Video & Transcript “Rock Center” Interview: Bob Costas with Jerry Sandusky

I thought this may be of interest to those of you following the Penn State sex abuse story. It’s a sickening tale, with the abuse of children going on in plain sight, with the sport of college football being protected more than the children.   Courtesy of NBC, here is the video and a transcript segment from the interview that Bob Costas had with Jerry Sandusky on yesterday's "Rock Center."  It will give you the creeps.

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Transcript follows: 

TRANSCRIPT: “ROCK CENTER WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS” BOB COSTAS, JERRY SANDUSKY AND JOE AMENDOLA

Sandusky Breaks His Silence in an Exclusive Interview

New York, NY – November 14, 2011 – In an exclusive interview with Bob Costas for NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams," former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky speaks for the first time. Sandusky spoke to Costas via phone, his attorney Joe Amendola was in studio.

MANDATORY CREDIT: NBC News “Rock Center with Brian Williams”
November 14, 2011

BOB COSTAS:
Mr. Sandusky, there's a 40-count indictment. The grand jury report contains specific detail. There are multiple accusers, multiple eyewitnesses to various aspects of the abuse. A reasonable person says where there's this much smoke, there must be plenty of fire. What do you say?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
I say that I am innocent of those charges.

BOB COSTAS:
Innocent? Completely innocent and falsely accused in every aspect?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
Well I could say that, you know, I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their leg. Without intent of sexual contact. But - so if you look at it that way - there are things that wouldn't - you know, would be accurate.

BOB COSTAS:
Are you denying that you had any inappropriate sexual contact with any of these underage boys?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
Yes, I-- yes I am.

BOB COSTAS:
Never touched their genitals? Never engaged in oral sex?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
Right.

BOB COSTAS:
What about Mike McQueary, the grad assistant who in 2002 walked into the shower where he says in specific detail that you were forcibly raping a boy who appeared to be ten or 11 years old? That his hands were up against the shower wall and he heard rhythmic slap, slap, slapping sounds and he described that as a rape?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
I would say that that's false.

BOB COSTAS:
What would be his motive to lie?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
You'd have to ask him that.

BOB COSTAS:
What did happen in the shower the night that Mike McQueary happened upon you and the young boy?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
Okay, we-- we were showing and-- and horsing around. And he actually turned all the showers on and was-- actually sliding-- across the-- the floor. And we were-- as I recall possibly like snapping a towel, horseplay.

BOB COSTAS:
In 1998, a mother confronts you about taking a shower with her son and inappropriately touching him. Two detectives eavesdrop on a conversation with you, and you admit that maybe your private parts touched her son. What happened there?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
I can't exactly recall what was said there. In terms of-- what I did say was that if he felt that way, then I was wrong,

BOB COSTAS:
During one of those conversations, you said, "I understand, I was wrong, I wish I could get forgiveness," speaking now with the mother. "I know I won't get it from you. I wish I were dead." A guy falsely accused or a guy whose actions have been misinterpreted doesn't respond that way, does he?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
I don't know. I didn't say, to my recollection that I wish I were dead. I was hopeful that we could reconcile things.

BOB COSTAS:
Shortly after that in 2000, a janitor said that he saw you performing oral sex on a young boy in the showers-- in the Penn State locker facility. Did that happen?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
No.

BOB COSTAS:
How could somebody think they saw something as extreme and shocking as that when it hadn't occurred, and what would possibly be their motivation to fabricate it?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
You'd have to ask them.

BOB COSTAS:
It seems that if all of these accusations are false, you are the unluckiest and most persecuted man that any of us has ever heard about.

JERRY SANDUSKY:
(LAUGHS) I don't know what you want me to say. I don't think that these have been the best days of my life.

###

BOB COSTAS:
You said a few days ago much more is going to come out in our defense. In broad terms, what?

JOE AMENDOLA:
We expect we're going to have a number of kids. Now how many of those so-called eight kids, we're not sure. But we anticipate we're going to have at least several of those kids come forward and say this never happened. This is me. This is the allegation. It never occurred. In fact, one of the toughest allegations -- the McQueary violations -- what McQueary said he saw, we have information that that child says that never happened. Now grown up... now the person's in his twenties.

BOB COSTAS
Until now, we were told that that alleged victim could not be identified, you have iden--?

JOSEPH AMENDOLA:
By the commonwealth.

BOB COSTAS:
You have identified?

JOSEPH AMENDOLA:
We think we have

BOB COSTAS:
So you found him, the commonwealth has not?

JOSEPH AMENDOLA:
Interesting, isn't it?

BOB COSTAS:
Would you allow your own children to be alone with your client?

JOE AMENDOLA:
Absolutely. I believe in Jerry's innocence. Quite honestly, Bob, that's why I'm involved in the case.

BOB COSTAS:
You believe in his innocence?

JOE AMENDOLA:
His innocence.

###

BOB COSTAS:
To your knowledge did Joe Paterno at any time ever speak to you directly about your behavior?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
No.

BOB COSTAS:
Never?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
No.

BOB COSTAS:
He never asked you about what you might have done? He never asked you if you needed help? If you needed counseling?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
No. No.

