THE UNION."
SEVEN PEOPLE ARE DEAD IN LONDON
AFTER A VAN CAREENED INTO
PEOPLE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP USED THE EVENT
TO BRING ATTENTION TO HIS TRAVEL
BAN.
LET'S TALK WITH OUR PANEL ABOUT
IT.
WE HAVE FORMER VIRGINIA ATTORNEY
GENERAL KEN KUCH NELLY, BILL
KRISTOL, AND CA-- LET ME START
WITH YOU, KEN.
SOME PEOPLE FIND IT
INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE PRESIDENT
TO BE TALKING ABOUT A TRAVEL BAN
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ATTACK.
HE DID EVENTUALLY, OF COURSE, GO
ON TO OFFER THOUGHTS, PRAYERS,
AND CONDOLENCES.
IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH
WHAT HE DID?
>> NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
I MEAN, LOOK, THEY'RE IN THE
MIDDLE OF A LEGAL CONTEST OVER
THIS.
I THINK THE COURTS ARE VIOLATING
THE SEPARATION OF POWER AND
INVADING THE PREROGATIVE OF THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH CLEARLY.
THERE'S A POLITICAL ELEMENT HE'S
TRYING TO MAKE THE CASE TO THE
PUBLIC.
COURTS CAN DECIDE HOW FAST TO
CONSIDER THEM.
THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE
SUPREME COURT TO LET THE POLICY
STAND PENDING THE OUTCOME OF
LITIGATION.
THINGS LIKE THIS INCIDENT CAN,
AND WE'LL NEVER KNOW, IT WON'T
BE IN THE ORDERS CAN AFFECT
JUDGES.
THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS, TOO.
TO GET THEM TO SPEED IT UP.
IT CAN AFFECT THE PROCESS BY
WHICH THIS IS CONSIDERED.
>> OKAY.
SO HE TWEETS ABOUT THE TRAVEL
BAN.
HE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THE PEOPLE
ARE RESIDENTS OF.
HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT
IT.
RULE NUMBER ONE OF BEING --
>> HE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING.
I MEAN, HE'S THE PRESIDENT.
HE HAS ACCESS TO INFORMATION
>>WELL, OKAY.
NONE OF IT HAS EVEN, TO THIS
MOMENT, MADE PUBLIC OR SAID THEY
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE
IDENTITIES OF THE PEOPLE.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING HIM
THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT ON IT.
>> THAT'S MY JOB.
>> RULE NUMBER ONE OF BEING THE
COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE
LARGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT
NATION ON EARTH, I WOULD SAY, IS
THAT YOU DO NOT JUMP TO
CONCLUSIONS.
YOU DON'T ATTACK THE MAYOR OF
LONDON WHO IS GOING THROUGH THE
MIDDLE OF THIS.
AND YOU DON'T ACT DEFENSIVELY --
HE HAD THREE TWEETS I THINK WERE
COMPLETELY OFF.
ONE ON.
THE ONE ABOUT THE TRAVEL BAN
WHICH IS THE FIRST TWEET OUT OF
THE BOX.
INSTEAD OF OFFERING CONDOLENCES
AND HELP.
SECOND ATTACKING THE MAYOR OF
LONDON.
AND THE THIRD BEING DEFENSIVE
ABOUT GUNS SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU
NOTICE IT'S ABOUT KNIVES.
OF COURSE ONE MIGHT SAY IF THE
PEOPLE HAD AK 47S, A LOT MORE
PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.
NONETHELESS, THOSE INSTINCTS OF
HIS ARE TOTALLY OFF THE MARK.
>> LET ME ASK YOU, BILL, BECAUSE
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS
THAT THE GOVERNOR JUST POINTED
OUT IS WE DON'T KNOW WHO THIS
IS.
A LOT OF TERRORISTS, I THINK
MAYBE ENTIRELY THE TERRORISTS
THAT STRUCK LONDON AND
MANCHESTER IN THE LAST --
PREVIOUS MONTH.
WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS
ACCOUNT.
THEY WERE NATIONALS.
THEY WERE BRITISH.
AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS,
HOME GROWN TERRORISM IS A BIGGER
THREAT HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES, AT LEAST SO FAR, AND SO
FAR IN THE UK IT HAS BEEN.
THE TRAVEL BAN WOULDN'T
NECESSARILY HAVE IMPACTED ANY OF
THOSE ATTACKS.
>> I GUESS HOME GROWN TERRORISTS
IN TOUCH WITH OR MANCHESTER,
LIBYA, AND STUFF.
THERE'S NATIONAL CONNECTIONS AND
PEOPLE WILL SAY IT'S JUST
SELF-RADICALIZATION.
IT'S THE CASE OF PEOPLE ARE
FLYING IN OFTEN DO WITH THEIR
LOCALS.
THERESA MAY MADE AN EXCELLENT
STATEMENT.
I RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE SEE IT.
I RECOMMEND PRESIDENT TRUMP THIS
IS HOW A SERIOUS LEADER MAKES A
ST
TOUGH STATEMENT.
