Mar 2008

AC: "There are so many games in play here we can't even begin to describe them."

2008_0327_AC

Erica Hill spoke to Michael earlier in the day, and he once again tries to sound-bite the complex situation in Iraq into five-minutes-or-less.

Length: 4:49

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TSR: "...what's happening is a consolidation of Iranian influence."

2008_0327_TSR

Michael is still in London, and talks to Wolf about the Basra violence and how it portends what could happen if US forces withdraw from Iraq. Basically it boils down to this: the Iranian-influenced Iraqi government is attacking Muqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi militia because he (Muqtada) is not in lockstep with Iran.

(If we resolved things here in the US the same way, Hillary's people would be going after Obama's people with assault weapons, not media attacks. Which I guess would make McCain the Sunni; waiting on the sidelines while the Dems destroy each other.)

Wolf also talks to Ed Henry, who gives a rundown of the current situation and then the president's version of it.

Length: 8:25

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CNN/I: YWT: "The Iranians aren't making much of a secret of it."

2008_0326_YWT_Int

Michael speaks with Michael Holmes about the Basra fighting and how Iran is projecting its force into Iraq.

(The clicking sound audible from about the midway point on is Michael playing with the pen he's holding...)

Length: 7:12

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AC: "A window into the future"

2008_0325_AC

Anderson has a recorded interview with Michael about the current situation in Iraq. And also reveals that today is Michael's birthday.

Length: 4:28

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TSR: "Lebanon on steroids"

2008_0325_TSR

Wolf talks to Michael about the Basra situation, including a clip from Michael's recent interview with Ambassador Ryan Crocker. (How does Wolf manage to sound surprised that the outlook for Iraq is "gloomy"?)

Length: 6:29

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CNN/I: World News: "Right now we're seeing nothing but win/win for Iran and lose/lose for the US mission."

2008_0325_IntC

Michael speaks with Fionnuala Sweeney about the different factions fighting in Basra, how Tehran is pulling the strings, and why Muqtada al-Sadr declared the ceasefire to begin with.

Length: 4:49

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CNN/I: YWT: "A wonderful portal into a future of an Iraq without an American presence."

2008_0325_IntB

Michael talks with Jim Clancy about the events in Basra, how they are playing out, and why today offers us a glimpse of a possible future when American troops leave.

Length: 4:42

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CNN/I: YWT: Today's violence in Basra "could be the future of Iraq."

2008_0325_IntA

Michael is in London, and talks to Michael Holmes about the violence that erupted today in Basra.

Length: 3:38 (beginning of interview is missing, full piece from CNN.com is 4:15)

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CNN/I via CNN.com

2008_0323_Int

Thanks to Sharon for pointing out that CNN/I also had Michael on overnight -- this clip was taken from CNN.com.

Length: 4:19

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NR: Number of US Deaths in Iraq Reaches 4,000

2008_0323_NR

It's just before 6 a.m. in Baghdad, and Rick Sanchez asks Michael to comment on the US death toll in Iraq topping the 4,000 mark. The woman who joins the conversation is Martha Zoller, one of three women Rick had been talking to about Iraq. She makes a valid point as far as not wanting to make the number more important than the lives lost (surely whoever was #3,999 is grieved for just as deeply!) but anyone who thinks that a milestone like that isn't going to be commented upon is just kidding themselves.

Length: 6:52

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Real Time with Bill Maher

2008_0321_RT

Michael appears via satellite to discuss the current situation in Iraq with Bill Maher. It's a fantastic interview; Michael at both his fun and serious best.

Length: 8:48

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TWIP: "We all wish there was a magic wand that could be waved over this blood-soaked country..."

2008_0321_TWIP

Michael appears on This Week in Politics to discuss the realities of whether the government in Iraq fears a US pullout and questions why no one is talking about Iran.

Length: 3:52

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AC: Shock and Awe - Five Years Later

S&As

Another incredible special from the 360 team, Shock and Awe gave us a five year retrospective from the reporters who have been covering Iraq: the politics, the military, the birth of the insurgency, the surge, and the realities on the ground.

These are just the portions that Michael contributed; the full special is available
here.

Length: 0:21 / 1:27 / 0:56 / 3:23 / 1:55 / 0:40 / 0:24 / 1:49 / 0:33 / 1:51

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AC: "It's wafer-thin, the situation right now."

2008_0319_AC

Anderson talks to Michael (it's morning in Baghdad!) and David Gergen about Senator Obama's stated intention to listen to the ground commanders about ending the war.

Length: 5:35

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TSR: "...America is fighting this war election to election."

