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Very, very clear difference. john. >> thank you, sean. just going back two weeks in a story that got relatively little attention at the time, chuck cooper, very distinguished lawyer, asked that his name be withdrawn when he was on the periphery of being named u.s. solicitor general. so, my question is a two-parter. first, can you confirm or deny the administration is now vetting mr. mcwell estrada, former nominee for the court of appeals as solicitor general before the visa delay case gets to the supreme court? and second, mr. cooper said that he did not want to go through the same experience ...

Have you also figured out how you will build that office out? i understand that is one of the big pieces of this. >> respectfully, that's why it hasn't been issued yet. we're working it through the process. obviously, that is something we're committed to getting done by the end of black history month. our days are numbered. there's a commitment by the president and the staff to really focus on this issue and give it the proper respect that it deserves. so, if you bear with us a couple more days, i promise you, we'll have more to say on that. >> reporter: so, there will be a department with a -...

President, whether it's safe zones or how we deal with syria and the problems -- >> reporter: but, i'm thinking on the key point -- >> i understand that. thank you. >> reporter: can i -- >> no. >> reporter: on other question on syria. northern syria, an important development on the battlefield, creates some space in that that town is full of turks and opposition. is that the sort of space that the president would like to see a safe zone? >> i don't -- we're not trying to be preciptive in terms of a geographic location of a safe zone. right now the president's goal is to get commitments from ot...

There's a big difference between that and recreational marijuana. and i think that when you see something like the opioid addiction crisis blossoming in so many states around this country, the last thing we should be doing is encouraging people. there is still a federal law we need to abide by in terms of the medical -- when it comes to recreational marijuana and drugs of that nature. i think there's a big difference between medical marijuana. states that -- the states where it's allowed in accordance with the appropriations rider have set forth a process to administer and regulate that usage ...

Internationally. >> reporter: has the president been briefed at all on the situation at standing rock? is he concerned a standoff with protesters could slow down his executive order on pipelines? >> our team has been involved with the tribe and the governor there. so, we are not -- we're constantly in touch with them. and i think we feel very confident that we will move forward to get the pipeline moving. so, we'll have a further update on that. i think we're in constant contact with officials there. kristen. >> reporter: i want to start on the transgender directive. 82% of transgender childre...