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ENVIRONMENT, AND THAT BUY
AMERICAN POLICY.
>> George: PLEASE WELCOME, THE
AMBASSADOR, DAVID JACOBSON.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.
(Cheering & Applause)
>> George: HOW ARE YOU?
>> GREAT TO BE HERE, GEORGE.
>> George: GREAT TO HAVE YOU
HERE.
THIS IS A YEAR, THIS
IS A YEAR ANNIVERSARY SINCE THE
ELECTION.
>> A YEAR AGO TONIGHT I WAS IN
GRANT PARK IN CHICAGO FOR ONE OF
THE GREAT NIGHTS, NOT JUST IN MY
LIFE, BUT IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
>> George: I KNOW WE SAW IT ON
TV, BUT MOST OF US WEREN'T
THERE, AND PEOPLE WHO WERE HAPPY
WITH THE ELECTION RESULTS
WATCHED IT, THOSE WHO WERE
UNHAPPY WITH THE RESULTS WATCHED
IT.
EVERYBODY FELT THE SAME KIND OF
THING, THOUGH, THAT SOMETHING
WAS AFOOT.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE THERE AT THE
PARTY?
>> FIRST OF ALL, I THINK YOU HIT
REALLY ON THE KEY, THAT THERE
WAS A FEELING THERE, EVEN AMONG
PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T VOTE FOR MY
GUY, THAT SOMETHING SPECIAL WAS
HAPPENING, AND HAD HAPPENED.
I HAD SPENT THE DAY AT A HOTEL
WITH THE STAFF, AND IT WAS IN
GRANT PARK, WHICH IS NEXT TO THE
LAKE, AND THERE'S A STREET,
LAKESHORE DRIVE, WHICH WAS
CLOSED OFF AND THEY PUT US ON A
BUS AND WE DROVE DOWN PAST THE
CROWD AND THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THERE.
WE JUST HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS
GOING ON.
>> George: BETTER WIN.
>> IT WAS EVEN WARM IN CHICAGO
ON NOVEMBER 4th, WHICH IS REALLY
UNUSUAL.
AND THEY DROVE US AROUND AND
THERE WAS A TENT BEHIND THE
STAGE, AND THERE WAS A MOMENT
THAT HAPPENED THAT WAS JUST VERY
SPECIAL TO ME.
WE WERE WALKING UP TO THE TENT
AND THERE WAS A SECURITY GUARD,
JUST A PLAIN OLD SECURITY GUARD,
NOT SECRET SERVICE, AND THERE
WAS -- THE GUY WAS ABOUT 19
YEARS OLD AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN
GUY, AND EACH OF US HAD
CREDENTIALS AROUND OUR NECK AND
WE HAD TO SHOW THE CREDENTIALS
AS WE WALKED IN.
AND AS EACH PERSON SHOWED THE
SECURITY GUARD THE CREDENTIALS,
HE SAID CONGRATULATIONS, AND
THANK YOU.
AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT
MOMENT THAT WE WERE IMPACTING ON
SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES IN SO
MANY WAYS, AND THAT TO ME REALLY
CAPTURED WHAT THIS CAMPAIGN WAS
ALL ABOUT.
>> George: AND THAT MOMENT WAS
SO HUGE, AND A YEAR LATER AND
HE'S THE PRESIDENT NOW, AND
THINGS ARE JUST -- POPULARITY IS
DOWN, THE ECONOMY IS IN THE
TANK, THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH AN
ADMINISTRATION THAT GOES FROM
THAT MOMENT TO THE REALITY OF
HAVING TO RUN A COUNTRY NOW, AND
HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT
EFFECT THE REST OF THE WORLD,
WHAT HAS THAT BEEN FOR YOUR GUY
THAT'S BEEN A PART OF THIS?
>> WELL, AGAIN, I THINK
TONIGHT'S A GOOD NIGHT TO TALK
ECAUSE THE
SOMETHING THAT
IGHT THAT I THINK IS VERY
APPROPRIATE.
HE SAID, AND HE UNDERSTOOD THEN,
AND HE STILL UNDERSTANDS, HE
SAID "WE MAY NOT GET ALL THE
CHANGE THAT WE WANT TO
ACCOMPLISH IN ONE YEAR, AND WE
MAY NOT GET ALL THE CHANGE THAT
WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IN ONE
TERM, BUT" AS HE SAID "I HAVE
NEVER BEEN MORE OPTIMISTIC IN MY
LIFE THAT THAT CHANGE WILL
COME."
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY BEEN
THE STORY.
HE WAS DEALT A VERY DIFFICULT
HAND, BUT I THINK WE ARE SEEING
CHANGE, AND THAT CHANGE IS GOING
TO CONTINUE, AND IT'S GOING FOR
ACCELERATE.
>> George: DOES THE PERSONALITY
OF AN AMBASSADOR HAVE TO REFLECT
THE PERSONALITY OF THE
PRESIDENT?
>> I THINK THAT IT WORKS BEST
WHEN IT DOES.
