"Meet the Press" is now the de facto safe show on Sunday morning - "safe," that is, for those being interviewed.But I'm not buying the notion that Obama avoided MTP — and opted for Leno — because the show is too easy. I think the show is still too hard.
Gregory has been handed perhaps the most important program in television journalism. It's time to start acting like the king who rules wisely yet ruthlessly. Otherwise, his legacy will match that of Garrick Utley or Bill Monroe - moderators who were highly respected but not highly feared.
March 20, 2009
Obama skipped "Meet the Press" because David Gregory is too safe and unchallenging?
Sorry, I don't believe that. I mean, I believe David Gregory is utterly bland:
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Word on K Street is that the teleprompter was in the shop to fine tune the glaring that comes from the One's aura. Thereby the One didn't want to try to put, uh, uh, words, into, uh, uh, paragraphs, much less, uh,uh,uh, have them mean uh, uh, something.
Obama remembers how David Gregory tossed Imus under the bus.
The Savior has not done a good job meeting the press for the past week. Doing a show with that title just seemed a little retarded to him.
What are the particular ways in which it's "hard" - or, put conversely, in what ways are the other shows "easier"?
This is not good for the country. When the Head decision maker of the brave new world of a Super Government for all lifes challenges cannot even face the challenge of David Gregory's suck up questions, we have been had. John McCain would have faced the questioning like a President. The magnficent Mr Obama has no courage. That is a serious problem.
Hell, Leno is too hard for the guy. The Special Olympics? Oh no, he didn't.
But yes, he did.
I knew Barry was going to be in over his head, but I truly had no idea just how clueless he is (and how bad his people are).
Bush is fricken Einstein compared to him.
Right. Same reason I don't sleep with Jennifer Aniston. No challenge for me.
Larry Spivak would be livid at what MTP has been allowed to become. Why do they still call it "Meet The Press" anyway? The only person the guest 'meets' is Gregory. Spivak would get a panel of hard-boiled journalists to question the guests, with follow ups and no filibustering.
Keeping the name means that NBC can continue the farcical claim that it's the longest-running show in TV history. But it died decades ago, and its successor, this lame excuse, continues to deteriorate.
Leno gave Obama a harder time than Gregory would have.
Who needs Meet the Press? Obama will go on Leno, Letterman, Oprah and the View. He's our first Celebrity President and can do what he wants.
"we have been had."
Some of us saw this coming.
Trey
I think it would be kinda fun watching Obama on Meet The Press.
It would be like watching a network television show.
Gregory would play the part of a journalist, and Obama would play the part of a president.
Cool!
Franco said...
"Who needs Meet the Press? Obama will go on Leno, Letterman, Oprah and the View."
Rachael Ray might be more his pace.
Perhaps he'll do "Bob & Tom" - he seems to have a real hard-on for splashy public "the first time ever for a ___" stuff. Sure beats working!
The first question I'd ask concerns the amendment in the stimulus bill that authorized the AIG bonuses he's now whining about.
Did Obama know what he was signing or not?
After he does dancing with the stars, he will go on American Idol. He will win, of course, since the judges will be paid off ahead of time. It is the Chicago way.
Obama responds to the controversy: "You know, I didn't mess with those people's chromosomes. This administration has inherited these genetic anomalies."
There are more, many more...
MTP - The Special Olympics of press meetings.
I'm sure they would let him have his teleprompter as part of his handicap.
Hey, I have an idea, let's amend the Constitution pronto, and appoint Obama King of the U.S, till death.
Let him be the ceremonial head of state, he can go on Leno, shmooze with pop stars and hoopsters, etc.
Just don't let him near policy decisions.
Everyone happy?
Obama's done a fine job every time he's gone on MTP, so it's hard to believe he has serious reservations about going on again.
When David first started, I think he was bland and not very tough, but I think he grilled both sides well last Sunday, and he is getting better.
(I'm having spelling problems this morning - just like those retarded kids at the special olympics. ha ha ha ha. Isn't that funny?)
What I've been trying to say is: Off load all the work to a large bunch of smart people that report to you, and hold court one or two hours a day to tell them if their ideas are any good or not. Ask a few "probing" and "insightful" questions to keep them inspired and motivated.
Off load all foreign policy work to a dying-to-wanna-be and give her a jet and a few experts to keep her quiet and out of the way.
Fly around in a private 747, and avoid local traffic with helicopters and police led motorcades.
Party big any night you chose and attend any game or event of your liking. If you don't feel like going out one night, stay in and command any performance you want at your house.
Read whatever is on the teleprompter reflection pannel when it goes by - no need to rehears.
Receive the adulation and praise of an adoring crowd everywhere you go.
Pretty good work when you can get it.
Too busy to host a state dinner for UK prime mister Brown, but lots of time for Leno? This was the (clown) who was going to fix our foreign relations! Hope en' Change has lost it's sheen 'cross the pond. I miss Bush already, the UK does too.
