In an otherwise pretty friendly 60 Minutes profile of T. Boone Pickens and his “Pickens Plan” to reduce dependence on foreign oil, Charlie Rose, on loan from PBS, couldn't resist repeating the usual derogatory media descriptions and canards about the 2004 “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” ads against John Kerry, which Pickens helped fund, as “infamous,” “widely criticized” and “representative of dirty politics, smear politics, character assassination.” After video of Pickens taking his case to Democrats at their convention in Denver, Rose highlighted:
It didn't take long for the new non-partisan Boone Pickens to have a visibly uncomfortable encounter with his partisan past: Senator John Kerry, whose presidential campaign Pickens helped destroy four years ago when he gave money for the infamous and widely criticized “Swift Boat” ads that attacked the Senator's service in Vietnam and his later testimony before Congress.
Rose pressed Pickens about any regrets: “You spent $3 million funding an advertising campaign that, in some people’s mind, was representative of dirty politics, smear politics, character assassination, all of that. At this stage, do you have any reservations, do you have any-?” Pickens jumped in with an emphatic “none” and told Rose he'd do it over again.
This part of the 13-minute segment just happens to be the portion highlighted in a minute and-a-half preview clip on CBSNews.com (check the video titled “Cold Encounters” on the 60 Minutes home page and on the page with a text version of the story, though the preview video may be replaced at some point with video of the full segment. Direct link to the preview video.)
From the Sunday, October 26 edition of 60 Minutes:
CHARLIE ROSE: A life-long Republican, Pickens' candidate this election is his Pickens Plan. And in August, we found him venturing into unfamiliar territory.
ROSE TO PICKENS, ON THE CONVENTION FLOOR: Here we are, the Democratic -- Democratic -- National Convention. Boone Pickens, long-time Republican. What are you doing here?
PICKENS: I'm here, honestly, what I'm here for, is I'm here for America. My cause is a bipartisan, non-partisan cause.
ROSE, OVER VIDEO OF BRIEF GREETING BETWEEN PICKENS AND JOHN KERRY: But it didn't take long for the new non-partisan Boone Pickens to have a visibly uncomfortable encounter with his partisan past: Senator John Kerry, whose presidential campaign Pickens helped destroy four years ago when he gave money for the infamous and widely criticized “Swift Boat” ads that attacked the Senator's service in Vietnam and his later testimony before Congress.
ROSE TO PICKENS: You spent $3 million funding an advertising campaign that, in some people’s mind, was representative of dirty politics, smear politics, character assassination, all of that. At this stage, do you have any reservations, do you have any-?
PICKENS: None.
ROSE: None?
Pickens: None
ROSE: You'd do it over tomorrow?
PICKENS: What I knew then, I know that same thing now. And nothing has changed my mind.
ROSE: Surprisingly, that hasn't stopped some of the country's leading Democrats, like Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, from embracing him and his ideas...
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
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Comments Policy
"Rose pressed Pickens
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 20:11 ET by stratmanQuite possibly the only moment of the piece I enjoyed.
Boone may be a little wrongheaded in his plan, but Rose is all court jester.
Did anyone else note how Rose's drawl became more pronounced hanging around Pickens? What an affected girlyman.
Ross got shutdown
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 21:09 ET by JnobleGood for Pickens. He didn't do what too many people in his spot would be tempted to do: wuss-out and say something along the lines of "well, in hindsight maybe it was a bad choice and I apologise to Senator Kerry profusely for what may have been some misinformation..."
I don't know how I feel about Pickens' energy plans, but the guy sticks to his guns. Good.
I'm suprised Ross didn't keep at it like a Bugs Bunny cartoon:
"are you sure?"
"yes"
"REALLY sure?"
"yes"
"REALLY REALLY sure with a cherry on top?...."
"FOR GODS SAKE, YES! NOW STOP ASKING ME!"
........
".....are you still sure?..."
:-)
The truth hurts, doesn’t
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 21:10 ET by pocomocoThe truth hurts, doesn’t it Charley?
It seems that Charley has taken the John Kerry route to success by dumping his first wife of twelve years and glomming onto the socialite stepdaughter of CBS’s founder William Paley.
Nice going Charley, no one dares question your credibility now!
Charlie Rose could have said the same to Dan Rather!
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 21:23 ET by Gary HallCharlie Rose, just as easily, could have said the the exact same to Dan Rather!
Of course when you figure in all the time that Rather spent attempting to smear and assassinate President Bush's character and record, it would have cost CBS more than $3 million - and now they're paying Charlie Rose to keet their dirty politics alive - for another election. Yikes. (;~/ gary
Like him or hate him,
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 22:04 ET by IamTinmanLike him or hate him, Boone Pickens isn't afraid to take a stand and put his money where his mouth is.
Campaign staffers spend a great part of their time trying to make their candidate into something other than their actual selves. They tried their best with John Kerry but even with lipstick, he still is the gutless slimeball that bailed out of Vietnam with minor "wounds" and then lied about his fellow soldiers who fought and sometimes gave their lives for this country. I fervently hope the hottest corner of hell is reserved for him and his fellow "Winter Soldiers"!
Kick Charlie Rose in the Testicles
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 23:53 ET by Lame CherryI just don't understand it when people sit down with these liberal appendages that they don't act like Dire Straits in "Get me in the fight I like the dirty tricks".
For example Pickens is rich so he has lots of DC friends who know all about Charlie Rose's sins.
When Rose says something like smear campaign, Pickens could answer with the gossip:
Well Charlie when you were smearing your pastey body all over that girly a few years ago, your wife would sure think that was a dirty campaign. I told the truth. Your wife ever find the truth in your lying to her?
Of course all hell would break loose and is why they should only appear live and have a dozen little things to pop these pricks.
Look Diane Sawyer was on television looking up Dan Quayle's credit card reports making his purchases public. I would do the same to this molotov mob.
You would never get invited back but what a way to make a memorable moment on television outing Gibson buys porn on hotel cable entitled, "Gay boyz just want to have Charlie fun".
They all have their mega secrets. Let them be made public.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
This is sooo unPC and inappropriate
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 06:43 ET by theduck6But I can't seem to be able to stop my self. Must be a Tourette's thing.
You could kick Obama in the testicles and get the MSM's face in the same shot!
The "villainy" of the
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 10:07 ET by Chris NormanThe "villainy" of the Swift Boat ads is another political myth created by the Dems and their media cohorts. It takes it's place along side the Willie Horton "controversy" and the Florida "unfair" recount in their book of Republican dastardly deeds myths.
McNotObama '08
Swiftboating? Ever hear of
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 13:41 ET by FishFace222Swiftboating? Ever hear of George Soros and the crap he puts out Charlie??