>> Jon: WELCOME BACK. WE'RE HERE WITH PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA -- SO THAT WAS GOOD. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS
IRAN DEAL. YOU'RE FEELING VERY GOOD ABOUT
THAT. I WANNA TALK TO YOU NOW -- YOU
SPOKE WITH THE VFW TODAY FOR OUR VETERAN'S. BOY, ROUGH RIDE FOR THE
VETERAN'S RECENTLY. THIS TERRIBLE ATTACK IN
TENNESSEE. >> HEARTBREAKING. >> Jon: AND ALSO THOUGH A
SYSTEMIC ISSUE, AND I KNOW YOU RAISE IT WITH THE VA AND
HEALTHCARE. >> WELL YOU KNOW THE SITUATION
WITH THE V.A. HAS ALWAYS BEEN, WE MAKE A PROMISE BUT TOO OFTEN
UNDER RESOURCED. SO IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF WE HAVE
A SACRED DUTY TO THESE GUYS AND GALS THAT WHEN THEY HAVE SERVED
US AS BRAVELY AS THEY HAVE, WHEN THEY COME HOME, WE'RE
SUPPOSED TO BE THERE FOR THEM. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET
HISTORICALLY, IT'S BEEN SHORT-CHANGED, WORSE IN THE
VIETNAM ERA WHEN THEY CAME BACK. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
SYSTEMATICALLY ADD RESOURCES TO THE VA BUT YOU STILL HAVE THIS
MASSIVE STRUCTURE WITH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE BEING SERVED. AND WHAT WE'RE HAVING TO DO IS
SYSTEMATICALLY WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF A BIG,
FREAKY BUREAUCRACY. WHEN WE HAVE THAT PROBLEM WITH
WAITING LISTS... FOLKS ARE STILL TAKING
APPOINTMENTS DOWN ON PAPER. AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE NEEDING SERVICES, IT JUST DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE. SO WE'VE NOW BEEN ABLE TO CUT
DOWN ON WAITING TIMES, REDUCE THE BACKLOG FOR DISABILITY
CLAIMS BY ABOUT 80%. BUT WE ALSO HAVE MORE AND MORE
PEOPLE COMING IN. WE ALLOWED FOLKS WHO HAD
SYMPTOMS OF AGENT ORANGE FOR THE FIRST TIME TO BE ABLE TO MAKE
CLAIMS. THAT ADDED A COUPLE HUNDRED
THOUSAND PEOPLE. AS WE END TWO WARS, FOLKS COME
BACK. SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE 2.7 MILLION
MORE VETERANS SPEAKING SERVICES. IF THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES
DOESN'T CHANGE, THEN THEY GET SHORT-CHANGED. SO WE'VE GOT TO DO EFFICIENCY
WORK ON THE VA BUT WE ALSO ASKED CONGRESS TO GET OUT FROM UNDER
THE SEQUESTER, THIS IDEA WE JUST MAKE BLANKET BUDGET CUTS THAT
SOMEHOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPROVE OUR ECONOMY. AND THE VERY SAME FOLKS WHO ARE
GOING TO CUT SERVICES ARE THE FIRST ONES THEN TO SAY WHY ARE
THE FOLKS HAVING WAITING TIMES SO LONG. >> Jon: IT'S A WAITING TIME
ISSUE, TO BE FAIR, HAPPENED FAR BEFORE THE SEQUESTER. IT BRINGS UP SORT OF A LARGER
ISSUE WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, GIVEN, OKAY, THERE IS A PARTY THAT
BELIEVES THAT GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE AS LARGE A ROLE TO PLAY
IN OUR LIVES AS THE PARTY THAT YOU ARE WITH. WHICH MEANS INSTANCES INCUMBENT
MAY BE UPON THAT PARTY, THE ONE THAT YOU ARE WITH, TO
DEMONSTRATE HOW THAT WILL WORK IN THE 21st CENTURY. HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT BE AGILE,
AND WITH THE V.A. SEEMS TO BE A LARGER ISSUE, YOU CAME INTO
OFFICE IN 2009 EXPLICITLY SAYING YOU SPEND A BILLION DOLLARS
PRYING TO GET OPERABILITY BETWEEN THE D.O.D AND V.A. COULDN'T DO IT AFTER... FIVE
