WEBVTT - Bloomberg's Greiling Keane on Obama's ISIS Strategy (Audio)

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<v Speaker 1>You're listening to taking stock with bim Box and dathe

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<v Speaker 1>nays on Bloomberg Radio. President Obama is at the Pentagon.

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<v Speaker 1>He will be giving an update on his administration's battle

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<v Speaker 1>against Islamic State against ISIS, but he will be opening

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<v Speaker 1>up the post briefing statement to questions from the press,

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<v Speaker 1>potentially giving him another chance to weigh in on the election.

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<v Speaker 1>Angela Greyling keene Are, a White House reporter for Bloomberg News,

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<v Speaker 1>joins us now from Washington, d C. Home to Bloomberg

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<v Speaker 1>and one oh five point seven h D two. Angela,

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<v Speaker 1>thank you for being with us. Tell us why is

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<v Speaker 1>the President going to the Pentagon in order to tell

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<v Speaker 1>the nation about the efforts on the administration's part to

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<v Speaker 1>battle ISIS. The President has been meeting with his National

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<v Speaker 1>Security Council this afternoon at the Pentagon. He's done these

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<v Speaker 1>meetings with the National Security Council at a variety of locations.

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<v Speaker 1>This time he returns to the pen gone where he's

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<v Speaker 1>done them before. Sometimes they're at the White House, sometimes

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<v Speaker 1>they're at other parts of the defensor intelligence community, but

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<v Speaker 1>he likes to move them around, and this time he's

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<v Speaker 1>taking the different step of having a press conference afterwards,

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<v Speaker 1>so we expect him to address not only national security

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<v Speaker 1>concerns in Islamic State, but also all the other issues

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<v Speaker 1>of the day. Well, let's start with Islamic State UH

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<v Speaker 1>and the the expansion of the US led coalitions military

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<v Speaker 1>UH mission against ISIS IS, the US bombs targets in

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<v Speaker 1>and around Uh, a key Libyan city. Undoubtedly, Libya will

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<v Speaker 1>be one of the questions. This will be the first

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<v Speaker 1>time that President Obama is likely to address Libya at

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<v Speaker 1>a press conference. We expect him to be asked about

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<v Speaker 1>his decision to use more US UM air power against

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<v Speaker 1>Islamic State targets in Libya. It was a key decision

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<v Speaker 1>to expand the US mission and take air strikes in Libya,

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<v Speaker 1>and clearly that's not been well received by everybody, and

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<v Speaker 1>he will undoubtedly be asked about that. As far as

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<v Speaker 1>any new policies, will there be any indication of any

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<v Speaker 1>other UH sort of roots or strategies to battle Islamic

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<v Speaker 1>State or waves of terrorism around the world. We don't

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<v Speaker 1>expect new policy announcements out of this press conference. He

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<v Speaker 1>lucinely speaks after these meetings and does not denounce any

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<v Speaker 1>new policy. But it's unusual for him to take questions

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<v Speaker 1>from the press, so that that's what's different. But there's

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<v Speaker 1>been no telegraphing of any changes in strategy or other

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<v Speaker 1>increases in the US involvement against Islamic stage. Is there

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<v Speaker 1>any particular reason to to do this at this time?

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<v Speaker 1>Is this routine and this is the right time to

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<v Speaker 1>talk about isis you say you haven't been telegraphing any

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<v Speaker 1>big announcement or he hasn't. That's what you're got picking

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<v Speaker 1>up on. Uh So what how should we understand the messaging?

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<v Speaker 1>And I guess we would say the optics of the

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<v Speaker 1>president's appearance today, Well, the meetings are routine. He meets

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<v Speaker 1>with his National Security Council regularly, and these meetings at

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<v Speaker 1>different locations have been happening approximately a quarterly basis that

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<v Speaker 1>what use has chosen to draw attention to these meetings,

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<v Speaker 1>and part of that is making sure that the president

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<v Speaker 1>is out there and people are paying attention to his

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<v Speaker 1>message against Islamic state. The President is about to head

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<v Speaker 1>on vacation for the next two weeks, so starting on Saturday,

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<v Speaker 1>he'll be on Martha's vineyard on vacation. A lot of

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<v Speaker 1>golf and for sure the White House wants to keep

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<v Speaker 1>the optics that the president's working hard, that he's paying

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<v Speaker 1>attention to world events, and that I would guess as

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<v Speaker 1>part of the timing of this particular meeting in press conference,

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<v Speaker 1>tell us about the questions. One question sure to be

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<v Speaker 1>the authorization of the four million dollar cash payment to

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<v Speaker 1>Iran that coincided with the release of those American prisoners

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<v Speaker 1>that was back in January around is likely to come up.

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<v Speaker 1>We've heard a lot from the White House in the

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<v Speaker 1>past day and a half on that. The White House

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<v Speaker 1>line is that they did announced this payment back in

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<v Speaker 1>January when they released the hostages. Of this payment wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>the secret and the White House line is that this

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<v Speaker 1>also was not ransom. Of course, the President is likely

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<v Speaker 1>to still be asked about that, but he may not

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<v Speaker 1>say anything different than what his administration surrogates have been

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<v Speaker 1>saying already. The other topics that are likely to come

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<v Speaker 1>up are Russia. He talked a little bit the other

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<v Speaker 1>day about to be increasingly tense relationship with Russia and

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<v Speaker 1>President Putin, And of course there will be some sort

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<v Speaker 1>of question or questions involving the presidential election and Donald Trump.

