The Negotiators from Foreign Policy

Snap Judgment

Snap Judgment and PRX

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4.8 • 11.2K Ratings

🗓️ 2 December 2022

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week on Snap, we drop into the world of a hostage negotiator as he attempts to free an American journalist being held captive.

Big thanks, Mickey Bergman, for sharing this story! Mickey’s book about his negotiations will be published by Hachette’s Center Street soon.

This story comes to us from our friends at The Negotiators. The Negotiators is hosted by Jenn Williams, and is a partnership between Doha Debates and Foreign Policy.

Yes, there are more stories on The Negotiators podcast. Each episode features the story of a dramatic negotiation! If you like this episode, find The Negotiators on your favorite podcast app.

Dan Ephron, Executive Editor of Podcasts at Foreign Policy, produced this episode. Laura Rosbrow-Telem is the show's senior producer. The Negotiators' team includes Japhet Weeks, Rob Sachs, Rosie Julin, Claudia Teti, Jigar Mehta, and Amjad Atallah. Thanks to Nelufar Hedayat, Govinda Clayton and James Wolley for helping create the show with Doha Debates.

Original music by Dirk Schwarzhoff. Snap Editorial support from Nancy Lopez. Artwork by Teo Ducot.

Season 13 - Episode 59

Transcript

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0:00.0	Now, Judgment Studios.
0:07.0	When I have the illusion of control, even when it's imaginary, driving a car through a blizzard
0:22.0	and icy road at night, something crazy, I'm cool as a cucumber. I think ham from Michigan.
0:29.0	I've got this. Even when I don't got this, the times when I lose it, the times when I
0:36.0	really lose it are the times where I have no pretend control, like on a plane. I learned
0:41.0	a hard way that they discourage Russian toward the cockpit because you felt some turbulence.
0:47.0	When the loved one is in surgery, all you can do is sit in that little antiseptic room
0:55.0	on those plastic chairs on the way. Every moment, losing just a little bit more of your
1:01.0	mind, hoping that someone eventually comes out to tell you that it's okay.
1:09.0	Now imagine your job is to be the one everyone's waiting on.
1:15.0	But you don't know how to put all their trust, all their faith, all their hope in you,
1:21.0	not because they want to know, because they don't have any other option.
1:29.0	The dance-samp judgment, you probably present the negotiators.
1:35.0	And then it's going to wash until you don't worry. I promise for the next hour, you're in very good hands.
1:43.0	Listen, listen. The snap judgment.
1:51.0	You begin with Mickey Bergman. Now Mickey's the professional negotiator, and he spends a lot of his time trying to get
2:08.0	hostages released. Mickey's going to pull back the curtain for us, provide a play by play of just one of these negotiations.
2:16.0	It's not just any negotiation, it involves heavy hitters, like the U.S. State Department,
2:23.0	and the Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar. Mickey's boss is Bill Richardson, the former governor of New Mexico,
2:30.0	and you know, here Mickey referred to him as Governor Richardson, or just the governor.
2:36.0	Snap judgment.
2:45.0	Danny gets arrested on May 24. Within the same day, I get a Facebook message from a friend of mine
	...

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