THAT ARE IN THE STOCK, THEY MADE
A LOT OF MONEY.
I TALKED TO ONE LAST NIGHT.
I THINK THE BIGGER PROXY IS
AMAZON, THOUGH, THAT'S A
FASCINATING STORY.
I'VE NEVER SEEN, YOU KNOW, THE
PRESIDENT GOES AFTER CNN A LOT,
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, HE
GENERALLY DID NOT GO AFTER AT&T
OR TIME WARNER SPECIFICALLY.
WE ARE IN UNCHARTERED TERRITORY
WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS ATTACKING
THE BUSINESS MODEL --
NEIL: AGAIN, HE OPPOSED THAT AND
STILL OPPOSES THE MERGER OF --
>> I TALKED TO PEOPLE INSIDE THE
TRUMP, SORT OF KITCHEN CABINET
WHO WERE INVOLVED WITH
DISCUSSIONS WITH TRUMP WOULD
TELL YOU, YES, HE HAD ANIMUS
AGAINST CNN AND HIS JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT ANTITRUST DIVISION
FOUND A LEGAL RATIONALE TO GO
AFTER THEM.
THEY MAKE STRONG POINTS BUT
THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER STORY.
AT&T, AMAZON THING IS
FASCINATING, HE WENT AFTER THEM
AGAIN, MADE NEWS IN THE PRESS
CONFERENCE.
THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY THE POST
OFFICE MORE, WHAT I DON'T
UNDERSTAND AND MAYBE ART CAN
HELP OUT WITH THIS, WHAT POWER
DOES THE PRESIDENT HAVE OVER THE
POST OFFICE, I THINK IT'S
SOMEWHAT LIMITED.
NEIL: SLIPPERY SLOPE.
>> DID AMAZON RIP OFF THE POST
OFFICE, I THINK HE'S WRONG ON
THAT.
>> THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T HAVE
CONTROL OVER THE POST OFFICE,
THEY ARE INDEPENDENT AND SET
THEIR OWN PRICES WHICH IS POWER
OF JOB OWNING WHICH MAKES ME
UNCOMFORTABLE IS I'M A PURIST,
WHEN IT COMES TO THE MATTERS OF
THE MARKET AND SPECIFIC
BUSINESSES, I NEVER LIKED IT
WHEN DEMOCRATS CRITICIZED ENTIRE
INDUSTRIES, BIG OIL, EVERYBODY
ON WALL STREET, WHEN THEY GO
AFTER BY CATEGORY AND I DON'T
LIKE WHEN YOU GO AFTER A COMPANY
BY SPECIFICITY, ENRON, SOMETHING
ALONG THOSE LINES N THIS -- IN
THIS CASE I DO THINK IT'S ABOUT
THE WASHINGTON POST, THE
PRESIDENT IS DOING WHAT HE DOES,
FINDING LEVERAGE THROUGH ANOTHER
VEHICLE TO PUT PRESSURE ON
SOMEBODY OR TO GET A CHANGE.
NEIL: WOULD ANY COME --
>> NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
IF YOU'RE A SUPPORTER OF DONALD
TRUMP, HE LOVES YOU AND --
NEIL: BOEING WAS IN THE SAME
POSITION FOR A WHILE WITH THE
PRESIDENT AND NOW --
>> BOEING WENT TO HIM AND
NEGOTIATED A PRICE OF AIR FORCE
ONE, DIDN'T THEY?
THAT WILL ALLOW THE PRESIDENT TO
GET FAVORABLE PRESS COVERAGE.
WHEN THE PRESIDENT GETS
FAVORABLE PRESS COVERAGE,
EVERYTHING IS GOOD.
IF THE PRESS COVERAGE IS BAD, HE
FINDS LEVERAGE TO GO AFTER IT.
NEIL: IT'S NOT UNREASONABLE FOR
PRESIDENTS, PRESIDENT OBAMA, BUT
IT IS QUITE UNUSUAL TO YOUR
POINT TO TARGET ONE COMPANY.
