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Why I am releasing my 20 interviews with President Trump Opinion by Bob Woodward

cigaretteman

HR King
May 29, 2001
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The Trump Tapes: 20 interviews that show why he is an unparalleled danger​



In more than 50 years of reporting, I have never disclosed the raw interviews or full transcripts of my work. But after listening again to the 20 interviews I conducted with President Donald Trump during his last year as chief executive, I have decided to take the unusual step of releasing them. I was struck by how Trump pounded in my ears in a way the printed page cannot capture.

In their totality, these interviews offer an unvarnished portrait of Trump. You hear Trump in his own words, in his own voice, during one of the most consequential years in American history: amid Trump’s first impeachment, the coronavirus pandemic and large racial justice protests.

This essay was adapted from “The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward's Twenty Interviews with President Donald Trump,” by Bob Woodward. It will be published Oct. 25 by Simon & Schuster Audio. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster Audio. All rights reserved.


Much has been written about that period, including by me. But “The Trump Tapes,” my forthcoming audiobook of our interviews, is central to understanding Trump as he is poised to seek the presidency again. We spoke in person in the Oval Office and at Mar-a-Lago, as well as on the phone at varying hours of the day. You cannot separate Trump from his voice.

In the summer of 2020, for example, when the pandemic had killed 140,000 people in the United States, Trump told me: “The virus came along. That’s not my fault. That’s China’s fault.” I asked him:

Woodward

Woodward
Was there a moment in all of this, last two months, where you said to yourself, “Ah, this is the leadership test of a lifetime”?
Trump

Trump
No.
On the printed page his “no” reads flat, a simple declaration. Now listen to the audio of that exchange. This “no” is confident, dismissive, full of self-assurance. It leaves no doubt about the finality of his judgment. This “no” distances him from bearing responsibility.

Sound has an extraordinary emotional power, an immediacy and authenticity. A listener is brought into the room. It is a completely different experience from reading Trump’s words or listening to snatches of his interviews on television or the internet.

Trump’s voice magnifies his presence.

 
Trump
No.
On the printed page his “no” reads flat, a simple declaration. Now listen to the audio of that exchange. This “no” is confident, dismissive, full of self-assurance. It leaves no doubt about the finality of his judgment. This “no” distances him from bearing responsibility.

Sound has an extraordinary emotional power, an immediacy and authenticity. A listener is brought into the room. It is a completely different experience from reading Trump’s words or listening to snatches of his interviews on television or the internet.

Trump’s voice magnifies his presence.

Trump is incapable of introspection. His past is immaterial. His future is non-existent. The only time Trump is aware of is the moment in which he is living. What he did or said yesterday has zero bearing on his thoughts today. The idea of a legacy is simply foreign to him...he just assumes he'll be on Mt. Rushmore and lets it go at that. Responsibility for his actions??? Those are in the past.
 

The Trump Tapes: 20 interviews that show why he is an unparalleled danger​



In more than 50 years of reporting, I have never disclosed the raw interviews or full transcripts of my work. But after listening again to the 20 interviews I conducted with President Donald Trump during his last year as chief executive, I have decided to take the unusual step of releasing them. I was struck by how Trump pounded in my ears in a way the printed page cannot capture.

In their totality, these interviews offer an unvarnished portrait of Trump. You hear Trump in his own words, in his own voice, during one of the most consequential years in American history: amid Trump’s first impeachment, the coronavirus pandemic and large racial justice protests.

This essay was adapted from “The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward's Twenty Interviews with President Donald Trump,” by Bob Woodward. It will be published Oct. 25 by Simon & Schuster Audio. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster Audio. All rights reserved.


Much has been written about that period, including by me. But “The Trump Tapes,” my forthcoming audiobook of our interviews, is central to understanding Trump as he is poised to seek the presidency again. We spoke in person in the Oval Office and at Mar-a-Lago, as well as on the phone at varying hours of the day. You cannot separate Trump from his voice.

In the summer of 2020, for example, when the pandemic had killed 140,000 people in the United States, Trump told me: “The virus came along. That’s not my fault. That’s China’s fault.” I asked him:

Woodward

Woodward
Was there a moment in all of this, last two months, where you said to yourself, “Ah, this is the leadership test of a lifetime”?
Trump

Trump
No.
On the printed page his “no” reads flat, a simple declaration. Now listen to the audio of that exchange. This “no” is confident, dismissive, full of self-assurance. It leaves no doubt about the finality of his judgment. This “no” distances him from bearing responsibility.

Sound has an extraordinary emotional power, an immediacy and authenticity. A listener is brought into the room. It is a completely different experience from reading Trump’s words or listening to snatches of his interviews on television or the internet.

Trump’s voice magnifies his presence.

Cool. So these will be available for free?
 
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Reactions: tumorboy
Yes. Yes, they will
Good. It doesn't read like it in the link.

