Meet the Press Review

Host: Tom Brokaw
Guests: Joe Lieberman, John Kerry
Political Roundtable: Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell, Mike Murphy, Judy Woodruff

This was a pretty unremarkable interview segment, and a pretty unremarkable show in general. Mostly it was just Lieberman and Kerry arguing back and forth, with a bewildered Brokaw looking on. Every once in a while I wonder how John Kerry lost the 2004 election, and then I see him on shows like this, hear him speak, and then I remember. Fundamentally he just isn't that likable, and uninspiring doesn't even really begin to sum it up. His criticisms on McCain seemed very defensive, and were always issued as a response to Lieberman's points. He also let Lieberman dictate the entire segment, and Lieberman was more than happy to get in three words for every one Kerry could cram in. Maybe he was futilely waiting for Brokaw to actually get control of his guests, but unfortunately (if not unpredictably) Brokaw had either blacked or passed out right after they'd gone on the air.

It was funny to see Lieberman so adamant about everything though, and the vigor with which he attacked the future of his own party, a party one would have thought he'd spent his entire life trying to make worthwhile. His complete adoption of McCain's talking points (Kerry's only good moment was calling him out on his new found support for off-shore drilling), and audition for a spot at the Republican national convention were fun to witness. I can't really imagine why they let him stay in the Democratic caucus. In fact, I think I'll do a separate post on Lieberman later tonight, and leave it at that.

I'm not sure how much commentary I can provide about the second half hour; the political roundtable segment, as slamming my face into the coffee table had really taken its toll by then. I think they talked about McCain's ads, and the VP candidates for a while, but I'm sure that nothing particularly insightful was said, and if you were looking for Brokaw to facilitate an adult discussion...well, I appreciate your childlike naivete. As usual, despite his cleavage comment, Mike Murphy said the majority of the intelligent things, though I thought Chuck Todd's prediction of a Chuck Hagel keynote address at the Democratic national convention was interesting (though I disagree). Chuck Todd's nerdom holds him back sometimes. I'd really like his gut reaction once in a blue moon, but that's just not how he rolls. Andrea Mitchell seemed like she'd gotten it together after a week in which she'd started to ask some pretty existential questions, along with the rest of us, about the role of the American media in campaign politics. Luckily, she had righted the ship and was back to her bland and unremarkable self. Judy Woodruff was about as consequential as an empty chair, which was due in large part to Brokaw's inability to effectively work her in to the conversation. Though I did love her answer to the question, "One minute to go, who's Barack Obama's VP candidate?"
Her Response: "Wow..um, either Bayh, or Biden...or Klein." Well, way to go out on a limb there Judy. You don't think it's going to be the guy, James, that lives in the apartment next to mine? Bold prediction.

Brokaw is rising to levels of facilitating ineptitude such that MTP is increasingly reminding me of a "house meeting" on the Real World. Maybe he should just throw caution to the wind and institute the conch shell meeting rules from Lord of the Flies. It would almost have to be an improvement. Maybe we should all mail him one, and see if somebody at NBC gets the hint. Needless to say, he'll be back again next week, live from China or something. At some point this week I'll decide whether I can keep watching him drive the show off a cliff or if I'm going to switch to George Stephanopoulos.