>>> SPEAKING TODAY ON AIR FORCE
>>> SPEAKING TODAY ON AIR FORCE ONE WHERE, AGAIN, AUDIO
ONE WHERE, AGAIN, AUDIO RECORDING WAS ALLOWED BUT NO
RECORDING WAS ALLOWED BUT NO CAMERAS, THE PRESIDENT TOOK
CAMERAS, THE PRESIDENT TOOK ISSUE WITH THE WAY HE IS PORTRAY
ISSUE WITH THE WAY HE IS PORTRAY PORTRAYED AS SPEAKING IN THIS
PORTRAYED AS SPEAKING IN THIS NEW BOOK OUT NEXT WEEK FROM BOB
NEW BOOK OUT NEXT WEEK FROM BOB WOODWARD.
WOODWARD. >> THE BOOK THAT WAS WRITTEN WAS
>> THE BOOK THAT WAS WRITTEN WAS FICTION.
FICTION. I DON’T SPEAK THAT WAY.
I DON’T SPEAK THAT WAY. I’M HIGHLY EDUCATED.
I’M HIGHLY EDUCATED. AND, ALWAYS DID WELL.
AND, ALWAYS DID WELL. ALWAYS DID WELL, NO MATTER WHAT
ALWAYS DID WELL, NO MATTER WHAT I DID.
I DID. >> HOW THIS PRESIDENT TALKS CAN
>> HOW THIS PRESIDENT TALKS CAN BE SOMETHING, AS YOU CAN TELL,
BE SOMETHING, AS YOU CAN TELL, HE GETS SENSITIVE ABOUT.
HE GETS SENSITIVE ABOUT. IF HE FEELS SOMEONE IS CALLING
IF HE FEELS SOMEONE IS CALLING HIM OUT ON HIS INTELLIGENCE OR
HIM OUT ON HIS INTELLIGENCE OR SCHOOLING.
SCHOOLING. TONIGHT, WE HAD A VISIT TO THE
TONIGHT, WE HAD A VISIT TO THE STUDIO BY ONE OF THE SMARTEST
STUDIO BY ONE OF THE SMARTEST GUYS WE KNOW.
GUYS WE KNOW. HE STUDIES WORDS AND THE WAY
HE STUDIES WORDS AND THE WAY PEOPLE SAY THEM FOR A LIVING.
PEOPLE SAY THEM FOR A LIVING. WE OFTEN ASK HIM ABOUT HOW THIS
WE OFTEN ASK HIM ABOUT HOW THIS PRESIDENT TALKS, OTHER THAN A
PRESIDENT TALKS, OTHER THAN A LOT.
LOT. HERE NOW, OUR GUEST, ARMED WITH
HERE NOW, OUR GUEST, ARMED WITH A PhD IN LINGUISTICS FROM
A PhD IN LINGUISTICS FROM STANFORD.
STANFORD. HE’S A FROMPROFESSOR AT COLUMBIA
HE’S A FROMPROFESSOR AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND A CONTRIBUTOR TO
UNIVERSITY AND A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE "ATLANTIC."
THE "ATLANTIC." PROFESSOR, WELCOME.
PROFESSOR, WELCOME. IS EVERY DAY IN THIS PRESIDENCY
IS EVERY DAY IN THIS PRESIDENCY A WORD FESTIVAL IN YOUR LINE OF
A WORD FESTIVAL IN YOUR LINE OF WORK OR GROUNDHOG DAY?
WORK OR GROUNDHOG DAY? >> I DON’T LIKE TO WATCH HIM.
>> I DON’T LIKE TO WATCH HIM. I DON’T LIKE TO LISTEN TO HIM.
I DON’T LIKE TO LISTEN TO HIM. I LIKE TO READ MY NEWS.
