ME. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.
"DEADLINE WHITE HOUSE" WITH
NICOLLE WALLACE STARTS RIGHT
NOW.
NOW. >>> HI, EVERYONE.
IT’S 4:00 IN NEW YORK.
IF HE WANTED TO END THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION, THIS WAS A
DIABOLICAL WAY TO DO IT.
THE SELF-PROCLAIMED LAW AND
ORDER PRESIDENT HAS EFFECTIVELY
BROUGHT THE WHEELS OF JUSTICE TO
A GRINDING HALT WITH HIS
SELF-CREATED, SELF-PERPETRATED
SELF-CREATED, SELF-PERPETRATED GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THE FBI AGENTS ASSOCIATION
ANNOUNCING IF A 72-PAGE REPORT
TODAY THAT, "THE SHUTDOWN HAS
ELIMINATED ANY ABILITY TO
OPERATE."
OPERATE." THAT’S ACCORDING TO ONE AGENT
AND THAT, "THE U.S. ATTORNEY’S
OFFICE IS UNABLE TO ISSUE GRAND
JURY SUBPOENAS FOR FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS."
INSTITUTIONS." THAT’S ACCORDING TO ANOTHER.
THE SHUTDOWN HAVING REAL-WORLD
CONSEQUENCES.
CONSEQUENCES. WHILE THE PRESIDENT POSSIBLY
LIVING IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE
DECLARES BY FIAT THAT HE’S
DELIVERING THE STATE OF THE
UNION ADDRESS NEXT TUESDAY IN
CONGRESS, OR PERHAPS AT ANOTHER
VENUE.
VENUE. THE SENIOR ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIAL TELLING NBC NEWS THAT
WHITE HOUSE SPEECH WRITERS ARE
HARD AT WORK ON SEPARATE
PASSAGES THAT COULD LEND
THEMSELVES TO A SPEECH IN A
DIFFERENT VENUE, AND FOR A
DIFFERENT AUDIENCE THAT MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS.
OF CONGRESS. BUT WE START, WE START WITH THAT
REPORT FROM THE FBI AGENTS.
DONALD TRUMP HAS THE ENTIRE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN
OVER BORDER SECURITY, BUT IT
TURNS OUT HIS SHUTDOWN MAY BE
THE GRAVER THREAT TO OUR
SECURITY.
SECURITY. THE REPORT DETAILS THE DAMAGE
BEING DONE TO THE NATION’S
PREMIER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY,
AS THE SHUTDOWN ENTERS ITS
SECOND MONTH.
SECOND MONTH. ONE AGENT WRITES, "I HAVE BEEN
WORKING A LONG-TERM MS-13
INVESTIGATION FOR OVER THREE
YEARS.
YEARS. SINCE THE SHUTDOWN, I’VE NOT HAD
A SPANISH SPEAKER IN THE
DIVISION.
DIVISION. WE HAVE SEVERAL SPANISH-SPEAKING
INFORM MANT
INFORM MANT INFORMANTS.
INFORMANTS. WE’RE ONLY ABLE TO COMMUNICATE
USING A THREE-WAY CALL WITH
ALINGA
ALINGA ALING
ALING ALING
ALING ALINGUIST IN ANOTHER DIVISION."
"NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY
CONFIDENTIAL HUMAN SOURCES RISKS
LOSING THEM AND INFORMATION THEY
PROVIDE FOREVER.
PROVIDE FOREVER. IT’S NOT A SWITCH WE CAN TURN ON
AND OFF."
AND OFF." ANOTHER, "ON THE CHILD
EXPLOITATION SIDE, AS AN
UNDERCOVER EMPLOYEE, I’VE HAD TO
PUT PERVS ON STAND YN BYBY.
THIS PUTS CHILDREN IN JEOPARDY."
FINALLY, PUT SIMPLY "THE FEAR IS
OUR ENEMIES KNOW THEY CAN RUN
FREELY."
FREELY." JOINING FRUS INGING US FROM "THE
TIMES," PETER BAKER.
FORMER FBI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
FOR COUNTERINTELLIGENCE, FRANK
FIGLIUZZI.
FIGLIUZZI. JEREMY BASH.
JEREMY BASH. AT THE TABLE, ELISE JORDAN,
FORMER AIDE IN THE JBGEORGE W.
