President Obama pledged to bolster the nation's cyberdefenses Friday and said Sony should not have pulled the release of "a satirical movie" in the wake of threats from North Korea and its supporters. But Obama said the U.S will respond to the attack.

"Yes, I think they made a mistake," Obama said at a White House press conference. He said the United States cannot have a society where foreign dictators "can impose censorship."

The FBI confirmed Friday that North Korea was behind the cyberattacks on Sony Pictures. Sony was hit by hackers Nov. 24 in response to the planned release of a comedy, The Interview, about a plot to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. The breach rendered thousands of Sony computers inoperable, forced the company to take its computer network offline and disrupted the company's business operations, forcing a cancellation of the movie's release.

"They caused a lot of damage and we will respond," Obama said, though he said he would not discuss what that response might entail.

Obama, who also leaves late Friday for his annual vacation in Hawaii, spoke two days after announcing surprise plans to normalize relations with Cuba after more than five decades of Cold War-era conflict. He defended that decision Friday, saying the hostility of the last half-century has not helped move that communist nation toward more democracy. "I think it will happen in fits and starts," he said.

Obama said his administration will continue to monitor Cuba's treatment of political prisoners, but he said the United States deals with other nations that have bad human rights records. The president said direct engagement gives the U.S. a better chance at changing Cuban behavior. Obama also said that "we cannot unilaterally bring down the embargo" against Cuba but hopes Congress will re-examine it and make changes.

The president was appearing in the White House briefing room just a few weeks before a new Republican-run Senate convenes. The GOP also increased its majority in the House in November's elections.

Obama claimed 2014 was a year of progress and vowed to continue pushing his agenda even in the face of opposition from a Republican-run Congress. Calling it "a breakthrough year for America," Obama cited a spike in job creation and a general economic rebound that includes lower oil prices, falling deficits, better health care, and an end to the auto bailout.

Obama also claimed success on foreign affairs, citing the battle against the Islamic State, pressuring Russia to restrain aggression in Ukraine and ending combat operations in Afghanistan.

"America's resurgence is real," Obama said, citing the near economic collapse of 2008. "We are better off."

Obama insisted he believes he can find common ground with Republicans but also said there could be "tough fights" ahead. He cited exports, tax overhaul, trade and perhaps immigration as potential areas of cooperation. He also said he would push back on any GOP plans he believes favor the wealthy and hurt the middle class. The president also indicated he remains prepared to take executive actions if necessary, citing immigration as an example.

"Both sides are going to have to compromise," Obama said.

Republicans have said a top priority will be approving the Keystone XL pipeline that the administration is still reviewing. "I'll see what they do," Obama said Friday, adding that the pipeline involves Canadian oil, not American, with little benefit to U.S. consumers. The president also said he wants to make sure the pipeline project doesn't make the climate change problem worse. He noted that the project remains tied up in court, delaying State Department approval.

Obama also responded to ongoing racial tensions following recent deaths of black men at the hands of police. The president said that, like the rest of the country, black America is better off now than it was when he took office, though more work remains. Those challenges, he said, include relations between police and communities of color, and he hopes a special task force will recommend ways to rebuild trust. Amid protests over grand jury refusals to indict police officers, Obama said he believes the nation has had "a healthy conversation" about race relations, and that people are "basically good, and have good intentions."

Obama said the nation has "gone through difficult times" in recent years, but he argued that things are getting better. "America knows how to solve problems," Obama said. (Source: USA Today)

Story Date: December 20, 2014