Description

Bob Simon Book (Iraq):

This is a copy of Bob Simon’s book, “Forty Days.” It tells the story of his captivity in Baghdad during the first Gulf War. I was at the Al-Rasheed Hotel when the Iraqis brought Simon there (from an Iraqi prison), just before his release from Iraq. CNN had written letters and vouched for Simon during his imprisonment. Our Iraqi minder gave CNN a heads-up when Simon arrived at the hotel. I was the only cameraman outside his room as he was leaving the hotel. I backpedaled with him all the way down the stairs, through the hotel lobby and out the front entrance. As I got to the front steps, a still camera took a photo of Bob as I caught him walking out. That is the picture on the front of the book. I asked him to sign my copy. He wrote, “Thanks for giving me a hand on the cover…” He was referring to the photo which showed my hand on the book cover! He continued, “Let’s hope this war is over too. Isn’t it about time we met in a nice place?”