July 20, 2025 • 6 mins
Interviewed during the 2024 American Century Championship the day that Candidate Trump was shot in Butler. PA. Brett Baier discusses how his golf plans changed abruptly last year. He immediately headed a day early to Milwaukee to the RNC convention to cover in detail the shooting and election events. Brett also discusses his new book on Theodore Roosevelt and some light-hearted moments rapping and singing on stage at Harrah's to entertain the night time crowd.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, July thirteenth, twenty twenty five, Dave Leonardi, always upright
podcaster and Skier news publisher. I'm with Brett Behar and
we were together a year ago on this day, was
a Saturday. You were planning to perform a little bit
with Artie the party at Harris and about an hour
after our interview, which I asked some questions about how
do you deal with all the changing uncertainty in the
(00:23):
political spectrum, especially this was before Biden had dropped out
after his bad debate performance, and you said you're going
You just got to go with it and do the
best you can. You did the best you can, but
then tell us what happened About an.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Hour later, Yeah, I got a finished the round, and
after talking to you, I went to the hotel and
somebody yelled out Trump's been shot, and I got on
the phone with my news desk and made some other calls,
and I was on a plane to Milwaukee in about
thirty minutes. In the meantime, I was on the air
(00:57):
doing phoner interviews with the knowledge that I had I'd
talked to Trump officials and kind of got some information.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Yeah, we were in our hotel room and You had
just told me that you were going to keep you know,
preparing to play on Sunday and having a little bit
of leisure time Saturday night.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
And then there you were on the phone.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah, it was something. It was, you know, the beginning
of a really amazing stretch of news that obviously changed
the whole face of the political spectrum. Fortunately the present
obviously survived that assassination attempt. But you'd look back a
year ago and it's really amazing to think about.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Yeah, it is, especially we're out here in beautiful Lake
Tahoe on the edge with Tahoe Golf Course, American Century Investments,
taking good care of everyone, NBC taking good care.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Of everyone, and then boom.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Laurie got a message in the press room from her sister,
and I said, we can't go with this. We just
have to finish the day and then worry about as
long as because the message was Trump shot, He's okay, Yeah,
as much as you could be okay if you get shot.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Yeah, and you're right, as you said. The rest is history.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
I eventually talked to the President that night, a little
bit later, once I had landed, and so it was
good to hear his voice and to think and have
his perspective on things to be able to report that.
But yeah, I had to pull out of American Century
and they were always great, and they're always great. Every
tournament is really a blast here.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
And you visited Trump's tour of the Middle East, you
visited with Middle East leaders, I mean your resume for
the last couple of months of all the net and
Yahoo as well, people you've interviewed. What's it like to
be sitting across from another world leader? Can you are
you saying to yourself just try John or is this
(02:50):
really happening to me?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
It's it's really interesting because I think more and more
world leaders want to come on US television, and particularly
my show a lot of foreign policy more than other
news programs, and so I really try to get those
world leaders to come on. And we've had a lot
of good fortune Crown Princess, Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister and Cutter.
(03:13):
I mean this last time was really takes a lot
to get those folks to sit down, but when they do,
it's usually very newsworthy.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Well, you know they're going to be watched, so I'm
sure they don't hesitate.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
If they get a call from your staff right now.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
When you travel, do you have a group of people
with you to do background work?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
And yeah, I've got a producer and a crew. I
usually I do my own questions, but I have a
staff with me to put the show together.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Now, before we talk about your new book coming out,
let's talk about your performance last night on Center Stage,
Light and things.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
A little bit.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Little Rappers Delight, little take Me Home Country Roads.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Yeah, take me Home Country Road.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It already just called me up. And I just walked
into the pit there and he's like, get up here.
So I wasn't really preparing to do that, but I
decided to do it for just some fun.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Well, I took a good, great picture of you, and
it's on our website at secuernews dot com slash Tahoe Golf.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Oh good at So Laurie looked at.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
It, and I was combing through all the ones where
your back is turned or not a good presence, and
this one you're looking straight at me.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
You know I was there.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
I didn't know you were there yet, and even if
you did.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
It wouldn't matter. But you just love averages.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
I've got to get.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
One that's good. And this was a great one. So good.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Now let's talk about your book coming out. Oh no,
let's talk about how long you've been doing this the
wrap thing.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Oh since high school. I mean I remember that New Jersey.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
No.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I went to high school in Atlanta, Georgia.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Okay, and.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I was born in New Jersey, grew up in Atlanta,
and I just remember that song. For some reason, it
stuck in my head, and every once in a while
they called me up to do.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
It and then take me home Country Roads.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Oh yeah, that's just a favorite crowd pleaser.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Now, your new book, to Rescue the American Spirit, Teddy Roosevelt, HarperCollins.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
There's a hyphen in there. A website.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Yeah, it could be pre ordered now, yeah, Harper hyphen Collins.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Well, you can also just go to my website Brettbaar
dot com, b R E T B A I E
R dot com, or you go to Amazon or any
place you get books, and it's coming out in October.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Pre order now.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
You can pre order now, and it's it's the sixth
of my presidential series. You know, I've done books about
Eisenhower and Reagan, Fdr Grant Washington, and now Teddy Roosevelt.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
And you're a New New York Times bestseller five times,
six times eight, eight times excellent.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
And you started with a book, Special Heart.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
That's about my son's journey congeneral heart disease and five
open heart surgeries.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
How's he doing now?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
He's awesome, he's doing great, six' four playing. Golf fortunately
he looks like me Because i'm not as tall as he.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Is but, yeah, great, well thank you very, Much Brett.
Baer i'm sure there's SOMETHING i got to, ask but
we'll get to it next. Year all, right did you
see a great performance last?
