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American Morning

Interview with Howard Kurtz, Martha Brandt

Aired May 03, 2002 - 09:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: America is definitely talking about this one this morning. Former president Bill Clinton as a TV host? Well, he met with NBC executives, he listened to their pitches about hosting his very own, perhaps Oprah-style, TV talk show. And CNN asked NBC's entertainment chief Jeff Zucker about that prospect.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF ZUCKER, NBC: I have no comment.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you have discussions with him, did he (ph) say anything about it?

ZUCKER: No comment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: Oh, thanks Jeff. That really cleared things up for us this morning. And joining us now from Washington to take some of your e-calls -- e-calls, yes. Your calls and your e-mails, "Washington Post" media critic Howard Kurtz and Martha Brandt from "Newsweek." Good morning. Nice to see the two of you.

MARTHA BRANDT, 'NEWSWEEK': Good morning.

HOWARD KURTZ, MEDIA CRITIC, 'WASHINGTON POST': Good morning.

ZAHN: All right, before I get to your opinions, I want to put up on the screen two of the first e-mails we received, just to give people an idea of what a hot-button issue this is this morning.

The first one comes from Mark. He writes, "I would love to see President Clinton on a show... I think he would be interesting. It would also be fun to watch the reaction from conservative radio and TV personalities."

Now, square that with this one from Dean. He writes, "How dare Bill Clinton think the American people would want to see him on TV. He is lucky he is not jail. The best thing for him to do is go away... quietly."

All right, Martha, what do you think he is going to end up doing? Is he going to do a show or not? BRANDT: I doubt it, but you know, the "Washington Post" editorial called it inevitable, and I can't say that I am surprised. He's such a good gabber. I didn't cover the Clinton White House, but he used to come back on Air Force One and talk so much that reporters would say, thanks Mr. President, we have to go to sleep now and then walk away. We would just never do that in the Bush White House, so he is good at talking.

ZAHN: Howard, you get to take the first phone call. It comes from Bob. Good morning, Bob.

CALLER: Good morning.

ZAHN: You can fire away your question or your comment on Bill Clinton potentially hosting his very own TV show.

CALLER: Good morning. I don't particularly care about Bill Clinton's philosophy when he was president of the White House. I don't think we should give him a bandstand to continue his philosophy. I think his morays -- or his morals are questionable, plus the fact that I think anything he says would be lacking credibility.

ZAHN: What about that Howard? That certainly had to be put into the decision-making process as NBC sat down and offered what I am told is an generous offer. What was it, $50 million for one year?

KURTZ: Probably worth it if they could get him. Here's how I do the math, Paula. Everybody who likes Bill Clinton will watch the show. Everybody who hates Bill Clinton will watch the show just to fume about him, and he will get 100 share. I mean, this -- look, this is the most polarizing president since Richard Nixon. The mere mention of the possibility that maybe he might do this has gotten your e-mails going, it has gotten everybody in the news business yakking about it, and therefore there will be tremendous amount of interest, and those who think that he is of insufficient morality to be on daytime TV, where there is obviously some high-toned programming now, can simply tune it out.

ZAHN: You say that so facetiously. "High tone" programming. We heard that acid in your voice there. Let's go on to Rhonda from New Jersey this morning. Good morning, Rhonda.

CALLER: Hi, how are you.

ZAHN: Fine, thanks.

CALLER: I would not miss a show. I never missed one of his press conferences, I thought they were the most informative, interesting, thought-provoking hours on television, and I wouldn't leave my TV if he were on a talk show. I think the man is brilliant and I have missed his input.

ZAHN: All right, Martha, I guess Howard is on to something when he says those who hate him are going to watch him, and those that love would watch him. BRANDT: That's exactly right. I just wonder what his wife is going to think if he starts opining about politics. He remains the best spokesperson for the Democratic party. I know that that makes Al Gore and Joe Lieberman kind of upset, but it is true. He is a tremendously dramatic and dynamic speaker, and people are going to watch it.

ZAHN: Bob from Indiana is joining us now. Good morning, Bob.

CALLER: Good morning.

ZAHN: Go ahead.

CALLER: Yes, I would not watch Bill Clinton. He ought to be in jail. He duped the American people. He lied, and anybody can't keep their sex life in the position that man was in, can't keep it from the public, ain't got no business talking to anybody else.

