Podcast Summary: The Megyn Kelly Show | Ep. 966

Title: ABC Pays Trump Millions to Settle, and Government Deflects About "Drone" Truth
Host: Megyn Kelly
Guests: Emily Jasinski (UnHerd, Host of Undercurrents) and Eliana Johnson (Washington Free Beacon, Co-host of Ink Stained Wretches)
Release Date: December 16, 2024

1. Introduction

Megyn Kelly opens the episode addressing the stress of last-minute Christmas shopping and invites listeners to share gift ideas for her children aged 15, 13, and 11. She sets the stage for a deep dive into significant political and media-related controversies impacting the current landscape.

2. Trump vs. ABC News Settlement

Overview: The central topic of the episode revolves around President-elect Donald Trump's lawsuit against ABC News, which resulted in the network settling for $15 million. The lawsuit alleged defamation due to ABC's repeated false statements about Trump's involvement in rape cases.

Key Points:

• Egregious Defamation: Kelly criticizes ABC News for consistently propagating false claims about Trump, specifically accusing him of rape, which a jury had not found him liable for. (00:10:09)

  Megyn Kelly: "They didn't care. They clearly enjoyed saying what George Stephanopoulos said... I would love to see what's in his text messages to his producers, because I guarantee it just cost ABC News $15 million." (00:10:09)

• George Stephanopoulos' Conduct: Kelly condemns ABC's chief news anchor, George Stephanopoulos, for his relentless pursuit of defamatory statements against Trump, comparing his actions to past defenses of Bill Clinton.

  Megyn Kelly: "Stephanopoulos is an idiot, and so are his producers." (00:13:37)

• Legal Proceedings: The discussion details how ABC News aimed to avoid the deposition of Stephanopoulos and other executives, opting instead to settle to prevent further embarrassment and potential revelations from internal communications.

  Megyn Kelly: "They wanted to get out of this before they even had that serious shot at getting it dismissed altogether by the judge... That's why they paid the 15 million." (00:16:54)

Notable Quotes:

• Emily Jasinski: "ABC's peers in media freaking out because of the ABC settlement... All kinds of schadenfreude to be enjoyed this morning." (00:10:09)

• Eliana Johnson: "The question is ABC actually might have had a strong case... but why did they settle?" (00:14:42)

3. Media Integrity and Future Lawsuits

Overview: Kelly and her guests explore the broader implications of ABC's settlement on journalistic standards and upcoming defamation lawsuits against other media outlets like CNN and MSNBC.

Key Points:

• High Standards for Defamation: The discussion emphasizes the stringent requirements for public figures to sue for defamation, including proving actual malice.

  Megyn Kelly: "What Stephanopoulos would not adhere to it." (00:21:27)

• Impending Lawsuits: They highlight upcoming lawsuits by Trump against CNN and MSNBC, citing previous inaccuracies and defamatory reporting.

  Eliana Johnson: "I'm not sure if in their own mind, they even distinguish between sexual assault and rape... But it's perfectly plausible to me that they dislike Trump so much." (00:20:56)

• Chilling Effect Debate: The trio debates whether ABC's settlement will deter other media outlets from engaging in potentially defamatory reporting against Trump.

  Megyn Kelly: "I don't predict a chilling effect. I think they love bashing him too much." (00:39:39)

Notable Quotes:

• Eliana Johnson: "It's perfectly plausible to me that they dislike... Their visceral dislike of Trump goes so far..." (00:20:56)

• Megyn Kelly: "If George Stephanopoulos bent the knee, we'd be looking at a Lilliputian..." (00:37:24)

4. CNN's Clarissa Ward Incident

Overview: The conversation shifts to a controversial CNN report by Clarissa Ward, where inconsistencies and potential propaganda were uncovered surrounding a supposed rescue of a Syrian prisoner.

Key Points:

• Suspicious Reporting: Ward's segment depicted the rescue of a prisoner who appeared physically unharmed despite claims of prolonged detention without necessities. Observers noted discrepancies, such as the absence of typical prison conditions.

  Megyn Kelly: "Looks clean. Underneath the blanket emerges a man... He doesn't have a scuff on him." (00:66:16)

• Fact-Checking Failures: The episode criticizes CNN for not thoroughly verifying the prisoner's identity and background, leading to credibility issues.

  Eliana Johnson: "They must have been too excited to, like, really to... do their due diligence." (00:76:54)

• Ongoing Investigation: CNN initiated an internal investigation after fact-checkers raised doubts about the prisoner's true identity, suggesting he was a Syrian Air Force intelligence officer rather than a simple prisoner.

