Mike Wallace was just on NPR's Diane Rehm show, and boy was it good!
He's doing PR for his book (and DVD) of videos from his long career as a journalist and media personality. Lots of juicy stuff, both personal and political in this piece.
87 years old! Wow!
He wants to continue doing what he's doing, says he - "until my toes turn up".
After the fold, a summary (not verbatim) of highlights...
When asked about Kerry: Miserable candidate - the wrong candidate.
Caller (Gooper with an agenda): Did you vote for 'John Forbes Kerry'? When was the last time you voted for a Republican, if ever?
Wallace: I voted for Reagan. Voted for Nixon - he had offered me the job of Press Secretary. I was known at CBS as the "House Conservative."
Caller: Did you vote for him in 1984, too.
Wallace: (dodged the question)
When badgered by the caller about his current political leanings: "I am now with the majority(about the war in Iraq). Bush did not plan properly. 'Shock and awe' - who is responsible for this ludicrous phrase?"
On Dubya: "What has he done, besides being named George Bush to deserve being leader of the most powerful nation in the world? What prepared him to make up his mind that he wanted to invade Iraq?"
Rehm: How well has he performed?
Wallace: (Dodged the question.)
Rehm: Is he dishonest?
Wallace: I don't like to call anyone a liar.
Rehm: But you said that about Lyndon Johnson and Westmorland.
Wallace: Well they're dead, now.
About Dubya and his handlers: Bush and Rove refused to be interviewed. He's never spoken with Bush or any of his handlers, Hughes included. This is the first president he hasn't interviewed, let alone met, since "Abraham Lincoln".
About Chris Wallace, his son and Fox News anchor: "I defy you to find any bias on his Fox News Sunday show. I admire him."
Rehm: Who forged those fake National Guard memos?
Wallace: I don't know. We're responsible (anchors)for the stories that go out. Andrew Haywood OK'd the piece, but all who worked on it were fired. I told Dan (Rather), you ought to say 'if they go,(Mary Mapes, etc.) I go' ". We had a disagreement over it.
Rehm: Are you saying he should've have quit?
Wallace: I agree he should've quit right then.
They talked about his 4 marriages, how he dealt with depression over the the ending of his longest marriage at the same time he was being sued for 200 million for libel by General William Westmoreland. "Westy" had claimed that the enemy had numbered 300,000, which was half the number. (The lawsuit was ultimately dropped, but it took its toll on Wallace.)
Sorry this is so disjointed, but it was very good. I'd encourage you to listen to the show when they put the stream up in about an hour:
http://www.wamu.org/...