The Loudest Voice (2019): Season 1, Episode 4 - Episode #1.4 - full transcript
♪ dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
[grunting]
[breathing erratically]
[gasps]
What?
What?
[breathing heavily]
I-I can't. I can't.
What?
I can't. I--
I ca-- I can't.
I can't do this.
I can't do this anymore.
I can't do it anymore, Roger.
I can't.
We can talk about that later.
Now, finish.
Come on.
[moaning]
[grunts]
I have to get back
to the office.
Maybe you're right.
Maybe this has just
run its course.
On one condition.
You find your replacement.
Fine. Fine.
[Barack Obama] American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act
is now law.
[Mike Pence]
Congress just adopted the most
fiscally irresponsible budget
in American history today.
What we are looking at
is a conspiracy.
...receiving
taxpayer bailouts...
He wants to transform
private-enterprise America
- into neo-socialist...
- I feel like we are
talking to the Germans
after Hitler comes to power.
The "Overthrow America"
movement.
Terrorists.
...fact that Obama
is working from within
to bring down the U.S.
capitalist system.
I mean, we uncover in the book
Obama's extensive ties
to Alinsky,
including during the campaign,
by the way,
where his first trainers
were trained by those
from the Midwest Academy,
which is an Alinsky academy...
[Judy]
Happy birthday.
[static]
[Roger]
Thank you, Judy.
What a beautiful cake.
Hmm.
69 years old.
[chuckles]
You know, my doctor tells me
I'm old and I'm fat
and I'm ugly,
but none of those things
are gonna kill me straightaway.
[laughs] And none of
those things are true.
Mm, well...
Time for the candles.
Well, I'm gonna have
to make a wish.
- Hmm.
- Hmm.
[Beth]
What a lovely cake.
That's very thoughtful
of you, Judy,
but we already
celebrated at home.
- [Beth] He's here.
- [Roger] Okay.
Okay.
[Roger]
Joe Lindsley.
[static]
Mr. Ailes.
It's an honor.
This is my wife, Beth.
Mrs. Ailes, pleasure.
Now, I bet you're
sitting there thinking,
"What the hell
am I doing here?"
Uh, the thought had
crossed my mind, sir.
Well, now, you see, Joe,
recently, Beth and I purchased
a local newspaper upstate.
[Beth] In Garrison,
where we live.
[Roger]
The Putnam County
News and Recorder.
Now, I'm a TV guy.
Don't know a damn thing
about newspapers,
so I reached out
to Marty Singerman,
and in turn,
he reached out to you.
And you put together
that list
of conservative editors
that might run the paper.
I liked that list a lot.
Thank you, sir.
And you went to Notre Dame?
That's right. I started
my own paper there
because I felt the Notre Dame
Observer skewed too liberal.
[both chuckle]
- Catholic?
- Yes, ma'am.
My faith is very
important to me.
Joe, I grew up
in small-town America.
I knew the names
of all my neighbors.
Never even thought
to lock the door at night.
I want Garrison to be
that kind of town.
But the people
who live there...
[Beth]
Liberals.
Balding hippies.
[laughs]
Let's just say, you know,
they need to be educated.
Thomas Jefferson said,
"Education is the only
sure alliance
for the preservation
of our liberty."
Oh, I love that.
[Roger]
So?
[Beth]
Are you interested?
In...?
Becoming our
editor in chief.
[Roger]
Garrison...
is a microcosm of America.
In these dark times,
with this president,
we got to rebuild America
from the ground up.
I am honored to help
in any way that I can.
[Roger] Well, I think
it's settled, then.
Roger, we have a situation.
All right, Joe,
why don't you, uh,
go up to Garrison with Beth,
get the lay of the land.
Right now?
No time like the present.
First of all, I've got, uh,
one television station,
and it's entirely
devoted to,
uh, uh, attacking
my administration.
He's calling us out publicly.
Yeah, good. That means
we're getting into his head.
We've just got to
intensify the pressure.
Roger, this is not CNN, okay?
This is the White House.
We have to be
strategic here.
Rupert was very clear
that we're...
Come on, come on.
Fuck Rupert.
Fuck this White House.
I fought for editorial control,
and I intend to use it.
If this Barry guy,
Barry O., my bro,
whatever the fuck his name is,
if he wants a fight,
okay, I'm good.
All right, we'll--
we'll war-game it later,
see how it plays.
Want some cake?
No, I'm fine.
♪ somber music ♪
♪♪♪
[sighs]
[Beth]
That's Our Lady of Loretto.
I play organ there on Sundays.
It's a wonderful congregation.
You'll have to come
to Mass with us.
It would be my pleasure,
Mrs. Ailes.
[chuckles] Joe, we're going
to be working together.
Call me Beth.
Okay. Beth.
It's beautiful here, but...
you know, there needs to be
a strong conservative voice
in this town.
Roger and I have high hopes
that you and the paper
can be that voice.
I'll do my best, Mrs., um--
Beth. Beth.
[exhales]
Good.
[Beth]
There it is.
We're gonna turn
this little paper
into a top-flight operation
worthy of the Ailes name.
[Beth clapping]
[Beth]
Everyone,
I want to introduce
Joe Lindsley.
Joe is an old family friend,
and we have just hired him
to be the new editor in chief.
Joe's gonna be
implementing some changes
and taking the paper
in a new direction.
We're very excited
to have him on board.
And you should be, too.
[weak, scattered applause]
Uh, uh, I just want to say, um,
I'm excited to be here,
and I'm-I'm looking forward
to getting to know
each of you so, uh,
so that we can work together
and make this paper
into something great.
[Beth] What a fine sentiment.
Thank you, Joe.
[Joe]
So...
The staff work
for you, Joe,
not with you.
I just-- I thought, um...
I'll remember that,
Mrs. Ailes.
- Beth.
- [sighs]
After all, I'm not
that much older than you.
This is exciting.
Like the first day
of something special.
Uh, Fox News was undertaking
a war against the White House
and said, "The White House
will treat Fox
the way we would an opponent."
They're right.
Fox isn't a news network.
It's an opinion organization.
A very one-sided
opinion organization.
This is bullshit.
This White House hates America,
hates capitalism,
hate's anyone who's not
in lockstep with
their way of thinking.
We're not gonna
put up with them.
We're not gonna
roll over for these fuckers.
Every time they bring up
a talking point,
we're gonna counter it.
They say "progressive,"
we're gonna say "socialist."
They say "safety net,"
we're gonna say "welfare cheat."
They say "health care,"
we're gonna say
"fucking death panels."
Just push the message.
Socialist.
Muslim. Un-American.
Just keep hitting those things
over and over again,
keep hitting them.
You know, we don't even
have any fucking proof
that Obama
is a citizen.
[Shine] Did you
feed that to Trump?
He was just on The View
questioning
Obama's birth certificate.
We might have
had a dinner.
Which reminds me, get Donald
a spot on Fox & Friends.
He's always good for ratings.
You know he's been
making noises about
- running for president again.
- [light laughter]
Well, that makes it
even better.
Fuck you, Axelrod.
Fuck that guy.
- [Joe] This place is amazing.
- [Beth] Thank you.
Roger and I spent a lot of time
and effort making it just so.
Will he drive me
back into the city,
or should I
get a train?
[Beth]
Oh, don't be silly.
You'll stay with us
for the weekend,
and that way
you'll have a head start
for your first day Monday.
[Joe] Uh, I-I couldn't
possibly impose.
Nonsense. It--
We'd be delighted.
You're around back.
Down the stairs.
The pool house.
[bird cawing]
♪ dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
- [knock on door]
- [Laurie] Roger?
I wanted to introduce you
to my new assistant, Carrie.
I'm honored to meet you,
Mr. Ailes.
- Just call me Roger.
- [chuckles]
Laurie tells me that you're
a star on the rise.
[chuckles] Well, I've always
dreamed of being on air.
[chuckles] Uh, Laurie says
I should give you my demo.
We should watch
this together.
Let's have a little look
at what you got.
