This interview was conducted with FRONTLINE during the making of our two-part documentary series “America's Great Divide.” Watch Part One here: ua-cam.com/video/SnMBYMOTwEs/v-deo.html and Part Two here: ua-cam.com/video/l5vyDPN19ww/v-deo.html
These interviews are so helpful in that it makes me realize how invested the media is in keeping us divided. Trump is Trump but it's as if the media is responding to his chaos with more of the same, making things far worse. Frontline is the first entity I'm aware of that is coming at this divide with the simple goal of trying to understand it, instead of profit off of it or exploit it. Hearing the perspective of those immersed in the situation, regardless of whether or not I agree or disagree with them on policy matters, makes me far less angry and much more aware of how far we've pulled away from healthy compromise. I studied religion in college, and it's as if we're constantly framing these issues in a black or white, demonic or angelic way, when actually there are plenty of shades of grey. It's tragic that things have spun so out of control, but at least here you can see that there are lots of people on both sides that genuinely care and while there are numerous things we may disagree on, what is utterly lost in the current political debate is how much we actually agree on and could find healthy accord on if we simply listened to one another and put judgement in the corner, at least temporarily. Thanks Frontline for being the ones to finally approach this crisis with maturity and compassion as opposed to screaming and blaming.
This is one of the best interviews in this series. That guy really illuminates some of the stuff I've been wondering about for years. The inauguration/alternative facts and the Rosenstein letter really start to make sense for me. Thank you so much
Really enjoying these interviews. I struggle with understanding this Administration and definitely no fan of Trump. However, it's insightful to see what's going on from a different standpoint.
3:49, But within the first five minutes that I'm in the building there's a crisis moment where the President is frustrated with the coverage of the inaugural celebration." THAT folks was Day 1.
Why should he? I don't know Trump personally and I absolutely hate his style, his antics, his gestic whatever. But here we have an obviously very intelligent guy who has worked closely to him for years, why should I label him "wrong". Also, what he says absolutely fits in the big picture, if you watch all of these interviews. June 2020 was a crucial moment, too. And I think historians will look at his stupid photo-op with the upside down bible as turbo boost to decline. But watching this interview really helps you understand the underlying dynamics
I've watched a few of these Frontline interviews. I don't care for Trump or the Republican party right now, but I found most of these interviews are very interesting and enlightening (Bannon, Kelly, Coulter, Luntz). They help me understand the other side, which is absolutely a positive. That said, Cliff Sims seems to have a tenuous grasp on what happened during Trumps tenure beyond what he was told went on.
When your modus operandi is to put your people against each other then they will start stabbing you and each other in the back. You create a culture of unrelenting and brutal competition where people will try to win any way they can. The leader who creates this environment is the one to blame and you cannot push the blame off onto the people who start stabbing other people in the back, they are just responding in the way you have forced to them to respond in order to survive in this brutal environment.
What do you think is accomplished when signs saying "All lives matter" are torn down, and only signs that say black lives matter are allowed at demonstrations? Who is turning people against each other in that case?
@@bobbinsthethird That has nothing to do with my point. If you want to have a discussion about BLM and any counter movement or counter to that counter movement then fine go have it. But it has nothing to do with what I'm saying here.
@@bobbinsthethird I say that the 'all lives matter' statement is meant to demean and diminish the message of 'black lives matter'. It demeans by insinuating that blacks want something more or special when in fact what (I think) they want is to be seen as having lives that are as worthy as all other human beings. It diminishes by allowing the rest of us to not try to understand what it may be like to live black or confront our country's history that led to those life experiences. So finally, what is accomplished by not wanting 'all lives matter' signs at BLM protests is an attempt at not letting their message get co-opted or diluted.
Some people criticize this man because of his deep religious convictions. I myself as an old timey feminist don’t share his views on things. That’s why I appreciated his clarity and openness about what happened. He may not be my kind of a political party but he’s still seems like a decent guy. And his best version of an American. I salute that.
I feel that previous administrations, from both parties, made some attempt to make in-kind replacements with the SCOTUS appointments, and understood the importance of maintaining the balance (conservative/moderate/liberal). I am a liberal, however I do not think the SCOTUS should be "stacked" in anyones favor, because the balance is what best serves the American people. Interesting that others do not see things that way at all.
Agreed. It's become all about power and I guess this is particularly true for Conservatives, given the denial of Garland in early 2019 vs the approval of Barrett later that same year.
Evangelics must be one of the most hypocritical groups on the planet. If pro-life why not make life easier and more survivable for the worst off? Why not helping everyone without health-care to safe lives??
Was raised an X-conservative, but chose to move on in middle adulthood. Conservatives find non-conservatives highly annoying because their professed values, personalities and sensibilities differ from those of conservatives. What's this country going to do? The Right and the left cannot live together any more!
Their perspective is that health care being taken over by the government would make it worse and therefore not be best for the lower income population. No reasonable voter thinks 'I want poor people to be worse off'.
@@GottaWannaDance I genuinely don't understand what you are trying to communicate to me with this comment. Please use complete sentences so that I can understand you better; and give a proper response.
At 48 and 56 minutes he admits that the press team was always making it up on the fly and had no clue what was actually happening. But doesn't seem to realize he should be ashamed of how he was just a tool
What a great interview. Great questions asked and Mr Sims did such a great job of revealing what's behind the curtain. Insightful and very much appreciated
I found this interview fascinating. A real insight into how people can kid themselves. It took me all the way to the Charlottesville apologism to fully comprehend how sinister it is.
Here is the full quote of President Trump's statement about "fine people": "You had some very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides. ... I saw the same pictures as you did. You had people in that group that were there to protest the taking down of, to them, a very, very important statue and the renaming of a park from Robert E. Lee to another name. ... So you know what, it's fine. You're changing history. You're changing culture. And you had people - and I'm not talking about the neo-Nazis and the White nationalists, because they should be condemned totally - but you had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and White nationalists. Okay? And the press has treated them absolutely unfairly. Now, in the other group also, you had some fine people. But you also had troublemakers, and you see them come with the black outfits and with the helmets and with the baseball bats. You had a lot of bad people in the other group." Asserting that President Trump was praising the Nazis and White Supremacists when he clearly did not is the "Charlottesville Fine People hoax".
