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>> GOOD MORNING FROM NEW YORK
CITY.
I'M BRIAN STELTER.
IT'S TIME FOR "RELIABLE
SOURCES."
HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE COMING UP ON
THE SHOW TODAY.
AN NFL PROSPECT SAYS HE'S GAY.
AND PRO FOOTBALL PLAYERS APPLAUD
HIS COURAGE.
BUT ARE THEY SAYING ONE THING TO
THE CAMERAS AND SOMETHING
ENTIRELY DIFFERENT BEHIND THE
SCENES?
WE'LL TALK TO A WRITER WHO SAYS
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE
DOING.
HILLARY CLINTON, DIGGING DEEPER
INTO A NEWLY DISCOVERED ARCHIVE
OF HER PRIVATE THOUGHTS, WITH A
MAN WHO KNOWS HER WELL.
CLINTON BIOGRAPHER AND PULITZER
PRIZE WINNER CARL BERNSTEIN.
AND WHY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
STORIES IN THE COUNTRY BARELY
BEING COVERED?
A BIG STATE FULL OF PEOPLE
AFRAID TO DRINK THEIR WATER OR
EVEN WASH THEIR HANDS, WHERE ARE
THE NETWORKS, THE NATIONAL
MEDIA?
A REPORTER WHO'S BEEN THERE
EVERY DAY SAYS WE NEED HELP.
>>> WE'LL GET TO ALL OF THOSE
STORIES IN THE SHOW TODAY PLUS
COMCAST MEGA MERGER ANNOUNCED
THIS WEEK.
FIRST THERE'S BEEN A MOUNTAIN OF
MEDIA COVERAGE IN RECENT DAYS
ABOUT MICHAEL SAM, THE COLLEGE
FOOTBALL STAR WHO MADE THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT.
>> I CAME TO TELL THE WORLD THAT
I'M AN OPENLY PROUD GAY MAN.
>> HOW DOES IT FEEL TO SAY THOSE
WORDS TO THE WORLD?
>> IT'S A LOAD OFF MY CHEST.
>> WHAT A MOMENT FOR FOOTBALL.
AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF STORIES
ABOUT HIM PAINTED A BRIGHT
PICTURE, THAT THE NFL MIGHT
FINALLY BE READY FOR AN OPENLY
GAY PLAYER.
THERE WERE TWITTER MESSAGES OF
SUPPORT FROM ALL ACROSS
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL AND
CELEBRITIES LIKE ELLEN AND EVEN
FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA.
ONE OF THOSE NFL TWITTERERS WAS
RICHIE INCOGNITO WHO'S BEEN
ACCUSED OF BULLYING TEAMMATE
JONATHAN MARTIN.
HERE'S WHAT HE WROTE.
IT TAKES GUTS TO DO WHAT YOU
DID.
I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST.
BUT THEN ON FRIDAY, THE WELLS
REPORT CAME OUT.
THAT WAS THE BLUE RIBBON
INVESTIGATION ORDERED BY NFL
COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL.
>> WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN THAT
MIAMI DOLPHINS LOCKER ROOM.
THE REPORT MADE CLEAR THAT
INCOGNITO HURLED HOMOPHOBIC
TEAMMATES SLURS SO UGLY WE'RE
GOING TO BE REPEATING THEM HERE.
THIS BRINGS UP A KEY QUESTION,
ARE PEOPLE IN PRO FOOTBALL
SAYING ONE THING IN FRONT OF
THEIR CAMERAS AND KEYBOARDS BUT
ANOTHER THING IN PRIVATE.
HAS THIS STORY BEEN ACCURATELY
REPORTED THIS WEEK?
JOINING ME TO DIG DEEPER INTO
THIS, IN LOS ANGELES, HOWARD
BRAGMAN, FOUNDER OF 15 MINUTES
PR WHICH REPRESENTS MICHAEL SAM
AND OVERSAW THE ROLLOUT OF HIS
ANNOUNCEMENT THIS WEEK AND IN
BOSTON, DANIEL FLYNN, THE AUTHOR
OF "THE WAR ON FOOTBALL, SAVING
AMERICA'S GAME" WHO WROTE ON
BREITBART.COM ABOUT WHAT HE
THINKS IS THE HIDDEN NEGATIVE
REACTION TO SAM'S COMING OUT.
DANIEL, I WANT TO START WITH
YOU, BEFORE EARLIER THIS WEEK
BEFORE THE WELLS REPORT CAME OUT
YOU WROTE YOU FEEL PLAYERS AND
COACHES ARE SAYING ONE THING IN
PUBLIC AND ANOTHER IN PRIVATE.
WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?
>> I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING
INHERENTLY DISHONEST IN THE
WHOLE CONVERSATION THAT, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S AN EXPECTED
OPINION THAT YOU'RE TO GIVE
PUBLICLY ON TWITTER WHEN YOU
MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND IF ANYONE
SORT OF VEERS FROM THAT
ACCEPTED POSITION ON
HOMOSEXUALLY OR MICHAEL SAM YOU
WILL GET IN BIG TROUBLE.
THINK ABOUT THE TWO PLAYERS IN
THE CFL WHO TWEETED NEGATIVE
REACTIONS TO MICHAEL SAM COMING
OUT, THEY GOT FINED BY THE CFL.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT PETER KING AT
"SPORTS ILLUSTRATED" ALL HE DID
WAS GET SOME ANONYMOUS SOURCES
TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE RECEPTION
MIGHT BE FOR MICHAEL SAM IF THE
NFL, HOW THIS -- HIS
ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD AFFECT HIS
DRAFT STOCK AND WHEN THEY GAVE
THEIR HONEST ASSESSMENTS THEY
DIDN'T PUT THEIR NAME TO IT FOR
OBVIOUS REASONS, BUT WHEN THEY
GAVE THEIR HONEST ASSESSMENTS
PETER KING IS BEING CALLED ALL
SORTS OF NASTY NAMES IN THE
MEDIA, ON-LINE.
IT HAS A REAL CHILLING EFFECT TO
SPEECH AND I THINK IT PUTS
JOURNALISTS IN A REAL DILEMMA.
YOU CAN EITHER WRITE A STORY
THAT COMES ACROSS AS A PRESS
RELEASE FROM GLAAD AND PEOPLE
WILL APPLAUD YOU OR YOU CAN GO
AND DIG UP THE TRUTH AS PETER
KING DID AND PEOPLE WILL SLAM
YOU AND CALL YOU A BIGOT AND
*** PHOBE AND SAY YOU HAVE
ULTERIOR MOTIVES FOR WRITING
THIS.
IT'S A HIGHWIRE ACT SPORTS
JOURNALISTS FACE IN REPORTING ON
THE STORY BECAUSE THEY'RE ALMOST
COMPELLED TO REPORT ON IT IN A
VERY PUFF PIECE KIND OF WAY.
>> GLAAD THE LEADING ADVOCACY
GROUP FOR GAY RIGHTS ENCOURAGING
POSITIVE IMAGES OF GAY RIGHTS IN
THE MEDIA.
AS SOMEONE WHO ORCHESTRATED
MICHAEL SAM'S ANNOUNCEMENT, WHO
HELPED HIM MAKE THINGS HISTORIC
ANNOUNCEMENT, HOW DO YOU FEEL
ABOUT WHAT HE'S SAYING?
>> WELL, I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD
FEEL FOR THE MACRO RECEPTION FOR
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND I CAN TELL
YOU IT'S ABOUT 99% POSITIVE
UNIVERSALLY.
OWNERS OF NFL TEAMS, COACHES
LIKE BILL BELICHICK, PEOPLE WHO
REALLY KNOW THIS, ARE SAYING
HEY, HE MADE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT,
GET OVER IT, LET'S GIVE HIM A
CHANCE TO PLAY FOOTBALL, WHICH
IS BY THE WAY ALL MICHAEL WAS
ASKING.
