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Unidentified Speaker, -
STAFF WRITER FOR "WASHINGTON POST," WHO HAS WRITTEN THE BOOK "10
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| 00:00:13 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
LETTERS, THE STORIES AMERICANS TELL THEIR PRESIDENT." HOW INTERESTING IN THIS ERA OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION, LOTS OF FOLKS STILL WRITE LETTERS TO...
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| 00:00:37 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
IS A STAFF OF 50 PEOPLE WHO SORT THROUGH THE MAIL AND DELIVER 10 LETTERS, AND ACCURATE SAMPLING TO THE PRESIDENT AT THE END OF THE DAY. HOST: DID THIS...
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| 00:00:58 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
100 YEARS AND MORE. PRESIDENT OBAMA IS THE FIRST TO DECIDE
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| 00:01:03 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
THIS IS A DAILY RITUAL, WHERE EVERY NIGHT HE GETS 10 LETTERS IN HIS BRIEFING BOOK. HE USUALLY WRITES BACK TO ONE OR TWO BY HAND AND THOSE ARE SET OFF...
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| 00:01:46 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
GUEST: ALL PRESIDENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE BUBBLE, THAT YOU ARE SO ISOLATED IT IS HARD TO FEEL FOR THE PROBLEMS PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH OUT THERE. MOST...
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| 00:01:56 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
THAT COME TO HIM GO THROUGH A STAFF SECRETARY'S OFFICE WERE 120 PEOPLE ARE DECIDING WHICH PIECES OF PAPER GO THROUGH HIS DESK. SIX CALLIGRAPHERS WRITE...
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| 00:02:48 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
LADY, ANDREA LATTIMORE. HERE IS A PHOTO OF HER. SHE IS HOLDING A LETTER THAT SHE SENT TO THE PRESIDENT. "HELLO, I GO TO THE SIXTH DISTRICT ELEMENTARY...
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| 00:03:26 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
ARE GOING THROUGH IN THEIR LIVES. ANDREA IS ONE OF THESE BIG -- NA'DREYA IS ONE OF THESE. SHE WROTE TO PRESIDENT OBAMA EXPLAINING THESE DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES,...
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| 00:04:38 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
WE ARE NOT BLACK, WHITE, BIRACIAL, HISPANIC, OR ANY OTHER NATIONALITY. WE ARE THE FUTURE. ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED." GUEST:...
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| 00:04:59 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
WRITE OFTEN NOT EXPECTING THAT THE PRESIDENT WOULD READ THEIR LETTERS. THIS IS A LETTER THAT SHE WROTE ONE NIGHT AFTER SCHOOL WITH A LITTLE BIT OF...
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| 00:05:42 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
WOULD CONNECT FROM PEOPLE -- CONNECT WITH PEOPLE. HE WOULD OCCASIONALLY BRING
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| 00:05:46 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN TO TALK ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS. HE FOUND OUT THAT WHEN HE WOULD BRING THE MEN, THEY WOULD GET NERVOUS AND WOULD NOT NECESSARILY SPEAK...
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| 00:06:51 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
BECAUSE THEY WERE AT THE EPICENTER OF THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE. JEN -- THEY
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| 00:06:57 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
LIVE IN ROME, MICHIGAN. THEIR BUSINESS WENT UNDER, JEN WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. SHE WAS ASKING THE PRESIDENT FOR...
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| 00:08:26 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
CALLER: YES, I AM HERE. HI, MR. ELI.
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| 00:08:36 |
CALLER, -
GUEST: HE IS ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTORS OF THE LETTERS IN THE BOOK. PRETTY EXCITING TO HAVE YOU CALL INTEREST.
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| 00:08:47 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
CALLER: I ACTUALLY HAVE YOU ON MY COMPUTER, AND I SAW THIS AND I THOUGHT THIS HAS TO
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| 00:08:58 |
CALLER, -
BE THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO GET ON THE RADIO AND TALK TO YOU. HOST: WHAT IS YOUR LAST NAME, THOMAS, AND WHAT IS YOUR STORY? CALLER: THOMAS RITTER....
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| 00:09:12 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
IN AN ANGRY LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT AND
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| 00:09:16 |
CALLER, -
THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE WAS -- I DID NOT LIKE HOW IT WAS DONE, AND I VENTED SOME OF WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT THE PROCESS AND HOW WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP...
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| 00:09:51 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
CALLER: HEY, I READ YOUR LETTER. I HAVE TO CHALLENGE YOU, THOUGH. THAT IS WHAT MADE ME REALIZE I WAS TALKING TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN...
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| 00:10:58 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
AGREE WITH VERY MUCH THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE. BEFORE HE SENT A LETTER, DOES NOT AGREE WITH MUCH THE PRESIDENT HAS GONE PUBLIC AFTER. BUT THIS IS A CASE...
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| 00:12:10 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
THIS THING I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT WE DO NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF DISCOURSE WHERE WE CAN TALK.