One of the best of all the interviews. You can tell he is a decent, well meaning man who is trying to speak the truth as best he can from his own perspective and he is trying to be fair in how he describes what he saw and he is trying to be reasonably fair to Trump, the human being. I really appreciate that because it helps me trust what he says in that he seems to still have a clear head about it all and can help explain perspective from the people involved in the administration at the time. I thought the Bannon interviews were THE best of the bunch but this one is really great as well.
The arrogance of these GOP commentators describing Trump as some necessary blunt force instrument to attack American politics, all of them knowing that such blunt force is unlikely to hit THEM, I can't stand it. This is the class divide personified, this and the Coulter interview.
Thanks frontline for the upload/ Danke von Deutschland. Hope we can be friends again like before. "Ich bin ein Berliner was on of the best moments by you other president. Now times are different.
@@jnunez7037 Hey from Germany/ we where and still are looking for support from the US/ where so used to it that America where the shining light and that you guys would keep an open mind and share your goods, witch are your strength in having empathy, love and also humbleness like togetherness. Now its divide you and your president want and spread. That movement does find "support" and something in all ourselves jumps onto that kind of aggression feeling. Its harder to be a friend and help, easier to be against somehow. Imagine the whole world would unite and work together. Lets start with the man in the mirror. Love and peace from the old country.
This was another excellent series spoken by someone from the inside; a true believer. I’m not convinced that Trump did anything except what would personally benefit Trump. That’s who he is. My concern with the man is how he managed to put Starz in their eyes.
No, he's a religious nutjob that doesn't understand that there should be a clear separation between religion and the state. It's terrible that evangelicals think that they can force their religion on everyone else. Hopefully we can end that relationship.
One can pray, worship, preach, shout his or her religion in the public square - Constitutionally protected - read it - it's what makes Ametica great - not again, but Always! What's your issue w/ religion? Now i'll wait & watch for you to cast your illogical dispersions😂
It's very interesting how the people who claim they don't want judges legislating from the bench supported a president who would legislate from the bench. The saying, "You can't legislate morality", clearly means nothing to such individuals.
I appreciate this perspective. It makes me understand a little better why Trump comes across (to me) as both pretty smart and totally incompetent at the same time.
When he says "If we give the President the benefit of the doubt" he is really saying "let's live in denial for this little bit". Not being able to face who Trump really is distorts everything.
Yeah seriously. It's like he know's he's making a deal with the devil but doesn't want to say it out loud. Also funny how he removes himself from the administration. O no it was Trump... aren't you part of the white house?
He is covering his own butt...... he is another one in Trump’s camp. Not someone to be trusted. Do you remember the alternative fact?! He is playing another form of it!!!!
Embarrassing to hear this guy endorse Trump's chaos management theory - just means that Trump is an amateur. The White House it turned out suffered greatly because of this and ultimately Trump destroyed his ability to win a second term while at the same time losing the Senate and the House. All these people are amateur, celeb obsessed/fascinated grifters. ......"Next!" (lol)
I actually supported Trump at first but didnt vote because im not from the US or anything. I changed my mind when I saw his trip to Saudi Arabia because thats when I knew what the agenda was. Saudi Arabia is the worst of rhe worst & ive lived there for 6 years working in the financial sector. I saw some extremely shady deals going down & understood why he went there.....lets just say its no coincedence that the US now finds itself at conflict with Iran ;) When you call Saudi Arabia your ally you know its really bad... (My job was working as a liason between a well known US arms manufacturer & a Saudi corporation. War & conflicts in regions is not what it appears & people like me see things the geberal public have no idea about)
Did you happen to see late night tv (I think it was Letterman) on the day Comey was fired? The crowd went wild until it sunk in that it was Trump who did the firing. The left-leaning crowd didn't like Comey for bringing up Hillary's emails just before the election. After the Mueller investigation and the corrupt FISA warrant expose, I have no sympathy for him.
Here's what I find sad about this interview: the guy states clearly he's an evangelical Christian, yet he knew the kind person Trump was and was still willing to work for him, to lie for him. He even speaks in a way that makes it clear he's greatly enamored by him going out if his way to defend him. That's the really sad part that people dropped their moral compass just to say they rubbed elbows with power.
I don't know .... it's important that we listen to both sides, and I'm glad Frontline gives the Right an audience here. However, I really chafe at hearing a Republican complain about how "unfair" it is to have staff trying to resist Trump's policies from within the White House, etc. when you consider that that administration (1) seriously talked about using military force against our own citizens, (2) attacked & abandoned our allies on multiple occasions, (3) cozied up to dictators and undermined our own intelligence & law enforcement agencies, and (4) ultimately tried to foment a coup to derail democracy in this country. Saying those things are "unconventional" is the understatement of the millennium. Most people aren't against a party expressing opposing viewpoints and wanting a balanced policy approach that suits both sides of the political spectrum. But when that party becomes a cult of personality whose mission is to convert this country into a 3rd world dictatorship, I'm sorry friend but you CANNOT normalize that
I am a black middle class woman able to help my son pay his student's loans I don't like the progressive agenda where you don't work I believe in no hand outs I think that hurt the black community
I am a white middle class veteran mother and my daughter is in the Navy with student loans. They are not paying hers either. I help my daughter too. Student loans are tough for all middle class.
Not a Trump supporter though to make it clear. They were actually supposed to pay my daughters loans. Its not just hurting black communities. Thats what I am saying. We even had her enlist and they blocked paying her loans up and down. After enticing her to enlist to pay her student loans. She gets free school now. But they arent paying her loans.
I’ve been watching this entire series but I have to admit, the first thing that came out of this guy’s mouth turned me off. How are you an evangelical Christian, who wants your churches to have tax exemption status but yet you want to tell the rest of the country how to live their lives? And you’re willing to compromise your strict moral and ethical standards to stand side by side with an unethical president to push your agenda? Um no, I can’t abide by this mentality, it’s too one-sided and intolerant of others, yet asking for tolerance of them...
