Mark Shields: And, you know, the week was — the trauma of the week was Secretary Mattis, and there’s no question about it. That was the monumental event.
And I would say that there was alarm after the president’s appearance at Helsinki with Mr. Putin. I think there was alarm after the firing of FBI Director Comey.
But there was panic, bipartisan, nonpartisan panic, in this city, and I think in the country and in the world, when Jim Mattis, General Jim Mattis, left as secretary of defense.
I mean, he was seen, and I think rightfully so, as the thoughtful, well-read, well-prepared, country-before-self leader who believed in reciprocal burdens and benefits to the United States with other countries, and was fighting that cause, and had some influence on Donald Trump, but left on his own terms….
Judy Woodruff: Sober note at the end of a week, I think, like no other.
Mark Shields: Like no other week.
Judy Woodruff: Like no other week that I remember in Washington, and I have been here for 40 years.
Read it all (emphasis mine).
Shields and Gerson on Mattis’ resignation, congressional stalemate: Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson join Judy Woodruff to analyze the week’s political news, including the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim… https://t.co/xDOCxejjYV pic.twitter.com/2FZWluDFxo
— Patrick (@cahulaan) December 22, 2018