THAT'S "THE STORY" FOR THIS
MONDAY NIGHT, I WILL SEE YOU
BACK HERE TOMORROW.
GOOD NIGHT, EVERYBODY.
MUSICAL
SPEAK OF THE TELEVISION NEWS
BUSINESS IS A VERY SMALL PLACE
SOME MAY CALL IT INCESTUOUS.
CREATES MOST OF THE PEOPLE TO DO
THIS WHERE JOB FOR A LIVING KNOW
EACH OTHER.
MANY OF OUR TOGETHER OVER THE
YEARS.
THERE AREN'T THAT MANY EMPLOYERS
SO IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT A
NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THIS
CHANNEL, INCLUDING ME, ONCE
WORKED ACROSS THE DIAL AT CNN
AND AS ANY OF US CAN AND WILL BE
HAPPY TO TELL YOU, CNN HAS
ALWAYS BEEN A LIBERAL PLACE.
IT WAS FOUNDED BY TED TURNER.
BUT CNN WAS NOT ALWAYS NAKEDLY
PARTISAN.
IT USED TO BE A NEWS NETWORK AND
IT ALWAYS FUNCTIONED AS IT DOES
NOW, AS A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
IF THAT'S UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT CHANGED?
THE HEAD OF THE COMPANY CHANGE.
THE PRESIDENT OF SIENA NOW IS
JEFF TUCKER.
HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CHANGE.
HERE'S HOW I ONCE DESCRIBED HIM
ON THIS PROGRAM.
SUMMONED HIS MINIONS.
FROM ACROSS THE CABLE EMPIRE,
THEY GATHERED AS BECKONING, EACH
WITH TALKING POINTS READY.
SO IF IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING
OUT OF HARRY POTTER, THAT'S
BECAUSE IN SOME WAYS IT IS.
YOU WON'T SEE GARGOYLES AT CNN
HEADQUARTERS BUT YOU CAN FEEL
THE POLITICAL AMBITIONS OF THE
MAN WHO RUNS EVERY DETAIL OF
THAT PLACE.
IT OFTEN FEELS LIKE EVERY
SEGMENT ON THAT CHANNEL IS
CHOREOGRAPHED FOR MAXIMUM
POLITICAL EFFECT.
IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN IT, YOU KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE SAYING AND
IT TURNS OUT, THERE IS A REASON
IT FEELS THAT WAY.
EARLIER TODAY, THE GROUP,
PROJECT VERITAS, RELEASED A
SERIES OF AUDIO AND VIDEO
RECORDINGS.
IT WAS MADE BY SOMEONE WITHIN
CNN.
NOW WE HAVE NOT INDEPENDENTLY
VERIFIED THE TAPE WE ARE ABOUT
TO SHOW YOU.
WE DID CALL OVER TO CNN ASKED
THEM BUT THEY DID NOT RESPOND.
WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE ANY
OF THIS IS FAKE.
THE RECORDINGS WE ARE ABOUT TO
SHOW YOU INDICATE ZUCKER
DICTATING EVERY DETAIL OF CNN'S
PROGRAMMING AND IN DOING SO, WAS
CLEARLY PARTISAN INDUCTIVE IN
MIND.
THIS IS HIM TELLING HIS MINIONS
HOW TO SHAPE THE COVERAGE OF
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM HIMSELF.
>> I'M HOPING THERE ARE A LOT OF
PEOPLE AT CNN WERE FRIENDLY AND
IT'S TIME TO CALL THEM OUT.
>> "PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT OF
FREE JOSEON" >> Tucker: GOT
THAT?
THAT'S THE STANDARD.
THAT'S THE NEW STANDARD AT THE
NEWS NETWORK.
THE CABLE NEWS NETWORK.
LINDSEY GRAHAM HAS APPEARED ON
FOX SO I CAUGHT HIM.
AND SO CNN DID JUST THAT ALL
WHILE PRETENDING COVERAGE WAS
LEGITIMATE.
HERE IS JEFF ZUCKER TELLING HIS
EMPLOYEES THAT NO MATTER WHAT
ELSE IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD,
THE IMPEACHMENT OF DONALD TRUMP,
WHICH IN EFFECT IS A SYMBOLIC
ACT, IS NEVERTHELESS THE ONLY
STORY THAT REALLY MATTERS.
LISTEN.
>> NETANYAHU
>> SETANYAHU
>> SPEANYAHU
>> SPEAKYAHU
>> SPEAK AHU
>> SPEAK ALL OF THESE MOVES ARE
MOVED TOWARDS IMPEACHMENT SO
DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THAT.
