This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since May 2009. It relies on references to primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject, rather than references from independent authors and third-party publications. Tagged since May 2009.

Michael Isikoff (b. Syosset, New York, 1952) is an investigative journalist for NBC News, formerly with the United States magazine Newsweek. He joined Newsweek as an investigative correspondent in June, 1994, and has written extensively on the U.S. government’s War on Terrorism, the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse, campaign finance and congressional ethics abuses, presidential politics and other national issues.

On July 1, 2010, Isikoff became the national investigative correspondent for NBC News.^[1]

Isikoff had been prepared to break the Monica Lewinsky scandal, but several hours before going to print, the article was killed by top Newsweek executives. As a result, the story broke first on Matt Drudge's Drudge Report the following morning. His book on the subject, Uncovering Clinton: A Reporter’s Story, was named Best Non-Fiction Book of 1999 by the Book of the Month Club. In January 2007, Isikoff married Washington, DC political gossip columnist Mary Ann Akers, who currently writes "The Sleuth" for washingtonpost.com.

Career[link]

Isikoff received his A.B. from Washington University in 1974, with a junior-year-abroad at the University of Durham, England, and obtained a masters from the Medill School of Journalism from Northwestern University in 1976. He graduated from Syosset High School on Long Island in 1970. Isikoff is the co-author, with The Nation reporter David Corn, of Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal and the Selling of the Iraq War, a 2006 book about the selling of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq to the US public and the ensuing Plame scandal. The book was a New York Times best-seller.

His online column with fellow journalist Mark Hosenball, “Terror Watch,” won the 2005 award from the Society of Professional Journalists for best investigative reporting online. Isikoff was a part of the Newsweek team that won the Overseas Press Club’s most prestigious award, the 2001 Ed Cunningham Memorial Award for best magazine reporting from abroad for Newsweek’s coverage of the war on terror.

In the May 9, 2005 issue of Newsweek, Isikoff co-wrote an article that stated that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay "in an attempt to rattle suspects, flushed a Qur'an down a toilet." Detainees had earlier made similar complaints but this was the first time a government source had appeared to confirm the story. The article caused widespread rioting and massive anti-American protests throughout some parts of the Islamic world (causing at least 17 deaths in Afghanistan). The magazine later retracted the story after noting that the anonymous official who was their source subsequently could not remember important details.^[2] A subsequent June 4, 2005 report by the Pentagon, however, confirmed multiple instances of desecration of the Koran at Guantanamo, including one incident in which urine was splashed on Koran. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8090656/ns/us_news-security/ Isikoff has been a contributing blogger at The Huffington Post.

He has appeared on the Democracy Now! show.^[3]

See also[link]

• Qur'an desecration controversy of 2005

References[link]

External links[link]

• MSNBC/Newsweek - Meet Newsweek - Michael Isikoff, Investigative Correspondent
• Michael Isikoff profile - Crown Publishing Group
• MSNBC/Newsweek - National News - Column: Terror Watch
• Michael Isikoff Blog - Huffington Post
• Michael Isikoff at the Internet Movie Database

Charles Goyette
Goyette in downtown Phoenix, Arizona in January 2011.
Born	Charles Goyette
Occupation	economic and financial commentator

Charles Goyette is a libertarian-conservative commentator, who is noted for his outspoken anti-war views, his opposition to the war in Iraq, and his economic commentary.^[1]

He is the author of the New York Times bestselling book The Dollar Meltdown: Surviving the Impending Currency Crisis with Gold, Oil, and Other Unconventional Investments, which Congressman Ron Paul calls "a must read," and investor Peter Schiff describes as "...a sensible plan to protect your wealth."^[2]

His latest book is Red and Blue and Broke All Over: Restoring America's Free Economy.^[3]

Goyette is also the editor of the Freedom & Prosperity Letter, a monthly political and financial newsletter. The newsletter includes biweekly podcasts.

He formerly hosted talk radio shows based in Phoenix, Arizona on KTAR, KFYI, KXXT, and KFNX. His show aired for the last time on KFNX on June 13, 2008.^[4] Goyette is perhaps most known for his dismissal from KFYI allegedly due to his conservative anti-war views.^[5]

Select interviews of The Charles Goyette Show are archived at AntiWar Radio at AntiWar.com.

He was honored as "Best Phoenix Talk Show Host" by the Phoenix New Times in 2003.

Goyette has had years of experience as a financial professional in the commodities, securities, currency, and precious metals business. He has also been a participant in political and financial debate, appearing on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, and CNBC.

