Charlie Gasparino: “I Want To Turn This Into A Fight With Our Competition”

Mediaite: Do you notice anything different in the way you gather news and report stories from FBN to CNBC?

Gasparino: Not really, I’m basically doing the same job. It’s kind of interesting. I like the people I’m working for now, Ray Hennessey and Kevin Magee are great. I have a relationship with Neil Cavuto who I’ve known for awhile. I like working here for other reasons. The notion of a start-up, trying to make something work and be a bigger player, for me is very enticing. If I’m going to do that I don’t think I can do it 10 years from now when I’m 57 instead of 47…The bigger guy is expected win every battle. When I worked at the Wall Street Journal for nine years, we were expected never to miss a story. When the New York Times slipped one on us, those were times I didn’t want to come to the office. It’s still that way now, but it’s a role reversal. Every story I have there are people on the other end who say, ‘Why didn’t CNBC have it.’ That’s not to say they won’t break stories, they have good reporters there. But every story I have I’m going to rub it in their face so to speak as, and they will to me. But they’re not used to having stuff rubbed in their face.

“I didn’t come here asking to be on Fox News. My single goal was to establish Fox Business. Everything after that is gravy.”

Mediaite: How about how you’re used – you show up periodically on some of Fox News’ biggest programs, something you didn’t see necessarily do at MSNBC. What’s that experience been like?

Gasparino: (laughs) Yeah, my political views didn’t jive with the MSNBC talking points. Listen I came here, and people said, ‘Oh you’ll be on Fox News, you’ll do this, you’ll do that.’ I came here with one mandate – beat the competition for Fox Business. I didn’t come here asking to be on Fox News. My single goal was to establish Fox Business. Everything after that is gravy…My family loves Fox News. They’re all rabid watchers of it. But when it comes down to it, I’m a hard news guy and I’m here to break stories.

Mediaite: Last thing – so the idea that this Goldman Sachs lawsuit is just due to a “rogue employee” – any specific word you want to use to describe your thoughts on that?

Gasparino: That’s a bullshit thing. First off, Goldman hasn’t said that so much. Some language might be construed that way. I just think it’s bullshit because whether the guy did something illegal, or it doesn’t comport with securities laws, I think what he did is just standard operating procedure at Goldman Sachs.

(This has been edited for length and clarity.)

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