Tapper sits down with Kurtz ahead of Monday’s debut of “The Lead”
On Sunday’s Reliable Sources, anchor and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper sat down with host Howard Kurtz to discuss his new show, The Lead with Jake Tapper, debuting on CNN on Monday, March 18 at 4 pm ET. A transcript of their conversation is after the jump.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KURTZ: There is fresh evidence this week that the tense relationship between the White House and the media is not so much a war as a series of skirmishes that keep breaking out.
I spoke earlier about the press and politics with the newest CNN anchor, Jake Tapper, whose program, “The Lead” debuts on Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KURTZ: Jake Tapper, welcome.
JAKE TAPPER, ANCHOR, CNN’S “THE LEAD”: It’s great it be here.
KURTZ: White House Press Secretary Jay Carney was on Fox News on Friday, interviewed by the anchor, Jenna Lee, who was asking about why the Easter Egg Roll was continuing, but the White House tours have been canceled.
And Carney said, well, actually, Jenna, if you did a little reporting the other day, Carney said to Mara Liasson of NPR, you’re still working on a typewriter. So, is there now a relationship between White House reporters of which you were one and the press secretary?
TAPPER: Well, I mean, for me, at least, it hasn’t started now. It had been adversarial since I started and at least for me.
KURTZ: But some people saying this White House is tougher, more aggressive against the press than some of its predecessors.
TAPPER: Well, look, in 2000, the Bush campaign was — a senior official with the Bush campaign talked with another reporter about the possibility of throwing me off the plane.
KURTZ: What did you do?
TAPPER: My questions were apparently not deferential enough, and my stories were apparently not flattering enough. So my only point is, however I have, yes, I have had unpleasant phone calls and conversations with people in the Obama administration, but I had them with the Bush administration and that’s –
KURTZ: You’ve got the scars to show for it.
TAPPER: Well, it’s part of the job. The truth of the matter is, I never really understood the people who get a nasty phone call and then go on TV to talk about it. It’s part of the job. You do a story they don’t like. You’re going to get yelled at and you listen to them or you yell back and then you move on.
KURTZ: This is what you signed up for. Let me ask you about journalists often accused, as you know, of being obsessed with politics, caring less about issues, substance of governing. The former Governor Jeb Bush on “Meet the Press” last week raised this point with David Gregory. Let’s take a look.
DAVID GREGORY, NBC NEWS: Governor, before I let you go, who is the hottest Florida politician right now? Is it you or Marco Rubio? Who are we more likely to see in the White House?
JEB BUSH (R), FORMER GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA: Man, you guys are crack addicts. You really are obsessed with all this politics.
GREGORY: You know, I have been called a lot of things.
BUSH: Marco Rubio is a great guy. OK, heroin addict, is that better?
KURTZ: Crack addicts. That’s a serious charge.
TAPPER: Well, I mean, look, obviously, if there’s a politician versus a reporter, my first inclination is to go with the reporter. But, obviously, there’s a lot of 2016 speculation —
KURTZ: And Jeb Bush went on five Sunday shows, probably not unrelated to the fact that he might possibly be considering an exploratory committee to run for president.
TAPPER: Right. Look, I agree. I mean, you know, obviously, he is considering running for president and at the same time, another Florida Republican is considering running for president.
KURTZ: Legitimate question.
TAPPER: I mean, maybe hottest wasn’t the way I would have put it, but ultimately, yes. It seems rather odd to be considering a presidential run and this is not, this is not specific to Jeb Bush, but this whole kabuki that they’re not considering it and we’re not —
KURTZ: Haven’t seen thought about it.
TAPPER: We’re not supposed to ask about it is silly. He is considering running for president. He hasn’t made a decision. He is considering running for president. That is a reported fact that I know. I’m sure David Gregory knows. We all know. That’s OK. I don’t understand why — the hahaha I think was enough.
KURTZ: Let’s talk about you. You recently have joined CNN. You were a White House correspondent —
TAPPER: Rejoined CNN.
KURTZ: Rejoined CNN. In fact, I remember when you came on RELIABLE SOURCES when you were a young person.
TAPPER: This actually might have been, by the way. I’d have to go back and check.
KURTZ: I tell people it is.
TAPPER: I think this was the first TV appearance I ever did was on your show. I think that’s true.
KURTZ: It has now become reality. It’s a fact.
TAPPER: So thank you.
KURTZ: You’re quite welcome. Was it a difficult decision to leave ABC, a bigger platform?
TAPPER: It was very difficult. Look, I had been there since 2003. So, almost a decade and, you know, I started there and Charlie and Diane were on in the morning and Peter Jennings was on in the evening and Ted Koppel was on for “Nightline” at 11:30. A place that I had so much respect for so many people who work there and still do have so much respect and affection.
KURTZ: But —
TAPPER: But ultimately I really just felt like it was time for me to anchor my own show, and I really wanted it to be a broad show about a broad number of topics and not just politics, even though that’s how most people know me know me. And —
KURTZ: It will be a show, in the minute that we have left, will be able to fill that gap. But everyone at CNN and the TV community knows about it, that when there is no big breaking story, you have to provide a compelling reason to watch CNN. To watch “The Lead.”
TAPPER: That’s the hope, 4:00, what is on? What is Tapper covering today? What are the six most important stories in national world, money, politics, sports and pop culture? What are those six or seven most important stories today? Who is the big interview he has, who is the great roundtable he has? Let’s tune in at 4:00. That’s the hope. Hopefully from your lips to God’s ear, it will happen.
KURTZ: We will find out. Good luck with the new show, Jake Tapper.
TAPPER: Thanks.
KURTZ: Thanks very much for joining us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KURTZ: “THE LEAD” airs at 4:00 p.m. Eastern starting on Monday.