THE FORMER PRESIDENT WENT TO HIS
BEDMINSTER PROPERTY TONIGHT.
>> Laura: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
FOR A LOOK AT THE MEDIA’S ROLE
AND SORT OF SETTING UP THIS
FRAMING OF THE TRUMP RAID, WE
TURN TO FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR
RAYMOND ARROYO.
WE’VE BEEN WATCHING THIS PLAY
OUT THIS EVENING, AND YOU NOTICE
KIND OF A CHOREOGRAPHY
SURROUNDING THE STORY.
WHAT IS IT?
>> IT HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND.
ON CNN BOTH SUNDAY AND THIS
MORNING "NEW YORK TIMES"
REPORTER MAGGIE HABERMAN WAS OUT
FLOGGING A STORY THAT SHE’S
COVERED BEFORE, THE ALLEGATION
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP FLUSHED
DOCUMENTS DOWN THE TOILET.
SHE CAME ARMED WITH PICTURES
THIS TIME SUPPOSEDLY FROM A
SOURCE JUST IN TIME TO PROMOTE
BOOK.
SHE MAY WELL BE THAT JOHN THE
BAPTIST ON THIS STORY.
WATCH THIS.
>> I THINK THE OTHER TWO
IMPORTANT WORDS HERE BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MAKE ALL
SORTS OF JOKES ABOUT TOILETS AND
SO FORTH, IT WOULD STILL BE A
STORY IF IT WAS A FIREPLACE IN
THE POINT IS ABOUT THE
DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS WHICH ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE PRESERVED UNDER
THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT,
WHICH IS A WATERGATE ERA
CREATION.
>> HOW CURIOUS, TWO DAYS SHE
WENT OUT FLOGGING THE STORY.
THE TIMING OF THIS AND THE
LEAKED PICTURES MAKING THE
ROUNDS.
IT ALL DOES SEEM RATHER
COORDINATED, PREDICTABLE, AND AS
SHE SAID, GROSS AND IMPORTANT
INDEED.
>> Laura: SHE SAT ON ANOTHER
NETWORK NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THIS
IS GOING TO GO AND THEY’VE TRIED
TO GET TRUMP BEFORE THEY
IMPEACHED HIM TWICE AND -- I’M
PARAPHRASING BUT ESSENTIALLY HE
EMERGES STRONGER.
>> LEFT NOT THE POINT.
AS WE’VE SEEN IN THE RECENT
PAST, JOURNALISTS ARE OFTEN USED
TO DROP INFORMATION INTO THE
PUBLIC DOMAIN AND THEN THAT
BECOMES THE PREDICATE FOR
FEDERAL ACTION.
WE SAW THIS WITH YAHOO NEWS, THE
GUY WHO CARRIED THE
STEELE DOSSIER INTO THE PUBLIC
DOMAIN.
THAT BECAME THE JUSTIFICATION
FOR FEDERAL INVESTIGATION,
SUBPOENAS, AND ON IT WENT UNTIL
THEY ADMITTED THERE WAS NOTHING
THERE.
EARLIER TONIGHT DANA BASH SAID
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS TRYING
TO OWN THE NARRATIVE, BUT I
DON’T KNOW WHY SHE DIDN’T SAY
THE MEDIA IS ALSO TRYING TO ON
THE NARRATIVE IN BETWEEN
CELEBRATING.
>> THE IDEA THAT THEY WOULD RAID
THE HOME OF A FORMER PRESIDENT
AND SEARCH THE HOME OF A FORMER
PRESIDENT IS OBVIOUSLY AS BIG OF
STAKES AS YOU CAN HAVE.
>> THE FBI TO ACTUALLY BE
KNOCKING DOWN DOORS IN HIS HOME,
IS THIS A TIME THAT AMERICANS
CAN BELIEVE THAT PERHAPS THE
ORANGE JUMPSUIT IS FORTHCOMING?
>> I THINK THE NATIONAL
DEMOCRATIC REACTION IS
HALLELUJAH.
WHETHER THAT BEARS OUT AND
CONTINUES ON, WE WILL SEE.
>> IT WILL HOPEFULLY STRENGTHEN
OUR TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, WHICH
IS BEEN VERY FRAGILE THESE LAST
FEW YEARS POST-TRUMP RESIDENCY.
>> THE NARRATIVE IS SO PLAIN,
LAURA.
AS YOU LISTEN TO IT ALL AS I
HAVE BEEN ALL EVENING, HERE’S
THE UPSHOT, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
FINDS ITSELF IN A DIFFICULT SPOT
WITH GAS PRICES, INTERNATIONAL
WORRIES, AND INFLATION EATING
AWAY AT A BARE MAJORITY, GOING
INTO THESE MIDTERMS, THEY’VE
DECIDED THERE’S ONLY ONE
STRATEGY THAT WILL WORK, WE HAVE
TO DRAFT DONALD TRUMP TO RUN
AGAINST.
