Shock and Awe Page #4

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Do you think we can get enough

to run the story?

Unfortunately, I do.

So much for the ceasefire.

Yeah, well, really nice of us...

to temporarily stop shooting

at them, though.

I've been bound up

and wound up

Could barely get a sound up

Been cheated mistreated

Don't even want to

think of it

What are you up to, Smucker?

You know, I tried to chat

with your translator today.

Yeah, how'd that go?

Well, for a guy who gets paid

to talk for a living...

he was unusually quiet.

He only talks to me.

Really? And what'd he tell you?

Dollar, I'll let you read

all about it.

Let me see it.

bin Laden's gone, isn't he?

They missed him, didn't they?

He was here and they f***ing

missed him!

REPORTER:
A senior U.S.

military official...

tells NBC News "Despite the

crushing defeat...

"of Al Qaeda forces

at Tora Bora...

"it's believed now that Osama

bin Laden has slipped...

"across the border into

Pakistan, seeking refuge...

"in a lawless no man's land...

"ruled by renegade tribal

warlords."

Oh, it's official...

this is the saddest event

I've ever attended.

I'm going back to my apartment,

drink a bottle of wine...

and put my head in the oven.

Okay, but before you do that...

I really want you to meet the

guy I was telling you about.

Oh! He just walked in!

Forget the wine, I'll kill

myself now.

No, not him... him.

I'll introduce you.

Pam, please don't.

- Warren! Hey!

- Oh, hi.

Glad you could make it,

come on over.

Warren, this is a

good friend of mine, Lisa Mayr.

Lisa, this is Warren Strobel,

he's a journalist...

and I'm gonna get another drink.

Hi, uh, Lisa?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, nice to meet you.

- Hi.

- Uh...

Did you ever make it

into your apartment?

Uh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah,

no, no, no, I'm sorry.

- Yeah, I made it in okay.

- Good. Good.

So, you're a journalist?

Yeah, yeah, for Knight Ridder.

Oh, is that a magazine

or a newspaper?

It's actually a consortium

of 31 newspapers, actually.

Well, my stories go out to all

of our newspapers...

and each one has the option

to publish or not.

Oh, okay. I've always wondered

how that worked.

Yeah.

Hey, I got married when

I was 22.

And we're only recently

separated, so...

This is a little awkward for me.

It's okay.

I'm a little out of practice.

Why don't you start

by asking me a question?

Sure, yeah.

Are you a Republican

or a Democrat?

Try again.

Yeah, of course, she wants you

to call her.

She gave you her card.

No, maybe she's just trying

to gin up business.

At a singles mixer

on Valentine's Day?

What? So, call her? I should

call her?

What? No, no, no,

actually, let her dangle.

There's nothing a woman in her

30s likes more...

than a guy who takes his time.

I'm fine, Arthur, I'm fine.

It's just that I'm getting a

little tired...

of picking up your paper

every morning...

and seeing that you're not

running our stories.

I mean, last time I looked...

The Philadelphia Inquirer was

a Knight Ridder paper, right?

The point is, there's no point

in being a Knight Ridder paper..

if you're not going to run

Knight Ridder stories.

John, we've been through

this already.

Your stories don't fit...

in with what we're doing

over here right now.

Don't fit? Don't fit with what?

The truth?

What's the matter, Arthur...

the truth doesn't sell

papers anymore?

BROKAW:
And today, for the

first time...

the administration provided...

details for what it has always

insisted was a connection...

between Saddam Hussein

and Al Qaeda.

How strong is that case?

REPORTER:
Iraqi president

Saddam Hussein says...

he does not have any illegal

weapons of mass destruction...

and accused the United States

of using weapons...

as a pretext to start a war.

Mr. Galloway, how closely did

the movie conform to your book?

The movie was about 80% accurate

and 20% bullshit...

which I guess by Hollywood

standards is an accomplishment.

What inspired you to write

the book?

Being shot at by the North

Vietnamese army.

What was the biggest difference

between experiencing...

the Battle of Ia Drang in person

versus watching it in a theater?

The popcorn in Ia Drang was

saltier.

Last question.

Can you draw any comparisons

between Vietnam...

and what's happening today

in Afghanistan?

It's very different, but I think

it is appropriate...

that before we start dropping

bombs, we think long and hard...

about the greatest lesson

we got from Vietnam.

Which is?

When the government fucks up,

the soldiers pay the price.

To what do I owe this

unexpected visit?

Well, I was hoping I'd get

an autograph...

from the world's most famous

war correspondent.

I hate this part. Reporters are

not supposed to be the story.

Reporters are not supposed to be

awarded the Bronze Star, either.

How do you like the job

at State?

I love working for General

Powell...

and I hate working

for Uncle Sam.

You miss reporting?

After 42 years, I thought...

I should take some time

away from it.

So, I went to work at the State

Department on September 10th...

and the next day the biggest

story of my life broke.

I'd say there's a little bit

of a tug.

We're working on something

important, that's why I'm here.

To make me envious?

To make you an offer.

HANNITY:
If he gets weapons

of mass destruction, Jerry.

What does that mean

for the world?

What does that mean

for the Middle East?

- Can you turn it down?

- I'm trying to watch the news.

Stop calling it that.

Hey, son.

Adam, what's the matter?

I met with a recruiter.

HANNITY:
A lot of people

are gonna die, Jerry.

You know once you sign up...

there's no changing your mind,

right?

I know.

What do you know?

You're just a kid.

Whose country was attacked.

Adam, I know you want to do what

you think is right...

but war is not a video game.

You have no idea what

you're getting into.

I know exactly what

I'm getting into.

Here.

Show me where Afghanistan

is on this map.

Show me.

They're gonna send you halfway

around the world to fight...

people you didn't even know

existed a year ago.

If you know what you're

getting into...

show me where Afghanistan

is on this map.

Did anyone ever shove a map

in Dad's face...

and ask him to find Vietnam?

CHENEY:
We now know that

Saddam has resumed...

his efforts to acquire

nuclear weapons.

Among other sources, we've

gotten this from firsthand...

testimony from defectors.

Many of us are convinced

that Saddam Hussein...

will acquire nuclear weapons

fairly soon.

Simply stated, there is no

doubt that Saddam Hussein...

now has weapons of mass

destruction.

They're dialing up

the rhetoric on Iraq.

Let's see if we can nail

them down, okay?

Twenty bucks, whoever gets

the best quote.

No, no, no, you're such a child.

You're such a p*ssy.

I'm not taking your money.

You get all bent out of shape

when you lose.

I don't care. I'm just the same

when I win or lose.

I'm not... it's not a bet,

all right, fine.

Warren Strobel for Senator

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