Meet The Press Full Broadcast — Dec. 25

[0:01] This Sunday, we celebrate 75 years of Meet the Press. [0:07] I hope no one will vote for me, either for me or because of my religion. [0:10] Where every occupant of the Oval Office has appeared since the Kennedy administration. [0:14] The Watergate matter should have been handled properly. [0:17] Where former presidents and future presidents have made news. [0:20] So you want to be president? [0:22] I do. [0:23] Men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men and women marrying men are entitled to the same exact rights. [0:30] In four years, you're going to be interviewing me and you're going to say, what a great job you've done, President Trump. [0:36] Where the next day's headlines appear first. [0:39] I would not support the sending of an American team to the Olympics. [0:42] Where leaders from around the world answer tough questions. [0:45] Democracy is my idea. [0:47] A weak Israel can be thrown into the sea. [0:50] Where civil rights leaders have shared their struggles. [0:53] We must move, but we must move with wisdom. [0:56] I'm still convinced that there is nothing more powerful to dramatize a social evil than the tramp tramp of marching feet. [1:05] I understand that I've broken the ice. [1:07] I was not bitter then. [1:09] I'm not bitter now. [1:11] And where everyone is held accountable. [1:13] You know what I say? [1:14] I got egg on my face. [1:16] Welcome to Sunday. [1:18] It's not easy to meet the press. [1:20] And a special 75th anniversary edition of Meet the Press. [1:24] From NBC News in Washington, the longest running show in television history, this is a special edition of Meet the Press with Chuck Todd. [1:35] Good Sunday morning, Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukkah. [1:39] So at 8 p.m. on November 6, 1947, moderator Martha Roundtree debuted a press conference of the air right here on NBC. [1:47] 1947 was the year Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers. [1:52] It was the same year Chuck Yeager became the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound. [1:58] For 75 years, through 12 moderators and more than 3,500 broadcasts, the program that President John F. Kennedy once called the 51st State has made news and held newsmakers accountable. [2:10] Interviewing American presidents, world leaders, political candidates, civil rights icons, scientists, sports figures, and entertainers. [2:17] This morning, we're going to look back on the 75-year history of the longest running show on television, and we're going to look forward as well. [2:25] As our democracy is challenged, and our mission of clarity and accountability is more important than ever. [2:32] Here's Marvin Cowell. [2:33] Democracy is a very precious national asset that is most healthy, most admirable, [2:40] when there is an open and vigorous exchange between the press on the one side and the politician and policymaker on the other. [2:47] That's what this program has been all about. [2:50] Thirteen presidents have answered questions on Meet the Press, Herbert Hoover, and then every president since Kennedy. [2:57] Senator John McCain was our most frequent guest with 73 appearances. [3:00] Senators Bob Dole, President Joe Biden, Newt Gingrich, and Chuck Schumer round out the top five. [3:06] Dr. Martin Luther King appeared here five times during the 60s for the final time in August 1967, [3:13] less than eight months before he would be assassinated. [3:15] I refuse to give up. I refuse to despair in this moment. [3:22] I refuse to allow myself to fall into the dark chambers of pessimism, [3:28] because I think in any social revolution, the one thing that keeps it going is hope. [3:35] The broadcast has covered national debates over the last seven decades, [3:38] from the Cold War and the rise of communism, to fights for equality and progress, [3:43] to debates on taking the country to war, be it Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Ukraine. [3:52] There is no reason and no excuse and no justification for the loss of one more American life there, [4:00] or for the loss of more Vietnamese. [4:03] This war can be ended, and it should be ended now. [4:06] Cameras can be the best disinfectant, and the program has also never shied away from controversy, [4:12] interviewing Louis Farrakhan, David Duke, Joseph McCarthy, and Fidel Castro, among others. [4:18] The only way to keep a democracy thriving is to expose ourselves to the uncomfortable, as well as the comfortable. [4:25] Alternative facts, a phrase coined by former President Trump's senior advisor Kellyanne Conway, [4:30] in the early days of the Trump administration, became a touchpoint in an era when facts suddenly came under attack. [4:36] You're saying it's a falsehood, and they're giving Sean Spicer, our press secretary, [4:42] gave alternative facts to that, but the point remains. [4:46] Wait a minute, alternative facts? Alternative facts are not facts, they're falsehoods. [4:52] Another president, Richard Nixon, reflected back on his mistakes in office, right here in 1988. [4:57] One of eight presidents who've appeared during or after their years in the Oval Office. [5:02] In the autumn of your years, as you are reflective about your own life's experiences, [5:08] personal and as a politician, what criticism do you have with your own behavior or style [5:13] or things that you've done? [5:14] As president. [5:15] As president or as a human being? [5:19] Well, we don't have much time to cover the human being. [5:21] Let's start with the president. [5:23] First, naturally, the Watergate matter should have been handled properly. [5:27] I should have concentrated on, and apart from the fact that it was wrong, it was stupid, [5:32] and generally I'm called many things, but not often am I called stupid. [5:36] The country has gone through, in the last year, year and a half, some very difficult times. [5:45] We went through the problems of Watergate. [5:48] We have been suffering from a very serious economic recession, [5:54] although we're coming out of it very steadily. [5:56] We've had a traumatic experience in Southeast Asia. [6:01] All of these, and perhaps some other problems, raise some doubts in the American people [6:07] as to whether their government, their form of government, [6:13] was capable of meeting these kind of challenges. [6:18] This doubt, I think, has been considerably reversed, [6:22] and I think that's extremely encouraging. [6:25] They know that honesty and candor has been restored in government. [6:30] Mr. President, assuming the Soviets do not pull out of Afghanistan anytime soon, [6:36] do you favor the U.S. participating in the Moscow Olympics? [6:39] And if not, what are the alternatives? [6:42] No. [6:43] Neither I nor the American people would support the sending of an American team to Moscow [6:48] with Soviet invasion troops in Afghanistan. [6:52] I've sent a message today to the United States Olympic Committee, [6:56] spelling out my own position, [6:57] that unless the Soviets withdraw their troops within a month from Afghanistan [7:03] that the Olympic Games be moved from Moscow [7:06] to an alternate site or multiple sites [7:10] or postponed or canceled. [7:15] Do you think we do a good job? [7:16] Have we been fair to you? [7:18] On balance, yes. [7:20] I think, first of all, I don't think there's ever been a president [7:23] of either party in any philosophy [7:25] that didn't think that he should have gotten a better press. [7:28] So