YEARS? WENT BACK AND SAID LET'S DO IT
SEPARATELY. MORE MONEY. THAT DIDN'T WORK. NOW THEY'RE BACK, THE V.A.'S GOT
A PRETTY GOOD SYSTEM WAITING FOR THE D.O.D. THEY'VE NOT EVEN GONE OUT YET
WITH A $11 BILLION CONTRACT. YOU'RE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, YOU
KNOW WHERE EVERYBODY IS -- >> SO THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS. A COUPLE THINGS I'LL SAY. NUMBER ONE, GOVERNMENT WORKS
BETTER NOW THAN IT PROBABLY EVER HAS GIVEN WHAT WE ASK IT TO DO. AND ACROSS AGENCIES, THERE HAVE
BEEN ALL KINDS OF REFORMS AND IMPROVEMENTS AND PEOPLE THERE
WORK HARD AND THEY CARE ABOUT THIS STUFF DEEPLY. BUT WHAT IS TRUE IS IF YOU HAVE
A GOVERNMENT THAT WAS BUILT ON 1930 MODELS AND IT'S NOT
UPDATED, THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A GAP IN TERMS OF WHAT
THEY'RE DOING NOW RELATIVE TO WHAT SOME OTHER FOLKS DO. AND I.T. IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
EXAMPLE OF THAT. WE'RE HAVING TO COMPLETELY
REDESIGN HOW THE GOVERNMENT PURCHASES I.T. SERVICES, HOW IT
DOES DIGITAL, FROM SOUP TO NUTS. AND PART OF IT IS THE WAY IT'S
BEEN SET UP IS THAT YOU HAVE THE SPECIFICATIONS THAT ARE THIS
THICK. WHEN ON A CHAIN AND SETTING UP
MY OPERATIONS I HAVE GUYS IN T-SHIRTS IN A ROOM FIGURING OUT
HOW TO DO THIS THING. THAT'S NOT HOW THE GOVERNMENT IS
SET UP. IT'S SLOW AND IT DOESN'T
FUNCTION PROPERLY. YOU ASKED ME WHAT I WANT TO DO
OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS. A LOT OF THIS STUFF DOESN'T
REQUIRE CONGRESS, BUT HOW IT IS WE CAN REVAMP THE SYSTEMS AND
WE'VE DONE IT SUCCESSFULLY IN CERTAIN AREAS. BUT WHEN YOU'VE GOT TWO MILLION
EMPLOYEES THEN THERE ARE GOING TO BE PLACES WHERE THIS SLIPS. >> Jon: TO SOME EXTENT THAT'S
THE POINT. YOU GOT TWO MILLION EMPLOYEES
AND YOU WANT THIS TO BE AGILE. THE V.A. SYSTEM. YOU CAN'T FIND A BETTER ISSUE
POLITICALLY. YOU CAN'T -- YOU'LL FIND BUT
YOU'LL FIND ALMOST ANONYMOUS AGREEMENT BUT WE HAVE FAILED
THESE VETERANS AND UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT THAT WE NEED TO DO
BETTER YET SEVEN YEARS INTO IT, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO
DEMONSTRATE -- >> WAIT WAIT -- THE REASON IT'S
BACK UP IS YOU GOT 2.7 MILLION NEW FOLKS COMING BACK IN. >> Jon: WELL WHEN YOU START A
LOT OF WARS -- IT'S GOTTA END. >> HOLD ON A SECOND. HERE'S THE
GENERAL POINT. WE ASK OUR GOVERNMENT TO DO
THINGS THAT OTHER FOLKS DON'T WANT TO DO BECAUSE YOU CAN'T
MAKE MONEY AT IT. BECAUSE IT'S NOT PROFITABLE. AND SO WE WANT GOVERNMENT TO
HELP MAKE SURE THAT KIDS GET OPPORTUNITY. AND THEY HAVE TO REACH THE
TOUGHEST TO REACH KIDS. THE KIDS AT THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS
GENERALLY SCREEN OUT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
SERVING OUR VETERANS INCLUDING THE OLDEST, POOREST VETERANS. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY IN
DOING THAT. AND SO A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE
WILL SAY WELL WHY ISN'T THIS HAPPENING AS QUICK, AS FAST. IF WE'RE UNDER RESOURCING OUR
GOVERNMENT AND NOT STAFFING IT THE WAY IT NEEDS TO BE TO DO
EVERYTHING TO BE DONE, THEN WE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED THAT