PETER KING'S STORY HAS BEEN TORN
APART BY DEADSPIN AND OTHER
MEDIA OUTLETS RIGHTFULLY SO,
BUT --
>> DO YOU FEEL IT WAS BAD
JOURNALISM TO USE ANONYMOUS
SOURCES LIKE THAT?
WE'VE SEEN OTHER STORIES LIKE IT
THIS WEEK ALSO.
>> WELL, THE BAD PART TO ME WAS,
HE DIDN'T EVEN TRY AND ASK THEM
TO GO ON THE RECORD.
HE SAID, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS
ANONYMOUSLY, I THINK AS A
JOURNALIST YOU WANT TO TRY TO GO
ON THE RECORD FIRST AND THERE
WERE SOME VERY LOW-LEVEL
ANONYMOUS SOURCES AND THEN PETER
KING FOLLOWED UP WITH A SECOND
PIECE WHERE HE HAD SOMEBODY WHO
HAD QUOTE UNQUOTE NEVER HEARD OF
MICHAEL SAM, WHO BY THE WAY IS
THE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE
YEAR, CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE
YEAR IN THE SEC, THE STRONGEST
LEAGUE IN FOOTBALL, LOOKED AT
HIS TAPE AND SAID, OH, I DON'T
THINK HE'S THAT GOOD A FOOTBALL
PLAYER WHICH IS JUST CRAP AT
THIS POINT BECAUSE MICHAEL WAS
MVP ON HIS TEAM, THE AP, THE
COACHES, PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE
LEAGUE, KNOW THE PLAY, SAW HIM
AS A VERY COMPETITIVE FOOTBALL
PLAYER, LET MICHAEL BE MICHAEL,
LET MICHAEL PLAY FOOTBALL AND
JUDGE HIM ON THAT BASIS AND GET
RID OF THE REST OF THE OTHER
TALK WHICH IS MOSTLY LOW-LEVEL
HOMOPHOBIA, REALLY MASKED BY
OTHER WORDS LIKE DISTRACTION.
>> WELL, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG
AELS.
DANIEL, DO YOU FEEL -- YOU'RE
NOT FEELING LIKE THIS IS
HOMOPHOBIC, DO YOU?
>> NO.
HOWARD SAYS LET'S JUDGE HIM ON
THE BASIS OF HIS PLAYING ON THE
FOOTBALL FIELD RATHER THAN WHO
HE DATES AND I THINK THAT'S A
VERY REASONABLE REQUEST, BUT
IT'S ALMOST, HOWARD, HE WANTS TO
HAVE HIS CAKE AND EAT IT TOO.
THE ONLY REASON WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT MICHAEL SAM, THE ONLY
REASON MICHAEL SAM IS ON THE
COVER OF "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED" IS
BECAUSE HE'S GAY.
NOT BECAUSE HE'S A GOOD FOOTBALL
PLAYER.
THE ONLY REASON THE FIRST LADY
OF THE UNITED STATES HAS
PUBLICLY PRAISING HIM, NOT
BECAUSE HE'S THE SECOND COMING
OF LAWRENCE TAYLOR, IT'S BECAUSE
HE'S GAY.
THE ONLY REASON MICHAEL SAM'S
AGENT IS SAYING HE HAS FORTUNE
500 COMPANIES BANGING DOWN HIS
DOOR TRYING TO PAY MICHAEL SAM
ALL SORTS OF MONEY TO ENDORSE
THEIR PRODUCTS ISN'T BECAUSE
HE'S GOING TO BE AN ALL-PRO NFL
PLAYER, IT'S BECAUSE HE'S GAY.
SO TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD JUDGE
HIM ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD, I
MEAN, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH
FOR.
PEOPLE ARE JUDGING HIM AS A
FOOTBALL PLAYER.
MY SENSE IS, LIKE HOWARD, HE IS
GOING TO HOOK ON WITH AN NFL
TEAM, HE'S THAT GOOD OF A
PLAYER, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE'S A
LATE ROUND NFL PICK AND THERE'S
NOT TOO MANY LATE ROUND NFL
PICKS THAT YOU SEE ON THE COVER
OF "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED" BEFORE
THEY EVEN GET DRAFTED.
THE ONLY REASON WE'RE HAVING
THIS CONVERSATION IS BECAUSE
MICHAEL SAM IS GAY.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS
PERFORMANCE ON THE FOOTBALL
FIELD.
WHEN HOWARD SAYS LET'S JUDGE HIM
BASED ON HOW HE PLAYS, HOWARD IS
NOT DOING THIS, WHY DOES HE
EXPECT ANYONE ELSE TO DO THAT?
>> LET ME CLEAR UP A COUPLE
MISCONCEPTIONS.
FIRST OF ALL WE DON'T KNOW WHEN
HE'S GOING TO BE PICKED.
YOU CAN SAY HE'S LATE ROUND.
THE LAST 10 TOP DEFENSIVE
PLAYERS IN THE SEC HAVE BEEN
PICKED CLOSE TO FIRST ROUND,
SECOND ROUND, THIRD ROUND.
SECOND THING IS, MICHAEL SAM DID
NOT HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS.
HIS CHOICE WAS IN COMING OUT
AHEAD OF THE STORIES THAT WERE
GOING TO OUT HIM.
I'M VERY CLEAR IN THIS.
MICHAEL WAS OUT AS A PLAYER IN
MISSOURI.
PEOPLE IN THE LOCAL PAPERS
THERE, PEOPLE AT "SPORTS
ILLUSTRATED," OTHER PUBLICATIONS
KNEW.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS
GOING TO BREAK INEVITABLY.
WHAT I FIND PAINFULLY SAD WE
THINK OF JACKIE ROBINSON AND WE
THINK OF THE FACT THAT, YOU
KNOW, MANY YEARS AGO, PEOPLE
SAID HE CAN'T PLAY BECAUSE HE'S
BLACK, IT'S NEVER GOING TO WORK,
AND YET THERE WERE SOME
COURAGEOUS PEOPLE IN SPORTS WHO
SAID, WE WANT THE BEST PLAYERS
POSSIBLE AND WE THINK THIS GUY
IS ONE OF THEM.
SPORTS HAS FALLEN BEHIND.
WE'RE IN 2014.
WE HAVE A GAY CONGRESSMAN, A GAY
SENATOR, WE HAVE PEOPLE RUNNING
FORTUNE 50 COMPANIES WHO ARE
OPENLY GAY.
WE HAVE GAY PEOPLE IN EVERY
LEVEL OF OUR SOCIETY, EXCEPT GAY
MEN IN THE BIG FOUR PROFESSIONAL
SPORTS.
THEY'RE BEHIND THE 8 BALL ON
THIS ISSUE.
AS "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED" NOTED ON
THE COVER, AMERICA IS READY, IS
THE NFL?
THE NFL HAS LOTS OF PROBLEMS.
THEY NEED TO CLEAN UP THEIR ACT
AND I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND THAT
AND THEY'RE EMBRACING MICHAEL
SAM SHOWS THAT THEY GET THIS.
>> HOWARD, THANK YOU FOR COMING
ON AND SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE
THIS WEEK.
DANIEL, THANK YOU FOR COMING ON
AN SHARING YOUR COLUMN AS WELL.
>> THANKS, BRIAN.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> AND COMING UP, THE GIANT
CABLE DEAL THAT'S GOT EVERYONE
TALKING.
IS IT A GOOD THING FOR CONSUMERS
OR A MONSTER COMPANY WITH SO
MUCH MUSCLE, THAT IT DECIDES
WHAT CHANNELS YOU GET TO WATCH?
I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU STRA IGHT
WHEN WE COME BACK.
>>> WELCOME BACK TO "RELIABLE
SOURCES."
