RAVENS. ANOTHER BARN-BURNER.
ANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY GAME.
I TELL YOU WHAT, MIKA, WE WILL
WAIT.
WE HAVE PABLO COMING UP.
>> GOOD.
>> HE’LL TAKE US THROUGH THE
GAMES IN 30 MINUTES OR SO.
>> OKAY, GOOD.
>>> OVER PAST WEEK, JOE AND I
HAVE HEARD FROM SO MANY PEOPLE
FROM POLITICAL LEADERS TO
REGULAR CITIZENS DEEPLY DISMAYED
BY SEVERAL OF PRESIDENT-ELECT
TRUMP’S CABINET SELECTIONS AND
THEY ARE SCARED.
LAST THURSDAY, WE EXPRESSED OUR
OWN CONCERNS ON THIS BROADCAST
AND EVEN SAID WE WOULD
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK WITH THE PRESIDENT-ELECT,
HIMSELF.
ON FRIDAY, WE WERE GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO JUST THAT.
JOE AND I WENT TO MAR-A-LAGO TO
MEET PERSONALLY WITH
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE
SEEN HIM IN SEVEN YEARS.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF
ISSUES, INCLUDING ABORTION, MASS
DEPORTATION, THREATS OF
POLITICAL RETRIBUTION AGAINST
POLITICAL OPPONENTS AND MEDIA
OUTLETS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A GOOD BIT.
IT WILL COME AS NO SURPRISE TO
ANYBODY WHO WATCHES THIS SHOW,
HAS WATCHED IT OVER THE PAST
YEAR OR OVER THE PAST DECADE,
THAT WE DIDN’T SEE EYE-TO-EYE ON
A LOT OF ISSUES AND WE TOLD HIM
SO.
>> WHAT WE DID AGREE ON WAS TO
RESTART COMMUNICATIONS.
MY FATHER OFTEN SPOKE WITH WORLD
LEADERS WITH WHOM HE AND THE
UNITED STATES PROFOUNDLY
DISAGREED.
THAT IS A TASK SHARED BY
REPORTERS AND COMMENT ATORS
ALIKE.
WE HAD NOT SPOKEN TO TRUMP SINCE
MARCH OF 2020 OTHER THAN A
PERSONAL CALL THAT JOE MADE A
CALL AFTER THE ATTEMPT ON HIS
LIFE IN BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.
IN THIS MEETING, PRESIDENT TRUMP
WAS CHEERFUL AND UPBEAT AND HE
SEEMED INTERESTED IN FINDING
COMMON GROUND WITH DEMOCRATS ON
SOME OF THE MOST DIVISIVE
ISSUES.
AND FOR THOSE ASKING WHY WE
WOULD GO SPEAK TO THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT DURING SUCH
FRAUGHT TIMES, ESPECIALLY
BETWEEN US, I GUESS I WOULD ASK
BACK -- WHY WOULDN’T WE?
FIVE YEARS OF POLITICAL WAR FARE
HAS DEEPLY DIVIDED WASHINGTON
AND THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE BEEN AS CLEAR AS WE KNOW
HOW IN EXPRESSING OUR DEEP
CONCERNS ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S
ACTIONS AND WORDS IN THE
COARSENING OF PUBLIC DEBATE FOR
NEARLY 80 MILLION AMERICANS,
ATHLETIC DENIALISM, PUBLIC
TRIALS, JANUARY 6th, WERE NOT AS
IMPORTANT AS THE ISSUES THAT
MOVED THEM TO SEND DONALD TRUMP
BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE WITH
THEIR VOTE.
JOE AND I REALIZED IT’S TIME TO
DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THAT
STARTS WITH NOT ONLY TALKING
ABOUT DONALD TRUMP, BUT ALSO
TALKING WITH HIM.
>> SOMEBODY CLOSE TO DONALD
TRUMP TOLD ME THIS PAST WEEKEND,
THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO IS NOT
SEEKING RE-ELECTION, SO MAYBE,
JUST MAYBE NOW COULD BE TIME FOR
BOTH PARTIES TO GET TO WORK.
