Diane Sawyer Ignores Lack of Congressional Approval for Libya, Is Fascinated by Hillary’s ‘Decisive Role’
ABC anchor Diane Sawyer on Tuesday interviewed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for World News and Nightline, but offered no questions about the Obama administration's failure to seek congressional approval for air strikes in Libya. Instead, the journalist seemed fascinated by the decision-making process, repeatedly asking about Clinton's “decisive” role in going ahead with the bombing. Sawyer quizzed, ” We have read, repeatedly, that you were decisive in this. Did you persuade President Obama? Was yours the voice that turned around the opponents? ” The intrigued World News anchor followed-up by asking if Secretary of Defense Robert Gates “opposed” her. A vague Clinton prompted Sawyer to press, “So, you're not going to characterize yourself in the hierarchy?” Two parts of the interview aired on World News. A replay aired on Nightline. In all of this, Sawyer never wondered about Obama bypassing Congress. This was a topic journalists were keenly interested when it related to George W. Bush and Iraq. Sawyer did find time to gossip, querying, “A quick and final personal question. You have indicated that should the President be re-elected, that you will not be secretary of state any longer. Will you stay until the election?” A transcript of the second World News, which aired at 6:39pm EDT on March 22, follows: DIANE SAWYER: And now, more of our interview with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Earlier, I spoke with her about that rescue. Your heart stopped for a minute? HILLARY CLINTON: Oh, it did. As you might guess. SAWYER: Her heart stopped before she realized they were all right. But we also had a chance to sit down and talk about how long the operation will go on in Libya, will it be as promised, just a matter of days, not weeks, as the President promised? So, I asked her, would it be on the anniversary of the one week, Saturday, before Monday? It will be one week on Saturday, will it happen by Saturday? CLINTON:
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on March 23, 2011. Filed under