ON " >>> ALL RIGHT.
IT’S 41 PAST THE HOUR.
A LIVE LOOK AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
WE’VE BEEN TALKING THIS MORNING
ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS
THAT NIKKI HALEY HAS MADE,
ESPECIALLY UPON THE RELEASE OF
HER LATEST BOOK.
HERE SHE IS JUST MOMENTS AGO ON
THE TODAY SHOW.
>> I AM WAY OVER TIME, BUT LET
ME QUICKLY BECAUSE IT’S BEEN OUT
THERE AND YOU WORKED IN THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. DID YOU EVER HAVE ANY DOUBT
ABOUT THE FITNESS OF THIS
PRESIDENT TO SERVE?
>> I NEVER DID.
>> ANY DOUBT ABOUT HIS MENTAL
AQUEUE WITTY?
AQUEUE WITTY? >> I NEVER DID.
>> ANY QUESTION ABOUT HIS
TRUTHFULNESS, HIS ABILITY TOLL.
TRUTH?
TRUTH? >> SAVANNAH, I TALKED TO HIM
MULTIPLE TIMES AND WHEN I HAD
ISSUES HE ALWAYS HEARD ME OUT.
I NEVER HAD ANY CONCERN ON
WHETHER HE COULD HANDLE THE JOB,
EVER.
EVER. >> WHAT ABOUT HISTORY OF
TRUTHFULNESS.
TRUTHFULNESS. DID YOU THINK HE WAS A
TRUTHFULNESS?
TRUTHFULNESS? >> IN EVER INSTANCE I DEALT WITH
HIM HE WAS TRUTHFUL, HE
LISTENED, AND HE WAS GREAT TO
WORK WITH.
WORK WITH. >> WELL, I HAVE ONE WORD FOR
MIKE PENCE.
MIKE PENCE. MY FRIEND.
MY FRIEND. >> DUCK.
>> DUCK. >> DUCK.
>> DUCK. I MEAN, NIKKI HALEY, UNLESS SHE
WANTED THE JOB, WOULD NOT --
WOULD NOT SO BESMIRCH HER OWN
REPUTATION.
REPUTATION. SHE JUST SAID SHE HAD NO
QUESTION AS TO DONALD TRUMP’S
FITNESS FOR THE JOB.
>> SHE TRIED TO, LIKE, QUALIFY
IT BY SAYING WHEN HE WAS WITH
ME.
ME. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. BUT SHE ALSO -- BUT, WILLIE, AT
THE END WHEN PRESSED --
>> NOT HOW IT WORKS.
>> -- WHEN PRESSED, SHE SAID
THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS TRUTHFUL.
>> ALWAYS.
>> ALWAYS. >> AND NEVER HAD ANY QUESTION.
ALWAYS TRUTHFUL.
ALWAYS TRUTHFUL. WILLIE, THIS IS JUST ONE OF
THOSE MOMENTS WHERE WE NEED TO
JUST STOP AND ACTUALLY YOU CAN
JUST SMELL THE CORRUPTION IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. AND YOU SEE THE
IMPACT OF DONALD TRUMP, HOW HE
CORRUPTS EVERYBODY THAT’S EITHER
CLOSE TO HIM, IN HIS ORBIT, OR
WHO WANT TO BE IN HIS ORBIT.
I WILL SAY IT IS ACTUALLY
PERSONALLY IT’S VERY SAD.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> VERY SAD FOR US BECAUSE WE’VE
ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT NIKKI HALEY
ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE TO BE
SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT AND SHE’S
CHOSEN, INSTEAD, TO LIE FOR
DONALD TRUMP AND TO SAY THINGS
THAT SHE KNOWS IS NOT TRUE, THAT
DONALD TRUMP KNOWS IS NOT TRUE,
THAT REPUBLICANS KNOW NOT TRUE,
AND THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
KNOW IS NOT TRUE.
I GUESS, WILLIE, THE ONLY
CONCLUSION WE CAN REACH IS,
BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO BE VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> EDDIE GLAUDE THREW HIS HEAD
BACK SO HARD I THINK HE PULLED A
MUSCLE LISTENING TO THAT SOUND
BITE FROM NIKKI HALEY.
I WOULD ADD SHE’S OUT IN
INTERVIEW SAYING THERE’S NO
PRECEDENT FOR THE IMPEACHMENT
INQUIRY.
INQUIRY. SO SHE’S PARROTED ALL THE
REPUBLICAN TALKING POINTS.
SHE WHEREAS AAS A HOPE FOR A LOT
REPUBLICANS, MAYBE SHE COULD BE
THE POST TRUMP FUTURE OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
REPUBLICAN PARTY. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE SHE WANTS TO
BE A PART OF THE CURRENT TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. SUSAN PAGE, WHAT YOU TO MAKE
FROM WHAT WE’VE HEARD FROM HER
THIS WEEK?