BUSH WHITE HOUSE AND STATE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. EUGENE
EUGENE EUGENE
EUGENE EUGENE.
EUGENE. I HAVE TO START WITH YOU, FRANK
FIGLIUZZI.
FIGLIUZZI. I READ THIS REPORT WITH MY EYES
ROLLING BACK IN MY HEAD AND MY
STOMACH SINKING.
STOMACH SINKING. TAKE US THROUGH ALL THE -- I
TALKED TO A FORMER SENIOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL WHO SAID
FORGET ABOUT DRUG CASES.
THEY’RE DONE.
THEY’RE DONE. YOU CAN’T PROSECUTE THEM OR
INVESTIGATE THEM WITHOUT MONEY.
AND ON THE COUNTERINTEL SIDE, I
ASSUME A LOT OF INFORMANTS RELY
ON THE FINANCIAL PIECE OF THAT
PARTNERSHIP.
PARTNERSHIP. >> YOU KNOW, NICOLLE, I’LL NEVER
FORGET AS A VERY YOUNG
SUPERVISOR AT HEADQUARTERS
GETTING CALLED UP TO THE
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR’S OFFICE AND
IT WAS A VERY SENSITIVE CLOSE
CLOSED-DOOR MEETING ABOUT THE
CASE.
CASE. I TURN AROUND TO WALK OUT, I SEE
A SIGN POSTED ON THE BACK OF HIS
OFFICE DOOR, I’LL NEVER FORGET
IT.
IT. IT SAID "AMERICA IS AT PEACE
BECAUSE THE FBI IS AT WAR."
AND THAT WAS THE MENTALITY THEN
AND IT’S THE MENTALITY NOW.
AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THE FBI GOES TO
BATTLE ON OUR STREETS EVERY
SINGLE DAY.
SINGLE DAY. IF YOU THINK THIS MEANS NOTHING
TO YOU, UNDERSTAND THAT THE GANG
THAT’S PREVENTING YOU FROM
SENDING YOUR KIDS TO THE LOCAL
PLAYGROUND BECAUSE IT’S TOO
DANGEROUS, THE GUY SELLING CRACK
AT THE END OF THE STREET THAT
MAKES YOU FEEL UNSAFE TO GO BY,
NONE OF THAT’S GETTING DONE ON
THE FBI SIDE.
SEXUAL PREDATORS, CRIMES AGAINST
CHILDREN, KIDNAPPING AND LET’S
TALK ABOUT THE GLOBAL IMPACT IN
TERMS OF COUNTERTERRORISM.
ALL OF THIS BEING CURTAILED.
IT’S THE FBI’S JOB TO COUNTER
THE GREATEST THREATS FACING
AMERICA, BUT NOW WHAT’S POSSIBLE
IS THE GREATEST THREAT OF ALL IS
COMING FROM THE OVAL OFFICE.
AND OUR PRESIDENT.
IT’S AN INSIDER THREAT.
THERE’S REAL IMPACT TO THIS.
IF YOU’RE NOT BUYING INTO THIS
CONCEPT OF, HEY, NO FEDERAL
EMPLOYEE NEEDS TO TREAT THEIR
JOB AS AN ENTITLEMENT, I DON’T
CARE IF PEOPLE AREN’T PUTTING
FOOD ON THEIR TABLE, LET’S GO
WITH THAT.
WITH THAT. PUT THAT ASIDE AND LET’S LOOK AT
THE IMPACT ON YOU AND YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOUR TOWN,
VILLAGE, AND CITY, AND
UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS ALREADY
BEING FELT ON THE STREETS OF
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. >> JEREMY, I DON’T THINK WE CAN
UNDERSCORE ENOUGH THAT THE
BIGGEST SECTION IN THIS FBI
REPORT, AND I SUGGEST EVERYBODY
TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF THE
WHITE HOUSE LOOKED AT IT.
I’D LOVE TO KNOW IF THE
PRESIDENT READ THIS REPORT AND
READ THESE WORDS DIRECTLY FROM
THE FBI AGENTS.
I’D LIKE TO KNOW IF THE LAW AND
ORDER PRESIDENT UNDERSTANDS JUST
HOW BADLY HE’S WEAKENED THE
NATION’S TOP COPS.
BUT I’D LIKE YOU TO EXPLAIN HOW
COUNTERINTEL WORKS, IN TERMS OF
THIS RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE
WITH INFORMANTS.
