THAT FOR JANUARY 6th IS JUST
PERPETUATING THE PROBLEM THAT
CREATED JANUARY 6th IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
>> YOURE SO RIGHT.
LETS BRING IN RIGHT NOW -- THIS
IS A NICE SPECIAL EDITION TO THE
SHOW THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE CNN HOST AND
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, JAKE
TAPPER.
YOU DONT HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR
CHANNEL.
YES, THATS JAKE ON "MORNING
JOE."
AND HES OUT WITH HIS NEW NOVEL
ENTITLED, "THE DEVIL MAY DANCE."
I LOVE THIS BOOK.
ITS SORT OF -- ITS A MIX OF
"THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE" AND
"HOUSE OF CARDS" WITH A LITTLE
BIT OF "OCEANS ELEVEN" THROWN
IN.
WELL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ONE QUICK
QUESTION OF WHAT WEVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING, AND
THAT IS THE JANUARY 6th
COMMISSION BEING VOTED AGAINST
BY MOST REPUBLICANS IN THE
HOUSE, BUT ALSO MITCH McCONNELL
AND REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE
ALSO SEEM TO BE READY TO VOTE IT
DOWN.
IS THIS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR
NANCY PELOSI TO JUST MOVE
FORWARD AGGRESSIVELY WITH THEIR
OWN COMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE?
>> IT COULD BE.
WHAT WOULD BE, I THINK, GREAT IS
IF SHE REACHED OUT TO PEOPLE
LIKE REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN
DENVER RIGGLEMAN, WHO IS NO
LONGER IN OFFICE, BUT HAS AN
INTELLIGENCE BACKGROUND.
IF SHE REACHED OUT TO THE
REPUBLICANS OUT THERE, WHETHER
THEY ARE CURRENTLY OFFICE
HOLDERS OR FORMER OFFICE OLDER
HOLDERS, OFFICER ROONEY IN
FLORIDA AND PUT THEM ON THE
COMMISSION.
THESE ARE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE
CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS WHO
ALSO STAND FOR GETTING TO THE
BOTTOM OF THE FACTS, WHO ALSO DO
NOT ENGAGE IN "THE BIG LIE."
THE PELOSI WERE WILLING -- AND
SHES NOT A PARTICULARLY
BIPARTISAN PERSON.
THATS NOT HER INCLINATION.
THATS NOT HOW SHE GOT TO THE
POSITION OF POWER SHES IN.
BUT IF SHE WERE WILLING TO WORK
WITH THE LIZ CHENEYS OF THE
WORLD AND THE PETER KINZINGERS
AND THE PETER MEYERS OF THE
WORLD AND SAY, WHO WOULD YOU
LIKE TO BE ON THIS COMMISSION?
BECAUSE I NEED TO BE ABLE TO
WORK WITH REPUBLICANS, CURRENTLY
REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE, WHO
STAND AGAINST THE LIE, WHO STAND
FOR GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF
WHAT HAPPENED.
TELL ME WHO YOU THINK SHOULD BE
ON THIS COMMISSION.
IF SHE WERE WILLING TO WORK THAT
WAY, THEN I THINK THE COMMISSION
WOULD HAVE SOME CREDIBILITY.
BECAUSE THEN AT LEAST IT WOULD
HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
CURRENTLY REPUBLICAN OFFICE
HOLDERS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF
HISTORY, AS IT WERE, SAYING, I
SUPPORT THIS COMMISSION.
BUT IF SHE JUST LETS McCARTHY
NAME THE PEOPLE, HES GOING TO
PUT MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE ON
THE COMMISSION.
YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS WHAT HES
GOING TO DO.
HE OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT WANT TO
THE BOTTOM OF WHATS HAPPENED.
>> AND SINCE HES SHOWN HIS
HAND, HE DOESNT WANT THE TRUTH
TO BE OUT THERE, IT MAKES SENSE
THAT NANCY PELOSI CAN COME
FORWARD WITH A BIPARTISAN
COMMISSION THAT SHE CAN HELP SET
UP WITH THE HELP OF LIKE YOU
SAID SOME CONSERVATIVE
REPUBLICANS WHO ARE ON THE RIGHT
SIDE OF HISTORY WHEN IT COMES TO
JANUARY 6th.
