>> Bill: LUCAS TOMLINSON AS THE
CAR ALARM GOES OFF.
>> Dana: JOINING US NOW THE
WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JEN
PSAKI.
YOU HAVE A LONG DAY AHEAD OF
YOU AND YOU’VE BEEN SO BUSY.
THANK YOU FOR CARVING OUT TIME
FOR US THIS MORNING.
ZELENSKYY THE PRESIDENT OF
UKRAINE GOT A STANDING OVATION
AT THE E.U. THIS MORNING.
NO DOUBT HE HAS HELPED UNIFY A
LOT OF THE WEST AND WE CAN ALL
BE INSPIRED BY HIM.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BASED ON
SOMETHING HE ASKED THIS MORNING
AND THAT IS I WONDER WHAT
PRESIDENT BIDEN THINKS.
DOES HE BELIEVE THAT VLADIMIR
PUTIN HAS COMMITTED WAR CRIMES
IN THIS INVASION?
>> WE’VE SEEN A RANGE OF
REPORTS, DANA, THAT ARE
HORRIFYING ABOUT THE USE OF
BARBARIC TACTICS WHETHER
CLUSTER BOMBS OR OTHER TACTICS
THAT WE’VE SEEN THAT COULD BE
CLASSIFIED AS A WAR CRIME.
I DON’T HAVE ANY NEW
CLASSIFICATION FOR YOU FROM
HERE BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY
ENGAGED CLOSELY WITH OUR
PARTNERS AROUND THE WORLD, THE
PRESIDENT IS AND NATIONAL
SECURITY TEAM IS AND WE’LL BE
CLOSELY WATCHING AND ASSESSING
THAT QUESTION.
>> Dana: HAS THE PRESIDENT
DIRECTED THE STATE DEPARTMENT
LAWYERS TO START TO PROSECUTE
THE CASE?
>> AGAIN, SOMETHING WE WOULD
NEED CONFIRMATION OF AND NEED
TO ASSESS CLASSIFICATION OF A
WAR CRIME IS OBVIOUSLY A
SERIOUS DECISION TO BE MADE.
IT GOES THROUGH LAWYERS AS YOU
NOTED AND AS YOU KNOW, DANA.
WE WOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
I DON’T HAVE AN UPDATE AT THIS
POINT IN TIME.
NO QUESTION AS YOU HAVE BEEN
REPORTING THROUGH THE COURSE OF
THIS SHOW WE’RE SEEING BARBARIC
TACTICS START TO BE USED.
THAT IS HORRIFYING AND
TROUBLING AND WE’LL BE LOOKING
CLOSELY AT IT.
>> Dana: SOME CALLS FOR MORE
REALTIME INTELLIGENCE TO BE
SHARED WITH THE UKRAINIANS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT’S ON THE
TABLE?
>> WE HAVE BEEN IN VERY CLOSE
TOUCH WITH UKRAINIANS, THE
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR TALKS
TO HIS COUNTERPART NEARLY EVERY
DAY.
THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN IN TOUCH
WITH PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY AND
SHARING A RANGE OF INFORMATION
THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE LAST
SEVERAL WEEKS AND I EXPECT IT
WILL CONTINUE.
>> Dana: THEY COMPLAIN GENTLY
AND FRUSTRATED SAYING THE
INTELLIGENCE IS COMING TOO LATE
FOR THEM TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT
IT.
>> I CAN’T GET INTO TOO MUCH
DETAIL AS YOU KNOW ABOUT
INTELLIGENCE SHARING.
IT IS SOMETHING WE’VE BEEN
COMMUNICATING CLOSELY WITH THEM
THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE LAST
SEVERAL WEEKS AND WE’LL
CONTINUE TO.
WE HAVE THEIR BACKS AND AS I
WOULD NOTE THAT WHEN PRESIDENT
ZELENSKYY LAST SPOKE WITH
PRESIDENT BIDEN HE ASKED FOR
MORE SECURITY ASSISTANCE.
PRESIDENT TURNED IT AROUND AND
DELIVERED THAT.
HAD HIS TEAMWORK TO DELIVER
THAT IMMEDIATELY.
WE ARE EXPEDITING THE DELIVERY
OF THAT.
I CAN ASSURE YOU WE’RE IN CLOSE
TOUCH AND TRYING TO DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROVIDE
THEM ASSISTANCE WHETHER
SECURITY, WEAPONS, MILITARY
ASSISTANCE, HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE THEY NEED AT THIS
CHALLENGING TIME ON THE GROUND.
>> Bill: BILL HEMMER, THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME AGAIN AND FOR
COMING BACK.
WE BUY RUSSIA’S OIL AND WE
DON’T NEED TO.