He has completed a screenplay on the life of the famous American seer Edgar Cayce.

Some Articles by Charles Goyette[link]

• The American Conservative: "How to Lose Your Job in Talk Radio"
• The Future of Freedom Foundation: "Wartime Confessions of a Talk-Radio Heretic"
• LewRockwell.com: "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Election," "Parallel Universes," "The Three Biggest Lies the Government Is Telling You"
• AntiWar.com: "Lebanon and Goyette's Second Law"
• CNBC.com: "Gold - The Canary in the Coal Mine," "The Dollar Meltdown: The New Greek Tragedy?," and "China Dumping US Treasurys; What’s the Message?"
• TheStreet.com: "They're Destroying the Dollar" and "Currency Cure: Deregulation"
• WorldNetDaily: "1-2 punch: Bernanke and the debt ceiling"

Books[link]

• The Dollar Meltdown: Surviving the Impending Currency Crisis with Gold, Oil, and Other Unconventional Investments. Portfolio. 2009. ISBN 1-59184-284-0. 
• Red and Blue and Broke All Over: Restoring America's Free Economy. Sentinel. 2012. ISBN 1-59523-082-3. 

References[link]

1. ^ See Goyette's bio at his official website.
2. ^ See review section at Goyette's book website.
3. ^ See review by Doug French: “An Aging, Bankrupt Empire”. LewRockwell.com. March, 2012. And see review by Patrick Krey: “Review: Red and Blue and Broke All Over”. The New American. April, 2012.
4. ^ "The Charles Goyette Show", 6/13/08
5. ^ See "How to Lose Your Job in Talk Radio: Clear Channel Gags an Antiwar Conservative". The American Conservative. February, 2004.

External links[link]

• CharlesGoyette.com - the official website of Charles Goyette.
• AmericanBreakingPoint.com
• LewRockwell.com Archive – articles by Charles Goyette.
• "Into the mind of ... Charles Goyette" - interview with The Arizona Republic on April 4, 2012.
• Audio of a 2011 financial speech at the Mises Circle in Houston, Texas.
• Video and audio of a 2010 financial speech at the Mises Circle in Phoenix, Arizona.
• Transcription of Goyette's speech at the Ron Paul Revolution March, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., July 12, 2008.
• Goyette on NOW with Bill Moyers on December 17, 2004.
• Goyette endorsed Michael Badnarik for President in 2004. Article overview. Audio.
• Transcription of a radio monologue from the Goldwater Institute, You Can Call Me Suspicious....

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Rachel Maddow
Maddow hosting KPTK's "Changing the Media, Changing America" event in Seattle
Born	Rachel Anne Maddow (1973-04-01) April 1, 1973 (age 39) Castro Valley, California, U.S.
Education	B.A., Stanford University D.Phil, University of Oxford
Occupation	News anchor Political commentator Television host
Notable credit(s)	The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC) The Rachel Maddow Show (Air America Radio)
Website
www.rachelmaddow.com

Rachel Anne Maddow (pronounced /ˈmædoʊ/; born April 1, 1973) is an American television host, political commentator, and author.^[1][2] Maddow hosts a nightly television show, The Rachel Maddow Show, on MSNBC.^[3] Her syndicated talk radio program of the same name aired on Air America Radio. Maddow is the first openly gay anchor of a prime-time news program in the United States.^[4][5][6][7]

Asked about her political views by the Valley Advocate, Maddow replied, "I'm undoubtedly a liberal, which means that I'm in almost total agreement with the Eisenhower-era Republican party platform."^[8]

Early life and education[link]

Maddow was born in Castro Valley, California. Her father, Robert B. "Bob" Maddow, is a former United States Air Force captain who resigned his commission the year before her birth and found civilian work as a lawyer for the East Bay Municipal Utility District. Her mother, Elaine Maddow (née Gosse), is a school program administrator from Newfoundland, Canada.^[9][10][11] She has one older brother, David. Her father is of Russian and Dutch descent and her mother is of English and Irish ancestry.^[11] Maddow's mother was raised a strict Roman Catholic, and Maddow herself grew up in a community that her mother has described as "very conservative."^[12][13] Maddow was a competitive athlete and played three sports in high school.^[14] Referencing John Hughes films, she describes herself in high school as "a cross between the jock and the antisocial girl."^[13]