ALL RIGHT, SO, JAKE, TELL ME,
WHEN DID YOU GET THIS IDEA TO
WRITE THIS NOVEL BASED ON, I
THINK ONE OF THE MORE EXCITING
TIMES IN WASHINGTON HISTORY OVER
THE PAST HALF CENTURY?
>> WELL, I JUST LEARNED, I GUESS WHEN I WAS DOING A PROMOTION FOR
WHEN I WAS DOING A PROMOTION FOR
MY FIRST NOVEL, THEY WORKED
THEIR HEARTS OUT FOR KENNEDY IN
1960 TO ELECT JOHN F. KENNEDY.
AND IN THE AFTERMATH, HE HAD HIS
RANCHO MIRAGE ESTATE.
HIS COMPOUND BUILT UP, ROOMS
ADDED, PHONE LINES ADDED, HE HAD
A HELIPAD BUILT IN EXPECTATION
THAT KENNEDY WOULD STAY WITH HIM
WHEN HE CAME OUT TO CALIFORNIA.
AND SINATRA WAS GETTING READY
FOR THAT VISIT IN 1962, BUT
ATTORNEY GENERAL ROBERT KENNEDY,
WHO I KNOW IS ONE OF YOUR
HEROES, ATTORNEY GENERAL ROBERT
KENNEDY, WHO WAS GOING AFTER
ORGANIZED CRIME, WAS FACED WITH
THIS CONUNDRUM, BECAUSE SOME OF
THE PEOPLE HE WAS INVESTIGATING
HAD STAYED AT SINATRAS
COMPOUND.
SO HE HAD TO DECIDE, DO I INSULT
ONE OF THE BIGGEST STARS IN THE
WORLD WHO HELPED MY BROTHER GET
ELECTED OR LET MY BROTHER SLEEP
LITERALLY IN A COMPOUND WHERE
MOBSTERS HAD SLEPT.
THATS TRUE STORY AND I HAD
CHARACTERS FROM THE HELLFIRE
CLUB GO OUT AND INVESTIGATE TO
SEE IF SINATRA WAS REALLY MOBBED
PUP AND WHILE THEYRE THERE,
THEY GO ON THE SET OF "THE
MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE."
>> AND IT WAS BOBBY KENNEDY
BLOCKING HIS BROTHER FROM GOING
TO SINATRAS ESTATE OUT IN
CALIFORNIA THAT TURNED OLD BLUE
EYES INTO A LIFELONG REPUBLICAN
AFTER THAT.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, IT BROKE
HIS HEART AND CHANGED HIS
POLITICS IN A LOT OF WAY.
JAKE, ITS GREAT TO SEE YOU, MY
FRIEND.
WE LOVE THESE CROSSOVER EVENTS
WHEN WE GET TO STEAL YOU FOR A
LITTLE BIT.
KEEP WRITING THESE BOOKS.
I HAVE A PROCESS QUESTION,
FIRST.
YOU AND I LEAD SIMILAR LIVES.
WE HAVE CHILDREN EXACTLY THE
SAME AGES, WE LOVE OUR FAMILIES,
WE LIKE TO BE WITH THEM, WE HAVE
WEEKDAY SHOWS AND SUNDAY SHOWS.
SO WHEN ON EARTH DID YOU WRITE A
NOVEL?
>> NO, I JUST HAVE THIS RULE
WHERE WHEN IM IN THE MIDDLE OF
A WRITING PROJECT, I JUST NEED
TO WRITE A MINIMUM OF 15 MINUTES
EVERY DAY.
THATS THE COMMITMENT I MAKE.
15 MINUTES A DAY.
BECAUSE ANYBODY CAN FIND 15
MINUTES A DAY, YOU KNOW, AFTER
THE KIDS GO OFF TO SCHOOL, OVER
LUNCH, RIGHT BEFORE YOU GO TO
BED.
