(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)(AUDIENCE CHANTING "STEPHEN")
>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY!
GOOD TO SEE YA!
WELCOME TO "THE REPORT"!
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!
WHOO!!
WHOO!!
WHOO!!(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
I'LL BE RIGHT WITH YOU, I'VEJUST GOT TO LISTEN TO THIS,
HOLD ON ONE SECOND. HERE WE GO.
ONE, TWO, THREE!
♪ MY BABY DON'T MESS AROUND ♪ BECAUSE SHE SOMETHIN'
SOMETHIN' I KNOW FOR SURE... ♪ ♪ BUT DOES SHE REALLY WANT
OH I'M SORRY. I'M JUST LOVINGTHIS FEELING
BECAUSE I'M PARTYING LIKE IT'S2003.
I'VE GOT SOME "HEY YA!"CRANKING IN THE EARBUDS OF MY
ORIGINAL iPod ONE.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)THIS THING IS AMAZING.
DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN STORE UP TO1,000 COPIES OF "HEY YA!"?
(LAUGHTER)I'M CELEBRATING LIKE IT'S 2003
BECAUSE, AT LONG LAST, WE'VE WONTHE WAR IN IRAQ.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)NO, I'M SORRY, GUYS.
NO, JIMMY, THE EARLIER ONE.
NO, NOT THAT EARLY.
YEAH, THAT'S THE ONE RIGHTTHERE!
THERE'S YOUR SWEET SPOT!
TELL 'EM WHY.
>> THIS IS A BIG ONE.
A BOMBSHELL NEW DISCOVERY BY THE"NEW YORK TIMES," WEAPONS OF
MASS DESTRUCTION WERE FOUND INIRAQ BUT IT WAS KEPT SECRET.
THE "TIMES" REPORTING BETWEEN2004 AND 2011, AMERICAN TROOPS
FOUND 5,000 CHEMICAL WARHEADS.
>> 5,000 SHELLS AND BOMBSCONTAINING THINGS LIKE SARIN AND
MUSTARD GAS.
>> SADDAM DID HAVE WEAPONS OFMASS DESTRUCTION.
>> THE STORY SHOWS THAT, INFACT, SADDAM DID STILL HAVE
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN2003 WHEN WE INVADED.
>> Stephen: BUSH WAS RIGHT!
IRAQ HAD WMDs THE WHOLE TIME!
I FEEL A COMBINATION OF TWOSTRONG EMOTIONS -- OH, MY GOD,
SHOCK AND AWE!
(LAUGHTER)I FINALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU
WERE TALKING ABOUT, SIR!
THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT ELSEBUSH WAS RIGHT ABOUT.
I BET SOME OF THOSE WEAPONS WERE"NUCULAR"?
(LAUGHTER)THIS VINDICATION MUST REALLY
WARM DICK CHENEY'S -- ARCREACTOR?
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S GOT INTHERE NOW.
NOTHING BUT NOTHING IS GOING TOKILL MY BUZZ OVER THESE WMDs
NOT EVEN THE SECOND LINE OFEVERY STORY ABOUT THEM.
>> THESE WERE NOT THE WEAPONS WEWENT TO WAR OVER.
THESE WERE OLD DISCARDED WEAPONS
>> THEY WERE NOT THE SO-CALLEDWEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
USED TO JUSTIFY THE INVASION.THEY WERE FROM THE OLD
SHELLS AND WARHEADSFROM THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR.
>> Stephen: SHAKE IT, COME ONSHAKE IT, SHAKE IT LIKE A
POLAROID PICTURE. BEYONCE'S, ANDLUCY LIU'S, AND BABY DOLL'S.
I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T CATCH A LOT OF THAT.
POINT IS, IRAQ MADE THESE AWFULWEAPONS, AND AMERICA HAD A MORAL
OBLIGATION TO PUNISH THEM ANDANYONE WHO HELPED THEM.
>> THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THEBITTEREST IRONIES OF THE IRAQ
WAR.
THESE ARE WEAPONS THAT IRAQ HADMANUFACTURED WITH HELP FROM
WESTERN COUNTRIES INCLUDING THEU.S. DURING ITS WAR WITH IRAN IN
THE 1980s.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
SO WE HELPED ARM THEM WITHCHEMICAL WEAPONS IN THE 1980s.
