Adil Najam
Just got hold of a list of major media appearances that Gen. Pervez Musharraf will be making as part of his book tour to promote In The Line of Fire: A Memoir. The book is publsihed by Simon and Schuster which will be handing much of the book tour, although it is clear that he will be asked about and will speak about much more than just the book.
(BTW, there is also a White House meeting with President Bush on Friday; so Gen. Musharraf will remain busy).
ATP had alreday written about the general’s appearance on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, and we have a ccurrently ongoing ATP Poll on Grading Gen. Musharraf’s Performance in office. I am sure there will be other appearances too, but here is a list of the key ones.
Sept. 24: 60 Minutes
Sept. 25: NBC’s Today Show
Sept. 26: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Sept. 27: NPR’s Morning Edition
Oct. 1: NBC’s Meet The Press
Although there are always surprises, those familiar with the US media landscape would agree that one could express the toughest questions on Meet The Press with Tim Russert and The Dialy Show with Jon Stewart. The Today Show and Morning Edition appearances are more likely to focus on the ‘softer’ and more personal questions. 60 Minutes can go eitehr way, depending on who is interviewing him, but is likely to be a mix of personal and political issues.
Also heard on the internet that the ghost writer for the book is Humayun Gauhar. I am not at all sure if this is true or not. If this is, in fact, true that would be something. Humayun Gauhar is another ‘PR maven’, and son of Ayub Khan’s media guru, Altaf Gauhar. Reportedly, Ayub Khan’s biography, Friends, Not Masters, was ghost-written by Altaf Gauhar.
If true, the coincidence and the connection would be just a little too perfect. Which is why I remain skeptical about the authenticity of this rumor. Readers, does anyone have a sense if this is true or not?
Video clips (in three parts) of Bush-Musharraf press conference at the White House on Sept. 22:
For the first time in a while I am actually getting interested in his interviews. What was said in the 60 minutes interview is striking. I think with the Iran issue continuing to boil, there is much happening in that region that is yet to be disclosed to public. How Iran finds the strength to stand up to the US in this particular way, inspite of all that they have seen happen in Afghanistan and Iraq, is quite surprising (unless they are simply foolish to recognize the threat).
Falcon, It is truly an educated guess from you. In my opinion, it could be any number of things, including what you mentioned and, going down as much as getting the right pitch for sunday primetime for 60 minutes.
Aside for Falcon. Can you plesae send us a comment seperately on why and how the text box does not work for you. Is the font too large? Or is the preview below a distraction? Or something else? Also, which browser you use? That will help us fix the problem.
The fact that Mush mentions Armitage’s threat is interesting. Armitage is currently in trouble in the Valerie Plame case. He is close to Colin Powell who is seen as being against the Neocons. Recently Armitage also wrote an article supporting Pakistan and Musharraf (“Keep Pakistan on Our Side”). In today’s American political scene, threatening Pakistan has to be a virtue. By helping out Armitage, could Musharraf be helping strengthen the supporters of more reasonable American foreign policy?
(by the way, the text box for entering comments on this site is absoloutly terrible and near impossible to use…typing in it, whle text is updated below is like trying to think deep thoughts with a bunch of babies crying)
I am just dumbfounded at his statements made to 60 minutes, recorded today. Pakistan may have found its biggest showman to date.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060921/ts_nm/pakistan _usa_musharraf_dc