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Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Stepping Down. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired October 2, 2015 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:31:20] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: We are coming up on live pictures here from the White House. As we know, any minute now the president of the United States will be speaking, will be addressing the news that his education secretary Arne Duncan is stepping down. But he also know he will be taking questions presumably will be ask about the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon.

While we wait for that, let me bring in our White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski.

Michelle, so first, Arne Duncan, but you know, we heard the president yesterday talking about the routine nature of these shootings that that we're becoming numb. I have to imagine we'll hear more about that today.

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, I can't not come up. This will be the second time in two days we have heard him address the public. And seeing that level of frustration yesterday that we don't often see publically, the level of emotion, I mean, his eyes welled up at the point that he talked about those of us lucky enough to say good night to our kids last night. Taking these pauses, really seemed to not go off of a written statement, but only every now and then looking at his notes. I mean, he really seemed to be going on what was in his mind on the statement. He has called this issue the most frustrating that he's had to deal with in his terms as President Obama president.

So we know that he is going to take more questions on that. Possibly what more can a president do. It almost seemed like he gave up on the role of Congress. He is repeatedly urged them to take action on gun violence, but didn't seem like he had expectation of that. He even down played the role that a president can play in that saying, you know, I can't do this alone.

In the past couple years he's tried. He's taken executive action on gun violence. We know that the administration is considering taking more action, but this can only really be done in minor ways without Congress acting. And last night we heard him call on individual voters on this issue to vote their own minds on this. So seemingly to go to the very basics of democracy if you want change in a particular area. But that's not all on the agenda. Also Russia's role in Syria. We're

hearing from sources this could be something of a warning publically to Russia not to be hitting those targets that have been trained and vetted by the U.S., Brooke.

BALDWIN: Michelle Kosinski, we will continue to watch and wait.

You are standing by. We are waiting for the president. We are going to take a quick break. We will be right back.

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[15:38:00] BALDWIN: Again, I want to come up on live pictures here as the room is set here, just waiting for the president to step behind the podium there at the White House. The reason he is there is to discuss the news that his secretary of education Arne Duncan will be stepping down from his post. But we also know that I mentioned a moment ago, the president will be taking questions and will likely be ask about that school shooting in Oregon. And as Michelle Kosinski pointed out, also what's happening with regard to Russia and Syria. So definitely stay tune for that. We will take the whole thing in its entirety live.

But just let me pause because over the course of this presidency, President Obama has now had to speak 15 times in the wake of some mass shooting. Here's a reminder, a look back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Talk about this after Columbine and Blacksburg, after Tucson, after Newtown, after Aurora, after Charleston, it cannot be this easy for somebody who wants to inflict harm on other people to get his or her hands on a gun.

I have had to make statements like this too many times. Communities have had to endure tragedies like this too many times.

We come together filled with sorrow for the 13 Americans that we have lost. With gratitude for the lives that they led and with a determination to honor them through the work we carry on.

I have come here tonight as an American, who like all Americans, to pray with you today and will standby you tomorrow. And the federal government stands ready to do whatever is necessary to bring whoever is responsible for this heinous crime to justice.

All of us are heartbroken by what's happened and I offered thoughts and prayers not only from myself and Michelle and also the country as a whole.

And each time I learn the news, I react not as a president but as anybody else would, as a parent. In the hard days to come, that community needs us.

(END VIDEOTAPE) [15:40:08] BALDWIN: All right. And again, watching and waiting. Let me bring in our chief Washington correspondent, host of "the LEAD" Jake Tapper.

Jake, take it away, my friend.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Thanks so much, Brooke.

Awe are seconds away from President Obama addressing the nation for the second time in just two days. I'm Jake Tapper, you're watching CNN's special coverage.

The stated purpose of today's event is to announce that one of the longest serving members of the president's cabinet education secretary Arne Duncan is stepping aside, but we are all watching to see what the president will say further about yesterday's gruesome shooting at an Oregon community college where a single gunman stole nine lives in a mad rampage.

