>>> WELCOME BACK. AFTER DECLARING THE CORONAVIRUS
AFTER DECLARING THE CORONAVIRUS A NATIONAL EMERGENCY AT
A NATIONAL EMERGENCY AT YESTERDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE THE
YESTERDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE THE PRESIDENT FACED A SERIES OF
PRESIDENT FACED A SERIES OF QUESTIONS ON THE COUNTRY’S LACK
QUESTIONS ON THE COUNTRY’S LACK OF TESTING AND HE WAS QUICK TO
OF TESTING AND HE WAS QUICK TO PIN THE BLAME ON PAST
PIN THE BLAME ON PAST ADMINISTRATIONS.
ADMINISTRATIONS. >> DR. FAUCI SAID EARLIER THIS
>> DR. FAUCI SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT THE LAG IN TESTING
WEEK THAT THE LAG IN TESTING WAS, IN FACT, A FAILING.
WAS, IN FACT, A FAILING. DO YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
DO YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT?
THAT? >> NO, I DON’T TAKE
>> NO, I DON’T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL BECAUSE WE
RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL BECAUSE WE WERE GIVEN A SET OF
WERE GIVEN A SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND WE WERE GIVEN
CIRCUMSTANCES AND WE WERE GIVEN RULES, REGULATIONS AND
RULES, REGULATIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS FROM A DIFFERENT
SPECIFICATIONS FROM A DIFFERENT TIME.
TIME. >> THAT WAS THE QUOTE, I DON’T
>> THAT WAS THE QUOTE, I DON’T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL. SO WHAT DOES THIS LACK OF
SO WHAT DOES THIS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY SAY ABOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY SAY ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S APPROACH OF
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S APPROACH OF HIS BIGGEST ISSUE SO FAR.
HIS BIGGEST ISSUE SO FAR. JOINING ME THE MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR
JOINING ME THE MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR BEN RHODES.
BEN RHODES. HE HAS A NEW PIECE IN THE
HE HAS A NEW PIECE IN THE ATLANTIC, HOW TRUMP DESIGNED HIS
ATLANTIC, HOW TRUMP DESIGNED HIS WHITE HOUSE TO FAIL.
WHITE HOUSE TO FAIL. THERE WAS ONE CHANGE YESTERDAY
THERE WAS ONE CHANGE YESTERDAY AND ONE TODAY THAT TOOK PLACE
AND ONE TODAY THAT TOOK PLACE ABOUT AN OFFICE WITHIN THE WHITE
ABOUT AN OFFICE WITHIN THE WHITE HOUSE.
HOUSE. A NATIONAL SECURITY STAFF THAT
A NATIONAL SECURITY STAFF THAT WAS DONE AWAY WITH BY THIS
WAS DONE AWAY WITH BY THIS ADMINISTRATION, FOCUSED ON
ADMINISTRATION, FOCUSED ON PANDEMIC RESPONSE AND THE
PANDEMIC RESPONSE AND THE PRESIDENT CLAIMING NOT TO KNOW
PRESIDENT CLAIMING NOT TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.
ABOUT THAT. YOUR REACTION TO BOTH OF THE
YOUR REACTION TO BOTH OF THE EXCHANGES FROM THE PRESS
EXCHANGES FROM THE PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY THAT THE
CONFERENCE YESTERDAY THAT THE PRESIDENT IS WASHING HIS HANDS
PRESIDENT IS WASHING HIS HANDS OF RECENT HISTORY.
OF RECENT HISTORY. >> WELL, LOOK, DAVID.
>> WELL, LOOK, DAVID. FIRST OF ALL, WHAT HE SAID ABOUT
FIRST OF ALL, WHAT HE SAID ABOUT TESTING IS JUST COMPLETELY
TESTING IS JUST COMPLETELY FALSE.
FALSE. IT’S BEEN FACT-CHECKED AND
IT’S BEEN FACT-CHECKED AND THAT’S NOT THE CASE THAT THIS IN
THAT’S NOT THE CASE THAT THIS IN ANY WAY SHOULD HAVE HAMPERED
ANY WAY SHOULD HAVE HAMPERED THEIR RESPONSE.
