NECK OF THE WOODS.WEATHER. SAVANNAH.
SAVANNAH. >>> TODAY MARKS 18 YEARS SINCE
THE 9/11 ATTACKS AND ONE OF OUR
NEXT GUESTS WAS AT THE CENTER OF
THE RESPONSE.
THE RESPONSE. CONDOLEEZZA RICE WAS PRESIDENT
BUSH’S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
AND LATER GAME SECRETARY OF
STATE.
STATE. SHE HAS COAUTHORS A NEW BOOK
WITH PHILLIP ZELIKOW, TO BUILD A
BETTER WORLD.
BETTER WORLD. GOOD MORNING TO BOTH OF YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> WE HAVE TO PAUSE FOR 9/11,
AND OF COURSE THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT DAY, AND I JUST WONDER
WHAT YOUR PERSONAL MEMORIES ARE
OF THIS DAY, 18 YEARS.
>> 18 YEARS.
IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE, AND MY
PERSONAL MEMORY IS STANDING IN
THE WHITE HOUSE LEARNING OF THE
FIRST PLANE, THE SECOND PLANE,
THE PLANE THAT HIT THE PENTAGON
AND RECOGNIZING THAT AMERICA’S
SECURITY WOULD NEVER BE THE
SAME, BUT TODAY I THINK WE PAUSE
ALSO TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO LOST
THEIR LIVES, THE FAMILIES WHO
WERE AFFECTED, THE FIRST
RESPONDERS WHO CAME IN THAT DAY
AT GREAT RISK TO THEMSELVES, THE
MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM WHO
WOULD GO AND DEFEND US, AND
ESPECIALLY I LIKE TO REMEMBER
THE RESILIENCE OF OUR COUNTRY,
THE COMING TOGETHER AROUND THE
SENSE THAT WE WERE NOW DEEPLY
AMERICAN, AND I THINK WE COULD
USE SOME OF THAT AGAIN.
>> YEAH, THERE WAS THAT FEELING
OF SHARED GRIEF BUT ALSO SHARED
RESOLVE.
RESOLVE. YOU OF COURSE WERE THE DIRECTOR
OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION.
ARE YOU SURPRISED, YOU KNOW, IN
18 YEARS, KNOCK ON WOOD, HAPPILY
THERE HASN’T BEEN A MASS
CASUALTY, TERROR ATTACK LIKE
THAT.
THAT. ARE YOU SURPRISED?
>> I AM A LITTLE SURPRISED THERE
HASN’T BEEN MORE.
BUT I’VE BEEN IMPRESSED AT THE
WAY A LOT OF AMERICANS HAVE
RESPONDED.
RESPONDED. WE HAVEN’T RELIED JUST ON ONE
DEFENSE.
DEFENSE. WE’VE RELIED ON LAYERS OF
DEFENSES FROM THE COCKPIT DOORS
ON OUTWARDS, THAT PEOPLE
ENCOUNTER AT THE AIRPORTS, TO
OUR BORDERS, TO OUR PARTNERS
OVERSEAS.
OVERSEAS. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE WORKED VERY
HARD TO MAKE AMERICA SAFER, AND
IT MAY NOT BE PERFECTLY SAFE BUT
IT IS SAFER.
>> LET’S TURN TO SOME OF THE
NEWS HEADLINES HERE, YOUR BOOK
IS CALLED "TO BUILD A BETTER
WORLD" AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE
WORLD AND OF COURSE THE BIG NEWS
THIS MORNING IS THE
FIRING/RESIGNATION OF JOHN
BOLTON, A MAN YOU KNOW AND
SERVED WITH.
SERVED WITH. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
THIS IS THE THIRD NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER NOW IN THE
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. IS THAT TURNOVER A CONCERN TO
YOU?
YOU? >> WELL, OF COURSE, YOU LIKE
STABILITY IN THESE POSITIONS,
BUT IT’S NOT UNCHARACTERISTIC OF
OTHER ADMINISTRATIONS, TOO, THAT
YOU GET SOME TURNOVER.
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER MAY BE
THE HARDEST JOB IN THE
GOVERNMENT, TRYING TO BRING
EVERYBODY TOGETHER ON THE
PRESIDENT PIECE
PRESIDENT PIECE PRESIDENT’S PRIORITIES, JOHN
BOLTON IS OF GREAT INTELLECT, I
THINK HE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB
AND I THINK HE’S GOING TO BE
MISSED.
MISSED. HE WAS SKEPTICAL OF SOME OF THE
DECISIONS THAT WERE BEING MADE
AND THAT’S ALWAYS GOOD, BUT IT’S
ALWAYS THE CASE, TOO, THAT IF
THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
AND THE PRESIDENT ARE NOT ON THE
SAME PAGE IT’S NOT THE PRESIDENT
WHO’S GOING TO GO, AND SO I
THINK JOHN UNDERSTANDS THAT.
>> YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THE
PRESIDENT TWEETED ABOUT YOU JUST
LAST NIGHT.
LAST NIGHT. HE WAS WATCHING AN INTERVIEW YOU
DID ON FOX NEWS, HE CALLED IT
EXCELLENT, VERY INTERESTING AND
SECURE PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE HE
SAID OF YOU.
THAT OF COURSE GOT PEOPLE
THINKING, WOULD YOU WANT TO BE
THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER IN
THIS ADMINISTRATION.
THIS ADMINISTRATION. >> THANK YOU, I’VE DONE THAT
JOB, AND I THINK I WON’T TRY TO
CATCH IN A BOTTLE AGAIN.
HE’LL FIND SOMEONE WHO SUITS HIS
STYLE, AND HE’LL FIND SOMEONE, I
HOPE WHO CAN BRING THE SECURITY
TEAM TOGETHER.
TEAM TOGETHER. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE SECRETARY
OF STATE, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE,
PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
>> ANY REASON TO THINK YOU’RE
CONSIDERED FOR THAT.
>> CERTAINLY NOT, NO.
>> WE’VE CROSSED THAT OFF THE
LIST.
LIST. LET ME TURN TO YOU PHILLIP ON
THIS ISSUE, APPARENTLY ONE OF
THE ISSUES OF CONTENTION WITH
JOHN BOLTON, THE NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER AND THIS IS
THIS MEETING THAT WAS TO TAKE
PLACE WITH THE TALIBAN AT CAMP
DAVID FOR THIS LAST WEEKEND.
IT WAS OF COURSE CANCELLED BY
THE PRESIDENT AND ALSO PLANNED
BY THE PRESIDENT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT IN
TERMS OF NOT ONLY JUST THE
OPTICS OF MEETING AT CAMP DAVID
BUT THE DEAL THAT APPARENTLY WAS
ON THE TABLE AND VERY CLOSE TO
BEING DONE.
BEING DONE. >> I’M DPLADGLAD THE MEETING WAS
CANCELLED.
CANCELLED. >> WHY.
>> WHY. >> I DON’T THINK THE TALIBAN
SHOULD HAVE BEEN INVITED TO CAMP
DAVID.
DAVID. I DON’T THINK ACTUALLY WE SHOULD
BE NEGOTIATING AN AGREEMENT WITH
THE TALIBAN TO DETERMINE HOW
MANY TROOPS WE NEED IN
AFGHANISTAN.
AFGHANISTAN. EXCLUDEING THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT
THAT WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING TO
DEFEND FOR 18 YEARS.
HERE’S THE SITUATION.
WE WANT TO DRAW DOWN SOME MORE
IN AFGHANISTAN FOR OUR REASONS,
WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, OKAY,
DRAW DOWN.
DRAW DOWN. BUT DON’T TRY TO PAPER IT OVER
WITH A DEAL WITH THE TALIBAN
THAT’S TRYING TO KILL CIVILIANS
DAY AND NIGHT EVERY DAY.
>> THAT RAISES THE QUESTION ARE
YOU CONCERNED THAT THE PRESIDENT
APPARENTLY WAS OPEN TO SUCH A
DEAL?
DEAL? >> WELL, SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE
THAT THIS IS THE WAY TO END
WARS, YOU HAVE PEACE
NEGOTIATIONS, I DON’T MIND IF
YOU WANT TO HAVE NEGOTIATIONS
BUT PHILLIP IS RIGHT, NOTHING
ABOUT THIS SEEMED TO BE GOING IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WHEN THE TALIBAN SAID THAT THE
AFGHAN GOVERNMENT WAS A PUPPET,
ILLEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT, THEY
WOULDN’T RESPECT THE
CONSTITUTION, JUST IMAGINE WHAT
THAT WOULD MEAN, FOR INSTANCE,
TO THE WOMEN OF AFGHANISTAN WHO
HAVE TRUSTED US TO COME OUT OF
THEIR SHELLS, TO PUT THEIR GIRLS
IN SCHOOL, TO JOIN THE MILITARY.
WE OWE SOMETHING TO THE PEOPLE
OF AFGHANISTAN, AND WE SHOULD
NEVER FORGET, AS WE HAVE THE
ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11, THAT THIS
STARTED IN AFGHANISTAN AND WE
CANNOT ALLOW AFGHANISTAN TO
BECOME A TERRORIST SAFE HAVEN
AGAIN.
AGAIN. THERE IS NOTHING TO SUGGEST THAT
THE TALIBAN WOULD PREVENT THAT
FROM HAPPENING, IN FACT, THEY
ARE TERRORISTS AND THEY’RE MOST
LIKELY TO ENCOURAGE IT.