A NEW WAVE OF CABLE
CONSOLIDATIONS CAME CRASHING
ASHORE THIS WEEK WHEN COMCAST
MADE A SURPRISE MOVE TO MERGER
TIME WARNER CABLE.
COMCAST IS ALREADY A GIANT, THE
NUMBER ONE CABLE COMPANY IN THE
COUNTRY AND IF THIS DEAL IS
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT IT
WILL TAKE OVER THE NUMBER TWO
CABLE COMPANY AND GET EVEN
BIGGER.
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO
UNDERSTAND ABOUT COMCAST.
IT'S UNIQUE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T
JUST DISTRIBUTE OTHER PEOPLE'S
TELEVISION CHANNELS BUT IT OWNS
SOME OF THE CHANNELS, NBC,
BRAVO, MSNBC, USA, WITH THIS NEW
MERGER THE FEAR IS COMCAST WILL
USE ITS MUSCLE TO HELP OUT ITS
OWN CHANNELS WHILE HURTING OTHER
CHANNELS YOU MIGHT WANT TO
WATCH.
OPPONENTS ARE LINING AND, IN
FACT, WHEN THIS DEAL NEWS BROKE
WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND I STARTED
SCURRYING TRYING TO WRITE A
STORY FOR CNNMONEY.COM MY FIRST
E-MAIL TO THE FREE PRESS BECAUSE
I KNEW HE WOULD BE SHOCKED AND
APPALLED BY THE NEWS.
HE WAS AND HIS GROUP CAME OUT
AGAINST THE DEAL THAT VERY
NIGHT.
CRAIG JOINS ME NOW FROM
WASHINGTON TO TELL ME WHY.
CRAIG, YOU WROTE IN A PETITION
THAT'S NOW UP ON FREE PRESS'
WEBSITE PUTTING THIS MUCH POWER
IN THE HANDS OF ONE COMPANY IS
DANGEROUS.
WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?
>> SHOCKED AND APPALLED IS
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, BRIAN.
I THINK THIS DEAL, IF IT GOES
THROUGH, WOULD GIVE COMCAST WAY
TOO MUCH POWER OVER WHAT WE
WATCH WATCH, SEE, HEAR, READ AND
DOWNLOAD EVERY DAY.
THIS WOULD MAKE COMCAST A
GATEKEEPER BASICALLY OVER ALL
OUR FORMS OF MEDIA AND
COMMUNICATION, GIVING THEM A LOT
OF POWER TO DICTATE THE TERMS OF
THE BUSINESS, TO DECIDE WHAT
GOES ON THE INTERNET AND WHAT
DOESN'T, CERTAINLY WHAT GOES ON
YOUR CABLE SYSTEM AND WHAT
DOESN'T AND I THINK THAT'S TOO
MUCH POWER IN THE HANDS OF ONE
COMPANY THAT IF THIS DEAL GOES
THROUGH WOULD STRETCH TO MORE --
NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICAN
HOMES WOULD BE OFFERED SERVICE
BY THE NEW GIANT COMCAST.
>> LET ME PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE
WITH YOU.
IF COMCAST IS SO BAD WHY ARE 20
SOME MILLION SUBSCRIBERS TO IT
SEEMINGLY HAPPY THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY.
>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT HAPPILY.
COMCAST REGULARLY RANKS AMONG
THE WORST COMPANIES IN SURVEYS
OF CUSTOMER SERVICE.
>> THEY HAVE NOBODY TO SWITCH
TO?
>> THEY'RE THE ONLY GAME IN
TOWN.
IF YOU WANT HIGH-SPEED INTERNET
IN MOST OF THE COUNTRY YOUR ONLY
CHOICE IS THE LOCAL CABLE
COMPANY AND FOR MORE AND MORE
AMERICANS AND MAYBE A LOT MORE,
THAT COMPANY IS COMCAST.
NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT, YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TO GIVE UP THE
INTERNET OR DON'T WANT TO BE
ABLE TO WATCH SHOWS LIKE THIS,
THEY ABSOLUTELY DO, BUT IT DOES
MEAN THAT CONSUMERS DON'T HAVE A
LOT OF FREEDOM.
THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CHOICE.
IF THEY'RE UNHAPPY WITH A
COMPANY THEY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE
TO TURN.
>> THIS MEDIA WAR CAN FEEL SMALL
SOMETIMES.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT.
THE CHANNEL THAT WE'RE AN CNN
OWNED BY TIME WARNER UNTIL 2009
OWNED TIME WARNER CABLE BEING
BOUGHT BY COMCAST.
FULL DISCLOSURE MY FIANCE WHO
I'M GOING TO MARRY WORKS AT TIME
WARNER CABLE, SHE WILL BE A
COMCAST EMPLOYEE, SEEMS LIKE
THESE ARE COMPANIES SO BIG AND I
WONDER IF THEY'RE JOURNALISTIC
OR OTHER ETHICAL QUESTIONS YOU
THINK THIS BRINGS UP WHEN ONE
COMPANY IN THIS CASE COMCAST
OWNS SO MANY NEWS CHANNELS AND
ENTERTAINMENT CHANNELS.
>> I THINK THERE'S REAL CONCERNS
FOR PEOPLE WITH COMCAST HAVING
THIS MUCH CONTROL.
THEY DO OWN AND OPERATE ONE OF
THE BIGGEST NEWS OPERATIONS
THERE IS, NBC.
AND ALL OF THE NBC CABLE
CHANNELS AS WELL AS DOZENS AND
DOZENS OF LOCAL TELEVISION
STATIONS AND THERE'S A LOT OF
INCENTIVE FOR COMCAST IF THEY
COULD GET AWAY WITH IT TO GIVE A
LEG UP FOR THEIR OWN CONTENT AND
SERVICES.
THAT'S TRUE ON THE NEWS SIDE,
THAT'S TRUE ON THE ENTERTAINMENT
SIDE.
>> NOW COMCAST, WE ASKED THEM TO
COME ON THIS WEEK, THEY
DECLINED.
I KNOW WHAT THEY WOULD SAY HERE,
THEY WOULD SAY WE HAVEN'T DONE
ANY OF THAT.
WE HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE
CORPORATE CITIZENS SINCE THE NBC
MERGER THREE YEARS AGO.
HAVE YOU SEEN ANY EVIDENCE THAT
CONTRADICTS THAT?
>> I THINK CONTENT WISE THEY'VE
CONTINUED DOWN THE PATH.
ONE QUESTION WILL BE ARE MSNBC
CNBC GOING TO COVER THIS MERGER.
>> YOU MENTIONED THE INTERNET,
MAYBE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF
THIS.
TALKING ABOUT TELEVISION, BUT
COMCAST WANTS TO CHARGE MORE AND
MORE FOR FASTER INTERNET.
IS THAT WHERE THE REGULATORS IN
WASHINGTON SHOULD BE PAYING THE
MOST ATTENTION WHEN THEY
SCRUTINIZE THIS DEAL?
>> I THINK SO.
I THINK AT ITS CORE THIS DEAL IS
ABOUT BROADBAND INTERNET.
THAT'S THE FUTURE.
THAT'S THE MARKET THAT COMCAST
IS REALLY TRYING TO LOCK DOWN
WITH THIS DEAL.
IT'S VASTLY PROFITABLE FOR THEM
RIGHT NOW AND THEY KNOW IF THEY
CAN POSITION THEMSELVES AS THE
GATEKEEPERS ON-LINE, EVERYTHING
IN THE FUTURE HAS TO GO THROUGH
THEM.
I THINK WE HAVE REAL CONCERNS
WHEN REALLY THE ONLY HIGH-SPEED
OFFERING IN MANY PLACES IS GOING
TO BE THAT COMCAST CABLE
CONNECTION.
>> YOU SAY THAT, BUT I'VE
NOTICED ON MY AT&T PHONE IT'S
GETTING BETTER AND BETTER.