SHE TALKS ABOUT ISLAMIC
EXTREMISM.
WE HAVE TO DENY THEM SAFE
SOMEP
SOMEPLACES -- PLACES ON THE
INTERNET AT HOME.
BUT ALSO A RESPONSIBLE AND SOBER
STATEMENT.
NOT THE BOMBAST WE GET FROM
TRUMP.
I HOPE DONALD TRUMP AND OTHERS
TAKE A LOOK AT MAY.
>> I WOULD SAY THIS, I HOPE THAT
THE SUPREME COURT WAS WATCHING
THE TWEETS THIS MORNING.
HE BASICALLY CONFIRM WHAT ALL OF
US HAVE BEEN SAYING.
YEAH, THIS IS ACTUALLY A BAN.
THAT'S WHAT THE LOWER COURTS
CONFIRMED AND SAID IT'S A BAN.
IT'S A DANGEROUS ONE, AT THAT.
THE OTHER THING, TOO, I WOULD
SAY AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE
FUNNY HERE.
IT'S IN TRUE HONESTY.
I WISH SOMEONE IN THE NAME OF
NATIONAL SECURITY THAT SOMEONE
WOULD CHANGE THE PASSWORD ON HIS
TWITTER ACCOUNT SO HE CAN BE
LOCKED OUT.
HE'S ERRATIC, IT'S DANGEROUS,
AND IT'S FALSE.
>> AND, JAKE, YOU MADE A POINT A
MOMENT ABOUT HOME GROWN VERSUS
THE FOREIGN CONNECTION.
AND, LOOK, THE PRESIDENT CAN'T
TAKE AWAY RIGHTS HERE WITHIN THE
COUNTRY.
ALL RIGHT.
BUT THE FOLKS THAT THE TRAVEL
BAN IS AIMED AT HAVE NO RIGHTS.
THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS UNDER OUR --
>> THEY'RE COMING TO THE UNITED
STATES.
>> THEY HAVE NO -- AND THERE'S
NO REASON THAT WE SHOULD LET
FOLKS IN THOSE CATEGORIES IN --
BY THE WAY, IDENTIFIED BY THE
LAST ADMINISTRATION AS
HEIGHTENED SECURITY AREAS, RISKS
FOR HEIGHTENED SECURITY.
SO THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.
YOU CAN'T JUST EQUATE THE HOME
GROWN PROBLEM, WHICH IS,
FRANKLY, MORE COMPLICATED WITH
THE CONTACTS AND THE FOREIGN
CONTACTS.
>> I GUESS MY POINT IS, THE
THREAT IS ACTUALLY GREATER FROM
HOME GROWN TERRORISTS IN THE UK
AND THE UNITED STATES, ACCORDING
TO NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIALS
OF BOTH COUNTRIES.
THE TRAVEL BAN --
>> RIGHT.
>> IT DOESN'T ARGUE AGAINST IT.
>> THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION.
>> IT'S NOT A REASON NOT TO
ADDRESS THAT PART OF THE
PROBLEM.
YOU CAN'T, AGAIN, THE
CONSTITUTION PROTECTS THE RIGHTS
OF FOLKS WHO ARE ALREADY HERE IN
THE UNITED STATES AND THAT'S A
DIFFERENT AND MUCH MORE
COMPLICATED AND LONG TERM
CHALLENGE.
>> IT'S JUST KIND OF LIKE THE
GUY LOOKING FOR HIS KEYS UNDER
THE STREETLIGHT THAT'S ON AS
OPPOSED TO THE ONE WHO LOST HIS
KEYS.
IF THE PROBLEM IS OVER HERE --
THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING, GOVERNOR.
>> I TOTALLY AGREE AND THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION IDENTIFIED THESE
PLACES WHERE THEY DON'T WANT
AMERICANS TO TRAVEL TO.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THESE PEOPLE
ARE RELEVANT IN ANY WAY WITH THE
TRAVEL BAN, WHICH IS THE
PROBLEM, THAT HE HAS NOT
NARROWED THE SCOPE OF HIS
SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.
WE'LL SEE WHAT THE SUPREME COURT
DOES.
HE HAS A JUSTICE NOW.
HE MIGHT GO THE OTHER WAY.
>> PEOPLE FROM THOSE COUNTRIES
HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN TERRORISM
IN THIS COUNTRY.
THIS IS NOT IRRELEVANT.
IT IS RELEVANT.
>> I'M NOT SAYING IT'S
IRRELEVANT.
>> JUST NOT COMPLETE.
>> I THINK YOU TAKE MY POINT.
I WANT TO TURN TO THE FBI
DIRECTOR TESTIFYING ON THURSDAY,
BILL.
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT PRESIDENT
TRUMP HAD TO SAY ABOUT WHAT HE
WANTS FROM COMEY'S TESTIMONY.
>> ALL I WANT IS FOR COMEY TO BE
HONEST, AND I HOPE HE WILL BE,
AND I'M SURE HE WILL BE, I HOPE.