I feel the same way. I'd recommend you avoid the Frank Luntz interview in this series. I've always had this odd thing with the guy where I can't figure out if I hate him more than I respect his opinion. Not that they're mutually exclusive. But if you'd told me a couple of hours ago I would shed a tear because Frank Luntz was crying, I'd have said you were mad as a bag of cats. Him crying like that is the single scariest thing I've seen for the US. In my life.
l. kerr yeah I watched that one 😅, I don't think that these people are inherently bad, we have examples of people in our lives I would bet that have gone the wrong way, the thing here is that, the USA has become such a complex thing, for apparently, our tiny heads, that we can't deal with it, they can't deal with it, properly...., but you know what, I'd put my faith where it's been in quite a while, with People, with every last one of you that makes this world that I live in amazing, you've all done it uptill now 😊
@@Nicolas-uu3jr Well that's a heartwarming sentiment mate. Good on you. You're right of course as much as there's a lot to worry about you come across alot less dickheads and misery in the world than you'd expect given how grim the news has been lately. Have a good 'un mate.
This yutz. Donald Trump was t mad at Sessions for ‘abandoning,” him. He was upset because Trump had a plan and sessions just ducked it up. You’re here to talk. So talk. You came off like a complete child the way you danced around the truth.
Great series, provides insight into the Trump ego and all of the people he has fired and why. Trumps insecurities and his inability to surround himself with those who are intelligent, capable professionals. This young hokie from Alabama has clearly hit it on the nail; this election was about shifting the Supreme Court toward a conservative agenda. Period.
He was also getting rid of people that didn't agree with him. He wanted 100 percent loyal people that would do his bidding, even if is illegal. Like hussein, Bin Ladin and Putin
Serious question for Mr. Sims (the gentlemen being interviewed) - If Trump is not a racist nor traffics in racial loaded/coded language, what did he mean when he told Paul Ryan while watching the Tiki torch protesters shouting about who would not replace them “those are my people”?
Have been loving these interviews and listening to the competing narratives in a task that congress has truly abandoned over the years. However it both tries ones patience and makes it difficult to take someone seriously on something as important as constitutional law when their first complaint about the supreme court is that they make judgements and in doing so demonstrate a basic lack of knowledge of the Common law system and it's bedrock integration into the separation of powers.
Interesting - I suddenly realized the truth about how people close to Trump see him while Cliff Sims talked. It's not Cliff's fault but he's never seen real leadership and especially turnaround leadership - like say Jack Welsh. Cliff thinks that creating chaos works and that you have to create chaos inside the organization in order to use it to fool your opponents in international's trade situations like N. Korea and China. It's true that chaos can work in these situations, but the idea that chaos must be everywhere - with staff, with everyone - rather than a clear vision for creating chaos in order to get a particular result in international relations so that staff and everyone can help and support it. Great leaders know how to bring everyone on board and create clarity of purpose for everyone they lead. A strong turnaround leader has the ability to create a shared vision where everyone stays onboard, nobody has to lie for you, you don't have to break any laws, you don't have to completely break the rules, the staff trying to follow the rules, the staff's understanding of doing good work, playing fair, and following the constitution. Most people working in government going on "tilt" when asked to violate the constitution and that doesn't make them useless. Cliff thinks you have to create chaos, that it's good nobody is on the same page, that this creates competition between staff and wastes time and energy while people are fighting each other. And then your "customers" the American people don't trust someone telling 16,000 lies and Cliff and others think that just the way Trump implements change and the "way he rolls" but none of these people have any experience in turning around a big organization like the government and none of the staffers have ever seen a serious and very successful turnaround leader really apply good leadership.Great leaders have done their jobs with huge organizations without lying or breaking the rules. That's a fact. These leaders don't have to be 'managed' and these leaders don't have out of control swings in their emotional state (anger, etc.) The acid test for a great turnaround leader is that everyone - the customers - trust the leader and when we arrived at Corona-Virus, we saw the cost of chaos and turnover and the use of fear to coerce people rather than great leadership. Trump has no experience with leadership and the people writing about his actions have no experience with it either. Clearly the point about how Bannon lasted (also applies to Steve Miller) has been made. He only kept people who didn't try to keep him within the lines and correct his misbehaviors but rather enable and drive him to do more. PS - when you cancel your daily briefings and stop trusting input from your most professional FBI, CIA, etc. security advisors, then your explanation of Trump lying may make a little sense, but many past presidents have had to deal with telling the truth for many years in the past and the press didn't start counting their lies.
Total vindication for firing Comey. Interesting to hear the line of questioning whenever this was made. The PBS interviewers are always trying to find a 'gotcha' without being too obvious about it.
America lost its way long before Trump. Matter of fact rhats exactly why he was elected, we the people are sick of the corruption. And until we get term limits, which we will soon, the corruption wont stop! Tjjese lifers in Congress on both sides are about to go, and be exposed! And its way overdue! They get in these jobs to get rich, and to scheme and scam and sell out America, and its all coming to a head, unfortunately its 50 yrs too late.
And he went back to work for Trump even after how badly Trump handled the worst pandemic the world has seen in centuries. It takes a viper to know a viper.
"worst pandemic the world has seen in centuries" Never heard of the Spanish Flu huh? Killed 20-50 million last century. Please educate yourself before posting again.
@@mattpatterson9496 I know all about the Spanish Flu and this is worse despite advances in medicine in the last 100 years. WHO reported "...we are likely facing a significant undercount of total deaths directly and indirectly attributed to COVID-19." It is still ravaging significant part of the planet. Tokyo is in a state of emergency, England is up 4x since early June, Missouri is surging in cases along with Arkansas... This is far from over even though we have an effective vaccine. COVID is worse than the Spanish Flu, it is the worse pandemic in centries. You need to educate yourself a bit more too...
@@mattpatterson9496 Did you know the Spanish Flu likely came from the USA and was spread by our Doughboys going to war? The 1918 Flu came on the heals of WWI, conditions were a bit different from today. We have antibiotic to fight secondary diseases, we have vaccines, respirators etc... The Spanish Flu was a killer but this bug is worse, lets hope we can stop this before we hit 20,000,000 deaths but I think we are nearly half way there. The official WHO death toll is 4 million but they also say that number is "a significant undercount".
@@dgehosky Covid: 4M deaths vs Spanish Flu: 50M; with FAR lower global population at the time. They are not even in the same ballpark. You are certifiably insane if you think Covid is worse. No rational person can argue this. From this point on I will assume you are trolling.
@@mattpatterson9496 The Spanish Flu... "In Brazil, 300,000 died, including president Rodrigues Alves.[151]" They have surpassed that number with 530,344 official deaths and it is likely higher. Seriously dude go f yourself...
