President Obama Press Conference

President Barack Obama said Sony "made a mistake" when the company decided to pull its "satirical movie" The Interview in the face of what investigators believe was a hack of the company's computer systems by North Korea. He promised the U.S. would respond to North Korea. More from his news conference is below...

3rd & 7 37yd

by zbyronwolf 12/19/2014 7:24:53 PM
President Obama won't go further on North Korea

He says theU.S. has confirmed that the hacking was done by North Korea - he doesn't say how - and that there will be a "proportional" response. So I guess stay tuned.
by Alexandra.Jaffe 12/19/2014 7:24:55 PM
Obama can't unilaterally eliminate the embargo on Cuba — that requires congressional approval, and Republicans have largely been opposed and highly critical of Obama's move to thaw relations. All but one of the potential GOP presidential contenders have spoken out against it:
2016 Republicans slam Cuba announcement
CNNPresident Barack Obama's historic move to loosen the U.S. embargo on Cuba set off an immediate clash with Republicans keen to use the dramatic foreign policy shift to further their own White House aspirations.
by cnnbrk via twitter 12/19/2014 7:26:13 PM
Obama: Ultimately we need to drop Cuba embargo; I expect healthy debate in Congress, but don't anticipate it will happen right away.
by Leinz Vales via twitter retweeted by CNN 12/19/2014 7:28:04 PM
Pres. Obama: "We're not at stage where me visiting Cuba or Pres. Castro coming to the U.S. is in the cards." @CNN cnn.it/go
by Brooke Baldwin via twitter retweeted by CNN 12/19/2014 7:28:08 PM
POTUS: Under what conditions would u meet w/ raul castro in Cuba?
"I hope in my lifetime to go but nothing specific we’re trying to target.'
by cnnbrk via twitter 12/19/2014 7:28:29 PM
Obama on where he, GOP can work together: Simplifying tax code, increasing U.S. exports, rebuilding infrastructure. http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5PeH0vCQAAn1Mm.jpg
by Eric Weisbrod, CNN 12/19/2014 7:28:32 PM
Obama: We're not at a stage here where me visiting Cuba is in the cards.
by JDiamond1 via twitter retweeted by CNNPolitics 12/19/2014 7:29:27 PM
Everything Obama had to say about the #NorthKorea #Sonyhack , right here: cnn.it/1v8YOra
by Alexandra.Jaffe 12/19/2014 7:29:57 PM
Will Obama continue to pursue his priorities unilaterally?

Following the midterms, Obama's made a series of major policy moves without Congressional input or approval. Republicans say this has poisoned the well, and they won't work with him if he continues to act unilaterally.

But Obama said GOP opposition won't dissuade him from acting alone.

"I intend to continue to do what I’ve been doing which is — where I see a big problem and the opportunity to help the American people, and it is within my lawful authority to provide that help, I’m going to do it," he said.
by Rebekah Metzler via twitter retweeted by CNNPolitics 12/19/2014 7:30:06 PM
"If the executive actions are bothering them" the solution, Obama says, is for GOP-led Congress to pass bills
by CNN Politics via twitter 12/19/2014 7:31:56 PM
Pres. Obama "I think there are real opportunities to work with Congress" cnn.it/go cnn.it/16A4ghl
by Stephanie Cutter via twitter retweeted by CNNPolitics 12/19/2014 7:33:26 PM
All women reporters called on by Pres. Obama..coincidence? Nope. It's because they're damned good reporters!
by FromCarl via twitter retweeted by CNNPolitics 12/19/2014 7:33:38 PM
Obama answers Keystone question: "No - very little - nominal impact" on US gas prices. Live blog: cnn.it/1zIDJsV
by Alexandra.Jaffe 12/19/2014 7:34:57 PM
McConnell's promised the Senate's first vote will the on the Keystone pipeline, and with the GOP majority it's likely to pass:
McConnell: Keystone bill first up in new Senate
CNNThe Republican-led Senate plans to force a showdown with President Barack Obama over the Keystone XL pipeline as soon as new members take office in January.
by Alexandra.Jaffe 12/19/2014 7:36:26 PM
President Obama, however, sounded less than enthusiastic about the Keystone pipeline. He said the pipeline won't have a "nominal" benefit to consumers.