SO THIS WHOLE MOMENT IS NOW
CHOREOGRAPHED.
AT THIS TIME, BEFORE THE
MIDTERMS, TO DRAG TRUMP FRONT
AND CENTER, AND TO USE HIM AS
THE WITHIN BOY WHILE THEY CAST
THEMSELVES.
YOU HEARD IT THERE.
THE AGENTS AND PROTECTORS OF
DEMOCRACY.
>> Laura: IT’S A SCREWED UP
STRATEGY.
I’M GOING TO SAY THIS AGAIN.
IF THEY WANTED TO UNITE THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY, IF THAT WAS
THEIR GOAL, THEY ARE DOING A
GREAT JOB OF IT.
I THINK THEY THOUGHT THAT LIZ
CHENEY WAS SOMEHOW ALIGNING
THEMSELVES WITH HER ON THE
JANUARY 6TH COMMITTEE WAS GOING
TO SOMEHOW SEPARATE THE PARTY.
IF THE OLD ESTABLISHMENT BUT
MOST REPUBLICANS JUST WANT
TRUMP’S POLICIES BACK, EVEN IF
THEY DON’T LIKE TRUMP THAT MUCH,
LOVE HIS POLICY, AND THEY WANT
THAT TYPE OF REPUBLICAN IN THE
WHITE HOUSE, WHETHER IT’S TRUMP
OR WHETHER IT’S SOMEONE ELSE.
THEY DON’T WANT THE OLD
ESTABLISHMENT.
THAT IS OVER.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE PART OF THE
PROBLEM HERE BECAUSE EVERY TIME,
RAYMOND, THEY GET INTO POWER,
THEY PLAY GAMES.
WITH GOT TO PRESERVE THE
FILIBUSTER SO WE ARE GOING TO
GIVE THE DEMOCRATS THE
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
THAT PLAYING THE SWEET LITTLE
OLD RULES, THAT’S GOT TO GO.
HARMEET WAS RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
>> YOU HAVE START POLICY
DIFFERENCES THAT ARE AT PLAY
HERE.
THE AMERICAN FIRST TRUMPISM AND
NOW YOU SEE JOE BIDEN’S AGENDA.
AMERICANS WILL HAVE TO DECIDE
THAT ULTIMATELY AND GET PAST ALL
THE REST OF THESE THEATRICS.
BUT REMEMBER HABERMAN CALLED
THIS MOMENT GROSS AND IMPORTANT.
TONIGHT’S HISTORIAN MICHAEL --
LOVE USED TO OTHER DESCRIPTORS,
LISTEN.
>> LET’S PAUSE FOR A SECOND TO
LOOK AT HOW WEIRD AND HORRIBLE
THIS IS.
>> I TAKE YOUR DESCRIPTION OF
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY, WEIRD AND
HORRIBLE, AND IMAGINE THAT ONE
DAY MY TWO DAUGHTERS WILL READ A
HISTORY BOOK FOR TODAY GOES DOWN
AS WE ARE HORRIBLE.
>> TO MARS THEY WERE YOU’RE
GOING TO WANT TO BUY THE
PHYSICAL COPY OF THE NEWSPAPER.
YOU’RE GOING TO WANT TO BUY IT
AND FOLDED CAREFULLY, MAYBE PUT
IT IN A LITTLE ARCHIVAL PAPER OR
PARCHMENT IF YOU DON’T HAVE
THAT.
>> LAURA, THAT IS AN AMAZING
MOMENT.
TO HEAR RACHEL MADDOW -- THE
PIED PIPER OF THE ENTIRE RUSSIAN
CONSPIRACY NARRATIVE, THIS
CONSPIRACY THEORY THAT FELL
APART, SHE NEVER APOLOGIZED FOR
IT, BY THE WAY.
I THINK SHE CALLED -- WAS TRYING
TO APOLOGIZE FOR IT, SHE CALLED
HIM WEIRD OR SOMETHING ON HER
AARON KIND KIND OF CALLED HIM OU
THIS IS AN AMAZING MOMENT WHEN
YOU HAVE ARTISAN SHIP
MASQUERADING NOT ONLY AS
JOURNALISM, BUT AS HISTORY.
PEOPLE HAVE TO SEE THROUGH THIS
AND I KNOW IT’S HARD TO DO SO
WITH THESE VOICES SCREAMING AT
YOU.
>> Laura: WHAT EVERYONE HAS TO
UNDERSTAND IS THAT EVERYTHING
WE’VE HEARD ABOUT THE
REPUBLICANS, THEY ARE NOW -- IF
THEY DON’T DUMP TRUMP AND THEY
ARE CLEARLY WANT TO DESTROY
DEMOCRACY AND THEY ARE GOING TO
BE THE WRECKING BALLS TO OUR
ENTIRE CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM.