WITH INFORMANTS. THEY’RE NOT NECESSARILY GOOD
GUYS AS DEPICTED IN MOVIES.
SOMETIMES THEY’RE MAKING A TOUGH
CHOICE.
CHOICE. RIGHT?
RIGHT? BETWEEN HELPING THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA AND, PERHAPS,
WORKING AGAINST THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA.
THAT RELATIONSHIP DEPENDS ON
CONTINUITY.
CONTINUITY. WE NEED TO BE RELIABLE PARTNERS
AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PAY
FOR THEIR SERVICES.
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
EACH AND EVERY DAY, THE
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONALS AT CIA AND AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WORK HAND
IN HAND WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT
THE FBI, AND THEY RELY ON THE
FBI.
FBI. SO WHEN YOU PULL OUT THE
CAPABILITY OF THE FBI FROM THE
NATIONAL SECURITY APPARATUS,
YOU’RE NOT JUST HURTING THE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.
YOU’RE NOT JUST HURTING THOSE
SPECIFIC CASES.
SPECIFIC CASES. YOU’RE ALSO HURTING ALL OF THE
ACTIVITY THAT THE CIA, THE
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT, AND OTHER
AGENCIES RELY UPON FROM THEIR
COLLEAGUES IN FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
ENFORCEMENT. AND JUST TO PUT A FINE POINT ON
IT, IF YOU ARE RUNNING A CASE IN
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE OR
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE OR COUNTERESPIONAGE OR EVEN THE
CONTEXT OF A DRUG CASE, AND YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SHOW UP,
RUN A HUMAN SOURCE, OR
PARTICIPATE AS AN UNDERCOVER
ASSET, AND ACTUALLY MAKE A
PURCHASE, MAKE A BUY, FUNNEL
MONEY TO A POTENTIAL TARGET OF
AN INVESTIGATION, AND YOU DON’T
SHOW UP WITH THAT MONEY BECAUSE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S SHUT
DOWN AND THERE’S NO
APPROPRIATION, YOU’RE A SUSPECT.
THE FACT THAT YOU’RE SUSPECT
MEANS THAT IN SOME WAYS, THE
TARGET OF THE INVESTIGATION MAY
REALIZE AN UNDERCOVER
INVESTIGATION IS UNDER WAY.
WHAT, YOU JUST FORGOT TO PAY THE
MONEY THE SAME DAY THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN?
IT’S TOO OBVIOUS.
IT’S TOO OVERT.
IT’S VERY BAD TRADECRAFT AND
VERY ENDANGERING TO OUR OWN
ASSETS.
ASSETS. >> AND FRANK FIGLIUZZI, THIS IS
SOMETHING ALL AMERICANS CAN
UNDERSTAND.
UNDERSTAND. THE AGENTS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO
THIS REPORT CAME FROM FIELD
AUTOPSIESY S
AUTOPSIESY S OFFICES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THEY WROTE ABOUT SOMETHING AS
SIMPLE AS NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY
FOR AN INFORMANT’S PHONE CARD.
THE IDEA WE WOULD BURN A SOURCE,
BURN A LINE OF INFORMATION ON
THE COUNTERINTEL SIDE, OR THE
COUNTERTERRORIST SIDE, OVER A
PHONE CARD THAT WE CAN NO LONGER
PAY FOR, SEEMS TO BE A STAIN ON
AMERICAN CREDIBILITY.
AMERICAN CREDIBILITY. WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT
ASSESSMENT AND WOULD YOU PUT THE
BLAME SQUARELY ON THE PRESIDENT?
>> SO, FIRST, NOT ONLY OUR
ALLIES ARE LOOKING AT THIS
SAYING, WHAT GIVES WITH THIS?
AND I’M SURE THEY’RE FEELING FOR
OUR INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, BUT
I’M EVEN FAR MORE CONCERNED
ABOUT OUR ADVERSARIES LOOKING AT
THIS.
THIS. THERE ARE CHAMPAGNE CORKS BEING
POPPED BACK INT HAVE
ENGINEERED A BETTER SCENARIO
THAN A DEMORALIZED FBI THAT
CAN’T PAY ITS BILLS, CAN’T PAY
INFORMANTS AND, YES, THE
LEADERSHIP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THIS.