THERE ARE GOING TO BE GAPS. WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE CAN WE
MAKE STUFF A LOT BETTER THAN IT HAS BEEN. >> Jon: THE ENEMY OF GOOD. >> PART OF THE PROBLEM IS I
THINK WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. WHEN THERE WAS THAT PROBLEM WITH
THE IRS. EVERYBODY JUMPED INCLUDING YOU. >> Jon: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
IRS? >> LOOK YOU GOT THIS BACK OFFICE
AND THEY'RE GOING AFTER THE TEA PARTY. IT TURNED OUT NO, CONGRESS HAS A
CRUMMY LAW THAT DIDN'T GIVE PEOPLE GUIDANCE IN TERMS OF WHAT
THEY ARE TRYING TO DO. THEY DID IT POORLY AND STUPIDLY. BUT THAT BECOMES -- >> Jon: YOU REALLY ONLY DO HAVE
A YEAR LEFT. [LAUGHTER] >> NO -- BUT HOLD ON, JON. THIS IS IMPORTANT. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS
THAT THERE WAS NOT SOME BIG CONSPIRACY THERE. THEY WERE TRYING TO SORT OUT
THESE CONFLICTING DEMANDS. YOU DON'T WANT ALL THIS MONEY
POURING THROUGH NOT-FOR-PROFITS BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYBODY IS BEING TREATED FAIRLY. THE REAL SCANDAL AROUND THE IRS
IS THAT IT HAS BEEN SO POORLY FUNDED THAT THEY CAN'T GO AFTER
THESE, WE CANNOT GO AFTER THESE FOLKS WHO ARE DELIBERATELY
DELETING TAX PAYMENTS. AND THE REAL SCANDAL IS TAX
CODES WHERE MULTINATIONALS CAN PAY ZERO TAXES MAKING MASSIVE
PROFITS. SO WE TEND TO GET DISTRACTED BY
THE FACT THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE ELEMENTS, BECAUSE GOVERNMENT
IS A HUMAN ENTERPRISE WHERE, SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE IS SCREWING
UP AT ANY GIVEN TIME. BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE SYSTEM. OVERALL, IT WORKS REALLY WELL TO
HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE. WHAT THE SCANDALOUS IS THE FACT
THAT WE ARE NOT MAKING AS MUCH PROGRESS AS WE SHOULD ON THE
BASIC THINGS THAT WE KNOW OUR GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE DOING. REBUILDING OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE, REBUILDING OUR ROADS, REBUILDING OUR PORTS,
SETTING UP A SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING ENERGY, MAKING SURE
WE HAVE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT
PART OF MY JOB FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS AND PART OF MY JOB
OVER THESE LAST, THIS LAST YEAR COMING UP IS TO CONTINUALLY
IMPROVE AND MAKE SURE THE GOVERNMENT IS FUNCTIONING AS
WELL AS IT COULD. BUT YOU CAN'T USE THAT AS AN
EXCUSE FOR THE BIG STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT
NOW THAT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED ADDRESSED, TYPICALLY THAT HAS TO
BE -- >> Jon: THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO
GET TO IS THAT VISION OF WHAT 21ST CENTURY GOVERNMENT LOOKS
LIKE OUTSIDE OF THE POLITICALIZATION OF IT. HOW DO YOU GOVERN AND DO THE
SERVICES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHILE BEING IN THAT SITUATION. AND IF IT'S FOUR GUYS IN A
T-SHIRT, ISN'T THERE AN EXECUTIVE OPTION THAT CAN, THAT
CAN CUT THROUGH. >> HERE'S WHAT WE DO. >> Jon: YES, YOU'RE THE
COMMANDER IN CHIEF. >> AFTER THE HEALTHCARE.GOV
FIASCO, WE BROUGHT IN A TEAM OF GUYS BASICALLY VOLUNTEERING
THEIR OWN TIME FROM GOOGLE, FACEBOOK, GUYS IN T-SHIRTS. THEY'RE NOT WEARING T-SHIRTS
