http://www.suntimes.com/output/terror/cst-nws-rums15.html
Radio Rumsfeld is on the air November 15, 2002 BY ANNIE SWEENEY STAFF REPORTER
Donald Rumsfeld took to the airwaves Thursday for an unprecedented live, drive-time chat show with the nation about terrorism, security and the threat of war.
In a one-hour live national broadcast aired locally on WBBM-AM (780), Rumsfeld took about 20 calls and e-mails from listeners, who queried the Secretary of Defense about a wide-ranging selection of issues, including the threat of new terror attacks here, the club bombing in Bali and the future of Pakistani politics.
[clip] Most of the callers pitched fairly friendly, although some pointed, questions to Rumsfeld, who was relaxed. At one point, he gave a special welcome to a caller from Chicago, which is Rumsfeld's hometown. Nearing the end of the broadcast, he also asked Kroft why most of the callers had been male.
"Do you have any women ask questions?''
UCLA Professor Joel Auerbach, who is the director of the Center for American Politics and Public Policy there, said Rumsfeld was a natural choice to do the broadcast because of his regular press conferences, sense of humor and ability to project himself.
"They must feel that they need to explain themselves to the public and [that] there is a lot of unease out there,'' Auerbach said, referring to potential conflict with Iraq. "If the administration's plan is to be very assertive, they are going to have to prepare the public for that.''