Rick Klein is the Vice President and Washington D.C. Bureau Chief for ABC News. He oversees bureau operations and manages all news teams based in Washington for breaking news, daily coverage and special events. He supervises all political coverage, including the network’s Sunday morning public affairs program, ''This Week with George Stephanopoulos'', and drives collaboration across ABC News’ powerhouse political team and D. C. - based reporters with all divisions and departments, as well as with ABC-owned stations and affiliates. Klein provides regular political commentary and analysis across all ABC News programs and platforms, including ''This Week with George Stephanopoulos'', ''World News Tonight with David Muir'', ''Good Morning America'', ''Nightline'', as well as ABC News Live, ABC News Digital, ABC News Audio and ABC News affiliates.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is a podcast from wor Here's Larry Minti with
more of the wr Saturday morning show.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome back, ABC News. Washington Bureau Chief Rick clinb is
helping put together tomorrow's This Week Show on ABC. But
he's also going to be paying close attention to the
Baseball Hall of Fame voting by the Contemporary Era Voting Committee,
and he's pulling for a legendary Yankee. Rick, Is it
(00:28):
Don Mattingley's year?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
I have never more nervous about an election in my life.
I've covered them my whole career. I think it is
time for Don Mattingley and Dale Murphy, and both of
them near and dear to my heart. I was a
Yankee fan growing up and love Mattingly and Murphy. I
was a contrarian kid. I couldn't root for the Mets
because I was on Long Islands and all my friends
are Mets fans, and the Mets were very good. So
(00:50):
I found on TBS Dale Murphy, that all American superstar,
and he became my guy. So this could be a
dream scenario, could be a night day or scenario for
a little ricline. But I am going to be watching
this with more than a little bit at stake in
the outcome, and I think, I really think it's there's
a very strong chance for Murphy and maddingly for Dale
and Donnie, which would be just an incredible homage to
(01:13):
the nineteen eighties and to the kind of like sliver
of the people that light both the braves of the
Yankees in the nineteen eighties.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yeah, I will tell you this. The Dale Murphy things
never I've never understood it because I guess they say
that he just had a couple of great years and
then he didn't his career didn't fill out. The rest
of his career wasn't that bad. It's just that he
was exceptional for a couple of years and won back
to back MVPs a thousand percent.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Look, in nineteen eighty to nineteen ninety, that eleven year period,
nobody hit more home runs in Major League Baseball. Only
Anny Murray had more RBIs when he correct hires, he's
got three hundred ninety eight homers. Twenty four to the
twenty six ahead of him are Hall of famers now
because of the ped Era and all that, he is
sixty second on the all time list. So I think
we forget what people like Murphy and Madge. You know,
Murphy was leading the league with thirty six and thirty
(01:58):
seven homers in eighties. Guys said that at the All
Star break. Now, but if you were hitting thirty six
or thirty seven home runs and no one else was,
guess what, you were the best home run hitter in baseball.
And I think our memories are short and the memories fade,
But I think it's time to just remember how great,
how great he was in the eighties, how dominant he was.
And yeah, I did his career take take a nose
(02:20):
dive as we broke down for injury. Yes, it did
same thing with Don Mattingley. Actually we have to move
on and take away with how great they were.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
We have to move on to less important stuff. But
one last question about this, do you believe they both
will get in?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
I have trouble seeing it out loud, just because I
don't want to jinx anything. I think. You know, Mattingly
was second in the voting last time, and Murphy was
fourth in the voting. And guy there was number three
in the voting was Shilling and he was not on
the ballot this time. So the runner up and number
three two or three guys could get in. I feel
very optimistic going into Sunday. But you know, it's all
(02:54):
in the hands of the voters now, as.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
They say, all right, now, let's get on to some
other stuff. And I do think this one's less important,
but I know that everybody's talking about it, And are
you gonna be talking about it this Sunday? President Trump's
vitality issues.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
I don't know how much it'll come up or won't
come up this Sunday. I mean, I think, you know,
you could watch that cabinet, you know, I think if
he had not talked about how healthy he was, maybe
to'd be less attention on the fact that he was
clearly fighting sleep. But you know, I haven't given much
credence into the storyline overall, just because you know, he's
still a very active guy, seeing a lot of consequential things,
and so you know, if you know, if he falls
(03:30):
asleep a cabint meaning I just won't know what that says.
I think it's notable. We should we should know that,
we should point that out. Obviously, he's a te attacked
Joe Biden for being a sleepy Joe for all those years.
But I just I don't know how much it ultimately matters,
to be perfectly honest.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, but seriously, there's no comparison. I think that's why
people are rolling their eyes at this story, especially in
the conservative side, because Joe Biden you wouldn't see for days,
and he would wander off, and he'd and on the
stage and in the field. There were obvious problems. And
then we all saw it come to light during the debate.
