KNOW, THAT PEOPLE WHO WORK AROUND THE PRESIDENT DO WORK
CONSTANTLY TO KEEP THINGS IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
>> JOINING ME NOW IS COUNSELOR
TO PRESIDENT TRUMP, KELLYANNE
CONWAY.
CONWAY. MS. CONWAY, WELCOME BACK TO
"MEET THE PRESS."
>> THANK YOU, CHUCK.
>> LET ME JUST START WITH TO GET
YOU TO RESPOND TO THE CENTRAL
ALLEGATION BOTH IN WOODWARD’S
BOOK AND THIS ANONYMOUS OP-ED
THAT THE PRESIDENT ISN’T FULLY
IN CHARGE OF HIS PRESIDENCY HOW
DO YOU RESPOND WITH THAT?
>> I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THAT,
SO DO GENERAL KELLY, GENERAL
MATTIS AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT
HAVE COME OUT TO PUSH BACK ON
QUOTES ATTRIBUTED TO THEM.
I THINK GENERAL MATTIS’ DENIAL
WAS RELEVANT FOR WHAT HE DENIED
AND ALSO WHAT HE AFFIRMED.
IN DENYING THAT HE WOULD EVER
USE CON TEMP USE LANGUAGE
AGAINST THE ELECTED COMMANDER OR
TOLERATE IT IN THE VERY LAST
PENTAGON THAT HE OVERSEES.
HE ALSO AFFIRMED HIS COMMITMENT
TO THE SUCCESSES IN THE DEFENSE
AND NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE THAT
THE THIS PRESIDENT HAS ACHIEVED.
GENERAL MATTIS MENTIONED THAT
THE ISIS CALIPHATE IS ALL BUT
GONE.
GONE. HE MENTIONED THAT THE PAY RAISES
THE FIRST MILITARY PAY RAISE IS
QUITE A WHILE, THAT DEFENSE
POLICIES ARE RECEIVED HONORABLY
AND APPLICABLY ON CAPITOL HILL.
THERE ARE TREMENDOUS
DIFFERENCES, TREMENDOUS GAINS.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT’S
CONSTERNATION PROBABLY DERIVES
FROM THE FACT THAT WE ALWAYS
HAVE A HANDFUL OF SOURCES AND
THIS IS LIKE THE FIFTH
CONSECUTIVE BOOK WHERE IT’S
BASICALLY A FEW PEOPLE.
>> WHY SHOULD WE TAKE YOUR --
WHY SHOULD WE TAKE YOUR WORD FOR
THAT?
THAT? YOU SAY -- YOU SAID FIVE BOOKS,
I WILL GO WITH WE HAD THE
MICHAEL WOLFF, OMAROSA, VARIOUS
REPORTS, NOW YOU HAVE WOODWARD
AND THE ANONYMOUS OP-ED.
YOU SAY IT’S A FEW PEOPLE.
THAT’S A LOT OF -- ARE YOU
SAYING A FEW PEOPLE ARE THE
SOURCE FOR ALL OF THESE FAULTS?
THAT’S A LOT OF PEOPLE.
>> -- SOMEBODY WHO ABOVE BOARD
MET WITH BOB WOODWARD TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT OR
HOW I MIGHT HELP AND CAME BACK
AND TOOK THAT TO THE WHITE HOUSE
AS WE ALL KNOW.
>> DID YOU STOP THE PRESIDENT
FROM SPEAKING TO BOB WOODWARD.
>> I DID NOT.
>> HE SEEMS TO THINK THERE WAS A
DISAGREEMENT IN THAT RECORDING.
HE SEEMS TO AT LEAST INDICATE HE
WANTED TO SPEAK WITH BOB
WOODWARD.
WOODWARD. >> AND HE SAID THIS WEEK IT
WOULDN’TAVE HELPED.
WOULDN’TAVE HELPED. >> BUT HE DID WANT TO SPEAK TO
HIM.
HIM. >> THE PRESIDENT LIKES TO SPEAK
TO EVERYONE.
