♪ ♪ ♪
>> Stephen: HEY, LET'S SAY HI TO JON BATISTE, EVERYBODY. WAS THAT TEAKO, TEAKO? >> Jon: YES. YES, INDEED. >> Stephen: I-- I LOVE
LISTENING TO BRAZILIAN MUSIC WHEN I'M DOWN. IT GETS-- IT CUTS RIGHT THROUGH
IT. I DON'T CARE HOW DOWN I AM. >> Jon: YEAH, YOU FEEL THE SUN
ON YOUR SKIN. I LOVE THAT VIBE. >> Stephen: HAVE YOU BEEN DOWN
THERE? >> Jon: YEAH, YEAH. >> Stephen: YOU HAVE? >> Jon: YES, BAIJA IS A LOT
LIKE NEW ORLEANS. THEY HAD RICE AND BEANS. AND I WAS LIKE, WOW. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU ALL WERE
COOKING LIKE THAT, TOO. >> Stephen: WE'RE TAKING THE
SHOW TO RIO. THE SHOW IS GOING TO RIO. CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE OF
THAT FLAVOR AS WE GO OUT? >> Jon: OH, YEAH. ♪ ♪ ♪
>> Stephen: JON BATISTE, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU, JON. >> Jon: YES, INDEED. PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO 'ROUND. >> Stephen: MY FIRST GUEST
TONIGHT IS A "NEW YORK TIMES" BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND THE
FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE F.B.I. PLEASE WELCOME TO "A LATE SHOW,"
JAMES COMEY. DIRECTOR, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME,
STEPHEN. >> Stephen: I'M SURPRISED A
MAN OF YOUR HEIGHT CAN FIT INTO A ZOOM BOX. <i> ( LAUGHTER ).</i> >> I'M JAMMED INTO A LITTLE BOX. >> Stephen: OKAY. NOW, I AM NOT ENTIRELY SURE
WHERE TO BEGIN. I WANT TO GET TO YOUR NEW BOOK,
"SAVING JUSTICE," BECAUSE I THINK THAT HAS PARTICULAR
RESONANCE RIGHT NOW. BUT BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, I
WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE EVENTS OF THIS LAST WEEK AND YOUR
PERSPECTIVE ON WORKING FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION. THE PRESIDENT, AS YOU SAID IN
YOUR LAST BOOK, ASKED YOU FOR LOYALTY SEVEN DAYS AFTER HIS
INAUGURATION. AND WE HAVE SORT OF THE
DANGEROUS REPERCUSSIONS OF THE NEED FOR THAT KIND OF BLIND
LOYALTY TO PRESIDENT TRUMP. OBVIOUSLY, MOST DISTURBINGLY,
LAST WEDNESDAY, BUT THEN IN THE EXCUSES AND THE OBFUSCATIONS
BEING MADE BY THE SORT OF SPINELESS MEMBERS OF THE PARTY
WHO ARE FOLLOWING HIM FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO WHAT
YOU SAW LAST WEDNESDAY? AND AS A FOLLOW-UP, YOUR
REACTION TO THOSE WHO ARE STILL MAKING EXCUSES? >> WELL, AS AN AMERICAN, I HOPE
LIKE ALL AMERICANS, I WAS SICKENED TO SEE AN ATTACK ON THE
CENTER OF OUR DEMOCRACY. AS A FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICIAL, I WAS ANGRY THAT THE CAPITOL WAS SO POORLY DEFENDED. AND I FOUND THAT MIX
DISORIENTING AND VERY, VERY CONCERNING. AND THEN TO SEE PEOPLE MAKING
EXCUSES FOR AN ASSAULT ON OUR DEMOCRACY JUST DEEPENS MY SENSE
OF NASA AND DISTASTE FOR THEM, AND MAKES ME WORRY ABOUT HOW
WE'RE GOING TO GET BETWEEN HERE AND THE INAUGURATION. >> Stephen: I MEAN, THIS S
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND I-- I THINK THAT CALLS FOR
UNITY ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, BUT SHOULDN'T THERE BE SOME PRICE OF
ADMISSION TO THE UNITY PARTY? DON'T THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE... SUPPORTED THE PRESIDENT UP TILL
NOW HAVE TO ADMIT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT A DANGER HE IS? AND THEN WE CAN ALL UNIFY IN
DEALING WITH THAT DANGER. >> YEAH, THEY'RE STANDING IN THE
LOBBY OF A BUILDING THAT THEY LIT ON FIRE, AS THE REST OF US
ARE UNNING OUT, THEY'RE URGING US ALL TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND TO
UNIFY. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT HAVE
