Tim Russert Doesn't Want You to Read This

Here is some of the stuff from Arianna Huffington's new book, Right is Wrong, that NBC's Tim Russert has worked himself into a lather over and doesn't want you to read.

On Russert pumping up the panic:

Take Tim Russert, whose July 1, 2007, Meet the Press interview with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was about as priapic a display as you're ever likely to see outside of a porno film or the monkey cage at the zoo, with Russert desperately trying to get Chertoff to pump up the panic meter...You could almost hear the blood rushing to his loins--and the palpable sense of deflation when Chertoff refused to stroke his fantasy.

On Russert being the White House's "best format":

In the meantime, the White House adopted its standard operating procedure: farm out the really vile stuff to surrogate sleaze-peddlers while dispatching its press secretary to Meet the Press to take the high road...Tim Russert didn't blink an eye--proving once again why his show is your "best format," as former Cheney communications director Cathie Martin described Meet the Press while testifying during the Libby trial.

On Russert as a purveyor of conventional wisdom:

It's no secret why the arbiters of conventional wisdom get so defensive when these kinds of questions are raised: their opinions helped lead to the war in Iraq, so anytime the conventional wisdom is threatened, they rise in its defense...Exhibit A came during Barack Obama's appearance on Meet the Press on December 30, 2007. Tim Russert, one of the temple guards of conventional wisdom, used one of the classic weapons in its defense: the straw man.

On Russert's "EZ Pass" journalism:

On June 6, 2005, Meet the Press featured Ken Mehlman, then chairman of the Republican National Committee. It was another classic example of why host Tim Russert has become journalism's answer to the EZ Pass, those electronic tags that allow drivers to go through toll booths without having to stop. On the show, Mehlman was allowed to distort, twist, manipulate, obfuscate, and disssemble his way through every stop on the disinformation highway.

You can get the full details in Right Is Wrong.

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Comments

[bushlies]

Let's face facts: These guys do only as much as their corporate masters will allow them to do. They allow Olbermann to "push the envelope" just a little so they can appear to be "neutral". In truth, there is NO neutrality in the MSM. It's all Republican-based bullshit.

[stardog]

It was hard to watch the 5/4 MTP with Obama. I knew before I started the DVR that half the show would be Wright. I was right. It was Wright.

That was fun.

I get that people are watching, so why alter the format, but it sure would be nice to see something a little different. Lead the show off with farm subsidies or funding for pre-k programs or for God's sake the NBA playoffs. I don't care what you talk about now as long as Rev. Wright isn't mentioned.

[jeanwny]

I have watched Russert for years , he is from my neck of the woods and I will never bother again after Meet the Press yesterday. Scarborough, Matthews, Abrams and Russert have driven the "former pastor" thing into the ground, I can only hope it backfires on all them and their agenda's, whatever that might be. I will get my news from the internet and assess the differing opinions of the general public before I ever again listen to or buy a product from the sponsers who pay these guys for the tunnel vision and unfair tactics they use.

[Stew118]

I'm with you. GE news, ABC news, Turner/Aol News all have a clear agenda- money. The more controversial or incendiary their coverage the higher ratings they get, more dollars. Chris Matthews and Tim Russert have made me sick with their absolutely myopic coverage.

[northcan]

Your'e right, years ago, I watched CNN faithfully, then found them biased toward the Clinton WH, turned to Fox....biased right, went to MSNBC and now totally lost! Anyone out there honest? My parent's were in WW11, they told me about propoganda when my siblings and I were small children. They always contended that propoganda from any 'voice' over the wire was not to be trusted. I thought propoganda was probably just a 'wartime' message because of the danger of spy's and warnings to carry on 'as usual' with the message.

I have seen they were entirely right and suppose that is why I never believe one person, one side, one 'era'. As we now have rapid fire media news, everyone and anyone is a target of slime, mixed message, dishonesty, disloyalty­...everyth­ing that can twist, turn, favor, destroy, puff up etc., is done. This is a perfect time for media and politicians. They can say, do, destroy, launder, corrose, malign, and damage an election or issue as we have seen in this election cycle. It is meant to be confusing, so the average voter does not question whether it's true or not. Isn't this the most pathetic way to run a country and the media?

RESEARCH EVERYTHING YOU READ!!

[cobraxus]

I remember Tim Russert eulogizing Sonny Bono at the height of the Impeachment movement.He,Lisa Myers and the late David Bloom turned NBC news into a whorehouse,and a rather cheap,tawdry one at that.

[dax49]

which is why russert has become as irrelavant as chris matthews. i realized that when both of them gave teflon john mc cain a free pass on the john hagee garbage

[dawlishgal]

Is anybody still watching Matthews or Scarborough? I stopped months ago.

[Raymondf]

I can't believe you don't like Matthews He's a Neo-Liberal.

[Oldchef]

Tweetybird is no liberal. Did you somehow miss his manlove for the former mayor of New York, or his continuing admiration for McCain? Both were praised for their "strength" and revelations about their shortcomings were and are ignored.

[ROBOT8]

Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
--Hermann Goering

[novowel4me]

Excellent post!