I KNOW.
GIVEN THE JARRING HEADLINES THAT
WE READ EVERY DAY, THAT MAY SEEM
LIKE A STRETCH BUT THINK ABOUT
THIS.
OF THE 150 MILLION VOTES CAST,
DONALD TRUMP GOT 50%.
KAMALA HARRIS GOT ABOUT 49%.
SO I DON’T KNOW.
IT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE FOR
LEADERS OF BOTH PARTIES TO SEEK
COMMON GROUND, IF IT’S POSSIBLE
AT ALL.
I WILL TELL YOU A LOT OF
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS WE HAVE
TALKED TO THIS PAST WEEK SINCE
THE ELECTION HAVE TOLD MIKA AND
ME, IT’S TIME FOR A NEW
APPROACH.
WHEN I SAY TOP DEMOCRATS, I MEAN
TOP DEMOCRATS.
THEY SAID WE ARE OPEN -- THIS IS
BEFORE WE TALKED TO DONALD
TRUMP -- THEY SAID, LISTEN.
WE ARE OPEN TO WORKING WITH THE
INCOMING PRESIDENT IF THE
INCOMING PRESIDENT IS OPEN TO
WORKING WITH US.
>> YEAH.
THE QUESTION IS, THOUGH, HOW DO
WE GET THERE?
HYPERBOLE AND PERSONAL ATTACKS
WILL NOT WORK.
MY HAIR ON FIRE DOESN’T WORK.
WE HAVE ALL SEEN THAT!
WHAT ALSO DOES NOT WORK IS
THREATENING POLITICAL OPPONENTS
WITH ARREST, HARASSMENT, AND
EVEN JAIL.
THAT IS A FAILED PATH.
RECENT HISTORY HAS PROVEN THAT
IMPEACHMENTS AND TRIALS TURN
THOSE ON TRIAL IN TO POLITICAL
MARTYRS AND ONLY MAKE THEM MORE
POPULAR WITH THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
JUST ASK BILL CLINTON AND DONALD
TRUMP.
WE KNOW THIS WILL BE A
CONSEQUENTIAL PRESIDENCY.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER IT WILL
BE CONSTRUCTIVE.
IT WILL TAKE A NEW APPROACH FROM
ALL SIDES, FROM BOTH PARTIES,
AND A LEADER WHO CAN BRING THEM
TOGETHER AND ONLY TIME WILL TELL
IF DONALD TRUMP CAN STHAT
LEADER.
AS FOR US, WE ALSO LET HIM KNOW
THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SPEAK
TRUTH TO POWER AND PUSH BACK
HARD WHEN CALLED FOR, AS WE HAVE
WITH ALL PRESIDENTS.
>> DON’T BE MISTAKEN.
WE ARE NOT HERE TO DEFEND OR
NORMALIZE DONALD TRUMP.
WE ARE HERE TO REPORT ON HIM AND
TO HOPEFULLY PROVIDE YOU
INSIGHTS THAT ARE GOING TO
BETTER EQUIP ALL OF US IN
UNDERSTANDING THESE DEEPLY
UNSETTLING TIMES AND I AM
REMINDED OF WHAT MARTY BARRON,
LEGENDARY EDITOR TOLD HIS "THE
WASHINGTON POST" EDITORS.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO WAR, WE ARE
GO BACK TO WORK.
LET’S GO TO WORK WITH DAVID
IGNATIUS.
I TOLD MARTY I LOVED WHAT HE
SAID.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO WAR.
WE ARE GOING TO WORK.
I TELL YOU WHAT, WITH MIKA AND
ME, IT HAS BEEN VERY PERSONAL
OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
IT HAS BEEN WAR ON BOTH SIDES,
POLITICAL WAR ON BOTH SIDES.
