accusations from the far right weekly standard, nut-case bill o'reilly, and bush administration shill, bob woodward? c'mon guys, is that all you have? -HMH-

-----Original Message-----
From: Andy Novobilski <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 11:36:21 -0400
Subject: Re: [UTCSTAFF] Washington Post Editorial (In the interest of balance )

In the interest of balance ...

This is
LONDON
27/10/04 - News and city section

Pundits claim Kerry is dodging interviews
By Joe Murphy Political Editor, Evening Standard

John Kerry was today hit by accusations he is running scared from being
interviewed. 

The latest high-profile journalist to complain that the Democrat is avoiding
cross-examination is Bob Woodward, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Watergate
reporter.

Bill O'Reilly, the veteran Fox News political presenter, has resorted to
running an "almost Kerry interview" in which he questions academics and
pundits because the politician refuses to appear on his show. 

Mr Woodward, whose newspaper the Washington Post this week endorsed the
Kerry campaign, revealed he has been seeking an interview since June without
success. He blamed "risk-averse" nerves on the part of the Kerry team for
the refusal. One of America's most revered journalists, he even took the
unusual step of sending his list of 22 questions in advance, in the hope Mr
Kerry would feel more confident about answering. 

He pointed out that President Bush gave him three and a half hours of
interview time for his best-selling book on the Iraq War, Plan of Attack. He
wanted Mr Kerry to explain how he would have fought the war differently. "I
interviewed President Bush and he answered hundreds of detailed questions,"
said Mr Woodward. "I wanted to come up with parallel questions that would
tell us how Kerry would function." 

He thought Mr Kerry's refusal was because he did not want to take risks.
"What's to gain? There's a downside every time a candidate opens his mouth."
Last month Mr Kerry stepped up his criticism of the Bush war strategy and
declared: "I would've done almost everything differently." 

Mr Woodward then sent his detailed questions asking how he would have acted
differently. At that point, Mr Kerry decided not to do the interview. "The
senator and his campaign have since decided not to do the interview, though
his advisers say Kerry would have strong and compelling answers," said Mr
Woodward. 

Mr O'Reilly said he had been seeking a Kerry interview since July and had
been turned down repeatedly, although President Bush had appeared on his
show. 

He added he wanted to challenge the Democrat on how he would pay for health
care plans. "I think the senator has got to answer these questions before
next Tuesday." 

The accusation Mr Kerry is shunning difficult questions came as he attacked
Mr Bush for being "silent" on awkward issues including reports of 380 tonnes
of missing explosives in Iraq. 




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===============================
Andy Novobilski, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. & Acting Dept. Head
UT Chattanooga Computer Science
(423) 425-4202
http://www.utc.edu/faculty/Andy-Novobilski