Politics

Presidential campaign goes nuclear

Bob CollinsBob Collins Aug 3, 2016
10

Perhaps you’ve noticed that in the last few days, the election of 2016 is no longer a contest between Republicans and Democrats.

In the last few days, the developing civil war within the GOP has spilled further into the open and, to a degree, it has been fascinating to watch.

Increasingly, it’s become more horrifying as was the case today when former CIA director Michael Hayden — he was appointed by President George W. Bush — was asked who among his peers is advising Donald Trump on national security issues.

“No one,” Hayden, said in a significant response since his peers are those who know something about national security.

Hayden says he may not vote.

Then Joe Scarborough, no fan of Trump, said that in a security briefing, Trump asked three times why the U.S. can’t use nuclear weapons.

For the record, Scarborough offered not a shred of proof that such a meeting took place.

Trump’s campaign manager told FoxNews it never happened.

“Those security briefings haven’t even started yet,” Paul Manafort said.

“It didn’t happen. I was in the meeting. It didn’t happen,” he said.

The security meetings usually happen after a candidate is nominated at a party convention.

Last week, the Washington Post reported that experts in the intelligent community are reluctant to share details of national security efforts with Trump.

“He’s been so uninterested in the truth and so reckless with it when he sees it,” an anonymous official said.

In a series of tweets today, John Noonan, a conservative national security commentator, a former Minuteman firing officer, and a “hawk” in the Republican Party, finds this all too horrifying.

Related: Senior GOP Officials Exploring Options if Trump Drops Out (ABC News)