INVESTIGATE THIS. WE REALLY DO.
>> WITH ME JOHN McLAUCHLIN IS FORMER ACTING DIRECTOR FOR THE
CI AERKS. GOOD EVENING, SIR.
>> GRETA. >> I SUPPOSE ANYBODY WHO IS
SUBJECT TO AN INVESTIGATION THINKS IT'S A WITCH HUNT.
>> THAT'S TYPICAL WASHINGTON REACTION.
IN FACT, THIS IS NOT A WITCH HUNT.
THIS IS A SEARCH FOR FACTS. AND I THINK IN THE CASE OF
PRESIDENT TRUMP, HE'S NOT HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
FACTS. SO, I THINK IT MAY LOOK LIKE A
WITCH HUNT TO HIM, BUT IT'S REALLY A SEARCH FOR FACTS.
>> HOW DO WE SPEED THIS UP? SORT OF DRIP, DRIP, DRIP, WE'VE
GOT FBI, THE CAPITOL HILL, D.O.J., WE HAVE EVERYBODY
INVOLVED IN IT AND YET EVERY DAY IT'S DRIP, DRIP, DRIP?
>> I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET TO SOME BOTTOM LINE HERE
BECAUSE AS THE PUBLIC BECOMES MORE AWARE OF THIS, I THINK
THEIR CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN WASHINGTON IS GOING
TO DEEPEN. SO, IT'S TIME REALLY FOR SOME
VERY ARTICULATE PUBLIC FIGURE TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT IS GOING
ON, WHAT THEY SHOULD WORRY ABOUT AND WHAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT AND KIND OF CALM THINGS DOWN.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE AWHILE.
AS I REMEMBER INVESTIGATIONS LIKE THE ONE THAT BOB MUELLER IS
BEGINNING, YOU PULL ON ONE THREAD AND IT OPENS UP ANOTHER.
SO, I THINK THAT PART OF IT COULD TAKE AWHILE AND IT'S ALL
THE MORE IMPORTANT, THEN, THAT THE PARALLEL INVESTIGATIONS IN
THE SENATE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE IT SEEMS TO BE GOING REASONABLY
WELL, THAT THAT PROCEED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> IT SEEMS ALMOST LIKE -- IT'S GREAT FODDER FOR THE MEDIA.
I MEAN, BECAUSE EVERY DAY WE GET BREAKING NEWS, USUALLY HAPPENS
ABOUT THIS TIME, WHICH IS FASCINATING FOR US.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SO MUCH OF IT, I PICKUP NEWS ARTICLES,
IT SAYS ASSOCIATES OF, THERE'S A LOT OF SORT OF ANONYMOUS
REPORTING. THERE'S A LOT OF LEAKS.
AND I GO BACK TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHO IS TALKING?
IS IT THIS CHILLY RELATIONSHIP THAT THE PRESIDENT SUPPOSEDLY
HAS WITH THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY?
IS THAT WHAT'S SORT OF FUELING SOME OF THESE LEAKS?
>> WELL, WE DON'T KNOW EVER WHAT'S FUELING LEAKS, TO TELL
YOU THE TRUTH. I'M ALWAYS SKEPTICAL WHEN PEOPLE
SAY IT MIGHT BE THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY FOR A WHOLE VARIETY OF
REASONS. BUT I THINK WE'RE AT A TIME WHEN
THERE IS ENOUGH DISCONTENT AND CONCERN ABOUT THE WAY THE
GOVERNMENT IS WORKING THAT SOMEONE, I NOTICE A LOT OF THESE
ANONYMOUS SOURCES ARE SERVING OFFICIALS.
IT'S UNUSUAL. I'VE HAD REPORTERS TELL ME, IT'S
UNUSUAL FOR SO MANY PEOPLE TO BE COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK.
I DOUBT, FRANKLY, THAT MANY OF THEM ARE INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS,
BUT I THINK -- ONE OF THE IRONIES HERE TO ME, I'VE SEEN,
WORKED FOR SEVEN PRESIDENTS. THEY ALL HAVE BEEN HARD WORKING,
INTENSE, FOCUSED, DISCIPLINED. IT PAINS ME TO SAY THIS, BUT I
DON'T SEE THOSE QUALITIES IN PRESIDENT TRUMP.
AND I THINK A LOT OF HIS TROUBLES HERE ARE
SELF-INFLICTED. AND I THINK THAT IS WHY WE ARE
SEEING THIS EXPLOSION OF DRIP, DRIP, DRIP.
>> ARE THOSE -- >> WE'VE NOT SEEN THIS EVER
BEFORE. >> THOSE SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS,
ARE THEY PUTTING US IN JEOPARDY? THAT'S A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION
BECAUSE THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
>> IF WE COULD SHRUG THIS OFF AND SAY IT'S ANOTHER CONTROVERSY
IN WASHINGTON, THAT WOULD BE ONE THING.
BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN. I THINK IT PUTS US IN JEOPARDY
ON TWO SCORES. FIRST, I THINK THE WORK OF
CONGRESS, LEGISLATIVE WORK THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE IN THE
INTEREST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IS BEING PARALYZED BY A LOTOT O
THIS BECAUSE OF THE OBSESSION WITH IT.
AND SECOND, JUST FROM MY OWN CONTACTS WITH PEOPLE OVERSEAS
AND FOREIGNERS, INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE WHO COME THROUGH
WASHINGTON, I KNOW THAT THIS IS AFFECTING THE CREDIBILITY OF THE
UNITED STATES AROUND THE WORLD. NOT JUST THE APPARENT PASSAGE OF
INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION TO THE RUSSIANS THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN PASSED. LEAVE THAT ASIDE FOR THE MOMENT.
THE IMPRESSION OF CHAOS IN WASHINGTON.
AND IMPORTANTLY, HERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS TO HAVE MORAL
AUTHORITY AROUND THE WORLD WHEN HE OR SHE SPEAKS, PEOPLE HAVE TO
BELIEVE THEM. AND OUR PRESIDENT HAS NOT YET
ESTABLISHED THAT BELIEVABILITY THAT'S KEY TO THE MORAL
AUTHORITY THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS TO HAVE.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK PUTIN IS GETTING OUT OF THIS, IF
ANYTHING? >> WELL, I THINK -- I'M QUITE
CONVINCED THAT PUTIN FINDS THIS ALL SATISFYING, REGARDLESS OF
THE OUTCOME. EVEN IF IT IS ESTABLISHED -- AND
WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR MINDS OPEN -- THAT THERE WAS NO
COLLUSION BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT --
>> THERE WAS MEDDLING. I'M PRETTY SURE ON THAT.
>> LET'S ASSUME THE WORST IS NOT ESTABLISHED.
PUTIN STILL HAS THE SATISFACTION OF SEEING OUR GOVERNMENT VERY
WOBBLY, VERY CONFUSED, VERY CHAOTIC, AND HE CAN POINT TO OUR
SYSTEM HERE AS HAVING AS MANY PROBLEMS, HE CAN PORTRAY IT THIS
WAY, AS HIS SYSTEM HAS WHICH IS, OF COURSE, TO HIS ADVANTAGE
GIVEN THAT HE SITS ON TOP OF A LOT OF SMART RUSSIANS WHO DON'T
HAVE VERY GOOD GOVERNANCE, AND WHO CAN LOOK AROUND THE WORLD
AND SAY, THINGS COULD BE BETTER HERE.
THE WORST HE MAKES US LOOK, T
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