Powell irate at camera cutaway

[JTF]

BY JAMES GORDON MEEK

New York Daily News


WASHINGTON - (KRT) - Secretary of State Colin Powell dressed down a press aide during a TV interview from Jordan yesterday when she suddenly pushed the camera away from him to a shot of swaying palm trees.

The abrupt attempt to cut off the interview by satellite with NBC's "Meet The Press" happened just as journalist Tim Russert asked America's top diplomat to justify his role in making the Bush administration's case for war in Iraq.

"You're off," deputy press secretary Emily Miller could be heard telling Powell.

"I am not off," Powell fumed.

"No. They can't use it, they're editing it," the unseen aide said in the unedited broadcast.

As the wind blew the palm fronds and the waves of the Dead Sea churned in the background, Russert glared into his own camera and Powell and Miller argued over whether the interview had actually ended.

"Emily, get out of the way," Powell finally snarled. "Bring the camera back, please."

The gaffe got a laugh when Russert asked Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., if he'll join Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry's ticket.

"I'd like to have the camera move over to a palm tree to start with," McCain quipped.

State Department officials later complained that Russert had gone three minutes over the 10 he was given to talk with Powell, who was also interviewed by Fox and ABC. But Powell later called Russert to apologize, the host told CNN's "Late Edition."