| 00:00:04 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
JOURNAL" CONTINUES. HOST: WE ARE JOINED
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| 00:00:09 |
HOST, -
BY RONALD KESSLER, BACK AT THE TABLE THIS MORNING, AUTHOR OF "SECRETS OF THE FBI, CIA AT WAR." BACK HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FALLOUT OF THE RESIGNATION...
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| 00:00:32 |
CALLER, -
CENT -- GUEST: KNOW, GIVEN THE
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| 00:00:34 |
GUEST, -
SENSITIVE -- NO, GIVEN THE SENSITIVITY OF THE POSITION. I GOT A CALL SAYING THAT THIS HAD STARTED IN THE LATE SPRING AND WAS NOT GOING TO END UNTIL...
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| 00:01:23 |
HOST, -
WITH THAT. WHY? GUEST: I WAS TOLD BY
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| 00:01:26 |
GUEST, -
THIS AGENTS THAT THEY WERE TO AVOID ANY EMBARRASSMENT TO THE PRESIDENT, THAT THIS WOULD MAKE IT LOOK BAD. THE IDEA WAS THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY...
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| 00:02:37 |
HOST, -
GO BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING. THE FBI GETS COMPLAINTS FROM THIS WOMAN THAT SHE IS GETTING HARASSING E-MAILS FROM THE WOMAN WHO WAS HAVING AN AFFAIR...
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| 00:02:56 |
GUEST, -
WAS OF A THREATENING NATURE. HOST: IS THAT
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| 00:02:59 |
HOST, -
RETAINED? GUEST: USUALLY IS THE
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| 00:03:02 |
GUEST, -
LOCAL POLICE. THE FBI ALSO HAS JURISDICTION WHEN IT COMES TO THREATEN E- MAILS. BUT A LOT OF THAT STUFF IN THE PRESS IS MISINFORMATION. THERE IS A...
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| 00:03:49 |
HOST, -
TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS STORY? GUEST: YOU WOULD THINK THAT
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| 00:03:53 |
GUEST, -
IF HE HAD BETTER JUDGMENT, HE WOULD WALK AWAY FROM IT. HE SEEMED APOLOGETIC, HE SHOULD MOVE ON. HOST: IS THERE,
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| 00:04:04 |
HOST, -
WAS THERE, AND NATIONAL SECURITY RISK? CALLER: -- GUEST:
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| 00:04:10 |
CALLER, -
THIS CERTAINLY WAS AT THE TIME. THIS IS THE CLASSIC WAY THAT FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE WORKS. EXPLOITING THE VULNERABLE TO GET THEIR SECRETS. IN THE CASE OF...
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| 00:04:52 |
HOST, -
FBI CONCLUDE THAT THERE IS A NATIONAL SECURITY RISK? GUEST: ANYONE WHO
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| 00:05:00 |
GUEST, -
HAS NATIONAL SECURITY CLEARANCE, ESPECIALLY TOP-SECRET, IS OBLIGATED NOT TO COMPROMISE THEMSELVES. THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE BACKGROUND CHECKS, POLYGRAPH...
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| 00:05:22 |
HOST, -
THAT, IS THERE ANY PROTOCOL TO BE CONSISTENTLY WATCHING TOP LEADERS WITH SECURITY CLEARANCE AT ALL TIMES? WHETHER OR NOT BASED SUSPECT SOMETHING? GUEST:...
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| 00:05:36 |
GUEST, -
KINDS OF CHECKS. HOST:
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| 00:05:38 |
HOST, -
ARE THEY SPYING ON EACH OTHER? GUEST: IT IS UP TO THE
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| 00:05:43 |
GUEST, -
FBI TO DO THAT, BUT THE CIA HAS THEIR OWN PEOPLE. THEY LOOK FOR ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS, INCLUDING QUETTA REPORTS TO SEE IF SOMEONE IS MORE IN DEBT OR HAS...
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| 00:06:12 |
HOST, -
THEY DID NOT KNOW? DO YOU THINK THEY DID? GUEST: I THINK THAT
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| 00:06:19 |
GUEST, -
THERE WERE PEOPLE THERE WHO THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A LITTLE STRANGE. BUT IT IS SORT OF HARD TO QUESTION THE DIRECTOR. I DO NOT SEE THAT THAT WAS A BIG...
