Original subtitles

Well, that brings up an interesting point, Governor Richards. There's been a

of talk lately about setting term limits. Where do you stand on that

Well, Murphy, I think that any senator or congressman ought to be able to serve

12 years or more, as long as they're Republicans and it's a maximum security

facility.

We'll be back in a moment to wrap up our very first FYI Roundtable interview

with our guest, former Texas Governor Ann Richards.

And we're into commercial.

Okay, we only have a minute, so everyone listen up.

Murphy, can I have your attention?

You can have my attention when you wear that lime green outfit of yours with the

blinking buttons.

Anyway, we all know the new format. We'll come back, Jim will ask his final

question, you'll banter over the credit roll, and Miller, you'll say... Nothing.

Right. And just so there's no confusion, when I tell you to say nothing, I don't

mean say the word nothing.

Oh.

Anyway, after your banter, then we'll cue music and cut your audio. Everyone

that? Got it. You know, I must say, I was skeptical at first, but this new

roundtable interview segment is a capital idea. Yeah, it was a good idea I

wasn't it? What?

I came up with this concept.

Excuse me. It was my idea. No, it was my idea. I don't think so. It was my idea.

Sorry, Murphy. It was definitely... Wait a minute. Your idea, my idea. That's

not important.

What's important is that the show benefits.

I suppose.

From my idea.

Is this really the kind of discussion we should be having in front of our

guests? Oh, listen, I don't mind. This is tame in comparison to the Texas

legislature. You know, ear biting, eye gouging, hair pulling.

God, I miss it.

All right, let's round them up. Take your seats, please.

We are back in five, four, three, two.

Welcome back.

We've been chatting with our guest, former Texas Governor Ann Richards.

Richards, we're almost out of time.

Any final thoughts about how the president's doing?

Well, he's had some distractions lately, but I heard him the other day when he

spoke to United Auto Workers, and I really felt good that he was going to be

one to lead this country into the next century.

Well, thank you, Governor, for helping us inaugurate our first roundtable

discussion at FYI. My pleasure. Thank you.

Next week, join us when our guest will be Secretary of State Madeleine

Until then, good night.

And we banter over credits?

So, Ann, how about that vote on the telecommunications bill yesterday?

Oh, yeah, real nice banter, Frank. You know, I'm still reeling from the fact

that you liked that long -winded Clinton speech. God, what a snooze fest.

The guy just droned on.

Why not? It's so boring.

I mean, it was like C -SPAN boring. It was like pledge drive boring. It was

Merchant and Ivory bring you another old creaky period piece boring.

It was so boring.

Murph, are you sure you want to be saying that about the president?

Well, why not, Frank? It's true. I mean, the guy's like King Midas. Only every

speech he touches turns to boring.

Murphy.

Oh, well, maybe that's not the best analogy, but anyway, it's not like

can hear me.

Actually, Murphy, they can.

Oh, please, Corky, you've been a journalist for how long? There's music

this. Nobody can hear what we're talking about.

Now they can't hear you.

Oh, God, so they went out live? Why didn't anybody tell me?

Oh, don't look at me. When somebody tells me to say nothing, I say nothing.

mean, not even the word nothing.

And we're clear, except for... Murphy, who's knee -deep in it this time.

Okay, this is okay. Murphy just made a little slip of the tongue about the

President of the United States.

A man who can have my tax return audited at the drop of a hat. Oh, God, what did

I have to pick this year to claim Sparky's obedience school as college

Thanks a lot, Murphy.

You're the one who came up with the impossible -to -follow format.

Banter, talk, don't talk, cut audio, music. I mean, it was chaos out here.

Nobody knew what was going on. Right, guys?

Well, I didn't find it.

God, Lansing's going to have a cow. I've got to go up there and explain to him

what you did. Me? I can't believe how you're twisting this. Now, you just stay

here. I'm going to go up and talk to him. And don't worry, I'll put your

monumental screw up in the best possible light. Oh, no, no. This is your fault.

I'll tell him what happened.

Are you kidding? My fault? It was chaos out here. You are unbelievable.

I'm unbelievable.

These sort of accidents happen all the time. Oh, yeah. You know, I had a little

goof -up once when I was a sportscaster in Buffalo.

