. >> briefly, jaclyn, the turnover is just unprecedented. >> yeah. i think jim's exactly right going into 2020 with the president having campaigned on extracting the u.s. from our foreign entanglements it's going to be important for him to pick someone who coalesces to exactly what he wants. that line in jim mattis' resignation letter after he resigned over the sudden draw down in afghanistan and syria really stands out to me, he wrote, you should find someone whose views better align with yours because jim is right, this president does not want to hear criticism as much as he says he loves to collect contrasting views, but especially when that criticism leaks out into the open and makes the administration look just as tumultuous as it actually is. >> peter baker is joining me now, msnbc political analyst, chief white house correspondent for the "new york times," you were in the chair as we were beginning the show to talk about other issues, and obviously the john bolton firing or resignation, as you will, took precedence. you ran to do your reportin