THIS IS FROM THE SAME PEOPLE WHO
WANT TO PACK THE COURT, GET RID
OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, WHO
WANT TO NOW USE GOVERNMENT TO
WEAPONIZE IT AGAINST THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, WHETHER THE
IRS, PRAETORIAN GUARD, OR NOW
SEARCH WARRANTS AND SURVEILLANCE
AND SUBPOENAS, THESE ARE THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSTANTLY
RIPPING AT THE FABRIC OF OUR
FOUNDERS, TEARING DOWN STATUES,
CELEBRATING POLICE PRECINCTS
BEING BURNED IN MINNESOTA AND
THE REPUBLICANS AND THE
CONSERVATIVES ARE THE TROUBLE?
THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
>> NOT ONLY IS IT RIDICULOUS,
LAURA, TO USE THEIR
PHRASEOLOGY -- I GUESS WE HAVE
TO PUT TWO ADJECTIVES TOGETHER,
IT’S RIDICULOUS AND DISTRESSING.
WHILE WE ARE COVERING THIS RAID
AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT’S
AT PLAY HERE, IT PROVIDES A
CONVENIENT DISTRACTION FROM WHAT
YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T SEE BY
DESIGN, THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES VISITING
KENTUCKY FLOOD VICTIMS AFTER HIS
COVID HIBERNATION.
HE WAS TOTALLY IN CHARGE TODAY,
LAURA.
>> President Biden: CAN YOU
ALL HEAR?
IS THIS ARGUMENT WE DON’T
KNOW -- EVERYBODY ELSE SHOULD BE
DOING THIS.
SAYS YOU ARE KIDDING ME,
SERIOUSLY.
IT’S NOT LIKE IT’S BEYOND OUR
CONTROL.
THE WEATHER MAY BEYOND OUR
CONTROL FOR NOW, BUT IT’S NOT
OUR BEYOND CONTROL -- BEYOND OUR
CONTROL.
WHAT WE ARE DOING YESTERDAY AND
YESTERDAY HELPING CARE OF
EVERYTHING FROM HEALTH CARE TO
GOD KNOWS WHAT ELSE.
>> THE HEAD OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT, AND HE AND HIS TEAM
HAVE BEEN DOING AN INCREDIBLE
JOB.
>> I BET THE GOVERNOR THERE WAS
HOPING HE WOULD DO AN INCREDIBLE
JOB MASKING WITH ALL THE
COUGHING -- I MEAN, THE MAN JUST
GOT OUT OF COVID QUARANTINE, NOW
HE’S COUGHING ALL OVER
EVERYBODY.
BUT LAURA, YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY
THIS IS TIMED OUT FOR THIS
MOMENT?
IT’S BECAUSE OF THAT MOMENT.
IN ANY THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO
TAKE A HARD LOOK AT IT.
>> Laura: RAYMOND, IT ONLY
TOOK ABOUT, I DON’T KNOW, 45
SECONDS FOR HIM TO GET HIS
JACKET ON AS HE CAME OFF THE
PLANE.
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS PERFECTING A
COMEDY ROUTINE FOR A MINUTE
THERE.
>> Laura: JILL DID HAVE A
CANDY STRIPE OR DRESS ON, THAT
WAS THE POTENTIAL MUST LOOK LIKE
SHE WAS A CANDY STRIPER, AND
THEY ARE VERY HELPFUL TO THE
INFIRM --
>> IT WAS QUITE -- THIS ISN’T
THE MOMENT THOUGH.
IT WAS AFTER THE TARMAC.
>> Laura: HE’S GOT THE JACKET
ON THERE.
>> HE WAS STRUGGLING TO GET THE
JACKET ON AND HE WENT IN A
CIRCLE.
IT WAS REALLY QUITE COMIC -- WE
WILL SHOW TO YOU LATER, IT’S
WORTH SEEING.
>> Laura: RAYMOND --
>> SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED.
>> Laura: I THINK THAT AGAIN
THIS IS A TIME FOR PEOPLE WHO
LOVE OUR COUNTRY, LOVE OUR
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY,
RESPECT OUR CONSTITUTION, TAKE A
BREATH, REALIZE WE’VE BEEN
THROUGH WORSE THAN THIS BEFORE,
AND WE WILL GET THIS THROUGH
AGAIN.
BUT WHEN WE GET POWER BACK IT’S
TIME TO HOLD EVERYONE
ACCOUNTABLE.
THE MILITARY LEADERSHIP, THE
CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP, THE CIVIL
SURFACE, THOSE IN CONGRESS WHO
HAVE ABUSED THEIR POWER.
ALL OF THEM HAVE TO BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE, ALL OF THEM.
IT CAN’T BE THIS NICE GUY
ROUTINE, LET’S BE FRIENDS.
>> JUSTICE MUST BE BLIND AND
THOSE WHO ARE REPORTING HAVE TO
DO SO WITH AS MUCH TRUTH AS