I LIKE TO READ MY NEWS. IT IS BAD ENOUGH JUST READING
IT IS BAD ENOUGH JUST READING THE SORTS OF THINGS HE SAYS,
THE SORTS OF THINGS HE SAYS, WRITTEN OUT, WHEN I OCCASIONALLY
WRITTEN OUT, WHEN I OCCASIONALLY AM FORCED TO ACTUALLY WATCH HIM
AM FORCED TO ACTUALLY WATCH HIM DO WHAT HE DOES.
DO WHAT HE DOES. THEN I AM EVER STRUCK BY WHAT A
THEN I AM EVER STRUCK BY WHAT A MEAT AND POTATOES APPROACH HE
MEAT AND POTATOES APPROACH HE HAS TO WHAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD
HAS TO WHAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD APPROACH AS STATESMANLIKE.
APPROACH AS STATESMANLIKE. >> I THINK OF YOU CONSTANTLY
>> I THINK OF YOU CONSTANTLY BECAUSE YOU’RE THE ONLY PERSON
BECAUSE YOU’RE THE ONLY PERSON IN YOUR LINE OF WORK WHO I KNOW,
IN YOUR LINE OF WORK WHO I KNOW, AND YOUR LINE OF WORK COMES UP
AND YOUR LINE OF WORK COMES UP SO OFTEN WHEN WE WATCH HIM.
SO OFTEN WHEN WE WATCH HIM. I WAS WATCHING THE PRESIDENT
I WAS WATCHING THE PRESIDENT LAST NIGHT IN BILLINGS, MONTANA.
LAST NIGHT IN BILLINGS, MONTANA. IT WAS HIS DELIVERY AROUND THE
IT WAS HIS DELIVERY AROUND THE SUBJECT, BY THE WAY, OF
SUBJECT, BY THE WAY, OF POTENTIAL IMPEACHMENT OF
POTENTIAL IMPEACHMENT OF HIMSELF, THAT STRUCK ME.
HIMSELF, THAT STRUCK ME. WE’LL PLAY THIS AND TALK TO THE
WE’LL PLAY THIS AND TALK TO THE PROFESSOR ON THE OTHER SIDE.
PROFESSOR ON THE OTHER SIDE. >> THEY LIKE TO USE THE IMPEACH
>> THEY LIKE TO USE THE IMPEACH WORD.
WORD. MAXINE -- MAXIME WATERS.
MAXINE -- MAXIME WATERS. HOW DO YOU IMPEACH SOMEONE WHO
HOW DO YOU IMPEACH SOMEONE WHO IS DOING A GOOD JOB?
IS DOING A GOOD JOB? THE ECONOMY IS GOOD.
THE ECONOMY IS GOOD. HOW DO YOU DO IT?
HOW DO YOU DO IT? HOW DO YOUIT?
HOW DO YOUIT? HOW DO YOU DO IT?
HOW DO YOU DO IT? WE WILL IMPEACH HIM.
WE WILL IMPEACH HIM. BUT HE’S DOING A GREAT JOB.
BUT HE’S DOING A GREAT JOB. IT’S SO RIDICULOUS.
IT’S SO RIDICULOUS. BUT WE’LL WORRY ABOUT THAT IF IT
BUT WE’LL WORRY ABOUT THAT IF IT EVER HAPPENS.
EVER HAPPENS. BUT IF IT DOES HAPPEN, IT’S YOUR
BUT IF IT DOES HAPPEN, IT’S YOUR FAULT BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T GO OUT
FAULT BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T GO OUT TO VOTE.
TO VOTE. >> I SAY THIS CLINICALLY ABSENT
>> I SAY THIS CLINICALLY ABSENT JUDGMENT.
JUDGMENT. THE MAN WAS A REALITY TELEVISION
THE MAN WAS A REALITY TELEVISION ENTERTAINMENT STAR HEADQUARTERED
ENTERTAINMENT STAR HEADQUARTERED IN THIS BUILDING FOR 14 CAREERS.