BUT COME ON, THERE ARE A LOT OFTHINGS WE REGRET FROM THE
'80s.
WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF WE ALSOARMED THEM WITH BUNS OF STEEL.
(LAUGHTER)AT LEAST NOW WE KNOW WHAT DONALD
RUMSFELD AND SADDAM HUSSEIN WERESHAKING HANDS OVER IN 1983!
HERE'S WHAT WE DID, ACTUALLYIT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY.
BACK WHEN IRAQ WAS FIGHTINGIRAN, TWO AMERICAN COMPANIES
PROVIDED HUNDREDS OF TONS OFTHIODIGLYCOL, A MUSTARD GAS
AGENT PRECURSOR, INCLUDING THECOMPANY CARDINAL STABILIZER, A
SPECIALTY CHEMICAL FIRM FROM MYHOMETOWN OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH
CAROLINA. WELL, NOW I FINALLYKNOW THE SECRET TO MY STATE'S
DELICIOUS BARBECUE -- A TANGYMUSTARD-GAS SAUCE.
SO GOOD YOU WILL CLAW YOUR EYESOUT!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)YOU WILL SLAP YOUR GRANDMA!
(LAUGHTER)AND THIS W-M-DISCOVERY IS NEWS
TO EVERYONE BECAUSE EVEN"CONGRESS WAS ONLY PARTLY
INFORMED" THESE WEAPONS EXISTED,WHILE "TROOPS AND OFFICERS WERE
INSTRUCTED TO BE SILENT OR GIVEDECEPTIVE ACCOUNTS OF WHAT THEY
HAD FOUND."
IT WAS SORT OF A "DON'T ASKDON'T TELL" FOR THE LGBT WMD
COMMUNITY.
(LAUGHTER)POINT IS, THE STORY PROVES ONCE
AND FOR ALL THAT THE WAR WASCOMPLETELY NECESSARY AND
JUSTIFIED.
HERE TO SAY HIS STORY DOESN'TSAY THAT IS PULITZER PRIZE
WINNING REPORTER FROM THE "NEWYORK TIMES,"
REPORTER C.J. CHIVERS. GOOD TOSEE YOU.
HERE'S THE ARTICLE BLOWING THELID OFF EVERYTHING.
HERE'S MY NUMBER ONE QUESTION.
PROVES WE HAD WMDs THERE INIRAQ.
WHY DIDN'T GEORGE BUSH BRAGABOUT THIS MORE BECAUSE THE
EGG ON HIS FACE IS THAT THEREWERE NO WMDs.
WAS HE BEING JUST TOO HUMBLEHERE?
WAS THE WAR SO POPULAR HE DIDN'TWANT TO RUN UP THE SCOREBOARD AT
THIS POINT?>> THESE WEREN'T THE WMDs HE
WAS TALKING ABOUT. THESE WEAPONSWERE OLD DISCARDED JUNK FROM
ABOUT TWO WARS BEFORE.
>> Stephen: DON'T TRY YOUROBI-WAN KENOBI "THESE AREN'T THE
DROIDS YOU'RE LOOKINGFOR" ON ME (LAUGHTER)
>> THEY WEREN'T EVEN USED ASWMDs
>> Stephen: SO THEY'RE NOTDANGEROUS AT ALL?
>> THEY'RE DANGEROUS, THEY'REUSED IN LOCAL ATTACKS AND
IMPROVISED BOMBS WHERE THEY WEREDISCARDED IN OLD STOCKPILES.
>> Stephen: WHY DIDN'T WE FINDOUT ABOUT THEM AT ALL TILL YOUR
ARTICLE.
>> ACTUALLY YOU DID.
THROUGH 2004, OUR GOVERNMENT HADA GOOD RECORD OF DISCLOSING A
LOT OF THE INFORMATION.
CHARLES DUELFER IN THE IRAQSURVEY GROUP GAVE US A THOROUGH
REPORT THROUGH 2004 THAT STANDSUP TO THIS DAY, BUT BY 2006 THEY
STOPPED TALKING ABOUT IT AND IN2006 THE NUMBER OF DISCOVERIES
TOOK OFF AND THE NUMBER OFTROOPS THAT WERE WOUNDED ALSO
ACCELERATED SHARPLY AND AT THATPOINT THERE HAD BEEN A TURN IN
THE PRACTICE AND THEY WEREN'TTALKING ABOUT IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WEREN'T.
