Power Play 2/7/2013

This transcript is automatically generated

And that.

Is the most famous office building in the entire world.

I've -- the Pentagon.

Right across river from West Indies today.

Home to America the headquarters for America's armed forces and this is power play and I and Chris Farrell an Internet.

You wouldn't have guessed well maybe you guessed it -- pretty Smart but you might not have guessed that a president who'd spent the in intervening period between his election and inauguration talking about taxes.

And who in his inaugural -- only gave cursory mention.

Two military issues foreign policy national defense.

Would find himself spending so gosh darn much time talking about the Pentagon talking about military budgets talking about national security.

And that continues today.

As to to the president's appointees one outgoing Leon Panetta a testifies even as we speak about the terrorists story of the Islamist militant raid.

On the US consulate in it -- Libya and later today when John Brennan meant president wants to run the CIA.

Goes forward will be it he'll be talking about the president's national security policy and Ben Ghazi -- a bunch of other stuff.

And also we've got the gosh -- sequester thing.

That the president now doesn't want to go into effect -- he's afraid it will hurt the economy how did we end up here how did Obama and -- here.

We will talk that we will also talk about the drone wars which is not the Disney next prequel for Star -- And we will also talk about.

Border security with that border district congressman.

And we will also talk about a colossal politics -- -- -- as you can tell Internet you have to -- yourself.

For true excellence today.

And you better hurry up because these days is -- -- as -- as he is in fact.

Senior writer for the weekly standard and perhaps.

The world's second favorite special report analysts.

-- -- -- I would be thrilled with that yeah that's it that's fair take it yeah I mean -- -- and -- claim all of us that is -- in the no.

The question Steve is this.

Obama doesn't talk about foreign policy month.

It is Douglas -- Afghanistan much.

He doesn't talk about these issues must.

When they kill that one guy though he did talk about that a -- -- was -- was I can't remember but he was some guy that yet heard about it he had a -- he had a big pornography collection and some cats -- lived over Pakistan whenever.

But he does talk about these things much but he -- talking about it now.

He is I look I think this is a precursor for his second term he he wants his term to be.

Transformational.

In.

And domestic politics has made it very clear both in the way that he campaigned as he suggested in his second and under I think.

What we've seen now is a world of increasing instability before we could make the case that.

We were looking at pockets of instability.

And any one of those had the the possibility.

-- flaring up.

I think now we're looking at.

Regional instability growing regional instability not only in the areas that we've.

Grown accustomed to paying attention to him in our news over the past decade but in other places as well I think you're gonna see a president has to spend a lot of time on foreign policy and national security and the question is.

How much can he continue to implement his domestic policy agenda with that shift in focus.

And Steve you know the Internet into his reading good things and saying -- the latest edition of the weekly standard.

We have the -- takes on the Chuck Hagel nomination.

We're gonna talk more about this later but your point in this in this well crafted piece.

Is this that.

It should not have been -- his thing.

That Chuck Hagel is so bad -- testifying in his own defense in the total -- A confirmation hearing that he had.

If you went out this is not a guy who all of a sudden -- -- he's got a track record of saying stuff he ought not sat right.

No question about an enemy that this was always the Big -- curiosity I think the White House thought at least the president Joseph Biden who were the ones who wanted to pick.

Chuck Hagel the rest of the White House White House staff other advisors.

They were not excited about Chuck Hagel is President Obama and Joseph Biden wanted to pick Chuck Hagel.

But I think they thought that it be you know when Republicans attack eagle they would look.

Angry and extremist and all the things that we know that the president is trying to do to divide Republicans and in fact.

Because hagel has been so mediocre I would stay at -- without anything to distinguish his -- row after row after hitting his career in the senate -- And and after the senate.

Because he is definitely because these Republican senators knew that because they've worked with him.

What you had was a hearing that it's in many ways validated.

Did the criticisms that these Republicans had made about Chuck Hagel and and made other people who hadn't been paying close attention say.