  Megyn Kelly: "We have to go back and pull that. How about yesterday in the courtroom?" (00:73:33)

Notable Quotes:

• Megyn Kelly: "You can see we highlighted here it says no. And then they say, did he commit sexual assault? And it says yes." (00:27:56)

• Eliana Johnson: "This sets a scary precedent for two other libel suits that are underway, one against CNN and one against NBC." (00:24:00)

5. WNBA and Caitlin Clark Controversy

Overview: Kelly addresses the WNBA's handling of Caitlin Clark's Time Magazine Athlete of the Year award, highlighting criticisms over perceived racial narratives and the league's internal tensions.

Key Points:

• Award Controversy: Clark accepted the award while making statements about her white privilege and calling for more recognition of Black players, which Kelly criticizes as pandering to a "woke" agenda.

  Megyn Kelly: "Caitlin Clark is 22 and hasn't yet learned the lesson that bending the knee to the woke mob does not produce better results in one's life." (00:86:15)

• League's Response: The WNBA's co-owner, Sheila Johnson, defended Clark's statements, emphasizing team-wide recognition rather than singling out individual players.

  Eliana Johnson: "It's about Caitlin Clark. She had this meteoric, crazy story in the tournament." (00:88:16)

• Cultural Implications: The episode critiques the WNBA's approach as emblematic of broader media and cultural pressures to conform to specific narratives, potentially undermining genuine athletic achievements.

Notable Quotes:

• Megyn Kelly: "You can't have it both ways. She wants the attention, she wants to be in the spotlight, and then she wants to just throw a bone to the girls who were rejected." (00:89:06)

• Eliana Johnson: "The flare-ups have created hard feelings. This did nothing to appease them and actually probably infuriated all of us." (00:86:55)

6. Government Drone Sightings

Overview: In the latter part of the episode, Kelly discusses widespread reports of unidentified drones across several states and the government's ambiguous response.

Key Points:

• Public Concern: Numerous sightings in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Virginia have raised alarms about potential threats.

• Pentagon's Response: Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby deflects concerns, asserting there's "nothing to worry about" without providing concrete explanations.

  Megyn Kelly: "They're lying. That I think we're pretty clear on." (00:93:36)

• Speculative Theories: Guests and Kelly speculate on the drones' purpose, ranging from harmless environmental monitoring to sophisticated foreign operations, expressing skepticism over the government's lack of transparency.

  Eliana Johnson: "They either know and aren't disclosing it or they don't know, which is disturbing." (00:101:11)

Notable Quotes:

• Megyn Kelly: "The government knows full well what they are and it has its reasons for not telling us." (00:97:39)

• Eliana Johnson: "We have no idea what's happening here. And I would say that the Biden administration is bedeviled in terms of its credibility..." (00:93:26)

7. Conclusion

Megyn Kelly wraps up the episode by reiterating the critical issues discussed—ABC News' settlement with Trump, flaws in mainstream media's reporting integrity, the WNBA's cultural dynamics, and the unsettling drone sightings. She emphasizes the need for accountability in media reporting and transparency from government authorities to maintain public trust.

Key Takeaways

• Media Accountability: The lawsuit settlement underscores the severe repercussions media outlets can face for defamation, highlighting the need for rigorous fact-checking and responsible reporting.

• Journalistic Integrity: Incidents like CNN's Clarissa Ward reporting leak questions about mainstream media's dedication to truth over sensationalism.

• Cultural Pressures in Sports: The WNBA controversy reflects broader societal pressures on athletes to navigate complex cultural and racial narratives alongside their professional achievements.

• Government Transparency: Unanswered questions about drone sightings foster public distrust, emphasizing the necessity for transparent communication from authorities.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

1. Megyn Kelly on ABC's Settlement:

   "I believe it was one of those things and that paying $15 million now was less painful for them than going through a humiliate, potentially humiliating or embarrassing discovery process." (00:16:54)

2. Emily Jasinski on Media Reaction:

   "They are the guardians of capital T truth... it's one of the worst things you can do because that is exactly why your audience comes to you." (00:37:24)

3. Eliana Johnson on Future Lawsuits:

   "If ABC News bent the knee, we'd be looking at a Lilliputian..." (00:37:24)

4. Megyn Kelly on CNN's Reporting:

   "This is the problems with journalism in one perfect segment." (00:28:07)

5. Megyn Kelly on Government Drones:

   "They must know, they must know because it's been going on so long." (00:101:11)

Conclusion

Episode 966 of The Megyn Kelly Show provides a critical examination of recent conflicts between media organizations and political figures, spotlighting the pressing need for integrity and accountability in journalism. Through in-depth discussions with experts Emily Jasinski and Eliana Johnson, Kelly navigates the complexities of defamation lawsuits, media credibility, cultural dynamics in sports, and governmental transparency, offering listeners a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing today's political and media landscapes.