I loath Individual One, having said that, wasn't your 15 seconds up along time ago? Your long tenure in the WH isn't going to make your, or any other short-timers accounts, more interesting
Hard to not notice how the PBS interviewer always changed the topic of conversation when Sims brings up some situation that portrays Trump in a positive light..like "oh positive comment about Trump this is a dead end so lets try this other subject to see if we can get Trump in a negative light" - and this whole interview series does the exact same thing...and alot more too....we all know that the US political Establishment hated Trump and this interview series feels like Establishment funded anti Trump propaganda thinly masked as a legitimate interview...this type of show would not have flown as a legit piece 25 or 30 years ago when the main mantra of the media was to strive for complete political neutrality & balanced journalism....
My god, I can't believe this guy. What a quisling. Unfortunate he has so little respect for the rule of law. I do hope his career suffers for his connection to the man who spent four years breaking the law. Cliff Sims helped undermine this democracy.
Another interesting takeaway from this interview, particularly on the Russia issue. Notice how he constantly says "give Trump the benefit of the doubt" where Russia's concerned, uet he has no direct knowledge of how the Trump campaign, the Trump Administration nor Trump himself interacted with Russian gov't officials. He's not privy to any conversations key staffers or Cabinet members, such as, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn or Jeff Sessions, had with Russian officials or with Trump concerning Russia, and yet he wants people to just give Trump the benefit of the doubt that there was nothing to see there. Moreover, when speaking of the Russia investigation in terms of US/Russia relations, notice how the issue always turns to nuclear disarmament and not the question of collusion (or as Robert Mueller put it "a conspiracy"). He never really dives into the real issue. He goes around it.
Cliff Sims is a precise thinker as contrasted by the interviewer's sloppy questions. He says many umm's in trying to get his thoughts together. It's irritating.
I've been listening to this guy talk thinking he's sincere, he's telling truths, but at the same time, I sense insincere and a play at the truth. This morning I'm listening and while he's talking, my thought was he's a flim-flam man. He's an evangelical con, he tells some truth, but then doubles back with some alternative crap. 🤔 I feel like I've been duped by this interview.
This interview was conducted with FRONTLINE during the making of our two-part documentary series “America's Great Divide.”
Watch Part One here: ua-cam.com/video/SnMBYMOTwEs/v-deo.html and Part Two here: ua-cam.com/video/l5vyDPN19ww/v-deo.html
These interviews are so helpful in that it makes me realize how invested the media is in keeping us divided. Trump is Trump but it's as if the media is responding to his chaos with more of the same, making things far worse. Frontline is the first entity I'm aware of that is coming at this divide with the simple goal of trying to understand it, instead of profit off of it or exploit it. Hearing the perspective of those immersed in the situation, regardless of whether or not I agree or disagree with them on policy matters, makes me far less angry and much more aware of how far we've pulled away from healthy compromise. I studied religion in college, and it's as if we're constantly framing these issues in a black or white, demonic or angelic way, when actually there are plenty of shades of grey. It's tragic that things have spun so out of control, but at least here you can see that there are lots of people on both sides that genuinely care and while there are numerous things we may disagree on, what is utterly lost in the current political debate is how much we actually agree on and could find healthy accord on if we simply listened to one another and put judgement in the corner, at least temporarily. Thanks Frontline for being the ones to finally approach this crisis with maturity and compassion as opposed to screaming and blaming.
@@buttercrunch24 agree wholeheartedly!
Look everybody I want you all to know... I LIKE PANCAKES. :-P
Ct
Pls， play to the base. Trump killed half of the sheep geniuses via COVID-19. Pls do so- all good go team Darwin Award-
This is one of the best interviews in this series. That guy really illuminates some of the stuff I've been wondering about for years. The inauguration/alternative facts and the Rosenstein letter really start to make sense for me. Thank you so much
Really enjoying these interviews. I struggle with understanding this Administration and definitely no fan of Trump. However, it's insightful to see what's going on from a different standpoint.
Agreed
Just imagine the middle class worker and you will understand trump.
I am happy to hear more Americans discuss.
He is President not the pope # I wish people would get off their high horse.
@@NathansHVAC ....'s political persona... He personally knows nothing but silver spoon. TRUMP 2020!
NathansHVAC I'm a middle-class worker. I think he's a scumbag
3:49, But within the first five minutes that I'm in the building there's a crisis moment where the President is frustrated with the coverage of the inaugural celebration."
THAT folks was Day 1.
He began his presidency by throwing a temper tantrum, and it looks like he'll be leaving the same way.
Lmao
This might be the best episode in this entire series. WOW
I wonder if this guy looks back at this point, June 2020, and realizes how absolutely wrong he was about Trump.
His statements are about his experiences at a point in time. Not sure how that could change.
No. He has his book to sell.
Are you that sick? It is opinion, just like your Tucker Carlson. Get a doctor... pls
Why should he? I don't know Trump personally and I absolutely hate his style, his antics, his gestic whatever. But here we have an obviously very intelligent guy who has worked closely to him for years, why should I label him "wrong". Also, what he says absolutely fits in the big picture, if you watch all of these interviews. June 2020 was a crucial moment, too. And I think historians will look at his stupid photo-op with the upside down bible as turbo boost to decline. But watching this interview really helps you understand the underlying dynamics
Giving that guy the benefit of a doubt is what got us into that mess.
I've watched a few of these Frontline interviews. I don't care for Trump or the Republican party right now, but I found most of these interviews are very interesting and enlightening (Bannon, Kelly, Coulter, Luntz). They help me understand the other side, which is absolutely a positive. That said, Cliff Sims seems to have a tenuous grasp on what happened during Trumps tenure beyond what he was told went on.
Welcome to real news.
This is a great series. Watch them all.
You're right, I've been listening to these episodes in the shop every chance I get. They're very illuminating
When your modus operandi is to put your people against each other then they will start stabbing you and each other in the back. You create a culture of unrelenting and brutal competition where people will try to win any way they can. The leader who creates this environment is the one to blame and you cannot push the blame off onto the people who start stabbing other people in the back, they are just responding in the way you have forced to them to respond in order to survive in this brutal environment.
