❊ Why I Liked Hariri’s Interview Yesterday

February 14, 2012 · Mustapha Hamoui

I’ve been harsh on Mr. Saad Hariri before, but I think the man had a very good interview yesterday. This is not an analysis post, just a quick what-went-through-my-head-while-watching thingy.

I’m sure Mr. Hariri left a lot to be desired, but here are a few observations on why I think he did a good job:

The anger is gone. He feels more relaxed and less spiteful in tone, body language and talking points. He was even coy when he was asked about the possibility of a future electoral alliance with PM Mikati in Tripoli. The bitterness, it seems, is something he decided he’s better off without.
He gave Nadim Koteish and Paula Yakoubian a lot of leeway in asking tough, sometimes embarrassing questions. Yakoubian was almost harassing him towards the end and Koteish maintained a skeptical attitude and countered Hariri’s responses with good comebacks questions. Of course, we’re not talking about a hostile interview (after all, he handpicked the people who did it), but kudos to him for coming as close as possible to a “real” TV interview.
He was forthright and honest with issues like his family finances and the ski incident. I think he handled those questions very well.
He admitted errors and wrongdoings, without losing grace.

I’m not saying Mr. Hariri is an angel. He’s a politician after all, and for all we know most of what he said was rehearsed and focus-group-tested by PR agencies. What I’m saying is that he’s starting to sound more like an effective politician: Calm and approachable yet strategic and quick on his feet. This can do wonders to the moral of his supporters and political allies, and this is why I’m calling yesterday’s interview a successful one.

Bonus: Half way through the show, I found out that PM Najib Mikati is also having a live TV interview at the same time as Mr. Hariri. Make no mistake about this, this is not a coincidence. I looked back with amusement at what I wrote three month ago: “PM Najib Mikati has a strange habit of raining on [Mr. Hariri’s] parades”.