Who should replace Tim Russert on Meet the Press?

Hugh_Akston · 06-17-08, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niftydrifty

It's about scrutiny of the candidates this year. McCain is quite loaded. What do po' folks think about McCain's millions? Russert gave McCain a pass.

Just look at all the righties that love Russert in this, that, and the other threads. Gee, I wonder why.

Obama is loaded too, but I don't recall Russert going after him and not McCain. So the fact that he hasn't addressed how much money Obama or McCain has makes him a "softy" with Republicans? What kind of ill-fated logic is that?

McCain appeared on MTP a total of 52 times (only Bob Dole appeared more at 63). McCain even said that the interviews with Russert were "as tough as any interviews he has ever done". Anyone who has ever sat on that show can probably say the same thing. Just because you don't like McCain (I'm not a big fan of McCain either) doesn't mean that you should diminish the outstanding work that Russert did on MTP and as the Washington bureau chief for NBC News.

And for the record, Russert was a democrat. He worked on Democratic Senator Patrick Moynihan's senatorial campaign in 1976. He served as Moynihan's chief of staff from 1977-1982. He worked on Democratic Governor Mario Cuomo's gubernatorial campaign in 1982. He was a counselor in Governor Cuomo's office from 1983 to 1984 and left politics to join NBC in 1984. So why would a lifelong democrat be easy on the Republican nominee? Quite simply, he wasn't, you're just letting your partisan hatred get the best of you, as usual. People on both sides of the aisle respected and liked Russert. He was a one of a kind and I can't see anyone being able to replace him. He was fair and firm and you just don't see that anymore. Using your logic, anyone must be bad if so many "righties" like someone.

Hatuey · 06-17-08, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P/N

Obama is loaded too

Not to question your definition of 'loaded' but what exatcly do you consider to be 'loaded'? Millions in the single digit? Or the hundreds of millions? And when you call somebody 'loaded' is this a term you use for a self made man, somebody who married into money or just people with a lot of money? Obama is dirt poor by Washington standards.

Study: Congress' richest and poorest members

Quote:

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, reported a $27.6 million surge in his average net worth - the midpoint between the lowest and highest ranges of his and his wife's assets listed on his Senate financial disclosure forms - from 1995 to 2006. He and his wife Cindy rose from an average net worth of $8.9 million to an average of $36.4 million, the ninth fastest biggest upward move in Congress.

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's estimated net worth rose from $328,442 in 2004 to $799,006 in 2006, according to the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation. The organization posted on its Web site the first-ever analysis of the 535 House and Senate members' net worth in inflation-adjusted 2006 dollars over as many as 11 years, from as far back as 1995 to 2006.

I'm not saying I wouldn't take 700K a year over my current income but if we're talking by congress standards he's not exatcly 'loaded'. Maybe to us common men he's got more then we do but he's more or less a drop in the bucket when put up against the rest of Congress.

bhkad · 06-17-08, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niftydrifty

you've just made an appeal to popularity.

You insinuated a falsehood. That was the best way to refute it that I could think of.

Quote:

I never said he wasn't a nice guy. people love nice guys. but nice guys can also give politicians a pass, rarely challenge conventional wisdom, be biased, allow Cheney to pimp falsehoods on his show, and tend to be generally unobjective.

just look at what the reaction is when a journalist tells the truth. "he's not nice." "he's a jerk." and so on.

Hugh_Akston · 06-17-08, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatuey

Not to question your definition of 'loaded' but what exatcly do you consider to be 'loaded'? Millions in the single digit? Or the hundreds of millions? And when you call somebody 'loaded' is this a term you use for a self made man, somebody who married into money or just people with a lot of money? Obama is dirt poor by Washington standards.

Study: Congress' richest and poorest members

I'm not saying I wouldn't take 700K a year over my current income but if we're talking by congress standards he's not exatcly 'loaded'. Maybe to us common men he's got more then we do but he's more or less a drop in the bucket when put up against the rest of Congress.

You're quoting numbers from 2006? Hasn't Obama put out a book or five since then? Isn't he the dem candidate for President? I'm betting he is worth a lot more now, wouldn't you agree?

The point I was trying to make (which apparently was lost on you) is that nifty is on the fringes, not where most of us are. Most of us viewed Russert as very fair and very tough, something that is lacking in Washington from a journalistic standpoint. The partisans blinded by hate (on both sides) are going to see what they want to see. Those with open minds are going to see reality for what it is, not what they perceive it to be based on their own prejudgments. I think you and I can both agree that Russert wasn't a softball pitcher, assuming you watched MTP on a regular basis. Anyone who says that Russert was a softball pitcher either never watched his show or suffers from a disconnect from reality based on blind partisan hatred.

niftydrifty · 06-17-08, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P/N

Obama is loaded too,

not like Clinton or McCain. fact: Russert only painted Clinton's wealth as a liability.

