♪ >>> LET ME START WITH MY

>>> LET ME START WITH MY HEADLINE TONIGHT.

HEADLINE TONIGHT. I’M RETIRING.

I’M RETIRING. THIS IS THE LAST "HARDBALL" ON

THIS IS THE LAST "HARDBALL" ON MSNBC, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS ISN’T

MSNBC, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS ISN’T FOR LACK OF INTEREST IN

FOR LACK OF INTEREST IN POLITICS.

POLITICS. AS YOU CAN TELL I HAVE LOVED

AS YOU CAN TELL I HAVE LOVED EVERY 20 MINUTES OF MY HOST AS

EVERY 20 MINUTES OF MY HOST AS "HARDBALL."

"HARDBALL." EVERY MORNING I READ THE PAPERS,

EVERY MORNING I READ THE PAPERS, I’M GUNG HO TO GET TO WORK.

I’M GUNG HO TO GET TO WORK. MANY MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS

MANY MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PRIVILEGE.

PRIVILEGE. I LOVE WORKING WITH THE

I LOVE WORKING WITH THE PRODUCERS AND DISCUSSIONS WE’VE

PRODUCERS AND DISCUSSIONS WE’VE HAD OVER HOW TO REPORT THE NEWS.

HAD OVER HOW TO REPORT THE NEWS. I LOVE HAVING THE CONNECTION

I LOVE HAVING THE CONNECTION WITH YOU THE GOOD PEOPLE WHO

WITH YOU THE GOOD PEOPLE WHO WATCH.

WATCH. I’VE LEARNED WHO YOU ARE,

I’VE LEARNED WHO YOU ARE, BUMPING INTO YOU ON THE SIDEWALK

BUMPING INTO YOU ON THE SIDEWALK OR WAITING IN AN AIRPORT AND

OR WAITING IN AN AIRPORT AND SAYING HELLO.

SAYING HELLO. YOU’RE LIKE ME.

YOU’RE LIKE ME. I HEAR FROM YOUR KIDS AND

I HEAR FROM YOUR KIDS AND GRANDCHILDREN.

GRANDCHILDREN. MY DAD LOVES YOU, MY GRANDMOTHER

MY DAD LOVES YOU, MY GRANDMOTHER LOVES YOU.

LOVES YOU. WE WATCHED IT TILL THE END.

WE WATCHED IT TILL THE END. AFTER MY CONVERSATION WITH NBC,

AFTER MY CONVERSATION WITH NBC, I DECIDED TONIGHT WILL BE MY

I DECIDED TONIGHT WILL BE MY LAST "HARDBALL."

LAST "HARDBALL." I’LL TELL YOU WHY.

I’LL TELL YOU WHY. THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE

THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE READY TO TAKE THE REIGNS.

READY TO TAKE THE REIGNS. WE SEE THEM IN POLITICS, THE

WE SEE THEM IN POLITICS, THE MEDIA, THEY HAVE PROVEN IN THE

MEDIA, THEY HAVE PROVEN IN THE WORKPLACE.

WORKPLACE. THEY GREW UP WITH BETTER

THEY GREW UP WITH BETTER STANDARDS, FAIR STANDARDS.

STANDARDS, FAIR STANDARDS. COMPLIMENTS ON A WOMAN’S

COMPLIMENTS ON A WOMAN’S APPEARANCE SOME MEN, INCLUDING

APPEARANCE SOME MEN, INCLUDING ME, MIGHT HAVE ONCE INCORRECTLY

ME, MIGHT HAVE ONCE INCORRECTLY THOUGHT WERE OKAY WERE NEVER

THOUGHT WERE OKAY WERE NEVER OKAY.

OKAY. CERTAINLY NOT TODAY.

CERTAINLY NOT TODAY. FOR MAKING SUCH COMMENTS IN THE

FOR MAKING SUCH COMMENTS IN THE PAST, I’M SORRY.

PAST, I’M SORRY. I’M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK I’VE

I’M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK I’VE DONE HERE.

DONE HERE. LONG BEFORE I WENT ON

LONG BEFORE I WENT ON TELEVISION, I WORKED FOR YEARS

TELEVISION, I WORKED FOR YEARS IN POLITICS, WAS A NEWSPAPER

IN POLITICS, WAS A NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST AND AUTHOR.

COLUMNIST AND AUTHOR. I’M WORKING ON ANOTHER BOOK.

I’M WORKING ON ANOTHER BOOK. I’LL CONTINUE TO WRITE AND TALK

I’LL CONTINUE TO WRITE AND TALK ABOUT POLITICS AND CHEER ON MY

ABOUT POLITICS AND CHEER ON MY PRODUCERS AND CREW HERE IN

PRODUCERS AND CREW HERE IN WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK AND MY

WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK AND MY MSNBC COLLEAGUES.

MSNBC COLLEAGUES. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE

THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE GREAT JOURNALISM IN THE YEARS

GREAT JOURNALISM IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

AHEAD. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GOTTEN IN THE

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GOTTEN IN THE HABIT OF WATCHING "HARDBALL"

HABIT OF WATCHING "HARDBALL" EVERY NIGHT I HOPE YOU’RE GOING

EVERY NIGHT I HOPE YOU’RE GOING TO MISS ME BECAUSE I’LL MISSING