Tom Brokaw's "Meet The Press" Debut: A Pointed Break From Russert Past

New York Times:

There was no distant replay on Sunday's "Meet the Press."

Tom Brokaw, the temporary host, did not try to duplicate Tim Russert's trademark custom of digging up old videotape to catch politicians flip-flopping and contradicting themselves.

Mr. Brokaw, the former "Nightly News" anchor who will host the program until NBC finds a more permanent replacement for Mr. Russert, made a point of breaking with the past; the first segments were not even taped in Mr. Russert's studio in Washington but at a meeting of the Western Governors' Association in Wyoming. The majestic snow-capped Jackson Hole setting didn't provide for a very exciting political debate, but the changes did suggest just how difficult it will be for NBC to revamp a Sunday news program that was so shaped by the personality and passions of its longtime host.

This was only the third "Meet the Press" since Mr. Russert died this month, and in a way it was really the first. The Sunday after he died Mr. Brokaw anchored a special memorial edition of "Meet the Press." And last week's show, which opened with the usual booming voice-over introduction ("This is 'Meet the Press' with Tim Russert. Sitting in today: Brian Williams"), was unfinished business served up as homage. Mr. Williams interviewed the two guests whose appearances had been pre-empted by Mr. Russert's death -- Senator Joseph R. Biden, Democrat of Delaware, and Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina -- and he stuck to Mr. Russert's original script. It included archival material of Mr. Graham, who now supports offshore oil drilling, back when he didn't. (The current price of oil changed his mind, he said.)

Mr. Brokaw proved himself a seemly caretaker. The emeritus anchor didn't try to imitate or compete with Mr. Russert, and he kept the mood at a sober but easygoing tempo. Had NBC immediately tapped some of its more junior stars, like David Gregory, Lester Holt or Andrea Mitchell, to fill in so soon, they might have looked like ambitious careerists auditioning to take over while the chair was still warm.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[Witchitalineman]

I liked both these governors. Pragmatic and common sense people to me.

[lily31]

Tom Brokaw is a good place holder until the election is over ~ we need the continuity right now. He can get the best and brightest as Russert did often for the roundtable portion of the show.

I believe it would be a mistake to have a group fill this chair after the election.

Rachel Maddow is my first choice ~ she is one bright, articulate, and informed commentator and she does not shy away from speaking her mind when she disagrees with someone ~ the best part is that she does it forcefully but with attacking the person. AND she doesn't interrupt unnecessarily.

Donna Brazile is my "other" first choice for the same reasons,

Both are very funny in a smart way!! A critical qualification ~ i.e. someone who takes the job seriously but not themselves! Need I say who on the MSNBC roster that disqualifies??

[DieHardObamaSupporter]

"he kept the mood at a sober but easygoing tempo"

__________

The mood Brokaw left me in was to get drunk until I reached a forgettable tempo.

As I said when it was announced, he would be the temp for MTP....He's just about as interesting as a bowl of cottage cheese.

I'll give him kudos for not trying to emulate the master, Russert.

[mamacat]

I vote for a rotating chair until MTP settles on just one moderator, or maybe keep it as a rotationg chair.

I was impressed with the Governor of Wyoming. Seems to have a real head on his shoulders.

Arnie was good at dodging questions, but seems naive. To blame the failures of Congress since the 2006 elections on the Dems, when it is obvious that the failures are due to obstructionism by the GOP in the Senate, is just wrong.

I applaud the ability of Arnie and his wife to get along, even though they are of different parties. People should put family first.

[SweetAngie]

mamacat . . . mamacat . . . mamacat . . . . Enough about the family-love-in!

Arnold is my Governor and our State is in the State of Emergency! NO! Multiple family suicides are on the rise, high white collar crime like never before, foreclosures, bankruptcies, highest unemployment and companies going out of business and leaving the state! How can he sit on Meet the Press and grin from ear to ear and say to Tom Brokaw, "Now, Tom, where"s your sense of humor?"

My sense of humor for my Governor is running thin . . . GO GET THAT OIL like North Dakota did!!! Make us some money!

My suggestion for a Meet the Press topic . . . "What is really going on in California!?!?" We'd like to know!

[mamacat]

What are you trying to say? Are you in favor of offshore drilling?
Arnie can be criticised for a lot of things, and I didn't vote for him, but he seems like a pretty good fellow. I don't see any evidence of the corruption and incompetence that we have come to expect from Bush.

[riverhouse]

I liked the Brokow format. I liked his calm, conversational interviews. He was a refreshing change from the same old, same old news clowns asking lengthy self serving questions about yesterday's issues.

[TuneOutTheMedia]

I agree with the final comment of this article:

I would love to see NBC recast MEET THE PRESS with a panel of TOUGH questioners. Without dipping into their spicier cable hosts (suchas Keith Olbermann or Chris Matthews or Joe Scarborough or Tucker Carlson), NBC and MSNBC are loaded with talent:

Tom Brokaw, David Gregory, Chuck Todd, Rachel Maddow, John Harwood, David Shuster, Eugene Robinson, Andrea Mitchell, Mike Barnicle (to name a few).

NBC could clearly put together an All-Star team of PRESS for public figures to MEET.

Everything old is new again.

[Witchitalineman]

Please don't put Chris Matthews, Joe Scarborough and Tucker Carlson in the same league wih Keith Olbermann. Keith is by himself and I mean this in a very positive way!

[jeanruss]

I am glad to see the change on MTP. I quit watching when it was so mobvious that Tim Russert supported the war in Iraq. He mostly had neocon types on, and I just couldn't stand it. I was glad that Brokaw had on two Democratix governors. It was nice to listen to SANE people after the disaster of the last 8 years. Hopefully, the views of over 70% of the population will start to get a hearing.

[avvocato]

Andrea Mitchell, "a junior star"???? Duh I do not think so. 61 yo!

[Calylily]

How do you completely reformat "All in the Family", "Cheers" or "Murphy Brown" shows overnight . . . and have them come out just as smashing?!?

You don't.

I'm willing to wait for NBC to do their homework and decide what new format will work for the current audience, and who is the best choice for hosts. Let's face it . . . like any re-make, it will never be the same again.

Sorry . . . Rome wan't built in a day, either! Tom Brokaw, nice work while holding down the fort!

[SoYaThink]

While this may be true, I was thoroughly disappointed in Arnold Schwarzenegger. I wish he would drop the script and tell us exactly what he HAS DONE as Governor so far and why - as a result - our state is in the toilet!

Tom Brokaw did push the point with him, but Arnold heated up those red-laser-eyeballs of his, and zapped him! Arnold, it"s not funny . . . . Drop the fake smile and give us the facts!

[ibsteve2u]

I don't know that I am happy to see Tom Brokaw given a platform where he can air - consciously or not - his grievances over the loss by his preferred candidate.

[1PALady]

That's the problem, I liked the format that Tim had. He was always prepared and it was a great show to watch. Tom needs to go back to Montana.