NYT's Writer Jim Rutenberg Went To Russia To Learn About Donald Trump And US | Morning Joe

>>> WITH US NOW, "NEW YORK TIMES" COLUMNIST AND CONTRIBUTOR
TO "THE NEW YORK TIMES" JIM RUTENBERG.
>> NO TIE? WHAT'S UP.
>> OH, STOP. >> YOU LOOK JUST LIKE JOE,
SLOPPY. NO, YOU LOOK GOOD.
>> YOU WRITE IN THE "NEW YORK TIMES" ABOUT A LESS CON IN
MOSCOW ABOUT TRUMP STYLE ALTERNATIVE TRUTH.
I WANTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND TRUMP'S AMERICA, A PLACE WHERE
TRUTH IS BEING RIPPED FROM ITS MOORINGS.
JOURNALISTS AS DISHONEST ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE, SO I WENT TO
RUSSIA. AS SOON AS I TURNED ON THE
TELEVISION HEAR I WONDERED IF I HAD ARRIVED THROUGH AN ALT RIGHT
WORM HOLE. BACK IN THE STATES THE
PREVAILING NOTION IN THE NEWS IS THAT SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL
ASSAD HAD INDEED BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHEMICAL
STRIKE. THERE WAS SOME REPORT TAJ FROM
SOURCES LIKE THE CONSPIRACY THEORISTS THAT IT WAS A FALSE
FLAG BY TERRORIST REBEL GRULS TO GOAD THE U.S. INTO ATTACKING MR.
ASSAD. THAT WAS A VIEW FROM THE FRINGE.
HERE IN RUSSIA IT WAS THE DOMINANT THEME THROUGHOUT THE
OVERWHELMINGLY STATE-CONTROLLED MAINSTREAM MEDIA.
>> THERE IS A CONNECTION. ANN COULTER A COUPLE DAYS AGO
SAID ASSAD WAS ONE OF THE BEST LEADERS IN THE REGION.
I'M DEAD SERIOUS HERE. SO THERE IS A LINKAGE BETWEEN
SOME PEOPLE HERE ON THE ALT RIGHT AND RUSSIA.
THEY'RE SAYING THE SAME EXACT THING.
>> YOU HAVE TO WONDER, FIRST OF ALL -- NOW REALIZING, I'VE GOT
TO STAY ON TOP OF MY ALEX JONES. WOW, RIGHT?
>> SO YOU GO TO RUSSIA AND GET TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IF THE
FANTASY WE HEAR ABOUT, SOME ALT RIGHT TYPES AND EVEN PRESIDENT
TRUMP'S RHETORIC, YOU SEE IT PLAY OUT.
IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE. >> IS VLADIMIR PUTIN, DO YOU
THINK HE'S HAPPY WITH WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE ELECTION AND
WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW WITHIN OUR MEDIA?
>> THEY HAVE TO BE THRILLED. WHAT WE HAVE -- THIS SITUATION,
AND WHAT I REALIZE FRIDAY BEING THERE, IT PLAYS TO HIS STRENGTHS
RATHER THAN OUR STRIEBS. IN SPIED OF ALL OF OUR MISTAKES,
WE HAVE OUR CREDIBILITY. OUR CREDIBILITY COMES FROM A
FREE PRESS THAT VETS ITS PRESIDENT
YOU GET INTO AN INTERNATIONAL CRISIS SITUATION WHERE ALL THE
NEWS IS QUESTIONABLE, THERE IS NO TRUTH.
THEN IT'S OUR WORD AGAINST THEM. IT'S THE RELATIVISM THAT PUTIN
THRIVES ON. >> WHAT'S THE PERCEPTION OF
DONALD TRUMP IN RUSSIA AS IT COMES THROUGH THAT PRISM OF THE
MEDIA THAT YOU STUDIED OVER THERE?
WHAT DO THEY THINK ABOUT DRUM THERE?
>> HERE IS WHAT'S INTERESTING, ALMOST OUT OF 1984 WHERE ASH
ANNA IS AT WAR WITH EAST ASIA. THE STATE MEDIA WAS VERY MUCH
WITH DONALD TRUMP, AS WE KNOW. IT FLIPPED AND IT FLIPPED HARD.