AND I’M REMINDED OF A
CONVERSATION WE HAD WITH YOU
THIS SUMMER AFTER I CALLED
PRESIDENT TRUMP AFTER THE
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT.
I JUST TALKED TO HIM AND SAID,
YOU KNOW, POLITICS IS POLITICS.
WE DISAGREE ON SO MANY THINGS,
BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, I MADE A
CALL LIKE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE
MADE A CALL AND SAYING I WAS
HOPING THAT HE WAS DOING ALL
RIGHT.
WE HAD A DISCUSSION A COUPLE OF
DAYS LATER.
YOU, MIKA, AND MYSELF, AND YOU
HAD A RECOMMENDATION TO MIKA
THAT KIND OF WENT ALONG THE LINE
MARTY BARRON TOLD "THE
WASHINGTON POST" SEVEN OR EIGHT
YEARS AGO.
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT?
>> WE ARE IN THE NEWS BUSINESS
WHICH MEANS WE TALK TO PEOPLE.
THAT PART OF HOW WE DO OUR JOBS.
WE ARE ALSO IN THE TRUTH
BUSINESS WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO
HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE WHEN WE
SEE THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE
WRONG OR GOING TO HURT THE
COUNTRY, WE HAVE TO BE VERY
FORTHRIGHT IN SAYING THAT.
LAST WEEK WHEN PRESIDENT-ELECT
TRUMP NAMED HIS NOMINEES FOR KEY
POSITIONS, I WROTE A COLUMN
SAYING THAT SOME OF THEM SEEMED
QUALIFIED AND REASONABLE
CHOICES.
OTHERS SEEMED TO BE COMING AT
THEIR JOBS WITH A WRECKING BALL.
THEY WERE GOING AFTER THE
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES
IT SEEMS FROM THEIR PAST
STATEMENTS IN A WAY THAT WOULD
ONLY HARM THOSE INSTITUTIONS.
I’VE BEEN A JOURNALIST NOW FOR
SO MANY YEARS BUT I CAN REMEMBER
WHEN I COVERED THE MIDDLE EAST I
WOULD TALK TO YASSER ARAFAT IN
BAY ROUTE AND A FEW WEEKS LATER
I’M TALKING TO THE EADER?
JERUSALEM AND PART OF DOING THE
JOB MEANS.
MIKA SAID HER OWN DAD, ALTHOUGH
HE WASN’T A JOURNALIST, WAS
ALWAYS TALKING TO PEOPLE.
I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN
MIND.
TWO THINGS.
WE ARE IN THE NEWS BUSINESS AND
WE ARE IN THE TRUTH BUSINESS.
>> DAVID, ALSO, I REMEMBER
DURING THE FIRST TERM AT ONE
POINT.
YOU MAY NOT EVEN REMEMBER THIS
PHONE CALL.
I WAS WALKING THROUGH THE
AIRPORT AND YOU POLITELY SAID
EVERY DAY, JOE, EVERY DAY, IT’S
THE SAME THING ON YOUR SHOW.
WHEN YOU CAN FIND COMMON GROUND,
FIND COMMON GROUND AND TALK
ABOUT IT.
I’VE NOTICED YOU DO THAT.
I WILL TELL YOU WHEN SO MANY
PEOPLE WERE IN SHOCK AND MIKA
AND I WERE SURPRISED, TOO, AFTER
THE ELECTION RESULT.
YOUR FIRST COLUMN WAS TALKING
ABOUT HOW DONALD TRUMP HAD THE
POSSIBILITY TO MOVE US CLOSER TO
PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
I THINK THAT WAS A VERY
IMPORTANT COLUMN TO WRITE AT THE
TIME.
AGAIN, I THOUGHT I WAS A LITTLE
SPROIFED
SURPRISED WHEN I READ IT AFTER
THE ELECTION BUT THEN YOU
FOLLOWED IT UP WITH REALLY TOUGH
COLUMN ABOUT DANGERS WITH HIS
DOD PICK AND WITH TULSI GABBARD.
