The White House is on the defensive after two ex-wives of a top aide said he physically assaulted them. Staff secretary Rob Porter also did not have a permanent security clearance. Why did chief of staff John Kelly initially defend Porter, and how much was known about the allegations, and for how long? Judy Woodruff talks with Yamiche Alcindor and Chris Whipple, author of “The Gatekeepers.”
Read the Full Transcript
Judy Woodruff:
We return now to the resignation of a top White House aide following accusations of abuse.
White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter stepped down after allegations of domestic violence by his two ex-wives and photographs surfaced of his first wife with a black eye.
Chief of Staff John Kelly initially defended Porter and urged him to stay on the job. Porter served in the White House over a year without a permanent security clearance, raising questions about how much General Kelly and White House staff knew about the allegations.
Yamiche Alcindor is the NewsHour’s White House correspondent, and Chris Whipple is author of “The Gatekeepers- How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency.”
Welcome to both of you.
And, Yamiche, I’m going to start with you. I have two main questions, but the first one is, why did Chief of Staff John Kelly continue to defend Rob Porter, even after those photos were made available?
Yamiche Alcindor:
That is probably the most important question when looking at whether or not John Kelly will keep the credibility that he came into office with.
I spoke to Hope Hicks today. She’s someone who is supposed to be romantically engaged with Rob Porter.
Judy Woodruff:
The White House communications director.
Yamiche Alcindor:
She’s The White House communications director.
And she was supposed to be Rob Porter’s girlfriend. She told me that she could not answer any questions about how that statement was crafted that initially had John Kelly calling him a man of integrity. But the reporting that I have been doing essentially shows that John Kelly was — that Hope Hicks was very much involved in crafting that statement and that they were defending someone because they thought that he had a good reputation, and that his girlfriend was helping do that.
The White House today said that there was that the chief of staff wasn’t fully aware of all of the things that Rob Porter was accused of, even after the picture. So the question was posed to them, why after the picture would John Kelly still say he has a couple more days, he’s going the transition slowly, and then today he was packing his bags?
Porter, Trump told Cohn, had not one but two degrees from Harvard — one from the undergraduate college and one from the law school — and he was a Rhodes Scholar. “Even Gorsuch wasn’t a Rhodes Scholar,” Trump said, referring to Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, who spent two years at Oxford on a Marshall Scholarship.
“Maybe he’ll be my next Supreme Court pick,” Trump said.
You you left out the first part. An affair between her and Trump is reported. Then she’s ordered to bang everybody in the White House to muddy the waters.
Never mind the whole sexytime backstory, shouldn't there be a limit to the amount of time someone can serve in the white house without getting a security clearance? Especially once you know that they will not ever be getting one? Yes, I know that the pool of applicants for the Trump White House is limited but isn't Kelly the guy who is supposed to be on top of this stuff?
Lots of ways to criticize this administration without slut shaming Hope Hicks
But it's beyond question that this is the most dysfunctional White House in modern history. Rob Porter is a wifebeater but he was one of the few competent people who worked there. Things are gonna get worse, if you can believe it
The guy went to Harvard Law and he was a Rhodes Scholar. Wrote a bunch of the State of the Union. He's garbage and I'm glad he's gone, but I'm just saying that most people who work there have very little government experience and he was one with some, so expect things to look even more batshit and chaotic than they are now, if that's even possible.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ________ Heybrochacho
on Thursday, February 8, 2018 – 08:15 pm
https://www.pbs.org/newshour
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-is-john-kellys-credibility-hurt-by...
you can't make this stuff up lol
The White House is on the defensive after two ex-wives of a top aide said he physically assaulted them. Staff secretary Rob Porter also did not have a permanent security clearance. Why did chief of staff John Kelly initially defend Porter, and how much was known about the allegations, and for how long? Judy Woodruff talks with Yamiche Alcindor and Chris Whipple, author of “The Gatekeepers.”
Read the Full Transcript
Judy Woodruff:
We return now to the resignation of a top White House aide following accusations of abuse.
White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter stepped down after allegations of domestic violence by his two ex-wives and photographs surfaced of his first wife with a black eye.
Chief of Staff John Kelly initially defended Porter and urged him to stay on the job. Porter served in the White House over a year without a permanent security clearance, raising questions about how much General Kelly and White House staff knew about the allegations.