>> NOW, COMEY IS SET TO TESTIFY
ON THURSDAY ASSUMING PRESIDENT
TRUMP DOES NOT INVOKE PRIVILEGE
AND BLOCK HIM FROM TESTIFYING.
DO YOU THINK HE SHOULD STOP HIM
FROM TESTIFYING?
>> NO, I DON'T THINK HE HAS A
CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING.
JAMES COMEY IS A PRIVATE CI
CITIZEN.
AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T REVEAL
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.
IF JIM COMEY CAME ON THIS PANEL
RIGHT NOW, HE COULD DO IT.
>> WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HIM ON.
>> PLENTY OF CABINET OFFICIALS
AND STAFF HAVE LEFT
ADMINISTRATIONS AND SPOKEN ABOUT
MAYBE THEY SHOULDN'T, THAT'S
ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT THEY HAVE
THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT
CONVERSATIONS THEY'VE HAD WITH
THE PRESIDENT.
BUT HE WON'T TALK ABOUT THE FBI
INVESTIGATION.
WE DON'T HAVE AN FBI DIRECTOR,
WE HAVE AN ACTING DIRECTOR, AND
I'M SURE HE'S COMPETENT AND THE
FBI CAN DO ITS THING WITHOUT
HAVING A DIRECTOR.
BUT IT JUST SHOWS HOW RECKLESS,
AND IN THIS RESPECT, I DO AGREE,
DONALD TRUMP FIRED AN FBI
DIRECTOR WITHOUT HAVING SOMEONE
ELSE IN PLACE.
HERE WE ARE THREE WEEKS LATER,
THERE'S STILL NO CANDIDATE.
IT WASN'T A VERY PRUDENT THING
TO DO FOR GOVERNANCE REASONS
ALONE, ASIDE FROM WHATEVER OTHER
MOTIVES HE MIGHT HAVE HAD.
>> ARE YOU EVER CONCERNED THAT
THE BASE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
HAVE FAR HIGHER EXPECTATIONS FOR
WHAT'S GOING TO COME OF THIS
INVESTIGATION INTO EITHER
RUSSIAN COLLUSION OR OBSTRUCTION
OF JUSTICE THAN WHAT IS ACTUALLY
GOING TO COME?
DOES THAT EVER BOTHER YOU OR
WORRY YOU?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I'VE NEVER THOUGHT THAT FAR
QUES
QUESTION.
IT'S A GOOD ONE TO THINK ABOUT
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A FIVE-ALARM
FIRE.
IT DOESN'T STOP.
EVERY DAY WE HEAR FROM MEDIA
REPORTS SOMETHING ELSE THAT
HAS -- EITHER IT'S LEADING TO A
COVER-UP OR POTENTIAL COLLUSION.
SO I THINK WE'RE IN THE PLACE
WITH COMEY, AND JUST TO TALK
ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE,
DONALD TRUMP WAIVED HIS RIGHT TO
EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE BECAUSE HE
TALKED ABOUT IT PUBLICLY.
HE TALKED ABOUT A POTENTIAL
TAPE.
SO IF HE WERE TO DO THAT, HE'S
ACTUALLY -- HE CAN'T.
BUT HERE WE ARE IN THE SITUATION
WHERE WE HAVE A FORMER FBI
DIRECTOR WHO IS GOING TO BE
UNDER OATH IN FRONT OF CONGRESS.
IF HE ACTUALLY SAYS, CONFIRMS
WHAT THE MEDIA REPORTS HAVE BEEN
SAYING, WE COULD BE DEALING WITH
A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS.
>> YOU HAD SENATOR WARNER ON
HERE EARLIER.
YOU ASKED HIM A SIMILAR QUESTION
AND HE SAID, LOOK, THERE'S A LOT
OF THINGS THAT LOOK SMOKY HERE
BUT NO FIRE YET.
THAT IS STILL TRUE.
WE ALL KNOW THE RUSSIANS HAVE
BEEN MEDDLING IN OUR ELECTIONS
AS LONG AS THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO
DO IT.
TECHNOLOGY HAS GIVEN THEM A
BETTER ABILITY TO DO THAT NOW AT
A LOWER COST.
DOES THAT MEAN THERE'S
COLLUSION?
THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF THAT YET.
THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF THAT.
>> THERE IS A LOT OF SMOKE
BECAUSE EACH DAY THERE ARE
PIECES OF WOOD THAT ARE ADDED TO
THE FIRE.
WHAT MARK WERNER ALSO SAID IS
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE GOING
TO ASK IS WHY DONALD TRUMP, ON
THE DAY THAT JIM COMEY ANNOUNCED
THAT HE WAS DOING AN
INVESTIGATION OF RUSSIAN
COLLUSION, CALLS DAN COATS, HEAD
OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE AND SAYS, CAN YOU
PUSH BACK ON THAT?
AND CALLS ADMIRAL ROGERS AND
SAYS THE SAME THING.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ADD UP TO
NOT JUST SMOKE BUT POTENTIALLY A
BONFIRE.
WE'LL SEE.
>> I APPRECIATE YOUR