September 5, 2014

"This is great, Chuck Todd who worked for one of the most radical leftist senators Tom Harkin, is going to interview President Obama for his first guest."

"The only question is going to be, who has the softest balls."

That's the top-rated comment — of 3596 comments — to the Politico article titled "Chuck Todd to interview President Obama on first 'Meet The Press' broadcast."

Before I read that comment and decided to blog it, I was a participant in this conversation here at Meadhouse:
ME: Chuck Todd is beginning his stint on 'Meet The Press' by giving Obama an interview.

MEADE: Why doesn't he begin his stint on 'Meet The Press' by giving Obama a blowjob?

ME: Can I use that quote?
I got a sarcastic and negative response, so I was pleased to see that the top-rated comment at Politico was handling the male genitalia well enough.

You know, Chuck Todd has a lot to prove, and he should want to maximize the likelihood that he'll seem more like tough guy Tim Russert than affable sweetheart David Gregory. How is he going to do that while showing appreciation for Obama for deigning to sit down with him?

82 comments:

chillblaine said...

The genitalia comment is spot on. Chuck Todd looks like he wears a merkin.

bgates said...

Chuck Todd has a lot to prove

to who? Nobody but the left and the clueless watches that crap anymore. He can ask "tough questions" like "why aren't Republicans willing to compromise on anything?" and get glowing reviews.

MB said...

Won't Todd have to stand in line?

traditionalguy said...

Will he question Obama about the three forbidden subjects: 1)Obama favoring Muslims who are at war with the USA, and 2) Obama's use of Racial division politics, and 3) Obama's obvious enabling of Iranian Nuclear Bomb.

Steve M. Galbraith said...

Tim Russert was Mario Cuomo's chief of staff before he went into news but no one - or very few people - thought Russert was in the tank for Democrats. I didn't.

Todd certainly leans left; working for MSNBC pretty much requires it. But I don't view him a liberal as Harkin was.

I'm going to give him a chance although the real problem has been the guests they have had more than the hosts. Sure, David Gregory didn't help but he didn't have much to work with.



tim in vermont said...

Remember when that guy asked Obama what the most "enchanting thing" was about the presidency?

I made up a little song for him

"One enchanted evening,
you may meet Obama,
And when you meet Obama
Remember its an Honor,
when he tea bags your dripping chin..."

This was before the whole Tea Party thing, I never had the nerve to call Howie Carr's show to sing it on his chump line though.

cubanbob said...

Ann if you and Meade are into political porn then go ahead and watch. As for me, I have other things to do to entertain myself. Maybe I'll watch some good old fashioned man and woman porn or better still just take a good snooze during that time period.

Rae said...

David Gregory never struck me as affable or a sweetheart, unless he was interviewing a fellow traveller.

I predict that Chuck Todd will fare no better than David Gregory, as far as ratings go.

MayBee said...

How is he going to do while showing appreciation for Obama for deigning to sit down with him?

The state of our political reporters in one perfect question.

MayBee said...

I expect Todd to ask him some tough questions, but I also expect him to let Obama tell him how wrong the premise of the question is and how people aren't letting Obama be clear.

Hagar said...

Chuck Todd has along reputation as a Democratic Party operative with a byline.
And he is hardly a sparkling personality who will draw viewers that way.

Unknown said...

Oh boy....we can watch Chucky take his fervent Obama lickspiittling to new heights

John said...

In a sane media world Todd would over compensate and really go after Obama to prove his independence. That is what any sane person in Todd's position who wanted the show to succeed would do.

We don't live in a sane media world however and Todd is not interested in the show doing well. Sure he would like it to but the cause is more important. Expect Todd to be even more obsequious than even Meade expects him to be. Whatever your expectations for this interview are, lower them.

It is just sad and pathetic really. You would think Todd would have some self respect and pride in his profession and want to show that by being hard on Obama. You know he won't.

Bob Boyd said...

"How is he going to do while showing appreciation for Obama for deigning to sit down with him?"

Todd will have have to make it clear he isn't going to swallow everything Obama comes out with.

Bob Ellison said...

I would love to see a summary of the agreement that NBC, Todd, and Obama's handlers quietly nodded heads over in order to make this happen.

AustinRoth said...

Bob Boyd - Todd doesn't swallow - he politely spits into a cup after.

Matt Sablan said...

Question one should be: "Have you developed a strategy for dealing with ISIS?"

Question two should be: "What is it?"

wendybar said...

My thoughts were the same as Meades. Chuck Todd has been up Obamas butt for this whole time, and now he is going to try to be a journalist that we are supposed to believe is non-partisan???

wendybar said...

Blogger Bob Boyd said...
"How is he going to do while showing appreciation for Obama for deigning to sit down with him?"

