>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY, WELCOME BAM.
LET'S SAY HELLO TO OUR GOOD FRIEND MR. JON BATISTE.
JON, HEY, MAN, IT'S GOOD TO YOU HAVE BACK ON THE EAST COAST,
WERE YOU OUT THERE OUT WEST TOO LONG FOR MY COMFORT.
>> Jon: YEAH, THAT WEST COAST ENERGY IS DIFFERENT, I'M GLAD TO
BE BACK.
>> Stephen: I CAUGHT YOUR PERFORMANCE ON ABC.
WHAT WAS THAT TELEVISION PROGRAM WERE YOU ON?
>> Jon: IT WAS AMERICAN IDOL, YES, I WAS SLIDING ACROSS THE
FLOOR.
>> Stephen: YOU SURE WERE, YOU WERE KILLING IT, YOU WERE
KILLING IT.
>> Jon: YES, INDEED.
I WAS HAVING FUN, MAN IT WAS GOOD TO PERFORM LIVE AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, YOU GET THE SENSATION BACK IMMEDIATELY.
IT'S LIKE OH YEAH.
>> Stephen: DO YOU REALLY?
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO PERFORM LIVE AT ALL.
>> Jon: I THINK WILL YOU GET IT RIGHT BACK.
>> Stephen: ALL RIGHT, SOON, SOON, SOON, YEAH, SOON.
>> Jon: I KNOW, I'M HOPING.
>> Stephen: I CANNOT WAIT TO SHARE THE STAGE WITH YOU AGAIN.
DO YOU HAVE ANY MUSIC LEFT IN YOUR HANDS FOR AMERICA TO ENJOY
AT THIS MOMENT?
>> Jon: OH YEAH.
ALWAYS IN THE HANDS AND IN THE HEART, BABY.
♪ ♪
>> Stephen: JON BATISTE, EVERYBODY, THANKS, JON, I WILL
SEE YOU SOON.
>> Jon: YES, INDEED.
FOLKS >> Stephen: MY FIRST GUEST
TONIGHT IS THE CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
WHO HOSTS THE LEAD AND STATE OF THE UNION.
PLEASE WELCOME, JAKE TAPPER MY FRIENDS AND YOURS, GOOD TO
SEE YOU.
>> IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NOW THIS IS, WE'VE SPOKE THEN COVID SOMETIMES WE'VE DONE THIS
THING.
FROM YOU HOME WITH YOUR FANTASTIC POLITICAL MEM
BEAL-- MEM BILLIA BEHIND YOU S THAT ACTUAL LOCATION OR
GREENSCREEN.
>> I'M AT CNN BUT I WILL CONFESS THIS IS MY NEW FANCY
GREENSCREEN, THE ILLUSION OF AN OFFICE, THE ILLUSION THAT I
COULD WALK OVER THERE AND OPEN THAT DOOR.
THAT DOOR DOES NOT EXIST THERE IS ALL MAKE BELIEVE.
>> Stephen: JUST ANOTHER LIE BY CNN.
>> ST NOT A DIRECT LIE, MORE OF AN IMPLICATION OF A LIE.
>> Stephen: ARE YOU MISLEADING THE OFFICE.
>> IT IS LIE-- WELL WORK ABOUT THAT NEW YORK CITY SCENE BEHIND
YOU.
>> Stephen: WHAT, THIS IN?
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: THAT IS A LIVE SHOT OF NEW YORK RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS.
>> IS IT?
>> Stephen: HEY, TAXI!
I'LL BE RIGHT DOWN.
GET START THE METER.
>> I THINK I SEE A BURMA SHAVE AD BACK THERE.
SOME LADY SAYING 23SKIDOO.
>> Stephen: NOW THEN JAKE, THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME TALKING
SINCE WE GOT A NEW, WE'RE A HUNDRED DAYS INTO THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION.
A THIS POINT DO Y'ALL OVER AT CNN GO MAYBE WE WERE A LITTLE
TOUGH ON THE LAST GUY.
MAYBE-- MAYBE WE GOT TOO SWEPT UP.
>> NO.
>> Stephen: NO?
WHAT HAVE THE COMPARABLY MODERATE AND-- BORING ISN'T
THROWN AROUND A LOT BUT CERTAINLY NOT A BLOOD
PRESSURE-RAISING DAYS HAVE BEEN LIKE.
>> YEAH.
WELL, IT'S-- I MEAN IT IS S'MORE LIKE WHAT WE'RE USED TO UNDER
PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
MERE IS AN EXAMPLE.
I HAD TO ADD AN ANCHOR STOP DOING PRETAPED INTERVIEWS DURING
TRUMP BECAUSE, HERE SAN EXAMPLE.
