiday season
    a time when many people take holidays
    And I’ll bring everyone in to sign it right away so we can give folks some certainty before the holiday season.
  46. computer science
    the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures
    The business community continues to be concerned about getting enough high-skill workers, and I am a believer that if you’ve got a PhD in physics or computer science who wants to stay here and start a business here, we shouldn’t make it harder for
  47. deficit
    an amount that is less than expected or required
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that busine
  48. legalization
    the act of making lawful
    Does that include a legalization program?
  49. mandate
    a formal statement of a command to do something
    Q    I want to take Chuck’s lead and just ask a very small follow-up, which is whether you feel you have a mandate not just on taxes but on a range of issues because of your decisive victory?
  50. protocol
    forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by officials
    The FBI has its own protocols in terms of how they proceed, and I'm going to let Director Mueller and others examine those protocols and make some statements to the public generally.
  51. president
    the leader of a republic or democracy
    EST

    THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.
  52. withholding
    the act of holding back or keeping within your possession or control
    Are you withholding judgment on whether you should have known sooner that there was a potential -- that there was an investigation into whether your CIA Director -- potentially there was a national security breach with your CIA Director -- do you b
  53. go after
    go after with the intent to catch
    If Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me.
  54. lock in
    close with or as if with a tight seal
    And I’m ready and willing to make big commitments to make sure that we’re locking in the kind of deficit reductions that stabilize our deficit, start bringing it down, start bringing down our debt.
  55. deduction
    the act of removing a part from the whole
    We can eliminate loopholes and deductions that have a distorting effect on our economy.
  56. tax system
    a legal system for assessing and collecting taxes
    I think we can simplify our tax system.
  57. voter
    a citizen who has a legal right to vote
    Q    What about voters?
  58. security measures
    measures taken as a precaution against theft or espionage or sabotage etc.
    I think it should include a continuation of the strong border security measures that we’ve taken because we have to secure our borders.
  59. simplify
    make easier or reduce in complexity or extent
    I think we can simplify our tax system.
  60. CIA
    an independent agency of the United States government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest; headed by the Director of Central Intelligence under the supervision of the President and National Security Council
    And do you think that you as Commander-in-Chief and the American people should have been told that the CIA chief was under investigation before the election?
  61. overreach
    fail by aiming too high or trying too hard
    I’m more than familiar with all the literature about presidential overreach in second terms.
  62. go to
    be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.
    And I’ve been encouraged over the past week to hear Republican after Republican agree on the need for more revenue from the wealthiest Americans as part of our arithmetic if we’re going to be serious about reducing the deficit.
  63. motivate
    give an incentive for action
    In his endorsement of you a few weeks ago, Mayor Bloomberg said he was motivated by the belief that you would do more to confront the threat of climate change than your opponent.
  64. immigration
    movement of people into a country or area
    On immigration reform, the criticism in the past has been that you did not put forth legislation with specific ideas and send it up to the Hill.
  65. disadvantaged
    marked by deprivation especially of the necessities of life or healthful environmental influences
    And you meet young people who are doing incredible work in disadvantaged communities because they believe in the American ideal and it should available for everybody.
  66. Syria
    an Asian republic in the Middle East at the east end of the Mediterranean; site of some of the world's most ancient centers of civilization
    Obviously, the situation in Syria has deteriorated since then.
  67. hike
    walk a long way, as for pleasure or physical exercise
    The other option is to pass a law right now that would prevent any tax hike whatsoever on the first $250,000 of everybody’s income.
  68. fair-minded
    of a person; just and impartial; not prejudiced
    I think that fair-minded people can come to an agreement that does not cause the economy to go back into recession, that protects middle-class families, that focuses on jobs and growth, and reduces our deficit.
  69. classify
    arrange or order by categories
    Can you assure the American people that there have been no breaches of national security or classified information in the scandal involving Generals Petraeus and Allen?
  70. impact
    the striking of one body against another
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I have no evidence at this point from what I've seen that classified information was disclosed that in any way would have had a negative impact on our national security.
  71. go up
    move upward
    Because when it comes to taxes, there are two pathways available:  Option one, if Congress fails to act by the end of the year, everybody’s taxes will automatically go up -- including the 98 percent of Americans who make less than $250,000 a year a
  72. professionalism
    the expertness characteristic of a business person
    She has represented the United States and our interests in the United Nations with skill and professionalism and toughness and grace.
  73. special interest
    an individual or group who are concerned with some particular part of the economy and who try to influence legislators or bureaucrats to act in their favor
    “My hope,” he wrote, “is that we can make progress in light of personal and party principles, special interest groups, and years of business as usual.
  74. Democrat
    a member of the older of two major U.S. political parties
    Democrats in the House are ready to pass a law like this.
  75. do work
    be employed
    I got elected to do work on behalf of American families and small businesses all across the country who are still recovering from a really bad recession, but are hopeful about the future.
