tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865494184012705718.post7517437932393615277..comments2008-06-22T13:11:19.882-04:00Anthony Palmer, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00043374303541804437noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865494184012705718.post-64266004064348919362008-06-22T13:11:00.000-04:002008-06-22T13:11:00.000-04:00I just saw that Tom Brokaw will be doing MTP at least until the November election.Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13892964135889989419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865494184012705718.post-36775521815967380742008-06-21T13:00:00.000-04:002008-06-21T13:00:00.000-04:00MIA,<BR/><BR/>Gwen Ifill would be both a safe and bold pick at the same time. She's obviously a tested journalist and she does not have any obvious biases. She can be tough and fair just like Russert, but is she compelling? She doesn't strike me as someone who has that sense of authority when she speaks.<BR/><BR/>In terms of demographics, she'd be a great choice, obviously. But after what happened with Katie Couric, maybe network television is a bit gun shy...Anthony Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043374303541804437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865494184012705718.post-45311964228659140042008-06-21T12:27:00.000-04:002008-06-21T12:27:00.000-04:00What do you think of Gwen Ifill as Russert's successor on MTP?<BR/><BR/>She was a protege of his for a few years at NBC and she has that cheerful but commanding presence with a penchant for research and fair questioning [IMHO].Mark in Austinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12664209038309272328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865494184012705718.post-18068055999917367292008-06-15T03:18:00.000-04:002008-06-15T03:18:00.000-04:00I hope they don't fill in with Chris Matthews for the time being. It's not that I don't like him, but he doesn't quite have the . . . composure that Russert had, where he could efficiently press hard questions when necessary, then follow up (mostly). Matthews seems to be more "chatty", more free-wheeling, which would be terrible on "Meet The Press", at least in the interviews.<BR/><BR/>That's not to say that he doesn't have his moments, but overall he's an inferior questioner. <BR/><BR/>Chuck Todd would be pretty solid. He's seems pretty reasonable, and not particularly hack-ish.Brettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865494184012705718.post-35340761279138991892008-06-14T22:13:00.000-04:002008-06-14T22:13:00.000-04:00I had to stop watching television news because it drove me crazy. I work from home, so I used to watch it all day. If you recall, there were a couple events that were over-covered: pope dying, pope dies, then the “Runaway Bride”. I just couldn’t take it anymore, so I basically read my news instead of watch it (with the usual event-oriented exceptions).<BR/><BR/>The one television news program that I would watch was, of course, Meet The Press on Sunday mornings. As far as I’m concerned, there was Russert and then there was everyone else.The_Badhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10280016918263013439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865494184012705718.post-5176394471878463432008-06-14T19:12:00.000-04:002008-06-14T19:12:00.000-04:00The Bad,<BR/><BR/>What do you think about Chuck Todd? <BR/>As for Chris Matthews, I included him in the list because I think he has a pretty good feel for what average people think. I don't much care for his moderator abilities, but I do think his opinions are worth listening to. Feel free to disagree.<BR/><BR/>I like David Gregory because I think he's tenacious. Brit Hume is probably equally tenacious, but I don't watch FNC, so I can't judge correctly.<BR/><BR/>Who are your favorite political analysts, by the way?Anthony Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043374303541804437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865494184012705718.post-32720360338478512212008-06-14T18:52:00.000-04:002008-06-14T18:52:00.000-04:00David Gregory is a partisan hack. We all knew well that Russert was a liberal, but he didn’t pull punches on democrats. Everyone knew that coming on to Meet The Press meant that you better be ready for it. There’s no way I can see David Gregory in that role.<BR/><BR/>Speaking of partisan hacks – since you mention him – Chris Mathews is one of the worst. As noted at <A HREF="http://hotair.com/archives/2008/06/14/stay-classy-chris-matthews/" REL="nofollow">Hot Air</A>, Mathews started making partisan attacks while eulogizing Russert – even going so far as to suggest that he is smarter since Russert was duped by the President on the war while he was not.<BR/><BR/>Had to bring it up since you mentioned them. I don’t think NBC has any talent left and Meet The Press might suffer the same fate as Mr. Russert: an untimely and heartbreaking demise.The_Badhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10280016918263013439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865494184012705718.post-84638939375556997532008-06-14T14:14:00.000-04:002008-06-14T14:14:00.000-04:00Russert was quite a journalist, and I'm sorry for his family (who had to get this news while they were still on vacation), and his colleagues and company (since they will have to fill his job).<BR/><BR/>I don't quite agree on the "gotcha"; I thought that was his style, although he was very competent about it. He would bring up the words of those he had on interview and hold them to them. I still remember when he managed to nail Hillary Clinton for waffling on the "illegal immigrant drivers' license" issue; whether or not you think it was a moot issue, Russert followed up on the questioning, and managed to get her beyond mere talking point.Brettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865494184012705718.post-13921169762468338712008-06-13T19:39:00.000-04:002008-06-13T19:39:00.000-04:00Pay tribute to the great Tim Russert at our non-profit, www.tributefund.org. We remember the inspiring men and women in our lives.Womenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785442087778321275noreply@blogger.com