BEHOLDEN TO OR LESS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE AND THIS
PRESIDENT’S VIEWS IS PURE
FICTION.
FICTION. SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
BLOOD-BOILING STORIES.
BLOOD-BOILING STORIES. I’M GOING TO HAND IT OFF TO YOU
GUYS.
GUYS. I WANT TO SAY ONE THING, MY HOW
FAR HAS FALLEN SINCE THE
STATESMAN LED IT AT THE
BEGINNING JAMES MATTIS.
>> I SERVED 12 YEARS ON THE
ARMED SERVICE COMMITTEES.
IT WAS PROFESSIONAL AND
NONPARTISAN.
NONPARTISAN. IT WAS ABOUT THE MISSION, IT WAS
NEVER ABOUT THE POLITICS OF THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. AND WATCHING WHAT’S HAPPENED,
WHETHER IT’S THE PARDONING OF
SOMEONE WHO HAD ENGAGED IN
CONDUCT THAT NAVY S.E.A.L.S CAME
FORWARD, UNHEARD OF, AND THEN
TRUMP PUTS HIM OUT ON THE
CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
CAMPAIGN TRAIL. THE IDEA THIS GUY WOULD TRAVEL
8,000 MILES TO TELL THE SAILORS
THAT THE COMMANDER WENT TO THE
MAT FOR THEM WAS STUPID AND
WORKED IN A SLAM ON BOTH THE
MEDIA AND JOE BIDEN IN THE SAME
SPEECH AND HE WANTED TO SAY HE
GOT RID OF THE COMMANDER BECAUSE
OF HIS JUDGMENT, WOEFULLY,
TERRIBLE JUDGMENT AND I’M SO
GLAD THAT HE HAS GONE QUICKLY
BUT DON’T MISTAKE THIS --
THERE’S TURMOIL AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY RIGHT
NOW.
NOW. THERE’S A REAL SCHISM BETWEEN
THE CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP AND THE
MILITARY LEADERSHIP AND THE
MILITARY AND MOSTLY BECAUSE OF
THE TEMPER TANTRUMS AND THE
COMPULSIVE AND THE INAPPROPRIATE
BEHAVIOR OF THE COMMANDER IN
CHIEF.
CHIEF. >> MICHAEL STEELE, IS IT TIME
FOR JIM MATTIS TO SPEAK UP AND
SPEAK OUT, WE KNOW HE SAW THINGS
THAT HE DIDN’T WRITE ABOUT IN
HIS BOOKS, OF HIM TALKING TO MEN
AND WOMEN OF THE MILITARY SAYING
WE’RE GOING THROUGH A TOUGH TIME
IN OUR COUNTRY, HE’S NOT
INTERESTED IN PROTECTING THE
MORALE OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO
SERVED THIS COUNTRY, IS IT TIME
FOR HIM TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> IT IS.
>> IT IS. BUT HE WON’T.
SO I WOULDN’T SPEND TOO MUCH
TIME HOPING AND WAITING FOR THAT
TO HAPPEN.
TO HAPPEN. BECAUSE THERE’S BEEN ENOUGH TIME
SINCE SECRETARY MATTIS WAS IN
THE JOB FOR HIM TO SPEAK ON
THOSE POINTS.
THOSE POINTS. THERE HAVE BEEN ENOUGH EVENTS,
THERE HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TRUMPISM
THAT’S BEEN OUT THERE FOR THE
SECRETARY TO ADDRESS HIS OWN
INSIDE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT’S
REALLY GOING ON IN DEPARTMENTS
LIKE THE PENTAGON, CERTAINLY IN
THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS LIKE
THE NAVY AND AIR FORCE AND ET
CETERA.
CETERA. I THINK THE EXPECTATION FOR US
IS TO TAKE THIS EPISODE IN THE
ONGOING, YOU KNOW, REALITY TV
SHOW OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND
CATEGORIZE IT APPROPRIATELY AND
JUST GET READY TO PLAY IT ALL
BACK FOR NOVEMBER, THAT’S
ULTIMATELY NICOLLE WHERE WE WIND
UP, NICOLLE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
HAVE TO MAKE THEIR OWN
ASSESSMENTS OF THESE MATTERS.
IT DOESN’T MATTER ANYMORE WHAT
THESE OTHER PLAYERS ARE SAYING
WHO HAVEN’T SAID ANYTHING UP TO
THIS POINT AND NOW COMING OUT TO
CONFIRM OR NOT CONFIRM WHAT
PEOPLE FEEL.
PEOPLE FEEL. IT LEAVES IT ON US WHETHER THE
INDIVIDUAL IN THE WHITE HOUSE IS
FIT TO BE THERE FOR ANOTHER
TERM.
TERM. FIT TO BE THERE TO MANAGE THE
CRISES THAT LIE AHEAD.
WE’RE IN THIS FOR NOW.
WE GOT TO DEAL WITH THIS.
ALARM BELLS GOING OFF, STATES
DON’T HAVE TESTS.
STATES WILL BARGAINING WITH ON
EACH OTHER TO GET MASKS.
WE’RE HERE NOW FOR THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THAT’S PART OF A
NARRATIVE OF WHAT WILL COME THE
NEXT FEW MONTHS FOR THE VOTERS