How to interview a Persian
We all know that mainstream media organizations face a choice when they decide to interview a man like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: They can choose to educate and inform their readers and viewers by asking good, tough questions about U.S.-Iranian relations and watch as the right launches loud boycotts intended to scare advertisers away, or they can tailor their interview to the whims of those boycotters. Here, 60 Minutes provides the proper template for the latter.
"Sir, what were you thinking?" Pelley asked. "The World Trade Center site is the most sensitive place in the American heart, and you must have known that visiting there would be insulting to many, many Americans.""Why should it be insulting," Ahmadinajad said.
"Well, sir, you're the head of the government of an Islamist state that the United States government says is a major exporter of terrorism around the world," Pelley replied.
"We obviously are very much against any terrorist action and any killing. And also we are very much against any plots to sow the seeds of discord among nations," Ahmadinejad said. "Usually you go to these sites to pay your respects. And also to perhaps to air your views about the root causes of such incidents."...
"It is an established fact now that Iranian bombs and Iranian know-how are killing Americans in Iraq. You have American blood on your hands. Why?" Pelley asked."Well, this is what the American officials are saying. Again, American officials wherever around the world that they encounter a problem which they fail to resolve, instead of accepting that, they prefer to accuse others," the president replied. "I'm very sorry that because of the wrong decisions taken by American officials, Iraqi people are being killed and also American soldiers. It's very regrettable."
"The American Army has captured Iranian missiles in Iraq. The critical elements of the explosively formed penetrator bombs that are killing so many people are coming from Iran. There's no doubt about that anymore. The denials are no longer credible, sir," Pelley pointed out.
"The denials are no longer credible." It's the sort of language that might be better deployed by a guy like Scott Pelley against the president of this country, who is supposedly accountable to the viewers of CBS News.
Comments
I suspect your tongue was stuck in your cheek when you describe the Pelley interview as a proper template by asking good, tough questions about U.S.-Iranian relations. At least I hope your stuck tongue was intended. Link to CBS 60 Minutes transcript and video
Pelley was exhibiting a template, but a template of reporting that takes US government positions and information as proven hard truth, but is evidence free. You appear to indicate the lack of objectivity by quoting Pelley saying:
"The American Army has captured Iranian missiles in Iraq. The critical elements of the explosively formed penetrator bombs that are killing so many people are coming from Iran. There's no doubt about that anymore. The denials are no longer credible, sir," Pelley pointed out.
I have no brief for Ahmadinejad. But Pelley clearly takes a BushCo statements as evidence when the evidence has not been produced and explained. CBS/Pelley are acting as propaganda disseminators - as the video documents - instead of reporters seeking the truth.
Far closer to the truth, there is no doubt that there IS doubt about the facts. Pelley's statements have the same credibility as statements from Bush, Cheney or the rest of the BushCo misenterprise: very little more than bald assertion, and certainly not facts displayed to the world with evidence.
Originally, yes. But I've changed the word to "latter" for the sake of clarity.
I can't remember who interviewed Bush when he was on 60 Minutes, but I vaguely recall deferential, creampuff questions followed by answers that were either lies or evasions (sort of like last night). 60 minutes has declined in quality over the past few years. Great that there are journalists in the wings like you to carry the baton one day.
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