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| 00:06:57 |
HOST, -
IS A LOT OF BACK- AND-FORTH BETWEEN THE COMMITTEES ABOUT WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE. GUEST: THERE IS
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| 00:07:11 |
GUEST, -
NO SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT, BUT THERE IS AN OBLIGATION TO LET INTELLIGENCE KENNEDYS KNOW ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY SUBJECTIVE, BUT THIS CERTAINLY...
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| 00:08:08 |
HOST, -
HERE IS "THE BALTIMORE SUN." "A TOP AIDE WAS TOLD THAT THE CIA CHIEF, DAVID PETRAEUS, WAS HAVING AN AFFAIR." WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS SAYS TO THIS DEBATE?...
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| 00:08:27 |
GUEST, -
MAHLER HIMSELF KNEW ABOUT IT. IT IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF WHO KNEW ABOUT IT AMONGST HIS AIDES. I WAS TOLD ON THE 10TH THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT KNEW...
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| 00:10:06 |
HOST, -
TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION, WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR THAT AND WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN BE DISCLOSED? WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WILL DO FOR GUEST: ANYTHING THAT
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| 00:10:22 |
GUEST, -
IS CLASSIFIED IT MAY NOT BE DISCLOSED TOTO OTHERS, WHO MAY NOT HAVE A NEED TO KNOW. THAT IS ANOTHER ISSUE HERE. PETRAEUS WAS ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN PLACE....
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| 00:10:53 |
HOST, -
IF GOVERNOR PETRAEUS WOULD HAVE RESIGNED BEFORE THE ELECTION? GUEST: IT
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| 00:11:02 |
GUEST, -
COULD HAVE BEEN A DISTRACTION. I DON'T THINK MITT ROMNEY WOULD USE THIS FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. "LET'S NOT TAKE A CHANCE." IT MIGHT BE EMBARRASSING....
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| 00:11:28 |
HOST, -
CIA? THE IMPACT OF THIS ON THE CIA? GUEST: I DO
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| 00:11:39 |
GUEST, -
NOT THINK IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT. PEOPLE ON THE HILL ARE FURIOUS THAT THEY WERE NOT INFORMED. ROBERT MULLER HAS HAD A GOOD RIDE WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL...
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| 00:12:25 |
HOST, -
THINK MIGHT SUCCEED GENERAL PETRAEUS? GUEST:
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| 00:12:30 |
GUEST, -
SPECULATION IS ALWAYS WRONG. MICHAEL MORRELL IS A BIG POSSIBILITY. HE IS HIGHLY RESPECTED ACROSS THE BOARD. IF BRENNAN WANTS TO TAKE THE JOB, IT WILL...
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| 00:12:56 |
HOST, -
YOU 4 WAITING. CALLER: THANK YOU FOR TAKING
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| 00:13:01 |
CALLER, -
MY CALL. I HAVE A BRIEF STATEMENT AND A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. HAVE YOU EVER HELD A POLITICAL OFFICE? HOST: IF YOU'VE
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| 00:13:19 |
HOST, -
HAD A POLITICAL OFFICE IN WASHINGTON? GUEST:
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| 00:13:24 |
GUEST, -
NO. HOST: WHAT IS YOUR
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| 00:13:29 |
HOST, -
POINT? CALLER: I AM AN
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| 00:13:34 |
CALLER, -
INDEPENDENT. I'M NOT DEFENDING THE PRESIDENT. WHY DON'T YOU GIVE THE PROCESS TIME TO DEVELOP? WHY DON'T YOU LET THE FACTS DEVELOP? TO SAY THERE IS A...
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| 00:14:15 |
GUEST, -
MEDIA PEOPLE WOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS IF THEY TOOK YOUR ADVICE. IT IS IMPORTANT THE PRESS EXPOSE THESE THINGS AND REPORT THESE THINGS. IT TAKES HALF...
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| 00:14:53 |
HOST, -
OF WHETHER OR NOT ANY INFORMATION WAS EXCHANGED. WOULDN'T THAT PROCESS TAKE A WHILE? GUEST: NO, I DO NOT THINK
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| 00:15:07 |
GUEST, -
THERE WAS A NEED TO KEEP HIM IN OFFICE WHILE THAT PROCESS WAS GOING ON. THEY COULD HAVE INVESTIGATED FURTHER. HOST: WHAT ARE THE
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| 00:15:21 |
HOST, -
RULES? ADULTERY IS A CRIME. IS THAT THE SAME FOR THE CIA?