What'd you do?

Well, I was drunk on the air, and I beat up the weatherman, Hurricane Gil.

Yes, that's quite a blooper.

It's the 10th round, and Lansing has NBC reeling!

A left! A right! A left! Why, I gotta say, I'm so exhausted here.

about I can't sit. It sweeps and we're behind in key demographics.

We have to talk. Don't listen to a word she says, Dan. It was chaos out there.

It was not chaos.

Come on, can't you see I'm fighting here? I'm fighting for network

A left, a right, a left, a Doris Day theme night.

Sounds fantastic.

My goodness, I don't believe it.

NBC is down.

The advertisements are going crazy.

How is so important you had to come rushing into the ring like that? Look,

Tony, she just paid attention to what I was telling her. Wait a minute. You're

both yelling at once.

You yell first.

When she's done yelling, then you yell.

Yell. Look, Stan, it's a disaster. Murphy trashed the president tonight on

Oh, what?

My God, this is a disaster. Murphy, I should give you such a... What did I

it? It was her stupid idea.

Oh, I see. Now it's my stupid idea. Yeah, you think I'm going to take credit

something as lame -brained as a roundtable interview? That's blazingly

Hey, Kate, I've got a great idea. Why don't we try shooting the show in color?

Give me the gloves, Stan. Give me the gloves. Come on, give me the... Okay,

never mind. Just never mind.

Stop!

Two women fighting!

I don't have time to get hot!

Murphy, what the hell did you think you were doing?

Stan, I mean, so I called the president boring. What's the big deal?

I'll tell you what was the big deal.

Number one, you're a journalist. You can't express your opinions on the air.

Number two, taking cheap pot shots at the commander -in -chief is not only

disrespectful, it's unpatriotic. And number three...

The president was going to make a special appearance on the Littlest Mayor

next week in a chicken suit.

Now, that thing doesn't come down the pike every day.

So you're just going to have to apologize to him.

Forget it, Stan. I can't do that. I'll lose all credibility as a journalist.

All right, all right. I understand how you feel, but people say things like

all the time. But later they think about what they said, and upon reflection,

they call up the most powerful man in the world and beg forgiveness because my

network needs the guy in a chicken suit.

All right, Stan, look, I may not have picked the best place to do it, but I

what I said. I don't think I'm in the wrong, and I'm not going to apologize

it.

Are you saying that there is no way you're going to retract your comment

the president no matter what the ramifications may be? I'm sorry, Stan,

have no other choice.

Wait, wait, wait. Then, Murphy, you leave me with no other choice.

An action like this cannot go unpunished.

Okay? You're fired.

Well, Stan, you're tough, but fair. See ya.

night, Murph. How did Lansing take it? You didn't apologize, did you? Yes,

because we spent quite a lot of time discussing it, and we all agreed that

be a clear abrogation of duty.

Also, we spent quite a lot of time discussing the phrase abrogation of

Well, then you'll be happy to hear I stood my ground.

I told Lansing I would not apologize.

I'm proud of you, Murph. And then he fired Kay. He fired Kay?

Oh, yeah. I mean, Lansing needed a fall guy. I said I wouldn't apologize, so he

got rid of her.

Are these donuts from yesterday?

Murphy! What?

Do you mean to tell us Kay's going to get fired because of something you did?

Yeah, pretty neat, huh?

You try and try to get someone fired and nothing works, and then the second you

stop, boom, it happens. It's a lot like love that way.

Murphy, the woman just lost her job.

Don't you feel anything?

Look, guys, I know this isn't totally fair to Kay, but this is an important

issue here. You said so yourself. I couldn't back down.

She's absolutely right.

There's an ethical issue here, and Murphy is fully justified in not

You stick to your guns, sis.

Well, at least someone here appreciates my professionalism.

Ironically, it's the person who's not in the profession anymore.

Oh, Murphy, I think these belong to you.

Oh, thanks, Kay.

You know, Kay, I've got to say you're handling this really well.

I kind of expected you'd be in here begging me to get your job back.

Please, Murphy, do I look like someone who would grovel?

