Charlie Rose

markyluke  10/05/2012 01:27 PM Report

This isn't really all that difficult. Charlie was Charlie with his thoughtful, tactful line of questioning. Norah's inquiries were certainly more pointed and direct. Asking Ahmadinejad, "Are you building a nuclear weapon?" is not unreasonable in light of current international concerns.

In a March 3, 2003 column in Forbes magazine titled "Diplomatic Maneuvering With Liars," former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger stated, "The problem with diplomatic solutions reached with liars is that liars cannot be trusted and will break any promises they make. That sounds like a simple concept to grasp, but it is astonishing how many people here and abroad have yet to learn this valuable lesson."

The present situation with Iran compares to Weinberger's portrayal of the mid 1990's when North Korea's deceitfulness about its nuclear ambitions - despite diplomatic attempts to contain it - allowed Kim Jong-il's regime to become a fully-fledged nuclear power in 2009.

In his Forbes column, Weinberger quotes Karen Elliott House, publisher of the Wall Street Journal, "The very reason North Korea has become a nuclear power is a decade of appeasement by previous administrations." Adds Weinberger, "In short, our reliance in the 1990s on a diplomatic solution with a lying nation gave that nation an additional decade to add to its nuclear capabilities." He goes on to say that, "We must recognize and accept the fact that diplomatic solutions are easy to secure but are totally worthless if the other side cannot be trusted."

The important issue here is not whether Norah O'Donnell was too blunt in the interview. Rather, it's that Ahmadinejad's answers (to Norah's straightforward question about nuclear weaponry - and almost every other one proposed by Charlie or her - showed that he is a liar, a liar that cannot be trusted. And as Caspar Weinberger concluded about North Korea, "no diplomatic solution short of elimination will save us from the deadly danger we will certainly face if we follow the path of appeasement . . ."

NormaLee  10/04/2012 08:49 PM Report

Totally agree with the comments pertaining to Norah O'Donnell's embarassing attempts to argue with an opinionated attitude with Ahmadinijhad.She was offended to be called lady,while the term Khanoum (translated lady)is a sign of respect toward a woman. Drop her and while you are at it..give Gayle her walking papers.I was so looking forward to an intelligent Morning show and poof came the poufs.You don't need their intrusions.

Igor  10/04/2012 07:15 PM Report

The quality of this interview was seriously damaged by Norah O'Donnell. The emotion she projected and commentary she added were unprofessional and not worthy of a show of this caliber. This is one of the few programs I regularly watch, precisely because Charlie cuts through the 'foofoo' commentary that Norah brought to the program. Disappointing.

SharkswithfrikingLazers  10/04/2012 02:28 AM Report

The sanctions must have some effect. They had to shop at Costco.

Also, his 140 person entourage makes your one woman entourage look scant Charlie.

Here's Stephen . . .

Stephen Colbert for 3:41 on the Holocostco:

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/419675/october-01-2012/mahmoud-ahmadinejad-s-u n-entourage

SharkswithfrikingLazers  10/04/2012 02:01 AM Report

Jon Stewart does a good summation of the UN week in six and a half minutes:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-27-2012/bore-games

Yes, President Ahmadinejad we do need to reform our campaigns--especially the financial side.

DaveD  10/03/2012 12:29 PM Report

Norah O’Donnell was just plain BAD. She wanted to argue with the Man the whole time more than interview him. Charlie Rose saved it-- very smooth and likeable, proper transition while asking tough questions. Norah, you don't have to agree with the Man to ask right questions and follow-ups without cutting him off while he's answering. Norah was too confrontational-- JUST BAD. Charlie is the best. Charlie, you need to drop Norah next time.

wendyaward  10/03/2012 07:56 AM Report

I am really disappointed that a show that has always been so professional and really the best in the industry has just brought itself down by including this very amateur young woman in this conversation. Like so many her age, she feels she must put on this hard, tough act to find a place. It's the wrong way to go and completely embarrassing for you that you've brought her onboard. I hope you get enough feedback to know enough to cut your losses now.

About_Cazale  10/03/2012 01:24 AM Report

Norah O’Donnel was simply awful. Her body language, line of questioning, impatience, and follow ups all seemed out of touch for such quality show. She was trying to pull a Mike Wallace on the guy, to make it about herself. FYI, when an Iranian man calls a woman “the lady”, he is paying you utmost respect whether you like it or not. In Iranian culture, one never calls a stranger with the first name because that’s disrespectful. Norah, if he knew you even a bit, the best you could get was : Mrs. O’Donnell.

In contrast, what a master class Charlie was. I’ve studies Iranian culture for 40+ years. The way Ahmadinejad kept saying “Charlie, you know this” is all about what a high regard (with a dose of trust) the guy holds for Charlie. Great questions, follow ups, and clarifications.

chrispegg  10/02/2012 07:53 PM Report

Great interview by Charlie, as always.

But his co-interegator needs more seasoning before being part of so important a conversation.

