Rendell: ‘60 Minutes’ producers provoked outburst

HARRISBURG – Gov. Rendell said he was essentially provoked into losing his temper during a 60 Minutes interview that aired Sunday night, showing the governor baring his teeth and calling reporter Lesley Stahl and the show's staff "simpletons" and "idiots."

During an interview this morning on WHYY's Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane, the governor said though he apologized to Stahl afterward for his outburst, he didn't apologize to her producers, who he said goaded her into asking him the same question "over and over again."

He said the other alternative was to walk out of the interview, which was on the subject of casinos. But, he said, "that would have been just as bad because I believe the press should have access to public officials."

Rendell told Moss-Coane that his staff had told him he was "crazy" for agreeing to be interviewed for the CBS show, but he did it anyway because he wanted to share his belief that "there is a clear reason to have legalized gaming" in America.

During the interview, Stahl pressed Rendell about casinos and their effect on addictive gamblers.

"People are losing money for the state to get its revenue," said Stahl. "They're losing money."

Rendell, who began to show signs of anger, replied: "Let me answer this ... I've known, uh, for two or three decades, you're a very smart person."

"But not now," Stahl shot back.

"But you're not getting it," Rendell said.

"I'm dumb now," Stahl said.

"You're not getting it," a visibly angered Rendell replied. "Those people would lose that money anyway. Don't you understand? You guys don't get that. You're simpletons. You're idiots if you don't get that."

The video went viral on the Internet and quickly became the butt of jokes on comedy shows.