Woodward responded that Hitchens should read books--his, for instance, which "jolted the White House,"according to the New York Times.
Most of what the Watergate crooks accomplished happened at night--lies during the day constitute the "understory."
According to Hitchens, Al Jazeera targets the people in the street; even intelligence agents watch this exciting new network.
Journalists must cover far more than those in power.
As to the bin Laden coup, Woodward is still working on his take; first reports are generally inaccurate, but the revisions were not major. The White House made a great effort to pat itself on the back, defending its actions as compliant with International Law.
Obama was quoted as noting that the problem is in Pakistan, not Afghanistan.
The interview concluded with words that stuck: What Wikileaks has released is information classified at the mid-level, not that close to the White House--information that is oversold but still important and useful. The Pentagon Papers were classified at the highest level.
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Zbigniew Brzezinski was interviewed at 2:30, the next-to-last event of the day.
The first talking point concerned Americans' interest in foreign policy, which is live when something "dramatic"happens, said the former White House national security adviser.
The mass media are also guilty of ignoring the outside world when there is "no drama."
The people are otherwise indifferent and ignorant.
The most recent surveys on public education yield dismal results in world history--students could not locate the Pacific Ocean on a world map.
Being president, continued Brzezinski, means taking the lead in foreign relations and domestic security. With his Middle East policy to be announced to the American people in two days, Brzezinski said that this same voice that was so outspokenly opposed to the Iraq war must again become courageous and proactive; he must demand actions--only then will he be working toward the interests of all involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Then many will follow him.
A U.S. initiative is needed. Were this country to take hold of the reins, it would gain the support of all.
Brzezinski is convinced that the U.S. will be driven out of the Middle East unless this country becomes more engaged in the conflict. Otherwise Israel will remain a stranger and Palestine will remain in turmoil.
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