that just goes with the territory. [7:30] I think there have been rather dramatic changes in press coverage [7:34] over the last 20 years, [7:38] particularly in the Washington press, [7:40] which bears some examination and evaluation [7:43] by those of you who are in the press. [7:46] But I don't think that the president gets anywhere [7:48] by making any comments on the press. [7:50] Do you believe if he had gone to the Congress and said [7:52] he should be removed because he's a threat to his people, [7:56] but I'm not sure he has weapons of mass destruction, [7:59] Congress would authorize war? [8:00] I went to Congress with the same intelligence... [8:03] Congress saw the same intelligence I had. [8:07] And they looked at exactly what I looked at. [8:10] And they made an informed judgment [8:12] based upon the information that I had. [8:14] The same information, by the way, that my predecessor had. [8:18] And all of us, you know, made this judgment [8:21] that Saddam Hussein needed to be removed. [8:25] In light of not finding the weapons of mass destruction, [8:29] do you believe the war in Iraq is a war of choice [8:31] or a war of necessity? [8:33] I think that's an interesting question. [8:36] Please elaborate on that a little bit. [8:39] A war of choice or a war of necessity? [8:41] I mean, it's a war of necessity. [8:43] My judgment, we had no choice [8:47] when we look at the intelligence I looked at [8:50] that says the man was a threat. [8:53] President Bush, what did you learn [8:55] in your government's response to the tsunami, [8:58] to the disaster response to Katrina? [9:01] What lessons did you learn [9:02] that this administration should bear in mind? [9:05] First of all, it takes time to get the supplies in place. [9:09] But that shouldn't deter them. [9:11] In other words, there's an expectation amongst people [9:14] that things are going to happen quickly. [9:16] And sometimes it's hard to make things happen. [9:18] Why does it take a disaster of this scale [9:20] and magnitude away from the United States [9:22] to create this kind of bipartisanship? [9:27] Well, I think that when something like this happens [9:29] inside the United States, we act in the same way. [9:32] I think that it reminds us of our common humanity. [9:35] It reminds us of needs that go beyond [9:37] fleeting disagreements, [9:39] that whatever our policy disputes are, [9:43] don't seem to matter much when people are dying. [9:45] You've got to go to Syria in some form or another. [9:48] You've ruled out boots on the ground. [9:50] And I'm curious, have you only ruled them out [9:52] simply for domestic political reasons? [9:54] Or is there another reason you've ruled out [9:56] American boots on the ground? [9:57] Because your own guys have said [9:59] you can't defeat ISIS with airstrikes alone. [10:01] Well, they're absolutely right about that. [10:03] But you also cannot, over the long term [10:06] or even the medium term, deal with this problem [10:08] by having the United States [10:11] serially occupy various countries [10:14] all around the Middle East. [10:16] We don't have the resources. [10:18] It puts enormous strains on our military. [10:21] And at some point we leave [10:24] and then things blow up again. [10:27] Well, that's what happened with Iraq. [10:28] So we've got to have a more sustainable strategy, [10:31] which means the boots on the ground [10:33] have to be Iraqi. [10:35] What about in Syria? [10:35] And in Syria, the boots on the ground [10:37] have to be Syrian. [10:39] You were always hard on Obama. [10:40] You thought he wasn't enough of a cheerleader. [10:42] He was not a cheerleader. [10:44] If you could have one do-over as president, [10:46] what would it be? [10:48] Well, it would be personnel. [10:50] I would say if I had one do-over, [10:52] it would be I would not have appointed [10:53] Jeff Sessions to be attorney general. [10:55] Seventy-nine foreign heads of state [10:58] have appeared on the broadcast, [10:59] sixty-five while in office. [11:01] From British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, [11:02] who joined in 1965 [11:04] for the first live transcontinental satellite interview, [11:08] to Indira Gandhi, [11:09] who appeared on Meet the Press seven times [11:11] before her assassination in 1984. [11:13] In April 1959, [11:15] Fidel Castro appeared on Meet the Press [11:16] for his first visit to the United States [11:18] since the Cuban Revolution. [11:20] And he declared that he was not a communist. [11:23] I want to know where your heart lies [11:26] in the struggle between communism and democracy. [11:29] Democracy is my idea, real. [11:34] But many people used to call democracy [11:37] seeing things that are not democracy. [11:41] I am not communism. [11:42] I am not agree with communism. [11:44] I am deeply committed to democracy, [11:48] not merely because it's a good idea, [11:51] but because for a country of India's vast size [11:54] and great diversity, [11:56] I think democracy, [11:58] that is a people's participation, [11:59] is the only way to make it function. [12:02] It has always been our policy [12:03] that communist China should be in the United Nations, [12:05] and if the issue comes with the United Nations, [12:07] we shall support the entry of communist China [12:10] to the United Nations. [12:11] I'll say quite plainly why. [12:13] We have never in our country, [12:14] and this goes for governments of all political colors, [12:17] said that you only have those people [12:19] in the United Nations, [12:21] or that you only recognize them diplomatically, [12:23] if you like them. [12:24] Heaven knows, [12:25] I don't expect miracles [12:26] if she comes into the United Nations, [12:28] but you know there's been a lot of evidence [12:30] through the refusal to bring China [12:32] into the United Nations [12:34] that it has driven China [12:35] more into the arms of Russia [12:36] than would have been the case. [12:37] I'm convinced that the communist idea [12:40] is no more than a beautiful, [12:44] but perhaps quite harmful fairy tale for people. [12:49] It is beautiful, attractive, [12:52] and if millions of people are, you know, [12:56] are taken in by this ideology, [12:59] so you certainly cannot ignore it. [13:00] But for us, for the country, [13:03] which for 70 years lived [13:05] under the standards of this ideology, [13:07] it is clear that not even ideologically, [13:11] but economically, [13:13] we have reached an impasse. [13:15] And it is clear that a state [13:18] cannot exist on that basis. [13:20] What do you need right now [13:22] to thwart this strategy [13:24] of essentially getting to the winter [13:26] and creating a stalemate? [13:27] I always say to win this war, [13:30] we need three main things. [13:33] Weaponry, finances, and sanctions. [13:36] Weaponry, let us protect ourselves [13:38] and to go into our heads [13:39] to make these counteroffensives, [13:41] very successful counteroffensives [13:43] with support of our partners. [13:44] We also ask our partners [13:46] to recognize Russia as a terrorist country [13:48] because all what they are doing in Ukraine, [13:52] so it's just genocide. [13:53] This is like terrorist attacks. [13:55] Where is Mohammed Omar, the Taliban leader? [13:57] We don't know. [13:58] He's hiding. [14:00] Now, how can someone that's hiding [14:02] be called a force? [14:06] He's hiding. [14:06] We are looking for him. [14:07] Where is Osama bin Laden? [14:09] He's