>> YOU DON'T KNOW WHY THISSUDDENLY BECAME A SECRET?
>> THROUGH 2004, THE RECORD'SGOOD.
HAD THEY CONTINUED THE PRACTICE,I WOULDN'T HAVE TO SIT HERE AND
TELL YOU ABOUT THIS.
THIS COULD HAVE COME OUT INREALTIME AND BEEN A SERIES OF
SMALL STORIES AND DIGESTED BYTHE PERSON PUBLIC AND THE BODY
POLITIC A LONG TIME AGO.
>> Stephen: SPEAKING OF SMALLSTORIES, THIS IS NOT A SMALL
STORY.
NOT ONLY HAS IT MADE A BIGSPLASH, BUT IT'S AN EXTREMELY
LONG ARTICLE IN HERE.
IS THIS WHY THE "NEW YORK TIMES"DOESN'T HAVE A COMICS PAGE?
(LAUGHTER)BECAUSE ZIGGY NEVER DEPRESSES ME
LIKE THIS.
>> I THINK IT'S SHORT.
I FILED TWICE AS LONG.
>> Stephen: REALLY? AND THEY CUTIT IN HALF?
>> YES.
>> Stephen: YOU ALREADY GOT APULITZER. WHEN YOU HOLD UP YOUR
PULITZER, DOES IT GLOW BLUE LIKESTING DOES WHEN ORCS ARE AROUND?
>> NO, THIS IS A STORY ABOUTENLISTED SOLDIERS WHO HAD ONE OF
THE MOST DANGEROUS JOBS ON THEBATTLEFIELD IN THE LAST WAR, WHO
WORKED HARD, SERVED WELL,SUFFERED SOMETHING SURPRISING
AND WERE AT A MINIMUMCASUALTY-NEGLECTED IF NOT
OUTRIGHT ABUSED.
>> Stephen: DID THE GUYS WHOFOUND THE STUFF, THEY WERE
INJURED BY THIS.
>> MANY WERE NOT WOUNDED.
SOME WERE WOUNDED.
>> Stephen: DID THEY GET APURPLE HEART?
>> MOST OF THEM DID NOT.
>> Stephen: BECAUSE IT HAD TOBE A SECRET?
>> THEY DIDN'T GET PURPLE HEARTSFOR A VARIETY OF REASONS BUT
AMONG THEM IS THE PURPLE HEARTSYSTEM BY MY ESTIMATE IS BROKEN.
THERE ARE FOUR SERVICES THATHAVE DIFFERENT PROCESSES AND
DIFFERENT STANDARDS FOR GETTINGTHE PURPLE HEART.
SOME OF THESE MEMBERS WERE NOTRECOMMENDED FOR PURPLE HEARTS,
OTHERS WERE BY COMMANDERS ANDDENIED BY THE SERVICES.
ONE PARTICULAR INCIDENT A STAFFSERGEANT HAD A PURPLE HEART
GIVEN BY THE SECRETARY OF THEARMY AND SOMEONE SEVERAL WEEKS
LATER CAME ALONG AND TOOK IT OFFHIS CHEST.
>> Stephen: WHY WAS IT TAKENOFF?
>> THEY SAID THEY ERRONEOUSLYISSUED IT.
>> Stephen: BECAUSE THE EVENTWAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE
HAPPENED?
>> THAT'S THE QUESTION I HAVEBEEN ASKING THEM FOR MANY
MONTHS.
>> Stephen: WHAT ABOUT MEDICALCARE?
