Stay Tuned with Preet

The interview was taped on 2/5/19.

Adam McKay is an Oscar award-winning director and screenwriter. He was a writer for Saturday Night Live and one of the earliest members of Upright Citizens Brigade, a renown improvisational and sketch comedy group. McKay’s films include The Big Short, Anchorman I and II, and Stepbrothers. His most recent film is Vice, a biopic of Dick Cheney. Preet and McKay discuss:

McKay’s extensive research into Dick and Liz Cheney’s psychology and presentation

The lasting effect of the Bush presidency on American politics and policy

How Cheney carved out an unprecedented role for the Vice President, using his subordinate status to command control

McKay’s background in comedy, and how it influences his craft

From the Q&A portion of the episode:

Jeff Bezos’ post in Medium, “No thank you, Mr. Pecker.”

The non-prosecution agreement between American Media, Inc. (AMI) and SDNY.

An article in The Daily Beastreporting that Michael Sanchez, the brother of Bezos’ mistress, is the leaker.

A report from NBC News on Senator Burr’s comments concerning the possibility of collusion between Trump campaign and Russia, plus Senator Warner’s dispute.

An article in NYT on El Chapo’s trial and verdict. 

Presiding Judge Cogan’s response to the El Chapo jury verdict.

From the interview:

McKay’s movies: Vice (2018), Anchorman (2004), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby(2006), Bad Blood(upcoming)

Michael Bay’s movie, Pearl Harbor (2001)

Alfonso Cuarón’s, Roma (2018)

Fox’s Tucker Carlson 2018 segment on “Sex-Crazed” Pandas

Jane Mayer’s book, The Dark Side: The Insider Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals

Barton Gellman’s book, Angler: The Cheney Vice President

Michael Isikoff and David Corn’s book, Hubris: The Insider Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War

Ron Suskind’s three books on the Bush years

Garrett Epps' analysis in the Atlantic on the Unitary Executive Theory origin

Christian Bale’s 2019 Golden Globes speech where he thanked Satan

An article in NBC News on Cheney embracing his Darth Vader nickname

An article in TheAtlantic on the relationship between Presidents and think tanks

Stay Tuned with Preet interviews: Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and journalist John Carreyrou

FRD’s 1936 speech announcing the Second New Deal, where he famously said, “I welcome their hatred.” Read his full remarks here.

George W. Bush dancing on Ellen (watch the opening)

Documentary, The Act of Killing (2012)

An article in The Atlantic recounting George H.W. Bush’s and Ford’s respective criticisms of Cheney and Rumsfeld

An article in The Hill reporting that Cheney still has not apologized to the man he shot (though the survivor has apologized to Cheney)

An article in NYT recounting Cheney’s proposal to bomb Syria in 2007

An article in Time on President Bush’s decision to not pardon Scooter Libby

Shakespeare’s King Lear

A retrospective on the history of the Upright Citizens Brigade

An article in NYT on Director Mike Leigh’s unconventional method of screenwriting

An article in NYT on the different phrasing used by political parties, i.e. “estate tax” vs. “death tax” 

Do you have a question for Preet? Tweet it to @PreetBharara with the hashtag #askpreet, email [email protected], or call 669-247-7338 and leave a voicemail.

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In this clip from the latest episode of the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet and his co-host Anne Milgram discuss whether American Media, Inc.’s threat to publish Jeff Bezos’ intimate texts and photos constitutes as extortion.

To listen to the full episode, become a member of CAFE Insider at CAFE.com/insider

 Supplemental materials and references made in the episode:

Jeff Bezos’ post in Medium, “No thank you, Mr. Pecker”

Bezos’ hired investigator, Gavin De Becker, comments on AMI’s possible “political motive” to leak.  

The extortion statute, 18 U.S.C. 875(d)

The September 2018 non-prosecution agreement between American Media, Inc. (AMI) and SDNY.

An interview on ABC’s “This Week” with Elkan Abramowitz, the attorney representing AMI CEO David Pecker. Transcript here.

Jeffrey Toobin’s analysis in the New Yorker of Gawker’s collapse and its implications for the First Amendment.

The Daily Beast article reporting that Michael Sanchez, the brother of Bezos’ mistress, Lauren Sanchez, gave the couple’s intimate texts to the National Enquirer.

 

Preet and Anne also discuss Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, the House Intelligence Committee’s new expansive investigation into Russia and Trump’s financial dealings, and a clue about “the Heart” of Mueller’s investigation revealed in Paul Manafort’s latest hearing. 

