Bannon. Quoted throughout the book blasting the president s family and belittling, he, bannon was the one running the show. Earlier the president dropped the curtain on that contention. Did steve bannon be tray you, mr. President . Any words about steve bannon . I dont know. He called me a great man last night, so he obviously changed his tune pretty quick. Thank you all very much. Thank you. I dont talk to him. I dont talk to him. Thats just a misnomer. Thank you. Then just a couple minutes ago, White House Press secretary rejected the books accuracy big time especially condemning the assertion the president did not want to win the election. And calling for breitbart to think about firing steve bannon as chief executive. But there are numerous examples of falsehoods that take place in the book. Ill give you one just because its really easy. The fact that there was a claim that the president didnt know who john boehner was is pretty ridiculous im not going to waste my time or the countrys time going page by page talking about a book thats complete fant city and full of tabloid gossip. And it is absolutely laughable to think that somebody like this president would run for office with the purpose of losing. If you guys know anything, you know that donald trump is a winner. And hes not going to do something for the purpose of not coming out on top and not coming out as a winner. Its just, i mean thats one of the most ridiculous things i think the claims in the book. With me now cnn political analyst brian who is also executive editor at the newspaper there. Freezing cold at the white house. Well appreciate you brian. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me. Good to see you. You were just in the briefing. Well get to all of the different adjectives that Sarah Sanders used to describe this whole Michael Wolffs book. But first lets get to you and your question that you asked of Sarah Sanders in the briefing. Here you go. Sure. So next week when he goes to his physical, are there mental acuity tests that go along with that or is it purely physical in nature . Well discuss, as i said, that when i announce hell be doing the physical, well have a read out after that is completed and well let you know at that time. So if people couldnt quite here, you were asking about mental acuity. Mental acuity. Mental acuity. Talk to me about the thinking into asking that question, brian. Well, there has been many concerns, accusations, insinuations that the president isnt mentally fit for office. So when he goes through his physical next week, its i think a relevant question to ask exactly what goes into that particular exam and are there mental aspects to it to see if he has the mental acuity needed. Tried to back into that one because i knew it would be a rather fiery question to ask. But its a legitimate question to ask considering everything thats gone on in this white house. I mean, talk about intrigue, its like game of thrones. Its odd. How long have you been covering the washington . How long in washington, brian, a long time, right . Yes. Off and on the first president i covered was reagan and off and on since then. So its a little strange. I havent seen anything like it. You have that perspective. I just wanted to make that point. You cover. You are there. You are covering the white house every day. And to this Michael Wolff book, excerpts we have seen and new York Magazine and guardian and today in the hollywood reporter, a lot confirms what has been out there in the either, chaos, dysfunction, choose your word in the trump world. But the thing is direct quotes in ha lot of these cases come from within. The white house, yes. And we see it from the outside. You talk about chaos and dis function, anything here on a daily basis sees that. And there are people who acknowledge that inside the white house and those who do not and defend the president. And so coming from someone on the inside like bannon who was close to the president , despite what the president is saying now, that person coming forward saying it has some gravitas that otherwise had not been involved in that issue before. And thats pretty important to acknowledge. Now, there are all kinds of things going on saying that some of the quotes were not accurate. Some of them were. Whatever. But the point is no one in his inner stir cell until now has come forward to tell us of the depth of the dysfunction inside this white house. Words dont even describe it. I mean, i honestly have never seen anything like it at any time. Which explains the twitter outburst from the president maybe getting tipped off all this would be coming out. Twitter litter. Thats all it is. He deflects, defends, he wants to keep you away from the issues at hand. And put issues out there. Thats why he goes after us, i think, sometimes and why he creates issues to go after. He wants to avoid the real issues that are going on. And these are rather explosive. But i mean any day, you know, i would say hey, it was a full news day today, and its not even 4 00 yet, who knows whats going to happen two hours from now. Let alone tomorrow or the next day. We are only four days into the year, brooke. The year is young. Brian, well talk go very soon. Thank you much. Keep asking the tough questions. Thank you. With regard to the book we are talking about, president lawyer is firing back with well worn tactic threat go en go to. His targets including women accusing him of alleged Sexual Harassment an assault, senator ted cruz, bill marr. You get where we are going. Also lets talk to michael smer nice to see you. What do you think . I think a salacious book that has nothing to do with him. Because talking about steve bannon. Well, im not convinced that the president is as riled about this as the white house is suggesting. And as we are all making it out to be. I think he for better or worse thrives on chaos. This is straight out of page 6 of the New York Post and probably makes him feel hes back in midtown manhattan. How do you explain the whole 16 tweets and the whole my button is bigger than your button . Great