THESE SOLDIERS, I UNDERSTANDTHAT SOMETIMES DOCTORS WERE NOT
TOLD THAT THEY'D ENCOUNTEREDCHEMICAL WEAPONS FOR SECRECY
REASONS.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT SECRECY,THAT'S RIGHT. FOR MANY OF THESE
TROOPS THE CHEMICAL SYMPTOMSTOOK TIME TO MANIFEST
THEMSELVES, CAME TO SICK CALLTHE DAY AFTER THE EVENT. AND
BECAUSE NO ONE SEEMED TO KNOWTHAT CHEMICAL WEAPONS WERE STILL
A FEATURE OF THE BATTLEFIELD,THE DOCTORS WERE NOT
ANTICIPATING THE CASUALTIES ANDWHEN THEY ARRIVED THEY LOOKED AT
OTHER POTENTIAL CAUSES
DEHYDRATION, SUNBURN,EXHAUSTION.
>> Stephen: LACTOSE INTOLERANCE.SOMETHING ELSE.
(LAUGHTER)AS A RESULT, DID THEY NOT GET
PROPER MEDICAL CARE?
>> MANY DID NOT.
SOME WERE NEGLECTED CARE.
>> Stephen: WHAT'S THEPENTAGON'S RESPONSE SO FAR?
>> THE PENTAGON'S RESPONSE ISI'M NOT WORKING IN WASHINGTON SO
I DIDN'T WALK INTO THE PENTAGONBUT THE PENTAGON ESSENTIALLY
ACKNOWLEDGED THE FINDINGS ANDI'VE HEARD THEY'RE TAKING STEPS
TO MAKE SURE THE TROOPS WHO WEREEXPOSED ARE TREATED WELL AND
THERE'S SOME TALK THEY'RE GOINGTO LOOK AT THE PURPLE HEARTS AND
THE SOLDIERS WHO DIDN'T RECEIVETHEM AND TRYING TO FIND IF
THERE'S A LARGER POPULATION OFEXPOSED VETERANS TO GET THEM
ENROLLED IN CARE.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
C.J. CHIVERS, THE SECRETCASUALTIES OF IRAQ'S ABANDONED
CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)(AUDIENCE CHANTING "STEPHEN")
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
ALL RIGHT!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOUSO MUCH.
HAVE A SEAT.
NATION, IT'S MED-TERM SEASONAND, EARLIER THIS WEEK, I GAVE
YOU COMPLETE COVERAGE OF ONE OFTHE MOST EXPLOSIVE RACES -- THE
CONTEST IN FLORIDA BETWEENREPUBLICAN INCUMBENT GOVERNOR
RICK SCOTT AND DEMOCRATIC FORMERGOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST.
LAST NIGHT, THE TWO WERESCHEDULED TO FACE OFF IN A
DEBATE.
IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THESEGUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES TO SHOW
VOTERS WHO IS MORENATORIAL-GUBER-Y.
(LAUGHTER)AND THIS BEING FLORIDA, RIGHT
OFF THE BEAN, THINGS GOT VERYFLORIDA.
(LAUGHTER)>> WE WANT TO TAKE A SHOT OF THE
STAGE HERE AT BAILEY HALL INBROWARD COUNTY, AND AS YOU CAN
SEE, THE TWO CANDIDATES, WHOWERE INVITED TO TAKE PART IN
THIS DEBATE, RIGHT NOW ARE NOTSTEPPING UP ON THE STAGE.
(LAUGHTER)LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE AN
EXTREMELY PECULIAR SITUATIONRIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE GOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
FLORIDA GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT, OURINCUMBENT GOVERNOR, AND THE
REPUBLICAN COUNTY FOR GOVERNORIS ALSO IN THE BUILDING,
GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT GOVERNORSCOTT WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING
IN THIS DEBATE.
(LAUGHTER)>> Stephen: THAT'S RIGHT, ONLY
CHARLIE CRIST WAS ON STAGE!
GIVING C-SPAN ITS MOST DRAMATICTELEVISION MOMENT SINCE THE
CANCELLATION OF BOOKNOTESDEATHMATCH.
FOLKS, I WAS WORRIED ABOUT MYGUY, REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR AND
PYTHON ON ECSTASY, RICK SCOTT.
(LAUGHTER)BUT HE HAD AN EXCELLENT REASON
FOR NOT BEING THERE.
>> GOVERNOR CRIST HAS ASKED TOHAVE A FAN, A SMALL FAN PLACED
UNDERNEATH HIS PODIUM.
THE RULES OF THE DEBATE THAT IWAS SHOWN BY THE SCOTT CAMPAIGN
SAY THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO FAN.