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| 00:15:32 |
GUEST, -
GUEST: NO. HOST: WHY DID HE HAVE TO
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| 00:15:38 |
HOST, -
GO? GUEST: YOU MAY NOT
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| 00:15:42 |
GUEST, -
LEAVE YOURSELF IN A COMPROMISE SITUATION SUBJECT TO BLACKMAIL. IT IS IMPORTANT WE TRUST OUR LEADERS THAT HAVE OUR SECRETS. IF YOU TRY TO COVER AN AFFAIR,...
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| 00:16:12 |
HOST, -
HAD LINE INSIDE THE PAPER -- HEADLINE INSIDE THE PAPER. HOST: IS THAT
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| 00:16:38 |
HOST, -
PROTOCOL? GUEST:
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| 00:16:42 |
GUEST, -
STANDARD PRACTICE FOR MANY PEOPLE TO TRY TO KEEP THEIR JOBS. HE WANTED TO TRY TO DO THAT. THAT IS NOT THE WAY IT WAS GOING TO WORK. THE QUESTION OF BOB...
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| 00:17:42 |
CALLER, -
PLEASE EXPLAIN THE DOUBLE STANDARD. IT WAS NEVER BROADCAST WHEN PRESIDENT CLINTON WERE CAUGHT WITH AFFAIRS. GUEST: NOBODY CAN
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| 00:17:57 |
GUEST, -
REMOVE A PRESIDENT EXCEPT CONGRESS AND THEY DID IN PEACH HIM BUT HE WAS NOT REMOVED AS A RESULT. ON A REGULAR BASIS, EMPLOYEES WITH SECURITY CLEARANCES...
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| 00:18:38 |
HOST, -
THE INVESTIGATION HAS EXPANDED TO GENERAL JOHN ALLEN. HE APPARENTLY EXCHANGE E-MAILS WITH THIS WOMAN FROM TAMPA, FLORIDA, WHO INITIATED THE WHOLE PROBE...
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| 00:19:13 |
GUEST, -
SOME OTHER GENERAL WAS INVOLVED BUT DID NOT MENTION THE DETAILS. THAT IS MORE VERACITY TO THE TIP. THIS IS NOT PERTINENT TO THE MAIN ISSUE OF PETRAEUS...
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| 00:19:50 |
HOST, -
THAT NOT BE THE SAME WITH GENERAL ALLEN? GUEST: IT DEPENDS ON WHAT
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| 00:19:57 |
GUEST, -
HE WAS DOING WITH HER. I GUESS HE WAS MARRIED. WE DO NOT KNOW THERE WAS AN AFFAIR GOING ON. HOST: WE HAVE YOUR
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| 00:20:12 |
HOST, -
FRONT-PAGE FROM "NEWSMAX." DAVE IN NEW YORK, DEMOCRATIC CALLER. CALLER:
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| 00:20:29 |
CALLER, -
GOOD MORNING. WHY IS THE CIA AND FBIO NOT COOPERATING WITH EACH OTHER? I DO NOT CONDONE GENERAL PETRAEUS HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH ANOTHER WOMAN BECAUSE...
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| 00:20:56 |
HOST, -
THERE? WE LOST DAVE. GUEST: TEACHER THE FBI AND
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| 00:21:06 |
GUEST, -
CIA OFTEN DID NOT OPERATE BEFORE 9/11. NOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED. THE COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER IN MCLEAN NOW HAS FBI AND CIA PEOPLE WORKING SIDE BY SIDE...
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| 00:21:44 |
HOST, -
COMMENT ON TWITTER FROM MONTY LABBAN. GUEST: I DON'T KNOW
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| 00:21:51 |
GUEST, -
HOW MUCH DETAIL THIS PERSON GAVE ERIC CANTOR. SOME KIND OF NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE AND NOT LETTING OUT ALL THE FACTS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY KNEW. HOST:...
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| 00:22:14 |
HOST, -
FROM BORINGFILECLERK. CHARLIE, GO AHEAD.
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| 00:22:20 |
CALLER, -
CALLER: HELLO? HOST: YOU ARE
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| 00:22:23 |
HOST, -
ON THE AIR. CALLER: YOU KEEP TALKING
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| 00:22:28 |
CALLER, -
ABOUT A COVER-UP. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE SQUARE ON THE PERSON AND WHY THEY KEPT PURSUING IT. THE FBI WENT THROUGH THIS. IT WAS BASICALLY AN AFFAIR....