Todd will have have to make it clear he isn't going to swallow everything Obama comes out with."



My Laugh of the day!! Thanks Bob Boyd!!!

traditionalguy said...

Just a stray thought but if only Joan Rivers could have gotten the Meet The Press gig... if only.

FullMoon said...

Roger Mudd interviewing Ted Kennedy when Cronkites seat was up for grabs. Dropped the Chappaquidick bomb on poor Ted , who was smiling and answering all the pre-arranged questions as if he were intelligent.

Changed the whole tone of the interview, haha.
Mudd did not get the job, it went to Dan Rather.

Todds' people and Obamas' team are tweaking the script daily, to get it just right.


jacksonjay said...

Obama only has soft balls when he is trying to "manage" the barbarians. He is badass when dealing with the bitter clingers and FAUX News. See Lois, Eric the Red and that dreadful Marie for details.

William said...

Megyn Kelly made a ripple on the pond by asking Cheney a few tough questions when he appeared on her show. It made people aware of her show. Perhaps Chuck Todd will take note........I don't think there's much difference in Gregory's and Todd's politics, but Todd seems less smarmy and less pleased with himself. He's more likable, but Gregory has much better hair so it's a toss up.

jacksonjay said...

What the smarter Lena Dunham considered for this job?

Francisco D said...

Who is Chuck Todd and why should I care?

Brennan said...

I think if you want to know what kind of water carrier Chuck Todd will be for the Democratic party, look no further than the way he "interviewed" David Brat after his primary victory over Eric Cantor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqjkbfbGqdE

If Chuck Todd could get away with it, he would first shackle his GOP guests and then ask them questions.

Brian McKim and/or Traci Skene said...

Back when we were still sitting down on Sunday mornings (on Eastern Standard Time) to watch those shows, it was my impression that Russert's "tenacity" or his "tough guy" image was largely an illusion or a result of wishful thinking.

I imagine that Todd and the President will huddle beforehand and orchestrate a real-enough-looking donnybrook. (Kinda like a director conferring with the actors and stuntmen before shooting a fistfight scene.)

And, if you think that's cynical, you haven't read about Chevron v. Donziger and Vanity Fair.

David said...

"How is he going to do while showing appreciation for Obama for deigning to sit down with him?"

Very carefully, with a full dose of less that totally obvious obsequious, if he ever wants to interview Obama again.

Tibore said...

"Why doesn't he begin his stint on 'Meet The Press' by giving Obama a blowjob?"

This is why Meade rocks. I'm going to use his line elsewhere.

Richard Dolan said...

"Why doesn't he begin his stint on 'Meet The Press' by giving Obama a blowjob?"

What makes you think he won't?

Drago said...

Any Random Lefty: At least he's not like that horrible, terrible, no good, very bad Brit Hume!!

garage mahal said...

Todd should ask Obama why he gave a stand down order in Benghazi and watch it unfold on video. #Pray4Benghazi

PB said...

All the questions were approved in advance. The only uncertainty is if Obama is allowed to use a teleprompter for his scripted answers.

Curious George said...

I thought that hair under his mouth was Obama's balls resting on his chin, but upon closer examination, nope, it's a beard.

PB said...

I wonder what he'll say if asked what kind of tree he would be if he could be a tree?

Anonymous said...

I used to find your naivete somewhat endearing, but enough is enough.

Chuck Todd is not going to ask tough questions to prove himself. Todd is a cog in the machine and knows who butters his bread.

Obama granted the interview as a favor to Comcast/NBC to give a boost to a struggling show. This was in return for Comcast/NBC's support and blatant shilling for Obama over the years. Comcast/NBC is not going to let Todd repay that favor by asking any questions that could be difficult for Obama to answer or might reflect negatively on Obama.

Rumpletweezer said...

He should start the interview by stating that they'd agreed not to talk about the IRS, Fast and Furious, Benghazi, Bowe Bergdahl, ISIS, or the VA scandal.

"Mr. President, how are you doing today?"

"What's your handicap?"

geokstr said...

The "unbiased", "objective" panel of "newspersons" for the show has also been announced:

- Luke Russert
- Andrea Mitchell
- and for "balance", the "right leaning", Tea Party loathing, Joe Scarborough

So, every panelist and the host have strong ties to MSNBC, the failing far left cable network propped up by the deep pockets of first NBC and now Comcast as a tax deductible loss because it doesn't have to be declared as an in-kind donation to the Democrat Party.

That will inspire confidence in the new "Meet the Press" line-up, fer sure.

PB said...

Questions:
1. What do you like about being president?
2. How has it been raising young daughters in the White House?
3. What's your favorite restaurant in DC?
4. How mean have the Republicans been to you?
5. Why won't Republicans get along with you? You're a nice guy.

m stone said...

