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Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2008 > July > 02 > Entry
chain smoking with Laura Bush
Wild raspberries- They reach their peak around these parts right before the 4th of July. I picked a quart along the road in front of my place this morning. I have learned that you have to get to them early. Otherwise the daddy long legs are drinking raspberry drupes through straws by high noon. I won’t even mention the farmer across the way…(that berry poacher).
My middle name is Hussein- Actually, it’s Osama. I’m kidding! My middle name is Amos and I won’t even consider this new fad of pretending my middle name is Hussein. When Jenna Bush is president anybody who had the middle name of Hussein during these giddy days of 2008 will probably be living in forced exile somewhere in Paraguay (maybe near George W’s ranch there?)
Don’t Bogart that Marlboro my fiend, pass it over to me- The other day I interviewed Tony Horwitz and I asked him about his recent op-ed in the New York Times that suggests that if Barack Obama wants to connect with blue collar voters in states like Ohio and Kentucky that he needs to dump the nicotine patches and start smoking Winstons in public. He was kidding! Most readers didn’t get the joke. They thought it was an outrage (comedic impairments) or they thought that it was a plausible idea. They didn’t actually inhale it. That was that other guy… Obillma Bin Lyin.
All Googly Woogly- This bookish blog has been rolling it for a bit - this morning I looked to see which Google searches were generating the most traffic here. Call me astonished - the term that was bringing random searchers home to the ashtray was “Is Laura Bush a Chain Smoker?” I’m serious. I wrote a post about it a long time ago and that post is drawing all kinds of traffic. Bizarre!-who knew?
When I interview people I always have fantasies about asking them the really obvious, outrageous questions. You know, the ones that seem insane to ask - what everybody wants to know. I have actually asked some on occasion but it is always a guaranteed way to annoy your guest. You don’t ask Bill Clinton about Monica. You don’t ask Hillary about Bill. I didn’t ask Jenna Bush if her mom, Laura Bush is a chain smoker. I wanted to ask but I don’t really want to move to Paraguay. Not yet.
You never saw Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a wheel chair. You won’t ever see Laura Bush sucking on a cigarette. Rumor has it that she really likes a good smoke..we shall probably never know. They hide things from us….really obvious things.
Vick Mickunas
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: clearing the cobwebs
Comments
By victor mickunas
July 4, 2008 6:09 PM | Link to this
ouch!By Mike
July 3, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this
Well, your question certainly would seem innocuous to most people. But what if even that question was an uncomfortable one for her to answer? What if one of your daddy’s childhood friends recounts how he, in his youth, liked to stick firecrackers in frogs, throw them up in the air and watch them blow up? Could maybe that maybe be giving us a peek through the window of “what her dad is like”?………Maybe she just doesn’t want to confirm what we already know about him. Maybe this link—http://www.serendipity.li/wot/conover01.htm answers the question for her.By victor mickunas
July 3, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this
The question I asked was fairly innocuous, I asked Jenna Bush what her dad is like? I cannot imagine how tough it must be to have a father who has become so deeply unpopular. I wouldn’t want to be her. Or Chelsea Clinton. Or Caroline Kennedy. Or Margaret Truman-especially Margaret Truman because she died recently.By Mike
July 3, 2008 2:50 PM | Link to this
I think I kinda remember your posting about the Jenna interview, Vick. I certainly wouldn’t have expected you to try a “gotcha” question on her when the subject of the interview was her book. Was just snarking you there a little with the “journalistic profession” comment. That interview you did certainly wouldn’t be the time and place to bring up the old smokin’ thing. I am not too surprised, though, that she suddenly had to rush off when the question about her daddy was brought up. Whatever she might think about him, she likely isn’t going to be anything but the good and faithful daughter in a situation like that. It is probably a bit too much to expect a young woman like her defend what many think are indefensible actions by her father. I don’t think it would be fair to make her try by putting her on the spot in that situation.By victor mickunas
July 3, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this
Mike, I spoke to Jenna Bush on the telephone and our conversation was all about her book. I think it is safe to assume that the Secret Service and/or other interested parties were monitoring our conversation. Imagine that!? You are correct in stating that the right of access is often a function of trusting the interviewer to behave. I wanted to ask Jenna about her father, our president, George W. Bush. I reserved my question until the interview was almost over. Curiously, the second I started to ask about him Jenna blurted out that she had just been notified that this would be my final question. Read into this what you will - I know that I did!By prose
July 3, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this
I’ll never see her sucking on a cigarette..rumor has it she likes a good smoke..? Assuming she’s not smoking the crack her mate seems to be, that would only leave cigars or..no, she’d just say no..wouldn’t she?By Mike
July 3, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this
Vick, I understand your trepidation at asking public figures pointed questions that might make them uncomfortable. Future access is always at risk when difficult and unexpected questions are sprung on someone. That’s why Helen Thomas was not called on for so long at press conferences given by the White House. But isn’t that what people in the journalistic profession are supposed to do? Though whether Laura Bush is a closet smoker is about as important a question to me as whether her husband watches Sunday football in his underwear. But there are probably some people who would find the answer interesting. Maybe the level of interest in this which you found in your Google search tells us a little something about the general public’s level of engagement in the news happenings of the day, huh? I guess what questions are asked of someone in an interview just depends on the person being interviewed and the parameters which are set forth prior to the interview that determine what subjects are fair game.By victor mickunas
July 3, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this
Jenna Bush came through town last year on her book tour so I was offered the chance to interview her. That was an opportunity could not pass up.By beastmomma
July 3, 2008 10:51 AM | Link to this
When did you interview Jenna Bush? I think that I was not a regular reader then.