PATRICK GRIFFIN, A REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST WHO’S CONSULTED ON
FOUR REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGNS.
PATRICK, THIS DEPARTURE
CERTAINLY SEEMS AMICABLE.
THERE IS NO DRAMA OR SHAME OR
SCANDAL AROUND IT.
THAT’S SOMEWHAT RARE FOR THIS
WHITE HOUSE.
WHITE HOUSE. WHAT’S YOUR TAKE?
>> I THINK THERE WAS GREAT
PURPOSE IN THIS MORNING’S SORT
OF APPEARANCE, JOINT APPEARANCE
WITH THE WHITE HOUSE.
CLEARLY OPTIC WAS TO INDICATE
JUST THAT, RIGHT, WE’RE FRIENDS,
WE’RE GETTING ALONG, I LIKE HER,
SHE VERY CAPABLE, VERY
CONFIDENT.
CONFIDENT. I THINK NIKKI HALEY IS AN
INCREDIBLY -- THE WORD DEFT HAS
BEEN USED ABOUT HER AS A
POLITICIAN.
POLITICIAN. >> STRATEGIC.
>> STRATEGIC. >> AS OLD GEORGE W. BUSH WOULD
SAY, THERE’S A LOT OF
STRATERGERY INVOLVED IN HER.
SHE IS A POLITICIAN WHO SEEKS
OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT COMES AND IT
SERVED HER WELL.
>> WHAT’S THE OPPORTUNITY?
BECAUSE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA --
MARK SANFORD EARLIER TODAY SAID
SOMETHING DON’T SMELL RIGHT.
>> A LOT OF THINGS DON’T ALWAYS
SMELL RIGHT IN POLITICS.
I THINK WE MIGHT BE OVERTHINKING
THIS.
THIS. THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS DONALD
TRUMP IN HIS PRESIDENCY, THE WAY
PEOPLE COME AND GO, AND YOU
MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAY THERE’S
SOMETHING GOING ON HERE.
I THINK NIKKI HALEY DID HER TWO
YEARS.
YEARS. SHE WANTS TO GET OUT BEFORE
ANOTHER BUILDING BURNS.
SHE MAY BE DOING IT AT JUST THE
RIGHT POINT FOR HER BRAND.
>> TO THAT EXACT POINT,
JONATHAN, THE WHITE HOUSE RIGHT
NOW IS CELEBRATING SORT OF THE
CLEAREST WINS THEY HAVE.
YOU HAVEN’T HEARD MUCH ABOUT
ROBERT MUELLER OR THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION IN A BIG WAY.
THEY’RE COMING OFF NAFTA 2.0 AT
A TIME WHEN UNEMPLOYMENT IS
3.7%.
3.7%. STOCK MARKET HITTING RECORD
NUMBERS.
NUMBERS. IS IT SURPRISING TO YOU THAT
SHE’D WALK OUT NOW AND WE CAN’T
FORGET BRETT KAVANAUGH WAS JUST
CONFIRMED WHICH WAS A DICEY ROAD
FOR WOMEN, FOR REPUBLICAN WOMEN.
>> RIGHT, SO IN A NORMAL
FUNCTIONING WHITE HOUSE, THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT --
ANNOUNCEMENT -- >> I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
>> WELL, RIGHT.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD NOT HAVE
HAPPENED UNTIL AFTER THE MIDTERM
ELECTIONS.
ELECTIONS. THE CHIEF OF STAFF USUALLY SENDS
OUT A MESSAGE THAT SAYS IF YOU
ARE THINKING OF QUITTING, YOU’VE
GOT TO MAKE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT BY
THIS DATE FROM LABOR DAY ON.
WE WANT TO JUST BE STABLE AND --
>> THAT’S A GREAT POINT BECAUSE
IT’S NOT LIKE SHE’S LEAVING
UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR.
WHY ANNOUNCE IT NOW?
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. SHE’S GOT 28 DAYS.
SHE COULD NOT HOLD THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 28 DAYS?
AND YET IN HER RESIGNATION
LETTER, SHE SAYS SHE’LL BE THERE
UNTIL JANUARY 2019.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN CONGRESSMAN
MARK SANFORD, FORMER GOVERNOR OF
SOUTH CAROLINA, MARK SANFORD,
SAYS ON MSNBC THAT SOMETHING
DOESN’T SMELL RIGHT, PAY
ATTENTION TO HIM.