-- this guy really -- -- really isn't very.

Right and the -- part of the reason it to Steve's point.

Part of the reason president chosen was to teach Republicans a lesson in about this is how you should be.

And now even Democrats had to say well that was bad if you -- he didn't do a very good job.

Now what's happening as.

And we've seen this before there's two kinds of reasons that nominations get delayed.

In committee.

One is that it is day.

A pause that refreshes it is a chance to let a couple of things work their way out before the nomination sails on to eventual passage.

Or they are killing delays that in your giving the president time you're giving people a chance to craw fish out of a situation there -- They're having difficulties so on and so forth.

Do -- is that Mary Landrieu records.

Old senator Landrieu we we say crawfish and Cadillac I don't say it I don't know whether in Louisiana they use.

Crawfish as they turn to -- -- of -- -- yeah what you eat a -- -- our delicious that's it's delicious that's a delicious little creature.

This day we could veer off into these guys an episode of what happens all the time the tastiest that would be the smallest tasty things these the smallest living things that we eat.

But I think the question is.

What do we know yet what kind of delay this is for -- I don't think we do but I do think the reason for the delay is not an insignificant when he was refusing to provide.

Details about some of his paid speeches including possibly manuscripts -- -- from.

Notes.

-- and recordings.

And then also financial.

Details about both his speeches and about his involvement was some of these.

Outside groups and those are not insignificant things and what's funny to me is to watch.

The left which for years has decried the possible foreign involvement in campaigns and you know that the real good government types campaign finance types and none of this matters we don't really need to know where this money came from -- -- That is a complete reversal of what we've heard.

Pretty consistently from the left over the past couple decades there's also an allegation that.

Claim of sexual harassment in his office right.

The knock against him but against a -- is that he did not either have good managerial practices in place to prevent.

Or address this the person who -- -- Holds holds him accountable for this -- -- waiting for that come out that's that's never help.

It's never helpful to have that is part of the discussion I do think that most of the focus will be on the other sort of bigger issues but it but you know.

If you look if your senator and you're looking at.

The hearings looking at these questions that are raised you're looking at the failure to disclose.

And then you have that in addition it makes it pretty difficult case I think for particularly some of these red state.

Senators that you've written about and talked about.

It to say this is my guy this is the guy who supports the you know -- I just it.

-- -- -- Pleaded my column which is available if you follow me -- -- -- -- that just happened this is real time Twitter experience using -- triple Immersion.

It's just happen Steve is it true also by the way that you -- -- Internet television yesterday.

I did and through the Internet like it look.

I -- he's been through -- nobody's losing philly's losing jobs.

Brad we don't know nor nor myself go as far as we know that's that's as as they -- -- -- -- -- that's mighty big talk for one that's what it is but nobody's lost the -- he's lost the job yet you -- that lost well I certainly.

We thank you and if this is your last visit to find.

-- -- -- -- -- if we're glad that you expect that gives and gives you appreciation for what you do clearly some people are natural -- and hosts and -- others of us are not an average the Internet is a joke it's not your ignorance if we thank you okay Internet we're gonna take a quick break but when we come back we're gonna have a great -- for you.

And we're going to talk about the drone wars.

And how we got to where we are now and look out if you're from New Mexico so cigarette.

And that is the about front.

Line warrior and America's ongoing battle with radical militant islamists around the globe.

A drought.

And this is power play and the remote controlled air force operated by the Central Intelligence Agency and others.

Are at the center of the discussion in Washington today.

As we hear testimony we will later your testimony.

Mr.

Dempsey president's nominee to lead the CIA.

And we won't see chewed over and over and over again.

The release of the memo about a memo that says that the president does have the power because the whole earth is a battlefield in this what used to -- called global terror.

That he can kill people even if there -- from Mexico.

So.

The question is how did we get here.

And what is the next thing to happen that's what you want -- your Smart.

And you know who else is Smart.

And it's been too long since we've heard from him.

