In addition to interviewing over 30 people for the profile I wrote about Roger Ailes for the February issue of Esquire, I spoke to Roger Ailes himself on three separate occasions. The following is a transcript, somewhat condensed for readability, of the extended tape-recorded conversation I had with Ailes on December 7, 2010. Interestingly enough, our first conversation took place on Veteran's Day, providing the chief of Fox News an opportunity to speak about the extent of his patriotism. It was inevitable that with our final conversation taking place on December 7, he would remember the historical significance of the date, and remind me that it was a day that will live in infamy.
On NPR
We have Maura Liasson, but after what they did to Juan she's laying in the weeds praying that they don't get her. They are absolutely allergic to any other opinion but their own. They're still demanding an apology from me. Did you see that? That's all right. I told them I'll apologize, absolutely, as soon as they apologize to Juan Williams for what they did and how they did it. I've already apologized for the Nazi comment, but I haven't apologized directly to them because they haven't earned it.
On Liberal Voices at Fox
Tell me who you want to see on the left and I'll hire them. If you give me a big name that's out there, that's floating around and wants work, I'd be happy to hire them. We have Ed Rendell, I mean he was the head of the Democratic party. He's on twice a week. You can't get any bigger than that. I go for people who will get ratings, but I'd be happy to put a bigger name Democrat on if you've got one. Now that probably surprises you and won't get into the story, but it's true. I want people who have marquee value.
On Bill Clinton, Talk-Show Host
Well, I talked to him. The problem with Bill is he won't be as good on a talk show as you'd think. Because, first of all, he never shuts up. I mean he cannot hit time cues. But I went up to Harlem, I met with him for an hour, an hour and a half, I asked him to do a special, which he's still thinking about. I'd like to have it; I'd like to have him do a special for us. The problem with him in a talk-show mode is not that he's not charming, good, smart, and glib. He is. But he loves to talk about policy. He's actually a policy wonk. So if you really want eighteen minutes on ethanol, he'll give it to you. But it won't get ratings. So you have to be able to produce him and say, "Most people are not that interested in ethanol, Mr. President. What we'd like you to talk about is this." And if he would stick with current affairs and stick with the clock, he'd be one of the great talk-show people in the world.
On Countering MSNBC's Marketing Campaign
I stuck it to them with "Move Forward." That really irritates the shit out of them. They paid Spike Lee $3 million for "Lean"? What kind of word is that? Who wants to lean? Good Lord. Isn't that their problem — that they're leaning? Do you think any time in any of those production meetings, didn't anybody say, What about Move Forward? Maybe we ought to move. Oh no, Spike Lee — he's an artist, he can't take questions.
On His Personal Philosophy
I think almost everything in life is life-experience, personality-driven....
Source: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/roger-ailes-interview-5039254?src=rss
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