BECAUSE JUST GOOGLE IT, FOLKS,
IF YOU DON’T REMEMBER WHAT
HAPPENED
HAPPENED HAPPENED, MARK SANFORD,
APPALACHIAN TRAIL.
APPALACHIAN TRAIL. SO THERE IS SOMETHING --
>> APPALACHIAN TRAIL BY WAY OF
BRAZIL.
BRAZIL. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> DAVID, TO THAT POINT, I MEAN,
NIKKI HALEY -- ARGENTINA, EXCUSE
ME.
ME. NIKKI HALEY HAS BEEN LAUDED ONE
OF THE PRESIDENT’S
LONGEST-SERVING GREAT AIDES.
IT’S NOT LIKE SHE’S QUITTING
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW. SHE’S GOING TO STAY UNTIL THE
END OF THE YEAR.
WHY WOULD THIS HAPPEN NOW?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT’S THE BIG
QUESTION.
QUESTION. YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY TRIED TO
PUT A BRAVE FACE ON IT.
TRIED TO MAKE IT LOOK GOOD AND
AMICABLE.
AMICABLE. BUT OF COURSE SHE COULD HAVE
WAITED FOUR WEEKS AND SHE
DIDN’T.
DIDN’T. SHE ALSO SUBMITTED THE
RESIGNATION LAST WEEK.
I THINK THEY MAY HAVE FELT THEY
DODGED A BULLET BECAUSE IF THEY
WERE ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK, IT
WOULD LOOK DIRECTLY LIKE IT WAS
RELATED TO THE KAVANAUGH THING.
THEY PUSHED IT OFF UNTIL NOW.
NOW YOU’VE GOT TO ASK WHY BEFORE
THE ELECTION.
THE ELECTION. AND I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE
OF POSSIBILITIES.
OF POSSIBILITIES. ONE IS THERE’S SOME ETHICS
VIOLATIONS THAT ARE SWIRLING UP
AROUND HER REGARDING THE USE OF
SOME PRIVATE JETS AND THAT SORT
OF THING.
OF THING. SHE MAY HAVE NOT WANTED TO BE A
DISTRACTION PRIOR TO THE
ELECTION.
ELECTION. THERE’S ALSO A LOT OF BAD BLOOD
BETWEEN HER AND THE NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER JOHN BOLTON WHO
IS NOTORIOUSLY ANTI-U.N.
SHE’S HAD A BAD RUN WITH THE
STATE DEPARTMENT.
STATE DEPARTMENT. DIDN’T GET ALONG VERY WELL WITH
REX TILLERSON.
REX TILLERSON. IT’S A LITTLE BETTER WITH POMPEO
BUT CLEARLY THE LAST U.N. VISIT
WENT BADLY.
WENT BADLY. THE PRESIDENT WAS LAUGHED AT BY
THE ENTIRE WORLD.
AND I THINK SHE WAS A LITTLE
FRUSTRATED THAT SHE WAS NOT MORE
IN THE LOOP AND ABLE TO
INFLUENCE THAT.
INFLUENCE THAT. BUT SOMETHING MATE HER SNAP.
IT MATE HER SNAP LAST WEEK.
IT MADE HER SAY I’M NOT GOING TO
WAIT UNTIL THE ELECTION.
AND WHEN WE FIND OUT WHAT THAT
IS, IT’S GOING TO BE A REAL
INTERESTING STORY.
INTERESTING STORY. >> DID SHE SNAP OR DIDN’T?
SHE’S LEAVING WHILE SITTING NEXT
TO THE PRESIDENT VERY CLEARLY
SAYING TO AMERICA I’LL BE
SUPPORTING THIS GUY IN 2020,
GOING OUT OF HER WAY.
I THINK SHE CALLED JARED A
HIDDEN GENIUS WITH HIS WORK ON
TRADE.
TRADE. PATRICK, YOU SAID SHE’S DEFT BUT
YOU SAID ON TWITTER SHE’S A
TACTICAL POLITICIAN, MORE LIKELY
SHE GOT A BETTER OFFER.
WHAT DOES A BETTER OFFER LOOK
LIKE?
LIKE? DO YOU BELIEVE IT’S ONE THAT THE
PRESIDENT APPROVES OF?
