>> Stephen: NOW, FOLKS I HAVE NOT SEEN MY FIRST GUESTS TONIGHT
SINCE THEY WERE SITTING ON STAGE WITH ME ON ELECTION NIGHT.
PLAWZ WELCOME THE HOST OF SHOWTIME'S "THE CIRCUS," MARK
HALPERIN AND JOHN HEILEMANN.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
HUGS.
HE HUGGED ME.
I WANT TO POINT OUT, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT HE HUGGED ME.
HE SHOOK MY HAND.
>> YOU STILL NEED COMFORTING FROM ELECTION NIGHT, STEPHEN.
>> I WAS AFRAID IF I HUGGED YOU, I WOULD NEED TO CRADLE YOU IN MY
ARMS YOU.
>> Stephen: ARE NOT A BIG COMFORTER BECAUSE THE LAST TIME
WE WERE HERE TOGETHER, THIS IS WHAT YOU SAID.
I ASKED BOTH OF YOU WHAT YOU THAT YOU WANT THE ELECTION
MEANT.
AND THIS IS WHAT YOU GUYS SAID.
>> DONALD TRUMP STAGE AID HOSTILE TAKEOVER OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY ON THE RIGHT AND NOW WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.
>> OUTSIDE OF THE CIVIL WAR, WORLD WAR II, AND 9/11, THIS MAY
BE THE MOST CATACLYSMIC EVENT THE COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN.
>> Stephen: OH, WELL... WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS MESSAGE
FROM CALGON.
>> I MIGHT HAVE UNDERSTATED IT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: SO IN ALL
SERIOUSNESS, DO YOU SEE-- IN ALL SERIOUSNESS ON A COMEDY SHOW--
INULE SERIOUSNESS, DO YOU SEE ANYTHING IN THE FIRST 45 DAYS
THAT IS SORT OF FRUIT OF THAT MOMENT THAT YOU WERE SORT OF
PICTURING WHEN YOU-- WHEN YOU IMAGINED THIS AS BEING A
CATACLYSMIC THING.
>> I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE THE LOSS OF LIFE IN 9/11 AND THE
WORLD WAR, BUT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW HALF THE COUNTRY WHO VOTED
AGAINST HIM AND UPSET ABOUT HIM BEING PRESIDENT --
>> Stephen: A LITTLE MORE.
>> A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF, IT'S SELF-INFLICTED.
I'VE TRAVELLEDLY THE COUNTRY A LOT SINCE HE GOT ELECTED AND
HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOPEFUL AND
OPTIMISTIC AND REALLY THINK THIS IS THE KIND OF CHANGE WE NEED,
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO, ADULTS, WHO SAY TO ME, "THIS IS
THE WORST THING THAT'S HAPPENED IN MY LIFE.
>> Stephen: WELL, OKAY, SO THE FIRST SEASON OF "THE CIRCUS" WAS
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
AND NOW THE SECOND SEASON, WHICH STARTS IS IT THIS-- A WEEK FROM
SUNDAY-- IS ABOUT THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY.
DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO DO A SECOND SEASON OR DID YOU
GET TO THE END OF THE FIRST SEASON AND GO, "OH, (BLEEP).
THE STORY JUST STARTED."
>> YOU CAN-- CAN WE USE THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE ON THE SHOW?
>> Stephen: SURE, SURE, I'LL EDIT YOU OUT.
>> FANTASTIC.
WE WERE REALLY HAPPY WITH THE WAY THE SHOW PROGRESSED OVER THE
COURSE OF THE YEAR.
WE THOUGHT WE MADE SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY GOOD.
WE WERE REALLY PROUD OF IT.
IT WAS POSSIBLE WE COULD HAVE DONE A SECOND SEASON IF HILLARY
CLINTON HAD BEEN ELECTED BUT IT IS IN THE CASE IN JOURNALISMTHAT NOVELTY IS A COMPELLING THING, AND EVERYTHING THAT IS
HAPPENING EVERY DAY, EVERY HOUR, EVERY MINUTE IN WASHINGTON RIGHT
NOW IS NEW AND THE NOVELTY MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT GO BACK TO
THE SECOND BITE AT THE APPLE.
>> TRUMP'S WASHINGTON AND TRUMP'S AMERICA IS A FASCINATING
THING AND THE FIRST HALF OF 100 DAYS WE'RE SORT OF JOINING IN
PROGRESS, YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE IN AMERICA, THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE
TALKING ABOUT.
CERTAIN LATE-NIGHT SHOWS FOCUSING ON THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION HAVE BEEN DOING QUITE WELL IN THE RATINGS, I
READ.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).
>> Stephen: I HAVE TO CHECK THOSE OUT.
I HAVE TO CHECK THOSE OUT.
