I’ve directed my administration to launch a swift, coordinated, and aggressive effort to save lives and support the recovery in Haiti.  The losses that have been suffered in Haiti are nothing less than devastating, and responding to a disaster of this magnitude will require every element of our national capacity – our diplomacy and development assistance; the power of our military; and, most importantly, the compassion of our country.

President Obama
January 14, 2010

In response to the President’s direction, a whole of government effort has been launched to support the people of Haiti.  More than 20,000 U.S. civilian and military personnel have been directly engaged in carrying out activities from search and rescue to restoring airports and seaports to providing live saving health and medical service to helping meet the basic food, water, and shelter needs of the Haitian people.  They have also engaged in efforts to evacuate more than 21,000 U.S. citizens and provide for the respectful return of remains of U.S. citizens who perished as a result of the January 12 earthquake.

SEARCH & RESCUE

• U.S. urban search and rescue teams from Fairfax County, Los Angeles County, Miami, Miami-Dade, Virginia Beach, and New York City were deployed and, with rescue teams from other countries, pulled a total of 136 survivors from the rubble.
• The Coast Guard transported 696 Urban Search and Rescue team members into Haiti in the immediate days after the earthquake.

AIRPORTS & PORTS

Elements of the U.S. Air Force 1st Special Operations Wing restored flight operations to the Port au Prince airport within 48 hours of the earthquake and facilitated 3,842 flights, delivering 18,040 tons of commodities in the following 34 days, with as many as 162 flights in one day, more than ten times the pre-earthquake capacity at the airport.
Coast Guard and Navy combined team assessed port damage, installed aids to navigation, began interim port repairs and conducted site surveys for temporary joint over the shore logistics package (JLOTS) that was used to move cargo while more permanent pier repairs were completed.
Using interim capabilities, the capacity of the main port in Port Au Prince was doubled from pre-earthquake standards; 8,867 twenty foot equivalent container units (TEU), with 103,000 tons of commodities were offloaded while the permanent repairs to the south pier were completed.

HEALTH/MEDICAL

Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and International Medical Surgical Response Teams from the Department of Health and Human Services conducted 31,365 patient visits, performed 167 surgeries, and delivered 45 babies.
U.S. military medical professionals treated 9,800 patients, admitted 1,464 patient admissions, performed 1,025 surgeries, 2,200 patient transfers and carried out 255 MEDEVACS.  Coast Guard aircraft conducted an additional 240 MEDEVACS.
HHS activated two Federal Coordinating Centers in Atlanta and Tampa as part of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS).  These centers processed medical evacuation flights from Haiti and arranged ground transport to appropriate hospitals in the U.S.  In total, NDMS evacuated 79 Haitian nationals and 10 U.S. citizens with life-threatening conditions that could not be addressed in Haiti.
Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) participated on Initial Rapid Assessment teams that collected health, food, water, nutrition, and sanitation data from 224 sites across Haiti and are assisting with surveillance of health conditions and communicable diseases to prioritize public health interventions and anticipate resources needed by health care facilities.
The USAID-led emergency response team has supported government vaccination efforts in IDP camps.  To date, 233,251 people have been vaccinated.

FOOD/WATER

U.S. food aid contributions and members of JTF-Haiti providing logistical and security have supported the ongoing provision of emergency food assistance to more than 2 million people by the World Food Program and partners through March.  
USAID water purification units have been providing water for 110,000 people per day. 

JOBS

• U.S. relief programs are prioritizing activities that benefit the local Haitian economy, including buying relief commodities locally where it is feasible.  USAID-funded cash-for-work programs have employed 14,232 people at 267 sites sites nationwide for public works projects like rubble removal.

COORDINATION/UNITY OF EFFORT/COMMUNICATIONS

A joint Coast Guard-FEMA team supported USAID and Defense Department leaders at the Joint Task Force in coordination of relief efforts with the Government of Haiti, MINUSTAH, elements of the UN Cluster system, and over 900 non-governmental agencies providing relief in Haiti.
The Defense Department distributed more than 68,000 self-powered radios ensuring that the people of Haiti could receive important information on how to obtain emergency assistance, food, water and medical care as well as important messages from the Haitian Government.
The Defense Department provided airborne broadcasting services in the days immediately following the quake with emergency services information to the people of Haiti until Haitian radio stations could recover and begin transmitting again.

SHELTER

USAID has provided 160,000 plastic sheets and 24,500 family size tents that will help 185,000 families out of the estimated 260,000 families in need of shelter assistance.
Defense Department units working for the Joint Task Force (JTF) have conducted rubble clearing operations across 283 acres or 87 city blocks of Port Au Prince and conducted engineering assessments of 2,043 structures allowing many displaced persons to return to their homes.

EVACUATION & RETURN OF REMAINS

HHS deployed to Haiti a disaster mortuary team and a disaster portable morgue unit, and continues to work with the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and families of U.S. citizens to identify and repatriate the remains of 38 U.S. citizens who perished in the earthquake.
More than 21,000 U.S. citizens have been evacuated from Haiti since the earthquake.

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Rose Garden

12:01 P.M. EST

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Please be seated.  Good afternoon, everybody.  And on behalf of the American people, I want to welcome President Préval, the First Lady, and their delegation to the United States.

The President and I have just concluded a very productive meeting in the Oval Office on the urgent and overriding challenges before us — helping the people of Haiti as they recover and rebuild after one of the most devastating natural disasters ever to strike our hemisphere.

Mr. President, as I did when I spoke to you in those first days after the earthquake, I again want to express to you and to the Haitian people the deepest condolences of the American people.  Your grief is shared by our strong and vibrant Haitian American community, some of whom join us here today and who continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones back in Haiti.  To you, and to our fellow Americans, please know that you remain in our thoughts and in our prayers.

The United States joins in mourning the loss of American citizens, as more than 100 Americans died in this earthquake — and our hearts also go out to their loved ones.  We also remember that this natural disaster was an international tragedy, taking the lives of Dominicans and Canadians, French, Brazilians, and people from dozens of nations around the world.

President Préval and his delegation offered an update on the status of relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts — the progress so far and the daunting challenges ahead in a disaster that, even now, defies comprehension.  To offer just some perspective on the awful scale of Haitian loss, it’s as if the United States, in a terrible instant, lost nearly 8 million people; or it’s as if     one-third of our country — 100 million Americans — suddenly had no home, no food, or water.  That gives you a sense of, relative to the populations, what has happened in Haiti.  No nation could respond to such a catastrophe alone.  It would require a global response.  And that’s exactly what we have seen these past two months.

