Partridge
01-02-2006, 04:37 PM
I just found this on my hard-drive, its an interview with Bush from 26 June 2004, just before he was due to visit Ireland. It was conducted by Carole Coleman, then-Washington correspondent for RTE, the Irish state broadcaster. It's probably the toughest interview I've seen Bush in (at least in his first reign as President). If you remember back to those days, no-one was asking about the lack of WMDs, civilian casualties etc in the White House Press Room. It's a decent enough interview, and Bush is flustered at times - but she could have been a lot more aggressive than she was.
Soon after this interview, Ms. Coleman was denied an interview with Laura Bush - The following report from The Irish Independent (http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1205871&issue_id=11063):
"Angry White House Pulls RTE Interview
The White House has lodged a complaint with the Irish Embassy in Washington over RTE journalist Carole Coleman's interview with US President George Bush.
And it is believed the President's staff have now withdrawn from an exclusive interview which was to have been given to RTE this morning by First Lady Laura Bush.
It is understood that both RTE and the Department of Foreign Affairs were aware of the exclusive arrangement, scheduled for 11am today. However, when RTE put Ms Coleman's name forward as interviewer, they were told Mrs Bush would no longer be available.
The Irish Independent learned last night that the White House told Ms Coleman that she interrupted the president unnecessarily and was disrespectful.
She also received a call from the White House in which she was admonished for her tone.
And it emerged last night that presidential staff suggested to Ms Coleman as she went into the interview that she ask him a question on the outfit that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern wore to the G8 summit."
Not long afterwards, a matter of months, Ms. Coleman had been replaced as Wash. Corr. by RTE. It is not known whether the Bush Interview was a contributing factor.
See the video here (http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0624/primetime/primetime56_1c.smil) (Real Player)
Hear the audio only version here (http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/rte-carol-coleman-bush.mp3) (MP3)
Read the transcript (from the White House site)
(http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/06/20040625-2.html)Coleman: "I wanted to slap him" (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2766-1817008,00.html), Sunday Times (London), 10 Oct 2005
Pictures from the Anti-Bush demo in Dublin (http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=65755) - From Indymedia.ie
Soon after this interview, Ms. Coleman was denied an interview with Laura Bush - The following report from The Irish Independent (http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1205871&issue_id=11063):
"Angry White House Pulls RTE Interview
The White House has lodged a complaint with the Irish Embassy in Washington over RTE journalist Carole Coleman's interview with US President George Bush.
And it is believed the President's staff have now withdrawn from an exclusive interview which was to have been given to RTE this morning by First Lady Laura Bush.
It is understood that both RTE and the Department of Foreign Affairs were aware of the exclusive arrangement, scheduled for 11am today. However, when RTE put Ms Coleman's name forward as interviewer, they were told Mrs Bush would no longer be available.
The Irish Independent learned last night that the White House told Ms Coleman that she interrupted the president unnecessarily and was disrespectful.
She also received a call from the White House in which she was admonished for her tone.
And it emerged last night that presidential staff suggested to Ms Coleman as she went into the interview that she ask him a question on the outfit that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern wore to the G8 summit."
Not long afterwards, a matter of months, Ms. Coleman had been replaced as Wash. Corr. by RTE. It is not known whether the Bush Interview was a contributing factor.
See the video here (http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0624/primetime/primetime56_1c.smil) (Real Player)
Hear the audio only version here (http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/rte-carol-coleman-bush.mp3) (MP3)
Read the transcript (from the White House site)
(http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/06/20040625-2.html)Coleman: "I wanted to slap him" (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2766-1817008,00.html), Sunday Times (London), 10 Oct 2005
Pictures from the Anti-Bush demo in Dublin (http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=65755) - From Indymedia.ie