TO GET OFF THE STAGE HERE AND LET IT DIE.
>> STEVE SCHMIDT, OUR FRIEND JACK JACOBS KEEPS USING THE WORD
OBSCENE TO DESCRIBE THIS WEEK. AND WE KNOW WHY HE'S SAYING
THAT, BECAUSE AT THE HEART OF THE STORY, FOUR OF OUR BEST DEAD
IN A FIELD IN CENTRAL AFRICA. AT THE HEART OF THE STORY, WHAT
IT'S LIKE TO BE A GOLD-STAR FAMILY IN THIS COUNTRY TUR TURN
INTO AN OBSCENE DISTRACTION. I WANT TO GET YOUR TAKE ON
WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING THIS WEEK AND WHAT WE WITNESSED THERE IN
THE BRIEFING ROOM TODAY. >> WELL, FIRST OFF, OBSCENE IS
EXACTLY THE RIGHT WORD FOR IT. IT IS AN OBSCENE DISPLAY.
I CAN'T THINK OF A MORE DISGUSTING MOMENT IN AMERICAN
POLITICS IN MY LIFETIME THAN THE ONE WE HAVE FALLEN INTO, INTO
THE SEWER OVER THESE ISSUES. THE PERSON WHO DID IT, OF
COURSE, IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP.
WHO THOUGHT TO MAKE HIMSELF LOOK GOOD BY DISPARAGING HIS
PREDECESSOR'S COMMITMENTS TO THE FAMILIES OF FALLEN AMERICAN
HEROES WHO GAVE WHAT LINCOLN DESCRIBED AS THE LAST FULL
MEASURE OF DEVOTION TO THE COUNTRY.
AS FOR THE PRESS SECRETARY AND HER APPALLINGLY IGNORANT
STATEMENT, PERHAPS SHE IS UNAWARE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISER, LIEUTENANT GENERAL H.R. McMASTER'S DISSERTATION,
DERELICTION OF DUTY. SHE SHOULD READ IT.
SHE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY IN A FREE SOCIETY OF
QUESTIONING FOUR-STAR GENERALS. HR McMASTER DID WHEN HE WROTE
THE BOOK FOCUSING ON FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE, THE DARE LECTION OF
THE SENIOR OFFICER CORPS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY WHO WAS
SERIOUSLY DISHONEST WITH THE LEADERSHIP AND THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE OVER THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR, 1966, '67, '68, AND IT WAS
OFFICERS LIKE GENERAL McCAFFREY WHO REBUILT THE REPUTATION OF
THE UNITED STATES MILITARY AND MADE IT TODAY THE ONLY
INSTITUTION IN THIS COUNTRY THAT HAS GROWN IN THE ESTEEM OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WHILE EVERY OTHER INSTITUTION IN THE COUNTRY
HAS COLLAPSED AND LOST THE TRUST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT REBUILDING TRUST, THE LESSONS OF
THE MILITARY ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO UNDERSTANDING HOW TO DO IT.
LASTLY, GENERAL KELLY SERVED IN UNIFORM FOR 46 YEARS.
46 YEARS. A MAN OF UNBELIEVABLE RESPECT.
NOT A BAD WORD EVER SAID ABOUT GENERAL KELLY.
SOMEONE KNOWN FOR HIS RECTITUDE, FOR HIS PROBITY.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE IN A WHITE HOUSE IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY TO DONALD TRUMP FOR UNDER 90 DAYS.
THIS IS A SAD MOMENT FOR GENERAL KELLY.
WHAT I WOULD ADVISE HIM TO DO IS NOT TO APOLOGIZE PUBLICLY BUT
PRIVATELY AND IN KEEPING WITH THE MAN WHO WE ALL KNOW HE IS.
PICK UP THE PHONE OF THE CONGRESSWOMAN.
DO THE RIGHT THING. AND ORDER EVERYBODY IN THE WHITE
HOUSE TO STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS FOREVER AND EVER.
BUT LET'S ALSO REMEMBER THAT IT WAS DONALD TRUMP WHO ATTACKED A
GOLD-STAR FAMILY AT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.
IT WAS DONALD TRUMP WHO ATTACKED THE SERVICE OF JOHN McCAIN AND
HIS FELLOW PRISONERS OF WAR. IT WAS DONALD TRUMP WHO
DESECRATED THE CLANDESTINE MEMORIAL OF FALLEN CIA OFFICERS
BY TALKING ABOUT HIS CROWD SIZES AND THE SIZE OF HIS ELECTION
VICTORY. IT WAS DONALD TRUMP WHO TALKED
ABOUT THERE BEING SOME GOOD NAZIS.
IT WAS DONALD TRUMP OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHO
HAS TAKEN US INTO THE SEWER, WHO HAS TAKEN OUR DISCOURSE IN THIS
COUNTRY AND LOWERED IT.IT. AND RIGHT WHEN WE THINK WE CAN'T
GO ANY LOWER, HE FINDS A WAY TO GET US INTO ANOTHER BASEMENT
FULL OF SEWAGE. AND SO GENERAL KELLY SHOULD USE
HIS AUTHORITY IN THAT WHITE HOUSE TO BRING THIS OBSCENITY