Posted on 05/09/2003 3:44:54 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
Clueless in the morning. Interviewing Democratic presidential candidate Bob Graham on Wednesday's Today, Katie Couric mistook an obvious Washington Post parody of Graham daily diary entries for the real thing and read several of the mock items to him as if they were what he really put down.
The MRC's Rich Noyes caught Couric's confusion in what turned out to be the only challenging question she posed to Graham during the May 7 Today interview.
Couric's softball questions, as taken down by MRC analyst Geoffrey Dickens, who reports that Couric did not correct herself later in the program.
-- "Some people answer this question better than others, but why don't you give it a whirl? Why do you want to be President, Senator?"
-- "What do you mean, what kind of tax policies specifically Senator?"
-- "You've been quite critical of the Bush administration saying it spent too much time emphasizing the war on Iraq and not enough efforts have been going into Homeland Security. You also said that, that it hasn't been aggressive enough in going after terror cells in Yemen, members of Hezbollah who are, who have sanctuary in Syria and Lebanon. If you were President how would you handle those situations? What would you do?"
-- "Meanwhile, as you know, Senator Byrd really blasted President Bush for his appearance on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, saying, quote, 'To me it is an affront to the Americans killed or injured in Iraq for the President to exploit the trappings of war for the momentary spectacle of a speech. He also added it should not be a made-for-TV backdrop for a campaign commercial and, and called the President's use of it, 'flamboyant showmanship.' Do you agree with Senator Byrd about this?"
-- "Of course the Bush administration would, would argue that the war against Iraq was part of the war against terrorism."
-- "A couple of quick questions, I know you had heart surgery in January, Senator, a double-bypass and valve replacement. How is your health? Are you well enough to, to embark on a grueling campaign?"
-- Couric ended with her misreading of the Washington Post: "And before we go, I know you keep a running log of your every waking activity. There's an article in the Style section of the Washington Post this morning it says you've logged 26 years of personal minutiae filling 4,400 two by three inch notebooks, color-coded by season. An example: 12:17:, this is when you made the announcement: 'Ascend stage, stumble, regain balance; 12:18: Applause, 'Where the Streets Have No Name,' plays (U2); 12:19: Clap, wave; 12:20: 'Adjust tie (red, white stripes); 12:21: Double thumbs up; 12:22: Sing along with National Anthem, right hand on heart.' What, what do you do this for?!"
A baffled Graham answered: "Well, I mean that is absurd. As a matter of fact I have waited until today to make some notes from yesterday's activity. My father carried a notebook as a dairy-farmer. He would write down numbers of sick cows and fences that were broken to be sure that they got taken care of. I adopted this discipline from him. I use it to write down names of people who have something to say and that I want to be certain that I follow up. I write down what I'm gonna try to get accomplished on that particular day. For me it is a means of organization and discipline and I guess my question is why more people in public office don't do this?"
Couric, seemingly unaware of her confusion, wrapped up: "Well I think it's rather charming and interesting. Well Senator Bob Graham thanks so much for talking with us this morning. We appreciate your time."
Graham does keep a daily diary, but the Post piece was a pretty obvious parody, yet probably not so clear if you're just reading off of cards prepared by naive some staffer.
“Bob Graham's Minute-by-Minute Entry Into the Presidential Race,” read the headline over the May 7 Post “Style” section piece by Mark Leibovich. An excerpt:
Sen. Bob Graham, who declared his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination yesterday, is renowned for a signature eccentricity: He keeps a running log of his every waking activity. He has logged 26 years of personal minutiae, filling 4,400 2-by-3-inch notebooks color-coded by season. Graham makes his entries in a distinctive shorthand: "8:00 -- Kitchen -- eat breakfast (Smart Start cereal and raisins)."
Herewith, in Graham diary form, an account of the big announcement in his home town of Miami Lakes, Fla. He was joined by his wife, Adele.
12:17: Ascend stage, stumble, regain balance.
12:18: Applause, "Where the Streets Have No Name" plays (U2).
12:19: Clap, wave.
12:20: Adjust tie (red, white stripes).
12:21: Double thumbs up.
12:22: Sing along with National Anthem, right hand on heart (surgically repaired).
12:23: Adele introduced (red dress, white collar).
12:23-12:26: Adele tells story of first meeting.
12:25: Attempt to hold hand of granddaughter, unsuccessful.
12:26: Adele introduces "next president of the United States." Applause....
END of Excerpt
For the Post's parody in full, though it isn't very good: www.washingtonpost.com
Yeah Katie, you would think so......as long as there is a (D) behind his name.
Isn't it amazing how many stupid people get paid millions of bucks?
If that woman ever had an original thought her head would explode.
James Carville fer instance.
In true DemoRat form, she's a total disaster if she has to think on her feet. DemoRats can only perform in an environment where everything is carefully choreographed and none of the pesky conservatives are allowed to ask difficult questions or make annoying truthful statements.
That, plus a hefty narcissistic veneer over flaming stupidity and monumental incompetence.
Q1. Your mom was a wonderful woman, wasn't she?
Q2. Are you in favor of motherhood?
Q3. I think you'd agree that it's not nice to kick puppies or kittens, wouldn't you?
Q4. Did you know that Bush kicks puppies and kittens?
Q5. Wow, that Hitler was a meanie, too, wasn't he?
Q6. Do you think children should be allowed to take machine guns to schools?
Q7. I'm somewhat of an expert on colons. Mine is clean as a whistle. How's yours?
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