The broadcast networks broke in Thursday afternoon to carry remarks from President Obama. Lester Holt anchored for NBC, Amy Robach for ABC and Maurice DuBois anchored on CBS as Pres. Obama delivered a statement on the U.S. economy, the continued ISIS threat in Iraq and Syria and the crisis in Ukraine. The president then opened it up to questions:
“I’m going to start with somebody who, I guess, is now a big cheese. He’s moved on. But I understand this is go to be his last chance to ask me a question in the press room. I want to congratulate Chuck Todd and give him first dibs.” (Watch after the jump) Todd, who is moving on to “Meet the Press,” asked about Syria/ISIS.
The Wall Street Journal‘s Colleen McCain Nelson got the second question, asking the president whether today’s military action by Russia is considered to be an invasion of Ukraine. After three more questions, the president started to leave the briefing room, but returned to take a question on whether he’d make any executive actions on immigration reform. Obama: “It continues to be my belief that if I can’t see congressional action, that I need to do at least what I can in order to make the system work better.”