Pundits claim Kerry is dodging interviews (Kerry running scared)

EVENING STANDARD ^ | 27 October 2004 | Joe Murphy Political Editor, Evening Standard

[Liz]

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.

[Liz]

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

[SheLion]

[keats5]

""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."

Priceless.

[Imaverygooddriver]

Kerry only does interviews with comedians, like John Stewart and Jay Leno. Why? BECAUSE HE`S A FREGGIN` JOKE!

[RedEyeJack]

He doesn't need to do interviews with the NY Times and CBS promoting him in their "news".

[iopscusa]

Why is JfK avoiding interviews? How about the truth, he is a yellow-dog, lying coward that knows he will be outted if forced to answer serious questions.

[jmstein7]

BUMP!

[j. earl carter]

He also doesn't answer questions in debates. He just refers to a plan that no one has ever seen.

[SheLion]

Why is JfK avoiding interviews? How about the truth, he is a yellow-dog, lying coward that knows he will be outted if forced to answer serious questions.'

The same can be said about Fox and the media!  If it weren't for Free Republic, I would know very little about FnKerry.  Just think of all the people that just like FnKerry's looks and will vote for him just on that basis!

I doubt if the general public know as much about FnKerry like we do.  And that's a real pity.

Our President can't whiz straight enough for the media!  Yet they continue to keep under wraps the true history of FnKerry.  I find this very disturbing.

I've lost all respect for Fox and I refuse to watch the others.

[Josh in PA]

YOU ARE A YELLOW COWARD!!!

[Liz]

"Who? Me?"

[Netizen]

He wanted Mr Kerry to explain how he would have fought the war differently.

THAT right there is why Kerry doesn't do certain interviews. He has no plan, and too many questions would show him for the absolute liar that he is.

[Centaur]

Just think of all the people that just like FnKerry's looks and will vote for him just on that basis!

Yup! He's got the blind vote sewn up! Can't think of a sighted person who isn't frightened by his looks!

[Liz]

In the final debate he looked like a bored waiter at a snobby French restaurant, reading off the day's specials, who knows the Boeuf Burgundy Viande is leftover hash.

[Novel]

This guy can't think for himself. Every interview he's given has been nothing but a string of campaign slogans. When he goes off script he gets frustrated and accuses the reporter of "playing games." This guy is Soros' puppet.

[mewzilla]

Yup, real CinC material there. NOT

And to think the comPost endorsed this guy. I have one word for the folks at that fishwrap: SUCKERS!

[Aquinasfan]

Mr Woodward...One of America's most revered journalists

LOL!

[SheLion]

Yup! He's got the blind vote sewn up! Can't think of a sighted person who isn't frightened by his looks!

Well, you know as well as I do that the Rats would vote for a Trained Monkey as long as he was a RAT.

The Rats hold FnKerry up in the media telling us what FnKerry is going to do for our Country. But we never hear the actual plans and we never hear anything from FnKerry.

All FnKerry can do is bash and trash President Bush. THAT is his plan!

[dennisw]

John Kerry is tired, wasted and punch drunk. He is liable to say stupid things during an interview. Thus, no interviews.

[Constantine XIII]

Anybody that votes for Kerry based on his looks has some other big, big issues. :P

[Liz]

Bill and Hillary invite Kerry to Chappaqua for a day of riding, and campaign strategy talks.

[Uncle Vlad]

Riiiight. If Kerry is afraid of a largely friendly left-wing media, then how does he hope to stand up to al Qaeda? What a wuss.

[SheLion]

Anybody that votes for Kerry based on his looks has some other big, big issues. :P

And THAT'S the TRUTH!

[Liz]

Of course. He's scared silly he'll mess up. And he thinks no one will see through the ruse.

[SheLion]

Bill and Hillary invite Kerry to Chappaqua for a day of riding, and campaign strategy talks.

HaHa!!!!! Good one!

[BillyCrockett]

I can see why sKerry doesn't want to do interviews...it's very stressful to have to remember every position he's taken on many issues. When you lie quite often too, it really makes it tough to remember all of the details. Mr Bush doesn't have that problem and can answer every question while totally at ease.

[Area51]

""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."

Priceless.



3 posted on 10/27/2004 5:10:38 AM PDT by keats5 (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

---

Get used to it. Come 08, Hitlary will not take one Interview unless she is given an advance copy and control of ALL questions that will be posed to her. Especially if John F. skerry wins this thing.

[SheLion]

Riiiight. If Kerry is afraid of a largely friendly left-wing media, then how does he hope to stand up to al Qaeda? What a wuss.