WE ARE -- I AM, THE PERSONAL
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
WHEN I SAY THAT, I SORT OF GASP,
TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, BUT I AM
THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE PRESIDENT AS WELL AS OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND I THINK
THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
HAVE TO DO WHEN I REPRESENT THE
PRESIDENT, BOTH TO ELECTED
OFFICIALS IN CANADA, AND TO THE
CANADIAN PEOPLE, IS TO TRY TO
PRESENT, AS BEST I CAN, THE
IMAGE, THE CHARACTER, THE
PERSONALITY OF THE PRESIDENT,
AND HE IS EXTRAORDINARY, AND I'M
PERHAPS LESS SO, BUT I HAVE TO
TRY MY BEST TO DO WHAT I THINK
HE WOULD DO IN THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO I DO THINK PERSONALITY PLAYS
A PART OF IT.
>> George: IT'S A COMPLICATED
RELATIONSHIP TOO, BECAUSE
THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THIS
REALLY.
THERE'S THE BUSINESS AT HAND
PART OF THIS, AND THERE'S
OBVIOUSLY BIG ISSUES THAT NEED
TO BE DEALT WITH WHEN IT COMES
TO TRADE, WHEN IT COMES TO
SECURITY AND ALL THOSE THINGS,
BUT THERE'S ALSO AN EMOTIONAL
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BOTH
COUNTRIES.
WE'VE SEEN THAT PLAY OUT.
WHEN AN AMERICAN POLITICIAN SAID
SOMEBODY ABOUT CANADIAN, IT'S AS
NINE, WHEN A CANADIAN POLITICIAN
SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT IT'S A HEAD LINE.
GEORGE BUSH DIDN'T VISIT HERE
FIRST, SOME PEOPLE WERE
GENUINELY OFFENDED.
DO YOU HAVE TO SEPARATE THOSE
TWO?
>> THERE ARE THOSE COMPONENTS TO
IT AND THERE ARE SERIOUS POLICY
ISSUES THAT WE DEAL WITH EVERY
DAY.
WITH RESPECT TO THE EMOTIONAL
COMPONENT, THE ANALOGY THAT I
ALWAYS USE IS IT'S VERY MUCH
LIKE A MARRIAGE.
>> George: GOOD ONE OR BAD ONE?
>> A GOOD ONE, ACTUALLY.
AT THE MOMENT IT'S A VERY GOOD
ONE.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, LIKE A
MARRIAGE, IT HAS ITS UPS AND
DOWNS, AND IN THE DIFFICULT
TIMES, IF YOU HAVE THAT STRONG
BEDROCK OF A RELATIONSHIP, THAT
GOES A LONG WAY TOWARD GETTING
IT TO THE HIGH POINTS.
AND IT'S ALSO TRUE, AS IS THE
CASE IN MOST MARRIAGES, THAT ONE
PARTY DOESN'T COME -- ONE SPOUSE
DOESN'T COME HOME EVERY NIGHT
AND FAWNING OVER HOW MUCH THEY
LOVE THE OTHER ONE.
IT'S JUST KIND OF TAKEN FOR
GRANTED.
>> George: AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE,
THAT'S WHY.
>> BUT SOMETIMES IT'S TAKEN FOR
GRANTED TOO MUCH.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THIS IS THE
STRONGEST RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
TWO SOVEREIGN NATIONS ON EARTH.
IT'S WHY I WANTED TO COME HERE.
>> George: REMEMBER THE FIRST
TIME YOU EVER CAME TO CANADA?
>> I DO.
AND IN FACT THAT PROBABLY HAD
SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHY I
WANTED TO COME HERE IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER
LEFT THE UNITED STATES.
MY PARENTS PACKED UP MY TWO
SISTERS AND I IN OUR BLUE BUICK,
WE DROVE TO DETROIT, WE STAYED
WITH SOME RELATIVES, THEN WE
DROVE ACROSS THE AMBASSADOR
BRIDGE, IRONICALLY.
>> George: IT'S A BEAUTIFUL
BRIDGE.
>> GREAT BRIDGE.
PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE SEVEN
YEARS OLD.
AND I WILL NEVER FORGET MY
FATHER TO THE PROTESTATION OF MY
MOTHER, WHO WAS SURE HE WAS
GOING TO GET US KILLED, STOPPING
RIGHT OVER THE LINE, IN BETWEEN
THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA,
AND I REMEMBER MY PARENTS IN THE
FRONT SEAT IN CANADA REACHING
ACROSS BACK INTO THE UNITED
STATES, AND MY TWO SISTERS AND I
REACHING FROM THE BACK SEAT IN
THE UNITED STATES ACROSS INTO
CANADA, AND WHAT I ALWAYS THINK
ABOUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT
STORY IS IF SOMEBODY HAD EVER
SAID TO THAT KID SITTING IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE BACK SEAT OF THE
BUICK WHEN HE WAS SEVEN YEARS
OLD THAT SOME DAY HE'D BE ON
YOUR PROGRAM AS THE UNITED
STATES MANY AMBASSADOR TO
CANADA, HE WOULD NEVER HAVE
BELIEVED IT.
