Coleman is best known in the U.S. for a probing television interview of PresidentGeorge W. Bush just before his official visit to Ireland in the summer of 2004.
THE PRESIDENT: ... Look, Saddam Hussein had used weapons of mass destruction against his own people, against the neighborhood. He was a brutal dictator who posed a threat -- such a threat that the United Nations voted unanimously to say, Mr. Saddam Hussein --
Q Indeed, Mr. President, but you didn't find the weapons of mass destruction.
THE PRESIDENT: Let me finish. Let me finish. May I finish?
He said -- the United Nations said, disarm or face serious consequences. That's what the United Nations said. And guess what? He didn't disarm. He didn't disclose his arms. And, therefore, he faced serious consequences. But we have found a capacity for him to make a weapon. See, he had the capacity to make weapons. He was dangerous. And no one can argue that the world is better off with Saddam -- if Saddam Hussein were in power.
Q But, Mr. President, the world is a more dangerous place today. I don't know whether you can see that or not.
THE PRESIDENT: Why do you say that?
Q There are terrorist bombings every single day. It's now a daily event. It wasn't like that two years ago.[1]
The interview, for which questions were approved by the White House press office, led to complaints by President Bush and his press officers for the "disrespectful" manner of Coleman, who interrupted the President several times, and the cancellation of a Laura Bush interview with RTÉ.
The White House complained to the Irish Embassy about the interview. An Irish government spokesman commented that "within Government, there was an acknowledgment that the interview lacked respect." RTÉ, however, stated it "totally stands over the conduct of the interview and Carole's journalism."[2]
Coleman stated that she resorted to interrupting the President because she was afraid his stock answers would eat up all time she had for interview: "It was a filibuster of sorts. If I didn’t challenge him, the interview would be a wasted opportunity".[3] She also said she was surprised by the White House staff's reaction to the interview, but that she had no regrets:
Clearly the White House had thought they would be dealing with an Irish "cailin" bowled over by the opportunity to interview the Bushes
...
Had I been fair? Should I just have been more deferential to George Bush? I felt that I had simply done my job and shuddered at the thought of the backlash I would surely have faced in Ireland had I not challenged the president on matters that had changed the way America was viewed around the world.[3]
Books
In October 2005, Coleman published Alleluia America!An Irish Journalist in Bush Country (The Liffey Press). The book begins with an account of her interview with Bush and its aftermath. It goes on to describe Coleman's travels through the parts of the United States which voted for Bush in the 2004 election and the people she met in those places. The Bush/Coleman interview has been studied using a Critical Discourse Analysis methodology.[4]
In 2009, Coleman published The Battle for the White House ... and the Soul of America (The Liffey Press), an account of the 2008 US presidential election.
In October 2021, Coleman self-published News from Under a Coat Stand ... A Diary March-June 2020 (Orla Kelly Publishing).
References
Carole Coleman, Alleluia America! An Irish Journalist in Bush Country (2005), ISBN978-1-904148-76-0
^"Bush aides furious at interview". Irish Independent. 27 June 2004.
^ abCarole Coleman (9 October 2005). "I wanted to slap him". London: Sunday Times. Retrieved 14 July 2008.
^John Cullen ‘"They don't understand our country": Carole Coleman interviews President George W. Bush’ Uncertain Ireland: A Sociological Chronicle, 2003-2004 (Dublin: Institute of Public Administration, 2006) ed.s Mary P.Corcorcan & Michel Peillon, 209-221.
