Does President Donald Trump Spit Out Controversies Du Jour To Distract? | Morning Joe

CHIEF OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, JULIE PACE.
SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU ALL ON BOARD.
THE WHITE HOUSE IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE A MISTAKE BY WHITE
HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF JOHN KELLY, WHO ATTEMPTED TO DISCREDIT
CONGRESSWOMAN FREDERICA WILSON'S ACCOUNT OF A PHONE CALL BETWEEN
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE WIDOW OF A SOLDIER KILLED IN ACTION.
THE WHITE HOUSE POSITION CULMINATED ON THIS EXCHANGE ON
FRIDAY. >> HAVE YOU SEEN THE SPEECH?
>> I HAVE. >> AND THEN YOU KNOW THAT MOST
OF IT WAS HER EFFUSIVELY PRAISING THESE FBI AGENTS AND
WHEN SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHAT SHE DID IN CONGRESS, SHE WAS NOT
TALKING ABOUT GETTING THE SECURITY OF $20 MILLION.
SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT NAMING THE BUILDING OF THE FBI AGENCY.
SHE THEN WENT ON TO EFFUSIVELY PRAISE AND THAT WAS THE BULK OF
THE SPEECH. >> SHE ALSO MENTIONED THAT AND
HAD QUITE A FEW COMMENTS THAT DAY THAT WEREN'T PART OF THAT
SPEECH AND WEREN'T PART OF THAT VIDEO THAT WERE ALSO WITNESSED
BY MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE. WHAT GENERAL KELLY REFERENCED
YESTERDAY. >> TELL US SPECIFICALLY
BECAUSE -- >> EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID.
THERE WAS A LOT OF GRANDSTANDING.
HE WAS STUNNED SHE HAD TAKEN THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IT
ABOUT HERSELF. >> CAN HE COME OUT TO TALK ABOUT
THIS AT SOME POINT? >> I THINK HE ADDRESSED THAT
THOROUGHLY YESTERDAY. >> HE WAS WRONG YESTERDAY.
>> IF YOU WANT TO GO AFTER GENERAL KELLY, THAT'S UP TO YOU
F YOU WANT TO GET INTO DEBATE WITH A FOUR-STAR MARINE GENERAL,
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE.
>> LATER, HUCKABEE -- SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS ISSUED A
STATEMENT TRYING TO CLARIFY HER MARKS.
OF COURSE, EVERYBODY CAN BE QUESTIONED BUT AFTER WITNESSING
GENERAL KELLY'S HEARTFELT RECOUNT, WE SHOULD ALL AGREE
THAT IMPUGNING HIS CREDIBILITY ON HOW TO BEST HONOR FALLEN
HEROES IS NOT APPROPRIATE. >> WE CAN TAKE IT TO BASICS.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT DID, WE CAN IMPUGN HIM.
IT'S A TERRIBLE ACT. IT'S SICK.
GO AHEAD. >> LET'S GO AHEAD AND PLAY --
HERE IS GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS. HE FOUND HIMSELF CRITICIZED,
REMEMBER, IN UNIFORM WHEN THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT HAD GENERAL
BETRAY US, WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO PUSH THE SURGE?
LOT OF PROMINENT DEMOCRATS. DESPITE THAT, THIS IS WHAT HE
SAID. >> I THINK WE'RE ALL FAIR GAME.
WE, IN UNIFORM, PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS TO CRITICIZE
US. >> I LOVE THAT, STEVE RATNER.
WE'RE IN UNIFORM TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS TO CRITICIZE
US. THERE IS A THEME, THOUGH, HERE.
A SORT OF AUTOCRAT IN WAITING THEME ATEME AT THE WHITE HOUSE
YOU HAVE A LOT OF LITTLE AUTOCRATS RUNNING AROUND THERE,
THINKING THAT DONALD TRUMP IS SOMEHOW UNCHAINED FROM CHECKS
AND BALANCES OF JAMES MADISON AND THE CONSTITUTION, AND
HAMILTON. WE REMEMBER BACK TO WHEN STEVEN
MILLER SAID THE PRESIDENT SHALL NOT BE QUESTIONED.
ONE OF THE MOST TYRRANICAL THINGS I EVER HEARD UTTERED FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE. SHE PULLED IT BACK BUT WHAT IS
DISTURBING IS THIS IS THEIR INSTINCT.
HOW DARE YOU QUESTION US. >> THEIR GO-TO.
>> THERE'S NO QUESTION -- NO PUN INTENDED, THERE'S NO QUESTION
THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE THEIR ACTIONS SHOULD BE QUESTIONED.
AND THEY HAVE THIS SORT OF AUTOCRATIC PUSHBACK BLANKET AT
ALL COSTS KIND OF MENTALITY. I THINK IT IS FAIR GAME TO
QUESTION WHAT GENERAL KELLY DID OR DIDN'T SAY.
