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September 4, 2011 9:00 AM

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Julian Assange: The 60 Minutes Interview

By: Overtime Staff
Topics: Overtime Original

By now, most of the world has heard of and seen Julian Assange, the man behind WikiLeaks. Assange is responsible for publishing tens of thousands of secret U.S. military reports and diplomatic cables. His supporters say he's a freedom fighter; his detractors call him a dangerous traitor or worse.

Watch part 1 of Steve Kroft's report.

Watch part 2 of Steve Kroft's report.

Naturally, "60 Minutes" wanted to hear from Assange himself. But for producers Tanya Simon and Howard Rosenberg and correspondent Steve Kroft just getting this interview was a story in and of itself.

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by dedrick23 September 5, 2011 6:02 PM EDT

Am I the only person who caught the phrase appropriated by Steve Kroft during his interview of Julian Assange on 60 Minutes last night? In the context of describing Assanges conflict with the US State Department, Kroft said "You have screwed with the primal forces of nature." As any fan of the film Network will remember, this phrase is from Ned Beattys famous Petrodollar speech to Peter Finch, as he tries to convince the mad anchorman that the interests of the international corporate owner of the network are sacrosanct. The phrase Beatty opens his speech with is: "You have tampered with the primal forces of nature and there will have to be atonement." I find it extremely unlikely that Kroft knowingly used that phrase as an ironic statement within his Assange interview, nevertheless, ironic it is and ironic it shall ever be.

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by NoShrinkingViolet September 5, 2011 6:23 PM EDT: I certainly recall Kroft saying exactly that, and I recall thinking it was a strange thing to say, conveying the impression Assange had created new life by grafting human DNA to that of a mule. Now that you've pointed it out, I can certainly taste oxidized metal.

It's trivial to say so, but the only line I remember well from the movie is "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more".

by silvermart38 September 5, 2011 11:24 AM EDT

It is sad to see Kroft and many of those commenting be deferential to the Asange portrayal of Don Quixhote de la Mancha -- jousting at windmills for his own delusional purposes. The man has exposed thousands to reprisals, weakened our diplomatic abilities and broken US law. He belongs in jail side by side with the leakers who profess patriotism but are at best misguided. The interview gave him a platfrom for his holier than thou blackmail -- we will release the codes if you come at us -- rather than calling him out on what is pure treason.

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by NoShrinkingViolet September 5, 2011 6:32 PM EDT: Kroft certainly tried to brand Assange with the "lunatic" iron, but Assange rebuffed him at every turn. I've never even visited the WikiLeaks site, nor do I intend to, but I'm glad those in authority have reason to believe bad behaviour and abuse of power might actually have consequences. As for his "blackmail", I say good for him. How else can he fight wrongful persecution and prosecution at the hands of foes who won't think twice about abusing their power to settle a personal score?


by NoShrinkingViolet September 5, 2011 6:37 PM EDT: I intended to mention that my sadness is reserved for America's abandonment of fundamental freedom and civil and constitutional rights.


by citizen-sheep January 2, 2013 8:21 PM EST: Silvermart you must be a Walmart greeter? Your shallow views and calling him to be charged with treason shows your an idiot that don't have a clue you sheep. Treason is when congress stole 800 Billion under bush then Obama, but under Bush there was to be no questions asked what so ever period. That's TREASON you human flotsam. Keep you head berried way down in that sand so a Saudi can use your better half for a bike park.


by voxpopulus September 5, 2011 5:14 AM EDT: Thanks Sixty Minutes. Good to see a mainstream news organization show such integrity.; Reply to this comment


by thetejun September 4, 2011 10:54 PM EDT: Free Bradley Manning; Reply to this comment

by kaylag04 September 4, 2011 10:03 PM EDT

Now he will tackle China and it's brutal supression of Tibet; and Saudi Arabia and the brutal treatment of women as subhuman citizens; and Iran, and the murderous treatment of dissidents; and Mexican government collusion with mass-murdering cartels...oh, no he won't. That'd be risky. That would actually take courage.

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by thetejun September 4, 2011 10:48 PM EDT: The US government is CURRENTLY hunting Julian and twisting our own laws to extradite him, the entire western establishment tried to convict him of rape. Bradley Manning has been in solitary confinement for years now! If you don't think it is risky defying our government you are the one without courage, because it is clear you have never challenged anything in this country. P.S. That guy totally misrepresented the American peoples opinion on Julian Assange and Bradley Manning, he just gave out the sheep's and the baby boomer's opinions.


by voxpopulus September 5, 2011 5:14 AM EDT: Assange has said in the past that if and when he gets leaks from China and Saudi Arabia he will publish them. Not only that, he already HAS published many documents that cast both governments in a bad light.

