AT THE AIRBASE IN IRAQ.
SO LET'S START THERE WITH OUR
PANEL.
MARC THEISSEN, A FELLOW AT THE
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE.
KAREN TIMOTHY, OPINION WRITER
FOR "THE WASHINGTON POST" AND
TOM BEVAN, REAL CLEAR POLITICS
COFOUNDER AND PRESIDENT.
YOU KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF
PRESIDENTS VISITING TROOPS IN
THE FIELD.
ESPECIALLY AFTER ALL THAT HAS
HAPPENED AFTER THE SYRIA
ANNOUNCEMENT.
WHAT ABOUT THIS DAY?
>> IT'S A GREAT DAY.
ALL CREDIT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR
MAKING THE TRIP.
ALL CREDIT TO HIM FOR TAKING THE
FIRST LADY, WHICH IS A HISTORIC
FIRST AND I'M SURE OUR TROOPS
REALLY APPRECIATED HAVING HER
ALONG AS WELL AND GETTING A
CHANCE TO MEET HER.
AND THIS IS THE PRESIDENT'S
FIRST TRIP TO A COMBAT ZONE
SINCE HE TOOK OFFICE AND IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT
BECAUSE YOU GET A CHANCE,
PRESIDENT BUSH ALWAYS SAID I
NEED THE ADVICE AND ARE JUST
KIND OF CONFIRMED TO MY
COMMANDERS ON THE GROUND.
NOW HE HAD A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN
TODAY WITH THE COMMANDERS ON THE
GROUND AND WHAT I'M SURE AND I
HOPE YOU LISTEN TO THEM BECAUSE
I'M SURE THOSE COMMANDERS ON THE
GROUND TOLD HIM THAT ISIS IS NOT
DEFEATED.
IT'S TRUE THE PRESIDENT IS RIGHT
WHEN HE'S SAID WE HAVE KNOCKED
THE HELL OUT OF THEM.
AND HE HAD TO KNOCK THE HELL OUT
OF THEM BECAUSE OF THE
PRECIPITOUS WITHDRAWAL THAT HIS
PREDECESSOR BARACK OBAMA MADE.
THEY TURNED INTO TENS OF
THOUSANDS AND TOOK OVER
TERRITORY THE SIZE OF OHIO IN
SYRIA AND IRAQ.
RIGHT NOW ACCORDING TO OUR
MILITARY THEY HAVE ABOUT 30,000
FIGHTERS.
IF THEY HAVE LOST THEIR PHYSICAL
CALIPHATE AND PRESIDENT TRUMP
DESERVES GREAT CREDIT FOR
REMOVING THEIR PHYSICAL
CALIPHATE FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE
IS REVERTED INTO A CLASSIC
INSURGENCY AND ACCORDING TO OUR
MILITARY ISIS IS AS POWERFUL
TODAY AS THEY WERE BEFORE THE
SURGE IN 2007.
SO THEY ARE NOT DEFEATED YET AND
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO
BEFORE THEY ARE.
>> Bret: KAREN?
>> I THINK IT WAS A GREAT THING
THAT HE WENT AND I'M SURE THE
TROOPS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED IT
AND CERTAINLY AFTER
CHRISTMAS EVE WITH MORE THAN A
DOZEN TWEETS IT WAS INTERESTING.
HE WAS RELATIVELY DISCIPLINED
FOR DONALD TRUMP.
I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT
REALLY MARRED IT WHEN HE KIND OF
WENT INTO CAMPAIGN RALLY MODE AT
ONE POINT WHERE HE BROUGHT IN
HIS FIGHTS WITH THE DEMOCRATS
AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
THOSE ARE REALLY NOT SORT OF THE
KIND OF RHETORIC THAT WE ARE
USED TO SEEING OUT OF A
PRESIDENT IN THIS KIND OF
SETTING, THIS SORT OF PARTISAN
SPARRING, TAKING IT PAST OUR
SHORES.
>> Bret: HE ALSO SAID THAT HE
IS NOT PULLING U.S. TROOPS OUT
OF IRAQ, WHICH I'M SURE IS A
WELCOME NEWS FOR THE IRAQI
PRIME MINISTER, WHO STILL
DEALING WITH ISSUES IN HIS
COUNTRY ABOUT THAT IRAQ
COMMITMENT.
TAKE A LISTEN TO TWO FORMER
OFFICIALS.
>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT IS
TRYING TO COMMUNICATE THAT HE'S
ON TOP OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY
DECISION.
THAT HE'S BEEN FAULTED FOR
RECENTLY.
CERTAINLY FOR THE SYRIA DECISION
AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT HE IS
ALSO ON TOP OF IRAQ.
