METAWE’RE TALKING ABOUT MY VOICE TALKING ABOUT MY VOICE.
ARI, BYE.
ARI, BYE. >> BYE, KATY.
>>> THE TRUMP-MADE RUSSIA CRISIS
ENGULFING THE WHITE HOUSE THIS
WEEK IS TAKING A MAJOR TURN
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS INVITING
VLADIMIR PUTIN TO THE WHITE
HOUSE FOR A NEW SEPARATE SPECIAL
MEETING.
MEETING. IT COMES AS HIS OWN INTEL CHIEF
CONCEDES TODAY THAT TRUMP DIDN’T
TAKE THE RIGHT APPROACH IN HIS
BIG MEETING WITH PUTIN THIS
WEEK, SAYING HE WOULD HAVE DONE
IT A DIFFERENT WAY TO AVOID
GIVING VLADIMIR PUTIN POWER BY
HOLDING THIS NOW VERY
CONTROVERSIAL MEETING WITHOUT
U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY STAFF IN
THE ROOM.
THE ROOM. >> THEY ASKED ME HOW THAT OUGHT
TO BE CONDUCTED.
I WOULD HAVE SUGGESTED A
DIFFERENT WAY.
DIFFERENT WAY. BUT THAT’S NOT MY ROLE.
THAT’S NOT MY JOB.
SO IT IS WHAT IT IS.
>> IT IS WHAT IS.
COATS MAKING WAVES BY ADMITTING
HE WAS KEPT IN THE DARK WHEN
PUTIN’S TOP OFFICIALS WENT INTO
THAT OVAL OFFICE MEETING WITHOUT
NATIONAL SECURITY STAFF, AND
THAT WAS, OF COURSE, ANOTHER
VERY ODD RUSSIA-RELATED MEETING
TRUMP HELD.
TRUMP HELD. THE WHITE HOUSE IS PUSHING
FORWARD, THOUGH, WITH THIS OTHER
MEETING AMIDST UNIVERSAL
CONDEMNATION OF THE HELSINKI
SUMMIT WHICH EVEN TRUMP
ACKNOWLEDGED BY WALKING BACK
THREE DIFFERENT MAJOR RUSSIA
POSITIONS THIS WEEK, INCLUDING
THE WHITE HOUSE TAMPING DOWN A
PROVOCATIVE ATTEMPT TO UNDERCUT
THE AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA,
SUGGESTING HE COULD FACE A
GRILLING FROM THE KREMLIN.
HERE’S THE WHOLE PROGRESSION.
>> HE FEELS VERY STRONGLY ABOUT
IT, IT’S AN INTERESTING IDEA.
IT’S AN INCREDIBLE OFFER.
>> THE PRESIDENT’S GOING TO MEET
WITH HIS TEAM AND WE’LL LET YOU
KNOW WHEN WE HAVE AN
ANNOUNCEMENT ON THAT.
>> DONALD TRUMP HAS NOW
DISAGREED WITH THAT PROPOSAL,
THEY SAY IT WAS MADE IN
SINCERITY.
SINCERITY. BUT SOMETHING THEY DISAGREE
WITH, AND THEY WILL NOT BE
PURSUING.
PURSUING. >> SOMETHING THEY NOW DISAGREE
WITH.
WITH. DONALD TRUMP DID CHEER THAT
OFFER, THOUGH, WHEN HE WAS AT
PUTIN’S SIDE, THEN LEAVING IT TO
AIDES TO DECLARE THIS
DISAGREEMENT, JUST LIKE HIS
SPOKESPERSON HAD TO SPIN THIS
ODD EXCHANGE ABOUT RUSSIA ALSO
THIS WEEK.
THIS WEEK. >> IS RUSSIA STILL TARGETING THE
U.S., MR. PRESIDENT?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> LET’S GO, MAKE YOUR WAY OUT.
>> YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK
WITH THE PRESIDENT AFTER THE
COMMENTS, THE PRESIDENT WAS --
SAID THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WAS
SAYING NO TO ANSWERING
QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS. >> JUST NO TO ANSWERING
QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS. THOSE WALKBACKS PALE NEXT TO ONE
EMPOWERING SO MANY JOKES AND
MEMES THIS WEEK.