BOB COSTAS:
Never? Never expressed disapproval of any kind?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
No.

BOB COSTAS:
How do you feel about what has happened to Penn State to Joe Paterno, and to the Penn State football program and your part in it?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
How would you think that I would feel about a university that I attended, about people that I've worked with, about people that I care so much about? And I mean how do you think I would feel about it? I feel horrible.

BOB COSTAS:
You feel horrible. Do you feel culpable?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
I'm not sure I know what you mean.

BOB COSTAS:
Do you feel guilty? Do you feel as if it's your fault?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
Guilty--?

BOB COSTAS:
This is your fault?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
No I don't think it's my fault. I've obviously played a part in this.

BOB COSTAS:
How would you define the part you played? What are you willing to concede that you've done that was wrong and you wish you had not done it?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
Well, in retrospect, I-- you know, I shouldn't have showered with those kids. You know

BOB COSTAS:
That's it?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
Well that-- yeah, that's what hits me the most.

BOB COSTAS:
Are you a pedophile?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
No.

BOB COSTAS:
Are you sexually attracted to young boys, to underage boys?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
Am I sexually attracted to underage boys?

BOB COSTAS:
Yes.

JERRY SANDUSKY:
Sexually attracted, you know, I enjoy young people. I love to be around them. But no I'm not sexually attracted to young boys.

BOB COSTAS:
Obviously you're entitled to a presumption of innocence and you'll receive a vigorous defense. On the other hand, there is a tremendous amount of information out there and fair-minded common sense people have concluded that you are guilty of monstrous acts. And they are particularly unforgiving with the type of crimes that have been alleged here. And so millions of Americans who didn't know Jerry Sandusky's name until a week ago now regard you not only as a criminal, but I say this I think in a considered way, but as some sort of monster. How do you respond to them?

JERRY SANDUSKY:
And I don't know what I can say or what I could say that would make anybody feel any different now. I would just say that if somehow people could hang out until my attorney has a chance to fight, you know, for my innocence. That’s about all I could ask right now. And you know, obviously, it's a huge challenge.


# # #



© 2011 NBCUniversal, Inc.





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News Anchors In Egypt – Informing or Inflaming?

With protests increasing in Egypt and an all out revolt in progress, some of the big news outlets sent their own “big guns” in order to cover the story in person. Brian Williams and Lester Holt (NBC), Katie Couric (CBS), Anderson Cooper (CNN) all headed in to the heart of the matter in order to bring the story to viewers.

They were not greeted with open arms, instead they were greeted with hostility. Katie left the country soon after, the others quickly ran for cover in their hotels, covering the stories from balconies and building rooftops in safety.

The big questions are – what value is there in sending the network anchors into the heart of a massive protest? Does it make a difference if they cover the story from a rooftop in safety or from their anchor desk in safety? What kinds of big scoops to they get while being there that an already embedded reporter and camera crew can’t already get? Does their presence give those that are protesting only more attention and he sense of more power, therefore adding more fuel to the fire? Is it a coincidence that as the news anchors appeared, the protests took an even more angry turn for the worse, with so called opposition protesters coming in to stir up more trouble and venting the hostilities toward the media?

This should be a teachable moment for the networks. Keep your big salaried and probably costly to insure news anchors at home, and let the people who work the area normally cover the story. And make no mistake, stories like this are very important and must be covered. But the news anchors don’t need to be part of the story themselves. The story can still be covered thoroughly without sending high priced news anchors - who usually sit at a desk reading a teleprompter - to make the trip into the heart of trouble. The uprising in Egypt is about freedom, not about news ratings!



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Obama Was Born In America. Period.

I think “birthers” – the people who believe Barack Obama was not born in the United States of America - are, frankly, a little nutty. Obama’s birth certificate has been produced and it has been verified over and over that President Obama was born in Hawaii, after it became our 50th state. There are two videos below that both show this information, plus more, confirming the information on Obama’s US birth. Yet, there are some people who, for whatever reason, refuse to believe it. My opinion is that these non-believers, these “conspiracy theorists,” are suffering from a case of severe brain damage, maybe with the side symptoms of racism and irrational fear.


Decide for yourself. Take a look at Jon Stewart’s commentary on the matter, which, while humorous, is right on target. I have also included the recent NBC Nightly News story, where Brian Williams takes a serious look at this issue, hopefully answering the question once and for all.

Will the “birthers” go away? Probably not, because brain damage often can’t be reversed.

Jon Stewart “The Born Identity”

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The Born Identity
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Joke of the Day

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams




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Ann Coulter “Guilty” of Being The Vilest Woman in American (Maybe The World?)

Guilty - of being vile?

Ann Coulter is hitting the talk and news show circuit in order to promote her book, “Guilty.” Yet each time she opens her mouth, the only person I can find guilty is Coulter herself - guilty of being vile and despicable.

Part of the latest brouhaha started when the Drudge Report had claimed that The Today Show had canceled her appearance and banned her for life because of their liberal media bias and comments made in her book. Coulter appeared on the Hannity & Colmes show prior to her originally scheduled Today Show appearance and talks openly about NBC’s action in booting her from The Today Show which she seems to think is a setup: (See video, more afterwards.)

