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Will Washington stand up for Bob Woodward? Obama gets caught on sequester bluff and can government shutdown be averted.
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The first of -- it was the White House who was Obama and jetBlue and rob nabors who went to the democratic leader in the senate -- -- and said.
This is the solution but.
Everyone has their -- prints on this.
And that was Bob Woodward on FOX News Sunday with Chris Wallace back on February 17.
-- Under any sentence that has changed the dynamic of Washington in -- pretty profound way for one sentence on the television show and this.
This power play and I and Chris -- Now what's going on in Washington today yes it's about the sequester as everybody comes to acknowledge that it's a big cliff and that the Clinton -- in April and global -- block.
That.
Part is going on but -- very interest in Washington moment is upon us in which.
He of deep throat thing he All the President's Men -- played by Robert Redford.
Who power play the movie will probably feature to.
Is and big odds with the White House over two things he says that the White House the White House says that.
He's wrong -- that he's -- shill for the Republican Party he says the White House is trying to muzzle him.
And the back and forth goes on so we'll talk about that today because it's fun.
And it's it's actually got revealing an enlightening about the state of things today.
We will talk about the potential looming government shut -- Just and we will talk about missing moments.
And sequester -- As it relates to.
Illegal immigrants being protected from prisons.
And the like just -- -- will be here you'll enjoy all of it I promise you will.
But let us begin the enjoyment -- should also note.
With -- AB Stoddard she is of course aside from being our dear friend she is an associate editor and columnist for the hill.
She does not tweet because she's cooler than that.
-- be well.
Thank you for having me Chris OK we'll be joined Twitter eventually we'd we'd succeed in the.
I told you -- reason why it was good.
Remember I told you that Faisal -- TV recently I would have taken to the Twitter verse and that's something bad that run -- at that moment I was grateful that I -- decision to limit myself.
Com any kind of comedy enjoy a the the foibles that we all have -- -- I -- -- Twitter -- I read it I don't contribute your date your Twitter -- I was soccer okay let's talk just to keep fit.
-- has to turn off his cellphone after the third -- actually.
How are similar tweets live in stride exactly so here's the thing for the first thing that we would point out.
Is that Bob Woodward has been.
Sort of the Billy Graham.
Of Washington journalists in the sense that each president since he helped take down exactly -- accent has brought him in and let him be the biographer.
And tell the story of their administrations Republicans and Democrats alike have done this he's -- everything and he said -- good.
He's had -- ready made scoops to sell books for many years well -- it is different for mr.
Woodward in the age of Obama.
This is uninteresting story he's actually describing the back and forth he had with.
An angry Obama advisor as an address and identified as -- little sperling and he's identified him as an -- didn't find that that what Gene Sperling said to him as a threat when he said he'll regret sticking out this you know.
This point.
And it in the end.
Woodward's.
-- description of why he brings this out is revealing this is because he wants to stick up she is fine with thick -- he says for all the kids who just started in this in this business.
We're trying to cover very powerful people and that they are gonna be easily intimidated by this kind of talk this kind of talk is part of the process and it's -- -- job.
And it.
Always is there is either implicit or explicit people of either said to me from the speaker's office if you're going to be difficult like this.
And you're gonna say things that we think are not true -- I don't work with -- Or it'll be imply that the choke off access Bergen author -- that's -- it goes so that that's that's.
The media story and that's about us and if Bob Woodward doesn't like what he's hearing.
From that he ought to trust some of the inbox is here at the Fox News Channel try not to see what is said about us and in fact you called -- back at the beginning of the Obama administration they put an explicit hit on this network to -- ten days ahead.
They said that they were Anita -- another set.
We're gonna cut Fox News out of -- heard.
Isolate and then bring you guys down it was like but pardon me.
They play definitely -- harder game of bowl than previous administrations -- yet.
So yes they do they've made it very clear they're not in just did in.
In it getting access.
-- that didn't media to President Obama whether it's in the briefing -- answering questions.
I'm holding an east room press conference with great regularity as its predecessors did.
-- giving big sit downs with said the networks he did get closer to the election look at a few times since when he has -- to say like Hillary -- our best friends but we're.
Which by the way not.
Bret Baier.
Greg or Chris Wallace doing that they -- definitely.
They are definitely not in -- Heated back and forth depressed even background briefings with officials explaining that -- big policy announcements or.
-- reverberations.
In a legislative battle.
Hitters strictly policy discussions -- are happening and at a reduced rate because they decide this is not this is not important here so here's something else.
But that.