What do you think is accomplished when signs saying "All lives matter" are torn down, and only signs that say black lives matter are allowed at demonstrations?
Who is turning people against each other in that case?
@@bobbinsthethird That has nothing to do with my point. If you want to have a discussion about BLM and any counter movement or counter to that counter movement then fine go have it. But it has nothing to do with what I'm saying here.
@@bobbinsthethird I say that the 'all lives matter' statement is meant to demean and diminish the message of 'black lives matter'. It demeans by insinuating that blacks want something more or special when in fact what (I think) they want is to be seen as having lives that are as worthy as all other human beings. It diminishes by allowing the rest of us to not try to understand what it may be like to live black or confront our country's history that led to those life experiences. So finally, what is accomplished by not wanting 'all lives matter' signs at BLM protests is an attempt at not letting their message get co-opted or diluted.
well what do you think of the 2021 administration?? it's sure a real hoot isn't it?
Some people criticize this man because of his deep religious convictions. I myself as an old timey feminist don’t share his views on things. That’s why I appreciated his clarity and openness about what happened. He may not be my kind of a political party but he’s still seems like a decent guy. And his best version of an American. I salute that.
I now understand why the White House appears to be so incompetent--Trump notwithstanding.
An interview done presently would be interesting given that so many crimes have been committed by so many people.
Man... I can just see the yes man in him
YESSSSSSS
I feel that previous administrations, from both parties, made some attempt to make in-kind replacements with the SCOTUS appointments, and understood the importance of maintaining the balance (conservative/moderate/liberal). I am a liberal, however I do not think the SCOTUS should be "stacked" in anyones favor, because the balance is what best serves the American people. Interesting that others do not see things that way at all.
Agreed. It's become all about power and I guess this is particularly true for Conservatives, given the denial of Garland in early 2019 vs the approval of Barrett later that same year.
Franklin Graham. That endorsement didn’t age well.
Evangelics must be one of the most hypocritical groups on the planet. If pro-life why not make life easier and more survivable for the worst off? Why not helping everyone without health-care to safe lives??
Was raised an X-conservative, but chose to move on in middle adulthood.
Conservatives find non-conservatives highly annoying because their professed values, personalities and sensibilities differ from those of conservatives.
What's this country going to do?
The Right and the left cannot live together any more!
Their perspective is that health care being taken over by the government would make it worse and therefore not be best for the lower income population. No reasonable voter thinks 'I want poor people to be worse off'.
@@mattpatterson9496
Medicaid?
Medicare?
Social Security?
@@MH-be6hr
such as ...
Masks!
Republicans never want non-republicans to have money, easy life, relaxed with income security and food security.
@@GottaWannaDance I genuinely don't understand what you are trying to communicate to me with this comment. Please use complete sentences so that I can understand you better; and give a proper response.
At 48 and 56 minutes he admits that the press team was always making it up on the fly and had no clue what was actually happening. But doesn't seem to realize he should be ashamed of how he was just a tool
Ride with the devil then ask God for forgiveness on Judgement Day.
Incredibly fascinating insights through this man. Wow.
When Donald Trump said there were good people on both sides he wasn’t talking about confederate statues.
How do you know? So who was he talking about.
Listen to the sentence before fake news.
He didn’t say that... it’s widely available
What a great interview. Great questions asked and Mr Sims did such a great job of revealing what's behind the curtain. Insightful and very much appreciated
Most of these full interviews are really great.
I found this interview fascinating. A real insight into how people can kid themselves. It took me all the way to the Charlottesville apologism to fully comprehend how sinister it is.
Here is the full quote of President Trump's statement about "fine people":
"You had some very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides. ... I saw the same pictures as you did. You had people in that group that were there to protest the taking down of, to them, a very, very important statue and the renaming of a park from Robert E. Lee to another name. ... So you know what, it's fine. You're changing history. You're changing culture. And you had people - and I'm not talking about the neo-Nazis and the White nationalists, because they should be condemned totally - but you had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and White nationalists. Okay? And the press has treated them absolutely unfairly. Now, in the other group also, you had some fine people. But you also had troublemakers, and you see them come with the black outfits and with the helmets and with the baseball bats. You had a lot of bad people in the other group."
Asserting that President Trump was praising the Nazis and White Supremacists when he clearly did not is the "Charlottesville Fine People hoax".
"I didn't think about it at the time." Was he qualified for his position, or was ignorance a prerequisite?
One of the best of all the interviews. You can tell he is a decent, well meaning man who is trying to speak the truth as best he can from his own perspective and he is trying to be fair in how he describes what he saw and he is trying to be reasonably fair to Trump, the human being. I really appreciate that because it helps me trust what he says in that he seems to still have a clear head about it all and can help explain perspective from the people involved in the administration at the time. I thought the Bannon interviews were THE best of the bunch but this one is really great as well.
If this dude says benefit of the doubt on more time....
Indeed!
No kidding
So basically they had no problem selling their souls to the devil as long as they got what they wanted politically? Where is the morality in that?!
He's a terrific spinner.
I agree. Sell their souls to get what they want ! Exactly !
The arrogance of these GOP commentators describing Trump as some necessary blunt force instrument to attack American politics, all of them knowing that such blunt force is unlikely to hit THEM, I can't stand it. This is the class divide personified, this and the Coulter interview.
We don't care what evangelical extremists think, this country is not to be run by religious beliefs but rather logical reasoning.
WHY wasn't he asked about the PRIVITE MEETING (with NO transcript) of the meeting with Putin in Helsinki???
Thanks frontline for the upload/ Danke von Deutschland. Hope we can be friends again like before. "Ich bin ein Berliner was on of the best moments by you other president. Now times are different.
Is Trumpism gaining support in Germany, Sweden and other Euro countries?
@@jnunez7037 Hey from Germany/ we where and still are looking for support from the US/ where so used to it that America where the shining light and that you guys would keep an open mind and share your goods, witch are your strength in having empathy, love and also humbleness like togetherness. Now its divide you and your president want and spread. That movement does find "support" and something in all ourselves jumps onto that kind of aggression feeling. Its harder to be a friend and help, easier to be against somehow. Imagine the whole world would unite and work together. Lets start with the man in the mirror. Love and peace from the old country.