>> Tucker: FOR A NEWS MAN THE
DISTINCT LACK OF CLARITY IN
THOSE INSTRUCTIONS BUT THE
EFFORT WAS CLEAR ENOUGH.
DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT THE
BIGGEST STORY IS.
THAT'S AN ORDER.
THE MESSAGE APPARENTLY HAS BEEN
RECEIVED BY THE PEOPLE WHO
WORKED FOR JEFF TUCKER.
LISTEN AS THE CNN STAFFER
EXPLAINED THAT HE AND OF THE
REST OF THEM KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
JEFF ZUCKER WANTS.
>> THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO.
JEFF ZUCKER WANTS IMPEACHMENT
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YEAH.
HE WANTS IMPEACHMENT SO ABOVE
ALL ELSE.
>> Tucker: THERE IS NOTHING WE
CAN DO IF JEFF ZUCKER ZUCKER
WANTS IMPEACHMENT EVERY SINGLE
DAY.
IMPEACHMENT ABOVE ALL.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY
DELIVERED DAY AFTER DAY.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE WAS
REALLY ANYTHING NEW TO REPORT,
NOT REALLY.
AND YET, BECAUSE PROJECTION IS
THE SIGNATURE HALLMARK OF THE
LEFT, JEFF ZUCKER ZUCKER ACCUSES
LEFT, JEFF ZUCKER ZUCKER ACCUSEO
LEFT, JEFF ZUCKER ZUCKER ACCUSEH
LEFT, JEFF ZUCKER ZUCKER ACCUSER
PEOPLE OF TRAFFICKING IN
FAKE NEWS.
HILARIOUS.
LISTEN TO THIS.
>> I THINK WHAT'S GOING ON IN
AMERICA NOW IS REALLY
FUNDAMENTALLY THE RESULTS OF
YEARS OF FAKE NEWS, CONSPIRACY,
NONSENSE, AND I'M DEAD SERIOUS
ABOUT THIS.
STILL WHEN I'M DEAD SERIOUS
ABOUT THIS.
ONE OF THE LEAST SERIOUS PEOPLE,
LEAST IMPRESSIVE PEOPLE, LEAST
ARTICULATE PEOPLE IN PUBLIC
LIFE.
[LAUGHS]
EVEN HIS EMPLOYEES CAN'T TAKE
THAT SERIOUSLY.
LISTEN TO ONE OF THEM.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE OUT HERE TRYING TO DO WHAT
THEY THINK IS INSTRUCTIVE
JOURNALISM AND THEN YOU GET ON
THE CALL AND BIG BOSS
JEFF ZUCKER ZUCKER TELLS YOU
WHAT TO DO AND IT'S LIKE TO IN A
CERTAIN YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW HIS
VERDICT.
>> Tucker: WE ARE LAUGHING
BECAUSE HOW CAN YOU NOT LAUGH?
IT'S OUT THERE.
LIKE THERE IS NOTHING HIDDEN AT
THIS POINT.
BUT IT'S ALSO POIGNANT.
HERE YOU HAVE A KID THAT WORKS
THERE WHO THINKS HIS JOURNALISM
AND HE LOOKS AROUND AND SEES
PEOPLE, BECAUSE THERE ARE GOOD
PEOPLE AT CNN, WHO ARE TRYING TO
COMMIT JOURNALISM BUT THE BIG
BOSS, JEFF ZUCKER ZUCKER, WON'T
ALLOW IT.
INTEGRITY BE.
JUST DO WHAT JEFF ZUCKER ZUCKER
SAYS, WHETHER IT'S TRUE OR NOT.
THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF STATE
MEDIA, RELENTLESS CHEERLEADING.
RELENTLESS NEVER ENDING SHILLING
FOR THE RULING CLASS.
AMERICA DOESN'T LOVE IT.
THEY DON'T WANT TO.
BUT EVERYONE IN WASHINGTON LOVES
HIM.
NOT SURPRISING.
MOTHER OF PANIC ATTACK AND
RADICALS IN THE AGE OF TRUMP
TRANSITION NOW.
GREAT TO SEE AROUND ME.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH AN
OPINION PROGRAM.
AS I OFTEN SAY, NEVER ATTACKED
RACHEL MADDOW BECAUSE SHE'S NOT
LYING TO ME, SHE'S JUST GIVING
OPINION.