AND IF THATS ALL YOU DO, 15
MINUTES A DAY, BY THE END OF THE
WEEK, YOU HAVE AN HOUR, 45
MINUTES UNDER YOUR BELT, ITS
SOMETHING.
AND IT USUALLY ENDS UP BEING
MORE THAN 15 MINUTES.
ITS LIKE THE COMMITMENT TO DO
CARDIO FIVE DAYS A WEEK OR
WHATEVER.
YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY, THATS
WHAT IM DOING.
AND AS THEY SAY, WRITERS WRITE.
THATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME
AND ASPIRING NOVELISTS OUT THERE
WHO HAVENT WRITTEN NOVELS, IVE
MADE THAT COMMITMENT TO DO 15
MINUTES A DAY.
>> AND YOUVE TAKEN AWAY ALL OF
OUR EXCUSES.
JAKE, TALK A BIT ABOUT SINATRA.
YOU REFERENCED IT, THAT HIS
HEART FRANKLY WAS BROKEN THAT
KENNEDY DIDNT COME OUT THERE.
AND IT SORT OF CHANGED HIS VIEW
OF POLITICS AND CHANGED HIS
LIFE.
>> WHATS REALLY REMARKABLE
ABOUT IT IS HOW MUCH SINATRA
REALLY WAS -- AND HES OBVIOUSLY
A COMPLICATED GUY
DISORDER.
BUT BEYOND THAT, HE REALLY WAS A
VERY CRUSADING PROGRESSIVE ON
THE ISSUE OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I -- I
LEARNED WHILE WRITING THIS BOOK.
IN THE 40s AND 50s AND 60s, HE
WAS WAY OUT THERE, WAY AHEAD OF
THE KENNEDYS WHEN IT CAME TO
FIGHTING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS,
MAKING SURE THAT
AFRICAN-AMERICANS WERE PAID THE
SAME, HE TRIED TO INTEGRATE
HOTELS AND CLUBS IN LAS VEGAS.
SO HE REALLY WAS WAY AHEAD ON
THE PROGRESSIVE CAUSE.
AS YOU KNOW, THE KENNEDYS BROKE
HIS HEART AND THATS PART OF
WHAT I WRITE ABOUT IN THIS BOOK.
THE KENNEDYS BROKE HIS HEART IN
THE SAME WAY DAVID GARDNER DID.
ULTIMATELY, AS YOU KNOW, WILLIE,
YOU AND I GREW UP KNOWING THE
RONALD REAGAN FRANK SINATRA, HIM
SERENADING RONALD AND NANCY
REAGAN, QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THE
EARLY 60s.
AND I REALLY DO THINK, AS YOU
AND JOE NOTE, THIS HEARTBREAK OF
AN EVENT PUSHED HIM IN THAT
DIRECTION.
>> JAKE, MIKE BARNACLE IS HERE
WITH A QUESTION.
>> HI, MIKE.
>> IN LISTENING TO YOU AND
WILLIE JUST NOW AND YOU EXPLAIN
ABOUT HOW YOU GO ABOUT WRITING
YOUR NOVEL, YOU KNOW I LIKE YOU,
IVE LIKED YOU FOR A LONG TIME,
BUT I HATE YOU NOW BECAUSE YOU
HAVE DESTROYED MY FAMILY.
MY WIFE IS TRYING TO GET IN HERE
AND CHOKE ME TO DEATH WHEN YOU
SAY YOU WRITE 15 MINUTES A DAY.
>> YOURE PRETTY PROLIFIC.
>> YOU KNOW, THE STORY --
>> YOURE PRETTY PROLIFIC, MIKE.
>> WELL, AT WHAT.
BUT THE KERNEL OF THE STORY THAT
YOURE TALKING ABOUT, YOUR
LATEST NOVEL, THAT PERIOD OF
TIME IN LOS ANGELES IS SO RICH
IN DETAIL.
>> YEAH.