THEIR RESPONSE. I THINK IMPORTANTLY WHAT OBAMA
I THINK IMPORTANTLY WHAT OBAMA DID LEAVE TRUMP IS A GLOBAL
DID LEAVE TRUMP IS A GLOBAL HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE
HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAD SET UP INFORMED BY THE
HAD SET UP INFORMED BY THE LESSONS OF THE EBOLA OUTBREAK.
LESSONS OF THE EBOLA OUTBREAK. AND WE SET UP IN THE WHITE
AND WE SET UP IN THE WHITE HOUSE, IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY
HOUSE, IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL A DIRECTOR THAT WAS
COUNCIL A DIRECTOR THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING
RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING PANDEMICS AND GLOBAL HEALTH
PANDEMICS AND GLOBAL HEALTH THREATS.
THREATS. THAT WAS SHUT DOWN TWO YEARS AGO
THAT WAS SHUT DOWN TWO YEARS AGO BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND WHEN YOU
BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE AN OFFICE LIKE THAT
DON’T HAVE AN OFFICE LIKE THAT AND YOU DON’T HAVE DEDICATED
AND YOU DON’T HAVE DEDICATED PEOPLE INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE
PEOPLE INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE WHO ARE ENSURING THAT
WHO ARE ENSURING THAT INFORMATION IS BEING ACTED T
INFORMATION IS BEING ACTED T UPON, WHEN YOU SEE A BREAKOUT
UPON, WHEN YOU SEE A BREAKOUT LIKE IN WUHAN, CHINA, YOU WANT
LIKE IN WUHAN, CHINA, YOU WANT PEOPLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHO
PEOPLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHO SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT
SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT AWAY SO YOU DON’T GET BEHIND THE
AWAY SO YOU DON’T GET BEHIND THE CURVE.
CURVE. >> YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IT WAS
>> YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE WHEN THE EBOLA CRISIS WAS
LIKE WHEN THE EBOLA CRISIS WAS HAPPENING IN 2014.
HAPPENING IN 2014. I THINK WHAT’S MOST INTERESTING
I THINK WHAT’S MOST INTERESTING ABOUT THAT IS YOU WERE IN THE
ABOUT THAT IS YOU WERE IN THE ROOM AND BEING PUSHED TO THE
ROOM AND BEING PUSHED TO THE SIDE.
SIDE. PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS RELYING ON
PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS RELYING ON EXPERTS AND EXPERTISE, AND HE
EXPERTS AND EXPERTISE, AND HE WAS PUSHING THOSE WHO DIDN’T
WAS PUSHING THOSE WHO DIDN’T HAVE IT TO IS SIDE.
HAVE IT TO IS SIDE. THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AB
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AB OVERWHELMING ANXIETY, THE LIKES
OVERWHELMING ANXIETY, THE LIKES OF WE ASSUME IS IN THE WHITE
OF WE ASSUME IS IN THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY.
HOUSE TODAY. HOW DID THE PRESIDENT DEAL WITH
HOW DID THE PRESIDENT DEAL WITH IT?
IT? HOW IS A PRESIDENT SUPPOSED TO
HOW IS A PRESIDENT SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH A STEEPENING CURVE THE
DEAL WITH A STEEPENING CURVE THE LIKES WE’VE SEEN WITH THESE
LIKES WE’VE SEEN WITH THESE CRISIS?
CRISIS? >> I WALKED THROUGH A COUPLE OF
>> I WALKED THROUGH A COUPLE OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT HOW A WHITE
TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT HOW A WHITE HOUSE WORKS.
HOUSE WORKS. NUMBER ONE, YOU NEED A PRESIDENT
NUMBER ONE, YOU NEED A PRESIDENT WHO IS WILLING TO HEAR BAD NEWS
WHO IS WILLING TO HEAR BAD NEWS AND WILLING TO UNDERSTAND THAT
AND WILLING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO FOCUS
THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING THEY MAY NOT HAVE
ON SOMETHING THEY MAY NOT HAVE INTENDED TO FOCUS ON.
