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>>> WELCOME.
WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING THESE LAST
DAYS OF SUMMER, STOP, TAKE SOME
TIME, AND READ THIS BOOK.
I PROMISE, YOU WILL LAUGH AND
CRY AND BY THE LAST PAGE, I
THINK YOU'LL BE READY FOR THE
REVOLUTION.
THE TITLE IS “THIS TOWN,” AN
UP-CLOSE LOOK AT HOW OUR
NATION'S CAPITAL REALLY WORKS.
I CAN TELL YOU, IT'S NOT A
PRETTY PICTURE.
HERE'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.
THREE MEN ON A SUMMER'S DAY IN
MISSISSIPPI.
WHY ARE THEY SMILING AND WHAT
ARE THEY REALLY UP TO?
YES, THAT'S FORMER PRESIDENT
BILL CLINTON ON THE RIGHT AND ON
THE LEFT, HIS BEST FRIEND
FOREVER, TERRY MCAULIFFE, FORMER
CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL COMMITTEE, FUNDRAISER
SUPREME FOR BOTH BILL AND
HILLARY, AND THE PERSONIFICATION
OF THE CORPORATE WING OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
SMACK IN THE MIDDLE, THAT'S
HALEY BARBOUR, FORMER CHAIRMAN
OF THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL
COMMITTEE.
HE MADE A FORTUNE LOBBYING FOR
CORPORATIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE
TA BACKCO INDUSTRY, THEN WENT
HOME TO SERVE TWO TERMS AS
GOVERNOR OF MISSISSIPPI, AND
COULDN'T WAIT TO GET BACK TO
WASHINGTON, WHERE ONCE AGAIN,
HE'S GUN-SLINGING FOR THE BIG
BOYS.
SO WHY DID THESE THREE D.C.
DESPERADOES RIDE INTO A SMALL
MISSISSIPPI TOWN?
SEEMS THAT WHEN BARBOUR WAS
GOVERNOR, HE OFFERED McAULIFFE A
VERY ATTRACTIVE STATE PACKAGE OF
PRICE AND TAX SUBSIDIES FOR A
PLANT THERE TO BUILD ELECTRIC
CARS FOR HIS GREENTECH
AUTOMOTIVE COMPANY.
MCAULIFFE ALSO TAPPED HIS
POLITICALLY CONNECTED NETWORK
FOR MORE THAN $100 MILLION IN
CAPITAL WITH THE HELP OF
HILLARY CLINTON'S BROTHER,
TONY RODHAM, WHOSE COMPANY, GULF
COAST FUNDS MANAGEMENT, SHARES
OFFICE SPACE WITH GREENTECH AND
RAISED MONEY FROM OVERSEAS.
THEY HELD A BIG SHINDIG FOR
GREENTECH'S GRAND OPENING LAST
YEAR, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS
PICTURE WAS SNAPPED OF THREE
VERY HAPPY CRONY CAPITALISTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, BACK IN VIRGINIA,
WHERE GREENTECH IS BASED AND
MCAULIFFE IS RUNNING FOR
GOVERNOR, THE COMPANY HAS
PRODUCED VERY FEW JOBS AND IS
UNDER INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER
McAULIFFE AND TONY RODHAM MADE
IMPROPER USE OF A FEDERAL
PROGRAM FOR FOREIGN INVESTORS.
MARK LEIBOVICH WAS THERE IN
HORN LAKE, MISSISSIPPI, COVERING
THE TRIUMVIRATE OF MCAULIFFE,
BARBOUR, AND CLINTON AS THEY
CHARMED THE LOCALS.
HE'S THE CHIEF NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT FOR “THE NEW YORK
TIMES MAGAZINE” AND THE AUTHOR
OF “THIS TOWN,” WHICH HAS
EVERYONE WHO'S ANYONE IN
WASHINGTON TALKING.
WHAT A TALE IT IS.
MARK LEIBOVICH IS WITH ME NOW.
WELCOME.
>> HI BILL.
GOOD TO BE HERE.
>> I'VE READ YOUR BOOK TWICE.
IT'S FUN TO READ.
IT'S EYE-OPENING.
I LEARNED A LOT FROM IT.
AND YET, AT THE CORE OF IT,
THERE'S A TRAGIC STORY.
DO YOU SEE THAT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I DIDN'T SEE IT FULLY AS I WAS
WRITING IT, BUT I SEE IT IN HOW
PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON
HAVE REACTED TO IT.
THE TRAGIC STORY IS THAT WHAT
HAS GROWN UP IN THIS CITY THAT
WAS SUPPOSEDLY BUILT ON PUBLIC
SERVICE IS THIS PERMANENT FEUDAL
CLASS OF INSIDERS, OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE NOT TERM LIMITED.
OF PEOPLE WHO NEVER LEAVE AND
NEVER DIE, FIGURATIVELY NEVER
DIE.
AND WHO ARE THERE AND WHO ARE
DOING VERY, VERY WELL FOR
THEMSELVES, VERY, VERY WELL FOR
WASHINGTON, AND NOT VERY, VERY
WELL FOR THE UNITED STATES.
>> CAN YOU FRAME THE HISTORICAL
MOMENT IN WHICH YOU'RE WRITING?
>> I WOULD FRAME IT REALLY OVER
THE LAST 10, 15, MAYBE 20 YEARS
YOU'VE HAD THIS EXPLOSION OF
MONEY IN POLITICS.
>> GOLD RUSH, YOU CALL IT.
>> IT'S A GOLD RUSH.
PEOPLE NOW COME TO WASHINGTON TO
GET RICH.
THAT WAS NEVER THE DEFINING
ETHIC OF THE TOWN, CERTAINLY
30 YEARS AGO.
THERE IS NOW SO MUCH MONEY.
IT IS NOW THE WEALTHIEST
COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS HOME TO SEVEN OF THE
WEALTHIEST TEN COUNTIES IN THE
UNITED STATES.
AND FRANKLY -- IT IS -- I MEAN,
THE POWER IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO
BE VERY ALLURING.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME
IDEALISTS WHO'S GOING TO BE THE
MAKE-A-DIFFERENCE TYPES.
BUT ULTIMATELY THIS HAS MORE IN
COMMON WITH SILICON VALLEY, WITH
HOLLYWOOD, THAN WITH WALL
STREET.
WHICH IS A RUSH TO CASH IN.
IT IS A RUSH TO SOMEHOW TAKE
FROM THIS BIG ENTITY, THIS BIG
MARKETPLACE, SOME KIND OF
REWARD, AS OPPOSED TO DOING
SOMETHING THAT WILL REWARD THE
COUNTRY.
>> WHAT'S STUNNING IS HOW
DISCONNECTED WASHINGTON IS, THE
POLITICAL WASHINGTON THAT YOU
WRITE ABOUT, FROM THE LIVES OF
EVERYDAY PEOPLE.
IS IT BECAUSE OF THIS GOLD RUSH?
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
DISCONNECT BETWEEN WASHINGTON
AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY,
WHICH PEOPLE TALK ABOUT.
I MEAN, THERE'S A SHORTHAND,
"WELL, WASHINGTON IS OUT OF
TOUCH," RIGHT?
PEOPLE DON'T FULLY KNOW WHAT
THAT IS MADE OF.
I MEAN, I THINK YOU SEE
INTUITIVELY ON TV OR WHEN YOU
VISIT WASHINGTON, THAT PEOPLE
DON'T TALK AND DEAL WITH PEOPLE
THE WAY MOST AMERICANS TALK AND
DEAL WITH EACH OTHER.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LANGUAGE OF
OBSEQUIOUSNESS, A LANGUAGE OF
SELLING, A LANGUAGE OF SPIN.
BUT MOST -- BUT LOOK -- IT IS A
WEALTH CULTURE.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING
VERY, VERY WELL.
IT'S TRUE IN THE DEMOGRAPHICS,
IT'S TRUE IN THE SENSIBILITY.
>> THE PEOPLE YOU WRITE ABOUT IN
HERE SEEM VERY COMFORTABLE WITH
THIS TOWN.
>> THEY DO.
I MEAN, IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY
GOOD FOR THEM.
I MEAN, IT'S -- LOOK, THIS TOWN
HAS WORKED FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE,
A LOT OF VERY GOOD PEOPLE, A LOT
OF VERY BAD PEOPLE, AND A LOT OF
VERY MEDIOCRE PEOPLE.
BUT THESE ARE -- A LOT OF THIS
BOOK IS FILLED WITH PROFILES OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE THIS TOWN
WORK FOR THEM.
>> WHAT DO THE READERS OUT
ACROSS THE COUNTRY TELL YOU
ABOUT THE PICTURE YOU HAVE
REPORTED?
>> WELL THE DISCONNECT, IT'S
INTERESTING, BILL, HAS BEEN VERY
MUCH DISPLAYED IN THE REACTION
OF THE BOOK.
I MEAN, I THINK IN WASHINGTON
YOU HAVE HAD A VERY CARNIVAL
LIKE REACTION TO THE BOOK.
IT'S, LIKE, "OH, WHO WINS?
WHO LOSES?
WHAT ARE THE NUGGETS?
WILL LEIBOVICH BE CAST OUT?
WILL HE NOT BE INVITED TO LUNCH
WITH PARTY X OR Y AGAIN?"
SO YOU HAVE A VERY SILLY AND
SHALLOW READ INSIDE THE BELTWAY,
WHICH IS TITILLATING, I GUESS,
IN ITS OWN WAY.
