Charlie Rose

erik r   10/06/2008 11:45 PM Report

one wonders. heard about a media bubble. overvalued intelligence suddenly heading back to its own nowhere. good thing bout growing up in Paris,it taught us the rule - never bother guys like BHL. it's like looking at the arc de triomphe while making your way through the tricky you're on your own kind of traffic,very video-game-like, of "rond point de la place de letoile". it would ruin the moment. the monument.and yet, i hate to admit, the section in VF where this man complains about US customs,like showing us the worst of his poor self, openly. yea. what's he got to say anyway. right. and yet this kind of tickles me. i've been wondering ever since. which world are we,them rest of us, still living in?

Ed  06/25/2008 03:48 PM Report

The PEN event in question, organized by Guernica magazine, can be read and heard here:

http://www.guernicamag.com/interviews/610/crisis_darfur/

In Favor of Balance  06/06/2008 07:41 AM Report

Very disappointed with the neocon conversation with the Zionist fascist Bernard-Henri Levy. It was very 1-sided, especially when he was attacking the most honorable of our former Presidents, Jimmy Carter. For Charlie not to challenge this monster, who called into question the honor and integrity of Jimmy Carter demonstrates that Charlie Rose just wants to support torture and murder of innocent life as his guest did, notwithstanding his idle protestations to the contrary. It was the Government of Israel who sponsored and funded the rise of Hamas as a counterweight to the secular and nationalist PLO, as I've heard it explained, so how can they disawow their prodigy of its success in accomplishing the Israeli mission?

Paris  06/06/2008 07:39 AM Report

Samosa, what do you mean by a European point of view? A spanish point of view has nothing in common with a French point of view, as is demonstrated by your stupid comment and your lack of knowledge.

Paris  06/06/2008 07:38 AM Report

Somosa, you are a moron. Your name is not very European. Futhermore, French intellectuals cannot be compared with intellectuals in a country like Portugal or Spain, which are part of so called Europe. An intellectual from France will probably not be understood by the vastly different people of a country like Spain or Greece. Levy is not the Dr. Phil of French philosophy, he is a highly respected philosopher/professor.

sam  05/15/2008 05:56 AM Report

Jimmy Carter is a fool, if Hamas had the weapons that Israel had, it would not hesitate to use them on Israel to the fullest of it's ability. There is a reason why Islam came 600 hundred years after Christianity to the holy lands but in a century Christianity was wiped clean from the lands, we never learn that when you are dealing with brutal people that you either fight to win or surrender but you can't fight with one hand tied behind your back because then you are just fighting to lose, which is the position that the so-called West have placed Israel and now America, just fight enough to close to a more brutal, evil force.

luca  05/14/2008 10:21 AM Report

The choice of Umberto Eco and Bernard-Henry Levy seems odd for a discussion of celebrity culture and the loss of privacy. They are both celebrity talking heads of sorts in their own countries, and just one generation ago they gloried in the expansion of the very "gossip" they now decry [ is Levy & Farrow not a match made in "gossip heaven"? \. Then, their opinion as semioticians (cultural big-mouth) were sought at every turn. But now that that culture has grown beyond their ability to control and exploit it, they come across like frustrated old farts. You gave them far too much credibility with this show. And I would have thought that the Charlie Rose audience was hardly the demographic most likely to require another lecture about the crisis in Sudan ... However, I would love to see proper conversation on the subject of the "loss of privacy", which was introduced in this hour. Particularly if Charlie could include some of his more future-proof guests in a wider consideration not just of social privacy but also on the legal status of data as it pertains to the notion of identity at the social (I.D.) and physical (dna) levels.

Somosa  05/14/2008 01:41 AM Report

It is well known in Europe that Levy is a fake and he is no philosopher. He is Dr. Phil of French philosophy. Eco is much more cautious in this interview because he is truly a genius. I cannot believe this guy is trying to represent European point of view to the American public.

Unes  05/14/2008 01:22 AM Report

Are we going to respect the International borders?

China says that many Chinese have been settled in Tibet, so they want to keep Tibet as part of China. Israel says they have built many settlements in the occupied territory so they want to keep all those settlements as part of Israel. And they continue building more settlements. However, in all fairness to Chinese, China has not created situation for the Tibetans to push them out of their home-land, by contrast the Israelis by creating a HELLISH ENVIRONMENT for the Palestinians they clearly pursue a policy to push out the Palestinians out of the occupied territory. One reason for this Evil Policy is; because the Palestinian population is creating demographic problem for the Israeliâ??s democracy! Are these Israelis the same people who criticize the world for Anti-Semitic views!? Such Hippocrates! The Jews are identified by their blood line. Historically speaking Jews owns the oldest race club in the world. I guess the Israelisâ?? racist community has been sanctioned by God; so they are authorized to be racist!

