White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod said on CNN's State of the Union this morning that the civilian trials in New York City for Gitmo detainees -- including self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed -- will ensure that "justice will be done."

"We believe that these folks should be tried in New York City, as you say, near where their heinous acts were conducted, in full view in our court system, which we believe in," Axelrod said. "We're very confident about these cases and we believe this is the appropriate thing to do."

We feel strongly that justice will be done here.

Asked by CNN's John King whether the Obama administration would meet its goal of closing Gitmo within the president's first year in office, Axelrod said they'd come close.

"We believe we're going to substantially meet the deadline," he said. "We may not hit it on the day. But we will close Guantanamo and we're making good progress toward doing it."

Though Axelrod said he wouldn't "put a deadline on it," he emphasized that the "president believes it's important to get done and to end this chapter in our history. And we are gonna get it done."

King also asked Axelrod about recent comments from former Massachusetts governor and 2008 GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who declared that Obama was failing to protect U.S. troops in Afghanistan and that Axelrod's presence in Afghanistan strategy meetings amounted to a politicization of the process.

"I've not said a word in any of those meetings," Axelrod said this morning, adding that "I know that Governor Romney has never had responsibility for any decision akin to this, so he may just not be familiar with all that it entails."

Axelrod also addressed the House health care bill's Stupak amendment, which would prevent federal subsidies for abortions. Axelrod said that the president doesn't believe health care reform "should change the status quo" and that "this shouldn't be a debate about abortion" -- while also acknowledging that "the bill Congress passed does change the status quo."

"But I believe there are discussions ongoing on how to adjust it accordingly."

King also asked Axelrod whether he'd read Sarah Palin's memoir, which will be released this week. Axelrod said maybe he'd consider going through David Plouffe for the details.

"I'll borrow Plouffe's copy," Axelrod said. "I don't see why we both have to buy one. Once he's done with it maybe he can summarize it for me or lend it to me."

And will Obama read Palin's book?

"I think the president's pretty busy right now," Axelrod said. "I don't know that that's on his immediate reading list."