IS THAT THE TYPE OF BALANCING
YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT?
>> IT IS, JOE.
I THINK IN THE NEWS BUSINESS, IN
COMMENTARY, NEED TO CALL THEM AS
WE SEE IT.
DURING DONALD TRUMP’S FIRST TERM
WHEN HE DID SOMETHING I THOUGHT
MADE SENSE.
THE ABRAHAM BETWEEN THE SAUDI
ARABIA AND UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD FOR THE
COUNTRY AND GOOD FOR THE WREATH
AND I FELT THE SAY WAY NEGOTIATE
WITH NORTH KOREA WITH REDUCING
THE RISK OF WAR.
WHEN HE TRIED TO HURT THE
COUNTRY I WAS AS EMPHATIC AS I
COULD BE.
WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF
COVERING THE WORLD AS WHOLE.
IF PEOPLE THINK WE ARE PARTISANS
ON ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, I THINK
IN THE END THEIR CONFIDENCE IN
OUR ABILITY TO TELL THE TRUTH,
TO DO OUR JOB, YOU SEE SOME OF
THAT IN THE POLL NUMBERS ABOUT
HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT JOURNALISM
ISM.
I DON’T WANT TO ADD TO THAT.
>> YOU LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF
THE ELECTION, TOO.
A NEW APPROACH, I THINK, IS
NEEDED WHERE, AGAIN, WE SPEAK
TRUTH TO POWER.
WE PUSH BACK HARD LIKE WE PUSH
BACK HARD, WHETHER IT WAS WITH
BARACK OBAMA, WHETHER IT WAS
WITH GEORGE W. BUSH, WHETHER IT
WAS WITH DONALD TRUMP OR JOE
BIDEN.
JON MEACHAM, I WANT TO BRING YOU
IN HERE AND ASK YOU.
WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST NIGHT AND
I WAS ASKING YOU YOUR THOUGHTS
AND YOU HAD SAID -- YOU SAID,
YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A
CONSEQUENTIAL PRESIDENCY.
IT JUST IS.
>> YEAH.
>> ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER IT’S
GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE.
I’M JUST CURIOUS YOUR THOUGHTS.
WE SAW PICKS LAST WEEK THAT I
THINK WERE HORRIFYING TO A GOOD
NUMBER OF AMERICANS FOR MANY
REPUBLICANS AS WELL.
SO THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARILY
FRAUGHT TIMES.
I’M CURIOUS ABOUT WHERE WE STAND
RIGHT NOW IN HISTORY, WHAT
YOU’VE SEEN.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FORWARD?
NOT ONLY FOR REPORTERS, BUT FOR
ALL AMERICANS.
AND WHAT DOES HISTORY TEACH US
ABOUT MOMENTS LIKE THESE?
>> IT’S THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
TEST OF CITIZENSHIP AND OF
OUR -- REALLY, I WOULD GUE,
OUR PATRIOTIC COMMITMENTS AS
OPPOSED TO OUR NATIONALISTIC
APPEAR TIGHTS.
SO BEAR WITH ME TOOK A SECOND.
PATRIOTISM IS AN ALLEGIANCE NOT
TO JUST ONE’S OWN KIND, FOLKS
WHO LOOK LIKE YOU, BUT TO AN
IDEA.
AND FOR US, THAT IDEA IS THE
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND
EMBODIED -- THAT IS THE NORTH
STAR AND THE CONSTITUTION AS
AMENDED IS THE USER’S GUIDE.
AND WE -- I THINK AMERICA HAS
ALWAYS -- CAN JUDGE ITSELF ON
HOW FULLY OR HOW INCOMPLETELY WE
ARE IN ACCORD WITH THE
PRINCIPLES OF THE DECLARATION.
THAT IS PATRIOTISM.
NATIONALISM IS PEOPLE ALREADY IN
YOUR TRIBE AND IN YOUR CLAN WITH
THE SEA.