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| 00:12:15 |
CALLER, -
WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING, YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY ATTACKED IN THIS WHITE HOUSE. PEOPLE DID NOT REALLY LOOK AT IT. IT IS ATTACK MODE. I WISH WE WOULD NOT DO...
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| 00:12:53 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
AN INDEPENDENT -- ERIC FROM PEN SACOLA, AN INDEPENDENT. CALLER: WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE KNEW PEOPLE -- I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE
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| 00:13:13 |
CALLER, -
MUTE PEOPLE WHO DON'T TURN DOWN THEIR TV. PRESIDENTTHE -- THE PRESIDENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A CEO. HE IS NOT A LEGISLATOR. HE DOES NOT HAVE ANY KIND OF...
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| 00:14:22 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
EXACT OPPOSITE, THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PRESIDENT RC EL -- IN THE EXAMPLE YOU USED -- PRESIDENT OR A CEO, EXAMPLE YOU USED, TO HEAR FROM HIS EMPLOYEES....
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| 00:15:16 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
GUEST: SHE WAS NOT NECESSARILY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PRESIDENT OR CRITICAL OF THE PRESIDENT. SHE WAS RIDING BECAUSE SHE FELT STOCK AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT
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| 00:15:25 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
TO DO. SHE IS 23 YEARS OLD. SHE LIVES IN -- U.S.SHE WAS WRITING BECUASE SHE FELT STUCK AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. SHE IS 23 YEARS OLD. SHE LIVES IN...
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| 00:17:15 |
CALLER, -
MY BLOOD IS BOILING FROM THE LAST GUY. I WATCHED THE D ABOVEEBATE STAC CUTS. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO -- I WATCHED THE DEBATES ABOUT THE TAX CUTS THEY WERE...
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| 00:18:35 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
NOT TYPED. THE MAILROOM, WHICH PROCESSES THE MAIL, THEIR GOAL IS THAT EVERY LETTER SHOULD BE RESPONDED TO SOMEHOW. THERE IS A FORM LETTER WRITTEN...
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| 00:19:37 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
20,000 LETTERS COMING IN EVERY DAY. THERE ARE NARROWED
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| 00:19:42 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
DOWN TO 10. THOSE ARE ALREADY GREAT STORIES. IT IS KIND OF A REPORTER POSTURING. THE NARROWING HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE FOR YOU -- IT IS KIND OF A REPORTER'S...
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| 00:21:22 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
OF STAFF IS COMPILING THIS
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| 00:21:26 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
BRIEFING BOOK FOR THE PRESIDENT, SCHEDULE NOTES, POLICY MEMOS, AND ALSO THESE HANDWRITTEN NOTES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY. IT IS NOT TOO MUCH OF A SURPRISE...
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| 00:22:01 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
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| 00:22:02 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
AND LETTERS ARE PART OF THE SAME PROCESS -- E-MAIL AND LETTERS ARE PART OF THE SAME PROCESS. THIS BUILDING IS A SECRET BUILDING. IT IS ABOUT THREE BLOCKS...
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| 00:23:11 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
WHAT TYPES OF LETTERS DOES THE PRESIDENT NOT WANT TO SEE? AS HE REJECTED CERTAIN LETTERS -- HAS HE
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| 00:23:21 |
CALLER, -
REJECTED CERTAIN LETTERS? HE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN HAWAII. I THINK ED IS A VERY -- I THINK THAT IS A VERY RACE-NEUTRAL ENVIRONMENT. BUT NOT UNDERSTAND...
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| 00:23:53 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
THE LETTERS ARE USUALLY NOT IN THE ENVELOPE, THE HIGHLY CRITICAL ONES. THE ONES THAT ARE OUT BREAD OFFENSIVE AND HAVE NO POINT -- ARE OUT RIGHT -- THAT...
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| 00:24:44 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
POLLY EXCHANGED LETTERS WITH THE PRESIDENT WHEN SHE WAS WRACKED WITH ANXIETY. GUEST: THE HARDEST LETTERS TO READ ARE FROM PEOPLE CURRENTLY SERVING OR...
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| 00:25:04 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
MOTHER -- HE HAD BEEN IN A REMOTE PART OF AFGHANISTAN, SERVING THEIR ALREADY FOR THREE OR FOUR MONTHS -- SERVING THERE FOR, ALREADY, THREE OR FOUR MONTHS....
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| 00:26:09 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
CALLER: I'D JUST GOT OVER A HEALTH CARE THING AND ALMOST DIED, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER THING. I AM 77 YEARS OLD.
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| 00:26:18 |
CALLER, -
THIS QUESTION THAT HAS COME UP ABOUT THE PRESIDENT AND THE LETTERS, CERTAINLY UNDER THE CONSTITUTION WE ARE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO REDRESS GRIEVANCES. HOWEVER,...
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| 00:27:39 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
OF MAIL. THEY TRADITIONALLY GET SEVERAL HUNDRED LETTERS PER DAY. THE PRESIDENT GETS SEVERAL
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| 00:27:45 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
THOUSAND, 20,000. IT IS LARGELY BECAUSE HE IS THE MOST FAMOUS. HE IS IN PUBLIC THE MOST OFTEN. WHEN PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY THINK ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT,...