>> REALLY CRAZY, HERE IS THE
THING, THOUGH, A LOT OF IT IS
BS.
IT REALLY IS.
LET'S BE REAL CLEAR ABOUT
DOWNTOWNS, SMALL TOWN
BUSINESSES, INITIALLY WHAT
REALLY PUT THEM OUT OF BUSINESS,
GUESS WHAT, ALL THE BUDDIES IN
THE MALL BUSINESS.
WAL-MART, DOWNTOWN MOM AND SHOP
BUSINESSES IS NOT AMAZON, THIS
HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG
TIME BECAUSE MALLS TAKE PEOPLE
AWAY FROM THE DOWNTOWN,
IRONICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW
IS DOWNTOWNS IN A LOT OF PLACES
ARE -- THERE'S A RESURGENCE
BECAUSE PEOPLE HATE EXPERIENCE
OF THE MALL, THEY WILL BUY ALL
THE GARBAGE ONLINE AND HAVE THE
HIGH-END EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN,
BUTCHER, BAKER, YOU NAME IT.
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT
NOW.
>> CHARLIE, THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
>> YOU COULD GIVE A NUMBER OF
REASONS BUT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO
TARGET, THE DECLINE OF DOWNTOWNS
TO AMAZON --
>> IT'S JUST WRONG, ABSURD.
>> E-COMMERCE DOES HAVE AN
IMPACT, OF COURSE ON MORTAR AND
BRICK SHOPS, BUT IT'S AN
OVERSTATEMENT.
>> LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION,
WHO LIKES GOING TO A MALL?
WORST SHOPPING EXPERIENCE IN THE
WORLD.
[LAUGHTER]
>> YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME B --
BUT THINK ABOUT IT.
THE WORST SHOPPING EXPERIENCE IN
THE WORLD.
>> SHOPPING IS THE WORST
EXPERIENCE IN THE WORLD.
NEIL: A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE
TO SHOP.
>> IT'S A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE,
HERE IS THE ODD THING ABOUT
THIS, HE ESSENTIALLY BY
ATTACKING AMAZON, HE WANTS TO
RAISE EVERYBODY'S TAXES, AMAZON
HAS BASICALLY CUT COSTS.
I MEAN, IT'S A GOOD THING --
NEIL: HASN'T AMAZON ALSO WORKED
OUT TAXES, THAT WAS A BIG
PROBLEM IN THE BEGINNING.
>> AMAZON PAYS ALL STATE TAXES.
A LOT OF STATES DON'T HAVE TO DO
IT.
NEIL: SO ANY FEEL --
>> THEY ARE GETTING A BREAK.
NEIL: ARE YOU IN CAMPUS CREATED
WHOLE NEW BUSINESSES AS A
RESULT, MORE THAN MADE UP FOR
THE LOSS OF MOM AND POP?
>> I'M IN THE CAMP THAT THE
GOVERNMENT CAN'T TUNE HOW
COMPANIES FLOW AND SHRINK.
WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I
HAVEN'T SEEN ANYBODY RUN TO
GROUND IS THE POSTAL SERVICE
ISSUE ABOUT WHETHER THEY ARE
LOSING MONEY OR NOT.
I HAVE SEEN --
NEIL: I'M TOLD THEY ARE NOT
LOSING NEARLY AS MUCH NOW.
>> AMAZON AND PACKAGING WHETHER
THAT'S SUD SIDNEY TO -- SUBSIDY
TO AMAZON.
I WONDER IF THOSE FACT-CHECKERS
ARE SAYING.
>> THE JOURNAL HAD A VERY GOOD
OP-ED TODAY.
LISTEN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND
EVERYTHING.
BY THE WAY, THEIR DEAL IS
PROPRIETARY, WE JUST -- WE CAN
ASSUME AND SURMISE A FEW THINGS
ABOUT THE DEAL.