Ricardo_Amaral  10/02/2012 07:28 PM Report

By the way Gelles, the insane, and lunatic Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyahu is already studying very closely the following material to get some new ideas for him to present at his next UN General Assembly meeting as follows:

http://youtu.be/43-wh0MUYg8

.

Ricardo_Amaral  10/02/2012 07:09 PM Report

Gelles, regarding the subject of mentally ill leaders - the population in Israel are aware that Benjamin Nethanyahu is severely mentally ill.

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that Israel and the Israeli people have a major problem regarding its crazy, insane, lunatic, trigger happy and warmonger Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyahu.

That raving lunatic does not know the difference between his cute drawing of a "Tom & Jerry" bomb that he made with his crayons that he showed to the world at the UN – you can see by his drawing that he has been watching too many cartoons.

By the way, this insane, and lunatic person might decide to drop one of Israel's ThermoNuclear warheads on one of his neighbours.

For the last 20 years this mental case has been babbling the same old non-sense: “in about 6 or 7 months Iran will build a nuke.”

The New York Times, I guess the newspaper had nothing better of substance to put on the front page of the newspaper on Friday, other than a picture of this mental case (Benjamin Nethanyahu) holding his cute little drawing of a cartoon type of bomb - maybe The New York Times was trying to scare the kids in the United States, since the American kids also recognize and have seen that type of bomb in action on the “Tom & Jerry” show and also Wile E. Coyote on the “Road Runner” show.

I know has been 20 years that this raving lunatic is saying that Iran is 6 to 7 months away from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Please at least someone in Israel do us all a favor and show to this lunatic what a real nuclear weapon looks like instead of the “Tom and Jerry” bomb that scared a hell out of him.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyahu is really scared of the "Tom & Jerry" type of bombs that Iran might decide to build.

...He also said in the above video that people in Israel are aware and they know that Benjamin Nethanyahu is severely mentally ill.

http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=b7546e33aa623dca5054e094f2db8a79&threadid=67053&perpag e=6&pagenumber=73

.

DRS  10/02/2012 11:03 AM Report

The woman who co-interviewed Ahmadinejad was pretty bad! I'm surprised she was allowed to be on TV and Charlie Rose/Producers even let her speak...I could name quite a few people who have the skills, tone, poise and ability to speak with a world 'leader' ... Come on!

Gelles  10/01/2012 11:22 PM Report

yotony ~

Your opinion is honest -- if crazy.

Your idea that German Jews should have been as crazy as you are is honest -- if unusual and without merit in a wold where we are trying to move from ancient autocracy under inherited royalty rather than developing meritorious democracy is out of tune with decency and history.

You may have enjoyed this show in the early ninety's. I hesitate to ask you why. It was never nuts.

World War I was not a credit to Germany or any of its allies. It was a sad chapter in European history where cousins went to war and autocracy died; and it was succeeded by fascism which turned out to be worse.

yotony  10/01/2012 08:09 PM Report

Hi. I have been a big fan of yours since the early 90's - when I was residing a few floors below you on 60th St in NYC ! But I was disappointed that you were so pandering to the Israeli audience in the way that you interviewed and questioned President Ahmadinejad. I have come to expect this from the very biased American media - biased when it comes to Israel.I expected better from yourself. Maybe this is in itself a measure of how influential the Zionist Jews are in this country?

One should recall history and not forget the treachery of the Zionist Jews to their fellow Germans in 1916/17 - financing the waning British war effort at the time, and organising the entry of the Americans into the war....against their fellow Germans, who had treated them very well and who had welcomed those escaping Russia in the 19th century. The Zionists will stoop to anything...a duplicitious, hypocritical and mendacious lot. Now they control the Americans. Who knows where it will end? And please bear in mind that they are the occupiers in the Middle East - not the Iranians. And they are the war mongers - not the iranians.

EthicalHumanist  10/01/2012 07:54 PM Report

This guy is NOT the President of Iran, he is the President of a shia mullah mafia, which has been occupying Iran for the last 33 years. A mullah mafia, which has murdered tens of thousands of innocent Iranians.

Gelles  10/01/2012 07:52 PM Report

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad squints his eyes and defies the human race as his friends and associates persecute Bahai citizens of Iran and pretend to be on an equal plane with nations where human rights are respected and whose citizens are empowered to defend freedom.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is waiting for an ultimatum to help open Iran to inspection to eventually prevent nuclear proliferation and all the death it threatens to inflict by accident or design.

After that ultimatum, he will obey or be killed -- as was Osama Bin Ladin -- by a narrow attack designed to avoid killing innocent bystanders or sacrificing American troops protecting us all from the fate of Iranians under the regime that must retire.

Americans expressing support for failure to prevent nuclear proliferation have no leg to stand on. They do not know the basis of all law is common sense.

