Gregory Accidentally Accuses Jon Huntsman Of Having An Affair, Effusively Apologizes

The Republican Party is in such a state of disrepair and scandal that television news hosts can't keep track of which prominent figures are dealing with marital problems and which are simply abandoning ship.

On Sunday, "Meet the Press" host David Gregory offered an innocent but humorous slip-up, accidentally accusing former Republican Utah Governor and current China Ambassador Jon Huntsman of having an affair.

Gregory was going through the list of potential Republican presidential candidates and their various shortcomings when he exchanged Huntsman's name for that of Senator John Ensign (R-N.V.), who has admitted to an affair with a former staffer.

"Jon Huntsman has hurt his chances with an affair that came out," said Gregory. "Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Ensign, [Mike] Huckabee. Excuse me. I said Huntsman. I meant Ensign. There was no affair with Jon Huntsman. He was taken out, has gone over to China to be ambassador. Excuse me. Excuse me."

Sufficiently embarrassed, Gregory felt the need to revisit and re-apologize for his verbal slip-up later in the segment.

"I just want to make sure everyone heard that that I misspoke when it came to Jon Huntsman," he said. "My apologies. No family turmoil there."

At which point, prominent Republican strategist Mike Murphy chimed in: "Mrs. Huntsman is on the other line."

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Amidst the laughs was a somewhat serious discussion about the dilapidated state of the GOP. While Gregory's mischaracterization of Huntsman's family situation spoke to how bad the Republican brand currently is, a more telling comment came from David Brooks. The New York Times columnist, arguing that the GOP needed to lose "two or three national elections" before coming back to prominence, declared that the party's cure in 2012 could come in the form of Gov. Mitch Daniels. Why? Because he "is just a good manager."

"I take the maximalist view," Brooks said of his party. "I thought the British conservative party needed to lose three elections before they changed. I think this Republican Party is going to have to lose two or three national elections. So I take a long term, most pessimistic view possible. But what is the route back? It's two things: The first thing is boring, sensible, practicality. That's why I think of the potentials, Mitch Daniels, the governor of Indiana, is the most sensible short-term answer to the Republican problem, a guy who is just a good manager."

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Comments

[miguelobrien]

Anybody but me notice the pinstripe suit he was wearing? And Matt Laurer this morning.

Is that not the official uniform of politicians? We know they are not journalists; are they "broadcasting" [to coin a term] their true profession?

[Telemachus]

It figures, the only one not a swordsman is a Huntsman. You can't blame Gregory for getting confused.

[scorpioleidy]

WHY is Gregory still on MTP???????­??????????­??????????­?????????

[Treeske]

Definitely Fareed Zacharia. He's world wise enough not to be side tracked by sound bites like the rest of the media. David Gregory is very pleasant but has missed too many points too important to ignore.

[PiscesPrincess]

If NBC wants people to actually watch MTP they need to take a poll ... find out who We the People would be willing to watch.
I vote for Fareed Zacharia.
or Gwen Ifill
I prefer Zac.
He is civil and knowledgable and very very even handed

[PiscesPrincess]

If NBC wants people to actually watch MTP they need to take a poll ... find out who We the People would be willing to watch.
I vote for Fareed Zacharia.
or Gwen Ifill
I prefer Zac.
He is civil and very very even handed . He will be more like Tim russert who would tear either political party a new one.

[PiscesPrincess]

give it a rest. the man misspoke and immediately corrected his mistake. No big deal, already. tsk.
effusive is right. He overreacted to it. No wonder the MSM picked up on it. over and over.

[rblaquinta]

I do not watch mtp anymore....or any show that this strawman appears on.

[PiscesPrincess]

I still do but that is about to end. and John King is a total joke. sorry, John. You are so obvious these days. go to Fox.

[PresWatch]

Fareed, intelligent, insightful, and independent, provides the antidote to the MSM.

[WindySailor]

Mike Murphy responded by accidentally accusing David Gregory of having a brain.

[OhComeOnNow]

LMAO!!!!

[steveinohio]

This isn't really related at all, but man I wish we still had Tim Russert. His presence is sorely missed in the realm of political reporting...I feel like we're still trying to fill that void. It would be so wonderful to have him around for such interesting times for the country.

[take10]

Ditto!

[abigail1]

you know what annoys me most about this whole thing? once again, a significant amount of time on a talk show is dedicated to discussing how to fix the Republican party. it's a discussion about the horse race, about the game of politics, it's not a discussion about how to fix the country. How to solve health care. what to do about energy, education etc etc etc. I am so tired of hearing about what Republicans need to do, how about talking about what our elected officials need to do.

that and Mike Murphy saying that Obama's health plan is so lefty that it'll win Republicans votes when 72% of Americans support it.

[take10]

Party first, country second! That's the republican way!

[Bitsko]

An entire article about a verbal slip?

[OhComeOnNow]

Slow news day...

[den1953]

Tucker Carlson could not even MC the Price is Right Jeez!!!

[BillMelater]

That was an honest mistake. Perhaps careless, but it was nothing compared to a Fox News lie.