Is It Now Just A Waiting Game For Secretary Of State Rex Tillerson? | Morning Joe

ADMINISTRATION BEINGIKE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WE KNOW
RATHER THAN THE PRESIDENT WE SEE IN VEGAS.
THE ADMINISTRATION BLASTED BACK AGAINST THAT NBC NEWS EXCLUSIVE
REPORT YESTERDAY ABOUT SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON'S PRIVATE
FURY ABOUT HIS TREATMENT AT THE HANDS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP.
IT SAYS TILLERSON WAS ON THE VERGE OF RE-SIGNING THIS PAST
SUMMER WHICH LEAD TO AN INTERVENTION.
THERE'S ALSO THE ASSERTION THAT TILLERSON OPENLY DISPARAGED THE
PRESIDENT REFERRING TO HIM AS A MORON OF A JULY MEETING AT THE
PENTAGON. TILLERSON MADE A SURPRISE
ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE PRESS YESTERDAY AND THEN ENGAGED WITH
REPORTERS. SOMETHING HE HAS RARELY DONE
SINCE TAKING OFFICE. >> THE VICE PRESIDENT HAS NEVER
HAD TO PERSUADE ME TO REMAIN THE SECRETARY OF STATE BECAUSE I
HAVE NEVER CONSIDERED LEAVING THIS POST.
I SERVE AT THE APPOINTMENT OF THE PRESIDENT AND I'M HERE AS
LONG AS THE PRESIDENT FEELS I CAN BE USEFUL TO ACHIEVING HIS
OBJECTIVES. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I LEARNED
ABOUT THIS PRESIDENT THAT I DID NOT KNOW BEFORE TAKING THIS
OFFICE. HE LOVES THIS COUNTRY.
HE PUTS AMERICANS AND AMERICA FIRST.
HE'S SMART. HE DEMANDS RESULTS WHERE EVER HE
GOES AND HE HOLDS THOSE AROUND HIM ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHETHER THEY
HAVE DONE THE JOB HE'S ASKED THEM TO DO.
WHILE I'M NEW TO WASHINGTON, I HAVE LEARNED THERE'S SOME THAT
TRY TO SEW DISSENSION TO ADVANCE THEIR AGENDA BY TEARING OTHERS
APART IN AN EFFORT TO UNDERMINE PRESIDENT TRUMP'S OWN AGENDA.
I DO NOT AND I WILL NOT OPERATE THAT WAY AND THE SAME APPLIES TO
EVERYONE ON MY TEAM AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL KEEP MOVING
FORWARD AS ONE TEAM WITH ONE MISSION DOING GREAT THINGS FOR
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.
>> CAN YOU ADDRESS THE MAIN HEADLINE OF THIS STORY THAT YOU
CALLED THE PRESIDENT A MORON? AND IF NOT WHERE DO YOU THINK
THESE REPORTS. >> THIS IS WHAT I DON'T
UNDERSTAND ABOUT WASHINGTON. I'M NOT FROM THIS PLACE.
BUT THE PLACES I COME FROM, WE DON'T DEAL WITH THAT KIND OF
PETTY NONSENSE AND IT IS INTENDED TO DO NOTHING BUT
DIVIDE PEOPLE AND I'M JUST NOT GOING TO BE PART OF THIS EFFORT
TO DIVIDE THIS ADMINISTRATION. >> LISTEN CAREFULLY.
WHILE TILLERSON DID NOT PERSONALLY ISSUE A DENIAL OF
CALLING THE PRESIDENT A MORON LATER IN THE DAY HIS
SPOKESPERSON DID. >> THE SECRETARY DOES NOT USE
THAT TYPE OF LANGUAGE. THE SECRETARY DID NOT USE THAT
TYPE OF LANGUAGE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES. HE DOES NOT USE THAT LANGUAGE TO
SPEAK ABOUT ANYONE SO I HOPE THAT THAT CLARIFIES.
>> HE NEVER SAID IT. >> HE DID NOT SAY THAT.
>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS WE COULD LOOK AT
WHAT REX TILLERSON DID THERE. SOME PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT IT AND
SAY IT'S SHAMEFUL. I TELL YOU WHAT I SAW AND I
SUSPECT YOU PROBABLY SAW THE SAME THING TOO.
THAT WAS NOT A GUY THAT WAS QUIVERING NERVOUS AT THE PODIUM
GOING OH MY GOD I HOPE I GET THIS RIGHT OR ELSE I'M GOING TO
BE FIRED BECAUSE AS WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY WITH ANDREA
MITCHELL, HE DOESN'T CARE. HE'S AN INDEPENDENT FORCE ON HIS
OWN. HE DOESN'T LIKE THE JOB.
