Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Narrator: Welcome to the West Wing Week,
your guide to everything that's happening
at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and beyond.
This week, the Vice President traveled to Houston and Panama,
the President honored the legacy of John F. Kennedy,
this year's Medal of Freedom winners,
and Nobel Laureates.
He also attended the Wall Street Journal's CEO Summit.
That's November 15th to the 21st, or...
"A Man, a Plan, a Canal, Panama!"
On Friday, the President met
with health insurance company executives
to discuss how their companies can ensure
that every American knows the affordable care options
available to them through Obamacare.
The President: Because of choice and competition,
a whole lot of Americans who've always seen health insurance
out of reach are going to be in a position to purchase it.
Narrator: On Saturday, young leaders from a broad array
of government agencies who were the first attendees
of the Presidential Leadership Workshop
came to the White House
at the end of a six-month training initiative.
They openly discussed what works and doesn't work
within their organizations,
and the President shared some pearls of wisdom
from his work as a community organizer.
The President: Where I've seen organizations work well
and leaders lead well,
it's because they give everybody around them a sense that,
"I'm rooting for you;
I'm not trying to step on you."
Narrator: On Sunday, the First Family attended
a men's basketball game between the University of Maryland
and Oregon State University,
where the First Lady's brother, Craig Robinson,
is the head coach.
On Monday, Vice President Biden, Transportation Secretary Fox,
Senator Johnny Isaacson, and the mayors of Atlanta, Baltimore,
and Philadelphia landed in Houston to highlight how federal
initiatives are helping ports across the United States prepare
to capitalize on the expansion of the Panama Canal.
The group then traveled to Panama
to take a look for themselves at the Panama Canal
and the expansion project under way.
Roughly 5 percent of world trade
passes through the isthmus every year.
Following the opening of the expanded canal in 2015,
the Panama Canal Authority estimates that cargo volume
will double by 2025.
At the Miraflores Locks, the Vice President got a view
up close at the existing locks of the canal
alongside Panamanian President Martinelli.
In the control room, the Vice President was shown
the technology used to operate the locks
and even tried his hand at opening the large doors
that control the locks and allow ships to pass.
Then, at the Panama Canal expansion site,
the Vice President took in the vast infrastructure project
which will double the capacity of the canal
and allow significantly larger ships to call on U.S. ports.
It'll help spark job creation and prosperity at home
and all across the Americas.
The Vice President also conducted a wreath laying
ceremony at Corozal American Cemetery and Memorial
to honor U.S. military members
who died in service of their country.
He also met with the three candidates currently running
to be the next president of Panama.
Meanwhile, back at la Casa Blanca,
the President met with a bipartisan group
of Senate leaders to discuss sanctions against Iran
and reiterate the need to prevent Iran
from obtaining nuclear weapons.
The President: Here we are, the really smart people around.
Come on in.
Narrator: Later that morning, the President invited
Nobel Laureates to the Oval Office
to applaud their contributions to science,
medicine, and economics.
While they were there, the President showed his guests
some memorabilia he's chosen to display
that he thought they might be particularly interested in.
The President: This is a -- these are actually original patents
that I got from the Smithsonian.
So that, for example, is the original patent
of Samuel Morse's telegraph register,
and that was the start of the internet right there.
(laughter)
Narrator: That afternoon, the President sat down
for a question-and-answer session
at the Wall Street Journal's CEO Council Annual Meeting.
There, he talked about how the differences between Republicans
and Democrats aren't nearly as wide as they appear.
The President: I would distinguish between the rhetoric and the tactics,
versus the ideological differences.
A lot of Republicans want to get infrastructure done
just like I do.
A lot of them believe in basic research just like I do.
A lot of them want to reform entitlements to make sure
that they're affordable for the next generation;
so do I.
A lot of them say they want to reform our tax system;
so do I.
Narrator: On Wednesday, the President awarded the Medal of Freedom,
our nation's highest civilian honor,
to 16 individuals who have made
especially meritorious contributions
to significant national and global endeavors.
Then, the 42nd President and the 44th President and First Ladies
paid tribute to President Kennedy,
laying a wreath at the eternal flame honoring his memory
at Arlington National Cemetery.
On Thursday, the President made a statement on the filibuster
in the White House briefing room.
The President: So the vote today I think is an indication
that a majority of senators believe, as I believe,
that enough is enough.
The American people's business is far too important
to keep falling prey, day after day,
to Washington politics.
Narrator: The President then visited with
the ConnectED Champions of Change to congratulate them
on their work bringing 21st century technology
into classrooms.
Later, he stopped into the Roosevelt Room to welcome
the Prime Minister of Slovakia,
who was meeting with the Vice President.
Then he sat down with PCAST team.
That stands for Presidential Council of Advisors
in Science in Technology.
Then, the President headed over to take a photo
with the fall class of White House interns.
Later that night at the Naval Observatory,
the Vice President and Dr. Biden hosted a Thanksgiving dinner
for wounded warriors.
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.
The President: Now, why don't we get all the economists over here?
Come on -- wait, don't go anywhere.
Yeah, everybody's going to take it.
So everybody kind of slide in here.
This is our little -- this is our group picture.
Let's see if the economists can organize themselves.
[laughter]