He's your friend David Mercer Hughes former deputy national finance director for the DNC that's a long way.

-- saying that now he makes real money and he is it democratic strategist.

And you know and a door in fact Internet when Brad Blake meant.

Because he is a former senior advisor to president George W.

Bush but you really adore him because he's fair minded and knowledgeable gentlemen welcome.

It's good to back OK so.

The same argument I'm just when I'm going to go ahead and put it out there.

The same argument the Democrats said.

Was fallacious unconstitutional.

Wicked and evil.

When George W.

Bush and his Justice Department made it to simulate drowning.

Detainees in this war is used.

The precise precise rationale is -- for the president to be able to kill people anywhere he wants all the time what's the deal c'mon man.

Why don't think it's indiscriminate killing and how you're right you don't -- right yeah.

All of there's a lot of intelligence that goes into it I think this is a evolving.

One technology as we know from Torino about drones.

-- and also.

How to -- the further protect.

American lives and American and -- America's security and I think now what you see is in that evolution.

Starting from 9/11 on.

Is I think -- gonna get a sense of what does work what's effective.

How do we reduce.

Casualties.

When it comes to civilians.

And I think you're gonna get more of a dialogue between the intelligence committee.

And the CIA White House and others that are.

Participating in determining the program -- of drones going forward.

Right Republicans.

Are now feeling queasy about that and executive authority of this magnitude they don't seem to come -- complaining -- who got killed particularly those there's some reservations about this.

Sixteen year old but.

And -- -- -- is universally agreed to be -- totally rotten human being.

And they're not worried about who got killed but about seating.

Within the presidency this.

What is the president the head of the five families -- -- because the united.

Sitting in the Oval Office determined -- Who gets hit or not has become now a mainstay.

The presidential power without checks and balances I think that's what you're seeing from the house and senate it's not the people that were taking out obviously a -- bad guy.

But it's the precedent of the president being able to act unilaterally.

That's the problem I have.

That's the problem Democrat you have to see if the president ran on a platform.

Instead of the -- corpus which he was giving.

To people who weren't even Americans remember the trials what happened in day in Manhattan you -- right here criminal court if that ever happened what tunnel was never closed.

And this president has been more aggressive.

Since he's been present -- presidential power without checked -- than any president in the history of the country the danger is where does it stop.

Well and that and that's just the thing though David isn't it that regardless.

You know.

But the president has additional powers in this area because of trails that replaced by George W.

Bush.

We now assume the -- Obama's successor.

What have additional powers as a result of trails that he has -- -- and our unfettered and -- going power continues to creep I'm not saying he's gonna start killing the Mexicans in New Mexico I'm saying that doesn't you don't you set up the danger that in successive administrations.

These powers are expanded expanded expanded to a point far beyond anything that we can control.

And the circumstances have changed on eleven is different periods and is now.

But you do have the authorization for use of military force that is legal to be the governing principle by which.

The president is acting.

As the commander in chief.

In making the decisions Brett alluded to earlier he's not doing it simply isolated alone he's doing it with consultations with the CIA was his military and others.

-- but now I think as I've mentioned before you're going to have.

More our congressional engagement on this.

We hope that it's gonna come up and Brandon deserves some of their adherence -- there and run they're probably did not gonna do anything -- you -- people like Allison and others that are starting to.

Now that the subject is out here.

Voice their concerns about what are the limits -- -- the effectiveness.

And that Brad.

Isn't it true that congress doesn't actually want this kind of power because it's -- Selena but here's what they do what they want to know where the president arrives at an oversight.

Anyone Gibson no question that that's Congress's job -- divided in the -- Coequal branch of government is they have every right to know the power upon which the president.

Claims to act constitutionally.

Now they're Democrats now that are calling for release of the memo.

Claiming that the president has the authority do this and they're gonna show it to the senate Democrats are gonna show it to senate -- committee they're gonna -- right.

The memo about the memo.

And I can't wait for to be leaked yes -- this one minute later.

