Skip to main content

tv   Reliable Sources  CNN  April 16, 2017 8:00am-9:01am PDT

8:00 am
deforestization is brazil's meat industry, cutting down rain forests to make room for cattle raising and reducing the ability to absorb them. thanks for being part of my program this week. i will see you next week. good morning. happy easter sunday and happy passover. this is "reliable sources" a look at the story behind the story and how the media really works and how the news gets made. ahead, dan rather talking about the white house press secretary's sloppiness and how the news media is covering trump's military action and the latest on bill o'reilly with observers wondering if his spring break vacation will become permanent. later, someone i want to introduce you to, a banker turned photographer crisscrossing the country, interviewing the forgotten men and women.
8:01 am
what he's learned about the media world, coming up. after a week of u-turns by the president, part of what chris cillizza called the education of donald trump, let's seek out a quote of the week, a single quote that tells a big story. this is what the president told the wall street yournl after listening to the president explain the history of china/north korea relations. quote, after listening for ten minutes, i realize that it's not so easy. this quote left cnn's anderson cooper almost speechless. >> president trump said in the wall street journal after listening to the chinese president explain the history of china and north korea for ten minutes, he realized it's not so easy. i mean, is that -- i -- i -- i'm -- i really am speechless. i don't know why i'm reacting like this. >> he said the same thing about health care. >> it's the same thing.
8:02 am
nobody knew health care was so complicated. everybody knew it was really, really complicated. >> she is right. back in february, trump said this about health care. >> i have to tell you, it's an unbelievably complex subject. nobody knew that health care could be so complicated. >> this really exposes the tensions between the president and his press corps. it seems the president says he's just learning. i think this exposes a deeper issue of competing realities about this administration based on the news sources you choose, you may be seeing an alternative reality. joining me to sort it out, steven, editor ond chief of reuters, lydia, editor and chief of "huffington post" and the head of npr. listening to the chinese
8:03 am
president, he realize zed it's not that easy. on the bright side, he's learning, listening and learning. >> yep. it's a leader's job to sort out complexity and explain it to, in this case, the country and the world. it's our job as journalists to take very complicated situations and present them in ways that our listeners or readers can understand them. but, what's a little difficult in this situation and what has been hard for journalists is as the president's learning curve takes effect, things change from day-to-day. we are often caught in a situation where we don't know what he's saying today will have that much valance the next day or the day after. that's created a tension for us. >> last week or this week. >> it's more complicated than believing. it is understanding of the situation is honest at the moment he's expressing it.
8:04 am
you know, most leaders, what you get is they simplify or oversimply fie a complicated situation for their political purposes. in this case, based on things the president said, you can believe he thought it was that sump l, until he realized it wasn't. >> the quote from this week came from wall street journal. he called up the new york post and gave an interview to "the wall street journal," all murdock properties. he is accessible. that was a take away about the president and the press. the journalists are surprised by how accessible this president has been. here he is in interviews sharing his thought process, his evolution in realtime. >> it's wild. remember in the 2004 election how devastating the flip-flopper, you know, insult was to john kerry? i mean, i remember at the republican convention, flip-flop, flip-flop.