>> I MEAN, THE KENNEDYS, PETE
LAWFORD, MARILYN MONROE,
EVERYTHING IS ALL THERE, THE LOS
ANGELES MOB, BUGSY SIEGEL.
SO AS YOU GOT IMMERSED IN IT IN
ORDER TO WRITE THIS NOVEL, HOW
MANY OTHER THOUGHTS CAME INTO
YOUR MIND THAT YOU HAVE TO
EXCLUDE FROM THE PRINCIPAL POINT OF THE NARRATIVE THAT YOU HAVE
OF THE NARRATIVE THAT YOU HAVE
IN THE NOVEL THAT EXISTS RIGHT
NOW?
>> A LOT.
AND AS YOU KNOW AS A WRITER, I
THINK IT WAS FAUKNER THAT SAID
KILLING YOUR DARLINGS IS THE
PROCESS OF EDITING, ALL OF THESE
THINGS THAT YOU LOVE AND YOU
HAVE TO REMOVE FROM THE BOOK FOR
THE NARRATIVE.
I DIDNT KNOW BEFORE EISENHOWER
HAD AN ESTATE AND I WROTE AN
ENTIRE CHAPTER BECAUSE I THOUGHT
IT WAS SO COOL AND CHARLIE IS AN
EISENHOWER REPUBLICAN.
AND ULTIMATELY, I HAD TO KILL
THE WHOLE CHAPTER BECAUSE IT
REALLY DIDNT ADD ANYTHING TO
THE PLOT AT ALL.
THERE WAS ONE LINE THAT ADVANCED
THE PLOT AND I STUCK THAT IN A
PREVIOUS CHAPTER.
SO THERE WAS A LOT THAT I LEFT
ON THE FLOOR.
BUGSY SIEGEL WAS DEAD AT THAT
POINT, BUT THERE WERE A WHOLE
BUNCH OF OTHER GREAT MOBSTERS
THAT WERE IN PRISON AT THE TIME,
SO I COULDNT INCLUDE THEM IN
THE BOOK, EITHER.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF A
RELIEF.
BUT YOURE RIGHT, THE PERIOD IS
SO RICH, THERES SO MUCH GOING
ON IN THE EARLY 60s.
SO MANY OF THE STARS OF THAT ERA
REMAIN CULTURAL TOUCHSTONES,
WHETHER ITS ALFRED HITCHCOCK,
PAUL PNEUMONIAON AND THE OTHERS.
SO I HAVE A SCENE THAT TAKES
PLACE AT A FAMOUS CLUB AT THE
TIME CALLED THE DAISY WHERE I
ALLUDE TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE,
BUT I CANT GET INTO THEIR
STORIES BECAUSE I HAD TO FOCUS
ON THE PLOT.
BUT THERES A THROW AWAY LINE
WITH ROBERT MITCH YUM AND
GREGORY PECK WHO ARE FILMING IN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, THEYRE
FILMING CAPE FEAR.
LITTLE VIGNETTES LIKE THAT BUT I
HAD TO FOCUS ON THE PLOT.
BUT YOURE RIGHT, ITS SO RICH,
THERES SO MUCH GOING ON AT THE
TIME.
>> THIS SOUNDS SO EXCITING.
JAKE, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THE BACK
STORY, BUT MIKE BARNACLE HAS
BEEN WRITING A BOOK FOR DECADES
NOW, BEEN TELLING HIS WIFE HES
ALMOST DONE AND HES USED THE EXCUSE OF INTERVIEWING EVERYBODY
EXCUSE OF INTERVIEWING EVERYBODY
FROM GEORGE H.W. BUSH TO
KENAPUNK PORT.
AND THIS BOOK, HE CANNOT FINISH
THIS BOOK.
SO HIS WIFE IS BOTHERING HIM.
NOW I GUARANTEE YOU THAT
15-MINUTE RULE WILL BE PUT IN
PLACE IN THAT HOUSEHOLD AND YOUR
YOU 45 MINUTE A DAY CARDIO RULE