THE LIFE OF BURT REYNOLDS. WE HAVE OUR OWN VERY SPECIAL WAY
OF REMEMBERING THINGS HERE ON
"MORNING JOE."
"MORNING JOE." >> YES, WE DO.
>> LET’S GET TO MORE NEWS NOW.
THE WHITE HOUSE CONTINUES THE
HUNT FOR THE ANONYMOUS
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL BEHIND
THAT SCATHING "NEW YORK TIMES"
OP-ED.
OP-ED. WHODUNIT?
WHODUNIT? >> WHAT DID DONALD TRUMP SAY
LAST NIGHT?
LAST NIGHT? WHEN HE WAS LOOKING FOR -- THE
ANONYMOUS OP-ED WRITER?
>> OH, MY GOD.
>> THE QUOTE, IF YOU WILL.
>> DO WE HAVE IT?
>> THIS IS SO GOOD.
LISTEN TO HIM.
>> HE DOESN’T HAVE IT.
>> JACKIE GLEASON!
I JUST -- WOW.
YOU SUM BITCH!
RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE
PLATE.
PLATE. >> I WHIFFED ON THAT ONE.
>> WOW, ALEX.
SORRY.
SORRY. >> THE "TIMES" REPORTS THAT
WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN
CALLING AROUND ASKING CABINET
SECRETARIES IF THEY’RE
RESPONSIBLE.
RESPONSIBLE. REALLY?
REALLY? YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY MAYBE
BETTER THINGS TO DO?
JUST ASKING.
JUST ASKING. IT HELPS BUILD UP THE BIG REVEAL
THAT IS TAKING DONALD TRUMP AT
HIS OWN GAME.
SO FAR ONE CABINET OFFICIAL
ISSUED A DENIAL.
EVERYONE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
CHIEF OF STAFF JOHN KELLY, AND
ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS,
REFERRED NBC NEWS TO THE
STATEMENT FROM SARAH SANDERS
THAT CALLS THE ANONYMOUS
OFFICIAL A COWARD.
SANDERS ALSO DENIES REPORTS THAT
AIDES ARE PRINTING OUT AND
DELIVERING THE DENIALS TO THE
PRESIDENT DIRECTLY.
PRESIDENT DIRECTLY. MY GOD.
MY GOD. SHE POSTED THE PHONE NUMBER TO
THE "NEW YORK TIMES" OPINION
DESK AND URGED PEOPLE TO CALL IN
AND DEMAND THE PAPER TO REVEAL
THE WRITER.
THE WRITER. SENATOR RAND PAUL REPORTEDLY
RECOMMENDED MEMBERS OF THE
ADMINISTRATION BE SUBJECTED TO
LIE DETECTOR TESTS AND -- WHAT’S
HAPPENED TO RAND PAUL?
>> BY THE WAY, RAND PAUL MISSED
MR. CIVIL LIBERTARIAN.
>> AND A PRINCIPAL.
>> HAUL THEM DOWN AND STRAP THEM
IN.
IN. TAKE THE TEST.
>> THERE WAS AT LEAST SOME
DISCUSSION AMONG THE PRESIDENT’S
ADVISERS, ALSO REPORTEDLY
DISCUSSED ASKING SEENNIOR TO SIG
SWORN AFFIDAVITS THAT COULD BE
USED IN COURT IF NECESSARY.
ONE OUTSIDE REPORTER SAYS THE
WHITE HOUSE HAS A LIST OF ABOUT
12 SUSPECTS.
12 SUSPECTS. >> WILLIE, LET’S TALK ABOUT
THAT.
THAT. TALKED ABOUT IT YESTERDAY.
IF YOU’RE THE "NEW YORK TIMES"
AND THE EDITOR AND SOMEBODY
COMES TO YOU WITH SOMETHING LIKE
THIS, THAT’S THIS SIGNIFICANT.
IT CAN’T BE AN ASSISTANT TO AN
ASSISTANT AT THE NATIONAL
ECONOMIC COUNCIL.
ECONOMIC COUNCIL. IT’S GOT TO BE THE VICE
PRESIDENT OR IT’S GOT TO BE
NIKKI HALEY, OR IT’S GOT TO BE
THE SEC DEF OR -- THERE’S ONLY
SEVEN OTHER EIGHT OFFICIALS THAT
THE "NEW YORK TIMES" SHOULD EVER
GRANT -- RIGHT?
