Roger L. Simon: Russert Implodes: Lord Acton Revisted

I always thought Tim Russert was a fatuous phony and today we have proof. I think many of us can remember when Meet the Press was a panel, not a one man show. Power corrupts, indeed.

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I have to confess. I was a fan. I used to consider him a nice break from the usual fatuous phonies, but after actually making it a point to watch him regularly I realized that my opinion was mostly formed by his slightly goofy appearance and his style of delivery.
I rarely watch any of the Sunday talk fests anymore. Much easier and less time consuming to let you guys (bloggers) torture yourselves and trust for a mostly objective condensement.

Mikem, you won't get much Sunday talk fest analysis from me, because I rarely watch them either.

I find Russert repulsive. However, even if Libby heard from someone else that Plame was an Agent... why the hell would he tell other people?!

This entire thing is bullshit politics. I have no doubt that Joe was an idiot and his rantings were likely poorly educated views. I also have no doubt that Libby (probably with Rove's blessing) was more than happy to spread rumors/hearsay etc that would shut down opposition. It's how Rove operates. However, instead of a Grand Jury... I would have preferred to have seen a honest News group research and report on Rove's political crapfest and then seen American citizens rise up, tar him, feather him and run him out of town on a rail.

I've come to realize that we Americans have stopped truly showing our backbone. History books record that in the 1800's some politicians, seen as 'bad' by the citizens got rotten tomatoes thrown at them... to the point that they actually had to leave the stage (Two different State Reps and a Senator IIRC).

I say we bring back Physical disapproval and apply it to Russert, Rove and most of the rest of of our politicans and News media!

Meet The Press is a ridculous title for a one-man show. Especially since, strictly speaking, Russert has zero to do with "the press."

The whole thing has been a waste of time. If Joe Wilson had not written that ridiculous oped and if Novak had not written his ridiculous article and if Plame has sent someone she was not married to over there instead of her husband...none of this would have happened.

Why did Libby tell anyone? Why did any of these people do half the things they did?

I do not udnerstand this bizarre obsession with Rove, he is not the culprit here, not in the minds of anyone who is not in the socalled reality based community.

I for one wish the Americans would rise up against this media induced crapfest, because it is not Rove that was his running his mouth here....it was the socalled press and it was the left wanting and hoping for a scandal that kept it alive.

So far, everyone who has testified for the prosecution has demonstrated their memories of events were just as bad, or even worse, than Libby. Yet Libby is being persecuted by Fitzgerald for supposed 'perjury' because his recollections don't match those who have already appeared in court.

Shhhh. Russert is deep undercover as a journalist at a shadow organization called a news network.

Okay...under my collar. It's a tentacle of the DNC, and Dean is Russert's contact man.

Roger,
I enjoy your perspectives. I just want to point out a subtle but significant difference between the almost always misquoted Lord Acton statement about power and the real thing. What he actually said is "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

I take this to mean that a moral person can excercise power without becoming corrupt (but vigilence against corruption is required). "Power corrupts" suggests lack of free will, which is only the case when it comes to absolute power.

And I believe Russert is just a high-priced Chris Matthews minus the spittleworks.

Pssst. A Google search of "Tim Russert" "ranch" reveals that he doesn't have one. Chris Matthews approves. However, there's a suspicious connection between both Matthews, Russert and Imus, who has one. Keep this to yourself.

There is an appearance of an "incestuous" (for lack of a better word) relationship btwg Imus, MSNBC and Russert.

Imus uses MSNBC to peddle a "charity", really a luxury ranch in New Mexico featured in Architectural Digest. Russert appears on Imus all the time.

Does anybody know if Russert has donated to the "charity"? You donate to the charity = Imus peddles your book or whatever you are selling, (Imus sometimes has the show from the ranch) a Lincoln Bedroom on horseback.

A charity is a tax exempt organization - Imus cozy relationship with Russert and other big media types doesn't pass the smell test. Both Russert and Imus wife have book publishing deals - are they with the same print house? Has anyone from the print house donated to the ranch?

You know if these guys were members of the vast right wing conspiracy, Justice would be on them like dung-beatles at the Serengeti.

What a vast difference what is reported in the press and what appears from the main trial transcript as captured from the Internet.

Watching the Washington Post reporter - Carol Leonnig - on the NewsHour report on Russert's testimony, one would have trouble distinguishing a smiling triumphant Tim Russert from Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning. Not so.

The press gets to pontificate and opine but never - never - to subject itself to the beauties of cross examination.

On Don Imus, I am surprised that anyone watches him. He is a clown, barely literate, barely understandable, and clearly a shill for David Gregory and Chris "the Mouth" and Howard Feldman.

I occasionally catch him as I surf on TV in the silly cowboy hat, munching on a toothpick with his thuggish unshaven groupies.

I know for a fact that he and James Carville share season tickets to the Washington Nationals. I know this because my buddy has seats directly behind the Carville/Russert seats. So they are good friends.

Carville and Mary Matalin are frequent guests on MTP, usually to do their left-right clown show that nobody in his right mind considers serious political television. It's basically a comedy routine. At no point have they ever (to my knowledge) disclosed that they share baseball tickets, not to mention whatever other financial entanglements the Carvilles and Russerts share.

On one MTP appearance last summer Russert asked Carville about his new radio show on XM radio, which was going to be publicly announced later that same week. They spent about 1/3 of Carville's face time talking about the radio.

At no point in the discussion was it mentioned that Carville's co-host on the upcoming show would be. . . .

So basically Russert was doing a fake "interview" that was really nothing but a promotion for his son's radio venture. Ever since then i can't take Russert seriously. He is a sleazeball and a huckster, masquerading as a disinterested political observer.

Last night on Brian Williams NBS News, Russert was front and center and on early in the show, talking about his appearance at the trial.

I switched off in gag mode, but thought what effect this might have on the jury, to add cred to him, to weazel out of statements made, to shine his now much abused apple, but surely and always to protect his public image.

Where Imus was once funny, he's now jaded and repetitive, but also vulgar in a cruel and spectacular way. Bernie is even worse, but the humor passes the PC smell test because the show is a cabana for libs and Imus is their cabana boy. His occasional digs at libs is a wink, wink, nudge, nudge affair.

Otherwise, Frank Rich, Mo Dowd, Kerry, Feineman, Matthews, a variety of local NYC creatures and, of course, Russert, have the run of the place. Not long ago, a serious commentator, a journalist (pardon the word) would give the bogus misanthrope Imus a wide birth, because you're judged by the company you keep. Not anymore. McCord is to Imus what Imus is to his stable of libs.

The vast right-wing conspiracy is a little chickadee to the vast left-wing conspiracy's flying flock of furious condors.

Before joining NBC News, Russert served as counselor in New York Governor Mario Cuomo's office in Albany in 1983 to 1984 and was chief of staff to Democratic Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan from 1977 to 1982

In the interest of full disclosure that should be mentioned on every program Russert hosts. It is only fair to know a political interviewer’s possible bias.

February 8, 2007: Russert Implodes: Lord Acton Revisted

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