Carole Coleman, The Battle for The White House...and the Soul of America (2009), ISBN978-1-905785-52-0
carole, coleman, born, september, 1966, irish, journalist, originally, from, carrick, shannon, county, leitrim, former, washington, correspondent, raidió, teilifís, Éireann, rtÉ, carole, journalism, graduate, dublin, institute, technology, currently, presenter. Carole Coleman born September 1966 is an Irish journalist Originally from Carrick on Shannon County Leitrim she is a former Washington Correspondent for Raidio Teilifis Eireann RTE Carole is a journalism graduate of the Dublin Institute of Technology DIT and is currently a presenter reporter on This Week on RTE Radio One Carole ColemanBornSeptember 1966 age 56 Carrick on Shannon County Leitrim IrelandNationalityIrishEducationJournalismAlma materDublin Institute of Technology DIT OccupationJournalistEmployerRaidio Teilifis Eireann RTE Coleman is best known in the U S for a probing television interview of President George W Bush just before his official visit to Ireland in the summer of 2004 THE PRESIDENT Look Saddam Hussein had used weapons of mass destruction against his own people against the neighborhood He was a brutal dictator who posed a threat such a threat that the United Nations voted unanimously to say Mr Saddam Hussein Q Indeed Mr President but you didn t find the weapons of mass destruction THE PRESIDENT Let me finish Let me finish May I finish He said the United Nations said disarm or face serious consequences That s what the United Nations said And guess what He didn t disarm He didn t disclose his arms And therefore he faced serious consequences But we have found a capacity for him to make a weapon See he had the capacity to make weapons He was dangerous And no one can argue that the world is better off with Saddam if Saddam Hussein were in power Q But Mr President the world is a more dangerous place today I don t know whether you can see that or not THE PRESIDENT Why do you say that Q There are terrorist bombings every single day It s now a daily event It wasn t like that two years ago 1 The interview for which questions were approved by the White House press office led to complaints by President Bush and his press officers for the disrespectful manner of Coleman who interrupted the President several times and the cancellation of a Laura Bush interview with RTE The White House complained to the Irish Embassy about the interview An Irish government spokesman commented that within Government there was an acknowledgment that the interview lacked respect RTE however stated it totally stands over the conduct of the interview and Carole s journalism 2 Coleman stated that she resorted to interrupting the President because she was afraid his stock answers would eat up all time she had for interview It was a filibuster of sorts If I didn t challenge him the interview would be a wasted opportunity 3 She also said she was surprised by the White House staff s reaction to the interview but that she had no regrets Clearly the White House had thought they would be dealing with an Irish cailin bowled over by the opportunity to interview the Bushes Had I been fair Should I just have been more deferential to George Bush I felt that I had simply done my job and shuddered at the thought of the backlash I would surely have faced in Ireland had I not challenged the president on matters that had changed the way America was viewed around the world 3 Books EditIn October 2005 Coleman published Alleluia America An Irish Journalist in Bush Country The Liffey Press The book begins with an account of her interview with Bush and its aftermath It goes on to describe Coleman s travels through the parts of the United States which voted for Bush in the 2004 election and the people she met in those places The Bush Coleman interview has been studied using a Critical Discourse Analysis methodology 4 In 2009 Coleman published The Battle for the White House and the Soul of America The Liffey Press an account of the 2008 US presidential election In October 2021 Coleman self published News from Under a Coat Stand A Diary March June 2020 Orla Kelly Publishing References EditCarole Coleman Alleluia America An Irish Journalist in Bush Country 2005 ISBN 978 1 904148 76 0 Transcript of Interview White House Bush aides furious at interview Irish Independent 27 June 2004 a b Carole Coleman 9 October 2005 I wanted to slap him London Sunday Times Retrieved 14 July 2008 John Cullen They don t understand our country Carole Coleman interviews President George W Bush Uncertain Ireland A Sociological Chronicle 2003 2004 Dublin Institute of Public Administration 2006 ed s Mary P Corcorcan amp Michel Peillon 209 221 Carole Coleman The Battle for The White House and the Soul of America 2009 ISBN 978 1 905785 52 0 Carole Coleman News from Under a Coat Stand 2021 ISBN 978 1 914225 71 0External links EditVideo of Interview RTE Transcript of Interview White HouseMedia officesPreceded byMark Little RTE News Washington Correspondent2001 2004 Succeeded byRobert Shortt Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Carole Coleman amp oldid 1122651286, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