Speaker 3 (06:02):
NIGHT i.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Appreciate and what's more? Fun playing at The American Century.
Championship we're getting a toss From greg at the end
of the.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Five both are nerve. Wracking
Well, July thirteenth, twenty twenty five, Dave Leonardi, always upright
podcaster and Skier news publisher. I'm with Brett Behar and
we were together a year ago on this day, was
a Saturday. You were planning to perform a little bit
with Artie the party at Harris and about an hour
after our interview, which I asked some questions about how
do you deal with all the changing uncertainty in the
(00:23):
political spectrum, especially this was before Biden had dropped out
after his bad debate performance, and you said you're going
You just got to go with it and do the
best you can. You did the best you can, but
then tell us what happened About an.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Hour later, Yeah, I got a finished the round, and
after talking to you, I went to the hotel and
somebody yelled out Trump's been shot, and I got on
the phone with my news desk and made some other calls,
and I was on a plane to Milwaukee in about
thirty minutes. In the meantime, I was on the air
(00:57):
doing phoner interviews with the knowledge that I had I'd
talked to Trump officials and kind of got some information.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Yeah, we were in our hotel room and You had
just told me that you were going to keep you know,
preparing to play on Sunday and having a little bit
of leisure time Saturday night.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
And then there you were on the phone.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah, it was something. It was, you know, the beginning
of a really amazing stretch of news that obviously changed
the whole face of the political spectrum. Fortunately the present
obviously survived that assassination attempt. But you'd look back a
year ago and it's really amazing to think about.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Yeah, it is, especially we're out here in beautiful Lake
Tahoe on the edge with Tahoe Golf Course, American Century Investments,
taking good care of everyone, NBC taking good care.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Of everyone, and then boom.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Laurie got a message in the press room from her sister,
and I said, we can't go with this. We just
have to finish the day and then worry about as
long as because the message was Trump shot, He's okay, Yeah,
as much as you could be okay if you get shot.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Yeah, and you're right, as you said. The rest is history.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
I eventually talked to the President that night, a little
bit later, once I had landed, and so it was
good to hear his voice and to think and have
his perspective on things to be able to report that.
But yeah, I had to pull out of American Century
and they were always great, and they're always great. Every
tournament is really a blast here.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
And you visited Trump's tour of the Middle East, you
visited with Middle East leaders, I mean your resume for
the last couple of months of all the net and
Yahoo as well, people you've interviewed. What's it like to
be sitting across from another world leader? Can you are
you saying to yourself just try John or is this
(02:50):
really happening to me?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
It's it's really interesting because I think more and more
world leaders want to come on US television, and particularly
my show a lot of foreign policy more than other
news programs, and so I really try to get those
world leaders to come on. And we've had a lot
of good fortune Crown Princess, Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister and Cutter.
(03:13):
I mean this last time was really takes a lot
to get those folks to sit down, but when they do,
it's usually very newsworthy.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Well, you know they're going to be watched, so I'm
sure they don't hesitate.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
If they get a call from your staff right now.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
When you travel, do you have a group of people
with you to do background work?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
And yeah, I've got a producer and a crew. I
usually I do my own questions, but I have a
staff with me to put the show together.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Now, before we talk about your new book coming out,
let's talk about your performance last night on Center Stage,
Light and things.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
A little bit.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Little Rappers Delight, little take Me Home Country Roads.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Yeah, take me Home Country Road.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It already just called me up. And I just walked
into the pit there and he's like, get up here.
So I wasn't really preparing to do that, but I
decided to do it for just some fun.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Well, I took a good, great picture of you, and
it's on our website at secuernews dot com slash Tahoe Golf.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Oh good at So Laurie looked at.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
It, and I was combing through all the ones where
your back is turned or not a good presence, and
this one you're looking straight at me.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
You know I was there.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
I didn't know you were there yet, and even if
you did.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
It wouldn't matter. But you just love averages.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
I've got to get.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
One that's good. And this was a great one. So good.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Now let's talk about your book coming out. Oh no,
let's talk about how long you've been doing this the
wrap thing.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Oh since high school. I mean I remember that New Jersey.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
No.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I went to high school in Atlanta, Georgia.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Okay, and.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I was born in New Jersey, grew up in Atlanta,
and I just remember that song. For some reason, it
stuck in my head, and every once in a while
they called me up to do.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
It and then take me home Country Roads.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Oh yeah, that's just a favorite crowd pleaser.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Now, your new book, to Rescue the American Spirit, Teddy Roosevelt, HarperCollins.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
There's a hyphen in there. A website.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Yeah, it could be pre ordered now, yeah, Harper hyphen Collins.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Well, you can also just go to my website Brettbaar
dot com, b R E T B A I E
R dot com, or you go to Amazon or any
place you get books, and it's coming out in October.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Pre order now.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
You can pre order now, and it's it's the sixth
of my presidential series. You know, I've done books about
Eisenhower and Reagan, Fdr Grant Washington, and now Teddy Roosevelt.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
And you're a New New York Times bestseller five times,
six times eight, eight times excellent.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
And you started with a book, Special Heart.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
That's about my son's journey congeneral heart disease and five
open heart surgeries.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
How's he doing now?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
He's awesome, he's doing great, six' four playing. Golf fortunately
he looks like me Because i'm not as tall as he.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Is but, yeah, great, well thank you very, Much Brett.
Baer i'm sure there's SOMETHING i got to, ask but
we'll get to it next. Year all, right did you
see a great performance last?
Speaker 3 (06:02):
NIGHT i.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Appreciate and what's more? Fun playing at The American Century.
Championship we're getting a toss From greg at the end
of the.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Five both are nerve. Wracking
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