Written for Progressive Book Club

Yes, we did. And the millennium did not arrive. So what showed up instead?

After a few sorely, sorely needed moments of exulting and exhaling, more rounds in the unceasing fight between the forces of progressive reform and the forces of rollback and retrogression....

Originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review.

Halloween was over, but revelers were still in costume Sunday morning. Pundits-in-chief appeared confident that they had served the American people well during their extended, peculiar process of choosing a global leader. Cheerleaders were wearing...

Originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review.

The campaign has lasted as long as a rhinoceros stays pregnant, but at the end, for both candidates, will come delivery if not deliverance. Ten days before that blessed day arrives, though, the campaign's...

My dictionary offers this definition of statesman: "a senior politician who is widely respected for integrity and impartial concern for the public good." On Meet the Press, the much-decorated Colin Powell declared that he was voting for Barack Obama. Thereby Powell clutched for the statesman ring that he forfeited five...

Originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review

Tom Brokaw is rapidly making up for lost air time by building premises on sand. Conventional wisdom piles atop conventional wisdom, none of it substantial, none of it justifiable, all of it delivered with sonorous...

Originally published on CJR.org, the website of the Columbia Journalism Review.

Sometimes it's hard to know when Tom Brokaw is actually gauche or playing gauche; actually ironic or ironizing his own irony.

On Meet the Press, Brokaw played a clip of McCain's interview last week with the...

Originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review.

In a democratic society, what is the point of questioning a candidate or any other powerful figure? When the network gets its “get,” what does the public get?

The purpose isn’t self-evident. The host of a Sunday...

[originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review]

“It began,” Secretary of the Treasury Czar Hank Paulson told George Stephanopoulos, “with excesses in the system, irresponsible behavior and practices in financial institutions.” On Meet the Press, Paulson again alluded to “excesses”—“excesses building up for sometime...

[originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review]

The possibility that Sarah Palin may well find herself one proverbial heartbeat away from the presidency has flushed out a hitherto buried issue, that of John McCain’s age and health.

George Stephanopoulos raised the subject...

originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review

If Sarah Palin’s nomination kindled a certain skepticism among the talking heads last week, this week’s rousing St. Paul speech cast a spell.

As everyone must know, Palin electrified the 98.5 percent Caucasian delegate crowd...

The week served up an embarrassment of riches for the Sunday shows. There were, of course, Denver developments: the Clintons' make-good speeches along with a stem-winder by Montana governor Brian Schweitzer, and, of course, Obama in the stadium, outlining his ideas as frozen Hillary supporters say he never does. But...

Originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review

George Stephanopoulos tried to get chief Obama strategist David Axelrod to say something­—anything—interesting about the Biden choice, but Axelrod was relentlessly on-message ticking off his points: Biden is “accomplished,” “expert,” “working class,” full of “wisdom,”...

[originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review.]

Once again, ABC This Week’s roundtable tilted off-center, even without semi-regulars Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts to do the honors. (Perhaps Ms. Roberts, having sneered last week that Obama was making a big mistake in taking his...

(Originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review.)

On Meet the Press Sunday, David Gregory told his political round table:

The big question ... on the campaign trail is readiness to lead, to handle a crisis like this [Russia-Georgia]. And the readiness issue...

(Originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review.)

ABC’s This Week began with the same montage that every other broadcast has featured this week: the clips of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton coupled—or is it tripled?—with Barack Obama in McCain’s spot seen ‘round the...

[originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review]

Several of McCain’s utterances in his first interview with George Stephanopoulos since April deserve, as they say, to “make news”—to be emblazoned all week on front pages and reprised in TV clips—though, being substantial utterances, almost surely...

[originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review]

Imagine! Almost an entire installment of Meet the Press devoted to an interview with a private citizen who is not running for office—who receives the attention not only because he is famous but because he…knows...

[originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review]

Last week, I tasked George Stephanopoulos to ask McCain a serious question about his acumen in the matter of Iraq, and, if I may abuse the privilege of this space (and my readers’ toleration), this week I...

[originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review]

Todd Gitlin watches Sunday morning talk shows so that you don't have to, and, every Monday morning, offers his take on selected programs. Goodbye, Russert Watch; hello, Sunday Watch!

George Stephanopoulos rounded up New England Senate surrogates...

[originally published on CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review]

Tim Russert, dead at fifty-eight, was more than just a showman. He had gifts galore for friendship and gusto, and stamped the life around him with excitement. His Sunday ritual must have benefited from his schmoozing capacities....