AT 2 P.M. ONE TIME I DID A PRETAPED INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR
CHRIS CHRISTIE.
AND THEN MY SHOW AIRS AT 4 P.M.
ON WEEKDAYS EASTERN.
AND BETWEEN THE PREINTERVIEW AND THE SHOW AT 4:00, TRUMP FIRED
SCARAMUCCI.
SO THESE INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS CHRIS YE WAS COMPLEATLY
WORTHLESS.
SO HE IS GONE DZ.
>> Stephen: SO HE IS GONE AND THE NEWS DOESN'T CHANGE AS FAST
AS IT DID BEFORE, SO THAT.
>> HE'S NOT ENZ TIRELY GONE, I WOULD SAY BUT YES.
>> Stephen: YOU ARE RIGHT, HE'S STILL WITH US DOWN IN
FLORIDA.
AND HIS INFLUENCE ACROSS THE GOP IS ENORMOUS.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS WILL VOTE WEDNESDAY WHETHER TO OUST LIZ
CHENEY FROM HER LEADERSHIP POST BECAUSE SPECIFICALLY, YES, SHE
VOTED FOR THE IMPEACHMENT.
BUT IT IS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE SHE WILL NOT UPHOLD THE LIE THAT
THE ELECTION WAS A FRAUD.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE GOP RIGHT NOW?
I REALLY, I PERSONALLY THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS PUTTING HER MONEY,
SHE WAS BACKING THE RIGHT HORSE HERE.
AS WAS KENSINGTON, IT SEEMS LIKE THE GOP IS PUTTING ALL HIS CHIPS
ON A GUY WITHOUT DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO RUN A CASINO.
>> AND THE OTHER THING IS IF YOU LOOK AT TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATINGS
IN SWING DISTRICTS, SPETTIVE QUONGAL DISTRICTS, HE'S NOT
POPULAR WITH THE VOTERS THAT REPUBLICANS NEED IN ORDER TO WIN
BACK THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
ALTHOUGH HE'S VERY POPULAR WITH REPUBLICAN-BASED VOTERS.
SO THIS IS IS A BIG GAMBLE, TRULY, BY KEVIN McCARTHY.
HE'S DOING THIS BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE THE SPEAKER AND THINKS HE
CAN ONLY DO THAT WITH TRUMP'S SUPPORT.
BUT WHAT IS SO INTERESTING IS LIZ CHENEY IS BEING TO BE
REPLACED BY A CONGRESSWOMAN FROM HE LEASE STEFANIK, SHE BY ANY
MEASURE FAR MORE LIBERAL THAN LIZ CHENEY.
HE LEASE STEPAN-- STEFANIK BY ANY MEASURE FAR LESS RELIABLY
SUPPORTIVE OF THE TRUMP AGENDA.
SO WHY SUPPORT HE LEASE STEFANIK OVER LIZ CHENEY.
ENTIRELY AS YOU KNOW BECAUSE OF ONE THING.
LIZ CHENEY WILL NOT LIE ABOUT THE ELECTION AND SHE WON'T LIE
ABOUT THE INSURRECTION.
AND THAT IS IT.
SO WE'RE SEEING THE ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY NOT ONLY SAY
WE'RE ALL IN WITH TRUMP, MOST OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THE
LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE.
NOT ONLY SAYING WE ARE ALL IN WITH TRUMP, THEY ARE SAYING WE
ARE ALL IN WITH HIS LIE.
IT'S NOT EVEN ABOUT TRUMP AND HIS POSITIONS OR HIS POLICIES.
IT IS ABOUT HIS LIES, WE ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON THE LIE.
>> Stephen: NOW YOU HAVE SAID, AN THIS MADE HEADLINES, THAT YOU
ARE NOT INTERESTED IN INTERVIEWING OR HAVING SOMEBODY
ON THE SHOW WHO PROMULGATES THE LIE THAT THE ELECTION WAS A
FRAUD OR THAT THE JANUARY 6th INSURRECTION WAS NOT
SUCH.
LIKE WHY-- ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT THAT MADE NEWS THAT YOU
SAID I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THOSE PEOPLE.
>> YEAH.
I MEAN TO ME T IS NOT A POLICY, RIGHT.
I HAVEN'T BOOKED ANY OF THEM.
BUT IT NOT LUKE I AM SAYING I NEVER WILL BECAUSE I HAVE NO
IDEA WHAT TOMORROW'S NEWS IS GOING TO BE.
BUT AS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE THIS SAY LIE THAT IS DEMON STRABBABLY
FALSE, THROWN OUT BY REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR, REPUBLICAN ELECTION
OFFICIALS REPUBLICAN APPOINTED JUSTICES, U.S. SUPREME COURT,
ALL EVIDENCE, AND WE KNOW THAT IT A DANGEROUS LIE THAT HAS LEAD
TO DEATH AND AN INSURRECTION.
