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Spotlight · 2015 — Chapter 4 of 21 · 2'26" · C1

Rezendes Meets Garabedian, Explained: think in centuries

Reporter Mike Rezendes visits lawyer Mitchell Garabedian to follow up on the church abuse story, but the lawyer is guarded: no recording, no documents, no promises. "The Church thinks in centuries," he warns, questioning whether the Globe can really take on an institution that plays the long game.

What happens

Mike Rezendes, a Boston Globe reporter, visits attorney Mitchell Garabedian to follow up on a column about the church abuse cases. Garabedian is wary from the start: he tells Mike to get his facts straight, refuses to be recorded in any way, shape or form, and warns that the Church thinks in centuries, asking whether the paper can truly take that on.

InvestigationCourtroomAskingWarningStrangersC1fastamericanClean
IMDb ↗

Listen for

think in centuriesget your facts straightin any way, shape or formfollow up on

00:00 / 02:26
Space play · ← → lines · R repeat
Now
  23. ❝ MonologueThe lawyer names the watchers8 linesPractice page ↗
  31. ❝ MonologueThe reporter bets the Globe9 linesPractice page ↗
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Phrase of the scene

think in centuries

to plan on a very long timescale

加拉本迪安第一次见面就提醒雷森德斯，教会看问题是按世纪来算的，暗示这场对抗会拖得很久。

Old institutions think in centuries, so a single bad year worries them little.

Also in this scene

  • get your facts straight

    to make sure you have the correct information

  • in any way, shape or form

    in any possible way

  • follow up on

    to continue investigating or acting on something

  • if you don't mind me asking

    a polite way to ask something personal

Everything marked in this scene

30 notes across 50 lines

Phrase · B2write up somethingI asked you to write up that motion, Bill. I didn't ask you to file it.
Grammar · B1asked you to write up that motion

ask someone to do something

I asked you to write up that motion, Bill. I didn't ask you to file it.
Phrase · B1have an appointment with someoneI had an appointment with you about an hour ago.
Phrase · A2be right backNo, no. She went out for coffee. She said she'd be right back.
Phrase · B2follow up on somethingI'm following up on an article.
Phrase · B2track something downThat's all right. I'll track it down.
Soundtrack it down

flap

That's all right. I'll track it down.
Phrase · B2a class actionIt's not a class action.
Phrase · B2get something straight

to make sure you have the correct information

You should get your facts straight. No, you're right. I should.
Grammar · B1should get your facts straight

should for advice

You should get your facts straight. No, you're right. I should.
Phrase · B1background informationSo I'm trying to get some background information on...
Grammar · B2wouldn't do that without asking

would not without, a hypothetical

No, I wouldn't do that without asking.
Phrase · B2be after somethingI can't show you those Church's documents if that's what you're after.
Phrase · B2be under sealThey're under seal.
Phrase · B1watch someone closelyThey're watching me very closely.
Phrase · C1get someone disbarredThey'd like to get me disbarred. In fact, put that away.
Phrase · C1in any way, shape or form

in any possible way

I don't want you recording this in any way, shape or form.
Grammar · B2want you recording this

want someone doing something

I don't want you recording this in any way, shape or form.
Soundshape or form

liaison

I don't want you recording this in any way, shape or form.
Phrase · B2be brokeThey're broke. They don't have any power.
Slang · B1brokeThey're broke. They don't have any power.
Phrase · B2cover a storyIf we cover this story, everybody will hear about it.
Phrase · B1hear about somethingIf we cover this story, everybody will hear about it.
Soundhear about it

liaison

If we cover this story, everybody will hear about it.
Phrase · C1think in decades

to plan on a very long timescale

The Church thinks in centuries, Mr. Rezendes.
Phrase · B2take something onDo you think your paper has the resources to take that on?
Grammar · B2has the resources to take that on

have the resources to do something

Do you think your paper has the resources to take that on?
Phrase · B1if you don't mind me asking

a polite way to ask something personal

But if you don't mind me asking,
Phrase · A2think about itCall me tomorrow, I gotta think about it. Thank you.
Slang · A2gottaCall me tomorrow, I gotta think about it. Thank you.

Rezendes Meets Garabedian, explained

What's really going on

The scene is a standoff between a reporter's patience and a lawyer's caution. Rezendes keeps pushing, politely, while Garabedian keeps setting limits: nothing on paper, nothing on tape. His refusal is not rudeness but self-protection, and the dialogue makes that clear. "They're watching me very closely," he says, and the fear is real — he could lose his license for talking. The key exchange is about power, not facts: the Phoenix is broke and powerless, the Globe is not, and the Church, as he puts it, "thinks in centuries." That line reframes the whole investigation. This is not a story that ends in a news cycle; it is a fight against an institution that measures time in generations, which is exactly the kind of story Spotlight was built for.

Theme

PowerGarabedian measures the Church's reach by centuries, warning the paper how hard the fight will be.
JusticeA reporter tries to pry open sealed abuse cases, and a wary lawyer weighs whether the paper can help.

Listen for

  • track it down — flap
  • shape or form — liaison
  • hear about it — liaison
The Church thinks in centuries, Mr. Rezendes.

The warning that the Church plays a long game no newspaper can easily outlast.

If we cover this story, everybody will hear about it.

Rezendes's argument for the Globe's reach: publishing would make the story impossible to ignore.

Do you think your paper has the resources to take that on?

Garabedian's test of the reporter: can the Globe really fight an institution this powerful?

You should get your facts straight. No, you're right. I should.

A sharp correction followed by the reporter's instant admission, showing the lawyer's upper hand.

Questions about this scene

Why won't Garabedian let Rezendes record the conversation?

He is being watched by the Church and could lose his law license, so he refuses any notes or recording in any form.

What does 'thinks in centuries' mean here?

It means the Church plans on a scale of centuries, so it can outlast a newspaper and wear down any challenge.

Why does Garabedian mention the Phoenix?

To argue that the Phoenix is broke and powerless while the Globe still has reach, which is why this story could matter.

What does Garabedian want from Rezendes before talking?

He wants time to think and asks Rezendes to call him tomorrow, after seeing whether the paper is serious.

Spotlight · 21 chapters

All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 5stand aloneMarty Baron Meets Cardinal Law
Chapter 1take a hard look atBaron Meets Robinson for a DrinkChapter 2file a motionMarty Baron's First News MeetingChapter 3have something on someoneLawyers Break Down the Geoghan CaseWatching · Chapter 4think in centuriesRezendes Meets GarabedianChapter 5stand aloneMarty Baron Meets Cardinal LawChapter 6preyed uponPhil Saviano Tells His StoryChapter 7the beginning of it allReporters Interview Abuse SurvivorsChapter 8out of circulationPressuring Macleish on SettlementsChapter 9it takes a villageRezendes Meets the InformantChapter 10Good GermansSipe's Six Percent EstimateChapter 11off the estimateThe Team Counts 87 PriestsChapter 12cottage industryRobby Confronts MacleishChapter 13from the top downThe Team Goes After the SystemChapter 14sledding uphillSpringfield Hearing on Sealed RecordsChapter 15off the recordGarabedian Reveals the Sealed DocumentsChapter 16get on the same pageReporters Confront Boston CollegeChapter 17broke ranksRobby Refuses to Rush the StoryChapter 18a few bad applesPete Pressures Robby Over DrinksChapter 19on a clockRobby Gets Six Weeks to PublishChapter 20lay something on someoneRobby Confronts His Old FriendChapter 21stumbling around in the darkThe Newsroom Finalizes the Story
Chapter 4 of 21 · about 50 min to go