TO EVERYONE. >> DID YOU JUST NOT BRING THE
REQUEST.
REQUEST. >> NO, I’M ON TAPE SAYING
EXACTLY WHAT IS TRUE, WHICH IS I
BROUGHT THE REQUEST BACK AND IT
WAS REJECTED.
WAS REJECTED. >> TO THE PRESIDENT?
TO THE PRESIDENT?
>> I ALSO --
>> TO THE PRESIDENT?
YOU’RE NOT ANSWERING WHETHER YOU
BROUGHT THE REQUEST TO THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. >> I DIDN’T BRING THE REQUEST TO
THE PRESIDENT DIRECTLY AND THE
PRESIDENT SAID SHE COULD HAVE
BECAUSE SHE HAS DIRECT ACCESS TO
ME.
ME. ALL THAT DOESN’T MATTER, THIS
DOES.
DOES. WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID ABOUT
WOODWARD MATTERS.
WOODWARD MATTERS. HE SAID, BOB, I HOPE THE BOOK
COVERS THIS BOOM ECONOMY, THE
LABOR, WAGES, GROWTH,
MANUFACTURING JOBS,
MANUFACTURING JOBS, CONSTRUCTION.
CONSTRUCTION. YOU CAN’T DENY AND EVEN
SOMEBODY’S POISON PEN IN
ANONYMOUS OP-ED OR THE VITRIOL
SPUN ALL DAY LONG ON SOME
STATIONS CAN’T REALLY TOUCH THE
CORNERS ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY
WHERE PEOPLE ARE FEELING THE
ECONOMIC BOOM, WHERE THEY FEEL
SAFER AND MORE PROSPEROUS.
YOU CAN’T TOUCH IT.
HE HAS GIVEN SKROIS AND
VISIBILITY TO FOLLOW, WHO FELT
INVISIBLE AND FORGOTTEN.
>> IN FAIRNESS, ACTUALLY, THE
UNNAMED PERSON WHO WROTE THIS,
BECAUSE IT’S OBVIOUSLY NOT
ANONYMOUS TO SOME PEOPLE AT THE
"NEW YORK TIMES," THE UNNAMED
PERSON DID WRITE DON’T GET ME
WRONG, THERE ARE BRIGHT SPOTS.
EFFECTIVE DEREGULATION, HISTORIC
TAX REFORM, A MORE ROBUST
MILITARY AND MORE, BUT THESE
SUCCESSES HAVE COME DESPITE NOT
BECAUSE OF THE PRESIDENT’S
LEADERSHIP STYLE WHICH IS IMP
TUESDAY, ADD VER SAIL I CAN’T
REMEMBER, PETTY --
>> THAT IS THE INTERSECTION OF
ARROGANCE AND IGNORANCE.
IN THIS PERSON HAD THE KIND OF
COURAGE AND SKILLS THAT SOME OF
US DO, THEY’D COME FORWARD.
YOU WOULD PUT THEM RIGHT IN IN
CHAIR TODAY, YOU WOULD HAVE
CLEARED OUT THE WHOLE ROUND
TABLE IF THAT PERSON WOULD COME
FORWARD.
FORWARD. I’M SURE THEY WOULD GET A HERO’S
WELCOME, BUT WHY, CHUCK?
YOU ARE A LONG TIME JOURNALIST
AND RESPONSIBLE PERSON.
WOULD YOU HAVE GIVEN ANONYMITY,
WOULD NBC HAVE FELT COMFORTABLE
DOING THAT IF IT TURNS OUT IT’S
NOT A TRUE SENIOR ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIAL?
OFFICIAL? WHY ARE WE EM BUG CREDIBILITY
AND AUTHORITY TO SOMEBODY WHO
HASN’T EARNED IT?
WE CAN’T RUN AROUND ALL DAY
SAYING FACTS AND TRUTH AND
TRANSPARENCY AND CREDIBILITY.
IF WE ARE I’M BUG CREDIBILITY TO
EVERY ANTI-TRUMP MESSENGER THAT
COMES ALONG.