To listen to the full episode, become a member of CAFE Insider at CAFE.com/insider

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HARRY REID SHOW NOTES

Interview taped on 2/1/19.

Harry Reid is the former Democratic Senate Majority Leader. His decades long career in public service includes two terms as a Congressman for Nevada, city attorney for Henderson, Nevada’s Lieutenant Governor, and a stint as the chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission. 

In a wide ranging conversation, Sen. Reid reflects on his upbringing, career milestones, the five presidents he has served, his former colleagues, and this political moment in history. He also looks forward to 2020, offering guidance to presidential candidates. 

Various references made in the episode:

Reid’s book, The Good Fight: Hard Lessons from Searchlight to Washington

The nail-biting 2006 night when the Democrats took the Senate

Former Senator Daniel Inouye’s funeral

Reid’s description of Trump as amoral and the spike in dictionary searches for ‘amoral’

Intelligence chiefs' testimony before the Senate on 2/6/19 

Bill Moyer’s program comparing President Carter to President Reagan

Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer’s scrutinized visit to the Oval Office 

Former Senator Arlen Specter switches parties 

Former Senator Jim Jeffords’ switches parties

The dedication of the Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge

In the Q&A portion of the episode, Preet answers your questions about the subpoena issued to Trump’s Inaugural Committee, why some judges retire early, and why a defendant may waive his or her right to a speedy trial. 

NYT article, Trump Inaugural Committee Ordered to Hand Over Documents to Federal Investigators

A NYT article referring to Cohen’s meetings with SDNY prosecutors

The Special Counsel’s motion in the Roger Stone case asking the court to exclude time from the speedy trial clock.

Former Senator Ted Stevens request for a speedy trial

A Bloomberg report that prosecutors have “several terabytes” of Stone’s information to sort though

Do you have a question for Preet? Tweet it to @PreetBharara with the hashtag #askpreet, email [email protected], or call 669-247-7338 and leave a voicemail

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Interview taped on 1/29/19.

 

David Frum is a senior editor at the Atlantic, and author of nine books, most recentlyTrumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic. He served as a speechwriter and special assistant to the George W. Bush, and served as a senior adviser to Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign.

On this episode of Stay Tuned, Preet and David cover a wide range of topics, including:

“Made for social media” moments and Frum’s rules for engagement on Twitter

The stability of America’s institutions

Trump’s handling of the shutdown and what it revealed about the president’s strengths and weaknesses

What should be up for debate in modern society

The challenges facing 2020 candidates

Supplement for various references made in the episode:

Frum’s twitter account

Frum’s website

Frum’s article, Howard Schultz May Save the Democratic Party From Itself

Frum’s article, How to Build an Autocracy

Frum’s article, Waterloo

Frum’s book, Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic

Frum’s debate with Steve Bannon, The Rise of Populism, at Munk Debates

Daniel Boorstin's book, The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America

Ian Bremmer’s interview on Stay Tuned

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s social media boot camp for the Democratic Caucus – read about it here.

The viral video of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez dancing in college and her response as a Congressman

Chief Justice John Roberts’ rebuke of Trump’s attacks on the judiciary

A Newsweek article on the ABA ratings of Trump’s judicial nominees

The demographics of Trump judicial nominees

Mitt Romney’s 47% remark

Hillary Clinton’s “deplorables” remark

The Post-ABC Tracking poll that found voters believed Trump to be more honest than Clinton

Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King’s quintessential political statement, “conscription if necessary…not necessarily conscription”

The 1992 Presidential Debate between George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot (the specific moment Frum references starts at 50:10)

The Black voter turn-out in the 2008 and 2012 elections

Do you have a question for Preet? Tweet it to @PreetBharara with the hashtag #askpreet, [email protected], or call 669-247-7338 and leave a voicemail.

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“Indicting Roger Stone”

January 28, 2019

In this clip of the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet and his co-host Anne Milgram discuss Roger Stone's arrest last week and the charges he faces from the Special Counsel's Office.

References made in the episode:

Roger Stone’s indictment, filed by Special Counsel’s Office on 1/24/19

18 U.S. Code § 1001

Roger Stone’s Nixon tattoo

The 2016 Wikileaks hack of DNC and Clinton campaign emails

To listen to the full episode, become a member of CAFE Insider at CAFE.com/insider.

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Guests: 

Kevin Kruse is a Professor of History at Princeton University. 

Julian Zelizer is a Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

 *Interview taped on 1/21/19.