This is definitely -- the moment in this back and forth with would work that was most revealing to me.
Was that David Clough who is very senior this guy would be -- -- the -- over the Karl Rove of the Obama administration high ranking senior advisor to the president United States.
-- on the Internet and compare to the good word to an aging baseball player who couldn't hit the pitches in today's Washington.
Now that's of course rotten kind of conduct that -- mean to say about especially somebody who is not.
35.
That's just a neat thing to say about somebody.
Today.
Definitely.
Seemed at ease with doing things that previous administration wouldn't do which is the public.
Can't say I called it today in my column but the -- of Bob Woodward and that's something different right.
Well I think at the age of Twitter people are too excited to do this schoolyard taunt us.
Even and just you know after a couple coffees in the morning I find it pretty.
Although some of my favorite -- I've ever read our we're -- I have to be admitted they were adolescent and mean spirited.
-- Clinton quote Mike Murphy after one of the Republican debates last year he said watching Rick Perry talked about foreign policy was like watching the chimp played and -- suitcase now is that kind snow unless it's funny yes but Nelson in the White House.
It is not appropriate for high ranking officials in the on team Obama whether there in Chicago running their own consulting firm or did officially on the payroll.
To use our it is getting into public -- with Bob Woodward is just not something that they should be doing.
One -- you can question -- Gene Sperling Hussein whether it's you know whether he should have been trying to.
-- intimidate Bob Woodward and you know he apologize but to go on Twitter and carry this out and make it and really amplified.
Since he can be juvenile and need not respect who was -- good little -- perfection is rarely repeated to.
I was actually wanted to put us into it yes it -- -- was but.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Couple of orders of business number one.
This is it important I wrote -- -- -- And it's fun actually if I do say so myself and that and I think you'll find it droll take on media in Washington.
Weren't shooting now complete but if you follow me Twitter.
On Twitter taxi starter -- You will see that I'm about to -- that you can read it during the break because when we come back with the talk about the looming government shutdown.
The next.
I was -- when we come back sister correct.
Act is the Washington monument it's pretty good looking thing it's my favorite obelisk probably.
And this is power applied now here's the thing Internet -- win that the government shuts down -- partially shutdown of some of it shuts down the first thing that happens is they close the Washington president closes the Washington -- closes Yellowstone National Park closes popular things and says.
Because of those fat -- in congress we are unable to even function these nice things they must hate George Washington or buffalo or whatever it is.
So are we bound to see that the -- go up in front of Yellowstone and in front of the Washington monument on March 27 seventh or thereabouts when the continuing resolution funding the government in the three year absence of -- budget.
Goes into effect you know who knows and can tell us what it will look like.
Are your friends Debbie -- she is the president of the two strategy she's a Democrat she's from Michigan she is married as we should stipulate to the dean of the house -- -- -- -- Michigan to be welcome back.
No well -- -- -- joins us again apparently not having had enough the first time she is of the American action form and she also.
And they like balanced budgets and stuff like that.
But you can follow her at.
No well she must have.
Gotten on Twitter when she was about twelve because she was able to -- and a while so congratulations thank you and I just -- -- left.
Accomplishment it's today -- look at this for a full.
For people -- thirty that's pretty good I mean I had a one and -- and it was a big deal.
All right so -- let's start with you.
This stuff about sequestration.
Has been mostly phone line.
Because it's later he could be bad if it went into effect for ten years.
But really are we talking about what happens on the 27 of march when continuing resolution runs.
We are probably by the way won't be Friday because it's midnight Friday so we'll start to see somebody that's change your Turkey about the Saturday not Friday.
But -- I think it is scary Kris because we know we've seen this if it's heavy and number buck that cut.
In any of the previous promise that we've seen play out.
And -- the -- is his front that people I am told that people who get unemployment checks -- immediate reduction as unemployment checks.
To the -- 11% you'll see two income families military families are.
Government feelings we're gonna have immediate reductions in their salaries that's gonna happen if if if that is what goes into effect in the next few weeks.
-- can have immediate consequence.
As well they know everyone agrees that this is a stupid way to run a government.
And that having automatic reductions to automatic increases and everybody standing there with their hands on their head.
That's not.
I mean we've we have a pretty good country we do pretty good job but seems -- -- could be better -- than this.
But the question is.
The Republicans now have to put together this continuing resolution started drag -- into the -- and but that Republicans have put together continuing resolution.
In the house continued government operations they say through the end of September that would reflect the cuts.
Will that can that get through the senate.