Yamiche Alcindor is the NewsHour’s White House correspondent, and Chris Whipple is author of “The Gatekeepers- How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency.”
Welcome to both of you.
And, Yamiche, I’m going to start with you. I have two main questions, but the first one is, why did Chief of Staff John Kelly continue to defend Rob Porter, even after those photos were made available?
Yamiche Alcindor:
That is probably the most important question when looking at whether or not John Kelly will keep the credibility that he came into office with.
I spoke to Hope Hicks today. She’s someone who is supposed to be romantically engaged with Rob Porter.
Judy Woodruff:
The White House communications director.
Yamiche Alcindor:
She’s The White House communications director.
And she was supposed to be Rob Porter’s girlfriend. She told me that she could not answer any questions about how that statement was crafted that initially had John Kelly calling him a man of integrity. But the reporting that I have been doing essentially shows that John Kelly was — that Hope Hicks was very much involved in crafting that statement and that they were defending someone because they thought that he had a good reputation, and that his girlfriend was helping do that.
The White House today said that there was that the chief of staff wasn’t fully aware of all of the things that Rob Porter was accused of, even after the picture. So the question was posed to them, why after the picture would John Kelly still say he has a couple more days, he’s going the transition slowly, and then today he was packing his bags?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: thinthread hillman
on Thursday, February 8, 2018 – 08:30 pm
wonder if yamiche is related
wonder if yamiche is related to lew....
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish Jazfish
on Thursday, February 8, 2018 – 09:05 pm
Having the name Whipple would
Having the name Whipple would suck. The squeezabley soft connection.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba Noodler
on Thursday, February 8, 2018 – 09:07 pm
Perhaps that would explain
Perhaps that would explain all the groping....
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ParadiseWaits Dise
on Thursday, February 8, 2018 – 10:02 pm
Seems like Hope Hicks has a
Seems like Hope Hicks has a lot of boyfriends who work in the same place.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace WALSTIB
on Thursday, February 8, 2018 – 10:22 pm
Hope Hicks has updated her
Hope Hicks has updated her White House Booty Call status to "available"...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bucky Badger On Wisconsin
on Thursday, February 8, 2018 – 11:37 pm
Here’s the story.
Here’s the story.
Cory Lewendoski and Hope Hicks used to bang.
Now Rob Porter and Hope Hicks were banging.
Cory got mad.
Cory ratted out Rob about him beating his ex-wives.
The best people.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace WALSTIB
on Thursday, February 8, 2018 – 11:57 pm
No, that's the fabricated
No, that's the fabricated story the WH is touting...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace WALSTIB
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 12:06 am
https://www.politico.com
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/08/john-kelly-rob-porter-security...
Porter, Trump told Cohn, had not one but two degrees from Harvard — one from the undergraduate college and one from the law school — and he was a Rhodes Scholar. “Even Gorsuch wasn’t a Rhodes Scholar,” Trump said, referring to Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, who spent two years at Oxford on a Marshall Scholarship.
“Maybe he’ll be my next Supreme Court pick,” Trump said.
this seems about right in Trumpworld...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba Noodler
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 12:14 am
Here's an older story of Rape
Here's an older story of Rape and Hair Care
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trumps-hair-mystery-solved-h...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lucky Day Timmy Hoover
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 10:21 am
Here’s the story.
You you left out the first part. An affair between her and Trump is reported. Then she’s ordered to bang everybody in the White House to muddy the waters.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lucky Day Timmy Hoover
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 10:24 am
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: That’s Nancy with the laughin’ face Nancyinthesky
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 10:29 am
It’s like watching a reality
It’s like watching a reality TV show...
go figure
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Furious E O1>11
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 11:19 am
No thom yet to erroneously
No thom yet to erroneously claim the (insert democrat administration of choice here) was just as, if not more, dysfunctional?
disappointing, guess I'll just keep waiting...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Alias botb
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 11:33 am
Wasn't Bill Clinton a Rhodes
Wasn't Bill Clinton a Rhodes Scholar?
Never mind the whole sexytime backstory, shouldn't there be a limit to the amount of time someone can serve in the white house without getting a security clearance? Especially once you know that they will not ever be getting one? Yes, I know that the pool of applicants for the Trump White House is limited but isn't Kelly the guy who is supposed to be on top of this stuff?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino kxela
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 12:34 pm
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace WALSTIB
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 12:34 pm
under those rules Trump
under those rules Trump should not have security clearance...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved nedb
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 01:33 pm
I take offense to that HH
I take offense to that HH meme.