Mr. President, even as you and other Haitian leaders have endured your personal tragedies — losing your own homes, your loved ones — you have carried on with great courage and determination.  You’ve persevered, leading an international effort with critical support from the United Nations, many partner nations and countless nongovernmental organizations.  Representatives of some of the NGOs are here today, and for the extraordinary work that you’ve done to uplift lives every day — in Haiti and around the world — often at great risk to your own lives, we salute you as well.

In this international response, the United States has been proud to play a leading role.  Mr. President, we are joined today by men and women representing all the Americans who answered Haiti’s call in its hours of need, including members of Congress, and many state and local officials who we thank for their support, and leaders from across my administration — the Department of State, USAID, Homeland Security, FEMA, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and the Department of Defense, including our great folks at Southern Command.  Today I want to thank all of them for leading a swift and coordinated response during one of the most complex humanitarian efforts ever attempted.

We’re joined by Ambassador Ken Merten and some of our heroic embassy staff who worked around the clock.  We’re joined by our disaster response teams, who were on the scene within 24 hours; our military personnel who quickly reopened the airport and the port, making way for a massive humanitarian effort; our search and rescue teams, who crawled into the rubble to pull survivors out to safety, Haitian and American; the volunteer physicians and nurses and paramedics who treated tens of thousands of patients with life-threatening injuries; and all our men and women in uniform who have helped to distribute desperately needed food and water and medicine to millions of people — our remarkable soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen.

I just want to personally say how extraordinarily proud I am of each and every one of you, because I think you represent what’s best in America.  And I could not be prouder of the response that all of you were engaged in during this humanitarian crisis.

Now, no relief effort of this magnitude is without its difficulties, but there should be absolutely no doubt in anybody’s mind, along with their Haitian and international partners, these men and women made a difference.  They saved lives — countless lives — of men and women and children.

So, Mr. President, if you will permit us this moment to briefly express once again our admiration for all those who stepped forward, who volunteered, who represent the true character of our country and who projected to the world the best face of America — a face of compassion and generosity.  Each and every one of you can take enormous pride at your service, and every single American thanks you for making us so proud.  (Applause.)

I also want to acknowledge the enormous generosity of so many individual Americans, who gave what they could to support Haiti even in difficult economic times.  That help makes possible an extraordinary response from the courageous and capable nongovernmental organizations that have been at the scene, and that support all kinds of efforts that the government is engaged in.  And I know that the support of the American people will continue to be essential as Haiti tries to recover and rebuild.

As President Préval and I discussed, the situation on the ground remains dire, and people should be under no illusions that the crisis is over.  Many Haitians are still in need, desperate need in some cases, of shelter and food and medicine.  And with the spring rains approaching, those needs will only grow.  The challenge now is to prevent a second disaster.

And that’s why, at this very moment, thousands of Americans, both civilian and military, remain on the scene at the invitation of the Haitian government.  And that’s why, even as the U.S. military responsibly hands off relief functions to our Haitian and international partners, America’s commitment to Haiti’s recovery and reconstruction must endure and will endure.  This pledge is one that I made at the beginning of this crisis and I intend for America to keep our pledge.  America will be your partner in the recovery and reconstruction effort.  (Applause.)

Toward that end, the international donors conference at the United Nations later this month will be an opportunity, an important opportunity, for all parties.  Haiti can lead the way, and will lead the way, with a strong vision for its future.  The international community can pledge the resources that will be necessary for a coordinated and sustained effort.  And working together, we can ensure that assistance not simply delivers relief for the short term, but builds up Haiti’s capacity to deliver basic services and provide for the Haitian people over the long term.

So, Mr. President, in the face of devastation that shocked the world, the people of Haiti responded with resolve and faith that inspired the world — in song and in prayer, and in the determination to carry on.  As you declared during last month’s national day of mourning, it is time to wipe away the tears; it is time for Haiti to rebuild.

And to you, and to the Haitian people, I say today, as you embark on the heavy work ahead, you will continue to have a steady and reliable partner in the United States of America.  (Applause.)

So with that, let me turn this over to President Préval.

PRESIDENT PRÉVAL:  (As translated.)  Mr. President, dear friends in Congress, members of the organizations that helped Haiti in this moment of need, the Haitians of Washington.  The damages caused in Haiti by the earthquake of January 12, 2010 are unimaginable.  But the response from the international community — from Asia to Africa, from the United States, from Canada, from all of Latin America, from the Caribbean, from Europe, all the way to the Middle East — this response, thanks to its swiftness, thanks to its size, was commensurate with the disaster.

Today, here and now, I would like to thank the American people, I would like to thank Congress, I would like to thank the administration, and you, in particular, Mr. President, as well as your wife, not only for the material aid, but also for the moral support, the psychological support, that helped us realize that we were not alone and that provide us great comfort in our distress.

You, thanks to your statements, sent a message to all of those who provided help to Haiti.  Needless for me to repeat that which you said.  So I would like to thank you for having made it possible for these people to come to help us.

Mr. President, for me this is also an opportunity to express my sympathy, my condolences, to all of the American families for whom members of their families were killed, injured in Haiti during this earthquake.

Dear friends, we must draw the lessons from what occurred in Haiti.  These are lessons for all of mankind.  The Haiti earthquake was immediately followed by the earthquake in Chile, as well as other earthquakes throughout the world.  And the countries that have seismic risks are not merely those countries which are located on top of seismic faults.  In fact, the tsunamis, which are the repercussions of break in faults, threaten other regions as well as the United States.

In addition to earthquakes and tsunamis, global warming is a major concern for the entire planet.  We must draw the lessons from what occurred in Haiti — the massive, spontaneous, generous help was a good response to the disaster.  However, its effectiveness must be improved, because effectiveness depends on the quality of coordination.

This is why I support the idea of the creation of so-called “red helmets” within the United Nations, and these would be an observatory, a warning system, a provision system for natural disaster, and a humanitarian force which would be the equivalent of the blue helmets.  It was proposed that there should be so-called “red helmets,” a humanitarian force in order to intervene, and that would work in a coordinated manner as soon as the first minutes after a disaster, which are fundamental to saving lives.

Mr. President, during our meeting I mentioned what Haiti’s preoccupations and priorities were.  Our priorities are, first and foremost, as you said, protection of those people who today are homeless and who must be relocated.  And in parallel, we must prepare the rainy season, which just last week has already caused the deaths of 15 people.

