Gregory's Girls

This week as been dominated by girls, which is reflective of 2008 -- a year that has been mostly about girls. I use the politically incorrect word "girls" in an ironic sense because it used to be a pejorative, dismissive term used by many America men -- in the same category as "broads." However, the "girls" have now taken over the media and its headlines and many of the men in media are puffed-up, strutting boys, like Illinois Governor Blagojevich.

But not David Gregory, who on his second week of hosting Meet the Press, had all female guests. His main interview was with Condoleeza Rice and his panelists were Michele Norris of NPR, Erin Burnett of CNBC, Andrea Mitchell of NBC, and Carol Marin of the Chicago Sun-Times. The women were brilliant. Gregory held his own and asked intelligent, probing questions, but it was clear the women were the smartest people at the room.

I've not been a fan of Condoleeza Rice in the past, but I was dazzled by her communication skills and fluency, by her charming and confident camera presence, and by how skillfully she handled Gregory's tough questions and stayed on message. She almost had me believing the Iraq conflict had been a war of freedom that had been good for the Iraqis -- on the same week an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President Bush.

The first question to the all-female panel was about, guess what, a woman -- Caroline Kennedy's bid for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat in New York. Michelle Norris was very smart in her discussion about bloodlines and money dominating politics today.

The next topic was about the economy and the Bernard Madoff scandal, which was handled with ease by the brainy Erin Burnett who added insight and context to the situation. Andrea Mitchell added some smart comments about the SEC's role in the mess. Mitchell may have had one too many face lifts, but she represents the new era of female reporters -- brains first. Unlike Fox News and the Fox Business Network, no bimbos are allowed on Meet the Press.

Carol Marin took the lead discussing Illinois Governor Blagojevich. She, too, was smart, informed, and insightful. All the panelists politely added insights and analysis.

I give Gregory and the Meet the Press producers credit for being gender agnostic and not saying, "Hey, we ought to put at least one man -- preferably a black man -- on the panel for balance." They didn't think about being politically correct; I'm guessing they wanted the smartest, best-informed guests, and they all happened to have been women.

This was an all-star panel that I hope might be permanent members of the Meet the Press discussion roundtable -- maybe NBC could rename the program "Gregory's Girls." But, on second thought, that doesn't really work. But what struck me is how much smarter, better informed, insightful, cordial, polite, and collegial this group was than the macho dopes and interrupting loudmouths on the O'Reilly, Hannity, and Chris Matthews' shows are.

And the week before Meet the Press, Katie Couric had her best week in almost a year on the "CBS Evening News," reaching an average of 7.4 million people. The story on The Huffington Post read: "The improvement could be a result of the positive feedback Couric received for her interview of GOP Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, during the presidential campaign. Palin fumbled on a question about which publications she read regularly, and the interview was a launching point for one of Tina Fey's 'Saturday Night Live' spoofs."

In 2008 Hillary Clinton was the first female to run for president; Sarah Palin overshadowed running mate, John McCain, only to be made notorious by another female, Tina Fey; Katie Couric gained in the ratings; Oprah dominated daytime TV; Rachel Maddow was the best talk show host/commentator on TV; and Michelle Obama became the smartest, most articulate first lady in generations, except for Hillary Clinton -- think Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Barbara and Laura Bush. So it looks like 2008 was the year of the girls, and, except for Sarah Palin, it's about time.

And if the news media and politics are improved so much by women, it makes me wonder if we'd be in this economic mess if women had been in charge of Wall Street and the banks instead of the greedy, arrogant, riverboat-gambler males who took the economy down the tubes. What America needs now is another Margaret Thatcher, or at least some smart woman who no one with any sense would dare call a "girl."

Comments

[SethBLiNK]

This posting is weird in 2008. Has there never been an all-female panel on Meet the Press before? Considering how many top shelf female journalists there are, that's a low-risk venture. It would be much more daring to put on an all-male panel, given the threat of sexism accusations.

If NBC did this intentionally, good for them, I guess. If it just happened that way, even better. True non-sexism occurs when something like this happens without trying. Of course singling it out and making it a regular feature, especially hosted by a man and named as the poster suggests.

Not to spoil that party, but I don't think this was year or the girl/woman/etc. It was the year that Hillary Clinton started out as the favorite in the race, and lost, partially because she played far more identity politics than her minority opponent did. It's the year that the Republicans tried to appeal to the lowest common denominator in that same game of identity politics and not only lost but embarrassed themselves doing it.

Yes it was a good year for Tina Fey, Katie Couric and Rachel Madow, but overall, it was just another year where women as a group continued to make strides. The say this was the year of anything but Barack Obama is to try very hard not to see the obvious.

