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DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 01:56 PM Sep 2018

Woodward book prompts West Wing witch hunt, sources say

Source: CNN



By Jeff Zeleny, Senior White House Correspondent

Updated 1:29 PM ET, Wed September 5, 2018

(CNN)President Donald Trump, showing his outrage over Bob Woodward's explosive new book, is ordering a real witch hunt in the West Wing and throughout his administration, asking loyal aides to help determine who cooperated with the book.

As the President publicly fumes on Twitter, he's privately on a mission to determine who did -- and didn't -- talk to Woodward, CNN has learned. Two officials who have spoken directly to the President say he is pleased with the denials offered by chief of staff John Kelly and Defense Secretary James Mattis.

In Trump's eyes, what makes or breaks aides who are reported to have made disparaging comments about him is how strongly they push back on the accusations. But he is also taking note of the silence from several other former administration officials.

"He wants to know who talked to Woodward," one of the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity amid the highly tense atmosphere in the West Wing in the wake of the book.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/05/politics/trump-woodward-book-leakers/index.html

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Woodward book prompts West Wing witch hunt, sources say (Original Post) DonViejo Sep 2018 OP
Me! Me! I did it! NT mahatmakanejeeves Sep 2018 #1
Wow DownriverDem Sep 2018 #2
KAC for one Ccarmona Sep 2018 #3
She's sweating bullets about now. She's on the conversation Woodward had with trump... brush Sep 2018 #36
I have NO sympathy for any of those people in the Trump administration, northoftheborder Sep 2018 #4
The question is which country will putin allow him to bomb to take the heat off, Iran? Eliot Rosewater Sep 2018 #9
I'd like to think Kelly or Mattis would prevent that. Jedi Guy Sep 2018 #19
I'm seeing Iran as the end of October surprise. dhol82 Sep 2018 #20
Yeah, he is gonna do it. Just heard Scalise say need more tax cuts for the rich and corps Eliot Rosewater Sep 2018 #25
With the latest op ed from the NY Times BigmanPigman Sep 2018 #38
Oh goodie! Another witch hunt! redwitch Sep 2018 #5
Trump has lost it on this book Gothmog Sep 2018 #6
i already have it on order. barbtries Sep 2018 #23
RIGGED WITCH HUNT Dopers_Greed Sep 2018 #7
I don't understand matt819 Sep 2018 #8
McGahn is leaving soon FakeNoose Sep 2018 #16
Or he feels obligated to do his best to restrain Trump. Jedi Guy Sep 2018 #24
Re McGahn - I know matt819 Sep 2018 #32
McGahn met with Mueller over a year ago dixiegrrrrl Sep 2018 #44
Good. And you know what, it still will not stop the leaks. Iliyah Sep 2018 #10
My list of suspects: saidsimplesimon Sep 2018 #11
Jared and Ivanka HopeAgain Sep 2018 #14
Does that explain the walk in saidsimplesimon Sep 2018 #15
Sonny boy, Eric -- the dimwitted one. nt NCjack Sep 2018 #27
Cohn, Spicer, Porter, Hicks, Dowd GusBob Sep 2018 #28
They're probably long gone Happyhippychick Sep 2018 #12
If the book is a complete fabrication as 45 says it is MarvinGardens Sep 2018 #13
The Trump playbook here is to discredit the leakers. House of Roberts Sep 2018 #17
What an idiot... Mike Nelson Sep 2018 #18
And What Is Trump Going To Do When He Finds Out Who Cooperated.... global1 Sep 2018 #21
this is amusing. barbtries Sep 2018 #22
I will have the best people working for me...ha! You sure got us here Mr. President!! nt SWBTATTReg Sep 2018 #26
Thank you, Bob. truthisfreedom Sep 2018 #29
Once again he claims its all false, and fake duforsure Sep 2018 #30
Don't forget to ask Ivanka and Jared . . . . . . no_hypocrisy Sep 2018 #31
That include Melania? edbermac Sep 2018 #33
Didn't IQ45 just twit yesterday, that ... aggiesal Sep 2018 #34
Hang on... Didn't he just tell Woodward that *he" also would have talked? AndJusticeForSome Sep 2018 #35
who didn't talk to a book author, make recordings, or dish inside crap to reporters? getagrip_already Sep 2018 #37
a) If book is fiction, there are no leakers. b)If leaks are real, it is not a "witch hunt". Midnight Writer Sep 2018 #39
Now the hunt can add to WHO WRITE THE NYTIMES OP ED?? WITCHES AGLORE! riversedge Sep 2018 #40
This will make a great sci-fi movie: Alien Invaders Are Among Us Snellius Sep 2018 #41
If you can't find one, start one... LakeSuperiorView Sep 2018 #42
Lord of the Flies is happening workinclasszero Sep 2018 #43
But he said Woodward made the whole thing up. So why hunt for Woodward's sources? tclambert Sep 2018 #45
I only hire the best. Marcuse Sep 2018 #46
 

