A few weeks ago, I was asked by Drew University’s magazine to compile a list of the 6 most inspiring interviews I’ve conducted as a Drew student reporter. I avoided this task indefinitely, knowing it was going to be tough to select only 6. Since my freshman year, I’ve been the reporter assigned to cover the Forum Speaker appearances; that is to cover the visits of prominent political or media figures to the likes of Dr. Robert Gates and Arianna Huffington. While I’ve conducted just over ten of these interviews, all of them were equally inspiring, in their own way, and it took me over an hour to narrow it down.
After compiling my list, which looks something like #1 Anderson Cooper, #2 Tom Brokaw, #3 Arianna Huffington, #4 Robert Gates, and #5 Gerry Adams, I explained to the mag’s editor that I needed to save the #6 spot for the interview I would be conducting at the end of that week with Former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. I just had a feeling. Now, as I reflect on the interview just about a week later, I’m thinking of making her #1.
As I walked to Meade Hall for the interview, I had mixed emotions. I was obviously excited, but also beginning to feel the tiny beads of sweat roll down my forehead; I was incredibly nervous! Nervous for two reasons: The first, I was about to sit down with Condoleezza Rice. The second, I had a forum interviewer-to-be shadowing me. I wondered if the experience would be like the one I had with Gerry Adams: five minutes to ask seven questions, walls lined with CIA. I hoped not.
As I pulled open the door at Meade Hall, it was immediately obvious that the experiences would have little similarity. Not to say my experience interviewing Mr. Adams was bad in anyway, but having 15, or so, men in black suits lining the walls staring at you every move you make- is quite intimidating for a rookie journalist.
As Ms. Rice entered the room she waved happily at the group of students waiting to speak with her and immediately introduced herself to us. I shook out my last minute jitters and took my usual place across from Ms. Rice.
After a very touching introduction to her by the University’s Communications Officer, where he explained that Ms. Rice, “should remember [my] name, because I will be going very far in the field of journalism,” I asked her my first question.
“You grew up in Birmingham when it was still racially segregated,” I prefaced it. “What was that like and how did your experiences there shape your future,” I continued.
“On one hand, I had a really normal childhood,” Ms. Rice began. “I took dance lessons, piano lessons, did all the normal things. Parents made a very conscious effort to make everything seem normal and they did a really good job at it. For the most part, I don’t think we really knew anything was wrong because we never really crossed into ‘White Birmingham,’” she explained.
As her eyes began to fill with a very light trace of a tear, Ms. Rice continued, “It wasn’t until the bombing of the Birmingham Church, where I lost my very best kindergarten friend, did I know there was something wrong.”
Touched by her response, I let out the smallest “oh my gosh,” under my breath and we connected. In that moment, she smiled and said, “It was that moment that taught me how resilient the human sprit really is. How capable one is of putting the past behind them and moving on,” she said. “I’m not sure if the specific connection, but my experiences in Birmingham definitely had an impact on my decision to become Secretary of State,” Ms. Rice continued.
After opening the conversation with learning a bit about her background, I moved into a short conversation about an interview Jenna Bush conducted with Ms. Rice for Southern Living Magazine. In the interview, Ms. Rice explained that her parents taught her that she would always have to be “twice as good,” to overcome prejudice. Based on this idea, I asked whether or not she feels this ideal still fits in regards to women aiming high career wise.
“Yes, definitely,” she said. “But honestly, race and gender based prejudice aside, it’s not a bad mantra for anyone. It’s a great thing to remember when you’re in any environment where you are different or feel kind of confined. It helps you step outside of the box,” she said.
As my last kind of “introduction to the interview” question, I asked Ms. Rice how being told she would be one of the first two women admitted to the Augusta National made her feel. She simply explained that she felt very “surprised and excited.” She went on to explain that she feels it’s a wonderful institution that has really pushed the growth of the game.
After getting acquainted to Ms. Rice’s warm personality after these few questions, I moved into the more serious questions. The first of these being one of my personal favorite questions that I’ve ever asked: As a member of the Bush Administration, what piece of criticism about yourself/the administration as a whole that you heard of read hurt you the most and why?
With a firm nod and a clasp of her hands, Ms. Rice proceeded, “It’s really hurtful to hear that people don’t think you’re telling the truth. I never once intended to lie about anything during my time as a part of that administration. I always told the truth and presented things to the public in the way I believed they were really happening,” she said. “It made me really angry to see how many people really thought we were lying. It’s one thing for the public to disagree with us, but it’s quite another to repeatedly hear that you’re not being honest.”
Following my question regarding her time on the Bush administration, I moved into a question about the Boston Marathon bombing. Since her lecture followed the tragedy by just three days, I anticipated it would be something she would address in her forum to the Drew community. Her response reflected an agreement with information Dr. Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense, provided me with in an interview a few months ago.
“While visiting Drew, Dr. Gates explained that in his opinion, a large-scale attack like 9/11 is an unlikely threat for the U.S in present day,” I said. “He went on to state that we now need to be more concerned with smaller scale attacks, like what happened in Boston on Monday. Do you agree or disagree with this,” my question read.
Very similar to the to the insight that Dr. Gates shared, Ms. Rice stated that currently, the U.S. needs to be concerned with Al Queda affiliates. “Home-grown people are actually a large concern at this point as well,” she said. “What occurred in Boston does not feel very foreign to me at this point. It feels Al Queda inspired but domestically executed.”
While our conversation about this continued for much longer than her assistants wanted to allow, my next question touched on the truth behind the recent Hollywood film, “Zero Dark Thirty.” As a viewer that was incredibly enthralled by it, I was eager to get her onion. Was it fact, fiction, or a mix of the two, I asked.
And…I think you’ll all be as shocked by her answer as I was. “I haven’t seen it so I can’t tell you honestly, Kimberly.” After a quick, “wow, really??” I asked her why and she didn’t really have an exact answer. That’s something I really wish I poked at a bit more. I would love to know!!!!
Although we were really beginning to engage with each other at this point in the interview, I thought her assistants were going to kill me if I took anymore of her time so I began to wrap the interview by asking if she feels the nation is ready for a woman president and if yes, would she ever consider running.
With a sharp yes, she assured me that of course the nation is ready for a woman president BUT it will NEVER be her.
“I love policy. I don’t love politics,” she said with an honest laugh. “I don’t have the right DNA. When I worked for President Bush he would be up alllllllll night working,” as she exaggerated the “all.” “I don’t want to do that- I want to go to bed at night,” she laughed.
“But seriously, Kimberly, I’ve never wanted to run for office. I like being behind the scenes,” she smiled.
As she thanked me for a great interview (which nearly made me pee my pants, by the way!) she also asked one of the other students sitting in on the interview to take a picture of us. Yes, that’s right I said SHE asked!!!!
As we began to part ways and head for the exits, she said, “I get what Dave said now. I really will see you doing this professionally one day,” then she shook my hand and said goodbye.
I called my mom and told her I could die happily. Condoleezza Rice approves of my journalism skills.
(Photo cred: James McCourt)
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