Could someone please give Tom Brokaw some Sea-Bond?

Jeebus,the man is denture sucking all over my teevee. How can you take anyone seriously if they're slurping every third word?

Here is the segment in question-

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Is is just me?

VIDEO-- SNL spoof? Nope. David Gregory will host Meet the Press

By GottaLaff

I haven't seen this much smooching since I walked in on a reconciling couple at the high school where I work:


Meet the Press has it all! Comedy! Drama! Tears! Laughter! Deception! Passion! Romance! Suspense! I think NBC has the making of a hit dramedy on its hands.

Obama On Meet The Press

This is the first segment on the economy, the rest can be found here.

NBC/MSNBC News

Tom Brokaw's last day on "Meet The Press" is today as he announces David Gregory is taking it over, and Chris Matthews will be signing a new contract with MSNBC, putting the kibosh on running for the Senate.

New "Meet The Press" Moderator To Be Named

The panel of journalist sounds very appealing. Maybe throw in some from some left leaning publications? And whatever they do, please, not Andrea Mitchell.

It appears Dec. 7 may be the day we learn who the new moderator, or moderators, of Meet the Press will be. The LATimes' Matea Gold reports, "According to network sources, that may be Tom Brokaw's last day on the air as interim moderator of the program, a post he assumed after the sudden death of longtime host Tim Russert in June."

Gold writes, "deliberations have been closely guarded by NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker and NBC News President Steve Capus, who have not yet made a decision."

The shortlist continues to include NBC's David Gregory, PBS anchor Gwen Ifill, NBC's chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell and NBC political director Chuck Todd.

It may not be one moderator at all, but a panel of journalists which would return the show to its roots — where politicians and newsmakers come to 'Meet the Press.'

Shallow Thoughts: Tom Brokaw "fairness" VIDEO edition

By GottaLaff

UPDATE:

Ben Smith reports that although the McCain and Obama campaigns agreed to rules that did not allow follow up questions in tonight's town hall debate, moderator Tom Brokaw was not a party to that agreement, "so the campaigns are expecting follow-up questions."

Shallow Thought: Tom Brokaw gets to pick tonight's debate questions. Why?

Meet the Press, Tom Brokaw, and his friendliness with Gramm-pa McCain

By GottaLaff

Hmm. Take a look at the future of Meet the Press, Brokaw and his "friendly" relationship with Gramm-pa McCain:

Sometime between Election Day and early December, NBC News will make a final decision about who will replace Tim Russert and his interim successor, Tom Brokaw, at the helm of “Meet the Press,” Steve Capus, the president of NBC News, said in an interview.

[NBC] is leaning toward an ensemble of hosts that would be led by Chuck Todd, NBC’s political director, and include David Gregory, a correspondent and MSNBC anchor, according to a person who had been briefed on the proposal but was not authorized to comment, partly because the plans were not set. [...]

But less widely known is that Mr. Brokaw has also played a pivotal role out of public view, both within NBC and in its dealings with the campaign of John McCain in particular.

In an interview here after Sunday’s broadcast, Mr. Brokaw said that over the summer he had “advocated” within the executive suite of NBC News to modify the anchor duties of the MSNBC hosts Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews on election night and on nights when there were presidential debates. Their expressions of strong political opinions from the MSNBC anchor desk has run counter to the more traditional role Mr. Brokaw played on “NBC Nightly News” for more than two decades. [...]

Mr. Brokaw said he had also conducted some shuttle diplomacy in recent weeks between NBC and the McCain campaign. His mission, he said, was to assure the candidate’s aides that — despite some negative on-air commentary by Mr. Olbermann in particular — Mr. McCain could still get a fair shake from NBC News. Mr. Brokaw said he had been told by a senior McCain aide, whom he did not name, that the campaign had been reluctant to accept an NBC representative as one of the moderators of the three presidential debates — until his name was invoked.

“One of the things I was told by this person was that they were so irritated, they said, ‘If it’s an NBC moderator, for any of these debates, we won’t go,’ ” Mr. Brokaw said. “My name came up, and they said, ‘Oh, hell, we have to do it, because it’s going to be Brokaw.’ ” [...]

While Mr. Brokaw said he and the Republican nominee are not personal friends, he did say they are “friendly” and “always had a great relationship.”

Of the prospects for a potential booking, Mr. Brokaw said: “We’re going to get him. I don’t know exactly where or when.” [...]