THE REFERENCE TO A DOUBLE
NEGATIVE TO SPIN HIS EMBRACE OF
PUTIN’S DEFENSE AT THE SUMMIT.
>> THE SENTENCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
I DON’T SEE ANY REASON WHY IT
WOULDN’T BE RUSSIA, SORT OF A
DOUBLE NEGATIVE.
DOUBLE NEGATIVE. SO YOU CAN PUT THAT IN AND I
THINK THAT PROBABLY CLARIFIES
THINGS PRETTY GOOD BY ITSELF.
>> SO HERE’S WHERE WE ARE.
DONALD TRUMP FORGED HIS ENTIRE
PUBLIC BRAND ON FIRING ANYONE,
FIGHTING ANYONE AND NEVER
APOLOGIZING OR BACKING DOWN.
HIS WHOLE AURA WAS REALITY STAR
MEETS TOM PETTY, WON’T BACK
DOWN, GONNA STAND MY GROUND, AND
I WON’T BACK DOWN.
THAT WAS THE NARRATIVE.
THIS WEEK, OF COURSE, EXPOSES
THE GIANT EXCEPTION.
WHEN IT COMES TO PUTIN AND
RUSSIA POLICY, TRUMP WON’T
FIGHT.
FIGHT. HE LOOKS LIKE HE’S AFRAID PUTIN
WILL FIRE HIM.
HE SPENT FOUR CONSECUTIVE DAYS
BACKING DOWN AND EXPLAINING
HIMSELF.
HIMSELF. AND THIS QUITE BLATANT DEPARTURE
FROM TRUMP’S NORMAL BRAND HAS
MANY SERIOUS PEOPLE ASKING
QUESTIONS THIS WEEK.
"THE NEW YORK TIMES," FRONT
PAGE, WITH AN ARTICLE
QUESTIONING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
TREASON MAY HIT THE OVAL OFFICE.
IF RUSSIA IS THE ONE TOPIC THAT
TERMS TRUMP FROM A RELENTLESS
TOM PETTY FIGHTER TO A KIND OF A
BUMBLING, FLINCHING, FLAILING CA
PITLATOR, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
ASK WHY.
ASK WHY. LIKE TONIGHT, PEOPLE ARE ASKING
WHY THIS WIDELY CONTENDED WEEK
OF DONALD TRUMP’S FOREIGN POLICY
TOWARDS RUSSIA IS BEING CAPPED
AT THIS HOUR WITH THIS
DEVELOPING NEWS OF A DRAMATIC
RED CARPET INVITE FOR VLADIMIR
PUTIN TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
I AM JOINED NOW BY FORMER
AMBASSADOR, MARK GINSBURG, WHO
CALLED MONDAY’S MEETING A SHAME
AND SURE REDDERRENDER SUMMIT.
AND SAM SEEDER.
AMBASSADOR, I BEGIN WITH YOU,
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
>> WELL, IT’S HAPPENING LARGELY
BECAUSE OF THE DURESS THAT TRUMP
HAS RECEIVED FROM SOME
SUPPORTERS, PARTICULARLY NEWT
GINGRICH AND A COUPLE OTHERS ON
FOX NEWS.
FOX NEWS. THAT GOT UNDER HIS SKIN.
IT’S NOT BECAUSE OF THE
SUBSTANCE.
SUBSTANCE. HE ACTUALLY IS CONVINCED THAT
WHAT HE DID IN HELSINKI WAS NOT
THE EQUIVALENT OF A CHAMBERLAIN
SURRENDER, OR AN APPEASEMENT,
THAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED
SOMETHING.
SOMETHING. WHAT HE SAID SAYING TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE IS THAT MR.
