NPR turns down * interview

[babylonsister]

NPR Rebuffs White House On Bush Talk
Radio Network Wanted To Choose Its Interviewer

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 26, 2007; Page C01

The White House reached out to National Public Radio over the weekend, offering analyst Juan Williams a presidential interview to mark yesterday's 50th anniversary of school desegregation in Little Rock.

But NPR turned down the interview, and Williams's talk with Bush wound up in a very different media venue: Fox News.

Williams said yesterday he was "stunned" by NPR's decision. "It makes no sense to me. President Bush has never given an interview in which he focused on race. . . . I was stunned by the decision to turn their backs on him and to turn their backs on me."

Ellen Weiss, NPR's vice president for news, said she "felt strongly" that "the White House shouldn't be selecting the person." She said NPR told Bush's press secretary, Dana Perino, that "we're grateful for the opportunity to talk to the president but we wanted to determine who did the interview." When the White House said the offer could not be transferred to one of NPR's program hosts, Weiss took a pass.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/25/AR2007092502258.html?nav=hcmodule

[BOSSHOG]

1. If I were Juan

I'd want this story buried ASAP. So the hump in the white house enjoys softballs from heckuva job Juaney. NPR handled it professionally, and you know professionalism in any context pisses off the bushies.

[babylonsister]

2. You know the cabal is pissed off! Dare they deny a meeting with the

king? :D

[Drum]

3. Kudos to NPR for the spine!

Who-the-f%ck does this WH think it is? Cain't push around my PUBLIC radio.

:thumbsup: for NPR