AND IF IT GETS PEOPLE TO BUY THE
BOOK, GREAT.
OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON YOU HAVE A
TRUER SENSE OF THE OUTRAGE.
YOU HAVE A SENSE OF AN
EDUCATION.
YOU HAVE A SENSE OF, "OH MY
GOODNESS.
I'VE KNOWN WASHINGTON HAS BEEN
SOMETHING I'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED
IN.
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT LOOKED LIKE
THIS.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT HAD COME TO ALL
OF THIS JUST THIS -- INCREDIBLE
CONTEMPT FOR WHAT THEY ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE THERE FOR."
CONTEMPT FOR WHAT THEIR
CONSTITUENTS ARE, I.E., US.
>> YOU SAY POLITICAL WASHINGTON
IS “AN INBRED COMPANY TOWN WHERE
PARTY DIFFERENCES ARE EASILY
SUBSUMED BY MEMBERSHIP IN THE
CLUB."
AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CLUB.
"THE CLUB SWELLS FOR THE NIGHT
INTO THE ULTIMATE BUBBLE WORLD.
THEY BECOME PART OF A SYSTEM
THAT REWARDS, MORE THAN ANYTHING
A SYSTEM OF SELF-PERPETUATION."
>> SELF-PERPETUATION IS A KEY
POINT IN ALL OF THIS.
IT IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO --
HOW YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE.
I MEAN, THE ORIGINAL NOTION OF
THE FOUNDERS IS THAT A PRESIDENT
OR A PUBLIC SERVANT WOULD SERVE
A TERM, COUPLE YEARS, RETURN TO
THEIR COMMUNITIES, RETURN TO
THEIR FARM.
NOW THE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE OF
LIFE IN WASHINGTON IS HOW ARE
YOU GOING TO KEEP IT GOING?
WHETHER IT'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO
STAY IN OFFICE, YOU KNOW, BY
PLEASING YOUR LEADERSHIP SO THAT
YOU GET MONEY, BY RAISING ENOUGH
MONEY SO THAT YOU CAN GET
REELECTED, BY GETTING A GIG
AFTER YOU'RE DONE WITH CONGRESS,
AFTER YOU'RE DONE IN THE WHITE
HOUSE, BY GETTING THE NEXT GIG.
>> “MR. SMITH GOES TO
WASHINGTON,” IT AIN'T.
>> NO, IT ISN'T.
AND LOOK, I TRIED TO FIND A MR.
SMITH CHARACTER.
I WANTED TO, AND I HAD SOME BACK
AND FORTH WITH THE FIRST
PUBLISHER OF THIS BOOK, WHICH IS
NOT THE ULTIMATE PUBLISHER OF
THIS BOOK, ABOUT FINDING SOMEONE
TO ROOT FOR.
THEY WANTED SOMEONE TO FEEL GOOD
ABOUT TO SORT OF RUN THROUGH THE
NARRATIVE.
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE, I THINK I
COULD ROOT FOR, THE PEOPLE I
LIKE IN WASHINGTON, I THINK
PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE FOR THE
RIGHT REASONS.
BUT I COULDN'T FIND HIM OR HER.
AND ULTIMATELY, I GAVE UP
TRYING.
AND I TRIED TO SORT OF CREATE A
CUMULATIVE PICTURE OVER A
FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.
>> WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO YOU?
>> I THINK ULTIMATELY IT SAYS
THAT THIS IS NOT -- WELL, FIRST
OF ALL, IT'S A VERY CAUTIOUS
CULTURE.
AND I THINK COWARDICE IS
REWARDED AT EVERY STEP OF THE
WAY.
>> HOW SO?
>> IT'S REWARDED IN CONGRESS.
EVERYTHING ABOUT THE
CONGRESSIONAL SYSTEM, WHETHER
IT'S LEADERSHIP, WHETHER IT'S
HOW MONEY IS RAISED, IS GOING TO
REWARD COWARDICE.
THE TRUE MAVERICKS ARE GOING TO
BE PUNISHED IN SOME WAYS.
IF YOU ARE GOING -- IF YOU WANT
TO BUILD A CAREER OUTSIDE OF
OFFICE WHEN YOU'RE DONE, WHEN
YOU'RE VOTED OUT AS A LOBBYIST,
AS A CONSULTANT, AS MANY OF THEM
DO, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY IN -- YOU
ARE ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGED NOT
TO ANGER TOO MANY PEOPLE.
NOT --
>> NOT TAKE A BIG STAND?
>> NOT TAKE A BIG STAND, RIGHT.
NO TRUTH IS GOING TO BE TOLD
HERE BY -- BASED ON ANY SORT OF
COWARDLY GO-ALONG, GET-ALONG
WAY.
AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE MANY
WAYS IN WHICH THE MONEY, THE
SYSTEM IS FINANCED -- THE
POLITICS ARE FINANCED THE WAY
THE MEDIA WORKS, THAT WILL NOT
UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES REWARD
SOMEONE WHO TAKES A STAND.
>> AS YOU AND I BOTH KNOW, MANY
AMERICANS SEE WASHINGTON TODAY
AS A POLARIZED, DYSFUNCTIONAL
CITY.
ONE THAT IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY
BIPARTISAN.
BUT YOU DESCRIBE IT AS A PLACE
THAT “BECOMES A DETERMINEDLY
BIPARTISAN TEAM WHEN THERE IS
MONEY TO BE MADE."
>> THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, THE BUSINESS
OF WASHINGTON RELIES ON THINGS
NOT GETTING DONE.
AND THIS IS A BIPARTISAN
IMPERATIVE.
IF A TAX REFORM BILL PASSED
TOMORROW, IF AN IMMIGRATION BILL
PASSED TOMORROW, THAT'S TENS OF
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN
CONSULTING, LOBBYING, MESSAGING
FEES THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE
PAID OUT.
>> LET'S TAKE ONE EXAMPLE.
APRIL 20TH, 2010, THE DEEPWATER
HORIZON OIL RIG EXPLODES IN THE
GULF OF MEXICO.
11 PEOPLE KILLED.
THE LARGEST MARINE SPILL IN THE
HISTORY OF INDUSTRY.
OIL GUSHES ONTO THE SEAFLOOR FOR
AT LEAST 84 DAYS.
YOU, LEIBOVICH, LOOK AT THAT
CRUDE OIL FLOWING INTO THE GULF,
AND YOU SEE AN EQUALLY LARGE
FLOW OF CASH SPREADING ACROSS
WASHINGTON, COVERING OUR
NATION'S CAPITAL TO, AS YOU SAY,
"MANAGE THE CRISIS."
NOW, TELL US HOW THEY SET ABOUT
TO MANAGE THAT CRISIS.
>> SO BP IS IN THIS WHOLE HEAP
OF TROUBLE, OKAY?
THEY HAVE THIS DISASTER THAT
THEY ARE PEGGED WITH.
THE PRESIDENT LOOKS POWERLESS.
I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO
DO?
YOU HAVE THIS AWFUL CALAMITY
TAKING PLACE.
SYSTEMATICALLY BP IS SPENDING
TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO
BASICALLY TIE UP THE MOST
PROMINENT WASHINGTON DEMOCRATIC
AND REPUBLICAN LOBBYISTS, MEDIA
CONSULTANTS, AD PEOPLE, TO WHERE
YOU HAD AN ALL-STAR ROSTER.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERYONE IS
WORKING TOGETHER.
I MEAN, YOU HAD RHETORIC OF
PRESIDENT OBAMA, YOU KNOW,
CRITICIZING BP.
YOU HAD BP SAYING, "OH NO, WE'RE
GOING TO MAKE THIS RIGHT."
YOU HAD REPUBLICANS SAYING, "OH,
THE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE DOING
MORE."
SO YOU HAD THIS TV SORT OF
DEBATE, THE SAME NOISE YOU WOULD
SEE IN ANY OTHER STORY
JUXTAPOSED WITH THESE TERRIBLE
OIL-SOAKED PELICAN PICTURES FROM
THE GULF, WHEN IN FACT THE CITY
IS JUST REAPING THIS BOUNTY.
>> YOU SAY BP, BRITISH
PETROLEUM, PUT TOGETHER A
BELTWAY DREAM TEAM THAT INCLUDED
REPUBLICAN SUPER LOBBYISTS LIKE
KEN DUBERSTEIN, DEMOCRATIC SUPER
LOBBYIST NY PODESTA, FORMER
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY'S ONE TIME
SPOKESWOMAN ANNE WOMACK-KOLTON,
REPUBLICAN FLACKS LIKE
JOHN FEEHERY AND DEMOCRATIC
FLACKS LIKE STEVE MCMAHON AND
MCMAHON'S BUSINESS PARTNER, THE
REPUBLICAN MEDIA GURU
ALEX CASTELLANOS, WHO'S A
CONTRIBUTOR TO CNN.
>> YES.
MCMAHON IS ON MSNBC SO IT'S VERY
BIPARTISAN THAT WAY TOO.
>> AND MCMAHON, THE DEMOCRAT
AND CASTELLANOS THE REPUBLICAN
ARE PARTNERS IN A FIRM CALLED
PURPLE STRATEGIES.
BP HIRES THEM TO SPEARHEAD THIS
$50 MILLION TELEVISION CAMPAIGN
YOU TALK ABOUT.
>> TO THOSE AFFECTED AND YOUR
FAMILIES, I AM DEEPLY SORRY.