Asked if time he had spent with Mr. McCain — as contrasted with Mr. Obama, whom he does not know socially — would be of any help to Mr. McCain in the debate, Mr. Brokaw promised it would not. Indeed, after Sunday’s broadcast he expressed frustration with both candidates, particularly when it came to their comments in Friday’s debate on the economic crisis.

Tom Brokaw interviews Howard Dean: Liveblogged

By GottaLaff

Howard Dean is being interviewed by Tom Brokaw:

Howard Dean: She sounded like Dick Cheney. It's Bush/Cheney.. McCain/Palin, it's all the same. What Obama said in his speech was so, but some of what Palin said was so, and some of it was not so. This is not an outsider coming in to reform. These are not outsiders. This is Bush/Cheney all over again.

Brokaw's pushing him to say it was a successful speech.

Howard Dean: The first half of her speech was interesting, the second half mean. People are sick of this kind of politics. Obama wants to bring this country together. Name one thing, just one thing, that Giuliani, Huckabee, any of them said was positive. Not ONE positive thing was said in 3 nights. So far they haven't laid out a platform.

Brokaw shows Lieberman clips from convention speech. Will he be welcomed back?

Dean: That's not my call. Obama is a terrific leader. The second thing he said wasn't true, that Palin's a reformer.

Brokaw: But this wasn't a true or false speech, it was a political speech. I find it hard to believe you're not talking to Reid about his role.

Dean: Politicians are politicians. Tell me ONE THING any of them said that was positive, that would make their [Minnisotans] lives better.

Brokaw: Here's a new Democratic (DNC) ad.. shows it. It's about the economy, linking Bush and McCain.

Dean: It's true, these guys pose as reformers. I couldn't believe Mitt Romney's speech blaming liberals, when we had a Republican government for years. This is propaganda, nonsense. When they get the power, they don't do anything for ordinary Americans.

Brokaw: Palin energized her base. Did she energize the Democratic base too?

Dean: The donations have been flowing in. But the real problem for them is, Republican women will now vote for Democrats. They don't appreciate this kind of politics... no reaching across the aisle. Another 4 years of Bush/Cheney.

Red meat. Thank you.

Post Bill: "He called them extremists"

By GottaLaff

Keith Olbermann: It had snap. If anyone can do this, Bill Clinton can. He said it with conviction and 100% of the fast ball. A superb speech, superbly delivered. He got 3 1/2 minutes of applause before he could talk. No boos, as everyone worried about.

Chris Matthews: [Quoting, the "thanks but no thanks, 3rd time is not the charm" lines.]

Keith: One shot at McCain's solar plexus: He still embraces the EXTREME PHILOSOPHY of the Republicans... the red meat was hidden there. He called them extremists.

Chuck Todd: Comparing Obama to himself in '92, and Clinton was younger at the time than Obama is now... stood out.

Keith: He couldn't just come out and say, "Hey, I changed my mind"... so by putting out Biden's experience, and that time has tested him, he provided the rationale.

Brokaw: The Dems' counterpunch is that McCain will pick someone who's good at the economy.

VIDEO: Tom Brokaw's inner neocon in interview with Obama

By GottaLaff

Here's video of a segment of Meet the Press that I posted here.

As Obama rightfully points out, a 200K crowd in a foreign country is hardly the venue in which you pull out your inner wonkiness to get deep in the weeds of specific policies. Be honest, Brokaw, Brooks and Krauthammer whined about it because that’s all they had. If Obama had been specific, they’d whine about that too.

And if it is specifics you seek, where the hell is the media in asking McCain for specifics when he floats his “victory in Iraq” and “we are winning” memes every other sentence? I’ve been waiting for years for someone to explain to me what “winning” means in an occupation.

I really thought Tom Brokaw was better than this. Obama comes off as more seasoned than the guy who's supposed to have all that "stature".

Barack Obama on Meet the Press: Part 2

By GottaLaff

Tom: Vice Presidential candidates? You need one with good national security credentials.

Obama: I made a pledge not to discuss this until I choose someone. Criteria: Integrity, independence, tell me when I'm wrong, who shares a vision of the country... to change politics and policies.

Tom: You pick one for votes in weak regions, or policy.

Obama: Someone who can help me govern, compatibility, shared vision, provide knowledge or expertise that is useful... we have a lot of problems, work to do. I want someone who will do some work with me.

Tom: Mike Murphy said Dems choose white male southern... True?

Obama: You can keep fishing... not gonna happen.

