• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

The revolution will be supervised.

The GOP is a fucking disgrace.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

This fight is for everything.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

An almost top 10,000 blog!

“woke” is the new caravan.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Mobile Menu

  • Winnable House Races
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • Balloon Juice 2023 Pet Calendar (coming soon)
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • War in Ukraine
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • 2021-22 Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Politics / Media / Time To Switch to This Week or Face the Nation

Time To Switch to This Week or Face the Nation

by John Cole|  December 2, 20089:58 am| 38 Comments

This post is in: Media

FacebookTweetEmail

Depressing news:

David Gregory will take the reins as moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the Huffington Post has learned. Gregory has been a leading contender for the permanent spot since Tom Brokaw stepped in as interim moderator following Tim Russert’s death in June.

In recent weeks, a short list including Gregory, Andrea Michell, Gwen Ifill, and Chuck Todd had been considered the top candidates for the position, while Katie Couric and Ted Koppel were viewed as dark horses.

I hope this is wrong.

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « Michael Steele, Meet Your Party
Next Post: Stupid Is As Stupid Does »

Reader Interactions

38Comments

  1. 1.

    jnfr

    December 2, 2008 at 10:03 am

    Gregory is pretty dull as an interviewer, and he gets a little whiny when he thinks conservative ideas aren’t getting enough airplay on his show. But it’s been years since I watched more than snippets of MtP anyway. I wasn’t one of the Russert fans.

  2. 2.

    Incertus

    December 2, 2008 at 10:09 am

    He always seemed like the frontrunner to me, so this wasn’t surprising. I watch MTP about once a month as it is, so it’s not a big deal for me either. It will be interesting to see whether or not Gregory continues Russert’s policy of trying to get more women and people of color on the show, or if it’ll be all white men all the time.

  3. 3.

    Joshua Norton

    December 2, 2008 at 10:20 am

    Ugh. Another right wing talking hair-do. I saw him being interviewed once and he was positively beaming because Chimpy gave him his own personal nick-name (something like "Little Stretch". )

    It was obvious that it wasn’t so much an honor as it was

    a) Chimpy can’t remember names to save his own ass, and
    b) The master getting to rename his new slaves.

    What a tool.

  4. 4.

    arguingwithsignposts

    December 2, 2008 at 10:23 am

    Would have rather seen Rachel Maddow, actually. Her liberal bent would obviously be a liability, but she’s intelligent and asks tough questions of everyone.

  5. 5.

    greynoldsct00

    December 2, 2008 at 10:23 am

    Noooo! Chuck Todd should do that. Ugh

  6. 6.

    ed

    December 2, 2008 at 10:23 am

    Yeah, ’cause Bob Schieffer’s so awesome.

  7. 7.

    The Moar You Know

    December 2, 2008 at 10:25 am

    This is only bad news if you ever considered Press The Meat to be either watchable, informative or relevant – and I always found it to be none of those.

  8. 8.

    Joe

    December 2, 2008 at 10:26 am

    So, so, so, so, so boring.

    I hope this is just a trial balloon. He’s just another hairdo.

    We need someone like Chuck Todd aka Someone Who Knows What They Are Talking About.

  9. 9.

    Laura W

    December 2, 2008 at 10:26 am

    @Indylib:Discussion began in last night’s Taibbi thread.
    (I am testing out my newfound (maybe) ability to link to a post in another thread.
    Indylib #22, because it looks like it’s not gonna work. Maybe it’s not even possible?)

    My pref. are: Maddow, Todd, Shuster, in that order. Shuster is sharp and quite willing to press points and confront idiocy and talking points spewing. And like I said last night, he took on the majority of the MSNBC air time post-election (and during) and no matter the time of day or how many hours he’d been on, he always looked and sounded sharp and alert. I’ve grown to like him.
    Listen, could be worse than Gregory. Andrea. Lord.

  10. 10.

    MBunge

    December 2, 2008 at 10:27 am

    They picked Gregory because he’s the closest thing to a Russert imitator they could find. Whether that’s enough to keep MTP on the top of the Sunday show mountain is questionable, but this is a great example that our meritocracy has its limits. I mean, NBC has three people who have already demonstrated they’re better at the whole TV host thing than Gregory – Matthews, Olbermann and Maddow. Yet, none of those folks could be seriously considered for the spot.

