presence on the world stage. so the more of a vacuum the u.s. creates for it in places like the middle east, the better. so it's -- it's understandable why the russians were reaching out. the question we don't -- know the answer to yet is why the trump campaign seems so eager to -- or the trump transition team seems so eager to reach back out. what were the russians offering to them? and, you know, other things we have no explanation for yet is why jared kushner, for example, was asking the russian ambassador to set up a secret secure channel from the russian embassy in washington to moscow. and it was the russian ambassador that said no. our equipment is a little too sensitive. >> what is your reaction to the flynn business? >> first of all, we know one reason why the trump administration -- the trump campaign, was so interested in trying to work with the russians. that's because paul manafort was actually on the payroll of the oligarchs close to the kremlin. leaving that aside, i think jared is in real trouble here.