[chuckles]
♪ dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
[static]
[panting]
[dog barking nearby]
[vehicle door closes]
[indistinct chatter]
[Roger] This is my property,
my land. I know my rights.
Why don't you just
drive the hell away
before I let go
of this leash.
I'm just doing
my job, Mr. Ailes.
- [barking]
- [Roger] Yeah?
Well, that's what
the guards
in the concentration
camps said.
Good morning, Mr. Ailes.
Zoning bullshit.
Can you believe this crap?
Trying to tell me
what I can do with my land,
how I can't cut down trees.
God made trees
for two reasons:
build houses and baseball bats.
[laughs]
"Upon the foundation
of private property,
great civilizations
are built."
Russell Kirk.
Why don't you come up to the
house for dinner tonight, Joe?
- I'd be honored, sir.
- Good.
Good boy.
Well, you know,
we were the first
to bring politicians
onto daytime TV
with The Mike Douglas Show.
We had Lady Bird Johnson
do a tour of the White House.
Nixon was a hard get,
but I got him.
Same day I booked him,
I booked Little Egypt,
the exotic dancer,
her and her boa constrictor.
- No way.
- [laughing] Yeah, yeah.
I didn't want to scare Nixon.
I didn't want to scare
the snake, either, so I put him
in my office for 15 minutes.
You know, who knows?
If I put Little Egypt
in the office,
maybe I'd be managing
belly dancers today.
- [laughing] Oh, Roger.
- It's true.
It's true. [laughs]
Nixon made a crack about TV
being a gimmick, and I...
I don't know, I just
sucked up my courage,
and I said, if he didn't
understand television,
he would never win
another election.
And that was the beginning
of my path to the White House.
[Beth]
And you were spot-on.
I read The Selling
of the President.
Joe McGinniss gives you most
of the credit for Nixon's win.
[Roger] Wow. You know,
what can I say?
For once in his life,
McGinniss was right. No, no.
[laughs] No.
Joe was a good friend.
Yeah. And despite
everything that came after,
I still believe Nixon
was a good man.
He was a little uncomfortable
under the lights,
but he understood
this country.
And he knew there was
no route to power
without throwing a punch.
Come in, Joe, come in.
Look at this.
Town Supervisor
Richard Shea.
He sells himself
as a moderate,
but he's a radical
environmentalist,
which means
he's a communist.
He is trying
this zoning scam,
which is stealing from us
to give to the poor.
It's scandalous, Joe.
Scandalous.
You think the paper
should look into it?
That is a great idea.
It's exactly the kind of thing
the paper should be doing.
Well, then that's what we'll do.
[Gretchen Carlson]
Welcome back to Fox & Friends,
where we have
a very special guest.
Someone we're really
looking forward to having.
A very, very, very
special guest.
Our good friend Glenn Beck
is joining us.
- And here he is. Glenn!
- [laughter]
So happy
to see you.
Tell us what's going...
How are your biceps, Glenn?
Not good. This one's pudding,
and that one's Jell-O.
Well, because you're
gonna need them.
I hear they're having
a beer fest
on Thursday night
at the White House.
[Beck] That is
unbelievable.
- Why?
- Why? For a teaching lesson
for the working class?
Some sort of a...
Who needs to learn
what here?
This president, I think,
has exposed himself
as a guy, over and over
and over again,
who has deep-seated hatred
for white people
- or the white culture.
- Whoa!
You can't say he doesn't
like white people.
David Axelrod is white.
Rahm Emanuel, his chief
of staff, he's white.
70% of the people he sees
every day are white.
I'm not saying he doesn't
like white people.
I'm saying he has a problem.
He has a--
This is a guy, I believe,
is racist.
Fuck.
[Brian]
Okay, we say Beck's views
do not represent
the views of Fox News
or News Corp,
and then we figure out
what the fuck
to do with him.
Have you seen
his numbers?
We should give him
more airtime.
What's all the ruckus?
[Brian] Beck straight up
called Obama
a racist
on Fox & Friends.
[chuckles]
Well, he's not wrong.
[scoffs]
Jesus Christ, Roger.
We can't just say that.
Okay, we have to
put out a statement.
- We have to get ahead of this.
- Okay, fine.
But, you know, l-let's just
not rise to the occasion
when there's no occasion.
Just be clear we're
fully committed to Glenn,
we're fully committed
to his show.
"Fair and balanced"
doesn't mean a whole lot
when one of your stars
calls the president a racist.
Okay, it makes it a little hard
to protect the brand.
I'll decide
what the brand is.
You put out the fires.
I'll talk to Glenn.
Racist? He just
called him a racist?
Yeah, that's what he said.
He's a funny guy.
[indistinct announcement
over P.A.]
Well, you certainly know how
to get people's attention.
[Beck] Well, it
needed to be said.
People can look at the evidence
and decide for themselves.
You gonna fire me?
Not even close.
But we do have to
put out a statement
saying that your views are
not necessarily the opinions
of Fox News, yada yada yada,
but don't worry,
I've got your back.
I appreciate that.
I got a new video
from Breitbart
which will totally blow
the lid off Obama's attempt--
[laughs]
Slow down, Glenn.
One crisis at a time.
Just let's let this
silly racist thing
blow over and... hmm?
Oh. Hey, Roger.
Can I have a minute?
Did you see that
downstairs?
Doocy's out of control.
He grabbed my arm on air
to try to get me
to shut up.
And you know this isn't
an isolated incident.
He's been doing it for years,
- and I'm sick of it.
- [Roger grunts]
Good morning, Gretchen.
Perhaps he was just
trying to get a word in.
You know, you...
are more than capable
of rising above this.
Yeah, but, Roger,
this is something--
Gretchen, Gretchen,
you're Miss America.
How would Miss America
handle this?
- With grace, charm.
- [sighs]
You'd smile,
give a little twirl,
wouldn't you?
So let's see it.
Why don't we see a little
Miss America twirl.
[sighs]
The high road,
Gretchen.
Always the high road.
[phone ringing]
Joe Lindsley.
- [Roger] Read me what you got.
- Um...
"Richard Shea and his proposed
scenic protection overlay
is actually an assault
on property rights.
His misguided attempt
at sustainable living
is nothing more than
socioeconomic cleansing,
driving out local
businesses at the behest
of outside
environmental activists."
That's pretty good.
Write this down,
write this down.
Um...
"One aggrieved resident said,
'My family and my business
are threatened
by a special-interest group
interfering
with my private
property rights.'"
Who said that?
- I did.
- Mr. Ailes, it's unethical
to-to make up quotes.
You're not making it up, Joe.
I just said it.
I said it. I'm a resident.
I'm aggrieved.
It's really close to the line.
- Joe, lines...
- [knock at door]
are for suckers.
Throw the punch, put in
the quote, and publish.
Yes, sir.
Yeah?
Uh, the White House
is furious about Beck.
They're freezing out
Chris Wallace
from Sunday's
presidential interviews.
Fuck these people.
You know what?
Tell Beck
we're gonna run
that fucking video.
Will do.
[assistant director]
And we're back
in three, two...
The activist group
with strong ties
to President Barack Obama,
ACORN--
the Association of Community
Organizations for Reform Now.
Reform?
Government-funded radicals
who take your
hard-earned tax dollars
and hand it out like candy.
In fact, we've got proof
of them encouraging prostitution
and covering it up
so the government never knows.
Let's take a quick look,
and then we'll break it down.
This was captured by some
hard-working, brave journalists
who went undercover
to ACORN at great risk.
[James O'Keefe] She is in
a situation where she has
- a unique line of work.
- I like that.
- Because it's against the law.
- I'm gonna make sure
- there's a code for it, okay?
- A code for prostitution?
[ACORN worker] You need to pay
taxes on the money you make.
[O'Keefe] Is there any way
around that, though?
Yeah, don't file.
[O'Keefe] We've got a couple
girls overseas coming over,
you know what I mean,
and they're very young,
and we don't want to--
we don't want to put them
on the-- on the books.
You can always
claim them as dependents.