CAN WE EXPECT IF IT’S NOT --
THEY’RE NOT GOING DOWN -- I KNOW
LINDA McMAHON DENIED IT
YESTERDAY, BUT THEY’RE NOT --
YOU WOULD HOPE THE "TIMES" WOULD
SAY IT’S EITHER MATTIS OR KELLY
OR, YOU KNOW -- KEEP IT PRETTY
TIGHT.
TIGHT. >> THE TERM THEY USED AGAIN WAS
SENIOR OFFICIAL IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. NOT SENIOR WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL.
SO THAT SORT OF BROADENS IT OUT
A LITTLE MORE THAN THE PEOPLE
YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT WHO ARE
THAT CLOSE TO THE PRESIDENT ON A
DAILY BASIS.
DAILY BASIS. BUT, YEAH.
BUT, YEAH. I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF THEY’RE
GOING TO TRY TO GO FIND THIS
PERSON, AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY
HAVEN’T FOUND THEM YET, WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THAT LIST OF 27 PEOPLE,
IT STARTS TO LOOK LIKE, IF YOU
BELIEVE ALL OF THESE DENIALS, IT
MAY NOT BE ONE OF THOSE
HEADLINERS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU WONDER, AND THE EDITORS OF
THE "NEW YORK TIMES" WERE ASKED
ON THEIR OWN PODCAST THE DAILY
YESTERDAY IF THEY COULD NAIR TOE
IT DOWN.
IT DOWN. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO NAME A
SENIOR OFFICIAL AND WOULDN’T DO
THAT BECAUSE THEY FELT WOULD BE
TOO REVEALING.
TOO REVEALING. THE ANSWER WE MAY NOT KNOW FOR A
VERY LONG TIME, JOHN, WHO THIS
PERSON S. I’MIS.
>> I’M WITH JOE.
THE PIECE OF REPORTING THAT’S
NEW IN THIS PIECE, ASSERTION,
EARLY STAGE OF THE
ADMINISTRATION CABINET OFFICIALS
DISCUSSING INVOKES THE 25th
AMENDMENT.
AMENDMENT. ANY CABINET PERSON WOULD BE IN A
POSITION TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.
THE TIMES BECAUSE OF THE GRAVITY
PROBABLY NOT EXTEND AN NOMTY YAN
DISCUSSIONS OF THAT KIND.
YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT LOGICALLY
SOMEONE WHO’S A PRINCIPAL.
WHETHER A CABINET MEMBER, SENIOR
WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL, NOT
CASTING SUSPICION ON SOMEONE
LIKE HEAD OF THE NEC, THE NSC.
LOGICALLY, SOMEONE THAT SENIOR
AND COMPORT WITH THE NOTION,
HAVE TO BE SOMEONE THAT SENIOR
TO RELIABLE ASSERT THOSE KINDS
OF DISCUSSIONS HAD TAKEN PLACE
IN THE ADMINISTRATION NAP
WOULDN’T BE A JUNIOR OFFICIAL AT
THE VETERANS AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
THAT WOULD BE IN NO POSITION TO
KNOW ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
>> YOU CERTAINLY WOULD HOPE NOT.
YOU WOULD HOPE IT WOULD YOU ONE
OF EIGHT OR NINE TOP OFFICIALS.
DAVID, HEARD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE
SAYING THE REAL NEWS ISN’T WHO
WROTE IT BUT THE FACT 1,000
PEOPLE IN THE ADMINISTRATION
COULD HAVE WROTE IT.
IF YOU HAD BEEN IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. AS YOU HAVE AND WE HAVE A
GOOD BIT SINCE DONALD TRUMP WAS
SWORN INTO OFFICE, THIS SORT OF
TALK, VERY LOOSELY IN ELITE
CIRCLES OF POLICY LEADERS AND
OFFICIALS AND JOURNALISTS FROM
DAY ONE.
DAY ONE. >> I THINK THAT’S REALLY THE ONE
MESSAGE.
