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♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY.
WE'RE BACK WITH FORMER C.I.A.
DIRECTOR AND AUTHOR OF THE NEW BOOK, "UNDAUNTED," JOHN BRENNAN.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE THE STABILITY OF THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT GIVEN OUR PRESIDENT IS SICK NOW AND HAS SO MUCH
DISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE SORT OF
MAINTAINED THE AMERICANA OF THE LAST FEW DECADES.
THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN ACCUSED, QUITE CREDIBLY, OF
DESTABILIZING GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD OVER THE LAST 50
YEARS.
AS SOMEONE WHO WANTS RAN THE C.I.A., DO YOU SEE PATTERNS OF
FOREIGN BEHAVIOR IN THE UNITED STATES THAT IS HELPING TO
DESTABILIZE OUR GOVERNMENT THE WAY THE UNITED STATES HAS
DESTABILIZED GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD?
DO YOU SEE THE RUSSIANS PLAYING GAMES AGAINST US THAT WE PLAYED
IN OTHER REGIMES AROUND THE WORLD?
>> WELL, I THINK THE ADVENT OF THE TECHNICAL AND DIGITAL ERA
HAS GIVEN THE RUSSIANS AS WELL AS THE CHINESE AND OTHERS A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO CARRY OUT THESE INFLUENCE
OPERATIONS AND REALLY SHAPE THE ATTITUDES AND VIEWS OF THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC.
WE SAW THAT IN THE 2016 ELECTION AND THEY ARE VERY SOPHISTICATED
CYBER ACTORS.
I BELIEVE OUR ADVERSARIES LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES INCLUDING THE FREEDOMS AND THE LIBERTIES WE
ENJOY TO OPERATE HERE.
THAT'S WHY THE F.B.I. AND THE REST OF THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY REALLY, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO BE ON THE TOP OF THEIR GAME
TO UNEARTH, UNCOVER AND STOP THESE ACTIVITIES FROM TAKING
PLACE.
AS YOU POINT OUT NOW, IN THE MIDST TO HAVE THE PANDEMIC, AND
WE HAVE A PERSON IN THE WHITE HOUSE, WHO EVEN ON THE BEST OF
DAYS, IS RECKLESS, IMPULSIVE AND UNSTABLE, LAYER ON TOP OF THAT
HIS COVID DIAGNOSIS AS WELL AS THE MEDICATIONS AND THE STEROIDS
HE'S UNDER, THAT'S WHY I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HE
MIGHT DO DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME WHEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
COMBINATION OF FACTORS THAT LOOKS LIKE A VERY DANGEROUS
COCKTAIL FOR THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> Stephen: THE BOOK IS "UNDAUNTED," AND IT'S REALLY A
MEMOIR, AS YOU SAY "MY FIGHT AGAINST AMERICA'S ENEMIES AT
HOME AND ABROAD."
IT IS WELL KNOWN THE RUSSIANS ARE TRYING TO INFLUENCE OUR
ELECTIONS NOW.
WE DO A BETTER KNOW A BALLOT.com WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO
AND LEARN EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO.
OUR VOTING IS SO DECENTRALIZED AND SO FRAGMENTED, MY CHANGE
COUNTY BY COUNTY AROUND THE UNITED STATES.
IS THE FACT WE HAVE SUCH A FRACTURED AND DECENTRALIZED
VOTING SYSTEM A BENEFIT WHEN A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO
HACK INTO OUR ELECTIONS?
>> A BLESSING AND A CURSE, GIVEN THAT STATES CONTROL VOTING
SYSTEMS.
UNFORTUNATELY I THINK WE'VE SEEN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN VARIOUS
STATES TRY SUPPRESS VOTING, BUT AS FAR AS THE TECHNICAL
ARCHITECTURE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE
THAT DISTRIBUTION AMONG THE VARIOUS STATES THAT ARE NOT
INTERCONNECTED, IT MAKES IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR FOREIGN ADD
ADVERSARIES TO HAVE STRATEGIC IMPACT TO CHANGE VOTING TALLIES.
RUSSIANS HAVE NAVIGATED THE SYSTEMS, WE KNEW IN 2016 THEY
MAY HAVE TAKEN TOWN SOME VOTER REGISTRATION ROLES.
BUT I'M WORRIED INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE A ABILITY TO SHAPE
VOTES IN KEY STATES.
>> Stephen: HIS BOOK, "UNDAUNTED," ON SALE NOW,
DIRECTOR JOHN BRENNAN, EVERYBODY.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
THANK YOU, SIR.
>> THANK YOU.