COMES ALONG. >> WHAT KIND OF WEST WING IS IT
THAT EVERYBODY IS QUIETLY,
GARY --
GARY -- >> EVERYBODY IS NOT DOING THAT.
EXCUSE ME, EVERYBODY IS NOT
DOING THAT.
DOING THAT. >> OKAY.
>> OKAY. MORE THAN A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE
LEAKING ANECDOTES, VENTING THEIR
FRUSTRATION.
FRUSTRATION. >> YOU REAL LYING A LOT OF
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FORCED OUT AND
FIRED, OTHER PEOPLE LEFT ON
THEIR OWN ACCORD.
IT’S TOUGH TO NOT BE --
>> LET ME ASK THIS --
>> IT’S NOT FOR EVERYONE AS THE
VICE PRESIDENT HAS SAID, IT’S
NOT FOR EVERYONE.
>> WHO RUNS THE STAFF?
WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE STAFF?
>> THE CHIEF OF STAFF.
>> IS THE CHIEF OF STAFF DOING
HIS JOB.
HIS JOB. >> YES.
>> YES. >> IF THERE IS SO MANY ROGUE
LEAKERS.
LEAKERS. >> PUT DOWN AS PRO GENERAL
KELLY.
KELLY. >> WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE WHO
DON’T LISTEN TO HIM.
>> DON’T LISTEN TO WHOM?
>> GENERAL KELLY.
>> THESE ARE PEOPLE IN BOOKS AND
IN, I GUESS, ANONYMOUS OP ED’S,
I’M NOT SURE THEY KNOW THE
PRESIDENT OR JOHN KELLY, WHO
ARE, I THINK, MOTIVATED BY
CONCEIT AND DECEIT AND THAT
PERSON IS GOING TO SUSS OUT
HIMSELF OR HERSELF BECAUSE
COWARDS LIKE CRIMINALS ALWAYS
TELL THE WRONG PERSON, ALWAYS
CONFESS THEIR CRIME TO THE WRONG
PERSON.
PERSON. >> DO YOU TRUST EVERYBODY YOU
WORK WITH RIGHT NOW.
>> YES, I DO.
>> WHY?
>> WHY? >> I WILL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED
THIS WEEK.
THIS WEEK. THE TEAM TIGHTENED UP EVEN MORE
BECAUSE OF ALL THIS, FOLKS WHO
DON’T EVEN WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE
THEY DEAL IN DIFFERENT
PORTFOLIOS, DIFFERENT ISSUES,
FOLKS WHO DON’T KNOW EACH OTHER
THAT WELL, SOME NEW, SOME HAVE
BEEN AROUND SINCE THE CAMPAIGN
LIKE ME, WE ARE TIGHTER THIS
WEEK BECAUSE WE ARE SO JOINED IN
OUR OUTRAGE AND, YES, I HOPE THE
PERSON -- I HOPE WE LEARN THE
IDENTITY OF THE PERSON, BUT WHY
ELEVATE THE PERSON?
I’M MORE INTERESTED IN GIVING
VOICE AND VISIBILITY TO FOLKS --
>> DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE
PRESIDENT DOESN’T TRUST THE
STAFF RIGHT NOW?
>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT SHOULD
HAVE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT HAVING
LARGE MEETINGS WITH SOMETIMES
THERE ARE PEOPLE INCLUDED OR WHO
ARE SUBSTITUTING FOR OTHER
PEOPLE THAT MAYBE HE DOESN’T
KNOW WELL AND I THINK EVERY
PRESIDENT DESERVES TO HAVE A
LEAK-FREE --
LEAK-FREE -- >> SURE.
>> SURE. >> -- ANONYMOUS OP-ED FREE TYPE
OF WHITE HOUSE.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO FIRE THESE
LEAKERS IF YOU FIND OUT WHO THEY
ARE?
ARE? >> THERE ARE SOME LEAKERS WHO
ARE LONG GONE, THEY ARE JUST
LEAKING NO YOU TO AUTHORS AND
BOOKS SO THEY’RE LONG GONE.
