'It's put up or shut up time': Dan Rather says special counsel means Trump 'now becomes the hunted'

Famed journalist Dan Rather spoke with Rachel Maddow on Wednesday about the “surreal” developments in the ongoing investigations into Donald Trump campaign associates and Russian operatives, arguing the president “now becomes the hunted.”

“I do think there is something reassuring about this,” Rather said of news that a special counsel has been appointed to oversee the Department of Justice’s investigation. “For most of the early stages of the Trump presidency, the question begged: are we still a country of laws or have we become, or are we becoming, a country of men and man?”

“Today's events with the appointment of this special counsel gives a resounding answer we're still—this is one of the things that unites us—we’re still a nation of laws, not of men,” he added.

“Now facts are going to tell us what our destiny is and what our history will be,” Rather explained. “Not Donald Trump's version of anything.”

Rather also praised media outlets including the New York Times and Washington Post for their efforts in exposing the Trump-Russia investigation.

“Thank god for the American press,” Rather said.

Rather said the question that arises from news the president’s transition team knew Michael Flynn was under investigation is “what is that Flynn knows about Donald Trump and his campaign that Donald Trump wants to keep hidden?”

“Obviously, Flynn knows something,” Rather said.

“Up until today, President Donald Trump has had the ability to control almost every news cycle,” Rather said. “From this day forward, he no longer has control. And instead of being the hunter, he becomes the hunted.”

Referring Trump’s threat to former FBI Directory James Comey that he has “tapes” of their conversations, Rather said “it's put up or shut up time for him.”

“Either he has tapes or he doesn’t,” Rather said, “And if he has them, he's got to come forward with them.”

“In many ways, the dam broke today,” Rather said. “Tomorrow morning is different from any morning we've had so far in the trump presidency. And I repeat for emphasis, he is on the defensive.”


Watch the video below, via MSNBC: