Mark Halperin

As we sit here today with all the upheaval in the region and the fight over control over the Strait of Hormuz, what's your current worst-case scenario for how this could go that you think Americans should be aware of?

You put yourself forward, as you said, to be commander in chief 10 years ago.

So I know you've thought about the obligations of the office.

I know you don't want to be in a ground war.

I know you don't want to be an expensive war.

I know you oppose this as a mission.

But are you concerned at all that now that the United States has said we're going to win this war, that it has to be continued, at least in part because of the prestige and credibility of the United States and the commander in chief?

Is that a concern of yours?

But staying with this issue of credibility and prestige and American credibility in the world, right now the president has basically said we need to open up the Strait of Hormuz.

He's very bullish on the prospect and even his characterization of where it stands now.

Could you be convinced that – I'll say this.

If you were convinced that the rest of the world would see a loss of American credibility –

if he doesn't pay whatever price is necessary to open up the street.

Would that be a factor that you think the president should consider in deciding how much to commit to it in terms of money and blood?

Let's talk about debt and deficit and the same question of how there could be change, which so many would like to see.

Based on your direct conversations with the president and people around him and your observation, how would you compare the priority you make of reducing the debt and deficit to the president's?

So obviously the forces that want to spend are supreme because this has continued now for a long time since President Clinton, both before and after President Clinton.

We haven't seen a balanced budget.

President Reagan didn't do it.

The Bushes didn't do it.