want the president to testify. i m not going to sit there and let him look like an idiot and you public that transcript because everything leaks in washington and the guys overseas are going to say, i told you he was an idiot, i told you he was a goddamn dumbbell.go what are we dealing with this idiot for? after that meeting with robert mueller john dowd gave the president the following advice. don t testify. it s either that or an orange jumpsuit. the president then said, i ll be a real good witness. you are not a good witness, dowd replied. mr. president, i m afraid i just can t help you. and the next morning john dowd quit and he left an opening on trump s defense team that has since been filled by rudy giuliani.inum leading off our discussion now, john heilemann, national affairs analyst for nbc news and msnbc. he s also co-host and executiveb producer of showtime s the circus. an tim o brien s with us, executive editor of bloomberg opinion.