MESSAGE. IT’S THAT ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A
LIST OF DENIALS, THE VERY FACT
THAT IT’S KNOWN THAT THERE ARE
MANY, I’D SAY A HALF DOZEN OR
MORE, PEOPLE WHO HAVE DOING WHAT
THIS OP-ED DESCRIBES, HAVE BEEN
TRYING TO STEER POLICY IN A WAY
THAT IT WOULDN’T BE DAMAGED BY
THE WHIMS AND IMPULSIVE
DECISIONS OF THE PRESIDENT.
THAT TELLS US THAT THE PHENOMENA
IN THE PIECE, WHATEVER THE
CONTROVERSY ABOUT WHO WROTE IT,
IS REAL.
IS REAL. AND I THINK THAT -- IN THAT
SENSE IT UNDERLINES SOMETHING WE
SORT OF KNEW BUT IT JUST DRIVES
IT HOME.
IT HOME. TRUMP’S RAGE AT THIS IS IN PART
OF RAGE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT
HE HAS UNDERSTOOD I THINK FOR
MONTHS THAT HE DOESN’T FULLY
CONTROL.
CONTROL. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> AND THE -- I THINK THE
QUESTION IS HOW MUCH DAMAGE THIS
CRAZY PERIOD BOB WOODWARD’S BOOK
QUOTED SOMEBODY AS CALLING IT
CRAZYTOWN, IN -- LIVING IN
CRAZYTOWN AFTER A WHILE GETS
EXHAUSTING AND THAT’S WHAT
WASHINGTON FELT LIKE THIS WEEK.
YOU GO OUTSIDE, TO PLAY TENNIS
LAST NIGHT, SOMEBODY WAS
SCREAMING, WHO WROTE THE PIECE!
IT WAS LIKE, PEOPLE ARE OBSESSED
WITH THIS GAME, PEOPLE ARE
MAKING BETS WITH BOOKIES, ONE
ONLINE BOOKIE SAID HE’D HAD MORE
THAN, LIKE, $5,000 WAGERED ON
THE NAMES OF WHO MY HAVE WRITTEN
THIS OP-ED.
THIS OP-ED. WHAT A CRAZY SITUATION.
THE QUESTION, HOW ARE WE GOING
TO GET OUT OF THAT?
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> THAT BOOK, BY THE WAY,
REPORTS THAT MIKE PENCE IS THE
ODDS ON FAVORITE.
>> AH, MIKE PENCE WHO TALKED
ABOUT THE PRESIDENT’S
EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP
EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAY. IT’S KIND OF HARD TO WATCH.
GO AHEAD, JOHN.
>> ONE LAST THING TO WILLIE’S
POINT.
POINT. THE POINT YOU MADE CONDITIONAL.
IF DENIALS ARE TO BE BELIEVED WE
ALL KNOW THAT DENIALS OF THIS
KIND IN WASHINGTON ARE UTTERLY
WORTHLESS.
WORTHLESS. I MEAN, WE HAVE WATCHED HOW MUCH
PEOPLE THAT HAVE SAID, HAVE WE
SEEN IN THEIR CAREER, I AM NOT
RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT, SERVE OUT
MY TERM AND THEN THEY’RE RUNNING
FOR PRESIDENT TWO WEEKS LATER.
IN THIS WHITE HOUSE IN
PARTICULAR, THIS WHITE HOUSE,
MORE PROMISCUOUS WITH THE TRUTH
THAN ANYONE WE’VE COVERED, I
DON’T TAKE ANY OF THOSE
SERIOUSLY.
SERIOUSLY. NOT A SINGLE ONE.
>> THE DENIALS ARE INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT.
IMPORTANT. THE LIST OF DENIALS ISSUED
ALREADY WHETHER COMPELLED BY THE
PRESIDENT OR VOLUNTARILY PUT
OUT.
OUT. LOOK AT THIS.
NOW, DAVID WRITES IN THE
"WASHINGTON POST" A PIECE ABOUT
SURVIVING CRAZYTOWN.
SURVIVING CRAZYTOWN. FRANKLY, LOOK AT THAT LONG LIST
OF DENIALS, DAVID, IT’S PROBABLY
VERY POSSIBLE THAT THE PRESIDENT
IS LOOKING AT THAT LIST, AND IS
EXTREMELY DISORIENTED HIMSELF,
BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE
THAT FELT THEY HAD TO ISSUE A
DENIAL.
DENIAL. SO THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO
IT COULD HAVE BEEN.