  76. focus on
    center upon
    I want to see if we can, at least for the foreseeable future, provide certainty to businesses and the American people so that we can focus on job growth, so that we’re also investing in the things that we need.
  77. nursing home
    an institution where people are cared for
    And the reason I won't do that is because I don’t want to find ourselves in a position six months from now or a year from now where, lo and behold, the only way to close the deficit is to sock it to middle-class families, or to burden families that have d
  78. foreseeable
    capable of being anticipated
    I want to see if we can, at least for the foreseeable future, provide certainty to businesses and the American people so that we can focus on job growth, so that we’re also investing in the things that we need.
  79. arming
    the act of equiping with weapons in preparation for war
    And is there any point at which the United States would consider arming the rebels?
  80. wealthy
    having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value
    And I’ve been encouraged over the past week to hear Republican after Republican agree on the need for more revenue from the wealthiest Americans as part of our arithmetic if we’re going to be serious about reducing the deficit.
  81. business community
    the body of individuals who manage businesses
    The business community continues to be concerned about getting enough high-skill workers, and I am a believer that if you’ve got a PhD in physics or computer science who wants to stay here and start a business here, we shouldn’t make it harder for
  82. folk
    people in general (often used in the plural)
    And I’ll bring everyone in to sign it right away so we can give folks some certainty before the holiday season.
  83. realistically
    in a realistic manner
    So what I'm going to be doing over the next several weeks, next several months, is having a conversation, a wide-ranging conversation with scientists, engineers, and elected officials to find out what can -- what more can we do to make a short-term progre
  84. component
    one of the individual parts making up a larger entity
    And so there are other components to it, obviously.
  85. resolve
    find a solution or answer
    But to give them the avenue whereby they can resolve their legal status here in this country I think is very important.
  86. priority
    status established in order of importance or urgency
    Right now, our economy is still recovering from a very deep and damaging crisis, so our top priority has to be jobs and growth.
  87. emphasize
    stress or single out as important
    I do want to emphasize what I’ve said before:  General Petraeus had an extraordinary career.
  88. wide-ranging
    including much
    So what I'm going to be doing over the next several weeks, next several months, is having a conversation, a wide-ranging conversation with scientists, engineers, and elected officials to find out what can -- what more can we do to make a short-term
  89. fiscal
    involving financial matters
    Q    Mr. President, on the fiscal cliff, two years ago, sir, you said that you wouldn’t extend the Bush-era tax cuts, but at the end of the day, you did.
  90. reiterate
    say, state, or perform again
    First of all, I want to reiterate what I said on Friday.
  91. follow up
    increase the effectiveness or success of by further action
    Do you want to follow up on that one, too?
  92. resilience
    ability of a material to return to its original shape
    The one thing that I said during the campaign that maybe sounds like a bunch of campaign rhetoric, but now that the campaign is over I am going to repeat it and hopefully you guys will really believe me -- when you travel around the country, you are inspi
  93. nominate
    propose as a candidate for some honor
    Senator John McCain and Senator Lindsey Graham both said today that they want to have Watergate-style hearings on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, and said that if you nominate Susan Rice to be Secretary of State, they will do everythi
  94. dime
    a United States coin worth one tenth of a dollar
    It means that 98 percent of all Americans, and 97 percent of all small businesses won’t see their taxes go up a single dime.
  95. withhold
    hold back; refuse to hand over or share
    Are you withholding judgment on whether you should have known sooner that there was a potential -- that there was an investigation into whether your CIA Director -- potentially there was a national security breach with your CIA Director -- do you b
  96. kid
    young goat
    Obviously, making sure that we put into law what the first step that we’ve taken administratively dealing with the DREAM Act kids is very important as well.
  97. diplomatically
    with diplomacy; in a diplomatic manner
    But I think there is still a window of time for us to resolve this diplomatically.
  98. utilization
    the act of using
    We doubled the production of clean energy, which promises to reduce the utilization of fossil fuels for power generation.
  99. walk through
    perform in a perfunctory way, as for a first rehearsal
    I can’t promise that Iran will walk through the door that they need to walk through, but that would be very much the preferable option.
  100. you said it
    an expression of emphatic agreement
    On spending, the $1.2 trillion trigger, is that something that you can see having a short-term component -- because I remember you said it's not happening --

    THE PRESIDENT:  That was a great question, but it would be a horrible precedent for me
  101. potentially
    with a possibility of becoming actual
    And let’s also then commit ourselves to the broader package of deficit reduction that includes entitlement changes and it includes potentially tax reform, as well as I’m willing to look at additional work that we can do on the discretionary spendin
  102. investigation
    an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities
    And do you think that you as Commander-in-Chief and the American people should have been told that the CIA chief was under investigation before the election?
