The Smartest Guys in the Room

[cornermouse]

The transcript of an excellent show and an excellent read.

http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcriptNOW132_full.html

BRANCACCIO: It's all part of a surprising documentary called ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, about corporate fraud of shakespearean proportions.

ALEX GIBNEY: They created a wonderful myth that everybody wanted to believe in. And I mean everybody. The analysts, the banks… the investors the accountants, the lawyers. Everybody wanted to believe in Enron. It was the new idea. But at the end of the day, it wasn't real. It wasn't tangible.

You know, how could we, you know, entertain that kind of suspension of disbelief? But that's what the Enron people were masterful at, was being able to - indulge people in that suspension of disbelief. To create this grand fiction. They were like a movie studio.

BRANCACCIO: Filmmaker Alex Gibney uncovers the greed of the people who made Enron possible.

The archives which have many, many more excellent shows can be found at

http://www.pbs.org/now/archive_transcripts.html

A few of the titles well worth reading are below

# Are you getting the truth from the media in America? Media reformer Robert McChesney. (August 5, 2005)

# What the Matter with Kansas? The Kansas Attorney General's controversial reading of statutory rape laws and the battle over abortion. (July 29, 2005)

# Political Science — Are scientific reports being edited for political ends? Journalist Naeem Mohaiemen on the London aftermath. (July 22, 2005)

# Formula for Disaster? Chemical plant and refinery security. Former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman. (July 15, 2005)

# Updates: The costs of the Medicare drug plan. Prisoner treatment at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Earth Conservation Corps. (July 8, 2005)

# The Design of Dissent. David Brancaccio talks with legendary artist and designer Milton Glaser. (July 1, 2005)

# Land Grab — Eminent domain, the Supreme Court and private property. The Advancement Project's Connie Rice. (June 24, 2005)

# Judicial Review — Judicial independence and the culture wars. Shelby Knox, teen crusader and subject of THE EDUCATION OF SHELBY KNOX. (June 17, 2005)

[acmejack]

1. Best show on TV.

Even after our friends slashed it time by 50%. It was the shortest hour TV then, a half hour, while better than no NOW, fails to do that fine show justice.

[cornermouse]

2. I know. I was quite irritated by the time cut as well.

And then to add Tucker Carlson... Yuck.

[ComerPerro]

3. One quote here could easily apply to the Bush Administration

You know, how could we, you know, entertain that kind of suspension of disbelief? But that's what the Enron people were masterful at, was being able to - indulge people in that suspension of disbelief. To create this grand fiction. They were like a movie studio.

[cornermouse]

4. I think it pretty well sums up the Bush administration

Their entire administration appears to be based almost exclusively on the type of illusion that a good PR can create.

[ComerPerro]

5. I've always pictured that, when writing Bush speeches,

they sit around and try to think of great, stirring movie quotes that they can rip off, to try and make everything they do seem more epic and noble.

Too bad they have such an idiot reading the script.