I CAN WATCH NETFLIX ON MY PHONE,
IT GOBBLES UP A LOT OF DATA AND
BANDWIDTH BUT WONDER IF COMCAST
HAS TO GET MORE SCALE BECAUSE IN
THE FUTURES THOSE WILL BE THE
BIG INTERNET PROVIDERS.
>> THESE ARE VASTLY PROFITABLE
COMPANIES AND I THINK YOU'RE
RIGHT, THEY DO SEE THIS AS A
PLAY FOR MORE SCALE.
MY CONCERN IS THAT WHAT WE'RE
DOING IS WE'RE ESSENTIALLY
BUILDING A NEW CARTEL WHERE THE
CABLE COMPANIES DIVIDE UP THEIR
SIDE OF THE MARKET, IT WILL BE
ALMOST ENTIRELY COMCAST WITH A
FEW OTHER PEOPLE WAY DOWN THE
LIST, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE YOUR
HOME INTERNET CONNECTIONS, YOUR
WIRE LINE SERVICE, THE PHONE
COMPANIES ARE SAYING OKAY, WE'RE
GOING TO TAKE THE MOBILE MARKET
AND WE LIKE IT IF THERE WERE
FEWER THAN FOUR OF US, WE'VE
TRIED THAT, BUT THE BIG TWO WILL
BE DOMINANT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
AS A CONSUMER YOU HAVE VERY FEW
CHOICES AND IF THEY SDECIDE TO
START DISCRIMINATING, BLOCKING
WEBSITES YOU DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE
ELSE TO TURN I THINK THAT'S THE
REAL DANGER HERE AND THE ONE
THING IN ALL THE CONSUMER
BENEFITS THAT COMCAST HAS BEEN
TOUTING ABOUT THIS MERGER, THE
ONE THING YOU NEVER HEAR THEM
SAY IS THAT PRICES ARE GOING TO
GO DOWN.
THEY'RE PRETTY CLEAR THAT'S NOT
THE CASE.
PRICES WILL KEEP GOING UP AND IF
THEY CAN DO IT THEY'RE GOING TO
GO UP RAPIDLY.
THAT'S WHY ALL CONSUMERS SHOULD
BE CAUTIOUS AND SKEPTICAL ABOUT
WHAT COMCAST HAS PROPOSED HERE.
>> IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE TALK
ABOUT CONSUMERS AND WHAT IT
MEANS FOR THEM.
ON THAT MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL I
NEVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY PRICES
WILL GO DOWN.
>> I THINK WASHINGTON NEEDS TO
TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THIS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
ADVOCATING FOR.
I'M SURE COMCAST WILL BE
SPENDING MONEY TO PUSH THEIR
POSITION AND THEY'RE CLOSE TO
BOTH PARTIES IN WASHINGTON BUT
THIS IS CERTAINLY NO SLAM DUNK
AND I THINK THE MORE THE PUBLIC
SPEAKS OUT, GETS INVOLVED, SAYS
WAIT A MINUTE, I DON'T LIKE THE
CABLE GUY VERY MUCH, I REALLY
DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO LIKE
THE CABLE GUY ON STEROIDS.
>> GREG AARON, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE AND EXPRESSING
YOUR POINT OF VIEW ON THIS.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, BRIAN.
>> WHEN WE COME BACK, IT'S THE
HILLARY CLINTON YOU'VE NEVER
SEEN, WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HER
WELL.
HE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT HER.
ONE HALF OF WOODWARD AND
BERNSTEIN.
CARL BERNSTEIN UP NEXT.
♪ ♪
>>> WELCOME BACK TO "RELIABLE
SOURCES."
FASCINATING AN REVEALING NEW
INFORMATION ABOUT HILLARY
CLINTON THIS WEEK FROM WRITINGS
LEFT BEHIND BY HER BEST FRIEND
THE LATE DIANE BLAIR.
PROBABLY NO OTHER WOMAN IN THE
WORLD MORE WRITTEN ABOUT THAN
HILLARY CLINTON.
MAYBE JOAN OF ARC, MAYBE THE
QUEEN OF ENGLAND?
BUT REALLY, HILLARY CLINTON IS
ONE OF A KIND.
AND YET THE PAPERS FOUND THIS
WEEK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
ARKANSAS REVEAL SOME THINGS WE
DIDN'T KNOW.
ONE OF THE JOURNALISTS WHO'S
BEEN POURING OVER THE DOCUMENTS
IS CLINTON BIOGRAPHER ONE HALF
OF THE FAMED WATERGATE TEAM
WOODWARD AND BERNSTEIN.
A GUEST WE LV TO HAVE AND JOINS
ME NOW.
CARL THANKS FOR COMING IN.
>> GOO GOOD TO BE HERE.
THESE DOCUMENTS CAME UP FOUND BY
A CONSERVATIVE LEANING WEBSITE
NOW TEAMS FROM CNN AND OTHERS
ARE DOWN THERE SCOURING THEM,
LOOKING FOR NEW REVELATIONS.
ANYTHING YOU'VE SEEN SO FAR
CONTRADICTED WHAT WAS IN YOUR
BOOK AND YOU'VE SEEN OVER THE
YEARS ABOUT HILLARY CLINTON?
>> LET'S SAY ONE THING HERE,
THAT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MY BOOK
CAME OUT, OTHER THINGS COME OUT,
WHAT HAS HAPPENED THIS WEEK WITH
THESE PAPERS IS, EVERYTHING
HILLARY OR BILL CLINTON USUALLY
COMES INTO THE MEDIA AND IS PUT
IN LEFT, RIGHT, IDEOLOGICAL BOX.
THE ACCOLATES OF HILLARY CLINTON
GO OUT ON THE WAR PATH AGAINST
THE RIGHT WINGERS WHO HAVE
BROUGHT THIS ALLEGATION AND THAT
AND SO THERE IS NO CONTEXT.
WE'RE SEEING IT AGAIN NOW.
>> THE LAZIEST WAY TO GO ABOUT
IT, RIGHT?
>> THERE'S SO LITTLE REPORTING.
BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, HILLARY
CLINTON HAS COMMENTED ON THIS
AND ONE OF THE REASONS SHE HAS
SUCH DISDAIN FOR THE PRESS
BECAUSE OF THIS TENDENCY TO DO
THAT.
SHE HAS OTHER REASONS THAT SHE
DISDAINS THE PRESS, NOT VERY
GOOD ONES, BUT -- AND THERE'S
SOME COMMENTS IN THESE PAPERS
AND IN MY BOOK ABOUT WHAT SHE
THINKS OF THE PRESS.
>> ONE OF THE QUOTES I WAS MOST
INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT THE
PRESS, SAYING THAT THE PRESS IS
A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WITH BIG EGOS
AND NO BRAINS.
SHE'S KIND OF GOT US FIGURED
OUT.
>> GOT US FIGURED OUT WHEN WE
DON'T DO OUR REPORTING.
I THINK THAT WAS ALWAYS ONE OF
HER COMPLAINTS, THAT REPORTERS
DON'T DO REPORTING OFTEN.
>> SHE'S QUOTED SAYING THERE'S
HARDLY A NEWS STORY SHE COULDN'T
TOTALLY REFUTE.
>> WELL, I DON'T THINK THAT'S
QUITE TRUE BECAUSE A NUMBER OF
THE NEWS STORIES AND WHAT MADE
HER THE MOST SENSITIVE, MOST
ANGRY WERE STORIES ABOUT BILL
CLINTON AND OTHER WOMEN AND MOST
OF THOSE STORIES WERE TRUE.
AND SHE KNEW THAT MANY OF THOSE
STORIES WERE TRUE, AT THE SAME
TIME SHE HAD BEEN THE PERSON WHO
PARTLY ON HER OWN VOLITION BACK
IN ARKANSAS AND PARTLY AT THE
URGING OF OTHERS HAD GONE OUT
AND TRIED TO SMEAR SOME OF THE
WOMEN WHO SUPPOSEDLY HAD
RELATIONSHIPS WITH HER HUSBAND.
