it s sort of become this nay sayer in the president s eyes. he does not want that again. and while i don t think it s going to be shanahan elevated to the position permanently, the senate armed services committee that would have to confirm the next secretary doesn t seem interested in that. it is not likely to be somebody of mattis s stature, a four-star retired marine general who was among the first people from the beginning who could tell the president he was making bad choices. you mentioned the nay sayers. speaking of nay sayers, this bomb shell exit interview with the los angeles times that john kelly gave he details the president s desire to get out of afghanistan back in the summer of 2016 and now we re expecting a major drawdown there as well. how is that being received in washington today? well, it s being received a couple different ways. one is that it s confirming the kelly interview confirms several things that the white house had