8:05 am
it was unbelievable. i think what undergurd that is is the idea you have a political leader with convictions for the purpose of expediency thrown those beliefs out. in this case, as michael said, it's not that he has real beliefs or convictions. he is accessible. he will talk to anyone. he talks to the world via twitter. in the normal course of events, it's great the president is so accessible. if his words are meaningless or a learning journey for him, what are we going make of that? how do we cover it? >> accessibility isn't always entirely valuable or the only thing that matters? >> absolutely not. if someone is speaking in gobbledygook and words don't have meaning, what do you do with that? >> steve, after listening ten minutes, i realize it's not that
8:06 am
easy. when you hear that statement, do they resent him? they are experts and know how the world works. they are hearing the president is just now learning. >> we are trying to focus on reporting the global reaction than focusing on our own reaction. >> how can you set your own reactions aside and not have a personal reaction? >> i think our job is to try to look at any government anywhere in the world, sort of through the same prism and ask ourselves how much skepticism we need to attach based on where it is coming from, based on the context and help people understand it. >> there's two kind of principles here that are in conflict, if you want to look at this from the journalistic point of view and i know how much you want to empathize with us. i think, generally speaking, we would like to err on the side of letting them say anything. the words of a political leader,
8:07 am
automatic. on the other hand, there's an old journalistic adage that says watch what they do, not what they say. that is extremely important. their actions are often not at all in configuration with various things that have been said and the things that are said don't fit together. >> a great example of this is all this focus on the fight between jared kushner and steve bannon, it's an interesting story, a great, juice yy politi story. even if bannon goes, sessions is attorney general and miller is cozy with jared kushner and they are prosecuting the program they promised the voters. even if bannon leaves, it's a different thing to have that conflict with an internal staffer in the white house. jeff sessions is, in fact, the attorney general. i worry we are losing focus on the actions of the attorney general who can actually do
8:08 am
stuff, unilaterally do stuff, in the middle of this heated, i would say overheated coverage of the game of thrones going on. ssh pay more attention to the agencies and departments, not just on the white house. >> absolutely. >> it is not a new problem. we have tended over the years, journal im journalism put attention on the president of the united states. that's become a bigger and bigger investment. we tend not to pay enough attention to important places like the pentagon and the justice department. >> yeah. >> the attorney general's decision the other day to change the justice department's position on oversight of law enforcement in local communities. very important decision. lots of ramifications. people are happy with it and people who are angry about it. it is extremely important and will have big implications to people. >> kellyanne conway is right
8:09 am
when she says they are not focused enough on policy. >> a lot of this stuff is entertaining now. i think the entertainment value is dangerous. we are living in a world of 24 hour interest. we are living in a world of twitter. we are living in a world of quick bait. you don't want the coverage of the president of the united states to be driven by the forlss. what people care about. they care about education, security, jobs, health care. they care about things that are fundmental. >> as steven say, a lot of people are tuning in intermitt tantly. they may have the radio on in the background, tune into cnn while making breakfast for their kids. they are not paying attention to every tweet and blow by blow. maybe they listen to talk radio on the way to work. this is a fundmental, larger, fundamental problem in the way people consume media. they are not paying attention to
8:10 am
every twist and turn. it's incumbent on us to go further in focusing on substance rather than fluff. >> i'm a little more pessimistic figure at this table. i perceive there's two filter bubbles or echo chambers people are in depending on whether you are a loyal supporter of trump. >> coal jobs are either going to come back or not. facts are going to decide for people. they are going to get health care insurance or they are not. i think that's why we have to be more patient. lots of things are happening. in many cases, it's going to be a year or two before it settles down and people say my life got better on didn't. i don't think they can be fooled about that, honestly. >> i think -- there are filter bubbles. in fact, there aren't two, there are a lot. they overlap and intercept. it's clearly one of the jobs of
8:11 am
journalism. we take this seriously. try to puncture through the filter bubbles, help people see and hear things they are not otherwise seeing and hearing. but, the other challenge here isn't just the filter bubble the way you conceive it. people look for the information they need to live their lives and to do their work as citizen zs on cycles that are different from the cycles we operate on as news organizations. so, part of what we have to develop and i think all three of the organizations that you have here represented are trying to do this. to create information that's available to you when you are ready for it. when you are the hunger for it, when you need it, instead of on the schedule that we give it to you. >> such a great point. >> that's not the only part. that, alone, makes a huge difference. >> are we making and producing news or making it more for ourselves. that comment about how it's more complicated than i thought with
8:12 am
china and north korea, it wasn't covered by breitbart or red state or the site that is are protrump or very conservative. i wonder if that's the alternative reality i'm describing here. >> i think that's right, it is the alternative reality. people live in the filter bubbles. people that live in hard bubbles is a small number of people. i don't believe that it's a 50/50 split of the country, 50% of the country are open minded and the other 50% are absolutely imposed. people lead rich and complex lives. >> people go to work. at work, they talk about these issues. you may have a cousin who has a different point of view and you see them over the holidays and get into a discussion about it. >> michael, lydia, steve, thank you very much for being here. >> thank you. we are just getting started
8:13 am
here on "reliable sources." a former white house communications adviser weighs in on sean spicer's tough week. bill o'reilly, will he have a job when he comes back from vacation? if you have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, isn't it time to let the real you shine through? introducing otezla, apremilast. otezla is not an injection or a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. some people who took otezla saw 75% clearer skin after 4 months. and otezla's prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. don't take otezla if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. otezla may increase the risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts, or if these feelings develop.