WILL THE PRESIDENT MAKE AN
APPEAL TONIGHT TO AMERICANS
BASED ON SOME SORT OF SHARED
SACRIFICE THAT PERHAPS WOULD
LEAD PEOPLE?
THE POLLS SUGGEST AMERICAN
PEOPLE WILL LISTEN TO YOU.
THEY WILL CONSUME LESS IN ORDER
TO HELP UKRAINIAN PEOPLE AND
HURT PUTIN MORE.
WILL THAT BE PART OF HIS
MESSAGE TONIGHT?
>> HERE IS WHAT THE PRESIDENT
LOOKS AT, BILL.
HE LOOKS AT WHAT STEPS -- HE
HAS BEEN LOOKING AT WHAT STEPS
WE CAN TAKE TO MAXIMIZE THE
IMPACT ON PRESIDENT PUTIN TON
CRONIES AND OLIGARCHS
BENEFITING FROM SO MUCH
CORRUPTION IN RUSSIA FOR
DECADES.
HE IS LOOKING AT THAT.
HOW WE CAN SQUEEZE THE
FINANCIAL SYSTEM THERE.
WE’VE SEEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE
OF DAYS EVEN JUST THE
PLUMMETING OF THE RUBLE.
THE SKYROCKETING OF INFLATION.
SERIOUS FINANCIAL PROBLEMS ON
THE GROUND IN RUSSIA IMPACTING
PUTIN AND HIS CIRCLE.
WHEN HE ALSO LOOKS AT AND VERY
COGNIZANT OF IS MINIMIZING THE
IMPACT ON THE GLOBAL MARKETS
AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
SO WE HAVE NOT TAKEN OPTIONS
OFF THE TABLE INCLUDING THE ONE
YOU MENTIONED BUT THAT IS
SOMETHING THE PRESIDENT LOOKS
VERY CLOSELY AT.
I WOULD NOTE BILL THAT RIGHT
NOW THE IEA INTERNATIONAL
ENERGY AGENCY IS MEETING TO
DISCUSS WHAT CAN BE DONE TO
HELP MITIGATE ANY IMPACTS ON
THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE.
WE’LL CONTINUE TO TAKE STEPS TO
MAXIMIZE.
>> Bill: THIS WILL NOT BE A
DIRECT APPEAL TONIGHT ANYWAY.
THAT WON’T HAPPEN, CORRECT?
>> I WOULD SAY, BILL, YOU HAVE
HEARD THE PRESIDENT SAY BEFORE
THAT TAKING -- STANDING UP FOR
DEMOCRACY IS NOT WITHOUT COST.
WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE AND ANY
INSTABILITY IN THE GLOBAL OIL
MARKETPLACE IS THE RESULT OF
PRESIDENT PUTIN AND INVASION OF
UKRAINE.
THE STEPS WE’VE TAKEN THAT HAVE
GONE FAR BEYOND ANY STEPS TAKEN
IN THE PAST AS IT RELATES TO
SANCTIONS WE’RE ALREADY SEEING
AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON THE
FINANCIAL MARKETS IN RUSSIA.
WE DON’T WANT TO DESTABILIZE
THE GLOBAL MARKETS OR THE
MARKETS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
THAT’S THE BALANCE WE’RE
STRIKING.
>> Dana: ON ENERGY WE’VE SEEN
AN UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL VIEW
OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NATIONS
GET TOO DEPENDENT ON SOMEONE
LIKE RUSSIA FOR THEIR ENERGY.
AND STATE OF THE UNION
ADDRESSES ABOUT THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO GET APPLAUSE
AND FIGURE WHERE YOU WANT TO GO
IN THE FUTURE.
SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
PRESIDENT BIDEN MIGHT POINT TO
ARE SEEN BY A MAJORITY OF
PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY TO BE
VULNERABILITIES.
ONE ON THE ENERGY FRONT IN
PARTICULAR.
WILL THERE BE ANYTHING IN THE
SPEECH TO TALK ABOUT REVERSING
SOME OF THOSE POLICIES FOR
EXAMPLE KEYSTONE PIPELINE OR
ALLOWING OUR OIL AND GAS
COMPANIES TO PURSUE FEDERAL OIL
AND GAS LEASES EVEN WHILE WE
TRY TO TRANSITION IN THE FUTURE
WITH A SMART PATH TO GREENER
ENERGY?
>> I WOULD SAY THE PRESIDENT
SHARES THE CONCERN ABOUT THE
IMPACT ON GAS PRICES AND ENERGY
PRICES FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
THAT’S WHY A RANGE OF OPTIONS
REMAIN ON THE TABLE.
HE ALREADY RECENTLY TAPPED INTO
THE STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE
LAST FALL THAT HAD AN IMPACT.
>> Dana: IT HAD -- BUT THE
IMPACT WAS PRETTY -- IT WAS A
BLIP.