A graduate of Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, California, she attended Stanford University. While a freshman, she was outed by the college newspaper when an interview with her was published by the student newspaper before she could tell her parents.^[15] Maddow earned a degree in public policy from Stanford in 1994.^[16] At graduation she was awarded the John Gardner Fellowship.^[17] She was also the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship and began her postgraduate study in 1995 at Lincoln College, Oxford. In 2001, she earned a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in politics from Oxford University.^[18] Her thesis is titled HIV/AIDS and Health Care Reform in British and American Prisons (supervisor: Dr Lucia Zedner). She was the first openly gay American to win a Rhodes scholarship.^[19][20]

Radio career[link]

Maddow's first radio hosting job was at WRNX (100.9 FM) in Holyoke, Massachusetts, after she entered and won a contest the station held to find a new on-air personality.^[21] She was hired to co-host WRNX's morning show, The Dave in the Morning Show. She went on to host Big Breakfast on WRSI, in Northampton, Massachusetts, for two years. She left the show in March 2004 to join the new Air America.^[18] There she hosted Unfiltered along with Chuck D (of the hip hop group Public Enemy) and Lizz Winstead (co-creator of The Daily Show), until its cancellation in March 2005.^[22] Two weeks after the cancellation of Unfiltered in April 2005, Maddow's weekday two-hour radio program, The Rachel Maddow Show, began airing; in March 2008 it gained an hour, broadcasting from 6 to 9 p.m. EST with David Bender filling in the third hour for the call-in section, when Maddow was on TV assignment. In September 2008, the show's length returned to two hours when Maddow began a nightly MSNBC television program. In February 2009, after renewing her contract with Air America, Maddow returned to the 5 am hour-long slot.^[23] Her last Air America show was on January 21, 2010, two weeks before its owners filed for bankruptcy.^[24]

Television career[link]

In June 2005, Maddow became a regular panelist on MSNBC's Tucker.^[25] During and after the November 2006 election, she was a frequent guest on CNN's Paula Zahn Now. In January 2008, Maddow became a MSNBC political analyst and was a regular panelist on MSNBC's Race for the White House with David Gregory and MSNBC's election coverage,^[26] as well as a frequent contributor on Countdown with Keith Olbermann.^[18]

In April 2008, Maddow was the substitute host for Countdown with Keith Olbermann, her first time hosting a program on MSNBC. Maddow described herself on air as "nervous." Keith Olbermann complimented her work, and she was brought back to host Countdown the next month. The show she hosted was the highest rated news program among people ages 25 to 54, a key demographic in ratings.^[27] For her success, the next Monday, Olbermann ranked Maddow third in his show's segment "World's Best Persons".^[28] In July 2008, while Olbermann was on vacation, Maddow filled in again for several broadcasts and, on July 21, for half the show.^[29] Maddow also filled in for David Gregory as host of Race for the White House.^[18]

[edit] The Rachel Maddow Show

In August 2008, MSNBC announced The Rachel Maddow Show would replace Verdict with Dan Abrams in the network's 9 p.m. slot the following month.^[30][31] Following its debut, the show topped Countdown as the highest rated show on MSNBC on several occasions.^[32][33] After being on air for more than a month, Maddow's program doubled the audience that hour.^[34]

Early reviews for her show were mostly positive. The Los Angeles Times writer Matea Gold stated Maddow "finds the right formula on MSNBC,"^[35] and The Guardian writes Maddow has become the "star of America's cable news."^[20] Associated Press columnist David Bauder said she's "[Keith] Olbermann's political soul mate" and the Olbermann-Maddow shows are a "liberal two-hour block."^[36]

Public image and publicity[link]

Maddow has been profiled in People,^[37] the Guardian,^[38] and the New York Observer,^[39] has appeared on “The View” and “Charlie Rose”^[40]

Keith Olbermann played a pivotal role in Maddow's hiring at MSNBC. Olbermann was able to pressure Phil Griffin to give Maddow Dan Abram's slot. A fan of Maddow's, Olbermann was able to use his influence, which had become greater as his ratings rose.^[41]

A 2011 Hollywood Reporter profile of Maddow said that she was able to deliver news "with agenda, but not hysteria.”^[42] A Newsweek profile noted that “At her best, Maddow debates ideological opponents with civility and persistence...But for all her eloquence, she can get so wound up ripping Republicans that she sounds like another smug cable partisan.". Baltimore Sun critic David Zurawik has accused Maddow of acting like 'a lockstep party member.'”^[43]

A Time profile called her a “whip-smart, button-cute leftie.” It said that she radiates an essential decency and suggested that her career rise might signify that “nice is the new nasty.”^[44]

