'Hothead' GOP senator replacing Kristi Noem dragged on CNN: 'Do you know how sad that is?'
President Donald Trump finally fired his long-embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and panelists on "CNN This Morning" chewed over his nominee to replace her.
The 79-year-old president tapped Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), who is probably best known for challenging Teamsters President Sean O'Brien to a fight during a Senate hearing, to lead DHS after firing Noem, and the panelists argued over the Oklahoma Republican's qualifications for the cabinet role.
"It's a different vibe," said New York Times podcaster Lulu Garcia-Navarro. "So he doesn't bring a lot of that kind of baggage to it, and yes, as we've seen there, he is certainly has his own persona. I mean, if you have to break up a fistfight and Bernie Sanders is your man to kind of make you sit down, kind of interesting, I think, you know, maybe you're a bit of a hothead."
Michael Warren, senior editor at the conservative Dispatch publication, approved of Mullin's nomination.
"You could do a lot worsethan Markwayne Mullin," Warren said. "I thinkhe's popular on Capitol Hill.You've heard even Democraticsenators say that he'scompetent, and, really, when youthink about DHS, it's a hugedepartment and it needsmanagement more than anythingelse, I think."
Garcia-Navarro interjected to point out that Mullin had no experience leading an agency the size and scope of DHS, and Warren didn't disagree.
"I agree he hasno experience in that," Warren said. "But I dothink he has the support of Donald Trump, which is obviouslythe most important thing, and hehas no ambition. You know, Kristi Noem, I think, hadpresidential ambitions.Markwayne Mullin does not, asfar as I know, and I think, youknow, if you're looking forsomebody who can execute hispolicy, you could do worse than Markwayne Mullin."
Garcia-Navarro lamented the low bar the conservative journalist had set for the president's nominee.
"Do you know sad that is, though?" she said, and Warren threw up his hands.
"Well, you know, that's the reality," Warren said.
"He'sloyal to the president," Garcia-Navarro continued. "He has noexperience with the thing thatis the most important thing, toprotect the homeland, during aconflict in the Middle Eastwhere threats are escalatingtowards the homeland, and thisman has 0.0 experience with anyof it. This is a huge agency."
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