The war at home

This morning, ABC News called me 9 times in a row until I picked up.


It was about 8:30, and we'd all just fallen back to sleep after this (above) a series of strikes on the port. Maybe it'd be helpful for you to know where I am:

http://local.google.com/local?f=q&hl=en&q=beirut,+lebanon&ie=UTF8&ll=33.896962,35.510597&spn=0.001995,0.005364&t=k&om=1

: Talal's is the very center of the screen. If you zoom out and pan to the right, you can see the port area which is the only direct threat to the safety of the people of this area of town.

Like every other news agency here, ABC seems overworked and understaffed. I finally picked up their call and they announced that they'd like to do an interview ASAP, that they'd be over to the hotel in 15 or 20 minutes. I told them then that that wasn't enough warning, that they had said they would have emailed me last night if it was a 'go' - that fifteen minutes simply wasn't enough time for me to talk with Talal and his staff (not even up yet) and make sure that the Lebanese refugees in the hotel were comfortable with a news crew anywhere near the hotel. One hour, I told them. 15 minutes later, they (a reporter and a cameraman) were in the lobby. I was furious.

Talal's too nice to say no to anyone, so he woke up his staff (one of the boys sleeps in a fold out couch in the lobby) and sat and allowed the crew to set up the rig. The reporter kept making calls in spite of my signaling her with the universal "we need to talk" point to a quiet corner. I finally pulled her and her cameraman down the hall.

"Let me be very, very clear - we were not aware that you would be here this early - you said I had an hour - this man has had to wake up his staff and we've also got refugees from the south who probably aren't too happy to have some news people here. You have got to pay people proper respect before you just come in - "

Reporter: "But it's all great, it's all part of the story"

Me (livid through clenched teeth in spite of my call for quiet in the hotel) "I don't care about your story, I care about these people's lives."

Too tired to fight, I just capitulated when they kept staring - just sat in front of the camera hoping to get it over with. Things ran quickly and smoothly after that - the took a few shots of myself and the American watching television, on the computer, wasting time, etc. The questions they asked us were pretty lackluster, though. When I first met the reporter yesterday, she said she was interested in getting some strong opinions about how the USFed was (not) responding to the situation. I told her I was her man, and so myself and the American were ready to speak to the issues - what this war was all about, talking about the complications, etc. The questions leading us to that sort of talk never came and you can see me (if you see me - who knows if ABC will use any of me or the American) kind of quietly confused that we were again and again getting fluff questions. Too, I was asked to rephrase my wording a lot to make it less conversation and more...editable? I realized, kind of sadly, that I was a soundbite with a heartbeat.

Before she left, the ABC reporter pulled me aside and said, "you know, I hear what you're saying about having respect for people's lives, you know?" I shook her hand and said goodbye, trying to get her out the door as quickly as possibly. I don't think she had a problem with that - she left quickly, again on the phone.

It was a great learning experience. I learned this 1) have coffee if it's an early morning interview, 2) control the time, place and questions, 3) it's better to have some background with the press person talking to you, so you understand at least the nature of the person if not their angle and 4) don't be afraid to kick out the press. One things for sure, I need to get a lot better at this.

I took the American to lunch afterwards to one of the few open restaurants in the city. After days of cheap shawarma sandwiches from down the block, rice and fatouche was a great change. We learned along the way that the French ship would be arriving shortly complete with the Prime Minister and that the French would be evacuated. The Italians were all taken out by bus earlier today. Too, tomorrow or the next day the Norwegian and Swiss boats should be docking.

We heard from one of the American's friends that used to work at the embassy that now they're considering a plan involving planes...sigh.

A groundskeeper picks up flyers from yesterday's drop outside of a hotel downtown...