THIS. THE LEADER RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS
IS THE GUY WHO SAID HE OWNS THIS
AND HE’LL TAKE -- HE’LL TAKE IT
ON THE CHIN FOR THE SHUTDOWN AND
THAT’S DONALD TRUMP.
SO THAT’S A REFLECTION OF THE
DEGREE TO WHICH OUR PRESIDENT IS
PUTTING SELF-INTEREST OVER
NATIONAL INTEREST.
NATIONAL INTEREST. THE THING THAT WORRIES ME THE
MOST, IF I HAD TO POINT TO ONE
THING, IN TERMS OF IMPACT,
NICOLLE,LING
NICOLLE,LING NICOLLE, LINGUISTS WHO SIT AND
TRANSLATE WIRETAPS, EAVSDROPPING
IN COUNTERTERRORISM CASES.
WHAT IS NOT BEING LISTENED TO
TODAY?
TODAY? WHAT IS BEING PUT ON THE SHELF
TODAY THAT WILL HAVE TO BE
LISTENED TO AFTER THE GOVERNMENT
RE-OPENS?
RE-OPENS? WHAT ARE WE MISSING IN TERMS OF
A SECRET CODE OR A PLAN BEING
DISCUSSED TO HIT SOME CITY IN
THE UNITED STATES?
THAT’S WHY NUMBER-ONE CONCERN.
>> JEREMY BASH, I SPOKE TO A
FORMER SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY
OFFICIAL TODAY WHO SAID THAT HIS
CONCERN FOR ALL OF DONALD
TRUMP’S CHAOS CREATION, FOR ALL
OF HIS MISGUIDED PRONOUNCEMENTS,
FOR ALL THE SUSPICIONS AROUND
ALL THE CONDUCT AND SECRECY
AROUND HIS CONTACTS AND
COMMUNICATIONS WITH RUSSIA AND
RUSSIANS, NOTHING REALLY --
THERE HASN’T BEEN A 9/11, THERE
HASN’T BEEN A TERRORIST ATTACK
ON HIS WATCH AND THE REAL FEAR
IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY
ESTABLISHMENT IS WHAT HAPPENS
THEN.
THEN. ARE YOU -- WOULD YOU GUESS THAT
THE NATIONAL SECURITY FOLKS WHO
ARE STILL INSIDE THE PENTAGON
AND INSIDE THE CIA AND PERHAPS
EVEN INSIDE THE NATIONAL
SECURITY COUNCIL ARE WATCHING
THIS PRESIDENT WHO SEEMS TO NOT
BE SWEATING -- HE’S SWEATING HIS
POLL NUMBERS, SWEATING HIS WALL.
HE DOESN’T SEEM TO BE SWEATING
THE IMPACT THE SHUTDOWN HAS ON
THE FBI OR THE CIA OR ON THE
KIND OF OPERATIONS YOU AND FRANK
ARE TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY’RE
EXPERIENCING ON DAY 32?
>> NO, FIRST OF ALL, IT’S WORSE
THAN THAT.
THAN THAT. THIS ENTIRE SHUTDOWN HAS BEEN
CONDUCTED IN THE NAME,
SUPPOSEDLY, OF NATIONAL
SECURITY.
SECURITY. REMEMBER THE NATIONAL SECURITY
CRISIS AT THE BORDER THAT THE
PRESIDENT PRESENTED TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND, IN FACT,
AS MOST NATIONAL SECURITY
PROFESSIONALS HAVE NOW COME
FORWARD AND MADE CLEAR, THE REAL
NATIONAL SECURITY CRISIS IS THE
FACT THAT THE FBI ISN’T GETTING
PAID.
PAID. THE FACT THE TSA ISN’T GETTING
PAID.
PAID. THAT AVIATION SECURITY HAS BEEN
COMPROMISED.
COMPROMISED. THAT PROFESSIONALS OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY,
THE COAST GUARD, ARE BEING ASKED
TO ENGAGE IN GARAGE SALES TO PAY
THEIR MORTGAGE, TO PAY THEIR
RENT.
RENT. THAT IS THE TRUE NATIONAL
SECURITY EMERGENCY.