WHICH MEANS HIS ENTIRE WHITE
HOUSE BASICALLY DOESN’T BELIEVE
IN HIM, THINKS HE’S CRAZY, DOES
NOT THINK THAT HE’S ABLE TO DO
HIS JOB AND NOW THE PRESIDENT
HIMSELF KNOWS IT, BECAUSE THEY
HAD TO ISSUE DENIALS.
>> AND THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING
HE CAN ONLY TRUST HIS CHILDREN
NOW.
NOW. >> WOW.
>> WOW. WHERE ARE THEY ON THE LIST?
YOU KNOW -- WHAT ABOUT MELANIA.
REALLY?
REALLY? YOU KNOW, IT’S JUST -- IT’S AN
AMAZING SITUATION.
AMAZING SITUATION. THE PRESIDENT, I’M SURE, IS
GOING TO BROOD AND STEW, AND THE
FACT THAT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE
BASICALLY THE ENTIRE TOP RANK OF
HIS ADMINISTRATION FELT
COMPELLED TO ISSUE A STATEMENT.
IT WASN’T ME.
I DIDN’T DO IT.
JUST SHOWS YOU AN ADMINISTRATION
IN SOME DISARRAY.
NOW THAT THE WAY IN WHICH
BUSINESS HAS BEEN MANAGED, IT
KIND OF -- YOU KNOW, WAIT UNTIL
AFTER THE TWEET.
WAIT FOR THE ACTUAL ORDER.
YOU KNOW?
YOU KNOW? DON’T RUSH INTO DOING THINGS,
JUST BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT MADE
A COMMENT.
A COMMENT. NOW THAT THAT’S BEEN OUTED.
>> YEP.
>> YEP. >> WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN?
AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT YOU’LL
SEE JUST AS -- PEOPLE RUSHING TO
PUT THEIR NAMES ON A LIST,
PEOPLE RUSHING TO SHOW ANY WHIM
OF THE PRESIDENT, YES, SIR, GOT
IT.
IT. RIGHT ON THAT.
AND THAT COULD CHANGE THE
CHARACTER OF THE WAY THE
GOVERNMENT WORKS.
GOVERNMENT WORKS. NOT FOR THE BETTER.
>> I AGREE.
>> AND I THINK THAT’S REALLY
GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING
QUESTION GOING FORWARD.
>> YOU KNOW, DAVID, IT’S
INTERESTING, THOUGH, THAT THE
FIRST BIT OF FOREIGN POLICY NEWS
WE GET AFTER THESE REVELATIONS
IS THAT ACTUALLY THE PRESIDENT
IS GOING TO DO WHAT EVERYBODY IN
THE FOREIGN POLICY COMMUNITY
BELIEVES HE NEEDS TO DO, AND
HE’S GOING TO COMMIT TO KEEPING
OUR LIMITED NUMBER OF TROOPS AND
OUR PRESENCE IN SYRIA AS A BULL
BULWARK AGAINST RUSSIA, AGAINST
ISIS, AGAINST THE ASSAD REGIME.
YOU’VE BEEN OUT THERE.
TALK ABOUT WHAT AN IMPORTANT
MOVE THAT IS.
>> JOE, THIS REALLY IS
IMPORTANT.
IMPORTANT. OUR MILITARY IN SYRIA HAS BEEN,
I DON’T WANT TO SAY PLEADING.
THE MILITARY DOESN’T PLEAD, BUT
THEY HAVE BELIEVED DEEPLY THAT
WE WOULD GIVE UP HARD-LINE
STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE BY PULLING
THESE TROOPS OUT.
EVERY PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT,
AH, WHAT DO WE NEED THIS?
HAS DISTRESSED OUR SPECIAL
FORCES IN PARTICULAR WHO ARE IN
SYRIA, AND THERE IS NOW A NEW
POLICY AND IT DOES HAVE
CLARITY’S THEY CHOSE ONE.
MOST RESPECTED DIPLOMATS IN THE
LAST 15, 20 YEARS, JIM JEFFREY
TO RUN IT.
CAREER STRAIGHT DEPARTMENT
OFFICER.