>> THEY WERE BROUGHT, YOU SAY,
INTO THE FOLD BY THE DEMOCRATIC
OPERATIVE, HILARY ROSEN, WHO WAS
WORKING FOR A LONDON-BASED FIRM
THAT WAS ALSO WORKING FOR BP.
AND SHE WAS ALSO A PUNDIT FOR
CNN.
I MEAN, WHAT A WEB.
>> AND AGAIN, I THINK THE OTHER
PIECE OF THIS IS THAT A YEAR
LATER GEOFF MORRELL, WHO IS THE
HEAD SPOKESMAN FOR THE PENTAGON
UNDER, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S PENTAGON, HAS BECOME THE
CHIEF WASHINGTON SPOKESMAN FOR
BP.
>> FORMER WHITE HOUSE
CORRESPONDENT FOR ABC NEWS.
>> ABC NEWS.
HE FOLLOWED BOB GATES TO THE
PENTAGON FIRST WITH PRESIDENT
BUSH THEN WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA.
SORT OF A CLASSIC REVOLVING DOOR
FIGURE, GEOFF IS.
BUT NO, SO -- THAT WAS -- I
MEAN, IT'S A CLASSIC TWO-STEP.
I MEAN, I ALSO THINK BP HAS DONE
VERY, VERY WELL REHABILITATING
ITSELF.
I MEAN, THANKS LARGELY TO
FLOODING THE MEDIA WITH ALL
KINDS OF GOODIES AND A LOT OF
ADVERTISING MONEY.
AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO FEEL GOOD
ABOUT BP AGAIN.
>> TWO YEARS AGO, THE PEOPLE OF
BP MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE GULF
AND EVERY DAY SINCE WE'VE WORKED
HARD TO KEEP IT.
BP HAS PAID OVER $23 BILLION
DOLLARS TO HELP PEOPLE AND
BUSINESSES WHO WERE AFFECTED,
AND TO COVER CLEANUP COSTS.
TODAY THE BEACHES AND GULF ARE
OPEN FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY.
AND MANY AREAS ARE REPORTING THE
BEST TOURISM SEASON IN YEARS.
WE'VE SHARED WHAT WE'VE LEARNED
WITH GOVERNMENTS AND ACROSS THE
INDUSTRY SO WE CAN ALL PRODUCE
ENERGY MORE SAFELY.
>> AND WHAT'S THE MORAL THAT
YOU -- WE DRAW FROM THAT STORY?
ABOUT THIS TOWN?
>> ABOUT THIS TOWN, IS -- WELL,
FIRST OF ALL, WHEN THERE'S A
PROBLEM, THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY
TO BE MADE IN THIS TOWN.
AND, LOOK, IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE
OF WASHINGTON DOING VERY, VERY,
VERY WELL.
>> LET'S LOOK AT JACK QUINN AND
ED GILLESPIE.
>> JACK QUINN IS THE WHITE HOUSE
COUNSEL UNDER BILL CLINTON.
HE WENT ONTO CABLE A LOT AND
DEFENDED THE PRESIDENT DURING A
LOT OF HIS CAMPAIGN FINANCE
PROBLEMS DURING HIS TWO TERMS.
HE MET ED GILLESPIE, WHO WAS
THEN A REPUBLICAN OPERATIVE IN
GREEN ROOMS.
THEY HAD THIS GREEN ROOM
FRIENDSHIP.
PEOPLE BECOME FRIENDS.
AND IN ED AND JACK'S CASE, THEY
WENT INTO BUSINESS TOGETHER.
THEY STARTED QUINN GILLESPIE,
THE FIRST REAL MAJOR SORT OF
BIPARTISAN LOBBYING FIRM.
>> ONE-STOP LOBBYING.
>> ONE-STOP LOBBYING.
YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH
REPUBLICANS, YOU WANT TO GET TO
REPUBLICANS, YOU GO HERE.
YOU WANT TO GET TO DEMOCRATS,
YOU GO HERE.
THEY FOUNDED THEM SO THEY --
THEIR FIRM'S FOUNDED IN 2000.
JACK QUINN GOT INTO SOME TROUBLE
IN 2001 AFTER HE SUCCESSFULLY
LOBBIED BILL CLINTON TO PARDON
HIS LAW CLIENT, MARC RICH.
>> FUGITIVE.
>> FUGITIVE MARC RICH.
THERE WAS A BIG TO-DO THEN.
JACK WAS BIG-TIME IN THE BARREL.
HE'S HAULED BEFORE CONGRESS.
HE FEELS LIKE HE'S BEING LOOKED
AT IN RESTAURANTS.
AND ED GILLESPIE SAID, "LOOK,
JACK, IN A FEW MONTHS EVERYONE'S
GOING TO FORGET ABOUT THIS AND
ALL THEY'RE GOING TO REMEMBER
ABOUT YOU AND THIS INCIDENT IS
THAT YOU GOT SOMETHING BIG
DONE."
AND SURE ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, JACK
DID A GOOD JOB FOR HIS CLIENT.
THE OUTRAGE DISSIPATED.
KNOW, J
DID A GOOD JOB FOR HIS CLIENT.
THE OUTRAGE DISSIPATED.
AND THE FIRM -- THE LOBBYING
FIRM THRIVED WITH THE REST OF
THE INDUSTRY.
>> FOUR YEARS LATER, THEY SOLD
OUT FOR $40 MILLION.
NOW, HOW DO THEY MAKE THAT MUCH
MONEY IN FOUR YEARS AND THE
TALENT THEY BRING IS THAT
THEY'RE CREATURES OF WASHINGTON?
>> THAT'S A VERY, VERY, VERY
VALUABLE COMMODITY.
I MEAN, IF YOU CAN SELL YOURSELF
AS SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW
WASHINGTON WORKS, SOMEONE WHO
HAS THESE RELATIONSHIPS, SOMEONE
WHO CAN GET ON THE PHONE AND GET
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES TO PARDON, YOU KNOW, YOUR
FUGITIVE CLIENT, THAT'S A VERY,
VERY MARKETABLE COMMODITY.
I MEAN, IF YOU SEE -- IF YOU ARE
SEEN AS SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW
THIS TOWN WORKS, SOMEONE WHO IS
A USUAL SUSPECT IN THIS TOWN,
YOU CAN DINE OUT FOR YEARS.
THAT'S WHY NO ONE LEAVES.
>> YOU ONCE ASKED THE DEMOCRAT
JACK QUINN WHAT APPEALED TO HIM
ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN
ED GILLESPIE, WHO BECAME HIS
PARTNER WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED
BONDING.
AND HE ANSWERED?
>> WELL, GOT THE JOKE.
>> WHAT'S THE JOKE?
>> THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
I SAID, "JACK, WHAT'S THE JOKE”"
AND HE SAID, "THE JOKE IS THAT,
WELL, WE'RE ALL PATRIOTS."
AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS
BOTH -- IT WAS SOME MIX OF
SARCASM, CONTEMPT, GLIBNESS -- I
DON'T KNOW.
IT WAS A FASCINATING ANSWER.
>> YOU REPORTED HERE, THAT “OVER
THE LAST DOZEN YEARS CORPORATE
AMERICA, MUCH OF IT WALL STREET,
HAS TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
IT SPENT ON LOBBYING AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS IN D.C., BECAUSE " --
AND I'M QUOTING YOU -- "HAVE
FIGURED OUT THAT DESPITE THE
EXORBITANT CALLS TO HIRING
LOBBYISTS, THE ABILITY TO SHAPE
OR TWEAK OR KILL EVEN THE
TINEIEST LEGISLATIVE LOOPHOLE
CAN BE WORTH TENS OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS."
>> FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S
EXTRAVAGANT WASTE IN THE PRIVATE
SECTOR OF WASHINGTON IF YOU GO
TO SOME OF THESE LOBBYING
OFFICES AND PARTIES AND WHAT
THEY'RE BILLING PEOPLE.
I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE AN
INCREDIBLE RACKET.
IN FACT, THESE COMPANIES ARE
GETTING WHAT THEY PAY FOR.
I MEAN, TONY PODESTA WE TALKED
ABOUT BEFORE, A DEMOCRATIC
LOBBYIST, TALKED ABOUT HOW GREAT
IT IS THAT LAWS ARE SO
COMPLICATED NOW.
THE CONTEXT WAS I THINK IT WAS
DODING -- DODD/FRANK, OR IT
MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN HEALTH CARE,
THERE ARE THESE TINY LITTLE
LOOPHOLES.
THEY GO ON FOR THOUSANDS OF
PAGES.
AND IF YOU CAN BE A LOBBYIST OR
A LAWYER AT A FIRM WHO CAN
UNDERSTAND THIS MUCH AND YOU'RE
GETTING PAID, YOU KNOW, TENS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BUT YOU'RE
PROBABLY SAVING YOUR CLIENTS,
YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS, SOMETIMES MORE.
SO IT'S VERY COST EFFECTIVE.
I MEAN, THE COMPLETE ARCANENESS
OF THIS WORLD IS AGAIN, VERY,
VERY GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
>> LET'S QUICKLY RUN THROUGH
SOME OF THE ROLL CALL OF
INFLUENCE PEDDLERS THAT YOU
WRITE ABOUT.
BILLY TAUZIN.
>> BILLY TAUZIN WAS A FORMER
DEMOCRAT, BECAME A REPUBLICAN
CONGRESSMAN.
WENT ON TO BECOME THE HEAD OF
THE -- ONE OF THE TOP
PHARMACEUTICAL LOBBIES IN THE
COUNTRY.
