Rumsfeld Flummoxes Andrea Mitchell

[roo_ster]

http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2011/02/22/rumsfeld-flummoxes-andrea-mitchell/

Just thought you all might want to take a look at this interview of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld by Andrea Mitchell. Rumsfeld is promoting his new book, Known and Unknown: A Memoir, a major portion of which deals with his time in the Bush administration.

I’ve rarely seen a political figure tie a top news personality up in such knots. And Andrea Mitchell is certainly smarter than average for the TV interviewer species. It’s 16 minutes of very compelling viewing.

Rumsfeld takes her to school.

[Hawkmoon]

I don't know if it's considered polite, but someone might want to mention to Ms. Mitchell that her agenda is showing ...

[French G.]

All the brains of Katie Couric and none of the looks, what's not to like?

[Monkeyleg]

How many times during the interview did Rumsfeld say that he'd never heard of something that Mitchell asked him about? Either she was making up quotes and incidents, or she's been reading too much over at DU.

I don't think I'd characterize that interview as "civil". I thought we were all supposed to be careful with our tone, lest some nutcase go out and shoot a member of congress.

[French G.]

You don't have to have good tone when you're interviewing a war criminal who has somehow slipped out of being locked up at the Hague. 

[Monkeyleg]

You don't have to have good tone when you're interviewing a war criminal who has somehow slipped out of being locked up at the Hague.

Well, if that's the case, she could have at least referred to him as Reichsmarschall Rumsfeld.

[Ben]

Not a great interview, but a great interview to watch.

"Never heard of him". I love that part. Also how he handled her quoting Bob Woodward as some kind of gospel of truth and Rumsfeld basically responding that the guy wrote about rumors as fact.

Minor to the main story, but it somehow caught my attention: When she was talking about the Ford assassination attempt, she said, "...and the bullet missed, thank Go... thank goodness." Couldn't help but wonder if MSNBC has some kind of seperation of church and news policy. 

[TommyGunn]

You don't have to have good tone when you're interviewing a war criminal who has somehow slipped out of being locked up at the Hague.