Pluck Of The Irish: Bush Faces Real Interviewer…For A Change

Can you name the one journalist in the world who has been able to publicly go toe-to-toe with President Bush over the war on Iraq? 

Her name is Carole Coleman and she’s a correspondent for RTE, the Irish television network.  In a lead-up to Bush’s visit to Ireland earlier this week, Coleman sat down with GWB for an 11 minute interview.  Looking thoroughly unintimidated, Coleman strongly challenged Bush on his policies.  To fend her off, Dubya monopolized the conversation, going through his typically scripted responses.  Unfazed, Coleman tried several times to challenge "W" on the assumptions underlying his statements.  Most times this occurred, Bush cut her off, either demanding to be heard or chastising her for not letting him finish.

Although Bush emerged unscathed, the interview presented an impressive contrast to the patronizing (or grandstanding) interviews that American journalists have held with Dubya.   It was also interesting to actually see someone attempt to call Bush on the discredited claims he continues to repeat. 

Even though Bush refused to flinch, the hostility and pettiness of the President was clearly demonstrated two days later when Laura Bush cancelled her interview with the network.

View the interview here, or visit to the RTE news program page here.