Coulter on Hannity & Colmes



Of course, when NBC's The Today Show called the bluff and had her on the day after her originally scheduled appearance, she denied saying that she made any such comments, saying "I didn't say that. That was from a reliable news report that, by the way, has never had to retract a report on exploding GM trucks...like NBC." She added, "It apparently took the 'Today' show eight hours to remember that there was a Wednesday show that I could be invited back to." But Coulter went on to show what I think is her intolerant side in this video: (more after the video.)

Ann Coulter on The Today Show January 9, 2009



She then went on to CBS’s Early Show and continued her style of being close-minded and intolerant. In fact, at one point, she goes on and on so much that Harry Smith has to repeatedly tell her to “take a breath”: (more after the video)


CBS Early Show January 9, 2009



And today on ABC's The View, the whole panel – even Elizabeth at one point - was on the attack, clearly disgusted with Coulter’s intolerant view of things. They took exception to her rigid opinions on single mothers, who Coulter seems to blame for all crime in America, and said she had the statistics to support her views. At the very end, a clearly annoyed Whoopi Goldberg said to Coulter something like “You can dish it out but you can't take it, can you?” Here's the video:





It’s obvious that Coulter doesn’t seem to care who she alienates, because she thinks all this TV exposure will help sell her books. Coulter’s books may appear to be best sellers, but one has to watch the “bulk sales” numbers, which often come from specific groups who buy the books to distribute as “freebies” or incentives. Of course, I would imagine even the staunchest Republicans may be getting tired of Coulter’s increasing escalation of extreme intolerance and divisiveness. Personally, I think the party is going to begin to distance themselves from Coulter. As Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s recent trip to the White House to visit with the president was featured on The View the same day of Coulter’s appearance, I found myself wondering if the likes of Hasselbeck is what the Republican party prefer to have as an unofficial representative? With the trouncing that the party received in the last presidential election, it would not be a surprise that they would want a kindler, gentler woman to be their torch bearer than the harsh, closed-minded Coulter.

After seeing Coulter's recent television appearances, I think that I have officially become sick of her and the ugliness of what she represents. She may have a valid opinion somewhere in what she says, but it is certainly hard to find them when she seems hell bent on pointing fingers at everyone else. She may be the vilest woman in America, and I think the tide is turning against her and others with her closed-minded opinions. Hopefully her book will do nothing but gather dust, eventually to end up in someone’s recycle bin. That may be the only good it would ever offer.



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McCain and Palin: Honeymoon Over?

Apparently, there is trouble in the McCain/Palin campaign. CNN is reporting that advisors and sources close to the campaign say that Palin seems to be “going rogue” and has been going off message. In all honesty, in the recent interview that McCain and Palin had with NBC’s Brian Williams, I swear that McCain seemed a little uncomfortable every time Palin opened her mouth and added something to comments he had made.

It seems that the trouble between the presidential candidate and his running mate are getting harder to hide. One aid reported to CNN:

"She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone," said this McCain adviser. "She does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else.

"Also, she is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party. Remember: Divas trust only unto themselves, as they see themselves as the beginning and end of all wisdom."

They also report that "A second McCain source says she appears to be looking out for herself more than the McCain campaign. "


While I am sure that all presidential campaigns have some friction between running mates, it seems clear that it this case, the nature of the problems seem to validate the fact that Palin isn’t ready for the big leagues, and McCain should have chosen someone else as his running mate.

You can read the entire article on the CNN web site, here. The interviews with Brian Williams are also below.

The NBC Nightly News Interviews with Brian Williams
Part 1


Part 2


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One Man’s Death: News Coverage Gone Overboard

First of all, I will preface this blog by extending my sympathies to the family of Tim Russert, who was NBC’s Washington Bureau Chief and also was the host of NBC’s Meet The Press. It is always heart breaking to lose a member of one’s family, especially so suddenly. Having my own family members who have died, both suddenly or after lengthy illnesses, I know it can be hard to accept.

What I take exception to is the over-the-top coverage on the part of NBC News and MSNBC, who seemed to cover Russert’s death to the point of ignoring all other news in the country or world. I understand their shock, and their belief that Russert made a huge contribution to their network. There is no doubt that he did, as evidenced by the wall-to-wall coverage on MSNBC and the same on NBC Nightly News and The Today Show. But let’s be realistic here, we aren’t talking Walter Cronkite here, who probably would deserve such coverage but would probably find such behavior vulgar.

While NBC and MSNBC were busy covering the death of one man, the people of Iowa were fighting widespread and devastating flood. Yet, one would think that there was nothing else going on in the country or the world more important than Russert’s death. To make matters worse, a lot of the coverage was to allow those who worked with or were friends with Russert recount stories about him. It was like an endless eulogy, but at least one could escape it by changing the channel.

The news shouldn’t become the news, and if it does, they should cover themselves with impartiality, humility, and restraint. While I believe the network did right by acknowledging Tim and celebrating his life, I think they did terribly wrong by ignoring other news in the country, specifically the Iowa flooding. Let’s hope the NBC and MSNBC can move on, and quickly.

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