SO, TO ME, THOSE ARE COMPETING
IMPULSES AND THEY HAVE BEEN
COMPETING IMPULSES FROM THE
BEGINNING OF THE AMERICAN
PROJECT.
AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE.
AND SO, TO ME, THE GREAT TEST
HOW DO THOSE OF US WHO
FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVE THAT THE
INCOMING ADMINISTRATION IS SO
LIKELY TO BE OUT OF SYNC WITH
THE CONSTITUTIONAL NORMS, THE
ETHOS THAT SO MANY OF US GREW UP
WITH?
AND THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF US
AND EVERYBODY THAT WE ARE
TALKING TO THIS MORNING HAS BEEN
PART OF THIS, I WON’T DRAG
IGNATIUS TOTALLY INTO THIS, GIVE
HIM SOME COVER, BUT WE HAVE
ARGUED AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN
THAT A SECOND TRUMP PRESIDENCY
WAS SIMPLY NOT WORTH THE RISK OF
THE CHAOS AND THE
UNCONSTITUTIONALISM.
BUT GUESS WHAT.
THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE IN
DEMOCRACY HAVE TO OBEY THE
VERDICTS OF THAT DEMOCRACY.
YOU POINTED OUT A NUMBER OF
AMERICAN VOTERS DECIDED TO TRY
THIS ONE MORE TIME.
AND SO WE HAVE A PATRIOTIC
QUESTION -- WHAT DO WE DO?
WE CAN’T LEAVE THE ARENA BECAUSE
THAT WOULD BE EMPTIVE
SURRENDER AND WE HAVE TO STAY IN
THE ARENA AND PATRIOTIC STAND
FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN.
I THINK THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF
THE COUNTRY IS.
I’M VERY WORRIED THAT -- I
SUSPECT YOU ALL ARE HEARING THE
SAME THING -- THAT SO MANY
PEOPLE PEOPLE SO WORN OUT BY
THIS STRUGGLE.
IT’S NOT MINDLESS OPPOSITION,
LET’S BE CLEAR, BUT IT DOES ALSO
REQUIRE, AS JEFFERSON SAID,
ETERNAL VIGILANCE.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO AT
THIS POINT IS ENABLE THE FOLKS
WHO STAND ON THE GUARDRAILS AND
IN THIS IMMEDIATE CASE, IT’S THE
SENATE, RIGHT?
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT SOME OF
THESE PICKS ARE EXTREME, AND
THEY ARE, YOU HAVE TO -- BECAUSE
WE WILL ACT AS LINCOLN SAID, ALL
PEOPLE ACT ON INCENTIVE.
WE NEED TO SIGNAL TO THOSE WHO
HAVE A STAKE IN THIS, WHO HAVE
THE VOTE ON THIS, THAT THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE
EXTREME.
AND SO REMOVING OURSELVES FROM
THE ARENA, TUNING OUT, I THINK,
WOULD BE THE WORST POSSIBLE
RESULT.
>> WELL, I MEAN, REPUBLICANS
WILL TELL YOU SOME OF THESE
PICKS ARE EXTREME.
I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO LOOK
AT -- YOU KNOW, THE FIRST WEEK
WHEN -- WHEN SUSIE WILES WAS
SELECTED, A LOT OF PEOPLE
APPLAUDED THAT SELECTION AND
WHEN MARCO RUBIO WHO DIDN’T
AGREE WITH MARCO RUBIO ALL AT
ALL, THAT IS A SECRETARY OF
STATE PICK THAT HE WILL BE ABLE
TO WORK WITH BOTH SIDES BECAUSE
HE WAS A SENATOR AND CERTAINLY
WORKED WITH BOTH SIDES WITH MARK
WARNER ON THE INTEL COMMITTEE.
LOOK AT ARTHUR PICKS.
JOHN RATCLIFFE, A LOT OF
DEMOCRATS AND THE MEDIA WERE
OPPOSED TO SEVERAL YEARS AGO
SAID, OKAY.
