Andrea Mitchell seems annoyed with Gen. Mattis.

[madaboutharry]

He is so unwilling to say anything. What is the point?

Is he afraid of Trump?

FWIW, I find his continual claim of "humility" a bit annoying. Truly humble people don't need to announce it.

[Siwsan]

1. Some truly misguided sense of loyalty to someone who is loyal to no one?

I truly hope there is no dossier out there, on Mattis, that's being used as leverage.

[katmondoo]

2. I watched Mattis on Morning Joe and felt the same

He seemed not to want to criticize Trump because he was The President and his boss at the time he served. He gave me an uneasy feeling as if he was defending Trump in spite of all that Trump has done and said.

[stopdiggin]

7. I don't know if it's loyalty, or hubris

I think I detect a degree of self-important gravitas in some of these guys (Mattis, Comey). Doing the "right thing" against all odds (and sometimes contrary advice). I don't call it humility when you are wearing your rectitude (and self-righteousness) on your sleeve so conspicuously. How can you be at all humble, when you are so clearly superior?

[NewJeffCT]

8. sadly, many are still operating under a "pre Trump" mindset

where a Mattis quitting like he did would have been an explosive story. But, with Trump, it's just the 3rd or 4th biggest explosive story of the day.

Same with Mueller - when he sent a letter to Barr, some analysts compared it to Mueller standing outside of DOJ setting himself on fire - a huge story before the Trump Error, but barely registering these days.

[thesquanderer]

19. I think his reticence to criticize Trump is explained in this article...

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/10/james-mattis-trump/596665/

Short version: He's not going to say anything critical of the commander-in-chief for as long as he is still the commander-in-chief. Ask again after Trump is out of the WH.

[KPN]

25. We can only hope.

[Aristus]

3. Like Uriah Heep in 'David Copperfield' with his annoying, disingenuous claims

of being " 'umble".

[Kurt V.]

13. +1

[jcgoldie]

35. !!!

[Mike Nelson]

4. I am annoyed with...

... Mitchell and Mattis, as a norm.

[RockRaven]

5. The last episode of the Rational Security podcast had a great rant about Mattis/this issue

by Susan Hennessy. She nailed him to the wall.

[atreides1]

6. Mattis, like Kelley..

Is a toady...he didn't seem to have a problem making remarks when the sitting President was black!!!! Kelley got a job with a private prison company that is getting government contracts to lock up immigrants...Mattis "wrote" a book that basically says nothing at all!!!

Looks as if there is such a thing as ex-Marines, Mattis and Kelly are evidence of that!!!

[snowybirdie]

9. Remember Pres. Obama

removed him from CentComm early because of his hawkish wish to invade Iran! Not a friend to progressives and Democrats.

[KPN]

29. THIS ... is the explanation that best fits Mattis

and his tell nothing as tell all behavior. He isn’t about to provide Democrats with any bullets. We truly are the enemy within.

[Me.]

10. He Was Certainly Willing To Criticize PBO & Biden

[duforsure]

11. Mattis acting cowardly shows why he held his position with trump for so long.

He said nothing and watched him do this to our country. I lost respect for him a long time ago.

[HAB911]

12. Not an unusual position for what we used to call a "Lifer"

those of us that were drafted, at least.

[dlk]

14. Never Underestimate the Power of Russian Kompromat

It’s likely much more widespread than we know.

[Pachamama]

28. +1000000

This.....

Exactly

[marble falls]

15. She's not the only one. Why won't he spill the truth?

[EveHammond13]

16. I'd say to him, Thanks for nothing, asshole!

[NonPC]

17. Can You Say "Lobbyist"?

First, promote your book. Solidify your legacy. Make a few million dollars.

Then, get hired by a "law firm" or outright lobbying organization. Make more millions.

Hope that history will treat you right, even though your were a coward in the end.

[bucolic_frolic]

18. A wonton display of kowtow

from both sides. that's how you remain entrenched so long.

[FakeNoose]

20. Mattis probably won't be invited back

They get these guys on the talk shows because they're supposed to say something interesting. I don't know this for a fact, but I've often suspected that the guests were handed a script to go by, because the network doesn't want the screentime wasted if the guest doesn't say anything interesting. If Mattis isn't going to cooperate then they'll get another talking head on there that will. Andrea has enough clout, I would think.

[lunatica]

21. Why is Mattis even in the news?

[madaboutharry]

22. Seems he wrote a boring book that said nothing!

He certainly has nothing to say about it.

[lunatica]

31. Thanks!

It makes one wonder where in the world did he get the nickname “Mad dog”

Did he crack a smile once? Was that it?

[mercuryblues]

34. I remember that Seinfeld episode

[Mr.Bill]

23. Just another Trump bootlicker

selling a book.

[Pepsidog]

24. Great point. He has a platform, why is he so timid? Staying quiet is not being a good soldier.

[irisblue]

26. Mattis on NPR morning Edition this week, I felt he was weasly

Day 1 interview---https://www.npr.org/2019/09/02/756681750/jim-mattis-nations-with-allies-thrive-nations-without-allies-wither


Jim Mattis: 'Nations With Allies Thrive, Nations Without Allies Wither'

Day2-https://www.npr.org/2019/09/03/756976562/a-leaders-job-is-to-set-the-vision-retired-gen-mattis-says

Both days interviews available online ~16 minutes total


A Leader's Job Is To Set The Vision, Retired Gen. Mattis Says

He is selling books and his honor

[Pachamama]

27. I'm annoyed at Mattis too

So if andrea Mitchell is expressing annoyance - I get it

[riversedge]

30. I listened to Mattis about 5 minutes and shut him off. What a putz!!

[redstateblues]

32. Same here. Bunch of pablum

[lanlady]

33. a Marine Corps friend of mine worked with Mattis at DOD

He said Mattis is a superficial intellectual & really not all that bright. He was deeply mixed up in the Theranos scandal and enthralled by Elizabeth Holmes' con artistry, which showed a total lack of judgment. Mattis would have given Holmes millions of dollars of our hard-earned tax dollars if not for the sharp WSJ reporter who caught on to her deceptions and exposed Theranos as a fraud.

[jcgoldie]

36. Saw him on Tapper

Buncha both sidesism... How about the president robbing military projects all over the country to fund a wall? "Weeeell... Congress and the president just can't agree on what the problem is..." and "the issue isn't one individual its political division that goes back decades... "

All he's doing is normalizing Trump's insanity.