hiding, too, [14:10] and we are looking for him, too. [14:11] Are they hiding in plain sight? [14:14] They are hiding, perhaps, in the mountains. [14:16] They are hiding, perhaps, [14:16] in the border territories [14:18] between Afghanistan and Pakistan. [14:20] Maybe they are hiding somewhere else. [14:21] We don't know. [14:21] We are looking for them on a daily basis, [14:24] and no fugitive can run forever. [14:26] Many Americans consider the PLO [14:29] primarily a terrorist organization. [14:31] Is that not justified, [14:33] at least to an extent? [14:34] George Washington was a terrorist. [14:37] He had been named, one upon a time, [14:41] by the rich empire emperor. [14:48] He is a terrorist. [14:51] The Vietnamese, [14:55] the world is a terrorist, too. [14:59] There is an impression in this country [15:10] that peace in the Middle East [15:11] is further away than it has been [15:13] at almost any time [15:14] in the long history of this conflict. [15:16] Do you see any progress at all towards peace? [15:19] That there is less hope for peace now [15:22] than there ever was before, [15:23] I do not agree to. [15:24] Because I maintain that a strong Israel [15:31] is not only the best guarantee for peace, [15:35] but is the best incentive for peace. [15:38] Because there is no sense of making peace [15:40] with a weak Israel. [15:41] A weak Israel can be thrown into the sea. [15:44] The real problem in the Middle East [15:45] is not the democracy of Israel [15:47] that has shown restraint and responsibility, [15:50] but it's the countries like Iran [15:52] that pursue nuclear weapons [15:53] with the explicit goal, [15:55] first of annihilating us, [15:56] but also ultimately [15:57] of conquering the Middle East [15:59] and threatening you. [16:00] That's why they're developing ICBMs, [16:02] intercontinental ballistic missiles, [16:04] that are meant for one purpose only, [16:06] to carry nuclear payloads [16:08] to a theater near you. [16:10] They're not intended for us. [16:12] They already have missiles that reach us. [16:13] They're developing ICBMs [16:15] to reach the United States. [16:16] Don't give them these weapons. [16:18] This deal did not demand [16:20] any other behavior changes in Iran [16:23] outside of their nuclear weapons program. [16:25] Why not include all that? [16:26] Well, this deal was about the nuclear issue, [16:29] and I think the right way to conclude the deal [16:31] was to make it about the nuclear issue. [16:33] But, you know, we shouldn't be naive [16:35] or starry-eyed in any way [16:37] about the regime that we're dealing with, [16:39] and I'm certainly not. [16:40] I spoke to President Rouhani yesterday [16:42] and said that we want to see a change [16:45] in the approach that Iran takes [16:47] to issues like Syria and Yemen [16:49] and to terrorism in the region, [16:51] and we want the change in behavior [16:54] that should follow from that change. [16:56] So we're not starry-eyed at all, [16:58] and I'd reassure our Gulf allies about that, [17:01] but actually taking the nuclear weapon issue [17:03] off the table, [17:04] that is a success for America and Britain [17:08] and our allies, [17:09] and we should be clear about that. [17:11] Why do you think the British monarchy [17:13] is so strong, [17:14] despite the fact that so many monarchies [17:16] in Europe have died? [17:18] I think the British are more liberal [17:19] in their outlook, [17:20] and I think instead of... [17:23] Most of the monarchies in Europe [17:25] were really destroyed [17:25] by their greatest and most ardent supporters. [17:28] It was the most reactionary people [17:31] who somehow or other [17:32] tried to hold on to something [17:34] without letting it develop into change. [17:36] Have you ever thought to yourself, [17:39] maybe it might be nice to be king, [17:40] or have you thought, [17:41] I'm glad I'm not king? [17:44] Oh, I... [17:46] Yes, I'm glad I'm not. [17:50] When we come back, [17:52] a look at why announcing a run [17:54] for higher office [17:54] has played such an important role [17:56] on this broadcast. [17:58] So you will not run [17:59] for president or vice president in 2008? [18:01] I will not. [18:02] It's fair to say [18:03] you're thinking about [18:04] running for president in 2008. [18:05] It's fair. [18:06] Welcome back. [18:11] Hundreds of hopefuls [18:12] for higher office [18:13] have appeared on the program [18:14] over the years [18:14] to dodge and duck [18:16] and sometimes eventually [18:17] answer the question, [18:19] will you or won't you [18:20] run for president [18:21] of the United States? [18:22] The Meet the Press [18:22] candidate interview [18:23] has been a staple [18:24] from Adelaide Stevenson, [18:26] who said, [18:26] I do not seek, [18:27] I will not seek [18:28] the Democratic nomination [18:28] for the presidency, [18:30] and it was the Democratic nominee [18:31] two months later [18:33] after saying that, [18:34] to Shirley Chisholm, [18:35] who spoke about [18:36] her groundbreaking 1972 bid [18:37] right on this program, [18:38] to the more than [18:39] three dozen active [18:40] presidential candidates [18:41] that I've interviewed [18:42] as moderator of this broadcast. [18:44] And it has launched candidacies. [18:47] Long before he ran for office, [18:48] Ralph Nader's appearance [18:49] in 1966 generated so much mail [18:52] for this broadcast [18:53] that the post office [18:54] finally called Meet the Press [18:56] and offered to deliver [18:57] Nader's mail directly to him. [18:59] In 1960, [19:01] just a month after his speech [19:02] to the Greater Houston [19:03] Ministerial Association, [19:05] our first Catholic president, [19:06] John F. Kennedy, [19:07] appeared here [19:08] to answer questions [19:09] about whether, [19:10] in the United States, [19:11] there should be [19:11] a religious test for office. [19:13] I hope no one would vote for me [19:15] either for me [19:16] or because of my religion. [19:17] Now, I've said that consistently [19:19] and I mean it [19:20] because it's an important election. [19:25] There are very serious issues [19:26] which divide us. [19:27] And I don't think [19:28] this is one of them, [19:28] my religion [19:29] or Mr. Nixon's religion [19:30] or, after all, [19:32] I thought that matter [19:32] was all settled [19:33] in the Constitution [19:34] when it said, [19:35] provided for separation [19:36] of church and state, [19:37] when it provided [19:37] that there should be [19:38] no religious test for office. [19:39] So I would hope [19:40] we could move on. [19:40] There will be a large [19:41] and vocal minority [19:42] who will be very critical of you, [19:45] who are very critical of you now. [19:47] How would you go about [19:48] reconciling these [19:49] if you are president [19:50] of the United States? [19:51] The problem will not be easy [19:52] because we are confronted [19:54] with a generation gap, [19:56] confronted also [19:57] with a racial gap. [19:58] I believe I'm [19:59] a pretty good listener. [20:00] My objective is to bring about [20:02] a change of national policy, [20:04] both with reference to the war [20:05] and also with reference [20:07] to national priorities. [20:08] By talking as I will [20:10] about what I think [20:11] can be done positively [20:12] as far as the futures, [20:14] what can be done [20:15] in the 1970s, [20:16] what this country [20:17] needs to stand for, [20:18] and the idealism [20:19] and the feeling [20:20] of unselfishness [20:21] which