1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio News. 2 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 2: Joining us now on this election eve, Bob Woodward. It's 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 2: four hundred pages. The book is war. He's done many 4 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 2: many interviews on it. It is an insight into the 5 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 2: Biden administration. 6 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: I love what Robert. 7 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 2: Gates has said, who's served both political persuasions on Woodward. 8 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 2: He has an extraordinary ability to get otherwise responsible adults 9 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:30,639 Speaker 2: to spill their guts to him. 10 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: Bob Woodwards joins us on Election Eve, Bob. 11 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 2: This weekend I discovered someone in the keyhouse so who 12 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 2: had not seen all the president's men. I tried to 13 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,919 Speaker 2: explain to them that I was interviewing Robert Redford on Monday. 14 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 2: In that movie, you show up with mister Katie in 15 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 2: the courtroom and you say, my name's Bob Woodward. I'm 16 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 2: from the Post and I wanted to ask you how 17 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 2: you happen to come. 18 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: On this case. 19 00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 2: The rudeness and direction of Redford's question is appalling. 20 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: It's shocking. 21 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 2: Where did you learn to ask questions so abrupt, so direct, 22 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 2: so as Robert Gates would say, they all spill their guts? 23 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: Where did you learn that skill? Well? 24 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 3: Look, that morning I got called to the courthouse. This 25 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 3: was the morning of the Watergate burglary. I've been covering 26 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 3: night police for nine months and I go to the 27 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 3: courthouse and income these burglars dressed in business suits. I 28 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 3: had never seen a burglar in a business suit. I've 29 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 3: never seen a well dressed burglar. And the lee burglar 30 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 3: announced reluctantly to the judge that he'd worked at the CIA, 31 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 3: and I what CIA business suits? Five burglars, elder. I mean, 32 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 3: it was just like, Oh, how do you not follow 33 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 3: this story again? 34 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 2: I want to drive the conversation forward, Bob, on this 35 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 2: election for a nation some would say fighting with its 36 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 2: concept of democracy. In the epilogue to War, you have 37 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 2: a brilliant two sentences. Often I have said, only half jokingly, 38 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 2: that when I wake up in the morning, my first 39 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 2: thought is, quote, what are the bastards hiding? Unquote? So 40 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: let's get two answers. What is mister Trump hiding this morning? 41 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 3: Well? Trump is making very clear who he is, and 42 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 3: it's too it's so visible. Let me just give you 43 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 3: an example. I'm sorry this may sound a little boring, 44 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 3: but it's right at the heart of your question. The 45 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 3: people Trump, when he was president chose to be close 46 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 3: to him. People who've spent their lives defending our country. 47 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 3: And let's look at what these people that Trump picked 48 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 3: for key positions say about Trump. Now, former Chief of 49 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:23,079 Speaker 3: Staff John Kelly, you know, one of the most respected 50 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 3: people in the military. This was Trump's selection to be 51 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 3: the chief of staff at the White House. Kelly says 52 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 3: of Trump, he's an idiot. It's pointless to try to 53 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 3: convince him of anything. He's gone off the rails were 54 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 3: in crazytown. 55 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: Bob. 56 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 2: Let me ask, also to your wonderful quote, what are 57 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 2: the bestards hiding? What is Vice President Harris hiding into 58 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 2: this election? 59 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 3: Well, I think there are actually things that we don't 60 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 3: know enough about. I had some time to work on 61 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 3: how she deals with lots of issues, and it's very 62 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 3: let me get the right selection here, because she is tough. 63 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 3: She is the person who goes and has meeting with 64 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 3: net Yahoo, which I got the notes of and really get. 65 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 3: This was July twenty fifth of this year, just a 66 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 3: couple of months ago, and she is she could not 67 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 3: be tougher with net Yahoo, and the notes show her 68 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 3: saying the following in a closed meeting with bb net Yahoo. 69 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 3: I'm disturbed by the humanitarian situation in Gaza. People are 70 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 3: star there are four thousand people per toilet. She really 71 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 3: gets on him about this, and then she goes out 72 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 3: in public and doesn't pull any punches and says, I'm 73 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 3: not we cannot look away and become numb about what 74 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 3: is happening in Gaza, and I will not be silent. 