8:14 am
some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. side effects may include diarrhea, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, and headache. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, and if you're pregnant or planning to be. ask your dermatologist about otezla today. otezla. show more of you. when this bell rings... ...it starts a chain reaction... ...that's heard throughout the connected business world. at&t network security helps protect business, from the largest financial markets to the smallest transactions, by sensing cyber-attacks in near real time and automatically deploying countermeasures. keeping the world of business connected and protected. that's the power of and. moms know their kids need love, encouragement and milk. with 8 grams of natural protein, and 8 other nutrients to provide balanced nutrition.
8:15 am
moms know kids grow strong when they milk life. and 8 [bullfighting music] provide balanced nutrition. [burke] billy-goat ruffians. seen it. covered it. we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two. ♪ we are farmers. bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ♪ the whole process of buying awe didn't know if it was even something that we could plausibly do.
8:16 am
but having the zestimate in which they kinda calculate out what the approximate value of that house, maybe, should be. it took all of that kinda scary risk away. i can't tell you how much happier we are having a place of our own. whatever home means to you, we'll help you find it. zillow. at lincoln, we're all about making things simpler for you. like, imagine having your vehicle serviced... from the comfort of your own home. introducing complimentary lincoln pickup and delivery servicing. because the most important luxury of all... is time. pickup and delivery servicing on the entire family of lincoln luxury vehicles including a complimentary lincoln loaner. welcome back to "reliable
8:17 am
sources." sean spicer is getting a much needed break this weekend. i was dpoung to start by saying this was the press secretary's worst week yet. we have heard that so many times, it's feeling redundant. to his credit, spicer did something we didn't see from the trump administration. he apologized for the hitler comparison. >> i made a mistake. there's no other way to say it. i got into a topic that i shouldn't have and i screwed up. >> a big screw up and a forthright apology. is this part of a changing press strategy at the white house and how much does z it matter to the public? joining me is president obama's white house communications director up until january. now a cnn contributor. since you have been in this environment, was there a pile on this week? did spicer get unfairly treated? was there too much criticism? >> part of what we saw is that
8:18 am
he and the white house press team and the white house in general, currently, has not built up, they haven't built up a lot of good will with the media. when there's a moment you screw up, every press secretary screws up, everybody who has had sean's job -- there are times -- never at this level to be fair. there isn't a lot of good will. therefore, there isn't a lot of bandwidth for people to give you a break. >> beyond the hitler comparison, he sometimes mispronounces assad's name and there's sloppiness on a daily basis. is he going to lose his job? should he lose his job? >> there haven't been real indication that is is happening. i don't have the greatest level of insight into the trump team staffing in comparison with others. this is a job, i think, his
8:19 am
success is based on what his boss thinks, what donald trump thinks. donald trump is also a little loose with the facts. he's also a little loose with pronunciations sometimes. he wants him to go out and be brash and be somebody who makes strong, aggressive points. to some degree, sean is doing that. whether or not he continues to stay is probably the decision of one person. he seems to be doing what donald trump wants him to do. >> when i asked if he should lose his job, i figured you would say yes. no, you are giving him leeway. >> look, i think there's way too much time spent in washington. you know, demonizing the staff and i think there are things that sean could have done better. there are ways he hasn't been served by his team, probably. there are ways that he hasn't been served by the president that he is working for and the job he thooz deliver on his behalf. but, you know, i think that it's
8:20 am
a really tough job. everybody screws up. he apologized, you know, whether -- if he didn't know the history, that's perhaps his own thing that should be concerning. he needs to spend more time with history books. i think he may be in his job for a while is my suspicion. >> pretty soon, we are going to hear about trump's first 100 days, how he's been doing and how the communication team is trying to spin the first 100 days. as a member of the opposition, what kind of story is trump telling and how effectively is he telling it? >> you can't put lipstick on a pig. this is a pig. they have to sell something that does not have a lot of substance to it. he may be one of the first president's in recent history who hasn't passed a major piece of legislation. typically, that is the point of what you are selling. >> isn't it more about emotion?
