Osama bin Laden - FishbowlDC

When Breaking News Isn’t Breaking News

Peter Ogburn — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:30:58 +0000

Like many media-watchers, the first thing I do when I wake up is ~~pull a giant bong rip to prepare myself for the onslaught of stupid D.C. bullshit I’m about to to face~~ check my email. In my foggy, newly-awoken state, I glance through my phone at online sales, bad guest pitches and fan mail. (Hey, it could happen.) Most of all, I’m looking to see if I missed any major, Earth-shattering events while I was slumbering. So, Breaking News emails usually catch my eye. So, imagine on Monday morning when I have a Breaking News alert from CNN. Did we reach an agreement on the Fiscal Cliff? Did we find life on Mars? Did we kill Osama bin Laden (again)?

No, it was something FAR more important than that… continued…

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FishbowlDC Interview: Spy Guy Jeff Stein

Matt Dornic — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:54:30 +0000

If you don’t read Jeff Stein‘s Spy Talk blog on CQPolitics.com, you’re missing out. It’s chocked full of quick reads about real spies, espionage, the CIA, FBI and Secret Service.

Don’t be scared off by its tag line “Intelligence for Thinking People” — I read it regularly. We caught up with CQ‘s resident spy guy for a FishbowlDC interview that required neither intelligence nor thinking. Here’s what we learned:

What does your morning reading list include? All the major nupes — WaPo, NYT, WSJ — in paper, since I’m allergic to electrons before coffee. In fact, I just started a new policy of not looking at my Blackberry until I’ve finished them.

How did you start writing your beat? SpyTalk, which began as a weekly column in 2005, was the joint idea of me and the top editors here — Bob Merry, David Rapp (both of whom have since left) and Mike Mills (who has just returned).

What was the proudest moment in your career? Maybe the successful 2002 debut of CQ/Homeland Security, which I was hired originally to launch, making money and winning an Online News Association award in its first year.

Have you ever been worried about your personal safety due to the nature of your beat? Only once, when my main source for stories about about U.S.-based anti-Castro Cuban terrorists, was murdered.

Who is your favorite fictional spy and why? Smiley, of course: Stoic, patient, clever and empathetic — to a point.

What’s your favorite spy book? “The Quiet American,” by Graham Greene.

What is the biggest misconception about spies or spying? That it’s anything like James Bond or Jack Bauer.

How many times have you visited the Spy Museum? It’s a great place to meet sources.

What working journalist do you respect the most (excluding CQ/RC)? Walter Pincus, investigative reporting’s Lou Gehrig.

What single person has played the biggest role or has had the biggest influence on your career? The late, great David Halberstam, who opened doors for me with editors in New York.

If you could spy on one person undetected, who would it be? Jane Harman. Just kidding. Osama Bin Laden, of course.

More Q&A after the jump…

continued…

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Behar: GOP Candidates “Pussies” For Not Doing “The View”

Patrick — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 14:55:44 +0000

On Friday’s “Real Time with Bill Maher“, “View” host Joy Behar took Republican presidential candidates to task for refusing to appear on ABC’s daytime talk show, “The View.”

“They’re all pro-war and they all talk gung-ho about they’re going to invade Iraq, but the Republican candidates are a bunch of pussies … because none of them will come on ‘The View’,” said Behar.

“If they can’t face me, how are they going to face Osama bin Laden and the rest of them?” she asked.

Behar noted that Democrats don’t have a problem appearing on the show. On Monday, Sen. Hillary Clinton will join Behar and her co-hosts, Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd. Sens. Joseph Biden and Barack Obama have already made appearances.

Behar had to admit that it felt liberating to be on the HBO show, where she is permitted to use more vulgar language. “I can’t say that in front of [Barbara Walters],” she said.

(Photo Credit)

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Was Chris Wallace Harder On Rove Than David Gregory?

Patrick — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 09:20:00 +0000

So says the NYT’s Alessandra Stanley (emph. added):

Fox News is usually considered by Bush officials as a safe harbor. But Mr. Wallace had the most prickly, and probing, interview with Mr. Rove, which is not surprising; Mr. Wallace has a way of needling his guests, Republicans and Democrats alike. Last year, he goaded Bill Clinton into an angry outburst during a discussion of Osama bin Laden.

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