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| 00:22:59 |
GUEST, -
I THINK THAT IS A MISINTERPRETATION. THEIR WORK THREADING E-MAILS -- THERE WERE THREATENING E-MAILS. THAT IS A SERIOUS BREACH FOR NATIONAL SECURITY. THE...
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| 00:23:29 |
HOST, -
LIBYA. GUEST: I DO NOT THINK
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| 00:23:33 |
GUEST, -
THERE IS A CONNECTION, THAT SOMEHOW THIS ALL HAPPENED SO PETRAEUS WOULD NOT TESTIFY THIS WEEK. HE COULD JUST AS WELL TESTIFY NEXT WEEK.
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| 00:23:49 |
HOST, -
HOST: UNRELATED. "THE WASHINGTON TIMES" LISTS THOSE SET TO TESTIFY. INCLUDES THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE CIA. DIANNE FEINSTEIN SAID SHE WOULD SUBPOENA...
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| 00:24:39 |
CALLER, -
THANK C-SPAN FOR ALL THEIR WORK. I WATCHED A SHOW ON C-SPAN LAST NIGHT. PAULA BROADWELL WAS TALKING ABOUT ONE OF HER BOOKS. THE STATE DIRECTOR OF SECURITY...
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| 00:25:57 |
GUEST, -
WERE SAYING THE SECURITY CHIEF TALKED ABOUT LOOKING AT PETRAEUS'S COMPUTERS ? THAT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT TO ME. THEY WOULD NOT BE TALKING ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION...
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| 00:26:18 |
HOST, -
WAS REFERRING TO "BOOK TV." YOU CAN GO TO C-SPAN.ORG IN CASE YOU MISSED THAT. MOVING DONE TO NANCY IN MARYLAND -- MOVING ON TO NANCY. CALLER: I
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| 00:26:41 |
CALLER, -
THINK THAT YOU SHOULD GIVE IT AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY OUT AND SEE WHAT THE EVIDENCE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW IN THE WORLD THEY GIVE...
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| 00:27:21 |
HOST, -
TALKING ABOUT? CALLER: THE GUY ON
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| 00:27:27 |
CALLER, -
TV TALKING RIGHT NOW. GUEST: THIS IS
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| 00:27:32 |
GUEST, -
THE WAY PRESS WORKS. PEOPLE GIVE A JOURNALIST TIPS AND SECRETS. THEY TRY TO CHECK THETMM OUT. I WAS LOOKING FOR COOPERATION. I DID A STORY REVEALING IT...
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| 00:28:43 |
HOST, -
WAS NO NATIONAL SECURITY RISK. "USA TODAY" REPORTING FBI AGENTS WERE SEARCHING PAULA BROADWELL' SHOMES HOME. WHY SEARCH HER HOME? GUEST: SHE DID
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| 00:29:09 |
GUEST, -
SAY IT IN A SPEECH THAT THE BENGHAZI ATTACK COULD HAVE BEEN BECAUSE THE CIA ANNEX WAS BEING USED TO IMPRISON TERRORISTS. DID PETRAEUS TELL HER THAT THIS...
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| 00:30:20 |
HOST, -
OF "THE WASHINGTON POST." HE SAYS THIS -- GUEST: I THINK THAT
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| 00:30:57 |
GUEST, -
IS PERFECTLY UNDERSTANDABLE. IT WAS TAKING PLACE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. HOST: ROBERT
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| 00:31:07 |
HOST, -
IS UP NEXT. CALLER: THANK YOU FOR
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| 00:31:12 |
CALLER, -
LISTENING. I LIKE TO GET YOUR OPINION ON THE RIFT BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COUNTER INTELLIGENCE. I THINK THE PETRAEUS RESIGNATION -- I DO NOT THINK...
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| 00:32:36 |
HOST, -
KNOWLEDGEABLE. DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY? CALLER: I WRITE ABOUT
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| 00:32:51 |
CALLER, -
IT QUITE A BIT. GUEST: THERE WAS NO
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| 00:32:58 |
GUEST, -
INDICATION -- CALLER: MY PHONE IS
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| 00:33:03 |
CALLER, -
MESSED UP. GUEST:
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| 00:33:08 |
GUEST, -
THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT PETRAEUS HAD BEEN COMPROMISED. THERE WILL BE NO REASON TO CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE OF HIM. THIS SUPPOSE IT DISCONNECT BETWEEN...