J N Yes it is, we see more opportunism in politics and anti establishment parties and thoughts. (Netherlands)
Ich bin ein Pferdearsch
This was another excellent series spoken by someone from the inside; a true believer. I’m not convinced that Trump did anything except what would personally benefit Trump. That’s who he is. My concern with the man is how he managed to put Starz in their eyes.
I love these interviews! I definitely am upset with how much of my family has been influenced into delinquency by Fox News. :(
What a level headed guy. Great interview.
Except that he is a religious extremist.
He's not level headed just a politician and a lier
@@mimig7737Trump 2020
No, he's a religious nutjob that doesn't understand that there should be a clear separation between religion and the state. It's terrible that evangelicals think that they can force their religion on everyone else.
Hopefully we can end that relationship.
be religious in your house and in your church. keep it out of public, govt, lives of others who have different beliefs
One can pray, worship, preach, shout his or her religion in the public square - Constitutionally protected - read it - it's what makes Ametica great - not again, but Always! What's your issue w/ religion? Now i'll wait & watch for you to cast your illogical dispersions😂
It's very interesting how the people who claim they don't want judges legislating from the bench supported a president who would legislate from the bench. The saying, "You can't legislate morality", clearly means nothing to such individuals.
I appreciate this perspective. It makes me understand a little better why Trump comes across (to me) as both pretty smart and totally incompetent at the same time.
Becoming an atheist was the best decision i have ever made
Your not an aethist...
@@cooldudecs you're
Incredible to think this lightweight had that job.
The problem is all those giddy guys on that plane are on the wrong side of history.
They are very effective.
When he says "If we give the President the benefit of the doubt" he is really saying "let's live in denial for this little bit". Not being able to face who Trump really is distorts everything.
It's fascinating to see how Sims makes excuses for Trump for himself on everything.
Yeah seriously. It's like he know's he's making a deal with the devil but doesn't want to say it out loud. Also funny how he removes himself from the administration. O no it was Trump... aren't you part of the white house?
Did you mean simps?
I'm glad you are watching real reporting and not just opinion
He is covering his own butt...... he is another one in Trump’s camp. Not someone to be trusted. Do you remember the alternative fact?! He is playing another form of it!!!!
He doesn't have a plan. He's chaotic & dangerous
perfect interview!
If this dud
Embarrassing to hear this guy endorse Trump's chaos management theory - just means that Trump is an amateur. The White House it turned out suffered greatly because of this and ultimately Trump destroyed his ability to win a second term while at the same time losing the Senate and the House. All these people are amateur, celeb obsessed/fascinated grifters. ......"Next!" (lol)
That's the definition of a narcissist!!
I wonder why Frontline doesn't cover other President's with this much zealous?
They did. Bush and Clinton. You just came late to the party
Good interviewer
He’s making Trump look way smarter than he really is. He has failed at everything but winning the presidency and did he really win that.
Its almost as if your ideology has allowed you to misconstrue the entire Trump administration.
Wall going up. 100 miles so far
I actually supported Trump at first but didnt vote because im not from the US or anything. I changed my mind when I saw his trip to Saudi Arabia because thats when I knew what the agenda was. Saudi Arabia is the worst of rhe worst & ive lived there for 6 years working in the financial sector. I saw some extremely shady deals going down & understood why he went there.....lets just say its no coincedence that the US now finds itself at conflict with Iran ;)
When you call Saudi Arabia your ally you know its really bad...
(My job was working as a liason between a well known US arms manufacturer & a Saudi corporation. War & conflicts in regions is not what it appears & people like me see things the geberal public have no idea about)
Everybody has their issues. Overall, he's better than ANY other globalist shill from either party.
Did you think he would say Saudi Arabia was not an ally?
@@hebber1961 very true and obvious
Trump also said about "The Russia Thing" to Lester Holt that he KNEW firing Comey would EXTEND the entire investigation but that Comey needed to go.
Did you happen to see late night tv (I think it was Letterman) on the day Comey was fired? The crowd went wild until it sunk in that it was Trump who did the firing. The left-leaning crowd didn't like Comey for bringing up Hillary's emails just before the election.
After the Mueller investigation and the corrupt FISA warrant expose, I have no sympathy for him.
Way to explain a president... Chaos...sad day to be an American... President Chaos...
Speaking of evangelicals, so many Christians left church because these evangelicals backed Trump.
That’s a big if! Hahahaha!🧖🏾♀️
'Hes up there working' LOL
yeah, RIGHT
Working on his lousy golf game. And he is a golf cheat to boot. Double Bogey-in-Chief.
This guy says importet instead of important and he uses that word often.
It’s a generational affectation too • you hear it a lot in the under 35 crowd •
this poor guy. He is a classic example of someone who has been in a cult. Thanks Frontline for posting these interviews.
He sounds so pitifully sycophantic.
At least the Christian cult has purpose in life.
Here's what I find sad about this interview: the guy states clearly he's an evangelical Christian, yet he knew the kind person Trump was and was still willing to work for him, to lie for him. He even speaks in a way that makes it clear he's greatly enamored by him going out if his way to defend him. That's the really sad part that people dropped their moral compass just to say they rubbed elbows with power.
This is one of the best analysis of the inner workings of the Trump WH.
You are at a level where a personal relationship is not in the cards. You are an employee and should not expect intimate fidelity.
I don't know .... it's important that we listen to both sides, and I'm glad Frontline gives the Right an audience here. However, I really chafe at hearing a Republican complain about how "unfair" it is to have staff trying to resist Trump's policies from within the White House, etc. when you consider that that administration (1) seriously talked about using military force against our own citizens, (2) attacked & abandoned our allies on multiple occasions, (3) cozied up to dictators and undermined our own intelligence & law enforcement agencies, and (4) ultimately tried to foment a coup to derail democracy in this country. Saying those things are "unconventional" is the understatement of the millennium.
Most people aren't against a party expressing opposing viewpoints and wanting a balanced policy approach that suits both sides of the political spectrum. But when that party becomes a cult of personality whose mission is to convert this country into a 3rd world dictatorship, I'm sorry friend but you CANNOT normalize that
I am a black middle class woman able to help my son pay his student's loans I don't like the progressive agenda where you don't work I believe in no hand outs I think that hurt the black community
BOT Account??
@@ogunbekuno2009 You're an idiot.
