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In each instance, my primary decision is based on how can i deliver service to the american people and in this case how can i deliver for our veterans? and because they are people of integrity, i think in both cases of secretary sebelius but certainly in the case here of rick shinseki, they've got the same priority. their view is what is it that is going to best deliver on behalf of folks who as rick said this morning have been let down? >> if i remember at the time you felt she had knowledge about what had gone wrong that you couldn't afford to lose that. does someone with three months of lea...

Media spotlight, once it became a political firestorm for the white house, it really turned the spotlight on shin shaky for the first time in a way that he has never had that spotlight on him. during his entire 3-ye h38-year military career, the last 5 years at the va. this is a guy who has shied away from the spotlight. he's always believed doing his job, going out around the country, talking to people about the facts, is what he needed to do. once the firestorm hit, many people who know him very well will tell you that he really struggled with how to cope with it. he doesn't like the spotlig...

Drew, of course, bringing additional matters to light in his reporting. perhaps the issue that has really occurred, as my colleague jake tapper said a while ago, is the national media spotlight turned on this, it became, very quickly, one of those political firestorms in washington that catches hold that can't be contained. the actual facts are the va has been a management disaster for years. was eric shinseki decent, fine human being that he is, very honored veteran, wounded vietnam veteran, was he ever actually the right person to run the department? i have to tell you, a lot of four stars i...

Controversy developed. seven facilities facing allegations of cooking the books awarded more than $8.7 million in bonuses to more than 12,000 employees. raising this issue. >> we've had problems time and time again where it appears that it's much easier to get a bonus at va than it is to get disciplined or be fired. >> reporter: one government watchdog group argues that scandal brings to light an over arching problem for the federal government. >> literally has to be committing a crime in order to get fired in the federal government. >> now, tom also made the point to me that this comes down t...

Hearings. they have a backlog more than a year long of information requests out of the va for simple facts. things that the va can turn over to them in a matter of hours up. but they just would not respond to requests for information. >> the war veterans from iraq and afghanistan, what's the single biggest problem they face now? they come home, they do two, three, four tours. they come home. what's the single biggest problem many of them are facing right now? >> i think one of the biggest problems, they certainly face many problems. one of the biggest is going to be stigma and stepping forward...