Brokaw and Koppel On DNC: "Kabuki Dance... Colossal Waste Of Time And Money" (VIDEO)

Two of the media old guard in Denver sat down to talk about the waste of the DNC Thursday afternoon when Tom Brokaw interviewed Ted Koppel on MSNBC. After reflecting on how many conventions the two have covered (since '68 for Brokaw, 21 for Koppel since '64) each voiced his own frustration with the event.

Koppel, the former ABC newsman who now works for BBC America, said he's been telling his audience the whole thing could be done in a day and a half and is a "colossal waste of time and money," especially when penny-pinching media could use the money to cover more important news. "Spend it on sending someone to Pakistan."

Brokaw agrees it should be shorter, but also wants to see seminars on the issues affecting the country and just one big primetime night when both the nominated president and vice president speak. He admitted he's in the minority with his idea.

Watch:

Comments

[SKonnery]

Brokaw and Koppel are a kabuki dance and waste of time. Just get off the stage it's time to pack it in.

[ApolloniaCreed]

Mr. Brokaw, you are no Tim Russert.

[JRsNana]

So, the highest rated convention in history gets panned by two long time broadcasters. Tom Brokaw (who, I'm sorry to say, sounds like he's had a few martinis all the time) and Ted Koppel need to really review the stats here and come out with a new comment or two that reflects what THE PEOPLE WATCHING actually think.

[Julie02]

If that's all these two goons had to say, it must have been a really good convention.

[tempest624]

Kabuki!? Is this why the is scaling back on their prime time, bloated coverage this week in St. Paul, MN?

[Melissa]

They are right. The conventions are scripted and absolutely useless.

[dontomas]

Most television shows are scripted and absolutely useless. To go one step further most movies are useless. Most magazines and newspapers are useless and 75% of the content is advertising. Without all this, these two talking heads we would be out of work, what are you going to do.

[cariintexas]

The problems on MSNBC started when Brokaw returned. He retired several years ago . He saw GE, NBC and MSNBC stock falling and he comes back to sure up his portfolio by making the network/cable all RIGHTWING. The media is no longer the "Only game in town".

[KickerBoard]

Brokaw is a pompous, self-absorbed twit. Koppel is a joke.

[surfcitysteven]

Since when do these two 4rth estate failures care about real issues. A waste of time and money is Iraq, something both these clowns failed us on. More important news, the media? What, is there another white girl missing somewhere? Is there a singer or an actor checking into rehab that I wasn't aware of? Maybe Obama's first grade teacher cursed God, how will it affect his ability to make decisions? More important news for the penny pinching media to cover, yeah boys, you go get it!

[eastutican]

Another example of why I watched the Convention on CSPAN. Instead of being a spectator to an 'old men yell at cloud' discussion between Koppel and Brokaw, I got to listen to unfiltered speeches from interesting politicians.

The money which NBC and the BBC spend on these two gas bags would be better used to send a correspondent to Pakistan or conduct seminars on the media. The commentor below who said that these two long ago stopped being newsmen and became opinion shapers has that right. And the opinions. Useless, outdated and churlish.

[ibivi]

I am surprised at these two. Conventions are important for both parties. The newsies are supposed to be impartial. Maybe they're both getting too old and cynical.

[MPeter]

These two are tired, oldschool rubbish peddlers who forgot long ago what a reporter does. They think they opinion leaders and newsmakers rather than reporters. The truth is that Brokaw and Koppel and intellectual midgets who could not even tie Obama's shoe laces. Yet they sit there, neying and braying like horses.

[HopeGirl]

jealousy is an ugly emotion. these two marginal human beings, both washed up and irrelevant can not connect to a movement-their bitter cynicism won't allow it.

when did 'journalist' start saying what they would say on their sofa's into a camera for millions to hear.

hey both of you bitter little girls- I would rather listen to what O has to say on any subject that listen to your shallow, meaningless meanderings.

go away, retire...s­top bothering us.

[jazzman]

Colossal waste of money and time: Brokaw and Kopple.

[jbatch]

Ted, it's not about the media -- so if you don't want to cover it, don't. Go ahead and send the reporter to Pakistan.

Tom, if you want to see issues discussed, then start covering issues instead of being a stenographer to the latest alking points of one camp or another. If you want to report issues, then report them, instead of focusing on tactics, faux issues and distractions.

In fact, it would have been great if you'd talked about issues in the run-up to Iraq. Issues like why are mid level CIA and Energy Dpt. folks saying bush/Cheny are lying about Iraq's WMDs and al Qeada links? Or why is the State Dpt. saying there's no plan for what to do after the invasion -- and "issue" they raised in late 2002. The BBC, CBC, Der Spiegel, and published letters to Bush from the intelligence community, were widely available. Surely you could have managed to dig these issues up and reported on them. Or how about O'Neill's revelation that Iraq came up in Bush's first staff meting? That would have been a great "issue" to hold a seminar on. Or the fact that Bush illegally used government funds -- first taking money appropriated to afganistan to fund Iraq, then to run an illegal propaganda campaign.

Say, how about a seminar on whether the MSM deserves protection under the First Amendment if they're too incompetent or too corrupt to report news? That sounds like a good one.

[BARRY08]

I MISS TIM RUSSERT

GOD , HE WOULD HAVE LOVED THIS DNC !

HE WAS A REAL MAN , NOT LIKE TOM BROKAW !!

HE SHOULD RETIRE , NO GOOD ..........­.IS BECOMING AN EMBARRASSMENT TO WATCH HIM !

PERHAPS TIM'S SON WOULD DO A BETTER JOB !

OR RACHEL MADDOW , GIVE HER THIS POST .........T­OM IS RUINING IT FOR ALL OF US !

COME BACK TIM , WE MISS YOU SO DEARLY !

[BARRY08]

TOM IS NOT TIM RUSSELL ! AND HE KNOWS IT .....

GREAT EVENT AND NECESSARY FOR OUR PARTY YOU TWITS

WHY NOT ASK MCCAIN TO BRING TROOPS HOME AND THUS SAVE TRILLIONS

IF THAT IS ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY.......­.......WHY SAY IT ????

[HopeGirl]

who is Tim Russell?