News - Access Interviews

John Sergeant

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

The 64-year-old political correspondent has repeatedly been saved from eviction by the public vote despite coming bottom of the score table. Judges on the BBC One show have criticised the public for keeping Sergeant on the show, saying that what started as a "joke" vote is no longer funny. In a statement, Sergeant said: "I am sorry to say I have decided to leave Strictly Come Dancing. "It was always my intention to have fun on the show and I was hoping to stay in as long as possible. "The trouble is that there is now a real danger that I might win the competition. Even for me that would be a joke too far. "I would like to thank Kristina [his dance partner] and all those viewers who have been rooting for me through the series." Sergeant's dramatic departure comes amid reports that the show's producers are considering a new "three strikes and you're out" rule. Under the new rules, which would be adopted for the next series, a contestant who finishes bottom of the judges' leader board for three weeks in a row will be automatically ejected without participating in a dance-off. If Sergeant had been subject to this rule, he would have been removed from the show by now. One of the show's judges, Arlene Phillips, has accused Sergeant of undermining the programme and has said she would be "desolate" if he won. Cherie Lunghi, the actress who lost out in the most recent dance-off, accused the former political journalist of turning the show into a "soap opera". The BBC One controller, Jay Hunt, said Sergeant and his Russian dance partner Kristina Rihanoff would perform a farewell dance during Saturday's show. She added: "We are very sad to see him go."

Claudia Castillo

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

The first woman to have a transplant of an organ grown from stem cells has spoken of the moment she opened her eyes following the pioneering surgery and knew that her life had changed forever. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Telegraph Claudia Castillo said she feared she would never be able to take her two children to the park, read her youngest a bed time story or take them to visit family in Colombia. "The moment I woke after the procedure, I looked up at the doctor and he smiled and told me it had been successful - it was the best moment ever," she said. "I knew then that I had a life and a future." The 30-year-old Columbian mother of two, who has lived in Spain for nine years, was struck down by tuberculosis five years ago. She was given conventional treatment but her condition worsened. "I was coughing all the time, I couldn't walk very far and I couldn't say more than a few words at a time before becoming breathless," said the dental nurse speaking on Wednesday at the Barcelona hospital where she was treated. "I wasn't able to work and couldn't do the normal things mothers to for their children."

John Sergeant

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

John Sergeant has pulled out of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing because winning would have been "a joke too far", he has said. Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman tackled the former political journalist at a news conference, asking whether he was a man or a mouse. This is coverage of the news conference...

John Sergeant

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

The interview with John Sergeant explaining why he quit the BBC1 show. Looks like the tipping point came when double dealng liar Peter Mandelson revealed he envied Sergeant's twinkle toed success. Speaking on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, the BBC's former political editor explained all ...

Tammy Duckworth

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

Last week the world watched as Barack Obama embraced an Iraq war vet at a Veterans Day ceremony. Tammy Duckworth lost her legs on a mission in Baghdad four years ago. Now she is among a rising number of ex-soldiers reshaping US politics and may yet serve under the new president. Here she talks about her fight for her comrades - and her own fight for life

Shimon Peres

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

Foreign Secretary David Miliband is in Damascus, trying to improve relations with Syria. In the United States, the president-elect, Barack Obama, is promising a push for peace when he takes office in January. Shimon Peres discusses what moves should be made to foster relations with Syria and Iran - and how the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians can be revitalised.

