Iran's Nuclear Scale down Begins Jan. 20

JOINING ME, DAVID SANGER, NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT FOR "THE NEW YORK TIMES." WE HAVE A STARTANCTIONS IN A MINUTE. WHAT ELSE COULD HAPPEN THAT COULD BLOW THIS ALL UP, TO PARDON THE EXPRESSION? >> WELL, CONGRESS COULD CERTAINLY BLOW IT UP. IF THE IRANIANS DON'T COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE MAJOR PROVISIONS, IT COULD BLOW IT UP. IF THERE WAS A DISCOVERY A NEW FACILITY, SOMETHING WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT. BUT IT'S IN THE IRANIANS' INTEREST RIGHT NOW TO LET THAT SIX MONTHS PLAY OUT AND MAYBE LET ANOTHER SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT PLAY OUT. THE AGREEMENT ALLOWS FOR NEGOTIATION THAT COULD GO ON FOR AS LONG AS A YEAR, JAKE, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THIS INTERIM AGREEMENT ROLLS BACK VERY LITTLE. THERE WAS A REFERENCE SECRETARY KERRY MADE TO A ROLLBACK. BUT ALL IT DOES IS KEEP IRAN FROM MAKING MORE USE OF THE FUEL THAT IS CLOSEST TO BOMB GRADE. BUT WHAT IT DOESN'T DO IS TAKE BACK ANY OF THE CENTRIFUGES, THE EQUIPMENT THAT ENRICHES URANIUM AND MAKE THEM DISASSEMBLE THAT. THAT'S WHAT THE BIGGER DISAGREEMENT IS ABOUT. IN THE END, THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO MEASURE SUCCESS. IT'S WHETHER IT INCREASES THE DASH TIME THAT WILL BE REQUIRED IF THE IRANIANS EVER DECIDE TO RACE TO A BOMB. >> I'M GOING TO PLAY TO YOU SOME SOUND FROM JAY CARNEY WHO WAS ASKED ABOUT THIS TODAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. >> WE FULLY EXPECT TO SHARE THE TEXT OF THE PLAN WITH CONGRESS AND ARE WORKING ON HOW MUCH WE CAN SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC AND IN WHAT FORMAT. >> WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG TO SHARE IT WITH CONGRESS? >> THEY WENT THROUGH THIS AS WELL WITH THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT. IN THE END, THE IRANIANS PUBLISHED IT BEFORE THE UNITED STATES DID, WHICH STRUCK ME AS A LITTLE BIT STRANGE. I THINK THEY'RE WORRIED IF THERE'S LOOPHOLES, WORDING ISSUES, THE IRANIAN TEXT HAS TO BE MATCHED UP WITH THE ENGLISH TEXT. BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WIN THEIR BATTLES ALONG THE WAY HERE IF THEY DON'T PUBLISH THE TEXT. >> YOU HAVE PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION TELLING CONGRESS, WE DON'T WANT SANCTIONS. AND NOT ONLY ARE, WE EXPECT HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO NOT NECESSARILY LISTEN TON THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT SENATE DEMOCRATS AREN'T LISTENING EITHER. >> THAT'S RIGHT. IN FACT, AT THIS POINT, I THINK THERE'S ABOUT 16 DEMOCRATS WHO SAID THEY WILL VOTE FOR CONTINUED SANCTIONS. AND THAT PUTS THEM VERY CLOSE TO A VETO-PROOF MAJORITY HERE. . QUESTION ON SANCTIONS IS, WHEN IS IT TOO MUCH OF AN EFFECTIVE THING. SO I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD AGREE TWO THINGS THAT BROUGHT THE IRANIANS TO THE TABLE WERE SANCTIONS THAT REALLY DUG IN, INCLUDING ON THE RIGHT. A AND ATTACKS INCLUDING -- AND A FEW OTHER ALONG THOSE LINES THAT ENDED UP SLOWING THE IRANIANS PROGRESS. THAT COMBINATION WORKED. THE QUESTION NOW, IF YOU DID MORE SANCTIONS, WOULD IT GIVE THE IRANIANS AN EXCUSE TO BAIL OUT OF THE DEAL? THE DEAL WAS PRETTY EXPLICIT, THAT THERE ARE NO NEW SANCTIONS IMPOSED DURING THIS TIME. THAT WILL BE THE ARGUMENT WHAT CONSTITUTES IMPOSING A SANCTION. DOES IT JUST KICK IN AFTER SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR IS OVER. >> PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID HE SEES THE CHANCES OF A COMPREHENSIVE DEAL WITH IRAN. DO YOU AGREE, IS IT OVERLY OPTIMISTIC? >> IT MAY BE OPTIMISTIC, DEPENDING ON HOW QUICKLY THEY MAKE A DEAL. THE FOREIGN MINISTER, THE IRANIAN LEAD NEGOTIATOR, SAID TO MANY PEOPLE WHEN HE WAS IN NEW YORK IN SEPTEMBER, IF I DON'T GET A DEAL IN SIX MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE SOME ABILITY WITHIN IRAN TO SELL THIS. ALREADY, YOU'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF THAT HAPPEN. SO THE IRANIANS HAVE THEIR OWN POLITICS TO DEAL WITH AT HOME JUST AS PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS