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>> TODAY I’M SIGNING AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER ENCOURAGING
POLICE DEPARTMENTS NATIONWIDE TO
ADOPT THE HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS TO SERVE THEIR
COMMUNITIES.
THESE STANDARDS WILL BE AS HIGH
AND A STRONG AS THERE IS ON
EARTH.
WHAT’S NEEDED NOW IS NOT MORE
STOKING OF FEAR AND DIVISION.
WE NEED TO BRING LAW ENFORCEMENT
AND COMMUNITIES CLOSER TOGETHER,
NOT TO DRIVE THEM APART.
>> MUCH, MUCH TOO LITTLE AND
DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH.
I THINK WHAT WE HAVE GOT TO DO
IS ATTACK THIS CULTURE THAT ALL
OF US KNOW EXISTS.
THIS IS INSTITUTIONAL.
>> Bret: PRESIDENT TRUMP AND
HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP ON THE SHOW
EARLIER TALKING ABOUT THE
EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNING TODAY.
IN THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER ON
POLICE REFORM IT CREATES
CREDENTIALING, CERTIFICATION AND
THE BEST PRACTICES FOR THE USE
OF FORCE.
PART OF THAT SHE WAS THE
PRESIDENT WANTS TO BAN THE USE
OF CHOKE HOLDs UNLESS THE
OFFICER’S LIFE IS IN DANGER.
TRACKING OFFICERS WHO HAVE
REPEATED COMPLAINTS AND OFFERS
INCENTIVES TO DEPLOY SOCIAL
SERVICE EXPERTS ON ISSUES LIKE
MENTAL HEALTH, HOMELESSNESS AND
ADDICTION.
DEMOCRATS, MANY OF THEM, THE
HOUSE SPEAKER SAYING IT’S WEAK,
NOT ENOUGH.
YOU HEARD FROM THE HOUSE
MAJORITY WHIP.
VAN JONES ON THE OTHER CHANNELS
THAT IT’S A STEP IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION AND PROGRESS.
WHERE ARE WE?
LET’S BRING THE PANEL.
JEFF MASON, WHITE HOUSE
CORRESPONDENT FOR REUTERS.
MOLLIE HEMINGWAY, SENIOR EDITOR
AT "THE FEDERALIST."
GUY BENSON, POLITICAL EDITOR AT
TownHall.com.
POST OF THE GUY BENSON SHOW ON
FOX NEWS RADIO.
MOLLIE, I DON’T THINK THE
PRESIDENT BELIEVES IT IS THE
BE-ALL, END-ALL ON THE EXECUTIVE
ORDER.
SENATOR TIM SCOTT IS MOVING
FORWARD WITH LEGISLATION.
HE’S HOPING TO GET BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT FOR THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE
THEIR OWN.
>> THE EXECUTIVE ORDER LAYS OUT
A NUMBER OF THINGS APPROPRIATE
FOR FEDERAL EXECUTIVE ACTION.
YOU HAVE BILLS IN THE HOUSE AND
SENATE THAT DEAL WITH THIS.
I WONDER IF TOO MUCH OF OUR
RESPONSE HAS POLITICAL AND TO
FEDERAL.
POLICING IS VERY LOCAL AND MORE
THAN ANYTHING, THERE’S A HUGE
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM THAT NOBODY
IS TALKING ABOUT.
IF YOU WANT TO IMPROVE THE
SITUATION FOR PEOPLE GROWING UP
IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY, ONE
OF THE VERY BIGGEST THINGS YOU
CAN DO IS ENSURE THAT CHILDREN
ARE RAISED IN HOMES WITH THEIR
OWN MARRIED PARENTS AND WE HAVE
A CRISIS IN THIS COUNTRY WITH
40% OF CHILDREN NOT BEING BORN
TO MARRIED PARENTS.
IF YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT
GRADUATION OF MY SCHOOL, GETTING
INTO COLLEGE, HAVING A CAREER.
NOT GETTING IN ALTERCATIONS WITH
POLICE, NOT BEING INCARCERATED,
NOT BEING DRUG ADDICTED AND ALL
THESE TYPES OF THINGS, THIS IS
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS
WE CAN DO.
NOBODY SEEMS TO BE TALKING ABOUT
IT PROBABLY BECAUSE IT’S VERY
DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT BUT IT’S
VERY IMPORTANT IF WE ACTUALLY
CARE ABOUT CHILDREN IN THIS
COUNTRY AND IMPROVING THEIR
SITUATION.
>> Bret: JEFF, OBVIOUSLY THE
POLITICAL DIVIDE HERE IS STRONG
AS FAR AS WHAT’S HAPPENING AND
HOW IT’S BEING INTERPRETED.
YOU ARE A VIEW WHITE HOUSE
PERSPECTIVE ABOUT WHAT THEY
THINK IS GOING TO COME OUT OF
ALL OF THIS.
>> BRET, I THINK WHAT THEY
WANTED TO DO TODAY WAS HAVE A
POLICY RESPONSE OF SOME KIND
EVEN THOUGH IT’S JUST AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER.
IT’S NOT LEGISLATION.
SOME SORT OF POLICY RESPONSE TO
ADDRESS THE UNREST THAT HAS BEEN
DOUBTING THIS COUNTRY AND REALLY
TAKING, HAVING SO MUCH, A
MASSIVE IMPACT ON THE COUNTRY
OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.