IT DOESN’T LAST.
>> THE POLICIES YOU MENTIONED I
KNOW SENATOR COTTON AND OTHERS
HAVE MENTIONED ARE NOT POLICIES
THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE ISSUE AT
ALL.
THIS KEYSTONE PIPELINE WOULD
TAKE YEARS FOR THAT TO HAVE AN
IMPACT ON PRICES.
THERE ARE A RANGE OF REASONS
WHY THE PRESIDENT OPPOSES IT
BUT IT WASN’T FUNCTIONING,
ISN’T FUNCTIONING.
IT WOULD TAKE YEARS.
THERE ARE 9,000 APPROVED OIL
LEASES THAT OIL COMPANIES ARE
NOT TAPPING INTO.
SO YES, WE ALL WANT TO TAKE
STEPS TO ADDRESS ANY RAISE IN
GAS PRICES THAT IMPACTS THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE BUT WE SHOULD
BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT
POLICIES WILL HELP AND WHAT
POLICIES WILL NOT HELP.
AND OVER TIME WE NEED TO REDUCE
OUR DEPENDENCE AND SOMETHING
YOU ARE SEEING EUROPEAN
COUNTRIES TAKE STEPS TO DO AS
WELL.
>> Dana: THE POINT ON THAT IT
TOOK EUROPE YEARS TO GET TO THE
POINT WHERE THEY WERE
COMPLETELY DEPENDENT OR 60%
DEPENDENT ON RUSSIA.
>> Bill: THERE ARE NO MASKS IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. AS OF MIDNIGHT
LAST NIGHT
>> RIGHT.
NO MASKS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
WE’RE NOT WEARING MASKS.
>> Bill: WHAT CHANGED IN THE
SCIENCE YESTERDAY, MONDAY,
OPPOSED TO A WEEK AGO MONDAY.
>> THEY PUT OUT GUIDANCE LAST
FRIDAY, THE CDC, THAT
IDENTIFIED RECOMMENDATIONS
DEPENDING ON WHAT THE
HOSPITALIZATION RATES ARE IN
YOUR PART OF THE COUNTRY.
WE’RE CURRENTLY IN A PART OF
THE COUNTRY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
WHERE IT’S VERY LOW THE RATES.
SO WE’RE NOT -- THE
RECOMMENDATION IS NOT TO WEAR
MASKS.
WE AREN’T WEARING MASKS AT THE
WHITE HOUSE.
THE PRESIDENT WON’T WEAR A MASK
TONIGHT.
IT IS DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON
THE PART OF THE COUNTRY.
>> Bill: OKAY.
SO MAYBE IT’S A QUESTION FOR
THE CDC BUT THE PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY HAVE MOVED ON.
ALMOST OUT OF TIME.
CBS CAME OUT WITH A POLL
OVERNIGHT.
38% FOR THE PRESIDENT ON
ECONOMY.
INFLATION 30%.
HOW DOES HE CONVINCE PEOPLE HE
HAS HELPED IMPROVE THEIR LIVES
OVER THE PAST YEAR?
>> AS WE LOOK TO TONIGHT WHICH
WE ALL RECOGNIZE IS A HUGE
OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY PRESIDENT
TO SPEAK TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
HE WILL DEFINITELY SPEND TIME
IN HIS SPEECH TALKING ABOUT THE
CONFLICT IN UKRAINE, HIS
EFFORTS TO RALLY THE WORLD, TO
LEAD THE WORLD IN RESPONDING TO
AND STANDING UP TO AUTOCRATIC
LEADERSHIP AND THE OFFENSIVE
AND HORRIFIC ACTIONS OF
PRESIDENT PUTIN.
WHAT PEOPLE WILL ALSO HEAR FROM
HIM FOR A GREAT DEAL OF THE
SPEECH IS HIS PLAN NOT ONLY THE
PROGRESS WE’VE MADE.
WE’VE MADE A LOT OF ECONOMIC
PROGRESS BUT COMMITMENT TO
ADDRESSING PRICES AND COSTS AND
ADDRESSING INFLATION.
IT WILL BE PART OF WHAT HE
TALKS ABOUT THIS EVENING IN THE
SPEECH.
>> Dana: ALL RIGHT.
HOW LONG WILL HE BE SITTING
HERE FOR THE SPEECH TONIGHT?
>> AS YOU KNOW FROM BEING --
HAVING GONE THROUGH A FEW OF
THESE.
SPEECHES ALWAYS GET LONGER.
IT IS ALWAYS TRYING TO GET THEM
SHORTER.
I DON’T HAVE A WORD COUNT YET.
THERE IS A LOT THE PRESIDENT
WANTS THE SAY TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE THIS EVENING.
I EXPECT WE’LL HAVE A BETTER
SENSE AS WE GET CLOSER TO 9:00