IN THIS BUILDING FOR 14 CAREERS. IF YOU LOOK BACK AT BUDDY
IF YOU LOOK BACK AT BUDDY HACKETT AND SCHECKY GREEN, THE
HACKETT AND SCHECKY GREEN, THE CARSON SHOWS.
CARSON SHOWS. >> THE PEOPLE HE GREW UP
>> THE PEOPLE HE GREW UP WATCHING.
WATCHING. > GENERATIONALLY, THAT’S A SET
> GENERATIONALLY, THAT’S A SET HE’S DOING.
HE’S DOING. THAT’S A SET PIECE.
THAT’S A SET PIECE. THAT’S BORDERLINE STANDUP.
THAT’S BORDERLINE STANDUP. >> YEAH, I MEAN WHAT HE’S DOING
>> YEAH, I MEAN WHAT HE’S DOING IS THE SORTS OF PEOPLE THAT HE
IS THE SORTS OF PEOPLE THAT HE WATCHED ON TV STARTING IN THE
WATCHED ON TV STARTING IN THE LATE 50s INTO THE EARLY ’70s AND
LATE 50s INTO THE EARLY ’70s AND REALLY ALTHOUGH I MEAN
REALLY ALTHOUGH I MEAN TECHNICALLY HE DOESN’T DRINK, IS
TECHNICALLY HE DOESN’T DRINK, IS HE YOUR UNCLE SITTING BY THE
HE YOUR UNCLE SITTING BY THE POOL WITH A BEER, THAT BEER IS
POOL WITH A BEER, THAT BEER IS LIKELY A BUDWEISER AND HE’S JUST
LIKELY A BUDWEISER AND HE’S JUST KIND OF RUNNING HIS MOUTH IN A
KIND OF RUNNING HIS MOUTH IN A COLORFUL WAY AND ENJOYING THE
COLORFUL WAY AND ENJOYING THE ATTENTION OF HIS LITTLE NIECES
ATTENTION OF HIS LITTLE NIECES AND THE TEENAGER FROM NEXT DOOR.
AND THE TEENAGER FROM NEXT DOOR. BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS,
BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS, THAT IT SHOWS SOMETHING MORE
THAT IT SHOWS SOMETHING MORE GENERAL ABOUT HIM.
GENERAL ABOUT HIM. THIS GOES BEYOND LANGUAGE.
THIS GOES BEYOND LANGUAGE. I CANNOT THINK OF A PRESIDENT IN
I CANNOT THINK OF A PRESIDENT IN THE GRAND SUCCESS WE’VE HAD WHO
THE GRAND SUCCESS WE’VE HAD WHO HAS SPENT SO LITTLE EFFORT IN
HAS SPENT SO LITTLE EFFORT IN TRYING TO BE SOMETHING LARGER
TRYING TO BE SOMETHING LARGER THAN THAT SWIMMING POOL
THAN THAT SWIMMING POOL BUDWEISER BAKE.
BUDWEISER BAKE. HE NEVER TRIES.
HE NEVER TRIES. SO YOU THINK OF SAY ARISTOCRAT
SO YOU THINK OF SAY ARISTOCRAT LIKE FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT WHO
LIKE FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT WHO FORGED THE NEW DEAL.
FORGED THE NEW DEAL. HE WASN’T THINKING ABOUT THAT
HE WASN’T THINKING ABOUT THAT WHEN HE WAS A KID.
WHEN HE WAS A KID. JOHN F. KENNEDY, TO TELL THE
JOHN F. KENNEDY, TO TELL THE TRUTH, THERE WEREN’T A LOT OF
TRUTH, THERE WEREN’T A LOT OF THINGS WILL HE HIS MIND ON TILL
THINGS WILL HE HIS MIND ON TILL HE BECAME PRESIDENT.
HE BECAME PRESIDENT. HE WAS ABOUT TO DO GREAT THINGS.