>> I THINK THE FACT THE
PRESIDENT HAS DEMONSTRATED A
COMMITMENT TO IRAQ IS REALLY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE
A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE BOTH
ON THE DOMESTIC POLITICAL SCENE
AS WELL AS RIDDING IRAQ OF THOSE
TERRORISTS WHICH ARE SEEKING TO
DO THEM AND US HARM.
>> Bret: TOM, THE SECURITY WAS
EXTREMELY TIGHT.
THEY HAD SOME KIND OF THOUGHT
THAT THERE WAS A BREACH HEADING
OVER, THAT THEY WERE BEING
TRACKED, AIR FORCE ONE, AS IT
LANDED IN THE AIRBASE AND I
THINK IT MIGHT HAVE TIGHTEN
THINGS EVEN FURTHER.
THEY DID NOT MEET ONE-ON-ONE
WITH THE IRAQI PRIME MINISTER ON
THE GROUND.
THERE WAS A PHONE CALL BUT JUST
BEING THERE AND SAYING THAT THE
U.S. TROOPS WERE STAYING IS
PROBABLY A RELIEF TO THE IRAQIS.
>> I'M SURE IT IS.
AND ALSO I THINK IT SHOWS
TRUMP -- TO HIS POINT, THERE HAS
BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT
WHETHER THIS IS A WISE MOVE OR
NOT.
CERTAINLY THE PULLOUT OF TROOPS
OF SYRIA.
CERTAINLY WAS SOMETHING TRUMP
TALKED ABOUT A LOT, CAMPAIGNED
ON, WANTED TO DO AND IS FINALLY
DOING IT BUT I THINK THERE'S
ALSO REASSURANCE THAT HE'S NOT
GOING TO BE SHY IF ISIS WEARS
REARS ITS HEAD.
TO GO BACK AND KNOCK THE HECK
OUT OF THEM AS TRUMP WOULD SAY.
SO I THINK HE ABSOLUTELY IS
GOING TO BE COMMITTED TO THE
FIGHT AGAINST ISIS.
>> Bret: LET'S TURN NOW TO THE
SHUTDOWN AND WHERE WE ARE IN
THIS STANDOFF.
HERE IS THE PRESIDENT ON TUESDAY
AND ALSO HIS TOP ECONOMIC
ADVISORS.
>> CAN TELL YOU WHERE THEY GOT
THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO BE
OPEN.
I CAN TELL YOU IT'S NOT GOING TO
BE OPEN UNTIL WE HAVE A WALL, A
FENCE, WHATEVER THEY WOULD LIKE
TO CALL IT.
I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S
HAPPENING.
IF THEY WANT BORDER SECURITY.
IF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY
WANT BORDER SECURITY.
IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF ME.
I'D RATHER NOT BE DOING
SHUTDOWNS.
>> THEY MIGHT MESS UP A PERIOD
BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT TO SHUT
DOWN BUT IN THE END EVEN IF THEY
AREN'T WORKING AND CONGRESS HAS
DECIDED TO PAY PEOPLE FOR THE
WHOLE TIME AND SO IN THE END
IT'S REALLY JUST A SORT OF SHORT
TERM PROBLEM AND NOT A LONG-TERM
PROBLEM FOR GOVERNMENT WORKERS.
>> Bret: THERE SEEMS TO BE
BACKBONE HERE ON THE PRESIDENT'S
PART IN THE WORD FROM
CAPITOL HILL IS THAT HE IS NOT
GOING TO BACK DOWN UNLESS THERE
IS SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT ON THE
WALL OR BORDER SECURITY OR FENCE
OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
>> I AGREE.
I THINK TIME IS ON THE
PRESIDENT'S SIDE AND HERE'S WHY.
NANCY PELOSI TODAY MADE SOME
SNARKY COMMENT ABOUT HOW HIS
CONCRETE WALL HAS BECOME A
BEADED WALL.
THAT'S A SIGN THAT THE DEMOCRATS
ARE NOT NEGOTIATING AND THEY ARE
NOT TAKING IT SERIOUSLY.
THE PRESIDENT ON THE OTHER
HAND -- MICK MULVANEY WAS ON
"FOX NEWS SUNDAY" AND HE SAID
THEY'VE MADE A COUNTER OFFER TO
THE DEMOCRATS FOR A LOWER PRICE
TAG.
FOX NEWS HAS BEEN REPORTING THAT
IT'S 2.1 BILLION.
SO THE PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO
COMPROMISE AND COME TO AN
AGREEMENT AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE
MAKING SNARKY JOKES AND THINKING
THEY HAVE HIM ON THE RUN AND NOT
ENGAGING.
FOR THE SHORT TERM, HE OWNS THE
SHUTDOWN BECAUSE HE CLAIMED THE
MANTLE OF THE SHUTDOWN.