THERE'S A LONG ACCOUNT OF IT IN
MY BOOK.
BUT I THINK SHE'S GOT A REAL
POINT.
THOUGHTFUL PEOPLE IN PUBLIC
LIFE, WHETHER IT'S GEORGE BUSH,
BILL CLINTON, HILLARY CLINTON,
KAY BAILEY HUTCHENSON ALMOST ALL
PEOPLE IN LIFE WHO HAVE HAD
GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH THE PRESS,
PARTICULARLY IN THE TELEVISION
AND CABLE NEWS ERA, COME AWAY
SAYING, THERE'S NO CONTEXT TO
WHAT WE'RE DOING AND IT'S TOO
OFTEN THE CASE.
YEAH, SHE'S GOT A REAL POINT AND
AT THE SAME TIME, SHE'S GOT AN
AX TO GRIND AND WE SHOULDN'T TO
RGTS THAT EITHER.
>> AND I'M SURE SHE STILL DOES
EVEN THOUGH THESE QUOTES ARE
FROM THE 1990s.
>> YOU MADE THIS POINT ABOUT
YOUNG PEOPLE CALLING IT FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
>> CALLING MONICA A NARCISSISTIC
LUNENY TOON.
>> IT'S NO SECRET IN THIS BOOK
THAT HILLARY CLINTON THOUGHT
THAT MONICA LEWINSKY WAS A
STALKER.
SHE MAY WELL HAVE BEEN A STALKER
AND BILL ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE
STALKED.
>> LET ME TRY OUT A CONSPIRACY
THEORY ON YOU.
THESE PAPERS WERE REPORTED ON BY
THE WASHINGTON FREE BEACON,
PROMOTED BY DRUDGE.
HERE WE ARE IN JANUARY OF 2014.
IS IT POSSIBLE A REPORTER WAS,
YOU KNOW, LED TO THESE PAPERS SO
THEY WOULD COME OUT NOW, THESE
QUOTES WOULD BE REHASHED NOW, AS
OPPOSED TO A YEAR OR TWO YEARS
FROM NOW?
>> LOOK, THE GREAT THING ABOUT
BEING A REPORTER IS, IS THAT WE
DON'T HAVE CRYSTAL BALLS AND
HOPEFULLY WE GOT A NOTEBOOK AND
GO TALK TO PEOPLE.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT
QUESTION.
IT'S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE WHAT
WE -- WHAT WE DO KNOW, HOWEVER,
IS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT RAND
PAUL HAS BEEN SAYING ABOUT BILL
CLINTON AND ABOUT HIM BEING A
*** PREDATOR, ET CETERA AND I
THINK THERE -- AND HAVE TALKED
TO SOME REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS AND THINKS THAT ONE OF
PAUL'S OBJECTIVES IS TO TRY TO
PUSH HILLARY OUT OF THIS RACE
AND GET OTHER PEOPLE IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO PERHAPS SAY
MAYBE WE DON'T NEED ALL THIS,
MAYBE THERE IS CLINTON FATIGUE
AND THAT THIS IS GOING TO RENEW
CLINTON FATIGUE.
AS MIGHT THIS STORY.
>> ONE OF THE OTHER QUOTES FROM
REPORTEDLY FROM HILLARY CLINTON
ABOUT THE MEDIA, HOW CAN HISTORY
EVER BE WRITTEN WHEN THOSE WHO
DO THE CONTEMPORARY STUFF ARE SO
WRONG.
AS SOMEONE WHO HAS TRIED TO
WRITE THE DEFINITIVE BOOK ABOUT
HER DO YOU RELATE TO THAT AT
ALL?
>> I THINK SHE'S GOT A HELL OF A
POINT.
IN OUR MY YOPE YA IN JOURNALISM
TOO OFTEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WE
THINK IS THE BIG STORY OF THE
MOMENT AND WE DON'T REALLY DO
THE IN DEPTH REPORTING.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE WHAT SHE'S
GETTING AT.
THAT ONE OF THE JOYS, AS I SAY,
OF DOING THIS BOOK WAS TO SPEND
SIX YEARS, SEVEN YEARS,
RESEARCHING EVERY ASPECT OF
HILLARY CLINTON'S LIFE, EVERY
ASPECT OF THE MARRIAGE, EVERY
ASPECT OF HER BACKGROUND, SO
SURPRISING, SHE IS A SURPRISING
CHARACTER AND WE STILL HAVE A
CARICATURE VIEW OF HER VERY MUCH
BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO COVER HER
AS A WOODEN PUPPET.
THIS IS A WOMAN WHO IS ANYTHING
BUT A PUPPET, ANYTHING BUT
SIMPLE.
DOESN'T FIT CONVENTIONALLY INTO
SIMPLE LIBERALISM AND
CONSERVATIVE BOXES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IN
THESE PAPERS DOWN IN DIANE'S --
AND I TALKED TO DIANE BLAIR AT
GREAT LENGTH FOR MY BOOK AND
THAT'S WHY MOST OF WHAT I'VE
SEEN IS IN THIS BOOK.
INCLUDING THE STUFF ABOUT
HILLARY SAYING HOW TERRIBLY BILL
CLINTON RUNS HIS OFFICE.
AND PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO
THE PRESS.
SHE REALLY RAN A TIGHT SHIP AND
THAT INCLUDED THE WAY SHE DEALT
WITH THE PRESS AND SHE THOUGHT
THAT BILL CLINTON'S OPERATION
WAS, WITH SOME REASON, THAT BILL
CLINTON WAS NOT DISCIPLINED
ABOUT THE WAY HE RAN HIS OFFICE
AND SOMETIMES ALLOWED THE PRESS
TO RUN OVER HIM.
REMEMBER, SHE IS THE ONE WHO AT
EVERY STAGE OF BILL CLINTON'S
CAREER HAS SAVED HIM.
USUALLY BY GOING ON TELEVISION
AFTER AN ALLEGATION ABOUT WOMEN.
SHE SAID IT TO DIANE BLAIR.
THAT SHE THOUGHT THAT THE WHITE
HOUSE WAS A GOLDEN CAGE THAT
WOULD KEEP THESE OLD HABITS OF
HER HUSBAND AND TEMPTATIONS AT
BAY AND PARTICULARLY SHE SAID TO
DIANE BLAIR, WITH A NOSY PRESS
CORPS SUCH AS THE WHITE HOUSE
HAS.
WELL, SHE WAS WRONG.
>> CARL, GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON.
>> GOOD TO BE HERE.
>> REMEMBER, I LOVE YOUR
FEEDBACK.
LOOK ME UP ON TWITTER OR
FACEBOOK AND MY USER NAME BRIAN
STELTER AND I'VE BE READING YOUR
COMMENTS AFTER THE SHOW.
AFTER A BREAK HERE, CHRIS
CHRISTIE AS TONY SOPRANO.
THE MEDIA GOES TO TOWN ON THE
NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR, IS ALL THE
NEGATIVE PUBLICITY PAVING THE
WAY FOR A NEW POLITICAL PLAYER?
A TALE OF TWO REPUBLICANS AFTER
THIS BREAK.
>>> WELCOME BACK TO "RELIABLE
SOURCES."
CHRIS CHRISTIE SAID SOMETHING
REVEALING THIS WEEK WHILE
SPEAKING TO THE ECONOMIC CLUB OF
CHICAGO.
THE PAST SIX WEEKS HE SAID,
HAVEN'T BEEN THE MOST ENJOYABLE
OF MY LIFE.
THAT'S UNKRISTIE-LIKE
UNDERSTATEMENT, ISN'T IT?
HIS DETRACTORS CONTINUE TO POUND
AWAY HIM.