It's usually the follow-up question that matters most.

Even a tough question can be deflected by Obama and most politicians. It is when they are pressed, usually with facts and reality, they get weak-kneed.

Watch CNN and MSNBC and see how interviewers avoid the follow-ups.

Chuck said...

The question isn't what an MSNBC part-timer will do; it's WHY the White House is gifting the Meet the Press franchise with a Presidential exclusive?

The answers, however are all pretty much obvious.

Unknown said...

Tom Harkin - the same Tom Harkin who eats communist propaganda for lunch, and likes it?

Our media is a state run pro-democrat party joke.

Unknown said...

Obama is at 38-29% approval. This is perfect timing. He needs a boost.

Some Seppo said...

Obama to meat the press. Film at 11.

Yancey Ward said...

Todd would probably like to do a tough interview with Obama, but I doubt he even asks a single question that isn't pre-approved. That is the price for getting the interview.

Bill said...

If you were a tree,
What sort of tree
Would you like to be?

FullMoon said...

Usually Obama will do a lot of pauses and "...ummms' when off stock or rehearsed answers. This is evidence he is not the greatest speaker, or the smartest guy in the room.
With that in mind, if he were to do that with his rehearsed, intelligent answers, it would appear he is actually capable of of thinking on his feet.

Naturally, his posse are not smart enough to realize that, so he will answer everything smoothly. I may watch just to judge the acting skills.
The questions and answers will not have much effect on anybody.

For the fans, he will come across as best prez ever. For me, it will be, "Who ya gonna believe, me, or your lyin' eye?"

Seriously, things are so screwed up that our country is even being divided over the name of a football team. All it takes is MSM and a couple of publicized "polls" to divide us on any subject at all.

Mark O said...

I'm with MEADE

damikesc said...

Megyn Kelly made a ripple on the pond by asking Cheney a few tough questions when he appeared on her show. It made people aware of her show. Perhaps Chuck Todd will take note........I don't think there's much difference in Gregory's and Todd's politics, but Todd seems less smarmy and less pleased with himself. He's more likable, but Gregory has much better hair so it's a toss up.

I doubt it.

When Chris Wallace asked tough questions of a Democrat, the lickspittle acolytes whined that he never asked Republicans those questions.

He then mentioned that he asked the EXACT SAME questions to Rice weeks earlier. And backed it up with video.

Quaestor said...

The question isn't what an MSNBC part-timer will do; it's WHY the White House is gifting the Meet the Press franchise with a Presidential exclusive?

Chuck wins.

Pardon the digression but I have a question about grammar. Althouse gave us a little dialogue using ME to indicate her lines and MEADE to indicate her husbands lines. MEADE can be read as subject or object, but ME is strictly objective. Isn't this like the old debate about bridge scoring; is it Us vs Them or We vs They? Persnickety grammarians insist on We vs They.

Or is the objective case perfectly cool in this context? Me said, him said. Cheetah want banana. Umgawah.

damikesc said...

Todd should ask Obama why he gave a stand down order in Benghazi and watch it unfold on video.

New info indicates the CIA told the security team in Benghazi to slow down.

Still an issue of the EXECUTIVE BRANCH in charge of all of this.

From Inwood said...

IMHO, Michael Kay, the NYY BB announcer, who, as an in-house NYY guy, does not want to make his guys look bad, asks tougher questions & makes tougher comments about Yankee players than anyone on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, PBS does of anyone on the Left. That says something, methinks.

C-Span on its book show had a recent discussion with Ben Carson on his latest book, with Todd asking the questions. IMHO, Todd asked some probing questions of Carson, which was OK, but I'll be surprised to see him do the same with The Anointed One.

damikesc said...

The "unbiased", "objective" panel of "newspersons" for the show has also been announced:

- Luke Russert
- Andrea Mitchell
- and for "balance", the "right leaning", Tea Party loathing, Joe Scarborough


This is...a joke, right?

Sadly, I cannot detect if this is reality or sarcasm in regards to this.

Unknown said...

Tim Russert was Mario Cuomo's chief of staff before he went into news but no one - or very few people - thought Russert was in the tank for Democrats. I didn't.

For the record he was Sen. Daniel Moynihan's chief of staff and Gov. Cuomo's counselor.

For the rest, whatever.

paminwi said...

I noticed garbage used a hashtag in his comment above.

Why did you forget to add the hashtags: Bring back our girls or United for Ukraine or some other such nonsense? Because aren't those girls still missing (or are they just dead - so it's easy to move on?), or are things all peachy in Ukraine these days? Neither one of those hashtags necessary anymore?

Dear Lord garage, I don't know whether to laugh or cry?

Browndog said...

Chuck Todd was employed by Politico.com before he was hired by NBC News following the election of Obama.

