codeorama Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 CBS, White House Clash Over Saddam Interview Wed Feb 26, 5:25 PM ET Add Entertainment - Reuters/Variety TV to My Yahoo! By Randall Mikkelsen WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House criticized CBS television on Wednesday over what a spokesman said was a spurned offer to rebut comments by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein during an interview to air on Wednesday evening. Reuters Photo In a flap that raised anew questions about U.S. news outlets airing the views of potential foes and government attempts to influence coverage, CBS rejected the charge and said it remained open to providing a forum for a top Bush administration official to respond to Saddam. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told Reuters the White House had offered a representative to counter what he said would be propaganda, lies and "irresponsible statements" by Saddam in the rare interview. He said CBS replied it was interested only if President Bush made the response himself -- which he said the White House rejected on the grounds that it could imply a "moral equivalence" between the two leaders. "This seems odd they wouldn't let the White House have a voice," Fleischer said. But CBS News spokeswoman Sandy Genelius disputed this. "The conversation was never President Bush or no one," she said. The White House had initially offered to send Fleischer for brief comments, but this was not accepted, she said. The White House spokesman denied that he had been suggested for the show. CBS made a new offer on Wednesday. "If the president, the vice president or Secretary of State (Colin) Powell would like to appear on the program tonight we would be happy to have them appear on the program," Genelius said. The White House was still talking to CBS about "equal time," Fleischer said. CBS was to air the interview by news anchor Dan Rather at 9:00 p.m. EST on its 60 Minutes II program. Recorded on Monday, it is the first interview Saddam has given to an American journalist in 13 years. Pressed by Washington, the United Nations is preparing to debate whether to authorize a war on Iraq to enforce disarmament demands. "EXCLUSIVE WITH THE ENEMY" "This is an exclusive with the enemy, and the White House wants to have its say as the enemy lays out its case," said Marvin Kalb, a former CBS and NBC journalist and senior fellow at Harvard University's Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy. He said the administration has had "ample opportunity" to present its own views on Iraq, and the American public was smart enough to watch the interview without an immediate White House response. The interview could help Americans make up their minds about the wisdom of going to war, he said. With saturation coverage by U.S. and international media, Bush has repeatedly accused Saddam of defying U.N. demands that he dismantle weapons of mass destruction programs -- a charge the Iraqi leader denies -- and of threatening to spread chemical, biological or nuclear weapons to terrorists. He was giving another speech on Iraq on Wednesday evening before the CBS interview was aired. The three major networks including CBS plan to give the speech live coverage. CBS said the decision to cover the Bush speech was unrelated to the dispute over the Saddam interview. But Fleischer said the White House wanted the chance to rebut Saddam "in the same interview and the same time." CBS had no obligation to grant a rebuttal, said Bill Kovach, a former New York Times Washington bureau chief and founder of the Committee of Concerned Journalists, a free-press watchdog. "I think they are perfectly within their rights to turn down a request by the White House," Kovach said. "The White House has access to all the media all day every day." In the past the administration criticized television networks for airing videotaped statements by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, accused of masterminding the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Officials said networks might inadvertently broadcast coded messages to al Qaeda operatives. An administration official on Wednesday raised questions over the way the interview was conducted, saying it was under conditions that would never be accepted if set by Bush. The interview was filmed by Iraqi television, which made a translation and pieced together videotape from three cameras into a single recording. Genelius said it is customary for Iraq to do the filming for such interviews, that CBS made a separate translation and that there appeared to be no deletions of the 1 hour, 45-minute interview in the final tape given to CBS. The interview will be edited to fit the program's one-hour length. Question: What right does the White Hosue have to complain? I'm not a fan of the news in general, but to not allow the opposition to express their view is basically what Saddam does in Iraq... Correct me if I'm wrong, maybe I'm missing something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 It would have been appropriate to allow time directly following to address the assertions made in the interview. Much like the minority party has time following the SOTU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted February 27, 2003 Author Share Posted February 27, 2003 Right Kilmer, I agree. It just seemed weird to me that the White house would be upset that the "enemy's" side was given a chance to speak. I think we are intelligent enough to decide what we watch and who we believe. I know many of us here complain that Iraq does not get to hear our side of the argument against them because of Saddam, yet here, Bush (or his designee) would prefer the same policy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 I didnt read it that way. IT seems they just wanted the opportunity to respond. Didnt Ari commend Rather for getting the interview? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fansince62 Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 i'ld just let it ride.............enough words have been spoken......what was the old adage...."speak softly and carry a big stick..."...........responding dignifies Saddam and lends credence to the notion that he is WORTH answering..........the big stick is the answer and it is coming soon couretsy of the US NAVY (and some help from the air force, army, marines..........just kidding fellas....we love ya!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted February 27, 2003 Author Share Posted February 27, 2003 Originally posted by Kilmer17 I didnt read it that way. IT seems they just wanted the opportunity to respond. Didnt Ari commend Rather for getting the interview? Ok,, I can agree that it's open for interpretation. I do agree that the White House should have been given a chance to respond if they wanted to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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