“Very disappointed.” That’s one way to politely put it.

Morning Joe scored an exclusive today with the poised but clearly frustrated Navy Cmdr. Kirk Lippold (ret.), who was the commanding officer of the Cole when al Qaeda attacked it in 2000. Mika Brzezinski did her best to make the case for the administration’s actions, but the commander clearly wasn’t buying.  Cmdr. Lippold, along with family members of the sailors who were killed, will be meeting today with Pres. Obama.

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: What’s your reaction to the news this morning, especially given the controversy surrounding Guantanamo Bay?

KIRK LIPPOLD: I’m actually very disappointed. I think the administration, by doing this, we had a legal process in place with military commissions, that would have allowed due process to be served against the detainees, and now, justice delayed is justice denied. There’s no due process in place, and now we’re just going to have to wait.

A bit later, Joe Scarborough cast the question in more visceral terms.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: But Commander, how do you feel this morning knowing that men that perpetrated–terrorists–that perpetrated an attack on your ship, are now free because of a presidential order that was made to fulfill a campaign promise to the extreme left? How does that make you feel personally?

LIPPOLD: Personally, as I said Joe, I am very disappointed he’s gone forward with this. But more importantly, the impact that that decision has on the families who have waited over eight years for justice, now it’s going to be delayed again.

Cmdr. Lippold closed by saying that he is “very much looking forward to hear what [Pres. Obama] has to say” at the meeting today. So are many Americans, no doubt. Will the White House release a transcript of the meeting?