B said...

And journalists have a minor freakout when Bezos appoints a Republican as publisher of WaPo.

Humperdink said...

At one time, my son lived/worked in Davenport, Iowa. I asked him how in the world does a commie-pinko like Harkin keep getting elected in a flyover state.

Two words: Big Labor.

Anonymous said...

Chuck Todd? Why don't they just have Josh Ernest do it and cut out the middle man?

Malesch Morocco said...

Dittto what Damikesc said.

Big Mike said...

You mean "Meet the Press" is still on the air? Who knew?

Rusty said...

garage mahal said...
Todd should ask Obama why he gave a stand down order in Benghazi and watch it unfold on video. #Pray4Benghazi

So you're saying you want to give Obama a blow job..

Dan Hossley said...

Chuck Todd has a lot to prove, but with so little to prove it with.

garage mahal said...

So you're saying you want to give Obama a blow job..

No dude. I leave the blow jobs and butt penetration talk to you guys. You seem to love talking about it.

sakredkow said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Scientific Socialist said...

Sweet dreams are made of these: Howie Carr interviewing Obama. Who are you to disagree?

Michael K said...

"Obama granted the interview as a favor to Comcast/NBC to give a boost to a struggling show. "

And we will watch the semen dribble down Todd's chin.

I might even watch. I haven't watched porn in a while.

Michael K said...

That of course, assumes Obama produces semen.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Michael K said...
And we will watch the semen dribble down Todd's chin.

I might even watch. I haven't watched porn in a while.


Apparently Titus has changed his screen name.

richardsson said...

I wish we could bring back Lawrence E. Spivak. He was a tart tongued, feisty little guy. He and Martha Roundtree founded Meet The Depressed on Radio and later on T.V. as a no b.s. interview show. I stopped watching it in '73 when Spivak left the program. But that was long ago when NBC had a real news department.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_E._Spivak

smitty1e said...

Chuck Toady.

Bad Lieutenant said...

just a thought. You know porn is very topical and current. I believe immediately after 911 there was a porno involving the capture and rape of a female reporter in Afghanistan by Osama bin Laden followed by him and his people being killed by American and British commandos who of course then fuck the girl. And of course Sarah Palin pornos and so forth. I wonder if anybody has done a gay porno involving an Obama clone.

Seeing Red said...

So he's setting up for cancellation?

Right out of the box?

Seeing Red said...

I wonder if the WH pre-approved the questions?

cubanbob said...

Why the harshing on Garage? It's a good question and ought to be followed by what was Amb. Stevens doing in Benghazi and why no security?

Original Mike said...

Note to Deborah Turness: This is not edgy.

lonetown said...

"SMGalbraith said...
Tim Russert was Mario Cuomo's chief of staff before he went into news but no one - or very few people - thought Russert was in the tank for Democrats. I didn't. "

This is the kind of nonsense no one or very few people would have said when Russert were alive.

Bruce Hayden said...

He has to be an improvement over swarmy Gregory, whom I will always visualize in that famous picture of him illegally holding up that illegal 30 round magazine vainly trying to promote gun control, while in reality making the point that one of the problems with gun control is the double standard that the politically connected (like him), the powerful, and the criminals are exempt.

J Lee said...

Todd does occasionally rub elbows with people on the right not named Joe Scarborough, so he seems a little more self-aware than David Gregory, and knows people are expecting him to be in the tank for Obama. So I'd expect him to follow the George Stepanopolous strategy of being tough and tame depending on the timing.

George S will ask a tough question at times of a Democrat, but that's usually when there's no big event like an election on the horizon -- he was the one who asked that out-of-left field question on Mitt Romney's position on contraception bans in order to frame the upcoming 2012 election narrative. I'd expect the same from Todd. He'll hit Obama with one tough question this Sunday to disrupt the narrative that he's completely in the tank for the Democrats, and he'll probably try to emulate Russert at times in 2015 while he's establishing his spot on the show.

But once the 2016 campaign gets serious by the end of next year, he'll mirror Stephanopolous' style and frame the narrative with questions that mirror Democratic Party talking points.

Steve M. Galbraith said...

"This is the kind of nonsense no one or very few people would have said when Russert were alive."

Someone who thinks Russert was in the tank for the Democrats when he hosted MTP has a political standard that I cannot conceive of.

At least not when I'm sober.

Rusty said...


Blogger garage mahal said...
So you're saying you want to give Obama a blow job..

No dude. I leave the blow jobs and butt penetration talk to you guys. You seem to love talking about it


I believe it's the first time I've broached the subject. You seem to know an awful lot about it though.

Dan said...

This show is the exclusive domain of former hard left wing Democrat staffers. You couldn't pay me enough to watch Chuckie Cheese.