"National security chief Michael Flynn has resigned. The general got into trouble over a phone call he had with the Russian ambassador before Donald Trump took office. The issue centered on sanctions President Obama slapped on Russia; apparently General Flynn discussed that with the Russian. I don't know what General Flynn said, nobody knows at this point except government officials because there is a transcript of the conversation that has not yet been unreleased. According to Fox News correspondent John Roberts, General Flynn misled Vice President Pence about the content of the call, which is the big reason he was fired. So the Trump administration is now searching for a new national security advisor. The story really ends here unless General Flynn was ordered to say something to the Russians that was inappropriate. Perhaps the most interesting aspect on the Flynn saga is the PR component. Yesterday Kellyanne Conway said the general's job was safe. Did she mislead or did she not know the general was in trouble? Talking Points understands the complexities of running this country, but it is becoming clear that President Trump needs better coordination among his staff. There should be someone in charge of quality control and accurate messaging. That someone should be Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who is experienced and skilled. No way Kellyanne Conway should be out there saying all is fine with General Flynn when all was not fine. That kind of confusion does not do anyone in this country any good, especially because President Trump has legions of people trying to hurt him."

The Factor welcomed one of President Trump's loudest critics, billionaire Mark Cuban, who explained his disdain for the president. "I don't think he's been able to show any leadership," Cuban opined, "and I don't think he's taken responsibility for the White House. The people who work for him seem to be fearful of having mistakes blamed on them." Cuban also denounced President Trump's attempts to bring back manufacturing jobs. "He's meeting with these companies, but he doesn't understand that the nature of work is changing. He's shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic instead of dealing with macro issues. People are going to be replaced by new technologies and we have to find new places to put them to work." The Factor urged Cuban to give President Trump at least a year to prove his mettle in the Oval Office.

Yale University has removed former Vice President John C. Calhoun's name from a campus building because he defended slavery in the 19th century. Also, the student paper reported that Yale's African-American Cultural Center may honor the Black Panther Party. The Factor discussed the controversies with Yale students Kyle Tierney and Gabby Cudjoe-Wilkes. "The Calhoun re-naming process started two years ago," Tierney said, "because faculty and students wanted the name change." Cudjoe-Wilkes declared that Calhoun was more offensive than other slaveholders of the era, saying, "He wasn't just a slaveholder, he really built his legacy about inequality." Cudjoe-Wilkes also defended the Black Panthers, who were often involved in criminality and even murder. "The Black Panthers weren't anti-white," she insisted, "they were pro-black. They provided for their community with food and health care programs."

Former Democratic Senator Jim Webb complains that his party has alienated its base by moving far to the left. Juan Williams and Lisa Boothe analyzed that criticism. "The base of the party," Williams said, "is now black and Latino and educated young people. They are not comfortable with the old parts of the Democratic Party, which was the party of the segregationist South. The party is now more in touch with the changing demographics of the country." But Boothe argued that the Democratic obsession with political correctness has caused irreparable harm. "It's not just the racial identity politics, it's also focusing on transgender bathrooms and climate change. You can see how this has impacted the party by looking at the House of Representatives. More than one-third of House Democrats come from California, Massachusetts, and New York."

North Korea has launched another ballistic missile, its first test since Donald Trump's inauguration. The Factor was joined by Dana Perino, who dealt with the North Korean leadership while serving in the Bush administration. "North Korea is a special case because it's such a closed society," she stated. "This leader starves and brainwashes his people, they are in concentration camps, and it's very hard to get information in or out. The Bush administration offered concessions for changes in behavior, but it didn't work. I'm not surprised that they're doing this again to President Trump, even though he campaigned that he will be unpredictable."

Lawyers for accused deserter Bowe Bergdahl want the case dropped because Donald Trump called him a 'dirty, rotten deserter.' Legal aces Kimberly Guilfoyle and Eboni Williams examined the story. "These were statements made by candidate Trump," Guilfoyle pointed out, "but there have not been any statements since he was sworn in as president. So this case should not be thrown out." Williams essentially agreed, but also speculated that Bowe Bergdahl's lawyers may have a valid case. "When candidate Trump says this as a private citizen, that's allowed. But now he's the commander-in-chief and you can't un-ring that bell. If I were his lawyer I would argue that what Donald Trump said is a problem."

Greg Gutfeld and Bernard McGuirk entered the No Spin Zone to weigh in on the frequent TV appearances by top Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway. "She seems absolutely unimpressed with doing television," Gutfeld observed. "She treats going on TV the way I treat waxing, it's not a priority in my life. She's 50 years old and she has four kids, so dealing with the press is the easiest part of her day! But McGuirk advised Conway to cut down just a bit on the appearances. "She's very impressive, she broke the big glass ceiling, and she turned out to be a killer on the cable news talk shows. She took on Todd and Tapper and Stephanopoulos and kicked their butts. She emasculated those wienies, but now she's looking a little tired."

Lloyd Simonsen, Ronkonkoma, NY: "It enrages me that people like Meryl Streep throw around terms like Nazi and Brownshirts. My relatives lived under Nazi occupation in Norway. Trust me, the Trump administration doesn't come close."

Darwin Day, Lake Orion, MI: "Bill, you don't really believe Meryl Streep would agree to come on the Factor, do you?"

Chris Fausett, East Hampton, NY: "Bill, why do you appear so threatened by Jesse Watters?"

Chris Hinde, Dubai: "Having Watters trudge around in the snow with a stupid hat on in an effort to suggest there is no global warming is dishonest."

Walking dead people seem to be extremely popular these days, so it may be a good idea to incorporate some zombies into The Factor. Let's call it an effort to be more inclusive and tolerant of those who are dead but not buried.