8:21 am
suspe isn't it about a feeling, this is a guy on my side? >> maybe, but the public isn't feeling that right now. i think the challenge they are going to have is there is already some pullback from people who thought that he was going to immediately bring back their jobs, from people who thought he was going to protect their health care, make their lives better. some of that, you can't sell because there's nothing to sell for. >> really? i think he's telling a simple story. i'm keeping it safe, fighting the bad guys overseas and working on getting your jobs back, talking to ceos. it's a simple story. >> perhaps. i think when people aren't feeling it individually, they are not feeling that their lives are getting better, you are not going to see that same evaluation of the national story line. i think that, unfortunately, with the lesson he may take away from the military action is that
8:22 am
that can make you more popular. his polls will likely see a jump in advance of his 100 days because they have historically, as a result of military action. that may help in story telling that he's strong. that's hopefully not the lesson he learned from it. it's a risk, too. i think their job is challenging. >> syria, then afghanistan this week. you are saying these strikes could benefit him and he may look at the coverage, the positive coverage and say i should do more of that? >> he may. if you look at president bush's popularity, went up after 9/11 and after the war in afghanistan was started, there is a certain nationalism and national pride that comes when military action is taken. we haven't seen -- it hasn't been too long since the syria strike, but it is likely he will get a bump in the polls. as somebody who loves to be popular and loved, he may take
8:23 am
away military action is the way to get my numbers up. i hope that's not the case, but we could see that happen. >> the one thing you would like to see the communications team there, your successors sitting in your old office, what do you wish they were doing differently? >> it's hard to answer that question as a democrat. >> as an american. >> as an american, we deserve more answers on what their plan is in syria. we deserve more information on how exactly they are going to make sure people don't have their health care taken away. they are light on substantive answers to big policy issues that are going to impact people's lives. i think we all should want to hear more and see more. >> great to see you. >> nice to be here. up next, fresh reporting on bill o'reilly and the split inside the murdock family and the future of the o'reilly factor. that's after the break. "now my boyfriend wants to talk on sundays.
8:24 am
just so many words." your boyfriend's got it bad. maybe think about being single until the start of the season. (de♪p breath) (phone ringing) they'll call back. no one knows your ford better than ford and ford service. right now, during the big tire event, get a $140 rebate by mail, on four select tires. ♪
8:25 am
it'that can make a worldces, of difference. expedia, everything in one place, so you can travel the world better. after becoming one of the largest broadband companies in the country. after expanding our fiber network coast to coast. these are the places we call home. we are centurylink. we believe in the power of the digital world. the power to connect. and that's what drives us everyday. listen up, heart disease.) you too, unnecessary er visits.
8:26 am
and hey, unmanaged depression, don't get too comfortable. we're talking to you, cost inefficiencies and data without insights. and fragmented care- stop getting in the way of patient recovery and pay attention. every single one of you is on our list. for those who won't rest until the world is healthier, neither will we. optum. how well gets done. is to always keep track of your employees.r micromanage them. make sure they're producing. woo! employee of the month! you really shouldn't leave their side. vita coco coconut water, hydration comes naturally.
8:27 am
so you'rhow nice.a party? i'll be right there. and the butchery begins. what am i gonna wear? this party is super fancy. let's go. i'm ready. are you my uber? [ horn honks ] hold on. don't wait for watchathon week to return. [ doorbell rings ] who's that? show me netflix. sign up for netflix on x1 today and keep watching all year long.
8:28 am
what will rupert murdock decide? that is the media question of the next seven days. the biggest star on fox news, bill o'reilly is on vacation seven more days. ta's why there's a ticking clock. o'reilly may not be resting, here is why. they are controlled by the murdocks, rupert and his sons. the murdocks are not sure whether to continue standing by o'reilly. let's flashback to april 1st. "the new york times" reported on the previously secret settlements o'reilly struck with women who accused him of sexual harassment. he settled to avoid embarrassing headlines. sponsors started to move their ads from the o'reilly factor.
