By ADAM BASCOM
“I think it’s fabulous, because it opens the door to explain our true beliefs and our church in general to the public,” said Kathy Zetterlind, a junior from Bryan, Ohio, majoring in home economics education.
Zetterlind was one of many students who watched the interview and were impressed in one way or another.
She also found it to be interesting that the prophet would address issues about President Clinton when so many others, particularly public officials, are trying to avoid the issue.
“Gratitude” was the word Jim Jackson, a junior from Salt Lake City, majoring in near eastern studies, stressed as he expressed his appreciation for the general image of the LDS Church which was presented by President Gordon B. Hinckley.
“The interview seemed unbiased and fair, like Larry King just wanted to learn and was not trying to be prejudice,”
“It seemed like the interview kept going back to politics, and when it seemed that they had talked enough politics, the subject came up again,” Jackson said.
“A little less politics and some more Church issues may have made the interview better, but over all it was very positive.”
President Hinckley’s appearance on “Larry King Live” sparked a number of reactions from some of the local non-student viewers.
John Mauzy, a Provo resident, indicated that he was not as pleased with the over all outcome of this show as compared to President Hinckley’s interview on “60 Minutes” in 1996.
“He was able to keep his cool despite the hostile questions that were presented by Larry King, but he seemed to be slightly defensive in his answers,” Mauzy said.
While some people were unable to tune in to the interview because it was broadcast on cable, others had more than they could handle.
At RC Willey on University Ave., people were able to tune in to the interview on various size televisions, as it was cast on all but a few televisions in the store.
Students in the Cannon Center lobby displayed a variety of emotion during the interview.
Students would cheer and laugh out loud when President Hinckley said something they approved of. One student even had the urge to holler “amen” when President Hinckley said something she found important.
“In addition,” Zetterlind said,” I felt that the interview should help in getting rid of some of the myths and misunderstandings that people might have of the LDS Church.”