[Bobrobert]

This is funny.

Anyone believe that someone doesn't like Tim just a little bit.

Convenient to blame Tim for us getiing behind an invasion of Iraq.

Wave the flag - kill the Iraq people!!!

Genocide is good if we get oil out of it.

OOPS!!!

No oil coming our way.

We were lied to.

Bad Bush.

Bad Tim.

Give us oil or give us death.

OOPS!!!

We have death.

We have over 4000 dead Americans military!!!

We have untold dead Iraq patriots and citizens.

OOPS!!!

Lets stay there - we can still get some oil and look like we won.

We must at least look like we won after we LOST to Vietnam.

OOPS!!!

Cannot win a war there because of tribal differences!!!

HMMMM HOW DOES GENOCIDE WORK AGAIN???

[Harrier]

Interesting way to plug a book-never seen it done that way. Regardless, she seems attractive to me. I saw at the UCLA book festival, she has an interesting sense of humor I enjoy.

[deweshk]

They're all fakes. Russert is just the bes among the worst.

[bigfated]

Russert is a neo-con tool.....but maybe he's too blind to see it. I turned him off a long time ago....and have discovered this era's Edward R. Murrow. His name is Keith Olbermann. Say what you will....Olbermann was the guy who woke America up to the true meaning of having what he so correctly calls "A CHEAP POLITICAL HACK" for president. Still...it may be the kindest thing one can say about our "Idiot-In-Chief!"
Take away Olbermann, Stewart, and Colbert....and you're left with a buch of ninnies trying to appear to be "journalists."
Soon these cockroaches will be on the outside looking in....wond­ering...li­ke Newt Gingrich...how they blew the greatest opportunity they're ever likely to get. Fools...hungry for power. Look at their most recent discards....such as Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Scooter "The Convicted Felon" Libbey, and the dumbest asshole of all....Alberto "I Don"t Recall" Gonzalez. All piled on the trash heap that is reserved for those closest to Bush....the fool responsible for even more death and destruction than that bastard, Saddam. They will all be remembered as mass murderers and war criminals.....and tools like Tim Russert pave the way for their idiocy. I say FUKKEM ALL! Bush is toxic....McSame would surely be worse.....if that's even possible.
I smell fresh air on the horizon.....and it sure ain't no stinking conservative!

[Erdgeist]

"Meet the Press" carries with it a plural sense--not a singular sense. In fact, the original "Meet the Press" consisted of a panel of questioners. By getting rid of the panel, "Meet the Press", under Russert, has become, over the years, more like an inquisition of the right against the left. The war in Iraq finally helped to bring out Russert's true colors. He is a banal man with virtually no journalist courage who made the Faustian bargain with Mephistopheles. I hope that Arianna buries him.

[Counterglow]

There aren't enough serious journalists left to keep the panel format going. Sadly, they decided to let Russert represent more talented news-people, with predictable results. Never in my life have I heard so many ridiculous and hypothetical questions. I'm frankly surprised that more politicians of all stripes don't just blow him off. As in, "Tim, how could I possibly commit the nation to a particular course of action when I can't know what the situation we're facing will be if I win the election more than a year from now?"

[memphispaul]

Yep,
Let's hear it for the Irish/American who sent his kids to National Cathedral, THE most prestigious High School in Washington telling us what working folks thing & feel.

[Oldchef]

I too have some questions about these guys who have multi million dollar contracts telling me what "the average guy" feels. Give me a break! Matthews and Russert make millions, live really well, and they're going to tell me about working class people? They don't have to make compromises every day about what they would like to do and what they can afford, like most of us. I actually am working class and I feel closer to Obama and his wife and family, than to the Clintons, with their multi millions or McCain, growing up in an Admiral's family (sure made a lot more than my carpenter dad) and marrying a multi millionairess after dumping his first wife.

[ReadALot]

Thanks Arianna,

Your take on Tim is very funny but so true. I don't sense a serious bone in his sycophant body.

[MyThought]

So, Arianna criticizes Russert - all the while she's pandering to Obama.

Hmmmm.....na, I won't buy her book.

Is there any unbiased media/jour­nalists/pu­ndits out there with any integrity?

[MNmommy]

Clearly, not anymore, with the possible exception of the McClatchy news, Charlie Rose and perhaps Bill Moyers.

*sigh*

[Dandrea]

MNmommy, this is my trifecta too.
Bill Moyers speaks to the soul of progressives.
Bill Moyers Journal is a must see for us.

[BlackWidowPilot]

Ms. Huffington is a patriot. Period.

Tim Russert is just another willing presstitute of the corporate press.

Charlie Rose just put his boot in it with his "interview" with Senator Obama. NPR is conservative in an old school sense; remember, their funding is from public and corporate sources, and the majority in control of the purse strings for too many years has been of a Republican persuasion...

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[tjwdraws]

Arianna is not a journalist and has no responsibility to appear to be objective. Russert and his ilk do like to pose as objective journalists who are helping citizens reach an informed decision. When these people, posing as journalists use and abuse the power of the media to push the government agenda we no longer have journalism we have a ministry of propaganda.