Meet the Shallows
From Mike Allen at Politico (pardon my italics):
NBC News plans to name David Gregory as moderator of "Meet the Press," infusing one of television's most prized franchises with a sharp edge leavened by a youthful style and versatility, according to network executives.Gregory, 38, celebrated his 30th birthday -- complete with cake -- aboard George W. Bush's presidential campaign plane, the assignment that solidified his stature as a network rising star.
Eight years on, Gregory has not distinguished himself for independent thought, though a certain grumpiness won him an easy reputation for such among people who think that a birthday cake on a campaign plane is what solidifies "stature." See here for an interesting item from the Columbia Journalism Review. Here are some questions I raised about Gregory's acumen in August. Here he was his penetrating question of Sen. John Thune (R, SD) at midnight after Sarah Palin's St. Paul speech: "Senator [John] Thune, was a star born here tonight with Sarah Palin?"
I try not to rush to judgment. I'm trying. Trying.
I believe this shows a continued nod by NBC/GE to shallow, softball journalism. Had they wanted to return to serious interviews, that is prior to Russert, they would have chosen David Shuster.
December 2, 2008 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are so right. David Shuster is great. He asks follow up questions. He laughs out loud at ridiculous answers. He words hard. He seems objective.
David Gregory? Meh.
If it is Gregory - one bright note. I will no longer bother setting my alarm for 5:30 on Sunday mornings (can't watch w/o coffee). [I'm retired so that's not as ghastly as it sounds.]
December 2, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
.
Well . . .
A person who can do the stupid dance as well as Gregory did with Rove can't be all bad...
Serious journalism my tailfeathers . . .
~OGD~
December 2, 2008 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hard to imagine going further downhill than the last few months with Brokaw. It was good to see Ted Turner this week turn all of Brokaw's conservative conventional wisdom on its head. "Russia is in our face, right Ted." "No, Tom, it's the other way around. We meddled in their backyard." "You like Castro, Ted? and think we should normalize relations with Cuba?" "Yes, Tom. We did it with Vietnam." "Oh, and Tom, you were a wee bit wrong about Iraq".
The constant meme from Brokaw is that it's all the American people's fault for their lack of personal responsibility. Unfortunately when Gregory is on with Brokaw, they both tsk tsk about the awful unwashed masses, so I see a continuation of Cosbyism. Ugh. I'll just skip the show.
December 2, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Face it, MTP died with Russert.
It is no longer "must see TV", and certainly won't be as long as Gregory is host. Gregory strikes me as the ultimate smug insider, more interested in maintaining his access and rapport with those he covers than anything else.
December 2, 2008 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I beg to differ, Russert killed MTP. Your description of Gregory, and I agree with you, as "... the ultimate smug insider, more interested in maintaining his access and rapport with those he covers than anything else" also described Russert.
I lost any respect I had of Russert when he stated all of his conversations with news makers were off the record with him, unless the source wanted on the record. Hell of a reporter Tim!
December 2, 2008 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hear that. Perhaps I was too charitable. I just used to love it when he pulled out the quotes and made his guest look bad....Maybe that's just the "Fear Factor" lover in me talking.
December 2, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
You might have a wee bit of a case of Schadenfreude, me thinks.
December 2, 2008 10:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ever since I saw Russert interview Cheney right after Bush/Cheney got the nod over Gore I just about stopped watching him. Russert was ear to ear smiling and gushing over Cheney's alleged "gravitas." Russert seemed happier with events than Cheney.
Brokaw didn't distinguiish himself, and I sensed a right tilt in his performance.
Gregory was fine as a White House reporter, he was quite pushy, but since he got his own show he seems to be more into sensationalism and trying to make the news.
He seems to be seeking superstar status.
Sometimes its hard to tell the difference between Joe Scarborough of Morning Joe and some of these NBC "reporters.
I too like Shuster. After he was chastised and apologized for the cheap shot at Hillary and Chelsea he seems to have become relatively objective.
December 2, 2008 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
What's Ted Koppel up to these days?
I can imagine Koppel performing quite well under the MTP format wherein old news clips are used to hold pols accountable. Koppel always impressed me as someone willing to ask the tough question with expectation of an answer.
December 2, 2008 6:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
David Gregory is W's "Stretch", right?
Well, Stretch is a $hitty pick to lead MTP. I will still wear my "MTP-With Tim Russert" T-Shirt with pride, but I don't think I'll be watching this new garbage by silverfox wannabe Stretch.
December 2, 2008 6:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
David Gregory simply confirms NBC's intent to become all stupid all the time. Oh, and they think one blatant Republican shill network is clearly not enough.
December 2, 2008 8:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
...thought Chris Matthews of Hardball would have been a more interesting pick--enough personality and ego to match his weekly guest(s)
December 3, 2008 10:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Will someone please explain why we should care who hosts Meet the Press? Or why Todd Gitlin cares? It's a vanity show at best; a propaganda vehicle for the administration at worst. Are we curious if David Gregory will continue the tradition of parroting the White House's PR efforts for the new administration? Because he likely will.
Signed,
Not a Fan of Mainstream Propaganda, I mean, Media
December 3, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
"See here for an interesting item from the Columbia Journalism Review. Here are some questions I raised about Gregory's acumen in August."
Frankly, it's far worse than that. I'd say someone needs to start questioning the acumen of the Columbia Journalism Review. That was about as useful an expose as a piece of dog do.
December 3, 2008 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gregory is an awful pick. Shuster and Mitchell would have been far better. Gregory lacks analytic reasoning he is an inspid sycophant...I will no longer watch MTP.
Stepinfetchinopoulous will be a better choice at that time. Followed by McLauglin and Scheiffer.
CNN should put Fareed Zakaria in the MTP time slot and they will win that ratings race.
December 3, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
whirerose,
I second that motion, Zakaria would be an excellent choice.
December 3, 2008 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Until news is no longer seen as a profit center, we are lost. Lost!
December 4, 2008 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I lost my stomach for Meet The Press during the Russert reign. Tim seemed like a nice guy, and I was sad when he died earlier this year, but the show turned to Meet The Patsies under his watch, and I stopped watching it several years ago.
I'd like to see NBC return to the old format, having a rotating panel of several real journalists on each week to quesion one or more guest. Instead they tried to turn it into a Sunday morning version of The Tonight Show, centered around their star, a "celebrity journalist".
More interesting to me is this question: Who will be the new NBC White House reporter? Will it be Savannah Guthrie?? I first saw her as a weekend anchor at KVOA in Tucson, Arizona, about 8 or 10 years ago. She's a lawyer now. And she seems to be doing straight journalism, so far. Just the facts, ma'am. Maybe it's her goal to be another network news superstar (why wouldn't it be?). But I like her better than David Gregory, for sure.
-- ARG
December 4, 2008 2:16 PM | Reply | Permalink