Political views[link]

Distinguishing herself from others on the left, Maddow said she's a "national security liberal" and in a different interview that she's not "a partisan."^[45][46] The New York Times called her a "defense policy wonk" who is writing a book on the role of the military in postwar American politics.^[35][45] (The book, titled Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power, was published in 2012.) During the 2008 presidential election, Maddow did not formally support any candidate. Concerning Barack Obama's candidacy, Maddow said during the primaries, "I have never and still don't think of myself as an Obama supporter, either professionally or actually."^[47]

In March 2010, Republican Scott Brown, the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, speculated that Maddow was going to run against him for his seat in 2012. He used this premise for a fundraising email that read "...The Massachusetts political machine is looking for someone to run against me. And you're not going to believe who they are supposedly trying to recruit — liberal MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow." Maddow said Brown's speculation was false. On her March 23, 2010, TV program, Maddow said, "I have the best job in the world. I am not running for office. Scott Brown didn't ask me if I was running or planning to run for office, before he wrote a fundraising letter with my name. No, it's completely made up by him." Despite her comments, the next day Brown continued along the same line, telling a Boston radio station, "Bring her on." To help put an end to the matter, Maddow ran a full-page advertisement in the Boston Globe confirming she was not running, and separately demanded Brown's apology. She added that despite repeated invitations over the months, Brown had refused to appear on her TV program.^{[48][49][50][51]}

Personal life[link]

Maddow lives in Manhattan and western Massachusetts with her partner, artist Susan Mikula.^[52][53] The couple met in 1999, when Mikula hired Maddow to do yard work at her home. Maddow was working on her doctoral dissertation at the time.^[52] Their first date was at a National Rifle Association "Ladies' Day on the Range" event.^[54] Although Massachusetts and New York recognize same-sex marriage, as of 2009 Maddow and Mikula had no plans to marry.^[13]

Honors and awards[link]

• Emmy Award in the Outstanding News Discussion and Analysis category for "The Rachel Maddow Show" episode "Good Morning Landlocked Central Asia!"
• Maddow was named in Out magazine's "Out 100" list of the "gay men and women who moved culture" in 2008.^[55]
• Maddow was voted "Lesbian/Bi Woman of the Year (American)" in AfterEllen's 2008 Visibility Awards.^[56]
• Maddow won a Gracie Award in 2009, presented by the American Women in Radio and Television.^[57]
• In 2009, Maddow was nominated for GLAAD's 20th Annual Media Awards for a segment of her MSNBC show, "Rick Warren, Change To Believe In?", in the Outstanding TV Journalism Segment category.^[58]
• On March 28, 2009, Maddow received a Proclamation of Honor from the California State Senate, presented in San Francisco by California State Senator Mark Leno.^[59]
• In April 2009, she was listed at number four in Out magazine's Annual Power 50 List.^[60]
• Maddow placed sixth in the "2009 AfterEllen.com Hot 100" list (May 11, 2009)^[61] and third in its "2009 Hot 100: Out Women" version.^[62]
• Maddow was included on a list of openly gay media professionals in The Advocate's "Forty under 40" issue of June/July 2009.^[63]
• In 1994, Maddow was an Honorable Mention in the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity Prize in Ethics.^[64]
• In June 2009, Maddow's MSNBC show was the only cable news show nominated for a Television Critics Association award in the Outstanding Achievement in News and Information category.^[65]
• In March 2010, Maddow won at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in the category, Outstanding TV Journalism- Newsmagazine for her segment, "Uganda Be Kidding Me".^[66]
• Maddow was the 2010 commencement speaker and was given an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree at Smith College in Northampton, MA in May 2010.^[67]
• In July 2010, Maddow was presented with a Maggie Award for her ongoing reporting of healthcare reform, the murder of Dr. George Tiller, and the anti-abortion movement.^[68]
• In August 2010, Maddow won the Walter Cronkite Faith & Freedom Award, which was presented by The Interfaith Alliance.^[69] Past honorees included Larry King, Tom Brokaw, and the late Peter Jennings.^[69]
• In November 2011, she was included on the list of "Over-Rated Thinkers" by the editors of The New Republic.^[70]
• In February 2012, Maddow was presented the John Steinbeck Award by the Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies at San Jose State University.^[71]

Bibliography[link]

• Maddow, Rachel (2012). Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power. Crown. ISBN 978-0-307-46098-1. 