HE WAS ABOUT TO DO GREAT THINGS. LYNDON JOHNS WAS SOMEBODY WHO
LYNDON JOHNS WAS SOMEBODY WHO WAS A VERY PAROCHIAL UNEDUCATED
WAS A VERY PAROCHIAL UNEDUCATED BIGOTED TEXAN AND THE GREAT
BIGOTED TEXAN AND THE GREAT SOCIETY COMES FROM HIM.
SOCIETY COMES FROM HIM. DONALD TRUMP NEVER DOES ANYTHING
DONALD TRUMP NEVER DOES ANYTHING THAT STRETCHES BEYOND EXACTLY
THAT STRETCHES BEYOND EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS WHEN.
WHAT HE WAS WHEN. I HAVE THIS ON GOOD AUTHORITY.
I HAVE THIS ON GOOD AUTHORITY. THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO TOOK A
THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO TOOK A RATHER GENTLE CHILD IN HIS
RATHER GENTLE CHILD IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN HE WAS A
NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN HE WAS A TEENAGER AND HUNG THAT KID OUT
TEENAGER AND HUNG THAT KID OUT THE WINDOW BY HIS FEET AND
THE WINDOW BY HIS FEET AND ENJOYED WATCHING HIM YELL.
ENJOYED WATCHING HIM YELL. HAVE I IT ON GOOD AUTHORITY,
HAVE I IT ON GOOD AUTHORITY, BELIEVE ME AS TRUMP SAYS.
BELIEVE ME AS TRUMP SAYS. HE’S NEVER GOTTEN BEYOND BEING
HE’S NEVER GOTTEN BEYOND BEING THAT LITTLE NOSE PICKING JERK.
THAT LITTLE NOSE PICKING JERK. HE’S JUST EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS
HE’S JUST EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS WHEN HE BEGAN.
WHEN HE BEGAN. IT STRIKES ME THAT EVEN AFTER
IT STRIKES ME THAT EVEN AFTER ALMOST TWO YEARS, HE’S NEVER HAD
ALMOST TWO YEARS, HE’S NEVER HAD THE SLIGHTEST IMPULSE TO GROW.
THE SLIGHTEST IMPULSE TO GROW. THAT’S WHAT YOU SEE IN HIS
THAT’S WHAT YOU SEE IN HIS AURATORY.
AURATORY. HE GETS UP THERE AND TALKS
HE GETS UP THERE AND TALKS WHETHER HE ANY OTHER PRESIDENT,
WHETHER HE ANY OTHER PRESIDENT, I’M SURE ZACK RIL TAYLOR TRIED
I’M SURE ZACK RIL TAYLOR TRIED TO OH RATE.
TO OH RATE. HERE WE ARE.
HERE WE ARE. >> YOU JUST SAID BELIEVE ME.
>> YOU JUST SAID BELIEVE ME. THAT’S A VERBAL TICK OF HIS.
THAT’S A VERBAL TICK OF HIS. I’LL USE HIS METHOD TO MAKE A
I’LL USE HIS METHOD TO MAKE A POINT.
POINT. HE DOES REPEAT THE SAME
HE DOES REPEAT THE SAME PHRASEOLOGY IN A VERY SHORT
PHRASEOLOGY IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THE LIKES OF
PERIOD OF TIME THE LIKES OF WHICH WE’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
WHICH WE’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. HE DOES HAVE THESE FALLBACKS.
HE DOES HAVE THESE FALLBACKS. WE’VE ALL COME TO KNOW THEM.
WE’VE ALL COME TO KNOW THEM. I KNOW PEOPLE IN MY LIFE WHO SAY
I KNOW PEOPLE IN MY LIFE WHO SAY OH, MY GOD, I’M TALKING LIKE
OH, MY GOD, I’M TALKING LIKE DONALD TRUMP.
DONALD TRUMP. HE YOU HEAR YOURSELF USING AN
HE YOU HEAR YOURSELF USING AN EXPRESSION ONE THAT HE OWNS IT’S
EXPRESSION ONE THAT HE OWNS IT’S NOW AYLING QUIS TICK PROBLEM.
