Henry: OK, I just wanted to be clear. And then in that statement, that's what I wanted to ask you, because you put it out, under your name you talked about the murder of 21 citizens. And I'm curious, why didn't you mention it was 21 Christians killed by Muslims? Is that relevant?
EARNEST: It sure is, because the ISIL -- the ISIL extremists who carried out this attack indicated that they were killing them wasn't just because they were Egyptian, but also because they were Christian. And I think the president has been very clear that it is --you know, the president talked about this actually in his Prayer Breakfast speech that he gave earlier this month, that there's a responsibility of people of all faiths to stand up and speak out when you -- when individuals try to use faith and distort faith to try to justify an act of violence.
Henry: So why were you -- given that, why were you not clear on Sunday? It went out under your name. Why didn't you say 21 Christians were killed?
EARNEST: Well Ed, I've -- I've tried to be clear here. I can't account for that specific line in the statement, but we've been clear there that we condemn this murder. The president was clear in the op- ed that was published today, and on a variety of occasions, I think I've been pretty clear here that we condemn the outrageous killing of these Egyptian citizens because of their Christian faith.
Henry: OK. And the last one, two days earlier, on the 13th, you put out a statement under the president saying about the tragic deaths of the three Muslim students at the University of North Carolina, and in there, the president said, quote, ``no one in the United States of America should ever be targeted
because of who they are, what they look like, or how they worship.'' Why was their Muslim faith relevant in that statement?
EARNEST: Well Ed, I think as we have indicated, the situation in North Carolina is still under investigation, and the local law enforcement authorities there are trying to determine exactly what the motivation of the individual who's been charged with this crime was. And so that is still under investigation. But what is clear is that there is this principle that exists, regardless of the faith of the individual in question, that people should not be targeted because of their religion and what they look like or what their last name is or how they worship.
Henry: Is there any evidence in the North Carolina case that they were targeted because they were...
EARNEST: Well this is something that's still under...
Henry: ... people are saying it was because of a parking space. We don't know. It's a local law enforcement investigation right now as you said.
EARNEST: Yes.
Henry: So why was their faith invoked in the president's statement?
EARNEST: Well Ed, I think it is important for the president, in this case as he has in many others, to articulate a pretty clear principle, and I think it's the kind of principle that the vast majority of Americans should be able to support, which is that people should not, regardless of their faith, be targeted because of what their last name is, what they look like, or how they worship.
Henry: But that gets back -- we don't know that they were targeted because of their last name or their faith.
EARNEST: So I guess Ed, what you could, and I think that's acknowledged in the statement as well, and we have also acknowledged that this is an issue that's under investigation in North Carolina, but I think as a principle it's -- this is the kind of thing that we should all be able to agree with. OK. Bill?
Henry: Back on the summit.
EARNEST: Yes.
Henry: What exactly is the take-away that you anticipate from this? There's no executive action, there's no governmental action. It's a talking shop. I mean, what is the point?
EARNEST: Ed, I'm sorry, Bill...
(LAUGHTER)
I mean that as a compliment.
(LAUGHTER)
I hope that's the way you took it.
Henry: I'm sure I will, after I think about it.
Henry:
OK, I just wanted to be clear. And then in that statement,
that's what I wanted to ask you, because you put it out, under
your name you talked about the murder of 21 citizens. And I'm
curious, why didn't you mention it was 21 Christians killed by
Muslims? Is that relevant?
EARNEST:
It sure is, because the ISIL -- the ISIL extremists who carried
out this attack indicated that they were killing them wasn't
just because they were Egyptian, but also because they were
Christian. And I think the president has been very clear that it
is --you know, the president talked about this actually in his
Prayer Breakfast speech that he gave earlier this month, that
there's a responsibility of people of all faiths to stand up and
speak out when you -- when individuals try to use faith and
distort faith to try to justify an act of violence.
Henry:
So why were you -- given that, why were you not clear on
Sunday? It went out under your name. Why didn't you say
21 Christians were killed?
EARNEST:
Well Ed, I've -- I've tried to be clear here. I can't
account for that specific line in the statement, but we've been
clear there that we condemn this murder. The president
was clear in the op- ed that was published today, and on a
variety of occasions, I think I've been pretty clear here that
we condemn the outrageous killing of these Egyptian
citizens because of their Christian faith.