>> AFTER, IN THE HOUSE,
OVERSEEING THE DRUG INDUSTRY,
CHAIRING THE COMMITTEE THAT
OVERSAW THE DRUG INDUSTRY,
AND HE WAS CRUCIAL IN PASSING
THE MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION BILL,
WHICH HAS MEANT BILLIONS IN
PROFITS FOR THE DRUG COMPANIES.
THEN HE RESIGNED, AS YOU SAY,
RAN THE PHARMACEUTICALS LOBBYING
ARM IN WASHINGTON.
AND IN 2010, ACCORDING TO YOU,
MADE $11.6 MILLION.
STEVE KROFT AND “60 MINUTES” DID
AN EXPOSÉ OF HIM.
>> I MEAN, THIS DOESN'T LOOK
GOOD.
WHEN YOU PUSH THIS BILL THROUGH
THAT PRODUCES A WINDFALL FOR THE
DRUG COMPANIES, AND THEN A SHORT
TIME LATER YOU GO TO WORK FOR
THE DRUG LOBBY AT A SALARY OF
$2 MILLION.
>> THERE'S NOTHING I COULD HAVE
DONE IN MY LIFE AFTER LEAVING
CONGRESS THAT I DIDN'T HAVE SOME
IMPACT ON AFTER 25 YEARS IN
CONGRESS.
IF THAT LOOKS BAD TO YOU, HAVE
AT IT.
THAT'S THE TRUTH.
>> IN FAIRNESS TO BILLY TAUZIN
AND FORMER MEDICARE CHIEF
TOM SCULLY, THEY WEREN'T THE
ONLY PUBLIC OFFICIALS INVOLVED
WITH THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BILL
WHO LATER WENT TO WORK FOR THE
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY.
JUST BEFORE THE VOTE, TAUZIN
CITED THE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN
MOST HELPFUL IN GETTING IN
PASSED.
>> I SPECIFICALLY WANT TO THANK
THE STAFFS OF OUR COMMITTEES
FROM WAYS MEANS.
JOHN McMANNUS, WHO DID SUCH A
GREAT JOB.
>> WITHIN A FEW MONTHS MCMANUS
LEFT CONGRESS AND STARTED HIS
OWN LOBBYING FIRM. AMONG HIS NEW
CLIENTS WERE PHRMA, PFIZER,
LILLY AND MERCK.
>> FROM A MAJORITY SIDE OF THE
FINANCE COMMITTEE,
LINDA FISHMAN.
>> FISHMAN LEFT TO BECOME A
LOBBYIST WITH THE DRUG
MANUFACTURER AMGEN.
>> NOT THE LEAST OF ALL BUT THE
ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE
STAFF WHO TOILED SO HARD FOR US.
CHIEF OF STAFF PAT MORRISSEY.
>> MORRISSEY TOOK A JOB LOBBYING
FOR DRUG COMPANIES NOVARTIS AND
HOFFMAN-LAROCHE.
>> AND JEREMY ALLEN.
>> HE WENT TO JOHNSON AND
JOHNSON.
>> KATHLEEN WELDON AND
JIM BARNETT.
>> SHE WENT TO LOBBY FOR BIOGEN,
A BIOTECH COMPANY.
HE LEFT TO LOBBY FOR
HOFFMAN-LAROCHE.
>> THEY DID A MARVELOUS JOB FOR
THIS HOUSE AND WE OWE THEM A
DEBT OF THANKS.
THANK YOU ALL.
>> WE OWE THEM ALL RIGHT.
WOW.
YEAH, I MEAN, THIS HAPPENS -- IT
HAPPENS WITH EVERY BILL.
I MEAN, I THINK -- WHAT WAS
STRIKING ABOUT THAT IS
CONGRESSMAN TAUZIN ACTUALLY SORT
OF -- BASICALLY SENT A RESUME
OUT ON ALL OF THEIR BEHALF, BY
SORT OF DOING A ROLL CALL IN HIS
REMARKS.
BUT LOOK, I MEAN, THAT -- THE
STEVE KROFT PIECE -- WAS
STUNNING IN THAT I THINK HE
CAUGHT TAUZIN JUST, ODDLY
FLAT-FOOTED.
I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE SEEN IN
READING HIS FACE, HE SEEMED
ALMOST FLAT-FOOTED THAT THE
QUESTION WOULD BE ASKED.
I MEAN, NO ONE IS REALLY GOING
TO BURN ANY BRIDGES.
I MEAN, IT'S LIKE ONE BIG
BRIDGE, IN SOME WAYS.
AND LOOK, I MEAN -- JACK
ABRAMOFF IS A NAME THAT ACTUALLY
HAS NOT COME UP HERE.
HE'S THE PICTURE OF MODERN
DISGRACE IN WASHINGTON, RIGHT?
THE DISGRACED LOBBYIST.
ONE OF THE MANY BOOKS I READ IN
PREPARING THIS BOOK WAS HIS
MEMOIR, WHICH HE WROTE, I THINK,
LARGELY I DON'T KNOW IF HE WROTE
IT IN PRISON.
BUT I THINK A LOT OF IT WAS
PROBABLY DERIVED FROM HIS
RUMINATIONS IN PRISON.
HE TOLD ABOUT HOW HE KNEW AS A
LOBBYIST, HE WOULD HAVE ALL
THESE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE
ON THE HILL, PEOPLE IN THE WHITE
HOUSE, PEOPLE━ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND AT A CERTAIN POINT, THEY
WOULD SAY, "HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT
CONGRESSMAN X?
OR YOU KNOW WHAT, STAFFER X?
YOU'RE REALLY GOOD AT THIS.
WHEN YOU'RE DONE -- HAVE YOU
THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING
TO DO WHEN YOU LEAVE THE HILL?"
AND THEY'D SAY, "WELL, NOT
REALLY."
OR THEY WOULD JUST SORT OF LEAVE
THE QUESTION OPEN.
AND JACK ABRAMOFF SAID, "I KNEW
THAT WHEN I COULD ASK THAT
QUESTION, I OWNED HIM."
BECAUSE THERE'S A PREEMPTIVE
BRIBE THERE.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, "YOU'RE GOING
TO BE MAKING MAYBE A MILLION
DOLLARS AT MY LOBBYING FIRM, IF
YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION
CORRECTLY AND YOU ACT
CORRECTLY."
I MEAN, IN YOUR OFFICE, IF YOU
CAN HELP US.
IF YOU CAN MAINTAIN THIS
FRIENDSHIP FOR AS LONG AS YOU'RE
IN POWER.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU SEE
PETER ORSZAG GOING TO CITIGROUP,
WHEN YOU SEE JAKE SEIWERT GOING
TO GOLDMAN, WHEN YOU SEE
GEOFF MORRELL GOING TO BP, IT
DOES SORT OF BEG THE QUESTION,
"WHO WERE THEY WORKING FOR WHEN
THEY WERE AT THE PENTAGON, AT
THE OMB, AT THE TREASURY
DEPARTMENT?"
I MEAN, YOU JUST SORT OF WONDER
WHERE THEIR MIND IS.
>> TRENT LOTT.
YOU SAY HE'S THE ARCHETYPE OF
THE AGE OF THE FORMER.
WHAT'S A FORMER?
>> A FORMER IS A FORMER OFFICE
HOLDER, A FORMER SENATOR, A
FORMER CONGRESSMAN, A FORMER
WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY CHIEF OF
STAFF, OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, THE LINE I HAVE IN THE
BOOK IS THAT, "FORMERS STICK TO
WASHINGTON LIKE MELTED CHEESE ON
A GOLD PLATED TOASTER."
THEY DON'T GO HOME ANYMORE.
THEY TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY
HATE WASHINGTON, BUT THEY SETTLE
IN HERE, QUITE COMFORTABLY.
AND TRENT LOTT WAS THE SENATE
MAJORITY LEADER -- YOU KNOW,
VERY POWERFUL REPUBLICAN.
HE KIND OF ABRUPTLY RETIRED IN
2007 I THINK, WENT INTO BUSINESS
WITH JOHN BREAUX, A DEMOCRATIC
SENATOR.
HE WAS A LONGTIME SENATOR FROM
LOUISIANA.
AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, BREAUX
SAID THAT HIS VOTE -- SOMEONE
SAID THAT -- SOMEONE CALLED HIM
A CHEAP *** AND HE SAID, "I'M
NOT THAT CHEAP."
AND HE ALSO SAID, "MY VOTE
CANNOT BE BOUGHT.
IT CAN BE RENTED."
ANYWAY, TRENT LOTT --
>> SO YOU'VE GOT THE REPUBLICAN
LOTT AND THE DEMOCRATIC
BREAUX --
>> DEMO -- ANOTHER B --
>> CREATING A BOUTIQUE --
>> A BOUT --
>> LOBBY FIRM.
>> YEAH, ALTHOUGH THEY
EVENTUALLY WERE ABSORBED INTO
PATTON BOGGS WHICH IS, YOU KNOW,
ONE OF THE BIGGER LOBBYING FIRMS
IN TOWN --
>> TOMMY BOGGS, SON OF THE
FORMER SPEAKER, DEMOCRATIC
MAJORITY LEADER, HALE BOGGS,
WHO'S --
>> EXACTLY.
>> ONE OF THE MOST -- WELL,
ARGUABLY THE MOST POWERFUL
LOBBYIST FIRM IN WASHINGTON.
>> OR IT HAS BEEN FOR MANY, MANY
YEARS.