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<v Speaker 1>President Obama had a press conference just two days ago,

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<v Speaker 1>and he declared that press conference Donald Trump quote unfit

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<v Speaker 1>to service president. But he will surely have more to

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<v Speaker 1>say on that topic today. Well, certainly our reporters are

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<v Speaker 1>gonna question on on that and it's always hard to

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<v Speaker 1>tell in his on some mean, occasionally when the president

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<v Speaker 1>has a press conference, he goes and goes and goes

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<v Speaker 1>until every last person in that room has had the

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<v Speaker 1>opportunity to ask at least one question. So in all that,

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<v Speaker 1>we've got a figure that there will be maybe even

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<v Speaker 1>more than one version of that question asked. There certainly

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<v Speaker 1>could be. We're expecting about five to six questions today,

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<v Speaker 1>which is but an average amount of questions for a

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<v Speaker 1>full press conference. It's it is fairly unusual for a

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<v Speaker 1>President Obama, who can go a month without a press conference,

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<v Speaker 1>to have two in a week. Just on Tuesday, he

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<v Speaker 1>held a press conference with the Singapore Prime Minister Lee

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<v Speaker 1>at the White House and both Obama and Lee took

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<v Speaker 1>uh They took a total of four questions too, from

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<v Speaker 1>each country. So this is a fir amount of questions

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<v Speaker 1>for the press for the public from President Obama in

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<v Speaker 1>a single week. Will the president also be asked about

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<v Speaker 1>Russia's influence on US elections, he very well could be.

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<v Speaker 1>He did address Russia on Tuesday. He said that, Uh,

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<v Speaker 1>he certainly did not link Russia to the hacks of

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<v Speaker 1>the Democratic National Committee in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,

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<v Speaker 1>but he didn't steer away from those either. He said

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<v Speaker 1>it's too early to say for sure. He also said

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<v Speaker 1>that he essentially said that anything that Russia does won't

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<v Speaker 1>make the relationship any worse. He said things are already

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<v Speaker 1>pretty bad between him and putin between the US and Russia,

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<v Speaker 1>and that even if Russia is found to be responsible

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<v Speaker 1>for that hack, that he doubts it will change anything.

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<v Speaker 1>The US wants to work with Russia to improve things

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<v Speaker 1>in Syria, but beyond that, there's fairly little cooperation right

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<v Speaker 1>now between the two countries. Uh. You know a story

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<v Speaker 1>that you also were part of this week has to

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<v Speaker 1>do with political hacking. Uh. And this possibility of actually

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<v Speaker 1>designating elections is national critical infrastructure right after the recent

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<v Speaker 1>hacking attacks on obviously on political groups on the d N. See,

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<v Speaker 1>how is this just something that you know? Someone answered

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<v Speaker 1>in been a question Homeland Security Secretary Johnson actually or

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<v Speaker 1>is there some serious push in this direction. Do you think, uh,

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<v Speaker 1>it is important? Um, you're right. So Homeland Security Secretary J.

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<v Speaker 1>Johnson is the person who talked about whether the US

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<v Speaker 1>may designate elections as quote national critical infrat structure and

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<v Speaker 1>that means that they would get extra homeland security protection.

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<v Speaker 1>Um what J. Johnson was talking at a breakfast for reporters,

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<v Speaker 1>So it was certainly not something he mentioned off hand.

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<v Speaker 1>You don't mention something like that to a table full

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<v Speaker 1>of reporters if you don't want it to get attention.

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<v Speaker 1>So that was definitely a calculated move by the administration

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<v Speaker 1>to say that they are paying very very close attention

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<v Speaker 1>to election security and probably that they're concerned about it. Well.

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<v Speaker 1>One of the things that has changed, at least this

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<v Speaker 1>week is we all were able to learn about the

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<v Speaker 1>interview of a German Man who joined the Islamic State

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<v Speaker 1>and then really revealed the workings of the various lieutenants

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<v Speaker 1>of Islamic State and their plans to carry out its

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<v Speaker 1>tacks around the world. Will that whole idea of radicalization

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<v Speaker 1>be a focus of the President's strategy. It probably will.

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<v Speaker 1>Lone wolves are something that the President and many other

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<v Speaker 1>world leaders are very concerned about. We saw just yesterday

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<v Speaker 1>here in Washington where a Metro Transit police officer was

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<v Speaker 1>arrested for trying to um cooperate with or work with

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<v Speaker 1>Islamic States, and that that was not a lone wolf incident,

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<v Speaker 1>but it certainly could have been if it progressed. So

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<v Speaker 1>the President will likely talk about the lone wolf issue,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe some of his strategy. UM. That's for sure something

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<v Speaker 1>that was discussed with his National Security Council. UM. He

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<v Speaker 1>normally at these sorts of events, he's taken a sort

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<v Speaker 1>of reassuring tone, telling people to you know, carry on

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<v Speaker 1>with their daily lives, not not be afraid or curtail

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<v Speaker 1>their activities because of risks or threats posed by Islamic

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<v Speaker 1>State or um it's adherents. Uh. I don't expect him

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<v Speaker 1>to change that today, but given what we've seen in

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<v Speaker 1>Europe this summer and this arrest yesterday in Washington, that

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<v Speaker 1>got to be front of mine for him as well

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<v Speaker 1>as for the reporters who will be asking him questions.

