Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Carl Bernstein says the sequestration is the product of total irresponsibility on the part of the Congress of the United States.
“These are people who have not, for going on 30 years, dealt responsibly with the national interest. They’ve looked at parochial interests, financial interests, the interests of their constituencies back home, in terms of a narrow geographical area, but not the national interest. And the result is that our system of government is broken.”
msnbc host Alex Witt asked Bernstein about the recent back-and-forth between Woodward and the White House and the origins of sequestration.
“Bob and I have talked about it a lot. I think Bob’s story was absolutely right about the origins of sequestration. Obama proposed it. I don’t think anybody ever expected it to come to be, certainly he didn’t. The Republicans, I think, hoped it would come to be, and rapidly embraced it. I think it’s irresponsible all around. “
Bernstein also weighed in on whether Hillary Clinton will run for president in 2016.
“Bill Clinton wants her to run. Assuming that she’s healthy, I think you would have to assume that he would be healthy as well, if she were to run. It’s a long ways off. She needs her rest – think about this, here’s somebody who one, went through being the first lady during this turbulent presidency that included her husband’s impeachment in the Lewinsky matter, and became, really, the person who saved his presidency, who ran the fight against impeachment for him, went from there straight to a race for the U.S. Senate, won that race, served in the Senate, went from there straight to a presidential race, did not stop, became the Secretary of State, traveled more miles probably than anyone in the history of the world except maybe Pope John Paul II, seen by more people—turned into a great Secretary of State, in terms of being an ambassador for the United States. “
Johanna Hoecker