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Murphy Martin Commentary
July 20, 2006

 "The President Speaks His Mind"

It was not anything new for British Prime Minister Tony Blair and President George W. Bush to be having a frank conversation about world problems. These two have done this dozens of times. What WAS different in this conversation in St .Petersburg, Russia at the Group of Eight Summit , it was taking place near a "live" microphone as they discussed the Hezbollah involvement with Lebanon...and they did not know that!

Bush said:"I think Condi (Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice) is going to go (to the Middle East) pretty soon." Blair replied: "Right, that's all that matters, it will take some time to get all that together!" Blair added: "See, if she goes out she's got to succeed as it were, where as I can just go out and talk."

President Bush replied: "See, the irony is what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over."

At about that moment Prime Minister Blair spotted the "live" microphone! It was then cut off until the meeting began.

This is not the first time Open Microphones have come back to haunt someone. Anyone who has spent time in broadcasting or public speaking, or wherever microphones are used has been bitten. It can be embarrassing--I KNOW.


While the language was a bit salty, the message from Bush was what it had been throughout the summit---that Syria is supporting Hezbollah Guerrillas in southern Lebanon and should force them to stop shelling Israel and return abducted Israeli soldiers.  U.S. officials believe that if Hezbollah did so, Israel's military strikes on Lebanon might stop.

One of the funniest "open mike" stories occurred while I was at WABC-TV in New York. Howard Cosell did sports on our local news programs. His segment in each program had a set format: Howard opens with top sports stories of the day, does a couple of minutes then cross-teases who his guest in studio will be after the commercial. On this night at Christmastime, Howard said: "I'll be back in a moment with my guest Tracy Stallard---after these words."

For probably 364-days a year that would be a one-minute commercial. For some reason on this night it was only 30-seconds and when the red light came on the camera and the microphones were opened, we heard Stallard, the pitcher who served up Roger Maris' 61st-home-run ball. saying: "Okay Howie, are you gonna bullshit me or am I gonna bullshit you?" To which Cosell replied as Stallard realized his statement had been carried "live"--"Tracy my boy, do you have anything else to say to the eastern seaboard?" Stallard stood up, removed his microphone and walked out of the studio too embarrassed to do the interview!

Some people may be surprised that President Bush used salty language regarding the latest Middle East crisis but I doubt many Americans will fault it's context.

What President Bush told Prime Minister Tony Blair needed to be done to stop Syria's supporting the Hezbollah guerrillas--that was no bullshit!!

Murphy Martin

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Previous commentaries: 
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"Birthday Time Again"
"Presidents -- Past and Present"
"Expensive Babies"
"Change of Pace"
"Yesterday Katie Said Goodbye to Today"
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"The Tallest Pine is Gone"
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"Remembering"
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"Bush Bucks Bashing"
"Early Look at 2008"
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"Super Bowl Wasn't So Super"
"State of the Union"
"Is God Dead in Europe?"
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"This Week in Review"
"New Year, New Challenges"
"The Party's Over"
"Democracy in the Middle East"
"Unfinished Business"
"Merry Christmas Rules"
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August 4 - "Trust in the Media"
July 28 - "Television Then and Now"
July 21 -  "The Mick"
July 14 - "Forty Years and Counting"