( APPLAUSE ) WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY.
FOLKS HERE WITH ME NOW IS RETIRED FOUR-STAR GENERAL,
FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A.
AND N.S.A., GENERAL MICHAEL HAYDEN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
NOW, GENERAL, LET'S GET STRAIGHT TO THE HEAT OF THE MEAT HERE.
ON SATURDAY MORNING, AT 6:35 IN THE MORNING THE PRESIDENT
TWEETED THAT BARACK OBAMA WIRETAPPED HIM IN TRUMP TOWER.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: IS THAT POSSIBLE?
>> NO.
( LAUGHTER ) ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: NOW.
OKAY.
>> DO YOU WANT MORE?
>> Stephen: HOW IS THAT NOT POSSIBLE?
THE UNITED STATES HAS THE POWER TO WIRETAP.
>> IT DOES.
>> Stephen: AND THERE ARE ALL THESE RUSSIAN RUMORS.
>> SURE.
>> Stephen: ABOUT THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.
WHY WOULDN'T THE PRESIDENT DO THIS?
>> BECAUSE IN THE 1970s, WE TOOK THE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT
THAT ACTION OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE PRESIDENT.
AND WE PUT IT IN THE HANDS OF A FEDERAL GOVERNMEFEDERAL COURT SY
ONLY PART OF THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS THE AUTHORITY, THE ONLY APARTMENT OF
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT THAT CAN GRANT THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT
IS A FEDERAL JUDGE, AND IF I WERE TO WANT TO DO THAT, AS
DIRECTOR OF N.S.A., I'D HAVE TO GO TO THE JUDGE, AND I'D V HAVE
PROVE TO A LEVEL OF PROBABLE CAUSE THAT THE INTENDED TARGET
OF THE SURVEILLANCE WAS EITHER THE AGENT OF A FOREIGN POWER OR
WAS INVOLVED IN SOME SORMT OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
>> Stephen: SO THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT IT HAPPENED.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: THAT HE FOUND OUT THAT IT EXPHAPPED THAT IT'S
TERRIBLE AND THAT OBAMA IS A BAD OR A SICK GUY, AND HE'S CALLED
FOR AN INVESTIGATION.
CAN THE PRESIDENT JUST FIEND OUT FOR HIMSELF THAT THIS HAPPENED?
>> THAT'S WHAT I WONDERED WHAT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY MORNING.
HE SEEMED-- ( LAUGHTER )
HE SEEMED TO HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: WELL, EVERY
MORNING, I HOPE THAT IT'S JUST SOME TERRIBLE DREAM.
( APPLAUSE ).
>> THERE ARE ONLY TWO TRACKS TO DO THIS, ONE FOR FOREIGN
INTELLIGENCE PURPOSES -- THAT'S RUN BY THE INTELE GUYS, JIM
CLAPPER, WHO HAS BEEN ON THE NEWS LATELY.
>> Stephen: AND HE HAS SAID IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND THE OTHER GUY OVER HERE WHO DOES IT FOR
COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE OR LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSE IS JIM COMB
GLE HE&THE RUMOR IS HE SAID IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND HE ASKED THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO PUT OUT A
STATEMENT AND SAY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
>> WHAT THE PRESIDENT COULD HAVE DONE IS HIT THE SWITCH ON THE
PHONE SAY, "GET ME COMEY, GET ME WANT ACTING DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE, HAVE THEM DOWN HERE FOR LUNCH.
I HAVE A QUESTION."
AND HE COULD SIMPLY ASK THEM AND GET A RESPONSE BUT HE DIDN'T DO
THAT.
HE DECIDED TO TWEET OUT THE ALLEGATION AS IF IT WAS FACT.
>> Stephen: NOW SHOULD, IN YOUR OPINION, SHOULD THE
PRESIDENT BE TWEETIN TWEETING TH ( LAUGHTER ).
>> NO.
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: IF IT WERE TRUE-- IF IT WERE TRUE FIT WERE TRUE
THAT THE PRESIDENT-- THE PREVIOUS PRESIDENT, OBAMA-- HAD
USED THROUGH SOME GOVERNMENTAL MECHANISM SOMETHING CRIMINAL--
>> WHICH IS WHY WE TOOK THE POWER AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENT IN
THE 1970.
>> BECAUSE NIXON DID THIS STUFF.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: IF THIS HAD HAPPENED, AND EVEN IF IT WAS
BECAUSE TRUMP WAS BEING SUSPECTED OF COOPERATING WITH
THE RUSSIANS, COLLUDING.
>> SURE.
>> Stephen: WOULD HE HAVE SOMEHOW BREACHED NATIONAL
SECURITY?
WOULD HE HAVE RELEASED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION BY DOING
THAT-- >> BY THE TWEET?
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> YEAH, THIS IS A REALLY WEIRD CIRCUMSTANCE.
THE CLASSIFICATION GOD IN THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM IS THE
PRESIDENT.
ALL RIGHT.
SO WHEN THE PRESIDENT DECIDES TO TWEET SOMETHING AND MAKE IT
PUBLIC, IT IS IN THAT ACTION NO LONGER CLASSIFIED.
REMEMBER BACK IN THE NIXON ERA WHEN HE SAID, "WHEN THE
PRESIDENT DOES IT, IT'S NOT ILLEGAL?"
