Fear, by Bob Woodward: on Principles & Values


Jeff Sessions: Trump: shouldn't have recused, wouldn't have picked him

On Wednesday, July 19, 2017, Trump granted an unusual interview to the New York Times and launched a head spinning attack on Jeff Sessions.

He said he never would have appointed Sessions if he had known he would have rescued himself from overseeing the Russia investigation. "Sessions would never had rescued himself, and if he was going to recue himself, he should have told me before he took the job and I would have hired someone else. How do you take a job and then recuse yourself? If he would have rescued himself before he took the job I would have said, " Thanks Jeff, but I'm not going to take you." It's extremely unfair-and that's a mild word to the president."

Source: Fear: Trump in the White House, by Bob Woodward, p.213 Sep 10, 2019

Lindsey Graham: Trump cleaned up the mess that Obama left

[On military affairs]: "You're a very good commander and chief," Graham told Trump. The president was listening to his military commanders and the changes to the rules of engagement in the Middle East and Afghanistan were paying off.

This was Graham's pitch to Trump, "You can do something nobody else did. You're cleaning up the mess that Obama left you. You're doing a damn good job of cleaning it up. You're rebuilding the military. You're taking a wet blanket off the economy. You're really unshackling the military and the economy. God bless you for undoing the damage done in the last eight years. Where do you want to go? What do you want to be your legacy? Your legacy is not just undoing what he did, but it's putting your stamp on history."

Source: Fear: Trump in the White House, by Bob Woodward, p.316 Sep 10, 2019

Lindsey Graham: Presidents need people that can tell them the truth

Trump seemed to love the adulation but said to Graham, "You're a middle of the road guy. I want you to be 100 percent Trump."

This resembled the loyalty pledge that then FBI director James Comey said that trump had asked for him. According to Comey, Trump had said, "I need loyalty. I expect loyalty," during their now famous one on one Green Room dinner in the White House during the first week of Trump's presidency.

"Okay, what's the issue," Graham said, "and I'll tell you if I'm 100 percent for you." "You're like 82 percent," Trump said. "Well some days I'm 100, other days I'm zero." "I want you to be a 100 percent guy." "Why would you want me to tell you you're right when I think your wrong? What good does that do for me?" Presidents need people to tell them the truth as they see it. It's up to you to see if I'm full of shit."

Source: Fear: Trump in the White House, by Bob Woodward, p.317 Sep 10, 2019

Lindsey Graham: Biden: Graham has best instincts in the Senate

[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph] Dunford stopped by the office of Senator Lindsey Graham for a private talk. Probably few in the Senate worked harder on military matters than Graham. A bachelor and colonel in the Air Force reserve, he seemed always on duty. He had built a vast bipartisan network in Washington . Former Vice President Joe Biden, who had served 36 years in the Senate, said that Graham had the best instincts of anyone in the upper chamber.
Source: Fear: Trump in the White House, by Bob Woodward, p.99 Sep 10, 2019

  • The above quotations are from Fear
    Trump in the White House

    by Bob Woodward
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V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
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Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
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