I am a white middle class veteran mother and my daughter is in the Navy with student loans. They are not paying hers either. I help my daughter too. Student loans are tough for all middle class.
Not a Trump supporter though to make it clear. They were actually supposed to pay my daughters loans. Its not just hurting black communities. Thats what I am saying. We even had her enlist and they blocked paying her loans up and down. After enticing her to enlist to pay her student loans. She gets free school now. But they arent paying her loans.
Tony FC lol, why so antagonistic Tony? Are you a BOT account too?
Trump's political method?
Baffle them with 🐃💩.
Hindsight20/20
Yes that was Barrys motto too...hes failed to dazzle them with his "brilliance"(lol) so he just baffled the with bull sheit.
Lol he doesn't come to the office until 11am but he's up there working not just watching TV. Gtfoh
I’ve been watching this entire series but I have to admit, the first thing that came out of this guy’s mouth turned me off. How are you an evangelical Christian, who wants your churches to have tax exemption status but yet you want to tell the rest of the country how to live their lives? And you’re willing to compromise your strict moral and ethical standards to stand side by side with an unethical president to push your agenda? Um no, I can’t abide by this mentality, it’s too one-sided and intolerant of others, yet asking for tolerance of them...
Trump should not get the benefit of the doubt on anything! And, there's no way that Sessions could have know that he would have to recuse!
Dear God, either mute this guy swallowing or give him a flipping drink of water. He drives me nuts with his dry throat gulps. Erg, so ick!
it's sad to see the greatest thing of my time to fall to fashism, it breaks my heart....
I feel the same way. I'd recommend you avoid the Frank Luntz interview in this series. I've always had this odd thing with the guy where I can't figure out if I hate him more than I respect his opinion. Not that they're mutually exclusive. But if you'd told me a couple of hours ago I would shed a tear because Frank Luntz was crying, I'd have said you were mad as a bag of cats. Him crying like that is the single scariest thing I've seen for the US. In my life.
l. kerr yeah I watched that one 😅, I don't think that these people are inherently bad, we have examples of people in our lives I would bet that have gone the wrong way, the thing here is that, the USA has become such a complex thing, for apparently, our tiny heads, that we can't deal with it, they can't deal with it, properly...., but you know what, I'd put my faith where it's been in quite a while, with People, with every last one of you that makes this world that I live in amazing, you've all done it uptill now 😊
@@Nicolas-uu3jr Well that's a heartwarming sentiment mate. Good on you. You're right of course as much as there's a lot to worry about you come across alot less dickheads and misery in the world than you'd expect given how grim the news has been lately. Have a good 'un mate.
@@13lochie you too dude✊🏽♥️
This yutz. Donald Trump was t mad at Sessions for ‘abandoning,” him. He was upset because Trump had a plan and sessions just ducked it up. You’re here to talk. So talk. You came off like a complete child the way you danced around the truth.
Great series, provides insight into the Trump ego and all of the people he has fired and why. Trumps insecurities and his inability to surround himself with those who are intelligent, capable professionals. This young hokie from Alabama has clearly hit it on the nail; this election was about shifting the Supreme Court toward a conservative agenda. Period.
That's just not true.
He was also getting rid of people that didn't agree with him. He wanted 100 percent loyal people that would do his bidding, even if is illegal. Like hussein, Bin Ladin and Putin
@@joemwas5442 It is true !
Glad to see you clearly got the message.
Serious question for Mr. Sims (the gentlemen being interviewed) - If Trump is not a racist nor traffics in racial loaded/coded language, what did he mean when he told Paul Ryan while watching the Tiki torch protesters shouting about who would not replace them “those are my people”?
Have the so called Evangelical Christians ever heard of the proverbial Faustian Bargain?
Wow, is this guy short sighted. Trump only defends the religious right to further his own agenda while spewing hatred for people of other faiths.
Have been loving these interviews and listening to the competing narratives in a task that congress has truly abandoned over the years. However it both tries ones patience and makes it difficult to take someone seriously on something as important as constitutional law when their first complaint about the supreme court is that they make judgements and in doing so demonstrate a basic lack of knowledge of the Common law system and it's bedrock integration into the separation of powers.
The San Francisco 9th circuit was not constitutional.
Interesting - I suddenly realized the truth about how people close to Trump see him while Cliff Sims talked. It's not Cliff's fault but he's never seen real leadership and especially turnaround leadership - like say Jack Welsh. Cliff thinks that creating chaos works and that you have to create chaos inside the organization in order to use it to fool your opponents in international's trade situations like N. Korea and China.
It's true that chaos can work in these situations, but the idea that chaos must be everywhere - with staff, with everyone - rather than a clear vision for creating chaos in order to get a particular result in international relations so that staff and everyone can help and support it. Great leaders know how to bring everyone on board and create clarity of purpose for everyone they lead.
A strong turnaround leader has the ability to create a shared vision where everyone stays onboard, nobody has to lie for you, you don't have to break any laws, you don't have to completely break the rules, the staff trying to follow the rules, the staff's understanding of doing good work, playing fair, and following the constitution. Most people working in government going on "tilt" when asked to violate the constitution and that doesn't make them useless.
Cliff thinks you have to create chaos, that it's good nobody is on the same page, that this creates competition between staff and wastes time and energy while people are fighting each other. And then your "customers" the American people don't trust someone telling 16,000 lies and Cliff and others think that just the way Trump implements change and the "way he rolls" but none of these people have any experience in turning around a big organization like the government and none of the staffers have ever seen a serious and very successful turnaround leader really apply good leadership.Great leaders have done their jobs with huge organizations without lying or breaking the rules. That's a fact.
These leaders don't have to be 'managed' and these leaders don't have out of control swings in their emotional state (anger, etc.)
The acid test for a great turnaround leader is that everyone - the customers - trust the leader and when we arrived at Corona-Virus, we saw the cost of chaos and turnover and the use of fear to coerce people rather than great leadership. Trump has no experience with leadership and the people writing about his actions have no experience with it either.
Clearly the point about how Bannon lasted (also applies to Steve Miller) has been made. He only kept people who didn't try to keep him within the lines and correct his misbehaviors but rather enable and drive him to do more.
PS - when you cancel your daily briefings and stop trusting input from your most professional FBI, CIA, etc. security advisors, then your explanation of Trump lying may make a little sense, but many past presidents have had to deal with telling the truth for many years in the past and the press didn't start counting their lies.