And at the same time, much more basically, we must deal with the need of rebuilding Haiti, thanks to an effective decentralization policy — namely, offering health care, education, jobs to all Haitians, men and women, regardless of where they live in the country, in order to prevent migratory flows towards the big cities, towards Port-au-Prince, and that will help avoid that disaster such as the earthquake would cause so many victims.

On March 31st, there will be at the United Nations an international conference in order to support the reconstruction of Haiti.  I do hope that all participants will share this philosophy, this vision, of decentralization.

And at the same time, just as the first responders, I do recommend the concept of a coordination via the creation of a trust fund, a donors trust fund, whose implementation would be done followed according to a unique procedure carried out by one executing agency.  We talked about this and I do know that we can already count on your support to be the advocate of that idea during this conference in support of our vision.

Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

END
12:18 P.M. EST

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Muq’ata
Ramallah

PRESIDENT ABBAS:  In the name of God the merciful, the compassionate, it is our pleasure to welcome the Vice President, our friend, Joseph Biden, here in Ramallah.  This visit comes as an expression of the interest that President Obama’s administration has according to the peace process and to achieve the two-state solution.

The establishment of the Palestinian state and the 1967 borders — the decisions that the Israeli government has announced over the past two days and the establishment and the construction of thousands of new units in the Palestinian territories constitute an undermining of the confidence and all the efforts that were exerted over the past months to launch the indirect negotiations.  The decision to approve these negotiations was taken with great difficulties within the Arab Committee and the leadership entities of the Palestinian people.  And in order to reiterate our intention to support the American efforts to launch the peace process, to revive the peace process, the Israeli resettlement policies and particularly, in Jerusalem, threaten these negotiations and we ask that these decisions are revoked.

I reiterate, Mr. Vice President, our commitment to peace as a strategic option, just and comprehensive, a permanent peace on all tracks, including the Syrian and the Lebanese tracks that would lead to ending the Israeli occupation that started in 1967, based on the roadmap plan, including the Arab Peace Initiative.  I would like to address the Israelis’ settling.  The time has come to make peace, peace under a two-state solution — based on the two-state solution, the state of Israel that lives in peace and security alongside the state of Palestine on the borders of the 4th of June 1967 with its capitol East Jerusalem.  And here it is important to speak about the siege that is imposed on Gaza strip that should be lifted in order to provide for the basic needs of our people in Gaza strip in addition to the construction materials that are necessary, because there are 25,000 houses that are in debris and there are hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who live without shelter and need houses.  And, therefore, we ask that the Gaza strip is provided with construction materials.

Again, I would like to call out to the Israeli government not to waste this opportunity to make peace.  I call upon this government to stop its settlement policies and to stop imposing fights on the ground and to give the efforts of President Obama’s administration and Representative Mitchell’s efforts the opportunity to succeed.  Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Mr. President, thank you very much for your hospitality and for the opportunity to be with you again.  I greatly appreciate the time you’ve given me, you and the Palestinian Authority.  I also had the pleasure of meeting earlier this morning with your Prime Minister Fayyad in — here in Ramallah.  I must say I admire the courage and conviction of the two of you, whom President Obama and I consider willing partners in the quest for a lasting peace in the region.

Our administration is fully committed to the Palestinian people and to achieving a Palestinian state that is independent, viable, and contiguous.  Everyone should know — everyone should know by now that there is no viable alternative to a two-state solution, which must be an integral part of any comprehensive peace plan.  The United States considers the goal to be not only in the interest of the Palestinians and the Israelis, but in the United States’ interest as well.  We also believe that the divide between the Israelis and Palestinians can only be resolved by negotiations.  The indirect talks being launched should lead to direct negotiations, which will necessarily reach — which would be necessary to reach an agreement on the permanent status — status issues which you referenced, Mr. President, such as borders, security, refugees, and Jerusalem.  And the United States pledges to play an active as well as a sustained role in these talks.  It’s incumbent on both parties to build an atmosphere of support for negotiations and not to complicate them.

Yesterday — yesterday, the decision by the Israeli government to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem undermined that very trust, the trust that we need right now in order to begin as well as produce — have profitable negotiations.  That is why I immediately condemned the action.

As we move forward, the United States will hold both sides accountable for any statements or actions that inflame tensions or prejudice the outcome of talks, as this decision did.  The United States strongly supports the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to build as well as strengthen its institutions and develop the economy of a state, including Prime Minister Fayyad’s two-year institution building plan.

We must find a way to improve the lives of Gazans, as well.  The Palestinian Authority offers the possibility of a peaceful, independent, and more prosperous future rather than the false promises of extremists.  A historic peace is going to require both the Palestinians as well as the Israelis, as well as their leaders, to be historically bold.

And I promise you, Mr. President, the United States will always stand with those who take the risk that peace requires.  Again, Mr. President, I thank you very much for the courage you’ve shown in moving forward.  I thank you for the hospitality you’ve extended to me and my delegation.  And I look forward to seeing you many more times.

Thank you.

PRESIDENT ABBAS:  Thank you.

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WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama today will announce a new effort to crack down on waste and fraud in Medicare, Medicaid, and other government programs through the expanded use of payment recapture audits. The initiative is the latest component in President Obama’s commitment to embrace the best ideas – from both parties – in advancing reform.

In his remarks on health insurance reform in St. Charles, Missouri, President Obama will discuss a new effort to recoup taxpayer dollars through the use of payment recapture audits, which offer specialized private auditors financial incentives to root out improper payments, and have been demonstrated through pilot programs to be highly effective. In fact, expanded use of payment recapture audits could return at least $2 billion in taxpayer money over the next three years– double the current amount of projected recovered costs.

The President will sign a presidential memorandum today that directs all federal departments and agencies to expand and intensify their use of payment recapture audits under their current authority.  He will also announce his support for the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act, bipartisan legislation to expand the ability of government agencies to fund the audits with recaptured payments.

“The fact is, Washington is a place where tax dollars are often treated like Monopoly money, bartered and traded, divvied up among lobbyists and special interests.  And it has been a place where waste – even billions of dollars in waste – is accepted as the price of doing business,” said President Obama. “Well, I don’t accept business as usual.  And the American people don’t accept it either, especially when one of the most pressing challenges we face is reining in long-term deficits with threaten to leave our children a mountain of debt.”

The President’s health insurance reform proposal builds on an unprecedented array of aggressive new authorities to fight waste, fraud and abuse in the House and Senate bills with a number of additional proposals proposed by Democrats and Republicans alike.  President Obama, in a March 2 letter to Congressional leaders, also expressed interest in a proposal suggested by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) at the bipartisan health care meeting on February 25 to use undercover investigations to further combat fraud.

