Bob Schieffer and Imus Discuss Burris's Qualifications
Imus began his interview with Face The Nation host Bob Schieffer this morning by admonishing the poor man for not having RFD-TV.
"I'm sorry you can't see me-you should have RFD-TV-but I have simply the absolute most coolest hat anybody's ever worn on this morning," Imus said.
Referring, of course, to his black Kid Rock fedora, Imus called himself "too cool for the studio." Calm down, Grandpa.
Schieffer, also CBS News's chief Washington correspondent, had the pleasure of interviewing Vice President Dick Cheney on his show last Sunday. While disabusing Imus of the notion that Cheney was "in denial," Schieffer admitted he disagrees with the Vice President on matters like the government using torture and secret prisons as interrogation policies.
"I think our message to the world has always been, 'That's what the other guys do and we don't need to do that,'" Schieffer said, adding that cutting corners weakens the country's security. "What makes us strong is when people want to be like us-when they sit there and say, 'Their government is able to more thing for them than our government is.' That's how we won the Cold War."
Imus offered that the CIA and other, unknown intelligence organizations have always secretly engaged in this sort of behavior. The problem now, he said, is that somebody started whining about it.
He then asked Schieffer about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's change of heart regarding Senator-Elect Roland Burris, appointed to the Senate by embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. After initially refusing to seat Burris, it appears Reid and his colleagues may recant.
"They wound up getting outmaneuvered by a two-bit, crooked governor from Illinois!" Imus said, noting that Reid looked like he was making a hostage tape when speaking on the matter yesterday to the press.
A giggling Schieffer added that Burris's acceptance of the nomination raises some questions.
"I don't know if the man is qualified or unqualified, but I think the key question is who would accept that appointment? What kind of ego?" Schieffer asked.
Someone Schieffer thinks is qualified is Leon Panetta, President-Elect Barack Obama's pick for CIA Director. Calling him a man of "real integrity," Schieffer said Panetta knows his way around Washington, DC.
"[Panetta] really knows how things work, and the CIA really needs somebody who knows the Hill," Schieffer said, referring to the way business is done on Capitol Hill.
Asked who will appear on this Sunday's Face The Nation, Schieffer said he didn't know. Initial attempts to book Senator Harry Reid failed because Reid is sick.
"We'll have somebody," Schiffer promised. "But I may have to get my grandkids up there!"
Bob Schieffer 
Reader Comments (3)
Straight from the Imus website....attention all bloggers...or pretend journalists..
Deirdre Imus: "Get rid of all the phony stuff in your life"
Maybe that courageous battle with cancer isn't going as well as we have been led to believe
Don't worry Mr Imus.....you can bunk down at my place for awhile.
Doug from Canada
OH by the way Mr Imus,,,please leave your Chicken at home.....thanks
Sorry for being a typical Canadian...who wants to avoid trouble....
Mr Imus cus your fraidy scared of Jenna...you will have to find another place to tie your horse
very sorry but we need tough toothless guys up here for our hockey team
doug from Canada
Now Dagen...with her new drawers....thats a whole different invitation
hope your husbands chainsaw isn't up and running