NOW, LET ME ASK YOU THIS, BOTH OF YOU GUYS -- BOTH OF YOU GUYS
HAVE, LIKE, 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WRITING AND COVERING
POLITICS.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW AS WASHINGTON INSIDERS-- IF YOU'LL PARDON THE
EXPRESSION-- WHAT DO YOU KNOW IS HAPPENING IN THE WHITE HOUSE
BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF RUMORS IT'S CHAOTIC AND THIS IS
SORT OF LIKE THE GANG THAT CAN'T SHOOT STRAIGHT AND THERE'S A LOT
OF IN-FIGHTING, THAT SORT OF THING.
IS THAT REAL OR IS IT AN ILLUSION SO SOME OTHER TRICK IS
BEING PULLED OFF OVER HERE THAT WE'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO?
>> PEOPLE KEEP ASKING US, "WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND THE
SCENES?
AND MY FIRST RESPONSE IS, "YOU HAVE NOTICED WHAT'S GOING ON IN
FRONT OF THE SCENES."
THAT CHAOS-- THAT'S THE PART THAT'S PLANNED.
THAT'S THE IMAGE THEY'RE TRYING TO PRESENT.
IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE IN THE PRIVATE SPACES.
>> Stephen: BUT DURING THE CAMPAIGN--
>> WHERE STUFF IS HAPPENING THAT THEY DON'T YOU WANT TO SEE.
>> Stephen: THERE WAS A SENSE IN THE CAMPAIGN, "THESE GUYS
DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY CAN'T PLAN A CAMPAIGN."
MEANWHILE, THEY'RE VERY QUIETLY PLANNING THE POSSIBLE PATH TO
WIN AND THEY DID IT.
IS THAT HAPPENING SORT OF UNDER THE RADAR RIGHT NOW?
>> SOME OF THAT IS HAPPENING.
THEY'RE DOING MORE ON FOREIGN POLICY, MORE ON HEALTH CARE, AND
MORE ON TAXES THAN IS GENERALLY COVERED AND THEY'RE TRYING TO BE
BELOW THE RADAR.
EVERY NEW ADMINISTRATION IS CHAOTIC.
I COVERED THE BEGINNING OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION.
PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW, "DO I PLUG IN A FLOPPY
DISK."
IT'S NOT AS CHAOTIC AS IT SEEMS, BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE AT THE TOP
OF THE PYRAMID IS DONALD TRUMP, AND HE HAS THRIVED ON CHAOS AND
A MANAGEMENT STYLE THAT IS A LITTLE UNORTHODOX.
>> AND MOST OF THE GOVERNMENT IS STILL UNSTAFFED.
85% OF THE APPOINTMENTS THEY HAVE TO MAKE, PEOPLE HAVE NOT
BEEN APPOINTED YET -- >> Stephen: THEY HAD TO HIRE
4,000 PEOPLE.
>> MOST OF THE GOVERNMENT STILL HAS A "VACANCY" SIGN ON IT.
>> I ASKED PEOPLE IN THE WEST WING, PEOPLE I HAD JUST MET, HOW
MANY TIMES HUBEEN TO THE WHITE HOUSE BEFORE YOU TOOK THIS JOB?
MORE THAN HALF, THE FIRST TIME THEY WERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE WAS
THE DAY THEY SHOWED UP FOR WORK.
THAT'S A HARD THING TO DO.
IT'S A LOVELY BUILDING BUT IT'S A COMPLICATED BUILDING.
>> Stephen: I HEARD THEY HAD TROUBLE FIND, THE LIGHT SWITCH.
>> LIGHT SWITCHES, HOW TO WORK WANT DOORKNOBS.
IT'S A COMPLICATED BUILDING.
>> Stephen: IT'S NOT AS COMPLICATEDLY AS HEALTH CARE,
BUT STILL, QUITE COMPLICATED.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).
>> APPARENTLY-- APPARENTLY-- I'M STARTING TO GET THE FEELING
THAT, LIKE, EVERYTHING IN TRUMP TOWER MUST BE AUTOMATED OR VOICE
ACTIVATED.
>> Stephen: ALL OF TRUMP TOWER IS ON THE CLAPPER.
>> LIGHT SWITCHES AND DOORKNOBS SHOULD BE PRETTY MUCH STANDARD
EVERYWHERE YOU GO.
>> BY A BUILDING IN ABU DHABI.
>> Stephen: HOW DO COVER THE STWEETS TWOOETS ON SATURDAY
MORNING SAYING THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, BARACK OBAMA
HIMSELF, HAD ORDERED TAPS OF TRUMP IN TRUMP TOWER?
HOW SERIOUSLY DO YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT ?OOTS THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES, YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT AS A NEWS STORY,
BUT.
HOW DID YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AS NEWS TO
INVESTIGATE?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GOT SAID IN THE CAMPAIGN AT THE END
THAT I THINK IS A TOTAL CANARD --
>> Stephen: I DON'T SPEAK FRENCH.
>> YOU'LL FIT RIGHT IN, IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, STEPHEN.
THEY DON'T SPEAK FRENCH, EITHER.