A fact sheet on today’s announcement appears below:

FACT SHEET:  CUTTING DOWN ON WASTE AND FRAUD
THROUGH PAYMENT RECAPTURE AUDITS

Each year, the federal government wastes billions of American taxpayers’ dollars on improper payments to individuals, organizations, and contractors.  These are payments made in the wrong amounts, to the wrong person, or for the wrong reason.  In 2009, improper payments totaled $98 billion, with $54 billion stemming from Medicare and Medicaid.  We cannot afford nor should we tolerate this waste of taxpayer dollars and in our health care system.

Today, the President is announcing a new effort to improve accountability and cut down on this waste and fraud through the use of payment recapture audits.  These are investigations in which specialized private sector auditors use cutting-edge technology and tools to scrutinize government payments and then find and reclaim taxpayer funds made in error or gained through fraud.  These auditors can be compensated based on the amount of improper payments they identify and are reclaimed – providing a powerful incentive to find every error.  A pilot program run by Medicare in three large states – California, New York, and Texas – from 2005 to 2008 recaptured $900 million for taxpayers.

Currently, using reclaimed funds to pay for recapture audits is only possible for the Medicare Fee-for-Service program payments and for government contracts at the 20 out of 24 major government agencies that do more than $500 million in government contracting.  This leaves out contract payments made by numerous other agencies as well as grants and other forms of federal benefit payments made to organizations such as state and local governments, colleges and universities, banks, and non-profit organizations.  That is why the President today is announcing two key steps to intensify and expand the use of payment recapture audits:

Presidential Memorandum on Payment Recapture Audits.  The President will sign a presidential memorandum today that directs all federal departments and agencies to expand and intensify their use of payment recapture audits under the authority they currently have.  It is anticipated that using the payment recapture audits will return at least $2 billion over the next three years to American taxpayers – double the current amount of projected recovered costs.

Support the bipartisan Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act.  Since government agencies can only use recaptured fund to pay for these audits in specific situations, the President today is announcing his support for the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act, a bipartisan bill that would expand the ability of government agencies to fund these specialized audits with recaptured payments.  The bill has been offered by Senators Tom Carper, D-Del., Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., Joseph Lieberman, I.D.-Conn., Tom Coburn, R-Okla., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and John McCain, R-Ariz.  Similar legislation has been introduced in the House by Representatives Patrick Murphy, D-Penn., and Brian Bilbray, R-Calif.

These actions build on the Executive Order the President issued on improper payments in November 2009.  There, the President focused on reducing improper payments, which totaled $98 billion in Fiscal Year 2009, with three categories of action:  boost transparency, hold agencies accountable, and create strong incentives for compliance.

Boost transparency.  The Administration is moving forward with an Improper Payment Dashboard, launching this spring, to allow the public to see details on improper payments, view payment error rates by agency and program, and see a list of bad actors (e.g., registered fraud offenders or contractors with pervasive over or duplicate billing issues that have gone through appropriate due process).
Hold agencies accountable for waste.  The Administration has required each agency to designate a Senate-confirmed appointee to be accountable to the President for meeting improper payment reduction targets and consolidating program integrity activities.  The Administration also is increasing data-sharing among agencies so once a mistake is caught, it is not repeated.
Create incentives for compliance.  The federal government is creating incentives for states and other entities to reduce improper payments and increase penalties for contractors who fail to timely disclose improper payments.

In addition, the Administration has been moving aggressively to crack down on waste and fraud:

Dramatically reduce unnecessary costs and minimize waste in the Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP programs.  The President’s FY2011 Budget devoted more than $1.8 billion for program integrity – an increase of $225 million (or 14 percent) over FY2010 – to combat waste, fraud and abuse in these health programs.  This robust approach, including the Budget’s program integrity legislative proposals, will save taxpayers an estimated $23 billion over 10 years.
Cut programs that are broken, duplicative, or just not needed.  In his FY 2010 Budget, the President proposed more than 120 program terminations or reductions, for a potential one-year savings of $20 billion.  Congress approved 60 percent of the proposed cuts to discretionary programs – a high-water mark for any recent administration.  The Fiscal Year 2011 Budget outlined more than $20 billion in terminations and reductions, streamlining programs that work and cutting ones that do not.
Reduce contracting costs, increase accountability, and eliminate high-risk contracts.  The federal government spends more than $500 billion annually on federal contracts.  Because of a lack of oversight, these contracts too often are directed to projects we don’t need or can’t afford, executed inefficiently, and done in ways that force the government to bear too much risk and not realize savings.  The Administration is committed to reducing contract spending by $40 billion by the end of 2011, cutting sole-source or no-bid contracts, and strengthening the federal acquisition workforce to improve agencies’ capacity to manage contracts and ensure value for the taxpayers’ dollars.

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**As Prepared for Delivery**

Please find below excerpts from Secretary Sebelius’s remarks at the AHIP conference, scheduled for 10:30 this morning, as prepared for delivery.

“I’ve met with many of you, and heard how the increasing number of young, healthy Americans leaving the market in this economy has forced up your risks, and therefore, your rates.

But put yourselves in the shoes of your remaining customers for a moment.  According to the American Medical Association, ninety-nine percent of all metropolitan health insurance markets today are quote, “highly concentrated.”  That’s up from ninety-four percent a year ago, and it means there are only a handful of cities in the entire country where there is real choice and competition.

When Americans have so few choices, can you blame them for being frustrated when their premiums go up ten times faster than the cost of health care?  Imagine how folks in Illinois might feel after opening the newspaper to see that profits for major insurance companies went up 56 percent last year only to get a letter the next day saying their premiums are going up by double digits?  Can you blame them for thinking the system’s broken when their health insurance – which is supposed to protect them from exorbitant health costs – still forces them to pay thousands of dollars out of their pocket each year?

I wanted to come talk to you today because I believe any conversation about how to fix our health insurance system has to start with asking how we can put these families and small business owners who feel so powerless in today’s health care markets back in control of their health care.”

***

“So you have a choice.

You can choose to continue your opposition to reform.  If you do and reform goes down in defeat, we know what will happen.  By next March, premiums will be taking an even bigger bite out of Americans’ wages.  More Americans will lose the security of employer-sponsored insurance.  More small businesses will be forced to shut down or cancel their employees’ coverage.  Parents and children with preexisting conditions will continue to be shut out of the insurance market.  And Americans will continue to live in fear of the next letter from their insurer announcing the latest premium hike.