THE STORY HEADLINE "CHRIS CLI
TI'S ENTIRE CAREER WREEX" AND A
MOCKED UP PORTRAYAL OF HIM AS
TONY SOPRANO.
SARAH PALIN TURNED ON HIM SAYING
SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE HIS WHOLE
STORY ON BRIDGE GATE.
YOU CAN'T TURN ON MSNBC WITHOUT
HEARING ABOUT THE LATEST ABOUT
HIS SCANDALS.
WE DON'T KNOW IF HE SURVIVES TO
REGAIN HIS STATUS AS A
PRESIDENTIAL FRONTRUNNER BUT
THERE'S A NEW KID IN TOWN.
SENATOR RAND PAUL OF KENTUCKY IS
MUSCLING IN ON WHAT USED TO BE
CHRISTIE'S TERRITORY.
THIS WEEK AMID HIS CONSTANT
REMINDERS ABOUT MONICA LEWINSKY,
PAUL SUED PRESIDENT OBAMA OVER
THE NSA'S COLLECTION OF PHONE
RECORDS.
THE TWO CANDIDATES, WOULD-BE
CANDIDATES ARE VERY DIFFERENT.
THE QUESTION IS THIS, IF CHRIS
CHRISTIE GOES DOWN OVER
BRIDGEGATE IS RAND PAUL THE HEIR
APPARENT?
CNN'S NEWEST POLITICAL
COMMENTATOR MICHAEL SMIRCONISH
HAS COVERED BOTH CLOSELY AND
JOINS ME FROM PHILADELPHIA.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU, BRIAN.
>> TELL ME ABOUT THE STORY THAT
YOU WROTE ABOUT CHRIS CHRISTIE
FOR THE COVER OF "PHILADELPHIA"
MAGAZINE LAST JULY.
I GATHER HE DIDN'T QUITE LIKE
THE STORY?
>> WELL, I DON'T PUT MYSELF IN
THE CATEGORY OF DETRACTORS,
THOSE THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE NOW
COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK OVER
A PERIOD OF YEARS I'VE HOSTED
HIM ON MY RADIO PROGRAM ON
SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND HAD
WRITTEN SEVERAL COLUMNS ABOUT
HIM AND OVERWHELMINGLY I THINK I
TREATED HIM WELL.
BUT WHEN "PHILADELPHIA" MAGAZINE
CAME TO ME AND SAID WE WANT YOU
TO WRITE A COVER STORY FOR LAST
JULY'S ISSUE AND PUT THE CONTEXT
IN PERSPECTIVE, HE'S THEN
RUNNING FOR GENERAL ELECTION
AGAINST BARBARA AND HE WANTS TO
WIN BIG.
THIS IS A MAGAZINE --
>> YOUR MAGAZINE IS GOING TO BE
ALL OVER SOUTH JERSEY, RIGHT?
>> EXACTLY.
SO YOU WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE
A LAY-UP, BUT HE DECIDED HE
DIDN'T WANT TO CORPORATE WITH
THE INTERVIEW, I NEVERTHELESS
WROTE THE PIECE, I THINK THE
PIECE WAS FAIR.
IT NEVER WOULD HAVE OCCURRED TO
ME THAT HIS RATIONALE FOR NOT
COOPERATING WITH THE PIECE MIGHT
HAVE BEEN SOMETHING I HAD
WRITTEN ABOUT HIM PREVIOUSLY BUT
FOR THE GW BRIDGE CLOSING AND
THESE MAYORS SAYING I THINK I
WAS A VICTIM OF REPRISAL.
>> AND NOW THIS WHAT IS SO MANY
ARE DOING, RIGHT, JUST LIKE YOU
GOING BACK IN TIME THINKING BACK
AND RE-EXAMINING CHRIS CHRISTIE,
WONDERING IF HE HAS THIS
REPUTATION AS A BULLY.
WHAT WAS THE COLUMN YOU WROTE
THAT YOU THINK MAY HAVE TURNED
HIM AGAINST YOU?
WASN'T THE TITLE "CAN YOU
IMAGINE HOW CHRISTIE'S SON
FEELS," WHAT WAS IT ABOUT?
>> BRIAN, WE HAVE FOUR CHILDREN,
THREE OF THEM ARE SONS, AND ONE
PARTICULAR DAY I PICKED UP MY
SONS AT SCHOOL AND I WAS DRIVING
MY PICK-UP TRUCK AND I REMEMBER
WELL WHEN THEY GOT IN THE CAR
THEY SORT OF SLUMPED DOWN IN THE
SEAT AND SAID DAD, HOW MANY
PICK-UP TRUCK DOUSE SEE IN THE
LOT?
DON'T EVER PICK US UP IN THE
PICK-UP TRUCK.
PICK US UP IN A CAR LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE HAS.
THEIR BEEF WAS THAT I HAD
EMBARRASSED THEM.
REMEMBER THE CONTROVERSY OVER
WHEN GOVERNOR CHRISTIE USED A
HELICOPTER TO GO TO HIS SON'S
BASEBALL GAME AND A HUGE
KERFUFFLE ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY
COULD THIS HAVE COST.
I WROTE A COLUMN AND I SAID I'M
SURE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THE
GOVERNOR HAS ISN'T THE MONEY,
THE CRITICISM, IT'S PROBABLY HIS
SON BECAUSE IF HIS SON IS LIKE
MY SONS, HE PROBABLY GOT A
WORKOUT AT THE DINNER TABLE OVER
THE EMBARRASSMENT FACTOR.
THAT WAS THE GIST OF THE COLUMN.
AND TO ME IT'S PRETTY INNOCUOUS
BUT I HAVE TO SAY WHEN I WENT
BACK WITH MY PRODUCER AND
RECONSTRUCTED OUR DEALINGS IT
BECAME CLEAR THAT NEVER AGAIN
DID HE COME BACK TO THE RADIO
SHOW AND THE TONE AND TENURE OF
THE E-MAILS BACK AND FORTH
CHANGED FOR THE WORSE.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE AN EXAMPLE OF
A PRICKLY POLITICIAN AND WE'VE
HEARD A LOT OF EXAMPLES OF THIS
SINCE THE SCANDALS STARTED TO
BREAK.
DO YOU CONCLUDE AS OTHER PEOPLE
SEEM TO BE CONCLUDING THAT HE IS
A GUY THAT'S A BIT OF A BULLY
AND A GUY WHO TRIES TO KEEP
SCORE, SO TO SPEAK?
>> I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT
EXPRESSION.
HE STRIKES ME AS A GUY WHO'S
KEEPING SCORE.
I SUSPECT THAT I BECAME DEAD TO
CHRISTIE CHRISTIE AND HIS OFFICE
WHEN I WROTE THE COLUMN ABOUT
THE HELICOPTER.
I WOULD ALSO BE CURIOUS TO KNOW,
DID HE EVER READ THE COLUMN OR
JUST THE HEADLINE?
WAS IT EXPLAINED TO HIM?
BUT YES, I CAME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT BECAUSE I WENT
THERE, NEVER AGAIN WAS I GOING
TO GET ACCESS.
>> WE'VE GONE THROUGH FOR WEEKS
NOW WITH THESE SCANDALS AND WITH
PEOPLE LIKE YOU REASSESSING
THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHRIS
CHRISTIE, THEIR PAST EXPERIENCES
WITH HIM, DO YOU THINK THERE'S
AN OPENING BEING CREATED HERE
FOR SOMEONE LIKE RAND PAUL WHO'S
BEEN GETTING SO MUCH PRESS
LATELY FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS?
>> NO.
I DON'T SEE IT.
I THINK THERE'S AN OPENING FOR
SOMEONE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S
FOR RAND PAUL.
THE ATTRACTION FOR CHRIS
CHRISTIE TO ME HAS ALWAYS BEEN
THAT I THOUGHT HE WAS THE BEST
PERSON WHO COULD CENTER THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY AND I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
CENTER ITSELF.