8:29 am
a woman who has not settled in exchange for a payout called up and asked fox to formally investigate o'reilly. her name is wendy walsh. this is what her lawyer said. >> we received a return phone call from a couple of attorneys who represent fox news. they said that they are, indeed, going to do an investigation based on wendy's complaint. >> in response to that comment, 21st century fox issued a statement saying they investigate all complaints and asked paul weiss to continue assisting in the matter. this is a canned corporate statement that contained big news. he is the law firm that looked into fox news boss, roger ales and they concluded ales has to go. is the same thing happening this time? o'reilly is a profit engine for
8:30 am
fox news but he's hurting the brand. this came as a surprise, o'reilly said he was going on vacation. he said it was preplanned. watch. >> last fall, i booked a trip that should be terrific. not going to tell you where it is. we have a contest on billo'reilly.com, guess where bill is going. >> he will return april 24th. it's curious timing. here is what they told chris hayes on msnbc. >> do you believe it was preplanned? >> yes, all my reporting indicates bill o'reilly did plan the trip before. what i find striking is management let him go. when you are in the middle of a public relations crisis, if they were backing him, they would say stay on the air, we got your back, don't make it look like this is a suspension. >> let's him go on the preplanned vacation is an
8:31 am
indicator? >> maybe he is not the kind of guy to cancel a vacation to save face. my idea is they are relieved. this is a cooling off period as one source said to me. this is where it gets interesting. sherman and reporters of "the new york times" say there is a dramatic divide within fox, a divide within the murdock family over o'reilly's future. this is from cnn dylan buyers reporting. one source close to the matter said their understanding, rupert, the executive chairman would like to keep o'reilly on while his son, james, the ceo, is opposed to that idea. what will the family decide to do? here is what lisa bloom said on cnn tonight the other day. >> whether they are going to fire bill o'reilly, in other company in america would do that with six complaints including women with recordings of him calling them engaged in a sex act. >> she aid any other company
8:32 am
would fire him. historically during murdocks time, fox prided themselves on not being like any other company. maybe that's changing. maybe rupert's sons want it to change. this is a story that is tricky to cover. most of the people that know what's going on, they are not talking. o'reilly is in italy. the one thing we know for sure, april 24th is going to be a crucial day, the day o'reilly is sk scheduled to be back on the factor. the murdocks have a big decision to make. log on to reliablesources.com. that's the daily wrap up of the daily news on the o'reilly scandal and other stories. coming up, dan rather, the one and only talking about trump's military action in afghanistan, syria and elsewhere and how the press is responding. we'll be right back.
8:33 am
it's big screen entertainment, right in your hadnds. buy a samsung galaxy s8 and get one free when you have direct tv and add a line. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ sfx: engine revving
8:34 am
♪ (silence) ♪ even if you're trying your best.be a daily struggle, along with diet and exercise, once-daily toujeo® may help you control your blood sugar. get into a daily groove. ♪ let's groove tonight. ♪ share the spice of life. ♪ baby, slice it right. from the makers of lantus®, ♪ we're gonna groove tonight. toujeo® provides blood sugar-lowering activity for 24 hours and beyond, proven blood sugar control all day and all night, and significant a1c reduction. toujeo® is used to control high blood sugar in adults with diabetes. it contains 3 times as much insulin in 1 milliliter as standard insulin. don't use toujeo® to treat diabetic ketoacidosis, during episodes of low blood sugar or if you're allergic to insulin. get medical help right away if you have a serious allergic reaction
8:35 am
such as body rash or trouble breathing. don't reuse needles or share insulin pens. the most common side effect is low blood sugar, which can be life threatening. it may cause shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision. check your blood sugar levels daily. injection site reactions may occur. don't change your dose of insulin without talking to your doctor. tell your doctor about all your medicines and medical conditions. check insulin label each time you inject. taking tzds with insulins, like toujeo®, may cause heart failure that can lead to death. find your rhythm and keep on grooving. ♪ let's groove tonight. ask your doctor about toujeo®. ♪ share the spice of life. dad likare you going to weeks be using my car? until my insurance claim goes through this is our car. mr. parker, my parents have allstate. they have this claim satisfaction guarantee. really? their claim experience is fast, fair, and hassle-free or they get their, like, money back. saraaah!!! come to prom with me!!
