Specter Questions in WH Press Briefing Today

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs held a press briefing today. A transcript was sent around on email. Here are the questions and answers relating to Sen. Arlen Specter:

Q I just have one other quick thing. Can you talk about what involvement, if any, the President had in Senator Specter's decision to switch parties?

MR. GIBBS: As I think many of you know, the President, based on a timeline that we provided, the President was receiving his economic daily briefing, and at 10:25 a.m. was handed a note. The note, as I think we -- read that Senator -- I'm paraphrasing, I don't have the exact language -- Senator Specter is going to announce he's changing parties. I think at 10:32 a.m. the President reached Senator Specter, told the Senator that after hearing the news that he was going to switch parties that he had the President's full support, and that he was thrilled to have him as a member of the Democratic Party.

Q But what about in the lead-up to that, though?

MR. GIBBS: That's the first the President had heard that he was switching parties. I don't know what, if any, other discussions have had -- obviously, there are people here at the White House that have had long relationships with Senator Specter.

But I think Senator Specter made a decision today about how he can best represent the people of Pennsylvania in the United States Senate. He was a valuable ally in passing the recovery and reinvestment plan that's now the law of the land, and we're appreciative of his support.

********************

Q Okay. And then the other question about Arlen Specter. Some Democrats -- well, less than two weeks ago, Specter, when he was arguing that he was going to stay a Republican, was talking about how he was the only thing standing between an onslaught of "big Obama spending programs" passing into law, because he was the 41st senator, he'd block it. Now he is a Democrat. Is the President at all concerned that maybe there should be competition for that seat? And there's been talk that Governor Rendell is going to work to keep other Democrats out of the primary so that Specter runs unopposed. I'm not sure of the President's opinion about whether he should run unopposed or not, but is there concern that a "better" Democrat would be better for that seat?

MR. GIBBS: Well, let me just repeat what the President told Senator Specter this morning: that he has the President's full support; that he's thrilled that he's switched parties and is a Democrat; and we look forward to working as we have on the recovery and reinvestment plan with Senator Specter.

I think Senator Specter has said in his statement today that he's not automatically going to be a vote for any party. We've talked about it a lot in this room, that the President will reach out to members of either party or any party to gain their support, understanding that he's not likely to get a hundred percent support from anyone at any time. But I think the decision he made to represent his constituents in Pennsylvania is one obviously that we support, and we support Senator Specter.

Q When you said earlier that the President -- this morning was the first time he heard that Arlen Specter was switching, that leaves open the possibility the President was informed in recent days that he was contemplating switching --

MR. GIBBS: I don't know any information other than what I've given out on that.

Q Were any White House aides involved in any conversations with Specter or his intermediaries?

MR. GIBBS: I don't have information on that.

**************

Q Okay, back to Specter. How -- substantively, how significant is this switch to the White House? Some have suggested that maybe this obviates the need for reconciliation rules for health care. He's always been a moderate senator, one you would court anyway. I wonder how significant you view this.

MR. GIBBS: Well, I mean, there are obviously better political observers that you all will be able to get today. We are I think pleased that Senator Specter believes that going forward the Democratic Party can -- best encapsulates his views, is the best party to align himself with to represent the people of Pennsylvania. I think he mentioned in his statement the number of people that had switched their party registration in the most previous election. The President did well in Pennsylvania.

But again, I think we're heartened more by the fact that Senator Specter believes that the Democratic Party is the best place to represent the people he represents.

Q Do you think it's a real change of heart, or is this more of a crass political calculation?

MR. GIBBS: I think, if you read his statement, he believes that the Democratic Party is the best party to serve the interest of the people that he represents and has represented for quite some time in the United States Senate.

Mark.

Q You said you were pleased about Specter. Aren't you euphoric, ebullient? (Laughter.) I mean, if Al Franken gets in you've got a filibuster-proof Senate.

MR. GIBBS: I'll go with ebullient. (Laughter.)

Q What did you say?

MR. GIBBS: I'll go with ebullient. Yes, I'll take it. (Laughter.) I think the President is quite pleased. That's the understatement of the day.

Q Curb your enthusiasm.

MR. GIBBS: But, again, I think the -- to build off what I was telling Savannah, I think the President is pleased that the agenda that he's laid out and the places that he wants to take the country going forward -- to move our economy forward, to lay that foundation for economic growth, to make the investments that we haven't for quite some time -- that others agree with that as an agenda. And I think we're certainly pleased. I guess that also, Mark, answers the question about our outreach to the Republican Party in the first hundred days.

Q To your knowledge were any promises made to Senator Specter?

MR. GIBBS: At the White House? None to my knowledge, no.

***********

Q -- back to Specter. There's a number of reports -- I don't know if they're accurate or not -- that Rahm Emanuel had advanced notice or had some knowledge of Specter's decision to change. Can you --

MR. GIBBS: I don't know. I don't --

Q -- knock that down or confirm --

MR. GIBBS: Rahm was in the economic briefing with the President when the phone call came. That's all I know about Rahm in terms of that.

Yes, sir.

Q Any role for the Vice President in the Specter switch?