SOMEHOW THERE IS A FAN THERE.
>> GOVERNOR CRIST, DO THE RULESOF THE DEBATE SAY THAT THERE
SHOULD BE NO FAN?
>> ARE WE REALLY GOING TO DEBATEABOUT A FAN, OR ARE WE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT EDUCATION AND THEENVIRONMENT AND THE FUTURE OF
OUR STATE?
>> Stephen: FAN!
FAN!
FAN!
WHO TWO (BLEEP) ABOUT THEENVIRONMENT OR EDUCATION?
IT'S FLORIDA.
EVERYONE NEEDS A FAN!
AND I'M NOT ALONE IN BEING A FANFAN BECAUSE, EVEN THOUGH SCOTT
CAME OUT THREE MINUTE LATER ANDTHEY HELD A HEATED HOUR-LONG
DEBATE ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS,ALL ANYONE IS TALKING ABOUT FOOD
IS FANGATE!
(LAUGHTER)FOLKS, CLEARLY FOR SCOTT'S
CAMPAIGN, LAST NIGHT BLEW.
AND IF YOU TURN THE SWITCH THEOTHER WAY, IT SUCKED.
(CHEERING)BIG FANS OF SUCKING HERE
TONIGHT.
(CHEERING)BUT THE WHOLE THING WAS UNFAIR.
NOW I DON'T BLAME CRIST FORWANTING TO BRING HIS OWN
COOLANT.
BASED ON THAT SKIN TONE, I'D SAYHIS CORE TEMPERATURE'S AROUND
450 DEGREES.
(LAUGHTER)BUT WHY SHOULD CRIST GET TO COOL
HIMSELF WITH A FAN, BUT SCOTTISN'T ALLOWED TO CONTROL HIS
TEMPERATURE BY LAYING ON ACHILLED ROCK?
(LAUGHTER)MEANWHILE, BOTH SIDES ARE STILL
OSCILLATING OVER WHETHER THE FANWAS A VIOLATION.
SCOTT'S CAMPAIGN SIGNED A RULESDOCUMENT STATING THAT
"CANDIDATES MAY NOT BRINGELECTRONIC DEVICES, INCLUDING
FANS."
BUT CRIST'S CAMPAIGN ADDED,"WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT THE
DEBATE HOSTS WILL ADDRESS ANYTEMPERATURE ISSUES WITH A FAN IF
NECESSARY," ALL OF WHICH IS JUSTSPLITTING HAIRS.
WHICH IS ALSO UNFAIR TO RICKSCOTT.
(LAUGHTER)BUT THE FAN WASN'T RICK SCOTT'S
ONLY OBJECTION LAST NIGHT.
HE HAD AN EVEN BETTER REASON FORNOT TAKING THE STAGE.
>> GOVERNOR SCOTT, WHY THE DELAYIN COMING OUT OVER A FAN?
>> I WAITED TO BE -- UNTIL WEFIGURED OUT IF HE WAS GONNA SHOW
UP.
HE SAID HE WASN'T GOING TO COMETO THE -- UH -- HE WAS -- HE
SAID HE WASN'T GONNA COME TO THEDEBATE.
SO WHY COME OUT UNTIL HE'SREADY?
>> Stephen: RIGHT, HE WAS JUSTWAITING IN THE WINGS FOR SEVEN
MINUTES TO FIGURE OUT WHETHERTHE GUY ON STAGE WAS GONNA COME
TO THE DEBATE.
(LAUGHTER)BOTTOM LINE, AS MUCH AS I WISH
IT WASN'T TRUE, LAST NIGHT INMIAMI, RICK SCOTT WAS...
BLOWN AWAY.
(LAUGHTER)(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
>> Stephen: WHOO!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK,
EVERYBODY! MY GUEST TONIGHT ISTHE AUTHOR OF "EXCELLENT SHEEP"
ABOUT THE FAILURE OF IVY LEAGUESCHOOLS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ
IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THETEST.
PLEASE WELCOME WILLIAMDERESIEWICZ!
GOOD TO SEE YOU!
IS IT DR. DERESIEWICZ, DOYOU HAVE A Ph.D.?
>> I DO. YOU CAN CALL ME BILL.