TO BE DEALT WITH FIRST. WE NEED TO PROTECT THE BUILDING
AND PEOPLE NEED TO ADMIT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. THEY HAVE NURTURED THE
EXPLOSION, ALMOST A CHERNOBYL-LIKE EXPLOSION OF THE
RADIOACTIVE STEW OF RACISM, MISOGYNY, CONSPIRACY-MINDED
VIOLENCE THAT WE'VE LONG HAD IN THIS COUNTRY BUT WE'VE KEPT IT
IN A CONTAINMENT BUILDING. THEY'VE BEEN DIGGING AT THE
FOUNDATION OF THAT BUILDING FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AND
NOW THERE'S BEEN AN EXPLOSION AND THERE HAS TO BE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT. >> Stephen: YOU SAID YOU WERE
SHOCKED NOT ONLY BY THE LAWLESSNESS BUT THE LACK OF. CHRISTOPHER WRAY, TOLD CONGRESS
THAT WHITE SUPREMACISTS ARE THE BIGGEST DOMESTIC TERRORISM
THREAT, AND THAT WE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THAT. NOW, OF "THE WASHINGTON POST"
ALSO REPORTS THAT THE F.B.I. WARNED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ATTACK. SO WE HAVE THE GENERALIZED
WARNING FROM THE DIRECTOR OF F.B.I., YOUR OLD JOB. AND THEN YOU HAVE SPECIFIC
WARNINGS FROM THE F.B.I. I'VE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT, PIECE
TOGETHER THE DIFFERENT EXPLANATIONS AS TO WHY THERE
WASN'T PREPARATION. DO YOU HAVE SOME SENSE WHY THEY
WEREN'T PREPARED FOR THIS, FROM WHAT YOU'VE SEEN FROM NEWS
REPORTS? I'M ASKING YOU TO CURATE THE
NEWS TO ME TO SEE IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN FROM YOUR SUFFICIENT WHY
THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SHOW OF FORCE FOR WHAT WAS SO CLEARLY A
DANGEROUS GROUP? >> YEAH, I-- I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT,
STEPHEN. I-- WE WERE HIT AS A GOVERNMENT
AFTER 9/11 FOR A FAILURE OF IMAGINATION. WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THE WAY THE
TERRORISTS MIGHT COME AT US. THIS WOULDN'T HAVE INVOLVED ANY
IMAGINATION AT ALL. THIS WAS JUST A FAILURE. AND I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT. THERE ARE LITTLE PIECES OF IT
THAT I SEE, MAYBE BREAKDOWNS IN COMMUNICATION, OR MAYBE A FEAR
OF NOT BEING TOO AGGRESSIVE IN THE POSTURE OF THE DEFENSE
AROUND THE CAPITOL. NONE OF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE TO
ME. IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A COUNTRY UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AS WE
DID AT 9/11. >> Stephen: THE OFFICIALS AT
THE D.O.J. HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY. DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE
THAT? >> YES. >> Stephen: WHAT STOOD OUT
FIRST OF ALL? >> THEY'RE DOING THE WAY YOU
EXPECT THEM TO DO. THIS IS WHAT THE F.B.I. DOES
BEST, WHICH IS TO FIND THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE AND BRING
THEM TO JUSTICE QUICKLY. SO IF YOU WERE THERE AND YOU
PARTICIPATED IN THAT ATTACK, THERE'S GOING TO BE A KNOCK ON
YOUR DOOR. YOU SHOULD TURN YOURSELF IN NOW. AND THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT TAS
THEY SHOULD, AS A SEDITIOUS CONSPIRACY AND INSURRECTION
AGAINST THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT
STRUCK ME, THAT THIS IS WHAT THE F.B.I. DOES AND THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE WANT THE F.B.I. TO DO. >> Stephen: YOU SAY, "YOU
SHOULD TURN YOURSELF IN," YOU DON'T-- DO YOU MEAN JUST THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN NAMED THAT THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR? OR IF YOU KNOW YOU WERE THERE
AND ENGAGED IN UNLAWFULL ACTIVITY YOU SHOULD TURN
