SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Draining the swamp: Does Trump know what that means?

Dec 8, 2016, 5:09 PM | Updated: Dec 9, 2016, 12:56 pm

draining the swamp...

Steven Mnuchin, President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Treasury Secretary, arrives at Trump Tower, in New York, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Does Donald Trump know what “draining the swamp” actually means?

I made a promise when I began this show that I would always tell you the truth as I see it. If I was ever told by anyone in management or ownership what position to take on something, I would quit.

Trump made a bad choice with Steven Mnunchin

And you know I didn’t ride the Trump train. But I’m happy with people who are joyful that he is in office. And I see good signs from the way he’s handling things early on.

But the flip side of this is that I spent serious time in Washington D.C. as an “insider” and I’m going to tell you the truth — I don’t buy that Trump really sees the depth of “the swamp” in D.C. And that might make it difficult when it comes to draining the swamp.

The fact that Trump has nominated Steve Mnuchin, who has grifted your tax dollars, who is tied to Goldman Sachs, and who made $1.6 billion dollars from the government for foreclosing on homes, shows that Trump is not really serious about draining the swamp. And the Senate should say ‘no’ to Mnuchin.

As far as Secretary of State, their first responsibility is not to the President, it us to “we the people” and to the Constitution.

I think Trump needs a counterbalance to himself; someone who can help form policy. He doesn’t need yes men because Trump is not a detail man. Smart executives hire their opposites; they look for people who can do what they don’t do well.

Is looking to people like Romney and Giuliani really draining the swamp?
I think if we can forgive David Petraeus, he may be the best choice (of the people Trump is considering). Petraeus is used to serving presidents and to being heard.

I want a Secretary of State whose loyalty is to the Constitution, the American people and then the President, in that order.

As always, please listen to the full audio clip for complete context.

FILE -Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaks during the 81st session of the United Nation...

Associated Press

UN political mission ends in Somalia with no agreed replacement to handle election dispute

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The United Nations’ political mission in Somalia ends Saturday, closing more than three decades of successive U.N. missions that helped rebuild a country shattered by civil war and leaving no agreed replacement to help rival leaders resolve disputes. The government calls the closure a milestone in Somalia’s ability to manage its […]

17 minutes ago

A dealer watches computer monitors at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, O...

Associated Press

Asian shares and U.S. futures are mixed after Google parent Alphabet’s earnings disappoint

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares and U.S. futures were mixed Thursday, weighed down by some big technology stocks after Google parent Alphabet’s earnings were lower than expected. As anticipated, the Federal Reserve held rates steady as it wrapped up its policy meeting Wednesday. Two Fed officials were in favor of a hike, and a […]

1 hour ago

Homeland Security Investigations task force officers escort a suspect accused of illegally register...

Associated Press

Stolen election rhetoric from Trump isn’t new. His ability to act on those claims is

Democrats, election officials and voting rights groups have long wondered whether President Donald Trump, upon his return to the Oval Office, would again attempt to overturn an election when his party is trailing. It’s no longer hypothetical. Late last week, the president directed the Department of Justice to preemptively contest a potential Republican loss in […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Hometown of ‘Addams Family’ creator becomes ghoulish Halloween destination

WESTFIELD, N.J. (AP) — Before there was “The Addams Family,” there was Westfield. Cartoonist Charles Addams, who created the eccentric, fictional family, drew inspiration for his signature macabre style from the elegant Victorian homes, historic cemetery and other landmarks of his New Jersey hometown. Today the affluent community, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of […]

2 hours ago

FILE - Migrants congregate on the banks of the Rio Grande at the U.S. border with Mexico on Dec. 20...

Associated Press

How Trump’s immigration crackdown sparked a backlash that could boomerang in the midterms

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When Donald Trump was running for president two years ago, Americans’ television screens were filled with images of migrant chaos. There were tent camps on both sides of the border, caravans of people trudging through Central America and concerns about newcomers overwhelming social services. That turmoil faded as President Joe Biden tightened […]

2 hours ago

FILE - Labor leader and co-founder of United Farm Workers Dolores Huerta listens to President Barac...

Associated Press

Worker rights pioneer Dolores Huerta wanted others to feel seen

Dolores Huerta had spent decades advocating for labor rights and marginalized people when she went to a central California college and met a group of farmworkers’ descendants — many of them students who choked back tears over the then-94-year-old taking the time to listen to them. That was the effect Huerta had on young people, […]

2 hours ago

Draining the swamp: Does Trump know what that means?