Here with me in Washington is CNN chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto and former senior advisor to President Obama Dan Pfieffer. We also have with us CNN political commentator S.E. Cupp and CNN White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski.

Michelle, what are we expecting from the president other than bidding Arne Duncan farewell?

KOSINSKI: You know, this is going to be a lot more detail. He is clearly wanting, possibly one thing to take questions on this gun violence issue. And you can hear the frustration, even anger in his voice. And he has just been announced. Here's the president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States accompanied by Secretary Arne Duncan and Dr. John King.

OBAMA: Please be seated, everybody, good afternoon.

Arne Duncan is one of my longest serving cabinet secretaries and he's been a friend for a lot longer than that. So it's with some regret and sorrow that I have accepted his decision to return to our hometown of Chicago.

After more than six years of living in Washington, Arne's wonderful wife Karen and their excellent kids, Claire and Ryan, who are also buddies of mine, wanted to move back home. And that's meant in the interim a lot of time apart. So I'll be honest I pushed Arne to stay, sorry, guys. But I also know from personal experience how hard it is to be away from your family on a sustained basis. So while I will miss Arne deeply, he has more than earned the right to return home.

Take a look at what Arne's accomplished over the last six and a half years. He's one of the longest serving secretaries of education in our history and one of the more consequential. He and his team have delivered incredible results at every stage of the educational experience. More than 30 states have upped their investment in early childhood education. Nearly every state in America has raised standards for teaching and learning and expectations for what our kids can learn. And our school graduation rate is at an all-time high. We helped millions more families afford college and more Americans are graduating from college than ever before. And that's just scratching the surface.

Arne has done more to bring our educational system, sometimes kicking and screaming, into the 21st century than anybody else. America is going to be better off for what he has done. It's going to be more competitive and prosperous. It is going to be more equal and more upwardly mobile. Its record that I truly believe no other education secretary can match.

Arne leads this stuff. He cares so much about our kids. And he has been so passionate about this work. And everybody who interacts with him, including people who disagree with him on some issues never questions the genuineness and heart that he has brought to this job.

So I couldn't be prouder of him and for good measure, Arne also holds the record for most points scored in NBA all-star game.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: And he is my favorite partner in pickup basketball. Smartest player I know. Even though he is very slow and has no hops. He knows it is true. I will say watching Ryan, by the way, that his son will soon be surpassing the father because this young man has got game.

Now keep in mind, none of this change has been easy. And we still have a long way to go. One of the things about education is that it doesn't deliver results tomorrow or the next day. This is a decade long or longer proposition. We plant seeds now, we make changes now, and we watch each successive class benefit from these reforms and it goes in fits and starts. And we have a decentralized system. That's how our education tradition evolved.

So it's not easy and it's not quick, but we are making progress. And we are not going to stop in these last 15 months. And that's why it's so important and why I think we're very lucky that even as Arne steps down, we have a talented educator to step in and that is Dr. John King.

John is already on Arne's leadership team. He has been an educator all his life, a teacher, a principal, a leader of schools, the New York state's education chief. He is the right man to lead the department. He shares our commitment to prepare in preparing every child for success in a more innovative and competitive world. He has got a great team already at the department of education, which I am very, very proud. His family is equally cool and good looking. And is equally as exceptional children. And I know that together we are going to continue to be able to do great things on behalf of our kids.

So Arne and John, I want to wish both of you a hardy congratulations and good luck. Now, I'm going to let them say a few words and then I'm just going to make a few remarks before I take some questions from the press. Let's start with Arne. ARNE DUNCAN, EDUCATION SECRETARY: I cried more today than I have in a

while so I will try not to cry. I will start with the president. And during he asked us to come to D.C. and work with him that was about a one-minute conversation of my life. And it wasn't that we wanted to leave Chicago. It wasn't we wanted to be education secretary. I just wanted to be on his team. And believe so much in what he was about and what he stood for.