fodder. Ultimate reality show until we get to monday and hands out fake news awards and its got us all absolutely enthaled. I just totally buy into what he said a few moments ago, that would be impocket. But brooke, im sitting here listening to this saying if im at the white house and want to sell Michael Wolff book what am i going to do, im going to trash t im going to threaten l litigation, i might even file a writ of some kind to pursue this a bit. It doesnt seem like the strategy to get the media to move on from all of it. Instead, it seems like a strategy thats des continued to keep des continuteened to keep talking about it. Im not sure. Talking about Sarah Sanders about asking the president s physical and questioning whether he would have some sort of mental acuity test which is quite a question to be asked the white house. So we now know this yale scientist wept scientist went to washington and briefed on the president s mental state. Whats your take on this concern through congress . I dont like it. And i think it sets a dangerous precedent. I dont like the idea of individuals making diagnosis that they havent met much less examined. There was a split in the fall of last year where some were saying they thought this was appropriate. And others were saying that they dont like it. And i would just suggest to those who think its appropriate to question the mental competence of a public servant, how will you feel in a couple of years when someone of a Different Party is in that. Do you really want to set that kind of a precedent . Back to steve bannon, how we know today hes been doing radio, been answering questions. And despite all these quotes coming out of Michael Wolff and his literature, apparently bannon is reiterating his support for trump and agenda. He called one caller, quote, lets not let the left wing media stir that up. But how do you reconcile his response to this book here with the direct quotes attributed to him in the book . I dont think there is much doubt that bannon said those things that are in the book and an attributed to him. And i base that on the following reason, as far as i know t hes not disavowed any of those statements. Hes not, for example, disavowed the treasonous statement. If he has, im unaware of it. And, brooke, even though there is a lot of back and forth whats factual in the book, i think its pretty clear the president believed bannon said that or the president would not release the statement four or five paragraphs long that he did yesterday. So on that issue, you know, we may debate whether the president recognized John Boehners name when he said it. But on tres son us, i think trump thinks steve bannon really did say it. And as they are saying on axios there are tapes. Are there tapes of that assertion, i dont know. But i want to hear what was said. Maybe we will. Finally, the trump administration, she was asked in the briefing about pot, right, this whole marijuana crack down. Jeff sessions rescinding the obama policy of noninterference with marijuana friendly state laws. What is the potential political strategy behind the timing here and how will this play with trumps loyal base . You know, i think this is so potentially disruptive economically. Because just monday california came online with fully legalized pot they have been implementing over time and do so in the future. And part and parcel of the strategy is bring people in from the cold. Bring people in and make them work within the system. If you were a grower, if you were someone somehow involved in the marijuana trade hand contemplating going aboveboard, what are you going to do now . Ill tell you why i dont like t i think its hypocritical and at odds with republican montra of states rights. You could argue, well, Jeff Sessions is just doing his job. And to that point, heres the answer, Congress Needs to get off the did you have and make the federal law a line with the state law. Off their duff. Michael, see you this weekend. Thank you as always. Thank you. Coming up next book full of details about the president himself, how this is likely playing out behind the scenes. Well talk to someone who knows him quite well. And leave them at the door, the white house banning the use of personal cell phones much to the ire of white house staffers. Well talk about that next. And we covered it, july first, twentyfifteen. Talk to farmers. We know a thing or two because weve seen a thing or two. We are farmers. Bumpadum, bumbumbumbum steyer the president S National Security adviser guilty. His Campaign Chairman under indictment. His soninlaw secret talks with russians. The director of the fbi fired. Special counsel Robert Muellers criminal investigation has already shown why the president should be impeached. You can send a message to your representatives at needtoimpeach. Com and demand they finally take a stand. This president is not above the law. Its time for sleep numbers lowest prices of the season on the only bed that adjusts on both sides to your ideal comfort, your sleep number setting. And snoring . Does your bed do that . Its the lowest prices of the season on the queen c4 mattress with adjustable comfort on both sides. Now only 1199, save 400. Ends soon. Visit sleepnumber. Com for a store near you. Do you think he would have it against the president . Ill tell you against pretty Good Authority he might be considering that. Talking about steve bannon with regard to the president aesz statement yesterday since he was out of the white house lost his mind, saying perhaps defamation suit is headed to the president. Let me bring in one of the president s long time confident ceo news media, chris ready. Welcome back. Nice to see you. Great to be on, brooke. So that was some news phone sthal on lawsuit maybe heading the president s way. Thoughts . I think we need to bring in the yale psychiatrist. I think she had me as sane. Seriously. Sorry. If you think the defamation on the way to the president because he said steve bannon lost his mind and maybe that has more merit the white house thinking they can stop the book from