IF JEFF ZUCKER LIKER IS OUT
THERE CLAIMING THAT HE IS
RUNNING A NEWS NETWORK AND HIS
EMPLOYEES ARE SAYING THINGS LIKE
THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO IF
ZUCKER WANTS IMPEACHMENT, WE
HAVE TO DO WHAT HE SAYS, I MEAN,
IS THAT JOURNALISM?
>> THAT'S THE INTERESTING THING
ABOUT THIS.
THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE STORY.
EVERY DAY, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE
HAPPENING IN THE WORLD, NOTHING
ELSE WORTH COVERING, IF YOU ARE
A GENERAL WORTH EXPLORING OTHER
SUBJECTS, PLEASE DON'T DO THAT.
WE DON'T DO THAT HERE.
IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE GOOD JOURNALISTS WHO
WORK THERE AND THINK MAYBE
SOMEDAY IT'S NOT THE TOP STORY
OR THE SLIGHTEST MINUTE AND IT
IS NEW IS PERTAINING TO RUSSIA
OR UKRAINE OR WHATEVER IT IS,
MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING TO TALK
ABOUT, NO, YOU CAN.
AT SUCH AN EXCELLENT POINT.
WHATEVER THE FAULTS FOX NEWS MAY
HAVE, I CAN SAY WITH TOTAL
SINCERITY, WE NEVER ONCE BEEN
TOLD WHAT TO COVER IT.
WE DON'T HAVE SOME CENTRALIZED
MORNING CALL WHERE THE BIG BOSS
GETS ON AND SAYS THIS IS THE
STORY, COVER THIS.
THAT'S WHY THEY HIRE YOU.
TO MAKE THESE CALLS.
HE AND ANN, IT'S A COMMAND AND
CONTROL SYSTEM.
>> Tucker: IT WHILE THEY ACT
LIKE THEY ARE THE PERFECT
PURVEYORS OF KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN
NEVER AIR.
I MEAN, THERE'S A RANGE OF
PEOPLE WHO SAY THEM.
I AGREE, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG
WITH ABBOTT'S OTHER NETWORKS,
THESE OTHER MAINSTREAM NEWS
OUTLETS, THEY ACT AS IF THEY
REPRESENT SOME CENTRAL POSITION
THAT IS BEYOND REPROACH.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU ARE
DOING HERE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS
WEIRD OR STRANGE OR WHAT THEY'RE
DOING IS JUST RELAYING OBJECTIVE
INFORMATION.
I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE
LAST COUPLE YEARS IS REALIZED
THAT'S NOT TRUE.
THEY STOP BELIEVING THAT LIE,
THAT NARRATIVES LIE, ABOUT WHAT
OTHER JOURNALISTS DO.
>> Tucker: SO IF YOU WERE CNN,
WHY WOULDN'T YOU JUST BE HONEST?
YOU SEE THE REST OF THESE GUYS,
THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY PARTISANS.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
WHY INSULT THIS -- HE CONTINUED
AS INSULT THIS?
>> EXACTLY.
MOST PEOPLE DO HAVE OPINIONS.
PRETENDING THAT YOU ARE AN
OBJECTIVE PURVEYOR OF THE TRUTH
WHEN WE KNOW YOU HAVE OPINIONS,
MAYBE THAT'S THE GOOD THING
ABOUT ALL OF THIS ISN'T THAT'S
NOW MORE OUT IN THE OPEN.
I THINK MORE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT
THERE ARE OPINIONS AND YOU
SHOULD TAKE THAT WITH A GRAIN OF
SALT WHEN YOU ARE CONSIDERING
THE INFORMATION YOU'RE BRINGING
IN.
>> Tucker: EXACTLY.
STOP LYING AND WE CAN GET ALONG.
GREAT TO SEE YOU TONIGHT.
AS PROJECT VERITAS DOES MAKE
CLEAR, JEFF ZUCKER'S REGIME WAS
SEEN AND IS ONLY POSSIBLE WITH
THE HELP OF OTHERS AT THE
NETWORK.
>> LOVE THEM OR HATE HIM,
JOHN LENNON IS BASICALLY LIKE
ANTI-TRUMP, HE'S GOING TO THE
LEFT, SO MAYBE DON LEVIN COULD
DISCLOSE THAT BUT CNN MAKES IT
APPEAR AS THOUGH WE HAVE
24 HOURS BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE.
>> Tucker: I HAVE A SENSE THAT
NICK NEVILL IS IN SOME TROUBLE
TONIGHT.