WELL THAT IS ALSO -- IT SEEMS TO
BE WITHIN THE GUARDRAILS.
SOME OF THESE SELECTIONS HAVE
NOT BEEN IN THE GUARDRAILS,
DAVID IGNATIUS, AND SO YOU’VE
TALKED ABOUT IT AND I THINK IT’S
A GOOD BALANCE.
IT REMINDS ME AFTER RONALD
REAGAN GOT ELECTED.
YOU PROBABLY AREN’T, BUT I’M OLD
ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN RONALD
REAGAN GOT ELECTED, HE HAD A
MASSIVE LANDSLIDE AND HE WAS ON
"GOOD MORNING AMERICA" THE NEXT
DAY AND THEY ASKED HIM, WHAT DO
YOU DO NOW?
HE SAID, WE ARE THE LOYAL
OPPOSITION.
WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT HIM WHERE
IT IS NECESSARY TO FIGHT HIM,
NOT MAKING IT PERSONAL, BUT
FIGHT HIM ON POLITICAL ISSUES
AND WHERE WE CAN AGREE, WE WILL
AGREE.
I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT’S, OBVIOUSLY, VERY
IMPORTANT -- A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
SCARED BY THIS ELECTION OF HIS
ATTORNEY GENERAL SELECTION.
A LOT OF REPUBLICANS SCARED BY
IT AND A LOT OF REPUBLICANS
SCARED, AS WELL AS DEMOCRATS, BY
THIS ELECTION OF TULSI GABBARD
ONLY BECAUSE OF HER CONNECTIONS
WITH SYRIA, BECAUSE SHE IS, AT
TIMES IN THE UKRAINIAN WAR, SHE
IS JUST ECHOED THE WORDS OF
VLADIMIR PUTIN AND RUSSIA.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT ARE CONCERNED THAT DONALD
TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION
WILL NOT GET THE INTEL THEY NEED
BECAUSE YOU CAN SPEAK TO THIS
VERY WELL, THEY ARE JUST GOING
TO BE OTHER COUNTRIES THAT ARE
NOT GOING TO SHARE INFORMATION
AND SENSITIVE INTEL WITH TULSI
GABBARD.
AND SO AS I SAID LAST WEEK
REPEATEDLY, A PICK LIKE TULSI
GABBARD OR A PICK LIKE MATT
GAETZ FOR A.G., THAT IS NOT JUST
BAD FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
THAT IS NOT JUST BAD FOR
AMERICA.
IT’S BAD FOR DONALD TRUMP
BECAUSE IT MAKES HIM LESS
EFFECTIVE.
I UNDERSTAND HE WANTS TO FIND
LOYALISTS THAT WILL GO IN AND
OVERTURN THE ROCKS, YOU KNOW,
AND SEE WHAT IS UNDERNEATH THEM
AND ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
BUREAUCRACIES AND I THINK MOST
AMERICANS WOULD SAY, OKAY, THAT
IS GOOD.
BUT NOT POLITICAL RETRIBUTION
AND NOT THESE SELECTIONS THAT
WERE END UP HURTING HIM AND MAKE
HIM LESS EFFECTIVE AND MAKE THE
UNITED STATES LESS EFFECTIVE.
>> SO, JOE, AS YOU KNOW WELL,
THE MILITARY, THE INTELLIGENCE
AGENCIES ARE FULL OF THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SERVE
THEIR COUNTRY.
SHA THAT
THAT IS WHY THEY ARE DOING IT.
THEY WANT TO BE PROFESSIONAL HOW
THEY DO THEIR JOBS AND THEY WANT
TO BE RESPECTED.
I GET NERVOUS WHEN I SEE THE
NOMINEE WHO HAS BEEN MAKING
HEADLINES FOR YEARS AS PETE
HEGSETH HAS BY ATTACKING
MILITARY LEADERSHIP AND I
PROVIDER THAT IS GOING TO
PRODUCE CHAOS IN THE OPPOSITE OF
WHAT THE COUNTRY WANTS.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE SO MANY
ISSUES COMING UP WHERE DONALD
TRUMP WILL MAKE DECISIONS THAT
REALLY MATTER FOR AMERICA AND
THE WORLD.