This strategy may work in the short run.  I read that you’ve been advised that you may still be able to make money off the customers who are afraid to leave or who don’t have other insurance options – at least for a while.  But this kind of short-term thinking won’t work in the long run for the American people or our health care system.  It won’t work for you.

Then there is your other choice.

You can choose to take the millions of dollars you have stored away for your next round of ads to kill meaningful reform, and use them to start giving Americans some relief from their skyrocketing premiums.  Instead of spending your energy attacking the parts of the President’s proposal you don’t like, you can use it to strengthen the parts you do.

If you take this approach, you may give up some short-term profits.  But you will also be helping to create a sustainable health insurance market where all Americans will be able to buy coverage.  That’s better for the American people.  And it could be better for insurance companies too.”

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Jerusalem
Tuesday, March 9, 2010

 VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  I want to thank our hosts for showing us through Yad Vashem.  As a young father, when I introduced each of our sons — who are grown men now — to Europe at age 15, I took them first to Dachau for them to understand as young men the human capacity — ability of mankind to be so brutal.  But also, I took my son here to Israel to let him know that the indomitable spirit of the human being is not able to be snuffed out.

What I wrote in the book is as a fan of the Irish poet William Butler Yeats.  Writing about his Ireland, he said, “Too long a suffering makes a stone of the heart.”  What I wrote here is that every day, Israel makes a lie of the poet’s words — ”too long a suffering makes a stone of the heart” — because for world Jewry, Israel is the heart.  For world Jewry, Israel is the light.  For world Jewry, Israel is the hope.  If anyone ever wondered about that, they ought to take the tour of the museum.  They would not doubt it again.  The word — phrase “never again” is used so often it almost has lost its meaning.  But, again, all you have to do is walk through — walk through Yad Vashem and understand how incredible — how incredible the journey has been and the spirit a world Jewry and that Israel is such a central part to its existence.

Thank you.

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"I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem. The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I’ve had here in Israel. We must build an atmosphere to support negotiations, not complicate them. This announcement underscores the need to get negotiations under way that can resolve all the outstanding issues of the conflict. The United States recognizes that Jerusalem is a deeply important issue for Israelis and Palestinians and for Jews, Muslims and Christians.  We believe that through good faith negotiations, the parties can mutually agree on an outcome that realizes the aspirations of both parties for Jerusalem and safeguards its status for people around the world.  Unilateral action taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations on permanent status issues.   As George Mitchell said in announcing the proximity talks, "we encourage the parties and all concerned to refrain from any statements or actions which may inflame tensions or prejudice the outcome of these talks.""

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10:42 A.M. EST

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you, everyone.  Thanks so much.

Well, clearly, it’s a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you today.

Let me begin by thanking Secretary Clough for that generous introduction.  I want to thank him and his wife Anne for their dedication to the mission of the Smithsonian.

And I want to thank our hosts from the National Museum of American History -– Dr. Brent Glass and John Rogers.  Thank you for making these museums such wonderful places for people of all ages to learn and to explore.

And I have to also do my part in recognizing our very special guests, the students and the teachers from Huntington High School, who made the trip all the way from New York to be here.  You all please stand so we can see you.  (Applause.)  Now, there’s a special reason why I invited these students here.  They sent me this book of beautifully designed inaugural gowns of their own creations, and I had so much fun looking through all the designs.  You all are obviously a very talented and beautiful and handsome group of people.  And I am so pleased to be able to share this special day with you.  You make us proud.  And thank you for the gifts.

And, finally, I also want to thank all the board members, the staff, the supporters of these museums, all of you, for the work that you do every day, and for being here and sharing this moment with me, as well.

So, here we are.  It’s the dress.  (Laughter.)  And I have to say, to be honest, I am very honored and very humbled, but I have to say that I’m also a little embarrassed by all the fuss being made over my dress.  Like many of you, I’m not used to people wanting to put things I’ve worn on display.  (Laughter.)  So, all of this is a little odd, so forgive me.

But, at the same time, I truly recognize the significance of this day.  This gown –- and all of the items that we’ll see in this wonderful exhibit –- help us connect with a moment in history in a very real way.

When we look at the gown that Jackie Kennedy wore 50 years ago, or the one that Mary Todd Lincoln wore more than a hundred years before that, it really takes us beyond the history books and the photographs, and it helps us understand that history is really made by real live people.

The detail of each gown –- the fabric, the cut, the color –- tells us something much more about each single First Lady.  It’s a visual reminder that we each come from such different backgrounds, from different generations, and from different walks of life.

Each gown places us right in the moment and makes us wonder about the intimate details of that evening, like how did she feel in the dress?   Did her feet hurt in those shoes?  (Laughter.)  How many times did her husband step on that train?  (Laughter.)  But, more importantly, these gowns and this exhibit uniquely define a moment in our American history.

When I look at my gown –- which I, in fact, have not seen since the day that I took it off –- memories of that moment truly come rushing back.  I remember that it was freezing cold in Washington.  I know we all remember that.  Yet, despite the frigid temperatures, hundreds of thousands of people flooded the Mall.  Nothing was going to stop them from being part of history.

That day was so hectic for us.  And I remember the inaugural parade and how the President and I stood and we waved until every last band walked by.

Then we only had less than an hour — ladies, if you can believe that — (laughter) — all of my friends left us in the stands, by the way.  (Laughter.)  “See ya, good luck!”  (Laughter.)  I was like, “Yeah, thanks.”  (Laughter.)  “We have to get ready for the ball.”  (Laughter.)  Like, “Yeah, so do I.”  (Laughter.)  So at the time I wasn’t really focused on what I was wearing that evening -– I was really just trying to stay warm.

But I’ll never forget the moment that I slipped on this beautiful gown.  I remember how just luscious I felt as the President and I were announced onto the stage for the first of many dances.  And I’ll cherish that moment for the rest of my life.

And now that the crowds are gone, and the Mall is silent, and our family has settled into our new home, the White house, this gown is one of the most tangible things I have left to remember that day.  And that’s why it will always hold a special place in my heart.

And today, when I look at the dress, I remember all of the incredible people that we met along our journey and on that day, and how warmly — welcome they received us.

I remember the joy on the faces of so many young people who devoted so much time to getting us to that point.

I remember the wonderful letters we received from folks who were there and others who watched the event from home; people who told us about how much that day meant for them and their families — letters from octogenarians who told us how they never thought they’d live to see the day.

I remember all the men and women who worked so hard and so long to make sure that every single detail was just perfect.

And I remember the time we shared with Americans from every corner of this nation.

