Sure.

In Afghanistan in 1992 through the year 2000, under the Clinton administration, how many women went to school in Afghanistan? You know the answer.

None.

Zero. How many women are in the equivalent of high school, junior high school and in college in Afghanistan today under George Bush?

Um ... a lot.

How many?

I don't know.

You don't? You're a journalist. And you're interested in politics. And you're a woman.

I write about entertainment.

I'm asking you because I like you and I think I'm going to like you for a while and I'm going to talk to you a lot in the future because I like you, but you seem like an intelligent woman and probably a feminist and good for you. Many aspects of feminism have equaled a lot of wrongs and many of them have been just a disaster, but they've done a fundamentally good thing.

So I would think that you as a political writer for a very important Web site that is read by many, if you really want to be -- and I'm going to make a joke here -- fair and balanced, then you might want to actually report that under George Bush's tutelage of our country and to a certain extent of our entire world there are women in Afghanistan who are now enjoying the fruits of education and there were zero under Bill Clinton. You might want to write an article about that. "This fucking moron" is actually educating women in Afghanistan with your tax dollars. Don't you feel good about that? I do. He can raise my taxes on that one anytime he wants.

Have you ever considered running for office yourself?

Absolutely not.

Why not?

Because I'd have to talk to people like Barbara Boxer. Honestly, I don't think I could be in the same room with her. Or Gray Davis.

What do you think about the whole Dixie Chicks brouhaha and backlash?

I would have paid you, gladly, cash not to talk about politics today, but I'm a polite person, so I'll answer your question, so please put that in. I personally would ...

Couldn't you just refuse to answer questions about politics?

If you wanted to call up and ask me to talk about politics, only about politics, and I weren't promoting a movie, I'd say, "You know, Amy, you're such a nice person, I'd rather put a goddamn shotgun in my mouth and pull the trigger." OK? So, that said. I think it's fine if every citizen has an opinion. I find it unfortunate that celebrities have a bully pulpit by virtue of their celebrity and I would caution people to check the credentials of those who speak and make sure that they have the education, the knowledge, the experience and the intelligence to say what they say, given that it's said in the context of a bully pulpit of celebrity. If you want to quote that exactly, I'd appreciate it.

So you think the Dixie Chicks should not have said what they said?

I think anybody can say whatever they want. I think it's great when people say what they think because people are going to form an opinion. I mean, the Dixie Chicks are the greatest thing to happen to the Republican Party, OK? The RNC couldn't have been happier, OK?

Why?

Because when you say rude things about people, the rudeness creates a greater backlash than the things you wanna get across.

What about the way the conservatives have dealt with Hillary Clinton?

If I say Bill Clinton's a liar, that's a fact. If I say something rude about him -- and I have --

Right, didn't you just say --

Well, he shoved a cigar in some girl's vagina. Your hero literally did that. But if someone said, for instance, George Bush is a child molester, that's not a fact, and that's rude. It's irresponsible and unconscionable. So obviously, when people say those things, the only time I take exception is when people say irresponsible, unconscionable and rude things, OK? So if you say George Bush is a "moron," then back it up with facts, because otherwise you're a rude and probably pretty moronic person yourself.

I never said that.

Back before 9/11, the New Yorker reported about how you had alerted the FBI you were on a plane from Boston to L.A. that August and noticed a group of men you thought might have been gathering information for an attack. Would you be willing to talk about that?

I'd rather not talk about it, if you don't mind.

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