ACTUALLY, THAT’S GOTTEN MUCH
BETTER.
BETTER. I THINK THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
DEALS BEST IN SMALLER GROUPS
BECAUSE HE LOVES TO HEAR
DISSENTING OPINIONS,
DISSENTING OPINIONS, DISAGREEMENTS AMONG HIS STAFF
AND HE WILL HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS
FOR THIS AND FOR THAT ON
DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM
ON A PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT HE
KNOWS HE IS THE DEMOCRATICALLY
ELECTED COMMANDER AND PRESIDENT
WHO ULTIMATELY MAKES THAT
DECISION.
DECISION. THAT’S LEADERSHIP.
THAT’S LEADERSHIP. SOMEBODY SURROUNDS HIMSELF OR
HERSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE
BUT WHO TRY TO BRIEF THE
PRESIDENT PROPERLY.
PRESIDENT PROPERLY. YOU ARE NOT COVERING ALL THE
GOOD THINGS.
GOOD THINGS. I MEAN --
I MEAN -- >> LET ME ASK THIS, HE CALLED IT
TREASON, WHY IS IT TREASON, THE
OP-ED WRITER?
OP-ED WRITER? >> IT DEPENDS.
IF THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS
ACCESS TO NATIONAL SECURITY
INFORMATION AND THE PRESIDENT
HAS MADE CLEAR HE DOESN’T WANT
TO BE IN A MEETING WITH SOMEBODY
DEALING WITH RUSSIA, CHINA,
NORTH KOREA WHO HAS ACCESS TO
THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION AND
THEN IS USING IT.
HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THE --
>> WHAT IS IT IN THE OP-ED THAT
WOULD MAKE IT TREASON?
>> WHAT MAKES YOU THINK -- HOW
ARE WE SECURE, CHUCK, THAT THE
FOUR CORNERS OF ANY OP-ED ARE
ALL THAT SOMEBODY THAT -- WHO
DOESN’T HAVE THE GUTS AND THE
COURAGE TO COME OUT AND PUT
THEIR NAME TO THAT -- TO THAT
OP-ED, HOW DO WE KNOW THEY
HAVEN’T PROMISED OTHER THINGS?
HOW DO WE KNOW THEY ARE NOT
TAKING OTHER DOCUMENTS?
WE KNOW EARLY ON IT WAS LEAKED
THE PRESIDENT’S CALLS WITH THE
PRESIDENTS OF MEXICO AND
AUSTRALIA --
AUSTRALIA -- >> WE ARE NOT AT WAR WITH
ANYBODY SO YOU CAN’T REALLY
ACCUSE ANYBODY OF TREASON.
WE ARE NOT AT WAR.
>> THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING --
OH, COME ON.
PEOPLE ARE OPENLY TALKING ABOUT
THE 25th AMENDMENT AND
IMPEACHMENT.
IMPEACHMENT. SUCH NONSENSE.
SUCH NONSENSE. LOOK AT THE SPECTACLE ON CAPITOL
HILL THIS WEEK.
BRETT KAVANAUGH WILL BE
CONFIRMED LATER THIS MONTH AND
WILL BE SEATED BEFORE THE
OCTOBER 1st SUPREME COURT TERM
BECAUSE THAT MAN IS AS QUALIFIED
AND DIGNIFIED TODAY AS HE WAS
WHEN HE WAS FIRST NOMINATED.
I KNOW YOU WANT TO AVOID THAT,
BUT --
BUT -- >> I’M NOT A VIEGD ANYTHING.
>> ALL THIS IS NOISE ULTIMATELY
IN HISTORY.
IN HISTORY. BRETT KAVANAUGH WILL BE THERE
FOR DECADES.
FOR DECADES. >> THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES WANTS THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL TO INVESTIGATE.
WHAT LAW WAS BROKEN HERE THAT
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL NEEDS TO
INVESTIGATE?
INVESTIGATE? >> IT DEPENDS.
