On Wednesday, frequent "Morning Joe" guest Richard Haass suggested that not only did America have a "deep state," but upstanding career bureaucrats like Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was proof that the country needed one.
The surprising admission came after a lengthy montage the show ran of Republicans praising Rosenstein's service.
"It was great listening to that. That was a civics lesson and it's why you need a deep state," said Haass, who also serves as the longtime president of the Council on Foreign Relations.
"You need people whose commitment is not to the person, but is to the process and the law," he added. "You would want every high school kid in America to watch that. You know good for him. That's just what this country needs. And that's kind of who we are. That's our DNA. That was actually a really good moment."
Comment: Countries obviously do need deep states. Governments could not function without some continuity between administrations. But if anything, Rosenstein is an example of why deep states can be hindrances to actual democracy. Funny that Haass sees the deep state's worst features (and worst exemplars) as a positive reason for its existence. Or, actually, not so funny - just very revealing.