[chuckling]
I tell you, Joe,
this story is gonna be huge.
Yes, but is it news?
It's newsworthy.
We report,
they decide, remember?
But it's been manipulated.
We can't even see
the journalist in the room,
it's selectively edited...
Ah, maybe this is
one of those moments
when your idealism...
runs into a wall
called knowledge.
You trying to tell me
you don't think
The New York Times is
selectively edited
every single
goddamned day?
Hmm?
Bias...
is everywhere.
That's the way it works.
And we try and shine
a light on corruption...
anywhere we find it.
- I guess.
- No.
No guessing.
No equivocation.
That's the way it is.
It's like your work
with the paper.
You've expanded
that conversation.
Now everybody in the town
knows about Shea
and his zoning issues.
That's down to you.
You got a big future
in this business, son.
[siren wailing, horns honking]
[booking staffer]
Laurie, this whole ACORN thing
is a nightmare.
Yeah, nobody left of Mussolini
wants to come on
any of our shows.
Well, I made
a list of second-
and third-tier guests
we can book.
No top names,
but they'll do for now.
Roger doesn't seem worried.
Carrie, can you pass
the list around?
Sure.
And as you all know...
I'm going on
- a little vacation, so--
- We'll be fine.
- Carrie, that's not what I--
- [Carrie] Laurie, we get it.
You're tired,
and you need a break.
We've got
everything covered.
Don't we, guys?
Definitely.
[exhales softly]
[indistinct chatter]
♪ tense, dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
[gasping]
[exhales]
[line ringing]
[line ringing]
What are you doing?
You're not supposed
to call me at home.
Roger... I'm not doing
anything wrong.
I'm just going
on vacation.
I didn't break
any of the rules.
So, why...
why do you have
these people following me?
What are you talking about?
I'm not running away.
I'm just going on a vacation.
But you need to stop.
Stop, Roger.
Please stop.
Because you make me
want to scream.
I just want to stand here
and scream, Roger.
Stay where you are.
Do not get on the plane.
I will have someone
come and pick you up.
[woman over P.A.]
Attention, all passengers.
[announcement continues
indistinctly]
[line ringing]
Bill... we have a situation.
I need you to go and pick up
Laurie Luhn from the airport.
Yeah. Now, now.
I'll call you from the car.
It's like you're
in my head, Roger.
Telling me what I should do.
How I should act.
Laurie, I... I think you should
just get some sleep.
Fuck you!
[shuddering breaths]
[whispers]
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
It's all right.
It's okay.
I don't know
what's going on with me.
I'm... I'm sorry.
Hey.
Listen to me.
Laurie.
Listen to me.
I have always looked after you.
Haven't I?
So just lie down,
get some sleep,
and know...
you're in good hands.
All right?
♪ tense, dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
[whispering]
She needs some serious help.
We can't check her
into rehab
or an institution
without her consent.
- Look into that, Bill.
- Yeah.
She can stay here
until we figure out
where she belongs.
Until then, just keep her quiet.
No phone. No e-mail.
Just lock it all down.
Thank you, Suzanne.
Thank you, Bill.
[door opens]
[door closes]
[Roger] Give yourself
a pat on the back, son.
I just heard that Richard Shea
is scheduling a town hall
to discuss zoning issues.
The whole town is
up in arms, apparently,
[chuckling]
and that's all thanks to you.
I think we should go
and make sure we have
our voices heard.
- What do you think?
- Yes, sir.
- Oh, fuck!
- You okay?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's just a little nick.
Hey, can you just get me
those little pills?
The pills, just, uh,
out on the sink.
Just the little ones.
Yeah.
Fuck.
- Just a couple.
- Just two?
Yeah, I probably don't
need them, but, you know...
you never know.
Goddamn it.
- What are those for?
- Uh...
clotting factor.
I'm a hemophiliac.
Seriously?
I wasn't supposed
to live past my teens.
Spent a lot of
my childhood in hospitals.
[exhales] Hanging upside down
trying to get the blood to flow.
[chuckles]
But my dad wouldn't hear it.
Pushed me just as hard
as any other kid.
What about you?
How do you get on
with your old man?
My dad...
wasn't into bonding.
Sometimes he would come home...
Everything was
just wrong.
And I... I had
to deal with that.
My dad would reach for his belt
at the drop of a hat.
I'd cry and cry. It took me
a long time to realize
that crying wouldn't
make him stop.
He would keep going
until I stopped crying.
Know what it looks like
when you beat a hemophiliac kid?
It's not good.
Eh.
All for the best.
Made me tough.
Life is
struggle, Joe.
Never forget that.
It's a fight, it's a con,
it's a grudge match,
and it's a game.
The only important
thing is...
...that you win.
Why don't you
get some sleep?
You and I...
we got a lot of work to do.
- Good night.
- Good night.
[quiet chatter]
[man] At least you used
a flattering photograph.
Richard Shea.
Um...
- Joe Lindsley.
- Oh, I know.
This is my son Bobby.
Well, your boss knows
how to raise a stink.
It doesn't seem to matter
if it's true or not.
I stand by our reporting.
I'm doing what's right
for our community.
The zoning statutes
are a simple way--
An infringement
on property rights.
Did you know that
the original draft
of the Declaration
of Independence
talked about life, liberty
and the pursuit of property?
And then they rewrote it.
The...
Look, my job is
to report the issues.
Your job is to carry water
for your boss.
Ailes is just mad at me
'cause I wouldn't give him
- a zoning exemption.
- That's not true.
This is--
This is an issue of--
Ask him.
[exhales]
Proud of yourself?
You're tearing
this town apart.
- Miss, I'm--
- [man] Maybe the kid's right.
Who is Shea to tell us
what we can do with our land?
Bullshit. You think this kid
has your rights in mind?
[man] Well, I want to hear
what he has to say.
[woman] You can turn
a blind eye, but I am not
- going to turn a blind eye.
- Look, everybody here
pays their taxes
and has a right to determine...
[Joe]
And it escalated from there.
Other people joining in,
folks getting heated.
- [laughing]
- [chuckling] I thought...
I thought they were
gonna call the cops.
That Shea is
such a drama queen.
He seemed like
a nice guy.
Oh, yeah, nice guy,
like Stalin was a nice guy.
Hey, he's got kids of his own.
Didn't stop him butchering
40 million people.
- That's a lot of people.
- [Beth] Roger.
What? It happened.
I'm supposed to say
it didn't happen?
Stalin, Russian.
Bad people.
[Joe] Shea seems
to think that, um,
the zoning issue
is personal with you.
Yeah, just like it is
for every single
citizen in this town.
It's personal.
You're shaking things up, Joe.
Just like a newsman
is supposed to.
That's great.
[siren whooping]
[Laurie]
Ugh.
Yes. Mom, it's-it's fine.
No, the apartment's nice.
No, I-I can't talk about it.
No, not on the phone.
It's not secure.
You know, people listen.
[knocking on door]
I, uh... I have to go.
I have to go.
[knocking continues]
[knocking continues]
Ah. Bill.
Hey.
I-I didn't know
you were coming today.
Mondays and Thursdays, right?
How is everything?
Well, um,
it's-it's great.
It's-it's really great.
I... You know,
Bill, I-I'd really love
to get back to work.
I really feel
like I'm up for it.
Look, Laurie, uh...
you've been under a lot
of pressure, huh?
So... let's just take things
one step at a time.
Just-just rest, okay?
[door opens, closes]
[Obama]
As an elected official,
I've had interactions
with them,
but that was my relationship
and is my relationship
to ACORN.
This is not the biggest issue
facing the country.
It's not something I'm paying
a lot of attention to.
[O'Reilly] Even though we try
to be fair to the president,
he doesn't seem
to like us very much.
On Sunday, he's doing
all the chat shows
except for Fox News Sunday.
The White House
has labeled Fox what it is.
...the communications arm
of the Republican Party.
There's even a posting
on the White House website
where they talked about
the lies of Fox News.
