jon: just so you know, jay carney, te president s spokesman, has just begun his daily briefing in the west wing of the white house. we are keeping an ear on what he has to say. if he gets to issues of importance to you, our viewers, we will take you there live. in the meantime, president obama is getting set on wednesday to kick off a major tour of africa. so in a time of huge deficits, this trip has generated a lot of controversy because the bill for you, the taxpayer, could be as high as $100 million. the trip will focus on the continent s growing economic and security importance for the united states, but as former south african president nelson mandela remains in critical condition in a hospital, it also will carry personal significance for president obama as well. chris freights is a national correspondent for the national journal and joins us now. to that cost thing first, chris, a lot has been made of the cost of this trip. presidential trips always cost a
lot. what s your take on it? well, i think you re right, jon. certainly, presidential trips have always cost a lot, and this is no different, particularly when you have a trip to a developing area like africa. this is not the fist trip for an american president to africa. president clinton and george bush went twice. when president clinton went 15 years ago, the cost of that trip was about $43 million, and that doesn t include the security costs because the secret service always keeps that budget very, very tightly held. they don t want to talk about security, and they don t want to talk about the cost. so certainly it s a cost. but the white house will make an argument here that this is something that is a big cost benefit, that they re going to get a lot of commerce, a lot of trade out of bringing the president to africa to say that we, the united states, want to do more business with this developing region. jon: right. also worth noting, though, those earlier trips were not made a
countered that security with the international support that they can secure us. we can go to work, we can easily go to schools. but that s jenna: let me just ask you a quick final question. our administration s doing one thing, our viewers may want to help support you. how can we support you? i think afghans have made the decision. they have said no to taliban and terrorist groups by standing by our elected government. i want the american people to stand with afghans and not the terrorist group on this matter. jenna: it s great to have you. thank you. jenna: thank you so much. we hope to have you back on the program and keep us updated on your progress as well, thank you. jon? jon: right now the first family s preparing for major tour of africa. the continent s economic and security concerns expected to be the focus for president obama. we ll take a look at that upcoming trip. and the king of the high wire living up to his nickname, nik wallenda completing another jaw-dropping
washington. which is really saying a lot. it certainly is. the hole timetable for a resolution of this, at least a temporary solution or resignation may be accelerated by an act of god. this volcano ash has hasened the depar amateur of hillary clinton leaving a day early. and with her is her chief of staff anthony weiner s wife. herr about to fly back from washington to africa. certainly he would not be making a decision presumably without consulting his wife. correct. any decision he makes about his future he would like to have a consultation with his wife in person. if she gets back a day early perhaps any final word on that would be a day earlier. you mentioned an act of god, i think it s an act of god that a lot of folks are appreciative of if it will lead to a resignation. luke russert, thank you very much.
region can recover from isis after we free it. 26 of our coalition nations contribute militarily including more than 4,000 nonu.s. troops on the ground and in the air. our recent coalition meetings in brussels, copenhagen and elsewhere have a with the forces in iraq and the forces in syria. so what have we achieved? we have fought isis elements from southeast asia to africa. collaboration among many nations, intelligence services continues to complicate and blunt sis operations. even as isis continues to pursue and conduct attacks against the united states. and our allies through centralized directed plots but also through inspired attacks. from the philippines to europe and beyond while isis remains