[cheers and applause] next, the vatican spokesman briefs reporters. This is 45 minutes. I am coordinator for the papal visit. We are honored to have with us this evening father federico lombardi. By a member of the archdiocese of chicago. Father lombardi will be providing daily briefings to the media across the three cities of the popes visit this week. We are honored to have with us his eminence, archbishop of galveston, houston and Vice President of the conference of catholic bishops. Axillary bishop of the archdiocese of washington. The format for this evening will be that each of our principals will say a few opening remarks and then we will open the floor to questions. Would you like to start . Father lombardi thank you very much and thank you for being the papalworking on visit. I would say that in the first meeting of the pope on the plane with journalists leaving from journalistsd to the thank you for the service that you will do in helping me in my mission. And theding good ne
Washington. Country, even to texas if i can use a personal association because i am the archbishop in houston. He is visiting the three cities but this is an apostolic journey. He comes as a pastor. He comes as a shepherd. That is to my mind the clarity of the mission of what pope francis is bringing. In his speeches, talks, and his meetings, his encounters. He has come as a shepherd to support his people and to reach out. He is asking for Greater Service to one another. In short he comes to speak the minds in the heart of the gospel. Fromhe point of view myself and i think of the applicable conference, our role is to step back in leave room for the message of the holy father to be received in all of its fullness. Thank you. The archbishop of washington has expressed that the diocese is through thrilled with the decision of his holiness. We have been preparing for quite a long time here, a number of months for and in anticipation of this visit and we are looking forward to hearing his
Changes that did not already have broad support on the ground. The question that is now out aree is the reforms being delayed, some are even being challenged in court, how concerned are you that the legacy, not just the legacy, but what you spent so much time working on, is now at risk secretary duncan . The mediaary duncan loves to focus on conflict. But it does not focus on is collaboration. What you do not see is that over 40 states raised standards. Historically, states dumped down dumbed down standards and told kids that they were ready to go to college when they were not close. We have the mind to kids and families for decades. That is starting to stop. Many states are thinking about ways to reward and incentivize great teachers. Test scores can be a small part of this. They can tell you some things, and not others. We want to highlight great teachers. Great teachers transform young peoples lives. We need to pay them more, give them more leadership opportunities. Anyone who wants
There is no military solution to this problem. That is misleading. The real problem is will achieve nothing. Changing those conditions is what the administration is consistently failed to do. Instead it is assumed our nation could withdraw from the middle east and avoid the conflict. On those occasions where the administration has felt compelled to respond after the use of chemical weapons or with the rise of isil, and now amid the ii, the administration has address the symptoms of the problem rather than the problem itself and made that problem worse. There no clearer example than this than the syrian train and equip program. The fighters can only fight isil, not assaults forces which have slaughtered more syrians then isil has. The Administration Made no commitment until only recently to provide these forces with any meaningful military support was they returned to syria. After millions of dollars and months of effort the Program Failed to come to the department original expectations
Mr. Mccain none of the moderate of forces have come under attack from russia . Secretary carter not in our title x program. Mr. Mccain that is fascinating. Secretary carter let me be clear, chairman, the russians attackde assad do moderate forces. One of the reasons why the russian approach is so mr. Mccain are we going to train these young people . Of a going to send them into syria to fight . Are going to protect them . Anyone we send in an train, we are going to protect from russian air attacks. Secretary carter we have an obligation to do that and we have made that clear right from the beginning. Mr. Mccain we havent done it. We havent done it. I promise you the have. You will have to correct the record. And formerronius secretary kade, and now we understand secretary clinton, have all stated that they think we should stop the barrel bombing and that we should train and equip. Zones should have nofly or aircraft exclusionary zones. As complicated as it is, we were able to do northe