>> I THINK WE’LL USE OUR
OLFACTORY SKILLS HERE.
WHAT I SMELL IS OPPORTUNITY.
>> IT COULD BE CORPORATE
OPPORTUNITY IT COULD BE
SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF DIRECT
POLITICS.
POLITICS. I THINK THAT SHE’S A -- HERE’S
THE THING ABOUT HER.
46 YEARS OLD.
TWO-TERM GOVERNOR.
TWO-TERM GOVERNOR. VERY ACCOMPLISHED.
VERY ACCOMPLISHED. IN MY PARTY, SHE’S A VERY GOOD
NARRATIVE OPTIC FOR REPUBLICANS.
WE COULD USE MORE SMART WOMEN
LIKE NIKKI HALEY.
>> YOU THINK?
>> I THINK SO FOR SURE.
BUT FOR SURE NICK YIKKI HALEY HA
SOMETHING GOING.
SOMETHING GOING. I THINK WE’RE LOOKING AT SMOKE
AND SEEING FIRE.
I’M NOT SURE THAT’S THE CASE AND
I WOULDN’T OVERTHINK THIS TOO
MUCH.
MUCH. >> I WAS JOKING ABOUT DOES THE
NAME RHYME WITH SHIVANKA, BUT
NIKKI HALEY DID GO OUT OF HER
WAY.
WAY. SHE CALLED JARED A HIDDEN
GENIUS.
GENIUS. I WANT TO SHARE MORE OF WHAT SHE
SAID ABOUT JARED AND IVANKA.
>> I CAN’T SAY ENOUGH GOOD
THINGS ABOUT JARED AND IVANKA.
JARED IS SUCH A HIDDEN GENIUS
THAT NO ONE UNDERSTANDS.
I MEAN, TO REDO THE NAFTA DEAL
THE WAY HE DID.
WHAT I’VE DONE WORKING WITH HIM
ON THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PLAN,
IT IS SO UNBELIEVABLY WELL DONE.
IVANKA’S BEEN JUST A GREAT
FRIEND.
FRIEND. THEY DO A LOT OF THINGS BEHIND
THE SCENES THAT I WISH MORE
PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT.
>> SO TAKE THAT AT FACE VALUE.
THAT IS THE NARRATIVE THAT
IVANKA AND JARED HAVE BEEN
PUSHING ALL ALONG, ALL THAT WE
DO BEHIND THE SCENES, AND JARED
IS LARGELY CREDITED WITH THIS
NAFTA 2.0.
NAFTA 2.0. A DEAL THAT WILL BE TOUGH FOR
DEMOCRATS TO EVEN TURN DOWN.
DO YOU THINK IVANKA COULD BE
NEXT IN LINE?
SENATE CONFIRMATION WOULD BE
TOUGH FOR HER.
SHE COULD GET APPOINTED IN
RESET, GET HERSELF BACK TO
NEW YORK AND BE ON A WORLD TOUR.
>> THAT WHOLE CLIP WAS ABOUT
JARED SO WHY NOT HAVE IT BE
JARED INSTEAD OF IVANKA?
NOW, THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF
STORIES PARTICULARLY IN
WASHINGTON ABOUT HOW THE TWO OF
THEM DESPERATELY WANT TO COME
BACK TO NEW YORK, HOW THEY
DESPERATELY WANT TO GET OUT --
>> BECAUSE JARED’S GOAL IS TO
GET THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, IS
TO GET CORPORATE AMERICA LOVING
HIM, BECAUSE THAT’S WHO HE WANTS
TO BE HIS PEERS.
THAT’S WHO HE WANTS TO GO HOME
TO IN NEW YORK.
LARGELY THEY’RE PRETTY HAPPY
WITH HIM ESPECIALLY AROUND THE
TAX CUTS AND NOW NAFTA 2.0.
IVANKA HAS A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
IVANKA LOVES THOSE INTERNATIONAL
TRIPS WHERE SHE’S SORT INCH THAT
VERY PUBLIC SPACING.
JARED’S NOT A PUBLIC GUY.
>> SHE LITERALLY SAT IN THE
PRESIDENT’S CHAIR ON THAT TRIP.
I BELIEVE IT WAS TO SAUDI
ARABIA.
ARABIA. AND SO IN THAT REGARD,
OPTICALLY, MAYBE SHE SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED FOR THE NEXT U.N.