WHAT HE DOES ON UKRAINE, WHETHER
HE REWARDS VLADIMIR PUTIN’S
AGGRESSION, WHETHER HE LEAVES
THE UKRAINIANS IN TERRIBLE
DANGER IS A CRUCIAL ISSUE.
WE NEED TO COVER THAT.
WE NEED TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE
DECISIONS HE IS MAKING.
SAME THING WITH FINDING PEACE
FINALLY IN THESE MIDDLE EAST
WARS.
SAME THING WITH IRAN AND WHERE
OUR POLICY TOWARD IRAN IS GOING.
ALL OF THESE AREAS, IT’S
IMPORTANT THAT WE DO OUR WORK AS
JOURNALISTS, WHEN WE SEE
MISTAKES BEING MADE, POOR
CHOICES BEING MADE AND HEAR FROM
ALLIES AROUND THE WORLD, THESE
POLICIES ARE HITTING US AND WE
NEED TO GET THAT INFORMATION
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AND AS
READERS BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF
HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS.
PEOPLE TRY TO IMPLEMENT
POLICIES.
JOURNALISTS AND --
>> JONATHAN LEMIRE, WE WANT YOU
TO JUMP IN.
I’M SURE YOU HAVE LOTS OF
THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS.
>> I’M SURE ANYONE AT THIS SHOW
IS ROOTING FOR MARC.
THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE DO.
WHEN A NEW PRESIDENT COMES IN
YOU ROOT FOR PRESIDENT TO BE A
SUCCESS MEANING GOOD FOR THE
COUNTRY.
WHETHER IT’S NOT NECESSARILY
ABOUT THEIR PARTICULAR POLICY OR
AGENDA BUT THERE ARE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO
VERY AFRAID RIGHT NOW.
>> YEAH.
>> WE WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE
VOICE FOR THOSE PEOPLE AND
AFRAID OF THE PROSPECT OF
ANOTHER DONALD TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
BUT TO JOE’S POINT EARLIER,
THERE ARE ALSO DEMOCRATS WHO
RECOGNIZE THEY NEED TO DO SOME
SOUL SEARCHING AND LEARN TO WORK
WITH THIS PRESIDENT IN SOME WAY
TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL FOUR
YEARS FOR THE COUNTRY.
NOW LOOK.
PAST IS PRO LOGGED EVERY TIME
DONALD TRUMP IS GIVEN A CHANCE
TO BE A UNITER OR DIVIDER HE HAS
CHOSEN TO BE DIVISIVE AND HE HAS
ENGAGED IN HAZEL AND AT TIMES
RACIST RHETORIC AND PITTED
PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER AND
CERTAINLY WE WILL WELL
CHRONICLED THAT OVER THE YEARS
HOW HE HAS HURT PEOPLE AT HOME
BUT HE COMES INTO THE OFFICE
WITH A MANDATE AND WE WILL COVER
HIM LIKE WE SHOULD CLEAR-EYED
AND HONESTLY AND AS DAVID
DETAILED VERY WELL, WE HAVE BEEN
CRIMINAL WHEN NEEDED SOME OF HIS
CABINET SELECTIONS AND RAISED
CONCERNS BECAUSE REPUBLICANS
HAVE RAISED CONCERNS.
REPUBLICANS HAVE SAID THAT THESE
PICKS MIGHT BE NOT JUST TOO
ENACT A PERSONAL AGENDA BUT
PERHAPS DESTROY THE VERY
AGENCIES OR DAMAGE THE VERY
AGENCIES THEY ARE MEANT TO LEAD.
BUT WE ARE IN A NEW PART RIGHT
NOW.
WE ARE IN A NEW MOMENT FOR THIS
COUNTRY.
