I want to turn to another inside source here as we start the show off. Someone who worked alongside Donald Trump as his National Security Advisor, Ambassador John Bolton, is here. Let me just ask you, because I know that FISA, this issue, that maybe that's not a household name, but this issue that Republicans were basically falling apart at the seams over themselves today is something Bill Barr says, Trump's coming out against it. It's more about his own personal interest than logic. What do you make?

Well, I think that's right. That's what Trump's truth social posting said, that it was used against him, although he's got the wrong section. Trump was always uncertain about FISA, even in the time I was there. I think it shows he doesn't understand US national security. He understands Donald Trump's security. That's what he cares about. But both he and the 19 Republicans who voted against this rule demonstrated by that position that they don't really understand national security or don't care about it. Neither alternative is very good.

It's pretty remarkable to see him come out and say Republicans should vote against something Mike Johnson put on the floor, and then now he and Mike Johnson are holding this press conference on election integrity, as they're calling it, this Friday. What do you make of that?

Well, I don't know what they're going to talk about on Friday, but if nobody's asked me to give the speaker advice, but the advice I would give him is that in Washington, if you want to do a senior job, and there are very few that are more senior than speaker in the House, you have to be ready to walk away from that job. If you put staying in the job as your your highest priority over principle, you will ultimately be a failure. So I think he needs to get this Pfizer reform to the floor. He needs to bring the Ukraine aid bill to the floor. And if a political cannibal like Marjorie Taylor-Green brings If he brings him down, he'll go down with honor.

Are you worried that he does talk to Donald Trump often, that it will influence whether he does ultimately put Ukraine aid on the floor?

I don't know what's going through his mind, but I think a real speaker of the House is an independent political force. And I think House Republicans, generally, for their own safety's sake in the election, if nothing else, need to show that they have integrity, and it's separate and distinct from Donald Trump.

I guess we've seen House speakers who I know really in law, align themselves very closely to Donald Trump, like Kevin McCarthy. It didn't work out for him. But we've also seen people like Paul Ryan who break with Donald Trump a lot. And also, he's not in Congress anymore. He left.

Right. Well, ultimately, in Washington, if your job security is more important than your principles. As far as I'm concerned, that makes you unfit to be a leader. Everybody goes through testing. Speaker Johnson is going through it now.

On this election integrity thing, Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, and another acolyte of his, is who's an election denier, they're running the Republican National Committee right now. I know you have made clear you're not voting for Donald Trump come November, but you said that you care a lot about Republicans doing well in the Senate, Republicans retaking the Senate. Laura Trump, they sent out this scripted call to voters on behalf of the RNC that was basically saying Democrats committed massive fraud in the 2020 election, which they didn't. But I just want everyone to listen to that call that went out to people.

I'm sure you agree with co-Chair Trump that we cannot allow the chaos and questions of the 2020 election to ever happen again. We all know the problems. No photo IDs, unsecure ballot drop boxes, mass mailing of ballots, and voter rolls chock full of deceased people and non-citizens are just a few examples of the massive fraud that took place. If Democrats have their way, your vote could be canceled out by someone who isn't even an American citizen. Can you support us with a special election security gift of $50 or 35 dollars today?

Is that how Republicans Can the Republicans win in 2024 with a call like that?

Look, I think this constant focus on the 2020 election that's obviously obsessing Trump because he can't admit that he lost, will cost Republicans at the ballot. I think people want to move on from 2020, even most Republicans, although they don't seem to realize it. So this concentration on what happened in the past, I think, will work to Biden's advantage, and he's unpopular enough. He desperately needs it.

And you've said you're going to write someone in, in November.

That's what I did in 2020, and I'll do it again this November.

Who did you write in, in 2020? You've never revealed that before.

Well, I might as well say it now. I voted for Dick Cheney.

Wow.

And I'll vote for Dick Cheney again this November.

You'll write in Dick Cheney?

That's right.

What made you write him in?

Because he was a principled Reaganite conservative, and he still is. Age is no longer a factor in American presidential politics, so his age doesn't disqualify him. I think he'd do an immensely better job than either Trump or Biden.

What about his daughter, Liz Cheney?

Well, I like Liz a lot, and maybe someday she'll get my write-in vote, too. But right now, I'll stick with her father.

I mean, people should know that's news right now. You've never revealed who you wrote in in 2020 before.

Well, I hope it sways the electorate and prevents both Trump and Biden from being the successful candidate. And if I could start a nationwide write-in campaign for Dick Cheney, maybe I should do that.

Ambassador John Bolton, great to have you on set tonight. Glad to be with you. Thanks for joining us here on The Source.