Megyn Kelly Discusses Her New York Times "The Interview" Experience

The Invitation and Decision to Interview

• 🎙️ Megyn Kelly recounts receiving an invitation from The New York Times for "The Interview" podcast, discussing it with her executive producer, Steve Crackour.
• 💡 The decision to accept was influenced by current projects like their AM update and podcast network expansion, seeing it as a strategic opportunity.
• 🎧 Kelly admits to being a fan of "The Daily," learning from it despite often criticizing its content, and appreciating specific episodes like the one on Trump's tariffs and fentanyl labs.

The Interview Process and Setting

• 🤝 Kelly was interviewed by Lulu Garcia Navaro, whom she respected as a reporter and found to be fair, noting Navaro's previous fair treatment of JD Vance.
• 🏢 The interview took place over 90 minutes at The New York Times building, followed by an additional 30-45 minutes the next day for reflection.
• 🚶‍♀️ Upon arrival, Kelly observed a noticeable stir among New York Times staff, though she did not receive a tour of the newsroom as initially suggested.

Dynamics with the Interviewer

• 😊 Kelly felt Lulu Garcia Navaro was kind and treated her well, sensing no animosity or bad faith, which she believes contributed to a better interview.
• 🗣️ Navaro approached the issues from a left-leaning perspective, which Kelly understood, but did not feel the interviewer disliked her personally.
• 💬 Kelly felt more relaxed and open in her answers, appreciating Navaro's approach of asking clarifying questions rather than aggressively challenging her.

Core Disagreements: Journalism in the New Ecosystem

• 🌐 A key point of contention was Navaro's difficulty understanding how Kelly, as a journalist, could endorse Donald Trump and still maintain her journalistic credentials.
• 🚀 Kelly explained her position within a "new ecosystem" of media, including podcasts and direct audience relationships, where old rules of journalism may not fully apply.
• 🎤 She emphasized that authenticity and honesty with the audience are paramount in this new media landscape, even when endorsing a political candidate.

Owning Bias vs. Traditional Journalism

• ⚖️ Kelly and Navaro debated the concept of owning one's bias; Kelly argued that openly stating her endorsement of Trump enhances her credibility by making her stance clear.
• 📰 In contrast, she criticized traditional journalism for claiming neutrality while subtly embedding bias, leading to audience distrust.
• 📢 Kelly highlighted her willingness to criticize figures she admires, including Trump, citing an instance where she critiqued his rally, demonstrating she hasn't "sold her soul."

Specific Criticisms and Media Coverage

• 🎯 Kelly addressed the New York Times' coverage of Donald Trump, contrasting it with their perceived lack of scrutiny on Democratic figures like Doug Emhoff.
• 🔍 She pointed out specific allegations against Emhoff that she believes were not deeply investigated by the Times, despite her own reporting on them.
• 📺 Kelly also pushed back on the idea that she runs cover for Trump, asserting her audience would find it ironic given the Times' extensive coverage supporting Joe Biden.