THAT SAID, I WOULD SAY AS APPARENT AS SOMEONE WHO CAN'T
EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE THAT CASUALTY
OFFICE TO HAVE GENERAL KELLY SHOW UP ON YOUR DOORSTEP.
WE'VE TAKEN THE DEATH OF AN AMERICAN SOLDIER.
IT'S BECOME POLITICIZED. >> AND THE PAIN OF HIS FAMILY.
>> IT'S BECOME POLITICIZED AND PERHAPS THE BULK OF THE BLAME
LIES ON DONALD TRUMP'S DOORSTEP. I THINK A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE
DON'T HAVE COMPLETELY CLEAN HANDS HERE.
IT'S REALLY SAD, WHAT WE'VE COME TO AS A COUNTRY, THAT THIS HAS
BECOME THE ISSUE OF THE DAY, THE DEATH OF THIS POOR KID AND HOW
IT WAS HANDLEDANDLED THEREAFTER >> ACTUALLY, WHO ELSE -- WHO
ELSE EXCEPT FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES REALLY HAS ANY
RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT WENT WRONG?
>> WELL, THERE HASN'T BEEN -- >> I CAN'T THINK OF ONE.
>> THERE HASN'T BEEN A GROWN-UP. >> THE CONGRESSWOMAN WAS A
FRIEND OF THE FAMILY. SHE WASN'T GOING AROUND,
GRANDSTANDING. >> THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID FROM
THE BEGINNING YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU'RE LISTENING IN
ON CONVERSATIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT AND THEN YOU RUN OUT
AND TALK ABOUT IT IN THE PRESS. SO SOME PEOPLE COULD LOOK TO
HER. SOME PEOPLE COULD LOOK TO
GENERAL KELLY WHO, IN ALL OF HIS ELOQUENT REMARKS -- I WILL SAY
AGAIN I THANK GOD GENERAL KELLY IS THERE -- BUT EVEN HE DIDN'T
MAKE IT ABOUT THE SOLDIER WHO HAS FALLEN.
HE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE SOLDIER.
>> THE FAMILY. >> HE TALKED ABOUT POLITICS, THE
CONGRESSWOMAN. ENRAGED HIM SO MUCH, HE HAD TO
GO UP TO ARLINGTON. AGAIN, NO TALK ABOUT THIS YOUNG
MAN, THIS AMERICAN HERO WHO FELL.
HE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO BE THE GROWN-UP.
AND HE STILL NEEDS TO COME OUT AND REMIND EVERYBODY IT'S ABOUT
THIS YOUNG MAN WHO HAS FALLEN AND THEN MOVE ON.
NOBODY IS DOING THAT. THERE IS NO GROWN-UP IN THE
HOUSE. AND, YES, THIS ALL BEGAN WITH
DONALD TRUMP. ALL BEGAN WITH DONALD TRUMP.
AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. BUT JULIE PACE, THIS IS A GREAT
EXAMPLE OF -- WELL, YOU'VE GOT TO QUESTION -- I GUESS AS A
REPORTER, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'RE BALANCING ALL THE TIME.
IS THIS A SELF INFLICTED WOUND OR IS THIS THIS WEEK'S VERSION
OF THE NFL AND KNEELING TWO WEEKS AGO.
IS DONALD TRUMP ACTUALLY J JUST TRYING TO DISTRACT US FROM THE
RUSSIAN INVESTIGATION? >> OR FROM WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
IN NIGER? >> TRYING TO DISTRACT US FROM
WHAT HAPPENED IN NIGER? IS HE TRYING TO DISTRACT US FROM
THE FACT THAT THEY HAVEN'T PASSED A SINGLE PIECE OF
LEGISLATION? IS HE TRYING TO DISTRACT US FROM
THE FACT THAT HE HAS THE LOWEST APPROVAL RATINGS OF ALL TIME FOR
ANY FIRST-YEAR PRESIDENT? HOW DO YOU TAKE THESE
CONTROVERSIES DU JOUR, OF THE WEEK, THAT HE KEEPS SPITTING
OUT? HE THROWS OUT AN INSULT, HE
KNOWS IT'S GOING TO CAUSE -- IS HE TRYING TO DISTRACT US FROM
SOMETHING BIGGER OR DOES HE JUST --
>> NOT HAVE A HEART. >> -- COMPLETELY LOST IT?
>> THAT IS THE CENTRAL QUESTION OF THIS PRESIDENCY.
IT'S A QUESTION WE GRAPPLE WITH EVERY DAY, EVERY WEEK.
YOU'RE RIGHT. THERE TENDS TO ALWAYS BE SOME
KIND OF CONTROVERSY THAT BUBBLES UP.
IT GENERALLIY COMES FROM THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF.
IT GENERALLY GETS PUSHED FORWARD FROM THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF.
