>>> TONIGHT AS THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT EANNOUNCES HIS
PICK TO RUN THE PENTAGON THE
CURRENT PRESIDENT HAS BEEN BUSY
PACKING OUR NATION’S DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT WITH LOYALISTS.
IN ITS LATEST SHAKEUP THE WHITE
HOUSE FIRED NINE MEMBERS OF THE
PENTAGON’S DEFENSE BUSINESS
ADVISORY BOARD.
IN THEIR PLACE THE PRESIDENT PUT
IN ALLIES INCLUDING FORMER
CAMPAIGN OFFICIALS CORY
LEWANDOWSKI AND DAVID BOSSE.
THE MOVE LED OUR NEXT GUEST, ONE
OF THE FEW SURVIVING BOARD
MEMBERS, TO TURN IN HIS
RESIGNATION.
IN HIS RESIGNATION LETTER HE
WROTE, QUOTE, IN EXCHANGE FOR
IDEOLOGICAL PURITY THE ABRUPT
TERMINATION OF MORE THAN HALF OF
THE DEFENSE BUSINESS BOARD AND
THEIR REPLACEMENT WITH POLITICAL
PARTISANS HAS NOW PUT THE
NATION’S SAFETY AND SECURITY AT
RISK.
MY SERVICE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE WAS A SERVICE TO THE
COUNTRY NOT TO A PARTY.
AND SO WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME
TO THE BROADCAST TONIGHT STEVE
BLANK.
HE’S A MILITARY VETERAN HIMSELF.
HE’S ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF
SILICON VALLEY, A STARTUP
SPECIALIST WHO’S LAUNCHED MANY A
VENTURE.
HE TEACHES AT STANFORD AND
AND SO TO KEEP THE DEPARTMENT
THAT WAS OUR ROLE AND IT WORKED
WELL FOR QUITE A WHILE.
>> AND TALK ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL
DECISION.
THE PRESIDENT CLEARLY DECIDED TO
CHEAPEN THE ROLES THE PEOPLE WHO
USED TO FILL THE SEATS ALONG
SIDE YOU AROUND THE CONFERENCE
TABLE LIKE TOSSING OUT DOUBLOONS
AT MARDI GRAS FROM A PARADE
FLOAT.
THEY’VE NOW BEEN CHEAPENED WITH
THE LIKES OF CORY LEWANDOWSKI
AND DAVID BOSSE.
SO YOU CHOSE IT WAS OF ENOUGH
VALUE TO YOU TO LEAVE THAN TO
STAY.
>> WELL, YES, THAT’S A COLORFUL
CHARACTERIZATION OF WHAT
HAPPENED.
BUT FOR ME, BRIAN, I GREW UP IN
TO 20th CENTURY REMEMBERING
IDEOLOGICAL PURGES AND POLITICAL
COMMISSARS IN THE SOVIET UNION,
WHERE THERE WAS ONLY ONE PARTY
AND ONE SET OF THOUGHTS.
AND IF YOU DIDN’T THINK THAT
WAY, LIFE WASN’T GOOD FOR YOU.
YOU CERTAINLY DIDN’T GET TO
ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT.
AND FROM THE UNITED STATES POINT
OF VIEW WE REALIZED THAT’S WHY
THE SOVIET UNION OR ALL
AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENTS WERE
WEAK BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T
ENCOURAGE DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT.
WE, ON THE OTHER HAND, ACTED AS
A SINGLE NATION.
AND NO ONE ASKED -- I STILL
COULDN’T TELL YOU WHAT PARTY ANY
OF MY BOARD MEMBERS WERE FROM.
THE IDEA WAS TO GIVE THE COUNTRY
THE BEST ADVICE PERIOD.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN I SAW
THIS CHANGE, YOU KNOW, I ASKED
SOME FRIENDS IN WASHINGTON
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO KIND OF
APPROACH THIS?
AND THE ADVICE I GOT IN GENERAL
WAS, YOU KNOW, JUST STICK IT OUT
AND IT’LL BE OVER IN SOME 40
SOME ODD DAYS, AND I THOUGHT
ABOUT THAT OVERNIGHT.
AND THEN I REALIZED TWO THINGS.
ONE IS I COULDN’T LOOK MYSELF IN
THE MIRROR IN THE MORNING, AND
TWO IS I COULDN’T LOOK MY KIDS
IN THE EYE FOR THE NEXT 43 DAYS
BECAUSE WE’VE PREACHED AND I’VE
TAUGHT MY STUDENTS THIS IN ALL
MY SCHOOLS IS THAT YOU HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY IN LIFE TO SERVE, TO
SERVE YOUR GOD, YOUR COUNTRY,
YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR FAMILY IN
WHATEVER ORDER YOU WANT.
BUT YOU OUGHT TO SERVE.
AND I HERE WAS CHOOSING TO SERVE
MY COUNTRY AND DIDN’T THINK I
WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT
WELL UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO I STEPPED DOWN.
AND I THINK WE’LL HAVE A CHANGE
IN SIX WEEKS, AND, YOU KNOW, GOD
BLESS THE COUNTRY AND THE NEW
PERSONNEL.
>> FINAL QUESTION, THE HISTORIAN
MICHAEL BESCHLOSS SAID ON THIS
BROADCAST HE VIEWS THIS ELECTION
AS A REALLY CLOSE CALL FOR
DEMOCRACY.
HE BELIEVES WE’VE COME OUT THE
OTHER SIDE.
ARE YOU AS CONVINCED THAT THE
CLOSE CALL IS OVER AND SUNNIER
DAYS ARE AHEAD?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS AT
LEAST FOR ME PROVES HOW FRAGILE
DEMOCRACY IS AND HOW DESTRUCTIVE
SOCIAL MEDIA IS.
AND IT ALSO MADE ME THINK ABOUT
HISTORY FOR A BIT, BRIAN, THAT
NATIONS FAIL FOR A COUPLE OF
REASONS.
THEY FAIL BECAUSE THEY LOSE WARS
OR THEY DECLINE AN ECONOMIC
POWER OR MISS MILITARY
INNOVATIONS OR DOCTRINE.
BUT THEY ALSO FAIL BECAUSE OF
INTERNAL WARS OR DISSENSION.
AND THERE’S ONLY BEEN ONE
COUNTRY THAT’S COME BACK FROM
DECLINE IN THE LAST HUNDRED
YEARS AND THAT’S CHINACH AND I
FEAR FOR OUR COUNTRY.
AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
OUGHT TO BE THINKING ABOUT
STANDING UP FOR WHAT THEY
BELIEVE IN AND FOCUS ON COUNTRY