Donald Trump gets tired at a meeting and all of
a sudden, it's like, oh my god, he's he's Joe
(04:05):
Biden two point zero. I don't think there's any comparison.
So I like the fact that you have said you
don't see too much in this It's notable that he
did seemed to fall asleep in the meeting, but that
seems to be the exception.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Yeah, And it's just it just ultimately doesn't make that
much of a difference. If he's still doing active things
that are affecting people's lives, that's that's a lot more
important to me, at least absolutely.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
So let's move on to things that are affecting people's
lives and lives that they took in the in the Caribbean,
they said was a legal air strike. Martha Radditz, by
the way, has been doing incredible work on this and
and her sources are are incredible. I think that she's
been doing the best reporting by far of anyone. What
(04:50):
is the latest on what she's been reporting.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Well, she's been reporting that the the initial orders, uh
you know, carried out through the through the Secretary of War,
through Pete Hegsath, you know, involved a full operational strike
and it's used like based on the video that was
viewed by members of Congress and not the public yet yesterday,
that there were a couple of strikes that happened in
(05:13):
close proximity and then a couple of strikes that happened
to sort of clean up. And it does appear that
the video shows that there were survivors. But the the
what Martha has been reporting is that the calculation was
made in real time that the survivors still pose a threat,
that they could have been trying to communicate to people
that would rescue them, that there were potential places for
(05:34):
them to put whatever drugs that were not destroyed back
on another vote. And that's what the calculation was based on.
We know other strikes. There's been other calculations, but I
should also point out there's so much we still don't know,
and we haven't seen the full video, and I know
the President this week promised that it would get released.
I think that's important, as as are the you know,
the specific orders here, because so much is at stake
(05:56):
and pecretary of Hegseth has been you know, praising the
apt who gave the orders, but also by naming him,
has been distancing himself just a little bit from the
chain of responsibility.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Hey, what do you have coming up this Sunday?
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Yeah, George, Will Bibays be covering this story. Gee, George
is going to be talking to Congress with Adam Smith,
the top Democrat in the Armed Services Committee, as well
as one of the Republicans who saw the video and
responding and reacting in real time. And I'll tell you,
Martha's got a really great place. You know. December seventh,
in addition to being the day of the Baseball Hall
of Fame voting, is also Pearl Harvard Day, and she's
(06:29):
got just an incredible piece looking at the Pearl Harvard
Museum there and getting through some of the history, you know,
with so few of those survivors left after all these years.
It's I think an important little glimpse of history. Rick.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
I'll be watching, but I'll be thinking of you, and
also watching the Hall of Fame voting. I hope those
guys both get in. They deserve it. Thank you so much,
Rick Kline, ABC News, Washington Bureau Chief.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
This has been a podcast from WOOR
This is a podcast from wor Here's Larry Minti with
more of the wr Saturday morning show.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome back, ABC News. Washington Bureau Chief Rick clinb is
helping put together tomorrow's This Week Show on ABC. But
he's also going to be paying close attention to the
Baseball Hall of Fame voting by the Contemporary Era Voting Committee,
and he's pulling for a legendary Yankee. Rick, Is it
(00:28):
Don Mattingley's year?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
I have never more nervous about an election in my life.
I've covered them my whole career. I think it is
time for Don Mattingley and Dale Murphy, and both of
them near and dear to my heart. I was a
Yankee fan growing up and love Mattingly and Murphy. I
was a contrarian kid. I couldn't root for the Mets
because I was on Long Islands and all my friends
are Mets fans, and the Mets were very good. So
(00:50):
I found on TBS Dale Murphy, that all American superstar,
and he became my guy. So this could be a
dream scenario, could be a night day or scenario for
a little ricline. But I am going to be watching
this with more than a little bit at stake in
the outcome, and I think, I really think it's there's
a very strong chance for Murphy and maddingly for Dale
and Donnie, which would be just an incredible homage to
(01:13):
the nineteen eighties and to the kind of like sliver
of the people that light both the braves of the
Yankees in the nineteen eighties.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yeah, I will tell you this. The Dale Murphy things
never I've never understood it because I guess they say
that he just had a couple of great years and
then he didn't his career didn't fill out. The rest
of his career wasn't that bad. It's just that he
was exceptional for a couple of years and won back
to back MVPs a thousand percent.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Look, in nineteen eighty to nineteen ninety, that eleven year period,
nobody hit more home runs in Major League Baseball. Only
Anny Murray had more RBIs when he correct hires, he's
got three hundred ninety eight homers. Twenty four to the
twenty six ahead of him are Hall of famers now
because of the ped Era and all that, he is
sixty second on the all time list. So I think
we forget what people like Murphy and Madge. You know,
Murphy was leading the league with thirty six and thirty
(01:58):
seven homers in eighties. Guys said that at the All
Star break. Now, but if you were hitting thirty six
or thirty seven home runs and no one else was,
guess what, you were the best home run hitter in baseball.