2008_0319_TSR

Wolf talks to Michael via the nightlighted (pretty sure that's the correct term, as "nightlit" would mean moonlight; whatever, he's green) broadband connection about the politics of ending the war.

Length: 7:54

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CNN/I: YWT: "...heavy cost and heavy consequences."

2008_0319_YWTb_Int 2008_0319_YWTc_Int

Michael talks with Michael Holmes -- it's now night in Iraq, so we get the lovely green of nightvision -- about the past five years and what may come next. The conversation was interrupted by Kyra Phillips' interview with General Petraeus, but they went back to finish it. (This is a 15 minute discussion about Iraq -- why don't we get this kind of depth with Michael on Domestic?)

Length: 6:41 / 8:20

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CNN/I: YWT: Iraqi policeman tortured by fellow police

2008_0319_YWTa_Int

A prepared piece about an Iraqi police officer who was tortured by fellow police. Michael interviews him and provides voiceover narration; like most things in Iraq, there are complicated questions raised by the facts of his story, including why it happened and at whose hands.

Length: 4:06

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CNN/I: World News: "He perilously fails to mention some of the inherent risks and consequences..."

2008_0319_WNc_Int

Michael reacts to President Bush's speech on the anniversary of the start of the war. The satellite feed is lost during this; they were unable to get back to him before the end of the program.

Length: 1:27

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CNN/I: World News: "Is Iraq better off?"

2008_0319_WNb_Int

Michael talks about the changes since the surge began.

Length: 2:58

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CNN/I: World News: "There's clearly been progress made..."

2008_0319_WNa_Int

Michael talks about the improvements the surge has achieved, and the ramifications of the way they were achieved.

Length: 4:10

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CNN/I: Business Today: "This country has been divided..."

2008_0319_BusTodInt

Another report from the FOB: how well has the surge worked, and at what cost?

(Michael is clearly having some fun with the crew at the start of the clip, you can just about imagine what he must have heard through the earpiece to let him know he was on already...!)

Length: 3:01

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CNN/I: Today: "This war continues relentlessly..."

2008_0319_TodayInt

Michael is at a Forward Operating Base in the north of Baghdad and sends a report via broadband as CNN International begins to cover the fifth anniversary of the start of the war.

(Many thanks to Délie for capturing this; she missed the beginning, but we'll forgive her! CNN.com also posted the full clip, so I've added that as well.)

Length: 2:30

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AC: "America is mortgaging the future...to bring these numbers down"

2008_0317_AC

Soledad O'Brien subs for Anderson and talks to Michael as well as Peter Bergen and Gloria Borger about John McCain's latest trip to Baghdad.

Length: 6:44

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CNN/I: visit summation

2008_0303_Int

Michael does a voiceover-only summary of the trip.

Length: 2:54

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NR: "took less than 36 hours to essentially steal the show."

2008_0303_NR

Don Lemon throws to Michael for a final summation of the Iranian president's trip.

Length: 2:43

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CNN/I: Your World Today: continued

2008_0303_YWT_Int

...and both Michaels are still on for Your World Today, with a longer discussion about the visit and its importance.

Length: 6:04

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CNN/I: World News: Day two

2008_0303_WN_Int

Michael Holmes anchors World News and asks Michael about Ahmadinejah's visit...

Length: 2:41

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AAM: "the consolidation of long-standing arrangements."

2008_0303_AM

John Roberts asks Michael about Ahmadinejah's visit and whether he's really just there to stir up trouble.

Length: 3:31

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CNN/I: Recent history

2008_0302_Int

A look at the recent history between Iran and Iraq, this recorded piece is voiceover-only, with the exception of a brief clip from Michael's recent interview with the Iranian ambassador to Iraq (in which producer Tommy Evans also makes a quick cameo appearance.)

Length: 3:51

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CNN/I: World News: Overview of visit

2008_0302_WNc_Int

A recorded overview of the visit, including clips from the press conference.

Length: 2:20

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CNN/I: World News: Significance of visit

2008_0302_WNb_Int

Another clip from World News, a summation of the significance of the Iranian president's visit.

Length: 2:31

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SAM: "This is a statement by Iran."

2008_0302_SAM

Michael is on Sunday Morning about 20 minutes after the International clip, detailing the significance of the Iranian president's arrival for Domestic viewers. Aneesh Raman also speaks about how Iranian citizens view the trip.

Length: 4:29

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CNN/I: World News: Ahmadinejad in Baghdad

2008_0302_WN_Int

Michael appears on World News to discuss the arrival of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Baghdad.

Length: 2:53

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