Total vindication for firing Comey. Interesting to hear the line of questioning whenever this was made. The PBS interviewers are always trying to find a 'gotcha' without being too obvious about it.
We all have to listen to all points of view, but this is plainly right wing BS.
We don't need any more chaos and division.
NO DUDE...America lost when it elected Trump..... we are not ALL screwed, though.
America lost its way long before Trump. Matter of fact rhats exactly why he was elected, we the people are sick of the corruption.
And until we get term limits, which we will soon, the corruption wont stop! Tjjese lifers in Congress on both sides are about to go, and be exposed!
And its way overdue!
They get in these jobs to get rich, and to scheme and scam and sell out America, and its all coming to a head, unfortunately its 50 yrs too late.
Watching PBS is like watching MSNBC 🤮
Unless we watch Fox we would rarely get to hear this bs.
And he went back to work for Trump even after how badly Trump handled the worst pandemic the world has seen in centuries. It takes a viper to know a viper.
"worst pandemic the world has seen in centuries" Never heard of the Spanish Flu huh? Killed 20-50 million last century. Please educate yourself before posting again.
@@mattpatterson9496 I know all about the Spanish Flu and this is worse despite advances in medicine in the last 100 years. WHO reported "...we are likely facing a significant undercount of total deaths directly and indirectly attributed to COVID-19." It is still ravaging significant part of the planet. Tokyo is in a state of emergency, England is up 4x since early June, Missouri is surging in cases along with Arkansas... This is far from over even though we have an effective vaccine. COVID is worse than the Spanish Flu, it is the worse pandemic in centries. You need to educate yourself a bit more too...
@@mattpatterson9496 Did you know the Spanish Flu likely came from the USA and was spread by our Doughboys going to war? The 1918 Flu came on the heals of WWI, conditions were a bit different from today. We have antibiotic to fight secondary diseases, we have vaccines, respirators etc... The Spanish Flu was a killer but this bug is worse, lets hope we can stop this before we hit 20,000,000 deaths but I think we are nearly half way there. The official WHO death toll is 4 million but they also say that number is "a significant undercount".
@@dgehosky Covid: 4M deaths vs Spanish Flu: 50M; with FAR lower global population at the time. They are not even in the same ballpark. You are certifiably insane if you think Covid is worse. No rational person can argue this. From this point on I will assume you are trolling.
@@mattpatterson9496 The Spanish Flu... "In Brazil, 300,000 died, including president Rodrigues Alves.[151]" They have surpassed that number with 530,344 official deaths and it is likely higher. Seriously dude go f yourself...
This dude is the sweetest conservative I have ever seen Hahahah
John Rome Alabama charm
@
If you're told your whole life that southern conservatives are racist, bigoted, stupid devils, anything other than that seems like a surprise.
Sweet as a copperhead eating a rat. A loyal Trumper, who writes a kiss-and-tell to cash-in, and sues Trump when he strikes back.
Poor kid. A cult is a terrible thing to lose.
I loath Individual One, having said that, wasn't your 15 seconds up along time ago? Your long tenure in the WH isn't going to make your, or any other short-timers accounts, more interesting
Hard to not notice how the PBS interviewer always changed the topic of conversation when Sims brings up some situation that portrays Trump in a positive light..like "oh positive comment about Trump this is a dead end so lets try this other subject to see if we can get Trump in a negative light" - and this whole interview series does the exact same thing...and alot more too....we all know that the US political Establishment hated Trump and this interview series feels like Establishment funded anti Trump propaganda thinly masked as a legitimate interview...this type of show would not have flown as a legit piece 25 or 30 years ago when the main mantra of the media was to strive for complete political neutrality & balanced journalism....
My god, I can't believe this guy. What a quisling. Unfortunate he has so little respect for the rule of law. I do hope his career suffers for his connection to the man who spent four years breaking the law. Cliff Sims helped undermine this democracy.
Another interesting takeaway from this interview, particularly on the Russia issue.
Notice how he constantly says "give Trump the benefit of the doubt" where Russia's concerned, uet he has no direct knowledge of how the Trump campaign, the Trump Administration nor Trump himself interacted with Russian gov't officials. He's not privy to any conversations key staffers or Cabinet members, such as, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn or Jeff Sessions, had with Russian officials or with Trump concerning Russia, and yet he wants people to just give Trump the benefit of the doubt that there was nothing to see there. Moreover, when speaking of the Russia investigation in terms of US/Russia relations, notice how the issue always turns to nuclear disarmament and not the question of collusion (or as Robert Mueller put it "a conspiracy"). He never really dives into the real issue. He goes around it.
When it comes to politics l don't give anyone the benefit of the the doubt. I only listen to what they say and watch what they do.
This guy is full of it. Bolton gives a better view of Trumps chaotic management style
Cliff Sims is a precise thinker as contrasted by the interviewer's sloppy questions. He says many umm's in trying to get his thoughts together. It's irritating.
The thing I found out about Trump is loyalty is a one way street- how’d that cult of personality work out?
Wonder what this guy thinks of Jan 6
I've been listening to this guy talk thinking he's sincere, he's telling truths, but at the same time, I sense insincere and a play at the truth. This morning I'm listening and while he's talking, my thought was he's a flim-flam man. He's an evangelical con, he tells some truth, but then doubles back with some alternative crap. 🤔 I feel like I've been duped by this interview.
Yes, a little bit like Trump
He's too young and inexperienced to be taken seriously. He is naive to speak with such confidence and certainty.
What time were the inauguration pictures taken? Besides, Obamunists have a lot of time on their hands.
I had to wash my hands after listening to this interview.... vaccine please.
Lol
A great point made about 'energizing' that slice of the population who can push the election in your favor....
is the king naked ? this man and will follow never challenge
Trump, not a good face for Christianity, but a defender? That sword swings both ways.
They did not vet the facts properly before saying them publicly, thus ruining his credibility. shocking... and spicer is a fool, to say the least
Cant beat CNN
Why did he never give the simple answer "because Trump is a Narcissist"? That was danced around but never explicitly said.
So what. Trump is an alpha male. You think any president is a beta? Even Hillary has bernies balls.
Cliff Sims is citing ‘Wikipedia?’ 🤣
Probably a Soviet double agent.