Henry:
OK. And the last one, two days earlier, on the 13th, you
put out a statement under the president saying about the tragic
deaths of the three Muslim students at the University of North
Carolina, and in there, the president said, quote, ``no one in
the United States of America should ever be targeted
because of
who they are, what they look like, or how they worship.'' Why
was their Muslim faith relevant in that statement?
EARNEST:
Well Ed, I think as we have indicated, the situation in North
Carolina is still under investigation, and the local law
enforcement authorities there are trying to determine exactly
what the motivation of the individual who's been charged with
this crime was. And so that is still under investigation.
But what is clear is that there is this principle that exists,
regardless of the faith of the individual in question, that
people should not be targeted because of their religion and what
they look like or what their last name is or how they worship.
Henry:
Is there any evidence in the North Carolina case that they were
targeted because they were...
EARNEST:
Well this is something that's still under...
Henry:
... people are saying it was because of a parking space.
We don't know. It's a local law enforcement investigation
right now as you said.
EARNEST:
Yes.
Henry:
So why was their faith invoked in the president's statement?
EARNEST:
Well Ed, I think it is important for the president, in this case
as he has in many others, to articulate a pretty clear
principle, and I think it's the kind of principle that the vast
majority of Americans should be able to support, which is that
people should not, regardless of their faith, be targeted
because of what their last name is, what they look like, or how
they worship.
Henry:
But that gets back -- we don't know that they were targeted
because of their last name or their faith.
EARNEST:
So I guess Ed, what you could, and I think that's acknowledged
in the statement as well, and we have also acknowledged that
this is an issue that's under investigation in North Carolina,
but I think as a principle it's -- this is the kind of thing
that we should all be able to agree with. OK. Bill?
Henry:
Back on the summit.
EARNEST:
Yes.
Henry:
What exactly is the take-away that you anticipate from this?
There's no executive action, there's no governmental action.
It's a talking shop. I mean, what is the point?
EARNEST:
Ed, I'm sorry, Bill...
(LAUGHTER)
I
mean that as a compliment.
(LAUGHTER)
I
hope that's the way you took it.
Henry:
I'm sure I will, after I think about it.
The above is the transcript of a
conversation between a Fox news reporter and a White House Spokesman,
please take not of the very artful attempt at double-speak. It seems
to me that every spokesperson for this government is a master at
double-speak, from the White House down through every department that
has been called on the carpet for it's behavior, thee IRS, the State
Department, the Secretary of State, the Defense Department, the
secretary of Defense, the Justice Department, the Attorney General,
the Democratic Party, the house Minority Leader, the Senate Majority
Leader, the Speaker of the House, the Vice-president. I kind of think
it would be easier to list those who have not come under the
microscope for questionable behavior and policy than those who have.
I mean look at the “Tough guy” Charlie (somebody ought to slap
the stupid out of him) Rangel posturing as only an ineffective
individual would and making threats he could in no way back up. This
is truly a gathering of pompous jackasses, led by the august
President himself and how we should deal with the cause of the the
increase in the recruitment of terrorist groups by changing what we
do instead of confronting the groups themselves, Remember Harf's
statement “We can't kill our way out of a war” Well sorry Ms
Harf, but according to my experience in war, YES YOU CAN, you see,
once you shoot the bad guy, he doesn't get back up and shoot you next
week, so Yea, you can kill your way out of a war, after you get done
doing that, then you take care of the other business at hand and as a
plus, you don't have to hide in the corner.
Now I'm pretty sure that you have had
enough of this “Double Speak” our government is famous for around
the world, and I am sure you are equally as fed up with Obama's
recreant behavior with Islamic terrorists, and if you just have a
heartbeat, you might be feeling the shame of his leadership on the
world stage, well there is an alternative. If you think this
government should be put back in it's place then do something about
it, what can I do, you ask, that's easy, follow this link and read
about the Convention of States, it's purpose, it's Strategy, and why
it will work. You don't have to leave the comfort of your home,
though it would help at the gatherings, you don't have to speechify,
others are there for that, but your support is needed, in part
financial yes, but more importantly in spirit and in agreement with.
You see, as much as the side which opposes the freedoms we have, and
how much they want to silence everyone who disagrees with them, our
forefathers(smart people they were) knew this would happen, and in
defense of our way of life gave us Article V of the Constitution just
for that purpose Once you read and learn about the Convention of
States then decide if it's the right way to go, if so join us and
stand for your country. After all it is your country, you built it,
and you keep it going.