And one of the people who made that day possible is the creator of this beautiful gown, Jason Wu, a young man who, not so long ago, was just an aspiring designer like many of you students here.  When Jason was just five years old, growing up in Taiwan, his parents would take him to the bridal shops so that he could sketch the gowns in the windows.  He started making clothes for dolls when he was 16, and after studying under some of the best designers in the world, he opened his own shop four years ago with the money he had saved.

And Jason’s dress, as you can see — this gown is a masterpiece.  It is simple, it’s elegant, and it comes from this brilliant young mind, someone who is living the American Dream.

The countless hours that you can see that he spent sewing this piece made my night even more special, and now I am proud that millions of visitors will be able to see just how talented this young man is.

Thank you, Jason.  Thank you for your vision and for your hard work, because, in the end of the day, today is about much more than this gown.  It’s also about how, with enough focus and with enough determination, someone in this room could be the next Jason Wu.  Someone in this room could be the next Barack Obama.  It’s about how the American story is written by real people –- not just names on a page.  And it’s about how something you create today –- whether it’s a dress, or a painting, or a story or a song –- can help teach the next generation in a way that nothing else can.

Thank you all so much.  (Applause.)

END
10:50 A.M. EST

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12:36 P.M. (local)

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU:  Vice President Biden, Joe, welcome to Israel and welcome to Jerusalem.  We’ve been personal friends for almost three decades.  Can you believe it has been that long? 

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  No.  You’re getting older, Bibi, I don’t know how.

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU:  But you remain younger all the time.  (Laughter.)  And in all that time, you’ve been a real friend to me, and a real friend to Israel and to the Jewish people.  And you’ve come to Israel many times since you came here first on the eve of the Yom Kippur.  But now, you’re coming as the Vice President of the United States of America.  And this is deeply appreciated and, for me, deeply moving. 

President Obama has said in Cairo, and he has repeated this many times since, that the bonds between Israel and the United States are unbreakable.  And he has shown that in the last year in things that are known to the public and some things that are not known to the public.  In pursuing, for example, the joint military exercises for military defense between the Israeli army and the American military; in securing Israel’s qualitative military edge; and in many other activities along the world’s scene, including the battle against the infamous Goldstone report.  I think that the bonds — exactly as President Obama has said, the bonds are unbreakable.  And your visit demonstrates how strong they are.

I think this unbreakable bond will help our two countries meet the two historic challenges that we face today in the Middle East.  The first and foremost among them is the need to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and the second is the need to advance a secure peace between Israel and our Palestinian and other Arab neighbors.

I very much appreciate the efforts of President Obama and the American government to lead the international community to place tough sanctions on Iran.  The stronger those sanctions are, the more likely it will be that the Iranian regime will have to choose between advancing its nuclear program and advancing the future of its own permanence.  I think that the international community and the leading countries in the international community have to join the American effort.  And Israel has been helping out with key countries and continues to do so.

I also appreciate the administration’s effort to advance peace in the region.  I know that this has been difficult and has required a great deal of patience.  But I’m pleased that these efforts are beginning to bear fruit.  And we have to be persistent and purposeful in making sure that we get to those direct negotiations that will enable us to resolve this conflict. 

I look forward to working with President Obama, and with you and your entire administration, to forge a historic peace agreement in which the permanence and legitimacy of the Jewish state of Israel is recognized by our Palestinian neighbors, and in which Israel’s security is guaranteed for generations to come. 

Again, Vice President — my friend, Joe, it’s a pleasure to welcome you to Jerusalem.  Welcome.

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you very much.  Mr. Prime Minister, it’s a pleasure to be back.  It’s been too long between visits here.  And it is true that you and I have been friends a long, long time.  And as a matter of fact, when each of us were in the minority, we’d — occasionally, I’d find — get a phone call at home and I’d call you as well to get a sense of what’s going on.  Our friendship is real, but it is — what’s even deeper is the relationship between the United States and Israel. 

But Prime Minister, I’m sure you’d agree we’ve had a — we had a very productive discussion spanning a wide range of issues that affect both our nations.  The relationship between Israel and the United States has been, and will continue to be, a centerpiece — a centerpiece of American policy.  And it’s been that way since Israel’s founding in 1948.  And, quite frankly, it was a major focus of my work for all those years as a United States Senator and chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Our two countries are bound by historic and cultural ties, and so many shared interests, that it would take too long to enumerate, and also by a wide range of deep-seated personal relationships and friendships that span the time even before 1948.  Our ties have been strengthened by our deep cooperation in many fields including science and economic development, and a range of other policy areas as well. 

But the cornerstone of the relationship — the cornerstone of the relationship is our absolute, total, unvarnished commitment to Israel’s security.  Bibi, you heard me say before, progress occurs in the Middle East when everyone knows there is simply no space between the United States and Israel.  There is no space between the United States and Israel when it comes to Israel’s security.  And for that reason, and many others, addressing Iran’s nuclear program has been of — one of our administration’s priorities.

We’re determined — we’re determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.  And we’re working with many countries around the world to convince Tehran to meet its international obligations and cease and desist.  Iran must also curb its other destabilizing actions in the region, well beyond their desire to acquire nuclear weapons.  And that is their continued support for terrorist groups that threaten Israel, and I might add, our interests as well.

President Obama and I strongly believe that the best long-term guarantee for Israel’s security is a comprehensive Middle East peace with the Palestinians, with the Syrians, with Lebanon and leading eventually to full and normalized relationships with the entire Arab world.  It’s overwhelmingly in the interest of Israel, but it’s also overwhelmingly of interest to the Arab world.  And it’s in our interest, as well.

And so, Mr. Prime Minister, toward that end I am very pleased that — that you and the Palestinian leadership have agreed to launch indirect talks.  We hope that these talks will lead, and they must lead, eventually to negotiations and direct discussions between the parties.  The goal is, obviously, to resolve the final status issues and to achieve a two-state solution with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.  And historic peace is going to require both parties to make some historically bold commitments.  You have done it before, and I’m confident for real peace you would do it again.

Over the last year, Mr. Prime Minister, you have taken significant steps including the moratorium that has limited new settlement construction activity.  And you have significantly increased freedom of movement across the West Bank.  Palestinian leaders are beginning to make progress on their determined willingness to — especially in their efforts to reform their institutions of government and with their security force — their security forces becoming much more reliable. 

It’s easy to point fingers, particularly in this part of the world, at what each side has not done.  But it’s also important to give credit where things have been done in order to be able to move forward.  Mr. Prime Minister, the United States will always stand with those who take risks for peace.  And you’re prepared to do that.  And I am hopeful.  And I’ll be having discussions with Palestinian leaders.  It is my hope and expectation that they will be prepared, as well. 

