English subtitles for clip: File:West Wing Week- 12-03-10 or "Sharp Elbows".webm

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♪ [Drum and Bugle Corps] ♪

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Narrator:
Welcome to the "West Wing Week," your guide to

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everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

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This week, the President focused
on deficit reduction and

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bipartisan solutions to
America's challenges.

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That's November 26th to
December 2nd, or "Sharp Elbows."

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President Obama:
Washington is supposed to be a town of sharp elbows,

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it's getting
a little carried away.

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Narrator:
On Friday, November 26th, the holiday season got its

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official start at the White
House, when the First Lady,

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accompanied by Sasha and Malia,
were presented with the official Christmas tree.

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Michelle Obama:
So what do you think?

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Do you give it the thumbs up?

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Sasha and Malia:
Yeah.

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Michelle Obama:
All right, let's see, thumbs up.

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All right.

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We'll take it.

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Mr. Botek:
Thank you very much.

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Michelle Obama:
Thank you.

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Thanks so much.

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Narrator:
The 18-and-a-half-foot
Douglas fir hails from

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Lehighton, Pennsylvania, and
will be on display in the Blue

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Room for the rest of the season.

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On Monday, November 29th,
President Obama went to the

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Eisenhower Executive Office
Building to announce a

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federal pay freeze to address the massive budget deficit and 

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alter the unsustainable
fiscal course we're on.

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This two-year pay freeze will
save $28 billion over the next

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five years, and more than $60
billion over the next ten.

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President Obama:
The hard truth is that getting this deficit under control

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is going to
require some broad sacrifice,

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and that sacrifice must be
shared by the employees of the

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federal government.

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After all, small businesses and
families are tightening their belts.

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Their government should, too.

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Narrator:
Later that afternoon, the President met with Admiral

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Mike Mullen and the Joint Chiefs
of Staff to discuss the

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repeal of the "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell" policy.

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President Obama:
Good morning.

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How are you?

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How are you?

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Good to see you.

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Narrator:
On Tuesday, November
30th, President Obama met with

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members of the Congressional
leadership at the White House to

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discuss bipartisan solutions
to our nation's challenges,

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including jobs, the deficit, and
a new START treaty with Russia.

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President Obama:
The American people did not vote for gridlock.

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They didn't vote for
unyielding partisanship.

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They're demanding cooperation
and they're demanding progress,

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and they'll hold all of us, and
I mean all of us, accountable for it.

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And I was very encouraged by
the fact that there was broad

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recognition of that
fact in the room.

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Narrator:
Later, the President was joined by Energy Secretary Steven Chu

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and Science and
Technology Advisor John Holdren

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in the Oval Office to greet the
Americans who will be awarded

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Nobel Prizes later this year.

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President Obama:
Congratulations.

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The work you guys do is
outstanding and very much appreciated.

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Narrator:
On Wednesday, December
1st, the President and

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Vice President met with General Colin Powell in the Oval Office.

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The men spoke about the
importance of ratifying the new

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START treaty with Russia, a
critical aspect of our national

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security strategy.

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General Powell:
The President noted the issues that we discussed

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with a particular
focus on the new START treaty.

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I fully support this treaty and
I hope that the Senate will give

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its advice and consent to the
ratification of the treaty as

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soon as possible.

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Narrator:
The President also took some time to meet with members

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of his Economic Recovery
Advisory Board to discuss housing issues,

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and also met with Mayor Elect of Washington, D.C., Vince Gray.

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President Obama:
Good morning, come on in.

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Narrator:
On Thursday, December 2nd, President Obama crossed

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Pennsylvania Avenue to go to
Blair House, where he met with

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newly elected governors, and
discussed a whole host of ways

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that his administration will
work with them to strengthen the

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economy and create jobs in
communities all across America.

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President Obama:
As of today you've got two million people who stand

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to lose their
unemployment insurance over the

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course of the year.

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If we don't do something, seven
million people could lose their

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unemployment insurance.

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That's not also -- that's not
just a potential tragedy for

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those individual families, it
could have a huge impact on your

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local economies, because every
economist of every stripe will

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tell you that unemployment
insurance dollars are probably

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the ones that are most likely
to be spent, most likely to be recirculated.

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Narrator:
Later at the White House, the President and First Lady

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hosted a Hanukkah
celebration, lighting the

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traditional Hanukkah candles to
celebrate the second night of

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the eight-day holiday.

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President Obama:
As we prepare to light another candle on the menorah

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let us remember the
sacrifices that others have made

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so that we may all be free.

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Let us pray for the members of
our military who guard that

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freedom every day, and who may
be spending this holiday

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far away from home.

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Narrator:
To find out more information on any of these topics,

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or to see complete
videos of these events,

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go to Whitehouse.gov,

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and thanks again for checking out your "West Wing Week."

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President Obama:
Keep up the good work.

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Don't let Chu get you down.

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All right?

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(Laughter)

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Don't let him get you down.

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Secretary Chu:
How could that happen?

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President Obama:
All right, guys, thank you.