“60 Minutes”, of course, got today’s interview with Mahmoud that they will show before he speaks to the UN.
But, this time they decided not to send Mike Wallace to shower the 9-11 Truther with praise.
CBS released this interview with Ahmadinejad:
(CBS) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will not press his plan — just denied by New York City police for security reasons — to visit ground zero in New York City, he tells 60 Minutes’ Scott Pelley in an exclusive interview conducted Thursday in Iran.
The Iranian leader says he’s “amazed” and skeptical that most Americans view his visit there as insulting as his intention was only to show respect. The interview will be broadcast Sunday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
Asked if he intends to press his request to visit the World Trade Center site, Ahmadinejad tells Pelley, “Well, it was included in my program. If we have the time and the conditions are conducive, I will try to do that.”
“But the New York Police Department and others do not appear to want you there. Do you intend to go there anyway?” Pelley asks.
“Well, over there, local officials need to make the necessary coordinations. If they can’t do that, I won’t insist,” the president replies.
“Sir, what were you thinking? The World Trade Center site is the most sensitive place in the American heart, and you must have known that visiting there would be insulting to many, many Americans,” Pelley says.
“Why should it be insulting?” Ahmadinejad asks.
“But the American people, sir, believe that your country is a terrorist nation, exporting terrorism in the world,” Pelley says. “You must have known that visiting the World Trade Center site would infuriate many Americans.”
“Well, I’m amazed. How can you speak for the whole of the American nation?” Ahmadinejad says. “You are representing a media and you’re a reporter. The American nation is made up of 300 million people. There are different points of view over there.”
President Bush agreed with New York City officials who want to ban Ahmadinejad from Ground Zero:
Mr. Bush noted that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has spoken in the past of strikes against Israel, and said his threats should be taken seriously.
“This is a person that constantly talks about the use of force on Israel, for example, and Israel is our very staunch and firm ally,” Mr. Bush said.
President Bush made clear he is in firm agreement with a decision by the New York City Police Department to deny a request by the Iranian president to place a wreath at the site of the World Trade Center in memory of the victims of the September 11th, 2001 attacks.
Right on!
Shouldn’t the Left be coming to Mahmoud’s aid about now?
Republican Presidential candidates blasted Ahmadinejad on the news that the Iranian President wants to visit Ground Zero.
HotAir has John McCain’s strong response to Mahmoud’s request.
UPDATE: Woops!… I spoke too soon.
Liberal bloggers started their defense of Ahmadinejad~!
UPDATE 2: Ian Schwartz has video of patriot Joe Lieberman slamming Ahmadinejad.
UPDATE 3: Here they come… Leftists line up in support of Ahmadinejad:
Huffington Post– “So, no, I wasn’t angry that Ahmandinejad wanted to visit Ground Zero. I was angry, however, at the “pack mentality” of our leading journalists.”
Attywood– “The folks who take out their frustrations in the Persian Gulf out on Moveon.org have now moved on themselves, into a tizzy over the possibility that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad might lay a wreath at Ground Zero when he comes to New York to address the UN.”
Josh Marshall– “Alternatively I guess it’s that he’s a very mean guy, said bad things about Israel or questioned the Holocaust? Is this man any worse than the various Soviet dignitaries who we feted and hosted around our country? Or is it simply that we’ve grown increasingly infantile as a country since the end of the Cold War, more and more obsessed and histrionic about minor powers like Iran and Iraq?
That’s nice!… To Josh Marshall, when Ahmadinejad continually threatens to wipe Israel off the map, it’s really just a few “bad things” he’s saying.
The apologists on the Left are getting to be too predictable.
UPDATE 4: Pajamas Media has a roundup of blogger reaction.
Doug Ross believes he found the Columbia University poster.