8:36 am
no. -hey mr. parker. claim satisfaction guarantee, only from allstate. it's good to be in good hands. this is brooke's yard with ugly bare spots. but scotts ez seed changes everything. our finest grass seed plus quick-start fertilizer and natural super- absorbent mulch grow grass anywhere. guaranteed. this is a scotts yard. i can't wait for her to have that college experience that i had. the classes, the friends, the independence. and since we planned for it, that student debt is the one experience, i'm glad she'll miss when you have the right financial advisor, life can be brilliant. ameriprise
8:37 am
welcome back to "reliable sources." in syria, afghanistan, yemen and elsewhere the trump administration is taking military action and making the most of the military action of those actions, of those air strikes and bombings, calling to phrase the theater of war. we have heard commentary about the bombings making trump presidential. my next guest is concerned about that. dan rather, legendary news man, former anchor of nbc "nightly news" and he joins me here in new york. dan, you wrote about the coverage of the syria strikes more than a week ago. you thought the commentary around this was disturbing, why? >> so much of it saying now president trump is established himself as, quote, presidential. dropping bombs, having missile
8:38 am
strikes doesn't make one presidential. there's an old story here and i rk , among others have a lot to answer. because the president is commander in chief, there's a natural inclination and an unhealthy one to say, boy, that makes him presidential or strong. it's easy to drop bombs and easy to put missiles off. what comes after that, dealing with what comes in the wake of that is much more difficult. so, yes, i was critical of those and raised the question of those who said this makes trump presidential. i gently and hope respectfully disagree with that. what makes you presidential is can you keep the peace. if it turns out he can, that's a good move. we are in danger here. there's a lot of things, north
8:39 am
korea, syria, iraq, yemen, somalia, south china sea. these are real powder kegs with a short fuse burning. before we make decisions on being, quote, presidential, we need to see how it plays out. >> do journalists have a tendency, a natural tendency to rally around the flag in moments of crisis and military action? is that detrimental? >> they do have that tendency and we should fight it. rallying around the flag doesn't mean rallying around a military strike. rallying around the flag is what's best for the country. what's best for the country is for journalists to be skeptical, not cynical, but skeptical and ask the questions. what does this mean? where can this lead? what is the purpose of this? what is the motivation of this? that's the role we should be playing in societies. >> wars or military actions,
8:40 am
they burnish journalists brands, don't they? i was thinking of something fox said, he said reporters like stuff to cover. wars are interesting and eventful. now, it's easy to say that from thousands of miles away in washington or new york, but there's truth in that. >> there's a great deal of truth in that. journalists need to pull back a little bit and say, listen, what is really rallying behind the flag? being in support of the president, that's one thing. to ask the right questions and keep on asking the right questions. i remind you, in the roll up to the iraq war, very few journalists, and i'm sorry to say i wasn't one of them asked enough of the right questions, what are we getting into. there was an immediate rally around the flag. i want to make very clear, these actions by president trump may or may not have been necessary. they may or may not have had any
8:41 am
other motivation. one effect they had, intended or not, was to change the conversation. the conversation was all about what did donald trump know and when did he know it about russia influence on the election. the second the missiles were launched on syria, the narrative changed to his advantage. i don't think that was his intention but it was an effect of it. >> we saw that in afghanistan with the use of the moab bomb. is it psychological that the audience both at home and abroad know of the use of the weapon of that cap ber. >> this superbomb was used in afghanistan that overwhelmingly the motive was, it was the right effective weapon used in the effective way. but, you can make an argument, also one, sends a signal to the north koreans, the russians and chinese and others, this president is not reluctant to
8:42 am
use super weapons. another is the psychological impact of the public at large, this president is strong. he's willing to use our military muscle. so, intended or not, i think intended not in the case of the superbomb, i think it was overwhelmingly, this is the right weapon to use at the right place. >> to penetrate the isis tunnels. >> right. the psychological effects do come into play. >> we are taking in many cases the administration's word on these matters. what the pentagon says was the target, was the impact, was a success or failure. we saw in yemen, the initial report, the initial claim from the administration may not line up with regards to civilian casualties. >> this is so important. it's important for journalists such as myself, you, the public to understand. in any big event, frequently much of what you hear turns out
8:43 am
to be wrong or somewhat wrong. number two, this is where we have to ask the question and keep asking the questions, is what it appears to be, what appears to be frequently is not the reality. what's going on behind the scenes in the trump administration. we do not yet know about these military strikes use of weaponry, his reversing course on so many things. in terms of policy, including foreign policy, president trump has been jumping around like a frog in a hot skillet. he's reversed himself on any number of things. you know, he said, question nato and now in favor of nato. he said the u.s. military is -- now he's for it. he questioned the federal reserve, now reappointing the head. there's a long list of these things. chinese currency. first, chinese currency manipulator. now he says they aren't
8:44 am
manipulators. there's a lot going on behind the scenes. this business of jumping around from place to place, being unpredictable is helpful for a leader. but, if you are this unpredictable, you run the risk of running a dysfunctional presidency. that's what donald trump is battling at the moment. >> dan, great to see you. >> always great to see you. take care. up next, someone i have been hoping to interview, a writer, photographer, sud di--ing addiction and now studying the trump effect. meet him after the break.