>> YOU WRITE A LOT ABOUT RUSSIA
IN YOUR BOOK.
YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE A RUSSIA
SCHOLAR, YOU KNOW PUTIN.
WHAT DO YOU THINK PUTIN THINKS
OF PRESIDENT TRUMP?
>> WELL, I DON’T KNOW THAT
VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS ANY THOUGHTS
ABOUT ANYBODY EXCEPT THE
FOLLOWING, I NEED TO FIND A WAY
TO DOMINATE, I NEED TO FIND A
WAY TO HUMILIATE, THAT’S JUST
WHO HE IS.
HE HAS DECIDED THAT RUSSIA NEEDS
AN ENEMY AND IT’S THE UNITED
STATES, AND IT’S PART OF HIS
DOMESTIC STRATEGY ALSO TO HOLD
HIS COUNTRY TOGETHER AT A TIME
WHEN THE ECONOMY IS SUFFERING,
WHEN PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO GET
A LITTLE TIRED OF HIS
LEADERSHIP, SO WHATEVER HE
THINKS OF THE AMERICAN
PRESIDENT, HE THINKS THAT THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS A
GOOD TARGET FOR HIS ANIMUS, AND
WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE
THAT.
THAT. I WILL SAY THIS, WE’RE GOING TO
HAVE TO FIND A WORKABLE
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE RUSSIANS,
EVEN UNDER VLADIMIR PUTIN.
BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE PUT HIM IN
A DIFFICULT SITUATION WITH THE
SANCTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED
UPON RUSSIA, AND HE’S JUST, AS I
SAID, HE NEEDS AN ENEMY, AND
IT’S US.
IT’S US. >> DO YOU THINK THAT RUSSIA HAS
BEEN ADEQUATELY PUNISHED FOR ITS
INTERFERENCE AND MEDDLING IN THE
ELECTION.
ELECTION. >> THE TIME ACTUALLY FOR
PUNISHING RUSSIA FOR
INTERFERENCE IN THE ELECTION HAS
COME AND GONE.
WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE’VE DONE.
>> IS THAT A NO?
>> IT’S BASICALLY NO USE CRYING
OVER STUFF MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE
DONE TWO YEARS AGO.
THE FOCUS NOW NEEDS TO BE ON HOW
WE PROTECT THE ELECTION NEXT
TIME.
TIME. >> BECAUSE I WILL COMPLETELY
SECOND THAT.
SECOND THAT. LOOK, THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY
INTERFERED IN OUR ELECTION, IT
WAS SHAME ON THEM.
IF THEY DO IT AGAIN, IT’S SHAME
ON US.
ON US. WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT WHAT THEY
HAVE DONE.
HAVE DONE. IF WE AREN’T TAKING STEPS TO
PREVENT THAT, THEN THAT’S A
PROBLEM THAT WE ARE CREATING.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 2016
ELECTION, AND YOU LOOK AT HOW
RELATIVELY SPEAKING IT WAS
DECIDED BY A HANDFUL OF VOTES IN
A FEW STATES, DO YOU THINK IT’S
POSSIBLE THAT RUSSIA’S ELECTION
INTERFERENCE ACTUALLY WORKED, IT
ACTUALLY ELECTED DONALD TRUMP
OVER HILLARY CLINTON.
>> I DON’T THINK THERE IS ANY
EVIDENCE OF THAT, AND YOU KNOW,
I DON’T THINK THAT’S A GOOD
CONVERSATION TO HAVE.
I THINK THAT REALLY DOES DEVALUE
THE PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN AND
MICHIGAN AND OTHERS WHO DECIDED
TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP.
WHETHER YOU LIKE THIS PRESIDENT
OR NOT, WHETHER YOU BELIEVE THAT
HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT OR
NOT, LET’S GIVE THE CREDIT TO
THE AMERICANS WHO WENT OUT AND
VOTED FOR SOMEBODY WHO THEY
THOUGHT WOULD BRING CHANGE AND
THE QUESTION IS ARE WE GOING TO
BE RESPONSIVE TO SOME OF THE
MESSAGES THAT WERE OUT THERE,
AND DO YOU HEAR ME NOW.
PEOPLE WHO FELT THAT THEY WERE
DISADVANTAGED BY GLOBALIZATION,
THE UNEMPLOYED COAL MINER IN
WEST VIRGINIA, THE OPIOID
ADDICTED PERSON IN PENNSYLVANIA,
ARE WE GOING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO
THOSE PEOPLE.
THOSE PEOPLE. THAT’S REALLY THE QUESTION WE
SHOULD BE ASKING.
>> WELL, THE BOOK OF COURSE IS