Bob Woodward recently published his investigative book on Republican Vice-President nominee Sarah Palin. I had the opportunity to interview him Sunday afternoon via telephone:
Mark Wiberg: Hi Bob.
Bob Woodward: Hi, Mike.
Wiberg: It’s “Mark.” So, I understand you wrote this book this past weekend about the Governor of Alaska, John McCain’s surprise selection for vice president..
Woodward: Who?
Wiberg: Sarah Palin.
Woodward: Oh, yes. I didn’t realize she was the governor.
Wiberg: But you just wrote a book about her?
Woodward: I did, but much of what I wrote was sourced from unnamed sources, including people I never talked to, and none of them indicated to me that Palin was the governor of Alaska.
Wiberg: Okay. Let me ask you this – did you spend any time with Sarah Palin or her husband Todd?
Woodward: She’s married?
Wiberg: Yes.
Woodward: (scribbling) Interesting. Anyway, to answer your question: I did talk with Sarah during the writing of this book.
Wiberg: This past weekend?
Woodward: Yes, from my home here in DC.
Wiberg: And what was she like. How did she strike you as a politician and as a person.
Woodward: Well, she’s a woman. I got that much. Sounds a little Canadian, which could be a problem with some of ignorant people outside of DC. Actually, it was difficult to have a conversation with her because of the background noise. She seemed to be at a daycare center.
Wiberg: Maybe those were her kids?
Woodward: (scribbling) Kids?
Wiberg: Let’s back up. First, what’s your book about Sarah Palin called.
Woodward: It’s called Outside the Bush Inner Circle: Some Woman’s Journey to the Top, Written By the Great Bob Woodward.
Wiberg: Is that really the whole title? Even the “written by the Great Bob Woodward” part?
Woodward: Yes, why?
Wiberg: It seems like you just threw your name in there for no reason.
Woodward: Ego isn’t a reason?
Wiberg: Can you tell me anything you learned about Sarah Palin?
Woodward: I can. From conversations that I imagined, of course. What I learned was that during this historic 72 hour period, there have been a great many, heated arguments between Sarah Palin and others who I cannot name.
Wiberg: You can’t name them? Why not?
Woodward: Because they don’t exist. Duh!
Wiberg: Did you just say “duh.” You are a Pulitzer Prize winning writer, and you just said “duh.” That’s kinda lame.
Woodward: You’re kinda lame and I’m putting that in my next book, which is coming out next Wednesday?
Wiberg: You already have another book? You just finished this last one.
Woodward: I know, but this one is more timely.
Wiberg: And it’s about what?
Woodward: It’s about Tuesday.
Wiberg: Tuesday? like this coming Tuesday? You’re going to write about a day that hasn’t even happened?
Woodward: Yep.
Wiberg: Why?
Woodward: Because.
Wiberg: Because why?
Woodward: You’re not the boss of me, I don’t have to tell you.
At this point he hung up the phone, saying something about Patty Davis’ Myspace page.
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(note: I hesistated posting this not because it’s totally fake but because it’s not that incredibly funny – but I liked the rushed book cover I made up and didn’t want it to go to waste – thanks for reading!).
It fell apart at “Duh!” Everything was going ok before that, the “(scribbling)” being the funniest part.