[MeetJohnDoe]

At least 35 women have run for president, according to the National Women's History.Musuem.

http://www.nwhm.org/president.html

[Bulbul]

Gregory can correct another factor by having Hillary Clinton as his guest . I do acknowledge the mischief players were his fellows, Mathews/Olberman duo, and Gregory had no part in it.

[ErinBerin84]

Chris Matthews had some moronic/sexist things to say this year, but why lump Keith into there? Do you think that because he was critical of Hillary Clinton , that he was somehow sexist? What sexist thing did he say, I could have missed it.

[abliss2379]

In expressing his frustration with Hillary's refusal to give up, at one point Mr. O suggested the Democrats send someone into a room with Hillary and stay there until only one of them could come out (rough paraphrase here). I assume he didn't mean Hillary. He was not merely critical of Hillary, but sometimes appeared to be ready to blow a gasket.

[Anie]

There were several, including almost daily saying,starting in early March, that she should leave the race, and increasingly saying this as she kept winning the last primaries by 30 or 40 points, because she was hurting Obama by doing so, in daring to run negative ads in a primary election - most exemplified by this exchange with Newsweek's Howard Fineman in April:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TxjplGs5YM

Fineman said something had to be done, such as, "...some adults somewhere in the Democratic party to step in and stop this thing, like a referee in a fight that could go on for thirty rounds. Those are the super, super, super delegates who are going to have to decide this."

Olbermann replied: "Right. Somebody who can take her into a room and only HE comes out."

Fineman replied: "Yes. Yes, exactly."

[godhelpusall]

do you suppose "men are from mars, women are from venus" could have something to do with it?

after all, mars is the god of testosterone, aggression and war

while venus rules over wellbeing, love and harmonious relationships ---

[CharlesWarner]

I think the fact that men are from Mars has a lot to do with it. Today the war is fought with words, not swords.

[MeetJohnDoe]

"In 2008 Hillary Clinton was the first female to run for president;"

NOT.

Where have you been?

[CharlesWarner]

OK, I didn't give Shirley Chisholm her due and I apologize.

[Anie]

She was merely the first woman to win a presidential primary.

[kellygrrrl]

Mrs. Andrea Greenspan has NO business calling herself a journalist and discussing the economy and the SEC.
That is like having Mrs. Lynn Cheney discuss the role of the Executive branch in the Torture/Abuse scandal.

[ReHoover51]

i constantly watch her face for any expression when she is discussing the economy ... i know that she knows that we know!!!!

[springsm]

Andrea Mitchell is a good reporter...she always has been. I was quite put out with her though during the campaign when she went after HRC like a pirrahna after fresh meat. I thought she acted like a petty shill...but I do admire her work and have moved back into her camp somewhat. And yes, she knows what we know. And kellygirl, your snide remarks lack maturity.

[shimown]

Dear kellygrrrl,

You are just dead wrong. Andrea Mitchell (her actual name) has been a journalist since her college days in the late 60s. She has more experience covering foreign affairs, the U.S. Congress, and the White House and Executive branch than most journalists today.

Please don't spout nonsense just to hear yourself speak. If you want to make a real conrtribution, think first, then comment.

Thanks.

[ErinBerin84]

she can have her good moments while reporting, but I have seen her report on Greenspan, WHEN they were married. I think the network changed their policy on that though, bc they put her off the air when he testified this year. Plus, I have seen David Gregory report on Fannie Mae stuff, despite his wife's ties at the time.

[ReHoover51]

Andrea Mitchell has no farther to look than in the mirror at home ... alan greenspan made billions off his positiion as fed chairman ... then told the congress that he was shocked that this happened ... ya cant spend 10billion a month for 6yrs on the iraq war and spend billions on bushes economic plans and NOT have a depression ...
hey, lets print more $$$$

[Jessegirl]

A-M-E-N!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sloreader]

Erin Burnett eases my economic woes. And thank god Dave didn't bring on Suze Orman instead!

[GeorgeP922]

Watch out for Erin, she is gorgeous sure, but the other day I heard the WORST GOP talking point come from her.

She said because Fedex was cutting 10% of executive pay (1 mill salary becomes 900K) that was the ONLY reason the audience needed to dismiss any ideas of raising taxes on the top 1% of the country.

Noone on the panel (moring joe) cared to respond.

So for Gregory, RW'ers are "safe", god I love NBC.

[Myshkin57]

I gotta say I've never been impressed with Burnett or Bartiromo. I'm not sure why they're both given a place of prominence. If they're going to consciously decide to put some women a place of prominence, the should pick some women who know what they're talking about. Those two seem like they just read the copy right before going on air.