I DO THINK THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF THE PRESIDENT LIKING THE ART OF
DISTRACTION. HE DOES LIKE TO HAVE A SIDE SHOW
GOING ON. A LOT OF HIS ADVISERS DON'T LIKE
THAT BUT UNDERSTAND THAT ACTUALLY IS, IN SOME WAYS,
STRATEGIC ON HIS PART. HE DOES LIKE THE SHINY OBJECTS.
IN THIS CASE, WITH THIS SITUATION, WITH THESE FOUR
SOLDIERS AND EVERYTHING THAT CAME FROM THIS CONTROVERSY OVER
THE CALL TO THE FAMILY, I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS THE SAME AS
THE NFL. THAT WAS A SITUATION THAT THE
PRESIDENT, ONCE HE LATCHED ON TO THAT ISSUE, FELT IT WAS A
WINNING ISSUE FOR HIM. IN THIS CASE IT'S MORE OF AN
EXAMPLE OF THE PRESIDENT BEING REALLY UNWILLING TO ADMIT A
MISTAKE, ADMIT THAT HE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE AFTER FORMER
PRESIDENTS IN THE WAY THAT THEY HANDLED CALLS TO FAMILIES OF
FALLEN SOLDIERS. THIS WAS MORE THE DOUBLING DOWN
ASPECT OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY. WHAT YOU SAW -- THIS WAS WHAT
WAS SO STRIKING ABOUT LAST WEEK. WHAT YOU SAW WAS GENERAL KELLY
HELPING TRUMP ALONG IN THAT EFFORT.
THAT'S WHAT MADE THIS ONE SO UNIQUE TO ME.
>> RICHARD? >> YOU ASKED THE IMPORTANT
QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER IT'S THE TACTIC OF DISTRACTION.
I THINK IT RAISES THE QUESTION FOR US, WHETHER WE'RE ALLOWING
OURSELVES TO BE DISTRACTED. THERE'S REALLY BIG POLICY
QUESTIONS HERE. WHY DO WE HAVE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN
750 AND 1,000 AMERICANS IN NIGER?
THIS IS NOT UNIQUE. OPEN-ENDED EFFORT AGAINST
TERRORISM. THIS IS THE QUESTION OF
CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT.
SEVERAL LEADING PEOPLE IN THE SENATE WERE UNAWARE OF WHAT
WE'RE DOING. AS A COUNTRY WE HAVE TO ASK
OURSELVES, ARE WE SIGNED UP FOR AN OPEN-ENDED WAR OF THIS SORT,
LITERALLY, THAT IS BEING WAGED ACROSS SEVERAL CONTINENTS?
>> THIS MORNING WE HEAR OF THE CIA'S EXPANDED ROLE IN
AFGHANISTAN, MARK. AND ALSO I REMEMBER, MIKA, YOUR
FATHER YEARS AND YEARS AGO -- MY GOD, MAYBE EIGHT YEARS AGO,
SAYING IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEPARATE AL QAEDA AND THE
TALIBAN. AL QAEDA WANTS TO KNOCK DOWN
BUILDINGS IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON.
THE TALIBAN WANTS TO RUN ITS COUNTRY BY EIGHTH CENTURY RULES.
WE ARE NOW LAUNCHING CIA TO EXPAND ITS COVERT ROLE IN
AFGHANISTAN. IT'S THE LEAD STORY IN "THE NEW
YORK TIMES." THIS PRESIDENT, WHO IS TALKING
ABOUT RETREATING MILITARILY, ACTUALLY SENDING MORE TROOPS AND
MORE OPERATIONS OUT. AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT IT
BECAUSE HE'S SENDING OUT STUPID TWEETS THAT WE WOULD PUNISH OUR
CHILDREN FOR SENDING OUT. >> PUBLIC POLICY, THE ONE THAT
RICHARD RAISED, THE FACT THAT THERE'S IGNORANCE ON THE LEADING
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, WHERE AMERICANS ARE STATIONED AROUND
THE WORLD, WHAT THE MIGS ARE. "THE NEW YORK TIMES" STORY, THE
NIGER MISSION, WHATEVER THE FACTS ARE.
IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT BOTH PARTIES AVOID THE DISTRACTIONS AND GET
THEIR ARMS AROUND THIS. PRESIDENT TRUMP TALKED ABOUT
COMING HOME TO AMERICA BUT HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT BEING TOUGH
AND HAS AROUND HIM AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF MILITARY PEOPLE.
THAT IS A RECIPE FOR IF THERE'S A FAILURE OF CONGRESSIONAL
OVERSIGHT, THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH DOING WHATEVER IT WANTS IN THE
MOST PROFOUND RESPONSIBILITY IT'S GOT TO DEFEND AMERICA.
>> WITH A REPUBLICAN HOUSE, CERTAINLY, THAT WILL NOT CROSS
THIS PRESIDENT, THAT FEAR THIS PRESIDENT,
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Does President Donald Trump Spit Out Controversies Du Jour To Distract? | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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