Barack Obama

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

President-elect ready to hand top posts to ‘enemies’. Also Discusses National Security, Iraq, And His Cabinet In 60 Minutes Interview. Barack Obama said today he would appoint at least one Republican to his cabinet as he praised the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln – a president who gave top posts to several of his bitterest political enemies. Mr Obama, who meets John McCain in Chicago tomorrow to discuss ways they can work together after he becomes president, said he would be announcing Cabinet appointments soon, days after he discussed with Hillary Clinton the possibility of making her his Secretary of State. In his first full interview since winning the election, Mr Obama described the challenges he faces when he takes office in January as "enormous" and "multiple". He made clear his determination to pick the most effective team to tackle them, even if it means choosing former rivals and Republicans. Mr Obama said he had spent "a lot of time" reading the writings of President Lincoln since the election, because "there is a wisdom there and a humility about his approach to government, even before he was president, that I just find very helpful." He and Mrs Clinton have both read and admired 'Team of Rivals', Doris Kearns Goodwin's book about how President Lincoln bought old foes into government after winning the 1860 election. Reminded that the 16th president put many of his political enemies in his cabinet, Mr Obama was asked on CBS's 60 Minutes whether he was considering the same approach. "Well, I'll tell you what," he replied. "I find him a very wise man." Aides to Mr Obama said a final decision on whether to appoint Mrs Clinton as Secretary of State - his former rival for the Democratic nomination - had not yet been made. But it is understood that both sides want it to happen. One internal debate centres on the foreign business dealings of Bill Clinton – and the list of donors to his presidential library - at a time when the president-elect has pledged transparency. If Mrs Clinton is appointed as America's top diplomat, an announcement could come as early as this week. James Carville, Mr Clinton's former strategist, said: "There is a lot of momentum on this. This thing could very well happen." The former First Lady's possible move to head the State Department also received the backing of two prominent Republicans today: Henry Kissinger, who held the post under Presidents Nixon and Ford, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the California Governor. Mr McCain is not expected to be brought into the Obama Cabinet, but their discussions tomorrow will focus on how the Arizona senator, as he returns to Capitol Hill after his general election defeat, can help the new president on issues where there is common ground. They include reforming government, tackling global warming, banning torture by US personnel, and closing Guantanamo Bay. One Republican on a list of possible cabinet appointees is Chuck Hagel, the Nebraska senator and Vietnam War veteran who is leaving Congress in January. He was a longstanding critic of President Bush's Iraq strategy and decried Mr McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running-mate. Another Republican under debate is Robert Gates, Mr Bush's Secretary of Defence. Aides to Mr Obama have indicated that he may be asked to stay on, although his fate is still uncertain. One area where Mr Obama is not following Mr Lincoln is his groundbreaking use of the internet. On Saturday, he posted the first of what will be his weekly radio address on You Tube. As he looks to appoint more than 300 Cabinet secretaries, deputies and under-secretaries, and 2,500 political appointees, Mr Obama is using another former Republican president as a model: Ronald Reagan. He is focusing on forming his White House team first, before fleshing out cabinet positions, much like Mr Reagan did during his transition. The Obama team announced several more White House appointments yesterday, including Gregory Craig as his White House counsel. Mr Craig is a Washington veteran who headed Mr Clinton's impeachment defence. He was an early supporter of Mr Obama's and has been a senior adviser throughout his campaign.

Nevres Kemal

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

Exclusive: the brave social worker who blew the whistle on Haringey's dire treatment of children before Baby P's death tells how the the council tried to destroy her life

Nevres Kemal

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

The brave whistleblower social services chiefs tried to gag today breaks her silence to reveal the shocking catalogue of blunders that led to Baby P’s death. Nevres Kemal is the experienced social worker who was so horrified at Haringey Council’s shambolic child protection department she wrote to ministers to warn of an imminent catastrophe. Nevres, 44, exposes how staff were taken on “team-building” jaunts to Barcelona and Dublin and blew £1,600 on tea parties at the Ritz. Back in their office, urgent files were piled high and ignored. Children like Baby P who needed the department’s protection were shamefully let down. She reveals she warned children’s services chief Sharon Shoesmith she would have “blood on her hands” if urgent action wasn’t taken. But instead of her concerns being taken up and acted upon, Nevres ended up bullied, ostracised and drummed out of her job. She then had to agree to an injunction by Haringey Council in a bid to keep her silent. Six months after her fateful warning to ministers, 17-month-old Baby P was dead. She said yesterday: “They tried to gag me but I don’t care. I knew something like Baby P would happen. It was just a matter of time. I need to speak out now for the children who still need care.” Mum-of-one Nevres worked at Haringey Social Services from August 23, 2004 to March 19, 2007. In that time she saw case files mysteriously vanish and vulnerable children left in danger as staff bickered among themselves, more concerned with freebies and love affairs. A dedicated childcare professional, Nevres says her card was marked after she spurned advances from a lesbian co-worker. ...