  103. cliff
    a steep high face of rock
    Q    Mr. President, on the fiscal cliff, two years ago, sir, you said that you wouldn’t extend the Bush-era tax cuts, but at the end of the day, you did.
  104. distort
    twist and press out of shape
    We can eliminate loopholes and deductions that have a distorting effect on our economy.
  105. job
    a specific piece of work required to be done as a duty
    Right now, our economy is still recovering from a very deep and damaging crisis, so our top priority has to be jobs and growth.
  106. constrain
    hold back
    But I think it’s fair to say we want to get this resolved, and we’re not going to be constrained by diplomatic niceties or protocols.
  107. work through
    apply thoroughly; think through
    So what I'm going to be doing over the next several weeks, next several months, is having a conversation, a wide-ranging conversation with scientists, engineers, and elected officials to find out what can -- what more can we do to make a short-term progre
  108. every bit
    to the same degree (often followed by 'as')
    We have provided every bit of information that we have, and we will continue to provide information.
  109. FBI
    a federal law enforcement agency that is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Justice
    The FBI has its own protocols in terms of how they proceed, and I'm going to let Director Mueller and others examine those protocols and make some statements to the public generally.
  110. Republican
    a member of the younger of two major U.S. political parties
    And I’ve been encouraged over the past week to hear Republican after Republican agree on the need for more revenue from the wealthiest Americans as part of our arithmetic if we’re going to be serious about reducing the deficit.
  111. folks
    people in general (often used in the plural)
    And I’ll bring everyone in to sign it right away so we can give folks some certainty before the holiday season.
  112. emission
    the act of causing to flow forth
    And I am a firm believer that climate change is real, that it is impacted by human behavior and carbon emissions.
  113. good afternoon
    a conventional expression of greeting or farewell
    EST

    THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.
  114. carbon
    an abundant nonmetallic element in all organic compounds
    And do you think the political will exists in Washington to pass legislation that could include some kind of attacks on carbon?
  115. Iran
    a theocratic Islamic republic in the Middle East in western Asia; Iran was the core of the ancient empire that was known as Persia until 1935; rich in oil
    Q    One quick follow-up, and then I want to ask you about Iran.
  116. pay back
    act or give recompense in recognition of someone's behavior or actions
    It’s important for them to pay back-taxes.
  117. class
    a collection of things sharing a common attribute
    We’ve got to build on the progress that we’ve made, because this nation succeeds when we’ve got a growing, thriving middle class.
  118. reform
    make changes for improvement to remove abuse and injustices
    And what we can then do is shape a process whereby we look at tax reform -- which I'm very eager to do.
  119. bask
    expose oneself to warmth and light, as for relaxation
    On the other hand, I didn’t get reelected just to bask in reelection.
  120. pathway
    a trodden path
    Because when it comes to taxes, there are two pathways available:  Option one, if Congress fails to act by the end of the year, everybody’s taxes will automatically go up -- including the 98 percent of Americans who make less than $250,000 a year a
  121. hostage
    a prisoner held to insure that another party will meet terms
    We should not hold the middle class hostage while we debate tax cuts for the wealthy.
  122. federal government
    a government with strong central powers
    And that skill set of trying to figure out how do we make something work better applies to the federal government.
  123. predict
    make a guess about what will happen in the future
    Before the election I had given a couple interviews where I predicted that the Latino vote was going to be strong, and that that would cause some reflection on the part of Republicans about their position on immigration reform.
  124. partisan
    a fervent and even militant proponent of something
    This has not historically been a partisan issue -- we’ve had President Bush and John McCain and others who have supported comprehensive immigration reform in the past.
  125. come after
    come after in time, as a result
    But I want to stay on Benghazi, based on what Jon asked because you said, if they want to come after me, come after me.
  126. agenda
    a list of matters to be taken up, as at a meeting
    If, on the other hand, we can shape an agenda that says we can create jobs, advance growth, and make a serious dent in climate change and be an international leader, I think that's something that the American people would support.
  127. balanced
    being in a state of proper equilibrium
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that busine
  128. per se
    with respect to its inherent nature
    I'm less concerned about red lines, per se.
  129. fast-growing
    tending to spread quickly
    It is the fastest-growing group in the country.
  130. understandably
    in an intelligible manner
    And understandably, I think the American people right now have been so focused, and will continue to be focused on our economy and jobs and growth, that if the message is somehow we're going to ignore jobs and growth simply to address climate chang
  131. scenario
    a postulated sequence of possible events
    Can you envision any scenario in which we do go off the fiscal cliff at the end of the year?
  132. middle
    an area that is approximately central within some larger region
    We’ve got to build on the progress that we’ve made, because this nation succeeds when we’ve got a growing, thriving middle class.
  133. reelection
    election again
    On the other hand, I didn’t get reelected just to bask in reelection.