>> Stephen: FINE.
DR. BILL, THANK YOU FOR BEINGHERE. YOU'RE A CONTRIBUTING
WRITER TO THE NATION, ACONTRIBUTING EDITOR FOR THE
NEW REPUBLIC AND THE AMERICANSCHOLAR.
YOU TAUGHT AT YALE FOR TENYEARS, AND BEFORE THAT
YOU WERE A GRADUATE INSTRUCTORAT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.
YOU HAVE A NEW BOOK CALLEDEXCELLENT SHEEP, THE
MISEDUCATION OF THE AMERICANELITE AND THE WAY TO A
MEANINGFUL LIFE.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
THAT TITLE IS AS LONG AS THEDOCTORATE, OKAY.
(LAUGHTER)I HOPE THAT TITLE WENT THROUGH
PEER REVIEW.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: SO WHAT DO YOUMEAN THE MISEDUCATION OF THE
AMERICAN ELITE?
ARE YOU SAYING LIKE IVY LEAGUESCHOOLS AREN'T WHAT THEY'RE
CRACKED UP FOR?
>> THEY'RE NOT WHAT THEY'RECRACKED UP TO BE.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE TRAININGA WONDERFUL LEADERSHIP CLASS.
>> STEPHEN: BUT YOU'RE AN IVYLEAGUE GUY, RIGHT?
>> I AM.
>> Stephen: WHY DID ONE OF THEIVY LEAUGUE PEOPLE WRITE THE
BOOK SAYING, DON'T GO TO THOSEIVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS!
LET ME PULL UP THAT LADDERBEHIND ME, MUST BE IN YOUR WAY!
ENJOY YOUR STATE SCHOOL, HAVE AGREAT TIME! I HEAR THEY
HAVE FRATS>> IF WE HADN'T WORKED THERE,
YOU WOULD SAY, WHAT DO YOU GUYSKNOW?
WE'VE SEEN WHAT GOES ON IN THESAUSAGE FACTORY, WE'VE SEEN HOW
THE ELITE ARE PRODUCED.
>> Stephen: HOW ARE THEYPRODUCED?
I'M AN ELITE MYSELF.
I WENT TO DARTMOUTH, MY FRIEND.
>> I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT DO KIDSHAVE TO DO TO GET THERE.
>> Stephen: MY GRANDFATHER HADTO BUILD A BUILDING.
>> THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKSANYMORE.
>> Stephen: REALLY, YOU CAN'TJUST BUILD A BUILDING?
THEY JUMP THROUGH ONE HOOPTHROUGH ANOTHER TO BECOME
PERFECTIONIST AND CONFORMIST.KIDS ARE TAUGHT TO JUMP
THROUGH THE HOOPS AND NOTTHINK FOR THEMSELVES OR
DIRECT THEIR OWN LIVES OR DECIDEWHAT THEY WANT TO DO AFTER
COLLEGE AND THE COLLEGES DONOTHING TO GET IN THE WAY. SO
WE HAVE KIDS WHO ARE GREAT ATGETTING A'S BUT NOT GREAT AT
FIGURING OUT WHAT'S GOING TOGIVE THEM A SENSE OF MEANING AND
PURPOSE IN THEIR LIFE, MAKE THEMTHE LEADERS THE COLLEGES ARE
SUPPOSEDLY PREPARING TO DO, THELEADERS WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH.
WE'VE SEEN THIS BASICALLYMASSIVE FAILURE IN THE
LEADERSHIP CLASS IN THE LAST 10,15, 20, 30 YEARS, THAT THESE
SCHOOLS ARE CREATING.
>> Stephen: I'M A LEADER.
YOU'RE A LEADER.
WHAT'S THE FAILURE OF THELEADERSHIP?
>> WE ARE EXCEPTIONS, STEPHEN.
(AUDIENCE REACTS)>> Stephen: SO WE'RE OKAY.
WE'RE OKAY.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT BANKS,CORPORATIONS, GOVERNMENT,
SCHOOLS, NONPROFITS. THEY'RE NOTDOING THEIR JOBS.
THEY'RE NOT SERVING SOCIETY AS AWHOLE BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT
WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELF.
