Kerry on Imus this morning: Great, great job

[TayTay]

Everything came up: The travel memo, Katie Couric (Ahm, Kerry's in favor of her. Whew, that could have been controversial) Bush leaking NIE data, Iraq and the hazards of sleeping on the road in a truck overnight. I loved this interview.

Best line: "KERRY: I mean, look, I don't know what's more amazing, that Scooter Libby said the president authorized a leak of intelligence or that we now know the White House had some intelligence. It's -- I don't know."

Transcript soon on MSNBC, Imus site.

[wisteria]

1. yes, I thought Kerry did a great job also. I will reserve judgement

on Imus though. Imus just couldn't resist suggesting that Kerry should be like he was today in all interviews and mentioned that he TURNED OFF the Hardball interveiw last night.IMO,it'snot the senator's fault that Imus has Attention Deficeite Disorder. I watched the Hardball interview two times and I though JK did a wonderful job in that interview also. it was a different format, why is that so hard for Imus to understand.
Oh, and he could'nt resist talking up your Gov either. Those types of snarky things aren't necessary in interviews. It's like asking him what his personal feelings about Bush are.

[TayTay]

2. Not a problem

I thought Kerry handled himself well. Imus has a man-crush on Romney? Well, so did the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until we got to know him. Now he is roundly disliked and seen as a poseur and a liar.

I liked more than I didn't like in it. And I like to see Kerry taking in-coming shots. He really deflects them so well and he needs the practice.

[wisteria]

5. Agree, it is important to be able to think fast and deflect.

I like this interview because it was more personal. For instance, finding out that he drove all night in a pickup truck and wondering out loud where that list of preferences while he was campaigning came from and why it came out now. These are little windows into the "real" person. There little things make him seem more "like us" and approachable.

[whometense]

3. I thought it was good.

I heard most of it, but missed the beginning. I loved the way Imus tried to sandbag him over HRC, but Kerry saw that one coming from the first word, and finessed it beautifully. Also the Romney thing - that's just Imus, an unregenerate a**hole. It's what he does with every guest he has on the program, not just Kerry - he always tries to trick them into saying something controversial. Kerry's way too familiar with Imus's MO to get suckered in at this point.

One other thing - I love the way Kerry makes Tweety come to his office. It certainly gives him home field advantage, but it also sets him apart from the regular array of talking head types - including McCain. I love it when Kerry's doing a media blitz, but I also love the way he keeps his dignity in the process.

[wisteria]

6. Blitzer had to come to the office also. n/t

[TayTay]

7. I thought the Sen. was good on both shows.

To tell the truth, this time I liked Blitzer better. It was a good interview and Kerry was on his marks. Blitzer abruptly wasted the last two minute sof the interview on pointless 'horse race' specualtion on the future Presidential plans of Dems, but, Kerry got a lot of good info out there.

Tweety asked long, long questions in his interview and focused too much on the Bush/Plame/NIE leaks. The second part of the interview was better than the first. He let Kerry speak in the second part.

[wisteria]

9. Your right on all counts.

Blitzer, annoyed me also with the wasted portion on 2008 politics. That was entirely unnecessary. The comment from some Dem party leader in New Mexico that Blitzer quoted was just done to be nasty. Kerry did handle it well though.

[europegirl4jfk]

12. I had the chance to watch the Blitzer interview on CNNi last night.

I got really lucky because normally we don't have the Situation Room on CNNi. I normally don't like Blitzer, but I thought Kerry was great. A question concerning the Hardball interview: The video that is online on the MSNBC site in only the first part of the interview, right? They didn't talk about Iraq in this part at all. And Matthews didn't stop talking about the leak story. He talked more than Kerry, that was really over the top. Do you guys know, if there is a video of the second part - the Iraq part - somewhere online? Most of the time I don't care that I can't watch US TV here in Europe, but when Kerry is on it's really annoying that I don't get to see him.

[TayTay]

14. I don't think it's online

Just that wordy beginning with Matthews going on and on and on. It was dreary.

Hey, how are you doing lately?

[europegirl4jfk]

17. Hey, TayTay, I'm fine.

Thanks for asking. I have much work lately and less online time unfortunately. But I'm still checking in here now and then and am glad to see that Kerry came out swinging. He really rocks!

