QUOTE OF THE DAY – AT 1:47 P.M. ET:  From General John Kelly, the president's chief of staff.  It may not be the most eloquent thing ever said, but it summarizes very nicely the challenges faced by the Trump administration.  From RealClearPolitics:

REPORTER: General Kelly, heard you say, you're not so frustrated that you're thinking of leaving. But are you frustrated?

CHIEF OF STAFF JOHN KELLY: No, I'm not frustrated.

This is really, really hard work running the United States of America. I don't run it, but I'm working for someone who is dedicated to serving the country in the way that he's talked about for a number of years. There are incredible challenges: you know, economic challenges, health care challenges, all of that. Obviously, international challenges that have to be dealt with.

I -- I don't mean any criticism to Mr. Trump's predecessors, but there was an awful lot of things that were, in my view, kicked down the road, that came -- that have come home to roost pretty much right now, that have to be dealt with.

This is hard, hard work, and my only frustration, with all due respect to everyone in the room, is when I come to work in the morning and read about things I allegedly said, or things that Mr. Trump allegedly said, or people who were going to be fired or whatever other thing, and it's just not true. That's my frustration. And I mean no disrespect to you all.

COMMENT:   Kelly is emerging as one of the great figures of this administration.  He strikes me as very calm, very analytical, and capable of cutting through the Washington haze.  His Marine Corps background gives him substantial credibility.  He lost a son, a Marine officer, in Afghanistan.  He understands what is at stake here.

October 14, 2017