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| 00:28:25 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
GLOBAL POINTS -- THE BOOK POINTS OUT THAT HIS FATHER WAS IN PRISON AND HIS MOTHER WAS UNEMPLOYED. GUEST: HE HAD A REALLY ROUGH BACKGROUND. HE IDENTIFIED...
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| 00:28:45 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
HE WON, HE NETTED HIS FIRST GOAL TO BE THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT OF THIS VERY OLD -- HE MADE HIS FIRST GOAL TO BE THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT OF THIS...
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| 00:29:36 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
HAD $28 IN DIRECT COUNT -- $28 IN HER ACCOUNT. GUEST: HIS MOTHER HAD BEEN UNEMPLOYED FOR A VERY LONG TIME. HER UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS HAD RUN OUT. SHE...
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| 00:29:53 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
C-SPAN, WATCHING SESSIONS OF CONGRESS, TRYING TO SEE IF HER BENEFITS WOULD BE EXTENDED, IF THERE WAS ANY WAY SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT A DOWNPAYMENT TOWARD...
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| 00:30:20 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
I AM NOT YOUR REGULAR KIND OF CALLER. I AM AN INTERNATIONAL
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| 00:30:26 |
CALLER, -
STUDENT IN THE UNITED STATES. I WAS WATCHING C-SPAN. I WAS WONDERING WHETHER THE PRESIDENT RELIEVED -- RECEIVED ANY KIND OF LETTERS FROM NON- CITIZENS,...
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| 00:31:19 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
I WOULD GUESS THAT THIS MAY BE ABOUT 5% OF THE MAIL THAT HE RECEIVES. IN TERMS OF PEOPLE NOT BEING REPRESENTED BY THEIR GOVERNMENT, I THINK PART OF...
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| 00:32:26 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
SHE IS A CLEANING WOMAN IN OHIO.
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| 00:32:30 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
SHE HAD LOST HER JOB AND YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE. HER PREMIUMS OR CRAZY. SHE COULD NOT AFFORD IT ANYMORE. SHE WAS GOING TO LOSE HER PARENTS' HOUSE SHE...
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| 00:33:56 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
OUR PRESIDENT IS MARKETS. MAY I EXPLAIN WHY -- IS MARXIST. MAY I EXPLAIN WHY? HOST: WHAT
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| 00:34:04 |
CALLER, -
DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THIS SEGMENT? CALLER: I DO NOT KNOW. HOST: GO AHEAD.
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| 00:34:11 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
CALLER: I HAVE A BOOK WRITTEN BY POPE BENEDICT BEFORE HE WAS
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| 00:34:15 |
CALLER, -
THE POPE. IT IS
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| 00:34:17 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
THEOLOGY. IT IS A COMBINATION OF MARXISM AND
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| 00:34:20 |
CALLER, -
CHRISTIANITY. IT IS PAGE 14. THERE IS ALSO A BOOK BY RICHARD WERNER BRANDT -- A BOOK BY RICHARD WURMBRANDT THERE IS A CHAPTER WHERE HE REALLY. MARXISM...
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| 00:35:00 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
TO WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP. ILLINOIS, INDEPENDENT, GOOD MORNING. ANDRE? CALLER: --
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| 00:35:24 |
CALLER, -
HOST: LET'S GO TO ANOTHER STORY. GUEST: AND SHE WROTE AFTER THE OIL
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| 00:35:32 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
SPILL. THE OIL WAS COMING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THIS FISHING COTTAGE THAT HAD BEEN IN THE FAMILY
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| 00:35:38 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
FOR 60 YEARS. IT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE TO THEM IN THE WORLD. HE THOUGHT THE PRESIDENT'S RESPONSE TO THE OIL SPILL HAD BEEN LACKLUSTER. HE WROTE...
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| 00:37:59 |
CALLER, -
GUEST: I WISH I COULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT GETTING YOUR LETTER TO HIM. UNFORTUNATELY, I SERIOUSLY LACK THAT KIND OF POWER. THE ODDS OF GETTING
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| 00:38:09 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
A RESPONSE FROM THE PRESIDENT ARE CLOSE TO WINNING THE LOTTERY. 20,000 LETTERS PER DAY, MAYBE ONE OR TWO OF THOSE IS GOING TO GET A DIRECT RESPONSE FROM...
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| 00:39:07 |
Orgel, Paul - Host
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME CALLING IN. I DO HAVE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE ANSWERS TO. BEING A
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| 00:39:16 |
CALLER, -
DISABLED EMPLOYEE AND CHOOSING TO WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT IF I WENT ON DISABILITY, I WOULD MAKE MORE BY NOT WORKING FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND GETTING PAID...
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| 00:40:00 |
Saslow, Eli - Staff Writer
GOING TO WORK AT A PLACE YOU ARE WORKING AT. INITIALLY, THE LETTERS ARE PRIVATE. IF HE WANTS TO BROADCAST IT, IT REQUIRES THE PERMISSION OF THE WRITERS....
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NOTE: The transcript for this program was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.