You voted for him.
Well, hell, after the Special Olympics crack, it looks like Leno was too hard.
For Obama, David Gregory would be easy. It would be something like the Pope being questioned by a junior priest. Preaching to the choir. Leno is, of course, no harder. Obama doesn't do hard. No prominent Democrat does. He is an extreme, only talking to those who worship but most Democratic politicians think a tough question is one like "why don't more people appreciate your awesomeness?"
The NBC stations have all referred to Obama "Making History" last night by going on Jay Leno. Making history!
Going on MTP doesn't make history.
Hmmmm.
1. It's only been 60 days but it feels like it's been 2 years.
We have 1,400 more days of this before Obama leaves office.
At this rate by the end of his term as President it'll feel like 46 years have passed.
And no. I don't think he's going to get a second term.
2. Anybody else thinking the Obama White House is a like a clown car in a circus?
Every time you think the last bozo has exited the car there's another one coming out.
3. Seriously. Are there any adults in this White House?
I'd bet you could pick an administration and a cabinet from an average or slightly above-average junior high school's student-day-in-government participants, plop them down in DC, and they'd do a better job than this load of clowns is doing.
To paraphrase the real President, Ms. Peosi; when Obama leaves the White House it wil be like a ten ton anvil has been lifted off the shoulders of the American people.
Meet the Press is for people who have something constructive to say about policy. Leno is for campaigning to the lowest common denominator. There's no reason to wonder why he chose Leno.
Obama has no time for MTP or the British PM or filling 18 of the 19 top posts at Treasury because he is "focused like a laser" on the economy, and holding townhall campaign rallies, throwing parties for his buddies and feeding them wagyu steaks on the taxpayer dime, practicing bowling in the basement, and flying coast-to-coast to be feted by Leno.
Notice also that the first reaction to criticism of the "Special Olympics" crack was evasion, but now already today we learn that Obama had ALREADY apologized to Shriver BEFORE it even aired! Strange none of his spokesliars were aware of that . . . naturally a Shriver would never lie to cover a fellow Democrat, would they?
Tell me again how "cool" and "cathartic" it is to have elected a "black" President, even though he had never run anything bigger than his mouth?
This bumbling buffoon is already making Bush look brilliant.
The man who is quite possibly the most thin-skinned politician of our generation won't go on a show because it isn't hardball enough?
Obama needs to fire whoever's in charge of feeding lies into his teleprompter. There's got to be somebody who will do a better job.
I wonder when the backlash to the anti-Obama backlash is going to start.
I think next week. It'll be a sort of a cross between an appeal to patriotism and a recognition that someone has to be captain of this sinking lifeboat, and we elected him for better or worse. Plus: Want Biden? Wish you'd had McCain/Palin? Me neither.
I wonder if this is why HRC campaigned to become Secretary of State. She foresaw Obama failing and being forced to resign, followed by pressure on Biden to step aside because, geez Joe, everyone knows you're a loon, making Hilary the 45th president and the favorite for 2012 after all.
Thank Obama for sticking you with the check!
Here's another one for the Obama WTF? file: Obama White House bars press from press award ceremony.
@John Stodder, actually, yes I do wish we had elected McCain. I also think Sarah Palin commits fewer gaffes per unit time so, yes, she'd have been an improvement on Joe Biden.
You're a bit out of date on where the SecState stands in line of succession. Pelosi and Reid are both ahead of her, and neither would be an improvement on Obama.
God help us.
The man who is quite possibly the most thin-skinned politician of our generation won't go on a show because it isn't hardball enough?
Hardball is mispicking the NCAA tournament?
When they told Krzyzewski that the president picked against him, Coach K just about swallowed his tongue. It took him 30 seconds to figure out that he was supposed to laugh it off.
Thanks, Cardeblu. I've fixed it.
MTP of course is too hard for someone who does not want to answer questions of substance. On Leno, he can show off his "witty" SNL persona with all those delightful jabs at Jessica Simpson's weight or the Special Olympics.
When SNL is not funny, which is most of the time now, it's just mean. Obama is not funny either.
"Plus: Want Biden?"
No.
"Wish you'd had McCain/Palin?"
Yes.
I'd say Obama-Biden will be a costly lesson for America.
They will convice Americans that the govt should get back to basics and cut out all the "nice to have" programs.
Wait, they're actually pitching this as "He's going on Leno because MTP is too easy"?
Really?
If they meant it, they'd send him to Rush.
Reminds me of Philip J. Fry trying to find a book to read, "Hardy Boys. Too Easy. Nancy Drew. Too Hard. Ah, Bonfire of the Vanitites!"
Don't blame Obama, it's just too risky to load the Teleprompter with answers on the chance that Gregory botch the right sequence of questions. Obama is too considerate to Gregory to make him ask the wrong questions to his right answers.
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