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<v Speaker 1>In addition, the United States has about five thousand troops

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<v Speaker 1>in Iraq currently in a few hundred in Syria. Will

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<v Speaker 1>it be further calls to either increase in American presidents

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<v Speaker 1>in those countries, or will there be a sort of

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<v Speaker 1>concerted effort to try to, you know, to have him

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<v Speaker 1>draw those numbers down. Uh, inasmuch as there's political opposition

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<v Speaker 1>around the world to having those troops there. Yeah, President

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<v Speaker 1>Obama faces pushing pull from both sides on the troops issue.

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<v Speaker 1>He ran for president promising to get the US out

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<v Speaker 1>of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the administration

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<v Speaker 1>would say they've been largely successful given the number of

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<v Speaker 1>troops today versus the number of troops eight years ago.

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<v Speaker 1>But clearly we're not out of u Ghanistan and Iraq,

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<v Speaker 1>and like you said, there are now some troops in

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<v Speaker 1>in Syria. So the President has said that he has

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<v Speaker 1>backed off. He's publicly said already that he's backed off

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<v Speaker 1>of plans to completely draw down troops, and he uh

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<v Speaker 1>may he could potentially increase numbers, but that's fairly unlikely.

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<v Speaker 1>But he for now is sticking with his plans to

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<v Speaker 1>to keep the troop levels that we're at, and we

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<v Speaker 1>have seen him increase slightly numbers of troops overseas. So

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<v Speaker 1>I I don't expect announcements along those lines today because

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<v Speaker 1>he's unlikely to make that sort of announcement in this

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<v Speaker 1>public of a forum, but he he for sure is

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<v Speaker 1>under pressure from some people that think there should be

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<v Speaker 1>no troops and from some people that think there should

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<v Speaker 1>be a lot more. And he's resigned to not making

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<v Speaker 1>everybody happy. That's part of the job of president. You

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<v Speaker 1>only have at this point. How much in fact, how

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<v Speaker 1>much at this point are President Obama's hands not exactly tied,

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<v Speaker 1>but you know, maybe restrained by the fact that he's

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<v Speaker 1>got a few more months in office and someone else

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<v Speaker 1>is taking over. If he makes a significant move up

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<v Speaker 1>or down in troops at this point, is that is

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<v Speaker 1>that the correct thing to do is that presidential etiquette, right,

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<v Speaker 1>absent any big, big shift in the external factors that

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<v Speaker 1>he's dealing with in the Middle East. Right, And under

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<v Speaker 1>a normal presidential transition, of course, we could look and

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<v Speaker 1>be looking at a fairly unique presidential transition depend on

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<v Speaker 1>who is elected. But under a normal transition, the successor

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<v Speaker 1>will follow on for a while at least what the

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<v Speaker 1>what the predecessor did. Clearly when President Obama were to

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<v Speaker 1>ramp up now and certainly if he keeps the same levels,

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<v Speaker 1>no changes happen the first day that a new president

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<v Speaker 1>takes office, so anything he does now last for at

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<v Speaker 1>least a little while. Is this also an occasion for

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<v Speaker 1>the president to reiterate his comments about the Republican nominee

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<v Speaker 1>for president, Republican candidate Donald Trump. I mean, he has

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<v Speaker 1>said previously, and you've reported this, that he had never

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<v Speaker 1>had a reason to question the qualifications or fitness of

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<v Speaker 1>other Republicans who ran against them, such as John McCain,

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<v Speaker 1>Senator from Arizona and former Massachusetts government Romney. I think

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<v Speaker 1>it's very fair to assume that the President will continue

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<v Speaker 1>his line of attack against Donald Trump. He has had

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<v Speaker 1>increasingly strident language against him, including calling him quote unfit

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<v Speaker 1>for the presidency on Tuesday. It's hard to get a

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<v Speaker 1>lot stronger than that. What will be interesting to see

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<v Speaker 1>is whether he continues today his line of reasoning from

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<v Speaker 1>Tuesday about encouraging prominent Republicans to back away from their

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<v Speaker 1>support of Donald Trump. What the President seemed to be

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<v Speaker 1>doing was to ask Republicans like House Speaker Paul Ryan

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<v Speaker 1>to back away. Even though Ryan has criticized Trump, he's

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<v Speaker 1>still officially supporting him, and the President Obama was basically

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<v Speaker 1>challenging those sorts of Republicans about whether they're going to

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<v Speaker 1>keep publicly supporting Trump. Angela brylantein Think So Very Much,

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<v Speaker 1>White House reporter for Bloomberg News in Washington,