Quote:

Originally Posted by P/N

McCain appeared on MTP a total of 52 times (only Bob Dole appeared more at 63). McCain even said that the interviews with Russert were "as tough as any interviews he has ever done".

this isn't a comparison of the interviews McCain has done with various pundits. this is a comparison of public figures being interviewed by Russert. (see below for an example).

Quote:

Originally Posted by P/N

Anyone who has ever sat on that show can probably say the same thing.

"probably" is an argument? oh yeah? well, you are probably wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by P/N

Just because you don't like McCain (I'm not a big fan of McCain either) doesn't mean that you should diminish the outstanding work that Russert did on MTP and as the Washington bureau chief for NBC News.

I will diminish the poor work Russert did, using examples of the work that Russert did. making me into the subject doesn't rebut my point.

Quote:

Originally Posted by P/N

And for the record, Russert was a democrat.

and?

here's an excerpt from a piece by Eric Alterman in 2004:

Quote:

Tim Russert is the only interviewer to sit down with both Bush and Kerry in recent times, it offers one of the only true points of comparison. In watching both interviews back to back, here's what I noticed.

Number of times in which Russert asked Bush or Kerry to make an impossible prediction? Kerry 1, Bush 0. (RUSSERT: If you were elected one year from now, will there be 100,000 American troops in Iraq?)

Number of times Russert tried to put guest in impossible position, based on actions of his opponent: Kerry 2, Bush 0. (RUSSERT: So if Iraq is not secure, how can you possibly say the U.N. and NATO are going to come to our rescue when they don't have the troops or the interest of going in there?.... RUSSERT: Could you accept a Shiite theocracy running Iraq similar to what we have in Iran?)

Number of times Russert asked guest to defend statements he made over 30 years ago: Kerry 2, Bush 0. (RUSSERT: And people refer back to an interview when you first ran for Congress, back with The Harvard Crimson, where you said, "Kerry said the United Nations should have control over most of our foreign military operations. I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations…. RUSSERT: You used the word "war criminals.")

Number of times Russert tried to pretend that a 30-year statement was untrue when in fact, by his own admission it was true. Kerry 1, Bush 0. (RUSSERT: But, Senator, when you testified before the Senate, you talked about some of the hearings you had observed at the winter soldiers meeting and you said that people had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and on and on. A lot of those stories have been discredited…" Note. As Kerry points out when he notes that "A lot of them have been documented," the fact that "a lot of those stories have been discredited," clearly implies that a number of them—perhaps most, perhaps a few, we have no way of knowing from Russert's question which ones he means, have not been discredited. So when Russert asks, "So you stand by that?" he is asking Kerry to take a position that he himself endorses with his question, but is unwilling to admit. And surely Russert has heard of My Lai, and now, Tiger Force.)

Number of times Russert plays the other candidate's campaign commercials attacking the interviewee played on the air: Kerry 1, Bush 0.

Number of times Russert asks questions designed to alienate a crucial ethnic bloc: Kerry 1, Bush 0. (RUSSERT: Why not lift the embargo and overthrow Castro...)

Number of times Russert casts aspersions on one candidate's military record asked without noting that the other candidate managed to avoid military service, despite his cushy national guard post: Kerry 1, Bush 0. (RUSSERT: The Boston Globe reports that your commanding officer, Lt. Commander Grant Hibberd has suggested that you perhaps didn't earn your first Purple Heart and question whether you should have left Vietnam after six months….)

Number of times Russert attempts to equate service in Vietnam with cushy national guard services that was not even completed: Kerry 1, Bush 0. (RUSSERT: In order to deal with those kinds of issues, when I asked President Bush about his service in the Texas Guard, he agreed to release all his military records, health records, everything. Would you agree to release all your military records?)

And finally, who has better manners?

Number of times the guest is called "sir" by host: Bush 1, Kerry 0.

Number of times Russert is called "sir" by guest: Kerry 2, Bush 0.

The numbers do not lie….

let me know if any of it isn't true.

mikhail · 06-17-08, 02:41 PM

The should invest in Jeremy Paxman if they can afford him just dont make him do the weather

YouTube - Newsnight Weather Reports - Paxman resists

Hatuey · 06-19-08, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P/N

You're quoting numbers from 2006? Hasn't Obama put out a book or five since then? Isn't he the dem candidate for President? I'm betting he is worth a lot more now, wouldn't you agree?