Paul  05/13/2008 11:35 PM Report

Bravo Mr. Levy. The lunacy of Mr. Carter is a disgrace to the human race, much less the United States. His terrorist enablement is yet another example of why he is truely one of our worst presidents. It defies all logic that when the Palistinians engage in acts of war daily against Isreal that they feel they have a moral claim to pre '67 borders when the '67 borders are the result of their unprovoked war against Isreal which they then lost. How people can go to war, lose, and then demand the rights they had previously is the height of absurdity.

Unes  05/13/2008 01:09 AM Report

It was so funny that such narrow minded person with such strong biased against the Palestinians wanted to be elected by the world community to solve the Palestinian problem!!! As usual on this issue the Public is far ahead of the US Policy makers.

h  05/13/2008 12:14 AM Report

Sadly, two of the greatest minds of our time, even with the coaxing of a third, fail utterly to elucidate nascent hope of solution to any of the problems presented. Dream on, dreamer...anyone else starting to wonder about the power of love?

a. norton  05/13/2008 12:00 AM Report

i think it was pathetic for levy to go after former president carter in the manner he did, particularly when carter has advanced the cause of peace more than ten fold what levy will ever accomplish. and levy's views on palestine are sadly one sided. he literally stated at the end that the only reason conflict continues in palestine is because of hamas, and no matter what one thinks of hamas, this is clearly a two sided issue. i would also add, that we have a clear record of what comes from diplomatic silence with people we do not agree with, and it isn't a good one. his speaking on this issue seemed unreasonable, and almost fanatical, and i think rose should have challenged him the way he challenged carter when he was on the program.

Irish  05/12/2008 10:50 PM Report

I could have done without the personal dismissive slights against Carter's age in a public forum. If it were Kissinger we wouldnt have heard anything like it.

Ferdinand Gajewski  05/12/2008 04:54 PM Report

Pour M. Levy, pauvre petit:

http://www.alternet.org/audits/84883/

Anton Grambihler  05/12/2008 04:13 PM Report

Israel illegally invaded Palestine and still illegally occupies the Palestine Land and the United States provides Israel over $3 Billion US Tax dollars a year which helps maintain this illegal occupation. The 911 report also mentions US treatment of Israel as part of the reasons for the attack on the US.

Most US Politicians appear to consider the Israeli Invaders their friend and the Palestine refuges as Terrorists?

Do they count the Nazis among their friends?

Do they consider the Europeans who were trying to get their land back from the Nazis Terrorists?

Michael P  05/12/2008 02:56 PM Report

p.s. I have got to admit, though, Levi's shirts are very cool!

Michael P  05/12/2008 02:53 PM Report

Both Levy and Eco are blowhard, salon-type, media-greedy, clever-by-half scribes, clearly unworthy of the attention of the many wise contributors to this forum. So, let us not waste any time analyzing their ultra-conventional, half-assed ideas...like.. having a bunch of international writers and intellectuals to enforce peace between Israeli and Palestinians. It is beyond silly, beyond naive, it is not even funny!

Shalom Freedman  05/12/2008 01:58 PM Report

Bernard Henri- Levy speaks here with great and convincing passion about the genocide in Darfur. He is not polite but stands absolutely for helping a people abandoned by the world for its own selfish interests. I was deeply moved by his remarks on this question.

I also agreed with him completely in his condemnation of fascist Hamas, and the mistake made by former President Carter in ignoring their murderous intentions.

delusional  05/12/2008 12:14 PM Report

It is totally delusional, even disingenuous of the condemners of Carter for trying for peace, when they support the exacerbation of the status quo with their persistent murder ratio of 40:1. They have outdone themselves in learning from their nemises/mentors in perpetuating their own holocaust/hollow-cost. They seem to abide the role with such affection, they feel obliged to condemn Carter for trying to end the perpetual carnage. Go figure!?

Gerri  05/12/2008 09:24 AM Report

I certainly agree with B.H. Levy about Darfur but when he condemned Pres. Carter for talking with Hamas and described it as an old man trying to achieve a legacy (something to that effect)I was struck by how off and venal that remarked seemed.

First of all, I happen to agree with Pres. Carter's talking with Hamas and do not, at all, find that talking with Hamas gives it legitimacy. Perceptions, appearances and legitimacy be damned. It is time for people to talk to other people without labels and impediments. It is interesting to note that numerous other foreign policy Americans agree with Pres.carter's gambit. Finally, for Mr. Levy to say this is what an old man is doing for his legacy is an unfair and cynical read of a very committed and sincere statesman.