SO YEAH, I KIND OF FIND IT NAWSH THAT PEOPLE THINK THIS IS
NOTABLE.
SHOULDN'T ALL OF US IN THE NEWS MEDIA BE AT LEAST HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION?
WHAT IS THE WORTH IN HAVING SOMEBODY WHO IS WILLING TO LIE
ABOUT THIS ELECTION ON OUR SHOW.
INTEREST ARE PLENTY OF REPUBLICANS NOT WILLING TO DO
THAT LIE, I HAVE HAD THEM ON.
THE GOVERNOR OF MARYLAND, THE GOVERNOR OF UTAH, THE GOVERNOR
OF ARKANSAS, CONGRESSMAN KINSINGER, MITT ROMNEY, OTHERS,
THERE ARE PLENTY OF REPUBLICANS WE CAN TALK TO.
ISN'T IT, SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE WONDERING, IF THEY ARE WILLING
TO LIE ABOUT THE ELECTION, WHAT ELSE ARE THEY WILLING TO LIE
ABOUT.
AND IF WE KNOW THEY'RE THAT WILLING TO LIE, ARE WE WASTING
OUR VIEWERS TIME?
>> Stephen: WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT SORT OF AN EXTENSION OF
THAT LIE WHICH IS THE ARIZONA AUDIT.
>> CRAZY.
>> Stephen: HOW CRAZY IS IT.
I KNOW STEFANIK IS IN FAVOR OF IT, ONE OF THE THINGS SHE HAS ON
HER RESUME TO TAKE OVER FOR LIZ CHENEY.
DO WE KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON OUT THERE OR CAN THE PRESS GET IN TO
FIND OUT.
>> THE PRESS HAD TO SUE TO GET A CAMERA BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY IT WAS
ONLY BEING LIVE STREAMED, THE ONLY CAMERA WAS FROM OANN WHICH
NOT ONLY IS PROMUL GATOR AND SPREAD OF THE BIG LIE BUT ALSO
FUND RAISING FOR THE BIG LIE.
BUT BEYOND THAT THEY ARE LOOKING INTO, IT IS RUN BY A LIAR, AS
SOMEBODY WHO EMBRACES THE BIG ELECTION LIE.
AND I MEAN IT'S COOKOO FOR COKEO PUFFS, THAT IS NOT A CLINICAL
DETERMINE BUT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR, WE SAW THEM PUTTING BALLOTS
UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHTS, UV LIGHTS, WHY WERE THEY DOING
THAT.
THEY EXPLAINED ONE OF THE RUMORS IS THAT 40,000 BALLOTS CAME FROM
ASIA WHERE THE BALLOTS WOULD BE MADE WITH BAMBOO THREAD.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR BAMBOO IN THE BALLOTS BECAUSE OF THE
SECRET CHINESE BALLOTS.
IT'S CRAZY.
AND THIS, THIS IS-- BY THE WAY, MARICOPA COUNTY, NOT LIKE IT
MATTERS BUT MAYOR COPY-- MARICOPA COUNTEE, THE
BALLOTS 2.1 MILLION, THE ELECTION BOARD IS RUN BY
REPUBLICANS, THEY ALREADY DID TWO RECOUNTS.
THE GOVERNOR OF ARIZONA IS NOT ONLY A REPUBLICAN, A
TRUMP-SUPPORTING REPUBLICAN.
IT SHOULDN'T MATTER BECAUSE DEMOCRATS, THEY DON'T, IT IS NOT
LIKE THEIR ELECTIONS ARE-- WE SHOULD QUESTION THOSE, BUT NOT
REPUBLICANS, BUT THESE ARE REPUBLICANS OWN ELECTIONS.
THAT IS WHO RAN IT.
IT IS JUST, IT JUST WATCHING PEOPLE GO HAND THE REIGNS OVER.
I ASKED KENSINGER, HOW MANY OF YOUR COLLEAGUES ACTUALLY BELIEVE
THIS CRAZINESS.
HE SAID HE THINKS ONLY ABOUT FIVE.
BUT THEY'RE GOING TO GET SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 150 AND 200 OF
THEM VOTING TO OUST CHENEY BASED ON THESE LIES.
>> Stephen: AND IS THAT.
>> BECAUSER IN'S TERRIFIED.
>> Stephen: BECAUSE THEY'RE TERRIFIED OF THE PRIMARY.
>> TERRIFIED OF LOSING A PRIMARY, TERRIFIED OF THE
VOTERS, TERRIFIED OF TRUMP'S GRASP ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE OF JAKE TAPPER