SO SEAN SPICER'S COMMENTS ON THE HOLOCAUST CENTERS, THEY WENT
CRAZY WITH THAT IN STATE MEDIA. >> THEY TURNED ON TRUMP A LITTLE
BIT? >> NOT A LITTLE BIT.
A LOT BIT. >> YOU LEARN THAT HE SORT OF
SHOT HIMSELF IN THE FOOT BECAUSE WHEN HE NEEDS THE MEDIA, HE'S
UNDERMINED IT SO MUCH, IT'S NOT WORKING EXACTLY THE WAY THIS
PRESIDENT WAS HOPING. >> THEY LITERALLY THREW IT BACK
IN HIS FACE. WHEN HE TRIED TO FIGHT BACK --
WHEN THE RUSSIANS WERE QUESTIONING THE REASON FOR THE
TOMAHAWK STRIKES, THE WHITE HOUSE RELEASED THROUGH THE PRESS
SOME INTELLIGENCE AND SOME ARGUMENTS THAT EVEN RUSSIA MIGHT
HAVE EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS, THAT SYRIA CERTAINLY DID THIS.
THEY SAID, OH, THE AMERICAN PRESS IS FAKE.
WE KNOW THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES AND PRESIDENT
TRUMP IS RIGHT. THEY USED HIS OWN ARGUMENT
AGAINST HIM. IT DOESN'T SERVE HIM.
>> WHAT'S INTERESTING, JIM, AND YOU'VE BEEN CHARTING THIS VERY
CLOSELY, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DONALD
TRUMP, FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, I THINK IT WAS THE TIMES THAT
WROTE AN ARTICLE THAT SAID -- I THINK IT WAS THE TIMES, ONCE
AGAIN, DONALD TRUMP CANNOT CHANGE THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
HE CAN'T CHANGE "NEW YORK TIMES" V SULLIVAN.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT WILL REMAINED THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
SCORE HOW THE PRESS HAS DONE IN THE FIRST 80 DAYS AGAINST DONALD
TRUMP. I HEARD ALL OF THESE THINGSWHEN
TRUMP WAS BEING INAUGURATED, THAT JURCHLISTS WOULD BE DRAGGED
OFF TO JAIL, BEAT TON AND SHOT. THE FAILING "NEW YORK TIMES" IS
UP. I WILL SAY CNN AND MSNBC'S
RATINGS WAY UP. "MORNING JOE'S" RATINGS, WAY UP.
EVERYBODY IS WAY UP IT LOOK LIKE DONALD TRUMP HAS
ALWAYS EMPOWERED THE PEOPLE HE HATES.
>> WWW.NEWYORKTIMES, CLICK THE SUBSCRIBE BUTTON.
>> SERIOUSLY. DONALD TRUMP BY ATTACKING THE
PRESS HAS HELPED THE PRESS SO MUCH.
>> AGREED. FIRST OF ALL --
>> IN TERMS OF MONEY. THIS ISN'T SORT OF A GENERAL --
>> AND MAYBE FUNDAMENTALLY. WE'LL SEE HOW LONG THIS LASTS.
ONE THING THAT'S HEARTENING FROM RUSSIA IS THIS, WE HAVE THE
TRADITION OF A FREE PRESS. I AGREE THIS PRESIDENCY SO FAR,
I THINK THE PRESS HAS BEEN VERY STRONG.
A LOT OF THINGS PEOPLE FEAR HAVEN'T COME TO PAST.
>> WE HAVE TO STAY VIGILANT. MIKE BARNICLE, YOU'VE BEEN
AROUND, YOU'VE SEEN AN AWFUL LOT.
YOU CAN LOOK AT THIS REPORT CARD, THE FIRST 80 DAYS, THE
PRESS, CHECK. THAT INSTITUTION HAS HELD FIRST.
THE COURTS, CHECK. CHALLENGED BY THE PRESIDENT, ITS
LEGITIMACY, HELD FIRM. CONGRESS, THE PRESIDENT SAID HE
WAS GOING TO ROLL OVER CONGRESS. CHECK.
THEY HAVE HELD FIRM. THE INSTITUTIONS OF THIS UNITED
STATES, THE CIA WHICH HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO GUT AND HIS FIRST
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER WAS GOING TO GUT AND POLITICIZE THE
INTEL COMMUNITY, CHECK. THEY HAVE HELD FIRM.
THIS IS NOW HOW HOMELAND ENDED THIS SEASON.
