REPORTING. THANK YOU FOR COMING ON THE SHOW
THIS MORNING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FORMER CHIEF
STRATEGIST AND CAMPAIGN EXECUTIVE STEVE BANNON TOOK A
BREAK FROM BATTLING SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL
TO TACKLE A DIFFERENT SUBJECT, MARINE FOREIGN POLICY, SPEAKING
AT A THINK TANK FORUM ENCOUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM,
BANNON SAID PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD IT WORSE THAN ANY OTHER
PRESIDENT AND ALSO THAT IT WAS FOUGHT TRUMP'S FAULT.
>> WHAT THE GENIUSES IN THE FOREIGN POLICY ELITE, WHAT THEY
LEFT ON PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ESSENTIALLY THE BAY OF PIGS IN
VENEZUELA THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS IN KOREA AND THE VIETNAM
WAR IN AFGHANISTAN. ALL AT ONE TIME.
THIS -- PRESIDENT TRUMP DIDN'T DO THIS, THE DEPLORABLES THAT
VOTED FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP DIDN'T DO THIS THIS IS THE GENIUSES OF
BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES, BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES DELIVERED THIS
UPON US. >> I DON'T THINK THERE IS
ANYTHING PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS DONE IN THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT
MAKES US LOOK ISOLATIONIST AT ALL.
I THINK HE DOESN'T WANT TO GET INTO THESE KIND OF ARRANGEMENTS
LIKE TPP AND OTHERS WHERE WE ARE JUST ANOTHER PERSON AT THE
TABLE, ANOTHER ENTITY AT THE TABLE AND NOT SOMETHING THAT WE
KNOW IT'S IN OUR VITAL SECURITY INTEREST.
>> I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO DISTRACTED WITH SOMEONE SPEAKING
AS WHAT THEY WERE WEARING, THE SECOND MAMA -- MATRIX.
HERE WITH BANNON I GOT LOST HALFWAY THROUGH, A JACKET, A
SHIRT TWO, BUTTON DOWNS AND A SPANX.
ADMIRAL WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT MORE.
FIRST LET'S GO THROUGH LISS E HIS CLAIMS.
DONALD TRUMP ENHER RETTED THE BAY OF -- INHERITED THE BAY OF
PIGS, IN AFGHANISTAN. AND 55,000 DIED IN VIETNAM AND
NOT SO IN AFGHANISTAN FOR DIFFERENT REASONS WE'RE IN
AFGHANISTAN THAN VIETNAM. AND THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS IN
NORTH KOREA, HE DID INHERIT AN ABSOLUTE MESS IN NORTH KOREA.
BUT HE'S TAKEN A BAD SITUATION --
>> HE DOUBLED DOWN. >> PEGGY NOONAN SAID THE BEST
STRATEGY AGAINST BARACK OBAMA WAS HE INHERITED A BAD SITUATION
AND MADE IT WORSE. I BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF BARACK
OBAMA SUPPORTERS AND PEOPLE WORKED THERE MIGHT RESPECTFULLY
DISAGREE EVEN IF I'M WRONG ON THAT, YOU CERTAINLY COULD SAY
THAT ABOUT DONALD TRUMP IN NORTH KOREA, PRESIDENT OBAMA TOLD
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHAT WILL KEEP YOU AWAKE AT
NIGHT WILL NOT BE HEALTH CARE, IT WILL BE NORTH KOREA, IT SEEMS
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS DONE EVERYTHING HE'S BEEN CAPABLE OF
DOING AS A PRESIDENT TO MAKE THAT SITUATION WORSE.
HOW DO YOU ASSESS WHAT STEVE BANNON SAID AND PRESIDENT
TRUMP'S HANDLING OF NORTH KOREA, AM I BEING TOO TOUGH ON HIM?
>> NO, I DON'T THINK YOU ARE, JOE, STEVE BANNON, EVERYTHING HE
SAID WAS INEXPLICABLE. IT'S AN ATTEMPT YOU SEE IN THIS
ADMINISTRATION TO LINK A BUNCH OF CARS TOGETHER ON THE TRAIN
AND RUN THE RAIL RIGHT OFF THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN SO LET'S
JUST KIND OF PUT THAT ASIDE, IN TERMS OF NORTH KOREA, WHAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP PERSONALLY HAS DONE AND IT TIES BACK TO THAT
FIRST SEGMENT ON CYBER BULLYING, IT IS GOING TO DO NOTHING BUT
ENFLAME THE SITUATION, MAKE IT WORSE.
>> THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE LAUNCH IN THE
SCHOOL YARD WITH KIM JONG-UN, BUT IT MEANS WE GOT TO BE
MEASURED, COOL IN OUR COMMENTARY, WE GOT TO LET OUR
ACTIONS SPEAK, WE SHOULDN'T DESCEND TO THE PERSONAL.
ALL OF THAT IS COUNTER TO TAKING AND CREATING ORDER OUT OF CHAOS.
WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO INJECTS CHAOS OUT OF THE SYSTEM AND
THOSE AROUND HIM TRY AND RESTORE ORDER TO IT.