YOURSELF IN BECAUSE THERE ARE CAMERAS ALL OIFER THE PLACE AND
THEY'RE GOING TO FIND YOU? >> YEAH, IF YOU TRESPASSED ON
THE PROPERTY, IF YOU WENT UP THOSE STAIRS-- NOT EVEN INTO THE
BUILDING-- IF YOU WENT UP THOSE STAIRS YOU COMMITTED A CRIME. IN YOU PARTICIPATED IN ASSAULTS
ON THE POLICE OFFICERS, WENT INSIDE THE BUILDING, ANY OF
THAT, YOU ARE GOING TO BE FOUND. THE BUREAU IS A HUMAN
ORGANIZATION WITH LOTS OF FLAWS. ONE THING IT DOES EXTREMELY WELL
IS RELENTLESSLY TRACK DOWN PEOPLE LIKE THIS. >> Stephen: WERE YOU SURPRISED
IT TOOK THIS LONG TO GET THIS PRESS CONFERENCE FROM THE F.B.I. AND THE D.O.J. WE'VE ALL BEEN KIND OF RELYING
ON CATCH-AS-CATCH-ICA INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WAS BEING
DONE SO FAR TO APPREHEND PEOPLE. >> YES, I WAS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AT ALL
TIMES THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT BE TRANSPARENT AROUND ITS WORK. IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I WROTE
THE BOOK. ESPECIALLY IN CRISIS, THE
AMERICAN PRIME NEED TO HEAR THAT ADULTS ARE ON THIS AND HAVE AN
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING. I WAS SURPRISED IT TOOK SO LONG. >> Stephen: WE HEARD FROM
D.O.J. AND F.B.I. OFFICIALS AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY, WE
HAVEN'T HEARD FROM DIRECTOR WRAY. SHOULD HE BE OUT THERE OUT FRONT
TELLING US WHAT'S BEING DONE? >> IN NORMAL TIMES, SURE. BUT I-- I SPECULATE BECAUSE I
DON'T KNOW. I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO HIM-- THAT
HE IS A PERSON OF GREAT INTEGRITY, TRYING TO STAY IN THE
JOB AND NOT TO GIVE AN UNSTABLE PRESIDENT AN EXCUSE TO
DECAPITATE THE F.B.I. IN THE MIDDLE OF A CRISIS. THAT'S JUST SPECULATION, BUT
IT'S INFORMED SPECULATION. I COULD IMAGINE HIM WANTING TO
BE CAREFUL NOT TO ANTAGONIZE THE MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOR
ANOTHER EIGHT DAYS. >> Stephen: SO IT'S REALLY IN
THE INTEREST OF MAINTAINING THE INVESTIGATIONS OR CONTINUITY AT
THE BUREAU WOULD BE YOUR SPECULATION? IS THAT BASED--
>> THAT'S MY GUESS. >> Stephen: IS THAT BASED ON
ANY CONVERSATIONS YOU'VE HAD? >> NO, IT'S JUST BASED ON MY
EXPERIENCE, KNOWING THE BUREAU, KNOWING THE KIND OF PERSON CHRIS
WRAY SA PERSON OF GREAT INTEGRITY, BUT VERY PRUDENT. AND KNOWING THE KIND OF
PRESIDENT WE HAVE. IF HE GOES OUT THERE AND STARTS
TALKING ABOUT SEDITIOUS INCITEMENT COMMENTS BY PEOPLE
THAT THEY'RE INVESTIGATING, THE BUREAU MAY BE DECAPITATED WHEN
WE NEED IT MOST. >> Stephen: BUT THAT THESE
LAWYERS WHO WENT OUT TODAY, THESE INVESTIGATORS WHO WENT OUT
TODAY, IT'S OKAY FOR THEM TO SAY IT BECAUSE IN THE PRESIDENT'S
POINT OF VIEW, THEY'RE NOBODIES. >> THEY'RE CAREER PEOPLE NO
ONE'S EVER HEARD OF. KNOWING THE PRESIDENT'S
PARANOIA, HE'LL PROBABLY TRY TO CONNECT THAT QUICKLY TO THE
DIRECTOR. BUT AT LEAST IT GIVES THE
DIRECTOR SOME SPACE SO AS NOT TO PROMPT AN IMMEDIATE FIRING. THAT WOULD BE VERY BAD FOR THE
AGENCY AND THE COUNTRY. >> Stephen: YOUR NEW BOOK IS
CALLED "SAVING JUSTICE," AND IN IT, YOU SAY THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE SHOULD NOT PURSUE A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF THE
PRESIDENT ONCE HE LEAVES OFFICE. HAVE THE EVENTS OF THE LAST WEEK
CHANGED YOUR MIND ABOUT THAT? >> THAT WAS A REALLY HARD CALL
WHEN I WROTE IT BACK IN THE FALL. IT'S EVEN HARDER NOW. I THINK I'M STILL IN THE PLACE
THAT THE COUNTRY IS BEST SERVED BY NOT GIVING DONALD TRUMP SPACE
ON OUR TELEVISION SCREENS IN A COURT PROCEEDING IN D.C. FOR THE
NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS. >> Stephen: WHAT ABOUT SPACE
IN AN EIGHT-BY-FIVE CELL? >> I BELIEVE THE STATE
PROSECUTORS IN NEW YORK SHOULD PURSUE HIM FOR THE CROOK HE WAS
BEFORE HE BECAME PRESIDENT. AND IF THEY CONVICT HIM, THAT'S
FINE. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THE
MISSION JOE BIDEN HAS BEFORE HIM, WHICH IS TO HEAL OUR
COUNTRY BOTH SPIRITUALLY AND LITERALLY, BECAUSE SO MANY OF
OUR FELLOW AMERICANS ARE DYING, IS NOT ADVANCED BY HAVING DONALD
TRUMP GET WHAT HE WANTS MOST, WHICH IS TO BE IN THE DRAMA, IN
WASHINGTON EVERY SINGLE DAY. I'D RATHER THE LIGHTS GO OUT,
WHICH IS THE GREATEST PUNISHMENT HEBD IMAGINE. STAND ON YOUR LAWN AT MAR-A-LAGO
AND YELL AT CARS, BUT NOT HAVE THE LIGHTS ON THERE, AND LET JOE
BIDEN GET ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE UNITED STATES. >> Stephen: WHAT MAKES YOU
THINK HE'S NOT GOING TO GRAB FOR THE SPOTLIGHT ANYWAY? I MEAN, THERE ARE CRAVEN AND
CYNICAL MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA WHO WILL GIVE HIM ALL THE SPOTLIGHT
THAT HE WANTS. >> HE WILL, AND THAT'S WHAT
MAKES IT SUCH A CLOSE CALL. I THINK THE AMOUNT OF SPOTLIGHT
HE COULD CLAIM WOULD BE SO MUCH GREATER IF HE WAS WALKING IN AND
OUT OF THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN D.C. AS PART OF "UNITED STATES
VERSUS DONALD TRUMP." THAT CIRCUS WOULD DOMINATE OUR
NATION FOR PROBABLY ANOTHER THREE YEARS OR MORE. >> Stephen: LET'S TALK ABOUT
THE PEOPLE WHO WERE PART OF THIS VIOLENT INSURRECTION, THESE
PEOPLE WHO, IN MY OPINION, ARE ACCESSORY TO MURDER. WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO THEM? BECAUSE I MEAN, I'M OPPOSED TO
THE DEATH PENALTY, BUT SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAS TO BE RAINED DOWN
ON THESE PEOPLE SO THAT NO ONE EVER BREATHES THE IDEA OF DOING
IT AGAIN. >> THEY SHOULD ALL COME TO SEE
THE RULE OF LAW THAT'S THE SPINE OF THIS COUNTRY UP VERY, VERY
CLOSE. DEPENDING ON UPON THEIR
INVOLVEMENT, THEY SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE AND PUNISHED
SEVERELY. I'M ALSO OPPOSED TO THE DEATH
PENALTY BUT THEY SHOULD BE PUNISHED SEVERELY. THEY WERE PART OF A CONSPIRACY
THAT RESULTED IN THE MURDER OF A POLICE OFFICER. THERE'S NOTHING MORE SERIOUS
THAN THAT, IN AN ATTACK ON THE CENTER OF OUR DEMOCRACY. SO AMERICANS RULE OF LAW IS
OUR-- IS OUR GREAT SPINE AND IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON ALL
OF THEM OVER THE NEXT DAYS AND MONTHS. >> Stephen: YOU HAD A UNIQUE
VIEW OF THE PRESIDENT AND HIS PSYCHE WHEN HE FELT LIKE HE
WASN'T GETTING THE LOYALTY THAT HE BELIEVED THAT HE DESERVED. MITCH McCONNELL REPORTEDLY,
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, IS ACTUALLY HAPPY THAT NANCY PELOSI AND THE
DEMOCRATS ARE BRINGING FORWARD THESE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT. YOU HAVE PEOPLE LEAVING HIS
CABINET. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING ON IN
THAT SQUIRREL CAGE OF A BRAIN OF HIS RIGHT NOW? >> SOMETHING REALLY SCARY. BECAUSE THIS IS A PERSON, AS YOU
KNOW, WHO-- FOR WHOM AFFIRMATION IS LIKE OXYGEN. HE CRAVES IT. HE NEEDS IT. AND NOW HE'S NOT ONLY NOT
GETTING IT. HE WILL PERCEIVE BETRAYAL BY
THOSE CLOSEST TO HIM. AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY,
VERY DIFFICULT TIME FOR OUR COUNTRY OVER THE NEXT EIGHT
DAYS. >> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A
QUICK BREAK, BUT WHEN WE COME BACK, I'LL ASK DIRECTOR COMEY
ABOUT THIS HILLARY CLINTON PERSON AND HER EMAILS. HE MENTIONS IT HERE AND IT'S
JUST A FASCINATING STORY. ♪ ♪ ♪