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rachel Maddow

• Rachel Maddow on Twitter
• Official website
• Profile and show at MSNBC
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Rachel Maddow on Charlie Rose
• Rachel Maddow at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Rachel Maddow in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

Elizabeth Cheney Perry (born July 28, 1966),^[1] commonly called Liz, is an American attorney. During the George W. Bush administration years, she held positions in the State Department of the United States. She has been politically active on behalf of the Republican Party and is a co-founder of Keep America Safe and is a political analyst for Fox News.

She is the elder daughter of former Vice President of the United States Dick Cheney and Lynne Cheney.

Personal life[link]

Cheney is one of two daughters of former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Second Lady Lynne Cheney; her younger sister is Mary Cheney. Cheney graduated from McLean High School (1984), where she was a cheerleader. She received her bachelor's degree from Colorado College, where she wrote her senior thesis, "The Evolution of Presidential War Powers," (1988).^[1] She received her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Chicago Law School (1996), having also taken courses in Middle Eastern history at the Oriental Institute.^[2]

Cheney is married to Philip Perry, the former General Counsel of the United States Department of Homeland Security. She and Perry have five children: three daughters—Kate, Elizabeth, and Grace—and two sons, Philip and Richard. The elder four attend The Potomac School in Virginia.^{[citation needed]}

Early career[link]

Before attending law school, Cheney worked for the State Department for five years and the U.S. Agency for International Development between 1989 and 1993. After 1993, she took a job at Armitage Associates LLP, the consulting firm founded by Richard Armitage, then a former Defense Department official and Iran-Contra operative who later served as Deputy Secretary of State.

After graduating from law school, Cheney practiced law in the private sector (at the law firm of White & Case) and as an international law attorney and consultant at the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group. She has also served as Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State for Assistance to the former Soviet Union, and as a USAID officer in U.S. embassies in Budapest and Warsaw.^[3]

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs[link]

In 2002, Cheney was appointed to the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs,^[4] a pre-existing vacant post with an "economic portfolio," which is a mandate to promote investment in the region. Amid reports, including a New York Times editorial by Paul Krugman, saying that the job was created especially for her, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that she had come recommended by then-Secretary of State Colin Powell.^[5][6] The Times (London) reported that Cheney's appointment was "the most intriguing sign that America is getting serious about Middle East reform" and that the appointment was "a measure of the seriousness with which the administration was taking Middle East programmes for literacy, education, and reform."^[7] The appointment followed publicized policy divisions between the Vice President's office and the State Department on Middle East policy. In that position, she was given control of the Middle East Partnership Initiative, designed to "foster increased democracy and economic progress in a troubled region." The program spent $29 million in 2002, increased to $129 million in the following year. Cheney's task was to channel money to pre-screened groups, some of which were not identified publicly for fear of retaliations from extant governments they sought to undermine. For the budget year 2004, the project sought $145 million.^[8][9]

2004 Bush-Cheney re-election campaign[link]

After two years of service, Cheney left her first State Department post in 2003 to serve in her father's re-election campaign.^[10] Participating in the "W Stands for Women" initiative to target female voters, Cheney spoke often of how women have enlarged their scope of political issues, invoking the September 11 attacks and "security." ^[11]

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State For Near Eastern Affairs[link]

In February 2005, she returned to the US State Department and was appointed the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State For Near Eastern Affairs and Coordinator for Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiatives.^[12] In this position, Cheney supported the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, C. David Welch, and coordinated U.S. multilateral efforts to promote and support democracy, expanded education and economic opportunities in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Cheney oversaw the launch of two semi-independent foundations, the Fund of the Future (worth $100 million), to provide capital for small businesses and the Foundation of the Future (worth $55 million), to promote freedom of the press and democracy.^[13] In that capacity, Cheney endorsed a controversial draft of a new Iraqi constitution.^[14] In November 2005, Cheney was questioned by Ysemink Congar of Turkish CNN that there was "a lot of skepticism building about the U.S. advocacy for democracy and human rights, based on a recent Washington Post story on "black sites" operated by the U.S. and the CIA in some of the countries receiving MEPI support:

Congar: If you were addressing the skeptics today, directly, what would you say to them? Why should they believe that the U.S. is genuinely advocating — supporting democracy and human rights in the region? And why should they — I mean, I'm talking about the grassroots now — why should they enthusiastically endorse the Forum for the Future? Thank you.

