Robert Gibbs is giving his first press briefing as Press Secretary for President Obama Thursday. He has been practicing for this day for weeks.
The first question, from Jennifer Loven of the AP, was about the executive order Obama signed Thursday morning to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay. "The president believes that what he did today will enhance security of our people," Gibbs said, adding that Americans' safety is his number one priority.
Chip Reid of CBS News followed up by asking about Republican opposition to the move. Gibbs responded that the measure "lives up to our values."
Chuck Todd of NBC took a different tack, asking about the re-swearing in of President Obama. Gibbs said the oath was redone out of an "abundance of caution," and that their counsel believed the original oath was enough. Pressed on why, then, they did it again, Gibbs said, "Chuck, you know lawyers."
Going back to Gitmo, Gibbs was then pressed on where the detainees would go. He responded that there would be a commission to work that out.
More personally, Gibbs was asked how the Obama family is "settling in." He said that Obama enjoys "living above the company store," so to speak, after years of traveling.
Gibbs was questioned repeatedly on transparency: why an earlier briefing on Obama's executive orders was only on background, why they controlled all images of Obama's second swearing-in, and why the President gave his first post-inauguration interview to a network that paid $2 million for the rights to cover the inaugural "Neighborhood Ball."
Obama will be able to keep his Blackberry, Gibbs told reporters.