PUTIN HAS SOMETHING ON HIM, THAT
THERE’S A REASON WHY THIS
OBSEQUIOUS KOWTOWING TO PUTIN --
THAT PUTIN INFLICTED ON THE
UNITED STATES AND THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. IN MY HUMBLE BELIEF, THE EFFORTS
TRUMP HAS DONE TO ENGAGE PUTIN
SEPARATELY AND AWAY FROM ANY
PRYING EAR OF ANY AIDE, IT’S
BECAUSE MR. TRUMP IS FEARFUL
THAT MR. PUTIN HAS SOMETHING ON
HIM.
HIM. >> THAT’S BEEN ONE OF THE
QUESTIONS THAT’S GETTING
MAINLINED.
MAINLINED. BECAUSE PUTIN HIMSELF WAS ASKED
ABOUT IT, BOTH AT THE SUMMIT,
SENATOR, AS WELL AS IN THE FOX
INTERVIEW HE DID, WHICH WE’LL
TOUCH ON LATER IN THE HOUR.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THIS, IT
SEEMS LIKE EVEN IF YOU FORGET
COLLUSION, AND THAT
INVESTIGATION, WHICH IS NOT DONE
AND DOESN’T NEED TO BE
PRE-JUDGED, SOMETHING VERY
CONCERNING IS HAPPENING RIGHT
NOW BETWEEN THESE TWO MEN WHILE
HE’S PRESIDENT.
HE’S PRESIDENT. IN SOME WAYS IT’S MORE PROFOUND
FOR NATIONAL SECURITY THAN
PERHAPS WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE
OCCURRED IN 2016.
>> IT ACTUALLY, TO THE CASUAL
OBSERVER, WOULD APPEAR THAT
DONALD TRUMP IS WORRIED THAT
SOMEHOW NOW HE’S OFFENDED PUTIN
BY HIS RECENT WALKBACKS AND IS
NOW TRYING TO MAKE AMENDS.
>> YOU THINK THAT’S WHAT THIS
OFFER IS ABOUT?
>> CERTAINLY, TO A CASUAL
OBSERVER, IT LOOKS THAT WAY.
RATHER THAN ANSWERING YOUR
QUESTION.
QUESTION. I WANT TO ANSWER A QUESTION THAT
WILLIAMS ASKED BOB KERRY.
>> DO YOU WANT TO WALK OVER
THERE AND DO HIS SHOW, INSTEAD?
I WANT TO DO A LOT OF THINGS,
SENATOR.
SENATOR. I’M GOING TO TRY THAT -- RATHER
THAN TAKING THIS ASSIGNMENT, I’M
GOING TO GO TO THE BEACH.
>> HE ASKED BOB LAST NIGHT
NOTING THE REAL HEROES OF
WATERGATE WERE REPUBLICANS.
WHERE IS THE HOWARD BAKER OF
THIS CRISIS.
THIS CRISIS. AND IT OCCURRED TO ME, HEARING
ABOUT THIS NEW SUMMIT TODAY,
MITCH McCONNELL, ORRIN HATCH,
GRASSLEY, PEOPLE IN THE TWILIGHT
OF THEIR CAREERS, YOU’RE EITHER
NEVER GOING TO BE FORGIVEN FOR
BEING SILENT THESE WEEKS OR IF
YOU SPEAK UP NOW, NEVER
FORGOTTEN.
FORGOTTEN. MITCH McCONNELL NEEDS TO GO TO
THE PRESIDENT AND SAY WHEN
VLADIMIR PUTIN COMES BACK TO
THIS COUNTRY FOR THE SAKE OF
AMERICAN SECURITY, OUR
CREDIBILITY WITH OUR ALLIES, THE
CREDIBILITY OF YOUR OFFICE, THE
FUNCTIONING OF THIS GOVERNMENT,
YOU ARE NOT TO MEET WITH HIM
ALONE.
ALONE. AND IF YOU DO YOU CANNOT COUNT
ON ME WHEN THE REPORT COMES OUT
FROM MUELLER, MAKE IT CLEAR AND
PUT IT ON THE LINE.
OTHERWISE, WHAT ALLY IS EVER
GOING TO SHARE WITH INTELLIGENCE
WITH US ABOUT RUSSIA AGAIN?
AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO RESTORE
CREDIBILITY TO THIS
ADMINISTRATION?
ADMINISTRATION? >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT.
