Even Bush is fan of Iraqi information minister

Reuters | 4/24/03

[kattracks]

Even Bush is fan of Iraqi information minister

WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) - Now that the campaign to topple Saddam Hussein appears to be over, even U.S. President George W. Bush admits he is a fan of the public relations style of former Iraqi information minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf.

"He's my man, he was great," Bush enthused in an interview with NBC's Tom Brokaw on Thursday. "Somebody accused us of hiring him and putting him there. He was a classic."

Bush said he had made a point of watching Sahaf, as well as scenes such as the toppling of a huge bronze likeness of Saddam Hussein.

"I did watch some of his clips," he said. "I get a lot of things secondhand, but in the case of the statue or Sahaf, somebody would say, he's getting ready to speak and I'd pop out of a meeting or turn and watch the TV."

Sahaf has developed a worldwide following. A Web site that sprang up called welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com was forced offline earlier this month by a rush of global interest that drew as many as 4,000 requests a second for the page.

With his trademark beret, Sahaf became a cult figure on television with his daily briefings, appearing from behind a sea of microphones as he condemned the American "infidels" and at times flatly denied what viewers around the world saw unfolding on their TV screens.

04/24/03 20:42 ET

[dighton]

......................

[Dacus943]

All kidding aside, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf actions are probably responsible for the death of many Iraqi who believed, or were forced to believe his lies!

[evad]

Somebody wanna 'splane to me why Bush goes to Brokaw for interviews?

What's wrong with Hume?

Maybe it's broader coverage he's looking for but it's still consorting with the enemy.

[the Deejay]

"somebody would say, he's getting ready to speak and I'd pop out of a meeting or turn and watch the TV."

LOL! I did, too! I didn't "pop out of a meeting" but I'd run to the tv!

[Malsua]

The greatest thing that could happen...

This guy is found alive...he denounces Saddam and all that torture and such and goes on to make public appearances in the US like SNL.

Can you imagine how much fun we can have with this guy? LOL. At a traffic Jam in Manhatten, he can rail about how it doesn't exist...while the cars sit idle in the background. It can be raining...he states, rain is not happening, it is warm and sunny, the infidels claim there is rain, where there is not. etc.

Of course, if he is guilty of crimes he needs held responsible....but man, he's worth a million laughs if not.

-Mal

[cajungirl]

If this guy is alive he has a great future in the US,,I still think he was exaggerating and lying to avoid getting killed and to let the world know how ludicrous it was at the same time. I love him,,,would love to see him appear with Rummy in a debate,,can't you just see it!

[pbear8]

Make your own Baghdad Bob press conference - here

[MJY1288]

Thats easy, you can't win support from those who already support you. Going on FOX is singing to the Choir, There is millions of people who watch Brokaw slam him every night and by going on Brokaw's show the average american who doesn't watch cable will get to hear the POTUS without the spin

Bush plays Chess not Checkers

[The Hon. Galahad Threepwood]

I don't know if you could be Saddam's foreign minister (which he used to be) and not be guilty of crimes, though possibly not ones requiring capital punishment.

[Malsua]

I don't know if you could be Saddam's foreign minister (which he used to be) and not be guilty of crimes, though possibly not ones requiring capital punishment.

Agreed. However, this guy could just be a dupe and not really a guy who has committed crimes against humanity. Shrug. If he's done "evil" I'm all for hanging him or whichever form of execution seems most appropriate.

[McGavin999]

What's wrong with Hume?

Nothing is wrong with Hume, which is why the FOX guys were embedded with the troops that got the most exciting action. Remember, it was FOX that showed the first thunder run into Baghdad, and it was FOX who broadcast the pictures of our troops pulling up in front of Saddam's palace as Baghdad Bob was delivering his tirade about our guys committing suicide at the gates of Baghdad.

Hume has his priorities in order.

[gcruse]

All kidding aside, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf actions
 are probably responsible for the death of many Iraqi
who believed, or were forced to believe his lies!

One confirmed kill was an Iraqi general who got his news
from Baghdad Bob and left his house one morning in his
chauffer-driven staff car.  He got a few blocks from home and
met a coalition roadblock.  Couldn't outrun the bullets.

[sarasmom]

Brokaw is not nearly as bad as Rather or Jennings.He leans left, but his reporting style is not as rabidly anti-USA as the other two.
Those of us who do not pay for cable TV have few TV news choices.NBC is the lessor of network evils.Brokaw at least attempted to keep his professional standing, for the most part.I could watch his talking head commentary without throwing something at the TV.
I get my news from various internet sources, the radio,and occaionally television and print media.Brokaw seems to understand that, more than the other two, anyway.
I think the President made a good choice. Since I only get local FOX affiliates,and rarely get a chance to see Brett Hume,I appreciate the choice of Brokaw.

[WOSG]

You are correct ... if he knew American culture he'd realize he could make millions on this - remember Joe Isuzu or the SNL "thats the ticket" character - geez even Monica has a show.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Lest we forget, Sahaf is one of Saddam's original gang of thugs, with him from the start of his career. I could care less how funny Himmler or Goering were either.

[BunnySlippers]

Huzzah!

[reagan_fanatic]

[July 4th]

Commercials would be perfect.

"This Coast soap does not get you clean!"

"The BMW is the slowest car ever made. Many people are happy driving Kia's."