    Mike

  11. 11.

    Walker

    December 2, 2008 at 10:28 am

    It is not like Brokaw was a shining example of competence this election cycle.

  12. 12.

    Gus

    December 2, 2008 at 10:35 am

    Big deal; he’s no worse than Timmeh or Brokaw.

  13. 13.

    Laura W

    December 2, 2008 at 10:38 am

    @Walker:One word: soporific.

  14. 14.

    redjellydonut

    December 2, 2008 at 10:43 am

    The final nail in the coffin of a once important news program. Tim Russert’s awful interviewing had rendered the show borderline unwatchable for quite some time, but the arrival of weaselly, obsequious fraud of a journalist like Gregory is the final insult. I hope this report is wrong.

  15. 15.

    Laura W

    December 2, 2008 at 10:44 am

    @MBunge:

    They picked Gregory because he’s the closest thing to a Russert imitator they could find

    Luke must’ve been unavailable.

  16. 16.

    Brett

    December 2, 2008 at 10:49 am

    Well, that was stupid. Gregory is boring as hell to listen to, as well as a terrible questioner.

    Todd probably wouldn’t be as aggressive, but he’s shown himself to be a decent interviewer, and he actually knows what he’s talking about.

  17. 17.

    Joshua Norton

    December 2, 2008 at 10:50 am

    Of course, now that the Repug Reign of Error is over, they’re all going to try to get all alpha-male and macho again.

    Three major "stories" that seemed to deserve endless breathless conjecture and banner headlines usually reserved for announcing things like World Wars were about Hillary along the lines of 1. Will there be cat fights with the people who didn’t support her? 2. She’ll be making less than Rice and 3. Who will replace her when she steps down (along with much speculation as to when that will be.)

    Is there going to be all Hillary – all the time angle to every story they do from now on?

    They’re all a waste of air space.

  18. 18.

    lovethebomb

    December 2, 2008 at 10:54 am

    Cheney’s press spokesman always said that MTP was his best platform when they needed to catipult the propaganda, i.e. selling an illegal invasion as a "war." Tim was an establishment standard bearer : his job was to pooh pooh dissent from the actions of government and do everything he could to legitimize the criminal acts of Bush and Cheney. In that respect, Gregory will do nicely, only now that wingtards are out of power, he will do everything he can to delegitimize the Obama administration. Yawn.

  19. 19.

    Laura W

    December 2, 2008 at 11:03 am

    @Joshua Norton:

    Is there going to be all Hillary – all the time angle to every story they do from now on?

    I was thinking the same thing this morning when again, every "story" is the relationship drama Hillary is alleged to bring. How will she and Obama get along? Will she have access? Can she pick her own staff? How will she and Biden get along? Powers? I realized that as much as I was looking forward to tracking Obama’s actions and decisions and policies from day one, the constant focus on the alleged drama the media lives to fabricate vis-a-vis Billary is going to turn me off to the news very quickly. Primary fatigue redux. Deja Hillary Vu. Bleh. I need some air. First dry and sunny day since last Friday.

  20. 20.

    Conservatively Liberal

    December 2, 2008 at 11:05 am

    People like Keith and Rachel only work at MSNBC because they draw viewers in and that sells ads. Keith and Rachel will not kiss GE corporate ass so if they falter GE will cut them loose in a heartbeat.

    Guys like Gregory will tongue-bathe the sphincters of the GE corporate masters to keep their job, so they will pander to the party that their masters worship. It’s what you do when you have nothing else to offer. Gregory is absolutely worthless as a reporter and a host. He tries to manufacture outrage between sides with inane questions that have little to no substance to them. He likes to make up his own little negative political soap operas and then push them off on his guests, usually the Democratic ones.

    MTP is at the bottom of my viewing list now, Gregory is too painful to listen to.

  21. 21.

    Screamin' Demon

    December 2, 2008 at 11:25 am

    Can’t we just dig up Lawrence Spivak and be done with it?

    Guys like Gregory will tongue-bathe the sphincters of the GE corporate masters to keep their job

    I believe that’s now known as tossing one’s salad, or so I’m told. Ah, those crazy kids today and their crazy slang — what will they think of next? ;)

  22. 22.

