CNN Newsroom's Jim Sciutto went to eleven on the outrage scale on Wednesday with Harvard professor and former Bush Assistant Attorney General Jack Goldsmith when they proclaimed that by not conceding, President Trump and Republicans are risking another 9/11.
Sciutto's co-host Poppy Harlow began by asking Goldsmith, "Yes or no, are the actions the president taking now putting this country in danger?"
Goldsmith declared that, "Clearly it's not great for our democracy." But, Sciutto wanted to be more specific, "let's put some teeth on that, if we can for a moment. Because there are sitting members of Congress who were around in their positions at the time of 9/11, and the 9/11 Commission Report specifically cited the shortened transition after the 2000 election for having an impact on national security."
Yeah, remember when CNN and liberal journalists were demanding Al Gore concede in 2000 to prevent terrorism? We don't either.
He then quoted the report, "I'm quoting here, 'It hampered the new administration in identifying, recruiting, clearing and obtaining Senate confirmation of key appointees.' The fact is we have experienced for how shortened transition make a difference in national security. Why aren't we hearing from Republicans about that, granting that potential danger?"
Goldsmith agreed that, "a situation very analogous to this where the General Services Administration would not certify the winner and therefore delayed access by the President-Elect to intelligence briefings and early pre-clearances for classified information."
Except it is not analogous, not yet at least. Bush had to wait several weeks, so far Biden has just had to wait several days.
Still, Goldsmith declared, "They said that was one of the reasons that may have led to 9/11 and we're going to be doing basically the same thing because they're not allowing the Biden, President-Elect Biden, to have access to these resources. I can't explain why some Republicans are acting this way. Maybe they don't understand the implications. It's a very dangerous game they're playing."
This line that Trump and Republicans are risking another 9/11, which was repeated on NBC and CBS earlier on Wednesday, is so ridiculous not even Joe Biden himself believes it, "Obviously the PDB would be useful but it’s not necessary" and "Access to classified information is useful but I’m not in a position to make any decisions on these issues anyway. It would be nice to have it but it’s not critical."
This segment was sponsored by Consumer Cellular.
Here is a transcript for the November 11 show. Click "expand" to read more.
CNN
CNN Newsroom with Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto
10:04 AM ET
POPPY HARLOW: But you talk about the steamrolling of norms by this president even going out of office as something that will or could do, quote, “lasting damage to both the stature of the presidency and institutions of democracy.” Yes or no, are the actions the president taking now putting this country in danger?
JACK GOLDSMITH: Clearly it's not great for our democracy.
HARLOW: Okay.
JIM SCIUTTO: That's a fair -- let's put some teeth on that, if we can for a moment. Because there are sitting members of Congress who were around in their positions at the time of 9/11, and the 9/11 Commission Report specifically cited the shortened transition after the 2000 election for having an impact on national security. I'm quoting here, "It hampered the new administration in identifying, recruiting, clearing and obtaining Senate confirmation of key appointees." The fact is we have experienced for how shortened transition make a difference in national security. Why aren't we hearing from Republicans about that, granting that potential danger?
GOLDSMITH: I mean, you're absolutely right, the 9/11 board in a situation very analogous to this where the General Services Administration would not certify the winner and therefore delayed access by the President-Elect to intelligence briefings and early pre-clearances for classified information. They said that was one of the reasons that may have led to 9/11 and we're going to be doing basically the same thing because they're not allowing the Biden, President-Elect Biden, to have access to these resources. I can't explain why some Republicans are acting this way. Maybe they don't understand the implications. It's a very dangerous game they're playing.