  134. calculus
    mathematics involving derivatives and integrals of function
    And it really is arithmetic; it’s not calculus.
  135. come together
    come together, as if in an embrace
    And ultimately, we came together not only to extend the Bush tax cuts, but also a wide range of policies that were going to be good for the economy at that point -- unemployment insurance extensions, payroll tax extension -- all of which made a dif
  136. put forward
    put before
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, first of all, I’m not going to comment at this point on various nominations that I’ll put forward to fill out my Cabinet for the second term.
  137. obviously
    unmistakably
    Obviously there’s an ongoing investigation.
  138. get ahead
    obtain advantages, such as points, etc.
    Just work really hard to see if you can help us get ahead -- because we’re working really hard out here and we’re still struggling, a lot of us.
  139. discretionary
    having the ability to act according to your own judgment
    And let’s also then commit ourselves to the broader package of deficit reduction that includes entitlement changes and it includes potentially tax reform, as well as I’m willing to look at additional work that we can do on the discretionary spendin
  140. big deal
    anything of great importance or consequence
    So I want a big deal.
  141. deportation
    the expulsion of a non-citizen from a country
    One thing that I’m very clear about is that young people who are brought here through no fault of their own, who have gone to school here, pledged allegiance to our flag, want to serve in our military, want to go to school and contribute to our society, t
  142. math
    a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement
    The math tends not to work.
  143. economy
    the system of production and distribution and consumption
    Right now, our economy is still recovering from a very deep and damaging crisis, so our top priority has to be jobs and growth.
  144. unite
    join or combine
    She has represented the United States and our interests in the United Nations with skill and professionalism and toughness and grace.
  145. P.M.
    between noon and midnight
    The White House

    Office of the Press Secretary

    East Room

    1:34 P.M.
  146. sock
    hosiery consisting of a cloth covering for the foot
    And the reason I won't do that is because I don’t want to find ourselves in a position six months from now or a year from now where, lo and behold, the only way to close the deficit is to sock it to middle-class families, or to burden families that
  147. encourage
    inspire with confidence
    And I’ve been encouraged over the past week to hear Republican after Republican agree on the need for more revenue from the wealthiest Americans as part of our arithmetic if we’re going to be serious about reducing the deficit.
  148. full-blown
    fully ripe; at the height of bloom
    And we’ve got a full-blown investigation, and all that information will be disgorged to Congress.
  149. Great Depression
    the economic crisis beginning with the stock market crash in 1929 and continuing through the 1930s
    We were still very much in the early parts of recovering from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
  150. term
    a limited period of time during which something lasts
    The FBI has its own protocols in terms of how they proceed, and I'm going to let Director Mueller and others examine those protocols and make some statements to the public generally.
  151. involve
    contain as a part
    Can you assure the American people that there have been no breaches of national security or classified information in the scandal involving Generals Petraeus and Allen?
  152. toughness
    enduring strength and energy
    She has represented the United States and our interests in the United Nations with skill and professionalism and toughness and grace.
  153. input
    signal going into an electronic system
    Yesterday, I had a chance to meet with labor and civic leaders for their input.
  154. short-term
    relating to or extending over a limited period
    So what I'm going to be doing over the next several weeks, next several months, is having a conversation, a wide-ranging conversation with scientists, engineers, and elected officials to find out what can -- what more can we do to make a short-term
  155. reduce
    make smaller
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that busine
  156. fill out
    write all the required information onto a form
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, first of all, I’m not going to comment at this point on various nominations that I’ll put forward to fill out my Cabinet for the second term.
  157. trillion
    the number that is represented as a one followed by 12 zeros
    But when it comes to the top 2 percent, what I’m not going to do is to extend further a tax cut for folks who don’t need it, which would cost close to a trillion dollars.
  158. stabilize
    support and make steadfast
    And I’m ready and willing to make big commitments to make sure that we’re locking in the kind of deficit reductions that stabilize our deficit, start bringing it down, start bringing down our debt.
  159. build on
    be based on; of theories and claims, for example
    We’ve got to build on the progress that we’ve made, because this nation succeeds when we’ve got a growing, thriving middle class.
  160. comprehensive
    including all or everything
    I want a comprehensive deal.
  161. extremist
    a person who holds radical views
    We have seen extremist elements insinuate themselves into the opposition, and one of the things that we have to be on guard about -- particularly when we start talking about arming opposition figures -- is that we’re not indirectly putting arms in
  162. go ahead
    proceed (with a plan of action)
    The only question now is are we going to hold the middle class hostage in order to go ahead and let that happen?
  163. fossil fuel
    energy-producing substance derived from preserved organisms
    We doubled the production of clean energy, which promises to reduce the utilization of fossil fuels for power generation.
  164. election
    a vote choosing the winner of a position or political office
    That was the very clear message from the election last week.