75 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 3: I'm sorry, I'm giving a long answer. 76 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 4: No, it's excellent, Bob stepping away here. As we think 77 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 4: about this election here, I can't help but wonder thinking 78 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 4: about your work, your earliest work back of the Washington Post. 79 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 4: What has become of the GOP party? It seems like 80 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 4: it is now clearly the party of one former president 81 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 4: dot Donald Trump. Is that the new GOP going forward? 82 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 3: Well, it is at the moment. We'll see. I know 83 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:05,559 Speaker 3: lots of republics and I know some who will say 84 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 3: kind of public oh, I support Trump. I like Trump 85 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 3: because he's the force in the party. But privately it's 86 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 3: thumbs down. They don't like Trump. Look who is Trump? 87 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,600 Speaker 3: This is the question that people need to answer. He 88 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 3: doesn't like advice, he doesn't like democracy, doesn't like the Constitution, 89 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 3: doesn't like truth. 90 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 2: Joining us, Bob Woodward, we will continue with mister Woodward. 91 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 2: We said good morning to all of you across the 92 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 2: nation on this election eve. Under four hundred pages, War 93 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 2: by Bob Woodward is simply a look into the Biden administration, 94 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 2: framed by Netna who in putin Zelensky and of course 95 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 2: Vice President Harris war spent out some time now, Pauls, 96 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 2: when you pick it up with Bob Woodward, please. 97 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 4: Bob tomorrow obviously election day, what will you be focusing on? 98 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 4: Is it a state, is it a certain candidate? Is 99 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 4: it an issue? What are you going to be focusing on? 100 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 3: Going to well, I need to look at what happens, 101 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 3: and all the Poles say it's razor thin. So who knows. 102 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 3: I hope and that people will look at the candidates, 103 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 3: particularly he was president for four years. He has said 104 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 3: some things in this campaign that really and he really 105 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 3: shows what's at state in this election. He is a 106 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 3: danger to democracy. He is a danger to the United States. 107 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 3: Why go back? My first interview with him was thirty 108 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 3: five years ago when he was a real estate king 109 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 3: in New York City, and then and even in interviews 110 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 3: I did in the Oval Office with him when he 111 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 3: was president, he's's driven by instinct. He's got this idea 112 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 3: that his instincts, what his gut feel is is perfect. 113 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 3: That's the way to go. Yeah, both don't run a 114 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:30,679 Speaker 3: government on anyone's instincts. You need a aim, you need 115 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 3: some alternative views. And Brump is locked, as we know, 116 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 3: locked into himself for the nation. 117 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 2: In the selection, Bob Woodward joins us, of course, forever 118 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 2: with the Washington Post. Bob, I had to do something 119 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 2: for the youngest afterthought. A while back, I had to 120 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 2: look at her Vietnam paper and that, and like a 121 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,959 Speaker 2: lot of us, you were in nrotc at Yale, and 122 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,439 Speaker 2: I was doing another act out at the time at Boulder. 123 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 2: I completely avoided reading or thinking about Vietnam. And I 124 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 2: enjoyed Max Hastings. You know him well from a telegraph 125 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 2: and his one volume on Vietnam as well. The crucible 126 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 2: of the modern Democratic Party is McGovern and hjh in 127 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 2: nineteen seventy two. The legacy that Vice President Harry. 128 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,080 Speaker 3: Khs being Hubert Humphrey. 129 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 2: Hubert Humphrey, thank you. But the legacy that Harris carries forward. 130 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,599 Speaker 2: Do you see her as a change agent for Democratic 131 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 2: Party theology? Or is the critics would say Obama version four. 132 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:45,079 Speaker 3: Well, look she's tough. She's going to President's school. She's 133 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 3: very lucky in a sense, the country is very lucky 134 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 3: that Biden, who was vice president, wants himself and didn't 135 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:58,199 Speaker 3: like to be cut out of things. He's made sure 136 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 3: that she really is is getting a graduate course in 137 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:11,439 Speaker 3: the presidency. She's at the meetings, the discussions, the debates. 138 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 3: There are lots of signs of two qualities, independence and determination. 