Cheney: I'll go first. You know, this is a question that I think has come up ever since we first began supporting democratic activities in the region back in 2002. And what I would say is judge us by our actions, you know. Judge us by the extent to which we really are standing with the people who are working for freedom. Judge us by the extent to which we are supporting NGOs with our money and with our back, you know, with our technical assistance. Judge us by the extent to which, you know, our Secretary of State goes to Cairo and makes a speech in Cairo in the heart of the broader Middle East about the importance of freedom and the importance of people being able to express their own wills and desires.

So, you know, yes, I think there is skepticism. I think that there is disagreement about policies. I think some of that comes from a misunderstanding of American policies. But at the end of the day, I think that the idea of skepticism is, frankly, a little bit overblown. I mean, my sense is that it's become conventional wisdom among elites that there are skeptics. There certainly are some skeptics, but there are certainly millions and millions of people across the broader Middle East who are participating with us in projects, that are providing training and skills and how you operate in a political — in a democratic environment. And who very much appreciate and feel protected by the fact that the United States is standing with them, you know.So there will always be skeptics, but I would watch what we do and watch also what we say about these issues.^{[15][dead link]}

At the same briefing, Cheney was asked by Tarek Rashad of the Middle East News Agency about the "paradox" of the MEPI funding NGO's supporting democracy and human rights would be "rallying in fact against the regimes and the governments in the region. Cheney answered that contributions to the Foundation had come from governments, but the foundation would not include government officers on its board or as its chairman, that "no government entities will be in either position."^[16]

Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group[link]

Elizabeth Cheney also headed the Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group (ISOG), established in March 2006, a unit within the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.

In April 2006, The New York Times published a story critical of Cheney's work, particularly with respect to Iran. Of particular scrutiny was a grants program administered by Elizabeth Cheney's unit, in collaboration with a Republican-affiliated foundation, the International Republican Institute.^[17] The Times maintained that when the group became controversial, with critics saying that it was plotting covert actions that could escalate into war with Iran and Syria, the group was disbanded, by May 2006. Shortly before the ISOG group was dissolved, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice initiated a major effort to engage Iran and Syria in efforts to stabilize Iraq.^[18] As late as April 11, 2009, Iranian officials investigating "cyber-crimes" cited Cheney's efforts in the daily newspaper Iran, specifically the "Democracy Program" [sic] initiative as parallel to a Netherlands-funded push for a "velvet revolution" accomplished by a media campaign to polarize the country, "despite the 1981 Algiers Accords signed between the U.S. and Iran in the aftermath of the U.S. embassy takeover in Tehran." ^[19] Her controversial business relationship with American-Iranian oil trader and millionaire Navid Khiabani, Which led to approving export license by European Union for Austrian Arm manufacturer Steyr Mannlicher to export Steyr High Caliber Anti material Steyr HS .50 to Iran caused media attention during 2005 and 2006.^[20]

2008 Republican presidential campaigns[link]

Cheney signed on in June 2007 to serve as one of three national co-chairs for Fred Thompson's 2008 presidential campaign. The other co-chairs were Spencer Abraham and George Allen. In a press release issued at the beginning of his campaign, Thompson said he was "very pleased to announce that former Senators Abraham and Allen, as well as Liz Cheney, will serve as co-chairs of my national leadership team." Thompson added: "These distinguished individuals bring wise counsel and invaluable experience to my campaign leadership team, and they will play a critical role in helping spread my consistent conservative message across America."^[21] After Thompson dropped out of the race, Cheney announced on January 27, 2008 that she would work for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, serving as a senior foreign policy advisor.^[22]

Public appearances and publications[link]

In the years following her second departure from the State Department, Liz Cheney played an increasingly public role as a spokeswoman for conservative Republican issues, making numerous appearances on cable news shows. In October 2009, Cheney became a regular "Fox News Contributor" for the Fox News Network, appearing with shows hosted by Sean Hannity, Greta Van Susteren, and Chris Wallace.^[23]

• In late January 2007, Cheney penned an editorial in The Washington Post criticizing Senator Hillary Clinton's position on the Iraq war.^[24]

• On September 18, 2007, in a debate on the motion "Spreading Democracy in the Middle East is a Bad Idea," sponsored by the Rosenkranz Foundation and Intelligence Squared U.S., Liz Cheney, Natan Sharansky and Danielle Pletka argued against the motion. Flynt Leverett, Dimitri Simes and foreign policy analyst Shibley Telhami argued for the motion.^[25]