I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST FOR THE
PARTY.
I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE
NATION.
I ALSO THOUGHT THAT CHRIS
CHRISTIE WAS A PERSON WHO SORT
OF STOOD IN OPPOSITION TO THE
MARCO RUBIO, THE TED CRUZ, THE
RICK SANTORUM, THE MIKE HUCKABEE
AND MAYBE THE RAND PAUL FACTION.
IT'S HARD TO PLACE RAND PAUL IN
THE GOP IN TERMS OF WHERE HE
FITS IDEOLOGICALLY, BUT I DON'T
SEE HIM ATTRACTING THE SAME TYPE
OF TRADITIONALIST GOP PERSON
THAT I THINK CHRISTIE WAS GOING
TO ATTRACT.
I THINK A JOHN CASIC, PAUL RYAN
BENEFITS BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S
RAND PAUL THAT BENEFITS FROM
CHRISTIE HAVING TAKE AN TUMBLE.
>> DO YOU THINK THE PRESS IS
TRYING TO SEARCH FOR A NEW
PERSON TO FOCUS ON, RAND PAUL OR
SOMEONE ELSE?
>> I KNOW HOW YOU LOVE TO FOCUS
ON THE MEDIA.
HERE'S MY PREDICTION.
I THINK THE MEDIA LOVES TO BUILD
SOMEONE LIKE CHRISTIE UP,
FRANKLY IN RETROSPECT NOW IT'S
CLEAR THAT HE NEVER RECEIVED A
CLOSE ANALYSIS DURING THAT LAST
CAMPAIGN, NOW HE'S BEEN TORN
DOWN, AND MY HUNCH IS WHAT COMES
NEXT IS HE GETS BUILT BACK UP
AGAIN, ESPECIALLY IF ALLS THESE
SUBPOENAS GENERATE NOTHING THAT
CONTRADICTS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY
AND THEN THAT ROLLER COASTER
RIDE WILL CONTINUE.
I'M NOT WRITING THIS GUY OFF
YET.
>> THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
THIS IS A CYCLE AND THIS CYCLE
WILL JUST CONTINUE AND MAYBE
IT'S A QUESTION OF WHERE ON THAT
ROLLER COASTER WE ARE 18 MONTHS
FROM NOW.
>> HE'S GREAT COPY.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT
CHRISTIE IN COMPARISON TO THE
OTHER PERSONALITIES THAT WE'RE
DISCUSSING.
CHRISTIE IS THE BEST COPY AMONG
THEM AND, YOU KNOW, HIS VERBOSE
NATURE IS BOTH HIS GREATEST
ASSET AND HIS CHIEF LIABILITY.
>> I DON'T KNOW, I THINK RAND
PAUL --
>> WHAT I CONCLUDED IN THAT --
>> I THINK RAND PAUL FILING A
LAWSUIT AGAINST THE PRESIDENT
MAKES FOR SOME PRETTY GOOD COPY
THIS WEEK.
>> IT DOES.
BUT I ALWAYS WAS ENTERTAINED BY
HIS FATHER.
I THOUGHT HIS FATHER MADE SENSE,
PARTICULARLY ON THE FOREIGN
POLICY ISSUES.
I NEVER COULD QUITE WRAP MY HEAD
AROUND SOME OF THE DOMESTIC
VIEWS HE HAD, BUT I'M NOT,
BRIAN, YET SURE THAT WHETHER
RAND PAUL HAS THE ABILITY TO DO
WHAT DAD NEVER DID, WHICH WAS TO
GO MAINSTREAM.
RATHER THAN BEING PASSING FANCY
AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS AND HARD
CORE LIBERTARIAN TYPES TO HAVE A
MORE BROADBASED APPEAL.
THUS FAR I DON'T SEE THAT
HAPPENING WITH RAND PAUL.
>> WHAT A WIDE VARIETY OF PEOPLE
TO TALK ABOUT IN THE MONTHS AND
YEARS TO COME AND YOU'LL BE
DOING IT ON YOUR NEW SHOW ON
CNN.
MICHAEL, THANKS FOR JOINING ME.
>> THANK YOU, BRIAN.
>> WHAT HAPPENS WHEN JOURNALISTS
FAIL AT THEIR JOB?
AND I MEAN REALLY BLOW IT?
THE BIGGEST STORY YOU HAVEN'T
HEARD OF, AT LEAST NOT IN A
WHILE, WHEN WE COME BACK.
>>> WELCOME BACK TO "RELIABLE
SOURCES."
I'M BRIAN STELTER.
NOW TO A FEATURE WE'RE GOING TO
BE DOING A LOT ON THIS PROGRAM,
CALLED UNDER COVER.
EXAMINING WHY REPORTERS ARE NOT
PAYING ATTENTION ENOUGH TO
IMPORTANT STORIES.
I CAN'T THINK OF A MORE
OUTRAGEOUS EXAMPLE RIGHT NOW
THAN THE WATER IN CHARLESTON,
WEST VIRGINIA.
PEOPLE THERE ARE AFRAID TO DRINK
IT, WASH WITH IT, AND THEY HAVE
BEEN EVER SINCE THE CHEMICAL
SPILL THAT FIRST CONTAMINATED
THE WATER MORE THAN A MONTH AGO.
COME ON, IF THIS WAS HAPPENING
IN NEW YORK OR LOS ANGELES,
DON'T YOU THINK WE WOULD BE
SEEING BASICALLY BLANKET
COVERAGE OF THIS?
IN THIS CASE IN WEST VIRGINIA NO
ONE CAN ASSURES RESIDENTS WHEN
THE WATER WILL BE DRINKABLE.
THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF MIXED
INFORMATION.
SOME INSPECTORS SAY IT'S SAFE
NOW, BUT THERE'S BEEN ALL THESE
CONFLICTING COMMENTS EVEN AMONG
STATE OFFICIALS LEAVING
RESIDENTS FRUSTRATED AND
FRIGHTENED.
ONE LOCAL JOURNALIST HAS BEEN ON
THE STORY DAY AND NIGHT SINCE IT
BROKE AND WILL JOIN ME, BUT
FIRST WATCH, HERE SHE IS
REPORTER CALI CART INSISTING ON
GETTING ANSWERS FROM THE
PRESIDENT OF THE CHEMICAL
COMPANY THAT CAUSED THE SPILL.
>> AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME I
THINK THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TIME
FOR.
THANKS FOR COMING.
>> WE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.
HEY HEY HEY.
WE'RE NOT DONE.
>> WE ARE DONE.
>> WE'RE NOT DONE, NO.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS?
>> WHAT A VIRAL VIDEO MOMENT
THAT WAS.
JOINING ME NOW, CALI, THE ANCHOR
WITH CNN AFFILIATE WCHS IN
CHARLESTON.
WELCOME, CALI, THANKS FOR
JOINING US.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO TELL ME, WHAT I SAID IN
THE INTRO, IS IT TRUE OR NOT?
IF THIS WAS NEW YORK OR LOS
ANGELES OR EVEN PITTSBURGH,
WOULDN'T THIS BE GETTING MORE
COVERAGE FROM THE NATIONAL
PRESS?
>> ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
I MEAN THIS HAPPENED MORE THAN A
MONTH AGO AND EVEN IN THE
BEGINNING THERE WASN'T THAT SORT
OF 24-HOUR NEWS COVERAGE.
THERE WAS SOME NATIONAL
COVERAGE, YOU KNOW, A MENTION A
STORY HERE, A STORY THERE, BUT
FOR THE LARGE PART IT'S BEEN
IGNORED AND THERE HAVE BEEN A
LOT OF, YOU KNOW, MEDIA EXPERTS
WEIGHING IN LIKE YOURSELF
SAYING, YOU KNOW, HEY, THERE
NEEDS TO BE MORE ATTENTION PAID
TO THIS AND I THINK THAT'S THE
FEELING OF EVERYONE HERE AND
HERE WE ARE A MONTH AFTER THE
CRISIS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
JUST MOVED ON FROM THIS STORY.
