Practice English Speaking&Listening with: West Wing Week: 4/16/10 - "The Interpreter's Lounge"

(music playing)

Narrator: Welcome to the "West Wing Week," your guide to everything

that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

But first, a brief message from letsmove.gov,

America's move to raise a healthier generation of kids.

Secretary Vilsack: Spring is here.

Go outside and enjoy it.

[Emergency broadcast alert signal]

Learn about healthy eating and lifestyles at letsmove.gov.

Narrator: This week, April 9th to the 15th,

or "The Interpreter's Lounge."

On Friday morning, April 9th, the Presidential motorcade

departed for the Prague Castle.

As you will recall from last week's installment of your

"West Wing Week," the President was in Prague

to sign the new START treaty, and meet with many of our regional allies.

The President: I have a lot of gray hairs.

I used to look much younger.

(laughter)

Narrator: After meeting with the Czechs,

President Obama headed back to Washington, D. C.

That afternoon when the President returned, he made a

statement about the mining tragedy in West Virginia.

The President: I want to offer my deepest condolences to the friends

and the families of the fathers and the husbands and

brothers, nephews and sons who were killed in this accident.

I'm also in awe of the courage and selflessness shown by the

rescue teams who risked their lives over and

over and over this week.

Narrator: On Sunday, April 11th, President Obama, Secretary Clinton,

and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel crossed Pennsylvania Avenue

to the Blair House, where a series of bilateral meetings

were held in the runup to the Nuclear Security Summit.

Secretary Clinton: But it's such a huge deal, and it has taken --

The President: So far today I've already

met with Prime Minister Singh of India, as well as the President

of Kazakhstan, and now we're meeting with the President of

South Africa, I'll be meeting with the Prime Minister of

Pakistan after this meeting.

Narrator: On Monday, April 12th, the President went to the

site of the Nuclear Security Summit, where he held more

bilateral meetings with Jordan, Malaysia,

Ukraine, Armenia, and China.

President Obama then greeted the leaders of 46 nations, the

largest summit ever held in Washington, and gathered them

all for a working dinner, getting started on

the important work at hand.

On Tuesday, April 13th, the President reconvened

this august group.

The President: You know, you've met Jan.

Jan: Yeah, I --

The President: Good morning.

It is my privilege to welcome you to Washington and formally

convene this historic summit.

Narrator: The main focus was

on nuclear proliferation and securing nuclear materials.

The President: Two decades after the end of the cold war,

we face a cruel irony of history -- the risk of a nuclear

confrontation between nations has gone down, but the risk of

nuclear attack has gone up.

Narrator: Meanwhile, in the Caribbean, the First Lady and Dr. Biden

made a surprise visit to Haiti to see the rebuilding

efforts made since a massive earthquake struck Port-au-Prince

and the surrounding areas.

And, to underscore the commitment of the United States

to help rebuild the shattered nation.

The First Lady went on to Mexico, where she made her first

official solo international visit.

First Lady: This is my first solo international trip.

Mexico is really a natural first step for me.

I mean, the relationships that our countries have with one

another are deep and broad.

Narrator: The President finished a long day of talking

with a news conference ending the Nuclear Security Summit.

The President: This evening I can report that we have seized this opportunity

and because of the steps we've taken as

individual nations and as an international community,

the American people will be safer and the world

will be more secure.

Narrator: The President squeezed in one last bilateral

meeting with the Germans, just to make it a full ten,

before leaving for the White House.

On Wednesday, April 14th, the President spent

a sunny day inside.

He held a meeting with the Vice-President and members of

Congress from both parties, and talked about Wall Street reform.

The President: I think all of us recognize that we cannot

have a circumstance in which a meltdown of the financial sector

once again puts the entire economy in peril.

Narrator: And then he met with this year's winners of the White House News

Photographers Association Eyes of History Annual Conference.

The President: All right. Group picture?

Let's see if they know how to arrange themselves properly.

(laughter)

Speaker: I do.

The President: Do you recommend

that we say cheese?

Speaker: Cheese!

Narrator: On Thursday, April 15th, President Obama flew to

Cape Canaveral, Florida, to take a look at a commercial rocket

processing facility and visit the Kennedy Space Center.

A Speaker: Heat tiles for when the stage reenters to survive

the heat of reentry.

Narrator: He then outlined his vision for NASA, one that

unlocks our ambitions and expands our frontiers in space,

ultimately meeting the challenge of sending humans to Mars.

The President: So this is the next chapter that we can write together

here at NASA.

We will partner with industry, we will invest in cutting-edge

research and technology, we will set far-reaching milestones, and

provide the resources to reach those milestones.

And step by step, we will push the boundaries not only of where

we can go but what we can do.

Narrator: To find out more information on any of these

topics, or to see complete videos of these events,

go to Whitehouse.gov,

and thanks again for checking out your

West Wing Week.

The President: Good morning.

Secretary Vilsack: That's what they call "West Wing Week."