THE NOTION WAS OUR FAILING WAS WE TOOK TRUMP LITERALLY BUT WE
DIDN'T TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY AND THAT PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY TOOK
HIM SERIOUSLY BUT DIDN'T TAKE HIM LITERALLY.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY
AND LITERALLY, AND WHEN HE'S ON TWITTER AND SAYING THINGS HE'S
SAYING, THOSE ARE PUBLIC PRONOUNCEMENTS FROM THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
OUR ALLIES, OUR ENEMIES, INTERNATIONAL MARKETS-- THEY ALL
TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
SO AS OFTEN UNSUBSTANTIATED AND AS OFTEN AS NUTS SOME OF THE
THINGS HE TWEETS ARE, OF COURSE, WE SHOULD TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
>> Stephen: IS THERE A MORE SERIOUS ACCUSATION THAN ANY
PRESIDENT HAS MADE ABOUT A PREVIOUS PRESIDENT?
>> NO, NO.
>> Stephen: IF TRUE WHAT, WOULD BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF
BARACK OBAMA HAVING DONE THAT?
>> HE SHOULD GO TO JAIL BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE BROKEN THE LAW.
BUT HE DIDN'T DO IT AND SHOULDN'T AND PRESIDENT TRUMP--
WE HAVE A HEARING SCHEDULED FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM NOW,
WHERE JIM COMEY WILL COME UP AND TESTIFY PUBLICLY AND HOPEFULLY
TRUMP'S LIE IN THIS CASE, WHICH IS ALMOST CERTAINLY IS, WILL BE
EXPOSED TO THE WORLD.
>> WHEN I DAY DREAM NOW, I DAY DREAM, WHAT IF NIXON OR J.F.K.
HAD, HAD TWITTER.
WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE DONE WITH IT.
LIKE, IF J.F.K. HAD TRUMP'S ATTITUDE ABOUT TWITTER, JUST
TWEET EVERYTHING, IMAGINE.
>> Stephen: J.F.K. MIGHT HAVE HAD AN ANTHONY WEANER PROBLEM.
>> YOU WOULD HAVE TO DISABLE THE PHOTO THING ON TWITTER FOR
KENNEDY.
>> Stephen: OKAY, SO, DO YOU THINK THE HEALTH CARE PLAN IS
GOING TO PASS THIS FORM OF IT, IS GOING TO PASS IN ANY WAY?
>> I THINK IT DOESN'T KICK ENOUGH PEOPLE OFF THE HEALTH
CARE ROLLS TO PLEASE MOST REPUBLICANS, SO NO.
>> Stephen: OKAY, BUT IF THEY ACTUALLY DO, THAT ISN'T IT ALSO
DEAD ON ARRIVAL BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT FORM
OF BLOODBATH IN A FEW YEARS.
>> I WISH THEY COULD HAVE FIGURED OUT A PLAN THAT SOME
DEMOCRATS COULD SUPPORT.
THERE WILL COME A MOMENT, FIRST IN THE HOUSE AND THEN IN THE
SENATE, WHEN THEY GO TO THE HOUSE AND THEY SAY, WHAT ALL
PRESIDENTS SAY IN THIS SITUATION-- "MY PRESIDENCY IS ON
THE LINE.
IF THIS GOES DOWN, MY PRESIDENCY IS OVER.
IT'S AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS.
YOU HAVE TO VOTE FOR IT."
I THINK THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO SUCCEED.
IF THEY MAKE THE PERFECT THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD, IT WILL GO
DOWN AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A HUGE PROBLEM.
IF THEY THEY WILL FAIL ON HEALTH CARE, I'M NOT SURE THEY CAN
RESTART ENGINE AND TRY TO GET ANYTHING DONE.
>> I THINK IT'S UNLIKELY OBAMACARE IS GOING ANYWHERE.
THIS IS WHERE GOVERNING HAPPENS.
IT'S LIKE, YOU CAN SPEND EIGHT YEARS OR SIX YEARS--
( APPLAUSE ) SAYING-- NOT ONLY SAYING YOU'RE
GOING TO REPEAL IT AND REPLACE IT, BUT VOTING TO REPEAL-- NOT
NEVER TO REPLACE-- BUT TO REPEAL IT AND NOW THE REALITY OF THE
SITUATION IS YOU-- WE HAVE SEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST TWO
DAYS.
THESE DIVISIONS AMONG REPUBLICANS -- AND I UNDERSTAND
WHAT MARK IS SAYING ABOUT WHAT TRUMP MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT DO--
BUT THE DIVISION WITH REPUBLICANS IS PROFOUND.
AND THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A MIDDLE GROUND, JUST SEEMS REALLY
UNLIKELY.
>> IF IT PASSES, HAVE US BACK ON THE DAY OF THE SIGNING CEREMONY,
AND WE'LL BRING DONUT S.
>> Stephen: IT'S A DEAL.
>> OKAY.
>> Stephen: MARK, JOHN, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
SEASON TWO OF "THE CIRCUS" PREMIERES MARCH 19 ON SHOWTIME.
MARK HALPERIN AND JOHN HEILEMANN, EVERYBODY!