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| 00:35:11 |
HOST, -
WE HAVE A QUESTION ON TWITTER. GUEST: NO, THE
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| 00:35:19 |
GUEST, -
LAW WAS FOLLOWED IN THIS CASE AS FAR AS PURSUING THREATENING E-MAILS. THERE IS NO REASON TO THINK THERE WAS A PROBLEM WHATSOEVER. I THINK THERE WILL...
|
| 00:36:08 |
HOST, -
IS UP NEXT FROM ARIZONA. CALLER:
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| 00:36:12 |
CALLER, -
HI. THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CALL. I WANT YOU AND THE AUTHOR TO KNOW THAT I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A COVER-UP. PRESIDENT OBAMA DOES NOT HAVE A STRONG LEADERSHIP....
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| 00:37:13 |
HOST, -
LISTEN. YOU CALL IT A COVERUP AND TITE E IT TO BENGHAZI. CALLER:
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| 00:37:29 |
CALLER, -
IT IS ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN AS FAR AS RESPECTING OUR PRESENT COST LEADERSHIP. HE DOESN'T HAVE CONTROL OF HIS ADMINISTRATION. GUEST: I DO BELIEVE...
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| 00:37:47 |
GUEST, -
WAS A COVER-UP AS FAR AS THE PETRAEUS COVER-UP WAS CONCERNED. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME ABOUT THAT. LOOK AT THE TIME LINE. THE INVESTIGATION BEGAN...
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| 00:38:16 |
HOST, -
COVER-UP? GUEST: THE FBI WAS TOLD NOT
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| 00:38:21 |
GUEST, -
TO TAKE ANY ACTION OR THAT NO ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST PETRAEUS UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION. NOW OTHERS ARE TRYING TO JUSTIFY THIS. "IT TAKES AWHILE...
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| 00:38:45 |
HOST, -
LET'S GO TO TAILOR IN MICHIGAN -- TAYLOR.
|
| 00:38:50 |
CALLER, -
CALLER: HI. THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CALL. THEY ARE SAYING PRESIDENT OBAMA DID NOT KNOW. BUT ERIC CANTOR KNEW AHEAD OF TIME AND HE DIDN'T TELL ANYBODY....
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| 00:39:22 |
GUEST, -
HE WAS TOLD. A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE INVOLVING PETRAEUS AND NO MORE DETAILS. HE WENT BACK TO THE FBI ABOUT IT. IT IS NOT NECESSARILY HIS JOB TO INVESTIGATE...
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| 00:39:54 |
HOST, -
WRITES -- GUEST: IT IS IMPORTANT
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| 00:39:59 |
GUEST, -
FOR ANY COVER-UP TO BE EXPOSED. THERE WAS A POTENTIAL FOR COMPROMISE AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE BROUGHT OUT. IN THE OLD DAYS, BEFORE THERE WAS...
|
| 00:41:17 |
HOST, -
START HAVING OVERSIDEGHT? GUEST:
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| 00:41:27 |
GUEST, -
1975, 1976. I EXPOSE SOME OF THEM MYSELF. JFK, LYNDON JOHNSON, NIXON -- THEY WERE AFRAID TO FIRE HOOVER BECAUSE HE HAD BLACK MAIL MATERIAL ON THEM. THAT...
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| 00:41:56 |
HOST, -
THE FALLOUT FOR ALL THIS? GUEST:
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| 00:42:02 |
GUEST, -
THE PETRAEUS MATTER WILL NOT AFFECT ANY OF THAT. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CONFLICTING EXPLANATIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN BENGHAZI, BEGINNING WITH THE STATE...
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| 00:42:37 |
HOST, -
WRITTEN SEVERAL PIECES ABOUT ALL OF THIS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THE DEBATES OVER AVOIDING THE SO-CALLED FISCAL CLIFF WITH EVAN BAYH. THEN WE WILL...
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| 00:43:04 |
GUEST, -
GUEST: MORE ON THE DAVID PETRAEUS STORY. THE AGENT THAT LAUNCHED THE INVESTIGATION WAS BARRED FROM TAKING PART IN THE CASE OVER THE SUMMER BECAUSE OF...
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NOTE: The transcript for this program was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.