 

On this episode of Stay Tuned, Kevin and Julian discuss:

Their new book Fault Lines: A History of the United States Since 1974 that traces the history of today’s economic, political and social divisions

The legacy of civil rights movements and Martin Luther King, Jr.

The role of Twitter historians and their obligation to speak up and correct misinformation

 

References made in the episode:

Historian Michael Beschloss’ interview on Stay Tuned

Kruse and Zelizer’s Washington Post op-ed on The Fairness Doctrine

The short-lived Air America liberal radio broadcast 

A 2000 poll asking people if they were in the top 1%; read David Brooks analysis of the results

Zelizer’s op-ed on Pence’s invocation of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I Have A Dream speech

Kevin Kruse’s twitter account

Kevin’s debut Twitter thread on Southern Democrats

Enes Kanter’s Stay Tuned video

 

Do you have a question for Preet? Tweet it to @PreetBharara with the hashtag #askpreet, email [email protected], or call 669-247-7338 and leave a voicemail.

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“THE SPECIAL COUNSEL SPEAKS”

January 21, 2019

 

In this clip of the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet and his co-host Anne Milgram discuss the Buzzfeed report on Trump and Cohen and the Special Counsel’s rare statement.

References made in the episode:

-    The Buzzfeed report on Trump and Cohen

-    The Special Counsel’s statement responding to the report 

To listen to the full episode, become a member of CAFE Insider at CAFE.com/insider. 

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Guest: David Cohen is the former Deputy Director of the CIA and former Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence in the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He’s currently a partner at WilmerHale.

*Interview taped on 1/14/19. 

 

On this episode of Stay Tuned, Preet and David discuss:

-        The latest reporting from the New York Times and the Washington Post on Trump and Russia

-        The key components of a successful sanctions program and the Trump administration’s approach to Russia and North Korea

-        The persisting threat of jihadist ideology

-        America’s influence in the world

 

References made in the episode:

-        David Frum’s article about issuing a subpoena to the president’s interpreter

-        Vanita Gupta’s article, “Bill Barr Must Not Be Sessions 2.0 on Civil Rights”

-        The Washington Post report on Trump’s private conversations with Putin

-        The New York Times reporting the FBI started a counterintelligence inquiry into Trump

-        Preet’s tweet on Trump and NATO

-        Report that the Trump Administration decided to lift sanctions imposed on the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska’s companies

-        The SDNY’s Reza Zarrab case

-        The 2018 Chicago Council on Global Affairs report, “America Engaged”

-        The joint statement issued by President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un after June’s 2018 Summit in Singapore

-        Trump’s declaration of love to Kim Jong Un

-        John Brennan’s twitter feed

-        The Wall Street Journal story on Turkey seeking the extradition of basketball player Enes Kanter

 

Do you have a question for Preet? Tweet it to @PreetBharara with the hashtag #askpreet, email [email protected], or call 669-247-7338 and leave a voicemail.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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In a clip from this week's episode of the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet and his co-host Anne Milgram discuss the New York Times bombshell story on Trump and Russia, and the FBI’s counterintelligence inquiry into whether Trump is a Russian asset. 

To listen to the full episode, become a member of CAFE Insider at CAFE.com/insider.

Preet and Anne address:

·       The Washington Post story on Trump concealing his conversations with Putin

·       Bill Barr’s confirmation hearings for Attorney General.

·       Whether the president can assert executive privilege to block portions of Mueller’s report.

·      Michael Cohen’s coming testimony before the House Committee on Oversight

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Ian Bremmer is the president and founder of Eurasia Group, a political risk analysis and consulting firm. He’s a foreign affairs columnist and editor-at-large at Time, and a global research professor at NYU. He’s written nine books, most recently Us vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism. Bremmer speaks with Preet about Eurasia's annual report anticipating the top risks facing the globe in 2019.

Plus, Preet’s thoughts on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s plan to resign and the redaction fail in Manafort's defense memo.

Mentioned on this episode of Stay Tuned:

-       Eurasia Group Top Risks 2019 report

-       The United States and Mexico assistance program to reduce migration from Central America

-       Former Stay Tuned guest Hasan Minhaj’s Patriot Act banned from Saudi Arabia

-       Trump’s decision to withdraw troops from Syria

-       National Security Adviser John Bolton’s alternative Syria plan

-       The future of The Trans-Pacific Partnership

-       Defining globalism

And to visit the CAFE shop, head to shop.cafe.com  

 This interview was taped on 1/8/19.

Do you have a question for Preet? Tweet it to @PreetBharara with the hashtag #askpreet, email [email protected], or call 669-247-7338 and leave a voicemail.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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