Carl Bernstein: “Anything Is Possible in This Environment”

WE'RE IN A COLD CIVIL WAR, I THINK WE'RE GOING OVER THE SAME POINT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

AND JEFF AND I AGREE ON THIS, WE'RE IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT TIME IN AMERICA THAT IS DEFINED BY THE VICIOUSNESS OF THE WAY OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM IS BEING CONDUCTED TODAY.

BUT I THINK WE HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED ABOUT THE REAL ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, AND THAT'S PUTIN AND RUSSIA, AND ONE OF THE REALLY DAMNING THINGS THAT WE HEARD OVER AND OVER AND OVER TODAY IS AGAIN HOW THIS PRESIDENT HAS SERVED THE INTERESTS OF PUTIN, WHETHER IT IS HALF WITTING, UNWITTING, OR WITTING HIS OBESEANCE TO VLADIMIR PUTIN CONTINUES TO BE ASTONISHING, THAT IS ANOTHER THING THAT REPUBLICAN SENATORS -- I KEEP MAKING A DISTINCTION BETWEEN SENATORS AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE.

I GO NOT HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT THE SENATE IS GOING TO CONVICT.

BUT I ALSO HAVE NO EXPECTATION THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN THIS PRESIDENCY AS WE HAVE SEEN, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IS IN ENVIRONMENT AS WE HAVE SEEN.

AND WE ARE IN A TIME AND A PLACE THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE -- CERTAINLY PEOPLE MY AGE HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS SO EXTRAORDINARY IS THAT VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS DESTABILIZED THE UNITED STATES, OUR POLITICAL PROCESS.

HE'S DESTABILIZED THE WEST, THIS IS A LEADER OF A COUNTRY WITH 4% OF GDP IN THE WORLD, EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE 40%. AND YET THIS PRESIDENT HAS ENABLED PUTIN TO A LARGE EXTENT TO DO THIS, AND THERE CERTAINLY ARE MANY SENATORS WHO WORRY ABOUT THIS, REPUBLICANS KNOW IT, AND THAT IS ALSO PART OF THIS DYNAMIC.

AND I THINK WE GOT TO LOOK AT IT IN TERMS -- IF THERE IS A CONSPIRACY HERE.

TO UNDERMINE OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WITH THE AID OF A FOREIGN POWER, THAT THE RUSSIAN FACTOR CAN PLAY INTO IT.

VERY QUICKLY, I WANT TO END ON THE ISSUE OF THE WHISTLE-BLOWER, OBVIOUSLY, CARL THIS WOULD HAVE COME UP IN THE CASE OF DEEP THROAT DURING WATERGATE, BUT BECAUSE I NEED TO GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD, AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

THIS INSISTENCE BY THE REPUBLICANS THAT IT'S ALL ABOUT THE WHISTLE-BLOWER, AND THE WHISTLE-BLOWER NEEDS TO COME FORWARD AND ACCUSING SCHIFF OF KNOWING THE WHISTLE-BLOWER, ALL OF THAT, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT TACTIC?

IT'S A DIVERSION.

I KEEP THINKING OF LAUREN BACALL'S GREAT LINE FROM THAT MOVIE, YOU KNOW HOW TO WHISTLE, DON'T YOU?

JUST PUT YOUR LIPS TOGETHER AND BLOW.

WHEN YOU LISTEN TO SOMEBODY LIKE GINGRICH TALK ABOUT HISTORY, YOU KNOW WHY HE NEVER GOT TENURE