I think exists [20:22] in our country, [20:23] it seems to me [20:24] that I can make a contribution [20:26] and that's what I intend to do. [20:28] At the age of 49, [20:30] feeling as I do [20:31] about this war, [20:32] I could not [20:33] conscientiously support it. [20:35] I'm not recommending [20:36] that course [20:37] for anyone else, [20:38] but I regard this war [20:40] as the most barbaric [20:41] and inhumane act [20:43] that our country [20:44] has ever committed. [20:45] First of all, gentlemen, [20:46] you have to really recognize [20:47] that I'm doing something [20:48] in this country [20:48] that's never really [20:49] been done before. [20:50] It's a question [20:50] of inculcation, [20:52] reorientation, [20:52] and education. [20:54] Never before in this country, [20:55] ever since the inception [20:55] of the republic, [20:57] have you had a woman [20:58] seriously running [20:59] for the presidency? [21:00] I suppose every man [21:01] has many moments [21:03] in which he says [21:04] if I had the position [21:07] and the authority [21:09] to do certain things, [21:11] this is what I would do. [21:12] Does that mean [21:13] that you would like [21:14] to be president? [21:15] That means that you're [21:16] asking me about a decision [21:18] that if you have me [21:19] on the show, [21:20] say about a year from now, [21:21] maybe we'll be closer [21:22] to getting an answer. [21:23] I'll be there [21:23] when the last votes counted [21:24] and I expect to win. [21:27] Considering the size [21:28] of the deficits, [21:29] it seems to me [21:30] you were right in 1980 [21:31] in calling candidate [21:32] Reagan's policies [21:33] voodoo economics. [21:35] How do you feel [21:36] about using that phrase? [21:37] I hope you wouldn't [21:38] mention that. [21:38] You'll be 73 [21:39] when you become president, [21:40] 77 after your first term. [21:42] Would you consider [21:43] making a pledge [21:44] to the American people [21:45] you'll serve just one term? [21:47] No. [21:47] If you look at your [21:48] voting record, [21:49] your opponents say [21:49] you look more like [21:50] Ted Kennedy than Sam Nunn. [21:52] Aren't you a liberal? [21:53] No, I'm not, [21:54] and those labels [21:55] don't mean what they once did. [21:57] So you want to be president? [21:59] I do. [21:59] I have not made [22:00] the final decision. [22:02] I'm giving it [22:02] serious consideration. [22:04] I'm not determined [22:04] to enter the race, [22:06] but I have determined [22:07] to set the pace, [22:08] to set the priorities. [22:09] And I consider you [22:09] because of our numbers, [22:11] our loyalty, [22:12] and our public policy issues, [22:14] there should be [22:15] a black on that ticket. [22:16] One of the things [22:17] about a president Bush [22:18] is I'll be surrounded [22:19] by good, strong, [22:21] capable, smart people [22:22] who understand [22:23] the mission of the United States [22:24] is to lead the world to peace. [22:26] We ran the best grassroots campaign [22:28] that I've seen in my life [22:29] time. [22:30] They ran a better one. [22:31] Why? [22:32] Because we sent 14,000 people [22:33] into Ohio from elsewhere. [22:35] They had 14,000 people [22:36] from Ohio talking [22:37] to their neighbors. [22:38] That's how you win [22:39] in rural states [22:40] and in rural America. [22:43] Tim, I don't want to run [22:44] for president [22:45] of the United States. [22:46] I will not run? [22:48] I do not intend [22:49] to run for president. [22:49] No, I will not run [22:50] for president of the United States. [22:51] How's that? [22:52] I don't know how many [22:52] ways to say no [22:53] in this town. [22:54] It's fair to say [22:55] you're thinking about [22:56] running for president [22:56] in 2008. [22:57] It's fair, yes. [22:58] Dissent is the mother [22:59] of dissent. [23:01] And in that context, [23:03] I have decided [23:03] to run for president. [23:05] Does Sarah Palin [23:05] and I disagree [23:06] on a specific issue? [23:07] Yeah, because we're [23:08] both mavericks. [23:09] But we share the same goal [23:11] of cleaning up Washington. [23:12] The question is [23:13] whether are you [23:14] the moderate [23:14] from Massachusetts [23:15] who championed [23:16] universal health care [23:17] who at one time [23:17] was for abortion rights, [23:19] or are you the candidate [23:20] who said he was [23:21] a severe conservative? [23:22] What will you be [23:23] as president? [23:24] I'm as conservative [23:25] as the Constitution. [23:26] I want to read something [23:28] that was paraphrased to you. [23:29] It says, [23:30] it is essential, [23:31] Sanders said, [23:31] to have someone [23:32] in the 2016 presidential campaign [23:34] who is willing [23:34] to take on Wall Street, [23:36] address the collapse [23:36] of the middle class, [23:37] tackle the spread of poverty, [23:39] and fiercely oppose cuts [23:40] to Social Security [23:41] and Medicare. [23:42] Is it safe to say [23:43] if you thought Hillary Clinton [23:44] were doing that, [23:44] you wouldn't be considering this? [23:45] Well, A, I don't know [23:47] that Hillary Clinton [23:47] is running. [23:48] B, I don't know [23:49] what she is running on. [23:50] Can you imagine [23:50] running in the same [23:51] Republican primary [23:52] as Jeb Bush? [23:53] If I make that decision [23:54] that that's the right place [23:55] for me to serve [23:55] at this moment in my life, [23:57] I'll run for president. [23:58] And that's what my decision [23:59] will be built on. [23:59] But, you know, [24:00] I have tremendous respect [24:01] for Jeb Bush. [24:01] I sort of was amused [24:02] about this little excerpt [24:04] from your Playboy interview [24:05] in 1990. [24:07] The questioner asked, [24:08] what does all of this [24:09] meaning, [24:09] talking about your yacht, [24:10] the bronze tower, [24:11] the casino, [24:12] what does it really mean to you? [24:13] And you replied, [24:14] props for the show. [24:16] And then he said, [24:17] what show is that? [24:17] And you replied, [24:18] the show is Trump, [24:19] and it has sold out [24:20] performances everywhere. [24:22] And it has been [24:23] for a long time. [24:24] Is this, [24:24] are we all a part of a show? [24:26] I mean, [24:26] there is some, [24:27] you know that some [24:28] of the criticisms [24:28] and some of it, [24:29] we all feel like we're in a, [24:30] are we in a reality show? [24:31] No, this is not a reality. [24:32] This is the real deal. [24:33] One of the phrases you use, [24:34] I alone can fix it. [24:37] And some people, [24:38] that sounded almost [24:39] too strong mannish [24:41] for them. [24:42] Well, [24:43] do you understand [24:43] that criticism? [24:44] And what do you make of it? [24:45] I'll tell you, [24:45] a part of it was, [24:47] I'm comparing myself [24:48] to Hillary. [24:50] And we know Hillary. [24:52] And we look at her record. [24:53] Her record has been a disaster. [24:55] And I am running against Hillary. [24:57] It's not like I'm running [24:58] against the rest of the world. [24:59] I am going to keep focused [25:01] on Donald Trump [25:02] because I will be the nominee [25:03] in the course of this campaign. [25:06] We are going to demonstrate [25:08] he has no ideas. [25:10] There's no evidence [25:11] he has any ideas [25:12] about making America great [25:14] as he advertises. [25:16] He seems to be [25:16] particularly focused [25:17] on making himself [25:19] appear great. [25:19] If you win re-election [25:21] this year, [25:21] are you going to pledge [25:22] to serve a full six-year term? [25:24] So look, [25:24] I am not running [25:25] for president [25:26] of the United States. [25:27] I am running [25:28] for the United States Senate [25:29] 2018, Massachusetts. [25:31] Woo-hoo! [25:32] Why is it too early [25:33] to announce, [25:34] to decide? [25:35] Well, you're going to have [25:36] to ask my wife [25:37] who's here in the audience. [25:38] You told Roll Call, [25:39] the capital of the newspaper, [25:40] you're thinking about [25:41] running for president. [25:41] No, I'm not thinking [25:42] about running. [25:43] I absolutely am not. [25:44] You're going to run for president? [25:45] I haven't made that decision. [25:47] So you're thinking about it? [25:48] Yes. [25:48] Are you running for president? [25:49] I am running for president. [25:50] You don't want to become president? [25:51] You won't run? [25:52] Why do you say that? [25:53] Is your goal [25:53] to be the presumptive frontrunner [25:55] at the end of March? [25:56] Yes. [25:56] The president has been [25:58] very clear [25:58] that he intends [26:01] to run again, [26:02] and if he does, [26:03] I will be running with him. [26:04] Does Donald Trump's [26:05] 2024 plans [26:06] impact your 2024 plans? [26:09] I have said [26:09] that if President Trump runs, [26:10] I will not run. [26:11] What would it take [26:12] to get you to run for president? [26:13] Look, I am going to be [26:15] very focused on all of the things [26:16] that we've been talking about, [26:17] and I care deeply, [26:20] as I know you do, [26:21] as millions of people do, [26:23] about this nation [26:24] and about the blessing [26:26] that we have [26:26] as a constitutional republic. [26:28] The fact that you may run, [26:29] are you sending that message [26:30] without saying it? [26:31] Well, [26:32] I'll keep you posted [26:35] on whether I'm going to run [26:36] or not, [26:38] but I do think [26:38] we'll have better choices. [26:41] When we come back, [26:42] a look at the important role [26:43] this show has played [26:44] in covering the struggle [26:45] for civil rights. [26:47] I believe firmly [26:49] in nonviolence. [26:50] I still believe [26:51] that it is [26:53] the most potent weapon [26:54] available to oppress people [26:56] in their struggle [26:58] for freedom [26:59] and human dignity. [27:03] Welcome back. [27:04] Throughout the years, [27:05] countless icons [27:06] of the ever-evolving fight [27:08] for civil rights [27:08] and social change [27:09] have appeared to meet the press. [27:11] In 1966, [27:12] the broadcast devoted [27:12] a 90-minute special [27:14] to the topic, [27:15] bringing together [27:15] the leaders of organizations [27:17] including the NAACP, [27:18] the Student Nonviolent [27:19] Coordinating Committee, [27:21] and the Southern Christian [27:21] Leadership Conference, [27:22] whose president was [27:23] none other than [27:24] Dr. Martin Luther King. [27:26] And through the last 75 years, [27:27] this program has featured [27:28] leaders in the women's movement, [27:30] Black Lives Matter, [27:32] the Me Too movement, [27:33] and the fight for equal pay, [27:35] just to name a few. [27:37] Today, in this special [27:39] hour-and-a-half program, [27:40] Meet the Press focuses [27:41] on the country's number one [27:42] domestic problem, [27:44] civil rights. [27:45] It is very important [27:46] to see the difference [27:49] between nonviolent demonstrations [27:52] and riots. [27:54] It may be true [27:55] that in a demonstration, [27:57] people react with violence [27:59] toward nonviolent demonstrators, [28:01] but you don't blame [28:02] the demonstrators. [28:03] This would be like [28:04] blaming the robbed man [28:07] because his possession [28:08] of money precipitated [28:10] the evil act of robbery. [28:12] Ultimately, society [28:13] must condemn the robber [28:16] and not the robbed. [28:18] It must protect the robbed. [28:20] And this is where we are [28:22] in these demonstrations, [28:23] and I'm still convinced [28:24] that there is nothing [28:26] more powerful [28:27] to dramatize a social evil [28:29] than the tramp-tramp [28:31] of marching feet. [28:32] As far as we're concerned, [28:33] as I said before, [28:35] we believe in nonviolence, [28:36] providing nobody hits us. [28:38] When somebody hits us, [28:40] we believe in self-defense. [28:41] There's a difference [28:42] between self-defense [28:42] and nonviolence. [28:43] Well, self-defense [28:44] and nonviolence [28:45] are not incompatible. [28:47] Dr. King, [28:47] you've heard [28:48] what Mr. McKissick said. [28:49] Are you in disagreement [28:50] or not? [28:51] I believe firmly [28:53] in nonviolence. [28:55] I still believe [28:56] that it is [28:57] the most potent weapon [28:59] available to oppress people [29:01] in their struggle [29:02] for freedom [29:03] and human dignity. [29:04] I think a turn to violence [29:06] on the part of the Negro [29:08] at this time [29:09] would be both [29:10] impractical and immoral. [29:12] Mrs. Roosevelt, [29:13] do you think we're moving [29:14] fast enough [29:15] and strong enough [29:16] to desegregate our schools? [29:19] I do not think [29:20] we want violence. [29:21] I think we want [29:22] understanding. [29:23] I think we want education. [29:25] I think we want to move, [29:28] but we can't stand still. [29:31] We must move, [29:32] but we must move [29:33] with wisdom. [29:35] The code word for racism [29:36] in this campaign [29:38] has been the bus. [29:39] It's not the bus, [29:40] it's us. [29:41] I think that [29:42] the fundamental issue [29:44] is not political or legal. [29:46] It's a moral question. [29:48] Will white American leadership [29:50] have the moral integrity [29:52] and fortitude [29:53] to stand by its own [29:55] constitutional decisions. [29:57] It's really [29:58] a question of race. [30:01] We're willing, [30:02] if we want to allow people [30:03] to kill together, [30:04] to use any form [30:05] of transportation, [30:06] bus or ship or air. [30:08] But when it comes together, [30:09] when it comes to the question [30:10] of our living [30:11] and learning together, [30:12] we still do not have [30:13] enough moral strength [30:15] in the White House [30:15] to make essentially [30:16] a moral decision [30:17] to support [30:18] a constitutional decision. [30:20] We were kneeling. [30:22] We were knocked down. [30:25] They started beating us [30:26] with nightsticks, [30:27] tramping us with horses [30:28] and releasing the tear gas. [30:32] I was hit in the head [30:33] by a state trooper [30:33] with a nightstick. [30:35] I lost consciousness. [30:38] Fifty years later, [30:39] I don't recall [30:40] how I made it back [30:42] across that bridge [30:43] to the little church [30:45] that we had left from. [30:47] Apparently, [30:47] a group literally [30:48] carried me [30:50] back to the church. [30:52] It would be perfectly [30:53] understandable [30:54] if you were bitter. [30:55] Bitter today, [30:56] bitter a week later [30:57] from when it happened, [30:59] bitter 20 years. [31:01] Were you bitter? [31:03] Ever? [31:04] I was not bitter then. [31:06] I'm not bitter now. [31:07] Never before in this country, [31:08] ever since the inception [31:09] of the republic, [31:10] have you had a woman [31:11] seriously running [31:13] for the presidency? [31:13] I was breaking [31:14] a tradition, [31:15] a tradition in which [31:16] only white males [31:16] have only been the gentleman [31:18] in this country [31:19] that have guided [31:20] the ship of space. [31:21] So you don't expect [31:22] people, black, white, [31:23] men or women, [31:24] to suddenly overcome [31:25] a tradition that has [31:26] been steeped ever since [31:27] the inception of this [31:28] republic. [31:28] So I understand that. [31:29] I've broken the ice. [31:31] The adversary, [31:32] which is a word [31:33] I prefer to enemy, [31:34] are those individuals [31:36] who have usurped [31:37] control of our lives [31:39] and who, in general, [31:41] turn out to be [31:41] that 3% of the population [31:43] which is white, male, [31:45] over 30, [31:46] and college educated. [31:48] And that is the pool [31:49] from which we have [31:50] taken our leadership, [31:51] in fact, [31:52] which I think goes [31:53] a long way to explaining [31:54] the poverty of the leadership. [31:55] Well, are you saying [31:56] that the white, male, [31:57] educated person [31:59] is the enemy [32:00] of the woman's movement? [32:01] Or the adversary? [32:02] Well, from a statistical [32:04] point of view, [32:05] that's accurate. [32:05] I am absolutely comfortable [32:07] with the fact that [32:09] men marrying men, [32:12] women marrying women, [32:13] and heterosexual men [32:14] and women marrying women [32:15] are entitled [32:16] to the same exact rights, [32:17] all the civil rights, [32:18] all the civil liberties. [32:20] And quite frankly, [32:21] I don't see much [32:21] of a distinction [32:22] beyond that. [32:24] Our team has managed [32:25] to make people proud, [32:27] again, [32:28] to capture people's interests, [32:30] to make them want [32:30] to do something. [32:31] I think people are [32:32] asking the question, [32:33] how can we rally [32:34] around this team? [32:35] And in that, [32:36] really what the team [32:37] stands for, [32:38] whether it's equal pay [32:39] or racial equality [32:40] or LGBTQ rights. [32:42] I think we've just managed [32:43] to give people hope. [32:45] And with that, [32:46] now we need to do [32:47] the next step, [32:48] which is to actually [32:50] take the progress step. [32:52] When we come back, [32:53] we've learned more [32:54] sometimes on this show [32:55] by talking to important figures [32:56] outside the world of politics. [32:58] I think the game [32:59] has been here [33:00] a lot longer [33:00] than Alan Iverson's. [33:01] or Michael Jordan, [33:03] Grant Hill, [33:03] or Charles Barkley. [33:05] I think what's, [33:05] sometimes it's forgotten [33:07] is some of the sweat [33:08] and some of the honest work [33:10] way, way long ago [33:12] that's been, you know, [33:13] laid down for us [33:14] to come here. [33:19] Welcome back. [33:19] Over the years, [33:20] pastors and poets, [33:21] astronauts and actors [33:22] have joined Meet the Press [33:23] to reflect on the country [33:24] in changing times [33:25] and to provide their own [33:26] unique perspectives [33:27] on our politics. [33:29] I wonder if you could tell us [33:30] how you feel today [33:31] about the program. [33:32] I feel just about the same, [33:34] Mr. Clermont, [33:35] as I did then. [33:36] It's not easy [33:37] to meet the press. [33:38] This is the birth date [33:40] of Jesus the Christ [33:42] and an at-risk baby. [33:45] Wise men went [33:46] to the at-risk baby. [33:48] The government, [33:49] in effect, [33:50] obligated Mary and Joseph [33:51] to pay taxes. [33:52] They did not have [33:53] the right to vote. [33:54] She had the baby outdoors [33:56] in a stable [33:56] in the wintertime. [33:58] Wise men embraced [33:59] at-risk babies [34:01] and unwise men [34:02] abandon them. [34:03] I challenge us [34:03] to be wise. [34:05] My whole goal [34:05] is as a pastor, [34:07] my goal is to encourage, [34:10] to support. [34:11] I never take sides. [34:12] I have friends [34:13] who are Republicans [34:14] and I have friends [34:15] who are Democrats [34:15] and I'm for my friends. [34:17] People ask me, [34:18] are you left wing [34:19] or right wing? [34:20] And it's pretty well known [34:21] I say I'm for the whole bird. [34:22] Do you feel, [34:23] Mr. Frost, [34:24] that the colleges [34:25] are perhaps neglecting [34:27] the liberal arts [34:28] and favoring science? [34:31] No, I think [34:34] the young people [34:35] go where they're drawn [34:37] and there was a time [34:39] when I thought science [34:40] was drawing them all off [34:41] from poetry [34:42] and, you know, [34:43] my jealousy [34:46] and then I've heard lately [34:50] that they aren't getting [34:51] any scientists. [34:52] I don't know [34:52] where the young people [34:53] have all gone. [34:54] I'm going to make [34:55] an inquiry. [34:56] I think they've gone [34:57] to sociology. [34:58] You were once [34:59] quoted as saying, [35:00] and these were your words, [35:01] this could help my kids too. [35:03] I want them to be better off [35:04] than I was [35:06] as a young man. [35:07] Now, if your fondest [35:08] expectations were realized [35:10] and we did get to the moon, [35:13] what benefits do you think [35:14] we may bring to future [35:16] to help future generations? [35:18] I think man's [35:19] participation in this [35:21] guarantees one thing. [35:23] If we can see things, [35:24] perceive them, [35:25] analyze them, [35:25] relate them back [35:26] to our experiences here, [35:28] this is the main thing [35:30] that man brings [35:30] to the program. [35:32] He can see things, [35:33] new things that now [35:34] are completely unforeseen [35:36] or unknown. [35:37] Dr. Sagan, [35:37] do you think man [35:38] should go to Mars? [35:39] Well, [35:39] it depends what [35:40] the objective is. [35:41] If the objective [35:41] is scientific exploration [35:43] and we're talking [35:43] about the immediate future, [35:45] I think that [35:45] intelligent machines, [35:47] sort of descendants [35:49] of Viking, [35:49] are the way to go. [35:50] A mission to Mars [35:51] would be a tremendous [35:53] national goal to set. [35:56] It's not set yet. [35:58] I personally think [35:59] a hundred years from now [36:00] when we're talking [36:01] about this, [36:01] we will look back [36:02] and we will have been to Mars. [36:03] I am a citizen activist. [36:05] I think it's in the highest [36:06] tradition of our country [36:07] for private citizens [36:09] to speak out, [36:12] not just as individuals, [36:13] but as members of organizations [36:16] that can have some power. [36:17] obviously as someone [36:20] who is famous, [36:21] I have a particular [36:23] responsibility [36:24] and I want to try [36:25] to use it properly. [36:27] We caught, [36:27] our camera caught you [36:28] having a conversation [36:29] with the protesters [36:30] last night. [36:32] What did you say to him? [36:34] Well, [36:34] that was the funniest thing. [36:35] I went over to try [36:35] to talk to him [36:36] and he said I was [36:38] some corporate chill, [36:40] which, [36:40] if you know me, [36:41] that's one of the funnier [36:42] things you could say [36:43] about me. [36:44] And then he just said, [36:45] you know, [36:45] you sucked as Batman [36:46] and I was like, [36:47] well, [36:47] you kind of got me [36:48] on that one. [36:49] And then I walked away [36:50] and that was, [36:51] that was basically it. [36:53] You once wrote [36:54] that a poem [36:54] should begin in delight [36:56] and end in wisdom. [36:58] Yes. [36:58] Do you think many [36:59] of our poets [37:00] write that