BUT PEOPLE HERE CERTAINLY DO NOT
FEEL LIKE THE WATER IS SAFE YET,
AND ACTUALLY FRUSTRATIONS ARE
GROWING EACH DAY THAT THE --
THIS CRISIS CONTINUES.
>> I WANT TO GET INTO THE
REASONS FOR THE LACK OF
COVERAGE, BUT TELL ME FIRST,
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT JUST A
REPORTER, YOU'RE A RESIDENT,
YOU'RE A MOM, YOU'RE NINE MONTHS
PREGNANT, DO YOU THINK THE WATER
IS SAFE?
HAVE YOU BEEN DRINKING AND USING
THE WATER?
>> I HAVEN'T BEEN DRINKING THE
WATER.
I HAVE BEEN USING IT ON A
LIMITED BASIS.
BUT THE FEELING OF A LOT OF
PEOPLE WE TALK TO IS NO, THEY
DON'T FEEL LIKE THE WATER IS
SAFE.
I KNOW THAT THE SMELL IN MY
WATER AT MY HOUSE COMES AND GOES
AND THAT'S A CONCERN.
THEY SAY THE OFFICIALS FROM THE
WATER COMPANY EVEN WITH THE
STATE SAY, YOU KNOW, THE SMELL,
JUST IGNORE IT.
IT'S GOING TO BE THERE.
US I THINK AS A RATIONALE PERSON
YOU REALLY BRING YOURSELF TO
DRINK THE WATER IF IT SMELLS.
AND THE CDC SAID TWO DAYS AFTER
THE BAN WAS LIFTED ON USING THE
WATER, PREGNANT WOMEN, OKAY, YOU
SHOULDN'T DRINK THE WATER, THEN
SAYING THAT WAS MORE OF A
RECOMMENDATION TO EMPOWER WOMEN
TO THINK ABOUT THEIR OWN HEALTH.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN MIXED
MESSAGES ALL ALONG.
SO EVERYONE'S JUST KIND OF USING
THEIR PERSONAL JUDGMENT ON WHAT
TO DO.
A LOT OF PREGNANT, EXPECTANT
MOTHERS ARE KIND OF IN THE SAME
BOAT.
I SPOKE WITH KIND OF A
ROUNDTABLE OF MOMS THIS PAST
WEEK, AND THEY SAID THEY'RE MORE
FRUSTRATED AND ACTUALLY MORE
CONCERNED THAN THEY WERE WHEN
THIS CRISIS FIRST HAPPENED A
MONTH AGO.
>> WHEN I SAW THAT QUOTE FROM
SENATOR ROCKEFELLER THIS WEEK
SAYING HE WOULDN'T DRINK THE
WATER IF PEOPLE PAID HIM TO
DRINK IT, THAT'S WHEN IT GOT MY
ATTENTION.
I THOUGHT THIS IS AN ONGOING
CRISIS THAT ISN'T GETTING ENOUGH
COVERAGE IN THE PRESS.
I WONDER, THERE HAVE BEEN MEDIA
OUTLETS THAT HAVE DONE A BETTER
JOB THAN OTHERS?
HAVE YOU SEEN ANY COVERAGE
THAT'S BEEN IMPRESSIVE?
ANY REPORTERS COME BACK TO THE
STATE?
OR IT'S JUST BEEN OVERALL PRETTY
BAD?
>> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK CNN'S
BEEN HERE SEVERAL TIMES.
"THE HUFFINGTON POST" HAS
FOLLOWED THIS PRETTY CLOSELY.
RACHEL MADDOW HAS TALKED ABOUT
IT ON HER SHOW.
BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY A VENTING
OF FRUSTRATION.
THAT CHIP YOU SAW OF ME
QUESTIONING THE FREEDOM INDUSTRY
PRESIDENT, THE COMPANY THAT MADE
THE SPILL, THAT GOT A LOT OF
COVERAGE.
BUT THAT WAS ALMOST FRUSTRATING
IN A WAY BECAUSE WHILE, YES, I'M
PUSHING FOR ANSWERS, THAT IS
JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG OF
FRUSTRATION AND THE STORY HERE.
>> RIGHT.
>> THERE'S SUCH A LARGER STORY
THAT DEALS WITH PEOPLE'S HEALTH,
THEIR SAFETY, AND THE FACT THAT
THIS COULD REALLY HAPPEN
ANYWHERE SO IT'S APPLICABLE
ACROSS THE NATION.
AND THE FACT IT'S BEING LARGELY
IGNORED IS INCREDIBLY
FRUSTRATING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE
HERE.
>> LET'S DIG INTO WHAT THE
REASONS COULD BE.
I'M THINKING TO MYSELF MAYBE ONE
OF THE REASONS WHY IS REPORTERS
WERE INITIALLY TOO GULLIBLE.
THEY BELIEVED THE OFFICIALS WHEN
THE WATER RESTRICTIONS WERE
LIFTED AND OFFICIALS INITIALLY
SAID, OKAY, IT'S OKAY TO DRINK
AGAIN AND THEY HAVEN'T PAID
ATTENTION SINCE.
IS THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
THERE HASN'T BEEN MORE SCRUTINY
IN CHARLESTON?
>> MAYBE.
I THINK THE LOCAL MEDIA HAS DONE
AN EXCELLENT JOB OF, YOU KNOW,
QUESTIONING WHAT THE OFFICIALS
ARE SAYING AND, YOU KNOW, DOING
FOLLOW-UPS, BECAUSE THERE HAVE
BEEN ONGOING LINGERING PROBLEMS
EVEN AFTER THE BANS WERE LIFTED.
SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO BE CLOSED
JUST TWO WEEKS AGO.
THERE WAS A STUDENT AND TEACHER
WHO PASSED OUT IN THE SCHOOL
BECAUSE THE FUMES WERE SO
OVERWHELMI
OVERWHELMING.
WE'VE BEEN HIGHLY CRITICAL,
QUESTIONING.
HOWEVER, THAT'S ON A LOCAL
LEVEL.
SO NATIONALLY, YES, MAYBE.
THEY SAID THE BANS ARE LIFTED
AND CRISIS OVER.
WELL, CRISIS CONTINUES.
>> SOMETIMES LOCAL REPORTERS
HATE IT WHEN NATIONAL REPORTERS
BIGFOOT ONTO THEIR TURF BUT I
FEEL LIKE IN THIS CASE WHAT I'M
HEARING FROM YOU IS COME ON BY,
PLEASE COME BACK, THERE'S A BIG
STORY TO COVER.
>> WELL, AND I THINK WE FEEL
LIKE WE ARE STILL GOING THROUGH
THIS CRISIS, AND I FEEL LIKE IT
HAS BEEN KIND OF PORTRAYED LIKE,
OKAY, THE CRISIS IS OVER.
AND WE'RE MOVING IN THAT
DIRECTION.
YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY OUR WATER
SUPPLY IS GETTING SAFER.
THEY'RE NOW STARTING TO DO
IN-HOME TESTING AND I THINK THAT
WILL HOPEFULLY RELIEVE LOT OF
FEARS OR MAYBE TELL US THINGS
WE'VE BEEN WANTING TO KNOW.
>> A HELL OF A STORY AND IT IS
UNDER COVERAGE.
PEOPLE CAN GO TO YOUR WEB SIT,
CCHSTV.COM.
THANKS FOR JOINING ME.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
>>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK'S
TELEVISED EDITION OF "RELIABLE
SOURCES."
A LOT MORE ONLINE AT CNN.COM,
LOTS OF STORIES OF THE COMCAST
MERGER AND THE REST OF THE
WEEK'S MEDIA NEWS.
HOPE TO SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT
SUNDAY AT 11:00 A.M.