being published, what do you think about that . Well, i think he was saying that to be somewhat facetious maybe. I dont think he was saying hes mentally steve, i wrote on my blog today about this whole episode that i thought steve was delusional. I said the first evidence was when he was fired back in august by the president. He gave an interview to the New York Times and he said that basically the Trump Presidency was over. It was over because he, steve, who was an aide at the white house was leaving. I think steve has had an exhibit aggravated upon of himself. Most people didnt know who steve bannon was, people in politics and news media like we, we certainly knew who he was. But most people in the country until he started working for donald trump and his campaign. And hes ridden the coat tails very effectively. But donald trump made steve bannon and now steve has been very critical, harshly critical and mean spirited in some of the things he said not only the president but his family mts and i think very unfair some of the things he said. I hope he didnt really mean the things he said. So going back to one of the words he used there, you said delusional. Based on what you just ptolemy, would you agree with the president that hes lost his mind, steve bannon. Well, im not a psychiatrist. Ill n im not trying to give a medical analysis here of steve bannon. Im not asking for that. I actually think steve has been fairly strategic. I think there is more likelihood here he would like to see the president , hes been telling people, and was quoted as saying the president only had a 30 chance of even finishing out his term. But when you make comments like that the president s son engaged in treasonous meeting at trump tower, which is patently false, or you claim that the trump family has engaged in Money Laundering which i think is an absurd claim on all the business and they have done over the years. You have to ask yourself what is his agenda . Is it difficult to make him for the running election . There was some thoughts steve was thinking of running for president. This is part of the delusional syndrome hes living through. But he actually told vanity fair and people around him that hes thinking of this opportunity. I dont think he can do it if donald trump runs in 2020. But he may think he can do it if donald trump is not the candidate. Or stnt running again. Hmm, so you think this is really about steve bannon digging himself up, thats interesting just hearing the way you see it, which is exactly what i wanted to hear. You brought up a second ago that yale psychiatrist who apparently briefed mostly democratic lawmakers in d. C. On president s mental state. And regardless what you think of this psychiatrist credibility, chris, is it fair for lawmakers who are concerned to get answers to those concerns . I think there are people that are seeing the president all the time. I just saw him about half dozen times over the christmas holiday. I never noticed anything that i thought would show that he was mentally unfit for office. Now, donald trump is a theatrical type character. He had a hit tv show for almost 15 years in prime time. Nobody has that. This is unheard of. So i think there is a theatrical flare which we all saw during this heated Controversial Campaign and the voters still elected him. Now his approaches on things, and hell call people names, they are not my approaches, i dont necessarily agree with them. But i dont think you can claim because he calls someone a name, therefore hes mentally unstable. And i think when you have michael pence, general mattis and kelly, nobody around him is thinking that. And i dont think they would risk the countrys security if they thought he was not fit for able to conduct the office of the president. So i think its absurd. Its unfair. And i agree with michael smer comeish comment to make a diagnosis without diagnosing the person or meeting even the person. On this Michael Wolff book, by the way what im about to say, we at cnn have not confirmed any of this, a lot of direct quotes, this was not. But in one of the pieces in describing trumps run for president , he paints this picture toward the end of the campaign, not many people within team trump thought they would win, making plans to do tv, whatever else. In fact, candidate trump was quoted telling his aide sam none berg quote i can be the most famous man in the world. Yes, running for president is going to raise anyones profile. But how much was it about fame . Well, lets remember, sam none berg, good guy, he left the campaign fairly early. He was one of the initial architects of the campaign. I think when the president first announced he was expected to give voice for a lot of the issues he was concerned about the Republican Party and the nation. I dont think he had an expectation he was going to win. I think thats accurate. But as time went on, as he defeated 15 well financed republicans, as he took on the clinton machine, the Democratic Party and seeing polls in ohio, and i talked to him about this, i dont believe he initially thought he was going to win, but he saw a pathway and worked hard and won the election. So everyone under estimates this guy. Hes been successful in business. Built a billion dollar real estate business and brand company. Then he went into politics. And within two years took on the Republican Democratic establishment. The Media Establishment like cnn and other networks. And he still won. So i think everybody under estimates. Oh, trying to figure out why hes doing this or not doing that. And im not sitting here trying to under estimate, chris, but i just wanted to ask, the intention, and i hear you maybe he thought at first maybe he wasnt going to win, i was just curious if any of these, you know, what ive read is true that he was fin it to be famous . So, well, there is a lot of reasons. Like i remember there was stories when bill clinton ran in 1992 he had no idea he was going to win. He thought he was preparing for future president ial run chblt not only did he win the primary but went on to win the presid