The President was joined in the Situation Room by Chief of Staff Jack Lew, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security John Brennan, Press Secretary Jay Carney, Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco, Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security Richard Reed, White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs David Agnew, Deputy Communications Director Jen Palmieri, and other senior members of the President's team.

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Josh Earnest is Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Press Secretary.

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Also Friday, Assistant Secretary of State William Burns was scheduled to meet with several Arab ambassadors to press them on the need to get Arafat to take stronger steps to combat terrorism and reduce violence in the region.

CNN: Bush 'disappointed' in Arafat