including the threat of isis in syria, the possibility of north korea denuclearizing and whether iran cheated on the nuclear deal. and just earlier this month, coats appointed a new election security czar countering the president's apparent lack of concern on the subject. as "the new york times" puts it, to mr. trump, mr. coats had come to represent the disapproving republican elite that he scorned. so now dan coats is leaving and the person who trump wants to replace him with is pretty much exactly what you would expect. do you remember this guy from the mueller hearings? >> i agree with the chairman this morning when said donald trump is not above the law. he's not. but he damn sure shouldn't be below the law which is where volume ii of this report puts him. >> that's texas congressman john ratcliffe. it turns out it was basically an audition for the director of national intelligence job. ratcliffe met with the president a few days before the hearings and essentially went out and performed a sean hannity