--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When my editors and I at 'Rolling Stone'…" description: "\"When my editors and I at 'Rolling Stone' came up with the idea to do a profile of General McChrystal, I simply just e-mailed General McChrystal's press..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/michael-hastings-6810_any_when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-c_2620922.jpg" --- # When my editors and I at 'Rolling Stone' came up with the… ![“When my editors and I at 'Rolling Stone' came up with the idea to do a profile of General McChrystal, I simply just e-mailed General McChrystal's press staff, said we wanted to do a profile, and said if you could give us any time to hang out with the general, that would be great.” quote by Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/michael-hastings-6810_any_when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-c_2620922.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/michael-hastings-6810_any_when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-c_2620922.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/michael-hastings-6810_any_when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-c_2620922.jpg) > “When my editors and I at 'Rolling Stone' came up with the idea to do a profile of General McChrystal, I simply just e-mailed General McChrystal's press staff, said we wanted to do a profile, and said if you could give us any time to hang out with the general, that would be great.” [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Direct outreach to a high‑profile figure can secure exclusive access. **In simple terms:** Emailing a general for interview access. Key Takeaway Be proactive and concise. Themes journalism networking initiative Mood professional assertive Type journalistic strategic When to use this quote - securing interviews - building contacts - research preparation Key Concepts media relations military leadership Questions to Reflect On - What tone makes a request effective? - How do you handle a refusal? A Different Perspective May be perceived as intrusive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/came/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editors/) [General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general/) [General Mcchrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-mcchrystal-216334/) [Give](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/give/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Hang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hang/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Mailed General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mailed-general-2109997/) [Mcchrystal Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mcchrystal-press-2109999/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/press/) [Profile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profile/) [Profile General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profile-general-2109998/) [Profile Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profile-said-1627046/) [Rolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rolling/) [Rolling stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rolling-stone/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Simply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simply/) [Staff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staff/) [Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stone/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [General McChrystal wanted to be on the cover of 'Rolling Stone.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/general-mcchrystal-wanted-to-be-on-the-cover-of-rolling-stone/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [General McChrystal had to go. Whatever his virtues as a strategist and commander, the 'Rolling Stone' interview fatally compromised his ability to represent the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-talent/general-mcchrystal-had-to-go-whatever-his-virtues-as-a-strategist-and/) [Jim Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-talent/) > [I try to keep a low profile in general. Not with my art, but just as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-try-to-keep-a-low-profile-in-general-not-with-my-art-but-just-as-a/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [To General McChrystal, those men on his team are his family. You know, these guys, they would do anything. They would die for each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/to-general-mcchrystal-those-men-on-his-team-are-his-family-you-know/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [“You’re not beautiful,” he said. “Your profile said beautiful. You kind of overreached on that one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-dunning/you-re-not-beautiful-he-said-your-profile-said-beautiful-you-kind-of/) [Diane Dunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-dunning/) > [I've always kept a low profile and said no to 'Saturday Night Live' and stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-anderson/i-ve-always-kept-a-low-profile-and-said-no-to-saturday-night-live-and/) [Tom Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-anderson/) > [When we first met, I was probably six layers down in the military structure, but General McChrystal at that time was a soldier's leader,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-fussell/when-we-first-met-i-was-probably-six-layers-down-in-the-military/) [Chris Fussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-fussell/) > [In the early 2009, a campaign plan developed by Petraeus and General McChrystal to defeat the Taliban, they required a minimum force of 40,000.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-keane/in-the-early-2009-a-campaign-plan-developed-by-petraeus-and-general/) [Jack Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-keane/) > [Replacing General McChrystal with David Petraeus was a good first step, but more will be needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-talent/replacing-general-mcchrystal-with-david-petraeus-was-a-good-first/) [Jim Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-talent/) > [I welcome all interviews with 'Rolling Stone' magazine, and I'm sure people will talk to me in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-welcome-all-interviews-with-rolling-stone-magazine-and-i-m-sure/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [I've always said that if you want to find out what's going on in Iraq or Afghanistan or Libya, I'll give you a choice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-ve-always-said-that-if-you-want-to-find-out-what-s-going-on-in-iraq/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [It sure is cool that I was mentioned in 'Rolling Stone.