Newsday's Verne Gay: REASON TO WATCH: That is the question, and one President Barack Obama apparently asked himself, too, as he bypassed TV's venerable Sunday news institution for another show on the very same network - "The Tonight Show" - where he'll appear tonight to talk about the stimulus package.WHAT IT'S ABOUT: The president's decision to slip past "Meet the Press" would seem like a massive diss of new host Gregory - in the job three months - but this is politics, and politics is to a certain degree about expediency. The expedient choice for Obama was "Tonight," where he'll talk about an enormously complex plan that will affect every man, woman and child in the country until the day they die - while cracking a few jokes in the process. Still begs the question, though: Why Jay Leno instead of Gregory? Leno's audience is far bigger, of course, but here's another possibility: Under Gregory, "Meet the Press" simply doesn't feel like the force it was under his legendary predecessor, Tim Russert, who died last June.
The problem? Actually, problems. The new moderator often seems like he's wearing a suit made for someone else - Russert - and as a result has yet to clearly establish why he got this gig instead of anyone else in the conga line of potential successors. Gregory is terrifically polished, well-informed, a good listener and has the talking points of both sides down cold. But he also seems more intent on covering the waterfront than digging for news, or in pushing the talking heads off their talking points. Recent interviews with Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) felt like a waterfront that went on for miles - an endless vista of chatter and spin. His exclusive interview with Defense Secretary Robert Gates was thoughtful and probing, but not particularly memorable.
BOTTOM LINE "Meet the Press" is now the de facto safe show on Sunday morning - "safe," that is, for those being interviewed.
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. In this job, it's vital to be both.
let's see we are told that while Rome burned Caesar fiddled. fast forward to 2009 and while the good old USA is in a economic death spiral our current Caesar, Obama, makes the rounds of the sports shows and late night comics. First he goes on ESPN to make his NCAA Basketball Bracket picks. Now he is going to fire up Air Force One again to escape the town/house he fought to get and piss away thousands of our dollars. Why Tonight rather than MTP? possible answer agreement on questions? or maybe he gets to use the tele-prompter. Me thinks if he had spent as much time chosing his Cabinet as he did his bracket busters the country would not be in the shape it finds itself. But then we will get that big toothy smile tonight while he yucks it up with Jay and a new round of Kool Aid will be served up.
ReplyDeleteHey folks next it will be round table discussion with the young meat on MTV who can pose the venerable question, "Boxers or Briefs?" Nothing but the cream puff shows for this guy until he figures out what he needs to say.
ReplyDeleteThey also do not allow teleprompters on MTP do they?
I don't think so, Bobcat.
ReplyDeleteI think the president wanted to do Leno's show because Leno is a nice guy who is also not a journo. Whether Gregory threw soft ball questions or not, his approach would have been to conduct an "interview" rather than a friendly conversation. The president needed a free-form venue to still the stirring waters.
ReplyDeleteNice mountain pic of you, ChickieBoo.
Thanks, Al! I got rid of it because it was too dark...
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