Well that's ensuring you don't think so -- -- that it can lead to I think hope it does get open.

Because -- I wanna see the -- -- upon which.

-- the lawyers say that it is constitutional for the president to kill American and what the circumstances by which can -- Now one area this is something we talk but this is yet to take a long.

-- this is not about this term of congress when -- we've talked about those that and the place where Democrats have opened the door for Republicans.

Is on civil liberties and with libertarians.

And issues like this it's -- growing strain inside the Republican Party.

And and it does open up something for people at home who were concerned about this kind of thing.

The president and Democrats are probably the door -- right.

I would agree and and we should all be concerned.

As to what the parameters are.

When you are associating perhaps an American.

With some terrorist organization.

And how do you truly define that and what are the processes by which you com.

So an ultimate judgment and Texas execute on that judgment that's going to be hopefully ironed out with those on the intelligence committee and other oversight.

Committees with regard to this whole drug program.

-- -- my friend the Internet -- and his very glad that you are back safe and sound.

And only want to see you brother Reitman yes yes yes yes it is fair minded patriotic discussion is something that you can never get enough of Internet I know that.

So we're gonna take a quick break but when we come back congressman Henry -- So stick around.

And that's what I'm talking about when I say -- -- border security that is in fact the Great Wall of China.

And this is our lives now some conservatives.

And some opponents of the ongoing.

War over.

Illegal immigration what to do about it what to do about those illegal immigrants currently in the United States.

So we need a fence a wall something serious.

But wouldn't you like to get the perspective of the person who lives right there -- by the United States border.

Good because congressman Henry Cuellar.

But of your friends a Democrat from Texas is with us congressman welcome back.

Thank you so much how are you.

We are fantastic we are great and we understand that you are just back in fact from a trip to our neighbors to the south to Mexico to see how they are doing.

Are you -- more now with efforts on the other side of the border.

For security's safety and and in stopping this flow.

Of illegal immigration including drugs and other violent problems.

Well first of all you know we have the best working relationship that we've had with Mexico.

In the last 150 years.

There's a lot of more work to do and and sitting down -- some of the album.

The secretaries there on security and other folks and certainly in the past ought to be our president.

The new president incubator now don't they want to work with -- and they wanna make sure.

That there are people -- -- in Mexico instead of coming to the US to find a job.

But again it's gonna take a lot of work concern in the US we need to do I work to make sure that we secure our country our order.

And that say you know the sovereignty that we have as a country that we need to do.

Now your governor.

Rick Perry pretty conservative individual.

But he.

-- -- how does it -- Conservative not conservative -- -- report guests.

It's -- it's our partisan way to get back.

But this I know he is I know he -- but.

We know -- to be a coyote -- under the gun and a guy who is pretty conservative but when he was running for president.

He dismissed the idea of having a a double fence or triple fence or wall or something across the United States border but did discuss -- because Texas.

You've got this river could be impossible to it -- just doing it it's all this privately and you couldn't even begin to undertake -- you don't understand.

What you're talking about he told Michelle Bachmann and others.

But the discussion is back now as we talk about doing an amnesty or legalization.

For those already here many conservatives say there must be offense.

I disagree a big -- is that fourteenth century solutions when he first entry problem that we have.

For anybody.

And I put my good friend congressman Michael McCall we thought it -- a -- chairman of -- -- We went on they outplayed -- my -- was similar but ultimately where people who already about the probable hundreds of miles.

And the river just make surrounded it just very very difficult to put a -- there.

And we got to understand the other thing is that taxes we believe that private profit it right so we and so all of those Latin -- oh profit before.

Hundreds of years did say -- we're gonna put you're right on the river.

It -- if they don't we got to be Smart on border security.

We've got to make sure that we.

Properly make personnel more more or -- vote for what some -- -- We got to make sure we have technology whether cameras -- grown.

But she is Smart technology -- -- personnel.

To secure the border they'd always joke around that if you put it that put that.