  165. Defense Department
    the federal department responsible for safeguarding national security of the United States; created in 1947
    But as I’ve said repeatedly, if people don’t think that we did everything we can to make sure that we saved the lives of folks who I sent there and who were carrying out missions on behalf of the United States, then you don’t know how our Defense Depar
  166. focus
    the concentration of attention or energy on something
    I want to see if we can, at least for the foreseeable future, provide certainty to businesses and the American people so that we can focus on job growth, so that we’re also investing in the things that we need.
  167. historically
    throughout the past
    And historically what you’ve seen is the Latino vote, vote at lower rates than the broader population, and that's beginning to change.
  168. deteriorate
    become worse or disintegrate
    Obviously, the situation in Syria has deteriorated since then.
  169. opposition
    being against something that you disapprove or disagree with
    France has recognized the opposition coalition.
  170. extend
    stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope
    Q    Mr. President, on the fiscal cliff, two years ago, sir, you said that you wouldn’t extend the Bush-era tax cuts, but at the end of the day, you did.
  171. workforce
    the people employed or available for employment
    I think that the agricultural sector obviously has very specific concerns about making sure that they’ve got a workforce that helps deliver food to our tables.
  172. engage
    consume all of one's attention or time
    And I do think that there should be a pathway for legal status for those who are living in this country, are not engaged in criminal activity, are here simply to work.
  173. economic crisis
    a long-term economic state characterized by unemployment and low prices and low levels of trade and investment
    We were still very much in the early parts of recovering from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
  174. stubbornness
    resolute adherence to your own ideas or desires
    If despite the election, if despite the dangers of going over the fiscal cliff and what that means for our economy, that there’s too much stubbornness in Congress that we can't even agree on giving middle-class families a tax cut, then middle-class
  175. forefront
    the part that is most forward or nearest the viewer
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that busine
  176. cohesion
    the state of sticking together
    I’m encouraged to see that the Syrian opposition created an umbrella group that may have more cohesion than they’ve had in the past.
  177. figure out
    find the solution to or understand the meaning of
    I won’t pretend that figuring out everything else will be easy, but I'm confident we can do it -- and I know we have to.
  178. relationship
    a mutual connection between people
    Q    But when it comes to your relationships with Congress, one of the most frequent criticisms we’ve heard over the past few years from members on both sides is that you haven’t done enough to reach out and build relationships.
  179. provide
    give something useful or necessary to
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that
  180. confident
    having or marked by assurance
    I won’t pretend that figuring out everything else will be easy, but I'm confident we can do it -- and I know we have to.
  181. reduction
    the act of decreasing something
    And it’s very difficult to see how you make up that trillion dollars -- if we’re serious about deficit reduction -- just by closing loopholes and deductions.
  182. status quo
    the existing state of affairs
    What I'm concerned about is not finding ourselves in a situation where the wealthy aren't paying more or aren't paying as much as they should, middle-class families one way or another are making up the difference -- that’s the kind of status quo th
  183. nicety
    conformity with some standard of correctness or propriety
    But I think it’s fair to say we want to get this resolved, and we’re not going to be constrained by diplomatic niceties or protocols.
  184. detrimental
    causing harm or injury
    We have seen extremist elements insinuate themselves into the opposition, and one of the things that we have to be on guard about -- particularly when we start talking about arming opposition figures -- is that we’re not indirectly putting arms in the han
  185. recession
    the act of returning control
    I think that fair-minded people can come to an agreement that does not cause the economy to go back into recession, that protects middle-class families, that focuses on jobs and growth, and reduces our deficit.
  186. invest
    lay out money or resources in an enterprise
    I want to see if we can, at least for the foreseeable future, provide certainty to businesses and the American people so that we can focus on job growth, so that we’re also investing in the things that we need.
  187. turnout
    attendance for a particular event or purpose
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I think what was incredibly encouraging was to see a significant increase in Latino turnout.
  188. American
    of or relating to the United States of America or its people or language or culture
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that
  189. insinuate
    suggest in an indirect or covert way; give to understand
    We have seen extremist elements insinuate themselves into the opposition, and one of the things that we have to be on guard about -- particularly when we start talking about arming opposition figures -- is that we’re not indirectly putting arms in
  190. nuclear power
    nuclear energy regarded as a source of electricity for the power grid (for civilian use)
    There should be a way in which they can enjoy peaceful nuclear power while still meeting their international obligations and providing clear assurances to the international community that they’re not pursuing a nuclear weapon.
  191. across the country
    extending throughout an entire nation
    I got elected to do work on behalf of American families and small businesses all across the country who are still recovering from a really bad recession, but are hopeful about the future.
  192. include
    have as a part; be made up out of
    Because when it comes to taxes, there are two pathways available:  Option one, if Congress fails to act by the end of the year, everybody’s taxes will automatically go up -- including the 98 percent of Americans who make less than $250,000 a year a
  193. splinter
    a small thin sharp bit of wood, glass, or metal
    We are constantly consulting with the opposition on how they can get organized so that they’re not splintered and divided in the face of the onslaught from the Assad regime.