• In August 2008, the New York Times reported that Liz Cheney was encouraging her father to write a book on his political career, and that she was indexing her father's pre-vice-presidential papers housed in various libraries across the country, "drafting timetables and outlines for his review."^[26] The Times cited Liz Cheney on April 24, 2009, as the source of information that Dick Cheney had requested that the National Archives declassify two documents that would prove the efficacy of "enhanced interrogation techniques" in handling of U.S. detainees.^[27]

• In the time following her departure from the State Department, Cheney became more outspoken in her criticisms of the Bush administration's foreign policy, particularly of the State Department's renewed efforts to conduct Palestinian-Israeli peace talks and efforts to enlist Iran's aid in stabilizing Iraq.^[28]

• In 2008, Cheney was listed on the speakers roster of Leading Authorities, Inc., a talent management and booking agent. Cheney gives paid public lectures on international relations and the role of women in emerging democracies.^[29]

• On April 23, 2009, days after the release of memos from the Bush administration about the authorization of enhanced interrogation techniques in interrogations of U.S. captives, Liz Cheney appeared on a morning news program on MSNBC defending “enhanced interrogation techniques,” the Justice Department attorneys who argued the methods were legal, and her father's record as vice-president.^[30]

• In May, 2009, the Washington Monthly's Steve Benen counted "12 appearances, in nine and a half days, spanning four networks" by Liz Cheney, defending her father's high-profile attacks on Obama administration national security decisions.^[31]

• Liz Cheney was asked to nominate and write an entry for Time's 100 most influential people special issue in spring 2009. Cheney wrote of Norah al-Faiz, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Minister for Women's Education, "The appointment of al-Faiz, in her early 50s was the most significant sign yet of the quiet revolution under way since King Abdullah ascended the throne in 2005."^[32]

• On May 12, 2009, in a debate of the motion "Diplomacy With Iran Is Going Nowhere," sponsored by the Rosenkranz Foundation and Intelligence Squared U.S., Liz Cheney and Dan Senor argued in favor of the motion. R. Nicholas Burns and foreign policy analyst Kenneth Pollack argued that diplomacy has produced results.

• On July 13, 2009, CNN reported that Liz Cheney had announced she was "open" to the idea of running for future political office.^[33]

• On July 14, 2009, The Associated Press reported that Liz Cheney, in response to whether her father, then Vice-President Dick Cheney, had broken any laws in instructing the CIA not to inform Congress of certain clandestine anti-terrorism programs recently terminated by Obama-appointed CIA Director Leon Panetta, said "There's no evidence of that." Cheney also stated that "I was not in every meeting that my father had. I was not in most meetings that my father had" in regard to her father's role in allegedly concealing information from Congress.^[34]

• On July 21, 2009, Liz Cheney appeared on CNN's Larry King Live and stated in a discussion of the "birther" movement that "one of the reasons you see people so concerned about this, I think this issue is, people are uncomfortable with having for the first time ever, I think, a president who seems so reluctant to defend the nation overseas ..." Asked directly by King if she thought Obama was born in Kenya, Cheney responded, "No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that people are fundamentally uncomfortable and fundamentally I think increasingly uncomfortable with an American president who seems to be afraid to defend America, stand up for what we believe in." ^[35]

• On September 28, 2009, The New York Times profiled Liz Cheney on its front page, describing her popularity among conservatives such as Michelle Malkin, Dan Senor, and Elliot Abrams at the "Smart Girl Summit" held in Nashville, Tennessee by Smart Girl Politics. In that article, Cheney's sister Mary Cheney is quoted as saying, "I think you'd be hard-pressed to find any daylight at all between Liz's and my father's views. It's not because she's been indoctrinated. It's because he's right."^[36]

• On February 18, 2010, Liz introduced her father as a surprise, unannounced speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference.^[37]

Keep America Safe[link]

In October 2009 Liz Cheney, William Kristol, and Deborah Burlingame launched, as board members, a non-profit 501(c)4 organization, Keep America Safe. The group's stated purpose is to "provide information for concerned Americans about critical national security issues" ^[38]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Elizabeth Cheney

• [1] Video: Elizabeth Cheney as panelist as a Center for Strategic and International Studies panel participant with foreign policy experts Robin Wright of Washington Post, Jon Alterman of CSIS, Ken Pollack of Brookings Institution.
• Profile: Liz Cheney profile.
• [2] Transcript: appearance on Fox News' No Spin Zone, October 21, 2004, interview with Bill O'Reilly
• [3] Transcript: Foreign Press Center briefing on disbursement of MEPI funds, Manama, Bahrain, Nov. 9 2005.
• [4] Interview: Carnegie Endowment
• [5] Interview: with Norah O'Donnell of MSNBC, April 23, 2009
• [6] Transcript: debate in New York City, "Diplomacy with Iran Is Going Nowhere" sponsored by Rosenkranz Foundation and Intelligence Squared, May 12, 2009.
• [7] Keep America Safe website