BUT ANYWAY, SO TRENT LOTT AND
JOHN BREAUX HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY
SUCCESSFUL IN THE LAST FIVE, SIX
YEARS AS LOBBYISTS.
TRENT LOTT, A PRETTY CANDID GUY.
I MEAN, HE TALKS ABOUT HOW MUCH
HE HATES WASHINGTON.
I SAID, "SO WHY DO YOU STAY?"
AND HE LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS
CRAZY, AND HE SAID, "WELL,
BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE ALL THE
PROBLEMS ARE, BUT THIS IS WHERE
ALL THE MONEY IS."
I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT KEEPS
PEOPLE HERE.
AND IT'S TRUE.
NO ONE LEAVES ANYMORE.
>> RICHARD GEPHARDT.
>> RICHARD GEPHARDT -- FORMER
HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER.
TWO-TIME PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.
A HERO TO ORGANIZED LABOR.
>> SON OF A TEAMSTER.
>> SON OF A TEAMSTER, MILK TRUCK
DRIVER.
GAVE SOME OF THE MOST
IMPASSIONED CAMPAIGN RALLIES
I'VE EVER SEEN IN PLACES LIKE
IOWA AND --
>> FOR WORKING PEOPLE.
>> FOR WORKING PEOPLE.
I MEAN, HE SEEMED LIKE THE REAL
DEAL.
HE BECAME A LOBBYIST, LIKE A LOT
OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DO.
AND HE SINCE HAS WORKED FOR A
LOT OF CORPORATIONS.
>> GOLDMAN SACHS, BOEING, VISA,
I GET FROM YOUR BOOK.
>> YEAH.
I MEAN, AGAIN, MANY OF THEM NOT
TERRIBLY FRIENDLY TO ORGANIZED
LABOR.
>> IN CONGRESS, AS YOU SAY, HE
FOUGHT FOR LABOR.
BUT THEN HE WENT TO WORK FOR
SPIRIT AERO SYSTEMS, OVERSEEING
A TOUGH ANTI-UNION CAMPAIGN.
AND THEN IN THE HOUSE HE HAD
SUPPORTED A RESOLUTION
CONDEMNING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
OF 1915.
WHEN HE LEFT CONGRESS HE WAS
PAID ABOUT $70,000 A MONTH BY
THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT TO OPPOSE
THE RESOLUTION?
>> YEAH.
I MEAN, I GUESS THE WORD,
"GENOCIDE" GOES DOWN A LITTLE
EASIER AT THOSE RATES, RIGHT?
I MEAN, I DON'T SEE ANY SHAME
THERE.
I DON'T -- AGAIN, HE'S ALLOWED
TO CHANGE HIS MIND FOR MONEY.
I'M ALLOWED TO BE OUTRAGED.
>> EVAN BAYH, DEMOCRAT FROM
INDIANA.
>> YEAH, EVAN BAYH WAS THIS, YOU
KNOW, TWO-TERM SENATOR.
HE RETIRED VERY, VERY
EXTRAVAGANTLY IN THE PAGES OF
"THE NEW YORK TIMES," ABOUT HOW
WASHINGTON IS BROKE AND HOW HE
WAS TIRED OF ALL THE YELLING
MATCHES AND PARTISANSHIP AND HOW
NOTHING GETS DONE.
AND HE WANTED TO GET INTO AN
HONORABLE LINE OF WORK.
AND A LOT OF HIS COLLEAGUES WERE
NOT HAPPY WITH THIS DESCRIPTION,
BUT ALSO WERE ROLLING HIS EYES
BECAUSE THEY WERE, LIKE, "WHERE
WAS THAT OUTRAGE WHEN YOU WERE
IN OFFICE?"
AND ONE OF HIS COLLEAGUES SAID,
"WELL, THAT'S THE MOST EFFECTIVE
SPEECH HE'S GIVEN, YOU KNOW, IN
8 YEARS HERE, OR IN 12 YEARS
HERE."
HE IMMEDIATELY JOINED FOX NEWS,
HE JOINED THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
I MEAN, THIS IS SOMEONE WHO WAS
A RUNNER-UP TO BE PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S RUNNING MATE.
HE AND ANDY CARD, THE WHITE
HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF UNDER
PRESIDENT BUSH, THEY SORT OF DID
A DOG AND PONY ACT IN WHICH THEY
WOULD GO OUT IN THE COUNTRY ON
BEHALF OF THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE AND --
>> WHICH IS THE BIGGEST BUSINESS
LOBBY --
>> BIGGEST BUSINESS LOBBY --
>> WASH --
>> IN WASHINGTON ABSOLUTELY.
>> IN WASHINGTON.
>> A BIG THORN IN THE SIDE OF
THIS WHITE HOUSE.
AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, BEEN GIVING
A LOT OF SPEECHES SORT OF -- IN
SUPPORT OF THAT AGENDA.
>> IN YOUR BOOK YOU QUOTE ONE
JOURNALIST CALLING BAYH, “THE
PERFECTLY REPRESENTATIVE FACE
FOR THE ROTTED WASHINGTON
ESTABLISHMENT."
ANOTHER OF YOUR COLLEAGUES SAID
HE WAS "ACTING TO ENTRENCH THE
CULTURE OF NARCISSISM AND
HYPOCRISY THAT'S KILLING THE
UNITED STATES CONGRESS."
ANOTHER DESCRIBES HIM
“PRACTICALLY A CARICATURE OF
WHAT A SELLOUT LOOKS LIKE."
I WOULD TAKE FROM YOUR BOOK THAT
YOU DON'T THINK THOSE DEPICTIONS
ARE TOO HARSH.
>> NO, NOT AT ALL.
I THINK IT'S TRUE.
LOOK, I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE
TO -- I MEAN, I JUST SORT OF LAY
OUT THE EXAMPLES.
I LAY OUT HIS WORDS.
I MEAN, AGAIN, HE WAS SO
SANCTIMONIOUS IN HIS DEPARTURE.
>> CAN WE NOT REMEMBER WE ARE
"ONE NATION UNDER GOD" WITH A
COMMON HERITAGE AND A COMMON
DESTINY?
LET US NO LONGER BE DIVIDED INTO
"RED" STATES AND "BLUE" STATES
BUT REUNITE ONCE MORE AS 50 RED,
WHITE AND BLUE STATES.
AS THE CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER ONCE
REMINDED US, "WE MAY HAVE
ARRIVED ON THESE SHORES IN
DIFFERENT SHIPS, BUT WE ARE ALL
IN THE SAME BOAT NOW."
SO MY FRIENDS, THE TIME HAS COME
FOR THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF
LINCOLN AND THE HEIRS OF
JEFFERSON AND JACKSON TO NO
LONGER WAGE WAR UPON EACH OTHER
BUT TO INSTEAD RENEW THE
STRUGGLE AGAINST THE ANCIENT
ENEMIES OF MAN: IGNORANCE,
POVERTY AND DISEASE.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE.
THAT IS WHY.
>> HE WAS SO DISGUSTED WITH
WASHINGTON.
AND, OF COURSE, HE STAYED.
AND THERE ARE ALL THESE EXAMPLES
OF WHAT HE HAS GONE ON TO DO.
SO, LOOK, IT ALL SPEAKS FOR
ITSELF.
I MEAN, YOU CAN -- IT'S NICE
THAT THERE ARE COMMENTATORS WHO
CAN PUT A FINER POINT ON IT, BUT
THIS IS ALL OUT THERE.
>> CHRIS DODD, FORMER PEACE
CORPS VOLUNTEER.
>> CHRIS DODD, VERY NICE GUY,
VERY FUN-LOVING GUY.
I MEAN, VERY SORT OF, YOU KNOW,
OUTSPOKEN LIBERAL.
HE WAS -- HE HAD THIS GREAT
LEGISLATIVE LAST HURRAH IN 2010,
WHERE HE -- YOU KNOW, HE
CO-AUTHORED DODD/FRANK.
HE WAS ONE OF THE CHIEF
ENGINEERS OF THE HEALTH CARE
BILL.
I REMEMBER TALKING TO HIM WHEN
HE ANNOUNCED HE WASN'T GOING TO
RUN.
HE GOT IN SOME TROUBLE -- WAS
VERY, VERY UNPOPULAR BACK IN
CONNECTICUT.
HE GOT IN SOME TROUBLE WITH A
MORTGAGE BROKER.
>> HE TOOK A LOAN, I THINK, FROM
COUNTRYWIDE --
>> COUNTRYWIDE.
>> IN THE HOUSING --
>> IN THE HOUSING --
>> BUBBLE.
>> RIGHT, AT A TIME WHEN HE WAS,
YOU KNOW, PRESUMABLY, YOU KNOW,
CHAIRMAN OF THE BANKING
COMMITTEE, COULD HAVE BEEN VERY
INVOLVED IN THAT.
BUT ALSO WAS RUNNING FOR
PRESIDENT IN A FAIRLY
QUIXOTIC --
>> WITH A LOT OF MONEY FROM --
>> A LOT OF MONEY FROM WALL
STREET.
YOU KNOW, AND HE BASICALLY
DECAMPED TO IOWA FOR A FEW
MONTHS IN 2008.
CHRIS DODD, I REMEMBER HAVING
LUNCH WITH HIM IN THE SENATE
DINING ROOM AND SAYING, "SO WHAT
ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW?"
AND IT WAS A TRIUMPHANT MOMENT.
AND HE -- I MEAN, BECAUSE HE --
THESE BILLS WERE ACTUALLY GOING
TO PASS.