Thomas Beatie

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

Barbara Walters Exclusive: In First Interview Since Giving Birth, Thomas Beatie Tells Barbara Walters About Life With Daughter Susan. Thomas Beatie, the controversial "pregnant man" who gave birth to a daughter earlier this year, reveals to Barbara Walters in an exclusive interview that he is pregnant again with his second child. Thomas Beatie, a transgender, welcomed a baby girl, Susan, June 29. Since sharing the story of Susan's birth with ABC News, he and his wife, Nancy Beatie, hadn't spoken to the media until they sat down last month with Walters. Thomas Beatie, who is in his first trimester, tells Walters he did not go back on the male hormone testosterone after Susan's birth so he could have another baby. "I feel good," he said. "I had my checkups with my hormone level, as far as the HCG. And everything is right on track." He says the baby is due June 12. Thomas Beatie also spoke to Walters about Susan's birth, which was not via Caesarean section. He was in labor for 40 hours; Nancy Beatie cut the umbilical cord. 'We're Just a Family' In the spring, Thomas Beatie wrote an article in the national gay magazine The Advocate, revealing that he was legally male and that he was pregnant. He released a photo showing his bearded face and pregnant belly. The news -- and the controversial photo -- ignited a media frenzy and provoked questions about traditional notions about sex and gender. ...

Baby P's father

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

The father of Baby P has spoken for the first time - in a statement - about how the 'systematic torture' of his son was hidden from him. Watch the statement being read by his solicitor at the link below. His statement came as a judge ruled pictures could be published of the 17-month-old boy, who died after suffering months of abuse while living with his mother, her boyfriend and their lodger. Ministers were yesterday accused of "passing the buck" after admitting they had been warned about failings in social services in the London borough where he was killed. Baby's P's natural father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: "P was a bouncing 17-month-old boy. I loved him deeply. I remember how he used to run up to me... or when he was in his pram he would bounce up and down until I took him out, giving me hugs and kisses. "Those who systematically tortured P and killed him kept it a secret. Not just from me but from all the people who visited the house up until P's death. Even after he died, they lied to cover up their abuse." But he thanked police and social workers, who visited the baby 60 times in eight months, and did not blame Haringey Council, which is under investigation for alleged failings in the case. A whistleblower has claimed child protection at Haringey was "out of control" months before the tragedy, but her letter, which had been sent to ministers, was "pushed from pillar to post" by Government departments and watchdogs and no action was taken. Ministers admitted on Friday that they had received the letter warning of a repeat of the Victoria Climbié tragedy, but insisted they followed the correct procedures by passing it on. The Conservative leader David Cameron, who clashed with Gordon Brown over the death this week, said: "This is an absolutely tragic case of a baby who seems almost literally to have fallen through the cracks of a bureaucratic system. "If letters are sent with both 'Haringey' and 'children' in the same sentence, then that should have been a real wake-up call." It has emerged that in February 2007, lawyers for Nevres Kemal, a former social worker in Haringey, had written to Patricia Hewitt, then Health Secretary, and three other ministers in her department as well as the Tottenham MP David Lammy and the social care watchdog, the Commission for Social Care Inspection. Miss Kemal told the health ministers that child protection measures brought in to prevent a repeat of the Climbié tragedy, in which the eight-year-old girl was tortured to death by her guardians in the borough in 2000 after failings by the authorities were not being implemented, and called for a public inquiry. But the Department of Health simply passed the letter on to the Department for Education and Skills. Education officials also failed to act, merely advising Miss Kemal to try the CSCI watchdog. It held a meeting with Haringey officials in March but concluded that the town hall had dealt with the whistleblower's claims properly. Five months later Baby P was dead, having been subjecting to vile abuse and suffering more than 50 injuries including a broken spine and eight ribs. Lawrence Davies, the lawyer for Miss Kemal who is not allowed to talk about the case, said her complaint had been "pushed from pillar to post". "If the social care inspectorate had acted on it or the ministers had acted on it, it seems hard to believe that the situation in which Baby P was seen 60 times in total... presumably several times after February, couldn't have been averted." The Prime Minister pledged he would do "everything in my power" to prevent a repeat of the Baby P tragedy. Speaking on a trip to New York, Mr Brown said: "Every family needs to know that their children are safe at night." As the first image of Baby P was released, His Honour Judge Stephen Kramer QC warned the toddler's mother, 27, her 32-year-old boyfriend and their lodger, 36-year-old Jason Owen that they would face a "significant term in prison" for allowing or causing Baby P's death. All three are due to be sentenced in December.

