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:
By the way, we don’t need US bombs to take us back to stone age. KESC and WAPDA can do the same job – thank you very much. Meanwhile the PM is busy calling him in USA sucking up to him while the whole of the country is in total darkness.
This is called economic progress.
The question is, if Armitage had not threatened Musharraf, would he have still taken 180 degree turn on Taliban. I believe YES. He was dying to get credibility for his rule.
At least he could have taken the chiefs of other armed forces in confidence beforet taking such a step. But knowing him, he kept the Airforce uninformed when he staretd the Kargil fiasco.
Though we are all excited about getting his book because it will contain lot of revelations, yet nobody seems to wonder would any lesser mortal had been allowed to publish his memoirs while in office. Where is the National Interest or National Security that Musharraf touts so often?
Mukhtaran Mai was not allowed to travel to US because she would tarnish Pakistan’s image. How does Pakistan’s image appear now when the nuclear power of the world (wanting to be treated at par with India) took a 180 degree turn over a threat from Deputy Secretary of State?
Obviously the general is in his element here in the US…he is in his constituency; The charm, the suit and the schtick for the goras and the jootas, wardi and stick for the Pakistanis at home.
The advance for the book was a reported $1 Million. Author’s royalty is usually tiered and rises with number of sales and can be as high as 18%, but even if its the range you mention, and assuming 1 million copies sold (which is quite likely), that would be a $1.6 Million, or (much) more.
I am not sure what ‘brand Pakistan’ is, but I hope it is something better than the picture of a military dictator bumbling his way with false confidence. But you are right. Not just the govt. of Pakistan but the people or Pakistan are paying for his antics; mostly through their noses!
Royalty is like 7-10% of net! So if you bought a book at Amazon today — the General got $1.60 – can’t even get a Big Mac for that…
His advance is probably under $600K on this…That won’t even get you a 2 marla plot in Islamabad these days…
I do think the Gov’t should pay him since he will be providing so much publicity for “Brand Pakistan”.