  194. extensively
    in a widespread way
    And I think it’s important to establish a basic principle that was debated extensively during the course of this campaign.
  195. deadline
    the point in time at which something must be completed
    Now, on this last item, we face a very clear deadline that requires us to make some big decisions on jobs, taxes and deficits by the end of the year.
  196. end up
    finally be or do something
    And my main hope right now is, is that he and his family are able to move on and that this ends up being a single side note on what has otherwise been an extraordinary career.
  197. elect
    choose by a vote for an office or membership
    And there are people all across this country, millions of folks, who worked so hard to help us get elected, but there are also millions of people who may not have voted for us but are also counting on us.
  198. make sense
    be reasonable or logical or comprehensible
    That doesn’t make sense.
  199. accountability
    responsibility to someone or for some activity
    And we’ve got to get to the bottom of it, and there needs to be accountability.
  200. importantly
    in a significant way or to a significant degree
    And that’s going to be my guiding principle during these negotiations, but, more importantly, during the next four years of my administration.
  201. unconnected
    not joined or linked together
    This one is hard -- but it’s important because one of the things that we don't always factor in are the costs involved in these natural disasters; we just put them off as something that's unconnected to our behavior right now.
  202. consolidate
    form into a solid mass or whole
    There are a lot of ideas that I don’t think are partisan ideas but are just smart ideas about how can we make the federal government more customer friendly; how can we make sure that we’re consolidating programs that are duplicative; how can we eli
  203. probing
    diligent and thorough in inquiry or investigation
    So we're constantly probing and working on that issue.
  204. inaudible
    impossible to hear; imperceptible by the ear
    Now --

    Q    (Inaudible.)
  205. one-time
    belonging to some prior time
    But what I said at the time is what I meant, which is this was a one-time proposition.
  206. extraordinarily
    in a highly unusual, impressive, or extreme manner
    We do know that there have been extraordinarily -- there have been an extraordinarily large number of severe weather events here in North America, but also around the globe.
  207. arithmetic
    mathematics dealing with numerical calculations
    And I’ve been encouraged over the past week to hear Republican after Republican agree on the need for more revenue from the wealthiest Americans as part of our arithmetic if we’re going to be serious about reducing the deficit.
  208. certainty
    the state of being sure about something
    And I’ll bring everyone in to sign it right away so we can give folks some certainty before the holiday season.
  209. reach out
    reach outward in space
    Q    But when it comes to your relationships with Congress, one of the most frequent criticisms we’ve heard over the past few years from members on both sides is that you haven’t done enough to reach out and build relationships.
  210. eliminate
    end, take out, or do away with
    We can eliminate loopholes and deductions that have a distorting effect on our economy.
  211. congratulation
    acknowledging that someone has an occasion for celebration
    Q    Thank you, Mr. President, and congratulations, by the way.
  212. reducing
    any process in which electrons are added to an atom or ion
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that busine
  213. Syrian
    a native or inhabitant of Syria
    I’m encouraged to see that the Syrian opposition created an umbrella group that may have more cohesion than they’ve had in the past.
  214. inclusion
    the act of making a part of something
    The more engaged we are, the more we'll be in a position to make sure that we are encouraging the most moderate, thoughtful elements of the opposition that are committed to inclusion, observance of human rights, and working cooperatively with us ov
  215. think
    judge or regard; look upon; judge
    And do you think that you as Commander-in-Chief and the American people should have been told that the CIA chief was under investigation before the election?
  216. campaign
    related operations aimed at achieving a particular goal
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that
  217. option
    one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen
    Because when it comes to taxes, there are two pathways available:  Option one, if Congress fails to act by the end of the year, everybody’s taxes will automatically go up -- including the 98 percent of Americans who make less than $250,000 a year a
  218. rewarding
    providing personal satisfaction
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that
  219. specific
    stated explicitly or in detail
    I don't want to comment on the specifics of the investigation.
  220. believer
    a supporter who accepts something as true
    The business community continues to be concerned about getting enough high-skill workers, and I am a believer that if you’ve got a PhD in physics or computer science who wants to stay here and start a business here, we shouldn’t make it harder for
  221. tough
    substantially made or constructed
    You meet families who are -- have overcome really tough odds and somehow are making it and sending their kids to college.
  222. President Bush
    43rd President of the United States
    This has not historically been a partisan issue -- we’ve had President Bush and John McCain and others who have supported comprehensive immigration reform in the past.
  223. garner
    assemble or get together
    So you can expect that you’ll hear more from me in the coming months and years about how we can shape an agenda that garners bipartisan support and helps move this agenda forward.