OFFICER. THEY ARE SENDING VERY CLEAR
SIGNALS TO THE RUSSIANS, THE
TURKS, THE SAUDIS, THE IRANIANS
MAYBE MOST IMPORTANT, THE UNITED
STATES IS GOING TO PLAY ITS HAND
DIFFERENTLY, AND THIS PERIOD OF
KIND OF, LET’S GET OUT OF DODGE.
THIS ISN’T MATTER, THAT SEEMS TO
BE MATTER, AT LEAST FOR NOW.
THERE’S AN EXAMPLE OF GOOD
POLICY BEING MADE, BEING MADE BY
A GROUP CONTRARY TO THE
PRESIDENT’S INITIAL INSTINCTS.
HE DIDN’T WANT TO DO IT BUT WAS
TALKED INTO DOING IT AND
OFFICIALS ARE SAYING, JIM
JEFFREY SAYS SPECIFICALLY IN THE
"WASHINGTON POST" I’M CONFIDENT
THAT THIS POLICY HAS THE SUPPORT
OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
STATES. >>> OTHER STORIES MAKING HEAD
LINES.
LINES. DEFENSE SECRETARY JIM MATTIS IS
IN AFGHANISTAN ON AN UNANNOUNCED
VISIT.
VISIT. MATTIS ALONG WITH GENERAL JOSEPH
DUNFORD ARE MEETING WITH ARMY
GENERAL SCOTT MILL HERE TOOK
OVER AS COMMANDER OF NATO TROOPS
IN AFGHANISTAN ON SUNDAY.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS YET TO VISIT
TROOPS FIGHTING IN AFGHANISTAN,
NOR HAS HE VISITED ANY SOLDIERS
IN A COMBAT ZONE EVER.
>>> ALSO MAKING NEWS, THIS
NOVEMBER, AMERICANS COULD ELECT
MORE THAN 100 WOMEN TO THE HOUSE
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY.
A RACE BY RACE ANALYSIS SHOWS
BETWEEN 30 AND 40 NEW WOMEN ARE
POISED TO ENTER THE HOUSE NEXT
JANUARY.
JANUARY. THAT WOULD SHATTER THE PREVIOUS
RECORD OF 24 SET IN 1992’S YEAR
OF THE WOMAN.
CURRENTLY THERE ARE 61 FEMALE
DEMOCRATS AND 23 FEMALE
REPUBLICANS SERVING IN THE
HOUSE.
HOUSE. ALSO ANOTHER BIG STORY,
OFFICIALS IN FIVE STATES ARE
INVESTIGATING DECADES WORTH OF
SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIMS IN THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH.
CATHOLIC CHURCH. ATTORNEYS GENERAL IN ILLINOIS,
MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW MEXICO
AND NEW YORK ASKED LOCAL DIOCESE
FOR THEIR RECORDS IN AN EFFORT
TO UNEARTH CASES POTENTIALLY
COVERED UP BY THE CHURCH.
THE MOVE FOLLOWS AN EXPLOSIVE
PENNSYLVANIA GRAND JURY REPORT
THAT DETAILED MORE THAN 1,000
VICTIMS ACCUSING PRIESTS OF
ABUSE.
ABUSE. WE WILL FOLLOW THAT.
>>> STILL AHEAD ON "MORNING
JOE," RUDY GIULIANI CONFUSES THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT THE PRESIDENT WILL ANSWER
BOB MUELLER’S QUESTIONS.
WE’LL GET TO THAT, PLUS CORY
BOOKER LOOKS FOR A MOMENT DURING
YESTERDAY’S SUPREME COURT
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS.
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS. >> WHAT WAS THAT?
>> HMM.
>> HMM. >> THIS IS ABOUT THE CLOSEST
I’LL EVER HAVE IN MY LIFE TO "I
AM SPARTACUS" MOMENT.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> ORRIN HATCH WEIGHED IN, YOU
KNOW, I KNEW SPARTACUS.
>> HE WAS DOING THE WHOLE
SPARTACUS THING, WILLIE, SAYING,
I DON’T CARE IF I GET KICKED OUT
OF THE SENATE, I AM -- WE’RE
GOING TO GET THIS INFORMATION
OUT.
OUT. IT’S AGAINST ALL THE RULES.
HE GOT THE INFORMATION OUT, AND
THEN --
THEN -- THEY’RE LIKE, YEAH, YOU ASKED US
TO DO IT LAST NIGHT AND WE
RELEASED IT.