imperialist state. they would pass things around in note form. it would take on a life and mythology on its own. so it is a dig with russia but it's really evoke active phrase. >> the way things are passed around among the aides at the white house, there is an open whisper campaign. you never know what's on the record and off the record because everyone is whispering. >> the truth is being told but under the subrosa. >> he could have said a lot of things. but using that term, a.b., seems like an intentional thing by wolff. do you have problems with the reporting technique? >> again, i'm not sticking up for michael wolff's reporting because there are too many people that are credible critics of it to ignore. it doesn't mean, as i said before, that all of this is not true. it affirms and confirms what we have already heard both from senators i have spoken to him