Negotiator reveals shadowy world of hostage rescue in new book, ‘In the Shadows’

Nick Schifrin:

Nearly 60 Americans are believed to be held overseas, some 90 percent of them labeled wrongfully detained by the State Department.

Their possible release is handled by countless American government officials. But, sometimes, when hostage families want another advocate or the relevant government might not be communicating particularly well with the U.S. government officially, Mickey Bergman, alongside the late Governor Bill Richardson and their team, answered the call in North Korea, Myanmar, Moscow.

Bergman has helped bring Americans home, including Brittney Griner. And now he’s written a book, “In the Shadows: True Stories of High-Stakes Negotiations to Free Americans Captured Abroad.”

And Mickey Bergman joins me now.

Mickey, thanks very much.

Welcome to the “NewsHour.”

Mickey Bergman, Author, “In the Shadows: True Stories of High-Stakes Negotiations to Free Americans Captured Abroad”: Thank you for having me.