AND HE SAID, "OH, BOY, THE
POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.
I MEAN, I COULD BE A COLLEGE
PRESIDENT.
I MIGHT GO OUT TO WORK FOR SOME
STARTUP.
I MIGHT REJOIN THE PEACE CORPS."
I MEAN, HE HAD THIS LOOK OF
POSSIBILITY.
AND I SAID, "SO YOU'RE NOT GOING
TO LOBBY, RIGHT?"
AND HE SAID, "OH NO, NO, NO,
TAKE THAT OFF THE TABLE RIGHT,
RIGHT NOW."
AND HE IS NOW HEAD OF ONE OF THE
MOST POWERFUL LOBBIES IN TOWN,
THE MOTION PICTURES ASSOCIATION
OF AMERICA.
YOU KNOW, HE WOULD SAY THAT,
"WELL, I'M NOT REGISTERED TO
LOBBY, TECHNICALLY."
AND IT'S TRUE.
BUT HE ALSO OVERSEES A STAFF OF
LOBBYISTS.
AND THE CHAPTER ABOUT THAT IS --
I TALK ABOUT JUST THE
INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF BEING
PART OF THE POLITICAL CLASS.
>> DO YOU THINK HE LIED TO YOU?
>> HE WOULD SAY THAT HIS
THINKING EVOLVED.
HE WOULD -- I DON'T THINK HE --
I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT DO YOU CALL IT?
IT TURNED OUT NOT TO BE TRUE.
I MEAN, HE -- LOOK, IT'S
DISAPPOINTING.
I MEAN, I HAVE TO SAY THAT AS
SOMEONE WHO IS LOOKING FOR
SOMEONE TO LEVEL WITH HIM.
>> YOU SAY THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
IN WASHINGTON IS FRAUDULENT
LANGUAGE.
IT'S THE LANGUAGE OF SPIN,
MARKETING, PR.
>> IT'S NOT HOW HUMAN BEINGS
TALK TO EACH OTHER.
BUT YEAH, NO, IT'S -- PEOPLE
DON'T REC -- YOU BECOME VERY
ANESTHETIZED.
AND WASHINGTON IS A HUGE, HUGE
DOME OF ANESTHESIA.
PEOPLE DON'T FULLY KNOW JUST,
AGAIN, THE B.S. THAT IS JUST
PART OF THE DAY-TO-DAY
TRANSACTION.
AND AGAIN, IT'S HARD TO REALIZE
WHEN YOU'RE LIVING THERE.
I MEAN, I THINK BOB BENNETT, THE
SENATOR FROM UTAH, HE WAS VOTED
OUT.
>> HE LOST TO THE TEA PARTY
CANDIDATE.
>> TEA PARTY GUY.
HE, I THINK, WAS -- SOMEONE
SAID, "SO YOU'RE GOING TO CASH
IN."
HE GOES, "I'M ENTITLED TO MAKE A
LIVING."
AND THAT'S -- LOOK, IT'S WHAT
THEY DO.
>> EVEN MY FRIEND BYRON DORGAN,
THE FORMER DEMOCRATIC SENATOR
FROM NORTH DAKOTA. HE WAS ONCE A
SOURCE OF MINE, DESPITE ALL THE
POPULIST SENTIMENT HE EXPRESSED
OVER THE YEARS, YOU POINT OUT
THAT ON THE SAME DAY ROBERT
BENNETT MADE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT,
BYRON DORGAN MADE HIS
ANNOUNCEMENT THEY WOULD BE
JOINING TOGETHER ONE OF THE BIG
LAW FIRMS THAT INCLUDES A LARGE
LOBBYING COMPONENT.
AND YOU POINT OUT THAT BOTH HAD
SERVED ON THE SENATE COMMITTEE
ON APPROPRIATIONS.
NOW, WHAT ADVANTAGE DID THAT
GIVE THEM?
>> APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
GIVES YOU A HUGE ADVANTAGE,
BECAUSE THAT'S MONEY,
ESSENTIALLY.
IT'S WHERE MONEY IS SPENT.
IT'S WHERE IT'S ALLOCATED.
>> WHERE THE CASH GOES?
>> WHERE THE CASH GOES.
SO THAT -- THOSE ARE THE MOST --
BY FAR THE MOST COVETED LOBBYING
TARGETS.
WHEN YOU HAVE EITHER A
CONGRESSMAN OR A SENATE WHO IS
RETIRING FROM ONE OF THESE
COMMITTEES OR VOTED OUT.
>> YOU WRITE ABOUT -- YOU WRITE
ABOUT ANITA DUNN.
TELL ME ABOUT ANITA DUNN.
>> ANITA DUNN IS A LONG-TIME
DEMOCRATIC OPERATIVE.
SHE WAS ONE OF THE TOP AIDES FOR
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S '08 CAMPAIGN.
SHE WAS THE COMMUNICATIONS
DIRECTOR FOR A TIME IN THE WHITE
HOUSE.
VERY, VERY SHARP WOMAN.
SHE WAS VERY, VERY INSTRUMENTAL
IN SORT OF HELPING THE FIRST
LADY, FOR INSTANCE, SORT OF
PASS -- OR PUT TOGETHER HER
ANTI-OBESITY INITIATIVE.
SHE WAS PUTTING RESTRICTIONS ON
SUGARY FOODS TARGETING CHILDREN.
HER HUSBAND, BY THE WAY,
HAPPENED TO BE THE PRESIDENT'S
WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL.
>> CERTAINLY ANITA DUNN HAS
BENEFITED GREATLY FROM HER
PERCEPTION OF BEING A FIGURE
WITH TIES TO THE WHITE HOUSE,
WHETHER IT'S HER HUSBAND, FORMER
WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL, BUT SOMEONE
WHO HAS ALL KINDS OF FRIENDS
THERE.
I MEAN, THAT HAS TO BE A BOON TO
HER CORPORATE CLIENTS.
>> YOU TALK ABOUT PRESIDENT
OBAMA AND HIS CAMPAIGN, AND HIS
OPPOSITION TO THE REVOLVING
DOOR.
LET ME PLAY YOU AN EXCERPT FROM
ONE OF HIS SPEECHES.
>> THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE
SIMPLY MORE THAN ASSURANCE THAT
THE PEOPLE COMING TO WASHINGTON
WILL SERVE THEIR INTERESTS.
THEY ALSO DESERVE TO KNOW THERE
ARE RULES ON THE BOOKS TO KEEP
IT THAT WAY.
THEY DESERVE A GOVERNMENT THAT
IS TRULY OF, BY, AND FOR THE
PEOPLE.
AS I OFTEN SAID DURING THE
CAMPAIGN, WE NEED TO MAKE THE
WHITE HOUSE THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE.
AND WE NEED TO CLOSE THE
REVOLVING DOOR THAT LETS
LOBBYISTS COME INTO GOVERNMENT
FREELY, AND LET THEM USE THEIR
TIME IN PUBLIC SERVICE AS A WAY
TO PROMOTE THEIR OWN INTERESTS
OVER THE INTERESTS OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WHEN THEY LEAVE.
>> AND WHAT HAPPENED?
>> THEY PUT THIS LAW IN PLACE,
WE WON'T HAVE LOBBYISTS IN THE
WHITE HOUSE.
THEY KEPT MAKING EXCEPTIONS.
THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO
THEY HAVE WAIVED THAT RULE FOR.
BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK WHAT'S
HAPPENED IS MORE OP THE OTHER
END.
YOU SAID PEOPLE LEAVING THE
HOUSE TO GO TO K STREET.
YOU HAD PEOPLE LEAVING THE WHITE
HOUSE GOING RIGHT TO GOLDMAN
SACHS, BP.
IN THE FIRST TERM THEY'RE NOW
BEING STAFFED BY THE HIGHEST
LEVEL BY PEOPLE WHO WERE
STAFFING THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION.
>> OBAMA'S --
>> OMB DIRECTOR.
>> CITI.
>> HIGH LEVEL AT CITI.
JAKE SEAWORTH, SECRETARY OF
TREASURY, THEY WERE DOING ALL
KINDS OF BATTLES WITH GOLDMAN
SACHS DURING THE FIRST TERM,
ESPECIALLY AFTER THE FINANCIAL
CRISIS.
JAKE IS NOW THE HEAD OF
COMMUNICATIONS FOR GOLDMAN
SACHS.
>> SO MANY HAVE A CONNECTION OF
OTHER FIGURES PROMINENT HERE.
ROBERT RUBEN.
>> ROBERT RUBEN HAS BEEN A
SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND
WALL STREET.
BOB RUBEN, THE STORIED HEAD OF
GOLDMAN SACHS FOR MANY YEARS,
COMING TO TAKE THE REINS OF
TREASURY, HE WAS A REAL GURU,
AND BROUGHT A LOT OF PROTEGES,
LARRY SUMMERS BEING ONE OF THE
EXAMPLES, TIM GEITHNER BEING ONE
OF THEM.
THE ECONOMY CRASHED, AND ROBERT
RUBEN GETS A GREAT DEAL OF
BLAME.
BILL CLINTON DID A MEA CULPA ON
ROBERT RUBEN.
>> THE FIREWALL BETWEEN
COMMERCIAL BANKS AND INVESTMENT
BANKS, AND A BIG SUPPORTIVE OF
DERIVATIVES, DEREGULATION, AND
ALL OF THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE
FISCAL CRISIS.
AFTER HE LEFT THE TREASURY
DEPARTMENT, HE WENT TO CITI.