>> George: WOW, HAD YOU DONE
THAT TODAY YOU'D BE IN
GUANTANAMO BAY.
>> AND I WOULD HAVE NEEDED YOUR
HELP.
(Laughter)
>> George: FOR SURE.
ARE THE PARTICULAR ISSUES THAT
YOU CAN IDENTIFY SOMETHING LIKE
BUY AMERICAN OR OTHER THINGS
THAT ARE IMPORTANT, ARE
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES?
HOW DO YOU ASSESS WHAT'S GOING
ON RIGHT NOW?
>> I THINK THERE ARE REALLY FOUR
MAJOR SETS OF ISSUES, AND I'M
ALWAYS HESITANT TO SAY THIS
ONE'S THE MOST IMPORTANT OR THAT
ONE, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO
LEAVE -- IT'S LIKE PICKING
CHILDREN.
>> George: EVERYBODY HAS A
FAVOURITE CHILD.
>> I'M NOT GOING THERE.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE FOUR
ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO
DOMINATE MY TIME HERE.
ONE IS THE SET OF ISSUES
INVOLVING TRADE.
WE HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, THE
LARGEST TRADING RELATIONSHIP IN
THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.
AND THERE ARE A VARIETY OF
ISSUES, BUY AMERICA IS ONE OF
THEM, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS.
THE SECOND IS THE ISSUES THAT
ARE BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT
EVERY DAY OF THE TWIN ISSUES OF
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND
THEY ARE REALLY BOTH TWO SIDES.
SAME COIN.
AND I THINK EVERY DAY THOSE
ISSUES BECOME MORE AND MORE
IMPORTANT.
THE THIRD ISSUE IS THE BORDER.
AND IT IS A 5500-MILE BORDER.
I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE ISSUES
PARTICULARLY FROM THE CANADIAN
PERSPECTIVE WITH RESPECT TO
INCREASED WHAT WOULD BE VIEWED
AS BARRIERS TO CROSSING THE
BORDER.
THERE ARE ISSUES FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE AND THERE ARE A
VARIETY OF THINGS WHICH CAN BE
ADDRESSED AND I DON'T THINK WE
NEED TO MAKE DECISIONS OF EITHER
WE HAVE SECURITY OR WE HAVE
EFFICIENCY.
I THINK IF WE'RE SMART WE CAN
HAVE BOTH.
AND THEN THE FOURTH SET OF
ISSUES ARE HOW THE UNITED STATES
AND CANADA ARE GOING TO WORK
TOGETHER IN THE WORLD.
AND I THINK THAT'S A PART OF THE
RELATIONSHIP THAT IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT AND INCREDIBLY STRONG.
I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S
VERY IMPORTANT TO THE PRESIDENT,
AND FROM MY CONVERSATIONS WITH
THE PRIME MINISTER, IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT TO HIM AS WELL.
>> George: WHAT WAS YOUR
FIFTH -- YOU MENTIONED ENERGY
AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND THAT'S
OBVIOUSLY HUGE ESPECIALLY
BECAUSE WE DEAL WITH RESOURCES
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME
YOU TOOK A LOOK AT SOMETHING
ENVIRONMENTAL AND TOOK A LOOK
AROUND THE WORLD AND LOOKED AT
THE R.C.M.P. BETWEEN AMERICA AND
CANADA, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING
THAT BECAME IMPORTANT TO YOU
NOW, IS IT?
>> NO, FIRST OF ALL, THE
ENVIRONMENT IS AN ISSUE I'VE
CARED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT
THE ONE THING, AGAIN, THAT I
JUST KIND OF HAVE A PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE WITH, I KNOW YOU WILL
FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS
A LIFEGUARD AT THE BEACH.
I MEAN, LOOK AT ME.
>> George: WHAT, LAKE MICHIGAN?
>> YEAH, LAKE MICHIGAN WHERE I
GREW UP.
AND THE FIRST THING, THIS WAS
BEFORE THE GREAT LAKES WATER
QUALITY AGREEMENT, WHICH IS AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES AND CANADA WHICH HAS
THROUGH THAT BETWEEN THE
COOPERATION OF OUR GOVERNMENTS
MADE GIGANTIC STRIDES IN
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE
WATER IN THE GREAT LAKES.
AND THE FIRST THING I HAD TO DO
EVERY MORNING WHEN I GOT TO WORK
WITH MY COLLEAGUES WAS TO SHOVEL
THE FISH THAT HAD DIED THE NIGHT
BEFORE FROM THE POLLUTION INTO A
DUMP TRUCK.
AND IT WAS TOTALLY DISGUSTING,
AND MY HOPE IS THAT NOBODY
ELSE'S KIDS EVER HAVE TO DO THAT
AGAIN.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE DRINK THE SAME WATER, WE
BREATHE THE SAME AIR.
THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES
TO ME AND TO MY GOVERNMENT.
>> George: WHEN WE COME BACK
WE'RE GOING FOR THROW RAPID FIRE
QUESTIONS AT THE AMBASSADOR,
LIKES AND DISLIKES ABOUT CANADA.
MORE WITH DAVID JACOBSON WHEN WE