The introduction to the interview included a small clip of Rev. Wright gesturing flamboyantly with his arms as Tim Russert said that would be one of the topics he would ask Obama about, and he more than lived up (or, more appropriately, down) to that promise, wasting a third of the interview discussing Rev. Wright, trying to "gotcha" Obama over his handling of Wright. Obama calmly responded in detail each time.

After over a dozen questions on Obama's association with, and handling of, Wright, Russert finally (almost) moved on to the more vital subject of Obama's patriotism, noting briefly the flag pin flap, Michelle Obama's "proud of my country" comment, another reminder that Wright said "God D*mn America", and some additional claim that apparently at a steak fry Obama once forgot to put his hand over his heart during the National Anthem (which I figure I'd better capitalize, lest I be accused of lacking sufficient patriotism).

Obama took the high road, noting that he never questioned any other candidate's patriotism, then reassurring voters that he indeed loved his country, that his grandfather fought with Patton in Europe while his granmother worked in a bomber assembly plant during World War II, and he repeated the line that his life story would only be possible in the United States.

Russert then turned to the campaign, asking why Obama has so much trouble connecting with white voters who don't have a college degree, noting that he'd lost that voter segment in 26 of 29 elections.


Finally, mid-way through the interview, Russert asked about an issue that could actually affect the nation: the McCain/Clinton proposal for a gas tax holiday. After Obama explained why it was a bad idea, Russert flipped to question the support and value of ethanol, whether subsidies may be inefficient,  and whether use of corn for ethanol might be contributing to increasing food prices and food shortages.

Obama pushed alternative fuel research, including trying to find ways to burn coal more cleanly, noting that "we're the Saudi Arabia of coal."

Russert turned to Iraq and Iran, asking Obama first to comment on plans that the administration is making to launch airstrikes against Iranian targets because of "indications, evidence that the Iranians are helping some of their supporters within Iraq to kill U.S. troops."

Obama said he wouldn't want to speculate without having seen the evidence and plans the administration has, but he reiterated that, "I don't take military options off the table and I think it's appropriate for us to plan for a whole host of contingencies." Obama next made the crucial point that Iran has been a huge beneficiary of our Iraq invasion, as their influence in Iraq is far greater now than it was before. And he repeated his belief that improving the situation in Iraq requires us first to withdraw our troops.

Russert's next question came straight from the neo-conservative playbook, quoting Iraq ambassador Ryan Crocker saying that "a quick withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq could result in genocide." (emphasis mine). He pressed whether Obama would factor this into his decision to withdraw.

After Iraq, Russert asked about Clinton's assertion that we would "totally obliterate" Iran should it launch a nuclear strike against Israel. Obama replied his intention was to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and he stressed the importance of toning down the rhetoric with Iran, while stating again that Israel is our most important ally in the region.

Russert next quoted Obama saying "Indiana may end up being the tiebreaker," then asking whether Clinton wins if she wins Indiana. Russert likes these "gotcha" type questions (I recall an early debate question where he read a quote in direct conflict with a point Hillary had just made on tortue, then sprang that the quote came from Bill Clinton).

He tried to get Obama to state conditions where either Hillary would win, or where Obama would win, and finally asking how Obama would react if the superdelegates told him they were supporting Clinton because they believed she was the stronger candidate against McCain.

The economy got no questions, unless you consider the gas tax/ethanol topics as part of the economy. There was nothing about the possibility of recession, the subprime mortgage crisis, the Federal Reserve's bailout of Bear Stears, social security, or tax policy.

Overall, I thought Obama did well, but too much of the questioning was superficial, and where it was on issues, it often did so using GOP framing, such as the spectre of genocide if we withdraw from Iraq. Obama took heat for "legitimizing" Fox News by appearing, but Russert's interview seemed to me just as bad, if not worse, than Chris Wallace's the previous week in terms of pushing the right's talking points, and helping to keep questions of Obama's patriotism in the public debate. Should progressive candidates start boycotting NBC as well?