But there are a couple of eleven or twelve -- Over.

I would find it very ironic that one -- that they've -- president will be on base on the wall.

The other side and say Mr.

President -- down this wall Leo -- -- might be -- the way it is just that that.

Congressman you walk the walk you've been there you've done that we thank you for sharing your observations with us today.

You know what they got -- OK got -- That's nice now what about the colossal politics of the Obama Iraq.

-- manager who is.

And they.

One of the smartest best column writers that we know is also deputy editor of the Wall Street Journal's editorial page in his column wonderland appears each Thursday in the journal.

-- welcome back.

-- -- -- with the Democrats.

All right we're running tight on time so I want you to use your moments to best effect and tell people why they should read this excellent phone because it's really good and it's kind of -- Well they should read it because.

I was struck by how -- how out of -- Barack Obama seems to be with the way everyone in the United States is living their lives now.

We all third use technologies to choose from a smorgasbord of choices design our -- as it fits us individually.

Meanwhile Barack Obama whether it's gun control or health care or Dodd-Frank financial reform.

Bill keeps designing these massive.

Loss that he takes and rolls across the country of 313 million.

Like a paint roller this -- to apply the same to everybody in all fifty states.

Chris this is completely out of phase with the way life is lived in the United States now.

And Barack Obama we've always been sort of a cost them the legislative grand -- to -- but no one has ever done it.

On the scale that Obama is doing it and I would think there should be some.

Minimum level of feasibility established for the kind of stuff he's doing.

Will call that the MLS minimum level of feasibility and all that manager role and all legislation we'll have to pass it before it can be enacted.

Dan we are so grateful for you today and I just cannot tell everybody read this because and has done what he usually does.

Which is take the 30000 foot snapshot of American political life and put it in the way that that the rest of us can just aggregate it.

-- -- Okay Internet you know what's happening you know what's coming up on the hunt with Jonathan Hunt is up next -- like that I have some bad news for you.

I'm sorry that's because of some technical difficulties you went out here.

From -- Charles Krauthammer it was a doozy -- you really would have enjoyed it -- video system.

Apparently doesn't want you to experience for happiness is watching experience on the -- -- Personal happiness that you performance and power points -- we have shall we have some power points today I think which now.

Today's power -- two strikes two strikes.

In baseball you know.

That three strikes and you're out.

Chuck Hagel president's nominee to be the secretary of defense.

Is carrying two strikes as he heads into.

-- -- the morass.

-- senate vote -- things are slowing down and it's bogging down so here are the the first strike the first PowerPoint is confidence man.

The idea that Chuck Hagel was going to carry with him.

To his senate confirmation hearings and subsequently was that this was the -- to combat veteran.

Long experience.

On Capitol Hill.

Think tank world Smart knowledgeable practical that people would have confidence in him that is big changes make their way through the Pentagon that he was the guy that could do that you know putting women into combat.

And integrating openly okay.

Soldiers sailors here people and Marines.

That he he was the guy do it.

Well that took a serious blow it is confirmation hearings and subsequently do these -- fossils that have come up about.

A transparency and such.

So that's what's right second PowerPoint is the second strike model behavior.

It was supposed to be a model for Republicans Obama President Obama put him forward -- -- for Republicans anyway.

On foreign policy somebody to be like him in the way that they acted in the way that they thought.

And in fact he makes -- to hash of it that the Republicans not only are going to be like him but they're going to.

Each -- Embarrass him at every turn that's -- that was the second strike.

So here's the question with two strikes on him this stuff that's moving about the sexual harassment in his office and about them these speeches that could be the third strike so the third point is for the president was this worth the price there were other people who -- done this job.

When it is time for Selig might even scored points I don't know the president will have to decide that he must think there's something very special though about Chuck Hagel.

To be worth all of this -- overall.

So will say and we'll see you back here tomorrow for a very special.

No tie Friday edition of power play you'll enjoy it and we'll see then so have a great day.

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Power Play 2/7/2013

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