I don't think that Charlie's not interrogating Levy on his opinion of Carter and Hamas can be construed as Charlie's support of torture and murder of innocent life as Levy did. That is extreme language with no correlation to reality.

Unes  05/12/2008 03:13 AM Report

It looks some people are very delusional! History tells me that the Palestinians were living in Palestine when after WWII the Jews from all over the world started migrating to Palestine. This new comers pushed out some of the natives out of their land, and that process continues even today. It is so shameless to call the local people as the terrorists and the invading people as "defending themselves". Maybe the reason that some Americans have this distorted view, it is because they are the descendant of those immigrants who pushed the Indians out of their land. I guess such heritage produces this delusional view. At least 70% of the Israelis have the integrity to acknowledge this fact as an Uncivilized behavior.

Cognizant Of The Facts  05/11/2008 03:41 AM Report

I found the Friday, May 9th show very interesting. I could not agree more with Mr. Levy on the ill-concieved visit of President Carter to the Middle East. A man of his backgroung and proximity to inside knowledge should have known better than to lend ostensible legitimacy to a terrorist organization such as Hamas - "Moral Equivalence" disease is a terrible way to go...

Interesting too was Mr. Eco's silence when asked for comment on the subject... that was uncomfortable to watch!

I wish people, including those who have commented on this partcular night's show, would spend less time espousing about what they know - based on 20 second news clips from CNN and the editorial section of yesterday's paper - and invest more time in understanding history, which requires actually reading an entire book(s).

Thank you Mr. Rose for another insightful program. I enjoy your style of interviewing.

Unes  05/11/2008 02:22 AM Report

Reading Linda Mae comments, it was so amusing!? Yes, there will be peace in Middle East as soon as the Palestinians vanish and go away! The migrating Jews need that land, so the Palestinians should vacate the land and surrender it to the invading Israelis! This is so simple; Might Makes it Right! Isn't this Law of Jangle!? And one would wonder who is Uncivilized here!?

Linda Mae  05/11/2008 12:27 AM Report

Loved Mr. Levy especially his comments about Palestinians suffering. the suicide bombers and missiles are going only one way over the border. The Palestinians are like the boy who murders his parents and then throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan. Their agenda is to destroy Israel - birth place of Judeo Christian religions as well as Islam. Carter was a fool to talk to them. He has received money from Saudi Arabia for his center so he lacks credibility in his comments. Scientific researchers always have a disclaimer - who has given the researcher money in the past - in order to prove the research was not tainted. Mr. Carter is Tainted with a capital T. The truth is not always easy to digest. Bottom line - there would be peace in the middle East this second if the militant Islamists would give up their hatred of the Western world. They have told us this but there are some Americans who refuse to believe them. If someone tells me that he is going to do me harm - then I believe him. I hope and pray that Obama will not be our next President. The world is hanging by a string and we need someone who has realistic views of our enemies. We with Western values don't understand those with Eastern values who want to destroy us. (Not all) I've had opportunities to watch middle east TV and I am scared. It is easy to blame Zionists but they are only people who wish to live in peace in their ethnic homeland. They are not the aggressors. The history of terrorists attacks began in the 1970's. We were not in Iraq then. I cannot understand the ignorance some have about this situation. Get some history lessons from many sources. Go to the middle east TV watch site. Watch the videos asking children to become martyrs to the cause. This is our world we are protecting.

Enchanted  05/10/2008 12:55 PM Report

I was enchanted and transfixed by Bernard Henri-Levy, whom I wish we could see more often on American TV, but I did not agree with some of his views, most especially his Middle Eastern views, and, of course, his criticism of Jimmy Carter. But his statements on privacy, Sarkozy, and Darfur were welcome, and he certainly excels in style of delivery and charisma.

Unes  05/10/2008 12:16 PM Report

Dear Mr. Charlie Rose,

On May 9, 08 did you invite author Author bernard-henri levy & Umberto Eco just to discredit President Carter initiation about the Palestinians!? If you claim you are innocent then why didn't you ask the gentleman, " who should be blamed for the Palestinians suffering?" You never ask such a revealing question against the Israeli's occupation!

Few nights ago during your conversation with Arianna Huffington you played your argumentative and negative role; barring Arianna to make her points, but here you quietly sat there like a mute and allowed the gentleman to trash President Carter's impartial and well balanced effort.