I WANT TO STEP BACK FOR A
MINUTE.
MINUTE. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE ASKING
DEEPER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT’S BEHAVIOR AND WHY --
>> YOU MEAN THE KIND OF
QUESTIONS BRIAN WILLIAMS ASKED.
I KNOW THE KIND OF QUESTIONS.
>> WHAT ON EARTH?
>> THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE WORTH
ANSWERING.
ANSWERING. >> THE ONES WE’VE RAISED ON THIS
SHOW THAT ARE WORTH ANSWERING.
BUT IT REALLY -- WE SHOULD ALL
JUST BE ALARMED, PERSONALLY
OFFENDED, BUT OUR COUNTRY IS IN
JEOPARDY RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS NOT JUST A POLITICAL
ISSUE.
ISSUE. WE OFTEN GET ON TV AND
POLITICIZE THINGS, RIGHT?
>> YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS
AT STAKE FOR OUR NATIONAL
SECURITY?
SECURITY? >> WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR NATIONAL
SECURITY IS WHAT THE REPUBLICANS
ON CAPITOL HILL SHOULD CARE
ABOUT.
ABOUT. THE FACT WE HAVE THIS MAN WHO’S
BEHAVING ERRATICALLY, DOESN’T
SEEM TO HAVE ANY KIND OF MEMORY,
A LACK OF EMPATHY, THERE’S
SOMETHING THAT’S VERY
PATHOLOGICAL ABOUT THE WAY HE IS
OPERATING THAT THERE’S A REASON
WHY WE HAVE THREE BRANCHES OF
GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT. IF THERE IS ANY MOMENT IN TIME
THAT CONGRESS SHOULD STEP UP AND
SAY WAIT A MINUTE SOMETHING
ABOUT JUDGMENT ISN’T RIGHT, WE
ACTUALLY NEED TO EXERCISE BETTER
JUDGMENT HERE, THEY SHOULD, BUT
WE SAW TODAY THAT THE
REPUBLICANS ARE COWARDS IN
CONGRESS BECAUSE THEY’VE REFUSED
TO EVEN JUST -- TO VOTE AND SAY
THAT WE SUPPORT OUR INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY AND WE AGREE AND WE
KNOW IT TO BE TRUE, THAT THE
RUSSIANS HAVE MEDDLED.
I DON’T KNOW IF WE’RE GOING TO
GET TO WHERE YOU THINK WE SHOULD
BE.
BE. >> I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW,
EVEN -- EVEN IF YOU BACK UP JUST
TO THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY
THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS
IS PROBLEMATIC FROM A DEMOCRATIC
STANDPOINT.
STANDPOINT. YOU KNOW, IT’S A SMALL DEED,
DEMOCRATIC, THE IDEA THAT THESE
TWO MEN ARE MEETING WITHOUT ANY
RECORD WHATSOEVER AND WITHOUT
ANY NOTION OF WHAT THE AGENDA IS
IS JUST FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG
BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO THESE
SECOND ASK THIRD ORDER QUESTIONS
WHICH, YOU KNOW, ARE
INCREASINGLY BECOMING FIRST
ORDER QUESTIONS.
ORDER QUESTIONS. >> WHICH IS A QUESTION THAT
CONSERVATIVES OFTEN LIKE TO POSE
IN THE LEGAL PROCESS.
IF YOU’RE NOT GUILTY, WHY ARE
YOU HIDING?
YOU HIDING? >> YES, AND ALSO YOU’RE THE
PRESIDENT OF A -- YOU’RE
DEMOCRATLY ELECTED PRESIDENT
WHEN YOU GO IN AND MEET WITH
THIS WORLD LEADER, WE HAVE A
RIGHT TO BE AWARE OF WHAT IS
BEING DISCUSSED, AT LEAST IN
BROAD STROKES.
BROAD STROKES. >> I WOULD PUSH YOU ON THAT, THE
NATIONAL SECURITY APPARATUS HAS
A RIGHT.
A RIGHT. THE ENTIRE PUBLIC DOES NOT.