George Osborne

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

Britain is heading for a “collapse of sterling” if Gordon Brown persists with trying to borrow his way out of trouble, George Osborne says in an interview with The Times today. Risking accusations that he is talking down the pound, the Shadow Chancellor mounts a ferocious attack on the Prime Minister, accusing him of following a deliberate “scorched-earth policy” that would leave the economy in a mess for the Tories to inherit. Mr Osborne, ignoring the convention that senior politicians do not predict runs on the pound, says that the country knows instinctively that no government can borrow its way out of debt. He claims that the weight of debt will stifle recovery and also create a big risk for sterling. “Sterling has devalued rapidly against the euro and the dollar. We are in danger, if the Government is not careful, of having a proper sterling collapse, a run on the pound. The danger of a run on the pound . . . is that it pushes up long-term interest rates, which is a huge burden on the economy. The more you borrow as a government the more you have to sell that debt and the less attractive your currency seems.” THE INTERVIEW: In the Conservative Party’s Hundred Acre Wood, George Osborne has always been Tigger to David Cameron’s Christopher Robin. The Shadow Chancellor is a natural optimist, bouncing back enthusiastically after every setback. As an aide, he used to cheer up John Major and William Hague in the bleakest times. A year ago he delighted his party by bouncing Gordon Brown out of holding an election. Not only was he the Conservative leader’s best friend, he was his closest political ally, the joint architect of the strategy for modernising the Tory party. But in the past few weeks he has had his tail between his legs. The backbench Eeyores have begun moaning that it’s all going horribly wrong. The media bees have started to sting. There has been speculation that he might be left in the nursery. His misjudgment over a yacht in Corfu has, critics say, been compounded by his inability to give a clear alternative to Mr Brown on the economy. His confidence seems to have been shaken. As his ebullience has deflated, so has the Tories’ poll lead. Mr Osborne admits that it has been a tough few weeks. He will not, he tells us, be going back to Corfu next summer. “I regretted the whole farrago. I made a mistake — not because I broke any law or rule, I never asked for a donation, nor did I receive one — but it didn’t look good.” He is determined to win back those in the party who have questioned his political acumen. “My door is completely open to anyone who wants to talk to me,” he says.

Lawrence Davies

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

A whistleblower warned the government of alleged failings in child protection in Haringey before Baby P died, it has emerged. Lawrence Davies, lawyer for former social worker Nevres Kemal, explains how his client warned of the risks to children in Haringey in February 2007. Mike Wardle, from the General Social Care Council which regulates social workers in England, examines the case.

Ann Walker

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

EXCLUSIVE: THE childminder of tortured Baby P revealed yesterday that she repeatedly warned Social Services about his pitiful condition — but they failed to act. Gazing at the tragic 17-month-old’s teddy — by grim irony bearing the words “I love you” — Ann Walker said: “He was dying. I told them about his state. I said things were not right. But nothing was done.” The tot’s death in Haringey, North London, from horrific abuse could have been avoided, Ann insisted. She said: “If someone had taken action we would not be mourning the loss of a baby’s life. The warning signs were all there.” Baby P died with 50 injuries including a broken back after eight months of agony. Ann looked after him in his final five weeks of life. She was told it was to “give the mum a break”. She was ordered to report any injuries she found to social worker Maria Ward. Ms Ward told Ann she would visit Baby P. But Ann claimed she made just one brief visit. She went on: “It was upsetting. Four or five times I phoned about bruises, marks, nappy rash and dried blood in his ear.