The proximity start — talks are just that, a start.  They’re not designed to finish the process.  And so, Mr. Prime Minister, I thank you for all the time you have given me.  And it’s just, quite frankly, good to be back in your company and see you again. 

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU:  Thank you.  Thank you, Joe.  I have one thing to offer you right now, and it’s broken glass.  (Laughter.)  So what I’m going to do is I’m going to sign — but I need a pen.  Thank you. 

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Don’t cut yourself.

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU:  Now, this is a significant piece of paper.  I will say that agreements are dependent on the arrangements not on paper but on the ground.  Here is a piece of paper that reflects an arrangement on the ground.  We have planted a circle of trees in Jerusalem in memory of your mother, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden, because you have said many times that she was a source of immeasurable strength, which I recognize in you, Joe.  So we planted a tree to serve as a tribute — a circle of trees next to the leaders of the nations.  We have a forest of the leaders of the nations, and right next to it are the trees that we have planted in memory of your mother as a tribute to her immeasurable strength.  And I want to offer it to you on your visit to Israel.

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, thank you very much.  If you don’t mind my saying, Mr. Prime Minister, my love for your country was watered by this Irish lady, who was proudest of me when I was working with and for the security of Israel.  So that’s a great honor.  Thank you very much.

END
12:50 P.M. (local)

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Presidency
Jerusalem

9:16 A.M. (local)

PRESIDENT PERES: Well, I want to express our profound appreciation for your visit, not just because you are the Vice President of the United States and the most senior person to visit our region at the time; because for us you are a stoic friend, a man with profound judgment. You were the youngest senator in the United States. And from that age, so to speak, you showed friendship, understanding, and judgment, which we appreciate to this day. We think you are coming on a mission of peace. You understand there are two sides to the mission. And I dont see, I think, any contradiction in between being friendly and understanding to the two sides. And since the mission is peace, we are following the same mission.

I want to say that Im not impressed by the perception of the agreement about the proximity talks, because the situation is both more serious and also maybe more promising. If I compare the present situation with the previous situations, I can see three major changes, which I want to mention briefly.

One, the Palestinians started to build a state. Lets not underestimate it. And we learned from early age, from the early beginning felt that better build a state without borders than negotiate borders within every state, so to this very day, in our declaration of independence, there is no borders. I think if the Palestinians started to negotiate about borders and postponing building a state, its a mistake from their side, because the problem with borders here is there was never a Palestinian state — we didnt have a precedent like we had with the Jordanians and with Egypt and so we didnt have borders as we did have with the Jordanians, Egyptians, Lebanese, and Syrians and also because in that case borders have a holy aspect to it, as well. Jerusalem does not trust a territorial border.

So the effect that the United States, the Israeli government, the Palestinian Authority — all of them agreed to build a state is an innovation and a very promising process that we have to support and enlarge. And I do not see much difficulties in continuing to do so. I think we have to be, all of us, more generous, more compromising and to supply the Palestinians with the necessary means to build their own home.

If it would — we do just that, they would say we are escaping the negotiations. We are not. So the building of a state is not instead of the negotiations, but in addition to it. The negotiations, its very hard to open it and all of us know there will be — as it is always — a difference between the opening position and the fall-back position. The opening position is tougher and everybody emphasizes the difference. Anyway, I dont know a way — how can you start with the fall-back positions. Even in Hollywood, the happy end is at the end; you dont begin negotiations with the happy end.

So the present declarations on both sides are very careful, and everybody wants to shop as much as he can his own position. And I think we have accepted, as a matter of fact — and I dont think it will save us the difficulties, but lets not see in it the end of the negotiations or the end of the day. Thats the second thing that I believe why its better to have it.

The third change which I see is the Iranian presence. I think the tone and extremacy of Ahmadinejad against Israel is a cover up of his own ambition to create hegemony in the Middle East, since he doesnt want to appear as a Shiite or a Sunnite. He wants to appear as an anti-Israel, which gives him an entry to other countries. And that way, everybody is using Israel as an excuse or a cover up for their real positions. I believe the higher-ups are aware that Iran is a danger to them. More than a thousand years of history in the Middle East — there is thousand years, 900 years the Arabs were under occupation of empires, and Muslims as well. Its only in the last 100 years they have had any independence. And they dont want to give up, rightly so, their independence.

And understand that in the name of religion, Iran is trying to establish a super structure of the Iranians in the Middle East. But at the same time, short of President Mubarak who stood up and some other leaders, theyre reluctant to declare their real position because of the conflict between us and the Palestinians. Everybody uses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a cover up. And I think its a strange situation over the world that the secret relations are better than the open relations, that the relations among the different intelligence organizations are better than the diplomatic one. The reason is diplomacy covers and intelligence discovers, because today to win the fight against the terrorists is not a victory but a discovery. If you discover them ahead of time, you win it.

But I think we — sorry — we have had many problems in the domain of, I think, terrorists. In our own domain, we are very successful and that should serve as an example. And that is the model of our relations or the relations between Jordan and ourselves. No matter what the political mood is, the two countries decided not to permit terrorists to play on. And the Jordanians are the most quiet border — all the time between us and the Jordanians, understanding that today its not a total war, but a war against the terrorists.

I want to make a short remark about Iran as I see it. First of all, the United States should lead the Iranian policy — there is nobody else in the world. The United States, with whatever criticism you may have, you are the most serious, the most organized, and the most analytical approach to the Iranian. And we have trust in President Obama. I dont envy neither you nor him. You have inherited an extremely difficult situation worldwide and otherwise. And its easy to give advice. I know it. Its more difficult to face the trials that are coming from uninvited angles, and participation.

I believe that the best policy vis–vis Iran, and Im speaking of — from our perspective — I cannot suggest to do it in my advice — should comprise three major efforts — one, which is major, and that is the moral code. I think moral sanctions are not less important than economic sanctions. A person like Ahmadinejad that calls openly to destroy the state of Israel cannot be a full member of the United Nations. A man that calls for acts in terror and who hangs people in the streets, not just because of the Israeli conflict — and as Hillary described him as a military dictator. I think he should be placed in his proper definition. He cannot go around almost like a cultural hero.

