[ applause ] >> david, i think through those actions the president has acted. that's a question you'll have to ask him. >> first of all, great question. she deflected. but this is a woman who has managed to get away with saying things that not many others in this administration have been able to. what were your impressions of her? >> well, my impressions were that she walked a very fine line. she defended the president on many different front but when it came to questions like this, she deferred the question. and she's managed to do that. she's managed to carve out her own identity while being a strong voice for many of the president's policies -- >> why do you think she's been able to do that? >> why? >> yeah. >> i think she's been able to do it in part because she's a little bit attenuated, she's in new york, not in washington. she's a little bit out of the line of fire. i think that she offsets some of