Someone who would guilt you into doing something that goes against everything

you believe in?

Well, do I?

No, I guess not.

Then you don't know a thing about me.

so I can get my job back. Please, please.

You'll go to hell if you don't.

Oh, now, Kay, this is beneath you.

You're right, it is.

But this isn't. Murphy meet Peppy, my little Guatemalan adopted child.

That's his dog, Alfredo, with him.

They are amigos.

Kate, it was never my intention to get you fired.

I'm not a completely unfeeling person.

Look, I'll tell you what I'll do. You'll call the president and tell him you're

sorry?

Well, actually, I was going to say I would take over Pepe's payments for a

What is that, a chihuahua?

Excuse me, Murphy. Is coffee on line one? It's the White House.

Really? The White House?

Big deal.

I wonder what they want. I bet I know what they want. You're in trouble. Oh,

grow up. I am not in trouble.

Oh, bet you are. I am not.

Hello. Mm -hmm.

Mm -hmm.

Okay, fine. I'll do that. Bye -bye.

What'd they say? Are you in trouble? No.

The president just wants to see me.

In the Oval Office.

Immediately. You are in trouble!

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!

I am not in trouble. And even if I were, I wouldn't apologize.

And you know what?

and sent us. We're here to escort you to the White House.

Oh, yeah?

Well... I'll just get my coat.

Well, this is a first.

Usually when I'm in the White House being escorted by the Secret Service,

going in the other direction.

You know, out.

Yeah, what do you know?

Hi. I'm Murphy Brown. Why don't you tell the president I'm here so we can just

get this over with?

Oh, hello, Ms.

Brown. I know that the president very much wants to speak with you.

Yes, I'm sure he does.

Yes, well, just have a seat. He'll be with you shortly.

Shortly? Are you sure?

Maybe you should give him a buzz because the flunky who called said he wanted to

see me right away. I know. I'm the flunky who called.

Just take a seat. He'll be with you shortly.

Okay, now let's get off my nose.

Hey there, how's it going?

We're with the senior citizen action council.

We flew all the way up here from St. Louis.

We're here to see the president.

Oh, isn't that great?

Aren't you, what's her name, what's her name, Louisa?

Who am I thinking of? Leslie Stone.

Oh, no, no. No, the other one.

Which one? Diane Sawyer? No, she's a redhead.

Oh, no, she's not. You're thinking of the one we saw in the movie.

What movie?

Oh, for God's sakes, Bertram. We just saw it on the plane.

You can stop gazing.

Oh, Cokie Roberts.

Oh, she doesn't look like Cokie Roberts.

Of course she does. Oh, Cokie Roberts has a bigger bust.

No, she doesn't. Yes, she does. Oh, will you just stuff a sock in it already?

Are you sure the president knows I'm here? Ms. Brown, the president has all

sorts of important things on his agenda.

Bills from Congress, international crises.

In fact, I shouldn't really be telling you this.

There is a very important meeting going on in there as we speak.

They saved a kitty cat.

Don't bother getting up. I'll just show myself in. Oh, Miss Brown, I'm sorry. I

bet you're just going to have to wait a little while longer. The president has

another appointment now. What? Who?

Coming through.

I was here before they were. How come they get to go first?

Eat my dutch, cookie.

Don't think I don't know what's going on here.

I'm on Day's little game.

You know what he's doing, don't you?

He's got me waiting out here, hoping that the power of the office will

intimidate me into apologizing.

Well, I've got my own power.

Yes, sirree.

You thought Travelgate was trouble?

Well, wait till he hears about Waiting Room Gate.

All right, the name needs work, but it's going to be big.

You don't even understand what I'm saying.

Actually, we do. I went to Harvard.

Cal State Northridge.

And if you want my opinion, I think you should apologize.

After all, he's the leader of the free world.

He won the decisive majority of the electoral college and carried New York,

Florida, and California.

I was a poli -sci major.

Really? I was a theater art.

Oh, yeah? Well, I'm not going to be intimidated.

I've been dealing with presidents my whole career.

Of course, I've never insulted one on the air before.

And I've never been hauled into the Oval Office to defend my remarks.

And I've never been kept waiting quite so long out here with all these...