NOW. THEY'VE DRESSED UP A LITTLE BIT,
ALTHOUGH NOT THAT WELL. [LAUGHTER] AND WE HAVE CREATED WHAT
WE'RE CALLING THE U.S. DIGITAL SERVICES AND WE'RE
BASICALLY GETTING THEM IN FOR A YEAR OR TWO YEARS AND WE'RE JUST
PUTTING THEM ON A WHOLE BUNCH OF THESE PROBLEMS. WHETHER IT'S HOW DO WE MAKE AN
S.B.A. LOAN EASIER TO GET. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS
AGENCY IS MORE CUSTOMER FRIENDLY. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
CAN GO TO ONE WEBSITE INSTEAD OF 16 TO FIND OUT THE INFORMATION
THEY NEED. SO THESE GUYS ARE SPREADING OUT
THROUGHOUT THE GOVERNMENT AND THEY ARE IN FACT SYSTEMATICALLY
CHIPPING AWAY AT A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS. AND I THINK WE WILL, BY THE TIME
I LEAVE HERE, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT GOVERNMENT IS
WORKING MUCH BETTER, MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY, MUCH MORE CUSTOMER
FRIENDLY THAN WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE. >> Jon: IT FRUSTRATES YOU
BECAUSE I CAN TELL WE'RE TALKING HAVING A NICE TIME TALKING ABOUT
THE IRAN DEAL, I THINK IT'S FRUSTRATING TO YOU. >> OF COURSE. >> Jon: BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE
WE'RE AMPLIFYING THINGS OUT OF PROPORTION. I MIGHT AGREE WITH THAT ON
CERTAIN ISSUES. >> THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. >> Jon: THE V.A. THOUGH, I WOULD
TAKE ISSUES -- >> NO, NO. THE ISSUES WITH THE V.A. IS --
IF THERE'S ONE VETERNA NOT GETTING THE SERVICES THEY NEED,
THEN WE'RE FAILING THAT VERTERAN, AND THAT'S ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL. LET'S TALK ABOUT
HOMLESSNESS AMONG VETERANS. WE'VE CUT THAT BY A THIRD. WE'VE GOT TWO THIRDS OF THESE
FOLKS WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE HAVE PROPER HOUSING BECAUSE IF
THEY FOUGHT FOR US THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND A HOME HERE IN
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. >> Jon: SURE. [APPLAUSE] >> BUT THIS GOES FOR THE
LARGER POINT. YOU ASKED ME HOW AM I DOING AND
AM I FEELING PRETTY GOOD RIGHT NOW. ONE OF THE THINGS I'M PROUD OF,
AND THIS IS NOT JUST ME, IS WE HAVE LOOKED AT A WHOLE SLEW OF
PROBLEMS WHEN WE CAME INTO OFFICE. AND WE SAID WHERE CAN WE ADVANCE
THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD EACH AND EVERY TIME ACROSS THE BOARD. AND WE DON'T SCORE A TOUCH DOWN
EVERY TIME, BUT WE MOVE THE BALL FORWARD. >> Jon: DO YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU'VE HIT THE METRICS THAT YOU WANTED TO HIT. >> YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO FALL
SHORT BECAUSE IF YOU'RE HITTING YOUR MARK THAT MEANS YOU DIDN'T
SET THEM HIGH ENOUGH, RIGHT. SO IN HEALTHCARE -- >> Jon: AM I BEING UNREASONABLE
TO YOU, AM I BEING UNFAIR SUGGESTING IN THIS ONE INSTANCE,
GOVERNMENT FAILED TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM IN AN APPROPRIATE TIME
FRAME, FAILED TO DO IT -- >> I THINK YOU'RE BEING ENTIRELY
FAIR THAT THE VA HAS NOT DONE WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO IN TERMS OF
OUR VETERANS, OKAY. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S BUILT