Tom: Hillary?

Obama: She'd be on anyone's short list, so yes, I can answer that one. [compliments]

Tom: You said we don't know what to do about Bill.

Obama: I want them both campaigning with me.. things get characterized... but I'm not gonna spill the beans here. I'd love him to campaign... effective in the primary.

Tom: Timing... next week are the Olympics. Wait till convention to announce v.p.?

Obama: We'll announce when we announce. What's important is the economy. On Monday I'm meeting with my economic advisors and we'll examine our policies [lists them]. That is what is driving people: worries, concerns about paying gas bills, food bills. We have to fundamentally shift economic policy from what we have.

Tom: Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, etc... Why should the taxpayers bail out speculators?

Obama: They shouldn't. Assistance should be focused on making sure we have liquidity in the housing market, not windfall to investors. They have 5 trillion $ worth of mortgages, so do we want to take that to the federal balance sheet? Complicated. Some made bad decisions, but will benefit, but many were not speculators, but in over their heads. We're better off helping them than have them foreclose and have property values go down. We need a floor in the housing market. Restore confidence, which affects businesses who need good credit.

Tom: High gas prices make us face energy issues ...

Obama: No easy answers... We should have been planning for this day over the last 20 years. I've always said, raise fuel efficiency standards, McCain opposed that. Going forward: Push to make cars much more fuel efficient, hybrid plug-ins... industrial use of oil should change... 15 billion $ a year toward new technology, like when Kennedy said go to the moon, we should cut our oil consumption drastically.

Tom: Race, an issue in this election.

Obama: Based on my life experience: profound changes since I was born. We still have work to do. There's still discrimination. Most Americans want to do the right thing. The biggest problem is dealing with the legacy of PAST discrimination: Wealth, income... Less assigning blame or rooting out active racism, but rather, figure out if we're willing to make investments to deal with past history. Fix schools, education, job retraining... and responsibility of black community, fathers reengaging with their kids...

Tom: Jesse Jackson.

Obama: I haven't heard from him. He used to preach similar issues, about the need for responsibility... it's not either or.

Tom: Finally, appearing in regular town hall meetings...

Obama: We have 3 debates scheduled... they take time. I had 22 of them, so I can say something about debates.. At a point, they become less of a serious exchange than competing talking points or press releases. We need some, but spend time talking directly to voters, and that's what I intend to do.

Barack Obama on Meet the Press, part 1

By GottaLaff

Let's see what Tom Brokaw does to further or to arrest the mudslinging. From London:

Tom: You've been all over the news. You've been all over the globe. [paraphrased] What did you learn?

Obama: No shift in my strategic policies. Afghanistan is the central front on terror. We need more brigades. We have to work with Pakistan. Happy about reduction of Iraq violence. Our troops are extraordinary. Maliki is ready to take on more responsibility.

Tom: In Iraq, you engaged in verbal kung fu about the surge. You opposed it. Many analysts think the surge allowed Maliki to stablilize his government somewhat. McCain talks about this in his weekly radio address [Laffy Note: Who's acting presumptuous now?] Could Maliki talk like this without the surge?

Obama: We don't know. A civil war couldn't be stopped by more troops. Our troops do make a difference. But, in Anbar, the Sunni Awakening took place BEFORE the surge. That was a political decision that made a huge difference. About judgment: McCain's focus is on the tactical issue of sending more troops. We could argue about past decisions, going in in the first place. Lives lost, false goals. Distractions from going after Al Qaeda.

Tom: Anbar was successful because the troops came in.

Obama: Troops contributed, but to single out one factor in a messy situation is not accurate. Larger strategic issues here. Our troops are stretched fighting 2 wars. We should have focused on Afghanistan from the start, but can now move forward there.

Tom: USA Today said you should acknowledge that the surge worked and you're stubborn.

Obama: The violence has gone down more than even Bush/McCain anticipated. That doesn't change the broader strategic questions.

Tom: Poll: Your Commander In Chief qualifications are behind McCain's by a lot. 2-1. And you're a riskier choice. McCain does way better.

Obama: Rephrase it. Who's more likely to bring about change? I'd beat him handily. Or, who's more likely to maintain the status quo, he'd win handily. So it's not surprising. We need to change how we do business domestically and internationally. There are risks involved. But also, in that poll, I'm leading, so people are ready for change. This is a leap, I don't look like most commanders in chief, etc. People are more familiar with him. We can't keep doing the same things and expect a different outcome.

