Journalist Bob Woodward sat down with Stephen Colbert on Monday’s Late Show to debate his new e book about President Donald Trump’s administration, Fear: Trump within the White House.
Given the e book’s title, Colbert requested Woodward what fills him with worry. “Not knowing,” the veteran journalist responded. “And that’s what we’ve got to do, we need to know what’s going on.”
“No one works within the White House who doesn’t carry issues house,” Woodward instructed Colbert. “On the third go to they are saying, ‘Maybe I’ve received one thing upstairs.’ Then they arrive down with three bins.”
Citing a piece from the top of the e book by which Trump’s legal professional John Dowd is performing a mock-trial with the president in regards to the Mueller investigation, Woodward defined what the lawyer allegedly mentioned within the scenario. “You can’t testify, you’re disabled. Imagine your lawyer telling you you’re disabled,” mentioned Woodward. “You can’t testify as a result of you possibly can’t inform the reality. You make issues up.”
On #LSSC tonight: @StephenAtHome asks @realBobWoodward “WHAT MAKES YOU AFRAID” when it comes to issues he noticed at The White House whereas researching his e book #Fear.
Watch tonight at 11:35/10:35c on @CBS! pic.twitter.com/MGfLBE1yYe
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) September 11, 2018
When requested about whether or not sources may need motives, Woodward mentioned, “What you do is you’re taking info and also you examine with different folks. This is somewhat beehive, the White House. Someone will say one thing and another person could have a doc…and you may put it collectively typically with microscopic element.”
“They are anxious about Trump doing issues, in order that they steal papers off his desk…however Trump would not keep in mind,” Woodward mentioned moments later.
When requested if he would lie to guard the id of a supply, Woodward acknowledged merely: “No.”
Speaking on Trump, particularly, Woodward mentioned, “In many of those circumstances, he is simply incorrect. He’ll discover just a few individuals who will agree, however we higher get up to what’s actually happening and other people want to look at it…this isn’t partisan.”
“How do you feel when the president tweets about you?” Colbert requested.
“What is the contest in America other than the political contest? It’s a contest for the truth,” Woodward mentioned. “I’m willing to put myself out here. I’ve done the work. This is the best reporting that you can do, or I can do.”
Earlier on Monday, Woodward appeared on NBC’s Today the place he mentioned Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly “will not be telling the reality” after they deny making disparaging statements about Trump attributed to them in his e book. Both Kelly and Mattis are quoted within the e book as calling the president an “fool” and has the understanding of a “fifth or sixth grader.”
This article initially appeared in THR.com.
