Posted on 08/15/2006 9:06:25 PM PDT by nuconvert
The Grand Inquisitor Confronts...Mr. Rogers?
August 15, 2006
The Wall Street Journal
Bernard Goldberg
An old line that used to make the rounds at CBS News held that the last thing the CEO of a major corporation wanted to hear was "Mike Wallace on line one."
Anyone who has ever seen my former colleague in action gets the joke immediately. But I'm guessing that Ayatollah Khomeini didn't watch "60 Minutes" very often back when he was leading the Iranian Revolution and holding Americans hostage. I'm also guessing he didn't know Mike Wallace from Kate Smith.
Big mistake. The ayatollah was no match for Mike when they sat down in 1979. It was like Muhammad Ali going up against some old, washed up guy in the gym. Mike understood television. The ayatollah was living in the seventh century; he didn't get any of it. So Mike did what he does best. He calmly, gently and most of all politely hit Khomeini with a shot he never saw coming. "Imam," Mike said, "President Sadat of Egypt says what you are doing is, quote, 'a disgrace to Islam.' And he calls you, Imam -- forgive me, his words, not mine -- 'a lunatic.'"
Who remembers the answer? And who cares? This was Mike at his best, taking on a world leader and challenging his credentials -- in this case his very sanity. But as they say, that was then and this is now. Two nights ago Mike went up against another Iranian leader, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Mike was good. He asked lots of tough questions. But President Ahmadinejad was no patsy. He lives in the present. He's smart. And more important, he's television savvy. He understands the media at least as well as Mike does.
(Excerpt) Read more at iranvajahan.net ...
BARF...
Common Bernard. Quit covering for the old traitor. He sold us out. Mike is senile and doesn't have any business doing this stuff anymore.
Hell, get him a gig on the "View" and put him out to pastuer.
What a joke!
He might have used small words but he knew the truth and told the truth. Much better than Mikey
Did you even see the interview? Wallace asked much toughter questions than I ever thought he'd ask. The Grand Schmuck of Iran knew how to play him like a fiddle, as anyone else doing the interview.
I was sick a lot as a little kid, and I wrote a letter to Mr. Rogers. He wrote me a personal letter back and sent a signed photograph, not a form letter. That man is one of the great ones, in my opinion. Sorry, a little off topic.
make that won't want to be your friend, I made this mistake don't not Mr. Rodgers
Mmmmmmmmm..... koooolaid...
I just can't stop thinking...
Poor chris, Poor Chris.
He has to admit this doddering old socialist is his father...
yup
Actually, the description of this interview was accurate. (minus the 'Mike was the best' stuff)
I have a friend who works in Pittsburgh media and he said that everything you thought about Fred Rogers was true. He really was a great guy.
Again, off topic. I saw a clip on YouTube of Mr. Rogers back in 1968 or 1969 going before committee and stating why public television was a good thing. His statements were so moving and he was so well spoken that they got the money -- of course.
Any time I start to think people are bad with the potential to be good instead of the other way around, I think of Mr. Rogers typing a letter to me as a six year old, and it makes me reconsider every time.
I think he might have gotten his start as a minister somewhere, from what I've heard.
From http://ww.imdb.com
"Ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1963."
Excellent piece by Goldberg.
I have one friend who is pretty liberal leaning, and watched this.
His reaction was different from other liberals reactions.
He concluded that this guy was simply saying things that liberals want to hear, he was preaching to them like they were the choir, and spitting out anything that would make them happy so it would be easier to win them over.
Simple approach, sad part is, it worked pretty well.
Like I thought, you didn't see the interview so that makes you a typical little pissant poster who's already made up his mind before knowing any kind of facts at all. Your type are dime a dozen here.
"Simple approach, sad part is, it worked pretty well."
Good observation on his part. I can see that now. The Shmuck was obviously quite well trained with doing interviews. He never allowed Wallace any kind of control and whatever question Wallace asked he got in what he wanted to say and he smiled and laughed for most of the interview.
So Ahmadinejad has some of the same skills as Bill Clinton. No wonder the left likes him so much.
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