THERE TO PLAY THE GAME.
WE WANT TO GET BACK TO BREAKING
NEWS WHICH IS THE NEWS THAT JOHN
KELLY, THE PRESIDENT’S CHIEF OF
STAFF IS OFFICIALLY OUT.
NOW IT IS FINAL.
HERE TO WEIGH IN AS OUR
POLITICAL PANEL, ERIC IS THE
COCHAIR OF GREAT AMERICA PACK.
FORMER OHIO STATE SENATOR AND
CONTRIBUTOR FOR THE WASHINGTON
EXAMINER.
CAPRI, WILL START WITH YOU.
WHAT YOU MAKE IT THE NEWS THAT
JOHN KELLY IS OUT?
>> IT’S NOT NECESSARILY A
SURPRISE.
WE’VE BEEN HEARING THAT THERE IS
TENSIONS WITHIN THE WHITE HOUSE. WE’VE BEEN HEARING THAT THERE IS
I THINK THERE WILL BE A
DIFFERENT TONE IN THE ABSENCE OF
FORMER GENERAL KELLY.
WHEN HE CAME IN AND TOOK OVER
FOR REINCE PRIEBUS WE HEARD A
LOT ABOUT HOW HE WAS TRYING TO
MAKE THINGS MORE REGIMENTED AND
TRYING TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF
INFORMATION TO PRESIDENT TRUMP.
I THINK IT LOOKS AS IF THE TOPIC
MIGHT BE VICE PRESIDENT PENCE’S
CHIEF OF STAFF WHICH WOULD BE
MORE POLITICAL PICK.
>> WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT?
>> JOHN KELLY IS A PATRIOT.
HE DID BRING ORGANIZATION TO
THIS WHITE HOUSE.
THERE’S BEEN A CLOUD OVER THE
WHITE HOUSE AND REALLY A LOT TO
GET THROUGH.
IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS THERE MAY
HAVE TO BE SOME CHANGES.
ONE THING THEY DISAGREED WAS
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
TOO MANY IS THE NUMBER ONE
CRISIS FACING US TODAY.
WITH NICK OR WHOEVER COMES IN
NEEDS TO RESHAPE THAT AGENDA AND
BRING IT BACK TO WHAT HE RAN ON
AND DELIVER THOSE CAMPAIGN
PROMISES.
>> KRISTIN: YOU SAID THE VICE
PRESIDENT CHIEF OF STAFF IS A
POLITICAL GUY BUT HEADING INTO
2020 MAYBE NOT SUCH A BAD THING
TO HAVE A POLITICAL GUY RUNNING
THE WEST WING.
>> I THINK THAT’S PART OF
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S CALCULUS.
UNFORTUNATELY, GOVERNING HAS
BECOME SO POLITICAL THAT’S NOT
NECESSARILY NEW.
BECAUSE PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS A
UNIQUE CANDIDATE AND HIS
GOVERNING STYLE, I THINK HAVING
SOMEBODY WHO HAS A POLITICAL
BACKGROUND IN THE WHITE HOUSE
MIGHT BE WHAT HE’S LOOKING FOR.
DON’T FORGET, REINCE PRIEBUS WAS
THE ACTUAL HEAD OF THE RNC.
WE DIDN’T NECESSARILY SEE THAT
KIND OF POLITICAL MACHINE COMING
OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
IT’S TOO EARLY TO TELL.
I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THE MORE
ANY GOVERNING BODY, DEMOCRATS
AND REPUBLICANS, THE MORE YOU
FOCUS ON DOING YOUR JOB,
POLITICS TAKES CARE OF ITSELF.
>> ERIC ARE YOU HEARING ANY
OTHER NAMES BEING TALKED ABOUT?
>> I THINK IF NIX COMES ABOARD
HE SHARES THE SAME VISION.
NO MATTER WHO THEY CHIEF OF
STAFF AS THEY NEED TO FOLLOW
THOSE INSTINCTS THAT THE
PRESIDENT RUNS ON AND REALLY TRY
TO DELIVER TO MAKE INTO POLICY.
WE DIDN’T SEE THAT EVEN WITH
REINCE PRIEBUS.
THEIR CONTRIBUTION ON TRENCH
CONTRADICTIONS.
THE CHIEF OF STAFF NEEDS TO
EXECUTE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS GREAT
POLITICAL INSTINCTS.
HE UNDERSTANDS WERE MEDICAL
AMERICA IS.
WHOEVER WE SEE IT’S OKAY TO BE
POLITICAL BUT THEY NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THE TRUMP VISION.
>> LET’S TALK ABOUT JOHN KELLY.
HOW DO YOU THINK HE IS GOING TO
BE REMEMBERED AS A CHIEF OF
STAFF?
WHAT WILL HIS LEGACY BE?
>> IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK.
ANYBODY WHO IS INVOLVED IN THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS NOW
GOING TO BE DEFINED BY THE FACT
THAT THEY ARE AFFILIATED WITH
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
YES HE GAVE DECADES OF SERVICE
IN THE MILITARY AND HEAD OF THE
SOUTHERN COMMAND, HE WAS A VERY
ACCOMPLISHED GENERAL, THAT WILL
BE PART OF HIS LEGACY.
BUT THE FACT THAT HE TOOK ON
BEING PART OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF
WILL LIVE WITH HIM.
DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO
SOME WILL SAY HE BROUGHT ORDER
TO A WHITE HOUSE FULL OF
NEWBIES, OTHERS WILL SAY HE
DIDN’T DO ENOUGH TO KEEP THE
WHITE HOUSE FOCUSED, ON TRACK
AND MODERATE THEIR VISION.