UP OVER 50 YEARS. AND THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES -- >> Jon: WHOSE FAULT IS IT. >> Jon: NO, NO, NO. >> THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE
SET THE RIGHT BENCHMARKS SO THAT WE KNOW WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS
AND WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND THAT'S TRUE ON ALL THIS
STUFF. WHEN WE PASSED HEALTHCARE, THERE
WAS A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT A SINGLE PAYER PLAN WOULD BE
BETTER. WE NEED A PUBLIC OPTION OR THE
WHOLE RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES. AND A LOT OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS I
AGREED WITH. BUT WHAT I KNEW WAS, GIVEN THE
LEGACY SYSTEM WE'VE INHERITED, GIVEN THE POLITICS OF THIS
COUNTRY, GIVEN PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS AFRAID OF SOMETHING NEW, GIVEN
OBSTRUCTION AND RESISTANCE FROM THE OTHER SIDE. FOR US TO GET THIS DONE AND
SUDDENLY HAVE 16 MILLION PEOPLE WHO HAVE HEALTHCARE WHO DIDN'T
HAVE IT BEFORE AND A HUNDRED PLUS MILLION PEOPLE WHO KNOW
THAT IF THEY LOSE THEIR JOB TOMORROW, THEY CAN STILL GET
HEALTHCARE EVEN IF THEY GOT PREEXISTING CONDITION. KNOWING THAT A WHOLE BUNCH OFIAN
PEOPLE SUDDENLY ARE ABLE TO GET HEALTHCARE UNDER THEIR PARENTS
PLAN? I'LL TAKE THAT. AND GOING BACK TO THE IRAN
DEAL -- [APPLAUSE] THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY WELL
ON IRAN, WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST COMPLETELY ELIMINATE ALL
VEST VESTIGES OF ANY NUCLEAR PROGRAM PROGRAMS. HERE'S THE REASON. A, THERE'S NO REASON THEY WOULD
EVER DO THAT. B, THE REASON WE GOT THEM TO THE
TABLE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA AND RUSSIA
EVEN WITH ALL THE DISAGREEMENTS WE HAVE, WE'RE ABLE TO ORGANIZE
THEM TO FOCUS, MAKING SURE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A BOMB. AND TO KEEP THAT INTERNATIONAL
COALITION TOGETHER AND SANCTIONS TOGETHER, WHAT THAT MEANT WAS WE
HAD TO TAKE SOME CONSIDERATION INTO IRAN'S SAVING FACE AS THEY
MOVE FORWARD ON THIS DEAL. AS LONG AS WE KNEW THEY WEREN'T
GOING TO GET A BOMB. I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING JON IS
THAT IT'S NOT YOUR JOB TO FOCUS ON WHAT THREE QUARTERS OF WHAT
YOU GET YOUR JOB IS TO POINTED OUT WHAT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN. THAT'S WHY OUR DEMOCRACY WORKS
IS BECAUSE WE KEEP ON MAKING IMPROVEMENTS. >> Jon: YOU'RE GOING TO GO
WITH THIS WHOLE SANDWICH ANALOGY. [LAUGHTER] >> BUT WHAT WE CAN'T LOSE
SIGHT OF, I GUESS WHAT I DO FIGHT AGAINST -- >> Jon: I FEEL IT. >> NO, NO. >> Jon: I FELT THE MOOD CHAN
GE. I FELT IT. >> HERE'S WHAT I FIGHT AGAINST. WHAT I FIGHT AGAINST IS THAT
CYNICISM, I'M NOT SAYING -- THE CYNICISM THAT IS FED BY THIS
NOTION THAT GOVERNMENT DOESN'T GET STUFF DONE. AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS
THAT WHETHER IT'S OUR MILITARY OR ALL KINDS OF PUBLIC SERVANTS
IN THE VA OR IN AG OR IN ALL OF THE AGENCIES THAT WORK AT IT,
EVERY SINGLE DAY THERE'S A BUNCH OF STUFF THAT IS GETTING DONE
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND HELPS A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND IF THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE
THE GOVERNMENT HAS SOME, IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS OR