[Chris Wallace] I got to
tell you, they are the biggest
bunch of crybabies
I have dealt with
in my 30 years in Washington.
And the White House
wanted to offer up
an administration official
for interviews
with all the major
news organizations
with the exception of Fox.
[sighs]
- David.
- [Axelrod] Roger.
- Let's call a truce.
- Why?
We're winning.
Mmm, I don't think so.
Well, I think
you fucked it up.
I think you pushed too hard
and you did us a favor.
We got every news organization
on our side.
Even Jake Tapper
is defending us.
[laughs] Journalists look
after their own.
When you met with the
president during the election,
you promised you weren't out
to get him, gave your word--
I didn't meet with
the president that day.
Don't mistake me
for Rupert Murdoch.
I've never said we won't
cover what's there,
like this ACORN thing.
Exactly my point.
You created that
out of thin air.
Spun a web of controversy
where none existed.
We didn't create ACORN.
We covered it.
ACORN is an organization
riddled with corruption,
and it's about time
that Congress
and the American people
heard about it.
- You really believe that?
- Not a matter of what I believe.
- It's the truth.
- [sighs] Look,
we can work together on this.
Quid pro quo.
You promise to back off,
we'll reinstate
- your press access...
- With an apology.
...grant you a couple
of exclusive interviews
with the president,
but we select the reporters.
Does your guy not understand
that he doesn't get
to pick and choose his coverage?
That a free press
does not necessarily mean
a favorable press?
- Does he get that?
- And...
you get Hannity, O'Reilly
and Beck to ease up.
Especially Beck.
That man is unhinged.
Unhinged? You're the one
who works for the guy
who wants to create
a national police force.
Y-You can't be serious.
[laughs]
Where did you hear that?
- He spoke about it.
- Roger,
he's never said
anything like that ever.
That's what I heard.
I'm asking you
as a friend to pull back.
And I'm telling you
as a friend...
no.
[Hannity]
President as social engineer,
president as bioethicist,
the government
deciding who will live,
who will die.
[Ann Coulter] He would be
impeached if he weren't
America's first
black president.
[Tucker Carlson] I think
he is using racial anxiety
- for political gain.
- So, of course, you're gonna
get a socialist-style
medical system.
Uh, death panels,
that sort of thing.
- Is that proper? Is that right?
- Guys, when are we gonna
wake up and start fighting
the fascism
that seems to be
permeating this country?
- I feel like President Obama...
- [woman] I want to know
if it's coming out
of my paycheck. Yes or no.
They've decided
that we're just stupid.
Afro-Leninism!
- [woman] Our cries...
- [people shouting]
[newswoman] And these loud cries
are now setting off
completely different
kinds of fireworks.
[man] We're gonna
take back our country.
We're gonna fight for it.
We will not let them
take our country!
[gavel banging]
- [indistinct chatter]
- [Shea] All right, let us...
let us observe...
let us observe civility
above all.
[chatter quiets]
Now, I-I would ask that citizens
limit their remarks
to two minutes each.
[woman]
I just want to say
that if it weren't
for Roger Ailes,
this town would be
the peaceful enclave
it was when
I moved here
- 20 years ago!
- [murmuring, booing]
I'm Peter Johnson.
Can everyone quiet down?
[chatter quiets]
Good afternoon.
I represent Mr. Ailes.
Why are you here? You're not
a property owner in this town.
Because in America,
you're allowed to have
an attorney represent you
- who understands the law.
- [crowd murmuring]
- [applause]
- Th-This isn't a legal hearing.
[murmuring, booing]
I would just like to start
by saying it is about time
that private property owners
like myself
got to have a say.
- [murmuring]
- All right, now, this...
this is a... this is
a civil meeting, Mr. Ailes,
so our community can come
together to discuss the--
No, no, no, no.
You have overlooked
the private citizens.
You've ignored us.
This is not about me.
[scoffs] I'm afraid this is
all about you, Mr. Ailes.
[crowd murmuring]
Civility above all, Mr. Shea.
Your sarcasm is not useful here.
I'm here for them.
I'm here for you guys!
[cheering, applause]
[gavel banging]
Please!
- Please.
- [gavel banging]
Please!
Now, may we have order?
Answer me this, Mr. Shea:
Is it true
that your referendum puts
institutional interest
above businesses
and private citizens?
M-Mr. Ailes, the purpose
of this plan
is to help nonprofits
keep their open space
out of the hands
of real estate developers.
Why would everybody
not be equal under the law?
They are.
You're putting
these institutions
above the law
and private interests.
You just said so yourself.
- No, no, no one... no...
- [applause, shouting]
No. No one, no one,
no one is ab-- getting
special treatment here.
They're trying to regulate
the size of our windows,
- the color of our houses...
- That's not true.
[indistinct chatter]
You're depriving me
of my property rights.
You are misinformed, sir.
George Washington himself
once said,
"A violation of my land
is a violation of my being."
You work for the citizens,
Mr. Shea.
If you can't do that,
we will find someone who can!
[applause, shouting]
[gavel banging]
We'll find someone who can!
[indistinct shouting]
[screaming, whistle blowing]
[static]
[quiet chatter]
[soft jazz playing]
[Roger]
You can eat anything you want.
Lobster here, prime rib,
fried chicken.
Desserts are over there.
I've outlined a great
editorial for this week.
- It'll punch Shea in the nuts.
- [chuckles] Yeah.
Well, you know,
I admire your fire, Joe,
but I think we can
give that a rest.
Uh, you see, Peter Johnson,
he talked to Shea,
and my house is now
outside the rezoning tract,
so I'm exempt.
But what about the rest
of the town? The--
Hey, you got to pick
your battles, Joe.
We got what we wanted,
so we move on.
[Brian]
Look at this.
Hot off the press:
tomorrow's edition.
Listen to this.
"Some stories, lacking facts,
never catch fire,
but others do.
And a newspaper
like The Times
needs to be alert to them,
lest it wind up
looking clueless,
or worse, partisan."
[laughs]
You son of a bitch.
You did it.
What?
Well, it's like
a game, Joe.
It's like baseball.
See, first base,
we find the ACORN story.
- Right? We put it out there.
- Uh-huh.
Second base, everyone else
picks up the story.
Our story.
But it's-it's a fake story.
- There is--
- Who said it was fake?
Doesn't matter
if it's real or fake.
Third base,
The New York Times,
the paper of record,
says that if
a lot of people are
talking about a story,
it has to be important.
And, real or not,
they have to cover it.
[laughs] Finally,
a Democratic Congress
just defunded ACORN
without a single investigation
- because of us.
- [Roger snickers]
That's a home fucking run.
We created that, Joe.
We don't follow the news.
We make the news.
We're changing the world.
I don't know about you guys,
I'm getting a drink.
Listen to me, Joe.
There is a whole world
of people out there
who don't know what to believe.
They're so twisted up
by the liberal media,
they don't even know
who the good guys are anymore.
Now, you tell
those people
what to think,
you've lost them.
But if you tell them
how to feel,
they're yours.
I started this network
with nothing.
Everybody just going around
saying, "Roger Ailes,
he's not a news guy,
Roger Ailes is gonna fail,"
just laughing at me.
Take a good look
around this room.
These people,
they keep us on the air.
They're laughing
all the way to the bank.
- But journalism--
- Is history.
Yes, son. And history gets
written by the winners.
♪ "TV Set" by Spoon ♪
♪♪♪
And we... we are winning.
♪ Oh, baby, I see you
in my TV set ♪
♪ Yeah, baby,
I see you in my TV set ♪
♪ I cut your head off
and put it in my TV set ♪
♪ I use your eyeballs
for dials on my TV set ♪
♪ I watch TV, I watch TV ♪
♪ Oh, since I put you
in my TV set ♪
♪ Oh, baby,
I hear you on my radio ♪
♪ Yeah, baby, I hear you
on my radio ♪
♪ You know I flip, flip, flip
for your lady-o ♪
♪ You're going drip, drip, drip
on my radio ♪
♪ AM radio, PM radio ♪
♪ Since I tuned you
inside my radio like this ♪
♪ distorted solo ♪
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
[grunting]
[breathing erratically]
[gasps]
What?