>> WENT BACK TO CITI.
>> $126 MILLION IN NINE YEARS?
>> HE DID VERY, VERY, VERY WELL.
>> YOU CALL RUBEN THE PRIMEST OF
MOVERS IN THE MODERN MARRIAGE OF
POLITICS AND WEALTH CREATION.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
HE WAS THE AMBASSADOR TO THE
CLINTON WEALTH MACHINE.
WHEN YOU HAD PEOPLE LIKE RAHM
EMANUEL, WHO WAS A MID-LEVEL
WHITE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, OPERATIVE
IN THE CLINTON WHITE HOUSE WHO
WAS ABLE TO GO TO PERRELLA AND
MAKE 16.2 OR 16.8 --
>> $18 MILLION IN TWO AND A HALF
YEARS.
>> BEFORE HE WENT BACK TO BECOME
A PUBLIC SERVANT AGAIN AND RUN
FOR CONGRESS.
YEAH, BOB RUBEN BROUGHT THIS
WHOLE GENERATION OF WALL STREET
PEOPLE TO WASHINGTON, AND HE
BROUGHT THEM BACK FROM
WASHINGTON TO WALL STREET.
GREATLY ENRICHED.
LOOK, HE'S A HERO TO A LOT OF
PEOPLE ON WALL STREET.
HE WAS A HERO TO A LOT OF PEOPLE
IN WASHINGTON.
AND AGAIN, I THINK BILL CLINTON
MORE THAN ANYONE IN THE LAST FEW
DECADES HAS SORT OF ENGINEERED
THIS RELATIONSHIP.
>> LET'S GET TO THE PRESS.
YOU WRITE, NEVER BEFORE HAS THE
SO-CALLED PERMANENT
ESTABLISHMENT OF WASHINGTON
INCLUDED SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE
MEDIA.
AND YOU WRITE, WASHINGTON PUTS
THE "ME" IN MEDIA.
HOW SO?
>> FIRST OF ALL, IT'S THE RISE
IN NEW MEDIA, IT'S GIVEN
EVERYONE A NEW VOICE.
IT'S NEVER BEEN EASIER TO BECOME
A MEDIA CELEBRITY.
AND I THINK PUNDITRY IS THE GOLD
STANDARD OF MY PROFESSION.
THE MEDIA IS EVERYWHERE IN
WASHINGTON.
I THINK THE WHITE HOUSE
CORRESPONDENT IS A CLASSIC
EXAMPLE OF HOW WASHINGTON
REWARDS BEING FAMOUS, BEING ON
TV, BEING A BRAND MORE THAN
ANYTHING.
>> YOUR DESCRIPTIONS OF THE
WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT
ASSOCIATION DINNER, THE ANNUAL
DINNER, FABULOUS IN THE BOOK.
THE DINNERS ARE SOLD OUT, EVERY
TABLE, SINCE 1993.
>> EVEN THE GREATER OUTRAGE IS
IT NOW GOES OVER FIVE DAYS.
YOU HAVE PROBABLY ABOUT TWO
DOZEN PRE-PARTIES AND
AFTER-PARTIES.
YOU PROBABLY HAVE TENS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, SOME FUNDED
BY CORPORATIONS, IN
ENTERTAINMENT.
AND SORT OF PEOPLE SUCKING UP TO
EVERYONE ELSE.
AND FOOD AND MUSICAL ACTS AND SO
FORTH.
BECAUSE, OF COURSE, A SINGLE
BANQUET IS NO LONGER SUFFICIENT
TO CELEBRATE THE WASHINGTON
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE MEDIA.
AN ACTIVIST AGAINST THE DINNER
SAID THAT IT SENDS A MESSAGE
THAT IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE
ON THE SCREENS.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MEDIA.
WHICH I THINK TO SOME DEGREE IS
TRUE.
THE MEDIA'S FEELING GREAT ABOUT
ITSELF.
THE MEDIA IS AS RICH AS ANY
OTHER PART OF THE ECONOMY.
AND I THINK THE CORRESPONDENTS
DINNER IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF
THIS.
>> HAVE YOU ATTENDED ONE?
>> I HAVE.
ALTHOUGH NOT SINCE 1996, BECAUSE
"THE NEW YORK TIMES" STOPPED
LETTING US GO.
>> WHY?
>> THEY THOUGHT IT WAS TOO --
THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES, I THINK
IT WAS IN 2007, ACTUALLY
DECLARED THAT THIS IS TOO COZY.
HE DIDN'T LIKE THE MESSAGE IT
SENT.
HE PREFERRED WE STOPPED GOING.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT
DECISION.
>> DESCRIBE THE DINNER TO ME.
>> IT'S THIS ROOM FULL OF
TUXEDOED PEOPLE.
A LOT OF CELEBRITIES COME IN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE
GOOD THAT THE PRESS DOES.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S AN EXTRAVAGANZA
THAT CONTINUES.
IT BECOMES THE ULTIMATE BUBBLE
WORLD.
THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE OF
DECADENCE IN WASHINGTON, THAT
PEOPLE KNOW INTUITIVELY IS WRONG
BUT HAVE NO, EITHER WILL OR
ABILITY TO STOP.
>> THIS IS A BIG NIGHT IN
WASHINGTON.
ANYONE WHO'S ANYBODY IS HERE.
AND THE KEY QUESTION FOR ANYONE
IN WASHINGTON IS, WHAT ARE YOU
WEARING?
>> SO YOU'VE GOT THE POLITICIANS
AND CELEBRITIES THROWN IN THERE.
>> IS THERE ANYONE YOU'RE
EXCITED TO MEET TONIGHT?
>> EVERYONE, ACTUALLY.
YOU KNOW, JUST COMING WITH MY
BUDDY CHRIS TUCKER.
>> YOU UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW
MICHAEL STEELE?
>> YEAH.
>> DO I?
>> DO YOU?
>> WHO ARE YOU WEARING TONIGHT?
>> KATHLEEN MICHKE.
>> YOU ASK PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE
WEARING?
>> WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?
>> WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION
RIGHT NOW, AREN'T WE?
>> IS THIS NOT THE CRAZIEST
THING WHATEVER?
WHEN DID THIS GET TO BE LIKE
THIS?
>> THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
HOW DO YOU LIKE MY NEW ENTRANCE
MUSIC?
>> THE PROBLEM IS EXCESS, TO
SOME DEGREE.
IT IS PERFECTLY EMBLEMATIC OF
THE DISTORTION FIELD INSIDE OF
WASHINGTON OF JUST HAVING NO
SENSE WHATSOEVER, ONE, THAT THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY IS
STRUGGLING.
THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS IN
FINANCIALLY VERY, VERY BAD
SHAPE.
THAT WASHINGTON IS NOT DOING A
GOOD JOB.
AND THAT THIS GOES ON YEAR AFTER
YEAR AFTER YEAR.
HOLLYWOOD COMES TO TOWN.
YOU HAVE THE COLLISION OF THE
BUBBLE WORLDS, RIGHT?
AND WHAT I THINK IS SORT OF
STRIKING IS, THIS YEAR KEVIN
SPACEY, WHO'S THE STAR OF "HOUSE
OF CARDS," WHICH IS NOT A VERY
FLATTERING PICTURE OF
WASHINGTON, AND JULIA LOUIS
DREYFUSS, A STAR IN A SHOW ABOUT
WASHINGTON, THEY WENT TO THE BIG
AFTER-PARTY SPONSORED BY "VANITY
FAIR" AND BLOOMBERG.
AND THEY WERE BOTH SWARMED.
OH, WE HAVE TO GET OUR PICTURE
TAKEN WITH KEVIN SPACEY AND
JULIA LOUIS DREYFUSS, WHICH
PAINT A HIDEOUS PORTRAIT OF HOW
WASHINGTON WORKS.
AND WASHINGTON IS THE MOST
GROTESQUE AND PERVERSE, AND YET
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING.
AGAIN, YOU DO SORT OF PINCH
YOURSELF AFTERWARDS AND SAY,
WHAT ARE WE CELEBRATING HERE?
>> IN IS A SEQUENCE IN NETFLIX'S
"HOUSE OF CARDS" FOR SOME OF
WASHINGTON'S BEST KNOWN
JOURNALISTS ARE PLAYING
THEMSELVES IN A FANTASY WORLD.
>> JUST BEFORE WE CAME ON THE
AIR, I RECEIVED A ADVANCE COPY
OF AN ARTICLE THAT'S GOING TO BE
IN TOMORROW'S WASHINGTON
HERALD FRONT PAGE, WRITTEN BY
ZOE BARNS.
SHE WROTE IN THE COLLEGE
REGISTER, WHEN YOU WERE EDITOR
BACK IN 1978, WHICH CALLED THE
ISRAELI PRESENCE IN THE WEST
BANK, AN ILLEGAL OCCUPATION.
>> SENATOR KATHERINE DURANT WILL
LIKELY BE THE NEW NOMINEE FOR
SECRETARY OF STATE, AFTER
MICHAEL CURRENT'S WITHDRAWAL.
>> UNDERWOOD SAID HE GOT, QUOTE,
SCHOOLED BY CHIEF STRATEGIST
MARTIN SPINELLA DURING A DEBATE
LAST NIGHT ON THIS NETWORK.
IN THE LAST 24 HOURS, RERUNS
HAVE PLAYED NONSTOP ON NEWS
PROGRAMS AND THE INTERNET.