George Bush

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

In his first post-Election Day interview, President Bush spoke to CNN's Heidi Collins on Tuesday aboard the Intrepid, a former U.S. Navy aircraft carrier where he was commemorating Veterans Day. He reflected on his presidency and the transition in the works with President-elect Barack Obama. Here is a transcript of the interview. The president began by talking about his feelings for the troops. President Bush: Being the commander in chief is as high an honor as you can possibly imagine and I have given it my all to support our military and to support our veterans. What does that mean? It means going to Congress and saying let's make sure our military families have good housing, health care, educational benefits. It means helping to work with the Congress to get money for our veterans, but it really means saying to our troops, "I will make decisions based on what is best for our country, not what is best for me politically." I don't want your troops thinking that the decisions I have made were about politics or about my standing. The decisions were made how to secure this country, how to protect ourselves from the long run. And that was important for those troops to know that their commander in chief not only supported them but stood with them in their mission CNN: As you stand with them in their mission there are two months left of your presidency. How will that feel to leave office in the middle of two wars? Bush: I'm trying to figure it out because there's a lot going on. We've got an economic situation, the campaign just ended, we still have troops in harm's way. I'll be meeting with families of the fallen today. This job will end on January 20 and so this is a better question answered on the 21st. I'm not sure what to tell you because I know I'm going to go from 100 mph to near zero overnight. I'm not sure what to expect. I know I'll miss certain things about the presidency. I also know I'm looking forward to getting home, so I've got mixed emotions. CNN: What will you tell -- and maybe you talked about this yesterday with President-elect Obama -- about taking care of America's veterans and active servicemen and women? Bush: To the extent that he asked my advice -- and he may want to ask it again -- and the best way to make sure he feels comfortable asking it again is for me not to tell you in the first place on what I advised him. We had a very private conversation. It was relaxed. It was interesting to watch someone that is getting ready to assume the office of the president. It will be a fantastic experience for he and his family. He didn't need my advice about supporting the military. He knows he must do that. We had a good conversation. I was very pleased. Remember the conversation I had with my predecessor Bill Clinton, as a matter of fact called him yesterday and said, Bill, I'm getting ready to meet with the new president and I remember how gracious you were to me. I hope I can be as gracious to President-elect Obama as you were to me. It was interesting yesterday. One of the things President-elect Obama was interested in, after we had our policy discussions, was his little girls, how would they like the White House. It was interesting to watch him go upstairs. He wanted to see where his little girls were going to sleep. Clearly this guy is going to bring a sense of family to the White House and I hope Laura and I did the same thing, but I believe he will and I know his girls are on his mind and he wants to make sure that first and foremost he is a good dad. And I think that's going to be an important part of his presidency... *Full transcript here...

George Bush

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

A reflective U.S. President George W. Bush has said he regrets some of his more blunt statements on his so-called war on terrorism over the last eight years and wishes he had not spoken in front of a "Mission Accomplished" banner only a month after U.S. troops in Iraq were deployed. "I regret saying some things I shouldn't have said," Bush told CNN's Heidi Collins when asked to reflect on his regrets over his two terms as president. "Like 'dead or alive' and 'bring 'em on.' My wife reminded me that, hey, as president of the United States, be careful what you say." The interview, aboard the USS Intrepid in New York, came after the president addressed a Veterans Day ceremony. Shortly after the attacks of September 11, the president said of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden: "I want justice. There's an old poster out West that said, 'Wanted, dead or alive.' " Video Watch President Bush talk about his regrets » Bush was also criticized in 2003 for his answer addressing insurgents in Iraq. "There are some who feel like that the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is, bring 'em on," he said then... *Watch the interview where...