139 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 3: And I think that that is a good thing. That's 140 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 3: not a political judgment. It is what I was able 141 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 3: to do in the reporting about what her course of 142 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:39,839 Speaker 3: going to President's school is. She's got a national security 143 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 3: advisor named Phil Gordon, who is really experienced. Billy goes 144 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 3: back a long time into the White House and the 145 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:59,079 Speaker 3: State Department and brings a lot of knowledge. Who's Donald 146 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 3: Trump's national security advisor? His mouth, he will say whatever 147 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 3: he wants, whatever springs in. That is the danger we face. 148 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,959 Speaker 2: But what one final question, the dedication for my lifelong 149 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 2: friend and reporting partner, Carl Bernstein. Do you guys talk 150 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 2: a lot like is there a Bernstein? What would take 151 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 2: on where this nation is going? 152 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: Right now? 153 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,479 Speaker 3: Well, we do talk all the time three four times 154 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:34,319 Speaker 3: a week. For sure. We saw each other. Recently we 155 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:40,559 Speaker 3: did an appearance together and just a few days ago 156 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 3: in New York City. The question here is who's Trump? 157 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 3: Who's Harris. One important credential that Harris has is the 158 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 3: Secretary of Defense. Austin has a lot of respect for her. 159 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 3: I describe new scenes in the book about what Austin 160 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 3: has done and how he's been very tough with the 161 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 3: Russian defense minister, showgu and there's some transcripts I have 162 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 3: that are in the book and you can see exactly 163 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 3: what they said to each other. So there's hope. But 164 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 3: to be a president and deal with this world situation 165 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 3: now would stretch. Anyone would stretch. White Eisenhower would stretch. 166 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 3: It is a very dangerous time. We've got to get 167 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 3: it right and we got to be careful. And Trump 168 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 3: is not a manager. Trump is not a person who 169 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:06,599 Speaker 3: understands what the national interest is because there is a blockage, 170 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 3: and that blockage is he only cares about himself on 171 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 3: this election. 172 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,079 Speaker 2: We continue with Bob Woodward in a few more minutes, 173 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 2: with mister Woodward in celebration of his book War in 174 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 2: the twenty books or so before that as well. 175 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 1: We welcome all of you across. 176 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 2: This nation an Apple CarPlay Android Otto, and of course 177 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,320 Speaker 2: this new technology YouTube. 178 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: Paul, there was no YouTube. No, there was not when 179 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: the Watergate thing was going on. 180 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 4: No, exactly, Hey, Bob, if a former president Trump were 181 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 4: to lose this election, is there an air apparent? Does 182 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 4: trump Ism remain a political force? Is a jdvans Er 183 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 4: someone like that out there in the wings? 184 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 3: I mean, I mean, that's you know, that speculation. I 185 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 3: don't know. What is very interesting is to listen to 186 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 3: Trump in the last couple of days. He's in a 187 00:13:55,720 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 3: very sour mood. And I think it was yesterday or 188 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 3: the day before he said, and this is the man 189 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 3: who wants to be president again. He's very dark, very 190 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:17,079 Speaker 3: profane comments, and he said, this is a crooked country. 191 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 3: Now imagine somebody, this is not a crooked country. It 192 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 3: may become one if he becomes presentent. 193 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 2: Bob Woodward, I got to ask one final question, and 194 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 2: this is immense respect, and you know, we get a 195 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 2: huge response. Republicans hate you, Democrats love you. 196 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: I get it, folks, Bob Woodward, without. 197 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 3: No, that's just not I know lots of Republicans who 198 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 3: don't follow, don't march in line with Trump. 199 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 2: Well, I'm running out of time, Bob Woodward, but he 200 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 2: got one final question. With great respect for your career, 201 00:14:54,960 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 2: should newspapers endorse presidents. 202 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 3: We that's obviously up to them. At the Washington Post, 203 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 3: there's a big controversy about the non endorsement. Now the 204 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 3: Washington Post I know very well for over fifty two years. 205 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 3: Is I say it's strong when the reporting is strong 206 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 3: as it has been now. I think it's been magnificent, 207 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 3: and the editorial page should deal with the strength of 208 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 3: that reporting. The editorial page needs to deal with reality, 209 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 3: and the reporting is real and incredibly strong. To ignore 210 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 3: it is to ignore reality. Not a good thing for 211 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 3: any institution. 212 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: Right Bob. 213 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Bob Woodward on the selection eve. 214 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 2: Across the nation, of course, forever where the Washington Post, 215 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 2: the book is at war.