"There’s been this tendency to really hype this thing as some magic formula," he says skeptically.
by Jim Acosta via twitter retweeted by CNNPolitics 12/19/2014 7:40:10 PM
POTUS: "There are specific instances when law enforcement doesn't feel like it's being applied in a color blind fashion."
by Eric Weisbrod, CNN 12/19/2014 7:40:15 PM
President Obama: Black America is better now, but we still have work to do.
by zbyronwolf 12/19/2014 7:41:40 PM
Obama - "People are basically good and have good intentions."
by Jason Morrell via twitter retweeted by CNN 12/19/2014 7:41:51 PM
U.S. intelligence official tells @CNN #SonyHack is "one of the highest priority investigations we've worked on" -- call it a "game changer"
by NefiAlarcon via twitter retweeted by CNN 12/19/2014 7:41:59 PM
Don't forget. President @BarackObama will have more to say when he talks to @crowleyCNN Sunday at 9aET - exclusively on @cnnsotu @cnn
by Alexandra.Jaffe 12/19/2014 7:44:12 PM
Obama says "people are basically good and have good intentions," but note they may be affected by "some hidden bias," which he says we all carry around.

"But if you offer practical solutions, I think people want to fix these problems," he adds. "This isn’t a situation where people feel good seeing somebody [get] choked and die."
by jedd.rosche 12/19/2014 7:44:43 PM
By my count, that press conference was just over 50 minutes.
by Jake Tapper via twitter 12/19/2014 7:46:34 PM
POTUS seems to be laying the groundwork for veto of Keystone XL pipeline. Making the argument against it at any rate
by Alexandra.Jaffe 12/19/2014 7:46:57 PM
Notable: Obama only called on female reporters for questions, an unusual and deliberate move.
by Eric Weisbrod, CNN 12/19/2014 7:48:36 PM
Obama: "When we work together, we can't be stopped. Now I'm going to go on vacation... Mahalo."
by State of the Union via twitter retweeted by CNNPolitics 12/19/2014 7:50:57 PM
President @BarackObama will have more to say when he talks to @crowleyCNN this Sunday at 9am ET on @CNNsotu on @CNN http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5PiHlJCMAA6lXG.jpg
by zbyronwolf 12/19/2014 7:58:28 PM
The press conference is over, but we'll stay here for a bit to do an after action report.
by zbyronwolf 12/19/2014 8:02:21 PM
One person President Obama won't have to worry about when he returns from his vacation in Hawaii is Michele Bachmann. She's leaving Congress and (in addition to a weird rap of Thrift Shop), she said some really interesting and thoughtful things about sexism in politics to CNN's Dana Bash. We'll embed that above. And it's worth noting, Obama did not call on a man during this presser. We're not sure, but we think that's a first.
by zbyronwolf 12/19/2014 8:02:23 PM
Michele Bachmann's exit interview with Dana Bash. Watch this!
by jim sciutto via twitter 12/19/2014 8:11:54 PM
POTUS: "No indication #NorthKorea working in conjunction with another country" on #SonyHack
by zbyronwolf 12/19/2014 8:13:51 PM
by CNN Politics via twitter 12/19/2014 8:32:26 PM
President Obama only took questions from female reporters: cnn.it/1x5D3yK http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5Psv3oCEAE1kj-.jpg
by CNN Politics via twitter 12/19/2014 9:04:55 PM
Hey @mackelmore, watch out. @MicheleBachmann's giving you a run for your money cnn.it/1JrMX12 vine.co/v/OXB2XHxl0ad
by CNN Politics via twitter 12/19/2014 9:32:28 PM
Hey @Macklemore, watch out. @MicheleBachmann's giving you a run for your money cnn.it/1JrMX12 vine.co/v/OXB2XHxl0ad
by CNN Politics via twitter 12/19/2014 9:42:26 PM
President Obama on race: Americans carry 'hidden biases,' but are 'basically good' cnn.it/1CafW7r http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5P81hVCQAAW2K6.jpg

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