OBJECTIVITY OR WHAT HAVE YOU, DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE AND FOCUS ON
THE ENORMOUS SUCCESSES BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT YES THERE'S A
HUMAN ENTERPRISE, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME TRADE OFFS. THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMEBODY
SOMEWHERE SCREWING OFF. WHEN PROBLEMS COME UP THEY
SHOULD BE FIXED. SOMETIMES NOT AS FAST AS THEY
SHOULD. WHEN WE LOSE SIGHT OF THAT WE
ARE LEADING INTO THIS NARRATIVE THAT BASICALLY SAYS THERE'S
NOTHING WE CAN DO. THEN WHAT WE GET ARE THE PROTEST
MOVEMENTS ON THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. TO SOME DEGREE THE TEA PARTY IS
AN EXPRESSION OF FRUSTRATION. THEY SEE A BUNCH OF STUFF GOING
ON THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND. THEY FEEL THREATENED BY AND THEY
REACT. INCLUDING ME. [LAUGHTER] >> Jon: YOU MAKE THEM SOUND
LIKE BUNNIES. [LAUGHTER] >> SO I JUST, I MEAN THE
ONE THING THAT I FEEL DEEPLY ABOUT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I
FEEL DEEPLY ABOUT WHEN I LEAVE GOVERNMENT IS STUFF GETS
BETTER IF WE WORK AT IT AND WE STAY FOCUSED ON WHERE WE'RE
GOING. IT DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY GET ALL
SOLVED. AND I WARNED AGAINST THIS WHEN I
WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAD HOPE POSTERS AND
THIS AND THAT AND EVERYBODY WAS FEELING -- >> Jon: HEY WE DIDN'T
MAKE THOSE, YOU MADE THOSE. >> NO, NO. [APPLAUSE] >> Jon: I'M PRETTY SURE THAT
CAME FROM YOU. >> WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT IF
YOU LOOK AT WHAT I SAID AT THE TIME, I SAID THIS IS GOING TO
BE AN ONGOING PROJECT. AND IT'S A PROJECT OF CITIZENS. IT'S NOT JUST FIX THIS. IT'S HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER TO
GET THINGS DONE. AND IT ISN'T PERFECT BUT OVER
TIME IT GETS BETTER. AND HERE'S THE THING I CAN SAY,
JON. I CAN SAY THIS UNEQUIVOCALLY. THE V.A. IS BETTER NOW THAN WHEN
I CAME INTO OFFICE. IT IS BETTER NOW THAN WHEN I
CAME INTO OFFICE. GOVERNMENT WORKS BETTER THAN
WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE. THE ECONOMY BY EVERY METRIC IS
BETTER THAN WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE. AND SO THE REASON I CAN SLEEP AT
NIGHT IS I SAID TO MYSELF DO YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S BETTER. [APPLAUSE] NOW, AM I SATISFIED WITH IT? NO. AND SHOULD VOTERS BE SATISFIED
WITH IT? ABSOLUTELY NOT BECAUSE OTHERWISE
IF WE GET COMPLACENT AND LAZY, THEN STUFF DOESN'T HAPPEN. >> Jon: NO, THAT'S TOTALLY WHAT
I WAS SAYING. >> YOU AND ME, WE'RE RIGHT
THERE. >> Jon: CAN I TELL YOU
SOMETHING. >> YOU CAN. >> Jon: I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE
WE ARE COMMERCIAL WISE. I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO JUST
THROW TO COMMERCIAL. HERE'S WHAT WE'LL DO. WE'LL GO TO A COMMERCIAL. WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK MORE. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
NEXT. I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU,
WHATEVER THE SUBJECT MATTER IS. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE
FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA.