BUT THE NOTION, TO YOUR POINT,
THE NOTION THAT THE NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR SITTING
DOWN WITH OUR OWN ANDREA
MITCHELL TONIGHT IS SAYING IN
PUBLIC, PERHAPS AS A SIGNAL TO
PEOPLE THAT SOMETHING’S OFF, I
AM BEING KEPT OUT OF THE LOOP ON
THIS AND I KNOW MORE THAN THE
PRESIDENT, AND I’M SUPPOSED TO
BE GUARDING OUR NATION’S SECRETS
IN A NONPARTISAN WAY.
WHY IS HE BEING KEPT OUT?
>> THAT’S THE QUESTION.
THE FACT THAT HE’S GOING PUBLIC
WITH THIS IS PRETTY STUNNING.
THERE’S A LOT OF RED FLAGS BEING
WAVED AROUND IN A LOT OF
DIFFERENT QUARTERS RIGHT NOW
THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE’S
THIS SORT OF LIKE SOFT ATTEMPT,
MAYBE IT’S GETTING HARDER.
>> YEAH, BUT IT’S SOFT, IT’S
SOFT.
SOFT. >> IT’S WAY TOO SOFT.
>> WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT THIS
HISTORICALLY, PEOPLE ARE GOING
TO SAY I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR
GENERAL MATTIS, AND POMPEO.
HISTORY WILL ASK, WHERE WERE
YOU?
YOU? IF THE SECURITY OF THE UNITED
STATES IS AT ISSUE, WHERE WERE
YOU?
YOU? AND TO ALL OF YOU, AND I GO BACK
TO MITCH McCONNELL, ABOUT
MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT,
ABOUT INSISTING THERE BE SOMEONE
ELSE IN THE ROOM.
GO TO THE PRESIDENT’S CABINET,
ARE THESE JOBS SO VALUABLE, IS
BEING IN THE CABINET SO
IMPORTANT TO YOU THAT YOU WOULD
ALLOW THE COUNTRY TO BE
COMPROMISED AND YOUR OWN
REPUTATION TO BE SULLIED,
PERHAPS NOT TODAY, BUT IN THE
EYES OF HISTORY?
IS THERE NOT A HOWARD BAKER IN
THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT?
GOVERNMENT? >> LET ME TAKE THAT TO --
>> IS THERE NOT A PATRIOT IN THE
ENTIRE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT?
THAT’S THE CHALLENGE, RIGHT?
SO THE ENTIRE CABINET IS
COMPLETELY NEUTERED RIGHT NOW.
>> WE ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER TO
THIS QUESTION.
THIS QUESTION. MITCH McCONNELL WOULDN’T EVEN
LET -- WAS GOING TO -- WAS GOING
TO PUNISH POLITICALLY ANYONE WHO
MENTIONED THIS PRIOR TO THE
RUNUP OF THE ELECTION.
MITCH McCONNELL HAS MADE HIS
BED.
BED. I DON’T THINK THERE’S GOING TO
BE THIS MOMENT WHERE MITCH
McCONNELL ALL THE SUDDEN BECOMES
A DIFFERENT PERSON.
>> THAT GOES TO WHETHER PEOPLE
ARE NOT ONLY STANDING BY BUT
POTENTIALLY, ALLEGEDLY BECOMING
THE KIND OF INTERFERENCE THAT
SUBVERSES DEMOCRACY, THE TYPE AS
CHARGED IN THE MUELLER
INDICTMENT, AN INTERNATIONAL
ELECTION-RELATED CONSPIRACY.
ELECTION-RELATED CONSPIRACY. AMBASSADOR, AS SOMEONE WHO
SERVED, I’LL PLAY FOR YOU SOME
OF THE REACTION TO SOMETHING
THAT WAS THE BIG STORY EARLIER
TODAY, BEFORE, AGAIN AS WE’RE
REPORTING TONIGHT, BEFORE DONALD
TRUMP JUST MADE A NEW OFFER TO
VLADIMIR PUTIN TO COME TO THE
WHITE HOUSE.