THAT'S A REALLY BAD WAY TO RUN FOREIGN POLICY IN GENERAL AND
IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS WAY TO RUN FOREIGN POLICY WITH NORTH KOREA.
>> WILLIE, A GOOD WAY FOR FOREIGN POLICY, STEVE BANNON, A
BAD WAY. >> I DON'T WANT TO TAKE MY EYE
OFF THE BALL. HAVE WE EVER GOTTEN AN
EXPLANATION FOR THE THREE 30s? >> SOMEBODY SAID IN CALIFORNIA,
LIKE THE SUFFERF THING, NO, NO. >> IFFIAN ONE KNOWS, CALL IN.
TWEET THE SHOW. >> NOBODY IN MANHATTAN BEACH.
>> HE LIKES THE LAYERED LOOK T. THING WITH BANNON 1 RUNNING THE
SHADOW ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT CAMPAIGN, PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL
HAVE LUNCH AT THE SENATE POLICY LUNCH, HE WILL BE SITTING DOWN
WITH MITCH McCONNELL, JEFF FLAKE, STEVE BANNON HAS BEEN
RAILING AGAINST AND SAID WE WILL PRIMARY EVERY ONE OF YOU EXCEPT
FOR TED CRUZ, HOW DO YOU SIT DOWN WITH THESE GUYS YOU HAVE
BEEN DESTROYING. >> BULLYING.
>> THREATENING THEIR JOBS AND SAYING THEY'RE THE REASON WHY
QUESTION ARE WHERE WE ARE, SAY RETS DO TAX REFORM.
>> YES. >> THIS IS SO BASIC.
I JUST WONDER WHY REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE AND EVEN IN THE HOUSE
DON'T KNOW THE BASICS OF POLITICS, WHICH IS, IT DOESN'T
MATTER HOW POWERFUL SOMEBODY IS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IF THEY SAY
THEY'RE COMING AFTER YOU, YOU SAY YOU MAY BE MORE POWERFUL
THAN ME, I'M GOING TO STAY AWAKE 24 HOURS A DAY AND I WILL
PHYSICAL OUT HOW TO MAKE YOUR LIFE A LIVING HELL, I WILL STAY
UNAND HOND YOU AND LEAK STORIES ABOUT YOU.
I WILL COME AT YOU IN THE PRIME -- YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
YOU DO THAT? THEY CALL YOU INTO THE OFFICE
AND THEY SAY, LET'S WORK TOGETHER.
I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT'S WHAT WHAT THEY DO.
IF SOMEBODY SAYS SOMEBODY IS GOING TO UNPRIMARY ME AND INVITE
ME TO DINNER, I WOULD SEND THEM A NOTE WITH TWO WORDS ON THEM
THE LAST BEING YOU. >> YOU FIGURED THAT OUT?
>> THANK YOU. >> BLESS YOU, THANK YOU.
HOWEVER, I'M SAYING, THAT'S NEVER BEEN ANYBODY'S ATTITUDE.
THEY'VE LET THEM -- THEY HAVE BEEN REASON OVER, PAUL RYAN HAS
ALLOWED BANNON TO ATTACK HIM NON-STOP AND STILL BE ASSOCIATED
WITH THE PRESIDENT. FEW ARE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, IF
YOU ARE THE THIRD MOST POWERFUL PERSON IF GOVERNMENT, YOU SA I
TO THE PRESIDENT, HEY, HERE'S THE DEAL, BUDDY, YOU CAN BE
BANNON'S FRIENDS OR MY FRIENDS, YOU CAN'T BE BOTH, MITCH
McCONNELL SHOULD SAY TO THE PRESIDENT TODAY, HEY, MR.
PRESIDENT, YOU CAN BE ALIGNED WITH STEVE BANNON OR ME, YOU
CAN'T BE ALINED BE BOTH. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, I'M
SITTING AT 19% NOW, WHAT DO I HAVE TO LOSE?
I'LL TURN YOU INTO A PILE OF DUST.
MAYBE MY NUMBERS GO UP TO 21%? MAYBE THEY DROP TO 17.
IT'S A RISK I'M WILLING TO TAKE, MR. PRESIDENT.
I SWEAR TO GOD. I'M NOT TALKING TO A CAMERA.
THIS IS ANYBODY THAT KNOWS POLITICS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK TIP O'NEILL DID THAT TO JIMMY CARTER BECAUSE
HE DIDN'T LIKE THE SEATS HE GAVE HIM AT THE INAUGURATION AND TIP
O'NEILL WROTE ABOUT IT IN HIS BIOGRAPHY.
>> YOU ARE WRIGHT, MORE PUBLICLY, I WOULD SAY THE
FLIPSIDE OF WHAT YOU ARE SAYING THE PRESIDENT LEARNED IN
BUSINESS THAT YOU COULD MESS WITH SOMEBODY BUT THEN AS THE
NEXT DEAL COMES AROUND, IT'S A GOOD DEAL FOR BOTH SIDES, THEY
WILL COME BACK TO THE TABLE. THAT'S NOT HOW IT IS IN MR.
