Italian Senator Fakes Illness to Make TV Interview

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RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

When President Bush's visit to Rome forced road closures over the weekend, one Italian senator called for an ambulance. Gustavo Selva was going to be late for a television interview. So the senator used what he used called an old journalist's trick, asking to be rushed to his heart specialist but giving the TV studio's address. I've never heard of it, but maybe among Roman reporters. In any event, the health minister called the ruse shameful.

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