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/it-sure-is-cool-that-i-was-mentioned-in-rolling-stone/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [I wondered how I was going to do it and keep my job at Rolling Stone at the same time. They were very nice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jancee-dunn/i-wondered-how-i-was-going-to-do-it-and-keep-my-job-at-rolling-stone/) [Jancee Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jancee-dunn/) > [I've had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense - in America, especially - that once you've made your mark and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-ve-had-my-ups-and-downs-and-i-definitely-have-a-sense-in-america/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I remember that, before John Lennon died, everyone was saying that Rolling Stone couldn't do good reporting anymore. But when he died, they wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-crowe/i-remember-that-before-john-lennon-died-everyone-was-saying-that/) [Cameron Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-crowe/) ## More by Michael Hastings > [I have a deep-seated skepticism about the morality of violence. Violence is almost always morally corrosive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-have-a-deep-seated-skepticism-about-the-morality-of-violence/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [The humanitarian argument is so selective I find it difficult to swallow. It's not even so much about the choice as to where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/the-humanitarian-argument-is-so-selective-i-find-it-difficult-to/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [If Bill O'Reilly is calling you a far-left critic, in my book, no matter what your political persuasion is, that's probably - that probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/if-bill-o-reilly-is-calling-you-a-far-left-critic-in-my-book-no/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [I'm post-cynical on this stuff. I look at the El Salvador model as the glory days: Why don't we just fund the death squads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-m-post-cynical-on-this-stuff-i-look-at-the-el-salvador-model-as-the/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [Whether or not Afghanistan would be a peaceful nation-state had we not gone into Iraq I doubt. Afghanistan is going to be Afghanistan, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/whether-or-not-afghanistan-would-be-a-peaceful-nation-state-had-we/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [One of their major initiatives was getting all officers on Facebook. So the question is, why are these people who are there to train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/one-of-their-major-initiatives-was-getting-all-officers-on-facebook/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [It was interesting watching the Afghanistan war review deliberations, this three-month process where Barack Obama did the most thorough foreign policy review ever by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/it-was-interesting-watching-the-afghanistan-war-review-deliberations/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [Inside the White House there were always extreme amounts of doubt about whether they should be escalating in Afghanistan. In fact, most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/inside-the-white-house-there-were-always-extreme-amounts-of-doubt/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [The State Department is essentially... I was going to use the word useless. But I don't know if that's correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/the-state-department-is-essentially-i-was-going-to-use-the-word/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [If someone tells you something is off the record, I don't print it. If they don't tell me something is off the record, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/if-someone-tells-you-something-is-off-the-record-i-don-t-print-it-if/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [If you polled the military in Afghanistan as to how many think we should be there or not, the numbers would probably be similar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/if-you-polled-the-military-in-afghanistan-as-to-how-many-think-we/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [Afghanistan would have been difficult enough without Iraq. Iraq made it impossible. The argument that had we just focused on Afghanistan we'd now be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/afghanistan-would-have-been-difficult-enough-without-iraq-iraq-made/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [“Her name has been released to the press. Her photograph is released, too. I want to talk to the press about it. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/her-name-has-been-released-to-the-press-her-photograph-is-released/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [The frightening aspect is that it's part of a larger effort from the Pentagon to tear down the wall between public affairs and propaganda,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/the-frightening-aspect-is-that-it-s-part-of-a-larger-effort-from-the/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [An information operations team was sent to Afghanistan to conduct various psychological operations on the Afghans and Taliban. The team was then asked not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/an-information-operations-team-was-sent-to-afghanistan-to-conduct/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) [Explore all 97 Michael Hastings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) ## More Any quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/) [Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/) [Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/) [Browse all 6,938 Any quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When my editors and I at 'Rolling Stone' came up with the idea to do a profile of General McChrystal, I simply just e-mailed General McChrystal's press staff, said we wanted to do a profile, and said if you could give us any time to hang out with the general, that would be great.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Hastings" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-came-up-with-the-idea-to-do-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Any" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-came-up-with-the-idea-to-do-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/michael-hastings-6810_any_when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-c_2620922.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/michael-hastings-6810_any_when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-c_2620922.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/michael-hastings-6810_any_when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-c_2620922.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When my editors and I at 'Rolling Stone' came up with the idea to do a profile of General McChrystal, I…” — Michael Hastings", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Hastings", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When my editors and I at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-came-up-with-the-idea-to-do-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/when-my-editors-and-i-at-rolling-stone-came-up-with-the-idea-to-do-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```