Terry Gross can sometimes overreach in her attempts to be the bestest interviewer ever and ask the most probing, insightful questions. She had Nathan Lane on when “The Producers” became a hit and asked him, in that gentle, hesitant way, if in addition to the positive part there was anything maybe disappointing, anything troubling or like a letdown about its being so hugely successful.
Long silence.
“Terry,” he said. More silence. “A hit…” One more pause. “…IS WHAT YOU WANT!”
And he went on and on. So much for her seeking that further wrinkle, the greatest nuance and so forth. Sometimes you swing for the bleachers and it doesn’t work out.
And this is purity trolling from those punks America Rising anyway. Phooey. Politicians need thick skins but they’re allowed to push back on interviewers now and then IMHO.
I think this is an important interview, because it underscores Hillary’s strengths and weaknesses. Everything she said makes perfect sense, and I believe what she’s saying, but she isn’t couching it in a way that makes her sound approachable. She’s got to learn to take the edge off, especially on NPR.
He calls out UFG because UFG is totally obsessed with her. TPM could put up and article on Cats being more intelligent than dogs and UFG would post something with a “damn you Hitlery”
slant to it.
Funny thing about being ‘thrown under the bus.’ Used to be bands touring by bus and if anyone was late to the pack-in they would make them ride UNDER the bus in the baggage bins. Not kill them by running them over with a bus. It was to discourage late arrivals not eliminate them from the tour.
Bill Orally, who calls himself the toughest interviewer in the country, walked out of his interview with Gross in 2003 because he got his knickers in a twist during their interview. That’s what it looks when someone doesn’t have the temperament to handle questioning
I think the appeal in this bit is just how directly and accurately Ms. Clinton smacked down that NPR dude. They guy was doing exactly what she called him on and I doubt that has ever happened to him.
She couldn’t win if she answered the host’s question. If she said she always supported it but kept it hidden, that makes her timid. If she said she opposed it then but supports it now, that makes her a weathervane. She handled it perfectly, saying “We have all evolved” without giving a timeframe, and then referencing way back in her youth to when it wasn’t even conceivable. She’s going to be formidable.
Look I think the headline is bogus, but Terry Gross all in all is a good interviewer and Hilary was on her show as part of book tour not as part of some some debate where the opposite side might be heard. And frankly as far as news outlets go it is the only one I still trust.
I agree with this assessment. The interview showed both of them at their worst. Terry Gross can overreach in interviews, pretending like her loaded question isn’t a loaded question. I listened to the whole clip, and I agree that Hillary should have pushed back when she did. Unfortunately the push back came across harsher than the questioning. She’s got tons of diplomatic experience, and I believe she should have handled it more gently.
Gross rarely has face to face interviews. The guests are in remote locations, and that could contribute to the unease on the interviewee’s part. Body language and facial expressions are very informative and since they’re usually lacking that could lead to testy exchanges based on misperceptions on both parts.
I love Terri Gross, but this: “I understand, but a lot of people believed in it already back in the '90s," Gross countered. "They supported gay marriage.”
Is just nonsense. A lot of people disapproved of gay marriage back in the 90s.
This is what it looks like when a triangulator gets caught red-handed:
CLINTON: “You know, somebody is always first, Terry.Somebody is always out front and thank goodness they are. But that doesn’t mean that those who join later, in being publically supportive or even privately accepting that there needs to be change, are any less committed. You could not be having the sweep of marriage equality across the country if nobody changed their mind and thank goodness so many of us have.”
GROSS: “So that’s one for you changed your mind?”
CLINTON: You know I really, I have to say, I think you being very persistent, but you are playing with my words and playing with what is such an important issue.”
GROSS: “I’m just trying to clarify so I can understand -”
CLINTON: “No, I don’t think you are trying to clarify. I think you are trying to say that I used to be opposed and now I am in favor and I did it for political reasons. ( which is exactly what happened) And that’s just flat wrong. So let me just state what I feel like I think you are implying and repudiate it. I have a strong record. I have a great commitment to this issue and I am proud of what I’ve done and the progress were making.”
GROSS: “You know I’m just saying, I’m sorry – I just want to clarify what I was saying – no, I was saying that you maybe really believed this all along, but, you know believed in gay marriage all along, but felt for political reasons America wasn’t ready yet and you couldn’t say it. That’s what I was thinking.”
In 2008 Elton John did a fundraiser for Hillary and did not do one for President Obama. What does that say? Maybe Hillary did not say anything at that time on same sex marriage, but she obviously supported gay rights. DUH!