HE DOESN'T NEED THE JOB. HE'S DOING THE JOB BECAUSE HE
THINKS HE LOVES HIS COUNTRY AND BELIEVES HE NEEDS TO SERVE IT
WHETHER PEOPLE THINK HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB OR NOT.
I SAW A GUY YESTERDAY WHO CERTAINLY, AND THIS IS ALL
SPECULATION BUT BASED ON KNOWLEDGE OF HOW HE WORKS IN
WASHINGTON, CERTAINLY TALKED TO JAMES MATTIS AND I'M SURE TALKS
TO GENERAL KELLY AND AT THE END DECIDED, YOU KNOW WHAT, OKAY
GUYS, I'LL STAY HERE. I KNOW, AS BOB CORKER SAID I
KNOW THAT WE MAY BE THE ONLY PEOPLE STANDING BETWEEN, YOU
KNOW, THIS PRESIDENT AND EVEN MORE CHAOS.
>> YEAH, JOE. THAT WAS A THOROUGHLY
HUMILIATING PERFORMANCE BY SECRETARY OF STATE TILLERSON.
FORCED TO STAND UP THERE AND LITERALLY, IT'S AS IF SOMEONE --
YOU AND I HAVE SAT NEXT TO SOMEONE FOR TEN YEARS.
SO IT'S AS IF SOMEONE ASKS ME -- >> WHY WOULDN'T YOU COUNT THAT.
THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT YEARS.
NO PASSPORT REQUIRED. ONLY COMMON SENSE ALLOWED.
YOU JUST PUT AN ASTERISK BY THE GLORY YEARS OF AMERICAN
TELEVISION. THAT'S LIKE TELLING PAUL
McCARTNEY YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING MUSIC FOR ALL OF THOSE YEARS IF
YOU JUAN TO COUNTY THE 7 OR 8 YEARS YOU PLAYED WITH THE
BEATLES IT'S EVEN LONGER. >> SOMEONE SAYS TELL ME ABOUT
JOE AND I SAY THE FOLLOWING, LET ME TELL YOU, I HAVE KNOWN THIS
MAN FOR 13 OR 14 YEARS. HE LOVES HIS COUNTRY.
HE PUTS AMERICA. HE'S SMART.
I MEAN, IF REX TILLERSON HAD THE RELATIONSHIPONSHIP WITH THE PRE
OF THE UNITED STATES THAT YOU WOULD HOPE THAT A SECRETARY OF
STATE WOULD HAVE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
HE WOULDN'T BE READING OFF A SCRIPT TO DESCRIBE THAT
RELATIONSHIP. HE WOULD KNOW IT.
HE WOULD LIVE IT AND WE NOW HAVE AN AGE.
CAROL IS HERE, RICHARD HAASS IS HERE, THEY CAN ALL SPEAK TO IT.
WE'RE NOW PART OF A PROBLEM WHERE USUALLY IT'S THE HOUSE OR
SENATE DEMOCRATS COMPLAINING ABOUT POLICY DIFFERENCES IN THE
ADMINISTRATION BUT NOW IT'S POLICY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
PRESIDENT AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF.
IT'S CRAZY TIME. >> IT MAY BE BUT THANK GOD THAT
NONE OF THEM AND NIKKI HALEY ARE NOT PARODING THE STEVE BANNON
WING OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND YOU'RE TALKING SENSE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR REPORTING. FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE TO SAY, I
THINK IT'S HUMILIATING ACTUALLY TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT YOU'RE REPORTING IS RIGHT.
YOU GOT IT -- AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE.
WE ALL KNOW THAT HAPPENED. YOU HAVE ALL OF THE SOURCES AND
YET THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES CAN'T FIRE THE GUY FOR
SOME REASON HE IS STILL THERE THIS TIME 24 HOURS AGO I'M SURE
A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK HE WAS GOING TO BE THERE.
BUT TALK ABOUT THE STORY THE PRESIDENT TWEETED OUT ATTACKING
YOUR STORY. EVERYBODY WAS ATTACKING YOUR
SOURCES. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US 24 HOURS
LATER? >> WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE
CERTAINLY STAND BY THE STORY AND THIS WAS A STORY THAT WE
EXTENSIVELY REPORTED. WE TALKED TO A DOZEN PEOPLE FOR
THE STORY. THERE WERE 7 INDEPENDENT SENIOR
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS THAT SAID THAT REX TILLERSON INDEED
INTENDED TO RE-SIGN THIS SUMMER AND DESPITE WHAT THE SECRETARY
SAID YESTERDAY AND WE SPOKE WITH THREE SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS WHO WERE -- WHO SAID THAT THE TILLERSON CALLED THE
PRESIDENT A MORON. SOME OF THEM OVERHEARD HIM
ACTUALLY SAY THAT SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT SOME FAKE NEWS
REPORT AND THE THING ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S TWEET THAT, LOOK, IF
HE WERE TO ADMIT THAT THIS STORY IS ACCURATE, WHICH IT IS, THEN
HE WOULD HAVE TO FIRE REX TILLERSON.
THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER CHOICE AND I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S A
WAITING GAME. HOW LONG DOES REX TILLERSON
STICK AROUND? HOW LONG DOES DONALD TRUMP PUT
UP WITH THIS? BUT EVEN IF HE DOES STAY AROUND
HE'S ALMOST LIKE, IT'S HARD TO SEE HIM BEING EFFECTIVE AND THIS
RELATIONSHIP IS NOT LIKELY TO AT ALL BE REPAIRED.
IT'S BEEN ROCKY. AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE YOU
HAVE THAT SORT OF CEO VERSUS CEO.
YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN
CHARGE. THEY HAVE ALWAYS CALLED THEIR
OWN SHOTS AND PRESIDENT TRUMP OPPORTUNITY LIKE TO HAVE CHECKS
ON HIS AUTHORITY WHETHER IT'S CONGRESS OR COURTS OR HIS OWN
AIDS AND TILLERSON DOESN'T LIKE TO BE A SUBORDINATE AND THAT'S
BEEN A DISASTROUS RECIPE FOR THIS RELATIONSHIP AND IT'S
AMERICA'S FOREIGN POLIC POLICY STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF
THAT. >> YEAH AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S
ALSO SOMETHING ELSE THAT GENERALS HAVE THAT SOMETIMES
CEOs DO NOT HAVE. IT DEPENDS ON HOW A CEO GETS TO
THE TOP OF THE CORPORATION BUT ALL GENERALS BEGIN AS LOWLY
GRUNTS AND THEY SPEND A GOOD BIT OF THEIR CAREERS HAVING TO BE
SIR, YES, SIR TO THE PERSON ABOVE THEM.
BY THE TIME YOU BECOME A TWO STAR GENERAL OR THREE STAR
GENERAL YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK AND FIGURED OUT HOW TO
WORK WITHIN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND SO IT'S NOT QUITE AS HARD FOR
SECRETARY MATTIS OR GENERAL KELLY TO DEAL WITH THE DIFFICULT
SUPERIOR AS IT WOULD BE SAY THE CEO OF EXXON MOBIL.
>> FAIR ENOUGH BUT IT'S ALSO FAIR TO SAY THAT PEOPLE LIKE THE
TWO GENERALS YOU MENTIONED HAD A CAREER IN GOVERNMENT.
IT'S HARD TO GO AND THINK THAT THE SKILL SET THAT WORKED FOR
YOU THERE TRANSFERS INTO GOVERNMENTS THAT DOESN'T.
WE SEE IT WITH REX TILLERSON AND OTHERS WHEN HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL
TREASURER. AND REORGANIZING THE STATE
DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME THE WORLD IS UNRAVELING.
THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS THE PRESIDENT.
IN ORDER FOR ANY SECRETARY OF STATE TO BE SUCCESSFUL THE WORLD
CANNOT SEE DAYLIGHT BETWEEN HIM AND HIS BOSS.
HE IS THE VOICE OF THE UNITED STATES AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU
THINK ABOUT REX TILLERSON, NO ONE IN THE WORLD CAN POSSIBLY
THINK HE IS THE AUTHORITY VOICE OF THE UNITED STATES.
NOT WHEN HE IS MEETING WITH OFFICIALS AND THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES IS TWEETING HE IS WASTING HIS TIME AND
DIPLOMACY HAS NO PLACE HERE. UNLESS THE PRESIDENT IS GOING
TONE ABLE HIM TO SUCCEED HE CANNOT SUCCEED SO THE REAL
QUESTION IS NOT HOW LONG HE STAYS IN A JOB OR WHETHER HE
RE-SIGNS IT'S WHETHER THIS PRESIDENT IS PREPARED TO MAKE
REX TILLERSON OR HIS SUCCESSOR VIABLE AND UNLESS YOU BACK IT UP
AND COOL IT ON TWEETING AND GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES AND APPROVE
THE PERSONNEL. UNLESS YOU FILL AMERICAN
EMBASSIES WITH AM BASS DORIS. UNLESS YOU THINK HARD ABOUT THE
ROLE OF OTHERS AT THE WHITE HOUSE DETRACTING FROM THE
AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE NO PERSON IN THIS JOB CAN
SUCCEED. >> A FEW THINGS IN THIS
ADMINISTRATION AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT JUST A MINUTE OR TWO
AGO, IT'S NOT JUST REX TILLERSON.