Past president staring down at me.

I'll tell them you had a nosebleed. Yeah, that's good.

Oh, Miss Brown, the president will see you now.

Murphy, did she get back yet? Oh, not yet, Stan, and she's thrown me

off schedule. I should have been done with my I told you so than halfway

my I win, you suck victory dance.

Well, I'm sure she'll be back any... Say, didn't I fire you?

No. Now, people, when Murphy does turn up, I'd appreciate it if everyone showed

at least a modicum of restraint.

Certainly couldn't have been easy of her to apologize.

You really think she'll do that, Jim? Oh, you wouldn't be surprised. That

does strange things to people.

I myself was once called on the carpet by Lyndon Johnson for slightly

him. The man actually picked me up by my ears, twirled me around the room and

shouted, You're my beagle now!

Let me tell you, I was barking me a copus from here till Tuesday. I don't

Jim. I just don't see Murphy apologizing. Me either.

Although, they did find a cure for polio.

Let's see Adam.

Oh, what am I saying?

We'll be in a home sucking pot roast through a straw before Murphy ever

apologizes.

Look, Kay, I know this hasn't been easy on you. I just hope you didn't

misunderstand what happened in my office yesterday.

You mean how you callously and ruthlessly used me as a pawn to bend

your will?

Good, so you didn't misunderstand.

There she is.

So how did it go? Did you do it? How can you even ask that? Look at the poor

woman. You apologized, didn't you, slugger? I don't know, Jim.

Sure, she looks terrible, but you can't tell anything from that.

She hadn't taken care of herself lately. Oh, come on.

You didn't apologize.

You didn't, did you? But wait, you apologized?

No, no, no. Of course she apologized. That's the only possible explanation.

God's sakes, give the woman some room here.

She just got back from talking to the man who occupies the most respected and

powerful office in the whole land.

So do I have that hillbilly in a chicken suit or what?

Oh, yeah. Yeah, you got him.

That's great.

Casey, you got your job back.

I thank you, Stan. You won't regret it.

Forget it. So we're all one big happy family again, right?

We sure are, Stan.

Who asked you, Fontana?

the moment. You all saw he ruined the whole moment.

Hey, you okay, Murph? We're worried about you. This couldn't have been easy.

Yeah, I mean, when I said you looked terrible, I didn't really mean you

terrible. I mean, I've seen you look worse. I mean, fuck, forget it.

I just, I can't believe this. Murph, you actually apologized?

I didn't apologize.

Wait a minute. What are you saying? What happened?

Well, I walked into the Oval Office, I looked the President straight in the

and said that I wouldn't apologize for what I said on the air.

Oh, my God.

He didn't pick you up by the ears, did he?

No, why would he do that?

Oh, no reason.

He wasn't mad at all?

Well, he didn't say that.

I mean, he did keep me waiting in his reception area for two hours.

But then he brought me into the office and told me he respected the fact that I

spoke my mind and that I had the guts to stand behind what I said.

And then he offered me a job.

Well, first he droned on and on for a while, and then he offered me a job. A

job? What kind of job?

To be his senior advisor with an office in the White House. You're kidding!

So you actually turned down a chance to work at the White House?

Um, not exactly.

Oh, my God, so you took it?

Not exactly.

What exactly did you do?

I said maybe.

Wow.

So, wait a minute, you mean you're actually considering it?

Well, I guess I am.

It's funny, but, you know, in 20 years, I never wanted to work anywhere, but

FYI.

Well, there was that one bender in the early 80s when I was convinced I could

make it as a professional beach volleyball player, but... My goodness.

A job at the White House.

That's a hard thing to turn down.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's the opportunity of a lifetime.

I could shape policy. I could defend programs that I believe in.

I could be responsible for real positive change.

Plus, he told me I could use the bowling alley in the basement whenever I

wanted.

So, uh, what are you going to do, Murph?

Murphy, is coffee on line one?

It's the president.

I don't know, but I guess I'm going to have to think fast.

Hello, Mr. President.

Yeah.

Cheers, mate.

The boys and I are a little lost.

Can you all tell me where they tape The Littlest Mayor?

Yeah, it's just two floors down.

Watch Blige.