WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is defending chief of staff John Kelly after he mischaracterized the remarks of a Democratic congresswoman and called her an "empty barrel" making noise. A Trump spokeswoman said it was "inappropriate" to question Kelly in light of his stature as a retired four-star general. The administration also insisted it's long past time to end the political squabbling and insult trading over President Donald Trump's compassion for America's war dead, even as it lobbed fresh vilification at Florida Rep.