Ex-CIA chief Hayden: 'Strange echoes' between Obama, Trump campaigns

When it comes to what the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama in 2008 and Donald Trump in 2016 have in common, former CIA Director Michael Hayden hears "strange echoes" in at least one respect.

Appearing Tuesday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Hayden addressed comments Monday from Trump's running mate Mike Pence, who told CNN that the Republican nominee would "command the respect of the world" and engage foreign leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin.


Co-host Joe Scarborough commented that Pence's remarks encapsulated conservative criticism of Obama and Hillary Clinton who "did engage tyrants" like the regime in Iran with the nuclear deal.

"You are right, Joe. You know what?" Hayden said, "There are strange echoes between president Obama's campaign in 2008 and Mr. Donald Trump's campaign now with regard to, I will talk to anybody, and with regard to American retrenchment, and there are echoes between the two campaign and specifically with regard to what Mr. Pence said, Gov. Pence said, Donald Trump has yet to express a condition which he would impose on Vladimir Putin for which he demands Putin's actions before he gets a better relationship with the United States. If he says nice about me, I will say nice about him, and that's not a winning hand."

Scarborough responded that Hayden was right, recalling Obama's mocking of Clinton and George W. Bush in 2008 on the same issue.

"You know, there may be a psychic echo here I just missed because of lack of evidence, anything deeper in regard to the Trump-Russian relationship," Hayden said. "But you know, I actually think Trump is the current face of authoritarian populism in the United States and Vladimir Putin is the global poster child for authoritarian populism."