Sarah Palin

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

It's been just a little more than a week since America's unprecedented, often heated, 2008 presidential election. Along with Sen. Barack Obama's historic win, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska made some history -- and waves -- of her own as the vice presidential running mate of Sen. John McCain. She drew huge crowds at her campaign stops, garnered intense media interest and brought big ratings to "Saturday Night Live" as comedian Tina Fey impersonated her in several political skits. Palin appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Wednesday to discuss the historic campaign, how she thinks she affected the Republican ticket, the concession speech she never got to make, her family's coverage in the media and her plans now that the election is over. The following is an edited version of the interview: Larry King: When Sen. Ted Stevens was found guilty, both you and Sen. McCain called for him to step down. That has not happened. He was re-elected. What should he do now? Sarah Palin: I said before that election, as he had been found guilty on the seven counts, that he should step down. Now he chose not to and voters in Alaska, at least thus far, until those final ballots are counted, it looks like they are re-electing Sen. Stevens. And that's the will of the people. I'm not a dictator. I'm not going to yank anything out from under the will of the people. Now it will be up to the U.S. Senate to decide what happens next. King: Is that the kind of post you would want some day -- the Senate? Palin: You know, not necessarily. I'm not going to close any doors that perhaps would be in front of me and would allow me to put to good use executive experience and a world view that I think is good for our nation. I'm not going to close any door there in terms of opportunity that may be there in the future. But at this point, I love my job as governor. There's a tremendous amount of work to do in Alaska. King: Our new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll shows that 49 percent of adult Americans have a favorable feeling about you and 43 percent as unfavorable. In retrospect, do you think you might have hurt the ticket? Palin: If I hurt the ticket at all and cost John McCain even one vote, I am sorry about it, because John McCain is a true American hero. He's got great solutions in terms of the challenges that are facing America right now, with national security and needing to get our economy back on the right track. Again, I'm sorry if I cost him any votes, if I did. King: What role do you think you have in the party? How do you see yourself down the road? Palin: What I can do, specifically, in helping our nation become energy independent, of course, comes from my experience as an oil and gas regulator in a huge energy-producing state and now as governor of that state. We know that we have the domestic solutions and the domestic supplies of energy. Domestic solutions that are at our fingertips -- I want to help lead in that area. Also, what I can do as a Republican governor is do all that I can in my state and, hopefully, in the nation, also, in helping our families who have children with special needs. It's an issue near and dear to my heart. It resonated well throughout the campaign, also. King: Are you ready to run for the presidency? Is that something that would interest you? Palin: Again, I'm not going to close any doors of opportunity that perhaps are open out there in the future. Not having a crystal ball, I do not know what those opportunities will be. But at this point, I'm very happy to get to serve my constituents in the great state of Alaska and start contributing our state more to national security and economic prosperity across America. King: Should you have not done the Katie Couric interview? Palin: Sure, I should have done the Katie Couric interview. Her questions were fair. ... Obviously, being a bit annoyed with some of the questions, my annoyance shows through. I am who I am, though, and I call it like I see it. Some of those questions, you know, regarding what do I read up in Alaska, were, to me, a bit irrelevant. But there was nothing off-base, unfair about it. Certainly, I should have done the interview. To attribute that interview to any kind of negativity in the campaign or a downfall in the campaign, I think it's ridiculous. In retrospect, in hindsight, I wish I would had more opportunities or that we would have seized more opportunities to speak more to the American people through the media. King: Why didn't you? Palin: I didn't call the shots on a lot that strategy. But I'm not going to look backwards and point fingers of blame in regard to the strategy. And just suffice it to say, it's very, very important for candidates to be able to speak to the American voter. King: Katie Couric, by the way, said last night that she thinks you should keep your head down, work really hard and learn about governing before contemplating a presidential run. What are your thoughts about her saying you should learn about governing? Palin: I'd say thank you, Katie Couric, for your advice. I won't reciprocate in giving her any advice, that's for sure, because I have respect for her and the profession that she is in. I would have greater respect, though, for the entire profession called mainstream media if we could have great assurance that there's fairness, that there's objectivity throughout the