Much has been written about that period, including by me. But “The Trump Tapes,” my forthcoming audiobook of our interviews, is central to understanding Trump as he is poised to seek the presidency again.

Makes it sound like it's a press release to sell his forthcoming audiobook.
 
Good. It doesn't read like it in the link.

Much has been written about that period, including by me. But “The Trump Tapes,” my forthcoming audiobook of our interviews, is central to understanding Trump as he is poised to seek the presidency again.

Makes it sound like it's a press release to sell his forthcoming audiobook.
Oh no...it's clear there that he's telling you they'll be free.
 
Oh no...it's clear there that he's telling you they'll be free.
Weird. They're pre-selling them for $24.99 here.

 

The Trump Tapes: 20 interviews that show why he is an unparalleled danger​



In more than 50 years of reporting, I have never disclosed the raw interviews or full transcripts of my work. But after listening again to the 20 interviews I conducted with President Donald Trump during his last year as chief executive, I have decided to take the unusual step of releasing them. I was struck by how Trump pounded in my ears in a way the printed page cannot capture.

In their totality, these interviews offer an unvarnished portrait of Trump. You hear Trump in his own words, in his own voice, during one of the most consequential years in American history: amid Trump’s first impeachment, the coronavirus pandemic and large racial justice protests.

This essay was adapted from “The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward's Twenty Interviews with President Donald Trump,” by Bob Woodward. It will be published Oct. 25 by Simon & Schuster Audio. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster Audio. All rights reserved.


Much has been written about that period, including by me. But “The Trump Tapes,” my forthcoming audiobook of our interviews, is central to understanding Trump as he is poised to seek the presidency again. We spoke in person in the Oval Office and at Mar-a-Lago, as well as on the phone at varying hours of the day. You cannot separate Trump from his voice.

In the summer of 2020, for example, when the pandemic had killed 140,000 people in the United States, Trump told me: “The virus came along. That’s not my fault. That’s China’s fault.” I asked him:

Woodward

Woodward
Was there a moment in all of this, last two months, where you said to yourself, “Ah, this is the leadership test of a lifetime”?
Trump

Trump
No.
On the printed page his “no” reads flat, a simple declaration. Now listen to the audio of that exchange. This “no” is confident, dismissive, full of self-assurance. It leaves no doubt about the finality of his judgment. This “no” distances him from bearing responsibility.

Sound has an extraordinary emotional power, an immediacy and authenticity. A listener is brought into the room. It is a completely different experience from reading Trump’s words or listening to snatches of his interviews on television or the internet.

Trump’s voice magnifies his presence.

Honestly, I'm sure Trump said some completely idiotic things in those interviews. It's what he does.

But the answer to 'why release them', in bob's case, is that he really just can't bear to be fading into the shadows.
 
Honestly, I'm sure Trump said some completely idiotic things in those interviews. It's what he does.

But the answer to 'why release them', in bob's case, is that he really just can't bear to be fading into the shadows.
I'm still trying to figure out if they're free or not. If so, great. If not, he's doing it for one reason...the money.
 
Weird. They're pre-selling them for $24.99 here.

Nope...totally free. It says so in the op.
 
Nope...totally free. It says so in the op.
So why when I click the hyperlink in OP it sends me to Amazon to purchase the book unless I do an Audible trial? It's only free if you don't already have audible and want to do a trial. That's not "free". The Audible version costs $20.67 and the CD is $44.95.

So, apparently, wherever you see that it says it's for free is lying to you. Or, are you the only one who can't tell that the OP and article is an advertisement to sell his audiobook?

Amazon product ASIN B0BJHGLLRB
 
So why when I click the hyperlink in OP it sends me to Amazon to purchase the book unless I do an Audible trial? It's only free if you don't already have audible and want to do a trial. That's not "free". The Audible version costs $20.67 and the CD is $44.95.

So, apparently, wherever you see that it says it's for free is lying to you. Or, are you the only one who can't tell that the OP and article is an advertisement to sell his audiobook?

I can't believe you can't see how to get it for free. Read the OP again...more carefully.
 
Honestly, I'm sure Trump said some completely idiotic things in those interviews. It's what he does.

But the answer to 'why release them', in bob's case, is that he really just can't bear to be fading into the shadows.
Why not just go with, "He was taken out of context", I that's what you are getting out of this story.
 
Trump has fleeced his followers and the US government out of of hundreds of millions of dollars, but FAU really wants you to know that Bob Woodward might make a few bucks off of Trump from an honest day's work.
Nope. I’m asking if it’s free. And it’s not. He SHOULD charge for them. It’s a book for crissakes. But it makes the whole “I’m doing this because America really needs to see this and I’m a great person.” When the reality he’s just doing it for the same reason everyone does shit. Money. Which is totally fine, BTW.

But if he was doing it for the reasons he’s proclaiming he would have released them a long time ago. Like, right before the election…for free.

So, please stop acting like your some great humanitarian when you’re just a freak show carnival barker pointing at the head freak, Orange man.
 
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