way? [37:00] Many things, [37:01] love affairs [37:01] are just the same, [37:02] you know. [37:04] For generations, [37:05] the moon has been [37:05] an inspiration [37:06] to poets [37:07] and songwriters [37:08] and has played [37:08] an important role [37:09] in romance. [37:11] How do you feel [37:11] about going down [37:12] in history [37:12] as men who helped [37:14] prove that the moon [37:15] is made up of nothing [37:16] but dirt, [37:17] dust, [37:17] and rock? [37:19] That's only from [37:19] the short range. [37:20] At a distance, [37:21] it's still made up [37:21] of love, [37:22] kisses, [37:23] and happiness. [37:23] It'll always be romantic. [37:26] Sports has also [37:27] made a frequent [37:28] appearance on the show, [37:29] whether it's in a locker room [37:30] with Allen Iverson, [37:31] Shaquille O'Neal, [37:33] and the NBA commissioner, [37:34] or on the field [37:34] at Yankee Stadium [37:35] with Rob Manfred [37:36] in his first broadcast [37:37] network interview [37:38] as Major League Baseball [37:38] commissioner. [37:39] Over the years, [37:40] we've taken an in-depth [37:41] look at the problem [37:42] of concussions in football. [37:43] We've talked with [37:44] sports figures [37:44] who are pushing [37:45] the pace of social change [37:46] about what it's like [37:47] being seen [37:48] as a role model [37:48] by many [37:49] and why it took [37:50] so long [37:50] for Washington, D.C. [37:51] to have its own [37:52] Major League Baseball team. [37:53] And we've heard [37:54] from everyone [37:54] from Yogi Berra [37:55] to Michael Jordan [37:56] to Jackie Robinson, [37:58] who appeared [37:58] on this show [37:59] all the way back [38:00] in April of 1957. [38:02] Patience is fine. [38:03] I think that if we go back [38:05] and check our record, [38:06] the Negro has proven [38:07] beyond a doubt [38:08] that we have been [38:09] more than patient [38:09] in seeking our rights [38:11] as American citizens. [38:13] Be patient, [38:14] I was told as a kid. [38:16] I keep hearing that today. [38:18] Let's be patient. [38:19] Let's take our time. [38:19] Things will come. [38:21] It seems to me [38:21] that the Civil War [38:22] has been over [38:22] about 93 years. [38:24] If that isn't patience, [38:25] I don't know what is. [38:26] You and Muhammad Ali [38:28] were attached [38:29] at the hip [38:30] at those tumultuous times. [38:31] and in many ways [38:35] supported each other [38:37] during times [38:38] when you'd be [38:39] attacked by the media, [38:40] you'd be attacked [38:41] by political leaders. [38:42] That's absolutely true. [38:44] But the greatest thing [38:45] about Muhammad Ali [38:46] is that he represented [38:49] himself as a great American [38:51] because Americans [38:53] will stand up [38:55] for freedom, equality [38:56] and justice. [38:57] My father raised me [38:59] from a young boy [39:00] to just play hard, [39:01] play hard, [39:01] have fun, have fun, [39:03] win, win, win. [39:04] Almost to be perfect [39:05] even though there is [39:05] no perfect player, [39:07] perfect person, [39:08] perfect game. [39:09] And, you know, [39:11] you practice how you play. [39:12] If you practice a certain way, [39:15] then you'll play a certain way. [39:16] So I just try to, [39:17] you know, [39:17] practice hard. [39:18] Athletes are secondary role models. [39:20] Your parents [39:20] are your primary role models. [39:22] Hey, [39:22] there's not many [39:23] Grand Heels [39:24] and Michael Jordan's [39:25] out there. [39:25] Every kid wants to be, [39:26] but they're not going to be. [39:27] That's unrealistic. [39:28] They have a better chance [39:29] of being what [39:30] their mother and father are [39:31] and that's reality. [39:32] I mean, [39:33] we try to make people think [39:35] they can be famous [39:36] and everything, [39:37] but hey, [39:37] these guys have special [39:38] God-given abilities. [39:40] They should listen to their parents [39:41] and get a good education. [39:42] I think the game [39:43] has been here [39:43] a lot longer than [39:44] Allen Iverson [39:45] or Michael Jordan, [39:46] Grant Hill, [39:47] Charles Barkley. [39:48] I think what's sometimes [39:50] forgotten is [39:51] some of the sweat [39:52] and some of the honest work [39:54] way, [39:55] way long ago [39:55] that's been laid down [39:57] for us to come here [39:58] and earn the type of money [40:00] or get the respect [40:00] of the fans [40:02] or of the media [40:03] or whatever. [40:04] And I never want [40:05] to forget that. [40:06] And I think that's [40:06] the respect that I ask [40:08] that every athlete, [40:09] every player, [40:10] pay back to the game. [40:11] It's not to me. [40:12] It's not to Charles. [40:13] It's to the game [40:14] of basketball. [40:15] Grant Hill, [40:15] what would happen [40:16] to the NBA [40:16] without Michael Jordan? [40:17] Well, it would give [40:19] the rest of us [40:20] a chance to win. [40:23] All politics is local. [40:24] Should the NFL [40:25] permanently be taking [40:27] care of your health care? [40:28] Do you think that... [40:28] I think they should. [40:29] You know, [40:30] you told me [40:31] about everything else [40:32] but you didn't tell me [40:32] about the risk [40:33] associated with [40:34] traumatic brain injury. [40:35] Do you think [40:35] they knew then? [40:37] They had to know something. [40:38] If there's one message [40:39] you would like Americans [40:40] to understand about Islam, [40:41] what would it be? [40:43] That Islam is a religion [40:44] of peace. [40:45] Islam does not tolerate [40:46] the wanton murder. [40:48] People have to understand [40:49] that there are good Muslims [40:51] that are on the side [40:52] of what we understand [40:54] to be the rule of law [40:55] and just common sense [40:56] and decency. [40:57] What do you tell [40:58] a Trump supporter [40:58] who loves watching you [41:00] and is like, [41:01] I wish you'd go [41:02] to the White House? [41:02] Yeah, I think that [41:03] I would, you know, [41:05] try to share our message. [41:06] Do you, you know, [41:07] believe that all people [41:08] are created equal? [41:09] Do you believe that [41:10] equal pay should be mandated? [41:12] Do you believe that [41:13] everyone should have health care? [41:15] Do you believe that [41:15] we should treat everyone [41:16] with respect? [41:18] I think those are the basics [41:19] of what we're talking about. [41:21] Cal Ripken ever think [41:22] about politics? [41:23] No, never. [41:26] You go to the park, [41:27] you see those signs, [41:28] Cal for president. [41:29] Oh, there's a certain [41:30] fascination with it, [41:31] but, God, it's hard enough [41:35] just being a baseball player. [41:37] You were a great baseball player, [41:40] all-star 15 times, [41:41] most valuable player three times, [41:43] and yet you're probably [41:44] best known in America [41:45] for your yogi-isms. [41:47] You have eight entries [41:49] into Bartlett's book [41:50] of quotations, [41:51] more than Voltaire. [41:53] Let me go through [41:55] a few of them on the screen [41:56] and get your understanding. [41:57] The first, how can you think [41:59] and hit at the same time? [42:01] Well, you can. [42:02] I don't think you can. [42:03] You got too much to worry [42:04] about the pitcher out there. [42:06] Why can't you think [42:06] and hit at the same time? [42:08] Let me show you another one. [42:09] You can observe a lot [42:11] by watching. [42:12] That's true. [42:13] That's