Summary of January 23, 2018: Senator Tom Cotton joins Michael Morell on the Intelligence Matters Podcast

00:00:00 - 00:45:00

In this podcast, Senator Tom Cotton discusses his upbringing, his views on conservatism, and his experiences in the military. He talks about how his time in the military has shaped his views on American leadership in the world, and how intelligence is used to protect Americans.

• 00:00:00 Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas discusses his childhood and how it shaped his conservatism. He also talks about his career in government, which included work at the State Department of Health and at a poultry company that was later embroiled in a scandal. He says that his parents were not politically active and that he grew up thinking about other things during political discussions around the dinner table.
• 00:05:00 Tom Cotton, a U.S. Senator from Arkansas, joins Michael Morell on the Intelligence Matters podcast to discuss his upbringing, his experiences in Vietnam, and how they've shaped his worldview. Cotton emphasizes the importance of teaching, and talks about how his experiences in Vietnam have helped him to be more effective in politics.
• 00:10:00 Senator Tom Cotton joins Michael Morell on the Intelligence Matters Podcast to discuss his experience as an Army infantryman and his views on America's treatment of Vietnam veterans.
• 00:15:00 Tom Cotton attended Harvard and found that he was more interested in the political philosophy track than the traditional political science track. He developed a conservative framework based on his upbringing and his experiences as a Republican in the political world.
• 00:20:00 Senator Tom Cotton discusses his conservative values and how they guide his policymaking. He notes that while the principles of conservatism may be the same as they were centuries ago, the circumstances in which they are applied can change drastically. Cotton encourages conservatives to be open to change and to be willing to update their thinking in order to best serve the public.
• 00:25:00 Sen. Tom Cotton discusses his decision to go back to law school, why it was a good decision for his long-term career prospects, and his experiences as a platoon leader in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• 00:30:00 Senator Tom Cotton discusses his experiences as a soldier and lawyer in the United States military, emphasizing the importance of leadership. He discusses how officer candidate school is a great opportunity to learn about leadership.
• 00:35:00 Senator Tom Cotton discusses his views on American leadership in the world and how service in the military has helped to shape and refine those views. He also discusses how the changing global environment has impacted America's policies, and how the country should always come from a forward-thinking perspective.
• 00:40:00 In his book, "The Threat: How the FBI Protects America from Foreign Attack", Senator Tom Cotton discusses three misunderstandings of intelligence: the mission impossible, Jason Bourne, and Maxwell Smart. He emphasizes that, contrary to popular belief, intelligence is not a collection of rogue actors, but people like all of us who are trying to defend our country. Cotton also discusses the importance of intelligence collection and provides examples of how it is used to protect Americans. Lastly, he speaks about the possibility of war, and how losing a war is the worst thing imaginable.
• 00:45:00 Senator Tom Cotton joins Michael Morell on the Intelligence Matters Podcast to discuss national security issues. If you email intelligence matters pod at gmail.com with your name and address, you'll receive a free intelligence lanyard.