THAT'S THE WHOLE IDEA ABOUTGETTING INTO THE SCHOOLS, HIGH
STATUS, HIGH WEALTH.
WHAT ABOUT SERVING SOCIETY AS AWHOLE.
>> Stephen: HOW SHOULD KIDS --IF IT'S NOT WORKING HARD IN HIGH
SCHOOL AND CONFORMING TO THEEXPECTATIONS OF SOCIETY AND THEN
CRUSHING IT WHEN YOU'RE AT BROWNOR COLUMBIA AND THEN SLIDING
YOURSELF INTO WALL STREET ANDDOING YOUR THING THERE AND
MAKING TONS OF CASH AND GOINGOFF TO, LIKE, YOUR CABIN IN
BELIZE ON THE WEEKEND.
>> AND DO WHAT YOUR PEERS WANTYOU TO DO.
>> Stephen: YOU COMPLAIN A LOTBUT I HEAR NO ANSWERS,
>> IT'S IN THE BOOK.
>> Stephen: I'M NOT GONNA READYOUR BOOK!
(LAUGHTER)WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS?
WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS, BILL?
>> FORGET ABOUT WHAT EVERYBODYELSE WANTS YOU TO DO, START TO
LISTEN TO YOURSELF, START TOREAD, TO THINK, TAKE TIME OFF,
TAKE TIME AWAY FROM THE SYSTEM,STEP OUTSIDE OF THE BUBBLE,
START TO TUNE IN TO WHAT -->> Stephen: DID YOU DO THAT?
REPEATEDLY.
>> Stephen: WHEN DID YOU DOTHAT?
>> I SPENT FOUR YEARS AFTERCOLLEGE BEFORE I FIGURED OUT
WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO DOBECAUSE I DIDN'T DO THE RIGHT
THINGS IN COLLEGE, BECAUSE IDIDN'T SHUT OUT ALL THE MESSAGES
EVERYBODY ELSE WAS GIVING ME.
I MAJORED IN THE WRONG THING.
MAYBE I WENT TO THE WRONGCOLLEGE MYSELF.
IN THE END, IT WAS A LONGERPROCESS THAN IT NEEDED TO BE.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS YOURMAJOR?
>> I WAS ACTUALLY ABIOPSYCHOLOGY MAJOR.
>> Stephen: WHATIS BIOPSYCHOLOGY?
DO YOU GET TO WRITE YOURSELFYOUR OWN PRESCRIPTIONS?
>> IT'S WHAT THEY NOW CALLCOGNITIVE SCIENCE. IT'S WHAT
I THOUGHT I COULD DO.
MY DAD WAS A SCIENTIST ANDIMMIGRANT.
HE PUSHED ME IN THAT DIRECTION.
I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN ENGLISHMAJOR.
I DID A Ph.D. IN ENGLISHBECAUSE I FIGURED OUT THAT'S
WHAT I NEEDED TO DO TO MAKE MEHAPPY TO FEEL LIKE I WAS
CONTRIBUTING.
>> Stephen: SO IT DOESN'T MATTERWHAT MAKES DAD HAPPY.
HE'S AN IMMIGRANT!
YOU'RE BREAKING MY HEART!
YOU'RE BREAKING MY HEART!
I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN YOU,BILLY!
WE DIDN'T COME TO THIS COUNTRYFOR YOU TO SMOKE POT AND PLAY
MADDEN IN YOUR DORM ROOM!
YOU KNOW WHAT?
I THINK I BROKE HIS HEART, TOO,BUT SOMETIMES THAT'S WHAT YOU
HAVE TO DO BECAUSE YOU'RE LIVINGYOUR LIFE AND NOT YOUR PARENTS'
LIVES.
>> Stephen: I CERTAINLY HOPEMY CHILDREN AREN'T WATCHING THIS
RIGHT NOW.
YOU DO EXACTLY WHAT I SAY AT ALLTIMES!
(APPLAUSE)THANK YOU SO MUCH, WILLIAM
DERESIEWICZ.
>> THANK YOU(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK!
>> Stephen: ♪♪ WHAT'S COOLER TANBEING COOL? ICE COLD! ♪♪
THAT'S IT FOR "THE REPORT,"EVERYBODY, GOOD NIGHT!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)