With his poll numbers down and a crescendo of criticism directed his way, President Bush wants to tell you a few things. So this morning, we were invited to the White House to speak with him. This is my third interview with the president. He does get a fair shake here, but he also gets tough questions, as everybody does.
Now interviewing a president is not like interviewing anyone else on the planet. You cannot be confrontational with the president of the United States. You can be direct, but you can't be disrespectful.
Over the next three nights, President Bush will have his say. You will know exactly where he stands on the most vital issues facing America and the world. Because every presidential interview is finite — that is time is always a concern — I decided to concentrate on the conflicts, Iraq, Iran, North Korea and terror, rather than on domestic issues.
Also I think it is important to look ahead rather than to look back. What good does it do to rehash WMDs? Does that do you any good? So the questions are about what is happening now and whether we are winning or losing the high stakes battles we are fighting.
Tonight, we'll talk about Iraq, Iran and North Korea. Tomorrow, terrorism, torture and all the controversy surrounding the detainees and also Afghanistan.
Finally on Wednesday, the personal attacks against President Bush, how he sees them and how they affect his job.
So there you have it.
Most Ridiculous Item of the Day
You may have heard about the brawl between Miami and Florida International football players last Saturday night. Both teams decided to stop playing and start fighting. Both coaches have apologized to the nation, saying this kind of thing is a disgrace.
Thirteen players from Miami have been suspended from the next game, 18 from FIU. Now this could be a sign of the times, as discipline is breaking down on many college campuses.
We have documented that in the past few weeks. Whether it's sports or politics or just getting drunk out of your mind, American campuses seem to be places of turmoil, and that, of course, is ridiculous.
—You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the FOX News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com
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