THERE'S DAYLIGHT BETWEEN SECRETARY MATTIS AND PRESIDENT
TRUMP ON THE IRAN DEAL. THERE'S DAYLIGHT BETWEEN REX
TILLERSON OF COURSE AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
ON NORTH KOREA. THERE'S DAYLIGHT BETWEEN NIKKI
HALEY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ON EVERYTHING FROM
NEWS, SPORTS AND WEATHER TO, YOU NAME IT ON JUST ABOUT
EVERYTHING. IT'S FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
NIKKI HALEY HAS BEEN RUNNING WHAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE ASSUMED
HAS BEEN AN INDEPENDENT FOREIGN POLICY THAT IS TRADITIONALLY
REPUBLICAN BUT BEARS NO RESEMBLANCE TO WHAT THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS SAYING AND I JUST WONDER
AGAIN WHETHER WE'RE LOOKING AT A BAD, A GOOD COP-BAD COP ROUTINE
WHERE WE HEARD LEAKS OVER THE WEEKEND THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS
TELLING EVERYBODY JUST RELAX I'M BEING THE BAD COP.
MIKE PENCE ON RUSSIA. MIKE PENCE TALKS LIKE RONALD
REAGAN WHEN HE IS IN THE BALTIC STATES.
HE SAYS EXACTLY WHAT YOU OR I WOULD WANT THIS ADMINISTRATION
TO SAY. AT SOME POINT, 8 MONTHS IN, IT
CAN'T BE AN ACCIDENT AT A ALL OF THESE POLICY LEADERS INSIDE THE
ADMINISTRATION ARE TOWING THE SAME LINE.
IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE A LINE THAT'S DIFFER FROM THE
PRESIDENT'S BLUSTER. >> THE DIFFERENCE THERE JOE IS
GOOD COP, BAD COP IS CHOREOGRAPHED.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING ABOUT THIS IS CHOREOGRAPHED.
THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL PROCESS, THE INTERAGENCY PROCESS
ISN'T WORKING. HE SIMPLY DOESN'T HAVE THE
AUTHORITY. THE PRESIDENT IS NOT WILLING TO
SUBJECT HIMSELF TO THE DISCIPLINE OF ORDERLY
GOVERNANCE. >> BUT RICHARD, DO YOU THINK
RICHARD IF THE PRESIDENT DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE WAS GOING TO SAY IT'S IN AMERICA'S BEST INTEREST, DON'T
YOU THINK WE WOULD HAVE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT THAT BATTLE BREWING?
I JUST, AGAIN, IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY.
>> YEAH. I DON'T THINK THIS PRESIDENT
WANTS TO TAKE ON THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.
ALSO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAS TROOPS IN THE FIELD.
HE HAS MILITARY AND PEOPLE IN UNIFORM STAFFING THE PENTAGON.
HE'S IN A MUCH STRONGER POSITION THAN THE SECRETARY OF STATE THAT
DOESN'T HAVE THAT BUREAUCRATIC OR RESOURCE BASE AND I JUST
THINK THIS PRESIDENT IS WARY OF TAKING ON GENERAL MATTIS OR
CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS. REX TILLERSON IS FLYING MUCH
MORE OUT THERE SOLO AND MADE IT WORSE ON HIMSELF.
HE HAS A BAD HAND BUT HE PLAYED IT BADLY.
HE HASN'T STAFFED UP HIS DEPARTMENT AND HASN'T FOUGHT FOR
RESOURCES. HIS FOCUS HAS BEEN ON ISSUES
LIKE REORGANIZING THE STATE DEPARTMENT RATHER THAN CREATING
A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONSENSUS ON BEHALF OF
Ignatius: Knives Could Be Out Now For Secretary Of State Rex Tillerson | Morning Joe | MSNBC Steve Bannon Is Backing A Familiar Face In Primary | Morning Joe | MSNBC How Will President Donald Trump React To Being Called 'Moron' By Tillerson? | Morning Joe | MSNBC President Donald Trump Shows 'Basic Lack Of Humanity' In Puerto Rico | Morning Joe | MSNBC San Juan Mayor: Donald Trump Was Insulting To The People Of Puerto Rico | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC Lawrence: No One Defended Donald Trump After 'Moron' Comment | The Last Word | MSNBC Morning Joe Rips Trump for ‘Bizarre’ Puerto Rico Visit: ‘A Basic Lack of Humanity’ Exclusive: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Was On Verge Of Resigning | Morning Joe | MSNBC Did Rex Tillerson Call Trump A 'Moron' Or A 'F***ing Moron'? Will HHS Secretary Tom Price Keep His Job? | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Is It Now Just A Waiting Game For Secretary Of State Rex Tillerson? | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Latest Posts