What?
[breathing heavily]
I-I can't. I can't.
What?
I can't. I--
I ca-- I can't.
I can't do this.
I can't do this anymore.
I can't do it anymore, Roger.
I can't.
We can talk about that later.
Now, finish.
Come on.
[moaning]
[grunts]
I have to get back
to the office.
Maybe you're right.
Maybe this has just
run its course.
On one condition.
You find your replacement.
Fine. Fine.
[Barack Obama] American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act
is now law.
[Mike Pence]
Congress just adopted the most
fiscally irresponsible budget
in American history today.
What we are looking at
is a conspiracy.
...receiving
taxpayer bailouts...
He wants to transform
private-enterprise America
- into neo-socialist...
- I feel like we are
talking to the Germans
after Hitler comes to power.
The "Overthrow America"
movement.
Terrorists.
...fact that Obama
is working from within
to bring down the U.S.
capitalist system.
I mean, we uncover in the book
Obama's extensive ties
to Alinsky,
including during the campaign,
by the way,
where his first trainers
were trained by those
from the Midwest Academy,
which is an Alinsky academy...
[Judy]
Happy birthday.
[static]
[Roger]
Thank you, Judy.
What a beautiful cake.
Hmm.
69 years old.
[chuckles]
You know, my doctor tells me
I'm old and I'm fat
and I'm ugly,
but none of those things
are gonna kill me straightaway.
[laughs] And none of
those things are true.
Mm, well...
Time for the candles.
Well, I'm gonna have
to make a wish.
- Hmm.
- Hmm.
[Beth]
What a lovely cake.
That's very thoughtful
of you, Judy,
but we already
celebrated at home.
- [Beth] He's here.
- [Roger] Okay.
Okay.
[Roger]
Joe Lindsley.
[static]
Mr. Ailes.
It's an honor.
This is my wife, Beth.
Mrs. Ailes, pleasure.
Now, I bet you're
sitting there thinking,
"What the hell
am I doing here?"
Uh, the thought had
crossed my mind, sir.
Well, now, you see, Joe,
recently, Beth and I purchased
a local newspaper upstate.
[Beth] In Garrison,
where we live.
[Roger]
The Putnam County
News and Recorder.
Now, I'm a TV guy.
Don't know a damn thing
about newspapers,
so I reached out
to Marty Singerman,
and in turn,
he reached out to you.
And you put together
that list
of conservative editors
that might run the paper.
I liked that list a lot.
Thank you, sir.
And you went to Notre Dame?
That's right. I started
my own paper there
because I felt the Notre Dame
Observer skewed too liberal.
[both chuckle]
- Catholic?
- Yes, ma'am.
My faith is very
important to me.
Joe, I grew up
in small-town America.
I knew the names
of all my neighbors.
Never even thought
to lock the door at night.
I want Garrison to be
that kind of town.
But the people
who live there...
[Beth]
Liberals.
Balding hippies.
[laughs]
Let's just say, you know,
they need to be educated.
Thomas Jefferson said,
"Education is the only
sure alliance
for the preservation
of our liberty."
Oh, I love that.
[Roger]
So?
[Beth]
Are you interested?
In...?
Becoming our
editor in chief.
[Roger]
Garrison...
is a microcosm of America.
In these dark times,
with this president,
we got to rebuild America
from the ground up.
I am honored to help
in any way that I can.
[Roger] Well, I think
it's settled, then.
Roger, we have a situation.
All right, Joe,
why don't you, uh,
go up to Garrison with Beth,
get the lay of the land.
Right now?
No time like the present.
First of all, I've got, uh,
one television station,
and it's entirely
devoted to,
uh, uh, attacking
my administration.
He's calling us out publicly.
Yeah, good. That means
we're getting into his head.
We've just got to
intensify the pressure.
Roger, this is not CNN, okay?
This is the White House.
We have to be
strategic here.
Rupert was very clear
that we're...
Come on, come on.
Fuck Rupert.
Fuck this White House.
I fought for editorial control,
and I intend to use it.
If this Barry guy,
Barry O., my bro,
whatever the fuck his name is,
if he wants a fight,
okay, I'm good.
All right, we'll--
we'll war-game it later,
see how it plays.
Want some cake?
No, I'm fine.
♪ somber music ♪
♪♪♪
[sighs]
[Beth]
That's Our Lady of Loretto.
I play organ there on Sundays.
It's a wonderful congregation.
You'll have to come
to Mass with us.
It would be my pleasure,
Mrs. Ailes.
[chuckles] Joe, we're going
to be working together.
Call me Beth.
Okay. Beth.
It's beautiful here, but...
you know, there needs to be
a strong conservative voice
in this town.
Roger and I have high hopes
that you and the paper
can be that voice.
I'll do my best, Mrs., um--
Beth. Beth.
[exhales]
Good.
[Beth]
There it is.
We're gonna turn
this little paper
into a top-flight operation
worthy of the Ailes name.
[Beth clapping]
[Beth]
Everyone,
I want to introduce
Joe Lindsley.
Joe is an old family friend,
and we have just hired him
to be the new editor in chief.
Joe's gonna be
implementing some changes
and taking the paper
in a new direction.
We're very excited
to have him on board.
And you should be, too.
[weak, scattered applause]
Uh, uh, I just want to say, um,
I'm excited to be here,
and I'm-I'm looking forward
to getting to know
each of you so, uh,
so that we can work together
and make this paper
into something great.
[Beth] What a fine sentiment.
Thank you, Joe.
[Joe]
So...
The staff work
for you, Joe,
not with you.
I just-- I thought, um...
I'll remember that,
Mrs. Ailes.
- Beth.
- [sighs]
After all, I'm not
that much older than you.
This is exciting.
Like the first day
of something special.
Uh, Fox News was undertaking
a war against the White House
and said, "The White House
will treat Fox
the way we would an opponent."
They're right.
Fox isn't a news network.
It's an opinion organization.
A very one-sided
opinion organization.
This is bullshit.
This White House hates America,
hates capitalism,
hate's anyone who's not
in lockstep with
their way of thinking.
We're not gonna
put up with them.
We're not gonna
roll over for these fuckers.
Every time they bring up
a talking point,
we're gonna counter it.
They say "progressive,"
we're gonna say "socialist."
They say "safety net,"
we're gonna say "welfare cheat."
They say "health care,"
we're gonna say
"fucking death panels."
Just push the message.
Socialist.
Muslim. Un-American.
Just keep hitting those things
over and over again,
keep hitting them.
You know, we don't even
have any fucking proof
that Obama
is a citizen.
[Shine] Did you
feed that to Trump?
He was just on The View
questioning
Obama's birth certificate.
We might have
had a dinner.
Which reminds me, get Donald
a spot on Fox & Friends.
He's always good for ratings.
You know he's been
making noises about
- running for president again.
- [light laughter]
Well, that makes it
even better.
Fuck you, Axelrod.
Fuck that guy.
- [Joe] This place is amazing.
- [Beth] Thank you.
Roger and I spent a lot of time
and effort making it just so.
Will he drive me
back into the city,
or should I
get a train?
[Beth]
Oh, don't be silly.
You'll stay with us
for the weekend,
and that way
you'll have a head start
for your first day Monday.
[Joe] Uh, I-I couldn't
possibly impose.
Nonsense. It--
We'd be delighted.
You're around back.
Down the stairs.
The pool house.
[bird cawing]
♪ dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
- [knock on door]
- [Laurie] Roger?
I wanted to introduce you
to my new assistant, Carrie.
I'm honored to meet you,
Mr. Ailes.
- Just call me Roger.
- [chuckles]
Laurie tells me that you're
a star on the rise.
[chuckles] Well, I've always
dreamed of being on air.
[chuckles] Uh, Laurie says
I should give you my demo.
We should watch
this together.
Let's have a little look
at what you got.