Martin Bashir
Born	(1963-01-19) 19 January 1963 (age 49) South London, England, United Kingdom
Occupation	Journalist Anchor
Years active	1986–present
Religion	Christian

	Martin Bashir An audio recording of the page.
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Martin Bashir (born 19 January 1963) is a British journalist, currently with NBC News as a contributor for its Dateline program, and an afternoon anchor for MSNBC, hosting Martin Bashir.^[1] He was previously an anchor for ABC's Nightline and is known for his interviews with Diana, Princess of Wales and controversy surrounding his interview and conflicting statements in his reports on singer Michael Jackson.

Early life[link]

Bashir was born in Wandsworth, South London to parents of Pakistani Christian origin and grew up in Wandsworth. He was educated at the state comprehensive Wandsworth School for Boys and King Alfred's College of Higher Education, Winchester (since 2004 the University of Winchester), studying English and History from 1982–1985, and at King's College London. He is fluent in English, Urdu and Hindi. He identifies as a committed Christian.^[2]

Career[link]

He started work as a journalist in 1986. He worked for the BBC until 1999 on programmes including Songs of Praise, Public Eye and Panorama and then he joined ITV, working on special documentary programmes and features for Tonight with Trevor McDonald.

Bashir came to wide prominence in 1995 when he interviewed (for the BBC's Panorama programme) Diana, Princess of Wales about her failed marriage to the Prince of Wales.^[3][4] Since then he has conducted interviews with, among others, Louise Woodward, the five suspects in the Stephen Lawrence case, Michael Barrymore, Jeffrey Archer, Major Charles Ingram, and Joanne Lees.

Bashir was employed by ABC and co-anchored their current affairs show Nightline. Along with Cynthia McFadden and Terry Moran, he took over Nightline from Ted Koppel in 2005 following the famous news anchor's final broadcast.

In August 2010 Bashir left ABC for NBC and MSNBC where he serves as a contributor for Dateline and an afternoon anchor for MSNBC, as well as an occasional substitute host for Lawrence O'Donnell.^[1] In a recent broadcast in May of 2012 Bashir made this comment on his afternoon show on MSNBC. That Speaker of the House John Boehner "is the most disastrous speaker that the house ever had."

Bashir had a role as himself in the satirical comedy film Mike Bassett: England Manager.

Michael Jackson interviews[link]

In 2003, Bashir conducted a series of interviews with pop singer Michael Jackson, as part of a documentary for ITV, which Uri Geller had fixed up as a friend of Michael. Following the broadcast, which was viewed by 14 million in the UK and 38 million in the US, several media personalities^[who?] accused Bashir of yellow journalism, claiming that he deliberately doctored the recordings in order to paint Jackson in an unflattering light,^{[citation needed]} as well as emphasizing the allegations of child molestation made against Jackson. In an interview with Louis Theroux, Geller said that he felt betrayed by Bashir, and claimed that the ITV documentary had ruined Geller's own relationship with Michael.^[5] The New York Times called Bashir's journalism style "callous self-interest masked as sympathy."^[6]

In response, Jackson and his personal cameraman released a rebuttal interview, which showed Bashir complimenting Jackson for the "spiritual" quality of the Neverland Ranch. Bashir also describes Jackson as a wonderful father and says that Jackson's relationship with his children "almost makes him weep".^[7]

Dieter Wiesner, the pop star's manager from 1996 to 2003, said of Bashir's documentary:

"It broke him. It killed him. He took a long time to die, but it started that night. Previously the drugs were a crutch, but after that they became a necessity."^[8]

Bashir later said of Jackson during ABC's coverage of his death,

"When I made the documentary, there was a small part that contained a controversy concerning his relationship with young people. But the truth is that he was never convicted of any crime, and I never saw any wrongdoing myself."^[9]

Musical career[link]

In 2010, Bashir released his first album entitled Bass Lion. The reggae album was produced by Cary Haase and mixed by Casey Conrad^[10]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Martin Bashir

• Profile and Martin Bashir show at MSNBC
• Martin Bashir at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Martin Bashir in libraries (WorldCat catalog)