>> Stephen: YES.
>> THIS IS ONE INSTANCE WHERE THAT'S RIGHT.
>> Stephen: THE MINUTE HE ACTUALLY SAYS IT, ANY
PRESIDENT-- >> ANY PRESIDENT.
>> Stephen: IN THIS CASE TRUMP TWEETING-- IT IS UNCLASSIFIED.
>> HE HAS DECLASSIFIED IT FROM THE SYSTEM.
>> Stephen: THEN WHY DOESN'T HE DECLASSIFY SOME FUN STUFFING,
LIKE AREA 51, OR WHAT HAPPENED TO TUPAC.
>> FIRST OF ALL, AREA 51 THAT'S GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.
THAT'S ALL WE'RE SAYING.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
DO YOU KNOW-- DO YOU KNOW THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT I'D
BE FASCINATED TO HEAR?
>> YES.
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: DUMB QUESTION.
DUMB QUESTION.
YOU CAN GIVE US EVEN A HENT?
>> YOU CAN KEEP A SECRET?
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: TURN OFF THE CAMERAS.
I CAN KEEP A SECRET.
>> ME, TOO.
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: I STEPPED INTO THAT.
I STEPPED INTO THAT.
OKAY, LET'S TALKING ABOUT THIS.
THE RUSSIANS DID SOMETHING, AND WE HAVE RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT
THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IS DOING SOMETHING.
IF WIKILEAKS IS TO BE BELIEVED.
THE LATEST DUMP FROM WIKILEAKS SAYS THAT THE C.I.A. IS LOOKING
AT ME AND LISTENING TO ME THROUGH MY TV-- I'M GLAD IT'S
FUNNY TO YOU.
( LAUGHTER ) BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF FUNNY TO
ME, TOO, BUT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
WEEPING ANGEL IS THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM WHERE THEY'RE LOOK
THROUGH MY TV.
IS THE C.I.A. LISTENING TO ME THROUGH MY MICROWAVE OFEN AND
THROUGH MY TV AND THROUGH MY CELL PHONE.
ARE THEY DHOOG, SIR?
>> NO.
>> Stephen: IF THEY WERE, WOULD YOU SAY YES?
>> YES.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: IS THAT A TRUE
ANSWER?
( LAUGHTER ).
>> YES.
LOOK, THIS -- >> Stephen: I DON'T BELIEVE
YOU.
>> I GET THAT A LOT.
>> Stephen: YEAH, YEAH, OKAY?
YOU CAN'T TELL ME IF IT'S TRUE, RIGHT?
>> NO, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THESE TOOLS WOULD NOT BE USED AGAINST
AN AMERICAN.
>> Stephen: WHY NOT?
WHY WOULDN'T THEY BE USED AGAINST AN AMERICAN?
AMERICANS ARE THE ONES WHO BUY SAMSUNG TVs.
I HAVE FOUR SAMSUNG TVs?
>> I'VE GOT THEM, ACTUALLY, THIS AFTERNOON-- THIS BEING AN ITEM
OF INTEREST EYE DID SOME QUICK RESEARCH, A NONSCIENTIFIC
SAMPLE.
THERE ARE BAD PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO HAVE SAMSUNG TVs,
TOO.
SO N.S.A. DEVELOPS TOOLS, C.I.A.
DEVELOPS TOOLS THAT WE CAN USE.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE DRILL ABOUT FISA AND HOW YOU GET A
WARRANT AND YOU HAVE TO GO TO A JUDGE.
THAT PROTECTS YOU AND ME, ALL U.S. CITIZENS ALL THE TIME.
BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT YOU WANT US TO SPY ON.
YOU WANT US TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY TURN ON THAT
LISTENING DEVICE INSIDE THE TV TO LEARN THAT PERSON'S
INTENTIONS.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL CAPABILITY.
YOU GIVE-- YOU GIVE THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY $53
BILLION A YEAR.
YOU OUGHT TO GET SOMETHING FOR YOUR MONEY.
>> Stephen: I'VE KNOT A GET ACCOUNTANT.
I DON'T ACTUALLY GIVE THAT MUCH.
( LAUGHTER ) LET ME ASK YOU THIS, SO I
SHOULDN'T BE WORRIED ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF?
>> LOOK, WE'RE ALL AMERICANS.
WE'RE ALL DISGUSTFUL OF GOVERNMENT.
IT'S IN OUR D.N.A.
EVEN THE FORMER DIRECTOR -- >> Stephen: LET ME ASK YOU
THIS, DO YOU, ON YOUR COMPUTER, PUT A PIECE OF TAPE OVER THE
CAMERA?
>> NO, I DO NOT.
>> Stephen: YOU DO NOT?
>> I DO NOT.
>> Stephen: I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE TAPES TO COME OUT.
( LAUGHTER ) WELL, DIRECTOR, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> HAIP TO BE HERE.
>> Stephen: I COULD TALK TO YOU ALL NIGHT LONG BECAUSE
THERE'S THIS METAPHOR ABOUT A GRANDMOTHER DYING.
( LAUGHTER ) THAT I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE DIRECTOR HAS A BOOK CALLED "PLAYING TO THE EDGE."
IT'S AVAILABLE NOW IN PAPERBACK.
GO GET IT!
GENERAL MICHAEL HAYDEN, EVERYBODY.