CLINTONS FROM THAT'S HAVING A SHORT MEMORY.
>> IT WORKS IN BUSINESS, IT DOES NOT WORK IN POLITICS.
EVERY REPUBLICAN KNOW WHAT IS HE DID TO BOB CORKER, EVERY ONE AND
IT IMPACTS HOW THEY THINK ABOUT THE PRESIDENT SFWR IS HE SCARED?
>> YES. >> WHEN YOU SAY SENATOR BILL
CADDIE THAT THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T LIE AND SPEAKS IF
HYPERBOLE AND MADE A COMPLETE FOOL OF HIMSELF, HE DID THAT
BECAUSE HE WAS SCARED OF TRUMP? >> THEY COMPARTMENTALIZED AND
SAID THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO, DO BUT I'M TELLING YOU --
>> MARK, HAVE YOU IT BACKWARDS, BOB CORKER DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING
TO LOSE AT THIS POINT. DONALD TRUMP HAS SOMETHING TO
LOSE BUT WHERE THE MAN WITH NEWS THE LOSE, IF YOU ACTUALLY GO
AFTER A PRESIDENT AND YOU HAMARY PRESIDENT, I HAVE FOUND, AGAIN,
OR FEW HAMMER A POWERFUL SPEAKER, I HAVE FOUND AGAIN, IF
YOU STAY ON IT, IF YOU STAY ON IT.
>> AND YOU BELIEVE. >> YOU ARE REWARDED.
YOU KIND OF GO IN AND LET'S BRING FROM THE ADMIRAL HERE.
>> ADMIRAL, HELP US. >> THAT FIGHTS INSIDE THE
PENTAGON ARE ALL PURE AS DRIVEN SNOW, BUT IF SOMEBODY IS COMING
AFTER YOU, LEAK JUST GIVE THEM SOME MANAGEMENT ADVICE, LET'S
SAY THAT YOU WERE TALKING TO A YOUNG CAPTAIN THAT SAYS I GET
THIS GUY THAT KEEPS SAYING HE'S GOING TO DESTROY ME, CRUSH HELP,
NOW HE'S INVITING ME TO LUNCH THERE CALMING ME NAMES.
>> PEOPLE SAID HE WILL USE TO CRUSH ME, WHAT DO YOU DO?
MANAGEMENT 101? >> MANAGEMENT 101 WOULD TELL YOU
THAT YOU NEED TO BE TREATING EVERYBODY EQUALLY UP THE CHAIN
OF COMMAND, DOWN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND WITH YOUR PEER
GROUP, THAT'S NOT A SKILL SET THE PRESIDENT SHOS SHOWN, WHAT I
WORRY ABOUT IS GEOPOLITICS INSTEAD OF POLITIC, EVERYTHING
YOU SAID IS DOMESTIC POLITICS AND MANAGEMENT.
THINK OF WHAT IS MISSTEP THAT IS TO TAKE THAT INTO THE
INTERNATIONAL REALM. BEWARE AS YOU SET, JOE, OF THE
MAN WHO HAS NOTHING TO LOSE, THAT'S THE CORNER WE ARE
STARTING TO PUSH KIM JONG-UN INTO, IN THAT CORNER HE HAS 25
NUCLEAR WEAPONS. YES, I WORRY ABOUT IT IN
WASHINGTON, POLITICALLY IN MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP.
I REALLY WORRY ABOUT IT IN GEOPOLITICS AS OPPOSED TO
POLITICS. >> IT'S CHILLING.
ABSOLUTELY CHILLING. >> BOB CORKER HAS ALREADY ROLLED
HIS EYES AT THE LUNCH WITH THE PRESIDENT, TODAY HE TOLD ONE OF
OUR CAPITOL HILL REPORTERS, IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A PHOTO OP.
I THINK HE WILL ATTEND THE LAUNCH.
FOR SOME OF THE SENATORS WHO ARE FACING POTENTIAL PRIMARIES, FEW
LISTEN TO SOMEBODY LIKE JOHN THUNE YESTERDAY, HE'S SAYING,
YEAH, HE HASN'T BEEN GREAT TO US THE PRESIDENT, IT'S NOT THAT HE
DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SHOW FOR HIS FIRST YEAR, WE DON'T
HAVE ANYTHING TO SHOW, WE MADE ALL THESE PROMISES OF REPEALING
AND REPLACING ObamaCare, WE GOT TO HAVE THIS LUNCH AND GET
SOMETHING DONE, WE HAVE ELECTIONS COMING UP OURSELVES,
WE HAVE TO GO HOME TO OUR VOTERS OURSELVES.
>> I WOULD SUGGEST STEPPING UP AND CLOSING IN, IF YOU ARE
GETTING NOTHING DONE, LISTEN TO WHAT THE ADMIRAL SAID ABOUT THE
CHILLING POTENTIAL OUT THERE IN THE WORLD, PEOPLE NEED TO CLOSE
IN AND SPEAK TRUTH TO THIS PRESIDENT.