I AGREE WITH MY COLIC THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS LOOKING FOR
SOMEONE TO EXECUTE HIS VISION.
WERE SEEING THAT WITH THESE
CHOICES WITH THE UN AMBASSADOR
FOR EXAMPLE, AND MIKE POMPEO,
WERE SEEING IT THROUGHOUT WITH
CHOICES IN HIS CABINET AS WELL.
>> WE’RE WATCHING AIR FORCE ONE
ABOUT TO TAKE OFF ON HIS WAY TO
THE ARMY-NAVY GAME WERE
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS GOING TO BE
WATCHING AND ANNOUNCING ANOTHER
STAFF SHAKEUP.
HIS NEW CHAIRMAN.
ERIC, WHAT YOU MAKE OF HIS TIME
IS CHIEF OF STAFF?
WHAT YOU THINK HIS LEGACY WILL
BE AND WAS HE A GOOD CHIEF OF
STAFF?
>> HE WAS A GREAT CHIEF OF
STAFF.
HE CAME INTO A SITUATION IN
DISARRAY.
WE HAVE TO CALL THAT WHAT IT IS.
IT WASN’T LEFT TO HIM IN A GOOD
PLACE.
HE BROUGHT ORDER INTO THE WHITE
HOUSE.
HE NEVER UNDERCUT THE PRESIDENT
AT LEAST PUBLICLY.
YOU TRY TO GO AGAINST THAT
AGENDA THERE’S A LOT OF PARTS
THAT HE DISAGREED WITH
PHILOSOPHICALLY.
KLASSEN CHARACTER DEFINES
GENERAL KELLY AND HE SHOULD BE
REMEMBERED AS SUCH.
>> KRISTIN: HOW DOES HE THIS
STAFF OPERATE IN HIS ABSENCE?
>> IN THE ABSENCE OF A CHIEF OF
STAFF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE ONE
LESS PERSON IN THAT CHAIN OF
COMMAND.
WHAT WE MAY SEE IS A MORE ON
BRIDLED PRESIDENT TRUMP.
WITH A SITUATION WHERE HE
DOESN’T HAVE A BARRIER, A
FILTER, AND SO HE IS GOING TO BE
DEALING MORE DIRECTLY WITH
INDIVIDUALS IN THE WEST WING
MAYBE EVEN LEADERSHIP IN THE
HOUSE AND SENATE.
SO I THINK IN THE SHORT TERM WE
MAY SEE MORE OF TRUMP BEING
TRUMP.
AND WE NEED TO WAIT AND SEE WHO
COMES IN BILLS THAT POSITION AND
HOW THEY DECIDE TO ORGANIZE THE
WEST WING.
IF THEY EMPOWER PRESIDENT TRUMP
WHICH I THINK IS MORE LIKELY OR
IF THEY TRY TO HAMSTRING HIM AND
TRIED TO TAKE AWAY HIS PHONE THE IF THEY TRY TO HAMSTRING HIM AND
SORT OF THING WHICH I SINCERELY
DOUBT.
>> KRISTIN: AND CHIEF OF STAFF
JOHN KELLY WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE
MORE ORDER THAN PERHAPS HIS
PREDECESSOR WAS ABLE TO.
BUT NOBODY IS GOING TO BE ABLE
TO CONTROL PRESIDENT TRUMP TO
EATING AND THE USE OF HIS CELL
PHONE TO DO IT.
IT’S THE WAY HE COMMUNICATES
WITH HIS SUPPORTERS.
FOR HIM IT HAS PROVEN TO BE
EFFECTIVE.
ERIC, WHAT YOU MAKE OF HOW THIS
MIGHT CHANGE SOME OTHER
POTENTIAL STAFF SHAKEUPS WITHIN
THE WEST WING?
IF KELLY IS OUT TO SEE TAKE
ANYBODY WITH HIM?
>> POSSIBLY.
TRUMP RAN AGAIN 17 CANDIDATES IN
THE PRIMARY.
HE HAD A CERTAIN VISION ON TRADE
AND FOREIGN POLICY.
I WANT HIM TO BE TRUMP BECAUSE
HE WAS SMARTER THAN THE REST OF
THE FIELD.
HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT AMERICANS
WANT.
I THINK IT’S NOT INCUMBENT UPON
THE PRESIDENT TO CHANGE HIS
VIEWS AND WAYS.
’S TO THE STAFF THAT IF YOU WANT
TO WORK AT THE WHITE HOUSE
REMEMBER, HE WAS THE ONE ELECTED
ELECTED.
>> KRISTIN: HE WAS ELECTED.
NOW OR HEADING INTO 2020.
IT’S JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
YOU LOOK AT SOMEONE LIKE NICK
WHO IS BEING TALKED ABOUT AS A
POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT FOR JOHN
KELLY.
YOU LOOK AT SOMEONE LIKE HIM
COULD BRING POLITICAL INSTINCTS,
THINGS PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD
LIKE TO THIS WEST WING.
COULD BE VALUABLE TO HAVE HIM IN
THE WHITE HOUSE.
HE ALSO HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT
FROM FOLKS LIKE JARED AND HE
IVANKA.
IT ALSO DETRACTORS.
FINAL QUESTION.
WHEN YOU THINK WE WILL KNOW WHO
JOHN KELLY’S REPLACEMENT WILL BE
BE.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE HE WILL LEAVE
AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
I THINK WE WILL HEAR THE
POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT IN THE
NEXT FEW WEEKS.
BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S
MAYBE.
>> AND PRESIDENT TRUMP HIMSELF
SAID WE COULD EXPECT SOME TYPE