THIS.
COVERT OPERATIONS OFFICER,
FORMER CIA, MIKE BAKER.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MIKE.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
TRISH: WE HAD A SOURCE IN
RUSSIA, VERY CLOSE TO VLADIMIR
PUTIN, HAD BEEN CULTIVATED OVER
A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND NOW THAT SOURCE I WOULD
THINK THAT ASSET WHICH HAD TO BE
EXTRACTED IS NOW PRETTY MUCH IN
DANGER.
I THINK IT MEDIA HOLDS SOME
RESPONSIBILITY IN ALL OF THIS.
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON IT.
>> I THINK ABSOLUTELY THEY HOLD
RESPONSIBILITY.
I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD CARE.
BUT WHETHER YOU TALK ABOUT NBC,
OR ABC'S BEHAVIOR, CNN HATE THE
PRESIDENT.
THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
THROW A STORY OUT THERE FROM
THEIR PERSPECTIVE WAS ANOTHER
HIT JOB ON THE PRESIDENT AND
COULDN'T BE BOTHERED TO FACT
CHECK.
WHAT NBC AND OTHERS ARE DOING BY
TRYING TO OUT THIS INDIVIDUAL
AND PLAYING BEAT THE CLOCK TO
GET THE STORY FIRST.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO
JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY OR
PROPORTION WHEN IT COMES TO
NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS.
BUT NOT ONLY DOES IT PLACE AN
INDIVIDUAL'S LIFE AT RISK.
AS WE KNOW FROM WATCHING PUTIN
AND HIS HENCHMEN GO AFTER
INDIVIDUALS AROUND THE WORLD IN
THE RECENT PAST.
BUT WAIT ALSO DOES IS ENDANGERS
NATIONAL SECURITY IN A MUCH
BIGGER SENSE.
TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS TAKE
PLACE, IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT IT
IS IN THE FUTURE.
GOING FORWARD FOR ALL THOSE
BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK IN
THE INTEL COMMUNITY IN THE U.S.
TO TRY TO CONVINCE SOMEBODY IN A
POSITION OVERSEAS WHO HAS
CRITICAL INTELLIGENCE THAT WE
NEED FOR OUR NATIONAL SECURITY
INTEREST.
IMAGINE HOW TOUGH IT IS TO
CONVINCE THAT POTENTIAL ASSET TO
SUPPORT US.
NOT ONLY KEEPING IT A SECRET,
BUT THE MEDIA TARGETS HIM.
TRISH: IT SETS A VERY BAD
PRECEDENTS.
HOW DOES IT ALL WORK?
HOW DO YOU GET THAT ASSET, HOW
DO YOU CULTIVATE THAT ASSET TO
BEGIN WITH?
IS THERE MONEY AT PLAY?
IS SOMEBODY HANDING OVER, YOU
KNOW, LOTS OF MONEY?
CASH TO THIS INDIVIDUAL IN.
>> NOT TO GO INTO SOURCES AND
METHODS, OBVIOUSLY WE WON'T.
BUT WE CAN TALK ALL DAY LONG
ABOUT WHAT MOTIVATES SOMEBODY TO
COOPERATE WITH AN INTEL SERVICE.
SOMETIMES IT'S MONEY, SOMETIMES
IT'S A VARIETY OF OTHER REASONS.
OCCASIONALLY IT'S IDEOLOGY.
BUT THE PROCESS TO GET THAT
ASSET IS ENORMOUSLY DIFFICULT
AND PAINSTAKING.
UNLESS YOU HAVE GOT SOMEBODY WHO
WALKED IN AND VOLUNTEERS THEIR
SERVICES ASSUMING THEY ARE
CREDIBLE.
THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING
SOMEBODY WHO HAS ACCESS TO
CRITICAL INTELLIGENCE, THAT'S A
PRIORITY FOR THE U.S. IS A
LENGTHY PROCESS YOU HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT MOTIVATES THEM.
YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE POINT
WHERE THEY ARE WILLING TO
COOPERATE.
THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR LIFE ON
THE LINE.
THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR FAMILY'S
LIFE ON THE LINE.
AND THEY ARE DOING IT OFTENTIMES
BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE PERSONALLY
FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT IT'S
THE RIGHT THING.
THEY BELIEVE THE U.S. IS IN THE
RIGHT POSITION.
THEN YOU GET SOMETHING LIKE
WHAT'S TAKING PLACE WITH NBC
DOING WHAT THEY ARE DOING,
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR.
I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THE
MINDSET.
>> THE THIS IS COMPLETELY
IRRESPONSIBLE AND I HEAR YOU.
ANY ASSET ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
WOULD SAY WHY AM I GOING TO DO
THIS.
WOW, IF YOUR MEDIA GETS ANY
INKLING OF ANY OF THIS GOING ON,