[TayTay]

29. Well, GV is over visiting your illustrious Capital City

and she was a teensy bit apprehensive about the unrest. I just wanted to check in and make sure you're okay and all is well.

Sounds good about the work. And I understand being busy.

[europegirl4jfk]

30. I think GV will be fine in Paris

We don't have any unrest here in our tiny village and even my daughter in Lyon got lucky because her international school didn't participate in the strikes. The country is in a big political crisis... again, that's true. But I think it doesn't concern daily life of most of the people who aren't really participating in the protests. Anyway, I really hope that all that will change next year with the presidential elections.

There is an interesting article on Yahoo. If you guys are interested in what's going on here, it's a good analysis.

Crisis? What crisis? April in Paris okay for most
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060407/wl_nm/france_crisis_dc

[ProSense]

13. Way too long

Tweety's questions went on and on, I kept wishing he'd get to the point. I missed some of it. I read the transcripts. Kerry's responses were sharp.

[ginnyinWI]

15. Tweety loves to hear his own voice

Thinks what he's got to say is the most interesting. NOT. I don't like the way he always skews it toward the gossipy end of the subject, not to mention the rightward slant.

Blitzer at least lets people talk and asks pretty open-ended questions. But he does use those RW talking points and does betray an attitude of wanting to give the administration all the breaks. I thought JK was more engaged during this one. I wish I knew which one came first.

[karynnj]

19. It also seemed to me that Tweety was

repeating the rumored accusations in total excited detail - and then asked Kerry point blank questions. Kerry qualified every answer with something like "if true". Kerry was absolutely correct to do that, but it seemed a very clumsy attempt to have Kerry make news if he simply agreed. That didn't happen but it made him seem more passive than in the other interviews. (But he did get a few very good lines - which was the best possible.)

He also did a good job transitioning to Iraq before Matthews wanted him to - "last few minutes". Matthews is a creep.

[karynnj]

8. It really does seem a great idea

In addition to home court advantage, it really adds a subtle sense of dignity and class. The quiet elegance of his office creates a totally different tone and seems to remind the the talking head of Kerry's position. It would seem wrong to stifle his answer by speaking over his words. It seems to affect Tweety more than Blitzer. It also signals that he is special because he can insist on this.

[whometense]

10. Great article on Tweety's

tendency to shout down the people he's supposedly interviewing: http://www.prospect.org/web/view-print.ww?id=11308

Had you seen it?

The Harder He Blows

It may sound strange to ask what’s happened to Chris Matthews. But in recent months, he’s been even worse than usual. No. We’re serious.
By Todd Gitlin

[Mass]

4. Transcript

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9877519/

[whometense]

11. Found a mistake:

IMUS: Except when I saw you out at then ranch when you and Marvin...

SEN. KERRY: Marvin Ancetti (ph).

IMUS: ... were going around the country with your Ford truck and your Harley Davidson motorcycle, you were staying at just any place, all these various motels and so on. And I...

Clearly, Kerry's answer should read "Marvin and Setti".

[ginnyinWI]

16. thankyou!

Reading a transcript is almost as nice as seeing it. Actually, this way I didn't have to see Imus :). Reading it, I can hear Kerry's voice in my mind as plainly as if I'm hearing it for real. :)

I liked the joke about "talking to Teresa" over getting some bribe money for Imus. :)

[ProSense]

18. Thanks! n/t

[benny05]

20. Good for JK

Lots of good press about Dems!

[politicasista]

21. JE looked good too!

He didn't fall for Wolfie's traps. :hi:

[benny05]

22. You Saw him Today? n/t

[politicasista]

23. I missed the first part, but caught it towards the end

talking about his poverty project.

[benny05]

26. Well, good work for all Dems

JK is kickin' butt in the M$M at the moment...good for him.

[politicasista]

27. Yes, good for JK! n/t

[babylonsister]

24. I thank everyone for this thread as I missed JK this a.m.

He's been doing great! :loveya:

[politicasista]

25. Yes, thank you n/t

[ProSense]

28. Love the title

and JK's quote:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2558612&mesg_id=2558612