[chuckles]
♪ dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
[static]
[panting]
[dog barking nearby]
[vehicle door closes]
[indistinct chatter]
[Roger] This is my property,
my land. I know my rights.
Why don't you just
drive the hell away
before I let go
of this leash.
I'm just doing
my job, Mr. Ailes.
- [barking]
- [Roger] Yeah?
Well, that's what
the guards
in the concentration
camps said.
Good morning, Mr. Ailes.
Zoning bullshit.
Can you believe this crap?
Trying to tell me
what I can do with my land,
how I can't cut down trees.
God made trees
for two reasons:
build houses and baseball bats.
[laughs]
"Upon the foundation
of private property,
great civilizations
are built."
Russell Kirk.
Why don't you come up to the
house for dinner tonight, Joe?
- I'd be honored, sir.
- Good.
Good boy.
Well, you know,
we were the first
to bring politicians
onto daytime TV
with The Mike Douglas Show.
We had Lady Bird Johnson
do a tour of the White House.
Nixon was a hard get,
but I got him.
Same day I booked him,
I booked Little Egypt,
the exotic dancer,
her and her boa constrictor.
- No way.
- [laughing] Yeah, yeah.
I didn't want to scare Nixon.
I didn't want to scare
the snake, either, so I put him
in my office for 15 minutes.
You know, who knows?
If I put Little Egypt
in the office,
maybe I'd be managing
belly dancers today.
- [laughing] Oh, Roger.
- It's true.
It's true. [laughs]
Nixon made a crack about TV
being a gimmick, and I...
I don't know, I just
sucked up my courage,
and I said, if he didn't
understand television,
he would never win
another election.
And that was the beginning
of my path to the White House.
[Beth]
And you were spot-on.
I read The Selling
of the President.
Joe McGinniss gives you most
of the credit for Nixon's win.
[Roger] Wow. You know,
what can I say?
For once in his life,
McGinniss was right. No, no.
[laughs] No.
Joe was a good friend.
Yeah. And despite
everything that came after,
I still believe Nixon
was a good man.
He was a little uncomfortable
under the lights,
but he understood
this country.
And he knew there was
no route to power
without throwing a punch.
Come in, Joe, come in.
Look at this.
Town Supervisor
Richard Shea.
He sells himself
as a moderate,
but he's a radical
environmentalist,
which means
he's a communist.
He is trying
this zoning scam,
which is stealing from us
to give to the poor.
It's scandalous, Joe.
Scandalous.
You think the paper
should look into it?
That is a great idea.
It's exactly the kind of thing
the paper should be doing.
Well, then that's what we'll do.
[Gretchen Carlson]
Welcome back to Fox & Friends,
where we have
a very special guest.
Someone we're really
looking forward to having.
A very, very, very
special guest.
Our good friend Glenn Beck
is joining us.
- And here he is. Glenn!
- [laughter]
So happy
to see you.
Tell us what's going...
How are your biceps, Glenn?
Not good. This one's pudding,
and that one's Jell-O.
Well, because you're
gonna need them.
I hear they're having
a beer fest
on Thursday night
at the White House.
[Beck] That is
unbelievable.
- Why?
- Why? For a teaching lesson
for the working class?
Some sort of a...
Who needs to learn
what here?
This president, I think,
has exposed himself
as a guy, over and over
and over again,
who has deep-seated hatred
for white people
- or the white culture.
- Whoa!
You can't say he doesn't
like white people.
David Axelrod is white.
Rahm Emanuel, his chief
of staff, he's white.
70% of the people he sees
every day are white.
I'm not saying he doesn't
like white people.
I'm saying he has a problem.
He has a--
This is a guy, I believe,
is racist.
Fuck.
[Brian]
Okay, we say Beck's views
do not represent
the views of Fox News
or News Corp,
and then we figure out
what the fuck
to do with him.
Have you seen
his numbers?
We should give him
more airtime.
What's all the ruckus?
[Brian] Beck straight up
called Obama
a racist
on Fox & Friends.
[chuckles]
Well, he's not wrong.
[scoffs]
Jesus Christ, Roger.
We can't just say that.
Okay, we have to
put out a statement.
- We have to get ahead of this.
- Okay, fine.
But, you know, l-let's just
not rise to the occasion
when there's no occasion.
Just be clear we're
fully committed to Glenn,
we're fully committed
to his show.
"Fair and balanced"
doesn't mean a whole lot
when one of your stars
calls the president a racist.
Okay, it makes it a little hard
to protect the brand.
I'll decide
what the brand is.
You put out the fires.
I'll talk to Glenn.
Racist? He just
called him a racist?
Yeah, that's what he said.
He's a funny guy.
[indistinct announcement
over P.A.]
Well, you certainly know how
to get people's attention.
[Beck] Well, it
needed to be said.
People can look at the evidence
and decide for themselves.
You gonna fire me?
Not even close.
But we do have to
put out a statement
saying that your views are
not necessarily the opinions
of Fox News, yada yada yada,
but don't worry,
I've got your back.
I appreciate that.
I got a new video
from Breitbart
which will totally blow
the lid off Obama's attempt--
[laughs]
Slow down, Glenn.
One crisis at a time.
Just let's let this
silly racist thing
blow over and... hmm?
Oh. Hey, Roger.
Can I have a minute?
Did you see that
downstairs?
Doocy's out of control.
He grabbed my arm on air
to try to get me
to shut up.
And you know this isn't
an isolated incident.
He's been doing it for years,
- and I'm sick of it.
- [Roger grunts]
Good morning, Gretchen.
Perhaps he was just
trying to get a word in.
You know, you...
are more than capable
of rising above this.
Yeah, but, Roger,
this is something--
Gretchen, Gretchen,
you're Miss America.
How would Miss America
handle this?
- With grace, charm.
- [sighs]
You'd smile,
give a little twirl,
wouldn't you?
So let's see it.
Why don't we see a little
Miss America twirl.
[sighs]
The high road,
Gretchen.
Always the high road.
[phone ringing]
Joe Lindsley.
- [Roger] Read me what you got.
- Um...
"Richard Shea and his proposed
scenic protection overlay
is actually an assault
on property rights.
His misguided attempt
at sustainable living
is nothing more than
socioeconomic cleansing,
driving out local
businesses at the behest
of outside
environmental activists."
That's pretty good.
Write this down,
write this down.
Um...
"One aggrieved resident said,
'My family and my business
are threatened
by a special-interest group
interfering
with my private
property rights.'"
Who said that?
- I did.
- Mr. Ailes, it's unethical
to-to make up quotes.
You're not making it up, Joe.
I just said it.
I said it. I'm a resident.
I'm aggrieved.
It's really close to the line.
- Joe, lines...
- [knock at door]
are for suckers.
Throw the punch, put in
the quote, and publish.
Yes, sir.
Yeah?
Uh, the White House
is furious about Beck.
They're freezing out
Chris Wallace
from Sunday's
presidential interviews.
Fuck these people.
You know what?
Tell Beck
we're gonna run
that fucking video.
Will do.
[assistant director]
And we're back
in three, two...
The activist group
with strong ties
to President Barack Obama,
ACORN--
the Association of Community
Organizations for Reform Now.
Reform?
Government-funded radicals
who take your
hard-earned tax dollars
and hand it out like candy.
In fact, we've got proof
of them encouraging prostitution
and covering it up
so the government never knows.
Let's take a quick look,
and then we'll break it down.
This was captured by some
hard-working, brave journalists
who went undercover
to ACORN at great risk.
[James O'Keefe] She is in
a situation where she has
- a unique line of work.
- I like that.
- Because it's against the law.
- I'm gonna make sure
- there's a code for it, okay?
- A code for prostitution?
[ACORN worker] You need to pay
taxes on the money you make.
[O'Keefe] Is there any way
around that, though?
Yeah, don't file.
[O'Keefe] We've got a couple
girls overseas coming over,
you know what I mean,
and they're very young,
and we don't want to--
we don't want to put them
on the-- on the books.
You can always
claim them as dependents.
[chuckling]
I tell you, Joe,
this story is gonna be huge.