THIS WEEK? >> I WOULD SAY IN AN INTERVIEW I
DID WITH NIKKI HALEY THAT SHE
DID HAVE SOME CRITICISM OF
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. SHE SAID THAT IT WAS
INAPPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO ASK
UKRAINE TO INVESTIGATE JOE
BIDEN.
BIDEN. SHE SAID THAT WAS NOT A PROPER
PATH THAT YOU WANT TO GO DOWN.
SHE DIDN’T USE THE MOST HEATED
LANGUAGE, BUT SHE VERY CLEARLY
STATED SHE THOUGHT THAT WAS
WROK.
WROK. SHE WENT ON TO SAY SHE DIDN’T
THINK IT WAS SERIOUSLY ENOUGH TO
BE AN IMPEACHMENT OFFENSE.
SHE’S ALSO MADE SMEF FORTSOME EF
DISTINGUISH HIMSELF FROM HIM ON
RACE INCLUDING HIS COMMENTS FROM
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
CHARLOTTESVILLE. SHE’S WALKING THIS LINE THAT HAS
TRIPPED UP ALMOST EVERY
REPUBLICAN THAT YOU KNOW, WHICH
IS HOW THOUGH STAY ON THE GOOD
SIDE OF DONALD TRUMP WHO
CONTROLS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
TODAY WHILE ALSO KEEPING YOUR
OWN POSITIONS, YOUR OWN
PRINCIPLES CLEAR.
PRINCIPLES CLEAR. IN THE INTERVIEW SHE JUST DID
WITH THE "TODAY SHOW" YOU SEE
HER DEFINITELY ON ONE SIDE OF
THAT LINE, ON THE TRUMP SIDE.
BUT I WILL SAY SHE HAS MADE SOME
EFFORTS TO ALSO MAINTAIN SOME
DEGREE OF INDEPENDENCE.
>> BUT, YOU KNOW, EDDIE GLAUDE,
THAT LINE WAS FOREVER ERASED.
AGAIN, JUST -- I MUST SAY, KUDOS
TO SAVANNAH FOR REALLY BEARING
DOWN ON THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION FOR WHICH THERE --
>> IS NO --
>> -- IS NO DOUBT THERE IS NO
GRAY AREA ASKING WHETHER THE
PRESIDENT WAS TRUTHFUL OR NOT.
WHETHER THE PRESIDENT HAD
PROBLEMS TELLING THE TRUTH.
AND WHEN PRESSED, SHE SAID WELL,
OF COURSE, HE HAS NO PROBLEMS
WITH THE TRUTH.
HE SOUNDED EVERY BIT AS
RIDICULOUS AS OF CERTAIN -- I
THINK IT WAS STEWART VARNEY WHO
SAID THE PRESIDENT’S NEVER LIED,
NEVER TOLD A LIE BEFORE.
AND NOW NIKKI HALEY PUTS HERSELF
IN THAT COMPANY.
I’M SORRY, FOR A LOT OF
CONSERVATIVES, FOR A LOT OF
REPUBLICANS, IT IS A SAD DAY.
>> YOU KNOW, JOE, YOU MADE THE
POINT EARLIER BUT I THINK IT’S
IMPORTANT TO ECHO IT.
WE SHOULD GIVE TRUMP CREDIT.
WHOEVER COMES INTO HIS ORBIT, HE
REVEALS THEIR CHARACTER.
WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER IS THAT HE
CORRUPTS OF SOUL OF WHOEVER
COMES INTO HIS ORBIT.
WHAT WE SAY RIGHT THERE IS NIKKI
HALEY REVEALED FOR ALL OF US TO
SEE THAT SHE’S WILLING TO TURN A
BLIND EYE TO TRUMP’S LIES, TO
THE EROSION OF OUR DEMOCRACY, TO
THE CRISIS THAT WE’RE IN.
DONALD TRUMP HAS AN AMAZING
ABILITY TO REVEAL WHO THESE
PEOPLE ARE.
PEOPLE ARE. AND I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THEM
FOR WHO THEY ARE.
>> WELL, YEAH, TAKE THEM FOR WHO
THEY’VE BEEN REVEALED TO BE.
YOU KNOW, WILLIE, MIKE PENCE IS
A GREAT EXAMPLE.
HE’S A GUY I KNEW IN CONGRESS.
I DON’T RECOGNIZE HIM.
I HAVEN’T RECOGNIZED HIM FOR
SEVERAL YEARS.
SEVERAL YEARS. HE WILL LITERALLY SAY ANYTHING
THAT HE IS TOLD TO SAY.
HE WILL LITERALLY PARROT DONALD
TRUMP.