THE PRESIDENT TALKED THE
BEGINNING OF HIS REMARKS TODAY
ABOUT EXPRESSING, EXPRESSED HIS
OWN CONCERN AND CONDOLENCES TO
THE FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF
POLICE, OF POLICE VIOLENCE.
AND PIVOTED PRETTY QUICKLY AFTER
THAT A DISCUSSION OF LAW & ORDER
AND THE TOUGHER RHETORIC THAT’S
CHARACTERIZE HIS RESPONSE TO
THIS FOR THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.
IT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS LOOKING
FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A MIDDLE
GROUND.
THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AS YOU
MENTIONED BEFORE DOES TAKE A
POSITION ON BANNING CHOKE HOLDS
EXCEPT WHEN THE OFFICER’S LIFE
IS AT RISK.
THAT’S AN ISSUE THAT DEMOCRATS
AND REPUBLICANS ON THE HILL ARE
NOT ENTIRELY LINED UP BUT IN
GENERAL HE STILL GAVE A PRETTY
LAW AND ORDER THEMED SPEECH
TODAY AT THE ROLLOUT OF THIS
EXECUTIVE ORDER.
>> Bret: YOU MENTIONED THE
FAMILIES MEETING BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS.
JA’RON SMITH TALKED ABOUT IT,
DIDN’T REALLY OPEN THE DOOR TO
IT, SO THEY WANTED TO BE PRIVATE
BUT SOME FAMILY MEMBERS TALKED
ABOUT IT.
HERE IS A IS AHMAUD ARBERY’S
MOTHER.
>> I WAS VERY EMOTIONAL
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CONFERENCE.
HE WAS VERY COMPASSIONATE.
HE SHOWED CONCERNS FOR ALL
FAMILIES, NOT JUST MY FAMILY BUT
ALL FAMILIES.
I CAN SAY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
WAS VERY RECEIVING.
HE LISTENED AND HE ADDRESSED
EACH AND EVERY FAMILY
ACCORDINGLY.
>> Bret: GAIA, DID THE
PRESIDENT IN THAT SPEECH,
HONESTY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
ACCORDING TO THAT MOTHER.
IN THIS SPEECH, WHAT DID YOU
THINK?
>> HE DID STRIKE A BIT OF A NEW
TONE IN THE SENSE THAT HE WAS
SOFTER AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE
PAIN OF THESE FAMILIES HAVE GONE
THROUGH BECAUSE OF THESE VARIOUS
EXPERIENCES AND I THINK IT’S
JUST A HUMAN THING IF YOU’RE
FACE-TO-FACE WITH PEOPLE WHO
LOST SOMEONE AT THE HANDS OF THE
POLICE AND HAVE THEM SITTING
RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, THAT MAY
CHANGE NOT JUST YOUR TONE BUT
ALSO YOUR HEART A LITTLE BIT IN
THE WAY THAT YOU APPROACH AN
ISSUE AND ITS RIGHT, HE DID
PIVOTED BACK TO LAW AND ORDER.
THAT’S A THEME HE HAS SOUNDED
MANY TIMES, SAYING WE ARE NOT
GOING TO DEFUND THE POLICE AND
THAT SORT OF THING.
I THINK A FEW OF THE STEPS TAKEN
WERE SMART AND NOW WE TURN TO
CAPITOL HILL.
RULE THE REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS MANAGED TO FIND A FEW
THINGS THEY CAN AGREE OUT AND
PASS SOMETHING OR IS IT GOING TO
TO MOTIVATE POLITICAL BASES WITH
NOTHING GETTING DONE BEFORE THE
ELECTION?
I KNOW WHERE MY MONEY IS RIGHT
NOW BUT I HOPE I’M BEING TOO
CYNICAL.
>> Bret: YEAH.
QUICKLY, MOLLIE, I WANT TO GET
TO THIS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FILING A CIVIL COMPLAINT AGAINST
JOHN BOLTON SAYING "DEFENDANT
STRUCK A BARGAIN WITH THE
UNITED STATES AS A CONDITION OF
THIS INFLAMMATION OF THE MOST
SENSITIVE IMPORTANT NATIONAL
SECURITY POSITIONS IN THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND NOW
HE WANTS TO RENEGE ON THAT
BARGAIN BY UNILATERALLY DECIDING
REVIEW PROCESS IS COMPLETE AND
ESSENTIALLY SAYING IT SHOULD
MOVE FORWARD."
WHAT ABOUT THIS?
THE ACLU SAYS IT HAS NO CHANCE
BUT CLEARLY THEY’RE GOING TO TRY
TO BLOCK THIS BOOK.
>> APART FROM A LEGAL CASE WHERE
THERE MIGHT BE LEGAL PROBLEMS OF
PUBLISHING A BOOK LIKE THIS,
THERE’S THE MATTER OF ETHICALLY
ADVISING THE PRESIDENT THEN
PUBLISHING A BOOK ABOUT THOSE
PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS.
THIS HAPPENED TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA.
IT’S HAPPENED OTHER PRESIDENTS.
IT’S UNSEEMLY FOR ADVISORS WHO
HAVE THE SENSITIVE INFORMATION
TO TURN AROUND BEFORE AN
ELECTION AND TRY TO PUBLISH A
BOOK I THINK.