Ccarmona

(1,180 posts)
3. KAC for one
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 01:59 PM
Sep 2018

Since Woodward recorded everything, She’s never met a microphone that she hasn’t fallen in love with. And don’t forget her husband, he hates Trump and there could have been pillow (yew) talk.

brush

(53,794 posts)
36. She's sweating bullets about now. She's on the conversation Woodward had with trump...
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 03:17 PM
Sep 2018

yesterday. He taped it as he did with all the other interviews, with trump's permission, and trump wanted to know why Woodward hadn't talked to him while writing the book.

Woodward responded that he had tried to get a sit down with trump by asking six different people in the admin to set it up, and one of them was Conway who he had lunch with. She said she would and would get back to him. She never did.



Guess who pops into trump's office while he was on the phone with Woodward? Conway.

Trump asked her about why she never told him that Woodward wanted to speak with him and she gave a very non-convincing answer that she submitted the request thru channels so she wouldn't be chastised for not going thru proper channels.

Such bullshit, but that's to be expected from her. She talks about going thru channels yet she just popped into trump's office unannounced.

My guess is that she didn't want trump to know she had had lunch with Woodward.

northoftheborder

(7,572 posts)
4. I have NO sympathy for any of those people in the Trump administration,
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:01 PM
Sep 2018

regardless of whether they spoke to Woodward or not. I'm sure the atmosphere is more hellish than usual. They can just stew.

Eliot Rosewater

(31,112 posts)
9. The question is which country will putin allow him to bomb to take the heat off, Iran?
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:06 PM
Sep 2018

Rump could start a big war today, and would, if someone showed him the benefits to him.

Today, he would.

Today, anybody disagree?

Anybody?

Jedi Guy

(3,197 posts)
19. I'd like to think Kelly or Mattis would prevent that.
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:29 PM
Sep 2018

However, they don't have the ability to overrule him if push comes to shove. All they could do if he kept at it would be to resign in protest.

I could totally see him firing his way through the chain of command until he found someone willing to follow the orders.

dhol82

(9,353 posts)
20. I'm seeing Iran as the end of October surprise.
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:30 PM
Sep 2018

He needs one and that is the biggie.
God help us all if he actually does it.
Martial Law, anyone?

Eliot Rosewater

(31,112 posts)
25. Yeah, he is gonna do it. Just heard Scalise say need more tax cuts for the rich and corps
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:39 PM
Sep 2018

and that they will do them very soon.

When, not if, rump voters are deciding between food and medicine, I wont be able to say told you so because while they take their LAST breath directly as a result of what the GOP did to THEM, they will blame liberals.

BigmanPigman

(51,613 posts)
38. With the latest op ed from the NY Times
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 04:46 PM
Sep 2018

on top of the Woodward book, they are going to be hunting for "leakers" for the next few weeks. This should make them even more unhinged.

barbtries

(28,805 posts)
23. i already have it on order.
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:37 PM
Sep 2018

to add to my stack of trump books. they're coming out faster than i can read them.

matt819

(10,749 posts)
8. I don't understand
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:04 PM
Sep 2018

Why are McGahn and Kelly still there?

Also, surely the WH can identity sources from the information Woodward provided about who said what in what meetings. Okay, maybe some of those folks are gone. Fair enough. But certainly some are still there. Is it better to be found out and then hounded out, or quit and go public, ome clean.

For some of the younger people, and those not quite in the public eye, if they leave now maybe they can conceal the gap in their resumes. Or be up front with future employers and say they were working as rent boys or prostitutes - it's got to be better than admitting they worked for this regime. I mean, not everyone can be hired by Fox and the RW sinecure industry. But staying for the full four years, if that's how long it goes on, that's a stain that won't come out.

FakeNoose

(32,659 posts)
16. McGahn is leaving soon
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:23 PM
Sep 2018

Cheeto already announced that McGahn will leave as soon as Kavanaugh gets approved for SCOTUS.
John Kelly has had his share of rumors, either quitting or being fired.
Who knows why he's still there? Probably has some kind of martyr complex.

Jedi Guy

(3,197 posts)
24. Or he feels obligated to do his best to restrain Trump.
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:38 PM
Sep 2018

Like him or not, if he sticks it out in order to keep Trump from doing something really over the top (like bombing Iran or North Korea) then he's done his country and the world a service.