I'm you know I'm not concerned about a government shutdown.
At the end of march I do think that the house is starting to move forward with the continued resolution I don't think it's in his.
Be as dramatic as we've seen we've already seen people -- areas.
And these dramatic things I think the larger deficit reduction conversation is where where we're gonna happen interface but it on the greatness -- -- -- and do you think.
That will have a pretty.
-- six ER I think it'll get through.
And -- -- do you think it's gonna.
-- -- I am just packs that everybody's house is right about now -- been around long enough to know that just as a family member whose gonna help her schedule.
Hopefully quite frankly impact it back so it fiasco.
I called the -- -- yes I do when I'm trying to figure out scheduling and are we talking about a weekend session.
Are people going to be -- -- -- frankly -- recent discussion and I think -- for people to be thinking you can leave Washington.
I don't I think this ridiculous this -- these last minute everybody and is not good but to walk away when we got this kind of crisis is not okay.
Right so -- -- you -- at this weekend about the surpassed.
Well I ams has -- -- to that and march I didn't look at that -- these things -- all of a piece right there are talking about.
-- really is we talked about it before -- for yearlong budget debacle that began in January of 2011.
And he probably last until January 2015.
Or 2000.
Fifteen at least.
So it's -- its really that.
But we have three moving parts here we have a debt ceiling expiry.
In -- We have the expiry of the continuing resolution in March and then we have this sequestration that will start to be implemented.
Perhaps midday tomorrow.
Do you think that those things -- get bundled together like your cable and -- I don't think it's as good a good idea to bundle everything together -- You know I think we thank you said we have many different components of the issue now so many different issues at hand we have to on -- government.
We're we're gonna kind of government and our checking and we also have to have a larger conversation I'll look out.
Deficit reduction over the long term we haven't seen a whole lot of progress on that and that's where I think.
Things are getting held up we need to see Medicare spending debt under control we need to bring that deft on so that we can grow the economy create jobs since.
Been a constant theme this'll be hearings will be no I don't -- us talking there about the great work.
I don't disagree that we've got to reduce the deficit in you know I'd like -- -- things like farm bill that would have reduced it passed through the congress.
But I think sequestration.
Is gonna have immediate and dire economic consequences in this country and that this weekend.
It is just something this country shouldn't see play out and I think it's going to.
But do you think there is hope for grand bargain and that includes all of these things -- have.
I don't know what I think anyway.
Predictable people aren't getting in the room they're not talking to each other.
Our leaders need to be in the same room talking to each other and I'm not -- tell anybody you're -- not being in the same room talking to each other.
We have to quit playing a governing by crisis.
But at least we're gonna govern by crisis -- be in the same room governing HT.
That -- -- and I are that bad what do you think -- while the president is gonna talk about these they're gonna meet tomorrow he and congressional leaders.
Are gonna meet tomorrow and talk about -- sequestration.
What -- how broad do you think that conversation is where do you think that they just talk past each other.
But it it's hard to say if they're gonna get specific on -- clusters are gonna go to C arts are gonna go to big grand bargain.
I think at this point we can expect are not comment that -- -- is gonna happen stimulant effect.
-- here's your reality you know six -- -- it just goes out this afternoon they're on home.
Did -- didn't you when they don't get it the 27 I mean this starts to play out now they're not he says if there and I did they can't ask what you want to see -- ask.
Right ladies and Internet aspect -- move this wagon train down there but we thank you for making time for us -- -- think you can get fair minded patriotic and I went public.
So we're going to take a quick break but when we come back -- talk about this.
What about -- what about the menace of things in the sequestration how serious is it and what are the consequences for.
Upping the ante in this fight.
Judge Napolitano.
A senior judicial analyst will be here he is also lovely but in a very different weapons so stick around.
This idea of supervised release is laughable remember these are the same people.
Here the federal government who doesn't even have up a secure border these are all people who are multiple border processors.
They could never stopped them crossing an international border how on earth.
Are they gonna provide supervise relief.
A release and supervision over these criminals that.
Was appalled that low -- is the sheriff of penal county Arizona he was talking to our Fox News -- -- William budget mess.
And this is our fight now what's your -- argument there.
Was they had a bit of a boo boo at the Department of Homeland Security.
This week wins somebody eager to show how horrible sequestration was.
Went ahead and let a bunch of people out of -- federal detention center for illegal immigrants and -- now promised to come back.
Back when we tell you to.
That was a big black eye for the administration.
Another big black -- for the administration on the -- scare.
Was yesterday with the secretary of education warned in West Virginia.
