WSJ’s Seib: ‘There’s a Really Sustained Attack’ on the Institutions of Democracy By China and Russia

RUSH TRANSCRIPT Wallace But ░░░░░░░░ Gerry let me bring ░░░░░░░░ in because there s ░░░░░░░░ almost silence from this ░░░░░░░░ after a very provocative ░░░░░░░░ by Vladimir Putin the ░░░░░░░░ said nothing the White ░░░░░░░░ basically said nothing There ░░░░░░░░ been no response from ░░░░░░░░ administration SEIB Well look ░░░░░░░░ I think there s ░░░░░░░░ an unfortunate reality here ░░░░░░░░ is that the the ░░░░░░░░ about the 2016 election ░░░░░░░░ has consumed this conversation ░░░░░░░░ Russia is probably something ░░░░░░░░ you could do what ░░░░░░░░ just suggested put it ░░░░░░░░ a box and get ░░░░░░░░ the broader realities here ░░░░░░░░ would be healthy That ░░░░░░░░ not happening I think ░░░░░░░░ s not happening in ░░░░░░░░ because both ends of ░░░░░░░░ Avenue are obsessed with ░░░░░░░░ happened in 2016 But ░░░░░░░░ deeper reality here is ░░░░░░░░ democracy is is under ░░░░░░░░ And not just from ░░░░░░░░ and not just in ░░░░░░░░ It happened in Europe ░░░░░░░░ 2014 2015 2016 It ░░░░░░░░ here It s apparently ░░░░░░░░ here now Both the ░░░░░░░░ Vladimir Putin and President ░░░░░░░░ in China would like ░░░░░░░░ hold out other models ░░░░░░░░ democracy as the model ░░░░░░░░ other countries in the ░░░░░░░░ ought to follow There ░░░░░░░░ a really sustained attack ░░░░░░░░ the basically the institutions ░░░░░░░░ of democracy and its ░░░░░░░░ as a model for ░░░░░░░░ world And that s ░░░░░░░░ broader issue here And ░░░░░░░░ s now being basically ░░░░░░░░ as a question that ░░░░░░░░ to be discussed because ░░░░░░░░ this obsession with 2016 ░░░░░░░░ I don t know ░░░░░░░░ you break out of ░░░░░░░░ Wallace Well let and ░░░░░░░░ let s end of ░░░░░░░░ because it isn t ░░░░░░░░ a box It s ░░░░░░░░ know it s on ░░░░░░░░ front page of the ░░░░░░░░ today again SEIB Right ░░░░░░░░ I think sometimes the ░░░░░░░░ incremental information we hear ░░░░░░░░ significant Sometimes I think ░░░░░░░░ s meaningless You know ░░░░░░░░ Mueller is asking about ░░░░░░░░ he s asking about ░░░░░░░░ What is the price ░░░░░░░░ opportunity cost of this ░░░░░░░░ it has to be ░░░░░░░░ But of this continuing ░░░░░░░░ we are a year ░░░░░░░░ a third into this ░░░░░░░░ SEIB Well I think ░░░░░░░░ s obvious that the ░░░░░░░░ kind of broader issues ░░░░░░░░ re talking about here ░░░░░░░░ t get raised don ░░░░░░░░ get discussed But at ░░░░░░░░ point the Robert Mueller ░░░░░░░░ comes to an end ░░░░░░░░ don t know what ░░░░░░░░ end point is but ░░░░░░░░ some point later this ░░░░░░░░ I assume it will ░░░░░░░░ reached and then we ░░░░░░░░ know the answer to ░░░░░░░░ questions and maybe then ░░░░░░░░ ll move on to ░░░░░░░░ broader questions HOLMES Well ░░░░░░░░ you asked what the ░░░░░░░░ is I mean imagine ░░░░░░░░ for a moment in ░░░░░░░░ midterms let s say ░░░░░░░░ state of Ohio or ░░░░░░░░ state of Florida all ░░░░░░░░ a sudden can t ░░░░░░░░ the integrity of its ░░░░░░░░ that were just cast ░░░░░░░░ Right Yes HOMES I ░░░░░░░░ that is a fundamental ░░░░░░░░ of the American democracy ░░░░░░░░ s what the price ░░░░░░░░ HARMAN Which is huge ░░░░░░░░ and the sadly Congress ░░░░░░░░ act on a bipartisan ░░░░░░░░ in many areas Immigration ░░░░░░░░ this issue about meddling ░░░░░░░░ securing our election infrastructure ░░░░░░░░ on a on a ░░░░░░░░ sustained basis and it ░░░░░░░░ t do it.