ZAHN: What about that viewpoint, Howard?

KURTZ: Well, clearly this is a guy who stirs tremendous passions in the memories of impeachment, and Monica, and all the scandals have not faded, and I'm sure some people would not like to see him on television. But again, I think there is something just compelling about him, both for those who don't like him, and those who do. And you know, his whole presidency was ,on some level, a talk show. I remember those State of the Union speeches that would go on for an hour and a half. The pundits all hated them. The public, much of it, seemed to like it. Those all-night sessions that he would have with aides. I mean, he just talked a lot. The guy loves to talk, and this does seem like natural medium for him, leaving aside the rather inconvenient fact that this probably won't happen.

ZAHN: Martha, we are going to take this e-mail from Fred now, who has an idea for Bill Clinton's first show if he lands a job with NBC, and he writes, "Maybe for his first show, Clinton should talk about what the definition of 'is' is."

BRANDT: Well, you know, this is one of the problems is that he does have a bit of a tawdry past, and talk shows can be tawdry. So maybe he is perfect for it, or for a man who is obsessed with his historical legacy, maybe this is exactly the wrong thing for him to be doing if he's trying to kind of redefine his presidency and lift it a little bit out of the gutter where it dwelled for a while.

ZAHN: Betty from Georgia joins...

KURTZ: It does certainly...

ZAHN: Oh, sorry Howard. Let's move on to Betty from Georgia, and we will let you chime in. Good morning, Betty.

CALLER: Good morning. I think Bill Clinton is one of the greatest presidents we ever had. I think he's intelligent, and I certainly would like for him to be at the helm right now that we're in trouble in the East -- Middle East. Thank you. ZAHN: Well Howard, based on the phone calls we are getting, and believe me, we are not stacking these in any way. You have a pro- call, a con-call, a pro-call, a con-call. I think it fits into your theory quite nicely, that everybody would watch.

KURTZ: It is amazing -- it is amazing that these -- the callers are all talking about the same person, and some think he's just a brilliant man who they admire, and others think that he ought to be in jail, and run off the public stage, and perhaps tarred and feathered in the process. There is an interesting question, though. You know, doing a talk show, as you know, is a little harder than it looks. And there is an interesting question, if he were -- if the former president were to do this on a daily basis, would he talk about the Middle East and Afghanistan, and his talks with world leaders? Would it be more like C-Span, or would it be more like Sally Jessy, who you interviewed earlier, who is giving up her talk show throne, where he would talk about thongs and adultery, where he also has a bit of expertise. So, I don't know exactly what the high-low mix would be, and it clearly it would erode, a little bit the gravities (ph) that attaches to all former presidents if he were out there getting exposed or even overexposed every day.

ZAHN: All right. June gets the final word from California. June, thanks for getting up so early to watch AMERICAN MORNING. Good morning. What is your thought?

CALLER: Good morning. Thanks. I wouldn't probably walk across the street to see him in person, much less see him on TV. I think he loves the limelight, I think that is his problem. He only likes -- he likes the Hollywood limelight, and I just don't have much respect for him at all. I never liked him as a president, and I don't like him a person.

ZAHN: All right, Martha, she doesn't want him on TV. Your final thought this morning on whether -- you don't think he actually -- he is going to take a show. His spokespeople are saying definitely not a talk show, but left the door open for another possibility. Final thought.

BRANDT: I think he is opening -- I think he is opening the door. He may not do it now, but there are plenty of opportunities. Everybody wants him, and whether you love him or hate him, he is going to be interesting, and he is going to make news, and as you mentioned earlier, he is going to be able to get a tremendous number of guests with a simple phone call, and he is going to be interesting to watch either way.

ZAHN: Howie?

KURTZ: Yes, I hadn't thought about Bill Clinton as booker in chief, he certainly could get some pretty high-profile people coming on. I think this going to be a great issue for those of us in the media to kick around for another week or so, and the tenor of the phone calls you have taken this morning really shows that the passions have not really subsided. The guy has been out of office for a year and a half. They have not really subsided when it comes to William Jefferson Clinton.

ZAHN: Well, we will be looking for more of that conflict on your show this weekend when you tackle this very question. Thank you both for joining us this morning. Martha Brandt, Howie Kurtz.

KURTZ: Thank you.

ZAHN: Have a good weekend.

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