Howard Kurtz: Brit Hume and Cheney = Dan Rather and Saddam? Sawyer and Starr?

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By Tim Graham (Bio | Archive)
February 20, 2006 - 10:56 ET
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In his "Media Notes" column in today's Washington Post, Howard Kurtz puts together a really odd paragraph or two in further examining the Cheney vs. Liberal Media fight:
Cheney and his strategists seized on what they viewed as a non-hostile forum, figuring every other news outlet would have no choice but to carry excerpts.
Such an approach is hardly unprecedented for public figures on the hot seat. Gary Condit talked to Connie Chung. Monica Lewinsky talked to Barbara Walters. Ken Starr talked to Diane Sawyer. Hugh Grant talked to Jay Leno. Michael Jackson talked to Ed Bradley. Saddam Hussein talked to Dan Rather...
The first thing I seized on, naturally, was Kurtz's suggestion that Saddam had Dan Rather pegged as a "non-hostile forum." Rather wanted to boil Dubya in oil, but Saddam was treated like a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Remember that interview here.
But then look at the list again. Connie Chung was at least a little hostile to Gary Condit (at least as tough as she was on poor Newtie's mother). And Ken Starr with Diane Sawyer?? She pounded him like pastry dough! Remember it here.