8:45 am
it's your tv, take it with you. with directv now and at&t, get the ultimate in entertainment plus unlimited data. get directv now for $10 a month when you have the new at&t unlimited plus plan. z282uz zwtz
8:46 am
y282uy ywty it'that can make a worldces, of difference. expedia, everything in one place, so you can travel the world better. real milk has eight times more protein than almond milk. real milk has naturally occurring calcium, almond milk doesn't. and it also only has 2% almonds, which looks like this. what's the other 98%? get real, get naturally nutritious real milk. ithere was 14 of us in a four bedroom apartment, in the projects in boston. to be the first, actually, kid to by a house in my family... i just realized that. i'm the first kid to buy a house... it's a very proud moment. whatever home means to you, we'll help you find it.
8:47 am
zillow.
8:48 am
welcome back to "reliable sources." the forgotten man and woman. he says he's a guy with a car and a camera. he's telling stories via twitter and columns. interesting turn of events.
8:49 am
he's a wall street trader who quit his job and started taking pictures writing about poverty and addiction, meeting people he says are part of a very divided country. it's a divide that frames what he says is a front row versus back row america. two kinds of people speaking two languages. i sat down with him and asked him to explain. >> the front row defines itself through its career. you can think of it that way. that's their meaning to them. whereas the back row, i don't mean it in a dismissive way, the back row is somebody that has an education beyond high school cobbled together through community colleges and state i think those two americas, the front row and the back row, really look at things very, very differently and they almost have a different language. and trump has exposed that gap.
8:50 am
i mean, he's exposed our racial divide which we've known we've had. he's also exposed our educational divide. >> is some of what you're doing exposing a form of media elitism? >> i think there's an elitism in the media that's not intentional, necessarily. i mean, i don't think anybody in the front row are bad people, i just think, you know, they've been detached. and they don't realize they're detached and i think it happens when you get into the media. you have -- by definition, to make it in the media, you have to become front row. journalism school and the process. and through after five or six years, you're front row. you may not intend to be that, and you may not think you are, but you are. and that elitism is kind of a creeping elitism, i don't think as badly intended, it just is. >> when you're visiting these comments, are you talking to them about media consumption patterns? >> not much.
