{"id":715,"date":"2015-03-15T13:29:23","date_gmt":"2015-03-15T17:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/press.nbcnews.com\/?p=715"},"modified":"2015-03-15T13:29:23","modified_gmt":"2015-03-15T17:29:23","slug":"meet-the-press-31515-fmr-adm-mullen-iran-more-difficult-challenge-than-isis-gowdy-zero-interest-in-investigating-benghazi-in-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nbcuniversalnewsgroup.com\/nbcnews\/2015\/03\/15\/meet-the-press-31515-fmr-adm-mullen-iran-more-difficult-challenge-than-isis-gowdy-zero-interest-in-investigating-benghazi-in-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMEET THE PRESS\u201d 3\/15\/15: FMR. ADM. MULLEN: IRAN \u2018MORE DIFFICULT CHALLENGE\u2019 THAN ISIS; GOWDY: \u2018ZERO INTEREST\u2019 IN INVESTIGATING BENGHAZI IN 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fmr. Adm. Michael Mullen on Iran: \u201cWorking together right now in a constructive way to eliminate the\u00a0No. 1\u00a0threat in Iraq, I don’t think that opens the door for accepting who they are and what they’ve done in the past.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rep. Trey Gowdy: \u201cI would like to be through as quickly as possible\u201d with the Benghazi investigation<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sen. Tim Kaine: \u201cThere’s no reason to wait\u00a0’til June on our bill.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sen. Roger Wicker: \u201cI stand by the letter.\u2026 [Iran is] the chief exporter of terrorism in that region.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MARCH 15, 2015 \u2013 This morning\u2019s \u201cMeet the Press with Chuck Todd\u201d featured interviews with former Adm. Michael Mullen<\/strong>; Sen. Tim Kaine<\/strong> (D-VA); Sen. Roger Wicker<\/strong> (R-MS); Rep. Trey Gowdy<\/strong> (R-SC); former Rep. Barney Frank <\/strong>(D-MA); and a panel discussion with Matt Bai<\/strong>, national political columnist for Yahoo! News; Karen Finney<\/strong>, senior fellow for Media Matters for America; Kevin Madden<\/strong>, partner for Hamilton Place Strategies and Andrea Mitchell<\/strong>, chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News.<\/p>\n

The show also had an exclusive first look at new NBC News\/Wall Street Journal poll numbers <\/strong>on class and how people feel about their own economic mobility as well as the latest from NBC News\u2019 \u201cIn Plain Sight,\u201d<\/a> a reporting project exploring poverty and inequality in America.<\/p>\n

Below are highlights, video clips, and a rush transcript of today\u2019s program. Additional show video will be available online at www.MeetThePressNBC.com. <\/a><\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Former Adm. Mullen: Working with Iran to Eliminate ISIS Doesn\u2019t Open Door for Accepting Them<\/strong><\/p>\n

CHUCK TODD:<\/p>\n

Is it a good thing or a bad thing that Iran is such an important ally to Iraq right now in defeating ISIS?<\/p>\n

ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN:<\/p>\n

Well, I think it’s a part of what’s going on in Iraq that we have to accept. \u00a0The number-one priority there I think is to defeat ISIS. \u00a0But I don’t think we should ever lose sight of that, that this Iranian regime, as well as the IRGC and specifically the leadership of the IRGC has committed a lot of terrorist activities in the region that actually led against us in the Iraq war and killed many Americans.<\/p>\n

And so working together right now in a constructive way to eliminate the number-one threat in Iraq, I don’t think that opens the door for accepting who they are and what they’ve done in the past. \u00a0And once we’re beyond ISIS, I think that certainly the relationship that we have with Iran from the standpoint of what they’ve done for so long will be based on the elimination of those kinds of terrorist activities that are evident throughout the region.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Former Adm. Mullen: Iran a More Difficult Long-Term Challenge Than ISIS<\/strong><\/p>\n

VIDEO: http:\/\/nbcnews.to\/1FkomJU<\/a><\/p>\n

CHUCK TODD:<\/p>\n

Admiral Mullen, do you fear Iran long term more than ISIS?<\/p>\n

ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN:<\/p>\n

I do. \u00a0Actually, I think Iran is a much more difficult challenge, an incredibly complex country that we don’t understand very well. \u00a0We’ve had no relations with them for 35 years. \u00a0There’s a complexity inside that country that is represented by enormous tension on the part of President Rouhani who’s considered to be a reformer, was somewhat of a surprise selectee as president.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Rep. Gowdy: \u2018Zero Interest\u2019 in Investigating Benghazi in 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

VIDEO: http:\/\/nbcnews.to\/1xpo1z7<\/a><\/p>\n

CHUCK TODD:<\/p>\n

Are you going to be done with this by the end of this calendar year rather than get into ’16 and become a player in the presidential race?<\/p>\n