If we ignore the lessons of WWII and forget the defeat administered to Hitler's Germany, we will deserve the fate in store for forgetters. But most of do not forget so much so fast.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a liar and a murderer. The blood of innocent Iranians is on his hands. His admirers here, and among those who would be his slaves, are a putrid bunch infected by evil and not to be trusted at all.

SharkswithfrikingLazers  10/01/2012 07:42 PM Report

He says some people think they own the world. Iran has an internal economy. Sanctions will not cause Iran to surrender.

No, no. That is not it.

We just don't want you to bring a gun to school. Especially the special school where the children have special challenges with peace and love.

SharkswithfrikingLazers  10/01/2012 07:37 PM Report

Charlie, our relationship with Israel is much more than ally. You understated it.

Israel is not our 51st state yet, nor like our Puerto Rico.

Perhaps, Israel is our territorial bubbie and that is why their Bibi wants to influence our November ballot.

SharkswithfrikingLazers  10/01/2012 07:30 PM Report

Yes indeed Charlie,

Why does he insist on calling it the "Zionist Regime" instead of the "State of Israel"?

He says 5 wars started by the Israelis and their 250K warheads. Plus they want to draw lines all over.

Oh, oh.

SharkswithfrikingLazers  10/01/2012 07:25 PM Report

He tells us he is worried about the future. Syria has a tribal culture. War would be a contagion to many other areas.

Yes, we don't need to get the tribal cultures starting a contagious war.

Supply chain management--money and arms.

SharkswithfrikingLazers  10/01/2012 07:19 PM Report

Is he training 50K troops for Syria?

He says 50K troops would not fit in Syria.

WOW and I thought we have an obesity problem.

hhyle  10/01/2012 07:17 PM Report

Charlie, my wife and I agree that it was a big mistake to include an inarticulate leggy female on your program on the interviews tonight... especially with Clinton and a Muslim.

H

SharkswithfrikingLazers  10/01/2012 07:16 PM Report

He sends Health and Success to everyone—WOW!

Thank you President Ahmandinejad.

As-Salamu Alaykum (?????? ?????) to you.

SharkswithfrikingLazers  10/01/2012 07:13 PM Report

Charlie, who else you got over there at your moonlighting job?

Norah is nice but President Ahmandinejad seemed to be taken aback by her.

From the translator I don't think either of them even knew her name.

Not kosher.

winter  10/01/2012 05:08 PM Report

If that was supposed to be a debate then Mr Ahmednejad won it.

It was evident that the two interviewers had intended to herd their quarry into submission before the festivities even began. All he had to do was justify his ground on the basis of God granted sovereignty ...unless I've missed something and global sovereingty is now objectively granted by America and its allies.

It stands to reason that, as he stated, Iran would have to be crazy to launch a nuclear warhead at Israel when the United States and Israel have hundreds and thousands to respond with.

As far as Israel and its self righteous stance I never could get past that Palestinian families have been being forcibly removed kicking and screaming from their homes by the IDF for decades now, the homes bulldozed and settlements built in their place for primitive religious zealots to occupy. I've always found Jimmy Carter to be a man of redoubtable character -- his observations must have some Truth to them.

Dasein  10/01/2012 04:40 PM Report

The cameraman didn't give us a frontal shot of the female journalist's legs. But in the Clinton interview the 'view' was different. I wonder why? Perhaps "less liberation."

avellanas  10/01/2012 02:41 PM Report

The relationship between Israel and the US is not a "normal", as Charlie described to President Ahmedinejad. With a large, vocal, and politically active Jewish population and billions of dollars of foreign aid, we can't pretend that the relationship is not distorted despite President Obama's effort to treat Israel and the Palestinians evenhandedly.

President Ahmedinejad's rhetoric is often incendiary, but there are plenty of reasonable people out there that would agree that the questions he raises about the US-Israel relationship are based on a kernel of truth.

REMant  10/01/2012 12:27 PM Report

What did Ms O'Donnell expect him to say?

And what difference does it make who's training or arming whom, when it seems clear everyone is?

If Israel attacks Iran without provocation, it certainly ought to put the UN, and hence the American president, no matter who he is, in a difficult position.

I think he calls them Zionists, because those who are making all this fuss are in fact Zionists, and no doubt proud of it. But there's some doubt whether they are a majority of Israelis, or even of Jews there.

Suppose our president decided to attack China. Would the rest of this country be disposed to let him get away with it?

I think it's fairly clear Obama is at a disadvantage on the question of roots, even were the Bible to be taken as evidence.

Nuclear non-proliferation, unfortunately, has no basis in any kind of law.

A portion of the Straits of Hormuz, I believe, lies in Iranian territory. I suppose if they wanted to set up a toll booth they'd be within their rights even if Hugo Grotius and the UN think otherwise, and besides neither the US nor Iran have ever ratified the convention. I suspect one of the reasons the US is so involved in Yemen is so that the Saudis can build an oil pipeline through it, and the same may be true with respect to our interest in Syria. Plus I suspect the US knows that surface vessels, even very large ones with lots of electronic gear and aircraft, are still vulnerable.