I shudder to think of a butt-hurt Trump with no one to hold him back from his vengeful impulses. He's probably asking about the possibility of a drone strike on Woodward. Or at least having him arrested for treason.

matt819

(10,749 posts)
32. Re McGahn - I know
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:50 PM
Sep 2018

But when trump basically calls him a rat bastard, why the hell would he wait until some date in the future to leave and be replaced. You can talk about dedication to the office of the president, but that's bs. Republicans have no loyalty to the office of anything. They hate the government. Since Reagan they've been hearing that the government is the enemy. And even when the government provides stuff they want and need - ACA, for example - they call it evil and destroy it.

And we've heard previous what Kelly has said about trump. But here it is in a book. By Bob Woodward. And somewhere in Woodward's 100s of hours of recordings. Why stay? It's not going to get any better.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
44. McGahn met with Mueller over a year ago
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 09:42 PM
Sep 2018

So he a cooperating witness, but Trump did not find out till last week or so....

Kelly many have also met with Mueller, we have no way of knowing until Mueller decides to reveal it.

So both or either of them could have written the opinion piece, and both stayed on as as whistle-blowers.

Naturally Kelly and the others would deny writing the piece, they have no loyalty to Trump.

Kelly has been photographed with "oh my god no" expressions on his face when Trump has said something stupid.

We can;t even be sure that trump's recent tweets where he is supposedly quoting their denial is a real quote, the guy has minus zero credibility.

saidsimplesimon

(7,888 posts)
11. My list of suspects:
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:13 PM
Sep 2018

Steve Miller, his real boss (Bannon), Kelly A. Conway and Sarah Sanders...

How's that loyalty pledge working out for you dolt45?

saidsimplesimon

(7,888 posts)
15. Does that explain the walk in
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:23 PM
Sep 2018

at McCain's funeral? No, this is a couple who depend on daddy to keep them in style. "Ain't it sad, money, money, money..."

MarvinGardens

(779 posts)
13. If the book is a complete fabrication as 45 says it is
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:16 PM
Sep 2018

then why go on a witch hunt, since Woodward must have made up all the quotes? The witch hunt tells us that the book must be chock full of real quotes.

House of Roberts

(5,178 posts)
17. The Trump playbook here is to discredit the leakers.
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:25 PM
Sep 2018

If that can be accomplished, it's a two-fer. It also discredits the Woodward book.

Mike Nelson

(9,960 posts)
18. What an idiot...
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:26 PM
Sep 2018

John Kelly and James Mattis both talked to Woodward - their statements are lies. Kelly Ann, mentioned by another poster, is another big leaker.

global1

(25,253 posts)
21. And What Is Trump Going To Do When He Finds Out Who Cooperated....
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:33 PM
Sep 2018

with this book? Is he going to fire them all? He won't have anyone left to work for him.

MSNBC just cut in to the hearings for comments from Trump regarding the book and he's calling it all fake. He must be a great actor because he didn't come off looking like he's being described in some of the posts I've read here today regarding his anger.

barbtries

(28,805 posts)
22. this is amusing.
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:35 PM
Sep 2018

he's the biggest mouth anywhere. also: how at this point does he figure out who are the "loyal" ones?!

chuckle.

duforsure

(11,885 posts)
30. Once again he claims its all false, and fake
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:46 PM
Sep 2018

Yet he asked Woodward who the sources were, just like he's done on the Russian investigation , then goes after the sources, contradicting his own claims.

aggiesal

(8,919 posts)
34. Didn't IQ45 just twit yesterday, that ...
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 02:54 PM
Sep 2018

Woodward has a credibility problem?

I guess not.

(P.S. I refuse to say tweet, with this TWIT in office.)

AndJusticeForSome

(537 posts)
35. Hang on... Didn't he just tell Woodward that *he" also would have talked?
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 03:03 PM
Sep 2018

Sounded on that recording of Trump's August call to Woodward that he would have "enthusiastically" spoken to Woodward, if *only* someone, anyone, would have told him.

getagrip_already

(14,768 posts)
37. who didn't talk to a book author, make recordings, or dish inside crap to reporters?
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 03:49 PM
Sep 2018

t seems even the cleaning crew (ewww) is talking dirt with the fourth estate. Partly to save their own image.

Snellius

(6,881 posts)
41. This will make a great sci-fi movie: Alien Invaders Are Among Us
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 06:39 PM
Sep 2018

A beleaguered White House attacked by brown killer aliens and hordes of vengeful black panthers and angry Twitter-driven partisans discovers, in the midst of amassing an army of walking dead and trying to build a huge wall, that the real enemy walks among them. Will they survive?

tclambert

(11,087 posts)
45. But he said Woodward made the whole thing up. So why hunt for Woodward's sources?
Wed Sep 5, 2018, 10:06 PM
Sep 2018

Gasp. Maybe Woodward DIDN'T make it up.

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