Nightly News   |  February 07, 2011

Defining 'meaningful change' in Egypt

The White House said Monday that Egypt is making progress toward resolving its political crisis, but the government's offer of raise for public employees suggested a regime change would not be imminent. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.

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BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor: And back here, again today the White House was walking that fine line in responding to this crisis in Egypt . Our chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd following that part of the story. Chuck , good evening.

CHUCK TODD reporting: Good evening, Brian . Well, the Obama administration is in what it's calling phase two of this new Egyptian policy. Phase one was to push Mubarak to not seek re-election and to start the process of getting out of power. Phase two is about getting this reform process to begin something that is more credible to the Egyptian people . Here's how Robert Gibbs described that process at today's press briefing.

Mr. ROBERT GIBBS (White House Press Secretary): This is about a process, it's not about a personality. And it is important that the people see progress toward that meaningful change, just as it is important that those in the opposition take part in this process and put forward what they want to see come out of this.

TODD: The bottom line, Brian , is that their efforts to keep pushing Mubarak have sort of been tabled a little bit as they want to empower, in many ways, the vice president, Suleiman , and get him to do the reforms that he has promised to do, to keep doing these meetings with these opposition leaders. In many ways, as one person joked with me, it's kind of like Mubarak is Junior Soprano . He's still there, they know he's going to be there for a while, they don't think they can push him out the door in the near term and will instead work with Suleiman .

WILLIAMS: One way of describing it. Chuck Todd at the White House tonight, as the diplomacy goes on. Chuck , thanks.