  224. climate
    the weather in some location averaged over a period of time
    In his endorsement of you a few weeks ago, Mayor Bloomberg said he was motivated by the belief that you would do more to confront the threat of climate change than your opponent.
  225. nomination
    the act of officially naming a candidate
    Senator John McCain and Senator Lindsey Graham both said today that they want to have Watergate-style hearings on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, and said that if you nominate Susan Rice to be Secretary of State, they will do everything in t
  226. debate
    a discussion with reasons for and against some proposal
    We should not hold the middle class hostage while we debate tax cuts for the wealthy.
  227. incredible
    amazing; extraordinarily good or great
    And if there’s one thing that I'm pretty confident about is the American people understood what they were getting when they gave me this incredible privilege of being in office for another four years.
  228. family
    a group of people related to one another
    Certainly no middle-class family can afford that right now.
  229. okay
    good or acceptable
    It came from a man in Tennessee who began by writing that he didn’t vote for me -- which is okay.
  230. compromise
    an accommodation in which both sides make concessions
    As I’ve said before, I’m open to compromise and I’m open to new ideas.
  231. recovering
    returning to health after illness or debility
    Right now, our economy is still recovering from a very deep and damaging crisis, so our top priority has to be jobs and growth.
  232. crackdown
    a severely strict or harsh action
    Mr. President, the Assad regime is engaged in a brutal crackdown on its people.
  233. agree
    consent or assent to a condition
    And I’ve been encouraged over the past week to hear Republican after Republican agree on the need for more revenue from the wealthiest Americans as part of our arithmetic if we’re going to be serious about reducing the deficit.
  234. negotiation
    a discussion intended to produce an agreement
    And that’s going to be my guiding principle during these negotiations, but, more importantly, during the next four years of my administration.
  235. make
    perform or carry out
    But let me just make a few remarks at the top, and then I'll open it up.
  236. issue
    some situation or event that is thought about
    By the way, more voters agreed with me on this issue than voted for me.
  237. bipartisan
    supported by both sides
    So you can expect that you’ll hear more from me in the coming months and years about how we can shape an agenda that garners bipartisan support and helps move this agenda forward.
  238. commit
    engage in or perform
    And let’s also then commit ourselves to the broader package of deficit reduction that includes entitlement changes and it includes potentially tax reform, as well as I’m willing to look at additional work that we can do on the discretionary spendin
  239. inclusive
    encompassing much or everything
    One of the questions that we’re going to continue to press is making sure that that opposition is committed to a democratic Syria, an inclusive Syria, a moderate Syria.
  240. civic
    of or relating or belonging to a city
    Yesterday, I had a chance to meet with labor and civic leaders for their input.
  241. motivated
    strongly driven to succeed or achieve something
    In his endorsement of you a few weeks ago, Mayor Bloomberg said he was motivated by the belief that you would do more to confront the threat of climate change than your opponent.
  242. closing
    the act of closing something
    Would closing loopholes instead of raising rates for them satisfy you?
  243. breakthrough
    the act of making an important discovery
    And we continue to invest in potential breakthrough technologies that could further remove carbon from our atmosphere.
  244. right away
    without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
    And I’ll bring everyone in to sign it right away so we can give folks some certainty before the holiday season.
  245. classified
    arranged into classes
    Can you assure the American people that there have been no breaches of national security or classified information in the scandal involving Generals Petraeus and Allen?
  246. Congress
    the legislature of the United States government
    And I’ll meet with leaders of both parties of Congress before the week is out.
  247. vote
    a choice made by counting people in favor of alternatives
    Both parties voted to set this deadline.
  248. concern
    something that interests you because it is important
    The business community continues to be concerned about getting enough high-skill workers, and I am a believer that if you’ve got a PhD in physics or computer science who wants to stay here and start a business here, we shouldn’t make it harder for
  249. grapple
    work hard to come to terms with or deal with something
    They deserve all of us here in Washington to be thinking every single day, how can I make things a little better for them -- which isn't to say that everything we do is going to be perfect, or that there aren't just going to be some big, tough challenges
  250. open up
    cause to open or to become open
    And so, yes, I will try to make a push in the coming months to see if we can open up a dialogue between Iran and not just us, but the international community, to see if we can get this things resolved.
  251. percent
    a proportion in relation to a whole
    Because when it comes to taxes, there are two pathways available:  Option one, if Congress fails to act by the end of the year, everybody’s taxes will automatically go up -- including the 98 percent of Americans who make less than $250,000 a year a
  252. disabled
    people collectively who are crippled or otherwise physically handicapped
    And the reason I won't do that is because I don’t want to find ourselves in a position six months from now or a year from now where, lo and behold, the only way to close the deficit is to sock it to middle-class families, or to burden families that have <
  253. basic
    reduced to the simplest and most significant form possible
    And I think it’s important to establish a basic principle that was debated extensively during the course of this campaign.