AND WITH ANY PRESIDENT COMING
IN, WE WILL SPEAK TRUTH AND WE
WILL -- THAT PRESIDENT OR HIS
STAFF, WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING
WELL AND EFFECTIVE WE WILL NOTE
THAT AND TALK TO PEOPLE AND GET
EXPERT ANALYSIS AND THEY WILL
SAY WHAT THEY BELIEVE, THE SAME
IF THAT PRESIDENT NEEDS TO BE
CRITICIZED AND BRING THAT TOO
AND OUR JOB ON THIS SHOW.
>> JOE?
>> NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, IT’S OUR
JOB.
MIKA, I REMEMBER -- AND, YOU
KNOW, WHEN WE WENT OUT TALKING
THROUGH THE YEARS, I REMEMBER
AFTER RUSH LIMBAUGH HAD SAID
THAT HE WAS ROOTING AGAINST
BARACK OBAMA AFTER HE GOT
COLLECTED.
I, OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU KNOW, I HAD
A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH BARACK
OBAMA’S POLICIES AND TALKED
ABOUT THEM EVERY DAY.
I ALSO SAID, THOUGH, YOU CAN’T
ROOT AGAINST THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT
ROOTING AGAINST AMERICA.
SO I THINK MOST AMERICANS,
AGAIN, WE ARE A 50/50 NATION.
WE WERE A 50/50 NATION IN ’16
AND A 50/50 NATION IN 2020 AND
NOW.
BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, AGAIN,
THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH
BUMPY RIDE.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE START THIS
ADMINISTRATION AND KEEPING IN
MIND WHAT MARTY BARRON SAID,
WHICH IS WE ARE NOT GOING TO
WAR.
WE ARE GOING TO WORK.
THAT IS A BIT OF A CHANGE HERE.
NOT GOING TO LIE.
THAT IS A BIT OF A CHANGE.
SO YOU SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.
YOU PUSH BACK HARD AND, AGAIN,
THE FINAL THING I WILL SAY ABOUT
THIS MEETING WHICH, AGAIN, WAS
ON BACKGROUND, BUT, OF COURSE,
WE REQUESTED AN INTERVIEW AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR THE SHOW.
BUT WE SPOKE AT LENGTH JUST
ABOUT WHAT JONATHAN SAID.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SCARED RIGHT
NOW.
THEY ARE SCARED ABOUT THE
THREATS OF POLITICAL RETRIBUTION
AND THEY ARE SCARED ABOUT THE
THREATS OF RETRIBUTION AGAINST
MEDIA PEOPLE, THEY ARE SCARED
SOME POTENTIAL PICKS HAVE
ACTUALLY SAID THEY ARE GOING TO
ARREST MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA ORCI
ALL THAT DOES IS MAKE PEOPLE
MARTYRS AND WHAT WE SAID.
YOU GO AFTER YOUR POLITICAL
OPPONENTS, YOU TURN THEM INTO
MARTYRS, YOU MAKE THEM THE NEXT
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO, AGAIN, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
SCARED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NERVOUS.
HOPEFULLY, THERE WILL BE A LOT
OF LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPENED
UP AND NOT JUST WITH US, BUT
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA,
DEMOCRATS, AND HOPEFULLY
DEMOCRATS AND OTHERS WITH
IMPRESS ON THE INCOMING
PRESIDENT, THE NEED FOR BOTH
SIDES TO WORK TOGETHER.
MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS A
REPUBLICAN TOWN RIGHT NOW.
WASHINGTON IS A REPUBLICAN TOWN
WITH A HOUSE AND A SENATE AND A
WHITE HOUSE THAT IS REPUBLICAN.
THAT IS WHY WHAT THE REPUBLICANS
IN THE SENATE ARE DOING RIGHT
NOW, ASKING TOUGH QUESTIONS
ABOUT HIS SELECTIONS IS SO
IMPORTANT.
AGAIN, NOT JUST FOR THE COUNTRY,
BUT FOR THE WHITE HOUSE AS WELL.