Still hunting down the video of this but I now have a transcript of Imus’ bits on Rick Kaplan…

6:15 AM

Imus: I have some bad news, Charles. Rick Kaplan was fired yesterday. The newspapers say it was some mutual agreement but Rick told me he was fired yesterday from MSNBC. So that’s too bad you know I liked Rick a lot, but I have even worse news.

Charles: What could possibly be worse that that? That is terrible

Imus: Least worse for some people at MSNBC. It is that I have been named to succeed him

Charles: Well that puts everything in perspective. So now what happens I-man?

Imus: Tucker, Joe, Rita, I’d like you to give me a call.

Charles: You’re a horrible person

Imus: Maybe we’ll do it on a video conferencing thing. We need to refocus here.

6:28 AM

Imus: Both Zarqawi and Rick Kaplan put out in the same day so. At least they didn’t shoot Rick

Charles: Connect those dots

Imus : Well I mean I think they probably would have shot Rick except he had made some headway particularly in their prime time ulamus (?? He mumbles?!) on MSNBC. I think they had started to do some better things

Imus: He’s a nice guy, but that’s the way that works

7:02 AM

Imus: In NY of course, unfortunately, bad news, Rick Kaplan was also terminated, though, he wasn’t murdered was he.

Charles: Not terminated with extreme prejudice

Imus: No. So we like Rick and he’s actually done a pretty good job and kind of got MSNBC

Charles: On it’s feet yeah

Imus: Headed in the right direction. So that is horrible news of course the even worse news for some people at MSNBC is that I have been named to succeed him.

7:17 AM

Imus: We’re covering this huge story this morning about the termination well about Abu Zarqawi and well Rick Kaplan. Unfortunately Mr. Kaplan was not blown up.

Charles: thank god

Imus: or shoved out of the window of the 52 floor over there at thirty rock.

7:23 AM

Imus: And of course with this essentially good news we have bad news now this, Rick Kaplan is leaving MSNBC

Susan: A lot of us really enjoyed Rick and working with him and I don’t know the circumstances. You probably know this more than I do John but we really. We really wish him well. He was a really great newsman

Imus: I have worse news.

Susan: You have worse news, what’s that

Imus: I have been named to succeed him.

Susan: O my god. Our own terrorist. We get rid of one terrorist and gain another.

Imus: I’d like to see you in my office at 10 o’clock

Charles: The I-man the leader of the group Alkida in Rivera

8:05 AM (with NBC’s David Gregory)

Imus: Bad termination in NY where Kaplan is gone

Gregory: I’ve heard you talking about that. I think you taking over would be very interesting. Because I think that most people who listen to the program understand that you’re about team building and you’re about growth and ah that’s really just better and accountability and consistency for that matter. Because you kind of set a kind of strategic vision and then you really stick to it. Like your feeling about the war and you know particular political candidates. You know. So.