NOW AYLING QUIS TICK PROBLEM. >> THIS GETS INTO SOME
>> THIS GETS INTO SOME LINGUISTICS.
LINGUISTICS. WE THINK OF OURSELVES OF USING
WE THINK OF OURSELVES OF USING GRAMMAR.
GRAMMAR. BUT THERE’S A MODERN WAY OF
BUT THERE’S A MODERN WAY OF THINKING.
THINKING. YOU’VE GOT YOUR WORDS, YOU’VE
YOU’VE GOT YOUR WORDS, YOU’VE GOT THINGS LIKE YOU PUT AN ED AT
GOT THINGS LIKE YOU PUT AN ED AT THE END TO MAKE IT IN THE PAST
THE END TO MAKE IT IN THE PAST AND YOU HAVE YOUR EXPRESSIONS
AND YOU HAVE YOUR EXPRESSIONS LIKE WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE OR
LIKE WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE OR BELIEVE ME OR GOODNESS GRACIOUS
BELIEVE ME OR GOODNESS GRACIOUS OR I’LL BE HORN SWAGGLED.
OR I’LL BE HORN SWAGGLED. IT’S YOUR BIG SAND BOX FULL OF
IT’S YOUR BIG SAND BOX FULL OF WORDS.
WORDS. WHOSE IS BIGGER?
WHOSE IS BIGGER? WHAT’S INTERESTING WHEN HE USES
WHAT’S INTERESTING WHEN HE USES THOSE SAME EXPRESSIONS OVER AND
THOSE SAME EXPRESSIONS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, IT SHOWS HE HAS A
OVER AGAIN, IT SHOWS HE HAS A SMALL VOCABULARY.
SMALL VOCABULARY. ALL OF THOSE EXPRESSIONS ARE
ALL OF THOSE EXPRESSIONS ARE WORDS, AS WELL.
WORDS, AS WELL. SO A CERTAIN KIND OF PERSON HAS
SO A CERTAIN KIND OF PERSON HAS A CERTAIN SIZE AND CAN PICK AND
A CERTAIN SIZE AND CAN PICK AND CAN CHOOSE AS YOU GET OLDER
CAN CHOOSE AS YOU GET OLDER ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE A
ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE A RELATIVELY EXPERIENCED PERSON
RELATIVELY EXPERIENCED PERSON SAY IN THE PUBLIC EYE, YOU HAVE
SAY IN THE PUBLIC EYE, YOU HAVE KIND OF A SMORGASBORD.
KIND OF A SMORGASBORD. YOU TRY TO VARY IT.
YOU TRY TO VARY IT. BUT THE MOST INARTICULATE THING
BUT THE MOST INARTICULATE THING ABOUTED
ABOUTED VO CAR BLARE.
VO CAR BLARE. WE’RE NOT ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE
WE’RE NOT ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE SALS BURRILL MEAT AND POTATOES
SALS BURRILL MEAT AND POTATOES WORDS.
WORDS. IT SOUNDS LIKE HE’S ABOUT 2 1/2
IT SOUNDS LIKE HE’S ABOUT 2 1/2 BECAUSE HE DOESN’T STRIPE TO
BECAUSE HE DOESN’T STRIPE TO ADORN HIS SPEECH AT ALL.
ADORN HIS SPEECH AT ALL. THERE’S NO ART IN THE MAN.
THERE’S NO ART IN THE MAN. YOU CAN’T IMAGINE HIM TAPPING
YOU CAN’T IMAGINE HIM TAPPING HIS FOOT, HAVING A FAVORITE
HIS FOOT, HAVING A FAVORITE SONG, READING A BOOK.
SONG, READING A BOOK. IN THE SAME WAY WITH SPEECH, HE
IN THE SAME WAY WITH SPEECH, HE LETS IT FALL OUT OF HIS MOUTH