Yes, but is it news?
It's newsworthy.
We report,
they decide, remember?
But it's been manipulated.
We can't even see
the journalist in the room,
it's selectively edited...
Ah, maybe this is
one of those moments
when your idealism...
runs into a wall
called knowledge.
You trying to tell me
you don't think
The New York Times is
selectively edited
every single
goddamned day?
Hmm?
Bias...
is everywhere.
That's the way it works.
And we try and shine
a light on corruption...
anywhere we find it.
- I guess.
- No.
No guessing.
No equivocation.
That's the way it is.
It's like your work
with the paper.
You've expanded
that conversation.
Now everybody in the town
knows about Shea
and his zoning issues.
That's down to you.
You got a big future
in this business, son.
[siren wailing, horns honking]
[booking staffer]
Laurie, this whole ACORN thing
is a nightmare.
Yeah, nobody left of Mussolini
wants to come on
any of our shows.
Well, I made
a list of second-
and third-tier guests
we can book.
No top names,
but they'll do for now.
Roger doesn't seem worried.
Carrie, can you pass
the list around?
Sure.
And as you all know...
I'm going on
- a little vacation, so--
- We'll be fine.
- Carrie, that's not what I--
- [Carrie] Laurie, we get it.
You're tired,
and you need a break.
We've got
everything covered.
Don't we, guys?
Definitely.
[exhales softly]
[indistinct chatter]
♪ tense, dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
[gasping]
[exhales]
[line ringing]
[line ringing]
What are you doing?
You're not supposed
to call me at home.
Roger... I'm not doing
anything wrong.
I'm just going
on vacation.
I didn't break
any of the rules.
So, why...
why do you have
these people following me?
What are you talking about?
I'm not running away.
I'm just going on a vacation.
But you need to stop.
Stop, Roger.
Please stop.
Because you make me
want to scream.
I just want to stand here
and scream, Roger.
Stay where you are.
Do not get on the plane.
I will have someone
come and pick you up.
[woman over P.A.]
Attention, all passengers.
[announcement continues
indistinctly]
[line ringing]
Bill... we have a situation.
I need you to go and pick up
Laurie Luhn from the airport.
Yeah. Now, now.
I'll call you from the car.
It's like you're
in my head, Roger.
Telling me what I should do.
How I should act.
Laurie, I... I think you should
just get some sleep.
Fuck you!
[shuddering breaths]
[whispers]
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
It's all right.
It's okay.
I don't know
what's going on with me.
I'm... I'm sorry.
Hey.
Listen to me.
Laurie.
Listen to me.
I have always looked after you.
Haven't I?
So just lie down,
get some sleep,
and know...
you're in good hands.
All right?
♪ tense, dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
[whispering]
She needs some serious help.
We can't check her
into rehab
or an institution
without her consent.
- Look into that, Bill.
- Yeah.
She can stay here
until we figure out
where she belongs.
Until then, just keep her quiet.
No phone. No e-mail.
Just lock it all down.
Thank you, Suzanne.
Thank you, Bill.
[door opens]
[door closes]
[Roger] Give yourself
a pat on the back, son.
I just heard that Richard Shea
is scheduling a town hall
to discuss zoning issues.
The whole town is
up in arms, apparently,
[chuckling]
and that's all thanks to you.
I think we should go
and make sure we have
our voices heard.
- What do you think?
- Yes, sir.
- Oh, fuck!
- You okay?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's just a little nick.
Hey, can you just get me
those little pills?
The pills, just, uh,
out on the sink.
Just the little ones.
Yeah.
Fuck.
- Just a couple.
- Just two?
Yeah, I probably don't
need them, but, you know...
you never know.
Goddamn it.
- What are those for?
- Uh...
clotting factor.
I'm a hemophiliac.
Seriously?
I wasn't supposed
to live past my teens.
Spent a lot of
my childhood in hospitals.
[exhales] Hanging upside down
trying to get the blood to flow.
[chuckles]
But my dad wouldn't hear it.
Pushed me just as hard
as any other kid.
What about you?
How do you get on
with your old man?
My dad...
wasn't into bonding.
Sometimes he would come home...
Everything was
just wrong.
And I... I had
to deal with that.
My dad would reach for his belt
at the drop of a hat.
I'd cry and cry. It took me
a long time to realize
that crying wouldn't
make him stop.
He would keep going
until I stopped crying.
Know what it looks like
when you beat a hemophiliac kid?
It's not good.
Eh.
All for the best.
Made me tough.
Life is
struggle, Joe.
Never forget that.
It's a fight, it's a con,
it's a grudge match,
and it's a game.
The only important
thing is...
...that you win.
Why don't you
get some sleep?
You and I...
we got a lot of work to do.
- Good night.
- Good night.
[quiet chatter]
[man] At least you used
a flattering photograph.
Richard Shea.
Um...
- Joe Lindsley.
- Oh, I know.
This is my son Bobby.
Well, your boss knows
how to raise a stink.
It doesn't seem to matter
if it's true or not.
I stand by our reporting.
I'm doing what's right
for our community.
The zoning statutes
are a simple way--
An infringement
on property rights.
Did you know that
the original draft
of the Declaration
of Independence
talked about life, liberty
and the pursuit of property?
And then they rewrote it.
The...
Look, my job is
to report the issues.
Your job is to carry water
for your boss.
Ailes is just mad at me
'cause I wouldn't give him
- a zoning exemption.
- That's not true.
This is--
This is an issue of--
Ask him.
[exhales]
Proud of yourself?
You're tearing
this town apart.
- Miss, I'm--
- [man] Maybe the kid's right.
Who is Shea to tell us
what we can do with our land?
Bullshit. You think this kid
has your rights in mind?
[man] Well, I want to hear
what he has to say.
[woman] You can turn
a blind eye, but I am not
- going to turn a blind eye.
- Look, everybody here
pays their taxes
and has a right to determine...
[Joe]
And it escalated from there.
Other people joining in,
folks getting heated.
- [laughing]
- [chuckling] I thought...
I thought they were
gonna call the cops.
That Shea is
such a drama queen.
He seemed like
a nice guy.
Oh, yeah, nice guy,
like Stalin was a nice guy.
Hey, he's got kids of his own.
Didn't stop him butchering
40 million people.
- That's a lot of people.
- [Beth] Roger.
What? It happened.
I'm supposed to say
it didn't happen?
Stalin, Russian.
Bad people.
[Joe] Shea seems
to think that, um,
the zoning issue
is personal with you.
Yeah, just like it is
for every single
citizen in this town.
It's personal.
You're shaking things up, Joe.
Just like a newsman
is supposed to.
That's great.
[siren whooping]
[Laurie]
Ugh.
Yes. Mom, it's-it's fine.
No, the apartment's nice.
No, I-I can't talk about it.
No, not on the phone.
It's not secure.
You know, people listen.
[knocking on door]
I, uh... I have to go.
I have to go.
[knocking continues]
[knocking continues]
Ah. Bill.
Hey.
I-I didn't know
you were coming today.
Mondays and Thursdays, right?
How is everything?
Well, um,
it's-it's great.
It's-it's really great.
I... You know,
Bill, I-I'd really love
to get back to work.
I really feel
like I'm up for it.
Look, Laurie, uh...
you've been under a lot
of pressure, huh?
So... let's just take things
one step at a time.
Just-just rest, okay?
[door opens, closes]
[Obama]
As an elected official,
I've had interactions
with them,
but that was my relationship
and is my relationship
to ACORN.
This is not the biggest issue
facing the country.
It's not something I'm paying
a lot of attention to.
[O'Reilly] Even though we try
to be fair to the president,
he doesn't seem
to like us very much.
On Sunday, he's doing
all the chat shows
except for Fox News Sunday.
The White House
has labeled Fox what it is.
...the communications arm
of the Republican Party.
There's even a posting
on the White House website
where they talked about
the lies of Fox News.
[Chris Wallace] I got to
tell you, they are the biggest
bunch of crybabies
I have dealt with
in my 30 years in Washington.
