OVER THE SKIES OF THE PENINSULA ON SUNDAY.
>> APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU.
JOINING US FROM WASHINGTON, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER,
JONATHAN SWANN. >> WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
REX TILLERSON, AND YOU REPORTED HE FINDS HIMSELF CONSPICUOUSLY
SHORT ON ALLIES. TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> Reporter: IT'S ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING EXERCISES TO DO
AT THE MOMENT JOURNALISTICALLY IS TO FIND SOMEONE IN WASHINGTON
THAT WILL ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENDORSE REX TILLERSON.
THE PRESIDENT WAS SAYING PRIVATELY REX JUST DOESN'T GET
IT AND HE IS TOTALLY ESTABLISHMENT, AND HE HAS BEEN
THINKING OF TRASHING REX TO VARIOUS AIDES, BUT AFTER THAT, I
TRIED TO PROVE THE COUNTERFACTUAL, AND TALKED TO
PEOPLE ON THE HILL, INSIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND INSIDE THE
WHITE HOUSE, AND IT'S HARD TO FIND PEOPLE TO DEFEND HIM.
>> WHY IS THAT? WHY DON'T PEOPLE ON THE HILL
LIKE HIM? >> THERE'S TWO REASONS, AND A
FORMER BUSH OFFICIAL SUMMED IT UP BEST.
REX TILLERSON'S CONSTITUENCY WOULD BE PEOPLE WHO SEE HIM AND
MATTIS AS MODERATES AND INFLUENCE ON DONALD TRUMP.
AS DAVID IGNATIUS POINTED OUT, THEY WORK WELL TOGETHER, BUT
BECAUSE OF WHAT HE HAS DONE
MANAGERIALLY, HE HAS LOST THEM FOR THOSE REASONS, BUT HE HAS
NEVER HAD AN IDEOLOGICAL DLANS ON THE RIGHT.
HE IS NOT HAWKISH ON RUSSIA, SO ALL THESE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW,
CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS ARE USED TO SEEING IN A TOP
DIPLOMAT, THEY DON'T GET FROM REX TILLERSON, AND THEN THE
OTHER CONSTITUENCY OF COURSE IS THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC IMAGE
AND HE HAS JUST COMPLETELY IGNORED AND NEGLECTED THAT, AND
HE IS TAKING BLATANT ATTEMPTS TO TALK TO PEOPLE, BUT IT MIGHT BE
TOO LATE. >> DAVID IGNATIUS, I WANT YOU TO
ASK HIM A QUESTION, BUT FIRST, TALK ABOUT REALLY JUST HOW HE IS
ROWING -- HAS HAD TO ROW AGAINST THE TIDE FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING. BECAUSE HIS JOB WAS TO DO WHAT
THE PRESIDENT WANTED AND WHAT EVERYBODY AROUND THE PRESIDENT
WANTED THEIR SECRETARY OF STATE TO DO, AND THAT IS TO BASICALLY
PUT STATE ON STARVATION DIET. THEY DIDN'T TRUST STATE MORE
THAN THE INTEL COMMUNITIES EVEN BEFORE THEY GOT INTO THE WHITE
HOUSE. >> I THINK YOU PUT YOUR FINGER
ON IT THAT THIS IS AN INSURGENT PRESIDENT.
HE REPRESENTED A BASE THAT REGARDED WITH THE STATE
DEPARTMENT WITH DEEP SUSPICION. REX TILLERSON COMES TO
WASHINGTON FROM TEXAS, FROM A CORPORATION THAT IS REGARDED THE
STATE DEPARTMENT AS A NUISANCE, AN OBSTACLE TO DOING WHAT WHAT
EXXONMOBIL WANTS, AND I THINK THE SITUATION WAS RIGHT FOR
EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE SEEN,S AND A SECRETARY OF STATE WHO DOESN'T
WANT ANY OF THE USUAL WASHINGTON TREATS.
HE COULD CARE LESS WHAT PEOPLE IN THE WASHINGTON SCENE THINK
ABOUT HIM. HE DOESN'T WANT TO MAKE SPEECHES
WHEN HE IS GONE OR WRITE A MEMOIR.
I HAVE READ ABOUT HIM THAT HIS VIEW OF THIS JOB IS BASICALLY
THE COUNTRY MUSIC SONG. TAKE THIS AND SHOVE IT.
HOW LONG IS THE WHITE HOUSE GOING TO PUT UP WITH SUCH A
DIFFIDENT SECRETARY OF STATE? I HAVE HEARD HE ISN'T GETTING IT
RIGHT, AND HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THIS CAN LAST?
>> ULTIMATELY, THAT COMES DOWN TO THE PRESIDENT, AND SO IT'S
UNKNOWABLE, BUT FIND ME SOMEBODY -- PLEASE.
I WOULD LOVE TO MEET THEM. FIND ME SOMEONE IN THE WHITE
HOUSE WHO IS AN ENTHUSIASTIC ENDORSER OF REX TILLERSON.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE, AND THAT'S AN UNSUSTAINABLE
POSITION. I CANNOT FIND THAT PERSON.
>> WHEN YOU DO, COME BACK TO "MORNING JOE."
>> I WILL! LET ME KNOW.
LET ME KNOW. I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO THEM.
I'M NOT BEING GLIB. I'M BEING SINCERE.
>> WE'RE GOING TO PUT A 1-8 HUNDRED NUMBER ON THE BOTTOM OF
THE SCREEN -- >> I DON'T THINK HE TOOK THE
OATH. >> WE CAN FIND SOMEBODY.
>> HE IS VERY UPSET. >> IT'S REAL.