SECURITY EMERGENCY. TO YOUR POINT ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT THE PRESIDENT COULD HANDLE A
REAL CRISIS, ONE OF THE
HISTORIANS ON THIS NETWORK WAS
POINTING OUT YESTERDAY, A POINT
I THINK REALLY IS WORTH
EMPHASIZING, WHICH IS EVEN IN
THE DARK DAYS OF THE NIXON ERA
WHEN HE WAS AS BELEAGUERED AS
THEY COME, AND HE WAS FACING
CERTAIN IMPEACHMENT, THAT FALL
IN OCTOBER OF 1973 WHEN
WATERGATE WAS HEATING UP, THERE
WAS A CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
ISRAEL WAS INVADED BY ARAB
NATIONS SURROUNDING IT, AND THE
UNITED STATES HAD TO COME TO
ISRAEL’S ASSISTANCE.
ISRAEL’S ASSISTANCE. I SHUDDER TO THINK IF THERE’S A
TRUE CRISIS THAT PRESENTS ITSELF
TO THE OVAL OFFICE OR NATIONAL
SECURITY COUNCIL AT THIS MOMENT.
>> PETER BAKER, THE WHITE
HOUSE’S ATTENTION TODAY NOT ON
ANY OF THESE ISSUES, NOT AS FAR
AS WE KNOW ON THIS FBI REPORT,
NOT ON THE KINDS OF THINGS
JEREMY OR FRANK ARE TALKING
ABOUT BUT ON THE DETAILS AND THE
LOGISTICS AND THE WALKTHROUGH
AND THE THEATRICS AND THE SCRIPT
FOR THE STATE OF THE UNION.
>> WELL, YES, AND THAT MAY BE
PAVING THE WAY FOR AT LEAST A
TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE IN THE
SHUTDOWN.
SHUTDOWN. JUST BEFORE THE SHOW WENT ON THE
AIR, THE SENATE LEADERS, CHUCK
SCHUMER AND MITCH McCONNELL,
ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAVE A PLAN
TO PUT TWO BILLS ON THE FLOOR.
THE FIRST OF WHICH WILL BE THE
PRESIDENT’S BILL WHICH DEMOCRATS
HAVE ALREADY DECLARED DEAD ON
ARRIVAL.
ARRIVAL. THE ONE THAT WOULD FUND HIS WALL
WITH ONLY TEMPORARY PROTECTIONS
FOR SOME OF THESE YOUNGER
IMMIGRANTS.
IMMIGRANTS. THEN THEY’RE GOING TO PUT ON THE
FLOOR A BILL THAT WOULD PUSH OFF
THIS DEBATE UNTIL FEBRUARY 8th
AND RE-OPEN THE GOVERNMENT IN
THE MEANTIME.
THE MEANTIME. THAT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD
ACTUALLY PASS, AND IF THAT’S THE
CASE, THEN WE COULD SEE A SORT
OF, AT LEAST A TEMPORARY LULL SO
THE PRESIDENT COULD, IN FACT,
COME TO THE HILL NEXT YEEKWEEK,
HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS,
AND NEGOTIATORS MIGHT HAVE TIME
SO SIT DOWN AND TALK THROUGH THE
BORDER WALL WHUTITHOUT THE KIND
IMPACT YOU’VE BEEN FOCUSING ON
RIGHTLY IN THIS SEGMENT.
>> PETER, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING
IS MOTIVATING THE WHITE HOUSE?
IT’S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT’S
HIS POLL NUMBERS AND THE FACT
THAT HE’S BEING BLAMED THAT ARE
SORT OF GETTING -- GETTING UNDER
HIS SKIN.
HIS SKIN. A LOT MORE THAN THE HUMAN
CALAMITY OF THE SHUTDOWN.
>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT’S REALLY INTERESTING ABOUT
THIS SHUTDOWN, OF COURSE, IT’S
NOT A COMPLETE GOVERNMENT
SHUTDOWN AS WE’VE HAD AT TIMES
IN THE PAST.
BECAUSE IT’S A PARTIAL SHUTDOWN,
ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE
GOVERNMENT, WE HAVEN’T SEEN AS
EARLY AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST
SOME OF THE IMPACTS YOU WERE
DESCRIBING AND THIS REPORT TALKS
ABOUT.
ABOUT. SO FOR A LOT OF AMERICANS, THE
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WAS AN
ABSTRACTION AT FIRST.
AS EACH DAY GOES BY, YOU SEE
MORE AND MORE OF THE
CONSEQUENCES OF IT.
I THINK THAT’S SOMETHING THE
PRESIDENT HASN’T FOCUSED ON
REALLY.