And I have to say seven and a half years later, my admiration is only greater. And it's pretty remarkable and important for folk to know that every hard decision, his only question was, what's the right thing to do for kids and challenging us and our team to fight for kids every single day? And often that was a hard political decision and that was never a factor. His passion and his commitment has been absolutely extraordinary. For me, it's not the political leadership, it is not the educational leadership. It's the moral leadership. And I just can't tell you, Mr. President, what an unbelievable honor it was just to spend some time. And for those, every day you see for folks who watched him last night talking about the horrendous massacre in Oregon and how preventable these things are. We need more of that leadership (INAUDIBLE).

To our team, the team you have at the White House, Cecilia and Dennis and Val and others, it's been extraordinary to work with you in D.C. I don't say this lightly. I think our team at the department of education is stronger than it's ever been. You never know over seven, eight years how those teams, you know, go and you have the B team towards the end. I think we had the A-team and the combination been able to work with the White House Sean, Sylvia and so many folks that are here, Anthony, with the team in place. I'm just extraordinary hopeful and confident about what they can do together.

Emma and Ted and the rest of the crew, I said a little about John. And folks know for all of us, this work is very, very personal, for the president's very personal. John was one of those kids that probably shouldn't be in a room like this. If you sort of look at the stereotypes and not the easiest time growing up. He will tell you more about it. But (INAUDIBLE) both his parents to pretty early age. He went to live with his brother. That wasn't easy either. But he had an amazing teacher who saw something in him and kept him going. And today had he gets to stand here with the president. And so many times I think we decide to write off kids that look like John, come from places like John, and to see what he can accomplish, I think that's what drives all of us. We know there is so many other kids out there we can reach.

And while I'm deeply, deeply sad to be leaving, I'm extraordinary happy and thankful and proud that John is going to carry on this work with the team. So I want to thank everybody for their hard.

I quickly want to, I'm trying not to be emotional here, but thank my parents as well. My dad is a lifelong educator at the University of Chicago. Taught there all his life. My mother started (INAUDIBLE) program before we were born and raised all of us as part of that program. And that changed our lives. And all our life we saw what kids could do when they were given a chance. And that's why we do this work today. And to be able to see what she did at one little corner at 46th and Greenwood now have the chance over the past six and a half years to try to have an impact around the nation because this man gave us a chance, for my family I can't tell you how much it means to us.

And then finally just to my family and I love this work, I love this team, I love the president, I love the chance to serve. The only thing I love more is you guys. And I can't wait to come home and see a couple more track meets and maybe get to coach Ryan a little bit and maybe have a few more dinners and maybe go to a movie someday. That'd be pretty amazing.

[15:50:35] OBAMA: Wow. All right.

DUNCAN: It's been too long. And it's been an amazing, amazing journey. And feel so proud and lucky to have been a part of this team. Mr. President, thanks for creating the climate in which all of us here could have the impact we did. And we can never repay the debt of gratitude we all have with your leadership and courage. Thank you so much. And turn it over to John.

(APPLAUSE)

DR. JOHN KING, DEPUTY EDUCATION SECRETARY: Thank you, Arne, for very kind words. Thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to serve and for the faith you've placed in me and the team that we have at the department.

I'm deeply honored by the chance to serve and also deeply humbled by following in Arne's footsteps. Arne is an extraordinary leader who I have watched demonstrate tremendous courage in fighting for kids and fighting for what's best for kids. But also he has been willing to listen, to listen to folks and to make adjustments and to make sure that everything we do every day is towards the goal of greater equity.

Mr. President, you and Arne and our team at the department have laid out an ambitious agenda from strengthening early childhood education and expanding access to early childhood to raising standards in reaching and learning through K through 12 and ensuring more Americans have access to high quality higher education, to ensuring that we support our teachers and invest in our teachers and provide the best preparation and support and leadership opportunities for them. It's an incredible agenda. And I'm proud to be able to carry it forward with the amazing team that we have at the department.