AMBASSADOR.
AMBASSADOR. BUT STILL IT GOES BACK TO THE
OVERALL STORY ABOUT THEM WANTING
TO GET OUT OF WASHINGTON, COME
BACK TO NEW YORK.
WHAT BETTER WAY TO COME BACK TO
NEW YORK THAN AS ONE OF THEM
BEING THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE
U.N.
U.N. >> I THINK THE BIG THING HERE,
LOOK, THESE TWO, THEY ARE A
BRAND TOGETHER.
BRAND TOGETHER. IVANKA’S PRETTY GREAT ON THEIR
OWN.
OWN. THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER,
THEY’RE LIKE THE CLINTONS IN
REVERSE IN A MUCH BETTER WAY.
>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
WHAT WAY?
WHAT WAY? >> I THINK IVANKA TRUMP HAS PUT
A BETTER FACE ON HER FATHER.
I THINK SHE’S MORE ADMIRED BY
MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AGAIN, YOUNGER, ACCOMPLISHED
YOUNGER WOMEN WHO HAPPENS TO BE
A REPUBLICAN, AS I SAID BEFORE,
WE COULD USE A FEW MORE OF
THOSE.
THOSE. I STILL THINK THESE GUYS HAVE
PUSHED BACK FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. WE HAVEN’T SEEN MUCH OF THEM.
I THINK THEY STILL HAVE AN AWFUL
LOT OF CONTROL.
MEANS ONE OF TWO THINGS.
EITHER SHE’S GOT SOMETHING GOING
THAT WOULD BE DIRECTLY RELATED,
SOMETHING JARED AND/OR IVANKA
ARE DOING.
ARE DOING. OR SHE’S THE NEXT TRUMP CAMPAIGN
MANAGER.
MANAGER. I’M NOT SURE WHICH.
>> BUT STAY WITH ME ON THAT.
I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING.
SHE IS A NEWER YOUNGER MORE
POISED AND GRACEFUL FACE TO
DONALD TRUMP.
DONALD TRUMP. BUT FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE
WHAT IS IT -- YOU CAN DEFINITELY
POINT TO JARED WHETHER IT’S
ABOUT WHETHER HE’S DONE AROUND
IT’S REALLY OR TRADE.
WHAT SPECIFICALLY HAS IVANKA
DONE?
DONE? >> I’M NOT SURE IVANKA’S ROAD
TESTING A JOB OPPORTUNITY HERE.
>> BUT WHEN YOU SAY SHE’S SO
GREAT, WHAT ABOUT HER?
>> I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT HER
DIPLOMATIC
DIPLOMATIC DIPLOMATIC CREDENTIALS.
DIPLOMATIC CREDENTIALS. I’M TALKING ABOUT THE FACT SHE’S
BEEN A VERY GOOD FACE OF THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. SHE HAS BEEN VERY, VERY GOOD FOR
DONALD TRUMP AND THE TRUMP BRAND
AT A TIME WHEN OCCASIONALLY THE
PRESIDENT GETS HIMSELF IN
TROUBLE.
TROUBLE. >> SO IF I’M A VOTER AND I DON’T
CONSIDER MYSELF A DEMOCRAT OR
REPUBLICAN, I JUST AM SOMEBODY
THAT WANTS TO LIVE A BETTER
LIFE.
LIFE. WHY IS IVANKA TRUMP SOMEONE WHO
SERVES ME?
SERVES ME? BECAUSE I GET HOW DONALD TRUMP
IS RIGHT, FROM A CULTURAL
PERSPECTIVE, THE WARS HE CREATES
SPEAKS TO HIS BASE.
HE IS FEARLESS IN HIS NO HOLDS
BARRED APPROACH, BARRELING
THROUGH AND GETTING STUFF DONE.
BUT WHEN YOU SAY IVANKA IS SO
GOOD FOR DONALD TRUMP, IN WHAT
WAY?
WAY? >> I HATE TO SAY THIS, IT SOUNDS
VERY SHALLOW.
VERY SHALLOW. IVANKA IS A CELEBRATE.
SHE’S BECOME A CELEBRATE.
WE’RE IN A CUTTURE WHERE RIGHT
OR WRONG, WE’RE ELECTING PEOPLE,
AT LEAST IN THE CASE OF DONALD
TRUMP, LARGELY BASED ON HIS
CELEBRITY.