[Nanaama]

Hallelujah! Charles Warner has just discovered that women are not dumb . And he seems genuinely surprised. Are we, women , expected to be flattered? May I laugh?

[kellygrrrl]

join me in a good girl giggle :)

[erincnyc]

teeheehee

[CharlesWarner]

I discovered that women are smart years ago. In 1975 I was given a award by the Chicago Women in Broadcasting for promoting the careers of women when I was the general manager of the NBC owned radio stations. And there is no doubt my wife is much smarter than I am.

[fishgirl26]

We're just alot better at multi-tasking. Women consistently have to juggle. In the old days it was kids, house, farm, ..etc. Later on it was kids, house, pta.......then in the 70's it became kids, home, job, husband and it's still that way. We're born mulit taskers which is why a woman president would get ALOT done. Men are a little less emotional when it comes to decision making but women get it done. Coming from the land of Jeanette Rankin, we Montana girl really know how to get things done.

[Clavis]

Let's not forget such women as Michelle Bachmann, Monica Crowley, Elizabeth Hasselbach and (of course) Sarah "In What Respect, Cherlie?" Palin. Proof that having ovaries doesn't axiomatically make you an intelligent, decent, respectable figure. It helps, of course, but it's no guarantee... ;)

Come on, men aren't so bad, are we?

[CharlesWarner]

No, men aren't so bad. But women are generally nicer, especially on TV.

[fishgirl26]

Those women aren't what I would consider "modern women". Those women would like to move our movement back YEARS as long as it doesn't affect their motives and lives.

[Pacojam]

Condi uses her dazzling communication skills and camera presence to lie. She doesn't actually do anything constructive for the country. On the contrary.

[kellygrrrl]

hear hear

[fishgirl26]

she goes by the "baffle them with bs" motto

[Kane]

"In 2008 Hillary Clinton was the first female to run for president"


In the 19th century, Victoria Claflin Woodhull was many things: a clairvoyant, a businesswoman, an advocate for women's rights and sexual freedom, and a magnet for media attention and scandal. But she is best known as the first woman to run for president. Her 1872 campaign came at a time when most women did not even have the right to vote. Ms Woodhull was the nominee of Equal Rights Party, and her running mate was Fredrick Douglass.

In total, thirty-four women have run for president of the United States.

[NotMcCain]

Yes, and let's not forget the great Shirley Chisholm who not only had won delegates by the 1972 Democratic convention but who also was black.

[CharlesWarner]

Thanks for the historical context; I stand corrected. However, even though I'm old, I'm not that old.

[Aramarcal]

Almost any analyst can seem interesting next to David Gregory ! Gregory's girls? really?

[Kane]

I cringe everytime I hear David Gregory make the assertion that Bush can be vindicated depending on how Iraq turns out. He's completly bought into the right wing talking points and the notion that if Iraq unfolds into a happy ending, then Bush will somehow be seen as a heroic figure.

You couldn't make me watch this clown. As long as Gregory is the host, Meet the Press is dead to me.

[GrainOSand]

I have to agree with you, Gregory is in the tank and it is obvious.

[shimown]

Dear cardholder and GrainOSand,

You obviously have never watched a Presidential press conference, or any other media event where Mr. Gregory was present to question President Bush. On that basis, your comments are of null value. David Gregory was one of the most vociferous and aggressive interrogators of Mr. Bush at any time during his tenure as White House correspondent, a position he ascended to after the 2000 election, during which he was assigned to report on Mr. Bush.

Anyone who has seen his interactions with President Bush would know that his relation with the President, while usually cordial, was often contentious. You see, it is possible to be both cordial and combative at times in interpersonal relations. He would not have obtained the esteemed chair at Meet the Press if he had been viewed by anoyone as being "in the tank" for President Bush.

Nice try, but you are just wrong.

Cheers.

[truthglow]

He was the worst possible choice by his masters. I can't wait till they realize it.

[cardholder]

He's been in the tank for a loooong time. After all, it's not just anybody that gets a nickname from Bush. Mr. Gregory is know as "Stretch" to GWB. Why else was he chosen?

[VegasPhil]

Is MTP still on? Will it never go away.

[NotMcCain]

An article praising MTP for non-sexist choice of an all-female expert panel?

And the article is called, "Gregory's GIRLS"? "Gregory's"?

Why not just rename MTP "David's Angels"?

And, yes, he can ask an intelligent question. The problem with Gregory is (1) his Republican talking points that usually shape the question, and (2) his lack of intelligent FOLLOW-UP questions (unlike, say, David Shuster).

[ErinBerin84]

word.