    Zifnab

    December 2, 2008 at 11:34 am

    @Conservatively Liberal: It’s worse than that. Gregory is a true believer. He’s more than happy to parrot the wingnut line because he’s been sipping the kool-aid, too.

    I’m not really interested in a moderator like Olbermann who is more ego than substance. And Maddow is good, but she doesn’t have the stage presence so I don’t see her going very far.

    But Gregory is a whiny little turd. I see him getting smacked around by both sides on a regular basis. He’s going to come across as weak and servile with a GOoPer slant and people aren’t going to be interested in watching him. Russert at least knew how to dominate the stage. Gregory, not so much.

  23. 23.

    Binah

    December 2, 2008 at 11:44 am

    I would have liked to have seen Gwen Ifill take the MTP post. Maybe Chuck Todd as a second choice. As much as I love Rachel Maddow, she’s been labeled as a partisan.

    I’m disappointed with David Gregory being chosen (if he has).

  24. 24.

    Bill H

    December 2, 2008 at 12:02 pm

    Olbermann as "more ego than substance" is right on; entertaining in the evening, but hardly the stuff of MTP. Maddow is a) not really as smart as she thinks she is and b) I, personally, get really tired of listening to her endless giggling at her own jokes that are not as amusing as she thinks they are. I loved her as a guest commenter on Olbermann, but her show is unwatchable. Gwen Ifil would provide me with a nice nap; no way could I stay awake through an entire hour of her monotonic drivel. Chuck Todd would have me actually watching the show. Andrea Mitchell would have me shuddering for the whole hour even if the television was turned off, just knowing she was there.

    Gregory, as suggested, "will do everything he can to delegitimize the Obama administration."

  25. 25.

    wingnuts to iraq

    December 2, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    @Bill H:

    You’re wrong about everything you wrote.

  26. 26.

    timb

    December 2, 2008 at 12:11 pm

    If it makes you feel any better, the conservatives hate him as much as we do. Maybe he will be a colossal failure and NBC will re-institute actually meeting the press by having 3 or 4 reporters asking questions!

  27. 27.

    Hyperion

    December 2, 2008 at 12:19 pm

    If the choice is good news, bad news, or no news, I’m going with no news.

    MTP is mainstream media at its most refined. Watch it only to recalibrate your MSM moron meter. I achieve the same by reading the columnists at NYT and WaPo.

  28. 28.

    Anna Granfors

    December 2, 2008 at 12:53 pm

    There’s simply no reason to watch ANY of the Sunday bobbleheads, as long as there’s someone YouTubing ’em for the more outlandish lies. That’s why the intertubes were invented–to be the filter between the corporate media and the reality-based.

    And there’s ample alternatives, from CSPAN to Pacifica (Democracy Now! on a national basis), many good local Pacifica problems–see KPFK’s (Los Angeles) offerings, especially Ian Masters on Sunday (just in case you’re jonesing for *some* political news during that time period), much of Air America, Nova M, and some brilliant smaller programs–This Is Hell, from WNUR in Chicago on Saturday, Peter B. Collins’ daily program that originates from KXRA in Monterey, and Steve Benen’s PoliSciFi Radio from theradiator.org on Sundays.

    There might yet come a day where Rachel Maddow is the rule, not the exception, but for the time being, watching the Sunday bobbleheads is a waste of time, unless you WANNA get pissed off.

  29. 29.

    Laura W

    December 2, 2008 at 12:56 pm

    @Bill H: I actually agree with all of your points, as much as it saddens me to feel that way about Rachel’s show. (I do believe she is smart enough, and could be serious enough, and fair enough, to do MTP however.) I found myself with her show on last night and not listening to one real sentence.

    I think part of the prob is MSNBC’s requirement that the hour be part "entertainment". I hate her "talk me down" stunt, and the last 5 min. of "contemporary culture" is horrid. I go to bed before that comes on. But I feel the same way about the second half of KO’s show (Oddball, Best, Worst persons), for the most part, and Tweety’s whatever he calls it with the circus music. Sideshow. Gag. Can they not just fill a one-hour slot with interesting?

    If you think Rachel is bad with some of the too-cute-by-half stuff, did you catch Allison Whatever (Stewart?) subbing for her last week. Omilord. I feared my face would freeze in permanent grimace. Had to look away. It was that "embarrassed on her behalf" syndrome.

