PBS television journalist Charlie Rose began an interview with Hillary Clinton in the most obsequious way possible, proclaiming her accomplishments and reading aloud a sappy Maya Angelou poem glorifying the former secretary of state.
Rose opened his hour-long interview with Clinton Thursday night with a glowing review of the her new book “Hard Choices,” waxing poetic as Hillary looked on approvingly.
“Henry Kissinger has said, ‘When I call Mrs. Clinton Hillary, I do that not so much to indicate familiarity, but to use a name that the whole world uses,'” Rose said profoundly. “It shows to what extend she has succeeded in her people-to-people work.”
Then Rose began actually waxing poetic. “Maya Angelou — the late Maya Angelou — wrote a poem about her during the 2008 presidential campaign,” he continued, reading aloud an entire paragraph of the fawning tribute to Hillary’s womanhood.
Finally Rose looked like he would start the interview. “Thank you, Charles,” Clinton gushed after she’d be introduced. “It is so glad to be back with you.”
But the PBS host couldn’t resist one last verbal caress for his dearest diplomat. “Full disclosure: I consider Hillary Clinton a friend and am proud to have her here,” he smiled, “and look forward to a conversation with all of and the best questions that I know how to ask.”
He then opened with the consummate softball: “In terms of choices and hard choices, where did you find the strength at these difficult moments in your personal life?”
The rest of the interview went on in the same ingratiating vein.
[h/t Newsbusters]