A LOT OF THEIR, QUOTE, WRITING
ON THE BACK OF THE TAXPAYERS HAS
TO DO WITH THE MANDATES ABOUT
HOW THE POST OFFICE HAS TO WORK,
6-DELAY DELIVERY AND THINGS OF
THAT NATURE, MAKING SURE THAT
CERTAIN PACKAGES GET TO RURAL
AREAS, A LOT OF COMPLICATION
HERE, BY THE WAY, THE POST
OFFICE CUT THE DEAL WITH AMAZON.
I CAN'T IMAGINE AMAZON EXPLOITED
THEM AT THE TIME.
IT SOUNDS SOMEWHAT --
NEIL: ANALOGY THAT MAKING A DEAL
WITH AMAZON IN THOSE DAYS WAS
LIKE MAKING A DEAL WITH THE MOB
AND YOU BETTER TO DO BUSINESS
THAN TO BE SHOVED OUT OF
BUSINESS.
>> WELL, THE U.S. POST OFFICE,
YOU WOULD THINK YOU WOULD HAVE
SOME LEVERAGE SOMEWHERE.
>> I'M NOT SURE U.S. POST OFFICE
ARE THE BEST NEGOTIATORS.
>> PROBABLY NOT.
THE PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEES AND
CONGRESS.
>> THEY ALL DERIVE FROM
GOVERNMENT.
NEIL: I THINK YOU TOUCHED ON
SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO GO
SIGNIFICANT HERE, THE MESSAGING,
BULLY-PULPIT OF THE PRESIDENCY
TO POUND A COMPANY, BUT IS THERE
ANY RISK THAT YOU CAN OVERDO
THAT?
I MEAN, $20 BILLION OFF MARKET
VALUE OF A COMPANY NOW, DON'T
CRY FOR AMAZON, SHAREHOLDERS
DON'T CRY FOR JEFF BEZOS, BUT
THAT IS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT
SET, ONE COMPANY BECAUSE YOU
DON'T LIKE THE GUY.
>> YOU PUT YOUR FINGER ON ONE TO
HAVE KEY ELEMENTS THAT MAKES
DONALD TRUMP WHO HE IS AND WE
WILL SEE IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL OR
NOT.
HE DOES USE EXTERNAL LEVERAGE TO
TRY TO GET HIS WAY ON THINGS AND
CREATES TREMENDOUS VOLATILITY IN
THE PROCESS.
WE ARE SEEING IT WITH CHINA AND
TARIFFS, WE ARE SEEING WITH THE
STOCK MARKET RECENTLY AND WE ARE
SEEING IT WITH AMAZON.
THE PRESIDENT'S METHOD HERE,
THOUGH, HE BELIEVES HE CAN GET A
BETTER GOOD RESULT AS A RESULT
OF CYBER RATTLING AND GOING
AFTER THE CLIFF.
BUSINESS PEOPLE SOMETIMES DO,
TRUMP'S SUCCESS IN BUSINESS IS
BECAUSE HE'S WILLING TO DO THESE
THINGS, CAN HE DO IT AS NOW A
PRESIDENT?
>> HE PUT A LOT OF BUSINESSES
INTO BANKRUPTCY, SUCCESS IS
MIXED AS A BASEMAN.
HE WAS GOOD AT MARKETING AND
THAT'S WHERE -- THAT'S WHAT
CONCERNS ME ABOUT ALL OF THIS
STUFF.
WHERE IS DONALD TRUMP'S REAL,
YOU KNOW, WHERE IS HIS SWEET
SPOT?
HIS SWEET SPOT IS TAKING AN
ISSUE AND MANIPULATING IT.
NEIL: DOES HE CARE ABOUT THE
SMALL BUSINESSES?
DOES HE CARE ABOUT SMALL
BUSINESSES, CASINOS?
>> ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
DOES HE CARE ABOUT THE
CONTRACTORS HE STIFFED?
I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS ALL
ABOUT ONE GOAL AND THAT'S
QUASHING THE WASHINGTON POST.
THE BUSINESS LOGIC DOESN'T MAKE
--
>> HE WANTS TO MAKE AMAZON PAY A
PRICE FOR WASHINGTON POST
COVERAGE.
NEIL: MAYBE IF THEY MADE HIM A
PRIME MEMBER --