Man up, George W. Bush! Do the Laura Ingraham Show

By Michael Gaynor

Are you really so wary of Laura that you are willing to disrespect her millions of listeners (and sell fewer copies of your book)?

On November 9, 2010, former President George W. Bush's memoir, Decision Points (www.amazon.com/Decision-Points-George-W-Bush/dp/0307590615), was officially released and the former president has been doing interviews promoting it.

Oprah Winfrey, the well known Obama supporter, interviewed the former president on her television show.

Matt Lauer interviewed him on NBC's "Today."

Fox News stars Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly interviewed him for their television shows.

But conservative radio and television star Laura Ingraham, author of New York Times no. 1 best sellers, including The Obama Diaries, published July 13, 2010, announced during her nationally syndicated radio program on November 12, 2010 that she had invited the former president to appear on her show, but he has not scheduled an appearance.

Plain English translation: George W. Bush won election and re-election after debating Al Gore and John Kerry, but debating Laura is something he wants to avoid. (She publicly disagreed with him on some important issues, and he's wary AND annoyed.)

In November 2008, Talkers Magazine reported that The Laura Ingraham Show ranked eighth among most-listened-to talk radio programs, with an average 5.5 million weekly listeners.

Man up, Mr. President!

Are you really so wary of Laura that you are willing to disrespect her millions of listeners (and sell fewer copies of your book)?

Oprah and Matt had no interest in making the case that the former president was not conservative enough, and Sean and Bill did not go there either.

After O'Reilly broadcast his interview with the former president last night, he invited Laura, Sally Quinn and Charles Krauthammer comment on it.

It's obvious why the former president hasn't scheduled with Laura...and it does not reflect well on him.

Laura's evaluation of the Bush 43 presidency really is what Fox News aspires to be — "fair and balanced."

Laura gives the former president full credit for his accomplishments, but she is no Bush 43 apologist.

Laura strongly criticized the former president for nominating his former counsel, Harriet Miers, to the United States Supreme Court and the former president is not looking for an opportunity to defend that withdrawn nomination. The former president and his First Lady wanted to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor with another woman, and Miers was his choice. Laura, a former law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas, wanted a stronger nominee, regardless of sex, and immediately led the opposition to the Miers nomination.

Likewise, Laura was at the forefront of the opposition to the former president's proposed "amnesty" for persons illegally in the United States. The former president doesn't want to debate that subject with Laura either.

And Laura is a genuine fiscal conservative who believes that the former president should have done much more to control spending and responded differently to the financial crisis.

I'd be delighted if the former president agrees to be interviewed by Laura, but I am not surprised that hasn't arranged to do it.

© Michael Gaynor