TRUMP. HE’S EVEN LIKE A PARROT THAT IF
HIS MASTER PUTS A WATER BOTTLE
ON THE FLOOR, HE’LL GET HIS
BEAK, PICK UP THE WATER BOTTLE
AND PUT TONIGHT FLOOR.
YOU LOOK AT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
AT LARGE, THIS IS A PARTY THAT
WHEN I JOINED AND WHEN I WENT TO
CONGRESS WHAT DID WE FIGHT FOR?
FOUGHT FOR BALANCED BUDGETS.
REPUBLICANS DON’T TALK ABOUT
BALANCED BUDGETS ANYMORE.
THEY’VE GOT BIGGEST DEFICITS IN
THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY.
THEY PASSED THE LARGEST BUDGET
EVER, THE BIGGEST PORK BARREL
SPENDING BUDGET EVER.
THEY HAVE THE LARGEST NATIONAL
DEBT EVER.
DEBT EVER. I’M TELLING YOU, THE ENTIRE
REPUBLICAN PARTY BACK WHEN I WAS
IN CONGRESS, I SAID IT, YOU
KNOW, YOU HAVE A DRINK, WE
FOUGHT DAY AND NIGHT TO BALANCE
THE BUDGET, TO MAKE THE
GOVERNMENT SMALLER, TO MAKE IT
MORE RESPONSIVE.
MORE RESPONSIVE. WE PUSHED BACK AGAINST THE
RUSSIANS.
RUSSIANS. WE PUSHED BACK AGAINST RUSSIAN
AGGRESSION.
AGGRESSION. WE PUSHED BACK AGAINST
TOTALITARIAN REGIMES.
TOTALITARIAN REGIMES. WE FOUGHT FOR FREE TRADE.
I MEAN, ALL THE THINGS THAT
DONALD TRUMP IS DOING IS WHAT WE
FOUGHT AGAINST.
FOUGHT AGAINST. AND NOW THIS REPUBLICAN PARTY,
LIKE MIKE PENCE AND NOW LIKE
NIKKIE HALEY, THEY JUST DON’T
GIVE A DAMN ABOUT CONSERVATIVE
PRINCIPLES.
PRINCIPLES. ALL THEY’RE DOING IS FIGHTING
FOR DONALD TRUMP AND THEY’RE
JUSTIFICATION OR FEDERAL JUDGES?
WHAT ABOUT THEIR JOBS?
WHAT ABOUT SAVING FUTURE
GENERATIONS FROM MASSIVE DEBT?
HOW ABOUT THE SIZE AND THE SCOPE
OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?
HOW ABOUT SUPPORTING A PRESIDENT
THAT SAYS ARTICLE 2 GIVES HIM
UNLIMITED POWER THAT HE CAN,
QUOTE, DO WHATEVER HE WANTS?
WE CONSERVATIVES WERE
MADISONIANS.
MADISONIANS. WE BELIEVED IN CHECKS AND
BALANCES AND WE BELIEVED THAT
ARTICLE 1, THAT CONGRESS WAS
DESCRIBED IN ARTICLE 1, THE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, FOR A
REASON.
REASON. BECAUSE IT MATTERED THAT IT WAS
AMONG EQUALS, IT WAS THE MOST
IMPORTANT BRANCH.
IMPORTANT BRANCH. AND, WILLIE, REPUBLICANS
CONSERVATIVES, MIKE PENCE, NIKKI
HALEY, THEY’VE THROWN THAT ALL
AWAY AND, BY THE WAY, DON’T
BELIEVE ME, JUST LOOK AT THE
FACTS.
FACTS. JUST LOOK AT THE DEBT CLOCK.
JUST LOOK AT WHAT DONALD TRUMP
HAS SAID.
HAS SAID. HE SIDES WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN, AN
EX KGB AGENT OVER THE UNITED
STATES INTEL COMMUNITY AND THE
UNITED STATES MILITARY I TELL
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. IT’S A SAD -- IT’S JUST ONE MORE
SAD CHAPTER.
SAD CHAPTER. AND
AND JUST ONE MORE SAD CHAPTER.
SAD CHAPTER. AN
DEMOCRAT WHO GAVE MONEY TO HILLARY CLINTON EIGHT TIMES AND
SAID SHE WAS A GREAT SECRETARY
OF STATE.
OF STATE. THIS IS A GUY THAT HAS CORRUPTED
THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT AND
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
>> IT’S SMALL GOVERNMENT DEFICIT
HAWKS LOOKING THE OTHER WAY
AFTER THE PRESIDENT RESIDES OVER
A TRILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT AND TO
NOT MENTION THE PERSONAL SIDE OF
IT ALL THESE SENATORS WHO WERE
INSULTED FOR A YEAR AND A HALF
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN 2015,