REP. TREY GOWDY:<\/p>\n

Lord, I hope so. \u00a0I would like to be through as quickly as possible. \u00a0But keep in mind, when you are never told that the Secretary of State kept her records, when you’re never told that she didn’t have a State.gov email account, it does tend to draw things out.<\/p>\n

So as soon as the witnesses are available to us and the documents, we’re going to go ahead and conclude our report. \u00a0I have no interest, zero interest, in you and I having this conversation in 2016. \u00a0But I don’t get to fully decide how quickly it’s done. \u00a0I need some cooperation from the people who have access to the witnesses and the information.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Rep. Gowdy: We Need to Talk to Petraeus to Understand Benghazi Fully<\/strong><\/p>\n

CHUCK TODD:<\/p>\n

I would assume that means you also, the C.I.A. director at the time, David Petraeus, C.I.A. a big role in that, in everything that was going on in Libya and Benghazi at the time too. \u00a0I assume, are you in the middle of negotiating with him as well, trying to get documents and emails from him and schedule his testimony?<\/p>\n

REP. TREY GOWDY:<\/p>\n

Well, we would very much like to talk to General Petraeus. \u00a0As you know, he has been otherwise engaged for the past several months. \u00a0And I’ll be curious to see the details of the agreement that he reached with the government, if it includes a cooperation paragraph, then certainly, we would consider our committee to be worthy of that cooperation. \u00a0But we have not scheduled his appearance yet. \u00a0But clearly, he’s someone else we need to talk to if we want to understand fully what happened before, during, and after Benghazi.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Rep. Gowdy: [Hillary] Had Very Unique Arrangement with Herself As It Relates to Public Records<\/strong><\/p>\n

VIDEO: http:\/\/nbcnews.to\/1x6oxr4<\/a><\/p>\n

CHUCK TODD:<\/p>\n

Let me start with a basic question on the emails from Hillary Clinton. \u00a0She says she has turned over all relevant emails from her server. \u00a0You don’t necessarily, it sounds like you have a “trust but verified” issue with her. \u00a0But do you actually think she’s lying? \u00a0Do you think she’s not turned over certain documents? \u00a0Do you have a reason to believe she’s not turned over certain documents?<\/p>\n

REP. TREY GOWDY:<\/p>\n

No sir, I would never accuse anyone of lying, unless I had overwhelming proof to that effect. \u00a0I just know this, we don’t get to grade our own papers in life. \u00a0And she had a very unique arrangement with herself as it relates to public records. And it’s not just my interest in them. \u00a0I have a very small subset of her documents, which would be Libya. It’s the public record in general that I think she bears the burden of proving that all public records are in the public domain and that any discrepancies between person and public that she reconciled or resolved those discrepancies in a fair way.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Sen. Wicker Relates Iran Letter to Netanyahu Speech<\/strong><\/p>\n

VIDEO: http:\/\/nbcnews.to\/1BIgbpo<\/a><\/p>\n

SEN. ROGER WICKER:<\/p>\n

I don’t have any regrets at all. \u00a0I stand by the letter. \u00a0And I think it’s interesting that we’ve had so much talk about process just like we had talk about process with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech, rather than dealing with the substance. And I was struck by what I think I heard Admiral Mullen say. \u00a0He said he fears Iran more than he fears the Islamic State. \u00a0And he has reason to say that. \u00a0This is the country that we’re negotiating with on this agreement, they are the chief exporter of terrorism around in that region.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Sen. Kaine: Unrealistic to Think Congress Would Not Be Involved in Final Iran Deal <\/strong><\/p>\n

VIDEO: http:\/\/nbcnews.to\/1Endbyw<\/a><\/p>\n

SEN. TIM KAINE:<\/p>\n

Chuck, I’m a proud cosponsor to the legislation. \u00a0And look, the White House is frustrated with Congress because Congress has taken action in the last few weeks, showing an unacceptable level of contempt for the office of the president. \u00a0However, let’s be realistic here. \u00a0The deal that is being negotiated with Iran is about what will Iran do to get out from other congressional sanctions.<\/p>\n

And so it is unrealistic to think that Congress is not going to be involved in looking at a final deal. \u00a0I am a pro-diplomacy senator. \u00a0And I supported the negotiations to this point. \u00a0But any deal that touches upon the congressional statutory sanctions is going to get a review of Congress. \u00a0And the only question is, are you going to have a constructive, deliberate, bipartisan process, or are you going to be rushed and partisan? \u00a0We’ve seen the wrong way to go back it last week. \u00a0I hope we will approach it in the careful and deliberative bipartisan way.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Additional clips from today\u2019s program and web-exclusive video:<\/strong><\/p>\n