However, President Obama considers Niebuhr as his philosophical preference. I like to listen to the lectures of Reinhold Niebuhr. The subject was the Judeo-Christian heritage. The first six lectures were about Judeo-Christians. I never heard anything more profound or more moving than that. But he said one word which I believe fits the present situation. He says all of us have to stand up against moral corruption. But moral corruption is more dangerous even than financial corruption. And the first code, in my judgment, is to voice a real struggle against the moral corruption. From an Israeli standpoint, we are totally surprised. They try to de-legitimize us. Were a democratic country. Nobody is being hanged in Israel. We try to make peace. We give back land. We are in a difficult situation, but still on a moral foundation. So he tries to de-legitimize us or you. We are the Satan; he is the Lord. So I think that must be done in a strong and clear voice.

It will also help the people of Iran, the Persians, to continue their struggle to defend their culture. They are ashamed of him. In my judgment, this should be done strongly, clearly, vocally. Then the economic sanctions, which I dont have to advise.

Maybe I would like to see a third point, and that is to surround Iran with an envelope of self-defense — the Palestinians side, as well — against their missiles and nuclear trap. And nobody knows exactly what theyre going to do. But self-defense will be an additional weight in limiting the danger of Iran. Again, only you can do it.

Thats one point. And I want to say about the Palestinians, there is a way to increase the help to the Palestinians to build their state. I know that our government is ready to continue the dismantling of different checkpoints to free the movement. The Palestinians have never had a state in their history, and now theyre beginning to taste what does it mean to build a city or to plan trees or to introduce an economy. On all this, we as the immediate neighbor — you as the guiding the party, and the Europeans, and the Russians, everybody — can participate in helping them to build a state, which I want to say must be affluent. And its not to build another poor state; that would be a mistake. If we are going to build, lets build it a modern state. And I believe that the Palestinians have already leaders. The person that built the city, Bashar Masri, for example, is an extremely intelligent man, up to date — Rawabi is the new city of the Palestinians.

And we have to introduce hi-tech. They cannot make a living just on land. The problem today is not the land, but the level of knowledge. Agriculture went down only to two or three percent. And Israel is an example of making a living out of knowledge, out of hi-tech. We are ready to share. And I believe that they can be providing those of — money. I want to identify immediately. I wont ask from you today money. But I think the Monetary Fund is willing and able to provide serious amounts of money. I spoke with the head of the Monetary Fund. They say that they can support trends; they dont have to support enterprises, contrary to the World Bank. And if the trend is peace, they are ready to invest seriously. In uniting, you have to take them in the picture.

Thats number one. Now, in the negotiations itself, I know the mood. I know that among the Palestinians there is mistrust vis–vis Israel and our government. We are aware of it. What Im asking — and why is that? Because there isnt — if Israel would be against a Palestinian state, would we permit you to build an economy, a police force, institutions? Why are we doing it? And I believe that as things will progress, we can handle the responsibilities for security wherever and whenever they will be ready. For example, if Jenin can police herself, our army will be glad to hand over the security to them. And if there are six or seven cities, lets go.

We suggested, like in the road map to recognize the Palestinian state with provisional borders. But the Palestinians didnt like it, and Mubarak told me leave it alone. They are getting angry with it. Okay. So we dont need lines. We dont need — okay, I shall stop here, because –

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: No, Im anxious — I love hearing you speak. (Laughter.) I really do. Ive told you, Mr. President, you are the most articulate statesman I have ever known. And I have been around for a long, long time. I always — I always enjoy not only your knowledge, but your wisdom. I mean that sincerely. You know I have told you that over the years.

PRESIDENT PERES: I know. I keep it –

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, let me just briefly respond.

PRESIDENT PERES: Yes.

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: First of all, you know you talked about my being a friend of Israel from the time I was a young senator.

PRESIDENT PERES: What was it, 32?

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: Thirty years old — 29, actually. But I arrived at the Senate educated by a righteous Christian, my father, who — we spent our dinner table — we assembled at our dinner table in the evening to have discussions and incidentally eat rather than eat and incidentally have discussions. And — but Israel captured my heart. I make no bones about it. That does not mean I do not understand and have a great empathy for the circumstances of the Palestinians, but Israel captured my heart and my imagination.

And my first visit here as a young senator, I sat before the desk of Golda Meir as she was chain smoking and pulling maps up and down behind me, explaining to me the Six Day War. And there was a young man sitting to my right, his name was Rabin. So I have had the great privilege of not only knowing you, but knowing every Prime Minister and President since the days of Golda Meir.

I think your observation is one that more of the world should understand, because as you pointed out, there is an international attempt to isolate Israel and — right now. And sometimes, we are our own worst enemy and playing into the hands of those who wish to do that. The peace process, as you pointed out, has two components to it, it always has: the actual definition of a state by borders and sovereign immunity and sovereign capabilities, but also the actual stuff of which a state is made. Institutions, everything from security forces to tax collection capability and everything in between. And that is underway.

And I hope — notwithstanding the mistrust you referenced, I hope the beginning of what I referred to as these indirect or proximity talks, I hope it is a vehicle, a vehicle by which we can begin to allay that layer of mistrust that has built over the last several years. Because if you look at the region, there is obviously a great deal more that should be uniting the Palestinians and the Israelis than any time since Ive been involved for 36 years. You point out that the great Persian people have had their history besmirched by the presence of the — Mr. Ahmadinejad and the theocracy.

But I would point out, Mr. President, that the moral sanctions you refer to have begun — and need not have been imposed by us, theyre being imposed by their own people. The people of Iran are making that argument clearly, engaging in their own form of morally sanctioning their government as we have and as the rest of the world is. I remote — since our administration has come to power, I would point out that Iran is more isolated — internally, externally — has fewer friends in the world. One of the reasons why President Obama insisted on engaging was in the — was with eyes wide open. The hope was that there would be some movement. But the reality was — the reality was so that we could in a sense point out to the rest of the world we need to deal with many of the things you mentioned.

But let me conclude in my very brief response here that I — I think this — we are at a moment of real opportunity. And I think that the — the interest of both the Palestinians and the Israeli people are — if everyone will just step back and take a deep breath — are actually very much more in line than they are in opposition. And when I first came here, my first 10 or 12 trips, the idea that we would speak with certitude about a two-state solution wasnt so obvious. So Id like to focus with you — if we have a chance to speak privately, Id like to focus with you on how we — how we take advantage of this moment for the security of Israel.

I just want to conclude by saying one thing that I know you understand — I know you understand about me and I know you understand it about President Obama — theres absolutely no space between the United States and Israel in terms of Israels security and our mutual security — none, none at all. Thats the basis in which this starts. Theres a lot we can do. But Im really flattered you would see me. And I’m anxious to –

PRESIDENT PERES: We were waiting for you. (Laughter.)

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, its good to be home. (Laughter.)

END
9:45 A.M. (local)

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