INTENDED TO FOCUS ON. PRESIDENT TRUMP CLEARLY DID NOT
PRESIDENT TRUMP CLEARLY DID NOT WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE BAD NEWS.
WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE BAD NEWS. SECONDLY AND IMPORTANTLY, WHO DO
SECONDLY AND IMPORTANTLY, WHO DO YOU TURN TO WHEN YOU GET BAD
YOU TURN TO WHEN YOU GET BAD NEWS?
NEWS? DO YOU TURN TO THE EXPERTS OR DO
DO YOU TURN TO THE EXPERTS OR DO YOU TURN TO YOUR OWN POLITICAL
YOU TURN TO YOUR OWN POLITICAL INTERESTS?
INTERESTS? AND THE ANECDOTE I USED FROM
AND THE ANECDOTE I USED FROM EBOLA IS WE GOT A CHART THAT
EBOLA IS WE GOT A CHART THAT SHOWED A CURVE THAT WAS GOING TO
SHOWED A CURVE THAT WAS GOING TO GO LIKE THIS, THAT WAS GOING TO
GO LIKE THIS, THAT WAS GOING TO GO STRAIGHT UP IN TERMS OF THE
GO STRAIGHT UP IN TERMS OF THE CASES OF EBOLA, MILLIONS OF
CASES OF EBOLA, MILLIONS OF CASES POTENTIALLY IN WEST AFRICA
CASES POTENTIALLY IN WEST AFRICA THAT COULD COME TO THE UNITED
THAT COULD COME TO THE UNITED STATES.
STATES. AND WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA DID IS
AND WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA DID IS HE SIDELINED THOSE OF US WHO
HE SIDELINED THOSE OF US WHO WERE NOT EXPERTS AND AND BROUGHT
WERE NOT EXPERTS AND AND BROUGHT IN PEOPLE LIKE TONY FAUCI AND
IN PEOPLE LIKE TONY FAUCI AND OTHERS WHO HAD EXPERTISE AND
OTHERS WHO HAD EXPERTISE AND DESIGNED A UNIQUE RESPONSE WHERE
DESIGNED A UNIQUE RESPONSE WHERE WE DEPLOYED THOUSANDS OF TROOPS
WE DEPLOYED THOUSANDS OF TROOPS TO AFRICA TO SET UP MEDICAL
TO AFRICA TO SET UP MEDICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO CONTAIN THE
INFRASTRUCTURE TO CONTAIN THE OUTBREAK BEFORE IT COULD GET TO
OUTBREAK BEFORE IT COULD GET TO THE UNITED STATES.
THE UNITED STATES. PRESIDENT TRUMP, INSTEAD OF
PRESIDENT TRUMP, INSTEAD OF TURNING TO EXPERTS, AGAIN SEEMS
TURNING TO EXPERTS, AGAIN SEEMS TO TURN TO HIS TWITTER FEED AND
TO TURN TO HIS TWITTER FEED AND DO ENOUGH TO GET HIMSELF THROUGH
DO ENOUGH TO GET HIMSELF THROUGH THE NEWS CYCLE WHILE NOT
THE NEWS CYCLE WHILE NOT PREPARING THE NATION FOR WHAT IS
PREPARING THE NATION FOR WHAT IS NECESSARY.
NECESSARY. AND NOW WE SEE A UNIQUE
AND NOW WE SEE A UNIQUE SITUATION AND CRISIS WHERE STATE
SITUATION AND CRISIS WHERE STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE KIND OF
AND LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE KIND OF TAKING THE LEAD HERE BECAUSE THE
TAKING THE LEAD HERE BECAUSE THE WHITE HOUSE WON’T DO IT.
WHITE HOUSE WON’T DO IT. >> YOU’RE RIGHT OF HOW A
>> YOU’RE RIGHT OF HOW A PRESIDENT WITH BE SOOTHED BY A
PRESIDENT WITH BE SOOTHED BY A CONSTANT STREAM OF PRAISE.