reporting world. ... I started out as a journalist. It's that important to me that that cornerstone of our democracy is given the credence and credibility that it deserves. King: But you do admit you should have done more (interviews)? Palin: I would love to have done more. Yes. Yes. King: During the campaign, you expressed concerns about Obama's lack of executive experience and characterized him as "palling around with terrorists." Do you fear the United States under his presidency -- do you fear for the United States? Palin: I don't have fear, I have optimism. Barack Obama is going to surround himself with those who do have executive experience. There was nothing mean-spirited -- there was no negative campaigning when I called Barack Obama out on his associations. You know, we're talking specifically, of course, about Bill Ayers -- an unrepentant domestic terrorist, who campaigned to bomb our United States Capitol and our Pentagon. I don't think that there is anything wrong with calling someone out on their associations, their record, their plans. I expect to be called out -- and so did John McCain -- on his associations and our record. I'm proud of Barack Obama. I pray for him, his family, the new administration. I look forward to the good things that are in store for this nation. King: Are you going to go to the inaugural? Palin: I haven't been invited. It would be something, perhaps, if I'm not too busy up there in the state of Alaska, I'd love to. King: Did you want to make a concession speech? Palin: I had some very nice words penned ready to deliver it. It was going to just be a sweet shout-out to Sen. McCain and all that he has overcome and the challenges that he has met and the victories within his own life and his character. I had good words penned there that I would have loved to have been able to express. But John McCain is a very, very humble man. It was decided that -- at the very last minute that, no, he would do the concession speech solely. That's our right. That's, you know, that's their call. That's the strategists' call and John McCain's. King: Were you very sad when you learned the result? Palin: You know, sad because I knew had hard that our ticket had worked. Again, I'm convinced today, as much as I was along the campaign trail, that John McCain is a true American hero and he does have solutions that need to be... King: You said you were surprised that your children became part of the campaign story. Wasn't that kind of naive? Palin: Well, it wasn't naive, not after Barack Obama came out and said that his wife was off limits. Why should my children, then, have been this assumed target? And they were and that was unfair. But, yes, I thought it was ridiculous, not so much the reporting on my children, but the lies that were told about my children and about my own record. That -- you know, stupid things, Larry, you know, like who is Trig's real mother? And mainstream media wouldn't correct the erroneous assumptions or suggestions in a story like that? That was ridiculous. King: Something all mothers fear, though, is the knowledge that her daughter is pregnant. Was that very hard for you to take? Palin: Well, what do you think, Larry? Of course. You know, I looked at her and thought -- and I thought, Bristol, honey, you're going to have to grow up really fast. She is a strong and kind-hearted young woman. She's going to make a great mom. She is very strong. She's going to be just fine. But Bristol has an opportunity, at this point, also, to reach out to other young American women and let them know that these are absolutely less than ideal circumstances that she or any other unwed teenage mother are in. And it is not something to glamorize. King: What do you make of all the clothes stories, the $150,000 stories? Palin: I think that was the most ridiculous part of the campaign was the whole clothes story. They weren't my clothes. They aren't my clothes. I don't have the clothes. ... The whole clothes issue, that's part of the periphery, kind of the pettiness that was involved in the campaign that had absolutely nothing to do with policies, plans, records, values, convictions, kind of ridiculous. advertisement King: Do you pledge to the people that you will serve out your term? Palin: I pledge to the people of Alaska I will do anything and everything that I can to progress the great state of Alaska. I will do what the people of Alaska want me to do. WATCH highlights of the interview here... *Watch highlights of Larry King's interview with Gov. Palin ...

Minister Michael Martin

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

THE MOST vulnerable members of the Irish community in Britain, especially the elderly, have been targeted for funding from the £8 million in grant assistance announced for 2008 by Mr Micheal Martin, the country’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Paul Dacre

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

*AI Editor's note: Clearly this is not an interview, but this controversial speech to the UK's Society of Editors conference is as close as you will ever get to a full 'n' frank interview with Paul Dacre, the "Godfather" of British newspaper journalism.

John McCain

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:09:46 +0000

John McCain reveals his thoughts to Jay Leno about the great election he list to Barack Obama. "Since the election I now sleep like a baby: I sleep for two hours, wake up crying, then go back to sleep!"