White House axes Laura Bush interview after heated Irish TV talk with George W

AFB via Yahoo! News ^ | Sat, Jun 26, 2004

[Kaslin]

ENNIS, Ireland - The US administration confirmed it had axed an interview that US First Lady Laura Bush had been due to grant to Irish public television RTE, only two days after the broadcaster's exclusive interview with the US president himself.

No explanation was given for the schedule change, but journalists travelling with the Bush entourage in Europe noted that the cancellation had come a day after George W. Bush's less-than-sunny showing in his RTE exclusive.

During that interview, given on Thursday in Washington, Bush displayed annoyance and at one point lost his temper when he was contradicted by Irish journalist Carole Coleman.

"Let me finish please. Let me answer your question and then you'll follow up," a visibly annoyed Bush told her.

During that interview, given on same day that a wave of coordinated attacks across Iraq (news - web sites) cost at least 90 lives, Bush insisted his actions were improving the state of the world.

"I do believe the world is a safer place and becoming a safer place," he told RTE.

Asked about the mounting death toll in Iraq, Bush commented: "Nobody cares more about the deaths than I do".

After a summit with European Union (news - web sites) leaders in Ireland on Saturday, Bush flew to Turkey, where he will attend a NATO (news - web sites) summit in Istanbul.

[gentlestrength]

I like the 'riposte' examples of Donald Rumsfeld, and Reagan, and think we all need to learn from them. We can't show anger at the stupid questions, at their ill-preparedness for the interview, at their disrespect. It's too late for that. But we are talking to them here and now, and can calmly, one by one educate them. They'll be heated by adrenalin, by fear in the presence of the President, but they will think about what is said, if we answer with content, later.

We would go to war again, knowing there is a dictator killing 5000 of his people daily. There's need out there, now like Sudan, and we should be proud at wanting to help.

And did I hear correctly, a Christian's in Europe?! Wowo!
;-)

[familyop]

"If you wish to throw unreasoned insults, I can only sympathise and let you know that I will pray for you."

Here is a peek at what we see from Europe.

"A former cabinet minister in the British Conservative Party,
which is officially even more pro-American than Bush's First
Friend Tony Blair, recently leaned over at lunch and described
Bush as 'terrifying,' 'ignorant,' 'a prisoner of the religious
right who believes God tells him what to do,' and 'like a
child running around with a grenade with the pin pulled out.'"
("Mad At America," Time Europe)
http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/printout/0,13155,901030120-407287,00.html


Europe has a face that it shows us while showing another face to the rest of the world. I have seen nothing other than maybe some pretenses at Christianity mixed with fascist doctrines (businesses privately owned but controlled by governments through socialist media movements, the smallest ethnic groups vilified as scapegoats, appeasements to larger groups regardless of morality, who are the aggressors, etc.).

And the international pressure to change the US Electoral system to give all power to urban dwellers (who tend more toward socialism and social anarchy) is nothing other than an effort to export fascism to the USA.

[gentlestrength]

I like the 'riposte' examples of Donald Rumsfeld, and Reagan, and think we all need to learn from them. We can't show anger at the stupid questions, at their ill-preparedness for the interview, at their disrespect. It's too late for that. But we are talking to them here and now, and can calmly, one by one educate them. They'll be heated by adrenalin, by fear in the presence of the President, but they will think about what is said, if we answer with content, later.

We would go to war again, knowing there is a dictator killing 5000 of his people daily. There's need out there, now like Sudan, and we should be proud at wanting to help.
Of course, Mario Cuomo just told Tim Russert that 'we should've "handled Afghanistan first," as if we can't help more than one country at once??

[wrathof59]

robust questions? everything I saw was sheer rudeness,
If your life is so perfect in Ireland, why are so many of your fellow country men still coming to our shores? and why are you here on an American board.

Everything I have seen from the Irish this year is totally anti-American, no class and RUDE. The Irish are not fighting the war on terrorism with us, they are European socialists who are against us.

I'm glad you love Ireland, please stay there, then the USA will have one less ingrate to cater to.

[Happygal]

Our largest political parties are both right of centre,

You reckon? They are centrist at best, if you ask me.

and our ethnic groups are, by and large, well received.

Um, the recent referendum might paint a different picture.

BTW, I spend quite a bit of time working in Wicklow. Thank God they've finally opened up that bit of the N11.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

It never ceases to amaze me, the anti-Bushism that exists in Ireland, people actually thought that was a good interview, I give up, I will move to America, if a terrorist like Gerry Adams can get a visa, I think I can.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Well Fianna fail and Fine Gael are more to the right than Labour, SF or Greens. PDs are more right still and they share government with FF... hence their policies are getting through in many aspects of Irish life...

The referendum on citizenship? That has not affected how minorities are received at the grass roots.

The N11... now there is a story that is too long to go into in any detail! Good spot for the next 'road' movie...

Cillmantain, welcome to Free Republic, I assume you are Irish, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the PDs are more to the right than any other political party, but that does not mean they are right wing, from what I can see, they all try to be so PC on all matters- the smoking ban for example.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

no-one on FR likes fascism, but apart from that, at best Fianna Fail and Fine Gael take both sides of the fence- the best thing to do is compare our parties to the Republican and Tory parties, and see how their policies shape up in comparison- I bet there is very little conservatism in those policies.

[Happygal]

PD's are fiscally to the right. But socially they've all graduated to the centre if you ask me.

[Happygal]

McCreevy, Martin, Brennan and Dempsey are all Fianna Fail TD's.

In fairness, I'd say McCreevy is the most conservative of the lot - although, I'd like to see what he does with the budget excess. Can you see him giving another tax refund?

Department of Health is in a permanent state of chassis. They need to look at restructuring all of the Health Boards - the money wasted in admin is ridiculous. As for Martin's ridiculous smoking ban - well, if that isn't an infringement on personal freedoms, I don't know what is.

The Aer Rianta move was a good one for Brennan, admittedly.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

In fairness, I'd say McCreevy is the most conservative of the lot

Maybe, but he is little fond of stealing other peoples money- remember when he wanted to seize dormant bank accounts.

I think you are right about Brennan- we of course would like to see as many state services sold off, but not all should be privatized, and air traffic control is one of those services that shouldn't, so Brennan certainly did the right thing with Aer Rianta.

As for Micheal Martin, one wonders if he has set foot in a pub since March 29- 'cos someone would hit him a slap if he did.