  254. Montenegro
    a former country bordering on the Adriatic Sea
    Lori Montenegro, Telemundo.
  255. commentator
    an expert who observes and remarks on something
    As we’ve already heard from some Republican commentators, a modest tax increase on the wealthy is not going to break their backs; they’ll still be wealthy.
  256. endorsement
    the act of approving
    In his endorsement of you a few weeks ago, Mayor Bloomberg said he was motivated by the belief that you would do more to confront the threat of climate change than your opponent.
  257. specifically
    in distinction from others
    But let me say specifically about Susan Rice, she has done exemplary work.
  258. figuring
    problem solving that involves numbers or quantities
    I won’t pretend that figuring out everything else will be easy, but I'm confident we can do it -- and I know we have to.
  259. locking
    the act of locking something up to protect it
    And I’m ready and willing to make big commitments to make sure that we’re locking in the kind of deficit reductions that stabilize our deficit, start bringing it down, start bringing down our debt.
  260. payroll
    a list of employees and their salaries
    And ultimately, we came together not only to extend the Bush tax cuts, but also a wide range of policies that were going to be good for the economy at that point -- unemployment insurance extensions, payroll tax extension -- all of which made a dif
  261. international
    concerning or belonging to two or more countries
    There should be a way in which they can enjoy peaceful nuclear power while still meeting their international obligations and providing clear assurances to the international community that they’re not pursuing a nuclear weapon.
  262. dent
    an impression in a surface (as made by a blow)
    If, on the other hand, we can shape an agenda that says we can create jobs, advance growth, and make a serious dent in climate change and be an international leader, I think that's something that the American people would support.
  263. senator
    a member of a legislative assembly
    And in fact, some conversations I think are already beginning to take place among senators and congressmen and my staff about what would this look like.
  264. process
    a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
    And what we can then do is shape a process whereby we look at tax reform -- which I'm very eager to do.
  265. deter
    turn away from as by fear or persuasion
    And would those threats deter you from making a nomination like that?
  266. State Department
    the federal department in the United States that sets and maintains foreign policies
    And should I choose, if I think that she would be the best person to serve America in the capacity of the State Department, then I will nominate her.
  267. cooperate
    work together on a common enterprise or project
    I think it is important for us to find out exactly what happened in Benghazi, and I’m happy to cooperate in any ways that Congress wants.
  268. growth
    changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
    Right now, our economy is still recovering from a very deep and damaging crisis, so our top priority has to be jobs and growth.
  269. chaotic
    completely unordered and unpredictable and confusing
    We are in very close contact with countries like Turkey and Jordan that immediately border Syria and have an impact -- and obviously Israel, which is having already grave concerns, as we do, about, for example, movements of chemical weapons that might occ
  270. exemplary
    worthy of imitation
    But let me say specifically about Susan Rice, she has done exemplary work.
  271. onslaught
    an offensive against an enemy
    We are constantly consulting with the opposition on how they can get organized so that they’re not splintered and divided in the face of the onslaught from the Assad regime.
  272. balance
    harmonious arrangement or relation of parts within a whole
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that busine
  273. continue
    keep or maintain in unaltered condition
    I believe that we have to continue to take a serious look at how we reform our entitlements, because health care costs continue to be the biggest driver of our deficits.
  274. bring down
    move something or somebody to a lower position
    And I’m ready and willing to make big commitments to make sure that we’re locking in the kind of deficit reductions that stabilize our deficit, start bringing it down, start bringing down our debt.
  275. thank
    express gratitude or show appreciation to
    Q    Thank you, Mr. President.
  276. humanitarian
    marked by devotion to popular welfare
    We have committed to hundreds of millions of dollars of humanitarian aid to help folks both inside of Syria and outside of Syria.
  277. nuclear
    constituting the core or central part
    And on Iran, are you preparing a final diplomatic push here to resolve the nuclear program issue, and are we headed toward one-on-one talks?
  278. focused
    brought into sharp clarity
    And understandably, I think the American people right now have been so focused, and will continue to be focused on our economy and jobs and growth, that if the message is somehow we're going to ignore jobs and growth simply to address climate chang
  279. Watergate
    a political scandal involving abuse of power and bribery and obstruction of justice; led to the resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974
    Senator John McCain and Senator Lindsey Graham both said today that they want to have Watergate-style hearings on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, and said that if you nominate Susan Rice to be Secretary of State, they will do everythi
  280. create
    bring into existence
    And that’s the idea at the core of the plan that I talked about on the campaign trail over the last year:  Rewarding manufacturers and small businesses that create jobs here, not overseas; providing more Americans the chance to earn the skills that
  281. inauguration
    the ceremonial induction into a position
    And my expectation is, is that we get a bill introduced and we begin the process in Congress very soon after my inauguration.
Created on Thu Nov 22 20:46:41 EST 2012

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