Tom: Afghanistan, your first trip! How is it possible that it's your first trip to Afghanistan if you call it the central front...?

Obama: I've also been working on Iraq, nukes, etc.... but my assessment on Afghanistan, for 18 mos. had been accurate. McCain has moved in my direction on that issue.

Tom: Merkel ready to add more troops, but that's only 4500. Pentagon wants more.

Obama: I brought that up. NATO troops are doing terrific work. Germany and others are doing important functions in Afghanistan. The rules constrain them. Merkel is serious about Afghanistan. Part of the reason to give a speech in Berlin is to remind them of the post WWII alliance, cornerstone of our mutual security. We can't afford for this to fail. If the German people get that Afghanistan is different than Iraq, a necessary war, they're still plotting, and terrorists lived in Germany, then Merkel will do more. I was impressed with her. She takes seriously that Germany has to share the burden. Because of Iraq, European voters want to move troops into Afghanistan, so we want to refocus attention, be careful, but request cooperation.

Tom: The Iraq troops... stay in region? Protect Saudi oilfields?

Obama: We'd have to work with commanders... a residual force can supply logistical support, train Iraqi troops, and have a counterterrorism, counterinsurgency force, in consultation with generals to decide how/where. .. and which countries would accept them. If we play it right, countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait will be more comfortable with our presence if consulted and not feel as if we're occupying.

Tom: Pakistan. Act on targets... Tepid statement about some assitance. How do we measure that?

Obama: Not tepid, we'd give $ for humanitarian aid. If you've got training camps in Pakistani territory... we know where they are.. I can talk to commanders and forces that can i.d. their camps... But the aid is used because they're worried about India. If we provide military assistance, we must expect that the $ is deployed properly, yet reach out to help provide a better life to their people.

Tom: Lots of people are sympathetic to the terrorists there.

Obama: It is complicated, and made moreso by us providing Musharref military aid, ignoring Al Qaeda. If we reach out to them, encourage human rights and democratic practices, that will gain more support for our policies and give more political space to them to act.

Tom: You got good notices in Israel, but met with King Abdullah of Jordan. He said Iran is not the number one threat. Worries about "fortress Israel"....

Obama: I told him this will be an issue I won't wait on... Pick up on some of the progress. We need to participate... start early. Abdullah a savvy player... he said we have to have overarching strategy that all these issues are connected. Israel/Palestinian process will help elsewhere. It will weaken Iran, too, who uses Hamas and Hezbollah to stir up trouble... Move on peace process, yet recognize the Iran issue is conncected.

Tom: You went all over Israel, but not to Palestinian families. Can't you see that any time and American goes to the Middle East, you're doing what Israel wants?

Obama: It's my second trip. The first time I did meet with Palestinians. In a region for one day, there's a lot to do... I met with current, former, future prime ministers... had to cover bases. But larger point: The Palestinian people are having a tough time, and it's in our interests to have a Palestinian state, and in Israel's interests as well... as long as we know Israel's security is not compromised.

Tom: Berlin, you were a rock star. Not everyone here was an admirer, saying you didn't earn the right to speak there. Brooks said you were unrealistic, "universal brotherhood of man, Kumbaya moment... people mystically come together... it takes politics and power... lofty. Good images without substance... Disney." Why didn't you spell out your vision?

Obama: There were a bunch of good reviews too. 9 to every bad one. And Brooks is a conservative and supports McCain... but... No one speech does everything. I could have stated a long list of policy and people would have drifted off... I was pretty clear about the difficulties of power and politics: Europeans need to step up. Not an applause line. And they should do more in Iraq, not an applause line inGermany. And too much American stereotyping, not an applause line. My purpose: Recognize that we need alliances, unity... [sorry, missed a part of this]

Meet The Press tomorrow- "The Moderator Chair Will Be Empty"

By Paddy


Sigh, I hate to admit it, but this is one MTP I'm not going to watch. I admired Tim as much as anyone, but it's been almost 24 hours of straight memorials on MSNBC and I do believe I have heard enough.

The guest list has been finalized for tomorrow's Meet the Press. Tom Brokaw will host, with guests Mike Barnicle, James Carville and Mary Matalin, Meet the Press EP Betsy Fischer, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Gwen Ifill and Maria Shriver.

From the NBC News release:

Tim Russert was the longest serving moderator of "Meet the Press" — taking over the helm of the program on December 8, 1991. The moderator chair will be empty this Sunday in his honor.