true. [42:13] That's right, it is. [42:14] You could observe a lot [42:16] by watching. [42:17] All right, how about this one? [42:18] When you come to a fork [42:20] in the road, take it. [42:21] Take it. [42:22] Well, we got a street back home [42:23] that we have one. [42:24] That's why I said take it. [42:25] After I hit the home run, [42:27] I think I kind of got down [42:29] on my knees and prayed [42:30] that I was glad [42:30] it was over with. [42:32] It was an interesting time [42:33] for you because much [42:35] of the country cheering you on, [42:36] but some of the country [42:37] saying, oh, no, no, [42:38] don't have a black man vote, [42:40] break Babe Ruth's record. [42:42] You still have an attic [42:43] full of hate letters [42:44] that you got. [42:45] I certainly do, and I've been [42:46] criticized for that, too, [42:47] but I'm going to keep them [42:49] because I think that people [42:50] need to be reminded [42:51] that was not that far removed. [42:53] You know, it was just yesterday, [42:55] a few years ago, [42:56] when that happened to me. [42:57] Doesn't the nation's capital [42:58] deserve a major league team again? [43:00] Well, once again, [43:01] that's a very nice question. [43:02] It's one I choose not to answer. [43:04] The National League Committee [43:06] is looking hard at sites. [43:08] It would be wrong [43:09] to comment on sites, [43:10] though I should say [43:12] the passion and support [43:13] of a number of those cities [43:15] is running very high. [43:16] There are no plans right now [43:18] to move a club, [43:19] and we don't have any [43:20] further expansion plans, [43:22] but that doesn't mean [43:23] that at some point [43:24] that's a terrific area, [43:27] but whether or not [43:27] they'll get a team [43:28] or when we get a team [43:29] hasn't been determined. [43:30] It's pitch clock coming. [43:31] You know, some people said [43:32] you put a clock in baseball. [43:33] Why would you want to do that? [43:35] Yogi, we are out of time. [43:36] I think this program [43:37] is just about over. [43:39] Oh, it ain't over [43:40] till it's over. [43:42] And you know what? [43:43] A man who can take a cue. [43:45] When we come back, [43:48] even on this serious [43:48] Sunday program, [43:49] we still know how to laugh [43:50] at ourselves [43:51] and keep it all in perspective. [43:54] You know, the only reason [43:55] I asked that question [43:56] is because I expected [43:57] an answer just like that. [43:59] Anyway, former... [44:01] You're a... [44:02] I assume I'm getting [44:05] that as a compliment. [44:06] I'll take that [44:07] as a backhanded compliment. [44:13] Welcome back. [44:13] For obvious reasons, [44:14] journalists have played [44:15] a key role on Meet the Press. [44:18] And there are two [44:18] who have appeared [44:19] more than anyone else [44:20] in the 75 years. [44:22] David Broder of [44:22] The Washington Post [44:23] holds the record [44:24] with 401 total appearances. [44:26] And May Craig, [44:27] who was the Washington correspondent [44:28] for the Portland Press-Herald, [44:30] appeared 243 times. [44:33] Before we go, [44:34] it's been a lot of fun [44:34] on this show for years. [44:35] And we wanted to show you [44:36] a few of those fun moments. [44:39] I don't want to be president. [44:41] I want to run for president. [44:43] There's a difference. [44:44] I'm running in South Carolina. [44:45] You'd like to lose. [44:47] Mm, I'd like to lose twice. [44:49] I'd like to lose [44:49] both a Republican [44:50] and a Democrat. [44:52] And what statement [44:53] would that make? [44:55] I think that statement [44:55] would make that [44:57] I was able to get [44:58] on the ballot [44:58] in South Carolina. [45:00] And if I can do it, [45:02] so can you. [45:03] Seth Meyers, [45:04] welcome to Meet the Press. [45:05] It's great to be here. [45:05] I'm so excited [45:06] to be on Meet the Press [45:07] without having to run for office. [45:08] It's so much easier this way. [45:09] But if you do want [45:10] to declare something, [45:11] feel free to do that. [45:12] I think mostly I'm just [45:13] going to run [45:14] from previous statements [45:15] and hit some talking points. [45:17] I'm watching a lot of [45:18] Meet the Press [45:19] to prepare for this. [45:20] Give me your [45:20] percentage prediction. [45:22] Kerry, Bush, Nader. [45:23] I think that [45:25] Kerry's going to get [45:26] 52%. [45:27] Democrats, [45:28] 52%. [45:28] And Bush, what? [45:29] 52%. [45:29] 47%. [45:32] And one for Nader. [45:34] One for Nader. [45:35] 52%, 47%, 1%. [45:37] All right. [45:38] Mr. Carr. [45:39] Mr. Russell, [45:39] everybody knows [45:40] that I have dyslexia. [45:41] And what I really meant [45:42] to say, [45:43] I just transposed [45:44] the numbers wrong. [45:45] You know? [45:45] That's all it was. [45:46] Oh, I see. [45:47] You know what I say? [45:48] I got egg on my face. [45:50] Oh, my God. [45:50] I don't believe this. [45:55] I got egg on my face. [45:57] It was a bad prediction. [45:58] Have you believed [45:59] you didn't bring [45:59] your shotgun in today? [46:01] I wouldn't worry about it. [46:02] You're not in season. [46:05] Mr. Vice President, [46:06] I hope I never have. [46:07] Before you go, [46:07] Mr. Secretary, [46:08] last time you were on [46:09] one month ago, [46:09] I received thousands [46:10] of letters and telegrams [46:12] about this scene. [46:13] Let's just watch it [46:13] for a second. [46:14] Tim, don't swing the camera [46:15] away from me again. [46:16] Finally, Mr. Secretary, [46:17] in February 2003, [46:19] you placed your enormous [46:20] personal credibility [46:21] before the United Nations [46:23] and laid out a case [46:24] against Saddam Hussein [46:25] citing... [46:27] He's still asking me [46:29] questions. [46:31] Tim, I'm sorry. [46:32] I lost you. [46:32] You answered the question. [46:34] And because of that, [46:35] we were eternally grateful. [46:37] We'd like to present you [46:37] the first annual [46:38] Colin Powell Palm Tree Award [46:40] for answering questions [46:42] under adverse circumstances. [46:44] You'll forever be in [46:45] the annals of Beat the Press. [46:46] We thank you again [46:47] for joining us today. [46:48] Well, Tim, [46:48] thank you very much. [46:49] I honor this. [46:50] Did you ever run [46:51] for office again? [46:53] I'd rather set myself [46:54] on fire than to run [46:55] for office again. [46:57] You know, the only reason [46:58] I asked that question [46:58] because I expected [46:59] an answer just like that. [47:01] Anyway, former... [47:04] You're a... [47:05] You're a... [47:06] I assume I'm getting [47:08] that as a compliment. [47:09] I'll take that [47:10] as a backhanded compliment. [47:11] I hate the press. [47:12] I hate you, especially. [47:14] But the fact is, [47:15] we need you. [47:16] We need a free press. [47:20] To dig into more moments [47:21] from Meet the Press [47:22] and our archives, [47:23] scan the code right here [47:24] on your screen [47:24] or visit NBCNews.com [47:26] slash MTP75. [47:27] The website is home [47:28] to 75 of the biggest moments [47:30] in Meet the Press history. [47:32] Check them out. [47:32] See if you agree [47:33] with our picks. [47:34] That's all for today. [47:36] Merry Christmas. [47:36] Happy Hanukkah. [47:38] Thanks for watching. [47:39] We'll be back next week [47:40] and next year [47:41] because if it's Sunday, [47:43] it's Meet the Press. [47:43] We'll be back next week's episode.