Earlier this week Arne gave a speech at the national press club. In that speech Arne said education can be the difference between life and death. And I know that's true because it was for me. I grew up in Brooklyn. I lost my mom when I was eight, my dad when I was 12. My dad was very sick before he passed. I moved around between family members and schools. But teachers, New York City public school teachers are the reason that I am alive. They are the reason that I became a teacher. They are the reason I'm standing here today. Those teachers created amazing educational experiences but also gave me hope, hope about what could be possible for me in life. I know schools can't do it alone. There's work we have to do on

economic development and housing and health care, but I know that my parents who spent their lives as New York City public school educators believe that school is at the heart of our promise of a quality of opportunity for all Americans. That's what they believe. That's what the president believes. That's what Arne believes. And that's what I feel very privileged to be able to work on this amazing team that we have at the department.

Every child in the United States, every college student, every disconnected youth, every working parent who just wants a few more credits in order to improve their current position at their job, everyone deserves the kind of opportunity I had to have a great education. Every child deserves the kind of opportunity that my beautiful daughters, Amina and Maria, have to have a great education, a kind of education their grandparents worked to provide.

I'm so grateful to my very supportive wife Melissa. So grateful to the secretary for the opportunity he gave me to join his team and incredibly grateful to the president for the opportunity to work with a wonderful group of people at the education department to try to expand opportunity. Thank you.

[15:55:04] OBAMA: Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: Two good men doing really important work. So I'm lucky to have them both as colleagues and friends. I'm looking forward to seeing even more work done in the next few months.

We've got some other business to attend to, so all of you here to celebrate Arne and John you're lucky enough now to have to sit through a little bit of a press conference with me. So make yourselves comfortable.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: I warned the kids ahead of time. I said try not to look completely bored. I'm going to take a couple of questions from the press, but first a few additional pieces of business. First of all, we learned today that our businesses created another 118,000 new jobs in September, which means that we now have had 67 straight months of job creation, 13.2 million new jobs in all. And an unemployment rate that has fallen from a high of 10 percent down to 5.1 percent.

These long-term trends are obviously good news particularly for every American waking up each morning and heading off to a new job. But we would be doing even better if we didn't have to keep on dealing with unnecessary crises in Congress every few months. And this is especially important right now because although the American economy has been chugging along at a steady pace, much of the global economy is softening. We've seen an impact on our exports, which was a major driver of growth for us particularly the beginning of the recovery. And so our own growth could slow if Congress does not do away with some of the counterproductive austerity measures that they have put in place. And if Congress does not avoid the kind of manufactured crises that shatter consumer confidence and could disrupt an already an artist skittish global economy.

On Wednesday more than half of Republicans voted to shut down the government for the second time in two years. The good news is there were enough votes in both parties to pass a last-minute bill to keep the government open and operating for another ten weeks before we can get a more long-term solution. But keep in mind that gimmick only sets up another potential manufactured crisis just two weeks before Christmas.

And I've said this before I want to repeat it. This is not the way the United States should be operating. Oftentimes I hear from folks up on Capitol Hill the need for American leadership. The need for America to be number one. Well, you know what, around the globe part of what makes us a leader is when we govern effectively. And we keep our own house in order. And we pass budgets. And we can engage in long-term planning. And we can invest in the things that are important for the future. That's U.S. leadership.

When we fail to do that, we diminish U.S. leadership. It's not how we are supposed to operate. And we can't just keep on kicking down the road without solving any problems or doing any long-term planning for the future. That's true for our military. That's true for our domestic programs. The American people, American families deserve better. And we can grow faster and the economy can improve if Congress acts with dispatch. It will get worse if they don't. That's why I will be very clear, I will not sign another short-sided spending bill like the one Congress sent me this week. We purchased ourselves ten additional weeks. We need purchase ourselves to an additional weeks, we need to use them effectively.

Keep in mind that a few years ago both parties put in place harmful automatic cuts that make no distinction between spending we don't need and spending we do. We can revisit the history of how that happened. I have some rather grim memories of it. But the notion was as we are bringing down the deficit we would come up with a sustainable smart long-term approach to investing in the things that we need.