CELEBRITY. HE SAYS IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.
>> HE DOES.
>> I’M NOT SURE THAT -- I’M NOT
SUGGESTING SHE’S READY TO BE A
CABINET SECRETARY.
CABINET SECRETARY. BUT I AM SUGGESTING THAT AMERICA
IS SOMEWHAT SMITTEN WITH IVANKA
TRUMP.
TRUMP. >> IN A JOB -- WELL, IN AN
ADMINISTRATION WHERE THE
PRESIDENT PLAYS TO HIS BASE AND
THE BASE FEELS LIKE THE
PRESIDENT DOESN’T GET ENOUGH
CREDIT, AND THE PRESIDENT FOR
WHOM FAMILY IS EVERYTHING AND
HE’S PUTTING FAMILY MEMBERS ALL
AROUND HIM, IT MAKES SENSE THAT
HE WOULD EVEN THINK ABOUT
PUTTING, SAY, IVANKA IN THAT
JOB.
JOB. BECAUSE THEN IT’S SOMEONE HE
KNOWS, SOMEONE HE TRUSTS AND
SOMEONE WHO WILL DO EXACTLY WHAT
HE WANTS HER TO DO.
SO HER POLICY CHOPS DON’T MATTER
HERE.
HERE. >> LAST POINT TO YOU.
>> WELL, LET’S PUMP THE BRAKES
HERE A LITTLE BIT, OKAY.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IVANKA TRUMP
IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE
STATE OF NEW YORK FOR PROBLEMS
WITH THEIR CHARITY.
IF YOU WANT TO GO AND ELECT, YOU
KNOW, NOMINATE A CELEBRATE FOR
THIS JOB, WHY DON’T WE GO TO THE
WHITE HOUSE NOW?
THE PRESIDENT’S HAVING LUNCH
WITH KANYE.
WITH KANYE. KANYE’S JUST AS QUALIFIED AS
IVANKA.
IVANKA. HE’S A CELEBRITY.
>> THAT IS NOT FAIR.
LISTEN TO ME, YOU CAN SAY THAT
IVANKA IS UNDER INVESTIGATION
WITH REGARD TO THE FAMILY’S
CHARITY, BUT SHE’S WITHOUT A
DOUBT MORE QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB
AND HAS SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS
IN WASHINGTON.
IN WASHINGTON. YOU CANNOT -- THERE’S NO --
BETWEEN KANYE AND IVANKA, THAT’S
A NO.
A NO. >> YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT AND RYE
EXPECT THAT BUT THE REALITY IS
WHAT IVANKA TRUMP HAS GONE OUT
AND DONE IS A LOT OF PHOTO OPS.
SHE’S RECEIVED NOTHING
SUBSTANTIVE.
SUBSTANTIVE. MEANWHILE, SHE’S BEEN GETTING
TRADEMARKS FOR HER BUSINESS
ALONG THE WAY.
SHE’S BEEN INVOLVED IN A WHOLE
BUNCH OF ETHICAL ISSUES THAT
RAISE A LOT OF EYEBROWS.
AND I DON’T THINK THERE IS
ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVE THAT
ANYBODY CAN POINT TO THAT
SUGGESTS SHE’S A LEGITIMATE
CANDIDATE TO BE AN AMBASSADOR
FOR THE U.S., OTHER THAN THE
FACT THAT SHE’S GENETICALLY
RELATED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
UNITED STATES. >> WHO HAS SUGGESTED THAT?
WE’VE HAD A LITTLE FUN WITH THIS
TODAY, STEPHANIE, BUT I DON’T
THINK ANYONE REALLY BELIEVES
DONALD TRUMP IS CONSIDERING
IVANKA FOR THE AMBASSADOR TO THE
U.N.
U.N. >> DO YOU SEE WHERE THE
PRESIDENT IS?
PRESIDENT IS? >> LET ME TAKE THAT BACK,
ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE --
>> I GOT A $2 BET WITH YOU RIGHT
HERE.
HERE. >> I’M TAKING YOUR MONEY.
>> NOT $10,000, A $2 BET THAT AT
THE VERY LEAST SHE’S ON THE
SHORT LIST TO BE AMBASSADOR.
>> BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, OUR
BET IS SHE DOESN’T BECOME AM