AUTHOR MARK STEYN JOINS US TO
ASSESS ALL OF THIS BID WHAT YOU
MAKE OF WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED
TONIGHT?
>> WELL, IT HELPS TO CONFIRM WHY
CNN IS IN THE STATE IT'S IN.
IF YOU RECALL, I THINK THIS WAS
THE YEAR BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP
CAME DOWN THAT ESCALATOR.
CNN WAS --
WENT NUTS OVER THE MINUTE
MALAYSIA AIRLINES INSTANT
LEADING UP TO THEIR FANTASTIC
FAIRY THAT THE JET HAD FLOWN
INTO A BLACK HOLE WHICH YOU MAY
RECALL THEY RESPECTED
JOURNALISTS WERE ADVANCING AT
ONE POINT AND YOU CAN SAY WHAT
YOU WANT BUT THAT HAS THE KIND
OF OBJECTIVE SURREAL NOT SEEN US
ALL OF ITS OWN.
IT'S IN THE TRADITION OF A LOT
OF TABLOIDS BUT IT'S NOT JUST
PUTTING YOURSELF AT THE SERVICE
OF ONE POLITICAL PARTY AND DOING
THE BIDDING OF THAT PARTY AND I
THINK THAT'S BEEN A DISASTER FOR
CNN.
YOU TALK ABOUT JEFF ZUCKER, HE
HAS A NETWORK TO RUN AND IT
SEEMS TO ME A LOT OF THE THINGS
THAT ARE TERRIBLE ABOUT CNN,
BEFORE YOU GET TO THE BIAS, IT'S
SEDENTARY COMPARED TO --
I SAY THIS WITH WHATEVER
OBJECTIVITY YOU TAKE IT WITH BUT
I THINK IT'S DREARY COMPARED TO
FOX.
I THINK IT'S ANCHORS ARE NOT
COMPELLING.
WHEN IT HAS BIG SPECIAL EVENTS
SUCH AS ITS RATHER CURIOUS LGBTQ
DEBATE THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN
JOE BIDEN STARTED RIFFING ON
BATH HOUSES, IN THEORY, THAT I
WANT TO BE A MUST-SEE TV BUT IT
WAS A RAGING BLAST BECAUSE OF
THE WAY THAT CNN COVERED IT SO
THERE ARE ACTUAL THINGS THAT AS
A TELEVISION INC. EXECUTIVE,
JEFF ZUCKER LIKER SHOULD BE
TRYING TO CORRECT.
AND ONCE HE'S MADE IT LESS BAD
IN TELEVISION TERMS, THEN IF HE
WANTS TO ATTEND HIS POLITICAL
BIASES, HE WOULD AT LEAST HAVE
ACCOMPLISHED HIS PRIMARY TASK,
WHICH IS TO BE FUNCTIONING TELE-
VISIONING EXECUTIVES.
>> Tucker: THAT'S THE
INTERESTING FACT OF ALL THIS.
CNN, FOR ALL OF ITS EFFORT TO
CARRY WATER FOR THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY, IS NOT ACTUALLY WORKING.
SO WHAT'S THE POINT OF THIS?
>> IT ISN'T AND THEY ARE IN THIS
TERRIBLE TRAP BECAUSE THEY
STARTED AS THE FIRST CABLE NEWS
CHANNEL AND THEY HAD A KIND OF
USA TODAY IMAGE.
PEOPLE JUST THOUGHT OF IT AS
SOMETHING THAT WAS THERE.
WHEN YOU GO TO THE AIRPORT, IT'S
THERE.
LIKE "USA TODAY" IS OUTSIDE YOUR
HOTEL DOOR WHEN YOU ARE STAYING
AT A MARRIOTT HOTEL OR WHATEVER.
WHEN YOU GO TO A FOREIGN HOTEL,
ANNA MANN OR JORDAN OR WHATEVER,
THEY'VE GOT CNN INTERNATIONAL
PLAYING OVER AS YOU EAT YOUR
BREAKFAST IN THE RESTAURANT.
SO THEY HAVE THIS BLAND IMAGE
AND YET AT THE SAME TIME, THEY
ARE HIGH FOR PARTISANS AND THEY
CAN'T MAKE THOSE TWO THINGS
ALIGN PROPERLY.
I MEAN CNN RIGHT NOW IS THE MOST
IRRELEVANT.
IF YOU WANT A HARD-CORE LEFTY
PROPAGANDIST, THEY DO THAT.
SAME WITH NBC.
THEY DO THAT BETTER THAN CNN.
>> Tucker: RIGHT.