REALLY. YOU HAVEN’T HEARD HIM TALK ABOUT
IT.
IT. HE HASN’T REALLY EXPRESSED THE
EMPATHY PEOPLE WOULD LIKE HIM TO
EXPRESS BOTH FOR THE WORKERS NOT
BEING PAID, 8 UH-HUH00,000 OF TH
AMERICAN PEOPLE WHOSE SERVICES
AREN’T BEING PROVIDED EITHER
BECAUSE OF FBI, YOU KNOW,
RESTRICTING THEIR ABILITY TO
TAKE ACTION OR OTHER AGENCIES
THAT AREN’T ABLE TO FULFILL
THEIR DUTIES.
THEIR DUTIES. >> EUGENE, YOU WRITE TODAY IN AN
AMAZING PIECE, "TRUMP MADE
FEDERAL WORKERS AND OTHER
CITIZENS WHO DEPEND ON
GOVERNMENT SERVICES INTO
SACRIFICIAL LAMBS WHOSE BLOOD IS
AN OFFERING TO THE TRUMPIST
BASE.
BASE. NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT A SOLUTION
ARE AT A STANDSTILL BECAUSE
TRUMP’S SELF-PROCLAIMED
TRUMP’S SELF-PROCLAIMED NEGOTIATION PROWESS COMES DOWN
TO TAUNTS AND TWEETS.
THE NEXT TIME YOU TAKE A FLIGHT,
HOPE THE AGENTS WHO INSPECTED
PASSENGERS’ LUGGAGE AND THE
TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WHO GUIDE
PILOTS THROUGH THE SKY ARE
THINKING ABOUT THEIR WORK.
NOT WORRYING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE
ENDS MEET."
ENDS MEET." >> YEAH, THE COMMENT REALLY IS
ABOUT GRATUITOUS CRUELTY AND
THAT’S A THEME THAT HAS RUN
THROUGH THIS ADMINISTRATION FROM
DAY ONE TO TODAY.
RIGHT?
RIGHT? IT’S TSH-- HE GOES OUT OF HIS WA
TO BE CRUEL TO PEOPLE.
THE FAMILY SEPARATIONS.
THE WAY HE DISMANTLED THE -- OR
TRIED TO DISMANTLE THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT SIMPLY
BECAUSE IT WAS NAMED AFTER
PRESIDENT OBAMA.
PRESIDENT OBAMA. WITH ABSOLUTELY NO
CONSIDERATION, NO THOUGHT, AS TO
WHAT IT WAS DOING TO PEOPLE.
TO INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO WERE
CAUGHT IN THE SORT OF CROSSFIRE.
AND HE JUST DOESN’T CARE ABOUT
THAT.
THAT. AS WE’VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE,
THE PRESIDENT DOESN’T HAVE THE
EMPATHY GENE.
EMPATHY GENE. HE JUST DOESN’T DO EMPATHY.
AND SO WHEN HE HEARS WHAT FRANK
AND JEREMY WERE SAYING, WHICH
WAS HARROWING, ABOUT THE FBI AND
ITS CONSTRICTED ABILITY TO DO
ITS JOB, I CAN IMAGINE PRESIDENT
TRUMP SITTING THERE AND SAYING,
GOOD, THAT WILL SHOW HIM,
BECAUSE THE FBI’S BAD, REMEMBER?
THE FBI OPENED INVESTIGATIONS OF
HIM AND HOW, YOU KNOW, THEY
CAN’T DO THAT TO HIM.
HE’LL SHOW THEM.
SO HE’S PROBABLY SAYING THAT’S A
GOOD THING.
GOOD THING. RATHER THAN -- I MEAN, IT’S
SHOCKING, BUT THAT’S WHERE WE
ARE.
ARE. >> HE DOESN’T HAVE AN EMPATHY
GENE, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF
AMERICANS DO, AND I WONDER,
ELISE, WHAT YOU THINK THE IMPACT
IS OF INTERVIEWS LIKE THIS.
>> PUTTING CANCER IN YOUR BUDGET
IS UNEXPECTED, BUT WE JUST HAVE
TO DEAL WITH IT, SO THIS IS
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, AND WITH
NO END IN SIGHT, THIS IS LIKE
THE MOST HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE
EVER.
EVER. CAN’T NEGOTIATE WITH MY CHEMO.
THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
IT’S CHEMO OR THE RENT.
