Tom Cole: Trump’s Putin Comments ‘Not Appropriate’ and It Hurts Him

EXCERPT:

COLE: "On the other hand, I’m pretty heartened when I hear Ambassador Haley’s first remarks at the U.N. were pretty tough on the Russians. I don’t have any doubt about where Jim Mattis stands on this issue. And frankly, I think Rex Tillerson, even though he caught a lot of heat for having a relationship with Putin, is actually a very pragmatic, very tough minded guy. I think the President is going to get good advice. And I think in the end he’ll do the right thing. I agree. I think that rhetoric was not appropriate. Really, it hurt the President and frankly it’s something that’s just not good when a President mischaracterizes who we are as a country and the people."