And the White House
wanted to offer up
an administration official
for interviews
with all the major
news organizations
with the exception of Fox.
[sighs]
- David.
- [Axelrod] Roger.
- Let's call a truce.
- Why?
We're winning.
Mmm, I don't think so.
Well, I think
you fucked it up.
I think you pushed too hard
and you did us a favor.
We got every news organization
on our side.
Even Jake Tapper
is defending us.
[laughs] Journalists look
after their own.
When you met with the
president during the election,
you promised you weren't out
to get him, gave your word--
I didn't meet with
the president that day.
Don't mistake me
for Rupert Murdoch.
I've never said we won't
cover what's there,
like this ACORN thing.
Exactly my point.
You created that
out of thin air.
Spun a web of controversy
where none existed.
We didn't create ACORN.
We covered it.
ACORN is an organization
riddled with corruption,
and it's about time
that Congress
and the American people
heard about it.
- You really believe that?
- Not a matter of what I believe.
- It's the truth.
- [sighs] Look,
we can work together on this.
Quid pro quo.
You promise to back off,
we'll reinstate
- your press access...
- With an apology.
...grant you a couple
of exclusive interviews
with the president,
but we select the reporters.
Does your guy not understand
that he doesn't get
to pick and choose his coverage?
That a free press
does not necessarily mean
a favorable press?
- Does he get that?
- And...
you get Hannity, O'Reilly
and Beck to ease up.
Especially Beck.
That man is unhinged.
Unhinged? You're the one
who works for the guy
who wants to create
a national police force.
Y-You can't be serious.
[laughs]
Where did you hear that?
- He spoke about it.
- Roger,
he's never said
anything like that ever.
That's what I heard.
I'm asking you
as a friend to pull back.
And I'm telling you
as a friend...
no.
[Hannity]
President as social engineer,
president as bioethicist,
the government
deciding who will live,
who will die.
[Ann Coulter] He would be
impeached if he weren't
America's first
black president.
[Tucker Carlson] I think
he is using racial anxiety
- for political gain.
- So, of course, you're gonna
get a socialist-style
medical system.
Uh, death panels,
that sort of thing.
- Is that proper? Is that right?
- Guys, when are we gonna
wake up and start fighting
the fascism
that seems to be
permeating this country?
- I feel like President Obama...
- [woman] I want to know
if it's coming out
of my paycheck. Yes or no.
They've decided
that we're just stupid.
Afro-Leninism!
- [woman] Our cries...
- [people shouting]
[newswoman] And these loud cries
are now setting off
completely different
kinds of fireworks.
[man] We're gonna
take back our country.
We're gonna fight for it.
We will not let them
take our country!
[gavel banging]
- [indistinct chatter]
- [Shea] All right, let us...
let us observe...
let us observe civility
above all.
[chatter quiets]
Now, I-I would ask that citizens
limit their remarks
to two minutes each.
[woman]
I just want to say
that if it weren't
for Roger Ailes,
this town would be
the peaceful enclave
it was when
I moved here
- 20 years ago!
- [murmuring, booing]
I'm Peter Johnson.
Can everyone quiet down?
[chatter quiets]
Good afternoon.
I represent Mr. Ailes.
Why are you here? You're not
a property owner in this town.
Because in America,
you're allowed to have
an attorney represent you
- who understands the law.
- [crowd murmuring]
- [applause]
- Th-This isn't a legal hearing.
[murmuring, booing]
I would just like to start
by saying it is about time
that private property owners
like myself
got to have a say.
- [murmuring]
- All right, now, this...
this is a... this is
a civil meeting, Mr. Ailes,
so our community can come
together to discuss the--
No, no, no, no.
You have overlooked
the private citizens.
You've ignored us.
This is not about me.
[scoffs] I'm afraid this is
all about you, Mr. Ailes.
[crowd murmuring]
Civility above all, Mr. Shea.
Your sarcasm is not useful here.
I'm here for them.
I'm here for you guys!
[cheering, applause]
[gavel banging]
Please!
- Please.
- [gavel banging]
Please!
Now, may we have order?
Answer me this, Mr. Shea:
Is it true
that your referendum puts
institutional interest
above businesses
and private citizens?
M-Mr. Ailes, the purpose
of this plan
is to help nonprofits
keep their open space
out of the hands
of real estate developers.
Why would everybody
not be equal under the law?
They are.
You're putting
these institutions
above the law
and private interests.
You just said so yourself.
- No, no, no one... no...
- [applause, shouting]
No. No one, no one,
no one is ab-- getting
special treatment here.
They're trying to regulate
the size of our windows,
- the color of our houses...
- That's not true.
[indistinct chatter]
You're depriving me
of my property rights.
You are misinformed, sir.
George Washington himself
once said,
"A violation of my land
is a violation of my being."
You work for the citizens,
Mr. Shea.
If you can't do that,
we will find someone who can!
[applause, shouting]
[gavel banging]
We'll find someone who can!
[indistinct shouting]
[screaming, whistle blowing]
[static]
[quiet chatter]
[soft jazz playing]
[Roger]
You can eat anything you want.
Lobster here, prime rib,
fried chicken.
Desserts are over there.
I've outlined a great
editorial for this week.
- It'll punch Shea in the nuts.
- [chuckles] Yeah.
Well, you know,
I admire your fire, Joe,
but I think we can
give that a rest.
Uh, you see, Peter Johnson,
he talked to Shea,
and my house is now
outside the rezoning tract,
so I'm exempt.
But what about the rest
of the town? The--
Hey, you got to pick
your battles, Joe.
We got what we wanted,
so we move on.
[Brian]
Look at this.
Hot off the press:
tomorrow's edition.
Listen to this.
"Some stories, lacking facts,
never catch fire,
but others do.
And a newspaper
like The Times
needs to be alert to them,
lest it wind up
looking clueless,
or worse, partisan."
[laughs]
You son of a bitch.
You did it.
What?
Well, it's like
a game, Joe.
It's like baseball.
See, first base,
we find the ACORN story.
- Right? We put it out there.
- Uh-huh.
Second base, everyone else
picks up the story.
Our story.
But it's-it's a fake story.
- There is--
- Who said it was fake?
Doesn't matter
if it's real or fake.
Third base,
The New York Times,
the paper of record,
says that if
a lot of people are
talking about a story,
it has to be important.
And, real or not,
they have to cover it.
[laughs] Finally,
a Democratic Congress
just defunded ACORN
without a single investigation
- because of us.
- [Roger snickers]
That's a home fucking run.
We created that, Joe.
We don't follow the news.
We make the news.
We're changing the world.
I don't know about you guys,
I'm getting a drink.
Listen to me, Joe.
There is a whole world
of people out there
who don't know what to believe.
They're so twisted up
by the liberal media,
they don't even know
who the good guys are anymore.
Now, you tell
those people
what to think,
you've lost them.
But if you tell them
how to feel,
they're yours.
I started this network
with nothing.
Everybody just going around
saying, "Roger Ailes,
he's not a news guy,
Roger Ailes is gonna fail,"
just laughing at me.
Take a good look
around this room.
These people,
they keep us on the air.
They're laughing
all the way to the bank.
- But journalism--
- Is history.
Yes, son. And history gets
written by the winners.
♪ "TV Set" by Spoon ♪
♪♪♪
And we... we are winning.
♪ Oh, baby, I see you
in my TV set ♪
♪ Yeah, baby,
I see you in my TV set ♪
♪ I cut your head off
and put it in my TV set ♪
♪ I use your eyeballs
for dials on my TV set ♪
♪ I watch TV, I watch TV ♪
♪ Oh, since I put you
in my TV set ♪
♪ Oh, baby,
I hear you on my radio ♪
♪ Yeah, baby, I hear you
on my radio ♪
♪ You know I flip, flip, flip
for your lady-o ♪
♪ You're going drip, drip, drip
on my radio ♪
♪ AM radio, PM radio ♪
♪ Since I tuned you
inside my radio like this ♪
♪ distorted solo ♪