Obama's wealth has skyrocketed - Los Angeles Times

Quote:

Obama is the least wealthy of the three major presidential candidates. But with advances and royalties from two bestselling books, Obama's assets were worth between $2.02 million and $7.35 million at the end of 2007, according to a public financial disclosure report filed with the Federal Election Commission.

At the end of 2006, Obama's holdings were worth $455,000 to $1.125 million. When he entered the U.S. Senate in 2005, he reported assets worth between $200,000 and $400,000.

Obama's wealth does not match that of Democratic rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has loaned her campaign $11.4 million. She and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have earned more than $100 million since he left office at the start of the decade. Sen. Clinton received an extension and won't file a financial disclosure statement until next month.

I'm just saying. I'm not sure what your intent was by calling Obama 'loaded' but it just sounded a little weird. I usually use the term for people who were born with a silver spoon or married into wealth. Not self made men. Must be a difference in region I guess. If you just meant that he's got a lot of money(however this is only recently) then yes I'd agree but it depends what we mean by a lot of money. 5 million in D.C. means you're poor.

Quote:

The point I was trying to make (which apparently was lost on you) is that nifty is on the fringes, not where most of us are. Most of us viewed Russert as very fair and very tough, something that is lacking in Washington from a journalistic standpoint. The partisans blinded by hate (on both sides) are going to see what they want to see. Those with open minds are going to see reality for what it is, not what they perceive it to be based on their own prejudgments. I think you and I can both agree that Russert wasn't a softball pitcher, assuming you watched MTP on a regular basis. Anyone who says that Russert was a softball pitcher either never watched his show or suffers from a disconnect from reality based on blind partisan hatred.

I don't really watch TV much these days except for maybe when I'm really really tired(to fall asleep) or bored but yes I agree the few times I saw MTP Russert seemed like an ok guy in regards to how he conducted his interviews.

metreon · 06-20-08, 12:14 AM

I wonder if, as in many other replacement scenarios, the network will rotate a small herd of talking heads through the seat and gauge viewer feedback that way?

Hugh_Akston · 06-22-08, 11:56 AM

Well, it looks like Brokaw will be moderating the show up until the elections. I see he got zero votes in the poll, but I don't see him as a long-term replacement either. Brokaw has some big shoes to fill, Russert will be missed.

independent_thinker2002 · 06-22-08, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P/N

Well, it looks like Brokaw will be moderating the show up until the elections. I see he got zero votes in the poll, but I don't see him as a long-term replacement either. Brokaw has some big shoes to fill, Russert will be missed.

Brian Williams hosted it this morning.

View Poll Results: Who should replace Tim Russert on Meet the Press?
David Gregory	1	4.35%
Chris Matthews	1	4.35%
Brian Williams	0	0%
Tom Brokaw	1	4.35%
Andrea Mitchell	1	4.35%
Chris Wallace	1	4.35%
Chuck Todd	5	21.74%
Charlie Rose	2	8.70%
Dan Abrams	1	4.35%
Other (Tell us who!)	10	43.48%
Voters: 23. You may not vote on this poll

06-17-08, 02:41 PM	#56
mikhail blond bombshell Join Date: Jul 2005 Last Seen: 03-18-10 11:45 PM Location: uk Posts: 4,353 Thanks: 439 Thanked 674 Times in 496 Posts Lean: Independent Gender:	Re: Who should replace Tim Russert on Meet the Press? The should invest in Jeremy Paxman if they can afford him just dont make him do the weather YouTube - Newsnight Weather Reports - Paxman resists
	__________________ The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.

06-20-08, 12:14 AM	#58
metreon Advisor Join Date: Nov 2007 Last Seen: 03-14-10 01:09 PM Posts: 322 Thanks: 9 Thanked 111 Times in 79 Posts Lean: Independent Gender:	Re: Who should replace Tim Russert on Meet the Press? I wonder if, as in many other replacement scenarios, the network will rotate a small herd of talking heads through the seat and gauge viewer feedback that way?

06-22-08, 11:56 AM	#59
Hugh_Akston Breaking News Specialist Mod Team Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Last Seen: Today 03:12 AM Location: Gulf Coast Posts: 5,135 Thanks: 1,905 Thanked 2,273 Times in 1,291 Posts Lean: Conservative Gender: Total Awards: 3	Re: Who should replace Tim Russert on Meet the Press? Well, it looks like Brokaw will be moderating the show up until the elections. I see he got zero votes in the poll, but I don't see him as a long-term replacement either. Brokaw has some big shoes to fill, Russert will be missed.
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