And I think our memories are short and the memories fade,
But I think it's time to just remember how great,
how great he was in the eighties, how dominant he was.
And yeah, I did his career take take a nose
(02:20):
dive as we broke down for injury. Yes, it did
same thing with Don Mattingley. Actually we have to move
on and take away with how great they were.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
We have to move on to less important stuff. But
one last question about this, do you believe they both
will get in?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
I have trouble seeing it out loud, just because I
don't want to jinx anything. I think. You know, Mattingly
was second in the voting last time, and Murphy was
fourth in the voting. And guy there was number three
in the voting was Shilling and he was not on
the ballot this time. So the runner up and number
three two or three guys could get in. I feel
very optimistic going into Sunday. But you know, it's all
(02:54):
in the hands of the voters now, as.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
They say, all right, now, let's get on to some
other stuff. And I do think this one's less important,
but I know that everybody's talking about it, And are
you gonna be talking about it this Sunday? President Trump's
vitality issues.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
I don't know how much it'll come up or won't
come up this Sunday. I mean, I think, you know,
you could watch that cabinet, you know, I think if
he had not talked about how healthy he was, maybe
to'd be less attention on the fact that he was
clearly fighting sleep. But you know, I haven't given much
credence into the storyline overall, just because you know, he's
still a very active guy, seeing a lot of consequential things,
and so you know, if you know, if he falls
(03:30):
asleep a cabint meaning I just won't know what that says.
I think it's notable. We should we should know that,
we should point that out. Obviously, he's a te attacked
Joe Biden for being a sleepy Joe for all those years.
But I just I don't know how much it ultimately matters,
to be perfectly honest.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, but seriously, there's no comparison. I think that's why
people are rolling their eyes at this story, especially in
the conservative side, because Joe Biden you wouldn't see for days,
and he would wander off, and he'd and on the
stage and in the field. There were obvious problems. And
then we all saw it come to light during the debate.
Donald Trump gets tired at a meeting and all of
a sudden, it's like, oh my god, he's he's Joe
(04:05):
Biden two point zero. I don't think there's any comparison.
So I like the fact that you have said you
don't see too much in this It's notable that he
did seemed to fall asleep in the meeting, but that
seems to be the exception.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Yeah, And it's just it just ultimately doesn't make that
much of a difference. If he's still doing active things
that are affecting people's lives, that's that's a lot more
important to me, at least absolutely.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
So let's move on to things that are affecting people's
lives and lives that they took in the in the Caribbean,
they said was a legal air strike. Martha Radditz, by
the way, has been doing incredible work on this and
and her sources are are incredible. I think that she's
been doing the best reporting by far of anyone. What
(04:50):
is the latest on what she's been reporting.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Well, she's been reporting that the the initial orders, uh
you know, carried out through the through the Secretary of War,
through Pete Hegsath, you know, involved a full operational strike
and it's used like based on the video that was
viewed by members of Congress and not the public yet yesterday,
that there were a couple of strikes that happened in
(05:13):
close proximity and then a couple of strikes that happened
to sort of clean up. And it does appear that
the video shows that there were survivors. But the the
what Martha has been reporting is that the calculation was
made in real time that the survivors still pose a threat,
that they could have been trying to communicate to people
that would rescue them, that there were potential places for
(05:34):
them to put whatever drugs that were not destroyed back
on another vote. And that's what the calculation was based on.
We know other strikes. There's been other calculations, but I
should also point out there's so much we still don't know,
and we haven't seen the full video, and I know
the President this week promised that it would get released.
I think that's important, as as are the you know,
the specific orders here, because so much is at stake
(05:56):
and pecretary of Hegseth has been you know, praising the
apt who gave the orders, but also by naming him,
has been distancing himself just a little bit from the
chain of responsibility.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Hey, what do you have coming up this Sunday?
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Yeah, George, Will Bibays be covering this story. Gee, George
is going to be talking to Congress with Adam Smith,
the top Democrat in the Armed Services Committee, as well
as one of the Republicans who saw the video and
responding and reacting in real time. And I'll tell you,
Martha's got a really great place. You know. December seventh,
in addition to being the day of the Baseball Hall
of Fame voting, is also Pearl Harvard Day, and she's
(06:29):
got just an incredible piece looking at the Pearl Harvard
Museum there and getting through some of the history, you know,
with so few of those survivors left after all these years.
It's I think an important little glimpse of history. Rick.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
I'll be watching, but I'll be thinking of you, and
also watching the Hall of Fame voting. I hope those
guys both get in. They deserve it. Thank you so much,
Rick Kline, ABC News, Washington Bureau Chief.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
This has been a podcast from WOOR
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