CONSTANT STREAM OF PRAISE. HE OCCUPIES THE HIGHEST OFFICE
HE OCCUPIES THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND AND PERHAPS THE
IN THE LAND AND PERHAPS THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD AND YOU
HIGHEST IN THE WORLD AND YOU HAVE FOLKS HEAPING PRAISE ON
HAVE FOLKS HEAPING PRAISE ON YOU, TELLING YOU YOU’RE DOING
YOU, TELLING YOU YOU’RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
THE RIGHT THING. HOW ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA REACT
HOW ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA REACT TO THAT, TO LIVE IN AN
TO THAT, TO LIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE
ENVIRONMENT THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE FIES
FIES FACING WITH EVERY INTERACT.
FACING WITH EVERY INTERACT. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING TO YOU WANT SOMETHING
TALKING TO YOU WANT SOMETHING FROM YOU.
FROM YOU. THEY’RE TELLING YOU NICE THINGS
THEY’RE TELLING YOU NICE THINGS BECAUSE YOU’RE THE PRESIDENT.
BECAUSE YOU’RE THE PRESIDENT. BUT PRESIDENT OBAMA LIVED IN A
BUT PRESIDENT OBAMA LIVED IN A WORLD IN WHICH HE HAD TO
WORLD IN WHICH HE HAD TO ANTICIPATE WHAT IS THE WORST
ANTICIPATE WHAT IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
CASE SCENARIO. IF I SEE EBOLA CASES BREAKING
IF I SEE EBOLA CASES BREAKING OUT IN AFRICA, WHAT IS THE WORST
OUT IN AFRICA, WHAT IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR THE UNITED
CASE SCENARIO FOR THE UNITED STATES AND THEN ACT ON IT.
STATES AND THEN ACT ON IT. WHEN I HEAR FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP
WHEN I HEAR FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP I ACTUALLY THINK HE PROBABLY
I ACTUALLY THINK HE PROBABLY BELIEVES THAT HE’S DOING A GREAT
BELIEVES THAT HE’S DOING A GREAT JOB.
JOB. HE’S GOT PEOPLE AROUND HIM WHO
HE’S GOT PEOPLE AROUND HIM WHO ARE CONSTANTLY TELLING HIM HE’S
ARE CONSTANTLY TELLING HIM HE’S DOING A GREAT JOB AND THEN HE’S
DOING A GREAT JOB AND THEN HE’S SURPRISED WHEN HE’S CRITICIZED.
SURPRISED WHEN HE’S CRITICIZED. BUT THE REALITY IS IF YOU ONLY
BUT THE REALITY IS IF YOU ONLY HAVE PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO TELL
HAVE PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO TELL YOU HOW GREAT A JOB YOU’RE
YOU HOW GREAT A JOB YOU’RE DOING, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DO A
DOING, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB.
GREAT JOB. PRESIDENT OBAMA WANTED PEOPLE TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA WANTED PEOPLE TO TELL HIM THE TRUTH AND EXPERTS
TELL HIM THE TRUTH AND EXPERTS THAT WOULD GIVE HIM SCIENCE AND
THAT WOULD GIVE HIM SCIENCE AND DATA.
DATA. AND PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN’T SEEM
AND PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN’T SEEM TO BE MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON
TO BE MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON THE DATA.
THE DATA. HE SEEMS TO BE MAKING DECISIONS
HE SEEMS TO BE MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON HIS OWN POLITICAL
BASED ON HIS OWN POLITICAL INTERESTS.
INTERESTS. >> I LESSONED TO HIM WHEN HE WAS
>> I LESSONED TO HIM WHEN HE WAS SPEAKING IN THE OVAL OFFICE
SPEAKING IN THE OVAL OFFICE EARLIER THIS WEEK AND I KIND OF
EARLIER THIS WEEK AND I KIND OF FOCUS ON WHAT HE’S FIXATED ON.
FOCUS ON WHAT HE’S FIXATED ON. HE’S NOT RECKONING WITH THE
HE’S NOT RECKONING WITH THE PRESENT OR THE GRAVITY OF THE
PRESENT OR THE GRAVITY OF THE PRESENT.
