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Tom Brokaw lands first television interview with Bush since war began

NEW YORK (AP) – NBC’s Tom Brokaw has landed the first one-on-one interview with President Bush since the start of the war with Iraq.

The NBC anchorman will travel with Bush on Air Force One Thursday to two events in the Midwest. It will be broadcast as a one-hour special Friday, with parts of the interview also being seen that night on “NBC Nightly News.”

Brokaw will talk to the president about the war, the rebuilding effort, his plans for the economy and a potential re-election campaign.

Brokaw’s “Nightly News” is the top-rated network evening news program, its lead over ABC and CBS widening in recent months. The president tries to spread television access around; CBS’ Scott Pelley landed an exclusive chat during last fall’s observance of the Sept. 11 anniversary.

AP-ES-04-23-03 1851EDT