West Wing Week: 12/12/14 or, "Zeros & Ones"

White House Interns: Welcome to West Wing Week Narrator: Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This week, the President: nominated a Secretary of Defense, coded with a group of budding computer scientists, took over as host of the Colbert Report, pushed for comprehensive immigration reform, hosted a summit on high quality early childhood education, and welcomed this year's Kennedy Center honorees to the White House. Its December 5th to December 11th or Zeroes and Ones. The President: Zeroes and Ones. Narrator: On Friday morning, the President announced that Ash Carter would be his nominee to be our nation's next Secretary of Defense. The President highlighted Ash's record of leadership over more than 30 years to public service. Later, in the Oval Office the President sat down with the King of Jordan and then with a group of newly elected governors from across the country. Next door in the Cabinet Room, the President sat down for an interview with Jeff Johnson of BET. The President: Part of the reason I got into politics was to figure out, how can I bridge some of those gaps and understand it so that the larger country understands this is not just a black problem or a brown problem; this is an American problem. Narrator: Sunday night, the President and First Lady hosted their reception for the Kennedy Center honorees. We caught up with the winners to ask them to reflect on the magnitude of their big night. Tom Hanks: I have been in the White House before as a average Joe tourist hoping to get a look at the china that President William Harrison picked out or something like that. Patricia McBride: Never in one's lifetime did I expect to be honored with these extraordinary artist. Reverend Al Green: Well I mean, it's very exciting. There's no place like the White House and having received the Kennedy Honors of course it just makes it extra special. Sting: This is certainly something extremely special to receive this from the greatest democracy in the whole world, is something that I cherish. Narrator: The week got off to a royal start on Monday when Prince William dropped by the Oval Office for his first visit. Later that day the President became the first coder and Chief by coding with a group of middle school age students, where they rolled up their sleeves, got online together and participated in an Hour of Code here at the White House. Female Speaker: So right here it tells you that you have to move forward one-- The President: Okay, you've got to slow down because I'm an old man. Female Speaker: (laughs) So right here -- The President: So what's going on? Female Speaker: You're making a block. Narrator: That afternoon Steven Colbert went on campus to George Washington University to sit down with the President. It was a memorable meeting of two great leaders.; one of the free world the other of media and cable ratings, as he described it. They discussed Healthcare Reform, the President's recent actions on immigration, and climate change. Steven Colbert: You're glad we don't see eye to eye? The President: Yes, I'd be worried if I saw eye to eye with you. (laughter) Steven Colbert: You know- Narrator: On Tuesday the President headed to music city; Nashville, Tennessee where he visited Casa Azafrán and held a town hall focusing on immigration reform policy. The President: We were once strangers too. Narrator: Then on his way out of town he stopped in for (inaudible) at La Hacienda, a local favorite. Female Speaker: Can I give you a hug? The President: Of course you can. Female Speaker: Thank you so much Mr. President. The President: We are very proud of you. Narrator: Meanwhile in Memphis, Attorney General Eric Holder led the third of five planned building community trust roundtable discussions. Born out of the President's call for an increased effort to help rebuild trust in local law enforcement in the justice system. The Attorney General met with local leaders to discuss new steps and to share best practices for community policing. Held at the Lorraine Motel, site of the assination of Martin Luther King Jr, in 1968; the Attorney General took a moment to tour the facility and reflect upon his visit. Attorney General Eric Holder: I was an American history major in college. So from the purely historical perspective, this is something that I can really appreciate and understand but there's also an emotional component to the time that I have spent here. I see people who sacrificed, who died so that people like me and the future generations would have the opportunities that I've had. This is a place that maybe every American should come. And I'm going to come back again when I have a little more time. I want to bring my kids with me so that they can hopefully appreciate the things that their dad has done but understand that I would not have had the opportunity to do the things that I've done without the sacrifices and the work of the people who are memorialized in this community. (singing) Narrator: Wednesday morning, the President hosted the White House summit on early education where he announced new efforts to enhance and expand the reach of high quality preschool programs in high need communities all across the country. The President: None of us were supposed to. Those of us lucky enough to share in this country's promise now have a responsibility to ensure for all the young people coming behind us who aren't supposed to that they have that same opportunities. Narrator: That afternoon, the President and First Lady traveled to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling where they delivered toys and gifts donated by Executive Office of the President's staff to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign. The President: SpongeBob's greatest hits. I love SpongeBob. Teeball, I love playing tee-ball too. (inaudible) (laughs) Cymbals. Narrator: On Thursday the President joined a meeting of the President's export council. Then met with the fall class of White House Interns for a quarterly tradition, the Q&A with President Obama. The President: Start getting a sense of what are your values. What do you care about? What's important to you? What do you respect? What do you value? What satisfies you? And then work to align your behavior to what you say you care about. Narrator: As this wintery week wraps up and a new holiday week kicks off, we thank you for tuning in to your West Wing Week. And keep up with us at whitehouse.gov. (applause) The President: They watch comedy shows and I just don't see the President going on one of those. (laughter) They're beneath his dignity (laughter)

Channel: The Obama White House

Views: 50,974

Rating: 4.7582417 out of 5

Keywords: White House, President Obama, West Wing Week, Secretary of Defense, Colbert Report, Immigration Reform, Early Childhood Education, Hour of Code, Kennedy Center Honors, Casa Azafran, Nashville, Tennessee, Toys for Tots, President's Export Council, White House Interns, Ash Carter, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Jeff Johnson, Lily Tomlin, Al Green, Tom Hanks, Patricia McBride, Sting, Stephen Colbert, Prince William, Eric Holder, MLK, Jr, Lorraine Motel, My Brothers Keeper

Id: EByDAIwAz5I

Length: 5min 48sec (348 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 12 2014