I think you need to actually read some of the Wikileaks documents before spouting nonsense.

And do you honestly think crossing OUR government does not take courage? There are plenty of fools, even on these boards, who want him dead. We HAVE silenced people for less.


by kaylag04 September 5, 2011 10:28 AM EDT: We're hunting him at this moment? we MUST be pretty dangerous - we've forced him to sneak form press conference to press conference. Soon he'll have to get a secret tour bus with "Julian" written on the side just to hide from the Seals and Delta.


by Blee0101 September 4, 2011 10:00 PM EDT: Perhaps I missed it, but has anyone asked how he verifies the "leaks" sent to him to publish ? Does he really have the facts and all sides of an issue? Misinformation could easily be a tool of sabotage. His suspicious nature must have some method of confirming veracity. He may find his intentions of exposing governments and individuals who don't act in a way he judges proper, despite conditions that often make for no easy solution, to be very dangerous to those he intends to enlighten. Assange is a messenger, albeit a very subjective one. The people who submit the leaks or hack into classified files are the ones to question for motives.; Reply to this comment

by Jaylah54 September 4, 2011 9:13 PM EDT

Funny at 60 Minutes had such a difficult time. Frontline didn't.

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by joesantana-2009 September 4, 2011 11:24 PM EDT: Back in the day, the 60 Minutes staff of CBS News was the WikiLeaks of its time. Today, not so much. But yes, there is Frontline.

by NoShrinkingViolet September 4, 2011 8:13 PM EDT

I just finished watching Kroft's interview of Assange for a second time. My first impression still resonates.

Kroft comes across as smug as he conveys the impression the US government can do no wrong. Assange, on the other hand, presents as a sincere individual who offers an answer to the question "who's policing the police?" Assange's answers were frank and poignant, and unlike Kroft's supposedly clever, gotcha questions, unrehearsed.

If Kroft represents 60 Minutes' perception of authority, the program has lost its way. The old 60 Minutes would have gone after the bureaucrats whose wrongdoing is exposed by the secrets Assange brings to light. The new 60 Minutes is apparently a shill for those in power who "filter" what reaches an unsuspecting public. For example, the fact at least 15,000 civilian deaths have gone unreported in Afghanistan caused Kroft less angst than the fact Assange exposes the truth!

Given America has clearly abrogated freedom of the press and freedom of speech, the elaborate case protecting America's Constitution is in fact a sarcophagus.

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by muckraking September 5, 2011 11:57 AM EDT: In total agreement, I would like to add that Mr. Kroft and the so-called journalists at 60 minutes should take a few lessons from George Seldes. Of course, if they did they would no longer be working for CBS or be able to join the teams of Disney, GE, Viacom, News Corp or TimeWarner. Perhaps they would cease to be talking heads driven by careers and the addiction of access. That would be a good thing for the fourth estate. Thank you for your comment. "Tell the truth and run"


by NoShrinkingViolet September 5, 2011 7:58 PM EDT: muckraking:
Thanks for your kind response.

"Tell the truth and run" is an efficient use of words.


by MissIrish57 September 4, 2011 7:45 PM EDT: OMG - I am an avid watcher of 60 minutes and have been for many years. Watching the Julian Assange piece moved me. I live in Northern Ireland most of my life where I witnessed terrible atrocities. I wish he had been around for us. America and Great Britain, along with many other Countries, i.e. Libya etc. need to realize that NOTHING can be kept secret any longer - people just won't tolerate it. I don't like to put peoples' lives at risk, such as the Afganistani informers, but we do need to know why our young people and those of Countries like Afganistan, Iraq are being lied too and slaughtered while the Government sit in beautiful offices deciding where to send them to die and to kill. Good for 60 minutes and Wikileaks.....; Reply to this comment


by croisan February 27, 2011 2:06 PM EST: I appreciate this story and to hear from Julian Assange and Steve's opinion of him. I understand more of the "why" behind this effort. Although I did not like the idea of sharing secrets, I do now see he is striving to take more of a moral high ground in the way he is doing it. I'm not happy with the New York Times sharing of secrets either, but I uphold the importance of an independent press as the one critical sign that this is still a government of the people and by the people. And so I have to support his efforts as long as he is not crossing the line. I also appreciate that the Assange team has taken steps to no longer identify people that could fall into harms way innocently. That means to me they are learning and are not a reckless for the cause as they started out. That's important too. I will be listening with more of an open mind in the future.; Reply to this comment

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