May God Bless Us All,

Unes

iska  05/10/2008 06:30 AM Report

Great post, BHLed for life.

Just ask another returning guest, Marianne Pearl the courageous widow of the slain journalist Daniel Pearl about her experience with Levy. She's totally disgusted with him.

It's always good to speak about Darfour, where a superpower ignores human rights in its pursuit of oil (by the way, how many shows about US in Saudi Arabia one of the world's worst dictatures, Mr Rose ?).

But the part about Jimmy Carter demonstrated the show's recurrent Achille's heel: its bias in favor of Israeli interest in the Palestine conflict. Levy said Carter's visit to Syria was disgusting but a majority of the Israeli people supported this visit ! (see note). On this issue. Levy's position is no different than a hard right-wing israeli.

Note: A poll published in the Daily Haaretz newspaper in February showed that a large majority, 64% of the Israelis favored direct talks with Hamas connected to a ceasefire and the release of an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.

TABS  05/10/2008 05:46 AM Report

Mr Eco is quiet mistaken about the US military action in Afganistan. After 911 the USA had to respond with military action or be seen as not even having the will to defend herself even when attacked. That would have resulted in a meltdown of global and financial instititions. Mr Peter Hopkirk wrote an interesting book about Russian and British competition in Central Asia in the 19th century titled 'The Great Game."

TABS  05/10/2008 05:37 AM Report

If one wants to put pressure on the Chinese to do something then you have to effect them internally. For instance a trade sanction, due to the recent Chinese products being hazardous, every Chinese product entering the USA has to be tested and passed by a certification board. That would cause the Chinese a nightmare to comply with, which would effect their economy. They just might then bend to a little request.

red slider  05/10/2008 04:33 AM Report

Criticism of Charlie for not sufficiently challenging his guests seems somewhat amiss.

Charlie's strength has always been to permit his guests, for good or ill, to reveal themselves without provocation. Some of his best shows are those in which guests with much to hide wind up exposing themselves without even realizing it. Perhaps they wake up the next day with the sinking feeling that they'd be "Rose'd" the night before.

david_hamber  05/10/2008 04:17 AM Report

If condemning the slaughter in Dafur by the Sudanese government and condemning the use of suicide bombers to purposefully murder as many civilians as possible qualifies one as a monster, a neocon, a fascist, and a Zionist, is someone who opposes both these activities considered an angel, a progressive, a freedom-lover, and liberator of humanity?

Laeey H. Flaten  05/10/2008 02:24 AM Report

If You haven't you should read "the forgotten man" by amity shlaes. It shows how the US reacted in the wrong way to, and exacerbated the great depression.I think that it dovetails with the 5/9/08 show.

hrc  05/10/2008 02:18 AM Report

I think an apology to all, the producers, Charlie and the audience is in order for Mr.Levy.

It was a pleasure to hear from Mr. Umberto Eco.

Good show. The tragedy in Darfur was on the table for a bit, that and as it relates to the Beijing government and the world at large. Questions raised were not unlike the trade questions in the preceeding segment. That is given darfur and briefly nepal how should the world deal with china over the olympics. The answer would be more apparent were this topic on the table more often. Isolationism is not the answer though. The genocide in darfur is a fact, everyone agrees. Is china the impediment to the solution there? That was the question of the program, that and privacy, or goodbye privacy. I never meant to comment on this segment but rather the one before because that was so very important.

BHLed for life  05/10/2008 01:09 AM Report

Bernard-Henri Levy has made a career of gesticulating about humanitarian crises all over the world--and we have to give him that, although he's known for inventing all kinds of stories and encounters (notably in Afghanistan and Pakistan) to sell books. We may wonder, however, why he never talks about Palestine!!!

His trick of attacking superior and more legitimate people than him, as he did tonight with Jimmy Carter, is well-known. He's done that for many years in France to elevate himself and to compensate for the fact that as a true intellectual and philosopher, he's never published anything of note. Viewers in America should not be fooled by the fact that Levy is always presented in America as the number one French intellectual. This is a joke. No serious academic/real intellectuals in France take this clown seriously. He's only the number one MEDIA intellectual as he's on TV all the time and has monopolized a lot of editorial power and political influence in France. And Charlie is sadly contributing to this unbelievable and uniquely French phenomenon on this side of the Atlantic. Finally, the most amazing thing tonight is that he defended the right to privacy, while he's a media whore of a type that even America has never seen. But, as he said, quoting Baudelaire, he has the right to contradict himself. Which he did when he said that he didn't know whether Sarkozy had any memory. Charlie proceded to quote him saying exactly that in an article. But, of course, did he really write that article?