Pundits claim Kerry is dodging interviews

John Kerry was today hit by accusations he is running scared from being interviewed.

The latest high-profile journalist to complain that the Democrat is avoiding cross-examination is Bob Woodward, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Watergate reporter.

Bill O'Reilly, the veteran Fox News political presenter, has resorted to running an "almost Kerry interview" in which he questions academics and pundits because the politician refuses to appear on his show.

Mr Woodward, whose newspaper the Washington Post this week endorsed the Kerry campaign, revealed he has been seeking an interview since June without success. He blamed "risk-averse" nerves on the part of the Kerry team for the refusal. One of America's most revered journalists, he even took the unusual step of sending his list of 22 questions in advance, in the hope Mr Kerry would feel more confident about answering.

He pointed out that President Bush gave him three and a half hours of interview time for his best-selling book on the Iraq War, Plan of Attack. He wanted Mr Kerry to explain how he would have fought the war differently. "I interviewed President Bush and he answered hundreds of detailed questions," said Mr Woodward. "I wanted to come up with parallel questions that would tell us how Kerry would function."

He thought Mr Kerry's refusal was because he did not want to take risks. "What's to gain? There's a downside every time a candidate opens his mouth." Last month Mr Kerry stepped up his criticism of the Bush war strategy and declared: "I would've done almost everything differently."

Mr Woodward then sent his detailed questions asking how he would have acted differently. At that point, Mr Kerry decided not to do the interview. "The senator and his campaign have since decided not to do the interview, though his advisers say Kerry would have strong and compelling answers," said Mr Woodward.

Mr O'Reilly said he had been seeking a Kerry interview since July and had been turned down repeatedly, although President Bush had appeared on his show.

He added he wanted to challenge the Democrat on how he would pay for health care plans. "I think the senator has got to answer these questions before next Tuesday."

The accusation Mr Kerry is shunning difficult questions came as he attacked Mr Bush for being "silent" on awkward issues including reports of 380 tonnes of missing explosives in Iraq.