Tina Brown: Give "Meet The Press" To Rachel Maddow

The Daily Beast:

The Meet the Press panel needs fewer David Broders and more Christopher Hitchenses--irresponsible wits who can challenge the B-list senators and warhorse commentators who trundle on and download all that sonorous received wisdom. And for the top spot, how about going way outside the box? How about bringing in the cool forensic skills of a David Boies? Or the fresh intelligence of a web star like Josh Marshall or Glenn Greenwald? Or the political/policy smarts of a journalistic intellectual like the Guardian's Michael Tomasky?

Or how about... a woman? Since NBC has not heeded my last suggestion to appoint either the unsung cable Rottweiler Greta Van Susteren or a reinvented Katie Couric, I say give Meet the Press to Rachel Maddow. She's smart. She's quick. She's witty. She does her homework. And she listens to what the person she's talking to is saying. She doesn't just go to the next question on her list.

If Obama is post-racial, Maddow is post-gender--divested of hair-frosted femininity in the anchor genre and more appealing because of it. Like him, she's a calm, unflappable new era phenomenon. Sure, she's a lefty, and in the past week she's been swinging away at Obama's cabinet choices, but I suspect she's ambitious enough to dial it back if she had to. (She also has that weird TV gene that's so hungry for air time she'd probably insist on keeping her five-day job at MSNBC. Russert himself was on every show except Project Runway.)

Read the whole story: The Daily Beast

Comments

[ManassasMan]

A brilliant idea that would take BALLS to bring about. There is nobody in NBC's power structure who has any ! First of all, there would be the religious "wrong" to contend with....., and then the rest of the lunatic fringe on the right....

[Truth4Voters]

Better yet, put Rachel on The View to take on EH.

[eugenegerard]

Rachel doesn't need to go downtown.

[Meah]

Rachel far transcends EH. She has a PhD and is not the gabby type that the View puts out there. E.H. is a sorry silly mouth, and could never keep up with Rachel.

[Truth4Voters]

Brilliant idea.

[MNmommy]

Love the idea - but I don't think she has the gravitas across the spectrum for the position.

Gwen Ifill please!

[pfc1369]

We're up to our eyeballs in ersatz gravitas.

Rachael is one questioner who is never asleep.

[xargaw]

It is probably not going to happen because Rachael is smarter than all the execs combined. She works harder, is better prepared, is a great interviewer and VERY FAST on the followup. In other words, she is too talented. She would scare the s--t out of the guests. All those elected tools would always have some other committment when asked to be a guest on MTP.

[iPolitics]

I don't think that's a good fit. Almost no experience with this time of interviewing show. She's also not tough in terms of questioning her guests.

You need someone who will ask tough questions and follow up. Someone a little rude.

[Petey131]

Like Tom B.?

[iPolitics]

Right.

[Meah]

She has been interviewing many people on Air America for several years.

[ggfree]

Love that there is an openly gay woman with a voice on national tv...howev­er, I recently watched her show at my mom's (i live tv free) and I had to get up and go in the other room. I thought she was obnoxious, nothing but sarcasm and snark, which I enjoy in doses, but not as an entire meal. My sister assured me she wasn't always that way but I have no idea. I guess the point is to have a counter to the obnoxious right, but I'd prefer the obnoxiousness be left out altogether. She seems to have the makings of someone who won't be able to be critical of the left/Dems, and we are going to need that as much as the criticism of the right/repubs. i'll stick to NPR, Truthout, CSM etc for insightful, evolved coverage.

[bobbysgurl]

Wow. One chance with Rachel and you're done. I guess you cannot handle it.

[springsm]

I think you have the concept from the eyes of a conservative fundy. Rachel is NOT snarky and/or obnoxious. She is frank, honest about what she thinks and gracious. She listens to Pat Buchanan and gives him his rant time...and that takes patience and even respect...­.tho I can't see how one can respect PB, but... And Rachel can analyze the situation with alcrity also. But stick with NPR (Rachel is only on for one hour btw), CSM, etc.. We know that NPR has moved more to the right than the center and they don't go into anything very deeply..bu­t it is a great alternative. PBS works too.

[ggfree]

well, like I said, I don't watch TV so I am less immune to the "wink wink" snideness that is pervasive on mainstream tv. To me, she was obnoxious. Fiercely intelligent ppl can be obnoxious. perhaps you and bobbysgurl just swim in all that shock jock bs more than i do. all those flashing lights, bad music and subliminal messages bore me. I like to read.

[LisaO8]

Fantastic idea - she is the only one that would put these politicians' feet to the fire. Brokaw is the worst!

[swift goat pet for truth]

I NEVER watch MTP.

I ALWAYS watch Rachel.

I would give up one for the other.

[Meggie]

What an excellent idea! She asks great questions and she insists on an answer. When someone tries to snow her, she calls them out on it.
Ask Joe Scarborough if she isn't sharp and a great interviewer!

[larry278]

NBC's suits don't do out of the box things. Mama GE wouldn't like it. So, No Rachel. Good idea, Tina. If the USA ever starts recovering, we could see bold changes, but not now. The suits now are much more paranoid & insecure to last as execs. GE wants rubber stamps, not creative thinking. MTP goes to rotating Schmendricks as moderators next.

[pfc1369]

Rotating schmendricks, spinning schlamiels, and sleep inducing schlamazzels.

[meede]

Networks have to realize that they need to adapt shows to attract and involve younger viewers. The election involvement for Obama spoke volumes that there is a need for this market to be included. The 'old boys club' is deadwood now so therefore Andrea Mitchell would be like a corpse. Todd and Gregory are not going to draw the numbers. If NBC wants to be ahead of the curve, Rachel would be a great tap for the show. She has the intelligence to know she parks her 'left at the door'. She has the knowledge to adapt and make it her own as no one can fill Tim's shoes.

[raker]

It's Janie Pillsworth, latching onto the newest, hottest thing in town, god love her. Rachel Maddow is not right for Meet the Press. MTP is about two things: it's a place to launch Republican talking points in an atmosphere of dubious legitimacy; and it's a place for an NBC star who craves access, power and adulation. Rachel Maddow does not seem to meet these qualifications.

[SickoPoliticos]

That would be great! The four nominees so far are all light-weights.
At least Rachel could catch the guests in a lie, point it out to them - and do it with a smile...

[Bluedanube]

A brilliant suggestion unfortunately Rachel Maddow is willing to speak truth to power and NBC certainly can't have that. They want someone to cheerlead the status quo and not hold anyone's feet to the fire. They will likely select someone from the "cocktail weenie" circuit who has strong connections to the Beltway brahmins.