オバマ会見

オバマが１４日に会見してます。大統領就任後としては初めてです。（参照）

Fiscal Clifff（財政の崖）については、これまで通り、すでに上院を通過しているMiddle Class Tax Cut Actを共和党多数の下院が通過させれば、とりえあずは年間所得２５万ドル以下の世帯への減税は実現できるとしています。

で、２５万ドル以上の世帯に対してどうするかについて、記者から「クリントン時代の税率（最高税率で３９．６％）にする以外の選択肢は考えていないのか？」という趣旨の質問があったのですが、それに対しては、「新しいアイデアにたいしてはオープンだ」と答えています。

With respect to the tax rates, I just want to emphasize I am open to new ideas. If Republican counterparts or some Democrats have a great idea for us to raise revenue, maintain progressivity, make sure the middle class isn’t getting hit, reduces our deficit, encourages growth, I’m not going to just slam the door in their face. I want to hear ideas from everybody.


共和党のマケイン上院議員とグラハム上院議員が、スーザン・ライス国連大使がリビアの領事館襲撃テロ後の会見で「襲撃はテロではなく、暴動が偶発的に領事館への襲撃につながった」という趣旨の説明していたことを理由に、国務長官への就任に反対すると表明していることについては、人事はまだ決まっていないとしたうえで、「ライス国連大使は当事手元にあった情報に基づいて会見しただけで、それを理由に彼女の評判を貶めるのはとんでもないことだ」と答えています。「襲撃の経緯の分析について文句があるなら、彼女のところじゃなくて、俺んところに来い」「彼女がeasy targetだと思ってんだろう、ゴルァ」的なことも言っています。かっこいいですね。で、ライス国連大使が最適な人材だと判断すれば、国務長官に任命するんだそうです。

As I’ve said before, she made an appearance at the request of the White House in which she gave her best understanding of the intelligence that had been provided to her. If Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me. And I’m happy to have that discussion with them. But for them to go after the U.N. Ambassador, who had nothing to do with Benghazi, and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence that she had received, and to besmirch her reputation is outrageous.

（中略）

But when they go after the U.N. Ambassador, apparently because they think she’s an easy target, then they’ve got a problem with me. And should I choose, if I think that she would be the best person to serve America in the capacity of the State Department, then I will nominate her. That's not a determination that I’ve made yet.


イランの核開発問題については、外交的な解決が一番だとしています。この数カ月のうちに、イランと国際社会の対話をもって、問題解決を目指したいとのこと。

With respect to Iran, I very much want to see a diplomatic resolution to the problem. I was very clear before the campaign, I was clear during the campaign, and I’m now clear after the campaign -- we’re not going to let Iran get a nuclear weapon. But I think there is still a window of time for us to resolve this diplomatically. We’ve imposed the toughest sanctions in history. It is having an impact on Iran’s economy.

There should be a way in which they can enjoy peaceful nuclear power while still meeting their international obligations and providing clear assurances to the international community that they’re not pursuing a nuclear weapon.

And so, yes, I will try to make a push in the coming months to see if we can open up a dialogue between Iran and not just us, but the international community, to see if we can get this things resolved. I can’t promise that Iran will walk through the door that they need to walk through, but that would be very much the preferable option.


気候変動問題についての質問も出ています。温室効果ガスの排出量増加が気候変動に影響を与えていることについては確信をもっているそうですが、雇用や経済成長を無視するような気候変動対策には賛成できないそうです。

And I am a firm believer that climate change is real, that it is impacted by human behavior and carbon emissions. And as a consequence, I think we've got an obligation to future generations to do something about it.

（中略）

I don't know what either Democrats or Republicans are prepared to do at this point, because this is one of those issues that's not just a partisan issue; I also think there are regional differences. There’s no doubt that for us to take on climate change in a serious way would involve making some tough political choices. And understandably, I think the American people right now have been so focused, and will continue to be focused on our economy and jobs and growth, that if the message is somehow we're going to ignore jobs and growth simply to address climate change, I don't think anybody is going to go for that. I won't go for that.


シリアの反体制派が統一組織である「シリア国民連合」を結成して、フランスがシリアの代表として承認したことについては、オバマはシリア国民連合をシリアの人々の望みを代表するものだとは認めるけれど、亡命政府としてはまだ認めないつもりだそうです。イスラム過激派がシリアの反体制派に加わっているという話もあるので、そう簡単には判断できないようです。

We consider them a legitimate representative of the aspirations of the Syrian people. We’re not yet prepared to recognize them as some sort of government in exile, but we do think that it is a broad-based representative group. One of the questions that we’re going to continue to press is making sure that that opposition is committed to a democratic Syria, an inclusive Syria, a moderate Syria.

We have seen extremist elements insinuate themselves into the opposition, and one of the things that we have to be on guard about -- particularly when we start talking about arming opposition figures -- is that we’re not indirectly putting arms in the hands of folks who would do Americans harm, or do Israelis harm, or otherwise engage in actions that are detrimental to our national security.