8:51 am
>> cnn, fox being on, you like to pose from mcdonald's where the tv is on on mute. do you get the sense that people are tuned in or tuned out? >> i think they're more tuned in than we realize. but, not necessarily to issues that we talk about. i think local issues are just extraordinarily important. people still read local newspapers. people still consume that to the degree that's there. and any of these towns, there are empty lots where they used to be factories. i mean, this is a real thing. and that loss -- i don't think many people -- i don't think the national media up until recently has really covered it to the way that it really impacts communities. so i think that you local issues, you know, and then i would say on another level is especially at the higher end media, the "new york times," what happens is they feel rightly or wrongly, that that newspaper is against them. or that -- the media is against
8:52 am
them. so when trump says -- >> they've been told that by politicians. >> they've been told that. i think it works because it rings true to them. for many people. you know, there's a lot of diversity in the communities, aggregate, they're not writing about their communities in the way that they experience their communities. if i go into back row community as i called them, one of the biggest questions i'll ask is, do you think your children's life will be better than yours? and is your life better than your parents? and then almost -- almost in unisome, the answer is no, i don't think my children's life is going to be better than mine. now, in the front row communities, they're all like yeah, things are great. things are going to be better for my kids. that difference, you know, is something they've experienced. their life is worse than it was 20 years ago in their mind. and so if they're going to blame somebody, they're going to blame the outside politicians or the outside world and the media is convenient to blame that sense as well. >> your trips, your visits to
8:53 am
these communities, a lot of this as you're saying, predated election day. you just happen to be in these places. that ended up being pivotal to the election of president trump. >> right. i had no intention of writing about politics. i mean, i was writing a value diction that was a project. it was addiction and poverty in america. and it just so happened that -- it happened that wherever i went, there was despair. you know, addiction is a by-product of despair. and the white communities i went, i saw trump resinating. i often say where i saw hope leading drugs and trump enter in in the white communities. and the black communities, trump wasn't entering. but drugs were entering. they've been there for a long time. i had no intention of ever writing about trump. >> but now, do you feel that you're sort of a trump translator? >> i suppose. i say we speak very different languages. the front row and back row speaks different languages. it only took me -- it took me
8:54 am
three years of spending time in the back row communities to understand that wow, we really speak different languages to understand that language. >> and why aren't more journalists doing this work? >> i don't think people have the resources to do it. and i think, you know, just sending someone around the country in a car and saying, go to these 30 communities, spaend week and a half in each one, i don't think any of those -- any media level -- any senior media person would approve that. >> last question for you, given all of this work, do you feel more hopeful about the country or less? >> less. sorry. >> less? >> i wish i could say hopeful, but the division -- >> the divide is more extreme than folks might realize in their own communities? >> trump is exploiting that divide. he's exploited that divide. and very negative ways. and the reaction to trump hasn't -- has only made that
8:55 am
divide larger. i think we, the front row, the back row, all of this is division that is only growing. and unfortunately, i don't see good things ahead. >> you can follow chris on twitter. for more conversation subscribe to the reliable sources podcast, itunes, stitcher, or tune-in, new podcast every thursday. and this week was taped at the newseum. politico, and david kirk patrick. we talked about the esks of technology. while you're online, subscribe to the nightly news letter. round up the media news from d.c. to hollywood. it's free and you can sign up now, reliable sources.com. stay tuned. "state of the union" is up next. e largest broadband companies in the country. after expanding our fiber network coast to coast. these are the places we call home.
8:56 am
we are centurylink. we believe in the power of the digital world. the power to connect. and that's what drives us everyday. time's up, insufficient we're on prenatal care.es. and administrative paperwork... your days of drowning people are numbered. same goes for you, budget overruns. and rising costs, wipe that smile off your face. we're coming for you, too. for those who won't rest until the world is healthier, neither will we.
8:57 am
optum. how well gets done. is to always keep track of your employees.r micromanage them. make sure they're producing. woo! employee of the month! you really shouldn't leave their side. vita coco coconut water, hydration comes naturally.
8:58 am
we asked people to write down the things they love to do most on these balloons. travel with my daughter. roller derby. ♪ now give up half of 'em. do i have to? this is a tough financial choice we could face when we retire. but, if we start saving even just 1% more of our annual income... we could keep doing all the things we love. prudential. bring your challenges.
8:59 am
so you'rhow nice.a party? i'll be right there. and the butchery begins. what am i gonna wear? this party is super fancy. let's go. i'm ready. are you my uber? [ horn honks ] hold on. don't wait for watchathon week to return. [ doorbell rings ] who's that? show me netflix. sign up for netflix on x1 today and keep watching all year long.
9:00 am
high alert. the world on edge as north korean dictator kim jong-un shows off new missiles and warns his nation is ready for all-out war. how will president trump respond? >> north korea's a problem. the problem will be taken care of. >> we have a correspondent live with vice president pence as he touches down inside south korea, and we'll take you inside pyongyang, as tensions ratchet up. plus the biggest non-nuclear bomb in the u.s. arsenal. the pentagon drops a massive bomb on isis fighters in afghanistan, just days after a surprise u.s. strike in syria. >> if you look at what's happened over the last eight weeks and compare that to what's happened over the last eight years, you'll see there's a tremendous difference. >> is the commander in chief letting his generals run the show? senator bernie sanders will join us live. and unfr