>> DOES IT SAY SOMETHING TO YOU
THAT PROMINENT JOURNALISTS ARE
WILLING TO ERASE THE LINE
BETWEEN REALITY AND FICTION?
>> IF YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE
"HOUSE OF CARDS," THE
CORRESPONDENT'S DINNER, WHERE
YOU HAVE HOLLYWOOD AND
WASHINGTON MERGING, AND YOU HAVE
KIND OF A JOINED MIND, A JOINED
FAME MACHINE, YOU REALIZE THAT
THE LINES MIGHT NOT BE THAT
DRAWN TO BE BEGIN WITH.
IN ANY MIND.
I MEAN, I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS, THERE'S A SCENE AT THE
END OF THIS BOOK IN WHICH A
MEMBER OF THE CAMPAIGN TEAM IN
2012 FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA, HE
SAID, IT SEEMED AFTER A WHILE IT
WAS LIKE WHO WAS GOING TO PLAY
THEM IN THE NEXT VERSION OF
"GAME CHANGE," A CAMPAIGN GAME.
AND AGAIN, THAT SORT OF GOES TO
THE LARGER CINEMATIC SENSE THAT
PEOPLE HAVE OF THEMSELVES HERE.
THERE'S A ACCEPTS OF PREENING, A
SENSE OF WHO'S GOING TO PLAY ME
IN THE MOVIE.
WILL I GET A CAMEO PLAYING
MYSELF IN THE MOVIE, AS PEOPLE
IN THE "GAME CHANGE" MOVIE DID
IN A SCENE HERE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S A SORT OF
BLAME -- IT'S THE SORT OF
BLURRING OF THE LARGER CLASS OF
FAME OF, REALLY, THE RULING
CLASS OF THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION
GAME, THAT'S AS MUCH A PART OF
THIS DECADENCE AS ANYTHING ELSE.
>> IT'S A FUN BOOK TO READ, AS I
SAID IN THE BEGINNING, BUT
THERE'S SOMETHING TROUBLING TO
YOU ABOUT THIS STORY.
>> I'M TROUBLED BY SEEING HOW
PEOPLE REACT TO IT.
IN TWO WAYS.
ONE, SEEMING VERY LEGITIMATE AND
VERY GRATIFYING OUTRAGE IT HAS
BROUGHT OUTSIDE OF TOWN.
BECAUSE IT GIVES ME A LEVEL
OF -- IT GIVES ME A DEGREE OF
FAITH THAT PEOPLE CAN STILL BE
OUTRAGED.
EVEN WHEN THEY'RE BEING AMUSED
OR ENTERTAINED, OR, YOU KNOW,
BEING HIT WITH NUGGETS OR
WHATEVER IT IS THAT PEOPLE LOOK
FOR.
IN WASHINGTON, I'VE BEEN
OUTRAGED, AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, BY
THE COMPLETE LACK OF DISCUSSION
IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEGOT.
THE COMPLETE LAME PUSHBACK.
THE COMPLETE, HOW DARE HE, OF
THIS SORT OF TRYING TO MAKE ME
AN OUTCAST, THAT SOMEONE WHO HAS
SPOKEN OUT OF SCHOOL.
AND SOMEONE WHO HAS TRIED TO
EXPOSE -- ACTUALLY, I DON'T WANT
TO SAY TRY TO EXPOSE THE RACKET,
BECAUSE IT MAKES ME SEEM MORE
MUCKRAKY THAN I REALLY AM.
BUT ULTIMATELY, I THINK IT'S
GETTING OUT OF MY WRITER'S HEAD
AND GETTING THIS BOOK OUT INTO
THE MARKETPLACE AND SEEING
PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IT HAS HELPED
ME TO SEE THE WHOLE OF IT.
>> I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I READ
THE BOOK, BECAUSE I HAVE
FOLLOWED YOUR REPORTING.
AND YOU WERE REPORTING GOOD
STORIES, ANECDOTAL STORIES, AND
FACT-DRIVEN STORIES, BUT THEY
DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE THE
NARRATIVE'S ARC THAT EMERGES IN
THIS.
WAS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAME TO
IN THE COURSE OF WRITING IT?
OR IN THE COURSE OF -- HOW DID
THAT COME ABOUT?
>> IT BECAME A MOMENT.
AND IT DID OCCUR TO ME, IN BEING
EXPOSED TO THIS, THAT THE
POLITICAL CLASS THAT I'M WRITING
ABOUT HAS REACHED SOME KIND OF
CRITICAL MASS IN THE 21st
CENTURY.
I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING GOING
ON IN WASHINGTON THAT NEEDED TO
BE CALLED OUT.
>> BUT THE MOMENT --
>> AGAIN, I DON'T THINK IT CAN
BE SUSTAINED.
I THINK IT'S INDECENT.
I THINK IT IS NOT HOW AMERICANS
WANT THEIR GOVERNMENT AND THEIR
CAPITOL CITY TO BE.
I THINK, IN SOME WAYS, AND I
ALWAYS SORT OF COWER UNDER THIS
CLAIM WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME FOR
PRESCRIPTIONS, BUT I THINK IN
SOME WAYS -- I MEAN, I'M HOLDING
IT TO A CULTURE.
A CULTURE PEOPLE ONLY KNOW
AROUND THE EDGES.
I WANTED TO TAKE IT SORT OF
FULL-ON, IN ALL ITS COMPONENTS,
INCLUDING THE MEDIA, AND HOPE TO
PAINT A PICTURE THAT WILL SPIN
AS SOMETHING THAT IS LASTING FOR
THIS ERA.
>> IS IT CONCEIVABLE TO YOU THAT
ONE, TWO, THREE, OR FOUR MORE
PEOPLE IN YOUR BOOK MIGHT SAY,
WAIT A MINUTE, THIS IS SHAMEFUL.
AND THEY CAN'T CHANGE IT OUT
THERE, BECAUSE WE ARE
IMPENETRABLE.
SO I'M GOING TO STAND UP AND
CHANGE IT FROM WITHIN.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD
PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON.
IT SEEMS CONTRADICTORY AFTER
WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY
WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG, OR WERE
YOUNG, THEY CAME FROM A PLACE OF
DECENCY.
THEY CAME FROM A PLACE OF HOPE.
AND THAT DOESN'T COMPLETELY GO
AWAY, RIGHT?
LOOK, I WROTE A BOOK, AND
SPEAKING AS A JOURNALIST THAT I
THINK IN PROBABLY SOME LEVEL WAS
A PRODUCT OF DISGUST, MY OWN
DISGUST.
MAYBE EVEN THERE WAS A LEVEL OF
UNCONSCIOUS DESIRE TO CHECK
MYSELF BEFORE FINDING MYSELF TOO
DEEP IN THE CLUB, TOO MUCH A
PART OF THIS WORLD.
AND I MEAN, SO LOOK, I WOULD
ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK TO BE
A SOURCE OF SHAME, OF
SELF-REFLECTION.
BUT I THINK I'M WILLING TO START
WITH DISCOMFORT.
IF THIS IS SOCIAL DISCOMFORT,
I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THAT, TOO.
>> SUPPOSE THIS CULTURE IN
WASHINGTON IS MORE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNTRY
TODAY THAN YOU WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SCENE IN
DAVID SIMON'S SERIES "THE WIRE"
WHERE A POLICEMAN IS ASKING WHAT
ABOUT THE KIDS ON THIS STREET,
WHY DO YOU GO ON PLAYING THIS
GAME OF POKER WHEN THE GUY YOU
KEEP INVITING TO THE GAME IS
STEALING YOUR MONEY?
>> WHY DID YOU LET HIM PLAY?
>> THIS IS AMERICA, MAN.
>> BECAUSE THAT'S THE AMERICAN
WAY.
WHAT IF WASHINGTON HAS BECOME
THE WALL STREET WAY?
THE LAS VEGAS WAY?
THE SILICON VALLEY WAY?
>> IT'S A CLASSIC CHICKEN/EGG
QUESTION.
WHAT WE HAVE NOW IN THE
POPULATION IS A LEVEL OF
DISSIDENCE, RIGHT?
A LEVEL OF DISGUST THAT IS
PARALLEL TO -- YOU KNOW, MAYBE
SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT ALSO
PARALLEL TO YOUR OWN ROLE IN
REELECTING YOUR CONGRESSMAN,
YOUR OWN ROLE IN WATCHING THE
SHOUTING MATCHES ON CABLE.
YOUR OWN ROLE IN PERPETUATING
THIS SYSTEM, BEING TRANSFIXED BY
THESE ADS.
SO, YES, I THINK THAT THIS
DISSIDENCE IS SOMETHING THAT
LIVES IN A VERY, VERY DISTILLED
WAY INSIDE OUR NATION'S CAPITOL.
AND I THINK IT'S ACTED OUT BY
THESE REAL-LIFE PLAYERS WHO ARE
IN A VERY LARGE WAY EXPERIENCING
BOTH THE AMERICAN DREAM AND THE
AMERICAN NIGHTMARE.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I
THINK MAKES THIS TOWN, BUT ALSO
THE NATION'S CAPITOL AT THIS
MOMENT A VERY, VERY PALPABLE
PLACE TO WATCH THIS DISCONNECT
PLAY OUT.
AND AGAIN, IT'S A LOT TO GET
YOUR HEAD AROUND.
I DO THINK IT IS WORTH
DISCUSSION.
AND FRANKLY, A SMARTER
DISCUSSION THAN MANY PEOPLE IN
WASHINGTON ARE WILLING TO HAVE.
>> THIS TOWN IS THE PLACE TO