MR. GIBBS: I honestly don't know. I know that they are -- I know they're very close. I know they've had a relationship for many years in the Senate, worked together on the Judiciary Committee and worked closely in outreach as far as the recovery and reinvestment plan goes. I don't know the substance of particular conversations, though.

Q This may be obvious, but I just want to nail it down. The description of Mr. Caldera's role suggests that no one, either Mr. Messina, Mr. Rahm Emanuel, the President, and I'm presuming you, had any knowledge of this. Is that correct?

MR. GIBBS: That is accurate.

Q Okay, so it was really done entirely within that office and none of the broader senior White House staff was aware?

MR. GIBBS: That's true.

Q So you know that Rahm was not aware?

MR. GIBBS: Yes.

Q You just sort of glossed over that the first time.

MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, I don't think I did, but I --

Q That was about Specter.

MR. GIBBS: That was about Specter. I agree with all the people that you listed, including myself.

*************

Q I know it's early, but on Specter, can you give us some assessment of whether you see any significant pieces of legislation or initiatives that you guys are trying to achieve in the coming months that significantly or -- you know, where the math changes -- card check legislation --

MR. GIBBS: Well, I think he addressed card checks specifically in his statement. But I mean, obviously, I think Senator Specter has had -- and he mentioned this in his statement as well -- he's had quite an impact on funding for the National Institutes of Health in his overall concern for health care.

Obviously he's played a very key role in ensuring that the President's economic priorities that we think best serve this country are moved forward as well. I think we are lucky to have his input and his leadership in our party.

Q But does that -- does the math change because, you know, in theory he would vote whichever he was -- does the math change because he would no longer have -- you know, sort of moderate those positions?

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I don't want to speak for Senator Specter. I think he's probably better suited to do that for himself, and I think he said as much today. There's probably people on Capitol Hill that can better address the day-to-day political calculus. And I think he said that he will continue to vote in the best interest of the people he represents, and we take him at his word and we're happy to have him as part of the team.

***********

Q Robert, can I follow up for just a second -- apologies to everybody else. Specter had said that Obama will campaign for him in the Pennsylvania primaries. Is that what "full support" means?

MR. GIBBS: Yes.

Q And will he raise money for him elsewhere? Or what kind of -- can you elaborate on full support?

MR. GIBBS: If the President is asked to raise money for Senator Specter, we're happy to do it. If the President is asked to campaign for Senator Specter, we'll be happy to do it. As the President told Senator Specter on the phone, he has our full support, and we're thrilled to have him.

********

Q Robert, two things. First, on Specter, does "full support" mean in any potential Democratic primary?

MR. GIBBS: Full support. Full support means full support. It's sort of awkward to campaign for him and then --

************

Q Asked earlier about the behind the scenes on the Specter decision you said you didn't know -- didn't have any information about whether either the President or Rahm Emmanuel or Vice President Biden or anyone at the White House was involved and to what degree. Is that something that you would be able to find out and get back to us on? Or do you not know because that's not something that the White House is going to be --

MR. GIBBS: I have -- I know the Vice President is traveling today; I have not had a chance to talk to him. And I didn't ask the President.

Q Should we wait for an update or --

MR. GIBBS: I can certainly check with a few people. Again, I think the decision that Senator Specter made today is not based on a conversation that he might have had here or with any other member of the United States Senate, but a conversation and a discussion that -- or a decision that he had to make with where he believes he can best represent the people of Pennsylvania that he represents.

Q May I ask you a quick follow-up? Given the potential doors or windows that this opens for the Democratic Party or for the President's agenda, are you now working or is the Democratic Party now working what remaining moderate Republicans are -- Senators Snowe and Collins? And what do you think that Specter's departure says about the GOP's strength anymore as an opposition party?

MR. GIBBS: Well, I've said this before, I think others have said this before, that the Republican Party has to put together and put forward ideas and constructive solutions to the problems facing the people in America. The President has asked that -- has asked for their help and support, but believes at the same time they have to be willing to help on the other side. And I think you heard me and others say that you can't just be the party of no or the party of no new ideas.

The problems that face Americans are not party problems, they're American problems. And the President believes the best way to address them is working together.

April.

Q Back on Specter. Does it raise any type of concern at all that he made the decision because of political survival, he wanted to survive politically?

MR. GIBBS: I have not paid attention to a lot of campaign races this year, and I would pose that question to Senator Specter.

************

Q Robert, back to Specter just for a second. Is it possible that if the White House wasn't overly involved in this prior to today, that at least the President, the Vice President, Rahm, others urged Senator Specter to switch parties?

MR. GIBBS: Without knowing specifically, I would hate to speculate. I think it's safe to say that anybody here would be happy to have anybody join the Democratic Party, and anybody join our effort to do many of the things that I just discussed with April in order to move our agenda forward, to make the lives of the American people better.

Q And one quick follow. On his support during the primary in the campaign for Senator Specter, is there anything unusual about that? Would he do the same for any Democratic incumbent prior to the primary field being fleshed out?

MR. GIBBS: The President is -- the President tends to support incumbent Democratic senators in their re-election.