PRESENT. TO AN EXTENT HE’S FOLK ID ON THE
TO AN EXTENT HE’S FOLK ID ON THE FUTURE AND TALKING ABOUT THE
FUTURE AND TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMIC RAMIFICATIONS OF WHAT
ECONOMIC RAMIFICATIONS OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN AND THEN HE HAS
MIGHT HAPPEN AND THEN HE HAS THIS WEIRD SENSE OF THE PAST AS
THIS WEIRD SENSE OF THE PAST AS WELL AND WE’VE BEEN TALKING
WELL AND WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE EBOLA CRISIS BUT HE
ABOUT THE EBOLA CRISIS BUT HE CONSTANTLY BRINGS UP WHAT
CONSTANTLY BRINGS UP WHAT HAPPENED WITH SWINE FLU AND I
HAPPENED WITH SWINE FLU AND I WONDER HOW YOU AND YOUR
WONDER HOW YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES REACT TO THAT.
COLLEAGUES REACT TO THAT. MANY YEARS OUT FROM THIS
MANY YEARS OUT FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION NOW, YOU KEEP
ADMINISTRATION NOW, YOU KEEP BEARING THE BRUNT OF HIS
BEARING THE BRUNT OF HIS CRITICISM THAT HE’S PULLING ON
CRITICISM THAT HE’S PULLING ON THESE STRANDS FROM MANY YEARS
THESE STRANDS FROM MANY YEARS AGO TO TRY TO MAKE HIS CASE?
AGO TO TRY TO MAKE HIS CASE? >> WELL, DAVID, IT’S ABSOLUTELY
>> WELL, DAVID, IT’S ABSOLUTELY FRUSTRATING, OBVIOUSLY.
FRUSTRATING, OBVIOUSLY. FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. FIRST OF ALL, I WISH HE DID
FIRST OF ALL, I WISH HE DID ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE EBOLA
ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE EBOLA EXAMPLE OR THE H1N1 EXAMPLE.
EXAMPLE OR THE H1N1 EXAMPLE. WE HAD A MILLION TESTS DONE.
WE HAD A MILLION TESTS DONE. HE’S JUST LYING ABOUT IT.
HE’S JUST LYING ABOUT IT. WE HAD VERY QUICKLY WITHIN A
WE HAD VERY QUICKLY WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS 1 MILLION TESTS
MATTER OF WEEKS 1 MILLION TESTS PERFORMED AND A VACCINE WITHIN A
PERFORMED AND A VACCINE WITHIN A MATTER OF MONTHS AND WE AVERTED
MATTER OF MONTHS AND WE AVERTED A MUCH WORT SCENARIO.
A MUCH WORT SCENARIO. WITH EBOLA WE SET UP AN
WITH EBOLA WE SET UP AN INFRASTRUCTURE HE DISMANTLED.
INFRASTRUCTURE HE DISMANTLED. BUT INSTEAD OF LOOKING TO YOUR
BUT INSTEAD OF LOOKING TO YOUR PREDECESSORS FOR LESSONS ABOUT
PREDECESSORS FOR LESSONS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT WORK, ALL HE’S DOING
WHAT MIGHT WORK, ALL HE’S DOING AT ANY GIVEN TIME IS TRYING TO
AT ANY GIVEN TIME IS TRYING TO DEFLECT CRITICISM USUALLY BY
DEFLECT CRITICISM USUALLY BY LYING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT
LYING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED UNDER OBAMA.
HAPPENED UNDER OBAMA. HERE’S WHAT WORRIES ME ABOUT
HERE’S WHAT WORRIES ME ABOUT THIS.
THIS. WHAT I SEE ONLINE AND ON SOCIAL
WHAT I SEE ONLINE AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ON CERTAIN RIGHT WING
MEDIA AND ON CERTAIN RIGHT WING MEDIA IS AN EFFORT NOT TO GET
MEDIA IS AN EFFORT NOT TO GET PEOPLE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT
PEOPLE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW, BUT AN EFFORT
THEY NEED TO KNOW, BUT AN EFFORT TO DO A KIND OF WHAT ABOUT-ISM.
TO DO A KIND OF WHAT ABOUT-ISM. WELL, OBAMA HAD SOME PROBLEMS,
