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Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's
happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This week, the President returned to Washington
and he and his staff got to work on the business
of 2011. It's January 1st to the 6th, or "Resolutions."
On Tuesday, January 4th, the First Family touched down on the
South Lawn after spending the holidays outside of Washington.
President Obama immediately got to work on the business of the
nation, signing 35 bills into law, including the Food Safety
and Modernization Act, giving the Food and Drug
Administration important new tools to keep consumers safe.
The President also took some time the previous Saturday,
January 1st, to wish Americans a Happy New Year,
and outline what he thinks can be done this year to strengthen
our economy.
The President: We are, however, riding a few months of economic
news that suggests our recovery is gaining traction.
And our most important task now is to keep that recovery going.
As President, that's my commitment to you: to do everything I can to makesure our economy
is growing, creating jobs, and strengthening our middle
class.
That's my resolution for the coming year.
Other West Wing staff had some New Year's resolutions,
so we thought we would take a quick lap around the West Wing
to share them with you.
We started in the Upper Press Office, and talked to members of the
White House Communications team.
Mr. Gibbs: Happy New Year.
I'm Robert Gibbs, the White House Press Secretary.
My New Year's resolutions are the same as they have been for
the last five years -- eat healthier, exercise more,
and drink more water. We'll see if it works in 2011.
Ms. Hopkins: Hi, I'm Marissa Hopkins, I work in the Upper
Press Office. This year I'm getting married, so my New Year's
resolution is to get back to the gym and on the treadmill.
Ms. Thorbjornsen: I'm Lauren Thorbjornsen and I'm also in Upper
Press, and I sit here next to the other Lauren.
My New Year's resolution this year is to read 30 books --
it's a carry over from last year and I didn't quite make it.
I'm also vowing to wake up earlier and "snooze" less.
We then checked in with Deputy Chief of Staff Mona Sutphen and
her assistant, Alejandra Campoverdi.
Deputy Sutphen: Hi, my name is Mona Sutphen, and my New Year's
resolution is to eat more healthfully, to exercise more,and
to try to get more sleep -- and restful sleep.
Ms. Campoverdi: One of my New Year's resolutions is to stop
chewing my cuticles and fingernails -- it is a terrible,
nervous habit that I constantly do for years, and this year,
I practically chewed my fingers off. So I need to find some way -- I don't know
if it's to put something disgusting on my fingers or something
that tastes bad, but I need to stop doing it.
And I am completely convinced that this is going to be the year.
David Axelrod's assistant, Eric Lesser, is likewise on a mission
of self improvement.
Mr. Lesser: My New Year's resolution is to try some yoga.
Upstairs, on the second floor of the West Wing,
we spoke to Senior Advisor, Valerie Jarrett.
Ms. Jarrett: My resolution is the same resolution that
millions of Americans have every year -- I'm going to
get fit,
I'm going to eat healthy, I'm going to take care of myself,
because I know if I do that in the course of the day,
I will be better at work, I'll be better at play.
And so every morning, I'm going to set my alarm for 5:00,
I'm not going to push the snooze alarm -- which I tend to do -- I'm going to get up
and I'm going to get on that treadmill. And that's my resolution
and hopefully within the next three months, people
will see a difference.
In the Outer Oval Office, Brian, Katie, and Reggie have
plans of their own.
Mr. Mosteller: My name is Brian Mosteller and this year's
resolution is to cook more to save money and to eat healthier.
Ms. Johnson: My name's Katie Johnson and my New Year's
resolution is to use less plastic water bottles.
I end up with a ton of them on my desk all --
every day, and so for Christmas, I bought myself a new water
bottle so that I will use this downstairs and fill it up and
not generate as many -- much plastic waste.
Mr. Love: Happy New Year, guys.
I'm Reggie Love and I'm here to tell you all about my New Year's
resolution, which is pretty simple, yet kind of difficult.
I'm going to be a better brother to my brother Richard and a
better son to my parents, Richard and Lynette. I'm not going to forget their birthdays,
I'm going to call them on Mother's and Father's Day,
maybe even Memorial Day. But, good luck with you and yours.
And finally, in the Lower Press Office, we met Antoinette Rangel, who just started
working at the White House this week.
Ms. Rangel: Hi, I'm Antoinette Rangel and I'm the new
Press Assistant. And my New Year's resolution is to find time
to volunteer even though I have a crazy busy new job.
To find out more information on any of these topics or to see
complete videos of these events, go to whitehouse.gov.
And thanks again for checking out your West Wing Week.
Ms. Campoverdi: If anyone sees me biting
my nails on the street, you tell me to stop -- you slap my hand and tell me to stop,
that my resolution needs to hold.