The next is a transcript of an interview with Chris Whipple, writer of "The Battle of His Life: Inside Joe Biden's White Home," that aired on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We're joined now by Chris Whipple, writer of a brand new e book concerning the first two years of the Biden administration. It is known as "The Battle of His Life: Inside Joe Biden's White Home." Good morning to you.
AUTHOR CHRIS WHIPPLE: Good to be right here.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And also you spent a number of time engaged on this e book over the previous two years. And also you met a number of these characters who're so near Joe Biden, the person and now the president, one among them, Bob Bauer, who's now the president's lawyer in regard to this story we have been speaking about for many of the present with categorised paperwork. He additionally occurs to be married to one of many president's closest advisers. What do you make of how this is- is taking part in out? And why is Bauer the person to defend him right here?
WHIPPLE: Nicely, let me come again to Bob Bauer in a second. However I feel that it is a actual downside, as a result of there's simply this fixed drip, drip, drip of knowledge that comes out concerning the paperwork. And it is stunning to some extent as a result of I spent two years speaking to nearly all of Joe Biden's interior circle. And normally they are much more proficient at dealing with these crises. I can let you know, that is essentially the most battened down, disciplined, leakproof White Home in years, as I feel you realize. So it's- so it is a bit of bit stunning, however I feel, and you may sympathize once they say that look something we are saying might be contradicted later. We won't get forward of the method. However they actually need to lift their sport right here, I feel, as a result of this actually goes to the center of Joe Biden's biggest asset, arguably, which is belief. I imply perhaps not for 30 to 40% of the American folks, however for Democrats and Independents. And that is actually at stake right here. Bob Bauer is a captivating alternative to do that. He is- he is a really vivid man. I've interviewed him for the e book. He tells some nice tales in it concerning the transition. And I feel that Bauer is a- is a really good lawyer and really cautious. He isn't going to need the White Home to get on the market and speak rather a lot about what is going on on. And as you famous, he's- he is married to one among Joe Biden's most influential political advisers, Anita Dunn. So you actually need to marvel what it is like round that dinner desk. If I do know Bob Bauer, he might not even be speaking to her about this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: It is a very tight knit group across the president.
WHIPPLE: It's.
MARGARET BRENNAN: It has been for years.
WHIPPLE: Yeah.
MARGARET BRENNAN: How did one thing like this occur?
WHIPPLE: Nicely, you realize, look, all people's baffled by it and it's a must to marvel in the event you have been to look a number of the different presidential properties of different presidents whether or not we would be discovering the identical factor. I feel Mike Morell is true. There's acquired to be a a lot better course of. It is only a sloppy course of, I feel. However once more, substantively I feel that is actually critical in a technique, as a result of I feel that it now turns into troublesome, if not not possible to carry costs on the Mar-a-Lago paperwork case. And the reason- the rationale I say that, is as a result of it doesn't matter what anyone says about this being solely concerning the details and the legal guidelines, it's inarguably a political resolution with monumental political ramifications. Jack Smith and Merrick Garland need to be excited about a jury, selecting a jury, and whether or not that jury goes to assume that what Trump did is all that egregious if paperwork maintain popping up each different day in Joe Biden's residences.
MARGARET BRENNAN: At this level in a presidency, you typically see officers rotate out. I do know you spoke to Chief of Workers Ron Klain extensively. Is he staying on? And may we anticipate different adjustments?
WHIPPLE: That is a very huge query for Joe Biden. Look, he is had a really profitable two yr presidency. It is particularly- I imply, the second yr has been one of the vital consequential years for any president in fashionable historical past. The primary yr was- was more durable. We are able to discuss that. However I feel–
MARGARET BRENNAN: I assume you are speaking about Afghanistan.
WHIPPLE: Yeah, Afghanistan specifically. However I feel that Joe Biden- Joe Biden may have a really robust resolution to make if Ron Klain decides to maneuver on anytime quickly as a result of these are very massive footwear to fill. Ron Klain is arguably belongs in elite firm, James Baker, Leon Panetta, a number of the greatest chiefs of employees round. So I feel it will be a very, actually necessary resolution.
MARGARET BRENNAN: They did not tweet like he does. He is very lively on Twitter. So let's go to one thing critical right here, Afghanistan. That was an enormous black mark on the Biden administration.
WHIPPLE: It was.
MARGARET BRENNAN: To actually have such a chaotic withdrawal on one thing they simply actually did not anticipate to go sideways prefer it did.
WHIPPLE: I feel- I feel it is a story of two presidencies, the primary yr and the second yr. The primary yr overshadowed by Afghanistan, although he had a number of accomplishments that first yr. It was chaotic, God is aware of, watching it on tv. However what I found and report in my e book is that behind the scenes, there was a number of drama.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.
WHIPPLE: And Tony Blinken, the Secretary of State instructed me in no unsure phrases, that the whole lot we did was based mostly on a fatally flawed intelligence evaluation that the Afghan authorities would final for 18 months. This was information to CIA Director Invoice Burns once I sat down with him and talked to him at size about it. He stated: Look, in the event you pulled out two legs of the stool, as he put it, American forces and contractors, we- we predicted that that would collapse in a short time. So Afghanistan- and I even have this excellent story that I imply Joe Biden shared with me what it was like, on the worst day of his presidency, what he known as the toughest of the exhausting days, when 13 service members have been killed by the suicide bombing in Kabul. Afterwards, Biden needed to confront, needed to attempt to console the households of these fallen troopers. A few of them blamed him. A few of them have been upset as a result of he invoked his son Beau. This was personally actually wrenching for Joe Biden, and it is a- it is a, I feel, an excellent perception into him.
MARGARET BRENNAN: It is a compelling- it is a compelling e book. Thanks very a lot.
WHIPPLE: Thanks a lot, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We'll be again in a second.