Charlie Rose

beagle47  04/04/2010 08:31 PM Report

I just finished reading "Write It When I'm Gone." A nice contrast to Andrew Young's book on John Edwards. This interview revealed little I did not learn from the book. Its author clearly, and openly, displays his fondess for President Ford. The book left me with a much different, and better impression of our President having been pre-teen during the Watergate years. Putting the pardon and partisanship aside President Ford is an example of the best in politics and, perhaps, the best gone-by as well. Thank you for the interview.

Fred Kuhl  12/30/2007 12:20 PM Report

Dear Mr. Rose: A few days ago you had on a gentleman (name ?) regarding the Haiti problem.

Is there a place where I can either get a pring out, or buy a tape, or listen to the conversation?

Thank you. Fred Kuhl, Greenfield, WI

Dr. Emile J. Piscitelli  12/28/2007 01:36 PM Report

Good interview. Straight talk. No nonsense. The question of President Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon came up. I believe it remains a blight on Ford's legacy. Ford's explanation that the nation needed "healing" is nonsense. The healing was the departure of Richard Nixon. The "healing" myth is dangerous because it undermines the ground of any civil society: The truth of the proposition that "we are a nation of laws and not men." The president is not above the law. He is a citizen of the United States not its sovereign. We do not have a monarchy even though Nixon thought of himself as a monarch. Ford's explanation of why he pardoned him included the fact that they were friends. That is a self-indicting admission. We should revisit the pardoning power of the president and amend the constitution. It has been the occasion for many presidential shananigans on their last day in office. Perhaps we should restrict the pardoning power to the judicial branch where it will be less influenced by political considerations although the last foray of the court into politics in deciding the 2000 election shows it is not above political considerations as Justice Sandra Day O'Conner recognized.

Susan  12/28/2007 03:37 AM Report

Let's face it: Charlie's job is tough. It's hard to please everyone. But this interview was Charlie at his best. He ALLOWED THE GUEST TO TALK. I much prefer interviews when he says very little and never points his finger in lecture mode. He should take a serious look at this interview, where he used a far lighter touch, and emulate that in most of his others.

Although, of course, Charlie was downright obsequious when interviewing RumsFAILED and I was deeply disappointed with that one.

Like I said, he's got a tough job!