HE SAID I WANT TO SHUT DOWN THE
GOVERNMENT OVER BORDER SECURITY
BUT OVER TIME IF HE SEEMS TO BE
THE ONE -- AMERICANS WANT
COMPROMISE ON THIS.
IF HE'S THE ONE WHO'S
COMPROMISING IN THE DEMOCRATS
ARE DEMANDING ABSOLUTE SURRENDER
AND IT'S GOING TO BACKFIRE ON
THEM BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT AND OVER
TIME AS HE KEEPS MAKING -- IF HE
CAN BE RESPONSIBLE AND KEEP
MAKING CONCRETE OFFERS THAT ARE
CONCESSIONS TO THE DEMOCRATS
THEN OVER TIME THEY WILL START
TO ON THE MANTLE OF THE
SHUTDOWN.
SO I THINK HE'S RIGHT TO STICK
TO HIS GUNS AND BE REASONABLE
AND MAKE REASONABLE OFFERS.
>> Bret: KAREN, WE PUT UP THE
PIE CHART OFTEN ABOUT THIS
PARTICULAR SHUTDOWN AND WHAT HAS
BEEN FUNDED AND WHAT IS STILL
REALLY IN DOUBT HERE, WHETHER IT
GETS A DEAL AND THAT IS 25%, NOT
YET ENACTED BILLS IN THE
SPENDING BILLS.
THAT'S STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE
POTENTIALLY WHO ARE AFFECTED AS
IT COULD LAST INTO THE NEW YEAR.
>> AND THIS IDEA THAT THIS IS
JUST A SHORT-TERM IMPACT AND
THAT THEY WILL ALL GET THEIR
BACKPAY, THE FACT IS FOR THESE
GOVERNMENT WORKERS THEIR
MORTGAGE PAYMENTS STILL COMES
DUE.
THEIR CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS STILL
COMES DUE.
IF SO A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE
LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AND
ALSO, THERE ARE A LOT OF FEDERAL
WORKERS, PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE
GOVERNMENT, WHO ARE CONTRACTORS,
WHO CLEAN THE BUILDING WHO
REALLY ARE PAID ON AN HOURLY
BASIS AND THOSE PEOPLE WILL NOT
BE GETTING BACKPAY.
SO FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
AFFECTED, AND YES, IT IS A SMALL
PIECE OF THAT PIE CHART, BUT TO
SAY THAT THESE ARE TEMPORARY
EFFECT AND THAT IT'S LIKE NO BIG
DEAL AS LONG AS YOU GET YOUR
BACKPAY IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE FOR
PEOPLE WHO DO LIVE PAYCHECK TO
PAYCHECK.
>> Bret: RIGHT.
AND TO THAT POINT WHAT IF THE
SHUTDOWN CONTINUES INTO THE NEW
YEAR?
THIS IS AN OFFICIAL TALKING
ABOUT THAT, KEVIN PASCOE.
>> LONGER THAN DECEMBER AND ALL
THAT BACKPAY THAT PEOPLE WOULD
GET FOR THE WEEKS IN DECEMBER
WOULD COME IN JANUARY AND SO
THAT WOULD HAVE A SLIGHT
NEGATIVE EFFECT ON GDP IN THE
FOURTH QUARTER AND A POSITIVE
EFFECT ON GDP IN THE FIRST
QUARTER.
>> Bret: I GUESS I JUST DON'T
SEE -- IT'S KIND OF ROLLING OFF
OF THEM.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN
EVENTUALLY THIS NEGOTIATION IS
GOING TO GO THE OTHER WAY.
>> WE WILL SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT.
THIS IS SORT OF LIKE THE FIRST
QUARTER OF THIS THING.
PEOPLE ARE ON HOLIDAY.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON
HOLIDAY THROUGH THE FIRST OF THE
YEAR BUT AFTER THE FIRST OF THE
YEAR PRESSURE IS GOING TO GET
RATCHETED UP.
DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO COME
BACK.
NANCY PELOSI WILL PUT A BILL IN
THE HOUSE TO REOPEN THE
GOVERNMENT ON JANUARY 3RD AND
THEN THEY WILL PUT THE PRESSURE
ON TRUMP, WHY WHAT YOU SIGN
THIS, WHY WON'T YOU DO THIS?
THERE WON'T BE ANY BORDER
FUNDING AND THAT'S WHEN IT'S
GOING TO HEAT UP AND WE WILL SEE
WAS THAT THE LEVERAGE AND WHERE
THE PRESSURE POINTS ARE AND
WHETHER MARC'S SCENARIO PLAYS
OUT FOR TRUMP CONFLICT IS ON
THEM AND SAY I'M NEGOTIATING IN
GOOD FAITH, YOU GUYS ARE NOT