Kurtz: Matt Lauer Is Finally Fighting Back Against Ronan Farrow

RUSH TRANSCRIPT SMITH Matt ░░░░░░░░ speaking out denying some ░░░░░░░░ the allegations in Ronan ░░░░░░░░ s book Catch and ░░░░░░░░ Howard Kurtz is a ░░░░░░░░ News media analysts and ░░░░░░░░ of Media buzz Good ░░░░░░░░ to you So what ░░░░░░░░ the case that Matt ░░░░░░░░ makes in this piece ░░░░░░░░ If you look at ░░░░░░░░ main allegation that got ░░░░░░░░ Lauer fired former NBC ░░░░░░░░ Brooke Nevels accusing him ░░░░░░░░ rape he does score ░░░░░░░░ serious points against Ronan ░░░░░░░░ s account The background ░░░░░░░░ is that Nevels described ░░░░░░░░ on the record it ░░░░░░░░ drunken sexual encounter with ░░░░░░░░ Lauer at the Sochi ░░░░░░░░ and a media rate ░░░░░░░░ confirmed he spoke to ░░░░░░░░ separate sources that farrow ░░░░░░░░ contacted and each of ░░░░░░░░ says that what Ronan ░░░░░░░░ in his book reported ░░░░░░░░ their conversations either never ░░░░░░░░ or that Brooke Nevels ░░░░░░░░ to them a consensual ░░░░░░░░ with the former today ░░░░░░░░ SANDRA This is not ░░░░░░░░ about accusations with a ░░░░░░░░ of The Today Show ░░░░░░░░ s understanding today s ░░░░░░░░ and activism It s ░░░░░░░░ whether we are putting ░░░░░░░░ too much trust in ░░░░░░░░ who have publicly stated ░░░░░░░░ to remain objective KURTZ ░░░░░░░░ says on Twitter Matt ░░░░░░░░ is just wrong Catch ░░░░░░░░ Kill his book was ░░░░░░░░ reported in fact check ░░░░░░░░ with Matt Lauer himself ░░░░░░░░ s contention is that ░░░░░░░░ Farrow is an activist ░░░░░░░░ doesn t have any ░░░░░░░░ cooperation That s making ░░░░░░░░ case with the son ░░░░░░░░ Woody Allen and Mia ░░░░░░░░ has a cinematic style ░░░░░░░░ doesn t involve rigorous ░░░░░░░░ checking SMITH He talks ░░░░░░░░ the timing to your ░░░░░░░░ of putting this out ░░░░░░░░ now But why now ░░░░░░░░ Here s the bottom ░░░░░░░░ Ronan Farrow did some ░░░░░░░░ and incredible reporting on ░░░░░░░░ Weinstein and you can ░░░░░░░░ take that away from ░░░░░░░░ But he has in ░░░░░░░░ past I looked at ░░░░░░░░ for example during the ░░░░░░░░ Kavanaugh hearings published some ░░░░░░░░ allegations As for Matt ░░░░░░░░ you know he is ░░░░░░░░ fighting back against this ░░░░░░░░ accusations but keep in ░░░░░░░░ there were other allegations ░░░░░░░░ harassment and sex with ░░░░░░░░ at NBC and Lauer ░░░░░░░░ says in this piece ░░░░░░░░ he made some terrible ░░░░░░░░ and betrayed the trust ░░░░░░░░ many people SMITH Got ░░░░░░░░ Howie Kurtz, thank you.”