For all we know, she's the one in control, not the horny boys.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Old Fart Message Board Mr_timpane
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 02:11 pm
That meme is so good it made
That meme is so good it made me cringe.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Thumbkinetic (Bluestnote)
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 03:44 pm
Mayor Quimby: I'd hit that.
Mayor Quimby: I'd hit that. Er...I...um...that is to say...er, ahm...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Back to Back UncleSam
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 03:47 pm
Lots of ways to criticize
Lots of ways to criticize this administration without slut shaming Hope Hicks
But it's beyond question that this is the most dysfunctional White House in modern history. Rob Porter is a wifebeater but he was one of the few competent people who worked there. Things are gonna get worse, if you can believe it
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace WALSTIB
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 03:51 pm
Hope Hicks is under
Hope Hicks is under investigation by the special council for covering up juniors emails, she probably flipped on Trump at this point...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lucky Day Timmy Hoover
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 03:56 pm
>>>>>Lots of ways to
>>>>>Lots of ways to criticize this administration without slut shaming Hope Hicks
Meh. Truth hurts sometimes.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lucky Day Timmy Hoover
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 03:57 pm
What about White House Gym
What about White House Gym Sock? A little more subtle.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call" Knotesau
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 03:58 pm
>>>>Rob Porter is a
>>>>Rob Porter is a wifebeater but he was one of the few competent people who worked there.
Who wrote that for you, Trump or Hope?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jonaspond Jonas
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 03:59 pm
>slut shaming
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jonaspond Jonas
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 04:02 pm
what the fuck with my shitty
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bucky Badger On Wisconsin
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 04:03 pm
Cum-dumpster-fire
Cum-dumpster-fire
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call" Knotesau
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 04:09 pm
Didn't Hillary do the same
Didn't Hillary do the same thing?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jonaspond Jonas
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 04:11 pm
Hillary fucked Hope Hicks?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lucky Day Timmy Hoover
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 04:33 pm
Everybody but Tulsa Chris has
Everybody but Tulsa Chris has.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Furious E O1>11
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 04:37 pm
Hey-oooo!
Hey-oooo!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: good at drinking water infinite ignorance
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 04:39 pm
How long till Kelly is gone?
How long till Kelly is gone?
Bring back the Mooch.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace WALSTIB
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 04:48 pm
http://abcnews.go.com
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sources-chief-staff-john-kelly-expressed-...
Kelly wants out.
but from Trumps WH Hotel:
You can check out anytime you like
but you can never leave...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace WALSTIB
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 05:35 pm
http://thehill.com/homenews
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/373199-justice-depts-no-3-off...
Brand to Resign
rut roh
another loyalty pledge rebuffed?
fan meet shit...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Back to Back UncleSam
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 05:52 pm
>>> Who wrote that for you,
>>> Who wrote that for you, Trump or Hope?
The guy went to Harvard Law and he was a Rhodes Scholar. Wrote a bunch of the State of the Union. He's garbage and I'm glad he's gone, but I'm just saying that most people who work there have very little government experience and he was one with some, so expect things to look even more batshit and chaotic than they are now, if that's even possible.
Just breaking now that deputy chief of staff is leaving: http://www.cnn.com/2018/02/09/politics/jim-carroll-white-house-national-...
Shit's going to get even worse
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino kxela
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 06:55 pm
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace WALSTIB
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 08:08 pm
only the best people
only the best people
winning...
another one bites the dust:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/second-white-house-official-depa...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace WALSTIB
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 08:14 pm
This White House is gonna
This White House is gonna need a drive-thru to expedite all the exit interviews...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ________ Heybrochacho
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 08:23 pm
he's a very good man
he's a very good man
haha
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _________ Plf9905
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 08:47 pm
^^^^ El Nino.. 5 Star post.
^^^^ El Nino.. 5 Star post.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: good at drinking water infinite ignorance
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 08:55 pm
http://www.foxnews.com
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/02/09/john-kelly-needs-to-go.html
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Highnote Stringtwang
on Friday, February 9, 2018 – 09:34 pm
Everyday brings a new shit
Everyday brings a new shit show.