  30. 30.

    Zifnab

    December 2, 2008 at 1:07 pm

    @timb:

    Maybe he will be a colossal failure and NBC will re-institute actually meeting the press by having 3 or 4 reporters asking questions!

    Madness! Besides, where are we going to find 3 or 4 real reporters in this day and age?

  31. 31.

    linda

    December 2, 2008 at 1:27 pm

    the man who shook his ass for the texas turdblossom now has the prominent seat for general electric’s continuing propaganda parade…

    check his ratings — they routinely drop between the two showings of hardball. guaranteed to fail. heh.

  32. 32.

    Jim Pharo

    December 2, 2008 at 2:46 pm

    What did you guys think — NBC was going to suddenly "wake up" and grow a journalistic pair?

    Don’t be fooled by the presence of Keith and Rachel — what goes on at MSNBC is almost like the JV as far as the suits who run NBC are concerned. Gregory is the obvious choice – obsequious, not too bright, can speak on live air and not wet himself or otherwise embarrass the network, etc.

    Plus, I DO think he’s a seat warmer until they can hand it to Luke…

    Meantime, for those people who actually watch MTP, Gregory will fit right in — all pap and pablum, all the time.

  33. 33.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    December 2, 2008 at 3:08 pm

    It took them this long to decide they wanted that Howdie Doodie’s looking blowhard to take over? Jesus Babbling Christ. NBC going down in flames …

  34. 34.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    December 2, 2008 at 6:14 pm

    Don’t watch it anyway so now I don’t have to quit watching it.

  35. 35.

    Laura W

    December 2, 2008 at 8:57 pm

    Wow. I am now forced to re-think my previous relatively high opinion of Sullivan. I have no idea what he’s saying here, pretty much, and I loathe Larry King, whereas I just dislike Gregory, so that obtuse point loses me as well.
    Shit.
    I hate it when I get confused.

  36. 36.

    gmknobl

    December 3, 2008 at 9:37 am

    Corporate lackeys. This makes me actually pine for the days of Dan Rather.

    Maddow would have been a much better choice, even is she’s been labeled as liberally biased, she’s actually biased toward truth and real reporting and news, not schlock yellow journalism. She is what being in the news business was all about. Now, since they’ve been bought out, they are only about this when it suits them.

  37. 37.

    Suzii

    December 4, 2008 at 12:46 am

    I might tune in if he had a regular segment of gushing with some guest about his thrilling days as a Karl Rove Backup Dancer. Or maybe teaching the guest some seriously awesome KRBD moves? Can’t think of anything else he could contribute to the public discourse.

Comments are closed.

Trackbacks

  1. Donklephant » Blog Archive » David Gregory Confirmed For Meet The Press Slot says:
    December 2, 2008 at 2:21 pm

    […] I’m so disappointed in this decision, and I bet viewership falls off significantly. They’ve lost at least one viewer already. […]

Primary Sidebar

Recent Comments

  • BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️ on The Funniest Thing About All of This (Mar 30, 2023 @ 9:11pm)
  • Dangerman on The Funniest Thing About All of This (Mar 30, 2023 @ 9:11pm)
  • kalakal on HEY DID YOU GUYS HEAR (Mar 30, 2023 @ 9:10pm)
  • smith on The Funniest Thing About All of This (Mar 30, 2023 @ 9:10pm)
  • Mai Naem mobile on The Funniest Thing About All of This (Mar 30, 2023 @ 9:09pm)

Balloon Juice Meetups!

All Meetups
Seattle Meetup coming up on April 4!

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Fundraising 2023-24

Wis*Dems Supreme Court + SD-8

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
We All Need A Little Kindness
Classified Documents: A Primer
State & Local Elections Discussion

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Mailing List Signup
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)

Twitter / Spoutible

Balloon Juice (Spoutible)
WaterGirl (Spoutible)
TaMara (Spoutible)
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
TaMara
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
ActualCitizensUnited

Join the Fight!

Join the Fight Signup Form
All Join the Fight Posts

Balloon Juice Events

5/14  The Apocalypse
5/20  Home Away from Home
5/29  We’re Back, Baby
7/21  Merging!

Balloon Juice for Ukraine

Donate

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!