[Interesting Times]

No wonder the Networks turned this down. Last week, when W asked for live coverage of a bland policy speech at AEI, the networks were pretty peeved there wasn't more substance.

Uh, you mean the one where he talked about the future shape of the Middle East?

[Howlin]

Did the networks turn him down?

[Franking]

>>Uh, you mean the one where he talked about the future shape of the Middle East?

Yes, that one. Whomever was stage managing at the WH was pretty heavy handed demanding airtime, so the scuttlebutt goes, and it came across like an attempt at anti-anti-war-protest spin.

That speech was "newspaper important", not "TV important" in the minds of the networks. Better suited to op-eds and column-4 pieces in the dailies that taking up vital, expensive TV time.

Plus, these was no cool visual, nothing exploding, no celebrities, no crowds, no good "No Blood For Oil!" sound bites. Nothing that could be summarized in <5 seconds. Too much to think about.

F