THERE COULD BE AND THERE COULD
NOT BE.
NOT BE. AND SO YOU DON’T KNOW THAT AND I
DON’T KNOW THAT.
>> SO HE WANTS -- SO HE HAS
ORDERED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL --
>> NOBODY IS INVESTIGATING AN
OP-ED.
OP-ED. >> HAS HE ORDERED THE
INVESTIGATION OF WHO WROTE THIS
OP-ED?
OP-ED? >> I WON’T TALK ABOUT THAT.
HE HAS SAID PUBLICLY THAT HE
THINKS WE SHOULD FIND OUT WHO
THIS PERSON IS.
I DON’T BELIEVE IN GIVING THIS
PERSON SO MUCH ELEVATION AND
OXYGEN, BUT WE ALL WANT TO KNOW
WHO IT IS.
>> IT’S POSSIBLE HE HAS GIVEN AN
ORDER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE TO INVESTIGATE THIS?
>> HE HAS SAID PUBLICLY WHAT HE
FEELS.
FEELS. YOU CAN ROLL THE TAPE.
HE SAID IT SEVERAL TIMES.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT.
SHOULD IT BE TAKEN -- SHOULD THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL TAKE IT AS AN
ORDER?
ORDER? >> IF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND FBI
FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE OVERSIGHT ON
A MATTER LIKE THIS THEY WILL
MAKE THAT DECISION.
>> DOES THE PRESIDENT BELIEVE
THEY HAVE OVERSIGHT.
>> WHAT THE PRESIDENT BELIEVES
IS THAT NOBODY WANTS TO COVER
WHAT AMERICA SEES AND FEELS
BECAUSE OF HIS LEADERSHIP.
THERE IS NO DENYING -- THERE
EITHER ARE OR ARE NOT 201,000
JOBS CREATED, YES, WAGES AND
LABOR AND GROWTH UP, YES, YES,
YES.
YES. WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS GOING TO
BE A GLOBAL RECESSION.
PRESIDENT OBAMA PREEND AROUND
WHAT’S HE GOING TO DO WITH A
MAGIC WAND, HE’S GOING TO CREATE
JOBS AND HE’S DOING IT WITHOUT A
MAGIC BAND.
MAGIC BAND. HE REFUSED TAXES, HE DEREGULATED
WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA ADDED TO
THOSE REGULATIONS.
THOSE REGULATIONS. HE DOESN’T BELIEVE IN SOME
PHONEY RED LINE IN SYRIA WHERE
WE HAVE A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
THIS PRESIDENT RESPONDED SWIFTLY
AND DEE SIS IFL AGAINST ASSAD
WHEN HE GASSED HIS OWN PEOPLE
NOT ONCE BUT TWICE.
>> DID HE EVER SUGGEST TO
SECRETARY MATTIS KILL THE GUY?
>> I CERTAINLY NEVER A HEARD IT.
>> IT’S POSSIBLE HE SAID IT IN
GIST.
GIST. >> GENERAL MATTIS HAS DECIDE
WHAT WAS SAID IN THAT BOOK AND I
WANT HE ERR EVERYBODY TO READ
HIS DENIAL AND AFFIRMATION.
THERE IS A REASON PEOPLE LIKE
GENERAL MATTIS AND GENERAL KELLY
ARE SERVING THIS PRESIDENT.
THEY VERY MUCH BELIEVE IN THE
AGENDA, IN A STRONG MILITARY AND
PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, IN
TRYING TO BRING
DENUCLEARIZATION, GETTING OUT OF
THE WRONG HEADED IRAN DEAL.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IN HIS
MESSAGE IS CREDITING THIS
PRESIDENT FOR BEING A GREAT
PARTNER.
PARTNER. THIS PRESIDENT KICKED OUT A
NAZI, KICKED OUT A NAZI THAT
OTHER PRESIDENTS REFUSED TO AND
HE MOVED THE EMBASSY TO
JERUSALEM, KEEPING THE PROMISE
OF MANY PRESIDENTS.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> WOW.