The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
The in-depth and wide-ranging 2017 Yahoo News/Huffington Post oral history project “64 Hours in October: How One Weekend Blew up the Rules of American Politics” was a helpful resource throughout this chapter. It was reported by Michael Isikoff, Dylan Stableford, Hunter Walker, Holly Bailey, Liz Goodwin, Lisa Belkin, Garance Franke-Ruta and Gabby Kaufman, and written by Dylan Stableford. Read it here: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/yahoo-64-hours-october-american-politics_us_59d7c567e4b072637c43dd1c.
The first showed up: Pam Fessler, “10 Months After Election Day, Feds Tell States More About Russian Hacking,” NPR, September 22, 2017.
In July of 2016, WikiLeaks: Eric Lipton, David E. Sanger and Scott Shane, “The Perfect Weapon: How Russian Cyberpower Invaded the U.S.,” The New York Times, December 13, 2016; Ellen Nakashima, “Cybersecurity Firm Finds Evidence That Russian Military Unit Was Behind DNC Hack,” The Washington Post, December 22, 2016.
The next day, August 5: Michael J. Morell, “I Ran the C.I.A. Now I’m Endorsing Hillary Clinton,” The New York Times, August 5, 2016.
At 3 p.m. on Friday: Joint Statement from the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Election Security, Department of Homeland Security [archived], October 7, 2016.
But one hour later: David A. Fahrenthold, “Trump Recorded Having Extremely Lewd Conversation About Women in 2005,” The Washington Post, October 8, 2016.
“I expected it to be something”: Yahoo News Staff, “64 Hours in October: How One Weekend Blew Up the Rules of American Politics,” Yahoo News/Huffington Post, October 6, 2017.
Trump issued a brief statement: David A. Fahrenthold, “Trump Recorded Having Extremely Lewd Conversation About Women in 2005,” The Washington Post, October 8, 2016.
After midnight—and hours: “Transcript of Donald Trump’s Videotaped Apology,” The New York Times, October 8, 2016.
Just before 1 p.m., Pence: Yahoo News Staff, “64 Hours in October: How One Weekend Blew Up the Rules of American Politics,” Yahoo News/Huffington Post, October 6, 2017.
Two hours later, Melania Trump: Ibid.
At 3:40 p.m., Trump tweeted: Ibid.
Will you stay in the race?: Ibid.
Priebus, Christie, even the reliable: Brent Griffiths, “Trump Campaign Manager Reemerges to Show Support for GOP Nominee,” Politico, October 9, 2016; State of the Union transcript, CNN, October 9, 2016.
Giuliani gave, or tried: Meet the Press transcript, NBC, October 9, 2016.
The “transformational” presidential campaign: Fox News Sunday transcript, Fox News, October 9, 2016.
When CNN’s Jake Tapper: State of the Union transcript, CNN, October 9, 2016.
He had pulled out every stop: This Week transcript, ABC, October 9, 2016.
CHAPTER 5
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
The in-depth and wide-ranging 2017 Yahoo News/Huffington Post oral history project “64 Hours in October: How One Weekend Blew Up the Rules of American Politics” was a helpful resource throughout this chapter.
Giuliani had said twice: State of the Union transcript, CNN, October 9, 2016; Meet the Press transcript, NBC, October 9, 2016.
Just before 7:30 p.m.: Yahoo News Staff, “64 Hours in October: How One Weekend Blew Up the Rules of American Politics,” Yahoo News/Huffington Post, October 6, 2017.
At 7:26, Trump tweeted: Ibid.
Early on, CNN’s Anderson Cooper: Presidential Debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, transcript, Commission on Presidential Debates, October 9, 2016.
They were using Pence well: Pence’s campaign appearances were recorded by the nonpartisan P2016: Race for the White House, http://www.p2016.org/trump/pencecal1116.html.
Two days before the election: Fox News Sunday transcript, Fox News, November 6, 2016.
“If we don’t win”: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks at J. S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina,” November 7, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=122536.
According to Clinton’s book: Hillary Clinton, What Happened (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2017), p. 378.
The state was called: Lauren Easton, “Calling the Presidential Race State by State,” AP, https://blog.ap.org/behind-the-news/calling-the-presidential-race-state-by-state.
It was announced he had won: Ibid.
The AP called Wisconsin: Ibid.
“Now it’s time for Americans”: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks in New York City Accepting Election as the 45th President of the United States,” November 9, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=119495.
The president-elect dwelled: Ibid.
The press release listed: Donald J. Trump, “Press release—President-Elect Donald J. Trump Announces Senior White House Leadership Team,” November 13, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=119641.
CHAPTER 6
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
When he was nominated as secretary: Trump announced at a Cincinnati rally on December 1, 2016, that he would nominate Mattis for secretary of defense.
“A very Trumpian-inspired”: Chris Cillizza, “Here’s Why Donald Trump Picked Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State,” The Washington Post, December 13, 2016. Conway gave her comments on a December 12, 2016, episode of MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports.
CHAPTER 7
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Cohn didn’t mention a report: Christine Giordano, “Trump’s Business Credit Score Is 19 Out of a Possible 100,” Fox Business, October 20, 2016.
Five minutes later while Cohn: Donald J. Trump, “Press release—President-Elect Donald J. Trump to Nominate Steven Mnuchin as Secretary of the Treasury, Wilbur Ross as Secretary of Commerce and Todd Ricketts as Deputy Secretary of Commerce,” November 30, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=119711.
The day after Christmas: Interview with Michael Flynn, December 26, 2016.
Flynn was being widely criticized: Rosalind S. Helderman and Tom Hamburger, “Trump Adviser Flynn Paid by multiple Russia-Related Entities, New Records Show,” The Washington Post, March 16, 2017.
CHAPTER 8
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
An unclassified, scaled-back version: Read the unclassified version of the intelligence community’s January 6, 2017, report on the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) website at https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf.
Steele had shared portions: Max Greenwood, “McCain Gave Dossier Containing ‘Sensitive Information’ to FBI,” The Hill, January 11, 2017.
On the second page it said: Ken Bensinger, Miriam Elder and Mark Schoofs, “These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties to Russia,” BuzzFeed News, January 10, 2017.
This was designed to obtain: Ibid.
On December 9, Trump said: Nahal Toosi, “Trump Team Rejects Intel Agencies’ Claims of Russian Meddling,” Politico, December 9, 2016.
He later told Fox News: “Trump: Claims of Russian Interference in 2016 Race ‘Ridiculous,’ Dems Making Excuses,” Fox News, December 11, 2016.
He tweeted, “Unless you catch”: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/808300706914594816.