WHITE HOUSE. BEFORE THAT THERE WAS THE WHITE
HOUSE BASICALLY LEAVING UP IN
THE AIR THAT MAYBE THEY WOULD
LET THE KREMLIN DEPOSE PEOPLE
LIKE YOURSELF WHO’VE BEEN
AMBASSADORS BEFORE TO RUSSIA,
TAKE A LISTEN TO SOME OF THE
RESPONSE TO THAT INSANITY.
>> THAT THE ADMINISTRATION TO
EVEN ENTERTAIN THIS SHOWS TO ME
HOW NAIVE THEY ARE.
>> THE PRESIDENT WOULD WORK WITH
VLADIMIR PUTIN TO PUT IN DANGER
OUR AMBASSADOR STRIKES ME AS
ALMOST PROVIDING AID AND COMFORT
TO THE ENEMY.
>> IT WAS INCREDIBLE, ALL RIGHT,
WHAT A STUPID IDEA BY PUTIN,
CONTINUALLY WALKING BACK, IT’S A
BIG PROBLEM.
BIG PROBLEM. I CAN’T IMAGINE THE CART WHEELS
THEY’RE DOING OVER IN RUSSIA.
>> AMBASSADOR GINSBURG, YOU HAVE
HELD THIS TYPE OF POST.
WHAT WAS YOUR VIEW OF THAT,
WHICH THE WHITE HOUSE IS WALKING
AWAY FROM, AND HAVE YOU EVER
HEARD OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
TRYING TO MAKE THAT KIND OF DEAL
WITH RUSSIA?
WITH RUSSIA? >> NEVER, NEVER HAVE I EVER, IN
ALL MY YEARS, GOING BACK TO THE
DAYS THAT I WORKED FOR SENATOR
KENNEDY ON THE HILL, NEVER HAVE
I SEEN ANY OBSEQUIOUSNESS, THE
IDEA THAT TRUMP COULD CALL THIS
AN INCREDIBLE OFFER AND PUT IN
JEOPARDY, FIRST OF ALL, MY GOOD
FRIEND MICHAEL McFAUL, FORMER
AMBASSADOR OF RUSSIA, DURING HIS
TOUR OF DUTY IN RUSSIA WAS
SUBJECTED TO THE WORST TYPE OF
HARASSMENT BY PUTIN AND HIS
THUGS, HIS FAMILY, HIMSELF
UNDERMINING THE INTEGRITY,
ANYTHING THAT REPRESENTED THE
PROTECTION OF THE VIENNA
CONVENTION FOR DIPLOMATS.
PUTIN WILL STOP AT NOTHING.
BY THE WAY, MAY I ADD, THE FACT
THAT PUTIN OFFERED TO LET
MUELLER COME OVER AND QUESTION
HIS AGENTS, HIS MILITARY AGENTS
ONLY SHOWS YOU THAT PUTIN KNEW
AND IN EFFECT RECOGNIZES THAT
THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO WORKED FOR
HIM.
HIM. SO MAYBE IN THE END WE GOT THAT
LITTLE PIECE OUT OF IT.
BUT LET ME MAKE IT VERY CLEAR,
ARI, THE FACT THAT THIS WHITE
HOUSE REQUIRED PEOPLE LIKE MIKE
McFAUL AND MR. BROWDER TO HAVE
TO WORRY WHETHER OR NOT THEY
WOULD BE SERVED UP ON A SILVER
PLATTER TO MR. PUTIN BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
IS DESPICABLE.
IS DESPICABLE. >> I THINK IT’S WELL PUT.
AND IT’S ONE OF THE MANY THINGS
THAT THE WHITE HOUSE MAY BE
TRYING TO RUN FROM TONIGHT WITH
THE OTHER MOVES IT’S MAKING
WHICH ARE OBVIOUSLY NEWSWORTHY,
THE INVITE TO THE WHITE HOUSE
FOR PUTIN, AND YET WAS A
REMARKABLE PIECE OF STATE CRAFT
OVER THESE LAST FEW DAYS THAT IT
WAS EVEN, AS YOU SAY, PUT OUT
THERE.
THERE. AMBASSADOR GINSBURG, MY THANKS