IT'S QUITE THE OPPOSITE. >> JUDICIAL BRANCH, LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH, BIG WINNERS. NO ONE HAS BEEN A BIGGER WINNER
I THINK THAN THE MEDIA. VALIDATED IN THE PAST 90 DAYS.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, WERE YOU ABLE TO GET ANY SENSE AMONG
PEOPLE IN MOSCOW OF THE LEVEL OF IMPACT THAT STATE-RUN MEDIA HAS
ON THEM? >> MOSCOW IS
VERY KOS POLL TIN PLACE AND THERE IT'S SORT OF LIKE, YES, WE
KNOW THE STATE MEDIA SAYS X. STATE MEDIA IS THE POWER.
TELEVISION IS THE POWER. PRESIDENT TRUMP REALIZES THIS
TOO. THE TELEVISION IS THE MOST
POWERFUL MEDIUM AND FULLY CONTROLLED.
>> YOU MADE THE POINT RUSSIAN MEDIA PORTRAYAL OF TRUMP HAS
CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE ELECTION.
CASE IN POINT, ACCORDING TO TOP RUSSIAN TV PROP BEGAN DIS,
DONALD TRUMP IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE LEADER OF NORTH KOREA.
CALLED TRUMP, QUOTE, MORE IMPULSIVE AND MORE INPREDICTABLE
THAN KIM JONG-UN. THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY A WARNING
FROM RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER THAT A UNILATERAL STRIKE ON
PYONGYANG WOULD BE A DANGEROUS COURSE OF ACTION.
>> HE ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A STATE EMPLOYEE.
WORKS FOR PROPAGANDA ARM. THAT IS COMING RIGHT OUT OF --
RIGHT FROM THE TOP. >> THEN WHAT DID VLADIMIR PUTIN
GET OUT IF HE DID IN FACT TAMPER WITH ELECTION AS SECRETARY OF
STATE AND EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID OUT LOUD.
>> WHAT DID HE GET OUT OF IT. >> DEPENDS WHAT YOU WANT.
WHAT DOES RUSSIA THRIVE ON. IF YOU SEE THE CURRENT
ADMINISTRATION, CHAOS. THEY STRIVE ON CHAOS.
DID HE EXPECT TO HAVE SOMEONE DO THE BIDDING OR DID HE EXPECT
SOMEONE TO SET. >> ALL HE HAS DONE IS, I
BELIEVE, HELPED STRENGTHEN OUR INSTITUTIONS, MADE AMERICANS
MORE HOSTILE TOWARDS RUSSIA, TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT ALL THE
JOURNAL ITSELF SISTS HE'S ASSAS AND COUNTRIES HE'S INVADED AND
PLANES HE'S SHOT DOWN. I DON'T KNOW.
I'M NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY THIS, BUT VLADIMIR PUTIN MASTER
MIND. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A CHESS MOVE
HE DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE. IT'S NOT ENDING TOO WELL FOR
HIM. >> PEOPLE THERE IN STATE REALM
COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT DONALD TRUMP, I SAID, YOU DELIVERED
HIM. IT WAS A JOKE.
IT DIDN'T GO OVER WELL. >>> CRITICS SEE SIGNS OF
INTERFERENCE IN FRENCH VOTE. >> SAME DYNAMIC THERE IN TERMS
OF FRANCE AND RUSSIA MEDIA AND HACKING.
HOW DO YOU CONNECT FOR PEOPLE WHO WATCH RT HERE.
HOW DO YOU CAN HE THINK THE WITH THE MEDIA YOU SAW.
IS THAT ALL RUSSIAN OWNED, RUSSIAN CONTROLLED?
ARE THEY ALL PROP BEGAN DIS AND. >> THEY ARE COMPLETELY STATE
FUNDED. SOME KIND OF LEVEL OF
INDEPENDENCE, BUT IT WAS THE SAME THING.
THEIR COVERAGE WAS THE SAME AS I SAW IN RUSSIAN.
>> MY DAD WARNED ME. >> COMING UP AT THE TOP OF THE
HOUR. GOP IDENTITY CRISIS.
THAT'S HOW "THE WASHINGTON POST" DESCRIBES SPECIAL ELECTION IN
GEORGIA. JOIN US LIVE FROM ATLANTA WITH
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NYT's Writer Jim Rutenberg Went To Russia To Learn About Donald Trump And US | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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