CHEMO WINS.
CHEMO WINS. >> SO DONALD TRUMP’S LEGACY, OR
CHEMO OR RENT?
>> DIABETICS WHO CAN’T AFFORD
THEIR INSULIN SHOTS.
THIS IS THE DONALD TRUMP LACK OF
EMPATHY WE SEE EVERY DAY AND ON
DAY 32, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT
TO REMEMBER WHAT DONALD TRUMP
SAID BACK IN DECEMBER WHEN HE
MET WITH NANCY PELOSI AND CHUCK
SCHUMER.
SCHUMER. HE SAID, I WILL SHUT DOWN THE
GOVERNMENT, I AM PROUD TO SHUT
DOWN THE GOVERNMENT.
HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO OWN THE
SHUTDOWN AND THAT’S STARTING TO
SHOW UP IN POLLING AND HE DOES
OWN THE SHUTDOWN AND HE SHOULD
BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS
AN EXERCISE IN EGO MUCH MORE
THAN A PRESIDENT CONCERNED WITH
NATIONAL SECURITY BECAUSE HE’S
FIGHTING FOR A BORDER WALL.
INSTEAD, WE’RE SACRIFICING
INVESTIGATIONS AGAINST MS-13,
WHICH HE HAS CLAIMED IS A HUGE
THREAT, BECAUSE OF HIS OWN EGO.
>> BUT IF MITCH McCONNELL IS
NOW, AS PETER BAKER SAID, READY
TO BRING TO THE FLOOR A BILL
THAT PUTS IT ALL OFF TO FEBRUARY
8th, NOT THAT THAT’S A LONG TIME
AWAY, RIGHT, THAT’S ONLY A
COUPLE WEEKS, BUT IF -- IF HE’S
READY TO DO THAT, THAT TELLS ME
THAT McCONNELL’S VIEW OF THIS
SITUATION HAS SHIFTED NOW AND
HE’S PROBABLY HEARING FROM
REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO ARE
SAYING, LOOK, THIS THING HAS GOT
TO END.
TO END. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. BECAUSE THEY USED TO WATCH THE
NEWS AND HAVE A CONSCIENCE.
UNCLEAR IF THEY STILL DO.
FRANK FIGLIUZZI, I WANT TO ASK
YOU A QUESTION.
I’M NOT A CONSPIRACY THEORIST,
YET.
YET. I WONDER IF YOU THINK SHOUTUTTIN
DOWN THE GOVERNMENT, HAVING THE
FBI INVESTIGATIONS, PROSECUTEORS
INABILITY TO GET ANYTHING IN
FRONT OF A GRAND JURY, THE
ABILITY TO FUNCTION, IF YOU
THINK IT ISN’T JUST A SAD
CASUALTY BUT MAYBE SOMETHING
DONALD TRUMP ISN’T REALLY
BOTHERED BY.
BOTHERED BY. >> GOSH, I, YOU KNOW, IF IT
WEREN’T FOR THIS PRESIDENT, I’D
SAY LET’S NOT ENGAGE IN
CONSPIRACY THEORIES BUT NOTHING
SURPRISES ME ANYMORE, NICOLLE.
THERE’S BEEN MUCH DISCUSSION
ABOUT EVEN A LARGER POTENTIAL
AGENDA, WHICH IS THAT HE WANTS
THE GOVERNMENT TO SHUT DOWN.
THAT HE WANTS TO COME IN AND
SAVE THE DAY AND TAKE CONTROL AS
ONLY A DICTATOR-TYPE LEADER
COULD TAKE CONTROL.
AND SO HE’S NEVER LIKED ALL OF
THIS BUREAUCRACY.
THIS BUREAUCRACY. HE’S NEVER LIKED THE AGENCIES
AND INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT.
SO HE’S, AT A MINIMUM, HE’S NOT
FEELING ANY SENSE OF LOSS HERE,
BUT AT A MAXIMUM, ON ITS
WORST-CASE CONSPIRACY THEORIST
SCENARIO, HE MIGHT LITERALLY BE
TRYING TO CREATE A SITUATION
WHERE ONLY HE CAN SWOOP IN, SAVE
THE DAY, PICK AND CHOOSE THE
AGENCIES HE WANTS TO BE FUNDED
OR NOT, AND DECLARE SOME TYPE OF
NATIONAL EMERGENCY.