Big teacher layoffs and the school district in West Virginia said -- silly word not laying anybody off that's -- related to any sequestration.
So what about how the doom what about the -- say what about the disaster what about this in the sequestration.
Well I hope intranet -- he is the judge he is Steve Fox News senior judicial analyst and he also is I would say.
-- corporate accounts now.
You have a worker and you are courtroom a columnist and whoever it is which you can get that front -- And recommended you highly talking about this doom and gloom the sequestration will mean that we'll have to start scuttling -- aircraft.
Carriers at -- and that's -- Obama's false alarms I think these are false alarms Chris this I don't know.
How their release.
The detainees at the deportation and and ice facilities came about.
Question does the president have the authority -- merrily to release them answer yes the president has the authority.
To order the secretary of Homeland Security to find a way under the law to release them.
That's part of his prosecutorial discretion didn't do prosecutors are right exactly -- clemency pardon who prosecuted aggressively.
Who not to prosecute aggressively.
The -- the real question is should he be doing this should the president be using the power of the presidency.
To harm the public good.
And to scare the daylights out of the public that is the opposite of what he is elected to do.
He's elected to make the government work not to use the government as an instrument to scare the daylights out of us and and it seems that that's what he's doing the gloom and doom predictions that you just.
Just on a few of them.
Our our absurd and fearful.
If they come to pass it will be because the president cause them to come to pass it can can he hire as many soldiers were TSA agents.
Or -- air traffic controllers as he planned to.
Before we -- the sequester was coming of course he can he can nip and tuck almost anywhere he wants but if he nips and -- at public freedom -- safety.
He's a candidate for impeachment.
Well you heard it there there you have heard it not words that the judge would you slightly you know it's interesting something that we watch especially in second term presidencies.
Is this.
When people become convinced of the goodness of the end that they see -- use almost any means.
To reach it could -- senator Chris and in this case it certainly is taking on the appearance that the president is choosing to make this as bad as possible.
For this is citizens for the American people.
For his constituents he's trying to make this as -- as possible and the irony is that.
That is the same sin of which he accuses Republicans time and time again holding the American people hostage and doing that stuff.
To -- -- I don't think it's gonna work this time for for once the Republicans have the courage of their convictions even though I must tell you and if you heard.
Senator Graham of South Carolina on the senate -- few minutes ago -- I don't know if you voted for the sequester and obviously scoring excoriated Republicans are having gone along with -- I think they went along with a kicking and screaming.
Because they didn't want to cut the military that that this is a way in which was a win win for both sides the president got the Republicans to -- -- 2% cut in the increase.
And in the Republicans got the presidential -- in military spending the president got them to agree to a 2% cut in the increase in domestic spending remember there's not a cut and spending.
This is we're spending was going to go before the sequester that works and it's gonna go -- Issaquah was still to spend more in 2013 and we did in 2012.
We have to -- -- you -- watch and judge tonight on special report with Bret there you should definitely be that you read his column please please because he's kind enough to come park you'd thank you sir thank you Chris okay now quickly -- Jonathan -- up next but how about some rapid fire power points.
Today's power points in the meant to know more -- memento more -- First PowerPoint congratulations.
-- -- the Roman generals would win a great campaign they would have a trial for them in the city and they would bring them into town and they would go through and everybody would throw morals -- their feet and be very happy about them there would have slaves stand behind movements today.
You are more don't remember that you were more home memento more they would say.
And second -- point boys in the bubble.
Now inside the Obama administration there's not a lot of memento more riot going on these days inside the bubble the president and his team think that they can do just about anything that they want having been reelected having had mostly quiet message press corps having mostly -- America out on politics they figure that they can do what they wanted to do.
But here's -- third our point and remember this a lot Internet Republican or Democrat whatever the case.
It's true until it isn't and that's the thing about momentum that's the thing about so many things in life you don't get warning signs when you become a lame -- you just become a lame -- one day we'll be the Bob Woodward episode that does it will be the sequester -- does it at some point this bubble will get punctured and it's over so it's only true to what isn't.
Those -- your power points and now.
As we like to do every day we want to leave -- the word from our.
-- French -- -- people have this notion.
That if you closing essential services there has got to be a lot of bad faith in that and that you are you are deliberately doing that.
Where you -- as you've had a lot of good choices so I'm not sure will translate immediately.
Against the Republicans I think it could actually rebelled against the administration.
If people imagine as in this case -- have this -- could be acting.
In bad faith and deliberately.
Making things really bad.