You are so right. The media is FnKerry's lap dog. What has he got to fear? They would let him sit there while THEY spoke for him. ~gag!

[Gritty]

Mr Woodward, whose newspaper the Washington Post this week endorsed the Kerry campaign, revealed he has been seeking an interview since June without success

Kerry is running the same sort of campaign as Hillary in New York. No interviews, no questions - just photo-ops, slogans and tightly managed positions fleshed out and trumpeted by the spin Boiler Room and seconded by a compliant media.

Why not? It worked swell for her!

[Jackknife]

"Sssennadddtorr KKkerrrrry...."

[crushelits]

Kerry is a coward.
Hi thinks he will sneak into the White House w/o answering the most basic questions one needs to ask if this IDIOT is going to be the Comander in Chief. Both O'Reilly and Woodward said they didn't know where Kerry stood in many of the most important issues facing the United States. "HIS PLANS" remain a mystery.

[highlandbreeze]

And they just noticed this?

[Misschuck]

He can't think on his feet, he's tired, he's had a rough campaign. How is this lying sack of s##t ever going to run the country? Oh right, he'll be in France.

[uncbob]

Kind of late to be bitchin now

Where the hell were these pundits the last 3 months

[Lynda]

Just think of all the people that just like FnKerry's looks and will vote for him just on that basis!

Your kidding.

[Casloy]

He wanted Mr Kerry to explain how he would have fought the war differently.

DUHHHHH, does anyone believe he can answer that question?

[SheLion]

He thinks he will sneak into the White House w/o answering the most basic questions one needs to ask if this IDIOT is going to be the Commander in Chief. Both O'Reilly and Woodward said they didn't know where Kerry stood in many of the most important issues facing the United States. "HIS PLANS" remain a mystery.

If he is elected, he will be one of the most hated, despised and disrespected President in my history, if I recall.

[SheLion]

Your kidding.

Hell yea! They worship the ground he walks on!

[SheLion]

[blanknoone]

Kerry has a PLAN to have strong and compelling answers. He just can't tell us about it.

[Samwise]

Words are meaningless unless they are backed up by action. I don't need to hear Kerry's answers to any questions. By Kerry record since his return from Viet Nam, I know that Kerry will undermine everything I believe in, support everything I am against, and turn over the sovereignty of the United States to the thugs at the United Nations.

The only upside I see in a Kerry administration is the entertainment value of watching him and his gin-soaked wife make fools of themselves. That's not much of trade off.

[Use It Or Lose It]

When O'Blowhard said he was doing these "almost interviews," I thought it was a cheap way to give Kerry a free pass. Why should anyone else have the opportunity to speak for a man who wants to be CIC? If the creep won't answer questions, don't give him the free pub.

After watching the interviews, however, it's apparent that NO ONE has any idea where Kerry stands on any specific issue. Last night's interview with Woodward was particularly informative...that Kerry has no clue, no plan, no stand, no values and no idea. While I criticized O'Reilly for the idea of "giving Kerry" five nights of free passes, it really demonstrates that the representative group of people who know him best don't know anything at all. If he is "risk averse" to answering questions to which he has been given access, what type of leader would he be?

While it has been said in much more genteel ways here, let me state clearly that in light of Kerry's decisions to avoid the tough interviews, the tough questions, the tough answers...he is a first-degree COWARD.

[Paleo Conservative]

[OldFriend]

BO'Re is irrelevant. Kerry won't even speak to the reporters on his plane.

[steve dubya]

yeah, I think it is pretty lame for Judas O'Reilly to do the almost interview but I was pleased that he pointed out:

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THIS GUY IS GONNA DO IF ELECTED!

How could anyone possibly vote for someone if they have no clue what they are going to do?! Just one example: More troops or pull out?!

[AmericanChef]

-"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."-

This is too funny. He's afraid, but strong and compelling.

[SheLion]

Kerry has a PLAN to have strong and compelling answers. He just can't tell us about it.

Can you see him sitting in the Oval Office with his feet up on the desk smoking a big Cuban cigar? That image makes me want to throw up.

[steve dubya]

yes, even if you are not in a swing state (like me in Texas), we all need to vote- I want Bush to win EC and popular vote.

[SheLion]

yes, even if you are not in a swing state (like me in Texas), we all need to vote- I want Bush to win EC and popular vote.

Yes! I voted already. I wish it would be a land slide for our guy, but I will still be a limp dishrag come Election night.

[Liz]

LOL.....great photoshopping.