slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

By Phil Stewart, Reuters

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Sunday distanced himself from President Donald Trump's assessment of the media as "the enemy of the American people," saying during his first trip to the Middle East that he had no problems with the press.

Mattis, a retired Marine general seen as one of the most influential voices in Trump's cabinet, did not mention his boss by name. But asked about Trump's Tweet on Friday that branded the media as America's enemy, Mattis took a different position entirely.

"I've had some rather contentious times with the press. But no, the press, as far as I'm concerned, are a constituency that we deal with," he told reporters traveling with him in the United Arab Emirates.

"And I don't have any issues with the press, myself," Mattis added.

Since his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump has fiercely criticized various news outlets that have reported unflattering revelations of dysfunction or other problems in the White House.

He has described them as "lying", "corrupt" and "failing," and late on Friday he said the news media was "the enemy of the American people."

Asked about the latest salvo, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus told CBS's "Face the Nation" program, "I think you should take (Trump's Twitter statement) seriously."

"Certainly we would never condone violence. But I do think that we condone critical thought," Priebus said, adding the media, in some cases, needed to "get its act together."

Mattis spoke after talks with European leaders at a security conference in Munich, Germany, where U.S. Senator John McCain warned that suppressing the free press was "how dictators get started."

"If you want to preserve democracy as we know it, you have to have a free and many times adversarial press. And without it, I am afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time," McCain told NBC's "Meet the Press" program on Sunday.

On Friday McCain told the Munich forum that the resignation of Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, over his contacts with Russia reflected "disarray" in Washington.

But Mattis played down any concerns about the reshuffling within the administration.

"Welcome to democracy. It's at times wildly contentious, it's at times quite sporting. But the bottom line is this is the best form of government that we can come up with," he said.

Mattis added that the military was very ready to "hold the line" as the political process played out.

"We don't have any disarray inside the military and that's where my responsibility lies," he said.
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Reporting by Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay and Andrea Shalal in Munich and Andy Sullivan in Washington; Editing by Mark Potter and Jeffrey Benkoe.

archie bunker Loc: Texas

Of course he has no problems with them. They're afraid he'll kill them!

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

That may very well be the case...their fear of him, that is.

badbobby Loc: texas

the media just hasn't got on Mattis's case

yet!!!
but give em time

archie bunker Loc: Texas

He already has a plan in mind to kill them when they do!

I like the guy! He is perfect for the job in my opinion.👍💪💪👍

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

You'll get no argument from me regarding the qualifications of James Mattis. One point, though...he is 'Boot' to me.

badbobby Loc: texas

explain please

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

BB, that simply means (to anyone in the know) that I was in & out of the Corps prior to his joining in 1969.

badbobby Loc: texas

ahhh
grasshopper apologizes master
I'm really sorry to be so ignorant
course I'm jus a Swabbie
and by that reasoning
wouldn't you be a boot to me?

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Yes. 'Cepting, of course, I was in the Corps...you, the Navy. But, yes, you are Senior to me.

badbobby Loc: texas

[quote=slatten49]Yes. 'Cepting, of course, I was in the Corps...you, the Navy. But, yes, you are Senior to me. [/qujust remindin you

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

[quote=badbobby][quote=slatten49]Yes. 'Cepting, of course, I was in the Corps...you, the Navy. But, yes, you are Senior to me. [/qujust remindin you[/quote]

I knew you would, Old-Salt.

badbobby Loc: texas

boots have to be kept in line

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

I line mine up at the foot of my bed every night before hitting the sack.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Error, double post.